Ripping Off Myself (…And Failing.)

It probably won’t take long to figure out this above shot looks a bit familiar. I copied my own layout from a panel that went on to be the heading for this very blog. A panel I did a year or two ago taken from this page. I usually can’t stomach looking at my old artwork after a while, but I think this shot has held up ok. So when I needed a group reaction shot, I went back to this design. First thing that hits me looking at them both is that the older shot is the better of the two. It was drawn larger for a start, and therefore is more detailed and dramatic. A Zombie about to get squashed is more exciting then a bunch of people turning around. Plus no funky, forbidding shadow on the front character in the new shot. I guess the newer one isn’t meant to be as in your face as the other shot, however. Weirdly I wasn’t so keen on this panel when I saw it on the page, but I’m warming to it more after seeing it blown up on a computer-screen.

Been taking it a bit slower this week. Been fighting off a crappy cold and trying to relax and keep warm enough that it doesn’t turn into anything nastier. Which means my work rates has fallen a little bit this week. Hopefully I can pick up the slack and catch up over the weekend.

The Pile In 3D.

Another panel from issue 2. I am fond of this shot, but I can’t put my finger on why.

There was a time not long ago when I only had two pairs of 3D glasses. Both pairs were worn out and not very good. One pair that I got with a Danger Girl comic, and one pair shaped like a dinosaur that I’ve had since childhood. In the last year or two that figure has now gone up to 17. They’re not all the same you understand, most are Red\Blue, then there’s my modern ones for the cinema. Then I have Red\Green and Purple\Green ones. My panic buying of 3D movies recently helped fatten up this number a fair bit. What ever form 3D comes in now, hopefully I’ve got the right glasses for it. It is a crazy amount of 3D glasses to have. I may well open my own 3D cinema.

Pussy Power.

I don’t usually do viral videos, but I just can’t stop watching this video. This Cat is awesome. This is going to be one of those Youtube videos that ends up getting millions of hits, and I think this Cat’s earned it. That dumb Panda sneezing video has over 85 million. 85 million just for sneezing. This Cat is like the Charles Bronson of Cats. I bet he has to have an extra large Cat-Flap installed just to fit those massive Cat-Balls of his.

I don’t want this to be the end. I want them to take that Cat around the world and every week he faces a bigger animal.

I've never wanted to high-five a Cat so much in my life.

Panic Buying.

I did indeed get back into the swing of things this week, thank God. In fact I got a bit more done then I was expecting to this week. Which was a nice surprise.

Been buying what 3D DVD I can this week. With people talking about 3D movies going out of fashion these last couple of weeks, and with 3D movies at cinemas not pulling in the audience as much lately. It’s been a good enough excuse for me to buy a couple. If 3D does just turn out to be a fad again, like in the 50’s and 80’s, I just want a small pile of 3D DVDs of my own, which I can get out whenever I want a bit of 3D action. Part of me thinks 3D is too big this time around to die. Part of me is just screaming “stock up now, before it’s too late.” I don’t think every blockbuster should be 3D myself. But I’ll miss it if it does die out over the next couple of years. Actually I’m more hoping that trashy, low-budget movies will pick up and run with 3D. 3D is a little bit trashy, that’s why it works better with trashy flicks. I can’t wait to see 3D films made by the next generation of directors in the same vein as guys like Sam Raimi or Stuart Gordon or Frank Henenlotter.

This site has been all over the net lately, but I’ve got to post a link as it made me laugh. Our Valued Customers. The funniest thing I’ve seen online in ages.

Art Floppy.

One day you’re posting a picture of a Pumpkin-Headed Zombie getting blown away. The next you’re posting a picture of two people passing a glass of water between them. That’s what I love about comics.

Been doing the less exciting side of making a comic this week. Well… less exciting to me, anyway. Lettering and Thumb-nailing mostly. I’ve been making pretty good progress these last couple of months. Wished I hadn’t eased up a bit this week however. I feel like I’ve lost my art mojo a bit. The idea of sitting down and drawing is not a welcome one at the moment. Having a slight rest this week has been nice, but hopefully by the start of next week, the lead will be firmly back in my pencil.

Double Dipping.

Thought I’d try to keep Halloween alive a tiny bit longer, by posting the unedited versions of the artwork form my last two Halloween Ecards. I.E. before I elongate them on the computer and stuck the type on.


First up is my 2008 one. It’s a couple of years old now, but I still like the look of the sweets in the head. I still love the Jelly-baby coming out the nose. I did think of trying to make this creepy looking kid a reoccurring character and use him in every Halloween Ecard, I do. But sadly I just couldn’t think of another decent creepy kid idea. He does kind of make a very crappy cameo in this years one. The little boy in the front row is meant to be him. Not that cameos really work when everyone has a pumpkin for a head.


Anyway, speaking of this years effort. As I said at the weekend, this years concept was a lot bigger and more time consuming then I was hoping for. I think it’s a good action shot and works pretty well in its normal size (actually I think they both do, hence this bit of shameless double dipping.) I like how the pumpkin getting shot in the upper left hand corner came out. And the dead pumpkin zombie below him. Maybe at some point I’ll do a normal zombie pin-up. But right now I’m gonna be trying to get as much of issue 2 done, as I can for the rest of 2010.

Ok. I guess that’s Halloween 2010 officially over… bummer.