The Dark Balloon

A weblog by Hao Lian.
A terrible secret guarded by golems.
A note that thanks you for being born, all those years ago.

[(2009 February 19) .]
[(2009 January 27) .]

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Post-increment.

Today, I found out about Minus by Ryan Armand. It’s about a girl with magic powers or maybe just an imagination or maybe it’s a metaphor for a simile for an adverb. Minus takes place in the most heartbreakingly beautiful universe, ever.

[(2008 November 15) .]

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A relationship, a handsome sphere absorbed with itself.

If you like beautiful stories and you like beautiful art, you must already be a fan of Anders Loves Maria by Rene Engström, which is copious with both. Today’s comic—even outside of the storyline, completely devoid of context—should win Most Powerfully Poignant of the Year award in the mathematic category of “Hell, Yes, Finally the Internet is an Awesome Artistic Media.” (This is also known as Set by mathematicians, but mathematicians are lame.) (via smbc)

[(2008 July 3) .]

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I review Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.

Recently, I discovered Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal via @sherbondy. It’s a beacon of consistent humor. These will get you started: 881, 806, 816, 827, 833, 837, 843, 848, 866, 868, 714, 764, 773, 557, 581, 614, 634, and 639.

[(2008 June 8) .]

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The dialogue, though, is mediocre.

This, this xkcd cartoon of ours, is the best homage to Bill Watterson’s minimalistic drawing style I’ve ever seen.

[(2008 April 11, 2!) .]

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Should have waited three more days to post this.

It’s funnier without Garfield’s thought balloons (Emotionless cat terrifies neighborhood children with fast undressing paws.), but a quick dose of visual humor nevertheless at the deservedly ridiculed neighborhood bully that just happens to make fun of cats as tall as he. In the end though it’s Garfield’s stoicism and body language between the second and third panels that puts the meat on the table. As a refreshing counter-opinion, may I remind you Slate’s glib praise of Davis’ mediocrity way back in 2004? (Those were the times: The litmag was only one-year old, anything was possible, and Blogdex was up and running. Who remembers Blogdex? The answer may just be everybody.)

Garfield on 2008 January 03.
[(2008 January 3, 4!) .]