Look at what I got!

Right, so for those of you who think that this is just another Transformers figure, allow me to fill you in.

This figure is Swerve, from the Transformers Universe line. It transforms into a Chevy Aveo, and is fully licensed by General Motors. In fact, GM owns the distribution rights to this figure. There is no way to buy this guy in a store. The only way to get one is directly from GM on certain dates in specific locations.

Luckily, GM has been running a promotion in the Toronto area this summer, and it hit the Eaton Center this weekend. So, I made my way over there, filled out a survey, and walked away with this extremely rare and highly coveted new addition to my collection. It’s over now so don’t bug me to get one for you.

There was no packaging at all, so I didn’t feel bad about transforming him. For such a rare figure with limited availability that was given away for free, it sure is cool! This is a 100% new mold figure, not made from preexisting parts. It’s pretty crazy to think that something like this would exist. His details and proportions are quite unique, and sort of look like a cross between the style of modern Transformers and the movie aesthetic. He does not come with a weapon, no can he really hold one as his hands are sculpted in an open position. I will simply theorize that he is so awesome that he does not need a weapon.

They are selling for a lot of money on eBay. Only a few other place on Earth have gotten this promotion, as far as I know. It hasn’t even really hit the US yet. I’m not selling mine though. It will stay here, taunting the other robots over their lack of resale value. Because that’s just how Swerve rolls.

Sayonara.

Earlier this week I went to the school I worked at last year to teach the first of two summer camp cartooning sessions. It was a long day! Over the course of the day I must have taught 100+ students spanning the entire range of elementary grades and ages. There was a lot of talking and interruptions, of course, but over the years I’ve gotten numb to it. I had to raise my voice a lot though, and that took its toll. My throat was quite sore. Luckily I didn’t did get sick afterward. Anyway, it was a decent day’s work but yet another reason why I am not looking to be a full time art teacher at a real school.

I went and saw Transformers Revenge of the Fallen again. I appreciated it more the second time, and the stuff I didn’t like in my first viewing didn’t bother me so much.

San Diego Comic Con is on now. Living vicariously through websites is the order of the day, as usual around this time. This trailer here seems particularly awesome.

I’m doing my best to keep up with all the Astro Boy movie news for AstroBoyWorld, but there is a lot of it! This movie is looking better all the time.

Sayonara.

Last week I saw a movie that I’ve been meaning to see for quite some time. I saw Art School Confidential.

Wow, this movie pretty much summed up a lot of what my life was like for the few years I was at art school. I laughed. I laughed a lot.

I remember hearing a lot of good things about the movie when it was first released. After watching it I looked online to read up on any interesting background information that I might be able to find, as I often to. I was quite surprised to see that many critics did not like this movie. Many complaints I read were about how the characters are cliched stereotypes, the story was tacked on, and that there was too much disappointment. Well, clearly these people have never been to art school, because all of those things are exactly what it’s like. Art school and its surrounding culture is full of freaks, weirdos, unlikable pretentious know-it-alls, disappointment, and all the cliches present in this film.

I bought it on DVD for $5. A well placed investment considering the entertainment value. I guess since my own viewpoint is skewed having attended art school once upon a time, perhaps I am not the best judge. But I think it is more likely that the people who didn’t like this movie are just like the pretentious know-it-alls I just spoke about.

Anyway, I liked the movie but it reminded me of why I don’t want to go back to art school. So I’m not. Well, that’s not entirely true. I made that decision already based on something else. I’ll talk about that later.

Sayonara.

Hello everyone.

I was out of town last week. Nothing too exciting, just hanging out with my cousins mostly. I brought my laptop and finished a piece of art I was working on, which will be online later. I also watched many bootlegged movies. I don’t necessarily condone this, but they were available so I watched them. I liked Star Trek and Terminator but I didn’t like Wolverine that much.

Feeling kind of sluggish right now. I have a lot of catching up to do so I had better snap out of it soon.

Even though it’s the middle of July I’m getting busy preparing for what I’ll be doing this Fall. I have a few opportunities lined up and of course I am trying to take advantage of as much as I can, but it’s looking like I’m going to be running into some scheduling difficulties. I was afraid of that but I hope I can work them out so I can maximize my schedule and have more stuff to do, as that would result in more money with which to purchase more robots to aid in my never ending quest to achieve global domination.

Sayonara.

It’s Canada Day. Rock on, Canada.

Here are some pictures from last week’s excusuion to the Toronto premire of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

A special guest made an appearance near the theater.

It’s Bumblebee!

Here are my ninja minions and I with Bumblebee just outside the AMC theater on Dundas in Toronto.

And here is me and the bee.

This is… interesting. Coincidentally, it was Pride Week in Toronto the same week as the ROTF release. Somebody decided to combine the two concepts together and so now we have a chalk drawing on the sidewalk of Manformers: Optimus Pride. It seemed to be quite popular.

It’s quite interesting to me that ROTF has been making money like crazy yet has been so savaged by the critics. Sure, there are many things I didn’t like about ROTF, but I think it’s much better than the first Transformers movie, which was generally well liked by the critics. There has never been a gap this wide between the general audience and the critics. I am greatly amused by the fact that this rift has been caused by Transformers, a movie based on a toy line. That is awesome.

Sayonara.