20 comments:

eeTeeD said...

are you trying to give jed a heart attack?

Mark Martin said...

Ya know, eeT, it's sad that I could not help but wonder about that. Not Jed necessarily, but somebody might have a heart attack. But I went with my gut. That's what Gabby would say and what of it? Feel the love!

Jed Alexander said...

Well, I imagine this whole group of scenes is a montage of resolutions. Like when you have a big ensemble cast and in the end you find out each persons little ending.

I have no idea how you're head works this way though.

And you are so abusing your loyal audience. It seems like blogizens who frequent less are rewarded with forward moving continuity, while the rest of us are bidden to suffer backwards. Once complete, it will be hard to be sure just what we've been reading, while rereading forwards, there'll be no surprises along the way. But I suppose this way the whole story is one big surprise after another...sort of.

As an experiment, I applaud you, as a reading experience, it's like those puzzles in the newspaper where you're supposed to figure out what's wrong with the picture by some completely subjective criteria.

Ok it's not like that at all. But nonetheless, almost as frustrating.

As for this one: I'm sure it would be so impossibly time consuming that you'd never finish the thing, but I kind of wish the whole story was rendered like this. I also like the unapologetic markerness of the rainbow.

Mark Martin said...

I wonder if everybody is that exasperated by this thing. I wonder if maybe you are trying too hard?

Look at it this way: Typical story, you read what is happening and wonder what will happen next. Crazy Boss, you read what is happening and wonder how they got there. Don't you wonder what in the world drove Mz Johnzon to the brink and made her suicide bomb Trace? Or where little Raisey came from?

I'm finding it a zillion times easier to write this way. Maybe I was just tired of writing forward.

Anyway - take heart! I think, if you like this story, you'll have as much fun re-reading it forward two years from now. (Obviously this all depends on whether or not I can actually finish such a massive undertaking for once.)

I'm thinking about removing posts after I get about 50 up. You know, when I put up a new post, I'll take down the oldest one simultaneously. So there's constantly just a chunk of 50 up there. That way, even loyal die-hards (all two of you!) can have a chance to forget details and enjoy it again from the front when it's packaged that way.

ONE MORE DAY, JED!!! ONE MORE DAY UNTIL THE REST OF THE WORLD THINKS WE'RE AWESOME!!! CAN YOU STAND IT?!?!?!?

Jed Alexander said...

It the most earnest of all possible ways, I am on tenterhooks. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!

slatts said...

Wow. There's nothing like coming right in the middle of someone's trip...I mean, movie...no, story...or whatever.

Not complainin' And save me a seat, too.

eeTeeD said...

mr. martin,

might i recommend the following comic book to you?

http://www.amazon.com/Wimbledon-Green-Seth/dp/1896597939

i was given a copy of this book as a christmas present several years ago.

i think it might interest you as the book is not written in a linear manner. instead the reader is given little “slices of life” from various points in time, and from various points of view. it is not until you have read the entire comic that you are able stitch all these “slices” together and get a complete picture of what has been going on.

considering your current project, it might be of interest to you.

Mark Martin said...

Nice recommendation. I just got a library copy for 99 cents! Gotta love amazon.

eeTeeD said...

please let us know what you think of it.

i am not a fan of seth's work (nor do i dislike it... it simply isn't the type of comic that i read/collect), but i did find this comic both well done and engaging.

Benny said...

I think this is a massive undertaking with your starting three threads at once. I'm proud, and can't wait to see it all. You've gotten yourself trapped now, Pumpie, and you're gonna have to draw your way out.
Whee!

Mark Martin said...

FOUR threads, Benny. What about Mr. Bowling, the biggest thread of all? He'll be along shortly.

Jed Alexander said...

I have Wimbledon Green, but never quite made it through. I have It's a Good Life, if You Don't Weaken, which seemed to be a not too terribly interesting story well told, another story about a compulsive comic book and comic strip enthusiast. I've been following the current Clyde Fans story line, and I'm digging that a little more, but I can't say it's exactly rivetting. If he didn't draw so well, I would probably drop it entirely.

But Wimbledon Green--as mentioned, the story centers around super compulsive comic book collectors. I'm exposed to my fair share of super compulsive comic book collectors, myself being one. So you'd think this would be endlessly fascinating to me, but I just couldn't get into it.

I just can't get into cartoonists who write about cartoonists obsessed with cartoonists, and worse, it's centered around the whole collector's fetish, and obsessing about possessing things that nobody really cares about but a handful of fantasy obsessed introverts is just not that compelling. But again it's a not too interesting story well told, so on a strictly formal level, I suppose I can appreciate it.

Mike Dobbs said...

Is this story part of an established one? Do these panels reflect already established storylines?

Remember I'm just an ignorant old journalist. I hate even admitting I'm confused.

eeTeeD said...

i'm anxious =(

Jed Alexander said...

Just for you, Pumpie:

The inauguration made completely out of legos.

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-01/Legoland-Barack-Obama-inauguration_44562791.jpg

Mark Martin said...

Mike: I just added a Crazy Boss Primer especially for ignorant old journalists.

eeT: So should I say anything publicly about this you-know-what?

Jed: I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU! It just arrived today. I'll mail it. Sorry you could not hold it and stroke it during the most wonderful event to ever happen in the USA, but you'll have it soon.

eeTeeD said...

you can say it here or in an email to me, whichever pleases you.

i have no druthers.

Jed Alexander said...

For me? I'm both touched and afraid. Is it something to eat?

Unfortunately the Obama Cookie Cake is out of stock:

http://www.foodandcandygifts.com/?p=217

But then there's always this:

http://wonkette.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/obama_cake.jpg

Mmm mmm Obama Goodness.

Mark Martin said...

OK, you know I'm skeptical about all this but HOPEing for the best. I'm in no hurry to jump on Obama...

But that POET! Come on! Can we at least agree that poem was at best stupid? What the hell was that thing?

Tell me your honest reaction to that poem. I won't argue. Opinions are like assholes and all that. But I am curious to see if you liked that thing.

Not just Jed. Anybody?

Jed Alexander said...

I'm listening the poem right now. I saw the inauguration speech all by itself on Yahoo, so I missed it.

Ok, I can't stand it anymore.

The thing is, I just don't relate to poetry, and the official poetry reading cadence drives me crazy.

There's this poem by John Updike in the New Yorker that I'm sorry I didn't save, that started, "what does it feel like to be a stolen painting?" I so wish I still had that.

And then there's this months poem by Nathalie Anderson entitled, "EH?", Which starts, "Eh he said and she dreamed eh."

I'm sure there's some serious deficit in my cultural what have you, but I don't get poetry. Someone else is going to have to sing the praises of the inaugural poem.