All Ages Awesomeness 2!!

Working away on my next set of pages for Marvel Ultimate Spider-Man Adventures (#5 I think?) after spending the weekend in Texas! I haven’t been out of Canada in fifteen years, and I think it was the first time I’ve spent more than a layover in Texas.

I was invited to the second annual All-Ages Awesomeness 2 at Rogues’ Gallery Comics & Games in Round Rock, Texas. I spent the day sketching and signing along with other creators who work in all-ages comics; Shane and Chris Houghton, Chad Thomas, Evan Bryce, Mike Bullock, and Yehudi Mercado. The Houghton brothers led the kids in making a comic book right there in the store; I was really impressed with how good they both were in working with their audience. Not an easy thing to keep the attention of kids.

I did dozens and dozens of sketches–I’ve seen a few posted on line thanks to the Rogues Gallery Facebook page. I’m hoping that a few more get scanned and put online–I did a couple that I was really happy with. As an artist, I often get frustrated with convention sketches–doing something quickly, without reference, with an audience watching…

Friday night, Rogues Gallery co-owner Randy Lander took all the creators out to The Alamo Draughthouse for dinner and to watch Brave. I loved the movie, loved the dinner, loved the concept–I want someone to open a movie theatre/restaurant in Toronto! What a great idea!

Here are a few quick pictures from Rogues Gallery Comics & Games’ Facebook fan page:

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The girl in the first picture was there with her sister and they both wanted Spider-Man drawings. I did a close-up and an action shot and told them they got to pick who got which.

And…Alana got the headshot!

This was a fun drawing to do…a couple with two girls had just adopted a boy from Seoul, Korea. A toddler, his few words of English include “Spider-Man!” so they asked me to draw Spidey swinging from the Seoul Tower so he could have something recognisable from his old home and his new home. Was very happy to do this sketch.

A quick Joker sketch. I liked how this turned out.

Pretty cute kid–who was concerned enough to point out to me that his Cap is missing a foot…

All in all, a fun weekend. Though I was glad to get back home to the wife and kids–and to finally give in to the temptation I’d squashed all weekend, and spent about ten minutes talking with a Texan accent.

 

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY and…

Saturday May 5 is Free Comic Book Day ! It’s like Christmas with less nog!

Christmas is RUINED. If only there was something to read with Batman in it, some time in May...

But just in case FREE COMICS aren’t enough for you ravenous T-Dot funny book fans–it’s also the weekend of The Toronto Comic Arts Festival, where the best of the indy creators gather together and just commit art all over the joint. Bring splash guards for all the flyin’ ink and paint.

You want MORE?  Free Comics and a great comics convention isn’t enough?   How greedy are you guys?  Okay, just to calm down the insatiable maw I sense out there, The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery ( conveniently located at the same address as the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop) will be crawling with lots of great comics creators including Stuart Immonen, Kathryn Immonen, Gibson Quarter, Marco Rudy, Raffaele Ienco, Mike Del Mundo, David J. Cutler, Karly Macdonald and this long eared Ty-Bunny, signing autographs, doin’ sketches, and making FREE COMIC BOOK DAY the magical adventure that it is.

According to the plans I’ve heard, there will be face painting for the kids, a mini artists alley, and obviously–free comics!! And word has it that Toronto Batman might make an appearance.

There, I hope that satisfies you folks for a day of comics fun.   After that exhausting day is over, I’m going to put my feet up on the couch at the Comic Book Lounge…and…

WAIT!  THERE’S MORE?!?!?

After the Free Comic Book Day events are over,  starting at 8pm, I will be sitting talking with my guests about Canadians and the comics industry exploring the idea of “As Canadian as possible under the circumstances.” in a LIVE talk show.

The first person I thought of to be my first guest ever was Mark Askwith. I’ve known Mark for thirty years now? Wow–long enough that I’ve lost track. I met Mark back when he was manager of The Silver Snail comic shop. When Mark created the much-beloved and much-missed Prisoners of Gravity for TVO, I did the art for the opening sequence, and guested on it frequently. These days, Mark is a producer at Space:  The Imagination Station, producing Inner Space. That’s only some of his comics cred–there’s so much more!

And we’ve got Will Pascoe, director of an upcoming documentary about the Golden Age of Canadian comics superheroes. And we’ve got Scott Chantler, the award winning creator of Two Generals and Towers of Treasure! Not enough for you? We’ve also got Ken Lashley–as he says in his bio “[he’s] worked for them all, Lucasfilm, lucas arts, Hasbro, Mattel, Dc comics, Marvel comics, Fox sports..etc..” In the midst of his many projects, he’s doing covers for DC Comics at the moment.

We’re planning for roughly an hour–but if we’re having too good a time, we might go longer. And the audience isn’t allowed to be shy, as we will be taking questions! (But keep your questions relevant to the conversation.  No one gets to bring up our Mayor’s weight problems or the price of gas.).

When On the Couch’s inaugural episode is over, there will be an announcement of the Joe Shuster Award nominations. Then–

–an Industry Night Party to celebrate comics, Canadians, the Shuster Awards and anything else we can think of.  We will make you ACHE with fun.

Come join us for some of, or all of the day–and the night! We’re excited about everything we have planned for Free Comic Book Day and for On the Couch with Ty Templeton. (This will be the  first of hopefully many On the Couch episodes–unless there’s a death in the audience, or an armed rebellion, we’re coming back).

Ty the Guy OUT!!

Here now, your BONUS FREE COMIC BOOK MOMENT:

Isn't this cool? And it didn't cost you a dime.

Plugging my new comics! All-Ages Spidey! All Ages Simpsons Comics!

ALL IN STORES THIS WEEK!  Simpsons!  Simpsons!  Spider-Man!  It’s the BUNNY AGE OF COMICS!!

First:  The wait has been long but Ultimate Spidey Adventures is finally here!

Available for sale today or tomorrow, depending on your store. The first issue of Ultimate Spider-Man Adventures #1 with a ten-page story plotted by Dan Slott and scripted, pencilled and inked by me.

AND a ten-page story written by the Men of Action and pencilled and inked by Nuno Plati.  So much goodness in one comic book!

In an interview with Comic Book Resources  (AXEL-IN-CHARGE: Guest-Starring the “Amazing” Dan Slott), interviewer Kiel Phegley asked Dan:

“Dan, when I saw you’d be contributing a story to “Ultimate Spider-Man” with Ty Templeton, who you worked with on “Batman Adventures” to great acclaim, I was surprised and excited. What can you say about the challenge of coming on to a newly built Spidey world and making work for longtime fans and kids?”

Dan’s answer was perfect–pretty much what I would say:

“We love this stuff. Ty and I are the best of friends, and if you look at “Spider-Man/Human Torch” you can see how much we love working together. That was an all-ages book to me. I think if you sit down and look at some of the biggest movies of all time, you’ll see that they’re “G-Rated” movies that everyone could sit down and watch. Adults can watch them and go, “Wow, that’s a great story.” That’s our goal, here. We don’t want this to be a young readers book. We want it to be an all-ages book — an everyone book. This is a book you can give to anyone, and they’ll go, “That was a really great ride.” That’s how Ty is wired too.”

Aww…Dan likes me.

Here’s a sneak peek…but no letters or colours until you run out and buy one at your local comic store…

WAIT!  I’M NOT FINISHED PLUGGING MY COMICS ON SALE YET!!

Simpsons Comics 189 went on sale just five days ago…it’s my latest romp in Springfield, written and drawn by myself, and featuring everyone’s favourite cartoon baby on Fox TV.  (Suck on it, Stewie fans).  I don’t get to write a lot of stories about Maggie and this was a joyous issue to play with.

SIMPSONS CONFIDENTIAL goes on sale this Wednesday as well!  It collects a bunch of different Simpsons issues from a couple of years ago, including one of my favorites:  The Return of X’Tappa’lata’kettle. (I’m sure I misspelled that, and I wrote the darn story!)  It’s set inside the giant Olmec head in the basement…you DID know the head was hollow and people lived inside it, right?  I think the collection also features a Bartman story that I did with Chuck Dixon, so there’s more Simpsons comics by Ty out this week than seems sensible.

Pick up the Simpsons issue, AND the Simpsons collection today, and the Spider-Man comic tomorrow, but GO BUY THESE COMICS!!!  I need groceries!

(And for those of you who would like a closer look at my pencilled and inked pages, I’ll be bringing all of ’em (along with Harvey Pekar pages, Spidey-Torch pages, and other goodies)  with me to Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo this coming weekend! I’ll be there Friday to Sunday.)

AND there’s more!!  it’s not published yet, but I’m part of a Kickstarter comic book project…my buddy, Dana Moreshead (I used to work for him all the time when he headed up Creative Services at Marvel Comics) has written a comic book about Bacon. Yes, Bacon! Last year, Dana asked me if I draw him a little anthropomorphic Bacon, and I made a joke that it should be a comic book. Little did I know that Dana had plans–plans for a 44 page graphic novel that will

take readers on a king-sized comic book adventure power-packed with action, conspiracy and intrigue starring the pork Kwai Chang Caine, Bacon!

Turns out though that I’m not Dana’s only artist friend! Dana has set up his Kickstarter so that every dollar pledged gives you the opportunity to VOTE for the eventual artist of The Mouth-Watering Adventures of Bacon!! Vote for me, or the incredible Phil Winslade or the amazing Scott Koblish! Just vote for somebody! Read all about BACON!! on it’s Kickstarter page.

Ty the Guy Out!

Here now, your BONUS COMIC BOOK PLUG:

Plug Comics?!? Where do I find these things?

Bun Toons for the Family! YAY!

Smarten up, young man, or I'll put you over my knee!

Some friends of mine recently became pregnant with their first child, and they’re nervous about the experience.   I have four kids, ranging from 25 down to 10 years old, and this old pro knows what he’s doing.   Like all my “Honest-To-God Adventures” every word of this story is true.

Anyone who needs some advice on child rearing, now you know where to turn.

TY THE GUY OUT!

Here now, your Bonus Batman, Spider-man, Wonder Woman, Cake Moment:

Because everything exists if you google it.

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For last week's politically astute Bun Toon click the image of GOOD-MAN!

For Every Bun Toon Ever, click the Good-Bunny

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