"THE BATTLE BALLAD OF CUMBERDUNST"

I've had this CHARLATAN BALL one-off spinoff idea since I first designed this character in Charlatan Ball #1.

Wondering if anyone but me wants to see it happen? Who wants to buy this as a print? I will have this 'rock poster' sized at SDCC!

UNWANTED ART...

There's more to this story, but let's just say I couldn't even give this away...

MY OWN PERSONAL "IMAGE"

It's IMAGE COMICS big 20th Anniversary as well as the debut of Image Expo this coming weekend in Oakland California (some would speculate to take the place of Wondercon, which decided to migrate down to Anaheim this year). To say Image Comics had an impact on the way we perceive and collect independent comics is an understatement--but it's the fact that it remains to be what it started off as: a safe haven for artists and creators to own their properties 100%. Well I might not be as fortunate as Robert Kirkman to have my comic creations bought, developed and successfully greenlit to series or film, but at least I get to live an die by my own sword under the creator-owned mantra. That being said, I would still very much welcome the former windfall of good fortune and mass appeal--but I digress...

In light of the occasion, I thought I'd take a moment via blog post and share my own long, diverse, almost two-decade history with the publishing company...

In 1996, just a few years after Image Comics was formed and several years before I grew back hair, there was the world's greatest magician named Rudy Coby and his uber weird, super unique altar ego named Labman! 

This sourcebook, along with a super cool poster were freebees at the 1996 Sand Diego Comic Con.

Only one issue was ever printed, although if memory serves, I inked to completion 5 issues--most of which while living in Berlin, or traveling wherever else the (eventual TV) show took us, in post war hotels or surviving pre-war apartments and almost always on some makeshift desk under poor lighting. I was young. I was an Elvis impersonator in a mad circus, Vaudeville review. It was romantic. 

Image's first all-company crossover even invited Labman to it's pantheon of hero martian resistance fighters!

Like the magician he is, the short-lived Labman series disappeared in a poof of smoke, paving the way for my very own (albeit also short-lived) series...

I did BIG HAIR PRODUCTIONS back in 1998-2000 if memory serves correctly, the first issue while still living in Detroit, the second after moving to Los Angeles and starting my career in animation. The best part about this title was getting to continue to work with Image and more importantly my good friend and then-art-director Doug Griffith. Everything was traditional, I even scoured art supply stores across the country for their picked-over, beyond dated sheets of Zipatone. I had aspired to make my own version of Saturday morning cartoon shows (remember those?), back in the days when cartoons were still on Saturday morning--but desired to package it like an easily accessible comic you would get free with a kid's meal at Bob's Big Boy.  The paper was cheap, the jokes bordered on tacky, but all in all this book holds a dear place in my heart. You can read a little bit more about it HERE.

Jump forward many years later with something a little different...but now seeing all the work together I can recognize familiar techniques...

Charlatan Ball was a collaboration between Joe Casey and myself (an introduction made by his wife, my then development executive at WB Animation Megan). It was and remains to be a pure visual expression of my Id. I hope to do more, because I know we've only begun to scratch the surface of our insanity.

Here's a glimpse of what one of our jam sessions looked like: 

And more wraparound covers...

After the first 6 issues were collected of that series, we decided to set aside our magic wands, trading in our book of spells for scalpels and syringes to play in another genre--with our own little touches and came up with Doc Bizarre MD:

I hope you enjoyed my little visual tour through memory lane--and more importantly hope you've enjoyed one or more of my books. I hope to continue publishing my ideas through Image. I am currently working on a few right now that will hopefully be seen in the light of day (or announced at another convention) soon! Until then, I will let your imaginations run with what those ideas might be and in what genre I decided to defile next...

THERE'S STILL TIME!!!

Don't let your kids hate Santa, click on the links to the left and order an ART OF ANDY sketchbook and CHARLATAN BALL TEE today!

Make me go to the post office a few days before Christmas! I dare you!

"CHUCK'S AMOK IN COMMISSIONS!"

Another FREE sketch (separate from the one inside the book), with an order of my hardcover. Thanks, Craig! Hope you enjoy!

MOOK!

Come celebrate the pre-SDCC book launch of Titmouse Studios' MOOK! You can find the show info HERE. You should totally go, y'all. I'll have a painting and a few framed pages from CHARLATAN BALL! It's one night only, so input the date on your iCalendars.

MOOK is the brainchild of Metalocalypse producers Chris Prynoski and Ben Kalina. It's a 100 page hardcover featuring some of today's biggest animation talent--check out DAVE JOHNSON'S gorgeous cover image (above). Below is part of my 8 page contribution. More important than me talking about it, you should by one. You can do so HERE.

ANOTHER SIGNING!

Collector's Paradise

7131 Winnetka Ave.

Winnetka, CA 91306

818-999-9455

5-10pm

*(I'm not sure who this "Soriano" guy is, but I'll be there!)

GO BUY THIS TPB TODAY!!!

IN STORES TODAY!!!

COLLECTING ISSUES #1-6, PLUS TONS OF NEW GOODIES! Seriously, I didn't put a lot of this stuff on my blog so you will go buy it. What are you reading this for? Go out and buy this book now!!!

GOLDEN APPLE SIGNING: "THE DAY AFTER"

So, here I am, one day after the GA signing, three days after starting a new job, five days after moving into a new home and seven days after SDCC...These guys were awesome! There's me, Glen Brunswick, Richard Starkings and their respective books. All of which deserve wider recognition.

Ryan and James sporting competing shirts... and Jersey Gods' "Zoe" come to life: Diane relating to Glen.

Big mistake putting me next to the fudge stripes.

BTW; while not a member myself, I totally stole these pix from Starking's Facebook page!

TPB RELEASE PARTY AND SIGNING!!!

The CHARLATAN BALL TPB comes out this Wednesday! Come on by GOLDEN APPLE on Melrose and say hi!

A BIG P.S. Thanks to all of you that have emailed and contacted me recently--my apologies in the delay in response; but I've just moved and have yet to set up any sort of modem or email device! It's in one of these boxes somewhere...

POST SD CON UPDATE 1: "HOME IN ONE PIECE"

To keep in the spirit of online post-con updates, I will do my best to provide you with mine. First of all, THANK YOU to everyone that stopped by my booth--intentional or otherwise! Sold a bunch of CHARLATAN BALL TRADE PAPERBACKS (available in stores next week!), some ART OF ANDY HARD COVER and did a lot of commission sketches. I really enjoy meeting new folks, reacquainting with old friends and all those that fall in between. This was my 2nd year working the floor/table under the Image Comics Banner--I still have some tweaks to work out, but all in all, meeting the likes of Trevor, Sean, Adam and their gang, Michael, Tim, Robert and his son Michael made it all worth while. Getting to display next to Glen Brunswick (Jersey Gods), Mike Allred and family (Madman), Andy Khun and Phil Hester (Firebreather) was super, super cool. Then there was my table mates--seriously, I was sandwiched between Elvis and The Beatles by way of David Mack (Kabuki) and Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie and Matthew Sheret (the boys of Phonogram). Their tables had queues that were almost always at least three or four deep (usually girls!)--they were 100% rockstars of the medium; and they couldn't have been nicer.
Sort-of-beginning of the weekend optimism.

If you weren't able to make it down to San Diego this year, this is the sort of display I dig; if not a little over the top.

It happened to occur to me that every time someone commented on a costume, it was always accompanied by some sort of preface like: "bald Superman" or "old Wonder Woman". I'll be nice about the pic above and just say it was "animated series Storm".

There was some speculation as to whether or not this Raper/Rapee duo was actually mother and son.

No joke; sure, this was someone from TITMOUSE STUDIOS (no pun intended), dressed as The Pro--but this year's con really brought out an onslaught of for real call girls and prostitutes, as witnessed coming and going from the hotels (I shared my room with 3 other dudes, mind you). Gotta give them props; it's pretty smart of them to capitalize on the event. On a completely unrelated note, I found it strange to discover 2(!) exes that have absolutely nothing to do with comics in attendance and working...weird. Almost as weird as seeing Jeff Conway signing at the Wizard booth with the other Celebrity Rehab creepazoids.

Two legends of the field: modern master David Mack (in a rare moment with a non-female fan), talking to none other than Jim (Nick Fury: Agent of Shield) Steranko! I swear to you my goal in this lifetime is to look just like him when I get older.

It was also a convention of reconnecting with old friends and colleagues. Here's a few: Michelle Bryan, Steve Marmel (creator of Disney's Cloudy with a Chance) and Bob Boyle (creator of Ying Yay Yo and Wow Wow Wubbzy)

My two new favorite people in the whole world. Robert and Michael, had I finished packing up early like I planned, I would never have met the best father in son in matching awesome Kirby Surfer tees team from Texas on the planet! You made my con. Best of luck in your endeavors, my like-minded friend.

And home again in time to see my favorite band (and Imperfect Duplicates of Dodger Dare composers), The Starlight Mints playing at the Troubadour in LA.

I'll post some of my drawings and sketches from the con next.

SAN DIEGO COMICON SCHEDULE AND GOODIES!

San Diego Comicon is upon us once again and this year I'll be sharing a table once more under the Image Comics banner; BOOTH #2729.

Along with selling my remaining 40 copies of THE ART OF ANDY SKETCHBOOKS, COMICS and TEE-SHIRTS, we'll be releasing the CHARLATAN BALL TPB!!! This collects issues #1-6, as well as being JAM PACKED full of sketches, development and BRAND NEW ARTWORK!

Joe Casey and I will also be doing a signing THURSDAY, JULY 23rd from 2-3pm at the Image Comics signing table 1.

Come see me at either of these places and say hi. Dress as a character from Charlatan Ball and I'll GIVE you a TPB for free!

FINALLY...

I've recently received almost all of my original comic pages back from DC Comics' BATMAN BRAVE & THE BOLD, MY GYM PARTNER IS A MONKEY--as well as CHARLATAN BALL from Image. CLICK ON THIS LINK, or the one at the bottom of the "SHOP ANDY" column to the left. I'm still uploading and organizing, so please bare with me and check back often. Of course, any questions and inquiries, don't hesitate to contact me at:
andy@asuriano.com

CHARLATAN BALL COVERS!

I thought it would be fun to see the progression and all the covers together, in succession, with logos...






...and it should be noted that you are only seeing HALF of the art here: these were double-page WRAPAROUND COVERS!

The weekend of Comic Con, pick up the CHARLATAN BALL TPB collection to see them in their entirety, without the logos or anything obstructing the art.

INKS!

Here are some inks from those blue lines and thumbnails I posted recently. I'm really trying to discipline myself and learn shadows and spotting blacks throughout the page...

P.S. Even though the label for this post is Charlatan Ball, it isn't. Big reveal coming at Comic Con...

"GOT THE BLUES? CALL A DOCTOR."

...And that's all I'll say about this post.

More to come.