Tuesday, September 16, 2008

First Preview page of the Lil Dude graphic novel


I have wanted to make this happen for a long time. Now I am making it happen. Stay tuned. I will post sketches and a couple of preview pages. Not too many now, I don't want to spoil it. But the book will come out. The release date is TBA and I will let the world know in every way possible.
I have removed the preview page of my comic from this blog and from my myspce page. If anyone is actually looking at either. the reason is that I got some good advice from my fiancee. As artists we are sensitive about our work, some so much so that they are afraid to show anyone for fear of any sort vof commentary at all. But I think whenyou are trying to dive into a entertainment medium like cartooning or comics, you need to be able to take criticism. You need to be able to let as many people as possible see your work. I am constantly striving to get better. And in doing this project, the comic, I have grown alot as a person and as an artist. You really learn how passionate you are about your work when you have a child and you have much less time for yourself. It has made me realize that I really do want this and I want it badly. Which brings me back to the page. I have been working on my book now for quite some time and I have watched my self grow in the process. My earlier pages are kind of crappy compared to some of my later stuff aftwr I have become more comfortable with the process and my characters and found my voice alot more. When you spend a lot of time, as artists know, looking at your own stuff you start to hate it, and or you start to become numb to it. My problem is that I was so excited about getting the thing done that I was less concerned about quality. And thats not good. I have some really great pages to show and you will be seeing them in my book in the next couple of months. The page I posted was not quality and it was not the best work I am capabkle of, and it was not indicative of what is to come in this book,. My fiance helped me to realize that. It was tough to hear, and I resisted at first making excuses and the whole nine, but so true and I am blessed to have somebody that can be honest with me and help me be the best I can be. You hear all the time that family is not the best to critique your work, but sometimes, you have a special person that you can rely on to push you and make you better. So the first preview page is yet to come lets say and it will be good. I will probably be going back and redoing some of my early pages too. Which is tough, but ultimately I want my work to be my best work, not just finished. Stay tuned...

Monday, September 15, 2008

When a toad gets struck by lightning...


I saw this friggin cool little ad with a Storm pic that I could tell was a J. Scott Campbell piece. (Where the heck is this J. Scott Campbell Marvel book anyway, jeez J! Love your work, bro, but c'mon man!) Anywho, it inspired me to do this. Plus I like Storm and she should be waaaaay more of a bada-double than what she is in the Marvel U. Well, she may be nowadays but I haven't been reading X-Men.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

punishment


Garth Ennis's Punisher Max Series 1-60 in my opinion is the greatest run in comics, hands down, bar none. Pick up the back issues, the trades, something. Genius. I wasn't that big of a fan until I started this series. Plus I am working on my shadows and spot blacks. I need a lot of work, so this was just an excercise. But here you go. Big Frank Castle