San Diego Comic-Con 08 Part One

Charlie and Aly are back from the madness and horror that is San Diego as they spent time in The Devil's Candy Store booth with Leslie Banks, Kevin J. Anderson, Dean Haglund, and many more assorted creators. But Aly actually spent some quality time with a very happy Wookie.



More convention news and photos to come. Like this one from the X-Sanguin VII Ball where Aly actually met said Wookie. Trust me, gun-toting elves ain't the half of it.

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X-Sanguin VII

The Devils at San Diego Comic-Con 08 This Week!

Come on by The Devil's Candy Store booth #1704 this week at the San Diego Comic-Con. We'll have L. A. Banks in our booth signing Vampire Huntress merchandise created by our own devils.


Dave Dorman's cover art. © 08 Dave Dorman.

Plus, you can pick up "Sex. Death. Art." t-shirts:



And Zippos™:

Busy, Busy, Busy

It's been a month since my last post. Why, you ask? Well, three things:
• The Devil's Candy Store and the San Diego Comic-Con 2008
• WildClaw Theatre's second season promotion
• The First Fear



There will soon be a new website for The Devil's Candy Store as we venture into the selling of exotic contraband from impossible worlds. We are working with author, LA Banks, and using her Vampire Huntress novel series as our first impossible world. Tony Swatton of Sword and Stone building the vampire killing sword, Madame Isis, and its sister dagger, both to be displayed in San Diego this July. We'll be auctioning off the one of the kind hero sword and you can pre-order the dagger.



Craig Elliott, a Devil's Candy Store artist, is designing some Vampire Huntress based jewelry for the show and will be one the concept artists contributing to our limited edition book featuring characters, Damali Richards and Carlos Rivera of the Vampire Huntress series. Other artists planning to be in the book are:
• Dave Dorman
• Craig Elliott
• Tom Baxa
• Peter Bergting
• Cyril Van Der Haegen
• John VanFleet
• Eric Battle
• Alex Wald
• Ray Frenden
• and me



A new website is in the making for WildClaw Theatre as we gear up for our next set of productions and a couple of benefits. The first benefit will be June 22nd at The Four Moon Tavern. Stay tuned for the Pagan details.



And lastly, I had an excellent story consultation with Charley Sherman on my comic book (and possible play), The First Fear. The story is finally coming together into a solid narrative. Yeah, baby!

ICON 5

Register now for ICON 5 - the Illustrator's Conference in New York CIty, July 2-5.



I mean, c'mon, Marshal Arisman is running a seminar, fer chrisakes.

Revelations Symposium

I'm excited! I'm going to the Massive Black/ConceptArt.org Revelations Symposium in Seattle this January. Four days immersed in making art and watching some of the best in the business doing it. Can't wait. Gotta go, there's a pencil and sketch paper waiting for me to come over and play.

Indy GenCon, Professor Dorman, and Sikozu

Yet another trip and convention this summer. This time, Dave and Denise Dorman, Julienne and myself loaded into Dave's car and headed to Indianapolis. Dave was invited by Durwin Talon to Visionfest 2007 at IUPUI to speak on Sequential Art.


The Visionfest 07 Guest Speaker Panel (Durwin Talon, left/Dave Dorman 4th from left)

And while we there, Denise and I met with a few artists and 3D modellers to discuss The Devil's Candy Store. There also happened to be the Indy GenCon celebrating it's 40th anniversary. Saw some fun stuff, but the highlight was meeting Australian actress, Raelee Hill. She played Sikozu on the amazing Farscape. In person she is charming and funny and pretty as a picture.


Raelee Hill as Sikozu in Farscape

Gamedar

Dave and Denise Dorman and I are sitting in a bar in the city of Indianapolis where the GenCon Gaming conference is being held. The table next to us is filled with guys who are 20/30-something with ponytails and beards being very loud and rowdy.

Me: Man, those guys are loud.
Dave: Well, they're gamers.
Denise: How do you know?
Dave: I could tell the minute we walked in here.
Me: Dave's got gamedar.

Pink Raygun Interview

Pink Raygun came by the Rolling Thunder booth at the San Diego Comic-Con where The Devil's Candy Store was hanging our shingle and did a fun interview with Denise Dorman and myself. Lisa Fary and John Dallaire of Pink Raygun were very cool.

Wizzie World ChiTown-style 2007

Tricia Helfer of Battlestar Galactica

To be honest, I went to the convention in Chicago this year for one thing and one thing only. To meet Tricia Helfer of BSG. Number 6.

She was great. After many hours of signing everything people put before her and sitting for every photo possible, she was still the sweetest, charming young lass from Alberta that one could ask for. And yes, she's that tall and that beautiful in person.


Alex Wald manning our Artists Alley table

Oh yeah, I was in Artists Alley, too. Alex and I were hawking our wares with Alex being the much more successful one. Things are looking up lately for Alex. He is the colorist on a new Star Wars book, among many other things.


Bill Reinhold


Alex, Linda Lessmann, and Leanna


Leanna's New Tattoo (she designed it herself)


Linda Lessmann


Mike McCormick, formerly of First Comics

Mike was my BSG pal at the con. He was kind enough to wait in line me for Tricia Helfer's autograph. And if you have ever waited in line with me, you know what a sacrifice that was. Thank you Mike.


Serena Guerra

Serena and Jeff were at the table next to Bill and Linda, along with fellow artist, Dave Kovacs, and were part of our little Alley community.


Dave Kovacs


Lydia Burris

Lydia made the rounds of the tables like a trooper. New to comics and the big city, she is taking on comic books with her own work. Her enthusiasm reminds me of Willow Dawson.


Black Canary and Batgirl

Wizard World Chicago - Pre-show Press

Alex Wald and I were interviewed for a nice little piece by Michael Bonesteel of the Pioneer Press. Just in time for the old Wizard World. This link will take you there.

SDCC 07 - Meet the Convention

A spot of color in the darkness


Jabba the Hut and Denise make nice


The Joker and Harley at the Rolling Thunder booth


Blade Runner everywhere


The Batmobile - no matter how many times I see it, I love it.


Denise, Tony Swatton, and a Pirate Lass


SciFi Channel Mind Control Device


They're alive!!! And invading Alex's personal space.


Sunday afternoon. I know the feeling.

See you next year!

SDCC 07 - Meet The Devils

San Diego Comic-Con 2007. Exhausting, exhilarating, ass-kicking.

One of the best things about Comic-Con this year was the chance to meet a lot of the people involved in The Devil's Candy Store adventure.


Stormtrooper Elvis, Jack, Denise, and Dave Dorman

My new business partner, Denise Dorman, and her husband Dave Dorman made this an exceptional trip. Their friendship and con experience made this event happen in all the right ways. Thank you, Denise and Dave. It was a pleasure to meet Darlene who took care of Jack while we took care of business.

Denise and I also did an interview with Lisa Fary and John Dallaire of Pink Raygun.

And now, in no particular order, the Devils and some friends:


Mark Nagata and Alex Wald

Alex Wald, The Devil's Candy Store Art Director, met up for the first time in human form with his longtime pal, Mark Nagata of the Max Toy Company. Alex will have some work in a show Mark's putting together at Chicago's Rotofugi called Toy Karma.


Christopher Moeller


Craig Elliott and Amy


Batgirl and Jon Van Fleet


Scott Hampton


Durwin Talon


The lovely Kristina, Stephan Martiniere, and Donato Giancola

We had the good fortune of having our portion of the booth directly across from Donato's booth where we got to know Donato's beautiful and charming helpers, Christina and Rocky. They shared their space with Cathy and Arnie Fenner of Spectrum.


Jon Foster and Denise Dorman


Mike Kennedy and his fiance, Liz


Tom Baxa


Joey Wester and Christopher Moeller

Joey is this dazzling redhead whose work you've seen many, many times, but just don't know it. Joey is the premiere painter of those paintings you see in television and movies in the characters' surroundings.


Denise and Dave Dorman and Clydene Nee

Clydene was instrumental in many good things to come our way and we thank her for it.


Jack and the Chocolate Box


Beth and Phil Burnett

Phil was my fellow BSG geek and thankfully one of us made it into the panel. Of course, this meant that Beth had to sit through four hours of geekville and Danny Bonaduce questions.


Dean Haglund and Patti (and the Joker)

A big surprise was meeting Dean and his beautiful girlfriend, Patti, who turned out to be excellent dinner companions. Both were charming and funny and Dean had stories that ranged from Buddy Hackett to Ur Castles and beyond.

Others in The Devil's Candy Store circle that were a joy to meet were Tom Carroll of Rockstar Games, Kevin Anderson, and Rebecca Moesta.

We also ran into Howard Chaykin, Brom, Olivia DeBerardinis, Geof Darrow, Peter Kuper, Tony Akins, Joshua Ellingson, Alice Bentley, Bill Reinhold, Peter and Anya from the Blick Forums, Mitch O'Connell, and Steve Rude, among others.


And Kathy Tanaka came to visit!!!

San Diego Comic-Con: G4 Stars

Well, I'm back from the San Diego Comic-Con and what can I say - it was a hell of a ride. There will be a BIG report this week with lots of photos, but for now you'll have to satisfied with seeing Alex Wald and I on the opening minutes of G4's live coverage.

Wizard World Chicago 2007 Pre-Game Warm-up

Wizard World Chicago 2007, August 9 - 12

Come on by Artists Alley Booth #4004 to see Alex Wald and myself pimp and whore our way through another conference dedicated to funnybooks. We'll be surrounded by good company: Geof Darrow at Booth #4000; Gary, Karen and Thomas Gianni at Booth #4002; and Bill Reinhold at Booth #4006.

We'll be fresh with stories from San Diego Comic-Con and eager to talk about our new projects.

I won't be there on Sunday, because I'll be heading back to Evanston for a William Gibson signing at 3PM at the Barnes & Noble on Sherman Avenue. It's about 50 feet from my office and I'm psyched.

The Devil Went Down to California

If you're at San Diego Comic-Con come by and meet some of The Devil's Candy Store crew. We'll be in Booth #4901. We hope to start revealing some of the unbelievable artists looking to participate in this heady brew. Names like Dave Dorman, Michael Kaluta, George Pratt ...

To Hell in a Handbasket (or Messenger Bag)

Ditch the paper bags and pillow cases. Carry your stuff around in style. Devil style.

The Devil's Candy Store Official Messenger Bag


From The Devil's Candy Store Official Swag Collection

The Devil's In The Details

Detail from theater poster for "Lord Byron's CAIN"

The three of you who read this blog may have noticed that I suddenly stopped posting First Fear stuff when I appeared to be on a small roll. Well, I am still working on the comic book and hopefully you will see a nice finished piece before San Diego Comic-Con and certainly before Wizard World Chicago.

This interruption has been caused by a Top Secret Project to be unveiled at San Diego. At this point I can tell you that it will likely involve some of the finest illustrators working today, the game and movie industries, and some world building. It will all be done under the auspices of a new business called The Devil's Candy Store. Wicked.

Inca Vampyr

The End of the Incas

Here is another iteration of a First Fear postcard sketch. The first pass is below (June 29 entry, top sketch), but I needed to go for something more dramatic. The mural in the original sketch was intended to give a place and time, but it is completely inaccurate to the time period in scale and intent. These postcards are meant more for mood and those in the know will recognize the Intihuatana Stone that she is standing on and place the mountain setting in Machu Picchu.

Currently no one knows why the Incas disappeared, in spite of many theories. Mine theory is simple - the Incas knew too much and were wiped out by aliens and their monster guardians. At the moment, the year 2012 plays heavily into the plot of The First Fear. Hmm...what did they know?

Kerosene Ran and Elle in Hell (with Elvis)

"Kerosene Ran"

I'm putting together some giveaways for the conferences and since Vistaprint was giving away 100 postcards today (plus shipping), I thought I would get an older, favorite image printed up. This is a color marker sketch on newsprint that is 22" x 18" of a character from the Ralph the Punk universe. It's one of my favorites. Everything about it is wrong, but it is the imperfections that make it read as very human.

In reality, nobody's eyes line-up in a perfect horizontal line across your face. Most features just sort of meander around the general area of where they're suppose to be and that's what gives us all our own unique charm. I believe it was Elle MacPherson that once commented that most "supermodel" faces ride that thin borderline between classic beauty and downright ugly. She included herself in that category, by the way.


"Elvis and Elle in Hell"

Here's the first color piece I ever did on a computer that wasn't an animation. It's called "Elvis and Elle in Hell" and was created in 12 hours with Superpaint and a big, fat mouse. No scanner. No color printer. I literally had to take a color photo of the screen and frame the print for the gallery show it was in. The show was an all Elvis art show at Tony Fitzpatrick's World Tattoo Gallery.

The delicious kicker for this piece is that I actually got Elle MacPherson to sign the print, "To Elvis - All my love, Elle".

Con Job - Sketches

The summer conventions are coming and I am getting give-away materials ready. All of the family visits have made it tough to get these puppies done, but I'll get there. Here are some very preliminary sketches for some postcards I would like to hand out.

The concept is depictions of First Fear monsters at various points in human history.


The fall of Machu Picchu.


WWII battlefield.


September 11.

Aurora Comicon 2006

Thursday night was a long, rush hour drive across the city of Chicago and beyond, but worth the effort. Alex Wald and I made the trek at the request of John Galdun and the Messenger Public Library of North Aurora to participate in a small Comicon they put on for their readers. Several comic book professionals turned out and filled the tables set up. And many, many youthful comic fans were in attendance. Alex was a good sport as I would tell these wide-eyed wonders that not only was he damn good at drawing monsters (which he is), but as an official comic book art director he could give them a few pointers on their own work. Somehow this will bite me in the butt, I just don't know when.


Alex patiently reciting the names of all the Japanese monsters in his paintings.

We also had a lovely dinner with Dave and Denise Dorman prior to the event, which made the trip worthwhile. Dave was one of the first comics professionals I met as I started in comics when we sat next to each other at Dragoncon in Atlanta in the late '80's. Even then Dave showed every inch of the talent that has turned him into the stellar, in-demand painter he is today.


Denise and Dave Dorman shared a table with Jeff Moy and the coat rack. Cory Carani was at another table.


Lance 'Doc' Boucher of Inter-Fan swapped 80's comic industry horror stories with us. He's organizing a community event of comics, artists and gaming called Inter-Fan Jam 2007 in Portage, Indiana on March 10th.

The First Fear Ad

I'll be attending a small Comicon tomorrow in the western suburbs with Alex Wald and Dave Dorman, among others. I needed something to show for the work done so far on The First Fear, so I whipped up this screensaver.


The text reads:

They have always been with us.

Immortal.
Forever.

We have always been afraid.


And that's just the way they like it.

The First Fear
A graphic novel of horror and escape.

Wizard World Chicago 2006

'One view of the Wizard World floor'

Twenty years ago I sat behind a table at comic book convention in Atlanta promoting Shatter for First Comics. And now, after a two decade hiatus, which included designing laser shows, computer games, theater posters, web sites, business strategies, and software, I'm back behind the table.


'A boy and his table'

I had a great time, mostly because of the people I hung out with, the artists I met, the old friends I saw, and the new folks who came up to the table and showed an interest in my work. Plus, I sold a few things.


'Deb and Alex Wald hawking his wares'

Sharing the table with me was Alex Wald. A great artist who is getting back into the game with both feet (and his talented hands), many people were happy to see his work at the con. The owner of Mimoco (designer toys) said it best when he saw Alex's table, "Amazing artwork!" Alex's better half, Deb, came by for support and to see her first comic book convention.


'Bill Reinhold, comic book artist extraordinaire and the nicest guy in comics'

Sitting to our right was Bill and Linda Reinhold, two of comics' longtime talents. I have known them since the First Comics days and they are a tremendous pleasure to hang out with and learn from. Plus, Mike Reinhold is the coolest kid in the comic book world.


'Michael and Bill'


'Alex Wald, Andy Wachowski and Geof Darrow'

Sitting to our left was Geof Darrow, concept designer for the Matrix movies and currently blowing people away with his book, Shaolin Cowboy. Another friendly Chicago talent. Helping him out was two more cool folks - his nephew, Gayne, and Andy Wachowski.


'Andy and Geof'

Andy's name may seem familiar because he and his brother, Larry, are the publishers of Burlyman Entertainment. Oh yeah, they've done a couple of movies, too.


'Denise Dorman, Alex, Linda (Lessman) Reinhold, Dave Dorman'

Also stopping by were Dave and Denise Dorman. Dave is a master illustrator who was also sitting next to me twenty years ago in Atlanta. Now he's another Chicago area guy.


"Master Chief inspects Burning City'

The gaming world was definitely represented and to prove it, Halo's Master Chief, came by to inspect the goods. Some of the costumes people were wearing were pretty amazing this year.


'A very cool Battle Angel Alita tattoo'

The manga world was also there in force, but the coolest version of it was this young woman's Alita tattoo. This website has some interesting takes on potential casting of the upcoming movie version of Battle Angel Alita.


'Batgirl, Batgirl, Batgirl'

I thought I would end this tour with a classic figure, pardon the pun, and a shout out to Internets pal, Ray, who dropped by in the flesh to prove he wasn't a 14 year old girl messing with our minds online. A couple of other stalwarts whom I see every year were Zack and Eugene. And, of course, John.

Before I go I would like to thank James Mortensen of Comix Revolution in Evanston for supporting the cause and buying a Burning City t-shirt. I also thanked Michael Turner in the hotel elevator for helping my wife love comics via Fathom. He was happy to hear that.

Pre-launch Preparations. All Systems Go.

According to the Wizard World website clock, in about an hour or so there will be one day left until the convention. Alex and I have been building stores and creating products into the wee hours of the morning far too many times in the last couple of weeks. I'm waiting for one more package to arrive (minty fresh biz cards and Ralph the Punk postcards) and then I'll brush my teeth and get a good night's sleep.

If you're going to the convention (and that means you, Ray) come by and see us at table #3027 in Artists Alley.

Surrounded by Greatness

Excellent news. Alex Wald and I will be at table #3027 in Artists Alley at Wizard World Chicago. On one side at table #3026 will be Geof Darrow, one of the amazing Matrix production artists and creater of Shoalin Cowboy, Big Guy and Rusty the Robot, and Hard Boiled (with Frank Miller). On the other side (table #3028) will be our friends, Bill and Linda Reinhold! Bill is currently the inker on Amazing Spiderman and has worked with everyone in the industry. Linda is an amazing colorist and has also worked with every major comic book company. All three are some of the nicest folks you'll ever meet. Drop on by!

Wizard World Chicago 2006

The big new this summer is that Alex Wald and I will be sharing a table in Artists Alley at Wizard World Chicago. It has been a great motivator in revving up the illustration career again after it not being a main focus for so long. We are both working hard at creating new properties and putting out a few golden oldies in shiny new packages.

I hope to track that progress here on a regular basis with news, drawings and finished works as things progress.