Free Comic Book Day Bun Toons! YAY!

It’s Comic Book Day! Like Easter and Christmas and Losing your Virginity all at once! Only with comics!

I have arisen this morning and left my home within minutes…no time for an original Bun Toon (the rules are very strict…I gots to do ’em the morning I get up, folks and folkesses!) But….since it is…

…there is a feast of FREE COMICS here on the Bun Toon, for you to enjoy.

We’ll start with the Rules:

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Okay, sure, that was a free cartoon on my website, but what about a free Ty Templeton Spider-Man comic book at my local store?

We have you covered there as well…

Apparently, if you pick up the new Rocket Racoon Free Comic Book from Marvel, it includes a back-up story by me and Joe Caramagna from the Ultimate Spider-Man Adventures series.   That’s the first page of a rollicking space adventure up there, and you can have the rest of the story FREE at any participating comic store!

Wait!  You want more free?  Here’s a complete Spider-Man story by Ty Templeton and Dan Slott!

Yeah, that’s from about three years ago, but if I posted anything more recent without permission, Marvel would vaporize my backside.

If you’re in the Toronto/Brampton area, come and watch me give out free comics in person at:

Stadium Comics at Shoppers World Brampton (Hwy 7 and Hwy 10, more or less)  

With all the traffic problems in Toronto, it’s probably an easier drive that anywhere downtown.  Come and see me…anyone under ten years old gets a free sketch!  Adults must pay through the nose and call me Lord Highmaster.

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THANK YOU, AL FELDSTEIN

When I was eleven years old, I saw the movie THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE with my mom, and felt very grown up to have seen a film with swearing in it.  A couple of days later, I saw this issue of Mad Magazine and had enough money on me to buy it.

At eleven, I was already waaay into comic books, and drawing, and I couldn’t get over the idea that a comic book had a painted cover that looked sort of like Norman Rockwell had painted it.  But…oh my…the interior artwork…

I copied every artist in this book over and over again.  Tried to paint that cover with acrylics and draw like George Woodbridge and Mort Drucker and Dave Berg and Paul Coker Jr. and Bob Clarke and Angelo Torres and Al Jaffee and everyone involved in this issue.  I couldn’t believe the level of artistic skill on display in a comic book that made me laugh like a monkey when I was eleven.

So I got the next issue and the next…and immediately I was a subscriber.  It was the first magazine I ever subscribed to.  The first issue that came in the mail had THIS cover:

In this age of the internet, it’s hard to understand the level of subversion involved in this cover.  I understand it was banned in a number of stores and even a few American states wouldn’t let it be displayed within their borders.   Take that, developing taste in pop culture!

Mad Magazine rather quickly became a cornerstone of my personality.  At the age of 20, when it first occurred to me I might actually have the skills to make a living in this biz, I sent samples of my work out to Playboy, the New Yorker and Mad Magazine (it never crossed my mind to work on Super-heroes at the time, I was a gag cartoonist…)

All three magazines rejected my work (as they should have, the work was terrible), but the rejection from Mad Magazine was a treasure to me, because it was signed by Al Feldstein, editor.  It was like an autograph, and the rejection hung over my desk for years, somewhat proudly.

Al Feldstein: Grinning mischievously after rejecting me, the callous bastard.

We lost Al Feldstein this week at the age of 88.  I never got a chance to meet him in person, but he absolutely changed my life when I was eleven, and kicked me in the pants when I was 20.  He retired when I was about 25, so I never worked for him…but…

This was the first issue of Mad Magazine to include my art.

I finally got to his magazine.  Thank you Al Feldstein, for ruining my life with your sense of humour and subversion, and forcing me to become one of the Gang of Idiots.  It’s all your fault!  I could have been a plumber!

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Not another one!

R.I.P. Efram Zimbalist Jr.

This silver haired devil had the coolest name in show biz.

A television staple throughout my childhood on FBI and a number of other shows, I always dug this guy’s off-beat name and too-handsome-for-the-room mustache.

But the world of Batman knew and loved him as the voice of ALFRED PENNYWORTH, butler to the cave.

“anything else you need cleaned up, Master Bruce…?”

Thanks for all the memories, Efram.

Ty the Guy OUT!

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For last week’s Bun Toon about Fanboys and their difficulties with Fangirls, click here…

For the Bun Toon archive, click here

 

 

 

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.

Death Threat Bun Toons! YAY!

It’s the only threat my kind understands.

What I love most about working in the comics industry, is the fans.  The loving, passionate fans…

(If it’s hard to read, the solution is just like with my marriage: rub it with the mouse, and it will get bigger…)

Of course this last bout of death threats is nothing new.  Apparently there were death threats when Shakespeare killed off Falstaff and brought him back as robotic life model decoy in Henry VIth, part 4.

In case anyone is worried, Dan is still alive and well…I spoke to him on the phone last night.  Although, it DID sound a little like a computer generated voice now that I recall the conversation.  Hey, wait….when did Dan start asking me about the proper functioning of my input busses?

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS Dan Slott Comic Book Moment.

I’m pretty sure this cover counts as Dan being a Super-Villain….

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For last week’s Bun Toon, involving no death threats that I know of, click the title above…

For Bun Toons galore, going back YEARS, click the bunny above.

NRA Bun Toons! Duck and cover!

Because you can’t spell Christmas, without the letters “national tragedy”.

I wanted to avoid the subject.  I’ve ignored the cable news, and haven’t clicked onto Huffington Post in weeks, but the culture comes at you anyway.  Now, my bestest pal DAN SLOTT is surrounded by Secret Service agents because he’s getting death threats for writing a rip-roaring Spider-Man yarn.    What is wrong with you people and the guns and the death?

Thank god we have the NRA, and the voice of sanity in Wayne LaPierre.

Because, you know…violent video games, mental illness, media, etc.

Earlier this month, a crazy man entered a school trying to kill as many children as he could with a deadly weapon.  He attacked more than two dozen, but the country was China and the deadly weapon was a knife and as a result, NOT ONE SINGLE VICTIM DIED.

The only difference between the event in China and the event in Newtown was the presence of the gun.    So the evidence is in, the conversation is over.

Except for exceptionally stupid people.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS NRA COMIC BOOK moment:

Superboy was willing to endorse the NRA back in the Sixties, but that was before skin-piercing Kryptonite bullets.

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For last week’s far more Christmas-y Bun Toon, click the unarmed Santa.

For all the Bun Toons for 2012, 2011 and earlier, click the Bunny

 

 

 

Gotham City Bun Toons YAY!

I’m Bunny-Man, punks.

It’s Thanksgiving weekend in the States, so statistically, no one is reading this. But I don’t Bun Toon for the readers, I do it for the man in my head who WON’T STOP YELLING AT ME!

Full confession:  This was a lovely idea Dan Slott suggested we try back while we were doing Batman Adventures together.  But since Dan and I are each doing a version of Spider-Man at the moment  (Dan writes Amazing, I do  Ulitimate  Adventures), it ain’t going to happen anywhere but here.  No one ever gets to hear about the Red Hood either, after what…almost ten years now?

So, ten years delayed gag from the Slott/ Templeton Batman Adventures Team.

Happy belated American Thanksgiving everyone.  Now, go buy Christmas gifts, you economic engines, you.

Oh, and see you all at INDUSTRY NIGHT and the ONE DAY CONVENTION tomorrow.  SEE HERE for details.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS “Batman is frightened of the light” MOMENT.

Because this death trap has to be generating thirty or forty watts of pure power.

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For last week’s equally daytime-related comedy, click above.

For an archive or previous Bun Toon, going back years, click the Bunny.

FREE Comic Books!!

Everyone knows about FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, but that was waaaaaaaay back in May. Too long to wait for the next one! In its infinite wisdom, Diamond Comic Distributors has created a Hallowe’en version of Free Comic Book Day intended for the kids:  HALLOWEEN COMICFEST.

There are lots of comics from many publishers all available for free, but there are two of particular interest to Ty Templeton fans:  both DC Comics and Marvel Comics books’ feature stories by Ty and Dan Slott.

sez DC Comics,

“…fans will be excited to learn that comic book stores nationwide will be distributing the all-ages Halloween ComicFest exclusive BATMAN/SCOOBY DOO! Flipbook for FREE! Reprinting classic BATMAN and SCOOBY-DOO tales, this collection comes to you from the creative teams of writers Dan Slott and Chris Duffy and artist Ty Templeton amongst various others.”

Marvel Comics is offering up a book with both Spidey and the Avengers (based on the animated shows). Sez them,

“One product in particular is Marvel’s Halloween ComicFest book, ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN AND AVENGERS. This all-ages book translates all the action and excitement from the television shows “Ultimate Spider-Man” and “Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!” into a comic book that will not only entertain young kids but engage teenagers and adults as well. “

THIS SATURDAY, October 27, Ty will be at STADIUM COMICS in Brampton, Ontario (at Shoppers World mall, Highway 10 and Steeles Avenue). The event is HUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGEEEEEEE; they say they’ve booked over TWENTY comics creators.

Ty’s really looking forward to this–he’s heard so much about Stadium Comics but not had a chance to check out the store yet. And he’s looking forward to seeing YOU! He’ll be signing copies of the FREE COMIC BOOKS from Marvel and DC, signing other books you bring him, he’ll have prints for sale, and he’s bringing some blank Batman sketch covers…  He’ll be doing sketches as well. And–as always–he’ll be telling tales…

Stop by and get your free books, get ’em signed…and you can ask Ty questions about his COMIC BOOK BOOTCAMP, and hear about the upcoming classes (which start in ten days…registration is almost closed for WRITING FOR COMICS PART TWO, still spaces in LAYOUT FOR COMICS, and INKING FOR COMICS).

(Next Wednesday, which is actually Hallowe’en, Ty will be at The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery…but we’ll tell you about that when it gets closer to the date.)

Keiren

Plug, Plug, Plug. Baby needs new size twelve shoes.

Plug.

Plug.

Spider-Man Plug.

On Sale Tomorrow.  I wrote it (Dan Slott helped).  Matt Clark drew it.  Marvel printed it.  You’re going to love it, I promise.  MOST. FUN. MARVEL. STORY. I’VE. EVER. WRITTEN.

Plug.

Ultimate Spider-Man Adventures #3.  Coming next week.  I drew one of this issue’s interior stories.   Two Spider-Man Comics in two weeks!  Plus:  Spider-Man in the movies, yo!  Spider-Man on the comics’ stands! I’m at pop culture ground zero, fellow babies.

Batman plug.

Plug.

On sale in July.  I drew this one.  The true story of Batman’s creation, finally giving due to BILL FINGER, the REAL creator of Batman.

Plug.

Some pages from Bill  The Boy Wonder.  This scene recreates the moment Bob Kane “created” Batman.

Plug.

Another scene from Bill  The Boy Wonder.  This the moment that Bill Finger explains to Bob Kane how to fix that first version of the character so that people will actually read it.

plug.

On Sale in July.  The Bat-Fan in you needs this book.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here, now your Bonus Plug:

naughty Halloween revellers ruin it for the rest of us.

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?

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

Ultimate Spider-Man Bun Toons! YAY!

Some day, we will judge a super-hero by the content of his character, and not the colour of his costume...

Sorry I haven’t blogged this week.  Actual work took precedence over playing online.  But with great Bun Toons, comes great responsibility, so I’m here every Saturday.

And hey, just because this new guy is getting all the media attention, don’t forget to pick up my buddy Dan Slott’s SPIDER-ISLAND story line, taking over half of the comics rack for the next couple of months.  It’s damn cool, and it’s still in the 616 (which I’m sure is an area code somewhere…)

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your Spider-Man costume with someone else in it, BONUS MOMENT:

You can just thank your lucky stars I didn't bring this up...

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For last week's equally Marvel-centric Bun Toon, click the stars!

For every bun toon ever, poke the bunny in the naughty bits under his shirt.