Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Lovey Dovey Christmas Card
For your hot summer days: the front and back of a limited edition Lovey Dovey Christmas card from 2009.
Less Than Two Days Before PulpFest 2011
“The Summer’s Great Pulp Convention,” PulpFest 2011 is a new and improved version of the venerable convention catering to fans and collectors of vintage popular fiction.
Join us Friday, July 29th – Sunday, July 31st at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio.
PulpFest 2011 will begin on Thursday evening, July 28th, with a special preview night, featuring three rarely seen Shadow short subjects and a film adaptation of Talbot Mundy’s King of the Khyber Rifles.
Details and much more information here: http://www.pulpfest.com/
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Here Be Dragons
A panel I recently finished inking for "Here Be Dragons" slated for Nix Comics Quarterly #3.
You can pledge to purchase a copy of Nix #3 on Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2135514704/nix-comics-quarterly-3-third-time-is-the-charm
Alex Steinweiss, RIP
Alex Steinweiss, who passed away last week at the age of 94, has traditionally been known (among record collectors and graphic design historians) as the inventor of the record album cover, in 1939.
Although this claim to fame is now being confronted by some collectors of jazz '78s, Steinweiss was, in any event, a fantastic graphic designer of both album cover art, album cover packaging and other forms of 20th century design.
In remembrance of his talents, here are some pics from my 2009 exhibition at Wild Goose Creative, "Steinweiss: the Inventor of the Record Album Cover".
The New York Times obituary for Steinweiss: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/business/media/alex-steinweiss-originator-of-artistic-album-covers-dies-at-94.html
Taschen's $700.00, limited edition book on Steinweiss: http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/design/all/05039/facts.alex_steinweiss_the_inventor_of_the_modern_album_cover.htm
Wild Goose Creative: http://www.wildgoosecreative.com/Wild_Goose_Creative___Home.html
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Xeric Grant Says Adieu
Nix Comics Quarterly publisher Ken Eppstein surprised me with the news this week that the Xeric Foundation is ending its decades-long practice of awarding grants to self-publishing cartoonists.
My comic book Reactionary Tales #1, published in 2001, was funded by a grant from the Xeric Foundation (the book is the introduction of the Signifiers Universe).
On the Xeric Grant website, cartoonist and Xeric founder Peter Laird recently wrote: "The advent of essentially free web publishing has forever altered the way aspiring comic book creators can get their work out into the public eye. With this in mind, I have decided that it makes sense that the Xeric Foundation will no longer provide grants to self-publishing comic book creators, and instead devote all of its available grants funds to charitable organizations."
Though I'm disappointed that the Xeric Foundation is no longer supporting and encouraging the publication of artwork on paper (one could argue that web publishing isn't really publishing at all but merely posting/uploading - and the fact that essentially free web publishing was also available during most years of the Foundation's existence (I had a website for my comics work in '96), the Foundation has generously provided more than $2,500,000 to creators and charities over the course of its existence - an amazingly loving accomplishment.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Cartoonist Scott Mills Raises a Toast
...at a pre-Mid Ohio Con party at Laughing Ogre many years ago (late '90s?).
Scott wrote and drew one of the best minicomics of the past few decades, Cells, which was funded by a Xeric grant.
You can purchase a new edition of the book (and read the whole thing online) here: http://www.scottmills.net/
Mike DeWine Renews the Human Trafficking Commission
Kudos to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine for taking the lead on renewing Ohio's multiagency commission on sexual trafficking of those under the age of eighteen.
State Rep. Teresa Fedor, who served on the earlier commission, is the prime sponsor of two state anti-trafficking laws.
Read more about the commission here: http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/humantrafficking.aspx/?from=nav
Monday, July 18, 2011
Life Is Sweet...
...drawing a story for Nix Comics Quarterly #3 while listening to The Foundations' My Little Chickadee and a stack of other UNI 45s.
Awesome George Tuska Art
This is an artist fans used to deride in '70s fanzines. Draw a panel like that, fanboy, or go home.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Signifiers #2 Comin' Atcha
Fans of The Signifiers (and especially pledgers to The Signifiers #2 on Kickstarter) will be glad to know that a deluge of news and updates will be heading your way as the second issue is readied for printing.
This includes art previews, a new letters column, the juice on our new promotional coloring book and wicked new coffee mugs.
Stay tuned!
The Jack Kirby Museum
Fans of cartoonist Jack Kirby who haven't visited the Jack Kirby Museum website in a long time will be surprised at the depth of material there.
Hosting a total of six blogs on the artist, TJKM also features original pencil scans of Kirby's classic '70s period, a documentary and much more.
Enter the museum here: http://kirbymuseum.org/
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Granddaughter of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson Makes an Appearance at PulpFest
Please join PulpFest on Friday, July 29th, for "Granddaughters of the Pulps" featuring Elizabeth Bissette, great-niece of Norvell Page, Karen Davis Cunningham, granddaughter of Frederick C. Davis, Laurie Powers, granddaughter of Paul Powers, and Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson Brown, granddaughter of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson (who also founded DC Comics). The panel will be moderated by BLOOD 'N' THUNDER editor Ed Hulse.
Learn more about PulpFest here: http://www.pulpfest.com/
Smith Road Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio
You can see the American flag in the window and the cool bell tower to the left.
Someone should rebuild Smith Road Road Elementary School.
Friday, July 15, 2011
New Steve Ditko Work on eBay!
Act Eight, Steve Ditko's new 32-page, B&W book is available now on eBay. It includes a serialized story, The Madman and assorted short subjects.
Fans of Ditko know that he's producing some his most thoughtful, creative and prolific work right now. Check out his new indy work for yourself:
Monday, July 11, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A Panel I Drew for the Jamtastic Foray
...created and published by cartoonists from the central Ohio group Sunday Comix. The book tells a fun and cosmic version of Jack and the Beanstalk.
There may still be some copies available. Check out the Sunday Comix Yahoo group here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SundayComix/
And the Sunday Comix blog here: http://sundaycomix.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 8, 2011
McSwagger
Gotta get back to drawing McSwagger. Above: one of my first pencil drawings of the sick robotic superstar.
Check out McSwagger's MySpace page here: http://www.myspace.com/mcswaggermusic
McSwagger also performed on Attack Attack's second, self-titled album: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_Attack!_(album)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The Mesh Will Return
I am hoping, however, to return to the strip after my work on Nix Comics Quarterly #3 is done and after The Signifiers #2 ships.
In the meantime, you can read the story thus far here: http://www.nenoworld.com/TheMeshEnter.html
Tellers of Weird Tales
Speaking of pulps (as we were yesterday), do yourself the favor of checking out my friend Terence Hanley's informative blog, Tellers of Weird Tales. Terence describes the blog as "a compilation of biography and bibliography on the men and women, writers and artists, who contributed to Weird Tales magazine and its companion titles, Oriental Stories and The Magic Carpet Magazine, from their founding in the 1920s and '30s until the revivals of the 1970s and '80s."
Terence is pulling together and tracking down some fascinating information about Weird Tales contributors, some of whom are now quite obscure.
Check out Tellers of Weird Tales here: http://tellersofweirdtales.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Desert Thugs Need Coffee, Too!
Signifiers Universe coffee mugs are in stock and ready for shipping! Choose from Desert Thug #1, Larvae Boy, Freak Cave and The Mesh. New Quacky Pig and Lovey Dovey cups will be here soon.
Order via PayPal here: http://www.nenoworld.com/Coffee_Cups.html
23 Days Till PulpFest 2011
Celebrating its 40th year, PulpFest is a very well-organized convention for fans and collectors of vintage popular fiction and related material. You'll find thousands of pulp magazines for sale, original art, genre paperbacks, panel discussions (including a fascinating slide show concerning The Shadow on Radio presented by Martin Grams) and much more!
PulpFest will begin Friday, July 29 and run through Sunday, July 31. Early registration and dealer set-up will take place on Thursday evening, July 28. The PulpFest 2011 organizing committee will also sponsor a party in the convention’s hospitality suite on Thursday evening as well as a movie program assembled by Blood ‘n’ Thunder editor Ed Hulse. The dealers’ room will open to all on Friday, July 29, at 9 AM.
Check out the fact-filled PulpFest site for more details: http://www.pulpfest.com/
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Nix Comics Quarterly #3 Preview Pencils
Nix Comics Quarterly #3 is now on Kickstarter! Go there now and pledge for cool comics, a killer t-shirt designed by Ryan Brinkerhoff and a BBQ party! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2135514704/nix-comics-quarterly-3-third-time-is-the-charm
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Kate Sherrod's Suppertime Sonnets
The book is available in Kindle format and will be a physical book soon. Earlier this week, Suppertime Sonnets was #10 on Amazon/Kindle's bestseller list for American Poetry (between Edgar Allen Poe and Charles Bukowski).
Click here to purchase Suppertime Sonnets: http://www.amazon.com/Suppertime-Sonnets-ebook/dp/B0058KBNZ8/ref=zg_bs_157112011_10
Pics from the 2011 Lake Effect Comic Con
The view from the table.
A wonderland of candy.
Chris Lambert and David Russell, writing and drawing The Vampire Gazette.
Gentleman Mike Gustovich, kindly autographing a Fantastic Four annual he'd illustrated.
What's a con without Steampunk?
The costume contest. Mary took this pic.
Pete Cooper, currently illustrating a Rook graphic novel.
Creators Aubrey Fisher and Craig Tucker.
Gary Dumm and Joe of Hoohah! Collectibles study some old, cool cartooning. Joe always brings the pulp mags to cons. That makes me happy.
Some of Joe's wares. Me want the Patsy Walker comic in the second row.
Bernie Crowsheet and son. Guess who won the Children's Division costume prize?
Thanks to John Haines and all Comics and Friends workers for putting on a fun show!
More show pics: http://www.comicsandfriends.com/
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