I've yet to participate in 24 Hour Comics Day, and until it becomes a novelty that I might stay up all night to make a deadline, I probably won't. But if I ever do, the highwater mark has been set by Kevin Cannon. Check out Kevin's Armitage Shanks cartoon here. It even has a breathtaking splash in the middle. How he do it? Congratulations to all the people who didn't fall asleep drooling on the art page.

Finally, it's out! The Image anthology Four Letter Worlds is in comics shops now, featuring my story "Bear", and several other excellent 8-pagers. I guess. I'll have to take everyone's word for it since I have no comp copies yet. Anyway, if you see any reviews of my contribution, let me know. I can't wait to read this thing. Congrats to Eric Stephenson and Clay Moore for being able to wrangle that many fussy creators.

That's the next thing I'd like you to reserve at your local comics emporium, AMAZING FANTASY #10-- featuring the debut of Nina Price, Vampire By Night. As the name implies, she is related to (damn this joke, but it's continuity and I have to say it) Jack Russell, the Werewolf By Night. Yes, I know my name is nowhere to be found in the solicitations. I was added late, but I'm going to finish strong. This is the first of three appearances she'll be making in AF, so pull up a seat now. The artist is the overly talented Italian cartoonist Federica Manfredi-- here are some early character sketches of hers.

Bless those of you who check in on my currently weekly blog. I've just burrowed my way up from under a big pile of work and should be contributing regularly now. Some carefully researched insight, or fascinating anecdote that dredges up history you didn't know about.

Instead, let's start off again with a nice plug! There's still time to make sure your local comics shop saves you an extra copy of the Spider-Man Adventures #4. Written by me, and beautifully drawn by Patrick Sherberger, we bring back a classic Kirby monster in the dopest way possible. You'll see me this summer, you'll need to bring it up for signing. You go girl.



Tomorrow: More Mighty Marvel Missives.

I was just thinking about how it's time to put up something new in the Workshop section of Parkerspace.com, where you can only learn about revising a cover. But just today, a friend from the Tothfans Forum, Gene Poonyo, wrote asking a question about that cover demo. Gene wanted to know the reasoning behind my statement on cropping anatomy near a joint. Here's the exchange:

I have one nagging question that I would like to ask you. The principle about not showing the joints unless you are going to show the whole limb that you mentioned in your workshop section is somewhat new to me. Could you please explain why? I would really appreciate it. Since I don’t have interaction with people who work in the comic book field things like that don’t come my way every day. I try educating myself about story telling techniques through books but little nuances like that are not covered in them.

Me:

On the joint-cropping: I probably shouldn't have made that sound like a complete rule, but I can explain my thinking, at least as it relates to a pretty girl's leg. Two reasons for cropping above the knee spring to mind. Cropping at the thigh, while the image is essentially just two lines, works better for me because the image at that point is more two-dimensional (I know, it all is, but bear with me) and functions as design for that reason. If I extended the shot below the knees, the anatomy would become more complex and imply more dimension, working against the design approach. Also the visual mass would shrink-- stopping at the thighs gives Vampirella's figure a good substantial support column, going to the calves would "weaken" that implied support.

This raises the question of whether we're using panels and covers as windows into the story, or arranging elements for design and composition in a less literal environment. I bounce back and forth between the two constantly, and hope they work together. I could explain this better if I'd had an art education, but I was an English major, and really I just rely on taste and instincts more than anything.

Feel free to chime in if any part of this exchange is something you think about.I usually don't know my stances on art theory until someone actually asks me a particular question. Are comic panels windows? Is it ever okay to crop a pretty girl anywhere?

I think that long gone are the days when superheroes were seen as fun, escapist material that could transport you to other worlds and help you forget your hum-drum every day life. Now, more often than not, the superhero comics of today are just a reflection of the angst and turmoil of every day life. And yet, those characters going through those seemingly mundane daily struggles must be wearing long underwear and capes for them to be taken seriously. It's a real conundrum that's unique to the comics' fan base.


That's from an interview with Mike Wieringo at COMIXFAN that is well worth reading. It's always fun to watch fans who like to hear pre-chewed promotional shtick that jibes with the way they think things work read Mike explaining what it's really like. Go Ringo!

I think the Vampi:Vicious that I did an alternate cover for is out, but I haven't been by the comics shop yet. There's only 1000 of mine, so grab one if you see it. Or, conversely, don't.

No April Foolery from me, just wanted to pass on an article about the comics shop in my old home. Since Andy Neal took over the Second Foundation bookstore in Chapel Hill, NC he's turned it into a thriving lifeline of the comics industry as Chapel Hill Comics. And he's moved it up onto Franklin Street, the Miracle Mile of the Triad. Congratulations Andrew, I hope the hard work keeps paying off.

The Article in the Chapel Hill News.