In No Particular Order

Eagle Awards

2012-01-03T12:20:00.001-06:00

Do you know a writer/artist that recently did a crime series called SWEETS that might qualify for an Eagle Award? If so, submit your nomination today!

http://t.co/55kgNlq1

Torrent Tip Jar

2011-12-31T15:27:00.001-06:00

I've added a Torrent Tip Jar to the upper left side of my blog. If you've been stealing my comics and enjoying my hard work free of charge, please consider dropping a little something into my Paypal. It's the least you could do for being such a pansy.

http://kodychamberlain.com

To everyone else that's been supporting my work with your hard-earned dollars, I'm truly grateful, and I'm working hard to bring you plenty of quality new comics in 2012.

SWEETS: The Casting Call

2011-11-18T11:32:00.001-06:00

It seems like every convention I attend, the topic of a SWEETS movie adaptation comes up and everyone has their own idea on which actors would be great for each particular role. Sometimes those ideas are fantastic, other times, no so much. I thought it might be fun to hear your opinion on the subject.

Who would you cast in the roles of Curt, Jeff, The Killer, and Palmer? And which director would you pick? What about Gabrielle, Dr. LeFleur, Maurice Culpepper or any of the other supporting cast?

Just remember, I make comics not movies, so this is just all in good fun and will have no impact on actual casting if we ever do make a movie. Those decisions would be up to whoever decides to write the check.

My favorite list overall will get a signed copy of the SWEETS paperback, and I might throw in a few more winners in various categories if I feel inspired.

NOTE: To qualify for the free paperback, your list MUST be posted as a reply directly to this blog post.

Upcoming Appearances for Oct and Nov.

2011-10-21T11:25:00.001-05:00

Appearances! I've got three events coming up in the next few weeks, here's a quick rundown.

October 23, 2011 (Sat)
Book signing at Acadiana Comics
From 1 to 3 pm
2506 Johnston Street
Lafayette, LA 70503-3238
(337) 234-9639

October 29, 2011 (Sat)
Panel Discussion and Book Signing

Pens and Pistols: A Roundtable featuring today’s Crime Comic All-Stars Panel discussion focusing on Crime Comics with special guests Howard Chaykin (Black Kiss), Kody Chamberlain (Sweets: A New Orleans Crime Story), and Victor Gischler (Punisher Max).

Panel discussion at 2pm followed by a book signing at 3:15pm
State Museum, Auditorium - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
660 North 4th Street, Baton Rouge, LA, US
http://www.louisianabookfestival.org

November 11, 12, & 13 (Fri, Sat, Sun)
Austin Comic Con
Austin Convention Center
500 East Cesar Chavez Street
Austin, TX 78701
http://www.wizardworldcomiccon.com/home-tx.html
http://www.austinconventioncenter.com

We're close to locking down a book signing in Dallas for December. Details soon.

Bookstore release!

2011-09-23T10:37:00.000-05:00

I'm VERY happy to announce the release of the paperback edition of SWEETS: A New Orleans Crime Story to all major bookstores around the globe.

If you'd like to purchase the printed paperback edition of SWEETS at your local comic shop, use this handy Comic Shop Locator.

You can also buy the book online or in person at your favorite bookseller:

You can also read the entire SWEETS graphic novel on your computer or mobile device, or sample the first chapter of SWEETS for FREE on ComiXology.

Accolades:

SWEETS earned a 4.25 out of 5 on Goodreads!

Winner of the 2011 Spinetingler Award for Best Mystery/Crime Comic or Graphic Novel.

Have a look at some of the reviews.

Bio

2011-07-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

Been working on a new BIO for an upcoming event. It's always tricky to walk the line between brevity and shameless self promotion. Here's what I've got so far, feel free to give it a read and offer up any tweaks.

Kody Chamberlain, a native of Thibodaux, Louisiana, relocated to Lafayette in 1993 to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he earned a BFA in Advertising Design. After working for several top advertising agencies, he started his own design studio in 1999 where he offered a diverse set of client services for print and web. Early in 2004, he started his career as a professional comic book artist and hasn’t looked back.
Chamberlain is known for working in a diverse range of styles and will often adapt visually to better suit the tone of the story being told. This is most obvious by comparing the award-winning SWEETS to his first creator-owned series PUNKS: THE COMIC with co-creator Joshua Hale Fialkov, a project that was recently picked up by MTV for their new line called MTV COMICS. Chamberlain's journey through comics has been rather unique, often focusing on passion projects or offbeat and unusual opportunities. One project in particular was a collaboration with Grammy Award winning singer Trace Adkins on an original four issue comic titled LUKE McBAIN published by 12 Gauge Comics, which the publisher says is in the tradition of exploitation classics like BILLY JACK and WALKING TALL. Adkins appeared on THE LATE LATE SHOW with Craig Ferguson to promote the comic series on network television to a national audience, something that rarely happens in the world of comics. His publishing credits include Marvel Comics, DC/Wildstorm, HarperCollins, Image Comics, IDW Publishing, 12 Gauge Comics, BOOM! Studios, and Digital Webbing Press.
Chamberlain spends most of his time writing and drawing original comics and graphic novels, but he's also an accomplished commercial, storyboard, and conceptual artist having recently contributed concept work to Warner Brother's WATCHMEN: TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER, original card artwork for Topp's INDIANA JONES Heritage line of trading cards, and promotional illustration work for MTV's JERSEY SHORE and WARREN THE APE. His work has been featured or reviewed by Print Magazine, Tripwire Magazine, Ain't It Cool News, Crave Magazine, G4TV, and over 50 other international media outlets. He was a guest speaker on the floor of MACWORLD in 2008 & 2009 where he performed live artwork demonstrations using Axiotron's Modbook pen tablet, and was a featured guest and panelist at the 2010 MIAMI BOOK FAIR INTERNATIONAL. Although several of Chamberlain's comic book collaborations have already been optioned for feature film development by major studios including Universal, Paramount, and Landscape Entertainment, he's also working on two original screenplays he hopes to develop sometime in 2012.
Chamberlain's most recently project, SWEETS: A NEW ORLEANS CRIME STORY, will be released in graphic novel (trade paperback) format in late August. SWEETS is described as a noir-inspired five issue comic miniseries from Image Comics set in New Orleans in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina. Sweets paints a dark portrait of a down-and-out detective seeking to bring a killer to justice before his city and evidence are washed away by the impending storm. The book has already earned over 70 stellar reviews and is the winner of the 2011 SPINETINGLER AWARD in the category of Best Mystery/Crime Comic or Graphic Novel. The SWEETS graphic novel will be available in September from all major bookstores including Amazon.com, and is already available for digital download from ComiXology in a format that can be read on almost any digital device like iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and any laptop or personal computer.
For more information on Chamberlain, please visit his website: KodyChamberlain.com

Interviews galore!

2011-06-29T13:00:00.002-05:00

Three new interviews to report. First, a MASSIVE interview with Newsarama about my entire creative process. Anyone that's ever wondered about my step-by-step comic-making process should read this one, it's jam packed with info.

Second, MTV Geek has a slightly shorter interview up about Sweets and Punks, and the upcoming relaunch of Punks through MTV on their geek imprint. Some good info here about what's coming up in the next few months.

Third, a detailed audio interview with Amber over at Comic Book Page. This one goes into great detail about process, philosophy, and more. Worth a listen.

And if you missed this one posted earlier this month, I did an interview with On The Page screenwriting podcast with Pilar Alessandra, who happens to host one of my favorite podcasts on the subject of creative writing. I like the podcast so much, I actually hired Pilar to consult on the original Sweets script before I started drawing. HUGE help, and I think the story improved greatly because of it. And buy her book The Coffee Break Screenwriter, it's awesome.

SWEETS is Previews Pick of the Month from Comic Geek Speak!

2011-06-28T14:25:00.000-05:00

"A phenomenal graphic masterpiece"
— Comic Geek Speak

Interesting juxtaposition of articles

2011-06-19T18:00:00.001-05:00

Interesting connection here about the Comic-Con audience, and its influence on movies (if any): http://ow.ly/1tVuXX & http://ow.ly/1tVuXW

Quick, go bid on this Gene Colan drawing I inked for charity!

2011-06-19T13:36:00.000-05:00

Here's a scan of a Gene Colan Dracula drawing I inked for charity. Please support this great cause. Details and auction here.

Notes on Kickstarter

2011-06-08T13:38:00.001-05:00

A lot of comic creators are getting interested in Kickstarter, and for good reason. It's a fantastic service. I used Kickstarter to fund my marketing efforts for Sweets: A New Orleans Crime Story. I already had a publisher at Image Comics, so my funds were used exclusively for marketing and promotion. Things like convention expenses, advertising, printing, Facebook ads, etc. I'm told Sweets was one of the very first Kickstarter funded comics to hit shelves nationwide, and that's pretty cool. With a successful Kickstarter project comes lots of questions about my experience with the service and lots of requests for advice on the subject, so here are a few notes for those interested in my experience. And here is the original Kickstarter project listing for those that haven't seen it.

Tip #1: Make sure your Kickstarter project has actual content, not just a sales pitch. For SWEETS, my original 5 page preview of the comic was ONLY available inside my Kickstarter video for the first month or so. If you wanted to see the art pages from the comic, you had to watch my video showcasing the project. That produced a lot of traffic to the Kickstarter page that might have just looked at the art on a news site, on my blog, or on my website. Exclusive content inside your video gives people a reason to watch your pitch. As proof of this, I actually hit my funding goal in less than 36 hours. I think that was a direct result of the exclusive content I had in my video.

Tip #2: Keywords. Make sure your project description and pledge packages contain important keywords. Make a list of words that describe your project, your target audience, your characters, your genre, etc, and fineness those keywords into your Kickstarter page. That's going to help people find it in a few different ways. I was actually surprised how many people found my comic via the front page of the Kickstarter website using the search. So be smart, use keywords to maximize search results.

Tip #3: Make your packages a good value. Rather than take the 'donation' approach, I decided to offer something of value for each package. I think all of my packages were well in line with the price you might pay if you purchased those items directly from me at a convention. They weren't all an exact dollar value, but I made sure people were getting something for their money. It's called Perceived Value. It's not about the exact production cost of your items, it's more about how that person views your product and if they believe it's worth the price you're asking. Many factors come into play, quality, exclusivity, nostalgia, emotional connection, etc. Example, someone might think a price tag of $40 on T-Shirt at WalMart is absurd, but you can bet they'll happily pay $40 for a T-Shirt at a concert for their all-time favorite band. The difference is the level of importance they place on you as a creator, or of this particular comic project. Perceived value includes the tangible and the intangible. Rational and emotional. Be aware of this, it's important.

Tip #4: Work your ass off on the presentation of your material. Make sure your audio sounds great, shoot some quality video and spend some time on editing. Make sure your package listings aren't just accurate, make them interesting. Presentation is very important for something like this. Take the time to do it right. I looked at a Kickstarter package last week and the video quality was so bad I couldn't even make out what was going on with the artwork in the comic. If you don't take your project seriously, your backers won't either.

Tip #5: Make sure your comic doesn't suck.

Now, on to some of the major problems I discovered during my Kickstarter campaign:

Problem #1: Your biggest and most loyal supporters will get the comic LAST. This was a problem that didn't really occur to me until later in the process, but it became something I stressed about and should have seen coming. Here's how the process works with Image. Diamond ships the books to comic shops all over the world and the book hits the shelf on the same day for everyone. Casual comic readers could grab them right off the shelf. But my Kickstarter backers were to receive their comics directly from me in exchange for supporting one of my various Kickstarter packages. My box of comics typically arrived after retailers got their copies and had them on the shelf already. Then I had to package everything individually, and ship stuff out. That takes a whole lot of time, and when you're super busy making a comic book and your deadlines are tough, that extra time is hard to find. So there were shipping delays I deeply regretted. Also, I calculated shipping based on the weight of each individual Kickstarter package and included extra shipping for international orders. My shipping numbers were pretty close to the actual shipping cost, so I did good there. But that single package to be shipped meant that everyone would get their packages AFTER the entire 5 issue run was complete. Meanwhile, everyone else had been reading the comic all along via their local comic shop. To try and correct this on some level, I shipped the first issue, sketchbooks, prints, etc up front, and then did a second shipment later, after all the issues came out. That reduced my Kickstarter funds greatly because shipping (especially international shipping) is very expensive. But again, that wait is a terrible thing for those backers that jumped on board first. So I highly suggest figuring out a way to compensate for this with your packages. Perhaps a digital copy via ComiXology up front? Not sure what the best solution is, but it's a problem you should be aware of.

Problem #2: Declined cards. Credit card and debit card info is collected as people make their pledges. Once the project reaches its goal, those cards are billed and the funds are transferred to your Amazon account (similar to PayPal). Depending on how long you run your campaign, it could be up to several months between when the card info is collected, and the actual billing occurs. Turns out, about 25% of the funds pledged for my project were declined or canceled when that person's credit and debit cards got declined. It's understandable, shit happens. People move, change banks, go broke, etc. But that means your original total revenue gets reduced every time a card gets declined. So make sure you compensate for 'loss' in your original target amount. My loss was about 25% of total revenue, yours may be less (or more).

Problem #3: Amazon and Kickstarter skim funds directly off the top from your final total (minus declined cards). Again, like problem #2, make sure you compensate for this stuff. I don't recall the actual % taken from each source, but you should study those numbers and calculate accordingly. My advice is to go about 30% to 35% higher than your actual required financial goal to cover card loss and Amazon/Kickstarter fees.

Problem #4: Over promotion and SPAM. I was fortunate in that my project went viral and people were posting the link for me on regular intervals. But I did a lot of promo myself via my website, newsletter, blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. But I've been seeing a trend of Kickstarter projects that promote non-stop online. The last thing you want to do is annoy the people you expect to support your project. Keep it classy, drop your link once a day at various times using whatever social media you'd like, but don't SPAM. No one likes SPAM.

Hope this helps.

News, and more news.

2011-06-08T12:04:00.002-05:00

Lots of stuff going on these last few weeks, here are a few highlights:

The first issue of Sweets is now FREE on ComiXology, grab a copy and see what everyone's been talking about.

I'm thrilled to announce I just received a very nice foreword for the Sweets trade paperback (collected edition) from comic book legend Duncan Fegredo! This really made my day. If you're not familiar with Fegredo's work, pick up the new issue of Hellboy that hit last week, I highly recommend you pick some up today, and since it happens to be new comic Wednesday at your local comic shop, pick up the new issue of Hellboy that came out last week.

I recently did a new audio interview with Comic Book Page Podcast, hosted by Elizabeth Amber. Give it a listen. Please note, There are a few strange stuttering pauses during the conversation, that's just a little bug in the recording process and we had to restart a few times.

6 Easy Ways to Buy SWEETS!

2011-06-06T12:43:00.004-05:00

1. Your Local Comic Retailers — Visit your local comic shop retailer and have them order you a copy of the Sweets trade paperback (collected edition).* Most shops are happy to reserve your copy, just be sure to pick it up when it comes out in late August, or it may get sold to someone else. Some comic retailers may even have the original issues in stock! They're getting very hard to find lately. And remember, when you buy from your local comic retailer, you don't pay shipping.

2. Online Comic Retailers — If you don't have a local comic shop in your area, try one of these fine online comic retailers.* TFAW, MidTownComics, MailOrderComics. Many online retailers offer a STEEP discount if you order BEFORE July, 2011. Sometimes up to 30% to 50% off (plus shipping).

3. Digital — Get high quality digital copies for your desktop computer, laptop, digital tablet, smart phone, etc.

4. Booksellers — Use your favorite online bookseller like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Powells, or drop by the actual bookstore for a visit. You should be able to place an order for the trade paperback at checkout.*

5. Auction — If you're the competitive type, give eBay a try. This is often a great way to find rare single issues, multiple issue sets, signed copies, etc. However, I can't guarantee those signatures are authentic. There are some shady people out there, so buyer beware!

6. Kody's Website — I am not taking advanced orders, but the trade paperback of Sweets will be available in my webstore this August, but there will likely NOT be a discount because shipping is a pain in the you know what. I also have a few single issues in stock :)

* Please note, this book is currently available for Pre-Order, meaning, it's not available to retailers yet. The collected (paperback) edition of Sweets ships August 2011. Therefore, all orders placed with retailers before the release of the book will be held until the book is available.

10 Questions

2011-06-04T13:54:00.002-05:00

Enjoying the 10 Questions series by Time. Some of them have movie trailers or commercials in front, but they're worth the wait. Here's the full list, and here are a few favorites:

Kody goes On The Page!

2011-05-22T19:52:00.002-05:00

While visiting Los Angeles about two weeks ago, I was asked to be a guest on the 'On The Page' podcast, one of my favorite screenwriting podcasts. Give it a listen (episode 193), and don't forget to subscribe free on iTunes, it's the bombdiggity.

SWEETS just won the Spinetingler Award!

2011-05-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

Wow, SWEETS just won the Spinetingler Award! thanks to everyone that voted, there was some very stiff competition in that category including a few books that outsold Sweets by a significant margin. I think they did a damn fine job picking out some of the top crime books on the shelf today, I actually read (or have read) the bulk of these. And it was a real pleasure to see my pals Fialkov and Johnson on that list, but I figured none of us had a chance against Darwyn Cooke. I owe all of you a great big hug.

Dark Rain by Mat Johnson and Simon Gane (Vertigo Comics)
The Executor by Jon Evans and Andrea Mutti (Vertigo Crime)
Greek Street by Peter Milligan and David Gianfelice (Vertigo Comics)
Last Days of American Crime by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini (Radical Publishing)
Parker: The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
Pug by Derek McCulloch and Greg Espinoza (Image Comics)
Sam and Twitch: The Writer by Luca Blengino and Luca Erbetta (Image Comics)
Scalped by Jason Aaron and R. M. Guéra (Vertigo Comics)
Sweets by Kody Chamberlain (Image Comics)
Tumor by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Noel Tuazon (Archaia Studios Press)

—Kody

New project

2011-05-22T16:48:00.001-05:00

Here's a look at my new comic outline in progress. Although I usually tack notecards up to my giant cork wall, I've been doing a lot of traveling for meetings and conventions, so I've punched holes in the cards and used a little ring to bind them. Very handy. Once I have my outline mostly worked out with the notecards, I'll transfer that to a digital notecard system called Supernotecard to begin fleshing it out and breaking the story into single comic issues (chapters), then I'll jump into either Montage or Celtx for the final script. Unlike some writer/artists, I do write in full script format, and I do prefer writing the entire series up front before anything gets drawn.

In some ways, this new project will be an ongoing, but more of a series of miniseries. So it's important for me to set up a few story points that will continue through the various storylines, but still allow each miniseries to stand on its own as a complete story. In many ways, it's the way novels are written, a format I enjoy much more than soap opera style ongoing comics that never have a hard ending. But as always, my plans could change and the project could evolve into something completely different. That's why I'm reluctant to talk about it too much until I actually know what the finished comic will become.

Reviews!

2011-04-14T08:21:00.007-05:00

82 REVIEWS AND COUNTING!

"Tremendously well written and displays the highest quality in terms of character development"
— ComicsForge

"Detailed, lush, and beautiful…Recommending this book is the easiest thing I can do this week."
— Comics Waiting Room

"I became more and more impressed as it continued… I especially liked the use of foreshadowing (so much so that I reread the whole thing right away)"
— Goodreads Review

" Kody Chamberlain’s art is what makes this book stand apart from other crime comic books and even television series."
— MWR

"This is definitely a book that requires two readings. And that’s a good thing."
— HittComic

"Really, really good…A labor of love by an independent creator."
— FreshInk's Blair Butler (G4TV video review)

"[A] crazy ending that recalls Polanski’s Chinatown and Antonioni’s Blowup"
— ComicBookBin

"Stunning, painterly art, hard-boiled Bendis-like dialogue, and a story that just doesn’t quit"

— Den Patrick

"Anybody that dismisses it as another crime comic is being very short sighted"
— Comicbuzz

"…the very fact that I am wanting to give it another read means that it has accomplished something that very few comics ever have"
— Fanboy Confidential

"A visual triumph…it gave me the same chill I would get when reading old Frank Miller comics"
— Ain't It Cool News

"Sweets is a beautiful looking book with a good story to tell…not your traditional whodunit."
— Geektress

"Pretty close to a perfect crime story"
— Image Addiction (audio review)

"…one of the best crime comics ever"
— Night Flight Comics

"This kind of care and craftsmanship isn't just art — it's magic."
— Newsarama

"…the type of water-into-wine miracle that could help save our crossover written-by-committee superhero-sinning industry."
— 13 Minutes

"Pick of the week…aswesome end to one of the best crime comics ever!"
— Night-Flight Comics

"Rating: 10/10 - After one read, you’ll want to take the time to give it another turn like watching Die Hard for the hundredth time."

— Dynamic Forces (Warning: review contains major spoilers!)

"Such an incredible story…if just you did nothing but read the dialogue, you'd still be swept away."
— Amber's Review

"I enjoy the rare one man comic book trifecta that actually works out. 4/5 stars!"

— The Daily BLAM!

Preview reviews:

"The storytelling is flawless…one of the most original books on the market."

— Multiversity

"This is exactly the sort of thing the comics world needs…"

— Forbidden Planet

"Sweets came out of nowhere and seemed to eclipse all of its kin."

— 13 Minutes

"One of the most enjoyable mini-series from Image Comics."

— iFanboy

"It's not the first time that comics have tried working on a "New Orleans Crime Story," but as far as this first issue goes, it looks like the best."

— Newsarama

"It is definitely one of those comics that needs a couple of reads to get the full intensity"

— Comic News

"…it’s really, really good, and you should just take my word for it."

— Star Clipper

"…amazing…I feel like I am watching a tenacious 70′s film with Steve McQueen…"

— The Comic Vault

"…pure awesome"

— Multiversity

"You can’t fake this level of craftsmanship."

— 13 Minutes - My 13 Favorite Things of 2010

"Kody Chamberlain is a new writer to be reckoned with."

— Night Flight Comics

"…the most authentic tale set in New Orleans that I’ve ever seen"

— CXPulp!

"EVERYBODY should be reading it."

— Geeks of Doom - Doom of the Week! (audio review at minute 15:22)

"This is fucking AWESOME"

— 4 Color News and Brews (video review at minute 9:00)

"It’s satisfying to see that an artist truly cares about the setting without going out of his way to point out details to the readers."
— Tulane Hullabaloo

"(Sweets) stands out as one of the most promising first issues I have read in a long time."
— Pop Matters

"…practically drips with atmosphere"
— Guerrilla Geek

"I couldn’t put it down."
— JoyHog.com

"There truly is no issue you can miss."
— Amber's Review

"It's all coming together so nicely"
— MOMBcast (audio review at minute 34:50)

"It’s really fantastic."
— Geektress

"I can’t wait to have this trade paperback on my bookshelf."
— Comics Bulletin

"Kody Chamberlain’s logo for this crime miniseries is among my recent favorites — too many books rely on standard, if slightly tweaked, fonts — but here it takes a backseat to coloring and composition. The blood-soaked hand in the foreground leads the eye to the approaching detectives and draws the reader into the story. It makes me want to pick up the comic, to find out what happens — exactly what a cover should do."
— The 50 best covers of 2010 includes Sweets #2!

"Chamberlain’s vivid, sizzling artwork matches the script’s intensity"
— The Paradox Comics Group

"…remains one of the better books of the week."
— And one more from Multiversity

"It's freakin' brilliant."
— The2DogKnight (video review)

"A brilliant, brilliant piece of work."
— Comic Noobs (video review)

"…criminally under appreciated"
— SWEETS hits #5 on iFanboy's list of Top 10 New Non-Superhero Series of 2010

"What keeps this comic from being just another run of the mill cop comic is the way Chamberlain has played with the reader."
— Things I Like

"…as rich an experience as eating a really great praline."
— Kate of Mind

"SWEETS has been hypnotic since the first issue. Rating: 10/10"
— Dynamic Forces

"you GOTTA be reading this."
— iFanboy

"Sweets is the kind of book that’s going to have a magnificent life as a graphic novel"
— 13 Minutes

"When the five issues of this title are re-issued as a graphic novel, it will doubtless be one of the best of the season."
— Rants & Raves

"You will not be disappointed."
— Geeks of Doom

"The art in Sweets is simply amazing"
— PLAYBACK

"…Chamberlain pulls a bob-and-weave of story in Sweets #2 that talks like a Tarantino film"
— Crave

"I really love this superhero-free cop tale."
— Fresh Ink Online

"…reads like some of the best episodes of Homicide Life on the Street."
— Comics Nexus

"pick of the litter…better reading than most of the rest of the stuff on the stands"
— Comics Waiting Room

"…the kind of well-crafted storytelling that gets right under the skin"
— Paradox Comics Group

"…I think people will be surprised at how good it is."
— MOMBcast

"…Chamberlain has the power to surprise me with the creative crime shit he comes up with."
— 13 Minutes

"…enough character and witty banter to make any cop show fan giddy."
— Comics Bulletin

"…his writing is on par (if not better) than his art"
— Multiversity Comics

"Any fan of police procedurals and criminal drama will find that "Sweets" hits the spot."
— NJ.com

"…visually stunning"
— 11 O'Clock Comics Podcast (audio review)

"A brilliant start to the five-part series"
— Newsarama

"A lot of love has gone into that comic."
— MOMBcast

"It is absolutely fantastic."
— Bleeding Cool (video)

"Chamberlain does it masterfully."
— Comic Related and True Believer Reviews

"Pick this title up, you won’t regret it."
— Ranting & Raving

"…graphically intense."
— Tripwire

"…incredibly rendered"
— Examiner.com

"…something to be celebrated."
— Warmoth.org

"…a safe bet that Sweets will be one of the better of the bunch."
— The Forbidden Planet International

"…One of the better finds at SDCC this year…The new name in crime comics is Kody Chamberlain."
— 13 Minutes

"…a really wonderful correlation between story and art that allows both to play to their strengths."
— Cosmic Comix

"…incredibly refreshing"
— Com!xtreme

"… this is clearly a labour of love"
— iFanboy

"I'm tantalized."
— Fresh Ink Online (click to watch video)

Issue #5 preview!

2011-04-07T08:17:00.002-05:00

Have a look: http://ht.ly/4v90r

The Coolest Comic Book Covers of All Time?

2011-04-06T07:42:00.001-05:00

Apparently the cover for Sweets #2 made it into a list of 'The Coolest Comic Book Covers of All Time' and I'm thrilled! The list includes many of my personal favorites, so I'm honored and a little humbled by it. However, I'm pretty sure that guy was bribed because there are some absolutely amazing covers that weren't included. I'd happily give up my spot to see more Bill Sienkiewicz, John Buscema, Frank Miller, Ashley Wood, and Mike Mignola in there (among others). Click image to enlarge.

Here's the article

Comics and Sequential Art by Picasso

2011-04-04T23:40:00.002-05:00

I've found these in various websites through the years, I figured I'd post them on my blog for everyone to check out. Picasso has always had a bit of cartooning in his work, but most people don't know that he actually did cartooning and sequential art. I once read that he had early ambitions of becoming a cartoonist but I haven't found any direct quotes about it. You won't see these drawings in your college art history book, but I can picture these running in an alternative comic anthology along with Chris Ware and Robert Crumb. This isn't something I've researched, just a point of interest and a bit of inspiration. If anyone has any additional info or better scans, I'd love to have it.

Two of the images are repeated, but one is a little sharper, and the other seems to show more of the natural color, so I've included both scans.

Click each image to enlarge.

SWEETS got a Spinetingler Award Nomination!

2011-03-31T12:57:00.001-05:00

Yowza—SWEETS was nominated for a 2011 SPINETINGLER AWARD! It's up against some VERY tough competition. Some heavy hitters on that list so my chances of winning are about zero, but it's an honor to be mentioned along with so many great books. Click Here to vote!

Upcoming Appearances

2011-03-22T09:15:00.003-05:00

Signing at Big Easy Comics
with Rob Guillory (CHEW) and Nick Jones (Green Lantern)
Saturday, April 9th, 2011, 10am - 4pm
5150 Hwy 22, Suite C-3, Mandeville, LA
(985) 792-7800 ‎

Signing at Southern Fried Comics
with Rob Guillory (CHEW)
Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 4pm - 9pm
136 East Front St., Hattiesburg, MS
(601) 582-7080

Need some art?

2011-03-12T15:15:00.000-06:00

I'm currently taking on a few small projects, so if you need a cover drawn, maybe some concept art for your screenplay, storyboarding, short anthology stories, fill-in issue, spot illustrations, logos, etc, I'm your man.

Please read on for all the details:

First, it must be a paid project, I am not considering any back-end, spec work, tryouts, etc.

Second, the project needs to be short. No seven issue miniseries', no graphic novels.

Finally, I don't give out rates unless it's a real project and it's something I think I can take on. Then I give a rate on those specifics. If your project is real and you need some art and/or design for projects that fits with the above notes, please email me.

Sorry to be so detailed, my window of availability is small, and I'm doing my best to not waste anyone's time that I might not be able to help.

Thanks!

kodychamberlainart@gmail.com

New Orleans Comic-Con 2011, my schedule for the weekend.

2011-01-28T14:41:00.010-06:00

I'm exhibiting at the New Orleans Comic-Con this weekend. I'm bringing a bunch of copies of Sweets, sketchbooks, original art, and a variety of other goodies. I'm also bringing a massive stack of clearance artwork, some as low as $10 a page!

Here's my schedule for the weekend:

Saturday:

New Orleans WDSU-TV Channel 6 - Live interview at 9am
Interview with Kody Chamberlain (Sweets, Punks) and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters, Oz)

Artist Alley table 907
New Orleans Comic Con - 10am—7pm
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70130

The Art of ‘Chew’ and ‘Sweets’ - 1pm—1:45pm (Room B)
Indie art sensations Kody Chamberlain (Sweets) and Rob Guillory (Chew) join the Wizard World Comic Con Tour and discuss their breakout Image hits.

The Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con Live Art Show and After Party - 9:00pm—til
Music by DJ Rüs with Jeff Hebert on drums—Join us for this special after-hours event hosted by Kody
Chamberlain (Sweets, Punkst) and Rob Guillory (Chew), and watch some of your favorite comic artists create original work from start to finish right before your eyes. This is a rare opportunity to hang out, network, and get to know some of the top artists in the business. Who knows, you may even get to own an original masterpiece! This is a free event; must be 18 to enter.
LOCATION: Hey! Café
4332 Magazine St. (Corner of Magazine & Napoleon Ave.)
New Orleans, LA 70115

Sunday:

Artist Alley table 907
New Orleans Comic Con - 10am—5pm
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70130

The basics of sequential art storytelling by Chris Ware.

2011-01-25T12:18:00.001-06:00

Click to enlarge graphic

Video Review!

2011-01-11T09:29:00.004-06:00

The fine folks at Multiversity Comics offer up a fantastic and hilarious review of Sweets #4. Warning, contains MAJOR spoilers, so stay away until you've read all four issues.

Click

SWEETS Issue 4 and Early Accolades in 2011

2011-01-04T15:09:00.009-06:00

Issue 4 of Sweets hits the shelf tomorrow (Wed January 5th, 2011) so please pick that up.

Now, on to the topic at hand.

I enjoy creating comics, but I never enjoy reading my own comics. I love reading other people's comics very much, I buy as many comics as I can afford, but I'm a little too close to my own work to enjoy it as a reader. I mostly just see the things I could have done better or the opportunities I missed in every single panel of artwork. Same goes for my story. I see every flaw and it's magnified every single time I flip through an issue. I've heard many other creators say the same, so I guess that's normal. But I have to be honest, when I read a positive review of my work I often question the sanity of the person giving that review. If they dig what I'm doing, they're obviously a little crazy, right?

"I’m looking forward to Sweets #4 (Image) by Kody Chamberlain. As you’ll recall, this was one of my favorites of 2010." —Justin Giampaoli at 13 Minutes

See what I mean? There's obviously something wrong with Justin. This guy needs large amounts of therapy. Justin might as well start a group therapy session with Neil Kleid, Rob Guillory, and Kevin Colden because they've all got mental problems of various levels of severity:

"Scott Chantler’s TWO GENERALS should have been on folks’ radar as should have been Kody Chamberlain’s SWEETS." — Neil Kleid

"…Kody Chamberlain’s SWEETS is something so subtly brilliant that I think a lot of folks will be giving it a second look in 2011." — Rob Guillory

"As far as new comics, I really dug Peter and Bobby Timony’s Night Owls, Kody Chamberlain’s Sweets, Thor: The Mighty Avenger, and all of the Batman titles." — Kevin Colden

However, positive reviews and accolades go a long way to helping promote a new comic like Sweets, and good promotion helps us earn a living doing what we do. So it's essential to our survival.

And when a writer and producer on shows like Family Guy and The Cleveland Show says something nice about your comic, you have to share it, right?

"I still read a lot of comics. ”The Boys” is a favorite. ”Crossed” is incredibly disgusting and awesome. Terry Moore’s ECHO. Kody Chamberlain’s “Sweets.” There’s a lot of good stuff out there." — Kirker Butler

But how can you take someone so talented like Kirker Butler and reveal to the world that they're one step away from a mental institution? And when a fan-favorite writer of X-Men and Deadpool is asked which creators should we be looking out for next year and replies:

"Honestly, most of the names I could say are names you already know. Jason Aaron continues to kick butt, and I want to see what Kody Chamberlain does next. Lots of talent out there." — Victor Gischler

You're right. You absolutely have to post that on your blog. But posting that comment for public viewing reveals to the world that Victor Gischler isn't a very good judge of quality. He's worked hard to create a veil of credibility, and now I've blown his cover. I do feel responsible, and the guilt weighs on me like a three ton elephant.

I've worked with Josh Fialkov for years on a comic called PUNKS, so I already know how nuts the guy is. But you can't possibly read this without flashes of Hitchcock's Psycho stabbing you in the head:

"SWEETS - Look, I've known Kody Chamberlain for nearly a decade now. I've seen him grow and change and turn into one of the best writer/artists in comics. The work he's done on "Sweets" has been nothing short of spectacular. He's working on a level that the rest of us can only dream of. Once the series wraps up and the TPB hits the stands, I've got a feeling the rest of the industry is going to shit their pants for him." — Josh Fialkov

Speaking of Psycho, I don't know Ron Richards very well, but this quote is more than enough to convince me he can't be trusted. In fact, I can't help but take the entire iFanboy concept with a grain of salt after reading this:

"One of the most enjoyable mini-series from Image Comics that began in 2010 for me has been Sweets by Kody Chamberlain. Clearly a labor of love, Chamberlain has crafted together a world, set in New Orleans, that you simply can get lost in while reading, savoring the amazing artwork and watching the crime tale unfold." — Ron Richards of iFanboy

And when a respected publication like Comic Heroes from the UK includes Sweets in their list of Contemporary Crime Classics, you can't help but dismiss the entire publication as hateful, slanted propaganda.

That brings me to Rob Levin. Rob was a long time editor at Top Cow, so he knows comics. After reading Sweets #1 in July 2010, Rob hasn't been able to buy a comic since:

"I’ll go to a comic shop this week and buy a new comic, my first new, non-collected book since I bought a copy of Sweets #1 off Kody Chamberlain at SDCC." — Rob Levin

I know what you're thinking. It's possible Rob read Sweets and was so blown away he just couldn't tolerate drudging in the bowels of lesser entertainment. No. The truth is that I ruined comics for him, and it's taken him a half a year to recover. To me, that makes Rob Levin the smartest man alive. He's got me figured out.

Having said that, I'm told by respected professionals (and my wife) that being self deprecating hurts more than it helps, so just take the compliment and shut the hell up.

Done.

Looking forward to a great 2011!

SWEETS - 2010 - A year in review

2010-12-23T12:23:00.004-06:00

Just wanted to thank everyone for picking up the book, it's been an amazing experience and I'm honored and humbled at all the support I've received. 2010 was a stellar year for me, and I wanted to quickly recap some of the highlights for those that don't regularly follow my Twitter and Facebook updates. I'm doing this from memory and browsing my blog, so please forgive me as I continue to tweak and update this page as the days go by.

In addition to all the Sweets news, Josh Fialkov and I announced that PUNKS is moving to MTV as part of their MTV Geek line of digital comics. I'll start posting more on that as we move forward in 2011.

Alright, lets get started…

I sent the Sweets pitch out to Eric Stephenson at Image Comics in February 2010, the book got approved for publication on the day the pitch arrived! Needless to say, I was thrilled.

Looking ahead at the schedule for the book and the massive amount of work I was about to begin, I posted this on Twitter, "Creator owned comics = Steering your car off a cliff hoping a pile of money cushions your fall, but it's usually just boulders."

I launched my Kickstarter campaign around that same time. It was a sneaky move, but if you wanted to see a sneak peek of the artwork in Sweets, you HAD to view the Kickstarter video. That was the only place on the web to see it. That ended up being a great idea because I hit my Kickstarter goal within 36 hours. A HUGE thanks to all of you that contributed. I hope you enjoyed your packages and for those waiting on the remaining two issues, issue 4 is at the printer, and issue 5 is in the works.

At some point, I re-edited my Kickstarter footage and created a video studio tour.

My pals John Layman and Rob Guillory were kind enough to include a 5 page preview of Sweets inside the pages of Chew, and the reception was fantastic! Got lots of emails about it, and even a few interview requests.

I had a chance to hang out with Bill Sienkiewicz and Jim Starlin at the Boston Comic-Con in April of 2010, and at that show I handed off copies of the Sweets #1 ashcan (which is a photocopied black and white version used for promotion) and full script for issues two and three. Both gave me amazing pull quotes to use in my advertising and promotion for the series.

“Kody Chamberlain is an amazing talent. SWEETS goes down like a deliciously nasty full course meal, and tastes even better coming up.” — Bill Sienkiewicz

“Kody Chamberlain‘s beautiful art originally hooked me into checking out SWEETS. But it was his intriguing story that has me impatiently waiting for the second issue and beyond.” — Jim Starlin

Sweets issue #1 launched in July, one week before Comic-Con International in San Diego! Speaking of Comic-Con International, here's my short recap from that show.

I did a massive amount of press for the comic before and after the release. Here's a peek: Fanboy Radio (audio), Print Magazine, Robot 6, CBR, CBR, Multiversity, Newsarama, Geek Speak (audio), iFanboy (video), Nerdcast, TFAW, True Believer, )

Sweets also got a few reviews and mentions on Fresh Ink on G4TV with Blair Butler! Have a look at some video clips here and here.

IGN includes Sweets in their Weekly Buyer's Guide.

In just a few months, Sweets earned nearly 40 great reviews! Here are a few of my favorite pull quotes:

Made the drive out to Austin for the Wizard Austin Comic-Con on November 12–14. Had an amazing show and even did an "Art of Sweets and Chew" panel with my pal Rob Guillory. Solid crowd and a fantastic show. I plan to go back in 2011.

It was a busy few weeks, but I had to make time for the Miami Book Fair International on November 20th. Such an amazing out door book fair, worth attending if you're in the Miami area. I hear that Image Comics might make an appearance in 2011, if so, I'll try to make the trip back out.

Sweets launched on the iPad and the iPhone through the ComiXology app. Have a look!

Greg Burgas was kind enough to include Sweets in this highly detailed article about the versatility of the comic book medium.

Sweets also racked up a crazy amount of fantastic reviews and good press. Click here for the full list, but here are some of the highlights:

"The storytelling is flawless…one of the most original books on the market." —Multiversity	"Sweets is the kind of book that’s going to have a magnificent life as a graphic novel…" —13 Minutes
"…Chamberlain pulls a bob-and-weave of story in Sweets #2 that talks like a Tarantino film" —Crave Online	"…amazing…I feel like I am watching a tenacious 70′s film with Steve McQueen…" —The Comic Vault
"This is exactly the sort of thing the comics world needs…" —Forbidden Planet	"pick of the litter…better reading than most of the rest of the stuff on the stands." —Comics Waiting Room

I launched a webstore with a bunch of Sweets related stuff.

Prose novelist, X-Men, and Deadpool writer Victor Gischler was kind enough to mention me in a recent interview.

I was also very surprised to see Sweets mentioned by writer/producer Kirker Butler (Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, Blue Agave and Worm). He's well known in our home from having written "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side."

Alright, that's it for now, more coming soon as I dig deeper into my memories. :)

Birth of a story

2010-12-10T11:52:00.001-06:00

If you ever wondered what a story idea looks like, here it is. First outline pass using index cards. This particular project is for a horror screenplay idea. I'll post more details when I'm able.

I use the index cards to jot down major chunks of action and important dialogue. Then I move stuff around, add cards, remove cards, rearrange entire scenes, etc. The story becomes like a piece of clay, you can mold it into whatever you want. Basically, every important piece of story goes on a separate card.

This isn't an actual story, but here's an example of how it works, if I'm working on a particular scene, that series of cards might look like this:

(Card 1)

Carjacker stands patiently at a red light for several hours, waiting for a BMW that matches the one on his list.

(Card 2)

A brand new BMW stops at the light. The carjacker opens the passenger side door and gets in.

(Card 3)

The carjacker points a gun at the driver and says, "Get the fuck out!" But the driver refuses.

(Card 4)

The carjacker smashes the driver in the nose with the butt of his gun, knocking him unconscious. The carjacker reaches over the driver, opens the car door, and kicks the driver out onto the street.

(Card 5)

The carjacker drives away as the unconscious driver bleeds on the pavement.

Obviously, I don't number the cards, they get moved around a lot and everything is subject to change, so only the action or dialogue goes on the card, nothing else.

Catching up

2010-11-16T08:03:00.001-06:00

Been swamped with deadlines and conventions, so here's a quick update with some handy bullet points.

Click to enlarge

Wizard Austin Comic-Con was fantastic—easily my best show ever. Sold tons of SWEETS and a dozen or so original art pages including all 6 covers (5 issues, and 1 variant). I highly recommend attending next year, it was an amazing show in a great city. Just for good measure, here's a commission of Curt Delatte I did this past weekend on the right.
Wizard New Orleans is right around the corner, so mark your calendar for January 29th and 30th. I'll be there, and I'm also helping to organize a live art show after the convention on Saturday the 29th. Should be a blast.
This coming week end, November 20 (at 10:30am) I'm doing a panel at the Miami Book Fair International with Josh Fialkov (Tumor) and Mat Johnson (Dark Rain). If you're in and around south Florida, please drop by and say hi!
I sent out an email newsletter recently, if you missed it, you can find that here.
Amazing reviews for SWEETS continue to stack up.
SWEETS issues 1 and 2 are available for digital reading in your web browser, iPad, and iPhone.
As always, you can find regular updates on Twitter and Facebook.

Saturday recap from Twitter

2010-10-23T17:46:00.003-05:00

STORE!

2010-10-12T09:04:00.000-05:00

Finally got around to creating a little web store. I'll be adding new original artwork in the coming days, but if there's a specific page you want that isn't listed, please let me know.

Visit the web store!

Punks moves to MTV!

2010-10-09T14:43:00.002-05:00

The news was announced at the MTV Geek panel at the New York Comic-Con earlier today. Here's a look at the promo piece that was unveiled at the panel:

Punks is written by critically acclaimed comics scribe, Joshua Hale Fialkov (Tumor, Elk’s Run), with art by Kody Chamberlain (Sweets, 30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales).

With art reminiscent of punk rock show flyers and a surrealistic humor that will appeal to fans of both SouthPark and Squee! (and perhaps even channeling a little Monty Python?), the book introduces us to four roommates who must battle alien robots, undead carrots — and some other things probably best left unprinted! — while constantly fighting one another. It’s a laugh-riot, it’s a visual mind-trip, it’s… well, it’s Punks!

Banners!

2010-09-30T12:24:00.004-05:00

Want to help promote SWEETS? Click on the banners below to grab the full size version and add it to your website, blog, journal, etc.

(728 x 90)

(838 x 126)

Then simply link it to this web address: http://tinyurl.com/buysweets

Art

2010-09-18T14:17:00.000-05:00

Here's a peek at a few uncolored panels from issue #3. Click to enlarge.

Football, loyalty, and drunk Cajuns

2010-09-09T08:12:00.003-05:00

To all you fair-weather Saints fans out there, we KNOW who you are.

You can't fool us with your fresh "Super Bowl Champion Saints" bumper stickers and your new Chris Ivory jersey. We know you weren't there supporting this team for 35 years of "rebuilding". We understand you want to hang with the winners, but you're not loyal. You can't be trusted.

You don't know about Tom Dempsey's foot, and when you hear the name Jim Mora, you think about the Seahawks. You never rooted for Rickey Jackson and Dalton Hilliard. You hear a drunk Cajun on the radio doing color commentary and you think, hey, that guy is pretty funny. You hear the words "Beer Man" and you think about beer instead of touchdowns. We can still smell the LSU jersey you're trying to hide in the back of your closet. We know your true colors.

…we'll be watching you.

Original artwork for sale!

2010-08-30T14:55:00.002-05:00

Kody Chamberlain SWEETS original art is available for purchase, 11"x17" —Email kodychamberlainart@gmail.com for info.

Here's a peek:

I had a few follow up questions on this recently, so here's some more info:

First, original art means 'hand drawn' pages from the comic. I draw with ink at a larger size than the book, then I shrink it digitally. That's why they're bigger than the comic book.

Second question was if I still had covers, yes, I do still have all the covers, but I'll likely keep the first one for myself.

Thanks!

Video review of Sweets from Multiversity Comics

2010-08-24T13:17:00.002-05:00

Brandon and David have a fantastic discussion on SWEETS (at minute 39:52), but they do include major spoilers, so for those of you that haven't read the first two issues yet, be warned. But why haven't you read the first two issues?

4 Color News & Brews - Sunshine

from Multiversity Comics on Vimeo.

Sweets 2 got a great mention on this week's Fresh Ink!

2010-08-20T21:41:00.000-05:00

Game Trailers - E3 2011

Getting lots of buzz online recently. Here are some highlights:

2010-08-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

Do you have a tough time choosing between food or comics? Take some advice from the Robot 6 blog.

JK Parkin: If I had $15 to spend …

Ex Machine #50 ($4.99)
Chew #13 ($2.99)
Sweets #2 ($2.99)
The Boys: Highland Laddie #1 ($3.99)

Would it be wrong to say I only included Chew #13 in my list because I wanted an excuse to show the cover art? Actually, it would be, because I’d probably have it on my list regardless, but that is a really fun cover. As Chris mentioned earlier, The Boys spin-off miniseries are just as essential as the regular monthly book, so Highland Laddie makes it on my list, along with the second issue of Kody Chamberlain’s Sweets. And finally, Ex Machina comes to an end with its 50th issue, wrapping up the tale of Mayor Hundred by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris.

Sweets got two great mentions on G4TV's Fresh Ink. For those that don't know, Fresh Ink is a comic book review show hosted by Blair Butler. She'll often give recommendations on whether to "buy", "browse", or "burn" recent comics and graphic novels:
Have a look at the videos here and here.

IGN includes Sweets in their Weekly Buyer's Guide - 08/16/2010

Plenty more where that came from. Just drop in and have a look at my Twitter updates, I'm doing my best to post links as often as I can.

Video Studio Tour

2010-08-18T10:30:00.001-05:00

More reviews

2010-08-11T18:37:00.002-05:00

I've updated the reviews page. Have a look! I'm also planning to do a big update soon. Lots of stuff going on, just need to steal some time to type it up.

Convention Exclusive!

2010-08-04T11:08:00.001-05:00

We put a few of the Convention Exclusive SWEETS #1 on eBay. Have a look!

2010-08-01T12:08:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this as a reaction to a news story about Comic-Con, but I figured I'd share it here as well. My thoughts on Comic-Con:

I was set up in the Image Comics booth all week pimping SWEETS #1, and I had a fantastic Comic-Con. I was flooded by people all week long specifically interested in comics and meeting the Image Comics' creators. In fact, the Image booth was packed, non stop action all week long for every creator at our booth. One quick look around, and I could tell Rob Guillory, John Layman, Jason Howard, Ryan Ottley, Andy Kuhn, and Phil Hester had people swarming all week long.

I'd say that comics have certainly been overshadowed in the press by movies and TV, but lets face it, the press NEVER cover comics anyway. If the film and TV stuff was pushed out of the convention, the media would simply loose interest all together.

Photo by Philip Simon

But the ATTENDEES still love comics and that's what it's all about. Lots of comic readers also love DEXTER, and that's cool with me. If it ever gets to the point where the attendees ignore comics in favor of TV, that's when I move on. But that hasn't happened. In fact, I'd say the attendees were swarming around the comic booths MORE than they were around the movie booths. I don't do many panels, so I can't speak on that subject, but our KICKSTART YOUR COMICS panel was packed, standing room only. People were eager to learn more about how we used the Kickstarter.com site to launch our comics and we were flooded with follow-up questions at our booth the following day. I wasn't at the Image Comics panel, but I'm told it was also standing room only.

I think we, as industry professionals, can look at the 'spectacle' of Comic-Con as a true opportunity. I was able to get coverage on G4TV not once, but TWICE, I was on camera several times as the Spurlock documentary crew followed John Layman at our booth, and I also did an interview with the crew filming Comic-Con in 3D for a separate documentary. I did 2 or 3 podcasts a day for comic and non-comic audiences, and I was even interviewed by a Jonas brother. Yes, I know the Jonas Brothers aren't exactly what we'd consider our normal "comics audience," but one of my main goals of Comic-Con is to reach out and EXPAND my audience.

Mission accomplished.

If we go into Comic-Con with an optimistic view and carefully plan our attack, a lot can be accomplished at that show. If you just sit around and complain about GLEE all week, you'll miss an amazing opportunity to reach an impressionable pop-culture-friendly audience that only comes around once a year.

Panel from issue #2

2010-07-28T14:35:00.000-05:00

Here's a peek at an uncolored panel from issue #2 of SWEETS. Click image to enlarge.

Cover art for SWEETS #5 !

2010-07-28T00:30:00.002-05:00

Here you go! Click image to enlarge.

Catching up from Comic-Con 2010

2010-07-27T13:03:00.006-05:00

Alright, here's my almost-complete Comic-Con update:

Got 18 hours of sleep in the last 24 hours. I have officially recovered from Comic-Con :)

Highlights of the week: Lee Bermejo, Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo all dropped by my table to check out Sweets and talk comics. For those that don't know, these are three of my favorite artists working in comics today. I had met Bermejo briefly a few years ago, but didn't really have a chance to hang. Great guy, super talented. And pick up INTERSECTIONS by Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo because it's brilliant. I got to flip through the actual Moleskine sketchbook at the show. TONS of inspiration in that book.

G4TV's Blair Butler loved SWEETS, she stopped by my table twice during the show to chat a bit, and I passed off some original art to her from issue 2 (hint, I drew a cameo for her in that issue). I got great reviews from all the big comic news sites including Newsarama, Comic Book Resources iFanboy, etc. Massive fan buzz on the floor, this book was selling itself all week long.

Comic pros flooded my table to see SWEETS and I had many appearances on TV news, documentaries, podcasts, and got interviewed by a Jonas brother.

I was also bombarded by producers, managers, agents, and even a couple of actors stopped by to check out the book.

Foreign publishers loved SWEETS, so we may be reprinting the eventual graphic novel version in Italian and French.

Me, Eisner-winning artist Rob Guillory (and our pal Ross) got tickets to check out Adam Carolla on Saturday night, had an amazing time. If you haven't listened to the podcast, you should give it a try. Funny stuff.

I sort of fell behind on reposting reviews of SWEETS #1 since I was so busy at the show, but here are a couple that I wanted to share:

"A brilliant start to the five-part series" —Newsarama

"…I really loved ‘Sweets’ It was an impulse buy and paid off" —ComicNews.info

I got a half dozen job offers from writers I'd love to work with someday, and a whole slew of upcoming writers were asking about collaborations. Sadly, I can only take on a few projects a year, so I've got to choose carefully. But two projects in particular caught my interest, so I'll follow up about those soon.

It's always great to hang out with industry friends and catch up. There's never enough time to hang out with everyone, but it's great to catch up a bit and share a few minutes of conversation. The smaller conventions are always much better for hanging out because there's less chaos overall. I hope to make it to the Wizard Austin show, and possibly the NYCC.

And I truly enjoyed meeting the readers that keep this industry alive. You guys ROCKED Comic-Con for me. I sold a ton of comics and for the first time ever, I had almost as many people walk up with copies they've already purchased. It's great to know that someone cared enough about the book to pack it up and fly across the country just to get it signed. I'm humbled.

Thanks for reading!

Now I'm gonna get back to work.

Kody Chamberlain
July 27, 2010

Random stuff.

2010-07-14T12:49:00.000-05:00

Couple of things...

• I'm honored that SWEETS was picked as one of the Robot 6 'Comics on a $15 Budget' picks! Thanks Robot 6! http://ow.ly/2bmXJ

• And I'm told that the new issue of GOOD Magazine is out, there's a nice write up on SWEETS in there. Page 88.

• Remember, today is SWEETS Day, so head to your local comic shop and grab a copy before they sell out. http://tinyurl.com/sweetsday

• Finally, four appearances coming up:

AND BOOKS TOO in Lafayette, LA - Saturday, July 17th from 1pm to 5pm. Here's the flyer.

Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA - July 22 - 25, daily.

BSI Comics in Metairie, LA - Saturday, July 31st from 12pm to 4pm.

Acadiana Comic & Collectibles in Lafayette, LA - This signing is set for mid August, exact date and time coming soon.

Free original artwork from SWEETS

2010-07-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

Do you have a Twitter account? You might want to sign up and follow @TFAW, @ImageComics, and @KodyChamberlain because online retailer TFAW (Things From Another World) are giving away a page of my original artwork!

But you must have a Twitter account, and you must follow @TFAW to participate.

http://bit.ly/9xUSIj

I just got a box of SWEETS Convention Exclusives!

2010-07-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

Be sure to drop by my table and pick up one of the Convention Exclusive copies of SWEETS! Only 500 in print, so once they're gone, they're gone.

Release Party Flyer!

2010-07-05T12:20:00.002-05:00

Click to enlarge:

Cover!

2010-06-29T21:08:00.000-05:00

Here's a look at the cover for issue #3 of SWEETS. Note, I did already show this on Facebook and Twitter last week, so everyone on those pages got a sneak peek last week.

Enjoy! (Click image to enlarge)

New Interview The Frontiersman issue #6

2010-06-29T21:03:00.000-05:00

BrokenFrontier.com has a web magazine called The Frontiersman, it's a PDF magazine with great content. I did an interview recently, some great questions asked. Give it a read!

Join me for the Kickstarter panel at Comic-Con

2010-06-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

I'll be participating in a panel at Comic-Con about my experience using Kickstarter, and offering tips and suggestions for those looking to start a Kickstarter project of their own. Here's the official description:

Kickstart Your Comic! (Saturday 6:30-7:30pm) Room 7AB
Producing an independent comic requires not only a huge time commitment, but also a sizable financial investment to cover the printing, promotion, and distribution costs incurred before your book even hits the shelves. Recently, some creators have discovered a new and effective way to raise start-up capital for their comics online. Since it's founding in 2009, Kickstarter.com has been helping artists in all media find financial backing for their projects through user donations. Join Kody Chamberlain (Sweets), Steve Earnhart and Pat Loika (The Villain), and Steve Bryant (Athena Voltaire) as they discuss their highly successful Kickstarter campaigns and offer advice to help you fund your own comic through Kickstarter.com

Been stupid busy!

2010-06-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't done a good update in a while, been super busy getting everything lined up for the SWEETS release. Couple of quick points:

• I will be at Comic-Con, setting up at the Image Comics booth. I'm also going to be part of a Kickstarter panel sometime that weekend. I'll update when I know more.

• I'll have original art with me for SWEETS, but probably won't bring much of the older work unless someone has a specific request. If you plan to be at Comic-Con, please let me know if there's a page from a previous project you want, and I'll throw it in the pile. Doing my best to pack light, so everything else stays at the studio.

• I'm cranking along on issue #2 and issue #1 is on its way to the printer. I've worked damn hard on this book, I hope you dig it!

• My 5 page preview did run in issue #11 of CHEW and it looked great! I'm told some shops have already sold out, so grab a copy before it's too late. The SWEETS preview included the cover, and 4 story pages that haven't been seen anywhere else. Image mentioned that they may be running the preview in a few other books, I'll let you know which ones when I get the final word.

• Kickstarter packages haven't gone out just yet, waiting to try and bundle as much shipping as possible, since most of the packages do include a signed copy of issue #1, I may wait till July to send those out, although the downloadable PDF is ready, so I may do that one this weekend if I can steal some time away from the drawing table.

• I'm fully aware that some of you only come here to see artwork, so I hooked you up. Click the uncolored inks to the left to enlarge.

BUZZ!

2010-06-14T11:07:00.003-05:00

I mentioned this briefly a while back, but I handed black and white previews of SWEETS issue #1 (and the full 5 issue script) to a few creators at this year's Boston Comic-Con and I got two great quotes! Here's what Bill Sienkiewicz (Elektra: Assassin, New Mutants, Stray Tosters) and Jim Starlin (Dreadstar, Infinity Gauntlet, Shang-Chi) had to say about SWEETS. Too cool!

“Kody Chamberlain is an amazing talent. SWEETS goes down like a deliciously nasty full course meal, and tastes even better coming up.”

— Bill Sienkiewicz

“Kody Chamberlain‘s beautiful art originally hooked me into checking out SWEETS. But it was his intriguing story that has me impatiently waiting for the second issue and beyond.”

— Jim Starlin

CHEW ON SOMETHING SWEET (Press Release)

2010-06-04T17:40:00.000-05:00

CHEW #11 features exclusive sneak peek of Kody Chamberlain's SWEETS

Fans who pick up a copy of John Layman and Rob Guillory's CHEW #11 on June 9, 2010, are in for a treat: an exclusive sneak peek of Kody Chamberlain's SWEETS! A Lousisiana native, Chamberlain makes his writing debut with this five-issue miniseries.

"I've been a fan of CHEW from the very beginning," says Chamberlain. "So, when John and Rob offered up some valuable real estate inside their comic, I decided to give them more than just a preview -- I gave them an exclusive! I hope CHEW readers enjoy the peek at four unseen pages of SWEETS."

In SWEETS, a spree killer terrorizes New Orleans days before Hurricane Katrina makes landfall. Detective Curt Delatte just buried his only daughter, and he's in no condition to work. But when the bodies pile up, he masks his grief and joins the hunt through the bowels of the Big Easy. It won't be long until his city -- and his evidence -- gets washed away.

CHEW #11 (MAR100423), a 32-page full-color comic book for $2.99, features a four-page exclusive preview of SWEETS #1 and will be in stores on June 9, 2010. SWEETS #1 (of 5) (MAY100427), a 32-page full-color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores on July 14, 2010.

There it is, a look at the entire first issue of SWEETS!

2010-05-27T13:42:00.001-05:00

DANG! Too bad the photo is too small to actually see anything. Oh well. :)

First two covers, side by side.

2010-05-21T10:03:00.001-05:00

Click images to enlarge.

New interview at Comic Book Resources!

2010-05-17T08:23:00.002-05:00

I just did a GIANT interview over at ComicBookResources.com. I go into detail about SWEETS and discuss some of the characters, story origin, my working process, and a whole lot more. I've also given them an exclusive sneak peek at the cover for issue #2, so give it a read! Big thanks to Josh Wigler for throwing me some great questions. After reading the interview, head over to the CBR forum and post some feedback!

COUPON!

2010-05-12T18:05:00.001-05:00

OK, I get it, you're lazy and still haven't pre-ordered SWEETS. Here's your chance to redeem yourself, and redeem a coupon! Simply print this out and bring it to your local comic shop. If you need help finding a comic shop near you, try this handy website.

Click graphic to enlarge:

For those of you without access to a local comic shop, please consider pre-ordering SWEETS with one of these fine online retailers:

DCBService.com

MailOrderComics.com

WestfieldComics.com
TFAW.com

Interview at ComicGeekSpeak.com

2010-05-12T10:45:00.007-05:00

Super excited to be chosen as the "Indy Challenge of the month" by the guys at Comic Geek Speak! That means Discount Comic Book Service is offering the book for an amazing 50% off. My interview starts about an hour and nineteen minutes into the show (1:19:15)., lots of talk about SWEETS and various other topics. Enjoy!

Free halftone patterns for Photoshop!

2010-05-12T09:33:00.001-05:00

Here's a link to download my custom, distressed halftone patterns for Photoshop. These halftones have shown up in lots of books including PUNKS, CHEW, TANK GIRL, SHANG-CHI and more! If you decide to use them on a project, let me know, I'd love to see the work. Sorry, but I offer no tech support on installing and using the textures. Hit Google for some tips on that.

My thoughts on Frazetta

2010-05-10T15:22:00.000-05:00

The most fascinating quality in Frank Frazetta's work is the way the content grabs you by the throat and pulls you in. It consumes you. You fear the monsters and you fall in love with the women. That moment is your reality. It's only later that you notice the painting itself. What power.

Like every artists out there I've studied Frazetta's work endlessly and I've done my best to crack the code of how it works. I've humbled myself many times by trying to sketch from his work and I've shamelessly stolen his color selections for my own illustrations. There's so much knowledge in every piece of art he's created you could spend a lifetime studying it. And most of us do.

Frank Frazetta (1928-2010) R.I.P.

Sweets panel!

2010-05-10T12:15:00.001-05:00

Here's a new panel from SWEETS. Reminder, please pre-order this comic with your local comic shop retailer. It has a huge impact on the success (or failure) of a comic book. Go here to find a comic shop near you, then print out this code and have them reserve you a copy: MAY10 0427

Click image to enlarge:

Interview

2010-05-03T08:16:00.000-05:00

New interview up at True Believer Reviews! Lots of questions about SWEETS and a bit about the writing process.

Anyone want to break into comics?

2010-05-02T14:52:00.001-05:00

Digital Webbing Presents is returning!

The anthology is looking for quality work to publish, both short stories and serialized stories. Shorts or chapters should be in the neighborhood of 8 pages, content should be PG-13 at most. For those that don't know, Digital Webbing Presents is where I got my start, my first two published works were in that anthology.

Interested? Hit the forum and get involved.

SWEETS desktop wallpapers!

2010-05-01T20:54:00.001-05:00


Sweets_1280x1024.jpg	Sweets_1280x1024_b.jpg

Sweets_1280x720.jpg	Sweets_1280x720_b.jpg

Sweets_1400x900.jpg	Sweets_1400x900_b.jpg

Sweets_1920x1200.jpg	Sweets_1920x1200_b.jpg

Sweets_2560x1600.jpg	Sweets_2560x1600_b.jpg

Sweets_iPad.jpg	Sweets_iPhone.jpg

Kickstarter is ending today.

2010-04-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

Today is the FINAL day to grab some signed books, sketches, shirts, etc... So jump on this NOW! http://tinyurl.com/kodykick

Free Comic Book Day

2010-04-30T09:43:00.000-05:00

Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow (May 1) all across the USA. To celebrate the event I'll be signing, sketching, and hanging at Walley’s Pop Comics for a few hours, getting in around 11am. I'm told there might be FREE pizza, ice cream & beer. Here's the location:

Walley’s Pop Comics

711 Jefferson Hwy, suite 7

Baton Rouge, Louisiana (map)

Here's some info on Free Comic Book Day:

Free Comic Book Day is a single day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE* to anyone who comes into their stores. *Check with your local shop for their participation and rules.

Kingfish!

2010-04-29T09:51:00.002-05:00

I'll be launching this shirt sometime in the next few days. The Kingfish Cab Company is a fictional company that exists only in the pages of SWEETS. For those that don't know, 'Kingfish' was a nickname of two South Louisiana icons: Legendary New Orleans mafia boss Carlos Marcello, who ruled the region for almost 30 years; and our flamboyant governor/senator Huey P. Long, who served in the '20's and '30's. With that in mind, the fish used in the Kingfish logo design is a Piranha!

I figured I'd give you a sneak peek of the finished design. Click image to enlarge.

Sweets preview!

2010-04-28T15:11:00.003-05:00

(click images to enlarge)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SWEET ON DARK AND GRITTY CRIME

Newcomer Kody Chamberlain writes and draws SWEETS for Image Comics

Berkeley, CA - 22 April 2010 - Newcomer and Louisiana native Kody Chamberlain makes his Image Comics debut with SWEETS, a five-issue crime drama set in New Orleans shortly before Hurricane Katrina strikes.

"New Orleans is a great town for crime comics. It's rich with culture, architecture and all the little details that rarely show through in comic books," says Chamberlain. "I've lived in South Louisiana all my life: I don't have to jump on Google to find tourist photos. The music is my music, and the slang is my slang. Hopefully, that shows through and makes the city come alive for the readers."

"Kody has one of the freshest perspectives I've seen in a while," says Image Publisher Eric Stephenson. "His artwork is fantastic, but he's a great writer as well, and SWEETS is going to be the book to read."

SWEETS: A spree killer terrorizes New Orleans days before Hurricane Katrina makes landfall. Detective Curt Delatte just buried his only daughter, and he's in no condition to work. But when the bodies pile up, Delatte masks his grief and joins the hunt through the bowels of the Big Easy. It won't be long until his city---and his evidence---gets washed away.

SWEETS #1, a full-color 32-page comic written and drawn by Kody Chamberlain, will be available for $2.99 and in stores on July 14, 2010. A special preview of SWEETS can be found in CHEW #11, in stores on June 9, 2010.

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

SWEET ON DARK AND GRITTY CRIME

2010-04-27T13:07:00.001-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SWEET ON DARK AND GRITTY CRIME
Newcomer Kody Chamberlain writes and draws SWEETS for Image Comics

Berkeley, CA - 22 April 2010 - Newcomer and Louisiana native Kody Chamberlain makes his Image Comics debut with SWEETS, a five-issue crime drama set in New Orleans shortly before Hurricane Katrina strikes.

"New Orleans is a great town for crime comics. It's rich with culture, architecture and all the little details that rarely show through in comic books," says Chamberlain. "I've lived in South Louisiana all my life: I don't have to jump on Google to find tourist photos. The music is my music, and the slang is my slang. Hopefully, that shows through and makes the city come alive for the readers."

"Kody has one of the freshest perspectives I've seen in a while," says Image Publisher Eric Stephenson. "His artwork is fantastic, but he's a great writer as well, and SWEETS is going to be the book to read."

SWEETS: A spree killer terrorizes New Orleans days before Hurricane Katrina makes landfall. Detective Curt Delatte just buried his only daughter, and he's in no condition to work. But when the bodies pile up, Delatte masks his grief and joins the hunt through the bowels of the Big Easy. It won't be long until his city---and his evidence---gets washed away.

SWEETS #1, a full-color 32-page comic written and drawn by Kody Chamberlain, will be available for $2.99 and in stores on July 14, 2010. A special preview of SWEETS can be found in CHEW #11, in stores on June 9, 2010.

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

###

Click Here for a 4 page preview!

Issue #1 Cover

2010-04-15T14:07:00.000-05:00

Here's a larger look at the cover for SWEETS #1, coming up in the next Previews catalog. Click to enlarge.

Issue #2 Cover Sketches

2010-04-15T14:04:00.001-05:00

Cover sketches for issue 2 of SWEETS. Just wrapped up the inks, and I'm nearly done coloring. I'll upload a peek soon. Enjoy!

2010-04-06T20:35:00.000-05:00

One more...

2010-04-06T19:38:00.000-05:00

Here's a logo I designed for one of the fake companies in my new comic. I've been having a lot of fun with these.

GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!

2010-03-31T17:34:00.000-05:00

The funding goal has been met in less than 4 days! Simply amazing.

HUGE thanks to everyone that Twittered, Blogged, Emailed, Facebooked, MySpaced, etc.

And how about a round of applause for those that made pledges toward this project: David Hopkins, Bill Hanna, Jason Rodriguez, Joshua Fialkov, Chris C P Powell, Micheal O'Connell, Noel Tuazon, Petteri Jalava, Michael Lapinski, James Layman, Kimberly Saucier, Matthew J. Hernandez, Megan Hargroder, Derek Hart, Jeff DeClue, Shawn, Patrick Rills, Werner Fischli, Kevin Kairys, Ben Hampton, Bsi Comics, Casey Moore, FictFact, matt, Steven Perkins, Tyler & Wendy Chin-Tanner, Joseph Jackson, Chere, Dan Taylor, Andrew Larimer, Jourdain Castille, Ron Phillips, Darrel Dartez, Jason Copland, Steve Kowalsky, Dan Gee, Steve Epting, Ben Oxley, Dan Hill, and Don Edgecomb!

Most of the packages are still available and the funding drive will continue until May 1st. The $3000 goal was the projected MINIMUM of what was needed to promote this project on a national level. Every bit helps open new promotional opportunities to ensue this project is a success.

My sincere gratitude to all of you. I honestly had no idea so many people would step up and make this happen.

Kody Chamberlain

Help KICKSTART this project!

2010-03-28T21:45:00.005-05:00

Publisher and Fanboy Radio

2010-03-25T13:23:00.001-05:00

The publisher is locked in, SWEETS #1 has a target date of Jul 14, one week before Comic-Con. I'm showing the cover on Fanboy Radio this SUNDAY (March 28 @ 7pm/6c).

http://www.fanboyradio.com - You can listen online, or download the podcast after it airs.

Crowdfunding

2010-03-16T09:57:00.002-05:00

I'm entertaining the idea of crowd funding to help generate a little marketing and promo cash for SWEETS. Conventions, direct mail, ashcans, posters, etc can all be very expensive ventures.
Crowd funding is a fairly recent trend on the web and there's no clear standard for how these things work. Wiki says crowd funding is:

The collective cooperation, attention and trust by people who network and pool their money together, usually via the Internet, in order to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations. Crowdfunding occurs for any variety of purposes, from disaster relief to citizen journalism to artists seeking support from fans, to political campaigns.

Good enough.

There are several crowd funding solutions available including sites like Kapipal, Kickstarter, RocketHub, GrowVC, IndieGoGo, etc.

With that in mind, I contacted a few creators that have used the service in various forms, here's what I found out.

Big thanks to: Rob Pitt and Liz Baillie for taking the time to help out. Find out more about Pitt and Bailie at the bottom of the interview.

1. Tell me a little bit about your project and why you decided to do try Crowdfunding.

Pitt: My project is going to be a graphic novel about a squid and a robot. I haven't quite figured out the particulars of it yet but you can find out more over at Kickstarter. I decided to use kickstarter as a means to fund the project versus a traditional publisher or angel investor for two reasons. The first being I really hate the idea of being indebted to someone for any amount of money. Since Kickstarter offers rewards for each donation it alleviates any guilt I may have had for getting funding. The second reason being traditional publishers although a great boon can also be very restrictive in what they accept. I wanted more freedom and really I just wanted a chance to get my comic out into the wild. Also, by using crowdfunding there is always a chance that I can later on solicit a publisher.

Baillie: My first exposure to the concept of crowdfunding was when Jamie Tanner created a Kickstarter page in order to raise enough funds that he could afford to work on a new comic full-time for a few months. I thought it was such a great idea I knew I wanted to try it myself at some point. The opportunity came when I decided to self-publish the first five chapters of my webcomic, Freewheel , in book form rather than search for a traditional publisher. Being that comics is my full-time job, I don't have a whole lot of money on hand for something like publishing a book, which can cost several thousand dollars. I had seen people do pre-orders for books before in order to raise money for printing costs, but this new Kickstarter method of offering all kinds of incentives for a huge variety of prices seemed ingenious to me. For someone like me, who doesn't have a HUGE fanbase but whose fans tend to be very dedicated, it made sense to give individual people an opportunity to give a higher amount of money and get an equivalent thing in return (like pages of original art, commissions, exclusive prints, or even the opportunity to have their own face in the comic). This way, I was able to raise the necessary funds with a smaller amount of people.

2. What was your strategy when selecting the various packages you listed for purchase?

Pitt: First you need to know that in order to post a project on Kickstarter one needs an invite. So for me to get an invite I had to write to Kickstarter and petition the 8 people who run the site. I was told the key to a successful project was to have more experience driven rewards. I pondered offering going out to dinner with the highest backer, or making a phone call for the final backer to put me over goal but I'm not that much of a socialite. So I went the more personal but traditional. Offering people to give insight into the book, or even being part of it. You can see the tier list here. But, really the projects that are most successful are the people who don't necessarily offer swag but offer invaluable opportunities or experiences. This is evident from surfing Kickstarter and checking out all the packages that go over goal.

My strategy was to have a blend of the two. Experience plus swag. Because personally there is nothing I love more than limited edition items. I am a sucker for marketing and good design.

Baillie: I wanted to be sure that, first of all, I had a wide variety of price ranges and that the value of the content of each package was reflective of the price. I've seen other crowdfunding projects that offered what were, in my opinion, not enough content for the price point. I had seen that Jamie Tanner offered folks to opportunity to have their face in his comic, which I thought was an awesome idea, and I stole that idea shamelessly for my highest price package. To add value to that option, I also made sure that only one person would be able to purchase that package, so it was also extremely exclusive. I made sure to include a very low price package as well that people who really don't have much money could contribute without feeling guilty about it. I'm always one of those people myself, so I thought about what amount I'd be willing to pay that would still be enough to be worth my time. Everything in between I just thought about what I could put in the next level up that would cause someone to choose the higher price point package over the one just below it, while still making each package worth the price I was putting on it.

3. What advice would you offer to someone doing this for the first time? Specifically, did you discover any problems that should be avoided, or find something that worked particularly well?

Pitt: Crowdfunding is not a means in itself it depends heavily on your existing social networks and the lions share of the funding may come from close friends or sometimes family. I have found my twitter followership to be a great boon as well as my own blog for directing potential backers to the project. Most people are willing to at the very least promote your work if not fund it. Do not make the assumption that funding site will bring magical backers to your project. You have to work for it just like anything else and unless you run a website that gets tens of thousands of visitors a day then don't expect strangers to back you. Also, target your lowest common denominator, in how much money you really need versus want.

Baillie: First of all, don't be greedy. People can tell when you're asking for more than you actually need, or if you're planning on using the money for something other than what you are advertising (such as for personal use) and that can cause some people to resent you in the future. Although I didn't advertise it on my fundraising page, I made sure to be very open about how much the printing quotes I got were for, and why I was asking for money on top of that (for ISBN number and barcodes, which cost about $300 because you are forced to buy 10 ISBN numbers at once). When I got a second quote from a second printer that was lower than my original quote, I lowered the cap on my fundraising goal to match that.

Second of all, there is a fine line between reminding people early and often of your fundraising goals, and totally spamming their Twitter and Facebook pages. Hopefully I avoided being totally obnoxious, but like I said, it's a fine line and it's something to very cautious about.

Thirdly, I found it helpful to make small goals in the beginning and encourage people to help you get past those goals. Whenever I would get close to a goal (like raising $100, $500, $1000, etc) I would post something on Twitter or Facebook asking "Who will get us to $xx?" and then when I passed that goal, I would thank that person by name on Twitter or Facebook. This way you are also helping that person to feel like they are a special part of your fundraiser (which they are) which is good for building a community around your work.

4. What marketing, promo, and advertising efforts did you make to help drive traffic to your project, or to promote your crowdfunding page?

Pitt: Twitter, The Facebooks, E-Mailing and Calling local stores. Leaving promo fliers in random places, and soliciting on all major sites I am a member of. But I am not much of a marketer so it could explain the slow up hill battle. I also made a custom Kickstarter bar to put on my site to show project status. I'd be happy to share the code if anyone is interested. See http://23x.org scroll down to the bottom.

Baillie: I made sure to mention the fundraiser at least once a week on my Facebook, Twitter, and LiveJournal pages, but not so much that people felt they were getting spammed (or so I hope). Too much mention of your fundraiser, as I mentioned before, can really turn people off to your project altogether, and nobody wants that. I also created a small square animated .gif ad that linked to my fundraising page and I stuck it on my website, as well as at the end of any entries I put up about it on my LiveJournal. I found that other people began using this .gif when they talked about the fundraiser on their own blog, so I think it was a good idea. I also specifically asked people to talk about the fundraiser on their own blogs, or to re-tweet my own tweets about it. I went on various forums I already frequented and made posts about the fundraiser as well. I also made very sure not to alienate those who could not afford to contribute by stressing the importance of spreading the word, which is really just as important as actual contributions, and to thank those people who helped spread the word whenever possible.

5. Any other opinion on the subject you'd like to offer that wasn't asked about specifically?

Pitt: Make sure you allot yourself enough time to do your project, I am very aware of how long projects take me. The last thing you want is disgruntled backers because you failed to meet deadline or bailed completely.

Baillie: I think it's worth noting that I chose not to use a third-party crowdfunding site like Kickstarter. I made this decision for a variety of reasons, which I'll list here. At the time I began my fundraiser, Kickstarter required an invitation which was somewhat difficult to get, and I was crunched for time so I didn't want to wait and see if I could get one. Although I wasn't sure, I was reasonably certain that Kickstarter probably took some percentage of monies raised (how else could the site stay in business?). Not to mention, I knew for sure that through Kickstarter you would not receive your funds until the funding period had ended, and that if you did not meet your goal you would receive ZERO dollars. I knew that I might need some of the money earlier (to purchase ISBN numbers and bar codes, not to mention I wasn't sure when my printing bill would actually be due) and I also knew that even if I didn't raise the full amount, the book would still get printed no matter what (though I would have had to borrow the money or use a credit card, which I was trying to avoid). So after mulling all this over, I decided that Kickstarter was not for me, and instead I created a page on my own website using simple PayPal buttons for each contribution level. If I ever have to do this again, I will most likely do it the same way. I see no need to involve a third party website when you can easily do the whole thing yourself with PayPal buttons.

A big thanks to Rob Pitt and Liz Baillie for taking the time to help with these questions! Please take a minute to have a look at their work.

Rob Pitt

Find out more about Rob at his blog and portfolio site.

For a real taste of what this is all about, visit Pitt's Kickstarter Project page here. If you'd like to get involved, Pitt's Kickstarter page still has 22 days remaining on the funding drive.

Liz Baillie

http://lizbaillie.com/

Baillie's webcomic Freewheel can be read three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at You can also take a look at Baillie's fundraising page here. It's still live, but the PayPal buttons are gone since the fundraiser has already ended.

Cover

2010-03-12T23:07:00.001-06:00

Here's a cover sketch I did on my iPhone. The one I worked on today is mostly based on this concept with the long shadow.

-- Published From My iPhone

Inks

2010-03-12T12:28:00.000-06:00

Here's the inked version of the panel I posted yesterday. The bulk of my inks are done with brush and india ink. I have a very large selection of brushes and I jump back and forth between several different sizes. I finish off with a a dipping nib, usually tips made by a Japanese company called Nikko. Click image to enlarge.

Pencil

2010-03-11T10:42:00.000-06:00

Here's a peek at a panel from Sweets. I darkened it a bit in Photoshop to make it a little more visible online. I usually keep my pencil lines soft and light to make them easier to erase after inking. Click image to enlarge.

Listen while you work

2010-03-10T09:56:00.001-06:00

I've been listening to quite a few podcasts lately while I work on comic art. It's a great way to keep up with what's going on in the world and pick up a few new tricks and techniques. I happened upon the Visual Artist Podcast Network last week and thought I'd share the link. I was already a regular listener to a few of the podcasts on the list, but it really does include some of the best on the web.

Here's the blurb from their site.

"Welcome to The Visual Artist Podcast Network!

If you like to listen to podcasts while you work on your latest masterpiece, then you’re in for a treat, because 6 of the best visual arts podcasts have joined forces to keep you informed, inspired, and entertained with hours of valuable content every week. On top of that, you’ll find articles, tutorials, and other useful resources that you won’t find anywhere else.

Whether you’re an Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Animator, or all of the above, you’ll find something to fall in love with here at VAPN.

Take a look around and familiarize yourself with the great podcasts on this network, and be sure to visit each show’s individual website for more of what they have to offer. As we go, we hope to add more podcasts to the group, so stay tuned and grow along with VAPN!

Just select the show of your choice to start exploring!"

The amazingly difficult synopsis

2010-03-06T15:08:00.000-06:00

I'm currently working on my Previews catalog synopsis for SWEETS. Previews is the catalog retailers and readers use to order their comics, so the synopsis is very important since it's the main chunk of info everyone uses to make buying decisions. This is the entry point for retailers and fans. It's the bait on the hook. WIKI defines a synopsis as: "A brief summary of the major points of a written work, either as prose or as a table; an abridgment or condensation of a work."

The easy part is I already know the core of what I need to write in my synopsis. But...
Yes, there's a reason it's called the easy part. That hard part is writing and re-writing this one paragraph until it bleeds. I need my synopsis to grab readers by the throat and make them want this book. Alas, that's my amazingly difficult task this weekend. The general guideline for synopsis length is 75 words for first issues, and 50 words for ongoing titles. The Previews catalog entry also lists details about the project such as page count, delivery date, etc. But for this blog entry, I'll just focus on the synopsis.

Here's our solicitation for the most recent PUNKS comic written by my good pal Joshua Hale Fialkov :

Punks: the Comic Christacular Special

by Joshua Fialkov and Kody Chamberlain

What's that you say? You need something to celebrate a long haired fellow who died for your sins AND participate in crass consumerism? Well, consider your Christ-mas wishes granted when Abe, Dog, Fist, and Skull return with the most Holy Hostly Holiday Hootenanny Hyperbole allows! Join their search for the true meaning of Christmas, Leprosy, and most importantly of all, friendship. Featuring an exclusive animated section rendered in stylish inanimate still panels. PLUS! Eight Exciting Bonus Pages to ring in the New Year/Age of Leopards.

In a recent chat, Josh gave me this bit of advice on the subject: "Snappy, catchy, information filled. You don't have space to fuck around, so don't. And try to get the facts right. Retailers hate it when you don't."

Since I don't trust Josh one bit, I did a little more research on the subject and found a few web articles:

Some good info to be found in reading opinions on synopsis writing. I found far more info than I could possibly consume. So much reading, so little time. If you know of a great piece on writing a synopsis, I'd love to see it. Post up a link for everyone to check out.

Here's another good synopsis sent to me by my pal William Harms :

Impaler # 1

by William Harms

Millions of vampires have descended upon America. In a desperate bid to defeat them, the military nuked NYC. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late, and now an army of the undead pushes west, butchering all that stand in their way. Humanity's only chance rests in the hands of vampire hunter Vlad the Impaler and a small band of human survivors.

I sniffed around on Google to find random examples of first issue solicitations from various publishers. Which of these sparks your interest? If any of you have a favorite(s) you'd like to share, paste 'em in the comments.

Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box #1

by Rob Levin, Bryan Edward Hill, & Alessandro Vitti

The Road to ARTIFACTS Begins Here!

Finn and Glori, the bearers of the Glacier and Ember Stones, first introduced in Broken Trinity, return this month in a pulse-pounding, world-spanning adventure series. When a fanatic cult embarks on a quest to remake the world with the mythical Pandora’s Box, Finn and Glori’s individual goals of gathering the 13 Artifacts is kicked into overdrive.

I, ZOMBIE #1

by CHRIS ROBERSON & MICHAEL ALLRED

Gwen Dylan is a gravedigger in an eco-friendly cemetery…and a zombie detective. Once a month, she has to eat a human brain – both to keep from going all “Night of the Living Dead,” and to keep her own memories intact. As a result, Gwen’s mind is crowded with the dead person’s thoughts. And lately, she feels compelled to fulfill their final requests. Torn between a mysterious mummy and a dashing young monster-hunter, Gwen is set for adventures beyond imagination! A were-terrier, a swinging ’60s ghost and a pack of paintball blasting vampires complete the cast of I, ZOMBIE.

BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #1

by Peter J. Tomasi, Adrian Saef & John Dell

Deadman can't shut out the cries of the dead rising as he comes to the aid of the new Batman. It’s just in time, too, as the duo face a circus of zombies including the Black Lantern Flying Graysons!

BLACKEST NIGHT blankets Gotham City in this 3-issue miniseries from writer Peter J. Tomasi (GREEN LANTERN CORPS, THE MIGHTY) and hot new talent Adrian Saef!

Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Andy Kubert), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Bill Sienkiewicz). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

On sale August 12 • 1 of 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Abe Sapien: The Drowning #1

by Mike Mignola & Jason Shawn Alexander

A century ago, paranormal investigator Edward Grey fought and destroyed a powerful warlock off the island of Saint Sebastian. In the early 1980s, the B.P.R.D.'s newest agent was sent to retrieve the warlock's remains. But Abe Sapien is ill prepared for the supernatural forces that block his way. Written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and featuring the haunting art of Jason Shawn Alexander (Damn Nation, The Secret, The Escapists), Abe Sapien: The Drowning's the story of Hellboy and B.P.R.D. mainstay Abe Sapien's first solo adventure.

Joe the Barbarian # 1

by Grant Morrison & Sean Murphy

Having an overactive imagination can get a kid through a lot, but it doesn't change the facts: Joe's still the kid in school that can't fit in. He's the victim of bullies. His dad died overseas in the Iraq war. And then there's the Type 1 diabetes he has to live with. So is it insulin-deprived delirium or something much, much bigger that transports Joe to a land inhabited by all his toys – from ninja commandos to action robots to magical knights to star fleet captains? Is Joe really the savior of this wild fantasyland that's been held under siege by dark magic and evil forces? With the help of a samurai rodent, is he ready to take back besieged castles and win the freedom of an oppressed people? Or is he just an over imaginative boy who could die if he doesn't take his meds?

Upcoming appearance

2010-03-05T07:59:00.003-06:00

For those of you in South Louisiana, I'll be speaking at the NetSquared Lafayette meeting at the Travis Technology Center Mar 9th at 6pm. Topics will include: Comics, technology, social media, etc. Plus a Q&A at the end of the event.

Visit http://www.meetup.com/Net2LFT for more info on NetSquared Lafayette.

Travis Technology Center

110 Travis St Ste 100 · Lafayette, LA 70503
(337) 289-3000 · Fax: (337) 289-3388
http://www.lofttwelve45.com

Publisher?

2010-03-04T18:08:00.002-06:00

People of Earth, I may have found myself a publisher for SWEETS, my new creator owned comic. More info soon.

Cartooning

2010-03-03T14:56:00.000-06:00

I'm working on a cartoon-style flashback sequence in the first issue of SWEETS. I use a similar style quite a bit in my sketchbooks, but I think this is the first time I do it in a comic.

Convention update

2010-02-28T13:23:00.004-06:00

As of today, here are my summer convention plans, I'll do an update if I'm able to attend any other shows. I typically bring a few dozen pages of original comic book art, various comics and graphic novels, and occasionally, prints and T-Shirts. If you'd like a specific page of art, please let me know in advance since I'm not able to bring out every page (just too damn heavy to haul around) :D

Boston Comic Con — April 10 - 11, 2010 — Link

The Alternative Media Expo — April 17, 2010 — Link

NOLA Comi-Con — April 24, 2010 — Link

Comic-Con International — July 22 - 25, 2010 — Link

2010-02-24T17:54:00.000-06:00

-- Published From My iPhone

Pitch

2010-02-23T19:55:00.000-06:00

Dropped my pitch in the mail today! Hoooorah.

Books I reference often

2010-02-22T15:32:00.000-06:00

Here's a stack of books I reference more often than the rest on my shelf, and I thought it'd share them on the blog. Sadly, all of the Andrew Loomis books (bottom) are out of print, but PDF versions are available if you spend a bit of time searching Google. I'm now the proud owner of all the printed Loomis books, and if you can find them, they're well worth the price of admission.

Full page!

2010-02-19T11:42:00.001-06:00

Here's a finished page from the pitch. (Click the graphic to enlarge) Someone asked recently about the spatter effects I'm getting on the pages. Those are all done on the original page. After penciling, I dip an old toothbrush in masking fluid and scrape my thumb across the toothbrush to spray the fluid in certain areas. The masking fluid protects the paper from the ink. I also dip my quills and brushes in the masking fluid to create what will eventually become white lines on the page. It's almost impossible to find a quality white ink that's easy to work with, so this is just an easier and faster solution for me. Once I'm done inking the entire page, I can just rub off the masking fluid to reveal the white paper underneath.

Once I'm done rubbing away the masking fluid, I dip the toothbrush into my india ink and spray a bit of black around the page. It's subtle, but I enjoy having a bit of spatter and texture in my work. Since this is a gritty crime story, I want that edge to the work. Clean slick lineart just doesn't work for me on this type of story. Whenever possible I do try and keep it all on the original art page, but I have created a set of spatter brushes in the past for this type of thing. I used them a bit on the Luke McBain comic I just finished for 12 Gauge Comics. If you're interested, you can grab those brushes here. Sorry, but I offer no assistance on using or installing these brushes except that you should only click once to create the spatter. Dragging the brush will not work properly. Hit Google and look for some Photoshop Brush tutorials, they'll have a ton of helpful info.

The pitch!

2010-02-17T18:11:00.000-06:00

The pitch pages are done! Finished up the lettering today, and now I've got to comb over the script a few times to make sure it's solid. Should have it in the mail to the publisher on Monday. More info on that soon.

2010-02-15T19:47:00.001-06:00

Sent out 5 colored SWEETS pages to a few comic-making friends. Some have said it's my best work yet. I'm inspired and humbled.

-- Published From My iPhone

Location:Early feedback

Coloring a page

2010-02-13T14:25:00.001-06:00

Here's a peek at a SWEETS page, in progress. Mostly brushing in the solid colors and creating some depth. I'm sticking with a limited color palette to maintain some unity in the pages, something black and white comics have by default. I'm still experimenting with this, I may end up doing something completely different for the finished book.

Update.

2010-02-12T11:06:00.001-06:00

Got five SWEETS pages in the can. On to page 6. My pitch goes out next week.

Color experiments

2010-02-09T21:57:00.006-06:00

Some color experiments using the iPhone app called Peppermint. I do these when I'm stuck waiting in line somewhere or when I take a little break. It's a good way to take a quick break from drawing and avoid wasting time on Facebook or Twitter. I've included a screen grab of the Peppermint app so you can see one of the color wheel tools.

Anytime I need a new color palette for an illustration or design, I pull these up to help speed up the process. Adobe's Kuler works in a similar way and ties into all the Adobe apps, but I do find the Peppermint iPhone app a bit more convenient since I can play with it just about anywhere and quickly crank out a few color experiments.