Dad-gum!



Word is just starting to trickle in about Pixar's Cars, which had its first advance screening a day or two ago at ShoWest. Everything I've heard so far has been positive. And you know, I want it to be good, I really do. I love Pixar, I love John Lasseter, I love the whole world-populated-by-cars concept... but I swear on a stack of comicbooks, I absolutely can not stand Larry the Cable Guy.



The film is supposedly about a big city racer who learns some important life lessons from a quaint, rural community. Cliched, but I can handle that. But what I don't think I can handle is seeing the admirable folksy wisdom of small town life represented by a comedian who is famous for portraying a racist redneck asshat. Was it opposite day in the casting department? I know it's just an act, and maybe that's not the persona he's going to employ for this film, but you have to wonder. After all, they're crediting the persona -- "Larry the Cable Guy" -- as the name of the actor playing the part! Sigh.



Sam Logan

An innovative new triangular sales structure



Perhaps the devil imp was trained by Mr. Gillespie!



John K -- creator of Ren and Stimpy, among other things -- has a relatively new blog that is definitely worth checking out! Whenever John a) draws something, or b) discusses the animation industry, it is almost always worth checking out.



Not that I love every one of his cartoons or agree with every one of his opinions, mind you. But when the man is on, he is on. And at the very least, both his art and his yapping are almost always interesting. I wish more "big name" comic and animation artists had blogs updated as frequently and substantially as John's.



Sam Logan

You can burn your paper fingers in the ashtray



It was only a few weeks ago, but if you either missed Mr. Blank's first Vignette or simply forgot about it already, you can read it right here.



I've decided to try and do something about my ridiculous backlog of non-urgent emails. I'm utilizing a radical new idea called "replying to them." My goal is to respond to an entire month's worth of neglected messages every day or two. It sounds vaguely admirable until you find out the month I just completed is August of 2005. Those emails are 8 months old! Isn't that sad? When I write my responses, it feels as though I am travelling back in time.



Sam Logan