It’s been a really exciting month, and now we’re in the last stretch of our 21 Journeys Fundraiser. We’re about 2k away from our goal, with the combined contributions from members and preorders from IndieGoGo, so if you haven’t had a chance to pledge to the cause, now’s the time!

If none of our IndieGoGo perks tickle your fancy, then perhaps one of these fabulous paintings will. They are $40 each, and that includes all shipping to Canada or the United States. The paintings were donated by dedicated Cloudscape members on wooden cradle panels generously provided by Opus Framing and Arts Supplies.

Feel free to click on the images to be brought to their respective shop page for purchase information.

Come check out the first batch of work by Colin Upton, Ed Appleby and Anise Shaw. Each painting is $40, including Shipping, and all money will go to 21 Journeys. We will continue to post the paintings as we get them!

POWER by Anise Shaw

Self Portrait in Black and Grey by Colin Upton

Rodent Adventure 1 by Ed Appleby

The Cast of Volk by Colin Upton

I really enjoyed making these videos, and it was a crazy experience (as per usual) to do the live stream and just kind of go with it. Poor Wei exclaims like he’s dying every time he hears himself. “I’m never going on video agaaaaaaain!” He wails.

Honestly, we are technically awkward. Could it be more pro? Sure. Nonetheless, this is like my second video cast, and I’m pretty happy with it. It was a ton of fun, we had some great pre show and post show chats and I hope you will join me this upcoming Thursday January 27 at 7PM PST to discuss another comics related difficulty: dealing with development hell.

I think I enjoy talking about comics a little too much for it to be healthy… ^__^

Don’t forget, we’re still taking pledges and pre orders for 21 Journeys on Indie GoGo! Jeff made this crazy new video with editing and all that fun stuff that looks pretty good. Plus you get to see some of the art and learn about the artists in the book!

Today, I read that Google is going to sit down with Verizon and strike a deal that would end net neutrality. I know that this is a difficult and confusing topic for many, but I have been following this trend for about 4 years now. What I truly know is that I rely on net neutrality. It allows this website to exist and allows you to stop by and read it. It may not be as big as facebook, or twitter, or even some of the big webcomics, but it means something to me. Every single page view is like a little more fuel telling me that this is something I can do, and that there are people out there that would like to read my comics.

In response to today’s news, I have wrote this letter to Google. I honestly think that if we, the users of the internet, speak plainly to this company, they will listen. They have before.

Here is my open letter to Google. If it speaks to you, please use it as you need to.

Dear Google Founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt,

It is undeniable that the internet is a chaotic mess of information, entertainment, legal and illegal activity. It is a bustling bazaar of merchants, buyers, consumers and participators. In a developed country where stores are systematically lined up in malls, the local restaurant folds to the chain that opens up next door and the television broadcasts news that benefits its shareholders more than the people, the internet is our last bastion of user controlled activity.

From my first foray onto the internet when I was merely 11 years old, I was enamoured by the possibilities of this new social space. The first thing I wanted to do was make my own website and share in the community. In less than I year, I was able to teach myself HTML, signed up for a tripod website and had my first page – about my favourite cartoons and comics – online.

Now, I’m a comic artist. My primary venue of distribution is the internet. I sell books, post sketches, talk with readers and have a webcomic all on my own website. My life has been transformed by a neutral and accessible internet, and now I want that opportunity to be passed on to my children.

Without a neutral internet, I would not have the venue to fullfill my life’s ambitions. Instead, I would most likely be working in the office of a company I am abstractly disconnected with or serving at one of those chain restaurants that forced my local joint to go out of business.

Google, I beseech you. In a world where all that exists are the big players, the people need advocates. I wish in all ernestness that you would pick up your mantle of that advocacy that defined your existence, and brand, when you first started. Please don’t sign this deal with Verizon. Please keep the internet this wonderful, loud and messy bazaar that has brought us so much freedom.

There is nothing like the internet in this world. It is truly new media. You are in a position to make history, to not allow our infant creations to fall to the standards of the status quo. To me, it doesn’t make a difference how I access the internet, but I can not be at the mercy of corporate gatekeepers. Be our advocate, Google, as you have promised us all these years. Our participation has helped you grow strong, don’t abandon us now.

Sincerely,

Vanessa Kelly
Coquitlam, BC Canada
anise.shaw@gmail.com

If you are interested in writing your own letter to Google, please do so here. They wouldn’t take my Canadian postal code, so I just gave them the one for Seattle. It’s 98125.