Dec 03 2007

It’s a Crackhouse Miracle

“Miracle” is probably too strong a word, and of course it’s more of a catastrophe as far as our finances are concerned, but the exterior of “The Crackhouse” has finally been repainted.  The top image of its original state doesn’t really do justice to how dilapidated the paint was.  Our next-door neighbor told us that the yellow paint was in-place when she moved to the neighborhood… in 1976.

The Crackhouse is actually in such nice shape these days (only some minor work upstairs, and a major kitchen overhaul remain) that it may be time to retire the Crackouse label.

progress.jpg

Dec 03 2007

Newsarama Art Group: The Punisher

Here’s what I posted as my contribution to week 90 of the Newsarama art group:

Better late than never, I suppose…

Here’s my contribution for this week’s “Punisher” theme. It’s not one of my better pieces, but it was fun to experiment with two techniques I almost never mess with: crosshatching, and the dodge and burn tools in Photoshop. (I almost always ink with a brush and use flat colors.)

One of the things I really enjoy about riffing on existing covers and panels, as I often do in my occasional posts to the Art Group thread, is that I always learn something in the process. In this case, the thing I learned is: if you run into anatomy-related problems with drawing a character’s legs, put a big trash can in the way. My version is holiday-themed, so instead I put a big Christmas tree in the way:

punisher.jpg

Nov 25 2007

CCCG Holiday Brouhaha

Here’s the invite I did for our upcoming CCCG Holiday Brouhaha:

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Nov 24 2007

If This Be No Skrull…

Here’s what I posted as my contribution to week 89 of the Newsarama art group:

I finally tracked down a color scan of a page featuring the “Skrull king” guy I wanted to draw… and I was totally surprised by what turned out to be his bright red and yellow(!) outfit. I guess if you’re running the show, you can break the Skrull purple & black dress code. The sample I got was clearly from some recolored version, printed on that new-school blindingly white paper:

skrull_samplec.jpg

…so I gave my version the patented “Johnny Crossbones” fake color halftoning treatment:

skrull_halftone.jpg

Nov 18 2007

Heroes in NC for the Eisner Retail Award!

Ballots are now up and available for the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retail Award.  Like the site says, the award is presented each year at the Eisner Awards ceremony at the San Diego Comic-Con to, ” an individual retailer who has done an outstanding job of supporting the comics art medium both in the community and within the industry at large.”  If there’s a comics retailer I’ve had  any personal dealings with that better meets this description than Charlotte, NC’s Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find, I sure don’t know who it’d be.

From the store’s enthusiastic support of local cartoonists–both mainstream comics industry artists and us “indie” folk–at Heroes Con, to the store’s various community activities and their attractive grime- and chainmail-free store on Charlotte’s 7th Street, Heroes more than meets the awards stipulation of a retailer that:

  • Supports a wide variety of innovative material
  • Is knowledgable
  • Engages in community activity
  • Exhibits a high quality store image
  • and Adheres to ethical business practices

The awards site lists previous recipients back to 1993 and not one winner has been on the East cost.  I propose that this year all of us who have attended Heroes con as guests or exhibitors, shopped at the store, and even spent valuable hours of our precious, precious time putting up with that Dustin guy’s nonsensical ramblings, endeavor to get Heroes in the running for the 2008 awards and bring the gold home to North Cackalacky.

Post stuff to your blogs! Pester complete strangers to vote for them! (Anyone can place nominating votes)  Send a “gift pack” of tender jucy steaks to the judging panel!  Do whatever you have to, but most important: fill out the ballot and send it in. For folks not in Charlotte, I’ll be pestering Dustin for some specific community activities to enter on the ballot and post those to my blog when I get them. Voting is open until April, but why not put down those Hot Pockets, get off your (or your parents’) couch and go ahead and send yours in now?