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TMAS 3: Return to Disneyland

Tell Me a Story 3: Return to Disneyland  I haven’t stepped foot into Disneyland in nearly two decades. It’s been so long that California Adventures, Downtown Disney and a couple of giant parking structures didn’t exist. I wasn’t a tiny kid, but I’ve pretty much forgotten about it. If you were with me, I’d like to ask, “who else was there?” “was it someone’s birthday?” and perhaps, “did I have fun?” Surely, it was another era in my life when I wanted to ride the fastest, largest, and free-falling-est and I wasn’t a fan of most of the Disney cast. On Sunday, an email inviting me to Disneyland appeared in my inbox, and Monday I was among tens of thousands on a 90+ degree Labor Day. The theme park is now filled with choices before you walk in. California Adventure, a behemoth sister park and Downtown Disney loom in a newb’s curiosity. In a 12 hour span, you couldn’t possibly get on more than 6 rides between two meals. I suppose the idea is to offer something so huge that you’d need at least two or three days to visit all. Families travel the world to be here and some visit like it’s a mall. It turns out, a lot of folks I know have an annual pass. They visit more than once a month and perhaps ride the same rides and eat at the same food. The scene doesn’t change but they keep coming back. If I asked why, their answers would be something simple: “I like it.” The question would then turn on me, “why don’t you have one?” The sun slowly moved with much of the time spent standing in lines. We rode Soarin’ Over California and viewed our State. Space Mountain got darker and Star Tours now includes Jar Jar. It soon became evening and then night. The cool air, slightly thinned crowd and lights gave Disneyland a new look and feel. Walking became easier, options to go here or there met seamless decisions and the fried chicken tasted healthy. After Tinkerbell soared across the Magic Castle, the orchestration of music and fireworks began and everyone froze. Families grouped together, couples hand hands or each other and friends drifted into memories. It’s the nightly crescendo of the Disneyland production. I peeked at my friends – the annual pass holders who’ve seen this a bunch, and they were glued to the sky. It’s a Small World is graphically amazing.
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blog · disneyland · News · Stories · tmas ·

TMAS 3: Return to Disneyland

Tell Me a Story 3: Return to Disneyland  I haven’t stepped foot into Disneyland in nearly two decades. It’s been so long that California Adventures, Downtown Disney and a couple of giant parking structures didn’t exist. I wasn’t a tiny kid, but I’ve pretty much forgotten about it. If you were with me, I’d like to ask, “who else was there?” “was it someone’s birthday?” and perhaps, “did I have fun?” Surely, it was another era in my life when I wanted to ride the fastest, largest, and free-falling-est and I wasn’t a fan of most of the Disney cast. On Sunday, an email inviting me to Disneyland appeared in my inbox, and Monday I was among tens of thousands on a 90+ degree Labor Day. The theme park is now filled with choices before you walk in. California Adventure, a behemoth sister park and Downtown Disney loom in a newb’s curiosity. In a 12 hour span, you couldn’t possibly get on more than 6 rides between two meals. I suppose the idea is to offer something so huge that you’d need at least two or three days to visit all. Families travel the world to be here and some visit like it’s a mall. It turns out, a lot of folks I know have an annual pass. They visit more than once a month and perhaps ride the same rides and eat at the same food. The scene doesn’t change but they keep coming back. If I asked why, their answers would be something simple: “I like it.” The question would then turn on me, “why don’t you have one?” The sun slowly moved with much of the time spent standing in lines. We rode Soarin’ Over California and viewed our State. Space Mountain got darker and Star Tours now includes Jar Jar. It soon became evening and then night. The cool air, slightly thinned crowd and lights gave Disneyland a new look and feel. Walking became easier, options to go here or there met seamless decisions and the fried chicken tasted healthy. After Tinkerbell soared across the Magic Castle, the orchestration of music and fireworks began and everyone froze. Families grouped together, couples hand hands or each other and friends drifted into memories. It’s the nightly crescendo of the Disneyland production. I peeked at my friends – the annual pass holders who’ve seen this a bunch, and they were glued to the sky. It’s a Small World is graphically amazing.
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brian ralph · drawn and quarterly · giant robot magazine · MW · News · reggie-12 · Reviews Publications ·

Brian Ralph on the Reggie 12 collection and book tour

While many of this year’s Comic-Con attendees geeked out on The Walking Dead, Dr. Who, and superhero movie panels, I was foaming at the mouth over Drawn & Quarterly‘s advance release of the Reggie 12 anthology. Each time an issue of Giant Robot was about to hit the presses, I’d get in touch with Brian Ralph to ask him about the back-page strip and he’d always respond that it would be ready soon. I’m pretty sure that he’d start cranking on it right after getting off the phone or closing his email browser.

It was a real honor to have Reggie 12 in Giant Robot. It was also a perfect fit, as well, with Brian’s punk rock background (Fort Thunder), indie publishing past (Highwater Books), and use of vintage manga and robot toy themes (from Mighty Atom to UFO Dai Apolon). Talk about a love connection.

Seeing the strips blown up from magazine size and stock to news digest dimensions with eye-popping two-color is a real treat and, even better, Brian will be hitting the road to promote the book. To help promote both, I hit up my friend (and Professor of Sequential Art at the Savannah College of Art and Design) with some questions. He not only provided informative, funny answers but has given a never-before-seen peek into the conceptual sketches. Hot damn!

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brian ralph · drawn and quarterly · giant robot magazine · MW · News · reggie-12 · Reviews Publications ·

Brian Ralph on the Reggie 12 collection and book tour

While many of this year’s Comic-Con attendees geeked out on The Walking Dead, Dr. Who, and superhero movie panels, I was foaming at the mouth over Drawn & Quarterly‘s advance release of the Reggie 12 anthology. Each time an issue of Giant Robot was about to hit the presses, I’d get in touch with Brian Ralph to ask him about the back-page strip and he’d always respond that it would be ready soon. I’m pretty sure that he’d start cranking on it right after getting off the phone or closing his email browser.

It was a real honor to have Reggie 12 in Giant Robot. It was also a perfect fit, as well, with Brian’s punk rock background (Fort Thunder), indie publishing past (Highwater Books), and use of vintage manga and robot toy themes (from Mighty Atom to UFO Dai Apolon). Talk about a love connection.

Seeing the strips blown up from magazine size and stock to news digest dimensions with eye-popping two-color is a real treat and, even better, Brian will be hitting the road to promote the book. To help promote both, I hit up my friend (and Professor of Sequential Art at the Savannah College of Art and Design) with some questions. He not only provided informative, funny answers but has given a never-before-seen peek into the conceptual sketches. Hot damn!

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News ·

TMAS: The Truck (La Isla Bonita)

Tell me a Story: The Truck (La Isla Bonita)  La Isla Bonita is a taco truck parked on Rose, usually mid-block between 5th and 6th in Venice. I’ve feasted on their seafood since 1989 when taco trucks were a necessity and before they got trendy. Tony, the proprietor quickly befriended me offering a fist pound at every visit and calling out my name. I’d hear, “hey Eric” coming from his mustached smile with a slight accent as I walked up. He’d have to duck down to see me out of the truck window screen. In the beginning, it was the mostly Latin faces who devoured the best recipes. They’d turn to see an Asian kid at “their” spot – the secret of Venice. I’d order two ceviche tostadas. It was once $1 each. Followed up by a campechana, a cold tomato based soup filled with bits of onion and cilantro along with octopus, shrimp, and even oysters. I’d end my meal with hot tacos like pollo or carne asada that had full beans in them. Some are fast to comment that beans shouldn’t be there, citing inauthenticity, but even in the 80s, that’s how La Isla Bonita did it. At each visit, Tony’s wife would be both working the truck and taking care of the baby. Soon, it became another, then another, and maybe one more. As I visited, I’d see the kids grow. The tiny one who played on the sidewalk during the day, now deftly chops onions and peeks at the summer girls walking towards the beach. A dry spell in my visits yielded what looked like a new face but they were the same – just taller and mature. On the other side of the window, Tony, his wife and kids might remember me with local friends, visitors from out of town, different girlfriends, haircuts, weight, style, and now glasses. When I walk up today, it’s the grown-up daughter operating the window saying, “Hi Eric,” and her brother Joseph, now the chef repeating likewise, both offering a smile. Tony and his wife aren’t around as often, but the ceviche remains a powerful constant. I peek and see Joseph crafting a campechana eyeing the portions as he’s now done 1000s of times. The beans in the taco changed, but not many remember their smaller size and darker tone. La Isla Bonita used to show up around 11am and they’d pack up by 4pm often running out of ceviche-a sign of freshness and a successful day. As of this year, they’re open until 9pm, caught up with the food truck times and run by brother and sister who insist that I text them when I’m coming next time. Tony, from just a few years ago and appeared in a previous blog post and on a feature on myself on The Hungry Ones.
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