Fleen: The Awkward Christmas Dinner Of Our Obligation To Existence » Questions Answered, Even Some You Didn’t Know You Had

It’s a real day for revelations in Webcomickia.

Firstly, why is there a countdown on the Machine of Death webpage? Answer, from the Machine of Death webpage’s latest update — because that’s when the first ever Machine of Death talent show will take place. It’s in LA, it’s free, it’ll be streamed live for those of you that can’t make it to LA, and it could feature you:
Just submit an audition of whatever you want to perform. Anything is allowable — a song, a performance, a reading, a dance, a video, you name it. The guidelines are:
- The act can be a maximum of five minutes in length (shorter, punchier = better)
- Related somehow to MOD or to the concept of a death prediction
- Performable in front of mixed company (no nudity, Nazi uniforms, or both)
- If you want to perform live, you must be willing to come to Los Angeles. Otherwise, we can show a video.
Send your audition (which, if you can’t attend in L.A., will be the video we show) to: submit at machineofdeath dot net. A link to YouTube or Vimeo or something is fine. The deadline for submitting an audition is April 18. That’s not very long! Get going! [emphasis original]
David Malki !, when cornered by me weekend before last, was very coy about what the countdown timer meant (although he gave some fascinating hints about what it wasn’t, given some of the other things that the MoD Squad seem to be working on but can’t talk about yet), and this announcement exceeds my expectations.

Also, I think now I know why Malki !’s been taking that machining class he’s been Twittering about for the past couple of weeks — you guys I think he is going to make an actual MACHINE OF DEATH. Just remember that the card that it spits out for you says SMOTHERED BY BUNNIES, I was totally the one to think that up.

Entirely apart from the talent show, there’s now a Machine of Death limited hardcover + goodies set, and any order from TopatoCo will get you a free death prediction card while supplies last. Here’s hoping they last until MoCCA Fest.
Speaking of MoCCA Fest, the next answered question is, what will their programming be like? Answer: pretty cool. I won’t be able to make MoCCA on Saturday (my nephew will be recognized as an Eagle Scout that day), but the best panel looks to be on Sunday anyway:

2:30pm Pizza Island: The Panel
Moderated by Brian Heater
Panelists: Julia Wertz, Sarah Glidden, Kate Beaton), Meredith Gran, Lisa Hanawalt
Some of today’s brightest young cartoonists share a workspace in Brooklyn. Here is their story.

Pound for pound, I think that’s the greatest concentration of cartooning talent in the world. Can’t wait to hear them talking about their experiences (although is Domitille Collardey not on the panel? must investigate).
Speaking of Pizza Island, if you wondered who these amazingly talented cartoonists are, they’ve been kind enough to answer you in the form of self-portraits, which are pretty much the best things ever. Even better, they’ll be used in an upcoming piece in New York magazine, which will hopefully be less infuriatingly superficial than the last local press they received.
Finally, speaking of Pizza Island again, lots of questions for Meredith Gran were answered in her brand new interview with Zack Smith at Newsarama. I particularly liked the discussion about the types of stories that Gran found herself moved to write while living in Portland, versus those inspired by Brooklyn. Good stuff.

Questions Answered, Even Some You Didn’t Know You Had

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