Blokes I work with to dive in at San Diego Comic-con

Fresh New Books! From fresh new guys (well, except for Mark. He's been at it). And they all happen to be working alongside me in the trenches at the studio. Story, Art and Animation, Layout...they all want to go to market and had been very busy crafting their offerings for this summer since last year. I hope you all like the books from these fine brothers similarly addicted to sequential art, fargone enough to want to make one of their own.



Mark Andrews. You know and love him as the hollering head of story in The Incredibles. He's back with a an entire re-do of his epic "Colossus." No-slow-button-Andrews kicked into gear and it is a foregone conclusion. What results is a 200 some pages of mayhem, carnage, mystic metal behemoths and one ornery firebreathing dragon. And that doesn't even include the villain of the piece. Check out his blog for more images here.



Ted Mathot. I worked with Ted while we were at another studio languishing under improbable deadlines making interminable feature reels. He also worked with the above Andrews as a premier story guy in that there Incredibles movie (can you remember The 100-mile Dash?). Well, he's got one story burning a hole in his proverbial story pocket and wouldn't you know it but he done and finished one. Rose and Isabel, "A story of two sisters who join the American Civil War to save their three brothers..." Shot like a movie and drawn to loving sensitivity, it is an impressive debut. Check out choice pages on his blog here.



Sanjay Patel. There was a furor over this book at APE comic convention held this year. People just loved the cute rendition of Hindu gods and just like that "Little India" was a hit. A cautious fellow by nature, Sanjay was overwhelmed by the response to his little book. Once the word got out, the blogosphere ran with it. He has sold out of his first printing soon after APE. But worry not. He is reprinting as we speak. And I hear tell of a t-shirt featuring one of them lovable HIndu gods. Save yer pennies for this one, kids. Website here.



Louis Gonzales. He is the resident After Effects guru on a production I can't name and the nicest guy you could meet (although he looks like he can put you and your frat brothers in world of hurt all by himself) but this guy also can DRAW! I mean it. "Dumping Grounds" is a collection of his drawings that can show what I'm talking about. You open this book and you tell me I'm wrong, I dare ya. Website here.



E-Ville Press. An all-star team of star players in feature animation productions have banded together to present their initial collective foray into comics via "Afterworks," an anthology that features tales from Simon Dunsdon, Robert Kondo, Nate Stanton, Max Brace, Kevin O'Brien, Sanjay Patel, Louis Gonzales and Jay Shuster. They just got their books back and it looks very impressive. Well done, guys! Blog featuring sample images from the book here.

Enrico, Bill and I will have more of our comrades from work to share the majesty and terror that is the San Diego Comic-con. We also did pin-ups for above books here and yon. Congratulations to all for making your deadlines and sharing in our singular madness of creator-owned and published printed stories and art. And all of youse out there who are going to be at the con come by and see all of us at our respective booths and tables. You can cheer, heckle or just say hi. It's not much of a con without that, ain't it? All I know is that after Preview Night on Wednesday I'm having tequilla shots. And buying a round. Hooray!