"BASTARD!"

Let's be honest. Twitter is an extremely creatively lazy way to waste time. But it's also a very convenient way to communicate with peers you've might've never had the opportunity to communicate with before. Case in point: Brian Winkeler. He and artist Dave Curd have an amazing property entitled BASTARD ROAD, which has appeared in the (Eisner Award winning) anthology POPGUN from Image Comics.

Another good thing about Twitter, it give me another forum to peddle my wares (since I still refuse a facebook account). Brian was cool enough to order my hardcover. I in turn included an original sketch of his characters. BASTARD ROAD is truly an amazing, fun read. I definitely cannot recommend high enough. If you liked R. Grampa's MESMO DELIVERY, you'll really dig their book.
Brian was so cool, he even put together the above snapshot for his Twitter Followers.

You can check out Bastard Road HERE. Dave Curd HERE and Brian Winkeler HERE.

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD TEAMUP THAT NEVER HAPPENED...

I know I tweeted about this; but for those of you not following, this page was from an issue of BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD that was prematurely canceled before I could finish. I was having a lot of fun designing and drawing Animal Man for this incarnation of the character.

The word on the street is this title will be restarted at another publisher. No word yet on whether I'll be asked to contribute. I sure hope so, it was so fun to work on and with people like J. Torres and Dan Davis, to name a few.

SDCC 2010 IMAGE COMICS YEARBOOK

I've got a cool pinup in this book for our upcoming title DOC BIZARRE M.D.

Don't miss your only chance to pick up the IMAGE COMICS 2010 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON YEARBOOK, a 48-page full-cover hardcover art book, during Comic-Con 2010 for $30 at Image Comics booth #2729.

BACK TO THE DOCTOR...

After 10 joyless digital pages, I have decided to switch back over to illustrating traditionally. I'm hoping this will expedite the process a little more. Now I just need to get a big enough scanner. Any suggestions?

I did this piece as a warm up--and mostly because I missed just drawing for fun. Remember that?

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.

MORE PHONE DOODLES...

I think we've all tried drawing LUKE CAGE in full POWER MAN glory at some point.

Not sure what I can say about this one, other than "don't ask, don't tell".

"HE SHOWED US WE HAD EXTRA SKIN THERE"

SOME PHONE DOODLES...

...While flipping through an OFFICIAL HANDBOOK TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE. My bible growing up.

J-A...

J-U...

K-A...

...and just something out of my head.

THE FINAL PAINTING...

It's been almost exactly one year since we've moved from Ktown and my upstairs studio; hence one year since painting. This was the final piece in my "Tales of the Sea and Other Forms of Child Endangerment". It started out as a piece for a Gallery 1988 show, depicting a scene from Jim Jarmusch's DEADMAN. Needless to say, it sucked and I ended up doing a PeeWee Herman painting instead. Eventually I came back to it and painted this image over top of my debacle. I usually give up such endeavors due to overworking the canvas. This was the first time I was okay with the result--even if it is a little more than heavy handed with visual metaphors.

"THE INTELLECTUAL"

OIL AND MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS

18"x36"

"AND I HAVE STARED INTO THE LIGHT AND SEEN HIM WHOM THEY SPEAK..."

Man, light tables and cintiqs generate so much heat; it's like having a Vision Quest.

SOME DADDY DOODLES...

These are a couple of tales of fatherhood I've recently posted via twitter. I've just started tweeting; unless you consider that to mean something else--in which case I've been doing much longer. Technology has finally caught up to my narcissism!

The jury is still out on whether twitter is a fun way to catch up with mild acquaintances and porn stars, or a complete waste of time. I'm not on facebook for exactly that reason. That, and hoping for friendster to make a comeback. hahaha That being said, @Jon_Favreau retweeted an Iron Man drawing I did resulting in over 4k views within minutes. So, that's cool.

"IS ANYONE ELSE LOVING THIS TEAMUP??"

Gotta tell you Marvel, the only reason I picked up the latest Marvel Zombies series is because you teamed up Machine Man with Howard the Duck! Incredible! Continuing to "Make mine Marvel!"

You don't even have to look closely to see I started to attempt a nice, controlled drawing (check out Aaron Stack's head!), but then remembered I have another pressing deadline. Ha! BIIIIIG thanks to Dan McDaid for showing me how to make the dot patterns!

"NEW COMICS DAY!!!" ***UPDATE***

After a week of unemployment/daddy duty, I finally made it to HOUSE OF SECRETS comic shop in Burbank...to discover DC switched my issue #17 of Batman: Brave and the Bold!? It was NOT our Aquaman story, as solicited.

What gives, DC??

"NEW COMICS DAY!!!"

Yay! My Batman Brave & the Bold issue #17 comes out today! Written by the uber talented J. Torres and inked by Dan (the man) Davis.

Above are a few digitally penciled pages from the interior. Pages 12-15 respectively.

I think this was the first completely digital issue I had done. I'm aware there's zero page resell value, but wanted to at least experiment, weighing the pros and cons to apply for future endeavors. Jury's still out...as the next issue I worked traditionally (on board), but am currently working all digitally with DOC BIZARRE M.D.

I've been wanting to show off some traditionally penciled pages from the Animal Man team up, but thought it best to wait on a confirmation if the book is going forward or not: half-way through I was told to stop all work on it, as the future of the title was then undecided. So, if you like this book, write into DC or make sure you have your shops order them. It's a shame more kids aren't reading comics these days.

LET'S HOPE THIS WEEKS LOST IS BETTER THAN LAST

"DEAR MARVEL COMICS EDITORS..."

"RYAN REYNOLDS CAN SUCK IT!"

Done. No CGI necessary.

"WILD CHILD"

"IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE!? OH, EXCEPT YOU."

WITH COLOR...

Time and budget restraints (no money) necessitated I color this promo piece myself. I ended up somewhat happy with what I ultimately came up with--although I still need to adjust some transparency layers and whatnot. I don't want to give away the final image just yet. If you are attending San Diego Comic Con this year, you can pick up an Image Yearbook they are putting together to promote their books being released in 2010.

"STEP ON IT, DRIVER! WE'RE LATE!"

--Feel free to read into this panel anyway you want; if I don't get this done soon, Joe's gonna kill me!

MARKERS. SIGH.

I'm currently culling through what seems to be endless files searching for additions to do an updated portfolio (I'll be back on the job market soon!), when I came across this old freelance job I had done ages ago. It was being developed from a children's book called MOON DOG, if I'm remembering correctly. I was particularly pleased with the fact I was able to do this giant marker comp in one take (I think it was the scale of this thing that was so daunting)--I remembered being terrified I'd make a stupid mistake three quarters through. Markers are a lot less forgiving than photoshop and the convenience of a "command z"!

"LET'S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER NOW..."

"PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ!"

ANOTHER TEASE...

--albeit minus background, ground plane and the multitude of scary characters littered on the page.

RECENT COMIC SOLICITS...

Although I've heard nothing but stellar raves about this book, I've never actually read it--dismissing it for being a generation or two behind my comprehension (yes, I'm being ignorant)--but I might've looked at it sooner had they used Dylan McCrae before. Look at how beautiful that cover is!

Oh my God; I am so happy to see these guys back in action! "Dear DC Comics, please let me do an Inferior Five book!"

"WALK THIS WAY..."

Here's another inked panel from my upcoming book.

IT'S THE WEEKEND...ENJOY.

Here's a little treat for you sicko's. The brainchild of Titmouse's BEN KALINA and DAVE GERHARD, the incredible ERIC BAUZA provided voices and CHRIS BATTLE and myself lent the designs.

I'm sorry in advance.

FUELED BY HATE...

The term "Collective Subconscious" gets thrown around alot these days...but this one reeeeeaaally hurts:

Ughhh.

This was my 'million dollar baby'--ten years gestating, started, stopped, started, pitched, started, stopped...let this be a lesson to all you creators: don't wait to put out that idea, do it. Complete it, in some form, some how. Man. This stings.

My version is soooo much better.

STILL STRUGGLING WITH DIGITAL INKS...

These are small excerpts from the new book I'm doing. I'm still pouring way too much labour into the line weights--and it shows. I'll give it a few more pages, but I'm really concerned about the line stiffness.

I'm also worried about hitting my deadline!

working from home...

"I'M AN ANIMAL!"

Just working out some designs for an upcoming issue of BATMAN BRAVE & THE BOLD. I guess it's obvious who Batman will be teaming up with this time...

I love this character! Knowing Jame Tucker and Co. like to go retro, I sketched out the above STRANGE ADVENTURES version with the scales. That being said, the modern version below is one of my favorite DC costumes of all time.

I made the mistake of thinking the super-animal rights-hero's jacket was leather.

Which version did they decide on? You'll have to wait until the issue comes out!

"IN-DI-GES-TION..."

"THE DOCTOR IS IN..."

Finally.

After stretching the thumbnails for the Doc Bizarre M.D. one-shot into a 60+ page OGN, I've begun the arduous task of inking. I'm attempting digital inks, though it's making me miss my Tombos something fierce. I feel like I'm deadening the energy of my drawings too much. I'm sure I'll eventually loosen up, but how many pages will suffer before I do?