agent_hush

01:42 pm: Stuff What My Girlfriend Does
As some know, my girlfriend is an entomologist. Meaning she is a mad scientist who studies bugs. This summer she has been working in the New Jersey Cranberry bogs with bees. Here is an NPR clip showing what she does:

http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/2009/06/25/local-bees-pitch-in-on-pollination/11098

I'm almost sure this will run in tandem with an earlier study she was working on where she was crossbreeding hybrid genetic pairs of moths. she will probably end up creating some super bee/moth that not only pollinates your flowers but can decimate an entire vegetable patch.

Tags: npr, science

06:28 pm: Drawing Challenge
So I'm on the phone with bobo_dreams the other day and he asks me if I remember the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon. Sure I say. He asks me if I want to do a drawing challenge like we used to when both of us had way more free time on our hands. Sounds cool I say. He says he wants to see me draw Thief or Venger. Who? I say. After looking online I find an image of the character and get down to it. Here is the result:



I had a bit of trouble capturing what the Dungeon Master calls in the opening credits, "A Force Of Evil", and it took me a couple of attempts to get it to this stage. I am quite happy with the results.

Tags: dungeons and dragons, sketches, venger

10:39 pm: Finished Pencils
Tonight at 10:32 PM I finished penciling book 1 of the Sons Of Liberty. It feels good.

02:58 pm: It has been quite a while since any type of activity here from me, but there are a few announcements to be made.

First, NYCC is fast approaching, This weekend from the 6th to the 8th! I will be in Artists Alley at table L2 pimping The Sons Of Liberty plus a few other things and doing sketches and the like. Swing on by say hello have a chat and a cuppa coffee with me.

Second I am deep into the inking of the aforementioned Sons Of Liberty and am enjoying myself thoroughly. I would say more, but unfortunately can't.

Third I've been threatening new artworks for a while. After con, after con the artworks I will show you.

So until then, stay weird my lovelies.

Tags: nycc, the sons of liberty

12:07 am: I'm wondering if my eyes will explode from inking. I can't even come up with anything more coherent at the moment. Drawings will be up before Thanksgiving.

08:52 pm: Why My Eyes Can't Focus
Twelve hours of inking today. My brain has gone soft from it.

09:12 pm: A Wedding and 100 Pages In
So much has happened recently, let me start with the big news. My friends planetx and blackwell got married on Saturday! The ceremony was beautiful and the week spent with them is something I'll never forget. Here are a couple of choice photos:





Also I just hit Page 100 on book one of The Sons Of Liberty! I can't believe that I'm at this point.

Tags: jared and mae's wedding, the sons of liberty

10:35 am: Face Off


I think that is a pretty accurate description of what went on last night, don't you?

Tags: comics, the presidential debate

11:41 am: DRAWBAR
Last night's Drawbar went really well. Good batch of folks showed up, and I saw some great work produced all around. Here are some of my sketches from last night.







I had a blast and can't wait for the next one.

Tags: drawbar, sketches

09:37 am: Drawing and Drinking
A couple of friends and i will be hosting a drink and draw this Friday here in Brooklyn. We've got a bar space, and the owner has generously said that he would move tables, chairs, his wife, walls, and anything else that isn't nailed down to accommodate us. If anyone is interested in coming out and drawing with a bunch of crazy cartoonists, or watching a bunch of crazy cartoonists get falling down drunk, reply here and I will get you the full details. (mollycrabapple and deadredfred this means you!)

hope to see you all there.

04:59 pm: Sons Of Liberty Update
I just finished penciling page 80 of Book 1. That puts me at halfway through the first book. Hell yes I am happy.

02:57 pm: Humberto Ramos Remembers Carlos Meglia
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080819-Ramos-Meglia.html

Give it a read.

03:20 pm: You learn something new...
Thanks to my friend mikecap for pointing me in the direction of the Akashic Records. Imagine being able to store everything in one place that is pocket sized.

12:14 pm: Carlos Meglia Dies
This has left me a bit shocked.

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080815-Meglia.html

10:03 am: What Comic Artists Dream Of
That I was at a con somewhere that I needed to have my passport with me. I left both my Passport and portfolio in the Con over night and when I came in the next day, both had been stolen. First thing I did when I woke up was to convince myself it had been just a dream.

09:58 am: Reverse Innovation
Saw Wall-E last night. While I am a huge fan of computer generated animation, the closing credits sequence on that film blew me away for it's traditional animation. Painted scenes and a sequence done to look like cave drawings. Is it reverse innovation? Fun movie, and almost a silent film. Roughing out 4 pages today, and probably drawing up at least two. Plus plan on finishing inking another piece. I've got some new sketches lying around that if I have the time I will scan and post.

Tags: drawing, wall-e

04:16 pm: I am way over caffeinated. I've had four iced coffees in a little over 3 hours. I can almost see between dimensions into the fabric of all reality. Through this hypnagogic state I am drawing a splash page that has me jumping up and down in caffeine induced excitement. Of all the pages I've drawn for The Sons, this is the one that is closest to my I suppose you would say style. In other words, I am clearly giddy. And should be given no more coffee, iced or otherwise today. Iced coffee is the devil in liquid form.

Tags: coffee, comics, the sons of liberty

10:06 am: The late night combination of wine and coffee can only lead to tears.

10:58 am: It's amazing how a day at the beach can recharge some really well worn batteries. I got some color so now I look more like I am of Italian descent and less like I could be the filament in a light house, I got to go swimming in the ocean which I have not done in years and made me so completely friggin' happy and reminded me why I loved swimming in the first place. Plus I got to hang with friends and be completely silly which is always a plus. Today I find myself itching to work.

So how was everyone else's holiday?

01:06 am: This weekend was full. I was supposed to travel to philly to attend blackwell, and planetx's engagement party, but funds being a little tight prevented that. Instead Friday night ursamajr and her hubby came by to have dinner, talk comics, and get ice cream. Saturday was spent by myself which was nice as I couldn't figure out what exactly to do with myself so I ended up watching movies all day. I should have hauled my ass over to Coney for the Mermaid Parade, but c'est la vie.

Today urate and I hung out. It was nice to spend time with her as the occasions I get to see her are rare, her being of that breed of people we like to call the Canadians. We hung out in Prospect Park, ate, shopped and talked art and life. We drew some too. And got caught in a thunderstorm. She also introduced me to the forest floor that is a gin and tonic. Evil in a glass so it is.

11:27 pm: Tired.
Big Apple Con was a great deal of fun. I am exhausted so I will post about it tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the table.

10:34 pm: Big Apple Con and Politics
So it is confirmed. Come see me this weekend at the Big Apple Comic Con. I'll be in Artist Alley with a promo of The Sons Of Liberty as well as doodling away to my hearts content. Stop by and bring some coffee and we can chat.

I other news, it looks as though Senator Obama has clinched the DNC. Senator Clinton is already beginning to attempt to bully her way to the VP candidacy, and Senator McCain is once again talking in circles. Not only is Senator McCain now saying he never supported the Bush administration, but that Senator Obama Will put a greater strain on the fiscal crisis America has "found" itself in by not supporting the world economy and opening up free trade with other countries.

Right now the blood is pounding in my head with the force of ten Hiroshima bombs and all of the electronic and car components we shipped to overseas which was then improved upon by other countries and sold back to us at twice the price.

Firstly somebody needs to sit Hillary Clinton down and explain to her the art of the graceful defeat. By not conceding to the Distinguished Gentleman, you are causing even deeper party lines to be drawn when what the country needs to see right now is a united democratic party in support of it's candidate, especially if we would like to avoid another four years of republican politics, of troops being stop gapped back to Iraq, of rising oil prices. Of an economy in fiscal crises.Do not try to strong arm your opponent into giving you the number two seat just because you feel like you deserve it. Rather own up to your shady dealings your offhanded comments about how unfortunate it would be if Senator Obama was assassinated in the manner of RFK. Attempt to save some face and then try for the VP nod. Hillary Clinton is a pit bull on speed and knows the art of dirty politics and would be an excellent foil to nearly virginal Barack Obama.

Second, someone (re:any member of the Republican Party with part of a working brain) needs to muzzle Senator McCain. Or, at the very least his speech writers need to learn about continuity. Listening to Senator McCain speak is like listening to a high school PSA as read by a sufferer of multiple personality disorder. Just last week he was walking around with President Bush who has been on the Stump for McCain, and now he is saying he did not support the Bush administration. I don't even know where to begin. I will say this, the man is about as inspiring as a piece of sack lint. After listening to his speech tonight (which CNN thankfully cut off. Either they felt bad for him or Wolf Blitzer had a gun to the head of the line producer.) one of the first thoughts that ran through my mind was that there is no way in hell I could get behind this man as President, and anyone that would obviously the soft spot on their skull never fully ossified and their brains have taken this opportunity to flee for greener pastures.

All told the next few days will be interesting to discover what the outcome shall be, and that is the reason you should come visit me at the convention. If only to get away from the madness that is our political system and enter a venue that will be filled with people seeking out fetish properties. Just don't talk to me about politics if you see me there. I may hit you with the rubber chicken of reason.

Tags: barack obama, big apple comic con, hillary clinton, john mccain, the sons of liberty

01:38 am: A Little Something

Quick painting from tonight.

11:18 pm: I have had this serious itch to watch Dune. It could be due to me having just re-read the book. What shocked me is that neither myself nor my roommate own a copy of the movie. Does this mean I lose some geek cred? Ah, who cares. I will go and read a single Transmet issue instead of my trades.

03:22 am: Perfect Night
I just spent the last four hours painting at Paul Booth's Last Rites Gallery in NYC with a couple of my friends and a whole bunch of tattooists.

I love my life.