Hey guys, I’ve got a show coming up.

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Hey kids and kats.

This blog post keeps getting away from me, so there’s nothing to do for that but to just sit down and start writing. How are you guys feeling? Me? I’ve been pretty busy, as usual. A few weekends ago, you may remember, I got the chance to go on my favorite radio program, Stonecold Bikini. It was really such a great time. Had a blast. Didn’t get a chance to catch it? Well look here, I’ve got the audio. I come in at about the 25-30 minute mark.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

But don’t let me just go on about that. Let’s talk about the now, let’s talk about the future.
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Cleveland! I ain’t forget about you, sister-friend.

Remember when I was telling you guys that I was going to have a table at last month’s very own testament to the Clevelyn underground, Genghis Con? Well, I went, and you know, it was a pretty successful show, although as must be a requirement of this city, you couldn’t really tell while it was in progress. I was planning on doing a super job of being a blog reporter, making sure I had my camera and a bag of fresh batteries. But when I get there and start snapping away, I realize there’s no memory card in the thing. Sploops. I did get some sketchbook pages filled in, so that will have to do.

I do a lot of big Cleveland love here and in real life, but you may or may not be surprised that there is a pervasive negative attitude that runs through this town. It’s just part of the whole thing, I guess. When you arrive here, you begin your training on hating Cleveland immediately. Honestly, my first encounter with a local went like so: Them – What do you think of Cleveland? Me – I think it’s pretty cool! Seems like a nice city. Them: Yeah, I kind of sucks (end scene).

So you know, it comes with the territory. Lest you be surprised that there was a bit of a negative air passing through this event. Which doesn’t mean it was a bad show, it’s just one of those things where you need to point out the flaws, because it’s Cleveland. Sure, there was a noticeable thinning of foot traffic to the show, and the aisles were a lot wider with less exhibitors on hand. It was kind of dead at times. But believe this, dear reader — when I ran up the tally at the end of the show, I had made as much if not more from one day at the Genghis Con as I did from one day at PIX. I sold more copies total of PUPPYTEETH than I did in Pittsburgh, and even sold some comics to the fine people at ASTOUND Comics, who organized the event. So, if it’s not sold out by now, you can get PUPPYTEETH and the new pushups at an honest to god comic book shop. So you see folks, Cleveland is ok! Take off the shit-colored glasses from time to time and you might notice something rosy.

I got to sit next to the fiercely talented Liz Valasco who had a great new book out. A book on dreams. I also got to chat it up with the godfather of contemporary Clevelyn comics, John G. John’s this inspirational figure who knows a lot of movers-and-shakers in comics and shared some great anecdotes about cons and crack. Fellow CIA alum Lauren Chaikin was there as well, being a a good showman and drawing a crowd. I bought some smut from a couple of folks up in Philly and finally got my hands on the new Acme. I was expecting to be impressed by it, sure, but I wasn’t expecting to be fucking blown away by the 4th page. But hey, we’re talking about the small press, underground here.

I had some special visitors too! Former student and newly minted comics-superstar Melissa O’Grady stopped by and introduced me to one of my radio heros, Christine of WRUW’s Stonecold Bikini, who I listen to nearly every Saturday morning. I think I was a little gaspy. And Melissa gave me a copy of her new comic. That’s right, she kept making comics even after my class! Doesn’t get much better than that. The superlative Jessi Z also come by, all the way from Toledo (I think), and familiar convention-face Kris L also stopped by before it was too late (he lives a lot closer). So it was a really fun show! Liz and her buddy Jamie were great neighbors, and thanks to their cross-wording, I learned a little bit about the periodic table (the answer was Tin).

There’s a lot to love about comics in Cleveland. If I didn’t get to see you at this year’s GC, shame on you. I’ll be expecting you next year.

Other Cleveland Stuff

I’ve been posting a little less this past month because I’ve been working on a semi-secret job for the famous Tommy’s restaurant here on Coventry. Locals will know what a big deal that is. I don’t want to post anything until it’s all said and done and the stuff gets printed up, but you should be seeing my drawings there pretty soon. It was a really exciting opportunity and I feel like I get to be a part of Cleveland history, even in some small way.

Also, I’ve been using my Tumblr page. But that’s neither here nor there.

More Places than Cleveland

I mentioned a while ago that Frank Santoro had recorded an interview with me and a number of the other fine PIX exhibitors back in September. Well, he has finally released the whole slew over at Comics Comics. I think I end up sounding fairly naive, but what can you do, I’m new. Still, Frank is hilarious and all the folks he talks to are great boons to the art of comics, and it’s all well-worth a listen.

Up Next

Check back here in the next day or two for a very, very, very special episode of the Encyclopedia Czapiewski. If you’ve been a fan of this blog and my comics, you won’t want to miss it. It’ll be… INTERSPECTACULAR.

PEACE OUT

Hey Liz (I’m toying with the idea of addressing blog posts to the last person who commented… although if we’re including the fact that I’ve started cross-posting to my livejournal account, this one’s addressed to Brandon Graham)

Anyway, just wanted to take a little space to round up some stuff that’s been happenin.

PICTURES

Here’s a picture I did for one of my favorite cartoonists who I can never talk enough about, Vincent Giard. He drew me a pigeon so I wanted to repay him in some way. A little bit of trivia — the shirt is for the Montreal Expos, the former MLB team from where Vincent is currently stationed, helping to create an exciting comics scene. It is also the team that moved down to DC a few years ago to become the Washington Nationals, supplanting the Oriels as the closest baseball team to my hometown. Go Nats! (ps. I don’t care about sports)



I drew this picture for the wonderful Katie Skelly, whose Nurse Nurse is one of the best mini-comics series right now. It’s wrapping up by the end of the year and I could hardly be more excited to see how it all shakes out. Maybe you recognize that pose?

You might be able to tell I’ve started playing around with half-tone patterns. I’m getting a bit bored with straight black and white. The grass is literally greener on the other side!

PUPPYTEETH was featured on Comics Comics! It’s all happening, as some friends used to say.

On a related note, I’ll be exhibiting for the first time at the first Pittsburgh Indy Comics Expo! It’s free to attend so if you’re within a two hour radius come stop by! I was excited enough to have a table there, but then I find out that not only is Katie Skelly also going to be there, but the guest list is out of this world! The two folks I was most excited about meeting at SPX — Kevin Huizenga and Frank Santoro — will both be there, as well as Jim Rugg and Ed Piskor.

I went to a wedding last weekend and had a really amazing time! I was accompanying my good buddy Jess Wheelock on an adventure from Cleveland to Pittsburgh to Erie and back again. A fellow CIA alum was marrying her sweetheart and it was nice to catch up with some folks from back in the day (the older cool kids). If you’re familiar with the Gyrator, yes I busted it out during Lady Gaga. That is all.

Here’s a picture of me looking like a child:



Besides all that, I’ve started playing real-life Animal Crossing. It’s a wild world.
Take care, y’all

Hey hey hey hey

We’ve got new Spoilers! What we have here is the first half of Chapter 20, “Chemistry Class.” I’m not sure if we could qualify anybody in this comic as a fan favorite, but I imagine that we’ve got one making his triumphant return in this one.

I’ll have the second half up within the next week or two.

BUT FIRST

We’re going to SPX! A week from today I’ll be in Bethesda Maryland (which, as a kid, I could only figure was pronounced “beth sayda”) stomping around with Liz Suburbia and Matt Czap (well, Liz will be stomping, Matt might be a bit daintier). I can not wait to meet so many great cartoonists with as much enthusiasm as I can muster — Katie Skelly, Darryl Ayo, Liz Baillie, Andrew Hussie, KC Green, Kate Beaton, Dustin Harbin, Frank Santoro, the list goes on and on. It is going to fun fun times, can’t wait. I’m forward especially to seeing Kevin Huizenga — his name wasn’t on the list of exhibitors but he’s scheduled to be on a panel so I’ll be checking that out for sure. My aforementioned crew will also have on hand several copies of PUPPYTEETH that we will hopefully lose along the way.

OTHER NEWS

I’ve been working at my job now for nearly half a year (September is my 6th month). I’m having a real good time there. It gives me a lot of different opportunities to work on projects that I might not have otherwise and has really done a lot to help me grow as a designer. I’ve come a long way from two years ago when I was desperately trying to get a portfolio together to find freelance work. I’m certainly no Jason Santa Maria or a Jeff Finley by any means, but I’m getting better. I’ve been putting a lot more thought and effort into developing a point of view, which I think is the next step.

Anyway, I bring this up because we launched recently our new website, which I designed and hand-coded with lots of love. Check it out: Media II

Ok, I’m out. Love you guys.

Hey, hey hey

So last time I was mentioning to you guys that Liz Suburbia and I were putting together a comics group zine. Liz came up with the name Puppy Teeth and people, it’s here!

If you take a gander up at the top of this website here, you’ll notice I’ve added a tab that contains all the information you’ll need about this puppy (get it?!) and how to get your hands on it. That’s right, you can buy one! Right now!

For $3, you’ll get brand new comics by 10 of the best cartoonists and artists I have the pleasure of knowing, including Ms. Suburbia, Niki Smith, Matt Czap, Darryl Ayo, Alex Martin, Amy Gardiner, Jess Wheelock, Liz Valasco and Martinez E Garcias. I did something in there too.

We’ll be taking this thing to SPX this year, and the recently announced Pittsburgh Indy Comics Expo, and if things work out to Cleveland’s second Genghis Con in November.

ALSO

I think I forgot to mention last time, but my second round of the Art of Comics class at CIA wrapped up the other week. I’ve posted the final projects up on the blog over there, so you should really check them out! They did a really awesome job!

from Thomas Whitney's Melecheran: City of Guardian Angels

Looking forward to teaching again in the fall (possible two classes at once! As always, when more details emerge, I’ll be sure to fill you in).

Other things

So as I’ve been focusing on putting Puppy Teeth together, I’ll admit, Spoilers has not gotten as much attention as I would have liked to given it. I’m about halfway through the next chapter, and I’ll shoot for having that up before I leave for SPX.

Hearts!

Hey hey hey,

what’s happening?

I’ve been away for a little bit, but of course I have been mad busy! To make it up to you all, this one is an image-heavy post.

Part of what has been going on is I moved into a new apartment. It’s a pretty nice place, albeit a little empty. I’ll be slowly building it up but it serves its purpose pretty well.

My actual brother came up to visit last week and reminded me that there are funny things out there on the internet (that’s his comic up there that I think he wrote about me…) He’s got me reading the amazing Problem Sleuth from Andrew Hussie’s MS Paint Adventures. I am floored by this work, it really seems to be taking the concept of the true “web” comic to new heights. What he showed me of this and Hussie’s more recent ongoing comic/game, Homestuck, I am really impressed and excited. It’s also got me thinking a lot about video games and fusion comics.

No slouch himself, Matt Czap is also running new comic strips on his website Monday, Wednesday and Friday that are sure to give you a chuckle.

Puppy Teeth

I’ve also been working hardcore on comics! The above is a sample of my newest short that will appear in a new mini Liz Suburbia and I are co-editing called Puppy Teeth. I am so god damned excited about this project, let me tell you about it. We’ve gathered together 10 (!) of the best artists and cartoonists that we have the pleasure of knowing and are putting them all between two covers just in time for this year’s Small Press Expo. Not only does that mean brand new comics by Liz and I, but also from Matt Czap, Niki Smith, and Darryl Ayo! And that’s only half of the gold you’ll find in there.

I’ll have more news as we get this thing gets put together. I am planning on setting up some kind of thingy so y’all can order it online

Ashley Brooke Toussant

I’ve also been trying to get out more. A while ago at the market there was this little singer busking, singing Melanie’s “Brand New Key” (which I love because I used to not drive and also for that line “some might say I’ve done all right for a girl!”). I picked up her CD and then a couple weeks later she was playing there again. She told me she was playing in Tremont in a little bit, so the other night I went to the wonderful Visible Voice bookstore and saw Ashley Brooke Toussant and her band put on a great show. These guys are playing the Beachland Tavern on the 28th and I highly recommend you Cleveland folks to check it out!

In other Cleveland news, one of the RAs from my dorm at CIA first year is one of the best designers on this season of Project Runway! Although admittedly, she was the one RA I didn’t develop a friendship with, Valerie Mayen is reppin’ Cleveland something fierce. The other week I went to a viewing party on the West Side that Val threw. I hope to be able to go to the next one. Needless to say, I’m def rooting for her and voting her fan favorite.

And Finally, For Liz

Lizzy Berry has been asking me to post process images and examples from my sketchbook. I’ve recently been making more of an effort to draw in them (I usually write out stuff). It’s hard to put this up when Brandon Graham has the greatest livejournal in the world, but I guess if I can tell Liz to believe in herself, I can take my own advice. So, here’s a string of scans from my recent sketchbooks.

these pages are from my newest sketchbook. The bald chick is the lead singer from The Emperors of New Skete, who will appear in an upcoming chapter of Spoilers. Trying to get used to drawing her.

I like that crazy dude on top. I was trying to loosen up with those fellas.

And here’s a page out of my Spoilers sketchbook. This is how I lay out all my chapters at first. Then I lay down rough approximations of the layouts on the full size paper, trying to figure out acual sizing proportions, whether transitions will work right. Then I finish up the pencils, ink, scan and fix up the rest in Photoshop.

Hope this is helpful for someone!

Talk to you cats later.

I am shaken up. Harvey Pekar died sometime last night and it’s a sad day.

Harv was and is one of those formative figures in my life. He entered in at just the right moment that the details of his life story and accomplishments will resonate with me for years and years to come. I was a Marvel kid growing up and as I went through high school I found my appreciation and love of comics shifting towards the actual form of the art, more so than subject matter. I graduated in 2003 with my mindset opened and ready for the whole other side of comics that I hadn’t known about growing up. What also happened that year is I moved to Cleveland for school, and the movie version of American Splendor was released (I saw it a little later when Ahmed brought home an advance screener of the DVD).

It wasn’t just that he was a Cleveland comics hero, or a self-publishing hero, or that he was a real political cat, or that he lived a couple blocks away from each of the apartments I had in college. Or that I got to see that same neighborhood as it was over 30 years again, seeing those exact same bricks that Bob Crumb hatched out behind the RTA stop. Or that first year I saw him twice, stalking around the halls of CIA (never talked to him though — that will be my “I should have said something” story). Or that he never got complacent. Or that he stayed with his home town till his death. It was all of it and more. Pekar’s legacy is reason enough to be damn proud to live in Cleveland.

Hey guys, what’s the haps?

There’s a lot for me to talk about, but I’m wondering if I should try to space it out more, rather than lump it all into a big State of the Union post like I usually do. We’ll play it by ear.

First up, new Spoilers!

Chapter 18: What Will Become of Us?

Hope you guys enjoy, but even more I hope that all the people who said that you had no idea what was going on are starting to see things coming together. Still don’t? Let me know! I love hearing feedback about this comic, I want to make it the best it can be.

Virginia

Part of the reason I’ve been leaving this spot empty for a while is because I’ve been traveling. I made a surprise visit to my home town in Alexandria VA to commemorate my birthday (25), my parent’s anniversary (28?), and then mother’s day. I had a good time hanging out with my brother and the venerable Liz Saburbi who both reside in that state where there ain’t shit to do.

One of the highlights of that short trip, besides getting a harmonica from the ole’ brother, was a trip to the wonderful Fairfax location of the Laughing Ogre. I have been to few comics shops as well stocked as this one, and certainly none with more helpful staff (Liz works here). Lots of great stuff, it was a shame we got there so close to closing time because there was just so much to check out. I walked away with the newest Rasl and all the King City books they had in stock (I think two). Also interesting was how close the store was to my boyhood home, which brought a lot of nostalgic feelings back for my brother, but not so many for me — must have been too young.

There’s so much more to write, but I think I’m gonna wrap it up here, cuz I want to update my Art of Comics blog. I just wanted to shout out some things before we speak again:

PARAGON FISHING RETURNS

My brother (and UnFan’s) old comic strip is back from the dead! Check it out here, now.

IN MAPS AND LEGENDS RETURNS

Cleveland comics compatriot Niki Smith and her writing partner Michael Jasper have finally been let loose onto the world of Zuda with new pages of their fantastical comic strip. Read them every Thursday here!

SACRED HEART KEEPS GOING

And Lizzy Burberry is showing no signs of fatigue in her polished high school epic, updating frequently over at her livejournal

Ok, so more in a couple days, including my trip to Boston and the return of my teaching career.

Tootles!

Sweet Peat!

There appears to be a brand new chapter of Spoilers up right now! Good thing that website always starts at the beginning, because you haven’t seen star of this particular installment for quite some time. Don’t worry though, it didn’t forget about you — it’s been hanging around since then.

Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading my comic and have stuck with it for so long. Past the two thirds mark now, things will start winding up.

I hate to go back and fuss with things too much before it’s all done, but I’ve got a couple of tweaks planned to maybe add a little more coherence to the existing chapters. I’ve got one drawn out now that’s just waiting for inks that will fit in nicely towards the end of Chapter 13 (the farewell episode). Then I’ve got some ideas for the title sequence, Chapter 3.

Other than that, it’s full steam ahead.

The Word

The Art of Comics
Ok, so I had an amazing time teaching The Art of Comics at CIA from February to April of this year. My students were wonderful sports and I think we all had a great time together. I just posted up images of their final projects, which they worked all eight weeks on. If I taught them anything (they say I did), they at least know now that comics are hard work! (So is blogging, sorry guys). They each did an amazing job and I’m so proud of each of them. Go see for yourself!

The other reason I bring this up is, I’m teaching the class AGAIN this summer, beginning June 12th. Same deal, eight weeks of intensive and far-reaching comics lessons, breaking it down by each element that goes into making a comics work. Classes are three hours, from 4 to 7 on Saturdays. Tell your friends, if they love comics, they might not want to miss this.

Breakfast Sesame
We never thought he could do it, but my brother made an animation that is not sick, dirty, offensive or weird (well, it’s still weird). Breakfast Soup’s Birdsie and Soupy open a detective agency to help kids learn for a Sesame Street contest! I give it four bees, so watch it now!
The Birdsie and Soupy Detective Agency

Digital Art Revolution
My former boss (and my brother’s former teacher), artist Scott Ligon recently released his long-awaited book on the technical and aesthetic concerns associated with making art on computers, Digital Art Revolution. It’s really a pretty comprehensive book and highly recommended (and not just because it has my brother’s work in it).

Scott’s running a blog now attached to the book, and he recently did a post where he featured me and my work. I was really touched by this. Working with him and his students was one of the hardest things to walk away from when I left CIA. Anyway, go learn something

Sacred Heart
Liz Suburbia got new equipment! Now she can post up her new pages for her work-in-progress, Sacred Heart. Really worth a look. Also, as if that weren’t enough, she’s coloring things! With Photoshop! Check this out:

From one of my favorite films, no less. Like Jamie Hewlett, Liz packs her comic full of awesome shit that adds a whole extra layer of enjoyment picking through.

Yonic Clonic and the End of the Universe
Lala has a new comic out and I am so excited to get my hands on it. Look at this beautiful cover:

Next Week

So next week, I will hopefully receiving one of those nice green(gray? colorblind…) books, but also I will heading to SPACE. The full significance of that statement will be lost on all except a very small few. I’m excited. Anyone else going?

I should also have that new old Spoilers insert up. STAY TUNED hearts.

Hi guys, big things have been happening!

So so much, I will have a couple of real posts for you all in the next week or so with actual content!

In the mean time, check out the beautiful photography of my man, Richard Cline. (Richard is the other half of Sean Malloy Pictures, first-rate filmmakers from sunny northern Virginia. Their new short film, The Gains and Losses of Porter Harmon is set to be released very soon.)

See you in a few, sportsfans!

from Tanna Tucker's sketchbook

So much is going on around me! Let’s take a moment to pay attention to the state of this community of movers and shakers, shall we?
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Where have you been?

I’ve been teaching a class about comics, man, and it is the best. Andy Silva may be going to weddings with every musician we came-of-age to, but I’m leaving my own kind of dream right here in Cleveland.

I’ve been pretty busy with all that for the past week or two, so I don’t have much else to write about here. I’ve been running a blog for the class that has some things that might interest a comics fan, so check that out when you have the time. Also, Liz Suburbia is still putting up new pages of her comic, Sacred Heart

I’ve been considering doing some reader participation week here, which would be a half-cover for me just wanting people to comment more. I’m also genuinely interested in other people, so it wouldn’t be a total ego thing. I’m thinking of doing polls like “What do you believe in?” or “What do you look forward to in the day?” How does that idea sound? (that could be another one of the survey questions)

Love you guys!

I put up a site for my class, The Art of Comics, beginning next week. I’ll be posting all kinds of interesting comics related stuff so it might be worth checking out! I will use this as a supplement blog to the class, so I plan for it to grow over the eight week period.

Hi gang.

I’ve been pretty busy so far and it’s already February, can you believe that? The years plan of having it all come together seems to be working out pretty well which is really positive!

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