Jason Rodriguez - The Moose in the Closet: 24-Minute Comic, Free Zen and Greeks Gone Wild

24-Hour comic day came and went and I started to see a couple of the comics that were created as a result of it. Well, two comics, because I really haven’t been looking too hard for the others. But Scott Keating, the colorist for Elk’s Run (as well as the artist for Phinea’s Gold in Western Tales of Terror as well as the artist for…well…and upcoming H&B project) did this one which I found to be amazing for a 24 hour comic. He was working with Paul Tucker who did this one, another incredible accomplishment. Both of these were found on the Isotope Lounge which, again, you really should be going to.

I was inspired, to say the least, and I decided to make my own 24-minute comic since I don’t have a lot of time. The rules were simple, start making a comic and stop after 24 minutes and see what I got. Well, here’s what I got (6 Pages total):

And while I’m throwing up free comics, Saul Colt of SSS Comics was kind enough to put up 52 free pages of Zen Bounty Hunter and I highly suggest you take advantage of it.

Speaking of Saul Colt, During Wizard World LA I was sitting with him at a bar. He made a comment about my “life experiences” and how unique they are, drawing from this blog as his proof. I disagreed, like I always do, because I honestly don’t believe that anything really spectacular happens to me.

And then, I remember stories like this one.

My Aunt Sophie moved to Virginia some time ago and my family would drive down to Virginia to visit them. Occasionally, we’d take an extra day or two and stop at Virginia Beach. Growing up in New York we had Rockaway or Coney Island within a reasonable distance and they filled our beach need. So, whereas we had a beach, the concept behind a beach town, a city that relied fully on a beach economy, was sort of a magical idea to us and trips to Virginia Beach where about as exciting as trips to Disney World.

Well, on time we went were having our usual great time. We swam, boogey boarded, mini-golfed, haunted housed, freak showed and ice-creamed. The usual things you do at a beach town.

There was something a bit different this weekend, however, Virginia Beach was having their annual Greek Fest. Once a year all of the black fraternities would come to Virginia Beach and party their asses off.

I remember standing on the corner of Atlantic Avenue with my father and I pointed at a frat-members branded epsilon symbol on his bicep and asked what it was. My father started telling me and the guy looked over at us and asked what we were looking at. My father told him and he chilled out and explained to me how he got branded, fraternities, etc. It was really cool. What I didn’t pick up on, as a kid, was that initial tension.

There were some problems the night before, apparently. People getting harassed a bit by cops, a couple of fights at local bars, stuff like that.

No big deal, you get a bunch of people together like that and there are bound to be problems.

That night, I went to bed, slept like a rock. I woke up the next morning and my mother and father looked like shit. They looked like they hadn’t slept all night. And then they explained to me what happened the night before.

THE FUCKING GREEK FEST RIOTS.

AND! I SLEPT THROUGH THEM!

Does anyone remember this? I’m amazed at how many people don’t know what I’m talking about until I mention the Public Enemy song. Apparently, I wouldn’t know except for second hand sources, it was some scary shit.

We packed up our stuff and left Virginia Beach. The streets were locked down; I seem to remember the National Guard being there or at least my father telling me they were. Our hotel was fucked, the glass in the lobby shattered and shit turned over and broken. There were fucking helicopters.

We were driving down the street and a cop pulled us over, asked where we were going. My father told him we were going home and they let us through. Everything was torn the fuck up.

I mean, it was a riot, plain and simple. A bunch of angry college kids that were harassed and pushed too far fucking snapped and destroyed Virginia Beach. Public Enemy made a song about it. And I was there. And I slept through it.

So, I guess, even when I have an opportunity for one of these “life experiences” as Saul Colt would say, I miss the whole fucking thing.

I told my friends this story in college and one of them made me a shirt that said “I Slept Through the Greek Fest Riots” on the front and “Learn How to Riot, Greeks” on the back. I wish I still had that fucking shirt.

turn of the metallica, fanboy: Fear of a Black Planet - The track is "Welcome to the Terrordrome"

Labels: mitc

24-Minute Comic, Free Zen and Greeks Gone Wild

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

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