DETROIT FANFARE/Last Day...

I'm back from the whirlwind of a weekend at Detroit Fanfare. I gotta say it was a great show, well attended and the promoters went way out of their way to take care of us artists. I felt very welcome and appreciated moreso than other shows that I have done. I appreciate that extra step, very much so! I highly recommend the show in the future to folks considering it. The next one will be in late September but in DOWNTOWN DETROIT this time around!

I sold well, did some fun commissions and sketches and in general, just had a laid back fun time. Brian O'Halloran (DANTE from CLERKS) was two tables down from me:




I did meet him and get an autograph. He was VERY nice and great with all the fans. If only all celebrity experiences were that good.

Many great costumes abounded:



On Saturday, there was a sketch for shots and a Halloween party. My pal Jay Fosgitt was there in costume, along with his wife.




I was quite tired from the only 4 hours of sleep allotted to me, and the general anticipation of the weekend and the move to come. But I survived it and had a great time. So now I am back home, typing the last blog I ever will type in St. Joseph, MI. By this time tomorrow, I'll be unpacking boxes and turning on my imac in my new home in Lansing, Mi!!! We won't have internet till Tuesday, but we will be fully moved by tomorrow afternoon. Going to pic up the Uhaul at 7am, and loading it all up. Excited, is not a sufficient adjective to describe my mood at this point.

Well, I am going to leave you all for now. I'll share more pics and stories on Tuesday when I have more time. So goodbye St. Joseph. Wish me luck folks. We got a lot of work ahead of us. And I hope my severely out of shape body holds up fine. I love you all! Thanks for giving me a great weekend in Detroit. It was a great way to end the convention year for me!

See ya in Lansing everyone!

T

Excitement ahead.

No, its not tentacle porn. Its a quick sketch I did of Pleasant Life's "Kelly" being chased by evil plantlife.

Its coming close. Can you feel it? I am mere days away from life altering changes baby! I cannot wait to start it all. I wish it were happening right now. Well, here's how my week is gonna roll...

Today: Last minute packing for Detroit Fanfare, drawing and playing with the bots.

Friday: More drawing, hanging out with the wife and kid. Ted arrives later in the day.

Saturday: Take off around 6am for Dearborn and set up at the show. Do my thang and then party it up that night.

Sunday: Do the show and head home. Do last minute packing for good. Unhook the net.

Monday: Pick up truck at 7am, load up no later than noon (hopefully way earlier than that), clean old place, turn in keys, head to Lansing. Meet up with friends at new place and unload. Find my parents who will be arriving there as well and start unpacking and sorting after dropping off the Uhaul.

Tuesday: Cable guy comes at 10am to set up cable and internet. I will be back online at that point.

And for that day and the rest of the week, just unpack, put the stuff away. And thats my favorite part of moving. Deciding where my stuff will go, what will be out and how it will all look. Then we are also going out to find a new coffeetable and maybe a new kitchen table set. My parents are gonna be hanging with us there till Friday next week. Looking forward to seeing them as well.

So--BUSY time! These next two days are the great calm before the storm. Wish me luck and I promise to take pics, maybe some video of my entire week. I probably won't blog again till next week. Just keep an eye on my twitter account (twitter.com/adamtalley) and FB, natch. and if you are in the area... COME OUT TO DETROIT FANFARE!!!!! It will be a great fucking time. I hope to sell like mad. Its gonna rock. Me am pumped.

Anyway, take care folks. Hope you have as great a weekend as I will!

Cheers, T

A cover??????

Is it a cover? Is it LINGERIE PARTY MASSACRE? Hmmmmmm.....

DETROIT FANFARE pre-sale!

DETROIT FANFARE is less than one week away! Details on the show HERE. I am putting out the offer of a commission pre-sale. Just pay now via paypal and pick up your commission at the show! Tell ya what, I'll even toss in a FREE COMIC per order! Thats right! Here's the prices:

8x11 1-3 character, fully inked, with background for $20.
11x17 1-3 Character, fully inked with background for $40.
Anything additional is extra. Just email me at phymns@yahoo.com and ask before ordering! To place a pre-order via paypal, click on the right price and size you want in the COMMISSIONS part in my store link HERE

Below are some examples of what you will get:





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I will be offering some other deals at the show such as:

--All prints (11x14 matted or 11x17 flat prints) are $15 each or 2/$20.
--All print cards are $3 or 4/$10.
--BRING THE KIDS! Any kid in costume gets a FREE SKETCH CARD!
--The first person to spend over $100 gets a FREE SKETCH CAP! Anything they want on it!
Lastly, for the first time ever, one of my characters will be there IN THE FLESH! Officer TED GROSS from PLEASANT LIFE will be there to sign your PLEASANT LIFE books and chat with you about what he thinks of the fan favorite, tough as nails Casino Security guard in the book! Get yer pic taken with the man himself! I will have PLEASANT LIFE trade books on hand for you to pick up as well.

Its sure shaping up to be a great show! Come on out to the Detroit Fanfare show in Dearborn, Michigan this coming weekend, Oct. 30-31st!

Thanks for checking me out! See ya there!

--T

FREEBIRD.

Well now that we're damn close to moving, I can now let the "cat out of the bag" so to speak. I tried to keep mum on these things as there are many factors involved and many eyes (even still) watching. So I have to be careful about what I say. Also, I don't know if I should say it. Oftentimes I feel as though I am too blatantly honest in this blog and it invites a lot of things which can turn negative. But I feel that this is a place where you can get inside info on me and my work, but also see a part of my personality and day to day stuff. Good or bad. You are welcome to quietly judge me, of course. There's nothing I can do to stop that from happening. I guess I open myself up perhaps too much. So maybe I should back away from being too open. Well, after this blog, I will. But I feel it is important to bring closure to the events of 2007-2010 in my mind. So here: Why did we move?

1-My job - Those that follow this know I lost my job at the porn shop. In many ways, it was a good thing. But I still was unable to find something in my field in the area at all. Also, going into restaurant management was not an option. It seems that every restaurant in the area is sort of "junky" and filled with folks that don't seem to value good work ethics, a clean store or decent customer service. So it would have been a frustrating time for me to do that. I applied everywhere and no one was hiring. So better job opportunity for me in Lansing (hopefully). I did find a part time job down here, but it was obvious immediately that I did not fit in. Going up the ladder at Walgreens really didn't appeal to me for a variety of reasons I had better not get into. (Eyes watching.)

2-Frustrations with the people - Local people tend to be rude and just plain judgmental. I know, you find that anywhere, but I never really encountered it more than I have behind the counter at Walgreens. Maybe its the customers it attracts, but I don't know. No one seems happy here. There's a real separation of race here too. Like, in St. Joe, its all old white people and in Benton Harbor, its all black and there's sort of this unspoken separation or something. Its hard to describe. I'd rather live in a place with more cultural diversity and not so much separation. All the workers in every shopping place, restaurant or anyplace just seem unhappy and miserable. There's no cheerful people around the area at all. At least, not that I dealt with really. I notice good service when I get it. I notice personality when its given to me. and this area hasn't given it to me in the slightest. Also, some special BS regarding certain people in places of employment which I will not get into (eyes watching).

3-No friends, no family - This is the biggie. I am completely isolated. I've tried to reach out and make friends everywhere I could but it isn't possible. No one around here really is into the things I am into. My family is far away, my friends are even further. It created tons of problems for our respective jobs because we did not have a babysitter at times when we needed one. And that is not fair to the jobs we take on. Acknowledging this fact is a form of us maturing, I would think. In lansing, there are more people closer to my age and I do have friends there. As well as tons of potential to make new friends, especially ones that enjoy the things that I do. Here, I sit alone at home and feel as though I am just sitting, waiting to die.

4-The hospital SUCKS! - When we gave birth to our child, our nurses (most of them) were rude and unsympathetic to our problems at the time. It was their fault that we had to put our child in a better hospital an hour away in the first place. God forbid we'd have some sort of emergency. I said after our experience at Lakeland that if I broke my leg, I'd drive to South Bend or Kalamazoo over going to Lakeland. And I mean that.

5-Closer to my brother and son - Another biggie. I am co-guardian over my brother Michael and I have been slacking on that duty. One day, I will be full guardian and I want to be fully prepared for that. It is a promise I made to my mother on her deathbed and I intend to fulfill it. Also, my son is closer to Lansing as well. So major bonus! (Until he moves)


In addition to this, it will be great to hang out with other artists and get good feedback on my work and be a part of a melting pot of creativity. Also, people closer to my age. Over the last few years, I've felt a lot of changes in my body. Health and what not (what exactly, I will not reveal publicly from this point forth). But also the isolation has been playing tricks with my mind. I don't get out like I used to. I don't take care of my self, mentally or physically. I just have lost a lot of self-worth as a result of that. To be plugged back into a social pipeline will help that. To start to feel my actual age instead of 65 will be great. I'm tired of saying how old and useless I feel, when I should be enjoying my 30's. I do not want to "wait to die" like everyone else around here. I still got a lot of living to do.

I want it noted that I do not regret the decision to move down here when we did. We wanted a place to start a family that was quiet and we needed some "us" time. It was good for our relationship and family. I learned a lot about myself and how the world works sometimes. If we hadn't have moved, I would have eventually lost my job at the paper anyway, so it was good we left when I did. It has been a struggle at times. I believe that when doors close, others are opened. I am a huge believer in the fact that fate shows you where you are "meant" to go. Everything bad or good happens for reasons. And now I feel the strong urge to move on down the road. To something better, something greater.

So, close the chapter on Southwest Michigan. I can honestly say that I will not miss it. The excitement and grand splendor that is before me waiting in Lansing is beckoning me and its one week away. Some great things are ahead for me and my family. GREAT THINGS. I can feel it. Onward and upward folks. Freebird.

NEW COMIC PROJECT OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

Well, I dropped the knowledge of my newest comic project after ANNA POCALYPSE during the live art event I did on my ustream channel. Not a whole lot of people have watched it. But thats okay, cause its time to reveal it once and for all right here! (here's a look at the main cast)



My new project is a horror graphic novel called "LINGERIE PARTY MASSACRE!"

Yes, you heard that right. It is a slasher horror genre book that takes place in the 80s, my favorite decade! It will be a total throwback in feel to the movies in that genre and era. It is a celebration of horror cinema and the finest decade of horror ever! It features a mostly female cast, an escaped asylum maniac and (of course) a shower scene! It will have all the stereotypes of the era with the themes, story and characters of the day.

The base plot is Julie, all American college girl and her friends rent a house out in the country to host a Lingerie Party on Halloween night. Their boyfriends are not invited and they hatch a scheme to get in on the fun. Meanwhile, a break out of a dangerous psychopath from the local asylum ensures that the girls will be put into harms way! Suddenly, people start dropping off left and right and its up to Julie and her friends to band together and find out who is doing the slashing!

Facts: This book WILL be in Color. The book will be around 80-100 pages. There will be T&A. It will be gory and very "R rated." I am taking the next year to work on this book and it will release sometime around Halloween 2011. So a year away, but you get to see it come to light the whole way.

I am very excited about this project. When I started in the comics, it was always my intention to do something in each genre. I've done slice of life, humor, action, post-apocalyptic, and farcical. Now its time to have some fun and do something in my favorite genre: HORROR! My plans also are to make this a larger release than I normally do. I want to take it to Horror Conventions and cross market it to fans there. The sky is the limit! I hope this project excites you as much as I am excited to work on it. Its gonna be a bloodbath! Them teenagers are gonna get it!

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In other news, had the big #200 episode of the Bigfanboy podcast last night. Loads of fun. The wife has two days off this weekend, FINALLY! We plan on relaxing and me getting ahead on work, natch. I just got most of the commissions I was due out the door, so its time to crank out some page work. I've been so busy with those commissions, its not even funny. But I got bills to pay, so I appreciate it! If you are interested in a commission, hit me up. Xmas is just around the corner! Believe me, I don't mind!

Anyway, thanks for reading. Its a long way till next Halloween, but I hope your 2011 just got brighter!

Cheers, T

Waiting and waiting....

Hey ya'll. Hope thy week is going swimmingly.

Mine is alright. Just packing random stuff at this point, forcing myself not to pack things I'll need for the next 10 days before the big move. We're anxious as hell to get it done and get back to normal. I know I am. I am sick of this routine. After this move, I don't want to move again for at least five years. If ever.

Its gonna be a hectic time. That friday, Ted is coming down to hang. Then he's riding with me and going to the DETROIT FANFARE for Saturday and Sunday. Then we come back Sunday night, watch WALKING DEAD premiere and then pass out. Then 7am Monday, get truck, load up and be on the road by 11-12 at the latest. Arrive by 2pm and unload. My parents are also gonna be in town and will stay with us at our new place till that friday. So its gonna be a hectic week! But still, exciting all the same. I'm ready for the new life. So ready. You have no idea.

I checked with Walgreens and I haven't been scheduled this last week that I was supposed to be available, so I guess I am officially done there. No more Walgreens for me. So I am officially and fully unemployed once more. Come what may for me in Lansing. I hope good things.

I'm getting excited with the possibility of playing some D&D again once there with old friends. Also the grand opportunities there for my career and influences. Its gonna be a melting pot of awesome. Its gonna rock.

So this week so far, I have just been trying to stay sane in this empty house and play with the bots. Keep some sense of "normal" around us. Been working on commissions for my fine art curator in Switzerland for his next exhibit. I hope to finish them all by tomorrow night or Friday night at the latest. Wish me luck with that. I'm all packed up for DETROIT FANFARE. All packed up and no con to go to. Eight short days away baby. I'm excited.

So: In a nutshell, TONS of great things happening. But waiting for now.

But I'm killing time. Watched JACKASS 3D in the theater this past week. I'm rockin' netflix halloween titles (Watched DRACULA with Frank Langella, ABBOT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN and Roddy McDowell's IT. All were decent). Today I chilled out in front of the TV for the first time in a long time and enjoyed some IRON CHEF and Nightmare on Elm Street and Jackass documentaries. Felt good to relax a bit. I should draw tonight but I just feel like chilling. So sue me.

Okay, off I go to watch the wheels go round and round.

Cheers, T

Top favorite Actors list.

I've been trying to come up with an entertaining list for you all, since I am all about lists. And here's one I don't think I've done yet. While I know I am writing this as I go, I fully acknowledge that I know I will leave a ton of people off of it, and I reserve the right to edit it later if I forget someone. I have so many, but these are the cream of the crop. My criteria is that I would watch a movie I was not interested in purely cause they were in it.

TOP 10 FAVORITE ACTORS (no order)

Jack Nicholson - What can you say? He's great. He can act, but like John Wayne, he's a personality in each movie. When he smiles, you smile. You know he's gonna say something great. He's just wonderful. Best works: The Shining, About Scmidt, As Good as it Gets

Brad Dourif - The dude is one of my favorites. He is just great in anything and is really intense. Best: Lord of the Rings, Spontaneous Combustion, Exorcist 3, and yes, even STAR TREK VOYAGER.

Roddy McDowell - I've always been a fan of his from back when I was a kid. He's just great. One of my favorites of all time. Best: Legend of Hell House, Planet of the Apes, Fright Night

Malcolm McDowell - Again, one of my absolute favorites. I've seen almost all of his flicks, even the bad ones just cause he was in it. Best: Clockwork Orange, Caligula, Time after Time

Don Knotts - One of my favorites from my childhood and for all time. He was just great. I still watch the Andy Griffith show for him alone. Best: How to frame a fig, Private Eyes, Ghost and Mr. Chicken

Charlie Chaplin - Fuck Jim Carrey. He's the funniest guy that ever is, was or will be. Best: Gold Rush, Great Dictator

Robert Downey Jr - I'm so glad he got his life back together and is getting the acolades that he so deserves now. Best: Nat. Born Killers, Chaplin, Iron Man

Johnny Depp - I like this dude simply for the research and slants he takes on his roles. He's an artist at his craft and stays out of the Hollywood BS. I love this man. Best: Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands

Sylvester Stallone - Gotta have an action star in here and for me, Stallone was always my favorite over Arnold. He's a great writer and just makes movies fun. Best: Rocky 1-6, Rambo 1-4, Cliffhanger, Over the Top... hell, ALL of his movies.

William Shatner - Yeah, I know. but credit where credit is due, he makes me watch crap movies simply cause he's in it. That was my criteria. And he's made some BAD movies. But his performance as Kirk made me who I am today. Word. Best: Kingdom of the spiders, Boston Legal and that other thing.

John Wayne - I grew up with him and its necessary to have him on the list. Watching him reminds me of my father. Maybe thats why I get emotional when I watch his movies. Best: McLinktok, The Searchers, The Shootest, True Grit, Stagecoach, Big Jake. All of them. Except the Ghengis Khan one.

There ya go.

Wasted Weekend thus far

Hey everyone. A quick update. Been busy and staying busy mostly. Still sorting and packing. I sold my old amp today to a pal of mine and I hope it was worth his trip from Grand Rapids to get it. They dropped off a lovely apple crisp, which the bots loves alot! I gotta fight for me to eat some of it from his constantly watchful eyes.

My left side abdominal uncomfortableness has returned and plagued me for the last 4 days. I wish I knew what this was. The doctors before ran all sorts of tests and still say it was muscle strain. I took tonight off and laid with a heating pad on it, relaxing. I watched TOS TREK on Bluray. Been a while since I took the night off and watched STAR TREK. Felt good to do that. Took my mind off that and the other millions of things on my TO DO list for a couple hours anyway.

This early part of the week I have to finish up commissions and get the ANNA pages colored in the next week. I'm gonna keep on that, as well as resting as much as I can to see if this is indeed muscle strain that I have re-hurt somehow since the few weeks it went away. WEBMD and all sorts of symptom checkers don't tell me nothing. So unless this gets more severe, I am going to treat it as simple strain. Cause thats what it feels like anyway. I just wish it would stop.

Anyway, I guess I don't have much else to report for now. Keep out of trouble and I'll do the same. Try to anyway. No promises. You know how I am.

Cheers, T

GOLD DIGGER piece.

A piece I did recently for GOLD DIGGER HALLOWEEN special.



Thanks again to Antarctic Press for letting me sour their pages once more! GOLD DIGGER HALLOWEEN SPECIAL is coming out this month! (The above piece will be colored in the comic by Guru-EFX! Word!)

Top 5 things I wish I were already into

An interesting list to entertain you all today. I've been thinking about things that my friends are into and how on some common ground, I have missed the boat on some of them. Here is a list of the top five things that I wish I grew up with enjoying, so that I can have the fond memories and experience of these things now, as they do.

1. Godzilla movies - I know people who are way into this. The only ones I've seen are the ones from MST3K. Godzilla and Gamera. They have their own charm and it is interesting. But now there are over 30 movies and its intimidating to start anywhere to enjoy them. I did see Godzilla 2000 in the theater though. Perhaps the only Godzilla movie I've ever seen in a serious way.

2. Hammer Horror Movies - I watched most of the classic monster movies when I was a kid. But the Hammer Horror Remakes I totally missed out on. Unfortunately, alot of them are hard to find. And I find them intimidating as well. There are a lot of different Dracula and Frankenstien movies with this English studio. I would like to see some of the best ones though. Especially ones that feature Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

3. Anime - This is a big one. I really haven't checked out a whole lot. I've never seen Robotech or anything major in this catagory. I've only seen half of Akira and don't really remember much about it. I saw parts of Vampire Hunter D and Ghost in the Shell. The only thing I've seen and own is Cowboy Bebop and I do enjoy that. I don't know what is holding me back from enjoying anime. It just is large and extremely intimidating. I don't know where to start. There's all sorts of different releases and versions and opinions over english subtitles or dubbing. I just can't sort it all out. but it does appeal to me in some way.

4. Horror Hosts - This is one I've been thinking about a lot recently. There are a ton of horror hosts out there currently and in the past. I grew up in central Michigan and didn't really have one locally that I could have enjoyed. They are hard to find in any area I live now too. The concept is almost lost to me. I guess my "horror host" was MST3K. But I still desire to be a part of that movement and enjoy schlocky horror movies with a funny host on local cable access. In detroit I know there is Wolfman Mac. Perhaps when I move to Lansing, I can see some of it.

5. D&D - I never grew up around it like some of my friends did. I didn't even know what it was really. the closest I got was playing a game called HEROQUEST once with a pal of mine. I remember really enjoying the hell out of that. Then years later I learned of D&D but never knew anyone who played. But then I had a roommate in college who was huge into it. I played my first few games. It pissed my girlfriend off at the time because she was hyper religious and thought it was "satanic!" No shit. She stormed out one day cause we were playing it. Rediculous now that I think back to it. Anyway, my roommate Jon and I played quite a bit, even with a newer girlfriend who was way into it. For a few months we had weekly games and I even got to DM once. I really did enjoy it. But we never finished. I do have friends here and there that still play. But I am way out of the loop on version preference, the "proper" rules and the mores of the culture and game. I am interested to play it again and check it out with a clearer mind. I may have opportunities to do so in Lansing when we move. I am looking forward to the possibilities.

Anyway, thats my TOP 5 THINGS I WISH I WERE REALLY INTO list. Do you have things you wish you were into? Or have suggestions for me on the above things on where to start? email me at phymns@yahoo.com and give me some thoughts.

Cheers, T

DETROIT FANFARE and ANNA POCALYPSE plans!

Hey Everyone! Thanks for coming! Tons to talk about today!

I'm gearing up fast for the upcoming DETROIT FANFARE comic and entertainment show that is happening HALLOWEEN weekend, Oct 30-31st in Dearborn, MI. Details HERE

I will be there all weekend with a ton of my artistic brothers and sisters too many to name in one sitting here. (INCLUDING STAN LEE!) Also coming is Brian O'Hallaran, known as DANTE from Clerks, who will be grand marshalling a "Zombie Walk" on Saturday to the show! One guy who deserves special note is BRETT PINSON, writer and creator of THE EXPENDABLES comic, which I do the art for. We'll have #1-3 there at the show. For my part, I am coming loaded with tons of new stuff! Of course, the matted prints you know me for with some new ones added! Also these beauties:



Yes, 11x17 prints including SLAVE LEIA, SUPERFRIENDS FAMILY GUY and HORROR ICON LAST SUPPER! Sure to sell out at the show cause they are very popular pieces of mine on deviantart so come score one quick! All my prints are $15 each or 2/$20. Mix and match. In addition to the new prints, I have these:



Smaller CARD versions of the prints. Price on these: $4.00 each or 3/$10. Best deal in the house.

On Saturday, there is a shots for sketches thing where you buy an artist a shot and get them to draw on a special sketchcard for you! I hope to take part in that. Also there is a late night devil's night bash featuring local horrorhost Wolfman Mac! It is a ticketed event and will sell out! So bring your costume and your best drinking face. Sure to be a "howling" good time! Lastly, on Sunday there are a ton of specials going on, but for my part, I am doing a special for the kids: FREE SKETCH CARDS to any kid in costume that comes by my table and asks. I will draw any one character sketch for them on a nice trading card for them, so come on by and ask! The show is also having tons of exclusive comics and prints all around so be sure to go to their website to get more info. Tickets for STAN LEE's autograph signing are selling out, so please buy yours ahead now through their site: HERE

I will be taking commissions at the show. But spots and time will fill up fast. If you want to pre-order and pre-pay for your commission and pick it up at the show, visit my online store and click on which commission you want. 8x11 one to three characters inked is $20, 11x17 with up to 5 characters inked is $40. Pay now via paypal and pick it up at the show! (and I am known to toss freebies out to people who prepay for a commission like this! Go ahead and order one this way by going to my ONLINE STORE

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I will be having a guest at the show. For the first time ever, I am bringing a STAR from my comic, PLEASANT LIFE. None other than OFFICER TED GROSS in the flesh! So come get your pic with him and have him sign your Pleasant Life books and ask him what its like to be the best comic book character in all creation!

I'm looking forward to the show very much! It will be my last appearance for the year most likely. So come on out and show your support for the local art scene and stop by my table to say hi! Best Halloween weekend ever is coming soon!
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In other news, it is revealed:



This is the official cover to the ANNA POCALYPSE tradebook. Official release date for now is Christmas 2010. I am super busy with commissions and what not to get it completed but it is on my priority list. Just coloring and some lettering to go. Then off to the printer. In November I will do a pre-order for the book. Likely, there will be an "artist edition" which will include a free Anna sketch in the interior cover. Book will retail at $20, with Free Shipping in the USA. I will likely offer discount deals to people who have bought the first stand alone issue and can prove it.

Okay folks. Thats all I got for now. Make plans to go to the Detroit Fanfare! Its gonna be a bloodbath of a great time!

ANNA POCALYPSE TRADE COVER!

Cover to the ANNA POCALYPSE tradebook coming this December! (more later)

Late Night Commission Work...

I'm up late working on commissions. Wasn't feeling good earlier so I took a 5 hour nap. Yeah, 5 hours. Feeling okay now. So I am up trying to finish commissions. Here's what I am working on....



Got a client in Switzerland that likes nude rowing gals. So yeah, I gotta draw over 60 rowing nude girls. (Isn't the art life great?) Such hard work! Oh, woe is me! :)

Lookie who is keeping me company:



Okay, took enough of a break. Back to it. Thanks for looking. Sorry about the nudity.

Cheers, T

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Saturday...

(Title sung in the Elton John song reference...)

Hello all. There's been an increase in readership and emails in this blog and my website hits as well. I want to thank you for checking my ass out and that you keep coming back for more as often as you do! I really appreciate the dedication and thoughts you put toward me and my verbal shitstorm that I spew from my mind-hole. I've tried to keep entertaining you, and keep giving you all "inside info" on me and what I do. And I've avoided those old motivational or political blogs that I used to go off onto. So I am glad people like the adjustment. Its been a long while since I've done those type of things. I'll keep up my end, promise.

I've been sorta sick off and on this last week. Lots of allergy headaches and colds. Sneezes, coughs, etc. I've sorta strayed from the diet a bit (damn McDonalds and their Monopoly game!) but I am still off of Coke and Mt. Dew. Haven't touched them in months. I have been drinking sprite kinda regular now. I know thats soda, but not nearly as bad as those others I mentioned. Starting today, I am going walking and lifting weights to get ready for the huge move to come. I am severely out of shape and I intend to get my muscles at least up to the challenge of the move to come. Twenty-two short days, folks.

To say we are excited beyond all comprehension is a severe understatement. When the move is finalized, I shall open wide the floodgates and spill all the reasons as to why our move is great for us. For now, eyes are watching and I cannot give some of the inside reasons as to why the area has diminished in our eyes. Lets just say this has all been coming for a while and we cannot wait to close the book and move on to the next chapter. Nuff said.

Yesterday, we tossed out a lamp, an end table, a huge desk we no longer need and two huge boxes of trash, clothes and other things we don't need. I sold a bunch of stuff on ebay as you recall, but they took the sellers fees out of the wrong account, making my personal bank account minus, plus the bounce fees. So that sucked up ALL of my profit from ebay. So Ebay, a lost cause. I'll never sell there again. Its a huge pain in the ass really. I can see maybe selling maybe one or two things, but never a stack of 10-20 things at once like that again. Its a crap-shoot.

I picked up some Cds: Slayers REIGN IN BLOOD, MONSTER BALLADS (thanks to the wife), 2Pac R U STILL DOWN and Dr Dre THE CHRONIC. I watched MOUNTAINTOP MOTEL MASSACRE (Piece of shit) and GRINDHOUSE BR this past week. I got THE GATE coming via netflix today! :)

Okay folks, thats it. Thanks for reading and I got a crap ton to do today. More drawing, commissions and some website work to come. Stay tuned!

T

Lazy Wednesday

Hey everyone. Its early Wednesday. I'm cooking a pot roast, mashed potatoes and biscuits for the family. My hands smell like sliced onions, celery and carrots. Yummy!

Been working on commissions this past week. I inked the page I did live on the air Saturday. I haven't gotten any further on either that project or ANNA. I've been busy spending time with the family and packing/sorting stuff for the move. I just tossed a ton of clothes too. Stuff I've had since High School! Wow. Almost 17 years ago. Holy crap!

I did buy some stuff yesterday. I got the GRINDHOUSE 2 disc Bluray. Also I picked up SLAYER's "Reign in Blood." My first Slayer album. Might as well best the one they are best known for, right? I also pre-ordered that 5 disc TRANSATLANTIC LIVE Cd/DVD set. I ordered it pretty damn early and the first 100 ordered get autographed by Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse. I've got a damn good chance that I got in early enough. Should arrive late October. Hopefully before the move! Don't want it to get lost in the mail.

Another album is coming next week that I am interested in:



I'll admit, as hardcore a Floyd fan as I am, I am not a mega fan of the early era Floyd where Syd Barrett wrote the songs. I think Piper at the Gates of Dawn is a great album though. I do have it and enjoy it. But its not my favorite era of Floyd. My least favorite era of Floyd though is right after Syd left the band and they went all psychidelic and acid trippy. I guess that type of music has its place in history, but I guess I don't feel it. Its the least spun discs in my collection. but I gotta admit that I am slightly interested in this Syd Barrett collection that is coming next week. I think now that I am older, maybe its time to give his work another listen. I never really checked out his solo Cds. Why not?

I'm also checking out Exodus, more Slayer, King Diamond, Overkill, Iron Maiden and Anthrax. All bands that I've tasted here and there, but never got into. Why? Well, I guess now that I know Dream Theater (at least for me, for a while) is practically no more, I am looking for something new. and there's a lot of "staple music" that I have missed out on growing up. I've been listening to a lot of Metal lately. No idea why other than what I just stated. I guess I just want to move on to another era of music that I could also enjoy. To taste all of life's great art of my era before I croak.

We're anxious for the move. And I am also anxious for the Detroit Fanfare show, coming up Halloween weekend. We're doing something called "Shots for Sketches." Where you buy your chosen artist a shot of alcohol and get them to draw a sketch and its all for charity! Sounds like epic fun to me! If I can I am totally taking part in that!!

Well I guess thats all for now! Thanks for reading! Back to work and cooking with me!

T

Post "24 Hour Comic Day" newsings

I found this pic from my phone from the WALL concert. Its a look at my beer from the ledge where I stood to enjoy the concert. Check that baby out. Hell of a view.



Well, 24 Hour Comic Day came and went. I had considered seeing if I could join my pal Dean at his comic shop he goes to in Lansing, but apparently, I would have to register or something so just "showing up," especially when they don't know me (YET!), would have been awkward or bad. So instead I went with my first idea. I recorded three total events yesterday, one of which I deleted cause it was a test run. The second was an hour and a half of me coloring a page with flats. Not really that interesting unless you like seeing that sort of thing. Then I took a two hour break to eat and spend time with the wife. Then returned to pencil a page live. Unfortunately, my camera is at the top of my Imac and you cannot see me as I draw. Only the top of my head as I look down at the page. But periodically I lift up the page to show you what I am doing as I do it and its progress. It makes for (what I feel) a quite uninteresting hour of watching. But you want to watch it for the end because I reveal the name of my new project and show some character sketches and pages from it! So maybe skip to the last ten minutes! To watch these extremely awesome videos and others, visit my ustream site HERE.

In retrospect, I think next year I will opt to take part in an actual 24 hour comic day. Just to see if I can actually do it. I couldn't fully participate this year because of the kid and the wife had to work. Next year, I will take full advantage for sure.

Anyway, I inked the page I pencilled last night an hour later or so. It came out pretty good. I'm happy with it. Today: More pencilling, coloring and I got this idea for a sweet DOCTOR WHO print. Wish me luck. I'm gonna get rocking on it right now.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Get back to it!

Luvs, T

Week update

Check em out:



Somethin' I'm debuting at the DETROT FANFARE on Oct. 30-31st. Its a collection of small cards featuring the art from my large convention exclusive sales only prints. Its just a nice way to display the art from the prints in a expanded form. I think the price will be $3.00 each or 4 for $10.00. So again, I'm offering the deals that make ya squeal! Also I got two new matted prints to premiere and three large 11x17 prints (pictured here in blogland a while ago). I am all sold out of 2010 sketchbooks. I only have 10 single issue ANNA POCALYPSE comics left and about 8 copies of PLEASANT LIFE: WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND tradebook. So yeah, after this show I'm gonna need to place some orders! But I'm coming to the show loaded to the brim with all this and my wife's lovely charm bracelets! Oh, and a crap-ton of original art! So please make some plans to come on out and see the show. Tons of my artistic pals will be there and STAN LEE too! There's parties, a zombie walk, blood drive and more! I'm thinking on the 31st, for kids in costume I will offer free sketch cards! We'll see. I don't see why not. :)

This week we paid our new apartment deposits, reserved the uhaul and packed like mad. I tossed a ton of stuff. Toys, vhs tapes, Cds, original art, paintings, magazines, etc. Just a ton of stuff. It was hard to sort through and part with things but I am maturing in my pack rat nature. I just don't need all that crap anymore. Things you own end up owning you, isn't that the way it goes? But anyway, we're very excited for the upcoming move. We got a lot of time left to keep sorting, so thats good. Sometime this month, my folks are supposed to come up and visit. And with ending the month with Detroit Fanfare its gonna be a jam packed month! Yeah baby!

Some other things going on this month:

This Saturday is 24 hour comic book day. I was planning on working for 24 solid hours, but it isn't possible with the kid and the wife having to work. Also, I'm doing it solo and thats no fun. So instead sometime after 6pm eastern, I am gonna stream from them till around 1am working on stuff. I'll color and draw. And all of it you can watch and participate LIVE on my ustream channel found HERE. For those that cannot participate live, the event SHOULD be recorded so you can revisit it later. So if you are up working on comics as well, watch and join me! I hope to get a lot of work done. Come see how I do it.

****ALSO --- During the show I will announce the name and concept behind my NEW COMIC PROJECT that I am working on currently! Watch my stream and get the inside poop on what it is, why I am doing it and see the first pages from it! Now I bet yeh wanna tune in!****

Next week some killer DVDs are coming out. Including the GRINDHOUSE bluray, THE EVIL (long unreleased horror flick), a new OLIVIA (for the kid). and last week IRON MAN 2 and THE PRIVATE EYES (old don knots flick I love) was released on Bluray. So hopefully I can scrounge up some funds to score some of those.

Also this month, I begin my "One horror movie a day" challenge. Starting today! I plan to watch all the Halloweens, Chuckys, Fridays and Nightmares in order. As well as some choice horror movies on my netflix that I selected for this occasion. Including: Splatter University, Mountaintop Motel Massacre, C.H.U.D., Motel Hell/Deranged, The Stuff, A Virgin Among the Living Dead, Drive Thru, Troll 2, Slaughter High, the Gate, Bikini Bloodbath Carwash, Survival of the Dead, An American Werewolf in London, The Prowler, Tombs of the Blind Dead and many more! So yeah, a ton of new movies and old classics to watch. I might even treat myself with a look at the old EVIL DEAD trilogy for old time's sake. I do plan on writing reviews for these flicks and I will likely submit them to my RETRO REVIEWS section on BIGFANBOY.COM. So wish me luck or join me!

I guess thats it folks. Back to work with me. I got commissions to finish, new prints to work on, new comic project pages to get pencilled and ANNA pages to get colored. So get to work ADAM! Yeh bastard!

Cheers, T