From the Drawing Board

Sonic the Hedgehog #204 Preview!

2009-09-22T00:14:22Z

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #204

"Heavy is the Head Part Two": It's Sonic vs. Monkey Khan yet again! But it's more than hot-headedness this time as Sonic fights not just for his city, but to save the very cybernetic-simian he's forced to fight! Even if Sonic can save his friend, will Khan's dark secret destroy him anyway? Its monkey mayhem as only Archie can deliver!

PLUS: "Friend in Deed Part 2": Knuckles' melee against a surprise traitor continues... and as the brawl rages on, so do the emotions within, as Knuckles realizes that he can win the battle but lose so much more!

SCRIPTS: Ian Flynn
ART: Steven Butler
GOING APE COVER BY KING Patrick "Spaz!" Spaziante
Shipping Date: September 2nd, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: September 9th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: September 22nd, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US
$2.50 US

Sonic the Hedgehog #203 Preview

2009-09-16T12:03:10Z

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #203

"Heavy is the Head Part One": Sonic learned last issue that the villains of the Iron Dominion were no push-overs. Now the fight gets personal! And when the Iron Queen arrives to show just how powerful she is, the life of a Freedom Fighter hangs in the balance!

PLUS: "Friend in Deed": Knuckles must fight the fight everyone dreads, as he faces off against a former colleague-turned-traitor within the Chaotix!

SCRIPTS: Ian Flynn
ART: Steven Butler
Shipping Date: August 5th, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 12th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: August 25th, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Extinctioners #16 Available for PRE-ORDER!

2009-07-10T23:12:37Z

Taken straight from the Angry Viking Press website...

"Worried that you might miss out on the return of Extintioners to the comic stands? Don't have comic shop in your area or your shop doesn't order any Angry Viking Press comics?

Well you can PRE-ORDER yours today by sending in a check or money order of $6 ($8 if you live in Australia) or send payment via Pay-Pal.

Since its a Pre-Order this you the fans who order now will receive a discount off the usual cover price of $3.99 and shipping of $5.50 or more depending on your location.

Send Payment via check or money order to:

Angry Viking Press
41 W. Baltimore #5
Lynn, MA 01902

Or to paypal (with anote of their shipping address) to:
angryvikingpress@yahoo.com

Story and art by Shawntae Howard, colors by Archie Sonic's own MATT HERMS, and cover colors by PINKUH."

Sonic the Hedgehog #202 Preview!

2009-07-09T21:46:48Z

SONIC THE HEDGHOEG #202

"Dangerous Territory": Sonic and Monkey Khan storm the city of New Megaopolis to nip an evil invasion in the bud... but have our heroes bitten off more than they can chew? And will a shocking betrayal save them - or doom them?

"A Lonely Girl's Story": Learn the guarded secrets of the Eggman Empire's new empress in this intriguing tale!

SCRIPTS: Ian Flynn
ART: Steven Butler & Jamal Peppers
Shipping Date: July 1st, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: July 8th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: August 21st, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Double Dose of Sonic Solicits!

2009-06-15T15:20:36Z

Yep! Solicitations for Sonic #204 and #205 are out! (Please note: The cover number is incorrect – they were accidentally swapped.)

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #204

"Heavy is the Head Part Two": It's Sonic vs. Monkey Khan yet again! But it's more than hot-headedness this time as Sonic fights not just for his city, but to save the very cybernetic-simian he's forced to fight! Even if Sonic can save his friend, will Khan's dark secret destroy him anyway? Its monkey mayhem as only Archie can deliver!

PLUS: "Friend in Deed Part 2": Knuckles' melee against a surprise traitor continues... and as the brawl rages on, so do the emotions within, as Knuckles realizes that he can win the battle but lose so much more!

SCRIPTS: Ian Flynn
ART: Steven Butler
GOING APE COVER BY KING Patrick "Spaz!" Spaziante
Shipping Date: September 2nd, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: September 9th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: September 22nd, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #205

"On the Run Part One": Bunnie is back, but worse for wear with her wounds being tended in the hospital. Luckily, her friends are by her side... but not for long, as a less-than-lucid Eggman attacks in his Egg-Tortoise walker! Sonic and Tails spring into action, while Iron Queen and crew watch with wide eyes. Why are they so interested in seeing Eggman captured? It's the start of a new pulse-pounding tale guest-starring Nicole, Antoine, Monkey Khan, Espio and more!

PLUS: "Birthright Part One": Now it can be revealed: the long-held secret of the disappearance of Lien-Da's father!

SCRIPTS: Ian Flynn
ART: Steven Butler
SENSES-SHATTERING COVER BY Patrick "Spaz!" Spaziante
Shipping Date: September 30th, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: October 7th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: October 20th, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Free Comic Book Day '09

2009-06-11T12:38:57Z

Hey, hey! Sonic the Hedgehog #201 is out today! =D You should go to your nearest comic book store and pick up a copy – or ask them to carry it for you, if they don’t. ;D It’s the launch of a brand new story-arc after our big 200^th anniversary ish, and it’s a great jumping on point for new and old readers alike. (And frankly, I think it’s our best lookin’ ish yet, too. ;D)

Meanwhile, I found this yesterday. At Free Comic Book Day last month, the fella’s from a website called The Dollar Bin took some video of myself, fellow Archie-Sonic artist Tracy Yardley, and Sonic-scribe Ian Flynn doing some sketches for the masses.

Behold, recorded sketchin'!

It’s pretty rad to see the process, don’t ya’ think? (The subject was “Sonic as a woodland creature.”) Speaking of FCBD, though… The weekend was lovely. =) Karen and I had road-tripped down to Charlotte, NC, the Friday evening before the signing and stayed with Ian and his wife Aleah, who were wonderful hosts. Also awesome are the fine folks who run Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find, the local comic shop. The turn-out for the event was amazing and the store was packed!

…And that’s just a small sampling of the massive lines we had all day long! We sketched and doodled four or five hours straight, well into the uber-rainy evening… Then retired for the even cooler after-party, rubbing elbows with major Marvel and DC and indie players. It was pretty humbling, exciting, and geek-tastically awesome. ;)

Thanks to everyone for coming out on such a rainy day! =D Lookin' forward to seeing everyone again in a couple weeks at Heroes Con! =D

EDIT:: Odd, but I can't seem to get the "Embedded Media" thingie to work right... It posts it inside the window when I'm editing this entry, yet it's gone upon posting - and the whole paragraph structure is messed up. Any words of wisdom on fixing this?

I'm SUPER!

2009-06-09T13:31:54Z

Thanks for asking! =D (Ah, South Park – how I love thee.)

…Actually, I’ve certainly had better weeks than this. Upon return from another successfully fun and profitable A-Kon (Convention reports for this and the equally awesome Anime Boston are assumedly forthcoming.), it would seem my body finally realized – after a four week marathon of work and deadlines – I had no immediate convention appearances or books that needed doing… And decided to enforce an unscheduled full system reboot. XP

I crashed. Hard.

Not only did I sleep away 24 hours, I then emerged from my coma in a fit of the sickness. Con plague – it gets us every time. -_- Something about not sleeping or eating right for 72 hours straight, coupled with air travel and shaking of hands and germs, germs, germs. Hand sanitizer – no matter how unapologetically and generously you use it – can’t help if you’ve been pushing yourself hard for weeks-on-end… And finally the wear-and-tear of two of the biggest cons of the year back-to-back (coupled with my hardest comic book assignment to date) took its toll on me. ^_^;;

So my two week ‘vacation’ – an opportunity to at last catch up on cleaning the apartment, overdue personal commissions and work promised – has effectively been cut in half. Lame! And I’m still not quite 100%, waking up with soar throats and headaches. =/ But the show must go on, and there are things that need doing! =D

Sonic the Hedgehog #201 Preview!

2009-06-03T13:21:14Z

Preview pages for Sonic the Hedgehog #201 came out today! The book will be hitting the comic book store racks next week, and everywhere else a couple weeks after that. Be sure to be on the look-out for it – it’s a great jumping-on point for new readers, and I’m particularly proud of how the artwork came out this ish. =D

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #201

"Change in Management": Sonic and his friends are ready to relax after the series-shaking events of #200, but their plans soon change with the explosive arrival of an old villain! A villain who brings grim tidings of a new threat that's claimed the world! Who are the new faces of evil? Will Sonic rise to the occasion, or will he be busy fighting a mystery guest star?

"Devotion": Espio the Chameleon gets a visitor of his own, and news that will change his standing in the Chaotix forever!

SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ART: Tracy Yardley! (Pencils), Terry Austin (Inks), Matt Herms (Colors)
Shipping Date: June 3rd, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: June 10th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: June 23rd, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Sonic #203 Solicit

2009-06-03T02:16:42Z

I’m reasonably certain the shipping information on this is wrong… Otherwise, #202 and #203 are coming out within a mere couple days of each other. =/ Plus, I’m not due to start colors on this ish for another week, anyhow. ^_^;;

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #203

"Heavy is the Head Part One": Sonic learned last issue that the villains of the Iron Dominion were no push-overs. Now the fight gets personal! And when the Iron Queen arrives to show just how powerful she is, the life of a Freedom Fighter hangs in the balance!

PLUS: "Friend in Deed": Knuckles must fight the fight everyone dreads, as he faces off against a former colleague-turned-traitor within the Chaotix!

SCRIPTS: Ian Flynn
ART: Steven Butler
Shipping Date: July 5th, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: July 12th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: August 25th, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Upcoming Appearances

2009-05-12T14:07:41Z

Whoa. Looks like it’s gonna’ be another whirlwind month! No sooner did Karen and I get back from Free Comic Book Day (Pictures and recap coming soon, I promise!) then Sonic the Hedgehog #202 landed on my doorstep. It’s taking some ‘getting back up to speed’… After a marathon of back-to-back issues (Seriously. I’d hand in an assignment on a Friday, and have the next that Saturday. -_O), I enjoyed a brief respite. Likewise, pencils on this baby are courtesy of industry vet Steven Butler and Sonic newcomer Jamal Peppers, so I’m ‘figuring out their look,’ so to speak. ^_^;;

On top of that, I’ve got some of my biggest shows of the year coming up! =D Here’s a quick run-down of my upcoming convention appearances. ;)

Anime Boston – Boston, MA – May 22^nd to 24^th

A-Kon – Dallas, TX – May 29^th to 31^st

Heroes Con – Charlotte, NC – June 19^th to 21^stI’ve already booked for Boston and Dallas, though I’m still waiting to hear back officially from the Heroes Con peeps. See ya’ guys at the show! =D

Sonic the Hedgehog #200 Preview!

2009-05-06T12:11:06Z

Awesome! So the milestone Sonic the Hedgehog #200 ships out today for comic book stores and specialty shops nearest you – which means the Archie-Blogs are previewing the first five pages of this blockbuster in order to whet your appetites. ;D

This one was such a blast to work on, both personally and professionally. I mean, I grew up reading these books – it’s a real honor to contribute to this big anniversary ish! And with the Egg-Tarantula, you’re definitely in for a treat – that mech is so bad-ass and epic, it coulda’ easily come right out of the games. (I gotta’ say, this is one of the most awesome fight scenes I’ve ever seen in comics.)

So go on – take a look! =D

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #200
200th ISSUE SPECTACULAR

"Turnabout is Fair Play": The epic anniversary issue you've been waiting for is finally here! Back in Sonic #50, Sonic managed to win against his arch-rival, Dr. Robotnik. In Sonic #175, the doctor got his revenge! Now they duel for the fate of the world! Will freedom come to Mobius? Or will the Eggman Empire rule forever more? Place your bets - but be ready for the startling conclusion! Don't miss this cranium-creasing, brain-bending, mind-blowing saga!

SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
PENCILES Tracy Yardley!
INKS: Jim Amash
Dimension-crossing cover by Patrick "Spaz" Spaziante
Shipping Date: May 6th, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: May 13th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: May 26th, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Free Comic Book Day 2009

2009-04-26T20:33:24Z

Cool! So Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find updated their blog a couple of days ago with the announcement that myself and a couple other last-minute additions will be joining them for Free Comic Book Day this Saturday, May 2^nd! =D

I’m mucho excited! Myself and Sonic-scribe Ian “Potto” Flynn will be there, signing books and pumping out free sketches for everyone that drops by. Doors open at 10:00 AM, and I believe our signing/sketching runs from 1 – 5:00 PM. Hope to see ya’ guys there! =D I’ll post up pics and things when we get back!!

MA Spidey

2009-04-24T16:10:12Z

So I saw a couple of Sanford Greene’s black-and-white pages from his run on Marvel Adventures Spider-Man. The lines are pretty slick – I just had to color ‘em up! I’ve always been a hu-u-uge fan of Sanford’s wicked style! (Did you know that he used to do covers for Sonic the Hedgehog a few years back?)

This felt like an especially healthy exercise given my portfolio with the ‘spandex-set’ has been exceptionally lacking. Between work on Sonic (I start colors on issue #202 this weekend) and The Extinctioners, I’ve been working with almost exclusively anthropomorphic subject matter of late. This felt good getting back to my super-hero love affair once more. Man, I would friggin’ love to color for this book!

Con season is upon us...

2009-04-23T00:13:57Z

…Tis the season, once again. Convention season, that is! =D Which means, among many things: Traveling around the country; sleeping on hard floors and generously given couches; and, after months of procrastination, pumping out new con-merch at breakneck speeds! XP

Every year, I try to have a new series of Sonic the Hedgehog related badges at the table. The staples are always there – Sonic, Shdow, Knux and Tails… This year, though, I wanted to include a couple hedgehogs I’d overlooked previously: Silver the Hedgehog and Archie-exclusive Scourge the Evil Hedgehog! (Silver pictured below. Scourge coming soon.)

My convention schedule isn’t too booked up, yet. I’ve got an exhausting three appearances in May alone, though: Free Comic Book Day on May 2^nd at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find (Charlotte, NC); Anime Boston May 22^nd through 24^th (Boston, MA); and – just confirmed! A-Kon’s twentieth anniversary, May 29 to 31^st (Dallas, TX). =D

It’s gonna’ be an exhausting month – especially that last weekend. Karen’s cousin Avery graduates high school that same Sunday, and we’re hoping to schedule our Briscoe Manor tasting that weekend, too! -_O

Otherwise, the summer schedule is still a bit open – though I’m hoping to solidify my calendar a bit more soon. ;D

Sonic the Hedgehog #202 Solicit

2009-04-20T16:11:32Z

SONIC THE HEDGHOEG #202

"Dangerous Territory": Sonic and Monkey Khan storm the city of New Megaopolis to nip an evil invasion in the bud... but have our heroes bitten off more than they can chew? And will a shocking betrayal save them - or doom them?

"A Lonely Girl's Story": Learn the guarded secrets of the Eggman Empire's new empress in this intriguing tale!

SCRIPTS: Ian Flynn
ART: Steven Butler
Shipping Date: July 1st, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: July 8th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: August 21st, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Back in the Saddle

2009-04-18T17:04:20Z

Oh man, oh ma-a-an… Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I last sat down at my drawing table? About as long since I last had a proper LiveJournal post, I’d wager. Five – no, soon-to-be six weeks! -_O Egads! That’s the longest sabbatical I’ve ever taken from pencil-pushing. I’ve been a slave to Photoshop this last month-and-a-half, knocking out Sonic the Hedgehog issues 200 and 201 back-to-back, as well as the 30-pager Extinctioners #16.

But damn does it feel good to be ‘back in the saddle’. I woke up unusually early for a Saturday (Karen’s still quite asleep right now), and I’ve been excitedly catching up on much belated commissions! (I’m a horrible person – there are personal commissions that are almost one year old I’m working on. =O I’m so sorry!!) I’ve also been putting together some awesome new convention merch, as my two biggest shows of the year (Anime Boston and A-Kon) are coming up at the end of May! Hell, I even cleaned half the apartment this morning. This is the first day in almost six weeks I haven’t been chained to the computer, and I’m loving it!

(Not that I don’t love my job. Seriously. Please send Sonic 202 soon, please thanks? =3 I wanna ~~read it~~ color it.) ;D

So I did a quick Shadow pen-and-marker sketch to warm-up this morning…

I feel so-o-o rusty, but it feels really good to have time to be drawing again. Especially gotta’ get back into the swing of things, as I’m sure I’ll be doing a crap-ton of free sketches at Free Comic Book Day at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find in Charlotte, NC, in two weeks! (Ian Flynn will be there, too. You can harass him for drawings as well. =P)

First Look: Extinctioners #16

2009-04-12T19:19:38Z

Oh man… Back from Karen’s spring break, and we are exhausted! Due to the bad weather in Atlanta over the weekend, we were actually pretty delayed in getting home – and our baggage didn’t make it back to DC until a day after we did. XP Nonetheless, we’re throwing ourselves back into our routines, and I’m furiously playing catch-up on work I missed due to the weather-delay. While I’ll probably forego a full recap of spring break’s shenanigans given how busy things are right now, it did include an awesome visit with my family and Karen finding the dress for the wedding. ;D

Meanwhile, I’m fighting getting sick, now that I’m home. My throat is thick and it is super-uncomfortable. =/

My editors recently gave me the green light to start posting and promoting my work on this book, though! =D In addition to a couple of books of Sonic every month, I’m also coloring Shawntae Howard’s The Extinctioners, for Angry Viking Press! It’s been a really awesome change-of-pace to work on this book, and I’m really psyched to finally show it off! Here’s a few pages from one of the stories featured in issue #16!

I believe The Extinctioners #16 will be shipping in July. Be sure to be on the lookout for it!

Sonic #199 Preview

2009-04-01T21:49:27Z

Hurray! Preview pages for Sonic the Hedgehog #199 are online at the Archie-Blogs. =D Book is on sale at comic book and specialty shops next week – hope ya’ dig!

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #199

"Knocking on Eggman’s Door": Sonic leads the combined might of the Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix in a final push against Dr. Robotnik and his Eggman Empire! In this climactic battle old friendships and rivalries are revisited, family confronts family, and a treacherous plot is revealed that you won't believe! You simply cannot afford to miss this pulse-pounding lead-in to the mega-milestone Sonic #200!

SCRIPT: Ian Flynn.
ART: Tracy Yardley! (Pencils), Jim Amash (Inks), Matt Herms (Colors)
Shipping Date: April 1st, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: April 8th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: April 21st, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Sonic the Hedgehog #201 Solicit!

2009-03-22T11:41:57Z

No sooner do I hand in the finished colors for Sonic #200, and #201 arrives on my doorstep. =D Apologies for the lack of postage this month, ya’ll… It’s just been a busy sort of month. ^_^;;

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #201

"Change in Management": Sonic and his friends are ready to relax after the series-shaking events of #200, but their plans soon change with the explosive arrival of an old villain! A villain who brings grim tidings of a new threat that's claimed the world! Who are the new faces of evil? Will Sonic rise to the occasion, or will he be busy fighting a mystery guest star? "Devotion": Espio the Chameleon gets a visitor of his own, and news that will change his standing in the Chaotix forever!

SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ART: Tracy Yardley! (Pencils), Terry Austin (Inks), Matt Herms (Colors)
Shipping Date: June 3rd, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: June 10th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: June 23rd, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Sonic the Hedgehog #200 Solicitation

2009-03-07T22:10:21Z

Wow. So, I’m really quite humbled and honored to be working on this issue. I mean, working on the Sonic books was always one of my specific career goals. It was the first comic book I ever really collected as a kid, so for it to be my first major comic book work published stateside was a really big, full-circle sorta’ moment for me. And now the book I loved and cherished growing up is about to hit 200. Two-hundred issues, guys – and then some! That’s an accomplishment for any book these days, let alone one that came out in the hustle-bustle-bust era of the ‘90s.

I’m really psyched to be taking part on this ish. Below is the official press release from the Archie-Blogs…

"IT'S THE MILESTONE 200th ISSUE OF SONIC THE HEDGEHOG...AND THE FREEDOM OF MOBIUS HANGS IN THE BALANCE!!!

"Sonic The Hedgehog has achieved something few comic book characters from the 1990s have: his title has survived for over 15 years! Why? Chalk it up to a fiercely loyal fan base (comprised of a surprising number of adults in addition to children) who take their hero as seriously as any popular fantasy character! The comic books offer fans adventures which go beyond the video games and animated cartoons to expand the Sonic universe - and the personalities of the characters who populate it.

"Over the years, fans have thrilled to pulse-pounding tales of intrigue and peril as the peace of Knothole Village was threatened by a menagerie of menacing villains. In the process, alliances were made, betrayals occurred, families were torn asunder and reunited again, and romances bloomed. Through it all, the heroic efforts of Sonic and his friends stood above the fray, setting an example for others to follow.

"Now, the epic anniversary issue you've been waiting for is finally here! Back in Sonic #50, Sonic managed to win against his arch-rival, Dr. Robotnik. In Sonic #175, the doctor got his revenge! Now, in issue #200, they duel for the fate of the world! Will freedom come to Mobius? Or will the Eggman Empire rule forever more? Place your bets - but be ready for the startling conclusion! Don't miss this cranium-creasing, brain- bending, mind-blowing saga! Features a dimension-crossing cover by Patrick Spaziante."

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #200
200th ISSUE SPECTACULAR

"Turnabout is Fair Play": The epic anniversary issue you've been waiting for is finally here! Back in Sonic #50, Sonic managed to win against his arch-rival, Dr. Robotnik. In Sonic #175, the doctor got his revenge! Now they duel for the fate of the world! Will freedom come to Mobius? Or will the Eggman Empire rule forever more? Place your bets - but be ready for the startling conclusion! Don't miss this cranium-creasing, brain-bending, mind-blowing saga!

SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
PENCILES Tracy Yardley!
INKS: Terry Austin
Dimension-crossing cover by Patrick "Spaz" Spaziante
Shipping Date: May 6th, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: May 13th, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: May 26th, 2009
32-page, full color comic
$2.50 US

Interview @ SonicStadium.org

2009-02-27T22:01:15Z

Heya guys! Just a heads-up, but I did an interview with Adam and the crew over at The Sonic Stadium. Mostly about Sonic, with a little bit about webcomics and Sticky Floors, Power Rangers, and… uh… facial hair. ^_^;;

Sketchbook Personalizations

2009-02-27T14:08:58Z

…Wow. So the merry month of February is practically over and done with, and I don’t think I’ve uploaded a single piece of artwork this month on this-here ‘art blog.’ =P What can I say that I haven’t in previous posts already? This month was a rollercoaster, with twists-and-turns and I’m gonna’ be glad to get a fresh start in March.

In the meanwhile, I gathered up and put together just a few of the personalized sketches I’d done in the back of peoples’ sketchbooks this last month. Check it out!

Sketchbooks are still for sale through my eBay store, but supplies are limited! So get yours today while they last. =D

2009 Con Schedule?

2009-02-19T17:10:17Z

…Wow, so my convention sched for this year is looking rather meek thus far. I had IkkiCon in Austin, TX, earlier in the month – and that was phenomenal! But since I skipped Katsu, which would have been local for me, I may not have another con until… May. -_O

I’ve been talking to Animeland Wasabi in Denver, CO. I was scheduled to appear last year, but had to bail out due to the high-cost of getting to Denver. The truth is that, unless the con can cover my travel expense (a whopping $500+ plane ticket, last I checked), I just can’t make it into Denver. =/ Sorry guys!

I’m not doing either of my hometown conventions scheduled in April, nor are we in a financial place that I can gamble on Hawaii this year.

…Which means that I won’t really have another convention until May. I’m hoping to talk to some folks about LouisiAnime in Batan Rouge, as it’d certainly be awesome to visit my family in the area. Likewise, Anime Boston is later that month with A-Kon the weekend immediately after. 0_0

Two of my biggest shows back-to-back… Assuming I can get into either. =/ They both have new systems for their Artist Alleys, if I recall… Boston’s is a letter-of-intent program, and A-Kon’s is that anyone that was regged last year is automatically wait-listed so new people have a shot… I’m not too worried about either: I write a damn good letter, and I think I qualify as part of A-Kon’s webcomic programming, thus skirting the issue… Still though, it’d suck to not get into either of my best cons. =/

And I really need to talk to Ian about Heroes Con in Charlotte, this year. I dunno, though. It’s the weekend before Brad and Lisa’s wedding.

And that’s my sched thus far. A buncha’ maybe’s and hopefully’s, pretty much! ^_^;; I’m kinda’ looking forward to a couple of months off, actually... But it'd sure be nice to have the extra income right now, too. XP

All-a-Twitter

2009-02-17T14:36:49Z

Sunday, Karen and I trucked down into Crystal City for KatsuCon's closing to hang out with Shawn, Pip, and say howdy to a few of the friendly webcomic fellows we would normally pal-around with at these convention happenings. (Shout outs to Mookie, Kilika, the Applgeeks boys, Garth and Brian Wilson!)

Then, at dinner, Shawn and Pip turned me on to this whole Twitter thing. It’s like the “What are you doing?” status bar on Facebook, only you don’t have to be logged into ‘Book… Or even be a Facebook-er to read it!

It’s rad and awesome and I love the fuck out of it. You should too. ;D

Con REPORT:: IkkiCon '09

2009-02-17T12:18:29Z

…Ah. Another year, another February, another IkkiCon come-and-gone once more – and what a wonderful weekend it was! Light years beyond the hiccups and claustrophobia and the ravaging uber-con-plague of its maiden voyage just three years ago, IkkiCon has quickly evolved into one of my absolute favorite and best shows of the year!

Sure, the weekend wasn’t without its problems: Our artist alley was short so many tables, the artist guests almost didn’t have space! (In fact, Mookie didn’t. Amelie gave up one of her tables so he could have someplace to setup his wares.) And our “Iron Artist” panel lacked any drawing implements… Apparently, we were supposed to “Bring our own!” (Lies! They discovered our materials a day later, under some boxes in con-ops.) So we stalled for an hour+ until finally MSPainting via laptop, mouse, and projector!

But every con has its problems, right? So in the thick of all this, what was really awesome (and sadly increasingly rare) was the feeling of being taken care of and treated with respect and kindness due anyone in attendance or invited out as a guest. Seriously. I don’t think I ever went wanting or needing without some sorta’ resolution or apologies or explanations, and the whole weekend was just a blast. Loredo, Yuki, and their staff put on an excellent show and I’m proud to see how bigger and better Ikki gets with every passing year.

Especially awesome to hang out with Starlet, Amelie, Andi and Andrea, Glen (Who I only seem to ever see at Ikki. =P) and my favorite gal-pal of all: Trunks. (Who is, like, the most awesome friend in the world: In addition to selling all my shit for caboodles of money at the art auction, he also managed to finish my flatting chores when he got home despite being hella’ sick, too.) I also got to meet Trunks’ new lady love, Alicia. And say “Hi” and Iron-Artist it with Heidi and Micha. Especially awesome this weekend was hanging out and paneling with Mookie. We had done so many of these shows together – and had sat next to each other at several previous cons – yet we’d never really chatted, we’re both always so busy.

A few of the additional highlights:

- Being at an anime convention is an awesome experience. You suddenly feel like dyed hair, piercings, fishnet anything and baggy Hot Topic pants with zippers and chains everywhere are perfectly acceptable everyday dress. Nobody stares, points, or asks “Where do you work that you can get away with that?” Going to anime cons really makes me want to dye my hair again some crazy blue or something. I dunno, though… It needs time to grow back to brown before June, as I’m a groomsman in Brad and Lisa’s wedding.

- Meeting Jason David Frank, the original Might Morphin’ Green Ranger, was morphinominal! (See what I did there?? ;D) I about had a fangasm when Loredo – also a massive Ranger-fan – came up and asked if I wanted to meet him before all the signing shenanigans started.

- Speaking of Power Rangers, the pic I drew up especially for this con (cashing-in on JDF’s appearance) was especially a massive hit! Thank you to everyone that bought a print! =D

- Since I needed to reprint some stuff, I discovered that OfficeMax’s printers are a whole fucking lot better – and the littlest bit cheaper – than printing prints from home. Seriously, the color depth on the stuff I was getting from there was amazing! And it was on higher-quality, thicker paper, too!

- Our Iron Artist panel was a pooch-screw… Two hours, only me and Amelie and Mookie, no drawing utensils and a packed room. While various staff tried to track down paper and markers, we filled the room with banter and puns and sing-alongs. Finally, failing to find the materials, we hitched someone’s laptop to the projector and MSPainted our way through the last forty minutes. It was a hell of a lot of fun and probably my best Iron Artist ever. Much love to Mookie and Amelie for holding the room on their own for the first thirty minutes… I may have been on-stage, but my head was throbbing with pain and my Advil hadn’t kicked in yet. XP

- By contrast, our Adult “Hentai” Iron Artist – which had all of its materials – was a let-down. I’m not a fan at all of Iron Artist. Hate it, in fact. So a compact, rowdy room trying to see who can be the biggest perv (C’mon, we all know Amelie is. ;P) isn’t my preferred good-time.

- I fully intend to take advantage of the convention Art Show from now on. Not only was Ikki’s show-staff super helpful, but the auctioning brought in a substantial extra income that weekend that I would have otherwise not have had.

- I'd also never fully experienced the Green Room, before, until this con too. It's tricker for artist guests to get up and mingle and feed themselves because we're not only paneling, but have table to run and promote too. But wow, have I ever been missing out! I instantly felt welcome and taken care of, walking into that room. Barbara, our room manager, was awesome! (And a good cook, as the chicken enchiladas on Saturday were amazing.) They were even well-stocked with my favorite soda! =3

- Alas, I got sick at the end of the convention. Just the aggravation of air-travel, I suppose. At least it wasn't like the 104 fever I got at the first year! =O

All-in-all, IkkiCon was truckloads of fun this year and I can’t wait for next. =D