Chris Arrant
Robot 6 Q&A | The Twelve‘s Chris Weston on movies, 2000AD and his creator-owned plans
It’s taken just over five years to get there, but Marvel’s The Twelve is finally nearing its conclusion with the second-to-last issue, The Twelve #10, due in stores today. And no one could be more excited than artist Chris Weston. When Weston was approached in 2007 to draw J. Michael Straczynski’s story of a group of WW2 heroes lost in time until the modern day, it was a unique chance for the celebrated UK artist to create a time-spanning work on what would be the biggest stage in the industry. But between Straczynski and Weston’s commitments outside of comics, the production went through numerous stops and starts, which led to the 12-issue series taking nearly four years to complete. But with Weston finishing the art on the book last September, he celebrated the end of one chapter of his life and the beginning of a new one.
In the build-up to working on The Twelve, Weston expanded his horizons and began doing storyboards and concept designs for the movie The Book Of Eli. Over the course of The Twelve, and thanks in part to the delays the book had, Weston did extensive work on The Book of Eli as well as director Albert Hughes’ aborted remake of Akira. Currently working on Hughes’ next feature, Motor City, Weston plans to use the money he makes to fund his most ambitious project yet: writing and drawing his own comic series. Weston has done creator-owned work in the past with other writers and has also written smaller works on their own, but this new pursuit, both writing and drawing the material, could be one of the most risky and potentially most rewarding jobs of his career. 2012 will be a formidable time for the artist as he prepares for what comes next.
Chris Arrant: First off, can you tell us what you’re working on today?
Chris Weston: I am “between jobs” at the moment. I’m reluctant to take on anything substantial as I’m getting ready to work on Albert Hughes’ next movie, Motor City. I really want to avoid another situation where my film work coincides with my comic-book work. Unfortunately, that has meant turning down some pretty cool comic-book jobs. I’m not going to name them as it would be unfair to the artists who eventually accepted them. However, I’m keeping myself occupied by doing a few covers for 2000AD, some personal drawings, research and private commissions.
- February 22, 2012 @ 10:30 AM by Chris Arrant
‘One More Time’: Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie reunite
They’re getting the band back together. That’s the story hinted at with this teaser image (at right) that debuted this morning on iFanboy. Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie and Matt Wilson came into the public eye in 2007 with Phonogram from Image, and over the course of two limited series rose from their U.K. indie-comics roots to be notable figures in the comic scene. The comic also paved the way for all three to become in-demand creators at Marvel.
This mysterious teaser promising “One More Time” — that’s also the title of a 2000 Daft Punk song — doesn’t indicate whether that’s the name of a series or merely a tagline for something else. Many presume this heralds a third Phonogram series, especially since this weekend’s Image Expo is expected to have a host of new series announcements … but I’m not so sure. In a 2010 interview with ComicsAlliance, Gillen shot down the idea of a third Phonogram series pretty soundly due to low sales of the previous volumes.
“I feel frustrated. Enormously lucky, sure, but frustrated,” the writer admitted. “We’ve done this wonderful thing we’re crazy-proud about. But if the whole economic system was just a couple of degrees to the left, everything would have been different. I mean, just to give you an idea about narrow the margins are between what we are and what we could be, if we were selling 6K instead of 4K, we could have done those 44 issues. The difference between breaking even and actually being able to do it in comics is insane. It’s like being kept under ice, clawing. I feel like a bonsai plant.”
Have things changed since spring 2010 that could make a Phonogram project feasible? The comics market as a whole hasn’t gotten any better, but with Gillen entrenched as the writer of Uncanny X-Men and McKelvie coming off his X-Men: Season One book, they’re both at the height of their still-young careers. Maybe their experience and added sales draw makes them believe numbers would be different. Or maybe it’s something besides Phonogram completely.
- February 22, 2012 @ 09:00 AM by Chris Arrant
Gamers switch bodies with their characters in Double Jumpers
Have you ever played video games so much that you think you’re in one? In May, a new comic series from Action Lab called Double Jumpers follow a group of friends who get stuck inside their characters in a video game, and see those characters take over their human bodies.
Coming from writer Dave Dwonch and artist Bill Blankenship, Double Jumpers promises a mature readers-only take on this video game switcheroo. The people at the center of it are a group of programmers marooned in their video game identities while on a trip to a huge convention in Las Vegas. As much fun and intrigue the hijinks inside their video game might be, it’s only doubled when you think about video game personas coming to life inside a convention.
Action Lab also plans to release the comic simultaneously in print and digitally on Graphicly, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, the Apple Bookstore, Google books as well as other outlets.
Here’s a six-page preview of this four-issue limited series set to debut in May.
- February 17, 2012 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Cartoonist finds himself with Hell Lost
Rex Libris cartoonist James Turner has launched a new webcomic called Hell Lost.
Described by the artist as being about “the inevitable Counter-Revolution in Hell,” Hell Lost follows up what happens when the fallen angels languishing in Hell realizing they are, in fact, in .. well, Hell. Turner’s got a whole host of fallen angels in this, coming in all shapes and sizes, from the dragon Magor to the impish Ich and the man leading it all, Balthazar.
This follows up from Turner’s last big project, the one-shot Warlord of Io, while also spending his days doing magazine illustrations and design work in everything from The Wall Street Journal to Elle.
- February 15, 2012 @ 12:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Robot 6 Q&A | Nonplayer’s Nate Simpson on the art (and business) of comics
Editor’s note: With Tim O’Shea being out this week, Chris Arrant was kind enough to step in and provide an interview for us this Monday. Tim will be back next week.
One of the most exciting new talents to come into comics last year was cartoonist Nate Simpson with the debut of Nonplayer #1 last April. It was made official when, only three months later, he received the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Since then he’s gotten a movie deal and been approached with a variety of comic opportunities, but also had his share of bad luck with a broken collarbone in September. 2011 was a year to remember for Nate Simpson.
Now Simpson is back at the drawing board working on Nonplayer #2, but his whirlwind success (and spill) forced the cartoonist to take a more earnest look at this business he left his full-time career in video games for back in 2009. On his workblog he says it best, describing it as place where he “learns to draw comics by drawing a comic.” And what he’s learned is that there’s a lot more to comics than just drawing them. I talked with Simpson this past weekend about the status of Nonplayer #2, his outlook on comics, and the struggle between seeing comics as an art form and seeing them as a business.
- February 13, 2012 @ 03:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Corey Lewis set to shine in Seattle art show
2012 is ramping up to be a banner year for artist Corey “Reyyy” Lewis. The long-awaited sequel to his breakout graphic novel Sharknife is due out this month, and the artist is planning to release the third volume of his Layered Jacket anthology at this year’s Emerald City Comicon in Seattle at the end of March. And now he’s making it even more special with an art show during the convention.
Titled “Pure Sass,” this show at Seattle’s Bauhaus Books & Coffee promises to be a rare glimpse inside the frenetic mind and creativity of Lewis’ work. Although it’s taken six years for Lewis to finish his sequel to Sharknife, he’s put out a number of mini-comics, ashcans, posters, webcomics and surprising guest appearances in a number of comics and magazines. From his unlikely comics debut doing a cover for Marvel’s Captain Marvel #35 in 2002 to the present, seeing his artwork all in one place — and all originals — sounds like a modern-day comics archeological find. Now I just got to find a cheap flight to Seattle.
- February 11, 2012 @ 09:00 AM by Chris Arrant
In Seattle this Saturday? Go to Fantagraphics’ ‘Funny Valentines’ tribute to Jack Davis
I’d imagine Mad magazine artist Jack Davis isn’t the first thing you think of when Valentine’s Day rolls around. But in ’50s and ’60s, he produced a stunning set of Valentine’s Day cards that would make Hallmark blush. And now comics publisher Fantagraphics is honoring those with a holiday-timed exhibition featuring Davis’ work along with other artists inspired by it.
Set to kick off Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Fantagraphics Bookstore in Seattle, the exhibition will include works by Peter Bagge, Johnny Ryan, Jim Woodring, Matthew Southworth and others. Davis himself will appear live via Skype at 6:30 p.m. Saturday from his home in Georgia. The exhibit itself is set to run through March 7, so even if you miss opening night you have a chance to see this unique collection of heart-themed art.
So if you’re Seattle-based and looking for something special for your loved one, consider swinging by Fanta’s bookstore. While you’re there, the surrounding district is hosting a number of visual and performing arts presentations as part of Georgetown Art Attack.
- February 10, 2012 @ 01:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Manic Professor X ruins the X-Men Fried Chicken Party again
Lamar Abrams came onto the comics scene back in 2008 with his Mega Man-meets-Superman minicomic Remake, and graduated to the next level when AdHouse Books published an expanded version as a graphic novel in 2009. In 2011 he returned with a special titled, aptly enough, Remake Special also from AdHouse.
While we patiently await what Abrams has planned next, I was delighted/amazed/confounded by this quick one-page X-Men comic Abrams posted on his flickr feed. Online is the only place you’ll be seeing this gem, unless Marvel does a Strange Tales anthology and sets it in the MAX line.
Some NSFW language can be found after the jump.
- February 10, 2012 @ 11:00 AM by Chris Arrant
Cartoonist Kali Ciesemier draws Hawaiian mythology for textbook
Don’t be mad if this is the first you’ve heard of Kali Ciesemier. While you may have run across her work if you are deep into illustration blogs, for many she’s a new artist. Currently spending her days as an adjunct professor at the Maryland Institute of Art (where Jose Villarrubia and Daniel Krall also teach), Ciesemier is also spreading her wings as a freelance illustrator. One of her most recent works is this short comic she did for an elementary school reading text book.
The short comic Kali illustrated is based on the mythological Hawaiian goddess of fire Pele and her sister, Makola, a sea goddess. Although only four pages in length, it’s a beautiful piece of work with the artist doing everything from pencils, inks to coloring and I hope to be seeing more of her in the future!
- February 8, 2012 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Reading With Pictures plans big year in 2012
In 2010, comic creator Josh Elder (and current Legendary Comics publisher) brought together an array of comics pros and educators to launch the nonprofit group Reading With Pictures. The company kicked it off with a self-titled anthology graphic novel that was among the first comics works funded via Kickstarter, and this year they’re returning to Kickstarter to fund the second wave of their comics literacy mission.
Titled “RWP 2.0: Educational Comics Get An Upgrade,” Elder’s 2012 efforts is two-pronged. The first is to create The Graphic Textbook, a comic-based textbook intended for use by students and teachers that adheres to the strict standards of American education. The second is a more unique project, titled Open Source Comics, whose goal is to accumulate a collection of comics to be available to students, educators and librarians under a Creative Commons license.
In order to prepare for this massive fundraising effort, RWP is looking for donations of rewards to offer once the Kickstarter campaign begins. Their deadline to have it all in is Feb. 20, so if you’re a comic creator or professional and want to help out, let them know!
- February 8, 2012 @ 01:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Dean Trippe offers ‘Our Super Family’ vinyl stickers for your car
You’ve probably seen those vinyl stickers on the back windows of vehicles showing stick figure drawings of a family, sometimes with a hint of Disney in a balloon or something. They’ve become a big trend in the suburbs of America, replacing the previous most popular car sticker of Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes fame) peeing on something. And now artist Dean Trippe is offering his own rendition for super-hero fans out there like you and I.
Titled “Our Super Family,” Trippe’s white vinyl decals are available from his Etsy store for $22 and include a mom, dad, son, daughter, baby, dog and cat. According to the artist, the biggest decal, the father, measures “just under 4″ tall and 5″ across” with the rest of the decals telescoping down in size as shown in this image.
It’s a perfect gift for your comic store owner, your friends or even yourself. I bet Reed Richards is ordering one for the Fantasticar and Pogo Plane right now.
- February 8, 2012 @ 12:39 PM by Chris Arrant
Rare Calvin & Hobbes watercolor goes up for auction
Calvin & Hobbes cartoonist Bill Watterson is notoriously reclusive, and original pieces of art from his long-running strip are just as rare. That’s why recent news by Heritage Auctions that a piece of his is going up for sale is worth perking your ears up about.
The watercolor illustration (seen at right) was a piece done by Watterson for a 1989-90 calendar cover. The piece comes from the collection of comic historian Rick Marschall, to whom Watterson inscribed it to in the lower right corner.
The current highest bid is at $26,000, but the auction house expects it to top $50,000 by the time the live floor auction starts on Feb. 23. I expect to see a vast array of comics art collectors come out for this, and perhaps even a few comic artists who are fans of Watterson’s work.
- February 3, 2012 @ 02:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Top Cow offers line-wide subscription service for $15 a month
For a time, comic book subscriptions were a big part of any comic fans’ repertoire. Back when comics were available primarily on newsstands and the rare comic specialty shop, subscriptions provided by publishers promised a surefire way for fans to get every issue of their favorite comics in a timely manner, and, in most cases, at a discount. But in recent years, direct subscriptions from publishers have taken a back seat, with only Marvel and DC offering them, and only for a portion of their comics line. But now Top Cow is bringing it to their pasture in an inventive subscription plan for their entire line.
Announced on its own website TopCow.com, the California-based publisher is offering a subscription to its three core ongoing series — Witchblade, The Darkness and Artifacts – along with a surprise comic with a variant cover each month. This service is available for $15/month ($10 a month plus postage) for either 6- or 12-month increments, and would be shipped USPS First Class each month in one bundle to ensure no damage to the books.
When asked about the availability to add in mini-series and special one shots like Pilot Season to the package, Top Cow’s Filip Sablik said it’s in the works.
“We haven’t worked out the details,” the publisher explained,” but if the customer wants to order other items in a month and have them ship with their subscription, assuming they fit in the envelope, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
It’s an interesting prospect, and who knows — maybe we could see other publishers pick up on the idea.
- February 3, 2012 @ 01:00 PM by Chris Arrant
Comic Industry Job Board | February 2012
In the wide world of comics there’s always a need for talented people — and not just for creating the comics. The books you read every day are supported by an immense infrastructure of editors, publishers, designers, distributors and retailers that make American comics what it is today. And despite the frail economy, the comics industry is looking for employees.
We’ve compiled a list of all the openings in the comics industry for non-creative office positions and put it all into one place. It’s a good resource if you’re looking to work in comics, and also for armchair speculators seeing what companies are looking to do by seeing what positions they’re hiring for. We accumulated these by looking on publisher websites and job boards — if you know of a job not listed here, let us know!
- February 3, 2012 @ 11:00 AM by Chris Arrant
Faith Erin Hicks opens up about the financial realities of cartooning
Friends With Boys
Robot 6 has covered cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks on multiple occasions concerning her comics, but this time we’re discussing something new: what kind of living she makes as a cartoonist. Hicks recently opened up about the financial realities of her life as a working cartoonist in a blog post supplementing her current webcomic Friends With Boys, which First Second will release later this year as a graphic novel. Hicks isn’t the first to share such intimate details on the business of comics, but the picture she paints with it is surprising in many ways.
“First of all, never in a million years did I think I would be able to pay my rent by drawing comics,” Hicks wrote, “or even through doing the freelance art thing. Sometime I cringe inwardly when I tell people that I write and draw comics for a living, because sometimes it doesn’t feel like that; it’s more like I’ve taken a vacation from some real job to draw comics, and eventually I will return to the workforce when I run out of money.”
- January 27, 2012 @ 09:00 AM by Chris Arrant