Got a huge pile of work done on the book this past week, even if I did not meet my goal of getting the whole thing storyboarded. Instead I have 75 pages (out of a final page count of ~100) boarded, and the scripts for 4 more chapters of 5-15 pages each in a semi-workable state. This does indeed mean I have more material than will make the final cut, which is a good place to be. Always better to have to cut than to fill.

I sent everything I have in its current state to my editor, and we'll be discussing the status of things later this week. Some of it clearly needs work, some of it seems like it might be very close to ready to draw (we'll see if she agrees with me on the latter).

Meanwhile, I have been remiss in posting storyboard pages here, for which I apologize. You can read some excerpts from Adam's story on my website. There are seven pages posted so far, so I'm probably not gonna rerun them here in one swell foop.

I have an art show this weekend, the Wheatsville Arts Festival, which is Dec. 5 and 6 and is in the vicinity of the Wheatsville Co-op once more. I'll actually be outside I ♥ Video, as the festival spreads along Guadalupe.

My point is, I've been crazy busy with stuffs and have been even worse than usual about posting comments or replying to emails. My brain seems to have melted and dribbled out my ear.

( Cal's story page 10 storyboards )

See all posted pages

Also, tonight I go to hang a bunch of stuff in the Austin Sketchgroup art show, which will be up throughout the month of October. The Hideout is at 617 Congress Ave., here in Austin. I've done several new pieces for this show, including my current favorite, this snuggly little fuzzy thing:



There'll be a reception at some point, and I shall inform you of such when I know more.

You've been really wanting to go to an indie comic show. You didn't have to say anything; I can just tell. And how lucky you are that STAPLE! is this very Saturday!

It's at the Monarch Event Center in Lincoln Village (roughly at I-35 and 290, I think), and will be going on from 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM. I will, of course, be there with a host of monsters and minicomics. Alas, I did not get the Feep Mini Coloring Book #2 done in time for this show (I blame others), but I'm really, honestly hoping to have it done in time for CAPE in May.

At any rate, come to STAPLE! and load up on all kinds of independent artist goodness. Do it! Do it, I say!

First, the Good:

The Kismet Gallery sent me a letter, which confused me as the show is not over for another 5 or 6 weeks, and because the envelope contained the return postage I sent them. The note included reads, "Yo, Dude, I'm enclosing your postage, hoping you will SEND SOME MORE SHIT." Apparently they need more feeps, so more feeps I shall give them!

The Bad is actually Good for those who were inquiring about cat-sitting, but nevertheless:

When I got back from the dentist today I noticed an object sticking out of the sidewall of one of my tires. The tire is a little low but not obviously deflating rapidly, so I'm afraid to pull the object out lest it turn into that scene from Once Upon a Time in China Part Whatever where the guy pulls the straw out of his neck and his head falls off. Since it's a sidewall puncture I don't think the tire can be plugged, and while I have a spare it's in mediocre condition and not really more reliable than a punctured tire for a drive to and from Dallas. The upshot being I am probably not going to Dallas at all for Xmas. I will most likely have to get at least one new tire, and since I just left a large sack with a dollar sign printed on it at the dentist I can't afford any new tires right now.

As for the Funny, I was attacked by my shirt, whose carnivorous nature I was previously unaware of:

( Observe the offending garment )

Wheatsville is going really well; I met my sales goal for the weekend on day 1, which means I get to buy myself something as a prize. You know what I'm going to get? Oh, man it's just too exciting. I am going to buy some socks.

That alone might not make me old. What makes me old is the thrill of anticipation over the impending purchase of socks.

This post brought to you by Dylan, age 276.

Actually, it turns out I'm going to be leaving the feep shadow boxes at the Lowbrow Emporium for the time being. Although the show they were in is over, the owner said I was welcome to continue to display them there. Since that's way better than having them sit around my apartment, I shall leave them at Lowbrow. I'll have one of them at Wheatsville, just so I have at least one showoff piece around.

I realize this changes your plans completely, and I apologize for being so horribly inconsiderate.

And now, back to feeping.

Oh, yes, it's that time of year. This weekend is the Wheatsville Arts Festival (Dec. 1-2 at the Wheatsville Coop, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM), whereat I shall have a booth. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so I expect it will be an insanely busy weekend. It would be really, totally awesome if people could come by throughout the weekend and help out a little. Specifically, I'm going to need the occasional runner to go get food, and the occasional booth-sitter so I can go to the bathroom. I would also really appreciate assistance with set-up and tear-down (mostly I need someone to help me set up the tent and tables, which means being awake and semi-functional at 7:30 AM on a Saturday; anyone? anyone? hello?). Tear-down is less painful since it happens at a time when normal humans might actually be awake, and again I mostly crave assistance with tent and tables. Let me know if you're up for helping out.

My online store is nearly devoid of feeps since I just did another restock at Sparks. I'd say if you're in or near Austin and want any feeps, either come to Wheatsville this weekend or hit Sparks since I won't be able to do any major online store restocking until next week.

For those of you not in Texas, I'm going to be in an art show at the Kismet Gallery in Troy, NY. The Designer Toy Show runs from Nov. 30 - Jan. 25. They're located at 71 Fourth St.

The Monster Mash art show at the Lowbrow Emporium is nearly done. I'm going to pick up my stuff this Wednesday (tomorrow!), so this is pretty much your last chance to see the shadow boxes up close & in person for awhile. Lowbrow is at 2708 South Lamar in Austin.

Finally, if you were considering commissioning anything from me for holiday gifts, please get me those orders ASAP. I get really, really busy leading up to the holidays and if you wait too late to put in a request I may have to turn you down. Fair warning!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go cackle maniacally and mutter to myself about world domination. They thought I was mad! MAD!

Boy, you know what's more fun than having a cold? Having a cold when you're trying to run a table at a convention! It is awesome. I made it through today by bringing in a big bag of drugs and periodically medicating myself. One woman was looking at my stuff with her young kids and then hurried off all of a sudden with an unpleasant look on her face. I think she mistook the cough syrup I was knocking back for an illicit shot of whiskey.

The show's going really well, definitely way better than when I was here two years ago. Lots of people coming by, even though I'm way at the back of the room. The folks from Lone Star Comics want me to get in touch with them about doing a feep consignment there, and so I shall!

Scariest Con Attendee Award goes to the guy asking various artists for pornographic sketches of female super heroes. I realize there's still time for someone scarier to show up tomorrow, but I'm not banking on it.

Tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 3) I'm going to be vending the feeps and the comics at the OUTer Film Fest, Austin's own queer sci-fi/fantasy/horror extravaganza. If I am unmistaken it's free to attend, so really you have no excuse not to go. Unless you do not find the concept of gays in space to be amusing, in which case all I can say is fine, BE that way. It's at the Austin Film Studios - click the link for times and directions and all that.

I'm in two art shows this month, and for once I'm remembering to post about them here (if you want to guarantee you'll hear about stuff like this you should sign up for my email lists, since I never fail to keep the lists informed: Feep list is here, Studio NDR list is here).

Anyway, shows. They're both group shows, so you'll have lots of very different art to look at. Oct. 2 - 31 is the Halloween show at Amy's Ice Cream on 6th Street. Go in, have some ice cream, look at the art, and then wander over next door to Sparks and buy some feeps. Reception date TBD.

Next up is the Monster Mash art show at the Lowbrow Emporium, or which there is this nifty poster designed by manlyart:



To reiterate, it runs from Oct. 13 - Nov. 30, and there will be an opening reception on Oct. 13 from 7:00 - 11:00, with a live art show and a table full of prints, shirts, feeps, and whatever else the participating artists want to bring by to sell (in addition to the art hanging in the show, obviously).

I'm working on a brand-new shadow box for the Monster Mash show, which I entirely expect to have finished despite the fact that I mucked up the frame (oak is hard; let's go shopping). If any of my photogeek friends (mybloodyself? mr_skullhead? giantrobo?) would like to volunteer to take pictures of it let me know.

I'm in the Austin Sketch Group art show at the Hideout in downtown Austin, and we're having a reception this Thursday, March 29, from 7:00 - 11:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

There will be booze and food, as well as works by a number of local comic artists. Come by to see some great art, meet the creators, and maybe even buy some stuff! Since the show is almost over, if you buy anything of mine I'll let you take it home with you right then and there.

The Hideout is located at 617 Congress Ave, just a few blocks south of the Capitol. There's a pay parking lot right around the corner, as well as free street parking (after 6:00 pm, I think) if you don't mind hunting.