Bramble Vine Comics

I got word last night that my latest book, Gadgeteria, has now been added to the IndyPlanet.com catalog, which means now everyone can buy it online. I have updated my online store with the Gadgeteria order box, so please check it out.

I'll have copies for sale at the Dallas Comic Con and CAPE!. I've also made a few deals that will put this book on some Texas area comic book shops.

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook

Another recent page from my sketchbook. What you see here are some sketches from a short story I'm currently working on. It involves a scientist with super powers and his hubris in dealing with an alien culture. This is the look if the scientist and the aliens. Since scientists are usually shown as nebbish scrawny characters it's a little tricky showing one that is also a Superman type. I like the designs of the aliens though.

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook

My friend, Grant Sutherland, is a really skilled cartoonist. I met him through the Dallas Sketch Group and his work is incredibly polished and expressive. I'm always impressed with his stuff.

I convinced him to come with me to the Dallas Comic Con and share my table. He's putting together a mini comic to sell while we're there and his book is all about him and me selling comics at the convention. Apparently, in my "tough love" encouragement at the sketch group meetings to try and get him to finish his projects I've often called him names, most commonly I've referred to him as a "douche". So, at the end of every one of Grant's comic trips in his mini I call him that. In response to seeing some of these strips, which are really funny by the way, I did this comic and handed it to him. When cartoonists make fun of each other everybody wins.

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook

This year's comic book convention season is fully underway and I do have plans for the year. So Far in 2008 I've been to the Dallas Comic Con here in Dallas and to STAPLE! down in Austin. For the time being I am focusing on Texas based conventions, but that may change later.

As of today I'll be appearing with an artist's table at the next Dallas Comic Con on April 5 & 6. I also have an artist's table at CAPE '08 on May 3. The next one i currently have planned is Wizard World Texas held November 7-9.

That's all I have currently planned. If anything else comes up I'll be sure to mention it here. If you'd like to tell me about or invite me to an event feel free to contact me about it. I haven't hit Houston yet, anything going on in Houston? Anyway, come find me at one of these fine events and pick up some of my books, posters and original sketches!

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook

I have a new poster design finished. I just picked up a batch of these from the printer and I'm really happy with how they turned out. I essentially just took my favorite thing to draw in my sketchbook and turned it into a large poster, random cartoon faces. All but one are just random designs of nobody in particular. One of them is my buddy Grant. I will have these with me at all future comic book convention appearances, so be sure to find me and pick one up!

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook

Here is a recent page from my sketchbook. There are few things going on here, Grant is another Dallas area cartoonist and a friend of mine. He's just getting started with the whole convention scene and we've been making some comic strips for each other as some inside jokes. I'll post a few of them later.

I'm also working on a new poster that I will hopefully have ready for the next Dallas Comic Con next month. Some of the cartoon faces you see here will be a part of that project.

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook

My latest project, Gadgeteria #1, is now sent off to the printers. I've been working hard to get this complete and I hope everyone enjoys it. For the cover I hired a local Dallas area illustrator and comic artist to color it for me, Matthew Warlick. I met him through the local sketch group and he was another contributor to the Synesthetic Anthology. His color work is just stunning and I feel very honored to have him on my cover. He sent over the final image for the book and it just blew me away. It's far beyond what I was hoping for and I can't thank Matthew enough! You can click on the image here and check it out for yourself.

So, the book is being printed and I have ordered a few poster prints of the cover as well that I will have with me at future conventions. Hopefully Ka-Blam will come through for me (they haven't failed me yet) and get the books and posters to me in time for my next comic con appearance, the Dallas Comic Con 11 on April 5 & 6.

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook

: STAPLE! '08 photo gallery :

I spent this past weekend down in Austin, Texas selling my comics at the independent comic convention STAPLE! and it was a blast. The folks in Austin really came willing to buy. I sold a ton of books and met a lot of really cool artists while I was down there.

I was happy to see that the preview book I had printed up for my upcoming series, Gadgeteria, was going over well. I pushed the mini comic into a lot of hands and people seemed really interested in the premise. Matthew Warlick is this amazing local artist who is coloring the cover of Gadgeteria #1 for me and he was there too with the whole Space-Gun Studios crew. With us, Scott Kurtz and Chris Straub Dallas was definitely representing at the show.

I had something new on hand during the con that haven't tried before, vinyl figures. I've been seeing more and more of these amazing independently produced vinyl toys and always thought the whole scene was cool, so when I saw that my local comic shop was selling blank versions of them I decided to try something different. I took a few blank Munny toys and a sharpie pen and went to work creating these "Bramblekins Sketch Toys". The effect was very cool. You can see more photos of the toys in my STAPLE! '08 photo gallery. The sketch toys generated a lot of attention for me, so I'm going to keep bringing them to future cons.

All in all it was a great show. I'll certainly be back next year, although next time I won't try to drive down and back in the same day. The trip back to Dallas after an exhausting day of selling comics was brutal. Many gallons of coffee got me through it, but just barley. Next year I'm getting a hotel room.

Labels: book, cartoon, cartoonist, comic, sketch, sketchbook