[Posted by E&C on 22 Aug 2010 01:57 pm]

I read a scathing article about Tim Burton’s state of arrested development. He once again was making a movie with himself as the main character but played by Johnny Depp. The movie was going to juxtapose darkness with gaudy colors, and the movie’s score would be demented circus music composed by Danny Elfman. The movie was Corpse Bride.

And Burton’s done it again. Alice in Wonderland is the latest in the list: Edward Scissorhands, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Sweeny Todd. The reviews of Alice and the reviews of Charlie are so damn similar, you’d think they were the same movie.

You know who’s not in a state of arrested development? Joseph Cook, creator of the webcomic, Shattered Myth.

Joe Cook is today’s guest artist. I approached him a week ago and asked him if he could lend his particular talents to our Alice in Wonderland strip. Being the cool cat that he is, he agreed. A day later, he sent me art. I said it looked great and that we would publish it soon. Then, this guy--this totally talented and very busy guy--he says, “Hang on, I can do better. Gimme another day. Another day passes and he sends me the art you see above. The guy doesn’t settle. Even on a guest strip for a humble webcomic like our own, he strives to create the best work he can.

That’s impressive. That’s damn impressive.

I don’t really care if Tim Burton has been making the same movie for twenty-years. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been releasing the same album for that long, but I love it and hope they’ll release another soon. I’m just damn glad that there are artists like Joe that reach further, and try harder. Guys like Joe, they do more than entertain me. They inspire me.

You want to inspire someone, don’t you?
C