Editorial

Nov 03, 2015 B.I.B 999 – An Exhibition and Illustrated Documentation of 999 Black Markers by Allister Lee

by Martin Wong

My friend Allister Lee is a Toronto-based graphic artist who keeps busy doing gigs for skate and apparel brands such as Nike, Element, Maharishi, and Stüssy. But he makes time to do stuff on his own, too. I especially like his loving tributes to Chinatowns around the world as well as his reappropriation of B-list...

Editorial

Oct 27, 2015 Bob Forrest’s Survival Songs

by Martin Wong

The new Bob Forrest record doesn't have layers of self-destructive lyrics and post-punk guitar like Thelonious Monster or the sobered-up and cleaned-up sound of The Bicycle Thief (his old bands). The concept is more akin to the Rick Rubin-produced Johnny Cash records: the raw voice of a well-traveled badass reinventing old songs. Of course, it's...

Editorial, Feed

Oct 22, 2015 Pow! Wow! Japan 2015

by Calvin N.

The first Pow! Wow! Japan is under way and is taking place in Tokyo, Japan. Participating artists: Cook One, Dave Kinsey, Luise Ono, Dragon 76, Frankie Cihi, Hitotzuki, Jay Shogo, Fafi, and Kamea Hadar, (to name a few) will be painting their mural at Tennoz Isle on Bond Street. The artists will be showcasing...

Editorial

Oct 20, 2015 CalArts Tribute to Charlie Haden

by Martin Wong

I'm the first one to admit that I don't know anything about jazz. But I respect the art form and know Rachel Haden, so my family and I drove out to Valencia and attended the CalArts tribute to her late father and legendary musician and teacher at the campus's Wild Beast stage. Rachel and fellow Haden...

Editorial

Oct 14, 2015 Into the Badlands preview

by Martin Wong

At first, Daniel Wu and I were pen pals. While studying architecture in Oregon, he was a fan of the GR mag which I helped make, we corresponded, and he became a contributor. Then he went on vacation in Hong Kong and wound up becoming an award-winning actor and filmmaker. The magazine ran its course but...

Editorial

Oct 06, 2015 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is why we drove two-and-a-half hours to a book signing in San Diego

by Martin Wong

There is on ongoing debate among Los Angeles hoops fans about who is the greatest Laker: Kobe or Magic? And then there are old-timers who bring up Mr. Clutch and Wilt the Stilt. But how can any of those legends be the greatest player to don the Purple & Gold when another Laker is the...

Editorial, Feed

Oct 01, 2015 New Books for Children in the Psychic Temple Library

by Calvin N.

My co-worker's son and daughter, Noah (6) and Maddie Min (4) selected a handful of books for kids to read when they visit the James Jean library in our office. Some of the books they picked were Iggy Peck Architect by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola, Pout Pout Fish by...

Editorial

Sep 22, 2015 The Jabberjaw book release event at Stories was like going to a show without the music

by Martin Wong

I vividly recall the night my twin brother Greg and I bailed early from our ten-year high school reunion and drove straight to Jabberjaw in our thrift store suits and ties to see our friends Emily's Sassy Lime and The Peechees at Jabberjaw. The excitement of walking up the alley, hearing the music get louder,...

8 Questions, Editorial, Feed

Sep 21, 2015 8 Questions with: Rachel Payne, CEO of FEM Inc.

by Tanya Raukko

I encountered Rachel Payne earlier this year at several of the TED Women event workshops, where I was impressed with her extreme poise and passion in discussing technology trends and marginalized groups in media (e.g. women and girls). I followed up with her to learn more about FEM Inc., the video engagement platform that she...

Editorial

Sep 15, 2015 Jack Kirby retrospective at CSUN

by Martin Wong

Jack Kirby was already old-school when I started buying comics in the mid-'70s. My twin brother Greg, our friend Mike, and I bought issues from Kirby's runs in Captain America, Devil Dinosaur, and Machine Man, as well as the Silver Surfer graphic novel off the stands, and his style already seemed old fashioned. Yet we...