Life is Lies: Good Line

Kicking off that March... Tiny Mix Tapes gets to the point in my comics queue where I've started to color things in by hand.


I made this shrimp stew the other day. It was really good – I used my grandmother's recipe, there's all this rice, and these shrimps. Was it the sole cause of mild food poisoning? Remains to be determined. I'm willing to risk it, cause you never know. You eat any number of things in a given day, why would it be the shrimpy rice stew?

But then my friend who came over for shrimpy rice stew also had food poisoning the next day. Still, I'm a man of science, and nothing is certain until tested. Especially when it's delicious. Delicious Science.

The best science?

Life is Lies: Report

I'm starting graduate school in the fall, so I think about writing reports now. Not all the time or anything, just, once in a while. I fully intend to continue going to rock shows and draw inspired and engaging pieces about an alien rock band.


I'm going to super-juggle my time and keep working with Tiny Mix Tapes, obviously. Just you see.

Life is Lies: Nose Game

Is it redundant that I post when my comics post on Tiny Mizz Tapes? Probably. Do they post them in full and at better quality? They do do that. Do you also maybe read some of the other stuff they do when you go look at the comics? I don't know. I do. I check out the other stuff. They reviewed that movie about the rabbits living in the no-mans-land between East and West Berlin. That's a movie. See. It's a movie. It's even been reviewed. On Tiny Mix Tapes.



I need to draw more of these and get them cued up. But I also need to apply for fellowships to go to graduate school. I'll give you three guesses to divine what I actually do this week.

Life is Lies: Mindbend

This is from a week ago, but I was on vacation. That just means you can read the other comics that have posted since, or look at other things, like writing. I feel like a zombie. I'm trying to listen to more 80s music from Spain, and clean my house.


I had a dream last night under the direct influence of a long, multi-party gmail exchange about Magic: The Gathering, and I don't know how I feel about that.

Life is Lies: Creative Lisence

Man, I always spell license wrong. Someone was like, "hey that's funny you spelled it wrong," and that's when I realized I'd done it again. And why do people always think you're taking creative lisence when you make that very mistake?


Of course the cardinal rule of making mistakes is always to say you did it on purpose. It's just that even the file name is spelled correctly (not that you can see that, but I know), why didn't I remember to double-check that post? It's like unnecessary – those two, I always have to double check my spelling. Always.

In Spanish it's the same thing. My gender agreement is always off for some word... problema, that's the one I had pointed out to me the other day. I always say la mapa, too. Always. If you and I are having a conversation some time and I don't say "la mapa," then you can be sure I thought about it ahead of time.

Or, what is more likely, we're speaking in English.

Life is Lies: Cuates

In this one, the aliens don't speak any English at all. I couldn't exactly tell you why I insist on making it illegible; I mean, I could, but it's an overarching ideological thing that's somewhat apart from the comic. Ask me after the show —

Life is Lies: IDs

This was a fun one. Now it's up!


Recently I dug out some sketches I'd done and defaced them in the name of Science. Stuff like a Tabasco bottle, a cyclops I guess, or a robot, whatever you draw when you're sitting around in a bar. Mostly these guys, though. I get tired of coloring things in digitally, right, and I like limited palettes; so, let's go, markers –

This was the original idea for London, and I'm glad I didn't go with it.

That said, it did lead to a different, excellent idea.

This one just isn't right for those aliens, but at least I finally drew his pint glass proportionally large. Right, I mean – they're three feet tall, and they're always holding regular-sized glasses. I figure they get little shot glasses of beer. Or no one serves them. Or
EVERYONE SERVES THEM.

(that last bit makes sense if you read this week's comic).

Life is Lies: Maybe We Do

My sense of what these aliens can and can't do changes a little bit every time I draw them. Also, this post snuck up on me, but I've got some good non-Life is Lies material coming here to Swimmy the Dish soon. Although I also have some really good Life is Lies material coming up, too; I scanned five galleys today, they'll be put into the queue at Tiny Mix Tapes before the end of the weeeeeee~k.

Life is Lies: Volume Control

More coming soon, promise. I just need to have this cup of tea first.

Life is Lies: Bug Man

Man, I've got to get on some other projects. I've been working on business cards, but yeah. So, progress.

Life Is Lies: Amplifier

I'm drawing a new one right now. I realized today I'm actually keeping up with my submission deadlines, that feels good; it shows improvement over my attitude towards essay due dates in college. ::blink:: Definite improvement.

Life Is Lies: London

Oh man, so few posts this month. I have to get on that, it bugs me when Life is Lies starts to stack up. It's been a busy summer, but really...

Life is Lies: Tell It

I actually sort of did this to some guys on the street last night. I'm not a very aggressive person, so it felt good to out-joust a car full of douche-baggery with a little performative legerdemain. Skin-a-ma-rink-a-link-a-doo, skin-a-ma-rink-a-dee.


I'm actually kind of excited for the next two to post. My punchlines aren't always on by my reckoning, but yeah, it's moving.

Life is Lies: Baby Eaters

Ooooh yeah, this went up earlier this week. And if you wait for me to tell you every-every time then you missed the second part of Visual Score (here; it's still there, don't worry).

Life Is Lies: Visual Score

This comes in two parts; the second one is for later, although yes, the punchline is pretty much all in the first strip. (although no, because the second one has a different joke, right?).

Life is Lies: Badass

I like having something to remind me I need to post things more often. This time I actually caught it day-of, but anyway.


go-go Gadget Link

Life Is Lies: Sharks

I need to draw some more of these, for sure. Aliens in Diapers:

Life Is Lies: The Loktar

Don't worry, I'm not watching the Tiny Mix Tapes page like a hawk. For all I know this has been up for a while. But now I'm telling you!

Life is Lies: Good Writing

And Oh Yeah! this went up; a while ago, I think, but the actual day slipped my watchful eye. Check it out! On page two! (which is for some reason comics?page=1 in the web address!) (excitement!) I'll notify you as I notice them go live, in case you don't feel like checking yourself periodically. Tiny Mix Tapes has a bunch of other comics, though, so you should have a look.

Life is Lies #1

I drew this comic about aliens and submitted it to Tiny Mix Tapes, because they have a comics section. I get the impression they're not going to take it, but I still think it's pretty great.


UPDATE (3/4/10): hey! looks like i spoke too soon – got a message a couple days ago, they're going to take it! i'll post here when it posts there, but it'll be more like this:

sweet!