Battle On

Clash of the Titans

2010-04-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

I always love crossover titles because it allows some of my favorite characters to go against each other. Captain America vs. Batman? I’m all over it! Chun-Li vs. Mai Shiranui? Everybody wins! Now two of my favorite people are “clashing.” These two happen to be Adam Carolla and Manny Pacquiao.

I love Adam Carolla! I love Manny Pacquiao! This is gonna be awesome! Are they gonna do a movie together? Is Pacquiao gonna be a guest on Carolla’s podcast? Oh wait, it’s just another case of people blowing something completely out of proportion. This nonevent that’s going around is a result of people getting offended at the typical Adam Carolla rant we’ve all come to know, and in my case, love. Of course, we all know that Filipinos are a proud race, me being one of them, that EASILY gets offended at the slightest bit of negative commentary, let alone one directed at the national hero.

Examiner.com reports:

Adam Carolla starts off his vulgar tirade by bashing Manny for not giving blood before a fight. He then proceeds to say that Manny is off “praying to chicken bones” and that you don’t have to respect him because he’s a “fu**ing idiot”. “Someone has to tell him that it doesn’t make a difference.”

“Here’s how you know when your country doesn’t have a lot going for it: When everything is about Manny Pacquiao.”

“Get a fu**in life as a country”

“All you fu**in got is just an illiterate guy who happens to smash other guys in the head better than other people”

“Really, you want some guy with brain damage running your country? Why don’t you get your sh*t together?”

“All they have over there is Manny Pacquiao and sex stores.”

“What happens when Floyd Mayweather beats him? Does your country go into depression?”

That’s the excerpt from The Adam Carolla Podcast used by many talking about this topic. I spent a brief amount of time within the journalism field as both a reporter and an opinion columnist. And the one thing that always, ALWAYS causes some type of conflict is misrepresentation of quotes. It’s unacceptable in new stories because it drops any sense of objectivity.

Notice the line breaks between each of those quotes? It means that there is missing dialogue. They are excerpts of an excerpt. I listened to that specific podcast. Where’s the part where Carolla justifies his view on why Pacquiao should give blood? He argues if Pacquiao isn’t juicing, then it raises up some suspicion as to why Pacquiao isn’t so willing to do it.

In this case, there’s a little misrepresentation going on and a lot of taking offense at a rant that isn’t that big of a deal in the first place. I like how “racist” immediately comes to mind in many of these headlines and news stories. If this objective news reporting can then be considered as a subjective opinion, is it just as valid? Sure, but let’s get some things straight.

Is somebody a racist for thinking a boxer, a man that makes a living by hitting and getting hit, is illiterate and/or a bad choice to be voted as a politician? Is somebody a racist for telling a country to not be so invested in living vicariously through the exploits of a single individual who just so happens to hail from said country?

I’ve listened to Adam Carolla when he was on Loveline, I watched him on The Man Show, and now I follow him on his own podcast. Carolla isn’t racist specifically against Filipinos. He’s quite possibly made fun of every type of people grouping on Earth, from Germans, to Muslims, to the state of Florida, to the city of Burbank. If you can think of a single person or group of people that Adam Carolla hasn’t made fun of, then call him up and I GUARANTEE you that he’s got something to say on the matter. Anybody that actually listens to Adam Carolla knows that angry ranting is his thing, just like Denis Leary, Lewis Black, Sam Kinison, and many other comedians. And just like these other comedians, if you can listen past the vulgar language, you can understand the underlying points of their rants.

Despite the accusations of racism, I think the most volatile part of this issue for Filipinos are those last questions that Carolla asks: What happens when Manny Pacquiao loses? What happens to a nation when their infallible national hero is defeated in the ring? And considering what happened to icons like Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, and Tiger Woods, I’d also like to ask one more question that’s buried deep within the minds of Pacquiao fans: What happens when that defeat occurs outside of the ring and the infallible hero ends up being human like the rest of us?

Choose Your Team

2010-03-31T19:04:00.001-07:00

Probably the toughest part of this project was figuring out how to arrange the cast of characters. My original plan many years ago was to have specific character match ups from Capcom characters versus SNK characters (i.e. Ryu vs. Kyo or M. Bison vs. Geese Howard). Even back then, the SNK characters easily outnumbered Capcom. Taken strictly from fighting games, SNK still outnumbers Capcom to this day. I also didn’t want to make one side look stronger. That logistical issue quickly put a halt to my first attempt at the illustration.

When I decided to retry the project, I realized that including other game franchises from both companies would create some interesting juxtapositions. It won’t seem so strange considering that the various crossover games like Marvel vs. Capcom and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom set the standard of including characters outside of the fighting game genre. And so I added more characters to the roster. After doing a headcount of both sides, their numbers are now closer to even.

The next factor to consider was the size range of characters. Mega Man is shorter than the average person while Geon is the size of a skyscraper. That size disparity can make the perspective angles problematic. I decided to keep things simple by having the larger characters located towards the back and the shorter characters closer to the front.

So then how will the characters be arranged? Will the Capcom side be one half and the SNK side on the other? Do I group characters together based on the game franchise they came from? Should the heroes fight the villains?

The idea came to me one night to just create some type of systemic arrangement similar to a Venn diagram. I realized that plenty of characters would be unknown to the casual observer and I wanted them to be identifiable. Characters would be grouped in such a way that analyzing the juxtaposition across various directions would form some type of pattern. For example, the characters from feudal Japan would be in one area while modern soldier types would be in another. Boss characters, like Orochi, would be surrounded by subordinates, like Goenitz and Vice. After that, things started to fall into place. I feel that the categorizations I came up with will make for an interesting image for both casual viewers and hardcore game aficionados. Here’s an early draft of the character groupings I created. The final illustration should make things much more clear.

Select Game Type

2010-03-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

I spent the day going around various businesses to get some price estimates for how much this project is going to cost me. Despite my poker face in front of the clerks, I was kicking myself at each price announcement. Mind you, this is on top of the expenses I already spent on art supplies and research material. As much as I want to maximize the dimensions of the illustration I’m working on (approximately 5 feet long and 4 feet high), it might be better to scale it down to a more modest size (40 inches long and 30 inches high). The picture just needs to be big enough so that viewers can potentially identify any character they see on it.

I was originally going to color the characters with markers. However, after seeing the price tag on the set I would need and considering my intermediate skills with markers, I decided that Photoshop would be a better option. I’ve almost finalized the layout of the illustration on thumbnails. I’m trying to be mindful of similarly colored characters overlapping with each other. Initial sketching should begin tomorrow.

As for framing, I’m going to the Frame Store near my house. They had the best options and time table out of all the places I visited. The Frame Store clerk there certainly knew what she was talking about. I probably kept the conversation going longer than it should, but I was entranced with what she had to say. I’m probably going to come back there several more times just to chat. I’d certainly like to hear her opinion on types of glass. And frame color. And frame design. And anything else I could possibly come up with off the top of my head.

Anyways, with the recent announcement of King of Fighters XIII, I realize there might be additional new SNK characters. If pictures of them don’t surface within the next week, then I won’t include them. I’ll save it for a future version of this project many years from now. I already have 800 other characters to worry about.

Character Select

2010-03-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

So I’ve been doing a lot of research this past week and I managed to “narrow” down the roster of characters I plan to include in the illustration.

The Capcom side will include characters from the Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Rival Schools, Saturday Night Slam Masters, Red Earth, Onimusha, Star Gladiator, Power Stone, Final Fight, Tech Romancer, Cyberbots, and Sengoku Basara franchises. Capcom characters that appeared in games like Marvel vs. Capcom and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom will be included. I won’t be including characters from Capcom games based on existing properties like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple. Those characters, along with ones coming from Marvel and Tatsunoko were clearly not created or commissioned by Capcom. There are some gray areas such as the characters Arika created for the Street Fighter EX series. Theses characters will be included.

The SNK side will include characters from the King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Last Blade, Samurai Shodown, Ninja Master’s, Aggressors of Dark Kombat, Savage Reign, World Heroes, King of the Monsters, 3 Count Bout, Buriki One, Rage of the Dragons, and Fighter’s History franchises. The criteria for characters owned by SNK are even murkier than Capcom’s. This is due to SNK’s rocky financial and licensing history with other companies. Years ago, I wasn’t sure whether to include ADK properties like World Heroes. Since that time, SNK bought ADK’s intellectual properties, solving that problem. UPL created 3 Count Bout but the company is no longer in business. I feel those characters make a nice counterpoint to Capcom’s Saturday Night Slam Masters characters. I’m including Noise Factory’s Rage of the Dragons as a counterpoint to Capcom’s Final Fight characters. I won’t be including the Power Instinct characters since that franchise began and still has strong connections with Atlus.

Over thinking which characters properly belong to which companies was one of the reasons that I originally quit working on this project. I’ve decided to include the characters I feel properly represent both companies. Plus, I’m the one that’s drawing this. I include who I want to include. The important thing is that all selectable characters from each of these games will be represented in the illustration. They will be accompanied by other characters that have important associations with the selectable characters. That roster alone amounts to over 650 characters! I’ll also be including non-fighting game characters from both companies just to add some more flavor and spice to this jam-packed soup. Now I just have to decide what versions of these characters to use.

Insert Credit

2010-03-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

It’s been way too long since I’ve committed to creating some artwork. Now that several of my friends are organizing the PIXELDRIP gallery for the Underground Tournament League, it seems like a good chance to get back into the groove. The piece that I plan on submitting is a project that I’ve had on the backburner for quite some time: an illustration of all the Capcom fighting game characters going against all the SNK fighting game characters.

It’s a straightforward concept that I originally planned on doing during freshman year at UCSB. I was practicing for a Capcom vs. SNK 2 tournament when I started wishing that certain characters from both companies had made the cut into the game. I figured I would create a drawing so that dream matches between characters could take place in some form.

I compiled a list of the characters and started doing some research on their designs and personalities. That’s when the logistical issues started to hit me. There were hundreds of characters and attempting to fit them all in one scene would be a nightmare. How would they be interacting? How would they match up with other characters? How would the picture be composed? More and more schoolwork started to catch up with me and I quickly forgot about the project. That was 2003.

It’s now seven years later and I feel I have it in me to actually complete this project. I’ve gotten better as an artist. I’ve studied more examples of densely packed group shots, specifically those drawn by George Perez. I have a better understanding and appreciation for the characters that would be appearing in the illustration. Of course, dozens of characters have been added to the Capcom and SNK rosters as well.

I’m choosing to document this process over the next month because it’s one of the bigger projects, figuratively and literally, I’ve worked on to this point in time. Also, it should keep me on some type of schedule if I plan to submit by the April 15th deadline. I have about a month to finish this.

This entire week will be dedicated to character studies, sketching and preliminary layouts. The next week will focus on sketching. The week after that will be inking and cleanup. The week after will be coloring. The final week will be submission and framing. I’ll be updating this blog pretty frequently with sketches, snapshots, and even video.

Syllabus: Lesson 1 pg. 4

2009-02-02T00:13:00.000-08:00

I just installed ComicPress on Lead Battle, so you can read the comic that way with a better flow. If you want to access any other parts of the site, just click on the navigation tab at the top of the page and it'll take you to the old layout. I'll resume tweaking it when I have the time but at least it's functioning.

Syllabus: Lesson 1 pg. 3

2009-01-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

Syllabus: Lesson 1 pg. 2

2009-01-12T00:43:00.000-08:00

I think one of the biggest limitations of comics is the lack of sound. The fairy's scream is supposed to sound like that stock scream (not the Wilhelm) you've probably heard a thousand times by now. As much as I hate explaining a gag, I feel this is necessary. Plus, it gives me another excuse to post this video:

Theoretical Internet Dollars

2009-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I helped Ted and Sydney film their as yet unnamed Internet program. I had a blast working on it and hope the two of them keep coming up with more ideas.
part 1:

part 2:

and of course, I can't forget Games and Me. Aside from contributing game reviews and industry commentary, I'm currently working on a short that will document next week's California Regionals fighting game tournament at Denjin Arcade in Simi Valley. Stay tuned for that.

Syllabus: Lesson 1 pg. 1

2009-01-02T02:37:00.000-08:00

There isn't much to say about the comic without spoiling things. I'm just glad that I was able to design the premise of Syllabus in such a way that it will continually force me to experiment with new artistic and narrative techniques. It will be an ongoing story and I'll post new pages at least once a week.

15 More Days

2008-12-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

And there you have the name of my upcoming comic project. Syllabus will be a serial narrative that will keep going until the day that I tire of creating comics. It’s a story that has been building in my head for years and the underlying concept of the narrative will allow it to continue indefinitely. The first post will appear on New Year’s and will be followed up, at minimum, on a weekly basis. Just keep checking back to this blog for the latest installments. I’m currently redesigning Lead Battle into a more comic-focused layout. I’m hoping to make it the one stop place to go as opposed to this blog. You’ll be able to find all my past work with a simple link instead of manually searching through this blog’s archives.

As much as I enjoyed working on Hullabaloo, it was too grounded in reality. I’ll be getting back to Honey, Austin and Tress at some point. The great thing about Hullabaloo is its slice-of-life simplicity. I can continue making new strips alongside Syllabus whenever the need arises.

To the nearly a dozen individuals that I’ve enlisted as my research advisors, I hope that this does not disappoint. I’ve chosen each and every one of you because I value your opinions and trust in your knowledge. Even though I’m heavily backlogged with material to read and watch, it will all be worth it in the long run. Thanks again for the help because I certainly can’t tackle a massive project like Syllabus on my own.

Bringing a Theme to a Meme

2008-12-05T23:50:00.000-08:00

I could've sworn I've done this before, Anna. Since I'm on a creativity kick, I'm deciding on that as my theme. So here, in chronological order, are six things you may or may not know about me:

1 - I wrote a book in the first grade about a lion, a tiger, and a bear. Oh my! It seemed that Ms. Mayer (or was it Meyer?) noticed me drawing animals in class one day and thought it would be a good idea to encourage such creativity by having me develop an entire narrative out of the scribbles. Not having anything better to do (I didn't get a video game console until the second grade), I chose to take her up on that offer. After a couple days, I turned in about 12 pages worth to her. After class the next day, my teacher gave me a surprise present. She had the pages laminated and bound. I still have it somewhere with the rest of my junk. I changed schools after first grade so I never knew whatever happened to my teacher. I remember looking out the car window several years later and seeing an old woman with dark glasses and a white cane being led around by another woman. She had the same hairstyle and clothing as my teacher.

2 - I performed an improvised stage play in third grade about the X-Men. It was talent show day or something and me and several of my friends had no idea what to do. We watched one of the girls play a song she wrote on the piano. After a couple minutes of mindless noise, we looked at each other and almost telepathically knew what we were gonna do. We all got up on the auditorium stage and pronounced our intention to perform a short scene with our favorite comic book characters at the time, the X-Men. It started with us in the cockpit of the blackbird jet talking about our plan to take down Mr. Sinister. It ended with all of us jumping "out of the jet" and off the stage to attack the imaginary supervillain. Keep in mind this is just a bunch of over active third graders in regular clothes with folding chairs as their only props. Jeez, how the hell did we get away with that one? That's magnet school for ya.

3 - I co-wrote a book in fifth grade about Aliens versus Predator. My friend, Aaron, and I chose to do our creative writing assignment on that subject after reading the "Aliens vs Predator" comics. Basing on what little was known at the time on the two species, we came up with a narrative from the Predator's point of view during an Alien hunt. We theorized what the Predators' home planet was like, what their different job classes were and tried to analyze the technology they used. Although Aaron probably did the bulk of the writing, I supplied all the artwork that accompanied the text, which was about one drawing for every four pages of text.

4 - I came up with an idea for a superhero comic in middle school. Drawing (ha!) inspiration from the X-Men, Power Rangers, Ronin Warriors and Gargoyles, I had planned on creating a superhero team comic. I was able to come up with a very thought out back story to the characters powers, even writing down a classification chart attempting to explain them. It never got past the character design stage for whatever reason. I guess it was because I was becoming more interested in girls. Still, it's not too late to dust off these ideas and make something out of them.

5 - I made a film in high school called "Quentin Tarantino's Hamlet." This was one of the funnest projects I ever did. It's what would've happened if the story was set in modern times and Quentin Tarantino had written the dialogue. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as Vincent and Jules. Hamlet cutting Polonius's ear off while dancing to "Stuck in the Middle with You." Ophelia as a cokehead. Hamlet, Laertes and Claudius in a threeway gunfight. So much subtext to go along with the outright ripping off of "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs." "The Lion King" was playing in the background of one scene. Horatio was in love with Hamlet. He was the mastermind behind all of the story's events. Everyone died because he wanted Hamlet to himself.

6 - I made another film in high school called "T.A.'s." This one spoofed Kevin Smith's "Clerks" but changed the characters to high school students. It was my final project and it was the perfect send up of my four years at Birmingham High School. The movie made fun of so many people, even the ones that were going to be in the audience watching. There were over two dozen cast members, half of them replaced just so the movie could be completed on time. Shooting wrapped up weeks before it was due and before any other group had even come close to finishing their film. I left the rest to my partner, Alex. How long could it take to edit? Two days? All of a sudden, it was time to turn in our finals and the only thing we had to show was the final draft of our screenplay. What. The. Hell. Then came graduation day and Alex somehow found it in him to show up with a copy of the movie on tape. We watched it with Ms. Rhew and some other loiterers in her classroom. It was ten minutes of rough footage. What happened to the other 2/3rds of the film?! Luckily, Ms. Rhew knew that the movie was complete. She was a cast member and even saw us film most of the it. I don't think I've ever forgiven Alex for dropping the ball. It's not like I ever saw him again. I think he moved to Chicago after graduating. It's hard to describe how robbed I felt, not just for me, but also for everyone else that participated in the movie. The least I could do was make a comic using the same characters that takes place where the movie ended. I worked on the stand alone story/sequel for six straight days during freshman year at UCSB. I made copies of the comic and the soundtrack used in the film and personally delivered them to as many cast members as I could. Because of that experience, I find it very hard to share my works in progress with other people. I want it to be done before anyone can see it. But I'm slowly trying to get over that way of thinking. I have to trust that people will be able to help me and thereby make my work easier to accomplish.

That went on longer than I expected, but I feel it needed to be said as well. Anyways, I choose to tag Meg, C.K. and Drew.

Fantasy Star Resumes

2008-12-04T00:54:00.000-08:00

Decided to finally finish off Fantasy Star, my 12-part comparison between Final Fantasy XII and Star Wars over on The Bloggles Do Nothing. What was initially supposed to be a 12-day ordeal, is looking like a project that's been a year in the making. At least once it's done, I can move on to other topics on that blog in hopes of further validating its existence in conjunction with this one.

So here's what I've got so far:
Fantasy Star V
Fantasy Star IV
Fantasy Star III
Fantasy Star II
Fantasy Star I

Blast From the Past

2008-12-01T00:11:00.000-08:00

Good lord. I nearly suffocated from the dust after digging up these ancient drawings, not to mention from my laughter after rediscovering my amateurish illustration skills. I can name off dozens of things wrong with the linework, coloring, proportions, etc. These characters were created many, many, many, many, many years ago while I was still in high school. The reason I'm digging them up is because they will be the main characters of my latest comic project. I've had ideas brewing for quite a while and I feel it's time to get started on them. In the coming weeks ahead, I'll post revised designs as it gets closer to the project's planned start date of January 1, 2009.

Fortune Favors the Bold

2008-11-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving break has given me the invaluable time I needed to reassess my current situation. As well as things have been going, it still feels like I’ve merely been coasting. I’m content, but I haven’t really accomplished anything of note.

I need to start over someplace else. I’ve lived in the San Fernando Valley for far too long. I remember that I promised myself in high school that I would move out of there. The Valley is literally and figuratively too sheltered. As much as I like to trash Los Angeles proper for being Hell on Earth (there’s a reason why it’s the setting of numerous noir films), it’s also the hub of activities and jobs. It’s time that I left suburbia and toughed it out in the big city.

As for work, I need to start thinking in the long term. At the moment, I’m just focusing on paying the bills. But I have to start structuring myself towards an actual goal. I’m not quite at the point where I know which career I want, but I do have an idea of the general direction that I need to proceed. I also need to free myself up to work on personal projects relating to comics.

After participating in the 24 Hour Comics challenge several weeks ago, I realized something. The ideas I’ve been sitting on are actually quite ready to be transferred into a tangible product. I had been waiting to get better at drawing and writing but at the rate I’m progressing, it would be years before I got started. I don’t need to be perfect; I just need to get better as time progresses. And the longer I wait, the more likely it is that someone else will accomplish what I’m trying to do before I get a chance to. I'm going to start posting new material up shortly.

As is usually the case with these things, the only thing holding me back is myself. There’s really no reason why things should continue on like this. This coming month and onwards should be pretty interesting as I get my act together. I’m by no means fooling myself into thinking that what I am about to do is easy. It just feels like now is the time to do something, anything. It’s about time I stopped getting by and started doing something great.

When the Hills of Los Angeles Are Burning

2008-10-23T04:32:00.000-07:00

Heading north on the 405 freeway, there’s a really great view of the San Fernando Valley from the Sepulveda Pass. This is in the area past the Getty Center and Mulholland Drive. It looks especially beautiful at night with all the lights slowly being revealed as the dark pass opens up into the Valley. I look forward to this view each time I drive home to the Valley from work in Santa Monica.

The view was different several weeks ago. The Porter Ranch fires were still burning at the time. They were a magnificent but deadly sight to behold on the hilltops at the Valley’s northern edge. There were three distinct entities separated by several dozen miles from each other. They had to have been quite large, considering how clearly I could see the flames from the Sepulveda Pass. Those fires were contained or burned out shortly afterwards because I didn’t see them on the following night. I thought nothing else of the matter because for me, the Valley has this aura of protection around it. Even having experienced the Northridge earthquake in 1994, I feel safe from disaster when I’m there.

Just a couple hours ago, I was once again driving home from work at 2 in the morning. I wasn’t in a hurry since the road was foggy. As I started up the hill towards the Getty Center, I started to notice the smell of smoke. At first, I thought that I was somehow overheating my engine during the climb. As I continued up, little flakes began falling onto my windshield. That’s when I realized the fog on the road ahead wasn’t fog at all. It was smoke. And the flakes on my windshield were ash. I closed the vents and switched to recirculated air since the smoke was starting to become unbearable.

Since it’s still fire season, I reasonably assumed there was a fire nearby. It had to have been small or burnt out because the freeway around me was as dim as ever. Despite that optimistic assessment, I knew there was still something wrong. Every fifteen seconds, a police car would drive by at top speed with its sirens blazing on the opposite side of the freeway. I could see several helicopters buzzing overhead, with their spotlights focusing on various points of interest.

I finished rounding the curve past the Getty Center and saw the source of the smoke and ash. The fire was neither small nor anywhere near being burnt out. It was huge. The entire hillside on my left was burning. Much of the brush was already blackened but the flames continued to persist. The area all around me was lit with an orange and yellow tint. I have never been that close to a still raging fire. I rolled down the window and felt the heat radiating into my car. I quickly rolled the windows back up to keep the smoke from filling the interior. I snapped out of that distraction and noticed that I was drifting over to the next lane. Luckily, no cars were near me. I straightened myself and fought the urge to pull over to the shoulder and watch fire.

The size of the fire and emergency vehicle activity made me pause to think about how far the flames were reaching. I was nearing the view of the Valley and half expected to see fires there as well. I reached the top of the hill and saw the familiar artificial lights and breathed a sigh of relief. The only flames I could see were in my rearview mirrors.

As I continued driving, I could see that all the southbound ramps and exits on the 405 within the vicinity were being closed off with flares and traffic cones. A convoy of fire trucks was heading to the area I had just exited. The drive past the fire took a little over a minute. Unfortunately, I knew it would take the firefighters far, far longer than a minute to get it under control. They have a long night ahead of them. Hopefully, the morning will bring news of minimal casualties and damage.

Update: The morning brought news of zero casualties and structural damage from the 100 acre fire. All thanks to 500 firefighters and 10 water-dropping helicopters.

The 24 Hour Comics Challenge

2008-10-12T23:14:00.000-07:00

In preparation of my participation in next weekend's 24 Hour Comics Challenge, I'm reposting a feature I wrote on my first event several years ago. This story was originally published on April 28, 2004 and refers to the time period from April 24-25:

It’s Sunday morning and I can only think of one thing. It’s cold, so very cold. My hand is shaking and I don’t know how much longer I can go. Just three hours left before time is up.

Over a dozen people participated in 24 Hour Comics Day at Earth-2 Comics in the San Fernando Valley. Participants had various artistic backgrounds: Christian Gossett, the creator of The Red Star, and Tone Rodriguez, creator of Violent Messiahs, participated, as did storyboard artists Benton Jew, Anson Jew and Todd Harris. Rad Sechrist, contributor of Flight Anthology Volume One and Daily Nexus art director, along with UCSB art studio student Mike Nicolayeff and I, attended as well. The monotony of the event was broken by the sporadic flow of spectators and surprises including unexpected guest appearances – including the event founder and a drunk – as well as the singing of TV songs.

The San Fernando Valley group was sponsored by Jud Meyers and Carr D’Angelo in their store, Earth-2 Comics, which provided a comfortable workspace given the amount of people participating and watching.

The event was created by Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics, who completed the first 24-hour comic in 1990, and participation has snowballed since then. April 24 marked the first time the challenge had been organized en masse with 26 locations in the United States and 52 countries worldwide. About 500 people signed up at event locations and several other people participated individually.

The object of the event is to create a 24-page comic in 24 consecutive hours. It is designed to be a challenge, not a competition, and no prizes are given to the participants. Creating an entire comic within the short time span is a testament to the creativity and determination of the artist. Few people can complete a 24-hour comic, and it isn’t a race, but rather a way to see what level of quality an artist can cram into a limited space within an equally limited period of time.

Regular comics usually take about a month to complete, and that’s with a team of artists working together. The plot, pencils, inks, and all other elements of the comic must be done by the end of the 24-hour period. If the comic isn’t done, the artist can either continue to work on it that day until it’s finished – which Kevin Eastman set the precedent for in the early years of the event – or he or she can leave it as is – as Neil Gaiman was the first to do. All participants are encouraged to send their comics to Scott to possibly have it posted on his website or even be included in a future compilation of works created at the event.

And in the Beginning …

We started at noon and worked continuously for the next two hours. Everyone had a different strategy for completing their pages.

I laid out my entire story in blue pencil, then added ink, and finally I added dialogue. Sechrist penciled and inked one page at a time. The Jew brothers planned to finish theirs quickly so they could scan the pages into their laptop and modify them from there, while Gossett abandoned his customarily polished art style for stick figures and musical numbers.

We all claimed our respective comics were awful, only to get “oohs” and “aahs” from everybody else.

Surprise at 7

Around 7 p.m., we got a great surprise when Scott McCloud, the creator of the challenge, dropped by the store with a gift of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. He and his family were trying to drive to as many event locations as possible.

I got a quick autograph and some moral support from Scott McCloud, and had a quick conversation with his wife, Ivy McCloud. She said her husband was looking forward to the upcoming release of Flight Anthology, which includes work by Sechrist and former Nexus art director Kazu Kibuishi.

The McCloud kids, Sky and Winter – 11 and 9 years old, respectively – were making a film documentary about all the comic locations they visited. It was humorous to see the two small children juxtaposed with the imposing figure of Rodriguez, known for his grim and gritty work on Violent Messiahs, as they asked him about his progress on his comic. Equally humorous was Rodriguez commenting on how adorable the kids were.

Sky McCloud completed her first 24-hour comic when she was 9 years old and did another a year later. She’s already way ahead of me when it comes to comics; good thing I got her autograph.

Later in the evening, I headed to the back room to feed on the various snacks and leftover Chinese food from lunch. I opened the door slowly so as not to hit anyone in the tiny room. I was startled to find someone standing in the shadows under the staircase. This was a common experience.

“Oh, sorry to bother you, bro, but I was wondering if there were anymore doughnuts left?” I said to my mysterious new friend. “Wait, sorry I didn’t recognize you before. How’s it going, Spider-Man? You’ve been standing there all day.”

The shadowy figure turns out to be the store’s life-size Spider-Man statue the storeowners relocated to the back room to make space for the artists working next to the window. When you’re deprived of sleep and a full meal, you start to do irrational things like talk to a Spider-Man statue. It isn’t just me talking to Spider-Man either; by the end of the event everyone has an encounter with our friendly neighborhood wall-crawler.

At the Halfway Point

A little past the halfway point, Sechrist finished inking his twelfth page and, unfortunately, decided to stop at that point – a pretty impressive feat in itself. He said he had personal matters to take care of in the morning, so he chose to fade quietly into the night. What he didn’t realize was how much in awe the rest of us were of his work.

When I asked Sechrist about how he faired he was, like the rest of us, overly modest.

“They were awful, and there was no way I would have lasted [24 hours],” Sechrist said about his comic.

Rodriguez, Gossett, Meyers and D’Angelo said it was a shame Sechrist wouldn’t go the full allotted time.

It was a couple hours past midnight and everyone was diligently working on their pages. The remaining spectators read comics quietly on the other side of the store when a loud bang rattled the front window and everyone turned their heads to find out what just happened. Rodriguez removed one of the finished pages he taped to the window and found a man staring directly at him.

“Don’t be afraid! There’s nothing to fear,” a bald man with tattoos on his head yelled.

Losing interest, the drunk stumbled off to wander the rest of Ventura Boulevard.

As surprising as some of these interruptions were, they sure helped to fight off the drowsiness many of us were feeling. That’s why none of us complained when some of Gossett’s friends came by to shout up a storm in support of their comrade. In the silence, while switching music CDs, someone mentioned watching the 1980s television show “The Greatest American Hero,” and we all spontaneously began singing the lyrics: “Believe it or not, / I’m walking on air / I never thought I could feel so free. / Flying away on a wing and a prayer / Who could it be? / Believe it or not it’s just me.”

The Home Stretch

The last stretch on Sunday morning is the most brutal part of the event. By then I was on autopilot, inking over my pencils. When I regained consciousness, twenty minutes had passed and two pages were done. And I realized how much harder I made the task by saving the dialogue for the end; I’m having problems coming up with coherent quotes that match the actions and expressions already drawn on the page. I make a mental note not to do this next time.

In the end, I accomplished my goal of creating an entire 24-page comic. It’s not my sharpest looking work, but it’s a complete story. Most of the others finished as well.

Sechrist seemed to have been the real winner out of this entire experience.

“I was wondering if I could ever draw comics as a pro and that experience helped me realize I have some chance in the industry,” Sechrist said.

That could easily be a possibility, given all the excitement everyone in the store had for Sechrist’s work, plus the added anticipation for the release of Flight Anthology Volume One. Despite not staying for 24 hours, he was able to amaze two seasoned artists and receive praise from Scott McCloud.

For more information on the 24-hour comic event, go to 24hourcomics.com.

Apprehensions of a Graphic Designer

2008-08-31T11:55:00.000-07:00

Before I got into doing graphic design I tried asking around what it was like. After all, graphic design is a blanket term that could apply to any number of tasks involving visuals. Despite the ambiguity, a lot of the answers I got included "repetitive" and "thankless" in their descriptions. Now that I've been doing it for about a year in various forms, I can see what those people were talking about.

Repetition comes from having to modify the same project over and over again. Sometimes it's because of the disconnect between what a supervisor has in mind and what the artist ends up making. Sometimes it's simply to be able to choose from multiple versions of a design.

The thankless part comes from supervisors not fully understanding the process of creating the visuals. Some are unaware of a task's difficulty level. Others know about the difficulty and just want something despite how long it would realistically take to accomplish.

Another neccessity is to be working towards a clear objective. In graphic design it's important because of the repetive tasks of re-editing past and present projects. What's the point of reworking a composition if you don't even know what it's supposed to be accomplishing?

Now that I think about it, much of what I just mentioned could be applied to many other jobs. What's really worrying me is that I'm becoming more focused on very specific aspects such as measuring units, angles and fonts... and liking it. There's nothing wrong with taking pleasure in these things, in fact I know some people that do *cough* Dianne *cough*. I just feel this is somehow affecting my creativity. If I were to use an analogy, I'd say I'm used to being a Photoshop person and now I'm increasingly becoming an Illustrator/InDesign person. The point being is that I don't want to end up like this:

I guess what's preventing that from happening is the source material I get to play around with. If you want a mere taste, just check out these sites here, here, here, here and here. Seriously, I can just stare at some of the artwork I have in front of me and get inspired to create something new and original. The competive nature that's been driving me all my life gets a boost of motivation. Unfortunately, working two jobs limits the amount of time I have for creative endeavors. That's probably why I'm getting my creative kicks from character creation modes in video games, like I mentioned in a previous post. Going back to my Adobe analogy, there's no reason why Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign should be mutually exclusive. Just look at how the Adobe Creative Suite series has improved compatibility between those programs. Where I work, I have access to use every single Adobe program. The possibilities are endless and completely up to me. There are worse things I could be complaining about.

Youraagh!

2008-08-19T00:22:00.000-07:00

That scream is hands down the funniest sound I have ever come across. When I first heard it, it didn't register much. It was just some guy screaming. Then I started to hear it more and more, each time in more ridiculous contexts. Now whenever I hear the scream, I can't help but break out in a hysterical giggle fit. It has to be the real deal though. Unless you can mimic the scream to perfection, don't think you now have the power to make me laugh on a whim.

Anyways, while the Wilhelm Scream is probably more well known, considering it has an actual name and backstory, this stock scream blows it away with its range of usage. The scream's aural qualities are what make it so special. The way that it's screamed by the original individual is so over the top, that it becomes immediately recognizable whenever it is heard. It's context also isn't limited to one of fearful pain, like the Wilhelm. This scream can be used for surprise, rage and/or anguish. It barely even sounds like a human scream. For the longest time, I described the scream by comparing it to the sound a TIE Fighter makes when it flies. The exact origin of this scream is still pretty murky and one of the reasons why it is so difficult to find information, let alone describe. Going through the comments on Youtube, I've learned that the scream is supposedly found in the Hollywood Edge sound library as "Hollywood Edge - PE 13 - Human Sounds 1 - 44 - Man Screams #3- Gut-Wrenching With Fall." Someone also wrote that it's earliest appearance was in a 1950's zombie movie, yelled by soldier as he was being eaten. I honestly don't care. The mysterious origin is part of the scream's appeal for me.

Here are some other examples:

I leave you now with a new game you can try the next time you go driving. Whenever you see a car switch two or more lanes in rapid succession or switch lanes at the very last second (as in capable of causing an accident), you scream "youraagh" to the best of your abilities. It works wonders in preventing road rage, especially down here with all the psycho drivers in Los Angeles.

The Joy of Character Creation Modes in Gaming

2008-08-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

Whenever I see a truly robust character creation mode in a game, I usually end up fiddling around with it more than the actual game itself. The best one I've used to date is in WWE's Smackdown vs. Raw series. There are plenty of ways to manipulate clothing, physical attributes and most importantly, the characters' movesets/animations. There's certain puzzle element to these modes as well because they never have the exact parts you need. You have to get a little creative with the existing ones at your disposal. As much as I like coming up with original creations when writing or drawing, I'd rather try to recreate existing characters/people in these game modes. I think it comes back to the puzzle element because I know they have to look a certain way. There's an actual objective and criteria to match against. The best part comes from watching the created characters exist in the game engine. If they transition seamlessly into it, then I know I've succeeded. Not only does a character have to look like whatever it's supposed to be, but it should also possess the same behaviors.

The latest one I've been using can be found in Soul Calibur IV. It's relatively new, so not that many instructions have been made online. There's still a sense of discovery when creating characters. The pictures below are ones I made using Soul Calibur IV's Create-a-Soul mode. I'm proud to say I made them without looking at any existing instructions online, only reference pictures from the source material:

Xena vs. Gabrielle

Mugen vs. Jin

Kim Wu vs. Zealot

Tusk vs. Maya

Jago vs. Fulgore

Orchid vs. Combo

Riptor vs. Sabrewulf

Thunder vs. Spinal

Glacius vs. Cinder

Ryo vs. Lady Kayura

Rowen vs. Anubis

Sage vs. Cale

Kento vs. Dais

Cye vs. Cale

Traffic Lights

2008-07-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

There's an intersection near my house with traffic cameras that capture images of vehicles running past the yellow light. As I approached the intersection this morning, the crossing signal turned into a solid red hand. I decided to play it safe by not trying to beat the yellow light. Once I stopped behind the crosswalk line, the black SUV on the opposite side of the street began to make a left turn. My gaze continued to follow its turning radius when I noticed a turquoise SUV from the lane to my right attempt to cross the intersection to beat the yellow. It didn't even occur to me that the two vehicles would collide. There was no sound of screeching brakes or of a revving engine. The light turned red and the turquoise SUV simply slammed into the passenger side of the turning vehicle. The impact caused the black SUV to roll over onto the driver side. The turquoise SUV had smoke heavily pouring out of its windows. I looked at the other vehicles around the intersection and none of them were moving. One of them happened to be a police cruiser a mere ten feet from the crash. The two officers got out of their vehicle and walked towards the crash. Finally a vehicle began moving. It was the turquoise SUV slowly pulling over to the nearest curb. I noticed another moving vehicle. It was an ambulance that also happened to be near the scene. It parked at the same curb as the turquoise SUV. After what seemed like an eternity, the traffic light I was facing changed back to green. I blinked and hoped to myself that everyone involved would be fine before I continued driving to work.

Speed Racer Alongside the Subway

2008-05-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

So I found one of the coolest marketing ploys I've seen in a while during one of my Metro Red Line trips back from work. I usually kill time aboard the Los Angeles subway train by looking aimlessly out the window. I was doing just that the other day when all of a sudden the image of the Emile Hirsch as the Wachowski's Speed Racer popped up on the glass. I jerked back in surprise but I didn't dare look away. I knew WHAT I was looking at but not HOW it was occurring. Then I realized the image was actually moving. Like a motion picture. Then I realized the image wasn't being holographically projected onto the window but was instead a series of images, most likely LCD screens, attached to the concrete tunnel wall. I looked at the other windows on my side and noticed the same thing. What was happening was the illusion of movement much like the way a zoetrope works. A rapid succession of images moves in a horizontal direction while the viewer looks through a viewing hole, in this case the window, and only sees one image at a time.

Now here's a math problem for you: The Speed Racer advertisement is located between the Universal City and Hollywood/Highland stops and lasts for about 10 seconds. That distance takes about three to four minutes to cover by the train while it's traveling at about 60 to 70 miles per hour. Each screen is about two feet wide and attached next to another screen. The illusion of movement occurs with viewing 24 frames per second. How many screens are attached to the wall and how long do they collectively span in the tunnel? Most importanly, how much would this marketing trick cost?

Here's another modern example of a zoetrope:

Lead is a Battlefield

2008-04-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

So my website, Lead Battle, has gone up today. Check it out. It isn't much at the moment but it should start to shape into something cool over the next month as I continue working on it. Due to the relatively slower rate that I will be updating Lead Battle, this blog will continue to be where I post my latest illustrations and comics.

April Already?

2008-04-04T23:19:00.000-07:00

So first thing's first. I've been defeated in the webcomic contest between myself and Megan. I called her up last Saturday and conceded because I knew I wouldn't be able to finish on time. I probably could have put another placeholder comic up, but it felt sort of cheap last week when I did it to prolong the competition. As for the final installment of the Hullabaloo story arc, it should be posted in the coming week once I get some more free time.

Now one of the reasons why I've been so busy lately is because I've been working on my personal website that I plan on launching on Sunday. Once that's over and done with, I'll be able to focus on drawing again. I only ask that you overlook the incredibly primitive nature of the site. I'm more concerned with having it up and running than aesthetics. Plus, I'm still learning CSS so hopefully it'll be upgraded to more efficient coding over the next month. I'll give the link on Sunday when it's ready.

Mark Draws Line Between Drew Doodles

2008-03-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

In a recent post, Drew uploaded some of his doodles. He remarked that his rendition of a cat was a subconscious remembering of Alexandre from Home Movies. Coincidentally, I'm currently poring over archives of my past work for the Daily Nexus in order to find material worthy of uploading on my website that's currently under construction. That's how I noticed a little comic called "Mr. Pants" that Drew did draw many years ago and its resemblance to the recent doodle he done did days ago. Notice the similarities with the curled tail, the circular patch of belly fur, the triangular nose and the mustache-like snout. I think he was subconsciously remembering Mr. Pants rather than Alexandre.

Survival of the Fittest

2008-03-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

I probably could have gotten this week's Hullabaloo comic finished, but I'd rather not rush it. I've had ideas for various miscellaneous comics that had to remain on the back burner. Fortunately, I needed something I could bust out for filler while I finish off the current Hullabaloo story arc.

In other news, this is my hundredth blog post. It's almost a fitting milestone, considering how I've recently been busy prepping for some big changes in all aspects of my life. I finally got some relative stability over the past couple of months, but I feel it's time to once again start exploring other possibilities. I'm content at the moment, but not exactly where I want to be for the rest of my life. It's almost a shame realizing how long I've been adjusting to life after college. At least now I've found my direction and drive.

Hullabaloo: Grey's Filmography

2008-03-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

So researching for this current story arc has caused me to watch more episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" than I'd be satisfied with for an entire lifetime. At first, I thought I disliked the show because of its overly soapy nature or its swiping of "Scrubs." Now I'm beginning to realize it has to do with the writing, and specifically with the dialogue. At times it seems to be trying too hard to be witty by coining new phrases and in-jokes. Add to that the nonchalant delivery of the dialogue by the cast, and it starts to get really annoying. It's not something unique to "Grey's" either. I've felt the same way about portions of "Clerks 2," "Juno" and the later seasons of "Buffy" and "Angel." I feel if "Grey's" scaled it back a bit, I might actually start enjoying the show.

Updating on Saturdays feels too close to the wire in regards to the contest I'm having with Megan. Plus, someone recommended I handwrite the text and draw the bubbles around them so that it would mesh better with the art. If I can get the strip done earlier, then I should be able to try those changes. We'll see if I can get things together for this upcoming week.

Also, I just started work on a personal website. Hopefully it will be ready for launch in April.

Hullabaloo: [Screens]

2008-03-08T16:31:00.001-08:00

So here's the second part of the current Hullabaloo story arc. If you're too lazy to scroll down to the post immediately before this one, the girls are currently fighting over what to watch on television. Tress and Austin are debating between which show is better: "Screens" or "Grey's Filmography." Those shows are simply what "Scrubs" and "Grey's Anatomy" would be like if set within a movie theater rather than a hospital. Hopefully, I captured the spirit of the two shows and the looks of their characters/actors. I didn't want to do a giant "click" onomatopoeia to show the change in channels since it would waste too much space. I think the jagged panel borders have the right amount of subtlety to them. If this strip showed what "Screens" is like, then I'm sure you can predict what next week's comic will be about.

Hullabaloo: Strike is Over

2008-03-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

So it's been more than six months since I've drawn a Hullabaloo comic strip. Once again drawing these characters feels like meeting up with some old friends. I've done some subtle design changes to Honey, Austin and Tress a.k.a. the HAuT trio. Honey's hair is highlighted since it gives it more dimension as opposed to being completely filled with black in the past strips. I think I've come up with a nice balance for Austin's hair. It had gotten overly simplified over the years and I've been meaning to bring it back to the wildly curly nature of her earlier appearances. She has to live up to her "noodle noggin" nickname after all. I was tempted to highlight Tress's hair but the dominance of black matches her personality and implies that it isn't her natural hair color. As Ryan pointed out to me earlier, the remote control seems to function as a fetish for the lack of a phallus. There probably is some truth to that in my subconscious. Then again, there are plenty of objects that are simply shaped like dicks. The best kinds if you're to believe Seth from "Superbad."

In case you weren't aware, I'm currently participating in a little competition with Ms. Megan Horejsi. She's a friend and a former co-worker of mine. A subordinate if you'd like to be more specific. The two of us have agreed to post a minimum of one comic on our respective sites on a weekly basis, although that may change to a more rigorous schedule in the future. The winner is the individual that can keep up with the posting the longest. More info and updates can be found on There Will Be Ink.

In other Hullabaloo news, I'll be reposting all the old strips at some point since my UCSB U-Web account finally expired. Still not sure if I'll do it on this blog or just shell out some money for a new website. Hopefully it will be the latter since there's four years' worth of material to go through. I might even "remaster" the content for clarity and color.

Back To Basics

2008-01-13T21:26:00.001-08:00

It's been months since I've done any sequential storytelling so I kept things simple, at least in regards to composition and panel layout. Everything else was a bit more complicated. I had to always be aware of perspective, reflection, body language, texture and numerous details on clothing. I started to get lazy towards the end with the water effects. I wanted to get this done today because I could've had it done earlier in the week if not for many, many unexpected delays.

Brand New Year

2008-01-01T22:39:00.000-08:00

So one of my New Year's resolutions is to draw more. One of my excuses from drawing used to be that I had no idea what to draw. Well, that's a pretty weak excuse considering all the interesting experiences I encounter in my life. I'll at least try for a modest goal of one drawing per week.

I chose to illustrate this moment from last night at the Hollywood Knitting Factory because it allows me a chance to draw feet. If I had to make a ranking of the hardest things to draw, feet would be high on the list along with bikes, reflecting surfaces and freehand circles. The only way to get better is to force myself to draw challenging objects. I don't want to be a hack and find ways around these difficulties.

Fantasy Star Begins

2007-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

For the Twelve Days of Christmas, I give to you my 12-part analysis of Final Fantasy XII’s similarity to the Star Wars franchise. There will be a post everyday on The Bloggles Do Nothing from December 25-January 5. It took me a while to compile, so I hope you enjoy it.

New Stuff Coming Soon...

2007-12-09T00:52:00.000-08:00

Assessing Creed

2007-11-24T15:39:00.000-08:00

The Bloggles Do Nothing is still alive. Check out my thoughts on the whole Jade Raymond comic fiasco.

A Weekend of Covers, Tributes and Family Values

2007-09-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, my brother convinced me to go outside of the oven that is our house. He wanted to go watch a Guns N' Roses tribute band at a nearby club called Paladino's. He was the one that got me hooked on the band at the young age of eight so of course I went with him.

On the way there, he asks if I'm doing anything Sunday night. It was a long weekend, which meant I'd be trying to catch up on sleep. Half knowing the answer, he hands me a pair of tickets for the 2007 Family Values Tour. It was for the last stop at the Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine. Life IS peachy. I haven't followed Korn since I was teenager but I sure as hell wasn't going to turn down a chance to see them live.

When we arrived at Paladino's, I found out the place specialized at hosting tribute bands. They also showcase local talent and at times get surprise visits from bands like the Foo Fighters. The first group we saw onstage had a forgettable performance set except for their gimmick of two girls doing a pole dance routine. One of the girls in particular grabbed my attention. It had less to do with her stripping and shaking than the fact that she looked exactly like one of old co-workers from the Daily Nexus. I probably enjoyed it more than I should have.

Next up was Chinese Democracy, the GnR tribute band. I haven't seen many tribute bands live and a glimpse at the burly lead singer made me question how good their performance would be. My doubts went away the moment I heard the opening of "Welcome to the Jungle." What tribute bands lack in originality, they more than make up for with passion and commitment to the source material. Each band member easily matched the songs note for note. I loved how most of the set was from "Appetite for Destruction." It brought a lot of memories back. We didn't stay to watch the Kiss tribute band, but from their costumes I imagine they were pretty faithful to the songs as well.

So flash forward to Sunday night. We arrived at the Verizon Amphitheater at around sunset. We didn't get a chance to see Atreyu or Flyleaf but we were just in time for Evanescence. Aside from their singles, I'm not too into Evanescence. But watching Amy Lee head bang onstage made me realize that she's one of the few high profile female personalities left in the rock world. I can't even remember the last time bands like No Doubt, Garbage, Hole or the Distillers were still on the scene. Anyways, Amy did a rendition of "People are Strange" with piano, continuing the streak of cover performances I experienced that weekend.

Next up, was Korn. We were up in the lawn section of the amphitheater but that didn't diminish the enthusiasm of crowd. Bonfires erupted at four different locations on the lawn. Security initially kept trying to put them out but they would go up again the moment they left. The staff either ran out of fire retardant foam or realized no one was in any real danger and gave up on the fires. One fire got particularly large that Jonathan Davis noticed and asked, "who's roasting marshmallows over there?"

The band looked great. Jonathan seemed a bit slimmer in his kilt, Fieldy had his braids going and Munky looked like Jack Sparrow with his dreadlocks and eye makeup. David was still on hiatus and Head obviously wasn't there. Jonathan told the crowd that the night's set would be dedicated to all the OG Korn fans. Most of the songs were from their first three albums. Like all the other bands I saw that weekend, Korn did a cover as well. Their's was "Another Brick in the Wall." They closed with "Blind" and it worked out nicely since the song ended as the Moon was rising over the mountain range behind the stage. Great finish to a consistently high energy set. The only complaint I had, along with many in the crowd, was that they didn't perform "Got the Life." It wasn't a big deal since it's one of their overplayed songs. I could always watch it on Youtube. Just being out to see live bands made it an awesome long weekend. Now if I can only get tickets to KROQ's L.A. Invasion.

Solid Snape

2007-07-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

In honor of the Harry Potter series wrapping up, here are a couple of my Snape shirt designs.

New Comics Starting This Week

2007-07-02T19:18:00.001-07:00

Just had a dose of inspiration. Check back after the fourth.

Simpsons Style Self Portrait

2007-06-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

Fiddling around a bit with the Simpsons character creator. Give it a shot and see what other characters you can make.

Side Project

2007-06-28T23:44:00.000-07:00

Although I'm no longer getting paid to write an opinion column, I feel it's still necessary that I don't give up the practice. I point you towards The Bloggles Do Nothing! This blog will remain as a type of online portfolio while the Bloggles will be geared towards reporting and opining on geek-related news. I also plan on expanding Bloggles to other contributors willing to add their own commentary on such subject matter.

Titan Sting Fast Trailer

2007-06-27T20:59:00.001-07:00

Here's a trailer for "The Titan Sting." To date it's still one of the best projects I've had the opportunity of working on. Hopefully, the DVDs will be finished soon. It's a film that begs for repeated viewing.

Between Meme and You

2007-06-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

I figure this little meme should suffice while I'm in a drought of new material to post. Plus, it's a chance to share a bit about myself.

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here are my random eight:

1. I always pop down all the buttons on the surface of fountain drink covers.
2. When I was a kid, one of my cousins pushed me off a coffee table and I dislocated my right arm. It didn't get set properly so the range of motion is ever so slightly different than my left arm.
3. Seeing all the earthworms on the ground after it rains creeps me out.
4. My seventh grade photo day was the same day my dog gave birth to six puppies.
5. I still don't own a portable digital music player.
6. I understand tagalog but don't really speak it anymore, so I imagine that a person observing me talk to one my relatives is reminded of the way Han and Chewbacca communicate with each other.
7. I sleep in the same clothes I wear throughout the day.
8. I can make burping noises just by moving my tongue.

I guess I'll bring Simon, J, Molly, and Adriana into this.

Daily Nexus Staff Portraits

2007-06-07T23:18:00.001-07:00

It's been a tradition at the Daily Nexus for one of the artists to draw the staff. With so many people working at the Nexus at any given time, the list is usually whittled down to the two dozen or so editors found in the staff box. Even with the relatively smaller amount of people to draw, it's still pretty tough to compose a drawing like that. Then it's time to pick a theme. This year's is Kingdom Hearts while last year's was X-Men. Then a little research has to be done in order to come up with cartoon versions of the staff. Add in the time and effort it takes to draw, ink, scan, and touch up the piece, and you've got yourself a good week's worth of work at minimum. As draining as the entire process can be, the reactions are always worth it. Especially after seeing the drawing end up on shirt that the staff and I can wear.

Final Daily Nexus Art

2007-06-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

After four years, it's finally time that I take leave of the Daily Nexus. As much as I want to move on to other prospects, I can't ignore the amount of time I've put into that job. It'll probably take a couple weeks before I get used to drawing under different conditions. I'm just glad that I'll be leaving the art desk in good hands.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Campus World Filled with Prospects

2007-06-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

I signed up to be a columnist this year on a whim. My primary job has always been to illustrate the opinion articles, but I figured I would give writing them shot. With columnist topics about politics, pop culture, fashion, technology, California, marijuana, sex, parties and whatever it is Zach Phillips writes each week, I figured there wasn’t much left for me to cover.

That’s why I was all the more surprised at finding a niche by writing about my perspective on the campus. Looking back at the year I can honestly say I’m pleased with how things have gone with my column. I’ve written about phony activists, over-reactionary “town hall” meetings, exploits in the academic grading system and the inept student government. But I’ve also written on serious issues like crashing campus events, the annual power outages and gaming tournaments that finally get those shut in gamers out of their rooms.

So what exactly have I taken from my experiences? First of all, it’s easy to become jaded about our surroundings. Let me go back to student activists. It isn’t so much the causes they represent or their effectiveness in “raising awareness,” it’s that there are just so many things that we as students need to -or more appropriately should - care about. If it isn’t a hunger strike, it’s a rally from Cheadle Hall to Storke Plaza, or a sit-in at the Pardall tunnel, or a festival in Isla Vista or some dumbass recruiter that steps in the path of a moving skateboard in order to hand out a flyer. I’ve met my fair share of confrontational protesters and spineless schemers. Both are equally irritating in their attempts to convince you that their views are correct and disagreeing makes you a horrible person. This saturation of causes and annoying activists contributes to student apathy. I’ve personally stopped caring because I’ve come across enough activists that complain how the Nexus doesn’t properly acknowledge their “accomplishments.” It’s gotten to a point where I can no longer get any more jaded and instead laugh at these futile attempts to change the world. You know how I can tell your hunger strike isn’t working? The Weatherhuman makes fun of your weight and I can see the validity of that insult.

When it all comes down to it, everybody wants to make a change and be remembered for something. We need to have our existence validated by somehow making a difference. But there lies another problem. What many of us do during our time here won’t have that much of an effect on anyone else. Even if it does, in five years, neither you nor your actions will be remembered. It doesn’t matter if you’re a misguided freshman or a 28-year-old transfer student.

The next thing I learned is that there are just so many things happening in the Santa Barbara area at any given moment. If one were to take into account all the Nexus news reports, opinion articles, sports stories and Artsweek reviews, they still only manage to cover a portion of events that occur every day. Just take a look at the campus calendar at the university’s website and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

It’s this particular lesson that I hope all of you took away from my column. As much as I ragged on about particular topics over the year, UCSB has time and again proven to be one of the most exciting places I have ever lived. Pirate, Professor Brannigan, Kip Fulbeck Smitty and Hookah Mike are just a small sampling of the interesting personalities you’ll find around here. I’ve attended and participated in events like Anacruzapalooza, Reel Loud, the GŸnther concert, Fifty Club and Nexus/A.S. Beerlympics. The best part is that some of the most interesting people and events I’ve come across have happened seemingly at random. The point being that you’d be hard pressed to ever find yourself bored on the couch.

How much time do you dedicate to class, work, activism, sports and leisure? It’s ultimately up to you to make that choice. Just make sure you don’t have any regrets when it’s time to finally leave for the real world. It comes at you faster than you think - and I’ve been here for five years.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla highly recommends the five-year plan for everyone.

And here's the art from my successor, Simon Estrada:

Easy Rider: Students Vie with Viral Videos

2007-06-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

Given the chance and $1,200, would you be able to come up with a two to five minute long viral video that promotes the Harley-Davidson brand and lifestyle to our generation? That’s the challenge that awaited students this quarter when the Film & Media Studies Dept. partnered with Harley-Davidson for the FLMST 118 workshop in viral video-making.

Ten videos were made and each short offers something different for the viewer. “The New Breed” goes for a hip, contemporary espionage feel a la “Alias.” “Kid’s Play” presents endearing puppy love at the playground. “Expedition Harley: Tracking the Beast” deals with a safari hunt for the elusive Harley beast. “Harleys in tha Hood” is mini-documentary on urban hog riders from Los Angeles. However, the most viral among the group are “Invisible Harleys: A Mario Kart Parody,” “Biker Babes” and “Ode to the Money Shot.” These three videos stick out and beg for repeated viewing. Michael Figge and Jess Riegel’s “Invisible Harleys” uses some creative animation techniques in order to replicate the absurd nature of the classic Super Nintendo game. Laura Jean Bransky’s “Biker Babes” defies any means of conventional explanation with its bikini-clad babes, dancing robots and leapfrogging snorkelers. Jordan Harris and Matt Freund’s “Ode” pulls off a one-man show suggestive of recent Eddie Murphy films.

Go to the film & media studies website and vote for your favorite. With your help, one of these films will have a chance of winning $5,000 from Harley-Davidson and possible development as online content for the company.

The Mark Side of UCSB: The Reel Loud Fest Requires Real Work

2007-05-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

As much as I’ve been raving how great the movie season has been this year, sometimes it’s nice to take a break from the epic sensory overloads many of us have been experiencing at the theaters. UCSB’s 16th Annual Reel Loud Film Festival offers just that breath of fresh air, while at the same time honoring Santa Barbara’s rich film history during the Silent Era. Reel Loud films are shot silently on 16mm and come with an accompanying live act. Yet after four years, being a mere spectator to this unique event wasn’t enough for me.

Still fresh from last quarter’s completion of “The Titan Sting” for Film Studies 106, I felt like branching out and tackling an animated short of my own for Reel Loud. The guidelines were straightforward. No sound, no need to use a technologically complicated camera and no going over the six minute and 30 second time limit. It sounded easy enough, at least to the uninitiated, like myself.

Working on a Reel Loud film felt like a complete U-turn from any of the other productions I’ve been involved with. It wasn’t necessarily the difficulty but rather the alien nature of not knowing what I was doing. Tackling a Reel Loud takes a tremendous amount of initiative and guts. Unlike other film production classes I’ve been in, there was no professor hassling me to get my work done on time. Going the animation route meant I didn’t have to deal as much with casting or camera technique. Instead, it resulted in more work for me since I had to draw most of it.

I often questioned my sanity for even attempting to create a short, let alone with minimal crew. Luckily, I had help from a reliable group of people. My thanks go out to J, Simon, Evan and Dianne. Without them, the stress of production certainly would’ve gotten to me. For two straight weeks, it seemed like my life was nothing but a string of all-nighters. I could almost feel my body shutting down as my eyes strained, my nose bled, my voice gave out and my hand cramped.

Then came the time when I actually had to shoot the film and the realization that I had no idea what I was doing. It was the first time for many things. Up to that point, I didn’t know a single thing about picking out, shooting, processing and editing film. Each step was a nerve-wracking moment of not knowing the end result. It certainly didn’t help that I was alone for most of it, either in the vacuous, after-hours Nexus office or the cramped loft in Buchanan Hall.

On the day of the deadline, I submitted my film for consideration. Over two dozen were submitted, but only about half would be chosen for Reel Loud. The next day, I got the unfortunate news that my film didn’t make the cut. So ended my first attempt at Reel Loud.

Despite the bad news, it hasn’t done anything to deter me from creating more shorts. The experience of working on a Reel Loud has taught me to persevere through production, no matter how unsure or agonizing it is, and to learn from my mistakes. I’ve got even more respect for the films that were able to make it into the festival after experiencing firsthand the journey it takes to get there. For those films that didn’t make it into the festival, there are plans for all of them to be exhibited at a future date by the Film and Videomaker’s Co-op.

I would suggest visiting the Reel Loud website for more information on the event, but most computers I’ve tried to access it on have slowed down to the point of uselessness. The people that designed that gorgeous website need to consider function over flash for next year. Instead, I recommend checking out the Facebook group. Each year’s Reel Loud looks to be better than the year before, so make sure you don’t miss out on this great UCSB tradition.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla has a reel problem.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Skaters Deserve Rights on Campus

2007-05-23T00:36:00.000-07:00

There will be town hall meetings next week on Wednesday and Thursday in the UCen’s Harbor Room to discuss a possible skateboarding ban on campus. So what possible crimes against humanity have occurred to influence the Associated Students Commission on Public Safety to even consider banning skateboards on campus?

One of the main complaints against skateboarders on campus is the danger they pose to others on UCSB’s busy walkways. That’s understandable for anyone who has witnessed a collision between a skater and a pedestrian. These accidents do tend to occur more often when more people are around. Despite how forceful these impacts appear, they typically don’t get any worse than scrapes or bruises. They certainly don’t compare to the twisted metal crashes that occur on the bike paths.

The person in any real danger is the skateboarder. Skaters are the ones in an unnatural position several inches off the ground. Any disruption to that equilibrium means trouble for the skater. Even skaters who are not performing dangerous tricks are at risk of getting injured. I was skating around the corner of the Arbor when I saw a fellow skater heading right for me. I immediately stopped and so did she. The two of us had zero momentum for a good second or so. Then she fell over backwards off her board. She should probably stick to walking.

The current regulations on skateboarding are reasonable enough. The university requires that skateboarding be done in permitted areas at a reasonable and safe speed. Skateboarders must yield to pedestrians and motor vehicles. Trick skating is not allowed. It is considered vandalism if done on campus property and comes with a fine.

To be honest, I don’t always follow the university’s rules. Even though it clearly says “no skateboarding” right on the ground of the Arts Building, I do it anyway. But it’s not like I blaze down the hallway at tremendous speed. I barely go faster than a power walker. The only exception is when I see someone jump in my skate path to hand me a flyer for whatever God-awful cause the person represents. Then I get a little sadistic and intentionally ram into that person from behind. I break the rules all the time. I just exercise discretion with each case.

But if you want to talk about reckless rule breaking, take a look at how the running team uses the bike path, or the bikes crisscrossing campus even during those peak times between classes. Skateboarders aren’t the problem. It’s the jerks and morons that aren’t mindful of the people around them. Not everyone can react accordingly to skaters winding their way through a crowd. These same people can be found on inline skates, scooters, Segways and zipping around on those ridiculous Heelys. Why single out skateboarders?

One can’t ignore the merits of skateboards as transportation. Skateboards are cheaper and more portable than bikes. Skateboards can even get to a destination faster since they aren’t limited to a path, able to go most anywhere that can be traversed by foot. Skateboarding is simplicity itself. Just kick, push, kick, push and coast.

It’s interesting to note that in 2005, plans for an Isla Vista skate park finally became reality. The Isla Vista Recreation and Park District gave the green light to the construction of an $800,000 dollar park. So far, funding for the project has been so successful that it’s estimated construction on the park will begin in 2008. Once the park is completed, it’s sure to attract even more skaters to the area. If the district is willing to accommodate skateboarders, then why shouldn’t the university?

I agree that there are legitimate concerns about skateboarding, but there’s no need to place blame on the inanimate object. People should be the focus. More informal panels addressing skateboarding concerns, stricter safety regulations or even assigned pathways are all better alternatives to a complete ban on skateboards. This matter of banning skateboards on campus definitely requires that more thought be put into it because it affects a significant amount of the student population. I encourage people to show up at next week’s town hall meeting to voice their opinion on the issue.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla can jump two homeless people, maybe three.

Europopular: Günther & the Sunshine Girls Make Mustaches, Mullets, and Manufactured Music Cool Again

2007-05-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

In our brave new digital age, almost anybody can achieve fame through the Internet. Yet, not many performers can rise to international stardom the way Günther has over the past couple of years. With his mullet, mustache and overtly sexual music, I couldn’t help but wonder, was this guy for real? It was that ambiguity that got me hooked. If Günther was a parody of Europop, he was shooting right on target. If he was serious, at least he was outrageous to the point of being awesome. So it was quite the shocker to hear that the Pleasureman would be coming to perform at our very own Storke Plaza. Forget Ozma, Sugarcult, the Moving Units or any of the other performers that have played at the venue. Günther & the Sunshine Girls would be the biggest thing to appear in the plaza since Storke Tower.

The concert-goers were relatively sparse at the start of DJ Rafael’s opening set, but it quickly became filled to the brim with a crowd anxiously chanting for Günther. DJ Rafael was able to momentarily placate the audience by getting everyone to sing alongside a dance mix of Nirvana’s “Lithium.”

As more time passed, some wondered if Günther would be a great live performer - their reservations vanished at the sound of Günther’s sensually deep voice. The crowd went nuts. I ended up a mere 30 feet away from the stage. Each step closer to the Pleasureman came at the cost of air and space, as no one was willing to budge from where they stood. Some took advantage of this by crowd-surfing. There were several moments when it felt like a portion of the audience was ready to fall over. Luckily, people kept their balance and no one was trampled, though the same can’t be said for injured feet. Standing by one of the plaza’s trees wasn’t any better. While some grabbed hold of a better view in the branches, anyone near the trunks got repeatedly rammed from several directions against the rough bark.

Günther ran through his set list from the Pleasureman album. This included hits like “Ding Dong Song,” “Teeny Weeny String Bikini,” and “Golddiggers.” Each successive song and gyration from the Sunshine Girls got the crowd more excited to dance, sing along and make out. The audience orgy nearly ended when a couple rowdy audience members began throwing hard objects at the performers. Luckily, Günther & the Sunshine Girls understood the rabid love foaming from the audience. The show went on. Günther topped it off with an encore performance of “Ding Dong Song” and a single from his upcoming album.

Much of the crowd quickly dispersed after the concert. However, some persistent fans, which included a few of my fellow Nexites, were able to hang around and get some photos and autographs with Günther & the Sunshine Girls. Günther’s performance perfectly reflected the party atmosphere of Isla Vista; everyone went their separate ways that night to spread Günther’s message of love through champagne, glamour, sex and respect.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Outage Illuminates Its Bonding Power

2007-05-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I came back from one of the best single day excursions I’ve had in the San Fernando Valley to find that the power had gone out at UCSB. Again. Anyone that’s lived here for more than a year knows what I’m talking about. I’ve experienced more power outages in Santa Barbara than I did during those rolling blackout times during Gray Davis’ term as governor. While I initially found them annoying, my feelings have changed to amusement due to the circumstances that emerge from them. So let me tell you even more about what I like to call “the dark side of UCSB.”

The most interesting power outage I’ve experienced was during my first year. Probably because it was the first time I’ve been in such an unfamiliar situation. The dorms have backup generators that allow for dim lighting in the hallways. While many students went took advantage of the light to study for midterms, others, like my friends and I, used it as a chance to socialize and bond. We went to one of the lounges to find one of our floormates attempting to get a three way going with two other ladies. Seeing as the moment was ruined, he was a good enough sport to turn the situation into a round table session to exchange dirty stories. It felt like a gigantic deviant slumber party.

I thought that first power outage was an anomaly. However, I was proven wrong, as year after year, power would again go out on campus or in Isla Vista. All these incidents have shown that people do tend to overreact when the power goes out. No Internet or television can be a bit jarring, which goes to show how empty are lives are without electricity. Hell, there are even grown people with a fear of the dark. You also don’t come to appreciate how well lit the campus is until it’s not. I was doing some work at the office before Spring Break when all the power went out around Storke Plaza. It was not as bad as it could have been, though, for the fact that it was a new moon. I was trapped in pitch darkness. Good thing cell phones have become obnoxiously brighter over the years.

Yet none of the compares to pseudo-riot following last spring’s power outage. Even though it only lasted for a mere 20 minutes, residents on Sabado Tarde Road rushed out to the darkened streets to light up more than half a dozen couches and to shoot fireworks into the air.

Luckily, power is restored pretty fast around here. Most outages last around two hours in length. The shortest one I’ve experienced was 20 minutes long and the longest one, five hours. This week’s power outage falls within the typical length but occurred at an inopportune time. I certainly sympathize with those unlucky few stuck in the elevators. It’s bad enough being stuck in a cramped space with total strangers or even all by your lonesome for a couple seconds.

It’s not like these power outages are caused by the city’s electrical drainage. One outage was caused when a tree fell on some power lines. Construction workers who hit an underground pipe caused another. Ironically, those workers were part of the Electrical Infrastructure Renewal Project that was attempting to fix the outdated power system on campus.

I’m glad that I don’t find these power outages as annoying as I used to. I spend enough time at home and at work sitting in front of the computer. Even when I’m hanging out on a sunny day, I can’t help but think of what I need to be doing in front of a computer. It takes something like a lack of electricity to free me from the shackles of modern technology. Power outages are as much a staple of UCSB life as ineffective protesting. Don’t think of them so much as a nuisance, keeping you from your precious Facebook, but rather a chance to get outside, talk to your neighbors and enjoy the nature you came here for.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla once walked in on a game of “who’s in my mouf?” during a power outage.

Hullabaloo: Popping Out Update 5

2007-05-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

Got the film processed yesterday and watched the footage today. It came out better than I hoped, considering I didn't know what I was doing half the time. It was the first time I used film, shot with a film camera, animated all by myself, and numerous other tasks. For all intents and purposes, the film is done. I'll finalize editing and get a rough soundtrack tomorrow. Hopefully it gets picked for Reel Loud despite the number of submissions this year. I'm just glad the hard parts are done.

Hullabaloo: Popping Out Update 4

2007-05-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

Things are starting to get down to the wire. Live action shoot is tomorrow, animation shoot is on Monday, film processing on Tuesday, editing on Wednesday, and submission for Reel Loud 2007 on Friday.

Hullabaloo: Popping Out Update 3

2007-05-02T23:38:00.000-07:00

Here's more designs from the impeccable Simon Estrada. Since I've been losing sleep over this project, it's nice to know that I've got a crew that I can trust.

Hullabaloo: Popping Out Update 2

2007-04-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some designs by Simon Estrada. So far things are on schedule. Film is being ordered today and shooting is planned for this upcoming weekend.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Game With a Buddy

2007-04-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Microsoft held a Halo 2 tournament at Corwin Pavilion. As a self-hating nerd, I’m inclined to ridicule all those players that attended. But rather than make fun of all the gamers, I want to praise the sponsors of the tournament. I welcome events that encourage gamers to get out of their rooms and into the outside world, even if it’s just a short walk to somewhere else on campus.

Similar to Jack Yi’s argument that electronic commerce is degenerating human contact, so too has the continued rise of online gaming. While there is nothing inherently wrong with playing videogames, it’s when gamers start to value the virtual world over the real one that problems arise.

Back when I lived in the dorms, my friends and I would set up weekly games in the lounges. Everyone would lug over their televisions and consoles and we’d get some eight-player Halo games going for hours on end. Other times we’d take advantage of the residence halls’ LAN connections and play computer games like Warcraft III and Counter-Strike. Every once in a while, someone would attempt to organize tournaments, inviting everyone on campus. All these activities were great because everyone would be interacting with each other during and between play sessions. We’d heckle, compare strategies and congratulate each other for a good game.

Online gaming services like Xbox LIVE changed that. Sure, online play existed years prior, but that was the distinction between playing on a computer and on a game system. The ability to play console games online also brought with it ranking systems and high-score boards. People are no longer playing for fun, but to prove they are higher up on a number scale. That encourages cheap tactics and quitting games mid-play to maintain a win-loss record. When you play with friends, you aren’t too focused on winning. They’re people you’ve played with countless times and so you’re likely familiar with their playing style. To keep game play from being repetitive, it becomes necessary to start experimenting with some unorthodox tactics. This in turn leads to even more hours of surprisingly fresh experiences.

One of the ironic benefits of online gaming is that it allows you to potentially play with anyone in the world. Because of that capability, my friends and I got lazy. Instead of meeting up at somebody’s place, we’d just call them up and play each other online from our respective rooms. It sure didn’t feel the same. You might as well be challenging an incredibly smart - or, in many cases, idiotic - virtual opponent.

The ultimate killer of a social life for an online gamer is the Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. There’s no way to be a casual MMORPG player. These games, like World of Warcraft (WoW), are designed to eat away at your life. They do it through the financial investment of the subscription fee, time consuming missions and the pseudo-community feel of playing with thousands of players in a single virtual environment. Don’t even get me started on the fucked up relationships that spawn between players.

There are some weird anomalies. My roommate Torrin at one point was one of the top 200 Warcraft III players on the West Coast. For that and other reasons, he was one of the first to get to play WoW and he’s been playing the game ever since. He would later go on to single-handedly destroy a guild of several dozen players in the game, even managing to make a grown Australian woman cry from halfway across the globe. Check out http://emodruid.ytmnd.com for evidence of her mental breakdown. It’s frightening, sad and funny at the same time. I can’t decide whether I should congratulate him for his accomplishments or tell him to get a life.

There’s no reason to shut yourself off if you want to get your game on. Take matters into your own hands. You don’t need Microsoft to set up a gaming event. If you’re going to game, invite people over or play at a friend’s place. Friends don’t let friends frag alone.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla assures you that the vibrating in your hands is from all the needler shots to the back.

Hullabaloo: Popping Out Update 1

2007-04-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some rough model sheets I made for the characters. I'm actually basing the designs from last year rather than this year because they'll animate easier.

He Said, She Said: "Scrubs" vs "Grey's Anatomy" Part 2

2007-04-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

“Grey’s” Tugs at Viewers’ Hearts Like “Scrubs” Never Could
by Nicki Arnold

I plan my entire week around this single hour. It’s the only time that my five roommates and I are in the same room together. It’s the only show during which I let myself cry - which is saying a lot, because I’m emotionally dead inside. Of course, it is “Grey’s Anatomy.”

It’s not the first doctor show, but I’m glad for that. You’ve gotta have a few crappy drafts before you finally get it right, so I actually thank “ER” for being the first (oh, “Scrubs” fans, you’re so sad that your little show isn’t as original as you claim, aren’t you?).

What keeps me and, oh, like 30 million other people coming back is those characters and their oh-so-complicated lives. Does Derek love Meredith enough to give it all up? How much longer can Addison and Alex ignore that sexual tension that leaves me aching for my own steamy kiss? Izzy and George - just friends or something more? The show always leaves me damning the time until next Thursday.

“Scrubs” just doesn’t reel me in like that. It’s the kind of show that you watch when it’s on and you’re procrastinating. Sure, I’ve been known to enjoy a “Scrubs” episode now and again. Once, I thought I felt tears brimming at the edge of my eyes … oh, actually, I was on my period. Dang hormones, making me believe an inane comedy like “Scrubs” could make me emotional.

“Grey’s” has it all: a hot cast (McSteamy, you dick, those eyes make me forgive you every time), a soundtrack that makes you wanna waste time chasing cars around your head and a storyline with more twists than Lombard Street. What does “Scrubs” have but a dumb janitor and a dead stuffed dog?

And, Wikipedia tells me that “Grey’s” is Bill Clinton’s favorite show. Really, who can argue with Bill?

Daily Nexus assistant opinion editor Nicki Arnold wants to lay with McDreamy and just forget the world.

He Said, She Said: "Scrubs" vs "Grey's Anatomy" Part 1

2007-04-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

“Scrubs” Is Twice as Good as “Grey’s” in Half the Time
by Mark Batalla

Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian, the main character of “Scrubs”, once said in reference to an inferior medically themed show about the lives of interns becoming full-fledged doctors, “Oh, I do love that show. It’s like they’ve been watching our lives and then just put it on TV.”

He’s right. “Grey’s Anatomy” is nothing more than a rip-off with a heavy dose of melodramatic chick flair and eye candy.

“Grey’s” is the ratings powerhouse on Thursday nights, but since when do ratings determine the quality of a show? “Arrested Development” and “Futurama” never got the ratings they deserved despite their well-written content. Syndication is a better judge of a quality and popularity. “Scrubs” airs on three different channels multiple times a day in the Santa Barbara area. All “Grey’s” has is a plan for a spin-off. That’s just proof of the show’s bloated cast and inability to properly craft enticing stories within its hour-long time slot.

“Scrubs” may be half as long as “Grey’s,” but it accomplishes more than twice as much in its allotted time. Most “Scrubs” episodes are accessible stand-alone stories that can be watched out of order. The characters are simple archetypes, but they’re given memorable personalities and lines. “Grey’s,” on the other hand, is composed entirely of generic troubled characters with too many interconnected relationships to keep track of at any given moment due to its soap operatic nature.

Don’t be fooled by “Scrub’s” classification as a comedy. Instead of simply piling on the emotion, it cleverly juxtaposes humor with the drama. The absurd comedic moments ironically ground the cast’s acting. It enhances the weight of their reactions to serious situations without looking like scene-stealers.

There is no comparison. Pacing, character development, writing, acting, soundtrack and even first-person narrative. “Scrubs” wipes the floor with “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Daily Nexus art director Mark Batalla can’t do this all on his own, he’s no Superman.

Cover Art

2007-04-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

the Mark Side of UCSB: Crash Events to Mooch on Free Food

2007-04-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

I was skating to the office one Saturday afternoon when I noticed an event going on in Storke Plaza. I noticed it not because of the humongous outdoor tent, or the dense throng of attendees, but rather because of the delectable wafting smell of still warm catered food. I was down to my last few dollars in my bank account and wasn’t about to spend it on some overpriced burrito. I certainly wasn’t in the mood to eat more instant noodles. That’s when I, or at least my stomach, decided to crash my very first private event.

I scouted the party and saw all the telltale signs of an event just begging to be crashed: numerous access points, wandering guests, semi-formal wear and the most importantly, no nametags. I skated back to my place, put on some decent looking clothes and walked back to Storke Plaza. I didn’t bother to find out what the event was for. It could’ve been charity, a reunion, birthday party or a group showcasing the campus. I was there for food and food alone. I grabbed some coleslaw, mashed potatoes, some slices of ham and a couple sugar cookies. I followed behind a wandering couple before breaking away and heading to the office. Luckily I didn’t have to travel far between each destination.

My friend, Ryan, has more balls than I do. He’s managed to crash private parties for actor John Cleese and musicians Sarah Chang and Ashley Wass. These events are more heavily monitored than the outdoor gatherings I’ve managed to sneak into. There’s usually just one entry point, a guest list, formal attire and the bane of most crashers, a doorperson handing out nametags. Ryan got into the Cleese party by pretending to know another guest. He got into the other party by entering with a group of people that included Sarah Chang and Ashley Wass. Unfortunately, Ryan was asked to leave both parties mere minutes after entering by security, who with whom he had come. He left politely without making a scene.

I agree with Ryan’s actions after getting caught. Getting inside isn’t the problem; it’s keeping from getting kicked out. Crashing an event doesn’t hurt anyone; however, you are taking advantage of the unaware hosts, so at the very least you should have some tact and courtesy. I only go for the free food, but I’m sure there are more ways to get some fun out of it. I’ll leave that to your imagination.

UCSB hosts plenty of events throughout the year. There are even several that are open to the public but not necessarily advertised. The music program has several recitals throughout the year that culminate with an enticing table of hors d’oeuvres outside Geiringer Hall in the Music Building. There are also art exhibitions in the College of Creative Studies and the Art Building. The exhibitions in the Art Building are usually on Wednesday afternoons and even have wine available. Academic departments also host get togethers so the faculty and students can get to know each other better. Expect plenty of pizza from this type of event.

The easiest way to find out about an event is by keeping a close eye on Facebook events and the campus calendar. Even better would be to get in the habit of wandering campus on weekends, when these events usually take place. If you plan on crashing something more posh, make sure to keep a set of formal clothes at the ready. While you’re at it, get a marker and some index cards for a makeshift nametag. It certainly doesn’t hurt to get to know people on the inside as well. Face your back to security and look for a bathroom if you plan on spending a lot of time there. Stick nearby groups of people and keep up the composure that you belong there.

These social gatherings are meant to bring people together. As long as you don’t detract from that or stir up trouble, feel free to crash as many events as you want. My name is Mark Batalla and I’ll be seeing you at the next meeting.

Daily Nexus Art Director Mark Batalla never breaks rule #76 when crashing.

Hullabaloo: Popping Out

2007-04-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Ever since working on The Titan Sting I've had the animation bug in me. As much as I enjoyed helping make that movie, I still want to get my own projects out there. So on a whim I decided I would be submitting something to UCSB's Reel Loud Film Festival. After a couple brainstorming sessions with J, producer of Titan Sting and my upcoming film, I chose to stick with what I knew best. In this case it was the characters from my Hullabaloo comic. This way I won't be wasting time designing new characters and motivations for them. The deadline for the film is May 11 so I've got plenty of work ahead of me. I'm going to scrounge up a small crew and hopefully with their help we can finish this baby. I'll post updates here when I get the chance. Wish me luck!

The Mark Side of UCSB: Columnist Reviews Bathrooms. Students Have Their Pick of the Litter

2007-04-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Not wanting or even needing to thrash Associated Students any further this week, I was without an idea for a column. So I went to the one place where I usually get most of my bright ideas - the bathroom. As I sat there on the typical low-grade toilet you find in every Isla Vista household, I realized that the answer was right under my nose.

Most people have plenty of gaps in their schedules and live close enough that they can save their bathroom trip for their residence. But sometimes you drink too much Naked Juice, Red Bull or beer between classes that a trip to the restroom is unavoidable. This entire week I’ve gone to many of the buildings on campus to see what they had to offer in terms of tile and porcelain. The range of construction and overall functionality between the restrooms pleasantly surprised me. You’ll have to forgive me if I only talk about the male restrooms.

Going for a quick wiz may not seem to require that much thought, but many of us guys require certain conditions like at least a separation of one urinal between each user. In this case it’s best to stay away from the restroom in the Arts Building. This restroom is constructed in such a way that the first thing a person sees upon entering is a side view of the urinals. The door also has an irritating tendency to remain open. With no wall separating the sinks and urinals, I suggest using the stalls unless you want passersby to get a glimpse of you draining the lizard. The Music Building on the other hand is better designed with its urinals perpendicularly arranged in relation to the entrance. However, the downside comes from the urinals themselves, which look like haphazard toilets. They are set relatively higher and filled with more water, making splash back more likely to occur.

Sometimes eating from Panda Express may cause the need for a doozy of a two-zie and there’s not enough time to get back to your home bathroom. For this reason I will forever remain envious of the campus toilets. Their industrial strength flushes and wide seating blow every other toilet out of the water. If I ever have enough money, I’m going to make sure to install one of those babies in my house.

Location isn’t as much of a problem with stalls since they are the same in every restroom I’ve been to. I suggest staying away from ones in Girvetz for a number of reasons. These restrooms get a lot of traffic from the classrooms within the building and from around the Arbor. At any given moment you’ll come across students, professors and random campus visitors. For some reason the glory holes in the stalls haven’t been repaired. It has also been used as a set location for several student films due to its roomy and well-lit design. There’s no reason to use Girvetz unless it’s an emergency.

I applaud the maintenance staff for doing a better job cleaning up graffiti than in previous years. However, I do miss the days of reading the pretentious preaching on the stalls and the various responses to them. I can simulate the experience by bringing my laptop into the stall and reading the UCSB LiveJournal community. But as much as I enjoy seeing Livejournal user “excom” tear the other posters a new one, it just doesn’t feel the same. Past graffiti classics include the “grout” jokes written on the Davidson Library bathrooms’ grout such as “The Grouter Limits,” “Grout Expectations” and “Oscar the Grout.” Additionally, I.V, Theater’s bathroom featured this amazing dialogue between two artists:

Artist #1: “I fucked your mom last night.”

Artist #2: “Dad, you’re drunk. Please go home.”

There are general trends that can be gleaned from my research. The fancier restrooms with waterless urinals and automated towel dispensers can be found in the newer buildings as well as around the UCen and Multicultural Center. If you want privacy, try using facilities on the higher floors of a building. Although fewer people use the restrooms while class is in session, the chances of coming across people having sex in a stall at this time are much higher, so be careful. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed this shit.

Daily Nexus art director Mark Batalla takes his potty breaks seriously.

Quick Drawings

2007-04-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Mark Side of UCSB: UCSB Environment Switches at Night

2007-04-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

I once saw an episode of the Adventures of Pete & Pete that changed the way I looked at the world. Little Pete, frustrated at going to bed at 9 o’clock, gathered a bunch of friends together and attempted to break the world record for going the most days without sleep. All the fantastic occurrences the children witnessed after the sun went down inspired my curiosity and eventual love of the night. Ever since coming to this university, I haven’t found a better time to be nocturnal. With the more pleasant weather of Spring Quarter, staying up and out at night becomes all the more irresistible. So let me take a moment to tell you about something I’d like to call “the dark side of UCSB.”

I’m not talking about the parties or barhopping going on around Isla Vista and the surrounding area of Santa Barbara. I’m talking about an activity as simple as loitering around campus after dark. Once the sun goes down, the campus transforms into a completely different environment. Raccoons, skunks and other animals replace the spaces previously occupied by students. I’ve actually managed to catch stray dogs on two separate occasions while strolling past the lagoon. With only animals and the occasional wandering night crawler, it feels like the entire campus is at your disposal.

I can think of many interesting sights I happened to witness during my time here. Freshman year I sat at the edge of campus point with my date and we watched the lunar eclipse along with other curious stargazers. Sophomore year I stood with my friends on the beach near Manzanita Village and watched a spectacular offshore lightning storm silhouette the oilrigs on the horizon. While these events don’t happen every night, they’re certainly more interesting and less of an eyesore than the gauntlet of student groups I go by past the Arbor.

Speaking of eyesores, if you happen to be wandering campus this Sunday around midnight, you might bear witness to the annual construction of Associated Students election signs. Though they seem like nothing more than beer pong tables garishly painted over with bright colors and cheesy catch phrases, these makeshift structures accurately represent the facade that is student government. They signal the beginning of a paper storm that coats every free space on the walls of the university and I.V. Apparently this method of campaigning is preferred over reaching out to the constituents.

Unfortunately, there are worse things I stumble upon at night. I inevitably come into contact with students journeying back and forth from the residence halls to I.V. I was skating past the UCen during finals week when I noticed a strangely shaped sign next to the flower stand. I got off my board and realized that it was a student hunched over the ground. She didn’t respond to my shouts so I walked over to see if she was okay. She passed out on the floor just as I noticed the vomit hidden by the hair covering her face. Luckily, a couple Community Service Officers happened to ride by and they were able to help the girl out.

Still, witnessing the dark side of UCSB brings a better understanding of the campus. The eternal flame isn’t exactly eternally lit, the garbage trucks furiously take full advantage of the open driving area and a locked out student drunk off his ass will punch through a glass door to get back inside the dorm. I encourage anyone to give this nocturnal perspective a shot. You’ll encounter nuances about the university that you’d otherwise never see in the daytime.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla is our UCSB Batman, roaming the campus at night.

Death By Director

2007-04-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

Like any horror character worth its weight in kills, a successful horror film will keep coming back for more. Martin Weisz gives his directorial take on the radioactive terror started by Wes Craven and remade by Alex Aja. This film is a sequel to last year’s film rather than a remake of the original “Hills Have Eyes 2.” Aside from that initial confusion, the film works as a stand-alone story. It takes place some time after the first film in the same top-secret location in the desert that serves as the home to a family of killer mutants.

The opening sequence pretty much sets the tone for the entire movie. It’s brutally explicit and to the point. It also emphasizes the mutants’ habit of slaughtering all trespassers except for women, which they use for breeding. Once the main characters arrive and the casualties begin, the film doesn’t let up. Almost no breaks are given between the scares and deaths. It’s certainly a change of pace from the recent trend of psychological thrillers and Japanese horror remakes.

As far as sequels go, “Hills 2” is reminiscent of “Aliens.” Instead of the previous movie’s familial unit, the main characters Napoleon (Michael McMillian) and Amber (Jessica Stroup) are members of a rookie National Guard squad. Yet that doesn’t count much against a technologically primitive threat in its home territory. Everything that could possibly go wrong during the excursion into the desert does. Communication equipment doesn’t work, weapons go missing, and the hostile environment hampers the squad’s efforts. All while a family of killer mutants picks off the soldiers one by one.

What works about the film is the variety of deaths and scares. The writers, father-son team Wes and Jonathan Craven, made sure to include as many different scenarios as possible. Viewers with fear of heights, gore, scat and of course, mutant freaks will find plenty of opportunities to cringe or jump out of their seats. The well-done make-up job for the grotesque mutants alone is enough to elicit fear from any viewer. Their methods of killing match the gruesome nature of their appearances. When the protagonists finally have a chance to enact revenge on the mutants, it feels all the more gratifying.

“Hills 2” takes a very straightforward approach to horror. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that method, Weisz doesn’t quite manage to pull it off effectively. The set ups for a scare are painfully obvious and further watered down by the poor acting. The film instead relies on gore to shock the viewer. But with the amount of violent killing between the soldiers and mutants, the effect rapidly diminishes. After a while, “Hills 2” seems more like a typical action movie.

The film is also an anomaly in Wes Craven’s “Hills” franchise. Craven’s other franchise movies, like the “Scream” trilogy, was driven by its postmodern approach to the horror genre, while the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series was defined primarily by the charisma of its central villain. The “Hills” franchise differentiates itself by placing a helpless familial unit against a danger created by its own government. The family has to become as brutal as the monsters in order to survive. This theme doesn’t resonate well in Weisz’s film. As trained soldiers, the characters should be able to handle themselves in this situation. The squad’s failure to operate effectively makes it look even more inept, and disrupts the film’s attempts at appearing somewhat realistic.

“Hills 2” clocks in at less than two hours and, it ultimately serves as a cheap throwaway thrill. Hopefully this film puts an end to the direction the franchise is going. For better or worse, more remakes of Wes Craven’s films are on the way - hopefully they will start getting better, and not worse.

Craving Some Craven

2007-04-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

Shortly before the release of “The Hills Have Eyes 2,” Artsweek, along with several other publications, was invited to participate in a press conference call with the film’s writers, Wes Craven and his son, Jonathan. The following questions, compiled from the phone conference, provide insight to the Cravens’ approach to horror and why Wes Craven and his son have been a mainstay in the genre for over thirty years.

What was it like collaborating on a project?
Jonathan Craven: It was great. We didn’t have a lot of time so we just sat in a room for a month with the walls covered in blood.
Wes Craven: Mostly his blood.
Jonathan: We got along great. If we laughed, we knew it was good. That’s gallows humor.
Wes: Jonathan became a father about two years ago. So you had two writers and two fathers and we were able to connect on that level as well.

Since the film’s characters are soldiers, do you see “The Hills Have Eyes 2” as a metaphor for today’s situation in the Middle East?
Wes: There is a parallel we found intriguing. None of us wanted to make a political film but seeing American kids in a situation where they’re in danger certainly resonates.
Jonathan: We didn’t set out to make it about politics but you can’t avoid the parallels of horror movies with the horrors found in the newspaper.

Is the film a sequel to the original or the remake?
Wes: It’s a sequel to the 2006 film. Alex Aja set the precedent for the back story and we just built off it.

With this film, are you shooting for the same type of audience that went to see your other recent films like “Scream” and “Feast?” Is this movie different?
Wes: I assume anyone that likes horror will like these films. “Hills 2” is different because it’s not about home life. It’s about squad life in the military. We’re still going for the same type of horror and terror.
Jonathan: It’s brutal and direct. People that like straight up horror will like “Hills.”

As writers on this film, how involved were you in picking the director?
Wes: We were involved, but it was mostly the choice of the producer.

How do you feel about the film’s release under Fox Atomic?
Jonathan: Great. They’re a genre division. My experience has been amazing.
Wes: They’ve got a talent for promotion. The trailer they came up with was great. As opposed to a studio that doesn’t know what it’s doing, I feel these guys are fans of the genre.

What’s your favorite horror film?
Wes: I like films like “The Exorcist,” “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Hostel.” What I like is something I’ve never seen before and the feeling that the director is a dangerous person.

What’s your opinion on modern horror films made after 2000?
Wes: I think we’ve gotten past the PG-13 Japanese remakes when the studios were playing it safe. The right wing had just come into government. Now we’re back to hard hitting, bare knuckled films. It’s a result of the situation in society, the adventure of the U.S. getting into trouble. The situation right now is chaotic, out of control, and painful. It’s like back in the sixties and seventies. Those times inspired films like “Night of the Living Dead.” Now the horror is in your face. You can go onto the Internet and watch a video of a guy getting his head sawed off for real.

What was your experience like shooting in Morocco?
Jonathan: We had a seven-week shooting schedule. Half was on location in the Moroccan hills. They were jaggy and full of cobras and scorpions. We actually had a guy who would go out an hour early and pluck all the snakes and scorpions and put them in a cardboard box 50 feet away from the set. It was a tough shoot and not a lot of time. We had people from 23 different countries helping out. It was fun because it felt like an adventure.

What made you come back for the sequel?
Wes: Great audience reception from the first film. From there I got to thinking about what would happen afterwards? How would the government get involved? How could things go from there?

Is evil hereditary?
Jonathan: Yes.
Wes: This goes back a long line in our family. There was Jack the Ripper, Johan the Slasher, and Gerald the Gutter.

When is the new “Nightmare on Elm Street” film coming out?
Wes: I know nothing about it. The property is owned by New Line.

What was it like revisiting your concepts?
Wes: Alex came up with the idea for the remake. It was interesting seeing what someone else would do and how that person put their own spin on it.

Do you have any golden rules for filming horror?
Wes: Don’t kill the cameraman. Seriously though, I only follow two basic rules: Would I like watching it? And have I seen anything like it before?

What is the difference between the first remake and its sequel?
Jonathan: Last year was about a family out of their element. The baby was taken, family members were kidnapped and killed. This year the family is a military unit. Horror comes from the danger to that familial unit.

What’s the one dream project you’d like to work on?
Wes: The Donald Trump story. It’ll just be about giving him a weapon and having him kill people.

Nexus Art Issue Covers

2007-03-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

Here are the covers for the last four years of Daily Nexus art issues. I love jam art mainly because of the collaboration involved and the juxtaposition of different styles. This year's theme was horror characters.

Last Art of the Quarter

2007-03-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

Overall, I'm really proud of the quality of the illustrations this quarter. Although I feel it sorta dipped a bit in the middle due to my workload. I definitely like how the negative space turned out on the Yo-Yo Ma picture. It's a concept I've been obsessed with lately.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Artist Finds Academic Purpose With Film Studies Class Competition

2007-03-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

With the quarter coming to a close, I have to once again attempt to explain to my parents exactly what I’ve been doing as a film studies major. Each quarter has been a different description because film majors can be divided into several groups. There are coasters trying to finish with as little effort as possible who figure a major based predominantly around watching movies is the way to go, there are the film writers who take analysis and criticism seriously and there are the student filmmakers who actually go out and make movies.

For a good portion of my time in the major, I was one of the coasters. It was cool taking classes devoted to specific aspects of film history and theory but I didn’t feel motivated enough to try and excel at them. That pretty much changed after taking a couple courses geared toward film production taught by Dana Driskel.

I’ve been considering animation as a possible career after graduating so I first got to know Dana through his animation classes last year. I think it was probably Dana’s no-nonsense approach to teaching that convinced me to get more involved with film production. He knew what he was talking about and didn’t pull any punches when telling students what he thought of their work.

As Dana put it, “It’s easy to get a ‘C’ in one of my classes, but if you want a ‘B’, let alone an ‘A’, you’re going to have to do your best to impress me and earn it.” That statement pretty much hit home. I could either keep coasting or start taking myself seriously and better prepare myself for life after college. And so I switched over to being one of the filmmaking students within the major.

With my newfound interest in filmmaking, I decided to attend the pitch day for the FS 106 class back in September. The 106 class picks four pitches and gives student filmmakers two quarters to turn them into a movie to be screened at the end of Winter Quarter. They have access to Film Studies’ resources and aside from some guidance from Dana, the film crews have to take it upon themselves to finish their movies. I attached myself to the crew of “The Titan Sting,” one of this year’s four projects.

My experience with the 106 class - and specifically with “The Titan Sting” movie - has been simultaneously one of the most frustrating and fulfilling creative experiences of my life. Working long hours into the night, animating figures miniscule movement by miniscule movement has definitely taken its toll on my stress levels. Yet, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve had a blast working with Adriana, J, Max and the rest of the crew because we all have the same passion for completing our film. I still find it hard to describe how it feels seeing our work come alive piece by piece over the year.

With the March 23 screening rapidly approaching, all of us on “The Titan Sting” and the other 106 crews are putting the final touches on our respective films. The end of the quarter will be a sigh of relief as we finally have the chance to sit back, relax and enjoy the filmmaking experience as a spectator while other students on campus view our hard work.

When I go home, I’ll finally have a definitive answer for when my parents ask me what I’ve been doing with their money. I’m tempted to give a pretentious “I make static images come to life,” but it will end up along the lines of “finally getting my life together and looking forward to the future.”

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla will Titan Sting you with his sharp art.

Art Dump

2007-03-02T02:32:00.000-08:00

The Mark Side of UCSB: Chancellor Never Ceases to Amaze

2007-02-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

A man appeared at the doorway of the office where I was working, appeared so suddenly and silently you’d have thought he’d just popped out of the ground. His eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind spectacles. This man’s name was Chancellor Henry T. Yang.

Many students only get a glimpse of Chancellor Yang either at their New Student Convocation or during their commencement ceremony. Some have taken his Mechanical Engineering class and yet others have unknowingly come across both the chancellor and his wife, Dilling, as they walk around Isla Vista on Halloween. The obvious reason for this being that he spends much of his time either in Cheadle Hall or traveling on UCSB-related issues.

This time, much like the other few times I’ve talked with Chancellor Yang, was completely out of the blue. Like clockwork I found that I had difficulty trying to have a regular conversation with him. It’s because I can never figure out whether to be intimidated by his authority or dumbstruck that he’s a person just like the rest of us. To this day I’m still amazed that he even knows who I am. I always figured the only students he would know are the ones he interacts with on a regular basis, such as members of Associated Students.

I’ve always wondered why so many people - especially Associated Students and their affiliated groups - come to Chancellor Yang to solve their problems. Why do activists inevitably end up storming Cheadle Hall, asking for his involvement in their causes? Why do they even need to personally meet with him in order to propose that Building 434 be used to house several A.S. entities and projects? You’d think their faith in UCSB’s bureaucratic process and raised awareness of issues would be enough to enact change. When it’s not, then it’s off to see the chancellor.

I wouldn’t blame them. Aside from Chancellor Yang’s actual position, he also has a pretty extensive background in other fields. He’s been involved in varying degrees with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the National Science Foundation, the National Academy of Engineering, the Defense Science Board and NASA. It’s amazing to even ponder the amount of influence this man potentially has and what he’s capable of accomplishing. When the Cedarwood tenants were evicted, Chancellor Yang helped start a fund for them. When a student and a professor were arrested at last week’s protest, Chancellor Yang went to the jail and quite possibly prevented the two from having to spend the night behind bars.

It’s difficult to describe the exact role Chancellor Yang plays in our lives as students. I’ve heard some describe him as UCSB’s biggest cheerleader. He passionately promotes the university with pride and attends away sports games when given the chance. I’ve also heard him described as the acting parent of the students. In some ways, he is. When looking for a responsible acting entity over the students, it’s easiest to look at the top. Not to take away from the accomplishments and responsibilities of the rest of the administration staff, but for better or worse, Chancellor Yang serves as the public face of UCSB.

The best way I can describe Chancellor Yang is that he’s Albus Dumbledore and we’re all mischievous students of Hogwarts. Although we rarely get a chance to see him, there is no doubt that he’s looking out for our best interest. He is, after all, even ready to magically transport himself back to Santa Barbara if need be. Who knows how much change Chancellor Yang could enact on the university and surrounding communities if he were so inclined? The fact that he doesn’t get directly involved every single time at least shows that he has some faith in our abilities. In a better world, there wouldn’t be a need for someone like Chancellor Yang. But until that happens, it’s comforting to know that there is still someone like him watching over us when things get really bad.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla hopes Chancellor Yang will not meet the same fate that Dumbledore may or may not have come to.

Finished Colors

2007-02-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

Here's the final scheme I came up with. I probably could've worked on it more but I've gotta refocus my attention on other projects. I'm still not sure whether I like keeping the black lines or replacing them with dark tones.

Salvia

2007-02-23T02:11:00.000-08:00

Here's an article written by Jeff Gibson about a salvia session he had with me and Nick Durnhofer:

Legal Salvia Highs Trip Out Users
Drug’s Intense High First Used for Visionary Benefits

“Is this shit ever going to do anything to me?” I asked.

I tried to step out of the metallic Volkswagen Beetle as the solar system spiraled around the vertical axis of my tunnel vision. Plumes of a red orange cloud began enveloping my hippie spacecraft until I realized we were plummeting through Jupiter’s upper atmosphere. The journey here was instantaneous. Five minutes before, I had been surrounded by the Viet Cong and engaged in an epic firefight beneath the rainforest canopy.

Apparently I had spoken too soon.

That was my first trip on salvia, way back in high school in my buddy’s vine-infested backyard. Back then, I had never even heard of the salvia plant, or Salvia divinorum as its known in the scientific community, and I hadn’t the faintest idea about its psychedelic effects. We just picked up a gram of 25X on Telegraph Avenue, sprinkled some on top of a bowl then snapped away. And the best part - this shit was legal.

While my knowledge of salvia’s past has slowly evolved from ignorance into a database rivaling Erowid’s vaults, I still haven’t found much solid research on the currently legal drug. While the herb is only native to the Sierra Mazatec area of Mexico, the history of the psychotropic Salvia divinorum, and the psychoactive effects its active principle salvinorin A, can be accurately dated back to the early 20th century when scientists documented the medicinal and visionary properties claimed by the area’s natives. In 1938, anthropologist Jean Johnson wrote that native Mazatec shamans used the plant’s psychological benefits to find lost objects, chewing the leaves for extended periods of time to absorb the principle - the most powerful natural psychoactive known to man - into the bloodstream.

It is not known how long the Mazatec have been using salvia in this manner, but it is rumored that the drug first made its way to the United States in the early 1960s. Yet, while the Mazatec would chew the leaves of the salvia plant to get their fix for extended periods of time, the most common form sold nowadays in American head shops comes as an extract of the plant ranging in potencies. Since salvinorin A does not chemically resemble any other known controlled substances like cannabis or hallucinogens, the United States Congress has yet to ban the drug nationally - despite Missouri’s statewide prohibition and New York’s recent, yet futile, attempts to ban it.

Smoking the extract usually results in short periods of hallucination, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to almost an hour, and has been used as a successful antidepressant for some. The actual effects range from person to person, even from trip to trip. Since it requires a large amount of salvinorin A to be absorbed into the bloodstream in order to experience the hallucinations, users can have widely different experiences if they do not inhale enough of the vaporized principle or if they exhale the smoke before it can be absorbed by the lungs. I witnessed this firsthand the other night, when our trio of journalistic journeymen discovered these alternate realms of reality.

“Why are you laughing?” Nick spurted as he lay prostrated on my bedroom floor, still clutching the pipe he had just recently hit. He spouted something about the room closing in on him, his mind converging on the vanishing point of the surrounding objects bending into oblivion.

Mark and I couldn’t stop laughing. While Nick was babbling something about voices repeating inside his head, Mark was hearing sound reverberations on the couch and I was enthralled by an evil skateboard protruding into my subconscious, whispering a dark warning to stay the fuck away. At least I retained some traces of common sense though - I knew I couldn’t skateboard to save an ounce of weed. Nick was tripping balls imagining that Mark and I were divine Sirens luring him into a permanent hallucinogenic state. I had been there before, though. I couldn’t relate completely with Nick’s analogies, but I understood the sudden burst of power he was under. I understood that you have to accept anything your subconscious will throw at you. So if you want to try salvia, stop by I.V. Deli Mart to pick some up. Trust me, you’re in for one hell of a ride, but only if you hold it in long enough.

Daily Nexus columnist Jeff Gibson couldn’t turn in his column on time because he was on salvia and convinced that his computer was Satan.

Work in Progress

2007-02-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

I'll probably finalize coloring next week.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Recreation Assists University Students

2007-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Remember back in the day when we used to sign up for classes just for the hell of it? Or how about joining sports for the fun of playing? Metal shop, home economics and beginners’ art may not have counted much towards graduating, but they certainly made high school more interesting. With pass times coming around, it’s time to start looking at the extracurricular possibilities UCSB has to offer.

Obvious ones include Sociology 152A, Human Sexuality, and Music 114, Music and Pop Culture. If you want something unique, I strongly recommend everyone to take Art Studio 7A, Art and Life, at some point before leaving UCSB. If you’ve ever wondered about all those students setting up weird displays on campus during Spring Quarter, this is the reason. Students are urged to adopt some sort of persona different from their normal self. As the quarter progresses, they take part in various projects meant to develop this persona. It all culminates in the outdoor installation project and the final exam where everybody shows up to lecture in character. It’s quite easily the most surreal experience you’ll ever have short of taking mind-altering chemicals.

There are also options outside of GOLD enrollment. The Recreation Center has a wide range of classes including sports, martial arts, dance and even wine tasting. These usually require a fee but, then again, the price you pay is considerably less than you would for textbooks anyways. The Rec Cen classes are more conveniently scheduled later in the day and on weekends. You won’t have to worry about having to go in and out of lecture while sweaty or carrying bulky sports equipment.

Take things a step further by getting some friends together and organizing an intramural sports team. My best memories of the various sports I’ve played weren’t related to scores. Instead, it was the chance to mess around in the face of competition. Be warned, the Nexus staff scrounges together a sports team every year. We’re there to have fun and anybody that keeps us from having a good time will get properly trounced.

For those looking for some old school sports, just head over to Storke Plaza some time. KCSB 9.19 FM’s DJ Fatkid, Maggie Muldoon and company are bringing recess back every Sunday through Thursday. If there aren’t any events going on around Storke Plaza, show up around noon for some pick up games of dodgeball, kickball, four square, etc. Join their group on Facebook to keep up to date.

Extracurriculars aren’t limited to classes in which you can enroll classes. Over the past couple of nights, I’ve been attending software workshops offered by Instructional Computing. They’re only about two hours long, so the workshops can’t possibly get into the intricacies of the various applications they’re about. However, I didn’t go to them expecting to learn everything. The workshops exist to help spark interest in their respective subject matter and on that front they succeed. There are other organizations like Cotillion Dance Club and Kapatirang Pilipino that also offer their own workshops. Just take a look at the campus calendar of events at http://events.sa.ucsb.edu for listings.

These activities may or may not help any of your requirements. That’s not the point. Students need to slow down and enjoy college at a leisurely pace. For the amount of money we pay for tuition, we should participate in these opportunities while they’re right in front of us. If you think it’s hard finding time for extracurricular activity now, imagine what it would be like in the nine-to-five world.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla is a kickball all-star.

Art

2007-02-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

Bringing Sexy Back

2007-02-10T01:41:00.000-08:00

One would think walking into a dim theater to watch various sex workers perform would bring some type of guilty connotation. That was not the case for the Sex Workers’ Art Show in the Multicultural Center.

Annie Oakley founded the show to expose the human side of sex work such as stripping and prostitution through artistic performance. Their acts included songs, monologues, and dance numbers. Overall, the show had a great flow, alternately building up momentum with frenetic acts and slowing down with mellow performances.

Bridget Irish kicked things off by handing out potatoes to the audience. She then had them thrown back and attempted to catch them all in her pantyhose. The curvaceous Dirty Martini came out with a fabulous fan and feather display and returned later with strip dance tribute to the working girl. She magically pulled dollar bills out of nowhere to replace each article of clothing she took off. C Snatch Z came out with an intense performance, shredding a lemon on a grater as if it were an electric guitar. She rocked out so hard that she caused a wardrobe malfunction.

Easily the highlight of the show was redheaded bombshell Jo Weldon. I can only describe her as equal parts Jessica Rabbit, Morgan Webb and Elvira. She asked for a volunteer to step up for an impromptu lesson on stripping technique and etiquette.

The show wasn’t composed entirely with flashy numbers. It did contain a lot of emotion as shown by performers Amber Dawn, Kirk Read, Reginald Lamar and Stephen Elliott. These individuals recounted their experiences with abuse, prejudice and heartbreak. Despite these difficulties, they have been able to persevere and rounded the show with their universally human displays. The highly receptive audience came out that night with more respect for sex work - understanding that the separation between these performers and any other individuals is nonexistent.

The Mark Side of UCSB: UCSB Community Embraces Sexuality

2007-02-09T02:11:00.000-08:00

I usually spend my Monday nights watching half-naked men beat the hell out of each other on WWE Monday Night Raw. This week I opted to attend the Sex Workers’ Art Show in the MultiCultural Center. Sitting there in the densely packed, dimly lit theater made me realize something. When it comes to sexuality, which I would like to differentiate from sexual activity, we should all count ourselves lucky for attending UCSB.

Last Monday certainly wasn’t my first experience around sex workers and I doubt it will be my last. As for the rest of the audience, they responded enthusiastically to each performer. Being surrounded by other people interested in learning more about sexuality in a mature manner made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Was this what it feels like to be sexually empowered? Enlightened? Whatever it was, it certainly felt good.

Each successive performer brought back notable memories I’ve had at this university in regards to sexuality. Starting as early as freshman orientation in Campbell Hall, the audience was treated to a demonstration of proper condom use. I saw the display for what it was - a lesson in sexual responsibility rather than a signal for promiscuity, as the person next to me thought. From that moment I knew this campus had something special going for it.

Last year, Playboy published an issue containing several UCSB students. Days afterward there was a screening of “Porn Nation” in Corwin Pavilion, a multimedia presentation discussing the negative aspects of pornography. Finally, during the same quarter, a student could enroll in a Film and Media Studies Pornography Genre class. Professor Constance Penley, one of the most notable researchers of pornography, lectures the class every year. That juxtaposition of events and perspectives doesn’t just happen anywhere.

The Daily Nexus serves as another example. Many people take for granted the existence of the Wednesday Hump. Complaints this year range from objection over the use of the word “butt-slut” to over 300 criticisms concerning Jenny Paradise’s authority to write about cunnilingus on fark.com. These people need to realize Jenny had the rare opportunity to join other collegiate sex columnists around the nation for a roundtable discussion with Dr. Drew. She’s been kind enough to write every week, not to uphold a strict approach to sex, but rather to promote more dialogue about sexuality.

There isn’t a single definitive way to experience sexuality in UCSB. That’s how it should be. Taking Sociology 152 is a good start for many students. The course includes a wide range of topics while spending enough time to help address various sexual myths and questions many students have. Students can also choose to talk with UCSB’s own Sex and Relationship Interns for more specific and personal issues. From there people can branch out to other classes in Women’s Studies or Queer Studies. There are also organizations like Students Stopping Rape and Take Back the Night that are committed to making UCSB safer from sexual crimes.

That being said, it’s also unfortunate that not enough people make use of the resources and events they come across. A relatively tame sex life or even one of abstinence shouldn’t excuse a person from learning about sex and sexuality. There is no acceptable justification for ignorance. UCSB already has a notorious reputation in regards to sexual activity. While a more knowledgeable grasp of sexuality might not eradicate sexual crime, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla accidentally taped over his porn tape with Monday Night Raw, and coincidentally, he did not have to change the label on his VHS tape.

Marked Off

2007-02-08T02:35:00.000-08:00

The Mark Side of UCSB: Discussion of Nexus Fails Intended Mission

2007-02-06T01:21:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday afternoon, El Congreso decided to hold a town meeting to discuss the offensive nature of the Daily Nexus toward campus diversity. I walked into the theater expecting an honest dialogue. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the meeting to degenerate into an emotional blame fest. In retrospect, it’s easy to see why.

Holding the event in the Multicultural Center Theater might have seemed symbolic, but I believe a better venue could have been chosen. Thousands of students plus any other residents in the area would potentially have attended a true town meeting had it been held in either I.V. Theater or Embarcadero Hall. Instead, only a few dozen people showed up. Half of them were from the Nexus staff and they hadn’t received any formal invitation to the event. Among the remaining dozens of attendees, only the same six or so individuals spoke out. How can I take the meeting seriously if there weren’t enough people to fill the relatively small MCC Theater?

As for the speakers themselves, I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. As more time passed, the meeting became less of an opportunity to offer constructive criticism as a chance for some to blame the Nexus for their personal failures and offended morals.

One individual brought up how humiliating it felt to see a Conquest advertisement after spending thousands of hours fighting that company. To me, this is tantamount to a religious right activist complaining about an advertisement for a UCSB lecture on evolution. I’m sure it doesn’t make them feel good either, but what gives them the right to prevent other people from being exposed to it? A newspaper running an advertisement does not negate a group’s entire cause. Any individual that feels that way should reconsider being an activist. There are far worse obstacles to a cause than a passive advertisement, especially one regarding their activities.

Another person felt she was wronged because her response to an offending column did not run. She pointed out two days later that a similar response ran, but from a white student. Her letter didn’t get printed so she blames it on racism. First of all, how did she know the writer was white? Second, why does it matter? Third, if another writer feels the exact same way, shouldn’t she be glad that other people agree with her viewpoint? Instead, her argument became a matter of pride.

Eventually complaints also boiled down to matters concerning the Weatherhuman’s edgy sense of humor, opinion articles and advertisements. Again, these are valid complaints, but targeting the editorial staff for these offenses is misguided. How hard is it to understand that there is a separation between news coverage, opinion articles and advertisements? The editorial staff abstains from censoring opinions in order to ensure everyone’s right to free speech and maintain an open forum. A newspaper cannot have journalistic integrity if it segregates or censors such material. It would further be impossible to determine the moral compass that guides these decisions. Each individual is offended by a different subject matter and may not represent the viewpoint of the rest of the community.

The only nugget of constructive criticism that could be gleaned from the event was the complaint that the Nexus should cover more cultural events around campus as opposed to say, Pike Fraternity’s Fight Night. That was an honest critique that certainly carries merit and can be worked on by the staff.

I commend El Congreso for setting up the dialogue, but it still left much to be desired. It wasn’t the organizer’s fault that the meeting was close to a complete waste of time. The poor turnout and even poorer vocal representation did not resolve any issues. The meeting had the best of intentions, but then again, when have the best intentions gotten anything done? Hopefully in the future, more productive dialogues can exist between the newspaper and the readers.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla takes to heart what you say.

Fresh Ink

2007-02-05T20:56:00.000-08:00

The Mark Side of UCSB: Activism Is for the True of Heart

2007-01-25T18:55:00.000-08:00

UCSB is one of the most politically active campuses in the state. However, I see some of the activists we have on campus and can’t help but suspect them of having ulterior motives. The specific organization is irrelevant because it can apply to any of them.

While there are some activists who truly care for the causes they have invested in, others use these issues to further inflate their egos. These characters are the ones who are simply motivated by their desire to garner attention and publicity for themselves. These people not only want to be the hero who saves the day, they also want everyone else to acknowledge it.

I despise these political mongers and attention whores, not just for their hypocrisy, but for the damage that they bring upon these important social issues. These phonies and their continued presence within an organization devalue the cause of other organizations. These people shift the focus away from an ideal so they can gain notoriety. Some are even willing to go so far as to martyr themselves to achieve their goals. But what happens when these people don’t get their Tiananmen Square or their Kent State? Will they continue pursuing their cause with the same passion or give up on it completely? Is a cause any less relevant just because it doesn’t lead to some climactic battle between good and evil?

This phenomenon isn’t limited to the local level. It can be extrapolated to a wide range of situations. Think about the Bush administration’s continued insistence on military presence in Iraq, or even Madonna’s attempt to adopt a Malawian child. Are their motives genuine or have they solely taken up their causes because they desire praise?

To be honest, I myself am not currently involved with any activist groups because I don’t believe that I have the true concern necessary to resolve some of our society’s most pressing issues. Still, I don’t think that makes me a selfish, uncaring villain. On the contrary, it means that I’m trying to remain genuine to myself and to others.

The closest I’ve come to becoming an activist was when I signed up to be an International Student Volunteer. I did so because I wanted to tour Australia rather than help conserve the indigenous wildlife. I know I wasn’t the only person, since I talked to several other volunteers who felt the same way. I came back feeling the same way about wildlife conservation as I did prior to my stay in Australia. However, that’s not to say I didn’t come away with a different outlook on life. What differentiates me from the phonies I’m writing about is that I was completely aware of my stance and didn’t pretend to feel otherwise. Many phonies have been active for so long that they are in denial of their insincerity.

I am not going to point out the specific people I suspect of being dishonest. I do hope, however, that the activists reading this column can take a moment to determine their exact motivations.

Take this insightful quote I got from “Futurama”: “If you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.” If you feel comfortable with not being recognized for your actions, if you don’t care that your cause isn’t tomorrow’s headline and if you don’t mind being on the losing side of a fight, then perhaps there’s still hope for you.

During his trip, Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla learned that his previous notions of Australia, as molded by early ’90s Nickelodeon programming, were untrue: Koalas do not, in fact, have magical powers.

Art Dump

2007-01-23T16:41:00.000-08:00

Trying some new angles, textures and such. I'm pretty satisfied with the results.

The Mark Side of UCSB: GPA Woes Are Not Allowed in College

2007-01-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

A student goes home and shows an A- grade to his father.

“Are you proud of me?”

“Very proud,” the father responds. “Minus.”

What this absurd example shows, aside from the comedic writing of "Arrested Development," is that people tend to give grades far more clout than they deserve. Many of us grew up on this type of conditioning. As adults, it’s important to realize just how little grades mean in relation to the rest of our lives.

It’s understandable when it comes from ignorant freshmen. They’re still trying to get over the traumatic events of high school and college admissions. But once they’re in, their high school grade point average becomes meaningless. College students therefore need to find another reason to justify getting straight A’s. Some literally need them to qualify for financial aid. Same goes for those hoping to get into graduate school. As for the rest of us, all we need to worry about is academic probation and disqualification. It certainly takes a good amount of slacking to find oneself in danger of these two conditions.

Once you eliminate mandatory reasons like qualification criteria, grades become another excuse for people to brag or whine about themselves. Grades certainly aren’t very accurate in gauging a person’s level of knowledge. There are so many variables that affect academic scoring, such as assignment percentages, grading curves and uptight professors and teaching assistants. A philosophy major who carefully exploits the university’s pass/no pass system can end up with a higher GPA than an electrical engineer. But that’s not to say the philosophy student is any better at academics than the engineer.

Don’t get me wrong; I still give praise to those who plan on graduating with honors and such. So long as these people do so in order to gain some sense of accomplishment from college. I respect that type of passion. But it’s a different story once they start comparing themselves to the rest of their peers. Nobody cares and nobody should, considering that one honor student’s accomplishment has no bearing on the next student’s.

It’s even more unfortunate when UCSB graduates fail to realize the meaninglessness of grades after college. I know of at least one person who resents her coming to this university because her academic record became tarnished by anything less than a B. On top of that, she actually goes so far as to blame her transition from “honor to dis-honor” student on the Isla Vista lifestyle. Even if I.V. is the 24-hour party zone of her exaggerated imagination, many students wisely choose to travel to the library and other study hotspots when their residential environments become too hectic.

There’s nothing more pathetic than a student trying to shift the blame for their academic performance away from themselves. Missing a final because you drank too much the night before or because another car is blocking your driveway isn’t much of an excuse. I’ve shown up an hour late to a final with barely a clue about the exam’s contents and still scraped by enough to pass the class. I didn’t care about the class, but I cared enough not to fail it. The grades a person receives rely solely on their willingness to earn them.

So take a moment to figure out your post-college plans. What exactly do grades mean to you now, and what will they mean in your future? You’ll find it easier to enjoy taking classes in a university atmosphere. At the very least, you’ll quit obsessing over arbitrary scores that have little bearing on your possible career.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla will make a quirky pun at his graduation regarding his diploma and a copy of 1994’s “With Honors.”

Good Riddance to Final Exams

2006-12-13T11:15:00.000-08:00

Time for a well deserved break before diving back into drawing and animating.

Game On: Talking About Videogames with Kevin Pereira

2006-12-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

If this generation’s videogame console war will be known for anything, it will be the stream of ridiculous stories regarding both the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. The PS3’s low supply and high demand has caused an unreal frenzy among potential buyers. A customer was hospitalized from an injury received while racing for a place in line inside a Milwaukee Wal-Mart. A Minnesota radio show host offered to give callers a free PS3 if they would give him their infant child for 24 hours and received more than a dozen callers not realizing it was a gag. On the other hand, the Wii has been responsible for numerous household mishaps due to the game controller accidentally slipping out of players’ hands. Just check out www.wiihaveaproblem.com for a list of these incidents.

With the Microsoft Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii now all available on the market, a more in-depth comparison can finally be made between three of the industry’s top competing consoles. I was able to talk to Kevin Pereira, co-host of G4TV’s “Attack of the Show” and an expert on the videogame industry, shortly before the PS3 and Wii launched. We talked about which of the systems were worth their money and speculated about the possible winner of the console war.

“At the moment, it’s not justified to spend your money on the PS3,” Pereira said.

Even with its Blu-ray and song-ripping capabilities, the PS3 simply cannot be just looked at as a $600 investment in high-tech media. According to Pereira, some retailers are only selling units as part of a bundle with other games, at a price totaling well over $1000.

“Sony has been having problems producing units up until launch due to issues such as the Blu-ray laser,” Pereira said. “Microsoft has been on task with keeping 360 units available. So has Nintendo.”

So, not only is the PS3 the most expensive, but it’s also in the lowest supply with very little games to choose from. Pereira said that perhaps in six months to a year, the PS3 will be able to seriously compete with the other two consoles since games such as Metal Gear Solid 4 will have been released. Hopefully, by then, there will also be enough PS3 units to match consumer demand.

“Right now, Microsoft is at an advantage to win the console war, but it’s still too early to tell,” Pereira said.

Having both a 360 and a Wii in the household, I agree, for the most part, with Pereira’s views. What it all comes down to isn’t graphics, supply or price. What attracts people to a particular console is the quality of its games.

Microsoft, with a year’s head start over the competition has over a hundred titles to choose from. Nintendo has an innovative controller scheme whose novelty will eventually wear off, despite my roommate’s hyperbolic fanboy claim of already forgetting how to use buttons on a non-Wii controller. Fortunately, the Wii has some engrossing franchise titles like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Trauma Center: Second Opinion. Sony may have impressive hardware, but its problem is a lack of currently available titles, compounded by the near impossibility of finding a PS3 to play them. Many of the games that are on sale can be found in comparable quality for the readily available 360.

If you just can’t wait to get your hands on the newest gaming system, both the 360 and the Wii make great buys. Otherwise, wait for a price drop and/or more games to become available. In the meantime, you can focus on playing the thousands of games already out for the Xbox, Playstation 2, GameCube and other antiquated systems from yesteryear, and learn more about it all by checking out Pereira’s show on G4 TV.

Gotta Take a Dump

2006-12-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

Writing an eight page research paper sucks. Here's an art dump while I procrastinate.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Come On and Get Down With the Sickness

2006-11-19T23:45:00.000-08:00

It’s the most wonderful time of the year because flu season is upon us. Go find the nearest contagious mouth. Then you should either give that person a nice wet kiss or inhale the sweet air being exhaled from their infected lungs.

Flu season sickness is like the golden ticket of diseases. At best, the symptoms are merely coughing, sneezing and a runny nose. At its worst, flu season includes headaches and stomach pains that cause a person to be bedridden for a couple of days. But, it’s not the symptoms that make getting sick so special but rather the opportunities that they provide.

As if anybody needed another excuse to miss class, getting sick presents a legitimate reason to be absent. Even with midterms, sickness is a great tool. Keep prospective cheaters away from your answers with a nice, hoarse cough and refuse to wipe your nose on anything other than your forearms and hands. On the flipside, cheaters can use similar tactics to get a quick peek at some answers or notes. I’ve done both and they work perfectly well, especially since half the class is doing the same thing. If you aren’t down with cheating, then try asking for extensions on assignments. Most professors and teaching assistants are cool enough as it is and will let you slide for an additional week.

Has somebody been getting on your nerves lately? Then it’s time to get all Typhoid Mary on their ass. Take every chance possible to breathe, cough and sneeze on them or their belongings. Then laugh as they slowly progress down the infected route you went through mere days earlier. What are they going to do to you? Make you even sicker? If the Cold War has taught me anything, it’s that it all comes down to the pre-emptive strike. The sooner you get sick, the sooner you get better. You don’t want to get stuck trying to fight the more resistant mutant strains of germs found toward the tail end of flu season.

Use germ warfare as leverage to get your way. Tell people to shut off their god-awful music. Take full control over the thermostat and the room window. Prevent yourself from getting sexiled. Once you get better, you can dismiss your asshole behavior by attributing it to the sickness.

Sometimes it isn’t necessary to be so aggressive. People tend to feel sorry for the sick. They’ll be willing to get food and take notes for you. Last year, I suggested to my roommate that he sleep in the living room if he didn’t want to get sick. He agreed, and to my surprise he enjoyed sleeping in the living room so much that he stayed there. All of a sudden, I had a bedroom for two all to myself for the rest of the year! It works best when you’re at your frailest, so take it easy on the Theraflu before asking for a favor.

However, that leads to the best reason to get sick, which is the excuse to ingest yummy cold and flu “medicine.” Halls cough drops come in a variety of delectable flavors that put Jolly Ranchers to shame. Then there’s Vicks Nyquil, or as Lewis Black calls it, “the moonshine of medicine.” It’s already got a higher proof than malt liquor, but add a splash of bourbon or whiskey and it transforms into a magically potent trip to high heaven. You’ll certainly be the envy of many if you’re lucky enough to get prescription strength materials.

The best thing about colds and flus is that you’ll eventually get better, so make sure to take advantage of flu season. You can get sick any time of the year; but how many times is it considered acceptable to infect, bitch out or make others feel sympathetic to your condition? It’s like chicken pox, PMS and pregnancy all rolled into one. Get up. Come on. Get down with the sickness.

Daily Nexus Art Director Mark Batalla is a little Disturbed this week.

The Gang's All Here

2006-11-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

So this year's Hullabaloo comic consists of two rows. There's Louie's story and Honey's. Their storylines run parallel to each other but as the year goes on, there will be more interaction between the two. I estimate that I'll be able to start posting them online when the quarter ends since I won't be so busy then.

My Best Friend's From Poland and Um, He Has a Beard

2006-11-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

Roland is the geek extraordinaire. Not quite as verbal or opinionated as Comic Book Guy on The Simpsons, but he probably knows just as much useless information. His dopey, non-threatening demeanor has been proven to melt hearts time and again.

Should've Been a Cowboy

2006-11-05T12:31:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth is the youngest character in the group. Barely legal but overflowing when it comes to her conservative viewpoints. She talks big but despite all her rants, she still isn't worldly enough and is quite naive. On a side note, I really like the name Elizabeth because of its versatility. You can call the person E, Elle, Eliza, Liz, Lizzie, Liza, Beth, Betsy, Bess, Bessie, Libbie and Betty.

The Divine Daze of Deathless Delight

2006-11-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

Donovan is quite possibly the biggest failure at emoting and expressing himself. His art is nothing but bloody stick figures, his poetry full of grammar and spelling errors and he hasn't quite mastered the act of self-mutilation. He is neither a danger to himself or to others.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Give In to Your Impulses, Get Wild on Campus

2006-10-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

Like most students here, I’m finding it harder and harder to get some leisure time. Trying to juggle lecture, discussion, lab, midterms, papers and a job has gotten me on edge. Wait, no, that’s a lie. I only go to class if there’s an exam. I only do my assignments the night before they’re due. I only exert the smallest amount of effort to receive a passing grade. I’m actually having the time of my life. But I do recall how it felt like many years ago when I still gave a shit.

People stress out because they can’t fit anything fun into their hectic schedules. How can a person get plastered with friends if they’re too busy trying to figure out how to make a computer program solve the Towers of Hanoi? There’s a simple answer to that. Do something impulsive. With so much stuff to do in one day, the only time to have fun is in short spurts. Impulsive activities can last anywhere from a couple seconds to a couple minutes.

When’s the last time you’ve done something crazy and impulsive? I’m talking about when you’re stone sober. Think it’s fun unraveling the mystery of last night’s blackout? That doesn’t even compare to the thrill of doing something and realizing the possible consequences seconds after the fact.

The trick is learning to spot the most opportune moment to act. Is there a parked bike blocking your entrance to the bike path? Kick it out of the way. It was illegally parked in the first place. Is one of your roommates trapped by a faulty bedroom door? Kick that sucker down. Tell the landlord it’s their fault for having such a craptastic door. Unsightly tents on the Pardall corridor? Kick them down as well.

If there aren’t any people around, my personal favorite activity is lying down on my skateboard and going head first down the hill near the lagoon. If there are people walking on a path, I skate down and intentionally try to plow into a person from behind. Most people are aware enough of their surroundings to get out of the way. The unlucky few learn a valuable life lesson. I’ve rammed into plenty of girls from behind and surprisingly enough, they were the ones who were apologetic.

You don’t even have to be the one to initiate the impulsive activity. Just the other day one of my co-workers suggested a session of traying in Storke Plaza. That’s when you take two trays and use them as skates over a smooth, pebbly surface.

“Sounds like an activity that can potentially injure me. I’m down. Hell, let’s get a photographer to take pictures.”

After a couple successful rounds, we added a bike and an extension cord and upgraded to tray-skiing. After that we replaced the trays with a skateboard. Suffice to say, hilarity ensued as Assistant County Editor David Ferry found himself thrown twelve feet off his board and nearly cracked his head open on a staircase. Even though he almost died, we can still look at the photos of the event and laugh our asses off.

I’d be lying if I said being impulsive isn’t dangerous. But that’s not the point. You’ve got to learn to take pleasure from the little things in life, like accomplishing an act you haven’t properly thought out. The crazier, the better. If you can enjoy life in these short bursts, then imagine how much fun you can have when you aren’t busy worrying about schoolwork.

Daily Nexus Art Director Mark Batalla is going to be in a world of hurt the next time he tries to pull a stunt like this.

What's Up Austin, What's Up?

2006-10-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

The ever curvacious and ever clueless Austin. She's been trying to be more edgy and assertive as of late. But anytime she's in close proximity to Tress and her genuinely bitchy attitude, Austin reverts back to her normal self.

Five Knuckle Chuckles

2006-10-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

Chuckles is one of the new characters. Visually, he's a simple redesign of the Adler character I had. However, Chuckles fills a different type of role as a character. He's a mysoginistic metrosexual, making him the source for plenty of potentially offensive material.

I'm a Bitch, I'm a Lover

2006-10-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

Tress is another returning character and quite possibly my favorite. She says what she wants. She does what she wants. Whenever she wants. One of these days I'm going to need to draw a nude model sheet of her so I can map out all of her piercings and tattoos.

Louie Louie, Oh No

2006-10-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here's the other protagonist of Hullabaloo. Louie was a supporting character that I wanted to debut last year but didn't have the time to flesh out. Now he's got his own storyline running parallel with Honey.

The Mark Side of UCSB: Read the Frosh Guide to Avoiding I.V. Fights

2006-10-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

Isla Vista. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. At its best, it can be heaven on Earth. At its worst, it can literally kill you. It all depends on how quickly a person can adapt to this unforgiving environment. The learning curve for this microcosm of the human condition can be quite high. Unfortunately, most of us that have lived here long enough have grown too apathetic to care about the newbies. As an act of pity, but mostly so there’s less of you I have to deal with, I’ll offer some advice on how to get by.

I can’t possibly explain every single nuance about I.V., so I’ll point out several of the most obvious, yet continuously overlooked, sources of trouble to watch out for. The first one is an altered state of mind. I personally think that everyone has a right to eat, drink, smoke, snort or shoot up whatever the hell they want. What happens to them is their own responsibility. Problems only pop up when someone under the influence starts interacting with other people. Results run the gamut from hilarious bloopers to painful misunderstandings. Those anti-drug campaigns warn about the consequences of using, and show all the possible ways to say “no.” They’ve done everything except for the most important thing. They don’t tell you how to react around others when they are under the influence. Your best bet is to treat them like a force of nature. Simply keep a safe distance away and don’t let your guard down.

A second source of trouble is something I like to call the “summer school phenomenon.” Back in my teenage days in the Valley, I attended what was quite possibly the largest high school in the district. Due to its immense size, students from all over the county gravitated toward it. Fights would break out most frequently between people that didn’t know each other. Yet none of that compared to over the summer, when students from about a dozen high schools converged on the only one in the area open for the season.

In I.V., you replace high school students with the not necessarily more mature UCSB students, SBCC students, SB natives and the ever-changing roster of out-of-towners. By now, you should know how people from varying area codes differ from one another. If you don’t, then the Nexus’ “Golden State Blues” columnist C.K. Hickey hasn’t been doing his job. Considering the sudden spike in population density during the start of each school year, the chances one has of finding conflict in I.V. are quite high indeed. Just remember that you’re as foreign to them as they are to you. I’m also aware that the “summer school phenomenon” is a misnomer, so don’t bother pointing it out.

That brings me to the last source of trouble. There are plenty of wise-ass freshmen and transfers that think they can get away with anything. They erroneously believe that they know what they’re doing. Despite how intelligent paper and ink claim them to be, book smarts won’t do them as much good in I.V. as logic and wisdom. Book smarts certainly don’t correlate at all with the lifestyle of newfound freedom that students experience here. An engineer and a communications major are equally likely to act like morons if they aren’t fully aware of city laws, party fouls or even common decency. It’s ironic because the new guys have the hardest time adjusting here, and it’s mostly a result of their own actions. Adapting can be as easy as asking a question or watching from a distance. Since firsthand experience is still the most straightforward way to learn, it’s best to take things one step at a time. Don’t get too rowdy until you understand the way I.V. works.

It’s easy to consider I.V. a degenerate cesspool of morons and druggies. That’s a shame because there’s certainly more to this town than reveling in excess. I.V. could be safe and laidback if the residents allowed it to be. Anyone that lives here over the summer can attest to that. Until that happens, it’s best to learn the ropes and pass that knowledge on to someone else.

Daily Nexus columnist Mark Batalla once tried to form a band called The Summer School Phenomenon, but his dream dissipated after several fights broke out in his garage.

And It's Just Like Honey

2006-10-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

I'll be posting colored pics of the Hullabaloo cast over the next couple days. I won't put up any colored comics until probably next quarter. I've got something special planned for them and I want to make sure that several are ready so I can update at a regular pace.

The Mark Side of UCSB: A.S. Needs to Tell It As It Is

2006-10-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

Student government is a joke. Not because of its irresponsible actions, though I’m sure somebody can point out examples, but rather because of Associated Students’ lack of attempts to inform the student body on how their government works.

I’ve been going to this university for a long time and I still have only the most rudimentary knowledge of the way A.S. works. What most people think of when it comes to A.S. is brightly colored shirts, retardedly large campaign signs and a handful of events courtesy of the Program Board. It’s basically high school all over again. I’ve talked to enough students already to know.

Obviously, that’s not a fair representation of the hardworking people we voted for. They organize activities concerning social issues and deal with menial bureaucratic tasks, like funding student organizations, that no one else is willing to do. But how are students to know? Sure, A.S. has a functional website, an obese constitution and is frequently reported on in Nexus news articles, but honestly, who has time to keep up by reading each and every one of these sources?

The best way is to get information straight from the horse’s ass, or mouth. I doubt the average A.S. officer or student has enough time for a one-on-one conference, but the organization as a whole could do a better job of keeping students up-to-date. Hell, it could be as simple as writing a regular column for the Nexus opinions section. As much as I admire my coworkers’ reporting on Finance Board and Legislative Council, it’s still an outsider’s point of view. I would appreciate it even more if somebody that’s actually in A.S. writes in with his or her perspective.

Take a look at Mark Signa and his “Question Authority” column. Not everyone may respect the presence or opinion of the law in Isla Vista, but at least he tries to inform students on what they’re doing wrong and how to prevent trouble. A.S. needs to do something similar. People may question their integrity, but at least this way they can understand A.S. reasoning. Looking through the Nexus archives, I discovered that many years ago there were people in A.S. willing to dedicate time every week to submit a column. Would it be that hard to find someone willing to tell it as it is?

It seems like the only time A.S. writes in is when they either have an agenda they want people to vote for or they’re reacting to some article or staff editorial that somehow offends their precious ideals. Well, it’s almost time to vote on GOLD, and the Nexus staff delivered their editorial on Wednesday. I can almost feel the collective rage of A.S. as they prepare for this year’s opening salvo. At the same time, I know that once voting is over and their passion dies down, we’ll hear nary a peep from them once again.

I challenge A.S. to write in to the Nexus on a long-term basis. I want somebody to take that extra step to explain the various intricacies of our student government. Sure, it’s possible for anybody to look up this information online, but doesn’t A.S. also have the responsibility to keep its constituents informed? We, as students, need to be interested and knowledgeable about the issues and organizations that affect us.

If A.S. needs to find a reason to write in every week, I’m more than willing to fire them up. I’m calling all you A.S.-holes out. Know your role and shut your damn mouth about how the Nexus is misrepresenting your rudy-poo asses. OPP, SP, SAC, SUN, WB, UPN, CW, I don’t care what you clowns want to call yourselves. You might as well break a bottle over my head because those preschool posters and wooden signs don’t convey your intentions in any intelligible way. You’ve got 700 words to get your message across. If you fail something as simple as that, then you don’t deserve to be at this university. And if you’re not down with that, then I’ve got two words for you: raise awareness.

Daily Nexus art director Mark Batalla could really use an A.S. hug right now, or at the very least an A.S. finger snap of approval.

Picture Time

2006-10-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted art in a while. I'll try to alternate more between art and articles in the future.