So, before I tell you how collaboration has saved my butt on multiple occasions, a couple announcements:

1.  I’ll be speaking at the best comic book store in the country, Quimby’s, on May 30th at 7pm!  I’m speaking as part of the Laydeez Do Comics series (I know I know, I’m not a lady).  I’ll share the proverbial stage with Sarah Morton.  These talks are always a lot of fun, so if you are in the Chicago area, I hope you can attend.  I promise to share some juicy secrets!  Here is the info:

Laydeez Do Comics, May Edition

2.  As this post is about collaboration, I think it fitting to announce that I’ve had the privilege to collaborate on a podcast with the amazing Justin Fah of In This Issue Podcast.  It’s called Back Issues.  On the show we analyze older comics that we’ve always wanted to read, or always loved, or know to be essential.  First we did Green Lantern: Willworld.  Our lastest episode is focused on the classic X-men storyline ‘Days of Future Past’.  You should subscribe to the show In This Issue Podcast on itunes or listen directly on their website:

In This Issue Podcast

3.  I know I’ve been teasing it for a while… but I can officially say that Victus #1 will be released on June 15th (just in time for CAKE)!  Stay tuned for more details about how you can get a copy.

Now, on to the meat!

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COLLABORATION

So… I always wish I could do everything myself.  That’s cuz I’m dumb.  One of the areas I struggle with the most is graphic design.    It’s an area that folks that who self-publish often under-utilize or ignore.  It’s unfortunate, because I think it keeps their (my) work out of a large number of consumers hands.  We live in a world saturated by design.  As Steve Jobs said, ‘design matters’.  Very true.  No matter how much your comic rocks, if you can’t put it in a package that communicates that the work is professional, you’ll have a hard time selling it.

Since I struggle so much in this area, I often lean on my friends for help.  In particular, I know this dude named Gerald Proctor.  Gerald is a college buddy that has quite a talent for graphic design and all things digital art related.  I got to know him through many a long night of Halo death matches in the dorms (yes I’m a nerd).  The first time we collaborated was in college on a poster for my comic Simon.  I gave no specific direction, so Gerald brought his own style to the piece:

It was really exciting for me to see someone take a concept like Simon, that up to that point only I had done, and explore it in their medium.  Years later, Gerald helped design the cover for my Simon 10 year collection:

I’m fairly sure this cover has helped in me selling out of the first printing of the Simon Collection.  Now, to the untrained eye, this cover might not look too complicated.  Which, honestly, is the beauty of it.  It just works and you see it as another piece of fitting design.  The same way you see a book on the stands of any bookshop and just ‘get it’ at first glance.  Now, without Gerald’s help, the cover would have turned out much different.  To give you an idea of how bad this cover would have been if I had created it solo, here are some of my cover designs before Gerald joined the project:

Pretty bad, right?  That’s because DESIGN IS HARD.  Gerald used texture and subtle color to accentuate the feeling the black and white line art had.  This was much more effective than just simply coloring the cover in a traditional style.  Not only that, but this design adds to the feeling that this book is a collection of work over time.  You get a sense of history when seeing the cover, which is exactly what a collection of 10 years of comics should feel like.

Gerald also helped give cohesion to my Gary series:

When looking at the series as a whole, it becomes even more obvious how consistent and direct design helps in catching the eye of  potential buyers.  Gerald also created the interior layouts for the Gary series.  Picking font families, alignment, and page placement is not as intuitive as it might seem to the layperson.  It requires a keen eye for detail, and a knowledge of the language of graphic design.

Collaboration is not always easy.  Gerald and I tend to disagree about almost everything when working on a project.    But I’m a firm believer in “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”  The disagreements lead to discussion and honest critiquing of what’s working or not working within the piece.  Hopefully, after the dust settles, you have a great piece of design in your hands.

Gerald continues to be a monster of a digital artist.  I highly recommend you check out his gallery of work on Society 6:

Gerald Proctor Art

I particularly like “If I walk to you”.

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I plan to do another post about collaboration soon, delving into some other working relationships.  I’ve had the chance to work with some amazingly talented people.  Most recently, my brother Logan and I collaborated on a new Simon comic.  It went so well, we are already working on another.  And of course, John Wright and I are still working on our epic cage fighting comic NUMB:

I’ll leave you with a sneak peek at 6 pages of Victus #1:

All six pages at once, that is.

heheh.

-Tyrell

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BACK ISSUES

I have started a (hopefully) ongoing podcast with Justin Fah of In This Issue Podcast, where we analyze older comics that we find interesting or declare “must read’s”. The first one was released this week. Check it out as we discuss Green Lantern: Willworld, drawn by one of my favorite artists, Seth Fisher.  Click below or subscribe to In This Issue podcast on iTunes:

Back Issues- Green Lantern Willworld

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REVIEWS & SUCH

Those fine folks over at Spandexless saw fit to finish up the Gary series with another kind review:

Gary: Book Three Review

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They also took the time to explore one of my older Simon comics, “Mercy”

Simon: “Mercy” Analysis

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Now on to the wacky exploits at STUMPTOWN…

Manning the table with me was my trusty sidekick (and younger brother) Logan.  

He also helped create the newest Simon comic, which we had available at the show.

So attendees were given these awesome jam-poster one sheets, which they could bring to artists to fill in.  

I did a few throughout the weekend, including this Simon piece.

I was stoked to also contribute to a jam poster featuring one of my current comic heroes, Brandon Graham.

I’d like to think this is just our first collaboration.

Speaking of Brandon Graham, I geeked out at how he one-upped Simon Roy’s signature on my

Prophet TPB.  Farel Dalrymple also added his own touch.  Dirty fellows.

I also picked up Farel’s It Will All Hurt from Study Group Comics.

I was fortunate to be surrounded on all sides by some of my amazing comic book colleagues,

including Mr. Jack Bracken, who did this wonderfully racy poem for me.

Reid Psaltis took a time out to show me around Portland’s very own IPRC.  Cool joint!

And of course, there was much food and drink to be had.  From left to right/top to bottom:

Broder, Pacific Pie (x2), Little Big Burger, Biwa, Blue Star Donuts, Lardo’s, Teardrop, more Blue Star.

Not pictured: Bunk, Luc Lac, Pine State Biscuits, Wurst

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I’m not great about taking pictures, so you’ll have to look through the Stumptown Tumblr to find more shots of me and other exhibitors.

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ART BATTLE

In the 11th hour, I was invited to participate in the famous Art Battle at the Stumptown afterparty, hosted by Ezra Clayton Daniels!  My team was doomed to lose as we were the ‘away team’ vs. the Portland home team.  But we gave it our best shot, fighting through language barriers (I’ve never had to explain auto-erotic asphyxiation to a frenchman before), shake-weights, and insults.  Really, I thought including Robocop in our G.I. Joe team drawing would ensure our win.  But hey, it was all in good fun.

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I had an awesome trip.  Special shout out to The Con Crew: Josh Shalek, Neil Brideau, Reid Psaltis, Kenan Rubenstein, & Jack Bracken.  Finally all of us in one place!  Couldn’t ask for a better group of creators to share a convention with.   Also it was great to see the incorrigible Beth Hetland, the lovely Nomi Kane, and the edgy Ezra Clayton Daniels.

I have some BIG announcements coming in my next post. So stayed tuned next week for the details!

bye bye Portland…

STUMPTOWN COMICS FEST IS THIS WEEKEND!  And guess who will be there?  Yep… ME.  And if that’s not a good enough reason to visit this amazing fest, might I present Exhibit A:

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So as you can see, there is an awesome little block of tables right in the middle of the con (thanks to Neil and Kenan for the map!).  I’m in the good company of Neil Brideau, Jack Bracken, Kenan Rubenstein, Reid Psaltis, our old pal Josh Shalek, and some other new friends!  And as if THAT isn’t enough, I have a couple other amazing comics colleagues tabling at the show: Beth Hetland & Ezra Clayton Daniels!

Wow… this is going to be an epic weekend of indie comics!  If you are anywhere NEAR Portland, you MUST come to the show!  Here are some more reasons why you should attend:

I’m premiering a new Simon mini comic that I co-created with my brother.

I’ll have a 6 page preview of my upcoming comic Victus,

along with a special treat for anyone who pre-orders issue 1 at the show.

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Speaking of Victus:

I’ve been scanning like crazy!

And what’s this?  A preview for issue 2 already!?

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INSPIRATION

Some images that have inspired me lately…

I wish I could make books like this.

BARTKIRA!  Genius.

I saw Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color.  Wow.

And I’ll end with another Kirby moment of zen.

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Hope some of you can come down to the show this weekend!  Mention the blog and I’ll give you a discount on any purchase!

- Tyrell

I had a blast at Tricon this past weekend.  I was tabling with my pal Justin Fah and his podcast In This Issue, which happened to be the OFFICIAL podcast for the show.  The folks of Huntington, West Virginia were extremely kind and welcoming to us folks from out of state.  I wanted to thank everyone who came out to the show and said hi!

At the table, Justin and crew (Piasecki & Bogner) had the ol’ creator corner going, which was awesome.  Basically, they provide you with information pulled from a hat (like a comic book hero, a villain, a plot device, and a setting) and then you come up with a story on the fly.  The prize is your story on the podcast and a sweet print of the In This Issue Poster that I did.  Here is one fan donning the ‘Weapon X’ helmut and telling In This Issue his story:

You really need to hear some of the stories folks cooked up!  To hear all the stories, as well as creator interviews and other convention coverage, you can subscribe to In This Issue on itunes or listen at their website.

We also had some help from this guy:

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The next show you can see me at is Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland, OR at the end of this month!  I’ll have more details on that soon.

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Here are a couple peeks at Victus:

Mr. Moore is helping me with the cover to Victus #1

pages pages pages!

Patterns!

Sorry to keep teasing you.  I assure you the book will be ready soon!

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Hadn’t posted any ‘here’s what I’ve been looking at lately’ images in a while.  So…

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Bernie Wrightson doing what he does best.

The Saga of Swamp Thing.

The Eternals.  By the eternal Jack Kirby.

And this little ad was in the Eternals comic.  Amazing.

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Thanks for reading ya’ll!  Be seeing you in a week or so!

- Tyrell

I had tabled at Zinefest in the past, but this year I opted to just attend and enjoy the show.  And boy did I!  This show was full of some awesome folks!  Here’s some of what I saw:

The Great and Powerful Beth Hetland had her Hourly Comics minis available!

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The always fantastic R. Hendricks (Stranger Two Stranger) had this awesome mini of portraits.

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Ashley Elander was, as usual, putting the rest of us to shame by showcasing her phenomenal drawing skills.

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I fell in love with this accordion mini compilation of text book illustrations from Kseniya Yarosh.

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I was happy to catch up with the lovely Marnie Galloway, who had the new editions of In the Sounds and Seas.

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Next to Marnie, I discovered a talented gentleman named Chris Garcia.  He had previews of his upcoming beautiful first comic  ever (!)

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And the youngest and most enthusiastic exhibitor at the show had to be Henry Comerford!  Super awesome one page comics!

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All in all, Zinefest 2013 was a blast.  I can’t wait to see more from all these folks.  I really need to table here next year!

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Here’s a preview of a new Simon comic I’m cooking up…

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I thought I had posted this before, but I guess not:

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I did this poster for the fine folks over at In This Issue Podcast.  It just so happens I’ll be tabling with these goofballs at TRICON in 3 weeks!

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Thanks for checking in ya’ll!

- Tyrell

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Me and my table.

My gracious tablemate Josh Shalek signing for a fan.

I was SUPER stoked when I saw that Simon Roy had copies of the out-of-print Jan’s Atomic Heart at his table.

I’m a huge fan of Prophet, as you know.

Simon was also kind enough to sign my Prophet TPB.  Dirty man that Simon Roy…

I was lucky to have m’lady T-money along on this trip.  She snapped this Reservoir Dogs Shot of me.

And of course, I had to try the fabled Top Pot Doughnuts.  I was not disappointed.

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It was great to meet some new folks in this new city.  But I was happy to see the friendly faces of my talented friends:

Reid Psaltis… Reid’s new prints are absolutely beautiful.  Check them out!

Jack Bracken… A wordsmith supreme!

and of course Josh Shalek, one of the best table-mates ever.  Josh’s Welcome to Falling Rock is a fine piece of cartooning.  Get on board now!

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I had some previews of my new book Victus at the show, which I’m happy to say I ran out of.  Here’s another little peek at work in progress:

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Thats all for now.  More next week!

-Tyrell

So Con season has officially begun.  I’ll be tabling at my first show of the season this weekend, March 1st-3rd at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, WA.

You can find me with the awesome Josh Shalek at artist alley table S-09:

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Josh is the man behind the extremely amusing & poignant Welcome to Falling Rock.  I hear he might be premiering some brand new printed comics at this show.  I highly recommend you pick one up!  I will be filling my part of the table with the complete series of Gary (books 1-3), as well as the Simon Collection, and a new Simon mini comic.  I’ll also have some promotional handouts for my new project, Victus.  Here’s what the back looks like:

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Woops… Did I just announce when the first issue is coming out?

Speaking of Victus, here are some sneak peeks at my progress…

Pages piling up…

Meet Dom.  She’s a little shy.

And Absalom hard at work.

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I’m very excited for Emerald City Comicon and I hope you pacific northwesterners can come out to the show!  I’ll leave you with a breakfast moment of zen, courtesy of Walker Brothers Original Pancake house…

This must be what drugs feel like.

- Tyrell

The fine folks over at Buy Indie Comics were kind enough to do a nice review of Gary.  Click to see:

I really appreciate these guys taking the time to give Gary a read.  If you haven’t picked up all three issues yet, they are still available at the store.

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Victus is coming along.  Here are some random snaps of pages in progress, and my (messy) workspace:

coffee and drawing in the morning

Finally took a new shot of the workspace with the new posters/character models up.

The Machine takes shape

Jump!

Go ahead and JUMP!

D’awww…

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It’s always exciting when drawings come together and turn out the way you want.  It seemingly only happens about 10% of the time for me, but that 10% success rate manages to keep me coming back for more.

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What have you guys been reading lately? I’ve discovered Study Group recently.  How did I miss this?? It’s filled with work by some of my favorite artists working right now.  Check it out!

Also…

Stay warm out there!

- Tyrell

Filed under: Gary, My Favorite Things, Reviews, Victus ]]> http://tyrellcannon.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/new-gary-review-victus-teasing/feed/ 0 tyrellcannon buy indie Victusdesk1 Victusdesk2 Victusmachineprev1 Victusprevjump1 Victusprevjump2 Victusprevkiss ReadingFeb http://tyrellcannon.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/work/ http://tyrellcannon.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/work/#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2013 04:33:35 +0000 tyrellcannon http://tyrellcannon.wordpress.com/?p=737 ]]> Hey there…

Thought it was time to actually post some images of stuff I’ve been up to:

Here is a quick shot of me installing and another shot of my installation in the Artwork6 Exhibition at the SAIC Sullivan Gallery:

Thanks to Christina for the picture of my installation.  There is some fantastic work in the show, so please come by and take a look.

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Here is a new Simon mini-foldy comic that I’ll be premiering at my next convention:

I’ll have more info about the conventions I’m attending in the next post.

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And here is the first official poster/image/promo for my next project Victus.  It features the character Celeste, but you can call her ‘Cel’.  More of these are on the way and will also be available for purchase as prints.

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Hope you are all well!

Tyrell

It’s that time when everyone is doing those ‘best of 2012′ lists.  I haven’t done something of that sort for quite sometime, so I thought it might be fun.  Here are some of my favorite things of 2012 in no particular order:

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COMICS

Left to Right/Top to Bottom: The Cage, DareDevil, Multiple Warheads, Prophet, Space-Mullet, Punisher, Last Train to Old Town, Cycles

The Cage, by Rinko Endo

Although you may not know who Rinko Endo is yet, you will soon.  She has been building up a splendid collection of manga based on mental health issues and art therapy.  This new personal manga is masterfully drawn and constructed. Rinko shows us a difficult struggle she went through growing up with “the chin cap”. Rinko pulls much insight and inspiration from her art therapy background, helping every reader empathize with this struggle. We all have things in our lives that hold us back, but with inspiring and insightful artworks like this we see that there is hope.  Rinko’s actual drawings will blow your mind.  She has an eye for detail that knows no limits.  There are tons of textures and patterns which make each page pop.  She also brings in the rich history of signs and signals present in japanese manga, giving way to some wonderful expression.  If you can’t find this book, let me know and I’ll personally HOUND the artist until you get one.  Or you can come to Quimby’s this month and beg her for your copy!

Daredevil, by Mark Waid & Paolo Rivera & others

A lot of great things have been said about this book (rightly so).  Waid has dug Daredevil out of his dark hole from the early 2000′s and brought him back into a more adventurous-womanizer-swashbuckler kind of scene.  There are also fun little one-shot interludes to break up those multi-issue stories.  My personal favorite is when he was caught in a snow storm when taking a school bus of blind children on a field trip.  Top that off with Rivera’s amazing art and you have a winner.

Multiple Warheads, by Brandon Graham

This book is nuts.  Jokey, action-y, sexy, and beautifully drawn.  Graham seems to constantly be pushing the ways the medium can be used in this book.  His panels, word balloons, and character designs all show him assessing and pushing against the conventions of the medium.

Prophet, by Brandon Graham & Simon Roy & others

I’ve mentioned it multiple times before and pretty much everyone knows this book is amazing.  It’s Conan in space.  What more could a reader ask for?  How about awesome short sci-fi backup stories from the best of the best indy comics artists?  That’s in there too.  If you don’t have this book on your shelf yet, go get it!

Space-Mullet, by Daniel Warren Johnson

I’ve mentioned Space-Mullet before.  But let me be clear: Daniel Warren Johnson is an artist to watch.  Jump on board now.  Space-Mullet is one of those web-comics that works as individual pages released weekly, but also as an overall story.  The characters are a great duo (think Calvin & Hobbs meets Jack Burton & Wang Chi) who seem to find themselves in precarious situations on a regular basis.  Daniel is building a tale of intrigue, hinting at a dark past for one of our heroes.  The real star here though, is Daniel’s artwork.  Dynamic action featuring creative character designs  wall to wall.  His framing & motion are particularly strong.  Tons of fun!

Punisher, by Greg Rucka & Marco Checchetto

Though I LOVE Frank Castle, I resisted this series for the first 5 or so issues.  When it began, Marvel had just killed my old friend Frank in Punisher Max and I was still a tad bitter.  And the Bryan Hitch covers were aweful.  Though it did start slow, the series really picks up steam and builds a fresh look on ol’ Frank.  Doing away with Frank’s inner monologue was a stroke of genius.  Rucka also found incredible ways to ‘make Punisher work’ in the regular Marvel universe.  He basically gives his ‘thesis’ statement around issues 14-15, as Frank explains to his accomplice what it really means to do what he does.  It was really exciting to see another writer after Ennis ‘get’ the Punisher.  Of course, this series is now canceled.

Last Train to Old Town, by Kenan Rubenstein

Kenan has been building quite a piece of work in this beautiful web-comic.  On the technical side, this is the best presentation I’ve seen of a web-comic.  The site gives you multiple viewing options, easy places to submit feedback, and creator insight all via a non-intrusive side bar.  The comic itself blends form and content beautifully. Each character is given their own hand-written font to ever-so-slightly differentiate their speech.  The backgrounds are done with minimal black, until characters directly interact with them.  Conversations intersect within panels, making each interaction feel natural, bringing the reader into the characters’ world.  If that’s not enough, Rubenstein’s done a print version of the first chapter of the story, which showcases his impeccable craftsmanship.  It’s for sale on his website and worth 10 times what he sells it for.  This is an artist hitting his stride and I can’t wait to see where the Last Train takes us in 2013.

Cycles, by Beth Hetland & Kyle O’Connell

“Hetland and O’Connell have crafted a comic as funny and thrilling as it is smart and skillful. Cycles is a deftly told tale of whimsical machinations that entertains from the first panel to the thrilling climax. Read this now!”  Those were my thoughts upon first reading this book and they still stand.  Hetland & O’Connell entertain you while weaving a story that gets better upon repeat readings.  Hetland’s art expresses the whimsical and crafty characters that O’Connell has dreamed up.  A true joy to read!

I also loved Building Stories by Chris Ware, but do any of us NOT know that he’s amazing at this point?

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MOVIES

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7 Psychopaths- A fun movie from the director of In Bruges.  I generally can’t stand Colin Farrell, but he’s decent in both these films.  This also features some of my favorite actors in Walken, Rockwell, and a quick appearance by Michael Stuhlbarg.  A fantastic twist on the genre expectations.

The Raid: Redemption- This is the greatest action movie I’ve seen in years.  See it now.  Join me in looking forward to Iko Uwais beating serious ass for years to come.

The Grey-  I have a serious love for Mr. Liam Neeson.  From Crossing the Line, to Darkman, to Taken.  He’s the man.  The Grey is an intense film about group dynamics and man’s struggle with existence.  And there are wolves.  Really big wolves.  Please don’t get upset that the wolves are not realistic.  I think it’s fairly obvious they are not supposed to be.

Looper- Rian Johnson has a keen understanding of genre.  This film is a prime example of what sci-fi films still have to offer.  A slick blend of high concept, curveball plot points, and pitch perfect performances.  Of course JGL and Willis are great, but keep your eyes out for Noah Segan & Garreth Dillahunt, who both give big (small) performances.

Dredd- Karl Urban loves comics and sci-fi.  Dude didn’t take off his helmut for the whole film!  Actors usually aren’t that brave (excluding John Hurt).  This is a very stylized adaptation of Dredd.  They made smart moves in adapting this by going for grit and keeping the humor dark. The set-up is akin to The Raid: Redemption (compliment) leaving a lot of room for wacky villians and gory action.  I even enjoyed the 3-D, especially when the ‘slo-mo’ drug was in use.

The Master- I had a hate/hate relationship with P.T. Anderson until There Will Be Blood.  That film blew me away (then tanked in the last 15 minutes).  The Master lacks some of the highs & lows of that film, but is a phenomenal character study.  Phoenix is completely transformed and steals the show from the usually scene chewing Hoffman.  And this film is absolutely gorgeous.

I also enjoyed: Beauty is Embarrassing, Lockout, Cloud Atlas

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MUSIC

clockwise: Fiona Apple, El-P, Killer Mike, Deftones

Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel

I’ve always been a casual Fiona fan.  This album really cements her as a fantastic singer and song-writer for me.  The album pulls from so many different influences and fuses them wonderfully.  The opening and closing of the album are by far the most compelling.

El-P, Cancer 4 Cure

El-P is an un-paralleled producer.  This record sounds perfect.  He really turns up the sci-fi vibe on this one, bringing us into a dark future similar to what we heard on I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead.  However, I think this album sounds more complete, with highs and lows and much better guest spots.  The Danny Brown and Nick Diamond contributions are particularly strong.  This is one of those rare albums you can listen to front to back and enjoy every track.

Killer Mike, R.A.P. Music

And El-P also contributes here with Atlanta’s Killer Mike.  Mike gives us something as aggressive as it is spiritual.  He pours a lot of emotion & politics into many of the songs which rally the audience.  R.A.P. Music puts me in mind of N.W.A and Ice Cube, while equally conjuring Mos Def and Outkast.  I hope El-P and Mike continue to collaborate going forward.

Deftones, Koi No Yokan

Not many bands you like in high school continue to produce good music as you/they get older.  Deftones is (for me) the exception to that rule.  Koi No Yokan is a varied, but heavy record.  Less melodic than Diamond Eyes, but more rhythmically complex.  Every track feels dense, while never losing the hook.  Chino’s voice and cryptic lyrics are as intriguing as ever.

Mr. Rogers

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What did you all enjoy in 2012?  Let me know!

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I was blessed to have an amazing year full of travel, art, friends, and family.  I hope you all had an amazing 2012 and I wish you the best in 2013!

- Tyrell