all images from kenmeyerjr.com

Tori Amos through the eyes of David Mack.  Mack is an artist known for his graphic novels as well as Paul McCartney album art.  On Saturday I stopped in Comics and More and flipped through an issue of Mack's Kabuki.  I might pick it up tomorrow.

Although I like graphic novels, and I wanted to be a graphic novel artist for several years growing up, I'm quite picky.  If the art doesn't agree with my visual instincts, I don't want to read it.  (Perhaps that is shallow, but it is true about me.)  The new comics that are created purely with digits and photoshop do not catch my interest.  Although someone's hand guided a computer mouse (or drew each page on a tablet) I feel no beating heart in the drawing.  I love ink.  At the age of twelve I started using a real, classic style ink pen to draw.  There's just something about the ink, the thick flow like blood, that gives a well drawn image heart. 

These days, now that I'm busier and don't spend on hours drawing or painting, I use Pilot V5 pens.  The V5 is perfect for my creative disciplines - writing and sketching here and there.

Black Lace

Be still my beating heart for Laced with Romance vintage *sigh*

Blood on Blood

You know I love anime and manga.  Lately, I've been reading and watching Nana. 

The music for the anime is amazing.  Anna Tsuchiya's voice captrues Nana's onstage emotions, often making me cry.  Olivia Lufkin's beautiful voice embodies Reira's beauty and longing.  Plus, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum (both of GnR) provided the rhythm section for the anime's theme.

As far as the manga, I'm up to volume 19.  I know Ai Yazawa (the writer and artist) has put the series on hold for over a year, so I'm reluctant to read up to the cliffhanger that is volume 22.  The story is a moving examination of relationships.  More than anything, it is an illustration of lonliness.  Each character seeks fulfillment in relationships, in success, even in becoming the biggest band in Japan. 

Check out one of Anna Tsuchiya's tear-jerking songs below, "Blood on Blood."

I've decided to change the blog's name back to Pretty In Black.  It has such a nice ring to it, don't you think?