Bleeding Neon

The top panel on this page I’m working on has taken me about three days to just get that far in rendering. Obviously, not three days straight, but three days of about two hours at a stretch. It’s the last bit of inking I need to finish for my contribution to Tales from the Boneyard, the one-shot (well, possibly annually recurring) anthology comic book I volunteered to publish and edit for the 2010 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival.

You can learn a heck more about the comic at the official website, which also features the first chapter of the anthology, an amazing story by newcomer Barret Thomson. He’s set the bar high, but that’s good, because it goes to prove the awesome collection of homespun talent we have here in Las Vegas (though, sadly, Barret is moving to South Korea to teach for an undetermined amount of time). This project has sucked up a good amount of my time lately, between wrangling freelancers, building the website, doing public relations and marketing, editing and, as evidenced above (and in previous posts), completing my own eight-page tale, which will make its web debut on Aug. 15.

At the same time, the band has started recording tracks for our forthcoming debut EP, the Utopian is careening headlong into its final chapter, and as soon as I finish the Tales from the Boneyard story, I have to dive back into finishing the third chapter of “Omega” for Omega Comics Presents #3, which is supposed to be released this fall, assuming my head doesn’t implode by then. Oh, on top of that, TV and comic book writer Mark Guggenheim went off and announced a new comic book he’s created for release this November, coincidentally titled Utopian. So as you might imagine, I’ve spent some time talking to lawyers the last week as well.

It’s all a bit overwhelming, but at the very least, most of these projects have termination dates in the foreseeable future. The Utopian (erm, mine, not the Johnny-come-lately) will finish its year-and-a-half web run in September or October, just in time for a fourth and final print issue to make its appearance, and then — assuming I still have the rights to that name by then — fully collected as one complete work in a trade paperback collection in the winter, hopefully in time for Christmakwanukah. At which time all of you who have been holding out on reading The Utopian (yes, I’m looking at you, Sara) will have no excuse not to enjoy 100-plus pages of all the teen dramatic fantasy you can handle, in full blazing color.

Whew. I’m kind of tired just typing all this. Or maybe I’m tired from working on that stupid, overly detailed panel above for the last few hours. More soon.

I’m back at the drawing board, trying to get all of the pencil artwork for my eight-page contribution to the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival anthology finished before I leave town for 10 days. And get the website for said anthology launched, at which point I’ll post all about it here and beg you for money. What else is new? At least the money is for the Library District and not for my hedonistic exploits.

I wrapped up a feature for Vegas Seven I’ve been working on for a while on breaking into comic book writing, something about which I know a little. Actually, I turned in the story yesterday, got asked to do some rewrites today, and finished those rewrites tonight, so hopefully that will be the end of that. I’m still busting my butt as much as possible to get The Utopian wrapped up ahead of schedule and then turn my attention back to other things, like finalizing and releasing the fall publishing schedule for Pop! Goes the Icon and turning my band’s rehearsal space into a recording studio for the next few months.

Speaking of As Yet Unbroken, it seems like momentum is picking up again quite quickly. We had those bookend gigs last week, and hadn’t planned another show until the first week of September. But the band that opened for us at N.O.I.S.E. on Friday, Thrown Clear, has asked us to join them (or at least one of them) at another venue in a few weeks. So we’ll probably do that, and I’ll have more info on that soon. And for you lovely Southern Californians, we’re working on a gig in the Orange County area circa Oct. 1. Nothing is confirmed yet, so if you know any bookers in the L.A.-O.C.-S.D. area, feel free to highly recommend us for a slot at one of their venues on that date. Otherwise, keep posted here, or even better, join the AYU mailing list.

Oh, HI. I know it’s been quiet up here in Awesome City. It’s only because I’ve been slaving away at various projects to foist upon your delicate senses in varying ways. A brief rundown, because lists are fun:

• My band, As Yet Unbroken, has been breaking in our new guitarist, Peter Stauber, and we’ll be making our revived debut at Boomers Bar this Sunday night at about 10 p.m. We’re playing with a bunch of random bands, none of which play in the same style, so it’ll be like a mini-Lollapalooza. If that doesn’t sell it for you, I don’t know what will. Call in sick on Monday and come rock with us. It’s only $5, and allegedly, we get some of that money.
• I’m editing and publishing a one-off comic book anthology for the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival called “Tales from the Boneyard.” It features all Vegas-spawned creators and will be awesome. But it also has meant spending the last month assembling the talent, setting deadlines, creating sponsorship proposals (this is a nonprofit fundraiser for the Library District), attending meetings and working on my own contribution to the compilation, an eight-page tale about a girl and a robot. If, by chance, you’d like to sponsor this endeavor, drop me an e-mail and I’ll drop you a sponsorship packet.
• I finished painting my terrible entry into the LVSK8 IV skate deck art show. It’s called “Powered by Love,” and all I will say for now is that with its existence, I have created a new genre of art called “sci-fi folk art.” If you’re so inclined to see it, along with dozens of other decorated skate decks much nicer than mine, you should come to Place Gallery (1054 S. Maint St.) next Friday, July 2. I’ll be there from 6 p.m. until probably 8 p.m.-ish.
• Speaking of art, because of demand from one or two people, I’ve created an online store where you can buy prints and postcards and stuff. Why not?
• Been trying to get way ahead on the usual workload, blazing through updates of The Utopian webcomic and deadlines for various publications. A new HRH cover story came out this past week, but I’ll slather you in the details once its digital edition goes online.

That wasn’t so hard, was it? See, all you have to do is get me started and I just type like a madman. More soon on new comics, shows and convention appearances. If you’re interested.

I know I promised a while back that I was going to try to post something every day here, or at least as often as possible. Sadly, in the hectic (but happy!) life of Pj, “as often as possible” is often not often at all. Sorry about that. But I’ve been extremely productive, not only getting caught up on producing the semi-weekly webcomic The Utopian, slinging journalistic assignments and overseeing the launch of a whole friggin’ comic book company, but also planning out your weekends for you.

Yes, I’m throwing a party for you kids. OK, fine: It’s a party for me. More specifically (as the title of this post may have led you to believe), it’s a release party for the launch of The Utopian print comic. And it not coincidentally is the same weekend as the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival (to which I know you’re all coming, right?). Here’s the flier:

No cover! $5 Corona buckets! Door prizes! Doesn’t it sound great already? No. Oh … well, I’ll be there. And Yayo Taco (4632 S. Maryland Parkway) has like the most awesome tacos ever. And we’ll just be hanging out, drinking and eating all in mutual love of comics. How much better does it get? It doesn’t. So be at Yayo on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Early enough for you to get in bed for work on Monday but late enough for you to go to church or nap or whatever. And if you are on Facebook and are planning on coming, please RSVP and let me know. It helps to have an idea of how many peeps are coming, you know?

In the meantime, I’ll be doing stuff. That’s all you really need to know.

F. Andrew Taylor moderates a discussion on breaking into comics with writers Dwayne McDuffie and Steven Grant at the 2008 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this a few times somewhere, and it’s a bit early, but as there are limited details surrounding this event on the internet right now (and I know some of you have been looking), I figured I’d get this post published sooner than later and just bug the hell out of you people on Facebook and Twitter later on.

The second annual Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival takes place Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clark County Library (1401 E. Flamingo Road). Though it’s put on in tandem with the larger Vegas Valley Book Festival, the Comic Fest (as I shall refer to it hereafter) is growing into its own entity. Last year saw 900 people in only four hours time, and this year we expect more than 1000 in the five hours of the Fest.

The guest line-up is looking pretty good: Cecil Castellucci, Kim Deitch, Evan Dent, Steve Englehart, Mark Evanier, Noelle Garcia, Gary Groth, Laurenn McCubbin, Michael Ogilvie, Sean Russell, Deryl Skelton, Chris Staros, Dan Vado, Matt Wagner and Michael Uslan — a selection that runs the gamut from mainstream legends and indie publishers to Hollywood producers and local-based talent. Not too shabby.

Most importantly, though, for readers of this blog, at least, Pop! Goes the Icon will be making its first official comic convention debut. I’ll have a six-foot table full of goodies, including both the standard and deluxe versions of The Utopian #1, limited-edition posters, free stuff like buttons and postcards and maybe even Mark T. Zeilman and Hernan Valencia, who provided the cover artwork for the first issue of The Utopian. We’ll sign stuff, maybe sketch stuff, shoot the shizzle, whatever. Bring some cash and support my terrible comic strip, or just throw bananas at me. Cupcakes are accepted as well.

There will also be some awesome panels featuring the aforementioned guests, along with portfolio reviews, signings, a merchandise marketplace and some geek-tastic feature films including locally produced wunderkind Thor at the Bus Stop. It’ll be good times. Become a member of the Comic Fest Facebook group for all the latest updates, and in the meantime, peruse the panel line-up below. Hope to see you there!

Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival Panels

The Goshdarn Batman Panel – Mark Evanier moderates as Matt Wagner, Steve Englehart, and Michael Uslan discuss the evolution of Batman over the decades, their insights in to what makes the character so unique and their approaches to him, and the good and bad of what it means to work on such an iconic character. 11 a.m. – noon, Large Conference Room

Last Indy Standing — Laurenn McCubbin moderates (and gets in a few good shots of her own) as publishers Chris Staros, Gary Groth and Dan Vado duke it out.  Points of contention include:  I love creator’s rights more than you; Distributors,  shoot on sight or burn at the stake?  and My scratchy zombies can whup your pseudo-manga emo goth boys. 11 a.m. – noon, Jewel Box Theater

We Know Where The Bodies are Buried –  John L. Smith may know where the bodies are buried in Vegas, but writer/historian Mark Evanier, writer/artist Steve Englehart, artist Deryl Skelton and writer/producer Michael Uslan know the stories behind the stories at all the major publishers.  Join them as they share tales of famous creators, infamous characters, and even the occasional hush-hush, strictly on the QT cover up. 12:15 – 1:30 p.m., Large Conference Room

Selections from Adventures in Voice Acting: The Bang Zoom! Guide to Voice Acting (2008; rated NR; 108 min)
If you’ve considered what it would be like to have a career in voice acting, or want to know what it takes to break in, then you need to watch Adventures in Voice Acting. It includes all the essentials you will need to get started. Nearly 100 voice actors, casting directors and producers were interviewed for this project. Watch and listen as they share with you their personal pitfalls and triumphs. 12:15  – 1:30 p.m. Jewel Box Theater

Spotlight on Matt Wagner — From Green Arrow to Grendel, from Mage to Madame Xanadu, from Batman to Sandman Mystery Theatre, as a creator, Matt Wagner’s a chameleon.  He writes across a dizzying array of genres; cover gigs have not caused him to put down the pencil; he does both creator owned and work for hire projects.  Just when you think you know him, you discover you don’t.   Join us for a Q&A with a living legend whose distinctive stories and art have left an indelible mark on comics. 2 – 3 p.m., Large Conference Room

Hail to the King! — In this tell-all talk, his former squire (and noted Comics Historian) Mark Evanier shares his unique insights about industry titan, Jack “King” Kirby. Not only did Jack Kirby create several of comics’ most iconic characters and teams, but his artistic innovations (including “Kirby dots”) still shape the way we tell stories today. 2 – 3 p.m., Jewel Box Theater

The Drunk Panel — Inspired by underground comix such as Zap, Real Pulp, “Tijuana Bibles” and Raw, Drunk takes the torch and continues the craft of comic storytelling initiated by these forebears. You don’t have to be 21 to attend as writers and artists Kim Deitch, Noelle Garcia, Jarret Keene, Sean Russell and Michael Ogilvie tell bizarre, funny, violent, loving, and sincere tales about the quintessential human achievement of being drunk.  (And also about the process of producing, publishing, and promoting a non-mainstream work of art.) 3:15  – 4:15 p.m., Large Conference Room

Comics and Books and Movies, Oh My! — Just what does it take to turn a book into a comic, or a comic into a movie? Join Michael Uslan, Cecil Castellucci, Steve Englehart and Chris Staros for an animated (or written, or drawn) conversation about the challenges and opportunities of working across different media. 3:15 – 4:15 p.m., Jewel Box Theater