Archive for February, 2010

I didn’t want to post more than this part of the screen to avoid spoilers. This will probably be the busiest Utopian page I’ve drawn yet. Not counting all those goddamn rain scenes.

Finishing up shading on next week’s Utopian page while waiting for Sara to get home so we can do an early Valentine’s dinner-movie thing.

I’m going to try — as often as possible — to share whatever project I’m working on with you guys via this nifty, but underused, blog, hopefully once a day. I’m simply going to take a screen capture of something vaguely interesting and then post it. Hope you enjoy.

Ladies and gentlemen, today is the day. Let Feb. 10 go down in history as the date upon which a new comic book giant tread upon the Earth for the first time. For today, the debut issue of Omega Comics Presents goes on sale. For real.

This is the anthology series I’ve been talking about for months. It features an array of new comic talents recruited from around the globe (no kidding, we have at least three countries represented here). Yes, that means Pop! Goes the Icon is finally publishing a comic book that doesn’t exclusively revolve around my questionable talents.

However, this will be the first time for many of you to see my storytelling capabilities (or lack thereof) outside the context of my weekly webcomic, The Utopian. The lead story in OCP is “OMEGA,” an ongoing serial about a covert counter-terrorism team that embarks on a mission to save Hoover Dam even as a mole is discovered inside its own ranks. It’s 24-meets-Heroes, and hopefully does not suck.

Buy this comic or the terrorists win.

On top of that, we have a supernatural comedy from U.K. creators Alex De-Gruchy and Robert Durham, a surrealist take on superheroes by D.C.’s own John Dimes (featuring my first lettering on someone else’s art), and a short gag strip from my favorite Canadians, Dino Caruso and Jason Copland.

It’s only $3.50 a copy (or $2.50 digital) and available in select comic stores, as well as direct order from the PGTI website. All of the above creators get paid royalties, so it’s not just me taking your hard-earned bucks anymore. Nope, I have an international cabal of comic-making mouths to feed. So, you know, please support independent comics.

The second issue is just about wrapped up and is being prepped for submission to Diamond, the giant company responsible for distributing comics and toys to just about every comic store in North America. So send some good vibes my way as we vie for wide distribution for the subsequent issues of OCP. And thanks.

So if it seems like it’s been quiet on the journalism front around here, it’s somewhat by design. Obviously, I’ve been pretty tied up with launching a new comic book publishing company, as well as churning out my own comics, but that’s not the only reason. I’ve been working on stories for publications that are done but not printed yet, one for an old favorite (HRH) and a few for a brand-new pub whose first issue hits the streets today: Vegas Seven.

Vegas Seven is a weekly city paper that’s an innovative hybrid of a glossy magazine and an alt-weekly. It’s being published by Wendoh Media, who long-time followers of my work may recall published the incredibly awesome, but ill-fated, Racket magazine, for which yours truly was its founding — and only — editor. Seven has some talented mofos on its staff, people with whom I’ve either worked with often in the past or have been waiting to work with, and if the the first issue, which I peeped last night at the mag’s launch party, is any indication, it’s off to a good start.

Of course, part of that goodness is a story I wrote about Laurenn McCubbin‘s new art show, “Speaking to Las Vegas in the Language of Las Vegas.” I have a few more assignments in the coffer, so keep your eyes out. Right now, there is no electronic version that I know of, so you’ll have to be in the Vegas Valley to physically pick up a copy. And no, I have no idea where that would be, but I’m guessing a good start is downtown during First Friday, where I’ll be tomorrow night to immerse myself in the city’s arts and culture. And liquor.

Meanwhile, check back here soon, where I’ll be trying to sell you more comics again.

Update: The Seven website is now live, and my story on Laurenn is there for your reading enjoyment.