Work Blog

Off-Line

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:12:33 -0800

In spite of my best efforts to keep this section of the website updated, I’m just not finding the time to post as often as I’d like to. But I think that’s probably a good thing. I’m incredibly busy teaching comics at CCA, making comics in the studio, and living life in the Bay area. All things that are usually more rewarding than sitting in front of the computer!

I imagine that when the new book is getting close to completion, I’ll be ready to spend a bit more time documenting the journey. I’m very proud of the work that’s been done so far and I can’t wait to start sharing more with everyone. For now, I’ve got a trip to Chicago to visit family, a big WonderCon weekend, and a whole lot more work to do on my next two projects.

If you need to get in touch with me, it’s easy to find me through facebook and you can always drop me a line.

Don’t be shy!

Today in the Studio
Making comics, planning lessons, and still dreaming big.

Murmur

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:57:04 -0800

A new year. A new focus. Lots to talk about. But I’ll get to all that in a couple days!

In the meantime, here’s a link to an article I’ve posted on a new networking website called Murmur.

The site focuses on user generated pop culture reviews and opinion pieces. You can stop by and just read or you can contribute your own articles to the mix. They can probably explain what they’re up to a lot better than I can:

Today in the Studio
Ordering up a new digital SLR for the next round of photo shoots!

Art Walk

Sat, 6 Dec 2008 13:10:30 -0800

I’ve talked a bit about my studio space before. As much as I liked working from home in the past, having a studio around other artists is really the way to go. This weekend everyone in the building teams up for an open house art walk to celebrate the holidays. I’m selling copies of The Homeless Channel and original art comic book art. With a quick walk around the building, you’ll find jewelry, fiber art, paintings, candles, soap, photography, and more!

The studios remain open all day today and Sunday. I’ve got wine and munchies for anyone who visits!

If you are in the Bay Area, be sure to stop by!

Today in the Studio
Drinking wine and talking comics with the “arts and crafts” scene.

Mad Men

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:40:14 -0800

Just posted a convention report over in the NEWS section. Lots of pictures there too.

Today in the Studio
Rereading Love and Rockets for this week’s class. Should have my lesson plans wrapped up by the end of the day!

Sound Asleep

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 16:08:06 -0800

So, I’m taking a quick half-hour anti-nap (that’s where you sleep all morning and get up just long enough to check your email and eat a bowl of cereal before going back to sleep for the rest of the day). I hope to have a full convention write-up in the NEWS section soon!

In the meantime, here’s some of Newsarama’s coverage of our Writers Old Fashioned table, my CCA students, and the highlights of the entire show!

Today in the Studio
All is quiet except for the rain.

Time to go APE

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:46:55 -0700

I’ll be at the Alternative Press Expo all weekend long!

Please check out yesterday’s post for all the links to this weekend’s important events!

Hope to see you there!

Today in the Studio
Packing for APE!

No Third Term

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:47:04 -0700

As if two tables and two days at the Alternative Press Expo, three nights of events at Isotope, and a guest speaker in my graphic novel seminar on Thursday weren’t enough...

I’ve got original art from The Homeless Channel hanging in a new show that opens this weekend down at the 2008 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award winning superstore: Brave New World Comics!

Here’s the poster for the show:

Soon as APE weekend wraps up, I’ll be heading down I-5 to catch the show!

Today in the Studio
Grading midterm papers. Topics include: How Blankets and American Elf Attempt to Capture and Illustrate the Human Condition, An Analysis of Scott Pilgrim through the Lens of Video Game Theory, The Role of Identity in All-Star Superman, and An Exploration of Transformation in Tezuka’s Ode to Kirihito.

It’s true. I love my job.

A Very Special Mini-Comic

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:19:39 -0700

In the last post, I talked a little about the future of comics on the internet. There’s a lot of cool stuff to look at out there. But I sure don’t have bum around online in order to find next big thing. I’m pretty convinced that the future of comics is sitting on my drawing table right in front of me.

The other day, I think I mentioned that I made an offer to edit a graphic novel by an upcoming comic book writer/artist whose work just knocks my socks off. I am so very pleased to report that my offer was accepted and I’ve landed my first editing gig. That said, this book is going to be great with or without my help. I just know how isolating the process of putting together a novel-length comic book can be and I hope I can be a good sounding board, cheerleader, and critical eye as the pages continue to roll in.

The mini-comic sitting next to the computer here is no bigger than a credit card, yet it contains about forty pages of thumbnail sketches that still blow me away every time I look at them. It’s way too early to talk details about the project. What I can tell you is this: the book is being produced by a cartoonist with unlimited potential. Each page looks better than the last (and the first pages I saw were undeniably good to begin with.)

Anyway, I’m super excited to be adding this project to list of things I’ll be working on during the coming year. I can’t wait until I can fill everyone in on all the details.

Oh, okay. I can’t resist. Here’s the teeniest, tiniest, little sneak-peak.

Today in the Studio
Last minute APE preparations. Also, trying to design a kick ass lesson plan for class on Thursday. We’ll see.

Reinventing Comics

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:23:03 -0700

Today’s workblog entry is really for my CCA graphic novel seminar students. But don’t let that stop you from playing along at home!

- - - - - -

This week our class is discussing James Kochalka’s American Elf. As part of that discussion, we’ll be examining the differences between experiencing his comics on the page and on the screen.

Publishing comics on the web opens up many new possibilities in terms of reader interactivity. Whether reading comics on-line involves something as simple as turning “virtual pages” or as complex as navigating multiple non-linear story lines, the potential for creating new reader experiences is just beginning to be explored. Pioneers like Scott McCloud and Daniel Merlin Goodbrey have paved the way for a new generation of technically savvy comic creators. Click on the links below and examine some of the most innovative comics on the web.

Scott McCloud
Daniel Merlin Goodbrey
Demian.5
Stuart Kolakovic
David Gaddis
Nawls
H. Hoogerbrugge

And speaking of webcomics, I can’t wait to introduce the class to next week’s special guest and superstar comics creator, Julia Wertz!

Today in the Studio
Typing up press releases for next week’s Alternative Press Expo and getting ready for class!

Check, Please

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:32:45 -0700

So, there’s this show on PBS called Check, Please! Bay Area. Each episode consists of three Bay Area residents who all visit each others’ favorite restaurants and then get together to review them as a group.

Last time my cousin Jesse was in Berkeley, we headed over to Bette’s Oceanview Diner for brunch. KQED happened to be filming some B-roll footage for an upcoming episode of the show while we were eating breakfast. I’ve embedded the episode that aired this week. The segment on Bette’s starts at the 9:20 mark. But you can catch quick glimpses of us in the background at 9:56, 10:18, and 15:29. I know, I know. It’s B-roll footage of me eating breakfast... clearly, you’ve waited your whole life for this. ; )

Today in the Studio
Made an offer to edit another comic artist’s book today. I’d love to edit a couple projects someday. Fingers crossed that this is one of them.

Pinch Hitter

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 12:25:46 -0700

Haven’t been by the studio in a couple days. James and Kirsten are on the East Coast soaking up some independent comic book love at this year’s Small Press Expo. I’ve been watching the shop for them since Friday! They don’t get back until Wednesday, so make sure to stop by and say hi sometime tomorrow if you are in the City!

I’ll be sure to put a copy of this in your hands if you do happen to walk down to Fell Street and hang out at Isotope for a bit. Jason and Paige have hit a home run with their first volume of The Martian Confederacy. Here’s the beautiful cover designed and illustrated by Ms. Braddock:

But don’t take my word for it. See what the critics have to say! For more information on Jason’s work, check out the Writers Old Fashioned blog and facebook page.

Today in the Studio
Just a quick stop to pick up original art from The Homeless Channel. Time to pack it up and send it off to an upcoming “Politics in Comics” art exhibition. More details to come!

Test Shot

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:15:39 -0700

I’m still casting the next book a little at a time. Although I haven’t even had a chance to schedule shoots with some of the main players yet. It’ll all come together in the end though. I just have to figure out a way to get all my actors in the same place at the same time!

Last week, I did some test shots with one of the newest characters. I flipped through the photos and did a quick sketch to after I got back to the studio that afternoon. Here’s a glimpse of the results:

This is why I haven’t put the camera down yet. While I can see incremental improvements in my art, I can’t imagine working with a blank piece of paper. When the actors invest so much in the characters they are playing, the results, to me, are often really stunning.

Today in the Studio
Went to an ActivSpaces meeting to plan the Berkeley Art Walk. I love the idea that during the first weekend of December, I’ll have my studio door open and people will be walking past checking out what I’m up to in here. Sure, they are probably more interested in the jewelers and painters down the hall. But, heck, I’ll sell ‘em some comics! Maybe even an original page or two!

Something Shiny and New

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:38:26 -0700

What a month.

Let’s see- how’s my to-do list looking these days? Marry a pretty girl with a great smile? Check. Get the CCA fall semester comics seminar off the ground? Check. Sell comics and hang out with superstar creators like Mark Millar, Tony Harris, Chris Onstad, and Justin Hall at Isotope? Check. Crank out a truck load of pages for the new book? Well, three out of four ain’t bad. But I knew what kind of month September was going to be.

It’s good to be back in the studio. Did a quick photo shoot for the new book last week and I’m back on schedule in terms of scripts and artwork. I’ve got to tell you though, I would never have ended up where I’m at now without a few carrots dangling in front of me along the way. One of the biggest carrots that I chased after when I was first starting work on The Homeless Channel was the Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics.

I’ve chatted in the past about how exciting it was to attend the second annual awards ceremony when Josh Cotter took home his prize. Both previous winner, Rob Osborne, and Josh gave me a pep talk that sent me home with my mind set on taking the plunge and making some comics. One of the biggest motivations to get that first issue of The Homeless Channel off to the printer was to have enough copies in hand to enter the following year’s Isotope contest.

Here’s a picture of the guys at the ceremony back in 2004:

Since then, Rob has gone on to release a second graphic novel and his ongoing series, The Nearly Infamous Zango. Josh continued releasing critically acclaimed issues of Skyscrapers of the Midwest which was recently collected in a handsome hardcover edition by AdHouse Books.

It’s probably important to mention that I entered this contest twice and didn’t win the award on either try. The most surprising thing is that it turned out not to sting one tiny bit. The winners put out fantastic books. And after entering the contest for the second time, I had half of a finished graphic novel in my hands. Additionally, my work was noticed during the judging process and lead to my own publishing opportunity. Not bad for just showing up and giving it a try.

Submissions for this year’s contest are now open. I encourage anyone with a dream of making comics to send in some work. Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what our good friends over at iFanboy have to say about the subject.

While I’m not on this year’s judging panel, I’m happy to field questions about the contest and offer any tips for aspiring creators. Best of luck to all who enter!

Here’s the official contest press release:

Today in the Studio

Doing some test sketches of a new character for the next book. I’ll post one or two here at the workblog later this week!

Tonight: Heading to a Writer’s Old Fashioned meeting in the City. Time to finalize our plans for the Alternative Press Expo!

Break

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:29:00 -0700

I’m taking a short break from making comics in an effort to temporarily lighten my workload. The only catch: I’m going to be busier than ever. The reason: I’m getting married in a couple weeks. With that and the crunch leading up to the start of teaching the fall semester, something had to give. I’ve managed this year’s balancing act up until now. But planning the wedding has thrown a bit of a monkey wrench in the comic book machine. But that’s okay. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

After the wedding and the school year are under control, I might even consider taking a real break (see picture above.) Not likely. But who knows?

The future for making comics couldn’t look brighter though. I have some very special plans for January of ‘09. I just have a few non-comics related things to take care of first. In the meantime, stop by Isotope or the Alternative Press Expo in the coming months to get the inside story. I’m always up for talking shop!

Today in the Studio
Probably wedding planning. Maybe some CCA preps. Certainly some reading and research. A cup of coffee. A bunch of deep breaths. And another leap of faith.

Supersized Event

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:54:31 -0700

Isotope is renowned for its massive in-store comic book superstar events. This August, we kick it up a notch when we host TWO of the biggest names in comics (who also happen to be two of our favorite creators!)

Mark your calendars: Saturday, August 23rd, 2008, Mark Millar and Tony Harris will be signing and hanging out at Isotope Comics. Here’s a copy of the event flyer:

If you get me yappin’ about comics long enough, I’m bound to tell you the story of my first original art purchase. I’ve been a Tony Harris fan since the first time I flipped through the pages of Starman back in college. When I finally built up the courage to purchase my first piece of comic book art, it was no surprise that it was one of Tony’s Starman pages. After the dealer handed me the art, he mentioned that Tony was at the show (this was years ago at a pre-Wizard World Chicago Comic-Con.) The dealer pointed me in the direction of Tony’s signing and I was off and running.

When I showed the page to Tony, he laughed and said I’d paid too much for it (trust me, compared to today’s prices, it was a steal.) But then he went on to tell me all about the little Easter Eggs that were hidden throughout the page. See, I bought the page because it was a shot of Jack Knight at the end of the day sprawled out on the couch after once again saving the world. In that single page, James Robinson and Tony Harris captured everything you needed to know about the character. And the books and videos and knick-knacks strewn around Jack’s room? All carefully placed by Tony. They represented all the things that he loved about art and movies when he was drawing the book.

I haven’t bumped into Tony since then. Now that he’s out here on the West Coast promoting his new book, War Heroes, with Mark Millar, I’m super-psyched for the Isotope event. Tony’s always been a huge artistic influence on me. His use of photography as a starting point for his art had a big impact on the look of The Homeless Channel.

To see the Starman page that I bought up close, you have to visit my studio. In the meantime, you can catch a glimpse of it hanging in the background of a few pictures right over here!

Today in the Studio
Wedding planning and more wedding planning and a bit more wedding planning. Wedding, wedding, wedding.

Crash Course

Tue, 5 Aug 2008 11:56:55 -0700

Even though we’re still in the thick of summer, I’ve already got my sights set on the fall. See, this past spring I taught a sixteen-week comic book workshop at the California College of the Arts where we spent most of our time MAKING comics. If you want to see the results, make sure to stop by this year’s Alternative Press Expo where CCA will be sponsoring a table featuring student work.

But this September, I pick up where I left off with a seminar focusing on the study of comics. My required reading list was due last Friday and it was a scramble to pare down the massive stack of books I’d been considering as reading material for the course. Gene Yang focused on world comics during his summer CCA class. I’m aiming to design a semester that will challenge both experienced comics readers as well as students who have never picked up a comic before. It wasn’t an easy task. I wanted a range of books that hinted at where comics have been, but focuses mostly on where it seems that comics are going. I went back and forth for weeks on a bunch of titles and collections. There’s still a stack sitting on my studio floor ranging from Paul Pope’s 100% to Skyscrapers of the Midwest to Notes for a War Story to Exit Wounds to Demo to Maus and Watchmen and many more. But, in the end, you just can’t do them all.

After stepping back and looking at the shape of the course as a whole, I’m happy with what I see. For those of you playing along at home, here’s what we’ll be reading:

So, there you have it. Wish I had more room to fit everyone in the class. I think it’s going to be challenging, but it should also be a lot of fun.

Today in the Studio
Quick San Diego commission to finish up and get in the mail before the end of the day.

Trifecta

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 11:26:34 -0700

It’s been quite a year for Isotope Comics in San Francisco. Personally, I’ve had an incredibly rewarding time while working the New Comic Days and special events at the shop since November of last year. The entire Isotope staff has always put its heart and soul into making the store a place where everyone is welcome to sit back, relax, and enjoy everything that’s wonderful about all the comics we love. And with the most recent issue of the San Francisco Bay Guardian hitting the stands, it looks like our efforts have been worth it!

We’ve managed to complete the Bay Area Trifecta in ’08. First, the SF Weekly gave us a double Best of the Bay shout-out. Then, San Francisco Magazine came calling. And now, the Guardian shows the Isotope Comic Book Lounge some love.

The biggest thanks for all this attention goes to the fantastic customers and friends of the store. Thank you again for your continued enthusiasm and support!

Today in the Studio
Working on the first couple lectures for this fall’s CCA comics seminar. Tomorrow, I’ll post up the reading list I put together for the course!

So You Want To Do A Graphic Novel

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 14:57:52 -0700

As I mentioned over in the big San Diego report, the “So You Want to Do a Graphic Novel” panel was a blast. Reviews of the event have started to trickle in and it looks like we did what we were supposed to do: rally the troops. I’d try to capture the spirit of the panel for you here in the work blog, but it looks like JK Parkin over at Newsarama has totally done that for me.

Head right over here for JK’s panel write-up. Honestly, he did such a nice job that reading his article is almost like being in Room 3 of the San Diego Convention Center again (minus having to pay for airfare and scoring a tickets to the sold out show!)

Oh... and if you checked out the Pop Candy Twitter Comic the other day and would like to follow me or Whitney on the Twitter, I’m sure their Fail Whale-powered servers will do their best to oblidge!

Today in the Studio
Writing and answering a billion, zillion post-SDCC emails. Drawing a bit just to make me happy. And sending in my final book list for the CCA graphic novel seminar I’m teaching this fall!