COMIC ART _ Some Short Press

(poster by Craig Thompson) 

Small Press Expo 2011 is right around the corner (Sept 10 and 11) and there will be a number of premieres there. Cartoonist bud Mike Dawson will be releasing his Graphic Novel TROOP 142, mentioned in the previous post.

While I was working on FEEDING GROUND I also had the chance to collaborate on a few short stories that are out now or will be out soon.

THE GATHERING #4

 

(cover by Aaron Bir)

The first is called SPARKLER, a two page tale written by my FEEDING GROUND co-hort Swifty Lang that appears in the horror issue of THE GATHERING Anthology by Grayhaven Comics. Not easy to tell a story in two pages but I think Swift found a unique entry through childhood memories and into horror that gets under your skin. And, we came up with an ending that keeps burning.

I had also contributed to the first issue of THE GATHERING and #4 is on sale HERE. 

AMERICANS/UK ROCKTRONIC MIXTAPE #2

 

(cover by Blake Sims) 

I'm really excited to be included in the ROCKTRONIC MIXTAPE #2 anthology also premiering at the Con. The comic is full of shorts illustrating the songs and adventures of the real-life band Americans/UK as told by lead singer, writer, and mastermind Jef UK. I'm in the mix illustrating their song SONS OF BA'AL as a biker battle between the band and the combined forces of God, Death, and The Sea. Some concept art HERE.

The book will also feature a host of some of my favorite cartoonists: Aaron Bir, Blake Sims, Ben Rosen, Zees, and John Mathias. All said, RAWK!

THE COMIC FIX _ While I was gone

Just got back from a paradise vacation of beaches and scuba diving (see my sea turtle video HERE) and did my best to totally unplug and ignore social media. But, I'm new to Twitter ( @m_lapinski ) and most of my feed is filled with comic pros and updates that are a fix for the often addictive personality that comic fans like myself exhibit. I've wanted to start including more of the work of others on this blog and figured I'd use the occasion to kick it off with news of books that hit the Twitterverse while I was gone.

A TALE OF JIM HENSON

There isn't a single book that I'm more excited about than the FALL 2011 release of the Graphic Novel adaptation of A TALE OF SAND, an unpublished screenplay by Jim Henson and collaborator Jerry Juhl. Jim and his works have been a great influence on my creativity and personality, recently rekindled by the exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. Published by Archaia Entertainment, our publisher for FEEDING GROUND, this book and much of the Henson library is under the great curatorial care and vision of Archaia Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy. As illustrated by cartoonist Ramón Pérez, the story is conveyed with an elastic realism that evokes both a dream logic and earthy performances like those that populate the works of Will Eisner.

You can see an interview with Stephen about the project HERE.

Last week, Stephen continued to elaborate on the care and attention to detail being brought to this book in the following Tweets:

For TALE OF SAND we are going through old films that Jim Henson made in the 1960s and pulling colors from the footage to inform our coloring

The font that we're creating for TALE OF SAND is based on Jim Henson's handwriting, so the book will look like Jim lettered it himself!

You know a book is going to be crazy when you have to send 12 reference photos to printers to show them what it should look like

And, check out an interview with Ramón about the book HERE as well as a look at a fun earlier comic KUKUBURI.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PAOLO'S PROCESS

As far as comic process blogs go, THE SELF-ABSORBING MAN by Marvel artist Paolo Rivera is a must-read resource for tips, tricks, tools and an overall appreciation of what it takes to be a professional artist working at the top of his game.  Paolo is smart about his work and, whether it is his fully painted art or pencil and ink cartoons, there is a plan and playfulness under his polished execution.  He is currently a part of the genre re-defining run on the Marvel superhero comic DAREDEVIL and I can, and will, dedicate an entire post on what makes that book tick. But, the first thing that ever caught my attention about Paolo was how, on top of photo reference, he has often sculpted reference maquettes of his lead characters in clay prior to illustrating a book.

More recently, Paolo discovered the free CG sculpting program SCULPTRIS and Tweeted the results:

I think this is gonna be Matt Murdock:

That's more like it:

I was able to pick this program up immediately, and I'm already making digital maquettes for myself.


Yep. It's crazy easy to use. I downloaded it yesterday, but just started using it an hour ago.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOKS YOU CAN'T MISS!

ZEGAS by Michel Fiffe

OK, I missed the book launch party at Bergen Street Comics in Brooklyn but I read the strip when it first appeared on Act-i-vate and now the book is available on ETSY.  "Abstract" or "Surreal" don't do justice to describe a work in which every line and mark and color choice is as engrossing as a full narrative.

TROOP 142 by Mike Dawson

I WILL be in town for the book launch party of this one at Bergen Street comics on Sept 2.  I also followed this one when Mike was publishing it as an online comic and it has a supremely honest ear for the awkwardness and malevolence of boys and men trying to wear the too big suit of "masculinity."  His essential cartooning is punctuated by finely rendered moments of nature, a dichotomy often employed in the best of Manga.

Plus, a troop badge!

LOOSE ENDS written by Jason Latour, drawn by Chris Brunner, and color by Rico Renzi

I've been crowing about this book since I fist saw the preview for FREE COMIC DAY but it was Axel Alonso, the new Editor-in-Chief of Marvel who Tweeted:

Do yourself a favor & read "Loose Ends," by @jasonlatour, Chris Brunner & @whoisrico. What a page-turner! Updates at jasonlatour.com

The creative team seems to be working from a single mind and spirit and evokes a dangerous southern-fried world that is as fully-formed and specific as it is evocative as a work of art. Renzi's color is particularly exciting to me and is right in line with my own thoughts and approach to color. Check his blog HERE and more LOOSE ENDS art by the Comic Twarters HERE.

FEEDING GROUND #5 _ Pin-Ups!

Seems that Issue 5 finally hit the stands this week after unexplained delays with the printer and distributor.  Titled FEVER DREAMS it's a particularly trippy issue that splits the Busqueda family, each member confronted with their own personal hell.


We were fortunate to get another batch of FEEDING GROUND-inspired art by cartoonists buds and comic luminaries.  Here's a glimpse at their contributions along with links and brief bios.


MIKE DAWSON
(artist/writer TROOP 142)
http://www.mikedawsoncomics.com/

Mike and I go back to college where we we both did strips for The Cartoonists' Association of Rutgers (which I co-founded) and learned to be lefty brats in lieu of a practical art education.  Mike was the guy who really stuck with it, developed tremendously, and delivered in full with his autobio tome FREDDIE & ME about his life as a fan of the band Queen.  His webcomic TROOP 142 will be collected and printed soonish and he is also the co-host (with Alex Robinson) of THE INK PANTHERS SHOW podcast (ostensibly about comics but actually a painfully funny talk between friends) and host of his own comic creator interview show on THE COMICS JOURNAL.


BENJAMIN MARRA
(artist/writer NIGHT BUSINESS)
http://www.traditionalcomics.com/

Self-published through TRADITIONAL COMICS and as a freelance illustrator for the likes of Playboy, Vice, and Rolling Stone, Ben is the modern master of pulpy drawings that leave you with the need to shower.  I'm friends with Ben and his co-horts at MAMMAL Magazine, one ridiculously talented bunch.  Ben recently got a lot of press for his comic THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (a work of fiction and satire) and was featured in Marvel's STRANGE TALES vol.2.  His take on FEEDING GROUND is a battle frieze of blood and viscera.


BLAKE SIMS
(artist/writer MELON MAN COMICS)
http://www.blakesimscomics.blogspot.com/

Blake's got one of those cartoon styles, like THE SIMPSONS, that immediately translates any person or idea into his own species.  You can check out Blake's caricatures and toons on his blog.  He's also a regular contributor to the comic anthology THE GATHERING and part of a new art blog LAY OF THE LINE.  He's just getting started.

FRED CHAO

(artist/writer JOHNNY HIRO {half Asian, all hero})
http://www.fredchao.com

Turn around, Fred Chao is behind you. Don't worry, it's a good thing. Brooklyn, NY is a hive of comic talent and I was pleasantly surprised to often run into Fred, particularly at BERGEN STREET COMICS.  JOHNNY loomed large for me alongside more overwrought heroes and, along with his freelance illustration work, Fred conveys a lot of power in a well-drafted line.  His FEEDING GROUND illustration ekes a fount of poetry our of a moment of our tale that I'm particularly proud of.

FEEDING GROUND _ Grassy Ass (Gracias)

FEEDING GROUND #1 is officially in stores and I wanted the chance to acknowledge some people whose inspiration, talent, and support helped make this possible.

We've included a THANK YOU section at the back of the book. You can read the whole thing here, but this is my portion below:

As a group, we benefited greatly from the insight and
experience of Thomas Peyton, the counsel of Suzana
Carlos, and the encouragement and camaraderie of artist
Juan Doe. Great thanks to everyone at Archaia not only
for taking a chance on us, but also offering advice and
support that recognized what we were doing and then
made it stronger.

MICHAEL LAPINSKI would like to thank the following
people: Cartoonists Rick Ritter, Mike Dawson, GB Tran and
the guys of MAMMAL, their art and dedication convinced
me to get back into making comics. Paul Zdanowicz,
horror guru and Lapinski-booster with a keen critical eye.
Klaus Janson, whose professional instruction came just at
the right time to bring structure and rules to what I had
been discovering on the page. Brian Michael Bendis for
providing the Jinxworld message board and its posters for
keeping me company in the solitude of my man cave. To
my parents and family, whose generous affection has
always allowed me to thrive. And, to Lindsay, thanks for
adding sweetness to my life and for riding this wolf with
me to Bayonne and beyond.

Additionally, I was remiss not to include John Siuntres and his Word Balloon podcast. His extensive and candid interviews with comic book professionals is the comic creator equivalent of a director's commentary on a DVD. This past year has been "comic book college" for me and John's podcast and the gracious information offered by guests provided me with the context to appreciate the craft, business, lifestyle, and shared enthusiasm of the comic industry.

Big thanks to everyone we've met since starting down this path and to my co-conspirators Swifty Lang and Chris Mangun, buds and creative partners who've shared in every step.

And, here's a handy link on where you can find the series. I'm inking Issue 4 (of 6) and will post something crafty in my next blog post.

COMIC PAGES 01_ Love at First Bite

I've been reading comics since 1982 (after seeing a commercial for Marvel's GI Joe comic) and published comics and strips throughout my college years at Rutgers University but my return to creating comics began in full after catching up with friends and comic creators at NYC Comic Con 2008.

Mike Dawson, GB Tran, and the guys of Mammal had been producing such accomplished and personal work that I made a pact with myself to return in 2009 as a fellow creator.

There was a forced hiatus of the show I had been working on and it gave me the time I needed to partner with friends on developing a horror story that would become our first graphic novel. With a killer concept by Jonathan "Swifty" Lang, book design by Christopher Mangun, and art by me, we assembled a pitch comic to present our work to prospective publishers. It worked and we're now in the process of making pages.

The pitch consisted of a synopsis page, character bios, map, 5 pages of comics, covers, and the first full script. Chris also did an incredible job incorporating my art into headers and endpapers. Here are my sample pages from the pitch (sans text).

(NOTE: The colors are posting a little hotter than intended. They were jacked up in the CMYK to RGB conversion)