A Princely Dreadful

TEUTON vol.2, pages 32-36

2012-01-29T06:11:00.011-05:00

ATTACK OF THE TROLLS!

After a heated argument between Maras and Jurate, the death goddess pulled rank and slapped Jurate silly. Thus a decision was made: Andrus, Asura, and Jadvyga must be killed swiftly before they can find Perkunas' axe.

With our heroes out of the way, Maras, Jurate, and Velinas believe they can rest assured their plot to unseat Perkunas will never be discovered... until it is too late.

The question remains: how does one kill three fine heroes hellbent on a quest?

How else? Forest Trolls--the perfect crime!

Velinas, the trickster devil, has an army of bastard troll children at his disposal, and now he has a special task for them to carry out...

Volume 2 has several big action set pieces, the Trolls being just the first of them. After flipping through my work in the first volume, I felt one of many things I need to improve upon is the staging of action. I took some time with 35 & 36 and for the most part I'm quite pleased with them. Here's a look at my roughs along the way...

What's Fred Got To Do With It?

2012-01-27T16:14:00.007-05:00

SO THIS is happening...

On Friday, February 10th I'll be joining the man of the hour, Fearless Fred, at The Sound Academy for The Everything To Do With Fred Show!!

We'll be signing copies of our handsome graphic novel, TEUTON!

So if you like the musical stylings of Toronto's own, USS, and you love sword and sorcery comic books, then I don't even need to tell you where you need to be... but I am!

Enter to win tickets @ 102.1 theEdge.ca, or be extremely nice to me.

And another thing...

It's been a few days since I last posted new and exciting pages from TEUTON Vol.2

What could be happening?!

Here's a peek at things to come...

TEUTON vol.2, pages 29-31

2012-01-15T23:33:00.014-05:00

HOOT!

When we last saw Maras, the goddess of death, she had resurrected the Teuton Komtur (Teuton Vol.1, 59-62) and instructed him to go out and find Perkunas' axe before anyone else.

Maras, along with fellow pagan deities Jurate and Velinas, conspires to steal the axe and change the status quo in the pantheon of gods for their own benefit. Each of the three have an agenda, but Jurate has something deeply personal at stake, and means to see their mission accomplished no matter the cost.

However, when Maras' spying owl reports that her nephew Vakaris was slain by Andrus (left), she suspects their plan is ruined. Knowing the death would bring Perkunas back to the mortal realm (Teuton Vol.2, 1-5), it would only be a matter of time before he tracked down his axe and uncovered their schemes to destroy him.

With Andrus and his trio in search of the axe on Perkunas' behalf (Teuton Vol.2, 14-15), Maras sees a shrinking window through which to back out with their lives, but has trouble convincing her two partners of their impending doom. A decision must quickly be made...

Page 31 proved a tricky one for me to get down. The last few pages were rife with exposition and talking heads. Maras' bitch slap is the biggest action beat to come before the big troll fight. I wanted it to have impact, not just for entertainment, but to show Maras as the one in charge of her cabal. Below are my roughs and multiple takes on Page 31: "Smack Down". The first draft of this page felt lazy. Aside from the last panel (which I kept), I felt it all needed to be changed.

TEUTON vol.2, pages 26-28

2012-01-09T20:06:00.005-05:00

A moonlit ride through dark woods!

Jadvyga and Andrus bond over war stories (complete with homo-erotic subtext)!

Asura senses danger!

And an owl tells all!

Stay tuned for more of TEUTON Vol.2, as we near the epic and much-alluded to Troll Fight!

TEUTON vol.2, pages 24-25

2012-01-05T09:56:00.007-05:00

So far in our story, a plot to steal the mighty axe of Perkunas has been revealed. Perkunas, a powerful deity of the Lithuanian pantheon of gods, is less than pleased to learn this. However, with the axe now missing, big questions loom: who conspires to wield it, and why?

Caught in the middle of all this intrigue is our hero, Andrus Tamm, a Teutonic knight captured by his pagan enemies. The axe is believed to be in Teuton territory, thus Perkunas dispatches Andrus to retrieve the weapon, along with two pagan escorts: the blunt and fearsome Jadvyga and the lady Asura.

Little do they know, their opposition is none other than Perkunas' own brother, Bangputys, god of the sea! Deep within his underwater palace, Bangputys secretly bargained with a demonic assassin named Ziburnis to both find the axe and kill Andrus.

As Andrus and company ride out across a snowy wilderness, Ziburnis sails in from the Baltic sea to meet them head on! But before he can, must teach one of Bangputys' spoiled sons a lesson in manners...

TEUTON vol.2, pages 20-23

2012-01-02T13:56:00.006-05:00

2012 is here, and with a new year comes new pages from Teuton!

Enjoy:

Haters Gonna Hate: The Dark Knight Rises

2011-12-21T11:15:00.006-05:00

I often feel that a highly critical fan base can help ruin the very thing it's clamoring to improve, whether the property concerned is a movie, comic, or tv show. In this instance I'm responding to the upset over Bane's garbled voice in The Dark Knight Rises, but my feelings extend beyond this one particular episode.

I used to work in a independent video store called Starstruck Entertainment, and there I would hear rants from scores of fans of this or that, explaining how their beloved franchise should be handled. One thing I've realized is that no two fans of one franchise completely agree on how they (ie. those Hollywood hacks) should make the thing they love. What's more, I've found that even the individual isn't completely sure of what they want.

They want the titular character to remain iconic and unchanged, yet fresh and compelling. They want it all, and the internet amplifies these conflicting opinions so word may reach someone in charge. Sometimes that can be a good thing. Other times I fear it threatens artistic license. By pandering to a broad audience we risk missing out on bold visions of stories and characters we know and love. We stop taking risks, period.

In the case of the current Batman franchise and its helmer, Christopher Nolan, I have so far been very satisfied. Nolan is not a perfect director. His action scenes are poorly framed and sometimes confusing, but his bold vision of a Batman in a contemporary setting revitalized the character. Admittedly, both films contain flaws, but are so minor it feels petty to complain. The Dark Knight exceeded my expectations and transcended its own genre, becoming not just an excellent comic-book movie, but a great piece of cinema. For a long time after watching it, I honestly didn't want to see another installment. I couldn't imagine another picture hitting all those heights. I was content.

However, now we have the final chapter in Nolan's contemporary Batman saga, and Bane, the main antagonist, is seemingly difficult to understand. Considering the character wears a bulky mouthpiece (supposedly from suffering a near-fatal injury), and his only complete scene took place in a noisy aircraft, it doesn't seem unreasonable that it should be so. There's a chance Bane's impairment and the aesthetic of his voice will help define the character in an interesting way. Tom Hardy's performance, which is assuredly physical, may be thoughtful and nuanced enough to render words moot.

My point is, I have faith in the production of the film, and want to know as little as possible before enjoying it in theaters. When filmmakers have proven they have a distinct and interesting voice, wouldn't you want to hear what they have to say?

Warm-Up Sketch: ANDRUS

2011-12-14T13:24:00.004-05:00

This began as a loose warm-up sketch that I tightened up and added on to infrequently throughout yesterday. This morning I decided to finish it up with some colour before starting my page duties on Teuton. I used markers and watercolours. I would love to colour all of Teuton this way.

We've hit a point in the story where Andrus is trekking across Lithuania on horseback, accompanied by Jadvyga and Asura. Together they're searching for Perkunas' axe. I took this story beat as an opportunity to freshen up his look. In my mind, Andrus has selected a better class of dress and armor before starting his journey. The fortress of Pilenai was overtaken by the Pagans earlier on, so its halls are open and everything is for the taking. This will be Andrus' third or fourth wardrobe adjustment in the story so far, because I like to imagine these characters doing things off-panel, such as eating, using the outhouse, washing, and changing clothes. In fact, the only time we actually see Andrus change is in issue 3, where he's preparing to duel Vakaris.

It's also a sign of my learning curve. When I started this book I still had a lot to learn about the kinds armor and garb people wore in the 13th century.

As it's now full-blown winter in the story, other characters will get spiffy new duds.

2011-12-12T10:29:00.005-05:00

Another look at one of the nasty Trolls to come along in TEUTON vol.2, where clubs will be swung, things will be smashed, and someone just might get hurt. Stay tuned...

Here is a piece I'm very excited about. It's been sitting in my inbox for a while and now seems as good a time as any to share it:

Isn't is lovely? By artist Miko Maciaszek, this whimsical portrait of Andrus is typical of Miko's ornate and painterly style. Fred and I had the pleasure of meeting Miko at this past Fan Expo. As neighbors, I spent the weekend admiring his work. Specifically, an extremely fun illustration inspired by The Hobbit. Miko shared an interest in the Lithuanian mythology Teuton explores. Thusly, a fine partnership was struck. Expect to see Miko's contribution in the pin-up gallery of our next printed volume of Teuton!

Upcoming in TEUTON vol.2

2011-12-09T13:56:00.004-05:00

Trolls are coming!

If you're keeping up with current pages of TEUTON vol.2, you know that our hero Andrus is at the mercy of a fearsome pagan thunder god, Perkunas, and now must cooperate with his sworn enemies to retrieve a mythical axe. However, the wilderness which they will soon brave is filled with terrible dangers: Trolls.

Above is an early concept drawing for our forest-dwelling trolls. While this look isn't re-defining the mythical creature by any stretch, it fits with my idea of Trolls: gigantic, hairy hominids that have neither shame nor empathy. I imagine them as terrifying mythical hillbillies that are often inbred and oafish, but strong and lethal. They'd be too dumb to make clothes or armor, which is fine since they'd never feel the need for garments. This of course means their privates would show, and might be distracting if they're bouncing from panels to panel, swinging clubs and stomping people. Fred, the writer, asked me show some decency. "Guys (ie. potential readers) hate weiners."

Is that true? Or are scary troll dongs exactly what the industry needs?

TEUTON vol.2, pages 14-19

2011-12-08T09:57:00.008-05:00

TEUTON vol.2, pages 12 & 13

2011-11-25T11:43:00.004-05:00

TEUTON vol.2, pages 9-11

2011-11-11T16:38:00.006-05:00

Times are tough for our hero, Andrus.

So far in our saga, he's been forced to slay his best mate, taken prisoner and beaten by the enemy, nearly killed in battle against a pagan deity, and cornered into suicide mission by a high god. It's all he can do to find footing in a situation drastically spiraling out of his control.

Tending to his wounds is the woman who betrayed him, Asura, and he has some things to get off his chest.

TEUTON vol.2, pages 6-8

2011-11-02T14:59:00.014-04:00

Surprise!

The fiend who wants Perkunas' axe, a terribly powerful weapon, is none other than his own brother: Bangputys, god of the sea!

What is Bangputys' nefarious scheme, and how does it involve the mighty axe? Who will find the weapon first? And who is the cunning agent known as Ziburnis?

Yikes! Stay tuned...

TEUTON vol.2, pages 1-5

2011-10-28T09:44:00.006-04:00

Behold!

Brand new lettered pages for all to read.

It's been a while since my last post, but that's not to say there hasn't been much happening. On the contrary! First of all, a second printing of the TEUTON vol.1 TPB is on its way. Fred and I are anxiously awaiting. Hopefully then we'll put it in stores, because I would terribly hate making anyone come to my house for a copy.

Secondly, I've taken on my responsibilities with this new volume. On top of illustrating the whole dang thing, I'm now supervising and editing scripts, as well as lettering the whole comic! That means no more SFX. One thing that secretly dogged me about our last volume were the sound effects, which I don't feel we really nailed. So I' won't be doing them unless I draw them into the page.

Throwing myself at these new challenges is a hoot, although daunting at first. Oddly enough, I've always been behind on the technological aspect of art, especially when it comes to making comics. The fact that so much about the entire process of producing a book was mysterious to me was very bothersome. I like knowing how things are done, even if I'm not doing them myself. Throughout production on Volume 1 we leaned heavily on Andre Fernandes, who busted his hump putting the book together for print.

I really want to thank my good buddy, Kevin Calvelo, for hooking me up with some excellent gear to work with. Big thanks also to Keiren Templeton-Smith, who I'm indebted to for patiently showing me what lettering is all about.

Enjoy these pages! There's more to come.

Upcoming Stuff...

2011-10-07T10:35:00.003-04:00

Here's a rough look at things to come in TEUTON. Enjoy!

Showing Your Work

2011-09-06T15:00:00.007-04:00

Work on the new volume of Teuton is going swiftly so far. Like The Dark Knight was to Batman Begins, Fred and I want to improve every aspect of our continued series. That's right, I just compared our book to Batman.

Part of our mutual improvement plan involves speeding up my page output.

For most of the last volume I worked very haphazardly and didn't do much drafting at all. Many times I made my layouts lightly in pencil on the finished page. Sensible artists complete a series of drafts before working on the finished page. This isn't to say I'm some drafting maverick--more like a fool stubbing his toe in the dark, since I so often worked myself into corners, and either the page came out less than great or I'd lose precious time revising my half-finished page (in some cases I redrew the page entirely on another board.) What's maddening is that I knew better. I paid money to extremely knowledgeable and skilled people for the privilege of knowing better, and still, a good deal of the time I threw myself at the board without a plan. Or if you can stomach another analogy: like playing mini-golf blindfolded.

No more. No sir.

Anyhow, here's a look at the process of a page, from thumbnails to finished piece. Fairly elementary to most seasoned artists, but I still get a kick from seeing the development. Enjoy!

Comics That Were, Are, and Will Be...

2011-09-03T10:37:00.018-04:00

Last night I attended the launch party for Infinite Kung Fu, created entirely by Toronto artist Kagan McLeod. It is an amazing work roughly ten years in the making. Top Shelf's production on the book itself is slick and stylish, yet the texture is still indicative of printed pulps and manga that no doubt inspired this work, but which it easily manages to transcend. The end result is a beautiful marriage of two cinematic genres (martial arts and exploitation films,) that looks and feels like nothing else on book shelves to date.

The art is energetic and tremendously fun. Despite the fact that for years Kagan's work has been seen in countless magazines and websites, my first exposure to his stuff was on the covers of Kill Shakespeare, another Canadian created comic that delivers a refreshing twist on the familiar. I'm thrilled that I can now dive into Kagan's finished product like the gluttonous art and comic lover I am.

The event was fine enough. A nice venue filled with interesting people that I could hardly hear or understand on account of the great music laid down by live DJ's. I had a chance to speak with the man of the hour as he signed and doodled in my copy. Perhaps it was the alcohol in our veins or the energy in the air, but I dare say he was pleased to see me. I killed a completely different conversation by talking about beards. It was awesome. After lamenting the loss of my beard to a pretty neat comic creator, he, who shall go nameless, nodded and said "O-K guys! I'll see ya..." and promptly lost himself in a sea of people. What can I say? I have the gift of the anti-gab.

I thought to myself on the drive home, "ten years? whoa." Perhaps not ten solid years, but years of work into a creator-owned labor of love. Impressive... inspiring. Although it's startling how time flies. I've worked on Teuton now for two years, and it's funny to count that time in pages produced (not that many: 112). Yet that's nothing compared to a story of my own that I've been harboring since my early teens. It's existed mainly as doodles on scraps of paper, in the margins of homework assignments, and every so often as sequential pages that are soon abandoned and re-tooled.

It began by taking a summer workshop at Sheridan college on the construction of the comic page. I think the year was 2000, and it felt like a big deal. I remember reading comics on the Oakville bus--Matt Murdock was exposed as Daredevil, and he was lying his way to (relative) safety--and watching Making Comics The Marvel Way on VHS.

In the end I had made my very first finished page of sequential story-telling. There it is on the left. I remember thinking, "I could do this every day!"

In fact, I spent the rest of that summer fully-charged and ready to make the comics world mine--by force, if necessary. Luckily it never came to that. I simply put pen to paper and got making what I then imagined was my magnum opus. I called it Century, and it was going to be awesome you guys!

The overall story followed a private organization called Century and its agents who were sent about the business of unlocking the crucial mysteries of the universe. Easy! I drew most of it in sharpie and sent photocopies to every publisher I could think of. I received a very tender rejection letter from Heavy Metal, which I thought was too bad at the time, as I believed it was the very thing they were looking for.

A few years after that, I decided to give Century another go, perfectly certain that "this" time everything would come together, and they should already begin engraving my name on the coveted crown to the comic kingdom. This just goes to show how much you actually know when you're 15. Anything is possible and attainable--which I suppose remains true, but I'm 26 now and am just getting ankle deep in the world of creating comics professionally.

Here are pages from the very first comic book I ever made, and the second comic I ever made:

I scrapped what I had done and shelved it away in my brain, all the while spawning little stories in the back of my head, imagining scenes and depictions of things I found thrilling. Essentially, I've been subconsciously writing a love letter to my very favourite genre: science fiction.

This story usually includes a gruff, animal-humanoid from race of interstellar barbarians; an outlaw space bandit in the form of a mischievous female; and a androgynous amnesiac who just might be the creator of the universe... if only they could remember. I've taken them to places filled with horror and wonderment, have pitted them against fearsome creatures and tossed them in explosive laser shoot-outs. And it almost always begins with imminent doom on a frozen landscape. It's all been terrific fun! Now, if only I could just put it all on paper.

My last attempt (but for from final) was nearly four years ago, when my good buddy John Lewis and I swapped ideas for a line of comics that would collectively be told under one banner: The Crown: A Princely Dreadful.

So What happened? Well John got married, bought a house, and became a responsible citizen with a real job at Pearson Publishing. I worked a handful of dispiriting jobs until I found work on The Vampire Conspiracy. That imaginary playground still exists, and perhaps some day I will get around to finishing what I started three times already. Seeing guys like Kagan celebrate the fruition of a decades work is certainly inspiring, and I get to wondering what my trio of space-trippers are up to.

TEUTON MYTHOLOGY

2011-09-01T09:24:00.015-04:00

It's now exactly a week since Fan Expo started. As I type this it's 10:54 AM, and I remember distinctly driving down a long and winding ramp to the convention loading bay around this same time last Thursday. I felt like a tie fighter zipping down that bright, cavernous tunnel. Pew! Pew!

Anyhow, I'm still flying high off the release of our first trade. I'm well and truly proud of it, as you can tell. More than that, I like the book Fred and I are making. It's grown on me. Several times on this blog I've written about first hooking up with Fred. I think so, anyway--I start entries and delete them after 30 minutes of typing. I've written heart-breakingly beautiful things you'll never read because I suddenly decided to toast Eggo waffles and watch Dragon's Den, but I digress... When Fred first pitched me his idea I was just excited that a cool pseudo celebrity wanted to make comics with me, and would pay me to do it. I was saying yes no matter what. But he said "knights" and a part of me winced at the thought of drawing horses and armor. That shit can get complicated.

That's all to say that I liked it then, but I love it now. What's always impressed me with Fred and his script--and indeed, anyone who hears Fred talk about Teuton concedes--the guy did his homework when it came to researching the history and the obscure Lithuanian mythology that serves as Teuton's backdrop. There's nothing random or arbitrary about the places and names involved in the plot. It's interesting stuff. As we carry on with our story, I would like to give readers a chance to compare our comic with the history and mythology it borrows from.

If you've read the trade, you'll know it ends with the arrival of a new character: Perkunas.

A fearsome and courageous being, Perkunas can easily be described as the Lithuanian equivalent of Thor. His great strength and power are akin to mountains and thunder storms--in fact, he is deity to both, as well as to the rain, the sky, and oak trees. Indeed, everything about Perkunas is elemental and way over our heads. He reigns in the heavens above and commands the trees and mountains that rise up to him. He is bad ass. We hope that was made clear when he lands on the scene in our two-page spread.

Perkunas' name has been dropped several times before his arrival in our story. Issue one opens with the raid on a Pagan village, and it is there the fabled Axe of Perkunas lies hidden in a shrine, protected by Lithuanian worshipers Aras and his foxy apprentice Asura. Charged with retrieving the axe is the Teuton Komtur, who is secretly working for Maras, one of three death gods in the pantheon. It's important to note that Perkunas' Axe is the most devastating weapon in all creation. Imagine wielding an instrument capable of such destruction, it could level mountains with thunder and raise them up again with an earthquake. That is why it's kept hidden from other power hungry gods in a shrine where only mortals can enter.

After the Komtur is unexpectedly killed in the ensuing melee, Olbert assumes command and sends the axe to Konigsberg for political points with his superiors. Aras, however, believes the axe to be taken to the hill fortress of Pilenai, which the Teutons have assumed control of. Believing he is doing the bidding of Perkunas himself, Aras performs a ritual before the Stelmuze Oak (an actual tree in Lithuania where Perkunas was worshipped. It's estimated to be 1500 years old.) and transforms Olbert into one of Perkunas' fearsome Oaken Sentinels. Well, it gets nasty for everyone inside Pilenai, but we'll get more into the plot in later posts.

As for my vision of Perkunas, I modeled him after Tom Hardy in Bronson. My reasoning behind it was simple: I just didn't want him looking much like the Thor we all know. I wanted my thunder god to look blunt and heavy, like a polish butcher. I've debated putting a cape on him, but am leaning towards the negative. Vakiris, one of several antagonists in the first volume, was given a flowy cape. Although I modelled him from 80's wrestling costumes and Flash Gordon. I always intended him to be a bit of a doofus in appearance, but takes himself very seriously. Perkunas on the other hand is the real deal. I'm excited he's here in our new volume, and I think it'll make for fun storytelling.

Stay tuned for more as this story develops, more will be revealed!

IT'S A SIGN!

2011-08-31T11:21:00.010-04:00

As always, I had meant to post sooner, but then prepping for Fan Expo kicked up to high speed. I was dancing on hot coals until the show finally got rolling. What a rat race though. Here's one of several embarrassing stories I told over the weekend:

A few weeks ago I was creating promotional signs for our booth and I was thinking of ways to hang them to make the most of our table space. I was getting tired of using easels because kids in their manga costumes always knocked into them. It's almost always manga costumes, by the way. Often because of their big, awkward accessories. Anyhow, Fred didn't want to spring for a professionally printed display. They're expensive, and it's his dough, so that's how it is. Suddenly I got it in my head that just buying timber to build an 8'x6' sign would be far easier and more cost effective than paying for large scale printed posters. Was it really? Nope! But like Zaphod Beeblebrox, I plunged head first into a messy situation with blindingly stupid optimism.

I bought all the materials from DeSerres and Home Depot. I designed the text for our sign to read Big Sexy Comics, looking large and mountainous, but had a bitch of a time a time trying to get it on the big wooden boards I bought. I tried rasterbating my image, which was total bullshit. Then I just plain free-handed it: more bullshit. Finally I bought a light projector and was on my way... for about 20 minutes. After setting up the projector, I knelt before one of my 4'x6' boards and began to trace the B when I noticed the projected outline was dipping. The projector itself was stable, so I simply put my pen to where the outline had come to rest... only it sank some more, and was picking up speed. That's when I smelled the fumes of hot plastic and saw ghostly wisps of smoke rise from the lens--only then did I realize that my projector was melting. The bulb was too damned hot! I switched it off and unplugged it, but it was beyond saving. I brought it back to the art store immediately. Staff hovered around me to bear witness to the molten monstrosity I dared exchange for a new projector.

I left the store with a new projector and some nifty spray paint, because I did not intend to paint the thing by hand. With the design traced onto the boards, thanks to the new projector, I masked the letters and broke out a can of blue spray paint. Blue mist hissed, covering bare wood, and I watched with detached amusement in my sealed garage at how the fine blue particles seemed to dance. Their flight was dizzying and I soon felt nauseated, even sick. I put the can down to stretch my tired arms. That's when I noticed the label. My eyes bulged at the very bold, and very clearly printed warnings on the can of spray paint: "Highly Toxic! Use in Ventilated area! Must wear mask!" So I got out of there, having not done any of that shit, and later on painted the letters by hand with acrylic, just the way I tried avoiding. I didn't like the job it did, but I was out of time. I left it to dry and tried to sweat out and shower away all the toxins I had no doubt absorbed.

The next day at the convention, bits of the acrylic paint ripped off my painted sign. You see, I sandwiched the painted sides in my car, and they adhered during the drive. Andre Fernandes, another artist for Big Sexy Comics, did the best he could to cover up the blemishes. Despite having an otherwise fine reception at the show, I couldn't help but notice upward glances followed by brows furrowed with confusion and distaste--but the sign worked! They were caught in their bemusement and in those moments of displacement I sold them a book. Still, it left a lot to be desired. I firmly believe that's what prompted Fred Kennedy, writer and creator of Teuton and Big Sexy Comics, to turn to me and say, "you know, next year I think I'll invest in some printed banners." What a guy!

QUANTUM PROBABILITY

2011-08-03T19:39:00.034-04:00

Quantum Probability is a short sci-fi horror comic I drew some time ago. Written by Phil McClorey, the eight page story can be viewed at Furious Comics. It's a lot of fun and I encourage one and all to check it out along with all the other great horror tales available on the site.

I recall first meeting Phil and how I got to be lucky enough to work on one of his scripts. Allow me to tell you all about it...

The year was 2009 and it was bangin'. Life had grown contemptuous of my "takin'er easy" and decided to kick things up a notch: my lady love and I learned we were having a baby. Meanwhile, I was hard at work on The Vampire Conspiracy and attending comic conventions to seek advice from established artists. It felt vital to be told not just what I was doing right, but what I was doing wrong and how to do those things better.

On my quest I met some swarthy gents, but none so swarthy as Phil McClorey, writer of the horror anthology The Book of Methuselah and founder of the Canadian comic imprint, Furious Comics. I was strolling through Artist Alley when I came upon Phil's table. He very cordially reeled me into his stories and I was impressed by what he had to share. Reading Phil's brand of comics, you are reminded of a time when boys read scary stories under their bed covers; when ordinary shadows seemingly reached for your ankles from the edges of your bed. I had no choice but to purchase his comics.

I asked Phil if he would look at my portfolio and share his opinions. That's when I realized my portfolio wasn't in my hands. It wasn't anywhere--I had left it somewhere in the convention. I don't remember what I said to excuse myself before speed-walking through aisles packed with fanboys slouched under the weight of their satchels. Now, perhaps Phil doubted my return--I can only assume his world grew significantly darker and a might bit smaller after my abrupt departure--but before long I was back at his table, huffing and panting, my portfolio square in his face. When it was all said and done, I thanked him and took his card, and ran to a quiet corner to hug my portfolio like a parent after finding their lost child in a supermarket (only more so).

Meeting my deadline for The Vampire Conspiracy was a lot like a jockey being dragged half-dead by his horse across the finish line. To reach it I had stayed up 36 hours straight and drank copious amounts of coffee while, foolishly, a myriad of Alex Jones "documentaries" played on YouTube just so I could learn what the fuss was about. In other words: I was fried. When I had crossed the finish line I was only happy to be alive. Yet somehow, after a few days crept by, I wanted more. That's when I dug up Phil's card and solicited my services.

Initially, the first project I started with Phil was his take on the Cthulhu mythos. I rather liked his script. It was fun and exciting and gruesome. I immersed myself in designing my own Cthulhu and took the Cloverfield route by studying the features of numerous animals. I felt like such a smart cookie. The project stalled on my end however, as making room for my unborn daughter eclipsed all else. When I finally got back on the horse and sent Phil some rough pages, he had moved on with another artist to create The Mask of Cthulhu. Together they turned out quite a good story.

Still, I had great admiration for Phil's writing and wanted to shake a stick at anything he'd be willing to give me. What he gave me was a script then titled QUORK. Our ill-fated plan was to get it up on Zuda to become superstars and the envy of all message boards. All of them, I say. Unfortunately, Zuda folded* due to an overwhelming number of creators who also wanted to be the envy of all the message boards.

[ * Let that be a lesson to you, kiddies: when things get tough, give up entirely and close your website! ]

Nevertheless, I forged ahead and very gradually worked away on QUORK while juggling the first issue of Teuton, a newborn, and classes at the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop. The fun never stopped! All the while, Phil sat at home with his brandy, stroking his roguish facial hair, patiently waiting the completion of his eight page materpiece:

Truthfully, Phil was hard at work on some more interesting and original material with other fantastic artists, this time focusing on web comics. It looked unsure whether Phil would continue printing single issues in the long run, but I convinced him with some smooth talk and thinly veiled threats that not only should he print at least one more issue of Methuselah, but that he should include QUORK in its publication. He politely agreed, and in that moment of weakness I demanded he let me draw the cover for said issue and asked for a huge sum of money. He had no choice but to pay, what with my threatening demeanor and all. Plus, I had taken the precaution of growing a mustache of my own, in case things got out of hand. When it was all said and done, QUORK was renamed Quantum Probability, Phil had himself one handsome cover, a fun read of a comic, and a bank account so empty it rivaled the vacuum of space after paying my ridiculous fees.

While some of that may be exaggerated just a touch, I did really enjoy working with Phil and expected to carry on with QP, but my commitment to Teuton and generally hectic life made that nigh impossible to do at a reasonable rate. In the meantime, Phil's writing just keeps getting better, as you can plainly see by checking out his Meta-Human Affairs or his thrilling contribution to the WWII zombie anthology, FUBAR.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more updates all month long!

Coming Soon...

2011-08-03T15:58:00.007-04:00

The newly printed trade of Teuton should be arriving at my door any day this week (I hope!) and all this waiting is giving me the jimmy legs. I'm pacing through my house, looking out the window constantly, not-so casually standing on my front step to meet a UPS delivery truck that is taking too long to arrive--it's almost too much. Although the book was completed quite some time ago, I won't feel satisfied until I'm holding the finished product. Only then will I feel the reassuring finality those printed pages represent, carrying with them a sense of a job well done, that hard work can and does amount to something.

In a year that so far has brought about many changes, surprises, and adventures, I've felt plagued by uncertainty. Every week I'm introduced to something new, for better or worse, and it is sometimes difficult to get a grip on my shifting reality. However, there are wonderful constants in my life, and for nearly two years one of them has been my work on Teuton. Sometimes my progress is steady and others weeks may elapse between pages, but knowing that after finishing a page there will be another and another helps build structure around things I can't control.

For now I wait with what patience I have until the moment comes where ink smudges my fingertips was I scrutinize the fruits of my labors. In my heart I know it won't end there. There is always the next step I'll be eager to take: the big show, the chance to meet exciting and influential people, and being at my desk with a new script.

SUNDAY SPECIAL: Teuton, Teuton, Teuton! (and one other thing)

2011-06-05T11:15:00.011-04:00

Much has been happening lately in preparation for printing our trade paperback edition of TEUTON. Most of it exciting, some of it utterly mundane. Let's begin with the mundane!

Back when I drew our first issue of Teuton, I had forgone buying traditional comic art boards with helpful blue lines. I didn't even have my own scanner until I was over 10 pages in. Instead, I would buy 18x24 pads of watercolor paper, cut them down to 11x17 and would measure the template dimensions by hand--and I didn't even stay true to that sizing either! When it came time to drop all our finished pages into the template our printer, Ka-Blam, provided, it was discovered that my sizes and image resolutions were all over the place. Numerous pages were cropped and re-sized in the 11th hour. Since our first issue saw print, we all know our deadline was made and good times were had.

However, we're on our fourth issue now, and one can't help but look back on the mistakes of the past. Since issue one will be reprinted in our trade, Fred and I are taking the time to correct our most glaring flaws. This is a very liberating thing! With all my mistakes and regrets in life, I've finally found one I can literally take an eraser to! I won't waste time saying exactly what will be changed--I'll let readers discover it for themselves--but I will say it's become incredibly taxing on my time. That's it for the mundane.

One exciting aspect of our upcoming trade will be a pin-up gallery comprised of work by thrilling guest artists. We have an amazing roster of talent contributing. So good, in fact, you'll wonder why they aren't drawing the book instead. While I'd like to keep details a secret, I'll tease with this:

This splendid piece was done by Portland, Oregon artist Adam Moore. He's an illustrator of great skill whose work revels in the golden age of 80's cartoons and comics. I absolutely encourage you to check out his blog and DA gallery.

Now just to remind anyone reading that I'm not such a shabby artist myself, below is a recent page from Teuton #4, featuring my good buddy Doug as the recently resurrected and now totally evil Teuton Komtur!... Finally, there are 10 (60-69) spanking new pages of our ripping yarn, Teuton, up on Big Sexy Comics. Read them if you haven't already, and look for the subliminal message! (hint: there is none.)

DARN-TEUTIN': Pages 50-59 Hot and Ready For Your Eyes Only

2011-04-28T16:03:00.006-04:00

Read 15 new pages of Teuton #3 @ BigSexyComics.com!

Check it out!

I'll wait.

GO!

NOW!

Our hero Andrus is having a tough time of it. Immediately after vanquishing his closest friend, Olbert (he was transformed into a tree monster after all,) he is betrayed by the Pagan vixen whom he saved from probable tree-rape. What a blow!

Now that Andrus is at the mercy of the very people his Order have been massacring, what does fate have in store for our battle-hardened hero...?

Stay tuned!

SATURDAY SPECIAL

2011-03-26T14:34:00.007-04:00

The words 'comics' and 'scandal' are a rare pairing, at least to my knowledge, but any person with even the slightest interest in the comic book industry is probably still leering at this Rob Granito affair even as I type this. It's been a couple days, but accounts on Granito's fraudulent career are going strong and can be seen on sites like Bleeding Cool and the anti-Granito Facebook page. It's wild stuff, but I won't delve into specifics here. Read about the affair via the links above. I will, however, strike while this iron is hot. Aren't I entitled? I'm a comic book person and I'm utterly fascinated by the news, like passing a horrible car crash on the highway.

Firstly, I'm not personally offended by Granito's lies. How could I be? Nothing of mine was at stake. He certainly would not have ripped off anything I've done. So I won't insult actual professionals whose work was stolen by trying to share in their anger. What I am is saddened. I ask myself questions: what was he thinking? how and why did he start? did he have an endgame? The questions don't end there, but they'll all go unanswered unless someone can get a hold of this guy. Apparently he's slotted to attend a convention somewhere this weekend. Everyone following this story are probably on pins and needles. It's like Fritz Lang's "M", only geekier!

So yes, I feel sad for the man. Don't confuse that for sympathy, mind you. What he's been doing is wrong and disrespectful to everyone in the business. Every single artist at a convention, from the biggest professional to the newest beginner, has worked very hard to be at their respective tables. By sleuthing his way into these shows with his counterfeit artwork, Granito has spat time and again on the hours of dedication every honest artist has spent on their craft. The reason I feel sad though is I can't reckon why someone would go through all the trouble and effort to lie so convincingly and to create these forgeries just to make a few hundred dollars at a show.

Incidentally, I passed Granito several times at the recent Wizard show. Like me, he had a table opposite Artist Alley. He was mingled with all the celebrities. I remember his booth vaguely. I never looked closer because what I saw of his work didn't impress me. They all looked like lame versions of better pieces. Go figure. I do remember thinking, "that kinda sucks" and then immediately chastising myself for putting someone else down at a show--in my own head, no less!--because it felt like the wrong attitude to bring to a convention. I honestly try to approach everybody with a positive and accepting frame of mind. Like I said, anyone at these shows has worked hard to be there, and you must respect that about a person, if nothing else.

What did he stand to gain? A spotlight? Didn't he think any attention would bring him down? What void, what lack of soul, kept him from working as hard (or harder) to create original works? I've looked at his forgeries. He clearly has an understanding of the materials used, some skill with his tools. Why did he do it? I can't wrap my head around it. So all I can do, from this comfortable distance where I sit at my computer, is laugh. What else can I do? Asking myself these questions, trying to put myself in his shoes, I just feel dirty and, again, deeply sad. So I prefer to laugh instead. Here's a big Nelson Muntz right in your eye, Granito: Haw-Haw!

Last weekend I promised 5 new pages of Teuton #3 and only delivered 4. Despite my superficial complaints about the Wizard show, I enjoyed the time spent meeting people, catching up with familiar faces and watching those fierce rollerskate girls zip so fearlessly through the crowd. Although the jokes about the cute one named "Rugburn" got tired very fast. But I digress. I did not get much work done for all the fun and excitement. Not following through has been eating me all week. I have been working quite tirelessly on several projects, the biggest being Teuton of course. So today I decided to toss up a lot of fun stuff, including the page I did not finish on time.

There will be some new faces in the upcoming issues of Teuton: the dreaded Pagan Gods! Fred eats up history and mythology, and has done a lot of research for the book to make our antagonists fun to design and draw. Making his debut on page 5 of this issue is Vakaris, a ruler of the winds and lightning and lots of fun stormy stuff. He shows up unannounced and inexplicably in true god-like fashion, standing eight feet tall, all muscle and furious business.

WIZARD WORLD 2011 - Day Three

2011-03-20T21:34:00.002-04:00

I'll come clean right now: the latest page of Teuton isn't finished, and thus isn't ready to be posted. I can hear collective booing and sighs of disappointment. Well, someone out there must be booing and/or sighing. It can't all be coming from my baby.

It wasn't for lack of trying though. Today turned out to be highly sociable. I think by the third round of a convention weekend, everybody is so settled in that they're comfortable and just want to walk around and gab, which is great. I'm not a great gabber and am a terrible shmoozer. I worry when I speak to someone from across a convention table that they suspect every word out of my mouth is bullshit. Sometimes I worry that if my perceived sincerity was currency, it would be in pesos. I'm told be those closest to me to stop worrying about such things. Worry about my output instead. Which brings me back to the fact I haven't finished the page I promised to post today.

Actually, a good deal of time went into doing sketches for really great people. One of which I scanned and am posting instead. So have a gander at it and stay tuned for future updates!

WIZARD WORLD 2011 - Day Two

2011-03-19T20:37:00.003-04:00

Yesterday the convention was extremely slow and pretty dull. For whatever reason, a painfully eclectic selection of music was playing much louder than necessary. In fact, the music isn't needed at all since the convention isn't a hotel lounge or my dentist's waiting room. Consequently I had to speak it a decibel higher than I'm used (I normally prefer numbling and neurotic hand gestures), and had to pretend I understood a lot of what was said to me.

While the bad soundtrack carried on throughout today, I can happily say that the aisles were far busier and people were more supportive, more interested and more polite. I got little drawing done. I intended to do more, honest, but there's always so many people I'd like to see and chat with. I'm also still a nerd who likes getting his favourite comics signed. Plus, the seats are awful and the a/c pumped chilly waves down my back. By 3pm I was paranoid of having caught the flu--aches accompanied by chills! With such an assault on all my senses, how can I sit and work? How can I not get up and watch artists I admire do exactly what I can't: sit still and work.

Anyway, that's my mini rant about all the negatives of the convention so far. Believe me, there were many positive things I could write about here. I won't though. I'm tired and there's work to do. So as promised, here's another page from Teuton #3. I hope you like it...

WIZARD WORLD 2011 - Day One

2011-03-18T09:56:00.003-04:00

As promised, here's another page preview of Teuton #3. It's been a dizzying morning of preparation and teeth brushing, so clearly I don't have much to say. Although I hope to update this post later this evening with whatever news the day brings. It's a glorious March day and I hope to see some familiar and smiling faces at the Direct Energy Center!

TEUTON @ Wizard World Toronto 2011 + NEW Pages! + Issue 3 preview! = SEXY TIMES

2011-03-17T14:56:00.005-04:00

WIZARD WORLD TORONTO 2011 (...I'll be there!)
This weekend (Fri-Sun) you can see me at the big Wizard convention at the Direct Energy Center (details...) and you're invited to come visit! I'll be there promoting my comic book, Teuton, and the Big Sexy Comics imprint along with Andre Fernandes and Fearless Fred. Come one, come all!

TEUTON #2
Read 10 new pages (35-44) from the second installment of my medieval adventure comic @ Big Sexy Comics!

As I've stated before, my art chores are finished on issue two, with some lettering left to go, but there are no immediate plans to have the book printed. Fred and I discussed printing small runs as event exclusives--this upcoming Wizard show would've been a nice chance for that--but failing that we do plan on releasing a collected trade at the Toronto Fan Expo this August. I'm really quite excited about that. I see it as a chance to include supplemental material like scrapped initial drafts of pages, conceptual sketches, and alternate covers. As I strive to learn more about making comics, glimpsing the process of other creators is extremely fascinating for me. As well, Fred and I recently discussed making one-page back-up stories!

TEUTON #3 Preview!
The third installment of Teuton is underway! If you've read the latest of issue two, I hope you're hungry for more! Treat yourself to some more eye candy below...

Over the course of this convention weekend I'll be previewing 3 more pages right here on my blog. You're thinking, "that's a spanking new page a day! How can he get away with this?!" That's just the level of excitement I'm bringing into your lives. Embrace it!

See ya tomorrow!

TEUTON: Andrus and Olbert

2011-03-07T11:16:00.006-05:00

The second issue of Teuton is now completely drawn and will soon be up on BigSexyComics.com, where you can already read the entire fabulous first issue and 10 pages of issue two! Did I mention it's all free, free, free? So now you know what you'll be doing immediately after reading this post. How nice for you!

No. 2 is rife with action and brings a big change to the dynamic between our hero Andrus and his brother in arms, Olbert. I'm excited for people to see it. The set pieces were indeed challenging to piece together and put on paper. After all, when your story calls for a tree ogre to destroy a fortress, you better bring your A-game. The only problem with that is I don't have an A-game. I've got a pretty solid C-game and my B-game is forming up nicely. My hope is to get to A by the end of the year. Always have a goal, I say!

A little about these two Teutonic Knights: They're best of pals over pints in the great hall and a fearsome duo on the battlefield, but their difference in class sometimes threatens the bond they share. After all, Olbert is from a noble house. He's typically handsome and dashing, like out of some ironic fairy tale. He's also arrogant and hungry for glory. Not to mention extremely brave. He believes that, because of his unwavering faith and loyalty to God and the Order, the odds will always be on his side.

Andrus, on the other hand, isn't a nobleman. He's a Livonian who converted to Christianity and joined the Order as a means to save his village. Naturally, Andrus has a chip on his shoulder that makes him altogether more gruff, scarred and hardened than his fellow knights. While certainly as confident a warrior as Olbert, Andrus is more cunning and calculated, always thinking tactically about his next move.

See what lies ahead for both these brave knights on TEUTON #2!

Meanwhile I'll be diving straight into issue three...

ARTWORK BONANZA

2011-03-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

TEUTON: Andrus Tamm

My character sketch for Teuton's central protagonist, Andrus Tamm. I've thoroughly enjoyed designing characters for the book overall, but Andrus remains the most fun for me to draw. Although he looks like a fairly standard knight, the little touches in his armour and boots and so forth were all fun to research.

The armour knights wore varied. Things like chainmail were standard, but obviously nothing was mass produced back then--each article of clothing and armor was handmade by a tradesman, and therefore was as unique as the individual who crafted it. So I got to play around and give Andrus neat boots and a bitchin' cape. And of course his helmet, which I loved thinking up. I have to acknowledge a similarity to Magneto's helmet. Maybe it was in the ether, etched into my subconscious after years of reading comic books, but I certainly didn't look to it directly as inspiration. I wanted something sleek and powerful looking. Something that could be medieval, but would stand out in the chaos of a battle scene. There you have it.

More character sketches to come...!

YOROKU SAKI Album Cover

My good friend "Yoroku" is a skilled musician who creates music fueled by high concepts. He's great, one of a kind. His forthcoming album is still gestating. Evolving, he might say. Rest assured, it will come alive like nothing else when he arrives at his destination, where ever it may lay.

The feel we wanted for the cover was retro futuristic. Together we looked at numerous pictures of what people in the 1950's and 60's imagined the 21st Century would possibly look like. As a permanent resident of the 21st Century, looking at those pictures made me feel somewhat bitter. Back then there was optimism for the future, it seemed, judging by the wonderful illustrations I saw. The space race was going, the world was simultaneously growing and shrinking. Now it feels as though it is crumbling. Today our visions of the future cap at 2012, if you're superstitious. If not, the outlook still hits a wall at 50 years time, when scientists estimate our planet will have had enough of us--when the tides will turn and some cataclysm will wipe us off the board. Who knows?

I painted this with the best intentions. For a change I wanted to feel hopeful that a new generation will rise up and reign in the tyrants, the zealots and the politicians who all seemingly work to reach that brink we all fear in our secret heart. Inspired in part by 2001: A Space Odyssey, my favourite science fiction film, I painted this because I was tired of being afraid of whatever waits over the horizon.

How I'd rather walk side by side with friends and loved ones along some beautiful golden path to see the glimmering tip of an emerald city poke over a faraway hill, instead of finding some desolate landscape from a Cormac McCarthy fever dream.

Whether he knows it or not, the piece symbolizes my friend "Yoroku" finding his true potential through music in a future world more wondrous than ours. Good luck to you, my friend!

KILL BILL: The Bride Meets The Wolverine

In an earlier post I spun a yarn detailing my affinity for drawing on envelopes, and how one such envelope was the bi-product of a piece of fan-fiction I dreamed up one nerdy summer. That fan-fiction was a silly action-packed meeting of The Bride from Kill Bill and Wolverine, the most well-known X-Man around. Well, I discovered my attempt to draw that story in sequential panels on an old hard drive. I started drawing the story arbitrarily, with ninjas attacking the duo, and never made it past what you see below. Some things work out for the better. Enjoy!

Days Gone By: A Surprisingly Long Post About Wizard Magazine

2011-02-13T17:32:00.001-05:00

Wizard Magazine is now defunct. It happened just shy of a month ago. For comic fans this is now old news. For the print industry these days such a thing is also old news.

Today I came across a significant issue of Wizard on my bookshelf while searching for my lost shaker of salt, as they say. I was in the middle of drawing a page for Teuton #2 when my mind hit a wall. Life is like that sometimes. It was like that today. All one can do is relax and regroup. So I relaxed and sought inspiration on my bookshelf.

My shelves are packed with books--graphic novels, photography collections, magazines, assorted art books. Standard stuff, I'd say. My fingers skimmed blankly along the spines of my collection and stopped in a depression like a car running into a ditch. That's where my significant copy of Wizard was, slipped between two larger magazines, unseen but still traceable in a funny sort of way. I flipped to the "Magic Words" section where my decorated envelope was printed for all to see.

Yes indeed. On October, 2004 in issue #156 of Wizard Magazine, my art had seen print, thus accomplishing a boyhood ambition of mine. More interesting however was that I had no idea it happened. There's a funny story to it. Isn't there always?

There were few other children in the building I grew up in and we knew so few of our neighbours. It was the kind of building people scrimped and saved to get out of, not the kind people put big down payments to get into. It had a billiard room I wasn't allowed in. People smoked and drank and cussed in there. Incidentally, years later I would smoke and drink and cuss in there, and never win a single game of pool, too. Go figure.

One family we became well acquainted with were Italian immigrants. The husband and wife worked as the building superintendents. My family and I would go over to their house for dinner often enough and would be treated to home cooked Italian cuisine. I love Italian food, but back then all I wanted was the parmesan, so much of it I couldn't see the red sauce below. I was only a lad of seven or eight. Their son had a good fifteen years on me. To this day he had the largest comic collection I have ever seen. Naturally he was my hero.

So it became my habit to skip over to our superintendent's apartment, sometimes without telling my Mother, to wait for her son to arrive home while she fixed me something to eat. I recall the tinny sound of a mandolin over a radio and hot bowls of pasta placed before me. And of course the small mountains of parmesan I made that poor woman grate until I was satisfied.

I try to imagine the son's dismay at finding me there in his home time and time again; a freckle-faced, curly-headed ginge no thicker than a strand of hay and paler than the mound of grated cheese he sat behind. I was eager for him to show me his comics. On his bedroom wall hung the pure decadence of 90's comic books: foil stamped, holograph covers that signaled an anniversary issue. Jim Lee pin-up gatefolds of a bold new line-up of X-Men. Or the latest by Todd Mcfarlane--in this issue Spawn dies, in that issue Spawn lives, all while moping in a back alley. It was Mecca. I was never allowed to touch or hold these books, mind you, but he was kind enough to indulge my curiosity as to what their interior pages contained. "Here Cable is revealed to be Stryfe," I remember him saying. It was all music to my ears.

Stryfe lived on the moon and was the evil clone brother of a time traveling psychic cyborg warrior sent to our present to prevent his future. It made perfect sense to a boy who then couldn't grasp multiplication.

Here I will take a merciful shortcut. Afternoons-turned-evenings with this young adult and his treasure trove of comics would almost always end in a drawing session at the dining room table next to a stack of Wizards.

For the consideration of the uninformed: Wizard Magazine had a section called Magic Words that featured copious letters from readers and, more importantly, elaborately decorated envelopes. Fan-art, basically. Back then Wizard chose five a month to be featured in Magic Words, with one shining above the rest. It would get a prize or some piece of crap. In later years the magazine would only feature one such envelope and I doubt the sender was awarded in any way. I wasn't.

There we sat, drawing super heroes on all this goodly Italian mama's stationery until one of my parents phoned demanding I come home. I doubt any of those envelopes I drew were ever sent since I don't remember finishing them. I'd always have to run home and would start a new one another night.

Later it became a summer ritual to sit down and seriously draw an envelope or two for Wizard. Each summer was the one it would happen. Now obviously it did happen eventually. When it finally did I was a year out of high school with zero prospects. I had recently become acquainted with a girl who possessed marvelous green eyes that I'd fall hopelessly in love with. I was obsessed with Kill Bill vol.1 and the only thing on my horizon was seeing Kill Bill vol.2. Exciting times, to be sure. Out of boredom I concocted a story in my head about The Bride meeting Wolverine in a barroom brawl. The envelope became an amalgamation of the two characters. Like all my letters, I sent it in and never heard back. It was the time I ever sent a letter. A year or so after that the publication quit with the envelopes altogether.

In 2008 I found the copy containing my envelope completely by chance in a BMV near the corner of Bloor St. and Spadina Ave. My then girlfriend, now common-law wife and mother of my child, worked nearby at a travel agency. I was killing time until her shift ended. BMV had many old magazines and quite a few old Wizards sitting in bins in their basement level. I picked one at random. Imagine my surprise. I reacted as if I had won the lottery. When I purchased the magazine upstairs I half expected the cashier to be starstruck by my presence. I was in a magazine, after all. Of course that wasn't the case. Of course I marched right into my girlfriend's work and made a big deal about it to her and the lovely ladies she worked with. And of course they had no idea what I was talking about.

My thunder couldn't be stolen. I went to several comic shops that week, inquiring whether they carried old Wizards. You'd be damned if I didn't mention why I was looking for them. I must have appeared quite ego-maniacal to the shop-owners. Would they be wrong? I just realized how long this post about my own glory has become.

Nevertheless, it was a great unsung victory for me personally. For a short time I felt like just a little boy drawing super heroes and not wanting to do anything else in the world.

In the span of microseconds whole chapters of my life unfolded in my mind's eye. When it was over I tucked the magazine away in its slot between the two larger ones. I realized then I am still that boy, drawing comics and not wanting to do anything else besides. The difference being now I have a young one of my own who scribbles in my old sketchbooks with crayons and calls my Batman coffee mug "Ba-Ba." Richer or Poorer, I'm doing what I've always wanted.

The Eagle Awards

2011-02-10T12:00:00.000-05:00

I've learned from Marc Morgenstern, my creative partner on The Vampire Conspiracy, that we've been nominated for the 2011 Eagle Awards. Both Marc and myself and our book are nominated in the following categories:

Favourite Newcomer Writer
Favourite Newcomer Artist
Favourite American Comic Book: Black and White
Favourite New Comic Book

How exciting is that?

Voting is open now at the Eagle Awards website. It takes just a few minutes, so be a dear and vote!

ULTIMATE WARRIOR ZOMBIE

2011-02-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

Not long ago I was introduced to Try This On For Size [TTOFS], an up-and-coming online t-shirt store. Their nerdy-cool designs playfully skewer pop culture icons like Super Mario, John McClane and Superman. What's not to like?

TTOFS is comprised of Noel and Steve, and the prospect of working with them on a shirt was exciting. Those who know me are familiar with my past endeavors with t-shirts.

The concept put forth to me was a zombified Ultimate Warrior (yes, the 80's wrestling icon) carrying the severed head of Hulk Hogan. I had a lot of fun with this little project and it's something I'd like to casually do more of in the future.

In the not too distant future you can view and purchase the shirt (which will sport my final design) by hitting up their online store: TTOFS

For now you can have a look at my work so far...

Tattoos and Teuton

2011-02-02T23:25:00.000-05:00

"Can you design me a tattoo?"

Every so often I am asked that question and it usually leaves me somewhat conflicted. Obviously it's flattering to think a person has enough faith in my skill as an artist to have my work branded upon them forever, but that's a lot of pressure too.

Why not take your ideas to the artist that will actually be tattooing you? I've always felt that a tattoo artist would know best.

Now in fact there are several people who have had me design tattoos for them that actually had them inked. I often wonder if they are still happy with their tattoo, or whether they secretly loathe me for the art that is now their skin. Because when I think about it, I'm a better artist now than I was five or ten years ago, and like most artists I cannot stand seeing much of my work from that long ago. Although there are exceptions...

Which brings me to the following images. These are tattoos I designed for people that I happen to really like, but the person they were made for didn't get them done (yet). See what you think...

TEUTON 02-19: Evolution of a page

I'm on the home stretch of issue two. I'm very excited about getting it done. Meanwhile, Fred is staring at his watch because the poor bastard's been very patiently waiting for me to get on with it. Soon, Fred!

For the most part Fred and I are pretty clear on what our story needs. After he writes his scripts we make the effort to meet and discuss it openly page by page, panel by panel. While that goes on I feverishly jot notes and make thumbnails of every page. By the time our session is over, we part ways feeling confident we're on the same level of thinking. Then while I'm toiling at my desk, reviewing the script and my thumbs, something happens. I discover an element to the story that needs to go in the page or be taken out or--as Fred often fears--I suggest a new page entirely. Perhaps I need to become a better draftsman and not have to discover anything new ever.

Anyhow, in our second issue of Teuton I saw the need to turn one page into a two page spread, followed by an additional unscripted splash page. This means what was page 14 is now 15, and on and on. They're all action packed, so I'm excited. Here's an example of what started out page 17 but became page 19. Enjoy!

Superhero Sketches

2011-01-31T20:16:00.000-05:00

Like many artists, I doodle a lot. It's essentially a bodily function now. I doodle on napkins, receipts, business cards, the newspaper, etc. I do it so often I hardly pay attention to what's being scribbled down. That's why it's always fun to come across old doodles of mine. They're like little windows from which I can reflect on the time and place they were created, like hearing an old song or catching a familiar scent. Suddenly I am transported and for the briefest of moments all is right. Thank you little time machines.

I'm posting a couple superhero sketches I came across in my work room. Most of my sketches do not look so refined. In all honesty, these are fairly polished. Then again, if they weren't, they would not be as interesting to post. Enjoy!

Cthulhu Draper

2011-01-28T15:03:00.001-05:00

Been a while since my last posting, though I've hardly been sitting around in my underpants. I swear. Why take my word for it? Here's a sample of what I've been up to. I call it Cthulhu Draper. Lovecraft's most notorious Old One rises from his death sleep to take over the world via advertising in the 1960's. It writes itself!

In time I'll try selling this as a print. Any takers?

Originally, I made this for a good friend as birthday gift because I knew he'd appreciate it. See the full-size image at my Deviant Art gallery!

TEUTON #2; Page Ten

2010-11-27T22:45:00.000-05:00

I'm still hard at work on issue two of Teuton and I'd say for the most part it's gone fairly well. Page Ten, however, has been a thorn in my side the past few days.

The Fearless One and I work pretty well together, I must say. Because we're indie and live relatively near one another, we're able to meet and hash out our scripts and layouts over a long afternoon of coffee and 80's action flicks. Not all creative teams have the luxury of face-to-face discussion, but at this point I can't imagine working with someone long distance. I digress.

After our meeting I go on to refine my roughs at home. There's a very good process I've been taught to make going from thumbnails to full-board an easy transition. My problem is I don't often practice it. Shame on me, I know. Consider this post a cautionary tale, because the aforementioned page ten would not have been so painstaking if I had been a diligent little comic book artist and stuck to my learnings.

When Fred and I discussed the action beats for issue two, of which there are many, he sets up this skirmish with Jadvyga and undead skeletal warriors. It all takes place on a single page and Fred wanted emphasis on a panel where Jadvyga brings his axe down on one of these skeletal guys in a powerful way. To have have the character fight he first had to leap off his horse. And since we didn't establish his axe in the previous pages I'd have to do it somewhere between his leaping and his fight. Then I got lost in all the many ways I could show Jadvyga hacking guys up with an axe. There were so many bad ass images in my brain that I had trouble letting them go. What's more, I had trouble making them all fit.

Like I said, there was one specific image Fred wanted to dominate the page, and the more I jammed in there the less room there was to meet Fred's needs. I loved the panel where Jadvyga smiles fiendishly at his attackers, or where he gives one of them a swift kick in the face. Those were good. They worked. What didn't work were the panels in between the action shots. They made the page static and slowed the momentum of the fight. Y'see to tell an action sequence effectively you have to economize your characters' movements by choosing concise moments in time and space. Drawing lots of panels with bodies or limbs in motion slows time down and kills your end result. All of that connective tissue between action shots happens in the gutter. A reader processes that information when they jump from panel to panel. I forgot that and consequently pooched my page.

I had made a thumbnail of the page and simply tried drawing it straight to the board. Maybe I was trying to save time. In the end I cost myself more than I'd care to admit. Working on the blank page from scratch, I abandoned my original layout and it was downhill from there. I re-drew it several times before finally saying fuck it and just began inking. I inked a panel and then drew another one without forethought. If it popped into my brain it went down on the page. Drafting was out the window. When I finally broke away from the page I saw what a mess I had gotten myself into. I showed it to Fred and I could tell he wasn't feeling my revisions. Call it freewheelin', but I basically pulled the layout out of my ass. So I gave myself the time to do again and do it right.

What you see is the final version of page ten from issue two, as well as the preceding page 9. Enjoy them. There's more to come!

New Comic Book Day 11.17.2010 - BATMAN!

2010-11-17T22:06:00.000-05:00

I was only compelled to buy three of the many comics that went on sale today. Two of them are Batman titles. This comes as no personal surprise because I'm a rabid Bat-fan. Moreover, I've been closely following Grant Morrison's sprawling Bat-Odyssey every step of the way. Last week saw the final installment of The Return or Bruce Wayne, which was also the final chapter on a much larger over-arching story. Exciting times!

While you can argue that Morrison's run on his numerous bat-titles haven't been perfect, there's no denying that his meticulously plotted stories have been a challenging and compelling read that not only breathed new life into long forgotten cannon, but also reinvigorated the Bat-Mythos for future stories. I believe for every reader of Batman--or any major character otherwise--there are passages in the characters history they'd prefer not to acknowledge. As we build our collections we pick and choose what events mattered and which we turn a blind eye to. With Morrison's run, however, I was tasked as a reader to delve into earlier eras of Batman's long continuity to uncover the roots of stories like Batman and Son, or R.I.P., and even Return of Bruce Wayne. Stuff I wouldn't normally have enjoyed or been aware of became significant in a contemporary fashion. It was an immersive experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

Now a new chapter begins within the pages of Batman: The Return (a one-shot) and Batman Incorporated (new on-going series), both of which I was at first skeptical of. Undoubtedly the new direction seemed like a bold one (a Batman in every country), but like so many long-time readers I was wary of change. First of all, the title Batman Inc. sounded a little tacky. The concept is not a completely original one, although it has not be thoroughly explored, and so I wondered how Incorporated would fit alongside everything that has come before it. With Return I was cagey about David Finch's art. Finch is a legitimate superstar in comics and for good reason. His heavy, gritty style has elements of a 90's Todd Mcfarlane and carries--in this issue particularly--a similar moody and horrific quality as Bernie Wrightson. My problems with Finch's artwork fall with his proportions and his tendency to make his characters too weathered and grisled. Fortunately both titles surpassed my expectations.

BATMAN: The Return
In Return, Finch's art proved a fine fit for the script. I was mesmerized by the opening pages where Morrison brilliantly gives a poignant back story to the Bat that inspired Bruce Wayne to become Batman. I have wondered before, "why would a large bat randomly crash through a window?" It's a small detail in the scheme of things but I loved it that it's been addressed. With the climax of The Return of Bruce Wayne still fresh in my mind, the issue follows Bruce on his curiously foreboding "to-do" list. Throughout the issue I was reminded of obscure future visions seen in Batman #'s 666 and 700, and the fact Bruce had a glimpse of things to come while at the outpost at the end of all time. Also in this one-shot there's a new ominous villain and allusions of their nefarious winner-take-all plan. With dark and terrible forces over the horizon, Bruce Wayne goes on the offensive and tirelessly takes steps to prepare himself and the Bat-Family, who are unaware of what's coming. Part of this plan involves recruiting a Batman in every major city on the planet. It is then he appoints Dick the Batman of Gotham and permits Damien to stay on as Robin. The book ends with the perfect lead into Batman Incorporated...

BATMAN INCORPORATED
This title was a whole whack of fun. I truly do believe that artist Yanick Paquette made this book come together. His energetic, Kevin Nowlan inspired drawing style feels fresh and yet familiar in the world of Batman. After being blown away by his Pirate-Batman entry in The Return of Bruce Wayne, I very much wanted to see him on Batman and Robin. As fun as that sounded, his art in Incorporated is just so exciting. Grant Morrison revels in introducing new heroes from other parts of the globe, something he did incredibly well with the International Bat-men in his Black Glove arc earlier on. In this book we are brought to Japan as Batman looks to recruit Mr. Uknown. Little does Bats know, a ruthless villain by the name of Lord Death Man has sinister plans for the local Japanese hero. What I especially love about this first issue is Yanick's character designs for everyone in this book. Batman's suit is tactical, functional, reminiscent of the Christopher Nolan films. Lord Death Man, who steals the show along with his henchmen, are a celebration of the 60's Bat-Manga craze and all its camp. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Batman and Catwoman, which in this book is fun, exciting and frothing with sexual tension which I am positive gets released somewhere in the gutter. This book takes on the tone of the successful Nolan films and the style of James Bond, which makes for a solid first issue and I cannot wait for more. Whatever Grant Morrison has in store for Batman and his readers, I'll be there with bells on.

Around the Interwebs

2010-11-15T17:16:00.000-05:00

Here's are some fun links that are associated with me either directly or indirectly. In other words, I had too much time on my hands this afternoon. Enjoy!

Art Libs by Stephanie Cooke
Steph is a rad lady who enjoys exploring new art. Art Libs is her innovative Q&A that brings to light artists and their works so her many readers can dig on them too. Isn't she the greatest? She was kind enough to feature me twice and you can read both articles: Art Libs Q&A, Art Libs Fan Expo 2010 Coverage

Cerebus TV: My Video Interview at the 2010 Toronto Wizard Convention

An assortment of my Bios on various comic sites: Homles Inc., McHozer
Convention sketches from early 2010: Comic Art Gallery

Praise and Articles for Holmes Inc.: Comic Book Daily review, Ain't It Cool News Feature, PopMatters.com - Borderland Speakeasy review

Praise and Articles for Big Sexy Comics: Comic Book Daily review, TGT Webcomics Interview @ FanExpo 2010, Screamwave Podcast review

Praise and Articles for The Vampire Conspiracy: The Zed Word Blog review

TEUTON Issue Two

2010-11-14T18:39:00.000-05:00

There's no denying it's been a very long time since my last update. Truth be told, so much time has passed that I almost forgot I started this blog. That being said, it's high time I reveal what I've been up to!

What now feels like an eternity ago I began my career in comics with the self-published book, The Vampire Conspiracy. Along with writer/director Marc Morgenstern, we launched the 120+ page OGN at the 2009 Toronto Fan Expo. What a time that was! Reaching that point was extremely important for me. Illustrating the book took about nine months, and during that period there were many sleepless nights where completion seemed impossible, my will to finish waned, and the idea of being a professional artist seemed unrealistic. Secretly I felt inadequate for the task at hand and would often be paralyzed in fear before a blank page. Nights would go by without much being done because of all that, and ever present was the sound of a ticking clock. Indeed, before landing the gig on TVC, I had only ever completed eight sequential pages one long ago summer. Suddenly I was charged with completing a staggering one hundred twenty pages--plus a cover! Was I up to the task? Well, yes, as it turned out, despite my troubling neuroses.

Like I said, completing the book was a big step for me personally. It takes a lot of discipline to finish any project and at that point I lacked any discipline whatsoever. Consequently, the book garnered some attention from other indie creators at my level of skill and experience--people just taking a stab at telling stories in comics with ambitions of moving on to grander things. I was lucky enough to meet many wonderful writers and artists, some of whom I've even had the privilege of working with. Chief among them are McHozer Comics, an indie imprint based in Mississauga for which I did an uncompleted short story titled To Whom It May Concern. I've also done work for a talented writer by the name of Phil McClorey who spins his own brand of pulpy horror with his imprint Furious Comics. My collaboration with Phil can be read in his Book of Methuselah #4; an eight page short called Quork. I think you'll dig it.

While doing these shorts, however, I had a constant craving for telling long form stories, or full issues in a series. I wanted my name on something big, bad and bold. As luck would have it, the opportunity to work on such a book was given to me by none other than Fearless Fred of 102.1 The Edge. Fred had recently moved to Toronto to start his new gig at The Edge, and one of the many goals he had upon settling in was to establish his own brand of comics. Little did he know I would be here to welcome him with open arms.

I loved Fred's antics on his afternoon broadcast. When I heard him mention his love of comics I decided to contact him about checking out The Vampire Conspiracy. In truth it was shameless self promotion, but that same afternoon he surprised me with a job offer: art chores on a Medieval epic about the knights of the Teutonic Holy Order. The guy was just so plainly cool I almost wanted to poke him to be sure he was real. Very modestly he shared with me his story idea and his vision of a brand called Big Sexy Comics. You see he had this story in mind that pits mortal men against a pantheon of gods that was yet untapped in comic books, or so we think. So Fred welcomed me to BSC, and together we created Teuton. Nearly a year after starting work on book, we launched the title and the brand at the 2010 Toronto Fan Expo, a convention that attendees will remember as an unholy cluster-fuck of greed and comic book geekery.

I encourage you to read the entire first issue of Teuton for free at www.bigsexycomics.com

During the time it took to complete my big, bad comic I did a very smart thing and enrolled myself in the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop. Dear Reader, if you have any interest or aspirations to create in the field of comics, I highly recommend checking out the TCW. Under the tutelage of Ty Templeton, I learned the fundamentals of storytelling in comics, as well as the ins and outs of the business itself. Investing myself in the TCW's programs sharpened my skills beyond what they were merely months before.

Not long after finishing my program at the school I was contacted by the faculty to participate in their first ever publication. The aim was to showcase students who advanced in the TCW's numerous programs, as well as to promote the school itself. Thus Holmes Inc was created: conceived and edited by Ty Templeton and featuring original stories written and drawn by TCW alumni. I worked on a story called The Fingerless Prince with scribe Heather Emme, and it was an absolute blast to draw. That 52-page giant issue was also launched at 2010 Fan Expo.

There, I think we are pretty much caught up. Currently I am working steadfast on the second issue of Teuton, which will be available online for free by December. I promise to post some sneak peeks soon!

Until next time...