In Wednesday's comic I totally judged a book by its cover. Is this bad? Not really that phrase really just teaches us not to go by our gut feelings. I'm not talking about any kind of psychic insight or some crap like that. While we are busy during the day our subconscious mind picks up on everything, and the conscious filters in only what we are paying attention too. If its important sometimes this information will get back to the conscious as a dream or a sick feeling in your stomach.

It applies to first impressions when it comes to people. Usually our gut feelings about a person we just met are correct. We pick up on some quality we can't readily notice like body language or pheromone. The phrase is only true when it comes to people if you interprete it was "don't be a racist prick." "That guy is black so I assume he's going to kill me with his huge dick" is very poor thinking. There's an ocean of difference between stereotypes and intuition.

Now as it applies to books I'm not sure how many people think "Well this is going to be a good book." Based on cover art. Cover art is very important to selling books. That's one of the first things that catches people's eyes along with the title is the cover art. Good cover art makes a book stand out. Christopher Moore often complained that the first edition of Bloodsucking Fiends first edition cover was crap. In comics this is more confusing since the inside rarely looks like whats on the cover. The Sharing Knife comic also comes from I don't understand how the knife is involved.

See the synopsis:

Adult/High School–Bujold's The Curse of Chalion (2001) and The Hallowed Hunt (2005, both Morrow/Avon) walked a fine line between fast-paced quest fantasy and character-driven romance. Here the fantasy is in the background, making the developing romance between the main characters, Dag and Fawn, the primary story. The two meet when the wandering adventurer Dag rescues the farmer's daughter Fawn from a Malice, a powerful demonic creature capable of bending the wills and flesh of others to itself. While there is action and drama, the end result is that the events seem built for the singular purpose of pushing Dag and Fawn together instead of moving along any other plot thread. This is a big shift for Bujold's fans, who might expect layers of political intrigue and thrilling action alongside the love story. Fortunately, the lovers are compelling characters, and Bujold delivers a novel that is a sweet, touching, and fast read. While it seems difficult to imagine how a love story can carry a whole fantasy series, teens will want to see how this tale continues in the next volume.

Where is the knife in that?

The backcovers of books the ones that people do judge their purposes on seem to be getting vaguer. A copy of Stephen King's Insomnia I own bares a synopsis that does not describe the book at all. I would share it with you, but I don't have the copy currently with me. But this is a problem: If I don't know what the book is about why would I want to buy it? The answer is becoming more and more, because of who wrote it. That's very sad indeed.

Nonetheless I have some reviews:
Insomnia by Stephen King:Is actually about reapers of Shinigami of opposing forces (Purpose and Random) clash in Derry (where IT took place), and involve humans in this struggle by rasing them to a higher level of existence. Relates a great deal to the Dark Tower and from as far as I know the first appearance of the Crimson King. This is an excellent read.

The Dark Tower comics: The art for this is incredible and the story is pretty good. The story is nothing we haven't seen before it so far as come from The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass, but there are whispers that later story arcs will include never before seen stuff like the fall of Gilead. There are little essays from the author (of the comics not King) about Roland's world, which are great supplementals when you haven't finished the Dark Tower yet. I, of course, am going to be biased towards this series with the greatest opening line ever: "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."

Marvel Zombies: Dead Days: A one shot of the most original thing Marvel has had for years. Zombies always have a great appeal. Super-powered intelligent zombies are even more appealing. This is their backstory. And wow, I've always known that Mr. Fantastic was an asshole, but in this he's a fucking crazy asshole.

Updating was hampered last week by disease and this week by erratic internets.

Maybe I should stop doing these storylines where I kill off famous writers. Mostly because I'm running out of them.

I have a car now. It's a 1998 Chevy Malibu so my new favorite thing to do is watch the news and nod gravely at the rising gas prices while wringing my hands. Shit! That actually affects me now! I'm trying to resist the urge to drive it everywhere I go, but I'm starting to crack. I've started taking the car to places that would have taken me thirty minutes to get there before. Not using the car is the ACTUAL way to protest gas prices.

One of the local radio stations 92.7 The Planet are giving away a "man room." After a series of burps and farts air be the ninth caller and you are entered to win. You also receive a "mandana". For some reason I want to win this, but after referring to the Alphabet of Manliness I have a few suggestions on how to man it up.

• A gargoyle. The gargoyle's mouth is filled with...beef jerky. And whenever I come into the room he inquires, "Chase! You want something to eat?" Probably while clicking the lights on and off for...ambience.


• A 54" plasma screen...portal. I don't have cable so a giant TV doesn't do me that much good outside of DVDs and the Wii. However, if the screen was actually a portal to another world and/or dimension I could get plenty of use from that.


• A lumberjack. I don't really have anything to add to that.


• A cardboard cutout of Chuck Norris as he's coming down to roundhouse kick you. So convincing most people start to bleed after seeing it.


• The room itself is actually a pirate ship.

I've got a couple new book reviews.
Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King: I like it when King writes things that aren't exactly the horror novels of which he's infamous. Also Randal Flagg was in it. That's a bonus.

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown: I thought it would be appropriate to mention it here. I liked this book, but not as much as Angels and Demons. I did like that Dan Brown avoided making a lot of the hackish ploys to get people to read the next chapter like in Angels and Demons. I don't really see what the religious groups are going on about, and I certainly don't see why people are changing their religious beliefs over it. I don't think it would change much if evidence came out that Jesus was married to Mary Magdelene and probably was. Now if it came out he was married to Judas...that would be something.

I've been making these journal comics for a little while now. So I guess I'll start posting them here.

It seems despite my department's best efforts I graduated Saturday with three degrees: a B.S. in Computer Science, and two associates in Network Administration and Network Security. Though it seems the Computer Science department might fight me tooth and nail for that degree. Marshall University's Integrated Science and Technology program has done nothing, but give me contempt for programming and programmers.

Anyway, while I'm unemployed I'll be able to spend a great deal more time my readers (all six of you). So expect stuff to happen. I might be here even longer if my department gets their way.

Its been too damn long since I've last posted, but I've read quite few books since my last review. Here they are:

Lisey's Story by Stephen King: Actually pretty different from the average Stephen King book. It is still a supernatural thriller, but not of the "random supernatural force beyond the protagonist's expertise who is probably a writer comes into his life" variety. You don't really even know for sure there is a supernatural element to this book until half way through, which I've heard quite a few people complain about. I didn't have a problem with this, but I was listening to the audiobook. Far less effort to read it. A female narrator was something unseen to me before in a King audiobook and really set this apart.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman: The epic struggle against the old, neglected gods in America against the new gods of America like media and credit. Doesn't cover any new ground from Sandman, but it isn't so Goth that the speech bubbles are black. Great read. Stephen King says the audiobook is one of the greatest ever in his Entertainment Weekly column. I wouldn't know since I actually got the book.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman: About the sons of American God's supporting character the African trickster Anansi. It is set in Britain and despite being a sequel doesn't really keep with the tone of the first one. This one read more like the Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy than Sandman, which is greatly enhanced by the excellent audiobook preformance.

Choke
by Chuck Palahniuk: Ugh, bleck. This like a literary train wreck. Its so horrible, but you can't look away. Not in the good or campy way either. I didn't finish this one despite it being on audiobook. This must what it feels like to read Catcher in the Rye when you aren't a murdering fuck.

I'll leave you with a colored version of the Equus picture. Click the thumbnail to see the high-res picture. (Warning: Its huge.)

Rest in Peace Kurt Vonnegut. I almost put this comic on hiatus, because I've been overwhelmed with...stuff. But you forced my hand, Kurt. Your forced my hand.

Also Tod Goliath is an asshole that steals from webcomics and indie artists. But I'm sure you already knew that.

Have a happy Friday the Thirteenth. I always do!

The Harry Potter in the background is based on the notorious Daniel Radcliffe promotional pictures for the play Equus.

Here's a detail shot.



I'm probably going to prison for this.

Been awhile since I've said anything down here and things have piled up.

First off my old Apartment building burnt down on my birthday two weeks ago. I'm fine since I was in the process of moving out anyway. All my important things were already out of there and some of the stuff left seems to be salvageable.

Now that we reach the end of this storyline have a wallpaper.


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This just in...(checks site stats) wow, Project Wonderful really is wonderful

Now some book reviews.

You Suck by Christopher Moore. This man is my frickin' hero. He is basically the bastard child of Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams ghostwriting for Anne Rice and Stephen King. Someone in the store best summarized him as "storybooks for adults." This one is a direct sequel to Blood Sucking Fiends. Since that book was written ten years ago a few anachronisms like Nintendogs find their way in here, but I'm sure Chris Moore knows they are there. The anachronisms are a little distracting, but I think they are in there mainly for new readers.

The rest of the book is a hoot! And everyone should read it. The Goth girl Abby really puts this story over the top especially during her narrations. "I burnt the toast and it was black as my soul." The ending was a little abrupt, in a WTF? kind of way. Which is the only consistent complaint I have with many of Moore's books, but that really doesn't take much away from the book.

The Dark Half by Stephen King. I liked it, but its typical King. I need to read books from other authors so my ads can change. I think I've got his pattern down. Mention genitals every other paragraph. Use fuckwords in the omniscient, third person. Product placement. Include a character with a Colt .45 somewhere. An important step is to find a phrase to repeat through the entirety of the book like "Come See the Live Crocodile", "B-12 it's the sunshine vitamin", or "Mike and Ike they think alike." Throughout the entire book sound like a redneck narrating H.P. Lovecraft.

Penny Arcade Volume 3: The Warsun Prophecy. The third volume of the most powerful webcomic in the Universe! I'm not sure if this is really out yet, but I found it at my comic book store regardless. Surely the universe will send its corrective agents to remove me from existence. This book is like a scrap book of every catch phrase I said that year. "Have you been huffing paint?" "Don't tell anyone I've been taking horse steroids." "The tube is civilization." This is a monumental book since it includes the first Fruit Fucker 2000 and Cardboard Tube Samurai strip. Not only that, but tucked away in the back is some concept art for their game. If you buy any Penny Arcade books this year it should be all of them.

I'm sure this comic really reaches out to my target deomgraphic: no one.

Final Fantasy XII has a strange system in it called Gambits. They allow you to program characters in order or priority. Essentially, the game plays itself. You'd think that'd free up some more time, but that important downtime is needed for playing Final Fantasy III on the DS.