I scrolled upon this political graphic the other day, while I was reading a wonderful screed by Dr. Menlo about the GOP and the Bush/Cheney Administration. This poster was done by Shepard Fairey of "Obey" fame. What's really great about it is you can use it as political wall art and a Halloween decoration at the same time. I'd love it if Fairey did a companion piece with Kerry as Van Helsing. Wouldn't he look great wrapped in a long flowing cape? How ironic that a cross would be his weapon.

I thought I'd take a moment to give a big shout out to the Republican National Committee! I saw your IP in my log files recently and I was absolutely blown away! Could that be you, Zell? I'm not sure why you're here, but I've heard Powell is a fan of Gizmodo and I thought, "maybe he likes comics and video games, too!" Of course, one of the main Google searches bringing readers to In Sequence is a search for "bra and panties," so maybe Ashcroft is my secret reader after all.

In a relatively short period of time, I've become hooked on the game Colorcell. Or at least I think it's a game. It's hard to know what to call it. Colorcell encourages you to come to the site every day and vote on your favorite four-cell color sequence. Based on daily voting, some cells are promoted and survive to another round of voting. Others are retired from the game. You can view a range of stats about the cells and even contribute your own four-cell combination for voting.

What freaks me out about this endeavor is how quickly I have become attached to the cells I like. I believe the site encourages this by describing the cells in anthropomorphic language as "weaker" and "stronger." When a cell is deemed too unpopular, it gets sent to the "cemetary."

It just breaks my heart when I go to vote for my chosen cells and I click the button that says "Yes, I want to help those cells"!

It's been a great week for graphics activism with the Republican National Convention going on in New York. I watched coverage of the Sunday demonstrations on CSPAN2 and felt consistently entertained reading and viewing the various anti-Bush signs people were carrying. Although it was pretty low-rent in terms of graphics, I liked today's pink slip demonstration, designed to call attention to rising unemployment rates.

This is a really charming idea: fan illustrations of favorite Smiths' lyrics (found through Incoming Signals). My favorites so far are for "Still Ill," "William, It Was Really Nothing," and "I Know It's Over." You will notice that most of the drawings are very simple, which probably makes it more likely that people will participate.

I appreciate these drawings in part because I already have a wealth of images, associations and remembrances of the Smiths to draw on. They're one of those defining bands for me in the sense that they're powerfully connected to a time period that I think of as a turning point in my life. The music, the lyrics, the band's image--all those things are important, but more so the way they intersected my life at a certain stage. So the personal nature of these drawings is something I can really appreciate.

One of my regular reads is the Vertigo comic book Fables, about a colony of storybook characters living in the contemporary world. The last few issues have revealed more about the character Pinocchio, so I decided I would pick up the original story, written by Carlo Collodi. As it turns out, I had read Cory Doctorow's review of a new, illustrated edition of the work on Boing-Boing, and put the book on my Amazon wish list. My friend Joe saw it there and got it for me for my birthday.

I knew the original Pinocchio would be different from the Disney version I was familiar with, but I was still surprised by how episodic the story was. I was expecting the book to be darker than Disney, but I'd forgotten how dreamlike and random-seeming the action in fairy tales can be. This fragmentary aspect of the narrative can be seen even in the Disney movie, which lacks the strong story arc of the animated Snow White or Cinderella.

Artist Gris Grimley's illustrations bring to life some of the more magical details of the work, like a poodle that drives a magical carriage drawn by a hundred white mice. You can see samples from the book and other artwork at his web site, as long as you have the Flash 6 plug-in.

Earlier this week, there was a big anti-Bush postering event called "Be the Revolution L.A.", featuring the work of Mear One, Shepard Fairey, and Robbie Conal. I saw all three of the posters yesterday while driving around. I wasn't familiar with Mear One, so I went to look around at his web site, which has an extensive gallery. His work is inspired by grafitti art, and I was impressed to see that his anti-Bush poster was done with a spray can. The imagery really jumps out at you when you see it in the street.

I've previously written about the Tarot as sequential art and the wonderful site, Aeclectic Tarot. I'm on the mailing list, so I get notified when new decks come in. I perked up when I read the last newsletter and saw the Alcohol Tarot. I'm sure it would have many good stories to tell.

In case you're interested, here's what I drink: Corona Light (so I can keep my girlish figure), Boddington's (bitter, with a creamy texture and a long aftertaste), and Mirassou Merlot (lots of bass notes, not too pricey, not too cheap). Now there's no reason to be unprepared should you invite me over for dinner one day (hint, hint).

I clicked through to an online exhibit of street graphics while reading Nofi, one of my favorite blogs. One of the things I immediately noticed in the exhibit is how often the graphics are layered, forming a palimpsest, with each prior image framing or informing those that come after. I chanced to click around on the front page and also discovered a great site for GUI goodies, I assume done by the curator.

L.A. Weekly has published a special comics issue, including an overview of the best comics and graphic novel of 2003, a feature on Alexandro Jodorowsky, and artwork by Kim Deitch and Kozyndan, among others. Also, don't miss the back page-artwork by In Sequence favorite Robbie Conal, a new portrait of Condaleeza Rice called Black Hawk Down.

Some of you are probably wondering why it's taken me so long to report on the Superman "Red Son" series, it being so very up my alley in so many ways. There was, however, an unexpected rush on this title at my local comic book shop, so it took me awhile to get my hands on this three-issue series as a result.

In fact, I've noticed a surging popularity in Cold War-themed entertainment lately. Consider, for example, the video game Freedom Fighters, in which you join a squadron of patriots resisting Soviet invaders through ground-fighting on the streets of New York. I guess in retrospect, by comparison with today's terrorists and corporate thugs, the Russians don't seem so bad after all. It also proves how elastic the concept of nostalgia really is--it can shine it's softening glow on almost anything, even one's former enemies.

At any rate, I liked almost everything about this "Elseworlds" series, which postulates a universe in which the baby Superman lands in Russia instead of the U.S. Rather than growing up to become an invincible hero, Superman becomes the perfect totalitarian leader, all-powerful and all-knowing.

I thought the permutations of the story were quite clever, as they extended to include other characters and storylines. In the "Red Son" universe, Batman, for example, becomes a dissident figure. The graphics, done in the style of Soviet propaganda posters, deliver equal wit. I especially liked Wonder Woman's costume, reworked in red and black, or the Big Brotherish graphic, shown here, which graced one of the covers.

With so much in this title that is tongue-in-cheek, I was truly surprised by the series' ending, which subtly shifted tone in order to deliver an unnerving time-shifting story.

Rod, the friendly websmaster at the Joy of Shards web site, recently wrote to tell me about an update to his online exhibit devoted to Alfred Hitchcock-themed mosaics in the Leytonstone tube. I wrote about these wonderful mosaics some time ago.

The mosaics depict or commemorate scenes from Hitchcock's life as well as moments from his films. Thus one finds mosaics entitled "Hitchcock the Director" and "Hitchcock and Dietrich" next to mosaics evoking scenes from Hitchcock's films. There are a variety of stylistic treatments, ranging from The Birds, which suggests the violence of the film, to Vertigo, which highlights Hitchcock's dramatic framing technique. Rod has provided additional detailed views, such as the agonized horses in Strangers on a Train or the tile backgrounds in To Catch a Thief.

Although I am not a mosaic hobbyist, The Joy of Shards is such a wonderful resource it makes me wish I was. It's almost worth the effort to take it up just so I could subscribe to "Grout," which--The Joy of Shards will tell you--is the newsletter of the British Association for Modern Mosaics. I don't know if this has ever happened to you, but sometimes, in the course of job interviews, I've been asked, "What periodicals do you read?" Wouldn't it be nice to snap back sharply, "I read 'Grout,' of course"?

Earlier this month, the Cute Little Red-Headed Girlfriend and I went to the Disneyland Resort for the Official Unofficial Gay Day Weekend at Disneyland. We decided to stay at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, a blend of Western architectural and decorative styles (rustic lodge, Arts and Crafts Bungalow, large doses of Mission) in oversized, Las Vegas-style proportions. Since we were vacationing less than 45 minutes away from our home, it seemed appropriate to stay in a hotel designed to be a simulacrum of the experience of living in our state.

Our first day was spent at California Adventure, the new Disney theme park that first gained notoriety among So Cal locals for how much it sucked. Some work was done to improve the park after that but the bad rep hasn't completely faded. It's definitely different from Disneyland--more edutainment than entertainment--but it has some great attractions like the Soarin' Over California ride, which was the closest thing to a virtual reality experience I've had anywhere.

I made a beeline for the Animation attraction, which I hoped would be different from but as good as the Magic of Disney Animation attraction at the Disney-MGM Studios in Florida. It actually comprised several attractions, including a presentation on Walt Disney's life and career as an animator, a synchronized live and animated presentation on the process of creating animated characters, an exhibit on character animation and a series of "interactives." The interactive area included hands-on examples of early animation technology and a karaoke kiosk that let you record your voice over an animated segment. I couldn't help but think of my fellow animation enthusiasts, like Steve Wintle (who has just left blogging) and Mark Hebert.

Disneyland was, as usual, nothing more nor less than the happiest place on earth. Sharing it with the Cute Little Red-Headed Girlfriend, who had never been before, was a treat. She fell in love with many of the rides, including the Enchanted Tiki Room, which I'm pleased to say is looking a bit sharper than the last time I saw it, when it was facing the possibility of forced retirement. I was surprised to see that graphic artist Shag had several Tiki Room-related items for sale inside the park, which are also available through his web site.

The Haunted House had been thoroughly renovated the day before with a "Nightmare Before Christmas" theme. It was really well done, but I had to wonder if the Disney folk hadn't been reading Cory Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, which revolves around a similar Haunted House renovation. Art imitating fandom, once again?

Disneyland was crawling with queers, and nobody seemed to bat an eye at it. My favorite gay scene in the park was just outside the "Hungry Bear" restaurant, where we all gathered for an informal lunch. I stood in line behind five gay gays, all with roughly the same build as John Goodman, wearing mouse-eared hats embroidered with their names: "Mary," "Mary," "Mary," "Mary," and "Mary."

I love the smell of napalm and strudel in the morning, don't you? This morning as I awoke to the results of yesterday's election, I was reminded of an old single I have in my 45s collection, the Dead Kennedy's "Kill the Poor" (A side) and "California Uber Alles" (B side).

The single is an import because though our Constitution may wind up protecting the free speech rights of telemarketers, it didn't do much for the Dead Kennedys back in 1980 when the band was trying to get their first record out. If you're not familiar with these great songs, may I suggest you "look them up" sometime soon.
I suppose Arnold's win does in a sense show the greatness of this country, and how even a poor, immigrant son of a Nazi SS officer can make it to the top with just a handful of steroids and a dream.
Last night, around 9:30 pm, when news of Arnold's win was starting to spread, I thought for sure I heard the distinctive sound of LAPD choppers headed for a fly-over the ghettos and barrios of South Los Angeles, where--coincidentally, I'm sure--there didn't seem to be enough polls for everyone to vote. I'm not surprised the cops were on their toes--it seems to me that the LAPD is in a good position to predict where all this will end. With so many members of the state's National Guard and police force getting shot at in Iraq, I wonder if our new Governor will be able to find enough people to drive in the tanks if the city starts to burn.
On other political fronts, George W. now has his own blog, though I can't bring myself to link to it right now.

If you keep up with Boing-Boing, you may already have seen this link before, because that's where I first read about the serial guerilla art campaign now being documented at nobodydied.com. The signs have been appearing along I-5 in Southern California, prompting one commentator to coin the term "freeway blogging."

I can't decide which sign is my favorite; they're all so good. However, I'm pretty fond of 32,000 Dead and I'm still paying $2.29 for unleaded. Last time I filled up my car with gas I noticed someone had put a bumper sticker with the word "Greed" on it on the front of the pump. Bursts of anger here and there. What will they add up to?

Hello again. I didn't mean to be absent from blogging for quite so long, it just sort of happened that way. Many thanks to those who inquired or showed interest in my whereabouts--like Neilalien and Dirk Deppey--it's nice to know I've been missed. Plus, it gives me hope to think that, should Ashcroft's minions show up at my door one dark night, hard questions will be asked in the aftermath.
I wish I could report that I was doing something truly exciting offline, but I wasn't--though I did pre-cast my vote in the California election, via a convenient at-home ballot. Let me affirm now that although some people feel ashamed to live in a state that is the butt of the world's collective joke, I am not one of them. Indeed, I am proud to live in this great state, the largest and longest-running conceptual art installation in the world.
I voted "No" on the recall because I am so impressed by Gray Davis's willingness to carry around an obviously Mexican prayer card with a full color image of Jesus everywhere he goes--that kind of shameless pandering to the Latino vote cannot go unrewarded. Yet another example of the power of graphic art to sway the minds of the populace.
If we're lucky, Robbie Conal's latest political poster, "Achtung Baby!", shown here, will sway a few voters as well. The poster's small print contains a quote from Arnold, "I was always dreaming of very powerful people, dictators and things like that." If you're in the L.A. area, look for it on a public wall or lamppost near you.
I also dutifully cast my vote for Cruz Bustamante, though I found it hard to bypass Larry Flynt, Angelyne, and so many other interesting possibilities once the full six-page array of candidate names was laid out before me. It was like choosing off a deli menu. A very expensive deli menu.