Oh gods, look at my ugly mug spouting stuff. A Comicbook Orange, yay!               


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Swamped with finishing work right now, so regular updates resuming next week, when I finally get some time to breathe.

With an illo per chapter by me.

Should be out tomorrow, in all good comic stores, though it isn't actually a comic. Failing that, you can order it via Amazon where it should be out shortly and other online places. IDW doesn't appear to have it on their online store as yet though.

I've been adjusting to working from home this week & finishing up a rather massive work load, so spending time updating the news/blogs I have around the place has been a bit secondary ( I do however, not shutup on twitter through the long work nights ).

So just to prove I can still post art and keep you guys interested while I go insane finishing some other stuff...

Can you guess what it is?

Ok, was meant to be a Turok comic of sorts, to be given away as a promo item at SDCC, many years ago. For some reason it never got that far, but I nonetheless did the comic. It's been aaaages now, so why not show a couple random pages since the stuff I'm working on right now isn't ready to see daylight just yet.

Yes, there's a lot I've done that never gets out there. You'd be surprised!





A Groom Lake #4 cover.



Hope you like where Chris Ryall and I have taken the miniseries thus far. ( the crotch and other dirty human/alien things mostly )

Here's one of the covers for #4...think I still need to do a "B" one though.

And didn't really expect to.








Some art for Greg, who showed me a great time & hosted me for the signing at his Black Cat Comics.


I was made to sign a Johnny Cash poster?



As well as comics I didn't do...but thought I'd spice them up a little.

To celebrate Groom Lake #2 coming out today, here's what to look for with #3 next month. Don't think I blogged it before. ( The other ones, though, I did a step by step, check the earlier blog postings )

What the flier says basically. Check it out. Make plans. Prepare the fresh baby meat. Yay, verily so, or whatever etc etc.

Please note *if you do* bring me fresh babies to eat, I cannot do so in public, due to legal reasons.

The completed cover. Title will obviously be changed to whatever "It Only Hurts When I Pee" in french or some variant name more specific for the french market of course, as Delcourt do their wonderful design/adaption stuff to it.

I love the way French Publishers package their comics, as well as their overall cultural respect for the medium which is a bit different from the US model. It's just a bit more cultural in feel over there, rather than purely commercial.

It's either that, or I'm just influenced by the French love of drinking at every possible opportunity. Who knows.

YES, there will be an english version hardcover of Wormwood Volume 02, probably be out by early next year. ( hey, they plan these things far ahead of time on the schedule ) but if you still want a copy of the first english hardcover, there's none left except if you're lucky enough to find one left on a shelf in a book store perhaps or ordering some of the last few IDW itself has left via their online store. ( and literally today is probably the last day I'll be able to sign any copies bought there. )

Remember this little book?



Well, a piece of it now lives on, thanks to Fryda, who has brightened my morning in the best way possible.

"This is my first Ben Templesmith piece. She came from his book about fantastical space mercs, Conluvio. She compliments (it's an Amy Brown) the piece that is now 4 years old that lives on my right calf."

How the image is looking before I put it through the computer & perform magik tricks to try and piece it together. Finished image by the end of the day I hope.

Also, a quick little update on Wormy.

1. There *might* be some copies of volumes 1 and 2 left. They're trying to see if they turn up at distributor soonish.

2. There should officially be a Wormwood Volume 02 HARDCOVER by next year sometime. ( yay ) The first one sold out rather quickly. No, probably no reprinting of that for now. Got to order these things so they come in or run the risk you miss out!

3. Planning on doing a new miniseries/volume 04 for next year. It's already written in my ugly little head.

Also, I'll be leaving the IDW offices by the end of next week. ( Not IDW itself, just the offices ) so, this means if you can't find Wormwood anywhere else and are still interested in buying a copy SIGNED & PERSONALIZED or anything you want for no extra charge, this is going to be the last time you can get them done that way from the IDW online store. All the Wormwood stuff they have is here.IDW itself DOES have about 20 Hardcover volume 01's left. May me your last chance if you really want one.

A couple of "quiet" pages from Groom Lake issue 2.

Coming to a good comic store near you shortly...

If you missed the first one & still want it, ( it sold out at distributor level awhile ago ) you may still be able to get a copy at the IDW online store here.

Issue 2, as is the way with comics, is a smaller print run and usually isn't enough to meet demand so if you see it, get it quick or get your retailer to get some more in before they're gone too.

Some shots of the wrap around cover in progress...just laid down some washes on it at this stage.

Photo by J. Etheridge, portrait by...I do believe, the magnificent Dan Panosian. I wish I looked as good as how he drew me. This is from Orlando, where I was last weekend.

FX was a fun show, got to hang out with a bunch of very awesome people. Creators like B. Clay Moore, Ivan Brandon, Dave Johnson, Jim Mahfood, Ted Naifeh, Andy Kuhn, Jeremy Haun, Tim Townsend, Dan Panosian, Jonathan Hickman Jason Latour, & William Christensen and a bunch of others I forget ( Sorry! )

Not to mention all the fans who came out to see me during the day to get stuff signed. HUGE thanks to all you guys.

A
little something specifically being done up for the French edition of
Wormwood Volume 02 ( It Only Hurts When I Pee ) coming from Delcourt
sometime soon. I love doing different covers for the French editions, since they're always done up in the French format of hardcover albums. Delcourt really give me a lot of support over there. Cannot thank them enough.

Sadly
volumes 01 and 02 seem to be sold out from Amazon right now. Both will
probably get new printings soonish since they're almost sold out at
distributor level too, but volume 03 ( Calamari Rising ) is still available here. The hardcover of volume 01 is also near gone, though Amazon still appears to have a copies. If you spy one at your retailer, there may not be any more of them for awhile!

Here's a little work in progress on a Groom Lake #4 cover. See more on my flickr.



From Friday and thru the weekend I'll be down at the FX Orlando con thingy.

So if you're a local, come see one of my rare appearances anywhere
vaguely on the east coast, certainly the closest I'll probably come to
visiting the true south. ( Is Florida actually considered part of the
southern states? I have no idea! )

I'll hopefully have plenty of time to actually get some commissions done, ( Which I only really can find the time for at cons sadly ) so if you want one, drop on by. I should have some books, original art & maybe some prints available too.

Here's what I usually do for commissions:

All are painted, tonal with watercolours etc. Usually grey tones, with spot
colours for effect. Anything you like. Small: $150, Larger $250 See
blog for previous examples.

Quick sketches are always free, certainly if in TPB's or on books in general. Signatures and chatting to you nice people are what I'm there for.

Here's the info: APRIL 17-19, 2009

Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

Check the FX show website for more.

Just
got some preview copies in my hot little hands, plus just signed a
whole box full of them for the special signed editions also going out
soon.