"We're Not Talking About the Giants..." Thursday July 10th 2008

...Other than to say that it figures the Giants would be swept by the Mets just when they got my hopes up and running again. Damn you sports!

So yeah, my way of handing my bitterness at the Giants ineptitude and the fact that Lincecum pitched his worst game of the year is with filler. Not really, but it makes me feel better thinking that way. Either way I actually do hope you enjoy the filler. I tried doing something that you see as the first page of a lot manga chapters where the mangaka draws a one shot of a character and then gives a one or two liner that either references the character, the current plot line, or both. I've been having trouble coming up with filler subject recently, but this actually came out pretty well. I actually sketched Dave, Tom, and Dawson before settling on Syd and this was about the second of five quick sketches that I did. I really busted out quite a few layers and filters for this one. I like the fact that despite being pretty heavily photoshopped, it doesn't LOOK heavily photoshopped.

So besides the filler, it's been a pretty crappy week in general. The highlight was being heckled in my Lincecum jersey after Tuesday night's game. To be fair the fans weren't being rude or obnoxious, just some in fun heckling (i.e. Go back to San Francisco!! Hey Lincecum!! Nice game Lincecum!!). It sucked at the time more because I felt like they didn't get to see the real Lincecum rather than being upset about the heckling itself.

Anyway I'm not talking about the Giants for at least next week's comic. I really need to let this Mets series go before I kill myself. Really.

In some good news, I will definitely be at Otakon even if I don't have a table in the Meaningless-Name-Change-Of-The-Year award winner, "The Alley" (being previously known as Artist's Alley). I will one day have a table at Otakon and that will be the day I actually have Ninja Spirit in book form. However that doesn't mean I won't be well equipped with free goodies to give away to Ninja Spirit fans. As the date gets nearer I will probably pick a panel or event that I will definitely be at if you want a definitive time and place to meet. So more details as the date gets closer, but I will be psyched if I get to meet any NS fans again at Otakon. It was one of the highlight of my last Otakon trip!

The comic will definitely return barring disaster next week and I hope to get a good straight run through till Otakon. I will see you all next week and I hope you all have a great weekend!

River's 5 Giants Players He Saw Up Close At Batting Practice
1. Brian Wilson (ALMOST got Brian's autograph. I was like the next guy in line)
2. Eugenio Velez
3. Rich Aurillia
4. Sergio Romo
5. Aaron Rowand
Extra. Chris Berman (At first I didn't even know who the guy in the short sleeve dress shirt was that all the players really wanted to talk to. I thought it was a former player or something, but it turned out to be Boomer. Pretty cool.)