INTERMEZZO ISSUE 14 IS FINISHED!!!

So, issue 14 is finished.  Sent it off to the printer (Ka-Blam, they are awesome) last night.  I will have copies for the Winston Salem Comic Con (Sept 2nd).  It is the conclusion of the BOOTOOTH SAGA which has been in full swing since issue 9.  Really pleased about that.

Here is the cover.  It is really cool.

Cartoon Cosplay

The covers to almost the comics I have done so far.  Intermezzo 1-12. Dyslexic Cosmic 1 &2, The Journey of Brave Ulysses.

All available on Indyplanet.com

Oak City Comicon

I was in Raleigh for the Oak City Comicon yesterday with my good friend from Leather Mischief.  We both had really a good day, but never got much of a rest.  Big crowds, a lot of people looking at our stuff and a lot of people who liked it enough to make a purchase.  In a comicon, there is a lot of things for you to spend your money, so when people spend it on my art and comics I feel very grateful.

This was my best 1 day show yet.  In the past year I keep going to shows that set a new personal record.  I still have shows that I don't do well, but that is just part of the deal. 

Next week I have another show that set a new record last year, Winston Salem Comicon.  So time to try for a new personal best.

Issue 13 is at Ka-blam being printed.  I should get it back by the middle of May.

Snow

So here in NC we got a few ice storms last week and snow last night.  People are losing their minds, like we have been snowed in for months.  It will all be fine, but I am worried about ac ouple of events this weekend.


I planned to go play Heroclix in Greenville Saturday.  That would also give me the chance to pick up comic books at the closest comic book store to my house, Nostalgia Newsstand.  It is about 35 miles away.  Since our local shop closed I don't get comics regularly anymore and it depresses me.  But you do what you have to do.


Sunday is a comic book convention in Raleigh, snow willing.  It is put on by the people who do NCComicon who do a great con.  I only live about 40 miles from the show, so it shouldn't be a problem for me.


Other than that things are good.  I am inking issue 12, currently on page 5.

What I have been doing

I had a few days off of work around the weekend and holiday, which was very nice.  I have been getting some artwork ready for NCComiccon.  Aside from just getting so fed up with Staples, nothing has been happening.  The copy choices in Wilson, NC are extremely limited.  Also finished some one of a kind pieces.


A mental tangent has started, so a few friends and I are starting a geek equivalent of fantasy football, we are starting a FANTASY LAFF A LYMPICS LEAGUE.  Which will be a Facebook creative story telling exercise.


All in all, a great weekend.  Now back to work for a few days until NCComiccon this weekend.

Finally, a convention

Winston Salem Comic con is this Saturday.  It has been too long for me.  I have done several shows in Winston Salem but this is the first I've been to put on by Burke St Comics.  I am so looking forward to this.


My day job is weighing heavy on me lately, it is always good to get to a convention but now especially.


Anyone who sees this give me the secret phrase "A couch!" and get a prize.

Winston Salem

First comic book convention in a while is coming up on 09/13.  Winston Salem, looking forward to it.  I have found that Winston has a good, diverse crowd of comic fans.  I like doing shows there and meet a lot of friendly people.  Now to make sure I have enough stuff to take with me.

Shows, Shakespeare and stuff

I went to Winston Salem for Jay and Eddie's Comic Book Show on Saturday.  Had a nice time, saw a lot of people I knew, that is getting to be a real favorite thing of mine.  I try to socialize more with the people I meet at shows (instead of just jumping back on the road for the long ride home), and I am getting better about that.  Comics (or at least making mine) has always been such a solitary and private thing, I think I overlooked the social aspect of it all.  Just keeping in touch with people you see at shows makes it a lot different.  I made a point of that in Heroescon last month and then again in Winston Salem on Saturday.  Glad I did.


Now I have a production to finish here.  The Complete Works of William Shakespeare is a play I am directing here in Wilson, NC.  That has been a lot of fun and hard work getting together.  But I have a great group of people working on it and it is going to be an amazing show.  A different creative vibe flowing.


The next shows I have are Winston Salem and Greenville, NC.  More details to follow.

Comic show in Winston Salem

I am working a lot on directing a play called The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).  If you have the chance you should see it.  If you have the chance to see mine, then all the better.  It is one of the funniest things on the planet.  And I don't consider that to be an exaggeration.


I have work tomorrow, then rehearsal tomorrow night, and then I wake up early and go to Jay and Eddie's Comic Book Show.  I need my comic book convention fix, it will be fun.  I will get to see some dealers that I have gotten to know better, and some artists that I see more and more frequently.


And if anyone walks up to me and says the magic phrase "Bob stole my arm and painted it blue" you win a prize.


If someone walks up wearing a costume from my comic Intermezzo, I will throw so much free $#!&! your way you won't be able to carry it.

Wendy (of course)

Issue #11 is officially ordered.  Wendy loaded the files at the library.  She always comes up with solutions.  So it is going to be here (hopefully) in time for Heroescon (I say hopefully because I am a pessimist, Ka-Blam has always made their deadlines with me).


I am sure Wendy did that because she loved me, but there is a part of me who just thinks she couldn't put up with me freaking out about it anymore.  6 of one...




So soon Issue #11 will be available.  And I will stress over issue #12.

Breaking stereotypes

So I was wrapping up the last few pages of Intermezzo issue 11, in which I am using a lot of artwork I created for the story of Huh the Cosmic Polar Bear back in the 90's (I did the same in issues 9 &10, but with fewer pages).  I had taken a lot of these pages and rearranged panels in Photoshop to fit the page count and better layout design.  As I finished one of the last pages that I simply added a caption to an existing page, I realized something.  I forgot to include that page in the numbering of the book, so instead of a 24 page book it is 25.


So now my solutions are (a) shrink more pages so I can fit it in a 24 page book, or (b) un-shrink other pages and expand to a 28 page book (Printing makes it necessary to print in increments of four).


So just because I am a fat, nerdy guy with glasses doesn't mean that I am smart.  That is profiling, and profiling is wrong.

The nicest rejection or the harshest praise

So I went with Wendy to the VA Comicon yesterday.  First the location on Facebook, when you clicked on it gave you directions to a location that they use for other shows, but not this one.  So we were late getting there and setting up, and I hate that (Well, the doors had just opened when we started getting things on the table, later than I like).  So I was grumpy to start with, but being at a comic book show will always help that.


  But the show itself had some of the most complimentary people I have ever seen.  They talked a lot about how they liked this, or how funny that is, etc.  Then they would walk away.  Not buy anything, but tell you how great they think it is.  So on one hand, it is very nice to hear these things, but it is very perplexing and discouraging for so few people to actually give something a try.


So, it wasn't a good day for me.  Big deal, I have had that before, I have had worse before.  I probably will have again, that's just what I have learned.


Wendy pointed out that most of the people walking around weren't carrying a lot of stuff.  So maybe it was a little off for everyone.


But, I got to have a road trip with Wendy, and that is always good.


So next up will be a break for the month of May, because there have been a lot of shows lately.  And I will take the time to really get ready for Heroescon in Charlotte.  What will I do with that time?  I have no idea.  Let's find out.

Issue 11 is extremely close to completion!

I have finished inking the last page of Issue 11 of iNTERMEZZO!  There is still some computer work, the inside covers, and the outside cover to finish, but it is very near!  It will not be nearly the time it took Issue 10 (But The Journey of Brave Ulysses came in the middle, and slowed that one down a lot).  I plan to have it by Heroescon, June 20th.

Post Charlotte Comicon Post

Had an excellent show yesterday.  The Charlotte Comicon has been consistently good for me, and yesterday was no exception.  A fun time, got to meet lots of good people, and see some cool costumes.  There will be pictures posted soon.


This weekend I will be... home.  With my wife, who has been very patient with the amount of conventions over the past month (4 out of 5 weekends have had a convention).  So it will be nice to stay home and spend some time together.


But the next weekend I will be in Richmond.  But Wendy will be with me.

Wow

Roanoke Valley Comicon was huge!  It was busy and lots of people checked out my art and comics.  I got to see some familiar faces, but the best thing was that my wife Wendy went with me so it was a great roadtrip.


Just happy today.  Even not counting the sore throat I have had and how that is going to make work such a long day.  It was a great weekend and I have another comic convention this Saturday in my hometown of Lexington, NC.

Roanoke Valley Comicon

I have been doing these shows for a few years now (comic book conventions in general in general, but the Roanoke Valley Comicon in particular).  I have seen these shows grow and expand, and I have gotten a lot of comics into people's hands.  It has its high points and low points, but it feels good to put these ideas into comic book form instead of just letting them run around in my head.  I hope if you are reading this, then you have given one of my "Sequential art daydreams" a try.  If not please do (you go to indyplanet.com, and search for Intermezzo, Dyslexic Cosmic, or Journey of Brave Ulysses), and I hope to see you at a show where you can pick one up and try it out.


This Saturday at Roanoke for instance.
Oh, and I do have copies of the new issue 10 for sale, but only a few left.

Winston Salem and ISSUE 10 OF INTERMEZZO!

I HAVE ISSUE 10 IN HAND!  (Well not in hand right now, because I am typing).  Available for the first time tomorrow at JayandEddies comic book show!

The Longest week of the year

Wendy is back in the country and I pick her up late tonight.  Even though she does this trip every year, I can't get over how long the week feels.  I tried to keep myself busy (as always).


I managed to pencil and letter 4 pages of Intermezzo issue 11.  I worked on some older art on the Huh story from the 90's.  I've included older pages in issue 9 and issue 10 (which is at the printer now) and this has even more.


I am also getting ready for next weekend's show in Winston Salem and the week after in Roanoke.

The rest of the month

First, Wendy is getting home this weekend (Yay!)


Next weekend is Jay and Eddie's Comic Book Show in Winston Salem on the 15th.


Then the 26th is Roanoke Valley Comic Con.


Both of these are shows I have done in the past and always look forward to returning.  I hope to do more shows this year (as well as get more comics done).  I should have issue 10 in hand very soon.