2011-03-02

Adventures in reading

Yesterday morning I trooped down to the local school for to instill a love of reading in the young folk as part of Read Across America. First I ate pastries in the library with other volunteers, then we all went to the cafeteria to watch the principal talk and the kids sing a song about Dr. Seuss (whose birthday is today), take the “Reader’s Oath”, and enact a theatrical performance of Green Eggs and Ham. There was also a special visit by large-headed superhero Word Girl.

After that everyone went back to their classrooms. I read part of The Pirates’ Mixed-Up Voyage by Margaret Mahy to a class of 3rd-graders, then answered some questions about being a cartoonist & whatnot. I left them with a picture of Garfield and a chihuahua reading on a horse under the watchful eye of Old Man Winter (the elements were all suggestions from the kids).

Overall it was fun! It was a bit of a trip to visit my old elementary school as an adult. The school library has a nice comics section now. I also saw an Alfred Hitchcock collection of stories for young folk, and I wish I’d thought to photograph the bizarre endpapers..

2011-02-21

A Boy and His Gum 1

A Boy and His Gum page 1

Transcript

Boy exits store, excited to chew the gum he just bought. He fumbles & it flies out of hand onto a lawn with a sign: “KEEP OFF MY GRASS!”
Boy walks nervously onto lawn, looking around frantically. “Wow, it landed right on this flower!” he says.
Flower opens into a giant round toothless maw. Boy, kneeling: “What the-?”
GLOM! Flower maw closes around Boy’s upper body.
Flower sucks Boy in. We see only his feet sticking out, then just a lump in the flower stem, then the flower maw is small again. Flower maw: “BURP!”

Oh my gosh, what now?!

2011-02-21

Where was I?

Man, I slid right into Slump-town as last year came to a close. No good! But I’m starting to dig myself out. I now have scheduled drawing time with Brattleboro Comix Lab founder Daniel Kornguth twice a week, which should help a lot. I drew a whole page last week! (see above) Aiming for two this week. I still need to post my 24-hour comic in the Shop, and in March I intend to release the Spring-themed Square Dance #5. Comics ahoy!

2010-12-27

Pro Tips For Tabling At Comics Conventions 3

Pro Tips for Tabling at Comics Conventions page 3

Transcript

1. CAPTION: Connect with your visitors. IMAGE: Tall skinny young exhibitor with blond hair swept across eyes, looking down at phone & presumably texting, says, “Feel free to text me if you have any questions” to annoyed-looking older man looking at his comics.
2. CAPTION: Don’t be a know-it-all. IMAGE: Attendee: “Excuse me, where are the panel discussions?” Exhibitor, reading comic book & shrugging: “I dunno.”
3. CAPTION: Bring snacks to keep your energy up. IMAGE: Happy-looking exhibitor, who has been eating chocolate cake with his bare hands & has it smeared around his mouth, extends a cake-covered hand out for a handshake, saying “Oh, hi!” to a woman, who recoils.
4. CAPTION: Give out promotional items. IMAGE: Cocky-looking exhibitor dude to skeptical-looking attendee: “Have a gum wrapper I wrote my web address on! I chewed the gum myself!”
5. CAPTION: Check out other comics. IMAGE: Rude cartoonist (henceforth abbreviated as ‘RC’.): “Man, so much effort went into this cover, but then inside just sucks!” Creator looks shocked, angry.
6. CAPTION: Network with other creators. IMAGE: RC to disapproving-looking exhibitor: “Boy, are [censored name]’s comics over-rated or what?” (gestures over shoulder)
7. CAPTION: Treat yourself to a good meal afterward. IMAGE: Fancy waiter to RC: “Tonight’s special is Flavorful Meat marinated in Vitamin Waer (TM).”
8. CAPTION: Above all – have fun! IMAGE: RC, dragging suitcase, thinks: “Man, everyone I met was frowning – what a bunch of negative jerks!”

Update 2011-02-21: I just noticed I left out a word in the “networking” panel – he’s supposed to be saying the person’s comics are “overrated“, not “over”! I’ll fix it for the print version, at least.

2010-12-20

Pro Tips For Tabling At Comics Conventions 2

Pro Tips for Tabling at Comics Conventions page 2

Transcript

1. Exhibitor, a short young woman with blond hair, stands smiling with her hands clasped behind her back while a large man reads one of her comic. He has spiked hair, tattoos, piercings, etc.
2. Man puts down the comic & walks away; exhibitor looks disappointed.
3. & 4. She runs up behind him, clobbers him with a metal pipe, and drags him through a doorway.
5-8. In the hallway she takes money from his wallet, drops some of her comics on him, and runs away, leaving him unconscious on the floor.
2010-12-16

Pro Tips For Tabling At Comics Conventions 1

Pro Tips for tabling at Comics Conventions page 1

Transcript

1. CAPTION: Have an eye-catching display. IMAGE: One exhibitor has a large table banner (“How-Doo Comix”). On his table, besides comics, he has candles, and black cones holding up those glass balls with the lightning effect inside. The poles at either end of his table are shooting fire out of their tops; they and the crosspiece between them are wrapped in Christmas lights. At the center of the cross-piece is a “Deer Crossing” sign with crab claws hanging from it. The exhibitor is wearing a crown and looking self-satisfied. Other exhibitors look variously frightened, startled, or dismayed.
2. CAPTION: Don’t be afraid! IMAGE: A scruffy exhibitor overcompensates by standing with arms crossed and staring aggressively with bloodshot eyes at a passerby, who looks puzzled and leans away.
3. CAPTION: Be confident. IMAGE: Smarmy exhibitor, referring to comic held by annoyed-looking woman: “If you think that thing is any good, prepare to be blown away by my comics!
4. CAPTION: Be approachable. IMAGE: Behind a comics table, a sign in the shape of a downward-pointing arrow reads, “I’m down here if you want to buy anything.”
5. CAPTION: Be friendly. IMAGE: Sleazy exhibitor to irritated woman putting comic back on his table: “Wanna come back to my room later?”
2010-12-14

Sam and the Prophecy of the Allrus p.24

Sam and the Prophecy of the Allrus page 24

The End!

I’ve printed up 30 copies of Sam and the Prophecy of the Allrus, half of which I’m giving to comrades from the Montpelier 24 Hour Comics Day event, and the rest of which I’m selling. I’ll post a purchase link soon.

2010-12-03

I’m back, & I have a “tumblr”

It seems like something in me rebels against getting my act together, since any progress I make in that direction seems to be followed by a slump. Witness! the month of November: in which I drew 2.25 pages of comics and failed to even keep up scanning already-drawn comics to post (all on a foundation of going to be way too late). Shameful! But it seems like the larger trend is still toward improvement, so I guess it’s just a cycle I’ll live with until I can figure a way out of it.

While I was busy not getting much done, I got myself yet another internet presence over at Tumblr. It’s fancier than Twitter but less so than a full-featured blog – the interface is easy & fun enough to use that it makes me want to find a use for it! For now I’m sending my site feed there and posting interesting bits I find on the internet (plus of course reading stuff).

Comic updates start again Monday!