Afrodisiac updates

I've gotten a few reports of Afrodisiac selling out at stores across the country!

Meltdown Comics
Heroes Aren't Hard to Find (apparently some heroes are)
Alternate Reality Comics who give the book a nice review including this tidbit about his ordering process: "The reason I ordered so conservatively on Afrodisiac was because I initially thought that this would just be a one note graphic novel (and it kind of is, but Jim Rugg plays this one note really well) and I didn't think its audience needed to have this in the hardcover format this book is in. Well color me dumb, because Afrodisiac fires on all cylinders, is in full color, and has great production values throughout so the $14.95 price for this hardcover is a great deal and I don't think people will flinch at the price when they flip through this book."

Fear not, true believers, your store can re-order copies through Diamond and have them for you in a week or two. So if you haven't gotten your copy yet, tell your local comic book guy.

To everyone who has picked up the book so far, thank you!

Ninja, the Comics Reporter's Opinion of Afrodisiac, and the iPad

Tom Spurgeon reviews Afrodisiac at the Comics Reporter: "Afrodisiac is an extremely handsome book that fosters 10,000 giggles."

David Brother suggests an alternative to the iPad that Afrodisiac fans will surely agree with.

And here are two illustrations I did for an article about ninjas for McSweeney's. At the twelfth hour the story was cut, and sadly, so were my drawings. That's okay though, cause I wouldn't have drawn them otherwise.

See how many ninjas you can find in the image below. And go buy Afrodisiac, in better comic book stores everywhere.

LA Times likes my Vonnegut drawing

The LA Times blog wrote about Steven Gettis' cool online collection of authors and literary characters as rendered by cartoonists and illustrators. And they used one of my drawings (the late Kurt Vonnegut) in their piece. Go check out Hey Oscar Wilde! It's Clobberin' Time!!! You won't be disappointed.

Afrodisiac in Stores 1/27/10

The day you've been waiting for is finally here! The baddest brother to ever rule the comics scene arrives in stores TODAY!

Publishers Weekly has a preview here.

But the big news - the Afrodisiac "Deluxe" Limited Edition is now available for order from Adhouse Books! Don't miss this exciting opportunity to be the envy of your block!

Afrodisiac in Stores TOMORROW (and a couple of reviews)

Afrodisiac hits stores tomorrow! If you check it out, let me know what you think of it!

In the meanwhile, here are a couple of new reviews of One Model Nation and Afrodisiac.

Sean T. Collins eloquently describes One Model Nation as "...a weird, weird beast."

And David Howlett gives Afrodisiac some love at Living Between Wednesdays. "Thankfully, cartoonist Jim Rugg and co-writer Brian Maruca have decided to embrace the tropes of the genre in their new AdHouse Books graphic novel Afrodisiac, and the result is a delicious throwback with a striking visual style and plenty of laughs."

Phantom of the Attic in Oakland

Breaking news! Brian Maruca and I will be stopping by Phantom of the Attic in Oakland on February 13th (noon - 3) to celebrate the release of Afrodisiac. We'll be signing copies of the book, I'll be doing sketches, and we're giving away a super-badass, giant-sized black light poster.

It'll be the greatest Valentine's Day weekend ever!

Comic Geek Speak

Did some yapping on a recent episode of Comic Geek Speak. Go check it out!

All Too Flat Reviews Afrodisiac

"It could have simply coasted on the asskicking concept of a superhero pimp called the Afrodisiac, but every choice Rugg, Maruca, and Pitzer make here makes it harder to put your finger on what's going on."
- Sean T. Collins

Newsarama Reviews the Afrodisiac

"Blaxploitation parody may be Afrodisiac’s context, but each story—hell, each page—is a game of constant recontextualization, with Afrodisiac loving, living and fighting his way through most of comic book history."
- J. Caleb Mozzocco, Newsarama.com

DELUXE LIMITED EDITION AFRODISIAC DUST JACKET

This is the artwork for the Afrodisiac dust jacket that Adhouse Books is selling as part of their Afrodisiac Limited Edition. It also comes with a signed and numbered print that you can see in the previous post!

REVIEW
Over at the Comics Waiting Room, Marc Mason gives the Afrodisiac and fellow Adhousemate, Josh Cotter's Driven by Lemons, a look: "It’s a rare, but lovely feeling to have a book in front of you that you’re expecting great things from and not only have it live up to the anticipatory feelings you had, but actually surpass them. AFRODISIAC is one of those books."

REVIEWS + LIMITED EDITION PRINT

Finished the Afrodisiac print that will be part of the Afrodisiac Deluxe Limited Edition from Adhouse Books (I think Adhouse refers to it as "Afrodisiac Limited Edition", but come on...it's Afrodisiac, doesn't "Deluxe" seem appropriate?). Now I am working on the dust jacket that is part of that edition.

David Brothers of 4thletter! wrote a thorough and highly complimentary Afrodisiac review: "It’s kind of a love letter to blaxploitation, but filtered through the style, feel, and design of ’70s Marvel comics. It’s also really, really good. If it had come out in 2009, Parker: The Hunter, Asterios Polyp, and Pluto would’ve suddenly been part of a Top 4, instead of a Top 3."

Afrodisiac also appears in the January edition of Maxim (is it me, or is Michelle Rodriguez eyeball f***ing Mack Midnight in this spread?):

Brian Cronin reviews Street Angel as part of CBR's Year of Cool Comics: "It is a great series."

Here are a few One Model Nation reviews:

"The art by Rugg and colorist, Jon Fell, is spot-on given the story arc: severe paneling and juxtapositions of bright color with monotones."
- Jason Rosas, buzzfocus.com

"At $18, One Model Nation is a good ol’ fashioned pseudo-biographical rock and roll yarn—no facts necessary."
- Jack Winn, Racket Magazine

"Jim Rugg’s illustrations are edgy, not at all like many of the Superman or Batman (or even Watchman or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) comics I’ve read. This is a sparser picture with less color, preferring black and white with lots of muddy reds. The dialogue is equally sparse, letting the mood of the illustrations carry the work. It is very effective."
- Janie Franz

"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."
- J. Caleb Mozzocco, Las Vegas Weekly

As always, if you're a book or comics reviewer and you'd like a review copy, please email me.

AFRODISIAC HITS THE STREETS

Feb. 5, 6 - 9 p.m.
VELOCITY COMICS
Richmond, VA
www.velocitycomics.com

Feb. 6, 6 - 9 p.m.
CHAPEL HILL COMICS
Chapel Hill, NC
www.chapelhillcomics.com

Feb. 7, 6 - 9 p.m.
HEROES AREN'T HARD TO FIND
Charlotte, NC
www.heroesonline.com

If you live near these stores, I hope you can make it! If anyone has suggestions for what you'd like to see (in terms of artwork, Street Angel short film, books, music, beer?, etc.) let me know. I've never done something like this, and I want you to enjoy it! So speak up and be heard. I am going to wish for nice weather. Last time I was in Richmond, it snowed a lot.