You Are Wild Dog!

Finished up the last of my commissions for a while -- until I finish penciling Strange Crimes. I'm 120 pages into Strange Crimes with about 80 pages to go. About half-way through the pencils though, I came up with an idea to an extra chapter I want to do -- which is probably another 10-12 pages so it may end up a little longer. That's the part of the comic writing process I love -- the fluid nature of it -- the ability to come up with ideas along the way and just fold them into the finished product.

Got a great Wild Dog commission -- a character I liked back when I was younger -- and sort of strikes me as the pre-Punisher. Also did a pin-up for a good friend of mine Chris Schweizer who does a series of books "Crogan's Adventures." Highly recommended -- he'd told me the idea for his series years ago in San Diego when I first met him and I knew that if he had the guts to back up his words -- he'd be doing an incredible series of books -- and he is.

Criterion Collection!

Had a fun project this week - an illustration for a poster to promote a new film festival that Criterion (the best DVD publisher/designer out there) is promoting next month. I had a tough choice - choosing between Repulsion and The Night of the Hunter. I ended up doing the Robert Mitchum movie only because I immediately thought of an image to draw even though I think I like Repulsion as a movie a little more. After I was done I really regretted not coming up with an image where I could have drawn Robert Mitchum's face. Next time.

Also - over the summer I've written more pages of comics in a shorter amount of time then I ever have before. Since the spring I've written and thumbnailed 1200 pages worth of comics and written full-lenth pitches for two on-going series ideas. Waiting to hear on the on-going series stuff but the other 1200 pages will be turned into graphic novels over the course of this fall, winter and spring for 2011. It's nice to be in a place where I know what books I'm doing next but I also have the plots and layouts completely nailed down as well. The hard work is over - time to just plug away on drawing until it's all done. See you in the spring!

Mad Man.

I finished an 8-page Madman story for Mike Allred a few weeks ago -- for a to-be-published collection of Madman stories by various creators. I'll update more when I know the details of the when and where. Needless to say, one of the high-points of my career in comics. Back in 1991 I'd just graduated from high school and had this Madman black and white poster hanging on my wall -- a long vertical poster with the flip-book corners from the books -- of Madman dancing. I met Mike in 1991 at a local comic show and bought the first limited series from him. Nicest guy. So, years later -- this year, at a party in Portland that Top Shelf had put together to celebrate me and Jeff Lemire being in town, Mike shows up. First time I'd seen him since 1991. I said "I was a huge fan of yours." And his reply: "'Was?'"

Needless to say, I still am. Got the offer to do anything with any of the characters in Snap City and couldn't resist the beatniks. Here's a teaser panel from the story...

Pre-San Diego Comic Con 2010

I'm in Los Angeles this week doing a book signing and my first ever book reading for Revolver. I'll let you know how that goes (if it goes well). I had a glut of commissions before San Diego that I'm hand-delivering -- that's what these are this week. I've never drawn or even looked that close at Enemy Ace but his mask is pretty awesome.

I'll be signing at Dark Horse, Top Shelf, and Vertigo this weekend (a record amount of signings for me) and I'll be at the Vertigo panel on Saturday as well so if you're in the neighborhood of any of that come on by!

New Studio. New Books.

I think I've written more comic book pages this year than I have in my entire career combined so far -- 1200 pages of script that will be my next 3 books: Super Natural, End of the World, and Strange Crimes. It feels good to have these books "in-the-can" story-wise so now it's just a matter of production. Drawing, inking, painting. To celebrate (or at least to help me get it all done) -- my new studio is finally done being built! Here's a photo...can't wait to start drawing. [Also pictured -- my mom and daughter.]

Catching Up

I've done a ton of commissions during the gap of me not blogging. So I'll try to catch up a little bit here. Also if you're buying any Vertigo books this month there's a preview of my Revolver graphic novel in the monthly books. I think that there's a short column I wrote as well describing the book and the inspiration for it. So check out some monthly books this month. Keep floppies alive! Next month I'll be doing a daily Vertigo blog with notes, preliminary sketches and more regarding Revolver so stay tuned.

Wild Things Happening

Sorry for the long delay in blog updates. It's been a busy few months and I probably won't be caught up until 2012. But, lots of new things to report. A movie option for 3 Story and four new original graphic novels due to come out between now and 2012. First is REVOLVER from Vertigo which arrives July 14. Then it will be THE TOOTH for Oni in the Fall and Spring of next year. After that THE STRANGE CRIMES OF RED WHEEL BARROW for First Second. And finally the Super Spy sequel SUPER NATURAL which is written and just waiting to be penciled and inked. I promise to keep the updates coming on a more regular basis.

Thanks to everyone that came by the table at Heroes Con this year in Charlotte. It was a great show again. Here's a commission that I did for that show. One of my favorite books as a kid and one of my favorite kid's books as an adult.