Alaska Robotics

Great Expectations

Pat — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:32:25 +0000

I’ve decided that seeing an actual Tasmanian Devil might be a bit of a letdown. I always thought they made “blegh blah fleh spit grwaaar bawr rawr” noises while they spun up tornadoes but apparently they’re small marsupials with fat tails.

Comic - Great Expectations

This comic looked very different in the first incarnation but a blue screen of death popped up, corrupted my work in progress, and stole away about four hours of my life. Chomp, crack, crunch. It’s ok, I like this version better.

Aaron’s Birthday

Pat — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:25:19 +0000

Today is Aaron Suring’s 31st Birthday! Aaron is the smartest, fartiest, beardiest, most easy going, and sweetest guy I know. Aaron has recently been complaining that his memory isn’t as good as it once was so I thought it would be nice if all his friends could share some of their memories with him.

I’ve got quite a few and I don’t want to embarrass him too much but I hope he remembers the time he got trapped behind his bed.

His mattress was slightly off frame and when he jumped under the covers, the mattress flipped up and wedged him into the crack between the wall and the bed frame. His arms were pinned at his side and the bunk bed had a heavy dresser beneath it so he couldn’t budge. He had enough air and wasn’t too uncomfortable so when I came home I just heard muffled and mysterious snoring sounds coming from a seemingly empty room.

Father’s Day

Pat — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:20:57 +0000

I had an interesting childhood, largely thanks to my interesting parents. We lived next to a theatre and above a bar for the first couple years of my life.

After my sister was born we moved into our first real house, only it wasn’t a real house, it was a round water barrel with portal windows and an enormous front door decorated with Tlingit carvings and abalone inlays.

There were always strange and wonderful things appearing at the round house. We had an old fire truck, a giant piece of galvanized steel culvert, a playground built from scavenged parts, and one day a goldfish showed up.

This comic is a true story and a tribute to my dad, happy belated Father’s Day!

Comic - Father’s Day

Apologies to regular readers, the comic came late this week because Aaron and I were hitchhiking to a wedding up near Delta Junction. We’ll share the story of the adventure and post some pictures after catching up on sleep.

The Last Unicorn

Pat — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:53:37 +0000

Thanks to Tara Greenwood who inspired the unicorn comic with her contribution to the office quote bucket.

Comic - The Last Unicorn

It’s been a while since I’ve seen The Last Unicorn and I forgot how much I liked the backgrounds and illustrations from the film. I wanted to learn more about the animation and fell down an interesting rabbit hole.

The animation for The Last Unicorn was done by Topcraft, the same studio which animated The Hobbit. After completing The Last Unicorn they animated Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind for Hayao Miyazaki. With the success of Nausicaä, several Topcraft crew members went on to form the core of Studio Ghibli, the studio responsible for Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and many of the best animated films of our time.

Other members of the Topcraft crew went on to work for Pacific Animation Corporation, the studio behind the Thundercats, a connection I think Aaron will appreciate.

Topcraft / Studio Ghibli - Complete History

I thought that was all terribly interesting, maybe I’ll be inspired to make an animated film for the summer JUMP Festival.

The Battle of Dovecote Crest

Pat — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:11:19 +0000

I’ve recently been enjoying The Battle of Dovecote Crest.

Dovecote is a romantic comedy with a clever, pseudo-historic backdrop and a plot driven by solid, well balanced characters. The lively artwork complements the thoughtful storytelling and the little touches daubed around the website bring it all together.

I’m enamored and I think this is a great starting point for people who aren’t interested in super hero comics or the broken pacing of strips. Of course, as they say on Reading Rainbow, “you don’t have to take my word for it…”

The Battle of Dovecote Crest

The Road to Philly

Pat — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:31:58 +0000

Sarah is leaving us, packing her bags and heading out into the great big world. I suspect she is leaving because of the man smells Aaron, Lou, and I emit but she’s too polite to admit it. Instead, she tells us she has been accepted to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she plans to sharpen her museum design skills.

Comic - The Road to Philly

Server Move

Pat — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:03:28 +0000

We’re moving to a new server. Hopefully things won’t get too bumpy.

Owl Industries

Pat — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:12:20 +0000

I woke up early after having nightmares about waning ambition and eternal limbo. The kind of dream where I’m trapped but don’t really care and something inside me is screaming to run but I can’t hear it anymore.

This fun music video by the Mint Chicks made me feel less unsettled. Odd considering it features a big weird owl.

THE MINT CHICKS - “I Cant Stop Being Foolish” from Samuel Peacocke on Vimeo.

Little Bug

Pat — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:29:14 +0000

Human nature is a stew of wickedness. A boiling pot of competition, jealousy, and a baffling desire to smash things. Yet, somehow, the mixture manages to create an inexplicable and unifying beauty.

Comic - Little Bug

The Animal

Pat — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:30:41 +0000

The American auto giants are toppling, General Motors is flailing and Chrysler has already gone into bankruptcy. If we’re going to save the American automotive industry we need creative solutions. I propose — claw tires!!

Nothing can stop the animal.