Joshua

Washington City Paper: What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?
Joshua Luna: We make comic books.  We develop the plot together, I write the scripts and provide layouts and lettering, and then Jonathan handles the pencils, inks, and colors for each page.

WCP: When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?
Joshua: I was born in Lemoore, California in 1981.
Jonathan: Lemoore, California in 1978.

WCP: Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?
Joshua: We are actually in Northern Virginia, just 20 minutes away from D.C., in a city called Woodbridge.  We lived around this area before we lived in Italy. Our dad was in the Navy, so we were stationed overseas for a few years. When he retired, we returned to this area because it was familiar to us.

WCP: What is your training and/or education in cartooning?
Joshua: We attended The Savannah College of Art and Design and earned BFAs, majoring in Sequential Art. I believe it’s one of the few schools to offer a degree in “comic books.”

WCP: Who are your influences?
Joshua: There’s just too many to mention.  Naming individual influences wouldn’t be accurate because I’m inspired by just about everything.  But if I had to choose a major one, I’d say life in general. I love to incorporate realism and personal experiences in my writing and art as much as possible.
Jonathan: Movies.  I love cinematic storytelling.  You could say that I’m a comic book artist that wants to make movies.

WCP: If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?
Joshua: It’s always difficult for me to read my past work because all I see are things I’d like to do-over or change.  But at the same time, I think it’s nice to see the progression and ongoing improvement in your body of work.
Jonathan: I have no regrets, really.  I’m always trying my best.

WCP: What work are you best-known for?
Jonathan: That’s hard to tell, because I wouldn’t really know.  Girls and The Sword almost tie in terms as our bestsellers.

WCP: What work are you most proud of?
Joshua: I can never choose. It’s like picking your favorite child.
Jonathan: I think it’s always my most recent work because it’s where I see most improvement.  Hopefully.

WCP: What would you like to do or work on in the future?
Joshua: I’d love to continue working on comics until I’m physically able. It’s also been a dream of mine to write and direct a film.
Jonathan: Same here.  There are other things I’d like to do that will be announced when the time is right.

WCP: What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?
Joshua: It really is the worst feeling.  For me, sometimes the best option is to go the opposite direction and do nothing pertaining to writing for a day and concentrate on something else.  Sometimes, you have to let inspiration find you, not the other way around.

WCP: What do you think will be the future of your field?
Joshua: I think the digital presence will continue to grow.

WCP: What's your favorite thing about DC?

Joshua: The great restaurants, sites and museums.
Jonathan: I’ve definitely been enjoying the great food lately.

WCP: Least favorite?
Joshua: I love to visit DC, but as far as living there, I think I’m more a suburbanite. City life is a little too hectic and fast paced for me.
Jonathan: Traffic.

WCP: What monument or museum do you take most out-of-town guests to?

Joshua: Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Smithsonian are must-see stops.
Jonathan: The Hirshhorn.  I love modern art.

WCP: Do you have a website or blog?

Joshua: For more info, our website is www.lunabrothers.com.

New Wale Single, DC Graffiti, DMV Awards, Lyriciss and more!

Wale is kicking his 2009 project plan into lightspeed this week-launching what looks like the album release campaign. His mixtape with 9th Wonder drops tomorrow, the lead single Chillin drops on Friday, he'll be down at Winter Music Conference later this month and hitting the college circuit the whole time. Oh, and he just caught his first hockey game. All you aspiring rappers take note-Wale's interactive marketing strategy is sick. Don't think you're going to twitter your way into web 2.0 marketing synergy like that. Double bonus-you get major media press (XXL, The Source, Spin, Vibe, ETC) in the summer when you send out press-releases in the spring.

On Wednesday there will be a double feature of DC Graffiti Documentaries held by Words Beats and Life-a dope DC non-profit that does hip hop arts and education work. I heard both these flicks are hot-check em out!.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009 9:30pm – 11:30pm
Words Beats & Life Headquarters (St. Stephen's Church)
1525 Newton St. N.W.

BORF! by Paris Bustillos – 9:45 p.m. (running time-26 min.)

CHOCOLATE CITY BURNING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF "DOT-COM" by Apoxy One 0:15 p.m. (running time-54 min.)

This event is free. Donations welcome.

DOUBLE BONUS: Asad ULTRA Walker has a dope post over at his blog about DC Go-Go Graffiti history!

The DMV Entertainment and Music Awards (warning – site with totally annoying autoplaying music) were recently announced – check the nominees here. Shoutouts to Sarah Godfrey for getting nominated for "Most Supportive Media Person." Bigups to all nominees and best of luck to everyone! IT'S AN HONOR TO BE NOMINATED. YOU COULD PUT IT ON YOUR MANTLE.

Overall, the award nominees where mostly what I expected: In general the usual suspects and a bunch of people I hadn't yet heard of. In the future I hope they can make these awards a little more representative of who is really making noise on the scene and who just has a good e-team voting for them to get an award...

Ra the MC will be performing at the DMV awards – check out this video including some of her performance at Jamming Java. And yeah, what do you know about her DJ Premier produced track? I mean, what other MC from DC has a Primo beat? Check her myspace for a stream of "Anything You Like".

Lyriciss has a new mixtape "The Day Job" (z-share link) and a new video for his single "Go Hard" featuring XO and Pro'Verb. The kid is nice and has been putting in mega-work overtime on his fast-rising career. I found myself in a deep head-nod while listening, smirking at his punchlines. Rookie of the year!

T.E.F.L.O.N sent me this exclusive freestyle over XO's Realmatic instrumental by BKS. It's dope. I love that beat and have been spitting over it the lil instrumental break at the end all week.

Whats good everyone, I know i'm late on a drop this month so I wanted to hit everyone with a quickie for right now... Here's a little something i did over a track off of an upcoming DC artist named X.O.'s album called "Realmatic". Go google it, download, support it, etc.. It's produced by Best Kept Secret. Hit me with some feedback, I got alot of shit in store for when it warms up outside.

"REALMATIC FREESTYLE"

http://www.zshare.net/audio/571392322033edbd/