Violence

The theme for Novembers AFP magazine is 'violence', child abuse, spousal abuse, aggressive behaviours and how to manage or prevent them. And what I was attempting to bring to it was that sudden, frightening, often unexpected explosion of violence in the community. A line from The Last Poets just kept resounding: 'there are bombs standing on the street corners...waiting to explode at the slightest touch...'

Aspie and Me.

October's Child Magazine has a story from the parent of a child with Aspergers Syndrome, who discovered a help to her child learning to interact with others was to teach him a variety of appropriate responses.

Four colour fun

Finally got around to picking up Mike Mignola's and Duncan Fegredo's Hellboy The Fury #3. Achingly beautiful, story and art and dammit it's Fegredo's final regular issue! And if that wasn't enough, the sublime Guy Davis has decided to move on from sister book 'BPRD'. These two books, along with some Matt Fraction stuff for Marvel were about the only things sustaining a simmering interest. Ggggaaarrr.

BUT, just when the shoulders shrug: stumbled on Fraction and Gabriel Ba's CASANOVA. I'm probably the last person to know about it, but talk about renewing your faith. Chock full of mind expanding stuff, it's exactly like what it is. Lines like 'you're the linchpin of a cross-spatiotemporal assassination conspiracy no batch of N.E.T.W.O.R.K goons is going to stop' and beautifully imagined multiverse. Check out the newsarama interview.

Plus there's a letters section! CASANOVA Avaritia (the current storyline) Issue 2 has a take on digital piracy, pro's, cons thats worth the read in itself.

Germs!

Been sidetracked with some non illustrative projects for awhile and playing catch-up today. The above was for an article in Septembers Child Magazine on one parents attempts to keep her family germ free.

Romance not dead!

If you love books and book design that goes beyond the photo library and embossed foil type, take a look at The Caustic Cover Critic blog. (One mans endless ranting about book design...) CCC has a finger on the pulse, a sharp eye for a rip-off and a sharper turn of phrase for transgressors.

This item on Fabers recent series of collected poems (cover designs by Miriam Rosenbloom) of the great romantics is a treat. Check it out by clicking the headline.

Yes, ok, plumbing

Octobers AFP mag focus was on Urology. And reviewing the reference material the solutions analogy was unavoidable.