For those who watch, you know I've submitted new images, enjoy them.

But I sit here day in and day out racking my brain to try and make art. Very little of recent has actually come from my pencil tip. I see the inside of four walls so much I sometimes think I should be a prisoner. Then I step outside and enjoy such a beautiful world. You've no idea how big of a deal it is for me to see the sky. Now, I can see some of what I like about being outside, indoors. I hope you all get to enjoy it just as much.

With the knowledge in hand of what it takes to make a movie I still say that a better movie could have been made than what is out now. Though this is a fun romp and visually compelling eye candy the storytelling is a condensed version of cliff notes of the original, it is worth seeing on the big screen for the fun, but only if you don't expect much. This toned down for "families" movie gives you very little story and reminds me more of "90210" than of a Harry Potter story.

Okay, yes I'm a fan of the books, but that's because they're well written and extremely well thought out. Heck, a vanishing cabinet is a very important artifact throughout the entire series of books. We see it the "Chamber of Secrets" when it's "destroyed by Peeves," and when its twin is touched upon in Borgin and Burkes. We even see it pop up in "Order of the Phoenix" and its purpose finally revealed in "Half Blood Prince." Rowling is an absolute master at giving us information and props we see early on and that we'd see later that were part of the story.

However, the movies have been fairly disappointing. All of them have failed to be as consistent with her storytelling as only Hollywood can be. Let's face it, with that many directors and with different script writers how can it be consistent? It would like asking James Bond movies to be a coherent continuity. But how much intelligence does it take to realize the overall means and method of story telling so that you can make a complete story? Obviously, more that I give a lot of people credit for.

The worst part of watching this film, is expecting more and being delivered very, very much less. With writing you can say a lot by alluding to things outside of the action on the screen. It means giving more dialog, but it can be done. Most of the time too it takes very little time to insert it into the action. However cutting out something that is completely intricate for the story and for the actions that follow that are in the film, is more a reason to strike against the MPAA* than it is anything else. We ended up with an ending that did not make sense for the actions we see, much less for what the characters' behaviors have been previously.

It has been fun seeing Harry on the screen again, but disappointing when it comes to an ending that makes sense. Also, really don't expect much when the quality of the storytelling is concerned. It would be nice for there to be more to this film and could have been, but overall, you're better off waiting for the used video section.


*Why do I say strike against the MPAA? I say because of them, they forced the people making the film to comply to archaic rules and regulations to get a rating that the execs felt would be more family friendly. The MPAA takes a movie and forces changes on it so that the movie can get a rating that conforms to the conservative, blind and foolish personal prejudices of the people rating it and not to a set standard of rules and regulations. They do not accurately represent the society it's supposed to represent. The Harry Potter movies I've seen so far don't rate much further than a G or PG rating, because they're not overly violent, sexual or anything else. It's strange they can rate the movie "The Passion of the Christ" R and yet more people would take the family to see that than Harry Potter. I saw just as many kids and families in that theater as I did in Harry today.

May I also point out that the entire Harry Potter series is a story for kids and adolescence? The people buying the books are mothers and fathers. The people reading them is the entire family. Why? Why in the world would a movie be changed to make it more kid friendly when it's already kid friendly to begin with? Because the people buying the tickets are the same people reading the books and the MPAA doesn't think that they can visually take seeing what they read in the book? Because, some executives think that just because it's rated PG and not PG-13 you won't take the kids?

As a society we've got to know that the ratings are a guide line and not a rule. It's an industry imposed standard to keep the government from coming in and to get rid of the blatant biases of things like the Catholic League of Decency. However the system is ruled by a few conservative people. Please see "This Film is Not Yet Rated" for more information. Please just treat the rating system as a way of seeing what's in the film, not as whether the movie is family friendly or not.

I have found someone that I believe has violated my copyright. Here are the pictures:
[link]
[link]
A sight where they sell the character:
[link]
The site where my original work is shown:
[link]
I have asked them to acknowledge me as the copyright holder and that their work is fanart. I have also asked that the character not be sold, but instead free to those who use it. I have also asked that they report to me how many times they have sold this character. I don't want money from this, but I would request that all money gained from this be donated to a cause I deem appropriate. I would like to hear from my watchers as to what they think. I would like to hear their views.

Okay, having heard about Watchmen since it came out as a comic and having read the graphic novel, and currently re-reading it I can't really stay silent on the movie. I just read an article [link] that didn't really say anything in their critique. So let me say something as someone that has an idea.

First let me say a few things about some changes that have happened since this comic was made. If this movie had been rated when I was a kid, it might have gotten a R or a PG-13 to which I would have been bombarded with adds for it in everything I watch having been an underage male at the time and still have gone to seen it. I know a lot has changed in rating movies since then. (Heck, Top Gun originally had a PG rating.) But let me get something out that I haven't found anyone talking about, and that is the audience for this comic/movie. Obviously this movie is made for the fans. Also, the movie is a good translation for the comic. However the audience that it's intended for won't be able to see it without their parents or parents permission until it comes out on DVD and BR. Heck how can we even know how good of a translation was made until we see this movie in these formats because they won't even release the long version to art house theaters? Anyway, the story was intended for young minds. It was made to make them think hard about the heroes they read about.

These stories were originally made to make people think about what a hero really is. If that is the sole purpose of the movie, then it seems to be doing what Watchmen does best. Especially if I look at all of the scuttlebutt. But what it comes down to is that Watchmen is a mature movie for young people, just like the comic. But our society is holding back on letting them get a hold of it because, being rated R it's too dangerous for them to buy until they can get the money for it themselves. (Amazing how commercialism walks around some people's restrictions)

Let me say also growing up I dealt with all kinds of stuff on screen that you just don't get in theaters for younger audiences anymore. Violence was considered so much a norm of movies. (For example Punisher: War Zone would have been a typical R movie of the era and just about any teenage kid would've seen it.) Sex was also a normal part of the movies. Films did reflect that and for it they got criticized and berated and now have a noose around their neck in the form of the MPAA current rating system. After all we all know that the MPAA is completely unbiased. (For those who think otherwise, please see "This Film is Not Yet Rated" if you haven't already.) The point is that whenever I see someone bring up violence or sex in a movie as being excessive, I see it as they can't think of anything else they can comment on because they're such stinking prudes.

So for those that say the sex and violence is too much in these movies, I say to get their head out of their tails and take a look at the world. I say this movie is more honest and more reflective than so many we've seen in years. I say this movie is beautiful and truly a masterpiece of film making. It's a good thing that so many people are picking sides with this movie because if ever there was a story that told us to pick sides, this was it. I'd say this is the Brokeback Mountains of the superhero movies in the sense that it breaks down the way people see superheros and puts them in another light.

Now is this movie a commercial success? Only time will tell, but nationally so far it's made about $87,000,000 out of a budget that is $120,000,000. Now add about $27,000,000 from the UK and it's not doing too bad for a March release. Is it going to be a block buster? Doubtfull, because so many people want to see the extended cut so they can make a final decision. Also, DVD/BR sales and rentals are a far way off. So, what will happen is up in the air.

If you did like the books, then you'll enjoy this movie. If you loved the books, then you won't be satisfied and probably won't until you see the directors cut. If you're someone that wants more meat and potatoes with your superhero movies, then this is the movie for you, because this movie asks, "What would I be like as a superhero?" and answers it with an honest and disturbing answer. If you love the kind of stories you had as a teenager in the eighties, this movie is for you. However, if you think that superheroes are bull and for children, you don't know how we need them so we can believe that we can be better and the lengths that some will go to do so, and this movie is not for you. If you're a stone-age bible thumper then you don't need to be seeing this movie because you can't take what's going on in the world around you and why the heck are you even reading anything I write. Remember also that this book is a beautiful work of subversive literature like, "The Adventures of Huck Finn." This is a story that says, "Don't accept what's out there," and demands "Question those in charge!" So in that sense, then Watchmen is a really fine adaptation of the story. Truly, typical of a truly good Moore story.

Okay, things have slowed down enough in my life I can actually get some artwork done.

I have not forgotten that I owe pictures to people and that people have asked for certain images to be done. So here's the skinny:

Image for girlfriend- WIP
Image for Charligal - Sketch Done needs background before I can ink. Any suggestions for background.
Commission work for Lamplighter1968 - Been doing some research on ideas for Donovan's Redesign, haven't found much I'm happy with, but will talk to you if you wish.
Bound Daphne - I lost the original, but I will redo the image to be posted in the gallery.

Sorry, but a lot has been happening here since October. I will get these works finished and up as soon as possible.