I was surprised and saddened to learn just the other day that Rene Auberjonois passed away at the end of last year. Even before the upheaval of the pandemic hit us, I think life was busy and a bit chaotic, and I just missed it.
I'd been a fan ...

The Non-Arc Arc
Banes at 12:00AM, Sept. 10, 2020
I have been a fan of the writer Peter David for many years. After being away from comics for some years, I discovered his run on the Hulk, and also found his work on the Star Trek novels. He was the best writer for those, for my taste anyway. There ...
Character Design Brainstorming: The Sorceress
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Sept. 5, 2020
The Sorceress is a powerful figure in fiction, just like the Priest/Priestess/Clergy.
In works where magic or God are present and in direct communion with the characters, both can perform miracles, or otherwise astounding feats beyond normal mortal limits.
In works where there is no magic or God ...
Continuity
Banes at 12:00AM, July 23, 2020
Preserving continuity is difficult with any writing project of length - with the weeks, months or more it might take to write a single novel or screenplay, it can be easy to forget things. So the problem is compounded if writing an extended series comic, TV or web series, movies or ...
Making Meaningful Connections
kawaiidaigakusei at 12:00AM, June 22, 2020
TP Time (2020)
This piece shows the relationship of toilet paper and time. Are they both running out or is it possible to buy more of either one?
I snapped a picture while staring up at a tall pile of toilet paper rolls and an analog clock. The quick pace ...
A Character's Free Will
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, June 20, 2020
Whether we have free will or not is a philosophical, existential and psychological conundrum that will forever tease and challenge us. While I can't speak for philosophers, I can for psychologists:
Behaviorists will tell you it doesn't exist (look up Skinner); Cognitive behaviorists will tell you it's ...
The Art of the Conversation
kawaiidaigakusei at 12:00AM, June 1, 2020
Understanding the importance of the dialogue between two characters (or an internal monologue) is crucial for writing conversations in comics. It is true that comics are written differently than real world conversations because it removes a lot of the idiosyncrasies that happen in real-time conversations. However, learning to apply techniques ...
QUACKCAST 477 - Darkest before dawn
Ozoneocean at 12:00AM, May 5, 2020 LISTEN on our new player!
Listen on Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/drunkduck-quackcast
Or TuneinRadio - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Books–Literature/Drunkduck-Quackcast-p1150194/
Today on this glorious date we chat about that part in stories where everything turns to crap for the protagonists, just before the run up to the ...
After Marriage
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, April 25, 2020
Usually in adventures, thrillers and other stories, when the main characters are romantically involved, the B plot (or even the A plot) is the ‘will they/won’t they' question: will they get together in the end, usually with a happy end scene of marriage, or some such thing. Romance ...