Making edits to what will become the second wave of posters at garage.ganzeer.com, elevating the images into new works rather than just reproductions of older stuff.
Tempted to title this wave CAPITALIST REALISM.
Which already conjures up a certain strain of imagery.
Today's morning spread.
Got inspired to properly revisit WATCHMEN after burning through WATCHING THE WATCHMEN. I can't even remember when I last reread it and wonder how it'll read this time around.
Still reading the LONE WOLF AND CUB omnibus which is wholly different, with each chapter being a stand alone “adventure” so to speak. It's really just a samurai getting into a different fight each episode, somehow involving his kid one way or another. Still, very different than say, the superhero villain of the month stuff that was coming out of America at around the same time, especially in terms of the storytelling techniques employed. A lot of mood, atmosphere, and case and effect. And of course the more impressionistic ink work. Frank Miller's genius isn't his level of craft or artistry, but his ability to study and absorb a multitude of different comix-making techniques and make them his own. The influence LONE WOLF AND CUB had on him, and subsequently American comix-making at large is so so obvious, and for good reason.
THE SOLAR GRID is arguably my WATCHMEN in that it is one large arching story, but once it is complete I'd really like to do something more episodic in nature, so LONE WOLF AND CUB is a good primer for that (also: FELL by Ellis and Templesmith and GLOBAL FREQUENCY by Ellis and various).
REBELS AGAINST THE FUTURE I return to often, largely as research for Chapter 07 of THE SOLAR GRID, a sequence of which takes place in the year 1818 A.D.
Also on today's plate is a little prep work for my upcoming talk organized by Ohio State University and The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.
More TSG thumbs to map out as well, and a dig through the archives for what will make up my second wave of affordable posters.
One of my favorite stages in creating comix is the thumbnail stage, where you plan out your pages in miniature form. This is where the bulk of creative choices in regards to storytelling, transitions, reveals are made. First 3 chapters I used regular letter-sized printer paper, folded in half, but the pages were loose and I misplaced them often, so for Chapters 4-onward, I adopted an A6-sized blank Leuchtturm 1917 notebook, which I like very much. I imagine it'll serve as my vessel for all manner of comix-thumbnailing for the foreseeable future (which will hopefully result in the accumulation of a whoooole stack of them 🤞).
My thumbs aren't pretty—nowhere near the tightness of say... a Dave Gibbons—but for those who are into this sort of thing, I've made available the entire thumbs for Chapter 4 of THE SOLAR GRID, my longest chapter to date.
The 3rd track in the sonic companion to THE SOLAR GRID graphic novel has dropped! THE SOLAR GRID SOUNDSCAPE by N Slash A is absolutely wild. I cannot stop listening to all three tracks back to back.
Putting together this talk for Ohio State University's Global Comics Lecture Series (the title of which was actually suggested by the organizer) and I'm starting to notice how quite a bit of my work on THE SOLAR GRID is informed by those outrageous times some ten years ago. And of course, a lot of what I did back then, be it on walls or in galleries was itself informed by comix. Everything feeds into everything.
It'll be fun to talk about, even if it's all virtual with no actual meeting of people in meatspace (hey, I'll take what I can get). Will include some shop talk on the making of THE SOLAR GRID as well.
October 19th is the day, 2:00pm is the time (EST, I'm assuming).
Radix Media is also organizing an online event, comprised of Molly Crabapple, John Dermot Woods, Matt L. and myself. Anything involving Crabapple is a joy.
The Küelox #500 nib flows fast and smooth like a Sable brush, and requires very little pressure. A light grip and fast strokes is all you need to get good lines, which requires a little getting used to, and until then, some lines will wobble, but they will still be very alive. Not a nib for noodling; ink is laid out thick as far as nibs go, but still offers a pretty broad range in line weight. Overall, it keeps you from getting sucked into ornamentation, and instead forces you to think about the broad shapes and only the very necessary of lines.
Which is a good thing.
My friends at Radix Media launched their Kickstarter today.
They're planning a whole collection of graphic narrative publications including an adult coloring book by none other than the bohemian mistress of rebellion herself, Ms. Molly Crabapple, as well as a graphic novella written by scholar of the written word Mr. John Dermot Woods and brought to life by inkslinging ninja Mr. Matt L. The collection also includes my own graphic novel epic THE SOLAR GRID, which Radix Media will be serializing in 10 saddle-stitched artisanal booklets.
Early pledgers get the chance of scooping up the entire graphic narrative collection for only $150! 🤯
I suspect Radix Media will be producing these in relatively limited quantities, so this kickstarter may be the only way to guarantee acquiring these unique editions.
Summer is officially over, and with that Houston's Moody Center for the Arts just released a video that provides an overview of their summer program, of which was an installation of my own, IT TAKES A VILLAGE, was created.
In other news, I'm also offering up my WALLS OF (UN)FEAR triptych, which admittedly I'm finding a little too hard to part with (Gotta clear up space to make new work though!).
They can be acquired either separately or collectively. Interested collectors can contact me directly to inquire about prices and payment options.
I keep getting asked to make available affordable poster editions of some of my art, something I've been neglecting to do because I'm often too caught up in creating the new!
So I've decided to release a series of posters in waves of three. One wave each month until the end of 2020, with each wave adhering to a theme of sorts.
For the first wave (pictured above), titled “The Resistance”, I'm revisiting a few “classics” of mine and reintroducing them with a slightly new spin on the originals.
All three posters are now up at garage.ganzeer.com
