ZOMG 2010...

...PLEASE GIVE ME A FEW MORE MONTHS, OK? I know it really shouldn't matter, but the New Year always puts me in a funk (kind of in the same way birthdays do...that uneasy half exciting/half nauseating feeling). Did I do enough this year? Could I have done more? Better? Ah, self doubt. Whatever. 2009 was what it was. I tend to only remember the good (I'm such a bloody optimist), so I actually feel like it was a pretty good year (please don't prove me wrong by pointing out my foibles in the comments). I'll end my "deep thoughts" session by wishing everyone a wonderful New Year (and a blue moon to boot)!

cheers,
maris

oh yeah, I drew a family portrait of the Joker for my local comic shop Batman Gallery show:

That's right, I actually used a non-digital medium to color it!! WATERCOLORS in da HOOOOOUSE!! (or to be more accurate, watercolors in the apartment)

It's beginning to look a lot like...

SUPERHEROES!!




That's right folks. There's some superheroes up on my Etsy site. Just thought you might want to know.

Sketchy McSketchertons...

...from Sketchville.

Lots of work-related drawing lately, so here's a little recreational sketching. Most of these were done last night our local coffee shop Bloc 11, and they had a live music night (for the first time ever). All I can say is that I definitely need more accordion in my life.









And no, there were no slugs performing live. I just felt like drawing slugs (because they are AWESOME).

On the topic of farts...

This was an editorial piece I did a few months back for Discovery Girls magazine (it was in their "Embarassing Moments" section). I don't do editorial illustrations very often, so this was a fun job (plus I got to draw FARTING and use the "poot" sound effect).

Even more Super...

VILLAINS!?

This one was for a commission. I really heart the Batman cast of heroes and villains, and I was super-excited to draw Poison Ivy. I always found her character (as well as Catwoman's) interesting; I liked that they were both conservationists...(or, at least that was kind of how they were portrayed on the animated series, which was my gateway drug to the Batman universe). Their characters always seemed to have good intentions (Catwoman's theft was very Robin Hood-esque; stealing from the rich to give to the poor), but their good intentions often turned into acts of eco-terrorism (hello, poisonous plant bombs!). Philosophy aside, the villains of the Batman universe are just plain fun to draw!

Superheroes!

Last weekend, I crashed the Big Apple Con with Joe and Paolo. I had a few things to sell, but cons like that aren't really my audience...I did manage one sketch request (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU). Ladies and Gentlemen, Wonder Woman:
I love drawing superheroes...I guess it's because I never really get to. While I was sitting behind the table, I doodled up some other stuff:




Paolo watercolored the Spidey one for me!

I have a feeling 2010 might be the year of the con; Joe and I are planning to go all out (we might even do San Diego con). Who knows? Once we figure out our schedule, I'll be sure to post about way ahead of time. Ok, back to drawing comics!

True Story:

(click to make it BIGGER)

So much to do...

...so little time. Again, I've been neglecting the blog, and even larger, the internets. I feel as though updating the blog is a treat, like a little reward for finishing a project. The trouble is, I've got at least three projects that are in the works, but nowhere near completion. The result? This neglected blog. It seems that more work would provide the exact opposite, resulting in a blog filled with entry after entry. But I can't find the time to justify sitting down and saying, "Here's what I'm doing, but it's just a snip-it...", when I could be using that time to keep working. Perhaps I should view blogging as a task rather than as a reward...
I am also feeling a bit out of touch with the whole comics crowd after my decision not to attend some of my favorite conventions this year. Just this past weekend was SPX, which I haven't missed since 2005. I was sad not to go, but I was able to stay home and finish a little project I'd been working on for Uncle Envelope. Definitely check out the site; it's an awesome thing to subscribe to, especially if you (or your kids) love getting stuff in the mail. Here's a sneak-peek of my mini comic, which will be the mailing item for October:


Yes, those are poops. The comic is all about the human digestive system. I loves me some science!!

And here are some comics from a while ago...I have such a back-log of these, I can't wait until I put them together in a big, fat book (yet another project that might keep me from frequenting the interwebs...)!






The Tetris comic is from last November (before my DS met it's unfortunate fate). Lately, video games have been "off limit" with the exception of a little MarioKart every now and then (you know, to alleviate stress). My favorite vehicle is the Super Blooper. Gee, I wonder why...possibly because it is a car shaped like a squid? But I digress...

I leave you with one of my many job-related comics. This one is about something I'll probably be doing tonight:


I have the best job EVER.

Cheers,
Maris

Summertime...

Ways to beat the heatwave:



1 lemon, squeezed
ice
maple syrup to taste (and none of that fake stuff; I'm looking at you Mrs. Butterworth)
2 slices of lemon, for prettifying

Instant cool off, although I can't promise that you won't break a sweat squeezing the lemon.

But seriously, this is how hot it was last week:


Sorry about all those butts.

In other news, I have finished all my pencils for the book I'm working on!


Yay! I actually performed the happy dance afterwards.

Egads.

Ugh. Has it really been a month since I last posted? Oops. Well, I don't even have anything that spectacular to show...just a lack-luster photo of my shared work space. Joe and I both share our computer and drawing table; we have a back-up laptop and small table for when our respective tasks overlap. Here's what it looks like with my stuff at the drawing table (click for bigness):


Again, not all that interesting. I might also add that I am currently drawing my final pages on 9" x 12" Vellum Bristol (which is VERY soggy at the moment due to three weeks of CONSTANT HUMIDITY).

I'm still drawing little auto-bio comics whenever I can...here's some oldies about work (and work-related mis-speak):




Yay! Scallops! (yes, those little black dots are it's eyes)

And last, but not least:


Ok, so I guess I had a few things to share. I know I've said it before, but I am going to make an effort to post once a week, even if it's just a wee comic. Now, BACK TO WORK FOR ME!!!!

-m

The Great Outdoors

In light of the summer season, I thought I'd share my Project:Rooftop Wolverine redesign:


And I'm proud to say that I smell like squids today.

Not dead...just working.

Shake your finger, slap me on the wrist, give me the cold sholder...I've been a negligent blogger. That's right. But of course I have a legitimate excuse (as always): I've been working on a longer comics project. This longer comics project (a biography actually) that combines the early careers of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey and Biruté Galdikas (three women who studied three different great apes), along with the fantastic writing talents of Mr. Jim Ottaviani. And this book is being published by First Second (yay!) Jim tells a great story of how our working on this project together unfolded here. Pretty hilarious. I should mention that my dream of the past five years has been to do 'science comics', and it's totally awesome that this dream has come into fruition. What it really comes down to is that I just love nerding out. Big time.

I'm not going to post much right now (just a few teasers), seeing as how I'm about halfway through the pencilled pages. I'll update periodically, but don't be surprised if my entries turn into a series of grunts and hoots. I have been trying to manage drawing 5 days a week (I'm only two days a week at my other job), so far it's working out. I've also been putting together a collection of my little autobiographical comics (there's over 200 strips at this point)...but I just keep drawing them.

Here's some chimpanzees:



And another thing: I'm in the anthology Ghost Comics. It comes out today. If you live in Minneapolis, check out the release party.

MECAF

Hey Everybody!
Tomorrow (Sunday May 16th) is the first annual Maine Comics Arts Festival being held in beautiful Portland, ME. Joe and I will have a table there where we'll be selling our usual comics, prints, t-shirts and stuffed animals. Many familiar comics faces will be there, and of course, lots of comics, so If you're in the area, come on down!

STUMPTOWN 2009

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's a glorious 1:05 AM and Joe and I are leaving for Portland, OR in...OMG LIKE 3 HOURS!!!! That's right; we're hopping a 6:05 AM flight out of Boston. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty exited about a 4 AM cab ride. Woopee. Sorry about the lack of posts and comment responses; I'm hoping to get back on that wagon once we return to the East Coast next Tuesday. Joe, Liz and I will be sharing a table at Stumptown Comics Fest this Saturday and Sunday, so if you're in the Portland area, stop by and say hi! Here's a glimpse of all my wares:


Ah, Portland. I can hardly wait to eat a donut covered in bacon. And wear shorts!!! AHHHG SHORTS I LOVE YOU SO! GET READY TO BE BLINDED BY THE SUPREME WHITENESS OF MY WINTER LEGS (my legs have not seen the light of day in 7 MONTHS people!).

OK. Time for me to stay up and wait for the cab.

p.s. I might actually try and blog from Portland...we're toting the computer this time around!

Dah-nah-nah-nah...

Batgirl!

My exposure to Batman was pretty much through Batman: The Animated Series during middle school; I watched it religiously every weekday afternoon. Batgirl was one of my faves (the Barbara Gordon Batgirl), so of course I relished Batgirl: Year One when it came out. I looked to the old TV series' Batgirl costume for inspiration on this one (hence the bright purple). There were some early attempts to make her suit sparkly, but my Photoshop skills were, um, under par. Oh yeah, and she's on roller skates.

Superheroes on the brain.

So I really missed the boat on getting this in on time, but I finally got around to doing my Batman redesign (the latest contest that was held over at Project:Rooftop). I had ideas of giving him a big scary mask (something inspired by this), but I ended up going very simple...big surprise. Here it is:



As long as we're on the topic of superheroes, here's my Aquaman:


This started as a sketch I did at New York Con. I scanned it and colored it. I'll eventually do a more detailed Aquaman drawing with lots and lots of my favorite underwater creatures.

And yes, both Batman and Aquaman are doing yoga-esque poses; I'm not really sure why. I'm pretty sure that most superheroes do yoga though (especially Batman).

WE RE IN YER CITY...

DEESTROYING THINGZ!

Missed missed connections...

A while back, I submitted this comic (drawn by both me and Joe) for the Missed Connections anthology that recently came out. Alas, we did not make the cut (the story takes kind of a fantasy-turn, but it's ::ahem:: mostly true...). I figured I'd give it a post.



Note: Joe does not actually talk to the ladies like that.

Oh, those crazy animals...

Here's some of the shenanigans that go on at work:

February Dailies

So, as inspired by Miss Lucy Knisley, I did a comic-an-hour on the first day of February. I actually completed them on that day, but it's taken my this long to scan and post them. Tsk tsk. Well, here they are (click to biggie-size them):




Sundays aren't that spectacular...at least I wasn't at work; it would have been aquatic puns galore.

23 Things I've done...

...over the past 3 months:


And here's what Number 17 looked like in real life:


I'm a total LOLrus!!

I don't think I'll ever get in the paper for anything comics-related...that's ok though. Not many people can say they made the front page of the Metro section as a GIANT YELLOW WALRUS USING A SEWING MACHINE!!
-m

YARRRRRGH!!!!

That's right. Joe and I are coming...to New York City for the New York Comic Con. Yes, I will be selling stuff. No, I will not be in costume. Please come visit our tiny little half a table (B9) in Artist's Alley if you're in town. If I know you well enough, I might give you a cookie.

Hey, I also started an ETSY!!!

mariswicks.etsy.com

But it is in vacation mode until I get back from NYC (Monday).

In addition, I am an ass. I am sorry I haven't posted. Please believe me that I have been drawing lots and lots of comics!! I have! It's true. I even did hourly comics a few days ago; I'll post when I get back.

Cheers!
m