Love and Capes #8 in Previews NOW!

Hey, Love and Capes #8 is in the Previews catalog right now! It's order code AUG08 4209. Buy as many as you'd like. I'll make more.

Number eight this month…the trade next month…it's a flurry of Love and Capesishness.

California, that's the place I oughtta be

Only a couple hours left and then I'll be on my way to San Diego for Comic-Con.

Did I mention I'm going to Comic-Con International? I know I've said it before, but I want to make sure it's high on the blog to remind you I'll be at Booth #2000, splitting it with Toon Tumblers. I'll have issues #1-7 of Love and Capes, both Powerful Women sketchbooks, t-shirts and pins. I'll be doing commissions, signing anything you bring, and talking and chatting. Please come by.

San Diegos always a mixture of thrills and fears. It's a bit of a crucible for where you are in the industry. It's the show that's so big that if you're not there, some people wonder if you're anywhere. And, it's always a chore to get everything out there, get the booth set up and so on.

But...

I went out last year and directly from that show I wound up IDW doing the Love and Capes trade. I got my first meeting with Disney about getting one of my projects turned into a TV show. And I discussed doing some digital format versions of my projects, too.

The first of those three is fantastic. The other two, while they haven't materialized (at least not yet), they are my first step into a much larger world. I'm expecting even more. Soon.

Like maybe this week. Let's rock.

The Difference... Timing!

With just a couple days to spare, the second Powerful Women collection has arrived! I was blessed with some overruns, so I can send out the orders I've received before I leave, and still have the stock that I need to have. Yay, Jones Printing!

Don't forget, the special goes away on Sunday, so be sure to order yours before the prices go up.

This Post Will Self-Destruct in Two Minutes

I've been posting Love and Capes covers for a while now, but I've never run into the situation I have on this cover: I can't show it to you. Well, not completely. There's a surprise guest-star in issue #9. As such, I can't show you half the cover. That's why the right side seems so empty here: I deleted the character that's standing there. Now, if you buy #8, and I hope you will, you can see the full cover there. Now that I have a schedule locked down, I'm back to running ads for the next issue, complete with the next cover.

With issue #8 done aside from a rewrite here or there, one minor art correction, and the inevitable corrections from the Secret Society of Super-Reviewers. I'm in good shape for leaving for San Diego. It'll be nice to not have this over my head while I'm there, and with that brainspace nice and clear, I should be able to get some good ideas for the new issue.

Issue eight will be in stores in October, and debuting at Mid-Ohio-Con.

A little more

Still not saying what the mystery cover is, but here's a little more of the image, and now in color!

So whatever your hands find to do you must do with all your heart

If you're following my Twitter feed, you know that I finished issue #8 yesterday! Well, technically it was this morning, I think. And the book itself isn't done completely. I still have to do the trade dress (the bio and recap section, ads, stuff like that) and draw the cover for #9 so that I can advertise it in the back of the book.

Once again, the dialogue is blurred out. Further, for the last page, I'm just showing part of a panel. I appreciate everyone who bops by here to check the progress out, and I don't want to reward you with spoilage.

I like this issue a lot. I think it's up there with #5 and 6 which are personal favorites, I think. Hopefully, every one has gotten better, but occasionally I'll have an issue where I don't quite have the "feel of the ball". To use a metaphor from a sport that's no longer played professionally in Cleveland. Baseball.

Now, I did have a last lyric for the lyric contest. So the one for page 23 is at the top of this post, and the one for the last page, which I find to be exceedingly appropriate:

So you feel like it's the end of the story.

Answers will appear in the next day or so.

Cover Story

So I'm doing a cover for someone. I've got the all-clear to reveal what it is, but I'm still a little gunshy about it. I just can't believe I get to work on this. So, for now, I'll tease you with part of the cover image.

I will tell you that it's for IDW, and it's a licensed property. And I'm just so jazzed I get to do it.

If this one gets approved, I may be doing many more, too.

Wheelin' and Dealin'

I just signed off on the proofs for Powerful Women #2, so it's time for some pre-San Diego specials!

Until July 20th (the day I leave for California) you can get the second sketchbook for $10.00 plus shipping. That's $5.00 off cover price. And, if you order both of them, you can save $10.00 and get the 2-pack for $20.00 plus shipping.

The newbook features Scarlett from G.I. Joe, Princess Leia, She Hulk, Jade, Halo, Poison Ivy, Princess Aura, and many, many more. Click here to be taken to the commission page, where you can order the sketchbooks. They'll ship out from San Diego after the show.

No mortal man can win this day

Let's break a rule or two tonight. This is actually a fourth panel, which I don't usually post. I thought that the other panels on the page revealed too much. I especially wanted to mention the super villain that appears, but that would give everything away. I will tell you this: I designed him years and years ago as part of a "Design the next Masters of the Universe figure" that I entered as a kid. The character wasn't selected, but a version of him (new name, same powers) will appear in Love and Capes #8.

I've also blurred out the text. The dialogue's not really funny without the set-up, but I choose to play it safe.

Two pages left to go. It may be done this week. I just have some other things competing for my time and efforts this week, too. It's nice to be wanted, though.

Why are there so many songs about rainbows?

Love and Capes is officially hitting obsession stage. I finished page 21 today. There's a good chance I'll have the remaining three done this week. That's a lot.

I don't do a lot of panels with empty backgrounds, but they're nice to spice things up, especially when it calls for it. Here, Major Might and the Crusader are floating in the air. The empty BG just seemed to really get that sense of space.

Bizarre trivia: The second dialogue balloon originally belonged to Crusader. I couldn't think of a reason why Major Might wouldn't say it, though, so I figured I'd give him a little more to do.