Thursday, December 31, 2009

Inkstuds interview



I recently did an interview with Robin McConnell and his Inkstuds radio program. My voice sounds much weaker than I thought I sounded. Also I realize how much I sound like my brother. ha.


Living on the west coast makes me grateful for any snow we can get. This happened a couple of days ago and as I left the house to go on a walk I ended up in an impromptu snowball fight with two other cartoonists.

My gift to me

Monday, December 28, 2009

Sherman Alexie

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Sherman Alexie
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Watch this interview with Sherman Alexie on the Colbert Report a few weeks ago. Besides being a really entertaining interview, Sherman Alexie talks about why he's against the digitizing of books.

Friday, December 25, 2009

super crazy cat dance


I've been taking all the original artwork from The Super Crazy Cat Dance and expanding it to fit a new format. I'm having to splice in the original artwork into a new sheet of bristol and then drawing to the new size. The drawing above is actually a bit wider than it will really be when printed. I'll have to crop it. I'm doing all of this for a new printing of the book in full color. It isn't a definite deal yet but it looks like I have a publisher for it. I'll post more later.

Best two zines of 2009


While the world of self-published comics seems to grow bigger with each new year, I feel like the traditional prose-type zine has become strangled by this new love for comics storytelling. So this is why I'm letting you know that there are some great non-comics zines out there being made today. My two favorite zines this year are Somnambulist 15 by Martha Grover and the newly revamped I Was Born But 2 by Emily Nilsson. Both are excellent.

Somnambulist 15 is my favorite issue so far and deals with the Grover Family meetings where each member of the family airs their grievances, frustrations, and family responsibilities. The dialogue is so honest and true. By the end of the issue we come to know this family better than we could have if it were told any other way. Probably the funniest thing I've read in a while.

I was Born But 2 tells several weird true and almost forgotten stories about mental illness and strange people. From detailed biographies of Opal Whiteley, The Papin sisters, The Gibbons Twins and movie reviews such as the obscure Crispin Glover film What is It?

Monday, December 14, 2009

Oh Theo


I know people don't really buy physical music anymore but you should because people like Theo Ellsworth are making some pretty amazing artwork. Coming off the heels of the grammy nominated Menomena artwork by Craig Thompson, Brent Knopf of Menomana this time recruited Theo to do his new solo album.

I had no idea Theo was working on this and then today, in front of Music Millennium in Portland, I saw one of those bus stop billboards with Theo's artwork and I was like, "What?!."

Good work Theo!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Big Plans 4 at Sparkplug


Check out Sparkplug Comicbooks. You can order Big Plans 4 along with Sparkplug's newest books by David King and Rina Ayuyang!

an old story revived







Since I've been in graduate school there has been very little time for me to think about my books let alone draw. I have been searching for my next project and I think I've finally found it. These drawings here are old. This is artwork I made back in 2005 when I was working on a book called ISTANBUL. This project was far too epic for my inexperience to handle so I put it on the back burner. Now that I know what I'm doing...I'm going to go back to my original story and make it better and really script it out before I start drawing this time. I will not use any of my old artwork but I thought it was interesting- all my old labor intensive hatch-marks.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

interview


Here's a short little interview I did with Synthesis Magazine this past week. This comic is from an old sketchbook and has nothing to do with the interview.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Neptune on Good Reads

Neptune is now up for anybody to review on goodreads.com That is if you're interested in letting me and other people know what you think of it.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Big Plans 4 at Buyolympia.com


Big Plans 4 is now up for purchase from the good folks at
Buyolympia.com. This book collects the story "The Intruder," which I serialized on the Top Shelf 2.0 website this past Spring and Summer. Also there's an additional side story with my Wolf-man character.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Back from the printers


Not quite in time for SPX or APE but Big Plans 4 is finally done. This is probably my favorite of the series so far. The printing is super-fantastic and it's on a much heavier paper stock this time around. Ordering information will be coming soon. If you're in Portland I should have it to most of the shops within the next week or so.

Saturday, September 12, 2009


This is the most recent commission I've done and the first gouache painting I've ever made. I think from now on I'll use gouache to color instead of using colored pencils like I previously had.

This is Where I will be

Thursday, September 3, 2009

New Powell's Books Ad in this month's Ms. Magazine


The Super Crazy Cat Dance has been featured in an advertisement for Powell's Books in this months Ms. Magazine. The image is quite appropriate I think, to go with the feminist articles. The Super Crazy Cat Dance is also the Powell's Facebook profile photo.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Big Plans #4


Here's the cover to my new book. The next step is the printer so expect to see it out in time for SPX.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

COMICS READING


Come see me and Theo Ellsworth read from our new books at Powell's in Portland on Monday, August 31st at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Theo Ellsworth and I collaborated on this poster which I feel turned out pretty awesome. Theo's new book is a 32 page comic called "Sleeper Car" published by Secret Acres. I can't wait to read it myself.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Neptune Art Show at Ristretto Roasters


For the month of August I'm having a solo show at Ristretto Roasters. over in the Beaumont neighborhood in NE Portland to promote my new book (3520 NE 42nd Ave @Fremont, Portland, Oregon 97213 hours: 6:00 to 6:00)

I have about twenty pages of original artwork from NEPTUNE on display but not for sale. Plenty of copies of Neptune are, however, available for sale at the store.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Old podcast you never heard

For an old interview podcast with me you should listen to THIS HERE RADIO PROGRAM. It's interesting since it was done about two years ago and so much has happened since then. Check it out.

Friday, July 24, 2009

The final part of THE INTRUDER is up now


Start reading PART 4. or start from the beginning of the story HERE. You'll have to select each part separately.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Neptune at San Diego Comic Con and Portland Zine Symposium



Neptune will be back from the printers most likely tomorrow just in time to debut at the San Diego Comic Con this week and the Portland Zine Symposium. Look for Neptune at the Sparkplug table at the San Diego Comic Con but alas I won't be there. I will be in Portland for the Zine Symposium signing books in-between my publishers Tugboat Press and Sparkplug Comic books. I will be doing a reading on Monday, August 31 at the downtown Portland Powell's books along with the amazing Theo Ellsworth who will be debuting a new issue of Capacity published by Secret Acres. Exciting news. Do me a favor and BUY NEPTUNE OR PREVIEW HERE NOW from Sparkplug Comic books. This is pretty much the best book ever and it's just a coincidence that I happened to make it. Two years out of my life for you!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

collage for "art" class


While I at first was reluctant to work on my collage assignment for my Teaching the Arts in Elementary school class I eventually ended up with a piece that I really like. I spend so much time focusing on my line work and working with pen and ink that I rarely get a chance to expand my focus. Now I know why those old Julie Doucet collage covers were so great. Collage doesn't just have to be filling every blank space up with random cut out crap.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Dog Mountain!




Today Ariel and I conquered Dog Mountain and now our bodies have fallen apart. Dog Mountain is about a 4 mile hike straight upward on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge and totally beautiful.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Press Check!


This is probably not exciting for you but it is for me. Just got the press check for NEPTUNE and everything looks good. I can't wait until it's all done.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I recommend


This new documentary about the largest community garden in the U.S. is kind of like this year's "Who Killed The Electric Car." While you might walk away from this film with a feeling of devastation, you should see this film because it will make you want to do something good. The film is filled with amazing and beautiful real people and their fight to save their community. See it.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Take my Summer Comics Class at PCC


If you're in Portland this Summer sign up to take my Summer term comics class at Portland Community College's continuing education program. Use the information above to fill out the registration. Class starts July 2 and ends on August 20. This class is for anybody of any skill level, two hours a week with regular assignments. You'll love it. Plus, it's super cheap. SIGN UP HERE.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

i recommend



I saw this film last week in my African American Cinema class. It has got to be the best film about southern black life in the sixties that I've seen so far... Especially relative to the kinds of films that were being made at the time. I highly recommend this film.

Friday, May 29, 2009

to the printers!


Sorry I haven't made any new posts in a while. I'm busy getting NEPTUNE ready to give to the printers this Monday, and I'm working on the next installment to my topshelf 2.0 story, I'm finishing up my undergrad and getting ready to go straight into graduate school in a few weeks. Oy Vey! And that ain't the half of it.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

i recommend


Today's movie is Akira Kurosawa's No Regrets For Our Youth from 1946. Kurosawa first film after the war and his only film to have a female protagonist. The film starts out before the war with a group of anti-fascist students at Kyoto University. We follow Setsuko Hara and Susumu Fujita's characters as they grow older and as the latter becomes more involved in the anti-war movement. The best sequence in this film was with Setsuko Hara preparing the soil/muck for rice planting. The film's worth it alone for this. Kurosawa was very much at the top of his game so early on. The film is out on criterion with a different cover image.

Friday, May 8, 2009

one last Papercutter plug


My good friends at BUYOLYMPIA.COM are now carrying the new Papercutter anthology which features me, Hellen Jo and Elijah Brubaker if you didn't know already. You can even preview several pages from the book.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Friday, April 24, 2009

I recommend


Another film I saw last night was "No Way Out" from 1950 starring Sidney Poitier. Aside from some minor flaws this was an impressive and beautifully crafted film that was quite unique for Hollywood in 1950. I am taking a class devoted entirely to the career of Sidney Poitier and this was one of his first films. His performance in it is quite fantastic.

I recommend


I'm starting a new posting where whenever I watch a movie that I like a lot I put up my recommendation. Today's movie is STRAIGHT TIME from 1978. It's not the best movie in the world, but it's on a par with Marathon Man. Dustin Hoffman stars as an ex-con trying to make it in the outside world. It's a great cast, including Harry Dean Stanton, Gary Busey, M. Emmet Walsh, Theresa Russell and Kathy Bates.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Big News


I had a great time at Stumptown this year and thanks again to everybody who made it worthwhile. There were so many people this year that made it a great event. I think this was my favorite convention I've ever tabled at. I probably talked more than I usually do and somehow managed to keep my voice all weekend. The big news is that my 152-page all ages comic book, "Neptune", is going to be published by The combined forces of Tugboat Press(papercutter) and Sparkplug Comic Books(Reich/Bookhunter etc.) We should have the book ready to premiere in time for this years San Diego Comic Con and Portland Zine Symposium. Above is a possible new front cover for the book.