MSU Comics Forum and Sequentials pt.IV

I really want to start this post off by stating, for the record, that this was easily the best MSU Comics Forum we've had to date. I'd like to express an gratuitous "Thank You" to all the Scholars, Creators, and Fans who made the MSU Comics Forum 2011 such a success.

Thanks to Ryan Claytor and all of the organizers who helped us put this event together.

I also need to thank the various websites and media outlets that helped promote the event.

A special thank you to Nate Powell for his great Keynote Address (subsequent power moves included in his great presentation,) his participation in the Creator Panel with Joe Foo and Jeremy Bastian, and just being an all around great guy.

Lastly thank you to all of the sponsers: The Journal of Popular Culture, 21st Century Comics and Games, The Department of Art and Art History, the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, and MATRIX: The Center for the Humane Arts, Letters, and Social Sciences Online.

I'm looking forward to the MSU Comics Forum 2012. I think I'll refrain from calling it the "doomsday" edition though I'm sure if we look on the Mayan calendar it mentions the MSU Comics Forum somewhere. I'll look into and let you know what I find.

Asides from the Comics Forum, here we are on week four of 2011 and you know what that means...

Things are really starting to move along. Now that the MSU Comics Forum is done, I might have a chance to be finished with these weekly pages prior to the eleventh hour. I'm Looking forward to sharing more than just pages each week.

In case you've missed them, here's links to the previous pages of The Cutting Edge.

The Cutting Edge Pg 1

The Cutting Edge Pg 2

The Cutting Edge Pg 3

As with every Tuesday be sure to stop over at Ryan Claytor's website where he's posted his next page of And Then One Day#9. www.elephanteater.com

Until next week,

-Jacot

24 Weeks of Sequentials pt.III

Here we are for week three. Gotta say, working on this page, I solidified quite a bit of my creation process. Things are moving a little smoother and I'm settling into a good pace I like to call, "on time." It's especially impressive for me to be on time with the MSU Comics Forum taking place this weekend. Interviews and a podcast last week cut into my production schedule.

If you're in the Lansing, MI area be sure to pick up this weeks edition of The Noise and The City Pulse, it's going to have info about the MSU comics Forum and, if you haven't made plans to, then you should make plans come to The MSU Comics Forum this weekend, it's a free event that will provide a great venue to meet many comic book creators.

Starting off Friday night, January 21st,2011 from 7pm-8:30pm, will be the keynote address by Nate Powell. Over the past few years the Keynote Address has been a fantastic time to take a peak at the creator behind the art and story. Nate Powell's Keynote should be no different and I am looking forward to taking a peek into the mind behind his amazing comic works.

On Saturday January 22nd, 2011 from 11am-5pm in the LookOut! Gallery will be the Artist Alley. This is a seriously good lineup for an Artist Alley including the aforementioned Nate Powell, Guy Davis, David Petersen, Jason Howard, Ryan Stegman, Jeremy Bastian, Jay Fosgitt, and many more! Creators will have some examples of their work on display albeit in comics, graphic novels, prints, or original art. Many of these items will be available for purchase. Don't be afraid to talk with the creators, we're all happy to converse with our adoring public (too pretentious?) Don't worry though, they won't bite, not last I checked anyways. For information on the guest list for the artist alley head over to the MSU Comics Forum website. www.comicsforum.msu.edu

Almost forgot during the Artist alley many panels will be taking place be sure to check them out.

For this weeks post I was thinking about going into my process of creating a comic page looking at it though I think this post has been long enough. Maybe for a future page I'll do a "process" post. But for now we'll just get on with the show. The Tao of Snarky: The Cutting Edge page 3!

For those that missed the previous pages you can find them through the links below

The Cutting Edge Pg 1

The Cutting Edge Pg 2

As with every Tuesday for the first 24 weeks of 2011 my buddy Ryan Claytor has posted a new page of his conversation with Dr. Polkinhorn from his new book And Then One Day #9. Jump on over to his website and check it out www.elephanteater.com. Ryan, is hyper intelligent when it comes to the Comic field and his knowledge comes together with the subtleties found in each of his pages.

Catch everyone back here next week, and hope to see you at the MSU Comics Forum this weekend.

-Jacot

24 Weeks of Sequentials pt. II

Alright, here I am back for week two of new Snarky pages.

This one was a doozy and a blast. Action, movement, and mood were the essentials on this page. It's funny how things start to develop and solidify while creating these pages. My process is becoming more distinct and there's a lot less "wasted effort" going into each one. I'll keep this first part nice and short... onto the page! click on the image or any link to open in a new window.

Here's a link to the first page, just in case you missed it.

The Cutting Edge: Page 1

We're under two weeks until the MSU Comics Forum 2011 takes place, right now we have 25 creators who will be tabling in the Artist Alley on Saturday, January 22, 2011. Also, be sure to make it to the Keynote Address by Nate Powell Friday, January 21st. This should be a great time had by all, and the best part its admission is free. Check out the MSU Comics Forum website for more info including a complete guest list for the artist alley. www.comicsforum.msu.edu

Speaking of the MSU Comics Forum I just got back from recording a podcast with the talent from Ginger and the Geek podcast. Had a great time talking with Daniel J. Hogan and Kat Cooper, they make a fantastic team. It'll be out this Thursday so be sure to stop over and check it out at gingerandthegeek.com.

Well that's about it for now, sorry there's no other art this week. I'm trying to work out a production schedule for Snarky and everything else. It's coming together and I have a few kinks to work out, but I'll be there soon. I do have to say, I really miss focusing on sequential artwork.

Don't forget to stop over to my LADDie Ryan Claytor's website, www.elephanteater.com, and check out the next page of And Then One Day.

Catch you back here in 168 hours, now time for me to get back to work.

-Jacot

LET IT BEGIN

Happy New Year, and what a year it shall be... and with a title like that how can you go wrong? After all, this is the beginning of new Snarky comic pages.

In case you're not sure what is happening, my good buddy Ryan Claytor is posting a new page of "And Then One Day" on his website every Tuesday for the first 24 weeks of 2011. Ryan challenged me to do the same with my own work. So here we are at the beginning of a 24 week journey. Hopefully at the end I will continue this trend and be able to complete the first full story arc to The Tao of Snarky with weekly posts.

It felt good to dust off Snarky and make him feel alive again. Brad DeMaagd and I have really started to organize and get this story moving, for this first page I pulled an old bit he'd written and pulled parts to start this story. Now that the fire's lit he's turning out some really great stuff for me to work with. It's been a while since I released/published new sequential work and I have got to say, I've missed it. Creating art is a lot of fun and I enjoy it but it's nothing like using art to tell a story and showing the passage of time. You can tell a story in one image, that's a skill in itself, but leading the reader through many images and words on a journey through a story, there's no feeling quite like that.

Alright enough of the fawning over the reason or the feeling, let's get one with it.

Ladies and gentleman I present the first page of The Tao of Snarky: The Cutting Edge. To see a larger copy just click on the image and it will open in a new window.

I'm tossing around the idea of setting up a wordpress page for this comic, any feedback on this would be great. Let me know what you want to see and how you would like to view these new pages as I release them. Don't be afraid to post comments, constructive criticism is gratefully accepted.

So now that you're done here pop on over and check out Ryan's weekly post/page at www.elephanteater.com. It'll be worth the trip.

-Jacot