Jim Ottaviani's Blog, page 16
April 12, 2011
March 15, 2011
Feynman: Cover design, again
Another interview with Colleen AF Venable, in which she talks about the Feynman book.This time, we get to see lots of rejected ideas, about which I would have been willing to say "Yeah, that one!" about any of 'em.
Heck, she could have even convinced me to go with the Warhol look you get when you string them all together!
February 28, 2011
Spelling Bee for Honest Cheaters, Dirty Rotten Spellers and Mustachioed Heroes
Image via Wikipedia
My pal Rob Hess and I are going to do some bad spelling to benefit 826michigan, and in a clear metaphor for...well, lots of things, the more money we raise the more we can cheat.But in this case, it's for a good cause: Reading, writing, and tutoring programs for kids.
So yeah, I'm hitting you up for money, and I'm not ashamed of it. You can
donate right here !
or, for a little more context and a goofy portrait of Noah Webster, click on the Sponsor Me button on this page.
Please do.
What's in it for you, besides knowing you've done the right thing? Leave a comment or a note if you donated more than $24.99 -- I trust you! -- and I'll draw a name from the list of those who did and send 'em one of my books, for free.
edited to add: Oh, hey, look...I ended up with an extra copy of Evolution by my fabulous pals Jay Hosler, Kevin Cannon, and Zander Cannon. So, it looks like two of you will make out like a bandit, as will literacy and tutoring programs in Michigan!
edited again, to add: I found another neat book to give away: The Secret Miracle , which not coincidentally is an 826 benefit book itself, and features many great writers talking about how and why they work. So now I'll draw three names.
February 26, 2011
"Get a heat"
The last couple of weeks found me in the Abandoned Warehouse District of Brooklyn (you know the one -- it's where all the superhero vs. supervillain battles take place in 1960s Marvel Comics), a bonsai artist's nursery in Milwaukie, Periscope Studio in Portland, Gas Works Park in Seattle, an unnamed and snowy trail near Mt. Rainier, and, finally, TLC Forge in Eatonville.
The first stop was for an unusual, whirlwind, and cold freelance gig which I don't think I can talk about yet, and the rest were mostly pleasure with a little comics-related business mixed in for seasoning. Amy, Dan, Michael, Sara, Steve, Carolyn, Jim, Billy O. (and Neeko, Kanika and Bear), Terry, Louise, and everyone else: Thank you!
p.s. I didn't correct the red-eye here because sometimes you shouldn't.
February 8, 2011
Feynman: Cover design
I've never read an interview with Colleen AF Venable before, but I've had the pleasure of talking to her face-to-face and working with her too. She's fun, smart, enthusiastic, and...well, I just want to repeat those words again, so I will. She's fun, smart, and enthusiastic! I also think she's a great designer, and couldn't be happier with what she did for
Feynman
.(By the way, that's just the front of the dustjacket. The back is great too, and the grace notes she added to the case binding itself are swell. Pun intended, Colleen!)
February 4, 2011
Samuel Beckett and Particle Physics Humor
Apropos of nothing, a couple things I found so funny this week that I still remember them on a Friday afternoon. Here you go...
Gaming news:
Theoretical Physics (sort of) humor (sort of):
Have a good weekend!
Gaming news:
Waiting for Godot for Wii breaks first week sales records.
Theoretical Physics (sort of) humor (sort of):
The tachyon walks out of the bar.
The bartender says "We don't serve your kind here."
A tachyon walks into a bar.
Have a good weekend!
January 28, 2011
What are the odds?
Just recently I realized that the next two books to come out (written by me, anyway) are both being drawn -- make that beautifully drawn -- by artists named Leland: Myrick for
Feynman
and Purvis for
The Imitation Game
.
And that got me to wondering what the odds were of that happening, since these are the only two Leland's I've ever known in my life.
It turns out you can estimate the odds, via
That's how lucky I am.
And that got me to wondering what the odds were of that happening, since these are the only two Leland's I've ever known in my life.
It turns out you can estimate the odds, via
That's how lucky I am.
January 18, 2011
Dinosaur Wars
Did anybody see the PBS show Dinosaur Wars? It's about Cope and Marsh, two scientists near and dear to my heart, so I hope it's really good.
I look forward to seeing it. And while they don't cite Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards as an influence, (in which Zander and Kevin drew not only a great comic book story, but the perfect template/storyboards for a film, in my not-very-unbiased opinion!) they do cite the Charles R. Knight autobiography I edited and published...
I look forward to seeing it. And while they don't cite Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards as an influence, (in which Zander and Kevin drew not only a great comic book story, but the perfect template/storyboards for a film, in my not-very-unbiased opinion!) they do cite the Charles R. Knight autobiography I edited and published...
January 6, 2011
Reflections and predictions on and about comics
Forget about health care, climate change, and the economy. Comics are the most important topic to opine about in the new year, right?
Right. So, you can find out what I thought about the state of comics and the comics industry in 2010, and what I think will happen in 2011 as well, in two place: The Beat and Robot 6. And if you don't care what I thought you'll still want to visit, because many other smart people looked into their rear-view mirrors and crystal balls as well.
Back to writing about robots...
Right. So, you can find out what I thought about the state of comics and the comics industry in 2010, and what I think will happen in 2011 as well, in two place: The Beat and Robot 6. And if you don't care what I thought you'll still want to visit, because many other smart people looked into their rear-view mirrors and crystal balls as well.
Back to writing about robots...
December 20, 2010
Something(s) to read, 2010: Prose
Up here above the 42nd parallel the weather is such that I'm staying
inside and reading more, and you might also plan to spend extra time
indoors in the next few weeks. Or months. So as a public service, here
are the best books-without-many-pictures I read in 2010, complete with my
brief notes to myself about them. They're in no particular order;
they're all good and some are even better than that. I hope you find
something here that you like!
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The Blind Side
Lewis, Michael
I wouldn't have guessed I could be gripped by the evolution of pass rushing in the NFL, or yet another story of a kid rescued from poverty and unrealized potential. But I was. Lewis is a great writer. (I read others by him this year, and they're all good, but this is my favorite.)
Big Bang
Singh, Simon
Spot-on overview of the development of the big bang theory. Well written and informative...the illustrated bits are terrific.
Team of Rivals
Goodwin, Doris Kearns
Fantastic account of Lincoln's presidency and how he made it work. Worshipful at times (Lincoln never makes a mistake that lasts longer than a paragraph, often not even a couple of sentences...suspending habeus corpus at the very least should merit more), but convincing in describing his genius. Civil War history could be taught out of this book to give a balanced and exciting picture of what was at stake, what was done (and compromised; Lincoln's caginess about emancipation is enlightening), and what was said. It would engage everyone in a classroom.
Packing for Mars
Roach, Mary
Breezy and fun and a great closing statement. I'm a sucker for the subject matter, sure, but this is terrific even if you aren't. She's a great writer.
Seven Days in the Art World
Thornton, Sarah
A peek into the world of high/fine art. Fascinating (there are still some new ideas -- Takashi Murakami is commercial but fun and interesting) and depressing (ugly commercialism and posturing are rampant) at the same time.
Fiction
Plainsong
Haruf, Kent
Spare and understated, the mood and emotions of the story creep in as you read it. I can barely describe any of the characters physically, but they're all believable and feel real.
The Night Gardener
Pelecanos, George
Tightly woven and tautly written. You can see where The Wire comes from.
Mystic River
Lehane, Dennis
The journey is its own reward, since the writing is so good. But the ending is even more amazing. Apparently this was a movie, and it couldn't have been very good -- or had to be a different story with the same name -- because the depth of characterization here would be almost impossible to achieve in less than a 12 part miniseries with writing and performances on par with The Wire. (Which Lehane wrote for. Yes, I think that show is brilliant.)
Science Fiction
Feed
Anderson, M.T.
Very good, and grim, dystopian future. The progress of the characters was predictable to some extent, but the book was well-crafted and tight -- the subtle hints about the world itself added to the realism, as Anderson left just enough to the reader's imagination.
Fantasy
The Wee Free Men
Pratchett, Terry
Great kids book, with an interesting cast, clever dialogue, and a plucky heroine who's just right. I fear the next books might break the spell, but I'll read them anyway.
The Line Between
Beagle, Peter S.
I enjoyed this very much, with the possible exception of the last story, which was slightly (though only just) less interesting than the others to me. "Two Hearts" was fantastic, even though I'd not yet read The Last Unicorn. (Which I then did, and enjoyed.)
Audio
A Slight Trick of the Mind
Cullin, Mitch
A sad novel of Sherlock Holmes' later years as his mind begins to fail him. Moody and evocative and emotional, it's an unexpected look at lost love and opportunity.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
Bryson, Bill
Charming reminiscence of growing up in 1950s Des Moines. It's hard to believe that all the things he said and did happened to him, but even if they didn't, in just the manner he describes, he had a wonderful childhood and knows how to tell his own story.
inside and reading more, and you might also plan to spend extra time
indoors in the next few weeks. Or months. So as a public service, here
are the best books-without-many-pictures I read in 2010, complete with my
brief notes to myself about them. They're in no particular order;
they're all good and some are even better than that. I hope you find
something here that you like!
@font-face {
font-family: "Times New Roman";
}@font-face {
font-family: "Palatino";
}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Palatino; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }Non-fiction
The Blind Side
Lewis, Michael
I wouldn't have guessed I could be gripped by the evolution of pass rushing in the NFL, or yet another story of a kid rescued from poverty and unrealized potential. But I was. Lewis is a great writer. (I read others by him this year, and they're all good, but this is my favorite.)
Big Bang
Singh, Simon
Spot-on overview of the development of the big bang theory. Well written and informative...the illustrated bits are terrific.
Team of Rivals
Goodwin, Doris Kearns
Fantastic account of Lincoln's presidency and how he made it work. Worshipful at times (Lincoln never makes a mistake that lasts longer than a paragraph, often not even a couple of sentences...suspending habeus corpus at the very least should merit more), but convincing in describing his genius. Civil War history could be taught out of this book to give a balanced and exciting picture of what was at stake, what was done (and compromised; Lincoln's caginess about emancipation is enlightening), and what was said. It would engage everyone in a classroom.
Packing for Mars
Roach, Mary
Breezy and fun and a great closing statement. I'm a sucker for the subject matter, sure, but this is terrific even if you aren't. She's a great writer.
Seven Days in the Art World
Thornton, Sarah
A peek into the world of high/fine art. Fascinating (there are still some new ideas -- Takashi Murakami is commercial but fun and interesting) and depressing (ugly commercialism and posturing are rampant) at the same time.
Fiction
Plainsong
Haruf, Kent
Spare and understated, the mood and emotions of the story creep in as you read it. I can barely describe any of the characters physically, but they're all believable and feel real.
The Night Gardener
Pelecanos, George
Tightly woven and tautly written. You can see where The Wire comes from.
Mystic River
Lehane, Dennis
The journey is its own reward, since the writing is so good. But the ending is even more amazing. Apparently this was a movie, and it couldn't have been very good -- or had to be a different story with the same name -- because the depth of characterization here would be almost impossible to achieve in less than a 12 part miniseries with writing and performances on par with The Wire. (Which Lehane wrote for. Yes, I think that show is brilliant.)
Science Fiction
Feed
Anderson, M.T.
Very good, and grim, dystopian future. The progress of the characters was predictable to some extent, but the book was well-crafted and tight -- the subtle hints about the world itself added to the realism, as Anderson left just enough to the reader's imagination.
Fantasy
The Wee Free Men
Pratchett, Terry
Great kids book, with an interesting cast, clever dialogue, and a plucky heroine who's just right. I fear the next books might break the spell, but I'll read them anyway.
The Line Between
Beagle, Peter S.
I enjoyed this very much, with the possible exception of the last story, which was slightly (though only just) less interesting than the others to me. "Two Hearts" was fantastic, even though I'd not yet read The Last Unicorn. (Which I then did, and enjoyed.)
Audio
A Slight Trick of the Mind
Cullin, Mitch
A sad novel of Sherlock Holmes' later years as his mind begins to fail him. Moody and evocative and emotional, it's an unexpected look at lost love and opportunity.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
Bryson, Bill
Charming reminiscence of growing up in 1950s Des Moines. It's hard to believe that all the things he said and did happened to him, but even if they didn't, in just the manner he describes, he had a wonderful childhood and knows how to tell his own story.
