YES WE WILL

We know we have much work to do, much of it will not be easy. But, we will make an effort, as much as possible, particularly for some of the shameful setbacks in a few states. YES WE CAN build American peace and prosperity that I hope we can share with the world and make last. YES WE DID elect a leader that will guide us there. For the next four years? YES WE WILL!

Posting on the incredibly positive efforts I have witnessed in my city and on the internet (merely a portal to other minds and cities) on a daily basis has invigorated my belief in human spirit and accomplishment and grace. The regular emails and notes I received made me ambitious when I was on a roll and kept my head up when I was feeling low. Thank you so much.

Now, I suppose this blog will go back to being about the small things in my own corner of the universe. The art of comics and graphic novels , my love of New York, my passion for film and food, and of course, the SuperForest movement. And, more... I've got some neat surprises that I've been dreaming and storing over the past couple months.

For today:

EVENT!

SHOGUN MACBETH
Performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth by The Pan Asian Repertory Theatre.

6:30 tonight with special comics discussion featuring Larry Hama and Pornask Pichetshote and Christine Norrie.

Comics are all about Kabuki "frozen moments." Capturing the height of a scene and transporting the reader to see the action "between the panels."

For the next four years, let's do it. Need a little motivation? Tony Robbins on his Ted Talk Why we do what we do, and how we can do it better :

EVENT: New York Comic Con

For the few of you actually on the internet today, who are attending NYCC tomorrow, I've two panels for KIDS DAY on Sunday:

A Parents' Guide to Buying Comics for Kids
12 - 1 pm --- Room 2D06-07

This panel will explain to parents how to select and support their children in their hobby of comics reading. Join Chris Duffy (Nickelodeon Magazine), Michele Gorman (Getting Graphic! Comics for Kids, Getting Graphic! Using Graphic Novels to Promote Literacy with Preteens and Teens), Alexander Danner (Character Designs for Graphic Novels), and Jann Jones (Senior Coordinating Editor for the DC Universe).

Comics for Girls
2 - 3pm --- Room 1E03

This panel will answer all the questions you've ever had about finding the perfect comics for girls. Join Barbara Slate (Angel Love, Archie, Barbie), Mike Pellerito (Archie), Allison Barrows (Pre-Teena, Goofyfoot Gurl), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules), Buzz Dixon & Marlon Schulman from RealBuzz Studios (Serenity, Goofyfoot Gurl), Raina Telgemeier (The Babysitters Club).

Secret Identity

Secret Identity: Asian Americans in Comics, originally uploaded by nyaafilmfest.

My alter ego has been compromised! It's true, despite all my recent posts of film and fashion sketches, I am at heart a comic book illustrator.

It's been almost a year since BREAKING UP was released, and I've only done a couple short comics-type things since then, but I do have quite a few things lined up for 2008. Unfortunately, I cannot release any specific information on these projects yet, but what I have on deck: two interesting anthology shorts, a one-shot super-hero thing, and a big surprise. Of my own. Of which I am writing as well as illustrating.

In the meantime, I will post as ever, my "matinee" sketches, random doodling, and the growing pile of mugshots of me. Including these from the 30th Anniversary Asian American Film Festival: SECRET IDENTITIES, comic book panel moderated by the charming Greg Pak, where we discussed the Asian American impact in comics and film.

(L-R) Jeff Yang, Pornsak Pichetshote, Christine Norrie, Larry Hama, Jennifer Lee, and Greg Pak

Illustrious co-panelists.

Talking about seven years as a comics professional!

Jenny turns a blind eye as I contemplate biting Elim Mak's noggin.

PW Daily / 09-18-07

PW Daily / 09-18-07, originally uploaded by spookoo.

More of me and Gene from the MoCA event. Gene's one of the sweetest and wittiest authors I've met in a long time.

I very much admire his bravery in voicing what is important to him... he had said at the panel that when writing he is writing for himself, his friends, and family -- he doesn't bear in mind any specific audience for marketing purposes, etc.

It's my belief that real honest work is universally appealing and, lucky for us, his mini-comics and small press work were discovered and published for everyone to read.

Official website for Gene Yang --> Humble Comics

Thinking Inside the Box

Thinking Inside the Box, originally uploaded by spookoo. Marc Siegel, Christine Norrie, Gene Yang, and Robert Wu

I'm pretty terrible about doing post-event posts, but I had two nice photos emailed to me and I thought I'd share them, as well as a couple thoughts from this great panel I participated in--

A couple weeks ago, The Museum of Chinese Americans hosted an event centered around the growing industry and success of Asian-Americans in comics and graphic novels. Moderated by Pornsak Pichetshote, I spoke alongside Gene Yang, Jann Jones, Jae Lee, Larry Hama, and Jeff Yang. The audience filled every seat with a standing crowd jam-packed in back and spilling out into the hallway. The discussion was very lively with memorable topics such as:

-- Despite no young boy in the 80s claiming they wanted to play with GI Joe "girl dolls", every boy seemed to own The Baroness, Lady Jane, and Scarlet figs. This point stemmed from Larry speaking about his time writing GI JOE and how it related to the show.

-- Jae Lee and Gene Yang talked about their projects and why they chose to follow their own creative paths, rather than conform to a publisher's expectation of style. Later, Larry would speak about his experiences working with a lot of the greats (Wally Wood and Al Williamson!) and the idea of "not settling". His belief is that an artist should push themselves, to not settle with work that's just easy and gets the job done... but to try and do your best work, even when it's rough-going. (A difficult task to be sure, but a philosophy that spurred me to applause.)

-- I was asked if I minded revealing costumes on super-hero women and I replied that I don't mind skimpy. I actually very much like sexy. I'm just often offended by female super-heroes because of what the creative team and publisher is suggesting in the characters' gesture and attitude. The rude INTENT behind the drawing. I like sexy, I don't like skanky.

After the event, I was fortunate enough to be invited to dinner where I discovered the most brilliant food of all time: the soup dumpling. Then, I was even more fortunate to find myself hanging with Pornsak, Larry, Gene, Gina, and Nancy for drinks and great conversation. Sometimes I think I am the luckiest person alive...

PHOTO by Robert Wu
Disclaimer: I look terrible in this photo. I was suffering from a sudden allergy that makes me look like I've been crying for hours, I was late to the event because a water pipe broke in our building, plus I was held up in traffic due to the San Genarro Festival. Oh, and I paid $14 to go eight blocks, and I live in walking distance to the Museum!!

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