Life as a Gaijin 4: Personal Space Paradise Hey there, fellow adventurers of the world! Living abroad can be a whirlwind of emotions. The excitement of exploring a new culture, the frustration of not being able to read the simplest signs, and, of course, the occasional wave of loneliness that crashes over you like a tsunami. But hold on! In the heart of being a ‘gaijin,’ there’s an unexpected perk that arises from the foreigner experience – you get an overflow of personal space. In this ever chaotic world, where truth is by far stranger than fiction, sometimes you need to disconnect… An ..read more

Behind the Scenes 13 – The techno comic Simulation. Theory Hey fellow comic enthusiasts! Today, I’m diving into the exhilarating journey behind my collaboration with Curt Pires on Simulation Theory. Let me tell you, it’s been a blast traversing the realms of virtual reality and artistic collaboration. So strap in and let’s take a trip down the digital rabbit hole! As I bid adieu to Simulation Theory, I’m eagerly looking forward to Curt’s next ventures. Simulation Theory kicked off its digital adventure in July 2023. While The Immortal Resurrected is technically my latest series (with ..read more

Explore Japan 7: How (not) to climb Mount Fuji Greetings, fellow adventurers! Pull up a virtual seat, and let me take you on a journey back in time – a time when my idea of conquering Mount Fuji went from “bucket list dream” to “couch potato calamity.” Fasten your mountain climbing belts; we’re diving into the tale of how (not) to climb Mount Fuji. We were almost at the top! So close! And I was almost at death’s door… So close. I didn’t know if I was going to make it. The Dream Picture this: Japan, 2003. Fresh off the boat, or rather, the plane, I was 23 and had just started teaching ..read more

Life of a Comic Artist 5 – Mastering Doubt Welcome, comic fans and fellow architects of imaginary realms! The life of an artist isn’t always a bed of roses. It’s a profession that is rife with inner turmoil. Maybe that’s why artists are often shown as having a screw loose and author’s are often portrayed as drunks – they grapple with a lot of inner demons. And today we’re going to talk about the artist’s arch-nemesis, the king of all inner demons – self-doubt. I hope I can help others learn to not make the same mistakes I have made. Every human on Earth struggles with mastering doubt ..read more

Explore Japan 6: Kidzania – Mini Work Wonderland Child labor – pretty much EVERYONE sees it as a bad thing. I, for one, am grateful that I didn’t have to work in the mines instead of going to school (although I was never happy to go to school). But here in Japan… well, no, it’s a bad thing here too. But! There is a place that you can pay $70 to have your kid work! You heard that right! And that worker wonderland is Kidzania – actually one of the best ideas ever! There were tons of…jobs to choose from. Baker, police officer, fire fighter, surgeon, stock broker, gas station attendant – th ..read more

Explore Japan 5: Transportation Paradise Greetings, fellow globe trotters! There are a lot of ways to travel the world. But when it comes to reaching your desired destinations, Japan stands out like no other. Join me today as we explore Japan – transportation paradise! I grew up in sunny Southern California. Driving was a part of my daily life. Navigating the snarling traffic of Los Angeles and Orange County, honking horns, dodging daredevil drivers, and wrestling with the tribulations of car ownership – that was me, stuck in the gridlock grind from the age of 16 to 23. Oh, the memories of ..read more

Life of a Comic Artist 4 – Fighting Toxicity Hey there,fellow adventurers of the digital realm! Now, imagine this – you’re cruising along on the high-speed internet highway, sharing your artistic escapades, when out of the digital shadows emerges a troll, ready to turn your creative haven into a battleground. It’s an all-too-common experience, one I just talked about. It’s something everyone seems to live with nowadays, but this toxicity is even more detrimental to creative types (aka artists). So let’s talk about toxicity for a moment. Drown out the noise with the strokes of your creat ..read more

Explore Japan 4: Ellegarden – Japan’s Coolest Rock Band Hey there, fellow friends of Japan! Today we’re going to explore a sub-set of Japan: music! And I’m going to introduce you to one band in particular: Ellegarden – one of the best Japanese rock band’s out there. I grew up on punk rock music. Groups like Goldfinger, Bad Religion, Offspring, Blink 182 and many more. Growing up in Southern California, these were just local bands. Offspring’s guitarist was a janitor at a rival high school, and Gwen Stefani, pre-No Doubt fame, walked the halls of my best friend’s high school. While my m ..read more

Make Comics 4: Learn to Draw Hey there, fellow comic creators and enthusiasts! Today we’re going to talk about drawing. Because without that, comics would be… well… books. I’m going to try and tackle questions like: what does someone need to know in order to draw comics? Or, hey, what does someone need to even learn to draw? And a lot more. But first, before we get started, I have a confession to make – I don’t think I’m the best person in the world for artistic advice. Why? Well, because I never had a formal education in art. Art has been in my veins for all of my life, but without the tra ..read more

Random 2: Blue Eye Samurai Hey there, lovers of comics, Japan, and animation! Grab your TV remote and get ready for a side step into something a little different today. Today we’re going to talk about the phenomenal Netflix animation, Blue Eye Samurai! The show skillfully weaves nuanced and complex stories in each episode. They are as exciting as they are moving. I have to admit, I committed a cardinal sin in the world of art – I judged a book by its cover. When I first saw Blue Eye Samurai pop up on Netflix, I groaned. My first thought? Oh no, not another cheesy Western anime. I was r ..read more