Pages 20-21

Sat, 10 May 2008 12:04:00 GMT

Reminder: Bunko Breakfast in Minneapolis today

Fri, 09 May 2008 05:43:00 GMT

Friday May 9, 4pm

Caribou Coffee

11th and Nicollet

1116 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis 55402

What's a Bunko Breakfast?

The case of the missing nose

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:11:00 GMT

Over at the Johnny Bunko Facebook group, Mike Hasley of Richmond, Virginia, asks a question that I've gotten from a few readers: Anyone know why in some of the frames, nose and eyes are missing? Is this done on purpose?"

You can see examples of what he means in the top frame on page 8 and in several panels on pages 16 and 17.

I asked Rob Ten Pas, the artist behind Bunko, to explain what he calls "the no-nose thing."

"In the case of characters who are standing farther in the background, the lack of distinguishing facial features is simply because there's not necessarily any need to convey detailed visual characteristics.

"But on other occasions, the 'disappearing nose' is just a cartoony, stylistic choice. It's difficult to describe. I've done the same thing with disappearing eyes or pupils; depending on the circumstance, it's generally a visual device I use to convey a blank expression or a 'taken off-guard' moment. For me, the nose is the most disposable facial element, as eyes and mouths tend to say more, and by getting rid of it there's no anchor to what they eyes and mouth are saying. Drawn characters need not be 100% consistent with reality (since they're already cartoons) and just like overexaggerated mouths, spiked hair when startled, and bugged-out eyes, the magical disappearing nose is just another visual dynamic (albeit maybe a bit more subtle).

"Every part of a character can be a device for expression, some by their omission. It might be like emoticons, which mimic eyes and mouth without the nose =D"

Make sense? If you've got other questions, fire away. We'll answer them here.

Do you have a . . . blooprint?

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:29:00 GMT

Verbotomy is a popular web game that invites players to create new words to fill what we linguistics majors call "lexical gaps" or to fashion what long-forgotten comedian Rich Hall called "sniglets."

Last week, Verbotomy challenged its word minters to coin a new word to embody each of Johnny Bunko's six lessons.

The players began with Lesson One ("There is no plan.") And the top vote getter was:

Blooprint. v. To stick to your plan even though you've realized it's dumb. n. A stupid plan, especially if it's a career plan suggested by parents, teachers, or guidance counselors who want you to be something you're not.

I'll post more of these as the mood strikes and the audience demands.

Two media, no waiting

Wed, 07 May 2008 19:35:00 GMT

Yesterday I had the good fortune to do a couple of interviews in different media. Below is the audio of a segment from the Brian Lehrer Show, which aired on New York's NPR affiliate WNYC. Meanwhile, here's a link to the transcript of a live online chat that, er, scrolled on the Boston Globe website.

Bunko breakfast in Minneapolis on Friday!

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:39:00 GMT

The Bunko caravan heads to the Twin Cities this Friday (May 9). If you're in Minneapolis or St. Paul, join us for the next Bunko Breakfast at the time and place below:

Friday May 9, 4pm

Caribou Coffee

11th and Nicollet

1116 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis 55402

(Yes, I know it's not breakfast time. But I'm still going to call these things Bunko breakfasts.)

The rules are simple. Show up. Then we'll talk. No agenda. Coffee's on me. And if previous gatherings are any indication, one benefit of attending (along with the free java and complimentary Johnny Bunko chopsticks) is the the chance to meet and exchange cards with some other interesting people.

Also, several of you have asked -- by email, in the Comments, and on the Facebook group -- about Bunko breakfasts in other cities. We'll definitely be doing these gatherings in New York, Washington, Toronto, San Francisco, and probably a few more locales. Stay tuned.

Could you rephrase the question?

Mon, 05 May 2008 15:21:00 GMT

When well-intentioned souls advise others about their careers, they often ask: "What's your passion?" or "What do you want to do with your life?"

I admire the instinct behind that approach. But I have my doubts about the execution. You see, I find those questions daunting -- even a bit paralyzing. When someone asks me either of those questions, I seize up a bit and try to change the conversation. What's my passion? Geez, I better give a damn good answer. What do I want to do with my life? Er, I'm trying to figure that out -- so let me make up something quickly. (BTW, I do like the Po Bronson's book whose title is a variation on that second question.)

Maybe the better way to pose these questions -- less daunting, less paralyzing, less insistent on some transcendent response -- ought to be: "What's your passion now?" or "What do you want to do next?" I find those questions easier to answer and more useful in navigating my life.

Am I right? Or am I simply ducking the hard questions? Let us know in the Comments section.

Pages 18-19

Mon, 05 May 2008 07:37:00 GMT

Storytelling secrets

Sat, 03 May 2008 15:55:00 GMT

For those of you interested in the creation process behind the Johnny Bunko book, learning guru Craig Dadoly has an interview that's rendered in a nifty Flash webcomic format.

Pages 16-17

Sat, 03 May 2008 15:50:00 GMT