Coffee Time

I've got to say that I'm pretty happy with everything so far. I think the comics are moving along nicely. I really feel like I'm getting into it with Across the Way. Every week it feels like my vision gets clearer on that one, and I understand the characters a little more. Of course that's me, you readers may think it's the most disjointed piece of garbage on the internet. But then, webcomics are sometimes hard to judge, aren't they? I mean by the time Episode 3 is done, there still won't be enough pages online to fill a whole issue of a regular comic book. I really can't wait until the next episode gets on the site, because by the time that is finished you'll really have a feel for what the story is about. Of course, the last page of that won't be up for another 9 weeks or so. Sometimes I think this is partly why it's so hard to get a lot of readers for a story-based comic. Which brings me to Coffee Time...

'Ol Coffee Time has the nice advantage of having 26 previous episodes under its belt for people to read, but still, I think that it's changed enough for people to have to sort of rediscover. I'm real happy that we got to episode 4, which actually takes place at Coffee time. Wow! It's about time, right? It feels like we're back home again. I think keeping those introductory episodes outside of the cafe helps establish what the Coffee Time universe is all about this time around: it is a universe, and it is big! This comic has a lot of characters and it will be going to some different places with them for volume 2. The scope definitely feels expanded this time around, but everything that goes on will be one tightly wound story. I'll tell ya, there's been a couple instances while writing the comics where I've felt a little anxious, a little worried. I see this as a good thing. Fear always comes with this creative shit, and if you don't keep moving passed it, you'll never know will you? Know what exactly? I guess we'll find out at the end of the current volumes.

I'm currently watching the fifth season of 24, and I want to warn people who have never seen this show, but plan on starting up with it. Being a fan of this show is on par with being a crackhead. You will love it and want more and more of it. After each episode ends, you'll want to reconfigure your schedule so that you can watch another. Decide to watch some episodes on a day off? You can kiss that day goodbye because your eyes will be glued to the television awaiting Jack Bauer's next jump in logic...err, I mean "move". That is the second truth to this show, besides being televised crack, it's completely ridiculous. No matter how many times you see Jack get from Van Nuys to Downtown LA within minutes, no matter how many times they recycle plot, no matter how many times characters recite the same exposition, and no matter how much they have to increasingly amp up the plot to outrageous proportions to make the show more and more intense as it goes: you will remain firmly on the edge of your seat wanting more. Every time an episode ends, I get this strange feeling of disappointment, the high has gone away, and the only way you can possibly fulfill it is with another episode. I warn you all, if you have not started yet, think long and hard before you do. There's five seasons on DVD now. Almost 100 hours of your precious time. Think of all the stuff you could do. At least I know that the season going on right now won't be on DVD for about 8 or 9 months, and until then, I'm safe.

There's this advertising program out there called Project Wonderful that I've been meaning to get on for months. You basically bid on advertising space on different sites and only have to pay for the amount of time you were actually advertised before you are outbid. It seems you really get what you're paying for too. Some sites get a lot of hits so you're going to be paying $3, $5, or more a day. Some sites get shit for hits and you can get free advertising there. The way most advertising works is you pay a flat fee of say $40 for 40,000 impressions. Doesn't sound bad, but it kind of is. One viewer could refresh that page as many times as he/she wants and every time that ad pops up that's an impression. Now, this is how most advertising is done, but for small operations like us where $40 is just about your whole budget, Project Wonderful allows you to take that money and spread it over a wide variety of sites for a long period of time in a lot of cases. So yeah, Project Wonderful really lives up to it's name. Make sure to check it out if you have a website.

I don't get out to the movies much these days mainly because I'm po', which is a real shame because it's honestly one of those things I love to do. So when I do get out to one, I try to pick a good one. There's been a bunch coming out lately, and it's been making it real hard to choose, so most of the time i just don't end up going. I'm going to start shooting for at least twice a month now though.

Anyway, what I'm trying to get at here is that I saw Zodiac this past weekend and it was a great film. I looked it up before I went to see how long it is, and got a little nervous about the 2 hour and 40 minute running time. A lot of films that run long just seem so bloated with a lot of unnecessary scenes. Don't think that I hate on long films or anything, Sergio leone is one of my favorite directors, it's just lately filmmakers seem to think that longer means better. But Zodiac sucks you in. The running time felt unreal as i walked out. It's got to be one of the best paced films that runs this long ever made. Or maybe it's the material. The film is about obsession, and you really start feeling that obsession once the clues start coming out. I knew next to nothing about the case before watching it, and it further pushes my idea that the 70's must have been one hell of a decade to live through. If you're worried about walking into movie with grisly murder scenes, don't let that thinking keep you away. There's really nothing like that in this film. It's the complete opposite of the directors previous serial killer film Seven. I've always liked David Fincher as a director, but after seeing this I appreciate him on a higher level. Go check this one out.

I'll probably be checking out 300 next. Tobias says it was pretty awesome. I probably would have gone this weekend, but Zodiac I had to see before it left theaters. Maybe I'll just write little movie reviews here when i go see movies. I'm not very good at critiquing in writing, but maybe that's how you learn.

Me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me.

Is that what the world is supposed to sound like? That's what it sounds like a lot these days. I'm a guilty party in this mess too so don't think I'm pointing any fingers. About every 3 months or so I start to feel sorry for myself and feel the need to publish it on Myspace. Why? I don't know. It isn't like I don't have people I can easily talk to about stuff. It's just how it is these days and it's rather annoying. It's what I'm doing right now, right here, and it's something that I promised myself I wouldn't do when the site was started. But I didn't listen, and every now and then when there isn't really anything new to report, this is what happens. The news section turns into a little blog. Why don't I just wait until there is news? Let's face it, Coffee Time Comics ain't a big operation and it just feels like there should be a consistent Monday news update. So here it is. I'm being a self-assigned, self-important blog writer on the subject of self-importance being unimportant.

BTW, Across the Way Episode 3 is looking AWESOME so far. I make devil horns with my pointer and pinky as I say that. Those pages start this week.

03/26/07

So Far, So Good

03/19/07

24 is Crack

03/12/07

Wonderful

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