Near-Death Experience
Current mood: anxious
Category: Blogging

I'm sitting at the computer Monday afternoon, doing some casual Web surfing, thinking about the layout of my next comic page, when I hear two loud BOOMS and a great crash at our front window.

I sit there for a good 5 minutes afterward in disbelief, 'cause I know what those noises were, but I don't want to believe it.

They were gunshots. From a shotgun, it later turned out. The shooter blasted two rounds through the front window of our house, damn near shattering it. The pellets went clear through the living room, dining room, and straight back to the kitchen.

The only reason I wasn't hit is because I was sitting behind a short wall between the living room and dining room. The front window is in the living room, the computer in the dining room behind the short wall. There are shotgun pellets in the wall between the living room and dining room, above the entryway to the kitchen, and in the back wall of the kitchen. Basically, anybody standing in the open in the downstairs of our house would have been blasted, maybe killed.

Fortunately, I was the only one home at the time.

The police were called of course, they came surprising quickly (in about 2-3 minutes-turns out it was their second visit as other neighbors had also called the police). One neighbor saw the shooter leaving and gave as detailed a description to police as she could (bless her). Police quickly found the weapon, a sawed-off shotgun.

There's more good news-I got a call last night from the detective assigned to the case, the guy is communicating through his lawyer that he wants to turn himself in. He's probably already done so by now, if he went through with it.

So what was it all about? Well, from what I've heard, it's some kind of dispute with my oldest stepson. Apparently, the shooter got into an argument with my stepson, got punched in the face, and later went looking for some payback. Only instead of confronting my stepson directly, he decided to shoot up my house. Cowardly idiot.

All in all, it could be worse. No one was hurt, the property damage was relatively minor, and it looks like the perp is going to be locked up shortly.

Still, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if he'd decided to barge in. I think I'm getting a carry permit and buying a gun.

2:40 AM - 8 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Preview of Page 17 of Chapter 4-What ARE those things?
Category: Art and Photography

Here's part of the first panel of Page 17 of Chapter 4 of the Vanguard, showing the ongoing battle between our heroes and the buglike Vesparion.



What are those blurry things anyway? Hint: they're part of a new member to be introduced. Go check out the rest of the page to see who and what!

6:26 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

The Vanguard 3 Reviewed on Comic Book Noise
Current mood: pleased
Category: Art and Photography

Issue 3 of my sci-fi superhero adventure comic The Vanguard was reviewed over at Comic Book Noise, a podcast about Indie comics.  It marks the first time, to my knowledge anyway, that my comic work has been reviewed anywhere outside the webcomic community-and I'm happy that it turned out to be mostly positive.

So go on over there, take a listen, and then buy the book if you like what you hear (and the other two as well, if you haven't already).

10:11 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Eww, Bug Slobber - Preview of Chapter 4 Page 16
Current mood: satisfied
Category: Art and Photography

Don't you hate it when giant bugs get in your face and drool on you? Well, it looks like this guy doesn't like it much either:



If you like this panel, then go check out the rest of the page. Enjoy!

10:50 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Short-Notice Con Appearance
Category: Blogging

I'm going to be at the Lehigh Valley Comic Con in Schnecksville, PA, near Bethlehem today, Saturday, Apr 12th. If you're near that area, stop by and say hello, and maybe buy a book or three (I'll have all three issues of my books there).

It's kind of short notice, I know, but I was just offered free table space at the con and couldn't pass up the opportunity. Now the only problem is I'll be going there directly after work on my graveyard shift job-nearly an hour's drive, and it's gonna be more than an hour's drive home afterwards. So if any of you do come by and see me yawning-or snoring, please excuse me-it's gonna be a looonnnng day for me.

2:15 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Chapter 3 of The Vanguard Now in Print

Chapter 3 of The Vanguard is now available for ordering from IndyPlanet. If you'd like your own 24-page print copy of this action-packed story, nows the time to get it. I think you'll enjoy reading it almost as much as I enjoyed creating it.

12:49 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

If You’re in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area this Sunday, March 16th...
Category: Blogging

I’ll be at the Philadelphia Comic Con this coming Sunday, March 16th at the Ramada Philadelphia Airport in Essington, PA. I’ll have the first 3 chapters of The Vanguard in print for sale, and I’d enjoy meeting any fans or readers in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area.

8:36 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

The Vanguard Continues-Page 14 of Chapter 4.
Category: Art and Photography

After a couple-week long hiatus due to computer issues, the Vanguard finally returns, with the same old bug problem from back on Page 6. The panel above from the latest page showing the besieged colony leader John Richards, who you know would be asking one question if he had time:

Anyone got a tanker truck of Raid Max? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

9:57 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Some Good News and Some Bad News...
Category: Blogging

In the tradition of these things, I'll get the bad news out of the way first. It's been two weeks since my last comic update, and those have not been good weeks for me. First off, I had to work 11 straight nights in a row at my day job. These were all graveyard shift, and they drained most of the energy out of me-I tried to get the next page out, but could barely manage a thumbnail sketch-and I didn't like how it came out and decided to start over.

Then this past Monday I accidentally killed my computer while trying to upgrade it. Long story short, my computer didn't completely shut down when I was trying to install some more RAM, and I shorted out the motherboard. I shoulda unplugged it...bleh. Guess I was still suffering from critical lack of sleep. Furthermore, for what it would have cost me to get it repaired, I could have bought a new computer.

So I did-which begins the good news. I am now the proud owner of a new 20-inch Apple iMac. It's faster, with a bigger monitor, and works with my previous peripherals, including the scanner. So when I finish the next page, I'll be able to get it into my new computer no problem. I've just finished moving over all the files from my old computer's hard drive, so there was no data loss-more good news.

More on the good news front-I'm beginning my convention rounds, starting with the Philadelphia Comic Con on March 16th. And on March 30th, I'll be at Atomicon 12 in NJ. Either by PhilaCon or Atomicon I should have print copies of Chapter 3 for sale, along with the first two chapters. So if you're in the area in March, stop by and say hi-and maybe buy a book or three.

I'm working to get the next page up by early next week. Hopefully I still have enough readers around to come back then....note to self: must look into more advertising and promotional avenues.

5:25 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

The Batmobile and Other Thoughts
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Blogging

My bud and fellow comics artist Scott Story posted a blog about the practicality of Batman's body armor in the movies that got me thinking about another part of his equipment-the Batmobile.

It always looks visually distinctive, like a fancy sports car with bat-winged fenders. But why would someone who generally keeps to the shadows and the night want a car that stood out that much visually? You would think he'd want a car that was almost indistinguishable from any muscle car (if even that distinctive), a car that could be parked anywhere and not attract unwanted attention. Even with the best security system in the world, there's still the chance that a car thief of exceptional skill and luck could make off with it (though God help 'im if Batman caught up to him before he ditched it or got it to a chop shop).

Still, why have a car likely to attract that kind of attention? Not to mention the attention of law enforcement, who Batman isn't always on good terms with.

In other news, I'd like to invite you all to visit The Vanguard Online Comic Shop where you can get chapters 1 and 2 of the Vanguard in print. Chapter 3 will soon be there as well, soon as I've made sure that it will print as I intended.

10:50 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment