"The Frodis Caper," 50 Years Later

On this very date a scant fifty years ago, the Monkees saved the world.  If you were around back then, you might not remember the evil Wizard Glick's plan to use the hypnotizing power of the stranded alien Frodis to brainwash the people of earth via television.  Clearly, you were zoned out by those alien airwaves as the Monkees raced to their local TV studio, battled a two-headed org, and ultimately helped the Frodis recharge its powers and save the world.  Don't worry, that's an understandable lapse in memory.

Yes, today marks the anniversary of The Frodis Caper (aka 'Mijacogeo'), the final first-run episode of The Monkees.  Anybody that knows me for 10 minutes or so knows that I'm a huge, lifelong fan of the Monkees.  I've contextualized my love of the Monkees on this and other blogs, not to mention public talks and performances around Phoenix, so I won't bother recapping how theirs was the first TV show I ever binged, the first albums I ever bought, or the first concert I ever attended.  No need to repeat myself, time and time again.

While I'm a much bigger fan of their music than their TV show, The Frodis Caper is a close second to the cult-classic movie Head on my favorites list of their on-film appearances.  It's a fun, remarkable snippet of their history for many reasons, all of which inform my creative process to this day.  If may indulge a few of those reasons, I hope this post will be the first in a new series about things that inspire me, and accordingly the self-publishing of my minicomic Amazing Arizona Comics.  

Firstly, The Frodis Caper marks the return of "The Monkeemen," the Monkees' infrequent superhero secret identities.  Of course the plot of an evil wizard would demand superhero action, but just as quickly as the guys try to don their costumes, they're foiled by a new law that prevents changing in phone booths.  Later, they consult the Monkeemen Manual, in its first and only appearance in Monkee-lore.  I just love this stuff, because it jabs at that old phone booth Superman trope, and it also inadvertently mocks the future "super-suit guidebook" detail from another favorite TV show, The Greatest American Hero.  If I ever write Monkees fan fiction, I just might imply that the Monkees super-suits (which, upon inspection, look a lot like Ralph Hinkley's tights) come from the very same aliens!

Secondly, the actual "caper" is a nefarious meta-message about the Monkees' very influence on America's youth.  Just as Glick hoped to brainwash the world with televised hypnosis, the harshest criticism about the Monkees was that they had done just that, bypassing usual music industry methods of promotion and delivering their music directly into homes with their show, boosting record sales.  Now, it is the industry standard to release multimedia prior to or alongside a record's release, but, in the '60s, critics and purists thought the Monkees perverted the process by skirting radio's monopoly-influence over popular music.  So, it makes sense that this would be the guys' last TV episode.  By defeating the wizard Glick, they defeated themselves, too!

Finally, The Frodis Caper was co-written and directed by Monkee Micky Dolenz.  At that point in their careers, the Monkees seized a little more creative control over their media, and the guys tried to transform the show into something more representative of their tastes.  Guest segments, like this episode's acoustic performance by Tim Buckley, teased the idea of a variety hour that never came to pass.  Yes, the last segment in the Monkees' ongoing series didn't even feature a Monkee!  As they gained more control over their careers, they became more apt to share their spotlight, from Jimi Hendrix on stage to Frank Zappa on screen.  The Monkees didn't present morals at the ends of their shows, like my other favorite franchise He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but closing this last episode with a friend's work speaks way louder than any cheesy one-liner ever could.

The Frodis Caper is a fan-favorite for its blatantly obnoxious use of quick cuts, non sequiturs, and general self-awareness as a TV show for kids.  Micky presents the possibility of the Monkees as a band that knows they're in a television show, which would make for many more amazing conceptual episodes, if this wasn't their last.  In their '90s reunion special, Davy does turn off the laugh track with a switch hidden in the wall of their pad, so this theory stands!  Just imagine a Monkees story that establishes their on-screen personas as separate identities from the actual four actors/musicians that played them, perhaps on a parallel earth stuck in the '60s.  Those Monkees could still be romp-stomping, reality-bending, struggling musicians, as their fans forever watch from the earth where the real Monkees grew up and became true legends -- a Frodis caper that still captures our attention to this very day.

Blogger's Note:  This website has some great notes and research on The Frodis Caper, and practically all of the Monkees' stuff.  Check it out!

We came, we saw, we honored!

It's over!  Phoenix's 3rd annual celebration of Jack Kirby's birthday has passed, and this year we honored the King's 100th birthday with a multifaceted three day event I won't soon forget, because I recorded the whole thing!

Firstly, I'd like to thank Drawn to Comics for hosting the 24 Hour Kirby Comic Challenge. Drawn to Comics has come up a lot here lately, not just because I co-host a podcast with shop owner Ken Brown, but because he and his wife Susan are incredible supporters of local artists like myself.  Who else would let five weirdos lock themselves in a comic shop for 24 straight hours?  

One of those weirdos was me -- the rest were four of my favorite people in Phoenix (well, one of them is in Sedona, but that's Phoenix adjacent, so it counts).  Birdie Birdashaw, Derk Harron, the Janimal, and Zoe Sugg agreed to attempt the 24 Hour Comic Challenge to honor Kirby, while I documented the whole thing in an attempt to create a webseries of the day.  Here's a picture of them as the sun rose over Glendale, bushy-eyed but strong-willed -- as you'll see when that webseries drops on YouTube later this year!

That Monday, the 28th, the day of Kirby's actual birthday, 10 of the Valley's funniest people gathered to roast the King's first, and perhaps most important creation -- Captain America! My thanks to Monkey Pants Bar & Grill in Tempe for hosting our event.  If you're ever hankering wings and/or karaoke near ASU, Monkey Pants is the place.

I'll post the roast on Phoenix Tonight's YouTube page soon, but in the meantime, here's a shot of me with the Avengers in attendance.  I guess Stark had an expo, or something.

My appreciation to the comedians that made the night hilarious, and particularly to the Captain himself, who made both the 24 Hour Comic Challenge and this roast some of the most memorable events in this fanboy's life.  Follow him on Instagram @stevenrogersusa.

Keep your eyes glued to this blog for more posts this fall!  Karaoke adventures, zines, and more zany fandom to come!

Stuck In Traffic: The Podcast

By night, I'm a joke-telling, minicomic-making machine . . . but by day, I often find myself stuck in traffic.  That's when I have thoughts -- deep, sometimes angry thoughts -- about the world, the way it works, and how we can make it better.  I've begun recording these rants as micro-podcasts.  Here's the latest episode.  It may not seem related to Amazing Arizona Comics, but consider that these monologues are recorded on the streets of Phoenix, and like the heroes in those minicomics, they want to save the world from itself.  Is that too much to ask?

It's Been Awhile . . .

It's been awhile . . . that should be a song!

Anyway, if you're still visiting this wasteland of a blog, thanks for keeping your eyes on my work.  Yes, I'm still working -- I self-publish a mini-comic book series called Amazing Arizona Comics, which satirizes Arizona news, history, and culture with superhero adventure.  I also host a late night talk show called Phoenix Tonight, which features Arizona's best talent in a traditional talk show format.  So, there!

I've been dabbling with webcomics and podcasts, too, and I hope to keep this site active with all that stuff, so please come back for more!  Here's one of my latest strip, featuring Speed Cameron from Amazing Arizona Comics.  

If you dig that, please find me on Instagram @amazingazcomics, because I update that much more than this blog, though I hope to change that soon.  Thanks for your patience -- and remember, buying a comic or zine always helps keep the creative fires burning!  Just drop me an email and ask how!

October Is Gonna Be Scary!

I'm doing a lot of things in October, from hosting Phoenix's versions of Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show, to selling Amazing Arizona Comics at a zine fest and a comic book show.  I'm especially excited to talk about the Monkees' 50th anniversary at the first ever Ignite Phoenix Music on the 28th.  Did you see my article about the Monkees on Nerdvana Media?  Check 'em out -- the celebration continues!

Is This The Future You've Been Waiting For?

If "1985 me" appeared today to visit "2015 me," I think the first thing he would say is, "Wow, you still have Castle Grayskull?!"

I would proudly show him my pictures with each of the Monkees, and the innovations in action figure articulation technology since the '80s (though I miss squeezing Superman's legs to make him power punch).  Most of all, I would tell him about Amazing Arizona Comics.  Since my family still lived in Connecticut in 1985, young me probably wouldn't even know what Arizona is, but the point isn't a geography lesson, anyway.

The point would be to encourage young me to keep drawing, to keep telling stories, to keep caring about that modern mythology that is superhero comic books.  That I'm contributing to the medium that has shaped my life since 1985 . . . that's made this a future worth waiting for.  

Forget hoverboards and Jaws 19.  Back to the Future Day isn't about wondering if this the future that they predicted.  It's about making this the future that you wanted.  

You can read my column about Back to the Future in last weekend's East Valley Tribune here, and later today I plan on posting some pencils for next year's Amazing Arizona Comics stories on (appropriately) AmazingArizonaComics.com.  Check 'em out!

Show Me Arizona, Show Me Ourselves

“So why should I care about Spider-man?” she asked.

We were sitting outside of Trunk Space, waiting for Okilly Dokilly, the Phoenix-based Ned Flanders-inspired metal band, to start their first show ever.  I was drawing caricatures and selling my homemade comics at the pre-concert carnival.  In other words, it was the perfect place and time to pontificate superheroes.

I wasn’t stunned by the question, but I was struck by her choice of words.  She didn’t ask why she should like Spider-man.  That question is easy.  Spider-man can sling and swing on webs, crawl on buildings, and knock out a bad guy with the flick of a finger.  What’s not to like?

I had to explain why she should care.  Caring implies an emotional investment that lasts past a 22-page comic book adventure, or a two hour movie.  Indeed, I care about Spider-man, but I hadn’t wondered why in a long time.  I took a moment to think about it, then answered.

“When Spider-man was created in the early ‘60s, Stan Lee and his artists made him a teenager.  At the time, teenaged superheroes were still just sidekicks, so Spider-man was the first solo superhero whose private life mirrored his young readers’ lives.  He may have had to stop the Scorpion from robbing the bank, but he also had homework and chores.  That’s still his role in comics.  Superman is from another planet, and Batman is a millionaire, but how would any Average Joe deal with the chance to have powers or be a hero?  That costume covers him head to toe . . . anybody and everybody can be Spider-man!”

She nodded slowly and replied, “Oh, I get it now!”  We talked more about Batman (because who doesn’t want to talk more about Batman), and, when she left my table, I felt satisfied that I had shared some knowledge and spread my love of superheroes.  After all, I am the self-appointed Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics.

As a comic book artist and fan, I’m often asked to explain the importance of comics and superheroes as more than a pop culture trend.  Superhero comics are in fact a uniquely American medium and mythology, and, like all good stories, we’re introduced to them as children.  My hope is to remind folks of their continued importance in adulthood, as entertainment and allegory for reality.  To do so effectively, I’ve dubbed myself Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics.

In this completely imaginary role, I’ve discussed superhero comics at events like Ignite Phoenix and on shows like Good Morning, Arizona, and I’ve organized events like the Community Jam Comic and the recent Jack Kirby Birthday Celebration.

My latest opportunity was last Saturday, September 12, at the Arizona Capital Museum.  Editorial cartoonist Steve Benson and I discussed comics, politics, and Arizona at the opening of their latest exhibit, “Show Me Arizona: Illustrations of History.”  Why should you care?  You live in Arizona, don’t you?  Their exhibit is a great chance to see where we’ve been, so we can chart a course for where we should go.

Political cartoons are actually a lot like Spider-man.  They represent regular people with spectacular power.  In this case, those powers don’t include web-slinging or wall-crawling, but summarizing a feeling or opinion in a singular or short sequence of drawings.  As artists, this is how we show you what we think.  This is how we show you why we care.

Check out Fox 10's coverage of the gallery opening, including the gallery's hours so you can dig the exhibit soon, here:

These Dog Days Have Bite To Their Bark

August may be dubbed the "dog days of summer," but it was a surprisingly busy month for KaraokeFanboy Press and Amazing Arizona Comics.  Last month, I decided to post a new panel every day on Instagram, inspired by the news of that respective day, and I'm very happy with the result.  I missed a day here and there, but in the end I have a 31-panel story that explores "a month in the life" of my homespun superheroes.  If you haven't heard my interview about #Augustagram on our local NPR affiliate, it's archived here.  The tale will be colored and collected in issue #15 of Amazing Arizona Comics, due out later this month.

The end of August hailed Jack Kirby's birthday, and for years I've read of other cities celebrating the day with galleries, socials, and general to-dos.  While I know Phoenix comics shops have hosted events to honor Kirby in the past, I wanted to do something worthy of those nationally promoted celebrations, something to put Phoenix on the map.  The product was an evening that featured local artists and their Kirby-inspired work, an open mic of local poets and performers, and a drawing demonstration by none other than Steve Rude, whose tutelage and friendship with Jack Kirby gave our event the integrity and intimacy it deserved.  I was happy to discuss the evening on Good Morning, Arizona, following the hilarious in-studio of antics of comedian Tom Green, and you can still watch me draw Captain America live right here.  Highlights of the Jack Kirby Birthday Celebration included:

• The gallery of local artists, including Derk Harron (top left), Bryan Bg Graham (top right), Steve Failla (bottom left), and Eric Mengel (bottom right).
• Host Jesse James Criscione's recount of his day with Jack Kirby, which, without exaggeration, completely changed his life.
• Gary Bowers' Jack Kirby birthday card, which he hopes to submit to the Kirby Museum by 2017 for Jack's 100th birthday.
• Bob Leeper's discussion of Kirby's oft-overlooked influence over the romance comics genre.
• Ashley Naftule's discovery of Kirby's storied "cigar box," and the diary entries therein.
• JRC's kinesthetic recreation of the Kirby process, complete with virtual Kirby crackle and boom tubes.
• Ernesto Moncada's sharing of finding Kirby through poorly reprinted, and usually out of order, Mexican comic books.
• Tommy Cannon's charming greeting to Steve Rude, and his awesome Kirby-influenced poem.
• Kevin Patterson's recount of discovering, and fearing, the real Yancy Street from Fantastic Four lore.
• Eric Mengel's personal connection to the date of Kirby's birthday, and how the day celebrates his personal and artistic passions.

Final kudos go to Brick Cave Media, for their kind donation of a sound system, to my brother Kyle for setting up said sound system, and to Cynthia Black, proprietor of C-MOD, the venue that hosted us and sponsors many other great Phoenix events.  Needless to say, I'll always remember that night . . . until next year's event tops it!

The busyness continues into September, with a few more amazing events just under my belt and still on the horizon.  On Saturday, September 5, I was honored to join the pre-show carnival as the caricature artist at Okilly Dokilly's historic first concert.  You may have heard of Okilly Dokilly: they're the Phoenix-based metal band inspired by the words, and fashion-sense, of The Simpsons' Ned Flanders.  My favorite song on their setlist is "They Warned Me," a haunted refrain that turns a throwaway punchline into a haunting spiritual regret.  I Simpsonized many fans (some of whom are pictured above), sold many comics, and enjoyed the festivities immensely, as it was a true example of how diverse and fun Phoenix culture is.

Finally, I'm extremely excited to join Steve Benson next Saturday, September 12, at the opening of the Arizona Capital Museum's "Show Me Arizona: Illustrations of History" opening gala.  Benson is a Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist, whose work appears in The Arizona Republic.  I'm the creator of Amazing Arizona Comics, which hasn't won any awards.  Still, he and I are speaking on the topics of politics, cartooning, and Arizona, starting that morning at 11 a.m., and if you're in the area please come watch me hold back tears of joy at the opportunity.

While making Amazing Arizona Comics has given me an outlet to tell the stories buzzing about my head, it's also opened these doors of connectivity to my fellow creative types, from local artists and peers, to artistic heroes like Steve Rude and Steve Benson.  I would call this, more than any sales of my books, a tremendous success, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Augustagram: Shaping Up a Daily Webcomic

I love Instagram.  I love that the format demands the viewer's attention to the single image,  hyper-focused in the confines of a single, unmovable square.  You can't zoom in, and you needn't rotate your phone to see the whole thing.  It's just a perfectly proportioned picture, and while Instagram seems to allow an endless amount of caption text, "insta" really implies an immediacy . . . that less is more.

This economic, harmonious combination of picture and words is so what I love about comics.  Indeed, Instagram dares us to capture real life as a comic book panel, in the same square shape Jack Kirby used in his six-panel page grids.  With this in mind, I've decided to utilize Instagram to attempt a daily webcomic all August long, hence the term Augustagram.  

Day 1: A woman found a dead frog in her Safeway sauerkraut, so Speed Cameron did, too.  The panels are posted on Instagram in black and white, and my brother colors them afterward.

The story, starring the characters from Amazing Arizona Comics of course, is told in daily panels that take place on their respective day.  This isn't a new idea: Erik Larsen drew an each-panel-is-a-new-day story in Savage Dragon #144, and while you'd think the pace of the plot would be choppy, the consistency of the characters maintains a through-line that makes the real time pace even more fulfilling.  This is their life, from the raucous to the routine -- which is exactly how we real people use Instagram.

Follow Amazing Arizona Comics on Instagram by clicking here.

As the storyteller, I find the creative experience especially fun and challenging, because I'm thinking about characters I've drawn now for over five years in a totally different way.  The existence of Speed Cameron and company so depends on current events, locally and nationwide, but how does that look when the news doesn't take the shape of a super-villain?  How do stories about Cecil the Lion come up in their lives?  What of news that takes a tragic turn, like a movie theater shooting?  Some headlines are too fleeting to satirize in a comic I hope to reprint for years to come, and others are tragic to explore in stories I hope offer some respite from reality.  Yet, when the focus is in the moment, the story becomes both theater and therapy.  The only thing insistent and unavoidable is the present.

Day 2: Rowdy Roddy Piper passed away on July 31.  The news cycle moves so quickly, it's hard to remember what headlines moved us just one week ago.

Thus, presently, August was my month of choice because it's really the only one void of holidays, so I wouldn't have that as a crutch.  These are the dog days of summer, for sure, and I'm testing if my comic has bark and bite.

So, I hope you're following, or will now start to follow, this Amazing Arizona Comics Instagram webcomic all month long.  Who knows what news stories will shape our heroes' lives?  No doubt, the same news stories that shape ours.  

KaraokeFanboy Podcast & Amazing Arizona Comics Summer Sale!

In the latest episode of the KaraokeFanboy Podcast, I talk to my bro-ducer (that's brother + producer) Kyle about the 24 Hour Comic Challenge I completed on June 20-21, and to local poet Shawnte Orion about the poetry scene in Phoenix and beyond.  We are Phoenix culture!

While you're here, I'm running a sale on all issues of Amazing Arizona Comics this month.  Get the whole kitten kaboodle for just $20, which includes the latest issues included in my May/December Initiative, to self-publish monthly for the rest of the year.  Just click the Paypal button below, and, remember, shipping is included!

24 Hour Comic Challenge: Mission Accomplished!

I'm sharing this post with AmazingArizonaComics.com, because I'm so proud of the accomplishment, it should be posted twice:



My first 24 Hour Comic Book Challenge has been completed for over 48 hours now, as I write this, but I'm still thinking about the experience as one of the most thrillingly creative of my life.  My writing and drawing process is often time sensitive, as so many stories in Amazing Arizona Comics are dependent on current events, but this was the first time the creation was the event, and several times throughout the challenge I wondered if I bit off more than I could chew.

When I publish the comic, I'll release an edition that has page-by-page thoughts on their inspirations, so I won't write too much here in the hopes that you buy the book and celebrate the accomplishment with me.  I will say, here and now, elsewhere and forever, that I wouldn't have accomplished this feat without the support of Cynthia Black, proprietor of Hub, the furniture shop/creative space that hosted me.  Her insight and support of the creative process was a driving force behind my efforts, and Hub as a stage for this thing provided the accountability I needed to get it done.

Also, I owe Rainstorm Video and Film and Brick Cave Media a great thanks for their moral support and technical insight.  Rainstorm captured some footage of the event which may become a small package I'll share later, in addition to the 12 News clip above.

At the end of the day (literally), I learned, as cliched as it sounds, that I could do anything if I just set my mind to it.  It really is just a matter of time.

Speaking of which, July is right around the corner, so . . .

Coming soon:

Amazing Arizona Comics Vlog 2

Here's my latest Amazing Arizona Comics vlog, describing the 24 Hour Comic Challenge (as if you haven't heard enough about it!), and including a clip from my Galaxxy Show karaoke-meets-comics performance of the Crash Test Dummies' "Superman's Song."  Bringing comics to foreign lands -- that's me, Arizona's Ambassador of Comics!

Arizona Splendor: The Harvey Pekar Influence on the Amazing Arizona Comics 24 Hour Comics Challenge

As I've plugged again and again, this Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21, I'm attempting the 24 Hour Comic Challenge -- a challenge to make an original 24 page comic in a consecutive 24 hours -- in the window of Hub, a local modern furniture/creative space co-op* in the Melrose District of Central Phoenix.  Yes, I'll be on display for 24 hours, drawing a new issue of Amazing Arizona Comics inspired by a news story from that morning's paper, just to prove that the tale is truly unique to that day.

Hub proprietor Cynthia Black and I were talking about the event this past weekend, and during our conversation about comics as a definitively regional art form, she mentioned her old neighbor in Cleveland Heights . . . Harvey Pekar!  Harvey shared his new comic with her, then -- American Splendor, and apparently he and I share philosophies on capturing the world around us in comics.  I captured the last few minutes of that chat to make this short but sweet podcast.

*You'll hear me describe Hub as a post-modern venue, but Cynthia and I discussed the concept since I recorded this, and modern is a much more accurate description of Hub's inventory, and overall vision.

Among the sponsors for my 24 Hour Comics Challenge are Copper Star Coffee, fueling me with java for the day, and Rainstorm Video & Film, a local film/videography small business.  Please "Like" their Facebook pages -- they support the local arts, while making art themselves!

More to come!

Russ Kazmierczak, Jr.: Arizona's Ambassador of Comics

I’m taking on a title.  Stan was “the man.”  Kirby was “the king.”  I’m happily accepting the role of ambassador.  

And from that day forward, Russ Kazmierczak, Jr., creator of Amazing Arizona Comics, was also known as . . . Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics!

Some things about being an ambassador:

1.  If I steal one of your comics, I’m not accountable to the law for my crime.  I have diplomatic immunity.

2.  I am an ambassador of comics -- not the ambassador of comics.  A popular biography about Joker creator Jerry Robinson is titled Ambassador of Comics -- just knowing that affirms my title as an ambassador of comics.  Countries have multiple ambassadors, after all, and these ambassadors have embassies.  My embassy is Arizona, and I love living here.  Thusly, I am Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics.

3.  I may have a sash made.

4.  My job is simple: I am comics’ messenger and representative.  I understand the nuances of comics, specifically but not exclusively superhero comics, as a definitively American graphic language and mythology, and I really want to share that with people.  That inspires this mission statement:

As Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics, I will read, study, make, and share comics in a way that examines and celebrates their progressive importance to the individual, the city, the country, and the culture.

I’ve already begun my mission, specifically here in Arizona, by bringing comics to different forums like poetry open mics, First Fridays, Bookman’s, Ignite Phoenix, KTAR talk radio, and last night’s Galaxxy Show.  (Most of those were just in the last 60 days or so.)  Today, I talked about comics and drew Batman for these kids in a parking lot.  Next weekend, I’ll draw a comic in a furniture store window.  I am not preaching to the choir.  I’m deliberately foraying into foreign lands, most often in person, first and foremost as a fan.

5.  Shameless self-promotion is not the point, but a very happy perk in my position as Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics.  I’m talking about comics, in general, with a special emphasis on superheroes, and Amazing Arizona Comics epitomizes my points about comics’ potential, as my own talent and confidence grows as a creator.  It’s a major vehicle, but not the voice at full volume.

6.  AAC is an abbreviation for both my title, Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics, and the title of my comic, Amazing Arizona Comics.  Coincidence?  Absolutely.

7.  Ambassadors really aren’t in charge of anything, so, to my fellow creators, this title bares no threat to you.  Continue to call yourselves whatever you want; just know that I’ve happily claimed Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics, and that I intend to fulfill all of the work and responsibility that said title entails.  It’s about building relationships, not kingdoms.  It’s about putting meaningful words to the visual, to tell a compelling, entertaining story . . . and isn’t that just like comics.

Russ Kazmierczak, Jr., Arizona’s Ambassador of Comics

Phoenix, Arizona

Thank You, Phoenix Comicon!

This year's Phoenix Comicon was an incredible success for Amazing Arizona Comics, thanks to the many fans that visited the table for the latest issue or a free sketch -- and the fully funded completion of the Amazing Arizona Comics Monthly 2015 Kickstarter!  Whether you help financially, or with moral support, your support is very much appreciated.  You're helping tell our Arizona story, and I thank you for it.

Speaking of storytelling, here's the next episode of the KaraokeFanboy Podcast, which, following a replay of my KTAR interview from the Phoenix Comicon floor, features an interview with Jaclyn Rene Cosplay and Chris Stawisky, all about cosplay.  Enjoy!

KaraokeFanboy Podcast Episode 9 & More!

Dig the next episode of the KaraokeFanboy Podcast, concluding my conversations with poet Gary Bowers, and comedian Rick Larsen.  These guys are foundational to the arts in Phoenix, and they'll inspire you where ever you live.

While you're enjoying a little media, dig the first Amazing Arizona Comics vlog.  I'll be posting these regularly as a thanks to my Kickstarter supporters, and to promote upcoming projects and events.

Follow You, Follow Me: The Glossary of Social Media

I'm still thinking about social media.

A few weeks ago, someone I know through artsy social circles around town offered to make our friendship official.

“I would like you to call me friend,” he said.  I happily agreed.

Since then, I’ve shared several things with him: fleeting thoughts, clever quips, the progress of my various projects -- the projects, I presume, that sparked our friendship.  He hasn’t liked anything I’ve done.

He didn’t tell me he didn’t like them, but he hasn’t said that he does like them, and his silence speaks volumes.

Welcome to Facebook.

These terms, and this analogy, are undoubtedly old news, but as social media evolves to include other, notably different terms, it’s important to revisit their psychology.  

You'd never know they were "odd!"

Consider Facebook, versus Twitter or Instagram.  On Facebook, we “friend” each other, and, as I’ve always understood it, friendship is a mutual exchange of care and communication.  I certainly don’t have to like everything my friends do, but I’d imagine I like a majority of the things they do, as these commonalities are the foundation for said friendship.  Felix and Oscar may not have had the cleanliness of the apartment in common, but they seem to do many other things together, like chase girls and play cards.  That’s two out of three things in common, just from my pedestrian knowledge of The Odd Couple.

So, considering friendship is rooted in care and communication, which are emotional quantifiers, should I feel hurt when my “friends” don’t like my stuff?  Especially when I seem to “like” most everything they do?

On the other hand, friendship is a moot point on Twitter and Instagram.  I don’t have friends; I have followers.  Following is a singular effort on the part of the follower, with no obligations or demands to the one being followed.  If I’m going somewhere, and you want to follow me, so be it.  I’d be going there anyway.  I may choose to follow you in the future, out of appreciation and/or genuine interest of where you’re going, but, again, that’s exclusively my decision, with no obligations or demands to you.

Interestingly, if you’re following me only in the hopes of my following you, well, then we’re just going in circles, aren’t we?  Or writing a great 1978 Genesis song.  One of the two. 

You may not see the danger in these terms, because the lines between social platforms is so blurred, they’re practically all the same thing. You can post to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr, and countless other digital forums in one fail finger swipe, making friend and follower one in the same . . . Ah, therein lies the conclusion.  In the future, folks won’t want friends.  They’ll want followers.  They really won’t have to “like” anything these “friends” do, because it won’t be the quality of the relationship that matters, but the quantity collected.  Sadly, they won’t know the difference.

And, sadly, the future is now.

Punching Hitler in the Facebook: An Ignite Phoenix Addendum

Last night, I had the amazing opportunity to share my passion for superheroes to 850 people, mostly strangers, with a presentation called “Punching Hitler in the Face: Superheroes As America’s Therapy” at this year’s Ignite Phoenix.  The experience was the culmination of months’ worth of tutelage under various fellow creatives, whether those friends and acquaintances knew it or not.  I’ve been gleaning knowledge from fellow comic artists and poets to shape the direction of my work for the coming year, and the lesson is clear.

Focus.

I don’t use that word in a rhetorical way, as an inspirational soundbyte meant to drive an afternoon’s worth of exertion until the next motivational meme comes along.  I use it as a strategy, to narrow the effort to the one thing, so all else remains fuzzy on the edges until its necessary to the big picture.  Basically, what I’m saying is, I like Instagram.

I’ve put off Instagram for a long time, but now I’m all in, like a kid that sets his alarm for 4 a.m. to finish the homework he should’ve completed the night before.  (Or was that just me?)  Instagram is the focus, the attention to the single image, without the dangling tentacle of text.  Instagram reminds us to let the picture, presumably worth a 1000 words, speak for itself.  It isn’t the result of social media’s destruction of the attention span; it’s a callback to when the portrait or painting was enough.

I remember the good old days of an infant Internet, when I toiled at making my Geocities page look like a real website, and when LiveJournal was my blogroll of choice because the word “journal” made it feel raw and artsy.  The quick extinction of these platforms has made me skeptical of anything new.  Blogger was my line in the sand; as an extension of Google, I figured it will always exist, and if someone wants to find me online, that’s where I’ll always be.

Enter Facebook.  Then Twitter.  LinkedIn, Tumblr, Google Plus, Flickr, Photobucket, Pinterest, Etsy, Snapchat, and dozens more platforms I don’t know I probably know.  While remarkably similar, each of these outlets are also remarkably different, and useful to an artist if he knows what he’s doing.  I think everyone agrees that Facebook is the torso from which all of these other limbs flail, so I’m on it as my lead comic character Speed Cameron (in an attempt to blur the lines of reality, as my comic does).  Over time I’ve grown to appreciate the contrast of the “status update” versus the “blog post.”  To have one forum for snippets of thought over the other for long form, it’s like choosing between drive-thru and buffet.  The choice just depends on your appetite and taste at the time.

Recent Instagrams.

But, I’ve realized recently, we old timers are killing Facebook.  We’re dragging our LiveJournal mentality into what was meant to be a mere status update, and it’s smothering what should be a roll of friends’ fleeting thoughts into a series of “See More” links and sales pitches.  I’m just as guilty of this, but suffering from the weight of text, Instagram is my diet, demanding smaller soundbytes, requiring viewers to chew the morsel instead of gorging on a meal.  Gram may pay homage to “telegram,” but it also hints at the post’s unit of measurement, as in, a small one.

Obviously, you’re here (and if you’ve made it this long, there’s hope), so the blogs still exist.  Amazing Arizona Comics is the comic, KaraokeFanboy Press is everything else, but with just a few posts visible at a time, and the themed tabs above help you find the work.  Finally, I’ve made something that looks like a real website!  My Instagram is the torso from which my limbs will flail.  It will stand alongside my blogs as the shorter, snippy sidekick.  Remember the Chip ‘n Dale’s Rescue Rangers Nintendo game, when Zipper the fly would temporary buzz about your avatar, knocking out enemies at a distance?  That’s Instagram, quick, short, and sweet.

Ignite Phoenix truly sealed the deal, with its succinct, image-driven focus.  Ah, there’s that word again, in its purest sense, as the audience sees only the presenter standing before a mere twenty pictures of his choosing -- no parters, no props, no sound effects.  Interestingly, Ignite Phoenix insists that the presentation isn’t the thing, but a pitch for what your thing is.  Sometimes we all need a reminder: the social media isn’t the thing, but the pitch.  And if you want the pitch to get into the strike zone, you have to narrow your eyes . . . and focus.

Amazing Arizona Comics . . . Monthly!

Much more information to come, but I've launched a Kickstarter to fund Amazing Arizona Comics as a monthly minicomic -- starting now!

Please visit the Kickstarter here.

Thank You, Southwest Maker Fest and Phoenix Film Festival!

I exhibited at two great events this weekend, and I hope to return to both of them next year: the Southwest Maker Fest in downtown Mesa, and the Phoenix Film Festival's Geek Day.

I made the mistake of dubbing the Southwest Maker Fest an "art show," but it's really so much more.  Mesa's Main Street was lined with local innovators -- some of them were artists, but others were scientists, entrepreneurs . . . basically, all folks in the business of making, hence the event's name.  I was honored to be among them, with Batman, to boot!  If you swung by the table for one of the seventy sketches I cranked out that day, or if you picked up a comic, thank you, and see you next year!

The Phoenix Film Festival did a great job kicking off the local con season (starting in April with the Tucson Art Press Expo) with Geek Day, and fellow self-publishers the Janimal (with me on the red carpet, above) and T.R.I.B.E. Comics joined me in promoting our wares.  I'm especially grateful to actor Maiz Lucero (pictured below) for swinging by with his friends for caricatures -- thanks for keeping me busy, guys!

I mentioned TAPE -- I'll be there next month, with other events and projects soon to come, including this year's Free Comic Book Day story, spanning the entire state!  For more immediate updates, find and friend Speed Cameron on Facebook.  He's much faster at posting things than I am.