Most of the posts this month have been uploaded from our old site, so I hope you guys aren’t too disappointed at the lack of original blogging.

I am very deeply involved in my work these days and can barely concentrate on anything else. Also, the Leechblock has me in its grip. That thing is merciless.

I had to temporarily bypass it to do the work on the new website, and between that and some other not-at-the-board obligations, I lost nearly two weeks of drawing time!

Very little progress made from a full day’s work, lately.

I had started a new project and sat down to do my layouts only to realize the proportions of the new book were to be completely different than my other works. None of my layouts would do. Back to – oh, dare I say it – the drawing board.

Further irritation: Got the templates via email. They were created with non-photo blue. Non photo blue which would not print. Not even on my printer. Even the people in the publisher’s art department could not get the template to print. What the heck was up with that Photoshop file?

After a frustrating evening, I finally realized “Hey, I know how to draw simple shapes in Photoshop, all by myself!” so I did. Black lines applied. Wow! It’s so easy!

Duh. I keep forgetting I have a computer.

I measured the templates carefully to enlarge them to fit my drawing paper, only to realize I had measured carefully and yet wrong. There goes two more hours of drawing.

I swear I know how to use a ruler.

I don’t mean to give the impression I am experiencing deeply annoying days of wheel spinning worthlessness, because I am quite alert and working very hard. But progress is slow, and it is always on those days when you can least afford it that one does something profoundly stupid that gums the works. And then the self hatred bubbles over and the only cure for the deep wound to the superego is ice cream.

I just got my car back from the shop (again) and desperately hope it doesn’t die tomorrow because I need to go to Fedex. However, we are supposed to have a winter storm, so I may get stuck. I have to get my stuff off to New York Comic Con. I’ve got a couple of finished commissions I have to pack, too.

Frankly, I would just like to get out of here a bit, and get some city sights. I would like to go to Starbucks, and maybe buy some nice gloves.

Since I last posted pics of my office, I moved the furniture and it is even more comfortable in here, though I am sure the new treadmill will take up lots of room (it’s still in the garage.)

Now, my board sits right in front of the window where the birds feed all day. Delightful! Often, several times every evening, raccoons climb up to have a treat. Can’t seem to get a decent photo. Dead annoying.

Every time I see them, I wish I had a kitty.

Here’s a commission I did for Christian Berntsen. Quite fun. Meant to get double duty out of it by using it as a trading card design but the editor went for something else.

Here’s a commission that got completed just in time for New York Comic Con. I finished a number of pieces over the last week, including the long awaited lettered states and remarqued editions. After ten years, they are all completed. I almost can’t believe it.

As of next week, I will be up to date on commissions for the first time since…well, I dunno. The only one I have left is an oil painting, but that is an open-ended work. I want to have it completed by the end of the year.

One of my favorite patrons, Ray, commissioned this piece of the character Malikai from a series by the late Michael Turner called Soulfire.

I used professional quality markers for this. They are great, but my set is drying out. I almost didn’t have enough to finish the job.

Tricky things those markers, and no corrections possible if you botch something.

I was able to scan most of my commissions before I left for New York, but won’t be able to post them until I get back.

I do have a few lettered states (volume II only) and a handful of remarqued editions that I will be able to sell later, but I won’t be taking any orders any time soon. I will let you know when they become available. I will ship the remainder of the books over the next few weeks as time permits. And I thank EVERYONE for their patience!

The only customer we were not able to track down was Devin Timothy Stevens. If he ever pops up, we will have to issue him a refund.

Out of nearly 1000 orders, I guess that’s not too bad, but I have no one to blame but myself for taking so long to get these books completed! I will not be doing this sort of thing again, obviously.

I will not have any limited editions for sale in New York. Sorry. I will have paperback GN’s.

c

A preview of the new graphic novel Gone to Amerikay at Comic Book Resources’ Robot6 blog, with pix. Story by Derek McCulloch, art by me.

Sarah Jaffe blogging about Men are from Krypton, Women are From Paradise Island, the very popular panel at NYCC featuring me, Barbara Kesel, Jimmy Palmiotti, Abby Denson, Jamal Igle. Much fun was had by all.

The Financial Times on the relationship between comics and film, centering on the upcoming Watchmen movie, which had New York City plastered with posters everywhere one looked. Everyone is watching the Watchmen because you can’t help it.

To nourish that urgency, there is nearly always in action comics or graphic novels an elemental contact with reality, even when disguised or encrypted. Never mind that these stories are fantasy, or in 300 fantasised history. The best of them feed on the actual or parody-actual, like meat grabbed through the bars of the frame. Watchmen makes extraordinary reading today, and must have done 20 years ago, since author Moore proposes a doom-ridden America governed into the 1980s by Richard Nixon. Gerald Ford is a supporting character. Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan might never have been born.

I am a week ahead of schedule on my new GN for Vertigo Gone to Amerikay, and I hope to be three weeks ahead of schedule by the end of next month. I will then workbomb Stealth Tribes and if I get ahead of Warren on script again, I go back to A Distant Soil with the extra time. (OOP! Forgot to add, doing a job for Marvel as well.)

Feels absolutely great to be in this work flow, so energetic and motivated. Everything going very well and I am completely happy with the balance of work and personal. I was able to take a day off for family this week, and a day off for garden work, and that left me so sore today that I can do nothing but sit and draw, so that is where I will be today.

The only down news: car seems to be completely dead. Do not relish the idea of buying a new car. At least, if I have to buy one, they are dead cheap now. Just saw a used Mercedes for less than $10,000! Holy cow. Don’t want it, but feels funny to know I could just go buy a Mercedes at that price.

I think I will stick with a modest, practical car. No rush, I don’t need one right now.

I rarely even drive my own car – I had loaned it out to a relative when it died. I have not been able to get into the city or see a movie or anything, which is a bummer. It looks like I will be seeing Watchmen on dvd. And I am slow getting packages out because I can’t go anywhere right now. Good thing I don’t do mail order. Of course, being stuck at home means I get a lot of work done, which may be for the best.

Anyway, happy times. The vegetable garden in progress:

The big white sheets are floating row covers which let air and water in, but keep the frost off. We get frost as late as May 10. Turnips, beets, collards, kale, carrots (2 varieties), peas, cabbages, broccoli, celery, basil, tomatoes (7 varieties), spinach, garlic, onions, nasturtiums, corn salad.

The big tubs are barrels from a local winery, which we have cut in half. They house the potatoes. Almost all crops are in raised beds or planters to deter hungry animals from eating the entire crop from roots up.

Cabbages have such pretty flowers that when they bolt, I keep some for decoration. These cabbages lasted all winter with row cover protection, and we harvested a few heads last month. The cold can make bitter greens, but not always. These cabbages were very sweet. Cabbages, collards, kale and belgian endive all get lovely flowers. We make bouquets for the table from them, and some smell strongly of honey.

Tulips planted with blooming cabbages look very pretty to me. The parsley loves it here, and the butterfly larvae love the parsley. I plant extra for them to eat.

The trail leading to the barn. I’ve planted about 2000 bulbs here and intend to plants thousands more.

Usually the vermin get all the tulips, but this year we have been very lucky and have been able to enjoy the flowers. And if we ever get hungry enough, tulip bulbs are people food, too. You can crush them into flour, but I wouldn’t want to.

A redbud tree blooms before a dogwood, which is just starting to show. This will be spectacular in a couple of days. With any luck, we won’t get another major frost.

I can’t recall a cool, lingering spring season like this. I guess global warming hasn’t reached us yet. The flowers love it, but summer crops will go in late. All of my tomatoes are still in pots waiting to go outside.

Anyway, I will sign off and stay on my work goal. Hope you like the photos.

c

In case anyone was wondering, here’s what a real Russet Noon looks like.

Russet potatoes growing in tubs photographed at high noon.

Here are our previous posts about Russet Noon. And here is Peter David’s spoof-o-rama in progress.

But back to my potatoes. Here they are backed by a curtain of wysteria. Ah, lovely.

Behold, the menfolk arrive to build my greenhouse.

In the parenthetical aside department, my life seems more hobbit than elf, eh? With a generous side dressing of cow manure.

c

PS: Yes, I am working on all my new books. That is why I don’t blog as much as I used to.

Hit TOP (above) to return to the webcomic.

Yes, I am still working on A Distant Soil, I swear to God. But paying work (well, the kind of work that pays good money, that is) comes first.

I will try to have more info about the Lord of the Rings exhibit and concert soon. Still exchanging emails about details. Yes, I will have never-before-seen work on display. And be sure to stop by The One Ring.net and wish everyone a Happy Anniversary!