Two of My Favorite Things

Comic books and singer-songwriters from the late ’60s/early ’70s.

And here, Greg Hatcher was kind enough to put them together in one blog post recalling a funny conversation of several comic book creators and professionals debating Superman’s inclusion in the chorus of Jim Croce‘s hit from 1972, “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim”.

I disagree with the opening statement that the chorus doesn’t make sense, and thus I basically disagree with the entire premise of the conversation, but it’s still very amusing and sounds like approximately a million conversations I’ve had with friends.

Thanks, Greg!

Office Kitty


Office Kitty

Originally uploaded by Corey Blake

Cleo has to check her email.

I can use the computer when she’s done.

WalkMS – In a Dress and Heels – Yes, really!


Walking

Originally uploaded by Corey Blake

On April 18, 2010, it really happened. I walked the entire 3.2-mile WalkMS in a dress and high heels. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I could walk the whole way with the shoes, and seriously considered taking them off a couple of times. But I knew that at the end of the Walk, I can take the shoes off and the discomfort would eventually go away. My wife, and everyone else with multiple sclerosis, doesn’t have that luxury. So I just kept walking. One step at a time.

Thank you so much for everyone who sponsored me – your donation is helping to make the National MS Society an even better resource for people with multiple sclerosis. Thank you very much for everyone who walked with me on our team – I’m glad you didn’t mind going so slow. Thank you to everyone who has enthusiastically responded to this whole thing – every message I received really inspired and touched me. Thank you to Lan Yin “Eiko” Tsai for inspiring the look of my ensemble. And most of all, thank you to my wife for encouraging me and understanding the very serious ‘why’ behind this silliness.

(And… Psssst! If you would still like to donate, it’s not too late! We’re able to accept donations until June 1.)

Click on the Flickr set on the right to check out all of the pictures.

Photos by Rose Kwasnicki, Nahleen Blake and Michelle Hazan (and a few by me).

Yes We Cannes

(Stupid joke. Sorry.)

I still owe you a post-WalkMS bloggy-thingie. It’s coming, I promise.

In the meantime, I have some exciting news! I will be in Cannes for not one, not two, but THREE screenings! Well, I won’t physically be there, but 2-dimensional representations of me and my work will be there.

The Short Film Corner at the Festival de Cannes has selected both Tough Love and Dig Comics for screenings! (Links below take you to the Short Film Corner pages for each.)

Tough Love is a comedy short where I did actorly stuff of a comedic fashion. The short film was produced by my Magic Meathands buddy Travis McElroy (who also acted in it) and directed by Mike Thomas. This will be the world premiere of Tough Love. I play one half of one of the 3 couples:

A couple of escaping mental patients intent on robbing a bank accidentally bust into a group couples counseling session and inadvertently help a bumbling therapist solve all the couples’ problems.

Dig Comics is a documentary short that I helped produce. I’ve babbled on about this one quite a bit already. You can even follow the progress of the film and our efforts to get a feature length version made right here. It was co-directed, written and hosted by Miguel Cima and produced and edited by Dirk Van Fleet. Dig Comics has been having a great run since it won Best Doc at last year’s Comic-Con Independent Film Festival, where it made its world debut. It has since screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival, New Filmmakers LA, Royal Flush Film Festival (NY) and Tucson Film and Music Festival, and received Merit Awards at both the LA Reel Film Festival and LA Cinema Festival of Film. Dig Comics has gotten positive reviews and write-ups from the LA Times, Ain’t It Cool News and Comic Book Resources, among others. It has also won the attention of actor Edward James Olmos, whose production company has signed on to help us in production once we obtain funding for a feature. I don’t act in this (’cause it’s a documentary, silly!) but I do have a couple of quick cameos.

Is the American art form of comic books dying? Dig Comics hits the streets to convert everyday people into new fans. Comics professionals, experts and celebrities weigh in on what went wrong and how to bring back the comics audience. The battle is on to get America to Dig Comics!

As if all of that isn’t enough, Dig Comics will also be screening at the Cannes Independent Film Festival! This festival runs independent of yet concurrently with Festival de Cannes. Both Festivals take place May 12-23 this year.

Tomorrow’s the Big Day: WalkMS 2010 – In a Dress and Heels


The dress

Originally uploaded by Corey Blake

The outfit has been assembled!

Thanks to the generosity of Jeff Schoenberg of AJS Costumes in Burbank, Enci of illuminateLA & Stephen Box of SoapBoxLA!

And also tremendous thanks to the people who have donated to the cause, helping me raise over $3,000!

Equally tremendous thanks to the many people who have forwarded on my YouTube video to their friends and family, and sent words of encouragement.

If you haven’t donated yet, it’s not too late. The National MS Society accepts donations for WalkMS well into May, so keep it coming!

To follow along at home, teammate Cindy Marie Jenkins will be live tweeting using #WalkMS @cindymariej.

Pictures and maybe even some video will surely follow!

Cannes wants you to Dig Comics, so does New Filmmakers LA, so does Capes On Film!

Dig Comics has just been selected by the Cannes Independent Film Festival! As an Official Selection, our short film will be screened during this year’s festival, May 12-23.

This is pretty exciting news for us! If you’re not in France, but in Los Angeles, you still have a chance to see Dig Comics. This Thursday is the big screening put on by New Filmmakers LA at Sunset Gower Studios. Head over to their site to download our press kit and buy tickets. The screening is only $5! Hurry, seating is limited! A Q&A with director Miguel Cima will follow the screening.

If you’re still not convinced that Dig Comics is worth checking out, maybe the great review at Capes On Film can convince you.

WalkMS in a Dress and Heels – The Video

To get involved, visit My WalkMS Page – http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/corey.blake

New Filmmakers LA wants you to Dig Comics

Dig Comics has been selected to screen as part of New Filmmakers LA at the historic Sunset Gower Studios! This is a pretty big honor, so needless to say, we’re pretty excited!

Tickets cost only $5.00 and go on-sale Friday, March 19th. The screening is 6:00 PM, Thursday, April 8th. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with director Miguel Cima and an after-party. If you live in the LA area and have yet to see Dig Comics, here is a chance I would not pass up!

Congratulations, You’re Alive!

Yay, you made it!

If you observe Daylight Savings Time, you were more likely to have a heart attack Monday morning than any other Monday of the year. According to an LAist article yesterday:

So the natural increases in heart rate and blood pressure will be even further behind [Monday morning] than after any other weekend – in fact, it will be 80 minutes behind. So the stress of the alarm [clock] will be greater, and the immediate stress-related rise in blood pressure and heart rate will be even faster and bigger than any other weekend. So if your heart is already damaged in some way, you stand a greater chance of experiencing a heart attack on the Monday following the spring-forward time change than any other Monday of the year.

Phwew! I was so relieved to make it through the day!

For the whole scientific explanation, check out the full LAist article.

WalkMS – over $1K raised so far!

For a second time, I have just broken past my fund raising goal for the Greater LA Walk MS!

My original goal of $500 was quickly surpassed within four days of my announcement, in tribute to my wife Nahleen who inspires me in her battle with MS every day and the 84-year-old woman from New Jersey who rides her single-speed bike 150 miles every year to raise money for MS. It is slightly over two weeks later and my increased goal of $1,000 was just met!

Tremendous thank yous to everyone who has donated and emailed or messaged me with enthusiastic support!

What should my next goal be? How much would you pay to see me in a heels and dress? Yes, that’s right. In case you forgot, I’ll be dressing as the lady pictured above. Click the image to read the original CNN article, which helped me come up with this goofy idea.

Here’s my updated and spruced up Walk MS Page. And here’s our team page (we’d love to have you join our team! Don’t worry, you don’t have to dress up like me.).