Today's Comic

It might be delayed, I bought some new figures but I'm having a hard time getting the package open... short of using my dremel but the ACCESSORY is waaaaaaaaaaaay to close to the edge I need to tear open without fear of piercing it with scissors, dremel, and xacto knife.

Curse you japanese toy packaging!

Episode 0: Can You Blame Me Now?

Preview:

This was my first ever photocomic, it was a One-Shot featured on the Wizard Universe Boards back on October of last year, which I'm using to prepare you for my first ever strip that followed this which is linked to the preview Photo.

Custom Figure Spotlight x2

Okay we got 2 Customs today that tickled my fancy:

The first one is The Grey Gargoyle, made by the esteemed loosecollector, and the second is a Gold Concept Camaro Movie Bumblebee, by Sonray Customs. Both of them just "Wow"-ed me because I remember reading alot of old avengers reprints growing up and I dug Grey Gargoyle and his powers; and also that Gold paint job on BB is hands down kick ass.

Blog Update

Looks like I might be switching to a blog actually hosted on my website. Its craziness, I know, because I already tried and failed at using WordPress, hahahahaha.

Anywho I'm trying MoveableType now, see if that pans out. If not ah well the site will stay crappy for a while.

Fugitives From Reality: Episode IV "Enter Angus"

Preview:

...

Okay so the comic is a day late, but Hey this time I shot it outside using the Sun for a light source! I had to fight off my Cats, Ants, and some weird black flying thing that I can only ascribe to coming straight out of the book of Revelations... or my neighbor's back yard.

Today's Comic

As promised I update both the blog and site with a new comic every Monday and Friday (fuck you, Wednesday!) and well I didn't shoot it last night because well it was my birthday and I didn't get online via my PC all weekend. Any postings or presence was done purely through my PSP.

So anywho, I contemplated bringing a few figures and my camera in my bag to school but instead I'm gonna camp out here in the computer lab for the next several hours and work on the site a bit. I found a really good HTML site to help me relearn tags and tables and what not. So I'm-a fix up the frontpage a bit and see if black or a dark purple will suffice for a background color.

I also realize throughout the week I'll throw up 1 to 3 panel comics, as most webcomic tend to post 3 times a week, (damn them) whilst other more popular webcomic post once a week (lucky fuckers).

OOH, which reminds me, my birthday was cool. Saturday went out with the folks, well more like they kidnapped me, and we went to the Olive Garden and saw Jumper at the the theater. Jumper was pretty good, they could have opted for a steadicam rig for the cameraman at times, but otherwise all was good in da hood.

Also on Sunday I got a Fudge Brownie Cheesecake for my cake and I got Marvel Ultimate Alliance for the PS2 and the variant "Classic" Red Tornado DC Universe Classics Figure.

Good times.

Champions Online

Okay so back in 2001, when I started my freshman year of college, I bombed those first 2 semesters. Hardcore. Simply because I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of City of Heroes. I got lost in my own fantasies, coming up with a handful of unique characters I hoped to bring to life on the PC virtual, online world of Paragon City.

Unfortunately, it didn't come out 'til 2004, but I spent those 3 years blowing semester after semester of college, skipping class to post on the forums and just basically using it as an excuse to surf the internet. In those same years I also got into writing for Artifice Comics, which helped me take those superhero ideas to new levels, and improve my writing overall.

Now a new love affair begins next year, Champions Online, based on the pen and paper-based Champions role playing game, which the game is to be released on PC and Xbox 360, in Spring 2009.

Now I loved City of Heroes, but Champions Online promises TOTAL customization. Which is what City of Heroes promised in 2001 but failed to deliver in 2004. The community and freshness of CoH is what more than made up for that failing, but dammit I still craved fully customizable powers, abilities, AND costumes.

Anywho, when this bitch comes out in 2009, I'll suddenly have a reason to buy a 360. I figure the tech specs of the new game will far surpass that my system is even upgradable to so I'd rather opt to just buy a 360.

So, sorry Sony, but I found the singular reason to get an X-Box 360.

Simple Pleasures

I find this most entertaining.

Aging

I am now a quarter century old. I'm pretty sure that puts in the "adult" phase of life, as for one my driver's license expires today, and my car insurance rates have suddenly hit rock bottom. Other things that tell me I'm older is the fact I shave more often, care about my appearance, and have "responsibilities".

Now for a quick rundown of my current life:

- Final semester of dual degrees in psychology and sociology
- About to file my taxes and get a big ass return check
- I've fallen for the sweetest woman I've ever known, who is neither fictional nor a celebrity or damaged goods
- I've found artistic and creative expression through figure customizing and webcomic creation
- I'm about to be published and see a book with my name on it on store shelves again
- Self employed doing something I love
- Have no health insurance whatsoever
- Been invited to the wedding of my first bestfriend I ever had
- Currently digesting Olive Garden breadsticks and Spaghetti
- Saw Jumper in the theater (didn't suck!)

My life is pretty good compared to about a year ago where the only entires that woulda been listed was "have health insurance", "I'm agonizing over a woman who is damaged goods", and "employed doing something i hate".

Good times.

Fugitives From Reality: Episode III "Muy Caliente"

Preview:

...

Part 2 of yesterdays comic!

Fugitives From Reality: Episode II "Missy Kitty Burnin'"

Preview:

...

So this comic is a two part comic, I'm uploading the first part right now, and other part tomorrow when I get home. Today I'm introducing 2 new characters to the mix. I hope they enjoy their appearances.

Custom Figure Spotlight

This is a "Zombie Spawn" custom action figure by drone.devil from the Figure Realm custom showcase.

...

Custom Figure Spotlight will run every Wednesday or Thursday of the week as a sort of creative filler between Monday and Friday's comic updates. I'll be spotlighting customs I find around the 'net for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Head Inury Theater

This site has gotten me through MANY a long boring night of lack of sleep, and for that I love it. Nothing sucks more than staying up all night with nothing to do and no way to slip into lovely unconsciousness without half a dose of non-existent Nyquil.

The guy who runs it, who's name escapes me at the moment, simply rules. He's an artist based out of Germany with education in film and entertainment. And he goes out of his way to watch every shitty B-movie ever made and review them... at length, with animated gifs, and captioned screen caps illustrating his colorful reviews.

Anywho, check him out, he's even got a blog. Enjoy!

Fugitives From Reality Goes Live!

Okay so I've hand coded a site together in the last 30 minutes, its been exactly since Junior year of high school since I've done anything significant with HTML, and mind you its only been 30 minutes of hand coding and previewing. But here is the damn site.

I got tired of the image restrictions on BlogSpot here so I opted for my own site. Once I get a few good episodes in and fix up the look of the site I'll g'head and purchase a proper domain name and add on more space and bandwidth.

Enjoy.

Fugitives From Reality: Episode 0 "Zero Hour"

Preview:

***

A quickie comic to announce my decision.

And yes that is indeed a copy of Toyfare #128 in the background, my inspiration for these comics are 3 fold: 3) Twisted Kaiju Theater, 2) Dr. Nightmare/Figure Realm's tutorial comics, and, naturally, 1) Twisted Toyfare Theater. Thus why TF #128 is featured prominently.

Also hit up the Wizard Universe Boards to get a chance to vote on characters to be featured in upcoming comics!

Fugitives From Reality: Episode I "Introduction"

Preview:

***

Okay this took about an hour to put together. I really had no idea which figures to use for people, considering I had no clue if anyone would want to be in it.

I had really intended it to be the figures AS sentient toys, but now I have it where people I know from the around the internetz have their personalities copied into the bodies of various action figures that do my bidding... sometimes... okay not really at all.

Here's to 99 more installments.

Weekend Off

I took the weekend off to depressurize from having to use computers so much to do research papers and emails for school purposes. I have a new photocomic prepared I just need to finish adding in the dialogue, and a couple of people will probably be surprised from the angle of taken with the comic.

Power Girl Custom Figure

Okay so I've been working on 3 customs at one time now since... well, october and while I am 75% done on my 300 Spartan, 50% of my Power Girl, and only 10% in on my Jason Todd/Red Hood figure I'd like to showcase my newest Power Girl success so far:



I took a DC Direct figure's head, bought Tulip from the Preacher line for 4 bucks downtown, and put it on my Mortal Kombat Sonya Blade's body.

A Power Girl V-Day!

All You Ever Wanted To Know About...

TALISMAN

...

I just spent the last few hours compiling a condensed explanation of the entire concept of "Talismans" for my writings on Artifice Comics. It brings you up to speed on how they work and what goes into their creation and touches upon themes and concepts not yet truly realized in the series.

Also Artifice is always on the lookout for new writers and contributors, so if you've got a writing itch to scratch and you feel you've enough creative spark to string together a thousand or two words, check it out.

Happy Valentine's Day?

Priest: If anyone has any reason as to why this marriage should not take place, speak now or forever hold your peace.
(Adam West's other hand raises up)
Adam West: Shut up, you had your chance!

Building A Super Team: Part I

Okay so a while back on the Wizard Universe Message Boards they were running this contest to see who could make the Most Powerful Team of 7 Comic Book Characters, I misread this and thought just the best functional team. So, as I never entered the contest, I saw people put together just these uber powerful teams of unstoppableness.

Personally, I really see a team as a whole functional unit that each member is indeed great alone but when they're all together it just... everything clicks, comes up aces. So this is just kinda side project I'll be working on periodically to get my creative juices flowing on characters that are not of mine own creation.

This team I assembled is based on a 7 Role formula of Raw Power, Magic, Defense, Stealth, Tactics, Technology, and Psychic Ability. Each character chosen will come from the modern pantheon of heroes and villains from both DC and Marvel Comics.

First up to be covered is Tactics:

JASON TODD



Forever known as the the second boy to have taken the mantle of Batman's growing number of sidekicks and vigilante partners, Jason Todd's run as Robin was rife with trouble from the very beginning. His behaviour leading up to death is best described by his mentor here:


Surprisingly Jason came back, in a big way, after Superboy Prime punched his way through his reality into the DC Universe as we know it, that punch sent a ripple throughout the DCU and reanimated Jason Todd. He awoke from his grave, was taken in by the League of Assassins, further funded and trained by Talia Ah Ghul and has returned at the ripe young age of 18 as the Red Hood to do what Batman won't.

Kill.

Yes this once fiesty, angst filled teen is now an adult and is now every bit as dangerous and cunning as Nightwing and Batman. Sure he's still young, lacks some of the experience of his once partner in tights, but that will come with time.

Both his detective and combat training with Batman and his further training in the deadly arts of assassination from Talia Ah Ghul makes him a very strong opponent to come up against. He plots and manipulates Gotham's Underworld to suit his vigilante ways and has even been chosen to travel into the Multiverse to face the dimensional threat that is coming to rock the DC Universe.



With no powers and only his skill and wits, he makes for a great choice as a tactician and combatant on the team.

...

Thats it for now, my next entry will cover my choice for the role of Raw Power.

Episode V: Taking The Initiative

Preview:

I want this

Botcon 08 Exclusive Optimus Prime. I want it.

Ruby Rocket

And here is Ruby Rocket as Jessica Rabbit! (Click the image to go to Ruby's Site for more photos and if you want to hire her for some event ya might throw.)

Attention Whore

So today I have 3 new things to write about:

3) No webcomic for Monday, since it now Tuesday my time so webcomic coming in about an hour once I finish the photoshopping. I promised no release schedule for these but I think once a week will be cool with any extras being just cherry topping.

2) This interview about the new All Ages DC Comic Tiny Titans. I really dig this concept.

1) Just got revisions of Ars Magna issue 3 from Ash. Wow this lady can write some drama. Its sad because I expected more action but it tie up alot of loose ends only hinted at in the Zero issue of the series.

***

Now for a hidden fourth agenda'd item. I got alot of hits last time over the picture of one of maybe 3 adult entertainers I'd entertain the idea of touching. Which is surprising because she's a) all natural, b) she's a big girl, and c) she's got this girl next door look I just dig. I love real women and not the fake or even natural barbie doll lookin' ladies. Now for more hit inducing pictures. (I really hate you guys.)

Apologies

I apologize for the rant, I'll try not to do that again. Okay I only to promise to TRY to try, but still its the thought that counts.

...

And not to be outdone by Dr. Nightmare's blog, here is a picture of an adult entertainer who is allowed to have my babies.

Oh I'm Pissed

Wtf, McFarlane? SERIOUSLY, WTF?!?

This a rant about Action Figures, if you wanted funny come back tomorrow for the comic.

Look I want a simple Pink and Gold Halo 3 Spartan to have my favorite Red Versus Blue action figures. Thats it, so QUIT MAKING THEM FUCKING EXCLUSIVES to fuckin' SKATEBOARDING sites and NASCAR sites. Skateboarding and NASCAR piss me off to no end and this DOES NOT HELP THEIR CASES.

These are quite pleasing to my eyes but we all know what I like is either PEG WARMER or EXTREMELY RARE. There is not "accessible" there is only clearance items or damn well Ark of the Covenant levels of availability for me.

So WHY, again, must they make the Gold and Pink spartans not only Exclusive once again but this time TO PLACES I WOULD NEVER SHOP FROM EVAR!??!

I seriously hate your rationale on this McFarlane, your goofy white trash ways. Not everyone has boinked a cousin or gone apple pickin'.

Now I'm off to watch all 3 volumes of HBO's Spawn... on DVD. I hate you.

3 Things You Don't Want To Discuss With Mom

3) Anal Bleaching (Curse you Oprah! CURSE YOU!)
2) Rough Sex w/ Multiple Partners (DAMN YOU COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE, DAMN YOU TO HELL!)
1) Food recipes for your childhood favorite dishes somehow containing your most hated food stuffs (F.U. Cilantro! F.U. Sideways!)

Missed Friday

Wow I missed an opportunity to blog already. My old age, what am I to do?

Well its officially Saturday, 15 days 'til my birthday, I'll be gracefully hitting that quarter century mark. Usually I harp on the fact my birthday is coming up starting on Thanksgiving, but this time I only waited until Christmas Eve.

My birthday is usually a lackluster time. Maybe I go out to dinner. Hopefully I'll get a gift. Otherwise it'll just be another football-less Sunday in my domicile. And the wonderful thing for me is there is already an in-class essay test the next day. Yay, British Literature.

I guess I can use this time to explain some of the finer points of my personality via sheer train of thought typage:

* I hate cilantro
* I love catgirls
* I'm a breast man (there is just something about seeing the light blue-green outline of veins on titflesh that makes me feel complete)
* I love Power Girl and She-Hulk
* I hate haircuts
* I hate phone calls (specifically those punk ass Nextel walkie-talkies)
* I have a tendency to flirt hellaciously with women only to get all awkward when they finally reciprocate
* As much as I love boobs and the concept of sex, I do not spread so easily (yes, I've turned down no-strings attached sex, and yes most of those offers came from trainees from where I used to work)
* I'm very much a man-child
* I have what has been described as a "Disney Concept of Romance"
* The idea of a "Fuck Buddy" non-relationship perturbs me
* Porn no longer has a hold over me as it did about a year ago
* Yes those last 3 photocomix were unscripted, and yes I know they weren't very funny
* I just dusted down my desk and I'm choking on the dust, go me.
* ♪I wanna know what loves is... and I want you to show meeeeeeeeeeeee...♫

And thats all for now.

...

And yes I'll be shooting a new photocomic for Sunday. Scripted, bitches.

Lesbians and Comic Books

Linkage to a really nifty article about Batwoman and The Question from The Advocate.

Columnistas and Writing Partners

Okay so in my time at the Wizard Universe Message boards (notice I don't talk about going out and partying or "hanging out" with "friends", yeah I'm a Social Butterfly that got too close to the jar with the cottonball in it), *ahem*... in my time at the boards I've met some very interesting people. Like message board member "Lee", as if that is his first name, which it is. (Watch out the link to his portfolio says Flash is required so that can mean 3 things: 1) when you click enter he drops Trou, 2) its gonna have flash animation, or 3) You need to be intune with the Speed Force to navigate this bitch. You were warned.)

Lee is writing a review column called "Word On The Street": With the Initiative now an established part of the Marvel Universe, keeping tabs on street-level heroes is something that calls for expert surveillance. For run-downs on the books featuring these constantly crusading alleyway adventurers, check back weekly as Lee Rodriguez brings you a run down on Captain America, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Moon Knight and Punisher War Journal.

Its really well done as Lee can channel Tony Stark/Iron Man's inner monologue very well.

...

In other news Ashley has ran Ars Magna 3 past me, as I'm the editor on this, and she's done a bang up job. Right before the entire Artifice Comics Universe takes a 5 year leap to 2008, AM3 wraps up the Schoolyard Blues storyline and will make the Jump with Ars Magna #4 with a now 18 year old Sheila Torrance possessor of the powerful Emerald Dragon Talisman.

...

And for Dr. Nightmare here is XCave.net's new gallery on Red Sonja.

Sorry if this seems a bit disjointed but I'm in the middle of writing another Seraphim Wing piece and I just figured out how I'm going to work my take on a big ass giant monster.

Episode IV: Ba-Donka-Klonk

Preview:

Episode III: Bosom Buddies

Preview:

Amazon Store

I have an Amazon Marketplace storefront from which I peddle my vast collection of collectibles. I do this do to lack of a job and well since I moved last year I literally have not only a huge storage room full of figures, toys, games, costumes, accessories, DVDs, graphic novels, trade paper backs, used textbooks, Japanese import items, retailer/event exclusives, etc. but I also have about a 1/4th of my bedroom and 2/3rds of my closet ta boot.

I try to be the lowest prices on Amazon, seeing as how during my eBay days I'd get scammed or screwed over every third transaction. Seeing as my biggest problem was I was too trusting, shipping first before getting paid. I've learned better.

Due to a car accident in 2003 I couldn't walk unassisted or stand for long periods due neck/back/leg muscle tears. It was hell. I got fat. I got depressed. I got lonelier.

Thus I turned to the intarwebs, and to get me out of my funk my Dad bought me an issue of Toyfare magazine and told me to start collecting and selling. So I'd hobble onto the bus everyday, save Sundays, and I'd hobble around town knee brace and crutch in hand. I'd haggle, bargain shop, scrimp and save with the downtown shopkeepers. I'd pick up some Korean and Spanish along the way.

Fast forward to 2008, and I can walk into those same shops, unassisted and rifle through their inventories in less than 10 minutes, and walk out with about 7 dollars worth of purchases only to turn that into maybe 50 to 60 dollars of profit after timely sales.

The key to the success of this was patience. Stuff that I bought for a quarter to 2 bucks are the stuff I make the most profit on. Anime figures, keychains, figures between 5 and 15 years old from cancelled toylines, etc. Thats the money stuff. Simple collectibles.

All my stuff is pretty old but I've done my best to keep it in good shape. Since 90% of it is stuff over 5 years old shelfwear is abound. Dings, scratches, dust, card bends, etc. its unavoidable especially since more often than not the damage was there at time of purchase for me. Its also how I kept costs down.

Also note I tend to ship everything in brown wrappers, kinda like how porn and sex toys show up in the mail, so if you get dirty looks just tell them you just paid 20 bucks for 7 inches of sleek, glossy, plastic awesome.

Anywho, thats about it for now. This will be like one of the few, if ever, blatant sell jobs I'll do on this blog. I really don't like being sold stuff myself, unless I ask about it, but this stuff is relevant because this is an action figure blog and well my target audience is people like me. Heck if you contact me after buying anything and mention the blog I'll chip in something nice in your shipment or bump up your shipping to priority mail. Thats just how I roll.

Slogan Musings

I figure this site needs to be dressed up, as per Paul of Toy Bender, he recommended I use "pictures" apparently he thinks my readership is an illiterate group of hooligans only interested in pornography.

I think not, Paul... if that is your middle name, which it is NOT! I have NO readership and therefore I do not have to give them "pictures", I give them photocomix. Like some kind of angry English orphan caretaker they shall not have more, they shall have less.

What I will give them is a picture with words on it, a blog Slogan perhaps to sit beneath my effervescent title of "Fugitive From Reality".

So my idea for a blog slogan and therefor the second frame of a 2 frame signature animated gif is:

"I Touch Myself... So You Don't Have To!"

What do you think?

Rick Marshall

A big Congo-Rats to Rick Marshall, former Online Managing Editor of WizardUniverse.com, is now the Online Managing Editor of ComicM!x a new, at least to me, comic news site. The Press Release can be found here.

...

I love Rick!

He's super dedicated to his job, he knows his tech and his comics, and I respect that love he gets to combine in this job title. At his last job he was let go rather unexpectedly, he was a one man power house, I noticed as soon as he was gone both the site and the forums had ALOT of technical difficulties. It made it that I didn't bother visiting it for a couple of weeks, only really answering PMs when I got notices in my email.

But I really dug the extra little love he'd put into the job: he'd create notices for new articles and content that'd go up on the site so that we who frequented the forums could go check it out right away. Now those threads wouldn't get so many hits but for the 3 dozen or so who'd check it out it got us to give the site some love.

Well ComicM!x I salute you, you've got a helluva guy on your team now, and you very well have just won more people over to your readership!

...

In Photocomix news, I've got an idea or two for a photocomic but I'm waiting on another couple of figures to make it in the mail before I shoot that. And yes Episode II was indeed shot on my desk.

Episode II: Nobody Trusts Spidey

Preview:

...

Okay so I just got my secret santa gifts from Nyxcrawler at the Wizard Universe boards. In it was a Cosplay Costume handbook on making Catgirl costumes, a Bad Taste Bear called Russel, and a widescreen edition of Army of Darkness... and the above Spider-Man Superhero Squad Two Pack!

So This strip goes out to Nyxcrawler, my favorite New Jersian, other than Kevin Smith.

Twisted Kaiju Theater Forums

Okay so I joined a new forum.

Yes I am well aware of my forum whoredness, but this one is more... "adult" in nature than my usual domains of WUMB and FigureRealm.

Here I do not have to "edit" my inner pervert, prison rape is funny here.

Anywho, off to go make more Cloverfield references whilst flirting with everyone there.

EVERYONE.

Blog Stuff

Basically I'm gonna fix this bitch up a bit, get this blog popping a bit more stylistically because its depressing the hell outta me. Also I put some links to places I frequent...

EDIT: And 14 minutes later its totally "doable".

Episode I: Making Girl Toys Kiss

Preview:

Obligatory First Blog Post

I better get some hits here or someone is going to die trying... and it isn't me, because I do not try. I do "do".