Friday, December 31, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hey Inkbots,


I apologize for missing yesterday's update. I promise to keep with my daily blog schedule once it resumes this Sunday.


I want to take this moment and thank you all for supporting this website and making all of our dreams a success. I promise 2011 will be an even better year for us, as we will post more quality titles and deliver a few surprises along the way ;)


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

few hours late, but what the hell

Hey Inkbots,


I had a crazy Tuesday, but I'm still alive to tell about it. 


On Monday I was supposed to post an update on everything that is going on with the site, so here we go...


Zomboy will now be posted on Thursday morning. We had a few last minute issues with the coloring, so Jan is taking some time to correct them.


I really thinK you guys are going to like the third issue of Zomboy. It is extremely action pack, and of course, it reveals another piece to the puzzle ;)


So far the reception for Odessa #5 has been very positive. I had a hell of a time writing the first arc, and I can't wait for you guys to read the second (which will hopefully be up in a few months). 


If you guys haven't already checked out "K," our first online novel, I strongly suggest that you do. K is a witty steam punk narrative which features a few illustrations from Revolvers' artist Clay Graham, and, ITS TOTALLY KICK ASS!!!


Speaking of Kick Ass, I hope you guys check out some of the items in our new Inkbot store. We have something for everyone, including you....yeah you....what...you don't believe me...THEN CHECK IT OUT!!! ;)


Although Zomboy will not be posted till Thursday, American Ambition and Allen Shrugged will still be posted on time (which means that your Wednesdays will continue to be AWESOME). 


Lastly, I will post another blog later on today. I just came home really, REALLY, LATE, (which is why I'm just posting my Tuesday blog). 


;P

Monday, December 27, 2010

snow day

Hey Inkbots


If it wasn't for the debut of Odessa #5, today would have totally sucked. I spent five hours digging out my car that was buried by both mother nature AND my neighbors. I also spent a few minutes nursing my hurt knee, which was banged against the icy pavement Still, there is one other thing that made the day bearable...I WAS SNOWED IN WITH MY WIFE! Yup, although my day was filled with pain and exhaustion, it was nice to go inside and see my wife's beautiful smiling face (my fall made her laugh). 


I got a chance to see The Black Swan on Saturday and it was amazing. Natalie Portman did a hell of a job as the lead, and Aranofsky, as always, did a great job of bringing the viewer inside the life of the character. 


It's official, Manny Pac-man is going to fight Shane Mosley, and of course I couldn't care less. I mean if Shane didn't look like an old man versus Mayweather and Mora, I would be singing a different tune, but he did. 


;P 

Sunday, December 26, 2010

The poison

Hey Inkbots,


I got a chance to see Joaquin Phoenix's mocumentary "I'm still here"and I have to say that I'm impressed. I believe the film touched on a lot of issues that we as a fame loving society tend to ignore, such as what happens when everything isn't enough? The film also does a good job highlighting the polarized relationship between celebrities and the media. Interestingly, I read several reviews which criticized the film, calling it tasteless and cheap. I even read an Ebert review where he goes on to call Joaquin's actions in the film selfish and delusional. Now, I'm not going to sit here and try to defend Joaquin's stance on making the film, because I honestly don't know what it is, but I do have to say that I've seen worse real documentaries, and the fact that Ebert states that he would be pissed if it were hoax should speak volumes of just how believable, and in my opinion powerful, the subject matter is.


On another note, I'm extremely excited about this week. On Monday we will debut the final issue of Odessa Arc One, and on Wednesday we will post the third issue of Zomboy. We will also post updates to all of our fabulous weeklies (Revolvers, Allen Shrugged, American Ambiton) along with my daily blog. So, see you tomorrow inkbots ;)

Thursday, December 23, 2010

happy x mas!

Hey Inkbots,


I've been wrapping so many gifts in the last few hours that I almost forgot to post (the nerve of me). Still, with nothing but curses and the longing for sleep on mind, I really don't know what to write. So, in the spirit of things, I hope you guys have a hell of a holiday weekend, and I hope you guys check back on Sunday when I resume my daily blog (again, the nerve of me). ;P

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

a little down but still kicking

Hey Inkbots,


Last night, the wife and I found our apartment flooded with water. Only a small fraction of our electronics were damaged, but the clean up was substantial and we lost a few irreplaceable items. Still, what hurts worse than losing anything material is the loss of security that we once had. We will never really be able to sleep as peacefully as we once did knowing that we are just another pipe burst from losing everything. With that, I recognize that in the large scope things this is just another small bump in the road. So, don't expect me to be too much of a party killer in the days to come. I just wanted to get this off my chest ;)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

A throw back piece

Hey Inkbots,

I'm in a wierd mood tonight, so I figured that this would be a good time to share one of my first pieces with all of you.

YOUR HELL IS MY HEAVEN

The piano plays in my head,
while blood is filling my brain,
I tip my hat off to life,
for death has taken my name,
but I can never complain,
for death has given me fame
and a frame to hang up pictures of the thoughts that remain,
but then my mother's picture fades and blows up from the grenades
that rebels threw in a daze, and I can no longer say
that I recognize this world, so go on, take me away
to where the monsters look like monsters and everything isn't grey.

   

Monday, December 20, 2010

Inkbot update

Hey Inkbots,


These two weeks are going to be huge for us. We have some great updates to some of your favorite titles, and we also have the debut of two new ones!


"K"
This morning we posted Inkbot's first online novel "K." K is an expertly written steam punk online novel, by Brent Martone, which features a few illustrations from his partner in crime Clay Graham (the artist behind Revolvers and American Ambition). Now, for those of you who are on the fence about trying an online novel, I strongly urge you to check this out. "K" is well paced, incredibly interesting, and it features some brilliantly designed pages. So again, unless you're allergic to good storytelling, CHECK IT OUT!!!


American Ambition:
Speaking of great debuts, this week we will premiere the new American Ambition weekly, which will update every Wednesday from now on.


Allen Shrugged
I said it before and I'll say it again.The drama building within the Allen Shrugged strip has been so compelling, as of late, that I've been tempted to call Allen myself and ask him if everything is okay ;)


Zomboy
Next week we will post the next monthly installment of Zomboy. So, having seen the full issue ahead of time, I can tell you that if your enjoying the story thus far, you certainly won't want to miss this action packed update (uh oh...I said too much) ;)


Odessa
I apologize to those that were disappointed about Odessa being pushed back till next Monday, but I assure you that it was for the best. Our letterer was very sick last week, so instead of having him struggle to push it out, I decided to allow him more time to get it perfect ;)


Inkbot films:
I want to take this moment and congratulate Inkbot films own Robert Vicente, for doing an excellent job directing Inkbots first feature short "Fractured," which he also wrote himself. Robert is extremely talented and hard working, and I know that this is only the beginning of what I'm sure is going to be a very promising career for him, in the world of film. 


With that, I hope you all had a great weekend, and I hope you continue checking out all of this week's releases and my daily blog ;P

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Bad decision in Canada

Hey Inkbots,


Boxing:
Although I was looking forward to the Bernard Hopkins fight this past Saturday, I was very disappointed with the outcome. You see, with this win B-hop would've became the oldest world champion in history (besting out George Foreman by only a few months), but he was denied the win simply because he fought a hometown fighter in foreign soil (He fought a Canadian fighter in Quebec). Now, this isn't just a knock on Canadian boxing, since the U.S. has been the home of some of the worst robberies in history, this is a knock on boxing officiating in general. I mean how do you cheat a 45 year old man that gets up from two knockdowns and then goes on to win arguably every round after that (the last knockdown occurred in the third round)? Furthermore how the hell did one judge score the 10th round even WHEN PASCAL BARELY LANDED A PUNCH IN THAT ROUND? Still, despite the shady decision, I do recognize that it could have been worse. I mean, they could've claimed that Pascal won the fight ;(


On another note, I hope you all check out the debut of "K" tomorrow. It really is a great addition to the site. Brent, the writer behind Revolvers and American Ambition, is great with characterization and dialogue. He is also very passionate about the steam punk fantasy genre. 


With that, I hope you all had a great a weekend. I have to say that I am proud of having finished my first full week of daily blogging. I also want to assure you that I will try my best to stick with it ;)

Saturday, December 18, 2010

x-mas shopping

Hey Inkbots,


I had a great time at the first annual Inkbot X-mas dinner last night because a majority of the crew was able to come, we all ate like it was our last meal, and I cursed like a sailor. Fortunately, Jan made me look like a saint with all his dick and fart jokes ;)


X-mas shopping: Although I'm a non-believer I still enjoy giving gifts to people around this time of year. Unfortunately, not only has this year been a rough one for everyone, but it has been especially rough for yours truly (on an economical level anyway). Still, I have to say that the best gifts can be purchased with very little money. Most people, unless they're total douche bags, love to get gifts that have some thought behind them. So, if you're like me and you only have a half empty gallon of milk and a $100 to your name, hit your local thrifts stores, dollar stores, or value marts and shop smart. Now, what I mean by shop smart is that you don't get someone a crappy t-shirt just to scratch their name off a list. No, if you get them a t-shirt make sure that it happens to have their favorite character on it, or that it is at least tailored to that person's fashion sense (if they have any). Remember, the key to a great gift is simply giving a damn, anything else will lead to tacky sweaters, cheap colognes, body wash kits, or A CRAPPY T-SHIRT purchase ;)

Friday, December 17, 2010

random thoughts

Hey Inkbots,


Although the majority of my day will be used to prepare for tonights first annual Inkbot X-mas dinner, I figured I'd share a few thoughts with you guys.


Inkbot: Tonight is really important for the wife and I,  because we get to say thank you to some of the people that help this great site run. Unfortunately, not everyone can make it, so I want to take this moment and thank every creator who has contributed to Inkbot in some form or fashion, and I also want to thank everyone of you for support that you've shown us. Yup, the last eight months have been a hell of a ride, but the tanks full, so don't expect us to slow down anytime soon ;)


Boxing: Tomorrow I'm going to get the opportunity to watch one of my favorite fighters of all time, Bernard Hopkins, in what might be his last match (win or lose).  Now, many boxing fans look down on the 45 yr future hall of famer  for boring them to death over the last decade, but yours truly respects and sees the Philly fighter for what he is, an old school technician. Yes, Bernard Hopkins isn't Pac-man or Mike Tyson, but he does know what he's doing. And to a boxing fan who appreciates all the intricacies of the sweet science, it really doesn't get much better than B-hop. With that said, I hope that he can prove the naysayers wrong one last time, as I would hate to see him go out in a less than favorable fashion ;)


X-mas Shopping: I'm dirt broke. So what else can I say except... LOTTERY TICKETS FOR EVERYONE!


Enjoy your Friday Inkbots. 

Thursday, December 16, 2010

a little angry

Hey Inkbots,


I have a crazy two days ahead of me. Tomorrow is the official Inkbot X-mas dinner (not that there are bootleg ones taking place) and I have yet to buy the majority of the supplies that I need to cook with  (yes, yours truly likes to throw it down in the kitchen). With that said, I wont be able to go about my day peacefully if I don't get this off my chest.


This morning, when I logged on to Facebook, the first thing that I saw was a protest, from a conservative group, about the fact that an African American actor is playing a Norse god in the movie Thor. And to make things all the more silly, the protest ends with what I assume they thought was a valid question in, "What else do we have left?" Well, my silly friends who use the term "conservative" to hide your racist views, there really isn't much to say here except "grow up." I mean really, your point is no more valid than those who resent the fact that white kids listen to hip hop (and they always have btw). And while I'm on the subject, I also have to question why these people continue to speak as if racism holds some intellectual basis. I mean the very foundation of academic knowledge is build on principles developed by many cultures/races throughout the world (despite what some would have you believe), and even with that out of the equation you do have to keep in mind THAT IT'S A FICTIONAL CHARACTER. Still, if you insist on transforming all historical/mythical characters that "should be white," then maybe we should transform all the popular ones that shouldn't be. I mean we can easily turn your blond hair blue eyed Jesus into a Palestinian (you know, the kind of people that you hate) and while we're at it, we could also think about turning St. Augustine back into a black man (since most historical proof supports suggests that he was indeed a person of color). Still, something tells me that you would have a problem with that ;)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

WHAT A NIGHT ;)

Hey Inkbots,


Last night I went to see my niece's winter concert. Now normally when I go to such things, I tell myself that there is a high probability that the show is going to be bad, but never do I expect the show to be horrible. Well ladies and germs, after sitting through some of the worst amateur singing, and wood wind blowing, that I have ever heard, I can honestly say that I am now prepared for the worst. Still, I must say that I feel horrible about feeling this way. The kids were only in their early teens. I mean maybe I should be more supportive? Then again, it's not like I yelled out "YOU SUCK" in the middle of the performance (though I certainly wanted to). I just didn't clap as hard as the other parents did. I don't know, maybe it's because I feel that we spoil our kids too much by telling them that they're great at everything that they do, when most of them are just average. Or maybe my parents just didn't hug me enough. Either way, I still told my niece that I was happy to see her try (and I was). I just didn't necessarily tell her that I was eager to see another one of her school's  annual "marathons of noise."


;) 

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

An opinion on writing

Hey Inkbots,


I'm having a lot of fun rewriting the first chapter of my first online novel, which is set to debut in January, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't kicked my ass a few times. You see writing isn't so much about having a cool idea, although it helps, it's about problem solving; it's about having your story make sense. Often times writers write stories as if they're writing love letters to themselves (including  yours truly), which creates a  void between the reader and the written piece of art. Furthermore, readers tend to have a good gauge on whether the complexity of a written work is intentional. So, if the mass majority of your readers don't understand what you're talking about, don't think that your work is too smart, know that it isn't smart enough.


Until tomorrow Inkbots ;P

Monday, December 13, 2010

Big week for Inkbot

Hey Inkbots,


In case you  missed yesterday's blog, for now on I will keeping a daily blog schedule, which means that Mondays will be reserved for site related news and topics ;)


Big updates:
With only a few weeks left of this year, Inkbot still has a few grand releases under its belt. This week the next installments of Revolvers and Allen Shrugged will post (Monday and Wednesday) as well as a very special epilogue of American Ambition (Wednesday). Next week, we will debut Inkbot's first online novel K, which is an amazing read by the way, and we will post the 16 page finale of Odessa Arc 1. Now, if that's not good reason to be excited about the end of year, then how's this. In two weeks will debut the third issue of Zomboy and IT'S ACTION PACKED! 


Cool Gift Ideas:
Hey Inkbots, its that time of the year again, and we have just what you need (if in fact you know what I mean when I say that it's that time of the year again). INKBOTS R US has plenty of great merchandise, at an affordable price, and ITS AWESOME (of course don't take my word for it, check it out yourself).


Allen Shrugged:
I never thought I'd say this, but last week's Allen Shrugged was pretty dramatic. And as someone who is married, and appreciates a good analysis on the subject, I highly recommend it ;)


Revolvers:
I love the art in this week's update, and the story, as always, was entertaining.


Odessa:
What can I say except that I am super excited about next week ;)


Forums:
We have quite a few new members in the forum, now here's hoping that we can get some good discussions going.


Online Novels:
In January I will be launching my very own  online novel called "Outside My Window," but before that Brent Martone, the great writer behind the Revolvers series, will be launching his own online novel called "K." Now for those of you who are curious as to what K is about, all I can tell you is that its a steam punk online novel and It is extremely well written (what, I don't want to spoil the surprise). 




With that, I hope you enjoyed this week's update. Tune in tomorrow if you're interested in any of my crazy thoughts, opinions, or childhood stories. Peace ;P

Sunday, December 12, 2010

A newer more intimate approach towards blogging

Hey Inkbots,


These past few weeks have  been so hard on me that I've been itching to write a daily blog about what's going on in my head. So, as of today, the man who had trouble posting a blog a week is going to commit to a daily blogging schedule. And to make things worse, these short blog entries are going to be a hundred percent  uncensored, which means that if you're easily offended, or just hate liberals, then you might want to stick with my Monday blog, which for the most part will only include weekly updates on the site. 
 
Education Rant
One of my pet peeves is being told that the governor of my state of NJ is doing his best to clean up the education system, when in fact he isn't. You see cutting the education budget and cleaning up the educational system are two different things when no thought process goes into determining who is being let go. In a state where school administrators, especially the ones with made up positions, are making $150,000 a year, the question that needs to be asked is "Is this where the corruption begins." Also,  if you are going to lay people off, shouldn't you do a independent statewide investigation to determine where in fact the corruption is coming from first and then, if need be, launch another one to decide which teachers deserve to lose their jobs? Now of course a conservative might be quick to point out that a state with such a large deficit is in no position to fund a statewide investigation. Well, if that's true, THEN WHY THE HELL IS HE CLAIMING THAT HE WANTS TO FIX A BROKEN SYSTEM WHEN IN FACT HE DOESN'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY TO DO IT? Simple, because he doesn't want to fix the system, because he's a politician. And like a good politician he rallies the masses with bold seemingly noble statements such as "I will work hard to get rid of the corruption in Trenton," when in fact he just wants to be elected so that he can benefit from the very machine that he swore to bring down.  




Just a thought.


Take care Inkbots ;)



Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Great News, Great News, and other randomness

Hey Inkbots,


I hope you all had a great week last week. Mine was plagued with fevers, chest pains, and migraines,but other than that it was okay ;)


Great News:
As most of you know, Inkbot.net's ongoing goal is to deliver high quality web comics,on a consistent basis, from our large pool of talented creators. Well, brace yourself Inkbots because come February Inkbot.net will not only continue doing just that, but we will have an additional creative team under our umbrella. So, who are these talent creators that you speak of? Well, they are none other than Canada's very own Speakeasy Primates, and their ready to kick up some fun with their first title "Buddha Monkey." So, if your into Kung fu epics, or you just like great story telling, then stick around because our release list is really going to heat up, and diversify, come February ;) 


More Great News:
We are only two weeks away from the the final issue of Odessa Arc 1 ;) Now, if by chance you haven't caught up with the first four titles WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!!! The sixteen page finale is going to be one hell of an issue, so please don't find yourself asking "who's this guy again?" Check them out already!


With that the fifth issue of Odessa is not the only thing premiering on Inkbot.net on the week of December 20th. We also have the debut of "K," Inkbot's first online novel written by the uber talented Brent Martone (Revolvers & American Ambition). And, just in case your literary pallet is in the mood for something more...HILARIOUS...we will also be debuting our new weekly title AMERICAN AMBITION. Wait... What? Did you just say American Ambition? Why voice in head, you are correct;I did indeed say American Ambition. You see come Wednesday, the 22nd, American Ambition will be updated on a weekly basis, which means that you better bring an extra pair of pants to the office because Wednesday's just doubled its funny (don't forget about the always charming Allen Shrugged).


Inkbot cares:
In my last post I mentioned that we will be doing some charity work to help raise awareness, and funds, on some important global issues. Well, I'm proud to announce that Louie Chin and I will be hooking up, once again, to do just that when we create our 30 page one shot based on the Sudanese civil war. So, what are the details, well its still in its early production stage, but the plan is to create a one shot that we can sell for charity, while at the same time raising awareness about this horrible conflict. 


Randomness
Wrestling: I am a huge CM Punk, so you can imagine my delight when I found out that he will be used as an announcer for the time being (he is recovering from an injury).


More Wrestling: Speaking of CM Punk, I really, really, REALLY, want to see a match between him and Daniel Bryan. I mean such a match could easily steal the show at Wrestlemania. Now here's hoping that this makes it through the grapevine ;)


Boxing: My wife was ecstatic, a few weeks ago, when Argentina's own Sergio Martinez knocked out Paul "The Punisher" Williams. Now, I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the charismatic boxer/puncher, but I am starting to take notice.


Speaking of taking notice, does anyone else feel that Pacquiao vs. Mayweather will never happen. Also, am I the only one that DOESN'T want to see Mosley vs. Pac man. 


Empty Sundays: With the Season finales of Boardwalk Empire and The Walking Dead, and next week's season finale of Dexter, my Sunday's just got a whole lot less exciting ;(


Well Inkbots, as always, I hope to have enough time, in my always crazy schedule, to post another blog on Friday. But, if by chance, I don't, expect some more entertaining stories about yours truly on Monday. ;P