Can't... get it... out of my head!

Over the last few days I haven't been able to get Don't Stop Believin' out of my head as my wife will attest to. I've called her a small town girl livin' in a lonely world more times than I care to admit over the last few days.

Journey was hot stuff back in the day and they knew how to sell out like nobody's business. Anyone remember the Journey video game?

Ahhh... Journey.

Justin Wilson - We hardly knew ye was dead.

We've just introduced Loy Jackson Roy to the White Pony story and it's given me the opportunity to relive some of my favorite childhood television memories.

My father was always very fond of cooking shows so in a desperate attempt to bond with him I would sometimes slog my way through them as well. Well Justin Wilson's cajun accent was so weird/wonderful that you couldn't help but pay attention to him when he spoke. Apparently Mr. Wilson passed away in September of 2001 with seemingly little attention paid. Again youtube comes to the rescue with an overwhelming amount of options but I like this one because while it may be a funny joke, I have no idea because I can't understand what the hell he's saying.

Update: After listening to it a few times I've been able to decipher the punchline.
Spolier: Mouse over the text to see.
"Stood up on this box over here you get a much more better view I garontee."

Save the Orangutans!

In this blog, which has been long delayed by an unusually busy month, I intended to talk about a lot of things but ended up going to a gig or prepping a project or a host of other endeavors.


Some things I've been working on are pretty cool. The first I'll describe here is the game I developed as a project for my day job. It was inspired by a class exercise I tried in a high school physics class. Our Teacher Mr. White gave us the opportunity to simulate the distribution of energy amongst a variety of utilities in a fictional model of a civilization. I remembered the lesson of the game if not the exact structure: resources are finite and need to be used responsibly if we want to protect what is important to us. So I set about designing a game that would help convey the same lesson about conserving endangered animals (we are studying Indonesia this month) and hopefully plant that idea in their little impressionable heads.

The game works like this:

After color coding the species and the corresponding bonus cards the game can begin


First you pick one of each animal without seeing its' survival points.

Once you have those point totals you opt to by bonus cards- which my or may not have extra points to add to your total survival point tally. The four different types correspond to the four different animals and the first round each card costs 10 points with a maximum purchase amount of 10 cards for all species. The next round you can but 12 cards but the cost is now 20 points and so on adding 2 to the purchase limit and 10 to the cost each successive round.

I had to set a cap on purchase totals because the second time we played it two kids bought as much as possible using all of their points and ended up being able to purchase more bonus cards the next round than I had made-which instilled the idea that doing work early to preserve life was the best way to ensure success but it cripples the actual game.

Some of these quirks could be adjusted by playing around with the point totals on the cards.


Anyhow. Once you subtract the cost of the cards and calculate your new totals you get a series of 'hazard' cards that directly affect your animals. They are color coded just like the bonus cards and match up with certain species. In the first round players are confronted with 3 hazards. each consecutive round it goes up in odd numbers.

The game is meant to last three rounds. If an animal dies (brought to zero or to negative points-which also is considered zero) you can share points from the other animals to keep it alive. This is true until the final round when, after receiving your final hazard cards, you discover which player kept his or her species alive and had the best survival point records. In order to win all four must survive and you need the highest overall point total.

In a variation you could add bonus rounds or danger zones rounds for each creature where the risk would be heightened or rewards sweetened.

Now much of this is chance but there is some 'risk vs reward' and a small measure of strategy wherein players interpret the facts of their situation and plan accordingly with the knowledge of future events (plus or minus the randomness of said events.)

It was a huge success! the kids loved it and have asked me to play it subsequently many times. I am calling it "Survival... It's a jungle out there." If you think that is corny or tasteless consider that my original title was "Bloodstorm!... An animal apocalypse" and be happy it wasn't that.


He's Happy. Look at him and tell me you don't want to save him from wildfires for fun and educational purposes.

Also this past few weeks I've been re-inking 2 Avengers pages of mine that I lost after a gig. It is a silly story that ends up with Lindsey and I searching in the dumpsters of Portland's industrial underbelly but suffice to say I had digital scans of those pencils and I have since completed new versions of the missing work.My original inks of page 1 are gone but I have a digital copy in the computers at Periscope Studio-thanks to them for supporting me and saving my ass.

As of today 5-21-09 I finished my 4th page of that same Avengers sample, which I'm being continually humbled by, and I will post my pencils next time.

A big Shout out to my friend and co-worker Keith Rosson who gave me a copy of his recently printed zine compilation "The Best Of Intentions- The AVOW Anthology." It collects issues 1 through 16 of a project that he started in 1995 and continues presently. Keith is a great guy and I'm glad to know him. He's a fine illustrator in addition to being a punk-rock guitar player and bassist. I wish the kids at school would give him a break. Thanks to Keith once more.


Everyone (all 10 of you that read this) go support Keith by first checking out his website www.KeithRosson.com then buying what he sells and attending one or more of his shows. I'm going to try my hardest to get out to one of them at some point.-I'm alternately either a terrible hermit or a frenzied workaholic. There doesn't seem to be much in between. Thus I need others to go in my stead. Help me help Keith!

Also thanks to David Hahn for getting me a burrito. I think it is a reflection of his genuinely kind heart and not just to show Dylan that he can buy someone a meal and not have it be "a thing." He is great and I look to his work for inspiration frequently when he isn't around- as he is then working and I don't like to hang out behind someone watching them draw unless I'm invited to (thanks Colleen.)

I went to my first Drink and Draw but did little drawing and no drinking as I do not drink. I would have had a glass of water or juice but I couldn't stay long and had no money on me. It was cool. I talked mostly with the newest intern Ben Bates. He and I have much to offer each other in that we come from very different perspectives and aesthetic preferences. When I find out what his website is I'll promote it here.

My pick of the post was introduced to me via a co-worker who utilized it for a project with the kids. I re-gift you CubeeCraft in all its' glory. It is a fun little site for making simple paper toys.



Look around the pop culture portion of the site and you might bump into some old friends.

Earth's Mightiest Heroes Again: Brought To You By Crayola

Here are the pencils for my most recent Avengers page:



Since I've been in an Avengers mood lately I drew this one with crayons while at school with the kids.



Then I commissioned another of my students to draw my comics's characters. I give you (clockwise from top) Sloar, Loranna and Filmore from White pony courtesy of Maxime (I think.) There were jelly beans exchanged.



My pick of the post is a webcomic by my new friend Sara Burrini! She is German and recently returned to our fair country to continue her association and studies with the folks at Periscope. She was previously and intern just like me. You can find her comic, the title of which translates to "Life Ain't No Pony Farm" at this link

Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof via webcomics nation.



She told me that you can turn on google's 'hilarious' translation. I am going to try it and if unsuccessful; learn German. Sara is going back to Germany this Thursday so farewell Sara-check in with her comics and her professional progress as she is a cartooning Juggernaut destined for greatness. Seeing her reckoning with the same obstacles I struggle against on the long climb to a job in comics gives me hope-we're in it together! Check out the fabulous Ms. Burrini.

Yarr ye pasta eatin' land lubbers

We've had a fantastic week of traffic at the site and we've got people returning to read White Pony!

Having said that I don't really have a reason for this post other than this picture... this amazing picture.

Behold, Cap'n Noodle Beard the Tasty!

Paul and Jeff...and no not Gilbert and Beck

I am inspired by more than guitars as of late:



This is a brief tribute blog to two new friends of mine at Periscope. While it is true that everyone there has made huge efforts to make me feel welcome and boost my artistic efforts to new heights I owe these guys an extra bit of thanks for their hospitality over the last month in particular.



Paul Tobin writes about 173 marvel titles each week including Dr. Doom and the Masters of Evil, Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four and Avengers. He has been my window into the process which has its' roots in the dialogue between artist and writer. He gave me my first pro script to work from. Paul often imparts great advice that only a writer would be able to offer up without specific prompting-including pacing, placement based on dialogue and not playing to your biases.


He can also give you a beneficial scolding about unnecessary crosshatching while pontificating on excessive breast size in the comics medium without ever having to stop typing. He has been a great coach and helped me loose my doe eyed wariness in the face of previously intimidating 'big time' creators. His example is a good one in that he works hard, comes up with killer stuff and still has fun. He did the straight job thing for a long time while slowly breaking in and that type of dedication is necessary to do a really fun and challenging job like comics. His support lends me confidence because he knows just how long the road is and what the obstacles are.

He recently put me in a new issue of a comic he is working on in the part of a 3rd grade teacher and that is better than being in the movies. It means that some version of me lives in a world where I could be friends with the X-men.

So thanks Paul.

His wife Colleen Coover has been a great help to me as well. Her stylistic inclinations are almost the opposite of my own and that is why I value her opinions so much. She can help me by informing me about things that aren't my strengths-things she does well like cartooning and simplifying. Paul and her compliment each other nicely as a couple; both are witty and informed on a wide range of subjects.


I also like their take on culture and current events-but this is a Paul and Jeff post so she will have to wait for the post I eventually do on her and Steve Lieber. At some point I'll have to do a post on each of the Studio members. They are all great.

Jeff Parker is super generous both with his knowledge of comics historically, as a business and with actual comic books. He has gifted me several and is currently letting me borrow his Marvel Adventures Avengers comic. He writes Agents of Atlas, Mysterius and Exiles.


His Personality while working is a rare blend of subtle and funny. He is patient with me and my many questions. Jeff offers both strong artistic suggestions and helps me remember that comics should be fun. He is the sort of guy who can take all the best things you like from pop culture and cram them into a 20 page story without it seeming cluttered. His ideas/scripts are cool, thrilling, emotionally dimensional and funny.

He gave me one of the best gifts I ever got just the other day: a Leonard Kirk page inked by Kris Justice from Agents of Atlas-a book he writes and basically created. It is one of my favorite comics for many reasons many of which are nicely displayed on the page I was given. It has most of the agents depicted under water, in scuba suits, battling crab monsters.



Thanks a million to Jeff Parker for such a stunning show of generosity.

I also wanted to post this Picture of my B-bender Equipped Telecaster. Hooray for Guitars!



It also has a G-bender and a drop D lever. After about 180 dollars worth of time, tools and parts, I can bend with the best.

In my head the other night I was trying to match my teachers at Periscope up with Starwars characters because I'm just that big a nerd: Steve Lieber is like Yoda (he has untold levels of ability and speaks from experience.) Paul is Like Han Solo (edgy/roguish and somewhat of a heroic loner) -which fits with Colleen as Leia.



I guess that would make Jeff Admiral Ackbar (he has gravitas and an accent) Ron Randall is Obi Wan Kenobi (because he is low key and masterful) and David Hahn is Chewbacca (because he is tall, loves Snacks and everyone loves him-while sometimes misinterpreting his words.)

David Hahn gave me a thumbnail sketch, of what I think is one of his fable pages, which is now framed and in my studio so thanks David!



It depicts two gorillas who become best buds and fight Hitler on the edge of an atomic blast/robot and dinosaur invasion... or at least that is how it appears.

My POTP for this week is the web extension of DC that draws its' content from independent submissions. It is nonetheless good and worth investigating even if you are opposed to the big two: check out ZUDA. It is a way in which web cartoonists can get some exposure and a little money for their books.


My favorite of the ones I've come across is called High Moon. Good stuff-nice drawings and solid writing. The viewer can be a bit frustrating but the purpose is to keep people from printing them out I guess? Steve and Jeff told me that although it has value for other reasons, there can be a side effect of these competition-based sites that results in a sort of social viper pit. That because of the structure of the site, people who are competing begin to spam all their friends with voting requests. The upside is that comics do have to pass a filter of some sort (unlike most of the internet comics out there) so you end up with some decent content. See the goods for yourself. Next time will be something indie but I thought zuda was worth sharing as it bridges the gap from what Nathan and I do to the mainstream.

Stumptown, A New Guitar, Avengers...Assemble!

So, Stumptown was fun but I was only there for Sunday. Saturday was spent mostly practicing with the new lineup of Emily Herring's country band 'Henpecked' in which I play lead guitar and steel guitar. Previously I was bringing two dobros to each gig and practice along with my telecaster. Thanks to the guys at Guitar Crazy I am the proud owner of a 1947' 1050 model National double neck Console steel guitar. Each neck has eight strings and it is really really cool sounding. I have what I need to play with just about anyone now.



It only had one previous owner and that gentleman bought it when it was new. He also had a hand built combo amp he bought around the same time (1947) from a guy named Leo Fender who didn't go on to do anything significant in the world of guitars... but seriously the amp was worth as much as a small house. The lesson here is that old guys rule. Thanks for passing the torch sir, whoever you may be.

As for Stumptown it was cool and I made contact wit a few editors including Dianna Schutz and Bob Schreck both of whom were very gracious. I was introduced to Bob by my friend Steve Lieber as being "the real deal" which made me feel good and want to work harder so that I might be worthy of such praise. That stuff was good and I came away with some business cards. Later on Lindsey and I had dinner with some friends of ours the Johnsons and their friends from NY Ryan Dunlavey and his wife.

I am working my way through some sample pages and Here I've posted my line work and then the spotted blacks that I did on a print out of my pencils(shown in a previous post.)You might notice some corrections in both the transition from the penciling stage to the fine line and the fine line to the blacks. I just couldn't stand the spiderman I had drawn. Also Jeff Parker and Steve told me my Hulk wasn't exactly Hulky enough so I went back and altered some of that stuff too.






I also wanted to post an Avengers commission I requested from an 8 year old at my work named Mia who very sweetly told me "I don't like super heroes" to which I said "Well I don't really like Mermaids but I draw them for you." I bribed her with jelly beans. So here for evryone's enjoyment is a sweet team shot pinup by Ms. Mia; Clockwise from upper left is Giant Girl, The Hulk, Storm, Iron Man, Captain America and Wolverine.


Yes-I love it.

My POTP this time is a charmingly cool craft site belonging to a girl named Leslie Levings who stole the Stumptown show taking everyone's heart by storm via her polymer clay creations.



Check out beastlies to see her unique sculpey creations and tell me you don't kind of want to own like 10 of them.

Back to drawing!

Comics, the south-paw industry. (PG-13ish)

I was listening Terry Gross talk to comic-book historian Craig Yoe about the little known fetish art/porn of Joe Shuster when I recalled something that Sarah noticed at S.P.A.C.E.

C'mon, whip with your back!

I've got no problem with Joe drawing a little S&M but it turns out he was drawing it with... HIS LEFT HAND!!! Yes Joe Shuster, much like what it turns out to be roughly 90% of comic book artists, is a south paw. Sarah, a left handed beauty, noticed as we were walking the aisles of S.P.A.C.E. that most of the artists were drawing as though they lived in a bizzaro world. After double checking that we weren't looking into some sort of frightening mirror that reversed everything we found out the awful truth that south-paw fever had struck at the heart of the independent comics community.


So please remember if you start feeling the urge to switch-hit or you see your child trying to write with their left hand slap that hand and slap it hard... otherwise they'll never achieve their full potential.

I hope you have enough S.P.A.C.E.!

I'm just back from a vacation with my family to Newport News, VA and we had a great time. We got to check out how dumb the first people to land at Jamestown(e) were, Williamsburg (both historic and non), and the Yorktown battlefield where we kicked some British ass in 1781... no offense to our British readers. These three places make up what the Virginia Tourism Board likes to call "The Historic Triangle". We also got to see my Sister in Law, Sister's Husband in Law, and my Niece in law while we where there. My niece Sophie takes adorableness to new cheek squeezing heights.

John Smith had a fantastic Mustache.

For what it's worth we were there from Saturday night to Friday morning and their was still tons of stuff that we didn't get to see/eat. Thumbs up for Newport News.


On our way back we stopped in Columbus to see my In-Laws and more importantly so Sarah and I could hit S.P.A.C.E. (Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo)

I don't mean it as an excuse but when my Father died last year a lot of things fell to the wayside. Previous to that I had been advocating pretty heavily for Melee and then I just stopped. I now feel like it's time to start taking what Ben and I do seriously. We put out good comics and I don't think that the goal of getting people to look at our funny, free, entertaining comics is impossible.

At the Con we met a few really great people but I wanted to give a few a shoutout.

First I have to say that Chris Hallbeck of The Book of Biff was super cool. I had liked his stuff already but we ended up chatting for about 10 minutes and he gave me some good advice on advertising for Melee.


I don't know what it was about the single panel stuff that drew us in but we also had a nice little chat with Millard Draught of Dog-Eared who apparently also runs a sign company and gives good deals to comics guys who need signs for their tables. I think Ben and I will be in touch with Millard pretty soon.

I finally bought Birth and Novo and got to meet Michael S. Bracco who I had been keeping in touch with when Birth first came out before he won a bunch of awards and became popular. I read Birth and Novo as soon as I got home and ended kicking myself for not buying the second volume of Novo when I had the chance. Novo is the sequel to Birth and Michael says that he plans a storyline that will run about 5 or 6 books. I am looking forward to them.


Lastly, because of our Vacation Destination, it seemed appropriate for us to stop by Lora Innes's table. Lora writes and arts the Dreamer a comic about a high school girl who is transported back to the revolutionary war when she goes to sleep but still has to deal with all the normal dramas of being in High School when she wakes up. I've read through the first two issues so far and am looking forward to reading some more!



Anywho we met some other great people at the Con like Dave Arhar who created Franklinstein and the people over at Dimestore who do Small Press Idol. I look forward to hitting more cons in the area and hopefully have a table setup at some of them soon.


I will leave you with this... the road song that originally tortured my family on the road but that we were all singing together by the end of the trip.

Holiday Road...

I have no idea why the dogs bark at the end...

-- Nathan

Shrinky-Dink Yourself

Recently at my day-job we made shriky dinks out of ubiquitous/cheap materials and it was a lot of fun.



All you need is some number 6 plastic (look for the recycling symbol with the 6 in the middle), an oven and non-watercolor color pencils. The ideal choice is prismacolor brand because of how nice and lush the leads are. First sand down the plastic so your pencil can get some purchase. It should be sanded opaque like a plastic cutting board. Draw as intricately as you like keeping in mind the idea that it will shrink to about a 1/3rd its original size. Set your oven to 325-put the finished plastic drawing in the oven and monitor it for 3 minutes. It will shrink up into a ball but it will unfold and when it does count to ten slowly and remove from the oven let it cool and you'll have a sweet little art object that you can make into a pin, a game piece, jewelry, pet tag, label, fridge magnet... you name it.



I am going to employ this technique in making game parts and nifty little miniatures to sell at the next stumptown comics fest!

I'm going to head into the studio now and next post will be about what I learned from this years' STCF but for now enjoy the caddillac of nerd accessories-as seen at Emerald City Comic Con. I give you "The Sultan"





If you are the world's biggest dork/your parent's best friend/roomate at age 30-plus despite a surplus fortune you made through webdesign and your skills with pearl script; this is the must have accessory for that one night a month you and your battlestar gallactica chatroom buddies get together and slay the horrifying creations of the necromancer.

My POTP (pick of the post as it will henceforth be called) is not comics related, though I have plenty of that to share in the future, it is the greatness of space! Check out the mind blowing images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope: Hooray for Science! People who know me well know that I love science. Everything from particle physics to theoretical mathematics and astronomy. I don't understand most it but I have a crush on science as a discipline though I am married to art. Check out the pictures and you'll want to come up with all sorts of science fiction plots for comics-if you are anything like me

Also here is a youtube video of a song by one of my favorite guitarists that features a digital wacky waving tube man as its' only visual: Jimmy Herring-Scapegoat Blues

Till next time. Now go get yourself some number 6 plastic and make something cool.