Inked 4 pages today. The last two required a lot of penciling to tighten up before committing to ink. Had two nice meal breaks with Robyn as we ate veggie hot dogs and potato salad and watched the local town party on the tube. Happy 4th!

Today I inked the cover to Echo 5 and loaded it onto Brian’s ftp with a few color notes and come photos I took of Arizona from the plane yesterday. He promised to get it to me by midnight Sunday, even though he is snowed under with other covers all jamming the freeway before San Diego. Brian is incredible.

Then I began inking pages. I inked 3 pages, scanned them, cleaned them up in Photoshop and added Julie’s metal gray. The 4th page for today (p.7) is on the drawing table, half-inked. I plan to finish it before retiring for the night. In the midst of that work I realized the ad for Diamond’s August issue of Previews was due today, soliciting Echo 7 for October shipping. I haven’t made notes for issue 7. I can’t even imagine October. I sure as hell have no idea what to put on the cover. And with the deadlines greedily stealing all my time, I realized I had no image prepared. So I scrambled through my Echo files and found the only cover idea I haven’t sent to Diamond (well, it was included in an article). It’s a stand-in, like Francine’s red-herring statue cover (you know about that, right? It’s the stuff of solicitation legend), but it does the job for now.

Also had to proof the covers to reprints of SiP Pocket Readers 2 & 4. They’re called Pocket Readers now because Harlan Ellison pointed out to me that Pocket Books are a copyrighted imprint.

Talked with Vaneta at Newsarama.com about Echo today. That may appear on the site tomorrow or next week. The holiday causes a gap in things.

Rick Klaw sent me this fun article and an interesting job proposal.

Got my copy of Jeff Smith’s RASL in the mail today and read it during lunch. Wow. The atmosphere of the story is so rich, with the low rent settings in a tiny desert town. There are a couple of real gems of scientific observation in this one too. Yes, it was a new experience to see Jeff’s art doing gritty and naked things. But you look at that, then go back and read the issue and get lost in this tense, dark world where odd things happen and somebody is dancing the quarks, and it’s clear that we’ve caught this guy’s story just as he’s about to unravel. It’s a murder mystery, a sci-fi thriller, and a Tarantino film all rolled into one and delivered in that unmistakable Jeff Smith style.

What else? …That’s it. Tomorrow I’ll try to ink a billion pages. Robyn plans to treat Trey and me to a July 4 cookout of burgers, dogs, potato salad and hummus. Hummus? Okay. She makes great hummus, so… I’ll be well fortified for my stint at the drawing table.

Happy 4th!

First: ECHO 4 hit the stands today. Go get your copy!

Flew home from LA today. As you know, except for a couple of meetings, I spent the trip in our room at the Hyatt, drawing Echo 5 pages. I managed to get 8 pages penciled while Robyn attended ALA and schmoozed with librarians form around the country. Penciling takes longer than inking, so my plan was to pencil on the road, ink it when I got home. I think of it this way: penciling is a search for the image, inking is about craftsmanship. It’s the search that takes so long. Now I have a Herculean challenge before me. Complete an entire issue between now and Monday. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit uppers, downers, crack, weed, whiskey, cigarettes, paint thinner, women’s lingerie and sodey pop. And if you’ve never seen Airplane I guess that isn’t funny at all. Whatever. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

The irony is of course, Echo #4 just hit stores today. I only just saw a copy tonight when I got home, and read it — Hmm… interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this series — So why am I trying to put out the next issue in 2 weeks? Need you ask? San Diego ComicCon. And it’s not even about the issue, I just need it to complete the trade paperback we’re supposed to show up with. If we want a tpb at San Diego it has to be at the printer’s by Monday. Right.

In the meantime, Nick wants the outline to Runaways 5. Now please. Humberto is penciling issue 4 already. I’d promised to write up the 2-3 page outline on the flight out to LA. That didn’t happen so I did it on the flight back and emailed it to Nick. If he approves there’s still no way I can work on it until after the Monday deadline. Why is Humberto so FAST?! Probably has something to do with all that confounded talent.

Speaking of, MTV Movies Blog posted a casting session of their ideal picks for a Runaways movie. Word is BKV has finished a script.

CBGXtra.com posted a review of Echo 1-3. Thank you, Ray.

Are you aware of Joss Whedon’s upcoming webisodic, Doctor Horrible, starring Neil Patrick Harris? Looks funny. I’ll be watching for it.

Are you aware of how good the virtual bands are getting on YouTube? Some of them are truly incredible. My favorites are led by a 47 years old man in Japan with the screen name Jun26. Using talented amateurs from around the world passing files around, they recreate great songs better than any copy band playing live. His Led Zeppelin renditions in particular are mesmerizing and note for note accurate. Finally musicians are working the way comic creators have been working for ages.

Received word today my Hulk cover for Hero Intitiative is approved by Marvel with no changes. There was a question about it since I used Callisto with all her phallic looking tentacles wiggling around all over the place. My feeling was, What do you mean I can’t use her because she’s too risque? She’s your character! Turns out all’s well as is, but it doesn’t really matter: my cover didn’t make the grade for being auctioned off at a con or being mentioned in any way. It’s just going straight to eBay. Ouch. That’s like making a movie and it goes straight to video. Kind of … oh. Okay. Really? My Spider-Man cover last year also went straight to eBay. I think I’ll save myself the trouble next time and just donate cash.

Anyway, if you want it, you’ll have to hound the Hero Init. gang to find out when it goes up for auction, then bid on eBay. That could be very good for you, since virtually nobody will know when it’s up for auction on eBay, including me, or very bad because it is eBay and who knows how many people might accidently stumble upon it thinking it’s a rather odd drawing by the aged actress Terry Moore and what a novel thing to own.

Anyway, I can’t find anything about the Hulk covers on the Hero home page, but there are posts and pictures in the Hero Initiative blogspot.

Catching up on Frank Cho’s funny forum recently I read his Hulk cover was rejected entirely. Something about his rendition of the Hulk and She-Hulk, doing something or producing something decent people have decided we shouldn’t see. I haven’t seen the art in question, but now that it’s banned in all English speaking countries, I am, of course, dying to see it. Naturally, Frank’s cover would have sold for thousands. Sober estimates (much more trustworthy than the alternative) run at $8,000. It’s a shame. That’s a lot of money for a charity to lose.

Okay, I think that catches me up here. I’m turning around to the drawing board now and inking my brains out. I’ll let you know how that deadline goes.

“I like deadlines. I like the sound they make when they rush right by me.”
—a famous comic creator whose name the person telling me this quote could not remember

From Heidi McDonald’s blog: The Beat:

Unfortunately it’s with great sadness that I must inform everyone that Michael Turner tragically passed away last night, June 27th at approximately 10:42 pm in Santa Monica, Ca. Turner had been dealing with recent health complications arisen in the past few weeks. More details concerning Turner’s passing, and services, will be given shortly.

Anyone wishing to send their condolences to Michael Turner’s family is encouraged to send to:

Aspen MLT, Inc.
C/O Michael Turner
5855 Green Valley Circle, Suite 111
Culver City, CA, 90230

Aspen also encourages anyone wishing to make a charitable donation to please send to Michael Turner’s requested charities:

The American Cancer Society

Or

The Make-A-Wish Foundation

I never met Michael, but our mutual friends thought the world of him. He was a great guy, a great talent. My heart goes out to his family and friends and to all the wonderful stories he had yet to tell.

Robyn and I are in Anaheim. She is attending the ALA conference while I stay in the room and work on Echo 5. At the moment I’m taking a break in the lobby and checking email while the maid cleans the room. I like being in a hotel full of people who like books. It’s comforting.

Yesterday I drove up to Santa Monica and met with my agent Nick Harris. He is discussing Echo with several interested parties.

For some reason I’ve been getting one idea after another this week. Writing them down, of course. Who knows which one might end up in front of you someday.

As always when I travel, I’m chilled to the bone. It’s a beautiful 72 degrees here. Perfect. And almost 30 degrees cooler than where I just came from. So, I’m chilled and can’t get warm. I’m already acclimated to Global Warming. I wonder if this is why Neil Gaiman always wears a leather jacket when he travels?

Earlier this year they predicted the North Pole would have an iceless summer within 5-7 years. Now they say it will be this summer. Without the frigid air of the north, that will make next year the hottest of our lifetime. If you live in an area that has traditionally not used air conditioning, those days are gone like cheap gas. They’re not coming back. You might consider moving to Anaheim, it’s really chilly here.

Echo 4 shipped yesterday, on time. My boxes will probably arrive tomorrow but I won’t be here to see it, I’ll be on a plane to L.A. and the ALA conference. I’m packing a week’s worth of work to take in a desperate attempt to stay on schedule. Today I drew page 4 of issue 5. I need to turn it in in two weeks. Think I can make it?

Turned in issue 4 of Runaways yesterday and Nick emailed today to say he liked it. So that’s done. Now I’m on issue 5 of all 3 of my books, Echo, Runaways and Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane. I never planned on doing the Marvel books while also doing my new book, but with various delays that’s how it worked out so I’m keeping my head down and working to keep pace.

I have to tell you again— the pages Humberto Ramos is drawing for Runaways are so incredibly good looking! I cannot wait to see this book in print. Christina Strain passed around a color test of the first page today and it is just gorgeous also. I could not be more pleased and I’m certain that unless you were sent here to be the anti-Terry, you will like it, too!

Mary Jane is looking very nice too, but I’ll save that for another post all its own.

That’s the problem with having 3 babies. Brag on one you have to brag on all of them or else.

Both Marvel titles debut in August, I believe.

Okay, so, if anything dramatic happens at ALA, I’ll let you know. For those of you going to the Wizard World in Chicago this weekend, tell everybody you meet I said hi. This includes cabbies, crossing guards and storm troopers.

Spent the day on it and just finished the script to Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #4 and emailed it off to the Marvel office. Stuff’s happening at that school!

Listened to a lot of Robben Ford while I worked today. I first heard him many years ago when I was in college (the one day I went) and he was playing with Jimmy Witherspoon. Wonderful player.

Tomorrow I resume work on Echo 5. Thursday Robyn and I leave for L.A. to attend the American Library Association conference in Anaheim. Actually, she will be working that show, while I stay in the room drawing Echo. I’m just her “travel companion” for the trip. *wink* *wink* Uh huh. You know I’m talkin’ about.

So, all is quiet here at the ranch. Really hot outside but I’m spending all my time indoors working so I don’t care. Kills me when it’s 100 degrees all day everywhere in town and the weather man comes on at the end of the day and says it was officially 95. You’d think they’d put a thermometer outside their downtown office window, but no, they use the one at the airport 26 miles outside of town in the rural area where there isn’t as much concrete and traffic. So, I’m passing this message out to you, wherever you are in the world, don’t be fooled. Every time you see a weather report and the temperature in Texas is X degrees… add 5 and you’ll have the truth. In fact, look at the local ABC channel weather page… see all those temps for the week in 90’s? Lies. Mm hmm. Also, if you add up all 5 days it’s 472 degrees this week! Okay, that’s HOT, okay?

That’s how I’d forecast the weather. “It’s going to be 472 degrees over the next five days. Divide it up any way you want.”

I’m off to watch an episode of Hercule Poirot on dvd then to bed. I leave you with an extremely rare treat… Paul McCartney telling a dirty joke.

Newsarama posted a recent interview with me about Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, along with the cover…

Echo 4 is finally done and at the printer. We’re trying to get it shipped Monday, which would put it in stores Wednesday July 2. I think we’ll make it.

This issue is packed. And stuff happens. I can’t say anymore, but here’s a photo taken while working on the issue.

I don’t know who those glasses belong to. They’re not mine. I’m forever young and cool and no way would I ever grow old enough to wear reading glasses. Come on. Phht. Must be the dog’s. Oh look, right there in my sketchbook, the truth about UFO’s, God, cancer and the Kennedy Assasination. Can you read that? Wow, it’s so simple, isn’t it? We should have known.
I also drew and inked the cover to Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane issue 3 today. It’s really cute. I wish I could show you that art, but I don’t dare show anything Marvel— I’m spoiled with the freedoms of my own book. I think issue 3 is coming out in October. I drew falling leaves and bit of chill in the air (how do you draw a chill in the air?). So strange to think about that in when it’s 96 degrees outside (for real, here in Houston).

When the sun comes back up I will start on issue 5, the final chapter in the first trade paperback.

Sheila reports:

FYI….as of today (that I know of and I did check yesterday) both 4 day badges and Saturday are SOLD OUT @ Comic-Con……

UGH!

I hope you have your tickets already, otherwise getting into San Diego’s big show will be harder than getting a ticket to next year’s Led Zep tour (and that will be literally impossible. Nobody, I mean NOBODY, will be able to buy a ticket! I’m already bitter about it. I don’t know who will be filling the arenas, but it won’t be anybody who tried to purchase the ticket through the proper channels. Harumph!)

Take note: Sheila added just sent me this: the bold header almost made it appear the whole con is sold out when so far it’s on the 1 day Saturday badges and the 4 day badges.