This one was a lot of fun to do, especially getting to add a couple of the villains. I took some liberties with Iron Monger and War Machine, both of whom wear mostly black armor and wouldn't be as bright or colorful as is proper for this cover. It was cool getting to put in a MODOK and Cleveland's own Blacklash in the art.
I'm hoping to do a Batman one when Dark Knight comes out later this summer.
I've been hinting at this for a while, but I can finally announce it now... the Love and Capes trade paperback.
Maerkle Press will be partnering with IDW, publishers of such fine stuff as Star Trek and Angel and Transformers, who will be publishing this collection of the first six issues of Love and Capes. The complete stories will be released, as well as a reprint of the "How a Page is Created" special from #4, and a six-page
This has been a long time in coming, I know. I have to especially call-out Harlan Ellison (yes, that Harlan Ellison) who got this ball rolling. Chris Ryall, editor at IDW will be releasing an official press release soon, but I thought I'd mention it here, too.
Love and Capes: Do You Want To Know a Secret? will be coming out in November, just in time for Christmas. It's 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-60010-275-2. And, it will be solicited in both hardcover and softcover, so for those of you libraries that want to order a hardcover, you can (and please do). I'll link to the official press release as soon as I get it.
Maerkle Press will continue publishing the "floppy" issues of Love and Capes. Issue #7 will be the Free Comic Book Day issue, and I'm still lining up when issue #8 will come out. With issue #8, I'll be back on a regular publishing schedule for the second "season". I just had to make sure there was a FCBD issue, because it's such a great promotion, especially since I can now announce the trade. Yay!
I know this is silly, but it's actually kind of cool, so I wanted to share it.
I went to Starbucks today, as is my frequent afternoon habit. Starbucks has been shaking things up to improve their product and the experience of going to their stores. I've enjoyed both, but it's good that they keep things fresh as it were. Anyway, they've now created these Green Spilly Stopper Things.
Here's the thing: When I tool around in my car after having gotten my coffee, I usually have to cross railroad tracks to get back home. I guess I live on the wrong side of the tracks. Between the uneven tracks and the winter-exacerbated potholes, there are some bumps. Frequently, the coffee will spill out of the travel top and drip onto the center console of the Eclipse. That's no good. I've mastered driving while holding the coffee out the window as I cross the tracks, but that's a hassle in and of itself.
Before this, the only thing you could do was ask for a sticker to cover it. But it left a residue on the top and just never worked as well. Now, the Starbucks Engineers have come up with this little stopper thing that fits in the drinking hole in the traveler lid. And it works. I drove back from Starbucks, coffee in the drink holder as I crossed the tracks, and not a drop spilled. Pretty slick.
Clearly, it doesn't take a lot to impress me. But little things that work are pretty cool. I wish I'd thought of this.
Now, I do have a brilliant idea for an iPod add-on if anyone wants to talk.
I mentioned a couple weeks ago how, while on my annual trip to MegaCon in Orlando I stopped by Downtown Disney and was disappointed to find out that they no longer carried the little itty-bitty coffee cans anymore. Well, good news! On his trip to Disney, Bob Ingersoll called to say that they'd now introduced little, itty-bitty vaccuum packed bags of coffee... and in new flavors!
So, guarded by several of my Super Deformed Star Wars toys are nine flavors of Mickey's "Really Swell" coffee, including Regular Disney Blend, and the previously released French Vanilla and Hazenut are new flavors Breakfast Blend, Cinnamon Pecan, Blueberry Cobbler, Chocolate Caramel Fudge, French Roast, and Pralines and Cream.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available for purchase on the interweb. So, I'll have to parcel this out until I make it out to Disneyland come Comic-Con International time.
A long time ago, or at least it feels that way, I did the illustrations and designed a book called Women Do and Say the Dumbest Things. I did this for Jimmy and Chip on WMJI, Cleveland's number one (and certainly my favorite) Lanigan and Malone Morning Show. The good-natured book did okay, but despite our best efforts all around, it wasn't the runaway hit we'd all hoped for.
Artistically, though, it was a watershed for me. It's here that I first used what would evolve into my Love and Capes style. I broke out of some of the traditional superhero stuff and did some cartooning that opened up a much larger world.
Now, thanks to Wowio, you can read this book for free. There are about 100 stories, all submitted by listeners to WMJI, as well as one submitted by me. It's a short, fun little book.
Jimmy, Chip and I always promised to do a sequel, Men Do and Say the Dumbest Things. "Buy this one and we'll do another," we said. We didn't get enough to do that, but here's a second chance for all of us. Download the book and if it does well enough, maybe you'll see another. And you can submit your stories at the book's website.
Behold, the power of Love and Capes.
Just a scant year and a half ago,
Explaining the reference in the comics: part of Doctor Karma's shtick is that he can't use his powers directly for his own benefit. I figured he was a powerful magic user and needed some sort of limit. Plus, it gives him a unique reason for being a hero: he actually can't be selfish with his own powers. So, when the Crusader needs something from the good doctor, the Doc asks Crusader to bring him something. Doc Karma couldn't actually teleport to England and buy his own copy.
I, of course, plan on taking full credit for this. I mean, what else could it be? Now if only they'd kept the cool UK packaging.
This is another tracing paper recreation of a MegaCon sketch. I think it's got a lot of great energy to it. I was looking for a place to put it, and what celebrates the resurrection of our Lord better than Victor Von Doom? Okay, not really, but I love writing that Doom dialogue.
Click on the image to see it embiggened. And today's blog title comes from... anyone, anyone... the Buffy episode "Once More With Feeling."
Wait! Don't buy a sketchbook yet!
Do I have your attention? Good. Then read on.
Through teh internets, I've gotten to know Thomas, who not only has a fine first name, but runs the truly excellent Say It Backwards blog, devoted to most things Superman. His nephew is a superhero in his own right, as he's been fighting and beating childhood cancer. Thomas has turned this into a cause and is running an auction to support the Candlelighters organization. The Candlelighters are a group fighting childhood cancer and helping those it attacks and their families. The Candlelighters helped him, and now he's helping them with the auction.
I was asked to contribute a piece, and I was more than happy to do so. If you really need some Thom Zahler art, and want to support a worthy cause, you can bid when it goes online. So, here's what I'm donating:
Read more about the Candlelighters here. Read Say It Backwards here. And have a great Easter wherever your here is.
I'm sure most of you had seen this already, but I wanted to link to this Battlestar Galactica doing the Top Ten list. There were several oddly cool parts about this: They did it in costume and in character, they had the entire main cast and some of the secondary ones, including Chief Tyrol (whom I met back at WizWorld a couple years ago) as one of the presenters, and you can hear Jamie Bamber use his real accent. But one of the coolest tips to the BSG fans was one that I didn't notice until the end. The cast comes out to the sounds of All Along the Watchtower.
I dig Orlando. Yeah, it's touristy, but there's nothing wrong with that as long as you're ready for it. And this is a place that has Disney and Universal (plus Sea World, although I've never been there) so it probably should be touristy. Orlando also boasts...
Yes, The Most Unique McDonalds in the WORLD. The whole frellin' world! And it is.
Sunday, I wanted to grab breakfast, and since I was sans Sandi, I decided to get something quick, rather than go to an IHOP or Perkins or something more sitdownish. So I stopped at this McDonalds. I've been there before, but I didn't have this here blog where I could share it with you.
It's like someone said "Let's take everything we can and put it in one building." Video games arcade? Check. Gift shop? Check. Giant Mac Tonight, Marilyn Monroe and a cardboard cutout of Clint Eastwood? You betcha.
It's also got one of the more unique menus. Shrimp ravioli, pizza, Belgian waffles are there along with the Quarter Pounder and chocolate shakes. I've never been to a McDonalds where you can order a number thirty-two value meal.Which, incidentally, is what I had, a made-
It's the visual equivalent of having someone scream at you, but it somehow works. It's just so gloriously cheesy that it's fun. And, I have to say, a great selection and fast service. It was the perfect place to stop and still get to MegaCon in time.
