Fryd-Day 8: The Chase!

Part 8 in a weekly series exploring the adaptation of a childhood creation into a new comic for TR!CKSTER's 2013 volume, Childhood Heroes.

Next Week: "Bad Gas"

14 days...

How Does He Shave?

The Man of Steel trailer shows a bearded Clark Kent and a clean-shaven Superman, which has caused quite a stir. Conan O'brien, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and the folks at Gillette are all abuzz with the question, "How does Superman shave his Kryptonian beard?" I think the answer is clear:

Talk about some serious gazer burn.

15 days...

Fantasy Football, Hockey Edition: Sharks vs Kings

I'll admit, I'm a bit biased on this one. GO SHARKS!

Look for more Fantasy Football artwork coming soon, including prints from last season which will be on sale at San Diego Comic Con. Any requests for favorite FF illustrations that you'd like to see as prints?

17 days...

Let's Give Him a Hand, Folks!

Why kill an opponent, when you can simply disarm them?

17 days...

Camp Grizzly Wins "Best Game by a Publisher at the Show"

This weekend, Ameritrash Games unleashed the horror that is CAMP GRIZZLY on unsuspecting gamers at KublaCon in San Francisco. He are excited to announce that the game was met with great enthusiasm and was voted by con-goers "Best Game by a Publisher at the Show."

I'm sure it didn't hurt that I had a Camp Grizzly advert strategically placed near the ballot box.

The convention was sponsored by our friends at Zombiesmith, whose mascot ensured their would be no cheating during playtests.

We at Camp Grizzly brought our own mascot, Otis Jr, complete with Ameritrash Games onesie.

Game designer, Jason Topolski, and I spent the entire weekend at this table, running game after game. The body count by the end of Sunday was quite high.

Knowing we'd be in playtest lockdown, Jason and I stocked up on Ameritrash-brand lip balm. Gotta stay hydrated.

In honor of our big debut, we decided to include an extra playable character based on the designer.

Here's Jason, with our very first buyers!

We also had blank counselor cards available for any buyers who wanted a commissioned sketch so that they could play as themself.

This was such a popular feature, Jason and I have decided to add it as one of the pledge levels in our upcoming Kickstarter campaign (look for us to launch in July).

Of course, I had to do a complimentary sketch for first customer, Jenny:

As for the play-testing, each game went remarkably smoothly.

Each group gave us at least two thumbs up.

Some even gave us four thumbs up, plus an index and middle finger up! Now that's an endorsement!

 Of course, it's all thumbs up till you draw an "Otis Strikes!" card. Then it's "heads up!"

Jason spent all day at the table, running game after game and explaining the rules over and over to each group. It was a true feat of gaming fortitude!

I did my best to help Jason run the games in a dignified manner...

Our only real competition in the horror game genre, was this RPG that simulates the horrifying experience of watching Episode I for the first time.

Our grisly camp marathon was only interrupted momentarily when the convention hall was stormed by a horde of barbarian nerdlings. Man, this things can give a good war cry.

Of course, nerdlings are trained in the art of war at a young age.

The one game that I can't believe I missed: Jurassic friggin Park. I want this in my house.

All in all, it was a mighty fine convention, and we came away with a few new friends and a lot of great notes on how to make Camp Grizzly an even better for our major release later this year on Kickstarter. So stay tuned!

18 days...

Fryd-Day 8: Bank Haul-iday

Part 7 in a weekly series exploring the adaptation of a childhood creation into a new comic for TR!CKSTER's 2013 volume, Childhood Heroes. 

Next Week: The Chase!

21 days...

Amateur Armature

The beta version of my horror-themed boardgame, Camp Grizzly, is coming to Kubla Con this weekend. Our masked killer, Otis, is doing a little pre-show killing to warm-up for his debut. Knock 'em dead, big guy!

If you'd like to create your own horrific clay-mation, Here's a handy how-to:

It's helpful to keep a toolbox full of clays and armatures so you're ready to animate at a moment's notice. I recommend an oil-based modelling clay like Plastilina.

Next, twist yourself up an armature with soft aluminum modelling wire and prep some "guts." Guts are used to build up the form around your armature without wasting valuable colored clay. I usually recycle Plastilina from old animation to form the guts (hence the cool, swirly colors).

Once your figure is formed, it's time to create a color palette. I wanted a muted, grungy palette, so I mixed a lot of brown and grey into my colors.

Finally, you sculpt up your character! I'd recommend not adding too much detail, because once you start animating, your fingers are only going to smash it away. I'm still pretty new to stop-motion, so let me know if you have any other clay modelling tips. 

Have a bloody good time!

23 days...

Camp Grizzly This Weekend at Kubla Con

THE SCARIEST BOARDGAME OF ALL TIME IS FINALLY HERE.

Camp Grizzly, the debut title of Ameritrash Games, is a horror/survival boardgame for 1-6 players. The objective is to survive a night at camp with a supernatural serial killer on the loose! If this appeals to you: first seek help, then seek us out this weekend at Kubla Con in the Hyatt Regency SFO where we'll be selling beta versions of the game!

Ameritrash is a partner of Zombiesmith Games, one of the sponsors of Kubla Con. My co-creator, Jason Topolski, and I will both be available at the Zombiesmith Games booth Saturday-Monday, running games, doing drawings, and generally indulging in all manners of mischief and debauchery!

Ameritrash Games can be round at AmeritrashGames.com and here on Facebook.

25 days...

Chades Challenge LXXX: Klingons!

In anticipation for Star Trek Into Darkness (which was UH-MAZING), a few of us at work did a character design challenge. The subject: KLINGONS! The three sketches below are my take on the galactic mongols.

"Who ate the last slice of cake??"

To the Bat'lethmobile!

Which end goes up?

If you have any Dino-Riding designs of your own, let me know and I'll post them below, along with my coworkers' designs. Everyone is invited to contribute! Otherwise, you can join in May 31st for...

CHADES CHALLENGE LXXXI:

PULCHRITUDINOUS WHALERS

Louise "Bagel Monday" Smythe

Jeff "Lens Flare" Pidgeon

And my personal favorite from Christian Roman: "Cameo?"

26 days...

Fryd-Day 7: High Heist

Part 7 in a weekly series exploring the adaptation of a childhood creation into a new comic for TR!CKSTER's 2013 volume, Childhood Heroes.

Next Week: Bank Haul-iday

27 days...

TR!CKST3R 2013

TR!CKSTER 3 is a go! Anyone attending the San Diego Comic Con this Summer can find respite from the nerd hordes, refuel with a cocktail, and slap the ten-pins with us at East Village Tavern & Bowl. We'll be at 930 Market St, San Diego CA July 17-20th.

For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, TR!CKSTER is a retail space specializing in creator-owned properties including fine art prints, toys, clothing, and limited edition books. The most recent of which, I am proud to say, is the brainchild of Everett Downing (365 Supers), Bobby Rubio (Alcatraz High), and myself: CHILDHOOD HEROES.

Childhood Heroes is a graphic novel anthology exploring the earliest creations of professional artists from the comic and animation industries. The volume will include my own childhood hero, Fryd, so be sure to check it out!

TR!CKSTER will be open late into the night, long after the convention hall closes, so swing by and join us for a round! You can also follow TR!CKSTER on twitter at @thetrickstore, or subscribe to their website, trickstertrickster.com!

29 days...

The Death of Superman

Remember when Superman died and came back to life? I always thought that was the perfect opportunity to reintroduce him as Superlich.

He could have a glowing green Kryptonian skull. It would be rad!

If not reanimate him as the flying dead, at least rebuild him as a cool cycloptic man-machine. I mean, death's gotta come at a price, right? You can't just come back with longer hair.

In case you're wondering: yes, there are many more Superman sketches to come! And no, they're not all as ridiculous as these.

30 days...

Man of Steel meets Man of Iron

 

If I was Iron Man, I'd consider installing a rocketpack just to cut back on the RSI.

31 days...

Fryd-Day 6: Crops & Robbers

Part 6 in a weekly series exploring the adaptation of a childhood creation into a new comic for TR!CKSTER's 2013 volume, Childhood Heroes. 

For the next eleven weeks, I'll be posting a new page from the comic every Fryd-Day. Today, you get two (since you've already seen the title page).

35 days...

Ray Harryhausen (1920-2013)

I met Mr. Harryhausen while I was a student at CalArts. At the end of his animation lecture, a student asked if there was a trick to animating something as complicated as a seven-headed Hydra. Harryhausen simply cocked an eyebrow, gave a wry smile, and replied, "Yeah, you unplug the phone and CONCENTRATE."

Phones were plugged into the walls those days.

And animators were titans.

Farewell, Mr. Harryhausen. You will be greatly missed.

31 days...

Steel Arrow

"Hey, Superman. BOW before Hawkeye. Heh heh, get it? You look mad. Wait a minute, waitwaitWAIT!"

32 days...