IT'S A SIGN!

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

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...

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)

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

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

 
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

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

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

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

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!