Archive for March, 2005
21 items.
Better late than never, right? My apologies to everyone for not uploading the comic first thing Wednesday morning. But hey, it makes your Wednesday evening (or your Thursday) that much better, right?
For me, the punch line of today’s strip is totally in the second panel. Just the idea of Tom standing in front of a mountain of Star Wars merchandise makes me smile.
Incidentally – and because I know you will ask – no, that is not my collection of Star Wars figures. I pulled it off a fan site somewhere. Fan boys showing off their collections. Comparing who has the bigger light saber, as it were. I wish I could shoot you a link, but truthfully, I just Googled it.
So, to that random Star Wars fan out there whose image I totally pilfered, thank you!
Another item for the record, Cami is a totally hardcore TLC home improvement show junkie. If Trading Spaces comes on, she’ll stop what she’s doing and watch it. If What Not To Wear flickers across the screen, she’ll tell everyone to shut up or she’ll cut your freakin’ tongue out.
Okay, that last part is a dramatization. Really, I have no room to be critical. I once dropped a baby on its head when an episode of Justice League: Unlimited came on (also a dramatization).
I’m really having fun with this little mini-arc we’ve got going on. I have another related strip ready for Friday, which means I will have to forego commentary on The Ring Two this week. But you can entertain yourselves with a comic I did taking a dig at the first Ring movie from way back on October 18, 2002.
Y’see, kids. That’s when you know you’ve been in the game a long time. When you star referencing comics that are over two and half years old, that’s a long time. Man, look how far we’ve come.
As long as I’m in a self-referential mood, did you guys catch this story about Quentin Tarantino NOT directing the next Friday the 13th movie as previously reported? I guess that shoots this comic all to hell. Man, I hate it when these Hollywood rumors don’t pan out.
Totally switching gears now, can I say something really quick about Aikida? I don’t know what kind of awesome regimen Fenris is operating under, but since he came back a few weeks ago and started doing the comic full-time, it has been better than ever. The art is better. The coloring is better. The storyline is excellent!
I’m putting my cards out on the table. I’m jealous, man. Freaking “I-wish-I-was-as-popular-as-Penny-Arcade” kind of jealous.
This is not lip service. Read Aikida now.
Seacrest, out!
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I like to think I learn from my mistakes, so here’s Friday’s comic – on time!
I don’t know if you want to bother voting for Theater Hopper at buzzComix today. I was totally bankrupt for ideas when it came to penciling today’s incentive sketch, so I tried to draw a picture of Darth Vader from memory. It’s kinda close, but that’s a generous assessment. It’s like saying Joan Rivers looks kinda like a human being.
I thought we were at a safe enough distance away from the Charlie storyline to bring back our title character in a more casual context. In some respects I felt like a lot was sacrificed to bring this new voice to the comic and then felt guilty for not utilizing her in the last month. So here she is. Don’t worry. We’re not embarking on some giant storyline again. This is just a casual insert of a regular cast member no different than Jared or Jimmy.
HOWEVER I will point out that today’s comic tells you a lot about Charlie. Probably more in a few panels then I was able to achieve in 6 comics during the storyline. That’s right. Charlie’s a nerd.
For those of you with active imaginations, let me say right now that Tom and Charlie will not hook up. That’s not the kind of show we run here. If you want quasi-angsty relationship humor, there are plenty of other comics that fill that niche. I just thought it would be a fun bit of contrast to take this kind of vapid, looks-obsessed character and make her a nerd at heart. Nothing more, nothing less.
Anyway, I don’t have a lot to talk about at the moment that’s movie related. But I think you can forgive me for being less pre-occupied with that and more interested in the fact that Cami and I are celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary today!
At the risk of sounding overtly sentimental, I look forward to our anniversary probably more than my birthday, Christmas or even Halloween. If there was ever an event to set time aside for to recognize, I think wedding anniversaries should be at the top of the list.
I talked about this in the THorum, but if you’re celebrating a birthday, that’s a singular achievement. Basically, people congratulate you for not dying that year. A wedding anniversary, on the other hand, is a celebration of the effort TWO people make to keep a union strong. It’s not a given. It’s not this arbitrary route-marker on the road of life. Every year is a milestone and worthy of your attention.
I’m not a real religious guy so I don’t have the threat of God looming over my shoulder on this one. So don’t think I’m expounding on the sanctity of marriage from a secular perspective.
No, I’ve always been enamored by couples who are able to make it work. I look in the paper for anniversary announcements and see people who have been together 50 or 60 years. Optimistically, I think they’re the lucky ones.
So happy 5th wedding anniversary, Cami! I love you!
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We have a thing in the THorum called The Friday Five. It’s a little tradition we’ve developed that started about a year ago. Actually, it was March 19, 2004 that we kicked things off – so this is good timing.
The process is extraordinarily simple. We ask the group 5 questions each week. You answer them. Every Friday, you get 5 new questions. Sometimes we use questions submitted by the group. Sometimes I use my own questions. Overall, it’s a great way to indoctrinate yourself into the THorum and a good way to learn a lot about the people who have already established themselves. Think of it as a primer for people who aren’t entirely comfortable in online communities.
The Friday Five is open to anyone who wants to sign up for the THorum and participate. I strongly suggest you do. It’s a lot of fun, and it exercises some different thinking. We have a lot of fun with it each week and I feel that it’s gone a long way to forging the pleasant, understanding, relatively drama-free community we have.
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If you’ll excuse me, I don’t have a lot of commentary ready this morning. I had kind of a rough night, so I’m not really in the right mindset to talk about film. I’ll be back later to let you know what’s going on.
In the meantime, if you want to vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix, there’s a fun reward sketch to view for your trouble. I get a kick out of it. I think it puts a fun spin on the mythology of The Ring. Enjoy!
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Wow! From the number 5 slot to number 3 at buzzComix in just one day! I should leave you guys hanging more often!
Just kidding. Sorry about the lack of blogage yesterday, but when I finished the comic Sunday night, I just wasn’t up to it. Come Monday, I barely had time to ∗look∗ at a computer. So it got shuffled off until this morning.
I didn’t see The Ring Two this weekend nor do I plan on ever seeing it. I loved the first movie. It was so much more than just a horror flick with cheap thrills. It was genuinely creepy. LOTS of unanswered questions and a gloomy atmosphere that clings to you like a cold, wet sheet.
And even though the Japanese director of the source material Ringu was behind the lens of the American sequel, from what I’ve read, he severely overestimates the effect of trickling water to spook American audiences.
Incidentally, Monday’s comic was less a commentary on the movie itself, but more a general stab at sequelitis – the horrible affliction of Hollywood studios to recycle the same concepts over and over. In order for Naomi Watts’ character to be sucked in again by this haunted video, the script – by default – is going to force her to make some really stupid decisions.
Yes, I know, I know. There are several sequels in Japan. Even a Ring 0 (natch). But that doesn’t always make things right.
Switching gears – I don’t know about you, but since The Incredibles came out last Tuesday, I’ve been in full-on Pixar mode all week. I instantly devoured the bonus materials on DVD and have watched the movie twice already. I don’t know what it is about Brad Bird that I find so magnetic, but I respect the hell out of that guy. He’s like this patriarch of creative nerds. Something you could aspire to be.
The film is more visually arresting every time you watch it. And like and great film, you keep catching little details in every viewing. Anything from a side glance one character throws to another, to the astonishing level of detail they put into the jungle environments. The movie is grade-A level filmmaking and there is a lot to be learned from it.
I’m so wrapped up in all things Pixar at the moment, I even went back and watched Toy Story 2! Now THERE’S an example of a sequel done right!
Something I didn’t get a chance to mention earlier, but am making up for now was the guest comic I did for Zach over at Joe and Monkey. It was posted on Sunday. If you want to check it out, click here.
Be sure to skip backwards through a few of the other guest comics that were posted last week. A lot of them are real winners.
Actually, you know what? You should be familiar with the Joe and Monkey archives just as a rule. It’s a brilliant comic.
Something else I’ve been negligent to do is to point out the good people who have chosen to advertise with Theater Hopper in the last few weeks.
I totally missed the boat when it came to highlighting Split Reason Clothing. Their ad is no longer running on the site, but I strongly encourage you check them out. These guys sell a whole bunch of cool t-shirts and other apparel. I’ve always really liked their designs. Secretly, I’m jealous I can’t come up with visuals just as good for ∗this∗ site.
I don’t know why there aren’t as many one-panel gag comics out there as their should be. Maybe it’s a lack of sussinct wit on behalf of most writers. I think it’s a pretty specific talent. In any case, Basketcase Comix does a great job with the format and you should check it out.
Our newest advertiser is Rumf Adventures. For some reason, it reminds me of Pogo by Richard Davidson or maybe Bone by Jeff Smith. It kind of has that old-world design that is very economical but very effective.
You’ll also want to be sure and check out Kendara. They’re advertising both on the front page and in the THorum. It’s a really well-illustrated fantasy comic.
At the other end of the spectrum is Whisky Sours, which is also well-illustrated, but the fantasy elements are completely alcohol-induced. It really lives up to its name! Check out their site. Wonderfully designed.
Speaking of site design, I’m undergoing a little site redesign of my own for Theater Hopper. Progress has been slow-going, but once I get some of the templates in place, I think I will be able to start introducing in a little bit at a time to you guys. Some parts of the site will be inaccessible for a little while. Obviously the comic and the blogs will be revised first. I’ll probably follow up with the store, and then the rest of the pages should fall like dominoes.
Anyway, just letting you know what’s going on in my life. Thanks for reading all this gobbely-gook!
Later!
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The “Female Empowerment Fairy?” “Mr. Happy?” I have no idea what’s wrong with me.
I guess looking forward at the movies that are coming out this weekend, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous served itself up on a silver platter to be made fun of.
I mean, first of all, you have Sandra Bullock who is all of 41 years-old playing an FBI agent trying to compete against 19 and 20 year-olds in a Miss America-type pageant. I don’t think there’s a bucket big enough for me to dump my disbelief into before accepting this concept.
Second, from all outward appearances, they decided to remove the one redeeming quality of the original movie, which was the potential romance angle with Benjamin Bratt. Instead, they’ve replaced him with… a back-talking, no-nonsense body guard in the guise of Regina King. Uh, okay. What kind of weird escapism is this?
Don’t ask me why I know this stuff, okay? I’m a married man, remember. Sometimes compromise means watching Miss Congeniality instead of taking a nap on a Saturday afternoon.
Anyway, instead of going the obvious route and apply my deeply entrenched male perspective on the “chick flick genre, I thought it was about time Tom was served a little comeuppance – even if it was in dream form. Needless to say, the result is somewhat… unique. Hopefully for the younger readers of this site, the joke will go over their heads.
Incidentally, Tom waking up startled isn’t a new concept for Theater Hopper. It’s kind of a cheap devise, but I have a lot of fun with it. Especially when I get to dust off the old trick and apply it in a new situation. It’s a little experiment to see if I can take something from funny, to not funny and back to funny again. I guess you’ll be the judge of that. At least the pajamas are changing from strip to strip!…
Not much else to report today. Stop by the THorum if you feel like saying “Hi.” We’ve been seeing lots of activity in there lately!
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Hey, kids. Wanna meet Mr. Happy? Well, you’re in luck because I decided to draw him in all his glory for todays buzzComix incentive sketch. Just vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix and meet your new best friend!
Is this drawing work safe? I AIN’T TELLIN’!
MU-HA-HA-HA!
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I’m sorry, but I REALLY like today’s buzzComix incentive sketch (click here to vote if you want to see it). The sketch perfectly encapsulates a period of my life where I would come home from school, watch Thundercats, eat a Little Debbie snack cake and play Guess Who?! I’m tellin’ ya, this is the kind of stuff X-Entertainment covers in spades.
Although I think the joke is really obvious, I guess I don’t know how well it is going to go over with you guys. Some of you may have never played Guess Who?! or are too young to remember it.
The rules were pretty simple. Basically, you and your opponent grab one card from a deck and keep it hidden from each other. You then take turns asking each other questions about the picture on your opponent’s card in an attempt to figure out which individual specifically they are hiding from you.
In front of you is a little flip board with about 30 other characters. Using the process of elimination, you flip down the portraits that don’t fit the profile.
So if you ask your opponent, “Does your person have glasses?” and they say “No,” you flip down all of the faces wearing glasses.
Problem is, that glasses question would eliminate about half of the playing field. So games didn’t last very long.
Man, that was a little more long-winded than I anticipated. Wanna talk about movies? Let’s shall.
Cami is really excited to see Guess Who? this weekend and I can’t really figure it out. It doesn’t seem up her alley. She’s not a hardcore Bernie Mac or even an Ashton Kutcher fan, so I do not understand the appeal. To me, it looks like a lightweight sitcom interpretation of a far superior movie.
Honestly, what purpose is there to remaking 1967’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? First of all, you’re not going to ever top a cast that included Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn – so don’t even try.
Second, the context of the original was perfectly metered. It took the delicate subject of race relations at the height of the civil rights movement and literally brought it to your dinner table. But it managed to do it with a light touch and, at times, comedically. No small task.
I have to think Sidney Poitier must be rolling his eyes at the proposition of a remake that will basically distill the concept down to “BLACK AND WHITE PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT!” – to which the audience will reply with a thunderous “A-DUHHHHHHHH!” when the credits roll.
Seriously, if I wanted a bunch of jokes about the differences between the races, I could go to any comedy club and at least order a beer to go with it. All I know is if Ashton Kutcher starts riffing on how small the bags of peanuts airlines give you are, I’m walking out.
Oh, well. Methinks I doth protest too much. I’m going out with Cami tonight and her sister. We’ll have a grand ole time, I’m sure.
If you’re looking to have a grand ole time, you should really think about registering in the THorum and participating in this week’s Friday Five. It’s so simple your 6 year-old brother could do it. We ask you five questions, you answer them! It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the community and learn something about the people who already post there at the same time!
By the way, I know I haven’t been mentioning it much, but a week from now I will be in Kansas City with my good friends with Zach “The Maniac” Miller and Mitch “The Bitch” Clem at the Kansas City Comicon Comic Book Convention. We’ll be sitting on Artist’s Alley and you can’t miss us. I just ordered a giant 2′ x 4′ fire engine red banner with the Theater Hopper logo splashed across it. If you’re in the area, come down and say “Hi.” All three of us would appreciate it!
Talk to you guys soon! Hope everyone has a great weekend!
And no… Clem isn’t that bitchy. Just a little bit!… ;-D
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This is probably something I should have thought of sooner – because I’m ALL about abusing my “power” as an internet quasi-celebrity to advance my position – but the promotion is almost over, so I’m going to give it a shot.
Okay, you know how Pepsi and Mountain Dew have that thing going on where you have a 1 in 3 chance of winning a code you can input on iTunes for a free song?
Give me your codes.
I’m serious. If you don’t want them, I do. I’m an iTunes ADDICT and I can use all the free schwag I can get. If the whole digital music scene doesn’t trip your trigger but you’re a hard-core Mountain Dew drinker, then we need to talk.
Anyone willing to part with any of their codes can forward them to me at theaterhopper@hotmail.com. I wish I had something I could give you in the return, but a comic that’s updated three times a week in full color for free is a pretty good start, right?
Much obliged.
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I am painfully aware that today’s comic is not laugh-out-loud funny, but I hope for those of you who are somewhat familiar with Frank Miller‘s work with the Sin City graphic novels and short stories will get a kick out of the visual gag in today’s comic. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time and this has been a visual style I’ve been aching to try out for a while.
For those of you living under a rock for the past four months, a big screen version of Miller’s grim and gritty tales of pulp noir will be opening in theaters this Friday. Former Desperado and Spy Kids helmer Robert Rodriguez is directing it. Frankly, I can’t think of another filmmaker who could pull it off.
The Sin City books have a VERY specific visual style to them. Incredibly high contrast work, desperate characters slip in and out of the shadows. Every so often a scene will be violently punctuated by a shock of red or a splash of yellow. Translating that to film wouldn’t work unless that style was kept in place. Otherwise, what’s to distinguish it from any other detective/vigilante versus scum-of-human society revenge flick?
The movie itself has a light narrative woven through several different stories, all arcing over a multitude of colorful and grisly characters.
Personally, I’m already entranced by Mickey Rourke’s unrecognizable appearance as the dive bar brawler Marv. The prosthetics they’ve slapped on his face make him look EXACTLY like the character. A Roman Centurion after too many highballs and a broken heart.
I’m sure I’ll have more to say about Sin City as the week progresses. I plan on building more sand castles in Frank Miller’s sandbox this week.
I want to give everyone a reminder that I’ll be in Kansas City this weekend promoting Theater Hopper and representing web comics in general with my partners-in-crime Mitch Clem and Zach Miller at the Kansas City Planet Comicon comic book convention. If you’re in town, be sure to swing by the Overland Park Convention Center between 10AM and 5PM both days. We’ll be there.
We’re actually all planning on seeing Sin City together Saturday night. So if you’re up for it, I’m sure we could all meet up at the same time.
I’m really looking forward to the weekend. Not just because of the convention and a chance to get out of the house for a little while. But also because my good buddy Jared is going to be taking footage of the whole sordid affair. We hope to combine video from this convention, Wizard World Chicago in August and the Minneapolis Fallcon in October and put together a cool little road-trip/documentary about Theater Hopper, the comic convention circuit and the craziness that comes with it. When it’s all said and done, Jared and I are going to sit down and do a comprehensive interview/retrospective looking back on the last three years of the comic. We hope to have everything assembled and ready for purchase on DVD by Christmas. So keep your eyes out for that one!
This has probably been enough self-promotion for the day. Enjoy your Monday!
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