Shannara sketch

I did this quick sketch of Allanon, my favorite character from Terry Brooks' Shannara series. i think I will do some more Shannara characters soon

Take U to Da Movies

MoCCA/NY swag

On Friday, @ MidTown Comics I picked up a few books, the Mike Weiringo Modern Masters, which I couldn't find anywhere, Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth #8 (go get this book), Nemesis #1 (love it), & Age of Reptiles #3 (really love it). I picked up the new Super F*ckers collection, Jeffrey Brown's Undeleted Scenes & Mini Sulk #3, from the Top Shelf table. These are all great, great books. Joel found a great creator, by the name of J.T. Yost, who created a book based on dreams he had about himself & Snoop Dogg. It is brilliant. Joel & I both bought copies. J.T. knows his gangsta rap. My favorite pickup has to be a set of cards featuring luchador, El Tormento. These were given to me by my new pal Deryk Ouseley. I love them. El Tormento vs T.Rex? El Tormento vs bee's? c'mon. amazing.

New York, New York + MoCCA - Part 3 : Sunday

Sunday, I had as much, if not more, trouble getting out of bed. Lezley hit the show on time, & Buxton checked out the Empire State Building before heading over to MoCCA. In almost the same spot as the metal junk car from yesterday we spotted this Cool Beans van. it was, indeed, Cool Beans.

I did have a great time when I got to the show. I met some more cool people, got to chat with Deryk & Aquino about Saturdays shenanigans. I picked up some very cool books.

I will blog all my swag on the next post.

I did get a sketch request to draw 2 gay rabbits. It was quite a fineline of trying to be funny but not too offensive. With a little help from Buxton I think we pulled it off. It was a 30th birthday gift for someone named Jason. Happy Birthday Jason, hope you like it.

Later, back at the hotel we had some beers with Shannon Gerard, & Joel got really 'emo'. I kinda regret not going to check out the Brooklyn Bridge with Lezley, Joel, & Shannon. I figure there was a ton of stuff I didn't get to see so I'll just have to go back. Unique New York, unique New York.

Things I didn't get to see: Jim Hanley's comic shop, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge,

Lil' Italy, SoHo, & I didnt even take the subway.

All in all, it was a great trip, & I am very glad to have been part of MoCCA.

I loved New York & I will be back.

New York, New York + MoCCA - Part 2 : Saturday

I guess Lezley's plan to head to bed early paid off because she was at the show bright & early, & I did not get out of bed until 12:30. Show started at 10am, I think. It was kinda surreal to still be in bed and go on facebook and see pictures of Lezley & Joel already at the show, set up & mentioning that I was still in bed hungover. MoCCA Festival was held at the 69th Armory and it was a very cool venue, with all kinds of Army jeeps & tanks & shit. The place was packed when I got there & everyone was super friendly. We sold some books, did some sketches, & met some really great people.

Here's a rundown of the great people I met,

Eric Kim (Inkskratch, Streta), Deryk Ouseley (El Tormento), Shannon Gerard (Sword of Mouth), Tory Woollcott (Mirror Mind), Nadine Lessio , Emma Sancartier , James Emmett (Ex Occultus: Seal of Solomon). If you have never heard of these great creators, click the links & check 'em out. They are wonderful people that do great work.

Lezley & I also caught Danielle Corsetto (Girls With Slingshots) walking the floor incognito with a new grown up hairdo.

I couldn't find a place to slip away for a few hours & watch the UFC 112 but I did meet a cool guy (his name escapes me) who is a student at Renzo Gracie's Jiu Jitsu Academy. He filled me in on what went down in Abu Dhabi.


After the show we headed back to the hotel to rest up before heading out for the after party and we spotted the coolest/stupidest tricked out car parked on the street. We had to take some pics. It looked very much like a 'do-it-yourself-Dolorean'. We hit up The Village Pourhouse where Paul Pope (DJ Pulphope), Dean Haspiel (DJ Man-Size) & Brian Heater (DJ Crosshatch) were spinning some funk. I got to meet up with my pal Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider) who introduced me to a favorite artist of mine, John Cassaday (Planetary, Astonishing X-Men). It was a very good time. Eric, Tory, Nadine, Deryk, & Emma showed up and we had some beers. Deryk & I bonded over old school wrestling & lucha libre. Eric, Deryk & I bonded over a couple of sharp shots of Jager.

Afterwords, Aquino got us into this dope-ass club across the street (I can't remember the name) & they hooked us up with free drinks. I really became a fanboy & cornered Cassaday to talk all things Planetary, X-Men, & comic art. Later, back at the hotel, Buxton got buck wild. Every time I party with Buxton he always makes it rain. He likes to sleep covered in money. The man is hardcore.

New York, New York + MoCCA - Part 1 : Friday

Here's my recap of our brilliant MoCCA/NY trip in 3 parts, Fri, Sat, & Sun. (NOTE: I forgot my camera in the hotel room most of the trip so these photos are courtesy of Joel, Catherine, & Lezley)

The crew was Lezley Davidson (Peeling Onions), my pal Catherine (just loves NY), myself, & my Awesome Marcus Ninja cohort, Joel Buxton.

We headed out by automobile on Friday April 9th @ 1am, and arrived in the 'Big Apple' around 9am for an early check in to our hotel. I love driving through upstate New York & Pennsylvania. We got to see the Lincoln Tunnel for the first time and to be honest, I wasn't that impressed. Although it was kinda like being in a racing video game.
We checked in to the hotel, made ourselves at home, got some food, rested up, then headed out to see some iconic NY sights. This city is pretty fuckin' dope. Everything is huge, cluttered, and amazing. I absolutely love all the architecture. They got those water tower things on tops of buildings, makes me think I'm gonna see Daredevil (sadly, I did not).

We got to see Carnegie Hall (Alvin & the Chipmunks played there. remember that?), Rockefeller Center, Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, a fraction of Central Park, & F.A.O. Schwarz toy store (also, I did see the giant piano in the floor, but I did not see Tom Hanks play 'Heart and Soul' on it).

My favorite part of the day was when we hit Times Square. It is absolutely awesome. I had always seen just that one iconic image and I didn't really know how big it was. Sometimes, in Toronto you hear people compare Dundas Square to Times Square. It isn't even close. Dundas Square is a joke. We also hit up Midtown Comics in Times Square. It is a very cool shop, comparable to Toronto's Silver Snail.

After some great sightseeing, we headed back to the hotel with some beers. I did not mention that this was my birthday, & my only request for my b-day was that we all go out to a karaoke bar & everyone has to sing a minimum of one song. That's not too much to ask is it?
Well, apparently it is. Lezley was tired and headed to bed early, so around midnight Joel, Catherine & I drunkingly stumbled to the Irish pub next to our hotel and had a couple 'popinski's'. Around 1:30am I convinced Joel & Cath to go to a karaoke bar nearby. I had quite a few drinks so my memories are hazy but I cannot understand why we did not go in and sing. Anyway, Joel, Lezley, & Catherine, all 3 of you assholes owe me a karaoke song!

part 2 tomorrow....