#monitors guild

Few things are more gratifying than this --the knowledge that not only has someone willingly forked over actual money to read my stories and view my artwork, but that they wanted my signature on the darned thing. It really is such a heady (and bizarre) mix of humility and pride. Thank you, one and all!

There's a trailer aggressively making the rounds about a modern-day American civil war movie, due to bow in a few weeks. Just... way way too many people acting excited and thrilled for this, as if it's something they can't wait to happen in real life. Almost as if we're being inured, numbed, to the scenario. Something we're expected to start getting used to.

The advertisements pander to the basest macho insecurities, juicing up the "Don't Tread On Me" chest-thumpers and their perverse sense of "rugged individualism." (Likely with a generous dose of misogyny, racism, and evangelical nationalism thrown in.) The kind of people who think they're somehow going to be on the "winning" side were such a horrifying future to come true.

There are better and more meaningful ways to examine the consequences of such a thing, rather than a thrill-a-minute blockbuster summer action movie. Not going to spend money on this one and I would encourage you to thoughtfully consider saving your pennies, as well.

"Wait a minute, Peter you hypocrite," I hear someone call out at the back of the lecture hall. "Aren't you literally working on Volume III of a near-future graphic novel that's essentially about that very same subject?" Good heavens, yes. I didn't say the subject didn't need to be thoroughly explored. But the whole point of dystopic stories is their warning. 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, The Handmaid's Tale, the Hunger Games --the message behind such storytelling is to guard against such things. Such frightening futures are already way too plausible as it is --we're not supposed to be celebrating that or making it into some kind of exciting prospect; we're supposed to be doing everything in our power to prevent it.

All right, you all know my illustrative style (and my sense of humour) by now --get your commission orders in for FANEXPO Boston 2019! Come find me at Table A60 in Artists' Alley! Copies of THE MONITOR'S GUILD, BOOK II will be on hand!

See you all on October 5th in my beloved Boston! Really looking forward to this show; please do drop by my table; we've a LOT to catch up on. #WickedComicCon

In a mere five more days, I will be back at my beloved Essex Junction, Vermont for this year's VERMONT SCI-FI, FANTASY & HORROR EXPO! Looking forward to seeing everyone and indulging in all the nerdy goodness; as always there will be dazzling creativity, storytelling, gaming, and artistic brilliance on display …along with some familiar faces! Should be a delightful weekend; drop by my table!