Post 156

Post 155

I've been busy. I can't even begin to tell you how busy I am. I'm doing so many things at once, it's hard to keep track of them. That's what happens when you're responsible and inventing. I'm doing pitches, work, sequentials, character designs...too much to deal with. But in a few weeks that'll be different.

So, the shoes, I did them for fun in a way. The first characters I remember are these two. My dad had a ton of their old comics, and it's what I grew up on, I'll love their characters forever. I'm so sad Matt Fraction is leaving Iron Fist. He renewed my love of Iron Fist.

Also, starting a new art blog with my friends Sam Ellis, and Mike Getty called Better Than Your Mom. We're doing new art on a regular basis. Art you won't see here on my blog. Ultimately we'll put up the art we do for the blog on ebay, and put together art books for cons. We set up different art assignments for each other, this one is two characters from different companies "interacting." You might be surprised as to what I chose...then again, if you know my brand of comedy, you probably won't be surprised.

Post 154

A new Rick, with the most talking ever...don't get used to that. Talking covers up art in my opinion.

Post 153

CAPE FALLOUT!!!

I have to say this first, all the pictures I show are from my friend Luan Luu. You can find even more here.

I started off with this picture from Friday night's live art show. This was my favorite picture by far of the night by Mike Huddleston. I'll get into talking more about how cool he is later, I just wanted to establish that his art skills are off the chart.

Another highlight of Friday...PEARSON!!!

Gorgeous, and huge as well. I stood there for most of the time he worked on it. He is very meticulous in what he does. I was lucky enough to be sitting behind him during Saturday at the con. I snuck many a peak at what he was working on. I hope my friend Matt scans in his Savage Dragon headshot from Pearson. There are no words to describe how beautiful it is.


This was the view I had for the day. Corner table, turned out to be a good position, though the wind was a beast all day. I put some 3M masking tape down and it held most of the stuff in place all day. I felt bad because my friends and I, along with Jason Pearson kept having to run and get things that were flying off of David Mack's table. But later on he was able to weight things down. Even with the fear of wind attacks, it was easily the most enjoyable con of the season, and a fitting way to end it. I'm still up in the air about Baltimore, which would be my first con of next season. My friends keep telling me I have to go, but it was a mixed experience last time. Mainly because of the situation I was in. Super expensive, getting lost in the WRONG WRONG WRONG part of town, and not even getting to eat seafood. Okay, enough talking, time for a break with a picture:
One of the multiple con drawings I did. Like I said, I LOVED THIS CROWD!!! Unlike some of the cons I've gone to this year, the people were all there for comics and for comic creators, local and big name alike. Sometimes I can't GIVE AWAY a sketch, and this time people were surprised at the price I charged. A few people said it was too low, but whatever, then they can get something from me at another convention. I loved talking to everyone. I even ran into my buddy from Atomic Age back in the day. He was the only thing keeping me going to comic stores for so many years. When he left, that ultimately lead to my path of only buying books on Amazon at this point, or at shows from the creators. Sketch interruption sneak attack:



There are a couple other sketches that I wasn't able to get pictures of because of various reasons. Like a Hulk picture I did that I really enjoyed, or the octopus picture where it's singing Electric Six lyrics, but I'm hoping they'll surface at some point. It's like the one that got away at Dallas Comic Con in January...the Poison Ivy picture that was awesome, but sadly I didn't get a picture of it...

Anyway, I said I'd talk about Mike Huddleston and all the cool people I talked to. My friend Kristian introduced me to Mike, and while talking to Mike I was also talking with Kody Chamberlain. Who is extremely talented and helpful. Uh oh, another picture interruption:

One of the main highlights (and there were many) was getting to talk to Robert Kirkman and Val Staples. I was scared going up to Kirkman at first but he was really nice after playing around with my obvious fear for a bit. He enjoyed it far too much. Val was SUPER cool to talk to because he helped me realize that I really need to find ways of learning the technical aspects of coloring for production. I need to hang around some pure colorists, or at the very least look at gutterzombie more.

I have to say, getting prints was really helpful. I was able to pay for them already, and get enough money for more prints, and I only sold a fraction of my supply. There were people that saw them that go to most of the conventions locally, so hopefully they'll buy some next time.

Ultimately, this was a great con, one of the best I've gone to outside of Heroes.

I'll keep you updated on any more fallout from the convention...oh wait, I nearly forgot, the Space Gun website is open. So check it out, we're still getting more features added on. My studio-mates would really appreciate it if you'd visit.

Post 152

At the CAPE convention this weekend, my friends know the folks at the Hero Foundry, a non profit charity organization.

We were asked to do pieces for their charity auction, so this is what I came up with. I had fun with it, but now I really want more of the tan mattboard.

Post 151

Kind of an ad for next week's Rick.

Post 150

How fitting is it that I have a Rick Dangerous as my 150th post? Pretty cool, but here it is. I have prints now! One set is of the indiana jones/rocketeer, the other is of the spidey/rhino pic. I might get another in time for the con this weekend. Hope to see you all at CAPE.

Post 149

Since I missed Friday, I wanted to make up for that. But my next post will be Wednesday...crazy week...and it's only Monday!

Post 148

As a side note, I wanted to say that the kick yesterday in panel 3 was a reference to the old Orion release of Fist of the North Star. One of my favorite things when I was growing up. I don't think a lot of people (if any) caught that. Just thought I'd make it clear...

Sometimes it sucks when you're the only one that gets the joke...

Post 147

Here it is, in all it's black and white glory this time. Rick Dangerous part 4. I said there'd be characters from other things I've done, and a lot that I just make up. But this is Thousand Year Old Baby and Baby With a Scimitar!!! Click the text to see their previous appearance on the blog.

BTW, a rough translation of the last panel is, "We'll get our REVENGEEEEEEEEEE!" In baby talk that's what it translates as, but it's a tricky language. Please do not compare them to Baby Geniuses, that movie was horrid, and the second one might have made me partially blind.

Anyway, until next week, that's your Rick fix.

Post 146

Post 145

Sorry it's been a bit. Things have been hectic, depressing, and every other emotion over the past week, but especially this weekend.

That said, I'm not updating weekends unless there's something really, really important. There might be some days here and there where I'm not going to be able to update. Especially next week. I'll have a Rick Dangerous next Wednesday, but that'll be it. Next week is going to be one of the craziest weeks of the year for me, if not the craziest.

Thankfully I'll have the CAPE convention to look forward to. I should be getting some prints in the next couple days. Hopefully the quality will be good. I've never used these printers before, but it'll be nice to come prepared for once. Anyway, there's my update.

Post 144

Post 143

Week 3 o' Rick Dangerous...ORIGIN TIME!!!! Not much explanation though, but I move fast...and doesn't he look a bit scrawny? What's the deal with that? That alien? Is he bad, he sure seems bad, he's torturing Rick...well, you better look closely, because there foreshadowing for next week's, as well as allusions to a previous strip from a long time ago on this blog.

Anyways, enjoy!

Post 142

Okay, had something inside the caption bubble, but deleted it because I thought it would be fun this time if you guys came up with something. Reply if you dare!!!

Post 141

Post 140

A couple more I did today, this post will count for tomorrow's. I've gotta' focus on taxes.

Post 139

Well, I was a little bored at work yesterday, and had a bunch of leftover materials: gesso used for primer coats on clay, prismacolors from a sample art pack, and black paper that was a cover sheet for an Arches Watercolor block. I'll tell you, for being something throw-away, it was amazing paper that I'd be ashamed to waste.

Just an observation, but there are a TON of people in the industry. I was looking at the guest list for CAPE, and you'd think that I'd stop hearing a ton of new names at some point. However, I'm always being bombarded with work from artists I had not seen. I guess I just hadn't made it to their corner of the industry so to speak. But I'm psyched for that con. Robert Kirkman will be there, and sure, I have a snowball's chance in a kiln of actually meeting him, but I can still hold out hope. I'll also see Pearson there, and you better know that I'll be trying to talk to him. I've seen him at a few cons, and he remembered me in the past. He's always been extremely nice to me at Heroes Con.
I think that CAPE may be the last of my con season.

I just got money from a job, but I don't think I want to waste it on a flight and a convention. I think I'll just put it into my Cintiq fund (which is getting closer and closer) I'm over half-way for the 20WSX. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't go to out of state conventions (which incur an exorbitant amount of expenses, I mean Baltimore cost nearly 800 for a two day convention). I want to know that there's a possibility of making the money back. Right now, I'm having better luck with work for hire stuff, so it seems more fiscally responsible to jazz up my technology situation. I'm getting a friend to build me a new computer (the one I'm using is 6 years old, and I'm going to make it for browsing and e-mail). The new one will be primarily for art. I was working on an advertisement job a while back, and the file was 3 gigs, and my computer was slowing down to a snail's pace. However, I'd love to go to Atlanta possibly this summer. It'd be like Heroes except far less expensive, AND I'd get to go to Gaijin and see my buddies Doug, Cully, Brian, Karl, and Tony. Not to mention all my friends that live around the studio, especially my friend Sam Ellis (who works on Frisky Dingo). We talk on the phone a few times a week. He's possibly my only long distance friend I do that with anymore. Everyone else is too busy, but Sam always makes the time, and ALWAYS brings the funny. Possibly the funniest guy I know. That's a bold statement, but seriously, he'll be at Heroes, just talk to the man for about 5 minutes...you'll see.

Anyway, I've gotta' get ready for work...and taxes...I've let this get out of hand, never done em' by myself before (other people did them for me), so fingers crossed.

Post 138

Some fun that I had during the day, took a big brush, some leftover acrylic paints, and started painting.

Post 137

I nearly didn't get to do this for today. I'm working on some (hopefully) paid work. Too soon to say anything, but I'm learning a lot, and having a ton of fun with it. I'm trying to have the same kind of fun with pages as I would doing a pin-up. But anyway, Here's Rick Dangerous Part 2...

P.S. The last line, if you don't get it...it's a Street Sharks reference. My friends kept talking about it all weekend.

Post 136

More con stuff. I added some real red to the monster piece. The other one was a sketch in the back of the sketchbook I made in '06. I just now could face them. I did poorly at Heroes a couple years ago when I tried to sell them. It was a domino effect of inexperience and people expecting free stuff. The end result was only two people paying for it: J.D. Mettler...one of the few people I would've given it to for free forced money at me for it. He's always been extremely nice to me, and someday I need to repay the favor. The other was Paul Maybury, and I bought his sketchbooks at Staple. I just feel that it's professional courtesy to pay your peers for stuff like that. For me it wasn't as much the monetary issue as the pride issue.

Post 135

The savage dragon was one I did in January at a Dallas comic con but got a picture of it only now. The Predator I did for my friend Gambit. Looking at it, my inks and just about everything has gotten better. I'll put a couple more con pics up tomorrow. It was fun, didn't see as many people as the last con, but it was still good. I really need to make prints. That's where the con money is at.

Post 134

Well, I noticed that the Udon Street Fighter Tribute contest is over and I didn't get an e-mail. Whatev...

So, here are my two entries. This'll be my art post for the weekend since I'll be at the Dallas Comic Con. Of course, I'll be there with the rest of our studio, Space Gun. So Jake, Luan, Matthew, and myself will be at a table Saturday and Sunday drawing, doing commissions, and talking to all the great folks you run into at a Texas Convention.

Post 133

Some Dylan Dog. Really enjoy Dylan Dog, even Cemetery Man, the movie, fun stuff!

Post 132

Today's is just in black and white. I am so swamped right now it's surprising I even got to ink this...but I'm really happy with the inks on it.

Post 131

Well, here you go, the first page with hopefully many more to come. A (hopefully) weekly webcomic for the blog. Rick Dangerous is a go. Don't expect a lot of talking, because from here on out it will pretty much just be action. To explain: Rick has been locked up for many years...why? You'll probably find out later, I'll be honest, I usually don't think too far ahead on these things.

Enjoy!

Post 130

Just having a bit of fun with this one. Tomorrow is a surprise, but I will say that it's something Craig demanded...

Post 129

I really enjoyed the Jones/Immonen run on the Incredible Hulk a few years back. I don't really know what it was, but it was just great. You didn't see Hulk too often, but when you did, it was that much more frightening.

Post 128

Felt like doing a Domino picture for a while, but just now got around to doing one. I really enjoyed the work Stelfreeze did on his miniseries. I think that came out when I first met him, but I'd been following his work for many years before that.

Post 127

Well, just got these in the mail today, did these a while back, so it's cool to see what I did. I'm going to ship these to my art dealer Paolo soon, but I wanted to make sure and scan them in first...because I stupidly didn't scan them all before I sent them out. I thought I was under a quick deadline when I first got them, but after I sent them out early, I found out the deadline was moved back a bunch.

UPDATE: Kind of funny, I was talking to my friend Chris and jokingly looked on eBay and already saw one of my cards there. Kind of flattering in an odd way...

Post 126

Post 125

Happy Friday folks! Seriously, this work-week has only been 4 days for me, but geez has it felt long! The weekend is extremely appreciated to say the least, so TGIF!

Post 124

To answer Craig's question from yesterday's post, I was going through some old sketches I did, and found one from 2004 that I did of a character called Rick Dangerous. It's funny because the style I used for this sketch is similar to what I'm using now, but as Brian Stelfreeze told me years ago, I had problems in replicating effects.

Essentially, I accidentally stumbled across some more advanced techniques, but I just wasn't ready to harness them yet. But he's an adventurer character much in the same vein as Doc Savage and Den (, except he's pretty close to losing his mind from being stranded on a savage planet for many years.

Post 123

Post 122

I put in a new nib on my pen, and put a new cartridge on my old pen nib. I tested my old one out...and it was too wide for my tastes, it'll be good for thicker lines, but I like to get really fine with certain things...so I moved to the new nib. I hesitated using it because I only had one new nib for my copic, so I'm going to have to order like 3 or 4 of the nibs. They're a part of me at this point. Lord knows I get enough ink on my ring finger for it to be in my bloodstream (Side-note: I utilize my ring finger for stabilizing the tip of the pen; I make that lazy finger work).

P.S. Why is it that many of my favorite shows get canceled? It's hard for me to get into programs anymore because so many great ones get struck down in their prime. Tonight was the last episode of Jericho. At least it had some elements in it that would lead you to believe that some decent resolution will occur. But shows like that, G vs. E, Keen Eddie, Committed, Threshold, Firefly, and one of my favorite shows of all time, Tru Calling were all canceled far too soon. I don't understand what these channels are thinking. I don't think they give shows enough time or proper exposure to gain success. When stations change the night of a show, that messes with the people viewing it, when they don't give it a good time spot, how are people supposed to watch? I mean seriously, I'm sick from this.

Post 121

This was a request from my brother, did a Clark Nova from one of our favorite movies (note: not family-friendly by any means). I'll tell you, one day I'd like to make one from an old typewriter. Maybe I'll give it a try this summer.

Post 120

Happy Easter!

Sorry I didn't have a post yesterday, but I've spent most of the past two days having a movie marathon at my brother's place. We were watching just about every Cronenberg film we could get our hands on. I love his movies, that's pretty much all I can say. Brilliant, disturbing, horrific, and always intriguing.

Anyhoo, have a great easter. For those of you who can't tell, these are some characters I created a while back and decided to use in the Easter theme (I have a page from my never published 8-page story on this post). I tried to avoid any kind of furry-like depictions. The one on the right is a bunny version of my cyclops character Monmulta and his assistant Jamie is on the right. I'd like to do some more stories with them...