THE SIMPSONS NEWS – Confessions of a Simpsons Assassin, Part 1

Simpsons Quote:

“I don’t judge Homer or Marge. That’s for a vengeful God to do.” – Maude Flanders

I’m not exactly sure why but Director Jim Reardon had me kill people. By people, I mean, Simpson characters.

I killed two Simpsons characters for Jim.  One of them was Maude Flanders.

The Job

It wasn’t an assignment that was particularly different from any other I’d been given.  He just handed me the scenes, gave me some direction as to what he wanted to see me do in them, and then I went to my desk and worked got to work.

Of course there where pretty girls in the sequence, but I spent most of my time making Homer’s belly fat, extra wobbly. Overall, that was the biggest challenge in working on those scenes aside from drawing a ton of crowds.

That said, I DO have a little anecdote to tell about the scene that isn’t known at all.

The Rewrite

There was a rewrite in that particular scene. A revision from what was originally there.

In the original version Homer does his little stomach wobble asking for the t-shirt. Just as the shirt is going to be launched at him, he looks down,

“Ooh, a gumball,” he reaches down to get it and Maude gets hit and goes over the rail.

After the animatic, Homer looks down,

“Ooh a bobby pin,” he reaches down to get it and Maude gets hit and goes over the rail.

It was a fun little assignment.  I didn’t really think it would end  up being such a big moment in Simpsons history.

E- mail Give Away

Anyone who is signed up to my e-mail list will get a free “thing”.

In this week’s e-mail, I sent out a sneak peek of what that thing is.

As soon as it’s ready, it’s going to be given to everyone on the list.  Anyone who wants it can have it if you opt in, but the current group will get it before anyone else, once it’s ready.

If you want to be among the first to get it, sign up now. I’ll send you the e-mail revealing the “thing” if you sign up before next Thursday.

PODCASTS/WEBSITE – The Rotoscopers

How much into animation are you?

If your any kind of an animation nerd at all or WISH to be, your doing yourself a great disservice by not checking out The Rotoscopers’ podcast and website.

You want to know what’s going on in the animation world from a VERY well informed fan’s point a view? Follow:

Morgan Stradling,

Chealsea Robson,

and Mason Smith as they geek out about anything and everything animation related.

You’ll learn A LOT about animation.

I’ve listen to almost all of their shows and it’s really reminded me of how great the animation industry can be.

Believe me when I say that, when you’re sitting on this side of the fence, you can forget why you got in this industry to begin with. Listening to the passion The Rotoscopers have for animation, is a breath of fresh air.

I seriously can’t recommend them enough. Go check them out.

VIDEOS – Introvert video

I’ve made no secret in this blog that I’m an introvert.

I like it when there are things out on the net that educate extroverts on what it actually means to be an introvert.

I also like thing on the internet that help introverts have an easier time living AS an introvert in a world run by extroverts.

The video below does both and I love it.  It’s also really well done. Check it out:

BOOKS – Dark Rift

I’m currently reading through the manuscript for DARK RIFT, the sequel to my wife‘s book THE TOWER’S ALCHEMIST.  I’m  half way through the book and it’s really an exciting read.

That said, I’m REALLY being picky about it and I’ve written tons of notes. I want her book to not just be a good read, but a read you can’t put down.

To that end I’m reading the book, looking for ways to really punch up what my wife has already put there.

Sometimes we discuss the book and the story over dinner. We talk about ways she can play things up in the story and make things clearer.  It’s really fun.

Especially since I get to come up with ideas without having to actually execute them (which is the hard part).

I made sure my wife told me nothing about the story, so when I read it, I could read it as an audience member. That way, I could gauge whether or not the story was really working well.

The DARK RIFT manuscript has some gut wrenching intense parts in it.

I’m happy to say it is.  I just read a part where something really crazy happens to some characters I really liked and I’m like,

“Nooo, that didn’t just happen!” Which I think is AWESOME. That’s the reaction I WANT to have reading the book.

My wife wants to have the book published by the end of October but I don’t think that’s going to happen.  Even if I manage to finish reading the manuscript in a week or so, I still need to draw the cover and write the back of the book description.

Once that’s done, we have to plan a proper launch for the book so we can get as many eyeballs on it as possible.

All this stuff takes time do.

That said, keep an eye out for the book. Hopefully, I’ll be ready by next Month.

For more comics and stories written by me: COMICS AND STORIES

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