AFRODISIAC - BEST COMICS 2009 NEW YORK MAGAZINE

Afrodisiac made New York magazine's list of the ten Best Comics of 2009! The strength and diversity of the other titles leads us to wonder if there's an Afrodisiac agent on the inside who switched out the real winner and added Mack Midnight!

Seriously though, we are very excited. Thank you, New York magazine!

I did a few illustrations for the McSweeney's 33 the San Francisco Panorama. One of them was for a roundtable discussion about the state of and future of film distribution.

ONE MODEL NATION and AFRODISIAC LOVE

ONEMODELNATION-1970S ADVERT

onemodelnation | MySpace Music Videos

"Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor joins the very small group of musicians who have created their own comics—and the even smaller group who have managed to produce rather good ones."
- Las Vegas Weekly

"Afrodisiac just gets badder and badder with each adventure! He not only defies gods, but the Devil and God himself…and wins."
- Jay Potts, World of Hurt

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and MY BIG YAP

The interview I did with the Stumptown Trade Review has been posted for your listening enjoyment. Had a great time hanging out with hosts, Brian and Thor, and just talking comics. Thanks to both of them for having me on their podcast and for breakfast! Yet another reason why Portland is awesome!

ZATANNA and CHRISTMAS SUGGESTION

 

Still searching for the perfect, last-minute Christmas gift for that special comic book fan in your life? Well, look no further! Frank Santoro has the answer - the $20 Grab Bag o' Comics! For a mere 20 bucks (that includes shipping and handling), Frank will pack up 6 amazing comics and send them your way via Priority Mail (i.e. in time for Christmas).

Frank scours comic book stores for interesting back issue gems and then brings them to small press, indie, and art comics shows as sort of a traveling history for readers and creators who may not be familiar with some of the more interesting comics of the last 30-40 years. I never fail to find great books when I see him at these places (or at his home or when we visit a shop together).

If you want to surprise that certain someone in your life that likes comics, this is a great last minute gift. The selection is sure to be diverse, unique, and a steal at 20 bucks!

AFRODISIAC REVIEW

Chad Derdowski, from mania.com, gives the Afrodisiac an A+ in a very kind review:

"It is childhood recreated, with adult sensibilities...It also reminds me of reading old comic books after dropping acid and spending the evening listening to a bunch of Curtis Mayfield and Parliament albums."
- Chad Derdowski, mania.com

As always, if you're interested in reviewing the Afrodisiac, drop me a line, and we'll hook you up with a copy! Or if you've reviewed Afrodisiac, send me a link and I'll post it here (even if it's not as complimentary as Chad's review).

DUKE ARMSTRONG and PORTLAND RECAP

Portland was AWESOME! I want to thank everyone who came out Saturday night and braved the unusually cold temperatures to hang out at Floating World Comics. Met a lot of people and had a wonderful time. Special thanks to Courtney, Joe Keatinge, Jamie Rich, and Jasion Leivian. Although I could list like a million others. I always hear about what a great town Portland is for cartoonists and comic books, and now I know their secret - it's actually WAY better than they say it is.

Alright enough of that schmoozing already. Back to comics - my trusted co-writer, Brian Maruca, and I have a strip in the latest issue of Dark Horse Presents. Editor Scott Allie describes it as "the tale of a very, very weird hero." I'd like to think of it as a hero we all need right now, as one golf great falls from glory, it's good to know Duke Armstrong's out there fighting the good fight. Better yet, why don't you decide for yourself, after all, it's FREE to read!

AFRODISIAC REVIEWS + STUMPTOWN TRADE REVIEW QUESTIONS

First up, I'm going to be interviewed on the Stumptown Trade Review podcast this weekend. They are looking for questions for me. If there's something you've always wanted to ask me, this could be your big chance!  

Now onto some very kind Afrodisiac reviews:

"...thoroughly entertaining and utterly nutso..."

- Publishers Weekly

"...highly recommended..."

- Brightest Young Things

"Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca have captured the true essence of what was going down in the streets of Black America during the 1970’s."

- Museum of Uncut Funk

SATURDAY NIGHT - PORTLAND BOOK RELEASE PARTY

OC WEEKLY

Did some illustrations for this week's OC Weekly, including the cover! Four skinheads went into a immigrant Latino neighborhood one night and attacked a Mexican man. The next thing they knew, they were getting an ass-whuppin' from the residents of Oak View. You can read the article online.

Here are pencils and roughs.

This is the second true crime story I've worked on for OC Weekly. Despite the unattractive nature of the crimes, both jobs have been a pleasure to work on. Their staff has been exceptional to deal with.

AFRODISIAC AND THE SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS

I'm thrilled to announce that the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition will include an Afrodisiac piece (for the third consecutive year)!!! As a result of their endorsement, I've decided to create a color print based on this piece for Adhouse's Afrodisiac Limited Edition. Speaking of the awesome Adhouse Books, they are having a Holiday sale on a lot of their great books, including Superior Showcase #3 (featuring a 10 page Street Angel story) for only a buck! Some other noteworthy books include James Jean's latest Process Recess, Jamie Tanner's Aviary for only 5 bucks (love this book), Johnny Hiro, Josh Cotter's Driven by Lemons.

Here are a couple of color versions of the Afrodisiac Vietnam: 20,000 BC cover. These aren't the final print, but I'm getting closer.

JOSH COTTER - DRIVEN BY LEMONS

You probably know Josh Cotter from Skyscrapers of the Midwest. Well, he's back with an amazing followup. Check out this nifty trailer for Josh Cotter's fantastic new book, Driven by Lemons.

If you enjoy these book trailers, here is an article from the Huffington Post that might be of interest. It's about the rise of book trailers (and it mentions our Afrodisiac trailer).

SLG SUPER SALE - 40% OFF EVERYTHING

Hey, dear readers and friends, SLG is having a huge sale through Monday - 40% OFF of everything! Apparently this is due to some financial bumps-in-the-road, so I ask that you consider browsing their wide selection of books, comics, toys, t-shirts, posters, prints, and see if something grabs your eye. Lots of great cartoonists are represented and you could probably finish all your Christmas shopping before the Black Friday madness arrives next week and engulfs us all.

If you've been on the fence about Street Angel, this is your golden opportunity. The new print looks great - better paper, crisp printing, and now - 40% OFF. Too good to be true. Who wouldn't love to wake up Christmas morning and unwrap a shiny, new trade paperback of Street Angel? I dare say, that old coot, Ebenezer Scrooge himself would buckle under the humor and good cheer of the Princess of Poverty.

Some other recommendations from me:

Evan Dorkin is one of my favorite cartoonists. Personal recommendations are Dork #7 (a sorta funny, very revealing look at the creative trials and tribulations of one of America's great cartoonists) and Dork #11 (a nonstop onslaught of gags, that makes me think Evan likes to punish himself, truly a spectacular comic book achievement, and my highest recommendation to fans of funny).

James Turner has done a number of interesting comics with SLG, like the graphic novel Nil (emphasis on both graphic and novel) and the awesome librarian series - Rex Libris. And check this out, you can snag issue one of Rex Libris for FREE! This is like better than internet porn, people.

Derf is an alt weekly cartoonist, widely known for his strip Derf City. He's a multi-talented gent who has also produced his share of long form comics. I highly recommend Dahmer, if you have any interest in serial killers at all. Derf went to high school with Dahmer, and years after Dahmer died in prison, he made this comic book. My arm chair hobby is to criticize Hollywood depictions (glorification) of serial killers. With this in mind, Dahmer delivers the goods. Very unsettling, but not in the ways you might expect.

Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is a perennial favorite.

Ariel Schrag's Likewise - autobiographical comics from a very young cartoonist (at the time).

SLG published a line of Disney comics at one point, including such gems as Tron, Haunted Mansion, Gargoyles, and the stunningly beautiful Wonderland.

I know I'm forgetting tons of great material, so go browse for yourself. SLG also carries a ton of non-SLG books and merchandise. If you're thinking of buying some comics online in the near future, or your sitting in your cube on a Friday afternoon waiting desperately for Happy Hour, do yourself a favor and check out this sale.

PORTLAND SIGNING, OMN, FELICIA DAY

Big news (for me anyway)! I'm visiting Portland to celebrate the release of One Model Nation. I will be at Floating World Comics on Saturday, December 5th, from 6-9 pm along with just about everyone involved in One Model Nation including C. Albritton Taylor, Donovan Leitch Jr., Jon Fell, Mike Allred, and Joe Keatinge. Keep an eye here for details of an after party as well (maybe). If you're in the Portland area, please consider stopping by. I know there are a million awesome cartoonists in that city that I'd love to meet (or if I already know ya, that I'd love to catch up with).

In Guild news, my partner in crime, Felicia Day, was recently interviewed by Aintitcool's Mr. Pasty. She talks a bit about the Guild comic book that we're working on, as well as the show itself.

BLAXTUBE, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, and FRENCH STREET ANGEL

I did a couple of interviews about the Afrodisiac recently. One is at Comic Book Resources. The other is at Blaxtube. The site features a ton of blaxploitation related video content, like movie clips and trailers.

In Street Angel news, we have a review from France! And a video review, also from France. I do not speak French, so I can't be certain that these interviews are nice, but our French publisher, Le Lezard Noir posted them on their blog which leads me to believe they can't be too tough.

Just a reminder, Street Angel is back in print. So if you've heard of the book but your local comic book store was sold out...today's your lucky day! Tell 'em to get you a copy and one for their shelves while they're at it. Or order your own copy today! Thanks.

P.S. If you or someone you know wants to review the Afrodisiac, email me.

NEWSARAMA GUM FLAPPING and WORLD OF HURT!

Couple of items to bring to your attention.

First, Newsarama posted an interview between Zack Smith and me. It's an overview of my current comics-related stuff - a little Afrodisiac, some One Model Nation, the Guild, etc.

Second, I want to direct your attention to Jay Pott's webcomic, World of Hurt. I met Jay at Heroes Con in 07. His work is impressive. His admiration of classic, comics storytelling is obvious, as is his considerable drawing ability. His work reminds me a little of the realistic adventure strips of newspapers crossed with the 1970s Marvel house style. If you enjoy the Afrodisiac, I strongly recommend you check it out! 

NEXT ISSUE!: THE SWIPE FILE

Kevin Mutch wrote an interesting post about stealing, er, uh, I mean appropriation in comics. He examines some of the effects that appropriation of style can have, for example, "appropriating "readymade" cultural artifacts (objects, images, texts, entire styles) and redeploying them in a different context so as to problematize their presumed meanings." He cites a few specific examples, such as the brilliant Robert Sikoryak's brilliant Masterpiece Comics, Matt Madden's 99 Ways to Tell a Story (a personal favorite of mine), and drumroll...our very own Afrodisiac.   Thanks, Kevin, for the generous description of our work! Everyone else, go check it out! 

AFRODISIAC VIDEO PREVIEW

Afrodisiac is in Previews right now, and orders are due soon. If you pre-order comics from your local comic book store, and you plan to pick up Afrodisiac, let your store know! Here's some order information (and a video preview):

96 4C pages
6 " x 9 " HC
$14.95 US funds
ISBN 978-1-935233-06-0
Shipping December 2009
Diamond Order Code: OCT09 0658

M.O.D.O.K. vs. LUCHA LIBRE

Check out this recent commission I drew.

ONE MODEL NATION at COMIC BOOK RESOURCES

There's an article about One Model Nation on Comic Book Resources.

STRANGE TALES #2 - BROTHER VOODOO

Brian Maruca and I have a 4 page Brother Voodoo story in Marvel's Strange Tales 2. It's available now! Hurry! Go get one before it's too late.

Issue 1 sold out, you know?

Contributors include Peter Bagge, Jacob Chabot, R. Kikuo Johnson, Jonathan Hickman, Max Cannon, Matt Kindt, Michael Kupperman, and Tony Millionaire. Quite a crew. Don't miss out. This is THE comic book you want rolled up in your back pocket to impress the gals or guys. 

THE GUILD

Dark Horse Comics has released a couple of pages of the Guild comic that I am drawing and Felicia Day is writing.

HELLO

Before starting this blog, I used livejournal. If you're new to my work, you may enjoy checking that out. It features a mix of art, sketches, and related links, pretty much the same thing I intend to do here.

Thank for reading. Please check back now and then.