Hangover Cure
The Wind Rises and the countdown begins
The three-day weekend proved to be a relaxing one where I got to catch up with friends and consume some content. It was much needed.
I finished season 4 of Stranger Things. While I did think that it was much too bloated, I loved the tone that the creators set for this season. The horror was heightened, and the impending doom was always present, which worked well given the personal drama laid out before the entire cast. I thought that the season did stick the landing, and while I’m not as hyped on this show as the rest of the world, I am looking forward to what happens in the fifth and final(?) season. I hope to have my mind blown.
The standouts of the weekend were two Studio Ghibli films from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki. Ponyo was such a fun and imaginative movie that had me gawking at the creativity in every frame. The world, the characters, the fish waves that follow Ponyo as she land-surfs through the village streets. There’s so much to love about this film and I had a great time watching it. I capped off the weekend with The Wind Rises - a much different experience from Ponyo, but just as beautifully resonating. The Wind Rises is a grounded film, part historical fiction, part romance. The art is simply gorgeous, and if anyone knows of an art book for the film, please let me know (I could drool over those painted backgrounds for days). The film is quiet and thoughtful. Miyazaki uses atmospheric scenes to tell a story about the balance between artistry and the difficult push and pull of relationships. In this case, the lead character, Jiro, is a pivotal aviation engineer in Japan during the 1920s. He must balance the pressure of a country on the brink of war with his fiancée, who is dealing with a terminal illness. The end of the film is solemn, hopeful, and beautiful. From my understanding, this was a very personal story for Hayao Miyazaki and his last film before retiring from animation. Well, sort of. I read an article a while back saying that the master director has come out of retirement to make one last film. I can’t wait to see it.
Watching these movies has reminded me of the difference between content made in the machine vs. content made for the vision. Miyazaki is a true visionary, and his films don’t just stand as entertaining rides through delightful fantasy worlds, they stand as singular works of art that belong in the most curated of museums.
I most likely will not be posting next week because I have a handful of things to get done before Comicpalooza. It’s for good reason, I promise! My hard copies of Roba: Prehistoric Wizard have come in, and they look awesome. 68 pages of fantastical adventure, maniacal commitment, and sweat infused Bristol boards that took me about a year to complete. I’ll also be finishing off a few con sketches, as well as finalizing some art card prints for my upcoming shows. Just trying to get some cool stuff together for those of you visiting my booth. Also, I’m in the middle of getting my merch website together so that my content can be accessed anywhere at any time. Stay tuned for that.
Anyways, if you’re in the Houston area July 15th-17th come stop by booth 1515 at Comicpalooza. I’ll be set up there, along with my comic creator buddies Milton Lawson and Justin Prine. Each one of us are pretty different creators, so there’ll be a bevy of awesome stuff for you to check out. At the very least, come chat with us about nerdy topics, and if you can’t go, leave a comment telling us how much you want to be there, or tell me your hottest Stranger Things take, or give me an answer on why the sky is blue. Your choice!
See ya soon!
Thanks for your time,
Nico