Cat Cover!

For those who wanted to know, this is the approved 'Warriors' cover! A No-Prize to everyone who voted.

I read Iron Man

I re-read some old issues of Iron Man the other day. Issues that I bought in the eighties. Fun stuff! I have always loved the character.

Cat Sketch Fever

I am working on a couple of neat projects! I have been posting Kolchak pencils on this blog for your review. Another job is the 'Warriors' book I am doing for Tokyopop. I've done a few cover sketches for the first volume and they have to be approved by the powers that be. Which sketch do you think was approved?

Kinokuniya Signing

The day started with a friend's birthday party in Culver City, then a quick trip downtown to Kinokuniya Bookstore. My friend Steve had a signing there with a few other Tokyopop authors! I love that bookstore and I managed to buy some regulation manga comic board and some pen holders. The best part of course, was the signing. Why don't you what all the hype is about and check out Battle of the Bands!

Even More Kolchak

The Kolchak work continues!

Afraid of Heights?

Allen left a comment on aprevious post about drawing a scene from above. High angle, yes. High and off to the side? Sure. But he is not a fan of the directly overhead shot. I understand that. There is nothing terribly interesting about seeing someones' bald spot, but there are all kinds of reasons to lift your 'camera' for a bird's eye view. With the help of some photos from my Reference file, I will give a few reasons why you should not be afraid of heights

Panic in the streets! Let's the say the writer is establishing an atmosphere of chaos. How do you show frightenened crowds and whatever goes with it? The fuzzy photo below shows all the players and it looks like the photographer is sitting in a cherry picker.

Death from above! The enemy swoops down on the hero and the point of view is from the bad guy! The hardest thing about this shot is getting the perspective right on the people on the ground.

Sad endings. I have read too many bad funeral scenes in comics. One good way to show a mourning crowd and the open grave is to get right over the coffin. This photo shows some great composition and all you need some long shadows.

When I drew the overhead panel, I had to include a lot of stuff the writer called for. Lifting the camera up was the best choice for the panel.

Quick Sketch

I admit that I want to draw the Fantasic Four.

It's Hot Link Friday!

Sometimes I visit this blogto expand my knowledge. I recommend Illustration art blog to you!

I like to drink! This website celebrates it! Go to Modern Drunkard Magazine.com and check the archive lists. The article about how Captain Kirk drank his way across the Galaxy was priceless!

And there you have it! Happy surfing!

World's Greatest Comic

I was in Burbank yesterday and I stopped in the popular comic shop there. Early afternoon on Thursday is a good time to visit. As I was paying for my two books (Criminal and Y, The last man), I saw that Dwayne McDuffie had come in and he was making his choices. I said hello and we shook hands, then I asked if he was still writing The Fantastic Four. He said yes and It occurred to me that I haven't bought the book in years! I thought I should support a friend, so i bought the latest issue. Issue number 551. I took it home and read it. This is what I think of it.

Not so good. I won't comment about the writing because I am not a Writer. But I will say that the artwork needed help. The most striking thing about the book was how the guy drew The Thing. I thought that there were style guides to keep the character consistent. Is Ben Grimm supposed to look the way Kirby and Sinnott drew him? This current artist draws him with with fingernails and wrinkles around the eyes. And the more recent addition of teeth in The Things mouth continues to piss me off.


I am I not thinking clearly? Are the gods of continuity dead? Enough already. I will stop writing about how the book has changed and let my money do the talking. The next issue of FABLES comes out next week and I will be on line to buy it. No complaints.

More Kolchak!

I am working on a new Kolchak book! As you can imagine, he is investigating the occult and it's a fun story. I am posting the first 3 pages for your review!

Pricechopper

I was a part-time employee of thge GAP from spring 2001 to winter2002. I've had all kinds of jobs during my time on Earth and this was one of the best! The hours were flexible and the perks were great. The management tried to get you excited about the latest arrivals and every so often I would be scheduled for an early morning shift to help unload the delivery truck. By early, I mean 4:00 in the morning. It wasn't so bad. I am an early riser and once you put some music on in the store, it can be fun with a bunch of people.

Once there was a guy who would sneak in the store and steal a bunch of denim jeans that we kept by the entrance. The manager identified the guy from the security tapes. When I was working the floor, the guy came in again and I got in his face. He turned around and left! A little bit of drama, but I felt like I was protecting my turf. Just so you all know, there are cameras all over the store. Except for the dressing rooms, but they can follow you as soon as you walk in. That's why Winona was found guilty.

So the best thing was the discount clothes! I worked at a store in Santa Monica with a large inventory. Jackets, jeans and everything else was kept on the top floor and it was a challenge to locate an item for a customer. Because it was so vast up there, sometimes a peice of clothing would get misplaced and not be discovered for months. When we would check the price in the computer It would be greatly discounted. Check out this groovy discount dude!

My outfit!

I have done it before, and I may do it again. My samurai costume for Halloween!

Halloween Past

I loved to dress up for Halloween! Back in NYC, I used to make the rounds in Joker make-up. I had a complete purple tuxedo at one point, but I tossed it out when it got stinky. In these photos, I have on the whiteface but I was too lazy to put on the suit.
Now I plan on going to the West Hollywood parade. The difference between the NYC Parade and the LA parade is the weather! Look for me there.I remember wearing the orange vest. It was 3 sizes too small and it hurt to inhale.

Nice Book

This book came in the mail today! It's a beautiful coffee table book that chronicles The Four Seasons from it's beginnings, up to the hit broadway show! Just in time for Christmas. I am mentioned in the book and I talked it up during the planning stages back inApril It's so cool...and a little expensive!

What have I drawn?

Just sketching with a brush-Pen.

Color... For once

I am posting an in-progress try at photoshop color. I have a lot to learn, so I will listen to all opinions!

More Hands

I had a post in July that showed a cheat sheet for hands. I found two more pages that I want to make public! If you have a problem drawing hands, I hope this helps!

What have I drawn?

More layouts from the Cat book I'm working on!

I can See!

I just picked up a new pair of eyeglasses and I am getting used to the new reality of them. Since they sit on top my nose and hook on to my ears, I better enjoy wearing them. That's it.

Destroy the Trees!

My Favorite Crash

It looks like there was a automobile crash on the corner. The evidence shows that two cars met and one of them hit the curb and the neighbors hedge! Maybe the property owner put the note on the windshield.

Sketch of the day!

This posting is in response to concerned visitor, Steve Buccellato. He feels that the 'Sketch of the day' should be work done the same day it is posted. I feel that my sketch of the day should be any work of art that catches my fancy, irregardless of the day I drew it. The previous post was of art I did a few years ago, and maybe Steve wanted to see something more recent. If that is the case, here are some layouts from my latest project for Tokyopop.And there you have ...The Sketch of the Day!

Sketch of YESTERDAY!

And what is the sketch of YESTERday? It's the under-drawing to a watercolor peice I did a number of years ago.

My Wonder Woman Poster

It might be just me, but I keep seeing a new-look Wonder Woman every 4 years or so. Theis poster is of a revamp of the character around 1986 or there abouts. The artist was Gene Colan. A later revamp with George Perezwas pretty good. And after that, Mike Deodato added some life to the character! I can't recall the writer... I'm sure he was very good. So I am posting the promo poster for the Gene Colan revamp of WW done a long time ago. I am looking forward to the next revamp 4 years from now.

More Destruction

There is a lot of dust containing unknown materials. All kinds of noise, but on the upside, I get a lot more sunlight in the yard!

Bugging Out

My book tour ended this past Saturday at the Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach. Mike Wellman is the Manager of the brand New store and he made us feel very welcome! Not only did I meet the co-owner Jun, I was happy to hang out with some excellent fans of the Star Trek manga! The Comic Bug is clean and well-stocked! Good comic shops are hard to find and Mike has a great one.I hope that there will be another Star Trek manga that I can be a part of. Wil, Christine and Mike were so cool and the fans rock!

Pirates A-Plenty

I was one of the lucky land-lubbers invited to a pirate themed Birthday party on Sunday! You can learn more at A Bucce of Power It was a party for his son and it was a big success! I did manage to sneak a snapshot of Brian Buccellato as he arrived on the dock!

Back Issue!

If you are visiting your local Comic shop, check out the newest issue of Back Issue Magazine! I sent some artwork scans of Michael Golden to them a while back. They gave me a neat mention!

Barnes and Noble Signing!

If you were not there last night, you missed a lot! There was a camera crew from The TV Guide channel interviewing Wil Wheaton, a nice sized crowd and a lot of signage giving me top billing! The Barnes and Noble at The Grove in LA had a nice signing area and the staff there was so cool.
A lot of Tokyopop staffers showed up at this one, and I can't wait to see the footage on TV Guide channel. I wish it could have been all about me. I tried, but I failed! :)

Destroyed

Another snapshot of the apartment next door. A neighbor told me that the reason they are taking so long to finish, is that they sell the wooden planks to construction companies in Mexico. There are fewer regulations there. Maybe they will sell the plumbing fixures there as well.

I read this interview with Bob Budiansky and I was blown away. It's been awhile since I've seen him and it was a treat.
Read it!

The Fair was Good!

There were all kinds of books at The West Hollywood Book fair, but as far as I'm concerned, it was all about Tokyopop! It was a hot day and the fair was busy but not crowded. I did my panel under a tent with a good turnout! I wish I could have thanked everyone who showed up. After the panel, the five of us retreated to the Tokyopop/Golden Apple tent. Our Star Trek Manga sold out! Sales were hot as well.
I hung out for Steve, Tricia and their panel! It was cool but they shared the stage with some other chatty creators. I wish they would have talked more.
One cool thing was the transcribing on a monitor next to the stage. The woman typing tried her best to follow everyone talking, but she slipped a few words. Just for the record, the name is Tricia Riley HALE, not ALE.

Golden Apple Wednesday

These signings just keep getting better and better! Wednesday's are usually busy at Golden Apple Comics and last Wednesday was no exception. Not only did the usual gang of Star Trek Panelists show up, we were joined by a bunch of Tokyopop staffers. Mandy W. from artist relations and Rob Tokar the Editor in Chief! GA had been promoting the in-store signing for a while and they made us feel very welcome. By that, I mean they had beer, wine and pizza for us!

Are you reading this blog but not going to the signings? Shame on you! You still have a chance to hang out with us this coming Sunday at the West Hollywood Book Fair! I will give you a big friendly hug!

Sketch of the day!

I did some quick character sketches for a friend. So there!

The Saharan Motor Hotel

TOGA!

It's not October, but I am wearing a costume. I went to a birthday party last night in Bel-Air where the theme was Toga party! If you did not wear a toga, the host would wrap a bedsheet around you. As the party started rocking, more people showed up in street clothes. I guess they ran out of bedsheets. Some people just can't hang. I loved it and had a great time!

Mike Wellman Rules!

As the Head honcho of The Comic bug in Manhattan Beach, Mike can walk into any Comic shop without fear. This past Wednesday at the Star Trek signing at Meltdown Comics, he did exactly that. Then he got a beer. You can meet Mike and myself at Golen Apple Comics Sept 26th @8pm!

The week that was!

I can't describe this past week. Let's just say that I have been on a roll professionally, and personally. A high point was the signing at Meltdown Comics on Wednesday. I left the earlier baggage behind and had a neat time at the signing. I saw a copy of Comiculture Magazine in a display case and thought how cool it was. It was the cover I painted, so I was stoked.
There were cool fans and wine to drink. This was a little better than the previous week and I think next Wednesday will blow up!
Golden Apple Comics, here I come!

Meltdown on Wednesday

Am I being two-faced by appearing at a signing at Meltdown Comics tommorrow? I think maybe so. I justify it by saying that it's just business. When I get pissed at something,(or someone)it's the end. There are times where I have second thoughts about my actions. Maybe I made a mistake and I'm in the wrong. I also realise that I may be the only one with a problem and Meltdown does not know I exist. In this case, I am in the right. Screw Meltdown Comics...save me a seat tommorrow!

Broken Home

These apartments used to be homes for a dozen people. I never lived here, but I'll miss it all the same.

Tear it Down

Ever wonder what it's like to live next to a condemned building? Let me run it down for you.

Neighbors Leave-A year ago I had a conversation with a woman next door. She got a notice that she had six months to move out. When you first hear that you might get nervous, and wonder if you are going to become homeless. You could wonder if you could find another place in the area for the same rent. From next door, I noticed fewer cars parked next door and unopened junk mail at the doors.

Vandals Arrive-The signs start pilling up. Piles of junk mail, Phone books, no cars in the garage. One guy tags a wall with Graffiti and the word get out that a place is empty. By law, a building owner is supposed to board up a apartment scheduled for demolition. But they don't want to spend the money if they are tearing it down. I noticed new graffiti all thru the spring. The garage turned into a try-out canvas for a few B-list artists from the high school next door. On my days off, I would see truants hang out. No big deal. Abandoned apartments may be a cool hide out for kids these days. Until new tenants move in.

Homes for Homeless-I noticed graffiti outside a second floor balcony and broken glass from a front door window. A few more entered apartments and a call to the police. This part of LA is teeming with homeless persons. Once I heard laughter and a radio coming from a supposedly empty building, I knew that things were worse. Most of the units now had people living there rent free. That went on for 3 weeks.

Tear it Down-Demolition workers move in! Homeless move out. Overgrown trees are chopped down, yellow tape and notices are put up. The sounds of breaking glass and falling wooden beams. Just in time football season. I was told that it would take a week to tear it down in full. I hope to be at work when the heavy equipment shows up.

What Next-I think a developer will put up twice the units in the same space. What else?

Saga Motor Hotel

Yesterdays video was rather pixelated. This one is a bit clearer!

Live from Pasadena

This was the first event promoting the new Star Trek manga! It's the new anthology book from Tokyopop and we a re signing at the Comics Factory in Pasadena! I show up a little early for the event and I have a chance to give the location the once over. It's a great location with a lot of space. Well lit and Clean. There were five of us meeting the fans, Mike Wellman, Christine Boylan, Wil Wheaton, Luis Reyes from Tokyopop and myself. It was a humble turnout to be sure, but we may get some sweet coverage from Star Trek.com. We signed some books for a future promotion.


Two things worth mentioning; I was the only artist there, so I did some quick sketches of the Enterprise with every autograph. Come to the next signing and get a bonus sketch! This was the first time I spent any time hanging with W. Wheaton. Nice guy.
A bunch of us went to an Irish bar he hangs at after the signing. We had some laffs.

I think the next signing will rock the house! I will be at Meltdown comics on Sept. 19th! Come on over and I will tell you why Star Trek rules and why Meltdown Comics sucks!

Today I Sign!

I will be at the Comics Factoryin Pasadena today at 7pm! I will sign copies of the new Star Trek manga out right now! I don't do that many in-store events, so I am looking forward to it. Bring any book you want and I will sign it!

Star Trek Manga

I have blogged about it and now it's here! The newest Star Trek Manga will debut this Wednesday and the west coast signing tour will soon begin. For more info, visitTokyopop.

Sketch of the day!

What is the Sketch of the day? I am trying a Manga-type of style. Different proportions, something new.

A Good Day

Today is my Birthday and I am celebrating with a few friends!
By the way, this image has been retouched...

Then and Now Pt. 2

This is a page from an issue of Power Pack. A MARVEL comicbook about four kids with super powers and they keep it a secret from the parents. I never understood how they would pull that one off. I enjoyed the book and I was able to work on a number of issues in the early 90s. I inked this page and the penciler was Steve Buccellato!

One of the things I noticed was my brush line. I controlled the thickness of the line, but I used too much brush. Steve had an exciting layout, but I may have muscled out Steves style. Sorry man.

Then and Now

I created a book called Forever Amber around 1999. It was my first time writing and drawing and original character and to be honest didn't know if I could pull it off. I gained a lot of experience on the editorial side and with writing as well. I had some positive reviews and if you are interested in reading the entire 4 issue series, The good people at Comiculture.com could help you out. As I look at the book now, I just want to redraw everything. I started drawing it while I had a day job at Sony Animation in Culver City and sharing a studio in Marina Del Rey. I might have been in a rush to finish it.

Anyway, I am posting the cover to issue 3. The character Amber has problems with her boss and she has been double-crossed. I think that shows in the cover. I think the art holds up, but if I had to change anything, I would get rid of the rolodex on the floor. It's supposed to be a near future setting and it is certainly out of place. My friend Steve, who colored it told me just that and he was right. Like I said, I was learning.

Mark Gruenwald

My Good Friend Mark Gruenwald died 11 years ago. He was funny, Creative and very, very talented! I wish he was still here.