I’ve been meaning to post this for a long time. Maybe I did post it, years ago. The future is the past. Regardless, it’s worth sharing again.

The Alaska Public Radio Network ran a show back in 2007 called “AK: In the Trenches,” and it featured a story on retired airman, Col. Howard “Mike” Hunt. I cut together all the good bits.

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The original show can be caught here, it’s better listening to the whole thing but we’re busy people in busy times and we have to get back to our twitters and emails.

• AK: In the Trenches – Mike Hunt

AK was a good radio show, the “This American Life” of Alaska, I’m sad that it’s over and hope it gets revived someday. I don’t know if Rebecca Sheir was in on the joke but I have to hope so given the episode’s title.

The Fairbanks News Miner also ran a story on the guy. He’s apparently a total badass and I have to believe he finds as much humor in all this as I do — otherwise I’m a douchebag making fun of an 88 year old war hero’s name.

I generally don’t do a lot of illustration work for hire, I’m too slow and I’d rather spend time drawing comics. I also have an innate fear of the word “wedding” so I don’t really know how this project came to fruition at all but when Nick and Jenny asked me to do their wedding invitations I couldn’t turn them down.

I think it had something to do with the use of the words like “viking” and “starfish” in their description of the project. I was already on board when Nick told me about Le Tigre, a midget in a tiger suit.

Congratulations to Nick and Jenny, I wish you many happy years ahead.

Here’s a larger version.

Alaska’s economy is often described as a three legged stool, the squeaky leg is petroleum.

What bothers me most about the “Faces of Aces” commercial is that it isn’t just a corporate message speaking to the public, it’s meant to speak for the public. This is the oil industry putting on a clever mask and pretending to be a concerned citizen.

I remember the last time major players in the petroleum industry tried to rewrite tax law, they were caught bribing a good chunk of the legislature. After that, the new tax, ACES, wasn’t quite what they wanted. Never mind that they’re still raking in billions in profit, the big oil companies are standing out on the corner ringing their bells.

The oil and gas taxes are a tough balance and a far more complicated nest than I can understand. I’m just happy that the group funding the “Faces of Aces” advertisement is called “The Alliance.” Their logo is a chain. It just automatically makes them the bad guys, right?

If you need more context for this short bit of satire, please read Krestia’s article at the Anchorage Press – “For whom the bell tolls.”

If you’re interested in Alaska politics you might want to watch some of our other political satire pieces from the past few years.

• Buy Back Alaska
• Frank Murkowski – A Tribute
• Sarah Palin – Relatively Awesome
• Buy Back America
• Town vs. Valley

I love these openers Mike Martinez put together for UAF Nanook Hockey.

Dropping bombs into a volcano? Brilliant! I’ve never been more proud to be a Nanook Alum.

It seems to be an evolving project and I can’t wait to see what comes next year. Personally, I’m rooting for more cold fire and a finale involving a giga-nanook sending the earth into the sun with a super nova inducing slap shot.

Good job Mike!!

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Comics have been temporarily displaced by commercial work and an avalanche of other distractions but I’ll be back at it next week.

The above image is part of a commissioned piece I’m working on. It’s been a great project but way too time consuming. I’ll share the rest of the image once I’m finished.

This week we’re all scrambling to prepare for the JUMP Society Film Festival. Locally made short films on a sesame seed bun. Delicious!

I’m giving away the whole show, I never was good at keeping secrets. This one was an experiment in using contrasting colors to create an illusion of depth.

Far out man.

… I’m imagining this one on a giant canvas with a resin coat.

We’ll have new prints on display at the Ruby Room this Friday for Gallery Walk. Hope you can make it!

Aaron and I will be at the Juneau Public Market this weekend with our comics, films, shirts, and a bunch of Sarah Asper-Smith’s work. You can find us at booth C-8, just to the left of the main entrance. Hope to see you there!

Dad turned sixty this week. He also cut out a bunch of my comics, glued them to sticks and made goofy cartoons out of them. I hope I’m still having as much fun when I’m his age.