stained sheets (and other treats)

Here’s part 2… I am trying to be forward-looking in the layout. I know a lot of web-comic creators struggle with the web layout not translating easily to a print format… So here is how I plan to do this: release a row of panels at a time, but build them up on a downward scrolling page to be read as a regular printed comic page. When the story is done I will have it printed up as a book. Make sense?

As promised in Hard to Swallow #4, I am brewing up a web-comic that relates to the story in that book, starring an out-of-control Feral and the Ghost Skater trying to keep him out of trouble. Here’s the first 3 panels:

I’ll be constructing the pages like a regular printed page, but publishing on-line one-third of a page at a time. So the story will move along from week to week, but may dangle from time to time. I have what I believe is a unique way to navigate the story as well… but that will be moot until there is more than one chapter

Also, I have yet to decide on a title. The story is going to be fast-paced, high-energy, light-hearted, and span many worlds. It’s going to take place over some time in it’s own narrative, but less than 24 hours elapse back in San Julio (Fogtown). I was thinking of holding a competition for the title, and award a prize to the person who suggests a name that I decide to use. One caveat: Feral stories are all named after songs… for instance, some I am considering for the story are “tempus fugit”, “land of 1,000 dances”, “fodderstompf”…

Any takers?

Some older illustration J O B s

for OUT magazine

hot list

This was a 2 page spread for OUT magazine, for a “hot list” of what was H O T (at the time). I like the piece, but conceptually a nightmare. The art director wanted a “summer fun” scene in hell, and specifically wanted a devil evocative of my character the Grey Otter. The piece originally had this devil driving the dune buggy, and the surfer on the wave of flame was a devil as well. The magazine editor saw the original sketch and freaked out; the magazine in no way wanted to appear to promote Satan. So, demonic reference was erased, and there we have the piece as it is now, which makes little sense.
I still like it though. I rarely do a piece only in illustrator these days.
BTW, the devil sign (being made by the passenger in the buggy) slipped past the editor

The following piece I did for instigator magazine. I did some work I am really proud of for that magazine, but to say work with them was a nightmare would be an understatement. I’ll get into it more in another post.

This piece accompanied an article about an Afghani warlord on trial. Many witnesses testifying against him made mention of the “human attack dog” the warlord kept in a hole in the ground. True story.

So, back in july, Daniel and I went to Vegas to see UFC 86. It was a week before our 2 year anniversary, so why not, eh? Headliners were Forest Griffon and Rampage Jackson, it was very exciting, and LOUD. I’ve never seen so many affliction shirts in my life. We had nosebleed seats, and as much as I tried to watch the actual fights, the giant projection screen just off to the left kept dragging my attention to it. I only remembered to take pics of the fights during the Cote v Almeida match. I wish I had remembered to during Koscheck v Lytle, which was probably the bloodiest fight I’ve ever seen. The lady next to me was covering her eyes, and so was Daniel.

These pics are all of the Cote/Almeida match:

These two I took with my cell phone. The tall guy is fighter Corey Hill.

Okay, so the idea is to post more often here and not be such a lazy bastard. Hmmmmm…. here’s a pic of a tattoo I did on a client named Miguel a few months back. Came out pretty nice.

Please come by for the release party of hard to swallow #4 if you are in SF for folsom street weekend, or are lucky enough to live there. Isotope is a great place to be aware of in any case!

Quoting Justin Hall: “We’re having a big-ass release party at the Isotope Comics Lounge at 326 Fell St. (at Gough) in Hayes Valley on Friday,September 26th from 7-11pm.  Dave Davenport, my Hard To Swallow co-creator, will be there with me from LA, as well as a bevvy of other cartoonists.  There’ll be booze, naughty comics, cartoonists with loose morals, and DJ bearzbub spinning a saucy collection of tunes.  I know it’s Folsom Street Fair weekend, but swing on by and get your groove on supporting local artists before heading out to whatever fisting party you have planned for that night…”

Hard to Swallow #4 is currently at the printer. A release party is planned at ISOTOPE in San Francisco, I’ll have more info on that soon. The book is 72 pages, and the best so far. Brad Rader is the guest artist… fantastic stuff.

Hey all, I just returned from working the San Diego Comicon, plying my wares, doing a timeshare table space with Steve MacIsaac. It was pretty fun, sold some prints, t-shirts, and of course some comics. Made some new friends and caught up with some old, and bought a load of comics, mostly some 2000AD stuff which is hard to find these days, so I stock up at their comicon booth each year. This is the first year I’ve worked this convention, I’ve volunteered and done signings at Prism’s booth, but this year Prism got a double-booth and sublet time-shares out to a bunch of us to set up mini-shops. It was a good, busy time, but now I must catch up on some SLEEP!!!

I did this for the creator’s bios page for the upcoming HARD to Swallow comics #4. Just thought I’d share it here…

Sean McGrath does his Rachael Ray face, reviews Hard to Swallow #3 and interviews myself and Justin Hall at the Prism site.
Check it out, peeps, and thanks to Sean McG.

Oh, and BTW, I did remove my last post about the piece I had just finished for Unzipped, by request of Unzipped. Apologies to all, I will wait until pieces are published before showing them off