Beer Poster– Just in time for Summer!

SMASH_colors_WEBI had the fun task of creating this over-the-top superhero-style poster for the great local beer meisters Portland Brewery and their seasonal special S.M.A.S.H. Pale Ale. These big, splashy images are always a real treat– a chance to stretch out and “get loud” with the art. And Portland Brewery was a dream to work with. After just a few rough comps we struck on this high-energy design that puts the concept across effectively. Plus, I can’t wait to sample the product as the hot summer days head our way! Colors by the always-cool and refreshing Jeremy Colwell.

Supergirl Watercolor Commission

Supergirl-WatercolorWEBI just finished this watercolor commission for a great fan. I’ve always had a liking for Supergirl, particularly after having had a run of issues a few years back. And being able to push some watercolor around is always a lot of fun. Plus, it gives me the chance to put in a word for the CBS TV Supergirl series. This show gets all the big stuff right– Supergirl has charm, sincerity, just the right touch of awkwardness, a lot of smarts and a lot of heart. It’s tough, idealistic, aware and inspirational. It’s a perfect reflection of my own take on the character. I hope it flies high for a long, long run. Cheers to Kara, and Happy Holidays to all.

The Wonderful World of Color

Supergirl_Watercolor-pencilsHaving made it to the end of my long fall convention trail, I’ve busied myself with getting back to producing pages for “The Volstock Payoff”, the current crime-noir-ish story running at trekkercomic.com. I still feel I’m getting used to the added task of coloring the series, but enjoying negotiating that learning curve. It remains a thrill to be back to telling the rest of Mercy’s long story after a far too-long absence, and I’m very excited for the tales I have lined up to follow this one. And don’t worry– while our adventuress Mercy will wear many different outfits as we move along, she will never opt to wear a short skirt like this while “on the job”. But sometimes in Mercy’s violent world, things just happen.

Meanwhile, I’m also attending to a few commission obligations, such as this Supergirl piece that’s destined for a watercolor treatment. I love producing watercolor pieces whenever I have the chance. It’s not a practical solution for coloring a full comic story– at least not with my process– but wonderful fun on an individual image like this. And, it’s a particular delight to be working on a Supergirl piece since I’m currently enjoying the new TV Supergirl show. I’ve been relieved that, while they take the series “seriously” and avoid making it feel slight or simplified, they have appropriately avoided turning it into yet another grim, murderous affair, as happens to so many of the “superhero” TV productions. I think this series hits the right note for this character– one of hope and inspiration. What a breath of fresh air. I’ll share the final product here when it’s done.

Fall Convention Trail concludes this weekend

EUCON_title2-e1436301084421It’s been a very busy fall as I’ve traveled to several conventions in the region and around the country sharing the god news that is Trekker, and meeting many fans both newly-minted and long-time readers. I find each show extremely rewarding and inspiring– a great energizer, despite the time involved in preparations and travels. Meeting fans is always a great, great pleasure.

This weekend I’ll be at the Eugene Comc Con. it’s the first year for this show, and I hope many people will show up to give the show a strong inaugural voyage. The Trekker Empire will be there in full force to do all we can to that end.

Here’s a quartet of commissions from last month’s Baltimore Comic Con– including Mercy, Jinal né Comarr, the heroine of my first comics series from way back at the dawn of time, The Barren Earth for DC Comics, and my first-ever requests for a sketch of Molly and of Mercy’s police lieutenant uncle, Alex St. Clair. Sketch-QuartetWEB

A Trio of new Trekker Pages:

Trekker Comic

It felt terrific to have some uninterrupted time to work on this set of Trekker pages. Any artist will tell you that a nice block of time working on one project will get the best results. I’d love to have more of these chunks of time! And since on one is paying me to produce Trekker stories, it’s only direct support from fans of the series that makes those hours of time easier to come by.

There are links just to the right of this week’s page at trekkercomic.com that list various ways you can contribute to Mercy’s cause, whether that’s through Patreon, or by buying the books, or with a direct, one-time donation. If you have the wherewithal, I hope you’ll check them out.  Either way, enjoy this glimpse of an upcoming sequence, and if you haven’t done so yet, I hope you’ll check out Mercy’s continuing stories. I’m still having the time of my life producing them, and the best remains yet to come!