Justin Cecil's Blog

            The graphic novelist Scott McCloud has created a bunch of work that I have enjoyed. He’s probably most famous for his book “Understanding Comics,” which deals with the history and influence of the medium. McCloud also wrote his own take on the superhero genre called “Zot!” which is a pretty fun series in my opinion. Along with creating good stories and bringing forth information in a fun and accessible way, he has a good art style. So back in 2015, when his latest graphic novel “The Sculptor” came out, I was looking forward to it. When I picked it up from the local library I was excited to read it.             I think it could have been better. Spoiler Alert             The idea for the story itself is actually pretty intriguing. The graphic novel tells the tale of a man in his twenties named David Smith who is an aspiring sculptor. He’s struggling to not only get his career on the map, but also to survive and thrive financially in New York City. His work isn’t se

            Werner Herzog is a filmmaker that I greatly admire. I first came upon his works with his film “Grizzly Man,” which I first saw on DVD when I was in high school. Since then I’ve seen many of his movies. Herzog is certainly an original, someone who has truly committed himself to his craft. He’s also the only person to have directed at least one movie on every single continent (and yes, that includes Antarctica).             One time I saw his movie “Heart of Glass” on DVD. It’s one of his earlier films, made in 1976, before he made his legendary and notorious film “Fitzcarraldo.” It takes place long ago in a remote Bavarian village. A glass blower dies, and he was the last one to know how to make a particular type of glass, a ruby glass. The townspeople, especially a rich man, become obsessed with figuring out how to create this ruby glass again.             Along with the intriguing concept, the film is known for the fact that the vast majority of the actors were

“For every laugh, there should be a tear.” -        Walt Disney, animator/entrepreneur “The moment that you feel, just possibly, you are walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind, and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself… that is the moment, you might be starting to get it right.” -        Neil Gaiman, writer             I feel like being a comedian is a job that takes a lot of courage. Now to be clear, I’m not saying it’s a job that takes the most courage out of every other job on Earth; that category would be something along the lines of being a firefighter, a police office, a person in the military, or an astronaut. But while being a successful stand-up comic looks like a fun job, there’s a lot behind the scenes. One has to find the right note, almost like a musician, that will make the audience laugh. For every minute-long joke that flies, there’s a ton of prep work behind it. And a lot of jokes are based on real li

            Getting fired, laid off, or otherwise let go can be an awful thing to happen to anyone. It can feel devastating, losing one’s main or even only source of income, and being cast into an already chaotic and oftentimes crazy world without a lifejacket. Even if one truly hated the job they were let go from, and even if they fortunate enough to not be living paycheck to paycheck, it can be a huge blow to one’s ego. Being let go can make one feel useless and hopeless, and can even make a person question their worth and place in the vast and often unforgiving Universe.             But occasionally, being let go can be the best thing that can happen to someone. Sometimes, it can lead to someone finding an even better path in life. A few examples include… 1)     Guy Laliberté             Laliberté had spent much of his early adulthood working as a street performer and busking. He hitchhiked all over his native country of Canada and performed, which he absolutely loved