Work

Here's a spread from my book inspired by a day in my office. I manage a marketing group; about 1/3 of the group has been there for 10+ years, 1/3 has been around 5-6 years, and 1/3 is fairly fresh out of college. It's a good balance, and I've made great efforts to build a cohesive team. Sean, to the left, keeps suggesting he's going to write about some our innappropriate moments (such as when I hosted an "unveiling" party for one of our teammates who got a boob job). Anyway, Sean was meeting with me and Katha when suddenly, for no apparent reason he started making this monster face. In the second image, we were discussing the recent death of family friend of one of our teammates. I was asked if he was old or young, and I replied, "60. Young for 'death,' but not for 'life.'"

Publishing

You may have seen my announcement on my site and Facebook about my latest book being dropped from DCD. This is bad news, as it represents a solid third of my sales.

While my business model allows me to print a new book from the profit of the last book, this is not a crisis for me. However, it does call in to question my future as a publisher.

DCD has encouraged me to solicit future projects (perhaps when the economy is better). However, without profit from the current book (likely if I can't sell it) to pay for the next, it's not encouraging to toil on a project for 18 months just "for me" (I'm not in this for the money, but I can't be losing thousands of dollars either).

So, what does this mean? The future is unclear. If I stay viable, I will proceed with "Baby Makes Three." I was gearing up to finish the OGN I started in 2005—I hate unfinished business!

If I don't sell enough copies of "Trust/Truth", I will likely just do a mini here or there, and work on pitch proposals. It seems like so many of the self publishers that were influencial in getting me started (Carla Speed McNeil, Randy Reynaldo, Paige Braddock) have scaled back dramatically or are on the verge of giving up. Feels like the end of self publishing!

Lunch

The office building I work in has a small cafe in which one can buy coffee, pre-made sandwiches, sodas, chips, and a hot buffet lunch provided by a caterer. It ranges from super-yummy to downright disgusting.

I try to bring my own lunch as a general rule, but since the eating area is open to all, regardless of purchase, it's likely that I end up at the cafe at least once a week. My pal Corey (left) is a regular, and he's shown here waiting for his teammates to arrive. To right shuffling in is another building mate.

I haven't gone out of my way to show these to anyone in the building, but the few people who have seen them knew who the drawings are of, instantly.

On the subject of my day job, I am no longer acting director and am off the "senior management" team. Yay—it feels like things are getting back to normal and I can think about comics more often. It was a long haul as an acting, 15 months (was supposed to be 6-9 months). Now if only my debilitating headaches would go away. But sadly, they are increasing in frequency and intensity. Boooo.

New Mutants commission

Not too much to say about this one...just a little 3"x6" commission I decided to color for fun. I have so much free time on my hands since I finished my book! Just kidding—between my class, and two short stories with Marvel due by Thanksgiving, I shouldn't be playing with Painter now. Anyway, this was an on-the-spot sketch, and since I'd only ever read one issue of New Mutants (in preparation for my Cannonball story for Marvel a few years back), this is what you get.

Dr. Fate

Drew this for no particular reason, and ended up inking it. I think I was bored in some staff meeting or something.

It's DC's "Dr. Fate" and his wife Inza, and the Salem, Massachusetts tower they reside in. In the mid-late 40s (DC geeks can correct me here) suddenly he started wearing a half-helmet. It's the full helmet that transforms Kent Nelson to the doctor. I don't know if they ever explained the reason why he went to the half-helmet. Kent, in his own right can fly, is stronger than the typical man, and can cast simple spells. So during this period, he was merely posing as the doctor, and was much weaker. Just when the nation needed him most! Bummer!

Later, he mysteriously got his helmet back. I remember from all the JLA/JSA team-ups in the 70s and 80s when I first started reading comics, Dr. Fate's powers were visually represented by the Ahnk symbol (he'd shoot them out and they could do anything from trap villains to heal the Huntress' burns).

Today is SPX. If you're in the DC/Baltimore area, stop by the hotel bar, where I will be hanging around!

Boys of summer week: sickies

You may recall I have been suffering from chronic debilitating headaches for over a year now. I finally made an appointment with my doctor at MIT Medical; and he referred me to an environmental specialist (it is suspected the cause is environmental). A few days before the first day of classes, I met with the specialist. While waiting, I encountered several other patients, the most notable drawn here.

To the left, some teen boy with his mom. He had a cane and a wrapped up ankle. He was REALLY out of it, and was mumbling something about "generic oxycoton." I am guessing he seriously sprained or broke his ankle.

To the right, this buff guy with a little swish came in and the NP escorting him to whatever room they were going to asked him, but answered herself why was he here? "EKG. Take your shirt off." Lucky lady!

Boys of summer week: NYC

I understand NYC is proportionally more gay than other places, say, small towns, or red places such as Tulsa. But ultimately, it's the sheer volume of PEOPLE that makes it a really, really gay place. Not only the number of people, but the fact that you see them everywhere (the streets, the subway, the parks) unlike a big city such as Los Angeles where people are more hidden in their cars and tiny houses with private yards.

So a trip to NYC in the dog days means the gays are out and about, half naked, and cruising for sex anywhere and everywhere.

This fellow sat diagonally away from me and Matt in an EV park. We took note perephorally, and in that manner, it was clear he was unnervingly staring us down.

Also, I was able to some quality brainstorming on a pitch! Yay, comics!