New Swag!

I love Trading Cards... always have.  I've even designed my own Trading Card game based on The Inquiring Minds, but printing cards can be expensive.  And then I heard about Blue Line Pro's set of collectible Cartoonist Cards, that they sell at Comic Cons.

Well, guess what?  That's right... HappyGlyphs Comics is in the new set!  Card Number 05, featuring art from the forthcoming (eventually) Ghost Pirate Skeletons of Three Craters Lake.  Cool, huh?

I'm sure you can get the set at any Comic Con, but if you just want my card, I'll be giving them away with any purchase, either through our shop, or at any Comic Cons you might see me at.

And if you haven't seen the funny Star Wars photo I created, please check it out in the last post.  It was worth me getting sand all over the studio. :0)

Cheers,    JOHN :0)

Publishing in the New World

The world is changing, and more rapidly than I think anyone could have guessed.  There's a lot of talk about newspapers, and publishing in general, and where it's all going.  As the new year approaches, I am unusually flustered, and quite frustrated, in investigating new venues for my company.

I'm talking about eBooks... electronic books that you can read on your iPad or comparable tablet, or on a eReader such as the Kindle or Nook.  I love a good book that I can hold in my hand, and take to the beach, but I've been pulled into the eBook world as a matter of convenience, and just to check out what's new.  In a matter of weeks I've already purchased several books in different formats... mostly for business, but some for fun. I am disappointed in the one thing I thought electronic publishing would bring me... books that I can no longer find in print.  Apparently, there's a lot of the same books you can find on a bookstore shelf available in electronic format, but the entire history of publishing is still out there, waiting to be converted.  There are some books that I just can't find anymore, at a decent price anyway, and I was really hoping to rediscover them in this new format.

I digress,  As a publisher, I see a lot of potential in this relatively new format.  Unfortunately, most of what I have done is comic strip related.  After a LOT of investigation... reading everything I can find on the web, and just about every decent book I can find on the subject, it appears that eBooks are just not ready for image heavy books.  There are a lot of roadblocks, and frankly, it's a lot more work to convert a comic book to an ePub or other eBook format.  It has been done, and there are eComics out there, but everywhere I go I see stumbling blocks, and warnings.

I have created an ePub out of 3 Knights in India, and I have enjoyed tremendously revisiting this book!  I have made a version that reads very well in Kindle, but not so well in Nook.  Apparently, I will probably be better off either picking one or the other, or spending time creating two new books, one for each platform.  Frankly, I've put a lot of work into this already.  I'm warning all cartoonists to think before leaping into this new format of publishing.  I've wasted a lot of time, and so far have not accomplished anything.  The quality of eComics as they stand right now varies tremendously, and your eBook may not be accepted if the legibility is too low.  Amazon has ridiculous guidelines set right now for images, and those guidelines are already aimed at the future!  My images are much bigger than the asked for standard, but if I make them any smaller, then they become very difficult to read.

Amazon also has an added charge of 15 cents per megabyte for downloading the book, and that comes from the authors profits.  As it stands now, if they were to accept the graphic novel, with well over a hundred large images, I would have to sell the book much higher than I'd like to get any profit at all. Not a good business plan, let me add, from experience, since selling Print on Demand is the same business plan. (Little profit for a lot of work)

So, a new year approaches, and I currently face nothing but frustration.  I won't give up, after all the work I have put into it so far, but right now I am not happy.  I am sure that one day, maybe soon, the industry may mature enough so that all the roadblocks I'm facing now will disappear,  When that time comes, however, the market will be flooded, and it will be all that harder to be seen in the crowd.

Think twice, cartoonists!  Maybe a small comic book can be done, but the world just isn't ready for an eGraphic Novel.  I've done the research, and if the answers are out there, those in the know aren't ready to share yet.

Happy New Year!    JOHN :0)

PS What I'm listening to? Andi Starr, Leaving the White Line

Public Speaking: Expect the Unexpected!

Today's lesson?  Be prepared!  Unless you're really really good at winging it. :0)

This morning I was supposed to be talking to a class of second graders about cartooning.  I knew I was going, but have been so busy that I hadn't given it any thought at all... until this morning.  Mistake number one.

I've done quite a bit of public speaking, and I've spoken to classes and groups about cartooning, so it's not brand new to me.  I have certain things I bring along, handouts, activities, and I know there'll always be a place to draw on, so I figure if worse comes to worse, I'll wing it.  It's just a small room of kids, right?

So, I sit down with an hour left before I have to leave, and go searching my computer for the handouts to print.  I found one, but not the one I wanted.  So, I started printing the activity page while creating a coloring page.  And that's when my computer started dying.  It's moments like these when I understand why people hate PC's so much... and Windows Vista is one of the worse.

Now I have 5 minutes until I'm late, and I've finally managed to print out the activity, the coloring page, and pack up selections of my books and comics and freelance work, grab some give-aways, grab the camera, and get to the school as fast as legally possible.  I find my way to the classroom and there is a swarm of activity!  Weren't they expecting me?

Oh yes, they were.  Except that  the teacher had told another teacher who told another teacher... and this morning they all decided their classes should see what I have to say.  FOUR classes of second graders!  A huge group of kids who all have something important to say and share and questions to ask and.... oh boy.

I'll be honest:  I love kids.  But they also terrify me.  No, not terrifying like zombies, but kids tend to be... honest. Brutally honest.  And the questions they ask?  I used to coach girl's soccer, and let me tell you how tough that was, to get a word in, for one.  "Didn't you wear that shirt yesterday?"  "How old are those shoes?"  "How's my hair?"

So, I entered this noisy classroom as if it was a shark tank, and I had no cage to hide in.  I settled in, got a drawing board, and hid my give-aways because there were just too many kids, and I don't ever want to disappoint a single child.  I looked into the audience, and just started talking.  I figured that was better than standing there looking stunned, and it was.

It turns out that that group of sharks was actually a room full of cuddly bunny rabbits!  The kids were so sweet, so much fun, and as always, had so many very intelligent questions!  There is never enough time to talk with kids about cartooning, let me tell you!

I showed them my books, talked about working, answered questions, and did a few drawings in between, to keep the flow going, and it was a wonderful experience.  We ended by me doing a drawing of my Alien, and the kids telling me what to add to it.  Again, it was so much fun!

The kids had to go to lunch, but so many held back to ask questions, and I even got a few hugs!  That was a surprise... I usually just high-five, because isn't that what kids do?

So, a potentially terrifying experience became a wonderful moment which I will always treasure.

A final word of advice?  Don't pass out bookmarks at lunchtime, because you will definitely get in trouble with the cafeteria lady!

JOHN :0)

The Big 300!

Tomorrow is my birthday... and no, I'm not turning 300, but I find it serendipitous that I get to draw my 300th Knight and Day daily strip to honor the occassion.  Or vice versa!  Because honestly, this is a HUGE milestone for me.

Yeah, I know... 300 strips is just a year in the life of a syndicated cartoonist, but I don't get paid to do this.  For me, it's a true labor of love, accomplished in what little spare time I have, with the occassional fan mail or book sale to spur me on. This is a very big. very proud moment for me, especially when I put these 300 strips next to the other Knight and Day cartoons I have drawn... panels and Sunday cartoons, and of course the many pages of my Knight and Day graphic novel, 3 Knights in India.  And then there's the many Sunday and daily cartoons (as well as illustrations) of The Inquiring Minds, and the hundreds of comic strips drawn before these two strips that make up my book Once Upon a Times...

Truly a big day for me, looking back at all that I've accomplished to date.  Looking back at my comics, to me, is like looking at a scrap book of my life... funny moments that I think others will relate to, embarrassing moments that I'm sure others will laugh with, and drawings of places that I've lived and visited.  Every moment was special, and so immortalised in ink on paper.

Last year at this time, I celebrated my birthday in Disney World, and it was awesome that most of the Cast Members in the park were so nice and cheery, wishing me a Happy Birthday everywhere I went, and sometimes even singing.  So, even though I'm skipping ahead a bit in the current storyline, it seems fitting that my 300th strip celebrate that special time.

Thank you for sharing this proud moment with me!    JOHN :0)

Baltimore Comic Con 2010

We had two tables at this year's Baltimore Comic Con, as you can see in the photo above, where we're all set up and ready to go.  And things got really busy, really fast!

First off came Poison Ivy and her friend in the Slimer shirt.  Nice folk, and a great start to the show.  Let me say right now that I'm amazed with the people in costumes at this show.  Many are quite creative, all seem very friendly and fun, and patient!  I seriously doubt that I could be that patient with so many people stopping you every few seconds to ask you to pose for a photo.  Yet pose they do, and with a smile. :0)

It is hard to say if this year's show was larger than last year's.  The layout was a little different, and unfortunately I did not get to spend too much time away from my tables.  The crowd seemed pretty big at first, but come lunchtime it all but disappeared, only to pick up again.  There was a big autograph session, though, that pulled quite a lot of people of the floor, but other than that the day was pretty busy.  I met some great creators, awesome fans, and generally nice folk, and sales were better than last year.  By the end of the day I was quite happy.

A close-up of some of our merchandise.

 

Day 2, however, was another story.  The morning had a different crowd, although I did have some great moments.  One girl asked me to draw on a shoe, and another kid was so enthusiastic about my new comic book that I gave him a free sketch.  A LOT of people seemed to enjoy the artwork this year, especially since I had the second table to display it.  It was nice to see so many people stop for a laugh, and flattering, of course, when they bought a print.

The second table was very helpful in many ways, but expensive, especially when half of Sunday was full of dead time, where there were no people on the floor but us Creators.  Now, I love the Baltimore Comic Con, and hope to go again, but the famous Costume contest, and the Art Auction, and several very interesting panels all took place upstairs, and required pre-registration.  That means there were very few people walking the floor between 12 and 3:30.  Honestly, that was painful.  I did get to talk to some Creative people, and my friend Matt who came to help out, and things did pick up for an hour at the end, but hey... business is business.  A few more sales would have made the trip more worthwhile.  I almost wish the panels were evening events, or at least held at the end of the day.

The fine folk across the way!  By the way, I bought the painting on the floor at right...
looks like Big Ben meets Harry Potter.  :0)

Baltimore is the only show I've done so far, but from what I hear, it is a very friendly and accessible show.  Personally I enjoy being able to talk to so many people, and frankly, every show should have an Artist's Alley like this one.  It's almost like Diagon Ally, or some alien bazaar... with people selling everything from paintings and posters to T-shirts and skateboard decks, and everything in between.  I hear some Artist Alleys only allow you to sell artwork, and not books or anything else.  Here, though, it's very colorful and dynamic, and I'm glad to be a part of it.

Highlights of the show, for me, were seeing old friends again, and making new friends.  Seeing a Ghost Buster carrying a HappyGlyphs bright yellow bag was very cool, as was finally meeting Johanna Draper Carlson of ComicsWorthReading.  And seeing people of all ages laugh or smile at my work is always very rewarding.

I'm still absorbing everything that happened, and trying to figure it all out.  I have to see how things go before deciding what to do next year.  First, though, I am going to attend a few other events and conventions, which I will tell you all about later.  Looking over the photos from this show, though, it looks like we all had a great time!  I know I did. :0)

All the best,    JOHN :0)

What I am listening to?  A Fine Frenzy!

PS Ghost Buster photo by Matt Bucher.  Thanks Matt!

The Interview

Since it is about time that the world learns what a great interview, and interviewer, I can be, today I've decided to interview myself. Pay close attention because in this interview you will learn everything that I want you to know about myself and HappyGlyphs Comics. Almost.

HappyGlyphs Comics (HG): So, John, let's start with a tough question. If I could only buy one of your books, which book should that be?

JOHN: Excellent question! Of course, the answer depends on taste, but I would probably recommend our flagship title, "Take Me Away From All This!!" This was my first book, and still sells consistently. Based on the first year of marriage, there's a lot of day to day humour that many people can relate to. And if you like that book, you can always run out and get the sequel "3 Knights in India."



HG: And what about The Inquiring Minds?

JOHN: Why? What did you hear?



HG: Um, nothing... except you've got a comic book coming out?

JOHN: Yes! The Ghost Pirate Skeletons of Three Craters Lake! The story is in production, and should debut in completion sometime next spring. You can download part one for free, of course, and read more at our homepage.



The Inquiring Minds have several projects in the works, including a card game, and a "Complete Inquiring Minds" which will be a full color book just loaded with comics. We also have right now a small collection of color comic strips simply called The Inquiring Minds #1, available for a low low price at our shop, and a ridiculously high price at our Lulu store.

HG: Why the difference?

JOHN: The cheaper copy we had printed ourselves, while the more expensive is a Print on Demand book. The more affordable copy is still very good quality, but we managed to eliminate some of the overhead. I did add some new material to the more expensive book just in case someone accidently buys it, and it is a little larger for those who need large print.

HG: So, please tell me more.

JOHN: All of my work is character oriented. For instance, I've heard people say about 3 Knights in India, "I'm not interested in India, so I'm not interested in the book." Well, tish tosh to that, I say. The book is about relationships... the people in our lives who basically drive us crazy, and yet make life so interesting... friends, lovers, parents, children, etc. The Knight family travels halfway around the world only to find themselves dealing with the same issues they had back home. All of this is set against the beautiful background of exotic India, with all of our favorite characters from "Take Me Away From All This!!".

HG: And The Inquiring Minds?

JOHN: The Inquiring Minds are childhood as it was, as it should be... pure adventure and fun... the innocence of children that makes everything seem possible to them. Of course, their adventures don't always lead anywhere, but hey, the journey is what it's all about. I love this strip, and I think that shows in the work.

HG: Anything else you'd like the world to know?

JOHN: Yes. HappyGlyphs Comics is a professional business, with a worldwide reputation. Yes, we self-publish, but not all self-publishers are the same. It gets tiring when people 'assume' you're working out of your Mother's basement, or associate self-publishing with vanity press. Everything this company does is professional. I have clients who are quite pleased with my work, and my work can be seen in many venues across the globe, from newspapers to magazines to textbooks, and more. The same quality that goes into my freelance work goes into any product with my name on it.

HG: Well, thank you! Anything else?

JOHN: Yes, but not too much. Let's leave a little mystery, shall we?

HG: Haha.

JOHN: I do have one history book out... a collection of photos and essays about the Stonhenge environs of the UK, and another book in the works about the Mound Builders of Ohio. And then there's John's Shorts... short graphic narratives that involve different characers and situations from my two main comic strips.

There are a lot of projects coming through the pipeline, but only one of me, so the key word for 2010 is 'focus'. :0)

Anything else can be learned in my blog, or at my site. If you haven't visited, then there is a lot of comic goodness for you to explore.

HG: Time for one more question: if you were'nt running HappyGlyphs Comics, what would you be doing?

JOHN: Another good one! It's no secret that I'd most likely be an Imagineer over at our competition, Disney. I'm a great troubleshooter, have a scientific background, and my artistic talents lay in many directions, from modeling to animation. If I wasn't working for myself, working side by side with the tremendous talent of Disney's Imagineers would be very rewarding, I believe.

HG: Thank you very much for your time, Mr. Steventon.

JOHN: Not at all! My pleasure. Please, have a mint. Would you like some coffee?

HG: Sure, and if you have any original art laying around?

JOHN: Okay, I'll give yo this one piece from The Ghost Pirate Skeletons of Three Craters Lake, but only AFTER this interview comes out. I need to make sure I'm seen ina positive light.

HG: Absolutely!

End.



John Steventon is a professional Cartoonist, Illustrator, and overall creative person whose work can be seen worldwide in a variety of venues. You can learn more about him, his work, buy his books, or hire his talents at his official site, HappyGlyphs.com.

Holiday Rush

Artwork from my 2004 Holiday Card


It's that time of year again, and I'm hard at work... trying to get out my Holiday Cards! I thought writing and illustrating my own cards was tough, but now I have to sit down and write them out, put those little return address labels on, and address them.. sheesh! What a lot of work!

So why do I do it? A few years back it occurred to me that I was an Illustrator, and that creating my own card was something I should really do. THis was back when people actually sent cards to one another, via the US Postal Service, and not something that you clicked and forgot about.

I know... technology, customs... the world is changing, and it is exciting, but still... there's something to be said for receiving a bunch of cards in the mail, and finding creative ways to decorate your studio with them. And a good card is something you can keep for a long time, either in a scrap book, or as a bookmark, and you can enjoy it long past the time when the Holiday bills are just a memory.

And a good card, whether created by you, or hand chosen in a store, should mean a lot to the receiver; especially in this day and age. Yeah, we're oh so busy, and tired, so actually taking the time to write a card out, hopefully with a personal note ,or a family newsletter, should be truly appreciated!

Oddly enough, I really wanted to be the first one to send cards out this year, and surprise people by how early my cards were done. Honestly, I shouldn't have worried! Apparently, Holiday cards(okay, Christmas cards) have apparently gone out of vogue, and rather quickly. I can understand... honestly, I'm exhausted by the whole process each year. But I will miss this Holiday tradition when it is gone. I can remember my Mom grousing about how many cards she had to write each year, and I'm sure she can remember her own Mother kvetching about writing out cards. :0)

Still, I am a Cartoonist. That's what I do, and when I see cards from Walt Disney or Walt Kelly or other Cartoonists from days of yore, I love being part of that unique tradition of Artists sharing their art. I create these cards as a thank you to my audience, whether they realise that or not. (You should... I've reminded you guys enough!) It does fill me with pride to see a job well done, even though I've probably cursed during the last few days of creation. And I always get a few compliments on the cards... not a lot, but every comment is greatly appreciated!

This year, I've actually sold out of my excess stock, before I even finished sending them out! That's a good feeling, I can tell you, when people see something and immediately say "I have to have this!".

I just hope I have enough left over to send!

Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas! JOHN :0)

PS For more on my Holiday Cards, please read this old blog of mine: http://happyglyphs.blogspot.com/2006/02/cartooning-101-how-to-make-christmas.html

PSS if you would like one of this year's cards, if i have any left, that is, please sign up for our newsletter here, or send me a request with your address via email.

My New Studio

All right, so it's not everything I've dreamed of (there's no closet), but I'm pretty happy with my new work place. HappyGlyphs Studios has a new home, where I can finally get back to work. :0)

Don't believe me? Check out the brand new Knight and Day cartoon.



Why a new Knight and Day toon when The Ghost Pirates of Three Craters Lake isn't done yet? All will be revealed, in time! Meanwhile, The Inquiring Minds will return to their Pirate adventure shortly, and we'll have some new Knight and Day stuff as well.

Also, we have a brand new Art Gallery, where you can purchase some of my best art as high quality giclee prints. Check that out here... www.HappyGlyphs.com/shop3.html



So, back to the studio... I finally have a place to hang my original artwork again,and most of my cartoons, comic strip collections, art, reference, and other important books are all in one place. And of course there's room for lots of toys!

I also have a new work shop, so expect more models and other projects sometime... probably after winter hits. :0)



Of course, now that I'm working again, the studio is already becoming a bit dishevelled! Oh well, I'll clean up a bit. Just a bit, though... all this chaos inspires creativity, don't ya know? :0)

Cheers, JOHN :0)



PS What's on my iPod? Fish: Communion What an awesome Live Album! I've been listening to it non stop for a week now. :0)

Almost Live!

For the few of you NOT on Facebook, I am going to share with you something from my Guest Table at the Facebook Comic Con. No, the con hasn't happened yet, but I'm already loading lots of fun stuff at my Table for you to see, including real videos of me sketching to give it that 'appearing live at a convention' feel.

This is my first attempt at videoing while sketching, so there is a bit of the Blair Witch feel to it. And I was so nervous that I let the camera wander, I dropped my pencil, and forgot to draw eyes on a sheep. Good thing this isn't live, cause who knows how I'd embarrass myself.

You can see more at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52936480965, if you are a facebook member. The rest of you may now show your pity by clicking a link at the right there, and checking out more of my stuff, and maybe buying a book to support a starving artist. :0)

Cheers, JOHN :0)

PS I've uploaded a second, bigger, better, longer video at the Facebook Comic con page, and this one is with real sound! Yes, lame jokes to go with the the sketching... and this one is a tribute to The Haunted Mansion, as well!