December 22nd, 2008
This is what happens when Hana tries to eat sourdough: the giant red bear -- Daniel Druff's sidekick -- begins wreaking havoc on the town, smashing and crashing into a toothpick factory, all before Hana can swallow the first bite. Her mission: save the city before the rest of the loaf goes stale.
Brussel Does Something is the thirteenth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. This episode features two cute and stylish illustrations by musical madman Jake Hill, while Marisa Williams edited the episode.
December 7th, 2008
I've added a lovely portrait by Mel Stringer to the About section. Thanks, Mel!
November 26th, 2008
Gorey has a problem: every time he coughs, something orange pokes out of his mouth. Hoping to have the heroine of absurdism assist him, Gorey seeks out Hana, but when he cannot find her he settles for her co-star.
Speaking in Ghosts, the twelfth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, was inspired by a series of ghostly art pieces by Angie Hoffmeister. Crowned prince of illustration Timothy Weaver (Timo) created the title piece, a grotesque, frightening and hilarious work of art. The movie theatre sequence came from an idea by Bobby Myers. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
November 19th, 2008
For Hana and Pitaya there are two downsides to jogging: exertion and Kohlrabi. Kohlrabi's taunts build and build until Pitaya is the one who explodes, and there are no real winners as the three of them are forced to spend the rest of the day cleaning up the mess that follows.
Accidental Music is the eleventh episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. Two artists I greatly admire -- Cinanti Astria Johansjah and Lo Ning Wong -- have provided the illustrations that bookend it. Cinanti Astria Johansjah's piece is a tear-stained maximisation of Kohlrabi's inner feelings over being turned into a . . . well, what he's turned into in the episode. Lo Ning Wong has crafted an absurd galaxy out of moments and memories from the episode and placed this beautifully bizarre galaxy inside one of Pitaya's bouncy balls. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
November 12th, 2008
Hana decides that something needs to be done about the orange balls she found in her tree way back in Episode 5. Who put them there? How? Why? She enlists James to help find answers to these questions, and James enlists the help of his baseball bat. But then they need Gorey's help, and then the lobster's, and then the way king's...
Magical Crab, the tenth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, sees the return of a few familiar faces from Volume 1. The artwork was a gift from Ramon Sierra (Cocor) who has kindly allowed its use for this episode. Marisa Williams edited.
November 9th, 2008
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 has been given its own section for easier access.
Episode 10 will be coming this Wednesday.
October 23rd, 2008
A salvaged robot, a blue bear and a map of ultimate terror are the orders of the day for Hana and James. Mysteries deepen as new ones are discovered, and the revelations are too absurd to truly be revelations. But that's what makes being a girl with dandruff in her head so much fun.
Brussel's Secret Laboratory is the ninth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. The saga has been brought out of a long hiatus thanks to Angie Hoffmeister allowing her Dandruff Attack art piece to be added to the episode. The content of the art may not apply specifically to the episode, but it certainly applies to Hana's saga, and we are glad to see it officially enter the volume. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
October 1st, 2008
Angie Hoffmeister has created a beautiful, disgusting and outright awesome art piece starring Hana, her friends and an unexpected guest. The piece carries on the spirit of a series by Angie involving ghosts, specifically the things they say for us, to us and through us. The ghosts are always cartoons, and each piece is always a fine example of Angie's inimitable style. We are proud to present this artwork as part of the Untitled Saga of Hana, and thank Ms. Hoffmeister for her permission to post it on the site.
September 24th, 2008
It seems like the further Hana gets from home, the stranger things become. First Hana found Henri being held hostage by lobsters in his grandparents' lakeside home, then she found Daniel Dandruff and a giant, red, telepathic bear in the forest just outside her city. Now Hana and James have taken a commuter train to an art museum for a school project -- one that is as much about themselves as it is about the artwork -- only to stumble upon something far more interesting, though a lot less artistic.
Caught Between Trains is the eighth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 and the beginning of a new story arc. Nina Fides Garcia has provided the delicate and sun-warmed illustrations that accompany the episode, while Marisa Williams edited.
September 22nd, 2008
Victoria Assanelli's beautiful, heartwarming and hilarious illustrations have been added to Episode 5.
September 20th, 2008
We are lucky and grateful to see the return of Afu Chan, the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 1's cover artist. Afu Chan's art for the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 serves as the perfect companion piece to his art for Volume 1. Where before the birds were made entirely out of dandruff, here they are completely real; where James and Hana had been riding along a forest path, here they have reached their destination. It is one of the rare occasions where the sheer beauty of the destination matches the sheer joy of the journey.
Episode 8 will appear on Wednesday.
September 10th, 2008
There has been a lot of noise lately about a band rapidly growing in popularity. They've played well-reviewed shows, are heavily-advertised in the city and have the overpriced tickets of world-famous music acts. They're also a sonic terror that Hana would rather flee than fight.
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 returns with For One Night Only, which includes appearances by characters both expected and entirely unexpected. Angie Hoffmeister's hilarious and sweet artwork for the episode is filled with many playful little details, which are best seen in the larger version here. Marisa Williams edited the episode. Victoria Assanelli will be returning to the saga shortly.
August 28th, 2008
The Light in Glass Flowers is an adult fairy tale about a girl who has had her heart stolen. It is dark in the way that being trapped in a room with no lights or windows is dark, and it should be read alone, by a campfire, in the middle of nowhere.
Sarah Ferrick created the four illustrations for the story over the course of several months, and each successive piece delves deeper and deeper into the nightmarish psychology that unites the characters. In each piece the characters are fragile rays of light and hope cutting through the blackness of their environment, becoming wounds in the skin of negative space.
There will eventually be a small website for The Light in Glass Flowers designed by Joel Hentges, which will be the third and final piece of a large collaboration. Marisa Williams edited the story.
Hana will return in a week or two.
August 22nd, 2008
Defeating the dandruff lizard in the park had been easy, but deciding whether or not to buy a toy of a dinosaur in a trinket store proves to be a bit more challenging for Hana. An easier decision comes when Henri asks her to one of his baseball games, where an uninvited guest comes to crash the proceedings. How will Hana resolve the crisis? Perhaps inspiration will come from where she least expects it.
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 is back with Episode 6: Lizard Attack!, the second part of the story begun in Down the Drain. Victoria Assanelli returns to Hana with unique illustrations that use simple colouring and shading to perfectly capture the feel of a cool summer evening. This atmospheric style of colouring carries into Maaike Verwijs' creepy, disgusting and all-around inventive guest illustration. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
August 14th, 2008
The result of in-depth and in-person discussions with artist John Wilkins and designer Joel Hentges, On Explodism aims to define an artistic movement unified by the explosive aesthetic philosophies of Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Hentges and the painter Winston Chmielinski. The article includes most of the artwork that it references thanks to the kind permission of those involved. Marisa Williams edited.
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 will return next week.
August 6th, 2008
Although Hana has grown more accepting of her bizarre ability to make things out of her dandruff, she would still be happier if her dandruff could just go away completely. She decides to get rid of it by sending it all down the drain, and the result is something entirely unexpected -- not to mention slimy and evil.
Down the Drain, the fifth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, is all about dandruff, monsters and rocks. Danielle Estefan crafted the deliriously playful, surreal and muppety guest art, the full version of which can be viewed here. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations will be appearing online soon. Marisa Williams edited.
August 5th, 2008
Ramon Sierra (Cocor)'s guest illustration for The Map of Ultimate Treasure is now online. It turns a well-worn map into a wanted poster for Hana, most likely the same wanted poster used by all of the various villains -- human and otherwise -- who have been after her. See the full version here.
July 30th, 2008
While some maps lead to treasure and others to trouble, Hana, James and Henri did not expect The Map of Ultimate Treasure to lead to both a familiar face and unspeakable horror. If only they had brought along earplugs.
The Map of Ultimate Treasure is the fourth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 and was inspired by a raucous group of animals that kept Ramon Sierra (Cocor) up one night and by the fact that Zachary Scott Piper (Bill) draws up maps for stories more than he actually writes them. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations for the episode continue to bring a great sense of fun to the saga with perfect expressions and a true cartoon sensibility. Cocor's guest illustration for the episode will appear next week. Marisa Williams edited.
July 23rd, 2008
Hana has spent so much time sweating through another boiling hot summer that she has begun looking for ways to pretend it's winter, and what better way to do that than to go ice-skating? James, Henri and former singer Pitaya all join her on her chilly vacation from the heat. If only a couple very uninvited guests didn't show up as well.
Brussel Sprouts, the third episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, was inspired by a series of elegant-yet-absurd art pieces by Bettina M. George, in which regular people dress their heads up as vegetables. Luckily enough, Bettina has created a series of elegant-yet-absurd art pieces for this episode as well. Her illustrations are fashion photographs, with Bettina being the only one capable of getting the characters to stand still long enough to take them. Marisa Williams edited the episode. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations are candy-coated treats for everyone who can handle their greens.
July 14th, 2008
The Story of Bogovich and Gregorovich -- which so happens to be the story of two hitcats and their mobster wizard owner -- is a celebration of the utterly ridiculous. It is a collaboration between Bettina M. George and myself, with Bettina creating the original concept, the artwork drunk on its own stylishness and absurdity, and assisting with the writing. Marisa Williams edited. We hope you enjoy our collaborative cocktail.
Hana will return next Wednesday.
July 9th, 2008
After her first set of unpleasant encounters with Kolhrabi, her self-proclaimed rival, all Hana wants to do is pretend she never met him. Watching tv with Henri at his apartment seems like a good way to forget about Kohlrabi's existence, but it also ends up serving as an unexpected reminder of something else. Find out what that is in Of Ghosts & Pizza, the second episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2.
Alison Berry makes a return to the saga with a guest illustration of one of Hana's happiest moments. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations bring to life three of the most common sides of Hana with creative colours and atmospherically-shaded shadows: utterly pleased, utterly upset and utterly shocked beyond measure. Marisa Williams edits.
July 8th, 2008
Certified King of Artists Ramon Sierra (Cocor) has created twin pieces of artwork for the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. One is a colourful sunburst of confetti and fireworks, while the other utilises a black & white Hana and photo of his backyard to great effect. The full versions of each can be found here and here in the art gallery.
July 2nd, 2008
A year has passed since Hana saved her city with the help of her bizarre power -- the power to make nearly anything out of her dandruff. Since then things have been noticeably quieter in her life, especially as James and Henri, her two best friends, have grown used to her ability and even call upon her to use it every now and then. But with another summer creeps another menace, this time a rival who is making Hana want to use her powers for all the wrong reasons.
For Hana, however, the true menace might just be the cheap plastic recorder she's been stuck with in music class.
Hana's Recorder is the beginning of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, the continuation of the world's only saga of a girl who can make things out of her dandruff. Joining us as the Official Illustrator for this volume is Victoria Assanelli, whose fluid, colourful and expressive depictions of the scenes and characters solidifies the saga's status as a cartoon in literary form. Marisa Williams continues her editing of the saga. We hope you enjoy Hana's further adventures into dandruff, friendship and the utterly absurd.
May 21st, 2008
Meticulous and messy, polite and chaotic designer Joel Hentges finally has his own personal domain at JoelHentges.com. Joel Hentges is the designer of JoshTierney.com and the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 1 book. Filled with contrasts, his work can run from intricate logos that are as carefully put together as model boats in glass bottles to explodist pieces that create new ideas by destroying others. Mr. Hentges is a true professional and visionary, his online portfolio a must for anyone seeking unique, personal and clever design.
April 6th, 2008
Yi Mao Rises to Heaven is about a character who confuses fear of living with fear of death. It is also about his girlfriend and a movie that has been made about his life.
Timothy Weaver (aka Timo) created the artwork, a piece striking in both design and style. Along with his trademark brushstrokes, which I can never get enough of, there is a liberal helping of my favourite colour. With his permission I have placed an early sketch of Yi Mao and an earlier version of the finished art in the Art Gallery, where you can also find a larger version of his finished piece.
Like For Real, For Serious, For Everything, Yi Mao Rises to Heaven is a Nerd Wave story. Nerd Wave is experimental literature about contemporary nerds and dorks. For a similar story, and one I consider to be the best of this small movement so far, I recommend Tamatebako by Bobby Myers, which is freely available here.
Marisa Williams edited Yi Mao and, along with Mike Webb, suggested I change the ending from a bad one to a good one. It was a smarter decision than any I could have made on my own.
March 21st, 2008
For Real, For Serious, For Everything is not only the first story to go on the site this year, but also the first ghost story I've written on my own, as all of the others were written in collaboration with either Joel Hentges or Bobby Myers. Hopefully there are a few scary bits in it. Marisa Williams edited the story and Mike Webb got the characters out of the apartment with a creepy suggestion.
Giannis Milonogiannis created the illustration, which is of the movie that the characters in the story watch, a movie not much more surreal than their plight. His choice of art highlights the more off-kilter and nerd wave aspects of the story.
March 1st, 2008
Marisa Williams, the main editor of JoshTierney.com, now has her own website at MarisaWilliams.ca. It was designed by Joel Hentges, who designed this site and the Hana book, and features many of her playful children's stories -- including a full novella --, along with personal, nostalgic and endlessly inventive poetry. I recommend her work to anyone who misses being a child or has simply forgotten what it's like to be one.
February 27th, 2008
Afu Chan created this wonderful advertisement for the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 1 book, which can currently be purchased here for $10.00. We'd also like to remind everyone that all fifteen episodes of the first volume will always be available to be read online for free here, with beautiful, gross and inventive illustrations by artists from around the world.
February 5th, 2008
The first volume of the Untitled Saga of Hana can now be purchased in book form here for $10.00. All fifteen episodes are included, along with every adorable illustration by Alison Berry. The entire book was beautifully designed by Joel Hentges, the designer of JoshTierney.com, and the cover features the elegant and playful art of Afu Chan. Marisa Williams proofread the book to ensure that no grammar or continuity errors remain. We hope you enjoy our first physical collaboration, 155 pages of dandruff, fanatical lobsters, secret cat organisations and other increasingly bizarre situations.
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This is what happens when Hana tries to eat sourdough: the giant red bear -- Daniel Druff's sidekick -- begins wreaking havoc on the town, smashing and crashing into a toothpick factory, all before Hana can swallow the first bite. Her mission: save the city before the rest of the loaf goes stale.
Brussel Does Something is the thirteenth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. This episode features two cute and stylish illustrations by musical madman Jake Hill, while Marisa Williams edited the episode.
December 7th, 2008
I've added a lovely portrait by Mel Stringer to the About section. Thanks, Mel!
November 26th, 2008
Gorey has a problem: every time he coughs, something orange pokes out of his mouth. Hoping to have the heroine of absurdism assist him, Gorey seeks out Hana, but when he cannot find her he settles for her co-star.
Speaking in Ghosts, the twelfth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, was inspired by a series of ghostly art pieces by Angie Hoffmeister. Crowned prince of illustration Timothy Weaver (Timo) created the title piece, a grotesque, frightening and hilarious work of art. The movie theatre sequence came from an idea by Bobby Myers. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
November 19th, 2008
For Hana and Pitaya there are two downsides to jogging: exertion and Kohlrabi. Kohlrabi's taunts build and build until Pitaya is the one who explodes, and there are no real winners as the three of them are forced to spend the rest of the day cleaning up the mess that follows.
Accidental Music is the eleventh episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. Two artists I greatly admire -- Cinanti Astria Johansjah and Lo Ning Wong -- have provided the illustrations that bookend it. Cinanti Astria Johansjah's piece is a tear-stained maximisation of Kohlrabi's inner feelings over being turned into a . . . well, what he's turned into in the episode. Lo Ning Wong has crafted an absurd galaxy out of moments and memories from the episode and placed this beautifully bizarre galaxy inside one of Pitaya's bouncy balls. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
November 12th, 2008
Hana decides that something needs to be done about the orange balls she found in her tree way back in Episode 5. Who put them there? How? Why? She enlists James to help find answers to these questions, and James enlists the help of his baseball bat. But then they need Gorey's help, and then the lobster's, and then the way king's...
Magical Crab, the tenth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, sees the return of a few familiar faces from Volume 1. The artwork was a gift from Ramon Sierra (Cocor) who has kindly allowed its use for this episode. Marisa Williams edited.
November 9th, 2008
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 has been given its own section for easier access.
Episode 10 will be coming this Wednesday.
October 23rd, 2008
A salvaged robot, a blue bear and a map of ultimate terror are the orders of the day for Hana and James. Mysteries deepen as new ones are discovered, and the revelations are too absurd to truly be revelations. But that's what makes being a girl with dandruff in her head so much fun.
Brussel's Secret Laboratory is the ninth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. The saga has been brought out of a long hiatus thanks to Angie Hoffmeister allowing her Dandruff Attack art piece to be added to the episode. The content of the art may not apply specifically to the episode, but it certainly applies to Hana's saga, and we are glad to see it officially enter the volume. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
October 1st, 2008
Angie Hoffmeister has created a beautiful, disgusting and outright awesome art piece starring Hana, her friends and an unexpected guest. The piece carries on the spirit of a series by Angie involving ghosts, specifically the things they say for us, to us and through us. The ghosts are always cartoons, and each piece is always a fine example of Angie's inimitable style. We are proud to present this artwork as part of the Untitled Saga of Hana, and thank Ms. Hoffmeister for her permission to post it on the site.
September 24th, 2008
It seems like the further Hana gets from home, the stranger things become. First Hana found Henri being held hostage by lobsters in his grandparents' lakeside home, then she found Daniel Dandruff and a giant, red, telepathic bear in the forest just outside her city. Now Hana and James have taken a commuter train to an art museum for a school project -- one that is as much about themselves as it is about the artwork -- only to stumble upon something far more interesting, though a lot less artistic.
Caught Between Trains is the eighth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 and the beginning of a new story arc. Nina Fides Garcia has provided the delicate and sun-warmed illustrations that accompany the episode, while Marisa Williams edited.
September 22nd, 2008
Victoria Assanelli's beautiful, heartwarming and hilarious illustrations have been added to Episode 5.
September 20th, 2008
We are lucky and grateful to see the return of Afu Chan, the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 1's cover artist. Afu Chan's art for the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 serves as the perfect companion piece to his art for Volume 1. Where before the birds were made entirely out of dandruff, here they are completely real; where James and Hana had been riding along a forest path, here they have reached their destination. It is one of the rare occasions where the sheer beauty of the destination matches the sheer joy of the journey.
Episode 8 will appear on Wednesday.
September 10th, 2008
There has been a lot of noise lately about a band rapidly growing in popularity. They've played well-reviewed shows, are heavily-advertised in the city and have the overpriced tickets of world-famous music acts. They're also a sonic terror that Hana would rather flee than fight.
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 returns with For One Night Only, which includes appearances by characters both expected and entirely unexpected. Angie Hoffmeister's hilarious and sweet artwork for the episode is filled with many playful little details, which are best seen in the larger version here. Marisa Williams edited the episode. Victoria Assanelli will be returning to the saga shortly.
August 28th, 2008
The Light in Glass Flowers is an adult fairy tale about a girl who has had her heart stolen. It is dark in the way that being trapped in a room with no lights or windows is dark, and it should be read alone, by a campfire, in the middle of nowhere.
Sarah Ferrick created the four illustrations for the story over the course of several months, and each successive piece delves deeper and deeper into the nightmarish psychology that unites the characters. In each piece the characters are fragile rays of light and hope cutting through the blackness of their environment, becoming wounds in the skin of negative space.
There will eventually be a small website for The Light in Glass Flowers designed by Joel Hentges, which will be the third and final piece of a large collaboration. Marisa Williams edited the story.
Hana will return in a week or two.
August 22nd, 2008
Defeating the dandruff lizard in the park had been easy, but deciding whether or not to buy a toy of a dinosaur in a trinket store proves to be a bit more challenging for Hana. An easier decision comes when Henri asks her to one of his baseball games, where an uninvited guest comes to crash the proceedings. How will Hana resolve the crisis? Perhaps inspiration will come from where she least expects it.
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 is back with Episode 6: Lizard Attack!, the second part of the story begun in Down the Drain. Victoria Assanelli returns to Hana with unique illustrations that use simple colouring and shading to perfectly capture the feel of a cool summer evening. This atmospheric style of colouring carries into Maaike Verwijs' creepy, disgusting and all-around inventive guest illustration. Marisa Williams edited the episode.
August 14th, 2008
The result of in-depth and in-person discussions with artist John Wilkins and designer Joel Hentges, On Explodism aims to define an artistic movement unified by the explosive aesthetic philosophies of Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Hentges and the painter Winston Chmielinski. The article includes most of the artwork that it references thanks to the kind permission of those involved. Marisa Williams edited.
The Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 will return next week.
August 6th, 2008
Although Hana has grown more accepting of her bizarre ability to make things out of her dandruff, she would still be happier if her dandruff could just go away completely. She decides to get rid of it by sending it all down the drain, and the result is something entirely unexpected -- not to mention slimy and evil.
Down the Drain, the fifth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, is all about dandruff, monsters and rocks. Danielle Estefan crafted the deliriously playful, surreal and muppety guest art, the full version of which can be viewed here. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations will be appearing online soon. Marisa Williams edited.
August 5th, 2008
Ramon Sierra (Cocor)'s guest illustration for The Map of Ultimate Treasure is now online. It turns a well-worn map into a wanted poster for Hana, most likely the same wanted poster used by all of the various villains -- human and otherwise -- who have been after her. See the full version here.
July 30th, 2008
While some maps lead to treasure and others to trouble, Hana, James and Henri did not expect The Map of Ultimate Treasure to lead to both a familiar face and unspeakable horror. If only they had brought along earplugs.
The Map of Ultimate Treasure is the fourth episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2 and was inspired by a raucous group of animals that kept Ramon Sierra (Cocor) up one night and by the fact that Zachary Scott Piper (Bill) draws up maps for stories more than he actually writes them. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations for the episode continue to bring a great sense of fun to the saga with perfect expressions and a true cartoon sensibility. Cocor's guest illustration for the episode will appear next week. Marisa Williams edited.
July 23rd, 2008
Hana has spent so much time sweating through another boiling hot summer that she has begun looking for ways to pretend it's winter, and what better way to do that than to go ice-skating? James, Henri and former singer Pitaya all join her on her chilly vacation from the heat. If only a couple very uninvited guests didn't show up as well.
Brussel Sprouts, the third episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, was inspired by a series of elegant-yet-absurd art pieces by Bettina M. George, in which regular people dress their heads up as vegetables. Luckily enough, Bettina has created a series of elegant-yet-absurd art pieces for this episode as well. Her illustrations are fashion photographs, with Bettina being the only one capable of getting the characters to stand still long enough to take them. Marisa Williams edited the episode. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations are candy-coated treats for everyone who can handle their greens.
July 14th, 2008
The Story of Bogovich and Gregorovich -- which so happens to be the story of two hitcats and their mobster wizard owner -- is a celebration of the utterly ridiculous. It is a collaboration between Bettina M. George and myself, with Bettina creating the original concept, the artwork drunk on its own stylishness and absurdity, and assisting with the writing. Marisa Williams edited. We hope you enjoy our collaborative cocktail.
Hana will return next Wednesday.
July 9th, 2008
After her first set of unpleasant encounters with Kolhrabi, her self-proclaimed rival, all Hana wants to do is pretend she never met him. Watching tv with Henri at his apartment seems like a good way to forget about Kohlrabi's existence, but it also ends up serving as an unexpected reminder of something else. Find out what that is in Of Ghosts & Pizza, the second episode of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2.
Alison Berry makes a return to the saga with a guest illustration of one of Hana's happiest moments. Victoria Assanelli's official illustrations bring to life three of the most common sides of Hana with creative colours and atmospherically-shaded shadows: utterly pleased, utterly upset and utterly shocked beyond measure. Marisa Williams edits.
July 8th, 2008
Certified King of Artists Ramon Sierra (Cocor) has created twin pieces of artwork for the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2. One is a colourful sunburst of confetti and fireworks, while the other utilises a black & white Hana and photo of his backyard to great effect. The full versions of each can be found here and here in the art gallery.
July 2nd, 2008
A year has passed since Hana saved her city with the help of her bizarre power -- the power to make nearly anything out of her dandruff. Since then things have been noticeably quieter in her life, especially as James and Henri, her two best friends, have grown used to her ability and even call upon her to use it every now and then. But with another summer creeps another menace, this time a rival who is making Hana want to use her powers for all the wrong reasons.
For Hana, however, the true menace might just be the cheap plastic recorder she's been stuck with in music class.
Hana's Recorder is the beginning of the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 2, the continuation of the world's only saga of a girl who can make things out of her dandruff. Joining us as the Official Illustrator for this volume is Victoria Assanelli, whose fluid, colourful and expressive depictions of the scenes and characters solidifies the saga's status as a cartoon in literary form. Marisa Williams continues her editing of the saga. We hope you enjoy Hana's further adventures into dandruff, friendship and the utterly absurd.
May 21st, 2008
Meticulous and messy, polite and chaotic designer Joel Hentges finally has his own personal domain at JoelHentges.com. Joel Hentges is the designer of JoshTierney.com and the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 1 book. Filled with contrasts, his work can run from intricate logos that are as carefully put together as model boats in glass bottles to explodist pieces that create new ideas by destroying others. Mr. Hentges is a true professional and visionary, his online portfolio a must for anyone seeking unique, personal and clever design.
April 6th, 2008
Yi Mao Rises to Heaven is about a character who confuses fear of living with fear of death. It is also about his girlfriend and a movie that has been made about his life.
Timothy Weaver (aka Timo) created the artwork, a piece striking in both design and style. Along with his trademark brushstrokes, which I can never get enough of, there is a liberal helping of my favourite colour. With his permission I have placed an early sketch of Yi Mao and an earlier version of the finished art in the Art Gallery, where you can also find a larger version of his finished piece.
Like For Real, For Serious, For Everything, Yi Mao Rises to Heaven is a Nerd Wave story. Nerd Wave is experimental literature about contemporary nerds and dorks. For a similar story, and one I consider to be the best of this small movement so far, I recommend Tamatebako by Bobby Myers, which is freely available here.
Marisa Williams edited Yi Mao and, along with Mike Webb, suggested I change the ending from a bad one to a good one. It was a smarter decision than any I could have made on my own.
March 21st, 2008
For Real, For Serious, For Everything is not only the first story to go on the site this year, but also the first ghost story I've written on my own, as all of the others were written in collaboration with either Joel Hentges or Bobby Myers. Hopefully there are a few scary bits in it. Marisa Williams edited the story and Mike Webb got the characters out of the apartment with a creepy suggestion.
Giannis Milonogiannis created the illustration, which is of the movie that the characters in the story watch, a movie not much more surreal than their plight. His choice of art highlights the more off-kilter and nerd wave aspects of the story.
March 1st, 2008
Marisa Williams, the main editor of JoshTierney.com, now has her own website at MarisaWilliams.ca. It was designed by Joel Hentges, who designed this site and the Hana book, and features many of her playful children's stories -- including a full novella --, along with personal, nostalgic and endlessly inventive poetry. I recommend her work to anyone who misses being a child or has simply forgotten what it's like to be one.
February 27th, 2008
Afu Chan created this wonderful advertisement for the Untitled Saga of Hana: Volume 1 book, which can currently be purchased here for $10.00. We'd also like to remind everyone that all fifteen episodes of the first volume will always be available to be read online for free here, with beautiful, gross and inventive illustrations by artists from around the world.
February 5th, 2008
The first volume of the Untitled Saga of Hana can now be purchased in book form here for $10.00. All fifteen episodes are included, along with every adorable illustration by Alison Berry. The entire book was beautifully designed by Joel Hentges, the designer of JoshTierney.com, and the cover features the elegant and playful art of Afu Chan. Marisa Williams proofread the book to ensure that no grammar or continuity errors remain. We hope you enjoy our first physical collaboration, 155 pages of dandruff, fanatical lobsters, secret cat organisations and other increasingly bizarre situations.
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