Out of the box.

Wrestler Zero short story.

Dinner Guest.

Odds and Ends.

Wrestling.

Wrestler Zero used to wrestle humans. Now he wrestles against agents of darkness than neither science nor religion can explain. I wrestle against my own limitations as a comics creator. I wrestle with being torn between different influences that guide me and the second guessing that keeps me from producing more material. I wrestle with the gulf between dreams and day to day life. I wrestle with the impulse to dream big and the desire to "keep it real". What I don't wrestle with is my desire to improve my work. I'm not in this for fame or fortune. Fame I don't need or want. Fortune would be nice though. Fulfillment is what I want. How I get there is through desire and hard work. If it came easy to me it perhaps wouldn't be worth doing. I've met many artists over the years. Some were pros but the bulk of them were amateurs like me. I consider virtually all of them to be more talented than me. Some could draw effortlessly things that would push me to my limits and beyond. Only one of them ever became a professional and as far as I know his career was short lived. It's both inspiring and sobering that Gil Kane, one of the greats, struggled to improve his craft until his death. If I could draw half as well as he could I'd quit my day job tommorow. Perhaps one day. But for now the wrestling match against my limitations continues.

"Frankly" speaking.

Hello everyone. Here's a page from what I'm currently working on. I've recently had the opportunity to teach a one day cartooning class at a local library and later this week I'll be doing the same at a elementary school. There are artists that we revere in our youth. For me that man was John Byrne. In my high school days you couldn't convince me that a better artist had ever lived. In time I outgrew my obsession with Byrne but I still think he is an excellent writer/artist. There was another artist whose work I hated during that same period of Byrne worship: Frank Robbins. You may know of him from his work on "The Invaders" and his own strip "Johnny Hazard". If you're unfamiliar with his work I strongly suggest you seek it out. There are artists who serve as milestones in the evolution of our tastes. Work that seemed inferior to our younger eyes takes on a new meaning and life when viewed through a more mature perspective. As I continue my never ending education I've learned to see things better. Frank Robbins work had a vitality and an energy to it. Although his anatomical stylizations might seem unorthodox compared to the post Neal Adams/Jack Kirby school of comic art, his work is based on solid knowledge of the fundamentals of structure, anatomy and composition. His early 70's Batman stories reveal another facet of his talent: his energetic brushwork. Frank Robbins work stands as a testament to an artist of unique vision whose work was solidly rooted in the fundamentals of art and coupled with a strong work ethic fueled by a desire to improve his work. That's a lesson for us all.

Keep it moving.

Hello everyone. The above is from WRESTLER ZERO #2. Initially I wanted to produce a short story, maybe eight pages in length. That is still a goal but this story ended up becoming my second full length issue. I'm an avid reader but I learn best by doing. And nothing teaches you the craft of comic book creation better than actually producing you own publication. I also think it's vital for amateurs like me to continue to produce consistently and publish work, even if it's a pin up or sketches. Or in the case above, a panel or page from a work in progress. I knew when I published WRESTLER ZERO #1 last year that while it was the best I was capable of at the time, it had flaws that were painfully apparent to me. As much as I'd like to go back and fix those flaws I've got to move forward not backward. I'm grateful that WRESTLER ZERO #1 was well received and for the kind words. But the need for improvement of my craft compels me to produce new material instead of repairing the older work. The exception to this would be if I were to reprint the first issue in a more upscale format in the hopes of reaching a much wider readership. But first things first. And now back to my regulary scheduled program of learning how to write, draw and ink.