PS116

Today I went to PS116 and spoke to groups of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders about how to make comics! *Whew*, it was definitely exhausting but so much fun. One of the groups got to make their own comics as well, which was pretty cool. Hands down my favorite part of the day was when a girl raised her hand and (without me having mentioned anything about the business of comics) asked, “So what’s an agent do? Does an agent work between you and the printer?” I laughed really loudly and asked, “How do you know about agents?” Her reply was, get this, “I plan on being a writer when I grow up, I need to know these things!” I was literally almost rolling on the floor, she was great. Then, in the simplest and most succinct way I could, I explained the roles of authors, agents, publishers, printers, and distributors. During this, all the other kids were squirming, she was the only one really paying attention. I will say this, if she decides to keep writing, I certainly wouldn’t get in her way.

It was a lot of fun, and props to Amy and Mary for setting the thing up! They seemed really happy with how the whole thing went. And I loved hanging out with the kids.

Some of you know that I’ve been working on a children’s comic for my next project. I’m almost done with it, enough is finished that we’re entering the lettering process, which makes me really happy. Here’s one of my favorite panels:

More will definitely be on it’s way as I get closer to finished. Hope all is well with you!

 

Coconut Milk Ice-Cream

A little while ago I had a huge craving for ice-cream. The thing is, I’m slightly lactose intolerant. Luckily, I’d been hearing about this coconut-milk based ice-cream that Purely Decadent now makes. I walk by the grocery store on the way home, but it’s closed. So I stop into my local bodega. Unfortunately, the bodega’s only got regular ice-cream. I buy a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Macadamia Nut thinking I’ll just eat a little bit. I end up watching a lot of Benson on Hulu and eat the whole pint. The rest of the night my stomach is aching and my head is pounding. The next morning I wake up still with an achey head.

A couple days later, I swing the grocery store. I pick up a pint of the Chocolate flavored coconut-milk based ice-cream and eat it in front of some Family Guy. I don’t know what’s wrong with me these days, but once again I eat the whole pint. But MAN, was it good. There was a slight coconut taste, but it was really slight (and I didn’t mind because I like coconut). Mostly it tasted like a semi-dark chocolate ice-cream. Really wonderfully creamy, just like ice-cream rather than sorbet. And is creamier than most Soy based ice-creams I’ve had and certainly better than the Rice Milk based ice-creams. The best part is, no nasty head or stomach aches. Anyone with a hankerin’ for ice-cream but is lactose intolerant, I highly recommend this option. I hope it becomes more popular in the next few years.

I’m visiting San Francisco right now. I picked up a pint of Mango sorbet. It’s been lasting me a few days. Just now I realized that sorbet usually lasts me a couple days. I don’t know why I feel compelled to eat a whole container of ice-cream all at once. I guess it must be the texture. Anyway, again, give the coconut stuff a try, it’s a wonderful ice-cream alternative.

 

SPX ‘09

My concentration’s been shot lately and I figured I’d take some time out to write a con wrap-up. So SPX went by really quickly this year, it was kinda nuts. I think the best part was simply the comraderie of the roadtrip. I was picked up around 6am, riding with Charlie and Phil, Neil Swaab, and GB Tran. It was an amazing ride, and despite it being early, we got caught up in fun conversation right away. Charlie recorded some of the conversation and posted it on ISR episode 162.

We arrived at the convention as it was opening and I set up with AdHouse Books. It was a wonderful table, with Lamar Abrams, Josh Cotter, and Chris Pitzer. It would have been nice if Jamie Tanner were there, I feel like I haven’t sat around with him for a bit. But what can you do? Oh, for those interested in Jamie’s work, he’s starting a new project. Check out his Kickstarter site. I’m wicked excited about this whole venture. I’ve tabled a good bit with Lamar at this point and he’s a good dude, I really love his company. I was also incredibly happy to see Josh Cotter again. For those who aren’t familiar, Josh is the writer/artist of my favorite comic book, Skyscrapers Of The Midwest. He just came out with a new book, Driven By Lemons. The copies at SPX sold pretty quickly, I’m wicked excited about this one. Also on the table was James Jean’s Process Recess 3, and coming out very soon from AdHouse will be Afrodisiac from Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca.

Adam Umak of Half Hour Wasted stopped by the table to pick up the Legion of Doom commission I did for him. He really liked it, which made me super happy. And we recorded a mini-interview. Josh Cotter is the second interview.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone likes what I’m doing at all, but then every once in a while there’s a weekend like this and I feel so amazed to be with such good company. I didn’t do too much shopping this year. I’m moving soon and didn’t want to load up on even more books before having to move them. But it was great seeing friends again. For dinner, I met up with Monica Gallagher and Dennis, her legion of Tims, Charlie, Phil, GB, Neil, and Ken Wong. It was a great dinner, but mostly because I was cracking up the whole time at random things Neil had been saying. Neil’s Mr. Wiggles cartoon is pretty great, but really, this dude was nonstop cracking me up every time I hung out with him.

We stopped by the bar for a bit but didn’t stay too long. I spent the night at Monica’s place (that girl is always such a wonderful host). Boston crème donuts for breakfast, and a great car ride with Monica, and back to SPX for day 2. I tabled a good amount of the day but at some point just left and hung out outside. It was pretty freezing in the convention center, and it was so sunny outside.

Soon enough, another SPX came and went. And we hit the road again. Unfortunately, there were people I wish I was able to hang out with more, Chris Schweizer, Dustin Harbin, and Josh Cotter (who was on the far side of the table from me so I barely spoke to him, oh well, next time). But damn, the roadtrip back was just as wonderful as the way there. Honestly, it’s been a pretty crazy and rough year, and it’s really good to have fun experiences like this. I guess SPX is fastly becoming one of my favorite conventions. I think that might be the last con I’ll be doing for a while. But hopefully there will be other events here and there, I’ll keep posting on this here ol’ blog. All the best.

 

Where The Wild Things Are

So I skipped out on Terminator: Rise of the Machines, as well as GI Joe. Except for Star Trek (which I thoroughly enjoyed), I haven’t been up on the big movies this year. I will say though, I am psyched about the Where The Wild Things Are movie. Directed by Spike Jones and written by Spike Jones and Dave Eggers, the movie looks absolutely beautiful.

I couldn’t sleep the other night and ended up with this drawing.

Hope to see you at the movies!

 

Awesome 2: Awesomer and Fart Party 2 Release Party, NYC Fringe Variety Power Hour

IndieSpinnerRack’s second comics anthology Awesome 2: Awesomer debuted at MoCCA this year but, as Charlie’s a flake sometimes, it took a while to get a small celebration together. A couple weekends ago, Rocketship in Brooklyn held a release party for the book as well as Julia Wertz’s Fart Party.

My good friend Jesse Post, who’s an amazing writer, and I collaborated on a small story for the anthology. We’d been attempting to collaborate on something for years and somehow it never worked out. It felt good to finally be able to do so, here’s a page from our short comic:

The night was a damn lot of fun. Of course the ever-awesome Charlie and Phil were there. I got to talk a good deal with Action Philosopher’s Ryan Dunlavey and Fred Van Lente, and FirstSecond’s lovely Gina Gagliano. Also, a cool small surprise, the gracious and supportive Tim Leong from Comic Foundry (a great comics magazine that went defunct a bit ago, but not because of sales) stopped by.

I spent a good deal of time talking to Abby, who ended up being a good friend of Robert and Georgene Goodin. The Goodins are amazing creators who’ve put out some of my favorite comics and illustrations. Check out Binibus Barnibus or The Suicidal Dog, as well as their sketchbooks and t-shirts. The Goodins are Los Angeles based, I miss those kids a lot.

Afterwards, Charlie, Abby and I went over to the Fringe Festival’s Variety Power Hour where we got to see snippets from a handful of the Fringe shows. The Power Hour was at the building in Soho that FringeNYC operates from. The show was done in the basement, which looked like a converted wine cellar—it was pretty amazing, like the small parts of Manhattan I would love to see more of.

The show was haphazardly fun, and the drinking was nonstop. The event was sponsored by some kind of gin, which I’ve forgotten by now. But the amazing thing was the Stirrings Tonic Water. I mean, I’ll take whatever tonic water with my gin, but this stuff really stood out, not to quaniney and with a slight citrus taste, really crisp. I know, I sound like an ad, and I’m sure it’s one of those expensive tonic waters that I’d normally not buy, but just noting for those into mixers that it was pretty outstanding. Anyway, sorry for that digression.

Eventually, everyone left the Variety Power Hour. Charlie, Abby and I toured the Fringe building, which was incredibly beautiful. Then we just hung out and drank gin & tonics until 5 or so. And eventually, I took the late night subway home. It was a good night of hanging out with the ISR kids.

And honestly, I’d been wondering how Charlie had been doing since he disappeared from NYC. It’s odd, hanging out with someone in a celebratory atmosphere after not seeing him for a long time. As fun as it was, there’s always a part of me that wants to sit down over a quiet coffee and catch up first. And after all comes out, after unloading all that nutty, doubtful, self-deprecating garbage in your head, THEN you get balls to the wall ass drunk.

 

MoCCA

Wahoo! My favorite comics festival happens this weekend. MoCCA in NYC, this year at the Armory Building, Lexington and 25th, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6pm. I love this festival because it’s totally personable. It’s always easy to meet a lot of people and I always walk out with new friends, it’s pretty cool.

I will be tabling with the good people of AdHouse books, tables 606 and 607. I’ll have some Johnny Hiro stuff along with a couple other things. Also, my good friend Jesse and I are putting together a mini-comic. We’re giving it away for free, so all you have to do is find one of us and ask for it. Here’s a page from the thing:

Coolio. Hope to see you there, and happy weekend!

 

Found: Requiem for a Paper Bag

Davy from Found Magazine has a new anthology project that finally hit stores today. Wahoo!

It’s called Found: Requiem for a Paper Bag. The anthology collects short essays from people who have been affected by found objects. Amongst it’s contributors are Chuck D, Del tha Funky Homosapien, Stuart Dybek, Dave Eggers, Heidi Julavits Seth Rogen, Andy Samberg and a whole lotta others. Amongst those “others” is… um… Me. Yup, I contributed a small comic. I’m wicked excited to be part of this anthology. Rock.

Also, for those in Brooklyn, Davy’s on a book tour and holding an event tomorrow night.

The Bell House, 149 7th Ave Brooklyn, Wed May 6 @ 8pm. $7 admission.

Should be a way fun party. Hope to see some of you there. Rock.

 

I Love Being A Turtle!

Last Thursday night, at the World Financial Center, the Tribeca Drive-In screened the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. I couldn’t get over the good vibes going on at the place–there was free pizza, people in giant turtle costumes taking pics with kids, facepainting, a turtle van. Everyone was in good spirits. And we all watched the sun set over the Hudson. The whole thing was beautiful.

Then, it got cold. Really cold. But that’s okay. It was still the funnest way to see the movie, with everyone hollering at the screen. Who knew there was such a huge subculture of TMNT appreciators? Anyway, good night all around.

 

My Little Sister Is Cooler Than Anyone Else

So for the past few years my little sister had been studying anthropology and archaeology. Some time ago she got a job with a good company. One of her first assignments was going to be a dig in Hawaii, but then the economic crisis hit and the job was scrapped.

After however many months, funding for the project came back and my little sister was flown out there to dig. I dunno, I just think that’s pretty cool.

I just gotta say, of all the “business trips” to have in one’s lifetime, this one kicks major butt.

I’ve recently discovered that my little sister is really into petroglyphs–the old pictures carved into rock.

While she was on the island, she had her birthday. For a present, the company she works for sent her to survey the coastline.

Mostly, this was just a cool email to receive, so I thought I’d share it. I remember when she was in her final year of school, and she joined the archaeology club, and they had shirts with silkscreened pics of Indiana Jones with “You call this Archaeology?” written under it. It’s cool when your siblings grow up and find their footing.

She’s back in the continental US now, not digging, but mostly doing office work. And most likely she won’t go to anyplace like Hawaii for work anytime soon. Still, I look forward to whatever else she sends to my inbox.

 

Em-Eye-See, See You Real Soon

My friend Hootiger and I have been talking a lot about old comic strips. He’s a Krazy Kat lover, and I’d grown up reading Segar’s Popeye. Popeye’s remained one of my favorite comics, and I’m insanely happy that Fantagraphics has been collecting the strips and publishing them in such a beautiful manner.

Anyway, remembering these comics, we’d been talking a lot about Floyd Gottfredson’s Mickey Mouse strips. Hoot had recently discovered them and is really enjoying them, I had read them when I was younger and, aside from Popeye, those were probably my favorite of the older strip comics.

Lately I’ve been somewhat obsessed with Mickey, sketching him over and over. Man, what I’d give to do a Mickey Mouse strip comic.