Omega in the Amazon

I'm a bit behind in this, as I think this was announced over a week ago, but Omega the Unknown was listed as one of Amazon.com's Best Graphic Novels of 2008. I had just received my copies of the book around when this list came out, and it was an odd experience flipping through the collection, not having looked at any of this since we sent things off to press. I'm sure I'll re-read it in the coming months and will hopefully be able to appreciate it as a reader, rather than someone who has his faced glued to a computer screen, making sure I filled in the corner of this mouth, or that shoelace.

For the Affluent Bibliophile, Confused Enthusiast

It occurred to me that I should make at least some note of the books (that I've been working on, in some portion or another) coming out in the next couple of months, if for no other reason than to abate my constant forgetfulness that these are seeing the light of day (it's an easy enough thing to forget, given the lags and turnaround times in the strange world of publishing).

Two of these books are available now, at least according to what I could find on various web sites. The first is Demons in the Spring, by Joe Meno, a collection of short stories benefiting the 826 writing center here in Chicago. It's a great cause and the book's crammed with Joe's words and amazing illustrations, all far better than mine. The other book in stores now is the twelfth installment of Fantagraphics' Mome anthology. In this issue I contributed what was, for me, a real odd ball: an illustrated short prose story. The story, "The Spoils of The Fair," was originally written for The Dollar Store reading series, and then read at a couple stops on "The Three Paradoxes" book tour last summer. The illustrations are equally abnormal, as they were all done directly in a sketchbook, with a brush pen and colored pencils, a decent departure from my usual painfully sterile techniques. (Thanks to the Fantagraphics folks for the video from which I stole this (below) still.)


Two more books, both scheduled to be out October 8th, are The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2008 (which will house a 32-page full-color excerpt of "The Three Paradoxes"), and the hardcover collection of Omega the Unknown (the dust jacket for which is in a recent post below).

Somewhere in all that mess, the second printing of The Three Paradoxes is making its way out into the world, and though I don't think I've even made an explicit mention of this edition anywhere, the Fantagraphics-published hardbound edition of "Mother, Come Home" is now available for pre-order, due out in February of next year.

I've probably missed something somewhere... I'll remember it at three in the morning, in a cold sweat, then promptly forget it and return to my dream of sentient doorbells and melting game shows.

Omega the Collected (and Political?)

Last week, after what's been a several year trek, we sent the hardcover collection of "Omega the Unknown" off to press. I had the opportunity to design the jacket (the book market edition of which is above), case, and text for the book, and I think everything pulled together nicely (assisted in no small part by the tireless efforts of Farel Dalrymple, who I worked to the bone to produce the extra artwork for the final volume (sorry again, Farel)). Jonathan Lethem and Karl Rusnak put together notes for ten pages of bonus material discussing the original series. I scanned the original newsprint issues for those pages. Time will tell if those scans print like poop.

Speaking of Jonathan, this gives me an opportunity to post a video (courtesy Ed Piskor) of Jonathan discussing comics, writing, editing, etc. with Daniel Clowes at MoCCA. They cover a lot of territory, so while the quality might be hit and miss (watch for James Sturm's noggin to come into and out of the frame), there are plenty of interesting moments to make it worth a viewing.



And in a case of pure strangeness, Jonathan recently past along a link to this article on the McCain campaign site. Given the comic book reference (Superman, unless they're invoking a Nietzschean Übermensch) in the penultimate paragraph, it lends credence to the interpretation that this is some sort of play on Omega the Unknown, but... really? Is the Right trying to snag the hardcore 1970s comic nerd vote? In what universe are we living?

Omega in New York, Dartmouth

On April 2nd and 3rd, the gang behind Omega the Unknown will be convening on the east coast. April 2nd, the entire group (Jonthan Lethem, Farel Dalyrmple, Gary Panter, Karl Rusnak, and myself) will be signing at Rocketship in Brooklyn. The following day, Jonathan, Farel, and I will be hopping into a car and rolling toward Dartmouth College (whose motto "Vox clamantis in deserto", or, apparently, "a voice crying out in the wilderness," causes me concern... as does the fact that such a reputable school still can't spell me last name correctly), where James Sturm will moderate a discussion about... well, whatever it is that will spill out of our mouths. I look forward to making Ivy League-level fart jokes.

The Recent and Forbidden

It occurred to me this morning that most of what I've spent the last few weeks working on can't be legally shown to anyone just yet. Which of course made me want to immediately show it. Or anyway, clips of it. Let it not be said that I'm in any way brave. Nor let it be said that Rupert Murdoch or Stan Lee can now justifiably kill my family.

Rupert's connection to my schedule of late involves the above two clips. One from a comic strip about Stallone's reprisal of "Rambo," the other from a comic strip about Michael Jackson's re-issue of "Thriller." What does that have to do with Mr. Murdoch? Strangely enough these strips were commissioned by the Wall Street Journal. The "Rambo" strip ran last week, I believe "Thriller" runs today.

Though I'm not sure when it's running, I also had the honor of working on a Michael Kupperman written cartoon for Nickelodeon Magazine. Michael's one of my favorite people in comics, and while this cartoon – "World's Worst Comic Book Heroes That Never Existed" – is great, I don't know how he'll ever top "Mickey Rourke's Pubic Hair Stencils." Perfection!


Then there's the also-can't-show panels I'm contributing for issue six of Omega The Unknown (issue five is now out in stores apparently). I'm drawing the panels of the comic that an incarcerated Omega is reading, within the comic (my pencils are in blue, Farel Dalrymple's finished panels are in black, both will be colored in the final version). I noticed while piecing together the graphics for this post that the framing of the Mink drinking panel is the same as the contemplative, elderly Stallone from the Wall Street Journal strip. Looks like I'm calcifying in my old age too.


The one item I can show without worry of a protracted legal battle or having my knee caps sawed off is this illustration for The Poetry Foundation. Fare thee well, nose.

Psychedelia Robots, Get Well Steve

Now that this seems to be in the public sphere (not being one to keep up on catalogs or promotional materials for the series, I never know what images are "out there" or not), I have to share this cover, from "Omega the Unknown" issue seven. When I was coloring this (a bit nerve-racking, coloring art from Gary Panter, inarguably one of the best artists working in comics), I assumed that the result would cause Marvel to have a collective heart attack. But to my surprise they sent it through unscathed, and the result is one of the more bizarre covers Marvel's produced in recent memory. Just wait until you see Gary's pages. Fletcher Hanks, you've got a challenger.

On a more somber note, my best wishes to Steve Gerber, the creator of "Omega" (and the more universally known "Howard the Duck") who is in the middle of some very serious health problems. Despite the somewhat ominous prognosis, we all wish Steve, one of the more original voices mainstream comics has seen in the past couple decades, the best.

Omega The More Known Than Previously

A long time in gestation, the first issue is finally out.

"Omega the Unknown" ( a reprisal of a character first brought to the world by "Howard the Duck" creator Steve Gerber), will be a monthly, ten part series, written by Jonathan Lethem and drawn by Farel Dalrymple, with me providing coloring (some of which is above) and a tiny bit of drawing for a certain part of the story. Another artist will be making an appearance in there is as well (one of the people I would vote most unlikely to be doing a mainstream published comic), but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to mention his name. But if I am, it's Gary Panter.

It's been (and continues to be) an honor to work with Jonathan, Farel, and Gary in producing what I think can easily be appraised as one of the most atypical Marvel comics to come along in a long time. Hopefully we don't all get stoned to death at the next San Diego Comic Con.