One of us

I'm glad the book club has been getting such an enthusiastic response! As you probably already saw, I've put up a new page with previews of all the desktops we'll be sending out on the 23rd. (And also the original art that one of you will be taking home.)

Have any of you folks been following Boxer Hockey? I'm probably picking a poor day to link it, since it's not a regular update today, but man... just look at the first few pages of this recent flashback. It's so good, it might actually makes you kind of angry and uncomfortable. (Or, uh... maybe that's just me!)

-Sam Logan

Sam and Fuzzy Q & A: Paranoid Edition
Got a question you want answered? Just drop me an email with "Q & A" in the subject line!

"I’m pretty sure I’m being paranoid about this, but I have to ask… can everyone win the original artwork of Nicole even if we are like… one country apart? 'Cause I really, really want to have a chance of getting it!" -Avael

Yes, absolutely! Everyone who picks up a book on or before the 21st will have a shot at winning the original artwork... even if they live outside the US or Canada. If someone in Antarctica winds up taking the prize, I'll just have to suck it up and pay the shipping!

"Aaron has a robot hand right? Where does the ninja mafia get their crazy advanced robotics from? Did they steal it or develop it themselves with ancient ninja traditional robotics techniques? " -Adam

You may or may not find out about this in future comics! I have an explanation in mind, but I'm not sure if it's ever really going to come up. I guess over the years I've accumulated a lot of ideas like that... potential fodder for future stories that are just waiting for the right time to unleash.

"What did you think of the Scott Pilgrim film?" -Fred

I am conflicted about the Scott Pilgrim movie!

On the one hand, there was so much about the movie that was completely awesome. They absolutely nailed the details -- the style and tone were perfect, the characters and performances were spot on, and the music was great. It all "felt" right, and was incredibly faithful to the spirit of the books.

But on the other hand, I think compressing six books worth of story scenes and fight scenes into one film made for a really awkward pace... one that feels like it is constantly flipping back and forth between low and high gear. The result, to me anyway, was a movie that felt like it dragged and rushed at the same time. I mean, after awhile I just wanted Scott to hurry up and beat all those freaking exes! But then when it was all over, I felt like they'd rocketed through the romance way too quickly. So I guess basically what I'm saying is... it was both too slow AND too fast! That makes sense, right? (See what I mean about me being conflicted?)

All in all, I think they did a good job... perhaps as good a job as possible! I think the problems I saw are just kind of inherent to any attempt to squish all the books into a single, regular length film. I almost wonder if the pace would have been bettered served with fewer evil exes. But I guess that is sacrilege!

One other note on the film: l thought the last third of the film felt like it was building up to... let's keep this spoiler free... a very different (and very specific) ending. Then later on, I found out that specific, different ending originally was the ending of the movie, and that they only changed it super late in production. Did anyone else feel like the narrative build-up to the old ending is still in there and--

OK, Sam, enough about Scott Pilgrim!

Uh... right! Well, that's a wrap for this week. We return on Monday. Have a great weekend, and please go easy on me even if you loved the Scott Pilgrim movie and think I'm totally out to lunch.

-Sam Logan

RAGE

Whew! I'm just putting the finishing touches on one of the bonus goodies that all our Book Club members will be receiving. It's a gigantic desktop image based on Nicole's article in RAGE magazine, with a sneak peek at Nicole's redesign for this volume. If you'd like a copy yourself, just pick up a book before Sept. 22nd. Everyone who does will get their own digital copy, and one lucky buyer will win the 11 x 14 original artwork! Woo!

I am super happy with how the art turned out! But as you'll see, I was a little indecisive about the colouring. Because of that, members will actually be getting two versions... the authentically "metal-mag-esque" original, plus a crazy vibrant pop art variation. Here's a sneak peek:





-Sam Logan