#152 - Prettily Strange
Press Gratitude
Who wants to get annoyed at me for talking about the world like I haven’t been right all along? Haven’t I been saying for years we’re in trouble? Canadians don’t like to hear me say Our Holy Land is going into a seventh inning stretch from which it will never recover, but the facts are there.
In the know already? Great, those details either pad your bed or keep you up late, but I’ll tell you it’s no good to banter about that. Nyrin has been pestering me for a couple of days to read his story - still don’t know the title of his youthful epic. That’s something to consider, buddy - let me know.
There’s something to be said for a little gratitude. This is something I’m pretty good about showing, but I wanted to comment on his work a little. Fewer mistakes, for one. The nature of these errors is certainly inexperience and the unending learning curve that is the masterwork of spinning a good yarn.
It all begins with those pretty little threads, and they have to be consistent each time. Steven King struggled - and probably still does - so don’t drop out because you do. The skill of mastering any art form is commitment, and a fearlessness of all consequential challenges. Those are pretty words, but essentially, they mean:
“Just Do It.”
The Nike motto is applicable - how annoying is it to watch home team lose the game ’cause they never go for the goal, even when it’s underfoot? Less a problem for some sports *cough* Canuckleheads *cough*, but when the attempts are made I say there’s nothing to regret.
It is validated by skill and sincerity of the strike. If you’re a ninja and your target is still sipping his sake after ten lackluster attacks, then it’s time to find a new job. This isn’t about the misses though - it’s more about awareness of them.
Seeing the distance from center on your attack is crucial to improving your accuracy. Having someone around to say “it’s better if you do this” gives you a greater edge. Read - I recommend some of the Greats:
Harlan Ellison, to whom we owe numberless SF concepts, including Terminator, and the best Star Trek episode by fan decree (”?”); Robert A. Heinlen; Issac Asimov; Arthur C. Clarke; Steven King. These are the names that deserve your time. Look around - there are other Greats who have defined their genres that I just won’t mention, simply I can’t think of them.
That’s credible, right?
Meanwhile, Nyrin - to you offer thanks. It was a lot of fun reading your story. You injected the interaction I was only able to subtly imply with thirty-two pixel tall sprites. Inconsistencies in my early story show, but as a master of recovery, that will be amended.
Purpose does define a comic, but don’t worry, you don’t have to take my word for it. That fact is impossible to avoid.
Have yourselves a great day, readers!
P.S. I missed yesterday’s comic because a very close friend was assigned a higher priority by yours truly. Next week will be full of gaps too - I may just take a short haitus, since store inventory will have me pulling twelve hour shifts most of next week. It will be that, or more screenshots from L2. At least they’re nice to look at…
