Remember when comics were FUN?

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.

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

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

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"

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

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?

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.

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

I heart MoCCA

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.

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