VIETNAMERICA

Midwest university visits this week!

2012-02-12T23:00:00.002-05:00

Hey y'alls... sorry for the silence, but wanted to quickly mention two VIETNAMERICA events this week:

Tuesday noon, Feb 14th, I'll be the guest at University of Illinois Asian American Cultural Center's FOOD FOR THOUGHT speaker series (more info here).

And then Wednesday at 7:30 pm, Feb 15th, I'll be speaking at Purdue University (all the deets here). Both events are free and open to the public, so c'mon out and help me celebrate my final days before fatherhood begins!

To health, happiness, and prosperity in 2012!

2012-01-11T23:18:00.001-05:00

Last Friday was the opening reception for the Society of Illustrators 54: Sequential, Moving Image and Uncommissioned exhibition. An evening full of good cheer, speeches, and gracious disbelief from all those artists awarded medals... me especially (thankfully, my wife was present to keep me grounded). For anyone interested in seeing a staggering collection of talent in current illustration, the show will be up till Jan 21st. (See more party pics from Johnny Dombrowski here)

I keep intending to post a 2011 wrap-up because so much amazing, unexpected craziness happened (some of which is noted over at my site's refresh), but I've accepted life keeps hurtling along and I'm holding on for dear... life? Hopefully, I'll be more consistent with blog updates in 2012. Needless to say, when I reflect on where I was a year ago—on the cusp of VIETNAMERICA's release and the complete unknown—I can barely recognize that person now.

But even in constant change, I'm still making it to figure drawing...

Show extended till January 16, 2012:

2011-12-16T18:03:00.008-05:00

Last stop: Rochester!

2011-11-26T12:40:00.006-05:00

Heya, upstate NY! Shake off that tryptophan-induced food coma and help me celebrate the conclusion of VIETNAMERICA's first year of publication this Wednesday at the Mercer Gallery!

"WTF?!OMG!!! and upcoming events" update:

2011-11-15T20:15:00.002-05:00

Just informed that VIETNAMERICA won the gold medal in this year's Society of Illustrators competition's sequential category! Un-freakin'-believable!

I will be taking my "stunned speechless" look on the road with several terrific November events, the first being at the...

I'll be giving an author talk this Thursday 17th at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It's free and open to the public, so if you're interested all the deets can be found here.

Then on Friday and Saturday, I'll be participating at the National Council of Teachers of English annual convention:

Friday, 11 am- 12:15 pm: NARRATING LIVES: THE POWER AND POSSIBILITIES OF GRAPHIC LITERATURE with Sid Jacobson, Josh Neufeld, and GB Tran.

Saturday, 2:45 - 4:00 pm: IMMIGRANT LITERATURE FOR THE CLASSROOM with Aleksandr Hemon, Bich Minh Nguyen, GB Tran, and Loung Ung

Outside of these two panels, I'll be loitering at the Random House booth to chat with teachers and attendees and doodling in books until my publisher's Academic Department kicks me out. I'm hoping to have time to partake in other local attractions like Quimby's Bookstore, deep dish pizza, and sleeping on my friend's floor of his under-construction bike shop: Heritage Bicycles.

After the craziness of Thanksgiving passes, I'll be in Rochester November 28-30 for a three day residency at Monroe Community College which includes a workshop, author talk, and the opening reception for a VIETNAMERICA exhibit at the Mercer Gallery. This will be my final event for 2011, and a phenomenal conclusion to the book's first year of publication. That is, getting to show the story in a new context... with free booze and hors d'oeuvres! (Final details forthcoming in the next blog post...)

And despite the deluge of all the great new Fall books, huge gratitude to people still giving my little labor of love, sweat, and tears notice: thanks to Publishers Weekly for including it on their shortlist of Comics and Graphic Novels as Gifts 2011, a great review by Nawaaz Ahmen over at Hyphen, and shout out from Colorlines.

In non-VIETNAMERICA news: I'm illustratin' my ass off, and lovin' every second of it. Example: sketches for a series of textbook illustrations...

Highlights from the week = Highlights for my life

2011-10-22T18:41:00.008-04:00

I'm definitely not worthy of this company; spotted by friend (and great cartoonist) Andres Vera Martinez at NYCC:

And my wife and I are having a girl!

Con-mageddon: NYC style

2011-10-12T23:59:00.000-04:00

For the next four days, I'll be parked at New York Comic Con's Artist Alley soaking in the glory of VIETNAMERICA's final 2012 con/fest/show. So if you have a sherpa, oxygen mask, and high tolerance for costumed crowds, trek over to table R6 and say hi:

I apologize now if I seem a bit rattled at the show. Suddenly throwing myself into a comics and popculture thunder dome with 100,000 other fans is a huge contrast to how I spent the previous week in Arizona where this was my office:

And here's the final version of that illustration from the last post. It's for OC Weekly's "BEST OF..." issue, out this week, in which each section was paired with a video game theme. I had a blast channeling my long dormant inner gamer doing the nightlife section with some vintage NES action. (Full disclosure: my roots are with Sega)

Two fantastic events this upcoming week:

2011-09-24T00:28:00.001-04:00

First, I'll be flying down to Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina for a whirlwind three-day VIETNAMERICA residency! It includes class visits, a salon for Davidson College Friends of the Arts, and a free and open to the public talk on Tuesday 27th. I'm honored and excited for this amazing opportunity so if you're in the hood, please considering joining us—all the relevant deets here. I haven't been back to the Carolina's since leaving in 1988, so I'm incredibly grateful to be returning to my roots with VIETNAMERICA, figuratively and literally!

Second, on Wednesday 28th I'll be at Brooklyn's Greenlight Bookstore for a discussion with NY Times bestselling author Monique Truong to celebrate her paperback release of BITTER IN THE MOUTH. Since I'll have just returned from her home state North Carolina—also where her novel is set—my questions will be extra heavy on the gravy and deep fried goodness. If you'd like to meet an amazing author who was raised Vietnamese in the south and honed in Brooklyn (referring to Monique, not myself), c'mon out and join the party. It'll be her only local appearance before kicking off her Left Coast tour, and as an extra bonus: she's baking cookies!

And when I get back, I'll post the finished version of this sucker:

Bringing comics to the masses!

2011-09-14T14:20:00.005-04:00

This Sunday is the Brooklyn Book Festival, a wonderful celebration of literature in the heart of my hood, free to the public, and in which comics play a big role:

"This year, comic-book creators will be featured throughout the Festival in a unique programming design. Artists will join novelists and journalists on diverse panels, respecting comics as an innovative medium across genres, sparking dialogue, and reaching audience members new to the form. Plus a special band of comics-centered panels on the St. Francis indoor stage will include screen projections. These events will be must-see for the comics community. Although we know comics aren’t just for kids, they won’t be left out, either. On the Youth Stoop, artists will battle in a draw-off, and young adults can participate in a workshop to develop their own strips."

I'll be part of the 4 pm "Drawing From Life" panel with Lauren Redniss and Dean Haspiel, moderated by Hillary Chute. It's in the St. Francis Screening Room so c'mon by!

Tuesday night I'll be on the "Beyond the Funny Pages: Comics, Culture and Communication" panel at NYU's A/P/A Institute. It marks the opening of the "Marvels & Monsters" exhibit and celebrates the beginning of the prolific Larry Hama's artist residency.

Other panelists include Christine Norrie, Greg Pak, Tak Toyoshima, and Jeff Yang. This is gonna be an awesome night so RSVP to join the fun. (Everyone gets in regardless of RSVP'ing, but it helps them plan logistics if you do)

Literally the next morning after my previous post, this arrived in the mail:

And while I was immersed in all-things comics last weekend, this VIETNAMERICA piece ran on The Washington Post! Thanks to Winyan Soo Hoo for transforming an earlier interview into a great spotlight. After a relatively calm August, the book is ramping up again so more great events to announce in the next post. But for now, back to work...

SPX-cited? Yes, very much so.

2011-09-08T02:10:00.003-04:00

Calling all comics and art aficionados: one of my most favorite shows of the entire year is this weekend in Bethesda, Maryland: Small Press Expo!

I'm super psyched to be exhibiting with VIETNAMERICA so come on by table F8. Judging by the small amount remaining, this will be the penultimate show where the special edition poster comic/book jacket (that I've been giving away free all year with each copy sold) will be available:

Even more exciting, I'll be on a panel with the amazing Jessica Abel, Sarah Glidden, and Marguerite Dabaie called "Stories of Cultural Identity" on Saturday, 3:30-4:30.

In big international news, yesterday marked the release of VIETNAMERICA's French edition from STEINKIS:

I'm very anxious to see how they solved sections/aspects of the book that might be a bit problematic in translation. According to my publisher, it's received some nice early press and reviews... parlez-vous Francais, anyone?

As for recent praise for the book in a language I do understand, ginormous thanks to KIRKUS REVIEW'S Clayton Moore for selecting it as one of the "12 Can't-Miss Graphic Novels of 2011." And over at YALSA, Marie Penny nominates it for their Alex Award:

"Vietnamerica is no ordinary graphic novel, GB Tran transcends the genre with his storytelling and stellar artistry... It is both heartbreaking and illuminating."

YALSA has also included it in their Reader's Choice nominations for nonfiction. I'm honored for both these recognitions, and would be extremely grateful to any and everyone eligible to vote to please do so!

Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to take a break from all-things VIETNAMERICA to bring attention to the Catalyst Foundation. I recently learned of their tireless work when they invited me to participate in their annual summer Culture Camp. Their current project is building a safe house for adolescent Vietnamese girls who escape lives of forced prostitution, but who can't return home because their parents are the ones who sold them to the brothels in the first place. Catalyst's co-founder and executive director Caroline Nguyen Ticarro-Parker is an inspiring mix of hope, tenderness, and no-nonsense determination, so if you can spare the click of a button, please "like" their Facebook page.

Staying put in Brooklyn all of August...

2011-08-23T00:40:00.001-04:00

... means accomplishing a lot of work—professional and personal—which I hope to announce/share sooner rather than later. Until then:

Fresh off the high of Comic-Con...

2011-07-27T18:35:00.006-04:00

... it's back on the road for me and VIETNAMERICA for a jam packed 48 hours. First, I'll be leading a workshop this Friday at the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Association conference in Denver. It's part of their Identity Compass track, and I'm honored to have been invited to participate in this annual event. Unfortunately, it's only open to conference attendees, but later that evening the fine folks at I Want More Comics will be hosting me for a public book signing from 6-8 pm. And then on Saturday, there's this:

This event with cartoonist Noah Van Sciver is organized by my good pal Charlie LaGreca to raise funds for Comic Book Classroom's literacy program. He's pouring his heart and soul into expanding and promoting Denver's comics community so if you're local, c'mon out!

What do the awesome Adrian Tomine, Jessica Abel, Dave Choe, and myself all have in common?

2011-07-17T21:35:00.001-04:00

Many moons ago, we were recipients of a grant for comic book self-publishers from the Xeric Foundation.

2012 will celebrate its 20th anniversary of financially helping young cartoonists learn the in's and out's of self publishing—letting us jump into the deep end to learn how to swim without the danger of drowning. Sadly, 2012 will also mark its final grant cycle. Their amazing support when I took my first baby steps down the comics path ultimately led to VIETNAMERICA, so there are not enough words to express my profound gratitude to the organization and its founder Peter Laird. Yes, THAT Peter Laird!

On a happier note, I'll be exhibiting this week at SDCC! As it has been since the dawn of time, I'll be sharing a table with pal Joanna Mulder in Small Press K-12:

SDCC marks six months since VIETNAMERICA's release, so it feels extra special to finally be bringing my newest book to my oldest show. Anyone need a 4-day attendee badge, including Previews night? Hit me up before Wednesday. Hope everyone's enjoying their summer—it's sunny out there so remember to wear a...

(Finished illo of the sketch snippet from the last post. For a textbook gig.)

Kings County artists represent!

2011-07-08T23:55:00.003-04:00

Big, awesome, phenomenal news: I've been awarded a 2011 New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in the nonfiction literature category! Additionally, among the 16 nonfiction recipients, I was selected for the Gregory Millard Fellow. Awardees were informed a couple weeks ago, but I'm still stunned by this incredible honor and recognition for VIETNAMERICA. NYFA's official press release went live yesterday.

That's the big development from the last few weeks, which have otherwise been filled with eclectic illustration projects. None of which I can share yet, but here's a sorta thematic in-progress collage of tiny snippets from each one:

After a quiet month for promoting the book, things are ramping up again: I just participated in Random House's amazing Author Event for NYC Educators where I got to meet teachers, librarians, principles, and students advocating for more graphic novels in the classroom; this weekend I'm leading several workshops at the Catalyst Foundation's Culture Camp; SDCC's right around the corner; and book stuff in Denver soon after.

July marks six months since VIETNAMERICA hit the shelves, and it's been a wonderful, unpredictable ride so far. Expressing my gratitude to everyone for their book coverage and support keeps flip flopping between twitter and here, so here's a roundup of recent press:

Amazon's "Best of 2011 So Far.."

Angry Asian Man

From Your Desks

Los Angeles Public Library

Page 45

To every NYC high school teacher...

2011-06-27T13:01:00.009-04:00

... who won't already be on a tropical beach recovering from their latest school year, this Thursday is Random House's 3rd Annual Author Event for NYC Educators! I'm honored to be one of four presenting authors—and the only cartoonist—given this amazing opportunity to speak directly with you about VIETNAMERICA, and its classroom possibilities. The other authors (and I'm shaking with nervousness as I type this) will be Neal Bascomb, Monique Truong, and John Prendergast.

This is the second RH high school event I've participated in since my last post, with the first being the graphic novel presenter for their Creative Writing Competition's award ceremony. This is an annual competition for NYC seniors with the three awardees in poetry/spoken word, fiction/drama, personal essay/memoir, and graphic novel receiving $2500, $5000, and $10,000. It's a wonderful program to help support young creatives, and I encourage every local soon-to-be senior that enjoys writing to participate next year!

In the latest VIETNAMERICA news, Amazon's selected it as one of its top Summer Reading for Adults—only one of two comics/graphic novels to make the list! That's an awesome boost as it hits the road again in July. First stop in a couple weeks will be workshops at the Catalyst Foundation's Culture Camp in upstate New York.

And now some recent figure drawings to fulfill the visual component of this post...

Going's on

2011-06-05T22:06:00.002-04:00

Seems the freezing, rainy embrace of winter just transitioned straight into the sweltering, wet blanket summer in lovely Brooklyn so I'll just stay inside and keep working. Here're roughs for a 28-page collaborative comic that I'm doing full color art for:

It's for the government, so I'd tell you more about it but then I'd have to kill you. Also screened the first batch of those Mudhra tees from a while back:

Currently available at Manhattan's Kula Yoga. Any retailers interested in carrying, please feel free to gimme a shout.

Lastly, thanks to Laurie Gaughran of Humanities Prep for having me in for an artist visit with her ethics classes last week! It was quite eye-opening to spend a couple hours with such intelligent and thoughtful students, and has helped inspire me to put together a lesson plan for VIETNAMERICA just in time for Random House's upcoming NYC Educators Event of which I'll be one of the four featured authors.

Welcoming Spring

2011-05-25T00:05:00.001-04:00

Here's an album package I recently finished. What's shown is the front and back sides of the disc sleeve unfolded as a single image. I also supplied interior art, and will post those after it hits store shelves.

I'm a sucker for playing with floral patterns. It's extremely meditative and spontaneous compared to my more refined, process-driven approach to other illustrations and comics.

Travel notes

2011-05-17T12:22:00.005-04:00

This Saturday evening, I'll be hanging out and signing books at Philadelphia's Locust Moon Comics from 6-9. The co-owner Chris Stevens and I collaborated on a short comic many moons ago, so I'm looking forward to our mini reunion. All you locals c'mon out for some comics and booze!

Over the past several weeks, I've been traveling and exhibiting at a lot of comic festivals trying to get the word out on VIETNAMERICA. It's been an amazing time, but poorly documented because I basically didn't have a camera when anything interesting happened (yet another case to be made for coming out of my technology cave and upgrading to a smart phone?). Thankfully, other people had cameras so here're some random pics...

Portland, when not raining, is absolutely beautiful... even to a jaded, callous city boy like myself.

During Stumptown, I finally got to meet in person Thi Bui, a fellow Vietnamese cartoonist also chronicling her family's refugee experience with comics. No feelings of competition and intense rivalry there; not... one... bit. An interview we did a while back just posted at HYPHEN, and check out the current issue for our little collaborative comic! (True comic nerds might recognize the Ignatz Awards which serve as great bludgeoning weapons. Unfortunately, neither of us can claim any of the prestigious comic trophies in this pic—they all belong to Craig Thompson)

Some sketchbook pages from the road...

My awesome hosts for TCAF were my cousin John, a musician and producer, and his wife Lillian, an animator. Workaholics, both of them!

Cintiq envy:

For pics of all the TCAF exhibitors, check out Jamie Coville's archive. He also recorded a few panels, including the one I participated on—Telling True Stories—which you can listen to here.

With freelance apparel graphics, you never know if your anonymous commercial work ever actually makes it into stores so it's always fun to see one of your designs in the wild on a stranger:

My final dinner in Toronto (animator cousin included free with meal):

And on one of the few days I actually spent at home, Spring finally arrived in the form of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden's Cherry Blossom Festival:

ABC and TCAF!!!

2011-05-05T00:09:00.005-04:00

Enormous thanks and gratitude to ABC producer Tina Trinh for filming and assembling a great piece on VIETNAMERICA that just aired on World News Now! You can watch the segment at their news site here.

After a brief layover at home to wash my clothes and pack up some more books, I'm back on the road for this weekend's amazing Toronto Comic Arts Festival!

I haven't exhibited since '07, so super thrilled to return this year—definitely the show I've been looking forward to the most! Chris Butcher has supported me since my earliest self-published days, so it's an honor and privilege for VIETNAMERICA to be part of his baby: a phenomenal international celebration of comics that's FREE to the public! Find me at table 110:

On Saturday from 1:30-2:15, I'll be on the panel Telling True Stories with David Collier, Jim Ottaviani, Zach Worton, and Tory Woollcott (moderated by Greg Means). Should be a hoot.

You know what else is a hoot? Drawing naked people. Not making it to figure drawing as much as usual in light of all the recent travel, but here're a few pages:

Another weekend = another show!

2011-04-27T00:01:00.002-04:00

This Saturday and Sunday I'll be in Reading, Pennsylvania exhibiting at CGS's SuperShow:

The fine folks at Comic Geek Speak were some of the earliest supporters of VIETNAMERICA, so I'm honored to be participating for the first time in their artist-centric comic extravaganza. Now for some work:

This illustration is for my pal Michael Lapinski's comic Feeding Ground, a supernatural modern day thriller about werewolves and The Devil's Highway. I had a lot of fun with my twist on the book's dark tone and paying homage to the state of my youth. Being a fan of seeing other artists' work process, thought I'd share my own on this piece. Here's the initial sketch I showed Michael (always drawn at print size):

Then it gets enlarged and refined with blue pencil before inking, which for the most part I use this refillable brush pen which fellow cartoonist Leland Purvis turned me onto a while back. (I'm too impatient for dipping brushes, and this brush pen's size has a lot of versatility)

Next is adding ink washes (usually done on a separate piece of watercolor paper that has the line art lightly printed on it, than scanned and combined in P'shop):

And finally, P'shop colors. I try to limit my palettes and for this illustration, most important was capturing the beautiful and brutal heat of the desert, so it made sense to use complimentary greens to emphasize the sickliness and weariness of the traveler.

Gradually getting the hang of this "press" thing?

2011-04-23T19:24:00.009-04:00

Here's a sneak peak at my contribution to a collaborative comic with Thi Bui that runs in the next issue of HYPHEN.

Sorry for the low res, but don't want to give too many spoilers before it hits the stands next month. I've been really fortunate to do various interviews recently to help spread the word with journalists, writers, fellow comics-connoisseurs, etc. Although I've tried to tweet them in a timely manner, seems I've missed a few so I'm correcting that wrong now and sharing the link-lovage:

I met with downtowntraveler writer Leslie Koch in an East Village cafe one afternoon and here's the result.

Journalist Ky-Phong called me up from Orange County after discovering the book and voila.

Ph.D. literature candidate Jade Hilde took time out of her busy course load to email with me for diaCritics.

And Dylan Cassard and the rest of the comicbookofthemonth crew just ran VIETNAMERICA through their gauntlet here.

On the road again...

2011-04-14T11:40:00.002-04:00

Here's another recent spot for the OC Weekly about why a certain local police investigator won't be winning "employee of the month" anytime soon:

This weekend, in between eating at Voodoo Doughnuts and Screen Door, I'll be exhibiting at Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland:

It'll be my first time at the show, and I'm excited to get a taste of the fabled Portland comics scene. If you blink on your way in and out, you'll miss me at table G1:

Mo' comics, mo' fun, Mo' CCA (and something for mo'm-in-law)!

2011-04-07T18:30:00.001-04:00

I'll be exhibiting this weekend at the MoCCA Fest, a great time and must-see for comic lovers near and far:

Unlike past years, I won't have my own table but will instead be at my publisher's. I'll also be at MoCCA's sketch table from 1:30-2:30 on Sunday (you can check out the entire roster of sketching artist times here). I don't know where I'll be located, but just look for the bald asian with this special edition poster comic/book jacket that comes free with every copy of VIETNAMERICA:

On the other side of the country, my mom-in-law just gave a presentation about comics and graphic novels for her local museum's docent program. She included VIETNAMERICA (nepotism is alive and well!) and asked me for a quick comic to introduce it in her slide presentation. Four hours later, voila:

I enjoyed the exercise in seeing what I could come up with in an extremely limited time frame (and knowing it was going to be seen for only 30 seconds took all the pressure off). Might actually try the 24-hour comic challenge one of these days...

How I interview for comic jobs:

2011-04-01T00:02:00.002-04:00

By providing sample artwork:

I recently was approached by a publisher to be considered for a collection of Rwandan genocide survival stories. When I finished VIETNAMERICA late last year, I was so emotionally drained that the last thing I could imagine doing next was tackling another true story of family trauma and horror in the context of a violent war—much less a series of stories that examine and explore the various atrocities and outcomes of a human massacre witnessed within my own lifetime. But after reading the survivor testimonials recorded so far, I was so moved that I immediately wanted to throw my name in the hat for consideration.

March: I hardly knew thee.

2011-03-25T13:54:00.002-04:00

Above is a spot for the OC Weekly's story about the not-so-secret life of a dance teacher, and here're some recent sketchbook pages:

I've spent the last few weeks wrapping up various lingering commitments carried over from 2010 in hopes to finally feel like I've actually made it to 2011, especially with the heart of con season fast approaching.

Belated thanks to ECCC for a fun show in lovely Seattle, and Craig Foisy and Nhu Truong of the Tisch School of the Arts for having me speak with their students. It was a wonderful 2-hour talk, and they were awesome—far more intelligent, focused, and openminded than I was at their age. As VIETNAMERICA finds more of an audience, I hope to continue having great experiences like these!

VIETNAMERICA hits the road (and I with it):

2011-03-02T23:39:00.002-05:00

This weekend is the first of hopefully many shows, events, cons, festivals, etc. throughout 2011 at which I'll be promoting VIETNAMERICA:

It's my first time ever at ECCC, and I'll be at Artist Alley's G12. I've heard great things about this show so really looking forward to it—c'mon by:

Most exciting is that after years of blood, sweat, and tears, VIETNAMERICA finally joins the ranks of my table wares! To celebrate this latest milestone in my ongoing efforts to be a self-supporting maker-of-pictures, teller-of-stories, every copy sold will come with a free special edition dust jacket (previously available only at the MoCCA book launch party).

Ink Panthers!

2011-02-21T17:20:00.005-05:00

Mike Dawson recently had me as a guest on Pro-T.I.P.S, an offshoot of his and Alex Robinson's podcast Ink Panthers. The latter is a hilarious program by two cartoonists who interview other cartoonists about everything EXCEPT comics, and the former is Mike going solo to talk with me about process, football, and addiction to tracking Amazon sales numbers.

And here're some recent sketchbook pages:

"Pssst! Hey, you, over there... yeah, you! Look down here!"

2011-02-13T23:54:00.000-05:00

The last month has been a complete blur, the only anchor being that exhausting feeling of getting a ton of work done while your "to-do" list grows exponentially. Hoping to give my neglected blog some overdue attention starting with this post.

T-minus 11 days and counting...

2011-01-14T11:30:00.004-05:00

... until VIETNAMERICA's Jan 25th release. If anyone's still debating whether to get the book after seeing the various preview art and write ups that have been floating around, the awesome photographer/filmmaker Joe Tomcho created this book trailer for VIETNAMERICA to help you decide (with music by Garth Stevenson):

Hopefully that got you off the fence and in the "yes!" column. If so and you want to pick up a copy, live in the NYC area, and are looking for something to do Thursday evening, Jan 27th, then come celebrate with me at the book launch party at MoCCA!

As an extra bonus, the party coincides with the final days of their current Al Jaffee/Liza Donnelly/Denis Kitchen exhibits so come for the free art and booze! And as an extra-extra bonus, I'm working on a special-little-something exclusively for everyone buying a copy that evening at MoCCA, and here's a peek:

2010 comes to a close.

2010-12-20T01:27:00.002-05:00

Things are getting quiet for the holi-daze. Just wrapping up some freelance and finishing stuff my publisher needs for VIETNAMERICA's big marketing push in January. Speaking of which, for anyone who's read a b/w advance copy and feels like sharing your impressions there's this Amazon Customer Review page where you can tell people to give it a chance or warn them to run in the other direction.

Several work projects are still up in the air--more than I'd prefer to be ending the year with--but everything should be settled in January so hope to be sharing more then. See you all in 2011!

Whoa!!!

2010-12-04T11:02:00.001-05:00

This week's Publishers Weekly gave VIETNAMERICA a starred review! Their reviews are anonymous, so thanks to whoever took the time to read and write a few kind words on it--I hope you got a color version. It all hits the fan next month so I've been trying to calm fits of anxiety and nervousness with figure drawing:

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

2010-11-26T17:57:00.001-05:00

Further proof that I actually have a book coming out:

2010-11-12T15:11:00.001-05:00

Suh-weeet! My first international pre-pub praise by comics guru Paul Gravett:

"Tran's often widescreen, formally complex advance spreads promise something extraordinary... Potentially one of the key American graphic novels of next year."

Hope to live up to the anticipation, Paul! This recent podcast interview with Comic Geek Speak is either a step in that direction or a step backwards, depending on what you think of my aimless, incoherent rambling:

In either case, it was a fun time (my segment starts at the 27 min mark)!

Last stop on the 2010 con/show train:

2010-11-03T11:24:00.007-04:00

I'll be exhibiting at KingCon this weekend, and here's the final version of the show poster (artwork by me, typography by the Brooklyn Lyceum team):

It's the second year for this laid back, eclectic, and very Brooklyn-centric comics fest so c'mon down and say hi.

For all the comic shops out there, VIETNAMERICA is solicited in this month's PREVIEWS on page 298. Please note that the book is actually 300 pages and $30, not the listed 192 and $20. I hope you'll take a chance and order a few copies for your store, and for those readers supporting your LCBS, please let them know you'd like a copy!

The in-between place.

2010-10-28T12:10:00.002-04:00

Work's been odd these past few weeks, a combination of nervously waiting for VIETNAMERICA to come out, scrambling to get other projects off the ground, and stabilizing the freelance situation. Amid these waves of change, still relaxing with some public figure drawing sessions:

Also, thanks to ICV2 for picking VIETNAMERICA as their #1 fiction and reality book for first quarter 2011!

And for the locals, tonight in Williamsburg is the gallery opening for a person I've known far too long:

Joanna's imagination and artistry have been blowing my mind for over 15 years, and I'm psyched the masses are finally gonna get a taste of it:

One step closer to the finish line!

2010-10-20T00:03:00.011-04:00

I recently approved VIETNAMERICA's final round of color proofs so it's being printed right now in a distant land. I'm told I might have copies by December so some of you regular blog-visitors might be getting an extra gift this holiday season. Now that there's no turning back, I've permanently added its Amazon link to the right since all the book details are accurately listed.

Speaking of comics on the horizon, cartoonist friend Sarah Glidden of the upcoming journalistic graphic memoir HOW TO UNDERSTAND ISRAEL IN 60 DAYS has started a Kickstarter campaign for her next project:

Considering the funds she's already raised, I think she'll easily meet her modest goal by the deadline. Nonetheless, if you value stories like Sarah's as much as I do, please consider showing your support!

2010: Three shows down, one to go!

2010-10-13T00:05:00.002-04:00

Being part of NYCC Artist Alley last weekend confirmed how much I love exhibiting at all types of shows. Whether it's TCAF or SDCC, SPX or NYCC, I always have an awesome time, visit with old friends, make new ones, and revel in the grand inclusiveness that comes from our shared and diverse love of comics. So next stop is November's Kingcon (more details soon), and here's the art sans type for my first ever show poster:

Other than the requirement that the Brooklyn Lyceum building be featured (it's where Kingcon takes place), I had complete creative freedom and was honored to contribute and support this show's sophomore outing in the borough I've called home for 10+ years.

"Can I bring a sword?"

2010-10-06T00:05:00.007-04:00

After the personable, relaxed, DIY cartoonist experience of SPX last month, this weekend is the enormous celebration of all things geek, comics bonanza of NYCC! I'll be tucked in Artist Alley (Hall E, table S15) doing my thing and like at SPX, be raffling off full color copies of VIETNAMERICA three months before its release so don't be a stranger. FYI: this post's title is taken straight from their FAQ page so you better be ready to represent.

News from all fronts...

2010-09-30T00:05:00.000-04:00

On the illustration front, thanks to SN&R's Don Button for the cover quickie (it's easy when the AD already has a specific idea--"American Gothic" anyone?) even though it was canned at the last minute in favor of a photograph:

On the book front, enormous thanks to Library Journal's Martha Cornog for including VIETNAMERICA as one of January's releases to keep an eye out for:

"His excellent color art suggests the European style of Joann Sfar. This could make the top nonfiction GNs of 2011 lists and become a worthy addition to the growing roster of quality war-themed comics."

The first and probably last time my work will be mentioned in the same breath as Dan Clowes.

23 September 2010

2010-09-25T13:10:00.003-04:00

This is Liz Goodyear who passed away on the evening of the 23rd. The no-nonsense outlook and wisdom she shared with those around her will resonate years beyond her youthful age of 103. I know they'll certainly last the rest of my lifetime. True to the life she lived, she moved on in style: the night of a full moon on the autumnal equinox!

UPDATE: The NY Times' Sarah Kramer marks Liz's passing.

Workin' it...

2010-09-20T00:24:00.000-04:00

I've been busy with a mix of comics, illustrations, and apparel graphics this month. Everything seems to still be in their infancy phase so here are some sketchbook stuff to tide over any blog visitors:

For more distractions, check out my twitter account. At the request of my publisher, I've decided to give it a try for a couple months so go watch the train wreck slowly unfold.

And the winners are... [drumroll]

2010-09-14T18:50:00.000-04:00

Saturday #436 and Sunday #463. If you know what this is referring to AND have either of those in your possession, please contact me for your prize!

SPX was absolutely amazing--it just gets better and better every year! Huge thanks to everyone who swung by my table to chat, flip through the preview of VIETNAMERICA, and part with their hard-earned dollars.

CON-slaught continues:

2010-09-07T23:48:00.027-04:00

Next stop: SPX this weekend! For the past year I dialed back my convention schedule as I wrapped up VIETNAMERICA--a casualty of time and funds--so promotion for its upcoming release has been limited to events like SDCC this past July, and now SPX! I'll be at table B16 with some new goodies and raffling off full color copies of VIETNAMERICA four months before its release! One copy each day so c'mon by:

With just two shows in 2010, my schedule's significantly lighter than usual. It's a gradual ramp up to 2011 when I'll be hawking my book at every con, festival, craft mart, swap meet, PTA meeting, etc. under the sun.

And so it begins...

2010-08-31T00:02:00.000-04:00

Awaiting me upon my return to NYC last week were advance-reader-copies of VIETNAMERICA! My publisher Villard is releasing them into the wild, and so begins a completely new phase of the book's road to publication: trying to drum up press and publicity.

Although it's a full color book, I think the b/w galleys do a good job of reproducing the tonal artwork. Specific color palettes are threaded throughout to help distinguish characters, plots, and time periods (as hinted in this earlier post) so it'll be interesting what readers will think without color to aid in their preview (i.e. I hope it still makes sense!). Villard is considering including a small full color chapter excerpt with each galley they send out, so crossing my fingers that happens.

If you spot one of these in the wild, please don't make any sudden noises as it scares easily. Approach slowly and if it doesn't run away, please give it a good home. All it needs to flourish are occasional sunlight and kind words.

Road-trip wrap up:

2010-08-24T16:11:00.004-04:00

After a absolutely phenomenal 4,000 mile trip along the Left Coast, we're back in NYC in one piece! Aside from the obligatory family vacations, I've never taken a "real" road-trip and to finally get to do so for an entire month with my wife along such a beautiful stretch of the country was amazing. We are so fortunate and grateful to have so many wonderful family and friends who welcomed us into their homes and created memories we'll cherish for a lifetime! Definitely didn't take as many pics as I should of, but here's some randomness:

A cable car view of the Wanderlust village in Squaw Valley. My wife was teaching at the 4-day event so I was her +1. Apparently, marriage does have its perks--who knew?!

Our typical breakfast: fresh sauteed vegetables, dal, and brown rice for her; waffles soaked in sugar, topped with sugar, with a side of sugar for me.

This is the view from morning meditation held on a mountain side with live upright bass music by this friend. Best. Alarm. Clock. EVER.

There's always room for Mediterranean food. ALWAYS.

The world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium! Star Trek IV, anyone?

Check out the bravado on this dude! He's wearing a chef's hat, fish apron, AND spinning two pies simultaneously. Thank goodness he's wearing shades or else he'd look silly.

Having missed its one month engagement in NYC earlier this year, I had another opportunity to catch Crumb's GENESIS show while in Portland. Just like at home, except with no crowds [yay!] and not free [boo!].

Donuts and anime porn are a perfect match. You stay classy, Portland!

My pastries came with two babes! Too bad my wife and sis-in-law aren't always carrying a box of Voodoo donuts.

Seattle puts its best face forward.

Assorted deli sandwiches crossing the Golden Gate Bridge only to be devoured by an enormous shark? The perfect metaphor for life.

You know it's been a great road-trip when you've let yourself go and this is what you look like to a kid.

Have brush pen and sketchbook: will travel.

2010-08-09T22:40:00.001-04:00

We're still on the road and currently find ourselves in Portland. Despite a lot of the friends we've visited being art directors, graphic designers, illustrators, and cartoonists, it's taken me this long to finally find one who owns a scanner (thanks, Leland!).

We interrupt our Left Coast roadtrip for breaking news:

2010-07-29T09:05:00.000-04:00

Finished back in January, Random House has finally publicly released VIETNAMERICA's cover:

See, it's totally really gonna be a really real book 'n' stuff!

Time to hit the road...

2010-07-20T01:30:00.000-04:00

Starting tomorrow, I'll be exhibiting and getting my senses shattered at the San Diego Comic-con! If you're attending, please swing by and check out my wares. Got a lot of new stuff for sale as well as a full color preview of VIETNAMERICA! As usual, I'll be tabling with this bum in Small Press at K12:

After that, I'll be staying on the Left coast for a few weeks road-tripping with my wife. We're escaping NYC's wet-blanket-in-a-sauna weather to visit friends and family from San Diego to Seattle. Don't know how much I'll be blogging while on the road, but anybody's who's reading this is gonna be on vacation anyways, right?!

Summer Slowdown--NNNOOOTTT!!!

2010-07-14T00:02:00.039-04:00

Why I haven't posted for a few weeks:

Comic project #1: weekly online strips! Aiming to start serialization in a couple weeks, but if I fall short it's because of the reality of needing to keep a roof over my head with...

Apparel graphics! These are only in-progress shots because, as is the nature of working in the clothing biz, they won't be for sale until next year so showing the final versions now is a big no-no. But if you wanna buy some of my stuff before then, there's these...

Preparing for CON-slaught! Tis that time of year when our living room transforms into a printing, folding, and trimming factory. First stop: SDCC next week! Hopefully shortly thereafter, this will also be ready...

Comic project #2 gradually inching closer to a finished pitch! I'm so freakin' excited about this thing and can't wait to talk about it publicly! Speaking of public, how bout some public nudity...

Weekly figure drawing still goin' strong! Special shout out to Lillian Chan, a wonderful animator and friend, who came along for a session while visiting from Toronto. Yes, believe it or not, I still have friends despite my reclusive work nature, and my preferred mode of communication is still with horribly drawn email responses. Proof: in response to a friend who'd rather watch World Cup then hang out and draw...

Hope everyone's enjoying their Summer or Winter!

Website easter egg:

2010-06-22T00:03:00.005-04:00

Heeding the advice from artists far more experienced at online presentation than myself, one of the things left on my new site's editing room floor was the sketchbook section:

The continual struggle with my portfolio is how much to show and how much not to show; that is, at what point does the amount of work stop distinguishing your voice and start diluting it. For me, having a comics, illustration, AND apparel graphics section is dangerously teetering on the latter so for now my life-drawing/travel sketchbook will stick to the blog.

The naked city never sleeps.

2010-06-15T00:05:00.000-04:00

It's awesome to live in a city that offers figure drawing virtually any night of the week. Pages from the Salmagundi Club and Triskelion:

Emergency Back-Up Career #27: Professional Arm Modeling

2010-06-08T00:06:00.008-04:00

I and some friends recently helped John Palvus on a spot for NPR's new Android news app:

I'm the arms attached to the green plaid shirt during the flurry of hands sequence. It was a fun group of artists who volunteered their Saturday afternoon to help out and, yes, I totally used this as a substitute for pledging during their recent spring drive.

Wanna know who all these great artists are? Check out John's comprehensive behind the scenes post.

GB Tran version 2.0!

2010-05-31T21:31:00.000-04:00

Been quiet with the posts these past couple weeks because I've been sweating over my site's relaunch. I gave myself the month of May to learn xhtml so this last week was down to the wire, and without further ado, I present the new gbtran.com! There's loads of new stuff to look at including VIETNAMERICA preview spreads, illustration work, and several full comics to read.

I'll be adding new features over the next few weeks as I learn more coding--including the new weekly comic mentioned in the previous post--but wanted to get this up now before I throw it all in the trash in a fit of art rage and start over from scratch. If you notice any bugs, please lemme know (especially all you PC users)!

Impending new website.

2010-05-18T15:45:00.003-04:00

It's been a month since I finished VIETNAMERICA, and I've spent the time tending to much neglected endeavors. Main priority: redoing my website! Still clumsily stumbling my way through xhtml, but for now here's a simple revamp of my apparel graphics page--essential in sustaining my livelihood as a freelancer.

Also working on two new projects: here's the plotting stage of comic project #1 which I'll be serializing on my website when it relaunches:

And I'm refining comic project #2's proposal, another non-fiction book that--for reasons which will become clear--still requires a lot of factors to fall into place before I start talking about it publicly. Hopefully it'll find a publisher and can be announced sooner rather than later!

"Figure Drawing III: The Search for Spots"

2010-05-11T00:13:00.004-04:00

Still looking for the perfect weekly figure drawing spot. Here are some pages from the Triskelion session in my hood:

And on a random note, evidently one of my comic spreads from the POSTCARDS anthology is hanging on the wall at Locust Moon, a comic shop that just opened in Philadelphia. I'd link them, but no website as of yet; instead, I'll just thank Jason Rodriguez for the pic!

Back in Brooklyn.

2010-05-04T00:03:00.004-04:00

Spent the past few days in Evansville, Indiana for a small family gathering on my wife's side. Between the exquisite BBQ and Chikfila I doodled a bit, including some absolutely beautiful old homes (the kind that come with spooky ghost stories):

I didn't get to watercoloring these since the back half of the trip was filled with violent storms, tornado sirens, and a food coma. Good times.

Out with the old, in with the new...

2010-04-27T00:03:00.001-04:00

I'm gradually clearing out stagnant energy that's collected in my workspace over these past two years as I prepare for the next stage of my professional life--whatever that may be. Collected all the drafts of VIETNAMERICA for storage, so here's a snapshot of its birthing steps:

Anyone have suggestions on how to streamline the process for a project this size, please share! While tidying up the home-office, here's some other random old stuff I came across--a self-portrait from 2001:

My brain in 2004:

An under-painting of my [now] sis-in-law from 2003:

"Things to do while in transitional phase": Stroll down Memory Lane = check!

Tax stress: thank goodness I married a yoga teacher!

2010-04-21T23:00:00.004-04:00

Every year around April 15th I'm reminded of how amusing me and my wife's professional pairing is:

Recently, she's been selected as a teacher for July's Wanderlust Festival in Lake Tahoe. In an awesome bit of synchronicity, it's the week after SDCC so the seeds of a momentous West Coast summer road trip are being sowed. Yoga and comics: two great tastes in one!

Along those lines, I just made this tee for her work because, "You can take the man out of the tee graphics biz, but you can't take the tee graphics out of the man." (Anyone interested in buying one? Email me!)

D-Day!!!

2010-04-13T19:55:00.010-04:00

That's "D" for delivery, as in the "book's done and delivered to the publisher."

Shit.

Now what do I do?!

Anyone need a cartoonist/illustrator?

"Thank You" books.

2010-04-05T00:06:00.000-04:00

Two years after signing the contract, VIETNAMERICA is just days away from being delivered to the publisher. I've only begun processing all the emotions related to completing this dream-project but one thing's for sure: it's been the most grueling and rewarding couple years of my life. To everyone whose dropped by for an update since this blog started: thanks for your continued interest.

For those of you who went the extra mile and posted comments up till now, I'm especially appreciative. In fact, so appreciative that I'd like to offer each one of you a free copy of the book when it's available. I'm not talking about a b/w advance-reader-copy that's about to make the preview rounds, but the actual full color hardcover edition coming out later--I'll also cover postage for those of you living across the country and around the world. (Of course, if you'd prefer to get the b/w ARC instead, that can probably be arranged)

In more immediate news, this weekend is the fantastic MoCCA Festival!

Sadly, I'm not exhibiting but do look forward to leisurely visiting every table without the pressure of constantly rushing back to cover my own. I feel very out of the loop after hibernating these past couple years working on VIETNAMERICA so it'll be great to catch up with industry friends.

The end of an era.

2010-03-29T00:04:00.000-04:00

After 40+ years, SVA's weekly public figure session is ending. The man whose been running it since before I was even born is stepping down and apparently no one will be taking his place. Thankfully, there's a glut of other options here in NYC so time to branch out and find some new naked people. Until then, here are my final SVA sketches:

Because you [didn't] ask for it...

2010-03-22T00:12:00.005-04:00

More crappy morning email doodles!

Almost there...

2010-03-15T15:15:00.005-04:00

After two nonstop years, I'm finally easing my foot off the gas pedal. Just finishing up odds and ends and buff 'n' polish on the book while waiting for my editor's comments. Popping into neutral to cross the finish line with my sanity still intact.

Here are some sample spreads, two of which relate to earlier posts for any of you interested in the before 'n' after comparison:

Long overdue was some quality time with my wife in Costa Rica this past week--our first couple's vacation since our honeymoon in 2008. Needless to say, she's been very supportive and phenomenally patient with me working on VIETNAMERICA these past two years. Lost our camera in mid-trip, so all I got to show for it is this doodle:

"Let there be naked people."

2010-02-22T00:05:00.002-05:00

Hells yeah: figure drawing's back in session!

C-C-C-COLORS!

2010-02-14T12:35:00.003-05:00

Y'know that feeling you get when you're really into whatever you're working on--like feeling totally awesome about it and super productive--and go to bed totally psyched about the work you accomplished that day only to wake up and look at said previous day's work with fresh eyes and realize it sucks? Thankfully, that finally didn't happen to me this morning:

This is the latest round of master palettes for the book's various sections--I think they'll stick to the wall this time. Happy Lunar New Year, everyone!

Chuggin' along...

2010-02-08T00:06:00.009-05:00

... and my days are blurring into one endless work session. Spent the last couple weeks hand-lettering the entire book and refining the b/w washes in preparation for coloring:

The theory goes that the better lookin' the tonal stage is, the easier the coloring stage will be. I'm approaching the two year anniversary of signing the contract on this project, so working diligently to give myself a huge reason to celebrate--i.e. finishing the book!

Covered.

2010-01-29T22:43:00.005-05:00

I turned in the cover for VIETNAMERICA last week, so thought I'd post the process leading up to the final. It began with thumbnails scattered throughout sketchbooks and paper scraps... whatever I had on me at the time an idea struck:

After narrowing down those sketches, I refined a few concepts which were then submitted to my publisher:

And the winner was: [druuummmrrrooolll] none of the above! There was a seventh sketch that, when submitted, was unanimously agreed should be the cover so you'll see that when the book actually comes out. (Or for you industrious types, it'll be popping up somewhere on the interwebs soon enough.) Sorry to say, this cover was rejected by my editors pretty early in the brainstormin' process.

Washes: D-O-N-E!

2010-01-23T15:46:00.000-05:00

Guess what's next? Yeah, "colors", I'm looking at you. You can run and hide, but I've got you locked on target...

Before and After: An example of obssesive compulsive time wasting?

2010-01-16T00:05:00.000-05:00

Version A: Original art from book pitch to publisher.

Version B: Revised art for final published book.

See the difference? Yeah, me neither. Perhaps redrawing my pitch pages was not the best use of my time, but there are subtle tweaks in the revised versions that help improve story flow... AND if I had just "cheated" and reused the originals in the final book I know I would never forgive myself.

The proud new owner of my first-ever ISBN!

2010-01-11T00:24:00.000-05:00

The biggest change from self-publishing to having a publisher is accepting that it's not all under my control anymore, especially marketing and distribution. Case in point: I had no idea you could pre-order my book in Canada and the UK. (The control freak in me would like to point out that besides the author name, publisher, and language all the other book deets are inaccurate.) Suddenly it all feels... very... real.

How I celebrated the arrival of 2010:

2010-01-05T00:42:00.012-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! With the exception of book peripherals (like chapter headers and endpages) and a few re-edited/re-composed pages/panels, VIETNAMERICA is finally I-N-K-E-D! Reaching this benchmark took longer than I predicted, but still deeply satisfying as a huge weight is lifted and I float closer to the finish line. Now on to completing the washes...

11-0: the perfect season!

2009-12-21T23:18:00.004-05:00

SVA's public figure drawing just went on winter break and rumor has it it won't be returning which makes this extra poignant: after attending for over 8+ years, this was the first semester I made every session. I am officially now more disciplined then I ever was in college!

When I'm on my deathbed and my life flashes before my eyes, this crowning achievement will certainly be the main feature. Special thanks to fellow figure drawers Alex Meyer, Debra Ziss, Matt Fleck, Leland Purvis, and Tyler Chin-Tanner for helping keep my eye on the prize.

Spreading some cheer for the holi-daze.

2009-12-14T00:19:00.002-05:00

"Do you draw anything else besides comics and naked people?" "Yeah, really crappy email responses."

Wednesday figure drawing: still hangin' in there...

2009-12-07T00:24:00.002-05:00

... despite VIETNAMERICA consuming virtually my every waking moment.

Sooooo close yet sooooo far...

2009-12-01T11:50:00.001-05:00

I'm getting re-focused and back to work after a lengthy holiday family reunion: "Tran-Giving", as it's known among my kin. 18 family members spanning three generations under one roof trying not to drive each other insane = fun.

While away my editor reacted to the latest draft and sounds like they're pretty happy with what they've got so far. I'm entering the 11th hour of what now has become a 20-month/300-page marathon so pep talks like hers are my crack cocaine. I'd show you the other 3/4's of the book washes but I should be actually working on it instead of setting up more screenshots.

"So I Remember..." Part II

2009-11-18T01:29:00.005-05:00

Part I here.

Reminder: If you're looking for something to do this weekend...

2009-11-05T11:56:00.019-05:00

... check out KingCon!

I made this mini comic collecting my worst/best email gags to sell at cons--available this weekend with a bunch of other stuff by cartoonists and comic peeps way more talented than myself.

Wednesday nights: still awesome!

2009-10-30T00:07:00.010-04:00

"No sleep till..."

2009-10-26T00:15:00.001-04:00

In a couple weekends is the premier of Brooklyn's own comic-con: KingCon! I'll be exhibiting with veteran titans of tabling Joanna Mulder and Jamie Tanner so if you've dreamed of a con season that just won't end, swing by and check out the November 7-8th show.

VIETNAMERICA: Now in glorious technicolor!

2009-10-17T00:01:00.000-04:00

My book's entered the homestretch:

Color palettes will probably change a billion more times between now and the deadline--so goes the curse/joy/ease/impermanence of doing it digitally. Hoping I won't obsessively overwork it into total crap.

Guess what's back in session?

2009-10-11T20:35:00.006-04:00

Wednesday nights are awesome again:

Everybody loves a wedding!

2009-10-03T00:05:00.000-04:00

Congratulations Tricia and Josh--you guys rock! Please don't tell my publisher I took a break from VIETNAMERICA to illustrate your ketubah.

Farewell SPX. I barely knew ye...

2009-09-28T23:29:00.012-04:00

This weekend was phenomenal: an avalanche of awesome new comics, tremendous attendance and foot traffic, silky smooth show organization, and--most importantly--a deluge of great cartoonists and good peeps.

During the weekend, I won a Nerdlinger trophy, a tongue-in-cheek ceremony to honor cartoonists that aren't regulars on those other fancy-pants comic award ballots. Ironically, the Nerdlinger's co-creator/host Liz Baillie also mc'd Saturday's Ignatz Awards, one of said "other fancy-pants comic award" thingies.

SPX was truly spectacular, yet the highlight for me wasn't even part of the show--it was the roadtrip. If you ever have the opportunity to spend 9+ hours in a car with Mr. Phil, Charlito, Fred Chao, and Neil Swaab, pack vicodine because the laughter will pummel every part of your body into excruciating pain.

OMGGBNSPX!

2009-09-22T12:56:00.000-04:00

I'm still coming to grips with missing SDCC this summer, so super psyched to be exhibiting at this weekend's SPX! Neil Swaab and I will be rockin' out at table C15 so swing by:

And for anyone interested in a sneak peak and knows the secret password, I'll have a preview of the other 298 pages that go with these two:

"Cartoonist Liberation Fund"

2009-09-17T00:15:00.005-04:00

I love comics. I REALLY love Jamie Tanner's comics. Join me in support of him bringing his next graphic novel to fruition. A simple donation gets you goodies and a front row seat to all the thrills 'n' chills of making a comic minus the agonizing self-doubt, financial loss, and bouts of depression!

If you think these are as awesome as I do...

2009-09-12T03:15:00.000-04:00

... then grab your credit card and run--don't walk!--to my friend Joanna's Etsy shop.

Back from summer vacation!

2009-09-04T13:34:00.004-04:00

And by "summer vacation", I mean busting ass on VIETNAMERICA night and day for the past month and a half, my callous right hand mangled into an inking claw. Being so focused (i.e. a tad stressed out) was the reason for my posting absence, but relative balance has been restored to my life so now back to the bloggin'.

Left pile: Inks finished. Right pile: Unfortunate hold-outs that my editor will have to pry from my cold, dead hands.

Go towards the light.

2009-07-21T00:10:00.000-04:00

After inking VIETNAMERICA for four months straight, I finally see the light at the end of the 300-page tunnel. I'm running on fumes, but sheer momentum will help me finish these inks... that, and growing terror as the book's deadline hurtles at me faster and faster.

Remember when comics were FUN?

2009-07-15T23:20:00.011-04:00

Y'know, when you could enjoy a single issue cover-to-cover without the constraints of a convoluted epic crossover event spanning multiple titles... or a depressing 300-page generational memoir about a family's war survival (*cough* *cough*)? Fred Chao sure does remember, and lucky for us Adhouse has collected his series JOHNNY HIRO so everyone who missed this kick-ass comic romp the first time now has a second chance. That calls for a celebration:

My colon needs a vacation.

2009-07-08T15:40:00.005-04:00

That's what happens when you spend six days in Chicago over a July 4th weekend that included Peruvian wedding cuisine and my wife's extended Italian family's cooking.

My sketchbook output was cut short by all the blood rushing to my stomach, but I'm slowly regaining sensation in my appendages so it's back to inking VIETNAMERICA!

NYC Zinefest's maiden voyage

2009-07-01T20:00:00.003-04:00

It ROCKED! The staff put together a fantastic show in an intimate, unique venue with eclectic exhibitors. A great balance of zines, minis, artist books, and all the rest of the cool stuff that make local shows like this awesome and me proud to call NYC home. Picture yoinked from the Zinefest's Flickr stream:

Doin' some comics outreach

2009-06-25T00:05:00.005-04:00

I'll be exhibiting with old table mate Jamie Tanner this weekend at the NYC Zine Fest as we support a great event and spread the goodness of comics to non-traditional readers. The best part? Attendance is FREE to the public!

"Groundhog Day"

2009-06-17T19:30:00.004-04:00

Every day is spent doing stuff like this and I couldn't be happier:

Got the place to myself for the next week so hoping to make up for lost time (MoCCA + out of town guests = a little behind on inks). That, and not wearing pants for seven days. Boo-YAH!

MoCCA aftermath

2009-06-10T11:30:00.004-04:00

All the joys and horrors of last weekend's MoCCA have been extensively dissected, examined, and blogged by far more articulate and knowledgeable people then me. Despite its serious growing pains, I did hesitantly register for next year and am hopeful the major flaws of MoCCA's new venue are resolved before then.

So now it's back to work. Making comics can be pretty solitary so spending the weekend reconnecting with kindred spirits and having so many cartoonists ask about VIETNAMERICA's progress was really refreshing. It's a great feeling when other people who's work I respect and admire know what I'm working on and are anxious to read it. In fact, the demand for VIETNAMERICA has become so huge that I've decided to publish it with an ultra-rare collectible variant cover:

Courtesy of Neil Swaab having too much free time on his hands during MoCCA.

Anyone need a hotel for SDCC?

2009-06-04T00:01:00.005-04:00

I won't be exhibiting at next month's San Diego Comic-Con--my first time not attending in over 6 years. Financial constraints prevent me from making the cross-country trek to the holy land, but I'll be back with a vengeance in 2010. Email me if you're in need of a hotel within walking distance of the event.

On a happier note: MoCCA this weekend!!! If your eyeballs don't explode before reaching the distant far corners of the hall, swing by table 624!

Squeezing in as many naked people as possible.

2009-05-31T00:24:00.000-04:00

A couple last pages from SVA's figure drawing before it went on summer hiatus.

I heart MoCCA

2009-05-24T01:31:00.002-04:00

In two weekends my favorite show of the year hits: MoCCA! This June marks its relocation to a new, bigger space and is a must-attend for every cartoonist and enjoyer-of-comics within commute of NYC. In addition to my usual wares, I'll have a new mini collecting the "best" of my morning illos. Sorry for not making something more substantial, but all my energy is going into keeping VIETNAMERICA on schedule. Once again, I'll be sharing a table with this magnificent bastard.

Inking is like a runaway train and I'm strapped to the tracks.

2009-05-15T00:09:00.003-04:00

Left pile: pages to be inked. Right pile: pages inked. Almost halfway there!

Commercial Break

2009-05-12T00:05:00.005-04:00

Congrats to cartoonist pal Neil Swaab on finishing his THIRD Rehabilitating Mr. Wiggles comic strip collection! With this volume, he's returning to self-publishing and doing it all on his own so check it out. It'll be available through Amazon and stores July 1st, but order a copy direct from Neil now and help free up some space in his studio. As you can see, the claustrophobia is driving him iiinnnsssaaannneee!!!

The best $8 I spend on a weekly basis.

2009-05-07T00:10:00.000-04:00

More sketchbook pages from SVA's figure drawing.