Issue #4 will be at the Ronin Studios booth #2246 at San Diego Comic Con!

I gotta tell ya, the artwork in this issue looks damn good, the best yet in fact. Dave Wachter is a pro.

This was an incredibly fantastic show. And successful too, we completely sold out of issue 4! Got to meet back up with a lot of great folks and meet a lot of new ones too. That’s always the most exciting and fulfilling part of a convention for me.

On the plane ride over I started to finally read Men of Tomorrow. When I got off the plane a guy approached me, said he saw me reading the book and asked what I thought. He introduced himself and I told him my name. He got a curious look in his eyes and said “are you the artist on that organ transplant book?” That was pretty damn cool. He stopped by the booth later and picked up the issues he was missing.

Met the Comic Geek Speak Guys guys, Peter, Bryan, Jaime, Matt and Adam, and a lot of CGS listeners and other podcasters like the Indie Spinner Rack guys(nuts), Lene from I Read Comics(charming), and Chris from the Collected Comics Library(swell guy).

Got so many sketch commissions that I was always a day behind, as well as selling most of the ones I had left from previous shows. Went to Fridays(I know, but it was cheap i.e. under $40/plate) with a bunch of CGS peeps, went to Dick’s(again, cheap, & a real crap hole but we made it fun) with the Ronin Crew, and went to a couple fancy-pants dinners with Jim, his wife Lisa and their two beautiful and well behaved twins, Eva and Tristan. Later in the night was the bar at the Hyatt.

Met Steve Bryant and we got along instantly. He’s a stand up guy all the way.

Got another chance to talk with WordBalloon’s John Suintres(probably bad spelling, but he does the same for me ). He’s a bundle of information and positive energy.

That’s what I can think of right now. My brain is still fried.

Special Thanks to everyone who came out to meet us and who picked up the book!

Here’s the few pics that I snapped:

View from the Radisson:

Stormtroopers:
Ray Harryhausen at the booth next door:

Jim and Nat jammin’ on the Ukes:

More Stormtroopers:

The Ronin Booth with Jim, Pat and Chris:

Steve Bryant, Athena Voltaire creator:

Blurry podcasters:

Even more Stormtroopers:

Art Adams working on my Loki sketch:

Loki:

Sketches for the CGS guys:

Even more Stormtroopers:

Mighty John Culjak(writer of Renaissance Man):

Jim and Pat:

CGS dinner group:

Ronin Crew, blurry mode:

Guess what, Stormtroopers!

Where to even begin?
This is the best show I’ve ever been to. It really was incredible. I’m still tired writting this, so it may come out a little incoherent. I know I’m going to forget a lot of stuff until reminded.

Thursday was Preview Night, or afternoon, since it ran 4-7. Brent and I get there about noon. They let us drive right in the back of the convention center, park on the floor and unload right next to Artist Alley. So much easier than last year when we parked in the garage and had to make multiple trips back and forth through the mile long pedestrian walkway. Setup was a breeze. Ronin had 5 tables in a row. Wizard had actually placed us next to Studio Ronin, which is a completely different bunch, who had out cool models out from movies and stuff they work on. They had several tables as well, so almost the whole row was occupied by somebody with Ronin in their name. We set up faster than expected and waited for the other Ronin folks who soon arrived.

The doors opened at 4 and we were instantly busy. Lots of familiar faces dropped by. As well as new faces with familiar names, or at least, familiar screen names. The book flew off the table and the sketch list began to fill. The first request was for a classic Batwoman, you know, the one with the purse. I thought that was an interesting choice, but that it would probably be the only time I ever drew that character. I was wrong, because I got the same request next! This time, I was in a long line of a Batwoman theme. Who knew she was such a popular character. I really like when people are doing themes because you get to see so many different interpretations of the same idea.

I pretty much spent the whole con working on sketches. I have never been so busy. I had to turn a few people down, which I really hated to do. A few generous souls let me finish their sketches after the show, which I will spend the next day or two doing. I didn’t get much time on the floor at all, which I regret a little. I tried to visit with everyone I knew, but missed a few folks. I would have liked to buy some more books and get a few sketches myself, but time didn’t permit.

Even though Saturday is the convention’s busiest day, my busiest day was Friday. I think I owe that to all the fine folks I’ve met over the internet coming over early. But who’s to know for sure?

Hanging out Friday night at Knuckles was a lot of fun.

Saturday morning, woke to the alarm, cleaned up and sneaked out as quite as I could so as not to wake any of the roommates. Got down to the con and noticed that nobody was around. Tried to go onto the floor, was stopped and told I couldn’t get in until 8. Asked”What time is it?” “7:30.” Turns out, the clock in the room was an hour fast. Back to the room, Chris was up, got coffee and a danish at the hotel lobby, Pat shows up and hangs out. Off to the show.

Saturday was busy. I sketched throughout the day, breaking once to get a sandwich(“I’m sorry, how much did you say that was?!”) and twice for the bathroom. Sales were good on the book, but actually less than Friday, which was insanely good. This same inversion was felt by a lot of the other Artist Alley people I talked with, and it happened for us at previous shows.

Ronin did their big signing event for the Hope:New Orleans charity anthology. I heard they did good numbers, and from what I could tell it was selling like hot-cakes. The book is also going to be Ronin’s first title distributed by Diamond, so look for that soon. It’s 200 pages of goodness.

Saturday after the show, recorded with the Around Comics folks in the hotel room with a room full of guys. That was good fun. Stayed out way too late but I got to meet and talk to a boatload of people. Met John Romita Jr., which was a great thrill. He and Paul Jenkins, Joe Q, Billy Tucci were all hanging out and I did something stupid for their amusement. Hanging out with people after hours was such huge fun that I can in no way express on this keyboard. I owe it all to those great people I got to be around. Actually, the whole show was fantastic because of all the people I met and talked with throughout the daytime and nighttime hours.

I would like to thank everyone who stopped by the booth, or I met on the floor, or after hours. This is just a sampling of the folks I would like to thank. There is no physical way that my feeble intellect can hold every name. My deepest apologies if I miss somebody, because I know it’s going to happen.

The Around Comics guys: Chris, Sal, Tom, Matt, David Price, Vince B, Dustin, Chip, Dan, Mark, Mike Oliveri, Neil Gorman, Sean, Jim, John Siuntres, Scott Johnson, The Comic Geek Speak guys: Peter, Bryan and Tasha, Matt, Kevin, Brent and Brandon(Horrorwood), Steve Bryant(Athena Voltaire), Doug Klauba, Matt “Darth” Kramer and fiance, Mike “The Pamp”, Mike Norton, Library Boy, my Ronin brethren: Noble, Kari, Shane, Bram, Grant, Russell, Sean, Jesse, Jefferey and Tonia, Andy Jewett, Ryan, Nick T, Nick D, Brian Defferding(School: A Ghost Story), Taki, Raven, Chris Samnee, Cullen Bunn, Gary, Bubbles, Thudpucker, Tibbitz, Flonk, Lab Rat, Adam, Arthur, Ryan Hoffman, AlterEgoComcs, Chris Moreno, Ben, Phil, the father and son who got headshots of The Thing and Grundoom, the couple from last year who got the next two books and a sketch of the Phoenix, everyone in costume, all the fine folks from the Around Comics forum, the Comic Geek Speak forum, The Jinxworld forum, and last but never least, the mighty Pat Loika!

There were folks there that I missed that I really wanted to see, and there were friends who couldn’t make it this year, and they were sorely missed.

Now, the pictures:

Pat Loika:
Ronin Tables:

Shane Welker(Shylock) hates me:

Batwoman Sketch:

John Siuntres of wordballoon.com:

Grundoom Sketch:

Noble and Pat:

Sentinel sketch:

More Ronin Tables:

Starman sketch:

Sean and Jim from Raging Bullets podcast:

Loki sketch:

Shane contemplates life’s intricate mysteries:

David, Chris, Vince, and Matt:

Harley sketch:

Shane is finally happy:

Nick T avoids the camera:

Phoenix sketch:

Sleeping roommates:

More sleeping roommates:

Mike Norton:

David and Chris making sure they have enough condoms “Zero. You?” “Yep.”

My Favorite Canadianian Bram Cayne:

Positive energy exudes from Brian Defferding(School:A Ghost Story):

This sums up everything:

Yeah, I’ve been talking a lot recently. Here’s a listing of all the recent podcasts I’ve been on:

Comics Podcast Crossover
Episode 10: “David Arroyo of the Comic Makers Podcast, Dave Wachter, sometimes guest on Around Comics, and host Bruce Rosenberger, discuss Small Press comics, from the inside.”

direct download

Wordballoon
“So many creators to talk to at Wizard Chicago, we couldn’t fit them all in one show. In the 2 episodes you’ll hear from mainstream and indie creators.”

Show notes

direct download

Around Comics
Episode 40 – “Wizard World Chicago Pt. 3 The last one, we promise! Join Around Comics as we walk the convention floor and talk with some of today’s top comic book creators. Hear interviews with Paul Jenkins, David Mack, Paul Azaceta, Jeremy Haughn, John Romita Jr. and more!”

direct download

Episode 41 – Cameo appearance for the Top of the Stack Segment

direct download

Comic Geek Speak
Episode 166 – “Our Chicago wrap-up continues with some help from Steve Bryant, Mike Norton, and Dave Wachter. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Kevin has a rant all ready to go. Sometimes silver and black isn’t all good. Plus a little comic discussion.”

direct download

Follow the link below for an insightful interview into the mind of Scar Tissue artist David Wachter:

Read it here.

Really good stuff.

Dave is getting pages ready for the forthcoming trade paperback collection of the first story arc by redoing the inks from issue 1. The first issue was originally inked digitally, but recently Dave has been inking by hand and the results are way better.

For example, here’s the difference…

Original page 2

New page 2

It’s a big difference.

Here’s the next three covers from Scar Tissue! All these will debut at SDCC in July.

Issue 5 (color edition):

Issue 5 (b&w variant edition):

The trade paperback collecting 1-5:

Hear ye! Hear ye! Come one, come all, to read the first installment of the World-Famous, Internationally Renowned publication of amazement known as:

Genius J’s
Technicolour Almanack of Graphical Wonderment

Wherein Things Begin and Summarily End, The Past Catches Up To The Future, Strange Creatures Are Bought And Sold, Freud Is Discovered To Be More Wrong Than Not, And Other Wondrous Events Of Happenstance Happily Chance To Happen In Stances.

In this substantial, full-colour 52-page tome ye shall find a spectacular variety of stories to shock, fright, confound and delight! Tall tales are woven of love! War! Life! Death! Science and its Fiction! Westerns! Monsters! Magicks! Mystery! And other such silly nonsense!

There is Something for Everyone and Nothing for No-one, and it makes an excellent Lining for all manner of Gilded Cage containing Fowl or other Winged Creatures.

Featuring stories written by Scar Tissue author J. Andrew Clark, with lots of pretty pictures drawn by the wizards known as Victor Cabanelas, Enzo Pertile, Art Grafunkel, Jason Whitley, David Wachter, Bill Koeb, Chris Fason, Josh Hagler, and Jonathan A. Rector!

This classic piece of literature is now available in paperback at the online store (click here) or for download FREE at www.wowio.com!

“Not once as I read this did I feel disappointed by what I read, and that’s quite an accomplishment. There’s a serious pile of talent between these covers.”
– Aint It Cool News

Back home from the Comic Con! Finally got something resembling a decent nights sleep. If you can be jet lagged from only two time zones away, then that’s me. Here are a bunch of my thoughts on the show. At least the ones that I’ve had a chance to write down. This isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Sorry for the stream of thought randomness of this post.

The 2007 San Diego Comic Con marked the convention debut of Dial R Studios, and we couldn’t have asked for a better venue or a warmer reception. Attending at the booth were myself, Jim Clark, Pat Loika, Chis Maze, Tim Loika, Mike Woods, and our newest member Barry Miller. I absolutely love these guys and every time we get to hang out is always fun but way, way too short. And what a beautifully designed booth it was, thanks to the extreme efforts and talents of designer Chris Maze.

San Diego is a fun town. The weather was perfect and the sights, ohh the sights. Beautiful women everywhere. Inside the con, they even dress up in sexy character costumes! mmmmm…slave Lea…mmmmm

I still hate Dick’s Last Resort! But the company was good, so I still had a great time.

Almost knocked over Rosario Dawson at the bar.

John Culjack, my pal, there’s never a dull moment when he’s around. Offered a valuable combination of humor and insight.

Steve Bryant smells delicious! I’m serious folks, if you ever get a chance, take a long whiff of that manly musk! Glad we finally got to hang a bit on Sunday night. This is becoming a tradition.

Jamming on the ukulele’s with Jim.

Almost knocked over Joe Q at the Hyatt entrance. (now that the weight is gone, it might actually be possible to knock him over!)

Jim Clark and Philip Clark’s (no relation) duet of ukulele and alto sax.

Massive throngs of con-goers stuck in the street by the passing trains.

Judge, and sis, and daughter. Judge is a great friend of the booth that I see every year. This year it was a pleasure to meet some of the family as well.

Mike Norton looking a little bewildered by the size of the place.

Laughing at uncoordinated comic fans tripping over the chain at the food court. Jim putting a sign on the chain reading: “DO NOT STEP OVER THE CHAIN, you will trip and fall and look like an idiot and everyone will laugh at you.”

I got to draw a lot of fun sketch requests. Including a somewhat bizarre request from Jim Clark. People seemed to really go nuts over this image, so expect to see a colored version available soon.

The pose modeled after my Thing Vs. Hip Flask commission print. We displayed them next to each other.

Hanging with my buddy Chad at the bar. Great conversation in the heart of chaos. When you get a seat at the San Diego Hyatt bar, you don’t let go!

Seeing Jiba, my fellow Chicago art school compatriot, is always great. Check out Hip Hop Chronicles!

During the last few minutes of the show on Sunday, Barry introduced me to Richard Starkings of Elephantmen/Comicraft fame so that I could show him the color print of the Thing versus Hip Flask. He totally flipped, excitedly telling me that the Thing is his favorite Marvel hero and that Hip Flask is in may ways based on Mr. Grimm. He handed me one of those impossible 1000 piece Ladronn painted Hip Flask puzzles and joyfully accepted my print. It may or may not happen, but keep your eyes open Elephantmen fans, you may just see a familiar image of a certain orange rock powerhouse versus a hippo man gracing a page of one of the greatest comics currently published! Needless to say, I’m still a little giddy over the encounter.

Barry Miller, our newest victim…er, member, is awesome, btw. We had a great conversation about great tv shows that were cancelled before their time. Finally, another person who loved Doctor Doctor!

Walking back to my hotel, well over a mile and a half away, at 3 am every night. That first night i actually got lost. Having not walked to the hotel since last year, but I was fairly confident that I knew where it was. Yeah, that didn’t work out. After going about 15 blocks up Front St. I thought I had gone too far, must be on the wrong street and made a right turn to start on parallel streets. I must have been wondering around another half hour, with an ominously increasing need to ‘see a man about a horse’. No problem right? Just find an alley and go? Oh, wait, there are no alleys in San Diego! Finally stopped in at the Motel 6 where the night watchmen(who was really personable, I figured he doesn’t get to talk to many people on his shift) and he pointed me in the right direction. Literally pointing at the Radisson tower. It wasn’t marked by a sign due to the fact that starting Aug. 1st it would go from a Radisson to a Double Tree, so there was no sign-age on the building, at least none illuminated at night. And it turns out that right turn I made was just one block before my hotel!

Cullen Bunn had some fantastic news: The Damned has been optioned by Dreamworks! I hope his head doesn’t get so big that I can’t work with him!

I took no pictures. I have a crappy camera. Luckily Pat took a ton of them. (sadly, many others were corrupted and lost.)

Pat’s awesome flikr page.

Every con has been better than the last, and this is the best one yet. It’s such an immense joy to hang with my Dial R buddies again. They are my brothers from other mothers.

And professionally, I’ve never been more excited about the direction I’m going. I had felt like I was starting to tire, maybe a little frustrated, but by seeing old friends and fans again, and making new ones, I am rejuvenated.

Sincere gratitude to the locals for welcoming this mid-Westerner to their beautiful city. There were banners up all over the city advertising the show, it was in the paper, on the news, this city really supports its comic con. Pat and Chris make fantastic ambassadors. And they’re even better people.

And finally to Jim ‘Genius J’ Clark, what can I say? He may sometimes drive me crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t think of anybody else I would rather be a creative partner with on this crazy journey of ours. We’ve come a long way. This next, all new, all different project of ours is going to kick seven kinds of ass!

That’s all I can think of for now. Again, I can’t stress how great this show was. It’s only 8 days until Chicago, and even though I’m still exhausted, I can’t wait!

Here’s a nice review of Genius J’s Almanack (available in the store here):

http://reviews.xcave.net/indies/minis/geniusjtaogw.htm

They said it was “effin’ awesome”. Gotta love that.