This is a new record for me, in a bad way. Nearly a month since I last posted? Damn, it's definitely time to show Same Hat some love. In the past few weeks, I've managed to pile up a decent list of OH SHIT, I GOTTA TELL FOLKS ABOUT THAT and DUDE, I HAVE TO POST DETAILS AND GET THE REST FILLED IN BY YOU GUYS. My plan is to finish off a few more things tomorrow and be back in earnest starting this week. So, before that here's a big update on the what's what in Ryantown, if anyone cares (and hey, it's my fucking blog so I'm gonna post it):
+SAME HAT'S 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Holy crap, it's been a long time since I first posted back in February of 2005, with the overly-earnest idea to blog about gag manga and translate some of my favorite strips by a basically unknown Sensha. It's now less scanlations, more manga news and musings, but hopefully it's still cool for you guys.
+THE SECRET PROJECT
We're in crunch time with the deadline looming, but the book is turning out really fantastic. I've lined up blurbs, we've finalized the cover and I'm hammering out final edits to the pages. I can't wait to be able to talk more about the book, and for you guys to be able to read it later this year.
+I'M GOING TO JAPAN
I'm talking a 12 day vacation in April with my GF! The plan includes 5 nights in Tokyo, 5 nights in Kyoto and a night in Osaka. Not much is set in stone yet (Except a Takarazuka Revue show I snagged tickets to..) but we have our eyes on Fushimi Inari Shrine, Ueno park swap meets, riding bikes around Kyoto, butler cafe in Akihabara, MOS Burger, drunken sakura hanami, and SO SO SO much manga buying (Taco Che and Mandarake, here we come). It's my first time back since 2004, and we're totally geeked. I am hoping to bring back tons of photos, new manga to report on and some omiyage to send folks (I'm thinking it's time for some sort of SH contest... any ideas?)
On top of all that, my secret plan is to meet Kazuo Umezu. No seriously, I am gonna make this happen, somehow. And them my brain will explode and I can die happy.
+UPCOMING CONS, FESTS AND EXPOS
As we're coming out of winter, I'm trying to figure out which cons to try to check out. Has anyone made specific plans yet? I wanted to go to Stumptown but it's too soon after my vacation... If all goes well, I'll definitely be at MoCCA in New York, SDCC, then SPX and APE.
This is a shitload of travel, but I think 2008 is the year to do it-- to keep meeting folks and get to hang out with comic and manga nerds. And like APE has taught us, there's nothing like a con to get our asses in gear and finish a goddamn project.
+ELECTRIC ANT ISSUE #1
The zine was put on hold for the aforementioned SECRET PROJECT. But it's back in business and going to the printer next month. The plan is to have it back by June, and then on sale via our site and at COMIC-CON... We'll also have it to sell in person at SPX and our table at APE. Just today I was looking over a new comic by Fart Party's Julia Wertz and transcribing my interview with Fred Schodt. Can't wait to finally get this thing released (and start on issue #2)!
+OTHER ODDITIES
I tried to learn how to draw by posting daily sketches on Thing-a-Day. Much more artistic success was had by Sophia, Hellen, Ryan G and Calvin.
I helped manga editor Jason Thompson (ex-Viz editor of Drifting Classroom, Pulp, Uzumaki etc and author of Manga: The Ultimate Guide) with this manga tasting article, along with Jake Forbes (ex-Tokyopop editor, author of Return to Labyrinth). I don't really know what else to say about it... Check it out and prepare to be beaten into submission by our sheer dorkiness. Happily, we managed to work some Maruo and Umezz into the article's photographs.
I talked over email Vice's editor-in-chief Jesse. Although he was put off by some of my anti-Vice rhetoric, he is a nice guy and into the blog. He made a really generous offer-- sending us some copies of the Shintaro Kago issue to give out to SH readers! If you have tried to get a copy and haven't managed yet I'll see if I can mail one out to you. First dibs to folks that have been commenting on SH for a while and/or live in a city/country that's hard to track Vice down in.... Drop me an email if that's you and I'll try to get one to you when they arrive (of course, depending on how many we get!)
MORE, MORE, MORE COMING SOON.
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