Dadsville Comic

Here's a tiny preview of a two page comic I did for Dadsville, a father-themed comics anthology, about meeting my biological father in early July. The anthology is due later this year.

An Approach to Tabling by So What? Press

Dave Kelly of So What? Press recently shared with me how he and his partner in crime, Lara Antal, decide which comics fests to attend every year. Dave says, “We were inspired to do this by the band Fugazi who had a similar "code" about when and where to play concerts.”

• Admission must be under $10/day or free.
• Show must be curated - - you want to feel good about being there.
• No more than one fest per month - - unless one is in NYC.
• Table price must include two badges, two chairs.
• Fest cannot run longer than two days.
• Never pay more than $100/half table, $200/full - - and always share whenever possible.

“We break the rules every once in awhile, but they've proven their worth - - and not just monetarily, but in overall positivity of the experience.  The winning combination is always a free, one-day show, in NYC - - you can never go wrong, haha!

The disclaimer: we do break our own rules sometimes and do not put ourselves above any festival.  We know there are logistical reasons why some festivals charge higher table prices.  The ultimate point, though, is that "the rules" have helped inform our decision-making process as well as improve our exposure and performance.”

Breakers Release at Desert Island 4/25

In October last year I was invited to study at a three-week-long residency at the Atlantic Center for the Arts. Dave Kelly and Lara Antal of So What? Press have created an anthology of work from the residency, Breakers. I'm very honored to be part of it and will be at the official launch party, hosted by Desert Island on April 25th. From the press release:

The book will have its East Coast premiere at Desert Island, 540 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, NY on Thursday, April 25th at 7:00 pm.  The event is free and open to the public.  Beer and cookies (in the shape of sharks) will be provided.  The book will be offered at a discounted price of $10.00 at this event. 
The book will be available in stores and online the following week.  So What? Press handles all distribution worldwide.  For more information, visit www.sowhatpress.com. 

So What? Press, the new publishing imprint headed by Dave Kelly & Lara Antal, is set to release Breakers, an anthology of comics featuring Ellen Forney, Dean Haspiel, Megan Kelso, and twenty-two other outstanding cartoonists:  Jessica Ruliffson, Gabrielle Gamboa, Gregory MacKay, Lark Pien, Boum (Samantha Leriche-Gionet), Nusha Ashjaee, George Folz, Jp Pollard, Jen Breach, Lara Antal, Rebecca Case, Jean Chen, Julie Condon, Gabrielle Greenlee, Lynda May, K-Fai Steele, Theresa Coulter, Sean Ironman, Christa Cassano, Fionnuala Doran, James Greene, and Meghan Lands.

From the back cover:
In October 2012, twenty-six comics creators descended upon Central Florida for a three-week residency at the Atlantic Center for the Arts.  These lost souls were set adrift in an incubator of creativity amidst killer sharks, a local nude beach, and other primordial nature.  Under the tutelage of Ellen Forney, Dean Haspiel, and Megan Kelso, a body of work was generated that interwove many similar themes based on their new found tropical isolation.  What you hold in your hands is a summation of that experience, a document of a wondrous blur of creative freedom, and perhaps an artifact of a comics paradise lost.

A Letter Lasts Longer

While at the Atlantic Center for the Arts' 3-week comics residency, studying with master artist Dean Haspiel, I made this interesting comic based on a script he generated. The script was interpreted by each associate artist in the group. These varied and beautiful permutations can be seen on the Trip City blog here.

Back from SPX - The Small Press Expo

This was my very first time tabling at a convention, and the feedback from other artists was incredible, inspiring, and awesome. Another cool piece of news: Haditha/Katrina and Bethesda minis were selected to be included in the SPX Collection at the Library of Congress. Josh Kramer (Cartoon Picayune) and J.T. Yost (Digestate, Birdcage Bottom Books) were there selling copies of the anthologies I've been lucky to be a part of, it was great hanging out with them and seeing all their hard work paying off--really beautiful comic books! Susie Cagle's thoughts on comic making shared in the Comics on Assignment panel were really inspiring to me. She's done great work in reporting on the Occupy movement and women's health issues in California, where she is based.

Me and Tom Hart with my Sequential Artists Workshop Grant!

Me and Matt Bors talking about how cool comics are.

 

Bethesda Part One + Haditha/Katrina Shout-Outs

Here's the Bethesda comic in its entirety so far. This story was told to me by First Lieutenant Michael Rhoads of the Marines in late April of this year at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with other artists from the Society of Illustrators. More stories from Nathan Rimpf and Joshua Wetzel will be added later, probably in late October when the residency is winding down.

*EDIT* I've posted the color version I created in March 2013.

This story will be available as a mini-comic at next week's Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD. It also appears in the forthcoming issue of  The Cartoon Picayune, Issue #4 Distress. There was a nice mention of the CP issue and Haditha/Katrina comic on the SPX blog. Haditha/Katrina also got some nice shout-outs on Graphic Ladies Tumblr, and the Symbolia website (albeit pixelated as all heck).

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Comics Debuting at SPX

The Small Press Expo, an annual expo celebrating small and independent publishers, will take place in Bethesda, MD this year on September 15th and 16th. Josh Kramer will be there representing contributors to his anthology, The Cartoon Picayune, and selling some of his comics, too. My ten page comic, Bethesda, a story about meeting First Lt. Michael Rhoads' during his recovery at Walter Reed, will be featured in the forthcoming edition. You can see the cover design and read more about it here.

I'll have copies of Status Quo Ante Bellum, City Chickens, Haditha/Katrina Pt. 1, and Bethesda. Three debuting mini-comics! Whoa! I recently purchased a saddle stapler and will be folding and stapling into the wee hours for the next few weeks.

J.T. Yost will also be there, selling his great comics at the Birdcage Bottom Books table, along with copies of his massive, gorgeous anthology, Digestate, which also features the ten page comic I made about my neighbors who raise chickens in a community garden (City Chickens).

Bethesda Ink Page Nine

I like the way this page sorted itself out. I am improving my lettering, but had so many other ideas on how to make letters and design things after I finished this ten pager. I will wait to post the full version until closer to the publication date. I am pretty happy with it. I'm going to visit Walter Reed again on Tuesday, this time I think I will focus on getting good drawings rather than good stories. Carrying around an audio recorder makes me feel like a jerk, so I'm not sure I'll use it. I have new stories to work on and that's been occupying my thoughts. Gearing up also to print some comics for the Small Press Expo. I aim to have copies of The City Chickens, Bethesda (Pt. 1), and Haditha Katrina (Pt. 1) at the expo.

I've recently read this essay by Josiah White, an Iraq War veteran and former Marine, who I have been in touch with and am working with on a comic story. It is beautifully done, read it when you can, it's very good.

Bethesda Pencils Page Five

One of my favorite pages from the Bethesda story. Still working on the other half of the pencils. Will ink this 'un by next week for the Cartoon Picayune. I'm headed back to Walter Reed Medical Center next week to draw more pictures and talk to people as well. It's busy over here!

The Balfa Brothers - Danse Des Mardi Gras
(Go see Beasts of the Southern Wild, it is beautiful. I am biased because it reminds me of home, it's full of boats and Gulf water and magic. I wished I had made it. And the musical score is awesome.)

Digestate Comic

This is a ten page piece I made for J.T. Yost's food and eating based comics anthology, Digestate. I am super excited about it. You can read it in its entirety here but I recommend getting a copy of the book, because it is full of awesome contributors (see here). I think it's due out in September and will be debuting at SPX.