Archive for November, 2009
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Hey everyone, check out this new book (first of a trilogy):
“The president of the United States is dead. He was murdered in the morning sunlight by a four-year-old boy…”
Welcome to J.C. Hutchins’ SF thriller 7th Son: Descent, a novel set in present day featuring human cloning, dangerous technologies, and “beyond Top Secret” government conspiracies. I’m letting everyone know about an exciting publication that started as an online podcast, and now is being sold in stores everywhere. And whats more amazing than a fellow internet creator bringing his works from the free digital format to the printed page, is that he’s still publishing everything for free online. If you want to check this out, listen to the book for free, read it for free, or even buy the book, check out his site over here: JCHutchins.net You could even join the ranks of his online army by participating in Warvember.
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Sophia Pinup by Olivia Kasle
November 16th, 2009 |Posted In: the temple of a thousand tears, web comics
Nominate TrevorAMueller.com in the 2009 Web Comic List Reader’s Choice Awards (no need to sign up, but it helps if you put in some info so they know you’re not a spambot). I’d take any nominations, but I’m specifically looking for:
- Best Writing
- The Innovation Award
- Best Supporting Character – Susie (or the crazy cat lady…or the waiter)
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Assassin is still in the works, so to keep everyone sated, remind everyone where we’ve been (and to tease a bit about things to come), I’m going to be posting some supplemental materials for the next several weeks. These materials will update every Monday, and may also update a few other times during the week. If you would like to supply any fan art of your favorite characters, this would also be a good time to do that.
Essentially, because planning season has been kicking me in the butt so hard lately, I’ve not had a chance to finish the Assassin script completely, so between that and working with Olivia on the artwork for the pages, we’ve both fallen a bit behind schedule. But this allows me to utilize some of the bonus materials that I’ve been working on for a printed edition of the prequel stories.
I will probably not post all of that supplemental material (still need to give people a reason to buy the book when it comes out, after all the prequels are finished), but it’ll enrich the world and characters a bit, and hopefully tie the story together more.
Enjoy!
Nominate TrevorAMueller.com in the 2009 Web Comic List Reader’s Choice Awards (no need to sign up, but it helps if you put in some info so they know you’re not a spambot). I’d take any nominations, but I’m specifically looking for:
- Best Writing
- The Innovation Award
- Best Supporting Character – Susie (or the crazy cat lady…or the waiter)
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I’ll be honest, I had nothing for this. I have pages written, but I’ve been so swamped at work that I barely have enough time to eat dinner and shower before I pass out on my bed from exhaustion. Planning season is kicking my ass at the moment, and I’m equal parts trying to survive it and also trying to create processes to make it easier on us while we’re in the thick of it. Of course, doing this as the new guy is difficult – but thankfully I’m not the only one that recognizes that it needs to happen.
This weekend will be a comic making weekend, where I do nothing but make comics (okay, there may be some laundry in there somewhere). I have new pages of Temple to write and produce, and more @$$hole! pages to separate the story arcs. And the next story arc for this puppy is a fun one, just you wait!
Enjoy your weekend!
Nominate TrevorAMueller.com in the 2009 Web Comic List Reader’s Choice Awards (no need to sign up, but it helps if you put in some info so they know you’re not a spambot). I’d take any nominations, but I’m specifically looking for:
- Best Writing
- The Innovation Award
- Best Supporting Character – Susie (or the crazy cat lady…or the waiter)
###
Carl was kind enough to make me this guest strip while he was visiting Chicago for my birthday. I think his style has become very cute lately, so it’s always fun to see his rendition of my character (and my cat). I hope you enjoy it.
Xen is an arms dealer after all, so it makes sense that he would look forward to a war. A war that we will see happen in Holy War, but that’s a little ways down the road yet. Still need to tell the next prequel, “Assassin,” and then possibly the last of Sophia’s stories (which includes the previously announced Bushido story), and then we’ll be there at the last chapter.
I hope you enjoyed the ride, and I’ll see you all next week for the next prequel chapter.
Also, in case you didn’t know, last Thursday was my birthday. 
Seriously, there’s a whole other holiday in here. So why do I already see x-mas stuff up in stores, bows on items in fliers, and sale items attempting to start the paranoia of the holiday shopping season. I mean, Black Friday isn’t even until the end of the month, and the actual holiday isn’t for another 30 days after that! Calm down, everyone. We still have to make it through Gluttony Day before we celebrate the most pagan religious holiday (seriously, look up the origins) in the country.
Not that there’s anything wrong with x-mas (except the music. I worked retail for 9 years, and I could go the rest of my life without ever hearing another holiday song. It would be a good life), but more people should go look up the origins of their holidays. It’s fun and educational…and wikipedia makes it that much easier (although I recommend the library, myself).
So I’m getting back into drawing a little to help break up some of the photo stories. I have the next one compiled, I just need to build it – but since it’s another dating story arc, I wanted to break up the longer stories with some fun little shorts like this one here.
Also, I want to get back into drawing. I have more illustrated stories to tell with this comic before the year is through. Hope you enjoy it, and have a great weekend.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to try to recover from my night of drinking and debauchery…since last night I turned 28. 
No blog for today. I’m too busy getting older. 
This is a conversation that I’ve been having lately, especially with the sequel to a certain “horror romance” movie coming out soon. Call me old fashion, but the only horror romance that I really want to see is Frankenstein. But I digress….
I had made comment on my twitter a while back about how “modern” vampires – these beautiful people that you see on TV and in movies that violate the rules of being a vampire – are not in fact vampires at all. They more closely resemble a chupacabra in description. “Goat drinkers,” I call them.
The truth is that over the years, especially recently, the rules the a vampire must follow have been becoming much more lax. Crosses don’t work, garlic is a joke, and only in very rare cases (ie: Joss Wheddon) do they have to be invited to enter a dwelling. I remember when Vampires were also OCD and crossing flowing water was a lethal as a steak to the heart.
But there are a few items that are, to me, a staple to defining a vampire’s weaknesses: Holy water, must drink human blood…and sunlight.
It’s my understanding that Edward Cullen is immune to these items (at least in a lethal capacity). So then what’s the down side to being a vampire? “Oh, I get all sparkly when I’m out in the sunlight?” Well, I have news for you son, you attend high school instead of college night classes. The worst thing that you have to deal with as an immortal 17 year old is that you have to live as a 17 year old for all eternity. Time to get emo about it and start a blog. But in truth, I’d be pretty upset about that too. I mean, at least if I were 18 I’d be able to date women legally and attend college classes to mix up my day. I’d still not be able to rent a car, though….
So I think this comic is appropriate for remembering some of the roots of this current Hollywood trend. So I present to you the Nosferatu. This, ladies and gents, is a vampire. Edward Cullen is not.
Video Game Review: InFamous
Platform: PS3
Developer: Sucker Punch!
Official Website
Plot: You play as Cole, a delivery guy in Empire City. When a package that you’re delivering (The Ray Sphere) explodes and destroys most of the city and all of the power, you begin to develop electrical powers. Your girlfriend leaves your side, and your best friend Zeke wants to capitalize on your newfound abilities. Meanwhile, the city is under quarantine by the United States government because a plague has broken out among the populace. Able to chose your path (redemption or revenge), you go on various missions around the city either liberating or conquering all in an effort to find the criminal mastermind behind it all, the mysterious figure known only as Kessler.
The gameplay is free-form, not unlike a Grand Theft Auto (only instead of driving cars, you can climb buildings and ride along electrical wires and train rails), with an upgrade system similar to most modern action games. As you progress through the game, you unlock new abilities that will help you reach new areas or defeat new enemies. You gain experience points by completing missions (good, evil, or neutral) and savings / killing enemies or citizens.
There’s a moral barometer (called “Karma”) in the game that allows you to be the hero or the villain. Unfortunately this mechanic isn’t very sophisticated like you would expect to find in an RPG game, usually something similar and more blatant. You’re usually faced with a moral dilemma (“Do I save this guy, or do I kill him and take his stuff) which usually results in the same outcome either way. There are some powers and trophies for Karma Good or Karma Evil, so there’s some replay value in there to try the game again playing the polar opposite.
Exploring the city is fun, especially since you can’t take any damage from falling. You can climb to the highest point in the town and just jump straight down (or you will later unlock a glide ability). Going through the city and liberating or conquering the various sections from the gangs that have taken over is a great mechanics, and gives you a very realistic feeling of accomplishment when you control an island (of which there are three in the game). The landscape even changes as you make a difference.
The cutscenes are an exciting motion comic with some terrific voice acting (although I question why a delivery guy sounds like Solid Snake from Metal Gear), and you’re generally interested to know what’s going to happen next and how you fit into this vast conspiracy surrounding the Ray Sphere. With a (predictable) cliffhanger twist ending, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see a few more games with Cole coming in the near future.
The game is totally worth buying, but don’t take my word for it: there’s a free downloadable demo that allows you to explore some parts of the city, as well as undertake three missions.
The ol’ Wishing Tree. Seems a lot of people have been buried there in this story. It appears that the Order covered up the assassination attempt by Sophia, and no one else in the world is the wiser.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Last page of this story is next week, and then we get started on “Assassin!”