Table of Contents

RKYV # 37 {June 2010}

RKYV LOGO - David Marshall {current}
RKYV LOGO – r. j. paré {modified}
RKYV LOGO – Roy G. James {original}

Virtual Cover # 37
- Art by Ryan Claytor Non-Fiction
- Layout by David Marshall - “The Last Footsteps to 2012”
- By CS Cartier
Interior Art
- By r. j. paré, Josh Bowe, Engin Korkmaz, Poetry
Ryan Claytor - By Stephen Campbell,
r. j. paré
Editorial Column
- “At the Outset: Pop Culture
A Few Thoughts from the Editor” - “Comic Book Review”
- By r. j. paré - By Brad Bellmore

World View - “Manga Maximus”

- “A Canadian, living in the USA” - By Darke Raven
- By Tom Rossini
- “Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons”
Featured Artist Review - By Pauline Paré
- “Ryan Claytor”
- By r. j. paré
__________________

Untitled – by Engin Korkmaz

 At the Outset

A few thoughts from

the editor…
by r. j. paré
The cherished things are perishing
And buried in their tomb
There is no hope, no reasoning
This rainy day in June
The Kinks, 1966

Hello again, my fellow RKYVers and welcome to Issue # 37. As of this writing
the last minute submissions for June have been pouring in and I am enjoying a
beautiful Canada Day {July 1st}. I hope whatever holiday you celebrate, to kick off the
days of summer, is going splendidly. This month we are pleased to feature
cartoonist/comics creator Ryan Claytor. I hope everyone will enjoy learning a bit more
about this creator and getting a look at his delightful work – as much as I have.

We have some wonderful new material from returning columnists CS Cartier; Brad
Bellmore & Pauline Paré for you all to digest at your leisure. [Of course, what else
would it be? Y’er not exactly under any compulsions here - LOL.] I would also like to
take a moment and welcome Darke Raven, RKYV’s newest columnist, to the fold as he
presents “Manga Maximus.”

As always, it has been my distinct pleasure to sort through this last month’s collection of
art & writing submissions. I thank each and every one of the authors and artists
[credited throughout] for taking the time to share their often thought provoking and
always entertaining creations with RKYV ONLINE.

Until next month, when I once again attempt to release this e-Zine on time, I hope to
remain your favourite slacker… editorially speaking...☺

r. j. paré
“Deadlines! Who needs deadlines?”
RKYV’s top notch legal staff would like to clarify that any individual purporting to be
the managing editor of a magazine, electronic or otherwise, that is enjoyed by many
thousands of readers, does indeed need deadlines. And that Mr. Paré would be well
served to remember that lest we enact “the penalty clause” addendum to his contract
and confiscate his first born as outlined under the subsection “failure to perform”.

Untitled – by Josh Bowe

 World View
A Canadian, living
in the USA
by Tom Rossini

The Oil Spill in the Gulf... Summary of Events

April 20 will no longer only be associated with the popular term 420 friendly. It
will now have another meaning to many people throughout the southern USA and the
Caribbean. April 20, 2010 began as any other day on the drilling rig Deepwater
Horizon. The drilling rig was owned by Transocean LTD. and was leased to BP PLC to
drill through the ocean floor through 1 mile of ocean. But on this day the Deepwater
Horizon exploded and eventually fell into the Gulf of Mexico. Deepwater Horizon was
an ultra-deepwater dynamically positioned, semi-submersible offshore oil drilling rig.

http://www.deepwater.com/fw/main/Deepwater-Horizon-56C17.html?LayoutID=17
When drilling at the Macondo Prospect, on April 20, 2010, an explosion on the rig
called a blowout killed eleven crewmen and ignited into a huge fireball whose flames
were visible from 35 miles (56 km) away. 2 days later on April 22, 2010, Deepwater
Horizon sank 2 days later, leaving the well gushing oil at from the sea floor and has
since caused the largest offshore oil spill in history of the USA.

http://humidus.net/hot-news/transocean-deepwater-horizon-is-rock-and-burnin-so-hot.html

A summary of events Sunday, July 4, Day 75 of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that began
with the April 20 explosion and fire on the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, owned by
Transocean Ltd. and leased by BP PLC, which is in charge of cleanup and containment.
The blast killed 11 workers. Since then, oil has been pouring into the Gulf from a
blown-out undersea well.

But how exactly did this happen???

April 20, 2010, at approx 9:45 am, a geyser of seawater erupted from what is called the
marine riser onto the rig. This eruption was about 275 feet and was soon followed by
the eruption of a slushy combination of water, sludge and methane gas. The gas
component of the slushy material transitioned into a gaseous state and ignited into a
series of explosions. An attempt was made to activate the blowout preventer but it
failed. It is documented that there were 126 people onboard at the time of the fireball.
The majority of the employees were from Transocean. Unfortunately, eleven workers
were presumed killed with the initial explosion. The rig was evacuated with many being
airlifted while others were rescued by ships in the area.

http://img.youtube.com/vi/7K-DEl42CTs/0.jpg
After burning for almost 2 full days the Deepwater Horizon succumbed to the heat of
the fire and sank. The rig is now resting on the seafloor which is approximately 5,000 ft
deep at that location, or about 1 mile and about 1,300 ft \ northwest of the well.

Today the oil from the ruptured well still continues to flow and attempts to stop the
flows have been unsuccessful. The relief wells that are currently being drilled are
unlikely to be completed for some time and that measures to fully curtail the flow are
unlikely to succeed until at least August 2010[update], when the relief wells are
completed. When the relief wells are completed at that time the plan is to perform
another “TOP KILL”. Top killing is a process in which heavy drilling fluids is pumped
through two 3-inch lines into the existing well thereby restricting the flow of oil, which
then could be sealed permanently with cement. But this won’t be effective until
sometime in August. In the meantime, burning, chemical dispersants, filtering off-
shore, and collecting for later processing is all that can be done.

Cleanup – manip by r. j. paré

The Spill – by r. j. paré; manip & dig paint
 Featured Artist Review
Ryan Claytor
by r. j. paré
BIO: Elephant Eater Comics is the comic book self-publishing
venture of United States comics artist Ryan Claytor. Elephant Eater
Comics, established in 2004, is committed to producing intelligent
and entertaining comics for an all-ages audience.

Ryan Claytor is a comics artist and professor living in Lansing, Michigan. He currently teaches Comics Studio
courses at both Michigan State University and the University of Michigan Flint. In 2007, he earned his Master
of Fine Arts degree from San Diego State University with an emphasis in multimedia, researching autobiography
in comics. Claytor’s achievements have included a Cartoonist in Residence position at the Cartoon Art Museum
in San Francisco, California, visiting lecturerships at the Dallas Museum of Art and Michigan State University,
an internship with Marvel Comics in New York City, and judging the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing
Award in 2007. In 2009 the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco featured an exhibition of his work and
Claytor began teaching the first “Comics and Visual Narrative” class in Michigan State University’s history.

As a creator, Claytor is most widely known for his self-published, autobiographical, comic book series And Then
One Day. Although the series has undergone several format changes and incarnations since its inception in
2004, And Then One Day readers are consistently treated with Claytor’s thoughtful and entertaining personal
anecdotes immaculately packaged with a designer’s eye for production detail. In the summer of 2008, he
released a republication of his Master’s Thesis on autobiography in comics entitled Concatenations.

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: The Collected And Then One Day
[issues # 1 - 4]
Media Used: Offset Printing
Size: 5.75” x 4.25”
Date Created: 2007 [collective reprinting
of material original published 2004 – 5]
Claytor was also an artist and event organizer for the first 24 Hour Comics Day (24HCD) in 2004.
Subsequently, his twenty-four hour comic about relationships with passed relatives was chosen from hundreds
of worldwide submissions as one of the best stories of the day and included in the first internationally
distributed 24HCD anthology, 24 Hour Comics Day Highlights 2004. Since this time he has participated in two
other 24 Hour Comics Days.

During the summer of 2007, Claytor embarked on the most ambitious tour ever organized by a self-publishing
comic book artist. This North American In-Store Signing Tour took Claytor to eighteen states and two
Canadian Provinces where he signed books, spoke about his work, and held art exhibitions at fifty different
museums, bookstores, libraries, and comic book specialty shops. To date, he has held signings in half the states
across America.

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: page 47, The Collected And Then One Day [issues # 1 - 4]
Media Used: Pen and Ink
Size: 5.75” x 4.25”
Date Created: 2007
[collective reprinting of material original published 2004 – 5]

rjp: Mr. Claytor takes a wry look at the mundane work-a-day routine and its numbing
repetitiveness, while urging us to still take stock of those increasingly rare moments that
transcend our routines.
rjp: Have you always known that you wanted to be or, rather, were an artist?

RC: I was always artsy, but I certainly didn't know I wanted to be a comic book artist
until pretty late in the game (my 20's). But I can remember drawing my Care Bears as a
5-year-old sensitive artiste. :)

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: And Then One Day #5, Sketchbook
Media Used: Offset Printing
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2005

rjp: Did you study or major in art while in

school?

RC: Yes. I have my undergraduate degree in

Art Studio from University of California Santa
Barbara and my Masters of Fine Art with an
emphasis in Multimedia from San Diego State
University. I did a LOT of work in comics as I
went through grad school, thanks to a growing
number of open-minded professors.

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: page 43, And Then One Day #5,
Sketchbook
Media Used: Pen and Ink
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2005

rjp: The power of confessional mediums

like the stage, talk radio, the internet or
[as in this case] autobiographical comics
is used most effectively when the artist [be
they a stand up comedian, shock jock
host, blogger etc] connects with their
audience in revelatory fashion.
Ryan manages to do so quite effectively in
his slice-of-life reminiscence.
rjp: Who was your primary source of encouragement, as a child, in pursuing art?

RC: My mom. No question. My dad was fine with me pursuing art, but I'm not sure he
completely relates to it. He has a great business mind, which I like to think I inherited
a little of. But my mom is definitely the artistic one of my parents and thinks that
everything I do is lovely. I'll always know I have at least one fan.

rjp: What is your favorite media to work with?

RC: Comics.

rjp: Do you use any special tools and techniques to create your art?

RC: Blue-leaded mechanical pencil, Pitt Brush Pens, and Prismacolor mono-width pens
for cross-hatching and lettering.

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: And Then One Day #6, Autobiographical Documentary
Media Used: Offset Printing
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2007
rjp: What inspires you to create art?

RC: Life.

rjp: How would you categorize your artistic style?

RC: Approachably awkward, but becoming more refined.

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: page 86, And Then One Day #6, Autobiographical Documentary
Media Used: Pen and Ink
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2007
 Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor
Title: And Then One Day #7, Autobiographical Conversations
Media Used: Hand-Printed Silk-Screened cover
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2009

rjp: One of the things that I love about small press publications is the artistry that
author/creators put into, not only the content [wonderful as it is] but also the varied
methods of binding & presentation. There is more care & thought put into these
individual works of art than what you can find in the mass-produced mainstream best-
seller’s lists.

rjp: Would you say that there is a "message" or "unifying theme" in your work?

RC: The vast majority of my comics have been autobiographical, but that's going to
change with some upcoming projects.
rjp: Which famous artists / creators or styles have influenced you? Why?

RC: http://www.elephanteater.com/links#influences

(Excerpt from website)

INFLUENCES
A list of artists I’ve looked to for inspiration over the years,
some as I was growing up and others more recently.

• Sergio Aragones (http://www.sergioaragones.com) - My all-time favorite artist. The

website is pretty stagnant, but the artist is not.
• Mark Evanier (http://www.povonline.com/) - Hard to sum up in a sentence or even
two. He’s written for comics, television, cartoons, and Sergio Aragones.
• Manu Larcenet (http://www.manularcenet.com) - This European comics artist
crafted one of my new favorite books, Ordinary Victories.
• Stan Sakai (http://usagiyojimbo.com/) - The prolific creator behind Usagi Yojimbo.
• Craig Thompson (http://www.dootdootgarden.com/) - One of those creators you
both praise and curse, just for being so unbelievably talented.
• Andi Watson (http://www.andiwatson.biz/) - An artist from the UK with a keensense
of design. Watson can throw perspective out the window and still make everything
work beautifully. And he tells a mean story.

rjp: Would you rather have an engaged & loyal but, ultimately, small Indie readership
or work on the latest Spidey, Wolverine or X - book?

RC: I would rather have an engaged & loyal wide-spread following. Ha-ha! ...and I
don't have much interest in working on superhero books.

rjp: With advancements in computer graphic tablet technology, some artists are now
creating their work directly in the digital medium and releasing it in purely digital
formats... are the days of paper & pulp doomed to the realm of fading memories?

RC: HECKS NO!!! Even if the big boys decide they're going to an all digital
distribution system (which they're not), there will always be a contingent of art-focused
comic-makers who will craft their unique visions out of tangible materials. Now-a-days,
you're starting to see a regenerated interest in hand-crafted materials with all this digital
bombardment. Just look at Etsy and think of all the crafters and artists you in your
life. Tangible product is not going anywhere. It may become less dominant than it
used to be (which is not necessarily a bad thing), but it's never going to die.
 Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor
Title: page 4, And Then One Day #7, Autobiographical Conversations
Media Used: Pen and Ink
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2009

rjp: What do you think of the term "starving artist"?

RC: I have no intention of being one.

rjp: Do you feel more a sense of community with other artists or a sense of competition?

RC: Definitely a sense of community. If there is any competition, it's friendly. That
sounds like a load of diplomatic prattle, but it's true.
rjp: How do you market yourself?

RC: How much time do you have? Ha-ha! I market myself every possible way I can
think of and every reasonable chance I get. Website, conventions, in-store signings,
national distribution, tours and grassroots personal interaction.

rjp: Do you find it difficult to stay motivated/inspired?

RC: Nope. I find it difficult to find the time in a day to do everything I want to do.

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: And Then One Day #8, Autobiographical Conversations
Media Used: Hand-Printed Silk-Screened cover
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2010

rjp: With each new edition, Ryan’s increasing sophistication as a gifted cartoonist &
self publishing artisan is revealed.
rjp: While traditional publishing and distribution has become a difficult goal to achieve
for the modern Indie comic creator, what do you think of the impact that social
networks and POD services have had as an alternate means of connecting you, your
work and your audience?

RC: My feelings about social networks oscillate depending on the day and my
mood. Ha-ha! Sometimes I feel like artists, myself included, focus too much on this
new social networking craze and not enough time producing product. On other
days/moods I feel like it reminds readers that I exist, even though it takes me longer
than the average bear to produce a book. As an artist, it's good to stay in the minds of
readers so they don't forget who you are and what you do. So, my personal jury is still
out on the matter.

Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor

Title: And Then One Day #8, Autobiographical Conversations
Media Used: Hand-Printed Silk-Screened cover
Size: 5.5” x 5.5”
Date Created: 2010
rjp: What other interests do you have, besides art?

RC: Hiking, reading, long walks on the beach. This is starting to sound like a personals
ad. Ha-ha! I dunno. I like fiber arts, like quilting, embroidery and things generally not
associated with being a man. You can add dancing to that list. I'll leave it there before I
dig that hole any deeper. (Although drawing Care Bears at 5-years-old probably doesn't
help my case.)

Artist’s Name:
Ryan Claytor
Title:
Lucky
Media Used:
Letterpress Print
Size:
14.25” x 20”
Date Created:
2006

rjp: A truly poignant piece

in which Claytor manages to
balance the realities of aging
with the sort of gentle good
humour we all aspire to face
it with. It is my favourite, to
be honest, of the batch of
material I have reviewed for
this article.
 rjp: What advice would you have for a young artist starting out today?

RC: I have series of articles on my website targeted toward aspiring comic book
artists. I call the series "Small Press Professionalism" and you can find them here:

RC: http://www.elephanteater.com/resources

(Excerpt from website)

SMALL PRESS PROFESSIONALISM
A series of articles geared toward small press comic artists outlining
ways to improve the image of your product and succeed as an artist.

• How to Organize a Tour - Ever wanted to promote your books with a series of in-store book
signings? Here’s how to make it happen.
• Massaging your Quotes - Tips on how to make the price of printing your books a little more
managable.
• How to Stay Productive - Tips for staying productive in the face of a busy lifestyle.
• How to Distribute Your Small Press Comic (Part 1 of 2) - A handy list of mini-comics distributors.
• How to Distribute Your Small Press Comic (Part 2 of 2) - A further exploration into distribution
channels including direct-to-store sales, conventions, and web commerce.
• Publish Online First - Why you might want to consider an initial web-based release of your work.
• How to Pay for Your Books - Some tips to make this daunting task effortless.

rjp: Do you have any big plans, shows or Cons coming up?

RC: Two of them in the immediate future:

1) Comic Con International in San Diego, CA July 21-25, 2010. I'll be in the Small
Press Pavilion at table P-15.

2) Starting July 30th, I'm launching a book signing tour. I'm making stops in 15
States, 5 Canadian Provinces, and 25 total stops. You can find out all about it here:

http://www.elephanteater.com/2557

rjp: How would you like your art, and by extension yourself, to be remembered?

RC: That's a good question. I think I'd like to be remembered as a humble go-getter
with some thoughtful comics. ...and I'm still working on making that happen.
 Artist’s Name: Ryan Claytor
Title: Autobiographical Comic Book Art, Exhibition Postcard
Media Used: Offset Printing
Size: 4” x 6”
Date Created: 2006

RKYV ONLINE would like to thank Ryan Claytor for sharing some of his thoughts &
work with us for this article. For more information and to follow this creator online:

Website: http://www.ElephantEater.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ElephantEater
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Ryan-Claytor/604445331
Untitled – by Josh Bowe
 Non-Fiction?
The last footsteps to 2012
by CS Cartier

2012 –Footsteps to destruction

I am not a scientist, though I would be the first to say they understood the nature
of things. I have always leaned towards an understanding of the basics while not
exceeding at any. I would get bored at the fine tuning of understanding. A tree is a tree
after all, no matter if you called it a Maple or Elm. The small differences do not excite
me, and mark little comment. So when I say to you that science, backed by some
scientists, does support most of the 2012 theories, it is with a general understanding
and an appreciation of the work that has been done on the subject. Mind you, scientists
usually cannot agree on something, even after the results are clear. That, not
withstanding, brings me here, introducing my second article on the approaching doom.

The end-of-the-world mania, called by some the “Apoca-freaks”, is most definitely a

real movement that has spread across the globe. Hollywood did a piss poor job
throwing together a mediocre movie, with real world insight. I know I will not have a
limo to dodge falling buildings so I will have my head tucked tightly between my legs
kissing my ashtray good-bye. So, as I touched on earlier, understanding just the basics is
all we really need. Death by fire is just as dead as death by drowning. But to inspect
closer for entertainment purposes only, I will delve into the sciences and strongest
beliefs of what may possible be the beginning of the end. Personally, topping my list is
the planet reacting to our own greed and mistreatment of her plains, mountains, skies,
and shores. I digress, and move on.
Theory One - Coronal Mass Ejection - CME (solar flare
for those less scientific) these events have been on the rise in
recent years. Solar maximum is the term for the maximum in
solar activity that takes place approximately every eleven years;
solar minimum is the lowest point of solar activity. The last solar
maximum was in 2001. (Do the math). The largest ever
recorded way back in 1859 was actually responsible for the
telegraph system failing. Some systems back then sparked and
spontaneously caught fire. Even disconnected from the power
source, some continued to send and receive messages. Now, I
have in the past, had speakers that received transmissions while
unplugged from the wall, from CB transmissions that were so
powerful, they somehow charge the unit independently. So, these
old reports make sense and suggest the power of solar flares.

A large solar flare did achieve real events and measurable effects. This is the core of
what science is, measured and calculated and over a span of time.

So, let us look at the sky one hundred fifty year later. The atmosphere is a mixture of
nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases (we call this air) it surrounds Earth. The higher you
go; the atmosphere becomes thinner until it eventually is so far from the planet that
gravity can no longer hold it. Thus beginning space. Gravity is what holds our air
against the planet, crushing it as close to the ground as possible. This is of course
pressure, leading into weather (a different topic). The atmosphere is divided into five
layers. The troposphere is the first layer above the surface and contains half of the
Earth's atmosphere. Weather occurs in this layer. The stratosphere is the second (where
the jets fly). Meteors or rock fragments burn up in the mesosphere, the third layer.
Followed by the thermosphere this contains the auroras. The space shuttle orbits in the
thermosphere. The last layer is where air merges with space, it is the exosphere.

Knowing the atmosphere, let us further look at what

each layer does for us and our survival. Most people
know what Ozone is, for those that do not hear is a
small explanation. Ozone is made of three oxygen
atoms. The oxygen we breathe is made up of two
oxygen atoms. Where we find ozone in the
atmosphere determines whether we consider it to be
"good" or "bad"! Ozone found in the atmosphere's
lowest layer in the troposphere is "bad ozone"
because elevated levels lead to human health
problems as well as damage to crops and forests.
Ozone one layer up, in the stratosphere, is "good
ozone" because it shields us from harmful, long-
wavelength ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
This was a long way of saying, in 1859, during the largest recorded geomagnetic storm
the Ozone layer was intact and solid (doing the job it is suppose to). And still, the
radiation penetrated the protective layer. One hundred fifty years later, we have
computers; in fact most of the world runs on computers. Kids in Ontario, Canada do
not even learn without them. They use calculators to do basic math instead of learning
the basics. I pity the day that computers are not available. Oops, of topic again, sorry.

Much of the X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun are absorbed in the
thermosphere. The thermosphere gets hotter and expands or "puffs
up". Because of this, the height of the top of the thermosphere (the
thermopause) does vary. So 90 km up to about 500-1000km of protect
stand been us and a really bad sun burn. Many of our satellites orbit
inside the thermosphere. The first victim of a CME will be the
satellites. Communication counts on the satellites. Land lines are
becoming a thing of the past.

The problem really begins with the simple fact that a major "thinning"
of the ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere has been recorded and
governments around the world are in no hurry to fix it. First noticed
in the late 1970s, the hole appears in the winter over the poles. You
can see it mark in blue. Various chemicals that humans release into the
atmosphere help cause the hole. You can see what a couple of decades
did to the ozone. The hole will be like a hole in a boat. Radiation and
X-Rays will spill onto us in massive amounts (is spilling), but a CME
will be catastrophic. Telegraphs could not withstand a CME, what
would happen to the technology that we hold dear to our hearts.

September 2nd, 1859, the largest recorded solar event caused an

Aurora that was seen around the world, most notably over the
Caribbean; also noteworthy were those over the Rocky
Mountains that were so bright, the glow awoke gold miners, it
was so bright they actually thought it morning.

What could possibly be the effects of such an event of a CME

(Coronal Mass Ejection) with today’s conditions? Some speculate
that these are the making of the dire 2012 predicated leading to
the end as seen in the Mayan Calendar. The threats to our life on
earth – including an all-out collapse of power grids and satellite
systems resulting from solar flares are expected to climax with
unprecedented fierceness in 2012. Incipient plagues, famines,
droughts and unyielding global warming are also assessed for
their catastrophic potential.
Personally, I think the planet is taxed and pushed to the brink of safety. The
infrastructure of nearly every city is beyond reproach. Every problem that has risen
since their inception has only been levied or fixed with band aid solutions. New
Orleans is proof that we live in an unsafe environment and the problems that are there
are being hidden from the public’s eyes. How many other problems are we unaware of,
that will be shown during our darkest hours? Are we the architects of our own
destruction - which may spring out sometime in the near future? The CME theory is
only one theory, and there are many others. The underlying problems are the same.

In ending (closing would have been grammatically proper but I thought the pun
would be appropriate), I should explain what a CME actually is. In short, ten billion
tons of plasma erupts from the surface of the sun. It is the largest explosion in the solar
system. Roughly approaching the power in ONE BILLION hydrogen bombs! The
speed of the explosion is about 1000 km per second. Normal the suns radiation would
take about 4-5 days to reach the earth. The largest CME only took a dozen hours.
Intense events contain very high levels of radiation, more than a million times the daily
norm. Weaken Ozone protection could possibly lead to radiation sickness to humans
and all life. Our food, water supply and entire way of life would be affected.
I am not a scientist. I am smart enough to know a hole in the boat does mean I will
sink. We are all on the galactic boat called Earth, and there is a hole in our boat. And
there are magnetic storms coming.
Incendiary, CME - by r. j. paré; manip & dig paint
 Poetry
Selected Poems
by Stephen Campbell

Walled
Home now, never dared he wander
Forth from garden wall unbidden. Seldom
Ventured outside stricken, young and alone.
----- The child in tears, his heart afflicted,
----- Ate with fear his hearts now hidden.
Grown, the man remembers old adventures,
Hears childhoods past, still as simple pleasures.

the child inside – by r. j. paré

Child of the 90's

Time was, we watched TV unafraid
Of anything. The cartoons were manmade,
The news ignored, the shows were new,
TV adored. And in those days we viewed

Things differently; now the world is spun

On the endless fuel of fruitless reruns,
The news can be ignored no longer,
TV’s magic is dead, its hold is stronger.

idiot box, darkly

– by r. j. paré; manip & dig paint
 Selected Poem
by Wanda VanHoy Smith
THE VICE OF LIFE
St. Cross By the Sea is my favorite
House of worship’
The parish has a magnificent organ
and fine choir.
My other favorite place for Sunday service
is the Lighthouse Cafe a few blocks away.
The lighthouse bar has a jazz brunch on
Sunday and serves cool jazz, hot bop
and three dollar Bloody Marys.
I am a believer that God created trumpets
And tomatoes as well as church organs.
Variety is the vice of life.

While shopping for a bottle or two in

the liquor department of Von’s market
I am greeted by a handsome familiar looking
man with a white beard who seems know me
and asks “Did you have a good time on Sunday?”
I search my brain but can’t place him
So I fake it, “Yes, the Lighthouse is always fun.”
“Oh,” he looks surprised. “did you go down
there after the church bazaar?”
Then I remember, he sings in the St. Cross choir
I mutter something stupid about how inspirational
It is to hear Amazing Grace and escape to the
dairy section where I hope he watches me put
a bottle of Soy Milk in my cart next to the bread
La Sainte sur La Mer de Mes Rêves
and Sacramento wine.
– by r. j. paré; manip & dig paint
 Selected Poem
by Tindersen Blacktree Hoopdriver
Note to Self
Before murmuring madness steals a breath from your mind
Take a mouth full of soap and a skelp from behind

Just the trick to hold to you, the great hand-me-down

Taken time taken stood still for the sound

By the walls built to keep you from prehistory

All but nurturing mindsets of raging disease

Almost blissful in knowledge if knowledge be theirs

that the sky is the limit for these thunderous gated snares

Lighting us up in the cavernous state

as we imitate.

Mentor – by r. j. paré; photo & manip

 Poetic Perspectives
by r. j. paré
poison
The ichor sweet stank Since he’s no captain
---- of india ink mars ---- of rich industry
-------- the cartoonist’s fare -------- his spills harm no one

His errant hand grasped But him and his art

---- lacking ill intent ---- not thousands of lives
-------- the brush without care -------- all screaming and noisome

Now all his marvels After all ‘tis ink

---- lie ruined ‘neath black ---- alone that here stains
-------- he must start fresh anon -------- page, not a Gulf of Poison

poison - by r. j. paré; manip & dig paint

Untitled – by Josh Bowe
 Pop Culture

Back in March (Issue #33) I did a review of Lucius Hammer, a great

independent comic that I found at last years Wizard World Chicago. This is one of the
better comics I’ve found and strongly recommend that you read it. It is a comic strong
in quality and entertainment and happens to be very important on various social levels.
Lucius Hammer and other titles, such as Harlem Shadow can be found at
www.ravenhammercomics.com. With the next issue about to be released, I took time to
interview Lucius Hammer creator, Brian Williams.

RKYV: So what’s new w/ Lucius Hammer?

BW: Lucius Hammer is getting ready for his second senses shattering issue in which we
will get into some real honest to goodness superhero action. It’s taken us a almost a year
but we released a Harlem Shadow Spin-off book that came with a Lucius Hammer
Character Index back in May so hopefully the growing fans got their hands on that one
to get themselves primed for this full length adventure we are about to drop on you.
And believe me when I say this, most comic book fans are not ready for what’s coming.
RKYV: How did you come up with the concept for Lucius?

BW: Lucius Hammer started out as a clever pitch for a Luke Cage Revamp. I was
sickened by Azzarello and Corben’s take on Cage and still don’t have much love for
Bendis’ Luke Cage either. The current Marvel Cage is a thugged-out, nerd’s version of
what a super tough black guy is like. I get so pissed off when I see the Avenger’s laying
the smack down on some cosmic threat and dumb-ass Luke Cage is standing there in a
wife-beater and jeans. That’s just nonsense. Anyway, a buddy of mine was like “ Hey
man…that story is way too good to give to Marvel and they probably won’t get it
anyway. You should just self publish your own character.” So I came up with a
hardcore, gangster name…something that just had that ethnic-soul ring to it….Lucius
Hammer, and I began writing a story about this Black Superhero cat who was born in a
rush of sixties black adventurers who were just hitting the global scene at the time and
causing a ruckus. Kind of like mixing Luke Cage with Superman. The surprise that
emerged from my writing method was that Lucius had an illustrious historical
background that linked him genetically to John Henry, paving the way for me to
introduce one of his main powers…a delayed aging process. This kicks the door wide
open for all sorts of adventures throughout history and also leaves the door open for a
killer JOHN HENRY Comic Book. It’s coming, so get ready.

RKYV: What do you aspire to do with Lucius? With comics?

BW: I want to make Lucius Hammer the first black superhero that’s a household name.
It’s time. We have a Black President before we have a major fictional black superhero
character!!!??? That’s preposterous! I want to challenge mainstream comics to do better.
Create new legends. Don’t just serve us up the fifteenth incarnation of Batman or give
us a New X-MEN title…use your brains and come up with contemporary and
alternative heroes that will last for the ages like Stan and Jack and all those other guys at
Mighty Marvel did in the 60’s and seventies. It can be done!

RKYV: Who is working on this project with you?

BW: My crew consists of a few good men. Christian Colbert, first and foremost, is the
man who makes the artwork pop off the Bristol board. The man was born to draw
Lucius Hammer.
 I mean anybody who can’t see an animated series or three being spawned
from Christian’s pencils and on smash coloring is blind. He is the franchise.
Derek King is our graphic design guy and sometimes fill-in letterer. He does
it all; websites, trading cards, bar mitzvah invitations, etc. You name it, this
guy does it with speed and professional flare. I have been down with Derek
for ten years now and he is a graphic design genius…when we blow sky high
he’s going to be the MVP because he just gets it done and has that eye for ridiculous
design. I should also mention the inker of the first book, a very talented dude out of
Michigan named Travis Reitman who I hope will also be inking issue two because he
knows just how to embellish Christian’s lines without obscuring them. The only other
person on the crew is Guttermouth…but he’s real low key and does not like drama. He
asked me not say anything about him so I’ll just say he’s our regular letterer and logo
guy and we’ll leave it at that.

RKYV: What is your creative process like?

BW: My creative process is to first locate the germ of an idea. For instance, I became
captivated for the first time with Will Eisner’s The Spirit not too long ago. It occurred
to me that there were absolutely no pulp black detective hero types during this
particular age of comics, and I found that odd because of the presence of books like
Cotton Comes to Harlem by Chester Himes. And then my next thought was what an
interesting backdrop the city of Harlem would make for the emergence of the first black
superhero…the Harlem Shadow who would go on to influence Lucius Hammer to try
his luck at being a costumed do-gooder. It’s simple to me. God given ability. That’s how
it all starts and blossoms.

RKYV: How does your team work?

BW: We argue. We bicker. We miss deadlines. We tell each other we’re quitting and
that’s it. But at the end of the day, we put together some really dope comics. Comic
books that I’m proud of. And that’s all I’m really trying to do. I write the best script
possible. Christian and I discuss it. He may freestyle on some of the scenes or panels to
encompass a quirky but elegant action sequence that I have stirred in his
imagination…and then we have “synchronicity”…that rare moment where both writer
and artist join together to form Voltron!!! Doesn’t happen to everybody but it happens
to CC and I all the time!

RKYV: What projects are there in the future?

BW: Future projects! Hahahhahhahaaha! We got a little horror-action sci-fi epic called Ravens
Hollow that is on deck. Hopefully we will be releasing it in time for Halloween 2010…and it’s got
Indians, ghosts, demon worshipping football teams, time travelers, Bigfoot, UFO’s and little
zombie Indians called Pukwudgies. All of this stuff revolves around a small Ohio town called
Ravens Hollow. This was actually an original concept of Christian’s that I came in halfway thru and
injected some of my brand name insanity into. I think CC wants to do it as a one shot graphic
novel.
RKYV: What is coming w/ Lucius?

BW: Lucius Hammer will hopefully conclude his first arc by December 2010. The resulting graphic novel will
be collected and is called I, Hammer…The Autobiography of The African American Superhero. This will give
you his complete background and fill you in on the more contemporary storyline we are going to be telling in
the regular Lucius Hammer Ongoing Series. Get ready for some of the most interesting villains and
superheroes you have ever seen of all colors. I have been thinking about this book since I was eight years old,
you are about to see the kitchen sink in 3D!!!

RKYV: Tell us about some of the villains and side characters to come in Lucius?

BW: Bulldozer, Jack Hammer and Electrocutor will be making their entrance and painful exit in issue 4 of I,
Hammer.

RKYV: Are you doing a con tour this summer?

BW: We will be appearing at the Onyxcon in Atalnta, The Cincinnati Comic Expo in the Queen City, Mid
Ohio Con and hopefully The New York Comicon but of course it all depends on money and time. I am not yet
independently wealthy and I do have a family that comes before any of these hi-jinks so these appearances can
sometimes be a little sketchy.

RKYV: How are the web sales going?

BW: Web sales are ok. Not great. We still don’t have a full time advertising giant out there directing people to
our little piece of cyberspace. I try and get folks tuned in to using the webstore by keeping the facebook page
poppin with previews and new material but until we get that top spot in a Diamond or Wizard…we’re still
playing the word of mouth game.

RKYV: What has worked for you in promoting your book?

BW: The artwork. And I believe the just badass character that Lucius is attracts people. All colors, shapes and
sizes. They love him. As the writer I would like to think also that I have a little something to do with it as well.
I could be mistaken. It might just be the art. LOL

RKYV: I think you have a tremendous sense of voice, both in terms of regional and era dialects. How do you
get such strong dialogue in your stories?

BW: Listening to people and reading other writers who do great dialects.
RKYV: Did you study writing in school?

BW: I was a communications major at Boston College and screenwriting was my focus. I
wanted to do movies. So I have read Syd Field’s books cover to cover many times and have
prayed on nights beneath a full moon that I would one day be a screenwriter. Hasn’t happened
yet so I decided to write movies for the page…Comic Books!!!

RKYV: When did you know you wanted to write comics?

BW: When I read Spawn and Youngblood. I said to myself…damn, if Todd McFarlane and Rob
Liefeld can get away with this garbage passing as comics then I know I can break in. That being
said, I still bought multiple printings of the first twelve issues of Youngblood and Spawn.

RKYV: Did you/ do you ever want to write for other media?

BW: One time I wrote a little tagline for a Tallstacks Riverboat Ad to earn some jack to pay for
a website but for the most part…comic book and movie scripts have been my forte. But writing
is my thing so I could probably transition easily to other media, it would just depend on if I was
interested.

RKYV: Do you use art for self discovery?

BW: That question is a little too deep for me…I use art to show you what I’m thinking…how
about that?

RKYV: Is there anything of yourself in Lucius Hammer?

BW: I think if there is, it’s the fact that he is a talented black man in a world that enjoys the
thought of him, and doesn’t mind using him for entertainment purposes but in actuality wants
to keep him in his place because he might start some kind of revolutionary thought in the
masses. I am a legend in my own mind. LOL

RKYV: Will you ever show up at a con dressed up like Lucius Hammer?

BW: Naw. I’m not big enough. Lucius is a big dude.

RKYV: Who/what are you influences?

BW: My childhood. All of the wonderful storybooks my mother hipped me to as a kid. Classic
Trek. Alan Moore. Warren Ellis. Grant Morrison. Stan Lee. John Byrne. Chris Claremont. Billy
Graham (the black artist who penciled Luke Cage in the seventies) Keith Pollard, Christopher
Priest and his first six issues of Marvel Knights Black Panther, Tim Burton’s Edward
Scissorhands, Jack Kirby’s New Gods, Prince’s Purple Rain album, Led Zeppelin, Neal Adams
and Denny O’Neil’s Green Lantern and Green Arrow, Quentin Tarrantino, Kung Fu Cinema,
The Flinstones, Scooby Doo and Jonny Quest.
RKYV: What inspires you?

BW: Great question. Bookstores. Coffee shops with books. Indie comics. Movies. Blaxploitation
cinema. Alexander Dumas. Jimi Hendrix. My wife and kids. Rocky 1, Godfather 2, Stan Lee, Jack
Kirby, Steve Ditko, John Romita, Gil Kane, The Great Gatsby, Spider-Man, Superman, great
conversations, spontaneous creativity, and a blank piece of paper.

RKYV: What pissses you off?

BW: Marvel’s current version of Luke Cage, the depiction of African American characters in
modern day comics, the collective I.Q of all the stupid people who paid in excess of 100 million
dollars to see that ass-tacular Wolverine Movie, Hollywood directors who think they can re-write
comics, The creators of the t.v show Heroes, Lady Gaga and L’il Wayne, reality t.v, event comics
like Darkest Night and Brightest Day, alternate covers with higher prices, stupid questions, and
corporate America.

RKYV: What comics do you read?

BW: I read Absolute Watchmen once every couple of months. This book is the Ark of the
Covenant as far as comic book artistry is concerned…it gets no better. Right now I’m digging
Jersey Gods…Spider Man has been exceptionally entertaining for me lately. Fantastic Four is
trying to make a come back, a little Thor and Hulk. Oh yes…Daredevil is interesting. I am also
nuts about Grant Morrison’s Great Ten. I collect all of Image’s POP-GUN collections. And
Hellboy and The BPRD books are must buys for me when ever I see them on the rack.

RKYV: What else are you reading?

BW: I am currently reading Cotton Comes to Harlem by Chester Himes. Sort of a research thing
for my Harlem Shadow story.

RKYV: What are you watching /listening too?

BW: Don’t watch a lot of t.v…too much brain drivel. Every now and then I’ll watch Paranormal
State, Lost or True Blood. But I am not attached to any one t.v show in particular. TV is dead to
me. I am currently listening to a lot of seventies r&b just to capture that flavor for the Lucius
Hammer comic.

RKYV: If Lucius had a soundtrack, what would be on it? Who would you want to do the music
for it?

BW: Actually Lucius Hammer does have a soundtrack being composed by a couple of fantastic
musicians I am collaborating with named Tony Kelsey and Jeff Popplewell. But a dream
soundtrack would be Curtis Mayfield, James Brown and Isaac Hayes…together!!!
RKYV: Tell us about the Lucius Hammer action figure. Where can you get them?

BW: It’s still in its embryonic stage. I can confirm though that the prototype is finished
and we are looking for financing…so it’s a ways off but further than I ever dreamed it
would go.

RKYV: What was behind having the action figure made?

BW: I just saw the need for a really cool, black action figure that I could go out and
market to a hungry black consumer community who want things like a Lucius Hammer
action figure. I tell people this all the time, there’s big money in flattery. African
Americans want to see themselves represented. They also want their kids to have heroes,
real and fictional, that look like them. It’s elementary to me.
 Comic Book Review
by Brad Bellmore

Mirror Mind

Thumb solidly up

Mirror Mind is another SPACE discovery. It

is a graphic novel written and drawn by Tory
Woollcott. If this isn’t the best book I’ve read in a
while, it’s the most important. This book goes
miles toward helping people understand dyslexia.

The story of this book follows the life of the creator as she grew up with dyslexia in a school that
just didn’t get it. The trauma she endured due to the stupidity of the adults around her is atrocious.
Her parents scramble to figure out what to do while the experts misguide them and mistreat her.
Finally, Tory gets the help she needs and her situation begins to improve.

This is a great story detailing the events that happened and drawing us into the anguish and pain
Tory experienced. Even the transition of her name from Victoria to Vicky to Tory is significant.
Everyone deals with creating an identity and finding their place in the world and this book taps
that basic experience in all of us while bringing us into Tory’s specific ordeal on that path. A tale
very well told.

The art in this book reminds me of Persepolis. It is simple at times, but that simplicity reveals a
complexity that an overdrawn book could never accomplish. The look of this art captures the feel
of childhood yet it makes the depth of emotion weigh more. Subtle effects like the lettering on all
the packages in the book are designed to give the reader a feel of the dyslexic experience. Also the
change in fonts used to define which language was spoken was quite clever.

Find this book. Buy and read it. Then buy copies to donate to your library or school. This is a great
book and it is an important book. Well worth the money.
 Manga Maximus
by Darke Raven

Month 1 - Aria
By Kozue Amano
• Published by ADVManga (1st English Publication) and
TOKYOPOP (2nd English Publication)
• Present Status - Limbo… again?!?

I checked it out in the dictionary, the term "Aria", and found this.

• Aria (n) - A vocal piece with accompaniment sung in solo; part of an opera.

Perfect for the title in my opinion, and while it is still not quite getting up to speed
in publication as I would have hoped at least now you can enjoy both the Manga
version (this review) and the Anime TV Series of this rare gem of a treasure not enough
people, in my opinion, have been exposed to yet (thanks to TOKYOPOP in Manga and
Right Stuff on Anime).
One hundred and fifty years have passed since terra forming of the
planet Mars has turned it from a stark lifeless desert into a water world where 90% of
the surface is covered with oceans, now renamed Aqua (the world of water), which
might be an alternative title to find the series under according to amazon.com BTW.
Life eventually flourished in the form of immigrants from Earth, and a human world
albeit primitive in comparison to life on Earth took root. Now, at the 150 year
anniversary in the year 2301, in a city called Neo Venezia, the story begins.

This is the story of young Akari Mizunashi, and her dream to become a full fledged
gondolier (known on this world as "Undines") navigating the watery canals of Neo
Venezia on her gondola working for the Aria Company (seemingly from what I can see
of it a small but hard working gondola company in Neo Venezia). It’s hard work
becoming a full fledged Undine, but thankfully she isn’t going it alone (of course).

First off there is Alicia, her instructor and mentor, who guides her through the paces on
her quest to become a full fledged Undine. Then there's her best friend Aika, who works
for a rival company, who also helps her but in a different way than Alicia (who Aika
looks up to and admires since Alicia is one of the best Undines on Aqua). Finally there's
company mascot "President Aria", the blue eyed cat like creature that is the company
mascot. All Undine companies in Neo Venezia have a blue eyed cat as a mascot, and the
mascot is always named "President (company name)", hence "President Aria".

And of course there's the citizens of Neo Venezia, as well as those just visiting, who also
for brief moments give her company as they board her boat and pass in and out of her
life as briefly as a short rainstorm.

Hence why the term "Aria" suits this book best if I got the gist of the term right. Like
an Aria, a vocal piece sung in solo with accompaniment, thus is the life of trainee
Undine Akari Mizunashi. It is her solo life, but it is made brighter and more complete
with the "accompaniment" of friends, co-workers and the people she meets each and
every day she lives and works in Neo Venezia.

Aria is truly a pure and beautiful dream which is embodied well in the well crafted
artwork, the lovely storytelling, and the overall package that flows like a softly running
river with its beautiful dream from beginning to end of the Graphic Novel 1 to 4 (of
which I have read to date). From beginning to end Aria is a visual treat, and a quiet yet
enjoyable read that flows as quietly and calmly as the canals of Neo Venezia, promising
a trip that takes it's time, and is beautiful because it does take it's time and doesn't rush
it.

A must read in my opinion with a lovely score of 5 out of 5 to prove it.

 Raised on Saturday
Morning Cartoons
by Pauline Paré

Naughty and Nice

Summer is here and so is the dreaded hiatus of several fav shows. Lately, we have
been presented with more summer fare than ever, some good and some chillingly bad.
One of the better ones so far has been “The Good Guys”, a one-hour police comedy
airing on Fox. Colin Hanks and Bradley Whitford (formerly of Studio 60 on the Sunset
Strip) star as a pair of detectives, assigned to the most menial cases, who always seem to
stumble on the big busts. In the first episode the two investigate a rock thrown through
a window in a residential area only to find that the rocks true target was a street lamp.
Eventually (and it actually seems to make sense!) the detectives bring down an
international car theft ring. The show isn’t perfect but somehow it works and entertains
in the process. It is full of laughs and the main characters are great to watch but I feel
that some stronger background characters are needed. I do recommend checking it out
fro some summer fun in front of the tube.
This summer brings some returning shows
and a favourite from last season is HBO’s Hung. It
features Thomas Jane as a down on his luck high
school coach in a Detroit suburb who tries to cash in
on his biggest asset to make some much needed cash.
That asset happens to be his male endowment.
Irreverent and funny with some great supporting
characters, this is definitely a show to watch after the
kids have gone to bed. Jane Adams is brilliant as
Tonya, a poetess turned pimp. The dynamic between
the characters is wonderful to watch and there are
extremely funny moments as well as real insights into
their lives. I find the kids to be the weakest part of the
show but since the show is not really about them, I can
live with that. I realize now that Thomas Jane’s talent was wasted when they tried to
market him as an action star. His comic timing and charm bring so much to this HBO
comedy. This show is truly a guilty pleasure.

Speaking of guilty pleasures, my family and I have been enjoying Wipeout since it’s first
season. It may not be even close to intellectual and it’s popularity is based on an
enjoyment of human suffering but that can be so much fun! The hosts can be a little
irritating at times but there is certainly some enjoyment to be had out of watching
someone get bashed by a padded mechanical arm. The contestants are comical and the
obstacle course is purposefully gruelling and next to impossible to traverse without
some hilarity. It is a show the whole family enjoys together and every episode is full of
laughs.

The best show of summer however is outside. Yes outside. You really can have
fun out there and there is some evidence that sunshine (in moderate amounts with the
right sunscreen) is actually good for you. There are times when nature can put on a
really good show. But set that PVR because it does rain! (And there are a LOT of bugs at
night).