Carter Comics Returns to SF Valley Comic Con!

My fourth appearance at this show marks a full year since I've been appearing at this local comic convention back on March 16th, 2014. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this event, the San Fernando Valley Comic Book Convention is an event held at the Granada Hills Pavilion in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. While it is primarily a collector's show consisting of mostly comic dealers and toy vendors, it also hosts appearances of legendary actors, established comic artists and cartoonists, up-and-coming television and film talent, skilled craftspeople,  and of course, independent comic creators----though I think this was the first show here where I was the only indy comic artist on the guests list. How was the show for both myself and as a whole? Let's review:

As with most conventions I exhibit at, I got to the building about an hour early to set up at 9:15 with the show starting at 10:00, excited to see how the event would go this year. While this is a small sized convention, the crowd is very loyal and remembers you if you did any previous shows there. That brings me to the show's three organizers, Rick Flake,  Bob Ranken and Joe Williamson. Knowing them for a full year now,  they have gone above and beyond to make this show a fun event for everyone three times a year (Spring, Summer, and Fall) since 2013. Joe in particular has helped alot in getting me exposure on radio shows and podcasts the last two years thanks to his entertainment connections. That being said, being the only indy comic artist at a convention like this turned out to be a good thing, as I was a veteran vendor to some customers, and I stood out more to new ones. I made some great sales throughout the show (eight books with a profit of $65.00) thanks to customers both familiar and unfamiliar. I also did a total of three interviews discussing my work. The first two were from friends Dulcy Brightman, a video blogger (who I met at Long Beach Comic Con last year, and also attended SF Valley Comic Con last November), and Kinte Indy Showcase, a podcast host and friend of Joe Williamson who interviewed me on his show last year.  The third was Casey Driver, a photographer and videographer who asked me alot of questions about my Hawaii upbringing. We then exchanged business cards, and I asked him to put the video he shot of me up on youtube.  I did get to walk around the show floor a bit once my good friend Andy showed up to support me as well, and I spoke with director Thomas Churchill, actress/singer Priscilla Soltero (both of whom I met through Joe at the Pasadena Comic and Toy Show), artist JD Correa, and Steven E Gordon, whose work I admired when he was the character designer on the "X-Men: Evolution" animated series. Looking through his character prints, I asked him if he had one for Iceman (one of my favorite mutants), but sadly he didn't have one. He did say that he was planning on creating prints for the "new recruits" characters from "evolution" soon. When I returned to my table, I then had actor Carel Struycken (best known for playing Lurch from the Addams Family movies) come by my table to see my work. As we're talking, a star-struck fan interrupts us to take a picture with him. A nice moment. The only person I didn't get to speak to was TV producer John Semper, who appeared out of nowhere to attend the show. I admired his work on the Spider-Man animated series from the 1990s, a show that was the first to take the wall-crawler seriously. As I didn't want to leave my table again to stalk him, I just thought to myself "there's always next time."

And there will be a next time, as before I packed up and left the show when it ended at 4:00, I asked Bob Ranken when his next convention at the Pavilion will be. So, look for me back in Granada Hills in August for SF Valley Comic Con's second show of the year. In the meantime, I will be attending a signing this wednesday at The Comic Bug in Culver City for writer friend David Walker, then I will be attending Wondercon on Easter Sunday to support my fellow indy artists there. So I will be moving the TV inspiration topic back another week in order to discuss Wondercon 2015. It already feels weird and sad not being able to be a part of the show as I have been the last three years, but attending is still the next best thing. Until next week, have a Happy Easter everyone!

My TV Inspriations Part 2: Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends

In my last blog, I mentioned that my next media inspiration wasn't live-action.  This was a cartoon that I've mentioned alot on various podcast interviews as the sole reason I fell in love with the superhero genre to begin with, as well as my introduction to a certain comics universe. The cartoon is none other than the legendary "Spider-Man: and his Amazing Friends."

Originally debuting back in September of 1981, "Amazing Friends" ran on NBC thanks to the success of a solo Spider-Man series that ran in syndication that same year. The premise was that the solo wall-crawler is now teaming up with two other superheroes, former X-Men mutants Iceman and Firestar (the latter beign created for the show). The three, called the "Spider-Friends,"  all live with Peter's Aunt May while attending college in New York's ESU, and fighting various marvel villains. The original run lasted until about 1983 (which I missed having been born three years earlier), so I discovered this show later on in 1988 when it was re-run on a syndicated cartoon block called "Marvel Action Universe," which also included the cartoons "Robocop" and "Dino-Riders." It was bad enough that it was syndicated on a cable access channel where I lived, but it came on on Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m.  So, even at eight years old, I was a dedicated TV viewer. Anyway, onto my thoughts on the show: I loved it! Having a team of superheroes (even if it's only three) just ramps up the excitement, as well as the trademark transformation sequence whenever they had a mission. I have to say though, that the main reason I watched this show was for Iceman, period. Watching him surfing on his "ice-slides" throughout every episode just looked like so much fun, and is the main reason I like a lot of other "cold-based" comic book characters like "Mr. Freeze" and "Captain Cold." The other reason was for the appearances of other supeheroes like the other X-Men members, and villains like Kraven, The Beetle, and The Shocker.

What was the direct inspiration this show had on me wanting to get into comics? Well, there wasn't a direct one, but it did introduce me to the team dynamic that helped me develop one of my first comic series "Cosmic Force."  There was another show on this cartoon lineup that pushed superhero teams even further, and I'll talk about that one in two weeks, as I will be exhibiting at the San Fernando Valley Comic Book Convention this Sunday, and I'll have a review of the show and how I did sales wise shortly after the show is over. So, until sunday evening!

My TV inspirations Part 1: Unsolved Mysteries

This question recently popped into my head during my appearance at Tulare Sci-Fi Con last weekend, when another vendor asked me if I use to doodle on my school assignments as a kid. That got me thinking about some of the things that inspired me to get into comics in the first place.  The answer? TV, lots of TV. Yes, it may seem odd that watching television as a kid drew me to comics, but it's something that just happened in that order for me. As I have more than one small-screen-based inspiration, and because I have quite alot to say about each of them, I'll be breaking up these discussions into four parts. This week, I'll be discussing the show that had a lasting impression on me both professionally and personally: "Unsolved Mysteries."

Growing up, I was never a big fan of the horror flicks that were popular at the time (in my case, the mid-to late '80s) such as "Friday The 13th," "Halloween," or "Nightmare On Elm Street." Instead, I was drawn more to cheesy low-budget movies that were more comedy than horror like "Maximum Overdrive," and "The Stuff" (although parts of George Romero's and Stephen King's Creepshow series did legitimately scare me as a kid).  Overall though, there wasn't much on television or in the movies that I could go to for a "terror fix." Enter "Unsolved Mysteries" in 1987. Originally hosted by "Perry Mason" himself Raymond Burr as a one-time special (which I don't think I watched by the way), it was a news-magazine style show that focused on of course, unsolved cases, everything from missing persons, murders, legends, psychics, and my favorite: UFO sightings and abductions. When it was picked up as a series, former "untouchables" star Robert Stack (though I knew him best as Captain Rex Kramer from "Airplane") took over as the show's permanent host. What made this show beyond scary and awesome were three things: Robert Stack's voice, the incredibly well produced re-enactments, and of course, one of the creepiest tv themes ever composed. As much as it scared me as a child, I couldn't get enough of it. Who cares if this show gave me countless nightmares? It's all in the name of entertainment, mental scarring be damned! Even though the show has long since been cancelled and I just have my dvd box sets, I still watch them religiously and only at night to really set the mood of this creepy program.

So you're probably wondering at this point: How did THIS show inspire me to write and draw comics? Well at first, it didn't. As I got older though, I had still been producing a superhero comic series that I had worked on since I was about eight years old. By this time I was in high school. and my tastes had changed when it came to stories in general, whether they came off a comic page, a tv screen, or film screen. I became much more interested in writing stories based on my personal interests, rather than standard superhero plots involving bank robberies. That's when I remembered how much I enjoyed "Unsolved Mysteries" growing up, and wanted to write a story based on elements from different episodes of the show (specifically the UFO stories), and involve my superhero characters.  Out of all that came "Cosmic Force." Their origin story was based off of two of my favorite UFO stories from the show: "Australian UFO," where a pilot flying a single engine Cessna encounters a strange green light and vanishes, never to be seen again, and "Missing Time," which chronicles several people who claim they witnessed strange objects in the sky, and then cannot account for a large amount of time that was lost shortly thereafter. Aside from terrifying me as a kid, what I also loved about this show was the "mystery" aspect of it. Not knowing what really happened during a case and drawing your own conclusions as to what may have transpired. You don't always need to know the answer to everything, and that just makes things more interesting.

So that's the reason for my being inspired by the creepy, sometimes paranormal "Unsolved Mysteries." Next week, I'll be speaking about another TV show that helped steer me toward four-color panels, and while I won't mention what it is just yet, I will say this: It's not live action.

Until then!

Tulare Sci-Fi Con 2015 Wrap up:

Well, I just got back from my first artist alley exhibitor appearance of the year at Tulare Science Fiction Convention this past weekend (which happens to be my first appearance at this two-year old show), and boy..........................DID I HAVE A BLAST!  I'm sure you thought I'd just use that classic punchline about being exhausted-----well, I was exhausted too, but my overall satisfaction of this show completely overrides my fatigue. While the event offered free tables to artists, it was still quite the gamble to take, given the remote location of the convention (Tulare, California, a small town between Bakersfield and Fresno), but luckily that gamble paid off. Why was it so great? and what did I like about it? Well, let's review.

Before I begin my exhibitor's review of this show, I have to send a very special thanks to friend and fellow artist alley vendor Paul Jamison of superheronetwork.com, for inviting me to ride with him to the show and crash at his hotel. My Jetta wasn't in the best condition for the trip, nor did I have much disposable income for lodging. Now onto the show: Given the lack of signage and extra promotion, I was pleasantly surprised at how many people showed up for both days. Not only that, but because this was an area starving for comic conventions (among other events), it was a very appreciative crowd. Many of the customers I interacted with would return to purchase my merchandise as promised, if they didn't have money on them at the time or if they wanted to purchase other items first. That's something you definitely don't get at the bigger shows. I was also shocked at how many customers picked up the first issue of my "Cosmic Force" series, since it's usually a poor seller at shows such as Wondercon and Long Beach Comic Con. I actually sold more issues of "Cosmic Force" than my usual big seller "Damn Tourists" (though this was only by one). One person purchased the first two issues of my "Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose" series, which I thought would be the most popular of the three at a show with a family crowd. Just goes to show you that sometimes you just can't tell what people want, which is one of the reasons why I write and illustrate three different books. The show ended with yours truly being interviewed by a reporter for the Tulare Times on my experience at the convention. Just one of those things that happens at these shows that you don't see coming, but you're sure glad they happened.

So, is this a show I'd exhibit at again? HELL YEAH! All they need to improve on is better promotion, some signage (I'm looking in your direction too Central Coast Comic Con), and keep it a two day event. Too many new comic conventions seem to over-extend themselves when it comes to show dates. Unless you've built up a rapidly growing fan base like a Wondercon, there's no need to add another day. With that being said, I look forward to next year's show even if they start charging for tables at that point. Based off of this year, the experience would still be worth it.

Damn, those tourists

As I mentioned in last week's blog, I'll be explaining the creation of my satire series about four super-powered annoying tourists who spend their days traveling to different states and countries, all while never realizing how repulsed residents and other visitors are by their behavior. That series, of course, is called: "Damn Tourists!"

Well, the way this series got started is one of those times where an idea just pops into your head instantly. Coming home from college on the bus one day back in Hawaii, a rental car cuts us off (no resident drives a bright yellow convertible in the islands), and the first thing I'm thinking is "these tourists just don't know how to drive."  BINGO! From there, I quickly wrote down a quick summary and some character names on some notebook paper while still on the bus. When I got home, I typed up a proper treatment on a laptop, but it took several years until I had a proper story in order to kick off the series. When those several years were up, here's what I came up with:

Four clueless travelers, with the names "Mr. Invincible," "Ms. Informed," "Mr. Postcard," and "Mr. Aloha," each possess an obnoxious behavior on vacation that is so obnoxious, it's super-human. Simply put, these are annoying tourists taken to the extreme.

- Mr Invincible is an inattentive traveler, who will bump into/run over anyone or anything, because he is too wrapped up in sightseeing. Fortunately for him, none of these collisions do him any harm due to his "tunnel-vision." Unfortunately for everyone else, they must steer clear of his "inattentive wrath."

-Ms. Informed is the type of traveler who believes she knows it all, when in reality she knows nothing. About what you ask? The history of wherever she is, mispronouncing even the simplest of foreign terms, etc. When traveling to France, she'd expect everyone to be wearing berets and carrying french bread with them. This behavior is so bad, that she gives others around her severe migranes due to her "facts."

-Mr. Postcard is the resident photographer of the group, and his annoying ability hits you twice. He's not just a bad photographer, always taking photos with his thumb on the lens or missing the subject he's photographing entirely, but the camera flash he uses is the brightest ever manufactured.

-Mr. Aloha is above all, the trademark goofy tourist of this group (and in this group, that's really saying something). He never goes anywhere without the largest collection of tacky, bright, loud floral wear. So loud, in fact, that the shirt actually fires a sonic blast at all times.

Despite their "vacation abilities," these tourists are welcomed (at least initially) to each destination they travel to with open arms. Why? They have a limitless disposable income, picking up bucketloads of tacky souvenirs, the most expensive rental cars and hotels, and so forth. In return for their spending frenzy, these travel destinations treat them like royalty, giving them free admission to all visitor attractions, free extended hotel says, and even highways made especially for them. As mentioned earlier, this excuses their behavior to a point, but this clueless foursome always finds away to unknowingly take things one step too far. As a result, each travel adventure always ends with them being chased out of their destinations. As the series continues, you will see other visitors and especially residents try to figure out where these "Damn Tourists" are originally from, a mystery that will not be easy to solve, as no city, state, or country would ever want to take responsibility for housing them.

So, think of "Damn Tourists" as a "how-not-to" guide when it comes to behaving on vacation, as well as poking fun at some states and cities over-reliance on income from visitors. So whenever you decide to use that vacation time you have saved up from work, just think of these four, and do the complete opposite of what they do.

Just a reminder that this weekend will be my first convention appearance of 2015: The Tulare Sci-Fi Con this saturday and sunday, so naturally my next blog will cover my experience, customer interaction, and sales from that show. Until then!

The Birth of a "Cosmic Force."

I had so much fun discussing my "Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose" character and series here last week, that I decided to keep that theme going with the very first comic book series I wrote and illustrated----and it's a far cry from the comic strip adventures of Mr. Mongoose. It's a science-fiction/superhero chapter-based series called "Cosmic Force."

While the "Cosmic Force" that comic convention attendees know currently is a layered story arc of a comic book series, the idea started as far back as October 1988 when I was entering third grade (believe it or not). This was a more light-hearted version heavy on action and short on dialogue and character development (hey, I was only 8 years old), inspired by saturday morning superhero cartoons. The original premise involved two retired superheroes from Detroit, Michigan, moving to Honolulu, Hawaii to start new lives. Their retirement doesn't last long, as they find that Hawaii also has its own crop of super-powered crimefighters. After battling their first villain created by a hospital operation gone horribly wrong, they form a team to help protect the island chain. As I grew older, my love of superhero comics and cartoons increased, but what I wanted out of them changed. Instead of craving action and cool costumes, I began to appreciate dramatic storytelling and character backstories. These traits of course, carried on into my own superhero tale "Cosmic Force," which I was still developing at this time (I was a senior in high school at this point). One day in homeroom, I was coloring a mock magazine cover I did featuring my C-Force characters. This was going to be more than just a great cover, but also a mock interview with the Cosmic Force members, asking them how they got together and received their abilities. Then it dawned on me: I don't know how they formed the team or got their powers, because I never wrote an actual origin story! Well, that's how the current version of Cosmic Force comes into play:

Channeling my childhood love of the series "Unsolved Mysteries," I began to write the kind of story that gave readers more questions than answers. The new (and current) premise is about five ordinary individuals living in Honolulu, Hawaii in the late 1980s: Kevin Simons, a TV station intern, Sandra Winters, a nurse, Bryan Snarski, a retail store manager, Brandon Quitog, a cashier, and Daniel Stafford, a public defender.  While none of them have previously met, they all happen to meet in the same open field on the island of O'ahu to watch a meteor shower one night. Suddenly in the middle of the shower, five bright multi-colored objects appear out of nowhere, and attack each of these individuals, seemingly killing them. The next day the fivesome wake up across town in an abandoned building, alive and relatively unharmed. One thing is different, however: Each of them has been transformed from the inside out, possessing strange new abilities that seem to be triggered by their personalities, as well as being dressed in odd-looking spacesuits with pale skin, no hair, glowing colored eyes, and weird tattoos on their foreheads. If that isn't enough to handle, they later discover that it has been two years since the shower, not twenty-four hours, and the rest of the world has declared them dead due to their extended disappearance.  Overwhelmed and rightfully afraid to re-enter society, the now super-powered fivesome resort to squatting in several abandoned structures on the island, trying to control their new "talents," and make some sense of what their lives have become. Meanwhile, Two F.B.I. agents, Bruce Higgins and Rex Jones, who were assigned to investigate the disappearance of the "meteor shower spectators," have now joined forces with air force Colonel David Mansher, after the agents suspect that the spectator quintet's "deaths" were probably not an accident, but rather caused by extra-terrestrials. They eventually corner the future Cosmic Force outside an abandoned Castle Amusement Park, where a battle later ensues. Armed with experimental military weapons, the three government officials briefly stop the fivesome, only to be distracted by a horrified public on nearby freeways, as this once nocturnal confrontation is now exposed to the sunrise. The Cosmic Force later defeat the weapon-wielding officials, and disappear (for real this time, thanks to one of their abilities). Resurfacing farther away from civilization, the quintet finally have a chance to relax and cope with what has happened to them in the past two years, which also includes their family and friends having to cope with their loss, and having to be told by the media that their loved ones were murdered by aliens. Much more occurs in the series, including such revelations as conflicts between the group due to their age differences, Daniel Stafford finding out that he has a son his ex-wife never told him about, Bryan Snarski's estranged parents designing the very weapons the government is using to eliminate the Cosmic Force, and most importantly, Kevin Simons' former supervisor and family friend, news/weather reporter Shannon Lima not only dating Kevin's father, but also discovering the Cosmic Force's secret.

Sound exciting? or at the very least intriguing? Well, if you'd like to read about this series, you can pick up the first five issues as an online download through my shop on this website, or on amazon kindle. If you still like to read something in your hands that you can turn pages with, ordering issues 1-5 through indyplanet.com is for you. And finally, if you want to see both the books and the creator of them in person, you can do that at various comic book conventions around California, with my first one being Tulare Sci Fi Con next weekend! I will also be debuting a trade paperback called "Cosmic Force" Volume One," which will include the first chapter of the series, issues 1 through 4!

Stay tuned next week, when I talk about how I took an idea about a group of annoying tourists, and turned it into an exciting new and hilarious satire comic book series. Until then!

All about the mongoose.

I think that title is pretty self-explanatory. In most of my podcast and radio interviews, I've been asked what the story is behind me creating a cartoon mongoose that likes to perform "puns" and "everyday expressions" in illustration form. It's actually a quite bizarre and interesting one.

Growing up in Hawaii, we didn't have alot of wildlife, and the little that we had was all imported. One of those imports was the mongoose from Central America. It was brought over to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1800s to help bring down the population of another imported animal: the rat. There was one problem with this, however: The mongoose hunted during the day, while the rats were nocturnal. This caused the mongoose to become an invasive species itself, as it resorted to feeding on native birds and their eggs. 

Despite this reputation, I found mongooses to be incredibly intriguing animals as a kid. They have the perfect blend of being "cute" yet "ferocious." Also, it's one of the few animals that hasn't been overused as a cartoon character (not since the 1975 chuck jones cartoon "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi). Of course, my Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose isn't a snake-killer. He started out as "The Traveling Mongoose, a potential mascot for TheBus, Honolulu's privately-run city bus system. When that failed due to a lack of financial cooperation from TheBus, I held onto the character for a few more years, finally repackaging him in 2013 as "The Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose." The new name and gimmick for the character was based on his previous roots: I had created a comic strip and short flash cartoon called "catching the bus," where the mongoose misses his bus, only to pull it back toward him using a fishing line. Since the phrase "catching the bus" is a figure-of-speech, and there are plenty of other expressions like that tailor-made for illustrations, it was only fitting to re-name him "The Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose." 

Since producing four comic-strip anthologies, along with the popular weekly pictionary-style "mongoose mondays" social network games (playable on both facebook and instagram), this furry performer-of-puns has quickly become my favorite original character to write and illustrate. This is due to his flexible persona, as I can put him in any situation and in any outfit. He doesn't always have to wear his sleveless t-shirt and denim shorts, but you'll always see him in a pair of shades. This had helped me expand the character in "mongoose mondays," where you can not only name a 'figure-of-speech" illustration, but also drawings of pop songs, movies, and tv shows. The winner of each game gets a sketch of their choice drawn by me, and gets to choose next week's category.

So if you're a fan of the classic comic strip style of animal characters, puns, pop song, tv, or movie trivia, "The Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose" is "right up your alley." ------I may or may not use that one as an illustration.

Pasadena Comic and Toy Show:

It was quite the busy weekend for me. After attending a friend's birthday party bar-hopping in Santa Monica saturday night (and early sunday morning), I spent sunday afternoon at the Pasadena Comic and Toy Show. It was the first time I attended the show, which was a small but vibrant local show located at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium's exhibit hall. It was only $5 to enter, but my main reason for going was to support and talk shop with the many artist and entertainment friends I've met since becoming an artist alley vendor back in 2010. Some had told me they would be their in some capacity, while others truly surprised me by their appearance.

As I walked in the door, the first person I ran into was Marcelo Lewin, who runs the site: indiecomicstracker.com. I heard about his site last year while exhibiting at Wondercon Anaheim last year, and had my comics published on his online store. We exchanged emails back and forth so much, that it was nice to meet in person for a change. He also did a short interview on me at Central Coast Comic Con in Ventura last year. He was on his way out when I arrived, so we just said a few words to each other before parting ways. Next were fellow comic professionals from C.A.P.S. (Comic Arts Professional Society), an organization that meets on the 2nd thursday of every month at the Animation Guild in Burbank. Members Aiden Casserly, Sergio Aragones, Yehudi Mercado, Lonnie Millsap, and Scott Shaw were all there as exhibitors, and they told me about some of the upcoming topics for this thursday's meeting. Rounding the back of the hall I see the great Joe Williamson, promoter extraordinare, and one of the organizers of the San Fernando Valley Comic Convention that I exhibit at alot. He's also a great friend of mine who has set me up on countless podcast interviews and radio shows to promote my work. We spoke a bit about the progress of a freelance comic project I'm producing for a friend of his. Also present were friends of his that I heard of, but didn't officially meet until this show: Actor/Director/Podcast Host Thomas Churchill, and Actor/Singer/Video Blogger Priscilla Soltero. I was formally introduced to both of them through Joe, and we exchanged business cards while talking a little bit about what we did in entertainment. The very last person I ran into was my good buddy and former co-worker, Mark Rivers and his girlfriend Kamiel Harrison at their table. I spent my last hour at the show chatting with them about old times at work, comic projects, and so forth. I had no idea he would be there, and just happened to run into Kammy on the show floor as I was on my way out. I picked up a few items from Sergio's and Mark's table before I did so.

So, as I headed out of the convention to get a brick-oven baked pizza from Blaze before I headed back to North Hollywood via Metro Rail, I felt glad that I attended this show, as it was an extended meeting of creative, artistic minds for me. And while I didn't have the money to exhibit there, it was great to go and simply support and talk to my friends. Don't worry guys, I'll be back on the other side of the table very soon!

How a Multi-Transit Neighborhood changed my life

It seems insignificant until it affects you directly, but living in an area where you have more than just one way to get around alters your entire view of how you live your life from day to day. Within the last few months, I've been living in North Hollywood, California, an area reshaped by "transit oriented development." Walkable areas with front-facing shops, wide sidewalks, all connecting to a subway and bus rapid transit system make for an area you'd like to explore, rather than an area you escape from for work and rarely ever see.

Since living in this area, I only use my car two or three times a week. And why should I? Major grocery stores, dining places, comic shops, and bars are withing walking distance. Granted, parking is limited to side streets, but that's just another reason to try out one of the other more attractive forms of transportation. Most importantly, any trips I take into other parts of Los Angeles are usually by rail or bus rapid transit. Every time there's an event I'm invited to, the first thing that comes to mind is if it's near a rail station, as both traffic and parking have gotten worse recently in many L.A. communities-----this way of thinking is very essential when going to parties or dining places where alcohol is involved. It's a great feeling going to an event in Hollywood or Downtown knowing that you don't have to deal with finding and paying for parking, and it's alot easier for me to find addresses on foot than driving. Of course, metro rail does not go everywhere yet, like Santa Monica for instance, but that's where another transportation mode comes in to play: ride-sharing. This weekend for instance, I plan to attend a bar-hopping event in Santa Monica, which won't have a light rail line until next year. To avoid driving, I can take the subway and a light rail to Culver City, then take a Lyft car to the bar and the same way back.  Using these other modes helps to lessen the wear-and-tear on my car, so I can use it for just large grocery trips, comic convention appearances, etc. I even get to know not only my neighborhood by cutting down on driving, but other multi-transit cities as well such as Pasadena. Simply put, my love affair with my car and driving wore off in the last year, and I've recently realized how using other transportation modes helps to curb my stress on the roads, and has me not only looking at my surroundings differently, but influencing how I live my life.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Hello everyone. This week's blog is dedicated to, and all about my father, Allen Carter Sr, who died July 16, 2014, at the age of 77. This past saturday would have been his 78th birthday, and I'd like to use this week's column to talk about all of the good times I had with him.

The first thing that always pops into my head when I think of my father is riding in the car. As a kid, we used to go just about everywhere on the island of O'ahu, whether to run errands or just to joyride. I think that's where I get my great sense of direction and love of exploring new areas. I can remember it now: My father and I (sometimes my sister and mother if we were shopping or going out to eat) in one of the many cars he had (red pinto, oldsmobile omega that would overheat alot, ford taurus station wagon). If we were out during the weekends, he'd have on the local talk radio station. I can still hear the station jingle in my head. On some saturdays, he would take my sister and I to the orthodontist at the pan am building downtown. We'd go into the waiting room with the gentle door chimes that would sound when you opened it, and after getting our teeth checked out he'd take us to kapiolani park just outside waikiki. I'd play on the outdoor exercise equipment, while my sister would play on a large rope hanging from a banyan tree. Being in Hawaii of course, we also went to the beach nearly every weekend. My dad indirectly taught me how to swim at Poka'i Bay, a beach closer to where we lived on the west side of O'ahu. After I emerged from the shallow end one day, I watched him paddling with his arms and legs out to sea and back to shore with the white foam board he had. During one of those beach days, he told me that he thought a hammerhead shark was behind him, so that's why he started swimming faster that time. I'm not sure if that was true or not, though that may explain why we would always leave the beach no later than 5:00 p.m., as that was when small fish would come close to shore. My father felt that those fish would attract sharks, so we left the water before those little guppies showed up. Then there were the trips around the island. Being on an island as a kid, going around the island (even if it was only halfway) was the hawaii equivalent of driving to another state. We'd leave from Waianae where we lived on the west side, through the towns of Waipahu then north through Mililani, Wahiawa, and Haleiwa in central o'ahu and the north shore, and finally east into the cool, rainy, green mountains of the windward side. Along the way my father and I would stop for food or to sightsee. Every time we took this trip I couldn't wait to reach the windward side, as it was the complete opposite of the dry beach towns we lived in on the other side of the island. It also included my favorite scenic spot on the island, Nu'uanu Pali Lookout. My father used to take my sister and I up there alot when we were kids. It was known for being extremely windy almost all the time, and it was said that you could jump off the cliff near the viewpoint railing and the wind would pick you back up. I would advise against trying it.

There are so many other stories of my father that come to mind, but what I mentioned are the ones that mean the most to me. The last time I got to visit him back in Hawaii was in 2012, and it was a weird feeling having the roles reversed. This time, I was doing the driving, and the first place we went after breakfast was straight to pali lookout. Then I drove him around the island, just as he did for me when I was a kid. I don't remember much of what we did when we got to our destinations, but I do remember the journey. It all came full-circle for us. So thank you dad. Thank you for all those great times you gave me. Thank you for showing me the world one car ride at a time. Thank you for your easygoing, warm personality. Thank you for your high-pitched chuckle (which I do from time to time myself). But most of all, thank you for being my dad.

Happy birthday.

A Decade In Los Angeles

It's hard for me to believe, but this coming June (June 15th to be exact) will be my tenth year living in Southern California. While it doesn't exactly feel like yesterday since I stepped off the plane back in 2005 from Honolulu, It's definitely made me reflect on my first ten years in L.A., along with my first twenty-five years born and raised on the island of O'ahu. 

As the only member of my family born in Hawaii, I never looked at the islands as anything more than my home until I got older. Television, movies, and visiting relatives made me aware of how the Hawaiian Islands is a beloved vacation destination for many people in the rest of the United States and around the world. Living in an area where our main highway met the sea, the local beach was a common weekend activity, though I enjoyed traveling to O'ahu's windward side the most, and seeing the cool, green mountains with waterfalls in between them. Mainstream entertainment was limited because of our remote location to the "mainland," we would get alot of movies and video games long after the rest of the country. When I moved to Los Angeles shortly after my twenty-fifth birthday, it was a year long culture shock. Many asked (and still do) why I would move from Hawaii to California in the first place, and as much as I tell people who ask this how expensive the cost of living, utility bills, and limited employment options there are, some still can't get past what they've been told through travel ads and "Hawaii Five-O. Resorts, beaches, sunshine, and hula girls are a very small part of the fiftieth state. Currently, the rest of the island resembles "los angeles on a volcanic rock." After getting used to the time difference between the two cities (2 hours in the fall and winter, 3 hours in the spring and summer), and the faster-paced lifestyle compared to Honolulu, I began to revel in the larger opportunities Los Angeles has to offer.  Exploring new areas and neighboring states without a plane, using the public rail system, and most importantly, making new friends and entertainment connections. It's amazing to look back at all the people I've met and have become great friends with through either my sister or through myself at the jobs I've had here. As much as I enjoyed my time in Hawaii, there are so many things I experienced in Los Angeles that I never could have experienced in the islands: working in post-production design, the video gaming industry (where I met the bulk of my friends and roommates), and the IT industry (which helped me learn about becoming a comic convention vendor, thanks to another artistic co-worker). Making trips to other areas in California such as San Diego and San Francisco, as well as neighboring states Nevada and Arizona.

So (raises imaginary glass) here's to ten years in Los Angeles, and perhaps ten more here. That will all depend of course, on what happens in my life during those next ten years. Who knows what the future holds and where it may take me, but for now, I'm enjoying my time as an "angeleno."

My 2015 Comic Convention Circuit - Exhibitor Style!

Shaky finances be damned! I'm still doing an exhibitor comic convention tour this year-----albeit a much smaller one. Despite my low funds, I've gained so much more momentum and experience doing podcast, video, and radio show interviews promoting my comics and convention appearances last year, that I'd really like to keep that momentum going as much as I can. Even if I can only do half of the shows I did last year, it's better than nothing. So, I'd like to use this week's blog to talk about the conventions that I'm planning to do (along with some that I'd like to do), and a little bit about them----note: There's one show on the list that I've never done, so I'll have very little to talk about there.

Tulare Sci-Fi Con: March 7-8 (saturday and sunday). This is the new show I heard about while attending last year's Long Beach Comic Con. It takes place in Tulare, California, which is quite a drive outside Los Angeles. While it's a two hour drive from North Hollywood, the tables are free. So, yeah. Can't really turn that down. It's also a smaller show with a loyal customer base around it----or at least that's what I'm hoping for. No matter how I do there, the only risk is gas money.

San Fernando Valley Comic Con: March 29, 2015: I've done this show several times before starting last March, and it's a small but nice, laid back, fun show. It takes place in a multipurpose activity hall in Granada Hills, on the corner of Balboa blvd. and San Fernando Mission rd. What's great about this show is while the crowds aren't as big, the people who come in really want to be there, and appreciate the talent of all of the vendors, and a smaller show with an enthusiastic crowd is better than a larger show with a crowd that could care less about anything they see ( I'm looking at you Wizard World, when you were back in Los Angeles and Anaheim). One of the biggest reasons I do this show is one of the shows organizers, Joe Williamson, has become a good friend of mine, and has helped me a great deal promoting my work through podcast interviews and radio shows. It's always great to see him, even if we're both busy during the show and only have time to speak before and after the event.

Wondercon: April 3-5, 2015. I saved the best for last. Ever since it moved from San Francisco to Anaheim back in 2012, this "younger sibling of San Diego Comic Con International," has quickly become the convention to attend if you want to avoid San Diego's insane crowds, and----let's be honest here----because Comic Con sells out months in advance. Wondercon has been my most consistently successful show in the three years I've exhibited at the show. They know how to balance entertainment panels, large comic company booths, and independent creators (me), in a way that everyone gets some level of foot traffic and sales. There's always room for improvement, such as placing their Artist Alley and Small Press Areas closer to the front of the exhibit hall, but for a three-day easter weekend extravaganza, it always manages to impress me every year.

So, those are the shows I'm set to do so far. There are some others that I'd like to do again if I had more money, such as the newly expanded "Long Beach Comic Expo," "Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con," "Alternative Press Expo" in San Francisco, and "Long Beach Comic Con," (which occurs in the fall). Some shows that I'd like to try for the first time are: "Phoenix Comic Con," "Big Wow Comic Fest," and "Emerald City Comic Con." I just need to take these all in one day at a time. I may be only able to do three shows this year, but who knows what next year will bring, financially and professionally. All I can say is: Stay tuned.

I'm on the radio! All about my podcast interview experiences

Last week, I spoke about my experiences on the "comic convention circuit." Well, a big part of promoting and selling at those conventions involved advertising my appearances at those shows to let people know where I was going to be, and where to pick up my books. One of the few bright spots of 2014 for me was----thanks to my amazing new friend and promoter, Joe Williamson---being able to sell myself and my work by appearing on radio shows and online podcasts, whether in-studio or over the phone. My first podcast, "The Spotlight: Hollywood Edition," was a great introductory experience to self-promotion, as well as the podcast hosts promoting me as well. One of the first things I learned about doing these shows is just how short an hour can feel like, especially when you're discussing something that you have such a passion for. There were two in-studio shows I did over the summer that were just an hour long, and after talking about just one of my books, the shows were almost over. I guess the old saying rings true: "Time flies when you're having fun."

It's also amazing to look back at all the different shows I appeared on (my voice, anyway), that each had a different style to it. Some were very formal and focused just on what I asked them to in terms of getting to know me and my artwork, while others were more free-flowing and felt like a natural conversation. That brings me to my most recent radio show appearance, my first of 2015: The Guy Talk Radio Show, which I did earlier today---a special thanks to the hosts Joey, Sandy, and Bill for inviting me on, and to Joe Williamson for booking my appearance. They had such a relaxed atmosphere where the hosts and the guests actually drink beer during the show. It was also less of a question/answer show, and more of just talking about various topics. I personally like both interviewing formats, but it's nice to switch them up once in a while. I feel that it's very important to keep things as fresh as possible, especially when it involves something you love to do, because even something you love to do can feel repetitive and often tiresome if you don't shake things up and approach it differently once in awhile. What I'm getting at in terms of interviews is that you can sometimes feel like your either answering, or being asked the same questions over and over again, and you have to come up with new ways of answering those questions the more shows you appear on. Most importantly, you also want to add a personal touch to what your promoting, so the audience understands where your passion and your ideas came from, and what it really means to you. The more the audience gets to know you as a person, the more willing they will be to view and even purchase your work.

So that's what I wanted to share with you all, as the new year opens. I may have some other shows lined up, either through my friend Joe or from fellow artist alley exhibitors I met at comic conventions. Whatever happens though, you'll definitely hear about it on this blog first, so stay tuned! Until next week, when I decide to write about something else. 

What's it like being an "Artist Alley Vendor?"

Yup, it's back to talking about comic-related topics this week. Since I'm still struggling to land full-time work at the moment, my vendor appearances at comic conventions has become my primary focus. While selling items as a vendor involves alot of financial investment and very little profit in the first few years, money is not, and SHOULD not, be the reason to do this. Being an independent vendor is about finding your audience first, which starts with putting both yourself and your artwork out there for people to see. The more shows you can do, the more people you meet. That equals more potential fans, and eventually, some sales of your work. With all that being said, let me talk about my five-year experience as an Artist Alley vendor so far.

The number of Comic Conventions in the past few years has exploded, both nationwide and worldwide. Particularly in the United States, San Diego's monster summer show, San Diego Comic Con International, has become THE comic-related event to attend (I say "comic-related," of course, because anyone who has recently attended this show already knows that actual comic books are a very small part of the show now, and have been for awhile). The constant focus on the San Diego show, and the difficulty in being a part of the show as either an attendee or a vendor, has greatly helped other slightly smaller conventions and even smaller local shows----which are the shows I started with in promoting and selling my work. I think of comic convention artist alleys as both a secret society and a support group of sorts. Everyone in the "alleys" is there to be seen just like me, but we're not really competing with each other, because we all have different types of work. Comic books, prints, buttons, T-shirts, hats, keychains, all types of crafts, and alot more are located in the best artist alleys of a comic book convention. Making friends at these shows is a necessity, as foot traffic has a constant ebb and flow, and striking up a conversation with your "alley neighbor" can definitely keep your energy up as well as theirs. Not only that, but artist alleys become extended families over the years. I still can't believe how many people I've met and become good friends with just from doing these conventions, and especially when I find out that two people I met at two completely different shows know each other. Then you can share those oh-so-wacky convention stories, most of which include the best cosplayer or craziest customer you've dealt with, as well as share information about new conventions (and believe me, most of the shows that I've done I heard about through word of mouth at artist alleys). It's both great and frustrating that I have so many great friends who do this as well, but I have so little time to speak with them before a show starts.

Then there are the customers. In my five years as an artist alley regular, I was very surprised to see that a vast majority of convention attendees had never been to a comic con in their lives, but wanted to see what the hype was all about. Most of those "newbies" have become about 90 percent of my customer base, as from my experience, most first-time comic-con attendees are much more adventurous, and are willing to purchase arts, crafts, or literature that they've never seen before. Most veteran attendees, on the other hand, know where they want to go and what they want to see, and they tend not to look at anything outside of that focus. Alot of the customers that have come up to my table to view my work were always courteous with their curiosity toward my books and characters. Only a very small percentage of customers have made rude comments about my work----usually thinking that I've ripped off an existing comic idea with one of my books. It initially hurts, but that's just one person's opinion, so I forget it and move on to the next customer. It's really great to run into some of the same attendees at different shows, and they see how dedicated I am at selling myself. I even have a fan that has collected my "Cosmic Force" series. He's currently waiting for the sixth issue, which should hopefully be done by the summer.

So, that's my continuing adventures through comic con land. While these shows can physically drain you (3 day conventions especially), the experience is never boring, as no two conventions are alike. Each show is a new adventure, and I always gain something from that adventure, whether it be convention advice from a neighbor, impromptu press interviews or photos, or my favorite "s-word:" sales. Speaking of sales, I am happy to say that while not all of the shows that I've been to have been financial successes, I have never done a show yet where I didn't sell anything ( I haven't sold less than two books at any show). Even the customers who come by to look and don't buy anything from me, I appreciate them just as much as the ones who do buy. With all of the choices a customer has at a show full of established comics, video games, celebrity panels, cosplayers, and other independent artwork, someone choosing to come up to my table to see what I have to offer and thumb through my sample books is really all the validation I need that I'm right where I need to be, and the reason why I'm an independent comic book artist.

Next week I have my first podcast interview of 2015 coming up, so I'd like to talk about my experience promoting my books on radio shows for my next blog. Until then!

What Christmas Means to Me

As some of you may know, 2014 has been a very difficult year for me both professionally, and especially personally. Despite these hardships, I've been looking forward to winter and christmas more than I ever have. This longing for the holiday season has made me really think about what I truly love about Christmas, especially when it can feel like everything is collapsing around me. 

Family traditions, more valuable than any gift, are what make christmas for me. Traditions such as watching old holiday specials I've seen since I was a kid, listening to old christmas music, and especially viewing christmas lights and decorations. I can remember the very first christmas I spent in Los Angeles after moving from Hawaii almost 10 years ago. No decorations. No music. No holiday specials. Just a small plastic tree I picked up from a drugstore where myself, my sister, and her boyfriend opened presents for about 5 minutes. While we were all making good money at the time, I wasn't able to take off work to see my parents back in Hawaii. Now, I have almost my entire immediate family here with me to enjoy all the traditions we created in the islands. Sure, you can put a price tag on an XBOX One or an Ipad, but not on watching a christmas boat parade on Balboa Island, Montrose main street lights, L.A. Live's spectacular christmas light display and ice-skating rink (if you don't skate), and even more holiday events that I have yet to hear about.  Now, we just have to start watching our holiday specials before the big day this thursday.

So what does christmas mean to me? Family. plain and simple. None of those activities I explained earlier would be any fun without my family to share it with, and who understand how sacred these traditions are. I hope that the rest of you enjoy those special traditions you have with your family this week, and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Top Five Favorite Christmas Specials:

Along with christmas music and lights, those classic holiday specials are my favorite parts about this time of year. This list will be a bit more obscure than my favorite songs list from last week, but if you haven't seen these specials below, give them a try, as some are forgotten classics while others are no longer airing around December. So, here we go:

5. A Garfield Christmas - This was one of many holiday specials my family had on one of our first betamax tapes (we wised up and got a vhs later). My sister and I were huge fans of both the Garfield books, animated specials, and the "Garfield and Friends" saturday morning cartoon, so watching this one was a no-brainer. Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, takes him and Odie to his parent's farm for the holidays. You get alot of great comedy not just with Garfield, but with Jon's family (particularly his father and his grandma).

Favorite part of this special: When they turn the chrismas tree lights on, and the whole family "ooohs" (all their mouths resemble volcanoes when they do this, which still crack me and my sister up). This is rarely shown on TV anymore, but that's what Amazon is for.

4. Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol - Since there have been so many versions of this Charles Dickens classic, it will all depend on what tv special version you enjoyed. For my family, this was our version. Never having been a big Mr. Magoo fan, I was surprised at how much I liked him here. There's happy moments with Magoo Scrooge's present, heartbreaking moments in his past, and actually some great comedy in his future. All these moments are amplified by the great songs featured in this seldom-showed holiday program.

Favorite part of this special: The song and dance performed by three crooks who have stolen a deceased Ebenezer Scrooge's possessions and traded them in for money (yes, that description makes it sound horrible, but trust me and watch it. It's really funny).

3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Rankin/Bass) - It's hard to believe that 50 years have passed since this stop-motion animation classic debuted. It truly wouldn't be christmas if this special didn't air. You all know the story: Rudolph is ostracized for his glowing red nose, until a storm strikes on christmas eve, and everyone suddenly changes their tune and they ask him to lead Santa's sleigh. Looking through an adult's eyes now, I see alot of cruelty and hypocrisy in the story of Rudolph (and Santa here comes off pretty mean at points), but these specials aren't for adult eyes, they're for kids and the kids in all of us. Not to be forgotten are the memorable songs like "We're a Couple of Misfits, and lines such as "Why weren't you at elf practice?"

Favorite part of this special: More of just a line than a segment, but when Santa tells his wife: "How can I eat? That silly elf song is driving me crazy!"

2. Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas In July (Rankin/Bass) - This is the sequel to "Rudolph," and it included Frosty the snowman and his family, who all performed at a seashore circus during 4th of July weekend.  It runs about two hours long and has quite a convoluted plot involving an evil ice wizard King Winterbolt trying to extinguish Rudolph's nose forever, along with subplot of saving the circus by the sea from being sold to a crooked salesman, and Santa and Mrs. Claus being stuck in a summer snowstorm.  While most people who have heard of this special don't care for it due to this, I've always enjoyed it due to the explanations the special made for how Rudolph got his nose in the first place (a magical queen of the northern lights), and the "foggy christmas eve" winter storm described in the song (a result of Winterbolt's snow dragons). I always liked little details explained like that, even as a kid.

Favorite part of this special: This is a pretty dark scene for a kid's movie, but when the circus owner destroys King Winterbolt's scepter and he turns into a tree. Yup, a tree. Weird and creepy at the same time.

1. A Muppet Family Christmas - Don't get this confused with other muppet holiday specials, this one originally aired in 1987 and features muppets from all three major programs at the time: "The Muppet Show," "Sesame Street," and "Fraggle Rock." It's a simple but fun story that involves Fozzie bringing Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the whole muppet gang to his mother's farmhouse, which is being rented by Doc and his dog "Sprocket" (from Fraggle Rock). What better set-up do you need for all-around fun? The interactions between the different muppet characters alone are priceless, as are the christmas carols they sing, and the cameo by the late Jim henson at the very end. This one is only available through bootleg, and no cable networks, amazon, or netflix carry it for some reason, so good luck searching for it. If you do find it, hang on to this baby, it's more than worth it watching this hidden gem every christmas!

Favorite part of this special: There's a running gag involving an icy patch everyone slips and falls on when they enter the farmhouse, but my favorite character who slips on it is The Swedish Chef, as his cooking supplies fall on him as well.

And that's my favorite holiday specials list. You should definitely check out these programs, they'll make your christmas just that much more magical.

My top ten songs that I can't live without:

Time for me to switch gears once again, and talk about something else that plays a big part in all of our lives, including mine: music. I've recently become addicted to Billboard Music's chart listings that are now available on youtube, that cover such lists as every number 1 song from a calendar year, the top 100 songs of a calendar year, and even the top 10 songs from a particular week----all from the '80s and early '90s of course, as these were the decades I grew up in and developed my musical tastes. So I think it's only fitting that I do a top ten list of my own of songs that are timeless and enjoyable to me, and would almost always be worthy of being played more than once. Much like your personal to 10 song lists, it's difficult to choose, so I especially had to think about if any of the following ten songs were played anywhere in public, would they stop me in my tracks until they were over? 

Well, these ten most certainly would:

10.  Father Figure - George Michael: I've just recently realized how much I enjoy George Michael's vocals. Behind Michael McDonald, he's the most soulful white guy I've ever heard, and this tune is just another example of that. The moody vibe of the song and video always pop into my head whenever I hear it, and It's also the perfect tune for a night drive. P.M. Dawn made a great use of this song when they sampled it for their hit, "Looking Through Patient Eyes."

9.  Everything She Wants - Wham!: Well, I couldn't have a favorite George Michael song without having a favorite Wham! song. I always felt that this tune tends to get overshadowed by the other two hits "Careless Whisper," and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." It's a very well-written song bathed in an infectious heavy synth-bass and electronic drum beat. It's impossible not to at least bob your head to it whenever it's played. I personally like the "somebody tell me" part the most.

8.  Car Wash - Rose Royce:  This song has, hands down, the best intro ever. Yes, the rest of this song is fantastically funky, but I absolutely love that slow build of an intro. No classic radio station should ever edit it, and if they do, they're doing this song a horrible injustice. Just listening to it start off with the hand claps first, then the bass, then the signature disco beat and funk guitar, all before the actual song kicks off always draws me in. Thank goodness for oldies radio stations growing up, since this song was released before my time.

7. Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson: One addictive-as-hell piano melody. That's all this tune needs. This is one of those songs that no matter how long it's been since I last heard it, that melody gets happily stuck in my head for the rest of the week as soon as I hear it again. And hey, the bassline isn't too shabby either. Like "father figure," this is another great night driving tune (thanks to the video of course).

6. Don't Stop The Music - Yarbrough and Peoples:  As far as favorite synth basslines go (and believe me, I have alot of them), this has to be my favorite. It's very fitting that this was played in alot of indoor roller skating rinks when it was released back in 1980 (my birth year), as the bassline in this song basically takes you around in a circle with a sort of "galloping groove" to it. The vocals fit very well with the song, along with the sped up vocals done by the puppets in the music video. Like "Steppin Out's" piano melody, I am more than happy to get this bassline stuck in my head.

5. What a Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers: Another very well-written song, once your'e able to decipher Michael McDonald's vocals (no easy task). I loved the "peppy" beat and melody of this tune, and especially the falsetto chorus (I'm a HUGE fan of falsetto vocals). Then when I learned the lyrics, I was shocked to find out how depressing of a song this was. It's basically about a guy who has one night with a woman, and believes it's the start of a long-term relationship, but to the woman, it's just a fling, so the man makes a "fool" of himself with the woman. How can such an upbeat-sounding tune be about such a sad would-be romance? Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, that's how. Great songwriting guys!

4. Don't Disturb This Groove - The System:  Mic Murphy and David Frank of this group created the epitome of "smooth" here. This is one of only two songs that hooked me by the first chorus (the other one is also on this list of course). Just about everything works with this song: Keyboard melody, heavy beat, and super-smooth vocals by Mic Murphy. It's a crying shame this tune has been relegated to the "hidden gem" category of '80s R&B music. I may have heard it only once on a classic radio station since it was originally released back in 1987.

3. I'm Still Standing - Elton John:  While "What a Fool Believes" has a great peppy beat, this song is just all-around "bouncy." I really like the "beach boys" feel of this tune, not just because of the video being shot on a beach in France, but the harmonic backing vocals in the chorus. A great feel-good song that brings a smile to my face every time I hear it, and there will be more of those songs to come on this list.

2. Something About You - Level 42:  I've met and have become friends with alot of people who are huge fans of this band as I am, and they would be a little surprised that I didn't put this jazz/funk/pop quartet's breakthrough US single at number 1. Well, when you see the number one song, you'll understand. Nonetheless, this is a song that I have not only played repeatedly in a single day, but it's one that I always come back to. The harmony you hear after the synth riff that kicks off the song is so smooth and soulful, then you get to the first chorus with keyboardist Mike Lindup's haunting falsetto that just stamps this song as a surefire hit. You even get a very nice guitar solo by band member Boon Gould near the end. The video is also delightfully moody and weird, with lead vocalist and bass player Mark King dressing up as a "dark magician" type character, wishing ill will on his bandmates relationships with a woman he can't get. To paraphrase part of the chorus: There's just something about this song, that makes it sound so right.

1. Sweet Freedom - Michael McDonald:  Talk about a song that can make you feel like summer even in the middle of a winter rain or snow storm. Everything about it changes your mood: The shuffling club beat, simple melody, Mr. McDonald's vocals, and especially the video. This song was released off the soundtrack to the buddy cop film "Running Scared," starring Billy Crystal and the late Gregory Hines, and they appear in parts of the video with McDonald and just have a great time being silly and having fun. And that's why this song is number one on my list. Any song can be lyrically or musically great, but a great song should be, well, fun. And that's exactly what this song is.

So, that's my top ten favorite song list.  There were alot of songs that I had a hard time choosing between to make this cut ( "The Groove Line" by Heatwave and "Easy Lover" by Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins come to mind), but I had to go with songs I grew up with and had some kind of emotional attachment to.  Alot of these songs transport me to a particular time or activity in my life when I first heard the song, like a musical time machine. In fact, I'm gonna go listen to some of these songs again and go "back in time" (an okay Huey Lewis song). See you next week!

Transportation Alternatives, not solutions.

I'm gonna shift gears this week, and talk about some other topics that interest me. The subject that I'm going to discuss this week is a subject that not only interest me, but affects my life---as well as the lives of countless others, everyday: Traffic.

Having grown up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and now living in Los Angeles, California, I've seen and experienced first-hand that mass-transit is a vital tool that needs to be incorporated in all major cities. For those who aren't familiar with traffic problems on the island of O'ahu, and may still believe this state to be just a small vacation town, that couldn't be further from the truth. O'ahu, the most populated island in the hawaiian island chain, has become so over-developed that it has become "L.A. on a rock." Too many people and not enough land for roads and houses for those people is a recipe for disaster. What you are left with are clogged surface streets and freeways, and an ineffective bus system that has to navigate through those same streets and freeways. Los Angeles has been world-famous for its traffic nightmares, but unlike Honolulu currently, the southern region of the golden state has taken some big steps into developing and improving its regional rail and bus system, along with changing some people's attitudes about mass transit. Let's start with L.A. first.

Los Angeles, as a whole, is a sprawling, low-density city. However, the development of modern regional rail transit since the 1990s has helped to re-shape parts of the city into compact, high density communities that have become more pedestrian and transit friendly. Rail lines such as the red line subway, the light rail blue, gold, green, and expo lines, and to a slightly lesser extent, the orange line busway have helped to provide a quicker commute for rail and bus dependent residents, and an attractive alternative for motorists. Living in North Hollywood, which is near the red line subway, I have a car, but I often choose to use the subway to reach areas such as Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena (via the gold line), Long Beach (via the blue line), and Exposition Park, near the University of Southern California and the city museums (via the expo line). Such a commute saves on parking and stress fighting traffic on the often clogged 101 freeway. L.A.'s system is not without its problems, however: Vehicle speed on street level light rail like the blue line, and on the orange line busway (a dedicated right-of-way through the san fernando valley used by 60-foot articulated buses) has been often criticized by inconsistent traffic signal synchronization. Because the busway and light rail systems operate at street-level, the only way to make them just as fast as as an above or below-ground transit system, is to give them complete signal priority. This, of course, will upset motorists who will encounter more red lights, but in my mind, a public transit vehicle providing a service to a large section of commuters, should easily have traffic priorities over private vehicles.  If you're on a train and all of a sudden you have to stop at a traffic light for other vehicles, what's the point of having the train in the first place?

Honolulu is currently building a 20 mile elevated rail system that will stretch from the western portion of O'ahu called the "ewa plain," to the island's main shopping mall "the ala moana shopping center." The city had tried and failed to build a rail system several times since the late 1960s, but this time they have made it past both the artist's rendering and environmental review processes, and actually have started construction on rail columns and guideway bridges. As I explained earlier, Los Angeles and Honolulu share similar development patterns, with sprawling suburban neighborhoods and a high density downtown area. Where they differ is their approach to mass-transit. Due mostly to its laid-back life style and long history of limited transit options beyond city buses, Honolulu has been highly resistant to such a large scale project that will provide an alternative to road transportation. The biggest issues for residents are the cost, asthetics, and route. While the system they are building is expensive and Honolulu is strapped for cash, sometimes you have to spend money to make money.  The cost of doing nothing will be much greater for the aloha state. The visual blight of an elevated rail system is really a moot point, since Honolulu is WAY past the "sleepy town days" before statehood. So much development has happened since the 1960s, that building an elevated train won't make much of  a difference in parts of the O'ahu landscape. As for the route, I do feel that part of the project could have been planned better. I do agree with some friends back home that the rail system is being built mostly for future generations and development, rather that who and what is already there. I think that a compromise should have definitely been made in the western end of the line. Instead of beginning the line on a yet-to-be developed part of land that contains only a half-completed college, it should have started in the existing town of Kapolei further west, then gone through the future development east, and pass through the other existing towns on the way to its eastbound terminus at Ala Moana Center. This would ensure more riders using the system going from western suburbia to the urban east, as well as encourage the essential extensions of the line into the University of Hawaii and Waikiki.

So, these are just a few of my thoughts regarding  mass transportation, and as a car owner no less. There are no solutions, just alternatives. Traffic will always be with us no matter what we do, but alternatives help to take the commuter load off freeways and surface streets, and onto above ground rail, below ground rail, street-level rail, dedicated busways (with signal priority of course), bike lanes, and even ferries for coastal states. People who still choose to drive or need to drive will be on the roads regardless, while others can use public transit. We have to continue moving away from just one mode of transportation, the automobile, and embrace other ways of getting around our cities. Just building more freeways and adding more buses doesn't address the fact that the population will continue to grow and new generations will need ways to get somewhere. When you simply add an extra lane on a freeway, you're basically saying that after you add that lane, the population growth will magically stop. Think of mass transit like this: carrying a heavy load of shopping bags can be difficult when you're doing it all by yourself, isn't it nice when you have some friends to help share the load?

Why I'm loving this new "Flash."

Well, another week, and another fantastic episode of "The Flash," currently my favorite comic book TV series period----and that covers alot of ground from the other DC shows and Marvel's "Agents Of Shield." Why do I think this show is so fantastic compared to other comic shows out today? Well, just read on.

First and foremost, it's so refreshing to have an upbeat series based on a superhero. While the dark tone works well with both "Arrow," and "Gotham," there's only so much gloom you can have in a genre. It's nice to spice things up and be a little different once in a while. Most of the main characters are interesting in their own way, and you get to see fun, human sides to them when they're not having to stop the latest meta-human. Grant Gustin plays a very likeable Barry Allen, finding that great middle ground between nerd and douchebag. The best parts of the show for me are any scenes between Barry and Detective Joe West, played by Jessie L Martin. They have a great father/son relationship (with Barry's real father in prison), and West has the most human reactions to everything superhuman that happens on the show.  It's also nice knowing that he shares Barry's secret, and can help him out even more at work as a forensic scientist. 

Second, and just as important as the first reason: this is a SUPERHERO show in every sense of the word. From the outfit, to all the meta-human power displays, references to other comic book characters, even down to the main character's name finally being uttered on the show, this program is completely proud of what it is. As much as I enjoyed parts of "Smallville," having names like "the blur" and "the streak" just made me grit my teeth a little. Even some of the metahuman (and non-metahuman) villains have been translated well for television. While I'm not familiar with alot of The Flash's villains, I was very impressed with their version of Captain Cold. They found ways to use both his name, and his parka outfit without making him look silly. It also helps that the actor who played him, Wentworth Miller, did a bang-up job. And how could I forget that this new Flash's imprisoned dad is played by John Wesley Shipp, who portrayed the scarlet speedster in the original CBS series back in 1990? It's great seeing him again, and he's aged well.

So here's to many more episodes and seasons of this exciting series. It's been a long time since I've watched a program that left me wanting more every time it ended, but it's so nice to have that feeling again.

My San Fernando Valley Comic- Con Exhibitor Appearance!

Hello again everyone! this week will be a little different, as I had a last minute appearance at a local comic convention as an independent comic vendor, and I'd like to discuss how both the show, customer interactions, and sales went.

My appearance took place, as the blog title says, at the San Fernando Valley Comic- Convention, a small, local show located in Granada Hills, California. This is a show that I've done twice before earlier in the year in March and June, and I thought it was a great little show with lots of promise. I arrived just a few minutes before they officially opened, setting up my table and loading my merchandise, sat down at my chair, and hoped for the best with the crowds. Some of that "best" came with the arrival of two customers that I had met at previous conventions. Wendy Shaner and Dulcy Brightman were my two big spenders, picking up three separate sets of my "Figure-Of-Speech Mongoose" series. I had previously met Ms. Shaner at Wondercon 2013, where I had a small press table, where she became very interested in my F.O.S. Mongoose series, which was still relatively new at the time (I had developed the series a few months prior to that show). Ms. Brightman I had met as an attendee at Long Beach Comic Con this past September, where she had previously interviewed both myself and my father (who was visiting from Hawaii at the time). It was great seeing both of them again, and I thank them both for their kind and encouraging words for both myself and my work. While my sales didn't extend beyond six copies, I still enjoyed speaking with my vendor neighbors near and far, as well as attendees strolling by. Many of the people I spoke with I had met previously through various other means---from the Comic Arts Professional Society organization, to nearby comic shops, to even other conventions I've worked at over the past four years. One attendee even said he recognized me from TV or youtube (most likely an uploaded youtube video from a comic convention, but I've met so many people at different shows I'm drawing a blank at who or where the appearance was from). In any event, I thanked him for mentioning it to me.

In a nutshell, it was another great experience at a show that benefits greatly from comic-starved valley folk----many of whom are unable to make it to the bigger shows like Long Beach Comic Con, Comikaze, Wondercon, or San Diego Comic Con. While the crowds can be inconsistent in size at times, everyone who steps through that ballroom exhibit hall really wants to be there and thoroughly enjoys themselves. I've been to larger shows where people seem to come into the halls due to only cheap prices and lack of entertainment options, and many stroll the convention aisles uninterested. This show can only grow from here, adding more big comic artist celebrities, and stronger promotion, to make the sky the limit for them!

I would like to personally thank Bob (I'm so sorry I forgot to ask for you last name) and Joe Williamson, the show's organizers, for allowing me to exhibit here at the very last minute, as I literally paid for the table on the day of the show. I also want to thank Joe for always believing in both me and my talent, as you have done so much in getting me more exposure through radio shows and podcasts----including one you set up for this thursday!  Thank you, friend, and I won't let you down.