Everything in order

We've all heard the rumours. Apparently, The Book Lounge was planning on selling a compilation of my comics, apparently. I decided that, being a shrewd business man, I should compile my own compilation complete with some unseen goodies and new full-on psychedelic front/back covers. Then, I'd go to The Book Lounge mere minutes before their guy rocked up with his batch and I'd pretend to be him, thus you know, thus deceit. I hung outside across the road watching for anyone dressed suspiciously like me (white fake fur coats, black fake fur coats, psychedelic ponchos, red & white checkered bomber jackets, etc.).

Photo by the impermeable Michaela Verity. For the good stuff: http://michaelaisthephotographer.blogspot.com/

After about an hour, disappointed at having been robbed of that highly sought after 'sex-with-doppelganger' twist, I burst in throwing my comics left right and center; taking turns to scream at each person inside in a different made up language. When the emotional smoke had cleared and the people I had been screaming at moments earlier had helped me pick up the fine products of my trade, one of the owners -JOHAN(N?) (coincidentally, my real name is JOHANN)- fell right into my trap.

SO! The Hedgemony Comics Ultra Million Pack Mega Edition (Extreme) is prominently displayed and on sale at The Book Lounge. You should definitely go to their shop, and coincidentally buy a copy of Hedgemony EXTREME! I mean, just do it and see where life takes you. I mean, what's the worst that could happen. I mean, it's a pretty darn good publication. I mean, when was the last time you supported something beautiful. I mean, except for like Danny K concerts.

- I mean, Sebastian coincidentally.

Hey all you special people, I bet you're brimming with love.

Back in that crazy old 'Scot'land, I met a Mr. Jeremy Briggs, who purported to be from some species of comics website, and he enchanted me into handing over some valuable Semiotic Cohesion product. The machinations of journalism have turned their oily wheels and lo, and behold - a review!
http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-review-semiotic-cohesion-4.html

Of our fourth comics anthology! We haven't had a review in ages and ages.

He draws attention to the beautiful production, the general sense of bafflement and Colleen Brice's fine skill with a pencil. He also aggressively misspells mine and Sebastian's names. I think it is a good review. What do you think, readership?

Here, again, is the original article:
http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-review-semiotic-cohesion-4.html

While there is no true thread tying the stories together, the shark is very much the symbol of the title, be it the editorial from The Ancient Shark Of Despair to the Shark Of Wisdom which is illustrated by Brice Reignier and takes in such non-tradition shark locales as desert, mountains and the White House. From chocolate eating robots to demons discussing their female dates, Semiotic Cohesion is never going to be a tradition comic, but for me two strips stand out. Pegasus, written by Paul McNally, tells the story of a winged horse buying cigarettes for a girl and is drawn in a very early Seventies nursery comic style by Nandi Williams. Less traditional is Rhino, written by editor Tom McNally. This is silent strip telling the story of a tiny civilisation which takes over a rhinoceros turning it into a robot to roam the world with lovely graphite-like pencils by Colleen Brice. Two very different strips, but both left me wanting more.

In other news, the last chapter of The Ancient Shark Of Despair should be up by the end of the week and the fifth Semiotic Cohesion anthology should be out by, I don't know, August? There was a laptop theft, you see. I think it will be awesome when it does come out, but until then, why not read some King? It's pretty good!

Sincerely,
Tom McNally

Okay, guys. Remember how I told you that Scott from Journey to Mt. Moriah decided that I was so brilliant I deserved an original watercolour illustration of his? Well, he wasn't just paying idle tribute, I received the package yesterday and was more than just pleasantly surprised by his choice of award. I am now the proud owner of 'Yo', which is not only one of my favourite Mt. Moriah comics, but also one of my favourite comics in general. Go figure!

Click image to see the 'Yo' comic in its natural habitat.

Also, not to let an entire log-post go by without talking about myself, I am nearly finished an alternate ending of the Picnic Champion comic. Remember that comic with the two dudes wrestling naked for no real reason except maybe honour and inappropriately matching the effort another person should have to go through to receive such a petty prize as a cigarette from oneself? Well remember how it was totally cool and hetro-normative until that last pesky panel with the snake? A little bit weird, right? Tell me about it!

Well, no more! It's all going to cool the heck down with this revision.

(This isn't really the reason, dudes. It's actually 'cos I had to wrap it up real quick to have it ready for Grahamstown festival last year and couldn't do the original ending because it was probably going to be too timeguzzling. Well, Tom McNally (or Terome as he advertises himself) has boldly declared that Semiotic Cohesion Volume 5 will be featuring this idiosyncratic mess of man-bod'. To match the upscaling of print quality and... scale I'm going to try push it to its original limits.)

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- yO, 'bASTIAN. dON'T LIMIT YOURSELF 'bASTIAN.

Hello.

Did you know that I drew a comic for the wonderful webcomic Journey to Mt. Moriah. Did you know that for it I was awarded an original watercolour illustration by Scott, the force responsible for Mt. Moriah. This Man And His Wife are a good example of how good Scott is.

This is the comic I drew:

it is my sequel to this original comic. Are you happy now?

Also, I drew this guy a few days ago, but only finished it off in the last coupla seconds ago. D'wannacheckkit?

Could you do me a favour and tell me that you like it?

---------
didju no sebashun

I am listening to the new Decemberists album. It is very complicated. Wikipedia tells me it's about changing shape and people generally getting raped. I will get the hang of it eventually.

First, I will show you a comic that Melody Lee made for me when I was telling everyone I was about to be ill and then didn't. I just found it in my mailbox now. There's all kinds of stuff in that mailbox!

And now let's get down to the giant info. As always, I'm conducting secret talks, negotiations and black ops strikes so that I may get this very website completely remade from the ground up. Then I shall turn into a beautiful butterfly and all will know my trilling call. So I've been making some graphics. Here.

That is a dancing man. He might be some sort of gnome or tokoloshi, I haven't quite figured out the mythos yet. But in any case he's the mascot of the new site, which shall no longer be called 'Semiotic Cohesion.' Nobody knows what Semiotic Cohesion is and not one person has caught the obscure Transformers reference in the title and logo. Not even the fellow who's been writing Transformers for most of his adult life, Simon Furman. I had to explain it to him, years ago, at some sort of big event. He didn't seem to think it was very funny.

Oh, so - the new site will be called 'Little Old Man.' That's him there. You will relate to him and want to eat his cereal.

Also, you will be able to buy stuff from us when the site is finished. Isn't that a nice thought?

Among the stuff you will be able to buy - a Saga Of The European King audiobook, with all the voices and everything. It is going to be so great. Have a taste, you savages:

Saga Of The European King Chapter Two - The Council Of Very War

Closing item: I am going to be at the UK Mini and Webcomix Thing this Saturday. I am fully expected to be excited. I am even going to buy a tablecloth. The first illustrated chapter of Saga Of The European King will be out, as will Sebastian's Mexican Piss Dream, for the ladies.

The Decemberists album is finishing again. I think they're getting married now? Didn't everyone hate each other a minute ago? I shall have to listen again. Or maybe I'll put on some Presidents Of The United States Of America. Pretty much all you need to know about their songs is in the title.

Sincerely,
Tom McNally