Monday, April 27, 2009

Live Art and FREE COMIC BOOK DAY this weekend

A double-whammy this weekend for me and fellow CARTOONISTAS. Live Art on Friday Night and then Saturday I'll be doing my thing at the Pasadena Library during their FREE COMIC BOOK DAY event! The flier below has the info for the Friday night WOLVERINE/Live Art event. The Pasadena Library event will be from 10 AM - 2 PM. Here's the info for the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY event.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Back from THE EDGE OF LA (COMIC CON)!

Saturday, during the great So Cal Heatwave, me and some fellow Cartoonistas set up some tables of merch and busted out the Live Art at THE EDGE OF LA COMIC CON in Claremont, CA.

This show's been around for a few months, so they're still building the audience for it, but we really liked the venue and wanted to try it out. Me, Raul Aguirre, Grasiela Rodriguez and Cartoonista Co-founder Jim Lujan braved the mileage and heat and made our presence known (or made spectacle of ourselves!)



When I first set-up, I was safely in the shade, but by high noon the sun was unavoidable! Memo to us: save up for a canopy!





When confronted by this Imperial Stormtrooper as to why the EL MUERTO film was originally released on DVD under the name THE DEAD ONE, I tried a time-tested trick on him, I told him, "You don't need to know why the film was called THE DEAD ONE". An old Javi Mind Trick! (Besides, I didn't wanna relive the whole 'drama' myself!!)

S'funny, but often at a show I'm reminded of the amount of history/mileage I've accumulated over the years 'on the road'. Two fellow DIY cartoonist/artists I've known for awhile were both exhibiting. And I ran into a photographer who shot me for a local newspaper article about 5 years ago! He was happily surprised to see the EL MUERTO DVDs because at the time he met me I was being interviewed about the then recently signed EL MUERTO movie deal, but no filming had yet started. So he was glad to see the movie had been made and released (something else he and I had in common!).

Everyone was doing there best to continue working as the day got hotter and hotter.


(Raul's green and orange Spider-Man isn't proof he's colorblind! When I asked he politely reminded me about the concept of underpainting with complimentary colors. Somehow, with the passage of time, that part of my college painting classes had faded from my shoddy memory!!)


The ever-resourceful Gras took a page out of her own book (or portfolio!). She got one of her Life Drawing studies and added costumes on them!! Well, for her DR. MANHATTAN all she had to do was color him blue!!


Jim proved once again that with a few lines here and there, he can create a character that tells his own story just by looking at the image!

We were joined outside by several other vendors. The actual convention itself is held inside this cool building:




It's a former packing warehouse, converted to a shopping mall of sorts. No chain stores, just independent shops and galleries. I guess while we were all inside checking out the vendors, somehow this photo was taken:


Um, if you were there, and you stole something while we left our tables unattended, and your reading this....Um... Shame on you!

Here's a piece that I did that I enjoyed drawing (well, I usually enjoy drawing what I draw!):

Dedicated to Eric Esquivel, the Last Son of Arizona!

Despite the scorching sun, I had a great time with my fellow Cartoonistas, meeting some new fans, catching up with old friends. Afterwards we gathered for a decadent meal of pastrami and chili fries and cherry coke at THE HAT! Proof that if God had wanted us to be vegetarians, he wouldn't have invented pastrami sandwiches!!!!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Going to the very EDGE OF LA COMIC CON!!

Saturday, April 17 will find me and fellow artists from the CARTOONISTAS doing our thing at the EDGE OF LA COMIC CON in Claremont, California. This is a relatively new comic show that was brought to my attention from pal/artiste/Cartoonista Grasiela Rodriguez. Gras and I will be there, as will Raul Aguirre and Jim Lujan.



I'll be creating my own special brand of Live Art and selling my EL MUERTO comics and DVD. Pretty cool venue, too. A former packing warehouse converted to stores and galleries. The comics stuff is set up down the center of the warehouse. The Live Art will be held outside in the front patio. I'll post pix and words about the event afterwards (well, I sure can't do it before!!)

Monday, April 06, 2009

Interview at MODERN MYTHOLOGY podcast!

I have a new interview from the folks at MODERN MYTHOLOGY PRESS. Eric M. Esquivel and Dave Baker, besides working together as writer & artist on comic books from their own DIY comics imprint, MODERN MYTHOLOGY PRESS, host a podcast. When I first heard them (they came up on a search for Steve Ditko!?), I was...shocked! These two young whippersnappers sounded like two characters from a Kevin Smith film. Potty mouths for sure, with the salty language to match, but these two guys were 100% pure fans of comic books and comic book culture. And not just the new stuff. Eric and Dave will go on equally about the current writings of Grant Morrison and Alan Moore as they gab about the old Superman Silver Age comics and Adam West BATMAN TV show! I actually had them on my interview show, PLANET COMIC BOOK RADIO some months ago and really enjoyed talking to them. It's funny, but that show was plagued by it's own audio issues!



Well, when they asked me to go on their show, I could not turn them down. (Remember one of my rules: If you have a worthwhile opportunity to promote and discuss your work...TAKE IT!!). We recorded the interview on Sunday, and I thought the hour went furiously fast! I've done a decent share of radio interviews, and I have to say that Dave & Eric were as prepared with thoughtful questions as any interview I've done. It helps that they themselves are not only practitioners of making comics, but serious students of the ideas behind the mythology and meaning of characters and story.
It must of been my presence on their show, but they kept their trademark 'Rated R' talk to a minimum!

Here's the link to their podcast of my interview. My only regret is that my audio is recorded pretty low. Really low! I hope that, if you're interested, you make do with the situation as Eric and David were really prepared with some insightful questions. After listening to it, I was satisfied with the content I provided, especially when I realize that it's natural for me to get asked similar questions by all the podcast hosts who've interviewed me.

The sketch I posted above was started during the interview of my gracious hosts. Thanks to Dave Baker Comic Book Maker and Eric 'Esky' Esquivel!