I Did Draw Something, After All...

Drew an entire comics story based on one of the faces from yesterday's sketching. I'd post the whole story here, but think I first want to put it in my friend's fanzine, Mensuhell.

I'd like you people who don't have access to the fanzine to be able to see it, and my other stories. They're a lot of work, but make more sense for me to be doing, rather than a bunch of disconnected sketches. I kind of hate drawing the same thing more than once.

Meanwhile, Nora the kitten is being cute. Big surprise:

Comics Economics

I love comics, but haven't drawn many, at least outside of the comics jam, or part of a collaboration as a favour or exercise. Why? I'm not sure, but it seems like a lot of work for very little return, or appreciation (like blogging! Ha ha.)



Anyways, this is the first page of a 3-page story I promised (for free!) for my friend's fan-zine. Took me about three days of intense work. I'm very pleased with it, and will do some more; try to get them placed somewhere which will pay money.

Comics economics are nasty for creators: an illustration I can dash off in an hour or two will net me $75-$150 (that's when there's a client who wants one from me; freelancing is a lot of running around, drumming up work). A page of comics is at least six times that amount of work, and will pay something from $40-$150 (for the kind of stuff I do, which isn't mainstream), when it's not for free. And that's when your client decides to pay, which they haven't, for some of my comics friends. At a finished page a day (and little time for anything else, such as paying work), imagine how long it would take to do a "graphic novel," which is the thing these days.

I don't know much about how comics on the web work, though that's also more and more prevalent. You can say that TV is stupid, and full of sharks, but at least it pays, when you get a foot in the door. Comics are more for love, I'm afraid, but there's a lot of love out there, even from me.

So look for some more comics from yours truly. Hope it's not a waste of time!

From the depths of the Files

Did a lot of work today going through and sorting files, and found three pages of a comic I did when I had a roommate (and a black cat), and the roommate had an evil vegetarian British friend. It was therapy then, now it's pretty funny at this distance of ten years or more, even if parts are badly drawn (it was done all at once, without pencil lines. But I've redrawn two panels). Kind of an Ivan Brunetti vibe to it, at least in subject matter. I hope nobody's upset reading it. I'm in a much better mood these days.



I know at least one more page is kicking around somewhere. If I find it, I'll post it, and at least continue (if never conclude) the story. I never finished it.

(No, I didn't have a girlfriend who was leaving me at that time. That was just a device to jack up the drama. Like the thermo-nuclear warhead.)

Gospel Hour, Marvel Superheroes invade Montreal, and Hot Cats

Visited the launch for X-Men ... Made in Quebec an exhibition of art for the Ultimate X-men comic book series by Yanick Paquette, Serge laPointe, and Stéphane Peru at Galerie Attakus. They're an outfit that builds statues and figurines of Star Wars and comics characters. Their website is http://www.attakus.com. Please click on the above photo to visit the Flikr photo set for the whole experience.

Meanwhile, I'm still doing my sketches.



The curator for a Rembrandt art show, interviewed on TV.

And a preacher with a message for us all.



Finally, imagine this video happening all winter long, and you've got an idea what it's like in my apartment.

Sketchbook Funnies Redux

Did another comic starring some guy I sketched walking in the street. The first one's here.

Black Cat Comic

I've been trying to get back into comics and stories. This is my latest effort in that area, that's not a collaboration, or for money. Telling bizarre stories in my sketchbook about the people and animals outside my door. I don't hate children, honest!



The black cat's song is a rememberance of "Black Fly:"

"Always the black fly no matter where you go
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, In North Ontar-i-o"