We are taking a pause this week to raise awareness about what’s happening in Turkey. I made this political comic, with some hope of doing so. Please Share this. So, let’s see what’s happening!

I first heard about this a week or so ago, with my niece tweeting that they need a doctor at a certain cross street, and RTing about how the police is blocking ambulances to go into the neighborhood, and people are getting injured and gassed. Apparently, all Turkish media is full of assholes, and they are bought by the government. During the Riots, CNN Turkey was airing a documentary about Penguins. Are you kidding me? This became an instant meme, and a symbol of the revolution as such:

The whole thing is a mess. It started as a small, environmentalist protest of government’s plans to demolish a park to build a mall. Have you seen that movie? Right? Yet, the police ended up burning the tents of the protesters while they’re sleeping, and it kept escalating from then on. Now, the entire country is in uprising. Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara, all the major city streets are filled with people, protecting their land, and resisting the fascist goverment of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. I knew he was an asshole, and mentioned him in Page 4.14 a while back. Anyway, I am angry. I wish I was back home, protecting Gezi. Yet, for now, all I can do is what I do best. Make art, and post about it.

Let’s quote some websites: PolicyMic

The protests began with a peaceful demonstration against government plans to demolish Gezi Park in Taksim Square, the last significant green space in central Istanbul, and replace it with a “replica Ottoman-era army barracks that would house a shopping mall.” Police attacked the Occupy-style protesters camping out in the park with tear gas during a dawn raid, barricaded the park, and in a later raid set fire to some of the tents. According to Mashallah News, “Friday morning saw the most aggressive use of force yet, with police using water cannons and excessive force in an attempt to clear the park of people delivering speeches, chanting, singing, and preparing camps.” The Turkish Doctors’ Association reports that almost 1,000 people were injured in Istanbul on Friday, including six who lost eyes after being hit by tear-gas canisters.

You can read the rest over there. I’ve been following @OccupyGeziNews, it seems to be the best source of information. This entire Revolution is being tweeted, and there is no mainstream media coverage.

VICE magazine has an amazing Documentary shot on the scene, please watch and share that also, and watch it right here:

Thank you for reading. We will continue SPINE next week. Remember, 4 more pages.

Besides, don’t you want to see some rhinowhales, before this is all over?

Cheers.

Let’s talk about what we are looking at this week. This is a “dream-coming-true” type of scenario for me, and I need all your support. I don’t want to break any hearts, especially yours, my readers.

Let’s lay out the plan:

A new plot twist. Spine is changing – a lot. From webcomics, to print. Website is changing from weekly updates to, blog / monthly animated sequences. That’s right, Spine animations.

The Story is coming to an end. There are 5 more pages left in Chapter 4. And once that is done, web updates will end with it. This will give room to the much larger story that will be published this summer.

5 more weeks, guys. That kind of makes me sad, and happy, because it is evolving.

Let’s do a small recap, first:

We are losing the webcomic.
Gaining a monthly issue of brand new 24 Page SPINE every month – paid.
Gaining an 1-3 minute animated short cartoon every month – free

This webcomic madness started in November of 2009. The goal was to make an action comic. Let’s draw SPINE running around, doing cool shit, and get myself out there. Create a platform where I can share my work with the world. Create a platform where I make a promise, and deliver. Things have changed a bit in chapter 2, haven’t they? Bakery? (and how does she travel from New Orleans, to San Francisco on a flying bike, in a world with dying energy? fixed in print, no worries). Then, with chapter 3, we get to know her past. Where Spine comes from, and her original name. Then, we moved on to future with chapter 4. The speculation of what the SunDrive is capable of, and the riddle that will need to get solved.

This summer, a new version of SPINE will be published with new artwork, and updated storyline. Between each released book, there will be a small animated scene at www.spinecomic.com and that’s the idea.

What you’re looking at right now, is the “demo” cover of the first issue.

How about that?

So, that song is stuck in my head, and won’t let go. But, take a look at this?? Do you guys know what this is? (don’t say emitter-guts) This is one of those pages I wanted to draw for a while. Nothing like opening up some emitters, and pulling power supplies out. I think the key thing to remember here is that, the damn thing is not unplugged, or off, for that matter. You should know what happens to those who touch power supplies, while they’re on.

It’s fun.

Also,

There will be a small dream sequence called “Pink Tentacle Dream”.

This small comic will be released only on Instagram. One panel at a time. Start following me now on instagram for details (@spinecomic - go figure) Besides, instagram is the best way to get to know a little bit more about me, and the drawings I’m making, as I’m making them.

If you vote, you will see the first page of that comic, and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of it.

Skateboarding on Emitters with Polarity-Impulse, Enabling Root user for unlimited access to the ESCHER’s main computer. It’s time to do some spying!

I don’t think we really have seen SPINE spy like this before, we saw her getting in trouble in the Submarine SunDrive Complex. (which is by the way, is being redone for the summer’s re-release, more info on that later.)

Also,

There will be a small dream sequence called “Pink Tentacle Dream”.

This small comic will be released only on Instagram. One panel at a time. Start following me now on instagram for details (@spinecomic - go figure) Besides, instagram is the best way to get to know a little bit more about me, and the drawings I’m making, as I’m making them.

If you vote, you will see the first page of that comic, and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of it.

And apparently, up to no good. So, why wasn’t there any Spine last month.

Last month, I was away in The Bay Area for another engagement, the entire time. Hence, I couldn’t make any comics. But, that’s not all – I have been plotting. There will be a small dream sequence called “Pink Tentacle Dream”.

This small comic will be released only on Instagram. One panel at a time. Start following me now on instagram for details (@spinecomic – go figure) Besides, instagram is the best way to get to know a little bit more about me, and the drawings I’m making, as I’m making them.

If you vote, you will see the first page of that comic, and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of it.

Thanks for the help Orleena. So, we are getting further. Spine makes flying within chaos with magnets look easy. Don’t forget, she made flying with scorpions look easy too, then remember what happened to her?

Do you ever stop and think: “I threw my life away. For what?”

I’m just listening to Steven Wilson, and those happened to be the lyrics at the time. It’s the song called Untitled at the very end of Insurgents.

Right now, I am in my house, in Los Angeles writing this. It is about 3 am. However, when you read this, it will be next week, and I will be in Cupertino. I will be there for three weeks. I am looking forward to my training, and all the free time I’ll have for drawing. I’m optimistic, will be aiming for 6-7 pages. However, I won’t be able to update anything until May because I won’t have my computer with me.

So, yes. That’s the bad news: No more updates until May 9nd. It could also be good. We shall see.

I hope you’re having a good time. Thanks for reading this non-sense, and my comic. We are getting close, very close.

edit: Further delays, I promise It will be worth the wait. Spine is coming back on May 9th.

When you’re reading this issue. I will be long gone to Cupertino for training. I won’t be uploading anything this month. Hopefully, between now (easter) and then, I can produce enough pages to keep the website alive.

This page turned out a bit more interesting than I thought It was going to be. There’s an explosion and  a bearded asshole. That’s always good, right? Getting the hang of this rhythm. I like the 6 panel layout way more than the 9 I was using earlier. I feel like square panels give me more room for action, and dialogue. I think I’ll stick it for a while and see how it goes. I’ll probably do some across single panels, and things like that. I’m just going to ramble on here for a while.

I saw Ron Lynch and Brendan Small host the Tomorrow! Show last night, and it was awesome! They’re both such brilliant comedians. They are almost making jokes about making jokes, creating one infinite loop. Lizzy Cooper was brilliant also. I sat in the front row, ’cause I wanted to get hackled. And man, I did. Lizzy Cooper pointed at me and said: “Does anyone else feel like we are all pawns in this guys sick game?” Another comedian,  Jim Hamilton, at the end could not get over my afro and kept saying: “Turkish Man with an Afro, I don’t think I can’t make a joke of that. That in itself is enough!”

Needless to say, I had a great time. Never got that kind of attention at a comedy show before. I should sit at the front row every time. Maybe people won’t bomb as much – EEEyooooo!

So, let’s go back to this weeks comic. Emitters are flying around in the Emitter Bay, Eisner is about to blow the F up, The lieutenants are in panic, and SPINE needs to teach that fool how to use his computer to send files over, in the middle of THAT. She also needs another method to survive in there. I mean, you have a Polarity-Impulse Engine on your back, use it better, right?

I’m gonna stop typing and draw the NEXT weeks page now. It needs to get done so, you’re not lonely in April. The Good news: While I’m gone in April, I am planning on drawing A LOT of pages, and getting a full first draft done for the next 4 chapters.  That’s right. 4 more chapters and we are done.

Hi! I almost uploaded this business too late – but it’s here. I got carried away.

You see, I’m trying to make enough pages to last through april because I won’t be here, and won’t be making any pages. I will be in the Bay Area, for some special training for work. But here it is, the Rhinowhale Storm.
Originally, this page happens one page after. However, after drawing the ships in the storm, and the emitter in the same page last week, I changed my mind. Storm is way more interesting to me now. The waves that look like rocks, they look so violent, and so rough. Something about water being the villain, is what I really like. Or, even something like water becoming a villainous force. Either way, I want to draw more of this than I originally wrote in the script.

The flip side of the scene is SPINE inside the ship on the left, ESHCER. She is in there, struggling for her life, trying to stay alive – oh. Maybe I shouldn’t say anymore.

The Video this week is a little different. I’m not drawing in it at all, so it’s good.

The “Emitter Storm” begins. This will be a lot of fun. Since the hatch is broken, looks like we are doing the “other” thing.

Today is my dad’s 80th Birthday! He was a captain pilot for 44 years, and a bad-ass dad for all of it. Without his encouragement, support and sacrifice, none of this would be here. He’s the who kicked me in the butt, and sent me to America to study art.

You see, having talent is one thing, having a dedication is another. They can’t teach you talent at an art school, but they will teach you discipline, and dedication. If the school is good, anyway. If it’s bad, they’ll just get you a job – so you work on some one else’s art, someone else’s dreams. I liked both the schools that I went to. The only reason I had the opportunity, is because my dad believed in me, and my mom won the lottery. That’s another story.

You see, my dad crash landed airplanes to safety, almost started the Cyprus War early, dealt with drug smugglers, got kidnapped by terrorists. After a crazy long life like that, (which – I will definitely make a comic of someday) He says his greatest achievement is us:

That’s my dad, Turhan, My mom, Inci, and me, Cihan.

Here’s a video of this week’s page and Frank’s crazy birthday party singing madness: