Let's start off with what's coming up. June is the start of my summer of conventions. I'll be attending AnimeNEXT in Somerset, NJ next weekend. These are the same people that ran MangaNEXT last year. I'll also be going to ConnectiCon in Hartford, CT 12-14 July (starts the 11, but I'm working M-F teaching theater at a day camp). I'm also going to be at the first ever Geek Creation Show in Parsippany, NJ 2-4 August; I have to inquire about a press pass still but I might just submit some panels/workshops for the event. Who doesn't want to learn how to craft with foam or write about geek culture? And I've also been confirmed for NYCC 2013 and I am ready to harass the Strip Search contestants who won Artist Alley Tables. There are other events I'll be at all throughout the summer in the vein of No Quarters: one day/night things connected to geek culture.
The Preston Files will be debuting this month for sure. I didn't feel comfortable launching without any buffer built in even if it's a pop culture comic. I never know when my schedule is going to become complete overwhelming and stop me from having the spare time to write and draw.
I will also be launching some video projects this month. Geek & Sundry is looking for vloggers and I'm in the process of editing my submission video. Surprise: it's on genre entertainment. Shocking, I know. Felicia Day said vlog what you're passionate about and it was that or flop Broadway musicals.
I also plan on doing some videos connected to art, home haunting, and video games, as well. I've been slowly building up my home studio, upgrading my equipment, and outlining shows since January. Now's as good a time as any to make the leap.
June is also the Second Annual Cinefessions Summer Screams Challenge. I'll be writing a lot about horror and sci-fi this month as I attempt to fill out my dance card for the contest. It's not to late to join--just contact Branden/psymin with a link to your blog post that you'll use to keep score.
Now that we've gazed into the future, let's linger in the past with the best of May 2013. AniMAY was a rousing success for me and produced some of my favorite pieces ever. Check them all out at the AniMAY page.
- The Tao of Gantz: Buddhism versus Nihilism in the anime and manga
- The Philosophy of Pokemon (Quinni-Con 2013): Plato, technology, and ethics in the world of Pokemon
- Deadman Wonderland and the Prison-Industrial Complex: anime/manga as international social commentary
- No Quarter 2013: first looks at genre-breaking indie games
- Transcending Genre: The World of Fruits Basket: when a teen romance is so much more
- Death Note and Temptation: Genesis and the art of anime
- Blast of Tempest: Shakespeare Unbound: Shakespeare remixed in manga/anime
- Mud Review (Film, 2013): beautiful, slow-moving drama about a teenager figuring out familial and romantic love
- The Iceman Review (Film, 2013): when the neighbors are smart enough to keep quiet in a ripped from the headlines mob drama
- Tropes vs. Women in Video Games: Damsel in Distress (Part 2): the video game industry needs to drop the kill her to advance him story crutch
- Thomas Was Alone Review (Game, PC/Mac/PS3/Vita): the lives, loves, losses, and fears of rectangles in an AI world