Springtime

Ah, don't you just love the Springtime? Fresh air, flowers in bloom, and all the bugs you can shake a stick at!

My Mom was trying to go to the store today, but because there's this stupid holly bush in her front yard bees were all over it. As a child my Mom's sister threw a rock into a hornet's nest, and the entire colony attacked Mom as her sister ran off. Ever since she has been terrified of bees, wasps, hornets, et al.

So, because the bees were in the bush (which is right by the front porch) she wouldn't go outside. She stood at the door for fifteen minutes watching the bees. She almost went out about three times, but then saw another one. It was hilarious! She finally got brave enough to make a run for it, but wouldn't go unless I stood there holding the door open in case she needed to run back in. I tried to tell her if I held the door open they might get in the house, but she wouldn't listen.

At any rate, she made it to the car without incident. The bees didn't pay her any attention.

One time when I was about 14 we had a pick-up truck. My Mom was driving, I was beside her, my cousin (same age as me) was beside me, and his mom beside him, all in the cab of the truck. As we're going down the road Mom hears a buzzing sound. She looks up in the rear view mirror and sees a bee behind her on the back window. She panics.

She pulls the truck halfway into a gas station, halfway still in the street (a busy street at that) and then jumps out of the truck and runs. This might have even been okay had she put the truck in park, which she did not. So the three of us are rolling backwards into traffic and the bee is sitting pretty.

I was frozen or in shock, as was my cousin, and my aunt was trying frantically to reach over us to the brake while screaming at me to hit the break. Eventually we got the truck in park before anything major happened, thank God!

But this sums up my mom's reactions to things with stingers. She's not a fan.

Just thought I'd share. :)

Sorry I missed posting yesterday, I was kept pretty busy with the usual (writing, lettering, logo design, and contest stuff). Things are picking up quite nicely.

Speaking of the contest (Small Press Idol), today is the deadline for all Round 2 entries. At last count there were about 14 teams that advanced who still hadn't submitted their entries for this round. I know for a fact that Warbreed will be turned in today as we are one sketch away from completion, meaning we're just waiting on the colors and for me to slap the character's name on and we'll be good to go.

As for the other entries, I don't know if they'll make it or not. There are a few I doubt will, and there are some I hope will. I have been looking forward to seeing Velare, but I don't know if they'll get it in in time. We shall see.

And speaking of entries, as you all may or may not know the SPA site and forums have been having some issues. This has changed the links for the forums, and thus the threads to vote for the entries. At the suggestion of LJamal, creator of Warmageddon, I set up a redirect link that I can control, so the link will never be broken, or not broken for long.

So, from now until the end of the contest, The Kansas Hit thread (where you vote!) can be found by going to KansasHit.brantfowler.com.

Yesterday was Ed Dukeshire's (Digital Webbing) birthday, and as I said on the DW forums, I hope you had a great one, my friend.

For his birthday, go out and buy an issue or two of Digital Webbing Presents from a local or online retailer to support the book!

I'm working on tomorrow's column right now, and I can tell you at this point there will be at least three books I review: Cadre #3 (Nifty Comics), The Roach #1, and Marshal #1 (DBPro). Others I may get in, or may push to next week, include Red Prophet #1-2 (DBPro), Zoom Suit #1 (Superverse), and Family Bones #2 (King Tractor Press). I may be forgetting one or two, but all these are on deck.

Myth Conceptions Monday will be a look at the history of the Superhero. I just hope I have time to do it!

I'm also going to have an interview with Ben Lichius of The Black Coat from Ape Entertainment at SBC soon, once I find the time to write the questions! Since the book has been out for over a week now I'm curious to the early responses. So if you've read it send me an email and let me know what you thought. I'll quote your comments in the interview!

Break time's over and it's back to work I go.

B-Out