Black Thursday
Black Thursday is a story drawn during the early days of Metal Hurlant. It shows the influences of two of my favorite SF authors: Roger Zelazny and Philip K. Dick. Their themes are intermingled and condensed in two pages, full of elucubrations and graphic tricks. It is really a failed attempt at doing a “chic” SF story, which is okay because I believe now that it is that very failure which prevents those two pages from looking old-fashioned and helps them retain their freshness
Fantasy and SF, like comics, were accepted earlier in Europe as a valid form of expression. When I look at the history of the genre, I see a garden. It began in a very small fashion, with a few, very beautiful flowers— Jules Verne, H.G. Wells— then it bloomed. Now, it looks like an incredibly beautiful jungle! And I eat the fruits of that garden, I do my best to be part of it.
In our century, imagination bloomed because everything else bloomed too: technology, science, human rights, the quality of life. We live in a period of incredible wealth, in all fields, and if sometimes we can have the feeling that something’s bad, it’s only because we’ve learned to recognize it that way. Before, we accepted things as normal that now we consider bad. For example, a couple of centuries ago, a government killing three thousand people because they asked for their rights would have been deemed normal, or ordinary. Now, we know it’s not.
I never give the keys to my stories. My stories are not like a box of spaghetti, they don’t come with the instructions on them on how long you must put them in boiling water before you eat. I deliberately never help anyone, because if I do that, I feel I’m undercutting the pleasure of the reader, his freedom to find in my story what HE finds interesting. Besides, if I’m so proud of my work, it must be allowed to stand alone. I must tell the reader: “I’ve done my part, now it’s your turn to be creative!”
However, we artists can only go so far as the people can follow us. We are not alone, we are part of the system. We can take risks, but if you want to go to the peak of your consciousness, you may very well find yourself alone. Even if you know how to translate what you saw, maybe only ten people will be able to understand what you tell. But, if you have faith in your vision, and retell it again and again, you will start noticing that, after a time, more people will begin to catch up with you. I certainly found that with my stories. It is a little bit the same in science and technology: a discovery begins with a scientist alone in his laboratory; then ten years later, everybody has “it” in their living rooms.
—Moebius, from Moebius 7: The Goddess (Marvel/Epic, 1990)
(via ipd)
Go home bird, you’re drunk.
Drunk? Naw, just proving how smart as fuck they are!
Playful behavior
In recent years, biologists have recognized that birds engage in play. Juvenile Common Ravens are among the most playful of bird species. They have been observed to slide down snowbanks, apparently purely for fun. They even engage in games with other species, such as playing catch-me-if-you-can with wolves, otters and dogs.[77] Common Ravens are known for spectacular aerobatic displays, such as flying in loops or interlocking talons with each other in flight.[78][79]
They are also one of only a few wild animals who make their own toys. They have been observed breaking off twigs to play with socially.[80]
“Stop trying to make snow angels, you already have wings”
“YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME”
*rolls around everywhere*
“I don’t know you”
*walks off*
Ravens are so cool!
Quoting Ray Bradbury (1920-2012), who passed away on Tuesday, at 91-years-old. He wasn’t one for technology and perhaps not electronic tributes either.
But here’s ours anyway.
(via blackphoenixalchemylab)
WHAT! This is awesome, she makes me want to become an amateur mycologist, too.
(via modcloth)
Hey! Do me a favor. If you are an American citizen of voting age and are registered, please go vote tomorrow! You’ll probably get a sticker.
Dungeon Crawlers (2012) by Seibei 20 5.5” x 8.5” pages, printed at Mission Risoplex, and published by SEIBEI.
in an era of darkness, a hero will rise. Groom your future champion early with this handy guide to professions for babies magical and non.
This introduction to the DUNGEON CRAWLERS game setting contains 14 lovingly illustrated portraits of baby adventurers, including the mighty Warlord, the charming Bard, and the foul Necromancer. Each copy also comes with a handy character sheet for you to create your own baby adventurer.
Due to popular demand, work has begun on an actual rule set to make this a playable game, so stay tuned. No actual rules are contained in this first book, though many are referred to on the included character sheet.
