birthday

okay...

taking a short break from our scary story contest today so that we can post the answers to the "five for friday" (below) and catch up on some things...

so, it was my birthday a few weeks ago, and while i had really hoped that i would be able to ignore this one (you do get tired of them after a while...) between myspace and facebook, it seemed like EVERYBODY knew...! so many happy returns and thanks...!

of course, my friend, wendy, didn't make things any better, announcing it in our little group over on facebook and offering a "draw a birthday greeting" challenge to alla my old college friends! i was touched, but i don't really want people going to any trouble over me...

on the other hand, i did get quite a few cool drawings and here are the two that wendy herself posted...




and one by her son, the other perhapa-fan in the family...


thanks, wend--i will get you back...!

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and as matt and i continue to revel in the season and all the great new--and old--horror movies that we love, love, LOVE, he sent over this birthday greeting that he threw together himself in 'shop. i love it so much, i printed it out and carried it around with me for days...!

thanks, brother!

and as if that wasn't enough, matt hit me with this sweet, sweet (run out and get it if you haven't already!) birthday gift--new from dark horse, the collected CREEPY!! man, this is just some incredible, stunning stuff, collecting the first five issues of the warren magazine classics featuring art by guys like reed crandall, gray morrow, al williamson, angelo torres, and frank frazetta! and stories by the legendary archie goodwin! like the barker book, i've been trying to slow down in my devouring of it, savoring every last blood-dripping page. ahhh...



and christian, as much of a cryptozoology fiend as i am, gifted me with this fun and funny book that, i couldn't help it, i sat down and read in one sitting! not quite the same big as in our book, but i really, really dig this guy! (you can check out an exerpt of this, and the creepy book, over at amazon.com )


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well, for the last week, i've been dying to report back to you on our trip to ohio and introduce you all to the new friends craig and i met--but blogger is fighting me here and not letting me upload ANY of my pictures from the con. (well, one, and that's below).
we got to hang and have some great times with illustrators extraordinaire cat staggs and mark mchaley, fantastic artists who've both done a lot of work for all of the trading cards companies on all of the best star wars and indiana jones sets! (i'll be highlighted them more is a week or so when I CAN GET THIS #&^%$in' blogger to upload...!!)
we also spent some good times with comics writer marc sumerak--who does just about ALL of the marvel adventures line and has been kind enough to let me play with his marvel adventures spider-man over the next few months...) and artist christopher jones, who made the batman strikes comic book cooler than the cartoon!! (again, i'll have pictures of these guys later...)
it was a fun show--a first time venture for con organizers, peter and dawn smith--and they did a hell of a job! craig and i DID get our picture taken in the batmobile--another photo i'm not able to load at this moment...and chris, craig, and i had a private audience and got to hear some cool, inside-the-wookie stories from peter mayhew!

...and, finally, the only costume picture i took all weekend...and the only one i'm allowed to post, apparently...the riddler!


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and here are the
answers to your
"five for friday"
this week, as we've done before, we have some initial riddles.
try to figure out the familiar sayings or values with only these numbers and initials.
(example: 52 C in a D of C = 52 Cards in a Deck of Cards)

1. 12 M in a Y

12 Months in a Year

2. 9 P in the S S

9 Planets in the Solar System

3. 200 Y make a B C

200 Years make a BiCentennial
(yes, i know it's all one word and the "C" shouldn't be capitalized--i did that as a hint--and if you guessed that but then discounted it, count yourself right...)

4. 15 M on a D M C

15 Men on a Dead Man's Chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

5. 99 B of B on the W

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

6. 6 O in an I

6 Outs in an Inning

7. 3.8 L equals 1 G

3.8 Liters equals 1 gallon
(the boys had it easy on this one. it's now printed on every urnal in the country...and what else do you have to read...?)

8. 13 S on the A F

13 Stars on the American Flag

9. 4 S in a D of C

4 Suits in a Deck of Cards

10. 32 T in an (A H) M

32 Teeth in an (Adult Human's) Mouth

gotta go!
smell ya later!
todd