Archive for 2010

I’m back at the art thing, feverishly (OK, fine, I’m not burning up or sweating or anything, but you get it) working to get done my portion of the next issue of Omega Comics Presents before I look like a jackass for holding up the issue’s release, while all my other creative teams actually made their deadlines. To speed things up — and make it look a lot better than I could do — I’m turning inking chores over to my man Victor Moya, who illustrated the post-apocalyptic story Jarret Keene wrote for Tales from the Boneyard (you have bought your copy, right?). Of course, that means I need to actually send him penciled pages (in my case, digitally), so no more slacking from me.

Aside from one other project that may or may not happen in the next year, I’m swearing off illustrating my own stories in 2011. I’m focusing heavily on writing this year, and I predict much better visual results if I hire out an artist as opposed to try to do the one-man show. Either the art or the writing suffers when I do it all, and I’d prefer not to choose.

We’re starting a new year with a new look, and in order for you to force me to start it with fresh web content, it’s time for the return of Choose Your Own Adventure Week!

In November 2009, I took suggestions from you fine people via Twitter, blog comments and … maybe somewhere else, I dunno, and turned those suggestions into amazing blog posts!

OK, so they weren’t so amazing, and I kind of petered out after a few posts. But I’m going to try REALLY HARD to at least look like I’m trying, and fill up this blog for the entire first week of January 2011 with my usual brand of nonsense on the topics of YOUR CHOOSING.

Very exciting, I know. So leave a comment, drop me a tweet, or send me an e-mail with your suggestions by Dec. 31, 2010. And if you’re lucky/I’m not lazy, you’ll see me write SOMETHING about your suggested topic/theme/whatever. Huzzah!

Hmm. Those are a lot of numbers in that blog title.

A few months ago, As Yet Unbroken was invited to perform at the opening reception for a group art show at Studio 8 Ten. I’d heard the name of this place before, but had no idea what it was. So, not wanting to just show up with my drums ignorantly, I did a little research, and discovered that Studio 8 Ten is the public venue for Transition Services, Inc., which provides employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities.

It was cool that I could help out such a noble venture by providing a loud soundtrack for the art show, but after getting to know the staff and employees a bit, I wondered why more people didn’t know about this place. And when it was brought to my attention that not only was Transition Services launching a new venture (Circles magazine), but also had a holiday open house planned, I figured it was a good time to shed some light on the little shop. Thankfully, my editors at Vegas Seven agreed, and so we have today’s article all about Studio 8 Ten.

Even as you’re reading this, I’m probably checking out the open house there. If you still have last-minute Christmas shopping to do, why not stop by 810 Las Vegas Blvd. S. this week and buy some locally produced, handmade gifts? Why not indeed!

That’s one sexy-looking book, isn’t it? Yes, kids, it’s here: All 109 pages of The Utopian webcomic, plus eight pages of detailed annotations, are now available in one, full-color, 120-page volume.

As the story goes, I only started The Utopian to get pro credentials for a comic book convention. But almost two years later, here I am with a small publishing company, a number of other comics under my belt, and now a full-on graphic novel that will look lovely on any coffee table, bookshelf or nightstand. Also, more importantly, in your hands and read by your eyes.

The beautiful cover is by my man Hernan Valencia, who drew that for the first issue of the four-issue series, but it ended up getting printed inside as a pin-up because his alternate design for the cover worked better. I made posters from the pin-up, and they sold very well as art pieces at conventions, so I thought so strong an image would make a perfect cover for the collection. And swell guy that he is, Hernan gave blessings to do so.

I opted for a minimalist approach to placing copy on the cover, downplaying the “comic book” aspect of it, almost more like an album cover or fine art book. The back cover design carries the font from the cover in the sub-headers, but features prominently the original “Utopian” logo, and a not-terrible photo of me from former Rebel Yell photographer Josh Navarro.

All in all, I’m very happy with the way it turned out. If you’d like to get a copy, you can order it on Amazon.com for $19.95, but you can pre-order it directly from me NOW at a discounted price of only $14.95. And if you order it directly from me, I’ll even scribble my autograph on it. Just let me know if you want it customized in the special instructions.

Need added incentive?

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I know I’ve been absent from the blog for the last few weeks, but as I mentioned sometime in the recent past, I was using the latter half of November for a vacation of sorts, and part of that included stepping away from the web somewhat. Also, I’ve been working on overhauling this website for a redesign launch Jan. 1, something that will de-emphasize the bloginess of it to the outside world and function more as a portfolio for my illustration, writing and other things for which I occasionally get paid. If you’re an RSS or e-mail subscriber, nothing much will change for you.

Anyyyyyway, I’m regathering the Tales from the Boneyard crew this Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. for a signing/meet-and-greet at Alternate Reality Comics (4110 S. Maryland Parkway #8). Almost all of the creators should be there, including myself, Jarret Keene, Victor Moya, Warren Wucinich, Deryl Skelton and Danny Roberts. It should be good times. If you haven’t gotten your copy of the Boneyard comic, well, it’s the perfect opportunity, and if you can’t make it, rumor has it you can buy a copy from multiple comic shops in Vegas, plus directly online. Remember, all proceeds go to a good cause!

Other stuff you missed while I was away:

• Total, epic fail on National Novel Writing Month. I stalled out at about 6,000 words two weeks before the end of the month and gave up. It’s kind of a long story why, but basically, I did exactly what you’re not supposed to do: got caught up in the structure and plot of the novel instead of just writing what came to me. Also, I chose a genre in which I have little experience (political science fiction), and to make things worse, I realized I was writing a bad Nineteen Eighty-Four knock-off.
• Went to Disneyland. It was maddeningly busy for the Monday before Thanksgiving. We figured it would be slow, with kids still in school and people not traveling until the following weekend. Boy, were we wrong. But it was fun regardless, especially with the weekend kicking off in Los Angeles with dinner and drinks at the Magic Castle.
• Um … I think that’s it. Like I said, took the month “off,” sort of. But now I have deadlines again and am actively pitching stories again, so expect to see more of your favorite person named Pj Perez soon.

All right. Bye.

I went back to the drawing board tonight, quite literally, because, well, I didn’t know what else to do.

Here’s the deal: I cleared out my calendar for most of November, assignment-wise, for two reasons: First, because as those of you following along witnessed, the first two weeks of November (well, starting the last weekend of October) were insane. Two comic conventions (Long Beach and Vegas), an art exhibit opening, a release party, playing the release party, a comic book store signing, and of course, all the prep leading up to both the events and the release of the comics behind them. The second reason? After all that, and honestly, the last few months of running nonstop, I was going to force myself to take a break. No freelance assignments. No music gigs (actually, not given a choice in this). No new comic work. Nothing that I HAD to do until December. For fun, I decided to give National Novel Writing Month a whirl, but that’s the only relatively time-sensitive project — and one to only myself I’m beholden — I left for myself this month.

But, of course, literally the day after the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, I came down with my annual head cold. That’s expected, and it was nothing major — stuffiness, a bit of coughing. My only concern was being better by the time of the Utopian #4 release/signing at MaximuM Comics, and I was, and it went very well (thanks to Jay and his staff at MaximuM, to everyone who came out, and to the groovy media folk who covered the event, especially NerdLocker, who conducted this awesome interview). But not two days later, my stomach started giving me inexplicable trouble. I felt abnormally hungry despite eating all day, but my digestive system felt unsettled. I thought maybe I just was short on protein or something. So I went to dinner with Sara to celebrate her new job, but afterward I just felt worse. It felt mostly like indigestion, but it wouldn’t go away. I went to bed early, hoping to sleep it off. Instead, I woke up at 3 or 4 a.m. and … well, got rid of whatever what bothering me.

That left me kinda weak and malnourished the next day, which I spent drinking only water and watching DVDs. I tried working on the novel, but that didn’t get very far. I did manage to eat some soup and crackers by nightfall, but that’s it. I went to sleep early, again (even after sleeping in and napping for a good three hours), and even though my stomach was still a bit wonky today, it seems like I’m mostly back to normal, though I didn’t eat too much, had soup again for dinner, and don’t really have an appetite.

Problem is, between the physical health issues and the lack of hard deadlines, my ability to focus on anything has been severely compromised. When given a specific project, I can go to town on it and power through it — as I did when I spent all day Sunday recording music with and for my band. But otherwise, I’ve been in this weird limbo, working on things piecemeal, which isn’t much different than usual, except I feel like nothing’s getting done. But the point was to not worry about that, right?

This weekend, Sara and I are planning to drive down to Southern California for some pure R&R — hang out with friends, go to Disneyland, eat at our favorite places, just have a good time before spending Thanksgiving with our collective families. We’ve been planning it for a while now, and hopefully, two things will happen by the weekend: One, I feel a lot friggin’ better than I have the last week or so, and two, I can stop worrying about my nonexistent projects, and just relax. I’m hoping one enables the other.

Anyway, because I can’t wrap my head around this stupid sci-fi novel I decided to start writing in lieu of something more grounded I could have easily written, and because I haven’t actually sat down to draw except for doing sketches at signings and conventions, I went back to work on this story I’m developing as a pitch for someone besides myself to publish. I already did loose layouts for about five of the pages months ago, but I’m tightening up all of the (digital) pencil work, because I’m actually handing this off to an inker to finish. And it feels good to just lay down scribbly lines to form pictures. As much as I love writing, I’ve noticed my affinity for the written word has waned in recent years, for a variety of reasons I’ve theorized. Meanwhile, my ability and interest in visual art has been getting stronger, likely because it’s my most natural strength and I spent so many years away from it.

Alas, no one — outside of the sweet people who have humored me at art shows and conventions — pays me to draw stuff, so surely I’ll be back on the writing horse in no time, whether or not that bronco bucks me to the ground.

Are you guys sick of me yet? I feel like I’m starting to get sick of myself. Well, actually, I’m just sick period. But hopefully I’ll be better by Saturday, because I’m supposed to be at MaximuM Comics‘ new location in Henderson (520 S. Marks St. at Sunset Road) to celebrate the release of the final (for now?) issue of The Utopian.

This is my first in-store signing, and I think it might be MaximuM’s second or something like that. Either way, I’ll be there from noon until about 3 p.m. with the brand-new, fourth issue of The Utopian, as well as whatever I have left in stock from the first few issues (I can tell you I have only one or two copies of #1 left). I’ll be doing sketches as well, and MaximuM will be giving away other cool stuff in a raffle of sorts.

I just found out today (or yesterday, I don’t remember) that the awesome, new geek culture website/podcast/video channel, Nerdlocker, will be coming out during the signing to shoot some video and do a little interview, so it would be really really really especially nice to have you lovely people there, if just to hang out and drink punch. If it looks like a ghost town on camera, that won’t be good.

After that, I’m gonna head to Alternate Reality Comics (4110 S. Maryland Pkwy. at Flamingo Road), where my man Ralph is celebrating the grand re-opening of his store all day with sales, specials and guests of his own, including the elusive Jae Lee from noon to 1 p.m. If you’re a big Jae Lee fan, maybe go there first and then come see me at MaximuM? That would be cool. Or vice versa. Either way, a great day for comic fans in the Vegas Valley this Saturday!