TCAF and adventures in Risograph 8:44 AM

In Toronto for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, which is great and exactly like what I'd imagine an alternative universe to be like. It looks a lot like home, people speak the same language, dress is similar fashion, interact, if not maybe a bit too politely, like they do at home, but like any good alternate universe- things- some big, some seemingly insignificant are different enough to throw things askew.

This is no doubt has been enhanced by the fact that I drove almost 12 hours from New York yesterday.

As for the Risograph- which is a machine that my studiomates and I purchased for the soul purpose of frustration and making small-batch comics has excelled at exactly that. We've printed our first book "El Gato de la Muetre" and that will be debuted at TCAF tomorrow which is free to attend so you have no reason other than maybe... maybe

May Day 2:09 PM

It's a beautiful May first in Portland, yep. I'm still in Portland for a few more days and I'm without a doubt enjoying the a more laid back pace of the Rose City (Maybe a bit too much, There's work to be done).

Stumptown comic festival was last weekend and I had a fantastic time there exhibiting. This was quite possibly my most successful festival to date- I debuted my silkscreen prints and they received a great response. I sold out of two! This is a super encouraging and I've got more prints in the plans!

Enjoy the Zombie Ayn Rand- The concept was developed by my friend Adam Guthman and I drew it up.

In Portland for the Stumptown Comic Fest 12:21 PM

I arrived in Portland a couple of days ago to fantastic weather. Sunny and 70 degrees! This upcoming weekend I'll be exhibiting at the Stumptown Comic Festival so if you're around come by and visit and check out all of my new work- including a brand new silkscreen accordion book "Kraken".

Here's a link for tickets and info: Stumptown!

See you there, the image is a snippet from "Kraken"

No end in sight 3:01 PM

I know I already posted this image but I've since recolored it and prepped it for being printed on a banner and I've redesigned the type in the logo. so reposted but better.

Convention Season is here 9:12 AM

So I attended MoCCA this year, no, I didn't exhibit. I just attended as a guest, which was a little bit weird for me. I haven't exhibited at MoCCA for two years ever since they scheduled over the Stumptown comic festival (I had bought tables to both, but MoCCA announced its dates so late that I ended up selling my MoCCA table). I also felt the festival was quickly loosing any appeal for the attendees and the exhibitors as table prices and admission fees rocketed leaving the core creators and audiences being priced out.

That said. This year the Society of Illustrators is running the show and promised big changes. I was little hesitant about the Society running MoCCA. Up until the last decade or so illustrators and illustration organizations haven't always had the best relationship with comics. As I do both, I saw that in the past, illustrators have looked at comics as the red-headed, mentally handicapped, physically repugnant, step-child. A lot of that has changed in the last decade. I've seen those changes both in academia and organizations like the Society. Even so, as I bought my wrist band and entered the Armory, I did so with trepidation.

MoCCA was good. The physical and surface changes really were effective. I know that some of the exhibitors thought the aisle separation curtains crowded them in, but they totally eliminated the "flea-market" feel that has plagued the festival since it moved to the armory. Right off that bat, it felt like a professional show and had me reminiscing of when MoCCA was in the Puck Building. This festival was exceptionally organized and with the addition of the gallery in the back it finally lives up to being the festival for the Museum of Cartooning and Comic Art. Well done.

Next up: Stumptown, TCAF, and Grand Street comics Fest.

The Return to ZOMBIE CAT! 3:15 PM

This is a project I've had in the "works" for a long time- started it in 2007. It's had more than it's fair share of false starts and flat out over-worked and over commercialized attempts that turned out terrible (which looking back was inevitable).

Now, I think I've got it down. I've finally developed a storyline that I really dig and hopefully everyone else will too. I'm trying to get this done for Stumptown- it'll be a tough cause there's a lot of work left but that's the goal! I'll update as it goes.