2/13 Media of the Month: Romantically Apocalyptic

I've been giggling over this artbook all month. It has gorgeous photo-realism, radioactive high-fructose corn syrup, and lots of snark. Romantically Apocalyptic is a web comic by Vitaly S. Alexius. I ran into @zeecaptein by accident on twitter. Had no clue what it was but I loved his humorous sarcasm and orignal artwork and so I ended up purchasing the first limited edition book and digital soundtrack. They got mugs, t-shirts, and other crap to buy...but if you're going to buy anything Romantically Apocalyptic related, go get the artbook. 

I enjoy having it on my coffee table. Always good for a laugh. I plan to buy the second book when I get more money. *cries* The main website has all of the comics uploaded already...so if you just wanna read without buying anything, there ya go. But the art is so pretty...why NOT buy it??? :D 

The characters are fun and the story itself is lighthearted. I recommend this book for anyone who likes sprawling post-apocalyptic landscapes and highly texturized art. Yes, I might have drooled a bit while leafing through the beautiful pages. Maybe you will too? Enjoy the rest of your valentine's day weekend! Over and out. 

Smexxxy Friday (Erotomechanics)

I'm referring to the greatest modern surrealist artist  of our time, H. R. Giger. If you watched any of the Alien movies (or Prometheus) then you've seen his creations. H. R. Giger came up with the design for the Alien creature. Wanna share two videos with you. The first are his sexy erotomechanics. It's strange and weird and yet...very erotic. The most beautiful monster porn I've ever seen. I was trying to capture this feeling when I wrote my tentacle story. I may or may not have succeeded.

The next video is about the artist. I think it is important to learn about the artist to get a feel for his overall work. I am sooooo going to buy H. R. Giger's art book, Necronomicon. Yummy! I love surreal art and dark eroticism. His expression is so...visceral. His art grabs you and forces you to think and then re-think. I love his unique creativity. A true artist. Eccentric and all. I hope people will look at me this way! Mad respect. Enjoy your weekend!

Smexxxy Friday (Lilac Wine)

This video isn't really "sexy," it's more "whimsical" and "romantic." But it is also, perhaps, the most beautiful music video I've seen in a long time. The art is just gorgeous. I love the vocals. So dark, soulful, and haunting. Sounds like sultry blues music. And I adore that sort of thing. Have a fabulous weekend, minions. :)

VC

12/11 Media of the month: Indigo Blue

By "media of the month" I really mean: "When I actually get around to posting something--which usually entails once every three months! Yay!" Yeah. I'm terrible at keeping up with these things, but that's why you guys love me, right? Inconsistency and procrastination are my most charming character flaws! 


Back to the subject at hand...ahem. *cough*  

I've written several posts about comic books on this blog. I love reading comics. I always have. As a closeted bi teen in my jr. high school days, I read an awful lot of yaoi manga (if you don't know what "yaoi" is, click on the link and get wiki'd). Secretly, I always wished for lesbian-themed, or "yuri," titles, but no such luck back then. No one I knew read/talked about yuri. In fact, I didn't even know what "yuri" was until my final years of high school! I just assumed (as is the case with fiction books) lesbian-themed mangas were either rare, written by heterosexual men, and or nonexistent. 

Indigo Blue (written and illustrated by the wonderfully talented Ebine Yamaji) is my first real josei yuri manga. I've never been a fan of the shojo sparkly stuff. And although I read my fair share of gender-benders with slight yuri elements (like Ranma 1/2, W Juliet, Beauty is the Beast, etc.) I never actually read a straight-up lesbian love story before. I can't begin to tell you how much this manga impacted me. I actually cried while I was reading it. And I've never cried while reading a manga before.  


You can read the entire thing for free HERE. 

I'm actually surprised I love this manga so much. Normally this sort of thing would irritate the HELL out of me! First off, the art isn't very pretty. I don't like how Ebine Yamaji draws frontal faces--somehow they all look like frogs. But because the artwork is so simplistic, it forces the reader to focus on the story. And after a while, the simple art style grows on you. 

Secondly, I am easily irritated by the "indecisive bisexual female" who falls for both a man and a woman at the same time. However, all that aside, this is a very well-written work. The story is told honestly and truthfully from a poignant and character-driven point of view. I really wanted to hate Rutsu, the bisexual main character, but I couldn't. I guess I saw too much of myself in her. And honestly, reading this made me realize how much of an asshole I was in jr. high and high school. I think most bisexual women struggle with their sexual identity at some point in their lives, and in that process of self-discovery, sometimes hurt people inadvertently. 

Even now, I don't think I've ever had a formal "girlfriend" before. Which is strange because I was asked to prom by a girl and on numerous occasions I kissed/fooled around with girls. Many of my friends were out-lesbians and I always found myself instinctively drawn to them. However I refused to believe I was in romantic situations--even when the girl expressed blatant romantic interest in me, I never interpreted her feelings as such. Perhaps deliberately, because I was too much of a coward to acknowledge my own sexuality back then. The character Tamaki reminds me of one such girl I knew in high school. Looking back on it now, I was a fucking idiot. Only as I continued to fall deeper into the story, did I realize for the first time how carelessly I must have hurt this girl. Much like how Rutsu hurt Ryuuji in the manga. Only different...because this was real life. 

I will read more of Ebine Yamaji's work because she is a fantastic story-teller. I recommend Indigo Blue to anyone who enjoys josei mangas, and although the story is about lesbi women in particular, men also play an important role too. :)

VC

Smexxxy Friday

This Smexxxy Friday is...kinda depressing, really. I decided to post it because it is somewhat thought-provoking. Is it easier being alone? I think so. Loneliness is less complicated and messy. 


People suck. So do relationships. 


Enjoy your weekend! 
VC

Speaking of the color gray...

Lately, I've been listening to this song while I write. Maybe that might have something to do with my "color schemes." I just love the color gray and I think the song's haunting lyrics really capture the color's "essence." I also just noticed all of the text on my blog is gray as well!


Somber, moody, and complex...it just kind of lingers in your ears while you listen to it. I love Banco De Gaio anyway, but I listen to this song whenever I am writing a particularly emotional scene. Hope you enjoyed it! :) 

If Your Story Was A Color

Colors can often paint a mood. And I know many writers use colors to describe a scene. It may be somewhat cliched, but I think colors are important when creating a visual landscape for the reader. 


I've been thinking about my WIP lately and the overall "mood" or "atmosphere" I am trying to create. I noticed as I was editing how much gray and white I used. The sky is always overcast and it is often snowing during pivotal scenes. 


If my story was a color, it would be a dull, somber grayish color. Gray reflects my main character's intelligence, loneliness, and endurance. But white also represents my character's childish naivety and well-meaning intentions. The moon plays an important role in my story too.

What color is your story? 

Smexxxy Friday

A thought-provoking video I hope you enjoy. Please share your thoughts about this film if you have any. :)


Have a great weekend!
VC

4/11: Media of the Month!!!!

Casshern Sins is a gorgeous anime I just finished watching. I have the Funimation Network on my TV...but I didn't want to wait week after week for new episodes, so I watched the first 12 episodes on Netflix and the last 12 online.


Casshern Sins is one of those rare animes that takes your breath away with its beauty. I loved the artwork. Very old school. Muted colors except for intense bursts in random places...like the "C" on Casshern's chest. I loved the way the characters' eyes look--so gorgeous! Casshern is so beautifully drawn, I honestly wanted to reach through my screen and touch him.







Like many post-appocalytpic animes, Casshern Sins is very moody and dark...cerebral...ambiguous... The characters are saturated with angst--the plot is hard to follow and is somewhat repetitive. Basically, the story is about a planet of robots (humans are nearly extinct) who are trying to find meaning in their lives now that they are decaying and rusting to death. With the exception of Casshern, an identical nemesis named Dio and his sadistic girlfriend, Leda, none of the other robots can reproduce sexually. Casshern is on a journey to reclaim his lost memories and put an end to the Ruin he caused.

My favorite character is Sophita. She's only seen in one episode (episode four) but I loved every moment her. Although Casshern is romantically involved (if you can call it that) with another character, Lyuze, there is obvious chemistry with Sophita, The Angel of Ruin. He does not kill her even though she impales him with a spear and insists on fighting him to the death.


Sophita does not know how to express herself unless she is fighting. She is a very passionate character, but is incapable of voicing her feelings. After following Casshern around for most of the episode, she falls in love with him and fights him so she can "show" him how deeply she cares for him. Casshern allows her to stab him without fighting back.

This is a pivotal moment in the series, as it is the first time Casshern doesn't black out during a fight and destroys everything around him. When Sophita pulls away, she realizes she does not want to hurt Casshern and so departs, vowing to return someday (although in the anime, she never does.) It is my favorite scene in the anime because it is so sad...so beautiful, and for whatever reason I strongly relate to both Sophita and Casshern. Also...she might not be talking about "fighting" at all...but about sex and relationships. She wants more but she is only a robot (and unlike Casshern, she wasn't made to love and be sexual).  


Here is the scene. Unfortunately I could only find the subbed version. If you are going to watch Casshern Sins, the dubbed English version is phenomenal (with the exception of Ringo's voice).





All in all, the animation is beautiful, the characters are intriguing, but the incomprehensible storyline and rushed ending ruins it! I don't know if I'll watch it a second time...but I did enjoy it while it lasted. 6/10.

Beauty Image

Since we're on the subject of beauty image, I thought I'd share a few interesting videos on the subject.

What do you think?

Have we as a society created an unattainable image of perfection?

90% of what we see in magazines and television is re-touched or photoshopped.

8/10: MEDIA OF THE MONTH!!!

So far I've covered animal activism, cute online games, eco-political documentaries, morbid graphic novels, and Pearl Jam!

So what is this month's theme?

The documentary by James Spooner called AFRO-PUNK (2003). 66 minutes long and you can watch the whole thing for free online right HERE. Check out the trailer below.

I've gotta say, this documentary was pretty interesting. It's about black people in the punk rock scene and how they struggle to maintain their identity. I didn't know very much about punk culture or punk music, so for me it was interesting to learn something different.

Although I've never been into punk (thought it was a bit too angry and I confess... "too white" little mind the fact black people invented rock) I can relate to a lot of the folks who were interviewed in the movie. Like them, I was usually the only black person in my class or maybe one out of the five or six in the entire school. I went through my own identity crisis as a teen. I shaved my head and became a vegetarian at 14, for example, lol.

I felt caught between two worlds. One which was what I thought "black" should be and the other that was "fitting in" to the white suburban kids around me. As a sophomore in high school I asked out a white boy for the first time and while relaying the experience back to my white friends one of them complained: "Why are you making this a big deal? You're not really black anyways, so who cares? I mean...it would just be like two white people going out because you don't act black." And when I just stared at him in shock he continued to tell me how otherwise we wouldn't be friends seeing how he "didn't like 'real' black people." A loaded statement to be sure, but this was coming from my FRIEND!

He didn't understand why I broke down in tears and locked myself in the bathroom for the next two hours sobbing my guts out, hahahaha, but any person of color reading this would get it and understand perfectly. And that's what Afro-Punk is about.

Afro-Punk introduced me to new music and now my newest crush, Tamar-Kali Brown. Not only is she fucking hot but she's a black rocker chick! How cool is that?!

I was at her WEBSITE last night... the girl can sing! I'm going to buy her CD because I lust her so much, lol! I love all her piercings and her hair! :D

So that's my media of the month. Hope you guys enjoyed it. If you ever get around to watching the movie or listening to Tamar-Kali Brown's music, leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Until next month...stay tuned!

What kinda Goth are you?

I stumbled upon this really funny website and thought I'd put it up so we could have a good laugh. The artist is pretty spot-on. So which gothic stereotype do you fall under?

Here's mine:

Uncanny! Has me down to the nth degree!

I'm sorry to say I once ran with the "Druid/Pagan/Wicca" crowd in high school. They got me started on tarot cards. *sigh* Funny story about that, actually, haha!

I got off Wicca the day I went to my first ritual for Imbolc. The ritual was being held in a TRAILER PARK with warning posters of known child molesters and aggressive dogs plastered across the walls. Scared the shit out of me. On top of that, all these trashy obese rednecks showed up and burned so much sage I was literally gasping and choking for air.

Never touched Wicca again. Not saying all Wiccan rituals are like this...but the "real wiccans" I saw were NUTS! Besides that, I went with this college boy I was crushing on at the time (his family was Quaker) and he acted like a total dumbass the whole time I was there. Ruined the evening and forever sullied my experience with Wicca.

However, I still do tarot cards and light my candles from time to time, but I consider myself a hardcore atheist. Heh! :D

Here's something that fits me more true to life now:


You can check out all of these funny stereotypes here at this website:

http://www.blackwaterfall.com/viewall.php

Have fun! The artist who created these characters is pretty interesting! :D

7/10: Media of the Month!!!!!

Meet Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. I'm featuring Jhonen Vasquez's graphic novel: JTHM for my Media of the Month!

Why? Because I just love Nny and his lovable masochistic and misanthropic antics. For those of you who don't know, Vasquez is the same guy who did Invader Zim.

So...why should you read this comic? Well for one, it's gory enough for even the most seasoned horrorphile.

It's witty and funny as hell and has a varied cast of warped characters. There's an obese, pre-pubescent god, a cheerleading satan, a haunted wall that must be painted in blood, a severed bunny's head stuffed with nails, two demonically possessed styrofoam doughboys, and a host of other weird characters along those lines.

And it's a staple for every goth/loner kid out there who has ever looked for something that combines morbid humor and philosophical existentialism. Vasquez has a way of making fun of the gothic subculture while exalting its flaws and characteristics. Being a goth myself (or rather, a grown-up goth) I can attest to how true he paints the "gothic image." Nny hates people but often acts just as disgusting as the people he kills. This is the crux of the plot, really. Johnny slowly but surely goes insane as the story goes on.

I was tickled that he also made a jab at "psychic vampires" and the "poser goth" crowd, hahaha! You know, the goths who pride themselves on being "nonconformists" but all end up wearing the same black clothes and listening to the same awful music? (Gawd, I HATED those kids in high school!) But I think non-goths/emos/punks can find enjoyment in this comic too. It's for the misanthrope in everybody.

>

Nny is cute...even though he kills people. He's fun to read and think about. The comic is open-ended, so you'll be thinking about the characters long after you put the book down. In my opinion, that's the best way to end a story! :D The comic is hard to find--so you might have to go online to buy it. But it's worth it! For those of you who love black humor, THIS is the graphic novel for you! Also, the artwork is pretty sick. I do a little drawing myself (mostly manga) so I can appreciate this unique style. His lines are so angular and defined...I found myself looking at his lines for a few minutes before getting to the actual comic, lol! I just love the way he draws faces and eyes! So fun!

Next time you're in the bookstore, give Johnny the Homicidal Maniac a peek. And stay tuned for next month's theme!