Keef and Justin, you are so going into my novel!

Okay, bit parts. But I have told them both already that they are going in.

I was at a Keef Knight presentation last Friday night at CA College of the Arts in San Francisco. That’s Keef Knight to the right, and Justin Hall (lookit the size of him!) to the left at the little reception afterwards. READ. KEEF’S. WORK!!!! Keef is “bringing the funny back to the funny pages” in The K Chronicles, T.H.I.N.K and The Knight LIfe by comic-writing about race, politics, his family life with a sweet wife and kids, Star Wars prequels, and other smart and geeky stuff. And if you are at a comic con and you are all grown up like me, stop by Prism Comics, say hi to Justin, and buy some slice-of-life comic books. You might get a BIG Justin hug (well, maybe if you tell him Dave Strom sent you).

As always, I loved Keef’s presentation and so did the audience (not surprising, considering they were mostly budding cartoonists). Keef seemed a little concerned that the cartoons he showed were a bit depressing (George Zimmerman, and a black young man being corralled by cops for buying a belt, and the Supreme Court as a human centipede, okay that last one is funny no matter what). I told him that his cartoons cannot depress me (I love his comics too much for that), what did depress me was Keef not getting a TV deal due to an Hollywood exec killing all scripted shows in his department in favor of reality TV. UGH. Remind me to tell you about Daisy of Love sometime.

Keef’s superpower: I once asked Keef what it would be. He said that once on a San Fran bus ride, he looked out the window at a pedestrian, and the pedestrian vomited. Next stop, he looked at another pedestrian, and again the vomit. Third stop: look, pedestrian, vomit. Hmm, would Keef be Heroic Hurl? Nah, I’d want Keef’s power to relate to his work ethic (toughest I have ever seen) and/or his wit. I just have not figured that out yet.

It was great to see Justin Hall again. He’s a head cartoonists/creator at Prism Comics, a nonprofit organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender comics, creators, and readers, but they let me read their comics too. First time I met Justin, I noted that his pectoral muscles were very visible under two layers of clothing. Last night, I sensed that I was standing next to a wall. I turned around. It was Justin’s back. Another Prism guy once described Justin as a ray of sunshine. Justin is a happy, cheerful guy, at least from what I have seen at comic cons. Once Justin was telling me about the tiring work he had ahead at the end of WonderCon (packing up the booth and so on). I looked up at this bodybuilder-standing-tall gay guy, and I said, “So for you, this is what passes for tired?”

Justin’s superpower: the ability to absorb energy/force directed at him and redirect it, most likely by adding super-strength and by creating force blasts through his super-mighty pecs.

Meeting Keef and Justin will have to substitute for the San Diego Comic Con this year. I can’t make it. I will be writing instead. I should be behind a comic con table, selling stuff, and I need to make stuff to sell.

P.S. Keef gave me a hug. Not as engulfing as a Justin hug, but I admit it did make me feel good. I am Keef’s official NorCal fanboy. My T-shirt reads “Finish writing your novel, fanboy!” I had Keef make it for me for his upcoming “I was a teenage Michael Jackson impersonator” graphic novel.