San Diego Comic-Con: G4 Stars

Well, I'm back from the San Diego Comic-Con and what can I say - it was a hell of a ride. There will be a BIG report this week with lots of photos, but for now you'll have to satisfied with seeing Alex Wald and I on the opening minutes of G4's live coverage.

Wizard World Chicago 2007 Pre-Game Warm-up

Wizard World Chicago 2007, August 9 - 12

Come on by Artists Alley Booth #4004 to see Alex Wald and myself pimp and whore our way through another conference dedicated to funnybooks. We'll be surrounded by good company: Geof Darrow at Booth #4000; Gary, Karen and Thomas Gianni at Booth #4002; and Bill Reinhold at Booth #4006.

We'll be fresh with stories from San Diego Comic-Con and eager to talk about our new projects.

I won't be there on Sunday, because I'll be heading back to Evanston for a William Gibson signing at 3PM at the Barnes & Noble on Sherman Avenue. It's about 50 feet from my office and I'm psyched.

The Devil Went Down to California

If you're at San Diego Comic-Con come by and meet some of The Devil's Candy Store crew. We'll be in Booth #4901. We hope to start revealing some of the unbelievable artists looking to participate in this heady brew. Names like Dave Dorman, Michael Kaluta, George Pratt ...

To Hell in a Handbasket (or Messenger Bag)

Ditch the paper bags and pillow cases. Carry your stuff around in style. Devil style.

The Devil's Candy Store Official Messenger Bag


From The Devil's Candy Store Official Swag Collection

The Devil's In The Details

Detail from theater poster for "Lord Byron's CAIN"

The three of you who read this blog may have noticed that I suddenly stopped posting First Fear stuff when I appeared to be on a small roll. Well, I am still working on the comic book and hopefully you will see a nice finished piece before San Diego Comic-Con and certainly before Wizard World Chicago.

This interruption has been caused by a Top Secret Project to be unveiled at San Diego. At this point I can tell you that it will likely involve some of the finest illustrators working today, the game and movie industries, and some world building. It will all be done under the auspices of a new business called The Devil's Candy Store. Wicked.

Ray Frenden - Superstar

Once again, one of my favorite blogs, Drawn.ca, has put Ray's talents to good use and place his work where other artists can benefit from his talents. Check this puppy out.

Inca Vampyr

The End of the Incas

Here is another iteration of a First Fear postcard sketch. The first pass is below (June 29 entry, top sketch), but I needed to go for something more dramatic. The mural in the original sketch was intended to give a place and time, but it is completely inaccurate to the time period in scale and intent. These postcards are meant more for mood and those in the know will recognize the Intihuatana Stone that she is standing on and place the mountain setting in Machu Picchu.

Currently no one knows why the Incas disappeared, in spite of many theories. Mine theory is simple - the Incas knew too much and were wiped out by aliens and their monster guardians. At the moment, the year 2012 plays heavily into the plot of The First Fear. Hmm...what did they know?

Kerosene Ran and Elle in Hell (with Elvis)

"Kerosene Ran"

I'm putting together some giveaways for the conferences and since Vistaprint was giving away 100 postcards today (plus shipping), I thought I would get an older, favorite image printed up. This is a color marker sketch on newsprint that is 22" x 18" of a character from the Ralph the Punk universe. It's one of my favorites. Everything about it is wrong, but it is the imperfections that make it read as very human.

In reality, nobody's eyes line-up in a perfect horizontal line across your face. Most features just sort of meander around the general area of where they're suppose to be and that's what gives us all our own unique charm. I believe it was Elle MacPherson that once commented that most "supermodel" faces ride that thin borderline between classic beauty and downright ugly. She included herself in that category, by the way.


"Elvis and Elle in Hell"

Here's the first color piece I ever did on a computer that wasn't an animation. It's called "Elvis and Elle in Hell" and was created in 12 hours with Superpaint and a big, fat mouse. No scanner. No color printer. I literally had to take a color photo of the screen and frame the print for the gallery show it was in. The show was an all Elvis art show at Tony Fitzpatrick's World Tattoo Gallery.

The delicious kicker for this piece is that I actually got Elle MacPherson to sign the print, "To Elvis - All my love, Elle".