Joe's MySpace Blog | The Woolamaloo Gazette MySpace Annexe

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Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Utopia
Current mood:

awake

My friend and former colleague Gregor has a display of some of his luscious artwork in Oddfellows on Forrest Road, Edinburgh (now a very designer place, was a student hangout for younger undergrads when I was at college):

'"Utopia', like most of my art work, is about fantasy. I like to transport people somewhere other than their immediate reality when they become involved in my work, whether that be dancing at a club night I've thrown, wearing an item of clothing I've designed, or looking at a picture I have put together.

'Utopia' follows on thematically from an exhibition I had during the Autumn of this year, called 'Lost In The Forest' which explored the themes of repressed sexuality in fairytales and anonymous sexual encounters which was set in British forests and woodland."

I haven't been in yet but will need to make a point of swinging by to check it out; I've seen some of Gregor's artwork before - he did some very cool designs for a new version of my first review site, the Library of Dreams, but the site never got going because I joined up with my friends on the Alien Online instead (now UK SF Book News) - and he does enjoy mixing in some nice sexual touches, dirty dog that he is! Nah, kidding, his work is always interesting and sexuality and portrayals of gender roles are such a major part of both individual and societal identities it is an endlessly explorable arena for any artist. If you are in town go have a look, if not have a swing by his MySpace site.

10:23 PM

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Monday, November 27, 2006

Which Sandman character are you?
Current mood:

awake

I picked up this link from Weeble. Somehow I had a feeling I might well end up with Morpheus after all those years of reading Sandman and wearing large black cloaks with flames dancing on them. Okay, maybe not the latter.

Which Sandman Character are You?

You are Dream! Many people see you as living in your own little world. Though you would never try to harm someone needlessly, you are not always aware of the consequences of your actions.
Take this quiz!

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Currently reading:
The Fountain
By Darren Aronofsky
Release date: 04 October, 2006

4:31 AM

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Thursday, November 02, 2006

More comics interviews
Current mood:

calm

I've been busy on the Forbidden Planet International blog with more interviews, including this one with British artist Sean Phillips talking about his work from 2000AD to Marvel, with an emphasis on his new creator-owned series with Ed Brubaker, Criminal.

Another very interesting interview is with Ilya who had put together the Mammoth New Book of Best Manga, just published by Constable Robinson in the UK this week. I'm a big comics reader as well as devourer of books, but with a few exceptions like Akira, Barefoot Gen, Ghost in the Shell etc I have never really gotten into manga. But I was a bit intrigued by this massive collection and when I interviewed Ilya he was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable that by the end of it I really wanted to read the book (and hopefully so will other readers).

Fortunately my review copy turned up in the post at FPI this week (along with some nice new titles from Image and Rebellion, so I'm in graphic novel overload, woohoo!) so I'm going to have a bash at it. The cover is by one of the UK small press comics guys I deal with at work too, which is an added bonus.

In mid October I also posted an interview with publisher and writer Joe Pruett, the man behind the excellent anthology Negative Burn among many other works. Joe has been very busy writing his own new work The Untouchables (a slightly alternative timeline to ours with Chicago gangsters of the 30s) while editing the Art of Brian Bolland (which has practically doubled its page count since inception) which I am looking forward to, being a huge fan of Brian's, having basically grown upwith his work since my boyhood reading 2000AD.

Currently listening:
Christobel
By Joan As Police Woman
Release date: 26 October, 2006

7:28 AM

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Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Decor
Current mood:

awake

Ceiling in Riddle's Court

Currently reading:
Purity of Blood (Captain Alatriste)
By Arturo Perez-Reverte
Release date: 05 January, 2006

3:45 AM

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Monday, October 02, 2006

On the beach
Current mood:

awake

7:46 AM

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Sunday, October 01, 2006

John Wagner talks Judge Dredd: Origins
Current mood:

calm

I've posted an interview with British comics legend John Wagner (many a 2000AD strip, A History of Violence, Bogie Man), co-creator of Judge Dredd, just as he embarks upon the exploration of Dredd's world and its history after nearly three decades with Judge Dredd: Origins. The full interview is over on the FPI Blog Log.

Currently listening:
Bach: The Cello Suites Inspired By Bach, From The Six-Part Film Series / Yo-Yo Ma
By Yo-Yo Ma
Release date: 17 February, 1998

12:32 PM

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Friday, September 29, 2006

Author interviews
Current mood:

nerdy
Category: Art and Photography

I've posted a couple of author interviews on the FPI blog in the last week or so. One with Brian Ruckley (who turned out to be another Edinburgh dweller) about his debut fantasy novel from Orbit, Winterbirth. The second was with another Orbit author and also a prodigious scribe of many comics, including Lucifer and Hellblazer, Mike Carey.

Currently listening:
Through the Trees
By The Handsome Family
Release date: 26 January, 1998

3:27 AM

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Monday, September 18, 2006

One of those pesky survey things that tell you bugger all
Current mood:

calm

*TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey*
Name:	Joe
Birthday:	34th of Alterenatempber
Birthplace:	a conflux of varying realities which came together in Glasgow
Current Location:	sitting in front of my computer. Oh, you want more? Edinburgh, Scotland
Eye Color:	blue and occassionally red (makes a nice contrast)
Hair Color:	well the beard is red, not much on top
Height:	dunno actually
Right Handed or Left Handed:	depends what I am doing, sometimes use both, but mostly the right
Your Heritage:	Celtic
The Shoes You Wore Today:	very knackered old basketball sneakers, but the more battered they are the cooler they are, right?
Your Weakness:	Professor Actium's Monaversal Ray.
Your Fears:	waking up one morning to find out my face has been transplanted for George Bush's
Your Perfect Pizza:	Lots of cheese, jalapenos, mushrooms and onions. And make sure it is big.
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	being solvent for once
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	yikes
Thoughts First Waking Up:	there are no cognitive functions at this point of the day, only very basic lower brain impulses. And they're not up to much then either.
Your Best Physical Feature:	My glowing soul
Your Bedtime:	very late usually
Your Most Missed Memory:	I can't remember
Pepsi or Coke:	Rarely drink fizzy sodas and if I do its more likely to be Irn Bru (great for hangovers)
MacDonalds or Burger King:	Both extensions of Satan's colon, so neither. Rather go to Wannaburger
Single or Group Dates:	don't care
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	both taste like cold turtle urine
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Chocolate
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Coffee. Grade 5, nice and strong and aromatic - I want to smell it and taste it, it should be a sensual experience. All Fair Trade though, so that cool - if it is Fair Trade it doesn't cause you any harm, really. Honest.
Do you Smoke:	Not tobacco
Do you Swear:	Yes, but I prefer to blaspheme
Do you Sing:	I do a brilliant Don Giovani
Do you Shower Daily:	Where do you think I do most of my singing?
Have you Been in Love:	Yup
Do you want to go to College:	Been there and graduated despite being wasted for a large percentage of the time.
Do you belive in yourself:	There is some evidence to suggest I may actually exist, so I kind of believe in myself, but the jury is still out.
Do you get Motion Sickness:	Nope. Which is just as well considering the Earth is in constant motion at high velocity.
Do you think you are Attractive:	Devilishly handsome; however most women don't seem to realise this...
Are you a Health Freak:	Just a freak. And to paraphrase Bill Hicks, here's something you health freaks don't know - you're gonna die too, just like the rest of us. At least I will enjoy myelf first
Do you get along with your Parents:	Very much so. Everyone should have parents who still like to buy their wee boy ice cream.
Do you like Thunderstorms:	Love 'em.
Do you play an Instrument:	Used to dabble badly but it was fun. No more though
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	Oh Hell, yes.
In the past month have you Smoked:	No, although I think I steamed once.
In the past month have you been on Drugs:	Boringly, no, I haven't. How dull
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	Even more boringly, nope. Just had to pretend to be a buxom blonde from Texas and talk dirty on a chat room instead I guess
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	Thank Drokk I can safely say no to that.
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	Yes indeedy
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	Nah, been a while. Had veggie sushi a few times (sushi is a style, it doesn't mean fish) but never took to it. Give me a curry anyday
In the past month have you been on Stage:	No, most of my appearances are via blog, podcast or radio these days.
In the past month have you been Dumped:	Nope.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	The local pool barred me after the last occassion
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	Nope
Ever been Drunk:	Many a time
Ever been called a Tease:	No, I usually deliver
Ever been Beaten up:	Nope
Ever Shoplifted:	Most shops are too heavy to lift. A newspaper kiosk perhaps I could manage.
How do you want to Die:	around the year 5, 000AD during an orgy with Orion slave girls on my luxury starcruiser
What country would you most like to Visit:	I tend to think of specific places, not nations. Venice, the Pyramids and Luxor, Machu Picchu, NYC, Angkor Wat
*In a Boy/Girl..*
Favourite Eye Color:	If they are looking right into yours then I don't care about the colour
Favourite Hair Color:	Have a weakness for black hair, but again it is really the person who counts so not overly stuck on it
Short or Long Hair:	Don't care
Height:	Don't care
Weight:	Don't care
Best Clothing Style:	Their own unique one
Number of Drugs I have taken:	I was too wasted to count
Number of CDs I own:	Dunno, but been collecting them since 1985, so a lot
Number of Piercings:	Just the one
Number of Tattoos:	None
Number of things in my Past I Regret:	Sad about some things, but no point carrying regrets.
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

Currently listening:
American V: A Hundred Highways
By Johnny Cash
Release date: 04 July, 2006

3:00 AM

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Tuesday, September 12, 2006

David Lloyd interview
Current mood:

contemplative
Category: Writing and Poetry

I posted an interview with David Lloyd, one of the best comics artists around and the co-creator (along with Alan Moore) of V For Vendetta, a book I've read and re-read over the years over on my work blog for Forbidden Planet International. I had to restrain my "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy" reflex at talking to someone who was a creator of one of my favourite works. As well as V, Dave talks about his excellent new graphic novel Kickback, which has just been published by Dark Horse and which I highly recommend. The full interview is over on the FPI Blog Logs.

Currently listening:
All Rise
By Inara George
Release date: 25 January, 2005

5:22 AM

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