I approve.

When I posted Malcolm Sutherland’s animated short “Umbra” the other day, I mentioned that it reminded me of something a while back. I found it yesterday, but first, a Bizarro strip that Dan Piraro posted on his blog last night that plays with the same idea.

And now the animated short I was thinking of. It’s Philip Eddolls‘s “Git Gob“, which I posted back in March of last year. When I showed it to Georgia back then, she insisted on watching it over and over and over again. When I showed it to her again yesterday, it was the same story. We must have watched it six times. And everytime is just as good as the last.

They Might Be Giants said the world is a dress, but that’s just crazy talk. Everybody knows that the world is a hat.

It seems like it’s been a while since we’ve seen anything new from Kirby Ferguson’s Goodie Bag (about which I’ve raved repeatedly), but evidently he’s been working on something big. Behold, the first part of a projected-four-part series, “Everything is a Remix.”

For more, check out Ferguson’s “Everything Is a Remix” site, where you can find out more about the project and even donate to keep it going.

This nifty bit of perception-skewing animation is by Malcolm Sutherland, and is well worth six minutes of your time. (It reminds me of another animated short that I posted years ago to the Ramble, but I’m having trouble tracking it down. If I manage to find it I’ll post a link.)

The last few weeks it seems like the entire internet has been taking part in the “Influence Map” meme started by deviantART user fox-orion. I’ve been working on my influence map for almost as long, fiddling with it here and there when I had a free moment.

I finished work a few minutes early today, and without enough time to start on the next project, I figured it was the perfect time to put the finishing touches on my influence map. And here it is. Naturally, I’m sure that as soon as I post this I’ll remember all of the things I forgot to include, but at the moment this seems a pretty accurate representation of the most persistent influences in my artistic development.

Are zombies the new vampires?

Well, according to the Hollywood Reporter, they just might be. In a new article by Jay A. Fernandez and Borys Kit, a bunch of folks (including my own humble self) sound off on the topic. Three guesses what my answer was…

I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve raved about the work of Evan “Doc” Shaner, but as good as he’s been all this time, he just keeps getting better and better.

Check out his latest contribution to the Comic Twart art blog, this time on a subject near-and-dear to my heart: Captain Marvel!

Holy Moley, indeed!

Evan is on course to be a superstar. He’s taking commissions this month, so if you’ve got any sense at all you’ll head over to his website and give him some money for an original piece of your very own!

So it turns out that Ben Folds, one of my favorite musicians (and the person responsible for me meeting my wife, Allison, over thirteen years ago), is working on a new album. It’s entitled “Lonely Avenue,” and all the lyrics are by Nick Hornby. This is great news, as the best track on William Shatner’s Ben Folds-produced album, Has Been, was arguably the Nick Hornby-penned “That’s Me Trying.”

Anyway, new Ben Folds album? Awesome. A collaboration with Nick Hornby? Even awesomer.

But the fact that one of my latest musical obsessions is featured on one of the tracks? Namely, Pomplamoose? That is the AWESOMEST!

Check it out, and see for yourself.

I turned 40 yesterday, and the New York Times was kind enough to give me a gift that I’ve been wanting for years.

So just to reiterate, from now on I’m to be correctly addressed as “Chris Roberson, New York Times Bestselling writer.” (That’s the way I’ll be signing all of my checks, too.)

I don’t think I’ve mentioned it here before now, but this weekend I’ll be attending the Baltimore Comic Con. That’s the one in Baltimore, I think.

Here’s where I can be found. (Unless I owe you money. In which case this is actually someone else’s schedule, and I won’t be anywhere near there.)

SATURDAY
1:00 – 2:00pm @ BOOM! Studios Booths #1303
Signing

3:00-4:00 @ Room 307
Panel: Spotlight on Michael Allred – Michael Allred is the creator of “Madman” ,”Atomics”, “Red Rocket 7,” and has worked on such comics as the “Golden Plates,” “X-Statix,” and “Sandman” and is currently drawing “iZombie” from DC/Vertigo. Allred and “iZombie” scribe, Chris Roberson, take a look at his career in a spotlight you dare not miss!

SUNDAY
1:00 – 2:00pm @ BOOM! Studios Booths #1303
Signing