Monday, November 2, 2009

Pre-Order SICKO at DCBS!

SICKO is up for pre-order at DCBS (Product code: NOV099001) Love to have you check it out! Thanks!



SICKO I AM HOPING FOR A RE-ARRIVAL OF MY HEALTH

Have you ever felt helpless, like your life was going in a direction you couldn't control? Have you ever been faced with the realities of death and separation from the ones you love? SICKO is an account of a strange journey into uncertainty, sickness and the thoughts, questions and feelings that can be experienced along the way. Life can throw lemons, what do you make of them? 28 pages, B&W, Auto-Bio, Slice of Life


Thursday, October 1, 2009

Boo! Tricks & Treats

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday of the year, so in celebration of all things creepy, crawly, dark, scary and mysterious... I'm going to do a sketch a day for the month of October. A personal challenge.

"Why should I care?" you ask... well you don't have to care at all, but it would make the exercise more fun if I have suggestions for subject matter. I'm not trying to get people to buy commissions or anything like that, I just want suggestions on what to draw this month. Maybe you have a character that you'd like to see me sketch from a favorite horror comic, book or movie. Classics to modern... whatever, basically (disclaimer: I don't do nudity or explicit sexual themes).

I can certainly come up with the ideas on my own if needs be, but it would be more fun to have suggestions and you may think of something that I don't. Obviously there can only be 31 sketches/panels so if there is an outpouring of suggestions they may not all be chosen (I want to keep this fun for me). Maybe I collect the sketches into a mini, maybe not... regardless, any participation is certainly appreciated.

How do you celebrate October/Halloween? Any traditions, stories, anecdotes, etc.?

Thanks!
Jewett

Jack Skellington/Zero/Oogie Boogie - suggested by Adam Besenyodi
Crypt Keeper - suggested by JimN
London After Midnight - suggested by Matt H.O.W.L.
Nosferatu - suggested by Matt H.O.W.L.
Re-Animator - suggested by Wicked Cool Comics
Creature from the Black Lagoon - suggested by Atomic99
Vampirella - suggested by Zach Kruse
Zombie Muppets - suggested by Just Bill
Scooby Gang - suggested by Just Bill
Stan Winston's Pumpkinhead - suggested by Farrell
Ash - suggested by Farrell
Lock, Shock and Barrel - suggested by neenjah
Bride and Frankenstein's Monster - suggested by Torchsong
Rune - suggested by Just Bill
Prophecy: The Monster Movie - suggested by Farrell
Young Frankenstein - suggested by Truxillogical
BeetleJuice - suggested by Truxillogical
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as interpreted through Monty Python's "I'm a lumberjack" sketch - suggested by Jeffrey Brown
Cannibal Butcher - suggested by MRohacs
Anton Arcane - suggested by JBear
Cthulhu - suggested by El Dave
The Shape (Michael Myers) - suggested by ljacone
Kobra-Kai (in skeleton costumes) - suggested by Aaron Renier
Troll 2 - suggested by Liz Prince
Man-Thing in a cheap Spidey-Costume - suggested by Zack Kruse
The Worst Witch - suggested by My Sister
Friday The 13th - suggested by Jacob
The Tallman (Phantasm) - suggested by Jon Kulczar

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Windy City Comicon is almost here!

FROM THE WCCC SITE...

The 2009 Windy City Comicon features dozens of guests, gaming, comic vendors and more. Don't miss out on Chicago's best comic book convention!

header_guestlist.pngWe've lined up an incredible array of local area comic book writers, artists and creators. Our guest list includes the likes of Gene Ha, Tony Moore, Skottie Young, Mike Norton, Tim Seeley, David Petersen, Richard Starkings, Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Tony Akins, Don Kramer, B. Clay Moore, Seth Peck, Cullen Bunn, Sean McKeever, Christopher Mitten, Chris Samnee, Hilary Barta, Jeffrey Brown and more. With others being annouced every day! Check out our complete list of guests here.


I am one of those guests... and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone there, last year's show was fantastic and this year promises to be even better with an amazing 85 guest creators in the building!

It is also going to be the joint where I debut my newest mini-comic SICKO:I'm Hoping For A Re-Arrival Of My Health. I have been working hard on it for the last month and feel really great about the fact that I have it finished and that it will be on the table at the show (barring a printing mishap, fingers crossed). I said I was going to do it and I did it... nuff said. You can see the cover/backcover below (though it will be on a colored paper stock), Jeffrey Brown was kind enough to give me a blurb for the back cover and David A. Price has the forward. If you'll be at the show stop by my table and say hello!





Sunday, August 30, 2009

Guest strip on Subculture...

I had the opportunity to do a guest strip for Kevin Freeman and Stan Yan's comic Subculture, check it out! I really enjoyed doind it and if you haven't read the rest of the strip you really should , it's a great look at comic culture, fans and just relationships in general.

Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Chicago Comicon... Come and Gone


Well, as usual my time at this convention went way too fast... I have a huge soft spot for this show due to the fact that it was my first convention experience.

There was a fair amount of negative talk about this show before it even began, considering that Marvel and DC didn't have a presence at the show I suppose it is somewhat understandable that many would be concerned about what the quality of the show would be... this has always been a big box show and that would normally mean the "big 2" would be present. In the end it actually was a great thing that they weren't, it seemed to push many people into Artist Alley that might not have otherwise given that area a chance.

Thursday (Preview Night)
I took Thursday off spending the day hanging out with my kids and packing my car (I actually cleaned it out for the trip and everything, heh). I left the house around 12:30pm Indiana time, the drive was tolerable with no real traffic till about the last 5 miles where it became stop and go. Called Mr. Matt Kramer as I was getting into Rosemont and he directed me to the parking lot... got checked in and the weekend officially began. Dave and I walked down to the convention center to grab our badges (which they didn't have... badges, we don't need no stinking badges) and head to the table to setup. It was a fairly slow beginning but it was still a great time getting into the groove of the show, Pat's flight was late but he made it in before it ended. I already had a few commissions to do.

At the end of the show, there was a need for vittles, so Dave and I decided to take the easy road and just hang out in the Red Bar which was convenient but expensive. It was a great night of hanging out with new and old friends, we also got "hit on" by a bunch of drunk kindergarten teachers which was amusing and frightening at the same time.

Trying to be quiet at 2:30am while setting up an air mattress is comical.

Friday
Vince arrived and was instantly whisked away by Mr. Neseman to breakfast, while we had bagels and beverages in teh hotel cafe. Friday was a crazy day, surprisingly busy... lots of commissions and I actually sold a few books. Lots of great people stopped by the table to say hi. The table was in a fairly odd location sort of shoved in the back and all the way at the end... there were alot of empty tables nearby which tends to discourage traffic... but somehow we still were able to get a fair amount of business.

When it was time to figure out dinner we (Dave, Pat and I) ended up heading out with Brian Defferding and his girlfriend and friend to Ginos East... it was a fun dinner with great conversation and awesome food. Afterwards it was back to the Red Bar for more hanging out.

Saturday
Saturday was a really busy day for me, alot of commissions and sketches, more books sold and plenty of laughs and just fun discussion in general. I got to do a sketch in Jeffrey Brown's X-men sketch book which was a bit nerve-wrecking but I think it turned out alright and he seemed happy with it. By the end of the day I was expecting my eyes to fall out of the socket from all the drawing... I still had 3 commissions to do for Sunday and wasn't too sure how I was going to make it... but that was a worry for the next day.

Dave and I went out to dinner at Maria's (a fine authentic mexican restaurant) with Steve Bryant and about 10 other people... there was a lot of great conversation about the industry and comics making in general... very enlightening and it was just fun to meet so many new people in one setting. Then it was off to the Red Bar for the last night of hanging out... some of the selebs in the bar were: Edward james Almos, Billy Dee Williams, Kevin Nash, X-Pac and several comic professionals of course (this was true all three nights). Met a couple new folks and hung out with old friends as well.

Sunday (this is the end)
I was in near panic mode trying to get my commissions done in time... at one point I was literaly running around the show floor looking for presents for my kids... I got Lucy a really cute panda beanie and Jack a set of Justice League Unlimited action figures (12 inch Batman and Superman). Then it was back to the commissions, which i actually did end up finishing, we tore down and it was time to say goodbye... thankfully Nick and pat helped me and Dave get our gear out to our cars in the hotel parking lot. Then it was hug time and farwells all around. I had a fairly uneventful drive home (enjoying chewy sprees on the way). It was great to pull into our driveway and kiss my wife while catching up with her about each other's weekends.

All in all Chicago Comicon was a success... my first profitable year in Rosemont actually. It was great to hang out with friends who share my love of comics and it was fun to meet tons of new folks. Hopefully the show will still be doing well next year. See you there?

PS. I took Monday off which was about the smartest thing I could have done... Sara and I had a good day hanging out with the kids and each other. We watched Twilight (meh).

Monday, August 3, 2009

3 days and counting...

I am really looking forward to hanging out with old friends and meeting new folks this year at the Chicago Comicon. If you are attending the show be sure to stop by tables 5304-5306 to visit me and the rest of the Dial R Studios representatives. I hope to be sketching all weekend... or at least getting some work done if no one orders sketches. Regardless it's gonna be a great time hanging out!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Never let it drop...

I have always had a fair amount of hobbies... sadly they all seem to be of the expensive variety (guitars, tech equipment for both music and art). I have to actually stop myself from trying some things because I am certain I would enjoy them which would translate to less time and more money going towards another hobby.

Over the last couple of years I have really tried to weed out the extras and concentrate more on the worthwhile. I made the decision to abandon music almost entirely and concentrate on cartooning (though I am now back to playing alot more again). I know it's been said, but there are seriously not enough hours in a day, but honestly even if there were more I would probably still be longing for more time to do the things I want to do. Music and Art are the biggies but reading is a pass time I adore (I am constantly frustrating my wife with the amount of books lying around our house... piles of comics and novels). Somehow I have to find a way to juggle it all and this is not even considering the truly important things like Family and Work.

Life is about compromises and sacrifices... I just need to be more organized. Though, truthfully, I think there may be little hope of that.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Mc Disease

I have no idea why I am so fat... *cough*

Monday, July 27, 2009

WHAT?!


I have been letting my hair grow out again... and the white hairs are taking over. So lame.

Anyways... if you are going to be in the Chicagoland area (Rosemont specifically) come out and see me and the other Dial R guys(Pat Loika, Dave Wachter and Adam Witt) in Artist Alley (tables 5304 and 5306), August 6-9 at the Chicago Comicon (Formerly Wizard World Chicago). It's coming up really fast but I am certainly looking forward to seeing some folks that I really only get to see once a year. If you are going to the show and want to get a commission from me, now's as good a time as any. See you soon!

Friday, July 24, 2009

STUPEFY!



For my birthday we are going to see Harry Potter: Half-Blood Prince tomorrow night... I have pretty low expectations for the movie, so I am hoping that will help me to end up liking it in the end. I am a huge fan of the books so the movies tend to frustrate me quite a bit... I totally get the need to edit for the movies but it seems like they often omit things that were integral to the plot in the books. I wasn't thrilled with how certain characters that meant so much in the books seemed greatly diminished in the movies as well... I could go on and on... but I won't.

Here's hoping I get to walk out some what satisfied.