Gene Ha

2012 C2E2 Schedule

2012-04-12T13:56:00.000-05:00

My big local Chicago show is coming this weekend, C2E2! It's last minute, but my plans are starting to firm up. I still have to schedule an interview with Newsarama for some time Saturday, but everything else is firm. Hope to see you there at Artist Alley Table A5.

As usual, I'll be charging for 'nice' sketches, probably starting at $120 and going up in price with each additional reservation on the sketch list. Catch me early! I start a new list each day. I'll be doing some charity sketching for the HERO Initiative on Sunday for $60-$100. And as always, I'll be trying to fit in some free sketches for the kids.

I won't have anything else for sale, but I'll display some NFS (not for sale) artwork and I'll sign books for free.

You can buy one piece of original comic art from me If you win the Saturday charity auction. I've donated the cover to Action Comics #3 to help support St Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Friday 13 April 2012

10am Show floor opens to Professionals

1pm Show opens to the Public. My sketch list for Friday begins at my Artist Alley Table A5!

5-6pm Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard signing at Archaia Booth 529

6-7pm DC Comics signing at Booth 115

7pm C2E2 closes for the day

Saturday 14 April 2012

10am DC Comics signing at Booth 115. Doors open to pros and public at the same time, so I'll be rushing to get to the DC booth at the same time you will....

11:30am Hopefully back at Artist Alley Table A5. Sketch list starts whenever I do get back!

???? Newsarama interview, yet to be scheduled. Prob'ly Sat afternoon.

7pm C2E2 closes for the day

7:15pm After hours Charity Auction! South Building, 4 floor, room S401d. Bid on pieces by me and many others, art previews at the Link.

Sunday 15 April 2012

10am C2E2 opens for Sunday. See all of your favorite comics creators, hung over... I should be at my Artist Alley Table A5, ready to start a new sketch list.

12:30pm If you don't want to pay $150+ for a sketch, catch me now at the HERO Initiative, Booth 704. I'll be sketching to raise funds for retired comics creators until 2:30pm.

3pm Hopefully back at Artist Alley Table A5. I might be a bit tired by now....

5pm C2E2 closes for 2012. Time to go home and apologize for buying that $500 stainless steel handcrafted Captain America shield!

It's been a fun week leading up to the show. My friends Stéphane and Meng from France showed up a few days before the show started. I took them to the most American restaurant in Chicago, Kuma's Corner, the heavy metal burger bar, for massive mounds of all-American beef topped with bacon!

To my shame, Stéphane proved to be a better American than I am. I must mudbog in a monster truck to wash away the embarrassment....

March 2012: Upcoming events!

2012-03-05T21:57:00.001-06:00

I'm just under a year into my 2 year exclusive with DC, and it's been a wild ride. After getting the Superman book in the Flashpoint crossover, I've been acting as a backup talent on some major DC books: switching off with Rags Morales on Grant Morrison's Action Comics run, and trading off with Jim (%#@%ing) Lee on Geoff Johns' Justice League. Heady stuff! As a comics geek, one of the biggest thrills is just getting to read the scripts early.

Hopefully, you've enjoyed my work, and you want to help the cause of comics. If that describes you, I'm hoping you can meet me at Graham Crackers Comics in Plainfield, IL (40 minutes SW of Chicago on I-55 South) for a HERO Initiative membership event.

It all goes down Saturday, March 24th from 5pm - 7:30pm. For $29 you get a HERO Initiative one-year membership plus the meet and greet with me. For $99, a Silver HERO one-year membership, a FREE New Avengers 100 Project book, discounts on HERO merchandise, and a sketch (of any one character of your choice) from me! I'll try to make them extra nice.

Here are some more upcoming events this year:

Fri Apr 13-15, 2012
C2E2
Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo
It's the big bash off the lake! I've donated my cover for Action Comics #3 to the C2E2 charity auction for the St Jude Children's Research Hospital. At my table I'll again be making sketches for charity, but I usually do a few paid commissions too to pay for the weekend.

Sun May 6, 2012
Glenside IL Library Dewey Con 741.5
If you can get to west suburban Chicagoland, this is the mini-con to hit! From 1:30pm-4:30 pm, entry is free and so are my sketches for kids. I'll try to arrive early and leave late if you want to chat or get anything signed. See the Glenside events calendar here.

May 19-20, 2012
MN SpringCon
Minnesota's MCBA throws one of my favorite conventions. Great volunteers, great fans, exciting guests, and a local small press comic artist talent pool to rival CA and NY. Definitely worth the trip!

Sept 8-9, 2012
Baltimore Comic-Con
This will be my first trip to the BCC, a convention I've been told is one of the best for over a decade. Very excited!

Sat Nov 3, 2012
Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival
Clark County Library, Las Vegas NV
Have I ever mentioned how much I love library run mini-conventions? Well, I do.

Brian Justin Ha, 1967-1995

2011-08-01T18:06:00.002-05:00

I'm going to recall my late older brother. So this post will be morbid. I feel like I should start posting something about him online. He raised me like a father when my real parents fell down on the job, and he pushed me to study and exercise and question authority and defend the weak. If I'm a man of any character at all, it's because that's how my brother raised me. It seems wrong that you'll get 344,000 results for "gene ha" but only 3 for "brian justin ha." And none of those are about him.

I've just finished the 3 issue Project Superman miniseries for DC, and I'm taking time off to organize my life. That includes the papers of my late older brother, Brian Justin Ha. He killed himself in 1995, after repeated drunk driving arrests threatened his right to drive. Fearing he'd lose his job as an accountant if he couldn't drive to work he turned on his Honda's engine in a closed garage and sat back. He must have changed his mind because he stumbled out, leaving handprints on the hood, and almost made it free. He lay only two feet from the doorknob.

His ashes reside in the town we grew up in, South Bend/Mishawaka. He hated South Bend and was glad to leave. The cemetery is across the street from a shopping mall, and he hated that mall even more than he hated the town. So I'm hoping to move his ashes this year. I suppose it doesn't really matter to the dead, but that doesn't mean I can't show some respect.

Anyhow, while going through his papers I found this:

As I grow older I like to think that I grow wiser. That my vision and my judgments are less cluttered. by And as I look back on how I had thought before and laugh, I like to think it is because I have gained new insight and have climbed another step in my search for truth. Not that I have jumped to the other side of the fence.

Sometimes I pull out the two drawers I save my memories in. I rummage through the papers and envelopes and find the material I need to prove to myself that I have indeed become wiser for the days that have passed. And when I am satisfied, I return the drawers to the ~~cabinet~~ bureau. Two drawers full of memories, used only a few times a year. Already a third is taking form, pushing aside the shirts and the pair of argyle socks that found their way to that drawer...

I keep those two drawers worth of material, and much more, in a leather bound chest. I also have some of my dog Georgia's stuff in there too. They never met, but I think they would have really liked each other. And a man can't find better company than a dog, even in death.

I'm always haunted that he could collapse under the weight of life while I go on. He was smarter than me and more talented as an artist. He didn't have the patience to sit at a single drawing for hours on end, but that's because he had better things to do. He played high school football and wrestling, and he was pretty smooth with the ladies. Charming and funny . He was also handsome: girls would scream at him from cars while he was jogging, and women would ask him about produce in the grocery store. None of these things are true of me, but he was used to it. I was a nerdy kid, but I had him to protect me. I never told him if I got beat up at school, but if he found out he'd make the bullies pay. I heard he once went after two at once, and they went running. If I've ever done any of you a good turn it's because he thought the good in me was worth protecting.

But he was cut down by addiction. Drinking and depression. So you can see why I take offense when people say that Amy Winehouse was a waste of oxygen.

Anyhow this one's for you, BJ. You pushed and inspired me hard growing up, and you're still there pushing me today to be a good man. I wish you could do it in person, that's all.

Original Art Fundraiser

2011-05-15T22:32:00.000-05:00

The piece I did for a charity fundraiser is up on eBay. It's for a good cause, so if you love Captain America and our troops, I hope you'll bid. All proceeds will go to the college fund for a fallen soldier's daughters. In a war full of heroic sacrifice, Tom Rabjohn's story stands out.

Tom Rabjohn was serving in the National Guard in Afghanistan. He had finished disarming one bomb, and then noticed a second. He cleared out the rest of the troops, but it went off before he could disarm it.

Tom was a Phoenix police officer in his civilian life. The auction has been organized by his fellow officers. They're auctioning off both the B&W Bristol paper original, and an Epson photo print of my computer colors for the piece, the same size as the original artwork.

The picture recounts a story from The Avengers #4 (1964), after Captain America has fallen off the flying bomb that Bucky is disarming. Jack Kirby had served on the frontlines in Normandy, and I suspect this was a small tribute to the friends he lost there.

Here are some links about Staff Sergeant Rabjohn:

KTVK: Friends, family honor fallen soldier Thomas Rabjohn

KTVK: Funeral held for police officer killed in Afghanistan

YouTube: Staff Sergeant Thomas Rabjohn Memorial Photos

YouTube: A Hero Returns Home: Remembering Phoenix Police Officer Thomas Rabjohn

C2E2 Photos

2011-03-22T10:16:00.000-05:00

This morning I dreamt that I was at a diner, about to order a vegetarian pot roast. I woke up ravenous, but I can't eat because I'm getting a blood cholesterol test later today. That's a big change from C2E2, where me and my friends spent Saturday eating Bacon Candy and several pounds of meat at the Honkey Tonk BBQ. Just so you know, cabs will drop you off at the Honky Tonk in the Pilsen neighborhood, but they're really reluctant to pick you up from there. We spent 40 minutes and called cab companies 4 times before one picked us up. I don't know what they're afraid of: there was a constant stream of police vehicles cruising 18th Street.

, Zander Cannon, Jim Chadwick and Stuart Moore.

With caramelized sugar shellacked Bacon Candy.

But let's begin at the beginning. My C2E2 started on Thursday, showing my Irish friend John McCrea around Chicago. On St. Patrick's Day. John had no interest in joining a green tiaraed mob at a fake Irish pub or seeing if the city had dyed the Chicago River green. He was damned excited to get some Mexican food, see Sue the T rex and flying monkeys at the Field Museum, and do some drinking at a Japanese bar. He was a bit disappointed the pretty bartender was watching a game of footy, but otherwise all went well.

NOT PHOTOSHOPPED. The winged monkey at the Field Museum.

On Friday night, I attended the DC Nation panel. Dan Didio really knows how to lead a crowd! It was an amazing event.

Staring straight at the camera is Scott Snyder, who writes non-sparkling bloodsuckers in Vertigo's American Vampire. But as you Twilight geeks can clearly see, he has bright red eyes....

Look how shiny and pale Mr. Snyder is!

Also Bob Wayne (off camera), Paul Cornell,

Gail Simone, and Bill Willingham

Later Friday was the Fables Dinner at the Rosebud on Taylor Street. Thanks to Shelly Bond and her crew of creators. It was an amazing night. Bill Willingham and Adam Hughes traded barstool tales. I missed the beginning of the best one, but jumped in as Adam recalled tasting the brown smear on his arm and being surprised it was chocolate. I really regret missing the beginning of the story.

Onto the sketches! Most of the these are the quick and free "You As A Superhero" sketches I do at my table. The really rendered ones of famous characters are the paid sketches that covered my BBQ tab (thanks, sketch patrons!) and a few were done at the DC booth, with David Petersen at the Archaia booth or to raise money for the HERO Initiative.

First, the paid sketches:

Archaia booth sketches. Because I had less books to sign, I began doing more elaborate sketches to goad David into going all out. In the first photo, I've drawn a Harry Potter mouse, and added a Golden Snitch sliced by Saxon's sword stroke. David's counter is stunning, just stunning:

The happiest sketch patron of the day!

HERO Initiative sketches:

Free sketches!:

My favorite Where's Waldo cosplayer ever!

Christina, my Challengers Comics clerk! A natural born badass.

This patient fellow was the first in line Sunday morning, and waited

the whole con for his sketch. He was getting it for his TN comic shop, which had

burned down and was rebuilding. I had to do something nice.

Molly Jane Kremer of the Comics Slumber Party podcast

and Graham Crackers Comics. She got the last sketch of

the show, after the floor had closed.

Updated C2E2 Schedule [Revised]

2011-03-14T22:05:00.002-05:00

REVISED AGAIN: An editor just asked for a Friday, 1pm lunch. Looking at my schedule, I may not get to my table at ALL for more than 30 minute breaks on Friday.

I've been asked by Archaia and DC to sign at their booths, so I've got a new longer C2E2 schedule. Otherwise, all the rules from the last C2E2 post stand.

Friday
1:00 pm Show opens to the public. I've got an important editorial meeting, sorry.
2:30 pm Sketching at the Hero Initiative Booth #457 (C2E2 map page)
4:00 pm Signing at the Archaia Booth #701
6:30 pm DC Nation Panel Room #470B

Saturday
10:00 am Show opens. I'll be at Artist Alley table C1 (PDF map)
11:00 am Signing at the Archaia Booth #701
2:30 pm Signing at the DC Booth #811
4:30 pm Sketching at the Hero Initiative Booth #457

Sunday
10:00 am Show opens. Find me at Artist Alley table C1 (PDF map)
12:00 pm Signing at the DC Booth #811
1:00 pm Signing at the Archaia Booth #701

I'll try to be at Table C1 each day around opening time (click here for a PDF map of Artist Alley). I'll try not to leave until they close the doors. I'll take occasional breaks, but I'll put up a sign indicating when I'll be back.

At the start of each day, I'll start a paid sketch list. This will probably be from 4-6 names. In between paid sketches, I'll do quick free sketches for kids and such. Bring your kids! They're my future readers, and I want them indoctrinated early! Free sketches are usually portraits of you as a superhero.

If you can't get to my table early, or can't spend $100+ for a paid sketch at my table, I'll be doing two sketching sessions at The Hero Initiative Booth 457 (click here for the C2E2 map page). I plan to charge around $60 for a nice headshot of your favorite character.

The Fiery Blanket

2011-03-02T17:57:00.000-06:00

Feeling a little uninspired today until I got inspired by a Jason Chan illustration. But I think you'll be surprised by the inspiration.

I'm doing the cover for my unannounced DC project, and it involves explosions. "It started off explodey, but then it got explodier!" [Random link of something that amuses me. I am a bad essayist].

Looking for inspiration for flames and explosions, I found this piece online by Jason Chan.

I might be wrong, but it looks like the flame texture isn't taken from a photograph of flames. I think it's an inverted negative image of something like a leather texture or even handmade paper fibers.

So I was inspired to get a texture for my explosions. Turning around from my work computer, here's what I photographed.

It's an old woolly blanket from my late beagle basset Georgia. Man, I miss that dog. Anyhow, after using a inverting the image and putting a gradient map layer over it in Photoshop it became this:

A lava field or the swirls in an explosive cloud! I'll now paste this as a slightly transparent layer in my illustration. Anyhow, this is the kind of stuff that really amuses me. Think I'm a little punchy and need a break after this...

Chicago C2E2 Prep

2011-02-22T19:48:00.000-06:00

I'm getting my plans settled for Chicago's big comic book convention, C2E2. Friday through Sunday, March 18-20. I'm not doing a lot of conventions this year, so this is a great place to catch me! Here's what I'm gonna do.

I'll try to be at Table C1 each day around opening time (click here for a PDF map of Artist Alley). I'll try not to leave until they close the doors. I'll take occasional breaks, but I'll put up a sign indicating when I'll be back. I'll be fighting Chicago traffic to get there, a pro registration line to get in (unlike exhibitors, we're not supposed to get in early) but I'll do my best.

At the start of each day, I'll start a paid sketch list. This will probably be from 4-6 names. In between paid sketches, I'll do quick free sketches for kids and such. Bring your kids! They're my future readers, and I want them indoctrinated early! Free sketches are usually portraits of you as a superhero.

If you can't get to my table early, or can't spend $100+ for a paid sketch at my table, I'll be doing two sketching sessions at The Hero Initiative Booth 457 (click here for the C2E2 map page). I plan to charge around $60 for a nice headshot of your favorite character.

Hero Initiative Booth #457

Friday 2:30 - 3:30

Saturday 4:30 - 6:00

I won't be selling much original art pages from comic books, and I don't plan to have a sketchbook this year. It's just me and my pencils and markers and my gift of blather (I don't quite have the gift of gab).

The show's a short cab ride away from most of Chicago's best museums, shopping and restaurants. It'll be a great trip for bringing the family, even if your spouse doesn't like funny books. Hope to see you there!

I'll try to be extra diligent in answering questions in this comment thread. Gene

Alan Moore's Writing For Comics VS The DC Guide to Writing Comics by Dennis O'Neil

2011-02-02T21:09:00.002-06:00

How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way changed my childhood. It's the first drawing book I read where everything made sense. It taught me the rudiments of anatomy, perspective, and comic book storytelling. The tone was pure Stan's Soapbox. True believer! Excelsior! Stan Lee's optimism is incorrigible.

I continue to learn the comics craft. Lately the focus is writing. I don't expect to write professional scripts, but I'll draw them better if I understand what the writer is up to. My latest textbooks are Alan Moore's Writing For Comics, and The DC Guide to Writing Comics by Dennis O'Neil, with an introduction by Stan Lee. Alan's advice originally appeared as a series of fanzine articles in 1985, after he'd written Watchmen and his acclaimed run on Swamp Thing, but before Watchmen’s release. Denny's book was written shortly after he'd been the lead editor on Batman: No Man's Land. The strain of managing that year long crossover epic led him to retire shortly afterward.

If you're a serious comics reader, you probably know Alan Moore's views on the comic arts. He has great faith in the comics medium. That's why his disappointment with American superhero books is palpable. He looks at the poor state of comics and asks you to do better. I expected something more cheerful from The DC Guide, so it surprised me that Denny O'Neil's judgment was even harsher. O’Neil looks back on three decades of bad comics and demands that professionals learn the basics.

It’s Alan Moore’s “O The Places You’ll Go!” versus O’Neil’s “Idiot’s Guide”!

Alan Moore's Writing For Comics

Alan Moore's book is not a “how to”. In fact, he begins by mocking the idea of “how to” books.

“Above all, I don’t want to produce anything that smacks even remotely of ‘How to Write Comics the Alan Moore Way.’ Teaching a generation of emergent artists or writers how to copy the generation that came before was a stupid idea when Marvel introduced their ‘How to Draw…’ book and it would be equally irresponsible of me to instruct up-and-coming writers on how to write sickly extravagant captions like ‘Dawn transformed into an abbatoir’ or whatever. John Buscema is a fine artist, but the industry doesn’t need 50 people who draw like him any more than it needs 50 people who write like me.”

It’s not a book of “Thou Shalt.” Or of “Thou Shalt Not.” His advice is “Thou Shalt Not Just…” He wants you to keep on pushing your artform. Avoid clichés. To do that, you have to reach inside yourself and figure out what makes you unique, what makes you laugh or flinch, and what are your assumptions about writing so you can push beyond those borders.

"...It's possible to look very closely at one's own reactions and responses and make some helpful deductions about the broad responses of your readership. If you want to write a horror story, first think about what sort of things horrify you. Analyze your own fears thoroughly enough and you might be able to reach some broad conclusions about the broad mass of human fear and anxiety. Be ruthless about this, and submit yourself to as much emotional pain as is necessary to get the question answered: What horrifies me?"

Comic artists rarely go through this kind of spiritual hell to master their art. We just draw a lot of buck naked figure models.

Moore gives some technical advice. He muses on the differences between film and novels, and how comics has qualities of both. Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics wouldn’t come out for another 8 years, and McCloud’s analysis on what makes comics unique goes far deeper than Alan’s quick musings.

It’s great fun, and useful, when Alan Moore explains how he planned out a story. Before he started typing the script, he thought through the history of the setting and characters. The goal, as ever, is to find aspects of these worlds that no one had bothered to think through before. Then he mapped out the action on each page. There’s an afterword from 2003 in which he advises more experienced writers to ditch all this planning. From phone conversations, I can say that during Top 10 Alan preferred to plan a story as little as possible beforehand. If he was writing an intricate time travel story, he would meticulously plot out the important back and forth where future meets past. But for one issue of Top 10 he wrote the first two pages while sick, and then collapsed into bed with no further plans. He came back after a few days recovery and wrote the rest of the story based on a snippet of radio background dialog.

Unlike Alan, I don’t think his earlier technique and his current freewheeling contradict each other. Always leave room for later inspiration. I like to plan my pages pretty meticulously so I can spot mistakes before I commit to them. But if I get a better idea later, I jam it in or chuck the previous work and replace it. This means that I might erase some tightly drawn pencils at the inking stage, or worse yet redraw an inked panel when I’m ready to color it. If the deadline gives me the time, it’s worth the lost sleep.

The DC Guide to Writing Comics by Dennis O'Neil

If Alan Moore’s theme is “You can be great if you keep pushing,” Denny O’Neil’s is “You won’t stink if you learn the basics.” Denny has been editing comics since 1980 and taught writing classes since the 90’s, and it’s apparent he’s read some awful comics in that time. When I say basics, I don’t just mean things like the varieties of word balloons and how to format the dialog in a comics script. I mean things like subplots and bold print.

I’ve been working in comics for nearly 20 years, so a lot of things that seem obvious to me are truly new to beginners. When I look back at portfolios and student work I’ve seen, all the advice makes sense. It includes a lot of important lessons, especially if you’re writing superhero books. If you’re doing a comics memoir or travelogue, some of the story structure or dramatic advice will be useless.

The Guide tries to warn against every common mistake, a long list of Thou Shalt Nots. Some of these are outdated or strangely basic:

“Once, it was standard practice for editors to make several words in each balloon bold, sometimes without regard to the content of the dialogue.”

I can see how this would be a pet peeve of his, but it hasn’t been a problem for decades. Or on dialogue:

“When a ‘Chinee fella talkee chop chop like this, you betcha,’ in any work of fiction, he is demeaning an entire race: the clear implication of the dialogue is that the speaker is a jolly, childlike dimwit. And no Chinese does talk like that, so not only is the writer being racist, he’s also being inaccurate.”

While this is advice for the beginner, it’s also an indictment of some of the worst books he remembers. Denny is critiquing professionals here, and he declares that they suck ass. Compare this to the more encouraging tone of Alan Moore:

“The more adventurous you become with characterization, the more confident you become about tackling some of the more specific and knotty problems of the craft. As a white male writer, for example, and a practicing heterosexual, how am I to write about a homosexual character, or a Black character, or a woman? Theoretically, of course, it should be easier to write about people of another race, gender or sexual inclination than about a sentient vegetable consciousness, alienated ubermenschen or creatures from the pit. Where this comes unstuck is that if you get the characterization of your walking vegetable wrong, you aren’t going to offend anybody or hurt anybody or misrepresent anybody that actually exists.”

The teaching in The DC Comics Guide could be clearer. It lists out principles and terms, but does a poor job showing how they’re used. It has images of comic scripts and the resulting art, but doesn’t explain how the principles are used on those pages. I would have loved a detailed analysis of the Sandman script pages they’ve reproduced. As much as Alan Moore may hate “How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way,” it mixed text and examples seamlessly to show how the ideas were put into action. I suspect that the DC Guide is based on O’Neil’s lecture notes, but in a live class he’d show a slide and start riffing about all the exciting tricks the writer is using off the top of his head.

The appendix of the DC Guide is by another author. “Writing Humor Comics” by Mark Evanier. Between the three writers, he does the best job of teaching. And he does it in two pages’ worth of text. He takes a “man walks into the doctor’s office” joke with a silly punchline, and explains how it’s structured. Then he shows how he’d turn it into a comics page. It shows principles of characterization, dialog, brevity and suspense better than O’Neill or Moore did. And it shows how these universal storytelling principles apply to the comics medium. If you can track down a copy, I’ll give you some odd advice. Read the ending first

Addendum, February 3: I thought I'd add in the harshest critique about comics pros from Dennis O'Neil's The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics:

Above all else, remember this: Subplots are plots. They must advance toward a resolution, or at least the illusion of a resolution. What they should not do is merely fill up pages. In times past, I suspect, some comics writers used subplots to pad issues because they didn't have enough main plot or, in the case of multiple issue stories, they hadn't figured out how the damn thing was going to end and their editors were demanding script or plot to send to the artist. This caused the main plot to meander over more issues than it deserved and may have given some readers the notion that nothing was really happening. Or so I suspect.

Hopefully we're no longer living in times past.

2011-01-30T15:43:00.000-06:00

On an online comics forum, I recently answered someone's question about what I'm doing. I figured I'd repost the answer here, with some extra detail:

"As far as possible artists on the Shade go, I would love to see JH Williams III or Gene Ha make a return visit but that seems highly unlikely. What is Gene Ha doing nowadays btw?"

The IDW Back Roads project with Bill Willingham fell apart. Willingham stopped writing scripts for it, so IDW is stuck after getting an issue's worth of art, 24 pages of pencils inks and color all by me. There's no point in publishing it unless we can get the whole story, which was supposed to run 132 pages. It's been almost a year since I've seen a new script page.

I've been doing covers for DC lately, and I think my digital painting has been improving. A few months back I did a Mouse Guard story with writer Lowell Francis. I'm working on short stories for Vertigo's House of Mystery and IDW's Rocketeer miniseries now. I'll be doing a few issues of an iconic DC character this summer, DC should announce details soon. And finally, after all that, I've been working on something with James Robinson.

Way back in 2008-9, I did a Top 10 Season 2 series with writer Zander Cannon. I'd only promised to do 4 issues of a planned 8 issue season, and hoped another artist could finish the story. But DC doesn't see much point in another Top 10 issue without me, so I'm hoping to finish the story some day so it can be collected. That's the news! Back to inking my House of Mystery short.

This New Year Goes To 11 !!!

2011-01-01T03:05:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! I've been off my blog for a while now. Blogger had shut down its FTP service, and I had trouble figuring out how to re-start new posts. My friend Rose Lannin and my brother Donn got me through, so I'm back.

I didn't get out a Christmas card this year, so instead I did this card based on a line from my friend and game writer Ken Hite: "This New Year Goes To 11!!!"

In two weeks I'll be doing my first Southwestern convention, the Albuquerque Comicon. If you can get to New Mexico I look forward to seeing you!

I've pretty much disappeared from Myspace, but I'm very active on Facebook. It's so nice posting here. No 140 (Twitter) or 420 (Facebook) character limit.

Last year was dramatic, and hard. The Backroads project looks kaput, because Bill Willingham remains too busy to finish the script. Sigh, I really wanted to make that one my epic. I lost both my dogs to cancer last year. I lost my car in a crash but came out fine. And much more. I'll try to post the occasional Backroads page here: I got about 24 pages of the planned 132 page epic mostly done.

Hope you're glad to see me back! Let me know in comments if there's anything you'd like me to address: work updates, comic creation advice, random links, whatever. As Christopher Reeve once said....

"Good afternoon, Mr. President. Sorry I've been away so long. I won't let you down again."

More Sketches: my C2E2 weekend Part II

2010-04-19T15:12:00.008-05:00

Part I of My C2E2 weekend.

Once I'd made enough money, it was time to work on the fundraising and free sketches. I sat for two hours at the Hero Initiative booth, and tried to remember to tell folks who got free sketches at my table to donate to either Hero Initiative or the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. If I forgot to ask you, it's still not too late. The Hero Initiative raises money to help aging comics geniuses with medical and other financial emergencies. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund defends the 1st Amendment for comics creators and sellers.

Onto the sketches! Or as Stanley Lieberman would say, Excelsior...

This girl is a pre-med student who went to her first con

with her college comics club. No artistic background, but

she made her own Poison Ivy costume for C2E2. That story

earned a nicer-than-usual free sketch. Mike Golden walked by,

and we got him to give her a free sketch too, as Rogue.

This NYC Library Science student and C2E2 con volunteer was the first Hero Init. donor to get a sketch.

Frankly, it was slow start at the 10am Saturday opening. The first guy I flagged down and offered a $20 sketch to refused and scampered away. Future librarian was much more generous! Thanks!

And now, a few more Hero Initiative sketches for the regular $60 donation:

Sam Pannier, at C2E2 to promote her movie Mission Park, was the first person I sketched for at the DC Booth. She plays Tessa Faux, "Expert fighter (Karate & Judo), gunslinger, and master detective." I didn't quite catch her eyes with this drawing, sigh.

Martian Manhunter Black Lantern. I had no idea how to draw this, but fortunately I was at the DC booth! Reference galore.

Back at the Artist Alley, Table Q6. Portraits and sketches for kids are free. Headshots of superheroes will cost ya!

Three of the clerks from Chicago's Third Coast Comics.

A portrait of Sinestro as US Agent. How cool is that?

He didn't want a pirate, but something like that. So I drew a royal navy officer get ready to unleash His Majesty's ninjas, monkeys and robots against the pirates.

Another librarian! Librarians make the best comic geeks.

The family name begins with an 'O', so I retooled the Incredibles logo for them.

Librarian by Day...

She has Superman curls, he doesn't, what else I could I do?

Art Students are so adorable! They wanted a badass looking portrait.

The word balloon says, "Human bean juice."

Ryvre of Chicago's G-Mart Comic Books.

His Mom is a huge Superman fan!

This sketchbook has another portrait of him by me, unfinished.

So I went a little fancier with this one.

Katie Cook! She's got a Legends of the Mouse Guard story in issue 3.

Sketch trade with Matthew Kriske!

Not so much a portrait of him, as a portrait of his moustache.

I've drawn this couple several times, and it's always fun.

Sith Lord D!

And we end with Z for zombies!

I had a great time at the show, hope to see you there next time.

A message from our sponsors: my C2E2 weekend Part I

2010-04-19T13:38:00.002-05:00

Part II of My C2E2 weekend.

Had a great weekend at the first C2E2 show in Chicago. I love having a comic convention inside Chicago city limits, and with Windy City Comicon on hiatus it's nice to have a giant replacement. I love my hometown of Chicago.

I sold really well in the first day and a half, so blew off the rest of the convention doing free sketches. So everyone who got a free sketch, here are the people who effectively paid for your sketches. Big thanks for their generosity!

First round to top art dealer Albert Moy, who bought every piece of artwork I had left at the show. If you're interested in my Batman: Widening Gyre #6 cover, or the covers to Irredeemable #6, or Authority: The Lost Year #7, #9, #11 or #12, he's the man you want to talk to. He's a great seller, with a huge respect for comic art and comic geeks. His website also has scans of work he sells for Jim Lee,Bruce Timm, Darwyn Cooke, and far too many other great artists to summarize here.

Two people bought my 'fancy' quality of sketch. I worked on these overnight in my studio to get them just right. Two more people to thank! This is why you got free sketches.

I met huge numbers of great creators at the con. Excellent mix of creators and editors. Got to say hi to Paul Levitz, who seems to enjoy life as a writer. A few short conversations with Bill Willingham about our Back Roads book.

Historic 1st handshake with Karen Berger, the editor

whose stable of DC books required the creation

of a whole new line, Vertigo, to contain it.

I've been sending her tryout letters for years,

and someday I'll do a book for her and Shelly.

My "Brother from Another Mother" Frank Cho,

and his Cho-girl looking childhood pal

whose name I can't remember...

He gave me some great advice on the business.

Ken Hite, who got a cover for being Ken Hite.

Great RPG writer and thinker.

Jann Jones, the blushing bride-to-be of James Robinson.

So she's going from Mrs. Jones to Mrs. Robinson,

she made the joke before I did.

The editor behind Tiny Titans, DC's best kids' book ever.

Dinner with Katie Cook, the Petersens and crew.

Look for me and Lowell Francis's 9 page story in

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard #2,

release date June 30, Diamond Order Code APR10 0733.

Katie's story is in #3, so you might as well buy the whole series.

Previews and press release here.

Grim Gracey of the Dixie Derby Girls.

The 2nd most dangerous person at the

con, next to wanted man Mike Golden.

That's not flash red eye, her cybernetic

eyes really do glow red.

Writer Paul Tobin. Didn't get a pic of his wife,

artist Colleen Coover standing right next to him.

That's it for now. Next post, almost all the free sketches I did!

Fallen Soldier Sketchbook Fundraiser

2010-03-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

Late last year, my friend and fellow comic geek, Sergeant Mark Schweikert of the Phoenix PD, emailed to see if I wanted to join in on an Artbook to remember the sacrifice made by a fellow police officer. Tom Rabjohn was serving in the National Guard in Afghanistan. He had finished disarming one bomb, and then noticed a second. He cleared out the rest of the troops, but it went off before he could disarm it.

All proceeds from the Artbook will go to help his family. The book will come out later this year, and the above is a low res JPEG of my piece. It's set at the end of WWII, in the short time after Captain America has fallen off the flying bomb that Bucky is disarming.

I'll let Mark's original email tell the rest of the story:

On October 3, 2009, one of my officers who worked for me was killed in Afghanistan. Tom Rabjohn was an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team Leader who shielded two other soldiers from harm and absorbed the full blast of an Improvised Explosive Device.

I have been working with his family and I am coordinating a few fundraiser events to help fund his 3 pre-teen age daughters’ college fund.

One such fundraiser item is a memorial sketchbook and art auction.

I was at the Baltimore Comic Con a few weeks ago and spoke to some artists who are donating a piece for the fundraiser. I wish to limit the number of items in the sketchbook to 15 to 20. I would like to have a biography page of the artist who created the item and have the artist discuss the inspiration behind the work. I plan on auctioning the original art at the San Diego Comic Con and ebay.

The artists who have already volunteered are Joe Kubert, Tim Sale, Barry Kitson, Brian Stelfreeze and Stuart Immonen. [Steve Rude, Jill Thompson, Herb Trimpe, and Ryan Ottley have since volunteered artwork] I was wondering if you had the time to donate a piece to the sketchbook. A 100% of the proceeds will be going to his kids. You are the first person I have solicited by email. I have gotten a good foundation together and I hope you can help honor his sacrifice with drawing for the sketchbook. I attached a few of the links:

KTVK: Friends, family honor fallen soldier Thomas Rabjohn

KTVK: Funeral held for police officer killed in Afghanistan

YouTube: Staff Sergeant Thomas Rabjohn Memorial Photos

YouTube: A Hero Returns Home: Remembering Phoenix Police Officer Thomas Rabjohn

Please let me know what you think,

Mark

Winsor & Newton Series 7: THE TRUTH!

2010-02-03T21:02:00.001-06:00

A while back I posted my experiences with Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes. I got this as one of the comments and thought folks should read it. From Craig M., an English brush maker!:

An interesting thread, whilst I realise that it was posted some time ago I've only just stumbled across it.

I have to say that whilst W&N make good brushes they are not the bee all and end all they would have you believe, especially the ultra high priced Series 7!

Your methods are very elaborate but if they work for you then that's all good. Personally I keep my sables in a jar. I clean them with mild hand soap, rinse, then point back up with good old saliva (disgusting but it works). I just pulled them out to have a look and they're still fine after nearly a year of not being used. W&N do not always seal their brushes in bags, indeed they supply some of their series 7 in a box (even more expensive) with just a tube on. If a brush does splay or friz then good old hot water will bring it back in line quickly.

When it comes to brushes quality does not always come at a price. How can I say this? I've been a brushmaker here in merry old England for 22 years, I don't work for W&N and my brushes are just as good but nowhere near the price ;-)

God and Jon Stewart to Pat Robertson: Shut Your Pie Hole, Old Man!

2010-01-15T12:39:00.001-06:00

God already told Pat Robertson to shut up.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Haiti Earthquake Reactions

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
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Political Humor

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On Thursday's Daily Show, Jon Stewart took down TV preacher Marion "Pat" Robertson for his callous reaction to the Haiti earthquake, along with Rush Limbaugh and Rachel Maddow. Of course, "Pat" is the only ordained minister of the three, so you'd expect a more Christian reaction than this:

[S]omething happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French. Napoleon the Third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, “We will serve you if you get us free from the prince.” True story. And so the devil said, “OK, it’s a deal.” They kicked the French out, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free.

But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other, desperately poor.

Stewart notes that this is little more than an urban legend, then advises Marion Robertson to, "Shut your pie hole, old man!"

Reverend Marion regularly claims disasters are payback for sin. He said about the same thing after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Oddly enough, he didn't say this about 1998's Hurricane Bonnie. That's the disaster God used to presage Stewart's advice: "Shut your pie hole, old man!"

Now, it's stupid and mildly Satanic to blame all natural disasters on peoples' sins. God "causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" [Matthew 5:45]. But in this case, Robertson warned that God would punish the wicked with a hurricane. Later that year, God sent 1998's first hurricane, Bonnie, at Robertson's headquarters in Virginia Beach, VA. So I think this is an exception to the rule.

Here's what Robertson said in June 1998 from Virginia Beach, VA, warning that the wicked would be punished with a hurricane:

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, June 10, 1998

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Pat Robertson said Orlando, Fla., should beware of hurricanes, since it and Disney World allowed Gay Days to be held there this past weekend.

"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you,'' Robertson said Monday on his TV show, "The 700 Club.'' [My emphasis]

In August, Bonnie became the first hurricane of the year. "Fearing a major hurricane strike, coastal locations from Florida to Virginia performed extensive preparations in advance of the storm." This storm could have hit Disney World or the 700 Club.

Bonnie skirted past the Caribbean islands and hit North Carolina first. From USA Today:

After watching Bonnie grow weaker all day, Virginia Beach emergency officials were caught by surprise; they had closed their offices for the night Thursday when the storm picked up steam over warm ocean water and became a hurricane again.

...It's rare that Virginia's coast receives such a direct lashing from hurricane winds. North Carolina's Outer Banks jut into the Atlantic and usually bear the brunt of storms moving up the East Coast. [My emphasis]

Essentially, this storm did everything possible to hit "Pat" Robertson by surprise. You'd think Robertson would repent after this. But he continues to blame storms and terrorist attacks on others and ignores the finger God points at him.

I have some familiar advice for you, Marion. I would warn you that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you.

From the DC Comics message board

2010-01-07T14:52:00.000-06:00

Re: Top Ten Season 2 #4: why wasn't it finished?
Posted: Jan 7, 2010 8:06 AM in response to: buzz86

Buzz86-- hold tight; I believe that you will be happy when DC announces... a certain something... sometime later. Sorry to be vague; it's not my place to announce things.

And thanks so much for you kind words. I'm really glad I didn't realize how daunting it would be to follow Alan Moore when I proposed the continuation, and it does my heart good to know people liked it.

Zander

Fall Con

2009-10-17T11:06:00.000-05:00

I wrote this post after I got back from the Minnesota Fall Con Monday. But server upgrade from my webhost prevented me from posting it until now.

The show had a great guest list, but I didn't get much time to talk to the fellow guests. I was too busy sketching and creating wacky challenges for fans to get the sketches. Would have appreciated more time hanging out with Michael T. Gilbert (Mr Monster), Peter Bagge (Hate), and José Luis García-López.

Before I go any further, I'll post some images from my current eBay auction. It's for this month's DCU Halloween Special. Click the images for larger scans.

It was a good con for my infamous Challenges for Sketches. No photos of this one, but the first fan sang a poem to the Disney buyout of Marvel as an intro to Peter Bagge's panel. He seemed amused. Next, challenge vet Sonia pretended to swing from a vine as we serenaded her with "Jana, Jana, Jana of the jungle, friend to you and me..." She did a Tarzan scream the whole route. She got a full sketch of Demona from Disney's Gargoyle's cartoon.

The next challenge requires some intro. After I landed at the airport, I was met by a TSA agent who flashed his ID lanyard and asked me to follow him. I decided I had nothing illegal in my bag this time and tried not to get too worried. When we got to the baggage carousel he revealed that he was a TSA op volunteering for the con in his free time. He asked for a sketch and I said he'd have to write a PG rated poem about why he loves Power Girl. I made a nice Supergirl sketch for him Saturday night and let him pick it up before the challenge.

I thought his act was a good laugh, but I later learned that other con volunteers expected me to take horrible vengeance. I can't disappoint the volunteers! So I added another level to the challenge. I had him read his poem during a break in the charity auction, while bending at the hips. I placed a box full of junk behind his hips, put a glove on and extracted the junk from the box...

Joe, I'm afraid this bottle is larger than 1.5 ounces...

Young Hallie here was hanging out with her dad while he shopped for comics. To entertain her, I offered to draw her. She demurred, but did accept an offer to draw her dad!

After he went back to shopping, I gave her some paper and she drew me a sketch.

I finally did draw her, and I got her to ask nearby comic geniuses Kevin Cannon and Britt Sabo for sketches too.

Here's some photos of sketches I got from Phil Moy, Tim Sievert, and a script sketch Peter Gross. And a few of the sketches I did. I'll post up a larger selection on my Facebook page.

I hate John Powers. A lot.

2009-10-07T12:19:00.003-05:00

John Powers. The worst critic alive?

If you know me, you know I'm not one to hate people other than political pundits. But Fresh Air's critic-at-large John Powers is an exception. He is the worst paid critic I know of. Of anything.

He loves getting the preview DVDs from the studios and giving away plot points as far into the future as possible. He ruined HBO's In Treatment for me by revealing who's sleeping with whom weeks into the episodes before the show even started.

Here's his criticism of Mad Men [mild spoilers]:

"Most of the characters are less three dimensional human beings than concepts. Even their darkest secrets feel schematic. The hero, Don Draper, is a type. The disillusioned adman who's fleeing his past... Peggy is a young copywriter who's battling sexism with history on her side."

I have never seen these 'types' before. Really. The adman with a completely fictional past? I've seen that with spies in spy novels, but not advertising. And the copywriter battling sexism with history on her side? Seriously, WTF?

Beyond that, all storytelling is an attempt to reinvigorate old tropes with new life. Mad Men does this beautifully. The heroes are incredibly dark. Peggy is the most complex, with huge dark secrets that are always underplayed. You won't find anything like her in 9 to 5 or Private Benjamin. The villains are often nobler folks than the heroes. I'm thinking of "Duck" Phillips here, who becomes Don's antagonist by doing his job exactly the way Don asked him to. With subtle changes in presentation, the villains could be the heroes and vice versa, with no changes in plot.

NPR Fresh Air Critic-at large John Powers is incompetent, evil, and unable to keep a plot secret. A very common type nowadays.

Chicago Area Signing

2009-09-11T10:21:00.004-05:00

If you're in the Chicago area, I'd love to see you tomorrow. I'll be signing at Amazing Fantasy Books and Comics Saturday from 12-3pm. Along with me will be most of the JSA vs. Kobra art team: Penciler Don Kramer and Inker Michael Babinski. I've been to their signings at AFB before (for David Lloyd) and they're busy but fun. Lori knows how to throw an event.

I'll try to do small but nice headshots for anyone interested. Ya know, FREE SKETCHES!!! If I have time, I'll also try to do some nicer ones, but no promises.

Amazing Fantasy Books & Comics‎
20523 S La Grange Rd
(La Grange Rd and Lincoln Way LANE)
Frankfort, IL‎
(815) 469-5092‎
Directions via Mapquest

I'm going to include some extra directions because all of Frankfort is Tele Atlas terra incognita, meaning you can find the city but can't find addresses using Google Maps, iPhone, TomTom, etc. But Mapquest is accurate.

For most of Chicagoland, you're route will take you from I-80 to Exit 145, La Grange Road/US45 southbound.

Go 2.7 miles South on La Grange Road. You'll pass a Home Depot and a Dominicks. Two blocks after that it's the next strip plaza, "The Vineyards." You'll see a Dunkin Donuts on the left at the front of the plaza.

If you go a little too far, you'll see the Alsip Nursery. It has an adjoining parking lot, so you can turn there. If you get to US30/Lincoln Highway you've gone too far and need to turn around.

As a final note, Colorist Art Lyon won't be able to make it. He's waiting on some medical results for someone in his family and needs to be in Indiana.

Can you take this without lying?

2009-08-28T00:07:00.002-05:00

RULES - Copy, paste, and fill out in your notes section (created on your profile page). Then, tag your friends, including me.

What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Chocolate chip cookies from Meng and Stéphane, and Pepsi One.

Have you ever kissed anyone named Matthew?
I've kissed Matt Press, but he never kisses back.

Where was your profile picture taken?
The condo I used to live in. Currently, it's a picture of my dogs wearing birthday party hats.

Can you play Guitar Hero?
Yes. Not well, but stylishly.

Name someone that made you laugh today ?
Lisa Sharkey.

How late did you stay up last night and why?
11pm. Which is early for me, because I had a light workload. Today that changed.

If you could move somewhere else, would you?
Depends on the place. If I could have a nice home in Spain, yeah!

Ever been kissed under fireworks?
Nice thing about being married: I get kissed a lot.

Which of your friends lives closest to you?
I'm friends with all my neighbors. Dennis and Elaine, the retirees, are closest.

Do you believe ex's can be friends?
Sure.

Calling or texting?
Calling. It's too hard texting while I draw.

When was the last time you cried really hard?
Watching Up in the theater.

Where are you right now?
Living Room couch, with Lisa's legs draped across my lap.

What bed did you sleep in last night?
My own, with Lisa and our beagle basset Georgia. Nibbles isn't smart enough to get in and out of the bed anymore.

What was the last thing someone bought for you?
Guess that'd be the chocolate chip cookies, chocolate and caramels from Stéphane and Meng. Damn fine food.

Who took your profile picture?
Me. I'm the one who forced my dogs to wear hats.

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
The Flying Crains at my birthday party.

Was yesterday better than today?
Today I had gift sweets, a beer, and Lisa cuddled up to me while we watched Project Runway. Today's better.

Are you mad about anything?
Teabaggers. The protesters, not the folks having weird fun.

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
Course.

Are you a bad influence?
I rile folks up, but not good at maintaining order.

Night out or night in?
Night in.

What items could you not go without during the day?
My phone.

What does the last text message in your inbox say?
"I will"

How do you feel about your life right now?
If I won the lottery, I'd do the same work, living with Lisa and our dogs. I'd just want a bigger house for Lisa.

Do you hate anyone?
I get more annoyed than angry. I do occasionally get furious, but not often.

If you look in your Facebook inbox, what would you find?
A few from close friends, a little mass emailing, and mostly random discussions with casual Facebook acquaintances.

Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
I'm am pathetically clean of anything illegal.

Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
Yeah, but not in a way that I took it seriously. How can you?

What song is stuck in your head?
Neko Case's "This Tornado Loves You"

Someone knocks on your window at 2am, who do you want it to be?
My neighbor Dennis. He's 83 years old, but he's incredibly perceptive and is our one man Neighborhood Crime Watch.

Wanna have grand kids before you’re 50?
Not afterwards either. I do like being an adopted uncle.

Name something you have to do tomorrow?
Draw.

Do you think too much or too little?
Not incisively enough. It's a waste thinking if you're just going in loops.

Do you smile a lot?
All the time, folks say.

Who was your last missed call on your Mobile phone?
My Wildstorm editor, Scott Peterson.

What was the last book you read?
Comic book, Fables Volume 12 "The Dark Ages".

Is there something you always wear?
T-shirts, sandals and shorts if the weather allows.

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Drinking beer and watching Project Runway.

Did you have an exciting last weekend?
Best birthday party ever. I turned 40.

Have you ever crawled through a window?
I woulda made a fine cat burglar.

Have you ever dyed your hair?
Once. A blue forelock.

Are you wearing a necklace / Chain?
I don't like wrapping my neck unless it's Minnesota cold or I have to wear a tie.

Are you an emotional person?
Temperately so. I feel intense joy, but most other emotions I take philosophically.

What's something that can always make you feel better?
Rubbing my face against Georgia's ears.

Will this weekend be a good one?
Meh. Gotta work. Hard.

What do you want right now?
Flawless Spanish and French. But that takes work.

Have you ever worn the opposite sex's clothing?
I was such a stunning Pocohontas for Halloween that male friends tried peeking down my cleavage. Sharon, thanks for loaning me the pushup bra.

Have you ever worked in a food place?
Ice cream parlor, which was so much better than Taco Bell.

Whats on your schedule for tomorrow?
Call the vet to see if I can bring Nibbles in for a visit.

Does anyone know your facebook password?
Me. Lisa can't remember it.

**I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WAS NO GOOD REASON TO LIE ON THIS-COME ON PEOPLE LET'S GET A LITTLE MORE RISQUE IF YOU'RE GOING TO DARE ME TO NOT LIE!!!!!**

AH ha! A Thief!

2009-08-25T09:57:00.002-05:00

If I didn't know better myself, I'd assume that I'd stolen my signature (ha!) from Adam Hughes (AH!). And perhaps I did. But I don't remember reading anything he drew until 1993, by which time I already had used the ha! signature on my student work.

Not to say that I didn't steal it. Long before I began reading comics again I was studying old graphic design in the CCS library around 1990. My favorite design book there was Herb Lubalin: Art Director, Graphic Designer and Typographer. It's a book full of graphic invention and word play. It was on page 172 where I thought, "I can steal that!"

Closeup of the letterhead design:

From the book caption:
11. Anthony Hyde, Jr. photographer.
The use of initials indicates a favorable
response to the artist's photos.

I should mention that Adam has never seemed bothered at all by my signature.

Francis Branch Re-dedication Pics

2009-08-16T23:42:00.003-05:00

I went to the dedication of the new library branch building in my home town of South Bend, Indiana. It's where I used to read as a kid. I sat from the opening at 1pm till about 20 minutes after closing doing free sketches. I've tried for half an hour to upload them onto Blogger. The one above is the only one that went.

If you'd like to see them, everyone can check them out on Flickr.

If you're on Facebook, you can see them at this link too.

Thanks to everyone who came. I had a great time, and you were all uniformly charming and fun. And patient.

Saturday: Wizard World Chicago

2009-08-06T00:19:00.004-05:00

I'll be at Wizard World Chicago/the Chicago Comicon Saturday August 8 for two charity events.

First off, I'll spend at least two hours, 2:30-4:30, with the HERO Initiative (booth 1340) doing sketches to raise money for charity. Probably quick head shots and more expensive torso shots. Get there early, because at 3:30 George Pérez shows up and things get really crazy.

I've put up the cover to The Spirit #32 for auction to raise money for John Ostrander. The auction is also Saturday, August 8. It's after the con at 7:30, and across the street at the Hyatt Regency. Admission is $40, with an open bar and food.

If you're not interested in my cover, there's other work by comics greats like Jim Lee, George Pérez (again!), Bruce Timm, and many many more. Check out the site and scroll down to the gallery links. I really want that Mike Grell cover, totally kick ass.

John Ostrander had surgery to keep him from going blind. The fund, Comix4Sight, was set up to cover expenses that his insurance company won't. You'll find more details on the Comix4Sight website.

Anyhow, hoping your urge to collect helps save the world again. Don't blow all your cash on limited edition toys!

My true story comes out

2009-08-05T14:34:00.003-05:00

http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/