The Coolest Book You’ve Never Read
June 25, 2008, filed under: Epics, by LexThen, again, if you’re an ultra-hip in-the-know-comics-connoisseur then you’ve been reading Scott Pilgrim for years. It’s taken me a little while to get on the bandwagon, but after burning through volumes 1-3, I’m in for long haul. I’ve known about Bryan Lee O’Malley’s work, but stayed away for silly reasons (none of which I can remember now), it was only until I got volume #1 Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life in a swag bag and read it on a flight did I realize the error of my ways. Drawn with confident brush-strokes and melding the world of comic strips and manga (as well as alty music, video-games, relationships, and Toronto), our story follows slacker Scott Pilgrim, who falls in love too easily until the day he meets Ramona Flowers, who makes him fight for it. Literally. Ramona’s got “seven-evil-ex-boyfriends” who Scott has to defeat in order to date her. Each boyfriend has his own mysterious power (volume #3 The Infinite Sadness featured the psychic powered vegan Todd!). The book is funny, smart, and has created a universe that makes perfect sense to itself. As a reader all you can do is flip through the pages, root for Scott, and eagerly await the next volume.
Scott Pilgrim copyright 2008 Bryan Lee O’Malley
“Kid Beowulf Has Arrived!”
June 12, 2008, filed under: News, by LexJust got word from my publisher that boxes upon boxes of Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath have arrived at his door! He sent along some pics of the book, so I thought I’d post them…
Here it is, all 208 pages! We used a spot-gloss on the title and the boys on the front. I think it looks pretty sharp.
Interior…
Here it is perched on their display table alongside Bowler Hat’s other summer debut Visibility.
And here’s my publisher Bo, taking one last editorial look at the book…I hope that’s not a typo! I should be getting my own box of books shortly, at which time I’ll post even more lurid photos of me and my baby. In the meantime, get thineself to AMAZON and order your copy today!
The Mysterious Cities of Gold
June 8, 2008, filed under: Studio, by LexA blast from the past…this was a show I remember watching as a kid. Esteban, a young boy from Spain (who could control the sun?) follows the explorer Mendoza to South America in search of legendary El Dorado. I couldn’t remember much else until I heard the theme song and then the fun just flooded back! It looks like this is slated for a DVD box set release later this year…can’t wait!
Abul-Abaz and Friends
June 4, 2008, filed under: Epics, Sketchbook, by LexOne of the characters I’m developing for Kid Beowulf and the Song of Roland
is an elephant named Abul-Abaz. I happily discovered his existence after reading Jeff Sypeck’s Becoming Charlemagne (a compelling read about the world of 800 AD). Abul-Abaz was a gift to Charlemagne from the caliph of Baghdad and a unique presence in Aachen (Charlemagne’s home in present day Germany). The idea that such a thing actually happened seemed too perfect not to incorporate into the book, especially since the blowing of horns is a factor in Roland and here was an animal known for its trumpeting skills. At this point I’m just trying to grapple with the anatomy–elephants are hard creatures to draw, but I’m excited to use this real bit of history in my story.
Below is a shot of Charlemagne’s Peers. L to R: Ogier the Dane, Archbishop Turpin, Anseis, Berenger, and Rinaldo. The Peers are the precursors to the Musketeers and a lot of fun to draw. 