Happy New Year Post

Hey Everyone!
Unfortunately no new page to show ya yet to finish 2014 in style... Did some promotion though for Corvin at the pre-Christmas comics fair by way of producing a flyer - which meant I needed to design a logo first. Here it is:

And the flyer itself, made by the use of some very basic digital means - can you guess which ones?

And here's how the flyers looked on the spot at Hungarocomix:

 
Wait a minute, it actually promises a Corvin comic book for 2015... Well, fingers crossed.
For now, I can show you a teaser for the next page:

 So... Happy New Year and do stick around! ;)

Autumn sketches revisited

To keep the tradition I started last year alive, just before autumn is over.

Firstly, a Lord Corvin sketch inspired by the Inktober initiative on Facebook - check it out here if you haven't! I believe he's shouting here for more pace in drawing, so that he can finally appear in Chapter 3.

Secondly, two pieces from our monthly Drink & Draw sessions, where the pros hammer out five or more drawings with ease, while I'm happy to produce two decent ones, such as

Ser Rodrik Cassell from A Game of Thrones

and a so-called vendigork

Finally, a piece called "The role of the artist through the ages", with a little current political twist in the last panel.

Sweet talk and menace

Our protagonists have finally met during the last episode... er page. But hark, some shady guys are lurking outside the inn...  Maybe we get to see some action before the new year?

Panel 1
Colin: You mean we look like strangers?
Borka: You certainly don't look like honest peasants, and only those types live here.
Panel 2
Borka: Besides, your hairstyle is pretty unusual around here, Mister Gara!
Colin: I beg your pardon, this is the latest fashion in Mila..
Pip: O 'Gara, respectfully!
Panel 3
Thug: The girl went in there, boss!
Kaspar: Excellent! Now we're gonna catch her. Tell the boys we are striking!
Panel 4
Pip: So your ladyship is heading for Ravencastle. Can we volunteer to be your escorts?
Borka: That is a real honour. May I ask what business you sirs have there?
Colin: We have a message for Lord Corvin from an old friend of his.
Panel 5
Borka: How interesting! Who can that old friend be?
Colin: Francesco Sforza, the Duke of Milan.
Panel 6
Borka: Wow! You must have had a thrilling journey all the way from Milan. Please, tell me about it!
Pip: We would love to, but the whole journey seemed to take only a moment somehow!
Colin: Indeed, the Duke sent us here on the shortest possible route...

Stay tuned for some Autumn sketches later this week!

Enter the dame 2.0

Fun fact: the first version of this page appeared here almost exactly four years ago. Time flies, innit?

Panel 1

 Innkeeper: Miss Borka!
Panel 2

 Borka: Hello, Uncle Andrew! How's business going?
Innkeeper: Exactly the same as always. But would your father approve of you strolling around here on your own again?
Panel 3

Borka: Well, I won’t tell him if you don’t. I'm heading right back home, just dropped in to say hello and taste this lovely elder wine.
Innkeeper: Are you going to Ravencastle? Those two young sirs are headed there too.
Panel 4

Borka: When did young sirs start to frequent the inn? And who are they?
Innkeeper: Those two, over there. They seem like quite refined folks. I wonder what on earth they are doing in our neck of the woods...
Panel 5

Colin: I certainly hope we are refined folks indeed. Would the young lady like to join our table?
Borka: Gladly, right after the young sirs will 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?

The inkeeper's got news for you, Folks

The next page of Corvin, that is. Just for the record, I finished it two weeks ago. So why the delay in posting? Blame it on da summer, shall we...

Panel 1

Innkeeper: Why, who on Earth but the Turks?! Don't you know that their whole army is marching this way, led by the Sultan himself?!

Panel 2

Colin: Of course we know that! Is there still time for us to sit at that table?
Innkeeper: Well, if you’re quick about it ...
Panel 3

Pip: Whoa mate, have we found ourselves in some pickle here?
Colin: We sure have! The Duke transported us to the edge of the world by means of some sorcery, the Sultan's army is upon us, and we may not even have enough money on us to pay for this wine.
Panel 4

Pip: Oh my, the legendary meanness of his highness! We'd better have a quick look at that bag!
Colin:  I’m just about to, as your lordship can see!
Panel 5

 Pip: Wow, looks like he excelled himself this time, 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 even ask for?
Panel 6

 Innkeeper (thinking): Darn it, the customers go over the top because of these dandies….

Now, who the heck is that?!  I’ve had enough strangers for today…

Time travel comics

Substantially later than I had planned but here's my improvised comics made at the Festival (see previous post) http://www.kilencedik.hu/szecsi-zoltan-ikerhiberriado/

I recommend you to check out the source of my inspiration, this awesome Hungarian cartoon series:

Hope you'll enjoy both ;)

Some Festive Pics

Hey Folks,

Thought I would post a few pictures of the yearly Hungarian Comics Festival, as it's been already three weeks since it was held.

The event itself was on Sunday, but we kicked it off with a little Drink & Draw in the company of some of the foreign special guests on Friday evening. On the right side of the table you can see Héléne Becquelin-Mottet from Switzerland, author of the autobographical Angry Mum comics and her husband. Opposite to them, the utterly prolific and versatile Boulet from France, whose body of work ranges from fantasy comics (Donjon Zénith) to his regularly published autobiographical Notes. Do yourself a favour and check out his blog at www.bouletcorp.com

Here's something Boulet drew on the spot. Three Hungarian comics people, from right to left: Magdi Kasza, Dóri Gresz and myself.

Then on Sunday the festival was unleashed in modest 12 Celsiuses at my old university campus - now a sort of underground concert and party place, which atmosphere suits our little comics subculture perfectly. Here the creators of the forthcoming comic book called The Mountain are giving a presentation about their work, which was awarded the the opportunity to be published by a reular publisher company next year.

There was a special Lord of the Rings cosplayer unit on site, featuring this scarily accurate nazgul.

Yours truly was one of the persons coordinating the so-called "artist petting zone", where some pretty awesome improvised comics were produced despite the slightly grim natural circumstances.

This was the point when Boulet became the absolute star of the festival, as after spending a couple of hours signing books, he carried on drawing

... a couple of posters like this one

Some of the improvised comics have made their way to an art periodical and the rest will soon be visible online, including a 3-page-long piece from your humble author. Do not miss out!

Wedding present

My friends got married last Saturday in a village called Etyek near Budapest. Etyek is famous for its wines, which came in handy for the wedding dinner. Happiness abounding, though the reverend lady probably did well to point out that they "should not expect a bed of roses" and "marriage is lke a house, it needs a strong foundation."
Godspeed to you, Folks!

Corvin - Inside the Inn

Well... fair play to you, if you have stayed tuned since the last Corvin post. This is page six, ten more to go to have the minimum length of a comic book. Can I do it? Say... by October? Anyway, enjoy!

Panel 1

Innkeeper: Hello!  What can I get you, gentlemen?
Colin: Greetings, Sir! We could do with some directions, as we‘re kind of lost...

Pip: And a couple of drinks, too!
Panel 2

 Innkeeper: Then this way please, sirs!
Pip (whispering): You see, there are friendly folks around here too!
Panel 3

Innkeeper: What would you like to drink? I've got red wine, white wine and pinewood brandy. I guess it's a bit early for that though…
Colin: In that case we'll stay with red wine.
Panel 4

Innkeeper: Here you are. So where are you aiming to get?
Colin: We're eager to find a certain Lord Corvin.
Panel 5

Innkeeper: It's your lucky day! Ravencastle, his residence is barely a day's walk from here.
Peasant in hat: He may not be there now! He's already gathering his army against the Turks!
Panel 6

 Innkeeper: 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”?

 

My Hellboy and more good stuff

Hey Everyone,

Just a quick post while the new Corvin page is finally being finalized.

First of all, here's the coloured version of the quick Hellboy sketch I made last November.

I coloured it because Multiversity Comics called a "20 years of Hellboy" contest in March to mark the anniversary of the first issue of Hellboy. In the last days of March Hellboy versions of Hungarian fellow comics people started to appear on Facebook, so I thought I would send mine too. Grabbed my felt-tips and completed it just in time on deadline day. Maybe it's not totally professional, but one of 545 entries altogether.

Here are the ones Mike Mignola - Hellboy's creator - chose as the three best: http://multiversitycomics.com/special/20-years-of-hellboy-winners-announced/ Happy to announce that one of the runners-up is none other than Hunngarian Márk László. Yay and three cheers!

Furthermore I'd like to share two very neat double pages with you. The first is a very short Hellboy story by Mike Mignola:

And a lovely excerpt by Jeff Smith, my all-time-favourite comics maker from one of the prequels he added to his epic comics called Bone.

Finally something by yours truly again, as I realized I haven't posted this Bone fanart i made for a friend's birthday yet:

 

Stay tuned, as the follow-up to Corvin is coming real soon...

Human Rights Comics Part 4

The first story for Amnesty's education project in the new year. Topic: discrimination.

     Panel 1

Long-haired guy: Hey chief, can I get a cup of coffee?

Panel 2

Big barman: Haven’t you seen the signpost?

(Signpost: Bald Café. Entry Only Without Hair!)

Panel 3

Long-haired guy: Are you kidding? There’s no way that a café serves only bal…

Oops…

Panel 4

Guy with glasses: Did you say “baldies”?!

Younger woman: Wow, how original…

Older lady: Why couldn’t we have a place where we can go for a coffee without being stared at?!

Older guy: THIS IS A DISGRACE!

Panel 5

Older guy: You’d better get out of here with your long hair while we’re asking you nicely!

Long-haired guy: Are you threatening me?! This will have consequences!

Panel 6

Long-haired guy: (thinking: Now, that was mental…) Hmmm… and what kind of place can this one be?

 

And now.... what you all have been waiting for!

.......or at least the very patient ones among you: a new Corvin page! The most resolute plan is to keep on redrawing the pages originally made in 2010(ish), and then complete Chapter 1 with some new ones, so stay tuned!

Panel 1

Peasant 1: We're in for a bloody war again with those rascal Turks...
Colin: Good morning, gentlemen! Is this Lord Corvin's estate?
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 & Pip: Thank you so much, dear lady!
Panel 4
Peasant 2: 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!