Another Day, Another Dollar

Out here on the south side of Peoria it is still HOT! Also my summer of being a creator is over because my day job started this past week. And as Murphy's Law states, things are finally starting to happen as I'm now at a loss for time.

- -- Wrapped up a couple of new Space Monstas figures this week.

Zack Zombie is now out there in the world. The character will be featured in the next Space Monstas storyline. He is also one of the original 7 planned figures.

The Invisible Astronaut. I came up with this figure idea after I started making the Space Monstas figures. I had planned on holding off on making him, but then I got several other ideas and I realized by the time I got around to making this figure I would have a couple handfuls of other ideas. So I was a little stuck because I needed to get through the original 7 figures that I had planned. Then I remembered how the Boba Fett figure was introduced into the world, as a FREE figure. So I decided to make the Invisible Astronaut my first free figure. All you have to do is purchase 3 Space Monstas figures at one time and I will include an Invisible Astronaut for FREE (while supplies last).

These figures were released on Instagram and in person yesterday and already 2 people took advantage of the buy 3 get IA FREE deal. The figures will be up in my online store by the end of the day today.

- -- Working hard on Cousin Harold. The Harold at the circus storyline starts up again shortly and I'm very excited about it. Many pieces of this storyline were inspired by the Japanese manga magazine Coro Coro. Check out what is happening with Harold and friends 5 days a week here. 

Those are the projects that I'm working on personally at the moment. However I have been invited to start working on a podcast (today we record the first episode). I have been invited to contribute to a redraw project (hopefully doing my page next weekend). And there are other things in talk.

Take care,

- denny

SDCC is this Week!

Out here on the south side of Peoria it is still HOT! Good thing I'm heading out to San Diego on Wednesday.

I will not be tabling at SDCC this year. I'm a comic fan at heart and SDCC is the only show I attend as a fan. Last year I tried to table, but it just wasn't for me. With that said I will still be promoting my comic and resin figure work at the show this year with 2 special giveaways.

         

- -- First up is the Cousin Harold SDCC Special. This book is a collection of 3 of my favorite stories. I will be handing out copies of this book outside the convention center on Friday (Probably in the morning hours. Check my Instagram for more info on Saturday morning.

- -- Second up is the Space Mummy Figure Drop figure.

I will be hiding these figures around San Diego as I travel. Both inside and outside the convention. I will be sharing hints on Instagram about where to find them. Also I will be hiding 2 in Arizona before I leave.

- -- Wrapped up production of the Space Mumm (Black Matter Variant). This figure came out of my greatest discovery from earlier this year, photocopying on black paper. This figures will be in my online shop by the end of the day Sunday - $40 each.

- -- I'm wrapping up production on Zack Zombie and the Invisible Astronaut. Trying something new here, the Invisible Astronaut will be available for FREE with the purchase of 3 Space Monsta Figures or for purchase. Hoping to having these finished by the end of July.

Okay that is all for this week.

Take Care,

- denny

I'm a Bootlegger!

It has gotten really HOT out on the south side of Peoria.

So this week I attended a mold making seminar at Reynolds and they had us introduce ourselves and state what our interest was in mold making. i said "Denny and I'm a Bootlegger!" I really like that title, Bootlegger. Makes me feel a little sinister. Oh well on to what I have been doing, which is mostly Bootlegging.

- -- The stickers arrived for my Invisible Astronaut release.

So when I originally conceived the Space Monstas figures/universe/idea, I came up with 7 figures and stories that went with those figures. These stories were going to take me 3-4 years to complete. As I started to make figures I began to get addition ideas for figures and stories. How would I add these figures in befor I even got through the original 7? Well how did they add Boba Fett to Star Wars? He was a FREE send away with 5 proof of purchases. 

So I have decide to take that idea and play with it. Each year I will be adding a figure to the Space Monstas Universe via FREE with Purchase. Sure you can buy the Invisible Astronaut when he is released, but you could also just get him for FREE if you purchase 3 other Space Monstas figures from me (while supplies last). What a deal, right? I also have a short story featuring the Invisible Astronaut, that I'm hoping to get to after I wrap up the story I'm working on now.

- -- Production on the Zack Zombie figure and Invisible astronaut is happening daily, This heat is killing the amount of pours that I can do at a time because the resin is curing so fast. So I'm pouring 3 parts at a time, which means I'm getting about one figure poured every hour.

I did have a chance to finalize the card backers for both of these figures.

Zack Zombie and the Invisible Astronaut are scheduled to be release the last Friday of July at this point.

- -- Cousin Harold strips are being produced at a rate of about 5 a week. Really enjoying Fester and Lea's first case together storyline. The strips will start running later this week or early next week. Also started producing a Cousin Harold book to hand out at SDCC this year. More information on this book in the next couple of weeks.

Okay that is about it for now. Have a GREAT week!

Take care,

- denny   

Things are Not Always as They Appear to Be

It's getting HOT out here on the southside of Peoria in Arizona. Expecting 120 degrees on Tuesday. Looks like I will be spending a lot of time inside making comics and figures.

So this week I had an experience at the gym that reminded me that "Things are Not Always as They Appear to Be!" The nice elderly woman on the elliptical never to me told me that she does not like to workout next to me because of how fast I go and the amount of calories that I burn. Those that know me, know that I'm a big man with a weight problem. I'm over 100 lbs over weight. I would like to lose about 75 lbs and I would be happy. I go to the gym 5-6 days a week and workout really hard (I'm a beast, really), but I love sweets. So every pound that I work off I put back on eating donuts, cookies and ice cream. This summer I'm doing a little better and actually losing weight because I'm eating less sweets. However I'm not happy with myself at the gym and I always feel like I could have worked out harder. So where this lady sees someone who is successful, I feel like I'm not even close to being there.

The same could be true for comics and figure making. I make a ton of things each year and people make comments that they wish they could produce like I do. However I'm always thinking I can do more. This has been my main thought this summer so far, becaus eI have been a little lazy in the creation department. But things are still getting made at a fairly steady pace. I have 2 figures in production, with a third/fourth starting soon. I'm about halfway through Cousin Harold 13. I also have a few pages of the next Space Monstas book drawn. So while many people see what I do and think that I'm successful, I feel like I'm not even close to being there.

- -- Production is in full swing on the Invisible Astronaut and Zack Zombie.

Hoping to drop these figures at the end of July. Both will be $40 or there is a special deal for the Invisible Astronaut figure.

The Invisible Astronaut will be FREE with the purchase of 3 other figures (while supplies last).

- -- Cousin Harold comic production is in full swing. I making 5-6 strips a week. About halfway through issue 13. If you have not check out the strip lately there is a ton to read here.

- -- Some big plans are in the works for Space Monstas. Working on a FCBD edition fpr next year, which will guest star someone else's character. Very Excited about this, but probably will not be able to share anything until early 2018.

Also working on the next Space Monstas story, where the Space Mummy fights a bunch of asteroid zombies. This story is going to be a little long (the goal is a 100 page mini-comic), so I'm planning on dropping some preview mini-comics along the way. More info to come.

Okay that is about it. I still feel like I should be doing more, maybe that is what makes me look a bit more successful than the next guy (even though I do not think this). I do however think that I'm a BEAST when it comes to creating things and at working out.

Hope you all have a great week,

- denny

Stay TRUE to You!

Things have been moving at a slow pace out here on the south side of Peoria, Arizona. Although things are happening and plans are being made well into 2018 already.

This week I realized something. It is something that I have always known, something that I always say, but still I found myself working against these core beliefs. Let's rewind a little...

People know how I feel about prints, - "You do not own that character, so why are you trying to make money off of it?" "Why not just do your own thing instead of Deadpool prints?" These are things I have said over and over, but yet I found myself in a small catch-22.

A year ago I started to make bootleg figures. Although my original figures just used parts of other figures and were modified to look like my characters. It wasn't going to be long before I was purely bootlegging.

A couple of weeks ago I shared the above picture on Instagram and talked about my secret project that I was working in. That secret project was going to be my first mash-up bootleg figure. The Picachewie, pictured below.

I thought it was an awesome idea. Everyone loves Picachu and everyone loves Chewbacca, I would sell them all without a problem. This might be true, but there was still a problem - I was really not interested in doing this figure. The whole time I was molding and pulling figures, I could not wait to be done and get back to making Space Monstas figures. 

So I scraped it.

Through trying to make this figure, I rediscovered why I make figures, comics, trading cards, t-shirt, etc. - - - I make them for ME! I'm glad that people enjoy my work, but I make the work for me first. And I believe that is why people enjoy my work, because I enjoy it and I'm passionate about it.

Not sure if all that make sense, I could go on an on about some things here, but I wanted to make it quick this week so I can finish molding the newest addition to the Space Monstas Universe, the Invisible Astronaut.

The picture above is a sneak of the body for this figure. I have something really special planned with this guy. He is not one of the original 7 figures I created for the Space Monstas Universe and was not going to get to him for a while, but then it hit me, the perfect way to add him into the universe. Hope to share more about this plan next week.

Take Care,

- denny

PS. If you check my Instagram, you will see a picture of a Pink Wookiee or Pookiee (as I call him) I'm still making this figure, but it probably will never be for sale. It is a gift for my friend Gary, who dresses up as a pink wookiee for conventions.