Holmes Incorporated Countdown Continues! Tuesday Edition!

MORE Holmes Inc. goodness! How will you survive all this explosively skilled and impressive work? By heading to FanExpo Canada 2012 this weekend to buy your VERY OWN copy of the book, of course!

It will look like this…you should have no trouble finding it at the FanExpo convention this weekend in Toronto!

Up first today, pages from Analysis Paralysis, a story from first-time participants Savannah MacIntosh and Tuhin Giri, who turned in a story like a pair of old pros.   Savannah wrote this delightful story – illustrated even more delightfully by Tuhin – which sees Edgar having to rescue his sister and cousin from evil-doers.

story by Savannah MacIntosh, art by Tuhin Giri

 James Cooper is back with a one-pager, Special Guest, with art by Jeff Longstreet!

written by James Cooper, illustrated by Jeff Longstreet

Next up in our excursion through artland is returning champion artist Rachael Wells (a participant in all three Holmes Inc. issues), and a new writer, Sam Noir. I inked Rachael on her last story, and it inspired her to take my Inking for Comics course–with some pretty wonderful results, as she inks her own pages this time out. Sam Noir is a first-time participant with Artie is Dead, but his story left an impression on everyone who read it.  There’s a hidden surprise or two AFTER this tragic opening that you’ll NEVER see coming.

story by Sam Noir, art by Rachael Wells

The next haunting tale of Holmsian Love and Mystery was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had working on this project for the last three years.  The story went through a draft or two before we got to this fabulous version in the end, and Kevin “Silkcuts” Gorospe gets my vote of the most tenacious writer we’ve ever had.  His artist Raymond Jin is another first-time participant who turned in a wonderful art job with more effort and attention to detail than anyone else, and was FINISHED FIRST, which every editor loves.  When you read the full story, you’ll fall in love with one of our cast, just like Trey did…

Take a bow, guys.

story by Kevin “Silkcuts” Gorospe, art by Raymond Jin

Holmes Incorporated #3 will be available for sale at Fan Expo this weekend, in Booth 614, at Rachael Well’s booth A165, and at the Templeton-Smiths tables in Artists Alley, P30A and P30B. Stop by and pick up your copy!!

Ty the Guy OUT!!

Here now, your BONUS Holmes Comic Book Moment:

This comic is actually the FIRST time I ever read a Sherlock Holmes story.  It came out when I was about nine or ten, and started me down a lifelong path of loving the great detective.  Walt Simonson cover, and E.R. Cruz artwork on the inside, if I recall (or one of the Redondo Brothers).

See, Mom?  Comics can learn ya stuff.

The Countdown BEGINS: Monday

The countdown to Fan Expo Canada 2012 begins!!  It’s Monday, so it’s only…no, don’t want to know, I have too much to do before Thursday’s opening at 4pm.

But–one of the things I need to do is show off some of the amazing art that came out of this year’s Fit-to-Print Holmes Incorporated workshop! 21 creators working together in different teams produced an incredible Issue 3!

Art by Adam Gorham, colours by Ty Templeton

First up, is Night of the Living, written by James Cooper , art by Brice Hall. This is the second Holmes Inc. for James, and Brice Hall’s first, but he took to it like an old pro. Besides art duties, Brice lettered his pages.  Gaze upon their beauty and wonder!  And you’ll get a chance to buy the issue at FANEXPO, or read the issue online in just another week or so…FOR FREE!!

story by James Cooper; art/letters by Brice Hall

Next up…Hologram Holmes written by Adira Rotstein. Although Adira is new to the world of comic book writing, she’s an established author having published her first YA novel, Little Jane Silver last fall (the sequel is currently in editing). She wrote a fun but touching story about our Holmes family that you’re going to LOVE when you read the full thing.

Eric Houstoun has the pencil duties on this story, his first ever published comic art.  I jumped in to add some inks and greytones (at Eric’s request), and the whole thing ended up being one of the most charming Holmes Inc. stories we’ve ever run.  See for yourself…

story by Adira Rotstein, pencils by Eric Houstoun

This issue of Holmes Incorporated includes a batch of ONE PAGE stories, each written by a different author, and each beautifully drawn by the Holmes Inc. veteran JEFF LONGSTREET.   The first of this group was written by another Holmes contributor who’s been with us since issue #1, Mighty Mike Marano.

We had two first-time participants for the next story, but you can’t tell.  Terror of Penitence House,  written by Oliver Ho (who first took my Writing for Comics class last summer, but he has been taking classes elsewhere, and all that learnin’ shows) . Eduardo Suarez Florido handsomely rose to the challenge of illustrating this spooky story using some techniques involving a computer and one of them new fangled drawing pads.  The final result is a tour de force of mystery and tension.

story by Oliver Ho, art by Eduardo Suarez Florido

And THAT’S just your taste of the first quarter of the quietly magnificent new issue we have coming your way!! Holmes Incorporated #3 will be available for sale at Fan Expo this weekend (as of Friday), in Booth 614, at Holmes Inc. Alumni Rachael Well’s booth A165, and at the Templeton-Smiths tables in Artists Alley, P30A and P30B, as well as a few other spots in the building.   Stop by and pick up your copy, and stay tuned for news on when you can download this issue digitally for FREE!  We’re here for the students and we’re here for the readers.  We want everyone to enjoy this one.

Who says this isn’t the Comic Book Bootcamp Age of Comics?

Ty the Guy OUT!!

Here now,  your BONUS Holmes Inc. Comic Book Moment:

Unpublished promotional artwork for Holmes Inc. #2 by Dawnson Chen.

 AND! If you’d like to learn how to write and draw your own comics, just like these creators did…be sure to check out the courses over at my Comic Book Bootcamp. There are still some spaces available in Writing for Comics Part One, and Drawing the Human Figure from your head.

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!

FanExpo Saturday!!

Today is a busy day for Ty at Fan Expo Canada 2011.  For sketches, signatures and stories check his table at P-O57A. If he’s not there, I should be and can give you a sense of when he’ll be back (or I’ll just tell some stories of my own!).

From 12-1pm, you can find Ty in Room 717, teaching a mini Comic Book Bootcamp. (Just a taste of what you get if you sign up for the workshop Ty teaches through Toronto Cartoonists Workshop. Next class starts September 12; spaces are limited).

The magic begins at 4pm in Room 717. For those of you wondering just how Ty and Dan Slott come up with characters for their stories, make sure to check out Superhero Stew:  Create a Character with Dan Slott and Ty Templeton. (**Not sure yet who is replacing Dan for this workshop, if anyone)

(and, it has nothing to do with Ty–or Dan Slott!–but I will be moderating Watercolour Masterclass with Jill Thompson, 6-7pm, in Room 717.)

Keiren

NEW CLASSES!

Ty just finished teaching his second class for the week, last night, and has a meeting today to talk to the man behind TCW, Sean Menard, about plans for future classes. But, classes for the next term have been announced!

Check out the listings at the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop’s website…and see what you’re interested in. There’s a heckuva lot of choices available. Ty will be doing Part 2 of his Comic Book Bootcamp, and a new course:  Drawing the Human Figure from Memory. Leonard Kirk has liked teaching at TCW enough to sign up for another tour of duty–he’s heading up, Penciling the Comic Book Page. LEONARD FRIKKIN’ KIRK!

Geordie Miller will be back and will teach Life Drawing for the Comic Book Artist.  I’ve not met Mr. Miller yet but hear from students that they are loving this class and eager for more.

Mr. Sam Agro will  lead students in Show Me a Story:  Fundamentals of Storyboarding. The man knows what’s he teaching–he’s paid his rent by storyboarding everything from the Droids tv show to some of the Saw movie series. (Seriously–check HERE)

Dave Lapp is teaching not one but TWO classes for kids:  Cartooning and Illustration for Kids. These are on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Gotta say–our youngest son is loving his class with Dave and highly recommends him. I’ve only run into Dave briefly, but lurking in the halls when I drop the son off has led me to believe that he is amazing with kids–has a great rapport with them. Our son barely talks out loud to most strangers–when I’ve left him the last couple of weeks, he’s been chatting up a storm and telling Dave everything he can think of!

Last but definitely not least is Manga Bootcamp with Eric Kim. I find while chatting with comic creators, store owners and employees*, that there is still a lot of resistance to manga and anime…I will say that my kids love it, and most of their friends love it. While people worry about the future of comics, a lot of the discussion is around North American mainstream comic publications–because manga is still going strong. For those of you with an interest in making your own–this is the course to take. (*not meaning my son who works in a comic book store–he’s actually the “Japanese buyer” for the store, and for good reason. He completely and utterly bows to Christopher Butcher, manager of The Beguiling’s superior knowledge of all things related to manga/anime, but he’s in there trying)

I’m not going to give you links for all these amazing instructors–all the bios and links you’ll need are on the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop site.

Wow, I got all the way down here without putting a date. NOVEMBER 2!! New classes start November 2, just a few short weeks away, so check out the website NOW NOW NOW before spaces are filled.

Toronto Cartoonists Workshop new classes

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

He’s Back!

Okay, Ty never went away (he’s teaching until the end of March), but Walter Dickinson of Toronto Cartoonists Workshop has posted the listings for the next set of classes. Two taught by Ty, and a cool new course taught by Sam Agro, “Kidding Around: Writing Comics for Younger Readers”.

And…for those who’ve been asking, for those who’ve missed out on previous sessions, Ty will be teaching Comic Book Bootcamp Part 1.

Check the TCW site for info…and let Walter know if you’re interested in a class.

Keiren

Someone says something nice about…

Ty, the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop, and the classes.  The classes have started (‘cept Sam Agro’s Storyboarding workshop which starts tomorrow afternoon)…but I still thought I’d link to it, so you know that it’s not just my idea that these classes are great things…and that Ty is an amazing teacher.  See–I can’t even make a joke, so you know it’s true.

Click here to read “do you wanna learn some comic book skills…” over at www.comicbookdaily.com.

Keiren

Upcoming Appearances

Besides teaching two weeks of Comic Book Inking: 4 Perspectives, and the full eight weeks of Ty Templeton’s Comic Book Bootcamp Part 2, and Writing for Comics: Finding Inspiration on a Schedule (all through the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop), Ty has been booked for two upcoming conventions.

Check it out on his Appearances page.