Here are some of the monster doodles I sketched for people at this year’s Toronto Comic Arts Festival.

Click on any of them for a larger version:

TCAF was amazing! Thank you to everyone who stopped by to purchase books and let us know how much they enjoy Skullkickers. Working on a creator-owned project like this is a constant roller coaster of excitement and fear as you release each issue and hope that the reading audience digs in on what you’ve created. Getting your vote of confidence in person means a lot to everyone on the creative team.

Thank you!

I’ll be exhibiting at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival this weekend, selling copies of Skullkickers and a lot of other books, sketchbooks and mini-comics.

TCAF is a FREE event in downtown Toronto with tons of amazing creators displaying their work. The show has a great atmosphere for comic lovers of any age and any style. If you live in the area you should come downtown and check it out.

My set up will be at table 212 in the 2nd floor Salon section.

Blog-style confessional coming up.

Dear Stacy, love of my life: I was wrong about Twitter.

When Stacy first showed me Twitter and the internet-o-blogosphere jumped on board this little update technology I was firmly in the “What good is this crap?” category. All I could see of it was people spamming the world at large with prattling thoughts, blurry photos of food and the consistency of their bowel movements. I couldn’t imagine the trend sticking around. I definitely couldn’t see myself using it in the slightest. I mocked the very idea of it as some textspeak-laden ADD cult.

When Skullkickers was set to launch in September the Image Comics folks suggested that I join Twitter to help inform and excite potential readers. Given the amount of work I’d put into the book, I was willing to do just about anything to help its chances, so on Twitter I went.

Since then, I must admit, it’s been a great way to connect with the comic community – readers, retailers, professionals and fans. At the same time it’s also given a real sense of immediacy to communication with people I’ve wanted to get to know better.

Every Tuesday (the day before New Comic Day) there’s an extensive discussion on #comicmarket about the state of the industry: what’s selling and why, marketing suggestions, outreach, opinions and rants. It’s a vibrant mix of thoughts from retailers, pros and publishers that’s been fascinating to read and invigorating to take part in. I’ve been able to reach a whole new segment of retailers and have set up signing events thanks to its influence. The same goes for reviewers and interviews. Skullkickers would not have been covered by USA Today and a host of other sites without the help of Twitter. It’s been an invaluable way to communicate with people about the hard work we’ve put into the book and a way for them to react to the work as they read it.

In a social way, it’s kept me connected to friends and worked well to set up quick meet-ups without having to dig through Facebook’s increasingly bloated/obtuse interface. No game invites, minimal spam and a singular purpose – communication in the moment.

Twitter’s also been a valuable tool for plugging into a broader world. Little tweeted concepts turn into full blown discussions; Issues and thoughts about the world move through a sea of people as they experience it in real time. I’ve learned more about news, politics and the people around me through Twitter than any other blog platform/social network/instant messaging/you name it.

Although Stacy’s occasionally jabbed me a bit about my adoption of Twitter, she’s been excessively classy considering the venom I gave it early on. She’s a lady of class and poise, so her surreptitiously raised eyebrow or knowing smirk is just as valid a judgment.

I was wrong, my love. I admit it. You can stop smiling at me about it now. 😛

The semester is all wrapped up at Seneca and, I have to admit, I’m feeling pretty worn out this time around. Juggling the teaching workload with everything else has been difficult, but there’s a real sense of accomplishment to it all and I’m glad it’s all still rolling forward, even when it can be tough to balance.

I’m not teaching the first half of the summer semester and, checking my calendar, it looks like pretty much every week of those two months is already booked up with our Honeymoon (finally!), UDON stuff, events, comic writing and conventions. I can already tell that the summer is going to roar by like some kind of elemental gale.

I used to tell people I was “really busy”, but that terminology was compared to a “normal” schedule. With eight crazy years of UDON projects, seven of teaching and a full year of Skullkickers under my belt I think this now qualifies as “normal” instead of “busy”.

“How are you doing?”

“Y’ know, the usual.”

Am I satisfied? Not yet, I’m afraid.

I’d ideally like to use the momentum from Skullkickers to get more comic projects rolling – different things that show my flexibility as a writer. I have the germs of a few stories I’m pumped to see move forward if I can find the right art team for the task – a young adult adventure story, a cerebral horror tale, a sarcastically violent black-humour yarn. All kinds of ideas I want to develop at some point. It feels like a robust time creatively.

I’m excited to see how the summer goes.

Artists Help Japan: Toronto is proud to announce that their 12 hour live art/DJ event on April 17th was an extraordinary success, raising $20,000 towards Tsunami and Quake relief in Japan.

Spearheaded by a consortium of Toronto illustration studios, the Artists Help Japan: Toronto event was the local iteration of a charity movement begun by Dice Tsutsumi at Pixar. The Toronto edition featured live art and DJ music, a silent auction and dozens of artists selling commissioned drawings, which raised about $18,000 over the 12 hour event. Event organizers UDON Entertainment have stepped in with an additional $2000 donation to help bring the final total to $20,000, with all proceeds being donated to the Canadian Red Cross.

The organizers of the event would like to thank all of the talented artists, illustrators, and DJs who donated their time and expertise, and the hundreds of Torontonians that came out in support of this event. The organizers will continue their various fund raising efforts over the weeks and months to come, including a series of special auctions featuring artworks donated by artists at the fundraiser! Look for details on these auctions in the next week.

Some words of thanks from the organizers:

Erik Ko, founder of UDON Entertainment: “I have a lot of friends and colleagues in Japan who were affected by this unfortunate event. I felt a real need to try and lend a helping hand to the people there and I really appreciate so many people supporting us! Thank you so much!”

Bobby Chiu, head of Imaginism studio: “People were incredibly generous with their money that day. It was truly touching to see a city come together to support the people of Japan.”

Alvin Lee, comic artist on Street Fighter and Birds of Prey: “It was awe inspiring to see the outpour of support and compassion from Toronto’s Art and Music scene. To give back to a country that has influenced so many of today’s artists, including myself – I felt like it was the least I could do.”

Krystle Tabujara, Library Services Coordinator for The Beguiling: “Having recently travelled to the Pacific Rim with my partner, I felt an obligation to be a part of such a great cause. It was an honour to be working alongside some of Toronto’s most talented artists.”

Jim Zubkavich, writer/creator of Skullkickers from Image Comics: “All of us involved with this event feel a deep connection to Japan and we’re ecstatic that so many people came out to show their support. To the artists, musicians and donators – Thank you everyone!”

Christopher Butcher, manager of The Beguiling and Director of the Toronto Comics Art Festival: “Japan has been an inspiring, near-mythical presence in my life since I was very young, and their culture and traditions have had a huge influence on my writing and career. Coming together with so many like-minded people to give something back has been similarly inspiring, and I’m humbled by the generosity of our volunteers, artists, DJs, and the hundreds of attendees who came to the event. Thanks everyone and please, if at all possible, don’t stop giving.”

The organizers would also like to thank the many volunteers and supporters who helped make the event a success, including: all of the wonderful artists and publishers who donated art and other items for our silent auction; Jeff at Imaginism; Michael, Akiko, Magda, Marc, Andrew, and Shane who helped out on the day-of; Peter Birkemoe and The Beguiling; Joe Saturnino and the entire staff of Revival.

ABOUT:

Artists Help Japan is a charity movement initiated by Dice Tsutsumi, an art director at Pixar Animation Studios, who was also behind 2008 Totoro Forest Project to help preserve Sayama Forest in Japan and Sketchtravel Project, to gather the force of communities of artists and creative minds around the world. We believe artists have special roles to contribute to the society. http://artistshelpjapan.blogspot.com/

Artists Help Japan: Toronto was spearheaded by Imaginism Studios President and illustrator Bobby Chiu, who was contacted by Dice Tsutsumi to run the Toronto event. Working with Illustrator Alvin Lee, UDON Entertainment CEO Erik Ko, writer/artist Jim Zubkavich, and Christopher Butcher of Toronto comic book store The Beguiling and the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, the team brought together Toronto’s diverse and exciting artistic community to engage the public in an unprecedented fund raising endeavour.

Participating artists at Artists Help Japan: Toronto included: Agnes Garbowska, Alex Milne, Alvin Lee, Bobby Chiu, Brian McLachlan, Chip Zdarsky, Dale Keown, Eric Kim, Eric Vedder, Francis Manapul, Jason Bradshaw, Jeff Lemire, Jim Zub, Joe Ng, Julie Faulkner, Kagan Mcleod, Kalman Andrasofszky, Kei Acedera, Ken Lashley, Marcio Takara, Marcus To, Michael Cho, Ramon Perez, Ray Fawkes, Scott Hepburn, Stuart Immonen, Svetlana Chmakova, and a number of other local artists who showed up on the day of the event to offer their support and assistance!

Participating DJs at Artists Help Japan: Toronto included: Riviera [Perfecto,Myth, Kinetika NYC], Felix & Gani [Milk. Audio], Lazy Ray [Nighttrackin’], Gerrence [Nighttrakkin’], Alvaro G [Kings Of Late Night], Roland Gonzales [Studio+], Carlovega [Studio+], Jason Ulrich [Lab.Our Union],Shingo [Hot Sauce], Uncle Matty & Dutty Maus [The Beacs], and Illscience.

All proceeds from Artists Help Japan: Toronto will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross, specifically earmarked to aid in Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief. http://www.redcross.ca/

SPONSORS:

Revival Bar has been entertaining guests, visitors and fans as a premium event space since 2002. Revival generously donated the use of their main space for the Artists Help Japan: Toronto event, and donated $1 from the cost of every drink towards fund raising efforts. http://www.revivalbar.com/

The Beguiling Books and Art is Canada’s premiere source for comics, comix, and high-art funnybooks. Visit us online at http://beguiling.com.

Part 2 of the big Sixth Gun/Skullkickers interview is now up. Frank talk about pitching, conventions, social media, Marvel, ad swaps and more:

Robot 6 Interview Part 2

I personally feel it’s one of the best interviews I’ve ever been a part of. Really proud of it. Please let me know what you think.

On Comic Book Resources’ Robot 6 blog they’ve posted up the first part of a massive interview Cullen Bunn (writer of The Sixth Gun) and I all about pitching, writing, working with artists, finding time to write and much more.

Click on over and give it a read!

Geek news site Hardcore Nerdity interviewed me about the Artists Help Japan: Toronto event coming up on April 17th. Click here to give it a listen.

I pitch for Skullkickers on TV’s video game and pop culture source, Electric Playground. The crew came by to film the spot at my house a couple weeks ago and it was a fun time.

Like the host said, Skullkickers would definitely make a cool video game. 🙂