See Me at the MSU Comics Forum Tomorrow! (Free Entry)

by on February 20, 2015 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Blog, News

[dc]T[/dc]he big day is finally here: The MSU Comics Forum Artist’s Alley is tomorrow, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Snyder/Phillips Hall on Michigan State University’s Campus.

Quick Reminder: Tom Hart’s keynote address is tonight at 7PM. Also free!

Tomorrow kicks off my 2015 appearance schedule, and I’ll have new items for sale, including a new 11” x 17” cartoon color print, new mini-comic collections, and new 4” x 6” watercolor cartoons.

I spent a lot of time preparing for tomorrow’s appearance, as you can see in this photo of my watercolor cartoon set-up.

watercolor set up

Good kitty.

Our cat Rags helped keep me on task. Bless his fuzzy heart.

If you are looking for something extra special, I’m offering ‘random’ cartoon commissions as well–inspired by David Malki’s (Wondermark) Roll-a-Sketch–using an updated system.¹ Random cartoons are available in black and white (ink/marker) as well as watercolor paint, both 5” x 7” (BW on card stock, watercolor on watercolor paper).

Where is the MSU Comics Forum?

Snyder/Phillips Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. Doors open at 11:00 AM.


View Larger Map

Once you are inside the building, look for the poster above–arrows should point the way to Artist’s Alley. Artists occupy different rooms, so make sure to find ’em all!

How Much to Get In?

Entry to the MSU Comics Forum is free and open to the public!

Can I Bring Kids to the MSU Comics Forum?

Yes! The MSU Comics Forum is an all-ages event, so bring the kids along. Plenty of artists offer all ages or kid focused comics and merchandise.

What is Artist’s Alley?

Artist’s Alley is where, as the name suggests, comic artists and writers have tables set up. They will be selling comics, merchandise, and/or sketches to guests.

TIP: if you plan on buying items at Artist’s Alley, bring cash. Some artists, myself included, will have Square readers for credit cards, but not everyone, and cash is always highly recommended

Why Should I Visit Artist’s Alley?

Artist’s Alley is a great chance to meet comic creators and artists face to face, allowing guests to sample a lot of work at one time. There will be many Michigan writers and artists too, and a good chunk are from the Lansing area. Support your local creatives. If you like original artwork, buying a commission at Artist’s Alley is a fun experience–especially for kids.
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¹ Stephanie suggested a different system to help streamline the process, my sign, and my explanation. Her input is handy, because she works in retail.

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Tom Hart’s MSU Comics Forum Keynote Tomorrow Night (Free!)

by on February 19, 2015 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Blog, News

[dc]T[/dc]he centerpiece of this week’s MSU Comics Forum is tomorrow night’s keynote address. Each year, someone in the comics field gives an informative chat in Snyder/Phillips Hall. I attended the last two keynote addresses by Nick Bertozzi and Stan Sakai, and loved both.

Cartoonist Tom Hart (filling in for Sergio Aragones) gives this year’s keynote address, and like all the other keynote addresses, it is free to attend.

tom hart msu comics forum

This year’s MSU Comics Forum poster by Tom Hart.

I confess I didn’t know of Hart before the news of his (very welcome) last-minute addition. Yet, this was the case with Bertozzi’s keynote, and I very much enjoyed his speech.

There’s a reason someone gets the guest of honor title at the MSU Comics Forum and gives the keynote address. Hart’s selection was reason enough for me to research his work.

I’m glad I did! I found Hart’s comic Hutch Owen and loved it right away. I looked over Hart’s personal website, and the more I did, the more I grew excited about his keynote address. Hart runs the Sequential Artists Workshop (SAW), “a school for cartooning and graphic novels,” so I am eager to hear what he has to say about making comics.

If you read comics, make comics, both, or want to simply learn more about comics, I recommend attending Hart’s keynote address. It is tomorrow night, at 7:00 PM, in Snyder/Phillips Hall on Michigan State University’s campus.

Again, like all the MSU Comics Forum events, Tom Hart’s keynote address is free.

Also on Friday: A signing with Image Comics artist Jason Howard (Trees, Super Dinosaur, The Astounding Wolfman) at Hollow Mountain, 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

Saturday: The MSU Comics Forum Artist’s Alley and Panel Discussions. Also in Snyder/Philips Hall, Artist’s Alley begins at 11:00 AM on Saturday and goes until 5:00 PM. Entry is free and the event is family friendly. I will be there, with a fresh crop of new comics and cartoons for sale.

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Scott McCloud Talk and Signing Recap

by on February 18, 2015 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Blog, News

[dc]M[/dc]onday’s talk and book signing with Scott McCloud made for an evening of enlightening comic talk at my local Schuler Books. Which came as no surprise, since McCloud wrote three books considered essential reading when it comes to comics (Understanding Comics, Making Comics, and Reinventing Comics).

The Interview

Ryan Claytor (Elephant Eater Comics) of the MSU Comics Forum led the hour-long chat, followed by the Q & A. While McCloud won’t be appearing at the MSU Comics Forum this weekend, this event was held in conjunction with the show.

Quick Plug: The MSU Comics Forum Keynote Address with Tom Hart is this Friday and Artist’s Alley is this Saturday (I’ll be there!).

McCloud shared stories about making his new graphic novel, The Sculptor—ranging from his use of full bleed pages to the Pantone color he used to shooting film of models for reference¹. We were even shown images and video of McCloud’s work flow on The Sculptor (he draws in Photoshop using a WACOM Cintiq).

scott mccloud book

I forgot to take photos. D’oh!

Comics Now

The Q & A segment led to more great discussion, such as what did McCloud like in comics currently.² McCloud mentioned the all ages movement and how more kids friendly comics led to a growing army of future comic-hungry readers.

As someone who tries to keep my own comics all ages (give or take), I enjoyed the news, and it reflected my own experiences lately. As I keep seeing at conventions, younger readers like my cartoons and comics. It’s common for kids to read aloud the punchlines or gags from my mini-comics, watercolor cartoons, or stickers while at my table—and they laugh.

I often struggle with the ‘who is my audience?’ question, and witnessing younger readers enjoy my cartoons and comics always helps remind me to keep them in mind.³

Longer Comics = More Emotion = Reader Connection

Related to the all ages movement, McCloud talked about the growth of longer comics, those in the hundreds of pages. These longer stories, he explained, allowed the artists (and writers) more room to show emotion and build larger worlds for readers.

This is another area I want to toy with: longer comics. I love my short gag strips, but I really enjoyed crafting longer stories, specifically Chocolate Quest (in which I avoided dialog, save for the last two panels).

I have ideas for more multi-part stories, and I want to get to them sooner, than later.

I occasionally get asked if I plan to adapt my Young Adult fantasy novel,The Magic of Eyri, to a comic. I think about it ,sure. Although, after already spending years making Magic of Eyri a podcast, I’m not quick to go back for another version.

This doesn’t mean I won’t try at some point. I liked the results of pushing myself for Chocolate Quest, and I’m eager to give a similar adventure story a try. The upside to adapting The Magic of Eyri: I don’t have to write a new story.

Continue Reading

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Scott McCloud Talk and Signing at Schuler Books Tonight

by on February 16, 2015 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Blog, News

[dc]G[/dc]ood news, Lansing! Acclaimed comic creator Scott McCloud has a signing and talk at Schuler Books tonight at 7:00 PM! Better still, this is a free event. (The event will be at the Eastwood Schuler Books, 2820 Towne Center Blvd., Lansing, MI)

McCloud is best known for his books about comics: Understanding Comics, Making Comics, and Reinventing Comics.

I’m sure McCloud will touch on subjects in each of these books, but he will also be talking about his new (fiction) comic, The Sculptor.

sculptor comic

Image via Amazon.

I have yet to read The Sculptor (I’m picking up a copy at tonight’s signing), but I keep reading plenty of great reviews online. I own Understanding Comics and Making Comics, which I highly recommend for fans and creators of comics (or any sort of visual storytelling).

The Scott McCloud talk and signing is in conjunction with the MSU Comics Forum, and kicks off a series of fun (and free) events. Tonight’s event starts at 7:00 PM, but I recommend showing up a few minutes early to get a good seat (or a good place to stand).

More MSU Comics Forum Events

Don’t forget: the MSU Comics Forum Keynote Address is this Friday night at 7:00 PM, also free, and at the Residential College in the Arts & Humanities Theatre, Snyder/Phillips Hall Basement, Michigan State University. Tom Hart (Hutch Owen) is filling in for Sergio Aragones (who sadly had to cancel).

Also on Friday: A signing with Image Comics artist Jason Howard (Trees, Super Dinosaur, The Astounding Wolfman) at Hollow Mountain, 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

Saturday: Artist Alley and Panel Discussions, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. See many artists, including myself, at this free family friendly event. Buy stuff, chat with artists, find a new favorite comic—come on by. I’ll have new mini-comics and a new cartoon print for sale, along with my usual watercolor cartoons.

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