Shuttering the doors

It's been a fun run, but I don't have the time/drive/desire to maintain and manage a blog anymore. I appreciate everyone who stopped by to make a comment or just see what I was up to. See you on shelves December 5th with Perhapanauts: Danger Down Under #2! Take care and be nice to each other.

Hard to believe Heroes Con was just last week

Feels like it was just yesterday I was strolling through the sultry streets of Charlotte, soaking in the humid atmosphere and bumping elbows with comicdoms elite. Twas a grand time this year at Heroes and not just because it was the 30th anniversary. This year saw the 'Haps crew reunite for the first time in years, plus we had the added bonus of welcoming Eric to the 'Haps family. I'll post pics at a later date, mainly because I'm lazy and they're all on my phone.

Todd's had some horror stories kicking around in his head for an anthology and was kind enough to let me horn in on one of 'em. A dark shadowy tale that involves certain little creatures. It's been nice sketchy up the characters with my old kinetic quill style from college. Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect...

Solestar all inked up

Parked my sweet little ass down at the drawing table last night with the firm intent of finishing this page, which as you can see I accomplished. Had a ton o' fun messing around with the #2 Kolinsky sable on this mutha. Nice to step away from the tight markers and thin brushes lines. Loosen up and give the piece some energy—UHN! One more freelance job to knock out, followed by Heroes Con next week and then I'll be back on KNOW IT ALL. I keep saying I'll have this book done for next year's Heroes Con and it looks like I'll be repeating that mantra again this year...

Solestar

Taking part in The Naive Project jam comic to help raise awareness of brain aneurysms as well as raise funds for research. Pencils are complete with just a small tweak on the belt buckle before I'll be jumping into the inks tonight. Just about done with the last of Eric's 'Haps pages, which'll be all wrapped up before Heroes Con this year. Nice to be heading back the con for its 30th anniversary with 'Haps Road Tour. Hijinks will ensue...

Ye New Man O' Steel

Had the pleasure of inking a Superman page by Eric Henson for a proposed charity comic. Unfortunately, DC passed on the book, but it does mean that I get to share the page with you fine folks. Would've rather you'd've seen it in printed form, but whatcha gonna do? Can't complain too much. Had my mettle tested as it was a rush job and got a nice portfolio piece from a rising star of an artist.

Another cover bites the dust

Started off strong, but then started dragging my heels. Guess I kinda lost that lovin' feeling with this cover. Also, I'm kinda antsy to get back to inking the 'Haps, so this cover is what it is. Not great, but not awful.

Done and dusted

Will be stopping by Velocity this afternoon to drop this mutha off. Might pick up another blank (thinking X-Men this time) and see if I can knock out another before the 4/23 deadline, but I really want to get back to inking the 'Haps. Decisions...decisions...

Update: I grabbed a blank Punisher instead of X-Men. I knew you'd lay awake at night wondering...

Back Cover all drawned and inked up.

After the wife lends her lettering skill I'll be dropping some color on this mutha and dropping it for the show. You can almost smell the sense of accomplishment...

Halfway there...

Lettering done by my lovely wife as my handwriting is for @#$%!

Only have to knock out the back cover now. Hopefully tonight, if not, tomorrow.

Getting closer...

Will be dropping some text and markerification all up on this mutha today and/or tonight. Stay tuned, True Believer...

Zombiker Colorfied!

And speaking of zombies...how about the season finale of The Walking Dead last night? Shit hit the fan and I'm one happy fan! (A poet, too.) Michonne FTW!

Deadhead

The fine folks at Velocity Comics are holding a benefit art show to help out a local illustrator/professor from VCU deal with medical bills after overcoming a brain tumor. I've done a gouache painting so far, but Velocity is also handing out blank cover Marvel comics for us comic-minded illustrators to sketch up and donate. I pulled a DEADPOOL issue, mainly because I've never drawn him, but also because I'm quite fond of his zombie head Bizarro-version that's been floating around for a couple years. That said here's a preliminary sketch from last night to get me in the mood.


Now with marker colorification!

Zombiker

Drawing is finito for a screenprint I'm working on for the good folks at Screen 'N' Scuds MS 150 Bike Ride. Hoping to ink it in the next couple days and then tweak the colors and type this weekend. Then get it approved by the Powers That Be and then ship it off to Itty Bitty Press for 30 or 40 prints. Haven't decided yet on what I'll want as I'm donating 20 for the cause. Still on the fence on as to how many colors I'll be going with, too. Probably two, but I'd really like to do three. We'll see how things shake out, won't we?

Updated with finished inks:

Happy trails, Mr. Severin.

I was introduced to John Severin's work through CRACKED Magazine and The Talking Blob, which lead me to hunt down his other endeavors. (Love me his old HULK stuff and you can't go wrong with any of his westerns.) Saddened that he's gone, but damn glad he was with us.

Labeling oneself...

Still working on top secret 'Haps stuff, but realize it's been over a month since I last updated anything...

As you may or may not know I'm a bit of a homebrewer. Turns out I've got a knack for it and am able to brew decent beers consistently. So much so that I figured it'd be time to start the marketing ball rolling (delusions of grandeur? damn right!) and get 'em some labels. I'll probably be trinkering with the look for a while, but might as well share what I've come up with so far. Wanna keep 'em simple, yet bold enough to stand out. Without further ado, here's round one:

Quick update

Yes, I am still alive and kicking. Mafus' pages have been officially inked and passed off for scanning. Now I'm starting inks on Eric Henson's 10 page story for the 'Haps as well. Busy! Busy! Busy!

Also, it's Movember! Get yo' 'stache on and join up with Brimley's Lip Rangers for a good cause! I'll be humiliating myself all month and you should, too.

Vacation has come and gone...

Refreshed and recharged to say the least. Putting KNOW IT ALL on hold for a couple weeks while I hammer out the inks on Mafus' pencils for our Perhapanauts back-up story. We've had the luxury of time on this back-up tale, but I'd much rather not procrastinate on it any longer. Clean the slate so I can fully delve into my own project.

That said, updates will probably be few and far for the foreseeable month since I won't be posting any of the 'Haps inks. (You'll just have to wait for publication, which will hopefully be sometime this year.) There may be a painting or two popping up soon, but other than that consider me on sabbatical. See ya soon!

A very skullish Father's Day

I received a copy of SKULLS by local artist Noah Scalin (co-curator of the International Skull Appreciation Day show I took part in) for Father's Day. As sketching Page 14 wasn't going anywhere, I decided to do a little Pop and Kid skull duo. Hell, it was Father's Day, so why not? Probably spent 30 minutes on it total and I think it turned out okay. The only real problem was the wood was super soft and didn't really appreciate having eye-hooks bored into its back. Get the feeling that we'll hear a crash one night as the hooks give up...

As an added bonus, here's Page 13:

Slack

I forgot to post Page 11 last Friday, so to make up for that oversight here's the pencils for both 11 and 12. Thumbnails for 13 tomorrow night and look for full pencils in a day or two. Peace!

Back to Know It All...

Nice to start hanging with the characters again. Page 11 has already been sketched, so I just have to lightbox that mutha and —BAM!—halfway through pencilling the book.

Also, sorry for the arty-farty image. Been playing around with different apps on my phone.