Love and Capes: What to Expect #6 ANSWERS/SPOILERS

Love and Capes: What to Expect #6 will probably inspire some questions. Four of them, in fact. I mentioned on Twitter and Facebook that I would answer them today. They're spoileriffic, no ifs ands or buts. So, to make sure no one who's waiting for it gets spoiled prematurely, I've posted the answers at this link, so you can see this in your RSS reader without committing to revealing the ending.

Love and Capes: What to Expect #6 in stores TODAY!

It's in stores today! The big finalé of Love and Capes: What to Expect, featuring a cover by me and the estimable Rich Faber.

And when you read it, you will have questions. Or at least you should. One in particular.

To try to preserve spoilers and such, I'm going to keep quiet about anything for now, but on Monday I'll put up a post that should address the most obvious questions.

I'm pretty pleased with how this wraps up. I can't deny that even I misted up a bit as I was writing the ending.

The Sky's the Limit

As part of my New Year's Resolution to blog more, here's a little more behind the scenes stuff on Love and Capes. I was working on the cover of the fourth collection and needed a sky. I'd thoughtabout sunset, but given the impending birth, I wanted something more of the sunrise variety. But how to capture it. I'd browsed through Google Image Search for some inspiration.

But one morning I got up early to go to Panera before starting to work and I saw this, which I captured with my iPhone's camera. Yeah, you might not think the sprawling vista of a strip mall is the most exciting thing, but that sky was exactly what I was looking for, and the inspiration for the sky on the cover.

By the way, if you haven't already ordered it from your local comic shop, the fourth trade is available from Amazon.

Love and Capes Volume 4!

I would be remiss in my self-promotional duties if I didn't let you all know that the fourth Love and Capes collection, What to Expect is in the January Diamond Previews catalog. It's Previews order code JAN130451 and collects the entire six-issue What to Expect miniseries. It also features an introduction by Greg "Young Justice" Weisman.

These Rhinos are Done Bowling

Here it is, the last of my Kickstarter rewards, this being a Stephanie Brown Batgirl piece. Stephanie Brown seems to have been terminated with prejudice from the DC Universe. I always thought she was kind of cool, and certainly an interesting character design. So here she is. As usual, click for biggimization!

Now, everyone reading this should have recieved their Kickstarter reward (with the exception of my Aunt, who told me I could deliver it personally the next time I see her). So, if I've missed you, let me know.

I loved my Kickstarter experience, not counting the hell that was dealing with Active Images media. More on that some other time. I've got a couple other ideas in my head for what to do next, so expect me to Kickstart something else soon.

From Angels to Demons

A few weeks ago, I finally saw some daylight in my schedule. I got it in my head that maybe I could start doing some Disney villian art to post here. Just something to stretch my skills, mess around with the Cintiq and maybe some try working in Painter or Manga Studio again. That lasted for all of 48 hours when I was hit by the Work Hammer. Now, there's little chance I'll be drawing another bad guy until sometime in the New Year. Them's the breaks, I understand, and out of all the problems to have, too much work is the best.

But, there's no reason I can't share this one in the meantime. It's Chernabog, my favorite Disney villian from one of my favorite Disney films. He needs to be on more stuff… and more cool stuff. (I did get a lovely Chernabog Pop figure, and a Christmas ornament featuring him from my special lady this Christmas, though, so maybe he's making a comeback.) In fact, all the villians need more cool stuff. I can't tell you how much I want some Hades stuff. I just love that design.

Okay, let's cut this short before I go into my rant about the Disney Villian shop at Hollywood Studios turning into a candy shop. But come on, as Stan Lee once said, bring on the bad guys!

And, click to embiggen!

Christmas Time Was Here

My Mom sent me this picture of her Christmas tree. Up at the top is an angel with wings that have long fallen off. I made it in kindergarten back in 19… 86 or something like that. Yeah, let's say 86, that sounds palatable.

I still remember making that. We had the choice to make the eyes and mouth in blue or green glitter, and I chose blue, because it's my Mom's favorite color. It warms my heart to know that she still has it, and that it's still on the tree.

Moon Knight Commission

Here's another commission off the list. This one is one of the Kickstarter rewards I owed a backer. He picked Moon Knight, which was an interesting choice. I like it when people pick a more obscure character because there's so much new to play with. As always, click to embiggen!

Love and Capes Goes Hawaiian

Among other things I've been doing, I've been catching up on my commission list. This one was one of the rewards for my Rhinos Bowling Kickstarter project. (Which, by the way is finally in the United States, no thanks to my printer.)

The task on this one was to draw the ladies of Love and Capes in Hawai'i. I really like this one because of the characterization. Amazonia is looking for action, Abby is reading a book, and Charlotte is drinking. Each of them is summed up perfectly.

I've got a couple more I'll be showing soon, too.

Click and embiggen!

Also, not for nothin', but I am available for Free Comic Book Day, comic shops of Hawai'i.

Stilettos and Scoundrels

Recently, 801red brought me in to do some illustrations for one of their clients, the mystery author Laina Turner. This is the first in a series of pieces which will create a consistent look for the series.

For you art techies, this illustration, and the ones that will follow, were drawn on my Cintiq in Illustrator. It's the first major drawing thing that I've worked directly digital on. It's nice not to have to draw, scan, convert, and tweak, and instead work directly in the program that the final product will be in. Far cleaner, simpler, and faster.

Visit Laina Turner's website here.