This blog began in 1997 as a single news page called Nucelus. In 2005, during a long wait to move into a new house, I decided to learn some php and MySQL and write my own blogging system, which became inkyBlog and which now powers this, my own Webbledegook blog.
Thank you to my brother, Murray Ewing, for help with some of the more challenging aspects!
"The plot is like a Faberge Egg, beautiful to behold even at the most superficial glance, but so exquisitely intricate that the closer you look the more you see."
- Regie Rigby, Fool Britannia.
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- Gun poses (usually "pin-ups") - women with guns, men with guns. Guns in general irk me with their proliferation, especially when used as a solution to all plot problems (in films too)
- Gritted teeth, or always-shouting-characters - especially when also holding a gun
- Female characters that are always dressed like, well, prostitutes, when they're not prostitutes. You know, like pop stars. What happened to a bit of dignity and class?
- Artists who computer-draw over photographs, and claim they don't. Particularly the use of 'adult photographs' as 'reference'
- The words 'arc' as in 'story arc', and 'season' to refer to a run of comics - I know this is completely irrational
- 'Cool ingredients' just for coolness - these include monkeys, dinosaurs, zombies, robots, nazis, kung fu, girls, ninjas etc... They are usually combined, eg. 'kung-fu zombies', or 'nazi monkey robots', and the word 'giant' may also be inserted. Comics with these often don't include a storyline, thinking the concept is strong enough on its own
- Word balloon tails that cross over because the characters are on the wrong side of the panel for correct order of speech. Bad storytelling and it jars
The only bad thing this Christmas was being second-on-the-scene at a group of escaped horses in the road, at 2 a.m, one of whom had a very badly broken leg after it was hit by a car. We called the police and slowed down traffic. A passing young security chap was excellent, but the police were not so impressive, unfortunately. We left, but I doubt the injured pony saw another day. Distressing.
I had a very comicky Christmas, so here's a photo of my swag.
In temperature news... yesterday our boiler decided to stop working on the first really really cold day of the winter. My pinkies are freezing. I've also had to take a few weeks break from karate due to some trouble with my left knee - really quite painful in certain situations. Has it finally worn out, or is this just temporary? We'll see - my knees went through a lot in my younger karate training and maybe it's all catching up at last.
I didn't make it to the Birmingham comics show, despite having the hotel booked. This was a decision made while still working at 3 am on Saturday morning when I realised, realistically, I was going to need the weekend to continue with work. Really disappointed not to go, but I was able to cancel the hotel with no financial loss. Have a gander at Dave's report for how it went.
I did get to go to the AP Watt 'Author Party' in London on the previous Wednesday though, which was very nice indeed, and not at all like a page from Posy Simmonds' Literary Life as I feared, at least not in the corner I occupied. Thanks, Anjali, for looking after me.
A little note on Christmas... not being religious, I always struggled with a meaning for Christmas, as I do enjoy the holiday part of it (not so much the commercial frenzy), until I decided that my own celebration at Christmas is to basically say "well done, we survived another year, congratulations, and here's to the year ahead". So well done all, and make the best of the next one.
Top: 'When the Wind Blows' (1982), bottom: 'Marvelman' (1983), and blog post title from 'Ticket to the Moon' by ELO (1981).
Less enjoyable was Serenity, watched on DVD. I'd heard only good things about this so was disappointed to find the characters fairly clichéd action types, and a storyline where every next move was expected. I need less teeth-gritting, gun-toting characters with a dark past please. Unless done as well as Bond in Casino Royale.
"Oh and whilst I have your attention and we have been drawling on about the clean line in comics you should go and check out Garen Ewing?s amazing online comic drawn in the classic Herge style - ?The Rainbow Orchid?. This is a truly beautiful thing - a couple of parts have been self published but for now it lives online. Come on, some far sighted publisher - get this book out." - Forbidden Planet
"All comparisons to TinTin aside (I never did like TinTin), this is a deliberately paced but strangely engaging comic strip with a style that's fairly unique (amongst webcomics anyhow). The art isn't to my taste, but some of the panels are very striking, and it has some pretty good dialogue. I was surprised that I liked it, as its not what I would seek out at all, but the author really knows what he's doing. Check it out." - deviantArt
"Like a cross between Tin-Tin and Dick Tracy. Such a fun read!" - blogspot
"Ran across an online comic whose story arc I wish was published in its entirety already, but for the present is only readable online. Garen Ewing, the author, is from the same general ?clean line? school of illustrators that Tintin?s creator (Herge) was part of, so it looks very similar. In addition, it has the same sort of great plot and characterization that Tintin had. The first section of it was published, but was quickly sold out, and you can?t even find it on eBay. Sometime in the next year or so I expect the entire story to be sold in a single book, and that will be a good day." - blog
"I've recently discovered a comic that is like grown-up Tintin, the story is more cliffhanger than mystery but it does have a mysterious evil mastermind... It's really one of the best wecomics I've read, I can't recommend it enough." - blogspot
"The Rainbow Orchid is sort of a neat comic. Very skillfully drawn at the very least. In the sort of European style that most of us American types would probably recognize as "Tintin-like", and an adventurey type story that takes place in the 20s. I just wish the one American wasn't a loudmouth bumbling idjit. In my present state of mind, it makes me feel bad for daring to have been born and raised in this country." - livejournal
"The Rainbow Orchid - it's the most impressive comic that I've discovered this year. I want it in book format."
"...my vote goes to The Rainbow Orchid, but that's because I'm a HUGE fan of the European white line inaugurated by Hergé."
- comixpedia
"Today I found a webcomic that I liked so much, that I want to share the link. I read it all in one sitting and I felt sorry when I reached the last panel, now I can't wait for more. It's one of the very few webcomics that I'd love to have in book format. I wasn't too sure about sharing the link here instead of just adding it to the links page, because the comic is very different from mine and you may just not like the genre - but I'm sure that at least my friends back in Rome will love it, so there, I'll rave for their benefit at least! The art is old-fashioned and clean, very much to my taste. It's like I'd like to draw if I was better at it. Some panels made me hold my breath when I first saw them, like this view of the National History Museum in London, or this crash-landing. I love the script as well. It's a good old cliffhanger story, with evil masterminds and daft American sidekicks (all self-respecting British authors use daft American sidekicks) and it's filled with funny moments, like this dialogue on a plane - I love the pilot's lines in the second panel. Bohoo, I can't wait for the next episodes now!" - The Noob
"Fantastic tale and great art! Wow... now, this is some mighty fine artwork! Not just as webcomics go, but as comics go in general!" - stumbleupon
"It's REALLY good - high adventure in the 1920's in the mold of Around the World in 80 Days or Gunga Din. The art is quite fantastic as well. I read all 193 strips in the last day or so and now I'm dying for the next one." - 606studios
"The rainbow orchid is very awesome. it's a tintin-like adventure. The art's a bit richer in detail tho, which i like." - Neil Gaiman board
"A few weeks ago I happened upon a web site containing an online comic strip titled "The Rainbow Orchid". There are 200 strips at present with most of them colorized. I found it to be very well done. It's an old fashioned comic-story based in the 1920's and reads like a good adventure and mystery story should. It revolves around a gentlemen's agreement (drunken wager), an orchid competition, and a search for a mythological orchid. It is in the style of "Tintin" or "Blake and Mortimer". I'm hooked and can't wait for more installments. The author is Garen Ewing, and I find him remarkably talented as a storywriter and illustrator." - orchidtalk
"Kurtz put up a link to a comic the other day called The Rainbow Orchid. I am in love with it. Great characters (except, perhaps, for the annoying American) and a good story. And I already dig on the time period/genre. The art style is definitely interesting, too. " - geekpreserve
"One absolutely fantastic comic is in the ligne-claire style, and has the critics raving. It is absolutely brilliant. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone. It is set in the 1920s England and is about intrigue, adventure, and treasure. It is called 'The rainbow orchid' and is by the up and coming British artist, Garen Erwing [sic]. It is only the first in a series of new adventures, that could well become the modern Asterix or Tintin." - comedix
"I jeszcze jeden, troch? mniej znany - bardziej na powa?nie, ale te? bardzo fajny - szczególnie dla mi?o?ników Indiany Jonesa itp. " - bissel
"The most unique comic on the web." - dracondev
Think I'd better stop there! Apologies for the over-indulgence, sometimes you need it.
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