I’m hard at work oscillating between Journey in the 6th Dimension and this as-of-yet unnamed short story book. When you hop back and forth you start to discover strange things about your work habits. For example, I spend as much time on a full comic page as I do on one tiny illustration. That’s not necessarily surprising, though when I hold them up side-by-side I can’t see the discrepancy in hours

In any case, everything is chugging along smoothly.

Below is an illustration for one of the sample chapters Etan and I agreed on. We thought we’d start with Eugene Linder-Flowman, I think mostly because he strikes the right balance of the mundane and fantastic. This, as you can probably tell, is one of the more exciting images the story evokes. I enjoy the composition, although frankly I’m not too sure if I’ve pushed it too far and weather or not the coloring is appropriate. Experimentation will answer all questions, great and small. If I learned anything from concept art, you never nail it on the first try.

Still, I’d appreciate any thoughts you might have so please let me know.

Nick Derington

Boy I tell you, I really like this guy’s work. Everything is so solid and confident, and his subject matter rides the a subtle wave of abstraction.  Peruse his flickr set and you’ll definitely agree. Also, make sure you drop by his website www.nickderington.com. You can scope out some his previous work and, if you’re as intrepid as I think you are, go and buy some of his books. I say, festoon your walls and shelves with his art, because it’s super-cool.

She’s taking the bus because her Pegasus is in the shop.

The Everyday

Adam Cadwell is his name, and his comic is The Everyday. What is about? It’s about everything. All those lovely details you spot off the corner of your eye. The interesting foibles and charms of the normal world, and their beautiful uniqueness. The Everyday is the quintessence of smelling the roses, to say nothing of the amazing illustration.

By his own admission Mr. Cadwell says he’s inspired by American Splendor but I think his work goes beyond. The Everyday isn’t a contemplation of the nothingness of being, it’s about being. Being there to see it, enjoy it, and maybe laugh about it. Well, thats what is means to this reader, at any rate.

Personally this is my favorite strip but there are tons more to choose from:

Got to his site and check it out. You’re going to love it, believe me: The Everyday.

Explanations and Announcements

Allow me this brief moment of self-absorption.

Part I: Explanation

In regards to my webcomic. Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the longevity of Journey in the 6th Dimension. There’s a gang of folks out there who want to know if I’m stopping after eight pages. The answer is, “No I’m not.”

That said, I can understand the confusion. It’s really my fault for not being more specific about the format.

Journey in the 6th Dimension will be an exhibit of different science fiction, fantasy and super-hero stories. I’ll always do the drawing but every once in a while I’ll get a guest writer to assemble a great script. The constant element will be Phoebe and Drake, they’re going to introduce and conclude each tale. Sure, “Drake’s Universe” is coming to a close, but that means there’s a new story just around the corner. Like I said, I should have been more specific. Sorry about the confusion.

Phoebe and Drake are just the beginning.

Part II: Announcement

In response to general interest I’m compiling the superheroes from my flickr gallery into a book. However, it wont just be a flip-book of blurbs and drawings. The idea is to take these characters and expand on their stories with prose and additional illustration. It will be a sort of superhero storybook, if you can imagine that.

The plan and structure took a lot of deliberation, so I’m not treating lightly; it’s got to be done the right way. So in respect to the prose I’m bringing someone else, my close friend of many years Etan Muskat. He’s a very experienced, thoughtful and gifted writer, and as far as I’m concerned there’s no one else more suited to write the stories for these superheroes. As far as illustration, I’d like to avoid rehashing as much art as I can. Dictated by the stories and layouts, I’ll be composing new drawing for these characters.

Unfortunately, this means that I wont be making any new characters for a while. At least until we have some sample chapters shop around. Instead, I’ll be uploading work-in-progress for the book. Chances are, you’ll be seeing assorted drawings for the same characters rather than a whole new character every week.

I’m really excited about this project. I got the first story on Monday and it’s really amazing. I think Etan and I are going to put together a really fine book.

Nigel Ninja Junior

Nigel hasn’t had a good report card in months.

Monkey Punch Dinosaur

A couple of weeks ago Adam Ford asked me to draw him a picture of a monkey punching a dinosaur. So I did, for two reasons: 1) He’s from Australia 2) I like The Road Warrior. You can say I’m a simple man, and you’d be right.

The image hasn’t been posted on his site, once it is I’ll link you to his bizarre (yet totally lovable) blog.

Kukuburi

It’s a webcomic by Ramon Perez that’s just plain beautiful. The best part is that there’s tons content; you can spend hours there. He’s on a break until Sept. 9th so it wont be updated for a while, nevertheless you should explore and enjoy.

www.kukuburi.com

Likewise you can visit his blog Cranial Percolations. You’ll get to see some cool sketches.

The Art of the Brick

Nathan Sawaya is a brick artist, not the big heavy kind but the little plastic ones. Yes, I’m talking about Lego. His website The Art of the Brick is dedicated to his exciting and, I’m proud to say, compelling Lego sculptures. His galleries are very diverse, it makes you wonder why Lego isn’t sold in art supply stores, or why Lego technique isn’t taught in art in schools.

I think we should all take the time to unacknowledged and celebrate that there are people out there who express themselves amazing ways.

Please go to his site, and scour his gallery: The Art of the Brick

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Commodore Eugene Linder-Flowman lives in a man-sized aquarium at the zoo, with his very best friend Adventure Fish. After nearly ninety years of thrill and peril, he’s decided to give himself the golden handshake and call it quits. Nowadays it’s sleepy afternoons and writing his memoirs.

Satellite Maps

I don’t usually do write ups for music, my pals over at www.saidthegramophone.com usually take care of that. In spite of that I feel like I need to talk about this band, Satellite Maps. They’re from Montréal and they are, in my opinion, super-groovy. I’m not really qualified to talk about music, I don’t really know too much about the technical details, I just know what I like. Besides, it’s so very rare for me to discover some secret band that no ones knows about. Okay, okay, I’ll fess up that I know three of the members (Gary Janz, Amy McDonald and Shevaughn Battle), but that doesn’t mean anything; they’re my best kept secret, mine alone… regardless of my sharing their existence with you.

Anyhoo, enough of my pointless yammering. Go to their myspace and sample their melodies: Satellite Maps. And, if you’re in the area try to check out one of their shows.

Mike Manley

Boy I wish I had a last name like Manley.

Mr. Manley is an established cartoonist and animator. I know him from his inks in Power of Shazam, and his pencils for Quasar, and Darkhawk. His art is, I would say, essential. Insofar as it is the essence; the essence of the scene, the essence of the story and the essence of the emotion. He’s a consummate storyteller who doesn’t waste a line on tomfoolery and never lets wastefulness get in the way of the progression. His work always just read really well.

I guess that’s a little smothering and kind of pretentious. Still, its how I feel. Let me put it to you this way, when I was a pear-shaped pimple-faced teenager with high hopes of one day drawing comics, I’d look to artists like Manley. He didn’t sugarcoat his compositions (pencils or inks) with the erratic torrents of line or horribly disproportioned figures, the kind so popular in the nineties. His work taught me the importance of the craft of drawing comics. A rare lesson at such an impressionable age.

I also thought Darkhawk was really cool.

I implore you to go to his blog: Draw!

Survey his work, and please take the time to read his ‘about me’ section, its very eloquent.

Herman the Manatee

This is a webcomic about a manatee who’s always getting smacked on the head by boats, or his own foibles. Poor Herman, poor soul. I’ll admit the premise is bizarre but Jason Viola manages to get this hypnotic, rhythmic narrative that’s sort of, well, addictive. Check it out, you’ll laugh and weep, and then laugh again: http://herman.manateepower.com/

Hammerfistucles - The God of Punches

When Peter George Sims took a trip to Athens in 1997, he met the all-knowing oracle of 2218 Delphi St (apt 5). After delving into his past and recovering his lost destiny, she imparted to Peter George (from her collection of earthenware bottles and potions) his ancestral birthright. In his hand, he beheld an ancient Greek tanning lotion with magical properties. When applied to his body, Peter George becomes possessed by the spirit of Hammerfistucles, the God of Punches.

Despite his name however, he doesn’t do a lot of punching. What he loves is souvlaki, his girlfriend and going to the movies. As far as he’s concerned, that’s his destiny.

Natali Film

Last week I talked about Robby Reis’ photography and visual art but I neglected one minute detail. Foremost, he’s a filmmaker. He represents exactly one half of a partnership called Natali Film. His buddy and confidante, Dan (Vlad) Popa, represents the other half.

Where to begin? Even when I was going to school with them I was amazed at the amount of talent and sass that seemed to twinkle in their wake. They are truly a dynamic pair, from animation to experimental film, narrative and documentary, there’s no moving media that they can’t give their own special brand of character to. I even saw them re-dub some $2.99 Kung-Fu film they bought from a convenience store, just for fun.

I’ll never know anyone quite like Reis and Popa. My only hope is that after I leave Montréal, the distance between us wont stagger our friendship. I’d hate to be a stranger in their world. Regardless, I’ll still be a fan of their work.

Below is just a small sample of what they do, there’s far more on their myspace page. So, I suggest you scour and love to the fullest of your capacity. Don’t forget to go to their blog 24Karrots, managed by the very talented Vanda, whom I’m sure I’ll be writing about in the weeks ahead.

Roza

I’m a big fan of fables and fairy tales. Rather, I’m a fan of that tone, whatever the window dressing is. Roza, by Kelly Hamilton, is an embodiment of that in style and content, for me anyway. It’s an ambitious and beautifully rendered webcomic whose story and texture I can’t do justice to in words. You’ll just have to see it for yourself: http://www.junglestudio.com/roza/

Lord Renard St. Justin:

Lord Renard St.Justin is very old. He was born in the year 1882 on the Isle of Jersey, just off the coast of Normandy. He was born into wealth, the St.Justin family (of St.Justin’s Cider) were, and remain to be, very moneyed. Renard was educated in the finest institutions around the world; bread with the elegance of the noble gentry. Renard wasn’t without his flaws though, indeed he fell prey to arrogance and hubris. His prattling witticisms and tomfoolery deafened the patience of socialites and commoners alike. So intolerable was he that on Renard’s twenty-first birthday the forest spirits struck him with the dreaded curse of the Immortal Fox. From that point on Renard was damned to immortality, forever tracking the only quarry that could one day lift his awful curse, the Invisible Pheasant.

For all that, he’s changed over the years. Now, his spirit is hardier and he uses his brilliant mind and old fortune to help others, instead of belittle them. He might never find his prey but while he’s in the forest, with his trusty shotgun, everyone on the Isle of Jersey feels a lot safer. They can sleep soundly knowing that their cunning protector is bounding through the forest.

Robby Reis:

You might remember his sister, from last week. Well, I figure, why not be symmetrical, why not talk about both brother and sister? Rob’s photos are really cool, I don’t exactly know what to say about them other than they’ve got a really fun and genuine quality. This one in particular, from Nepal, is very typical of the tone of his work. You should check out the rest and bask in the whimsy of his photographic eye: Robby Reis.

The Abominable Charles Christopher:

I don’t need to promote Karl Kerschl’s work, he doesn’t need my help. He’s famous and stuff. That said, I’m not telling you about him because I want to sell Charles Christopher t-shirts or action figures. I just want you to read it, because its excellent. Even if we overlook the amazing artwork, the suppleness of the storytelling and the richness of the world should be enough to set your eyes agog.

Usually everything reminds me of something else, not this. Got to his web-site and enjoy his great webcomic: The Abominable Charles Christopher:

Orange Crush:

Rebecca Yasick is someone whom I’m flickr friends with, I’ve never met her. So, it is with complete impartiality when I tell you that her animation Orange Crush is super-awesome, if completely gory. Not in the sense of decapitated buxom teenagers but in a, well, in a subtler way. Watch and enjoy, you’ll see what I mean:

That said, a blog is only a blog when it’s blogging. Here’s this week’s hero

The Electric Filament:

These past few years have been lean, they’ve taken a toll on him. Sure, the mayor gave him the key to the city but his wife has left him and he’s been evicted from his penthouse stronghold (The Electro-loft). It’s getting harder to keep his act together; his bulb’s getting dim. Still, he’s not out of tricks yet. He’s getting on a bus and leaving town. He’s going to stay with his mom for a while and sort things out. There’s been an offer from the Fraternity of Brotherly Justice, maybe it’ll turn out to be something positive?

Marooned:

I’m a sucker for hapless misadventure, Tom Del’Aringa’s webcomic Marooned: A Space Opera in the Wrong Key is a perfect example of that. His comic reminds me of how I felt when I was a boy, hopelessly lost in science-fiction land without any hope of ever escaping. It’s funny, check it out: http://www.maroonedcomic.com/

Natalie Reis:

She’s my buddy Rob’s sister and she’s a really stupendous painter. You should look at her work, you’ll be surprised and moved. Although, to be honest, a lot of these pieces are even more impressive in real life. Check out her site: www.nataliereis.com

¡Asilo De Arkham! or Arkham Asylum - the Fan Film:

I know what your thinking, “Fan Film? Come on, aren’t they those guys who make Star Wars movies with horrible green screen effects, half-assed actors and squareness dripping out of their pores?”

Any other day, you’d be right but this one is a gem. Its a short adaptation of Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, a Batman Graphic Novel written by Grant Morrison and beautifully illustrated by Dave McKean. The film was directed by Miguel Mesas, who, as far as I can tell is from Spain. The reason I know this is because the film is in Spanish. I tried navigating his site but unfortunately my Español isn’t up to par. At any rate, enjoy this film, its an impressive effort.

He’s the hero that never sleeps, literally. He has a lot of time to think.

See more Superheroes at my flickr gallery.

While we’re on the subject of insomnia, here’s a strange but kind of intoxicating animation I stumbled on called ‘Eternal Insomnia.’ Its by someone who goes by the name ’sibbiheim’ and, as far as I can tell, it was done for a class project.  It could just be the music, IIevan Polkka by Loituma, but I’m sort of mesmerized by it. Cool, huh?