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EDIT:  added one more convention

Spring is here, and with it comes robins, warm weather and comic cons!  And I'll be visiting a few robins promoting my comic book, The Underburbs.  Here's the spring schedule, copied directly from where I typed it before in the Underburbs' journal:

Boston Comic Con, April 21-22

Held for the second year in the Hynes Convention Center, this is where we'll be debuting Underburbs #12: Death Rides a Hobby Horse.  As always, we'll be doing sketches, saying hello to all the con regulars, and having an all-around good time.  You should have a good time, too.  This is one of the places where you can do so.

Maine Comic Arts Festival, May 20

This one was a close call.  We kinda didn't quite remember to register for this show right away, and got put on a waiting list for a table.  But one rainy Palm Sunday, I got an email stating that we were moved to the top of said list.  So now we have a table, and unlike the starving grasshopper of fable, we will never have to learn our lesson about procrastination.  But I did learn one thing: if it's that hard to grab table space in Maine, then this show is getting wildly popular, as well it should.  If you don't know about MECAF, then let me lay it on you: it's held in a fancy new convention center in downtown Portland, and it's filled with indie comic artists.  No dealers.  It's always a good time, and I was going to spend all year being really bummed if we were to miss it.  So don't miss it, or you'll be bummed too.

Philadelphia Comic Con, June 1-3

As of the typing of this journal, we only just sent the check to the fine people at Wizard.  But you and I both know that Wizard puts on humongous shows with sprawling Artist Alleys, so getting in shouldn't be a problem.  It's this kind of premature action and glaring hubris that got us where we are today!  So come down to the Philadelphia Convention Center on the first weekend in June, and justify our arrogance!  Hm.  Not sure if that's the angle I wanted to go with this.  Oh well, I'm just shooting from the hip here.  Typing whatever comes to mind.  Anyway, on to the next con which is

GraniteCon, June 10

In 2012, we hit New Hampshire later than ever before!  Seriously, this one's always been in May.  Anyway, GraniteCon, held at the Radisson in Downtown Manchester, is a small show with a big heart.  No other show packs as many different forms of entertainment in such a small space and lives to tell the tale.

So that's that until the fall!  See you at the-- oh, dammit, did I say that I was going to visit robins?  I meant comic cons.  That's not even a simple mistake.  It seems more like a written joke.  And it's not even too late to change it, I mean, here I am typing about it.  Why am I clicking Pubish Ent
  • Listening to: The Shins, Port of Morrow
  • Watching: Home Movies
  • Playing: Kid Icarus (3D Classics and Uprising)
  • Eating: Crispy Chicken Sandwich
  • Drinking: Seven Gables Golden
Yeah, so my title isn't very clever.  Just wanted to wish everyone a joyous holiday season.  I hope to have more artwork to show in 2012.  In the meantime, why not be my friend?  My 3DS Friend, that is!  My code is 4983-4974-5354.

3DS Friends: be sure to download Swapnote!  It's free!
  • Listening to: Richard Harvey's Nifty Digits
  • Reading: Damned
  • Watching: The Wire
  • Playing: Mighty Switch Force
  • Eating: Chicken Sandwich & Buffalo Chips
  • Drinking: Sam Adams Cherry Wheat
Ladies and gentlemen, I am beat.

New York Comic Con has come and gone, and it has left me a battered shell of a man.  But rather than tell you all about soul-crushing disappointment, I'll focus on the good stuff.  Thanks to ZeroForever for the birthday present, even though I had nothing in return except the stuff you already paid for.  Thanks to Jim Whaley for not only buying one of my books but giving one of yours, and citing me as an inspiration.  That means a lot to me.  Also, thanks to the gentleman who was not only an Underburbs fan, but a Legendary Sidekick fan as well.  For those of you who don't know, that's a novel my brother wrote.  He was pretty excited to hear that someone actually bought it (his words)!  And as always, thanks to everyone who came out to the con.  It may not have been our best show, but it's good to know that we could be there to keep our fans happy and even gain a few new ones.
  • Mood: Defeated
Apparently, I am alive.  So that's the first bit of good news.  Even though you wouldn't know it by the looks of this gallery, I've been pretty busy.  Just last month, I hung a show of Underburbs artwork at a friend's gallery in Beverly, MA.  It's called Labour Party Films [link]

The show will run (I assume) until Halloween.  Also, I've been working on the next issue of The Underburbs, as usual.

What's unusual is that after way too many years of sitting on a Bachelor's in Fine Arts, I finally got some real illustration work sent my way!  I did a piece for Purina recently.  You can check it out at purinapetfun.com [link]

Mine is the fifth pic.  It's an Egyptian mummy motif.  And you can even stick one of your own photos in a sarcophagus!  If that doesn't make you want to buy doggie treats, then I don't know what will.

Oh, and if anyone needs more solid proof that I'm alive and kicking, then be sure to come to the New York Comic Con, October 13-16.  I'll be in booth #2541 (listed as the Inkwell Awards booth), selling Underburbs comic books, sketches, T-shirts, prints and all that stuff.  Plus, the 13th is my birthday, so all weekend if you guess my age, you get a free card!  (The cards are free anyway, but it should still be fun.)

EDIT:  Well, 700,000 hits have come and gone.  Thanks, everybody!  I will do everything in my power to have something new up here by the end of the month.  In the meantime, why not head over to my other gallery?  Take a look at some more drawings, maybe even leave some comments.  And don't forget to come to NYCC!

Other gallery --->  :iconunderburbs:
  • Listening to: April March
  • Reading: Chuck Palahniuk, "Tell-All"
  • Watching: Community
  • Playing: Super Mario Land 2
  • Eating: Turkey Chili & Corn Dogs
  • Drinking: Dr. Pepper
First off, I want to thank everyone for coming here and lookin' at my stuff.  I enjoy reading your comment and even clicking on your favorites.  (I like to know that my artwork is in good standing.)  I especially want to thank my commissioners for commissioning me, and for sharing your paid artwork with the rest of the Internet.  (At least in lo-res.  The buyer has to get some kind of perk!)  And on that note, commissions will be closed for awhile.  (But don't worry, there's still one more in progress to look forward to!)

This summer, as with most summers, as well as pat of various springs and autumns, I'll be heading to a couple places once again promoting my comic, The Underburbs.  I'll be heading to your town, just so long as you live in either Philadelphia or Chicago.  (Rosemont, really.)  I'm also looking to spend more of my art time working on more issues of said comic.  Real life has all but halted production, but my cohort, T.J. Dort, and I are finally getting back into the swing of things.  We also have T-shirts now.  Exciting times we live in, eh?

If you would like to know more about The Underburbs, go here ---> :iconunderburbs:

Well, that's it for now!  Gothemon is hereby officially my 600,000 pageview special!  See ya!
  • Listening to: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
  • Reading: Scary Go Round
  • Watching: The Green Hornet (2011)
  • Playing: Mega Man X
  • Eating: Cookout stuff
  • Drinking: Cherry Coke
ART FOR SALE

Everything must go!  I have a lot of traveling to do this sumer, for both The Underburbs and personal stuff.  And that means paying for hotel rooms, maintaining the vehicle, and taking more days off work than I have vacation time.  Therefore, any extra scratch is welcome.  But I don't like to ask for something for nothing.  (I still feel weird about asking for something for something.)  I am offering to sell my two latest non-commission sequences, 500,000 Pageview Special and Milking the Milestone at a lowered rate from my commissions.  

500K comes in two varieties: the original line art on grey card stock, and a photocopied version with pencil shading.  Each are 3 pages long for $75, or both sets for $100.

Milestone is two pages of grey card stock, pencil-shaded and inked, for $60.

Send me a note if you're interested!

---

It must be time to open up some slots for commissions.  I'm thinking three or so, as comic convention season is fast approaching, and that will keep me busy for most of May/June.  If there are any takers, I charge $50 per color page, generally done with a mix of markers and watercolor, sized 8.5"x11".  Also, I know a lot of you guys love to write, but let's see if we can keep these down to six pages or less, with no more than 6-7 panels to a page.  They don't all have to be epics.  I don't mean to sound presumptuous, imposing limits on people good enough to want to pay me to draw.  But it's just practical, especially if I have a backlog.

SLOTS:

1:  Dr. Otto
Learning Japanese 102
STATUS: DONE

2:  ZeroForever
Overlord Bob series
STATUS: in progress (for reals!)

3: Mako
The Fall of Camelot
STATUS: DONE
  • Listening to: Cut Copy, "Zonoscope"
  • Reading: An Object of Beauty
  • Watching: Fawlty Towers
  • Playing: Castlevania IV
  • Eating: Fried Chicken
  • Drinking: Danger Punch
Wow, I just realized that I've finally reached 500,000 pageviews!  Thanks for watching, everybody.  As with the last several such milestones, I'm too busy to commemorate it with much of anything, really.  Actually, you know what?  That's a bunch of crap.  I can let stuff like that slide for 350,000 or 400,000.  But this is one half of one million we're talking about.  I'll see if I can't whip something up.  Some sort of pictorial thank-you is in order.  And you'll get it once I figure out what that is.
  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Radiohead: "The King of Limbs"
  • Reading: The Underburbs
  • Watching: Monty Python's Flying Circus
  • Playing: Lost in Shadow
  • Eating: Sushi
  • Drinking: Brown Ale
Commissions are closed for awhile, so as the rest of the Showdown and Overlord Bob stuff trickles in, I just want to breathe a quick sigh of relief.  This is the busiest I've ever been with commissions.  I've done my share, sure, but not usually all at once like this.  I want to thank all my various commissioners for deciding my stuff was good enough to pay for, and then share it with the rest of the Internet.  And of course, I want to thank everyone for watching and leaving comments.

Okay, relief time is over.  I gotta get back to work on The Underburbs and start planning out comic conventions.
  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Esben and the Witch, Social Network sdtk
  • Reading: "I ain't got time to read."
  • Watching: Powerpuff Girls, The Social Network
  • Playing: Cave Story DS, Again
  • Eating: Chicken Tomato Basil Casserole
  • Drinking: Celebratory Screwdriver
My most recent commission is entitled Showdown at Grave's Dam.  It's set in the Old West, and it was written by thrandrall and illustrated by myself.  Rather than throw all twelve pages at you, we've agreed to post this in installments every Monday and Thursday.  He'll be posting them on his site first, then I'll follow.  So if you want to keep up with the story right away, you'll have to go here:  [link]

He's commissioned a lot of work from a lot of other great artists, so be sure to look around while you're there.  And be sure to come back here to leave comments and such!  I know I don't reply often, but I do appreciate the feedback.

---

Slots:

1. :iconzeroforever:
STATUS: awaiting poll results

2. Dr. Otto
STATUS: in progress

That's it for now, as I'm going to be starting the next Underburbs issue soon, so I'll be tied up with that and the day job.

---

Just a quick reminder:  I know a lot of you out there enjoy my commission work, but remember that it is commission work.  Loli's Curse, Overlord Bob, etc., are all commissions.  They are written and paid for by someone else.  That means that I will not make new installments on my own, so there's no need to ask me.
  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: The Go! Team "Rolling Blackouts"
  • Reading: The Walking Dead, Genshiken
  • Watching: Powerpuff Girls complete series
  • Playing: Cave Story DS
  • Eating: Flufferwaffles
  • Drinking: OJ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~UPDATE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My most recent commission is entitled Shootout at Grave's Dam.  It's set in the Old West, and it was written by thrandrall and illustrated by myself.  Rather than throw all twelve pages at you, we've agreed to post this in installments every Monday and Thursday.  He'll be posting them on his site first, then I'll follow.  So if you want to keep up with the story right away, you'll have to go here:  [link]

He's commissioned a lot of work from a lot of other great artists, so be sure to look around while you're there.  And be sure to come back here to leave comments and such!  I know I don't reply often, but I do appreciate the feedback.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, it's not much of a New Year's resolution, but this year, I'll try to make it much more clear how my commissions work. I just got done a big one, so expect to see it here very soon. I'll be posting it in installments over the next few weeks, per the commissioner's request. Anyway, while I was plugging away at this one (12 pages, watercolor), I was getting requests left and right. (I know, being awesome is sooooo hard, right?)

My point is that after 33 years on this planet, I still have trouble keeping or even conceiving of a schedule. But I can make excuses like a pro. Anyone who's sent me a note about commissions has probably gotten back one or a combination of the following:

•Sucky day job; no time for art

•Doing other commission; real doozy

•Trying to do another issue of The Underburbs

•Preparing for comic convention; will hopefully be doing sketches all weekend

•Real-life interference; holidays, weddings, etc.

And while these excuses will still exist, the least I can do is put up some simple commission slots, so at least people will know when I'm busy. I wish I could adhere to a time frame, but I work 8-9 hours a day with a one-hour commute. I mean, if you guys want to keep me so busy that I have no choice but to quit my day job, I'm okay with that, too. But anyway, as soon as I shoot some emails out to some of my prospective commissions (in the order that I received them), I'll post that info here.

Speaking of info, I guess I should post prices. For a full color, comic style thingie, it's $50 per 8.5"x11" page. If you have a whole story in mind, I'll try to do some thumbnails first to see how many pages it will actually be. I know some folks like to hand me a panel-by-panel script, and if so, please try to keep it down to 6-7 at the most. I can't really squeeze any more onto a page that size.

That's it for now. It's 3AM and I need to sleep. Happy New Year!
  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Esben and the Witch
  • Reading: Getsuken
  • Watching: Netflix! It's like having last year's cable!
  • Playing: Geometry Wars: Galaxies
  • Eating: Cough Drops
  • Drinking: No alcohol on New Year's (>_<)
I was just browsing the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 website when I came across this:

[link]

So, like, do I win something?  Do I get a free copy?  I don't own either of the HD twins, but still...
  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Wolf Parade, "Expo 86"
  • Reading: Empowered!
  • Watching: Dexter
  • Playing: DKCR
  • Eating: Meat Loaf
  • Drinking: Apple Cider

Overlord Bob, you so CRAZY!

Sat Nov 6, 2010, 5:55 AM
You may have seen the four comics and bonus pin-ups that :iconzeroforever: commissioned me to do.  But did you know that there are others?  Well, there are.  To be precise, there's an intro, 3 more heroes, and a conclusion.  All of which were done by other people.  You can see them right here:

[link]

Enjoy!  I know I did, due in large part to the fact that my designs are being used, and I didn't have to lift a pencil to see them in action!  Golly, I'm a trendsetter!  *blush*  Seriously, they're all great artists, and you should check out their stuff.  And you were checking out their stuff already, do it some more.

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Belle and Sebastian, "Write AboutLove"
  • Reading: Scud: the Whole Shebang
  • Watching: Six Feet Under, Archer
  • Playing: Kirby's Epic Yarn, MH3, Klonoa, Trauma Ctr (busy!)
  • Eating: Meat Loaf
  • Drinking: Apple Cider

Change in Plans!

Fri Oct 15, 2010, 8:39 PM
Well, the NYCC was awesome.  Thanks to everybody who came down and made it our BEST CON EVER.  After that performance, the Underburbs team is ready for more!  We're still waiting to hear back, but there's a good chance we'll be able to get a table at the Inkwell Awards booth at Wizard World New England, Oct. 15-17!  (T.J. will be selling books and booking sketches on Friday, and I'll be there on Saturday and Sunday, selling books and doing sketches.)  We'll keep you posted.

UPDATE!!

It's official!  I will be at WWNE this Saturday and Sunday, piggybacking on the Inkwell Awards table!  See Adam West and Burt Ward!  The General Lee! Third-stringers from Buffy!  Be in the same building as the President of the United States (Saturday only)!  But most of all, buy copies of The Underburbs and commission sketches from me!

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Social Network sdtk, Matador @ 21
  • Reading: Scott Pilgrim (about damn time)
  • Watching: Six Feet Under, Archer
  • Playing: Shantae: Risky's Revenge, X-Scape
  • Eating: Chinese food
  • Drinking: Pumpkin Beer

NYCC/NYAF

Sun Sep 26, 2010, 9:28 AM
I'm going to be at the New York Comic Con/Anime Fest at the Javits Center from October 8-10.  I won't be in Artist's Alley, but I'll be in a booth somewhere with a bunch of other great Boston-area artists.  I'll be doing sketches and selling my comic, The Underburbs, along with my collaborator, T.J. Dort.  We'll have the 10th issue just in time for the show, and it's our first full-color issue, so that's kind of a big deal for us.  Hope to see you there!

Also, on October 16, three days after my 33rd birthday, I'll be doing an in-store appearance at Harrisson's Comics and Collectibles in downtown Salem, MA.  The Halloween capital of America will be an appropriate setting to sell my Halloween-based comic book.  I plan on taking the money of many a tourist, and I hope you can be one of them.  If you come, also feel free to wander across the street to the Coven Cafe, where a whole wall's worth of original Underburbs artwork is hanging.

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Interpol, Arcade Fire
  • Watching: Death Comes to Town
  • Playing: Batman:TBatB, Metroid: Other M

Wario Ware D. I. F'ing Y.

Wed Jun 30, 2010, 7:33 PM
Someone out there has to have this game!  I'm working too hard making games, songs, and most importantly comics to just let them sit in my own DS.  If anyone has it, please post your friend code here.  Mine is 2407-8197-9347.  Bear in mind I still don't have my own wireless internet set up, but I will make it my business to register anyone and everyone who gives me their code.

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: DEVO - Something for Everybody
  • Watching: The Secret of Kells
  • Playing: Wario Ware DIY
  • Eating: Max's AMAZING Burrito
  • Drinking: Tequila & Limeade
I caught most of the live feed at work today.  Thank you, work, for being slow at the right time.  I'll do a run-down of my E3-must-haves.

I missed the Zelda unveiling.  I like that they're going cel-shaded again, but they probably should have gone a slightly different style for Link's model.  It looks like a cel-shaded Twilight Princess.  Also, get that giant Wii remote off the screen before 2011.  KTHX!

I tuned in just in time to see Epic Mickey, and I gotta say that I haven't had reason to be excited about a 3rd-party Wii game in a long time.  I came for the paint/thinner mechanic. but I stayed for the 2D Steamboat Willie segment.

My coworker, whose computer I was using at the time, needed to check his email when Kirby: Epic Yarn rolled around.  I was expecting the long-lost Gamecube Kirby.  Needless to say, I was surprised when I pulled my chair back up and clicked back on the tab.  Is this a game I can get my girlfriend interested in?  It's cute, it's co-op, and Kirby games are usually super easy.  So we'll see.

Donkey Kong Country Returns, courtesy of the makers of the Metroid Prime Trilogy.  Damn, it's like the 90's never ended.  I'm happy to see real co-op in this one.  The Rare fanboys are already as irrational as ever, claiming this one looks worse than the original (WTF?), and that it sucks because there are no Kremlings.  (Even though it was common knowledge back in '94 that Kremlings were just filler enemies from an unreleased Rare game.  A bunch of gators that spell everything with a K don't make or break the series.)  Anyway, check out the trailer online.  There's a part with Donkey and Diddy running in front of a sunset, and they're silhoutted except for their red tie and cap, respectively.  Pretty awesome.

There's not much to say about Metroid: Other M that hasn't already been said.  The countdown to August 31 is on!

The 3DS, yeah.  I really want to see how this thing works.  I want to take 3D pictures!  That's gotta be some kind of first, right?  User-generated 3D content?  When I saw Kid Icarus for the 3DS, I would have cried manly tears of joy had I not been at work at the time.  I think I did whisper "get the fuck out!" to myself, though.  I'm psyched to be able to play MGS3 on the 3DS as well.  I don't own a PS2, so I never played it.  They gotta do a Virtual Console for this thing.  There is officially no excuse for Nintendo not to re-release Virtual Boy games.  The software deserves a second chance on hardware that people will actually want to play it on.

The new DEVO album came out on the 15th, as well.  Everything old is new again!  What a day.

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: DEVO - Something for Everybody
  • Watching: Carnivale, season 2
  • Playing: Wario Ware DIY
  • Eating: Max's AMAZING Burrito
  • Drinking: Dr. Pepper

Damn, missed it again!

Fri Jun 4, 2010, 5:42 AM
I keep letting the pageview milestones slip by me!  It's just as well, since I'm too busy these days to do anything about it in terms of bonus requesty things.  But anyway, thanks for the 300,000 views everybody!  I'll try to keep posting art up here, and not just the stuff people pay me for, honest!

By the way, the last level of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is hard.  Like, Mega Man hard.

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Arcade Fire - Month of May
  • Watching: Carnivale, season 2
  • Playing: Super Mario Galaxy 2
  • Eating: Burgers on the GRILL
  • Drinking: Cherry Dr. Pepper

Multiple Comic Cons? What the Dickens?

Journal Entry: Tue May 18, 2010, 6:42 AM
This Sunday (May 23), T.J. and I will be hitting simultaneous cons, so you'll have two places to catch up on The Underburbs!  T.J. will be at the Maine Comic Arts Festival (MECAF) in Portland, and I'll be at the GraniteCon in Manchester, NH.  We'll each be selling all of our issues, including the still-relatively-new Issue 9 and the trade paperback.  I will also be selling my limited run of the all-new, not-on-the-Internet comic, Mecho!  I'll also be on sketch duty, but those of you going to MECAF, seriously.  Have T.J. call me.  If you want an Underburbs sketch, I will draw one and mail it to you.

GraniteCon attendees:  I will sign your copies of ZombieBomb #1 as well, even though I only did one page of it.

Our next (reunited) show will be the North East Comic Con in Boston, MA on June 27.

See you at the con!

-Joe

PS - There are ten framed pieces of original Underburbs art on display and on sale at the Coven cafe in Salem, MA.  If you're in the area, check that out, too.

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Crystal Castles (II)
  • Reading: One Piece
  • Watching: Iron Man 2
  • Playing: Super Mario Galaxy 2 (right after the con)
  • Eating: Burgers on the GRILL
  • Drinking: Wachusett Blueberry Ale

ATTN: Salem, MA residents/visitors!

Journal Entry: Fri May 7, 2010, 10:47 AM
I will have several pieces of original Underburbs artwork on display (and for sale) at Coven, a new cafe in downtown Salem.  It's just down the street from Harrison's Comics and Collectibles, where you can buy issues of The Underburbs as well.

That right there is probably the most self-promotion I've done since art school.

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: MGMT-Congratulations, New Pornographers-Together
  • Reading: One Piece
  • Watching: Eastbound and Down
  • Playing: Super Mario Crossover
  • Eating: pasta w/tuna and peppers
  • Drinking: White Zin (gf's choice)

I never thought I'd be able to say this, but...

Journal Entry: Mon Apr 19, 2010, 6:44 PM
I AM IN FANGORIA.  They reviewed the first volume of ZombieBomb! (which received 4/4 skulls, btw) and I got a specific mention!  You can see my page in the comic previews at Ain't It Cool News.  Gawd, aren't I just the Darling of the Internet right now?

Anyway, links are in order:

Fangoria's ZombieBomb! review: [link]

AICN comic preview:  [link]

(Mine is the third pic, right after the cover and the variant.)

  • Mood: Big Grin
  • Listening to: Spoon
  • Reading: Walking Dead
  • Watching: The Sarah Silverman Program
  • Playing: WarioWare D.I.Y.
  • Eating: shrimp fried rice
  • Drinking: White Zin (gf's choice)

Journal History