Eric Johnson Comics

Angie Harmon, known to many as "one of the Law and Order actresses" wants to play She-Hulk in an Avengers sequel.

While I won't get my hopes up that Hollywood would do that... I think it would work.

Angie Harmon could certainly be Jen Walters and do the lawyer-speak. Then CGI her for She-Hulk, just like with the Hulk, make her taller and stronger-looking.

And Ms. Harmon seems to have enthusiasm for the role, which helps.

See her comments here: http://www.themarysue.com/angie-harmon-she-hulk/

and http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/05/16/angie-harmon-she-hulk/

I stumbled across this pic on DeviantArt, which illustrates the concept nicely:

http://artguynj.deviantart.com/art/Angie-Harmon-as-the-She-Hulk-304283302

Probably would be best to introduce Bruce Banner's lawyer cousin in a Hulk sequel movie, maybe with her near death and origin as the She-Hulk as a big turnaround moment in the movie. It could work. But... I won't get my hopes up.

Back from my vacation.  The weekend at the end of the vacation included having an Artist's Alley booth at Cherry Capital Con (or C3) in my hometown of Traverse City.

Cherry Capital Con website:  http://www.cherrycapitalcon.com/

Was a fun experience again.  Sold enough copies of the FemForce issues with my stories to cover the booth costs plus a little extra.  Of course, I spent more than that in con swag.

Sat next to Andy Budnick, who was a very nice guy.  

I got a nice commission from him of Garganta which I will post on my website once I get is scanned.

Check him out, he may get work from Marvel in the future:

http://budnickart.blogspot.com/

Booth on the other side of me was SidequestComic, a webcomic.  Also nice people.  And they sold a lot of sketch cards from what I saw.

It's good have pleasant neighbors, makes the con go better.

http://sidequestcomic.com/comic.html

I bought a print of a picture of the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond which was really well done.  After sitting across from the pic on display the whole con, couldn't resist. Bought it from Rachel Kaiser, who's a really talented illustrator.

She's  on DeviantArt at:  http://www.rachelkaiser.deviantart.com/

(sadly, looks like the pic I bought isn't on her gallery yet.)

Also bought a copy of the first printed collection of the webcomic Punching the Clock.   Rob Humphrey, one of the co-creators, did a great job organizing the con.  And they were in the Artist Alley right behind me.  (See a pattern of how proximity was increasing my purchases?)

http://www.punching-the-clock.com/

Was a bummer that a few weeks before the con, Gail Simone cancelled.   Hope they can get her in future years.  

Talked to a few people throughout the con. Fair number of people stopped by and asked questions, browsed comics.  As a writer I don't have the same immediate visual draw as an artist who can put samples that might "grab" passer-bys.  Although, I did notice a lot of eyes being caught by Stephanie Heike's cover to Gargantarama #5 (flipside cover to FemForce #141):  http://www.accomics.com/shop-femforce-101-and-beyond/femforce-141/  ;

I do think foot traffic was down a bit on Sunday, due to a huge storm that hit Traverse City that morning, taking out power in some areas, even blowing trees into the roads.  I think a lot people just stayed home.  

Got a fair amount of writing done while sitting behind the booth.  Handwrote a script for a 12 page comic story, and outlined about 5 other stories (give or take).  Might be a surge in my submissions to AC soon.

On Sunday I put 5 bucks into the "please donate a dollar" fundraiser for the Autism Research Newtork at the con, and won 1st price in the Raffle!

Prize was a piece of original Ryan Stegman art, already framed.  Most cool.  It's a He-Man riding Battle Cat.

The pic I've got the original to is shown here:  http://ryanstegman.deviantart.com/art/He-Man-and-Battle-Cat-281116745

Ryan Stegman on Deviant Art:  http://ryanstegman.deviantart.com/

That's my con report.  Thanks for reading if you go this far!

Did some updating on the website tonight.

- Added a page for FemForce #159.  

- Reorganized the Commissioned Art section with sub-categories and uploaded much art.

- Added a character appearances page to better track which character shows up in which issue.

Links:

http://www.ericjohnsoncomics.com/femforce159.htm

http://www.ericjohnsoncomics.com/commissionedart.htm

http://www.ericjohnsoncomics.com/characterappearances.htm

The 85-year old retired couple who are part-owners of the hotel are neat to talk to. So many stories of WWII and similar times. Last night, Mr. Utt mentioned that at one point when they were living in Cambridge, they lived on the same block as Al Capp. So neat! (okay, that wouldn't excite many people my age, but I'm a comics geek).

I'm considering making 2012 a year to go to Conventions.  I think it'd be good for getting out of the routine, and a little promotion of the ol' amateur comic book writing career.

Cons I'm considering for 2012

Motor City Comic Con, May 18-20th (some of the other midwest AC Comics creators might be there, plus I can stay with downstate Michigan friends)  http://www.motorcitycomiccon.com/

Cherry Capital Con, Traverse City, MI, May 25-27.  (gotta go to hometown con, plus Gail Simone will be there, and it's a good place for me to do an actual artist table.)  http://www.facebook.com/cherrycapitalcon

CONvergence, Minneapolis-St.Paul, July 5th through 7th  (theme is female creators and characters, so I might be good to represent FemForce there.)  http://www.convergence-con.org/

Might not be able to make it to all three, but I'm pondering what I can do this year.

New section to the web site, for highlighted pieces of commissioned artwork, as appropriate to the website.

Opening up with the efforts of two talented artists:  Jean Sinclair from Brazil, who I've been buying commissions from for years, and Eric Alan Nelson, who's drawn two stories for AC Comics, and soon to be published with Avatar Comics.

Check it out here:   http://www.ericjohnsoncomics.com/commissionedart.htm

I was just reminded by a news post.

This week on the BBC will be the TV movie adaptation of "Going Postal", one of the great Discworld novels by Terry Pratchet.  The third such live-action adaptation by the BBC.

Discworld is one of the few book series I still find time to read, even with my "reading a lot less books" lifestyle of the past few years.  When a new one comes out, I get it, and devour it in a year or two.

The interesting thing about the series, from a "craft of writing" point of view, is how much it's changed over the years.   It started as just a satire of various fantasy sub-genres, then became a world of it's own, with a very distinct voice. And with several different "sub-series" running in parallel, featuring different characters and viewpoints and themes, but the same world.  Up to 38 (!) novels now, if you count the "young adult" spinoff books (which I do), plus 6 short stories that take place in Discworld.

Also, Mr. Pratchett's writing skills and focus for the series changed a lot over the years.  Which leads to an almost universal agreement among fans that the first two books, for example, aren't really up to the quality of the later fare, when the author hit his stride.

Why are the first two books not as well liked?  Well, the short answer is:   The first two books are a satire of the fantasy genre, straight up, no apologies.   Sometime after that, though, Discworld became about using a fantasy world to satirize real world issues and situations.   Which ended up being both much funnier, and something that Sir Pratchett does very, very well.

Now this leads to the great "reading order" controversy among Discworld fans.  Debating what's the best answer to the question from the uninititated potential reader, "Which book should I start with?"

This leads to diagrams like this:

[url]http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/the-discworld-reading-order-guide-1-5.jpg[/url]

I say,  "Man up, and start with the first book.  With the acknowledgement that the first two won't be as good, but they help set up characters, ideas, and places you will see later."

However,  if you really don't find the first book agreeing with you, do one of the following:

1) If  you want to start with the earliest book possibly, start with "Mort".   It's the first book that's really "Discworld" as people think of the current series, rather than what it started as.  Plus, you get to see the Discworld version of Death, who's quite the iconic figure.

2) If you know your Shakespeare, then consider starting with Wyrd Sisters.  It's got lots of MacBeth references, is a great book overall, and is the real start of the "Witches of Lancre" sub-series, which has some of the best characters.

3)  Otherwise, "Guards! Guards!" is a solid starting spot.  You'll learn about Ankh-Morpork, the city that features in many of the stories, and it's the start of the "City Watch" sub-series, which is one of the most used sub-series (7 novels, plus they show up elsewhere).  And Commander Vimes is one of the most interesting and developed characters of the series.

Now, I've just plugged one of my favorite fantasy book series.  But how does it tie into this website?

Well, because I've got a similar problem....   what should I say if someone asks me "Where do I start if I want to read FemForce?"  or "Which of your comic book issues should I read first?"

I'm writing stories that tie into a comic book continuity that is over 150 issues and over 25 years old.   That's a lot of backstory to worry about.  And unlike Sir Terry Pratchett, I don't have legions of fans to spread the word, and make cool flowchart diagrams like above.

So, got to do it myself.

The Eric Johnson "new fan reading guide". Coming to a blog post soon....

(I'm at about -4 on my blog post debt meter.  Catching up, but still need some work to be at one per day average).

Really liking the current season of Doctor Who.

A few observations

1)  Matt Smith has clicked into place for me as the Doctor faster than any other regeneration, I think.

I was willing to accept him as the Doctor early on the first episode, and by the time of his verbal confrontation with some aliens at the end, I *believed* it.

This bodes well.   As an actor, Matt needs to find his own voice for the role, but he and the writers have already done enough that I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until he's really hit his groove.

2)  Amy Pond is shaping up to a be a really first-rate traveling companion for the Doctor

- Her method of introduction to the Doctor in the first episode gives her a unique relationship with the Doctor and makes her better suited to dealing with the things she runs into.  She's not just "another young woman" who steps onto the TARDIS.   She's got a history and attitude towards the whole thing we haven't seen before

- As an actress, Karen Gillan is doing an amazing job so far.  Arguably, she's out-acted the lead in several of the early episodes.  Which is fine.  Companions are viewer-indentification characters more than the Doctor sometimes.  And a shared spotlight is good.

- As a male nerd, I must confess it doesn't hurt that Amy Pond might be one of the sexiest female stars the show has seen in a long time.  For me, probably the most attractive since Leela.  And by sexiness, I'm counting the combination of looks and attitude.    Peri may have shown some cleavage and Teagan may have had nice legs that she showed off a lot, but as a young man, neither really appealed to me.  Too much "Damsel in Distress", and they weren't always written as the brightest.  Amy is attractive, but she's not just eye candy.

- Assuming the good work with this character continues, I hope they keep her around for more than one or two seasons.  She could end up being one of my favorite companions, right up there with Leela, Romana, K-9, Ace and Sarah Jane Smith.  (my personal opinion of the "best" of course)

3) The overacing plotline for the season seems more integrated into each episode.

(**** Possible Spoilers ****)

The cracks are showing up, and the Doctor and his Companion are *noticing* them. And we explore the thing and what it might mean *before* something showing up as a "big reveal" in the last one or two episodes.  This is a GOOD thing.   Ties it all together and makes it seem less like coming out of nowhere.  This is what we call good writing and well done foreshadowing.  Wish there was more of that on television.

4)  Nods to continuity, while still blazing it's own path as a new series.

(**** More spoilers ****)

- the return of River Song

- reboot of the Daleks

- return of the Weeping Angels

- new version of the Silurians (an enemey going back to the Third Doctor!)

These were all things done in such a way so as to please old fans to some degree (the Dalek re-design being debateable and controversial there), but still set up to appeal to newer viewers.   It's a tough balance, but I think they are pulling it off.

So, if you care about this one lone nerd's opinion, then Doctor #11 and his first season (aka Season 5 of reboot, even if the BBC doesn't call it that), gets the Thumbs Up and a high reccomendation.

And if you are a sci-fi fan who doesn't watch Doctor Who, then this new season is a *decent* jumping on point to start with the first episode of this run.  But really, if you like this genre, do yourself a favor, and start with the beginning of the re-boot, with Christopher Eccelston.  Sure, the first season isn't quite as good as the following ones. But wade through it, it's still prety good, and it only gets better as it goes on.  It's worth the ride.

So, why this month to get a website up and running?

Well, so I'd have something to put on a business card to give out at a convention...

I'm going to be going to Cherry Capital Con on June 12th and 13th.

http://www.cherrycapitalcon.com

And, I'm not just going as a fan, I went ahead and rented an exhibitor's table...

...Yep, I'll be sitting behind a table, watching the comic book fans walk by for hours and hours... Just like a "real" comic book creator! (well, except I'll probably be ignored more by passer-bys than most people who bother to pay for a table).

Got the website up and going, so now I need to get some business cards made, some flyers, maybe some basic signage.... got some stuff to do in next few weeks.

I'll have a sign that says something like "Eric Johnson, Traverse City guy and published amateur comic book writer." I'll be selling my issues of AC comics at a discounted rate and signing them for the interested.

So, anyone near Traverse City, stop by and see me at the con, so I don't get TOO lonely.

Friends in tight financial situations who can make it to Traverse City, let me know if you need one of the spare con passes I bought. And for close enough friends,  crash space in Traverse City can also be found for those who wish to avoid hotels.

Well, here it is.  I've got a website.

Most who come here should have at least *some* idea as to who I am.   A hypothetical visitor at this stage is either friend, family, or someone following a link from my sig file from another website of mutual interest. So, probably not a lot of fresh, vibrant, and new content for most people.  But it is some information nicely arranged in one place. 

Still a bit of work to do, such as on the Links section. I've got to ask a lot of artists for permission to link to their sites, for example.

Still, it's satifying to be able to declare this website "mostly done".

Now, the blog section...  Let's see how close to once-a-day posting I can get for a while....

The journey of a thousand miles beings with a single step.  Guess that makes this a single step.