2010 - the year in comics

As a way of saying goodbye to the old year I decided to to take a stock of the comic books I got hold of since January. Some of them are not brand new and there aren't so many of them altogether, but here they are one by one:

After spanning the storyline of Bone - my all time favourite comic book - for 15 years, Jeff Smith explored new territories with Rasl, the dimension-hopping art thief. More adult-oriented topic and film noir storytelling this time around.

Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra starts its plot with a rather haunting idea. In the summer of 2002 a mysterious plague wipes out all the male mammals of Earth expect for a young American guy and his capuchin monkey. According to this series an all-female world is not necessarily a better and more peaceful place than the one we know.

1566 - The Siege of Szigetvár was made by Endre Sarlós, one of the old masters of Hungarian comics. It commemorates how a small garrison of Hungarian and Croatian soldiers faced the vast army of Ottoman Turkey and fought to the last man. So here is the Hungarian 300 if you like...

Now, a perfectly fresh one. Pinkhell is the occasionally published magazine of a group of artists called the Hungarian Academy of Comics (a somewhat ironic name in response to the old cliché claiming that comics is art for the dumb). The new issue was published for Hungarocomix, the big end-of-year comic event in Budapest, and contains some seriously smashing stuff. Some pages can be previewed here: http://neroblanco.blog.hu/2010/12/16/hc_ajanlo_pinkhell_7#more2518798




Last, but not at all least, The Art of Bone, aka the perfect Christmas present for a die-hard Bone fan like myself. In 2007 Jeff Smith generously let the editors of Dark Horse Comics look through his archives and comply an amazing album of sketches, drafts, cover illusrations, let alone Smith's childhood drawings and the comic strips he published at college. An utterly amazing compilation for fans and aspiring artists :o)

So, happy new year evryone, and I'll try my best to get some Corvin updates - that is, new pages - up here quite soon. Fingers crossed.

The Merkin Project

Hi everyone. You may have noticed that the new Corvin pages failed to materialize here lately. The reason is for this is - apart from really taking the time to plan the madly exciting action sequence of the next few pages - can be seen below. Perhaps I need to explain how it came into being.

Quite a while ago at an evening out with friends somebody remarked how cool it is that the British have a word for 'artificial pubic hair'. The next day I did some internet research about this thing called merkin and thought it would be a good excuse for a comic in the light of what I found. For those with a further interest in merkins http://www.merkinworld.com/ provides extensive background information.
And now behold the comic itself (I also plan to colour it soon, but was too eager to show something for my dear audience):

Text for non-Hungarian speakers:
Page 1
panel 2: HiYa, Sue!
p 3: Fiii darling! Long time no see!
p 4 Sue: What can I do for you?
Fiona: I hear that older blokes are mad about merkins these days. You have any?
p5 Sue: Course we do! The coolest merkins of London are right there.
p6 Fiona: Oh dear, you need to put these there? ...Right, I'll try on one or two.
Page 2
p1 Sue: How does it fit?
Fiona: I'm not sure... Will you have a look?
p2 Sue: Oh it's a fab piece! Fits you perfectly.
Fiona: Reallyy? I'll buy it then!
p3: Sue: That'll be twenty pounds, please. Who's the lucky guy by the way?
Fiona: I've been seeing Lord Cleveland lately. Hope this thingie will make him even more eager....
p4 Sue: Lord Cleveland... OHMYGOSH! ...I mean, I heard he's quite into it.
p5: Fiona: Then I'll surely let him see it. Bye and thanks a million, sweetie!
Sue: Bye darling! I'm rooting for you soo much!
p6: Sue: Just you wait sweetie! Actually Lord Cleveland is crazy for this kind of merkin. It's time I give him a buzzer and get him to date me!

Enter the dame

In case anyone remembers a story called Corvin...
Panel 1 Innkeper: Miss Borka! Is it you?
Panel 2 Borka: Hello, uncle Andrew! How's business going?
Innk: Same as always. But does your father know that you are rambling around here on your own again?
Panel 3 Borka: I'd rather keep this information from him. I'm on my way home, just wanted to say hello and taste this lovely elderwine.
Innk: Are you going to Ravencastle? Those two young sirs are heading there too.
Panel 4 Borka: Since when do young sirs frequent the inn? And who are they?
Innk: Those two, over there. They seem to be quite refined folks. I wonder what on earth they are doing here...
Panel 5 Colin: I certainly hope we are refined folks. Would the young lady like to join our table?
Borka: Absolutely, right after the young sirs have introduced themselves!
Panel 6 Pip: Of course, we should have done that right away! My name is Pip Driscoll, and this gentleman is Colin O' Gara.
Borka: Pleasure to meet you, I am Borka Harangi. I presume you sirs are not from this area?

Early teaser for Corvin

So if we are lucky and live long enough, one day you'll get to see this image in context. The ferocious Ottoman Turks are laying a siege to ...Well, I'm not giving away that yet! :o)

The darker side of the inn and cartoons for Human Rights

On board again... No excuses for the delay really, though the World Cup and the mostly awful hot weather over here may as well do.

Bad news is I didn't get selected for Craig Thomson's presumably awesome residency in Florida. However, as he writes on his blog, "There was so much amazing work that it made the selection process challenging and frustrating, but also bodes well for the future of the comics medium! Keep working on those projects!" So gotta keep rolling, even if I know that my artwork is not exactly amazing.
Here's a single new page:

En inglés: Panel 1 Innkeeper: Of course against the Turks! Don't you know that their whole army is marching this way, led by the Sultan himself?!
P2 Colin: Yes, we are aware of that. We only thought they are still further away. Is there still time for us to sit at a table?
Innk: Hopefully, yes.
P3 Pip: The wine is alright. What's wrong?
Colin: What's wrong?! We're at the edge of the world thanks to our duke's magic trick, the Sultan's army is upon us, and we may not even have money to pay for this wine.
P4 Pip: Oh my, the legendary meanness of his highness! We'd better check that bag at once!
Colin:Yessir, right away. Your wish is my command!
P5 Pip: Looks like he excelled himself and at least didn't remove anything.
Colin: Indeed, here's all our twenty silvers, two outfits per person and some knickers too. What else could we ask for?
P6 Innk (thinking): Now, who the heck is that?! Aren't these two dandies enough for a day...?

And now for something completely different:

This here is a cartoon that is aimed at facilitating education about Human Rights. There will be a few more hopefully, and not only by me. Details to come later....

Merry Times in the Inn

P1 Innkeeper: Hello gentlemen! What can I get you?
Colin: Greetings, Sir! We could do with some refreshments and directions too.
P2 Ik: Then this way please, sirs!
Pip: You see, there are friendly folks around here too!
P3 Ik: What would you like to drink? I've got red and white wine and pinewood brandy. I guess it's too hot for that though.
Colin: In that case we'll stay with red wine.
P4 Ik: Here you are. So where do you intend to get?
Colin: We're eager to find a certain Lord Corvin.
P5: Ik: It's your lucky day! Ravencastle, his residence is barely a day's walk from here.
Peasant: He may not be there now! He's already gathering his army against the Turks!
P6: Ik: Possibly, neighbour. But he's not going to every single village himself, is he?! Let's not make the young gentlemen lose heart!
Pip: What do you mean 'against the Turks'?

Something of an activity report

I do feel slightly apologetic about the proclamation made last month and can almost hear people saying 'Increased activity... my arse!' in a beautiful Irish accent.So, unfortunately no new pages completed, but plenty of other things have been going on.
First of all the application for Craig Thompson's residency in Florida was proudly completed and posted a week ago. This elaborate process included writing a plot outline (yes, I know how it's going to end!), a letter of intent for Mr. CT stating how awesome it would be to get chosen, let alone rescanning, printing and sending along a few completed pages as well as character sketches of Lord Corvin and heroine, who are both to be introduced to the story pretty soon(ish).
So now, fingers crossed! Pictured below is the thumbnail draft of the next page to come, which has hopefully also crossed the Atlantic by now. The story should be completed in this format by the time of the residency.

These are simple photographs as the old scanner is still busted. Below is another character drawing of a maybe not entirely positive and chivalric guy. I suggest you lock your teenage daughters up safely if he turns up in your neighbourhood... However, he is going to do something heroic when the time comes.


In other news the 6th Hungarian Comics Festival was held last Saturday in its usual venue, Gödör Klub at the heart of Budapest. Fun was had as usual with several special guests around, such as Pran Kumar "the Indian Walt Disney" and Aleksandr Zograf from Serbia. There's also an exclusive picture of yours truly at the premises, which will appear here as soon as I get hold of it.

Now... here it is (29 May)

and then they got talking with the locals...


Panel 1

1st peasant: We're in for a bloody war again with those rascal Turks...
Colin: Good morning, gentlemen! This is Lord Corvin's estate, isn't it?
Panel 2 Pip: Perhaps they didn't understand your question?
Colin: Hold your tongue, that guy has got a hoe!
Panel 3
Woman: Young sirs, you're better off asking questions in the inn. The sun may set before you get an answer from these old grumblers!
Colin: Thank you so much, dear lady!
Panel 4
2nd peasant: Shoot, Mary! It's time I teach you not to interfere with our manly dealings!
Pip: There is the inn! Avanti!
Panel 5
Pip: Pretty cool! Just like the piazza!
Colin: Yep. It looks almost the same. Let's go inside!

Dear readers, it's also time I proclaim an increased activity compared to what went on in the previous months (my Dad's scanner just got busted but there are ways around everything, aren't there?)
Here's an awesome reason for increasing my efforts:
http://blog.dootdootgarden.com/2010/01/16/atlantic-center-for-the-arts/
Craig Thompson is running a residency on making graphic novels in October! Woo-hoo!
I need to get there! Let's go ahead writing a story outline and loads of thumbnail drafts (and certainly carrying on with the present chapter)!
Dear folks, I'm counting on your feedback and even willing to set up a Facebook page to that end. See you around!

New page and a wee reminder



Here we go again.... I'd love to draw faster but really, this is what I'm capable of now. However, I'm quite pleased with the last item on the page. I managed to break down the panel barriers here :)

Translation:
Panel 1 Pip: Why am I carrying the bag? You are stronger than me!
Colin: I thought it's more credible if you are the henchman. But hang on, I'll take it!
Panel 2 Pip: Also, what makes you think that people live around here? We may need to wander for days till
we can find someone!
Colin: Firstly, we're going on a proper country road. A good sign, isn't it? Secondly: look over there!
Panel 4 Colin: A village! We can ask for directions here!
Pip: As well as have a drink before we die of thirst!
Panel 5 Peasant 1: I'm telling ya, the comet means nothin good!
Peasant 2: Betcha it doesn't!