Thursday, May 09, 2013

TCAF 2013

Folks, it's been a long time coming, but I'm happy to say that my Bull graphic novel is finally going to be released this year! I had hoped to release it at TCAF (the Toronto Comic Arts Festival), but alas it was not to be.

I will having still be attending TCAF since it's my favourite comic show of the year though. So many friends there and so much good stuff to buy!

Doug Wright Awards Fundraiser

One of the things I love to do at TCAF is go to the Doug Wright Awards (which take place on Saturday night, May 11th at 7PM this year). The Doug Wright Awards are a non-profit organization whose goal is to draw attention to excellence in cartooning in Canada.

Have you dreamed of owning some original comic book art for a reasonable price?
Well, dream no more my friends.  As a fundraiser, they asked some great Canadian cartoonists like Seth, Chester Brown and Matt Forsythe (and me) to contribute some original art to auction off on the theme of "Super Villains" on eBay. I did Granny Goodness, an awesome Kirby villain.

Right now the bid is at the low, low price of $31.00. Bidding ends tomorrow (Friday, May 10th), so get bidding!

Gerald Bull Book Progress Update

So as to not lose my mind on this graphic novel (as it is easily 10 times longer than anything I've ever done before), I decided to split the book into two volumes: a Book 1 and a Book 2. This kept everything more manageable and less overwhelming. Both volumes will be approx. 75 pages in length.

Here's the story recap:
From Earth to Babylon: The Story of Gerald Bull
Canadian scientist Gerald Bull is considered to be one of the most brilliant scientists of the twentieth century. A boy from modest means, he quickly grew to prominent and his research led him across the globe, from Canada, to the Pentagon, Barbados, South Africa, China and Iraq – where he developed the “Supergun” for Saddam Hussein, and ultimately to Brussels, where he was assassinated in 1990.

Book One tells the story of his early years as a “boy genius” at the University of Toronto, his years at the Canadian Defense Department where he began his work on supersonic guns, and his work at McGill on HARP (the High Altitude Research Project). Like something straight out of a Jules Verne book, HARP utilized a big gun system instead of rockets to shoot items into the earth’s upper atmosphere.

I now have 2, count 'em TWO pages left to draw for Book 1! After that it's just scanning, toning and lettering. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the full printed edition will be now be released at the SPX this Fall, which I have secured a table at.