The Emporer's New Comic Book and other fables

Remember that story about the emporer, and how he was convinced that he was wearing these really snazzy clothes, and he told all his subjects that he was wearing snazzy clothes, but as it turned out, he wasn't wearing any snazzy clothes at all?

Well guess what. Right now I'm the emporer. And I'm butt naked.

Y'see, I wrote and drew that story for Yenny #4, right? I contacted the local media, did two or three interviews about my work on this comic book, posted innumerable blog updates about it, and harrassed a great many friends and family about my work's impending arrival, originally slated for mid-February, then rescheduled for release on March 22, 2006, in a comic book shop near you. So everybody's expecting this book to come out, right?

Well guess what again.

It hasn't.

Don't know why. Don't know when or if it will. I know nothing. So here I stand, lacking any answers, more than a little disheartened, and emotionally and creatively nude. It's been a long and lackluster ride, and not worth the gas money. So if this book ever does surface, I'll let you guys know. Or if you stumble across it before I do, let me know. But for now, I have nothing more to say about that comic book or my involvement in it. It's no offense to the creator, Dave Alvarez, who gave me a great opportunity to be a part of it. But his publisher, Alias Comics, has really dropped the ball.

Now, for the upswing.

I met with the editor in chief and design editor of Interlude Magazine on Tuesday and they gave me my first assignment: ten illustrations, based off their suggestions, representing things to do in the tri cities (mid Michigan for those outside the mitten).

Over the course of three nights I completed the work, and I'm very pleased with it. I think it's going to look great in the pages of Interlude, and I'm anxious to show the staff when I take the work to them tomorrow. Hopefully this will lead to more work with them in the future. It's certainly been a very positive experience so far.

The issue with my work comes out on May 1st. And unlike Alias Comics, Interlude knows how to maintain a set release date. You can find the magazine around the tri-cities at The Midland Center for the Arts and at most Kroeger grocery stores, among other locations. So check it out when the time comes, okay?