Gene Ha

More Sketches: my C2E2 weekend Part II

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

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

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

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

with her college comics club. No artistic background, but

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Another librarian! Librarians make the best comic geeks.

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

Librarian by Day...

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

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

The word balloon says, "Human bean juice."

Ryvre of Chicago's G-Mart Comic Books.

His Mom is a huge Superman fan!

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

So I went a little fancier with this one.

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

Sketch trade with Matthew Kriske!

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

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

Sith Lord D!

And we end with Z for zombies!

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

A message from our sponsors: my C2E2 weekend Part I

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

Part II of My C2E2 weekend.

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

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

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

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

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

Historic 1st handshake with Karen Berger, the editor

whose stable of DC books required the creation

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

I've been sending her tryout letters for years,

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

My "Brother from Another Mother" Frank Cho,

and his Cho-girl looking childhood pal

whose name I can't remember...

He gave me some great advice on the business.

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

Great RPG writer and thinker.

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

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

she made the joke before I did.

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

Dinner with Katie Cook, the Petersens and crew.

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

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard #2,

release date June 30, Diamond Order Code APR10 0733.

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

Previews and press release here.

Grim Gracey of the Dixie Derby Girls.

The 2nd most dangerous person at the

con, next to wanted man Mike Golden.

That's not flash red eye, her cybernetic

eyes really do glow red.

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

artist Colleen Coover standing right next to him.

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

Fallen Soldier Sketchbook Fundraiser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KTVK: Friends, family honor fallen soldier Thomas Rabjohn

KTVK: Funeral held for police officer killed in Afghanistan

YouTube: Staff Sergeant Thomas Rabjohn Memorial Photos

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

Please let me know what you think,

Mark

Winsor & Newton Series 7: THE TRUTH!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God already told Pat Robertson to shut up.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Haiti Earthquake Reactions

www.thedailyshow.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, June 10, 1998

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the DC Comics message board

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

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

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

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

Zander

Fall Con

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I hate John Powers. A lot.

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

John Powers. The worst critic alive?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago Area Signing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can you take this without lying?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Name someone that made you laugh today ?
Lisa Sharkey.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Night out or night in?
Night in.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Name something you have to do tomorrow?
Draw.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AH ha! A Thief!

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

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

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

Closeup of the letterhead design:

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

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

Francis Branch Re-dedication Pics

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday: Wizard World Chicago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My true story comes out

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

http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/

SDCC Links

2009-07-28T09:55:00.003-05:00

I suppose it's obvious, but if you lack the Holmesian eyes of Chuck Rozanski your not going to understand SDCC by being there. I got to read about every booth and presentation and watch video here in my studio. I'm sorry I didn't make it, but for the first time I feel like I know what happened.

If you are Chuck Rozanski, owner of Mile High Comics and Rowan's dad, you've got the intellect and drive to find out what did happen. Worth reading. Insights on the different groups at CC, and how they did:

As is my annual tradition, I spent two hours walking the aisles of the huge San Diego Comic-Con International this afternoon. My goal in this annual exercise is to gain some sort of perspective on not only the convention, but also the current state of our culture. What I discovered this year is that the convention has morphed into a venue where otherwise impoverished fans seek to gain personal power by being the first to 'Twitter', or otherwise contact their friends through online social-networking, about the latest entertainment news. I realize that this sounds a bit ridiculous, but it is clearly evident today that a great many of the fans who are attending the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International are already completely broke...

I'm a feminist, so I took great interest in the "Sin to Win" Booth Babe controversy. Here are the basics, and here's some response from some Booth Babes. I take great pride that ten or fifteen years ago, most of the women in costume at US comic conventions were paid models, but most are now volunteer hobbyists. The nice women who sewed their Lara Croft and Power Girl costumes won't come back if they're not having fun. We all know some geeks who don't know how to act around girls, let 'em know if they're out of line.

It looks like it wasn't the debacle I expected. Huzzah for us geeks!:

On the other hand, given that it seemed that no one had entered as of our last post on the subject, perhaps there was less to worry about from Comic-Con goers than one might have imagined. Score one for the human race, I guess.

You're still here after my etiquette lecture? You get a prize! Here's my initial concept sketches of Peter Rook from Bill Willingham's Backroads. I decided that the armored girdle and kilt hid too much of his modern clothing, destroying his identity. I get rid of that. Also, having faces on his knees distracted from his real face. A classic "My face is up here" problem. Simplified those and got rid of the eyes. Enjoy.

Translation fun

2009-07-25T16:50:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine gave birth in Spain (congrats, Darth Cita!). I've been trying to keep track using Yahoo! Babel Fish, but it's far from ideal.

Here's a note of congratulations from another Spanish friend, Irma, to Cita:

Hola current mama! No he podido pasarme por el hospital, y me dijeron que te soltaban hoy. Dime si te va bien algun dia para pasar por casa o algo para ver al enano, que yo ando de descanso!

Here's the Babel Fish translation:

Hello current sucks! I have not been able to pass me through the hospital, and they said to me that they loosen to you today. It tell me it goes if you someday or to pass through house or something to see the dwarf, that I walk of I rest!

The greeting is a bit rude, and I want to know who this dwarf is. Tut tut, Irma!

Totally different subject. Blackest Night #2 is out with my Star Sapphire story. Here, finally, is the interior art panel I'm most proud of this year (click to see a larger image):

Back Roads with Bill Willingham

2009-07-23T17:03:00.002-05:00

I'll keep this short and sweet. I am starting work on a new book at IDW with Bill Willingham. He is my favorite living writer who isn't a bearded Englishman. I've been dying to work with him since I first read Death Duel With The Destroyers, and the urge only grew with every new project of his I've laid mitts on. Elementals. Clockwork Storybook. Down the Mysterly River. Coventry. Proposition Player. And of course, you all know Fables. Track them down, they're worth the hunt.

He's a genius storyteller who loves his craft, whether it's prose novels, comic books, or just entertaining a bunch of drunks in a San Diego hotel bar. Every time, he gets better and better. Very few start off so brilliant and maintain geometric growth.

As with my Alan Moore work, I'll give my all to make the artwork worthy of the story. I hope you like what I draw. I know you'll love what he writes.

No SDCC

2009-07-07T18:54:00.002-05:00

Looks like I won't make the San Diego Comic-Con International this year. They should still be announcing the very exciting secret project there though. I'm working on what I'm hoping to be my most kick ass pinup image ever for the kickoff.

I want to use all the skills I've developed since Top 10 Season 1 to make my greatest project ever. Comics are expensive: they should be worth the price.

Early Japanese Influence

2009-06-27T11:50:00.002-05:00

First, on a side note, my JSA vs. Kobra #4 cover is still only at $77, including shipping and insurance. Bargain! If you'd just like to look at goodly sized scans, click here for a previous blog post.

Now to today's subject....

Back in 1986, I was a huge fan of Frank Miller and his groundbreaking work on books like Wolverine, Daredevil, Ronin and The Dark Knight Returns. I drew plenty of bad riffs off of the Miller/Janson styles.

In interviews, Miller mentioned what a huge influence Japanese comics were. I was determined to track down a recent issue. I high school junior in South Bend, Indiana, so this wasn't easy. There was no Internet as such, with websites for looking up and ordering obscure foreign books. Foreign comics pretty much meant Heavy Metal and Captain Canuck. The first American edition of Lone Wolf and Cub wouldn't be released until next year.

My mom would occasionally drive to Chicago, the big city, for Korean groceries. A block away from the grubby Korean market on Clark Street was a tidy little Japanese bookstore. I made a jaunt over there, went through the comics, and paid about $10 for something I can't read.

I thought most of it was crap. I still do. But a few of the stories and images had a huge lasting influence on my work.

The first story, "Up To Date", is about a girl who likes to take off her panties and sticks them on the heads of confused pup-tented boys. Japan was and is a bizarre place. I never got into drawing teen sex comedies, but the backgrounds in that story blew me away.

This was years before Akira hit our shores. I really didn't know a comic book could have images like this. At first, I assumed that this was an architectural image that had been licensed for re-use by a comic studio. But the style is consistent with the rest of the story, and the little helicopter shows up on the next page carrying the protagonists. I began freehand copying this image in my spare time.

Which led me to eventually doing pages like this:

Here's the other page. I just love the dynamism and the use of lettering to pop the composition. I still sit back trying to figure out the Japanese science of baseball manga, and it's well-tested formulas for distorting the baseball and the bats and the limbs. I love how it switches from distortion to freeze frame in the panel before the batter swings. I find this far more interesting than 99% of the manga I see translated today:

That 1%, specifically, is Death Note and Yotsuba&!.

Appearances

2009-06-26T01:06:00.002-05:00

I just updated my Appearance Schedule on my website home page. Here's the update:

July 11-17. Semana Negra de Gijón in Spain from July 10-19, though I'll only be there from July 11-17. It's a massive cultural festival. This being Europe, culture includes comics!

You have no idea how much I love Spain. The whole country is rock and roll.

July 22-26. San Diego Comic-Con International. Because it's so close to Semana Negra, I wasn't planning on coming. But because they'll be announcing the Big Secret Project there, I may attend for a day or two. I don't expect to set up a table.

August 6-9. Wizard World Chicago. The premiere local convention, conveniently near Ohare airport. I don't know how many days I'll attend, but at least one or two to raise money for charities.

Saturday, September 12. Amazing Fantasy Books & Comics, Frankfort, IL. From noon till 3pm, the whole art team from DC's JSA vs. Kobra will be signing comics. Gene Ha (me, the cover artist!), Penciler Don Kramer, Inker Michael Babinski, and my old pal Art Lyon the Coloring Virtuoso. It'll be like Survivor, but with Sharpies.

I suppose this has been done before, but it's the only time I know of where all the artists on a book, including the colorist, show up for one signing. I'm really psyched about this!

Saturday, September 19. Windy City Comicon on the north side of Chicago. It's a Chicago comic convention actually inside the city of Chicago! It's a great medium sized show, but still intimate. Heavily focused on comics, for the serious or casual comic geek!

October 3-4. Tentatively scheduled to do the FallCon in Minnesota again. Big broad shouldered Minnesota comic geeks, rock and roll, vendors, and drawings. An ideal volunteer run convention.

May 1, 2010. I'm tentatively scheduled to do Free Comic Book Day 2010 at the St Joseph County Public Library in South Bend, IN again. They're a great bunch of librarians and patrons, so it's always a pleasure.

JSA v Kobra #4 Cover Auction

2009-06-23T05:23:00.004-05:00

I'm putting up the cover to JSA VS. Kobra: Engines of Faith #4 on eBay Tuesday after 10pm ET/7pm PT. If you're interested, click here. Along with the sale, I like putting up 1600 pixel tall images of the original art. When I do the colors myself, as in this case, I like including a color JPEG too. Click on any of the images below for the full size JPEG.

In doing the idol of Hatred from Shazam's Seven Deadly Enemies of Mankind, I wanted to give it a more primitive and coarse feel. Generally, the Enemies are drawn somewhere between a tiki and Grumpy. I used African tribal sculpture and Hellboy covers as inspiration.

My interpretation of Lightning is based on Alex Ross's JSA covers. The logic is a bit different. He paints her as a photo negative of a woman lit from above, with broad glowing areas where shadows should be. I light her (well, me) from below. In effect, Alex makes her an internally glowing coal, and I make her wreathed in light.

This is the only one of the covers where I didn't use any outside model reference. They're all based on me.

eBay bonus

2009-06-16T02:00:00.003-05:00

I often add a little marker doodle to the packing slip when I mail off original art. Because the latest winner got two in a row, I added a bigger, nicer sketch this time.

Otherwise, currently hard at work on a Star Sapphire story for DC's Green Lantern books.

Geek Economists, not Geek Ecologists

2009-05-30T10:21:00.002-05:00

Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan for the link. I love this: comics commentary from economists. It's Eco-comics!:

Finally, aside from investment from within our planet, economic growth can be sped along by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows from other civilizations. But what’s surprising is that with an entire galaxy of highly advanced civilizations, no interplanetary investment seems to be reaching earth. Capital should flow to where its return is highest. Being mere humans in a giant multiverse of galactic powers, it’s a fair assumption that earth is an LDP (less developed planet) with a comparatively small capital stock. According to the Solow model, alien entrepreneurs should be jumping at the opportunity to invest in Earth. Add a growing stock of technology from metahumans and falling debris and you can get productivity and standards of living rising indefinitely. The only thing I can think of that deters aliens from investing is the unstable sociopolitical climate. I mean, who really wants to deal with the risks of a Luthor presidency or an Emperor Joker? It seems that now, more than ever, the earth needs superheroes to stamp out crime so that other planets might feel safer about their investments.

Beating up Lex Luthor is all part of Obama's stimulus plan. And I love the idea of alien empires buying up American companies to prop up the stock market. Thanagarians buying Boeing. The Brood taking over Perdue Chicken. Turin buying Chrysler....

Captain Hammer color preview

2009-05-28T16:25:00.004-05:00

I don't want to steal the thunder from the Captain Hammer pinup premiering in the Hero Comics fundraiser for the HERO Initiative. First, so you'll buy the book and help support a hardworking bunch of volunteers. Second, because stealing the Cap's thunder means he might beat me up.

But I did promise a preview!

Click for a larger image.

Hero Comics available at your local comic shop July 29. More details, and the pencils of the full composition, in the previous post on this blog.

Hero Comics

2009-05-20T11:02:00.004-05:00

First news, I'm able to upload images to Blogger again! This means I'll be posting more previews here. So expect more news updates.

Second, the real news. Details have been announced for Hero Comics, the HERO Initiative fundraiser comic for which I'm doing two pieces. Available in stores July 29, or get it early at the San Diego con July 23.

More details here. For $3.99, I think it's worth it just for the cover by J. Scott Campbell:

Hero Initiative is very proud to announce the release of Hero Comics. The 32-page, no-ads comic, edited and produced by Scott Dunbier, special projects editor at IDW Publishing, will be released in late July with two covers, Eve by J. Scott Campbell, and Grendel by Matt Wagner. The fundraising book will contain great, all-new content including an original American Flagg! story by Howard Chaykin, and original stories by Gene Ha, Bill Willingham, David Lloyd, and Kaare Andrews.( See attachment for cover art)

In addition, Arthur Adams will recreate three classic Marvel Comics covers, and Hero Initiative beneficiaries such as Gene Colan, Bill Messner-Loebs and Josh Medors will tell their own personal stories, detailing their severe struggles, and Hero's involvement.

An excerpt from Josh Medors' story reads:

"When I am feeling almost ready to give in to my cancer, ready to throw my hands in the air and say ‘I quit!,' I get a call from the Initiative. ‘Just wanted to see how you are doing.' It may not seem like much, but let me assure you—When the monster bites and the pain pills aren't working, a call like that is more effective than a Super-Soaker filled with holy water against the ol' Count."

The first piece I did for the book is a Samson Bible story, with writer Lowell Francis. and lettering by Zander Cannon. Preview images were available on Facebook a while back, but I couldn't get Blogger to upload images that day. Now it works, so here are some larger nicer images than the ones on FB. Click to see the full size images:

I'm also doing a pinup of Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) from Dr. Horrible. Thanks to Scott Allie of Dark Horse and Joss Whedon for expediting the okays to do this! Here are the full pencils. Expect a closeup preview of the colors some time next week: