ROFLcon II 2010 at MIT and signing at Million Year Picnic

This weekend will bring some of the most well-known internet personalities to MIT in Cambridge, MA for ROFLcon II. This list of guests is pretty big but among the more infamous are David of "David After Dentist", Keyboard Cat, Garfield Minus Garfield, I Can Haz Cheezburger and Stuff White People Like. But there will also be some serious academic types and internet sociologists, just to take the nerd level to 11. I'm proud to say I'll be there and gearing up for something called Super Art Fight! on Saturday from 2-3:30. Fellow web comic artists will be pitted against each other in a battle for comic supremacy. The bad news is ROFLcon is completely sold out (good for ROFLcon) but the good news is they will be streaming the entire weekend live and will have cameras in every panel and discussion room so you can tune in!

Then after the panel (and some geeking out) I'll be headed over to The Million Year Picnic in Harvard Square for a book signing from 5:30-7pm to celebrate Free Comic Book Day...for even MORE geeking out! Come by and keep me company!

Census 2010

I always thought the Census was kind of weird but I never got the creepy conspiracy feeling from it. To me it feels like some antiquated counting system developed, put in place and now it's kind of on autopilot. The margins of error must be pretty big for something that is supposed to help us determine the allocation of public funds which begs the question "Do we really need the Census?" I'm still behind it because a lot of good can be done with the information. If anything, I don't trust the people who could potentially do something stupid with the data, not necessarily the data itself. I just wonder at what point the information becomes useless because of the constantly mixing diversity of the US population. They should throw in an entertaining question just for shits and giggles like "Who is stronger, an enraged Thing or a relaxed Hulk?"

Morgan Hill Haru Matsuri

Last weekend was the 50th Anniversary of the Morgan Hill Haru Matsuri. I created an original strip just for the event. So you get TWO strips this week. Enjoy!

Thanks GRNY!

Had a great time at the GRNY signing. Thanks to everyone who came. It was great seeing friends I haven't seen in years show up for the event. It was like a reunion from a bunch of different points in time. Special thanks to Mark at GRNY for taking care of the logistics and being a generally cool guy. Here are some pictures. 

Birthing Class!

That's right, those of you with kids probably know all about this. And those who don't...you will. The last class I took I felt REALLY queasy. And it didn't even have anything to do with what was being taught or shown. But at one point I popped a Life Saver in my mouth to help take my mind off the sick feeling. But right then the instructor started talking about how the cervix, which is like a ring, begins to essentially dissolve as delivery time approaches...just like a Life Saver. I almost gave birth to my lunch right there.

Angry Reader of the Week

This week I reach a milestone in every Asian American's life. That's right, I am the Angry Reader of the Week over at AngryAsianMan.com. See what makes my sake boil.

IMAGINASIAN benefit auction

A little while back I donated some artwork to IMAGINASIAN, an arts event at Purdue University celebrating APA month. Donated pieces are now going on auction to help raise money for Purdue's Asian American Studies program. The first of three of my pieces is now available. Please check it out as well as the other cool items up for auction like an autographed book from Yuri Kochiyama (!), autographed Far East Movement CD and an original piece of art from Larry "G.I. Joe" Hama.

SAM at GRNY

With a very successful weekend at the Boston Comic Con behind me I'm really looking forward to the book signing at Giant Robot New York. I'll be signing copies of Daily Days but also debuting this new benefit shirt for Giant Robot. My share of the sales will go to Giant Robot. If you're in NYC on Friday 4/23, definitely come by the store between 6-8pm. This shirt will also be the Daily Deal at Blacklava this Friday so if you're not going to be in NYC, that's your chance to grab one. See you in NYC!

Minority Scholarships for everyone!

I go back and forth on this all the time in my head. I see the positives and, in some cases, necessities, of racial minority based scholarships but I'm always aware of the down-side that it may be denying scholarship funds to someone who actually deserves it more. But then again, why do smarter people need financial help? Wouldn't they logically be better off in the near future anyway by means of a good job thanks to their genetically superior brain? So it's the bottom of the barrel that needs some help, right? But that's like being rewarded for stupidity. Why would I pay for that? What? I'm not? A lot of these scholarships are privately funded? When you have conversations with yourself do you hear different voices like I do?

Boston Comic Con wrap up

Amazing time at the Boston Comic Con. It was really good to see the show growing and huge lines out the door. Heard a couple reports of 2 hour waits to get in! I suppose that blows if you're outside waiting though...not sure what the story was there.

Thanks to everyone who came by and said hello and support SAM by buying a copy of Daily Days, original artwork or just having a conversation. I wasn't bored for a minute. I even sold out of books! Special thanks to the folks who brought birthday cards (one of which I didn't realize at the time was signed by Jim Lee!) and even a cake! It was damn tasty too.

Boston Comic Con this weekend!

Gearing up for this weekend's Boston Comic Con at the Westin Boston Waterfront. This will be the largest comic con that I can remember Boston hosting. The guests are top shelf, all sorts of cool organizations are going to be present and it's always a great time seeing old friends and making new ones. I'm very excited to have Daily Days available for sale at the con. FINALLY having a SAM book for sale at a comic show is very exciting for me. If you're in Boston this weekend swing by, get dressed up in your best geeky costume and bring some friends. It's only $15 per day. Plus, Sunday is my birthday!

Religious "Freedom"

There are a lot of religions in the world and most of them preach something that I have problems with. I'll never tell someone that they don't have the right to believe in anything they want but when it becomes apparent that that person's actions, informed by their religious beliefs, is impacting someone else negatively I have a huge problem. As I understand it, religion is something we choose, right? It's not a genetic thing. Yet generation after generation is indoctrinated into a religion they essentially have no choice over. Maybe later as an adult they can decide to switch faith but until then they're pretty much living under someone else's rules. I can accept this idea from a parental point of view but I just can't from a religious one. Perhaps if I grew up with religion I would have a different POV. But I didn't, so I don't.