tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71601762012-01-30T15:10:45.167-05:00The Leftwich Committee for the Proliferation of Thought and Opinionneal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.comBlogger2601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-10565803636559403072009-01-02T20:29:00.003-05:002009-01-02T20:38:32.839-05:00

As regular readers have probably figured out, Leftwich is in a serious state of dormancy. I've moved on to other endeavors, but I realized tonight that I never put up a post to let the Leftworld know what happened. So here it is.In late 2007 I launched Slant Six Creative, and that has been taking up quite a bit of my focus (including writing regularly for the site). I've also been writing at my

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-47357428313611529182008-07-20T22:25:00.002-04:002008-07-20T22:27:34.016-04:00

(cross-posted, of course. many thanks if you're still checking this page.)Some thoughts on the man who just might be America's greatest living writer.My reading habits tend to the obsessive. I start and fail to finish a lot of books, but when I find an author whose work hits me at that magic moment where the quality of the work and the resonance of what it says converge, I seek out all I can find

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-62251010958349492372008-04-28T22:52:00.002-04:002008-04-28T22:54:35.703-04:00

cross-posted with my Slant Six blog...I'm a huge fan of the mystery writer Ross Macdonald. Like better-known greats such as Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, and Raymond Chandler, Macdonald had an unmistakable gift for voice and tone. To the extent that he's famous, it's for his Lew Archer books -- a series of gritty yet surprisingly elegant and philosophical tales of love and corruption set

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-42490293893234861882008-03-06T22:48:00.002-05:002008-03-06T22:51:39.576-05:00

This is what the hell is up: The National performing Mistaken For Strangers. One of the best bands around performing one of their best songs, and flawlessly.Also featuring some of the finest lyrics I've ever read:Well you wouldn't want an angel watching over/Surprise, surprise, they wouldn't wanna watch/Another unelegant innocent fall/Into the unmagnificent lives of adults

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-2968822382320042562008-02-25T22:09:00.003-05:002008-02-25T22:12:52.275-05:00

note: this is cross-posted with my blog at Slant SixA good editor might make your writing. A bad editor will ruin it.Raymond Carver has long been one of my favorite writers. His terse, emotionally complex prose isn't to everyone's taste, but I've found it to mine. Recent revelations about his relationship with his editor, Gordon Lish, make me wonder just who it is I've been appreciating all these

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-31334216061692778392008-02-14T11:26:00.003-05:002008-02-14T11:57:41.672-05:00

If you're stuck for that last minute gift, there are some surprisingly great e-cards over at the Kate Spade site. E-cards are usually hella lame, but not in this case. Also, recent updates to the Slant SIx blog include a look at what Hillary Clinton vs. Barack Obama means for creative folks. Then later today I'm planning on putting up a post about the new Shelby Lynne album. I'll cross-post that

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-62520618059510660532008-02-05T11:02:00.000-05:002008-02-05T11:04:27.008-05:00

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-8008734244884621092008-01-14T14:55:00.000-05:002008-01-14T14:58:11.334-05:00

The This Divided State guys have launched the website for their new film, Killer at Large. Check it out here. I had a nice lunch with Bryan and Steve while they were working on this, and the discussion was lively and enlightening. My money's on this one being well worth your time.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-62261330660705321842008-01-14T14:43:00.000-05:002008-01-14T14:49:15.872-05:00

New York magazine has a quick but pithy Q&A with David Mamet, and I highly recommend it. Not the least of the reasons being for this exchange:You also directed a Ford commercial. Why? I did it for the money. Why do you think I did it?And you needed the money that badly?Well, it’s nice to have, because you can buy things with it.So the whole business of “selling out,” you think it’s bullshit?No,

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-11648722667326821752008-01-09T21:36:00.000-05:002008-01-09T21:55:35.114-05:00

Those of you who have known and/or read me for the past 3-4 years know that I'm a veteran when it comes to writing about the presidential primary process. Crazy as it sounds, I actually got paid to do it last time (albeit not much). I correctly predicted Howard Dean's rise (though not his fall) and I correctly predicted Wesley Clark's entry into the race (though not his ineffectiveness). I've

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-2396506879583121272007-12-05T15:18:00.000-05:002007-12-05T15:39:56.816-05:00

I have instructions from Rob to "post something bitter." I'll attempt to do that soon, but in the meantime here's an explanation for the prolonged absence:Slant Six CreativeFor the past couple of months I've been working to get this up and running, and now it's in sufficient shape that I'm ready to start revealing it slowly to the world. That starts with however many folks are left who still

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-80656881865817367552007-10-16T23:41:00.000-04:002007-10-16T23:45:50.075-04:00

Kind of hard to believe I haven't posted here in over a month. The truth is that I've been neglecting this space for good reason. I have a new venture underway that will start to occupy more and more of my time over the next few months/years. I hope that when I'm ready for an official announcement you'll all be interested. All, what, five of you?Leftwich will, of course, always remain active in

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-14620171438471330502007-09-12T22:10:00.000-04:002007-09-12T22:26:18.690-04:00

It's time to take stock of my work, for you and for me.Comics work continues. The third issue of Borrowed Time is in process, and we hope to release it early next year. I also have two other potential projects brewing, though I can't say much about them at the moment. I'll be psyched if they happen, though. I'll be at SPX next month to help the process along. I'm taking on more and more

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-47101778848189462292007-09-09T22:33:00.000-04:002007-09-09T22:41:44.950-04:00

"Everybody has a marketing plan; his marketing plan is racism. It just shows you what bloodsuckers do: they abuse something like the Virginia Tech [tragedy] for show ratings. You can't talk to a person like that."I'm fascinated by this, Nas' reaction to Bill O'Reilly. In less than 50 words Nas has produced an almost impossibly accurate, succinct summation of the current state of political

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-32869988593774886162007-08-29T22:28:00.000-04:002007-08-29T23:28:21.555-04:00

Here's a good story.This man wrote a book. He brought the force of his creative vision to bear on a piece of work and turned it into something people liked. Then he realized one day that some bottom-feeding types in the "entertainment industry" had jacked his idea down to the last detail, repackaged it, and sold it to Network Television. Now, they're making a pretty penny while the brains of the

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-66564250442733035242007-08-23T20:52:00.001-04:002007-08-23T20:54:48.093-04:00

Just watch...

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-69844106736920742122007-08-07T23:42:00.000-04:002007-08-07T23:45:34.150-04:00

Tonight I sent my (soon-to-be) agents the first draft of my book proposal for The Vegan Bachelor. The information is becoming organized, the focus becoming clear. Much work remains, but it's a pretty nice feeling to reach that first plateau.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-62451512585835134402007-08-07T11:19:00.000-04:002007-08-07T12:15:31.600-04:00

Awhile back I was walking Derby through the woods near my house and I got real agitated. Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm no particular fan of development, and especially of development designed to tempt Young Money with promises of coffee shops and granite countertops. That's what's going on near my house, and it's deeply annoying.Annoying, but no big deal. What's really galling is that

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-89385663981324046552007-07-11T22:53:00.001-04:002007-07-11T22:53:50.582-04:00

Lynn asked me to put together a list of my essential daily (or near-daily) reads in terms of design, creativity, business, technology, and related concerns. In response, I combed through my feeds and settled on the sites that I simply could not do without.It only makes sense to share, so here you go. Not necessarily in any order, though I'm happy the Art Dump comes first.The Art DumpArt, design,

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-42261365152888207862007-07-11T09:44:00.000-04:002007-07-11T09:48:54.245-04:00

The good people at Pentagram recently completed a slate of work related to the construction of the New York Times building. It's all rather impressive, but the true stroke of genius was getting legendary photographer Annie Liebovitz to document the construction process itself in a series of photos that are, at times, breathtaking.See what I mean by by clicking here.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-64783315845781336692007-07-06T23:15:00.000-04:002007-07-06T23:17:15.717-04:00

Yes, yes. That's more like it.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-5465964387897064562007-06-28T22:54:00.000-04:002007-06-28T23:10:13.818-04:00

Remember when comics were cool? Really cool?When I check out some of the gems on this site, it just makes me sad that mainstream comics even exist anymore. There are still great comics, of course, but it isn't the same as it was even fifteen years ago. You're no longer going to find the best comics at the local newsstand or grocery store, meaning that most of them will simply never find a mass

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-90289477851265261052007-06-25T23:13:00.000-04:002007-06-25T23:22:27.800-04:00

Maybe I'm wrong here – I'm no professional after all – but I'm damn proud of that picture. Even more so at the large size. It's part of this 46-pic set from the Panasonic Open, a skateboarding/BMX/FMX event that stopped in Baltimore this past weekend. I wrote a cover story about it for PressBox, then used my media pass to check out the goings-on Saturday (more info here). All in all it was a hell

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-31995916327743427572007-06-19T22:40:00.000-04:002007-06-20T00:24:43.097-04:00

It's long-past time for me to have mentioned one of the best things going right now in terms of art and comics on the web: The Process, by my friend and collaborator (on Borrowed Time) Joe Infurnari.Joe's a true artist, and one of the best of them working in comics today. Whether or not you're a fan of Borrowed Time I highly encourage you to give The Process and the rest of the work on his site a

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-42895653887895502662007-06-19T22:20:00.000-04:002007-06-20T00:25:56.241-04:00

I believe I've mentioned the name Richard Ford once before. I've been trying to do more non-Internet reading lately, and in keeping with that resolution I picked up Rock Springs last week on something of a whim. I'm only three stories deep but I feel safe in saying this: pick it up.Ford is a lot like Raymond Carver (the two were acquainted) in that his stories deal with the complex, often

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-43964915551530129922007-06-14T23:13:00.000-04:002007-06-14T23:19:47.304-04:00

Every now and then I remember a piece I wrote in the past and get curious about how it holds up. While reading an article about the state of book reviewing I recalled a piece I wrote in 2002 for Gadfly, about Bill Moody's Looking for Chet Baker. The result can be found here. It's the only time I've written a dedicated piece about a book and I'm happy to say that, a few mistakes aside, it holds up

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-47187395426612350642007-06-12T22:33:00.001-04:002007-06-12T22:46:27.658-04:00

Some sad news today from the world of entertainment and wonder: Don Herbert, better known as TV's Mr. Wizard, has passed away at the age of 89.I have fond memories of watching his show on Nickelodeon, bearing witness to the wonders of the scientific world along with thousands of other kids my age. It's a shame that he's passed, but 89 is a good run and he accomplished a hell of a lot. Is there an

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-70154135894594491942007-06-06T00:55:00.001-04:002007-06-06T00:58:16.839-04:00

I'm sorry, truly. But I can't help it. This song has been in my head for about three days now, and I want to share that glorious torture. This is Summer Jam 2007.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-6514030357806171432007-06-05T10:46:00.000-04:002007-06-06T00:59:16.366-04:00

If all goes according to plan I'll be helping my good pal Daniel teach a class in narrative illustration at MICA this fall. In coming up with a potential reading list I was careful to include Raymond Carver's What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. I'm looking forward to seeing how the students deal with Carver's approach of leaving meaning in the margins. Will they choose to illustrate what

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-43389806917414722412007-05-21T23:28:00.001-04:002007-05-21T23:34:59.120-04:00

You may recall that a couple of months ago I mentioned I was working on a cookbook project. Details were still under wraps a bit at the time, but now I'm getting rolling for real and am pleased to announce it:Head on over and check out The Vegan Bachelor. The tagline I'm working with is "Vegan Eating Demystified," because the idea is to write a low-stress, low-budget cookbook for folks who'd like

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-63533857250704614962007-05-16T23:31:00.000-04:002007-05-16T23:43:43.110-04:00

Couple of things...First and foremost, today marks the release of the first issue of Left on Mission, a new comic book series created and written by my good friend Chip Mosher. I've been following this series since Chip first sent me the script to review, which was...I don't know. Ages ago. It's great to see it out there, and I encourage everyone to check it out. It's an espionage thriller of

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-8481749744878481042007-05-10T00:01:00.000-04:002007-05-10T00:03:37.966-04:00

This article is an absolute must read for anyone working creatively today:The Secret of Apple DesignThere are so many fantastic quotes that I'm hard-pressed to pick just one to point out. But I'll try:"The businessman wants to create something for everyone, which leads to products that are middle of the road," says Brunner. "It becomes about consensus, and that's why you rarely see the spark of

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-22575431127942780302007-05-09T00:27:00.000-04:002007-05-09T00:39:48.963-04:00

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago how stoked I was about Mumble Magazine. Nothing has happened since then to dampen my enthusiasm. In fact, quite the opposite. The content has been spot-on, including a wonderful profile of Rebecca Westcott, an artist whose life was tragically cut short.Check out the latest promo postcard (click for larger version):***While I'm at it, I wanted to pass along this

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-83567789082513735902007-05-03T21:59:00.000-04:002007-05-03T22:17:23.210-04:00

Like many of you, I watch Road House every chance I get. Tonight I finally got curious enough to go digging around on the internet looking for more info about it, and so of course I started at the Wikipedia page. What I found there, much to my surprise, is actually an amazing piece of writing. Whoever put it up managed to do two difficult things quite well: strike the perfect tone (in this case a

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-53276231997912834062007-04-28T00:57:00.000-04:002007-04-28T00:57:39.055-04:00

This is utterly incomplete but nonetheless interesting: an early review of 2008 campaign logos. One thing that astounds me: entities with money to spend - political campaigns, large corporations, etc. - consistently have poor (or, at best, middling) aesthetics. I guess a longer post on why that might be is due in short order.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-20015741853972214452007-04-24T00:20:00.000-04:002007-04-24T00:24:04.918-04:00

I can't help but relate this quote, from an article about Barack Obama:Republican National Committee spokesman Chris Taylor dismissed Obama's criticism."It obviously takes a lot more than empty rhetoric to lead this country and that is what Barack Obama continues to give us," Taylor said. I wonder if he's been misquoted...or is he just stupid? Because of course what he's actually saying there, if

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-68193931480048072672007-04-19T23:29:00.000-04:002007-04-19T23:33:22.325-04:00

I just posted something on the Loss Column that I think has an appeal beyond the sports topics I cover there. It's a writeup about Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour, including a link to a fantastic archive of the show's 50 episodes so far. I just hope that the folks at XM understand that this sort of thing does nothing but help. It'd be a shame to see them take it down. Head over there now (but

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-85696350781144530232007-04-16T22:58:00.000-04:002007-04-16T23:20:31.708-04:00

Two things:First, I'm stoked to no end about Mumble Magazine. From the mission statement:In plain english: we publish articles that have to do with influential artists, photographers, skateboarders, places, books, shit you can buy, music and whatever as well as some totally random shit that somehow fits into the picture.Headed up by the former editor of Crailtap.com, we're dedicated to bringing

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-45908564548199268432007-04-12T00:57:00.000-04:002007-04-12T12:03:13.919-04:00

And there you have it: Kurt Vonnegut has died. You've no doubt heard the news already.What to say of this? Who knows anymore. It keeps happening, one after another. By the time I reach 40 there will be none left of their kind. Pour a shot and drink up.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-90781208831797527292007-04-05T10:48:00.000-04:002007-04-05T10:49:34.707-04:00

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-12508116749684425532007-04-02T22:59:00.000-04:002007-04-02T23:36:01.631-04:00

I've been having some fantastic luck with new music lately, something that hasn't happened in a long time. In addition to the new Wilco tracks I mentioned earlier I've got three new discoveries to share: Call Me Evil by Evil (left), "Fake Empire" (a leaked track from the upcoming National record), and a couple of leaked tracks from the upcoming Dinosaur Jr. album.I discovered Evil -- a rap artist

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-17709617723326320742007-03-30T22:59:00.000-04:002007-03-30T23:22:56.264-04:00

Every once in a great while (and I mean a great while), an opportunity arises where politics and common sense might interact to a positive end. Such is the case with the recent mass recall of contaminated pet food. From this story, a relevant excerpt:One veterinarian suggested the international sourcing of ingredients would force the U.S. "to come to grips with a reality we had not appreciated.""

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-63831912521109495972007-03-14T23:58:00.000-04:002007-03-15T00:09:45.802-04:00

Three quick links, all fantastic in their own way:First, some of the guys from the Girl Skateboards Art Dump (including friend and collaborator Tony Larson) have a cool thing going called the Art Dump Photoblog. Soon to be a permanent link in the sidebar, but bookmark it now. The creativity and good work coming out of those guys is equal parts mind blowing and inspiring.Second, a company called

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-82770323765963680622007-03-12T23:26:00.000-04:002007-03-12T23:41:02.222-04:00

In keeping with the last post about giving work away, it's time to do something I've been planning on for a long time: give some work away.You all remember the article I wrote recently about designers Milton Glaser and Paula Scher. The contents of the article represent a small fraction of the material I collected in the conversations I had with them. Once upon a time I wanted to write a second

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-27628361449585683622007-03-11T23:49:00.000-04:002007-03-12T00:53:47.664-04:00

Time to do a bit of catching up. This past week has been busy, to say the least. Generally speaking that's a good thing. So here's what's up:First, a handful of tracks from the new Wilco album have found their way into the tubes. They are, in a word, fantastic. I got around to Wilco with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which struck me at the time as the most eerily perfect record I could imagine in the

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-59412854216965586572007-03-10T01:46:00.000-05:002007-03-10T01:47:58.892-05:00

Wow. Brad Delp, lead singer/multi-talented genius of the band Boston is dead. Crazy and sad.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-66566088810247436012007-03-07T23:53:00.000-05:002007-03-07T23:57:04.243-05:00

Following up on that last post, the folks at Comic Book Resources have posted the second part of their feature on Borrowed Time. This time it's a preview of issue two along with some quotes from me about the book.click here to read it!.And like I said, I've got a backlog of good stuff to talk about. Look for that (hopefully) tomorrow. In the meantime, read the previews!(thanks)

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-31724912166727880322007-03-07T15:41:00.000-05:002007-03-07T23:58:37.226-05:00

I've actually got a ton of stuff built up that I want to mention/talk about/promote here, but I've been busy as sin for the past week. I'll get to everything soon, I promise, but in the meantime I wanted to check in and drop the big news.The second issue of my ongoing graphic novel series Borrowed Time hit stores today. In conjunction with that, the fine folks at Comic Book Resources have

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1767968672028763752007-02-25T23:30:00.000-05:002007-02-26T01:16:21.475-05:00

Having survived a harrowing Greyhound experience, I'm back from the New York Comic Con. It was like a mini version of the San Diego Con, but with a slightly better normal person-costumed nerd ratio. We sold a fair amount of books, gave out a bunch of buttons, and generally had a decent time. Sadly, going to these events (with the thankful exception of SPX) just reminds me how much work the comics

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-72886315552641479332007-02-18T22:20:00.000-05:002007-02-18T22:30:23.611-05:00

Come Friday afternoon I'll be in New York for a couple of days as we debut the second issue of Borrowed Time at the New York Comic Con. I got my preview copy of the book in the mail the other day and I couldn't be happier with the way it came together. I think you're going to be equally happy, and by the time we've finished our six-issue run it should be one hell of a body of work. That image

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-79682235097600962482007-02-18T12:47:00.000-05:002007-02-18T12:49:58.878-05:00

Two things I forgot to mention:- I've got a super-secret, web-based, ongoing project in the works. Something fun and...tasty.Also, I had to pass this along:(from a photo gallery at rollingstone.com)

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-8137390835951777072007-02-18T12:17:00.000-05:002007-02-18T12:24:52.678-05:00

Lots of stuff on the horizon...- Barring any unforeseen and/or inappropriate slacking off, I'll finish up my latest piece for PressBox today. No idea when it'll be published though.- The script for Borrowed Time vol. 3 keeps coming along. We're looking at a summer release for that issue.- Speaking of Borrowed Time, I'm nearly finished revamping the website. Here's a screenshot of the (tentative)

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-19340873845532918632007-02-17T14:07:00.000-05:002007-02-17T14:14:51.010-05:00

I'm a few days late in posting it, but here's the track listing (in order) for this year's Valentine's mix:Remember - Harry NilssonHoliday - Albert Hammond, Jr.My, Oh My - The WreckersRed High Heels - Kellie PicklerCrooked Teeth - Death Cab for CutieAnother One Goes By - MazarinDon't Get Me Down (Come on Over Here) - The WalkmenYou Are What You Love (live on KCRW) - Jenny LewisAfter the Glitter

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-67142467325549298132007-02-14T01:09:00.000-05:002007-02-14T01:22:29.259-05:00

Speaking of redesigns and rebirths, it seems to be something of a trend right now.The Oni Press website just got a fresh coat of paint, and it's better than ever. They've got a lot of books besides mine that are worth checking out. This new site makes doing that easier than ever. And one of my favorite weblogs, Speak Up, has just reached its own tipping point.So maybe there's something in the air

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-74016093941526630712007-02-12T20:30:00.000-05:002007-02-12T20:37:33.609-05:00

Leftwich has been reborn.Or, more accurately, rebranded. This space is, in its own small way, a lot like a product or company. It began with an idea, gathered mass as it grew, and eventually became unwieldy. The focus got lost somewhere along the way. I had let it become Pizza Hut, and it was time to tweak. On the outside that meant sprucing up the look and feel of the site. I upgraded to the new

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1166495698388920632006-12-18T21:31:00.000-05:002006-12-18T21:35:14.553-05:00

Things continue to firm up regarding the second issue of Borrowed Time, and I'm pleased to present the (more or less final) cover (click for large version): I did a little collaborating with Joe on this, but mostly it's just one more example of his fantastic work.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1166072060113826862006-12-13T23:22:00.000-05:002006-12-13T23:54:20.150-05:00

I've still got several things to address here, but something new has moved to the top of the list. Unfortunately, it's something I wish I didn't have to mention.I want do direct you (via my pal Jeff -- thanks for the heads up) to the plight of young Callum Robbins. If you didn't grow up in the MD/DC area, the name J Robbins might not mean much. But if you have ever listened to independent music

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1165894184496098652006-12-11T21:04:00.000-05:002006-12-11T22:29:45.366-05:00

Every time I sign in to Blogger now I'm greeted with the message that my "new blog" is ready, and that I should switch over so that I can (a) sign in with my Google account (joy), and (b) enjoy a host of new features. Has anyone else taken that plunge? Any advice?***A few months back I mentioned that Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. would be releasing a solo album, and that I was quite

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1165818191900941352006-12-11T00:41:00.000-05:002006-12-11T01:23:12.256-05:00

The internet connection is back, for now, and with it comes a desire to dump a whole heap of content that's been building up over the past week. I have no clue anymore what it takes for a site like this to build a loyal fan base (I fear it might be impossible), but my plan is to spread the four or five things I want to talk about over multiple posts rather than dump them all into one. Strategies

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1165024069270848802006-12-01T20:24:00.000-05:002006-12-01T20:47:49.306-05:00

I'm going to update the Borrowed Time weblog for the first time in awhile right after I write this, but since I doubt most of you check that (and why should you during the doldrums) I'll spill the beans here first: the book has been solicited, and we're looking at February of 2006 for release. The plan now is to coincide the release with the second annual New York Comic Con, which happens the

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1164689073242842852006-11-27T22:42:00.000-05:002006-11-27T23:44:35.230-05:00

There's a great writeup at 2blowhards.com about legendary paperback publishing house Gold Medal Books. I've written, scrapped, and rewritten about five posts now trying to wrap my head around why there's nothing like Gold Medal around today. The truth is I can't figure it out. I just don't know why the gulf between works of artistic depth and works of mass appeal is so much wider now than it was

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1162616581583043162006-11-03T23:30:00.000-05:002006-11-04T00:03:01.610-05:00

Working on this Milton Glaser/Paula Scher article (no...it's not quite done yet) has been more difficult than I thought it would be. That's not a bad thing, though, because it's raising a lot of interesting issues about matters that I've addressed on this weblog before, namely the similaritites between writing and design and the need for practitioners of one to be versed in the other.During the

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1161753834743735742006-10-24T23:59:00.000-04:002006-10-25T01:23:54.926-04:00

Some stats and thoughts on the Milton Glaser and Paula Scher interviews:7,949 total words transcribed -- 4,279 for the Paula Scher interview, 3,670 for Milton Glaser. Of those, 1,535 belong to me. If my math is right that means I was speaking approximately 19% of the time. I think that means I did something right.There are entirely too many writers/journalists out there who approach interviews

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1161661978605398612006-10-23T23:16:00.000-04:002006-11-04T00:06:24.756-05:00

Fewer posts, more content.It’s an idea that’s been knocking around in my head the past few weeks. Now that I’m operating this, my personal site, and also The Loss Column, a site with multiple contributors and certain long-term goals, I find that I’m thinking not only as a content creator/provider but as a publisher. The two sites serve different purposes, but in each case I have a responsibility

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1161129492603422342006-10-17T19:31:00.000-04:002006-10-18T00:58:43.376-04:00

One should never need an excuse to enjoy a good horror movie, but they tend to go down particularly well when the weather turns cold and Halloween looms large on the calendar. And since I occasionally like the challenge of drafting a list, now seems like a good time to throw out a completely subjective rundown of Five Horror Movies You Must Own or Watch During the Halloween Season. These aren't

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1160534014044304222006-10-10T22:22:00.000-04:002006-10-11T00:50:11.983-04:00

You might have missed it in the comments, but Bryan took up the challenge of the six word story (read that post to learn more). I liked his submission quite a bit:He had it coming. Didn't he?As for me, I offer the following:One day, I swear we'll go.I want to invite/ask all of you to try it, as well. I'm thinking in particular of the 20-30 of you who stop by regularly but have never commented.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1159326609753096162006-09-26T23:01:00.000-04:002006-09-26T23:10:09.800-04:00

I recommend a visit to Pittsburgh if you ever get the chance. I was born there and returned a few years ago (twice, actually) to find that it's a very pleasant town. Part of the reason is the presence of two fine museums, the Warhol and the Carnegie Museum of Art. You can hit them both in a day if you start early, and it's well worth it. Failing that chance, though, the Carnegie has labored for

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1159061728098334952006-09-23T21:11:00.000-04:002006-09-23T21:36:29.616-04:00

I don't know how I got there, exactly...one search led to another and so on, until I was finding out what I could about Rolling Thunder.This was one of my many arcade obessions as a kid and someday, when I'm wealthy, I will own them all and recreate the 80s/90s mall arcade aesthetic within my estate.***Tom Scocca -- who used to be a Baltimore guy (City Paper) -- co-wrote this interesting piece

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1158600956820397752006-09-18T13:23:00.000-04:002006-09-18T13:35:56.850-04:00

I like the happy accidents that can happen when you use technology that's inherently limited and unreliable. Such is the case with this pic from my camera phone.***Interesting profile of Jonathan Ive, the man at the top of Apple's design division. Can you think of another single individual who has had that much influence, direct and indirect, on the way our world looks and works?

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1158000967836299512006-09-11T14:52:00.000-04:002006-09-11T14:56:07.860-04:00

There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning. And that, I think, was the handle - that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn’t need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting - on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1156122093956485222006-08-20T20:49:00.000-04:002006-08-20T21:01:33.980-04:00

Daniel Krall, with whom I collaborated on One Plus One, has a couple of relatively new projects going: a weblog to augment his portfolio site, and a new studio called the Black Box Project.Paul Hornschemeier, part of the Holy Consumption, and with whom I would collaborate in a heartbeat if I got the chance, has a band called Arks, and they're good. If you don't believe me, there's a ton of free

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1155611146329393192006-08-14T22:45:00.000-04:002006-08-14T23:14:33.170-04:00

Going back for 20+ years now, some of the most vital and interesting popular art has been found on the bottom of skateboard decks. From this to this and a host of others in between, it's some of the best work going. Thinking about this intersection of skating and art led me, thankfully, to remember Neil Blender. In addition to being an accomplished skater in his own right, Blender is/was also an

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1155354494099918742006-08-11T23:38:00.000-04:002006-08-11T23:48:14.163-04:00

The ever-excellent Typographica brings news that is wonderful indeed:Helvetica, the filmThere's some heavyweight talent on both sides of the camera. The director is the same person who produced the Wilco documentary, and the interview list is practically a who's who. What I'm most excited about, however, is the professed point/mission:Since millions of people see and use Helvetica every day, I

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1154888916825315312006-08-06T14:20:00.000-04:002006-08-06T14:28:36.846-04:00

Sad news last week with the passing of Arthur Lee. I was never the biggest Love fan, but I always liked what I heard and, of course, I dig Forever Changes. I first heard of Lee and Love courtesy of DC's the Make-Up, who introduced him to me and probably many others via their track "Free Arthur Lee". As a tribute to Lee, here it is:The Make-Up - Free Arthur Lee (mp3)

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1154666381381214792006-08-04T00:22:00.000-04:002006-08-04T01:05:01.696-04:00

I didn't buy much at Comic Con this year, a marked departure from my usual habits. Lacking money will do that to you. But I did pick up the latest installment of Anders Nilsen's Big Questions series, and I'd be terribly remiss if I didn't mention it.Nilsen is a serious talent, and I can't recommend his books enough. He has an impressive ability to blend the abstract and the emotional to create

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1154576411129493632006-08-02T23:22:00.000-04:002006-08-02T23:51:23.236-04:00

If you could read my mind, loveWhat a tale my thoughts could tellJust like an old time movie'bout a ghost from a wishing wellIn a castle dark, or a fortress strongWith chains upon my feetYou know that ghost is meAnd I will never be set freeAs long as I'm a ghost you can't seeWhen I first listened to the latest Johnny Cash collection I was immediately floored by his tender and vulnerable rendition

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1154058203652467782006-07-27T23:41:00.000-04:002006-07-27T23:43:23.670-04:00

Speaking of fresh looks (see below), the Drawn and Quarterly website got a new coat of paint recently. Fantastic. Buy a book or two while you're there.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1154057097431099912006-07-27T23:05:00.000-04:002006-07-28T08:58:26.583-04:00

With very few exceptions, most of the rebranding and redesigning that has gone on over the past few years has been shit. To cite just a few:- DC Comics embarrassing themselves by going from this to this- UPS going from a classic to a throwaway - AT&T "fixing" what wasn't broken. I understand, to a point, the need to seem more "now". What I don't understand is why so many businesses can't figure

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1153104254332875612006-07-16T22:34:00.000-04:002006-07-16T22:44:14.333-04:00

Speaking of Joe, he's going to have a brand-new, full-color minicomic on sale at the con. It's called Mandala, and it looks pretty amazing. Check it out here, then do yourself a favor and pick one up. The guy makes me look good.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1152807016764788192006-07-13T12:00:00.000-04:002006-07-13T12:14:30.760-04:00

As this sweet photoset demonstrates, interesting typography/design and the World Cup have gone hand-in-hand for some time.***I think I've mentioned before that I think it's a crime that Dale Murphy isn't in the hall of fame. He is, however, keeping busy...

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1152708609307551462006-07-12T08:47:00.000-04:002006-07-12T08:50:09.330-04:00

Welcome Uni Watch readers...Please feel free to stick around.(and many, many thanks to Paul for the link)

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1152590243733855652006-07-10T22:29:00.000-04:002006-07-11T00:16:44.320-04:00

I'm an admitted soccer neophyte, so feel free to filter what I have to say here through that lens. That said, I enjoyed the World Cup more than I expected to, particularly yesterday's France-Italy final. And I have a couple of notes about it (broken up into two posts to make the direct linking easier).The World Cup is, by far, the most aesthetically impressive sporting event I've seen. While

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1151900467940552602006-07-02T23:03:00.000-04:002006-07-03T00:21:52.203-04:00

An interesting discussion at Design Observer concerning Kafka and Typography. An excerpt:...several readers have suggested that the "we" in the first sentence is not a human "we" but a set of printed letters. For many, including myself, the voice at the start of "The Trees" belongs to Kafka's letters themselves, speaking directly to the reader: "we are like tree trunks in the snow."The essay

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1149223002580763542006-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:002006-06-02T00:36:42.606-04:00

And now, Tony Larson:(click as always)I've already gotten more responses than I expected, and it's been cool as hell to get that window into other people's collections. It just makes me want more, so get on it if you haven't yet.***This is the last-chance reminder: the Borrowed Time release party is happening on Saturday. You can click here for more info. It's going to be a good time, and if

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1149133764036873872006-05-31T22:40:00.000-04:002006-05-31T23:57:05.340-04:00

The latest to drop in is artist extraordinaire Joe Infurnari, who correctly pointed out the odd and probably jarring collision of Cat Stevens and Dillinger Escape Plan. That's why we do it.click for large version, scroll down to see the rest***You know by now how much I appreciate and respect the work of Debbie Millman. She is one of the best thinkers about design, branding, and marketing you're

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1148873992679907522006-05-28T23:00:00.000-04:002006-05-28T23:39:52.716-04:00

Wade Harpootlian, one of Tomorrow's Brightest Minds:Dig the Brainiac.***I've been seeing a lot of Evel Knievel lately, and I couldn't be happier about it. First I saw him during the coverage of Mike Metzger's jump a few weeks back, and again during the coverage of David Blaine's water stunt. Then tonight I caught the last twenty minutes or so of his "True Grit" documentary on CMT (check it if

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1148787537148570272006-05-27T23:32:00.000-04:002006-05-27T23:38:57.196-04:00

And now, Russ Lichter:I don't know if I have enough daily readers to really get this rolling, but I find it fascinating. Send 'em along, folks - I'll post them as soon as I can.And just for the hell of it, here's another one from me:Both of those, and Chip's below, can be clicked for larger versions.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1148610101992036962006-05-25T22:09:00.000-04:002006-05-25T22:40:28.466-04:00

Whilst cranking away on the script for Borrowed Time volume two, an idea struck. Not a terribly original one, admittedly, but potentially interesting and fun nonetheless.click for large versionI've been using the built-in shuffle feature in iTunes a lot lately and it has led to some intriguing collisions. Some sublime, some grating as hell - in that transition from track to track there is the

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1147408285699826292006-05-12T00:27:00.000-04:002006-05-12T00:31:25.720-04:00

I think it's pretty rare to take a camera phone pic that's worth a damn, but I took this one today and I think it's worth sharing:Click it for a larger version and see if you agree.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1145850622699363622006-04-23T23:28:00.001-04:002006-04-23T23:54:16.046-04:00

When I set up the Myspace profile for Borrowed Time (feel free to add us), I chose Erik Satie as background music. I don't have any idea where this came from, since I hadn't listened to or even thought about Satie in five years or more. It literally just popped into my head. I took that as a sign that I needed to dig in, so I picked this up:Satie: Popular Piano Works by Aldo CiccoliniI'm not

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1145557390306035822006-04-20T14:03:00.000-04:002006-04-20T14:24:10.120-04:00

Five new Borrowed Time preview pages have been added at the book's official weblog. Head on over for some fun, and for a surprise or two. Comments are welcome and encouraged, as always.I also set up a Myspace page for the book, so anyone out there who's into that sort of thing should hit us up.***Staying on the art tip, Sam Gilbey, of Pixelsurgeon and elsewhere, has updated his portfolio site

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1144977454981604972006-04-13T20:18:00.000-04:002006-04-13T21:17:35.086-04:00

The Album Cover Project, Part Four(One, Two, Three)The content: Considered minimalism: illustrations and text in silver rest on a deep, flat blue. Emblematic of the time. The Message: Enigmatic but strong, with an artiness rarely found in more mainstream releases. The Picture: Magic Hour. Not that I necessarily maximized it, but it's a start. As always, click for larger versions.The Crownhate

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1144641556084785302006-04-09T23:57:00.000-04:002006-04-09T23:59:16.096-04:00

I put up three (the first of many to come) Borrowed Time preview pages over at the weblog. Check 'em out!

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1143662108021753452006-03-29T14:49:00.000-05:002006-03-29T14:55:31.490-05:00

As I expected, part two of the Borrowed Time feature went up today at CBR. Click here to get Joe's thoughts on the book and learn a little bit about his art and his process.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1143652715406193352006-03-29T12:13:00.000-05:002006-03-29T12:18:35.420-05:00

The second part of the Borrowed Time feature at CBR was supposed to be up yesterday but, for reasons beyond my knowledge, it never appeared. Well-placed sources tell me it should be coming today, and I will link it when it does.We're also going to be featured sometime soon over at Newsarama. More info on that as it becomes available.May 10th. Save the date.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1143007907151548292006-03-22T00:28:00.000-05:002006-03-22T01:18:05.063-05:00

The Album Cover Project, Part Three(Part One, Part Two)It's a two-for-one this time, owing to the fact that I might be a bit late with the next installment. First up is Forever Changes by Love:The content: a beautiful illustration by Bob Pepper (also known for some very fine Philip K. Dick book covers, among other things), presented with the simplicity it demands by designer William S. Harvey.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1142215502687507572006-03-12T20:12:00.000-05:002006-03-12T21:12:29.906-05:00

The Album Cover Project, Part Two(Manifesto/Part One)Miles Davis - In Person Friday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco, Volume One(click for larger version)The content: a haunting black and white shot of Miles lighting a smoke, alone save for the face of a woman. The message: mood, and lots of it. The picture: shadows, scotch, smoke...what else? Obvious, maybe, but so be it.This is one of my

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1142057867454680092006-03-11T01:17:00.000-05:002006-03-11T01:17:47.470-05:00

I've been spending as much time as I can over the past week or so trying to put together the promo website for Borrowed Time. Here's a preliminary screencap of the homepage:(click for larger version)That illustration is the work of Tony Larson and his collaborator Mark Penxa, and it quite obviously rules. It's an image that will be making several more appearances before all is said and done.I'm

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1140846075261334352006-02-25T00:25:00.000-05:002006-02-25T00:43:46.776-05:00

Initial reaction to the Borrowed Time press release has been very good. The t-shirt/product placement idea has been, so far, having the desired effect in terms of getting people intrigued and talking. I plan to keep the dialogue going as much as possible between now and when the book is released, and I've updated the sidebar to make it easy to find information from this front page at all times.

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7160176.post-1138908637358876022006-02-02T14:17:00.000-05:002006-02-02T14:30:37.410-05:00

Wired, of all places, has this nice, if short, writeup about Paul Pope and his work on the upcoming Batman: Year 100 book(s) for DC. I'm a little ashamed to say I didn't know much about this before the article, but it's one to watch for without question. Paul Pope is a modern master, and I don't think there's a comics icon better suited to his style than Batman. Every once in awhile Marvel or DC

neal shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08273887817430634288noreply@blogger.com0