the saturday morning comic!

okay, after mentioning it the other day, i went and dug out a copy of "the saturday morning comic" from marvel back in 1996 (and my first published comics work... so that THAT, impulse!)...



created as a tie-in to the "altoonative rock for cartoon lovers" cd (their words, not mine), the comic follows the record producer and a "john smith" from the future, and the duo track down all the acts on the cd (matthew sweet, liz phair, the ramones, the violent femmes, helmet, butthole surfers, reverend horton heat, collective soul and more) and have'm record covers of saturday morning cartoon theme songs before some bad guys from the future... do something (didn't really re-read it, just flipped through it quickly)... so i can't say much about the story, but it did have some great fun art from tim sale, steve lightle, trevor von eden, steve leialoah, pat oliffe, tom morgan, rick parker, tony salmons, rick geary, chris bachalo, kieron dwyer, neil volkes, chris moeller, michael avon oeming, steve yeowell, klaus janson, steve purcell, bob fingerman, mike zeck ...and me. (kinda crazy all the talent dana moreshead lined up for this book... and then threw me in. go figure... but thanks again, dana!)

so, without further rambling, here ya go...



-c

when pulling out this page, i found a SLEW of old sample pages and tryouts from way back... might haveta scan'm and post'm from time to time.

x-men: first class 10

okay, so a quick one to let you folks know that my first "real" marvel comic came out this week*... i'm pleased with how it turned out (and clearly my editors were too, since it led to my new gig)... and the colors by emily warren are just beautiful (always funny to see folks other than rico color my stuff these days... luckily, i've worked with talented folks like lee louridge, rico and giulia brusco... and now emily)... and of course, jeff parker's story is pretty swell, too. so go buy a copy.. or two.



-c

*my first published work at marvel was WAY back before impulse - 1 page in a comic based on a cd called saturday morning hits (covers of cartoon theme songs by alterna-folks like the reverend horton heat, liz phair, matthew sweet, helmet and more)... my page was for fat albert and the cosby kids, covered by a band called dig... and again, i have a big thanks to dana moreshead for that one (besides an unknown like me, there was some crazy talent involved - cover by bill sienkewicz, pages by chris bachalo, tim sale and a bunch more... gotta dig out my copy)

still drawing away...

so, x-men first class comes out this week... had a great time working with our pal, uber-talented (and omni-present these days) writer jeff parker... with any luck we can find time to do more together in the future... but can't imagine taking on any more work for the time being... yikes, i'm busy!

over on todd's blog we'll be posting about some of the promotional perhapa-onslaught we're planning for the convention season (only 25 or so days until the nyc show?!)...

in the meantime, here's another commission i finished recently... (unfortunately, this is one of those that fell through the cracks since last heroes... d'oh! sorry this one took so long...)



-c

the shadow knows...

okay, as you can guess, things've been just crazy busy... and there's no sign of letting up for the foreseeable future (not that that's a bad thing)...

besides all the work going into the extra long story in the 'haps annual (now out), the x-men: first class 10 (out next month) getting the final, lettered issue 1 of the haps off to image last week, jumping onto issue 2, working on a special 5 page 'haps story - and cover- for an image compilation/sampler (more on that later), t-shirt stuff and promo stuff for the upcoming convention season, and gearing up for a 5 issue series over at marvel (pencils and inks! more on that later, too)... i've managed to get to a few commissions...

so, here's the shadow.



whew, i'm tired just thinking about it all. but i've got more work to do tonight...
-c

a quick hellboy

so, this one's for nick, who was kind enough to snag me one of the hellboy prints mike mignola had for sale at wondercon last weekend..



other random bits -
-feedback has been pretty good on the 'haps annual (now at image!) so far... and i think folks'll dig the on-going as well...

-speaking of which, i'm working hard on wrapping up issue 1 and and jumping onto 2 (and a few other 'haps things we'll announce when the time is right)

-got a few fun discussions going about dream cover artists and possible drawing jam over at the 'haps board

-starting to line up some great guest cover and/or back up story artists for upcoming issues (who may or may not be on that list)

-a few folks had asked... the harry potter/ron/hermoine canson pieces are up for sale (as a set) over at serendipity art sales (almost done listening to the deathly hallows - think voldemort is gonna have to be next in the series of sketches) ... oh, and the x-men-first class art'll be up there when the book is released next month!

-on a COMPLETELY unrelated note, i'm still appalled by a telemarker, who called (on a sunday afternoon, no less) to get me to renew a magazine subscription... when i politely interrupted and told her i still had over TWO YEARS on my current subscription, she snidely snapped "well, thanks for at least listening to what i had to say" ... before hanging up... when did this become acceptable? no wonder i don't answer out of area" calls any more... sheesh.

okay, back to work before i haveta pick up the boy at school!

done!

finished up the inks on the x-men first class gig earlier today... and to celebrate, here's a sneak...



lessee, besides that... oh, yeah...

the perhapanauts annual is out on stands! (and some stores might have even ordered enough copies to have an extra on the shelf...) still haven't seen in in person yet (my local shop DID order 10 copies, but diamond figured they'd rather have 10 extra copies of rex mundi instead...d'oh!)


didn't pick up much at the shop, just ed's hulk book and the avengers classic with that SWEET art adams wonder man cover. (and be sure to check back here or todd's blog on friday to see art's AMAZING cover for 'haps 1... still can't believe how amazing it is... ) i was telling todd earlier today that avengers 9 was the first "expensive" back issue i ever bought growing up (and come to think out it, probably the only one). back in the day, my pal fred and i would have our excursions to ac bookworld in fall river, ma... and since we needed a ride to get there, it was a big deal... we'd save up to pick up books (he was the x-men/alpha flight guy, i was always leaning towards the avengers)... being a big beast/wonder man fan, i was dying to read his first appearance (having read the stuff where he came back), so i saved up the then outrageous amount of $20 to buy it...


well, back to the haps!

-c

work. work. work.

well, should have issue 10 of x-men: first class all inked up by next week (woohoo! i'm pretty excited about this book... hope you folks dig it), and work on the 'haps keeps chugging along as well (and i'm REALLY excited about this book, too... the annual hits stands in a few short weeks).

did manage to get a fun commission off the list ... a redo of the cover to fantastic four 1...



over at the 'haps message board, i started a post about favorite artists... instead of repeating myself here, head on over and chime in, if you're inclined...

back to inks (but man o man, lost was good tonight, eh?)
-c

new 'haps website is live!

just to let folks know that our new and (most definitely) improved PERHAPANAUTS website is live.

check it out, will ya...

-c

two posts in one week?!

crazy, i know...

so another quick one... todd and i are pretty darn excited about our ALL NEW fancy pants website, which goes live on monday, in anticipation of our image relaunch in february...!

our man kieran chapman put a lot of time into making it a great site with lots to see (and poke around and find)... so head over on monday and check it out.

and in honor of our new home at image, we're doing new butt cards, so make sure to get one when you see us at a convention this year...



well, back to work...

-c

cruising right along....

so, work is well underway on issue one of the ON-GOING 'haps series... as well as the x-men first class fill-in (should be starting to ink it later this week!)...

a few freelance jobs have been taking up what little free time i've got left, so i'm gonna keep it brief... still hope to catch cloverfield, got a big kick out of this week's simpsons, about 2//3 through harry potter and the order of the phoenix audio book, finishing up season 4 of the shield on dvd (really holds up well on repeat viewing with all the slowly developing sub-plots and character arcs... but it's ultimately got to end badly for vic on his quest for redemption this final season... right?)... presidential campaigning is already ugly...

and then there's a football game this weekend... should be good.

anywhoo, without much else to say, here's the mock-up for the cover to 'haps #2, out in may (should be in time for the emerald city show!)... one the perks of having your own comic? not only can you put yer name on the cover, but yourselves, too!)



-c

meet the ... gorillaz

okay, another quick one... this is a commission that came down the pike a while ago and i forgot to post it here for your viewing pleasure, faithful readers...





when trying to figure out what to do with them gorillaz, all those early beatles publicity shots just popped into my head ... and i figured what the heck. (oh, and the request asked for skulls, too... hence the patterned suits... which worked out well)... luckily, the buyer dug it, too.

lessee, what else is going on... made sure the haps annual is all turned in to the fine folks at image, hard at work on issue 1 (and the upcoming covers... so don't be surprised if you get a sneak of #2 this week)... x-men first class is cruising along nicely as well...


besides that, working on some fun side stuff (toy design concepts and the like) and a batch of indiana jones sketch cards... whew.

well, i'm sure there's more to write about, but the pats/chargers championship game starts in 5... catch you later.

-c

2008 already?!

wow, that was quick... better start posting for the new year, eh?

okay, so as i'm sure y'all know, i've been hard at work on both the haps (launching in feb from image) as well as the x-men first class issue for marvel (looks like it's gonna be #10, even though that's not my name in the previews)...


get ready for another onlsaught of interviews and ads, etc for the haps at image... so i guess we can't comlain that nobody's gonna know about it! (and we're getting more choopie buttcards made for shows, as well as looking into merchandise ... and the new website's well underway.. so it's all haps in '08!)

tv's been mercifully slow (can't get too distracted with all this work), but i have managed to watch a few movies on dvd (harry potter and the simpsons) getting caught up on my audiobooks (about a third of the way through "harry potter and the order of the phoenix"... then onto world war z, recommended by my pal. kelly)

haven't had much time to do many commissions or whatnot with the holidays and workload... but i figure i gotta post somthing.. so here's the colored version of the cover to haps #1 (out in april)...



alrighty!
-c

more potter!

okay, besides getting ready for the holidays, i've been working away on both the x-men first class story and finishing up the haps annual... and with the tv writers strike (and usual holiday lull in new shows) i've found myself turning off the tv and listening to music (without even seeing the movie, i got the soundtrack to "walk hard" and got a big kick out of it ) and audiobooks - and finally finished listening to "harry potter and the goblet of fire" - man, i'm just amazed at how well all of these books fit together - now, onto "order of the phoenix"...

in my few free moments before crashing at night, i got back to doing a few more character pieces, this time harry and ron (while my take on harry was pretty easy to get down, ron went through a few different sketches...)





still have a few i wanna do at some point (but who knows when i'll get to'm - like hagrid, ginnie, mad eye, sirius and voldemort, and maybe even a few others)... but here's the whole set so far!



alright, off to get the boy at school - if i don't get back to you before then, merry christmas (to those who celebrate it..) and happy holidays!

-c

haps 1 cover sneak peek

not much new here... just working hard on the haps annual and the x-men first class issue... since you've already seen the cover to the annual, i figured i'd give y'all an early look at the cover to the ongoing... still needs color (obviously) and the real trade dress (just dropped that logo in for rough placement)...



alrighty, back to work!
-c
(finally saw "superbad" last week... definitely not for everyone, but i loved it)

marvelous news (ugh... pun ...so... bad... it hurts)

so, in case folks missed it over on the 'haps message board (guess i gotta be quicker about these things, eh, nic?)...

yours truly will be doing a fill-in on an upcoming issue of x-men first class with jeff parker.... after about 10 years as a comic pro, this'll be my first "real" comic work for marvel (sure, i did a page in a saturday morning cd tie-in comic when i was just breaking in - thanks again, dana! - and x-men licensing art for the first movie... but this is the first job NOT for creative services)...

so, with all the work on the 'haps and now the first class issue (and a few other things), i can't imagine i'll have a lot of free time for a bit... so i'll leave you with a buncha marvel sketch cards i did recently for upper deck...




-c

(but oh MY, was that a crazy football game last night... luck was clearly on new england's side at the end... but they managed the win)

happy turkey day!

hope everyone has a good one (celebrating or not)...

i'm glad to be spending the day with my family (and taking time to remember those who aren't with us... )

and here's a new commission... (hard to resist the "breast or leg?" joke)



-c

one that slipped by...

so, as you can probably tell, i've been pretty straight out with work the last few weeks (bob always say he can tell when i'm swamped with work just by checking for the latest blog update)... wrapped up that dc licensing gig (which won't see the light of day untl next summer or so, so i'll remind you then...) as well as the 7 page oz/wonderland story that is currently in colorific hands of chris summers (who, besides all the great stuff on devil's due books lately, did some sweet colors on two of the 'haps portfolio covers - i'lll try and post a page or two in color when they come back), and finally clearing up a few long outstanding commissions (danger girls, world's finest, the ff, gorillaz, and shego...as well as few sketchbook pieces for friends)...

but i'm really clearing the deck so i can get into the 'haps full-time (what i've done so far i'm really digging - hope you folks do too!)

anyway, back to the drawing board (and don't forget, come by the 'haps message board at the image forum and say "Hey!" - i was gonna talk tv, but i got stuff to do... and i think that'll make a good thread over there, right?)

but here's that commission i forgot to post...



-c

the cat's outta the bag!

so, it's official...

the 'haps are packing up and moving to image! it's been in the works for a while, but now the word is out. we'l lbe relaunching the book in deb 07 with an extra-sized annual then going to a new series in april... and the skies the limit!

if you haven't found it, there's a forum over on the image boards where todd and plan to hang out and post, so come on by...

http://www.imagecomics.com/messageboard/viewforum.php?f=44

here's an early mock-up of the cover for the annual (by me, not the SWEET variant by MIKE ALLRED! i bet todd'll post that one)...



we're hoping the book'll find it's audence with image and we'll be able to work on the book til we're old(er) and gray(er)...


oh, and happy halloween! (and happy day before bithday to our little cat!)

-c

red sox win the world series!

wow, twice in four years... sweet.

and i'll tell ya, until i saw them start playing the way they played those last 3 games in cleveland, i wasn't sure they had what it took. BUT the bats came to life (and not just manny and ortiz...) and everybody came through in flying colors.

and let's not forget the pats 8-0 record (that game was thing of beauty... crazy how good they are... should be a good game against the colts)

let's see, besides all the sports talk, i've been crazy busy with that dc licensing stuff and that oz story... among other things that'll be announced soon, i'm sure. had a good time at the boston convention last weekend (and a great zuni roll at the parish cafe with trish and friends ta boot!) and stopped by umass dartmouth to talk to the illustration class about drawing funnybooks...

so, onto the art post of this post... here's another supergirl commission...

boston comic show

okay, so the weather's clearing up for game 6 of the alcs (which, i'm glad to see back in boston... and i'm more than a bit pleasantly surprised they've even made it this far... we'll see what happens) and the pats'll try for 6-0 tomorrow... i won't be home to see the game, though, since i'll be up at the boston comic show (they've got a decent guest list withthe usual locals like me, norman lee, bob almond, paul ryan, among others... as well as the legendary jim steranko!)

been working on a few pages for an indy book called the oz/wonderland chronicles, as well as more dc licensing stuff, commissions... and getting geared up for some new 'haps stuff (if you read todd's blog, you'll know we'll have news soon.. and even a new website with all the fixin's!)

so, here's yet another canson piece (got inspired by the wonder woman day piece...)



-c