Killer of Demons
Well you folks are long overdue for a blog update.
Atomic Robo is done. Lets absorb that for a moment.
Holy crap now what do I do!?!
For now, I get my ass back to the book that started all this wacky fun that I call my life; Killer of Demons. I’m off to a good start and for the most part the pencils are coming together smoothly, though drawing some bits of it are proving a challenge. KoD was the first full length book I ever did and nine months later, after doing this day in and day out, I’m having to rethink a lot of things.
I think I’ve grown more as an artists in these nine months than I have in the past nine years.
KoD will be setting sail for violence and mayhem thanks to the good people at Viper Comics. I *think* I may have announced a different publisher several weeks ago, but I had some bad info on that deal. I think KoD will fit in with Viper’s fun horror stuff. They do some really neat-o books. You should check them out. Dead @17 is pretty damn good, and I’m reading Daisy Kutter in small installments (i.e. in the bathroom). Random Encounters though is my favorite. Its cute enough to bite your face off, and it makes me wish more books were done in grey tones.
I wish MY books were done in grey tones. But the American market doesn’t respond well to non-color books. Which is absurd since more good books are ruined by crap colors than by crap art.
If you don’t believe me go look at The Walking Dead, or even better, Appleseed and Bone, and tell me they don’t look so good you weep. Then look at Scholastic’s Bone digests done in color. The magic is shattered. Or just go grab a few Indie comics off the shelf at the LCS and marvel at the craptastic coloring in some of them.
Colorists and letterers, on many levels, are just as critical to the craft of making a good book as are the writer and artist. Its not something you notice on a conscious level when you flip through a book. But if you really pay attention to how the colors help set the mood or how the proper placement of a sound effect, or word balloon can set the pace, or direct your eye to certain spots you’ll be amazed.
During my unexpected week in NYC for Dad’s funeral I did something I haven’t done in, oh . . . about nine months. I sketched. For fun. Wow! I’d sort of forgotten what that was like. They’re up in the Sketch gallery now. I wish I could figure out how to make the newest images load first. I know that I’ve set it up to do that, but WordPress seems to be full of hate for me in regards to this irritating little issue.
So all the new stuff –its way down the bottom where you might not bother looking.
Stupid WordPress.
One of our blog readers sent me this little jem. Thank you nice lady: 10 Most Disgusting Bad Guys I love how Booger is the all time nastiest Bad Guys . . .but was he really a bad guy? I just thought he was socially retarded.
In addition to sketching for fun I also did a little sketching to maintain my sanity just yesterday. As some of you know, my wife Dorinda is a poet. And a very good one. Though she’s not a “poet for the people†as she puts it –those folks write poems that idiots like me can understand. Dee is a poet for other poets, writing these complex messes that are really deep explorations of language, tonality, and a bunch of other stuff that I don’t get. As a result, I understand about 1 in 5 of her pieces.
It sometimes makes me feel a little stupid because 5 times out of 5 she understands what I do. Robot hit bad men. Bad men fall down. Lather, rinse, repeat, I guess.
So anyway, last night Dee had a gig with three other poets and I went along. But for the first time ever I dared to bring my manbag along, and thank GOD I did. I keep only 4 essential items in the manbag –sketchpad, pencil, erasers, hackie sack. I sketched my hand off while they read and for once I was not straining to stifle deep, jaw cracking yawns. In fact something really cool happened –I was able to let the poems just wash over me and in a way I was able to pay more attention than I usually do. As best I can figure, my language center was not terribly active, but the visual and artistic parts of my brain were fully engaged. So my brain was like a little puppy, when you walk up to him with a leash and start blathering about walkies. As a result I had a really good time and was really able to get into the poetry –though nothing can ever do anything about your ass falling asleep on the horrific, puritanical, chairs that are a staple at any poetry event.
Stupid chairs.
Okay, I’m tired as hell. I’m going to bed. To all you people who are skulking out there but not joining in the fun, post some comments. Or email me. Just say hello so that the dozen Brians who post here and I know that you’re out there.
April 14th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Dude this is the most real blog I have read in for eva , but it might be the 4 pitchers of beer talking. Awesome.
April 15th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Dude, first and foremost, congrats on have not one, but two of your own books in the pipeline. That is great.
Seconds, move Daisy Kutter out of your bathroom immediately!
Kazu Kibuishi is a god, and that book is one of my all time favorites. So sit down and read it already, you won’t be sorry.
Also, If you’re looking for a good example of great coloring in art, you need go no further than Daisy.
April 15th, 2007 at 7:27 am
Hey, man, good seeing you and the fam yesterday. Dee’s very existence had been in doubt in my mind; of all the times I’ve seen you and the widget in the last 9 months, this was the first I’ve seen her!
Totally digging the new ‘do. That and the mutton-chops make me think “resident psycho-with-his-head-out-the-window/bad-ass biker dude”. It’s a good look for you.
What’s Sloth doing on the bad-guy list? He just had some really bad role models!
April 15th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I agree, the “deranged, recluse artist” look is coming along nicely… maybe if you start carrying around an axe it might be the perfect accent… after all, as Dee can tell you, accessories make the look…
April 16th, 2007 at 8:13 am
BM -It is pretty cool. As I’ve been saying all along though, I will truely be able to get excited about all this when something gets printed and put on a shelf in some store.
Daisy Kutter is pretty good. The writing is really rough though. I love the art -reminds me of TenNapel’s IRON WEST.
BL -It was really good to see you and everyone else at the breast-pump convention. I wish I could have stayed longer! And yes, Dee is alive and well. She just likes to snub her friends for her snooty art.
Great T-shirt BTW
Collective Hair Comment Guys -Do I really look that different? I got similar reactions at the Climate Change fair I did, and yesterday at Youth Group.
I guess I haven’t been out much in the past month, what with all the back and forth to NYC for Dad.
But anyway, I’m going to see how long I can get it to grow before it becomes self-aware and turns me into a mindless automoton who lives only to do the bidding of My Hair. Maybe my beard will save me. I think I need a bead or a chicken bone for the even elongating soul patch.
I’m not sure an axe would be the right accessory for me. I think I should start wearing my bathrobe outdoors, and always carry a plastic shopping bag.
April 16th, 2007 at 8:28 am
And Mike -keep drinking. Its the only way to make my writing seem intelligent and entertaining.
April 16th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
The bathrobe and plastic bag look should work… so long as you mutter constantly as well…
April 16th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
And you’ll be right at home at Spring Day! Remember, I’ve got front-row seats.
April 16th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
“Whooooaaaa! he’s half way there
Whooooaaaa! he’s blogging on his hair
Take my razor, we’ll shave it - I swear
Whoooaaaa! then no more hair.”
With apologies to Bon Jovi
April 17th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Uh-oh, Bon Jovi parody! I’d better get a new post up ASAP.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:06 am
I totally didn’t just now see this post. Shut up.
April 27th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Scott, you HAVE to do Sketchcrawl 14, on May 19th.
You don’t have to do anything special, just leave the house for a few hours, or the whole day, whatever you can spare, and sketch things around you. People, buildings, cars, trees, etc.
No sketching from the head, no superheroes, no making things up.
You’ll be surprised at how much fun it is, and how it energizes your mind.
http://www.sketchcrawl.com/blog/
A lot of people don’t want to do it because they think they have to make some kind of special event/day of it. Take your kid to the zoo, and sketch the people and animals. Next time you go to a poetry meeting, sketch the surroundings, and the people.
If you don’t love it, I’ll buy you a coke.
April 30th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Donal- sounds pretty cool. I’m checking out the site, but drop me a reminder later in May so I don’t forget!
May 4th, 2007 at 1:08 am
Wow! I forgot you had a blog thinggie on your site (you have that I HATE BLOGS thing … made me forget you still write in one O.o). Anywho, I’m really glad your getting into your Atomic Robo stuff (products and comics) up and out there but … where is Killer of Demons? I’m really looking forward to hearing a release date on that one, the preview was f’n fantastic! I really like the smart-ass cupid/detecive guy, he’s so to the point that it cracks me up ^_^!
I’ll have to check out some of the artists and comics you’ve mentioned in this particular blog, that’s actually how I found out about you (from ctrl+alt+del) and I’m been a fan ever since *nod nods*.
Anywho, thanks for keeping us informed about what your doing and the progress your making in all your projects, it’s really nice of you to give your fans a heads up *nod nods*.
Thanks again for stuff and many a thing ^_^!
~Angel