Yearly Corvin update

Gosh, those updates used to happen a lot more often. Though I do not post every newly done page any more, as I'm saving those for the follow-up to the overly successful printed book I published two years ago. Here's a peek of the latest finished page, anyway:

The good news there is only about five more to go, so there is a good likelihood of Corvin Issue 2 premiering at Budapest's end-of-year comics fair. 

The likelihood is even raised by a real strict new editor on board :-)

The main antagonist will feature a lot in the issue to come, and he also has a special ability to look sharply and disapprovingly. So let's pin our hopes on this reinforced Strict Department now ;-)

Some commissioned work

I.e. drawing for money - yessir! Back in May I was asked to make a cover picture for a life coach's Facebook page. It was a fun little job.

I'll keep it brief this time, and just show you the three main phases of work:

The first sketch, just to make sure I got right what the client had in mind - the first two panels resemble a well-known meme for a reason.

Final penciled version, cat curling up in a harmonious position.

The end product as it now appears on the Facebook page, inked and lettered with logo and artist's signature.
Let me know if you need a similar one ;-)

2018 - It's alive...

Though it may not be exactly kicking, I have made a few drawings this year, and been working on my Corvin comic too. Pity I get to update this blog so rarely these days...

So, let's see the miscellany this time around.

At first, a little idle sketch, just for fun. Giacomo's (i.e. Casanova, the famous 18th century ladies' man's) jakuzzi. Why? Because the two words alliterate. B O O M.

Next up, another fun one, started completely spontaneously. These doodles can turn out rather well, though it is not easy to recreate and elaborate them in a more conscious manner. Anyway, here is Sulejman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, juxtaposed against my sketchbook, and a Will Eisner fanart made by the very talented Canadian artist, Scott Chantler.

Now, some more serious efforts. i.e. fanarts of one of my current favourite comics, the French sci-fi classic Valerian and Laureline. First, male protagonist Valerian walking in a door in the second book of the series, called The City of Shifting Waters.

Then, the biggest effort in this post, female protagonist Laureline trying to make sense of a certain situation in Book 7, On The False Earths.

Lastly, the most grim one topics-wise, a strip inspired by the outcome of Hungary's elections in April. I drew this right before going to a big protest in Budapest, attended by roughly 100,000 people who thought it was not right that the governing party seized a 2/3 parliamentary majority once again by getting only 48% of all votes. The last panel is quite wishful, I admit that.

Inktober 2017 aka belated Christmas post

I have to concede that 2017 was an all-time low for this blog in terms of output. I totally wanted to at least finish it creatively in the last days of the year, but my laptop thought differently and required some repairing. But hey, at least 2018 starts soon enough here too :)

Anyway, last year's Inktober (FYI http://inktober.com/) was a raging success as I managed to draw each daily topic (and rolled two into one only twice :) 

Let me show you the better ones:

   Swift -  the Roadrunner

Divided

Underwater - heavily influenced by a page from Darwyn Cooke's: DC - The New Frontier

Crooked - who else but Count Ulrik, Corvin's superbad villain

Screech - hopefully speaks for itself

Run - some Will Eisner influence here

Mysterious - indeed, isn't it?

Fat (birds don't fly :D)

Filthy - a real urban swine :))

Cloud - so much about reading comics in the garden...

Furious - drawn on the day when Liverpool FC suffered its last defeat to date (just for the record).

Trail - lagged behind the schedule with a couple of days at this point.

Juicy - bite me!

Blind - what ya were all waiting for, a Corvin-Morcheeba crossover!

Squeak - a nestful of squeakers

Climb - good-old Gandalf on the go, as usual

Fall - it (almost) always rains in Blade Runner

United - Corvin's protagonists, with influence owed to Valerian and Laureline

Mask - lat but not least, a Hungarian-style Guy Fawkes, saying roughly "That's All, Folks!"

Some very belated summery drawings

Hey, it's only mid-November after all...

First and foremost, a deliberately kitsch one for my Mum's birthday. Needless to say, but love your Mums, Folks!

The King's Speech is a real fine movie and Colin Firth waves in a dashing way, so I thought
why not draw it.

A little - way too little -  practice with my digital drawing device. For explanation on the caption see for example: https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-to-take-down-controversial-soros-posters/

It was high time time for me to check out Valerian and Laureline, the awesome classic French sci-fi comics series, hence the fanart.

Last but no way least, another fanart - Wonder Woman, from DC: The New Frontier by the waytoo soon passed away Darwyn Cooke. Up there withthe old superhero classics - do yourself a favour and get a copy, Folks!

Zombie Apocalypse 2060

Think I promised some "quick updates" two months ago or so... Heh-heh.
It's obviously time to make amends, so I'll give you a short comic back from May, drawn right before, during and after the Budapest International Comics Festival. It was inspired by a little reflective piece made by some friends of mine about Nyugat+Zombik (West+Zombies), the first successful Hungarian crowdfunded comics project, the completion of which is now long overdue. West here stands for the name of an eminent literary periodical of the early 20th century, written and edited by some of the best Hungarian poets and writers of the age.

Long story short, the young and imaginative artist (let's call him Olivér) had the idea to engage these literary icons in a fight witha crowd of zombies occurring  in their favourite café. He raised about 30,000 USD  an utterly successful crowdfunding campaign in the autumn of 2014, and promised to deliver a 200-page-long graphic novel by the next Christmas in return. So far so good, but there is still no sign of the end product 1,75 years after the deadline. Olivér does not seem to sweat over it too much - save for an apologetic Facebook post every few months -, as he also sings in an alternative band, which enjoyed a reasonably busy schedule during the summer festival season.

So here comes my little satire. The year is 2060, and the comic is about to finalized at last.. 

Zombie Apocalypse 2060

Panel 1

(Aaarrghh)

Panel 2

Olivér: Aand… Done!

Panel 3

O: Hooray!

Panel 4

O: Now, I will share the good news on social media at once…

Panel 5

Dear Supporters, who have kept faith with me until the very end! I’ve got awesome news: I just indeed, actually, entirely, at last FINISHED THE COMIC BOOK!

Panel 6

I’m bringing the whole works to the printer’s office on cd (heh) today so that it may finally become a gift this Christmas to everyone’s joy.

Panel 7

There is even more great news as Onlyforyoulittlegirl, the band I used to sing in, will reunite after a 30 year hiatus for the premiere of the comic book.

Panel 8

O: Think it’s time I leave for the printer’s…

(Aaarrghh)

Panel 9

O: Ugh… Bloody stairs…

(phone ringing)

Panel 10

O: Hey Dave! The Opus Magnum is done, so we can rehearse tomorrow… What?! The city is swarming with zombies?! Oh, you’re so funny!

(AAARRGHH)

Panel 11

O: JESUS AND THE VIRGIN MARY

Zombies: AAAAARRRGGHHH

There you go. Ironically the next post will be on my own pending project, the second installment of Corvin. 

Spring drawings and other updates

It's probably safe to say now that 2017 is not going to be the most prolific year on this blog, but there are still things to post about. The good news is that the herniated disks are fine thanks to some therapy, so there is no obstacle to drawing currently.

At first some quick doodles done during the daily grind for my "proper" job:

On the current situation of "freedom" of speech in Hungary.

A displeased football manager/ politician/ company executive.

Next up, some more sophisticated fanart. Brandy, the most badass animal psychologist from Liberty Meadows, Frank Cho's awesome epic length strips series.

Last - but certainly  not least - some sketches made during the workshop of Jul, one of the special guests of this year's Budapest International Comics Festival. Jul is the current writer of the renowned Lucky Luke series - hence the rather inaccurate portrait of the title character based on my memories. Even though this was a conversation workshop, I just had to sketch the interpreter, too. The samurai above them was entirely spontaneous.

The workshop was held in Budapest's French Institute, who kindly made Jul's visit possible, i.e.paid for his flight, room and board, etc. Some prominent Hungarian comics makers were in attendance too.

Also, here is yours truly, checking out what Lucky Luke actually looks like as opposed to his memories :)

Dear Readers, expect some more quick updates like this and forget about this not being a prolific year... Hohohooo! :)