#McCloud Industries

[sheltiechicago]

pass the salt, 2020.

Global Systems of Labor: Hugo McCloud

Making paintings with plastic, metal, and other industrial materials.

5 on #7, 2019.

immaterial sections, 2018.

#hugo mccloud #artist #paintings #painter #plastic #metal #industrial materials #global systems of labor #art #art installation

[stormvanari]

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

there are three new mercs I have in mind, and the posts above are ideas of their personalities, but this is the gist of the trio (may change in the future):

• The Virtuoso (She/Her) is an offense merc from Rome, Italy. A grim perfectionist, she is on the run from a controlling family who are hunting her down. Virtuoso had difficulty expressing her musical passion, but once she became a merc, she begins to show positive traits outside of her grim persona. She fights with sonic weapons that can emit powerful and ear-bleeding sound waves.

• The Excavator (She/Her) is a defense merc from Casablanca, Morocco. She used to be a street urchin, but was adopted by a wealthy family who runs a large-scale fossil industry. But Excavator hunts on her own since her methods are far to risky and extreme for professional archaeology teams. She also searches for precious gems and trinkets, and tends to overdecorate. The Excavator fights dirty....literally, with a drill weapon, a chainsaw, and a large amount of small traps.

• The Hacker (xe/xem) is a support merc from the Philippines. Xe originally worked for a space research organization, but was fired after hacking into a “perfectly secure” database just to uncover secret UFO documents and leak it to public. Although a computer whiz and a crazy conspiracy theorist, Hacker sucks at describing things: for example, xe says “mmm” and “y’know” instead of giving a detailed explanation. The Hacker uses various tools to hack opponents’ weapons and turn them against their creators and wields a laser gun (in terms of gameplay, just think of Fox McCloud’s neutral special in SSB, but the Hacker can charge xyrs for big damage).

#team fortress 2 #incorrect quotes #oc #tf2 scout #tf2 heavy #tf2 engineer #tf2 medic #tf2 spy #the chemist #the beastmaster #the excavator #the virtuoso #the hacker #again generated by tweetgen #‘Storm laser weapons are unrealistic in tf2–‘ ssSSHISH #it has a good chance of blinding opponents at least

[60sgroove]

Why do you like Shelley Duvall so much? How did you get to know her?

Well partially I like her so much because she was a part of my childhood :D! I grew up watching and loving Faerie Tale Theatre and that is how I was introduced to her. When I was in high school, I watched The Shining and was more interested in Shelley's performance than J*ck's 🤢. Although she didn't have the most screen time in many of her parts, she still often stood out so much from others. When I finally watched 3 women, that is when I really began to adore Sissy and Shelley. The acting in that movie is just superb and if anyone says that Shelley can't act then I am guessing they haven't seen 3 women. She was never trained as an actor but you can even see her talent in her first role as Suzanne in Brewster McCloud. She is also just the sweetest soul. She has been horribly mistreated by the industry and I am afraid some people don't see her as more than the traumatized woman who played Wendy. Shelley is kind, wise, and seems like the kind of person that would just know how to make you feel better.

#replies #anon

[mica233333]

Post1# Damsel in Distress: The role of female characters

Have you ever played Super Mario Games? As one of the most popular and bestselling video games in the world. Almost every kid has played at least one Mario game from the Super Mario series in their childhood. Every Mario Game has the same ultimate goal, rescue the captured princess! She is always beautiful, weak, and needs to be saved. Waiting in the Tower and screaming when monsters near. To me, It seems like she's not a person, but more of a motivation and final prize on the protagonist's journey through the world. This is Damsel in Distress.

Damsel in Distress is a narrative device that puts a female character in a position where she has to be rescued by a man and can't escape by herself. The factors of kinship, love, or desire are combined in the female characters to give the male protagonist the motivation or compulsion to start the story. This "princess" type of female character is not only found in Super Mario Series, but also in many of the earlier games where the female character is waiting to be rescued. There are other examples like Ashley from Resident Evil4 and Krystal from Star Fox. There is no doubt that this is an objectification of the female character, but behind this objectification, it exposes the situation of women in real life and the problems they face.

In 2000, a trailer was released for a game called Dinosaur Planet, which is scheduled for release on the Nintendo 64. One of the main characters is a 16-year-old female character named Krytal, who is a powerful hero and uses her own unique skills and magic to save the world. Just when people were looking forward to the game's release, Nintendo changed their plans. After two years of reworking and redesigning, Krystal was removed from the main character. The protagonist became the male lead, Fox McCloud, and all the skills that belonged to Krystal were transferred to him. Instead, Krystal was removed from being one of the protagonists to a sexily dressed Damsel in Distress who is trapped in a crystal and spends most of her time waiting for the male protagonist to come and rescue her.

Dressing Normal, strong, independent women seem to be being disempowered as protagonists in games. Their importance in the game is constantly being trimmed, and the logic and rationality of the character's behavior are constantly being overridden. As these kinds of characters keep getting popular, the stereotype of "that's the way it's supposed to be" starts to occur. And with the popularity of the games began to affect the way real people viewed women. Further reinforcing society's stereotypical perceptions of gender roles as well as gender discrimination, players will misunderstand and oversimplify the reality of gender roles. Subsequent game development decisions are also affected, and if the need for gender stereotypes exists and keeps getting popular, developers may be more likely to design games in accordance with these stereotypes rather than attempting to break out of traditional gender role stereotypes. A vicious cycle will eventually occur.

As a male-dominated industry, roles and behavior are not the only thing disciplined by patriarchy. In the earlier days, games with women as protagonists did exist. But does that mean she is independent and mature? And break away from the male gaze. We will discuss it in the future post.

[avboni]

I will be comparing two games within the Sci-Fi category that I had mentioned in my previous post, Star Fox and Destiny. These two games within the industry continue to have massive changes to its storytelling and gameplay.

Brief summary: You play as Fox McCloud, an anthropomorphic fox that is a leader in a space fleet that must rid the Lylat system free from the evil plans of a mad scientist… For most of the games. Depending on the title, some games differ from one another on who exactly the antagonist is and their end goal.

I bring up this game in particular as it is one of many games that attempt to try out different formulas in their storytelling and gameplay and it is obvious what the fans want versus what the company keeps trying to do. No one faults them for attempting to add some interesting elements to the story, but how much of a change is too much before it becomes too different from the original IP?

I will be mentioning three games from the series as to compare the adaptations the lore has had over the years of titles. These games include Star Fox 64, Star Fox Assault, and Star Fox Adventures. Star Fox 64 focuses on a young space pilot who travels with his team across the Lylat system to keep it safe from evil forces. Along the way you encounter old friends, old enemies, and even older haunts from the past. So why is adding lore to the characters as well as breadcrumbs of secrets on each mission important to the game?

Creating a game relies on more than just updated graphics and game mechanics, there also needs to be that drive behind the game in order to keep the player not only finishing the story once, but multiple times. Games from over twenty years ago were often meant to be played in a short amount of time, usually a few hours compared to games today where games have sixty plus hours of gameplay.

What sort of gameplay did Star Fox bring into the gaming world that made it so appealing? There are a few factors that come into play and I will be expanding on this with various viewpoints from the perspective of a fan of the game and as a game designer.

Image on left: Star Fox Assault (Ground) Image on right: Star Fox 64 3DS

Initially, the game itself is known for being a rail shooter game. Rail shooters are games that keep players on a very limited movement path while the world around them evolves over time. This is a great introduction to shooting games for people who may find a free roaming shooter game too intimidating or difficult to play. A lot of early video games implemented this design when video games started to make use of better graphics to emulate a 3D space or actually shifting into a 3D space.

The first game in the series I will discuss will be Star Fox 64, one of the early games on the Nintendo64. 

Star Fox 64: This game takes place inside an air or ground craft, depending on the mission's location. The game itself is often quoted as one of the best games in the series, regardless of it being a remake of the original game, Star Fox. With improved graphics, added voice acting, secret pathways where adventurous players would find, and additions to the overall game mechanics, it sets up the series to focus on finding new ways to push the limited rail shooter system to new levels. But how far can it go before the game repeats itself? Overall, the game itself brings in fun ways to try out something different with each new title in the series. The game is even considered to be a space opera, if you can believe it! The story is rich with little details and dramatic turns, a lot of people fondly look back at it as a fantastic addition to that genre.

“It's still an excellent game all these years later, with thrilling action, delicate and precise controls, stirring music, humour, spectacle, and edge-of-your-seat excitement.” (Lane, 2023)

Star Fox Assault: A mixture of aircraft gameplay as well as foot soldier gameplay. This is one of the other games that they have in the series that uses this out of aerial and tank combat and has never been favorable among fans. These segments could have been worked with a different type of combat system that allows players to explore the cities they fly over in some sort of new form of warfare.

“However, playing on foot….sort of sucks. If it was as competent as the Arwing parts, this might be an all time favorite. However, it’s not and it often feels like two different games entirely. “ (dollerz, 2024)

The technology the game has is more than capable of handling a person (animal?) in a mech suit of some kind. Unfortunately changes between the highly advanced to the… Not so advanced hinders the game and how it plays out in more than just one way. However, there are times where the Player does gain access to some pretty cool tech on the ground level instead of just a somewhat futuristic gun.

Image: Star Fox Adventures

Star Fox Adventures: Almost entirely on ground. Adventure exploration game, that completely deviates from the original game plan for the series. This game was changed to be a last minute Star Fox game and was not meant to be a part of the series.

“According to legend, Shigeru Miyamoto was shown footage of Dinosaur Planet and suggested that the game should be re-tooled to incorporate Fox McCloud and company. Rumours also abound that the change wasn’t accepted willingly by all of the Dinosaur Planet team, as the plot had to be rewritten in places to accommodate the Star Fox canon.” (McFerran ,2022)

The gameplay itself falls under a very unique and unfortunately seen as an often disliked feature in collectathon games. These games where you have to collect a certain amount of items before you can progress on the story can make storybeats feel underwhelming at times if the player becomes too frustrated with its repetitive mechanics. After this game received a lot of negative backlash and seen as one of the worst installments to the series (gameplay wise, a lot of the fans enjoyed the story due to a fan favorite character being introduced to the series) Nintendo opted to return back to its futuristic setting in space.

Brief summary: You are brought back to life after the near extinction of human civilization and must now defend the last remaining human species on Earth in a place called the Last City. A small drone-like piece of equipment who calls himself Ghost, is your new companion that brought you back from the dead. Depending on the character creation you are brought back with one of three types of Player classes Warlock, Titan, or a Hunter and given other worldly powers and must use the last bit of Golden Age technology available after the Collapse of humanity.

In Destiny, the worlds you explore have once been a part of a greater civilization when humanity reached its Golden Age by a traveling machine god dubbed the Traveler. Sounds intimidating to have a machine god bring you back to life for a war that has been going on for billions of years, so how do you show and tell a story this vast without losing your audience? Story beats that are broken into bite sized chunks, extra lore on the side, and a lot of community effort.

The Traveler above Earth.

This giant machine first appeared near Jupiter and started to reshape one of its moons into a habitable place. Once humanity officially came in contact with the Traveler on Mars, they were able to study and learn from it to advance their technology to unseen heights. This allowed interstellar travel, major advances in medicine, as well as planetary colonization.

“We called it the Traveler, and its arrival changed us forever. Great cities were built on  Mars and Venus. Mercury became a garden world. Human lifespan tripled. It was a time of miracles.” (The Speaker, 2:04)

Destiny does not only limit itself to science fiction, it also brings in magic to help fill in the gaps to bring in wonder and exploration. However, this does not shy away from using high end technology to its advantage. Shapeships (Jumpship), space motorcycles (Sparrow), and even the Ghost that revives you are part of the advanced technology.

“... While you’d think stepping outside in a Venusian storm would mean your skin would be dissolved by the acid rain, in Destiny’s case that’s not what happens.” (Hadzaman, 2021)

There are people within the game, Exos, who were once human and now are completely machines. The lore behind them consists of a research facility named Clovis Bray Exo Science and Engineering, named after its creator, Clovis Bray that first created these machines to house the human mind. However, his company was not the only one that used this newfound technology in this way. BrayTech (another name given to the company from its many branches) and held a rivalry with another company that also experimented with human to robot machinery, Ishtar Collective.

An Exo, previously a human.

Whether you are playing against the enemies of humanity or other Guardians (Players) there is a wide variety of weaponry, magic, and a whole lot of unexplainable science that goes on behind those trigger fingers. Though, magic is also unexplainable science, so double the magic?

Image: IKELOS_SG_v1.0.3 a weapon from the Mars branch of BrayTech.

A shotgun repurposed with the technological feat of a super intelligent A.I. called Rasputin, a Warmind in game. One of its purposes is meant to monitor the solar system via a vast array of satellites that are scattered across the solar system. Both the Player and the characters within the game use technology like this as a means of protection as well as attack. Other facilities based on various in-game research companies are used to their disposal. While many post-apocalyptic games use weapons from their past, Destiny brings in narratively that these weapons may be “outdated” by a few hundred years, but they are able to be crafted as brand new weapons and armor.

“While in the Destiny universe, weaponry and energy are dictated by the game’s own lore and concepts of how everything functions, it’s clear Bungie’s writing team did their homework on this one. The weapon’s name doesn’t just serve as flavor, but is a simplified demonstration of a foundation of electricity and magnetism.” (Hadzaman ,2021)

This type of narrative within the game allows players to truly be a part of the game itself with its better immersion of actually needing to gather supplies such as blueprints and materials in order to craft them on a machine that literally pulls from them different timelines. (Not the first time that this happened either!)

So what is any of the above different from other games such as Mass Effect, Borderlands, Anthem, or even other MMOs? One of the reasons is the constant testing and feedback process. In earlier segments of the game's lifespan, gathering resources was a chore that was almost unbearable. Exploits were almost mandatory in order to complete blueprints and quest steps in order to craft items in a timely manner. With live testing that the majority of the other games were unable to do due to not being online based games, adjustments were made readily available. With Destiny being a live game and nearing the major climax of its story, there are bound to be more changes within the coming year.

Image Sources

Journal, J. H. R. G. (2016, April 20). Do a barrel roll: Star Fox Zero review | Technobubble. Reno Gazette-Journal. https://www.rgj.com/story/life/2016/04/20/star-fox-zero-review-technobubble-do-barrel-roll/83282762/

Star Fox: Assault. (2023, December 18). The 500. https://dollerz.com/the-500/374-350-a-positive-outlook/star-fox-assault/

Star Fox 64 3D. (2011, July 17). Eurogamer.net. https://www.eurogamer.net/games/star-fox-64-3d

Star Fox Adventures. (2023). reddit. Retrieved February 11, 2024, from https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/zy9frr/star_fox_adventures/

Albert, W. (2020, April 27). Destiny 2: Will the traveler finally awaken? Game Rant. https://gamerant.com/destiny-2-season-11-darkness-traveler/

Destiny: Exo 02, Mike Jensen. (n.d.). ArtStation. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/NJb2P

Klemke, D. (2014, September 25). Destiny: All Ends are Beginnings. - The Refined Geek. The Refined Geek. https://www.therefinedgeek.com.au/index.php/2014/09/26/destiny-all-ends-are-beginnings/comment-page-1/

Bacon, R. O. (2023, November 30). IKELOS_SG_v1.0.3 god roll - Destiny 2. Shacknews. https://www.shacknews.com/article/137936/destiny-2-ikelos-sg-v1-0-3-god-roll

Duwe, S. (2022, February 23). Here’s how weapon crafting works in Destiny 2. Dot Esports. https://dotesports.com/destiny/news/heres-how-weapon-crafting-works-in-destiny-2

Cited Sources: (APA formatting when finished)

Hadzaman, A. (2021, October 14). The science behind Destiny 2’s Lorentz Driver weapon. Space.com. https://www.space.com/destiny-2-lorentz-driver-science-explained

Hadzaman, A. (2021b, December 9). How realistic are the terraformed planets of Destiny 2? Space.com. https://www.space.com/how-realistic-are-the-terraformed-planets-of-destiny-2

Lane, G. (2023, February 21). Best Star Fox Games of all time. Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/guides/best-star-fox-games-of-all-time

McFerran, D. (2022, September 22). The making of: Star Fox Adventures, the game that was once Dinosaur planet. Time Extension. https://www.timeextension.com/features/the-making-of-star-fox-adventures-the-game-that-was-once-dinosaur-planet

Shirrako. (2014, July 17). DESTINY - Intro Opening - Welcome to Destiny [1440p HD] [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny7XhR4URZE

Star Fox: Assault. (2023b, December 18). The 500. https://dollerz.com/the-500/374-350-a-positive-outlook/star-fox-assault/

[labelleperfumery]

49ers' Ray-Ray McCloud Won't Try To Meet Taylor Swift At SB, 'This Is Football'

Even though 49ers wideout Ray-Ray McCloud has deep roots in the music industry, he won’t try to rub elbows with Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl … telling TMZ Sports, “This is football.” Many have wondered if the receiver would attempt to get in… from TMZ.com https://www.tmz.com/2024/02/09/49ers-ray-ray-mccloud-wont-meet-taylor-swift-super-bowl/

View On WordPress

#TMZ.com

[cryptoadnetwork]

10+ Best Crypto Advertising Networks For 2023 

In an era when cryptocurrencies are sweeping the globe, the United States is driving this shift in the economy. Effective advertising is more important than ever with businesses and consumers adopting digital money. This article will examine crypto advertising networks in the USA and show you how 7Search PPC can help you get the most out of your advertising budget.

Introduction

Cryptocurrency ad networks have developed dramatically over time, giving businesses creative methods to market their goods and services to a niche customer base. As 2023 approaches, these networks are more important than ever in bridging the gap between corporations and the burgeoning cryptocurrency community. In this piece, we'll dig into the world of crypto ad networks, examine their importance, and introduce you to the leading companies in the industry.

10+ Best Crypto Advertising Networks for 2023

1. 7Search PPC

7Search PPC is the greatest platform for collecting completely legitimate and conversion-ready visitors. You may boost your sales and return on investment with our cutting-edge ad kinds, which include text advertising, native advertisements, picture advertisements, popunder advertisements, and more. For visitors to your website or blog, our platform also seeks to offer straightforward monetization options.Advertisers and publishers may receive assistance from the well-known bitcoin or cryptocurrency advertising network 7Search PPC in accomplishing their marketing or monetization objectives. It provides marketers with highly converted traffic while paying publishers a relatively high rate.

2. Cointraffic – Crypto advertising with direct client assistance

To customers including KuCoin, Bitpanda, and 1xBit, Cointraffic has successfully executed more than 4,700 crypto-focused ad campaigns over the course of its more than five-year company history. With personal managers assigned to each client and the ability to take both fiat and cryptocurrency payments, Cointraffic may be a great resource for marketers seeking innovative content marketing ideas.

3. Bitmedia – A crypto and Bitcoin advertising network with flexible pricing models

Since its establishment in 2014, Bitmedia has handled over 30,000 campaigns, making it another industry titan in the bitcoin advertising market. With a 20 million global audience, the company's ad network produces more than 1 billion monthly impressions.

4. Paradox Group – An advertising-focused crypto consulting agency

In order to assist specialized sectors in gaining access to popular platforms, Paul Burnham and Milo McCloud formed the multidisciplinary advertising firm Paradox Group in 2018. With a team of professionals with over 50 years of combined expertise in a variety of sectors, including the blockchain technology field, the agency uses authenticity to drive innovation.

5. Google Ads – The leading online advertising solution (with restrictions for crypto businesses)

The world's largest internet advertising network by far is Google Ads. Google alone brought in a staggering $54.48 billion in advertising income in Q3 2022, an increase of $53.13 billion from Q3 2021. With all the bells and whistles of geo-targeted marketing campaigns, Google Ads has the ability to reach a truly global audience, but its relationship with information about cryptocurrencies has been rocky.

6. YouTube Advertising – The leading advertising framework for online video

Advertisers may utilize YouTube advertising to connect with prospective consumers and clients through video content. Being the largest platform in the world for hosting videos online, YouTube is especially well-liked by people looking to take advantage of influencer marketing opportunities to the fullest. This is because there are a ton of communities run by video creators whose content corresponds to the interests of your target market.

7. Adshares – ADS-powered blockchain ad network for the Web3 era

A blockchain-based, open-source solution for digital advertising is called Adshares. It can handle 1.4 million transfers per second and promises to make the ad microtransactions process simpler. The $500 billion digital advertising market is about to undergo a change as the business aspires to "become a global standard for advertising," much like SWIFT has done for the banking sector.

8. Coin.Network – Programmatic display ads and audience-optimized crypto campaigns

In terms of features, Coin.Network is among the top crypto marketing agencies, but in terms of average monthly impressions, it is surpassed by some of the top crypto ad networks. Coin.Network, on the other hand, succeeds because its network is concentrated on just supporting the most reliable publications in the blockchain sector.

9. Coinserom – A Bitcoin-powered PTC platform connecting customers with advertisers

Coinserom is a cryptocurrency and Bitcoin advertising network that enables users to earn additional revenue by utilizing their services, much to Adshares, which was previously on our list. Customers may use both video and standard web advertisements to promote their products utilizing Coinserom.

10. A-ADS – Bitcoin advertising network with the longest track record

A-adverts (formerly known as Anonymous adverts), which was founded in 2011, is the oldest Bitcoin advertising network in the world and has a history of providing Bitcoin-based adverts for more than ten years. A-ADS allows cryptocurrency payments and has over 10,000 active monthly customers.

With A-ADS, creating an advertising campaign is simple. Simply choose your budget, and A-ADS's algorithm will figure out how many impressions and clicks you should anticipate receiving each day. 

Conclusion

It could be difficult to keep ahead of the curve in the present, fiercely competitive crypto business. Your bitcoin business might succeed, nevertheless, provided you employ the proper methods and ideas. A reliable blockchain advertising firm and a bitcoin Twitter marketing agency can help with that. They could assist you in connecting with your target audience through successful marketing campaigns and using the potential of a strong bitcoin email list. 7Search PPC is unique among crypto advertising networks in the USA as a dependable and efficient platform to optimize your advertising potential. It is a favorite option for bitcoin marketers because to its exact targeting, reasonable cost, and user-friendly design. Accepting the power of 7Search PPC will cause your efforts to promote on crypto networks to skyrocket.

#crypto advertising #ppc for crypto #promote cryptocurrency

[theanimeview]

[Book Review] “The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga” 

Source: The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga, Page 15

By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting

Last October, I ordered a Kindle copy of The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga, a new book that delves into the art of creating manga. It was heavily advertised on MyAnimeList as well as promoted on Crunchyroll’s various Industry Panels, so I thought I’d give it a try.

As I began skimming the opening pages, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d seen it all before. The design was unique, but much of the opening content seemed lackluster and, dare I say, repetitive of works I’d seen before. Based on first impressions, I thought it would be another run-of-the-mill guidebook, much like Scott McCloud’s books on making and understanding comics, or Hirohiko Araki’s Manga in Theory and Practice: The Craft of Creating Manga.

I set the book aside in my Kindle Library and figured I would return, eventually, but was not very motivated to do so right then. However, despite my initial reservations, I recently decided to give the book a proper read, and I’m glad I did.

The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga is not just another how-to book; it’s a reference guide that provides insight into the manga industry from a creator and editorial perspective. Instead of teaching readers how to draw, the book focuses on the industry side of things, such as the tools of the trade and how people enter the industry in Japan. It also features commentary by famous authors who work with Shonen Jump, such as Kohei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia) and Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man).

What sets this book apart for me (beyond its informative text), is its unique style. Much of the book reads like a transcription of interviews or email exchanges, and the editors make sure to include different perspectives. For example, in the storyboard section, the editors collect samples from various creators for a prompt and provide with those samples commentary from said creators on the process of storyboarding and what they felt was important to include or leave out.

I liked that the editors break the information down so clearly. I also like how they have grouped certain creators, as well as the format of this particular style. It definitely doesn’t feel like a book when reading–rather it feels more like an editorial magazine regarding writing, art, and business topics of the manga industry today that the creators and editors seem to think are important for newer people hoping to enter the industry to understand. I think that the book offers a fresh perspective on the world of manga that is usually only seen in snippets of interviews and articles. While some of the content may not be well suited for the comic industry in the West, many of the tips and comments in this book overlap with the same advice given to those wanting to enter the US-based comic industry. Like the suggestion of getting familiar with available digital tools and practicing art by copying the styles of those you admire.

Overall, I rate this book a 9/10 for the unique style and approach that the creators and editors take in their collection of information. Minus one because all of this information was probably available online already to some degree.

The book is available for roughly $11 as a digital version and $20 for a paperback copy on Amazon, and given the content of the book, I find this to be a great addition to one’s library, particularly if you are interested in better understanding the manga industry from an editorial/creator perspective. I personally would recommend getting the digital version for ease of access and lower cost since it is more of a reference guide for the industry now than it is a collectible work.

TL/DR: Worth buying a digital copy if you are interested in better understanding the manga industry from an editorial/creator perspective and are new to comic creation.

#manga #review #shounen jump

[landscapeinsight]

[trascapades]

🎨#ArtIsAWeapon

#Artist Hugo McCloud is featured in Art Basel’s latest ‘Art in Action’ episode. Visit artbasel.com/stories to watch

#ArtInAction

Reposted from @seankellygallery

Using plastic bags in his monumental works, #HugoMcCloud celebrates unseen labor and workers.

@hugomccloudstudio

@ArtBasel Co-presented with our Lead Partner @UBSGlobartArt / @UBS. #UBSart

•

Reposted from @artbasel Art in Action ♻️ ‘I use industrial materials to tell stories that are untold.’

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

In the latest episode of Art Basel’s ‘Art in Action’ series, we visit @hugomccloudstudio in his Los Angeles studio. There he takes us through the origin and creation of his artworks using plastic bags as the primary material.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Visit artbasel.com/stories to learn more via the link in our profile.

—

Co-presented with our Lead Partner @UBSGlobartArt / @UBS. #UBSart

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

#HugoMcCloud is represented by @vielmetter and @seankellygallery.

#Environment #Labor #ArtInAction #SocialImpactArt #BlackGirlArtGeeks #BlackArtists

[ctgreys]

Mca64 launcher 2.0

nnounced this week tht they will not proceed with their plnned record opertis merger. Pge 42 Newsstnd Price $3 50 RADIO & RECORDS Polytrm, Wrners Drop Merger Plns PolyGrm nd Wrner Bros. Pge 4 SUMMER COUNTRY RATINGS SCOREBOARD L Helt checks out Country's rtings performnce in the summer books, mrket -by -mrket. Pge 23 FCC FINES 3 STATIONS The Commissi dished out $40,500 worth of fines to 3 sttis this week, including three $0,000 levies. Pge 2 HOLIDAYS: SALES BONANZA Dwight Cse emphsizes the need to pln hed for the extr benefits holidys cn bring your stti. VP t Msl Chet Trt VP t Blir Rdio Stn Snyder VP t Mnhttn Thoms Lnd WTIX PD Scott McCloud PD t KCNR Steve Grmzy PD for WYMJ Pge 3, 28, 34 PROMOTING NETWORK PROGRAMMING Reed Bunzel lerns how networks nd progrm suppliers re working with sttis to promote their specil progrmming nd dd tht extr edge of ppel. Pge 0 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK Steve Downes GM t WISN & WBTT Kevin Sutter Chryslis Nt'l LP Promoti Director Susn Bice VP At Aries Phil Roberts Sr. Pge 35, 44 RATINGS DIARIES AUSTRALIAN STYLE Jhn Hiber exmines the McNir Anders rdio listening diry, which bosts n 80% usble return rte from Austrlin prticipnts (double wht Arbitr receives here). Menwhile, WSFM/Hrrisburg sets up comprehensive promoti to help reunite missing kids with their prents. uthorities gng up to defuse the dngerous situti. Pge 36 RADIO'S POSITIVE SOCIAL ACTIVISM Following numerous incidents of gng -relted shootings, KDAY nd L.A. 1 ISSUE NUMBER 559 THE INDUSTRY'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 9, 984 I N S I D E: EXECS CITE AOR MONEY POWER AOR is in gret finncil shpe, ccording to top executives from Tft, Infinity, Shmrock, nd other successful opertis.

#Mca64 launcher 2.0

[fujoshina-faita]

OPM Manga Art Study #1 - Murata's Influences

The first thing I wanted to do when conceiving this project is to form a baseline of sorts. As expected, I can't directly dive into OPM if I want to understand Murata's approach going into it. As such, this first entry is more of a reading list. HOPEFULLY I'll get to actually breaking down illustrations next time.

Naturally, as a professional artist, Murata has spent his life accumulating influences from his own personal idols. It's something he pushes other artists to do as well.

Boy, are there some big names on his list. If I went into each of them, they would each warrant a dedicated series. Unfortunately, I do not have the time for that. So, think of this as a breadcrumb trail to go and research on your own. I have skimmed over these artists' careers and a common factor I've noticed is that their success was marked by their deviation from tradition. Make use of that as you like.

After the cut, I discuss the book and artists that helped Murata get to where he is today, and the sequel that he wrote later on.

First up: Hetappi Manga Kenkyūjo (鳥山明のヘタッピマンガ研究所/Akira Toriyama's Clumsy Manga Laboratories) by Akira Toriyama & Akira Sakuma (1985)

Murata sites this as the book that got him started on manga. Written by Dragon Ball's creators, it predates Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics by a decade. Like McCloud's book, it uses the medium of comics/manga to explain that medium. It seems to be targeted at a young audience and covers some basic drawing tips as well as comic storytelling fundamentals. It makes some suggestions for tools when working in traditional media, as most mangaka have up until recently. I have yet to find a complete copy to review, and unfortunately nothing that has been translated into English. I have found partial copies in Japanese, French, and Portuguese(?).

The 2nd book in the Hetappi series was written by Murata himself. I can't help but feel happy for him as he describes, in the forward, how honored he is to write the successor to the book that started him off on his career.

Hetappi Manga Kenkyūjo R (ヘタッピマンガ研究所R) (2008-2010) was completed 2 years before the OPM manga was published, during the last years of Eyeshield 21. It follows the artistic pursuits of Murata's restless editor, Saito, as he badgers Murata for the secrets to his success as a mangaka. This book (henceforth calling it HMKR) is available in Japanese on amaz*n, though half of it has been translated to English by reddit user DarkMeROTMG. I reached out to them recently and although it isn't up as of this writing, the rest of the translation may be coming in the not-too-distant future. I'm really looking forward to it, as the 2nd half of the book - according to the table of contents - covers more abstract concepts such as character design and how manga get published.

Like its predecessor, it covers the standard tools for traditionally made manga, though Murata acknowledges that in the future, many newer artists may work completely in digital media. (He was right)

I'm one such artist, but I'm still noting the effects of different tools because it will doubtless be important for understanding how he achieves certain effects in his work. Software like Clip Studio Paint, which has become an industry standard, has gone far to simulate them, making the transition a little easier.

HMKR is a goldmine for getting important insights into Murata's creative process and the strategies for mangaka in general. Just reading through it gives so many breadcrumbs to look into it's overwhelming. This book alone features: Mizuki Kawashita, Yusei Matsui, Shimabukuro Mitsutoshi, and Yoshihiro Togashi - each powerful mangaka in their own right. Murata sets a good example by roping these folks in whenever he feels that something is not his field of expertise. Among these, amusingly, includes drawing women and designing characters for a story.

"I have to do everything I can to become better! That's it. I did not hold myself to any limits on what not to do from the beginning. And I worked hard without worrying about what other people think of me." -Yusuke Murata, HMKR

There isn't much more I can say about HMKR that it doesn't explain much better itself, so - go read it and keep an eye out for the full translation. I have a lot of thoughts, particularly on how women are discussed, but I'd rather talk about those in more dedicated posts.

Another resource Murata uses according to this livestream transcription is certain boy-love (BL) manga for anatomy references. He doesn't say which ones, unfortunately, but it's easy to see how he works in that charm for his male characters. If anyone reading happens to know, please share with the class... 👀

Since this series focuses on OPM specifically, I can't list artists that influence Murata without mentioning ONE himself. By some stroke of fate, these men independently became mutual fans of one another's work. According to a Sugoi Japan interview, ONE's work affected Murata so deeply that he decided he would work with him at any cost while resting in what could have been his deathbed.

"...Each character has their own soul. ...When I pulled that all-nighter [to read the webcomic], I realized that this work has enough power to rival the best of the pros."

Murata has meticulously studied what makes ONE's designs so charming and has gone to great lengths to make sure those ideas translate into the manga. In the same interview he emphasizes how understanding the core of what makes a character appealing is essential to imagining the kinds of scenes you can draw them in. He has essentially made a professional career out of doing fan-manga and I respect his power all the more for it.

I might elaborate on the core appeal of OPM as Murata saw it in ONE's works in its own post, but if I have to boil it down to some key ideas going from ONE's interviews... A theme that comes up a lot is the contrast of Saitama's simplicity with the rest of the world he lives in. Visually and in personality, he is a simple solution to a bleak world's complicated problems. I haven't found any such sketches, but Murata has said he went over the first chapters of OPM many times, up to Boros' fight, before he was satisfied with the way Sai's face looked.

As I study, I'm reminded - not for the first time - why being a comic artist is a full-on career. I'm a hobbyist chipping at a mountain of knowledge for some shiny kernels I can use. I promise that if I've missed something, it's not for lack of trying or care - there is just SO MUCH. I've come into this with a little bit of background, but it really comes up short of those who have made it their primary field. There's so much that I have to neglect in the interest of time so that I can get this out for people to use rather than in some years as a thesis. I hope that if anyone reading this wants to do comics as their job that they'll keep digging for more.

SPECIAL THANKS

@nenrikid0 - for finding the livestream snippet and the saucy examples

@the-nysh - for reminding me to check out the livestreams in general - I'll do a deeper dive when I can

REPLIES TO REPLIES

I really don't know how to do this properly on tumblr so I'm just gonna save a section for this

@ganet '...It probably helps to study his previous works? ...'

For certain! Though I don't think I'll get to it for a while. Even just trying to list his most important influences yielded this whopper.

Please share any additional thoughts on this, or the formatting or anything, in the replies and I'll answer as I can, maybe in the next entry!

#opm art study #opm #one punch man #yusuke murata

[zani-is-a-stan]

I have been rereading bites of the Harry Potter books recently and … sometimes Harry is like … beyond a terrible person. His actions right after Sectumsempra are real distasteful indications of his character.

Look, no one says that a main character HAS to be a good person. Like, the entire entertainment industry had rules about this that are being broken now. (In the original toy story, Pixar had a very documented meeting about how Woody wasn’t allowed to go toooo far in his bad behavior to express his resentment of Buzz. In Pixar’s most recent flick, Luca and Alberto, the lead and the second BOTH do something that is about the worst possible thing they can do in the moments that they do it. This never would have been allowed a few years ago.)

The writing of Harry Potter is interesting in that there are very selective decisions made about which of Harry’s feelings the reader gets to know. What are Harry’s emotions, the first time he opens Christmas presents he wasn’t expecting from Molly Weasley? We just have to imagine. When Ginny dates another boy, suddenly there’s a monster in his chest. There’s a lot of show-don’t-tell going on, maybe too much. Maybe the extent to which Harry is a blank slate contributed to the books’ successes because it allowed people to more easily project their own feelings onto him, similar to the argument Scott McCloud presents about simplified drawing of faces in ‘Understanding Comics.’

Also, when I was a kid reading Harry Potter, even at the time the whole house elf thing left a weird taste in my mouth. The ‘oh no, they *like* to be servants’ registered as real yuck to me even then. I was an adult by the time the final book came out, and I did not care for how Harry was deliberately trying to screw the goblins. Isn’t he supposed to be the good guy? Now as an adult, I find the division of good and bad people by appearance quite gross. And like … the centaurs seem to have assaulted Umbridge? And it’s described in a way that seems like ‘ha ha, look what happened to the bad guy!’

Anyway, Harry accidentally slashes up Malfoy, almost killing him. We all know it was a mistake, because we’re the readers, and it’s described to be clearly a mistake. We all know he had some kind of probable cause, because he interrupted Malfoy’s crucio. But after that? His biggest concern is to not give up the spell book he learned the curse from, not to get pulled out of potions class … because that would mean his career of choice would be denied him (and he has such a promising future). Now I could be wrong, because I was skimming sometimes, but I don’t think I saw a single reference after Snape arrives in the bathroom to Harry having any kind of concern for the person he accidentally almost murdered. From then on it’s just hate for Snape, trying to avoid the consequences of losing his dark magic spellbook and plain old resentment that he has to get yanked off the sports team and go to detention because *he fucking almost killed someone*. Like, he doesn’t lose any sleep over it. I don’t think he even shows concern about Draco surviving - although that was neatly written out of being needed as we see Draco get up and walk out of the bathroom. If anything, the ‘Roonil Wazlib’ bit is supposed to break up the whole encounter with a joke and make it seem less serious.

It’s kind of gross. R*wling … well, we all know she is gross and wrong about some of her philosophies that specifically hurt children. I think she is also super wrong here. She goes out of her way to say that she doesn’t understand why girls would romanticize Draco, because he’s not a nice person. But like … Harry’s not all that great either. She just decided he was The One and wrote his story.

#harry potter #Draco Malfoy #missed in the first reading of half-blood prince #harry potter reread

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #527

Top Ten Videogames to Get the Sonic the Hedgehog Treatment

You can turn a game into a film. I mean, obviously you can; Raul Julia’s iconic performance as M. Bison in Street Fighter was nearly thirty years ago now. Talking about what games might make good movies is a bit redundant – so much so that I actually did this as a list in 2019. And, as serendipity would have it, the film that inspired that list was Sonic the Hedgehog. Wouldn’t you know it, a sequel has just come out! What are the chances? I’d say 319.7 million to one. That probably doesn’t make any sense. The film made a decent bit of cash, never mind, moving on.

Where was I?

Oh yeah, Sonic. So it’s a videogame movie, obviously, but it’s also one of those films where human actors have to interact with CGI animal co-stars. These types of films are distinct from, say, Star Wars, where you have CGI characters such as Jar Jar Binks or Maz Kanata; I mean films like Alvin and the Chipmunks, Scooby Doo, Garfield, etc; films where, in a bygone age, the CG animal would almost certainly have been a traditional 2D animated character (as seen in the recent Tom and Jerry movie, the exception which proves the rule and cements my hypothesis!). Now I could – and one day probably will – do an entire Top Ten about these sorts of movies. but what I’m focusing on today is the fact that Sonic is not the only videogame character who could star in a Film Such As This! Oh no! There are lots! At least ten!

So that’s what we’re doing today. Ten games/game characters who could star in a Sonic-style live action/CGI movie. Not just “games that’d make films”; specifically games where your stars would be interacting with hoo-mans. And, naturally enough, I’ve provided explanation! Now one way of doing this would have been to go through the list of nineties platformers, but I’ve eschewed such thoughts; on the one hand, it’d have been to easy to list MegaDrive mascots, and on the other, nobody wants to see Bubsy the Bobcat or, Christ, Cool Spot in a movie. Not even the people who’d receive royalties.

Where was I?

Oh yeah, the list.

Lemmings (1991): a beleaguered zoologist (James Marsden) discovers a new species of lemming – as predicted by his disgraced father (Brendan Gleeson). The lemmings could be his ticket to the big time, if he can stop them randomly wandering into things or blowing themselves up. Chaos ensues on the streets of Dundee, as Marsden learns to love the lemmings, and must stop them being nuked for profit.

Zool (1992): a beleaguered scientist (James Marsden) accidentally opens a portal to the Nth Dimension, bringing Zool into our works. Hijinks ensue as the ninja non-ant struggles to acclimatise, seeing evil everywhere, and eating lots of Chupa Chups. Meanwhile the wicked Mental Block (Brendan Gleeson) has followed him though the portal. In a post-credit scene, Zooz comes to look for Zool.

Putty Squad (1994): a beleaguered geneticist (James Marsden), down on his luck, accidentally invents a sentient putty. But his greedy boss (Brendan Gleeson) sees military potential, turning the putty into a crack fighting squad. Will our hero defend the putty or rake in the military industrial bucks?

Pikmin (2001): a beleaguered botanist (James Marsden) discovers a strange breed of plant-like creatures. They wreak havoc when he brings them back to the big city, but only a disgraced scientist (Brendan Gleeson) can help once big business get their hands on the cute but chaotic Pikmin.

Star Fox (1993): a beleaguered astronomer (James Marsden) sees strange lights in the sky, leading him to the crashed ship of Fox McCloud, who's followed a wormhole into our system. Now he needs to stay hidden but also contact his crew and foil the plans of the evil Emperor Andross (Brendan Gleeson), who is already on Earth.

Toonstruck (1996): a beleaguered animator (James Marsden), harangued by his producer (Brendan Gleeson), is surprised when his character Flux Wildly leaps from his computer and into the real world, causing untold chaos. Can our hero return him to his own world, and finish animating this scene before morning?

Gobliiins (1991): a beleaguered researcher (James Marsden), following the writings of his long-lost explorer father (Brendan Gleeson), discovers a family of three chaotic Goblins. Back in the big city they cause untold chaos, but also solve puzzles using their unique skills.

Animal Crossing (2001): a beleaguered travel agent (James Marsden) discovers a strange island populated by talking animals. Initially exploiting the tropical paradise for financial gain, will be learn the error of his ways? And will be finally pay off his loans to local entrepreneur/fearsome kingpin Tom Nook (Brendan Gleeson)?

Kirby’s Dream Land (1992): a beleaguered chef (James Marsden), on the search for new recipes, discovers a weird creature who can eat anything. Kirby makes him a star, especially with his money-grabbing publisher (Brendan Gleeson), but will Kirby literally eat him out of house and home?

Battletoads (1991): a beleaguered obstetrician (James Marsden) is shocked to discover three huge anthropomorphic talking frogs when on a hiking holiday in the Algarve. They've crashed their ship, and wouldn't you know it, shenanigans ensue. Can they get back into space and, I dunno, do something or the other, before being caught by the lawyer for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Brendan Gleeson)?

#top ten #films #movies #games #videogames #sonic #sonic the hedgehog #other stuff

[erysium]

I am in such awe of your work!! Every piece is a statement on its own! I'm so inspired that I wanna make art like you, so I wanted to know if you have any tips for comic-making? Cuz I wanna make stunning pieces of art for my comics like you. I really learned from reading Kochab to treat the entire comic page as like a unifying piece instead of individual squares

Hi there! aw thank you so much! :) Off the top of my head, here’s some resources for comic paneling that I’ve found most helpful:

-Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics book series (!!)

-Framed Ink by Marcoz Mateu-Mastre

-Der-shing Helmer’s comic tutorials!

-Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

-Stu Livingston’s storyboard tips - a lot of storyboarding advice applies pretty well to comics too!

-Adrienne Bazir/insertdisc5 makes some great quick tip posts!

—As an exercise - maybe thumbnail a few pages of your comic, and while working on those thumbs read lots of good comics, and consider how different artists you like would handle the paneling, pacing, storytelling, layouts, etc. Maybe try making a couple different thumbnail drawings of your comic in different artists styles? 

For the end result though, I’d try to always study as many artists as possible for your work, so you’re less likely to come up with something derivative - Austin Kleon’s book talks a lot about how to use and learn from reference/inspiration ethically & for your own best benefit, so I always recommend it for any artist.

—If you need something to listen to while you’re drawing, since comics are sometimes a slow & steady game - I try to listen to a variety of comic focused podcasts to get an understanding of what’s going on in the industry, new comics to read, and how different artists work : Make Then Tell, Salt And Honey, & We Should Be Friends are some favourites! (If anyone has more resources/comics podcast recommendations, let me know!)

Also, here’s what my thumbnails for the next 3 Kochab pages look like - pretty messy, but I’m just trying to figure out the characters acting, and then going back to rearrange paneling to fit everything in & make the storytelling as clear I can. 

#hope that helps! :) #wip #process #ask #comic #webcomic #Anonymous

[rjzimmerman]

He is determined to kill or harm us, one way or another......slowly or more slowly or more quickly.

Excerpt from this story from EcoWatch:

1. Tribal Lands

Tribes and environmental groups have fought for decades against a proposed copper mine in an area of Arizona known as Oak Flat, which is a sacred site for a dozen tribes, including the San Carlos Apache. Now the Trump administration is pushing to fast-track a deal that would transfer ownership of the land, which is in the Tonto National Forest, to Resolution Copper, a firm owned by mining companies Rio Tinto and Billiton BHP.

2. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Shakeup

Just days after the election, Trump switched up the leadership of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has a hand in regulating hydroelectric projects, as well as interstate transmission of electricity, oil and natural gas. Chairman Neil Chatterjee was replaced by fellow Republican James Danly, who has a more conservative view on federal energy policy.

3. Hamstringing Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

The Great American Outdoors Act, a major conservation bill signed into law in August, allocated $9.5 billion to help fix national park infrastructure and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. But despite (falsely) hailing himself as a conservation hero at the law's signing, Trump has already begun undermining the legislation's effectiveness. An order signed by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Nov. 9 allows state and local governments to veto any land or water acquisitions made through the fund.

4. Dam Raising

On Nov. 20 the Trump administration finalized a plan to raise the height of Northern California's 600-foot Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet, which would allow for more water storage. The reservoir feeds the federally run Central Valley Project, which funnels water hundreds of miles south to cities and farms. That includes the politically connected Westlands Water District in the San Joaquin Valley, which formerly employed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt as a lawyer and lobbyist. The state of California has strongly opposed the effort to raise the dam's height because it would flood the McCloud River, protected as wild and scenic.

5. Pesticide Changes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Nov. 20 it was taking away a tool states can use to control how pesticides are deployed. The action could further endanger farmworkers and wildlife.

6. Migratory Birds

A gutting of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 took a big step forward at the end of November, clearing the way for the administration to finalize the rule change by the end of Trump's term.

7. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Auction

The Bureau of Land Management announced on Dec. 3 that oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would go on sale on Jan. 6, following a shortened time frame for the nomination and evaluation of potential tracts to be drilled.

8. Dirty Air

One week into December, the administration finalized its decision declining to enact stricter standards for regulating industrial soot emissions.

9. Border Wall

The incoming Biden administration has vowed to not build another foot of the border wall, but the borderlands ecosystem remains under threat as the Trump administration is continuing to push ahead. In some cases wall builders are even attempting to speed up the work.

10. Harming Whales and Dolphins

Trump may be leaving office, but marine mammals won't be able to rest easy. NOAA Fisheries issued a rule on Dec. 9 allowing the oil and gas industry to harm Atlantic spotted dolphins, pygmy whales, dwarf sperm whales, Bryde's whales and other marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico while using seismic and acoustic mapping, including air guns, to gather data on resources on or below the ocean floor.

11. More Lease Sales

The Arctic isn't the only place where the rush is on to exploit public lands. On Dec. 9 the Bureau of Land Management updated an environmental assessment for a 2013 plan for leases to extract climate- and water-polluting tar sands on 2,100 acres in northeastern Utah. But then just days late it hit the pause button on the effort. While that one may be on hold, the administration did kick off the sale of leases for oil drilling on 4,100 acres of federal land in California's Kern County on Dec. 10.

12. Cost-Benefit Rule

One of the administration's biggest parting gifts to industry — the "cost-benefit" rule — was finalized on Dec. 9. It would require the EPA to weigh the economic costs of air pollution regulations but not many of the health benefits that would arise from better protections.

#trump #environment #climate