To commemorate my favorite month (October) and my favorite holiday (Halloween), I'm doing a monster sketch per day.
Today
I went with my most favorite monster, a werewolf. It was tricky to find
an original way to design a werewolf, after so many great designs (and
not so great designs) have appeared in the movies. But I kinda like this
more snub-nosed take on the creature.
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
Tuesday, October 01, 2013
OCTOBER MONSTER SKETCH A DAY #1
To commemorate my favorite month (October) and my favorite holiday (Halloween), I'm doing a monster sketch per day.
I begin with The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow (one of my favorite monsters ever)--but with a feminine twist. I have a whole backstory in mind for this character, and maybe one day I'll get a chance to tell it.
I begin with The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow (one of my favorite monsters ever)--but with a feminine twist. I have a whole backstory in mind for this character, and maybe one day I'll get a chance to tell it.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
BODIE #3 IS COMING, PLUS HE'S BEEN NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD!
Diamond just announced that the long-awaited issue #3 of my comic, BODIE TROLL,
will hit shelves this Wednesday! I highly encourage people to call
ahead and reserve copies for themselves now, before they all sold out
like issues 1 and 2 have!
In related news, BODIE TROLL has been nominated for the Best Kids Comic in the 2013 Shel Dorf Awards, the official comic awards of the Detroit fanfare Comic Con! Click on this link and the site should walk you through the voting process. Thanks in advance from me and Bodie!
--Jay
In related news, BODIE TROLL has been nominated for the Best Kids Comic in the 2013 Shel Dorf Awards, the official comic awards of the Detroit fanfare Comic Con! Click on this link and the site should walk you through the voting process. Thanks in advance from me and Bodie!
--Jay
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Jay's back, and he's got photos...
Hey folks, long time no blog,
right? By my records, it's been two months since my last update. That's not to
say I haven't had anything to report in the past two months. Quite the
opposite. I've been hard at work on "Bodie Troll", while balancing
other freelance gigs and a couple comic cons. That, plus I've relocated to
Plymouth, Michigan--a welcomed move, but one which cut into my work and
blogging productivity. But I'm back at it, and with a full report to get you up
to speed.
BODIE TROLL: Issue #3 was due
out at the end of August. But some sort of snafu at Red 5's printer in Asia
delayed its release. At present, it still hasn't hit stores. But I think it
safe to say it should be out within the next couple weeks, if not earlier. In
the meantime, here's a sneak preview to whet your "Bodie Troll"
appetite. As always, click the images to upsize.
Issue #4 is similarly going
to be delayed, this time due to my moving in July. At present, the issue is
fully drawn, and I'm eight pages into coloring the 23 page story. I'll be
turning it in at the end of this month, and I hope to see it released in
October, possibly by Halloween.
Issue #4 will wrap up the
first "Bodie" mini-series, but trust me--there's MUCH more to come.
The first "Bodie Troll" trade paperback, compiling all four issues
and a whole bunch of special extras, will be going into production soon, with a
possible release of January or February. After that, I'll begin working on the
next "Bodie" mini-series through Red 5. No release date slated for that
yet, but rest assured, "Bodie" is my top creative priority, and I
have plans to keep his stories going for a long time to come.
CONVENTIONS: I partook in two
spectacular comic cons in these past two months, at Fan Expo in Toronto in
August, and the first Cincinnati ComiCon in September. They both provided me
with good business, great fans, a lots of memories. And like an annoying
relative from the 80's with a slide projector full of his vacation snapshots,
I've brought photos...
My first commission of Fan Expo--the British superhero Miracle man.
A drawing I did for one of my favorite actors, Alyson Court (star of one of my favorite childhood movies, "My Pet Monster")
Me with Alyson Court. I was thrilled to meet her, and she was such a cool person...
I drew a cartoon for puppeteer Rob Mills, who I've long admired. Rob is developing a new puppet show for the web called "Ruffus' Steam Punk Adventure", so I drew him in character.
My with the great, talented and very friendly Rob Mills.
A commission for a fellow who owned an ice cream parlor called "Scooperman". This is the store's mascot.
Me and "Captain Canuck" creator Richard Comely. "Captain Canuck" is a Canadian Superhero who's recently experiencing a resurgence as a web cartoon. I'm a big fan, and presented Richard with my "Dudley Do-Right dressed as Captain Canuck" print that I'd made for the con.
A commission for Lara Croft--Tomb Raider.
A fellow asked me to draw in a blank panel from an old issue of Alpha Flight, using the existing dialogue. Not surprisingly, I made it a big ol' fart joke.
A commission where I was asked to mix the "Fairly Odd Parents" with The Enchantress from Marvel Comics' "Thor".
A sketch cover commission of She-Hulk (though without color, she just looks like a muscular lady).
A commission for DC Comics' Brainiac.
This little girl was dressed as Merida from the animated film "Brave", but to me, she looked like a little Cholly from "Bodie Troll". Her parents bought my comic for her, and I drew her caricature for looking so much like Cholly.
These were two girls who frequented my and Jay Jacot's tables. They're dressed as River and Mal from "Firefly".
A commission of monsters from the Japanese movie "The War of the Gargantuas".
My table neighbor dressed as Rogue from X-Men.
A commission of Lockjaw from Marvel Comics' "The Inhumans".
And onto Cincinnati ComiCon. This was the view from outside the hotel room I shared with "Cursed Pirate Girl" creator Jeremy Bastian.
The view from inside my hotel room, of Jeremy Bastian.
Me, sketching in bed and, quite typically, holding a pencil in my mouth.
A commission of Captain Kirk meeting Michael Myers.
The biggest thrill of the weekend for me, meeting R2D2.
A re-design I did of Batman, which I donated to a charity auction put on by the con.
A sketch cover commission I did of Bodie Troll meeting Marvel Comics' Tigra.
A commission of a gender-swapped Beast from Marvel's X-Men.
A sketch I did of Marvel's Rocket Raccoon.
A sketch I did of Ramona Flowers.
Lastly, a sketch I did for Nicole Castaneda, a friend and wife of cartoonist Justin Castaneda. She had a "Moulin"-themed sketch book, and I couldn't resist this gag, which makes much more sense if you've seen the movie.
So, that about does it for "Jay Fosgitt's life in the span of two months". I'll hopefully be back sooner than later with more info on "Bodie Troll" and other projects.
--Jay
Friday, July 05, 2013
Years later, Jim found me...
My apologies to anyone who's been waiting around my blog for
me to update it. Life and deadlines have been getting in the way. Rest assured,
everything is going great with BODIE TROLL. Issue #2 came out the last week of
June, and it's already selling out. I just turned in issue #3, set for an August
release, and I'm writing issue #4 right now.
Outside of Bodie, I wanted to report on something very, very
special that happened to me. In the early hours of July 4th, I received an unexpected
e-mail from Karen Falk, archivist for The Jim Henson company, and the woman
responsible for every major book on Jim's life and works produced in the past
decade. Here's what it said:
Dear Jay:
I was doing
some research in our archives and came across the fan letter you wrote to Jim
Henson when you were 11. He was very encouraging in his response so I Googled
you to see if you went on to become an artist – and indeed you did. Congratulations
on what appears to be a successful career. Thought you’d like to see a copy of
your letter and Jim’s response (attached).
Best,
Karen Falk
Archives
The Jim
Henson Company
This was the
most unexpected and joyful news I'd ever heard. I had indeed written Jim Henson
when I was eleven, in January of 1986, and sent him a birthday card for Kermit,
who along with the Muppets had just turned 30. A month later, Jim wrote me
back. Not a form letter, and not a stamped signature, but a typed letter,
signed with a green felt tipped pen. That letter meant the world to me. So when
I lost that letter a year or so after Jim died, I was devastated. Twenty-some
years of regret, having lost my hero, and then losing one my genuine connection
to him--all erased with a simple e-mail that I never, in my wildest imaginings,
expected to receive. Here are the scans of my letter to Jim, and Jim's letter
to me, courtesy of Karen Falk (click on images to enlarge):
Needless to
say, Karen Falk received a glowing message of appreciation from me, and a
signed copy of Bodie Troll #1 will find its way to her in the coming week.
Now, those
who know me and my work know how Jim has always been my hero, and my work
(particularly Bodie) is very reflective of Jim's creative influence. So getting
this letter back...man...it's like being reunited with a long lost and beloved relative.
And it couldn't have happened at a more desperate time in my life, when I feel
like I need Jim the most. I'm not religious, but who knows...maybe he's been
watching me and my work all this time. The serendipitous arrival of Karen's
e-mail is hard to ignore.
Thanks for
listening. And for anyone in my past who doubted me when I said Jim Henson
wrote me a letter...well, "told ya so" seems pointless. I probably
quit talking to you people years ago. =0)
--Jay








