INSERT FOOT
"'Vengeance' swipes cake, eats it, too
August 30, 2004
"A 6-foot-tall, 275-pound bearded man crashed a children's birthday party in Oak Forest, identified himself as "vengeance," then helped himself to a piece of cake, police said.
"When the owner of the home asked the man who he was, the intruder replied, "I am vengeance. I am the knight. I am Batman." Then the man went into the kitchen, cut a piece of birthday cake, took it into the living room and ate it."
OPEN MOUTH
So, it's dawned on me in the form of a friend kicking some sense into me that I've been a bit of a downer this last month or two.
Everything gets to me: work, relationships, comics, friends, etc... I let it all chip away at my soulfat and it just drags me down. I mean it's tough - sometimes it's good to brood and vent, but then you get up, dust yourself off and shake to the groove again.
That being said I have hereby decided to try and look on the bright side of life. Doo doo. Doo doo. Doo do de do de do.
Tore my favorite shirt on the train this morning. Old perspective? GODDAMNMOTHERFUGGINDAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT! New perspective? Now I have an excuse to go buy a NEW favorite shirt!
Comics makes me happy. I'm going to give myself a few more days to get my act together and start writing/drawing again. I'll be sending out the boxes of NINETY CANDLES this week and then I can focus for a while on finishing THE BIG KAHN, drawing AFTERLIFE and helping Jake finish BROWNSVILLE. I'm also damn determined to get WALLY MEIERS picked up while closing books with Oni and if I'm lucky, AIT one day.
Dammit, I'm a writer/cartoonist. And dammit, I'm going to get more work done.
Okay, I have nothing more to add to this here Manifesto. So I'm gone like Hoffa.
OPEN MOUTH
NINETY CANDLES, a Xeric-winning experimental graphic novella by Neil Kleid, debuted to acclaim this June at the MoCCA Arts Festival in New York. Post-MoCCA reviews have said about NINETY CANDLES: "About the most unique graphic novel I've read so far this year" and "what might happen if Chris Ware were to have created The Family Circus" (Alan David Doane, Comic Book Galaxy), "A touching story" (Steven Grant, Permanent Damage) and "glad that I read it " (Greg McElhatton, iComics).
September 5 , 2004: NINETY CANDLES DETROIT RELEASE PARTY - WHOLE DAMN DAY
Neil Kleid makes his triumphant hometown return to the Detroit area with an all day signing at Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, Michigan. Green Brain is fast becoming the Detroit area's premier store for mainstream, independent and alternative comics and is already the chosen retailer of local cartoonists and comic book professionals.
Advance copies of NINETY CANDLES will be available from open until close (12pm - 5pm) and Kleid will be on hand to sign, sketch and regale fans and attendees with the sense of humor that got him run out of the Detroit area in the first place. Along with NINETY CANDLES, Rant Comics will make available copies of RANT COMICS #3, featuring "Suburbia", the first 11 pages of an ongoing story detailing Kleid's flight from suburban Detroit to New York and ashcans of BROWNSVILLE, a 196 page True Crime graphic novel by Kleid and artist Jake Allen debuting in 2005 from NBM Publishing.
GREEN BRAIN COMICS: 13210 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126 (Sunday hours 12pm-5pm)
NINETY CANDLES, funded by a grant from the Xeric Foundation, is a completely improvisational comic book - no script, no net. Each panel of NINETY CANDLES represents a consecutive year in the life of its protagonist, Kevin Hall. The "spaces" between panels morph into "spaces" between years and as such the reader experiences our intrepid cartoonist's life, the decisions that shape his existence from birth to death. More information can be found here
Scott Wherle of Randomville gives it 4.5/5 and has this to say:
"Being myself a lifetime comic fan who’s also created his own comics, Kleid is effective at reeling me in on a personal level, his portrayal of Kevin's career hitting home how under-appreciated the field really is. Neil Kleid is set for big things in the comics industry. Ninety Candles is just the beginning of what should prove a long and healthy career."
Retailer Shelf Talkers are available for download here
NINETY CANDLES, a 48 page graphic novella published by Rant Comics, is listed on page 314 of the July PREVIEWS catalog.
Diamond Item Number: JUL043096. Cost: $5.95
The Xeric Foundation
Information about BROWNSVILLE and a cover preview can be found here
Information about NBM Publishing can be found here
OPEN MOUTH
So here I sit, at my day job which is slowly turning into a night job today... waiting for a client to get back to me about a design that has to get to the printer. I'm alone in the office, everyone else having gone home, and I dont get paid overtime for this. In fact, I get paid relatively little to be here anyway. Plus - once this is done, I have a 45 minute train ride home.
I'm not sitting at home at the gym and this is taking away from valuable comic book time.
I got to find a new gig or figure out how to make comics work for me so that I don't need a day job.
I mean, what the fuck.
What the fuck.
OPEN MOUTH
Quick heads-up that Tim O'Shea and I did a little Q & A about my Xeric-winning graphic novella NINETY CANDLES and assorted projects over at Silver Bullet Comics.
Head on over and read about my thoughts on the book's successes and failures, along with information about my upcoming books BROWNSVILLE and THE BIG KAHN with Scott (DAYS LIKE THESE, SCANDALOUS) Chantler. I also talk and talk about the all ages book Tom Beland and I are itching to do.
Enjoy, kids.
OPEN MOUTH
Okay, so for the fiftieth time someone has asked me to start a livejournal instead of this blog... and I would, but I'm afraid of a few things:
a) I dont want to lose my archives here - if I could transfer them over somehow, that's be swell.
b) I'm not so sure how to build it into my site...
If any technorat (Max? Max!) out there wishes to help a brutha out... and for that matter, if anyone's game to help me update the design of my site so that the right font shows up on other people's computer and not just my own, I'd be eternally grateful and might buy them cookies.
Moving on.
I know I promised a whole big Chicago Con report, but I sat down to start writing it last night and realized... I just don't want to do it. I have so much writing I NEED to do (comics, interviews, etc) that I'm pushing off, this report seems kind of like an afterthought. The anti-report I did for San Diego took me at least 3 hours and I didnt even go anywhere! Imagine how long this one would take.
So, instead of a full report, here are some rambling notes and thoughts from this year's Wizard World convention:
THURSDAY
- Who booked me a flight this late? I'm waiting for my plane and already drunk in the airport bar. I hope the security folks haven't installed a breathalyzer. Oh, wait - I'm not piloting this time...
- Landed at 9; realized my cologne bottle shattered all over my suitcase. My entire suitcase and wardrobe now smells like Michael Jordan cologne. Well, at least it's the right city... and it might come in handy at the Dork Cotillion.
- Buddy Josh picked me up in his new SAAB and we drove on over to Lakeview - the man is paying only 300 bucks more for a HUGE 1 bedroom with a Lake Michigan view than I am for my room in a 3 bedroom with a view of Harlem. HATE HATE HATE. We got in too late for a trip to Ken's Diner, but managed to pick up soem damn good Chi-town pizza. YUM YUM YUM
- sleep now. Geekend starts tomorrow
FRIDAY
- Josh drove me to my hotel at 830; dropped off my bags and went to the con to register. NYC indie buddy and Wizard staffer Chris Radtke's working ProReg and he hooks me up with his lanyard and a badge (I still have both, dude) and I hustle to the Alley.
- The table i'm sharing with Carla Speed McNeil is ALL the way in the back right corner of the hall, right down from Porn Alley and next to the Gaming Area. Way to go Wizard.
- Quick hiya to Dan Taylor and A. Dave Lewis - took a sec to case the joint before the yet-to-be-unwashed masses arrive.
- Carla shows up; time to begin making fun of the saggy ass porn star to our left and the zombie nation that is the Alley. Start drawing to distract ourselves. Sketch, sketch, sketch...
- Did a big reproduction of one of my NINETY CANDLES illos for a sketchbook to be auctioned off for the CBLDF. It actually came out pretty nicely.
- Doing well, sales-wise the first half of the day. Sold about 10 books before noon, 5 ashcans.
- Take my first break to see who's here - there's a lot of folks I've only know via email and the net that I'm finally going to get to meet. Say a quick hello to Mark Powers at Devil's Due - we have a lunch meeting on Sunday - and then go meet B Clay Moore and J Torres, both whom I know from online. Big Faux Pas, though - J. and I are wearing the exact same shirt! What to do? The answer: run away!
- Walked over to the Top Shelf booth; quick hello to Chris Staros and James Kochalka, whose AMERICAN ELF is astounding.
- So. Many. Zombies.
- Is... is that Erin GRAY? Oh, Wilma Deering... you broke my heart...
- Get to meet Mike Norton while saying hi to Jim Mahfood. Man, Norton's freaking huge. He will forever be known to me as the Sears Tower's little brother.
- Ran the Alley - met Neil Vokes' family (Neil and I contriibuted to this year's HERO HAPPY HOUR SUPER SPECIAL and will to next year's) and then said hi to old pals Sean Wang and Frank Cammuso. Back to the table!
- Suddenly the back corner is the place to be! Heidi MacDonald, Augie DeBlieck and Jonah Weiland show up to snap pictures and say hello. Heidi is amused about the Kleid/Torres shirt faux pas but we do not make the Beat! Where's the love, Heidi? Zander Cannon and pal walks by to talk to Carla and Jacn Burrows comes over to ask Carla if she got her APPARAT script yet. I like Jacen - he's good folks. I think this is also when Zack Smith came by - he had me draw a sketch from some show I don't know... and I'm AWFUL when drawing real people from real photos. Still, what can ya do?
- Carla tells me about the Modern Tales dinner excursion - I have to bow out in favor of beer at Knuckles (also cant hike down to to Shabbos issues) with Dave Lewis and crowd. This is the first time I let Carla down dinner-wise.
- I buy happy button from Spike and Dirk at Modern Tales table. I feel better about skipping dinner.
- Go back to the NOW SIGNING booth to finally meet THE BIG KAHN collaborator Scott Chantler. We talk about the book and discuss a project we're going to pitch to Image and Oni. I also get to meet his wife, Shari who seemed overwhelmed. You and me both.
- Convention soda: 3.50. Neil's private can of soda bought in Lakeview: 75 cents. BooYAH!
- Snoopy WW2 toy so pretty.
- Radtke tells me no-go on Wizard party. Knuckles it is!
- Show ends with 15 books sold, handful of minis. Off to spend it all at the bar. Went to Knuckles with Dave Lewis, Evan Quiring and two other folks whose names escape me - we're met up by Stan Yan whose WANG is big and John Peters. Dave gets stupid drunk and starts yelling racial obscenities from behind a mask of alkeehol. I see him talking to Dan Taylor at another table and go say hello - and I realize this is the Digital Webbing table! I get to meet Jim "Kep" Keplinger, Jeff Stevenson, Chris Kirby and Scott Wherle for the first time in person. Scott really does smell like that. They intro me to Kris Simon and Jay Donovan, both whom I have much unclean love for and assorted hooligans. Freaking Instant Friendship Bond, kids. These are all folks I need to hang out with more. They must come to NYC. This I Command.
Taylor starts packing the beer away and Radtke enters to join the downing of the alcohol. We run rampant over the bar and then all the big boys starts to walk in, but care I not. Beer and buddies is good. The nice point of the night was knocking a few back with Taylor and Jame Patrick over with the IDW crowd - Chris Ryall, Chance Boren and Mark Haynes (that is his last name yes?) sharing good laughs and tender, tender moments.
Apparently there was a Hold Em game I was not invited to. Oh, wait. I'm a nobody.
- I don't quite remember how I got back to my hotel.
SATURDAY
- Hangover? Nope. Yay water and sandwich.
- Carla and I annexed a table next to Dan Taylor in the center of the alley, away from the magical ass of cellulite. Good neighbors - Taylor and Chris Kirby on one side, Brian Ferrara and his Terminal Press imprint on the other. ATHENA VOLTAIRE and TERRITORY 51 across the way.
wait... more porn stars behind us! Gah!
- Dan Taylor is a selling machine. That or the Bendis Boarders have made their arrival.
- Norton and Chantler do sketchy sketchy for me. Meantime, I give books to William Christensen and Patty Jeres. They seem happy to get them, I think.
- I put out the BEAR SUITS preview and a sign that says "ask me about Rabbi Ninja!" People do. Mild chuckles.
- Taylor, Kirby and I drink beer and watch goth kids walk by. Everyone is looking for vampires and zombies. We are neither.
- Pals from the net stop by to say hello - Pam Bliss, Kevin Carrier and look - it's my old pal and collaborator Max Riffner! Max and I finally get to shoot the shit in person. Good times. Good Guy.
- I watch some of the DC previews playing at their booth. HELLBLAZER. Yay shit!
- Standing around talking with The Sears Tower's Little Brother in the Devils' Due booth. Suddenly and oddly, the booth falls down.
- Is.. that smell the con food? Or is that the PEOPLE?
- Gil Gerard has really let himself go.
- I ask Dave Lewis to go to Bendis' writing panel and repeatedly stand up to ask "Um... Mister Smith? When is your BLACK CAT series coming out?" and "Are you REALLY going to write the GREEN HORNET movie?"
- People are giving me comics. I am giving them comics, too.
- Carla is drawing a demon. She's been drawing the same demon since yesterday. She's really starting to take her time with it. I'm tempted to fuck it up, but even I am not that much of a jerk.
- Apparently someone important is signing in the Marvel area. Same thing with the DC booth. Signing in the alley? Some Johnny Depp lookalike and a woman dressed like She-Ra.
- Meet the SILENT DEVIL kids. I get to see the CAUCASIAN BROWN preview and realize I could be making much money with my SHLOMO JONES, URBAN RABBI movie idea.
- Scott Wherle, Jay and Kris keep running into me. I think those crazy kids are planning on pantsing Erik Larsen. I'll just move over here and talk to the BULLY PULPIT guys about porn.
- I just saw a washed up porn star make three 40 year old Ghostbusters giggle like little schoolgirls. Brrr.
- hey, Ande Parks. I can see you from my table.
- Carla is going to dinner with Dirk, Spike and other folks and then to Quimby's. I decide to ditch again to nap a bit and then go to Knuckles. Good plan with the nap.
- Hangin' out with the DW kids again. Chatting up Jay Donovan about STUDIO ICE and then talking all sorts of crazy madness with Taylor, Kirby and Patrick talking women and comics. The Sears Tower's Little Brother shows and we buy each other drinks. Ryall shows and takes me, Taylor, Kirby and others to the Wizard party where we get some weird little exclusive dog figurine. Some guys wants to buy it for 5 bucks. Uh UH. Free drinks for all and I shmooze with Radtke until Lou Ferrigno decides I'm standing in his way - and lets me know with a big tap to my back the size of a meathook. Hulk wants to go by, you let Hulk by.
- Back to the bar; The NOW SIGNING guys show up and I shoot the shit with Torres, Riffner, Clay, Chantler and assorted hooligans. We buy drinks. They buy drinks. We all drink. Hey, Torres- why the long face?
- Finish the night talking to Wherle and crew. We witness David Mack's mad dancing skillz, witness the seamy underbelly of sadness that happens above the con floors and just generally mook about the lobby after Knuckles closes. A good drunken time is had by all.
SUNDAY
- it's 8 am and my phone is ringing. I shut if off. tired.
- listen to my messages at 9. The message is from Mark Powerswho wants to move our meeting to 4pm. I hustle over to the con to make plans. 4 is good. 4 is good.
- Taylor and Kirby have beer again. I want juice.
- I sell some books - start handing some out for trades. Take a sec to give pitch packets to Image, Avatar and Dark Horse who asks me to send it in.
- still havent really met Erik Larsen despite promises from pals.
- Max comes to say goodbye. Manly tears ensue.
- at 1 pm, the HERO HAPPY HOUR SUPER SPECIAL creators gather to sign. No one else shows. We quickly do a group signing of several book and skulk away. I trade comics with Neil Vokes.
- Carla and I discuss writers who can draw - she thinks I'm one, I'm not so sure.
- Dave Lewis is interviewing Martin Nodell who, I think, is eyeballing the porn star to his left.
- Was that Kevin Smith? Cool.
- So tired and hungry. So many books to take back to New York. Hey, kid - trade you a copy of NINETY CANDLES for your bag of chips?
- I have my meeting with Devils Due. Things look kids, things look good.
- People are giving me free shit. Yay! Comics, shirts, buttons - name it! Carla hooks me up with the FINDER library and Taylor gives me a HHH shirt.
- Jessica Ferrara damn well better win a Xeric Grant. Beautiful work.
- Pretty girls get the "pretty girl" discount. That means free comics.
- Taylor, like a saint, intros me to Important People. Taylor gets many free drinks at the bar tonight. And my firstborn.
- I pick up my finds of the con (besides the FINDER trade): a 1952 POGO election button, the FLIGHT anthology, the SNOOPY WW2 toy, issues 1-3 of WAHOO MORRIS, THE BLACK FOREST and TERRITORY 51. I forget to get TALES OF THE BULLY PULPIT and NARBONIC. D'oh. I'm too tired to link them all.
- Con's closing - last goodbyes to Carla, Ryall and Chance, Chantler, Jay, Kep, Kris and Wherle. Off to the bar.
- several girls come over to tell me that my book made them cry. Great - i'm making girls cry now.
- final drinks with Taylor, Patrick and Stevenson. Stevenson has viking groupies and I'm fading. I beat feet before Ryall and Chance show. Off to bed, off to Tv, off to sleep.
MONDAY
- who the hell booked a 6 am flight?
- home. damn.
So, i left a lot out, but im at work, and this took an hour to write.
Happy?
OPEN MOUTH
Green Arrow is apparently blogging.
"posted by Ollie @ 10:54 AM 5 comments
there are no words
will someone PLEASE commit a crime in star city worthy of my attention? i am so bored. so bored, in fact, that tonight i got drunk off green stripe and jacked around on craiglist. i have to stop doing this because i find items in the employment section like this."
Okay, that's kind of funny.
"posted by Ollie @ 1:36 AM 1 comments
evil do-ers beware
star city smells like piss in the summer. the only thing that gets me thru my daily rooftop patrols is the new wilco album on my ipod.
BY THE WAY, IF YOU ARE A VILLIAN, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SHOOT ME IN THE FRONT LEFT POCKET REGION OF MY COSTUME, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE MY IPOD IS. THIS IS MY THIRD ONE AND I'M GETTING REALLY TIRED OF UPLOADING THE SONGS OVER AND AGAIN."
AHA HA HA HA HA HA
OPEN MOUTH
Otherwise I will forget:
- print packing labels and ship NINETY CANDLES to Diamond
- rewrite and finish the script for THE BIG KAHN
- finish to page 100 of BIT CITY
- draw page 2 of AFTERLIFE
- write basic proposal for monster book I'm collaborating on with Gallaher; run by Haspiel
- write to page 11 of WALLY MEIERS #3; check in with Tom
- pimp the Rant Comics Cafe Press store
- pay bills
- find out how Jen's test went today
- buy new suitcase before Labor Day
- get notes on new work for hire gig; edit as necessary
- contact Mo re: pitches, THE FIFTIES
- start thinking about HHH '05 story
- get sample TV pitch from Gallaher; look into adapting THE FIFTIES
- send pitch packets to SLG, Dark Horse, Vertigo (THE FIFTIES, DEAD RONIN, BEAR SUITS, MIDNIGHT RUNNERS, EVOLUTION REVOLUTION)
- get agent/manager, make big sale, buy house, pool and hookers, retire
And that's just THIS week.
OPEN MOUTH
I know I'm a punk-ass who promised a Chicago Con report a week ago...but I've been swamped with scripting work, day job stuff and general life... so bear with me. In the meantime, here's something cool.
I check my email alot, and usually I just get Penis Enhancers (er, not that I need them....what?) or Nigerian partnership emails... but sometimes it's good to check your email for emails like the one I got from a writer I met in Chicago:
"Neil... Hey, it's Saturday afternoon and I finally sat down on the balcony to read 'Ninety Candles.' It was absolutely wonderful, my friend. It brought a few tears to my eyes near the end, and I mean that. It really touched me. I'll be passing this book along to a few of my non-comic reading friends, as I know they'll enjoy it as well. It was simply marvelous and I'm so glad I read it. Very glad I read it. Wanted to let you know."
I've gotten 4 of those since Chicago.
Then, I get a heads up from my pal David Gallaher about Nancy McCann's COOKING WITH COMICS blog in which she says on August 16:
"Comics: I got a copy of a trade paperback in the mail the other day. Available soon, it is a Xeric Award winning Graphic novella written and illustrated by Neil Kleid titled Ninety Candles. I read the book and found it fascinating. It is a real window into the life of a cartoonist. Disturbing and touching, this book was an interesting read. I recommend this book to anyone who likes biographies or has an interest in artists. Ninety Candles also serves as a warning of possible pitfalls for anyone working in comics. Samples are available at Comics Unlimited or online at rantcomics.com"
Sometimes it's nice to be reminded why I'm doing this.
I also saw GARDEN STATE last night and it's my new favorite movie that I saw last night.
OPEN MOUTH
Still not caught up post-Chicago, but I noticed a few great things online that I had to post.
First of all, Augie's got a nice little review of the book up at Pipeline. I got to meet the man in Chicago and from what I gathered he's a good judge of character, books and poker opponents.
Augies says: "The results are good. The whole book is tough to quantify, though. It doesn't speak to me the way, say, TENDER VITTLES does. And part of me wants to groan at, 'Oh, man, another comic book about comic books.' But the overall effect is pleasant. I did get involved in the character's life over the course of those many years, and I was entertained. Really, isn't that all you can ask for? "
It really is.
Meanwhile, Iain Hamp uses the book to prove a point about how webcomics can help print comics. For the most part it's Iaian saying how he'd love to read it after seeing the preview but can't... and to his credit there's a note that reads: "I used Ninety Candles from Rant Comics as an example, but I want to make it clear that it is simply because that comic is what sparked a lot of this thought that I used it in particular to illustrate points. I don't mean to say that Rant Comics or Neil Kleid are against the use of the Internet for publishing or promoting comics in any way. "
Personally I think webcomics suck ass.
Kidding.It's actually a great article and I totally agree with him. Still - I'm too busy with print comics to get the book up onto a Bit Pass system right now.
Finally, some people got me to go against my nature and captured my soul on film at Chicago. This is the first time I show up at the CBR photo parade, seen here with Heidi MacDonald and Carla Speed McNeil:
But wait - look one picture to the left on the same day.... isn't THAT Neil Kleid? He's wearing his shirt!
....no, that's TEEN TITANS GO! writer and all around pimp J. Torres... what a huge faux pas! Naturally one of us had to go change our shirts:
Aw, don't be so glum, J. It just looks better on me. At least you have Mike Norton to keep you happy.
Back with the report tonight, perhaps, where I will regale you with tales of drinking, falling con booths, porn alley, drinking, and more drinking.
OPEN MOUTH
Back from Chicago, still recovering. I'm as beat as Tina Turner.
Proper con report forthcoming, but in the meantime, this is frankly a bit disturbing.
Ah, Wizard World.
OPEN MOUTH
So, this is my last post befor I head off to Chi-town in an hour. Staying with my buddy Josh tonight then I'm at the Rosemont Sofitel for the rest of the weekend. Aims to be a drinkin'-comickin'-fightin' good time.
Y'all stay good now.
MOOMBA is watching.
OPEN MOUTH
If only we had been trusting... we might not have frightened off... THE BLIP!
"“The Blip” was on a good will mission to a foreign star-system. On his voyage home , he was trapped in a space/time warp. Using most of his electrical energy to get free, the weakened alien landed on the nearest planet, Earth, where he first appeared as a strange “blip” on a radar screen. The Blip recharged his energies by absorbing electricity from the town of Oakville. Attacked by frightened townspeople, the Blip fought back in self-defense. Recharging himself fully on a dynamo, The Blip departed Earth, whose inhabitants he considered savage and uncivilized."
OPEN MOUTH
Been a while since I did a proper blog entry, so let's see if I remember how to do this.
Things progress apace in life. Crazy busy working on comics and travel arrangements. Getting set to ship NINETY CANDLES to Diamond - the numbers weren't great, but the buzz is there and my rep is handing me a Star Code shortly so here's hoping re-orders pick up. Finally hearing back from retailers about the 30 preview packs I sent and everyone is telling me they loved the idea - hey folks, I just get these ideas from Master James "Guru" Sime.
Now with CANDLES basically done and almost in stories, alls I need to do is pimp it at cons and to reviewers. Taking it to Chicago this weekend and then to Detroit in September. Also thinking about hitting the Baltimore con but that depends on travel and hotel. Next up? pimping BROWNSWVILLE.
Work? Slow. Having trouble getting a lot of writing done... and I think I just ened a break. I've been simultaneously writing 3 graphic novels among assorted anthology stories, mini series and what have you since AMERICAN CAESAR in March and with the added 90C admin work, I'm just burning out. Hopefully this little Chicago break will help recharge the muse and feed the fanboy inside.
I really am looking forward to Wizard World. I haven't been since 2001 where I moderated Joe Quesada's panel, met a shit load of people and had my first pro work on a table. Now, three years later, I'm coming back with a Xeric grant, two books, nine minis and a shitload of anthology stories under my belt with two OGNS and assorted work for hire on my plate. Quite a road it's been. I haven't been to Chicago at all since then, and it'll be nice to see the sights and hit Ken's Diner for a well-earned Burger Buddy.
Had a good meeting last week that's spun into some work for hire. Odds are within the year I'll be writing at least one, if not two books for this well established publisher. It's mostly adaptation - and they just sent me a copy of one of the books I'm going to be working on.... and glory be, it's material I'm VERY familiar with. Plus, the publisher and editor are really nice guys. They really liked the BROWNSVILLE ashcan I gave them at MoCCA and I handed them copies of 90C and 9-11 at the meeting. I'm really looking forward to working with them.
Other than that? Almost done with THE BIG KAHN script. Going to see Chantler on Friday and I'm hoping I can tell him the contracts are on the way... I'm also halfway done with BIT CITY but Variance and I still haven't found an artist. Dammit. I have 10 BEAR SUITS pitch presentations bound and ready to hand out at WW - going to focus on Image, Dark Horse and Slave Labor (mailing that one) but I'll also show it to anyone who wants to see it. I have "meetings" with Devil Due and Top Shelf lined up and I hope something bears fruit there. It'd be nice to get DEAD RONIN off the ground with Top Shelf. AFTERLIFE? Don't ask. I'm on a drawing break. One page done. Yay!
RRRRREEEEAAAALLLYYY need to start talking to the mainstream again.
That's really it right now... I'm just TIRED, you know?
Back for more later.
INSERT FOOT
Help wanted: Court jester
Wednesday, August 4, 2004 Posted: 1927 GMT (0327 HKT)
"LONDON, England (AP) -- English Heritage, guardian of various historic sites in Britain, is advertising for someone to be the nation's first court jester since 1649.
An ad appearing in Thursday's editions of The Times laid out the qualifications: "Must be mirthful and prepared to work summer weekends in 2005. Must have own outfit (with bells). Bladder on stick provided if required."
Dammit - I just gave my bladded on a stick to Goodwill...!
OPEN MOUTH
NINETY CANDLES and Rant Comics at Wizard World Chicago!
August 13-15, 2004: WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO
This year, Neil Kleid and NINETY CANDLES will be stationed in the Artist's Alley at the Lightspeed Press table with Carla Speed McNeil, award-winning creator of FINDER. Along with NINETY CANDLES, Rant Comics will make available copies of LATE NIGHT BLOCK #1 and 2 (the latter featuring a cover by Ms. McNeil) and ashcans of BROWNSVILLE, a 196 page True Crime graphic novel by Kleid and artist Jake Allen debuting in 2005 from NBM Publishing.
Kleid will also be available to sign copies of the HERO HAPPY HOUR SUPER SPECIAL anthology published by GeekPunk, in which his and Neil (BLACK FOREST) Vokes' "Secret Origin" appears. The HERO HAPPY HOUR SUPER SPECIAL ships to stores this Wednesday, July 21. HHH creator/publisher Dan Taylor will be on hand in the Artist Alley at Table 9077 with copies of the anthology available for purchase.
Information about FINDER and Lightspeed Press can be found here
Information about BROWNSVILLE and a cover preview can be found here
Information about LATE NIGHT BLOCK can be found here
Information about GeekPunk and HERO HAPPY HOUR can be found here
OPEN MOUTH
This one's for my brothers, who I know are big fans.
FIN! FANG! FOOM!
"On the island-nation of Formosa, Chan Liu Chow heard rumors of an invasion of his homeland by Communist Chinese forces. From his studies of ancient legends, Chan heard of the legend of the dragon Fin Fang Foom. Chan headed to China to the site of the crypt where the dragon slumbered. Using a special herb, Chan roused the monster from his sleep, then lured the dragon towards a battalion of armed troops and ships of the Red Chinese invasion force. Fin Fang Foom’s rampage ended the threat of an invasion as he destroyed the army’s weapons. Chan lured the dragon back to the crypt and used another herb which caused the dragon to once again fall asleep. "
OPEN MOUTH
Major thanks to Dave Gallaher for this great Kirby Monsters resource!
I think I'll have to periodically showcase monsters on this blog...like GOOGAM, SON OF GOOM!
"When Goom invaded Earth, he secretly brought along his infant son, Googam, whom he left hidden in a cave. Discovered by fourteen-year old Billy, Googam followed Billy home, where he terrorized Billy and his family. Challenged by Billy to a game of tag, Googam was tricked into stepping into a quicksand pit."
OPEN MOUTH
If'n you're of the mind, there's a really nice review by Laurel Sutton for the BROWNSVILLE preview ashcan NBM was handing out in San Diego a few weeks back.
More information about BROWNSVILLE can be found here.
OPEN MOUTH
Woo.
Well, that's one.
Last night was the first 90C party - the "official" pre-ship release of the book at Jigsaw. Got down to the shop around 5:30 to hang the art from pages 61-85 (where they're on display for the time being and available for sale! Email for more info). Helped Benjones get the store into shape , buying Israeli food and putting out copies of 90C, the BROWNSVILLE ashcan and DAVID, a limited release minicomic.
Folks started arriving early to beat the oncoming rain (which never came, thank god). Steve Goldman and his gal Leslie came by and I swapped minis with Leslie adn then proceeded to ultrascarf a bag of french fries to fortify myself for the night of drinking (which I had already actually started at home... heh) and then chatted with the arriving Dave Gallaher. Dave and I are both big ol' monster fans and we got to talkin' about 50's Marvel monsters and doing something with them in comics form... or something.
Anyway, then people started flowing in - it was a great night, with a nice mix of friends, new readers and 'comics celebs.' Crazy Dino Haspiel rode his bike in from Brooklyn and asked me to do a sketch - I did up a Brutha Jew-bot for the man and then got to sketching in folks' books. Steve and writerpal Elizabeth "PLATFORM" Genco signed my copy of their newest STYX TAXI book which I'm dyin' to read. Mo McTigue, sans dazzling convention gown, toasted to the release and Jigsaw with a gift of VAMPIRELLA shotglasses she made to Ben. She then had to endure a night of ribs about Vampi, Zdarsky and assorted Delphi madness.
Jigsaw was a great venue for this, and I'll tell you why - there weer a lot of new comic book readers there, all looking for a new book to get them into the medium. I recommended tons of books on the shelves to my old friends and new acquaintances, like Kate who I met at the cartoon jam on Wednesday. I got people buying copies of HAWAIIAN DICK, LAST OF THE INDEPENDENTS, FORTUNE AND GLORY and BUMPERBOY. I was also surprised how many of my minis moved - Ben sold out of his copies of RANT #3 and people did a number on some of the LATE NIGHT BLOCK, too.
As for me? I was RAMBLING AND MINGLING WITH GUSTO.
Co-Xeric winner dropped by and we compared Xeric tales. her book "Yeah, it Is" is beautiful. Go buy. You go buy now. I chilled with co-HO12ers Evan Forsch and Dave McKenna and the "I'm here/now I'm not" Miss Lasko-Gross. "Dirty" Danny Hellmann dropped by to checkout the store along with ex-CrossGen and CBLDF dude Chris Oarr... and as with most comic gala events. Heidi MacDonald of the Beat and Ed Mathews of Popimage were on hand to snap some pics and greet the stars!
The greatest part was knowing that Rahel, a Pantheon Books editor was there and no one knew but two of us....
I ended up drinkin' cans of Yuengling on the stoop, drawing in people's books til all hours - I even ended up drawing on some of my friends' chests ("NEIL WAS HERE!"). I did some crazy sketches - like the "Chiperella" drawing for Mo and an angsty Omac for Dino... honestly? there got to a point where I wasn't sure what I was drawing.
The show wrapped around 12 or 1230. Ed, Heidi, Chris and Dean took off for Joe's Pub on 6th while I finished my night talking about blogs, comics and comics columns with Chris Lamb at Joey's around 1 in the morning, sobering up with more french fries and water. Ben locked up the joint and came over with the rest of the regular Jigsaw gang - but sadly I had to bolt to get up early for work...
Thanks to everyone who came down, got the book and hung out!
Next stop? Chicago!
OPEN MOUTH
Hope y'all can come down and say hi! If not, call up the Jigsaw after 9 and have a shot with myself and the benjones!
Thursday, August 5th, 2004 at 8 pm
NINETY CANDLES NEW YORK RELEASE PARTY - THE LAST 25 YEARS
The official book release party for NINETY CANDLES will take place at Jigsaw, New York's latest venue for handmade art, independent/small press comics and shoestring media. Established this summer by dapper host Benjones, Jigsaw is located in New York's East Village and more information can be found at www.jigsawnyc.com
The party will feature music, refreshment and available copies of the book along with a special minicomic available only at the release. DAVID, a mixed media minicomic, explores family, brotherhood and mental health in a story almost too personal to tell. DAVID will not be produced after this print run and copies will be limited. Original artwork from NINETY CANDLES will be on display.
JIGSAW: 526 E 11th Street, NY NY
OPEN MOUTH
Just spoke with my Diamond rep about my Xeric winning book, NINETY CANDLES, and thought I might try one more effort here for some pre-orders.
If you're not familiar with NINETY CANDLES, it's a 48 page graphic novella funded by a grant from the Xeric Foundation. NINETY CANDLES is a completely improvisational comic book - no script, no net. Each panel of NINETY CANDLES represents a consecutive year in the life of its protagonist, Kevin Hall. The "spaces" between panels morph into "spaces" between years and as such the reader experiences our intrepid cartoonist's life, the decisions that shape his existence from birth to death.
More information can be found HERE
Previews of the book can be found HERE and HERE
A review by Alan David Doane can be found HERE
Retailer Shelf Talkers are available for download HERE
NINETY CANDLES, a 48 page graphic novella published by Rant Comics, is listed on page 314 of the July PREVIEWS catalog.
Diamond Item Number: JUL043096. Cost: $5.95
The Xeric Foundation
Tell yer friends! Thanks!