Blow Up

[Lordrunningclam]

That's the defence. Now, the prosecution. It really isn't a well-known film - only three people out of four hundred or so readers have recognised it.

It used to be a well known film. I'm perhaps a bit older than your average reader and I recognized it immediately. Its best remembered these days as containing the only recorded performance on film of the Yardbirds with both Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, a lineup that lasted perhaps 6 months.

There was an American remake of the film called Blow-Out starring John Travolta as a movie sound man who recorded a murder on tape. Personally, I liked the original better but then I've never liked JT or much of anything he was ever in. I don't recall any mimes in that movie, though.

Shedding readers is understantable when you go from a thrice weekly to weekly format, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Mike

[Tek Roo]

It used to be a well known film. I'm perhaps a bit older than your average reader and I recognized it immediately. Its best remembered these days as containing the only recorded performance on film of the Yardbirds with both Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, a lineup that lasted perhaps 6 months.

Oh, hey! See that? I didn't know that either! This is one of the most educational comics and forums I have yet to run across! ...outside of Gloria's date that will live in infamy of course...

::adds Blow Up to his list of stuff to buy -- the second he figures out what that other thing was he was intending to buy at the same time::

[ScottE]

The result of all this is - as anyone who's chanced to look at my logs lately will know - that AF's been shedding readers quite alarmingly over the last month, with about ninety fewer people tuning in on November 1 than on October 18. Which is a clear sign not all is well.

The essence of it is: I've screwed up.

I don't think you have.

I haven't looked at your logs, but shedding readers (as others have already pointed out) could be due to a number of things, mainly that many of your readers might be going ore returning to college ('tis the season, after all), as well as there are now fewer strips per week.

Give it some time.

Later, perhaps, I will try again to be profound and complex, but only once I'm satisfied I can do it without falling flat.

I tried that once. I think my results were rather... mixed. On the one hand, I did (I feel) post better work. On the other, I posted a lot less of it.

Your mileage, however may vary.

[JimRob]

::adds Blow Up to his list of stuff to buy -- the second he figures out what that other thing was he was intending to buy at the same time::

Well, it's your money... the Yardbirds sequence is the one really good bit, especially since it features footage of Jeff Beck smashing his guitar in an unconvincing Townshendesque manner (and thus telling us which band Antonioni failed to get ). There was going to be an equivalent scene in the AF version, too, but I realised even then it wouldn't have done anything useful.

[Lordrunningclam]

::adds Blow Up to his list of stuff to buy -- the second he figures out what that other thing was he was intending to buy at the same time::

I'm with JimRob on this one. I wouldn't buy it unless you're just a huge Clapton or Beck fan (I am on both counts, but I've seen it). The Yardbirds sequence can't last 3 minutes. I haven't seen it in many years but since the Austin Powers movies it might even be laughable now just for the clothing styles. I only remember it because it was one of the few English movies that would show up on American TV that didn't star either Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee (or both).

I did watch it more than once, though, so I must have liked it at the time.

Mike

[ZOMBIE USER 6611]

Hrosvitha, ah, "Sybil," explains it all in a nutshell.

Frances, when asked "Does that make sense," turns to the audience to make her reply: "I can't say it does."

And so it ends.

Loose ends, that is. For example: what happened to Frances when Tristan was on the phone with her, and the "prop" arrived?

[Tek Roo]

Well, it's your money... the Yardbirds sequence is the one really good bit, especially since it features footage of Jeff Beck smashing his guitar in an unconvincing Townshendesque manner (and thus telling us which band Antonioni failed to get ). There was going to be an equivalent scene in the AF version, too, but I realised even then it wouldn't have done anything useful.

Hey! I'm a huge fan of the obscure! The only problem with such a fascination, is it's hard to find out about the obscure to begin with!

[LAGtheNoggin]

And as far as doing embarrassing things with plot, etc.... Well, just remember the date May 26, 2002, because I don't think I'm EVER going to live that one down... *slaps forehead*

My 17th Birthday? A week after landing my job at VIS entertainment? I'm intruiged...

*insert internet equivelant of rustling sounds*

Heey! Gay Keer! That was one of my favourite storys dagnabit! Hrmmpf...

Why it wasn't continued I do not know... But hey, gay love between the heroes is always a plus in my books ^.^

[Gloria]

*coughs*

Laggy, I think you're missing the point.... just like half the OTHER people who read my comic... hehe.

Seriously, I swear sometimes that my fans fall into 2 categories:

1) Christians
and
2) people who are gay, bi, or actively pretend to be such on a regular basis, or USED to be gay, or at LEAST are sympathetic to the cause.

Hmmmmm......

*deep in thought*

[Tek Roo]

::tries to figure out which category Gloria thinks he belongs to::

[ZOMBIE USER 6611]

::tries to figure out which category Gloria thinks he belongs to::

You know, I had a similar thought. I am an atheist, but have a few friends that are gay, so...

I've never seen the strip. Besides, I'm not very good at haiku writing, so I'd probably not fit in.

[Gloria]

Heehee... I was just kidding anyway, guys. ;)

And as far as haiku goes, if I didn't think it would break poor Rowan's heart, I would OUTLAW stinking haiku on my board.... *glances around shiftily*

Yeeeaah...

[JimRob]

You could implement a twelve-stage transition plan: start with haiku, then wean everyone off them via increasingly difficult verse forms. Haiku is easy and fun to write: Spenserian stanza, say, is not. (If you don't know what Spenserian stanza is... be very thankful.)

[ZOMBIE USER 6611]

You could implement a twelve-stage transition plan: start with haiku, then wean everyone off them via increasingly difficult verse forms. Haiku is easy and fun to write: Spenserian stanza, say, is not. (If you don't know what Spenserian stanza is... be very thankful.)

1: You want Spenserian stanza? I must smile.
2: It's Shakespeare-like, but verse that isn't free.
3: It runs for eight lines, pentameter style.
4: As "ababbcbcC"
5: (The "C" denotes a longer line, you see.)
6: The first and third lines rhyme, and two and four.
7: Line five and seven rhyme with four (not three)
8: And six and eight are rhymes not heard before.
9: The ninth will match the eighth, but has one meter more.

It's complicated, rhyming words this way.
And tough enough to try to entertain
When you have some small clever bit to say
Since phrasing this way petrifies the brain.
(For me it's too late -- I might be insane.)
But still I'll try since you so nicely ask.
And muddle through it, causing little pain.
It's not my day's most troubling verbal task
But now I'm done, so in relief I'll calmly bask.

[Mako]

You could implement a twelve-stage transition plan: start with haiku, then wean everyone off them via increasingly difficult verse forms. Haiku is easy and fun to write: Spenserian stanza, say, is not. (If you don't know what Spenserian stanza is... be very thankful.)

1: You want Spenserian stanza? I must smile.
2: It's Shakespeare-like, but verse that isn't free.


It's not my day's most troubling verbal task
But now I'm done, so in relief I'll calmly bask.

Bravo Sir!

Mako
Speechless in Zzyzx

[JimRob]

A round of applause is, I think, in order.

[The Overseer]

Have I posted here before? I don't think so... Anyway, now for my humble opinion... Indeed, I had no idea about what was going on. I didn't find it that frustrating though... I figured it would al become clear in time. And anyway, the comic has had some really good story arcs in the past. So I figured even if this one wouldn't make any sense ever, in the future new ones would. The movie I don't know, and I have no intention whatsoever to go and watch it. About that murder thing... I have read the comic over and over again, but I just couldn't find any sign of a murder. In the end I just dropped it. The fact that was someone was murdered was simply accepted. The aerplane prop too... took me a while too realise it was the thing that was bought earlier in the comic (I apologize, but the names in this comic are somehow hard to remember for me.) Now, you said that you would draw more funny comics now. I have read jokes, indeed, but I have always considered this comic to be one of the more serious on the net. That is why I like it. The artwork helps too. It is quite strange, but somehow strangely appealing. Well, just want to say, continue the comic as always. Even if you did screw up here (I don't know about that, even though I couldn't make any sense of this arc it wasn't enough to make me leave, not even close), you have already showed a great amount of work that I just can't help but love. And I'm sure there are many who agree with me there.

[ScottE]

A round of applause is, I think, in order.

You ordered a round of applause, you got it.

(And here's your change: amazing!)

(So. Does Level Head have a book collection of poetry coming out? I must know. If not, why not?)

[ZOMBIE USER 6611]

So. Does Level Head have a book collection of poetry coming out? I must know. If not, why not?

Thanks for the kind words, ScottE.

I don't have a collection in any one spot, per se. Many bits are tributes to the work of others, such as the one here at Albion Fuzz on the other thread.

I'm struggling with an idea; when I get tired enough, it almost sounds like a good idea. I'm writing a science fiction novel, and the weird idea is to write it twice; once in plain text, and once in iambic pentameter. The subject is serious, and I've played with the opening page.

Here's the "Impacted Wisdom" book in progress, Chapter 1:
http://pub5.ezboard.com/fimpactedwisdom ... ID=2.topic

And here it is again, in faux-Shakespeare style:
http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml ... 15037&nc=4

Con: A whole book like that would drive people nuts.
Pro: No one else has done it with science fiction, as nearly as I can tell, and it's conceivable that it might sell for no other reason.

[ZOMBIE USER 5169]

Levelhead reveals
secrets of the poet's art
in the poet's forms.

Best I can manage, so far. Sorry, Gloria.