New Stuff!

Here is a teaser for a web-project I want to start in March, and then collect in TPB form when it's done. It'll be a rip-roaring, all-ages adventure story. Also at the link below is the teaser poster I will be selling at the Phoenix Comic-Con in January.



The Coral City Aeronauts page.

Why don't we have heated toilet seats?

Here is a couple new things, the Hellboy is a sketch for my buddy, comic writer and Dabel Bros. guru, Derek Ruiz, he had an apartment fire a few months back and lost everything, including his comic collection which numbered close to 30,000 if I remember correctly, so this is part of a "care package" I'm sending off. The other sketch is for my Actionopolis project, I'm still trying to nail down the kids' looks, they are supposed to be around 12. My publisher is happy with this except for the 2 girls, who I still need to tweak.

- sigh -

I am depressed and bored and stressed. I have a lot of work to do and cannot get motivated. I finally got a paying gig and the first half payment was gone within 24 hours to bills, and the second half payment is going to bills. I wish I had the money for a new laptop with a stylus.....

Momma wants some toast!

A fun sketch for a project I'm doing, it probably won't see print until next winter, but it's still fun and something I haven't done before.

Legendary Page 1

this is for the Legendary anthology, dunno who the publisher will be but it's a fun little experiment. I have no time to really go all out, so I'm cheating and using mostly flat colors and a texture overlay, I'm about 75% happy with it though.

Work

Whew, after speaking to one of my publishers last night, it really came into focus how much I have on my plate that I want to do. I'm finally getting paid for some of this so it is getting excited and I have a few offers that I'm waiting to hear back from that might continue this trend. I'm doing the sample pages for a potential one-shot, working on my illustrations for the Actionopolis book I'm doing, working on my story for the Legendary anthology, and potentially getting a work-for-hire gig, all within the next month or so. Some stuff will have to hold over into January. Also in January I would like to possibly work up another pitch with Grant and there's a good potential for me to work with an established writer on a mini-series for a major indie-press company. All that plus a con in January that I need to work up some prints and a sketchbook for and my Empty Glasses project that I am writing that's looking good for publication.


wow. 2007 is looking to be a good year so far. Also check out this kick-ass preview of Dan Hipp's new Tokyopop book. Damn if it doesn't look like the best thing to come out in a while.

New/Old Art

these are from early this year/late last year. The first 3 are my designs for the 70's era VILLAINS cast, which Charlie Clark redesigned and re-drew for his back-up series in VILLAINS. Then we have some discarded logo ideas that went unused.

Europa!

There's a better than fair chance that a project I'm writing and developing with Italian wonderboy Federico Milella will be published in Europe. More specifically in French I believe. I would link to his site but he's never finished it, but keep in mind that every publisher and editor that has seen his work has loved it and I'm just along for the ride. It is all very exciting and once I have more news I will be posting it. Also, keep in mind to order VILLAINS Vol.1 Trade as it is released next month from Viper Comics. Thanks!

It Works!

Just wanted to give everyone a quick pat on the back for a job well done on Tuesday, the people voiced their disapproval of the last 6 years and we now have an opportunity for a new approach and a fresh vision. Also, I love this photo that is circulating the net, I stole this particular one from Warren Ellis's site and he stole it from somewhere else. It's lovely.

New Art

I posted a sneak peek of the upcoming Villains trade over on the SKETCHjam!

On-Air

I'm about to do a pod-cast interview but I wanted to mention that I have interviews up at Silverbulletcomics and The Pulse today! Go check em' out and spread the love!

a sad day.....

I cancelled my webhost yesterday, it was time to simplify and blogger & flickr are free and work great. So if you have any bookmarks of Hurricanekids.com, please re-direct them here. Thanks.

How I wish I got paid for all of these things.....

I decided to compile my schedule of projects so I could really set my mind straight and get geared up for the next few months. On the two projects I will be pitching (along with writers), I will usually only do a handful of pages to shop around, and then, when and if the projects finds a home, I will start full production on them. The funny thing about doing all these projects is that there is an equal chance that all of them could get picked up by publishers or that none of them could, so I like to keep alot on my plate. These projects do not include ongoing freelance illustration gigs and my teaching stuff.

enjoy.
send me money.
hire me for something.

October 2006

- 10 page bonus story for the Villains trade

- Compose and put together Villains trade – Deadline November 1

November 2006

- Illustrations for Actionopolis book. – Deadline November 30

- Legendary Anthology Project Pages – Deadline January 1

December 2006

- "Jackpot” pitch*

- Unnamed Alter-Cody pitch

- Legendary Anthology Project Pages – Deadline January 1

January 2007

- Launch Top-Secret web-comic

Projects waiting to hear back from publishers –

Empty Glasses – Written by me, Art by Federico Milella

The Society of Modern Vengeance – by myself and others, tentatively scheduled for a 2008 release.

My new book in December

300.

I've watched this trailer about 10 times in the last 2 days. This is where digital filmaking is truly making it's mark. I cannot wait for this film, even thought I stopped buying the 300 comic after the first issue. Go and be happy.

The Great Lobster Chase

In my house, the bathroom is situated between 2 bedrooms, so to use the bathroom one must pass through the boy's room. The following scene took place last night at about 1am as my wife passed through - (this is paraphrased as I was a room away and partially asleep, but it went something like this....)
_______________________________________________________________

Sexy Wife goes creeps through the mess of the boy's room on her way to the restroom...

Ash, Age 8 (waking up) - "Mommy?, I had a dream and there was a lobster chasing me."

Sexy Wife - "oh wow Ash, that's a crazy dream."

Ash - "It didn't catch me but it tried to sting me with it's stinger."

Sexy Wife - "Lobsters don't have stingers baby, they have claws."

peeing sound coming from the bathroom...

Ash - "Yeah, but I tore it off so he couldn't get me."

Sexy Wife - "Did you eat the lobster tail?"

Ash - "No, I'm not going to drink poison, I'm not stupid."

Overweight Dad laughing his ass off a room away....

Aiden, Age 6, (waking up, tired and cranky) - "Aaaaasssshhh..... you woke me up shithead."

Overweight Dad nearly pissing himself in bed.........
_____________________________________________________________

happy Thursday and thank god Hockey Season is back.

Reminders......

Since the 50 ft. Blog is more a personal, journal type blog, I thought I would pop these links in a post for all to enjoy.

- For past interviews, reviews and all around cool shit about my book Villains - please visit the Villains Forum @ Viper Comics

- For sketches by me and some other bad-ass fellas, please visit the SKETCHJAM!

- I also post to the wonderfully wonderful Viper Comics Snakebites Blog

Back on the train.....

I figure I use blogger for every other blog I have, so why not this one too, if you have my LJ bookmarked, please change it to this. It's hot, I'm depressed and I just found this photo on Flickr of me @ the Phoenix CactusCon. The artist next to me never removed his glasses all weekend.

I also briefly got to meet Ron Garney!



and here are a bunch of local guys, Shannon Denton (Actionopolis!), Mike Bulloc, Illustrator Tony Parker and Raven.



Terry Austin, Brett Blevins and Mike Manley



here's Billy Tan making like $150 bucks..............



I am sad.

I also wanted to mention a really great postcard (scan) that I got from my friend John from his brother Danny. Danny is over in Irag (maybe Afghanistan?) and John had sent Danny some copies of Villains to read. Danny really enjoyed them and said everyone else did too and he asked that John forward along copies of #4 as well, so that made me feel really proud. While I don't support the war, I do support the troops, and I hope Danny stays safe and I plan to buy him a few beers next time I see him in Vegas.

Getting Back

My Year In Review Pt.1

Ryan Cody

3^rd Period

2005 was a very interesting year for myself, perhaps the most interesting in quite a few.

Professionally. - When the year started I was just beginning to sketch again and draw on a more frequent basis and a few months later I decided to email a “web” buddy of mine named Mark Andrew Smith about possibly writing a concept of mine I used to call The Replacement Heroes. Mark was already an established writer with a great project called “The Amazing Joybuzzards” that is published by Image Comics. (It has gained widespread critical acclaim and is a great read as well). Well, Mark shot me down as his schedule was all full up, but he did introduce me to a swell fella by the name of Grant Alter who ended up being interested. So we ended up collaborating (my first time) on what ended up being The Hurricane Kids. We put together a pitch and have had some small press interest and we are still talking with a top indy publisher about it. Through Grant I also met great guys like Greg, Robbi and Russ from Image’s Hero-Camp, and through those guys I ended meeting a lot of cool people in Dallas at Wizard World Texas. Later in the spring I also met and collaborated with a writer by the name of Adam Cogan on a project called Villains. In July I attended the San Diego Comic-Con for the first time in 10 years and met a few artists and writers and pitched my 2 projects. Villains was greeted enthusiastically by the fine folks at Viper Comics and the first issue will drop in April 2006. Also in October Grant, Russ and myself produced a 20 page Hurricane Kids comic on our own dime, which we are very proud of and some are still available, email me if you’re interested. So on top of starting a small, budding comic career, I’ve also had published pin-ups in The Amazing Joybuzzards Vol.1 trade, Hero-Camp #4 (also featuring artwork from my son Ash) and Grounded #4, all from Image Comics. So it was a good year and I’m looking forward to 2006 with great anticipation. I plan to attend a few cons this year and on top of Villains and HK I also have few other projects in various stages. So keep checking the blogs often.

I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions because they always get broken but this year I would still like to produce work on time and get better at it, and maybe get a more professional work ethic and method. I also would like Villains to sell somewhere in the 4,000-5,000 range and gain a solid following. Indy comics are a hard market competing with the big boys, but I’m ready for it I think. Maybe later in the week I’ll post some personal reflections and hopes.