Burning City Website Update

Okay, we've got a whole new design over at the main Burning City website. New bio, new graphics, a timeline of projects from 1983 to today.

Go check it out.

http://burningcity.com.

WIP Interview and More...

While attending Conceptart.org's Reverie workshop in Dallas with Dave Dorman, I participated in a WIP podcast by Peter Mohrbacher and Jeff Himmelman (also, with WIP is Anna Mohrbacher.) You can listen to the WIP interview and read more about WIP at John Schindehette's Art Order blog. As an added bonus, there is a link to Devil's Candy Store artist, George Pratt, and work process.

ArtOrder: George Pratt, Renato Faccini, WIP Podcast, and a question

Vampire Wins Gold!

The Spectrum 16 winners were announced tonight. Spectrum is a prestigious annual dedicated to the "Fantastic Arts" and is one of the most coveted awards in illustration.


© 2008 Craig Elliott

Craig Elliott won the Gold Medal in Editorial for his Damali Richards painting in the concept art book, Exotic Contraband: L. A. Banks' Vampire Huntress Legend, published by The Devil's Candy Store.

Another Devil's Candy Store artist, Jon Foster, won the Gold Medal for Comic Books.

Congratulations to them both!

L. A. Banks Madame Isis Sword Contest

Damali Richard's Madame Isis Vampire-Killing Sword

You can own Damali Richard’s Madame Isis shero sword. The Devil’s Candy Store is holding an essay contest that will be judged by L. A. Banks. The winner will receive the Madame Isis sword created by Hollywood armourer, Tony Swatton (a $6,000 value).

Originally to be offered at auction, this gold-plated, gem-encrusted, one-of-a-kind vampire-killing sword will end up in the hands of the Vampire Huntress Legend most deserving fan. The winner will be presented with the Madame Isis sword on Saturday, February 14, 2009 during the Twelve Tribes Convergence Summit in Philadelphia, PA.

Here is the contest:
1. Write a one page essay that answers these questions:
a. Which major themes in the Vampire Huntress Legend series resonated with you?
b. Why will you make the best "Keeper of the Sword"?
2. The font size must be no smaller than 12 point.
3. No more than 600 words.
4. Any entry not meeting the criteria will be disqualified.
5. Entries must be by e-mailed to charlie.athanas@thedevilscandystore.com by midnight, January 31, 2009.

Contest Small Print (Please read):
- Applicants must be age 21 or over, as this sword can be considered a weapon.
- All essays will be passed on to L. A. Banks without names attached to allow the best essay to win on it’s own merits.
- Armourer Tony Swatton, The Devil's Candy Store, L.A. Banks are not responsible in any way for any injury sustained in the future by the sword.
- Armourer Tony Swatton, The Devil's Candy Store, L.A. Banks are not responsible for any future repairs of the Madame Isis Sword and/or its case.
- The deadline for receipt of your essay is midnight on January 31, 2009.
- This contest is sponsored by The Devil's Candy Store and in accordance with the wishes of author and creator L.A. Banks.
- Only one entry per person is accepted. - The winner need not be present.
- The prize is as stated and there will be no exchanges of prizes given.
- The Devil's Candy Store, L.A. Banks, and the L.A. Banks Street Team all have the right to post the winning entry and winner's image on any promotional materials, printed material, YouTube, and on all L.A. Banks and The Devil’s Candy Store related forums, blogs and online social networks.
- The winner must sign an image release permitting use of their image on any promotional materials to qualify for receipt of the Madame Isis sword.


Madame Isis Vampire-Killing Sword (detail)

San Diego Comic-Con 08 Part One

Charlie and Aly are back from the madness and horror that is San Diego as they spent time in The Devil's Candy Store booth with Leslie Banks, Kevin J. Anderson, Dean Haglund, and many more assorted creators. But Aly actually spent some quality time with a very happy Wookie.



More convention news and photos to come. Like this one from the X-Sanguin VII Ball where Aly actually met said Wookie. Trust me, gun-toting elves ain't the half of it.

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X-Sanguin VII

The Devils at San Diego Comic-Con 08 This Week!

Come on by The Devil's Candy Store booth #1704 this week at the San Diego Comic-Con. We'll have L. A. Banks in our booth signing Vampire Huntress merchandise created by our own devils.


Dave Dorman's cover art. © 08 Dave Dorman.

Plus, you can pick up "Sex. Death. Art." t-shirts:



And Zippos™:

Busy, Busy, Busy

It's been a month since my last post. Why, you ask? Well, three things:
• The Devil's Candy Store and the San Diego Comic-Con 2008
• WildClaw Theatre's second season promotion
• The First Fear



There will soon be a new website for The Devil's Candy Store as we venture into the selling of exotic contraband from impossible worlds. We are working with author, LA Banks, and using her Vampire Huntress novel series as our first impossible world. Tony Swatton of Sword and Stone building the vampire killing sword, Madame Isis, and its sister dagger, both to be displayed in San Diego this July. We'll be auctioning off the one of the kind hero sword and you can pre-order the dagger.



Craig Elliott, a Devil's Candy Store artist, is designing some Vampire Huntress based jewelry for the show and will be one the concept artists contributing to our limited edition book featuring characters, Damali Richards and Carlos Rivera of the Vampire Huntress series. Other artists planning to be in the book are:
• Dave Dorman
• Craig Elliott
• Tom Baxa
• Peter Bergting
• Cyril Van Der Haegen
• John VanFleet
• Eric Battle
• Alex Wald
• Ray Frenden
• and me



A new website is in the making for WildClaw Theatre as we gear up for our next set of productions and a couple of benefits. The first benefit will be June 22nd at The Four Moon Tavern. Stay tuned for the Pagan details.



And lastly, I had an excellent story consultation with Charley Sherman on my comic book (and possible play), The First Fear. The story is finally coming together into a solid narrative. Yeah, baby!