New Kenwoode Panels: The Booze Calleth

Finished another page section. It’s getting detail-y-er.

It is almost impossible to describe how difficult it is to sit down and draw these daily, but I’m doing my best. A actor/writer friend suggested Steven Pressfield‘s book, The War of Art (which I cannot suggest enough for everyone), and it describes and names the process of Resistance- basically, that insidious little bastard that keeps you from working on your goals. The book is an invaluable weapon in the daily battle. I’ll write more on it soon, but for now, back to the Lab again.

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New Kenwoode Panel: Part 2 of Page 9

Finished the second section of Page 9.

“Will and imagination, tied, the keys to all success provide

Silver and gold, together bound, bring daydreams down to solid ground.”

-Mike and Mack the Snakes, Promethea, Issue 12, by Alan Moore

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New Kenwoode Pages: May Wonders Never Cease

Finally posted the latest couple of Kenwoode pages. You can check ’em out here and here.

“Finished, it’s finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished Grain upon grain, one by one, and one day, suddenly, there’s a heap, a little heap, the impossible heap.” – Samuel Beckett, Endgame

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Kenwoode: 2nd Part of Page 7

Here‘s the second section of Page 7; I just looked at the dates (I sign each panel as I finish ’em) and realized I haven’t done one in almost 10 days. I’m on it.

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In Defiance of Ink Spillage- New Pages: 6 & 7

Got some new panels and pages posted; I go back and forth on their quality, but the Dude abides. Plus, I had a huge India ink accident that I don’t want to talk about. Seriously. Dude. I don’t want to talk about it.

Pages 6 and 7 here and here.

Saw Men Who Stare at Goats the other weekend, and really loved it. Clooney is just getting better with age. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave it an F. But I give Owen Gleiberman an F, ’cause he gave I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell a B+. I ain’t linkin’ to shit ’bout that movie.

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The Dogs Howl, But the Caravan Moves On: New Panel

Just finished up Page 5, inked a panel for Page 6 last night. Feeling good, Louis!

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New Kenwoode Panels!

It’s just two, and, of course, I’m missing a page because I wasn’t sure if I liked the way I inked it, but two have been added against all odds, and they can be found here.

It’s the little things, really.

I’m going to commit to a panel a day (two down!), which is really harder than it sounds. Dave Sim did a page a day during the years of Cerebus; that’s just unbelievable. I think that’s a good recipe for losing your Sean Hannity.

Yes, that is Cockney rhyming slang for “sanity.” (And no, I’m not casting aspersions on Sim’s mental health- I’m a huge fan. He’s the Lance Armstrong of comics.)

UPDATE 09.20.09: Added panels 3 & 4 to Page 5- so far, I’ve drawn and inked 5 panels in 7 days. Not the daily goal I’ve been shooting for, but getting better…!

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Kenwoode Update: First day of Fall

Just a quick note on progress: I’m about 5 pages from finishing the first draft of the Kenwoode II screenplay. Got some illustrating done this weekend, and I’ll have a few panels to post this week.

Just saw Kung Fu Panda. The opening dream sequence with the cut-out paper style is staggering. Dreamworks really stepped up their game. I could make a snarky reference to Sharktale here, but- well, you know. Overall, really solid.

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I Don’t Want to Change the World, I’m Not Looking For a New England

I love this song. Made better by the drunken German sing-along, and the key-change Kirsty MacColl final lyric:

Here’s a nice little concert mash-up with Kate Nash:

And here’s Billy on the Henry Rollins Show, singing Waiting for the Great Leap Forward (with the great spot-on observation about Mtv’s absolute irrelevance):

I’ll go into Levi Stubb’s Tears at a later date; probably in my top twenty favorite songs of all time. I was just in a Mr. Love n’ Justice mood today.

KENWOODE UPDATE: In the middle of doing rewrites on the screenplay. The good news is there is real interest; I can’t really go into it right now. But I promise I’ll post a few new panels this weekend, taking into account a new work-flow (or actual work) “process” from Carl and myself called, “Getting Off Our Lazy Asses.”

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What’s Unfilmable?

Wired has a nice little article about what’s unfilmable in Hollywood- which books or comics cannot be done correctly? The Neil Gaiman quote slaps you right on the face:

“It’s not film-shaped,” Gaiman said. “I went out to Hollywood with beautiful artwork and toys and did a presentation…. I got to the end, very proud of myself for encapsulating 2,000 pages of comics into a giant visual pitch, and what I got was, ‘Does The Sandman have a clearly defined bad guy?’ I said, ‘No it doesn’t,’ and they said, ‘Thanks for coming!’”

Trust me, I’m going through this slog in meetings right now. There’s a reason all films feel vaguely the same: they’re designed that way. It’s actually a miracle that both Stardust and Coraline got even past the pitch stage.

[Fan-art illustration of Death and the Sandman by UMINGA. Art here]

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Ewan McGregor is a Baddass.

Here’s a clip from Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman’s great tv series, Long Way Down. They rode from SCOTLAND TO THE TIP OF SOUTH AFRICA in 2007. Yes. You heard me.

Tre’ baddass, and highly recommended, if you like travel, motorcycles, or both.

Some people want to be rich. Some want to frolic with supermodels. Some want to be famous. Me? I just want to go on an 18-country, sponsored motorcycle ride with Ewan and Charlie. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

And the frolicking, of course.

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Kiva.Org- Loans That Change Lives

While doing some research on Mohammed Unis and microfinance (meaning, I took two seconds and did a Google search- I love how “research” has become “bare-minimum investigation”), I stumbled across Kiva.Org:

Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.

Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.

The people you see on Kiva’s site are real individuals in need of funding – not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs’ profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.

How awesome is that?

I truly wish there was a domestic version of this, something where I could be assured that my money was going to Katrina victims directly, or a sponsorship for students in impoverished US cities (I’m sure there’s a ton of people in Detroit right now that could use it).

If Kenwoode ever goes on to make any money, Kiva will be my charity of choice. And if Carl was any type of empathetic human being, he’ll join me. But I highly doubt it. ‘Cause he’s a jerk, you see.

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Sending Carl New Panels Tonight

The dogs howl, but the caravan rolls on.

Carl just called from NE to taunt me for not having any panels to ink. Never poke the bear, Carl. The coming artistic onslaught will melt your brain.

Listening to a new Bob Mould song on The Current online (you can find it on iTunes radio Alternative section) called “I’m Sorry Baby.” What a great songwriter.

That is all. Rock!

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Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition

Carl sent me page 2 of inked panels today. Ball’s back in my court. I’m planning on knocking out three pages of pencils this weekend. The point is this: Carl has artistically slapped me in the face, challenging me to an duel. I have a vicious terrapin ready to amphibiously destroy his underachieving reptilian tortoise.

Inks are under Page 2 in the Pages section.

Glove slap!

The Interweb is weird. You can find anything on it, but seldom the thing you’re looking for.

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Moving is the WORST

Just had to move. Closer to the ocean. Like Bodhi from Point Break. JUST LIKE Bodhi from Point Break. “If you want the ultimate, you’ve got to be willing to pay the ultimate price.” We know, Bodhi, we know.

Point being, we’ll have some more panels up this week. I’m still exited to be working with Carl, and I’ll be sending him some more panels this week.

On another note, could the RNC be more ridiculous? Jindal is the best you’ve got? Really? JINDAL? And he’s bringing up Katrina? Have you all gone MAD?!

Obama has done to the Repubs what Reagan did to liberalism. Get ready for 12 years of Democratic administrations. Thank God for the wisom of the Founding Fathers and their checks ‘n’ balances foresight.

Thus endeth the politicizing of the blog.

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I’ve Cut Carl Loose.

No, I’m just kidding.

But I did talk to him last night to let him know that I’ll be posting the pencils to Kenwoode as I finish them. And, true to my word, “Page 2” is revealed today; you can access it through the “Pages” menu to the right.

Yes, I draw this project on graph paper. Get off my ass.

The main reason for this is simple: I just realized I posted the first Page on Nov. 19th. At this pace, we should finish… The Twelfth of Never. Which is sort of the antithesis of the whole project. I’m completely sympathetic to Carl’s demands of recent fatherhood; I also realize that if I don’t start adhearing to a weekly schedule of posting pencils, this project shall remain a pipe dream.

Thus, pencils for Page 2.

Here’s a Ricky Gervais quote I swiped from Andrew Sullivan; he used it as a blogging analogy, which is apt.

“Podcasting is perfect for me, because I’m always trying to aim at those things that only have self-censorship. I’m trying cut out all interference artistically. That’s also why stand-up is so exciting. What you say is what is heard. I think Woody Allen said,’The best an idea gets is when it’s in your head.’ So I’ve always been conscious of control. The more control you have, the more it can be what you would want to see or hear,” – Ricky Gervais

I also think it can apply to most pure art forms: jazz, improv, comics. One editor, yourself, the only interference is how quickly you get it down, and how honest you are in listening to your characters and that voice. You know the one.

(Above is Mike Mignola’s illustration for the trade paperback of Death Jr. I have no idea what Death Jr. is, but go buy everything that Mike Mignola draws. Both Carl and I love Mike’s stuff. Here’s hoping that Hellboy money has him in wine and roses.)

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