Missing San Diego

For the second straight year and much to my chagrin, I am not in San Diego. I've already heard from a bunch of folks who are attending and they tell me it's a mad house -- again. In a bad economy it's great to see the show remain strong. I do miss it.

The show is supposed to be a week earlier next year and I am shooting for a triumphant return in 2012!

Lost Squad stuff: I don't want to call it news but I am working on a new story arc and toying with the idea of just putting it out online or through a digital platform. I don't want to say too much at this point, but I've got some ideas of how I can pull this off. I'd love to put it out through a publisher in print format. Maybe Image Comics? That I would LOVE but I need to think that through first.

The new arc will have a different artist. I have approached two VERY solid artists about taking on the position as Alan is simply too busy and too high profile now. I am hoping that we can get Alan to do an eight page story as backup for the first issue or maybe to include in an upcoming Digital Webbing Presents issue.

BTW, drop Alan a line and say congrats on the birth of his second child, Matilda, who arrived into the world on May 18th.

Movie Stuff: As always Hollywood moves at it's own pace. The team that is in place right now is simply finalizing contracts and putting together a small LLC production company to handle the rights and such. As I have said before, I am VERY happy with the players involved. They simply get it. The treatment that I've read is very faithful to much of the comic, both in content and spirit, but also expands and changes things in a fantastic way. The new layers really open things up. The writer has been in the news a bit somewhat recently for a mid-profile project that has a tremendously high geek factor. It also helps that he's a WWII buff of the highest order and is British and has a cool accent. The Brits have a great advantage in pitch meetings I'm told because of their accents. Maybe I can fake one.

So I'm spending the week plotting and missing San Diego. Although I don't miss the crowds I will miss seeing friends and playing the networking game.

I will be doing a small show in Indiana in October. I am excited for that. More details to come.

I won't be setting up this year in Chicago in August. It just doesn't make sense. I may be in attendance, but I need to square some things away first.

So, game on for Comicon 2012!

Kody Chamberlain talks creating comics

My pal Kody Chamberlain the awesome auteur (a little Stan Lee alliteration there) of the dark thriller SWEETS from Image comics has given a tremendous interview to NEWSARAMA about the sausage making that is creating comics. He's not only a great artist but a terrific storyteller as well.

Check out the interview and enjoy the peek-behind-the curtain of one of comics' hottest creators and his process.

Kody gives a checklist of great books for the aspiring creator. I have every book on his "writer's guide" list (save one) and would recommend them unconditionally as well.

Kody is one of the truly good guys in comics and an extremely talented cat as well. Click on over and give the article a read. It's good stuff.

Happy Birthday, Alan Robinson! AND cool new Lost Squad swag!

Happy Birthday to Lost Squad artist Alan Robinson!

If you want to give him a grand birthday present, consider heading over to his Red Bubble portfolio site where he's got some cool Lost Squad themed t-shirts and hoodies for sale.

He's got a couple great shots nicked straight from the comic as well as the cover from the collected trade.

You get a terrific looking t-shirt and Alan gets a little coin in his pocket. Win win, in my book!

Back from C2E2 - webstore open

I am back and just about recovered from C2E2 this past weekend. Had a terrific time and met a lot of great fans who seemed to enjoy the book.

We did brisk business on Saturday and the crowd was very open to

checking out the wares of creators in Artist Alley. The new, smaller venue was perfect with enough room to move through the wide aisles.

I will definitely be returning next year. BIG thumbs up to the guys running C2E2. Give this show a few more years and I think it will turn into an 800 pound gorilla.

My schedule demanded that I leave the show early on Sunday and I'm sure that I missed some sales. I passed out a bunch business cards and web traffic to this here blog has spiked. With that, I've decided to (finally) open up a little web shop here for signed Lost Squad books and art.

For now click here to hit the store.

The web shop uses PayPal to handle transactions, but you do NOT need an account to buy, just a credit/debit card and you log in as a PayPal guest.

I only have signed trades up for now, but I will be adding items and announcing them here.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the table and said hello. The feedback I get from people who have read the book and are wanting more really goes a long way for a small creator like myself.

Digital Webbing Presents #1 at COMIXOLOGY

Digital Webbing Presents the fine independent comics anthology has been resurrected once again (at least in digital form)!

Skeedaddle on over to COMIXOLOGY to purchase and download the latest of the new digital volume. The first four issues are now up over there.

From 2002 until 2008, Digital Webbing Presents was a terrific outlet for up-and-coming (and some well known creators) to try out new story ideas, hone their craft, and have their work appear in print.

Editor-in-Chief and general Digital Webbing grand poohbah, Ed Dukeshire shepherded 36 issues into comic shops, an amazing accomplishment in independent comics.

I was fortunate enough to have stories in 12 of the issues (including the first appearance of the Lost Squad in issue #7!) and I still receive emails from people who are fans and are looking for more.

Ed (along with Kel Nuttall) are looking to keep the book alive with the advent of digital comics. Hopefully they'll be able to put up some of the old back issues one day. I'd love to see that.

My story BARNSTORMING with art by Juan Moreno appears in the first issue of the new incarnation. It's a based-on-a-true-story-ish tale about a rookie Mustang pilot flying cover for B-17's in WWII. It's a fun little adventure tale that I have had sitting around for more than a few years and never could find the right outlet.

If you're itching to create comics, you might click on over to the Digital Webbing forums and check out the amazing community of like minded creators. You can find a collaborator or two and create your own story to submit to the new Digital Webbing Presents. Check out the list of prominent DWP alumni and realize that this could be the first step to a career in comics. What've you got to lose?

I have some back issues of Digital Webbing Presents that I would be willing to sell as well if anyone is interested. I need to set up a Lost Squad back issues shop and I may just toss up some of my old comp copies up there as well.

C2E2 this weekend!

I'll be appearing once again at C2E2 this weekend, March 18 - 20. I'll be setting up and peddling comics in Artist's Alley at table F11.

I'll have plenty of copies of the LOST SQUAD TPB for sale as well as single issues sales of LS stuff and my two self-published horror anthologies, FREAKSHOW and BRIDE OF FREAKSHOW.

Look for the large Nazi zombie banner and LOST SQUAD logo. Stop by and say hello. I love talking comics.