So I Got KRAMERS ERGOT 7 Yesterday...

...and yeah, it is pretty amazing. Last night Shanell and I laid it flat on the bed and, not even reading it, just flipped through. That was about a half-hour endeavour, which I think has already begun to justify its price. Shanell had the "Holy Shit, you just spent over $100 on this?" reaction at first sight, but after that initial pass through, she agreed it was worth it.

To echo everyone else, it really is massive: easily the large bound book that I own. It is one thing to read 16" x 21", but quite another to be carrying the tome around under your arm. I'm 6'3", and I find it intimidating!

I'm almost tempted to leave my copy at the store for a week so I can show it off to a couple of people who would actually potentially order copies for themselves...hey, it is still in stock through Diamond! There's one guy who comes to the store who is a big Seth fan who might be interested to know that included is a 25 page Seth comic compiled as a two pager here. I think a pretty good gauge of whether you are having any doubts to buy this or not (if its steep price isn't an issue, which is understandable), I would say if you liked KRAMERS ERGOT 6, you will like this at least as much, and probably more. I really wish this came out when everyone was complaining about the price in the late summer rather than now, considering the Canadian exchange rate went down the crapper since then, making this more than when people were talking about it.

I think once my schedule is cleared up a bit more again, I want to do a walkthrough of it.

-Jarrett

Hey, News!

Via Tom Spurgeon:

Another Cartoonist Loses Staff Position

This time it's Thomas "TAB" Boldt, cartoonist for the Sun Media papers in Canada -- specifically the Calgary Sun. Unlike some of the recent staff position cuts, Boldt had been in his current job for less than a decade, although I think from looking at the cartoonist's picture and guessing at his age he may have been working in the field before that -- I'm terribly, terribly unfamiliar with most Canadian newspaper cartoonists. Not that noting the relative length of time Boldt's had his current position compared to some other eliminated job makes it any less a potentially miserable day for Boldt, or any more alarming in terms of the continued losses in North American newspaper for these kinds of positions. Three other cartoonists working for the chain were retained.

Living in southern Alberta, I am more than a little familiar with "TAB" and his political cartoons. It should be noted that the Calgary Sun is something of a second-rate tabloid...a right-wing Conservative soapbox, which is reflected in the obviousness and overall lack of quality of Tab's cartoons. Lots of easily digestible, explanatory labeling, and populace sentiment amounting on non-jokes. He will not be missed, though I'm certain that whoever takes the reigns within the Sun Media empire will be just as disappointing.

-Jarrett

With Christmas Approaching...

Well, my finals are written, marked, and I'm now just waiting for final marks to finish rolling in...I suppose I should do something more than just sketches and maybe (maybe!) even get that last Brunetti 4 page comic drawn! Instead I've watched almost every Lars von Trier movie, and started THE OUTER LIMITS, which I received as an early Christmas gift. I am doodling away while watching, but nothing too concrete.

Anyway, I thought I would just take a moment to share with you all a hot seller locally for us, with two special requests for Christmas presents for this particular trade paperback. Allow me to introduce you to: FREDDY VS JASON VS ASH.











I suppose if I was...twelve? this would have been kind of awesome. As it is, I can't help but laugh when I think of all the top ten lists floating around that don't have this gem on it, yet I will sell two more of these than anything off the typical list (I'm not counting my own purchases here).

-Jarrett