Commissions! Cartoons Addition!

 OMIGOSH! I've gotten waaaay behind on posting my commissions here. I'll catch up soon!

Here's a post I started last October. Yikes!

Quick background on this first one-- When Peter Parker first met Mary Jane in Amazing Spider-Man #42 (1966), it quickly became a very famous panel. But com'on... she's no Olive Oyl!

The person requesting this next commission planned to attend a convention and meet the voice actors for Firestar (from Spider-Man & his Amazing Friends) and Sheila the Thief (from Dungeons & Dragons). It looks a bit empty here, but it won't once it's signed. I wanted the signatures to be the stars!

The person who requested it was kind enough to post a signed version. (Sorry, low res.)

In the 70's, Spectre had a comic series where he punished criminals with appropriate, bizarre deaths. The person requesting this latest commission wanted Halo (from my Halo & Sprocket series) to be looking on disapprovingly. Ha ha! Odd, but fun to do!

This last one was based on a real person-- Captain Karate! He had already had a cartoon version of himself commissioned, which I'll post below my art. Fun piece!

Four Really Unrelated Commissions!

First up, a commission of Ma Hunkel in her superhero identity, Red Tornado! I drew this one in my own natural style. (With a tip of the hat to Sheldon Mayer.) It's a sweet spot for me, a Golden Age character that's slightly cartoon-y.

And for something totally different--

Apparently there was a scandal during a chili cook-off involving store-bought chili. I was sent photos of the people involved and now it's a Cable #3 cover parody! Ha ha! Original--

The following commission was a request for Death from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. In an attempt for give it my own spin, I asked if I could include the original Doom Patrol (or should we say "Doomed Patrol"). Happily the answer was yes! I first discovered comic books as a 5 year-old in a barber shop-- Metamorpho, Metal Men, and Doom Patrol. (Hmm. Probably all the titles that didn't sell at the dime store. They were coverless.) I didn't put any jokes in this one. (Unless you consider walking on sand in high heels funny.) For those who don't know, the Doom Patrol was killed in 1968 when their book was canceled.

And lastly, another left turn-- Rick & Morty run through Halo & Sprocket's world! I was surprised that Rick, Morty, and Sprocket all have the same kind of feet.

I have another H&S commission coming up soon, mixed with a "realistic" character. It should be fun!

If you've never read my Halo and Sprocket comics, you really should. It's some of my most thoughtful work. Available here!

Halo and Sprocket: The Definitive Collection

I’ve long wanted to abridge and color ALL my Halo and Sprocket work and compile it into ONE volume. I finally did earlier this year. HALO AND SPROCKET: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION is available on Amazon. If you only own one piece of work by me, it should be these 194 pages!

It's abridged (and better) work. I took the opportunity to change aspects that has bothered me over the years. I tightened up some of the art and spiffied up some of the dialog.

Aside from creating new art for the cover, I also created a new piece for the Forward.

I initially drew the background for this page. As I started coloring it, I decided I loved merely using one of my hiking photos instead!

Number 5

Halo and Sprocket #5 hit Comixology this week!

Since it contains portions of material from my 2008 Halo and Sprocket: Natural Creations TP, I had the chance to draw a new cover. It was fun to draw the characters again!

Consider giving it a shot. It's the only place you can see the color version of BIG CAT PUNS!

Crap. Not the only place. I just posted it here.

Art! Science! Cats!

Halo and Sprocket #4 is now on Comixology. It came out several days ago, but I haven't had the chance to post about it. Katie, Halo, and Sprocket go to an art show. It was a fan favorite when it was originally printed in black & white many years ago. It's now in color and I've got to say I love it.

Here's a few panels. It's like a MINI ART GALLERY--!

This issue also has SCIENCE!

And CATS!

Go buy it now! I'll be glad you did.

PS - This post is a little late because we've been replacing our carpet with wood floors.

PPS - Our dog doesn't like it.

All's well that ends well. Right?

Have you ever watched a time travel story where an event "never happens"? I personally think these type of tales should always be this short--

This story (and longer ones!) appear in Halo and Sprocket #3. On sale today on Comixology! 

There's a little George Lucas in all of us.

George Lucas often received grief from fans over the years for changing elements in his re-released Star Wars films. However, if you had the opportunity to go back and change some decisions you've made in the past, wouldn't you? It's a rare gift, really.

When I originally created Halo and Sprocket, I didn't realize parents would share them with their kids. I was merely writing stories that amused me. In hindsight, I understand why pages such as these would appeal to a wide range of ages.

One of the ideas that amused me was writing about Katie's crude and chauvinistic neighbor, Frank. To tell the story, I had to get crude and chauvinistic! No one batted an eye, except for this one scene below--

Long ago, a person told me that these pages was keeping the trade paperback out of a school library. I feel the scene is "PG", but it does have a slightly different vibe than most of my other situations.

So-- as I'm coloring pages for re-release on Comixology, I'm taking the opportunity to change things I feel could be better. This includes minor things. The biggest change, so far, is my rewriting of the above two pages. The joke wasn't great and baby/arrow shirts have disappeared from the public eye over the last decade. This was my chance to George-Lucas them into something different--

It now has a more timeless joke and is a bit more kid friendly. Probably. What do I know? I'm still merely amusing myself. :)

The "Being Frank" story appears in the second issue of H&S. On sale now on Comixology! A bargain at $1.99.

My work now on Comixology!

I know many of you visit my blog to see my animated covers, my parodies, or possibly even Cross Panel Comics. If you enjoy any of these things, you should know that I've used exactly the same brain to create my Halo and Sprocket comics. Issue #1 is now on Comixology! Click here!

The original books were in black & white. I've taken this opportunity to not only color my pages but also fix a few things that have bothered since their original release. You can see a three page preview on Comixology. Not to be outdone, I've included three different pages here on my blog! Click to enlarge.

For a mere $1.99 you can buy my love. And, if you like what you see, please give the book a good rating. It will help others discover it too!

One of my favorite stories

Amaze Ink/SLG is resoliciting my first two volumes of Halo and Sprocket in this month. So, I decided to post one of my favorite H&S stories. I've never shared it on the web before now. The art is more simplistic than it is in other stories, but I stand by the writing. Click on each page to enlarge...

 If you enjoy this story, you'll probably enjoy the entire series! Both volumes are available on page 230 of this month's PREVIEWS (#285).

Sprocket

Nothing Earth-shaking this post. I hadn't drawn anything Halo & Sprocket related in a while and thought I'd share. Ahhh. Visiting an old friend.

A New Facebook Group!

A gentleman from France, Jean-François Virey, has created a Halo and Sprocket Group on Facebook. I think I'll go join right after I post this...

My blog. And a drawing.

After I finished my last Halo and Sprocket collection, I'd thought it'd be fun to try my hand at blogging for a year. I had no purpose in mind, I wanted to do it just for kicks & grins. Well, I've had my kicks & grins and now it's time to stop my regular, Monday entries and concentrate on my next comic project.

I'll still be posting, but it's about to become more random.

That being said, here's a sketch I cleaned up a bit for posting. I've always thought it would be fun to present Halo & Sprocket as if other artists had created them. I still might eventually do it. Here's a taste...

Look at all the robots!

I was a guest at Plant Comicon this last weekend. It was a great show. I wouldn't be surprised if it beat its own attendance records. It was nice to visit with fans of Halo and Sprocket and with friends I don't often see.

Oddly for me, a robot theme emerged.

First, we have the exclusive Sprocket T-shirt I was offering....

Next, shortly after I set up my space, R2D2 (?!?) approached my table. An actual size, working robot!

Then, my friend Chris Grine (creator of the awesome Chickenhare) drew the quick sketch seen below. It's a takeoff of his 165 Bots With Stuff, as seen on the always entertaining Shoebox blog.

I also sat by artist Rob Davis. If his last name was "Ot," my con experience would have been complete.