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On Friday, December 5th, I’ll be crashing Jeremy Haun’s signing at The Fantasy Shop. Jeremy’s trying something along the lines of Kid Rock’s Rock-n-Roll Revival revue. He’s the headliner, but he’s bringing in a few St. Louis creators like Brian Hurtt, Chris Samnee, and myself to make guest appearances. I’ll be around from 1:00 – 5:00 or so on Friday. Stop by and say hello if you’re in St. Louis. The event is brought to you by The Fantasy Shop and Comic Dorkscast.
Category : Events & Appearances, The Damned
Category : Art Gallery, Slave to Nostalgia
While cleaning out the garage, I uncovered an old file folder bulging with yellowed, wrinkled paper. Within, dozens of drawings in pencil and ink and magic marker. As a kid, I was always drawing robots and monsters and space ships, and this folder may be the last tangible evidence of all those hours spent huddled over the living room coffee table working on a new masterpiece. Maybe I’m a little jealous of all my comic illustrating buddies for being able to regularly update their sites with new artwork, because I’ve decided to scan and post some choice drawings every now and then.
A couple of notes, just to set the record straight:
- These drawings are at least 25 years old. Most are a little older. So cut a budding artist some slack, okay?
- My artistic abilities haven’t improved much in 25 years. This is why I write comics, not draw them.
I don’t remember much about today’s drawing, but for our purposes we’ll call him Mega-Fly.
I’m pretty sure I drew the inspiration for Mega-Fly from the evil aliens of Micronauts, like Membros and Repto. He’s sort of my design for the alien action figure I always wanted. His nightmarish insect head is obviously an homage to the fly. Note the powerful hypno-aura radiating from his eye! Fear the strange gas pouring from his talons! And check out that dagger in his belt (for when he wants to finish an enemy off up close and personal)! Not sure where the bat/butterfly wing design came from, but they’re both ornamental (for attracting the ladies) and functional.
Category : Distractions
Every Thanksgiving, someone asks me what I’m thankful for over the past year. Almost always, my response is something along the lines of:
“I’m thankful this piss-poor year is almost over.”
But this year I’m going to try something new. Instead of being the Thanksgiving curmudgeon I usually am, I’m going to allow myself to feel grateful for all the positive things that have graced my life over the past year.
This year, I’m thankful for:
- My loving wife, Cindy. Just this week, we celebrated the 7th anniversary of our first date.
- The health of my family and friends. This was something I might have taken for granted in the past, but times are a-changing. Best to play it safe with this one.
- The progress of the adoption process. While slow, at least we’re moving in the right direction when it comes to bringing a daughter into our family.
- The friends I have. Sometimes, I believe Edie Brickell had it right. Being alone may just be the best way to be. I’ve lost too many friends (to illness, accident, and arguments) over the last several years. But I’ve met so many new people professionally and personally over the last year, I’m going to have to forsake Edie’s advice and be thankful for my expanding circle of buddies.
- The awesome collaborators I’ve worked with on various projects—Brian Hurtt, Shawn Lee, Jeremy Haun, Chris Samnee, and Matt Kindt. I’ve been spoiled by working with such awesome professionals.
- The good folks at Oni Press for all their support of my work.
- The positive feedback my comics The Damned and The Damned: Prodigal Sons (released this year) have received.
- The exciting new comic projects that I’ll be working on in the next several months. I can’t wait to share the announcements on them.
- The opportunities I’ve had to travel to Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Chicago, and San Diego to meet so many of my pals and cohorts at a few great conventions.
- Milestones at work. This week, I celebrated my on-the-job anniversary. From receptionist to VP of Marketing in 12 years. That’s not bad at all. The job, in general, is worthy of appreciation. Being able to pay bills, keep a roof over our heads, and eat decently is a good thing.
- And while I’m thankful for our cats and that the mutt, Mr. Chompers, is a sweet dog I believe would put the hurt on someone who tried to harm Cindy, I’m also glad Cindy hasn’t brought any more strays in this year.
So, when someone asks me what I’m thankful for this year, I’m going to avoid the curt, snarky, 10-words-or-less answer. Instead, I’m going to say:
“This year, I’m thankful for my loving wife, Cindy; the health of my family and friends; the progress we’ve made in the adoption process; all my good friends; the awesome collaborators I’ve been fortunate enough to work with; my publisher, Oni Press; the positive feedback on my comic book series, The Damned (which can be ordered at Amazon and through the publisher, by the way); the exciting new comic projects I’ll be tackling next year; being able to travel to conventions and visit with my pals; the longevity and advancement I’ve had at work; and Mr. Chompers, the dog, and the three cats (although I don’t want any more pets).”
That answer ought to learn ‘em to gust.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
Category : Movies
So, a few days back, I posted a list of the top 50 horror movies (according to www.metro.co.uk). Unsatisfied with the way the list turned out, The Vault of Horror polled the “cyber-horror elite” and came up with a new list of top horror flicks. A quick glance told me that this list was more closely aligned with my own tastes (although I still believe it missed the mark in a place or two). As with the previous list, I’ve highlighted any of the movies I’ve yet to see.
1. Halloween (1978) dir: John Carpenter
2. The Exorcist (1973) dir: William Friedkin
3. Psycho (1960) dir: Alfred Hitchcock
4. Night of the Living Dead (1968) dir: George Romero
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) dir: Tobe Hooper
6. Frankenstein (1931) dir: James Whale
7. The Shining (1980) dir: Stanley Kubrick
8. The Thing (1982) dir: John Carpenter
9. Alien (1979) dir: Ridley Scott
10. Nosferatu (1922) dir: F.W. Murnau
11. Dawn of the Dead (1978) dir: George Romero
12. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) dir: James Whale
13. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) dir: Wes Craven
14. Jaws (1975) dir: Steven Spielberg
15. The Blair Witch Project (1999) dir: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez
16. The Haunting (1963) dir: Robert Wise
17. King Kong (1933) dir: Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack
18. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) dir: Roman Polanski
19. Dracula (1931) dir: Todd Browning
20. The Evil Dead (1981) dir: Sam Raimi
21. Poltergeist (1982) dir: Tobe Hooper
22. Black Sunday (La Maschera del Demonio) (1960) dir: Mario Bava
23. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) dir: Rupert Julian
24. An American Werewolf in London (1980) dir: John Landis
25. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) dir: Jack Arnold
26. Friday the 13th (1980) dir: Sean Cunningham
27. Evil Dead II (1988) dir: Sam Raimi
28. Alucarda (1978) dir: Juan Lopez Moctezuma
29. Carrie (1976) dir: Brian DePalma
30. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) dir: Francis Ford Coppola
31. The Fly (1986) dir: David Cronenberg
32. The Fog (1980) dir: John Carpenter
33. The Wolf Man (1941) dir: George Waggner
34. House on Haunted Hill (1959) dir: William Castle
35. Night of the Demon (1957) dir: Jacques Tourneur
36. Frankenstein (1910) dir: J. Searle Dawley
37. Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man) (1994) dir: Michele Soavi
38. Thriller (1983) dir: John Landis
39. The Addiction (1995) dir: Abel Ferrara
40. Aliens (1986) dir: James Cameron
41. Phantasm (1979) dir: Don Coscarelli
42. The Thing from Another World (1951) dir: Christian Nyby
43. Zombi 2 (1979) dir: Lucio Fulci
44. The Mist (2007) dir: Frank Darabont
45. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) dir: Jack Clayton
46. The Living Dead Girl (1982) dir: Jean Rollin
47. The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) dir: Joseph Green
48. The Return of the Living Dead (1985) dir: Dan O’Bannon
49. Suspiria (1976) dir: Dario Argento
50. Salem’s Lot (1979) dir: Tobe Hooper
The previous list boasted five movies I hadn’t seen. This one has three. Further proof that I’ve watched far too many horror movies for my own good.
Over on Warren Peace Sings The Blues, Matthew Brady has reviewed a bunch of Oni Press titles, including The Damned: Prodigal Sons.
Here’s an excerpt:
There are some mysteries that continue to deepen, as Eddie learns about the curse that his father brought upon the family and the extent to which he is tangled up in demonic rivalries. It’s excellently done, as always, with some exquisity artwork by Brian Hurtt. I really can’t recommend this series enough; it’s got a great combination of nice writing, excellent art, and compelling plot. I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
You can check out the entire review here.
Category : Distractions, Slave to Nostalgia
- Have been obsessed with (at various times) Star Wars, Matchbox cars, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, comic books, Dungeons & Dragons, professional wrestling, military surplus, paintball, G. I. Joe, Red Dawn, and Godzilla.
- Performed as “the world’s youngest hypnotist.” My signature trick? Having subjects attempt to smoke carrots. Hilarity!
- Wrote and illustrated 9 issues of X-Laser Knights Comics when I was in fifth grade. I no longer have copies of those comics around, but — trust me — they rocked. The X-Laser Knights (starring me) fought aliens and robots and “grogs” and medusa. That’s right. Medusa.
- Wrote and illustrated Fatman and Captain Cosmo comics when I was in eighth grade. I still have a couple of copies of those around.
- Almost ground my left hand to a stump on a machine shop jointer. As far as scars go, it’s not the only one I have, but it’s the worst. To this day I’m terrified of power tools.
- Amassed (and then sold) a HUGE comic collection, including every issue of Uncanny X-Men, Amazing Fantasy #15, and Spiderman #1 (God, I miss that collection).
- Have lived in houses ranging from mansions to hovels (with a house in Koshkonong, Missouri sporting a fair market value of around $5,000).
- Was attacked by a cougar at age 18. You might wonder who won the fight. It was a draw.
- Met some great friends over the years. I’ve lost more than I probably should have. Some I miss terribly.
- Wanted to be a firefighter, DEA agent, comic book writer and artist, Navy pilot, used bookstore owner, photojournalist, private investigator, special effects make-up artist, game designer, and teacher. I also wanted to drive around the country in a Winnebago and fight crime.
- Held jobs including door-to-door sales, short order cook, retail clerk, and sports section editor.
- Was named Vice President of Marketing with my current employer.
- Learned to make the world’s greatest margarita … not from a recipe, but from instinct.
- Earned my degree in Creative Writing from Missouri State University.
- Founded Undaunted Press and published more than 25 micro-press titles, including the magazine Whispers from the Shattered Forum (which I edited).
- Entered and won the World Horror Convention Gross-Out Contest four times. Favorite first sentence: “When she started puking, I didn’t know if I should fetch a bucket or keep frenching her.”
- Published around 40 short stories, mostly in small press magazines. My favorite, by far, is “Remains,” published in Like a Chinese Tattoo.
- Wrote articles for Fangoria and White Wolf.
- Wrote a middle reader horror novel entitled Crooked Hills.
- Published The Damned: Three Days Dead and The Damned: Prodigal Sons with Oni Press.
- Had The Damned optioned by Dreamworks.
- Married Cindy, who offers me more love and support than I could have ever hoped for.
- Started a lengthy adoption process to bring a child into our family.
- Can hardly believe 38 years have gone by in the blink of an eye.
Category : Movies
Everybody else is doing it, so why not me? Around the end of October, Metro.co.uk released the results of a poll of the best horror movies. Over on Groovy Age of Horror (a very cool site, by the way), Curt Purcell took the list and highlighted the movies he hadn’t seen. Then, Johnny Bacardi did the same thing. I thought it sounded like an interesting way to kill five minutes, so here ya go. I’ve highlighted any movie on the list that I haven’t seen.
1.The Exorcist. William Friedkin (1973)
2.The Shining. Stanley Kubrick (1980)
3.Alien. Ridley Scott (1979)
4.The Silence of the Lambs. Jonathan Demme (1991)
5.Saw. James Wan (2004)
6.Halloween. John Carpenter (1978)
7.A Nightmare on Elm Street. Wes Craven (1984)
8.Ring (Ringu). Hideo Nakata (1998)
9.The Wicker Man. Robin Hardy (1973)
10.The Omen. Richard Donner (1976)
11.The Birds. Alfred Hitchcock (1963)
12.The Thing. John Carpenter (1982)
13.Lost Boys. Joel Schumacher (1987)
14.Dawn of the Dead. George A Romero (1978)
15.The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Tobe Hooper (1974)
16.Jaws. Steven Spielberg (1975)
17.The Blair Witch Project. Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez (1999)
18.An American Werewolf in London. John Landis (1981)
19.Se7en. David Fincher (1995)
20.Poltergeist. Tobe Hooper (1982)
21.The Amityville Horror. Stuart Rosenberg (1979)
22.Candyman. Bernard Rose (1992)
23.Scream. Wes Craven (1996)
24.Carrie. Brian De Palma (1976)
25.Friday the 13th. Sean S Cunningham (1980)
26.Final Destination. James Wong (2000)
27.The Evil Dead. Sam Raimi (1981)
28.Hellraiser. Clive Barker (1987)
29.Hostel. Eli Roth (2005)
30.Salem’s Lot. Mikael Salomon (2004)
31.The Descent. Neil Marshall (2005)
32.The Hills Have Eyes. Wes Craven (1977)
33.Wolf Creek. Greg McLean (2005)
34.Misery. Rob Reiner (1991)
35.Rosemary’s Baby. Roman Polanski (1968)
36.Child’s Play. Tom Holland (1989)
37.The Orphanage. Juan Antonio Bayona (2008)
38.The Entity. Sidney J Furie (1981)
39.Nosferatu. FW Murnau (1922)
40.Night of the Living Dead. George A. Romero (1968)
41.House on Haunted Hill. William Malone (2000)
42.The Haunting. Robert Wise (1963)
43.It. Tommy Lee Wallace (1990)
44.Audition. Takashi Miike (1999)
45.The Changeling. Peter Medak (1980)
46.The Mist. Frank Darabont (2008)
47.Suspiria. Dario Argento (1977)
48.The Vanishing. George Sluizer (1993)
49.Shutter. Masayuki Ochiai (2008)
50.Planet Terror. Robert Rodriguez (2007)
I’ve missed only 10 percent of the movies on the list. A couple are on my list to catch soon, and I’ve seen the remakes of a couple (The Hills Have Eyes and The Wicker Man). Does that count?
“I know writers who use subtext and they’re all cowards.”
–Garth Marenghi
I’m not the type of writer who ponders the underlying meaning of every word I put on paper. Overthinking a story or trying to force metaphor and symbolism is a sure-fire way to kill momentum and sap energy from my writing. Good thing for me the underlying themes tend to surface on their own. I’m not consciously cramming these ideas into my work, but my unconscious doesn’t skip a beat.
A few days ago, Matt Kindt and I spoke about comics at the Celebration of Books at Stephens College. During the session, one of the audience members asked if either of us had kids and, if so, how being a parent influenced our work.
“I’m making this up as I go along.”
–Indiana Jones
As you may know, Cindy and I are knee-deep in a lengthy adoption process. Of course, there are countless dreams, hopes, worries, and fears rattling around in my head, both in terms of the adoption process itself, and in terms of parenthood. Of course, with a person like me, the fears often have the loudest voice, sometimes screaming so loudly it keeps me awake at night. It’s no wonder these concerns wriggle their way into my work. But I didn’t really think too much about it until that question came up during the panel.
“I’m scared, Sarge”
“We’re all scared, son”
–Those two parachuting turtles in Ernest Goes to Camp
Sure, The Damned is a story of demon mobsters — demon noir, if you will — but it’s also a story about choices, both good and bad, and how those choices have this kind of ripple effect. The second and (upcoming) third story arcs, Prodigal Sons and Daughter’s Danse, also rely heavily on the theme of family. Crime families. Blood families. Demonic families. What’s more, these two storylines are heavily influenced by my own fears over becoming a father.
You thought Prodigal Sons was just a Weekend at Bernie’s meets Dante’s Inferno kind of story, didn’t you? I can’t really argue that point, but it’s also about a father (Eddie and Morgan’s) who makes some really bad decisions that end up costing his children everything. One bad choice (albeit a really bad choice) and the lives of his children quite literally go to Hell.
The companion story, Daughter’s Danse, will feature another father-Bruno Roarke. Now, being a demon, Bruno’s never going to be father of the year, but he loves his daughter, Maura, in his own infernal way. Still, this is a father who is so consumed with his business, he manages to neglect the girl he loves so much. This urges Maura to make some pretty dark choices of her own.
Will I make the right choices for my daughter? Will I drop the ball in a major way? Will I be careful not to let every other aspect of my life consume the precious time I should be spending with my family?
Those stories, and the ongoing plot of The Damned as a whole, have been influenced in fairly significant ways by my own concerns and fears over becoming a parent. Don’t get me wrong, becoming a father is something I’m very excited about, and I think Cindy and I will be terrific parents.
But any father or would-be father worth his salt is gonna be scared every now and again. I’m just trying to exorcise those demons however I can.
Get it?
Demons?
Exorcise?
The Damned?
Get it?
Category : Writing
Category : Events & Appearances
Yesterday, Matt Kindt and I attended POETRY AND TRUTH: A Celebration of the Book at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Our panel was entitled “Really Big Comics,” so going into the session, we knew we had to deliver … and how.
Only, the first obstacle was getting there.
If someone had been there to follow the two of us around with a camera, we might have had the makings of a great comedy of errors … something akin to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, only instead of Steve Martin and John Candy traveling cross-country to make it home in time for Thanksgiving, you’d have Matt and me scurrying around the college campus looking for our auditorium. No one seemed to know where the event was being held. At least one person (at the college visitor center) told me there was no such event planned for the weekend. At one point, I thought someone must have been playing a cruel prank on us, and we almost gave up the search.
Eventually, we reached our destination, seconds before the coordinators announced us as no-shows. We had a nice group in the audience, and we conducted a lengthy question-and-answer session that seemed to go over very well.
We had such a good time, we started kicking around the idea for a road show of sorts, where we’d travel the world like B.J. McKay and his best friend Bear, only instead of dodging Sheriff Lobo at every turn, we’d talk about the comics industry, indy comics, and writing funny books at colleges and libraries. Matt and I approach comics from very different places, and I think attendees get a pretty good look at the “whole picture” when we start gabbing.
We’re definitely excited about this idea, and we’re gonna work on putting something together real soon.
But next time we’re going to get better directions.
