Holmes? Did someone say HOLMES?

The Proud as a Peacock tour continues as I get to show off more and more work from the folks that move through my Comic Book Bootcamp courses.  Today we get a SNEAK peak at a SPECIAL edition of Holmes Incorporated, featuring the artwork of Holmes Inc. veteran Christopher Yao.

Christopher has contributed to every issue of Holmes Incorporated so far, and promises to help us usher in NEXT year’s annual.  But with a story in every ish,  we’re piling up to the ceiling with Yao artwork around here, and decided to release this ultra-cool ALL-CHRISTOPHER edition for his breathless fans.

I’ll keep you posted when both this regular sized issue and the 80 page giant annual are available for sale…we’ll hopefully have copies for the BIG FANEXPO coming up in just a few weeks.

The 80 page giant, including Christopher’s newest story, so you gets some YAO in your day, either way.

We’ll be returning to Christopher’s work in a few days when we give you a couple of pages from this issue’s sci-fi thriller “MURDER ON THE MOON”, written by Marvelous Mike Marano.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in taking the Comic Book Bootcamp Courses, and participating in a future Holmes Inc. issue, click the lovely logo below.

This is called “branding” when I keep showing you this logo. It’s working…it’s working…

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS Christopher Yao Holmes Inc. Moment:

A pin-up by Christopher Yao for our sword swinging teenaged version of Sherlock Holmes the Third. You can call her Trey.

Holmes for the Holidays! Well, Labour Day, anyway!

It’s that time of year again!  When the stunningly skilled graduating class of my Comic Book Bootcamp courses show off their scriptin’ and drawin’ Bona Fides  in another ALL NEW 80 page GIANT issue of mystery-solving Holmsian magnificence.

Ya gotta love that cover by Mississauga neighbour, and bouncing Bootcamp Alumni Adam Gorham (artist for Big Sexy Comics’ TEUTON series, when not knocking a Holmes cover out of the park for the team!).

Like Game of Thrones, only better.

But back to these characters:

art by Daniel Wong, colour by K.T. Smith

Issue three is heading to the printers as we speak, and I’ll be showing off some pages from the delightful contributors in the next few days.  Check back often and be the first on your interweb to see these new creators before anyone else finds ’em and hires them away to run Marvel Comics.

And if you’re interested in joining the all-scriptin’, all-drawin’ elite team of artists and writers,  classes continue in September.  All ages, genders, orientations and and sizes are welcome, but we allow only one attitude past the door:  You must be willing to participate.

Click on the magic logo, and find about the next courses being taught at the school! We’d love to have you join.

Who knows, maybe next ish, you’ll have a story in the fourth book of the series?  We’ve already helped launch a career or two around here.   Stay tuned for the next batch of stars.

Holmes Inc. art by Gibson Quarter, colours by Keiren Smith.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS Holmes Incorporated Moment:

Last Year’s striking cover by Marvel X-Factor artist Leonard Kirk!

You Can’t Sue Me Bun Toons! YAY!

But I still have a lawyer on retainer.

Had a lovely sleep in this morning, so you get the Bun Toons in the afternoon instead of the morning.    I still love you, but I love my pillow more.

In a world with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Before Watchmen all coming at me at the same time, I feel there’s a few folks we HAVEN’T heard from in the discussion about creatively appropriating the previously created.  (That’s my new euphemism for plagiarism.  It’s mine, don’t steal it.)

 

Woah.  I thought she was Mona Lisa, and I DREW the damn thing.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS moment of appropriating the previously created.  Because the internet will always out-weird me:

I’m fairly sure she hunts Victorian Vampire-Ninjas.

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For last week’s appropriation of my father’s cartooning skills, click the lovely drawing above.

For every Bun Toon ever (in which I often steal other people’s characters, ideas and jokes) click the ripped-off rabbit above.

The Previews Continue! Yay!

I promised ’em, and here they come:  more sneak peaks at the new TORONTO CARTOONISTS WORKSHOP comic that EVERYONE’S talking about in reverent awe.

As if the last blog entry wasn’t enough to send everyone into fidgety anticipation of Friday’s launch of the newest issue, I’m back again to give out the free samples of what awaits our legion of readers when the book gets published on Friday.  I’ve seen the whole book, so I know how wonderful it is, but I envy you people getting to see it for the first time.

Our next preview pages are from the delightful team of Mighty Mike Marano scripting, Gorgeous Grant Howarth layouts and grey tones, and introducing Killer Kellam Templeton-Smith on inks.   

There's nothing worse that having a computer come to murder you, just because of your name!

I wonder what that guy is going to look like when he crawls out of the computer core…I suspect it looks really cool.   I suspect the story is equally gripping! We never give you readers less than the best.

Next, the first of TWO entries by Racin’ Rob Pincombe, our assistant editor, and easily the hardest working man in comics, no matter what you hear about Tom Brevoort.

The MIND SPIDERS OF MADAGASCAR…written by Rob and beautifully illustrated by Dapper Dawnson Chen.   Warning: If you have a phobia about Mind-Spiders, you might want to look away, and latecomers will not be seated during the fight sequence with the SPIDER-QUEEN!

Wait…we’re stopping it there?  But…what  happens next?  What’s so extraordinarily BAD?

We’d like to tell you, but we have to move on to another thrill-a-minute mystery.  The script for this oceanic opus was written by the Amazing Yolanda Cheung, who intended to draw the tale herself, but was called away by a higher duty.  Racin’ Rob and Killer Kellam stepped in on the art chores at the last minute, and I’ll be darned if they didn’t knock it out of the park!  You heard me right- the writer of the last story, stepped in and drew this next one, and the inker for OLD WOUNDS, stepped in an inked another one.  This is the sort of dedication that you readers deserve.

Who doesn’t love an old man kicking ass in a transforming aquatic wheelchair?  Can I get a witness?

And wait until you witness THIS western tale.  Written by “Calamity” Kathleen Gallagher, with art by Dynamite Danny Setna!  Kathleen’s had a few stories under her belt, and we’ve come to expect genius from her (which she never fails to deliver), but this is Danny’s first time in print anywhere, and yeehaw, that boy surprised us editin’ hombres with his detailed line-work!

Is there anything more wonderful than a crime spree that just MIGHT involve non-farting cows?  I told you Kathleen writes a fun script.

Don’t forget, you can still download issue #1 (with stories by Rob Pincombe, Kathleen Gallagher, Mike Marano, and a host of other clever writers, teamed up with artists as impressively skilled as you’re seeing up above) all for free at a bunch of digital comix websites you can find HERE at the Holmes Inc Hompage on the Web.

Wait, did you say “FREE”?

Yes I did.  And issue #2 will be free in just a matter of days as well.  We want you to see these amazing, soon-to-be-stars before Marvel, DC, IDW and Dark Horse snatch them away from us and pay ’em what they’re worth.  (Note to Marvel, DC, IDW and Dark Horse editors:  Please snatch these guys away from us and pay ’em what they’re worth!)

And if you’re in the Toronto area THIS Friday evening, drop by to the TORONTO CARTOONISTS WORKSHOP,  587A College Street (at Clinton), and meet the creative team that made this issue great.   We might even find you a copy of the book in print form, and I’m fairly sure we’ll get you something to  snack on.

Don’t worry, the previews are still coming.  Tune in tomorrow for even more Holmes Incorporated sneak peaks.   We’re not even close to running out of talent!

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS Holmes Incorporated Comics Moment:

Artwork by Daniel Wong with colours by Keiren Smith.  Where do we FIND these artistic wunderkinds?   It must be something in the water in Toronto.

Sherlock Bun Toons! And a FREE 52 page COMIC!

I've eliminated the impossible, and what remains, however improbable, is meant to be funny.

It just happens sometimes.  You get into a certain head-space and there’s no stopping them when they come.  Please forgive me for this, I mean no harm.

There, you’ve survived.  Remain calm and seated, and you can read about my free comic book offer.

You’ve seen me promote this project a few times on this website, the HOLMES INCORPORATED collection that my school (The Toronto Cartoonists Workshop) puts out once a year, featuring the work of our former students, ready to show off their wares and impress the world of comics with their skills.  Well, we’re so excited by the whole thing, and we want everyone to see these comics, that we’ve decided to give them away FREE, as digital comics that ANYONE can download for nothing.  Yup, I said nothing.

You can get the FIRST issue this week at Drive Thru Comics right now!

Click on the image to be taken to our FREE offer.

 And we’ll be giving the SECOND issue, also for free, in two weeks time.  That’s over 120 pages of comics for zip.  Nada.  All we ask is that you enjoy ’em and give us a little feedback!

Click the magnifying glass to get a free digital version of issue #1 from DRIVE THRU COMICS right now!

Our TRIPLE sized issue #2 will be available digitally for FREE in two weeks! Dig that Leonard Kirk cover!

Who says this isn’t the Art-Land Age of mind-bogglingly good deals?

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your Sherlock Holmes Bonus Comic moment:  (This is real, I didn’t make it up).

The game is a foot, and it's flying at your head, ninja style!

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For last week's patriotic Bun Toons, click the father of your country.

For every Bun Toon I've ever done, click the Rabbit's nose.

The Sherlock Holmes family all goes to bed, and I say thank you.

Back from the final meeting of the Holmes Incorporated Team last night, where we all got to see the cover for the first time, and we sent the book in for lettering, final production, and printing.  All done.   So I get to show off a bit more of it here on my blog, and also link you to the Holmes Comic blog for more info about it all.

First off, here’s the just-got-finished cover by Leonard Kirk, coloured by KT Smith (aka Keiren Smith–kts).

Leonard has a frightfully busy schedule at Marvel Comics, but managed to squeeze in a perfect shot of our sword-and-gun-fighting family of sleuths for our latest cover.  And KT Smith’s schedule was no less busy, I promise, when she knocked those colours out of the park for us.  BIG thanks all around.

Now it feels like a real comic book.

Something else that makes it feel like a REAL comic book:

A panel by Danny Setna from Kathleen Gallagher's western tale of the Holmes Family. EAT up that detail work, fun-seekers!

And this:

A pin-up by Christopher Yao for our sword swinging teenaged version of Sherlock Holmes the Third. You can call her Trey. And yes, she's in the a different coloured-suit, but that's getting fixed in production...

And that’s not all the fun that was had at the latest get-together of the creative team…

Our final meeting was filmed for an upcoming episode of The Electric Playground, which is doing a segment on Holmes Inc. and the group responsible.  Our host for the segment, Shaun Hatton, interviewed a handful of the creators for their first even TV interviews, and shot the bunch of us as a full tribe as we gathered round the artwork and said praising things about each other in general.

none of these attractive people is me, but the one on the right is Shaun Hatton.

And finally, a big thanks to Rob Pincombe, who has done so much heavy lifting on getting this issue ready to go that it defies belief.   As our assistant editor, AS WELL AS as a surprise penciler, and writer, collaborator with my son, and co-ordinator of the Holmes Blog, he easily put more man-hours and creativity into this project than any three other contributors combined!  It’s as much his baby as anyone’s and may he now take an internet bow!

Rob Pincombe and a school chum. Rob is one of those multi-talented people that would annoy you for all his abilities, if only he wasn't friendly and likable.

So lovely evening all about and good work shown around, and apparently hours of enjoyable drinking in the pub across the street right after I left.

Go HERE to visit the Holmes Incorporated homeblog, and read tons of lively behind the scenes bits about the making of this comic.

See you around here with more Bun Toons, and some fun silliness when I get a chance to breathe.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your putting Sherlock Holmes To Bed Bonus Moment:

Nah, I’m kidding, here’s the REAL putting Sherlock To Bed bonus moment:

It's the one you demanded anyway.

Toronto Cartoonists Workshop. Holmes Inc. Issue #2

Hey.

As some of you might recall, last year, the school I teach at (Toronto Cartoonists Workshop) put out their first issue of an all new adventure comic series “Holmes Inc.”  It was a wonderful experience for all concerned. lovely to read, well reviewed, and enjoyed by all who got a copy.  (I think there are still a few available…we’ll get to how to order one in a minute…)  Impossible as it was to believe, most of the work in the issue was from heretofore unpublished,  first time comic book artists and writers, ready to burst onto the scene and kick Joe Quesada and Jim Lee around the block a few times with their upstart-y enthusiasm and skills.

Anything with exploding aircraft and wheelchairs on the cover can’t be all bad, right?  And I THINK it had something to do with Sherlock Holmes and his descendants fighting world crime in the 21st Century.

Well, it’s starting up again…for issue #2.  In just a few short weeks, the gears start gearing and the submissions start submitting.  If you have graduated from any of the TCW classes (especially comic book bootcamp, storytelling or writing) and want to join in the fun for round #2 then head on over to the TCW homepage and let the king of TCW, Sean Menard, know that you want to play too.

TCW’s phone number is 647-328-1656 and the email is: info@cartoonistsworkshop.com

I hope to see some of the newer students head out this year, as well as welcoming back some of the creative studs and studdettes that helped make our first issue so good.

Oh, and if you can’t live another moment without your personal copy of issue #1, called “The Best Sherlock Holmes Comic Book Ever” (by my mother and some of my neighbours), then let Sean know your troubles when you contact him, and he’ll get one out to you.  A measly six bucks for 52 solid pages of tomorrow’s superstars is a pittance to pay.

Ty the Guy OUT

Here now, your Sherlock Holmes Comic Book Moment:

It’s…it’s…NOT Melvin!

T-Minus TWO DAYS and counting. Holmes is on the way!

We’re down to the wire.  I can see the wire over there, and it’s rushing up towards us at breakneck speed.  Holmes Incorporated is less than 72 hours from your hot little hands, and the air is electric with anticipation.

Today’s sensational story is written by Manly Mike Marano , penciled by the Amazing Alex Greychuck, and inked by Dapper Dean Dumont.   (Just one more day of the alliterative names, whew!)  While I love all the stories in this issue, this one holds a place in my heart as being the only tale to actually feature the original master detective, Sherlock himself.  But don’t worry, we ain’t wallowing in Victorian language and situations.  I’m fairly sure I recall some modern day machine gun-toting drug dealers show up later in the story.  But you’ll have to buy the issue to see all the gunfire.

An unsolved case?  So it wasn’t always so elementary, was it Watson?

Personally, I hope I never run into Mind-Spiders of Madagascar, but I’m a timid sort and faint easily.  For those who can survive that kind of heart stopping thrill, have we got a comic for YOU!

Here’s yesterday’s entry.  Go HERE for more previews.  Go HERE for a large image of the cover!  Here for more pages!  Here for even MORE pages! and HERE for more preview art again.  With 52 big pages to fill, we’ve got tons of stories to tell, and the game is afoot in every darn one!   See you at the convention this weekend, you lucky comic fans!

Ty the Guy OUT!

In honor of the mind-spiders, here now, your comic book moment of zen:

More of that HOLMES INCORPORATED fun!

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As promised yesterday, we’re gonna preview the many terrific illustrators and writers that the new Holmes Incorporated project will be showcasing, many of whom will be in print for the very first time!  I think you’ll agree with me that the skills these creators are showing off are off-the-scale for folks on the front end of their careers.

Here ya go!  More preview pages. Writer Kathleen Gallagher and artist Eden Bachelder bring us their story featuring the teenage sword-carrying martial-artist / secret agent, Sherlock Holmes the III.  Known to her friends as “Trey”.

And hey!  Let’s never forget the splendiforous lettering of K.T. Smith!  Let the parade of excitement continue!

Whoops!  Clues?  In a Holmes story?  I’ll bet that leads somewhere…

And you can find out when you buy the preview issue at FAN EXPO CANADA or online after the show!

Let Eden and Kathleen know what you think of ’em in the comments section.  Go all rah-rah, both because they deserve it, and because it will make you feel good.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your Comic Book moment of Zen

To share post:

Holmes Incorporated: The Shameless Plugging Begins

As many regular readers of the blog know, I have been teaching comic book scripting and illustration at the  TORONTO CARTOONISTS WORKSHOP and after some months of being up and running, we’re putting out our first comic book, created entirely by the workshop gang.

It’s called…

…which is an idea that I’ve had kicking around for a few years, and I’m tickled to see it make it into print.

The stories feature the descendants of the Holmes family,  in the year 2010.  In the many decades since the Master Detective died, back in 1935, the great-grandchildren of Sherlock, Mycroft and Watson, have managed to keep their family together for generations, serving King, Queen and country for nearly a century, as the agents of HOLMES INC.

Some GORGEOUS Sherlock Holmes character studies by contributor Alex Greychuck

The first issue, a HUGE 52 page extravaganza (just like in the Golden Age) will be heading for the printers quite soon, so I’m getting the final pages from the contributors quite regularly now.  And I’m going to give you guys a sneak peek over the next few days of everyone’s work.  You’ll have to come to the FANEXPO Canada ( in Toronto) to buy a pre-release copy of the book, then it will be available online for the world to get their grubby hands on it.  Until then, you lucky ART LANDERS get the first reveal in human history of these soon-t0-be classic stories.  And it happens RIGHT NOW!!

Sneak Peek #1: A couple of preview pages by Christopher Yao (artist) and Greg Dunford (writer) from the first story in the book.

Promise yourself you’ll remember this day as the day you first laid eyes on the work of tomorrow’s superstars!  Now for a lovely page two.

What the…?  He’s breaking in…?  You’ll have to get the issue to see the rest of the story.    And there are EIGHT (8) big stories in this first issue, each SEVEN (7) pages long, so the A-quality entertainment simply won’t stop coming.  Neither will these previews – you’ll be getting another tomorrow.   And if you look closely at the preview coming up in a day or so, you might notice a certain bunny doing the inking chores.

TY THE GUY OUT!

Here now, your COMIC BOOK moment of ZEN