Words & Pictures: Julia C. Tenney
I had several ideas for a NIN postcard, the best of which would have involved learning Bryce while also doing a full day's work, on location, in Las Vegas, ten feet away from my supervisor, if I wanted to get it done in time for the Birthday. So, that didn't happen.
Another also combined the possibility of visiting people in England, and checking out the river Trent, even though it appears to be in a shockingly dull bit of countryside. I've never had problems convincing folks to join me on the infinite halo excursions. Company makes any expedition, however nearly pointless, more memorable. Alas, while England is so impressively cheap these days (due to all the euthanasia), every time I've planned a week or two to head over, that time has become committed to work, community art projects and annual summer commitments, like roadraces, weekend long parties and Burning Man, maybe even Pennsic again.
At the very last minute, literally the morning of May 17th, I hastily drew out a comic strip as a creative excuse. I figured, LAME, drawing is too easy for me, learning a 3D rendering program shows effort.
People loved it. My roommate collects small-press comics, so he naturally liked the idea of a comic strip for a postcard. People complimented the juxtaposition of the cow with the word co-workers. Among my friends it was long ago devolved into cow-orkers. I had to explain who Procyon was (one of the infinite halo patrons), and that lobster tacos are a speciality in the casino that apparently hosts Trent when he's in town. (Trent Reznor, I tsk in your general direction for not trying to stay at Bellagio. Tsk.)
My coworker, the one with the altered NIN tattoo, was flattered nearly to tears. "O... you show me singing. Aw..." For someone into NIN enough to get a tattoo (I can't even bring myself to put a NIN bumpersticker on my car) she didn't know much about the Trent. "It's his birthday? It's my boyfriend's birthday too. Omigod!" Her boyfriend apparently knew this but had never felt the need to point it out.
For years, I've dreamt of a graphic novel for The Adventures of Cthulhia The Reznorian. Knowing my organizational skills or lack thereof, this postcard may be the only solid result. Enjoy!
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