2009: What’s in Store
Posted on January 4, 2009 - Filed Under Comics, Writing
Looking back at 2008, you might think I accomplished very little writing-wise. The Damned: Prodigal Sons hit the stands, and I had a few short stories see print, most notably in Like a Chinese Tattoo. Doesn’t seem like a whole lot when you look at it from the 365-day perspective.
But I wasn’t goofing off, despite what you might have heard about us writer types!
A big part of the year was spent behind-the-scenes — writing proposals, refining outlines, discussing ideas with possible collaborators, and working on scripts for future projects. I’m hoping these activities will pay off in the new year.
I’ve got quite a few projects that should be seeing the light of day in 2009. Unfortunately, it’s a little too early to reveal too many details on some of the stuff that’ll be coming out later this year (meaning the contracts aren’t finalized) so please forgive the sketchiness.
The Damned: Daughter’s Danse
The follow-up to Prodigal Sons will return to the demon-haunted prohibition era, and Brian Hurtt and I will be shedding some additional light on the curse that afflicts Eddie’s family. While previous arcs have focused on noir mysteries and pulp adventure, Daughter’s Danse is much more of a horror yarn. The three-issue series is outlined, and I’ll be getting scripts to Brian shortly.
The Hollows
Not sure what to tell you about this one. The script is a whopper — over 200 pages — and I absolutely love the way it turned out. It’s been finished for several months. Unfortunately, artist Jeremy Haun has been so busy with other projects that he hasn’t been able to get to this yet. I’m still hoping it comes out this year, but I’m guessing it will be late fourth quarter at best.
Top Secret Project #1
Can’t say much about this one just yet, but it’s a limited series that will appear later this year. I’ve completed the first issue’s script, and I’m starting on the second. It’s a violent supernatural thriller. I wish I could say more, but I may have said too much already!
Top Secret Project #2
Co-written by Shawn Lee, this OGN has been in the works for many years. We were just waiting to find the right illustrator for the book. I couldn’t be happier about the artist who’ll be bringing this tale — a tribute to the monster hero books of the 70s ( like Man-Thing, Swamp Thing, and Werewolf by Night) — to life. I can’t wait to share more details about this project. It’ll be pure fun and monstrous action.
Other Projects
There are a few other irons in the fire. Some of them will most likely see publication in 2009, but I don’t want to risk jinxing myself just yet. As soon as all my ducks are in a row with these projects, I’ll be sure to post information here. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Looks like it will be a busy year for me, and that’s a good thing.
Idle hands and all that …
Art Gallery - Ninjapocalypse
Posted on December 21, 2008 - Filed Under Art Gallery, Slave to Nostalgia, Uncategorized
I guess I’ve had ninjas on the brain. But really, who doesn’t, especially around the holiday season? A few days back, I posed a question on twitter. Who is the greatest ninja of all time?
Storm Shadow? Snake Eyes? Michael Dudikoff, the American Ninja? Lee Van Cleef, The Master? Ultraman? Remo Williams? Nth Man?
Jason Latour, Tony Moore, and Mike Oliveri all joined in with their votes. On his site, Latour posted the “Ultimate Ninjer,” and I have to admit, he looked pretty deserving of that title …
Until I dug this drawing out of my ancient collection of sketches!
The Swashbuckler!
He’s bad … and evil is on the run!
He’s got a shiny dagger, a bo-staff, a bow and arrows, what looks to be Wonder Woman’s golden lasso, and a billowy cape that you just know would leave a welt if he snapped ya with it.
But forget all that. This guy was so tough, I even gave him a catch phrase! Note, that he is both “bad” and capable of putting evil (not just bad guys, but the very concept of evil) “on the run.”
Best. ninja. ever.
I can pretty much date the drawing of the Swashbuckler to 1980, because his pose is an obvious (to me, anyhow) rip of the Taskmaster from the cover of The Avengers #196.
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A Blast From My Artistic Past …
Art Gallery - The House of Mysterious Secrets
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The Island of Misfit Ideas
Posted on December 12, 2008 - Filed Under Comics, Writing
All writers want every idea they come up with to be a winner, but not every concept (not even every good concept) is destined to be published. Here are a few of my comic book ideas (good, bad … you be the judge) I’m going to retire. At least for now. Maybe I’ll dust them off one day, because I could write a whoop-ass yarn centered around any one of these notions. But it’s time to put them aside and focus on other projects.
Think Tank: CBL Case Files
The infamous Creature From the Black Lagoon is the world’s greatest detective. A team of scientists accidentally discovered the creature’s deductive abilities, and now they help him fight crime. They wheel him around in a gigantic, water-filled fish tank, allowing him to inspect crime scenes. Since CBL (as the scientists call him) cannot speak, he slaps his flippers against the side of the tank in a kind of code that can only be deciphered by beautiful marine biologist Mariko Tremaine.
This one’s been around for a while. Like many of my ideas, I created it to irritate friend and collaborator, Brian Hurtt. It still gets under his skin whenever I mention it.
Freakhunter
Terry Hammett is a bounty hunter. He works for the circus.
I still want this book to see print, but Chris Samnee, who helped craft the look of the proposed series, is just too damn busy right now. You can see a few pages of script and some of Samnee’s art here. It might be all that is ever seen. I hope not, though.
Chick Prison
An ace roller derby team is convicted of a crime they didn’t commit and sent to the most corrupt prison in the nation … on the day they discover they have super powers.
When I first ran this concept past Brian, he looked at me as if I had just sprouted antlers and started Beyonce-prancing around the room. I even suggested pitching this book to Oni Press. Brian’s response? ”Oni would never publish a book about the roller derby.” I figured he was right … until I saw this!
Aw, heck … just looking over these ideas now makes me wanna start trying to find homes for them. But I’ve got to stay strong. There are too many other projects to develop right now. These three will be waiting for me when I’m ready.
A Blast From My Artistic Past … With a G(h)oul and a Ghast
Posted on December 7, 2008 - Filed Under Art Gallery, Slave to Nostalgia
I guess I can’t get enough of embarrassing myself, because here we go with another couple of drawings from my childhood. These two illustrations are in the same series as the haunted house and “keeper of the house” I posted last time. This pair of creatures must have been inspired by my Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual.
Ghouls haunt graveyards and eat the flesh of the dead. But the really important thing about this drawing is that after I named the critter a “goul” I realized I spelled “ghoul” incorrectly. I added the “H” in what I’m certain I believed to be a clever design scheme. Obviously, the diet of dead flesh has given this poor beast a case of the bone-warping rickets or something, but that’s part of his charm.
So … there was this girl, see, and she was real proud of her hair. Her name was Pipi, and she had the prettiest pig tails in the whole county — everybody said so. One day, Pipi went to the county fair, where she was going to enter a Pretty, Pretty Pigtails contest. Everyone knew she would win, but a group of jealous girls in leather jackets decided to rough her up so their leader, Frizzy-headed Frita, could enter and get the prize money for smokes. They chased Pipi across the midway, finally nabbing her near the Salt Water Taffy puller. As they grabbed Pipi, she tripped and fell into the candy maker. Her pigtails gummed up the machine and were pulled to horrible lengths … seconds before Pipi herself was maimed and killed. Now, on nights when the sky is alight with red lightning, Pipi’s spirit returns to wreak vengeance on any girl with pretty hair.
Okay … I dunno why I decided extra-long hairdo would look cool on a ghostly creature … but now you’ve had your bedtime story for the evening.
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So Long, Mr. Ackerman
Posted on December 6, 2008 - Filed Under Other Amazing Talents, Slave to Nostalgia
When people ask me (with surprising frequency) how I ended up being so screwed up in the head, I give credit to sadistic older brothers, backwoods living, the town of Koshkonong, the X-Laser Knights, door-to-door sales, pro wrestling, comic books, and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. I remember paging through dog-eared copies of the mag that belonged to my brother (sadistic brother #1), and I recall quite clearly being ecstatic to find a box full of old issues at a yard sale. I shoved copies of the magazine in my book bag and read them at school (the issue with Raiders of the Lost Ark’s Toht’s melting face on the cover was popular around the lunchroom table). I took them on fishing trips to Harker’s Island and read about Jaws as my mom and dad fished for flounder. I liked everything about the magazine — the amazing covers, the letters pages, the stories, the ads for monster masks and 8mm movies.
Forrest J Ackerman, creator of FM, horror and sci-fi (he coined that term) enthusiast and collector, editor and writer, passed away this week. He was 92 years old. He was the catalyst for much of my love for the genre, and I owe him a lot. I wouldn’t be quite the person I am (a little twisted though I may be) without him. I’m a proud Ackermaniac.
Rest in Peace, Uncle Forry.
Reminder - Signing Today at The Fantasy Shop
Posted on December 5, 2008 - Filed Under Events & Appearances
A little over twelve years ago, I managed one of The Fantasy Shops around St. Louis (so did my pal, Brian Hurtt, by the way). I think the store has a tragic name. One day on my lunch break, I wore my Fantasy Shop Henley shirt (our work uniform) to a Chinese restaurant. The waiter was convinced that I managed a porn shop, and he went around telling the rest of the staff (and a few of the customers) that I was the go-to person for x-rated videos and an assortment of heated jellies.
Shudder.
Despite the name, The Fantasy Shop is a great place to buy comics and games, and I’ll be signing, along with Jeremy Haun and Chris Samnee, at the store at 10560 Baptist Church Road today. I’ll be there from 1 - 5 or so. Please stop by if you’re in the area.
I’ll be wearing a smile.
And in honor of the store’s name … nothing else.
Art Gallery - The House of Mysterious Secrets
Posted on December 2, 2008 - Filed Under Art Gallery, Slave to Nostalgia
A couple of more drawings from my ancient collection of artwork.
These are inspired by the grocery sack full of horror comics I bought at the flea market (great DC anthology books like House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Ghosts, and Ghost Castle). Oftentimes, the splash pages of these comics were devoted to a shot of the book’s host hanging around in a creepy, gothic chamber surrounded by all sorts of ghoulish characters. Those splash pages, with their slime-dripping monsters and forelorn ghosts, encouraged me to create my own haunted mansion populated by a passel of horrible denizens.
First up, the house itself.
Sitting atop a grave-dotted hill, the house is a crooked, leaning structure, obviously painted by someone who loved various shades of blue. The tower in the back is buckling under the weight of the antedelluvian secrets within … or the pen slipped while I was drawing. The front of the house looks sort of like a face, like the house from The Amityville Horror, but obviously this joint is more sinister BECAUSE THE LIGHT COMING FROM WITHIN IS RED!
Every haunted house needs a caretaker. Here’s my take on the ghostly lord of the manor, creatively called “The Keeper of the House.”
The Keeper is more of an old-school horror-host, sporting a flowing green cloak. His face is a skull/phantom hybrid … or my pen slipped. Once you enter the house, you must sign his guest book. Need I say, you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave? Apparently, the thermostat is stuck on sweltering heat within the house, because the Keeper’s pits are sweaty … but don’t you dare make fun (or try to stab him with your steely knife), because check out the power radiating from his hand. That vile energy is used to smack down those who try to escape … or those who forget to use a coaster on the coffee table.
By the way, if you look closely at some of these drawings, you’ll see words bleeding through behind the image. My dad ran a photography studio (Heritage Studios) and I often drew on the back of old office documents.
More soon.
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Signing - Dec. 5th
Posted on November 30, 2008 - Filed Under Events & Appearances, News, The Damned
On Friday, December 5th, I’ll be crashing Jeremy Haun’s signing at The Fantasy Shop. Jeremy’s trying something along the lines of Kid Rock’s Rock-n-Roll Revival revue. He’s the headliner, but he’s bringing in a few St. Louis creators like Brian Hurtt, Chris Samnee, and myself to make guest appearances. I’ll be around from 1:00 - 5:00 or so on Friday. Stop by and say hello if you’re in St. Louis. The event is brought to you by The Fantasy Shop and Comic Dorkscast.
Art Gallery
Posted on November 29, 2008 - Filed Under Art Gallery, Slave to Nostalgia
While cleaning out the garage, I uncovered an old file folder bulging with yellowed, wrinkled paper. Within, dozens of drawings in pencil and ink and magic marker. As a kid, I was always drawing robots and monsters and space ships, and this folder may be the last tangible evidence of all those hours spent huddled over the living room coffee table working on a new masterpiece. Maybe I’m a little jealous of all my comic illustrating buddies for being able to regularly update their sites with new artwork, because I’ve decided to scan and post some choice drawings every now and then.
A couple of notes, just to set the record straight:
- These drawings are at least 25 years old. Most are a little older. So cut a budding artist some slack, okay?
- My artistic abilities haven’t improved much in 25 years. This is why I write comics, not draw them.
I don’t remember much about today’s drawing, but for our purposes we’ll call him Mega-Fly.
I’m pretty sure I drew the inspiration for Mega-Fly from the evil aliens of Micronauts, like Membros and Repto. He’s sort of my design for the alien action figure I always wanted. His nightmarish insect head is obviously an homage to the fly. Note the powerful hypno-aura radiating from his eye! Fear the strange gas pouring from his talons! And check out that dagger in his belt (for when he wants to finish an enemy off up close and personal)! Not sure where the bat/butterfly wing design came from, but they’re both ornamental (for attracting the ladies) and functional.
Giving Thanks 2008
Posted on November 26, 2008 - Filed Under Distractions
Every Thanksgiving, someone asks me what I’m thankful for over the past year. Almost always, my response is something along the lines of:
“I’m thankful this piss-poor year is almost over.”
But this year I’m going to try something new. Instead of being the Thanksgiving curmudgeon I usually am, I’m going to allow myself to feel grateful for all the positive things that have graced my life over the past year.
This year, I’m thankful for:
- My loving wife, Cindy. Just this week, we celebrated the 7th anniversary of our first date.
- The health of my family and friends. This was something I might have taken for granted in the past, but times are a-changing. Best to play it safe with this one.
- The progress of the adoption process. While slow, at least we’re moving in the right direction when it comes to bringing a daughter into our family.
- The friends I have. Sometimes, I believe Edie Brickell had it right. Being alone may just be the best way to be. I’ve lost too many friends (to illness, accident, and arguments) over the last several years. But I’ve met so many new people professionally and personally over the last year, I’m going to have to forsake Edie’s advice and be thankful for my expanding circle of buddies.
- The awesome collaborators I’ve worked with on various projects—Brian Hurtt, Shawn Lee, Jeremy Haun, Chris Samnee, and Matt Kindt. I’ve been spoiled by working with such awesome professionals.
- The good folks at Oni Press for all their support of my work.
- The positive feedback my comics The Damned and The Damned: Prodigal Sons (released this year) have received.
- The exciting new comic projects that I’ll be working on in the next several months. I can’t wait to share the announcements on them.
- The opportunities I’ve had to travel to Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Chicago, and San Diego to meet so many of my pals and cohorts at a few great conventions.
- Milestones at work. This week, I celebrated my on-the-job anniversary. From receptionist to VP of Marketing in 12 years. That’s not bad at all. The job, in general, is worthy of appreciation. Being able to pay bills, keep a roof over our heads, and eat decently is a good thing.
- And while I’m thankful for our cats and that the mutt, Mr. Chompers, is a sweet dog I believe would put the hurt on someone who tried to harm Cindy, I’m also glad Cindy hasn’t brought any more strays in this year.
So, when someone asks me what I’m thankful for this year, I’m going to avoid the curt, snarky, 10-words-or-less answer. Instead, I’m going to say:
“This year, I’m thankful for my loving wife, Cindy; the health of my family and friends; the progress we’ve made in the adoption process; all my good friends; the awesome collaborators I’ve been fortunate enough to work with; my publisher, Oni Press; the positive feedback on my comic book series, The Damned (which can be ordered at Amazon and through the publisher, by the way); the exciting new comic projects I’ll be tackling next year; being able to travel to conventions and visit with my pals; the longevity and advancement I’ve had at work; and Mr. Chompers, the dog, and the three cats (although I don’t want any more pets).”
That answer ought to learn ‘em to gust.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
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