What's all this, then?

[James Spencer]

Starting another thing online, I guess. I tend to spread myself thinly over the internet.

Great idea for Vegemite, but it's a shitty approach to gaining exposure.

Here are some websites I'm not quite happy with:

www.jamespencer.ca

Started it in 2008 as a portfolio site. Has some of my best work on it, but there are heaps that need to be added to it.

www.blimpsahoy.com

This is going to be my webcomic. The initial idea was to post every single page of my sketchbook regardless of the content. But, I've also thought about limiting it to just the comics, there would still be enough content.

My real problem, if you wanted to know, is that I'm completely uninterested in anything that isn't drawing comics. That's a terribly worded, accidental overstatement. But I'm going to leave it there for you to read. I accidentally said that comics are my sole source of joy in life, which isn't true. Tons of things make me happy, there is a long list. But the list does not include any of the following:

Printing comics

Slicing paper to bind comics

The stress caused by gluing pages together without getting fingerprints on your comics

Stitching the comic books together.

WELL WHY DO YOU SELF-PUBLISH, THEN?

Good Question, Ella from Texas, Mainly because no one would print my sloppy travel journals, and I haven't yet exerted myself artwise enough to make something worth having published by someone else.

I also enjoy the artistic freedom that self-publishing allows me. Not only can my comics be sloppy, I never have to think about appealing to a large demographic, or obeying censorship/copyright laws. I haven't got into copyright infringement, but I think it's a great idea that needs to be explored. If someone could tell me where to find some copyright infringement zines or internet comics... that would be interesting to see.

On that note, anyone who comments on this post and includes a related link or question and provides their name and approximate location, call-in-show style, (e.g. Ella from Texas, who is a fabrication, by the way) will have their link posted in the next post, or their question will be addressed, and their name will be published. Can you fucking believe this?? Yours is ...the attention that this empty carboard box of a blog will afford you, if only you like.

Lastly, if you're willing to rewind for a second (and even if you're not,) the third thing I like about self publishing, Ella, is that I can have great control over the binding process and get the exact look I want, or experiment with new binding styles. I like to change it up a lot. My favourite one was a 5-signature stitched book with a thick cover and the title was on a flap that wrapped around the cover.

That one, by the way, was Poutine for Breakfast, and it's being reviewed by Broken Pencil Magazine, in the spring issue apparently. I am totally bewildered by this fact, and I'm really excited that I'm being acknowledged in public as someone who intends to draw for a living. That is an idea that I am gradually getting used to, and am very excited about.

Okay, this has been a good blog post, I hope you enjoyed it at all. If you did, please comment on this post. The deal is that I need about three comments before I'll post again. And please, no posts in any style besides the one described.

GIVE US MORE DIRECTION!

You got it, Ernie from NYC! We're going to go over the list now, and see what you think. I am especially interested in critical, abusive or defamatory questions being directed at me. This is not sarcasm, I actually want to you to verbally abuse me and tell me exactly what's wrong with my opinion and how exactly I am Quasimodo. It's all in good fun, this isn't a fetishistic thing. Also, please send me links to your comics or art project, and I will 100% post it and tell everyone what I think about it. Don't worry, I won't be fecetiously degrading toward you. I might give positive criticism if I can, but I'll always be nice.

I will make another post as soon as I have 3 comments, call-in show style. If you made it to the end, you can probably think of something to say.

[Jessica]

Hello, this is Jessica from Ontario. I would just like to congratulate you on your upcoming review, which I'm sure will be awesome. I can't wait to read it! I would also like to let you know that I have a guillotine, and I am up for paper-slicing parties if you ever need the help. I don't promise I'll be great at it... but the offer always stands ;)

[Lezley]

Wooooo!!! Hot link!!! Yeeeeehawww

http://twitter.com/LezleyDavidson/

[Lezley]

*sigh*

Artificially upgraded to three comments. None of which are formatted the way you wanted.

http://lezleydavidson.com/

[Lezley]

I made errors - ..."considering you seem to be every *where* comic-related. And you really are... we bumped into each other several times last summer and got comics all over one another... hehe.

http://peeling-onions.com/

I'm hoping this'll hot link. *fingers crossed*

[Lezley]

First - I made a bunch of comments in the wrong spot. I don't know if I like it here yet. But I like you James, so that's good... considering you seem to be everyone comic-related. Oh, hello again James Spencer - get on Twitter.
Right, so blog Nazi wants his comments in a particular style. But first - Broken Pencil is reviewing your zine? FACK. I gave them my book to review - no dice. Nothing. Pfff... What the hell? grumble, grumble, grumble... well. Good for you. Now I'm all bent and I'm going to bed.
Maybe I'll post again later. Maybe not.

I also make comics. You can find my auto-bio webcomic here:

http://peeling-onions.com

This part got sexy:

http://lezleydavidson.com/2010/01/05/

I like the sexy. Now we all know more about me.