Posts Tagged ‘dream’
25 items.
There’s a drastic image to start your morning off right!
I’m not usually one for over-arching violence or gore, but this all goes back to my Tex Avery sensibility in regards to unexpected or extreme cartoon violence. Pay no mind.
When I finished today’s strip, Cami told me she thought it looked like Jared and I were making out. I defy any of you to try drawing one person biting the face off another and have it not end up looking that way. If you can figure out a way to make it work, let me know.
The strip is updating later now due to the ongoing problems I’m having with my ISP. I was gone over the weekend, so I wasn’t able to work on it, but I did get a hold of a representative last night. Apparently there are still problems and “programmers” are going to get involved. This after I’ve already bought a replacement cable and a new ethernet modem. There better be a discount on my bill this week or I will be an unhappy camper.
This may be incredibly egotistical of me, but surfing around the net, I’ve found a few other strips in the community that are broaching the same subject matter I’ve covered in the last two weeks. Ironically, it isn’t who you’d expect.
Exhibit A: First, take a look at this strip discussing Harry Knowles from PVP which came out 10.06.2002.
And now, my strip which came out on 9.27.02 – a whopping 9 days earlier.
Exhibit B: Then there’s this strip over at Real Life where the characters chat about Ferris Bueler. This came out today, 10.7.2002
Then there is my strip which came out last week on 10.02.2002 – five full days prior.
To my knowledge, neither PVP or Real Life is a strictly movie-themed comic so they have to pull their ideas from somewhere. The subject matter is too specialized to be a coincidence. I mean, people aren’t just talking about Harry Knowles and Ferris Bueler for no good reason.
So my theory is this: Theater Hopper is so funny, Scott Kurtz and Greg Dean steal their ideas from me!
I believe my theory is sound for two reasons:
1. If Kurtz and Dean come back and sheepishly admit “Yea, we stole your ideas”, it will prove, once and for all, that I am “The Man”.
2. If it turns out I’m just high on suspicion and thousands of their fans flood my inbox with hate mail, I will at least have brought more traffic to the site.
It’s a win-win! At least until the avalanche of hate mail spews forth…
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For those readers who have marched in here from the forums of PVP or Real Life, torches and pitchforks at the ready, take a deep breath and have a seat. I’m talking to you.
Apparently, Monday’s blog caused quite a hullabaloo when a kind soul from Rancho Cordova, CA (“The town they named after a salad dressing!”) decided to tip everyone off to my comments about Scott Kurtz and Greg Dean “stealing” my ideas regarding two strips about Harry Knowles and Ferris Bueler’s Day Off. Appropriate poo-slinging followed.
I suppose I could go into the details of this fracas – about the multitude of incorrectly spelled and grammatically mind-bending flames hurled my way. But this is all old news to anyone who has been trolling about the community for any amount of time. Readers who have their favorites vigorously defend their sanctuaries from outsiders.
Instead, I’m gonna cut to the skinny. Monday’s comments were in NO WAY meant to be taken seriously. It was just a quirky coincidence I thought I would point out and have a little fun with. Doesn’t anyone else think that this triptych of web comics discussing such varied topics to be of interest? I do! In fact, I found it amazing! Especially considering neither Scott nor Greg have probably heard of my measly operation! Apparently, some people couldn’t see the irony that was clubbing them over the heads.
Perhaps it was my fault for not making my sarcasm a little more overt. After all, even my good friend Zach from No Pants Tuesday sent me an e-mail of caution (well intended, but undoubtedly due to exhaustion as we’ve seen no new strip for over a week – worried about you, pal!).
But for those of you who felt it necessary to make sweeping, negative generalizations against my talent, intelligence or mother, I’ve gotta recommend you take your B.S. detector in for some much needed maintenance. Otherwise, this world is going to eat you alive. It’s truly amazing how upset some people became. If people get this angry about web comics, I have to presume most of them went into an epileptic fit after that whole Enron thing. If their venom isn’t proportional, then their priorities are out of whack.
To the credit to many in the community, I did have my share of defenders in the forums. Several people came to my defense clearly pointing out that Monday’s comments were a joke and lobbing their own flames back in retaliation. Thank goodness for those who are switched on.
In summary, I didn’t mean offend anyone. If my comments upset you, I apologize. I’m a big fan of both PVP and Real Life. I think they are both sharply written and sublimely well put together strips. In fact, that’s where most of the irony stemmed from when I compared my strip to theirs – ’cause obviously I don’t have the kind of talent several years in the game have afforded those two.
If I’ve learned anything about the matter, it’s that next time I’ll be sure to make all my sarcastic comments IN BIG BOLD LETTERS as not to confuse anyone. Still, I’ve gotta admit, at least the second principle of my theory rang true – I scored 4 times as many unique hits to the site on Tuesday compared to an average day. Thanks.
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Well, it looks like most of the bru-ha-ha surrounding Monday’s blog has settled down. Things are returning to a relative state of normalcy. The hate mail has all but dried up and our traffic is back to pedestrian levels.
If anything, it’s been a real roller coaster of a week. Imagine my surprise when I pulled into the station where there was a letter from Greg Dean – creator of Real Life – waiting for me in my inbox!
Apparently Greg caught wind of the ruckus being made in his forums and thought he would check out the site. I won’t divulge everything that was said, but Greg was very complimentary to the strip. Very kind, very courteous – a real class act. There’s a reason his fans defend him so fiercely and it’s because he’s a damn nice guy. – Worthy of your respect. Pay him some now.
I’d love to chat more, but I’m just now peeking my head out from underneath a cloud of an intense sickness I’ve been suffering for the last few days. I’m taking a beating from a wicked cold. It feels like someone took me upside the head with a billyjack. Things are getting better, but right now I am very, very warm. Unseasonably warm.
You know when you have a fever that’s about to break, but to get there, you have to writhe through 8 hours of fitless sleep and night sweats? Well, I’m getting ready for that now. First I brush my teeth then its off to wrestle with the disease! Wish me luck!
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Nov13
Here’s part two of the Star Wars storyline I’m working with this week. I know some of you might be thinking that I’ve overlooked this weeks other high-profile DVD release, but don’t worry. I’ve got a Lord of the Rings joke waiting in the wings for Friday.
Of course, right now I’m in the 9th circle of Hell because I couldn’t run out and get my grubby little mitts on either movie yesterday. This all stems back to the holiday sanctions I mentioned in an earlier blog that prevent me from spending my money all willy-nilly.
Yeah, don’t think it doesn’t tear me up to see a gaggle of grinning jokers on the No Pants Tuesday cam portal page holding up their copies for the world to see.
They’re taunting me. I hate them.
I got a couple of e-mails asking me why I didn’t make some jokes about 8-Mile on Monday. Believe me, I would have liked to, but every treatment I came up with resulted in one of the characters rapping at some point. The fact of the matter is, I’ve got no flow. I could write a rap to save my life. So I just decided to forgo the usual helping of embarrassment and stick to something appropriately geeky.
It was really never a contest. If you’re putting up Star Wars against 8-Mile, it’s kind of obvious who’s going to garner the lion’s share of the attention. I’m just one of “that” generation.
Less is more for Wednesday. I spent too much time coloring the strip. I’m done with looking at it.
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Funny how I can go from topical subject matter to over-the-top slapstick in just one day. When you can’t come up with the funny, lunge for the jugular, I always say. In this case, literally!
Of course, today’s strip means nothing if you haven’t seen Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. However, considering it’s $87 million dollar haul over the weekend, I have a feeling I’m pitching to the majority right now.
There will be more news later this evening, but right now I am very tired from a night of bowling (and drinking). Be sure to come back to the site after 6PM tonight to learn more about the nominations Theater Hopper received from the Webcomic Choice Awards.
Be back later.
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Well, I’m back from the holiday and thoroughly exhausted. But it’s always good to be with family. No qualms about falling asleep on the couch with a pool of drool under your chin. Here’s hoping your break is treating you just as well.
Got to see Gangs of New York over the holiday and really liked it. DiCaprio and Diaz were passable, but dropped their accents too often for my liking – the lazy, pampered fops. Daniel Day-Lewis, on the other hand, is a revelation. His turn as Bill the Butcher isn’t just a good performance in this movie, but a great performance across the span of the history of film.
He is entirely convincing as the violent and corrupt Butcher. You’d never know it was an Irishman under all that grease and grime. He locks on to this flat Noo-Yawk accent and never lets go. His fervor is palpable. He did an excellent job.
Hopefully I can write up a review for it, but right now, I’m pounding out my two cents on Star Trek: Nemesis. The die-hard Trekkers won’t be happy. I plan on giving it a drubbing. With luck, the review will be up later today. Come back later for a heaping helping.
I’m been having some serious problems with my local theater lately – The Wynnsong 16. The last few times I’ve been there, I’ve encountered screw up after screw up. Tickets issued for the wrong time, being charged full price for a matinee, down right snide concession workers. When we went to see Gangs, the sound was off and we were listening to Movie Tunes for the first 15 minutes. I’ve got a list of stories as long as my arm and I’m pissed about it.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m a realist. I know they don’t pay these kids squat. They’re motivated by little else than moving your dead weight out of line and wrestling with the next moron. I should know. I’ve worked in movie theaters. But never in my years would I be bald-faced rude to customers. I may dismiss you, but I never went out of my way to harm you. It’s a whole new ball game now.
I thought about writing an essay for the site and really going into detail about my disappointment. I’m sure everyone else has run into these characters. I felt it would surely strike a universal chord.
Then I realized that I have the ultimate soapbox – the strip! So expect next week to detail some of my true-life adventures butting heads with the dimwits at Wynnsong 16. When it’s all over, maybe someone from the theater will have read it and some change will take place. Or maybe I’ll get some free tickets just to shut me up. Who knows?
Major respect to Mark over at Jayhoo & Jawhoo. He put together a killer strip where Tom and Jared cameo along with Dexter and Seethe of Movie Punks, Zach from No Pants Tuesday, Dave of Snafu, Aric and Mike of Fish Strips and Blake and Fletcher of Nothing Nice to Say. I’m practically wetting myself that an artist of Mark’s caliber has lumped me in with these web comic all-stars. I barely feel in their league.
So as due and proper, I want everyone to visit Jayhoo & Jawhoo right now and comb through the archives. I feel strongly that Mark makes one of the best comics out there and is modestly kicking our asses in the art department all under our noses.
Plus, he’s a really great guy to boot. Merry Christmas to you too, ya hoser!
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In case you haven’t gathered, today’s strip references Down With Love – a delightful little film I encourage you to see.
Cami and I caught a matinee on Sunday, and I’m still thinking about it a week later. That’s saying something since it has to compete for real estate with the revolving head game that was The Matrix Reloaded.
I knew going in to see Down With Love that it would be a confection wrapped in period costumes, but I had a lot of fun with it. I’m really beginning to warm to the idea of remaking films from past generations with a modern filter placed between them. Kind of like what they did with Far From Heaven, but y’know… entertaining.
I have to admit that Ewan McGregor is cooler than cool and I’ve been a fan of his for a long time. He carries the picture on his back and is a joy to watch.
*THE REST OF THIS BLOG POST WAS LOST WHEN THEATER HOPPER MOVED TO WORDPRESS IN JANUARY 2009*
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Jun06
As promised, I’m taking another shot at 2 Fast, 2 Furious. This time, I’m focusing my “Laser of Hate”(tm) on star Paul Walker – An individual who reminds me so painfully of every jock I had to talk circles around in high school to avoid a fist-fight… it makes me sick. If Paul Walker spontaneously bursts into flames tomorrow morning, it won’t be too soon.
I hope you like todays strip. It took a lot of work for me to put it together. Of course, that was kind of the point. I felt Monday and Wednesday’s strip lacked a certain… I don’t know what… in the art department. I tried to raise my game a little before kicking off the weekend.
Cami said she liked that we share a bed in the last panel. “As opposed to what?” I asked. “The Dick Van Dyke Show beds of the 1950’s where we sleep in individual beds with a nightstand seperating us?”
That girl is cute. I dig her. 🙂
By the way, if you want to check out other instances where I’ve used the “Tom dreams of horrible violence gag” you can scope them here and here. We’ve come a long way, baby.
Did anyone happen to catch the 2003 MTV Movie Awards last night? It’s not as if you may have missed anything special. They tape the show in advance and the winners are released in the press the next day. By the time it makes it to television a week later, the air has been let out of the thing.
I don’t really watch for the awards. That’s just a toss off anyway. We all know the awards are a guise for getting a bunch of celebrities in a room and selling ad time. The reason I watch is for the comedy skits and parodies – which were pretty good. The Charlie’s Angels “Ass Coordinator” parody actually makes me want to go see it now. Mission accomplished, Drew Barrymore – you savvy business woman!
I’m starting to feel skittish about asking for votes for the Top 150 list at Top Web Comics (note, I did not include a link). It was pointed out to me in the forums that in the 16 strips since I’ve joined the list, I’ve asked for votes 11 times – sometimes twice in a day. That made me feel… icky.
I don’t want to get in the position of having to remind or beg or whatever for votes and I need to keep that in mind. So if you see me stepping out of line or if it becomes annoying to you, let me know. I need to remember that you guys don’t come here to be pestered for votes, but to be entertained.
I leave it at that.
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Even though you have to reach a little bit for the punchline, I think today’s strip is one of the better pieces I’ve completed. I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but in terms of art, a kind of cinematic pacing, the coloring – I couldn’t be more pleased. 🙂
/gushing
Even though this is my second strip in regard to Freddy Vs. Jason, I won’t be seeing the title bout this weekend. Instead, I think Cami and I are going to see Open Range.
Despite my hatred of all things Kevin Costner, I think Open Range looks pretty good. I think we’re in the mood for something with more adult sensabilities – A movie that doesn’t involve pie-humping or explosions. Something a little more mature. Besides, it has Robert Duvall and Annette Benning in it, which more than makes up for the “Costner factor”.
I’m zeroing in on a new site design. If I can get it to work, you might have to say goodbye to the curtians. It’s a much more modular and less graphic-intensive design. The version in my head looks spectaculr. Now I have to see if I can translate it to the screen.
This has been a pretty good week site-wise. I have you guys to thank for it. Every one of you I speak to is so cool, I wish I could meet you in person. Reading Absath’s Oktagon recap over at Ctrl+Alt+Del got me thinking I should be attending more conventions.
I might be back later in the day. I have a couple of stray thoughts bouncing around in my head…
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Cami and I were actually excited to see Cold Creek Manor this weekend, but if its 5th place showing at the box office was any indication, the rest of the nation figured out its horrible secret just like we did.
The previews for this movie made it look like a classic haunted house story – which I’m always up for. Poltergeist, for example, is one of my favorite movies.
Instead, after reading several reviews, the plot was revealed to be some kind of country bumpkin vs. city slicker stalker fantasy in the vein of Cape Fear.
I’ll buy Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone as the beleaguered gothamites. But casting Stephen Dorff as the backwoods tormentor is laughable. That guy is L.A. to the bone. I guess they cast Juliette Lewis as his white trash girlfriend – but hasn’t she covered this territory before in movies like Natural Born Killers and, well Cape Fear?
I don’t know if there would have been as big a backlash if the producers of the film simply fessed up and cut the trailer that represented the movie they made. But I guess Hollywood thinks they can still pull the wool over our eyes.
What the hell happened to Mike Figgis? Back when he directed Leaving Las Vegas, people were holding him up as the next best thing. That was a great movie, and he comes back with this crap?
Dennis Quaid will survive. He still has momentum from The Rookie and an excellent turn in Far From Heaven.
Sharon Stone? Four years after The Muse and Gloria, she still can’t pick a lead role to save her life. Here’s hoping her supporting performance in the forthcoming Catwoman will treat us to the icy sex queen we come to know and love.
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