RKYV ONLINE # 24 by Randy Pare

Table of Contents RKYV # 24 {May 2009} RKYV ONLINE LOGO - David Marshall {current} RKYV ONLINE LOGO – R.J. Paré {modified} RKYV COMICS LOGO – Roy G. James {original} Virtual Cover # 24 - Art by Matt Kish - Layout by David Marshall

Writer’s Column - “Creation in Our World” - By Larissa Gula

Interior Art Short Fiction - By Jonathan Biermann, Stan Nelson, - “Woke Up” Roger Formidable, Drew Bird, Sam van der - By Patrick J Nestor, Jr. Wouden, Stephen White, Matt Kish Poetry Editorial Column - “At the Outset: - By Stephen Campbell, R.J. Paré, Frances A Few Thoughts from the Editor” Nichols Vargas. - By RJ Paré Music Sports Column - “Rossini’s Ramblings” - By R.J. Paré - By Tom Rossini Pop Culture Featured Artist Review - “Milk Contest” – Matt Kish - By R.J. Paré - By R.J. Paré - “Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons” - By Pauline Paré

Untitled - by Sam van der Wouden

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At The Outset A few thoughts from the editor - by R.J. Pare’

Come listen, my friends While I tell you again Of RKYV’s extraordinary content So that you may know And tell others as you go Of RKYV’s wonderful talent With apologies to Mr. Carroll, I welcome each and every one of you to the 2nd Anniversary issue of RKYV ONLINE. What you have before you, in a very real sense, is the result of your continued participation. RKYV ONLINE exists in order to provide a stage for talented creators to strut their stuff upon. In this endeavour it has been my distinct pleasure each month to prepare this publication based on the exciting and varied content submitted. That means you, all of you. In the creative arts both the performer and the audience are important parts of the presentation. As RKYV’s audience continues to grow those who step onto this stage as contributors are challenging themselves to impress this readership with their creations. I can honestly say that feedback has been wonderful. The many artists that participate in bringing this mag to the world each month have succeeded, not only in increasing their own exposure, but in attracting a larger audience for RKYV with every well received issue. RKYV ONLINE’s plan – is to continue to expand and impress as we begin our 3rd year of distribution. This month, regular contributors Tom Rossini, Larissa Gula and Pauline Paré return with their respective columns on Sports, Writing and Pop Culture. These are always a pleasure to read and I hope you enjoy them as well. I would also like to take a moment to thank Stephen White, Roger Formidable, Stan Nelson, Jon Biermann, Drew Bird and Sam van der Wouden for all of the wonderful eye candy they have contributed to this issue. Patrick J Nestor has also chipped in with a ‘FAB’-ulous short story – check it out! It is well worth the read.

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Also, careful reader, you may notice a few contributions from yours, truly, [wink] here and there throughout the issue – That’s right I am not just the president – I’m also a client!! [Self Note: I learned all my communication skills from late night commercials] Of course I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the “crown jewel” of each issue; the main course; the pièce de resistance; the star attraction; the brother from another mother… I – I really lost track of where I was going with this metaphor. Anyhow it is with great pleasure that I present Matt Kish as our Featured Artist of the Month. I met Matt recently at the Small Press Alternative Comics Expo and was impressed with his work – I think you will be to. So enough of my blathering, you came here to be entertained by the eclectic Art – Lit mix that only RKYV ONLINE can deliver. Until next month, I remain R.J. Paré EIC - RKYV ONLINE

Mindscapes – by Sam van der Wouden

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Golden Age Superman [© DC Comics] – by Jon Biermann

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Sports Rossini’s Ramblings – By Tom Rossini

[Editor’s Note: After leveling the Chicago Blackhawks, Tom’s beloved Wings have marched one step closer to back to back Stanley Cup victories, which would solidify them as a modern day dynasty]

Detroit Red Wings vs Pitsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup 2009 As predicted in my last article I informed everyone that the Detroit Red Wings would win the Stanley Cup. But the gloating for now will be on hold as my Editor wanted my column yesterday… “Patience my young apprentice”… The first 4 games of the Stanley Cup Finals have been played and as predicted it is a very tight series… and yes I am worried and concerned. While the Red Wings have the Talent and Skill and Finesse, The Penguins have the youth, drive and the taste to drink from the cup. While I knew that the Red Wings would in fact win their Conference, I did not know who would win the other. I also would not have imagined at the start of the playoffs that the Penguins, rated 4th in their conference would win and end up in the Finals. Maybe this thought or possibility was hidden deep within my psyche… for deep down I had concerns about this repeat playoff. PAGE 5

[Editor’s Note: this year’s Stanley Cup Finals is a rematch between the same two teams as last year!] The Penguins want revenge, while Hossa wants the cup. I am not sure what station people are watching the games on, but here in Detroit – Games 1 and 2 have been covered by NBC while Games 3 and 4 have been covered by VS and the CBC. I think this is the first time I have ever seen any final games being hosted by multiple networks and its amazing how varied the coverage is and the respect. [Editor’s Note: For your amusement Tom has included some photos of him, and his coworkers, enjoying a Red Wings celebratory moment. In the tradition of ‘Where’s Waldo?” see if you can locate Tom.]

Yes respect. The CBC and Don Cherry have a lot of positives to say about both teams and I would expect that, as no Canadian Team is currently playing in the Stanley Cup. While VS, on the other hand, gives a more biased version favoring the Redwings. Meanwhile NBC is blatantly routing for the Penguins, especially that idiot between the benches. Hell he just needs to wear a Penguin Jersey while doing his verbal garbage.

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But I digress… The Stanley Cup is going to be a 7 game series that should end up in favor of the Red Wings. As of now both teams have won their first 2 games at home and the series is tied up at 2 games a piece. Sat night is Game 5 in Detroit and should be a Victory for the Wings.

[Editor’s Note: After this writing, The Detroit Red Wings demolished The Pittsburgh Penguins 5 – 0 in Game 5 and are now one victory away from the Cup!] If the game is not a Detroit victory then I could only predict that in Game 6 the Penguins will or at least should win at home. Since the beginning of the series, players, coaches, fans and announcers have all said that whoever loses the first game at home will lose the series and the cup. With Detroit having 2 more games at home and the Penguins only 1, the Cup should land in the lap of the Red Wings.

Next month… the conclusion and can you find me in the pictures???

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Hot For Teacher â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Roger Formidable

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Featured Artist Review Matt Kish – by R.J. PARE’ R.J. Paré: 40 year old Matt Kish [hurts a little when I say it like that, eh? I can get away with it because my own 40th is still some months away - LOL] is a talented illustrator and photographer. His surreal art blends imagery and styles from diverse inspirations. I had the opportunity, recently, to conduct an interview with Matt for this feature.

1. RJP: Have you always known that you wanted to be or, rather, were an artist? Matt Kish: I'm not certain I would call myself an artist, actually. Not out of any disdain for that title, but more out of a sense of humility. Since I was very young, probably 4 or 5 years old, I have been fascinated by art and that fascination continues even today. However, since those early years, I have always had grave doubts about my own ability to produce those same kinds of marvelous and fantastic drawings and paintings. That never stopped me from trying, and I have been drawing since early childhood, but I developed the unfortunate habit of comparing my own drawings to those of others and then doubting my own work. I think that is what ultimately stopped me from pursuing any kind of further education or training in art after I graduated from high school. I am fortunate to have quite a few friends who are really incredible artists, and nearly all of them earned BFAs or MFAs from great schools. They seem more like "artists" to me because, whether or not art school matters in terms of skill and vision, art school does convey a kind of credibility in the eyes of galleries, museums, buyers, and so on… a kind of credibility that someone lacking a BFA or MFA can almost never attain. Additionally, I feel like these friends of mine, at least, have paid greater dues than I have. They've been through brutal critiques with their peers, exhibited in galleries, sold pieces, and been hired and paid real to create commercial art and illustration as well as a graphic novel here and there. I'm not sure why I have this weird issue with the label "artist" and how that intersects with notions of commerce and capitalism, but it's been something that has been very difficult for me to shake or to really make sense of. The weird thing is that I've never been particularly concerned with exhibiting my own work in a gallery or selling it. That really doesn't matter too much to me. So maybe a shorter answer would be that I don't know if I would consider myself an artist, but it doesn't really matter because I know I love to draw and so I always will.

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ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: Metatron - 'I Am He' MEDIA: colored pencil on Bristol board SIZE: 11" wide by 11" tall DATE: 1998

RJP: Jewish mystical tradition places Metatron at the apex of the angelic order. A celestial scribe and powerful guardian named after Yahweh himself. In the original ancient Hebrew the spelling of Metatron was a variation of the spelling used for Yahweh – this tradition is furthered by quotes, attributed to God, that “My name is in him” - and allowed for Metatron to sit at Yahweh’s side in heaven. This representation, of Metatron, by Mr. Kish seems to draw from a variety of influences from the North American First Nations to the ancient Aztec & Incan adding in the Kabbalist designs of angelic script present in the hands and feet. These elements are combined in an engagingly surreal finished piece. 2. RJP: Did you study or major in art while in school? MK: No, not at all. My last art class was as a freshman in community college in 1987, so beyond that I am entirely self-taught. Which I think shows in my work, sometimes in good ways, sometimes in embarrassing ways. In spite of the lack of artistic education or training, I have a voracious eye and have been devouring visual influences for decades, whether they are art books, comics, art museums, or something more esoteric like vintage toys or children's scribblings. I suppose that kind of thing constitutes my artistic education more than anything else.

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3. RJP: Who was you biggest influence or source of encouragement, as a child, in pursuing art? MK: That's a challenging question since my childhood was marked by a remarkable and profound sense of solitude and self-sufficiency. My parents were as supportive as any parents would be, but they were also very busy with their jobs and perhaps not as artistically inclined as I was so they kind of left me alone most of the time. Later in life, I got the feeling that they hung my elementary school drawings of spaceships and aliens on the refrigerator because that's what every parent did. I would have to say that the biggest source of encouragement for me as a child, and even in many ways as an adult, is my own inner sense of somehow wanting to almost force these images of a fantastic inner world into some kind of reality. To give them life beyond the existence they have in my own mind. There's that cliched question "Would you keep drawing even if you were all alone on a desert island and no one would ever see it?" and for me the answer is and has always been yes. I do it, and I encourage myself to do it, simply because I want to and I like it. I like seeing the image of something I've imagined. That's really all.

ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: A Power Of The Air MEDIA: colored pencil on Bristol board SIZE: 11" wide by 11" tall DATE: 1998 RJP: Matt continues to explore a design sense that seems a hybrid of North and South American aboriginal traditions melded with Kabbalist mysticism. In this piece the feeling of an ancient imagery is turned on its head with a sci-fi twist as organic textures are replaced with metallic ones and angelic script is transformed into circuitry. The celestial is re-interpreted as a rocket ship, perhaps a nod to the various occult beliefs in ancient alien visitation? What really â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;does itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for me though is the striking use of colour in this piece. The rich palette of blues not only works on an emotional level but manages to bring the different design elements into a coherent, vibrant whole that is, in PAGE 11 fact, greater than the sum of its parts.

ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: The Watchers MEDIA: colored pencil on Bristol board SIZE: 11" wide by 11" tall DATE: 1999 RJP: New age meets ancient tradition. Clearly now we see the faces of aboriginals reflected in orbs that, though they may be inspired from native designs [ie: dream catchers, Incan & Aztec representations of sun, moon and planets] they are re-interpreted through the fertile imagination of Matt Kish. For some reason I am reminded of the retro-futurist designs of 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paperback science fiction collections. Why isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there a gallery showing of this work? 4. RJP: What is your favorite media to work with? MK: That has changed so drastically, yet with such glacial slowness, over the years. When I started drawing in earnest about 11 years ago I worked exclusively with Berol Prismacolor colored pencils. They were wonderfully smooth and waxy with such beautiful colors. However they were also around $1.00 per pencil and since I would lay down 3 or even 4 layers of color per drawing and end up using dozens and dozens of pencils it became expensive. Plus I burned through them very quickly since I was constantly sharpening them to a very fine point. I made a slow transition from those colored pencils to different kinds of pens and ink. I used Micron pens exclusively (although I am welcome and open to any suggestions for black ink pens with similar line qualities), and added colored ink washes from either Winsor & Newton inks or Higgins inks, both of which were very inexpensive. Slowly I moved away from color into working completely black and white simply because by this time I was more involved in making comics and little Xeroxed art books and wanted to create art that I could reproduce easily and inexpensively. I guess this is a good time to say that I am fiercely and hopelessly analog when it comes to art. I believe very strongly that any reproduction of a piece of art that I have created should look exactly like the original, with no digital enhancement or tweaking at all. I know a lot of artists use PhotoShop to brighten colors, add textures, and so on and while I don't have an issue with that, it's just something I could never do. PAGE 12

I like art that shows the hand of the maker, and I find that by keeping my originals as similar as possible to their reproductions, this is maintained. But back to the question. Lately I have been experimenting a bit with mixing media, using acrylic paints, pens, inks, and even crayons and colored pencils on found paper. It has been fantastic and really loosened up my art a lot. I'm quite pleased with the variety of colors, textures, and shades and fortunately the paint and the inks are still cheap so I can afford to mess up a lot. Ultimately though, I think that the long term picture for me will always involve simple pen and ink work with occasional color ink washes. 5. RJP: Do you use any special tools and techniques to create your art? MK: Nothing really special at all. In fact, just about everything I use to make art can be easily and inexpensively purchased in any decent art supply or craft store. Micron pens are around $2.00 each, the bottled inks I use for color washes are available in cheap sets or for a few bucks a bottle. I've been using the same few brushes for years now. It's all a pretty low-key affair, and very portable. I like to be able to pack up a sketchbook or a bundle of drawings and work on them in some bookstore of park when I can. That's hard to do with colored pencils and even harder to do if you have to set up an easel and some paints. But with a few ink pens and some paper, it's easy. Very flexible and adaptable. In terms of technique, I don't know if this part is lazy or special or a little bit of both, but I do almost no pre-sketching or planning for my drawings. At the most, I will scrawl out a tiny one inch by one inch brutally rough thumbnail depicting just a few shapes. Almost all of the work for any image is done in my head, and once I have those proportions scrawled out I'll start in on the drawing. Almost every drawing I have ever created has an elaborate border around it, and for me that's a crucial part of the process. Drawing that border helps me create the art in many ways. First, it allows me to ease into the physical process of drawing in a low pressure way because creating those borders is fairly mechanical. While I'm working on the border, I continue thinking about and previsualizing the actual drawing, which for me is part of the strange process of summoning it and willing it into existence. Creating that border, I guess, is almost like a sorcerer creating a pentagram or a sigil. It provides a strong and stable frame suitable for the being I am about to draw, and later provides an appropriately respectful window through which other viewers can see what I've depicted. 6. RJP: What inspires you to create art? MK: This is actually quite simple. I've always had a ridiculously overactive imagination, and I am the product of a 1970s childhood steeped in prog rock, Tolkien, dinosaurs, Silver Age comic books, cartoons and fantasy. Every one of these things made a mark on me, and in a strange way became a part of my own personal mythology. I mentioned above that my childhood was marked by solitude and self-sufficiency and I believe that since there were so few adult voices explaining the world to me, I used these fantastic PAGE 13 elements to help my young mind make sense of things.

It's difficult to explain, and probably too personal for an interview, but everything I draw or paint is nothing more than an attempt to illustrate and give life to the personal mythology I've been inhabiting and exploring and developing since I was 4 or 5 years old. Everything I see in what I guess one would term the "real world" becomes, in a syncretic way, an element in this inner narrative, but ultimately the art that results is unique to my own inner world. At times it can become difficult to distinguish between that reality and this, but not in such a way that I mean I am hearing voices and seeing visions in the sky. It's something more like these drawings, these beings, these places and these things have more of an impact and an importance to me than the mundane "real world" so I find myself feeling at times like I am hovering between the two worlds, never fully in one or the other but able to see and interact with both.

ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: Spring MEDIA: pen and ink on watercolor paper SIZE: 8" wide by 10" tall DATE: 2002 RJP: The ancients worshipped the Sun as the source of all life. From a purely scientific POV they weren’t far off, without the sun no life on earth could exist. In aboriginal artistic tradition the sunflower is a powerful motif as a living symbol of the Sun’s power. Matt combines this symbol with his trademark celestial being in a palette of seasonal hues that effectively communicate the spiritualist notions of spring – birth – re-birth – life itself as a gift from the heavens.

7. RJP: How would you categorize your artistic style? MK: While the term "outsider art" would seem to be a close fit, it's probably not entirely accurate. I think my art is perhaps a bit stylistically simple, even crude. It is definitely naive. Since I have very poor drawing skills, everything is based on shapes, colors, textures, and an incredible flatness and lack of depth or weight. I have heard some call my art cosmic, which is definitely an aspect of it and not something I would disagree with at all. Other words friends have used have been bio-organic, which I can see, and also mythological and primitive. PAGE 14

Some have said that they see a strong Central American or Aztec style, especially in my earliest colored pencil drawings. I'm not sure that was a conscious choice, but I have incredibly vivid memories of seeing some small color reproductions of Aztec gods from a Mesoamerican Codex in a National Geographic magazine when I was young so that certainly influenced me somehow. Also, since many of those early colored pencil drawings were directly inspired by Jack Kirby's work in Marvel Comics, specifically The Celestials in The Mighty Thor and the series The Eternals (both of which were based on some of Erich Von Daniken's bizarre ancient astronauts writings) I can see the ancient mythological angle as well. Honestly, it's difficult for me to categorize since so much of what I do artistically is very intuitive and internal, and there is always some doubt in my mind as to whether I am creating these images from my own mind or whether I am a simple laborer transcribing images from another reality because these have been communicated to me by other beings. 8. RJP: Would you say that there is a "message" or "unifying theme" in your work? MK: Certainly not a message, and I am generally fairly suspicious of art that has a strong message whether it is political, personal, or something else. A unifying theme would be that of wonder and of the unseen or the unknown. It has always been fascinating to me to see how different viewers respond to my drawings and to listen to their comments about them. As I mentioned above, some have seen Aztec gods, some have seen Hawkwind album covers, some have seen their own personal symbolism depicted, but their visions have always paradoxically differed from and synced up with my own. It's very strange. Ultimately though, many people have claimed to feel a sense of peace, of awe, of wonder and of positivity from many of my drawings and that for me is wonderful. I guess I didn't articulate that very well, so I'll try and sum it up by saying that I feel the unifying theme of my work would be a sense of wonder at the unseen things in the universe. 9. RJP: Which famous artists or styles have influenced you? Why? MK: The artists who have influenced most directly and overtly are comic book artists Jack Kirby and Walt Simonson, outsider artist Adolf Wolfli, and fantasy illustrators Ian Miller and Roger Dean. I am conscious of borrowing most heavily from Kirby, Simonson, Wolfli and Miller but there are strong elements of all of those authors in my work. Less direct but still very important visual influences would be Mesoamerican and Japanese art, outsider art in general, and oddly enough videogames. Videogames, from the earliest 8-bit Nintendo games to today's ultra-slick technologically brilliant CGI masterpieces, are unique for me in that they present a stunning visual world that I can, in a way, participate in. Because of this element of immersion, some of the best videogames nurture an emotional involvement that becomes a part of the creative process for me. This is more evident in my comic "Spudd 64" but there are strong elements of these videogame themes and representations in my drawings as well. The Great Deku Tree from the "Legend of Zelda" games inspired my own world tree Zurn.

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The Robot Masters of the "Mega Man" series of games have been reinterpreted by me in my own series of Robot Master drawings. There are more similarities, but those are probably the most overt. Finally, while I am not really a religious person now, I was raised Catholic and did go to church a fair amount as a child. To me though, all of those saints and angels and archangels seemed very much like mythological figures, or superheroes, or both. I'm sure that had a huge influence on me artistically, and the prevalence of angelic imagery or even little-known figures from the Old Testament cropping up in my work is explained by that.

ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: Flying-NotSwimming, The Effervescent Satellite MEDIA: pen and ink on watercolor paper SIZE: 10" wide by 8" tall DATE: 2005

RJP: Eschewing the use of colour may, in itself, be a powerful part of this piece. The composition seems to reflect the environmentalist’s perspective that industrial / technological advancements come with a price. From the chimney spewing exhaust to the trailing detritus [toxic waste?] a bold statement seems at work here. The engineering marvel of the construct hurtling through the skies seems tempered by the death’s heads draping the forged girder-like claws. The inherent question seems to be “We may be flying but will that mean no more swimming?” By rendering this piece in black and white Matt delivers a stark look at the consequences of industrialized advancement if it is not balanced with a respect for nature.

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10. RJP: If you could meet any living or dead artist, who would it be? MK: This is a funny question because I've been lucky enough to meet quite a few living artists and eventually forged friendships with a few. Every time I meet an artist I genuinely like and respect, I am always star struck at first and generally at a loss for words. I guess a lot of this comes from the sense of humility I always feel regarding my own work. So I think even if I were able to meet someone living or dead, I would probably just stammer out a bunch of things like "Your work is so amazing and has been so inspirational!" and that'd be it. If I had to pick someone, it would be a tie between Jack Kirby, who has passed away, and Walt Simonson who is still alive. 11. RJP: What is the one question that you would ask him/her? MK: If, and that is a big "if," I was able to get beyond the initial shyness, then the gushing compliments, and finally the profuse "Thank yous," I think I would probably be very curious about how their own personal mythologies informed their work. Kirby, I know, was Jewish and you can see strong elements of that in his work, yet he also introduced all these amazing cosmic elements into his comics. Series like "The Eternals" and "The New Gods" delved so deeply into these almost modern cosmic mythologies that I would be very curious to learn where some of that came from and what it really meant to a career artist like Kirby. Simonson mined some of the same sources that Kirby did, working with mythology and folklore, but also introduced a deep vein of cosmic wildness and I'd like to know how that came about. Is this the accrual of years of reading and imagining, were these characters and beings he conceived of as a child, or is it something else entirely? For me, it's never been about technique questions or talking shop, it's always been about the internal reality that informs the imaginative creation. 12. RJP: What do you think of the term "starving artist"? MK: I guess I think it has a lot to do with what one's goals as an artist are. I have a friend who is a phenomenal cook. The few times he's made a dinner and a dessert for my wife and I, the cuisine has been mind-blowingly good. He says he's adored cooking ever since he was young and he experiments regularly in the kitchen. Many years ago, after our first meal with him, we asked why he had not pursued a career as a chef. He stated very simply that to do it for money would kill the joy for him. I think about that example a lot when I think about art. I know it doesn't work for everyone, and I know a lot of people are deliriously happy with successful careers as artists or illustrators or designers. For me, I have consciously steered my efforts away from that perilous intersection of art and commerce primarily out of a concern that to attempt to navigate that path would destroy any joy I might take from making art. I have sold comics and zines, and I have sold art, but that has never been the primary focus of my creativity. I'm really not sure what to think of artists who really want to make art, and then really want to sell art to make a lot of money. I know my point of view is probably woefully naive, and may even be seen by some as rather arch and pretentious, and I mean no offense. It's just the path I choose for myself.

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ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: H'Xoi, Emperor Of The Celestial Ponds MEDIA: pen and ink on watercolor paper SIZE: 8" wide by 10" tall DATE: 2006 RJP: The piece I chose for the cover to this issue [and wonderfully adapted by David Marshall in his layout] is another fine example of Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to invent spectacular dreamscapes of retro-futurist science fiction. This really ought to be on the cover of an Asimov collection of shorts or perhaps as album art for a retro-digitaltechno group like The Orb. It shows off Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s splendid, imaginative design sense in addition to the appealing use of colour.

13. RJP: Do you feel more a sense of community with other artists or a sense of competition? MK: Neither, really, because I don't work within the bounds of a community of artists or a particular scene or anything like that. I do have quite a few friends who are artists, but nearly all of them were friends of mine before they became artists, or friends of mine before I knew they were artists. And even with them, the work they are doing and their reasons for doing it are so vastly different than my own that it would be impossible to develop any points of comparison for either community or competition. That sense of self-sufficiency and solitude the originated in my childhood and nurtured through most of my life endures even now, as an adult making art.

14. RJP: How do you market yourself? MK: Ha ha! I probably do a terrible job of it, but it has never mattered much to me. It took me about seven years to develop enough confidence in my own art that I felt comfortable sharing it even with good friends. That led to the creation of a web site, and very soon to making comics and zines and selling them at a local small press show. But since my reasons for making art have always been internal and deeply personal, the sharing and the marketing and the advertising have always been distant afterthoughts. I have been tremendously thankful for all the incredibly positive feedback I've received from friends and even strangers who have seen my work, either at small press shows or online, but I worry that if I were to depend too heavily on that it would change the focus of my work too much and the drawings would suffer. PAGE 18

The best compromise I have been able to make has been to maintain a web site containing nearly all of my work, and I do love to share it that way. I love knowing that people far and wide are able to come to the site and look at all of my drawings and paintings, and if they so choose they can read the blog and even email me that way. That's a very happy medium I think because for me I am far more excited by the idea of simply sharing my art with people and letting them enjoy it on their own terms than I am with marketing and selling it. 15. RJP: Do you find it difficult to stay motivated / inspired? MK: It's never difficult to stay inspired because I love looking at things, and at art, so much. If I am ever feeling a little uninspired, all I have to do is look at some art - whether it's my own or someone else's in a book or online - and I feel an instant rush of motivation. The hard part, though, is simply finding the time to create art.

ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: Aalthrid The Nimbus-Borne MEDIA: pen and ink on watercolor paper SIZE: 8" wide by 10" tall DATE: 2006

RJP: This finely detailed pen and ink offering by Matt Kish requires a few extra moments to absorb. It rewards the viewer with contrasting, layered design elements guaranteed to challenge your imagination. Fans of surrealism bring your decoder rings as retro-futurist tubes/rods feed into an Eastern inspired roiling cauldron of waves which in turn gives birth to the imagery of Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trademark celestial beings.

This time he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t draw the beings, themselves, but a pseudo-symbolic representation of them similar to Incan/Aztec temple carvings. Wow, as much as I love the use of colour in some of Mattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work I can see how colour might hide some of the finer line details and PAGE 19 this piece definitely deserves to show off its line work.

16. RJP: Do you create your art full time or part time? MK: Very, very part time! I have a full time career with a great schedule, but still a full time work week. I am married to an incredible woman and we love spending time together traveling, exploring new restaurants, visiting museums, seeing movies and on and on. Additionally, we live about an hour's drive from all of our friends so any socializing takes up whatever free time remains in an evening. It can be really hard to squeeze in even a few hours of time for art in a week because all of these things I listed above are very important. Indeed, love, friendship, marriage, family and career are the foundation for most of what's good in life and I do my best to be heedful of not neglecting those things. My dirty little secret is that, as an artist, I am monstrously slow. If you were to watch me draw, you would be stunned at how slowly the pen moves across the page. Also, the level of detail in my drawings means hours of making tiny little marks with tiny little pens. A single drawing can take me most of a month to finish with everything else. In the last 11 years I've completed about 70 drawings that I am proud of, so that's an average of about 1 drawing every 60 days. That seems about right! 17. RJP: What other interests do you have, besides art? MK: Wow, this one is surprisingly hard to answer since so much of what I am interested in is related in some way to art. I suppose my chief interests all revolve around the imagination, so I enjoy reading novels and comics and I love film. The novels of Mervyn Peake, Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance and Michael Moorcock are favorites I return to again and again. With film, I am always far more interested in seeing something on screen that I might never see in "real life," so films like "Pan's Labyrinth" or "The Fountain" or "The Holy Mountain" will always draw me in far more than something like "Kramer Vs. Kramer" or "Pretty Woman." I love traveling whenever I can, although the expense is sometimes a barrier. There is no place I wouldn't go though, and the feeling of walking in a city utterly new to me is something I love. My wife is the most adventurous diner I have ever met, so through her I have learned a new appreciation for the culinary arts and have been able to see how food is an art unto itself. Beyond those, I think the thing I love to do the most is to venture into the woods on hot summer days and just look at the green, feel the warm summer breeze, and listen to the rustling of leaves and the sounds of the insects. In a way that might be hard to understand, that reverence for the power of nature is the core of everything I have ever done artistically. 18. RJP: What advice would you have for a young artist starting out today? MK: I am hardly one to give advice, but I have learned from experience and I would urge them to think things through and have a realistic, focused plan for what they want out of life and art. Whether they want to illustrate children's picture books, design CD covers for a record label, create paintings that will hang in fine art galleries and sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, work through their childhood pain and their issues with gender PAGE 20 and identity, make graphic novels and comics...whatever.

Figure it out, zero in on it, plan your life around that goal, and never give up. It took me almost a decade to figure out what art meant to me and how it fit in my life, and there are lots of times I wish I could have figured this out long ago.

ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: The Dirac Sea Satellite MEDIA: pen and ink on Bristol board SIZE: 8" wide by 10" tall DATE: 2007 Okay, stylized sunbursts/sunflowers sprouting from a giant metallic ball of yarn, riding upon a crystalline comet, powered by Matt’s retro-futurist tubes… I think my head just exploded. I would love to see this piece coloured, the design & composition are splendid however. The piece is all about contrast – seemingly opposing elements – the organic bursting through the inorganic – the mineral fused with the technological. Matt’s strengths as a surreal design artist are quite evident in this piece. 19. RJP: Do you have any big plans or shows coming up in 2009? MK: I generally only go to one small press show in Columbus, the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo, or S.P.A.C.E. so that's probably it for this year. My stuff seems to fit into the small press world pretty comfortably so future plans will almost always involve shows like S.P.A.C.E. or SPX in Maryland or maybe even MoCCA in New York City, but I don't have anything else planned for 2009 beyond drawing a lot and showing the work on my web site. I would really love to have the experience of a gallery show some day, but I am clueless as to how to go about that and not sure if any of my work would be a good fit for a gallery so that might not happen for a while. Hopefully some day though.

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ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: The Robot Masters: Bolt Man MEDIA: acrylic, ink and colored pencil on found paper SIZE: 8" wide by 11" tall DATE: 2008

I imagine this entity as existing in the same dreamscape as H'Xoi, Emperor of the Celestial Ponds. This reality, perhaps, exists as some virtual landscape in a Matrix-like environ. Could H’Xoi and Bolt Man be competing bits of software working to shape the underlying circuitry of this plane’s existence? There is a story here, I am sure of it. I must imagine that Matt read a lot of sci-fi growing up and this influenced his art. I am sure I find echoes of Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, adding in some of the whimsy of Phillip José Farmer [or at least their cover artists].

20. RJP: How would you like your art, and by extension yourself, to be remembered? MK: I would like it to be remembered as something that brought people some joy and some sense of wonder. That it showed them something they had never seen, and maybe never even imagined, but could walk away from feeling better, happier, like they lived in a universe that was even bigger, stranger and more fantastic than they ever realized. Even if some of my drawings only do that in a little tiny way… that would be something I would be endlessly thankful for. PAGE 22

ARTIST: Matt Kish TITLE: Solar Brother #07 MEDIA: pen and ink on bristol board SIZE: 7" wide by 11" tall DATE: 2009

RJP: Is Solar Brother #07 someone for us to visit, someone who has visited us or simply someone who is watching? The New Age-y vibe is back in this pen and ink illustration by Matt Kish. His recurring image of retro-futurist designed tubes repurposed here as imaginative rockets powering us from our earth bound perspective up to a higher, third level, where an all seeing eye surveys us from a lofty vantage point. The language of the surrealist allows for a variety of content and impressions to be expressed simultaneously and Matt Kish has become quite fluent in its use. I invite those who are interested in following more of Matt Kish and his creative works to try his website: www.spudd64.com

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AD for the MILK graphic novel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Stephen White

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Writer’s Column Creation In Our World – by Larissa Gula Keeping It Alive Hello all e-zine readers! Miss me? It’s certainly nice to be back. It’s been a little while. I had to take a breather recently – because life has its priorities, and for a college student the biggest priority is… No, not drinking! Not for me, anyway. My biggest priority was to make it through one very difficult second semester with a GPA above 3.4 – otherwise I would lose my honor society status – and then to help run the grand event known as The Rescue; you may remember my discussing its approach two months ago. Untitled - installation piece by Sam van der Wouden

But good news, all – my GPA remains exactly 3.5, what I left first semester with. The event was an incredible worldwide success that ended in front of Oprah’s studio live on her show, and after a bit of rest and recovery I have returned. I wish I could say that for all of my projects. Following The Rescue I began the second draft of my memoir, a recollection of my teen activism during the last two years from one event to the next. Though I have hopes for its future, and want to see how far I can take it, keeping this story alive is difficult. Constantly doing my best to flesh out the details, before even getting to work on the prose, has been an annoyance. The hardest aspect is probably balancing out my time with friends and house cleaning with my projects. So I did some research and I have a few ideas on “How to Keep Those Projects Alive” to share with you as I keep myself plowing forward.

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1. “Put your character in an unfamiliar situation.” •

I guess this works the best for prose – if you have a highly developed character, you can experiment with how they would react somewhere new and uncomfortable – somewhere they dislike, or somewhere they love with someone they dislike, or any other new variable. This can probably work for poetry as well. And for other art forms, well, I can’t speak for them – but maybe you guys can experiment with this idea and see where it goes!

2. “Change your routine.” •

Try a new environment, try a new time, and see what comes to your mind and fingertips! Even try something miniscule – change the paper color or canvas material. Use a new pen or brush. Go from a lonely setting to a group setting. Basically, if it’s different, who knows? Try it!

3. “Start with a line of poetry.” •

I like this idea for everything. Use a favorite, very outstanding line of poetry (from a book or a song; because the Lord knows, and this is a separate rant entirely, that good music might as well be poetry), and let it inspire an entire work of art. But inspire doesn’t mean stick to it. It means begin and expand!

4. “Take breaks.” •

Maybe. If it’s all day project, yes, then do take breaks. Go for a walk, eat a little snack, drink something, sit back, and relax – and then get back to work before you lose the creative feeling. If this will be the only time you get to work on it, work until you can’t!

5. “Have a Comfortable Work Area.” •

I have nothing else to say!

6. “Take Time Off.” •

This statement is the only one that keeps me from feeling lazy, but breaks do help rejuvenate the mind and the thought process, so enjoy them. Do new things and bring those experiences back to your artwork.

Those are the top six things I found; and now, I must retire and return to a world of writing for work and for myself. (Research mostly on www.how-to.com and www.resourcesforwriters.com. These ideas are not presented as my own, merely ideas found and shared.)

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P.S. I read a fantastic book recently that comes highly recommended. To read more, visit my blog: http://trolleygirl13.blogspot.com/2009/03/honk-holler-opening-soon.html And if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not watching it, please add it to a watch-list of yours. Please.

Untitled â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Sam van der Wouden

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Cigar Girl â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Roger Formidable

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Short Fiction Woke Up… Got Out of Bed… by Patrick J. Nestor, Jr. Billy awoke with a start and sat up. Whatever he had been dreaming about was gone, but the lingering feeling was still there. His heart was racing and he felt strange and apprehensive, like he was on the verge of having a case of the screaming abdabs. He looked around and suddenly felt a bit of panic. He didn’t recognize the room at all. Where was his flat? Where were the brown walls with his posters? Where were the music stands and his lyric sheets? He rubbed his eyes and scanned the room. Where ever he was, it was a nice place. The room was bright. Light streamed in through a set of glass doors that looked like they went out to a balcony. The walls were adorned with paintings and framed art photographs. Expensive looked furniture filled the room nicely. From the look of things, he was in a very high end hotel room. Billy’s mouth dropped open. He couldn’t imagine being able to afford the rates in a place that looked his extravagant. Billy got up and hurried to the bathroom. He turned on the water and splashed some cold water on his face. After a moment he looked up into the mirror and got another shock. He didn’t look like himself. That is, he looked SOMEWHAT like himself, but there were some changes. His hair, his cheekbones, his nose, the shape of his eyes… were all slightly different. He had a mustache that he didn’t remember growing… and the scar. He had a scar on his upper lip which was hard to see due to the mustache, but it was there. Billy’s heart was pounding now. He was in a strange place and it looked like somehow his face had been altered. He ran from the bathroom and back towards the bed. He threw open drawers looking for clothes. None of the clothing was his. Nothing at all. It was all nice clothing, but NONE WAS HIS. Billy threw on a pair of pants and a shirt. He couldn’t go out in his knickers and he had to find out where he was and what was going on. He was just finished tying his shoe when he heard the door in the next room open. Billy jumped up and ran to the bedroom door, cracked it slightly and looked out. There was a huge, well dressed man looking at some papers that were on a table. The man put some of the papers down and started flipping through some others. He looked up and Billy pulled back, but it was too late. The man had seen Billy’s eye through the cracked doorway and started towards the bedroom. Billy backed up, not sure what to do. The door opened and the man came in.

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“Good morn Paul.” the man said cheerfully. “Glad to see you awake so early! Another big day here in mer…” The man broke off, seeing the look on Billy’s face. “Who are you?” Billy demanded. “Where am I? Who is Paul?” The man’s demeanor changed and a careful and concerned look came over his face. “YOU are Paul.” the man replied. “Just relax Paul. It’s ok.” “I’m NOT Paul!” Billy screamed, inching backwards. He reached out towards a lamp. “I don’t know where I am or why I’m here!” “It’s ok.” the man said again. “You just need to calm down. I have some medicine that will make you feel better, then we can call Brian and he’ll come see you.” Billy recognized the tone in the man’s voice. It was the same one that his mother used to use on his senile old grandfather in the poor man’s last days. Billy didn’t know anyone named Brian and he certainly wasn’t about to sit around to meet him. “I’m leaving.” Billy said flatly. “No!” The man exclaimed as he crept a little closer. He dropped the papers he was holding and reached out towards Billy. “Just hold on. I just want to… UGH!” Billy didn’t get to hear what the man wanted, because he grabbed hold of the lamp and swung it at the man, connecting with the side of his head. He then dropped the lamp and ran for the front door. At the front door another man was coming in. He was dressed very similar to the first. “Hey Alfred, I heard a shout!’ the 2nd man was saying as he came in. “Is everything alr… oh! Paul! What happened?” Billy froze. Another person calling him by a name he knew was not his. What was wrong with these people? Like the first man, this one was well built. He decided to try and bluff his way out. “Um, hi.” Billy said, trying to sound normal. “Um... he... um... Alfred. Fell and hurt himself. I was coming... to get you to help.” “Dammit. Ok Paul, I’ll take care of it.” the man said, moving towards the bedroom. Billy watched the man walk past him and into the bedroom. As he crossed the doorway, Billy bolted out the front door and slammed it shut. He ran full speed down the hall and to a stairway door. He flung it open and rushed down the stairs. He could hear a shout behind him, but he wasn’t about to stop to hear what it was.

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Billy ran as fast as he could down the stairs and came to a halt at a floor about five flights down. He slipped onto the floor and quickly walked to the elevator. A couple was exiting the elevator as he got into it and jabbed at the lobby button with his thumb. They barely glanced at him but as the door began to close, the woman looked up and gasped. “Oh My God!!” she screamed and pointed at him. “It’s…” The doors snapped closed, cutting off her shout. The lift dropped. Billy ran his hand through his hair. He was terrified. He had to get away from this place, try and find someone he recognized. The doors opened and he tentatively glanced out. He could see the front desk and a desk clerk picking up a phone. He spoke into it. Billy tried to walk slowly and look natural as he left the elevator. As he walked towards the revolving door at the entrance of the hotel, a shout behind him caused him to turn. The couple from the above floor came barreling out of the stairway. The girl was in the lead and pointed. “There he is!!” she screamed. “Stop! STOP!” The desk clerk looked up, still on the phone and saw Billy. “I see him!” the clerk said to whoever was on the other line. Billy didn’t hesitate any longer. He rushed out the revolving door and as he came around to the outside, he saw a small potted tree and jammed it into the door, keeping it from turning. The doorman looked at Billy surprisingly. He was helping an elderly woman from a taxi right in front of him. Billy pushed past them both and leapt into the taxi. “Go!” Billy screamed. “MOVE! DRIVE!” The driver looked up at him in the rear-view mirror and nodded. The taxi roared away as Billy slammed the door shut. He looked out the rear window and saw both the girl who had screamed at him and both men from the hotel room going into the street. The cab rushed down the road. “Turn here!” Billy shouted. “Now turn there!” The taxi made a sharp right and then a quick left. “That looked close.” The driver said with a smile. Billy looked up and could see the man staring back in the rear-view mirror. Something about the man’s look made him nervous. “It’s ok. I know how bad you wanted to get away from there.” the driver continued. “I was glad to help.” “Do… do you know me?” Billy asked.

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“Of course.” The driver said. “Paul.” The taxi came to a halt at a red light. Billy didn’t wait, he threw open the door to the taxi and burst out. He ran across the street, down a few buildings and cut down an alleyway. He could hear the driver shouting at him but Billy didn’t look back. The alley was a dead end. There was no where to go but back. Billy cursed and turned. At the entrance of the alley he hesitated and looked out. He could see the taxi driver talking to one of the large, well-built men from the hotel. Billy couldn’t go out without risking being seen, but he couldn’t stay there. “Psst.” a voice whispered. Billy looked up. In the doorway of the building next to the alley was a man who looked familiar. Billy took a step back and prepared himself to make a break for it. Before he could however, the man called softly to him. “William!” the new man called in a hushed tone. “Quick, this way!” Relief flooded Billy. Someone who actually knew his name. “Quick!” the man hissed. Billy rushed towards the doorway and through. The man closed the door and locked it. “Oh God, thank you!” Billy exclaimed. The man looked at the door for a moment and then at Billy. “That was a close one, ‘eh? So, how’re we doing William?” “You know me!” Billy sighed. “I’m so glad SOMEONE knows me! You… look familiar… I know I know you… but… but I can’t remember your name…” The man looked at Billy and grinned. “I’m John, mate.” he replied. Billy returned the smile, because he remembered just as the man said it. “Yes! John!” Billy laughed. “Thank the Lord it’s you mate!” John nodded. “Let’s walk.” he said. The two of them went through the back of the building and out the other side. John led the way. He glanced around the slide of the building, as if to check to make sure the coast was clear. He looked back and nodded to Billy and they continued on. “John, what’s going on here?” Billy asked him as they went. “I woke up in…” “..in a hotel room that you didn’t recognize, with clothes that weren’t yours with people who were calling you by a different name.” John finished. “Yes!’ Billy replied. “What the HELL is happening?”

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“It’s a long story mate.” John said. “But for now you’re going to have to trust me.” Billy felt comfortable with John, and nodded. “I trust you John.” They walked a little and came to a small park. “We’re in New York. In the states. Aren’t we?” Billy asked John suddenly. “I’ve never been here before but I’ve seen pictures.” “Yes. Yes we are.” John answered. “What DO you remember?” “Not much.” Billy replied. “Little small things. Nothing on how I got here, or why I look different.” The came to a bench and John sat down. Billy did the same. “John.” Billy said, looking nervous. “I’m fucking terrified here. I don’t know what’s happening.” John nodded. “It’s a long story Mate.” he said. “It might be easier to show you than to try and explain it.” Billy leaned forward and put his face in his hands. “I can barely remember anything here. It’s like I’m a blank state. I know my name, and remnant of my past. But... but…wait… what’s the date?” John told him. Billy’s face turned white. “Oh my God.” Billy cried. “That’s almost a fucking year later than I thought it was!” He collapsed back into the bench and put his head back. “What happened to my life?” John looked grim and put a hand on Billy’s shoulder. “It’s not quite as bad as you’re thinking right now mate.” Billy let out a snort. “Oh sure. Not as bad. Someone has stolen my life. No problem.” “That’s not what I meant.” John replied. “John, it’s like… like I’m dead.” Billy shot back. “I have no fucking memory of the last year. I don’t know why people are calling me ‘Paul’...” “It’s NOT like you’re dead!” John snapped. “Dead is DEAD. You’re alive!” Billy recoiled, surprised at the outburst. John immediately looked sorry. “Dammit mate, I apologize. I know this whole thing is disorientating. Listen, come with me, let me show you what’s going on.” Billy sighed. He didn’t have much choice. “Alright. Let’s go.” They two got up and walked out of the park, They got to the street and John raised his hand for a taxi. One PAGE 33 pulled up and they got in.

A song was on the radio… a catchy one. Billy didn’t think he recognized it, but after a few moments found himself humming along. He glanced up at John who was grinning back at him. “Good song?” John asked. “Yeah!” Billy grinned back. “I guess I’ve heard it somewhere cause I kind of know it. Is it and old one?” “Pretty brand new actually.” John replied. The driver in the front seemed to stifle a laugh. Billy didn’t notice John glance up, annoyed. A minute went by before Billy realized where they seemed to be headed. It was then that he realized that John had never given the driver an address. “John!” Billy exclaimed. “We’re going to…” “… the hotel you woke up in. I know.” John replied. “I’m going to show you everything. Just… you have to trust me. You trust me, right William?” Billy stared at John for a minute. There was no hardness in John’s face… no evil intent. He genuinely seemed concerned. Billy took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes John.” He said. “Yes, I trust you.” The taxi pulled up to the hotel. The front was cleared. No doorman or people milling about. They got out of the taxi. John nodded to the driver who just nodded back and pulled way. John put his hand on Billy’s shoulder and they both entered the hotel. The lobby was also clear. No one but them was there. As the approached the elevators though one of the men from earlier came into view. “John!” Billy exclaimed. John stepped forward and grabbed the man and roughly shoved him into the stairway door. Before Billy could react John and the man disappeared into the stairway hall. Billy heard a bang and heard John say something… then heard another bang. A moment later John came out and closed the door. As he did, Billy could see the legs of the man. He seemed to be on the ground. “Don’t worry about him.” John said. “Come on.” The two got into the elevator and rode it up to the penthouse. The doors opened and they walked down the small hallway to the door to the room Billy had escaped from earlier. With John leading the way, they went to the open door and went through. In the sitting area, drinking from a tall glass was a short, stout man with dark hair dressed in a nice business suit. He opened his mouth to say something but John cut him off.

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“William here would like some answers.” he said. The man nodded and got up… “Billy?” the man said. “I need a refresher. Can I make you one?” He went over to the bar and started making a drink. Billy looked at John, who nodded. “Yeah, ok.” Billy replied. The dark haired man looked back at them. “John?” “I’m good.” John answered. The man tinkered with the drinks and came over and handed one to Billy and sat down. “So.” he said. “What do you want to know?” “What the hell is going on?” Billy demanded. “Why is everyone calling me Paul? What happened to me?” The dark-haired man seemed to contemplate the question, then he crossed his legs and sat back. “About a year ago… we lost a very close friend. One who was… instrumental to a …um… project we’ve been working on.” he explained. “He was in a horrible car accident.” “And? What does this have to do with me?” Billy asked. “It was imperative that we find a suitable… replacement for him with as little… fanfare as possible.” the man continued. “His place in our… organization was important. So… so important.” Billy began feeling a little dizzy. He wasn’t sure what any of this meant. He looked at John, but John had gotten up and was looking at one of the paintings on the wall. He looked back at the dark-haired man, confused. “Did… did I replace him?” Billy asked. It was becoming harder and harder to think. “Yes.” the man nodded. “Perfectly.” Billy wanted to ask what it was he was doing, but could not keep his eyes open, as much as he tried. “It’s remarkable actually.” the man continued. “Overall, it’s been almost flawless. We just have these little occasional moments when your past life pops back into place. It’s ok though Billy… it’s ok. We’ll have you right as rain and ready for tonight in just a couple of hours.” Billy wanted to ask what was happening that night, but he had no control of his body. “Is this really necessary?” John suddenly demanded. The man looked up at John. “You know it is John.” he replied. The two of them PAGE looked at Billy and saw he was unconscious.

“Dammit Brian, he didn’t sign up for this you know.” John said. “I know John.” the man, Brian, answered. “But there was no other way to pull it off. You did a good job getting him back here.” “It was lucky I was out for a morning stroll and saw him bolt out of the hotel.” John said wistfully. “You’re right.” Brian agreed. He got up and smoothed out his pants. “I have the doctors on their way. Tell George and Ringo that Billy… er… PAUL will be ready for the recording session tonight.” John nodded wistfully and headed for the door. Brian looked up as if he had just remembered something. “Oh, and John…” Brian said. John stopped and looked up, seeming to have expected more. “Please, enough with the little riddles and ‘clues’ in the songs and on the covers? It’s hard enough keeping this whole damn thing s secret without you lot mucking around. John smiled. “Or what Brian? Gonna replace me? I doubt there’s another Billy Cambell Shears out there.” With that he walked out the door.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – by Drew Bird

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The Strict Vegetarian â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Roger Formidable

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Poetry Wiping the Slate Clean – by Frances Nichols Vargas Just step forward No more excuses Walk toward the goals set Shift the gears Don't look back Wipe away the tears do not rehash the past and all the mistakes and fears Just step forward Look toward the future

My Son – by Frances Nichols Vargas Since the moment of the news I was shocked and amazed How life would change The flood of feelings and emotions a mother- to- be knows As my belly grew All the routine of my innocent and carefree days Faded away Now reflecting on time as it has flown by Brings great joy As memories of all your firsts Flash before my eyes Looking toward the future Beaming with pride Of all the world welcoming My son with arms open wide

Untitled – by Sam van der Wouden

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MMVII – by Stephen Campbell Watching men and women eat, sleep, weep. Its boredom to watch but every night we keep Watching. And waiting. Hoping and caring. Watching men and women baring, sharing, Scaring the mind of caring for one another, Yearning nightly for the care of Big Brother

One Man Show [concept art] – by Dave Michaels

Unemployment – by Stephen Campbell Stephen and James, young martyrs are we. We toil for our master who we don’t see, We give up our lives to make men rich, We do so others may thrive. We pitch To poor souls who drink and lie drowning, Drowning in holes – whilst society sits frowning.

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Clover, Through The Haze – by R.J. Paré

Dublin – by Stephen Campbell Walking through Dublin’s fair city streets We greeted the wonders that there we did meet. Joyce in his rough hat did not pass us by, Wilde in his loincloth did give me the eye, O’Connell looked down upon us and bade us beware Of Synge’s fiery breath and his Abbey affairs. We could not understand Beckett’s short French tongue Or bother Lady Gregory as she mourned for her young,

Shaw and lady passed along as Stoker scared our wits Whilst swift as a ship old John told us young quips Of a tale he had sermoned in the old church commons, And I grew weary, for I had seen nothing That captured my heart, But by Gonne, what is that man? Abroad on his own with a quill in his hand? His youthful heart cries of renewable strength, And at my stolen heart his piping verse did wrench. He bid me to journey far to Byzantium, From that crossways in Dublin I chose to follow him.

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The Cup – by R.J. Paré Early winter mornings, before the sun would rise, Your skates, bag, stick and out the door. Faster than the coffee clears parent’s blood-shot eyes, The hour of practice is over. A scene oft repeated from youth until today, The only path for PRO entrance. Loss of sleep, muscles sore, the price you had to pay, To reach this height and have this chance. Many play their whole careers without this reward, Nary a taste of vict’ry sup. Now stand, rejoice and share in the crowd’s thunderous roar, And raise, for them, the Stanley Cup!

The Stanley Cup – by R.J. Paré

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Dwelling Inside Myself [Mindscapes] â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Same van der Wouden

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Music Just a quick note to all you RKYVers out there we are looking for Indie Bands to feature if you or someone you know has a band that could use FREE exposure / hype – then drop me a line: randy.pare@rogers.com In the meantime I thought I’d share my all time FAV album list. I posted this awhile back online but have never shared it with the RKYV audience. This a completely subjective exercise in personal taste and probably bears no resemblance to your own personal list of FAV albums. So without further ado, my Top 15 Albums that I can listen to over and over... 15. The Who - Tommy (1969) This Album created a new art-form: The Rock Opera The first Album I literally lost myself in. Wearing oldschool large stereo headphones I could lie on my bed and wallow in teen angst while exploring the tale of this 'Rock Opera'

"Overture" – 5:21 "It's a Boy" – 0:38 "1921" – 2:49 "Amazing Journey" – 3:25 "Sparks" – 3:46 "Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)" (Williamson) – 2:13 "Christmas" – 4:34 "Cousin Kevin" (Entwistle) – 4:07 "The Acid Queen" – 3:34 "Underture" – 10:09 "Do You Think It's Alright?" – 0:24 "Fiddle About" (Entwistle) – 1:29

"Pinball Wizard" – 3:01 "There's a Doctor" – 0:23 "Go to the Mirror!" – 3:49 "Tommy, Can You Hear Me?" – 1:36 "Smash the Mirror" – 1:35 "Sensation" – 2:27 "Miracle Cure" – 0:12 "Sally Simpson" – 4:12 "I'm Free" – 2:40 "Welcome" – 4:34 "Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Moon) – 0:57 "We're Not Gonna Take It" / "See Me, Feel Me" – 7:08

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14. The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1976) My introduction to Southern Rock. A genre that bridges the musical gap between fans of Rock and fans of Country - probably why the debate still lingers as to which category to place The Eagles in. Ultimately, who cares about labels - great music is great music.

"Take It Easy" (Browne, Frey) – 3:32 "Witchy Woman" (Henley, Leadon) – 4:11 "Lyin' Eyes" (Henley, Frey) – 6:22 "Already Gone" (Tempchin, R. Strandlund) – 4:13 "Desperado" (Henley, Frey) – 3:33 "One of These Nights" (Henley, Frey) – 4:51 "Tequila Sunrise" (Henley, Frey) – 2:52 "Take It to the Limit" (Meisner, Henley, Frey) – 4:48 "Peaceful Easy Feeling" (Tempchin) – 4:18 "Best of My Love" (Henley, Frey, Souther) – 4:35 13. The Band - The Band (1969) Simply the finest example of unique and original North American music-making. The Band's sound defied classification. It blends elements of Rock, Folk, Country, Blue Grass... and probably other stuff I'm not qualified to recognize - LOL

"Across the Great Divide" (Robertson) – 2:53 "Rag Mama Rag" (Robertson) – 3:04 "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Robertson) – 3:33 "When You Awake" (Manuel, Robertson) – 3:13 "Up on Cripple Creek" (Robertson) – 4:34 "Whispering Pines" (Manuel, Robertson) – 3:58 "Jemima Surrender" (Helm, Robertson) – 3:31 "Rockin' Chair" (Robertson) – 3:43 "Look Out Cleveland" (Robertson) – 3:09 "Jawbone" (Manuel, Robertson) – 4:20 "The Unfaithful Servant" (Robertson) – 4:17 "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" (Robertson) – 3:39

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12. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (1975) Out of the streets of Jersey a Rock Poet emerged to speak to another generation in the tradition of Bob Dylan. As opposed to Bob's finger pointing, Bruce speaks up for each of us. His songs say dammit, we know things may be fucked up, but we're trying our best. Bruce hits us with his growling vocals and we feel, at least for a moment, that he's got our back. While we're still young we don't want the world to beat us down - we were Born to Run. "Thunder Road" – 4:49 "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" – 3:11 "Night" – 3:00 "Backstreets" – 6:30

"Born to Run" – 4:31 "She's the One" – 4:30 "Meeting Across the River" – 3:18 "Jungleland" – 9:36

11. Billy Joel - An Innocent Man (1983) For a kid who grew up on 50's and 60's Rock N' Roll this album defied the status quo of the early 80's. There was no big hair and men with makeup wearing spandex. There were no tongues licking the MTV cameras. This nostalgia trip was honest to goodness solid classic style Rock N' Roll. It reminded us the Sax, as an instrument, belongs in rock.

"Easy Money" – 4:04 -- an homage to James Brown; featured in the movie of the same name "An Innocent Man" – 5:17 -- an homage to Ben E. King and The Drifters "The Longest Time" – 3:42 -- an homage to doo-wop. This song required 14 background vocal tracks, each of which was done by Joel and pieced together in production. "This Night" – 4:19 -- Uses Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata as the basis for the chorus

"Tell Her About It" – 3:52 -- an homage to Motown "Uptown Girl" – 3:17 -- an homage to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons "Careless Talk" – 3:48 "Christie Lee" – 3:31 -- an homage to Jerry Lee Lewis "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" – 3:56 "Keeping the Faith" – 4:41

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10. Counting Crows - August and Everything After (1993) While I was in university this Album defined the early 90's with the type of chart domination by reflective and introspective ballads not seen since Carol King's "Tapestry" and much like that album most every track would go on to appear in the Top 40. "Round Here" (Duritz, Dave Janusko, Dan Jewett, Chris Roldan, David Bryson) – 5:32 "Omaha" – 3:40 "Mr. Jones" (Duritz, Bryson) – 4:33 "Perfect Blue Buildings" – 5:01 "Anna Begins" (Duritz, Bryson, Marty Jones, Toby Hawkins, Lydia Holly) – 4:32 "Time and Time Again" (Duritz, Bryson, Charlie Gillingham, Steve Bowman, Don Dixon) – 5:13 "Rain King" (Duritz, Bryson) – 4:16 "Sullivan Street" (Duritz, Bryson) – 4:29 "Ghost Train" – 4:01 "Raining in Baltimore" – 4:41 "A Murder of One" (Duritz, Bryson, Matt Malley) – 5:44

9. The Eagles - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1982) If the first collection of the Eagles introduced me to Southern Rock, this second collection made me a bonafide Fan. This is a collection of The eagles at the top of their game. It rocks on the hard songs and blends amazing harmonies on the ballads. Was one of my favourite party albums to let play all the way through. "Hotel California" (Don Felder, Don Henley, Glenn Frey) – 6:30 "Heartache Tonight" (Henley, Frey, Bob Seger, J.D. Souther) – 4:25 "Seven Bridges Road" (Steve Young) – 2:58 "Victim of Love" (Felder, Souther, Henley, Frey) – 4:11 "The Sad Café" (Henley, Frey, Joe Walsh, Souther) – 5:32

"Life in the Fast Lane" (Walsh, Henley, Frey) – 4:45 "I Can't Tell You Why" (Timothy B. Schmit, Henley, Frey) – 4:54 "New Kid in Town" (Souther, Henley, Frey) – 5:04 "The Long Run" (Henley, Frey) – 3:42 "After the Thrill is Gone" (Henley, Frey) – 4:41

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8. Billy Joel - Glass Houses (1980) The first Album I can recall buying with my own money. My paper route paid for this gem and I played it until I wore it out. So many critics have tried to relegate Billy as "middle of the road" - it is an unfair criticism... his music is an honest reflection of his personal tastes and experience growing up in Long Island, NY in the era he did. This album shows critics don't know what the fuck they are talking about anyway. The first two tracks hit you like a punch to the gut and start the Rock energy flowing. While near the end of the album Billy experiments with an almost pre-rap style vocal delivery on "Close to the Borderline" that was way ahead of its time in terms of pop music.

"You May Be Right" – 4:15 "Sometimes a Fantasy" – 3:40 "Don't Ask Me Why" – 2:59 "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" – 2:57 "All for Leyna" – 4:15

"I Don't Want to Be Alone" – 3:57 "Sleeping With the Television On" – 3:02 "C'Était Toi (You Were the One)" – 3:25 "Close to the Borderline" – 3:47 "Through the Long Night" – 2:43

7. Supertramp - Double Album Crime of the Century & Breakfast in America (1980) The double LP cassette was in ghetto-blasters at my school throughout grade 10 & 11 and soundtracked many an outdoor lunch period. The Brits are back and unlike much of the forgettable 'New Wave" - Supertramp's blend of progressive Rock instrumentation with oft-times bluesy style rock lyrics made them a chart topping success for a decade.

"School" – 5:34 "Bloody Well Right" – 4:31 "Hide In Your Shell" – 6:48 "Asylum" – 6:43 "Dreamer" – 3:31 "Rudy" – 7:19 "If Everyone Was Listening" – 4:04 "Crime of the Century" – 5:36

"Dreamer" – 3:31 "Rudy" – 7:19 "If Everyone Was Listening" – 4:04 "Crime of the Century" – 5:36 "Take the Long Way Home" – 5:08 "Lord Is It Mine" – 4:09 "Just Another Nervous Wreck" – 4:26 "Casual Conversations" – 2:58 "Child of Vision" – 7:25

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6. Beach Boys - Endless Summer (1974) I cannot recall how many summer afternoons were spent listening to each and every track on this LP. The Beach Boys are truly an iconic American Band responsible, in large part, for the public's introduction to sophisticated recording techniques and, of course, the realization that Rock Music did not necessarily have to be shouting vocals with bare bones instrumental back up - but could include rich and layered harmonies. This collection of their 60's hits - released in the 70's was a commercial success due to its ability to evoke those ever elusive and quite fictional "better times" "Surfin' Safari" – 2:05 "Surfer Girl" (Brian Wilson) – 2:26 "Catch a Wave" – 2:07 "The Warmth of the Sun" – 2:51 "Surfin' USA" (Chuck Berry/Brian Wilson) – 2:27 "Be True to Your School" (Album Version) – 2:07 "Little Deuce Coupe" (Brian Wilson/Roger Christian) – 1:38 "In My Room" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher) – 2:11

"Shut Down" (Brian Wilson/Roger Christian) – 1:49 "Fun, Fun, Fun" – 2:16 "I Get Around" – 2:12 "Girls on the Beach" – 2:24 "Wendy" – 2:16 "Let Him Run Wild" – 2:20 "Don't Worry Baby" (Brian Wilson/Roger Christian) – 2:47 "California Girls" – 2:38 "Girl Don't Tell Me" – 2:19 "Help Me, Ronda" – 3:08 "You're So Good to Me" – 2:14 "All Summer Long" – 2:06

5. Cat Stevens - Greatest Hits (1975) For my money, the greatest vocalist in the history of Rock/Pop music. As a musician, a songwriter and a vocalist cat Stevens impresses with each and every track. I still listen to these tracks in my car every chance I get, often getting funny looks from other drivers as I sing along. "Peace Train" – 4:13 "Wild World" – 3:22 "Oh Very Young" – 2:34 "Ready" – 3:16 "Can't Keep It In" – 2:59 "Father & Son" – 3:41 "Hard Headed Woman" – 3:49 "Sitting" – 3:13 "Moonshadow" – 2:49 "Morning Has Broken" – 3:18 "Two Fine People" – 3:33 "Another Saturday Night" – 2:29

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4. Billy Joel - Piano Man (1973) The album that made Billy a house hold name with its # 1 single of the same title. This LP is unexpected in that it doesn't seek to run on an established groove. If you think you are in for 10 tracks that all sorta sound like Piano Man - you are in for a surprise. Billy plays with different stylings all through the album... it is not so much a "studio album" as it is a compilation of songs Billy wrote that he thought were cool. Ranging from the wistful to the rollicking evoking everything from Urban themes to Country memories. This Album announced to the World that Billy was done with playing back up in band ensembles and was ready to be taken seriously as a solo artist. "Travelin' Prayer" – 4:10 "Piano Man" – 5:37 "Ain't No Crime" – 3:20 "You're My Home" – 3:14 "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" – 5:35 "Worse Comes to Worst" – 3:28

"Stop in Nevada" – 3:40 "If I Only Had the Words (To Tell You)" – 3:35 "Somewhere Along the Line" – 3:17 "Captain Jack" – 7:15

3. Bobby Goldsboro - Greatest Hits (1978) This crossover artist, from Country to the Pop charts wrote songs from the heart. His beautiful ballads of loss and regret transcend genre and should be at the top of anyone's list of breakup music. 'Autumn of my Life', 'See the Funny Little Clown' and 'With Pen in Hand' are guaranteed doses of cathartic release.

Honey The Straight Life Glad She's A Woman I'm A Drifter See The Funny Little Crown It's Too Late/With Pen In Hand Muddy Mississippi Line Autumn Of My Life Can You Feel It Blue Autumn

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2. Carole King - Tapestry (1971) The phenomenal success of this album can sometimes make us forget its artistry. It is true that at some point in the 70's damn near every home in North America had a copy of this LP on the shelves. But this is no recording industry - factory made pop creation. Not in the least. Carole's poetic ballads have become standards rerecorded by numerous artists over the years. Her strengths as a songwriter and a vocalist are displayed at their peak in these virtuoso performances. Don't take my word for it. Tapestry was ranked US number 1 for 15 weeks and remained on the charts for over six years. The album also garnered four Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Record of the Year ("It's Too Late"); and Song of the Year ("You've Got a Friend"). All this, despite the fact that the album features MINIMAL production - Carole relies on no studio tricks and polish to win her audience over - what you hear is all her even the imperfections [of which there are few]. Buy this album, download, listen to it - I simply cannot stress enough the profound impact of this albums artistry.

"I Feel the Earth Move" – 2:58 "So Far Away" – 3:55 "It's Too Late" (lyrics by Toni Stern) – 3:53 "Home Again" – 2:29 "Beautiful" – 3:08 "Way Over Yonder" – 4:44 "You've Got a Friend" – 5:09 "Where You Lead" (lyrics by Stern) – 3:20 "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" (Gerry Goffin, King) – 4:12 "Smackwater Jack" (Goffin, King) – 3:41 "Tapestry" – 3:13 "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Goffin, King, Jerry Wexler) – 3:49

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1. Jim Croce - Photographs and Memories (1974) Jim Croce was taken from us far too soon. His humour, his voice, his talent left an indelible mark on popular music. Jim died in a plane crash at the age of 30 - just as his music was starting to flourish on the charts. In his short career he recorded numerous singles that would stand the test of time. I defy you to go to an 'open mic night' and not find some amateur troubadour covering one of his songs. Most jukeboxes [where you can find them] will still have his songs on the playlist. Every Karaoke night I have ever been to has been laced with folks singing his songs in unison. This collection puts all of his best work together and can be listened to and enjoyed regardless of your age and usual musical preference. It is full of joy and whimsy and wonderful urban reflections by an accoustic poet. At the same time these tracks evoke a melancholy as you realize what else might have been.

"Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" - 3:02 "Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)" - 3:45 "Photographs and Memories" - 2:03 "Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)" - 2:40 "Time In A Bottle" - 2:24 "New York's Not My Home" - 3:05 "Workin' At The Car Wash Blues" - 2:29 "I Got A Name" - 3:09 "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song" - 2:28 "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" - 3:00 "Lover's Cross" - 3:02 "One Less Set Of Footsteps" - 2:46 "These Dreams" - 3:12 "Roller Derby Queen" - 3:28

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AD for the MILK graphic novel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Stephen White

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Pop Culture Comic Book Review –

by R.J. Pare’

Thought I’d pop in with an update on the brilliant graphic novel – “MILK” – by Stephen White due for release this August from Insomnia Publications. I’ve been very intrigued by the powerful and richly detailed images previewed for this graphic novel. From images that hearken back to the old the retro-futurism of "Things to Come"; to surprising twists on "newstrip style" cartoon illustrations; to Noir aspects that bow at the "altar of Eisner".... it has a little something different, for different tastes. PAGE 53

In order to promote ‘MILK’ Stephen is offering a draw prize of ORIGINAL SIGNED ARTWORK for those who participate in the MILK COMPETITION Rules and clues are posted on the FaceBook Group Page ‘MILK by Stref’ http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=22420456975&ref=ts

I look forward to the opportunity to drink deep! MILK – by Stephen White

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You Smell Like Robots â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by Roger Formidable

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RAISED ON SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS – by Pauline Pare’ Spring is in the air and for this month’s article I have decided to try my hand at poetry. In particular, an homage to something I love dearly. For this endeavour, I have enlisted the help of my best friend, my wonderful husband, my fellow couch potato and my demanding editor, all who, coincidentally, share the same name: Randy Paré. ODE TO MY TELEVISION SET By Pauline & R.J. Paré For you, darling TV set I am able To pay an exorbitant cost for cable Through you, many finer skills I have enriched, Like my Bewitchy nose and Vulcan nerve pinch. I found that I could end environmental woes, With a Flintsone car that’s powered by our toes A woman can be sexy and still fight crime with a gun. Who says that the boys, get all of the fun?

But worry not, I do keep “Friends.” With syndication, that show never ends. Without you how could I determine the fate, Of my dear “lost” friends, Hurley, Sawyer and Kate? Through final frontiers of adventures we’d soar, The Stars we’ve Trekked – Where No One Has Gone Before Oh my sweet grey Sanyo, I vow to love you eternally, Or at least until I can afford a plasma with HD

Classic TV – by R.J. Paré

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