A Mad Mag Birthday Card and A Lovely Review. How nice.

It’s time for more happy stuff around here, to counter the lousy news of the world.  First off, a couple of days ago, I mentioned it was Al Jaffee’s 90th Birthday, and the gang at Mad was tasked to make Genius Jaffee some gifts and cards.  Here’s mine…

And now…folded in…

Okay, okay…it’s corny, I admit.  But until you’ve tried one, you have NO idea how difficult it is to create a fold-in.  I used to think Jaffee was merely a talented guy, but after trying to walk into his shoes, I cannot conceive of how his brain works —  to be able to come up with these fold-in images month in, month out, for fifty years and every one of them, much cleverer than anything I could do — AHH!

Again Happy Birthday Mr. Jaffee.  Clearly I believe you look like some blinged-out moron’s hairy ears.

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click the image to read a gushing review!

And now, one of the nicer reviews that Northern Guard #2 has gotten this week.  We’ve had a couple of good ones, and some “okay” reviews, (and nary a bad one…yet!).  This one from Ain’t It Cool News, however, went full out drooling happy, and that puts a little whistle in my tune and a spring in my step.

Go HERE to read it.  And when you’re done, stomp down to your retailer and DEMAND he order more copies of the first two issues…(and a TON of the third…) we need a little support for this book…who knew Golden Age Canadian Super-heroes didn’t set the American imagination on fire?  If you like snow, radioactive Russian scientists, fur bikinis, and explosions, we’re your one stop shopping experience.  All that and Johnny Canuck?  Grab your maple syrup and run!

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your Al Jaffee Fold-In Moment:

Tom Toles, one of the best political cartoonists of our time, did this wonderful tribute to Mr. Jaffe, May 2008.

If you’re not following the great Tom Toles at the Washington Post, you’re missing out! Oh, and here’s what the ‘toon looks like folded in.

(kts–You can check out more of Tole’s work at the link–the archive links don’t seem to be working at the moment to link to the original cartoon posting).

Northern Guard #2 is out, OFFICIALLY this time.

In the fifteenth quatrain of the eighty-ninth stanza of the Complete Prophesies of Nostradamus,  the great seer wrote:  “and shall the beaver, after long delay/find distribution through the patterns of diamond/unto the shops therein/the second week of March”.

Only a fool would argue with Nostradamus.  So it’s OFFICIALLY OUT ON WEDNESDAY! Northern Guard #2 (featuring Golden Age Canadian Superheroes JOHNNY CANUCK and FREELANCE) is hitting the stands, it’s kicking the stands, and it’s slapping the fans around a bit, too.  Don’t just take my word for it, check these  sample pages with art by David J. Cutler and K.T. Smith to whet the appetite of the most discerning reader and wet the beds of the most scardy-cat ones.

–

How can Moonstone Books cram that much action into one comic?  It must include science and wizardry.  I know I’m running out to buy a copy just to find out how they did it!

The excitement is overwhelming me, I have to sit down.

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now,  your shameless Plug Moment:

SHAMELESS PLUG BLOG DECEMBER 15 2010

Yeah, yeah, this was originally written and published in November. November 23 2010 to be precise. But life happens…plans change, especially plans of publishers and printers. Both these books were delayed from their original release date, but it’s been confirmed that they will really truly be in stores tomorrow, Wednesday December 15 2010. So, read this re-post quickly…then off you go.

SHAMELESS PLUG BLOG

Every now and then, comics I wrote or drew get published, and I get to ask you to buy them.  I often forget to do this, but this week, I’ve got enough coming out in a row to pester you.

I PRESENT THE SHAMELESS PLUG BLOG

Shameless Plugging you with the Jason Edmiston Cover A

First up:  I’m fairly sure that Johnny Canuck’s big return to comics in the NORTHERN GUARD is this Wednesday or next Wednesday, if your local doesn’t get it tomorrow.  There’s some chewy good fun in this comic – a revival of some terrific Canadian Golden Age characters, and the first published work of a couple of good Canadian pals of mine.  (I just called my wife a “pal”.  I’m a dead man.)

 

Shameless Plugging you with the less-often-seen David J. Cutler’s alt cover B

Speaking of the lovely Keiren, it’s fun to see her credit on the Harvey Pekar meets the Thing story that’s coming out NEXT week.   She’s lettered a couple of the stories I did with Harvey Pekar, and keeping with the tradition, she gets her first Marvel credit.  And she did a terrific job!  I’m allowed to show off the first page, now that Marvel’s put it into promotion rotation.  This one’s in the stores in a week, I’m told.

If you have any fondness for Pekar, you’re going to love his take on the Thing.  This is, by far, my favorite Pekar story I ever got to do, sad as the events surrounding it were, and I’m going to blog about why it was so wonderful and bittersweet, right after it comes out next week…no spoilers here.

The cover looks like this, so you’ll know to get it when it’s out…

 

this series is so cool, you should be buying it, regardless.

And just to top off the sudden flood of Templeton product on the market in one fortnight, this came out in England last week –  check it-

 

Issue #14 of Murky Depths.

It’s a horror/sf writer’s magazine, with both prose and comics contained within.  Not a bad little offering and you can find much more about this publisher at   http://www.murkydepths.com  But you probably figured that out on your own.  I’ll bet you can order copies there.

For my part, I did thumbnail layouts and original edits on a terrific horror/adult story about a man who finds out the world is going to end, and wants to go out – ehem…with a bang.  It was written by Greg Dunford, and illustrated by Gibson Quarter and Eden Bachelder –  a group of friends who are all merry members of the Toronto Cartoonist Workshop usual suspects.

All right…the shameless plugging is done for today. Though it may come up again when my issue of Mad Magazine comes out next month, or my upcoming issues of the Simpsons.   Or…

Ty the Guy OUT!

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Here now, your Shameless Plug Comic Book moment of zen:

 

Look at that outfit. The man is clearly shameless.

 

SHAMELESS PLUG BLOG NOVEMBER 2010.

Every now and then, comics I wrote or drew get published, and I get to ask you to buy them.  I often forget to do this, but this week, I’ve got enough coming out in a row to pester you.

I present the SHAMELESS PLUG BLOG

Shameless Plugging you with the Jason Edmiston Cover A

First up:  I’m fairly sure that Johnny Canuck’s big return to comics in the NORTHERN GUARD is this Wednesday or next Wednesday, if your local doesn’t get it tomorrow.  There’s some chewy good fun in this comic – a revival of some terrific Canadian Golden Age characters, and the first published work of a couple of good Canadian pals of mine.  (I just called my wife a “pal”.  I’m a dead man.)

 

Shameless Plugging you with the less-often-seen David J. Cutler's alt cover B

Speaking of the lovely Keiren, it’s fun to see her credit on the Harvey Pekar meets the Thing story that’s coming out NEXT week.   She’s lettered a couple of the stories I did with Harvey Pekar, and keeping with the tradition, she gets her first Marvel credit.  And she did a terrific job!  I’m allowed to show off the first page, now that Marvel’s put it into promotion rotation.  This one’s in the stores in a week, I’m told.

If you have any fondness for Pekar, you’re going to love his take on the Thing.  This is, by far, my favorite Pekar story I ever got to do, sad as the events surrounding it were, and I’m going to blog about why it was so wonderful and bittersweet, right after it comes out next week…no spoilers here.

The cover looks like this, so you’ll know to get it when it’s out…

 

this series is so cool, you should be buying it, regardless.

And just to top off the sudden flood of Templeton product on the market in one fortnight, this came out in England last week –  check it-

 

Issue #14 of Murky Depths.

It’s a horror/sf writer’s magazine, with both prose and comics contained within.  Not a bad little offering and you can find much more about this publisher at   http://www.murkydepths.com  But you probably figured that out on your own.  I’ll bet you can order copies there.

For my part, I did thumbnail layouts and original edits on a terrific horror/adult story about a man who finds out the world is going to end, and wants to go out – ehem…with a bang.  It was written by Greg Dunford, and illustrated by Gibson Quarter and Eden Bachelder –  a group of friends who are all merry members of the Toronto Cartoonist Workshop usual suspects.

All right…the shameless plugging is done for today. Though it may come up again when my issue of Mad Magazine comes out next month, or my upcoming issues of the Simpsons.   Or…

Ty the Guy OUT!

———————————————————

Here now, your Shameless Plug Comic Book moment of zen:

 

Look at that outfit. The man is clearly shameless.

More Exciting New Comics …by the Guy

I’ll get back to promoting HOLMES INC. a little later, but right now, I’ll promote some of my other, why-I-am-always-busy releases.

…Wednesday, August 18 look for Marvel’s Age of Heroes #4, with the last of the one-pagers I drew over a Dan Slott script.  It’s not the first time I’ve ever drawn Steve Rogers (my favorite Marvel Character) but it’s the first time I’ve drawn him in the new Spiffy Super Soldier outfit, which they DON’T use on the cover…sigh.

So, run out to your local and buy fifty copies, and Marvel will assume the sales jump is because of my one-pager and promote me to E.I.C.

Wait!  There’s more!   Moonstone has put online the cover for Northern Guard (starring Johnny Canuck) number #2, drawn by Jason Edmiston.  Interiors by tomorrow’s superstar, David J. Cutler, and scripted by your humble correspondent.  (Also lettered and coloured by your humble correspondent’s main squeeze girl!)   The cover is so pretty, I burst into tears when I first saw it, so get out your hankies, ’cause here it comes!

Ain’t Jason the Find of the Century?  Well, the century is fairly young yet, but he’s in the running! (and just to remind you of the goodness that is Jason, here’s the cover for Northern Guard #1).

I’ll be showing off the cover and another story from HOLMES INC. tomorrow…who says this isn’t the Templeton Age of Comics?

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your Comic Book Moment of Zen