I'm Your Pusher

Pimpin' time!

The Perhapanauts is a book I stumbled upon during my visit to my LCS last week. This book is a lot of fun. I won't review it, cuz I suck at critical writing, but I will link you to the press release at www.comicon.com and tell you the book is definitely worth giving a chance.



Last post's title was a song title from:
The Turn of a Friendly Card by
The Alan Parsons Project

Games People Play

Stolen from Michael May site ( with a few alterations):

Name 2 cartoons you loved when you were a kid: Looney Tunes and G-Force
Name 2 albums that you've been listening to a lot lately: “Aerial” by Kate Bush and “Peter Gabriel” by Peter Gabriel (his first solo record)
Name 2 movies that you bought or rented recently: Adaptation and Lawrence of Arabia
Name 2 books you started to read but haven't finished: Neuromancer by William Gibson and the Odyssey by Homer
Name 2 television shows that make you laugh: Arrested Development and The Simpsons
Name 2 stores that suck your wallet dry: Future Shop and DCBS
Name 2 reasons why you can be thankful this year: Jackie and Stewart
Name 2 of your favorite '80s songs: “Criminal Mind” by Gowan and “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol
Name 2 things you hate/hated about high school: English class and the juke box in the cafeteria that would play "Tainted Love" every. fucking. day.
Name 2 items you buy almost every time you grocery shop: frozen burritos and milk
Name 2 of your favorite animals: Black Labs and ...... Black Labs?
Name 2 websites that you visit more than once a day: www.sportsline.com/nhl and www.digitalwebbing.com
Name 2 supernatural creatures that you've always liked: Godzilla and vampires
Name 2 topics that are often discussed in your Blog: Hockey and Comics
Name 2 video games that you frickin' love: Sid Meier’s Civilization and NHL whatever the newest one is.
Name 2 of your favorite weekend activities (besides sleep): Spending time with Stew and Jackie and playing hockey
Name 2 random things that popped into your head while doing this quiz: “I really can't spell very well.” and “Is Godzilla a "supernatural monster?""

Last post's title was a song title from:
Pyromania by Def Leppard

What do you want? What do you want?
I want Rock and Roll.

You betcha.

Action! Not Words

Now this is a Batman project I can get excited for!

Paul Pope. Say no more.

Last post's title was a song title from:
Welcome To My Nightmare by Alice Cooper

Excellent album that features a terrorific spoken word intro, read by Vincent Price! Alice's first album without his Alice Cooper Band.

Welcome To My Nightmare

And there it is..... the deciding goal being scored on Thrasher goalie, Steve Shields. Welcome back, Steve!

The goal came on the final shot of the shootout ( which is a horrible way to decide a team game like hockey). The Thrashers managed to tie the game up twice and earned a point for their regulation stalemate with Montreal, but came up a goal short of the win.

I can't be too disappointed, though. Atlanta has been playing much better hockey over the last 10 games and the timely return of Shields is very good news. You can only ride your 4th and 5th string goalies for so long.

Let Atlanta's goaltending nightmare end!

Last post's title was a song title from:
Aja by Steely Dan

Michael McDonald (of The Doobie Brothers) supplies some nice background vocals on a number of this albums' tracks.

I Got The News

A great contest going on over Comic World News. You can get the details HERE, but I can sum it up like this..... FREE ELK'S RUN BUMPER EDITION COMIC!! What more could you want?!

oh yeah.... more monster art!

I started with a reference of a Northern Spider Beetle (the bug on the upper left) and then let my brush and markers go from there. Thoughts?

Last post's title was a song title from:
Greatest Hits by Air Supply

Not being a big Air Supply fan, I actually had to look this one up. Turns out, this song was originally released as a new song on their "greatest hits" album.

Funny, when I think of this song, I actually think of Bonnie Tyler's hit song "Total Eclipse of the Heart".

Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

Here's a good page to show some of my drawing process.

All this stuff is drawn with a brush pen with no preliminary drawing to go on. Sometimes the squiggley lines suggest shapes that I try to make into stuff. It's a fun kind of game that makes drawing interesting.

(Click on the drawing to see it better)

Last post's title was a song title from:
Dire Straits by Dire Straits

Dire Straits' first record.

In The Gallery

Steven Grant writes some very interesting articles over on his COMIC BOOK RESOURCES.COM column. This week's offering features a look into the Art vs. Craft issue that comic creators sometimes overlook, in regards to their work. I'm still working on the craft aspect more so than the Art aspect. Hopefully, I'll hit that point where the craft just comes naturally and the Art can start kickin' ass!

Speaking of Art....... or is it craft...?

Here's another page of monster stuff. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got EMPTY CHAMBER pages to work on.

Last post's title was a song title from:
Scary Monsters by David Bowie

The last truly amazing album from Bowie. It was a return to "conventional rock & roll " for Bowie, who had been off making experimental records with Brian Eno, in Germany.

I have the Rykodisc version of Scary Monsters which has a couple of really cool bonus tracks that aren't on the new EMI pressings. Bowie's updated version of "Panic in Detroit" is worth the price alone. Track it down if you can.

Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

Time for some more drawings.

As you all know, I'm working on EMPTY CHAMBER. But, sometimes, I need to let the pencil do it's own thing. Or in this case, my brush.

These are just me working through some monster designs for a book that will be taking shape, sometime next year. None of this stuff is set in stone. It's just me throwing down some lines and reacting to them.

More to come.......


Last post's title was a song title from:
Voices by Hall & Oates

You all knew that one, though..... didn't ya?

Kiss On My List

My good friend, and pop culture fan, Alex Ness has put out a call for peoples' "Best Comics of 2005" on his web site POPTHOUGHT.COM. Here's his request, in his own words:

CALLING ALL READERS
Either upon message board or to me through e-mail please let me know who you think was the best writer, artist and writer/artist of 2005 and what work deserves the credit for the best of 2005. This is not a contest per se, as I do not have a great stack of give away material or special art pages or signed comics, I simply want to gain a feel for your picks of 2005. I think it is always important to know what others think because there is no way a person can afford to read all the titles that have come out, or works from even one of the big 6 of Dark Horse, DC, DDP, IDW, IMAGE & MARVEL. When sending your list, if you can, tell me what you thought were the best comics vis a vis publisher. Finally when you send an e-mail please send a mailing address so that I might place all the names in a pool and pick one for something fun.
Thank you.

So there you have it. Write up those lists and let Alex know what you thought were the strongest comics of the year. I did!


Last post's title was a song title from:
Ritual de lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction

I bought this album when it came out in 1990 but I never saw the original cover until I started working in a record store, a few years later. The first cover was banned and the plain "Amendment" cover was the version I had purchased. It came with a little booklet that had the liner notes and lyrics in it.

Classic Girl

I've been reading the Classic Star Wars trades from Dark Horse Comics. They collect the Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson Star Wars strips that appeared in the newspapers for years, well before the Phantom fiasco.

I remember reading some of these when they first ran in the paper but we didn't have a subscription so I couldn't follow them very often. That made it hard to appreciate the efforts of Goodwin and Williamson. But appreciate them, I do!

These collections consist of the daily strips that were reformatted to make them work as a continuous comic-book story...... with Al Williamson redrawing and extending many panels for this new format. I've always been a huge Williamson fan, so it's no surprise that I dig these books.

If anyone were to ask me which inker I'd most want to work with, I wouldn't hesitate for a second before blurting out "Al Williamson!"

Last post's title was a song title from:
The Game by Queen

The death of Freddie Mercury was a serious loss for the rock music world. His was the only celebrity death that has ever affected me. I miss him.

Play The Game

The losing streak is over!

Naw, I'm not talking about my Atlanta Thrashers (who have won 3 straight, BTW!). I'm talking about my team, The Invaders. We managed to put together a solid effort and snapped our 7 game losing streak with an impressive 8-0 victory! We dominated the game pretty much from the drop of the puck. The whole team played well and made my job easy. I faced 26 shots, but only a few of them were remotely difficult... although, I did make a very nice kick save on a breakaway..... Now we don't play until Nov. 24. Here's to hoping the winning streak will continue!
That's me in goal in that picture above. Jackie, Stewart and my Mother-in-law, Barb, came out to the game. The photo was taken by Barb! (click on the photo to see me better!)

I was being tricky with the last post's song title reference. That particular song is a Jethro Tull song that was never on a "regular" album. It first appeared on "M.U. - The Best Of Jethro Tull" as a previous unreleased track in 1976. And for a long time, that was the only place to find it.

Then, in 2002, the old Tull albums were remastered and had bonus material added. Rainbow Blues was one of the bonus tracks on Jethro Tull's 1974 release "War Child".

Rainbow Blues

It was Jackie's Birthday yesterday!

It started with me having to stay home from work due to illness. We had a good day hanging out with Stewart, though, which we capped off with a free dinner, for Jackie, at Denny's! Unfortunately, the end of the evening wasn't quite what great birthdays are made of.

As we left Denny's with full bellies and good spirits (not the drinkable kind!), we soon found out the car was not going to cooperate with us. It made a very strange bbbreegg-bbbreeegg-bbbreeegg sound as we turned it over. The lights flickered and then stayed on.... even with them turned off and the key out of the ignition. We had to call BCAA and waited in Denny's for them to show.

The BCAA guy had a look and said there was nothing he could do and it would need to be towed to our mechanic. So... it got towed and we're waiting to hear the $$$ damage.

Not the best ending to a birthday.


Last post's title was a song title from:
Shamed Based Man by Bruce McCulloch

Bruce is a member of The Kids In The Hall, a Canadian comedy troupe that had a hit sketch comedy TV show. Shame Based Man is a musical comedy album. Funny stuff!

Daves I Know

Well..... I don't really know THIS Dave.
Just a plug for a comic blog that consistently entertains me.

Dave's Long Box

Go. Read. Laugh.

Last post's title was a song title from:
The self-titled debut album by The Eagles

I still have my Mother's vinyl version of this album. Only Hotel California comes close to this one as my favorite Eagles record.

Chug All Night

The streak continues! It's been over 2 weeks without a cola beverage! No pop has entered my oral cavity..... hmmm..... that didn't sound very good.

Anyway, I'm holding strong and feeling like a champ!

Jackie and Stewart have been sick for the past week. So far, I've managed to escape its' clutches (knock on wood). It's must be because I've been drinking mass amounts of water and my body is flushing out the bad before it gets a chance to stick...... ( how's that for a medical analysis!)

I took a puck in my hand on Saturday night. Don't worry, ADL.... it wasn't my drawing hand! A slap shot struck the palm of my left hand and hurt like a bitch when it happened. But like a trooper, I played on. I made some very nice saves (if I may say so myself) but we came up short.... again. But, as long as I'm playing well, it doesn't bother me that we aren't winning. The hand is alright but it's bruising up slightly. Anything to make me look macho!

Last post's title was a song title from:
Binaural by Pearl Jam

I'm in the minority on this, but I think this is the best Pearl Jam album by far.

Evacuation

In Previews now.......

Essential Godzilla TP
Written by DOUG MOENCH Penciled by HERB TRIMPE, JIM MOONEY & TOM SUTTON Cover by HERB TRIMPE
'You have your fear, which might become reality. And you have Godzilla, which IS reality.' - From Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956) And what a reality it was! For two years, Japan's greatest export was one of Marvel's biggest stars, and the King of the Monsters upheld his title against some of the best and worst the House of Ideas had to offer - including the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and Nick Fury and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.! Godzilla shrinks, goes West, travels through time and hosts one of Spider-Man's most gratuitous guest-shots ever! Plus: aliens, mutants, mad Scientists
Product Code: NOV052035

This is soooooo getting purchased by me! I love the essential books.

It will come in handy as inspirational material for that monster vs robot book that I'll be working on in the semi-near future.

Last post's title was a song title from:
Ghost In The Machine by The Police

Those 3 shapes on the cover are their faces in low-tech-digital-alarm clock graphics. Cool.

Too Much Information

Take from Shane Bailey site......
It's hard to pick just one song for each group/person. How did I do?

Favorite Led Zeppelin song: "No Quarter"
Favorite Beatles song: "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"
Favorite solo song by a former Beatle (Paul): "Band On The Run"
Favorite Bob Dylan song: "Tangled Up In Blue"
Favorite Pixies song: "Gouge Away"
Favorite Prince song: "Sign'O The Times"
Favorite Michael Jackson song: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
Favorite Metallica song: "Damage Inc."
Favorite Depeche Mode song: "Policy of Truth"
Favorite Cure song: "Love Song"
Favorite Beastie Boys song: "Sabotage"
Favorite Police song: "Oh My God"
Favorite song from a movie: "If You Want To Sing Out,Sing Out" from "Harold and Maude"
Favorite Blondie song: "One Way or Another"
Favorite Genesis song (with Peter Gabriel): "Supper's Ready"
Favorite Genesis song (post Peter Gabriel): "Mama"
Favorite INXS song: "Shine Like It Does"
Favorite Weird Al song: "I Lost On Jeopardy"
Favorite Pink Floyd song (with Roger Waters): "Mother"
Favorite Pink Floyd song (post Roger Waters): "One Slip"
Favorite U2 song: "Bullet The Blue Sky" (live version)
Favorite disco song: "Rasputin" by Boney M
Favorite The Who song: "I've Had Enough"
Favorite Elton John song: "Madman Across The Water"
Favorite David Bowie song: "Andy Warhol"
Favorite R.E.M. song: "Exhuming McCarthy"
Favorite Elvis song: "Heartbreak Hotel"
Favorite country song: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniel's Band
Favorite Billy Joel song: "Easy Money"
Favorite Bruce Springsteen song: "I'm On Fire"
Favorite Neil Diamond song: "Sweet Caroline"
Favorite Squeeze song: "Up The Junction"
Favorite Tragically Hip Song: "I'll Believe In you (Or I'll Be Leaving You Tonight)
Favorite Guns 'N Roses song: "Ain't It Fun"
Favorite Jimi Hendrix song: "Voodoo Chile"
Favorite Queen song: "Stone Cold Crazy"
Favorite Rush song: "Natural Science"
Favorite Yes song: "Awaken"
Favorite Neil Young song: "After The Gold Rush"


Last post's title was a song title from:
Axis: Bold As Love by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Little Wing

Because I'm getting waaaay behind in updating this thing.......

Plus, he's so damn cute!

Last post's title was a song title from:
99.9 F° by Suzanne Vega