stuck on an eyeland volume 1

VOLUME1

STUCKON ANEYELAND

Copyright © 2012 Steven Antonio Christian.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Stuck On An Eyeland books may be ordered by contacting:

Stuck On An Eyeland ProductionsA Division of Steven Antonio Christian303 7th StreetRichmond, CA 94801www.stuckonaneyeland.com1-(916) 548-6874

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web address or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do no necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and hereby disclaims and responsibility for them.

“Utopia is a place of dreams. Paradise is reality. Falling short of our expectations. Never exceeding our desires.

Are we really in paradise? Or is it a pair of dice?A gamble with reality.”

Steven A. Christian

A metaphor for being alone in the world; having noth-ing to do; no where to go; no one to turn to. Just stuck. Yet, you

are always on constant watch. Watching everything you do. Someone is always watching you.

Many References are pulled from my life. The constant struggles of a Black Student-Athlete that attempts to overcome

the expectations of American Society. The dilemma of being under constant surveilance and scrutiny.

This story takes place on the island of Taviti. It is a small island in the Pacific Ocean that lies between the islands of Hawaii

and Japan. The inhabitants are like that of any other island that is occupied by a first world country. They are upset they were

unjustly taken over, but fortunate to have the luxury of modern technology. Taviti is the epitome of modern day paradise. Yet, the

idea of paradise is not reality.

The story is focused on the trials and tribulations of T.J., an African American 12 year old boy, that escapes from his

hometown of Sacramento, California to what he thought was paradise. He later finds realizes that his new home is plagued with the same problems that he tried to escape from. Instead of trying

to escape a second time, he decides to suppress his anguish and deal with the problems head on.

What Is The “Eyeland”

Growing up reading Aaron Mcgruder’s The Boondocks and watching the TV show on Cartoon Network, I was inspired to voice my opinion on they was society was. Since the end of the boondocks syndication, I took it upon myself to pick up where Mcgruder left off. Although the times and event may have changed, one thing I realized is that history is bound to repeat itself in some way, shape, or form. My vision for the series is to create awareness of the injustice and ignorance of society. We have made great feats in the areas of technology and social justice, but at the end of the day people will act the way they did 100 years ago. Taking place on a secluded island, I can push the events of the story to unimaginable feats.

Why “Stuck On An Eyeland”

How To Read The ComicsThis Graphic Novel is composed of vertical comic strips. In order to understand the plot and sequence of events, read from top to bottom then from left to right.

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My name is Steven Christian, and I am a 21 year old, African American, Division 1 Student-Athlete. I am the eldest of 3 siblings (two younger sisters) and the son of two loving parents. I grew up in Sacramento, California, and I currently go to school in Hawaii. I see myself as a very unique individual. I draw cartoon, study psychology with an emphasis on neuroscience and intent to go to medical school, and play football at the highest possible collegiate level. Not many people can say those three things in that same sentence and still relate it to themselves.

My passions are described by what I call the “Three A’s.” Those include: Academics, Athletics, and Arts. They are all of equal importance to me. I developed this philosophy because I had to find some way to overcome the adversity in my life. In the end it proved to be beneficial because it worked for me and my situation specifically.

“Athletics” represents my competitive nature. Athletics has aided me in many areas of life. It has allowed me to gain acceptance and popularity. More importantly, it has taught me self-determination, persistence, the value of teamwork, and the discipline to stay focused on a goal.

“Academics” represents my passion for knowledge. No matter what it is, I yearn to learn about it. It allows me to become more independent because I can rely on myself to do things and do them the way I envision them, instead of paying someone else to do it for me. Being so immersed in the academic aspect of life has mentally prepared me to think critically in every possible situation. I can approach life differently because I know how to analyze situations effectively and come up with solutions and reasoning to justify it.

“Arts” represents my creative side. All great minds are creative minds. Steve Jobs is a prime example. They are problem solvers. When traditional problem-solving techniques fail, the average person doesn’t know what to do. They will usually ask someone else for help. Yet, for great minds,

About the Author

when problem-solving fails their creativity fosters, and they come up with unrelated ideas that end up working. Every aspect of life is full of problems. Therefore it is necessary to have someone who can think outside of the box.

Following the “Three A’s” allows me to combine all my talents into everything I do. I pride myself on being a creative person. I have good mental imagery, knowledge on a wide range of topics, not afraid to be different, value my independence, and have an entrepreneurial spirit. So having all three of these aspects in my life, I not only stay physically active and in tip top shape, but I also am mentally prepared for whatever come my way. It allows me to be a great problem-solver because I have the knowledge to approach a task, the discipline to follow the necessary step to complete it, the determination to finish it, and the creativity to make it look nice and feel unique.

My qualities have allowed me to gain experience in many areas. I have business experience from starting my own website, and charging customers for services based on the skills that I have. I am currently writing my first graphic novel to promote my website. I have worked with professional athletes all over the country. Working with professional athletes has increased my drive to take my athletic aspirations even further because I know that I can compete on that level. I have done internships and volunteer work for research studies and hospitals. One specific internship I did was in Oakland California. I have a passion for helping people, whether they are physically sick or distressed. I want to learn as much as I can to help people live the happiest lives they can in their respective situations. I have also worked with writers, animators, and illustrators both on line and in person. Being able to see artists at work and analyzing the ideas, time, and energy that they put into it is a very surreal experience. I have worked with animator a who did work for Dream works pictures on movies, such as A Shark’s Tale and Hidalgo. She has helped me create short films, which served as public service announcements to create awareness about social injustice in American media. I have also taught three Psychology 100 classes at the University of Hawaii.

I have also run a tutoring center at John F. Kennedy High School for students to get help with math and science, free of charge. It has given me a whole new perspective in life because I can see the impact I have on the way students learn material and pass tests. I can relate to all these professions on a personal level because of the time and energy I invest in them on a daily basis.

My goals are to become a doctor; go into research on mental disorders (such as Alzheimer’s and ADHD), the way people learn, and other cognitive functions; turn my own website into a business of good standing; get the accreditation to establish myself both in the community and in the professional world; create awareness about social issues; and combine my knowledge, skills, and techniques with my passion for academics, athletics, and arts to help people live their lives better, both physically and mentally. I feel that money will come if you are deemed as valuable to society, but there is no greater feeling than knowing that what you do and who you are can directly impact a person’s life in a positive way. In some ways, I want to be “Mister Everything.” If anybody needs help with a problem, I want them to be able to come to me. I have already taken steps towards those goals with my comic web series, website, being a Division 1 Student-Athlete, and getting my Bachelor’s Degree.

stuck on an eyeland volume 1

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