Since I'm leaving in the morning for my fun-filled road trip to San Diego, I thought I would write one last post as sort of an "update" if you will. In true SDCC fashion, the crazy folks in the professional registration office waited until the last minute to send my confirmation forms to let me know I'll be attending the Con as a pro. At least now I know!!!!! And the good folks (great, fantastic people really!) at ComiXpress came through with our shipment and we received the books yesterday afternoon. I will now be able to distribute the new books and will have some copies to give out in San Diego. I also finished up 4 new full color pin-ups for my portfolio, and have already sold 6 prints! (Thanks Mom)
So now that the rush is over, the fun can truly begin. We'll be heading straight for Las Vegas where my crew and I will spend 2 gambling and drinking filled days at the Excaliber Hotel and Casino. I just visited the hotel site, and it's a freaking castle! So cool!!!!! From there we'll be heading to San Diego. Let the Convention Madness begin!
So I'll be gone for a few weeks. I'm so excited this year, as I'll have plenty of people I know to hang out with at the convention, and my good friend Neil is flying in from Dallas to party with us. It's going to be awesome. The only downer to this all is that my best friend and studio partner Mr. Kevin Sole will not be able to attend this year. He switched jobs a few months back and in doing so lost his holiday time. So please pop by his blog over the next couple of weeks and keep him company, while I do my best to represent for the studio. Take care everyone.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Thursday, July 06, 2006
It's arrived!
I finally received my preview copy of The Sorrow today. I'm very happy! And because I'm also quite critical of my own work, I'll have to take Kevin's word on the book. He's says it's very cool, reads well, and looks quite beautiful. I love the cover, and the print turned out nice, but I have other opinions on the book. I always feel my stuff could use something more, but again I'm my own worst critic so I'll leave it at that. It is quite cool, however to have a copy of my very own comic in my hands. I'm really very proud right now. It is definately an accomplishment and I look forward to future issues and more great work coming from Out of Mind Studios. Being a creator is so cool!!!
In the mean time the folks at ComiXpress are hard at work (I'm told) getting the rest of the order together, so with any luck I'll have copies available late next week. Then all my friends (and some of you nice people out there who read my blog!) can grab a copy for yourselves and make your own opinions on the book. Is it any good? Does it suck? Should I give up now and chase my dream of being a circus freak while there's still time? Or maybe you think it's awesome and I deserve a pat on the back. I'll leave that up to you to decide. Look (hopefully!!!) for the book to be on local comic book shelves by the 3rd week of July, or order your copy direct from ComiXpress when it becomes available. And because I want to, and I feel it's necessary, thank you in advance!
I look forward to hearing from anyone and everyone who picks up the book.
In the mean time the folks at ComiXpress are hard at work (I'm told) getting the rest of the order together, so with any luck I'll have copies available late next week. Then all my friends (and some of you nice people out there who read my blog!) can grab a copy for yourselves and make your own opinions on the book. Is it any good? Does it suck? Should I give up now and chase my dream of being a circus freak while there's still time? Or maybe you think it's awesome and I deserve a pat on the back. I'll leave that up to you to decide. Look (hopefully!!!) for the book to be on local comic book shelves by the 3rd week of July, or order your copy direct from ComiXpress when it becomes available. And because I want to, and I feel it's necessary, thank you in advance!
I look forward to hearing from anyone and everyone who picks up the book.
Monday, July 03, 2006
My new belt.
My friend Lalena wanted to see a picture of my new belt I received in Kyokushin Karate. And because I'm quite proud of the promotion, here it is. This belt is special to me because it's hand embroidered with my name and "Kyokushin Karate" and comes directly from Japan. I won the belt due to the money I raised at our clubs annual Kick-a-thon. It's a real honour to receive a belt like this, because there isn't very many like it handed out. Thanks.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Crazy things happen when women take notice.
I'm laughing right now. Very hard. And not because I read something funny, but instead because the funniest thing is happening right now to my best friend. You see, him and another friend both have blogs, both linked from this sight. And on their blogs they've both mentioned from time to time about the perils of dating and their frustration with the "game". One in particular finds the whole experience to be a great big headache, vowing instead to not bother getting into the game so he doesn't have to deal with the end results. It's a defeatist attitude, but it's something he strongly believes in so I don't push the issue more than I could. Now, I believe I have a reason.
Both my friends posted a quiz on their blogs with 56 questions in total. The same quiz can be found on this blog as well. My best friend answered in his typical fashion, with cynicism and pessimism, while my other friend seemed to take a more light-hearted approach and answered with humourous replies to many of the questions. But the end result was clear: they are down on their luck with love and frustrated by the opposite sex. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking negatively about either person. They answered the questions no differently then I would have expected them to and both have their reasons for it. And I know there have been times when I've felt the same. But something happened I don't think either one of them expected to happen. Much to both their suprise, a real life, flesh and blood woman called them out. She questioned their responses and gave them something to consider. And she started it all with one reply.
She told my best friend that "both of them needed to be whomped upside the head". She said to him that in his post he doubted any girl had a crush on him, but that both he and my other friend probably get hit on all the time and just don't pick up on it. Granted, it might be subtle since girl comic geeks are often as shy and awkward as their male counterparts, but it does happen. She even told him that he was" Cute, funny and can cook Kraft Dinner, what more could a girl ask for? Start asking for phone numbers."
Now a typical response from most of us would be something like "Wow, if it was only that easy!" He wasn't sure how to respond.
But uhm, wait a second, did a girl just tell them to start asking for phone numbers? Did they get unsolicited advice from a.......girl? Holy shit, I guess they did!
Now here is where the fun starts. The questions began, and the wheels started turning. The search was on for "Miss Cellaneous". Even doubt set in and they wondered if she was real at all. But after a lengthy back-and-fourth "do I know you, have we met?" and "it's probably easy for you to give advice since if you are who I think you are you're married" reply-fest on the topic, it turns out all 3 of us have met the woman in question. She is very much real. And from what I remember (I'm the one with the good memory) she is also very nice, and very pretty. So's also NOT MARRIED. So you might be asking yourself, "What the blue hell is the point of this post then? You've only recapped events that are already documented so get to it!"
Here's my point. This girl went out of her way to point out to my friends that there are women out there who have the same doubts and insecurities that us male geeks do, but it doesn't have to be this way. Because for every girl out there who might snub you, ingnore you, or just flat out not give you the time of day, there is the "Miss Cellaneous" girls who won't. They see you. They find something in you that makes them smile, makes them feel good, and they spend time thinking about you just as much as you do about them. They exist, and now my friend has been given an opportunity for what I call self redemption. His life doesn't have to suck, and he doesn't have to be miserable and condemned to eternal loneliness. She is out there, she's real. Take the time to get out of your funk and make a change in your life for the better. Take a chance. It might end up leading to nothing but it's a start.
Now he might say "Well I don't see you doing anything to not be single!" and that's why I'm laughing. Because he may believe he's right, but he's not. In the past couple of days alone I've exchanged phone numbers, made plans for getting together with one of the girls I've met, and have made it a point to do something about my situation. I'm optomistic about things and I'm quite happy to give it a try. She has been on my mind constantly, and it's a good feeling. I have something to look forward to and I like the anticipation. Who knows, I might have met a girl I could end up very happy with, or at the very least I've made a new friend.
For me it's all about timing, always has been and always will be. Granted, he might say it's easier for me, but I say it's only easier because I let it be. And now it's his turn. The timing couldn't be better.
In the end Miss Cellaneous has given my best friend a reason try. I hope he's willing to finally do something.
Both my friends posted a quiz on their blogs with 56 questions in total. The same quiz can be found on this blog as well. My best friend answered in his typical fashion, with cynicism and pessimism, while my other friend seemed to take a more light-hearted approach and answered with humourous replies to many of the questions. But the end result was clear: they are down on their luck with love and frustrated by the opposite sex. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking negatively about either person. They answered the questions no differently then I would have expected them to and both have their reasons for it. And I know there have been times when I've felt the same. But something happened I don't think either one of them expected to happen. Much to both their suprise, a real life, flesh and blood woman called them out. She questioned their responses and gave them something to consider. And she started it all with one reply.
She told my best friend that "both of them needed to be whomped upside the head". She said to him that in his post he doubted any girl had a crush on him, but that both he and my other friend probably get hit on all the time and just don't pick up on it. Granted, it might be subtle since girl comic geeks are often as shy and awkward as their male counterparts, but it does happen. She even told him that he was" Cute, funny and can cook Kraft Dinner, what more could a girl ask for? Start asking for phone numbers."
Now a typical response from most of us would be something like "Wow, if it was only that easy!" He wasn't sure how to respond.
But uhm, wait a second, did a girl just tell them to start asking for phone numbers? Did they get unsolicited advice from a.......girl? Holy shit, I guess they did!
Now here is where the fun starts. The questions began, and the wheels started turning. The search was on for "Miss Cellaneous". Even doubt set in and they wondered if she was real at all. But after a lengthy back-and-fourth "do I know you, have we met?" and "it's probably easy for you to give advice since if you are who I think you are you're married" reply-fest on the topic, it turns out all 3 of us have met the woman in question. She is very much real. And from what I remember (I'm the one with the good memory) she is also very nice, and very pretty. So's also NOT MARRIED. So you might be asking yourself, "What the blue hell is the point of this post then? You've only recapped events that are already documented so get to it!"
Here's my point. This girl went out of her way to point out to my friends that there are women out there who have the same doubts and insecurities that us male geeks do, but it doesn't have to be this way. Because for every girl out there who might snub you, ingnore you, or just flat out not give you the time of day, there is the "Miss Cellaneous" girls who won't. They see you. They find something in you that makes them smile, makes them feel good, and they spend time thinking about you just as much as you do about them. They exist, and now my friend has been given an opportunity for what I call self redemption. His life doesn't have to suck, and he doesn't have to be miserable and condemned to eternal loneliness. She is out there, she's real. Take the time to get out of your funk and make a change in your life for the better. Take a chance. It might end up leading to nothing but it's a start.
Now he might say "Well I don't see you doing anything to not be single!" and that's why I'm laughing. Because he may believe he's right, but he's not. In the past couple of days alone I've exchanged phone numbers, made plans for getting together with one of the girls I've met, and have made it a point to do something about my situation. I'm optomistic about things and I'm quite happy to give it a try. She has been on my mind constantly, and it's a good feeling. I have something to look forward to and I like the anticipation. Who knows, I might have met a girl I could end up very happy with, or at the very least I've made a new friend.
For me it's all about timing, always has been and always will be. Granted, he might say it's easier for me, but I say it's only easier because I let it be. And now it's his turn. The timing couldn't be better.
In the end Miss Cellaneous has given my best friend a reason try. I hope he's willing to finally do something.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Because all the cool kids are doing it......
Since 2 of my friends have posted this quiz in their blogs I thought I would as well. It seems like fun.
1) How old do you wish you were?
I'm comfortable being 30. I've have 30 good years of experience the lean on!
2)Where were you when 9/11 happened?
I was at home getting ready for work. I never went in that day.
3)What do you do when a vending machine steals your money?
I get a little pissed off. Then I usually walk away.
4)Do you consider yourself kind?
Most of the time.
5)If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
I have several tattoos already; the next one will be on my right shoulder.
6)If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
Japanese.
7)Do you know your neighbors?
Yes, he's one of my best friends.
8)What do you consider a vacation?
Anywhere that is far from home and brings me relaxation.
9)Do you follow your horoscope?
No, but I do get a kick out of reading it.
10)Would you move for the person you loved?
Yes, and I almost did once.
11)Are you touchy feely?
I am with the right woman. Right meaning someone who also likes to be touchy feely.
12)Do you believe opposites attract?
Not really. I believe attractiveness is different for everybody. Wheteher your opposites or not depends on the people involved.
13)Dream job?
Comic book creator. Oh wait, I already do that. So I'd want to be like the cool guys on Outdoor Life Network that get paid to travel the globe. Lucky guys!
14)Favorite channel(s)
Teletoon, OLN, Spike, TSN.
15)Favorite place to go on weekends?
The movie theater.
16)Showers or baths?
Showers
17)Do you paint your nails?
Not as a general rule.
18)Do you trust people easily?
I take everyone at face value. Trust is earned over time.
19)What are your phobias?
I do not like Bee's or Wasps. I'm alergic to bee stings and usually do my best to stay away from them.
20)Do you want kids?
In the right situation definately. For now I'll live viccariously through my sisters.
21)Do you keep a hand written journal?
No.
22)Where would you rather be right now?
Hawaii. So I could go surfing tommorow.
23)What makes you feel warm and fuzzy?
A sincere hug and a warm smile from someone I like. And my friend Lalena's cat Lexx. He's cool.
24)Heavy or light sleeper?
Light.
25)Are you paranoid?
Not that I'm aware of.
26)Are you impatient?
Yes, definatlely, but not with all things. Just with stuff that seems important to me that need to be addressed right away.
27)Who can you relate to?
I don't know how to answer this. I'm adaptive to my surroundings, so I guess almost anyone I meet I can find something to relate to. But I don't go out of my way to try to relate to everyone I meet. Makes sense in my head :P
28)How do you feel about interracial couples?
The same as I do about any and all couples. If you're happy and it works, go for it. Race, sexual preference, age, etc, as long as you love one another is all that matters.
29)Have you been burned by love?
Yes I have. I don't know too many people that haven't.
30)What's your favorite pick-up line?
Ha, I don't have one. Do they really even work?
31)What's the main ring tone on your mobile?
The one that came with the phone. "Hello Moto!"
32)What were you doing at midnight last night?
Eating pizza with the neighbor and his Uncle at Boston Pizza. Our waitress looked like Gwenyth Paltrow!
33)What did the last text on your cellphone say?
"Dude, that strip goes down in the history books!" It was in regards to the Twice Thursday comic strip I did this week.
34)Whose bed did you sleep in last night?
My bed.
35)What colour shirt are you wearing?
Black.
36)Most recent movie you watched?
Hitch. Very good movie I might add.
37)Name three thing you have on you at all times?
All times? My limbs, my hair, and my wonderful sense of humour!
38)What colour are your bed sheets?
Beige and Navy Blue.
39)How much cash do you have on you right now?
Around $40.
40)What is your favorite part of the chicken?
The breast.
41)What's your favorite town/city?
Besides Calgary, Seattle is awesome. San Diego is cool too.
42)I can't wait till:
I go on my upcoming trip to San Diego. It's going to be awesome!
43)Who sent this to you?
Nobody. I seen the quiz on Kevin's and Brian's blogs and decided to take it myself.
44)What did you have for dinner last night?
Tropical Chicken Pizza.
45)How tall are you barefoot?
5'10" I think.
46)Do you own a gun?
I own 2 airsoft guns. They look real and feel real, they're just not as dangerous.
47)What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Lots of water, followed by a Tim Horton's XL double double.
48)What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
Well it wouldn't be a secret if I wrote it down here now, would it?
49)Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
Someplace where I'm happy. Maybe the coast. So I can surf.
50)Last thing you ate?
Some Doritos.
51)What songs do you sing in the shower?
I don't sing in the shower I sing in the car. And there are too many to name.
52)Last thing that made you laugh?
Most of Kevin and Brian's answers to this quiz. Those guys are goofy!
53)Worst injury you've ever had?
It's a toss up between a broken forearm and a seperated shoulder. Both hurt like hell but I can't remember which hurt worse.
54)Does someone have a crush on you?
I don't know but I sure hope so :D And if your out there, let me know!
55)What's your favorote candy?
Licorice.
56)What song do you want played at your funeral?
I have a couple. Angel by Sarah McLachlin, I Grieve by Peter Gabriel, The Grace by Never Ending White Lights, and then King of Spain by Moxy Fruvous to lighten the mood!
So their's my answers folks. Take time and answer this quiz yourself. It's fun and you might be surprised by some of the answers you give.
1) How old do you wish you were?
I'm comfortable being 30. I've have 30 good years of experience the lean on!
2)Where were you when 9/11 happened?
I was at home getting ready for work. I never went in that day.
3)What do you do when a vending machine steals your money?
I get a little pissed off. Then I usually walk away.
4)Do you consider yourself kind?
Most of the time.
5)If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
I have several tattoos already; the next one will be on my right shoulder.
6)If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
Japanese.
7)Do you know your neighbors?
Yes, he's one of my best friends.
8)What do you consider a vacation?
Anywhere that is far from home and brings me relaxation.
9)Do you follow your horoscope?
No, but I do get a kick out of reading it.
10)Would you move for the person you loved?
Yes, and I almost did once.
11)Are you touchy feely?
I am with the right woman. Right meaning someone who also likes to be touchy feely.
12)Do you believe opposites attract?
Not really. I believe attractiveness is different for everybody. Wheteher your opposites or not depends on the people involved.
13)Dream job?
Comic book creator. Oh wait, I already do that. So I'd want to be like the cool guys on Outdoor Life Network that get paid to travel the globe. Lucky guys!
14)Favorite channel(s)
Teletoon, OLN, Spike, TSN.
15)Favorite place to go on weekends?
The movie theater.
16)Showers or baths?
Showers
17)Do you paint your nails?
Not as a general rule.
18)Do you trust people easily?
I take everyone at face value. Trust is earned over time.
19)What are your phobias?
I do not like Bee's or Wasps. I'm alergic to bee stings and usually do my best to stay away from them.
20)Do you want kids?
In the right situation definately. For now I'll live viccariously through my sisters.
21)Do you keep a hand written journal?
No.
22)Where would you rather be right now?
Hawaii. So I could go surfing tommorow.
23)What makes you feel warm and fuzzy?
A sincere hug and a warm smile from someone I like. And my friend Lalena's cat Lexx. He's cool.
24)Heavy or light sleeper?
Light.
25)Are you paranoid?
Not that I'm aware of.
26)Are you impatient?
Yes, definatlely, but not with all things. Just with stuff that seems important to me that need to be addressed right away.
27)Who can you relate to?
I don't know how to answer this. I'm adaptive to my surroundings, so I guess almost anyone I meet I can find something to relate to. But I don't go out of my way to try to relate to everyone I meet. Makes sense in my head :P
28)How do you feel about interracial couples?
The same as I do about any and all couples. If you're happy and it works, go for it. Race, sexual preference, age, etc, as long as you love one another is all that matters.
29)Have you been burned by love?
Yes I have. I don't know too many people that haven't.
30)What's your favorite pick-up line?
Ha, I don't have one. Do they really even work?
31)What's the main ring tone on your mobile?
The one that came with the phone. "Hello Moto!"
32)What were you doing at midnight last night?
Eating pizza with the neighbor and his Uncle at Boston Pizza. Our waitress looked like Gwenyth Paltrow!
33)What did the last text on your cellphone say?
"Dude, that strip goes down in the history books!" It was in regards to the Twice Thursday comic strip I did this week.
34)Whose bed did you sleep in last night?
My bed.
35)What colour shirt are you wearing?
Black.
36)Most recent movie you watched?
Hitch. Very good movie I might add.
37)Name three thing you have on you at all times?
All times? My limbs, my hair, and my wonderful sense of humour!
38)What colour are your bed sheets?
Beige and Navy Blue.
39)How much cash do you have on you right now?
Around $40.
40)What is your favorite part of the chicken?
The breast.
41)What's your favorite town/city?
Besides Calgary, Seattle is awesome. San Diego is cool too.
42)I can't wait till:
I go on my upcoming trip to San Diego. It's going to be awesome!
43)Who sent this to you?
Nobody. I seen the quiz on Kevin's and Brian's blogs and decided to take it myself.
44)What did you have for dinner last night?
Tropical Chicken Pizza.
45)How tall are you barefoot?
5'10" I think.
46)Do you own a gun?
I own 2 airsoft guns. They look real and feel real, they're just not as dangerous.
47)What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Lots of water, followed by a Tim Horton's XL double double.
48)What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
Well it wouldn't be a secret if I wrote it down here now, would it?
49)Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
Someplace where I'm happy. Maybe the coast. So I can surf.
50)Last thing you ate?
Some Doritos.
51)What songs do you sing in the shower?
I don't sing in the shower I sing in the car. And there are too many to name.
52)Last thing that made you laugh?
Most of Kevin and Brian's answers to this quiz. Those guys are goofy!
53)Worst injury you've ever had?
It's a toss up between a broken forearm and a seperated shoulder. Both hurt like hell but I can't remember which hurt worse.
54)Does someone have a crush on you?
I don't know but I sure hope so :D And if your out there, let me know!
55)What's your favorote candy?
Licorice.
56)What song do you want played at your funeral?
I have a couple. Angel by Sarah McLachlin, I Grieve by Peter Gabriel, The Grace by Never Ending White Lights, and then King of Spain by Moxy Fruvous to lighten the mood!
So their's my answers folks. Take time and answer this quiz yourself. It's fun and you might be surprised by some of the answers you give.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Happiness and frustration.
I'm going through a gambit of emotions this week. On one hand I'm quite happy. I received my belt promotion in Karate and was pleasently surprised to find out that my belt was something special. I won a regional prize this year for the Kick-a-thon fundraiser we had but assumed that I would be getting a track suit as my award. Instead, and much more to my liking, I received a personally embroidered belt, brought in from Japan, which has my name in Japanese on one end of the belt and Kyokushin Karate on the other. For me, this is something truly special.
Achieving 6th Kyu is somewhat of a milestone for me. I've trained Kyokushin for 6 years now, but not all of that was consecutive. I originally started training back in 1997, but in the fall/winter of 1999 I unfortunately had to quit. I was in school at the time, in debt, not working much and just couldn't afford to do it. The really difficult thing for me was that I had to stop before I reached the level I am now. I was 1 month away from being a 6th Kyu, which is a yellow belt in our style. I never made it. Almost 3 years would pass until I began to train again. You are allowed a 1 year period where if you do not train and come back you will be allowed to stay at your previous belt level. I had to begin again as a white belt, but I'm very glad I did. I've learned so much more in the past 3 years of training and I believe I'm much better for it. And this belt promotion means that much more. So this is my happiness for the week.
My frustration comes to me from the world of comics, and more specifically the people printing my comic and the folks who run the San Diego Comic Con. First up is my printer. The folks at Comixpress are great and delivered our last book (Fablequest) in time for our show in May. Their product is great and the price of printing can't be beat. But what is bothering me now is that I'm on a tight deadline with SDCC coming up in July and I need to know what's happening with The Sorrow. I'd like to take a few copies with me to show to publishers and friends, but I can't do that if they can't get me the books on time. The e-mail we received when we first sent off the files said that "on or before the 20th of June we would receive an e-mail to let us know the status of our book." Sounds good to me. Except the 20th was yesterday. It's now 9:30 pm on the 21st and I still don't know the status of my book. GRRRRRRRR!
And now onto the folks at SDCC. I sent them a package on the 23rd of May by Xpress Post with my form for Professional Status for this years convention, as well as a copy of Fablequest for verification. They had a deadline of June 6th for applications, so I assumed I sent off everything with plenty of time. I did the same thing last year and everything was good. This year they've updated the Comic-Con website with a list of professional who will be attending. I'm not on the list. So I've taken the steps needed to find out why. I've e-mailed them twice; no response. I've called them a couple of time at the number they gave me; I never get to talk to a real person and the mailbox for messages is always full. AHHHHHHHHH! I know this is an incredibly busy time for them and I truly understand that. But I'm travelling to San Diego from Calgary, Alberta, "CANADA". It's a long fucking trip! It would be nice to know what's going on. Did they even receive my package? Do they need more information? All it takes is a few minutes to type me an e-mail and let me know. Last year we found out at the convention that we had badges as they didn't update the site on time. But this year they did; so what's the deal folks? All I want is to know if I have a pass or not. I'll make other arrangements to get into the convention if I have to, but I need to know my status first.Very frustrating!
I'm very much a planner, especially when it comes to my comic activities. I want to know what's going on so I can make the appropriate plans. Not knowing and waiting really gets to me. Hopefully someone let's me know and soon. Until then I get to flip-flop between "Damn this belt is so cool!" and "Why the fuck won't anyone get back to me?". Bloody hell!
Achieving 6th Kyu is somewhat of a milestone for me. I've trained Kyokushin for 6 years now, but not all of that was consecutive. I originally started training back in 1997, but in the fall/winter of 1999 I unfortunately had to quit. I was in school at the time, in debt, not working much and just couldn't afford to do it. The really difficult thing for me was that I had to stop before I reached the level I am now. I was 1 month away from being a 6th Kyu, which is a yellow belt in our style. I never made it. Almost 3 years would pass until I began to train again. You are allowed a 1 year period where if you do not train and come back you will be allowed to stay at your previous belt level. I had to begin again as a white belt, but I'm very glad I did. I've learned so much more in the past 3 years of training and I believe I'm much better for it. And this belt promotion means that much more. So this is my happiness for the week.
My frustration comes to me from the world of comics, and more specifically the people printing my comic and the folks who run the San Diego Comic Con. First up is my printer. The folks at Comixpress are great and delivered our last book (Fablequest) in time for our show in May. Their product is great and the price of printing can't be beat. But what is bothering me now is that I'm on a tight deadline with SDCC coming up in July and I need to know what's happening with The Sorrow. I'd like to take a few copies with me to show to publishers and friends, but I can't do that if they can't get me the books on time. The e-mail we received when we first sent off the files said that "on or before the 20th of June we would receive an e-mail to let us know the status of our book." Sounds good to me. Except the 20th was yesterday. It's now 9:30 pm on the 21st and I still don't know the status of my book. GRRRRRRRR!
And now onto the folks at SDCC. I sent them a package on the 23rd of May by Xpress Post with my form for Professional Status for this years convention, as well as a copy of Fablequest for verification. They had a deadline of June 6th for applications, so I assumed I sent off everything with plenty of time. I did the same thing last year and everything was good. This year they've updated the Comic-Con website with a list of professional who will be attending. I'm not on the list. So I've taken the steps needed to find out why. I've e-mailed them twice; no response. I've called them a couple of time at the number they gave me; I never get to talk to a real person and the mailbox for messages is always full. AHHHHHHHHH! I know this is an incredibly busy time for them and I truly understand that. But I'm travelling to San Diego from Calgary, Alberta, "CANADA". It's a long fucking trip! It would be nice to know what's going on. Did they even receive my package? Do they need more information? All it takes is a few minutes to type me an e-mail and let me know. Last year we found out at the convention that we had badges as they didn't update the site on time. But this year they did; so what's the deal folks? All I want is to know if I have a pass or not. I'll make other arrangements to get into the convention if I have to, but I need to know my status first.Very frustrating!
I'm very much a planner, especially when it comes to my comic activities. I want to know what's going on so I can make the appropriate plans. Not knowing and waiting really gets to me. Hopefully someone let's me know and soon. Until then I get to flip-flop between "Damn this belt is so cool!" and "Why the fuck won't anyone get back to me?". Bloody hell!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
The Deadline Dash ended at 2 am Tuesday.
Wow, what an exhausting weekend. After 4 straight days of bustin' ass we completed The Sorrow at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning. The good folks at Comixpress have recieved the files and now we play the waiting game to see if they can get the books back to us on time for the San Diego Con. All the hard work seemed worth it to hear Kevin, Dwight, and my parents tell me that it looks great. Of course, I wouldn't be much of an artist if I didn't have my personal doubts. Or my list of things I feel could have been done better if I had more time. But the end result is a comic book that I can be proud of. An accomplishment. A dream fulfilled!
Hopefully in 3-4 weeks I'll have some copies to share with the world. In the meantime, here's the cover (thanks to my friend Rove!) and one of my favorite pages. Please enjoy and thank you to everyone who had words of encouragement for me. They really helped me out.
Hopefully in 3-4 weeks I'll have some copies to share with the world. In the meantime, here's the cover (thanks to my friend Rove!) and one of my favorite pages. Please enjoy and thank you to everyone who had words of encouragement for me. They really helped me out.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
One more weekend of madness.
Hello everybody! (Hey Dr. Nick!)
I've been working my drawing hand to the bare bones over the past few weekends in hopes of finishing issue 1 of The Sorrow. I have one more weekend left to to it. 4 days, 10 pages of art left, 22 pages of greyscaling and lettering. I'm seriously going to need some drugs. And loads of coffee. But I know it will get done. Somehow I always manage to finish. I have Kevin helping with scanning and lettering, and hopefully I'll even have a cover page from my friend Rove. So it's all good. I even managed to finish this week's Twice Thursday early so I can start working on stuff tommorow night. Everybody needs to check it out this week. I had some "artistic help" with the strip and it is truly something to see. :D
All I need to do now is put it in cruise control. 10 pages between Thursday night and Sunday morning leaves all day Sunday and Monday to finish things up. Send it off Monday night and we're away to the races. Well, at least it sounds good in theory! I'll keep you posted.
On a side note, I finished my belt testing in Karate this week. Overall I think I did just fine. I got stuck on my self-defence but managed to pull through. My katas were good and I was fortunate enough to be able to fight 8 fights this time around. I'm only required to fight 4 fights, but as one of only a few Open Division fighters in our club I always enjoy fighting more. I feel I did quite well for not doing any fighting for almost 7 weeks, and walked away in good health with the exception of my left thumb which always seems to get banged up. Last fight this time too, bugger all! So *fingers crossed* I did good. I'll know in 2 weeks.
I've been working my drawing hand to the bare bones over the past few weekends in hopes of finishing issue 1 of The Sorrow. I have one more weekend left to to it. 4 days, 10 pages of art left, 22 pages of greyscaling and lettering. I'm seriously going to need some drugs. And loads of coffee. But I know it will get done. Somehow I always manage to finish. I have Kevin helping with scanning and lettering, and hopefully I'll even have a cover page from my friend Rove. So it's all good. I even managed to finish this week's Twice Thursday early so I can start working on stuff tommorow night. Everybody needs to check it out this week. I had some "artistic help" with the strip and it is truly something to see. :D
All I need to do now is put it in cruise control. 10 pages between Thursday night and Sunday morning leaves all day Sunday and Monday to finish things up. Send it off Monday night and we're away to the races. Well, at least it sounds good in theory! I'll keep you posted.
On a side note, I finished my belt testing in Karate this week. Overall I think I did just fine. I got stuck on my self-defence but managed to pull through. My katas were good and I was fortunate enough to be able to fight 8 fights this time around. I'm only required to fight 4 fights, but as one of only a few Open Division fighters in our club I always enjoy fighting more. I feel I did quite well for not doing any fighting for almost 7 weeks, and walked away in good health with the exception of my left thumb which always seems to get banged up. Last fight this time too, bugger all! So *fingers crossed* I did good. I'll know in 2 weeks.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Just a quick post.
I have failed to post in the last week. So I thought I would do a quick one to make me feel like I'm not neglecting my blog. Deep breath and.......
I went and seen The DaVinci Code on Friday, and in my opinion it's an incredible movie. Go see it and enjoy. I also started my belt test in Karate and I'm going for my 6th Kyu (in my style it's a yellow belt). That's been very fun and in the end hopefully rewarding. And I've been working as hard as I can to complete the first issue of The Sorrow by the 15th of June. It's being printed stateside and I have to get the stuff off to the printers by then. I want to have the books in my hand before I go to San Diego, and it usually takes 3 weeks to a month to get them. Oh yeah, one more thing : GO OILERS GO!!!! They are going to the finals, baby! That's all for now.
I went and seen The DaVinci Code on Friday, and in my opinion it's an incredible movie. Go see it and enjoy. I also started my belt test in Karate and I'm going for my 6th Kyu (in my style it's a yellow belt). That's been very fun and in the end hopefully rewarding. And I've been working as hard as I can to complete the first issue of The Sorrow by the 15th of June. It's being printed stateside and I have to get the stuff off to the printers by then. I want to have the books in my hand before I go to San Diego, and it usually takes 3 weeks to a month to get them. Oh yeah, one more thing : GO OILERS GO!!!! They are going to the finals, baby! That's all for now.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
That was intense.
Tonight's hockey game between Edmonton and Anahiem was crazy! First the Oilers scored 3 straight goals to open the third; they lead 4-0. Then the Ducks fought back and scored. Then they scored again. Added one more for good measure and we had a game agian at 4-3. The Oilers answered back and made it 5-3. But the Ducks kept pressing and scored agian. Then they missed the net with 12 seconds to go and almost sent things into overtime. My heart was racing like crazy. This is what the playoffs are all about. Intensity, on the edge of your seat, nail-biting drama. It's good to be a fan of the game, and I'm very happy the Oilers are 1 win away from the Cup. One more game boys, one more game. Go Oilers Go!!!!!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
My brother and sister night out with the Suicide Girls!
Last night I had the honor of accompanying my sister Chantel and her friends to the Demonika's Symphony of Horrors Show held at the Warehouse Nightclub. Suicide Girls Demonika and Visha were in attendance, and seeing as how I'm a huge Suicide Girls fan my sister figured it would be a good night for some sibbling bonding. She's so smart! The show is a combination of burlesque, gothic fantasy, and seductive skit all performed to the dark deelight and sensual pleasure of the hungry crowd in attendence. It was truly something to see! Beautiful women and men, full of tattoos and piercing, and dressed in the finest Demonika clothing entertained the audience until 2 in the morning. I was witness to some of the most erotic and sense-numbing performances I have personally ever witnessed. All the girls (and the 4 guys) who performed had something unique about their style, and they sure knew how to work the crowd. I had the pleasure of witnessing my first exotic belly dance routine, 2 very talented spinners who amazed me with their abilities, and a girl who grinds metal that is strapped to various parts of her body. There was a dark and gruesome pregnancy skit, and a wonderful topless dance number that got the crowd going. My personal favorites were a little red riding hood routine with an incredibly sexy Red, and the beautiful Visha playing head mistress and being led to the front of the stage on the backs of her subs. Very hot!!! The grand finale for the evening was miss Demonika herself being pierced with feathers and coming out of it looking somewhat angelic! It was a fantastic night.
So thanks to my sister Chantel and her friends Crystal (mohawk), little Crystal, and Tara for allowing me to tag along for the night. I rarely get to make events like this and it's always a treat when I do. And a big shout out to Demonika, Visha and all the performers who put on an awesome show for us last night. I've been told that they are going to do this again next year and I will certainly attend it again.
So thanks to my sister Chantel and her friends Crystal (mohawk), little Crystal, and Tara for allowing me to tag along for the night. I rarely get to make events like this and it's always a treat when I do. And a big shout out to Demonika, Visha and all the performers who put on an awesome show for us last night. I've been told that they are going to do this again next year and I will certainly attend it again.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Damn websites can be confusing when you don't know shit!
I just finished updating the Out of Mind Studios site, and without Kevin's help I would have been f@cked! I have very limited knowledge of computers, html, and all things to do with the "interweb" (Kevin's going to kill me for that!). But I'm trying to learn. So far I'm doing okay but I still need alot of help figuring out all the intricate detail of our website. And props to Kev, he's made it as easy as possible for me, switching to a Wordpress format and even sending me his version of "How to update our site for Dummies like you Rich!" in an easy to follow file. It will take time. But I will catch on, and very soon after that I will take over the world. You will all bow before the might and awsomeness of "SUPERVIRGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mwahahaha.
Okay, that was a little overkill. Although I do believe I would look quite stunning in tights, I don't think I'll be taking over the laundry room, let alone the world anytime soon. So if you have nothing going on, check out the OOMS site and view my new pin-ups and laugh at my update. It would sure make me feel warm inside if you did and may even supress my "WORLD DOMINATION" hunger. This, in turn, will allow us all to live on a Supervirge-free planet for at least the next 15-20 minutes. Or until I find something better to do. :)
Okay, that was a little overkill. Although I do believe I would look quite stunning in tights, I don't think I'll be taking over the laundry room, let alone the world anytime soon. So if you have nothing going on, check out the OOMS site and view my new pin-ups and laugh at my update. It would sure make me feel warm inside if you did and may even supress my "WORLD DOMINATION" hunger. This, in turn, will allow us all to live on a Supervirge-free planet for at least the next 15-20 minutes. Or until I find something better to do. :)
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Go Oilers Go!
I didn't think they would be able to pull it off, but they did. The Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks tonight to make it to their first Western Conference Final in 14 years. Very cool. And since the Oilers are the only Canadian team left in contention, I'm going to back them all the way. Now I've said it before but it needs to be said again: The Ducks are a solid hockey team and are going to be difficult to beat. But if any team can figure them out, it's the "we just beat Mr. MVP Joe Thorton's team's ass" Edmonton Oilers. So go get em' guys and make your country proud. You're are only hope!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
31 degrees and lovin' it!
Calgary was hot as hell today. I heard reports of 31 degrees from the DJ's at CJAY 92. The path ways around town were packed with sun worshippers of all walks of life. And I had to work.
No worries though, I was able to experience every degree first hand! I worked with my friend Dwight today doing various decal installs around the Foothills Industial park. We had a job this afternoon that we had to do outside due to the customer having limited shop space. Normally this isn't much of a problem, but when you're working with stickers the last thing you want is a blistering hot, one-touch-certain-stick surface. The heat is great for a suntan but bad for decal installations. Never the less our hands were tied and we had no choice but to do the installs outside and take in some sun while doing it. For 2 hours we worked in the 31 degree heat, pretending to complain but really just enjoying the weather. And everything went on without incident so there really wasn't any need to complain. Although, a case of wabbly pop and some sun worshipping beauties (more on them next paragraph) to chill with would have been more fun. Oh well, I guess you can't have everything!
The only side effect from today is that I'm feeling a little water logged from the copious amounts of water I drank to stay hydrated. I seriously drank alot of water, like 8 bottles! And I'm still thirsty for more! Now like I mentoned before, if only today could have been spent on a patio somewhere, or perhaps partying with the topless girls (not a typo!) who called the radio station complaining that no one was paying attention to them sunbathing on the corner of McKnight Blvd. and Center St., it would have been an even better day.
Now here are my questions of the day:
How could any male with even on ounce of testosterone drive by these bare-chested ladies and not notice them? In this weather? During "spring fever" season? And is "topless sunbathing" even allowed in Calgary? Is there a club I could join? Why don't we do any work around there? And how come all this was going on when I was on my way back from Airdrie, miles away from all the fun? I would have honked!! Probably would have crashed into someone to boot. Damn my luck :P
Man, I miss out on the good shit happing around town. I need to bring this up at the next meeting. On a patio. Or a corner. Whatever works for the boss.
No worries though, I was able to experience every degree first hand! I worked with my friend Dwight today doing various decal installs around the Foothills Industial park. We had a job this afternoon that we had to do outside due to the customer having limited shop space. Normally this isn't much of a problem, but when you're working with stickers the last thing you want is a blistering hot, one-touch-certain-stick surface. The heat is great for a suntan but bad for decal installations. Never the less our hands were tied and we had no choice but to do the installs outside and take in some sun while doing it. For 2 hours we worked in the 31 degree heat, pretending to complain but really just enjoying the weather. And everything went on without incident so there really wasn't any need to complain. Although, a case of wabbly pop and some sun worshipping beauties (more on them next paragraph) to chill with would have been more fun. Oh well, I guess you can't have everything!
The only side effect from today is that I'm feeling a little water logged from the copious amounts of water I drank to stay hydrated. I seriously drank alot of water, like 8 bottles! And I'm still thirsty for more! Now like I mentoned before, if only today could have been spent on a patio somewhere, or perhaps partying with the topless girls (not a typo!) who called the radio station complaining that no one was paying attention to them sunbathing on the corner of McKnight Blvd. and Center St., it would have been an even better day.
Now here are my questions of the day:
How could any male with even on ounce of testosterone drive by these bare-chested ladies and not notice them? In this weather? During "spring fever" season? And is "topless sunbathing" even allowed in Calgary? Is there a club I could join? Why don't we do any work around there? And how come all this was going on when I was on my way back from Airdrie, miles away from all the fun? I would have honked!! Probably would have crashed into someone to boot. Damn my luck :P
Man, I miss out on the good shit happing around town. I need to bring this up at the next meeting. On a patio. Or a corner. Whatever works for the boss.
Friday, May 12, 2006
The longest 72 hours of my life.
I'm back.I'm tired. And I'm sick of gummy candies and chips.
Road trips like the one I just endured can only be done once and awhile. Too much of that kind of punishment can not be good for the mind and body. Not that we had any problems; the trip itself was entirely uneventful. But it's incredibly difficult to expect oneself to travel from Calgary to Winnipeg, work all day upon arrival, eat like shit, and then drive back to Regina before finally stopping to sleep, shower, and clean up in general. I must admit that I missed these trips alot. Dwight and I did have a great time and kicked ass on the job. But I'm feeling the effects big time. I want to sleep now, and I never want anything remotely related to junk food again as long as I live. McDonald's can kiss my ass with their new menu, and I have to move to Winnipeg if for no other reason then to fall in love with any one of the 15 beautiful waitresses (shout out to Shailee) currently employed at the new Moxie's on the east side. It feels good to be back doing decals again. Now, if only I could get my stomach to stop hating me for the shit I ingested in the last 72 hours, I'd be a happy man.
On a side note: someone has to do something about the roads in Saskatchewan. They are the drizzling shits! I have never experienced such a rough and bumpy highway ride in my life. I use to complain about the roads in northern Ontario but now I truly believe the roads in Saskatchewan are fantastically worse. So get on it government guys and fix your shitty roads. More people would probably visit if there was no fear of literally being vibrated to death! I know the sceneries nothing to write home about but they make up for it with beautiful women ( I love you A & W girl!) and a kick ass comic store (Comic Reader's in Regina; very cool store!).
They makes me want to visit again, but not until the roads are better. And I get feeling back in my lower body. Fuckers.
Road trips like the one I just endured can only be done once and awhile. Too much of that kind of punishment can not be good for the mind and body. Not that we had any problems; the trip itself was entirely uneventful. But it's incredibly difficult to expect oneself to travel from Calgary to Winnipeg, work all day upon arrival, eat like shit, and then drive back to Regina before finally stopping to sleep, shower, and clean up in general. I must admit that I missed these trips alot. Dwight and I did have a great time and kicked ass on the job. But I'm feeling the effects big time. I want to sleep now, and I never want anything remotely related to junk food again as long as I live. McDonald's can kiss my ass with their new menu, and I have to move to Winnipeg if for no other reason then to fall in love with any one of the 15 beautiful waitresses (shout out to Shailee) currently employed at the new Moxie's on the east side. It feels good to be back doing decals again. Now, if only I could get my stomach to stop hating me for the shit I ingested in the last 72 hours, I'd be a happy man.
On a side note: someone has to do something about the roads in Saskatchewan. They are the drizzling shits! I have never experienced such a rough and bumpy highway ride in my life. I use to complain about the roads in northern Ontario but now I truly believe the roads in Saskatchewan are fantastically worse. So get on it government guys and fix your shitty roads. More people would probably visit if there was no fear of literally being vibrated to death! I know the sceneries nothing to write home about but they make up for it with beautiful women ( I love you A & W girl!) and a kick ass comic store (Comic Reader's in Regina; very cool store!).
They makes me want to visit again, but not until the roads are better. And I get feeling back in my lower body. Fuckers.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
We've re-launched OutofMindStudios.com.
Oh yeah, I forgot. Kev and I have re-launched outofmindstudios.com. It has a new look, is easier to navigate, and as Devon said " woo, verra sexah!"
So, check it out. Or don't. But know that if you do not check out our new sexy sight I will be forced to PUNCH YOU ALL IN THE FACE!!!!!
And hit you with puppies. Cute ones at that.
So, check it out. Or don't. But know that if you do not check out our new sexy sight I will be forced to PUNCH YOU ALL IN THE FACE!!!!!
And hit you with puppies. Cute ones at that.
I'm going to Winnipeg.
I got a call today from my friend Dwight to see if I wanted to do some work in Winnipeg over the next few days. Seems there's an outfit in the 'Peg that needs instruction on applying large-scale decals to their transit buses and we're the guys to do it. I'm really excited to go. I haven't been on a road trip with Dwight for some time now and it will be great to get out there and start decalling again. I'll be dedicating a couple days a week to decal installations while I spend the rest of my time working on our comic book commitments, and extra money is always good. So I'll be gone for the next couple of days while we make our way to and from Winnipeg. I think I'll utilize my time in the car to finish writing up The Sorrow and I'll do some sketches as well. It should be a great trip and I'll post an update when I get back.
In the mean time it's back to the drawing table for me. I have to get this weeks strip done before I go. And tommorow I'll be picking my Dad up from the hospital. He went in today for surgery to repair a hole in his left rotator (shoulder) and to re-attach his bicep. He's been in tremedous pain for some time now so hopefully the surgery will correct everything.
Cheers to all for now.
In the mean time it's back to the drawing table for me. I have to get this weeks strip done before I go. And tommorow I'll be picking my Dad up from the hospital. He went in today for surgery to repair a hole in his left rotator (shoulder) and to re-attach his bicep. He's been in tremedous pain for some time now so hopefully the surgery will correct everything.
Cheers to all for now.
Monday, May 08, 2006
I had the most incredible weekend!
This weekend, as some of you know, I attended a Free Comic Book Day event in Edmonton on Saturday. I also had an Artist Alley table set up for the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo on Sunday. Without a doubt I had the most amazing weekend of my artistic career!
FCBD was a blast! Kevin and I got up at 6 am to make the jaunt up to the 'Chuck to be guests for our friend Jay, owner of Happy Harbor Comics. Thankfully we had a very uneventful trip up, and amused each other with our typical banter. We even utilized some of the time to plan the near future of Out of Mind Studios. There are big plans in the works, but more on that at a later time. Once we arrived at Happy Harbor we were greeted by Jay dressed head-to-toe as DC's Captain Marvel. Sweet costume by the way. After settling down and meeting our fellow camper's for the day it was time to get to work. For me, this meant copious amounts of drawing which I totally love. And for Kev, well, this was an excellent time to grab up some free comics and scope the place out for beautiful women. Trust me, this day would turn out to be an incredible day for meeting beautiful women! So... long story short ( I could write a novel on how great of a day it was) I drew several sketches, met alot of people, picked up a copy of the Comic Talks book that HH published covering the sessions several of us local creators participated in, Kev got us some great photos, I fell in and out of love 37 time, and we were given a great opportunity to create with fellow creators and enjoy the love of comics together. We even managed to make Kev draw a picture! The girl was cute; that in itself was a great motivater. Oh yeah, since this is my blog and it needs to be said, either Catwoman (who I'm told is a friend of Jay's) or Harley Quinn (the wonderfully talented Erin) need to marry me!!!! They were terrific!
Anyways, after an exhausting but rewarding day, we started out for home and bid farewell to our friends of the north. We stopped in Leduc for a quick bite and quickly found out that the McDonald's there has the most beautiful staff of any that I've been to. I'm moving there tommorow! Okay, I'm not....for now. In total I spent 15 hours on Saturday sitting on my ass ( 7 in the car, 8 at HH), got Home, felt stoned, realized I wasn't and went to bed. End of Day 1.
On Sunday we got up at 7 am to get ready and drove to Kev's parent's place to pick up their van which was packed full of comics for the Expo. 16 comic boxes to be exact. And when we arrived at the Big 4 we quickly found out that the unloading and transporting of our goods to our final destination inside the hall was going to be one hell of a long, back-braking journey. You see, from the point where you enter at the back of the building to the place where our table were located is the equivalent of several football fields in length. Not good for 2 dudes with 4-5 hours of sleep! But like the hardcore troopers we are, we managed to make 4 trips. Then we decided to find a cart to make things easier. One load later and we were good to set up.
We weren't quite sure what to expect as far as a turnout for the show this year. In previous years the only Calgary events we attended were held at the Red and White club, a significantly smaller venue that averaged between 400-600 people yearly. That wasn't the case this year. The Expo boasted the best talent line-up ever for a Calgary show, and any doubt of there being a poor showing was extinguished by the droves of people that poured in the door at 10 am. I was later told by my buddy Dwight that people were waiting up to an hour just to get inside. And the traffic inside the Big 4 showed it. It was packed!
From the moment the show started right up to the very end I was a busy, busy man. I drew countless sketches (seriously, I don't know an exact number), sold many prints and comics, met fantastic people, and got a true taste of what being behind the table at a event like this is like. And for the first time at one of these events, I was charging for sketches. I hadn't planned on it, believe me, until my first customer insisted on giving 5 dollars for my time. It felt very weird at first. "Who the hell am I in the grand scheme of Comicdom?" I thought. Well, I guess I'm somebody who gets 5 dollars a sketch. And I gave everyone the best I had. For 5 bucks, I'm going to give people their money's worth. And everyone I sketched for went home happy. I might even get a few commissions out of this! Several people told me they were framing my stuff. My fucking stuff!!!!! This completely blew my mind. But this is something I was told I have to get used to (thanks Dale!). If you give people quality stuff, they'll reward you. I feel very rewarded today. I am very honoured that people liked my stuff and a big thanks to everyone who stopped by. You made my day. I want to cry now, I'm so happy! *sniff*
Moving away from the sketching and crying and on to the event itself. The show this year was a total blast! The Vicious Ambitious guys are starting a new webcomic and had flyers to promote it. They we good enough to include several of the Maple Ink Comics people in the strip, including Kev and myself. They even cut off my drawing arm. I love those guys, even if they are trying to kill me! I will have my revenge!!! I also picked up a copy of the Comic Jams book that our good friend G. Gerald Garcia made up for the event which I was lucky enough to by a part of! Had dozens of people stop by for autographs on the pin-up I did for the Expo Sketchbook. I was truly honoured to be showcased in a book filled with so much talent, especially knowing all proceeds from the sale go to the Christopher Reeves Foundation. I got to meet several other creators, had a great conversation with Dale Berry (great guy!) and even had Humberto Ramos stop by and say hi. * Insert geek out moment here* I met up with my friends from the north
(shout outs to Jay, Brain, Rudi, Daniel, and Erin), got to visit with Devon and Ryan, Rove and Nate stopped by, and local legend in the making Fiona Staples even chatted me up. So it was truly a great day. Oh yeah, we even made some cash today! Yay for us:)
I'm looking forward to next years con in a big way. We'll have more stuff, more talent lined up, and we may even get another day of con goodness. Thank you very much to Kandrix and all the people who worked hard to make this show a success. I think it paid off! And an extra special thanks to the 3500+ people who attended this year for you have made it possible for us to do this again next year. I desparately need sleep now. I'll post to you all again on Tuesday when I wake up from my coma. Must go sleepy now............
FCBD was a blast! Kevin and I got up at 6 am to make the jaunt up to the 'Chuck to be guests for our friend Jay, owner of Happy Harbor Comics. Thankfully we had a very uneventful trip up, and amused each other with our typical banter. We even utilized some of the time to plan the near future of Out of Mind Studios. There are big plans in the works, but more on that at a later time. Once we arrived at Happy Harbor we were greeted by Jay dressed head-to-toe as DC's Captain Marvel. Sweet costume by the way. After settling down and meeting our fellow camper's for the day it was time to get to work. For me, this meant copious amounts of drawing which I totally love. And for Kev, well, this was an excellent time to grab up some free comics and scope the place out for beautiful women. Trust me, this day would turn out to be an incredible day for meeting beautiful women! So... long story short ( I could write a novel on how great of a day it was) I drew several sketches, met alot of people, picked up a copy of the Comic Talks book that HH published covering the sessions several of us local creators participated in, Kev got us some great photos, I fell in and out of love 37 time, and we were given a great opportunity to create with fellow creators and enjoy the love of comics together. We even managed to make Kev draw a picture! The girl was cute; that in itself was a great motivater. Oh yeah, since this is my blog and it needs to be said, either Catwoman (who I'm told is a friend of Jay's) or Harley Quinn (the wonderfully talented Erin) need to marry me!!!! They were terrific!
Anyways, after an exhausting but rewarding day, we started out for home and bid farewell to our friends of the north. We stopped in Leduc for a quick bite and quickly found out that the McDonald's there has the most beautiful staff of any that I've been to. I'm moving there tommorow! Okay, I'm not....for now. In total I spent 15 hours on Saturday sitting on my ass ( 7 in the car, 8 at HH), got Home, felt stoned, realized I wasn't and went to bed. End of Day 1.
On Sunday we got up at 7 am to get ready and drove to Kev's parent's place to pick up their van which was packed full of comics for the Expo. 16 comic boxes to be exact. And when we arrived at the Big 4 we quickly found out that the unloading and transporting of our goods to our final destination inside the hall was going to be one hell of a long, back-braking journey. You see, from the point where you enter at the back of the building to the place where our table were located is the equivalent of several football fields in length. Not good for 2 dudes with 4-5 hours of sleep! But like the hardcore troopers we are, we managed to make 4 trips. Then we decided to find a cart to make things easier. One load later and we were good to set up.
We weren't quite sure what to expect as far as a turnout for the show this year. In previous years the only Calgary events we attended were held at the Red and White club, a significantly smaller venue that averaged between 400-600 people yearly. That wasn't the case this year. The Expo boasted the best talent line-up ever for a Calgary show, and any doubt of there being a poor showing was extinguished by the droves of people that poured in the door at 10 am. I was later told by my buddy Dwight that people were waiting up to an hour just to get inside. And the traffic inside the Big 4 showed it. It was packed!
From the moment the show started right up to the very end I was a busy, busy man. I drew countless sketches (seriously, I don't know an exact number), sold many prints and comics, met fantastic people, and got a true taste of what being behind the table at a event like this is like. And for the first time at one of these events, I was charging for sketches. I hadn't planned on it, believe me, until my first customer insisted on giving 5 dollars for my time. It felt very weird at first. "Who the hell am I in the grand scheme of Comicdom?" I thought. Well, I guess I'm somebody who gets 5 dollars a sketch. And I gave everyone the best I had. For 5 bucks, I'm going to give people their money's worth. And everyone I sketched for went home happy. I might even get a few commissions out of this! Several people told me they were framing my stuff. My fucking stuff!!!!! This completely blew my mind. But this is something I was told I have to get used to (thanks Dale!). If you give people quality stuff, they'll reward you. I feel very rewarded today. I am very honoured that people liked my stuff and a big thanks to everyone who stopped by. You made my day. I want to cry now, I'm so happy! *sniff*
Moving away from the sketching and crying and on to the event itself. The show this year was a total blast! The Vicious Ambitious guys are starting a new webcomic and had flyers to promote it. They we good enough to include several of the Maple Ink Comics people in the strip, including Kev and myself. They even cut off my drawing arm. I love those guys, even if they are trying to kill me! I will have my revenge!!! I also picked up a copy of the Comic Jams book that our good friend G. Gerald Garcia made up for the event which I was lucky enough to by a part of! Had dozens of people stop by for autographs on the pin-up I did for the Expo Sketchbook. I was truly honoured to be showcased in a book filled with so much talent, especially knowing all proceeds from the sale go to the Christopher Reeves Foundation. I got to meet several other creators, had a great conversation with Dale Berry (great guy!) and even had Humberto Ramos stop by and say hi. * Insert geek out moment here* I met up with my friends from the north
(shout outs to Jay, Brain, Rudi, Daniel, and Erin), got to visit with Devon and Ryan, Rove and Nate stopped by, and local legend in the making Fiona Staples even chatted me up. So it was truly a great day. Oh yeah, we even made some cash today! Yay for us:)
I'm looking forward to next years con in a big way. We'll have more stuff, more talent lined up, and we may even get another day of con goodness. Thank you very much to Kandrix and all the people who worked hard to make this show a success. I think it paid off! And an extra special thanks to the 3500+ people who attended this year for you have made it possible for us to do this again next year. I desparately need sleep now. I'll post to you all again on Tuesday when I wake up from my coma. Must go sleepy now............
Friday, May 05, 2006
Let the Madness begin.
What a crazy, busy week this has been, and now the real fun begins. Tommorow I'm off to the City of former Champions (hopefully not fun long, GO OILERS!) for the Free Comic Book Day event being put on by the great folks at Happy Harbor Comics. If you're in the Edmonton area tommorow you should pop on by. I've been told that there are 8 artists (including myself) on hand to draw and talk comics with anyone stopping by, and nobody should pass up the oppertunity for a Free comic. It should be a good time.
In preparation for this weekend's events , Kev and myself have put together an 8 pages preview of our upcoming Dead Last graphic novel that we'll be giving away in Edmonton, as well as in Calgary for the Comic Expo. We have copies of Twice Thursday: Fablequest available for purchase, fresh off the press! I've also been busting my ass this week preparing 3 really nice limited edition prints that will be available for purchase at the Expo. They're full colour pin-ups and I personally think they're some of the finest work I've done to date. So come check things out if you're in the area. If not, we'll have stuff available on the newly revamped Out of Mind Studios website, launching this Monday. We have so much stuff going on in the studio right now, and it really is an exciting time for me as not only an artist, but a fan of the comics medium. Lots of stuff going on and no time for resting!!!! So I'll post some weekend updates as soon as I have some. Now, I'm off to get more shit done for this weekend.
Remember kids, Free Comic Book Day is nation-wide, so go support your local comic book retailers. And if you're in Calgary, makes some time to check out the Expo down at the Big Four on Sunday. With over 40 guests from various parts of the industry, there's something for everyone. You won't be dissappointed.
In preparation for this weekend's events , Kev and myself have put together an 8 pages preview of our upcoming Dead Last graphic novel that we'll be giving away in Edmonton, as well as in Calgary for the Comic Expo. We have copies of Twice Thursday: Fablequest available for purchase, fresh off the press! I've also been busting my ass this week preparing 3 really nice limited edition prints that will be available for purchase at the Expo. They're full colour pin-ups and I personally think they're some of the finest work I've done to date. So come check things out if you're in the area. If not, we'll have stuff available on the newly revamped Out of Mind Studios website, launching this Monday. We have so much stuff going on in the studio right now, and it really is an exciting time for me as not only an artist, but a fan of the comics medium. Lots of stuff going on and no time for resting!!!! So I'll post some weekend updates as soon as I have some. Now, I'm off to get more shit done for this weekend.
Remember kids, Free Comic Book Day is nation-wide, so go support your local comic book retailers. And if you're in Calgary, makes some time to check out the Expo down at the Big Four on Sunday. With over 40 guests from various parts of the industry, there's something for everyone. You won't be dissappointed.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Holy Shit! We got beat by the Ducks!
This is such a shitty thing to have to post, but tonight my Calgary Flames got their asses handed to them by the Disney fucking Ducks. So much for the Stanley Cup run and so much for the much needed battle of Alberta. We just plain blew it. We were out played, out battled, and in the end completely out done by the Ducks. The only good side to this is that the Ducks have a few good, quality, and genuinely nice player in guys like Selanne and the Niedermayers, as well as a stand-up goalie in Ilya Bryzgalov. I hope they do well. But now we as a nation are down to 2 teams, and only 2 teams. So Edmonton and Ottawa, the hockey hopes of the nation rest in your hands. Do us proud.
Next year, we'll bring the cup home. Remember this: Calgary made the cup finals in '86, lost to Montreal. After an early exit the following year we rebuilt and in '89 we brought the Cup home. So give it time. In a year or 2 we'll have lots to celebrate and this series will be a distant memory.
Next year, we'll bring the cup home. Remember this: Calgary made the cup finals in '86, lost to Montreal. After an early exit the following year we rebuilt and in '89 we brought the Cup home. So give it time. In a year or 2 we'll have lots to celebrate and this series will be a distant memory.
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