SHAZAM... AGAIN!_commission

More often than not, the U.S. Post will come through. Through rain and sleet and snow and the rest of their company's mantra, they'll deliver when they say they will.

But... BUT... there's the off chance that there is a freak snow storm, or a flash flooding, or even an unscheduled Kaiju monster attack will happen and it will throw the whole thing off kilter.

And so, the forces of whatever worked against the original version of this CAPTAIN MARVEL piece (which was sent out months ago) and it has inexplicably - much like Marshall, Will and Holly - went on a not-so-routine expedition and has landed itself in the mysterious Land Of The Lost.

My apologies to the original buyer of the piece. I'm positive that Jason sent the image as securely and quickly as he could, but unfortunately things just happen and there's just no way to tell when and where things will get lost in the mail regardless of how much tracking and insurance you put on it. I hope this will more than make up for the lost image and just as soon as I make it back home, this new image will be on its way to you. Thanks again for your understanding and patience.

BOOK PLATES_update

Back in the day, when a customer bought a copy of PREMIER[e] they were offered a book plate with an original drawing of their choice.

Due to an oversight on my part and also because I'm not very smart, I completely forgot about doing said book plate drawings before I sent the copies out. So, while I'm away on holiday I decided to remedy my brain fart and do them during the off hours when I'm not gorging myself on pasta and pizza and home cooked meals and gelato and so on and so forth. Hehe. I loves me some Rome. Have I said that already?

Here then are the fruits of my evening's endeavors. Of course I'd write more, but I'm about to get a whole bowl of teramisu to eat all to myself because my gracious Italian hosts think that I can't finish this thing in one sitting. They don't know who they're messing with. Me and deserts are like Marty McFly and a time traveling DeLorians.

Enjoy and have a great weekend.

CIVIL WAR_commission

I started typing an entry thing for this image a couple of days ago only to realize that I don't know my way around a European QWERTY board. Actually, that's a lame excuse. The Euros and their keyboards aren't all that different, I just totally forgot to post this and I needed a reason. So not only is the reason lame, but so am I.

But let's not let my inadequacies in international interfaces detract from the the fact that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Rome! Well, 'love' is strong, isn't it? That should be reserved for the first, great vinyl record that you've ever bought or the pair of jeans that you've practically worn into a tissue-thin state, yeah? I mean that's 'love', right? So is it better to say that I've got a 'crush'? Okay, okay... "I CRUSH YOU, Rome!"

Uhm... nope. That doesn't work either. I just hear loud and giant klaxons going off as people are running away from coastal areas due to a rampaging nuclear irradiated Gila monster.

How about "I CRUSH ON YOU, Rome!" No? Hmm... last one - "I HEART YOU, Rome!"


Okay, that one will have to do for now because I have other things to do this morning. I'll speak with you all very soon. Also, thanks for all the positive reaction and message posts about the ASM #611 issue and 'preview'. I'll have more to upload later and hopefully I can figure out the Euro-QWERTY. Har!



Oh wait - now I remember. I'm not sure if Jason Schachter has sold this image or if the original buyer has backed out (I'm hazy with the details - that's what good, home cooked meals will do to you - Grazie, Manuela!), but should you be interested in buying this thing - the stipulation that the statement above is indeed true; that the original buyer has receded their bid - then please contact Jason immediately. Roman holidays don't pay for themselves, you know!

AMAZING SPIDERMAN #611_preview

Well, you really can't call it a 'preview', can you? I mean, the issue has already been out a week or so, and the fan reaction has been so polarized that I don't know if Marvel would ever use me again. Or maybe - and here's what I hope would happen - they'll just say, "Yeah? Really? You don't like Canete's work? Really DON'T like it, huh? Yeah... well, we really LOVE him. And we're going to let him do 13 more issues back to back to back until YOU love him."

Awww... don't be upset. I adore you, puzzling and militant Spidey fans - all of you! I swear it!

And I can't tell whether or not the love/hate split for #611 goes right down the middle, but I wonder if there's any way I can cajole Marvel's editorial offices to just alienate the remaining 50% by letting me do just that - 13 issues back to back.

Let's ask, shall we?


In the mean time, here's 11 pages of the issue in black and white for your viewing pleasure. For the full effect (the AWESOME and HILARIOUS plot by JOE KELLY, word balloons, colors, etc.) *and* in order to support my plight in making every Spiderman fan nervous for a year, please pick up the issue out on your local comic book stores' stands now. Then do me a huge ol' favor and write an e-mail to Marvel's Stephen Wacker telling him how you're part of the progressive/forward thinking 50% and how ecstatic you'd be if I could go on a year-long tear regarding the Sinister Six.

And to those who have already bought the issue, thank you SO MUCH for your patronage and for all the kind, supportive, and congratulatory e-mails. I am genuinely appreciative and I owe you folks a ton.

Have a great week.



PS - Are there really people boycotting the Spiderman books because of some event that's happened, like Marvel did a whole rewind on Spiderman's history or Aunt May is now a super-spy? Really?! A boycott?! Wow, you guys are hard core.

CONVENTION SKETCHING_sketches

I don't know how many actual convention sketches I did during my month away, but I can tell you there weren't that many. I kept my head down doing commissions for the most part and when I wasn't doing that, I was keeping my head down into a barf bag, I was so sick.

The images above are some of the ones I did when I actually came up for air. Thanks for the kind and generous fans who have sent me scans of the sketches I did for them. You guys are the best.

As an aside, it's strange to hear a guy request a Magneto image. I mean, I don't mind - I had fun doing it. It was great challenge to come up with a concept that could fit into a bust shot of the character and somehow tell a narrative of what that character was all about. But I swear, for a split second, I looked up at the fan who asked for it and thought, "Seriously? The Master of Magnetism, huh? Well, I mean... that's cool and all and who the hell am I to judge, but really? Magneto? Okay... it's your sketchbook."

What's next? Modok? Oh wait, I did that already too.