Sweet Union 'Toonists

Oyster Wars! Great online comic!

2011-07-07T10:42:00.003-04:00

If you haven't found it yet, you need- no, you MUST check out Ben Towle's online comic Oyster Wars.
For anyone who has read any of Ben's other works like Midnight Sun or Amelia Earhardt: Across this Broad Ocean, or if you enjoyed the art and setting of Shannon & Bruce Hale's Rapunzel's Revenge or Aaron Renier's The Unsinkable Walker Bean then Oyster Wars is your kind of read.
The story takes place in the years following the Civil War in the Chesapeake Bay. Seafood is a booming industry, and for the folks of Blood's Haven, the prime commodity is oysters. By regulating how much a boat can harvest, there is an assurance of work for plenty, and a steady crop for the people to depend on. But all of that is put into jeopardy by oyster pirates- unscrupulous sailors who dredge everything from the bottom leaving nothing to grow or for honest sailors to harvest. At the top of the list is a pirate named Fink, but oysters may not be all that pirate is looking for.
Out to stop him, by special appointment of the governor and Blood's Haven's mayor is the Oyster Navy- a one-ship group of misfits and immigrants led by Commander Davidson Bulloch of the Confederate States Navy. He seems to be a learned, "just-the-facts-ma'am" type who has a knack for totally skewering well-known phrases, sayings and quotes.
The coloring is beautiful, the art has a nostalgic feel to it and the story moves with a pace that feels just right- not too fast and not too bogged down in details. Much like a journalist, Ben focuses on telling the story from beginning to end, filling in the who, what where, when, why, and how as things move along. He also makes it clear why stopping the oyster pirates is so important that people would risk their very lives. Another thing I really have liked about Ben's work is that it is appropriate for an all-ages audience, yet the characters can still be very mature, the gravity of their situations is still there.
Give this online comic a read, tell others about it, leave comments to the author- because this North Carolina talent has made another story worthy of being read by a broad audience.

New Kid Books from Top Shelf!

2011-07-01T13:15:00.002-04:00

Top Self comics has announced release dates for two new additions to their kids line-up! First up is the much anticipated third volume to Korgi!

A Hollow Beginning picks up from book two where Ivy and Korgi have discovered a mysterious piece of glass. Apparently, the shard has something to do with how their magical home came to be! Korgi, by Christian Slade, is full of intricate black and white line drawings that have the appearance of being "scribbled" into form but have so much going on in the foregrounds and backgrounds they create a visual delight of discovery for old and young alike! The wordless format makes the book accessible to all reading levels as well. (Soft cover, 96 pages, $9.95)

Next is Dragon Puncher Island by James Kochalka. This is a continuation of the first Dragon Puncher book. Kochalka's first Dragon Puncher and his Johhny Boo both incorporate silly situations and silly dialogue to make stories kids really enjoy. (Hardcover, 40 pages, $9.95)

Both books are available to order from Diamond through your local comics shop or online book retailer and will ship in September!

The Sword's Stories Web Comic!

2011-06-30T13:27:00.008-04:00

The Sword vs the Hordes of Darkness by John Tompkins

The Sword is a character I developed during my later high school years many, many, MANY moons ago. Over the years he has been revised, updated, changed and had his whole background re-arranged. Certain elements of the character always seemed to stick around, and it was these parts that I chose to use to define the character.

Various early design ideas for the Sword as I tried to get a look I liked.

The Sword, aka Mike Daniels (named after my two brothers), is a superhero and a Christian. He is a former pro athlete, and he is a young man looking for a job. He is someone who doesn't have all the answers and his confidence goes back and forth.

The Sword with other original characters Gilead Samson by Walter Reynolds, Blujaye by Gabe Dill and the Christian by Kent.

The Sword by Kent, aka Vagabond X

I have posted the first four pages of his origin story, with two more to follow. Drop in, check it out (remember to start at part 1!) and leave a comment! Click the title at the top of this story or go to www.theswordstories.blogspot.com.

The Sword by Gary Pope.

Review: Campfire July Releases

2011-06-22T13:02:00.006-04:00

Campfire is a fairly new company on the comics scene, yet they have made their mark in reviving the niche for illustrated classic stories. Based out of India, the company uses Indian artists for the majority of their titles, and American writers to adapt classic works of literature (mostly written by the English and French) for the comics format.
Oliver Twist is the latest release from the Classics line, with the written adaptation done by North Carolina's own Dan Johnson. Now, Campfire has three new titles to debut in July- one Classic of War of the Worlds, a mythology story in Sita, Daughter of the Earth, and an original story, Space Race.
Starting with War of the Worlds, I was very pleased to see this story handled in the time frame that author HG Wells had set it in- at the close of the 1800's. Ryan Foley's scripting of the story is good, and doesn't seem to slow down from the first impact crater. Bhupendra Ahluwalia provides the art and has a great eye for detail, as many of the Campfire artists seem to have with presenting realistic images. The coloring work done by Akil Lal and Pradeep Sherawat may be just as important as the penciler's work. Too often today the inking process is skipped in many comics- pencils are simply darkened on the computer and the result is considered acceptable. This causes many comics to lose the crisp, clean lines and the solid blacks and whites that give the story a finished feel regardless of whether colors are added or not. The colorists on War of the Worlds make sure that the blacks do come out black, and many of the panels have a final visual result of having been inked.
The one scene that seemed a bit "muddy" was the death of the curate by the narrarator. The action is not clear and younger readers may have trouble figuring out what happened and who was to blame.
Still, a fantastic overview of this early sci-fi classic which delivers Wells' warning that mankind should not presume that because it enjoys a place at the top of the food chain, that it may not always be that way.
War of the Worlds has a publication date of July 5.
Next in line is Sita, Daughter of the Earth. This is a retelling of a Hindu myth of a king and queen who long for a child of their own and find one in the ground! Eventually, the royal couple have a child of their own, but unlike other myths, the sisters grow up together in harmony along with their two cousins. Rama, a prince of a nearby kingdom, catches Sita's eye. Like Sita, Rama is born of the gods but raised by men. After passing a trial, Rama marries Sita, and his brothers marry Sita's sister and cousins. Thus begins a life-long bond of family and friendship that supernatural forces cannot tear apart. Sita, Rama, and the rest survive years of exile, captivity, and epic battles that include other mythic Hindu characters.
It is only the fickleness of man that can pose a threat to Rama and Sita.
People not familiar with far eastern myths (present company included) will either find this fascinating or utterly confusing. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more of the myths Campfire has put out. I liked how terms and words were included/transliterated from the culture to add to the other-worldly experience for me, but others may get hung up on these words or slowed down by them. Fortunately, Campfire includes a glossary in the back to help understand many of the words and phrases used. The writer, Saraswati Nagpal shows a love of the Hindu legends and is careful to explain enough about a character when they are initially put into the story. The years pass by quickly, and given the characters appear to stop aging at adulthood, the passage of time is lost. I don't know if the lack of aging is part of the story, was called for in the script, or was overlooked by the artist. It could be the editor just wanting to keep the characters consistent- I don't know.
Manikandan's art really shines when he is drawing the mythical. His drawing of the ordinary and mundane is fine, but he really takes off when he draws the battles or characters like Hanumana, a sort of Monkey-King character. The coloring has an almost water-color array to it, which suits this tale set in fantastical places and times.
Sita has a publication date of July 26.
Last is Space Race, an original work by CEL Welsh and drawn up by KL Jones. Space Race is set in the future but tells the story of the advancements made in getting to outer space, and the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Welsh tries to lay down a lot of history in the story, while trying to make it sound conversational between Grandpa (a retired astronaut) and his grandson, Chet. I'm a nut for space history, and I wish Welsh had spent more time on the early Americans in the program- Mercury and Gemini astronauts, along with some of the breakthroughs leading to Mercury like Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier and the development of the X-planes. But the story is called Space Race, and the way Welsh presents it shows it as a tie with the Russians getting the first sattelite, first animal, first man, first orbit, first multi-crew, first space walk, and first woman in space while the US has the moon landing to balance against all that. Unfortunately, readers unfamiliar with this era of history will be lead to believe America was working on only getting to the moon- they will know nothing of the early programs or how they contributed to the long-term goal of reaching the moon. Welsh mentions the Columbia tragedy, but missed the Challenger crash. He also gives George W Bush credit for redefining the future role in space, but fails to mention Obama's demands for getting a manned vehicle to orbit Mars and return to Earth.
The art in the book by Jones is good and he really comes through when drawing the vehicles and rockets of space. His likenesses for real-life people tend to be a little off- for example President Kennedy and Apollo 11 astronauts all have soft, rounded faces like someone's grandmother- not the impression of heroic men who were pushed to their physical limits.
Still, the book is a good read, and offers some good insight into the space race, especially for people wanting to learn more.
Space Race has a publication date of July 12.
To see previews of these books, go to Campfire's website!

Even more pics from Saturday!

2011-06-14T11:01:00.002-04:00

FIRST:
Three comics fans threw together what they called their "one-minute cosplay gear" and showed up for our mini-con. They really liked the free comics- they chose Oni Press, Top Shelf, The Muppet Show, and a Campfire book. They were thrilled to meet Ian Flynn, writer of Sonic and Mega Man!

Second:
A young fan proudly displays her cartoon mustache from Dave McDonald, making her an official cartoonist!

THIRD:
Another young superhero- this original outfit needed two capes to create the look of "Super-E".

FOURTH:
Some young ladies get excited to get free comics! They liked the cuter stories from The Muppet Show and Top Shelf, and they liked the posters from Viz Media, too!

More pics from the event!

2011-06-13T18:15:00.004-04:00

FIRST-
One of our circ folks gets into the spirit of the mini-con dressing up as a character from the hugely popular Naruto series.

SECOND-
Our volunteers greeted folks at the door and handed out comics while talking about what was going on inside the building.

THIRD-
Kacy checks through the boxes to make sure things are sorted properly, and that they are easy to reach. Handing out comics is easy when two or three are coming through the door, but when 15-20 all come walking in at the same time, things can feel a little hectic!

FOURTH-
A crowd shot from later in the day- some of the early crowd is still hanging out in the general area, while new folks have replaced the ones who moved on to the meeting room to see Ian Flynn, Jester Press, and the $0.50 comics offered by Rebel Base Comics.

Mini-Con Pics, Rd. 3

2011-06-13T16:40:00.003-04:00

Here is a sampling of the goodies our wonderful publishers sent to the mini-con. Items were grouped based on two things- target age of the books, and the apparent reading level of the books. Age ranges went from beginner (the youngest), to elementary, to tween and teen books. In all, we had about six boxes set up for our volunteers, Kacy & Kaelyn, to hand out comics, DVDs, posters, etc. to the kids as they entered the library. By the end of the day, nearly every box was empty and the remainder was consolidated into one box. After setting aside some extra issues for future purposes, we boxed up the extras and sent them along with Dan Johnson. Dan has a friend who knows folks, and these extra comics will go to the USO to be distributed to soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines stationed all over the place. We estimated that about 300 comics were sent on their way. Part of that number comes also from Ian Flynn, the writer of the Sonic the Hedgehog comics and the Mega Man comic. Ian generously gave a LARGE stack of various Archie digest titles that helped fill our box for the soldiers. Thank you, Ian! You Rock! I know the soldiers are going to really appreciate looking at Betty and Veronica in all those comics.

More Mini-Con pics!

2011-06-13T13:22:00.005-04:00

From the top:
Dan Johnson does a nice Spidey;

Second:
Derek Davis- one of the fastest hands out there, does the sketching while Nikki Davis does the talking (smart!);

Third:
Jim McGee sketches while answering questions about some work-in-progress pieces in his portfolio;

and Fourth:
Dave McDonald, who was a cartoonist-in-residence this spring at the Charles M. Schulz Museum, inks up a headshot of Vincent VanDoodle!

Photos from The Return of Mini-Con (Strikes Back!)

2011-06-13T10:47:00.004-04:00

Wow! Sorry for not posting the day before, the day of or even the day after t he mini-con. Just know I've been very busy but I am now getting the photos from our mini con up! The library estimates over 300 people came for the show (just how much over we don't know), which is good considering several things- Heroes Con was the weekend before, many families were going to graduations over the weekend, many more families were taking trips to the beach or just out-of-town for the weekend, the Monroe Airport was giving FREE planes rides to kids, the Monroe Mall/Crossing had a science fair exhibit, etc., etc.
From the top, we have author Dan Johnson taking his turn at a sketch, Al Bigley talking with some fans, and two shots of the crowd just minutes after we started!
Many comics were given out thrilled kids- Oni Press' Rated Free For Everyone, Transformers from IDW, Top Shelf's Kids Club Comic, The Muppet Show comics by KaBoom!/ Boom! Studios, a variety of titles from :01 Books, Viz Media (and some cool bags, posters and other neat stuff), RightStuf (who also sent t-shirts and DVDs), and Campfire/ Steerforth Press. There were also some great posters from Dark Horse Comics. We were able to group the comics and graphic novels by age and approximate reading level, and everyone got something they enjoyed. Each of these companies actively act as ambassadors for the comics/graphic novel industry and they understand the importance of not just doing trendy or adult comics, but of looking to make people into lifelong readers and lifetime lovers of the comics format. They produce quality work that goes beyond the typical wrestling throwdowns seen in the bigger companies of Marvel and DC. It is worth noting that although Marvel and DC are the top two companies in terms of comics revenue, it has been the "smaller" companies that have been so willing to reach out to the kids at these types of library events. So, yeah, I'm making a shameless plug for you to look for them at your comics shops, bookstores and online and support them in return.

Rebel Base Comics brings the dollar bin!

2011-06-06T12:28:00.004-04:00

Heroes Con has come and gone. I didn't get the chance to go because of car trouble, which is really a shame because I so badly wanted to see some friendly faces again, like Chrissie Zullo (who is moving away from Charlotte- "sniff"- we'll always say we knew you when, and God bless you, Chrissie!), Jeremy and Kelly Dale, Marcus Hamilton, the gang from Sketch Charlotte, Chris Staros from Top Shelf, the guys from Tsunami Studios and some folks I've gotten to know through other venues like Deviant Art. There's always next year.
But, some good news- our library's mini-con event is just five days away!
And the good news keeps coming as Troy Hasbrouck, the chief writer, creator, editor and assistant-whatever-else-is-needed of Jester Press and the Night comics series also happens to run his own comic shop in Charlotte called Rebel Base Comics and Toys. Just look for the link on the left for store hours and location. Troy has agreed to bring a "dollar bin" of comics to the mini-con. What's a dollar bin, you ask? These are often times older and/or well-read (used) comics that are resold for a small price and can still be enjoyed. Since I'm a reader, this is how I prefer to buy my comics, and I enjoy the older comics more.
So if you want to get familiar with some comics, build a collection, or get some cheap reads for the summer, come check it out!!

Heroes Con begins Tomorrow!

2011-06-02T17:23:00.002-04:00

The annual Heroes Con begins tomorrow at the Charlotte Convention Center! This is by far the biggest three-day comics event in the Carolinas and usually boasts an incredible line-up of current and former stars of the business, along with other pop culture icons (in the past they have had people like Lou Ferrigno and Butch Patrick in attendance). One of the coolest features at the con is the center area, known as Indie Island where independent and small-press creators can show off what they do. Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) will host several crash courses for budding artists, and of course their will be discussion panels about some of the summer's biggest movies.
Kids under 12 are free with a paying adult. All other tickets are $15 for a one-day pass or $30 for all three days. Details can be found here at the official website.

Oni Press Makes a BIG Splash on the Mini-Con!

2011-05-23T11:08:00.003-04:00

When I got an email from Corey Casoni at Oni Press a few weeks ago I was already excited. Corey had said that Oni would be sending some goodies for the mini-con and while they were shipping as media mail, they should get to the library in plenty of time for the event. THEN I get four more emails of tracking numbers! Not one package, but FOUR! Well, all four packages arrived last week and my jaw dropped when I opened them- inside each box was 250 copies of this year's FCBD edition- Rated FREE for Everyone. That's 4 boxes X 250 copies each= 1,000 comics!!!!
Oni Press, who was VERY generous last year, was even moreso this year. Thanks to them, every child who comes to the mini-con should walk away with at least two comics this year. If that won't help encourage kids to become comics fans, I don't know what will.
If you check Oni Press' webpage you'll see they have some fantastic kid titles like Possessions, and Salt Water Taffy (a favorite of mine!), and Ted Naifeh's (Polly & the Pirates) series Courtney Crumrin, which I haven't read yet but seems to give nods to past comics, and book series (like the cover for the League of Ordinary Gentlemen which combines the title from Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with Harry Potter and a classic pulp noir picture).
Come by The Return of Mini-Con Strikes Back on Saturday, June 11 from 1-5 pm and get your FREE Oni Press comic along with some other great swag!

Top Shelf Comics Delivers

2011-05-23T10:25:00.003-04:00

Last week we got in a BIG box from Top Shelf Comics and inside it was over 250 copies of their FCBD offering!! This year's edition is a great showcase of the company's growing children's selections, which just a few years ago was limited to Owly, Korgi, and Johnny Boo (which are excellent and well-crafted comics). Now, Top Shelf has devoted an entire group to kids' comics-the Top Shelf Kids Club. Newer additions include Okie Dokie Donuts, Dragon Puncher, Pirate Penguin vs Ninja Chicken, Upside Down Vampire Tales, Pinky & Stinky, YAM, Spiral Bound, Squirrelly Gray, Grandpa & Julie: Shark Hunters, and the graphic adaptations of Percy Jackson & the Olympians. Whew!
Right now, you can also join the kids club (WITH your parent's permission- don't forget that part!) and receive updates and activities sent to you by email. When you sign up, you will also get a kids club poster for FREE!
If you didn't get your hands on Top Shelf's FCBD comic, you can hopefully ge one at The Return of Mini-Con Strikes Back on Sat., June 11 from 1-5 p.m. Admission to the event is FREE and you'll get free comics and meet some great artists and writers!

Campfire treats the mini-con to Robinson Crusoe

2011-05-19T12:57:00.004-04:00

I just received a box of graphic novels from Campfire- about 50 in all- and WOW! It is filled with classic stories like Moby Dick, Tom Sawyer, Wizard of Oz, Call of the Wild, Frankenstein, and many, many more. Along with that assortment is a copy of Oliver Twist and about 25 copies of Robinson Crusoe! Why do I put those two titles in their own sentence and why so many copies of Robinson Crusoe (or Rob-crew as we call him around here!)? Glad you asked! Both of these titles were adapted by author Dan Johnson, who will be one of our featured guests at the mini-con on June 11 and he will be signing the copies of his books!
It's great to see a publisher get involved by giving books for an event like this, but it is even better to see them support the people who make their books happen. Both Campfire and Dan were a part of our mini-con last year, and we are very honored to have them both back this year! If you ever read the Marvel Classics, or better yet- the Classics Illustrated comics from the Golden Age, then you will appreciate the work Campfire is doing in re-introducing these stories to young readers. Classics are great literature and great reads, usually, but sometimes they aren't all winners, or they may need some more selling to get someone drawn into the story. Wishbone the dog was the last great intro to the classics for young people (look it up- it was a PBS show for a few years. George Plimpton hated the series!), Campfire looks like it is ready to take that same spot now.
Go here to read our Artist Profile on Dan Johnson from last year's mini-con!

Do you know about :01 Books? You should!

2011-05-13T16:56:00.004-04:00

First Second Books, or :01 Books as they write their name, puts out an amazing array of graphic novels by a variety of artists and writers, covering a wide range of topics, yet they seem to have an underlying thread to all of them. While I'm terrible at telling people what it is they REALLY read, the themes of family, coming-of-age, finding identity and purpose, and acceptance seem to be present in each and every title, whether it is The Unsinkable Walker Bean (Eisner-nominated book!), Jewish and Christian kids befriending each other in WWII New York in City of Spies, kids going to summer camp in Brain Camp, or young people resisting an evil form of authority in Resistance (which has a cover that makes me laugh out loud!). The art of these books has the feel of traditional comics, cartoons, and concept art that you might see in a Disney project. The coloring is uncomplicated and harkens back to great comics like Tintin. These books are strong on both story and art, and while they may use some harsh language at times, it is never gratuitous or thrown in just for shock value. I give kudos to the editors and the art director at :01 Books for allowing for a variety in art and subject, yet selecting and working with these stories to make them seem like they all belong in one literary universe.
We here at the Return of Mini-Con Strikes Back consider the folks at :01 Books to be good friends as they have helped us with our event last year and this year. And if you're lucky enough to get one of their books at our mini-con, or buy one yourself, you'll understand what we mean!

...and Gina G, if you're reading this- thank you so much for being approachable, responsive, and very helpful!

Artist Profile: Henry Eudy Art!

2011-05-11T17:55:00.000-04:00

Artist Profile: Henry Eudy

2011-05-11T15:17:00.004-04:00

Henry Eudy is an incredibly talented (and hard-working) inker who has an affinity for the humorous and off-beat comics ranging from Tom & Jerry funny to the biting satire found in Mad or Cracked. A part of the Sketch Charlotte gang, Henry also has his work featured in this year's sketchbook form Big Dog's Studios and was a key part to the FCBD edition put out by the Sketch Charlotte crew this year.

Our Cartooning Club had the priviledge of learning about inking from Henry last year, and we are very excited to have him as part of our mini-con talent list this year! So without further ado, here is the interview with Henry, presented uncut in its entirety. Enjoy!

1) Your focus is on inking pictures. Are these usually your own pictures or someone else's?

Inking is absolutely my favorite part of making comics and in the last year I’ve made a real effort to broaden my skills by working over the pencils of other artists. Primarily, I’m still just inking my own stuff but I’ve worked with both Erakllis “Herc” Petmezas and Brandon Padgett to good effect recently and I’d be really interested in doing some more collaboration in the future.

2) How did you decide inking was your "niche"? How long did it take before it became something natural?

I suppose inking is just what excites me about the comics process. All that layout stuff is just math in one form or another and my inner 3^rd grader just wants to run from it, screaming. I’ve never been a particularly tight penciler and I normally just work from rough sketches of shapes and forms, making up the good stuff in the inking stage. Frankly, I find penciling a little tedious and I’m often anxious (normally too anxious) to get to the part I find fun and rewarding, which is in the inks. It’s a natural inclination, I suppose.

With each new inking tool there is normally a pretty steep learning curve that is going to take at least a few months in which to build up comfort. When I want to train myself to use a new tool, I’ll generally purchase a sketchbook and then devote my drawing time to working in that book (every day if possible) until I feel like I’ve broken in the tool and grown accustomed to it. I like to work this way in a sketchbook because it allows me to look back and review my progress, page to page. I’ve done this with nibs and brushes and brush pens and it is always beneficial.

3) What kind of tools do you use? What tools would you recommend to a child or teen who is just learning about inking?

I work mostly with brushes and brush pens these days but I’ll still use the occasional nib or even Micron for fine detail. In my ever expanding arsenal are: Several Winsor and Newton Series 7 Sable Brushes, I primarily use the Number 2. For on the go inking I use the Pentel Pocket Brush and occasionally some other smaller diameter Japanese brush pens that, I believe are also made by Pentel. I’m not using nibs much these days but when I do, I most often use a Japanese manga nib, the Nikko 357, and sometimes a Hunt 107 (Hawk Quill). I prefer a nib that is a little on the stiffer side but still offers flexibility. I also use a .50 Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph and once in a while a few of the Prismacolor Premier fine point markers. I use Holbein Special Black drawing ink.

For a young person interested in inking I recommend building up your skills slowly and over time, becoming acquainted with one tool after another until you find the one that fits you. Just because nibs and brushes are the traditional tools of illustration doesn’t mean you have to stick strictly to those tools. Most people these days use Microns and disposable pens and markers rather than rely on the older, more difficult to wield tools of our comics forefathers. So, I’d recommend buying a good range of Micron pens from the very small (.005) to the fairly large (.08) and getting accustomed to using a variety of lines of different width and character within your drawings. If you feel the need to move on, I’d suggest trying out some technical pens like Rapidographs. This will get you used to things like ink flow and introduce density and opaqueness to your work. Training with a Rapidograph will ready you for the very difficult task of using a dip pen. Using nibs and dip pens are incredibly frustrating and only the most determined artist will withstand their many challenges to get to the bounty of mastering the tool which is a beautiful, flowing line full of character and personality. If you can use a nib, then you can use a brush. Brush pens might be a good way to segue into brush inking since they require far less maintenance and control. Spend some time focusing on thin-to-thick lines, flowing and descriptive lines that round off an object. Nothing is better for roundness than a brush. Once you’ve built up comfort with the brush pen, try the real thing, the Sable Hair Round. And if you can learn to brush ink, then you’ll be standing tall right alongside the great masters of the art form.

4) You are the new addition to Big Dog's Studio. How did that happen, and what's it like to become "CORPORATE" now? (just kidding about the corporate part!)How does being part of a studio change things for you?

I feel very fortunate to be good friends with the Big Dog himself, Brandon Padgett. Brandon was kind enough to extend the offer to me to join his studio’s sketchbook this year and it is my great honor to be a part of it. Drawing is too often a solitary and lonely affair and having a group of friends with whom I can share my work and elicit feedback from is a great boon. I get this all the time with my friends at Sketch Charlotte and being part of the Big Dogs Studios just intensifies my enjoyment of working alongside good people making good art.

5) Your pictures draw inspiration from blues music, pop culture stuff from the 80s, a little Mad magazine and mainstream and small press/ independent comics- so tell us just what some of your interests are in comics and outside of comics.

I’m the odd duck that didn’t initially come to comic books through superheroes. Instead, I was a huge fan of humor magazines like MAD and Cracked when I was a kid. I was only ever interested in things that made me laugh and the first comics I ever bought were mostly funny animal stuff like Captain Carrot and Peter Porker, the Amazing Spider Ham. Eventually I did come to read superhero books but perhaps not with the zest of many of my compatriots. Today my big time hero is Robert Crumb and his love of blues and traditional music has really informed my tastes as has his shepherding of underground and indie comic artists into the field through publications like Weirdo and Arcade. Like Crumb, I feel like I’m always mining the past for lost treasures and, more often than not, I’m making fun of them in one way or another. My love of humor and parody are still with me from childhood and my greatest pleasure in life is making people laugh through dumb drawings.

6) Who's badder- Batman or Wolverine?

Wolverine is great and he’s awesome and everything but Batman is always the baddest dude in the room.

7) What was your favorite cartoon show as a kid? Comic book? Movie?

Ah, this will sound weird but I was really hooked on Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies when I was in third grade. Other kids liked Transformers or G.I. Joe, I loved Muppet Babies. I suppose it was because firstly, I love The Muppets and all their incarnations. Plus I remember the show being pretty funny and full of catchy songs and super imagination. Like the entire show was about the power of imagination and the Muppets were always imagining they were in Star Wars or Indiana Jones or The Wizard of Oz or something. I suppose it’s not the manly choice, but there it is. The first comic book that I remember following from issue to issue was Sergio Aragones’ “Groo the Wanderer.” I think I was reading it even before I knew it was a parody of the Conan stuff. I recognized Aragones’ style from reading MAD and Cracked and so I gravitated right to the comic. My favorite movie as a kid and one that still ranks pretty high with me as an adult is “Beetlejuice”. I’ve seen it 157 times and it just keeps getting funnier every single time I see it.

8) What is your favorite cartoon show now? Comic book? Movie?

Currently I’m all about “Adventure Time.” It’s like it was written by 12 year-olds, for 12 year-olds. Every episode is wall to wall sword fights, fist fights, monster punching, princess saving, dragon stabbing, dance party, bare butt fart fest. It’s incredible that it’s even on TV, much less children’s TV. At the moment my favorite continuing comic is Michael Kupperman’s “Tales Designed to Thrizzle.” It’s, again, crazy weird and funny featuring characters like Mark Twain and Albert Einstein as a detective team, a guy named Cousin Grandpa, a snake and piece of bacon that both go “Hssssssssss….” It’s a wonderful comic. The movie I enjoyed the most recently was probably “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.” Every part of that movie was so well done and a jolting pleasure to the eye. I mean, any movie that can make a showdown between Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman seem more exciting than all of “American Ninja 4” has to be appreciated, right?

9) Your favorite or most influential artist?

Like so many people, I am completely in the thrall of Robert Crumb. He’s perhaps the very best draftsman that the comics medium will ever produce and over his long and varied career he’s opened the way for comics to be something far stranger and far more human than just guys in tights punching each other. As a kid, I suppose I wanted to draw comics so I could draw stuff that was awesome but after discovering Crumb I wanted to draw comics so I could express myself more fully to a thoroughly disinterested public.

10) What is a mini-comic and what makes them so great?

The first mini-comic I ever saw was one of Matt Feazell’s “Cynicalman” issues. It was a small Xeroxed affair, folded and stapled by hand and featuring simple stick figure drawings. Seeing it blew my mind a little bit because it showed me physical proof that anyone can make a comic book. In this day and age, access to printing methods and materials are at the fingertips of virtually anyone who wants to make comics and, thankfully, lots of people want to make them. Mini-comics are most often handmade books printed, stapled and folded by the creator and telling all kinds of stories from mundane autobiography to thrilling, imaginative tales of adventure. They are precious little things, full of idiosyncrasies and telling descriptors of the people who’ve created them. I love mini-comics in all their varied shapes and forms because they illustrate so clearly that comics are really about communicating and connecting with other people through storytelling.

11) What is one subject or topic you would love to see comics explore that hasn't been done or done enough?

I think comics can be a great tool for learning and as the format wins wider acceptance in our culture at large, we’re already seeing more and instances of comics being used to teach things like history, biography and science. For decades comics were considered a “trash media” but, in fact, they are a remarkably successful delivery method for information if given the opportunity. In the last few years I’ve seen scores of nonfiction comics come out on subjects like the decline of the Weimar Republic in Berlin, baseball legend Satchel Paige, Amelia Earhart and even Laika, the Soviet space dog. With a comic, details and descriptions can be absorbed in a glance and information can be passed on in a way that is often more dramatic and personable than just a printed page of type. I would hope that comics might be considered more often as a teaching tool in the future.

12) Buffy the Vampire Slayer visits Sesame Street during a zombie outbreak. How do things turn out for the following characters- Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar, and the Count?

I’m afraid Elmo gets it right away when his over friendliness inclines him to try and hug a zombie. Big Bird toughs it out alone for a while and them meets up with Buffy. The two are in a tight spot, surrounded by the undead in a derelict warehouse. But fortunately Snuffy burst through the wall, scattering zombies, and they all ride to safety. Oscar evades the onslaught as he already smells undead since he lives in the trash and the zombies notice him not at all. The Count gets staked by a regretful Buffy who didn’t understand that he only wanted to count her two beautiful blue eyes and not feast on her flesh. She said she was sorry but, after all, she is a vampire slayer.

An Incredible List of Talent This Year!

2011-05-05T13:10:00.004-04:00

The list of talented artists, writers and creators continues to grow for the Return of Mini-Con Strikes Back on June 11! Heading up our list are our three-year veterans- Al Bigley, who has worked on just about everything in comics and related to comics (no kidding); Dave McDonald, who served a short term as a cartoonist-in-residence at the Charles M. Schultz Museum and Research Center in California; and husband-and-wife team Derek and Nikki Davis, the force behind The Erad Adventures. We also have several returners from last year- John DaCosta, Brandon Padgett, Tom Davidson and Dan Johnson. It's always exciting to add new faces and so far this year we have three new additions to the mini-con! First is web comic guru, Jim McGee, creator of the Area 51 and Butterfly Effect comics. Next is Henry Eudy- an incredible inker (an undiscovered Tim Townsend or Joe Sinnott kind of good) who presented to our Cartooning Club last year. And finally, we have Ian Flynn, the writer of Sonic the Hedgehog comics who maintains the monumental task of showing some continuity between the video games and the existing stories of Sonic's world!
That's 11 great people already, and more are to come!
Remember, the big date is Saturday, June 11 and is slated to run from 1-5 pm.

Big Thanks to IDW!

2011-05-02T10:35:00.002-04:00

I contacted IDW publishing last month about our mini con event. IDW publishes a couple of my favorite team-styled comic lines- Transformers and GI Joe. They do a bunch of other stuff, too, but I'm Joe fan and Transformers fan. Anyway, Marci- the executive assistant at IDW took my message and moved it along to whoever needed to hear it. She then told me 100 copies of Transformers:Prime were on the way. Last week, the box arrived from Diamond and inside were 100 copies of Transformers: Prime the graphic novel! This is a 96 page story, done in digest size, full color with a heavy cardstock cover! That means we have Muppets Comics to give away, Transformers graphic novels to give away, and Top Shelf got in touch with me last week to say they are sending a big box of comic goodness like they did for us last year!
If you're a comics fan in the vicinity of Union County or Charlotte/Mecklenburg, then you don't want to miss this free exciting day on June 11!
Thank you, IDW!

Dark Horse Giveaway!

2011-04-27T15:59:00.004-04:00

Dark Horse comics has been around awhile, and while other companies come and go, this west-coast publisher seems to have found its niche as the number three publisher behind the behemoths called DC and Marvel. One thing Dark Horse has done to stay competitive is to keep moving to t he cutting edge of the industry- with talent searches, licensed properties, and digital formats, Dark Horse continues to be a company that presents something fresh. Now, the folks at Dark Horse are offering an Ipad giveaway along with a $100 credit towards your choice of digital Dark Horse comics. That's a lot of good Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Conan to keep you busy for quite awhile! so head on over to the site digital.darkhorse.com to register for your chance to win!

A great night at the Cartooning Club!

2011-04-25T15:24:00.003-04:00

The April Cartooning Club was one to remember as Area 51 Comics creator Jim McGee dished out all he could about how and why he chose to create a web comic, his cartooning experiences before that, how he created his characters and made them unique (like having a vegetarian zombie who eats "heads" of lettuce!), and he he uses basic shapes to form his characters. A big thanks to Jim, who also put a challenge out to the kids. He is letting them make their own Area 51 strip and when they send it to him, he'll post it on his website as part of the regular strips and they will receive credit for their work. To get a look at the strip, the characters, and to contact Jim by email go to www.area51comics.com. Let's see those cartoon aliens, okay?
We had about 15 kids, with four of them being girls (one came all the way from Concord!) and we had comics pro Al Bigley drop in again!! The best part of the night for me was afterwards, when a mother came up to me telling me how much of a difference the Cartooning Club has made in her daughter, who was not interested in books before then, but has found things she likes to read and is doing it for the enjoyment of it. It's very humbling to hear such words come from a parent- especially one who is an educator. It's also its own reward.

Jim McGee and Area 51- TODAY!!

2011-04-21T08:45:00.003-04:00

Today at 5:30 Jim McGee, creator of the Area 51 comics strip will be at the Union West Regional Library in Indian Trail. For kids and adults interested in learning about how people get involved in and create their own comics, and how artists like Jim use the internet to publlish a comic, then please join us for this great time. You can check out Jim's web site at http://www.area51comic s.com/.

Boom Studios Comes Through BIG!

2011-04-20T17:34:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago the first calls to publishers for help with this year's convention went out. This week, we got our first big donation from a publishing house! The fine people at Boom! Studios in California sent us 175 copies of their limited run of the Muppet Show! Boom's traffic coordinator Travis Beaty was extremely helpful, stayed in contact, sent a tracking number for the box, and even filled my request for hi-res images of the studio logos! And now, thanks to the efforts of Travis, 175 kids will leave our library on June 11 with a new, mint comic in their hands! And this is no throw-away comic, either. The cover is an alternate one, limited to a run of 500 copies, and we have 175 of those. As a result, the book is now "sold out".
While Travis helped us out, he hasn't been the only one- we received a handful of comics from legend Roy Thomas, and Darkhorse loaded us up with so much stuff (and such a variety) that we still have a small selection to hand out. All totaled at this point, we have enough stuff to hand out to roughly 225 kids!
Thanks Boom! Studios, and thank you very much, Travis! You rock!

Ben Towle Gets Eisner Nomination- Again!

2011-04-13T14:51:00.004-04:00

Big congratulations to Winston-Salem based comics artist, writer and creator Ben Towle who has been nominated for an Eisner Award for his work on Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean! This is Ben's second nomination, his first coming in 2004. The Eisner's are the comic book industry's equivalent of the Oscars in movies, or the Grammys for music. To read more about the nomination, go to Ben Towle's own blog here, and to see the list of Eisner-nominated books, writer, and artists, go here!

Jim McGee at Cartooning Club April 21

2011-04-12T15:50:00.004-04:00

Jim McGee, the creator of Area 51 Comics, will be presenting all kinds of useful information for budding cartoonists on Thursday, April 21 beginning at 5:30. Jim's Area 51 is an online comic about aliens trying to understand earth culture, and his discussion will include some pointers for drawing, and how he started his comic strip and why he chose to put it on the internet.
You don't to miss this one as digital comics and online media become more and more the preferred standard for readers- especially in the area of comics where digital copies don't show wear and tear and can be downloaded to multiple devices making them extremely portable.
Also, we'll go over the list of free comics being offered this year for Free Comic Book Day!
Don't miss it!
For more information ask a children's librarian at Union West, or call 704-821-7475 ext 4.

Free Comic Book Day is May 7

2011-04-09T15:19:00.013-04:00

It's that time of year again, people! Free Comic Book Day lands on Saturday, May 7th at comic shops across the nation! Stores will hand out a wide variety of specially printed comics for FCBD (Free Comic Book Day) with the idea being that there will be something there for pretty much anyone. Like the hottest writers on the NY Times list? Then try James Patterson's Witch & Wizard. Want something to take you back to Saturday mornings and after-school cartoons? How about comics featuring the Smurfs, Darkwing Duck (Let's get dangerous!), Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers, or The Tick? Are you a fan of a more reality-based fare? Then look for Discovery Channel's Deadliest Sharks and Prehistoric Predators, or try Chuck Dixon's Civil War Adventure. Want your reality to be campy? There's Misadventures of Adam West!And the list goes on and on!
The idea behind FCBD started more than 10 years ago and has grown into a national (and even international) event. But why hand out free comics? Many of the stores and publishers see it as a way to attract people who may not currently be reading comics. For others, it offers retailers the opportunity to put new titles into their customers' hands, exposing them to new material to buy.

In the Charlotte area, there are three comic book stores- Pennyworth's (named after Batman's butler) in Matthews, located in a shopping center at the intersection of Hwy 51 and Monroe Rd. They have very limited space, both in the store and in the parking lot, and the entrance/exit is a little steep, so you have to catch a ggod break in traffic OR risk having the bottom of your car scrape hard several times. YOUCH!

Rebel Base Comics has the best parking of the three shops, located on Sharon Amity just off of Providence Rd and before you reach Randolph Rd. Rebel Base doesn't just hand out free comic books, they typically include the Imperial 501st as their special guests, put a bunch of stuff on sale, and they even bring in local talent to draw for fans. The 501st is a worldwide coalition of Star Wars re-enactors who craft their own costumes down to intricate detail. They then don these uniforms for comics and Star Wars related events, and for many charitable organizations. The store has one of the best selections of resale action figures and related toys you could imagine! For phone number, address, or other information, click the link under "Links For the Comics Fans in the Carolinas" (that's why I put the links there!).

Finally, there is Heroes Aren't Hard to Find. This store is the host of the annual HeroesCon and is the largest of the three comics stores, with tons of back issues just waiting to be grabbed up. Usually, FCBD at Heroes involves setting up some tables outside for people to get to meet some real comic book creators. Inside the store, free comics are scattered throughout the well-packed shelves, encouraging browsers to pick up more than just the free issues. The problem is, while the store is spacious, and they always have great artists on hand for the crowd, parking is very limited and shares space with shoppers from other stores and restaurants. Driving in a group and maybe walking a couple of blocks might be good ideas. Heroes is located on 7th street and Pecan near Showmars. For more information, again look for the link under "Links For the Comics Fans in the Carolinas."

For more about free comic book day, including the full list of titles that will be available, copy this address in your browser- http://www.freecomicbookday.com

Along with the free comics being offered in comic shops, a variety of publishers (mostly independent or small press) are offering free comics via download to your computer! You never have to leave the house to enjoy some of the fun! And unlike their printed counterparts, digital comics don't wear out, fade or wrinkle!

The First Pieces Come Together

2011-04-08T17:45:00.004-04:00

Planning for a mini-con begins MONTHS in advance as space and layout, format and themes, and activities, guests and other things are all thought about and prepared. The guest list is starting to build up with comics scribe Dan Johnson, artist extraordinaire Al Bigley, web comic pros Derek and Nikki Davis of Bitter TEA Studios, Bluewater Comics' artist John DaCosta and independent creator Tom Davidson all returning for this year's event. Add in Sonic writer Ian Flynn, inker Henry Eudy, and Area 51 web comic creator Jim McGhee and the guest list appears to be shaping up nicely! I also got word in recently from BOOM! Studios (http://www.boom-studios.com) that they will supply us with 175 comics to hand out! Campfire Graphic Novels (http://www.campfire.co.in/) have also agreed to send an assortment of graphic novels. And in what was an unexpected and very kind move, writer, editor in chief and fanzine creator Roy Thomas sent a box of new comics and graphic novels to hand out for the event! Roy could not make it to our mini-con this year, but he still wanted to help with the event somehow. A big thanks to him, BOOM! and Campfire for their generosity this year!

The Return of Mini-Con Strikes Back!

2011-04-05T16:57:00.003-04:00

That's right- the Return of Mini-Con is back! It was touch-and-go there for awhile, but the green light has been given for one of the finest library-based mini-cons in the state of North Carolina.
Saturday, June 11 is the big day where you can mingle with independent and major comics creators! Want to get a sketch from a favorite artist? Or get some drawing tips from a pro as you show your portfolio? Have questions about how comics are made?
Then come on down for the big show (and by the way, you can't beat the price to get in- it's FREE!)
This will be a great family-friendly event and a nice way to get out and beat the heat so be sure to mark your calendars!
Announcements on guests, activities and more will begin coming up soon so make sure to keep checking back!

Commissions for the church!

2010-07-18T15:34:00.003-04:00

I am opening up the door for commissions, or art-work-for-hire. I am doing this to try and raise additional funds for my church's building project. Single character pictures will be $20, scenes will be $35 and inking the picture will be another $5. All pictures will be on 11"X17" comic bristol board. If you want something smaller, email me at capt.blitzdawg@hotmail.com to discuss what you have in mind and to get a price.

The new sanctuary is needed to take our church from three services to one (for awhile, at least). The design will be most unique, incorporating an Ark (as in Noah) for an entrance way to children's classes and programs, video screens and sound on the outer portions of the building to provide announcements and service information, or to show a church service already in progress. The courtyard will combine the theme of the ark with the cross and baptism in a way that illustrates the scripture that I have never seen before. If things go according to schedule, the church will gather for their first worship in the new sanctuary in December of 2011! You can see the plans for the new church in this short video from the church http://www.leeparkchurch.org/.

If you need to see some smaples of my art, go to my gallery at http://johntompkinsart.daportfolio.com/ or to http://captblitzdawg.deviantart.com or to my facebook page- john tompkins.

Dennis part of first Sunday Funnies stamp series

2010-07-11T14:49:00.004-04:00

On July 16, the US Postal Service will release the first Sunday Funnies series. The stamps feature five famous strips: Beetle Baily, Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes, Archie, and Dennis the Menace. Marcus Hamilton, who has been doing the daily panels for Dennis for over 15 years, is expected to be at special ceremony in Columbus, Ohio where there is the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.
Here is the release from the USPS about the stamps:

The Sunday Funnies stamp pane honors Archie, Beetle Bailey, Dennis the Menace, Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes. The stamps will go on sale in July.

Dennis the Menace follows the antics of Dennis Mitchell, a good-hearted but mischievous little boy who is perpetually “5-ana-half” years old. His curiosity tests the patience of his loving parents and neighbors, guaranteeing that their lives are anything but dull. The comic debuted in March 1951 as a single-panel gag.

Offering an idealized portrait of American adolescence, Archie existed only in comic-book form before debuting in newspapers in 1946. A typical small-town teenager with a knack for goofing things up, 17-year-old Archie Andrews is often torn between haughty brunette Veronica Lodge and sweet, blonde Betty Cooper.

A military strip with universal appeal, Beetle Bailey first appeared in September 1950. Possibly the laziest man in the army, Private Beetle Bailey is an expert at sleeping and avoiding work. His chronic indolence antagonizes Sergeant Orville P. Snorkel, who is tough on his men but calls them “my boys.”

Garfield first waddled onto the comics page in June 1978. Self-centered and cynical, the crabby tabby hates Mondays and loves lasagna. He lives with Jon Arbuckle, a bumbling bachelor with a fatally flawed fashion sense, and Odie, a dopey but devoted dog.

Calvin and Hobbes explores the fantasy life of 6-year-old Calvin and his tiger pal, Hobbes. The inseparable friends ponder the mysteries of the world and test the fortitude of Calvin’s parents, who never know where their son’s imagination will take him. The strip ran from November 1985 to December 1995.

Marcus will be joined by Ron Ferdinand, the artist of the Sunday installment, and Scott Ketcham, Hank Ketcham's son. Also attending will be Mort Walker from Beetle Bailey, Jim Davis from Garfiled, Craig Boldman (a writer of Archie comics), and Nancy Silberkliet, the co-CEO of Archie Comics and the daughter-in-law of Archie Comics founder,Louis Silberkleit.

Wonder Woman becoming less patriotic?

2010-07-07T15:34:00.003-04:00

This blog isn't just about the Return of Mini-Con, it's also about other comics news people in the area might actually care about. So, for your consideration, Wonder Woman, one of the iconic female characters in comics is going through a costume change. This has happened before, but with efforts by Warner Bros. to make a Wonder Woman movie, some are wondering if the costume change isn't to make things easier for the movie, i.e. getting the comic Wonder Woman to look like the one people will see in the movie. Some people (such as the Washington Times) are even throwing out the idea that the suit is "less patriotic" to give more appeal to a global audience. The same idea was followed on GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, where the 'Joes were turned into an "international" force so it would supposedly do better in overseas release.
I saw the concept for the new costume and didn't get the impression the costume was un-patriotic as much as I figured the costume makes more sense for a super hero who is doing combat. The original outfit might be good for posters and beauty pageants but the new suit is more suited to stealth, combat, and being in the general public. Of course, this redesign looks very very very very similar to one a friend of mine, Kent, came up with some time ago. I can only hope that DC gives him proper credit for the re-design (although I doubt they will!).
Pictured is DC's announced re-design along with two proposed costume changes by Kent (the middle one was the most recent one from earlier this year). Do you think they are similar? Is it a coincidence? Why do you think DC would want to change the Amazon's costume? Do you like it or hate it?
I'd love to see some comments with this one!

In the news...

2010-07-06T16:34:00.002-04:00

News coverage of the Return of Mini-Con was better this year than last, although no TV stations even called just to see what the buzz was about. I do send out a big thank you to Brian at the Union County weekly who had the first follow-up on the convention with a nice photo spread of pictures we had. Katie Oliver at the Observer had no guarantee on when her story would run, but it finally got into the July 4 paper!
In addition to these stories, I am grateful to Dave McDonald http://davemcdonaldstudio.blogspot.com/ and to Ben Towle http://www.benzilla.com/ (look under June 26) and to the gang at Sketch Charlotte- more specifically Rich and Herc- http://www.sketchcharlotte.com/ for posting about the mini-con. Hopefully, if we go for year three, most of the folks from this year will be on board for next year, too!
Today's pics are scans of the stories as they ran in the respective papers. You can blow them up to get a closer gander or you can look them up on the web (although I believe the Observer requires you to at least register. I don't recall if they require a paid subscription.).

Crazy things happen at conventions!

2010-07-02T10:00:00.002-04:00

Strange things can happen at a convention. One thing is the requests for sketches you get. Some of what I was asked to draw- a horse, a dragon, 2 Calvin & Hobbes cartoons, the tripods from War of the Worlds, Woody from Toy Story, a fairy, a mermaid, Bowser from Mario Kart and a baby version of Bowser! I heard the guys at Fite Klub had some odd requests like a child who asked for a picture of President Obama. "Alright," said the artist.
"Can you give him horns and a pitchfork, too?" asked the child.
After an uncomfortable pause, the artist said, "How about a super hero?"
Another little girl asked a Fite Klub artist for a picture of Justin Beiber! "How about a super hero?"

Another strange thing at conventions is some people can be discovered. It happened to Chrissie Zullo at the San Diego Con, and it sorta happened to my son, Landon this year. As I was doing a sketch of my own character the Sword, a mom asked Landon if he drew. He showed her some of the Toy Story pictures he had been working on and suddenly kids were asking him for sketches! Landon must have cranked out about eight pictures during the con- a star is born!

More from day 2

2010-06-30T09:21:00.003-04:00

Day 2 Pics of MIni-Con

2010-06-30T09:04:00.002-04:00

More Day 1 Pics!!!

2010-06-27T17:46:00.004-04:00

I do have to say, the Storm Trooper who came and represented the Imperial 501st was probably the most popular guy in the room. I hate that I can't recall his name at the moment, but he signed autographs, posed for pictures and patrolled the fans to make sure they were helping keep the air cool. He was a one-man show and a true ambassador for the group. If you want to learn more about the 501st (a.k.a. Vader's Fist) look them up and see all the charitable work they do and the lives they have been a part of. It may inspire you to go make your own Star Wars costume and perform good deeds, too.

Here are some more pictures from day one, including our brave (and good) Storm Trooper. And to John DaCosta- I don't know why your picture is so fuzzy- we'll upload more on Tuesday, hopefully!

Mini-Con Pictures- Day 1

2010-06-27T16:59:00.003-04:00

Friday was INSANE!! The Union West Library is already a busy location, and parking is very limited, yet for events like this, hundreds of people turn out. How many did we get this year? Hard to say- there was a problem with the door counter, and not everybody was picking up goodie bags or registering for door prizes. However, we started the day with nearly 450 goodie bags to hand out to every child who came in and walked away with maybe 200 bags left. Assuming the kid, Mom and someone else came along, that's an average of three people per bag, which would be 750 people in five hours! But some families have three or four kids and maybe just one parent brings them- that would pull the average down. So maybe to be conservative, we could say between 500 and 750 the first day. One is sure- many of the artists there said they saw more children and handed out more sketches than they did in all three days of the Heroes Con! Wow!

The Friday crew was fantastic- Dave McDonald, Marcus Hamilton, Rich Barrett, Eraklis Petmezas, John DaCosta, Tom Davidson, Richard Stahnke, Troy Hasbrouck, Derek & Nikki Davis, and Jeremy & Kelly Dale were all in attendance and even I got a chance to sit down and draw some sketches for folks. Everyone was very humble and gracious and just a lot of fun to be around. I really hope each of the artists had a good time and feel like they were treated well.

This is the day!

2010-06-24T23:31:00.002-04:00

By the time you probably read this, it will be Friday- day one of The Return of Mini-Con! Hopefully, things will be in place and ready- there are the tables to get up, the list of who is coming to update, the food to prepare (a BIG thasnks to my uncle, to the Friends of the Library, and to Jill Peth), prizes to line up and hand out, Star Wars issues to handle and more. I don't think I'll get to sit back and enjoy too much of it, but if we get in good numbers (500 or more in the five hours) and a lot of kids are happy, I'll feel good. I'll feel even more successful if the artists go away from here happy to have come.

Things kick off at 1:00 (kids- get your bag and your ticket) and the art challenge will be at 3;30 back in the Reading Room (where the fireplace is). We'll take the first 20 kids and divide them into two age groups with a total of four winners- one of the top two winners will be the grand prize winner and will receive Dave McDonald's Cartoon Workshop boxed kit.

There will be lots of other prizes like comics and original art handed out, too. You can see in today's post my submission for some lucky fan- it's Mera, Aqauman's wife.

How to prepare for The Return of Mini-Con!

2010-06-22T12:05:00.003-04:00

Maybe you thought you would never have to prepare yourself for something so awesome sounding as The Return of Mini-Con!, but now the event is just three days away and you want to know if you're really ready for this.
Here are some tips to help you out- when you get to the library, get a bag and a ticket. The bag will have a comics template, and either a comic, a poster, or some other cool swag in it. The ticket gives you the chance to win more cool stuff including signed prints, graphic novels, autographs of creators who cannot make the show, toys, etc., etc.! Carry the stuff you win or are given in that bag- makes things easier and neater.
If you plan to get sketches or autographs, bring a blank sketch pad for the artists to put their drawings in. It keeps everything together and keeps it neat and clean. You may want to bring a Sharpie marker for autographs, too. Also, when you approach an artist, if the line is long find another table where the line is shorter. If the artist asks what kind of picture you want, keep it simple- a picture of Superman, a head shot of Cyclops, yadda, yadda. Don't ask for a picture of the Black Panther and Iron Fist battling Galactus and the Skrulls in color unless you're willing to pay for it!
Get plenty to eat or drink before coming to the library. Drinks and food are not permitted in the building and it could be 2 or 3 hours before you get back outside the library.
Dress comfortably (unless it's a costume!). Be friendly and patient. If you want to buy books or other prints, bring some money with you.
Now you are ready to patrol The Return of Mini-Con like a pro!

Artist Profile: Dan Johnson

2010-06-21T13:58:00.004-04:00

Re-writing the classics? How dare!, some would scream. How about mixing traditions? Ghastly, eh? Well writer Dan Johnson is the guy who dares to rewrite claasic stories, and take long-established traditions and turn them on their ear by mixing them together! This Winston-Salem writer has penned stories fro graphic novels like Thor & Herc and is working diligently with Campfire Books taking classic literature like teh Jungle Book and bringing it to a new audience. Dan heard about The Return of Mini-Con and asked if we had room for him. I replied, "Of course!" (duh!). With the mini-con just a few days away now, here is another artist profile for you to enjoy!

1) Do you remember the first comic you read or bought? What hooked you about comics?
My godmother, Dot, was the one that hooked me on comics when I was about four or so. She read comics all the time and was always bringing me her old issues of Superman, Shazam! and World's Finest. I knew Superman and Batman from Superfriends, so I loved seeing them in comic book form. I also loved the idea of heroes going out to defend the weak and the innocent. The idea of good men and women out there fighting for what was right just inspired me to always try to be a better person. I lost my dad when I was thirteen, so superheroes gave me role models to believe in as a young man when he couldn't be there.

As for the first books I bought myself, that is easy. They were Superman Family #189, Super Team Family #15 and Fantastic Four Annual #12. Actually, those were the first books I picked out for myself. My dad picked up the tab. He and my mom figured they would help with my reading and be cheaper than toys. If they could only see how expensive comics are now!

2) Most people aspire to be the penciller, but some become writers. How did you decide to become a writer?
Well, I originally wanted to be a penciller as well. The turning point was in high school when my art teacher let me do comic book pages for an assignment. I still remember her critiquing my pages. She said I needed to work on my shading and my anatomy was okay, but I needed to pay more attention to details on things like buildings and the like. But then she said that she really liked the story I had written and it really kept her hooked. At the same time, I had an English teacher, Mrs. Shores, who started pushing me to write more and more and she really encouraged me to develop that skill. Thanks to her, I realized that my real gift was writing.

I also figured that if I became a writer, I would be in good company. Growing up, I was a huge fan of Cary Bates and Gerry Conway. As I got older, I discovered Stan Lee, John Broome and Gardner Fox. Also, around the time my teachers were redirecting my professional goal in comics, I was getting into Alan Moore's Swamp Thing and Watchmen. So, in the end, it is all good. Besides, I haven't given up on my artwork totally...

3) What's tougher- writing a Manga(eastern influence) about Norse and Greek gods(western influence) or re-writing classic literature for comics? My guess is the latter since many people feel great art shouldn't be toyed with and others feel comics are not a worthy avenue for literature?
I would have to agree that the latter is tougher, but mainly because of the challenge it represents. Greatest challenge of my life was taking a 400-plus page novel like Oliver Twist and boiling it down to an 80 page comic. Feats of daring and acts of the impossible? Superman ain't got nothing on me!

4) What is involved in taking a classic and converting it into a script?
The big thing is deciding what the important elements are. It is deciding what needs to stay for the story to remain in tact and what can go. Usually I will take Cliff Notes of the novel and use them to help determine what action needs to be on each page. The Campfire process is to turn in a page by page breakdown of each project before we start to script it. This way the editor will know what action will be on each page. It certainly helps me to keep on task. From there, it is a matter of deciding what dialogue can be used and what might need to be edited to gloss over those events or characters that might have been cut from the original novel.

5) Have you ever considered writing a script for TV, movies, or a play?
Actually, I have written a few screenplays. One was for a horror/western short movie that was produced a few years back. I also wrote a couple more screenplays for the same producers, but they were never shot. I also did two screenplays and a rewrite of an existing script for a friend of mine who wanted to start a film company here in North Carolina. Finally, I have written episodes for the Nashville, TN horror host show, Creature Feature, starring Dr. Gangrene (better known as my good buddy, Larry Underwood).

6)What would be your dream writing assignment- writing stories of something iconic like Superman, or creating a world of your own characters?
I would love to tackle Superman and several other heroes I grew up reading as a kid, but nothing beats the feeling of creating your own characters and seeing your own plots take shape and come to life on the page. Playing in someone else's universe can be fun, but controlling your own universe is awesome!

7)What projects are you working on now?
I am working on several projects at the moment, some of which I can not go into too much detail about. For Campfire, I'm currently writing my first biography for the company and I'm developing a series that will be a modern retelling of one of the great literary classics. I am also developing a web comic for Viper Comics. The plot for the first story was just approved and I'm working on the script now. I am still writing for Dennis the Menace, and I will be working on a new batch of gags after I complete this interview, as well as Back Issue magazine, which is published by TwoMorrows. I just did an interview with Herb Trimpe about the mid-1980's Rawhide Kid mini-series, and that will be our Wild West issue that should be out in the next few months. And remember I said I had not given up my artwork just yet? I am working on a comic strip that I would love to draw myself. It is just a matter of time of working it in around my other gigs.

8)What has been your best convention experience? Worst? Weirdest?
I am happy to say I have never had a bad time at any comic book convention. It is like I tell people when they stop by my table and ask how I'm doing, "It's the weekend and I'm at a con! It doesn't get better than that!" I can share my first and most recent best experiences though. My first, best experience at a comic book convention was when I got to go to my first show ever. It was a small show that was held at Hanes Mall on Labor Day, 1982. My dad took me to that one, and I was in sheer Heaven! At the time, I loved it because I was surrounded by old comic books as far as the eye could see! I look back on that day even more fondly now because it was one of the last things my dad and I were able to do together before he got too sick to get around on his own. God love him, he knew I wanted to be in the business, but he never understood how I could make a living drawing "funny books". None the less, he and my mother indulged me at every turn.

My most recent, best experience was at Heroes Con and it was on Sunday when the show was winding down. After several of the other guests had left, I had a chance to talk with Alex Saviuk, the artist on the Spider-Man comic strip, for about thirty minutes. I grew up on comics that Alex drew for, like The Flash and Superman, so it was a thrill to sit and just talk shop with someone who I had admired as a boy and was now treating me like a peer. Before I had to start packing up, I made sure to tell him how much his work meant to me as a kid and thanked him for the great memories and for giving me something to shot for when I was growing up.

9) Are you a Marvel or a DC (or something else entirely?)
I'm a DC boy all the way when it comes to comic books. When it comes to movies, I gotta admit that Marvel has the edge.

10) Celebrity death match! Ernie vs Bert, and what would the outcome be?
My money is on Bert. He has a lot of anger and rage in him (you can see it in his eyes). Heaven help Ernie, and us all, if Bert ever has the chance to unleash his fury.

One Week until The Return of Mini-Con!!!

2010-06-18T12:26:00.002-04:00

Today is Friday and that means we are just seven days away from our library's second mini-con, The Return of Mini-Con. Many of the artists have been in touch with me to let me know they are excited about the event. It would be great to have a non-stop crowd on both days, and we are now that much closer to finding out how it will all go- I'm hoping for this to be one of the biggest events our library system has ever had.
I have to tell you that Dave McDonald was great with the kids at his workshop last night! I didn't get to sit in on the whole thing, but I was amazed at some of the ideas and techniques he threw out to the kids. Several of them looked for me after the workshop to show me their creations and I was really excited to see them. Dave also dropped off his "Comics Workshop Cartooning Kit' as a prize for the Art Challenge at Union West. The boxed kit includes pencil, sharpener, dual-point marker, sketch pad, a very nice workbook that follows the instructional DVD, which is also in the box? How much would something like this cost? $60? $40? No! Dave said he has a limited number of kits available but he is selling them for just $20! If you are interested, go to Dave's link over on the right.
Pictures coming soon!

Activity schedules for mini-con announced!!

2010-06-16T17:13:00.004-04:00

We have been working hard to make sure this year's Return of Mini-Con goes as smoothly as possible. For those of you who want to know just what will be happening when and where, fret no more! There is a schedule and we have it ready to show you! Just click either image to get a larger picture to read from.
The Costume Contest at Monroe is for kids ages 5-9 and 10-15. Costumes will be judged on originality and looking like the character the child represents. Participants can sign in at the information tent (located inside the library just behind the circulation desk).
The Comics 101 Seminar is for parents or educators who want to learn more about how comics have changed and are changing what kids today read. Jimmie Quisenberry of the UCPS is aware of the program and may allow the 2.5- 3 hours of credit to be added to someone's CED! In addition, we will give out three copies of Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" along with other books from Yen Press!
Our Rising Stars Art Challenge is not for the weak! There will be a limit on the number of kids who participate. Each child will be given a script, paper and pencil. They will be told they have 30 minutes to turn the script into a comic book page! Art will be judged on raw talent, following the script, and story telling ability. The winner at Union West will receive a Comics Workshop kit from Dave McDonald which includes his DVD of his workshop! The Monroe winner will receive a one-year subscription to the online library of Archie Comics (a $50 value!)!!
Finally, things will end in Monroe with a social in the Griffin Room as the rest of the library is closed. Here, people can mingle with the artists, ask questions, compare swag with others and just have a good time!

Toy Story 3: Incredible!!!

2010-06-14T23:59:00.003-04:00

I got a call the other day from Disney wanting to know if I was interested in recieving some passes for an advanced showing of Toy Story 3. Of course I saud yes and was excited to see the passes were not just for a preview showing, but it was in IMAX 3-D!!
Immediately after work on Monday, I RAN out the door, met my family in the parking lot and took off for the movies! We got there about 45 minutes early, which turned out not to be early, but "just in time" according to the man at the door. There's hardly any room left.
After a short wait, the movie began and wow! it was something to behold! The trailer for Tangled looked a little overdone in 3-D, but the cartoon short, Day & Night took two standard concepts and completely turned them on their ear to present a story that worked for everyone in the family, with humor that worked on different levels.
Toy Story 3 worked well in the 3-D format. It wasn't overdone or gratuitous, and seemed to be very natural about 20 minutes into the movie. The cast of characters was smaller than in the previous films, but allowed for enjoyment of the characters than in the previous films, too.
The story begins with Andy, practically grown up now and about to leave home for college. His room is being claimed by his little sister and his mother says some things have to go- either trash, attic, or donate. Andy chooses to put his toys in the attic (which Jesse and Bullseye are willing to deal with this time), but he wants to take Woody to college with him. A mishap has the toys sent the way of the trash but a last second escape turns into a trip to the Sunnyside Daycare via the donation bin. There, they are befriended by the toys of Sunnyside, led by Lots O' Lovin' Bear. Some great physical comedy of young children "playing" with the toys convinces Buzz and the others the daycare is not all it was promised to be. From there the movie moves from one escape to another that each has you wondering "How do they get out of this one?!" The movie ends in a very sentimental sequence that does a great job of closing the Toy Story trilogy. Definately see this film if it was on your "maybe" list!

I don't know what Lawrence Toppman of the Charlotte "Disturber" will say about the picture. I told him on the way out "You'd better like this one." and he stops and says, "Oh, really? And what if I don't? What are you going to do about it?" What if you don't? The answer should be obvious- you lose credibility! Toppman actually told me he didn't feel the third film measured up to the first two, but even a "B" effort by Pixar was still above what other studios turn out.

Technically, this film is superior to the first two- the people are better rendered, the rubbery skin on Barbie and Ken looks authentic- the 3-D as I said earlier isn't gimmicky. The story is more action-packed and suspenseful than the firs two, and maybe not as heavy on the comedy but it does deliver plenty of laughs. The thing this film does is really cover the range of emotions from funny to bittersweet sentmentality which isn't always a bad thing, especially with this picture.

John Redcorn- Return of Mini-Con Reader

2010-06-11T20:04:00.002-04:00

If you've ever watched King of the Hill, chances aqre good you've seen the lone Native American character in the town of Arlen, John Redcorn. It turns out, the man who gives John Redcorn his voice came across this blog and found The Return of Mini-Con to be very interesting. Jonathan Joss is John Redcorn and he is filling his calendar as best as he can with special appearances at comic conventions and other shows. Joss is a Native American and resides in his hometown of San Antonio ( I spent a summer there and loved it!). Besides being the voice of John Redcorn, he played Firewalker on Walker, Texas Ranger and made appearances on shows like ER. He also provided the voice of DC Western comic character Pow Wow Smith, an Native American lawman on the Justice League cartoon series. More recently, he is in an opening scene in the upcoming movie, Jonah Hex (another DC Western hero)- it's not a long part, but it does help set the tone for the bad guys in the movie. I don't want to say more and give things away!

Joss was just in Charlotte for the recently concluded Heroes Con and said if the Return of Mini-Con comes back next year, he would love to be invited!

It would certainly take some work to get him here from San Antonio, but it would certainly be fun to have him!

Al Bigley- Draw Like a Pro at Cheap Joe's!

2010-06-11T11:52:00.002-04:00

AL Bigley - Draw Comics Like a Pro
FREE! June 12th, 2010 2-3pm

What do Monsters Inc, Batman, NASCAR, Bugs Bunny, X-Men, Shrek, and Michael Jordan all have in common?

They've all been drawn by AL BIGLEY, one of the most versatile, in-demand artist / cartoonists around! Al's worked for folks like DC Comics, Golden Books, Disney/Pixar, CBS, Children's Television Workshop, Marvel Comics, Saban, McDonald's, and more! He will be here at cheap Joe's, with copies of his book "Draw Comic's Like a Pro". Come and talk to him in person at Cheap Joe's art supply store! June 12th from 2-3pm! Cheap Joe's is located at 4420 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC near Morrison's costumes.

Phone: 704 - 333 - CJAS (2527)

This just gets better and better!

2010-06-10T11:09:00.004-04:00

The Return of Mini-Con is just two weeks away, and the final wrinkles are getting worked out, stuff is still coming in, and artists are still asking to join in! I recently got a reply back from Steven Prouse of 803 Studios in Columbia, SC who told me he is coming for the Saturday event, and he is bringing artist Mike Sudduth with him! Mike is new to 803 Studios, and Steven is one of the founders and is a writer working on stories like Graffiti, Hand Me Downs, and Knowledge is Power.
Adding to Saturday's fun is the new Fite Klub Studios, a group of four men who are campaigning hard to ge t the attention of the big guys in the comics world. These four, also from South Carolina, include Brian Hollins, Jake Williams, Corey Davis (who is also with 803 Studios!) and Ben Murrey.
We want you to come out on Friday and Saturday (June 25-26) and make all these great artists and writers feel welcomed and very, very busy!
But that's not all I have to talk about! If I hadn't mentioned it already, Oni Press sent 400 more copies of their FCBD comic, making over 525 copies we have to hand out over two days! Once all the buttons, stickers, pencils, posters, comics, toys, and graphic novels were added together, their are more than 1,200 items to be handed out over the two days, and we may have even more stuff coming in! With the artists, the Star Wars characters from the 501st, and the hand-outs, this is one event that should have something for everyone in the family!
The art today is some of the story headers from 803 Studios (you can find them at 803studios.net) and pictures from the four members of Fite Klub Studios. Enjoy!

Comics Workshop & Cartooning Club June 17

2010-06-08T09:45:00.002-04:00

That's right- it's a double dose of comics creativity on June 17. Beginning at 4:30, cartoonist and comics creator Dave McDonald will host a two-hour workshop all about creating your own comic. Dave will guide kids through the steps of fleshing out a character and a setting, to coming up with a short story or gag, and then placing the art and finishing the page. Dave's workshop comes with bristol boards similar to the ones used by professional illustrators for the kids to put their masterpieces on. He also includes the pencils and markers- all the kids need to do is show up! The program is designed for kids between the ages of 10 and 12 years. Space for the program is limited to a total of 30 kids, and so far 20 have signed up. If you are interested, call the Union West Library at 704-821-7475 ext 4 and reserve your spot, or drop by and sign up at the children's desk. The cost of this program has been generously covered by the Union West Rotary and so I'd like to offer a big thank you to each of them!
If you are younger than 10 or older than 12, the Cartooning Club will continue with its regular monthly meeting at 5:30. We'll look at how to draw heroes and characters based on different time periods and we'll get a last preview at the great swag that has come in for The Return of Mini-Con! The Cartooning Club will meet in the main area of the children's department.
Also I should mention two more things- 1) if you can't go to Dave's workshop in person, you can buy the DVD kit from him at his website (look at the links on the left!). 2) Friday, June 18, comic artist and conceptualizer Al Bigley will do a show-and-tell styled talk at the Monroe Library. Al will have a variety of his art to show off, talk about how his art is used for more things besides comics, and answer questions and maybe show a little of how he goes about drawing up his incredible pictures! Mark your calendars for these events, folks! They are a great lead-in to our mini-con.

The Art of Al Bigley!

2010-06-07T16:14:00.003-04:00

More comics goodness is taking over our library! Al Bigley's art is on display in the Union West Library's lobby area. Al has stuff from when he designed the card backing for the Batman action figures, pictures from Batman story books (his first work for DC!), t-shirts he designed of NASCAR drivers, an educational toy featuring his art, in-house art of Food Lion, and pages he did for Archie Comics, the West Coast Avengers, and more! You can also get a glimpse of his work on Sonic the Hedgehog and the Power Rangers.
Al also dropped off six signed color prints to be used as part of our prize packs and they look awesome!
I was not able to attend Heroes Con this year (for shame!) but Al stepped in and took a bunch of the flyers to the big convention to hand out and get the word out. Thanks so much, Al!
Enjoy these samples of Al's art, or better yet, come and see them yourself. You can see more of Al's art at albigley.com.

Three weeks and counting

2010-06-04T11:02:00.003-04:00

The Return of Mini-Con is just three weeks away! Of course, this weekend is the BIG Heroes Con in Charlotte, and just about anyone who is in comics is going to be there from today to Sunday. If you get a chance, go there- many of the folks you meet will be here in just three weeks!
Things continue to happen to make this mini-con unbelievably good. Teachers and parents, Yen Press has contributed a bunch of books, with many of them to be used in the Comics 101 seminar in Monroe on the 26th. I was floored when I picked up the massive sized copy (528 pages!) of With the Light- Raising an Autistic Child. I had never seen such a detailed story of a family raising an autistic child, the subject matter, the size of the volume, and my own relationship to my autistic brother just made the story grab me. If you are a doubter about comics as reading material, this one could change your mind. (Of course, if you are a doubter, you're probably not even reading this!)
Another guest has been added to the list of artists coming- please welcome writer Dan Johnson! This Winston-Salem scribe authored the manga novel Thor & Herc and is now taking classic novels like The Jungle Book and scripting them for graphic novels by Campfire Books! Some people would say re-writing a classic for a comic is dumbing it down, but fewer would say the same for someone developing a classic into a movie script. Consider that! We're excited to welcome this author and hope you will too!
More swag has come in. I mentioned Yen Press briefly, but this week I also received a box full of Oni Press Free For All. About 125 copies! Thank you Oni Press! I read the book back at Free Comic Book Day and loved hte Salt Water Taffey story! This is a great kid-friendly read.
And finally, those fine people at Dark Horse Comics sent a package filled with STUFF! There were Clone Wars graphic novels and Emily the Strange. There were story books including a very cool lost adventure of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Inside the box were also stickers, buttons and pounds and pounds of posters! Posters like Star Wars, Solar, Magnus, Aliens, Predators, Hellboy, the BPRD, and more! It needs to be noted that Dark Horse was the only company that was willing to help get our library's Cartooning Club started (and three years later we're still going strong!), they also helped get our teen graphic novel collection started, and now they have continued to contribute to this library through our mini-con. Dark Horse has been a best friend to us, and we won't forget it!
And finally, I got an email and later a phone call from Nancy Silberkliet, the co-CEO of Archie Comics! Nancy has this great thing going for schools called the Comic Book Fair where the school (or other institution) sells a variety of Archie comics (the Riverdale gang, Josie & the Pussycats, Katy Keene, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sonic the Hedgehog, etc.) and then keeps 40% of the money! It is an idea that will need to be looked at to make it work for the county's rules on the libraries. In addition, Nancy also offered up a great prize- a one year digital subscription to Archie! That's about a $50 value and all the Archie goodness from the past & present you could want to read!

Artist Profile: Eraklis (Herc) Petmezas

2010-05-29T23:30:00.005-04:00

Eraklis Petmezas is one who doesn't let comics confine him to doing just one thing. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design, he has put his artistic abilities to use for a number of musicians- especially album covers- and has done editorial illustrations, storyboarding and retail displays for Borders Books and Music. Eraklis (or Herc, as he is called by his friends) consistently wishes peace for everyone he meets (how many other people do that for you?) and seems to be able to get people to work with him- see his Sketch Charlotte blog for an example! We are excited to have Herc here with us and we hope you come to see him as well! Get to know Herc a little by reading our Q&A below! Also, enjoy these pics by Herc- one is a self-portrait, another is his Greek detective Kostas and the third is Mr. Lune trying to go get some milk, but those darn cats won't leave him alone! Enjoy!

1) What projects have you worked on- comics, album covers, etc?

I've worked on numerous art for bands. Any thing for album cover art to flyers. I've worked on storyboards and I was fortunate to illustrate the Tell Tale Heart which is one of my favorite Poe stories. Through the years I've worked on numerous comics. Mostly self published. I've been a contributor to Anthologies. Most recently for The Dollar Bin and 803 studios. I've also written about comics for The Pulse, Independent Propaganda and many more. I conduct a Comics Camp for kids that is loads of fun. I also started Sketch Charlotte, a local group of artists that meet, sketch and talk about all things art.

2) Your current project is about a Greek detective. What makes him different from other gumshoes like Columbo, Mike Hammer, Batman or Sherlock? When will we get to read it?

I'd like to think what sets him apart is my sensibilities and the fact that Greece is a big part of the story. As I get to tell more stories about Kostas I intend to also use a lot of Greek culture. You can find it at local shops like Heroes aren't Hard To Find or contact me through my blog (where I'll be posting it).

3) What has been your best convention experience? Weirdest? Worst?

All conventions are a high point for me. Most often I get to hang out with friends I don't normally see. Plus, all the beautiful new comics and creators I get to find out about. I've never really had too bad of an experience. Perhaps, an overzealous fan talking about super hero comics. ha ha. All in all conventions are fun and exciting.

4) What is the one thing about comics or illustration you wish you knew 10 years ago?

How to market myself better. That really is the hardest part of being an artist. Getting your voice out there for people to see and hopefully pay for.

5) How did you come up with your style of art?

That's a tough one. I think my style is an amalgam of all my influences.

6) You are like a comics ambassador- what do you do to motivate and encourage teens about reading or creating comics?

Thanks for saying that. I first try to find out their interests. There are so many great comics out there. You just need to tailor them to what the kids like. All kids draw so getting that out of them isn't too hard. I love to see what they create. It's so pure and fun. It gets me enthused about my own work.

7) What do you do at times to get away from drawing pictures?

Besides spending time with my family I like reading all kinds of books and comics. Watching movies and listening to music.

8) Did you have a favorite cartoon show as a kid? How about now?

As a kid it's hard to remember. I did like a show called Galaxy High School and Robotech was pretty awesome. Now, Secret Saturdays and Star Wars Clone wars are both great. I hear rumblings of Samurai Jack coming back.

9) How have comics changed since you were a kid? Are they better, worse, or just different these days?

Honestly, they've always been great. I think there is so much diversity out there. Plus, we're finally getting a lot of the European comics translated. It's a good time to be reading comics. I'm so happy at their success. When I was a kid you didn't find whole sections of comics in bookstores. The success of Bone also opened many doors for comic creators at the big Book publishing houses. The more places that publish comics the better for the creators to make a living. The price is the only thing that changed. I think it's hard for a kid to pick up a new comic at the price point we're at.

10) The best comic book ever is....

Ha ha. It would be too difficult to pick one.

If you want to learn more about Herc, you can go to the following addresses to read his journal or see his art: www.sketchcharlotte.com & http://illtiki.livejournal.com

Free Workshop June 17!

2010-05-26T13:53:00.001-04:00

Free is a word we all like to hear, and when it comes to finding something for kids to do, free can be even better. Consider the upcoming Comics Workshop with Dave McDonald on Thursday, June 17. Dave is a many of many hats and has put them all to good use through his comic creations like Hamster Sam and Survival Island. At Dave's workshop, he will show tweens (kids between the ages of 10 and 12 years old) how to create a single-page comic. From character design to establishing a setting and laying out the points of the story to finally getting that bristol board page inked, lettered and completed, Dave will walk kids through the all the steps. When they are done, they will be ready to tell their own stories using a comic-style format.
This workshop has been generously provided by the Union West Rotary, and seating is limited to 30 kids, ages 10-12. The program will begin at 4:30 and run to about 6:30. For more information or to sign up, see someone in the Children's area at Union West or call: 704-821-7475 ext 4.

Artist Profile: John DaCosta

2010-05-19T10:20:00.004-04:00

John DaCosta is a Charlotte-based comic artist who brought Tom Corbett, Space Cadet into the 21st century- sorta. See, Tom's story takes place in the future, but the last Tom stories were done in the 20th century in the late 50's and early 60's. Does that make it clear?
He also is launching a new web comic on his blog, http://imaginox.blogspot.com where the cover and two pages of the wedding special are up and ready for viewing.

John said he will be at Monroe on Saturday the 26th. He looks forward to showing young people what blowing stuff up in outer space is like in the stories of Tom Corbett. You'll find that John has a quirky sense of humor (just check out the photo he sent us!), likes being around fans and comic creators and can work in either the digital or paper realm when it comes to his art! According to one interview, John used to draw Snoopy as a GI JOE! What could be more American than that?
So, without anymore delay, here is our little interview with John, along with some of his art from Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Enjoy!

1) How long have you been involved in creating comics? I've been drawing comics for 5 years, but cartooning most of my life.

2) Did you go to school to learn to be an artist, or were you self-taught? It's a combination of both- I studied art in some form every year I was in school, but I couldn't get the education I needed so I'd always draw with peers who would push me to be better.

3) What was your favorite cartoon character as a kid? Comic book character? How about now? As a kid- Snake Eyes from GI Joe. who doesn't love a ninja who can't talk. Nowadays- there's a few cartoons I watch mostly Clone Wars and Generator Rex has been interesting, but I also like the new Iron Man cartoon.

4) What was it like to bring a 1950's icon like Tom Corbett back into comics? What was your biggest concern- keeping the technology edgy or the characters contemporary? I did my homework and watched clips of the old episodes and did a lot of searching online. It was intimidating at first, but I tried to make it my own and use a fun cartooney style to bring him to life.

5) What other projects have you been on? What are you working on now? I've done a handful of pinups, short stories but this is probably the biggest piece of work I've done. Right now I'm developing my own web comic for fun @ imaginox.blogspot.com if anyone is interested in checking it out.

6) You are a member of Sketch Charlotte. Do you find it surprising that so many people are into creating their own comic or cartoon art? No, not at all- I believe that everyone has a story to tell- it's a matter of finding the proper outlet to tell it or live it out.

7) What has been your worst/ best/ weirdest convention experience? Best experience at a con- was having a ton of creators over for a huge cook out- I've done that a few times and it's always a good experience. Weirdest- is drawing portraits of people in Next Generation costumes....

8) Outside of comics, what else do you do? I play the Bass and electric guitar at our church, hang out with the family and I also spend a lot of time wood working.

9) Is the future of comics in good shape or bad shape? I think aspects are in good shape- the digital age will be very interesting to see how things progress.

Want to win some great stuff? Then you gotta be here!

2010-05-18T11:42:00.004-04:00

Do you like to win stuff? Can you draw or make a costume? Can you just show up at a place? Any of those things will give you the chance to win some great swag at our mini-con.
I mentioned in an earlier post how I was introduced to Snow Wildsmith, a reviewer on graphic novels and an adviser to libraries on how to build a graphic novel collection. When you review these books for major publications, obviously you're going to make some connections, and Snow's connections have been invaluable! Snow sent out emails to various publishers and the response was tremendous. Here is a brief list:
:01 (First Second)- 18 graphic novels including all six Sardine in Outer Space, Robot Dreams, Adventures in Cartooning, Little Tyrant (volumes 1 & 2), Little Vampire, City of Spies and more!
Boom Studios- two copies of Wall-E signed by J Torres and a copy of The Incredibles signed by Marcia Takara.
DC Kids- Supergirl- Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade; Batman: The Brave and the Bold; Billy Batson & the Power of Shazam; and Tiny Titans- Sidekickin' It!
Top Shelf Productions- 150 copies of Owly & Friends, the Free Comic Book Day edition!
Capstone Publishing- Posters, pencils, bookmarks, a canvas bag, and LOTS of books! Graphic novels like Reality Check, Recon Academy, The Jungle Book, and Princess Candy and several "hybrid" books (those that have traits of both standard books and graphic novels): Truth & Rumors- US Presidents, Dinosaur Wars, The Truth About Trolls, Test Drive- a Robot & Rico story, Pit Crew Punch, Claudia Christina Cortez, and Dragonblood.
I approached our local Burger King here in Indian Trail since BK is marketing the Iron Man 2 film to see if they would be willing to make a donation and their manager very graciously gave a complete set of the kids toys (all 8) that are being offered!

Along with these great items, yours truly also made an effort to collect many great reads from Free Comic Book Day. In addition, many of our guest artists (and several who won't be at the mini-con) have donated copies of their books and even some original sketches to use as special prizes. And even if you don't win something in the art challenge, or the costume contest, or just at random, you're still certain to walk out with some great sketches and maybe even find a couple of things to buy at a great price!

To Snow- if there could be an MVP for this mini-con, you could certainly be the winner! Thanks for all your help!

Just 7 Weeks Until the Return of Mini-Con!

2010-05-07T14:51:00.002-04:00

That's right- today marks the wait for the Return of Mini-Con at just seven weeks! Fortunately, things are falling together nicely as I have had some wonderful people step up to help make this convention bigger and better than last year's affair! It looks like there will be some wonderful prize packs to hand out filled with basic art supplies and great comics and original pieces of comic art! The library system has a license to show features by select studios which means we can show some features at the mini-con!
I'll have more on who is giving what to this convention to help make it better than last year's and how it all came about. But that's a story for another time. Get the word out, tell your friends because this is the biggest FREE convention in the area, and outside of HeroesCon and the one-day Charlotte Comic Cons, there isn't much for comics fans to feed off this side of Charlotte.

Oh, what a day it was!

2010-05-05T22:38:00.002-04:00

So, Free Comic Book Day has come and gone, and all I can say about it is "WOW!" I took my daughter and my sons with me to Heroes Aren't Hard to Find where I touched base with Dustin Harbin, one of the featured artists at this year's Return of Mini-Con. He told me about Ian Flynn, the writer on Sonic the Hedgehog and said he would make a great person to ask to the mini-con- so I will ask him! I also got to give a quick greeting to Budd Root and Andy Smith- two great artists from last year's con. Both of them had lines of folks waiting for sketches and I didn't want to hold them up! Back inside the store, my daughter spotted a teacher from her school (gasp!) and one of the library patrons spotted me! She introduced me to a wonderful person named Snow. Snow had put together an anime con for a Char-Meck library a year ago and had made some very good connections that helped her convention go well. She was willing to make some of those contacts for me and see if they would help with this convention, too! What a break! Shelton, the owner of Heroes was all over the place and he seemed to be going between boss mode and enjoying the crowd mode. My kids and I made our way around the store, finding not only the FCBD titles, but also scoring some other freebie comics and promotionals. My youngest also got a set of buttons that look like the various lantern rings from Blackest Night/ Brightest Day. He also found a Black Lantern ring! There were also bookmarks, newsletters, postcards and mini posters. Just the free stuff would've made the trip fantastic, but the store also had hundreds and hundreds of comics in the dollar bins- a great way to fill gaps in collections or find something you had always been meaning to read. We were also fortunate to get parking just across the street from Heroes, too. Things couldn't have gone better (except if we could've gotten some sketches from Brian Stelfreez and Adam Hughes)!
We then made our way towards Rebel Base Comics in the Cotswold area. It was late afternoon and many of the free comics were gone, but that was okay. It meant Troy must've had a good turn-out at his store, too. A Tusken Raider, Luis, was just done for the day and he let the kids take a look at all the gear that went into making the suit. Inside the store an Imperial Biker Scout was making the rounds. We stopped and talked to Jim McGhee of Area 51 Comics. Jim was a lot of fun to talk to, and he took the time to answer my daughter's questions about his webcomics, drawing dinosaurs, and why aliens make for good story and plot movers. A very nice guy, and he would've been at the mini-con, except he is going to a wedding that weekend. Bummer! My sons were amazed at not just the selection of comics (Rebel Base doesn't have the square footage of Heroes) but the seemingly unending selection of toys from the late 70's up to the present. We did score some fantastic posters and the War Machine Heroclix at Rebel Base! Awesome. WBTV was there filming, so I think we made it on the news, too.
Both stores put on first-rate events and they were the kind of thing everyone in the family could enjoy. To Troy and to Shelton (and your employees) thank you so much!
The comics this year didn't disappoint. We picked up a total of 17 comics- all 10 of the "Gold" comics and seven of the "Silver." The best titles though, in my opinion, were G.I Joe- Larry Hama is back as scribe and has an interesting start to the series; Fractured Fables and Oni Press Free-For-All were the funniest of the bunch; Irredeemable/Incorruptible was the best of the older audience books I got to see. It was interesting to see the world's greatest villain step up as the only person who could stop the world's greatest hero who has gone suddenly VERY bad. Might be worth looking into further! Seeing Dr. Solar and Magnus getting re-launched was nice, too.
Wonder how they will top FCBD next year?

Free Comic Book Day!

2010-04-25T14:16:00.014-04:00

Do you like comic books? Do you like things that are new? Do you like FREE stuff? Then you're going to love Free Comic Book Day! On Saturday, May 1st, comic shops across the nation will hand out a wide variety of specially printed comics for FCBD (Free Comic Book Day). The idea started more than 9 years ago and has grown into a national (and even international) event. But why hand out free comics? Many of the stores and publishers see it as a way to attract people who may not currently be reading comics. For others, it offers retailers the opportunity to put new titles into their customers' hands, exposing them to new material to buy.

In the Charlotte area, there are three comic book stores- Pennyworth's (named after Batman's butler) in Matthews, located in a shopping center at the intersection of Hwy 51 and Monroe Rd.

Rebel Base Comics has the best parking of the three shops, located on Sharon Amity just off of Providence Rd and before you reach Randolf Rd. Rebel Base isn't just handing out free comic books, they will have the Imperial 501st as their special guests. If you don't know, the 501st is a worldwide coallition of Star Wars re-enactors who craft their own costumes down to intricate detail. They then don these uniforms for comics and Star Wars related events, and for many charitable organizations. The store also features one of the best resale collections of action figures and related toys you could imagine! For phone number, address, or other information, click the link under "Links For the Comics Fans in the Carolinas" (that's why I put the links there!).

Finally, there is Heroes Aren't Hard to Find. This store is the host of the annual HeroesCon and is the largest of the three comics stores, with tons of back issues just waiting to be grabbed up. Usually, FCBD at Heroes involves setting up some tables outside for people to get to meet some real comic book creators. Inside the store, the middle counter (under the life-sized Doc Ock) is lined with free comics. People just make their way around the counter getting the free comic(s) they want. The problem is, while the store is spacious, and they always have great artists on hand for the crowd, parking is very limited and shares space with shoppers from other stores and restaurants. Driving in a group and maybe walking a couple of blocks might be good ideas. Heroes is located on 7th street and Pecan near Showmars. For more information, again look for the link under "Links For the Comics Fans in the Carolinas."

This year's line-up of comics range from early readers (Owly) to adult-oriented titles (Fearless Dawn). Sure to be popular this year will be the Iron Man books (2 are being offered), Sonic the Hedgehog, the Tick (if you've never read it or seen the animated or live-action shows, you're missing out!), the Simpsons, Shrek, Superman, G.I. Joe, and Toy Story! For more about free comic book day, including the full list of titles that will be available, copy this address in your browser: http://www.freecomicbookday.com

Along with the free comics being offered in comic shops, a variety of publishers (mostly independent or small press) are offering free comics via download to your computer! You never have to leave the house to enjoy some of the fun! And unlike their printed counterparts, digital comics don't run out!

Contest Time! Win Chrissie Zullo art!

2010-04-17T13:14:00.003-04:00

Chrissie Zullo, painter of the Cinderella covers for Vertigo and penciler on an upcoming issue of Madame Xanadu, is holding a contest at her blog!!! The winner will get an 11" X 17" original sketch, signed copies of Cinderella issues 1-6 AND a signed copy of Chrissie's sketchbook! There will also be a second and third place winner. To participate in the contest, go to Chrissie's blog for the details (you can find her link down on the left).

Where are the comics at the library?!

2010-04-16T11:54:00.002-04:00

I you have come into one of the Union County Public Libraries in the past few days you may have wondered "Where are the comics?". Well, it's a case of good news/ bad news. The bad news is that all the children's comics and graphic novels that come through are being checked out and sent to the Monroe Library. The good news is that when they return, they will no longer be shelved with the Juvenile Fiction books, but they will have their own special code, JGN, and they will be given their own shelf space! This will make finding favorite comics faster and easier than ever, and it will give many people the chance to find comics they wouldn't have known about before!
For those of you faithful who come to Union West in Indian Trail, the comics/ graphic novels are going to start out being proudly displayed on the new books shelf, right next to the magazines. It will certainly change how the new books will be displayed, too, but that could be a good thing, also.
If you must have a comics fix from the library before the books get moved, plenty of comics can still be found in the Juvenile Non-fiction area, and in the Easy book area, too! Hopefully, we will be able to slap a special "Graphic Novel" sticker on these other comics in the near future, making them easier for everyone to find.

April Cartooning Club is on the 22nd!

2010-04-12T16:48:00.003-04:00

Usually the Cartooning Club at Union West meets on the third Thursday of each month, but sometimes something comes up and plans change. Such is the case this month, as syndicated radio personality Sheri Lynch has asked to come to Union West and do a presentation to families on "why reading matters" which is very fitting since this happens to be National Library Week!
The Cartooning Club will instead meet next Thursday in the children's area at 5:30. So mark your calendars as we continue to gear up for the Return of Mini-Con, true believers!

Today's art comes from one of our regulars at the Cartooning Club and one of our most active contributors, Joseph, who gives his rendition of King Richard the Lion Heart!

Two Chances to Learn from a Pro!

2010-04-12T16:34:00.006-04:00

Have you ever wanted to be able to sit down and have a professional cartoonist show you how to put together an entire page? Did you ever want to see how a story goes from an idea to a script to thumbnails to roughs to pencils to inks to letters to colors? Now you have two chances to learn about cartooning from two professional artists!
June 17 (Thursday) at the Union West Regional Library in Indian Trail, Dave McDonald, creator of Hamster Sam and Survival Island will do a 2-hour workshop that will take kids from idea to finished page! Dave will have artists put their final work on a full-sized sheet of Bristol board, the same kind of art sheets used by comic book artists. The workshop is for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 12 years old and of any drawing level. Space is limited, so we will have to register people for the workshop beginning with the next Cartooning Club!
June 18 (Friday) at the Monroe Library comic pro extraordinaire Al Bigley will do a presentation on cartooning. Al (who was one of our first artist profiles on the blog) has worked for Marvel, DC, Image and a variety of other comic book companies producing art of characters like Batman, the Avengers, Sonic the Hedgehog, and others. But he has also done art work for many different companies like LucasFilm (Star Wars), Food Lion, National Geographic, and NASCAR creating company fliers, store displays, food boxes, toy packaging, storyboards for commercials and concept art. Al has taken his talents beyond just comics and found a whole other market for his comic art skills! Join Al as he talks about the many things he gets to work on, and how he goes about creating a piece of art. There will be registration for this special event as well, so you'll want to go to the Monroe Library to get all the details!
To see the interviews of Dave and Al, click "artist profiles" on the right and scroll down! To see their blogs, look for their names on the right hand side of this blog under the links!

Where is Ered?!

2010-04-06T15:22:00.004-04:00

Where is Ered? Some of you may be asking- WHO is Ered? If you've been keeping up with this blog, you'll know Ered is the title character from Derek and Nikki Davis' online comic strip, The Ered Adventures (or TEA for short). Well, Derek and Nikki are running a contest right now- if you read the strips from the last two weeks, there are clues embedded in the story that lead to exactly to where Ered is. Can you solve the mystery? As an added incentive for you to get your sleuth on Derek and Nikki are offering prizes including graphic novels of their series and art work! So what are you waiting for?! Get over to www.bitterteastudios.com right now! (Just copy and paste the address in your browser- or you can click the link over on the left!)

World Famous Monster Hunter Coming!

2010-04-01T09:51:00.002-04:00

That's right! A world-famous monster hunter who has searchd for creatures like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Moth Man, the Yeti, Batboy and others is coming! As a matter of fact he's right behind you!
April Fool's!

Okay, that was pretty lame, but I thought I would get in trouble if I told you about the free Zhu-zhu pets give-away with the all-you can eat pancake supper at the library tonight. Give 'em a call for details if you don't believe me!

Artist Profile: Ben Towle

2010-03-31T09:51:00.012-04:00

If Ben Towle could be given an official title, a good one would be Comics Ambassador! Living in Winston-Salem, this Navy-brat with degrees in philosophy and art, and a stint in a rock band, helped form the National Association of Comics Art Educators (http://www.teachingcomics.org/). NACEA (pronounced "nay-say"- a very fitting name for the general attitude many educators have had for comics) is a non-profit operation that offers online resources for educators and provides a list of available speakers across the country.
Ben's latest work, "Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean" (written by Sarah Stewart Taylor & James Sturm) has recieved high praise from the NY Times, School Library Journal, Graphic Novel Reporter and many other publications and review sites.
Ben also did the graphic novel "Midnight Sun", a fictional account of an actual expedition by an Italian airship to the North Pole. What seems to be a successful voyage turns into a fight for survival and rescue.
Ben is currently working on his re-telling of "The Count of Monte Cristo"
Featured here is a page from Midnight Sun, two from Amelia Earhart, and one from Monte Cristo. Enjoy!

1) When did you first discover comics and why did you notice them?

I'm not sure I can isolate one particular instance where I first "discovered" comics; they were much more ubiquitous when I was younger then they are now and you'd see comics at drug stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. Probably the first comic books I ever really read were the Marvel Star Wars tie-ins, from the mid 70s. Before then, though, I'd read various collections of newspaper strips--Little Orphan Annie, Rupert and Betty Boop are the ones I recall.

2) How did you come to the decision to become an independent comic artist (in other words, not working for DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Dynamite, etc)? That's just a function of the sort of work I'm naturally drawn to. I think if any of those publishers began publishing work that was the sort of stuff I enjoy doing, I'd certainly approach them about it. Those publishers, though, generally are interested in a fairly narrow scope of genres and art styles at the moment and they just don't happen to be the genres and art styles that I'm personally interested in working in. I certainly read stuff they publish, though--it's just not what I happen to be into creating myself.

3) Which story/book/piece of art are you most proud of doing and how has it been received by others? Despite the accolades my most recent project, Amelia Earhart - This Broad Ocean, has received (a recent New York Times review, for example) my favorite book I've done is, I think, my previous work, Midnight Sun. This is probably just because it's something that was entirely my work, whereas with Amelia I was illustrating only. I think my artwork on Amelia has improved somewhat from the previous book, however.

4) You are also involved in NACEA. Why? How does NACEA work? I got involved with NACAE right after graduate school. It was started by James Sturm and me. We had a really idealistic vision of some sort of group that would advocate for comics teachers, for comics curricula, and would be able to help schools implement comics-based curricula. Like many high-minded ideas, that didn't really come to pass, though. What it's turned into is more of an online clearing house for freely-available teaching materials for comics teachers to use. I occasionally have a volunteer helping me with the site, but often it's just me.

5) Did you have a favorite cartoon character as a child? How about now? Did you have a favorite comic book or strip as a child? Now?

I don't think I ever really had a favorite comics character as a child. When I started getting into comics in my early teenage years, I really liked Thor and Swamp Thing, but as I got older I began reading a broader range of things. I don't really have one these days either, just because of the sort of material I tend to read: mostly I read graphic novels, which are self-contained stories, rather than monthly issues of things with recurring characters.

6) What is a typical workday like for you? What projects are you on right now? That really just depends on what I've got on my plate comics-wise. I'm usually juggling a number of different things at the same time. For example right now, I'm working on a proposal for a graphic novel adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo, but I'm also teaching some distance learning classes (basic perspective) and doing some freelance work. I'm home with my 2-year old daughter most days, so I have sort of an "inverse schedule." I work pretty much any time other than the normal 9-5 workday when I'm solo with my daughter, and when I'm sleeping!

7) What has been your best, worst and weirdest convention experience? I've been pretty lucky in that I don't think I've had any really bad convention experiences. I don't regularly do a whole ton of them though. Generally I do the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD and Heroes Con in Charlotte each year for sure. Beyond that, though, I really only go to something if I've got a particular reason some specific year to go. One interesting thing of late is that I'm beginning to get invited to some book festivals, which are a whole different ball of wax; they seem to me to be more of a celebration of books and less an opportunity to sell stuff. The Decatur Book Festival in Atlanta is my favorite of those I've done so far.

8) What kind of comics would you like to be making 5 or 10 years from now? Ideally, I'd like to be in a position where I could put together a proposal for a general fiction graphic novel and get a decent enough advance for it that I'd be able to work on it--and nothing else--for as long as it took to get it done. Right now there are only a small handful of cartoonists who can do this, but other than those few it seems like there are limited genres where this occurs--mainly graphic novel memoir.

9) With the attention given to graphic novels and their movement into video games, movies, toys, etc are comics going through a second Golden Age? I think comics is definitely in a second Golden Age of sorts, but not because of video games and movies and whatnot, but rather because the quality of work being done right in the art form itself now is so high. I don't think there's been anything like this since maybe the heyday of the newspaper comic strip in the 20s and 30s.

10) Will evolving technology eventually squeeze comics out, or will comics continue to adapt to changes?

I don't think comics are going anywhere. Newspaper comics... well, I'm not sure that's a field I'd try to get into right now. But, comics--the general art form--I think will adapt quite nicely to whatever new technology comes along. People often get overly-concerned about what all the new things that technology can do, without thinking about whether people really want those things. It's not as if after the advent of television people began demanding that printed books begin making noise and moving around. There will continue to be comics as books, but also comics on phones, comics on tablets, comics on the web--it's not a zero sum game.

11) If you could be a super hero you would be... Plenty of Available Free Time Man... Able to fill hours and hours of time with things other than work!

You can view Ben's portfolio at Trainedchimp.com and you can read his blog and see more work (including the cover he did for Free Comic Book Day) at benzilla.com. Ben's books are available through his site (if you pay via PayPal) or with most book retailers like Amazon.com.

The Empire Strikes Back....Again!

2010-03-30T16:32:00.003-04:00

Back in February I was very excited to announce the addition of the Rebel Legion's Blue Ridge Base to our mini-con's attendees. Now I have official word that their counterparts, the Carolina Garrison of the Imperial 501st (also known as Darth Vader's Fist) will be in attendance keeping a careful eye out for any rebel activity.

Both groups are closely knit together, not only because of their passion for the Star Wars movies, but because of their desire to use the public's love of Star Wars to help make good things happen. Throughout the year the rebels and imperial loyalists make appearances at community functions to help draw in a crowd and/or to help raise money for a worthwhile cause like juvenile diabetes research or the Make-A-Wish foundation. Members carefully craft their costumes or uniforms to be authentic to the source material- no store-bought outfits from the Halloween costume department, here, folks!

We are excited to have the 501st and the Blue Ridge Base here for our mini-con, and we hope things stay peaceful! Here are some pictures of the members of the 501st, which is a diverse group made of storm troopers, clone troopers, pilots, gunners, officers, bounty hunters and Sith apprentices. Enjoy!

More Marcus Hamilton Art!

2010-03-26T16:10:00.003-04:00

As part of the interview, Marcus sent me scans of several pieces of art he thought showcased his abilities beyond Dennis the Menace. So enjoy the show and click to get a larger image. Thank you, Marcus!

Artist Profile: Marcus Hamilton

2010-03-25T16:25:00.008-04:00

Marcus Hamilton became a part of our library's cartooning scene thanks to some friends at the Mint Hill Library. After just a couple of emails, Marcus was at our library speaking to the kids about Dennis the Menace, what he learned from the strip's creator, Hank Ketcham, and talking about how changes in art had gotten ahead of him but Dennis kept him going.
An incredibly nice and humble person, Marcus is a great encourager to others. He truly enjoys meeting fans of Dennis the Menace, and when he talks about the characters you know he really cares about them.
The mini-con will mark Marcus' third trip to Union West. He was also part of our very first mini-con last year and this year, he was the first person to say yes! He was kind enough to answer some questions for us, and to share some of his favorite art, much of it being used on the covers of magazines or inside the magazines. Enjoy!

1. How long have you been drawing Dennis and the Mitchells? Do you write the gags/script, too?
I began drawing the daily Dennis panels in 1994, after responding to Hank Ketcham’s comment on TV (June 22, 1993) that he would like to retire someday. I called and told him that I was an illustrator in Charlotte, NC, and I would love to have the opportunity to draw Dennis. After an extensive training period, Mr. Ketcham began inserting my drawings along with his. He officially announced his retirement in October, 1994.

We have a “troop” of gag writers, from around the country, who send me their ideas every month. I select 25 from approximately 250 submissions, and return the others. Each week I pull out 6 of the gag ideas that I want to draw and decide how to illustrate what the characters are saying.

2. Ron Ferdinand does the Sunday page- do you two ever work together or collaborate on ideas?

We are in touch by phone or fax almost daily. We endeavor to keep the DENNIS characters true to Mr. Ketcham’s tradition. Occasionally, Ron and I will tie together a theme for both the Sunday and daily panels. In July/August, we will be recognizing the 100^th anniversary of the Boy Scouts.

3. You did a variety of things before Dennis- what were they?

I began freelancing fulltime as an illustrator in 1972. I was fortunate to realize my “dream” of doing story illustrations for books and magazines for 21 years, until computer graphics ended my career. It was exciting to receive assignments from most of the national publications where some of my “idols of illustration” had gained their reputations. Some of my regular clients were: Saturday Evening Post, Good Housekeeping, Reader’s Digest, Cosmopolitan, Golf Digest, Scholastic publications and cover art for Harlequin Romance paperbacks.

4. One of your art "idols" was Norman Rockwell- what was it like to do a Saturday Evening Post cover? Did you feel any added pressure (real or imaginary)?
The Post art director called in 1978 and asked me to do a painting of Bob Hope in a Santa outfit for a story inside the magazine. No mention of it being considered for the cover. However, when the magazine came out, my sister called to tell me that the cover looked really good. I rushed to the Mint Hill Library to see if they had received their copy of the Dec. issue. It was a thrill to see the painting of Bob Hope on the cover!

Honestly, I didn’t feel any “added pressure” because I didn’t know it was a cover painting until it was published. But, to have my art on the cover of the magazine that had given Norman Rockwell his fame was indeed a humbling honor.

5. What was your favorite comic or cartoon character as a kid? Do you have a favorite today(besides Dennis)?
“Prince Valiant,” “ L’il Abner” and “Mary Perkins/On Stage” were the ones that really inspired me because Hal Foster, Al Capp and Leonard Starr weren’t only cartoonists…they were accomplished illustrators. Later, as I became a “Dennis the Menace” fan it was mainly because Hank Ketcham was a master of composition and capturing the reader’s emotions with a minimum of linework; a challenge that I now face everyday.

My favorites today are “Pickles”…Brian Crane has captured the essence of retired seniors…I can relate to the situations he presents (although I’m not planning to retire!). I also enjoy “Zits,” “Mother Goose.”

6. Was art or cartooning your first choice of a career path?
Yes…I knew from age 6 that I wanted to be an artist. My Mom always had a notepad and pencil in her pocketbook at church to keep me quiet during the sermon. That was when I realized that drawing was fun. My parents encouraged my interest in art by paying for one of the art correspondence courses when I was 14 years old.

7. You go to conventions each year- what has been your best experience? Worst? Weirdest?

I always enjoy meeting the fans who tell me how much Dennis has meant to them as they were growing up…most of these fans are in the “older generation.” Having one-on-one conversations with the attendees at the conventions, especially HeroesCon, makes the time fly by. They love to tell about experiences of how they were influenced by the comics. Some mention that their parents taught them to read by reading the Sunday comics. Characters like “Dennis” have become more than just cartoon characters…they are trusted “friends” to the readers.

8. Fill in the blank- What I would like to do next is...
Continue drawing Dennis and striving to keep the drawing “fresh” everyday.

9. Are you more excited about basketball's March Madness or Baseball's Spring Training?

I used to really get into the basketball playoffs, back when Dean Smith and Jim Valvano were coaching Carolina and State. My wife and I were huge Atlanta Braves fans back in the day, but we’ve kinda lost interest since the original players have moved on. We do still enjoy our Carolina Panthers, even when they don’t make it into the playoffs.

10. If you could take Dennis on an adventure what would it be?

Back in 2000, Mr. Ketcham sent Ron and his wife and Kaye and me to Hawaii to sketch and photograph for a week, so that we could have Dennis and his family take a vacation in the islands. It was a truly wonderful experience! It was fun to get back home and relive some of my experiences by drawing Dennis doing some of the things we experienced on our trip. I’d love to do that again!

As a testament to the continuing popularity of Dennis the Menace, the US Postal service has announced a Sunday Funnies collection of stamps. Included in the set is Beetle Baily, Archie, Calvin & Hobbes, Garfield, and Dennis the Menace. The set is scheduled to be sold in sheets beginning in July of this year. Congratulations Dennis, Hank, Ron and Marcus!

Artist Profile: Chrissie Zullo

2010-03-23T13:07:00.011-04:00

Living in neighboring Charlotte, Chrissie Zullo is one of those rare few who has come into the comics scene and gotten the attention of people immediately. Often, top-tier artists like Bryan Hitch and Adam Hughes spend time working on mediocre titles getting no attention- sometimes for years- before finding a breakout title like Ultimates or Wonder Woman. Chrissie took off from the start, creating covers for DC's Vertigo line, specifically the Cinderella series, and the response has been consistently one of praise for her work. Just read what the comics/movie/video game website IGN had to say about her-
"New to the industry, it is awfully high praise to Chrissie Zullo when we say that she fits in just fine with James Jean and Joao Ruas, but after seeing her four covers released so far it's justified."
That's what IGN wrote about her cover for Cinderella- From Fabletown with Love #2 ranking it at #80 among the 100 best covers of 2009. To see the article, copy and paste this address in your browser: http://comics.ign.com/articles/105/1052678p3.html
Chrissie has a very distinctive, eye-catching style that comes partly from the mediums she uses to create her images. Often, Chrissie paints in oils on a wood panel to get the initial image. She then scans the picture into her computer and adds additional colors and effects using Photoshop.
The covers displayed with this article include Cinderella #2 with Cinderella and the prince standing back-to-back, and the other cover is issue #3 and draws some inspiration from ol' James Bond.
Below is our interview with Chrissie- enjoy!

1. How long have you been creating art? How long have you been doing comic book covers?

I have been drawing and being creative ever since I was a baby. I was always drawing as a kid, and from a really early age I was always the "artist" in my classes. I've been doing comic book covers and comic book art for about a year now.

2. Have you done or do you plan to do any interior work on a comic?

I am actually just about to start. I'll be doing 22 interior pages for an upcoming issue of Madame Xanadu, that I'm really excited about.

3. How did you get "discovered?"

I entered the DC Talent Search at San Diego Comic Con and got to meet with an editor from Vertigo... and the rest is history.

4. Were you into comics as a child? Did you have a favorite comic book character? Cartoon character? How about now?

As a kid, I was into Sunday comics and in High School I was into manga. It wasn't until college that I started to read DC/Marvel comics. It's hard to pick a favorite comic book character, but I do love Zatanna and lots of other characters from the Batman universe, as well as Ambrose and lots of characters from the Fables universe (as well as, of course, Cinderella). As for cartoon character, as I kid I always loved Hanna-Barbera cartoons and Disney cartoons, and now I love Miyazaki animated films.

5. Comics seem to be an almost exclusive boys club. What would you do to change this ?

I think it's perceived that way because the majority of American comics deals with a masculine super hero. A lot of girls today read manga, and I think it's less intimidating, because a lot of manga deals with a variety of stories that are stand alone in one series. Even when I was getting into comics, it can be intimidating if you aren't familiar with the very long history of x or y characters. I think the way to change this is something that Vertigo or other more independent publishers are addressing already with comics, and that's by telling new stories to catch new readers. I know "Fables" has a loyal male and female following. I don't think it's a matter of creating something that addresses more to girls, but creating something that appeals to everyone.

6. What is a typical workday like for you?

Very atypical... Every day is different. I really need to find out how to properly schedule things. It's weird working from home as a freelancer, because you make your own schedule. I just address each day individually, and try to get the most done of whatever project I'm working on. This usually means staying up late, painting or drawing, with lots of tea and lots of music.

7. What is your dream comic assignment? Is there a comic you would refuse to do?

My dream comic assignment would be to create my own comic book, otherwise, everything I have worked on so far has really been a dream come true. All the comics I've been able to be a part of have been favorites, so even if it's cheezy to say, each project I get really brings the fangirl out of me. As far as "refusing" to do a comic; I'm not sure if I would ever "refuse", but if it is something that I don't think will really match my style of work, than I wouldn't do it.

8. What has been your best convention moment? Worst? Weirdest?

My best convention moment was probably being on the Fables panel at San Diego Comic Con, or signing at the DC booth. It's incredibly humbling and awesome to sit right next to people whom you look up to and admire, so I really tried to let nerves go and soak it all in while it lasted. As for worst-- I did drive out and stay out of town for a three day convention that had almost no attendees; I think a total of three people walked by and talked to me at that show, and one of them was another exhibitor. As far as weirdest-- I'm not sure, but every convention is likely to have a weird moment...

9. What other appearances will you be making?

I'm going to San Diego Comic Con this year as well, and trying to also get to NYCC, Baltimore Comic Con, Dragon Con, and Star Wars Celebration V.

10. What thing do you love to do to get a break from comics?

I'm a huge LEGO fanatic, and love video games and going to movies. I also read a lot of books, you know, the ones without pictures, and I try to spend a couple of hours every night reading some good sci-fi.

You can also follow Chrissie's work on her Deviant art site, chrissie-zullo.deviantart.com and you can see her works in progress on her blog, chrissiez.blogspot.com.

We're Listed at Superhero Universe!

2010-03-22T15:35:00.005-04:00

That's right- the Return of Mini-Con has taken another step toward the big time. Superhero Universe (www.superherouniverse.com) has listed our library's event next to other regional and national comic book conventions! Since the Return of Mini-Con is a two day, two location event, Superhero Universe listed each day separately, giving the con two block on the convention calendar!
If you haven't heard of Superhero Universe, check it out- there is a place for comic fans to put their own art out on the web for free. There is a page dedicated to the latest in comics news, a fan fiction section, and even their own original online comics that can be read for FREE!

The Return of Mini-Con happens June 25 at the Union West Regional Library in Indian Trail, and moves to the Monroe Library in Monroe, NC on June 26. Look at older posts to see who is expected so far!

Charlotte Comicon is Sunday!

2010-03-20T01:39:00.003-04:00

The Charlotte Comicon is Sunday! There will be loads of old and new comics along with the Imperial 501st, aka Darth Vader's Fist and plenty of talented artists, many who have been named in earlier postings here such as Al Bigley, Derek & Nikki Davis, Tom Davidson, Eraklis Petmezas, Jester Press and Chrissie Zullo- just to name a few!
Admission is $3. Children 12 a nd under get in free. The hotel will even give you a token for parking!
So where and when is this event, you ask? Why Sunday, March 21 from 10- 4 at the Crown Plaza Hotel on 201 S McDowell in downtown/uptown Charlotte. You can get more details on the web at www.charlottecomicon.com
Enjoy!

You Won't Believe This: Superboy Dropped in, too!

2010-03-15T11:27:00.003-04:00

That's right- Superboy was in the library Thursday afternoon. With low clouds and rain, the kid of steel decided to land in the library for awhile! Obviously, he was here to also get info on June's mini-con and check out the layout of the library. Superboy also checked out the computers (he's a fan of Clifford the Big Red Dog's game) looked at some books, and posed for photos.
Also, if you look at Spidey's pictures, you notice he's missing a glove, and Superboy has a glove. Hmmmm... did Spidey and Supes have a run-in, and now the last kid of Krypton is showing us who won?

BTW- Spider-man and Superboy are NOT the same person. Neither was asked to come by- it just happened in the same week! Our library is just a fun, exciting place! Go to your own library and see if you can find out why, too!

Who will be the next comic book celebrity spotted at Union West?

Can you believe it? Spider-man was here!

2010-03-09T13:15:00.003-05:00

That's right. The friendly neighborhood wall-crawler was in the library this morning checking things out, getting to know the building I guess, before the mini-con in June. Spidey spent some time at the computers (apparently he likes the Bob the Builder video game!) went to a story time, and of course posed for pictures! Maybe we can get him to be a judge for our costume contest! This just proves that some of the most exciting things around can be found at your library! Thanks, Spider-Man!

Artist Profile: Derek & Nikki Davis

2010-02-24T16:27:00.004-05:00

Derek and Nikki Davis are one of those pairs who were truly made for each other. Derek was an unmotivated reader until he discovered the myriad worlds and variety of stories offered in comics. Nikki is an art teacher who finds expression through the visual. Both are people of faith. Both have had to deal with cancer in their lives and it was, ironically, the thing that first brought them together. But they can tell that story so much better than I can, so when you see them at the mini-con, or at any of their other scheduled appearances, ask them about how they met!

The Ered Adventures, or T.E.A., is their on-going online comic strip. T.E.A. has been compiled into several books which feature many strips never seen online. Some of these collections include Winter Madness, Life of an Ordinary Idiot, Blurred Reality and Ultimate TEA. They have also crafted an anthology horror graphic novel called Tales of the Dead Ringer, and have done two children’s books featuring their after-life character, Skinny Skelly.

Here is the interview with two of Union West Cartooning Club's favorite people!
1) What are the Ered Adventures? How many people take part in creating the stories?
The Ered Adventures ( T.E.A.) is the daily life of Ered, Nik, their friends, family, cat, dog,a young skeleton, and a ghost. The characters just seem to write themselves because they are based on real life people and also fantasy characters. This allows the story to sometimes be based on reality and fantasy. The two main people that write T.E.A. are my husband (Derek) and I (Nikki) but we get lots of ideas from our family and friends who know we do a comic strip. There have been several comic strips that are based solely on others’ stories. Because of this it makes the universe of T.E.A. ,The Ered Adventures, have more depth.

2) Why did you choose to do an online format?

We wanted to get the story out to people to read, not just sit in our portfolio at home gathering dust. These characters demanded to be let out! They have a story to tell and it is barely contained. It also allows us to reach a much wider audience. I update twitter, facebook, and have a newsletter to let my subscribers know when there is an update.

3) Your best convention experience/moment? Worst? Weirdest?

(Cricket chirping….)

4) What other appearances will you be making this year?

We are appearing at Charlotte Comic Con (3times- March 21, August 1 and December 19), Wilkes County Library (July 31), and Richard’s Comics and Collectibles (Free Comic Book Day!). Also at the Con-Carolinas June 5-6, a convention for gamers, cosplay, and artists.

5) You visit a lot of libraries- why?

Well, we believe there are many ways to learn to read. Not only are there novels, magazines, but also comics. Comics are a great tool to introduce reading to a child that has been bored with just words on a page. What better place to introduce children to comics than at a library? We enjoy sharing our art!

6) Favorite cartoon show and comic as a kid? Now?

Nikki- My favorite cartoon as a kid was Jem. It came right after G.I Joe, I think. I like the bright colors and, well- it was the 80’s. Now my favorite cartoon is Naruto. I really like the action in it. I did not read comics as a kid but my favorite comic right now is the Green Lantern Blackest Night series. The story has been so good.

Derek- I have always loved Superman. Superman is my favorite comic from my youth and also right now.

7) Who in comics has been the biggest help to you?

There have been so many people it’s hard to name just one so I won’t. I will name several. John Aston from Olde Town Comix, Troy Hansbrouck from Jester Press, Jim McGee from Area 51 Studios, Chrissie Zullo from Art by Chrissie Zullo. All these people have been very helpful in us creating something that we enjoy.

The Ered Adventures, along with all the comics activities and events Derek & Nikki are involved in can be found at their website. You can also find a link to purchase copies of The Ered Adventures! http://www.bitterteastudios.com/

Convention Volunteer: Marcy

2010-02-18T10:40:00.004-05:00

Marcy is a reference librarian at the Union West Library in Indian Trail, and she is part of the committee of volunteers who are working to make this year's mini-con a success. As part of the reference staff, Marcy is also involved in overseeing the teen programming and the teen volunteer schedules. The graphic novels in the Teen and Adult sides are also part of her domain!
A digital photographer, Marcy also paints pictures of animals- "exotic" and "ordinary"- and of landscapes/seascapes.
At this year's convention Marcy will be helping set up the traffic flow at the Union West Library, staging volunteers in certain areas to help, and will supervise the Rising Stars Art Challenge!
Speaking of "Rising Stars" this three-panel comic about her cat Shea was done by Marcy herself using colored pencils. Marcy had to make the art on size of paper, then reduce it down for coloring so it would fit into the scanner. Look for more of her animal antics in the future- she has lots of great ideas to work with!

Cartooning Club this Thursday

2010-02-15T16:12:00.002-05:00

The Cartooning Club will be meeting at the Union West Library in Indian Trail Thursday, Feb. 18 from 5:30 to about 6:30. Many of the kids who come will be continuing work on their posters for the art show that will be part of the mini-con in June- this month it is clean-up and inking time! Using erasures, tissues, sharpies, felt markers and ball point pens, kids will work on giving their posters that "finished" look before it heads to coloring next month.
We will also dedicate our time to another "comic craft", this time comic bookmarks and bracelets- easy and fast to make! You just need clear tape, comic images that fit the format, duct tape, velcro fasteners, and a laminator! Let the mayhem begin!
The Cartooning Club is free for kids ages 8 on up to 888! If you don't have pencils and paper, we have plenty to use. If you want more information about the club, you can call the Union West Regional Library at 704-821-7475, ext. 4.

Artist Profile: Dave McDonald

2010-02-04T12:18:00.008-05:00

Optimism and encouragement are two words that seem to fit Dave McDonald well. The creator of Hamster Sam, Dave spends a good portion of his cartooning time in schools, libraries, museums and other places where he can work with kids to help them be creative about making their own stories. Dave was one of the featured artists at last year's mini-con and he will be returning to this year's event. In addition, Dave will be doing one of his workshops at the Union West Library the week before the mini-con!
I asked Dave a few questions about how he became a cartoonist, and what the future holds for him:

1. How long have you been drawing and what did you start drawing?
Every cartoonist says that they began drawing at a very young age, and I’m no different. I remember spreading out the comics section of the newspaper onto the kitchen table as a 3rd grader, and trying my best to draw Snoopy, Charlie Brown and “Peter” from Johnny Hart’s B.C. strip. Johnny Hart was a “local” cartoonist where I grew up in upstate New York; though I never did get to meet him. I remember doing a report on cartooning in the 5th grade; and though my art was merely typical of any other 5th grader- I’ll never forget the high praise and compliments that my teacher- Mrs. Freed, bestowed upon me. Teachers do leave a lasting impression!

2. What art did you do before Hamster Sam?
Since I’m a relative ‘newcomer’ to the cartoon art scene, I need to put it in “reverse” here and give you a little background. I studied film and television in school and worked professionally as a TV producer/director/writer for years, and eventually moved into theme park entertainment as a writer (those Scooby Doo stage shows at Carowinds!) and also a designer/builder of puppets and character costumes. I also toured as a puppeteer with the wonderful Grey Seal Puppets of Charlotte. Drawing was a part of each of these endeavors; whether it was creating storyboards for television or character design drawings for puppets and mascots. So, to get to your question (finally!) most of the art I created in the past was more “behind the scenes”-type drawings; used in the process of creating other forms of entertainment and media. In recent years, I have created illustrations for clients such as children’s museums and other educational organizations & publishers.

3. How did you settle on or discover your style?
Everyone has his or her own unique style, which is achieved through a process of combining natural talent with practice. I am still learning and growing and developing my style, which some describe as “cartoony” (is that a word?) or “quirky”, and seems to appeal mostly to younger audiences. It also reflects the style of comics that I enjoy writing and creating- cartoony, quirky “humorous” stories for young readers. When I teach how to make comics in schools, I emphasize to the students- and they agree- that it would be pretty boring if every artist had the exact same style. This is meant to encourage every young person to draw and make comics; no matter what their style!

4. Besides drawing, what else has made you an effective cartoonist?
Excellent question! My experience as a television director has really helped me in terms of creating comics. If you think about it, making a comic is very similar to directing an animated movie, except that instead of the constant movement of characters, you are choosing to select key “frames” or panels to illustrate and indicate the action of a scene. In that regard, you are a comic book “director”; choosing whether to draw a “wide shot” or a “close up” of a scene…choosing which elements to place in the background…what props are needed for the story, from which direction is the light coming from- that sort of thing. It was a comfortable transition from television to comics. Plus, in comics your characters don’t get fussy and tired and whiney and…you get the picture.

5. How far will Hamster Sam go and what other projects are on the table?
Another great question- do you know Barbara Walters? (Ha!)I recently finished up a 16-page mini comic for an educational publisher as part of a Test Preparation Kit they are selling to elementary and middle school districts. The comic, “Big Test Survival Island”, addresses important test taking skills that help students perform better on those scary end-of-year state tests. The book is themed like the Survivor TV show, and features my little explorer characters “Louise & Clark”- the Palmetto tribe- pitted against the ever-so-ditzy Varmint brothers, Claude and Clyde- the “Idunno tribe”. It was a fun project to create, and I feel that when you can make students laugh, they tend to remember the material better. Case in point: (sing it with me everyone) “Conjunction junction, what’s your function?...Connecting words, and phrases and clauses”)
Hamster Sam is one of a handful of characters slated to appear in my new book project starring “Vincent van Doodle”, a fifth grade cartoonist. I am really excited about this new series, which will be produced in a whole new digest format with a more affordable price point. I hope to have the first book completed by this fall. I should have some more to share about Vincent van Doodle at the mini-con!

6. Best job ever? Worst? Where were these jobs?
Best job ever? My current job! It combines the creativity of storytelling with characters that come from my imagination. When combined with the joy that I get from school visits and talking to young readers- what job could be better?

Worst job? I’ve never had a bad job, really, but I’ve had some interesting jobs. Strawberry picker (m-m-m, fringe benefits!), my brother and I were professional magicians as young teens- doves, fire, Dad ran the sound system- the whole works. In college, I got a kick out of the fact that I worked at Burger King, and my nametag read “McDonald”! A summer job at IBM had me toting around parts headed for the space shuttle and Trident nuclear submarines. Yikes, what were they thinking?!

7. Best convention moment? Scariest? Biggest disappointment?
Since I’m fairly new to the comics convention scene, I really can’t share a ‘best’ or ‘scariest’ moment yet. Talk to me after New York Comic Con; if I’m fortunate enough to get a table. I will say that to this point- the thing I enjoy the most at a convention, is when I see kids and families. Comics started out for kids, and it’s coming back for them now with more and more books being created for kids. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not opposed to the comics made for the “big kids”- adults need an escape too; but to see a kid with a comic in their hands and a big smile on their face reminds me of when I was a kid, running up to my room with a brand new comic book in my hands! Nothing smelled sweeter than freshly inked newsprint paper!

8. Favorite artist you've met?
Again, pretty new to this arena- but any talented artist with a genuinely nice personality would qualify to be a favorite of mine. Here’s a few kids-comic artists I admire: Marcus Hamilton (Dennis the Menace), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules), Harold Buchholz (Wild Lion and co-founder “Kids Love Comics”), Ray Friesen (Pirate Penguin vs. Ninja Chicken), Scott Christian Sava (The Dreamland Chronicles), Rich Faber (RobyRed) & John Gallagher (Buzzboy). These guys love what they do, they are incredibly gifted, and they are enjoyable to be around.

9. Thing you most often tell kids at workshops or shows.
Easy. I tell them that You CAN draw a character, you CAN write a story and You CAN make comics! Even if that character is a simple circle with eyes…it can become a grape; and a grape comes from a bunch of grapes…and a bunch is like a big family…and we all come from families…and all families have stories. So with that little circle character, you CAN make a comic!
What I try to impress upon kids is that making good comics is about making good stories; stories that readers can relate to- and less about who can draw the best biceps. Bottom line- your drawing will improve with practice; so don’t let it stop you from making comics.

10. Favorite book? Cartoon show as a kid? Cartoon show now? Comic book or strip?
Whoa! I could have a field day here. I don’t normally like to admit to liking anything that a teacher forced me to read; but I must say that I rather enjoyed “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Beyond that, I will revert to the leisure-time entertainment that became a part of me forever. Animated cartoons and humorous TV shows really had the most influence on me due to the element of humor. Some of my faves were Rocky & Bullwinkle (anything by Jay Ward), Bugs Bunny, the campy goodness of Batman, The Muppet Show, Johnny Quest (I liked suspense too!), and though not a TV show or book; I think I wore out a few needles on the record player with the comedy albums of Bill Cosby, Spike Jones and Stan Freberg! As far as comics go; anything based on animated cartoons obviously; plus anything humorous- the Harvey line, Archie comics, Donald Duck, MAD magazine and a then a few of the Marvel titles such as Fantastic Four, Spiderman and the Hulk. Comics from the newspaper would include Peanuts, B.C. and Beetle Bailey. I can’t believe that I’m so old that Garfield came out after my childhood, but that would make my list too! In terms of cartoon art, the cartoonist that floored me with his brushwork is one that I did not discover until later in life- ‘Pogo’ artist Walt Kelly. Incredible!

You can find links to Dave McDonald and Hamster Sam over to the left under the recommended links.

With a Rebel Yell!

2010-02-02T16:17:00.007-05:00

The Rebel Legion's Blue Ridge Base has received and replied to my transmission. They have confirmed they are coming! If you have never heard of them, the Rebel Legion is an international group of Star Wars fans who create their own costumes within the canon of the movies (and the TV cartoons, too!). The group has a lot of fun sharing costuming ideas and creating the variety of good guy characters seen in the Star Wars universe. They also use their cool outfits to draw attention to many charities and worthy causes along with their dark-side brethren the 501st (aka Darth Vader's Fist). Visit the Rebel Legion at www.rebellegion.com

We look forward to seeing Jedi and rebel fighters wandering the mini-con this year! Thanks!

Today's pictures include the unit patch for Blue Ridge Base and an assortment of some of the costumes this group has put together! Enjoy!

Artist Profile: Al Bigley

2010-01-28T23:54:00.004-05:00

If Al Bigley were a baseball player, he would be a relief pitcher. Not the starter who gets all the attention or adoration, but the guy who comes in to finish the job, fix the mess, and save the day. Al has been one of those guys who makes his living not by going with trendy styles, but by being consistent and on-time with his work (which is becoming rarer in comics everyday!). It's not just comic book work Al is involved with- he has done work with too many different people to list (but you may be interested to know it includes firms like Lucas Films, Disney, Warner Brothers, NASCAR and National Geographic, to name a few) and the range of jobs has included toy designs, concept art, retail displays,story boarding, collector's cards, posters and prints, toy packaging, licensing designs for shirts, towels, coffee mugs, etc.
Al is most widely known for his work on Sonic the Hedgehog and for his own comic creation Geminar. He also has a book, Draw Comics Like a Pro.
Here are ten questions with Al-
1) What has been your favorite job ever? Least favorite?
Drawing and co-plotting GEMINAR, my own creation, with writer pal Terry Collins! Nothing like working on your own creation! Least fave? Romance comics I drew in 2005 or so. Done for editors who had NO idea how comics worked. Tons of silly changes that stretched the work FAR longer than it should have gone. Ugh.
2) Best convention experience or moment? Worst? Weirdest?
All cons are great, getting to meet friendly folks from all over the place! Can't think of too many weird ones....
3) Favorite comic book and character as a kid? Favorite cartoon then? Now?
Batman. Period.
4) Best thing you've read?
Too many to list! I wouldn't know where to start or stop!
5) Favorite TV show or movie?
I love MASH, BATMAN-BRAVE AND THE BOLD, MAD MEN, etc...Fave film is probably A FACE IN THE CROWD with Andy Griffith..
6) Person in comics who helped you the most?
Joe Orlando gave me valuable tips when I did my first work for DC Comics in the early 90s....Many others I could list...
7) Favorite comic to work on? least favorite?
I dug drawing a story for AVENGERS WEST COAST in the mid-90s, that had all the greats in it..Iron Man, Captain America, Vision, etc...
I didn't dig drawing Marvel's DARKHAWK, as I didn't really like the characters, and the Darkhawk costume seemed needlessly complex to draw..
8) Besides being an artist, what else do you do?
I enjoy working out, reading, being outdoors, spending time with family, etc...
9) What's the biggest change you've seen in comics since entering the business?
The use of the internet by editors and art directors to find talent. To them, it now seems as if there are THOUSANDS of available artists for any job, since Google says so! :)
10) What other appearances will you be making this year?
Heroes Con in June, and the Charlotte Mini-Cons run by Dave's Comics of SC! Maybe more...
11) Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob? (Kidding!)
Don't get that!

You can see more of Al's work and learn more about his interests and his knowledge of comics at these sites:
http://albigley-theblog.blogspot.com/

http://bigglee.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/GEMINAR/142674774022?ref=ts

and http://albigley.com./

His book, Draw Comics Like a Pro can be purchased through Amazon.com or via PayPal to Al (details at Al Bigley.com) The first issue of Geminar can be downloaded for free to your iphone! Details at the Geminar facebook page.

Cartooning Club!

2010-01-22T09:43:00.000-05:00

The Cartooning Club had it's monthly meeting last night and about 12 kids were there! We discussed the latest news on upcoming superhero movies (like the fact Sony has decided not to make Spider-man 4) and we talked about the upcoming comics events this summer. First is Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) on May 1! Comics fans, or those curious about comics, can head over to any area comic book shop like Heroes Aren't Hard to Find or Rebel Base Comics (see my links for details). There they can get an assortment of specially made comics for FCBD and meet artists and writers, other fans and who knows what else?
The next big event will be the HeroesCon in Charlotte. Breaking with tradition a little, HeroesCon will be the first weekend in June instead of Father's Day weekend. Dustin Harbin is working hard to assemble incredible A-list talent to keep Charlotte as the largest convention in the southeast!
Following those events will be The Return of Mini-Con! If you've read the older posts you get a sense this will be a real quality event, and we still have five months to work on it!
The Kids in the Cartooning Club are working on giant poster-sized pieces of art work, taking the process in stages- creating a draft, laying down the pencil lines, clean-up and inking, revisions and color, final touches. Many of them took their posters home so they could continue with their pencil work.
The Cartooning Club meets usually every third Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 6:30. Our next meeting will be Feb. 18. Everyone age 8 on up is welcomed!

The art included with today's post are samples of the work done by the kids in the Cartooning Club. Enjoy!

The Return of Mini-Con- Update part 1

2010-01-19T20:07:00.000-05:00

Because so much could be going into this mini-con, a planning staff has been put together to kick around ideas and and talk logistics, budgets and other fun things.
At the moment, it looks like the days are getting shifted over one more day. This will allow the libraries to be open either before or beyond the regular hours.
Dave McDonald, the creator of Hamster Sam, will be doing a comics workshop at the Union West Library the week before the mini-con. The planning committee decided a similar event would be good for Monroe's library, so painter Oscar Ortiz has been tagged with presenting that program! Visit him at http://www.oscarortiz.com/
More artists have also said they will participate in the mini-con, bringing the total to more than 16 people for the two locations- and there are still a number of people to get back in touch with! A costume contest, or cosplay contest as the manga/anime crowd call it, is also on the slate. To encourage participation, members of the Rebel Legion and of the 501st (Darth Vader's Fist) have been invited to attend!
A Rising Stars Art Challenge is also in the works where different age groups will compete to see who composes the best storytelling page.
Since there is plenty of time until June, this blog will also spend time introducing readers to the many artists who are coming, one at a time. Stay tuned to see who will be first!

Today's picture is a design of the mini-con mascot- cute but mysterious!

This Year: The Return of Mini-Con!

2010-01-14T11:06:00.000-05:00

I could talk (or write) for quite awhile about how great last year's mini-con was, how grateful I am to each of the artists who came out and gave of their time and talents to help promote our summer reading, and how enthusiastic the response was from the kids and parents and others who came.
But I think equally telling of how well it went is that the library has agreed to do it again, this time a little bigger! This year, The Return of Mini-Con will be Friday, June 25 at the Union West Regional Library in Indian Trail, NC.THEN...the action moves to the Monroe Library in Monroe on the 26th with more festivities!
Two locations, two different days, a bigger opportunity for people to enjoy this event. Activities like a cosplay contest, a Rising Stars Art Challenge, filmfest, a kids' art show, and a seminar of the merits of reading comics are all on the slate and are being planned and tweaked further.
The list of artists who have committed is already bigger than last year's and there is still five months to go!
If you are a comics, sci-fi, fantasy, pop culture or pretty much whatever fan and you live in the area of Union, Mecklenburg, Stably, Cabarrus, Anson or Chesterfield counties, please put this on your calendars and check us out!

The image with today's post was a picture I drew and inked then colored on the computer (GIMP). This was used as the cover for last year's program that was handed out to everyone attending.

Last Year's Mini-Con!!!

2010-01-13T17:01:00.000-05:00

Last year the Union West Library held a mini comic book convention as part of the summer reading for the kids. The mini-con lasted about 3 hours and brought in more than 300 people, maybe close to 400. For that many people to say "Hey, let's spend our evening at the library" I think is pretty cool!
As Troy Hasbrouck, creator of the Night comic books as well as proprietor of Rebel Base Comics and Jester Press said, "It was the best darned miniest mini-con ever!"
A whole bunch of great artists came out to give of their time and talents for this event including Marcus Hamilton (Dennis the Menace), Al Bigley (Geminar, DC, Marvel), Andy Smith (DC, Image, Marvel, CrossGen), Budd Root (Cavewoman), Buddy Prince (Night, Marvel Masterpieces), Dave McDonald (Hamster Sam), Holly Plyler (manga artist on the rise!), Marcus Kelligrew (Captain Courage), Derek & Nikki Davis (The Erad Adventures), and the guys from Heroes Aren't Hard to Find comic book shop!