Blogger confused me with their new Beta version this weekend, hence, the lack of updates. It seems as though I was logging into the new beta site instead of the old blogger site which freaked me out since I couldn't see any of my past posts. Anyway, I've figured it out and here I am.

I was checking out the newest issue of SMLMJ last week and I found (to my horror) that they had covered up most of the last panel from the last page with the issue title. Normally, it wouldn't bother me but since I feel it's been one of the best panels I've drawn in the entire series, I'll try and do it justice by posting the page here without text but brilliantly coloured by Christina Strain. Here ya go:

TAK

New BFX week has been updated. Follow the banner at the top and you can check it out. Got some crazy action sequences coming up. I'm looking forward to blowing all your minds. Oh, yes.

I gotta go do some laundry now. I'm outta underwear...

TAK

I'm tired and bored so, naturally, what else is there to do other than troll google about yourself? Well, in this case, SMLMJ. Best quote I found and stole was this:

I thought it'd be like Spiderman swinging all over town selling pot

TAK

I recently did an interview with Chris Arrant for the newly relauched Tokyopop website. We talk about my decision to leave and stuff. You can find the interview here.

TAK

I'm currently waiting for the new DJ Shadow album "The Outsider" to drop sometime in September. I think it's September 12th. Yeah, wikipedia tells me the 12th and wiki knows all. I read a feature article with Shadow in the newest issue of URB magazine where he talks about near death experiences and how they've changed him and his work. It's pretty cool. Check it out.

Can't say I've had any experiences like the ones he describes but I did have one instance where I got dropped on my head in a friend's basement once while horsin' around. I couldn't breathe for a good minute or two cuz I was in shock. I was really young and more flexible back then so I think that saved me from breaking my neck. If I did have any insights afterwards it was that crying equaled ice cream. Not sure if that would work now. Oh, there was another instance back in 4th or 5th grade gym class where I was asked to go grab something off the top shelf in the gym equipment closet. Little did I know, there was a hefty solid wood ladder up there and it came crashing down on me while I was climbing and reaching. One end of it hit the ground next to me but the other got snagged on a set of hoolahoops hanging from a hook on the wall, most likely saving me from being crushed. Like, wow. Can't believe I even remember that. I shoulda cried and gotten some ice cream...

Today's strip:

TAK

I polished off SMLMJ 10 this morning. Con season really messed me up and it was quite an ordeal to get caught up this week. "Boo hoo", you say? I say "booyah!". Some really great scenes and quiet moments in this one. Can't wait for you guys to see it. I can finally get back to some BFX and pumpin' out pages for that again. I'm gonna do a new cover for it, too.

I bought a little Sudoku book at the airport while I was waiting for my flight back in Chicago. My dad's obsessed with the thing. So much so that when he gets his daily paper he flips to it and finishes it before reading a single article. I can kinda understand the sense of accomplishment after finishing each puzzle. I'm kinda obsessed with completing the entire booklet I bought myself... At least it's more fulfilling than staring at the TV.

John Mayer is my new guitar hero. I dunno if he's seen as cheese or whatever but I think he's got a good college vibe. I could see him being on every playlist on a university campus next to Matthew Good. But who am I to say. I'm old now.

Oh, thank you to those who ordered more sketchbooks over the weekend. I didn't make it to the post office today but I will make sure I get them out tomorrow. I've still got free posters left so if you're on the edge of wanting one with your sketchbook order now!!!

New strip for today:
TAK

Goodfellas was on Bravo! tonight. Great freakin' movie. Ray Liotta plays such a badass Henry Hill. I still can't get over how sadistic Joe Pesci is in that movie. He is truly one of the greatest pseudo-villians EVER!

Got a full weekend of work awaiting me. Not cool.

On a lighter note, while I was in Chicago there were a few sketchbooks being passed around at the bar with various themes. I did a very unflattering Nightcrawler drawing in one of them and decided to expand on the motif.

So, the following is the inaugural first piece in my "unflattering superhero situations series".

Enjoy:


TAK

I uploaded the rest of the Chicago sketches to the gallery. Can't believe I drew all those this past weekend. I had to, unfortunately, turn people away by the end of it, I was so burnt out.

I recieved a few more orders for my sketchbooks. Thank you. The first batch of books have already gone out so keep an eye out for those. I will get these next orders out tomorrow.

Today's strip:
TAK

Gotta new strip for you today. You can kinda see the relationship between Tom and M being fleshed out a bit more. The departure of M took about 1.5 years in real time so her leaving was a little more impactful back in college. I hope that comes across with these new strips.

Anyway, I've got mad pages to draw. What the hell am I doing!

Enjoy:

TAK

As you can probably tell, my online store is officially up and running. A BIG thank you to my web-wiz Tu. I've already gotten a few orders so thank you to those who have made a purchase. I will get your sketchbooks out asap.

I've uploaded more sketches from Chicago to the gallery. Please check those out.

I've been following a new Japanese show called Welcome to the NHK or NHK ni youkoso in Japanese on youtube. It's an interesting show in that the subject matter is a serious one regarding hikikomori or people who refuse to leave their apartments. Agoraphobia is the term used in North America but does not fully define hikikomori. It's currently a big issue in Japan where many people young and old are withdrawaling from society and choosing seclusion for extended periods of time. I suspect the many social and complicated pressures in Japan, whether at school or work, can be too much and the choice for isolation results to avoid humiliation and torment from their peers. The shows protagonist is a hikikomori and tries to make a living while surrendering to his anxieties and fears. Although the intricacies of the problem are not fully explained it outlines the lifestyle and the psychology behind it.

When I was in Japan a few years ago I had the fortune of visiting a community center to teach English and about Canada to a group of kids who were hikikomori. The surprising thing was my first impressions of the kids were very positive. They were bright, eager and open-minded learners. They were genuinely curious and asked many questions about who I was and why I looked Japanese but was Canadian. I had a hard time believing these students were any different than ones I taught in a standard public school. One of the teachers explained to me afterwards that sometimes even the simplest things could trigger it and that they were working with them to overcome their worries so they could re-enroll in their original schools. But in truth, they had little understanding of what their individual problems were.

Growing up in Canada you either went to school or you got beats. I mean, there was nothing to do at home anyway. I guess now with endless entertainment streaming through your computer and video games to keep you occupied for hours and days it's a lot easier to pass the time but, then again, I grew up without the luxury of many of these things. Especially the internet. Like, damn. I didn't use e-mail till I was in university and this was 6-7 years ago. I can understand why parents and the older generation in Japan are baffled by this new-age phenomenon.

I assume NHK is commissioning this show to help those in need. Did I mention this show is animated? Goes to show animation is a serious medium and can be utilized for just about anything and so can comics.

Sorry for the semi-serious post today. Anyway, I've got more Boy Genius comin' up!!

TAK

Got back from Chicago last night. I bumped into Mike Choi at the security gate and hung out with him while we waited for our flights. It was a nice way to pass the time since I had about 3 hours to kill. I'm kinda done with planes and cons for a little while. This past trip to Toronto, Chicago and back has been the worst for me in terms of delays and I think my travel time ended up being doubled due to it all. I like airports since there's a certain energy to all the frantic passengers but, like anything, it kinda wore on me after about the 3rd delay.

Anyway, Chicago Wizard World was probably my best con ever. Better than San Diego by far. I sold out of sketchbooks and busted out about 30 sketches in total. I've put up the first half in the gallery if you wanna check those out. The lighting was horrible this time around so sorry about the pic quality, though. I took some in my hotel room at 4am under one of those low-glow hotel lamps. Yeah. Yikes. Aside from all the shit I sold I got to meet and know a bunch of awesome creators during my time at the con which almost outshadows everything else. Mark Brooks was nice enough to invite me to some open table space next him and I graduated out of the slummy run-off area of artist's alley. That sorta changed everything for me. BIG ups to him. While I was there I had the fortune of talking to Eric Canete, Dustin Nguyen, Kalman Andrasofszky, and Francis Manapul since we were all in the same general area. At the same time, I made connections with numerous editors and creators and shook hands with many many fans and supporters. I was quite overwhelmed by all the well wishes regarding my decision to leave the Mary Jane book since news broke on some comic sites. I'm still kinda undecided if it were a good idea to mention it on this site but I appreciated the support all the same. Lots of fathers and daughters, guys buying the book for themselves and their nieces, grade school to teenage girls and everything else in between were nice enough to come by. Thank you. Really. I'm proud to be working on a book that reaches so many people.

The other con moments were kind of a blur. The usual exhaustion kicked in at about day 3 and I don't remember much after that. I have a bunch of sketchbooks left over so I've decided to sell them through this site. I will set it up in the next coupla days for those who couldn't make it to either San Diego or Chicago. I have Cloak & Dagger posters left over as well so I will include those in the order.

There's something happening and I can't put my finger on it but I'm excited.

TAK