New Year's Wishes with Garth Marenghi

If I had one wish for the upcoming new year (other than the usual wish for everyone to have a fulfilling existence, play nice with one another and such), it would be that someone (anyone!) put this work of genius out in a format that plays in the United States.

England, seriously, please stop denying us. We're sorry about that whole revolution thing. Can't we share a scone and call it bygones? Pip pip.

(Thanks to the incomparable PK Hooker for tuning my into this.)

Book of The Year

At the end of each the year, there are so many "best of" lists that I can't hope to compile anything all that new. So I'll just recommend one of my favorite books of the year, which I only just acquired: Vivian Maier: Street Photographer.

If you haven't stumbled across her photography, you can do so on this site, but I can't encourage you enough to pick up the book as well. Vivian's story (a nanny whose artwork was discovered posthumously, by accident, in a Chicago thrift store), her artistic anonymity, and the beautiful observations comprising this volume all make the book worth looking through over and over again. What marvelously concrete unknowns. Thank you, Ms. Maier. Thank you.

AV Club's Best of 2011

It was an honor to see that Life with Mr. Dangerous was included among the The AV Club's Best of 2011. I was also very happy to see the (more than deserved) inclusion of Anders Nilsen's masterful Big Questions. (If you don't have that book, right that wrong: pick up several copies today.)

Farewell, Bookman's

I'd heard some mention of this before, but was still a little shocked to see this story today. Bookman's Alley, easily one of the coolest bookstores around (located in Evanston, where I live), is closing. I'll be sorry to see it go. These kinds of stores do so much more for a community than simply sell bound paper.

The Smear!

Head over to The Daily Forlorn for a page from Forlorn Funnies no.1, "The Smear."

(And scroll down to see some scans of the page in progress. If it looks from the posting dates that I drew the panels out of order... yes, I did. I have no idea why.)

SpaceWear

Take a gander at the evolution of the spacesuit at Retronaut, via the Smithsonian's Spacesuits book.

John Martz Mumblier

Is this new comic by John Martz amazing? Yes it is.

Take some time, let it unfold on you. (via Mumblier)

Final Day of 25% Off

Today's the last day to get 25% off your order at The Forlorn Funnies Store. Discount code THANKS25 does the trick, but only through midnight tonight.

"Cutting Open Your Little Bodies"

Terry Gilliam discusses his animations and techniques, giving a step-by-step how-to using the old man pushing the people-eating pram. Amazing. (Thanks to Emily for passing this along.)

Colbert and Tyson

An out-of-character Stephen Colbert sits down for an amazing talk with the always invigorating Neil deGrasse Tyson. The sound quality is off and on throughout, but after listening to this while drawing this morning, I heavily recommend it. (via Boing Boing)

A Tasteful 25% Off at The Forlorn Funnies Store

Sales, sales, sales. Everywhere this time of year, there are sales. But at least I have the integrity to rise above all of that. Instead I am granting a tasteful Customer Appreciation Discount (see? classy.) at The Forlorn Funnies Store. Starting now, and going for the next 48 hours, you can get 25% off EVERYTHING in the store. That includes all the original art I just posted for sale... and also includes a brand new feature on the store: all the daily drawings from The Daily Forlorn are up for grabs. See a drawing you like? Or saw one you liked two months ago? Send me an e-mail and see if it's still available. If so, it's yours for the taking.

To get 25% off your order, just enter this code on the site: THANKS25

Simple? Simple. And so much better than those crass sales. How gauche.

Stereo! Stereo!

These "in stereo" logos from LP jackets over at stereostack are gorgeous. Look at them. With both eyes. Stereo.

Shirts! Bang! Bang!

The good people of Earwolf and Comedy Bang! Bang! have printed up shirts with the logo I drew for the aforementioned (and always enthralling) podcast. The two designs (pictured above) are available here and here.

I got a few of said shirts in the mail and I can confirm: these can easily take care of 50% of your nudity. (If you happen to be a tiny baby? Maybe upwards of 100.)

Comics Will Break Your Heart

I talked on the phone with Adam Witt of Comics Will Break Your Heart about the early days of the Mome anthology, serializing work, collaboration with other artists, film, and my inability to remember the dates of anything. I apologize in advance for the mumbling bits.

NYT Gift Guide

It was nice to see Life with Mr. Dangerous pop up on The New York Times Holiday Gift Guide. (Their equally nice write up when the book was on the Bestseller list is here). Perhaps such a mention grants you license to pick up a copy for one of your relatives... while you're trying to find the right edition of AngryBattleCity 10 for your cousin Ron's xbox. Whatever, Ron.

This Is A Car

This is a car.

You get in the car. You drive around. You go places. You listen to songs. You make mistakes. You get hungry. You miss someone. You run low on fuel. You end up somewhere. Sometimes it's where you were going. Sometimes there are people with you. You look at each other. You look at where you ended up. Turn off the car. Get out the car.

That's a car.

Grab Some Bad Vibes

I've mentioned him before and I'll mention him again: Johnny Sampson. A solid person and an even solid-er artist. But why has this person-artist of such solidity not set up a store called Bad Vibes where you can purchase his goods? But, wait! He has set up a shop precisely named Bad Vibes, and it so happens that you are able to purchase his exact goods at said so-named shop.

Crisis averted. Christmas: saved.

Catching Up On Being Behind

My oh my, after two week sin Los Angeles am I behind on posting things on the blog! But fear not, there are many things to come this week. Today even! And in the meantime, feel free to peruse the daily drawings (like the above Mr. Stanley) at The Daily Forlorn.

Invasive Species

I was approached by the good people of The Encyclopedia Show to do the cover for their "Invasive Species" themed program. I was told to choose between creeping jenny and Chinese mitten crabs. But why choose? I made one from the other. And I thought it might make a nice desktop wallpaper, so if you click on the picture above it will take you to the 1280x960 wallpaper ready version.

Happy creeping.

Dylan Williams Benefit

There are still several hours left to bid on this page from Life with Mr. Dangerous, so please bid. This is to benefit Dylan Williams' (the founder of Sparkplug Books who tragically passed away on September 10th) family, to help with the medical and other expenses brought about by Dylan's illness.

Milk Shift

Via the great Joe Mochove (see Joe and his pal Rusty with me here):

"Milk Shift"

Out, driving on the streets at 1:30am, with no destination in mind. I was at home, restless, not ready for sleep, and I determined I really wanted some chocolate milk. Almost bought some earlier but didn’t.

I decided I wanted some enough to go out. This is the journal of my trip.

I’ve now decided I am going to Wawa. They will have whatever I can want.

Okay, chocolate milk acquired. Wawa was quiet and sparse with customers. Most people were waiting on ordered food. In and out. I sit in my car with my jug. It is 1:46am.

As I drive back home, I think of how silly it is to go out so late for something so unnecessary. Still, despite the time of night, I remain safe in my car, buffered from the world around me.

I drank my chocolate milk and, as expected, it was too much. Such is the danger of delicious chocolate milk.

It is 1:58am.

I am now in my house. I am where I am supposed to be at such an hour. I am only a little more tired. Regardless, my trip is over.

It is 2:13am. I think of yesterdays while preparing for tomorrow.

This Weekend: The Daily Forlorn

Though I won't be able to attend APE in San Francisco this weekend, there will be a book of my drawings debuting there: The Daily Forlorn from Chance Press collects a handful of work from the daily drawing blog of the same name, hand-stiches it, and packages it together nicely with extra prints and fanciness. The normal edition is limited to 75, with an even limited-er edition in far smaller numbers.

Chance Press will be at table 341, so stop by and pick up one of the copies there while you're perusing all the wonders at APE.

Doodleganza

This coming Tuesday, October 4th, I'll be hosting the Museum of Contemporary Art's monthly Doodleganza event. The event is free with museum admission, so come on by and let me run through the paces of drawing experiments. You are like putty in my hands. Putty, I say.

Talk Talk Talk

Another interview? Another interview. This time with the people of MSN postbox. If you want some bar and restaurant advice from someone who rarely goes outside, this is the interview for you...

"To This Day, I Have This Duty"

A great story, via Boing Boing, who puts it perfectly: "the message here is seriously spot-on: The best way to honor the people who helped you realize your dreams is to help somebody else realize theirs."

The Anti-Metaphor Society with Joe and Rusty

Two of my favorite people in comics, Joe Mochove and Rusty Rowley, were kind enough to grant me an audience at SPX this year. We discuss all of the important topics of the day: Earnest Borgnine, mobility scooters, terrorism, and delicious orange juice.

QuaxShop

If you've been yelling to an indifferent sky, "Why aren't there more t-shirts with mustachioed ducks on them?" then cry no more. Author Dan Sinker's Quaxelrod shop is open for business (I just provided the ducks and geeks).

Shop with confidence (knowing part of every shirt purchase goes to Young Chicago Authors) and spread your twitter obsession across your chest with the best of them.

SPX Time and The Goodies

This Saturday and Sunday I'll be at SPX in Bethesda, Maryland at table H11 beside my pal (and amazing cartoonist/illustrator/designer) Mark Burrier.

I'll have with the just-released postcard collection So-So Heroes as well as the Limited Edition of Life with Mr. Dangerous (a slightly less involved version of which I just put up on The Forlorn Funnies Store).

When I'm not at that table remembering that I forgot to eat lunch, I'll be signing over at Fantagraphics (5:30 to 7 on Saturday, 4:30 to 6 on Sunday). If you're in the vicinity of either of those tables, stop by, say hello, and tell me about that wonderful sandwich you just had.

A Public Service Announcement For The Creative

(via the creative Jason Polan. Thanks, Jason.)

Classy Questions

I meant to post this a while ago, but in the wake of book tour chaos it slipped through the cracks: Lee Keeler of Classy Hands sat me down for an interview while I was in Los Angeles, and now you can view it with your face. My face is partially in shadow. There is no artistic significance to this, that's just where the sun decided to be.

Part Two of the interview is here.

Proper Work Attire

Since I stopped doing a weekly shirt and started doing daily drawing, I haven't posted anything new at The Forlorn Funnies Shirt Shop in a while. To right that situation, I've just added some new business. Please arrive at the meeting on time with your papers in order.

The Daily, Daily

Just a reminder that this friend (above) and other concoctions are being posted on a daily basis over at The Daily Forlorn. This feathered fellow happens will be reappearing in a couple different things in development right now, and snippets of Forlorn Funnies and other comics will also be sneaking their way in among more random portraits. So if you want all the confusing teasers, get to the drawings. What does it all mean? Only time will tell. Or me. I might tell. Later. Not now. Jeez, back off, will ya?

Chicago Publishes

For the month of September, I contributed the banner for Chicago Publishes, the site for Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs’ Publishing Industry Programs. I also answered a few questions about Life with Mr. Dangerous and future work. Have a read, and poke around the site for all the information on other Chicago-area authors and projects.

Schulz Draws

(via Drawn!

Dangerous Times

Stalwart comics scholar Paul Gravett has written a review of Life with Mr. Dangerous (among other graphic novels) for The Times of London Literary Supplement. A tip of the bowler to Mr. Gravett.

Evolution of A Mayor

With the impending release of the book, author and non-Mayor Dan Sinker has posted a short piece on the evolution of the cover. Address all your mustachioed duck needs and order a copy today.

Kubrick on Kubrick

Today, everything's coming up Kubrick... In addition to today's drawing of director Stanley over at The Daily Forlorn, I feel obliged to post the drawing's inspiration: this great documentary shot by his daughter Vivian during the filming of "The Shining". Apparently capturing moments with a camera runs in the family.

(You can watch Part Two of the video here and Part Three here.)

Mind The Wealth Gap

I'll get back to the normal feed of comics and fart jokes soon, but the above should be required viewing for everyone in America. The perceptions vs. realities of our economy are mindblowing, especially when put in these stark terms.

It should be required viewing, but it's also quite the bummer. So I recommend chasing it with a video of a porcupine with hiccups eating a banana.

Kick The Burning Building

Being on the road this summer, I haven't had much time to post anything on the blog... but what better way to come back than to give a shout-out to a buddy?

Jeff Zwirek (one of the trio of guys that produced the animated trailer for Life with Mr. Dangerous) has got a great kickstarter project underway. You should chip in if at all possible. Watch the video (which is hilarious and clever, as one would expect from Jeff) and check out how crazy this book will be once constructed.

The world needs these kind of crazy books! Do the right thing.

In addition to singing Life with Mr. Dangerous (and whatever else comes across the table), Comic-Con also marks the debut of the So-So Heroes Postcards from Chronicle. I've had a copy of the collection since... April?... so it'll be nice to see it released into the wild. Stop by Chronicle on Friday from 1 to 2 pm and I'll scrawl things all over a copy, just for you.

Principal Purchase

My framed original art from Crazy 4 Cult 5, the Ferris Bueller nod "The Spoils of War," has a direct link now. So for those that didn't happen to be in L.A. at the opening, you can have at it here.

Paris and Wookies

I was recently interviewed by The Paris Review about Life with Mr. Dangerous, which I'll be taking – along with myself and a healthy dose of Hobbit body spray – to Comic-Con this week.

I'm signing at a few tables this year, so please make note of the below migratory pattern. If you're around the convention, work your way through the entire cast of Star Trek Deep Space Nine and say hello.

Here's where I'll be when I'm not outside recovering:

THURSDAY
Fantagraphics (Booth 1718), 5 to 6pm

FRIDAY
Chronicle Books (Booth 1506), 1 to 2pm
Fantagraphics, 3 to 4pm

SATURDAY
Fantagraphics, 2 to 4pm
Random House (Booth 1515), 5 to 5:30pm

Even if you've watched it, it's worth another go... My friend John Huston and me at Comic-Con 2009:

Go Outside

Go Outside, by Cults from Boing Boing on Vimeo.

This is a solid way to start the week: a song I've been loving for a while set to an incredible video.

Attention aspiring (and established) video directors, if you MUST show the band performing or singing, can you please at least make it this entertaining and inventive? (video via Boing Boing)

They've Been In My Pocket... They're Real Warm and Soft

Tonight at Gallery 1988, Crazy 4 Cult 5 opens. My above contribution (grandiosely titled "The Spoils of War") will be somewhere on the school bus. I can't make it to the opening, but if you're in the Los Angeles area, stop by and check out all the homage (and damage) paid to a wide variety of films.

No, no, no... Where's The Horizon?

Whether or not you're looking forward to Cowboys and Aliens (I am, though I worry it won't live up to the insane scenarios I've painted in my head (often the case with films where I've only seen the trailer)), this is a great story of two generations meeting: John Ford schooling a young Steven Spielberg.

Gapers Block and More Gapers Block

Thanks to Gapers Block for a glowing review of Life with Mr. Dangerous and thanks in advance to the good people of that site and The Book Cellar, where I'll be tonight for their Book Club.

And one more thanks: to Mr. James Kennedy, for a very flattering appraisal on his blog. Mr. Kennedy is rumored to be attending the event tonight as well. See if you can find him. He'll be the one giving Neil Gaiman a thrashing.

The information for tonight, in case your clicking hand is tired:

7:30 to 9 p.m.
The Book Cellar
4736-38 North Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625

Mike Mills is Not Joshua Beckman

In giving an interview today to The Paris Review, I was trying to think of previously mentioned poet Joshua Beckman's name (pick up his book Your Time Has Come, it's great) and my brain would spit out was "Mike Mills." Which is a strange mistake for my brain to make, but a good opportunity to post this video by Mr. Mills, for one of my favorite bands, Blonde Redhead, staring the inimitable Miranda July. A must for film and figure drawing students the world over.

Black Eye and Everybody

More events? More events.

Tomorrow, Friday the 24th, I'll be at Quimby's signing copies of Black Eye (for which I contributed a Steve Ditko-related illustration), along with Ivan Brunetti, Lilli Carré, and others. And on Sunday I'll be at The Whistler for a live show of You Me Them Everybody. My conversations with YMTE host Brandon Wetherbee have always been interesting (at least for me), so I'm expecting no less this time around.

If you're in the area for either, stop by. If you're trying to decide which event is of greater interest to you: Quimby's has porn and The Whistler has booze. Choose wisely.

How Do You Know That's What You Did?

Today is apparently Philosopher's Day here, with a drawing of Ludwig Wittgenstein on The Daily Forlorn and now this (above) video with one of my favorite philosophers, Daniel Dennett. It's a relatively light talk, but packed with the usual insight and wit that Dennett's writing provides. Well worth a watch.

AV and Book Club

Next week, on Thursday, June 30th, I'll be at The Book Cellar in Chicago for a discussion of "Life with Mr. Dangerous," the summer selection of The Gapers Block Book Club. Stop by, say hello, and ask me what's going on with all the ice cream and beards in the story.

And speaking of clubs: thanks to The Onion's AV Club for their review of the book. A tip of my hat to one of the world's finest sources of real and fake news.

Tour Shout Outs

A million thanks to everyone who came out to the Life with Mr. Dangerous book tour events on the east and west coasts. And a particular thanks to those who hosted me along the way.

Each and every person I stayed with is embarrassingly talented in their respective field, so I'd be remiss if I didn't give them a nod here. Look for their mark on the world at large, watch for their names in the credits, or buy their products as appropriate... but however you do it, check them out. The people willingly suffering my company were:

CJ Toledano
PK Hooker
Jason Munn
Zack Soto
Jesse LeDoux

Life with Mr. Dangerous: The Times and The Journal

I'm behind on posting things here on the blog, but as I'm taking a break 80 miles outside of Portland, I thought I'd take a minute to share a couple links. The first is from The New York Times, on whose Bestseller list "Life with Mr. Dangerous" debuted last week. The second is over at The Wall Street Journal, where I answered a few questions about the book and my poor sleep habits.

I'd love to write more (like details about the bone and antler covered car I just drove past), but it's time to get back on the road. See you Portlanders in a few hours, and those of you in the Seattle area on Saturday.

Tomorrow Night At The Strand

Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 1st, I'll be reading and signing Life with Mr. Dangerous at The Strand. So if you're in New York or the immediate area, stop in and say hello. If you're lucky (or unfortunate, depending on your perspective), I may be pulling you out of the audience to read with me. Thrilling! Terrifying?

Here's the information for the event:

The Strand, June 1st, 7 to 8 pm
828 Broadway
New York, NY 10003-4805

(Thanks to Jason Polan for sending along the above picture.)

Is That Not The Nicest Cherry?

I've posted most of the Between Two Ferns videos here before... and this latest, starring two of the funniest people out there, is no less ingenious. Now get the fat out of your ears.

Two Interviews, Two Countries

Yesterday I was on Eight Forty-Eight talking about Life with Mr. Dangerous with the program's great host (and former neighbor of mine), Alison Cuddy:



And over on the other side of the pond, just one day prior, I was on the phone with "Ireland's #1 Comic Book Podcast," The Comic Cast, for a much longer, much more Irish-accented, decisively geekier comic conversation. Listen as I dust off my embarrassing knowledge of early Image comics:



Thanks to Alison, Liam, and Craig for all their great questions.

Stanley Kubrick's Chicago

Treat yourself to these amazing photographs from the pre-directorial days of Stanley Kubrick, for Look Magazine. (Thanks to Alison Cuddy for spotting these)

More Time Out, MCA Tonight

Tonight's the night: the book release of Life with Mr. Dangerous happens this evening at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Stop by, get a book, and... watch an all new comic on television screens? Yes, that's happening too.

To coincide with the book release, Time Out Chicago just put out a part two (of sorts) of their interview with me, with a few pages from the book as garnish. Do I mention Dilbert? Of course I mention Dilbert.

(And as a reminder for those wanting to get the limited edition of the book: the sale is still going on the store. Just enter code TOUR15 to get 15% off. The sale ends next week.)

Looking forward to seeing you tonight. Thanks in advance for all the doughnuts.*

*Please do not bring actual doughnuts into the museum. Maybe.

Time Out Chicago, Oncoming Traffic

The good people of Time Out Chicago were nice enough to run an interview with me, posing with cars creeping ominously toward me. (I wish we had video of shooting these pictures, because it was a decent piece of comedy).

The article's just in time for the book release of Life with Mr. Dangerous next Tuesday at The Museum of Contemporary Art. If you're in town, come on by. Or if you're wandering around the next day, head to Comix Revolution in Evanston, where I'll be from 1 to 4 in the afternoon, trying to make sense of the Green Lantern movie costume. Seriously: what?

The !#$@ Mayor

Anders Nilsen and I were interviewed for a brief but great article by The Chicago Tribune on the term "grawlix." What the #$@ is a grawlix? Exactly.

One of the books discussed, authored by my pal Dan Sinker, will be coming out soon, and I was happy to be able to do the cover (below). Moreover, I was happy to be able to discuss with Dan, via late-night e-mails, the proper cut of a duck's mustache.

Life with Mr. Dangerous Book Tour

Here are the details for the Life with Mr. Dangerous Book Tour. If you'll be in any of these towns on these dates, I hope to see you, doodle something in your book, and pretend that neither of us notice that guy standing over there. Right, that one.

Wait, that's my dad.

Below is all the information in text format, for the anti-pictorial among you (in case you want to show up to protest comics as a medium):

May 24, 6-9pm:
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL

May 25, 1-4PM:
Comix Revolution, Evanston, IL

June 1, 7-8PM:
The Strand, New York, NY

June 3, 7pm:
w/ Emily Flake
Atomic Books, Baltimore, MD

June 6:
Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, MD

June 10:
Secret Headquarters, Los Angeles, CA

June 14, 7pm:
City Lights, San Francisco, CA

June 16, 6-8pm:
Floating World, Portland, OR

June 18:
Fantagraphics Book Store, Seattle, WA

June 30, 7:30:
Gapers Block Book Group
The Book Cellar, Chicago, IL

July 21-24:
Comic-Con, San Diego, CA

Life with Mr. Dangerous Limited Edition

Above is the jacket for the Limited Edition Life with Mr. Dangerous, which comes signed, numbered, and includes a piece (a tracing, doodle, etc.) from the production of the book (signed as well). The jacket is screen-printed with four colors.

The Ultra Limited Edition of the book comes with the book, a tracing from the production, and a page of original art from the book itself. AND it comes with a hand-crafted figurine from the book. Egad! Those numbers are very limited (as the name implies!) and running out.

You can pick up either of the editions now for 15% off by going to the Forlorn Funnies Store and entering code TOUR15.

Speaking of the tour: more information to come later today...

(And if you want to see the penciled artwork for the jacket, head over to The Daily Forlorn.)

Is This Going To Be Your Primary Pair of Pants?

In the better late than never department: my wife and I just saw this episode of Michael and Michael Have Issues last night. This is easily one of the funnier sketches I've seen in years.

The Daily Forlorn

To combat a tendency to write far more than I draw, and as a clear cry for help as my mind slowly degrades, I have started a daily drawing tumblr, The Daily Forlorn. Watch it, enjoy the implosion.

The Book Is Real

I have confirmed that Life with Mr. Dangerous exists in the physical world and will be making it to your eyballs and paws in the near future. Here it is. (Thanks to Patton Oswalt for his generous (and, as always, hilarious) blurb.)

The sale in the store continues! Just remember to enter code TOUR15 to get your 15% off.

Tour Fundraising, Sale on The Store

I'll be heading out on the road to support the release of Life with Mr. Dangerous soon. And just a few weeks before the book is coming out, my editor and main advocate left Random House. So things are now looking... well, not exactly up, traveling-wise. So I'm turning to you guys and gals to help out with a little tour fundraising.

For the next two weeks, everything on the store will be 15% off. That's everything including original art (and I'll be putting some more up soon) and limited and "ultra" limited editions of the book.

To get 15% off:
HEAD TO THE STORE AND ENTER CODE: TOUR15

And if you just want to donate to make sure I can putt or fly across the country to show up in your area, here's the link for that. (For any donations over $5, include your address and I'll send you a postcard with a little sketch thanking you for your help.):

Thanks, and I'll be posting more on the pending tour soon. (Just added: San Francisco!)

Comedy Bang! Bang!

It was an honor to work on the new Comedy Bang! Bang! logo, the visual side of Scott Aukerman's podcast and live comedy show (formerly known as Comedy Death-Ray). I've been a big fan of the show for some time and can't recommend its insanity (or quality) enough. If you haven't listened to the podcast, get you ears to it immediately. Bob Ducca, Huell Howser, and Good One Robot can do no wrong, I'm sure you'll agree.

Classic Tribune Cartoonists

An amazing look back at the old days of Chicago Tribune cartooning. (Thanks to Laura Park who shared this via Twitter.)

ThisArtist Video

Paul Hornschemeier from thisartist on Vimeo.

Juxtapoz beat me to the punch in posting this, but here's a new video filmed by Ben Porter of ThisArtist. Thanks to Ben for all his work on this. It was a pleasure speaking with him (and I'm sure it was no small task editing down my rambling).

Somebody's Hand Holding Something

Jay Sacher of Chronicle tweeted the above picture of the So-So Heroes postcard collection, coming from that fine publisher in September. I've yet to receive a copy (this is a "hot of the press" picture), so Jay's hand will have to act as a proxy for us all. The pressure!

Life with Mr. Dangerous, Interpreted

The World of Life with Mr. Dangerous from Paul Hornschemeier on Vimeo.

In a polar opposite approach to the aforeposted trailer that I directed and storyboarded, I contacted director Bruce Parsons about working on a video for the upcoming Life with Mr. Dangerous, but only sent the book, a song, and the instruction to shoot whatever those two brought to mind. The gorgeously shot piece above is the result. A million thanks to Bruce and, as always, to Houses.

Life with Mr. Dangerous Trailer

Life with Mr. Dangerous from Paul Hornschemeier on Vimeo.

Above is the animated trailer for the upcoming Life with Mr. Dangerous. A massive thanks to the guys at Bindle Dog who put a ton of work into this and suffered all my notes and edits. And thanks to Houses for the music. If you haven't heard their album, go give it a listen, you won't be dissapointed.

Farewell, Sidney

I'm behind in posting and am sadly behind in saying goodbye to one of the greatest directors the world has ever seen, Sidney Lumet. The New York Times' video above is a fitting adieu to one of the medium's masters, a man as New York as the city he filmed.

Life with Mr. Dangerous, On The Press

Above is a picture taken at the press printing Life with Mr. Dangerous, showing every bit of my exhaustion from waking at four a.m. the morning after flying back from New York and driving the three and a half hours to Crawfordsville, Indiana.

But the trip was well worth it and I can personally vouch for the printing being very true to my intentions. The amount that colors can shift on press is staggering... Even in this grainy phone picture I took afterward (below), you can see the shift, printed from the same file, between a page as it printed in Mome (the page lower in the picture) and as printed for the book (the page higher in the picture).

I'll be posting more about book tour dates and other exciting bits here very soon, as well as more information on the Life with Mr. Dangerous limited edition copies. Thanks again to those that pre-ordered and a reminder to those still interested to get your pre-orders in now.

Post-MoCCA, Only Casch

Thanks to everyone who stopped by at MoCCA and said hello, had me sign their books, or confused me with janitorial staff. I appreciate you, one and all.

Special thanks to those who took pictures (I ripped off the below pictures of me with Leslie Stein and Ted Stearn from Fantagraphics and Leslie's Flickr page), the inimitable Jason Polan for drawing me (above) and pointing out a remarkable sign (also below), and Joe Ollman for winning the Person-I-should-have-met-earlier-in-comics-on-account-of-he's-a-super-nice-guy award. The trophy for that award features some really cramped typesetting.