The Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel in Eye-Popping 3D opens in just a week-and-a-half! Get your tickets now!

1. This weekend I’m building a couple of Jacob’s ladders. These devices look like they’re from Frankenstein’s lab and they sound awesome too!
2. On Sunday I’m rehearsing the projections with our incredible projectionist Etta Sanders
3. Monday night there’s a photo shoot for an upcoming story–more details when that actually comes out.
4. At some point next week we have a tv appearance or two. More on that soon!
5. Rehearsals start Tuesday for the final push to pull together the feature-length version of the show.
6. We’re signing issue 5 of the comic-book series at Austin Books & Comics on Wednesday, August 25.
7. A couple of sneak previews at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema next Saturday and Sunday.
8. We’re doing an event and signing on August 30 at 6 PM at Book People.
9. We load the show into the Long Center Sept. 1
10. The premiere is Sept. 3!

Buy your tickets now!

Edinburgh was interesting. The upshot of the whole thing was that I saw a bunch of shows and met with several people who run venues and one possible co-producer. I’m going to chill on this until after the Long Center gig and then follow up. Who knows? Maybe next summer the show will make it to the UK!

One final thing: if you’re in the mood for pizza, please swing by House Pizzeria on Airport and 51st and try The Nemesis, their nod to The Intergalactic Nemesis. It’s yummy!

Also, coming up in September, I’m headed to a booking conference in Indianapolis to see about a small regional tour in 2011-12.

A nutty thing happened on the way to Scotland. On the airplane from Austin to Newark, there was this guy in a purple polo shirt who early in the flight, as soon as the seatbelt light was turned off, got out of his seat in the bulkhead and started pacing the aisle. It was creepy and funny all at the same time. He’d walk the entire length and back until the cart started coming through. Then, each time he paced, his path got foreshortened until he was cornered at one end, then the cart would move to allow him to pass, and he’d get foreshortened the other way. He was clearly nervous about flying, but he also had his flip-phone in his hands, which he was wringing the whole time, and part of me (and, it turned out, some other folks too) was wondering if there was something more than met the eye–like maybe he was agitated because the phone was the switch for something unthinkable.

Then we hit turbulance.

The guy started getting more and more agitated and was muttering to himself. Someone coming from the bathroom behind him grabbed him from behind around both arms and then the flight attendants were on it. Several men jumped up and he was brought to his seat. At this point the seatbelt sign had come on. The guy said audibly enough for me to hear him (I was in row 30 and he in the front of coach) “oh no” and grabbed his chest. The flight attendants opened the emergency medical overhead bin which was right over my seat and grabbed the defibrillator. Five or six people were holding the guy down in the front of the plane, trying to get him into his seat, which they eventually did. The captain then came on the intercom to say there was a “situation on board” (his exact words) and that we would be performing an emergency landing in Indianapolis. The plane descended more quickly than any flight I’ve ever been on and within minutes we were on the ground, the cops came on board, and the guy was escorted out.

A woman brought her kids back to the bathroom and one of them had his hands over his ears. When someone asked if he was okay, the mother said that he was just trying to block out what the guy up front was saying. That guy was now off the plane and who the hell knows what he was saying, but it couldn’t have been good.

Whoa.

Turned out the guy had a psychotic episode. He wasn’t a terrorist or anything, just someone who needed to be on meds. But when the people tried to put him in his seat, he thought they were trying to kill him and really started freaking out. When I heard that, I just felt bad for the guy and wondered if the cops would at least hook him up with whatever medication he needed to be on.

I still made my connection and the rest of the trip was uneventful. Now I’m here in Edinburgh seeing a ton of plays and hopefully making the connections that will bring the show to international audiences. But I now have fodder for my next project.

Amy’s Ice Creams – “Intergalactic Nemesis Combo” – featuring dark chocolate ice cream, Kit Kats, Peanut M&Ms, and hot fudge. Yum!

House Pizzeria – “Intergalactic Nemesis Pizza Special” – a whole bunch of goodies, including pork belly, on a pizza, since Timmy Mendez grew up on a Texan pig farm.

Little City Espresso Bar & Cafe – “Intergalactic Nemesis Blend Coffee” – This is the place where the show got its start in the 90s. This roast’ll give anyone the energy to fight off an army of Zygonians.

The HighBall – “Intergalactic Nemesis Night” – The coolest hangout in town is celebrating the premiere of the Live-Action Graphic Novel with a party September 4. Everyone’s invited!

More partnerships to be announced soon!

Trip check-in locations include:
Black Sheep Lodge: 2108 South Lamar Boulevard
Take a trip to the real Bloodless Goat Tavern with Molly Sloan and Timmy Mendez at Black Sheep Lodge.
Dragon’s Lair: 6111 Burnet Road
Aliens from Planet Zygon visit Earth, learn about these Zygonian monsters at the Dragon’s Lair.
The Long Center for the Performing Arts: 701 West Riverside Drive
Meet Mysterion the Magnificent at the Long Center for the Performing Arts
Downtown Metro Rail Station: Located outside the Austin Convention Center on 4th Street between Neches and Trinity.
Are you heading to Tunis? There’s only one way to get there!
Little City Coffee: 916 Congress Avenue
Visit the Central Hive, where ideas incubate.
Wells Branch Library: 15001 Wells Port Dr
Curious as to which library Ben Wilcott is the librarian?
High Ball: 1142 South Lamar Boulevard
Dare to compete with champion bowler Timmy Mendez? Show off your skills!
La Boite: 1700 South Lamar Boulevard
Fleeing from the French government? Hide out at La Boite!
Delish: 209 West 3rd Street
The best way to cope with a bittersweet ending? Eat some sweets of course!

There are just a few easy steps to begin the Live-Action Gowalla Trip Spectacular:
1. Download and register for the free Gowalla smart phone app from the Austin-based company by visiting their website at www.gowalla.com.
2. After downloading the Gowalla app on your phone, go to “Browse Trips” then search for The Intergalactic Nemesis in “Nearby Trips” or “Friend” The Intergalactic Nemesis to see the trip.
3. When you arrive at a location, search “Nearby Spots” and click the “Check-In” button.

Each location is themed to the show. The person who first hits all the locations and logs them in with Gowalla wins a prize worth more than $300! Details HERE.

Read what Omar Gallaga has to say about it!

Don’t forget: Tim Doyle and I are signing Issue 4 at Austin Books & Comics tomorrow from 4 to 7 PM!

Here’s today’s page…

Here’s today’s page:

What’s a Jacob’s ladder, you ask? These suckers look like rabbit-ear antennas but when you turn them on they arc electricity between the rabbit ears. The electricity moves up until the distance gets too wide, then it pops and starts from the bottom again. Think Frankenstein. Great sound. Great visual. And only to be seen at the Long Center premiere!

Today’s comic-book page:

Meantime, here’s artwork from issue 5!

Here’s today’s page…