From The Editors

mrkamm

It wasn't until about halfway through putting this issue -- our 24th issue in our second volume -- together that something dawned on us: This marks our 50th issue to date. The first issue of our first volume hit stands Wednesday, March 30, 2011, and 49 issues later, it'd be easy to take a stroll down memory lane. From Buddy Guy to GAF, from Falling Hollywood to the Weight of War, from geocaching to the rise in crime rates, we've been working to bring you the issues -- as varied as they may be -- that matter to Erie. And while we might find ourselves wanting to dwell in the past two years, we'd rather look forward to what lies ahead: MoreFrames Animation, Karl Rove, Yuyutsu Sharma, a controversial art show, climate change, a prodigious young hockey star, and more.

But if you look closely on the cover, you will find a little note celebrating our 50th issue -- a note that's part of a cover designed by this issue's cover subject: MoreFrames Animation.

Relatively unknown in Erie, the four guys behind MoreFrames have been garnering both national and international attention designing music videos for the likes of Lamb of God, Ill Bill, and Rob & Nino and working on projects for the Halo franchise. In this issue's cover story, Alex Bieler sits down with the guys to talk about their success, their decision to set up shop in Erie, and their love of Hot-N-Readys. But be sure to take time to enjoy Joe Cottrell's photos for the cover story that, well, captures the MoreFrames guys at their best.

In this issue, you'll also find the last of Upfront's run of politically-based columns -- at least for now. Here, Cory Vaillancourt discusses Karl Rove's recent visit to Erie to speak at the Jefferson Educational Society's Global Futures Summit IV, where he had the chance to meet Rove, ask him a few questions, and find out the future of the Republican Party from someone he says is "silly like a fox."

Karl Rove isn't the only big name to be visiting Erie. Internationally-acclaimed poet Yuyutsu Sharma -- who is "eagerly waiting to come to Erie and breathe in its celestial airs" --will be visiting Erie for two readings. To prepare, read Ben Speggen's Q&A with the poet from Nepal.

While we're ready to celebrate the art of poetry with Sharma, the art world elsewhere is abuzz for different reasons. As Luke Gehring discusses in Visual Experiences, an exhibition currently hangs in our city that is largely insensitive to a segment of our community. Art should challenge, provoke, and enlighten, but should that come at the price of intolerance? Read Luke's review to find out.

And art isn't the only controversial issue here. Jay Stevens focuses on what he calls the biggest crisis facing the nation. And no, it's not the fiscal cliff, Social Security or Medicare, terrorism or immigration reform or the War on Terror, drugs, prison reform, the lack of education funding, or the widening divide between the rich and the rest of us. Jay's talking climate change -- something we need to address, as he argues, now.

We may disagree over art and politics, but we can agree that Erie is blessed -- if even for a brief moment -- when it comes to hockey. Currently skating for the Erie Otters, Connor McDavid is poised to be the next big star. Alexander P. Sibley had the chance to talk to this hockey phenom, who's the feature of this issue's You Ought to Know.

MoreFrames Animation, Karl Rove, Yuyutsu Sharma, a controversial art show, climate change, a prodigious young hockey star, and more -- a wide range of material for your reading pleasure packed into our 50th issue. We're glad to be a part of the Erie community to share the stories that matter, and we're looking forward to serving you, our readers, our fellow community members, for many more issues to come.

Cheers,
The Editors