Howard Tayler's blog
New Merchandise Coming!
Submitted by Howard Tayler on June 3, 2008 - 23:11
We have new merchandise on the way, but I’m not telling you what it is yet. I shall instead taunt you with with these clues (until I can find the camera cable, that is…)
1) We’ve never done these before.
2) They’re made with LASERS.
3) You’ll want all eight.
You may feel free to post your guesses, but it’s no fair thinking up stuff that’s cooler than what we’re actually providing.
We’re back on our feet, folks!
Submitted by Howard Tayler on June 2, 2008 - 23:18
As you may or may not have heard, on Saturday a transformer in the electrical room powering schlockmercenary.com (and 9,000 other web servers) exploded. It took out three walls, but (ironically) left the fourth wall intact. Obviously the transformer in question was a Decepticon. I’m blaming that annoying little “Soundwave” guy. He’s a sneaky one.
Okay, seriously… we’ve been running on shoestrings and hacking coughs for three days.
By request, a desktop background…
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 29, 2008 - 01:48
It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. DJ Delorie on the Nightstar forum demanded a desktop background from today’s strip, and (as is rarely the case) it was fairly easy to format it. Of course it was also very tedious since my upgrade to Photoshop CS3 ate the macros I’d created for automating this stuff.
The desktops are available in three aspect ratios and several resolutions, shown below:
Blog Posts I Owe You
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 27, 2008 - 01:16
I owe you some blog posts. I still haven’t written up my LepreCon adventures, and here it’s been almost three weeks. CONduit was this weekend, and I skipped most of it, but got to meet (and converse at length, and record a podcast with) Michael Stackpole. Oh, and speaking of Podcasting, there’s a new Writing Excuses up, and it’s a pretty good one. I suppose this mention qualifies as blogging THAT.
Memorial Day Musings
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 26, 2008 - 22:25
Perhaps it could go without saying that I honor and respect the men and women who have given their lives to keep me free. It should not, however. Though I believe my support is obvious, it can never be so obvious that it goes without saying.
It must be said. It must be said aloud, and publicly. It must echo.
Shipping Status Update — From Sandra Tayler
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 26, 2008 - 15:15
There has been a minor production delay on the Ringer-style Rule 37 shirts. The 5XL regular-style Rule 37 shirts are delayed as well. If your order contains one of these type of shirts, it will be delayed. Hopefully we’ll be able to ship these in about a week. All the other orders have either shipped already, or are going out in tomorrow’s mail.
Requiescat Robert Lynn Aspirin (1946-2008)
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 23, 2008 - 14:45
I just got word that Robert Aspirin passed away yesterday. The full text of the article on the SFWA website can be found here.
Aspirin was a great writer, and I count his comedic works (especially the Phule’s Company series) among my strongest influences. I loved the Myth Adventures series with Aahz and Skeeve, and Phil Foglio recently sent me the graphic novel he and Aspirin collaborated on.
I Am Now A Bradley Schenck Fan
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 22, 2008 - 11:05
I don’t usually plug stuff I’m being paid to run ads for, but I LOVE the designs over at Retropolis Transit Authority. Visually, these things are a dream come true — literally, they are the future-dreaming of the 1930s-era scientifiction set.
Another Twitter Experiment…
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 20, 2008 - 09:39
Schlock has his own twitter page, and he’ll be twittering in-character for a bit. Once a day, no more than that. Don’t expect big punchlines or anything. It’s just an experiment.
If this works well, I have NO IDEA how I’ll format it for inclusion in a book…
Iron Man, Tin Man, Prince Caspian, and Speed Racer.
Submitted by Howard Tayler on May 20, 2008 - 02:17
Saw some films in the last few weeks. My thoughts in short:
1) Iron Man was wonderful. Robert Downey, Jr’s interactions with the assembly-bots were inspired. I’ve only seen it once, but I’d see it again if I had time.
