Happenings

On Wednesday, April 18th, Near Death #7 was released in comic shops everywhere. Tucked inside this awesome issue by Jay Faeber and Simone Guglielmini is a dark, noir  story written by me entitled Loose Ends. It's a quick five page story that I wrote almost five years ago. At the time, I shared the story with Simone and he was nice enough to work on the art. The art was nothing short of beautiful, a perfect tribute to black and white film noir of the 1930's.  Nothing came of the story until a few months ago when Simone contacted me about including it in his Near Death series. I can't begin to thank both Simone and Jay Faeber for the opportunity to have been included in their series. They were both fantastic to work with in the process and I can't think of two better professionals working today.

Near Death has been getting awesome reviews. If you haven't picked it up, this is a great time to do it. There's even a trade out containing the first five issues. If you check it out I'm sure you'll get hooked on an awesome series created by two outstanding people.

So, what else is happening? I'm officially hooked on a site called Secondspin.com. I'm just cleaning up on obscure, used DVDs. I recently got a whole order of animation films that included a collection of short anime films by Katsuhiro Otomo called Memories. This was a great pick up.

As for reading, I just finished a book by Charlie Huston called Caught Stealing. Great read. A lot of fun with real characters and sharp dialogue. When I finished the story I felt like I just got dragged through a city gutter alongside the main character, Hank. There's a few more adventures with this guy written by Huston. I'm going to have to pick them up.

I also picked up the first trade of Haunt. I have to be honest, I wasn't really interested in reading the series before. I'd always pick it up but would never seal the deal. I finally gave in and I was happy I did. I'll be picking up the rest of the series for sure.

Finally, I consider myself very fortunate to live so close to New York City. Being as close as I am, I'm able to go to great education seminars at the Museum of Comic And Cartoon Art. Very recently I attended a class on Comic Writing held by the awesome Peter David. It was a surreal experience, learning about comic writing all while surrounded by original Batman art in the museum's gallery. What was even cooler about the event is that it was a very small venue, only around fifteen people. The main focus was story structure and understanding story through characterization. Peter David was great to listen to. He's just as good at entertaining a crowd as he is writing comics. He even extended the class another hour just so he could get everything in and answer questions. For anyone who lives in the area, MOCCA is a fantastic resource. Check out there site. They are always updating classes and speaking engagements.

Well, that's all I've got for now. Take it easy out there.

Heroes

My childhood hero, Gary Carter, is gone. He died last week, losing a year-long battle with brain cancer. What he leaves behind is a hero's legacy.

It's hard to comprehend that he's gone. Carter was invincible to me, a galvanized hero incapable of defeat. He was pure and good, which is why my parents, especially my father, encouraged my admiration of the man.

I can remember sitting and watching a game one summer afternoon with my father. He sat there calling out key plays and brilliant hits, arguing calls. The excitement was too much for a five year old to handle. I'd have to recreate every pitch, every play. Somehow, they all revolved around number eight.

After the game I rushed to get my cards and as I rummaged through them I came across a Gary Carter card. It was then that my father taught me what a leader was. How they were unselfish and committed to a cause. In a name, a leader was Gary Carter. He became my lasting image of leadership on the field of play.

It's hard to find a figure of moral integrity these days, one that works for a greater good, not selfish individual acclaim. With one less example in a world already with too few, the loss of Carter is that much more saddening.

His daughter summed it up beautifully in this statement:

"I believe with all my heart that dad had a STANDING OVATION as he walked through the gates of heaven to be with Jesus".

Rest in peace, Gary Carter. You have been and always will be my hero.

You go in the cage....cage goes in the water....

Well, it wouldn't be summer without Jaws. I just had to post Quint, even though it bares no meaning to the rest of this post. Jaws is just the ultimate summer movie in my opinion. Either that or Summer Rental. So, I haven't posted since April, but it's not due to laziness, I can assure you. Busy times. Lots of work on two upcoming titles that I can hopefully share with you soon. Working with an editor has been a great experience. They poses the uncanny ability of making you think you suck while simoltainiously convincing you that you can pull it off. Simply amazing.

So, let's touch on what I have been reading. I had the awesome pleasure of reading the fantastic I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly recently and it instantly took its place as one of my favorite stories of all time, in any medium.

This one puts you through the emotional wringer. You absolutely feel for the main character, Barbara. Everything she's going through, man, you just want to see her come out ok. She's such an angry, troubled kid that you can't help but feel for her. The story is paced perfectly with some outstanding moments, especially the Coveleski reveal. JM Ken Niimura's art fits perfectly with such a raw, kinetic emotion. I couldn't picture it any other way. I love this book and I am trying to get everyone in my family to read it. I hope you do too.

I was pleasantly surprised by Batman and Robin: Reborn. I'm not too familiar with Morrison's work but I have to admit I was turned off by the whole tent pole event of the death of Bruce Wayne and the Batmen across time thing. But I tried this first trade and I'm a big fan. Some crazy stuff in there and I love Morrison's villains. Professor Pyg and Flamingo are bad assess. And I love Damien as Robin. That little kid seems like the spawn of Frank Miller's Batman. Mean as hell and I can't help but smile when he insults Dick Grayson. I'm going to pick up the other trades very soon.

So, that's all I've got for now. Aliens is on right now and I can't miss that. Take it easy.

Yub Nub!

Ok, I'm going to start this by saying the prequels do not exist. They never happened. The mystery of what happens before A New Hope will stay that way. You hear me, Lucas? Alright, now that's out of the way I can get to the point of my post. I would much rather have seen sequels to the original trilogy, and very recently, I have. I just picked up the entire Thrawn Trilogy from Dark Horse Comics and I feel like that little kid from the 80's again. Slowly, the stains of the prequels have washed away as I immerse myself in these new tales of Star Wars lore. And they weren't tainted by CGI sets and aliens just for the sake of CGI sets and aliens(Give me a matte painting and a giant puppet any day). This feels real to me. This is where Luke, Leia, and Han have been all these years. I know I'm late to the party, but damn, I'm glad to finally be there.

Ok, what else am I reading? I picked up World War Z. This is a very fun read. I love the fact that it's interviews. Personal accounts of this zombie plague from around the globe that feel real. I'm not big into zombies but I figured I'd finally buy it since I caught myself staring at it and flipping through it every time I walked into the book store.

I also picked up Superman: For All Seasons, based purely on the fact that I can stare at Tim Sale's art until my eyeballs dry out. That man makes some mighty pretty pictures, don't he?

While we are on the subject of art, I came across some really cool prints. I've been on an Art Deco kick for the last few months. I've bought a mess load of prints, but these I have to get....

The guy's name is Justin Van Genderen. Give his name a click and you can see all of his awesome work. Great stuff.

Finally, April 9th and 10th is the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art's huge comic festival. It's over at the old Lexington Avenue Armory. If you live in the New York area, check it out. You'll find some great independent creators. I'll be there supporting them and this awesome museum.

Alright, that's all I've got. I'm off to see Source Code. Looks pretty good. Take it easy.

Cool Things

Ok, so this post is all about cool things that I can't get enough of right now. The biggest one being Superman Classic. This has been out for a week or so now and I might account for 1,000 of its views. Let me begin by saying I'm not the biggest Superman fan. I respect the character and the age that he was created for. But, to me, Superman just wasn't that cool today. That is, until a Disney animator named Robb Pratt made a one minute short about the Man of Steel. In that one minute, Superman has never been more interesting, iconic, or flat out cool. To me, this IS Superman. Exactly as he was intended to be. He's from another era, a much different America. Superman is every bit the 1930's and 40's. He is the hero of that time and Pratt understands this completely. He captures the essence of Superman in sixty seconds. Give this guy the choice to make any project he wants. He's earned it. If you haven't seen it, take a look. Not only is it cool, it has some of the best traditional animation I've seen in a long time.



Another cool thing out there right now is a comic called Icarus by Ryan Cody. Cody is known for some great art, including his run on Villains for Viper Comics. But, his writing is top-notch as well. He's a creator that can do it all right now and he's hitting his stride with Icarus. I'm not sure what he's got up his sleeve just yet, but you will find an original story that has more twists in one issue than you'll find anywhere else. Issue one is available for purchase over at Cody's site, Super75 Comics. He's a great talent and an even better guy. If you're looking for some great comics work, get behind this one.

And, finally, my favorite humor publication has hit television over at IFC. The Onion News Network. I'll leave you with this. Just funny as hell.

Holy Crap

I meant to post this the other day. This just might be the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Love Rex's gut floppin' through the Han shirt.

Wow...

I really neglected the blog for a bit. Things have been very busy and I have a few things to announce, but that has to wait. So, basically, I'm announcing that I can't announce anything yet.

Anyway, just a few things I felt like talking about. First, its snowing like crazy right now, and that always puts me in a good mood. Another thing that puts me in a good mood is Neil Gaiman. I just finished a bunch of his short stories. My favorite was a tale set in an alternate 19th century London featuring Sherlock Holmes. I was so mad that it was just a short because I could have read this story right on through some ridiculous page count.

And while we're talking about Neil Gaiman, I saw this very fun, very haunting, alternate take on Jolly Old St.Nick that he wrote and was turned into a little animation piece. Check it out:

Creepy, right?

How about movies? True Grit was a great time. Damn that was good. And Jeff Bridges will knock you on your ass. I love Jeff Bridges, mainly because he was in King Kong 1976, and I'm a fan of anyone in that film...just because...I love King Kong. Anyway, True Grit is a good one. Well, that's all I've got for right now. Take it easy out there.

Script!

It was a busy week of writing and I finally got to the one script I was really wanting to write; a short story featuring everyone's favorite ninja. I had this idea of Raphael patrolling this harbor and coming across a bunch of mob thugs holding a father and daughter hostage. Raph's a loner and I'd love to see a solo series of him running around dispensing gritty, vigilante justice across the 5 boroughs. This was a lot of fun to write and it felt great to finish it, like it was something I had been wanting to do for quite some time. By the way, this awesome piece of art is from artist Jeremy Roberts. I found the piece off of deviant Art and I couldn't resist posting it here. You can find the rest of his gallery right here: http://jprart.deviantart.com/

Anyway, here's the script:
Docks


I had a great time seeing Inception last week. What a fantastic movie. I guess everything Nolan touches is gold because right now the man is on a serious hot streak. Like The Dark Knight, this movie is just a freight train that keeps moving full steam ahead to the climax. Just so well done. The soundtrack ain't half bad either. I've had the track Time running non-stop when I write.

So, this movie got me thinking. There are a lot of great heist flicks out there. So many to name. But, to me, my favorite of all time is Sneakers.

There is so much to love with this movie. The cast, the story, the soundtrack. But, above all else, it's cool to see this plan come together. And that's what you have here. If you've never seen it, check it out. What are some of your favorite heist films? I'd love to hear.

T-U-R-T-L-E POWER!

So where does a passion for comic books begin? For some it's a regular dose of Marvel or DC. Spider-Man slinging webs, Superman bending steel. And, while I have fond memories of digging through long boxes for Incredible Hulk back issues or a copy of Batman that had cool cover art, my obsession for comics came when I read the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Ridiculous one might think, but, let me explain.

I was eight at the time and I picked up the first issue at my local comic shop. I knew the cartoon, of course, but the comic was something special. I was used to brightly colored superheroes dashing across the page and punching their way to victory. But, there was very little blood shed. That all changed when I opened my first black and white comic.

It was packed with gritty, bloody carnage. Everything a growing boy needs. I remember falling in love with the artwork, especially the inks. Every time there was an arterial spray, the inky blood added a level of coolness I never knew existed. But above all, there were ninjas. Lots of ninjas.

The rooftop battle in that first issue, where what seems like hundreds of ninjas are pouring out of the wood work, made me understand at a young age what it meant to geek out. I mean, who doesn't love ninjas. Especially ninjas receiving bloody, jagged wounds. And lets not forget, our heroes actually kill the villain. They stab him in the friggin heart with a katana and then tell him to kill himself! How many comic book heroes do that?! Easy to see why I loved it so much. After that first issue I got the collected volume and kept on going. When I look back on what had an influence on my love of comics I will always mention Batman, Hulk, and the like. But it was that first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that defined it.

Recently a bit of nostalgia hit me square in the face and I made an impulse purchase. A few years ago NECA released some limited edition action figures based on the original comic art. Well, after a lot of hemming and hawing, I finally picked up a set. Thankfully, my lovely wife doesn't mind having some bad ass action figures on the book shelf. I'm one lucky guy.

Now, just for the hell of it, I thought I'd give you a bit of early 90's nostalgia. Go ahead, give the guys a click...

OK, so enough about the turtles. What have I been reading lately? I finally got to two books I've been wanting to read for a while now. The first is CHEW.
I really enjoyed this. A cannibalistic detective who gets clairvoyant visions from his...er...victims? Pretty damn original. This is a very humorous book that doesn't take itself seriously in a good way. These guys are having fun. I particularly enjoy Rob Guillory's art. Very stylized. A solid ground work is set for some great cop drama. I sneaked a peek at the next volume and, much to my excitement, vampires are coming! Looks like fun.

The other book was RED.
The concept was cool. I'm a fan of old assassins kicking ass once again. This was a quick read with not much meat to it. It explores some interesting themes but I wished it went a little deeper. I got to the end and I wanted to see this guy keep going. I'll tell you what is cool, the way Ellis paces out the intricate kills. I found myself going back and admiring the way he set them up and how Hammer knocked it out. Some very cool action paced and executed very well.

As for my writing, a lot is going on. Hopefully I'll be able to share some things in the near future. What I am going to do is a TMNT short script to satisfy this itch I've got. I'll post it up here for fun. Until then, take it easy.

Ah, Summer.

It's in full swing. The days are long. The skies are blue. The burgers are grilling. And I'm inside writing a blog post. So, it has been a while since I posted and there are a few things I want to get to. First, comics. I finally started reading Kirkman's The Walking Dead. Jesus, talk about being late to the party. But better late than never, I always say. I'm loving them so far. I got my hands on the first couple of trades and it's nice to be able to plow on through them. Who want's to wait? I'm wondering if I should just pick up the big omnibus that's out there.


Next, movies. I've been on a movie buying kick lately. I read The Road a few years ago and I wanted to check out the movie. It was well done and Viggo Mortensen was great. So was the kid. But as with any movie adaptation, it will never live up to the book. When I read that story, I felt like I was living it. It wasn't the same watching it play out. For the badass in me I picked up one of my all time favorite action movies, The Road Warrior. Man, I've seen it so many times and it just gets crazier every time. The truck chase is one of the best action sequences out there, that's because real trucks, real cars, and real stuntmen are flying all over the screen. And, I mean, who doesn't love this guy:

















Vernon Wells. That's the same dude Arnold fights in Commando. Two Oscar-worthy performances. I mean "NOOOOO!!! WE GO INNN!!!!" is right up there with "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn".

Next is a movie I had been teetering back and forth on and finally bought it. Let the Right One In. This was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. It is just messed up beyond belief but powerful at the same time. And for anyone that's seen it, how awesome was that ending? They are remaking it and releasing it this fall. I don't know why. This movie is an instant classic. Seriously. If you have not seen this, you need to.

Finally, (500) Days of Summer. This is probably the most guy accessible romantic comedy I've seen. The two stars, that kid from 3rd Rock and that chick from Elf, are great together. I thoroughly enjoyed the hell out of this film and I'm interested to see how the director takes on Spider-Man. Ah, who the hell cares.

One more thing. I caught wind of this fan film and it blew me away. It's called City of Scars and features everyone's favorite Caped Crusader. You can find it right here. Just click on the poster.




















So, that's about it. Have fun out there.

Uncle Mike

Something incredible happened on April 30, 2010. My nephew was born and my world has been changed forever. It's been incredible watching my sister-in-law go through this experience, knowing that one day her son would be here. That there was this little man that would be right along side all of us for the rest of our lives. But, it's one thing to talk about it, to wonder what he will be like, look like, act like. All that dreaming is nice, but, I was not prepared for what that day would bring.

At the hospital, my wife and I joined the rest of the family in a small, warm waiting room where the only thing to read were pregnancy magazines with exposes on strange "devices" for feeding your baby. But besides the lack of reading material for guys, this hospital was something else. Truly awesome. The greatest part, besides the care, was that when ever a baby is born, a gentle, twinkling lullaby is played softly over the speakers through the entire hospital. Talk about a morale booster. Hospitals generally have this frightening aura around them. But being there for the opposite end of the spectrum, you see life full circle. It's nice.

So, there we were, waiting. The next time we heard that lovely music we knew the little guy would be with us. And that's what blew my mind in all of this. The lullaby played and this feeling of the world changing was undeniable. A new human had joined us all. He was here, right here with us. Man, life is so inspiring.

From Script to Page: Part 2

Welcome back to another installment of From Script to Page. Today we have a look at the making of page five for Astronautica. Enjoy!

Page 5: 4 panels

Panel 1: Wide angle shot of the same military compound.

No Copy.

Panel 2: Medium shot inside the same bright lab as Bernard helps Danny step out of a large gym bag.

DANNY: Geez! Why did I have to sit in that bag?

BERNARD: Shh. Low voice. No one can ever know you were here.

Panel 3: Angle on Bernard as he slides an access card into a security keypad.

DANNY (Off-Panel): So, where’s the secret?

BERNARD: Behind this door.

SFX: Ka-Chunk

Panel 4: Wide, low angle shot behind Bernard and Danny as the giant doors slide open to reveal a brilliant, gleaming aluminum flying saucer inside a massive hangar.

ELECTRONIC VOICE: Welcome, Dr. Wong.

DANNY: Holy cow…

BERNARD: Neat, huh?

DANNY: Who’s Dr. Wong?

BERNARD: My, uh, codename.

You can find the finished page five right here: http://apecmx.com/ufo/

So, there you have it, folks. Another edition of From Script to Page.

Astronautica has ten pages left with a lot of adventure still to come. Don't forget, updates are every Sunday and Thursday. Be sure to check back here for more behind the scene looks.

Hey you GUYS! An interview with Christopher Tupa!

Astronautica is on page three right now and really picking up steam. Lots of cool things yet to come. One of the key pieces to Astronautica is the fantastic, light-hearted artwork by Christopher Tupa. Super Tupa as I like to call him. I got to know Christopher over this past year as Astronautica came together. I've never met someone as genuinely nice as Mr. Tupa. He's got a great attitude about him and you can see how young at heart he is in the art he creates. It was an outstanding experience working with Christopher. I got a chance to talk to him recently about his artwork, his inspiration, and his love of the Goonies.

When did you know you wanted to create comic art?

Wow, that takes me back...I'd have to say in high school. I had been drawing for quite some time, mostly cartoony stuff and Dungeons and Dragons characters and I started collecting comics in the 90's right when the big boom started and I thought that would be a good career: drawing comics. So then I really focused on comic art.


What are some things you do to develop your craft?

So many things! I love to watch movies and 80's TV shows and cartoons. I read whenever possible. I like to go to stores and the mall and just look at what’s out there; fabrics, design, etc. I surf the web all day at work :) and look at pop culture sites, tons of art and artist sites.
I like to look at art books and tutorials and chat with other artists when possible. I also listen to art podcasts.

Who inspires you as an artist?

So many wonderful artists out there! I can't even begin to name them because I have folders full of images on my desktop that I look to for inspiration as well as hundreds of sites bookmarked. Cartoons; both old and new. I have to say my 4 yr old daughter constantly inspires me with her craziness.

Take us through your creative process. How do you approach constructing a page?
First I go through the whole page in my head, usually at work or in the car and then when I have a picture in my mind I draw a quick thumbnail or two until I like that. After that it's just a matter of penciling it and working out the details. Usually each panel then goes through the same process of thinking about it and then thumbnail, then the pencils.

Tell us about your love of the 80's, particularly The Goonies!

I LOVE the Goonies! It captures the spirit I had as a child and try to maintain today. Riding my bike, exploring the neighborhood. We had a wooded area behind our house that we could play in. The ending of that movie always made me kinda sad because it was the end of their adventure and I hated to see it end. I would often times watch the movie right at the end of summer before school would start again. I have done quite a bit of Goonies fan art. Love those guys!

How did your Star Wars sketch project come about?

Oh, that was a fun one! I had seen a lot of monster a day sketchblogs and girl a day, stuff like that and wanted to do something along those lines. Since I also LOVE Star Wars I thought it'd be neat to watch the movie and draw every person that came on screen, even the extras. I've thought about doing it again with Empire Strikes Back...




What are you working on right now?

Right now I just redid my website that now has a blog, which is really fun. I also started a podcast where we chat about random topics which is so much fun! We are always looking for new people to chat with if anyone wants to talk about topics ranging from Zombies to LEGOs to trains.
I am also working with a writer on a children's book. I am editing and contributing to a kid’s book anthology i just initiated. I've been doing quite a few 80's themed commissions which have been great fun. And last but not least I've been doing a bunch of Star Wars, G.I. Joe and other random illustrations for fun.

The all important question: What's your theory on U.F.O's?

Not sure. Never seen one but I don't discount it. I saw a show on TV about UFOs and it was saying how in the bible they mention UFO type objects and that maybe when people saw angles they were UFOS or that what we think of as UFOs are angels. Interesting theories...

Thanks for taking the time to answer these for me,Christopher!

Thank you! My first interview, I am so excited!

So, there you have it, folks! A great look at an awesome creator and human being! You can find more art by Christopher or request commissions right here at ctupa.com

From Script to Page

It's an exciting time as Astronautica makes its debut at APE Entertainment. The story is updated every Thursday and Sunday right here at http://apecmx.com/ufo/

So far we are on page two and there is a big adventure waiting for Bernard and his son. With the work that Christopher Tupa, Wade Webb, and E.T. Dollman did on this story, you are in for a real treat. Stay tuned!

I think a shout out to these three gentlemen is in order. I can't express enough what a great experience I had working with them. Their professionalism was at its highest at all times and made the whole process a real joy.

I don't know about you, but I love a good behind the scenes look. So, why not have an inside peak at the creation of Astronautica's first page, from script to final product? Without further ado, here is the evolution of a page.

Page 1: 4 panels

Panel 1: Wide angle shot of a military compound etched between two desert mountains at night. The facility lies in obscurity, far from prying eyes. A lone road leads toward a large granite compound that resembles a bunker. Several large hangars are scattered across a stretch of runway. Watchtowers are positioned strategically, giving guards unobstructed views for miles. Chain link fence encases the entire compound.

CAPTION: Classified Air Force Research Facility.

CAPTION: Green River, Utah.

Panel 2: Medium shot of a military lab as technicians in white lab suits work at various stations. We focus on two particular workers. Bernard and Dr. Wong. Bernard is in his mid-30’s and is a bit of a nerd. He has a tall, slender build and wears glasses that he’s probably had since college. His hair cut is certainly behind the times. The two men are both standing at a table littered with high-tech equipment. The lab itself is pristine. The walls are white with high ceilings and bright lighting.

DR. WONG: Bernard, now is not the time for this.

BERNARD: I know, doctor. But, I think I’ve redeemed myself these past few months.

BERNARD: I mean, everyone has an accident now and then. Don’t you think I’m ready for another chance at level four clearance?

Panel 3: Angle on Dr. Wong and Bernard.

DR. WONG: Bernard, no one questions your intelligence. That’s why they haven’t gotten rid of you yet.

DR. WONG: But, the Air Force doesn’t forget things like accidental explosions. Level four just isn’t an option anymore.

Panel 4: Close on a dejected Bernard. He looks down in defeat. It’s a sad, solitary image.

DR. WONG (Off-Panel): Now, I need you to run those numbers for me again. General wants an update at nineteen hundred hours.

BERNARD: Yes, sir.

So there you have it, folks! The evolution of a page. Be sure to check out future installments of From Script to Page as we go deeper into the story of Astronautica.