Going to Comic-con!!

 The title, and image above, say it all, but there's a lot more to it, of course. :0)

I'm going to Comic-con International... yes, THAT comic-con, and as an exhibitor!
The only people who have read the Ghost Pirate Skeletons of Three Craters Lake, besides myself,  are the fine people at Comic Con International.  Those wise and very esteemed judges of the Small Press Committee, after reviewing my application and the comic book, and comparing it to thousands of others.... have awarded me one of the few select Small Press Tables!

I'm stunned.  But very, very proud and excited! :0)

We're going to COMIC CON!!!!

So if Comic-con International found the comic book to be worthy, you probably will as well.  To see it happen, though, I'm really going to need that help I've been asking for.  Just like the telethons you see on PBS, we're having a fundraiser, and yes, you get some cool stuff for your money.  And unlike PBS, you don't need to pay an arm or a leg for a dvd or coffee mug.  Check out the fundraiser at the link below, and you can pledge as low as a dollar just to say that you support HappyGlyphs Comics and the fine work that we've been doing.

All pledges are appreciated, but remember, with Kickstarter, I don't get a penny unless we reach our goal. And the last day is less than a week away!  So please tell your friends who love comics made for kids of all ages.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/happyglyphs/the-ghost-pirate-skeletons-of-three-craters-lake


Thanks!    JOHN :0)

The Last Page!

I've finally drawn the last page of The Ghost Pirate Skeletons of Three Craters Lake!!!!

At least I think I have.  I'm going to have to go back and read over everything and see if I need to add two additional pages.  The last read through I did of the script led me to believe that one part of the story needed a little enhancement... the pacing went by too fast. So we'll have to see if I'm done, or if there's a bit more work to do.

Either way, this is an incredibly big deal to me... right up there with drawing my 300th Knight and Day last year.  This comic book, my first full color comic with one storyline, has been a long journey for me.  Unfortunately, I needed to take a couple of breaks from it, but in the long run, I know that the book will be better for me having waited, and because of my skills increasing with time.

And the journey is truly only beginning!  This comic book will be a big deal for my company HappyGlyphs Comics, and I will have a lot of big announcements to make before the book is printed and available.

So please, stay tooned!    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!

New stuffs!

I haven't posted in a while because I have been extremely busy creating a lot of new material, preparing for the convention season, and arranging for tons of new merchandise and art for all of us HappyGlyphs Comics fans! In this blog post, we'll try to catch up on these things.

First off, for upcoming conventions I have a new comic book, and some awesome collectible pins!

The Inquiring Minds "Funny Pages" is a full color comic strip collection in standard comic book format. Like The Inquiring Minds #1, this book collects some of the best of The Inquiring Minds Sunday and daily strips, all in full color. The new book has a lot of the same material as the first book (which is being phased out... no new copies will be printed). The standard comic book format allows for a lot more comics in fewer pages, and also some taller strips and artwork.

The collectible pins speak for themselves! If you collect pins at Disney parks, then you'll know exactly what you're getting here; cool pins you can stick to your hat, your jacket, or even a comic con lanyard. And best of all, they're pretty cheap. :0)

I am also expanding to a new range of artwork that is more affordable, but just as nice. The new art prints are decent quality, but cheaper than our Fine Art prints. Sales will determine which direction we will pursue in the future, or perhaps we'll continue to offer both options as well as original art.

So a new book, new art, and new collectible pins! A nice start, eh?

All of these will be available at the Baltimore Comic Con, the Columbus Comic Con, and hopefully others soon. We will also offer these at the HappyGlyphs Comics Shop at HappyGlyphs.com after the next site upgrade.

Now, I'm off to put all these new items into inventory! Paperwork never ends, does it? :0)

All the best, JOHN :0)

PS And don't think I'm riding high on past laurels!  Check out HappyGlyphs.com for lots of new Knight and Day strips, including color Sunday strips. :0)

10 Years and Going Strong

Today is Free Comic Book Day!  It would also probably have been National Cartoonist's Day if Cinco de Mayo hadn't come along at the same time with its offers of drunken revelery, which someone held more appeal than offering best wishes to the Cartoonists who bring smiles to your faces.  Today, though, is even more special to me... it marks the 10th Anniversary of my comic strip Knight and Day, and my first website.

So, basically, today is the 10th Anniversary of HappyGlyphs Comics.  No, I didn't call it that back then, but that is when it all began.  The HappyGlyphs Sheep was there, and Knight and Day debuted, so it works for me.

That's funny, I just posted my very first strip from back then, and sure enough it has the date on it.  Proof positive. :0)

So, yes, it all began with that strip.  Not the very first strip I drew of Knight and Day, but the one I thought would start the strip best in the public eye.

I think it is extremely appropriate that my latest book "Once Upon A Times..." debuted this year.  That book, which is now available at the usual places, marks the 10 years I spent developing my skills as a Cartoonist, and shows all of the comic strips and Syndicate submissions that led up to Knight and Day.  Knight and Day is such a great strip because of all that great stuff that came before, including precursors to Knight and Day and The Inquiring Minds.

Yesterday's all new Knight and Day.

Very few people ever saw the strips in Once Upon A Times..., except for the people at the Syndicate offices, and a few friends.  At the time, I hadn't known a lot about the web, or making a website, and so even though I experimented, it wasn't until Knight and Day was debuted that I became what would later be called a WebCartoonist.

Now it's ten years later, and a lot has happened in that time.  Knight and Day and The Inquiring Minds have both earned accolades, such as last year's Comic Strip Superstar contest and the much earlier Comic Strip Cutting Edge program.  Both strips are still going strong, although my freelance career has had to come first.  You'll be seeing a lot more of both strips this year, as I attempt to grow HappyGlyphs Comics to the next step.  And hopefully we'll be wishing Steve and Amy a happy 10th Anniversary as well! The story is being written... :0)

Wish me luck, and please stay 'tooned!

JOHN :0)

On my iPod.... Defying Gravity... Possibly one of the greatest Sci Fi shows of all time.  Not kidding.  Check it out!

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.