The Comic Critic Reviews Even the Rain

Even the Rain is one of those deep-message-with-social-commentary movies that I watch occasionally. The occasion this time was the Ellensburg Film Festival. Even the Rain was the festival’s opening movie. And it was really good, quite possibly one of the best-constructed movies I’ve seen all year. It had me thinking hard, deciphering all the different messages I’d received in viewing it. Still, I have a hard time putting socially relevant movies on my must-see list. They’re a lot like S&M: you feel both a little dirty and weirdly good afterwards. It’s just the right thing if you’re in the mood for it. So dim the lights, light the candle, and warm up the beeswax; this film is worth exploring.

The Return of Stickman #1338

I'm a big fan of old time radio shows. You can listen to a lot of them on AM 1710 Antioch, which I find under iTune's radio in the eclectic selections.

The Return of Stickmna #1337

This last weekend I had a table at ZomBcon. I had a blast. I took several photos of Zombies which you can see on my Flickr photostream. If this strip doesn't make much sense, then it is a perfect reflection of how tired I was yesterday when I drew it. Below are a couple of snapshots if you're too lazy to click forward to the photostream.

The Return of Stickman #1336

I'm getting very excited about ZomBcon. Yesterday I picked up a collapsible cart that perfectly holds the bins I keep the t-shirts. I also picked up an additional tablecloth. I've got my booth buddies lined up for each day as well. I just need to accept another receipt book.

The Return of Stickman #1335

I want to thank all those who sent me twitters when I asked the Internet to help me with this one. I got so many submissions that I will be able to run a few more along this theme.

The Return of Stickman #1334

I actually meant to post this strip last Friday. It is a continuation of last Thursday's strip. I wanted to tell my wife about these two strips but she stopped me. We were going out to dinner and she didn't want to loose her appetite.

Now it's time to call my printer and see if my new batch of Brains! t-shirts are ready.

The Comic Critic Reviews Bellflower

Bellflower was shown at the Ellensburg Film Festival, otherwise known as EFF7. Because I’ve been bragging about it endlessly, some of you might know that I drew the festival’s poster this year. The art from my poster was used on all promotional materials, from the ticket stubs to the website. I spent the weekend attending (and giving) presentations at the festival. If you follow The Comic Critic Facebook page, you know that I try to post movie trailers of new and old movies. Bellflower was one of the previews I posted a while back and I was very excited to see it at the festival. This review is one of the few I’ve been able to draw before the mainstream release because I saw it at the festival. I’m hoping that my enthusiasm for the festival has not bled over too much in my rating of Bellflower. I should also say that this film has a dog in it. If you are familiar with my rating system, you know that a dog in a movie automatically adds an additional point to the tally.

The Return of Stickman #1333

This strip was inspired by two things:
1. The increase of bedbugs in the United States.
2. This Vlogbrothers video.

I'm a fan of John and Hank Green's channel on YouTube and have a subscription to it. If You can click here if would like to see my YouTube, which is filled with all sorts of videos from me giving advice to freelancers to movie reviews with my friend Joe Manfredini.

The Return of Stickman #1332

I'm glad to hear that none of the zombies were mortally wounded in this on set accident.

The Return of Stickman #1311 and the Ellensburg Film Festival

My apologies to the overly perverse Internet surfer in search of beastiality and instead found this strip. I almost didn't draw this strip for fear of related SPAM appearing in the comments. Still, I do my best to cover the articles my fans send me. While the dialog in Stickman might be rated R I try to keep the visuals down to a PG rating.

I spent a long weekend in Ellensburg, Washington attending EFF7 (Ellensburg Film Festival.) I had the chance to take in a lot of movies, whose reviews I'm currently working on for The Comic Critic. It was my first time attending a film festival from start to finish. I wish I could have taken a few more films but I was busy doing presentation on Licensing and Freelancing. I also had the opportunity to set up a table and sell my books, shirts and posters to attendees. Many thanks for the sponsors and committee for getting me involved. Thanks!


The opening party at EFF7.

The Return of Stickman #1330

This weekend I'm off to attend the Ellensburg Film Festival where I will be giving presentations on Licensing and Freelancing. I'd hoped to put together some new elaborate presentations. But I had some real jobs pop-up that required my attention and so I'm going to have to rely on the presentations I have in the laptop already. Below the poster I did for the event.

The Return of Stickman #1329

I'm looking for suggestions for this new category. Please send them along.

Stickman's Tips for having a Table at a Comic Book Convention

As I promised yesterday, here is the comic I drew for the 24 Hour Comic Challenge at Comic Book Ink this year.

The Comic Critic Reviews Nosferatu

 I just can’t get past how blatantly the creators of this film stole from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. When I started writing this review I did know that Bram Stoker’s widow took the studio that created this film to court for copyright infringement and won. But I did not know that part of the settlement was that every reel of Nosferatu was to be burned. The film only survived because another form of infringement occurred during international distribution.

The image of Count Orlok, the vampire in the film, remains a cinematic icon that still fascinates audiences. Directors know this and have paid homage to Orlok in a number of films over the years. But none is greater than in the movie Shadow of the Vampire from 2000. We’re treated to a scenario where, while doing research for his film, the director discovers an actual vampire and entices it to play the role of Orlok. I’ve always found it ironic that so many acts of derivation would follow the first unlawful one done by the creators of Nosferatu. But to see a movie about the making of the original film in which the inspirational source of the vampire was not Dracula, but an actual vampire, brought irony to a whole new level.

Nosferatu is just one of many films that will be showing at the Ellensburg Film Festival. If you live over in Eastern Washington I hope to see you there next weekend.

I know you are all excited to see what I drew at the 24 Hour Comic Challenge. I will be posting the results tomorrow. In the meantime I encourage you to check out James Stowe's work from the 24 Hour Comic Challenge. He and I had a gentleman's bet going on who would finish first. And it was very close this year. Very close. But Stowe beat me by posting his comic (done in full color, writer Kevin Freitas) on the Internet just a few moments before I plopped my 24 pages down and announced I was done. Way to go, Stowe!