Next month I’m going to be showing my artwork at the fifth semi-annual “Welcome To My Nightmare” event. My art/illustration will be on exhibit along with other artists and bands:
See you there!
Welcome To My Nightmare V
Tag: comics
News Item
In Spring 2010, I did the back cover of IF-X vol. 2 issue # 6. Today, I was doing a quick search, and stumbled upon this by accident:
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/animeblog/index.php?blogid=958
It was an article about International Read Comics in Public Day. The article was published on The Detroit News website, and reported by Eric Henrickson. Here’s the news photo up close:
If you want to get your own copy, you order yours here:
http://idea-men.us/if-x.html
Next Weekend! New York Comic Con 2010!
Before I forget, letting everyone know that I will have a table at the New York Comic Con 2010. The New York Comic Con or NYCC 2010, will be held Oct. 8 -10 at The Jacob Javits Center, 655 West 34th Street. Just find my table, T14, in the Artist Alley section.
http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/NYCC/Artist-Alley/
Shitty Mickey Episode Four Now On Brooklyn Rail Website
The subject header says it all. The Brooklyn Rail has posted episode four of the webcomic Shitty Mickey:
http://www.brooklynrail.org/2010/09/fiction/shitty-mickey1
Written by John Reed and drawn by Michele Witchipoo
Do I Have To Kiss Babies Too? Vote For Me, CAG/Haller Awards.
Last week I mentioned that I was nominated for three CAG/Haller awards. Best Artist, Best Cartoonist, Best Webcomic. I thought the elections were private. However, it looks as if voting is open to the public at large.
Well, if that’s the case, then you can vote for me by clicking on these links:
http://www.pollpub.com/best-webcomic.aspx
http://www.pollpub.com/best-artist.aspx
http://www.pollpub.com/best-cartoonist.aspx
It should be noted that I didn’t ‘create’ the webcomic “Shitty Mickey.” John Reed wrote the script, I do the art. Just wanted to give credit where its due.
Nominated For Three Awards
Well well well…and a top o’ the morning to you! Just found out that I’ve been nominated for not just one, but THREE Hallers awards! For those who don’t know, The Hallers are awards presented by CAG (Comicbook Artist Guild).
The Hallers was formerly known as The Caggies, but the name was later changed to The Hallers in honor of late cartoonist Rusty Haller (1964 – 2009). Infor about Rusty Haller can be found here: http://aceandqueenie.com/)
The nominations I received: Best Webcomic, Best Cartoonist, and Best Artist.
It’s an honor to be nominated. Even if I don’t win anything, it’s still an honor.
More details forthcoming.
BTW, for those who don’t know, I will have a table at the NYCC 2010, Artist Alley. Weekend of October 8 -10, 2010. New York City’s biggiest comic convention will be at the Jacob K. Javits Center (655 West 34th Street 11th Avenue)
A Splendor Of A Life
As per usual, deaths of well known persons comes in threes: this time being George Steinbrenner, Tuli Kupferberg and Harvey Pekar. Okay, even if you hate sports, you have some idea on who Steinbrenner was. Kupferburg was a musician, counterculture poet, anti-war activist and cartoonist. Harvey Pekar was the man behind the ‘American Splendor’ comic series.
Harvey Pekar was very much an unlikely hero of sorts. Born in 1939, Pekar was a quirky Cleveland native who seemed destined for an average filing clerk life. As fate would have it, he befriended a young artist by the name of Robert Crumb. Crumb was inspired to turn Pekar’s musings into a comicbook. As they say, the rest is history. Among the years, Pekar not only became an underground comic sensation, but also an unusual media personality. For a while he was a regular fixture on the David Letterman show, until Pekar reminded the host about being a potential shill to General Electric. For those who are not aware, General Electric is the parent company of NBC, which carried The Letterman Show during this period. Pekar’s rouse wiped off that annoying know-it-all smirk off of Letterman’s face. He was never booked on the show again. This didn’t matter, for Pekar’s life was later to be captured in the art house film hit “American Splendor.”
Harvey Pekar, despite his off-beat personality, was a lot smarter than what professional smart-asses like Letterman gave him credit for. Despite his cult status, success never went to Pekar’s head. He kept his file clerk position at a local V.A. Hospital until retirement, as he continued working in the comicbook medium. In the sequential art world, he had everyone’s respect; he loved comics, and the comicbook people loved him back. Unlike Letterman, the feeling was mutual.
If anything, Pekar proved that comics could be more than just a superhero platform. A working class tale of everyday living could be just as, if not more entertaining than an unattainable fantasy world.
Here’s a sketch that my boyfriend had gotten for me last year at the King Con in Brooklyn. Artist Dean Haspiel did the art here, along with Pekar’s signature. Forgot the reason why I didn’t attend, but was it was a nice surprise to receive this. Upon hearing his death, I was a bit sad on not having met him. However, he lived a full, honest creative life as he left a large body of adored work behind. Most people should be so lucky
Strife Page
Here’s a page from a story I’m currently working on. It’s from a comicbook anthology that should be published sometime late this year. The title is of this story is “Strife” and Patrick McEvoy is the writer.
I wanted to expand on the range of stories that I was able to illustrate, so I took this project on. It’s in the really rough stages, hasn’t been cleaned or fine-tuned yet.
Fourth of July, Oversized Captain America Style.
“I stayed at home on the Fourth of July
And I pulled the shades so I didn’t have to see the sky
And I decided to have a Bed In
But I forgot to invite anybody”
– “Fouth of July”, a song from the 1990 album “This Is Our Music” by Galaxie 500.
Those following lyrics that I just quoted…that’s exactly what I did today. I stayed at home for the Fourth of July. Not complaining though, ’cause I was working on some forthcoming stories. One is for the next season of Shitty Mickey, the webcomic I’m doing with writer extraordinaire John Reed. The other story is for a future comicbook anthology.
I only stepped outside once today from my apartment. Got my usual iced coffee and the latest issue of Rolling Stone, which I haven’t read in a hot minute. On the cover was Lady Gaga adorned in riffle gun glory. Ted Nugget would be jealous. The current cover price for Rolling Stone circa 2010 is $5.99. Made me wax nostalgic for the days when comics were $1.oo, and music magazines were $2.00 -$3.00 a pop. Not gonna lie; during my ‘tween’ years I wasted my allowance way more on music magazines than on comics. You see, I went from Harvey comic titles straight into Rock and 80s New Wave. Later on I became a serious comic fan thanks to Love and Rockets.
Safe to say that if I was a teen today, I would probably skip publications like Rolling Stone and go straight for graphic novels. For starters, most new music is utter crap. Knowing me, I would probably be the only kid in junior high who would know, for example, who The Gossip is. That’s exactly what my tastes would most likely gyrate to. Like back then, I was the only kid into bands like (early) The B-52s, Devo, Bow Wow Wow, etc. And I watched reruns of Doctor Who, when Tom Baker was king. So most likely, if I was a kid now, I would probably go online and order graphic novels from Amazon. I mean…$5.99 for Rolling Stone? And where’s my hommie, Hunter S. Thompson? No thanks.
Anyway, a few hours later, the boyfriend starts digging through his Captain America back issue slash. For the occasion, he showed this particular one:
Wow, this took me back. For those who don’t know, the Marvel Treasury Editions were oversized comics popular in the 1970s. Usually it had the legendary characters like The Hulk, Conan, Thor, as well as the lesser known ones like The Defenders and Luke Cage. DC had oversized comics too, but for today we’ll focus on the Marvel stuff. Oh, and btw, you know you were made in the 1970s when you landed your very own Marvel Treasury Edition. The infamous rock band Kiss had their very own edition. So if you translate this into today’s terms, no doubt Lady Gaga would have one to call her own.
The films of the days got their own Marvel Treasury adaptations as well. I can fondly recall getting my Star Wars copy, thanks to mom. Strange, I have no idea whatever happened to that issue. Actually, I can’t really recall whether I had issue one or issue two, but I did own a Star Wars edition.
You learn something new everyday. I just found out that Stanely Kubrick’s seminal 2001: A Space Odyssey” also reached Treasury status. Bet you it must be really trippy.
Years later as an adult, I got a Treasury edition of Howard The Duck. Picked this one up last year at the Boston Comic Con.
Back to the Captain American issue. The artwork was done by the man himself, Jack Kirby. Check out the back cover featuring Uncle Sam (which Cap affectionately just calls ‘Sam’) and a funky inside splash page. The back cover is particularly fetching since Jack Kirby was a veteran of World War II.
Sorry about not being able to fit the full size of these Marvel Editions onto my scanner. These Marvel Treasuries are of course, oversized. Then again, its “fitting” to say that nothing’s more American than being ‘oversized.’ The only difference between these and let’s say a McDonald’s ‘Supersize’ meal is that these comics were much more healthier. Plus comics last longer. You never have to worry about sequential art infecting your colon while leaving behind unwanted calories. So there.
I’m Here, But I Won’t Be There…(Cancellations)
Something must be in the air. Uh no, I don’t mean the leftover residue from the BP spill.
Today I received two different cancellations from two different events. Cancellations that were beyond my control. On Sunday I was supposed to have a spot at the Punk Island show. Cutie Calamity, lead singer of SMUT and maker of great hats, wanted to have an art show adjacent to the Punk Island festival. Punk Island 2010 is happening on Governor’s Island, NYC. Due to circumstances, that art show has been canceled. The music festival itself is still happening. So if you’re into great local punk bands, I encourage you to attend. As a matter of fact, I dare you to attend.
The second cancellation was for the New England Small Press Assembly, slated for next month in Warwick, Rhode Island. Well that’s not happening either. As explained on the NESPA website, unfortunate personal issues was the deciding factor. I wish Nic Carcieri all the best, and hope everything is okay.
You know, things happen for a reason, so I’m not particularly upset. It is what it is, plus it’ll give me more time for other assorted projects I’m supposed to be working on. Besides, I just got a table at the New York Comic Con 2010. Quite sure that won’t be canceled. So…if you’re in the NYC area around the weekend of October 8th – 10th, then come by and visit my table. By then I’ll have some new completed publications for sale.
Again, I apologize for any inconvenience, and hopefully see you in October!
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