Coffee Time Comics News
08/27/07
Sometimes
Sometimes I guess there just isn't a whole lot to write in the news. I'm not going to lie and just write some crap that reiterates previous sentiments. Instead I will write about random things that I like. I don't think I've given the thumbs up to anything in a while. So here we go.
Bourne: I just saw the first two Bourne films last week for my first time and I have got to say that they are awesome. Really good action films with a solid main character, great casts that fit their roles well, and some real tight direction that never lags. The action scenes are fantastic. They were filled with chase scenes, hand-to-hand combat, and gun battles that were all very intense. All around kick ass movies that i completely missed out on. So this weekend I got to see the third installment and I really thought it topped the previous two. Maybe it was seeing it the theater, but I don't think so. It was just a badass movie that ends the trilogy perfectly. Since it is on its way to making $200 million, I don't think I have to tell anybody this. But I do think they should let it all end here on a high note. There's really no need to continue is there? But of course if they do, you know I'll be there watching it all go down.
The Road: Cormac McCarthy is a great author. I haven't read a book this fast in a long time. there were mornings I had to force myself to put it down and get some work done. I've only read Blood Meridian by him previously, but I'm definitely going to re-read that and then start swallowing up his other stories. I liked Meridian a lot the first time, but it was a couple years ago and it's a hard book to read. I think I'd probably understand it better now. I'm taking a Dramatic Literature class starting in September though, so it'll probably have to wait until December. The Road really is a sad story, brave and trying as you read it, and it is well worth it. Within the sadness is a sweetness and hope that you don't see in many stories.
Dramatic Literature: Listen, I don't have a college degree or anything, but I love taking classes. I think that I will probably always take classes. Mostly I like to take English classes and this coming semester I will be reading lots of plays. Some I've already read, and some new ones too. It's funny, I've never even really seen a play besides the sort of stuff you see when you're a kid, but I love reading them and learning from them. I was hoping there was a Shakespeare class this semester, but no such luck. I'm pretty excited to be taking a new class though. Las semester I opted out because I had a lot of work to do with this website and it would have been impossible. Yes, my priorities do lie here at Coffee Time Comics because writing is really what I want to do, and this website and everything Tobi & I do is our education in comics now and our future with them.
Y: The Last Man & The Walking Dead: These are pretty much the two comics I've been reading lately. I haven't completed them because it takes time for me to be able to buy all the collections. I'm almost halfway done with Y and I have to buy Book 3 for The Walking Dead. Y is a really cool idea. And I like that i don't know where it is going. Though i do feel that it can feel a little too episodic when it should feel like one big story. I'd be interested to know how much of the Walking Dead is written out beforehand. I don't think much is. It feels like a very improvised comic, like it doesn't know where it is going, which can be an interesting experiment. especially with a survivors tale. If you like zombies, it's worth a look, otherwise I don't think you'll dig it too much.
Film Noir Classic Collection Vol. 4: I recently went to Amoeba(big ol' record store 'round these parts) and sold a bunch of CDs and DVDs to them that I no longer listen to or watch. One of the things i got with my credit was this collection. I have Vol. 1 & 2, and would have bought 3 that day, but it was $10 more than 4 and had less movies. I'll save Vol. 3 for another day. I've only been able to watch two of the films so far, but of course they were both awesome. Warner Bros. pretty consistently releases great boxed sets that I can't afford, but if you can, you should check out. Honestly, i don't really buy DVds anymore. these may be the first ones I've bought all year, the WB film collections will always be worth the coin. I like old flicks, and Warner did some of the best. Plus half of them star Cagney, Bogart, & Mitchum. Can't go wrong there.
I guess that's it. There were a few more things I wanted to add here, but I'll save them for another time.
Have a safe week.
John Kratky
08/20/07
A Little Help
I have a favor to ask of you fine people out there. I'm really terrible with the whole business of webcomics thing and I'm wondering if you could help a little. Nothing big. Just spread the word a little. Maybe link to us next time you're talking in a forum. Or maybe recommend us to a friend who likes comics. Small things like that. I'm not asking you to do our job, but maybe just help spread the name around the internet a little. And that is all I will say about that.
The Maze of Information
I was planning on talking about the truck bombs that went off in Iraq last week that killed upwards to 500 people. It's a sick crime and I really hate hearing about that stuff. Now I'm not a great political mind of our time, but I can at least see the human misery that actions like this cause. When I first read about it, my heart sank. All these lives being diminished from the earth like they were worthless, and it's all done so easily. I start researching this stuff on different news sites, and get directed to other stories, and then more stories and I start to lose sight of what I originally wanted top say. In the end, I should just let Across the Way do the talking for me. Though I don't believe it's a political comic, I think it speaks enough for this site. Let's just say that as I read a report on the lower numbers of deaths in this group and the rising numbers in that group, it all sounds like the same story to me. We live in tragic times.
The Pina Colada Song
I guess I'm all over the place this week. My mind feels a little distracted. Might as well end on something positive/embarrassing. Some people out there may know, but probably not, that I work with children who have autism. All sorts of ages, from 4 to 17. So on an almost daily basis I get to be involved with things that I almost definitely wouldn't be involved with if not for this job. One of those is karaoke. I've only actually done this on two occasions, both of course, while I was pretty drunk. One of the kids I work with recently got a little karaoke machine, and while I don't actually do it with him, I sometimes have to prompt him along to keep him going. Singing is one thing I do not do. I can think of a hundred other things that are fun and creative for kids to do without having to sing with them. Anyway, one day I was helping the karaoke kid out with Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes, and the lyrics moved me a little bit. I know, it sounds ridiculous. Here they are:
I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long. Like a worn-out recording, of a favorite song. So while she lay there sleeping, I read the paper in bed. And in the personals column, there was this letter I read:
"If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain. If you're not into yoga, if you have half-a-brain. If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape. I'm the lady you've looked for, write to me, and escape."
I didn't think about my lady, I know that sounds kind of mean. But me and my old lady, had fallen into the same old dull routine. So I wrote to the paper, took out a personal ad. And though I'm nobody's poet, I thought it wasn't half-bad.
"Yes, I like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain. I'm not much into health food, I am into champagne. I've got to meet you by tomorrow noon, and cut through all this red tape. At a bar called O'Malley's, where we'll plan our escape."
So I waited with high hopes, then she walked in the place. I knew her smile in an instant, I knew the curve of her face. It was my own lovely lady, and she said, "Oh, it's you." And we laughed for a moment, and I said, "I never knew"..
"That you liked Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain. And the feel of the ocean, and the taste of champagne. If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape. You're the love that I've looked for, come with me, and escape."
"If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain. And the feel of the ocean, and the taste of champagne. If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape. You're the love that I've looked for, come with me, and escape."
Before that day, I never had any idea what this song was about. And reading the lyrics made me think about my relationship. My girlfriend and I don't suck down Pina Coladas on a daily basis or anything, she doesn't even drink, but we've been in a long distance relationship for almost 3 years. That's a long time, and because of our situation our relationship has sort of forcibly become routine. I'm not bored with it or anything like that, but we don't see each other for months sometimes, and most of our time together is spent on the phone or in text messages. We've only gotten to grow with each other in small steps. But early next year, she'll be making a big step. She's leaving Reno for Los Angeles, and that's a pretty big escape if you ask me. We'll both be making escapes of sorts. My way of living is about to completely change. I've never lived with a girl that I was dating before. So in a way, even though I'm not single, I'm pretty much saying goobye to single life. I think that's why the song rung so true to me. We're also about to know each other in a completely new way. Thankfully it's not because we're bored of each other and trying to find new flames, but it's all due to circumstance.
I'm sure after reading this, you will no longer trust my worth as a writer. I mean, I was moved by the Pina Colda Song. But then, I think you should be warmed by the fact that I was able to relate to Rupert's nice little story. So Jessica, next time we're together and it's raining, we're drinking Pina Coladas, and if there's a karaoke machine nearby, you know what I'm singing(after a few Pina Coladas). But we're definitely not doing yoga.
Thanks for checking out our comics and reading the "news".
John Kratky
08/13/07
What You Are
It's weird to be told what you are when you didn't realize 100% what you were. Recently I took part in this thing called a Round Robin Review where different webcomic creators tore each other a new one...err, gave each other reviews. It was interesting getting others thoughts on Coffee Time. I didn't ask for Across the Way, because I think that it might be better received/understood when it's finished. Though one person did review it and said it was depressing/emo. I thought that was kind of funny and rude at the same time. I picked up some much needed technical advice about the speech bubbles. I think it was something I knew about, but I really pushed into the back of my mind. Apparently some were confusing. It's a detail I'm paying a lot more attention to now. If any of our avid readers(please god I hope there is somebody out there who can be considered an avid reader, hehe) had this problem but put up with us anyway, thank you. That means a lot that you didn't leave us over a technical issue like that. You are bees knees, and thankfully not the stinger.
Now here's the surprising thing. Apparently Coffee Time is this really heavy soap opera type relationship drama that belongs in daytime television. Now I know I went a little heavier on the drama this volume, but I thought I kept it a little more interesting and random than to just be narrowed down to a soap opera. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If that's what it is, that's what it is, but that's definitely not what I'm going for. Not that it matters because I'm not changing anything. I know where the story is headed, and if it's really as simple as these friendly reviews have made it out to be, then so be it. But damn, I really hope that the people who swing by every week see a little more of what Tobias and I are putting into this thing. It's really important for us to put out stuff that is top quality and challenges you a bit more than the usual gag strip.
I guess I probably sound a bit paranoid about these assessments, or maybe I just had to get this stuff off my chest. Who better to listen than the people who actually take the time to read the crap I post as news? I'd love to hear what you think on our messageboard. You don't have to, but, you know.
Thanks for checking out our shit.
John Kratky
News Archive
03/08
03/18/08 - This is Getting Ridiculous
02/08
01/08
01/28/08 - There's No News...
01/06/08 - Welcome to 2008
12/07
12/31/07 - My Wallet V.S. Everything
12/24/07 - Ho Ho Ho
12/17/07 - A Little Late
11/07
11/26/07 - Hiatus: 12/3 - 12/17
11/19/07 - Veterans
11/12/07 - The End?
11/05/07 - Tomorrow
10/07
10/22/07 - Oktoberfest
10/15/07 - Jackass
10/08/07 - This Guy
10/01/07 - Cancer is Lame
09/07
09/24/07 - Das Puma
09/11/07 - The Shock Doctrine
09/10/07 - Quit Your Job!
08/03/07 - It's Hot
08/07
08/27/07 - Sometimes
08/20/07 - A Little Help
08/13/07 - What You Are
07/07
07/30/07 - Comic Con or Bust? Bust!
07/23/07 - Steph Dies!
07/16/07 - Coffee Time Links
07/02/07 - Across the Way Links
06/07
06/25/07 - Coffee Time Comics Presents...
06/18/07 - Business...
06/11/07 - 3,500
05/07
05/28/07 - Impending Doom?
05/22/07 - I'm Late!
05/14/07 - When Art Doesn't Imitate...
05/08/07 - El Party
05/01/07 - 1 Year Anniversary!
04/07
04/23/07 - When Art Imitates...
04/16/07 - AAARGH!
04/09/07 - Go See Grindhouse
04/02/07 - New Sponsors
03/07
03/26/07 - So Far, So Good
03/19/07 - 24 is Crack
03/12/07 - Wonderful
03/05/07 - Blogs
02/07
02/26/07 - Tobias' Gallery
02/19/07 - SCRNWTR
02/12/07 - The Forums Are Back
02/05/07 - Welcome Back!
01/07
01/15/07 - OG Coffee Time
01/01/07 - Here We Are...
12/06
12/18/07 - The End is Near!
12/11/06 - Here's the Deal
11/06
11/27/06 - Gettin' Fat!
11/20/06 - A Lot Going On.
11/12/06 - This Week in Coffee Time
11/06/06 - Here's to the Future...
10/06
10/30/06 - Tobi, the Devil, and I
10/23/06 - Horrors From Mexico
10/16/06 - The Terror Rises Again
10/9/06 - Fronkensteen!
10/02/06 - I Likes Me Some October
9/06
09/25/06 - I Got Nothin'...
09/18/06 - Swing My Verizon!
09/11/06 - 5 Years...
09/04/06 - So This is Labor Day
8/06
08/28/06 - Well Done.
08/18/06 - Uh Oh!
08/11/06 - Comic-Con Pictures
7/06
07/31/06 - Hey Ladies...
07/26/06 - Double Shot Reminder
07/24/06 - We're Back
07/16/06 - Hell Yeah!
07/10/06 - Sweet Yumiko
07/03/06 - Our New Look
6/06
06/26/06 - Voting Incentives!
06/19/06 - Somebody Likes Us...
06/16/06 - Moron!
06/09/06 - Comic-Con!
06/02/06 - Month 2!
5/06
05/26/06 - VOTE!
05/18/06 - T!
05/16/06 - Rip It Up!
05/12/06 - Phew!
05/08/06 - Week Two Begins!
05/05/06 - Online Comics Day!
05/01/06 - Welcome!
Coffee Time Comics © 2006, 2007 John Kratky & Tobias Kaschinski