SDCC - Thanx for an Awesome Time

Well I'm back on the south side of Peoria where is is HOT, but just a week ago I was in San Diego for the annual San Diego Comic Con. I had a great time and spent way too much money.

- -- People say SDCC is not about comics any more, but the above box was empty when I started the weekend. Sure the whole convention is not about comics any more, but if you are looking for comics there are tons of them to be found. I bought a nice stack of Kirby's FF and Thor books, a new Charles Burns book, a couple of mini-comics and a bunch of miscellaneous comics. I also picked up a couple of Ashley Wood books which were to big for the box.

- -- One of the best parts of this years SDCC was doing the Space Mummy Figure Drops. This was tough to do in the convention center with so many people and security, so most of the drops happened off site. I also did a couple drops in Arizona before leaving.

I basically provided a couple pictures to hint at the location of the figure via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

The best place to drop the figures turned out to be the garage where I was parking my vehicle. During one of my trips back to drop off some of the comic I had purchased, I ran into a guy on the elevator. He noticed my shirt and then told me that he knew who I was and was on the hunt for the Space Mummy figure.

His name was Daniel and he was one cool dude. It was so Awesome to meet someone on the hunt for one of my figures. This 10-15 minute meeting was my highlight for the convention.

I hooked Daniel up with a couple of Space Monstas comics to go with his new figure. 

- -- Maybe the second highlight of the show was handing out Cousin Harold comics Friday morning at the start of the show. My wife and I handed out 200 books in 10 minutes to a bunch of happy con goers. Great Times!

- -- I'm not a big fan of cosplay, but these guys are my favorites (and also close friends). Always great to see them at shows.

I'm sure I could go on and on about SDCC, it is my favorite show each year. But it is over and I have to wait another year for a new adventure. That also means I have to get back to work.

- -- Which means it's back to making figures and comics. wrapping up Zack Zombie and the Invisible Astronauts this week. I'm sure I will have a few more pictures to share next week. On the comic front. I'm back to working on Cousin Harold and the circus storyline. I'm also doing a page in a special project for a friend (will share more once the page is complete).

That is all for this week.

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

Always Something Going On

It has been HOT out here on the south side of Peoria, record breaking HOT! And this heat has been messing with my productivity. Hoping to get on my grind a little harder this last few weeks of summer. Thinking about pulling some late nights.

- -- I'm so thankful that my family puts up with me. I do not have actual space for my creative energies, so I have to take space where I can find it. This is 1/3 of our kitchen table.

There are at least 4 different figures at some point in the creation process in these piles. Seriously though I'm working on way too many projects at one time.

- -- The San Diego Comic Con is coming up and while I'm not tabling this year I'm still putting together some stuff for the show. First up is the Cousin Harold SDCC Special. This is a collection of 3 of my favorite stories.

 

Sent this off to the print this past week and if all works out, I should have them to hand out at SDCC. Probably somewhere out front during the show Thursday or Friday. I will let you know via Instagram when the book is being handed out.

- -- Also I have made up these Space Mummy resin figures to do some Figure Drops (Art Drops) during SDCC.

Again I will be letting you know during SDCC via Instagram when and where I'm hiding the figures for you to find.

- -- In addition to this stuff I'm working on the Cousin Harold webcomic each and everyday/ Plus putting in some work on the next Space Monstas comic. 

Hope you are out there creating also!

take care,

- denny

Where?

Where did the time go? It's been 2 weeks since I posted a newsletter update. I have been really busy making comics and wrapping up the summer day job. Much has happened in those 2 weeks.

- -- The Comics Never Stop SDCC Edition has been published. We have printed over 3000 of these papers to hand out. Most will be handed out in the Gaslamp District before and after the San Diego Comic Con each day. Some will make it to the normal stops in Arizona this coming weekend. If you cannot find one you can always stop by Small Press M11 and M12 if you are at the San Diego Comic Con and ask for a copy.

- -- Last newsletter I shared a few of the strips that are in the paper. Above are some of the others. The paper looks awesome. I hope you can get yourself a copy.

- -- Today I wrapped up strips for Cousin Harold 10 and sent the book off to the printers. If all goes well I should have copies at SDCC for sale and will be sending Kickstarter packs out the Monday before I leave for the convention. Cover pictured above. This issue features a 28 page story. While I had fun writing a longer piece. I think I enjoy writing the smaller pieces more. I have some plans to try something that mixes the two ideas for a storyline that will be running in issues 12-14. More information on this when I start working on that story.

- -- Making an Ashcan Variant Edition of the Space Mummy resin figure to sell at SDCC these will be limited to 13 and will be priced at $40 each. I will also have the regular edition of the Space Mummy figure available for $30 at the convention.

- -- Comic of the week - So many good ones.- I would have to say it was Tobudasai by Laurent Romero. Part Toriyama/Part Aragones all fun. I really enjoyed this book quite a bit.

Okay I should be back Sunday morning with a little more information about the San Diego Comic Con, until then Take Care!

-denny

Publisher Hat On

Well it is HOT on the west side of town today 120+ HOT. Good thing I'm inside typing up this newsletter post.

- --This week has been about the Comics Never Stop paper. Strips were due last week and as usual we had some no shows. So I found some people to to those peoples spots and strips are rolling in. Also one of the advertisers did not come through (probably because they were tied to one of the strips that did not arrive). So lots of scrabbling is going on this week. Still a little was from being ready to send it off to the printers, but this volume of the paper looks great. (I will be sharing the title panels of a few of the strips throughout this post).

- -- I spent my week working on the Cousin Harold strip for the paper. This strip was based on a mistake image that I create din Illustrator a couple of years ago. I accidentally deleted everythins but Harold's eyes and nose and thought it looked cool. So I filled that image away in the back of my head and waited until I had a chance to use it.

- -- Switching to SDCC mode even though I have a couple weeks of summer school to teach I still have a comic to finish (Cousin Harold 10) and some special color ways of the Space Mummy resin Figure to make (the heart jems arrived yesterday).

- -- Comic of the week, Fantastic Four #99 by Lee and Kirby. I love these FF issues and I'm so glad my family takes me to the comic shop for my birthday and father's day to pick one out.

Okay until next week, take care of yourself and be nice to others - we are all in this together!

-denny

Making the Old, New Again!

I feel like I say "WOW, What a week!" every week. But that is the way my creative life has been lately. Many projects that I have dreamt of for years are finally coming together.

- -- I have always want to make collectable cards. When I had just graduated high school I tried to make football cards of my brother while he played high school ball. At that point, I did not have technology (ie. Photoshop) and was not successful. Fast forward 20+ years and I have done it, a collectable card for my new series Space Monstas.

In addition to the cars I have tried making a wax pack type packaging for them. I think it will do, so now on to make the set of cards.

- -- On the comic front I'm working hard on Cousin Harold 10. The story is turning out great with several turns and twist that I did not expect. I will hopefully get this book done in time for SDCC

- -- And speaking of SDCC, Comics Never Stop will be releasing a special edition paper to hand out in the Gaslamp District during the show. Hope to see you there!

- -- Comic of the Week, Casanova Acedia #5. I just love this series. I cannot say enough good things about the whole Casanova run. If you have the funds buy yourself all the trades and enjoy.

Well that is about it for this week. A couple days late and the day job has started again, so I'm squeezing in comic work when I can.

-denny

What A Show!

WOW! The Phoenix Comicon turned out way better than I had expected. From the energy in the air to the good vibes on the vendor floor. I had a great time this year and rathe than going on and on about things I'm gonna let the pictures do most of my talking.(after all a picture is worth a 1000 words).

Love seeing convention booty pictures. 

I love them even more when they have things I created in them.

Bily Foster, Myself and Eric Mengel. 

Bily has been a huge supporter of Eric and myself for years. 

He has gotten our faces in front of many people,

 who might never even know who we are.

My beautiful wife helping at the table while I had some panels.

Tony Stephens and I on the Heroes with Disablilties panel. 

I met Tony a couple of years ago, he is a great man that has 

dreams of making comics that include character with 

disabilities. I cannot wait to read what he comes up with.

I think this is the 5th time Eric Mengel and I have given our 

DIY Comic talk. The room was packed again this year and we talk 

one on one with many of the attendees at our booths throughout 

the weekend. I cannot wait to read the comics that many of these 

people are planning on creating.

Eric Mengel and myself ready to take on the world, or at least the comic world.

That time that Bleeding Cool interviewed me. 

- --I would love to shout out all of the people at the show that I interacted with, but I'm sure I would forget someone and feel very bad about it. So know that every conversation from the smallest "Hey nice seeing you" to the longest "story of my life" conversation meant a lot to me. I learned more at this convention as a person than I had at any convention I have ever attended.

- -- Oh yeah and I still have some Space Monstas - Space Mummy figures left. Hit up my online store if you want one. Each figure comes with a limited edition Space Monstas mini-comic.

- -- Comic of the Week - hmm -- Moon Knight #3. This series is really trying something different, at least that is how I feel. I cannot wait to read the whole storyline again once it is finished.

- -- As for now I'm working hard to complete Cousin Harold 10 in time for the San Diego Comic Con. I will be tabling in the small press area this year. Plus we are prepping a special edition of the Comics Never Stop newspaper for SDCC. More on these things next week. I gotta get to the drawing board (or computer in my case) and start drawing. These comics are not going to draw themselves.

Take Care, 

-denny

San Diego Comic Con is this weekend

I usually do not table at SDCC, I go as a fan. But for the last few years I have been helping the Cartoon Art Museum of San Francisco raise money at their sketch-a-thon. This year is not different so swing by Booth #1930 and buy some cool original art for a $10 donation. If you want art by me, I will be there Thursday 11am-12pm and Sunday 12pm-1pm.

(picture of me drawing at the booth last year)

Also you can follow my Instagram feed to see what type of shennanigans I get up to while at SDCC. And if you see me walking around, don't be afraid to say "Hi!" (unless it's Thursday because I really want to meet David Aja and I might be on my way to wait in line for an autograph, which is rare for me.)

-denny!