Sunday, September 06, 2009

The "game changer"

I don't know how many of you have followed my career since the beginning, but if you have you know that I started out as a cartoonist (Which I define as a person who creates their comics on their own). Lately I see folks using the term Writer/artist, which I'm not fond of as it defines it's self by this separation duties that is uniquely the creation of an editor.

After being a good father, and person, being a cartoonist is my dream. I hire myself out as an illustrator because it allows me to do what I love while providing for my family. But it's not my end goal. Although I respect what he's accomplished as an artist and businessman, I have no aspirations of being the next Jim Lee. I always wanted to be the next Wil Eisner.

However, somewhere along this path I went astray. I focused more and more on doing work for other folks and less on my own projects. It wasn't planned, but with three children to provide for I had to be more practical then I would have liked. I'm not ashamed of that, but it wasn't my plan.

I always balanced my work-for-hire comics with my creator owned comics. For every 'Queen & Country', there was an 'UMBRA'. For every 'Machine Teen' there was a 'Hysteria'. For every 'UN-MEN' there was a 'Sturgeon River'. But I still wasn't always"cartooning". And when I was, as in the case of Hysteria, the projects often failed because I couldn't really and truly focus on them. So I decided to change that.

I had the opportunity to pitch a book to my long time editor Jon Vankin at Vertigo, and after more then a year of writing and rewriting, laying out re-laying out, I've started the principal pages of my new book with them. This new book marks my return to cartooning, something I 'm so excited about I could burst.

This one is a game changer for me, much like self published Hysteria of 1998/99 which started my career and body of work.

I can't give you any details yet, other then to say it follows a family's history much like One Hundred Years of Solitude or The Brief and the Brief Wondrous life of Oscar Wao. The story's scale is big, but intimately told through this family - specifically it's flawed Matriarch and her equally as flawed son.

I can tease, but I can't give you full pages. So, enjoy and be ready to get your socks knocked off in a year or so ;)

Best,
mike




15 comments:

Simon said...

Holy ****, these look amazing, Mike. And yeah, we get it - you're a Perspective Ninja!

A great and inspiring post.

Shane White said...

Go man, go!

=s=

PatrickWedge said...

Even though I've caught on late to the game with your work, I can just see your passion. Seriously, good luck. I'm glad you see that you have many more options than what you are doing right now. Not that comics are wrong and not the career end for some artists. That's what they may want to do and that is OK. For you, you want more. That's cool.

Panels 3 and 4 are great. Like the slight tilt of 3 to give a touch more drama and hectic feeling to the situation.

Daniel Hardesty said...

Congrats Mike, this is great stuff. Wow, what a teaser. Can't wait to see what's ahead. Have fun!!!!

Mike Hawthorne said...

Yo DUDES! Thank you!! I appreciate all the support, and promise to post more when I can. You guys are the best!

Thanks again!

Mike

Jason Latour said...

Congrats on this, Mike! Looking forward to seeing what you've got up your sleeve.

-J La

Craig Zablo said...

Congrats on doing what you were born to do... or at least one of the things that you were, uh, well, you get my drift, right?

Unknown said...

This is great news! And these drawings look amazing. Can't wait to spend my money on the final product! Congratulations on your return to cartooning!

Sugarbob

Mike Hawthorne said...

Jason - Thank, man! I'm excited!

Craig - HA HA HA!! I get it, I get it ;)

Neal - Thank you my man! I can't wait to finish this thing!

ANDY KUHN said...

WOW! congrats mike,
i'll be watching for this one.

Mike Hawthorne said...

Thanks, Andy!

mike

John G said...

Yeah, this is amazing. I can't wait! As one of the people that ordered the O.G. ¡Hysteria! back in the day, I can say this is monumental news.

Mike Hawthorne said...

Yo, thanks John! You're my man! :)

Mike

Barry said...

Good luck Mike. Can't wait.

Mike Hawthorne said...

Thanks man!

Mike