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Brock is finished with issue one of Emily Edison. The four issue series will be in stores sometime early 2006. Posted on Brock's livejournal, here's an interesting sample from the first book... a cameo appearance of the Kleptomanikrabs!
 I'm currently working on the third issue. Now that summer is here, hopefully, I'll have some more time available to write.
Finished watching "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" by Hayao Miyazaki. What an incredible film! While I wouldn't consider myself a fan of "anime" per se (or at least, what "anime" has come to mean), I am a fan of animation and particularly of Miyazaki. He tells stories with such forceful humanity-- where kindness and compassion can actually change the world.
Karma Incorporated #2 is available for pre-order in the June Previews catalog on page 354 (order code - JUN053287).
 Karma Incorporated desperately seek forgiveness from the police officer they have tied up in the warehouse. But when that fails, they try blackmail. Meanwhile, Rob Wilson is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He holds his wife at gunpoint live on the news, threatening to blow Karma Incorporated's cover.
Last night, Melissa and I went to an advance screening of Serenity. I tried to get tickets when they first went on sale, but they sold out quickly. Fortunately, our friends Shanna, Leah, and Bethany had two extras tickets, and thus-- we went! My friend Clay was also there, and we sat next to him.
While not the finalized version, the movie was glorious. (There were some sound and music ques missing. I'm sure a few of the scenes will be deleted. And the picture quality was unfinished and grainy in many scenes.) The fans will love it. And even if people haven't seen the television series, the movie stands alone quite well. It's just good film making and solid storytelling. Something that the sci-fi genre, in my opinion, has sorely been missing lately. Hollywood has been too dependent on Phillip K. Dick and Isaac Asimov adaptations. Serenity is something new. Can't wait to see it again on September 30th.
Very soon, Lone Star Comics will be holding a contest for everyone who pre-orders or buys a copy of Karma Incorporated #1-- a chance to win original artwork from our own Tom Kurzanski. One winner for each area store.
I thought I'd give you a sneak peek of what's up for grabs... http://www.vipercomics.com/messages/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=520 (scroll down a bit)  Antihero Super-Friend and all around cool person Roxanne Bielskis has an article written about her in the Toronto Star.Some of the moments in Roxanne Bielskis's life would send a weaker woman to therapy. But she's got a different way to deal with rejection.The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is this weekend. I'm sure Roxanne will be there.
I ramble on about Melissa, character designs, and how a drunk girl at a sushi bar served as inspiration for Karma Incorporated. (I swear it makes sense in my own head!)
click here to read the full interview | make fun of my interview
Everything has been approved. Next year, I will definately be teaching a creative writing class for my high school. I've got some great ideas. This will be fun.
Right now, there's a guy sitting on our neighbor's porch (across the street). From our window, it looks like his wrists are cut. Blood everywhere. He's only wearing his boxers or board shorts. Can't really tell. There's also three police cars and a firetruck in front of the house. The police officers are slowly approaching him. Now, they lead him to the front yard where the paramedics are tending to him. An ambulance also arrived.
What the hell? More information as it comes. Update: * The guy has been taken away on a stretcher. Melissa just went over to ask our neighbor what happened. * (Melissa talking) Okay, the boy lives on the other side of our street, other side of Park Row. He's bipolar and was off his medication. He busted out a window and took off. He ended up on our neighbor's porch. Our neighbor opened the door and said he was calling 911. The boy begged him not to. Our neighbor gave him a dish towel for his cut up arm, and then called the police. There was blood all over the porch.
Spent most of Saturday working on the backyard. Mowing down the weeds. It was incredibly hot, and in May! No other way around it-- only the strong survive in Texas.
Invited my friends with Viper Comics over for a cook-out. The guys hung out on the backporch. The girls in the living room. I grilled hamburgers. I used a little too much lighter fuel. Exciting moment. (And the Darwin Award goes to...) After the cookout, Brock, Brock's sister, Adam, and I went to the Caves Lounge on Division Street for some drinks. Had a good time. On the Caves juke box, I discovered the band Arcade Fire. Promptly came home and downloaded some of their songs (via iTunes). I like it a lot. A lot. Friday night, the invincible Oliver Tull premiered his short film "Equilateral" at Four Day Weekend. The film contains a cameo of my mini-comic. More information coming soon. The back cover of Karma Incorporated #1 will feature a pin-up by Jim Mahfood (color by S. Steven Struble). I got the artwork today. It looks lovely.
I love trailers. And comic book trailers? Even better. Today, Viper Comics released one for The Middleman.
http://www.vipercomics.com/trailers/middleman01/middleman_high.mov
Brian Kelly's newest book Francis & the Vegas Tramps: Love Potion #9 is now available! Join the Vegas Tramps as they continue their quest for intergalactic superstardom. It's a fun and imaginative book. I highly recommend it.
 Of course, Brian and I worked together on the mini-comic Some Other Day. It was encouraging to collaborate with such a talented professional. I was fortunate. And now, it's so cool to see this second volume in his own work.
Yep. Another version of Antihero Comics dot com. I've lost count. There are aspects of this newest design, which I like much better. Although, no doubt, I'll probably change it again in a few months.
The baton has been passed to me by Wes Molebash. I will now answer the following questions truthfully and dutifully.
Total volume of music files on my computer... 7.64 gigs. Mostly from iTunes or our pre-existing CD collection. The last CD I bought was... Gimme Fiction by Spoon Song playing right now... Breakfast Club by Z-Trip Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me... Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) by The Pixies The Horror Partyjokes by dEUS I Don't Wanna Grow Up by Tom Waits Day In The Life by The Beatles Out The Window by Violent Femmes The baton is passed to... Joshua and John and Luke.
Hero Camp #1 comes out in stores today. Make sure to pick up your copy. I've read all the Hero Camp mini-comics, and couldn't be happier that Greg, Robbi, and Russ found a home at Image. If you've seen any of the preview pages (click here), you already know how good it looks.
Second time I've watched The Life Aquatic in the past few days. I'll probably watch it again tomorrow-- for the director's commentary and the bonus material. Right now, I'm trying to think of a way to describe how cool Wes Anderson's films are without sounding trite... and phrases like "visual candy" just sound lame. I'll think about it and get back to you.
This film wasn't as good as Royal Tenenbaums, but that's not really the point. The Life Aquatic is a good follow up, with it's own moments. I have the Royal Tenenbaums art on my school desktop. It drives me crazy when my students see the artwork and dismiss that movie with "I didn't get it" or "it was weird" or simply "it wasn't that funny", and then go on to talk about how cool House of Wax was. (!!!) I don't understand.
The Fanboy Radio Newsletter for May 2005 is online. Twelve pages of glorious comic book content! Top 50 Graphic Novels, The Birth of a Fangirl, Comics in Iraq, and some great artwork by Jim Lujan, Jeff Elden, Justin Stewart, and others.
Read it here (pdf file).
Lizz, who presently resides in southern California, came to visit for the weekend for Kennedy's birthday party. I hadn't seen her in five months, so it was great to spend some time together. We went bowling, ate at SpringCreek (which for my sister is the epitome of Texas cuisine), played guitar, watched some movies, put together a swing set for Kennedy, and of course, enjoyed the birthday party. Kennedy, while hesitant at first, was quite pleased to stick her hands in the cake. Mmmmmm. Lizz bought two outfits for Kennedy. She always gets the best clothes. I do not doubt-- Kennedy will be the coolest one year old on the block!
Lizz loves Kennedy so much, and was amazed at how much she'd grown. Lizz must've taken a hundred photos while here. I know it was difficult for her to only stay three days and then have to leave again. I hated to see her go. I don't like having my family so far away, seeing them only a few times a year. In other somewhat random news, Gimme Fiction by Spoon is one cool album.
Nicc Balce is the writer/artist for the series Random Encounter. He's also done some work for Xbox Magzine and Electronic Gaming Monthly. This past week, Nicc did a beautiful pin-up for Karma Incorporated (click here).
I like some of the Deviant Art comments: * What a great concept. not to mention beautiful art. (from patariku)I've also got a pin-up coming, sometime this week, from Jim Mahfood. How cool is that? Good karma all around. Although, sorry, no sneak peeks of the Mahfood pin-up. We're saving it for the back cover of issue one. It'll be a surprise. (I'm such a tease.) Most of the pin-ups will be featured in the trade paperback. If anyone else is interested in sending us something, please do! Drop me an e-mail. I couldn't be happier with all the support we're getting.
A few minutes ago, I got my school librarian to order:
Bone: One Volume Edition (ISBN: 188896314X),Also, an interesting article from USA Today: Teachers are Getting Graphic.
   As of 2:50 PM CST today, my daughter is one year old. Making this past year, the best year of my life. Nothing has made me happier than holding Kennedy for the first time. Nothing has made more excited than seeing Kennedy discover the world around her. I love being a dad. Plain and simple. And Melissa is the best mother anyone could hope for. We've learned so much, and grown together through all these new challenges. Looking forward to another year.
From Viper Comics, Oddly Normal #2 and Random Encounter #2 are both in stores today. Jessie gave me an early copy of each this weekend. Very, very cool. Definately worth picking up. And don't just thinking I'm saying that because I got free copies-- oh no, no, I still pre-order my comics. Paid for out of pocket. I've got the MegaCon exclusive covers and two copies of each issue. I'm dedicated.
And of course, one thing I'm happy about... Oddly Normal #2 features a full page Karma Incorporated ad in the back. Hell yeah. It's pretty.    Oddly Normal (Otis's site) is the wonderland story I've been waiting for. It's a quality all-ages story that is bold and endearing. The art is amazing. The color looks absolutely beautiful. Random Encounter (Nicc's site) is bizarre, and I love it. The adventures of Migo, Mica Mona, and the mysterious goggled-girl are so exciting and offbeat. If you're looking for something completely different from what you've been reading so far, this is it. Nicc Balce's art is stylized and cool. It needs to be mentioned that Living with Zombies #2 is also on the shelves. Matt Billman and Christopher Herndon collaborate on what has to be one of the funniest comics I've read in a long time.
A.David Lewis is conducting a study on mortality and super heroes, Ever-Ending Battle.
--an independent research study focused on the unique relationship between the superhero comic book genre and issues of mortality. The field of Thanatology - the study of a society's perceptions of and reactions to death & dying - has lead in recent decades to the creation of hospice care, enhanced care for the elderly, and increased understanding for victims of loss and trauma. As a mirror to certain aspects of culture, superhero comic books are a fertile yet untapped source of thanatological exploration.Click here to complete the 5 minute survey.
JW Cotter dot com is online. JW is the Isotope Award winning artist for Skyscrapers of the Midwest, now being published by AdHouse Books. Check it out.
Yesterday was Cape!, sponsored by Zeus Comics, Hero Realm, and PvP. It was a great success. We had a steady crowd in attendance from 10 AM until 6 PM. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I was able to sell a few comics and talk about Karma Incorporated.
Random thoughts: * It was cool to meet Robert Kirkman. I got my Invincible trade signed. It's the best superhero series on the shelves right now. * Kazu Kibuishi and Jake Parker are both very nice and talented individuals. * Lea Hernandez was handing out self-made buttons, which stated: "I'm hurting comics". * I apologize for all the name-dropping. I can't help it. I go to meet people. I meet them, and I blog about it here. What else am I going to write about? Sitting at my booth? More name-dropping ahead... * Said "hi" to Roberto Aquirre-Sacasa, the current writer for Marvel Knights 4. I told him I really didn't like issue one of his series, but after I read more I thought it was actually quite good. Hopefully, I didn't come across like an asshole saying that. He's one of those writers I'd love to sit down with and just pick his brain. * I thought I was almost completely sold out of my mini-comic, but the night before I found a hidden stash of about twenty-five copies. I sold quite a few the next day. Pretty soon I'll be on my third printing.  * The dynamic duo Rhody and Lisa were in attendance. I always enjoy talking with them. It just doesn't feel like a Con without them. * Luke Hawkins brought his camera to shoot some footage for a film he's putting together, which I'm co-producing. I'll post some more details about this later, but it's going to be cool-- and hopefully ready for either Dallas Comicon in the Fall or Wizard World Texas. * This one guy asked if I do sketches. I told him I'm a writer, and while I could do a sketch, it wouldn't be very pretty. He said he wanted one anyways. Okay, what do you want? A zombie. Sure. And so, I drew a zombie for him. * Jessie Garza wins the "my-publisher-is-cooler-than-your-publisher" award. He went to Kinko's early, early that morning to pick up last minute postcards, which he made to help us promote Karma Incorporated. Thank you so much! * I got an early copy of Oddly Normal #2 and Random Encounter #2. Both look amazing. Also, there's a full page ad for Karma Incorporated in the upcoming Oddly Normal. * Brock showed up in time for afternoon pizza (thanks Richard!) and stayed for the remainder of the event. I enjoyed sharing the table with him. This, in addition to the 24 hour comic, we've had some quality writer-artist bonding time! He did some sketches for a few of the attendees-- a zombie, Emily Edison, Robin, Wonder Woman, and a character from another project he's working on. Brock also contributed a beautiful Emily Edison sketch for the Cape! raffle.  * Fanboy Radio was present throughout, acting as a defacto fourth sponsor of the event. Scott did a great job as MC-- conducting hourly live interviews and frequent raffle drawings. Scott and Britta brought their cute puppy... Gizmo. Cute. Cute. Cute. * The wind was the only problem with event. We were in a huge tent,which was kinda cool, but there was strong breeze throughout most of the day. Comics and fliers were being blown everywhere. * My Free Comic Book Day stash consists of: The Adventures of Paul (D&Q), Roninhood of the Samurai (Beckett), Funny Book (Fantagraphics), Superior Showcase (AdHouse), Johnny Raygun (Jetpack Press), Owly Splashin' Around (Top Shelf), and Flight (Image) * Hero Camp #1 (Greg Thompson and Robbie Rodriguez) will be in stores May 18th. Make sure to get a copy. * My table was right next to the Luna Brothers. While we didn't talk much during the day, I had a chance to sit with them during party at Sons of Hermann afterwards. Really nice guys. * And on the other side of my table was Benjamin and Marlena Hall. Ben was doing sketches and selling copies of his new art book.  * At the after party, I ate way too many buffalo wings and carrot sticks. * Robert Kirkman's cell phone is a modern technological marvel. It does video. Quality video! And it's an mp3 player. * Didn't stay too long at the party. I was tired. And honestly, I always feel a little out of place at these things. * I posted new photos on my 12 fluid ounces page.
Randy Lander from the Fourth Rail talks about Karma Incorporated in his monthly "Previews review"
Viper Comics keeps getting these great concepts for their new books. Karma Incorporated is about a group of con artists, hackers and a hit man who go into business making other people miserable at the behest of their clients. Sort of a reverse private detective agency. Could be darkly humorous, could be played for drama, all I know is that I liked what I read of David Hopkins's stuff that I got at the STAPLE show, and the cover by Tom Kurzanski looks pretty sharp with a good design sense. Looking forward to this one. There's a nice-looking preview up at the Viper Comics website. (page 362)(click here for the full July 2005 report)  from Wes Molebash, the cartoonist for the comic strip You'll Have That! The Karma Incorporated forum has been a little dead lately. Feel free to go over there and liven things up. Yes? Maybe?
2005 Harvey Award nominations were announced.
http://brokenfrontier.com/headlines/details.php?id=496 The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art today announced the nominees for this year's Harvey Awards.It's cool, because this year I'll be able to cast my first ballot for the Harvey Awards. And MoCCA has been generous enough to offer a year's membership to the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art for any eligible voters.
Kennedy in her tub, quite happy. Since her hair is normally wild, I decided to give her a nice sophisticated part down the middle. Stylish.
  I'm the (and more). Zeus, HeroRealm, and PvP have done such a great job putting this event together. It's this upcoming Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM at Zeus Comics. Address: Turtle Creek Village, 3878 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas, Texas I'll be there promoting Karma Incorporated, selling copies of my anthology work from last year and whatever is remaining of my mini-comic. (I'm almost sold out of the second printing!) Also, in honor of Free Comic Book Day, I've got two short boxes of comics I'm giving away. Fanboy Radio will be there. Scott and I will introduce the event at 10:30 AM. And my own interview for Karma Incorporated will be later at 4 PM, with the rest of the Viper crew. (click here for a full schedule) Also, today is my birthday. I'm now 28. So hooray for another year of existence.
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