#zach wienersmith

[freckles-and-books]

Never been so excited for a middle grade graphic novel before! It already looks so cute!

[theskydoesgreatthingsnow]

Elon Musk doing his Baron of Bricks impression

(So it’s not buried in the tags the original comic was stolen without credit from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal)

[hetchdrive]

Summary: "Most [space settlers] see the moon not as the goal, but as a stopover en route to somewhere better." --from A City On Mars by Kelly and Zach Wienersmith

Tags: Major Character Death, James Clark Ross/Francis Crozier, Alternate Universe - Space, Grief/Mourning

Short fic I wrote for @terrorscififest and because @swanfloatieknight wanted more Rossier fic to exist. I hope you enjoy!

[mediaevalmusereads]

Bea Wolf. By Zach Weinersmith and Boulet. First Second, 2023.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Genre: graphic novel

Part of a Series? No

Summary: Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call!

Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life.

As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior—a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded.

They call for Bea Wolf.

***Full review below.***

Content Warnings: mild violence

Overview: I was totally unaware that this book existed until my dissertation director sent me a copy out of the blue. As I was in a reading slump, I decided to pick it up right away, and to my surprise, I found it not only to be a fun retelling of Beowulf, but a very smart, educated retelling with energetic art and a wealth of humor. Weinersmith clearly understands the appeal of the original poem and Boulet is clearly invested in creating art that is both eye-grabbing and well-composed, so for those reasons, this book gets 4.5 stars from me.

Writing/Art: Weinersmith's writing took me by surprise in the best way. From page 1, every line of this book is an imitation of the original poem, using alliteration, kennings, apposition, and other medieval literary devices to craft a narrative that is both incredibly smart and funny. I particularly loved Wienersmith's creativity when it came to apposition and alliteration; not only did he use evocative imagery, but he managed to make the rhythm and meter feel poetic. If i had any criticism, I will say that I noticed Weinersmith reused some images, but honestly, I was so impressed by the sustained style that i didn't much care.

Weinersmith's writing is complimented by Boulet's unique and stylized art. I loved the exaggerated facial expressions, the energetic lines, and the bold use of blacks, and I especially loved that no page felt half-assed. Too often, I've found that some graphic novels simplify their art too much for my personal taste; with Boulet's art, I didn't feel like the pages were rushed or details were left unfinished. Instead, I felt like there was always something interesting to see, and I loved looking at each page.

Plot: This book is a retelling of the Beowulf poem from the opening lines to the after-party following Grendel's defeat. Unlike other retellings, however, this book reimagines the Danes/Geats as children and their foes as teenagers and adults, with Grendel being reimagined as an uptight, fun-hating adult named Mr. Grindle.

There's a lot about this book that is quite clever. I loved, for example, that Heorot was reimagined as a treehouse and the sounds of the hall involved junk food, loud music, staying up past bedtime, etc. - all things parents and adults oppose. I also really loved that the kids had their own "monarchy" with kings/lords that distributed toys and treats to the worthy. It felt simultaneously like I was reading a retelling and that I was thrown back into the parenting style of my childhood, when kids were more or less left to create their own (unstructured) fun.

But what made this book enjoyable for me was that it included scenes that other Beowulf retelling tend to cut. For example, the first few sections of this book tell the story of Carl (Scyld Scefing's child counterpart) and how the crown passed down to the current king, Roger (Hrothgar's counterpart). I also loved that this book included scenes such as Bea Wolf's fight with the sea monsters, the retelling of Heidi's excursions (meant to reference the heroism of Hygelac), and the praise song that lauds Bea Wolf alongside other child legends (which corresponds to the Sigurd legend sung by the scop). As a medievalist, I loved all the nods to the original poem, and I felt like I was reading a retelling by people who knew and understood the epic, not people who wanted to get rid of everything except the monster fight.

Characters: The characters in this book are charming and delightful, in part because of Weinersmith's creative reimagining and in part due to Boulet's superb design.

Bea Wolf is memorable for her incredible bravery and the fact that she wears a stuffed bear on her head. I loved that she was unafraid to stand up to Mr. Grindle, and rather than seem prideful, she came across as having that child-like confidence that nothing could possibly defeat her.

Mr. Grindle is also memorable in that he's portrayed as having a magic power: to age kids up with a single touch. In my opinion, this power feels threatening and it feels especially dreadful because kids essentially view adults as some other species. The fact that they view teenagers and adults as "old" gives them a kind of Peter Pan attitude, so Grindle's aging powers feel particularly loathed. Moreover, Boulet draws Grindle as a balding, bespectacled, lanky (yet round) man whose obsession with bland things (flossing, stocks, etc) contrast nicely with the kids' chaos.

Supporting characters are likewise memorable for the way they reference their medieval counterparts. I loved that characters such as Sceld Scefing, Hygelac, Unferth, and Aescere were reimagined as kids, as well as fabled kid heroes that are seen as legends among the children; having such a wide range of child characters made the world of the story feel a bit richer.

TL;DR: Bea Wolf is a delightful, smart, and funny retelling of Beowulf that reimagines the fight between Beowulf and Grendel as a struggle between children and adults. This retelling stands apart from others due to the deep love the writer has for the original poem and the bold, energetic art that the artist uses to convey action and emotion; by incorporating literary techniques from the poem (such as alliteration, apposition, kennings, etc) and filling each page with beautiful, stylized art, this book is sure to be a favorite amongst medievalists and other readers who appreciate clever, creative adaptations of literary classics.

[transgenderer]

zach wienersmith confirmed catboy

[caprice-nisei-enjoyer]

Can't believe Zach Wienersmith of all people would miss the mark on this.

If we reduced physics to a single force? We would call it "The Force". We would say "May the Force be with you". We would refer to famous physicists as Jedi Masters. They would not be allowed to love

[outofcontextstuff]

[credit to Zach Wienersmith]

[thesecrettimes]

Vitalik Buterin Says Crypto Is a ‘Better Bet’ Than ‘Incredibly Inconvenient’ Gold

 While Buterin asserts that such characteristics make gold less appealing, some crypto opponents argued that gold is better, because unlike the Ethereum blockchain, it is not controlled by only a few entities.

Decentralized Issuer of Money

The Ethereum blockchain co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, waded into the crypto-versus-gold debate after he posted a tweet suggesting that the former is a better bet than the precious metal. In his Oct. 26, 2022 tweet, Buterin slates author Zach Weinersmith’s assertion which implies that gold fits well with what crypto enthusiasts are advocating for. As suggested by Weinersmith in his tweet posted on the same day, the only meaningful argument put forward by crypto advocates is their call for a decentralized money-issuing authority. Still, the author wondered why gold, given its qualities and characteristics, is not being touted as a solution. So, the only argument I've heard about crypto that makes sense within the believer's own framework is that they don't want a centralized authority for money. In that framework though, why not just go with gold? — Zach Weinersmith (@ZachWeiner) October 26, 2022 However, in pushing back against Weinersmith’s suggestion, the Ethereum blockchain co-founder reminded the author of the key areas where the precious metal seemingly comes up short. He said: Gold is incredibly inconvenient. It’s difficult to use, particularly when transacting with untrusted parties. It doesn’t support safe storage options like multi-sig. At this point, gold has less adoption than crypto, so crypto is the better bet. Meanwhile, Buterin’s terse response to Wienersmith’s initial tweet drew an immediate reaction from both crypto opponents and advocates on Twitter. One user named Hayden.eth argued that “gold also has the risk of huge centrally controlled inflation due to asteroid mining.”

Crypto Not Tangible Like Gold

However, Twitter user Golden Knight appeared to question the Ethereum blockchain’s decentralization credentials, given the ongoing reports which suggest that only a few parties are controlling the chain. According to the user, having few parties controlling a blockchain potentially means they “could get control over the transactions worldwide.” One supporter of gold appeared to question the wisdom of using digital currencies in an era characterized by power outages. According to the user, gold is a better alternative because unlike crypto, it is tangible. Twitter user Levraham Spreadsmith, a self-proclaimed “optionality maxi,” appeared to use a reworked version of Buterin’s tweet to attack the Ethereum blockchain. “Ethereum is incredibly inconvenient. It’s difficult to use, particularly when transacting. It can’t be made into a water bottle like stainless steel. At this point, Ethereum has less adoption and a lower market cap than stainless steel, so stainless steel is the better bet,” Spreadsmith argued. The user also went on to list industries where the ethereum blockchain is not needed but where stainless steel is widely used. What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. Read the full article

[birdthatlookslikeastick]

1,2,11,17? Your queue spat out an ask meme!

yeah i put an ask meme in my queue! It was fun, I’m totally doing it again.

1. if someone wanted to really understand you, what would they read, watch, and listen to?

Probably you’d have to go to a pub and attend an irish session regularly... also probably sort of how-to manuals for building things in the basement, maybe? Harry Potter and Terry Pratchett would be useful. Watching probably isn’t necessary unless you are watching a 3D printer.

2. have you ever found a writer who thinks just like you? if so, who?

probably either Randall Munroe from XKCD, Zach Wienersmith from SMBC, and Ryan North from Dinosaur Comics. Pretty much the average of these three.

27. do you feel like your outside appearance is a fair representation of the “real you”?

I think it is, yeah; I’m pretty comfortable in my own skin.

30. pick one of your favorite quotes.

Didn’t you recently post a cheese poem? I’ll post some of my favorite poem about cheese, by noted awful Canadian poet, James McIntyre. He basically only wrote about cheese, I think? This poem is entitled “Ode on the Mammoth Cheese,weighing over 7,000 pounds” and is a total train wreck of a poem on basically every level - rhyme, meter, subject matter, imagery... you can’t look away.  It begins:

I have seen thee, queen of cheese

Lying quietly at your ease

Gently fanned by evening breeze

Thy fair form no flies dare seize

All gaily dressed soon you’ll go

To the great provincial show,

To be admired by many a beau,

in the city of Toronto.

Cows numerous as a swarm of bees,

Or as the leaves upon the trees,

It did require to make the please,

And stand unrivalled, queen of cheese.

(it continues in this vein for several more stanzas)

[spydre]

Libertas Shrugs

via Zach Wienersmith, SMBC Comics

Today, the Statue of Liberty shrugs.

Some of you have family somewhere overseas. I do not.

I do not, because four generations ago my great grandfather came here while his sister chose to stay behind. Her name, to the best of our knowledge, was Peltia Wollach (née Winokur) and she was lucky enough to die before the Shoah. As far as I could tell from the records digitized by JewishGen.com from Bialystok, Poland, and from documents in Yad Vashem, everyone else was murdered. Her husband Itzchak, and (I believe) five children - Chasia, Riwka, Tauba, Avram, and Jehoszua.

I am lucky that my ancestor, Szimon Winokur, came here in 1925. I am also lucky that he was white. If he had been Chinese, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923 would have kept him out.

He brought his family here. One of his sons, my grandfather, was a small business owner. His son, my father, received a free education in New York, then went to Caltech. My father was, until his retirement, a doctor in a small town in Texas. He has six children - One is a Christian pastor. One is an executive director at a medical technology company. One is a conservative political philosopher, one is a chief technical officer in silicon valley, and my little sister is a doctor in Louisiana. I’m the one black spot on this record because I write books for a living.

We are all here, all contributing to this country because in 1925, a boat passed Ellis Island and nobody told the ill-clad funny-accented people in it to turn around because they were too poor or not Christian enough, or that they hadn’t been vetted properly. You all know the poetry - give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free. The green lady’s tablet doesn’t say a thing about whether those huddled masses were Chinese or Muslim or Jew or Arab. And, it specifically enjoins us to take those who yearn for freedom. It doesn’t say take a highly educated European or Indian on an H1-B visa. It doesn’t say take a Christian or a rich business owner or a diplomat.

But, look east, and you can see Libertas shrugging. There are weights around her robes, and her torch is flickering in New York Harbor.

And the politicians who had the poverty of spirit to diminish her poem by knicks and cuts, and now slashes, could at least have the honesty to add their caveats and fears to the tablet she carries before it sinks to the bottom.

This nation is supposed to have been founded by pioneers. People like Franklin, who defied a Crown. People like Lewis and Clark who went west, not knowing exactly what they’d eat or what they’d find. People like Teddy Roosevelt, who took a bullet, then smiled through a speech.

We’re supposed to be a culture of people who are rugged and risky and independent. And yet, when you are more likely to be killed by a shark attack than a terrorist, we are told that we need protection. We are told we should be afraid. And the people who are telling us we need to be afraid are the very people who benefit most from our fear. Fear is their currency. Don’t make a deposit.

I want to quote at length from the book The Moon is Down, by Steinbeck, written in the midst of World War 2. This passage is from the end of the book, when Mayor Orden is going to be executed for not capitulating to the conquering authority. The people of the conquered city have gotten access to explosives from the British, and the conquering enemy (in the person of Colonel Lanser) wants the mayor to tell his people not to use them.

The Mayor spoke proudly.  "Yes, they will light it.  I have no choice of living or dying, you see, sir, but - I do have a choice of how I do it.  If I tell them not to fight, they will be sorry, but they will fight.  If I tell them to fight, they will be glad, and I who am not a very brave man will have made them a little braver."  He smiled apologetically.  "You see, it is an easy thing for me to do, since the end for me is the same."

Lanser said, "If you say yes, we can tell them you said no.  We can tell them you begged for your life."

Doctor Winter broke in angrily, "They would know.  You do not keep secrets.  One of your men got out of hand one night and he said the flies had conquered the flypaper, and now the whole nation knows his words.  They have made a song of it.  The flies have conquered the flypaper.  You do not keep secrets, Colonel."

From the direction of the mine a whistle tooted shrilly.  And a quick gust of wind sifted dry snow against the windows.

Orden fingered his gold medallion.  He said quietly, "You see, sir, nothing can change it.  You will be destroyed and driven out."  His voice was very soft.  "The people don't like to be conquered, sir, and so they will not be.  Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat.  Herd men, followers of a leader, cannot do that, and so it is always the herd men who win battles and the free men who win wars.  You will find that is so, sir."

Lanser was erect and stiff.  "My orders are clear.  Eleven o'clock was the deadline.  I have taken hostages.  If there is violence, the hostages will be executed."

And Doctor Winter said to the colonel, "Will you carry out the orders, knowing they will fail?"

Lanser's face was tight.  "I will carry out my orders no matter what they are, but I do think, sir, a proclamation from you might save many lives."

Madame broke in plaintively, "I wish you would tell me what all this nonsense is."

"It is nonsense, dear."

"But they can't arrest the Mayor," she explained to him.

Orden smiled at her.  "No," he said, "they can't arrest the Mayor.  The Mayor is an idea conceived by free men.  It will escape arrest."

Steve Bannon, who is now inexplicably advising the president on matters military, reportedly said he wanted to bring our entire system crashing down. But our system - our system of free people who do not want or need to be ruled - is like Mayor Orden. It can’t be destroyed, because you can’t destroy an idea. The idea may be silenced. It may leave its home, for a time. But, as long as people can think, no idea can die.

The Statue of Liberty may step down from her podium, she may sink below the surface, but will still be there. And, when the moon is up, you will see her shining through a rippling surface, ready to stand again.

I should end on that note, but I want to close with something pragmatic, because this can’t all just be talk. Barney Frank - the first openly gay congressman in US history - gave an interview to New York Magazine shortly after he retired. He said something that I’ve never forgotten:

I believe very strongly that people on the left are too prone to do things that are emotionally satisfying and not politically useful. I have a rule, and it’s true of Occupy, it’s true of the gay-rights movement: If you care deeply about a cause, and you are engaged in an activity on behalf of that cause that is great fun and makes you feel good and warm and enthusiastic, you’re probably not helping, because you’re out there with your friends, and political work is much tougher and harder. And I think it’s now clear that it is the disciplined political work that we’ve been able to do that’s won us victories. I am going to write about the history of the LGBT movement partly to make the point that, in America at least, this is the way you do progressive causes.

For a lot of us, in recent times politics has gotten a lot less fun and a lot more scary. I know we have to buoy each other up, but I say this as a professional writer of jokes - let’s take politics to an even less fun place.

When I heard about the immigration ban, the first thing I did was to order 400 sheets of paper, a giant roll of stamps, and a bulk box of envelopes. I will be writing letters as frequently as possible to all of my representatives. And, if they do not stand against this prodigy of indecency, I will personally donate to whoever opposes them. And, if Trump defies a federal judge’s order, I will join those calling for an impeachment.

You cannot arrest the mayor.

Zach Weinersmith

January 29, 2017

PS: I’m declaring this document public domain. Feel free to share any way you like.

[transgenderer]

its weird that two of like, the top 50(? 100? 20?) webcomic creators are named “zach” (wienersmith and morrison), but like, apparently zach is actually a really popular name so what the fuck

[virovac]

I will not rest until everything nice is ruined.

Zach Wienersmith December 5, 2017, alt-text of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

[cubistemoji]

Hey the original is by Zach Wienersmith!

[tonguethulhu]

wow I can’t believe you left out Zach Wienersmith and KC Green, and Kate Beaton!! ;-;

Faces behind the comics

[transgenderer]

watching other people involuntarily sucked into the allure-whirlpool of rat-adj is so great. today’s victim is zach wienersmith

[metzger12]

Zach Wienersmith said it best

I can’t believe the straighties are comparing us to seatbelts… like what is this? Grade 2 sex ed? Grow up.