Alpha
April 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment
I added a new piece to the galleries today. It’s called Alpha and it’s kind of Matrix-esque if you ask me… dig it>
Caprica
April 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
“Battlestar Galactica” has barely ended, and already a spinoff series is being trotted out by the Sci Fi (or Sy Fy as they now call themselves) Channel. Like many BSG fans, I was quick to get my hands on hte pilot via pre-release DVD, clearly released way early to create a little buzz on the coat tail’s of the the mother-ship series coming to an end.
Fortunately “Caprica” (a pilot to the forthcoming spinoff) is no quick cash-in on its parent series’ success. Okay, the fate of humanity doesn’t yet hang in the balance, and there are no space battles at all — but it maintains the same suspense, intelligence and philosophical musings as “Battlestar Galactica” had, even as it shows how Adama and the Cylons came to be.
A pair of secretly monotheistic teens — Zoe Graystone (Alessandra Toreson) and her boyfriend Ben — are running away from Caprica to escape the decadent polytheistic culture. But then Ben turns out to be a suicide bomber, and destroys the lev train.
Two men are left to deal with their grief in the aftermath — prominent cybernetic inventor Daniel (Eric Stoltz), and mob-connected Tauron lawyer Joseph Adams (Esai Morales), who lost his wife and daughter in the explosion. As the Caprican government starts ruthlessly hunting for monotheists, the two men bond. But then Daniel finds that Zoe is not completely gone — in an orgiastic virtual rave, she left behind a virtual “echo” that has all her memories, feelings, and even experienced her death.
Believing that the avatar can bring Zoe back from the dead, Daniel is determined to somehow put her avatar in a robotic body — and offers the same to Adams. At first Adams is desperate enough to agree, even to sacrificing his principles to get a vital piece of machinery for Daniel. But their ethics drive the two men in opposite directions, as Daniel’s obsession drives him to spawn something terrible…
It’s pretty obvious that “Caprica” is meant as the pilot of a TV show, because there are too many plot threads (the monotheists, Lacey’s involvement, the Adama family’s changes) left floating in the air with no resolution. Not to mention that final scene, which will leave you shrieking, “What next? What next? What’s gonna happen next?”
That said, it has the promise of being a truly brilliant piece of work — the writers deftly interweave topics of racism, religious oppression and misguidance, sorrow, and the existence of the soul (do our memories alone define us, or do we have something more?). And they spin up a totally believable world in Caprica, which is a wee bit more advanced than our world but essentially the same, with rebellious teens, Mafia-esque mobs, smooth downtown buildings and a seething undercurrent of sex’n'blood decadence.
The first half of “Caprica” is a bit slow, especially since it mainly focuses on how rotten Daniel and Joseph feel. But once Daniel discovers virtual-Zoe, the story blossoms into a beautifully tense tango between the two men, full of quietly poetic dialogue (“Sometimes faith can be a victim of chance”) and some eerie horrific moments (Joseph’s reunion with his dead “daughter”). The last ten minutes truly links “Caprica” to “Battlestar Galactica.”
Both Stoltz and Morales do brilliant jobs here. Neither Daniel nor Joseph is portrayed as a bad guy, but one of them allows his obsessions to carry him into dangerous territory, while the other has lines that he’s determined not to cross. Torresani is also quite good as a fierce young woman who wants to change the world, and her digital avatar, and Polly Walker gives a solid if brief performance as a serene young teacher with a secret.
“Caprica” is a solid start to the proposed spinoff series, although the wide-open ending keeps it from quite working on its own. Still, a little something to tide people over until the series really gets going.
The Bowery
April 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment
After what seems like a very long stretch, I completed a piece today and have added it to the gallery. It’s called The Bowery and it’s another look at a digusting, polluted future that none of us would like to live in. Check it>
Happy Tax Day America
April 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment
The Last Dungeon Master
April 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Yep, not too long after Gary Gygax passed away, the other half of the team that brought Dungeons and Dragons to life has left this world for the next… co-creator of D&D, Dave Arneson has died. For all of those that played his games and retain the memories of victorious battles, lost wars and adventures beyond the realm of possibility, Dave will be remembered forever and always have a place in our hearts. Rest easy Dave and thanks for the memories.
Updates, Updates, Updates
April 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Wow, it seems like it’s been long time since my last update and I guess it really has. Don’t worry though, I haven’t been sitting idle, playing video games or stressing over the economic situation. No, in fact I’ve been quite busy, almost too busy if there is such a thing, but here’s a little update either way…
Graphic Novel(s) - Yeah, see how I pluralized that? I’ve been very slowly developing my Dystopian graphic novel project and what is the best course of action when you’re crazy busy and can’t get one graphic novel going? Add another. I know, I know. So now here I am with two graphic novels that are moving even slower than the one was. If anything, I am starting to come to grips with a couple of things; One, is the fact that I’ve got more ideas than the time to implement them and two, that I’m not a writer. Sure I won that young authors award in sixth grade with an illustrated tale of espionage and adventure, but I think my standards are a little higher now, as would be my audience. On that note, any authors out there interested in a graphic novel project (or two)? Yeah!? Drop me a line!
Woz – I just finished mailing a one-off, framed print of Urban Angel (Suzume No Namida) to Steve ‘Woz’ Wozniak as he apparently found the piece to his liking at the Macworld Expo in January. I think Steve’s a pretty cool guy and not a bad dancer either, so I hope he enjoys the print and if he wants to hook me up with a Modbook Pro, I wouldn’t take offense in the least 
Expose 7 – I’ve got four pieces that are being published in the forthcoming Expose 7 book from Ballistic Publishing (look for it in June!) which is pretty freaking cool if you ask me. I disclose anything else on this at this point, but more will be posted here shortly.
Deth Killers of Bushwick – I’m closing in on a massive piece for Deth Killers new line that has been in work since December… it’s an unholy union of matte painting, 3D illustration and the destruction of New York in an alternate, post 9/11 universe. Pretty cool, huh? I can’t share much more than that right now, but rest assured it’s pretty frakkin’ cool and is easily the single largest piece I’ve done to date.
New Work – Yes, I’ve been also working my ass off on some new pieces, though in between all the other stuff, I’ve only managed to add to my pile of unfinished work. I should have have at least one that I can call done here in the next few days, so stay tuned!
Book Covers – I’ve got a few of these in the works as well. Still top secret at this point, but as soon as I get the nod and can be sure those pesky NDA’s don’t bite me in the ass, you’ll hear about them right here.
I think that’s pretty much it for now, so thanks to those who have checked in on me and I hope to get back in the habit of more regular updates here again in the near future.
