FREE COMIC BOOK DAY Bun Toons! YAY!

It’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!  Hoo-hah!  This is like Christmas and Hallowe’en rolled into one jelly donut, and mainlined into your fan-brain.  I am joining in for the big day by spending my waking hours at STADIUM COMICS in Toronto, (499 Main Street South, Shoppers World Mall in Brampton) along with Ken Lashley, Marcus To, Adam Gorham, Agnes Garbowska and plenty more makers of super-heroes, cartoons and funnybooks… and I hope to see you all down there for sketches, delightful stories, and big grins on the faces of all the peoples.

Because I am out of the house early this morning, there’s no time for me to Bun Toon!  But rather than JUST running a repeat from yesteryear (which I do at the end of today’s post, scroll down below), I have a brand new, never before seen tale by my eldest son, Kellam, to keep you demanding net-surfers satisfied.  Who says this isn’t the golden age of Bun Toon nepotism?

No more ado.

Art Land presents “HELPING” by Kellam Templeton-Smith:

Because getting your kids to draw your comic strip is a tradition Bill Keane is far too dead to participate in any more.

This story was created in under twelve hours by my son at the most recent Comic Book Marathon, back in April.  The story and the art was completed in one sitting (except for bathroom breaks) while surrounded by dozens of equally devoted creators wrestling with their own muses.  I can barely write my own name when I’m in public, but Kellam soldiered on tirelessly for the duration and created this chilling tale, ad libbed on paper in one swell foop.

Whee.

Ty the Proud Guy OUT!

Since it’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, you get more than one bonus moment.

The two paintings above are by today’s fill-in Bun Tooner, my boy Kellam.  I think they’re both self-portraits, but admittedly, the bottom one – with the glasses – looks more like him.  Yes, he has big metal bolt-things sticking out of his ears sometimes.  They all do, these kids today.

(Kellam’s deviantart gallery:  Spartan Ideal)

Here’s LAST  YEAR’S FREE COMIC BOOK DAY BUN TOON:  The rules still apply, but the odds of a John Carter reference meaning anything in the future  dims with each passing hour.

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See you at Stadium Comics at SHOPPERS WORLD, Brampton.

Iron Man 3 has already come out, and my pre-cognitive-review was 100 % accurate! Click on last week’s Bun Toon and see how well my OTHER predictions do…

For the Bun Toon archive (always Free Comic Book Day around here), click the gratis rabbit

Summer Blockbuster Bun Toons! YAY!

The webcomic is free, but we make our money on the popcorn and soda

Hollywood relies on the summer blockbuster as an integral part of their fiscal year.  Without the hundreds of millions worth of income the summer brings the studios, there would be no money left for the budgets of next year’s miserable bombs.  So if you want any more Green Lanterns or John Carters to be made, you have to see this year’s crap to give them the liquidity.

But for those who just want to watch the cream of the crop, don’t worry, I’ve reviewed EVERY summer comic book movie, before any of them have come out.  How can I do it?

I have mystic powers…

I know all…I see all…if only Hollywood came to me first, we could save everyone a lot of trouble.

Ty the Guy OUT!

When it comes to Comic Book based movies, there is only ONE possible bonus moment:

If one considers the high quality talent associated with this film, it’s almost against the laws of physics that this film is so, so, so genuinely awful.

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For last week’s Lois Lane at 75 Bun Toon, click the fun lettering above

For the Bun Toon archive, please click the bunny with the bun

Happy Birthday Big Red S!

Seventy Five years old!  Great Rao!

I have a lovely essay that I wrote on the occasion of Superman’s 70th Birthday, and rather than rethink it, I’ll just link to it below.  Click on the image and you’ll be taken to a much larger and readable version of the article.   When you’re done (or once you’ve ignored the article and scrolled below it), you can rejoin the regular blog, still in progress.

What I said still holds true (unless the upcoming movie REALLY sucks).

I’ve had a long and unexpected association with Superman through the years, and I consider it quite an honour to have contributed to the great character’s legacy. Working out of the Superman office in the late 80s and early 90s gave me the whooping-giggle thrill of collaborating with some of the legends of this comics industry.  I got ink over such childhood heroes as Jim Mooney:

And John Byrne…

 Dan Jurgens…

…and the definitive Superman artist for a generation: Curt Swan.

…as well as a dozen other artists working out Mike Carlin’s Superman office.  My single favourite image I contributed to while I was a Superman inker was this cover for Superboy: The Comic Book #4…penciled by Kevin Maguire and rendered by your humble blogger.  I rarely put my own artwork up on the walls of my house, but I consider this a Kevin piece anyway, so it sat on my wall for years.

I dare you to tell me that isn’t a great cover.

Superman was on hand the first time I co-wrote a story with my pal Dan Slott.  Though we’d worked together as a writer/artist team a few times, this was our first collaboration as co-writers, and our little tale featured Krypto and his big flyin’ master.   Go find a copy and read it, you’ll let go of a few honest tears when it’s done.  I’m proud of this one.

I got to work with Jerry Seinfeld because of Superman.  I was asked to design the look of  Superman for a series of Seinfeld/American Express animated commercials, as well as creating some odd Jerry and Superman scenes for billboards and print ads.

The original photo is Jerry grabbing at “no one” in the air, and I had to draw Superman to fit where Jerry’s hand was.  Kal-el is supposed to be saying “this guy’s crazy”, but it looks equally like he’s tickling the comedian.

Superman and Jerry bond over their dogs.

Is there any better job than being paid to illustrate Krypto starting a bromance?

Working for Superman offered me to opportunity to design collectable action figures:

and crayon boxes, and puzzles and t-shirts and colouring books and darn near anything with an S on it.  Of the many many images of Superman I’ve drawn for DC Comics over my career, this is my favourite:

I know there’s other characters on this JLU cover, but there’s something about the Superman figure that sits just right with me.  His proportions, his expression, even the colours of his costume, all came together in this image and I didn’t screw any of it up.  I actually don’t hate this cover and my wife will tell you how rare that is for me.  I might be wrong, but I think it’s the last time I drew Superman for the mother corporation…once I get it correct, I scoot off and don’t do it again.

So happy birthday Mr. Cape.  You’ve been a delightful character to read as a child, to work on as a young adult, and to come back to every few years like a comfortable trip back home.   I hope I get another chance at him someday…and I treasure the time we spent together.

I’m always a little jealous when he dates someone else.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS Superman Moment- You knew this one was coming.

The Robins Get Rounder Bun Toons! YAY!

It’s time for some new, Frank ideas…

Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers…if anyone doesn’t know about the new plans for the DC Batman books coming up, stop reading.  I can’t be clearer than that…

You’ve read this far.  It’s too late!

You know, they re-introduced VIBE into the DCU without making it terrible, so let’s cross our fingers for this newest addition to the child-care nightmare that is Wayne Manor.

Ty the Guy OUT!

BONUS CARRIE KELLY COMIC MOMENT:

Rick Burchett and your humble blogger introduced Carrie into the DCAU fairly early in the series, but only to be arrested in the very next panel.

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For last week’s Easter Themed Bun Toon, please click above

For the BUN TOON ARCHIVE, going back more than two years, click the proud rabbit.

ON THE COUCH with…

ON THE COUCH with Ty Templeton was an idea I came up with last year as a promotional event for Ty, and for The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery. Inspired by The Green Room with Paul Provenza, a great series that reminded me of going out to dinner after a comic con, with Ty and other comic pros trading war stories. And given that Ty is known for his Bun Toons which have, on occasion, triggered a pretty raucous conversation all on their own, ON THE COUCH almost created itself. As The Lounge’s logo is a couch (sofa, davenport, chesterfield…pick your noun!), the name followed just as quickly.

There have been three so far…  The first was for Free Comic Book Day 2012, and featured guests Scott Chantler, Will Pascoe, Ken Lashley and Mark Askwith. Max Douglas (aka Salgood Sam) was in town for TCAF and attended so Ty called him up to the couch, to get a Montreal perspective on working as a Canadian comics creator. Although the show was recorded (thanks to the wondrous Joseph O’Brien who took time out from editing his first movie as director/screenwriter to do so), our editor ended up so booked, he wasn’t able to do it.

Ken Lashley, Mark Askwith, Will Pascoe, Scott Chantler on the couch, Ty Templeton on a very tall stool.

Max Douglas actually did record ON THE COUCH for his own interest (not knowing he’d end up on it!) and posted an edited-down version in his report on TCAF 2012. It begins at the 6:40 mark.

The second ON THE COUCH was done as an event at FanExpo 2012 and had Dan Slott, Jimmy Palmiotti, Darwyn Cooke, Ramón Pérez and Lar deSouza. Ramon was there to give the indie artist’s point of view–his gig on Wolverine and the X-Men wasn’t announced until the next day! This too was recorded, by the amazingJeff Brown, co-founder of Dork Shelf and The Nerd Mafia. Jeff put in some hard work editing the first portion of it, but for various reasons we didn’t get around to putting it up online (Short version–TOTALLY our fault.)

Darwyn Cooke, Jimmy Palmiotti, Lar deSouza, Ramôn Pérez, Dan Slott and Ty Templeton at FAN EXPO 2012 (photo from MTV Geek)

MTV Geek’s Alex Zalbin wrote a report on the panel, FanExpo Canada: Darwyn Cooke, Dan Slott, Jimmy Palmiotti And More On The Economics Of Comics

But! Third time has proven to be the charm…  Done as an event for the First Year Anniversary of The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery, with guests Jim Zubkavich, Richard Pace and Rob Walton discussing “Collaboration vs. Control”, Alice Quinn of Tdot Comix/QCX  organised the recording and editing. Major thanks to Tyrone McCarthy for the recording.

Jim Zubkavich, Richard Pace, Rob Walton

Alice has posted the video on QCX’s YouTube Channel for all to see:

ON THE COUCH with Ty Templeton #3

Keiren

 

Not Yet Easter Sunday Bun Toons! YAY!

Not a re-run, but a preview

Tomorrow is BUNNY DAY in Mega City 1, and so the tradition is to put the Easter Toon up on Easter Sunday.  But Saturday is Bun Toon Day, and so we offer up the Easter Toons from yesteryear, to keep your Bun Toon Jones at bay for 24 hours.  See ya with the new one tomorrow, bright and early.

Here’s the Ghost of Easters Past.

All us rabbits bow to the master.  We consider Bugs to be our Branjelina, just by himself.

And last year, I revealed my secret BFF…

See you tomorrow for a BRAND NEW Bunny Toon in celebration of our special day.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now your BONUS Animal Based Comic Book Moment:

The “Badger” in the credits here is not a character, but Mark Badger, who, along with author Joyce Brabner (Harvey Pekar’s widow), do a regular comic book about animal rights…which includes an anti-vivisection message for lovers of bunnies!

Speaking of anti-vivisection and loving bunnies…I will be spending my Easter Sunday protesting a well known Canadian cosmetics company with a corporate headquarters in Mississauga (where I live), specifically BECAUSE it’s recently come out that they still use rabbits in their labs.  SHAME on them, and I’ll be shouting that for most of my day tomorrow.   I’ll bring back photos and post ‘em on the blog next week!  We bunnies stick together!  PROTEST ROAD TRIP!

For last week’s RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES Bun Toon, click Candy Crowley’s giant head

for the COMPLETE archive of past Bun Toons, click the star of Bunny Day above

Tons of Fun Re-Runs! YAY!

For the first time all year, the internet is not broadcasting live.

Hey and hi, fellow internet travellers.  I’m off at the Toronto ComiCon this fine Saturday Morning, and as is tradition, it’s the one or two times a year that I run a re-run Toon of Bun.  I cannot possibly draw you something this Saturday while I’m sitting in a convention centre without scanner or laptop, much as I would love to, and the rules are clear, BUN TOONING cannot be done ahead of time to have inventory.

So, this time around, I asked my beloved wife which of the many past Toons De Bun she thought I should go with, and her answer will surprise no one who knows her.

But wait!  There’s more!

And the answer to the what-did-my-wife-say riddle is:

“Anything with Elizabeth Bennet in it.”

These were the only two strips I had.  I’ll have to work Miss Bennet into more Bun Toons in the future.  I’d have picked re-runs with monkeys.

Ty the Guy Out!

Since I didn’t give you a new Bun Toon, I’m giving you TWO bonus moments.  That’s the sort of generous, kick-Ayn-Rand-in-the-teeth sort of fellow I am.

First, because I’m off at a convention doing draw-erings for the fans, I thought I’d share a couple of recent comics sketch covers I’ve done to show you what I’m probably doing at the moment you read this.

That FF cover above was harder to do that I thought it was going to be, because the area for the artwork was completely a different shape.  No fun swiping if I have to make decisions!

(To get your own sketches or sketchcover, find me at Toronto ComiCon at P18. At noon today, I’ll be doing a workshop, HOW TO WRITE A GRAPHIC NOVEL IN ONE HOUR. The rest of the time I’ll be signing books, doing sketches, selling pages and telling stories.)

HERE NOW, your SECOND BONUS MOMENT:

I just got finished reading this new graphic novel ON THE ROPES, and I’m going to spend a few words raving about it.

It’s not a re-run, like the Bun Toons this week, but a sequel to a lovely series from the 90s called KINGS IN DISGUISE.  But this is the rarest of sequels that is so, so much better than the original, that it’s in a different league.

This is, by far, the best graphic novel I’ve read in a while, perhaps years.  I cannot recommend it enough, especially if you love stories about one-legged circus children who join the communist party during the depression.  That’s my second favorite genre, and Vance and Burr do an insanely good job of telling this literate, thoughtful, tense, playful and brilliant story.

See you on the convention floor, folks!

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To read last week’s Bun Toon (an original, not a stinking, lazy re-run), click the tragic Batman above.

For the Bun Toon Archive, including the Bun Toons above (go find em!), click the rabbit.

Vast and Flat Bun Toons! YAY!

Dedicated to Wil Wheaton, for reasons that will become obvious…

I have it on solid authority, that this was the ORIGINAL plan for the character…

I promised this one a few months back, and it took me that long to draw it.  Blades of wheat are time consuming.

I’m not drawing Aquaman of the Sahara, though.  We all know the lucky bastard will find a bathtub or something.  That’s how it always goes with him.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS Spider-Man of the Prairies moment:

Yeee-hah!  I WISH that was a real Spider-Man action figure, but it’s a custom, made by BILL’S CUSTOMS (a man clearly dedicated to customizing the super-hero world, as you can see HERE or by clicking the image above.)  As a former Prairie resident-in-law, thanks for that little bit of bronco ridin’ web-slingin’ fun, Bill!

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For last week’s Controversial Bun Toon about Controversial Orson Scott Card writing Superman Controversially, click above.

for the Bun Toon archive, click the controversial bunny.

In case you care, today’s Bun Toon is a sequel to a Bun Toon from last year…

Happy 1st Anniversary to The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery

Ty has been superbusy with workworkwork and occasionally talking to his children, but he managed to squeeze in some time on the weekend to join in on celebrations for The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery. Rising out of the ashes and some of the stock from Dragon Lady Comics, the store started up last February 8. At the time, Ty was still teaching in the space so he would see Joe, Kevin  several times a week.

While Ty moved into his own space for Comic Book Bootcamp in the fall, The Lounge is still one of his Local Comic Shops. He drops in at least once a week to pick up comics, and check out what Joe and Kevin have to say about our little industry.

On Saturday, The Lounge celebrated it’s first year anniversary by running a mini-artists con with local artists like Ty, David J. Cutler, Scott Chantler, Agnes Garbowska, Richard Pace and more. Ty had a Bun Toon to get out so we didn’t get there until the late afternoon but he did a number of sketches (Batman sketch comic covers were most-requested).

David Cutler and Richard Pace in The Lounge’s Artists Alley (photo by Debra Shelly)

There was a contest for cosplayers, hosted by the One and Only Sean Ward, then it was time for ON THE COUCH WITH TY TEMPLETON. Guests Jim Zubkavich, Richard Pace and Rob Walton discussed their views on Collaboration versus Control. I don’t think they came to an actual consensus as to which they preferred–working as part of a creative team, or working on their own–but it was a lively conversation. The show was recorded and when edited will end up online (probably at Tdot Comics, thanks to the inimitable Alice Quinn!).

In the “Green Room” waiting for ON THE COUCH, Richard Pace, Keiren Smith, Ty Templeton, Jim Zubkavich (photo by Debra Shelly)

The night finished with an Industry Night Party, but we headed out before midnight as Ty had to return the next day for a day of demos to promote AutoDesk Sketchbook Pro. We got there in time to watch Agnes Garbowska create a piece in Sketchbook and talk about her technique, then Ty got to try out the program himself. It was his first time using a Cintiq for any sustained period of time, and first time using SketchbookPro. An interesting program–Ty said he could immediately see some shortcomings (given his long familiarity with PhotoShop) but also some definite advantages. Ty said he’s looking forward to working with it some more, when he has free time in his schedule.

Recording ON THE COUCH (photo by Tyrone McCarthy)

Ty tries out Sketchbook Pro 6 (photo by Tyrone McCarthy)

 

Keiren

ON THE COUCH with Jim Zubkavich, Richard Pace, Rob Walton and host Ty Templeton (photo by Tyrone McCarthy)

For your bonus moment, here’s the cartoon Ty did to commemorate the end of Dragon Lady Comics which had been a part of his (and my) life for all of it’s thirty-plus years:

24 HOUR COMIC CHALLENGE

 

 

THIS Saturday, January 5 2013, more than thirty creators are going to gather at the home of The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery and Guerilla Printing for an event hosted by my Comic Book Bootcamp, and my studio-mates, Comic Book Embassy. It’s our first ever 24 Hour Comic Challenge Marathon!

Obviously, it’s a take off on Scott McCloud’s 24 Hour Comic Day, which was back on October 20. At the time, we were still getting our workshop space organised, and I think it was the weekend between a couple of comic conventions…all in all, everyone we knew said they were too busy to think of participating.

So, we decided to wait until now, and run one as a way to jump start everyone’s creativity for the year. For those who have always wanted to do a comic book but have been putting it off–jump in feet first and just do it! For some of my students who have been working hard on their skills for the last year, this is a chance to show them off and give them a good workout.

All of Comic Book Embassy will be there participating in the Challenge. Keiren and I will be there as hosts, although I’m thinking that eventually I’ll feel like I have to pick up a pencil and do some drawing myself. Might end doing a bit of live Bun-Tooning during the night.

The participants’ list is now closed, but we’re hoping that if you’re in the neighbourhood, you’ll drop by to say hello, check out the various creators and see how they’re doing with this completely arbitrary and self-imposed schedule! 24 pages in 24 hours! Can they do it? Come down to 587A College Street West, Second Floor, Toronto, Saturday January 5 10:00am to Sunday January 6 10:00 am, and find out!

Ty the Guy OUT!

And for your bonus comic moment:

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