Home

familiarity.
regularity.
and a touch of singularity.

welcome home,
i say to me.

Origin

Drawing has always been My Great Challenge. Though I've been drawing for as long as I can remember, I've never felt satisfied with anything I've produced for myself. Sure, I can draw a pretty nice Spider-man vs. the Shocker for the kids at work, or a destined-to-be-treasured birthday card for my friends and family, but original comics? Like the ones I love to read? Forget it. I'm usually so discontent seconds after pencil hits paper that I never finish what I start. Enter Young American Comics' 52 Comic Challenges -- a different one to two page comic strip concept every week for a year. Surely, with a whole week to fret, I can complete one to two pages, eh? Especially this week, when the topic is to illustrate your exaggerated origin/super power. I love drawing myself! I do it all the time! Why not now, then, for public consumption? I don't know if I'll have the time and patience to crank out an installment every week, but my thanks to Tod and Corey Parkhill for helping me face one challenge, at least. It's always nice to remember where we really come from.

Incidentally, this page was drawn on one 12" x 18" sheet, which made it a bear to scan. Even Kinko's couldn't get it all, so the bottom inch of my strip is reconstructed through a few different image captures. If anyone has a suggestion about how to make this process a little easier, I'd appreciate it. I can really draw from your experience . . . Ouch.

Collegetown

Get to Starbucks
an hour early.
The line might get
a little curly.

Collegetown is back
in session.
Raise your hand
if you have a question.

"Where did all these cars
come from?
Why must summer submit
to autumn?"

Mothers lament
their empty nests,
but I have a birdie
for my town's guests.

Nine months from now
summer will return the norm . . .
until then we live
in a city-wide dorm.

Fingernail

I’ve been saving you
for a special occasion.

I’ve let you grow
long enough.

Now I’m ready
to devour you
just to pass the time.

I’ll pick at you
at first,
teasing you
with the other digits
that met a similar fate.
Listen to them,
as they pull apart
little pieces of you.

Before long,
my teeth will
surround you.
My teeth will
pierce you.
My teeth will
splinter you.

Don’t worry.
It’ll grow back.
Then I’ll do it
all over again.

I can’t let you grow
for too long, now;
the longer I wait,
the tougher you get,
and I’m the one
in charge here.

The worst part is,
when it’s over,
I’ll let you hold
that little piece
of yourself
that I bit off,
and when you
angle it just right
it looks like
a smile.

Top 10 Songs I'd Sing More Frequently If I'd Been Born a KaraokeFangirl:

10. "Ode to My Family," The Cranberries
9. "We Belong," Pat Benatar
8. "Let Go," Frou Frou
7. "No More I Love Yous," Annie Lennox
6. "Alone," Heart
5. "Didn't We Almost Have It All," Whitney Houston
4. "Jealousy," Natalie Merchant
3. "Fast Car," Tracy Chapman
2. "Again," Janet Jackson
1. "Stay," Lisa Loeb

Songs I Should Stop Singing Because I Definitely Wasn't Born a KaraokeFangirl:

3. "My Heart Will Go On," Celine Dion
2. "Touch Me in the Morning," Diana Ross
1. "2 Become 1," Spice Girls

Metopia

I can’t sleep
but I’m dreaming.
I’ve lost my faith
but I’m make-believing.

In a perfect world
I’d be able to karaoke
at lunchtime.

Children’s laughter
would top the pop charts
as the greatest hit
of all time.

Every woman would know my name,
how I take my coffee
and when to leave me alone.

Certain moments
would stand still
like perfectly rendered
comic strip panels.

God would be
a business card
stuffed in my wallet.

The bridges I’ve burnt
would rebuild themselves
thoroughly and thankfully
without my help.

I wouldn’t be wealthy
but I’d always have
just enough.

Adults would sprawl themselves
onto poorly mowed lawns
and pretend their action figures
were in the jungle.

Adults would own action figures
because the term man-child
would be redundant.

The backs of my eyelids
would broadcast a loop
of the best day
of my life.

Every politician
would start their speeches
with a really good joke.

In a perfect world
the apocalypse
would always be
tomorrow,

and happy endings
would start that way,
too.