My Holiday gift to you!

Hey everyone,

Though this year has been bumpy on a personal level, professionally I've had a pretty great year! You folks have made that all possible through your support of Deadpool, Oms en Serie, and all the other projects I've worked on.

As a thank you I'm making this FREE pdf sketchbook available to all of you!

It's not much, but I hope you and enjoy it and that it brightens the Holiday season for you just a tiny bit more.

Best,
Mike


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Quantum and Woody Must Die number 3

Hi all! 

The solicitations from Valiant Comics are out, and feature my cover for Quantum and Woody must Die 3 - http://www.newsarama.com/23015-valiant-comics-march-2015-solicitations.html

So, I thought I'd share some process pics for it. 

http://www.newsarama.com/23015-valiant-comics-march-2015-solicitations.html

Enjoy!

Mike

PS - for a more in depth process check out my Storehouse page - https://www.storehouse.co/stories/o4g0d-quantum-and-woody

Escape from the Danger Room!

Check out is process post for that "Escape from the Danger Room" scene in Deadpool 38. 

https://www.storehouse.co/stories/o9dr6-escape-from-the-danger-room

Best,

Mike

Deadpool 38 in stores!

Hey everyone! 

Deadpool 38 is in stores today! Go get yours! 

Best,

Mike

Time to pre-order Deadpool vol. 7, the "Zenpool" arc!

Hey all ,

You can now pre-order Deadpool vol. 7, the entire AXIS tie in arc, featuring my redesign of Deadpool - Zenpool!

I'm especially proud of this arc, so be sure to tell you local comic shop to save you a copy. 

More info below:

DEADPOOL VOL. 7: AXIS TPB
Written by BRIAN POSEHN & GERRY DUGGAN
Penciled by MIKE HAWTHORNE
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Get ready for a different spin on the Merc with the Mouth! Since the events of AXIS inverted him, Deadpool has given up violence in favor of enlightenment! You heard right — Deadpool has gone Zen and found peace! So how is he going to help his “FauX-Men” friends live through an attack by the real, also-inverted X-Men?! I don’t know. Probably not very easily. It might involve cowboy stuff. Then, our wall-crawling hero is stalked by a classic Spider-Slayer! Wait, this isn’t a Spider-Man book. So what is a Spider-Slayer doing here? Deadpool had better find out before it mistakes one red-clad, wisecracking hero for another — and mashes DP into spider-paste! Plus: The Roxxon Corporation brings us a special educational story! Learn about gracking, the energy source of the future! Collecting DEADPOOL (2012) #35-40.
136 PGS./Parental Advisory …$17.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9243-5

Best,

Mike

Deadpool 38 preview!

Hey everyone, 

There is a new preview for Deadpool 38 online, check it out here - http://www.comicvine.com/articles/exclusive-preview-deadpool-38/1100-150521/

And, here are the penciled versions for you process junkies! 

Enjoy!

Mike

Fare Game Interview

I got to talk with the always wonderful Mary Brickthrower about food for the fine folks at Fare Game. Go give it a read! http://fare-game.net/comic-book-artist-mike-hawthorne-talks-food/

Best,

Mike

Deadpool 37 preview and process post.

There is a new preview for Deadpool 37 online here. http://comicbook.com/2014/11/13/exclusive-marvel-preview-deadpool-37---an-axis-tie-in/

And, for all my process junky brethren, here are the penciled version of the pages. 

I gotta say, I loved drawing Zenpool using a frozen turkey as a weapon. 

Enjoy,

Mike

Rest in peace, Jesus Gonzalez

Beloved friend and gifted writer Jesus Gonzalez died this week. He will be very, very missed. 

His obituary.

Jesus, Brian Keene, and I at the Comix Creator Cookout during happier times. 

"Everybody's been wondering where you been

And, now that we know what happened
We're all wondering where you are
And even though we feel bad we won't be seein you around anymore
We want you to know we feel better, we won't have to worry anymore
We know your only worry now is
You worrying about us worrying about you
And even though we stopped worrying
It doesn't mean we're not still sad
And we're happy to let you know that, we always will be"
- Father Guido Sarducci

We'll all miss you, compañero.

Best,

Mike

Oms en Série vol. two preview

The second volume of my French series, Oms en Série, has been out in Europe for a few weeks now, but I haven't shared much online yet. To remedy that, here is a big preview. 

I love getting to work with the amazing folks at Ankama, but especially with my friend (and series writer) JD Morvan. I'm very grateful to get to bring this Wul classic to life as a comic! 

Thanks to all the folks in Europe who have supported the book! Much love. 

Hopefully we will have an English edition someday. Fingers crossed. 

Best,

Mike

Deadpool 38 preview

Hey!

There is a preview for Deadpool 38 online! Go here to see - http://comicbook.com/2014/11/07/exclusive-marvel-preview-deadpool-38---an-axis-tie-in/

This issue is bonkers, and over half of it is done in two page spreads. Here is a peek at the pencils of the four preview pages m

Hope you pick up the issue! 

Enjoy,

Mike

Free Dead Island comic!

You want a free Dead Island comic? Sure you do! Go here - https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/5292.dead-island/

Best,

Mike

24 Hour Comic Day 2014!

I will be part of PCAD’s 24 Hour Comic Day event again this year, along with some friends and lots of students! Friday’s panel discussion is open to the public, so if you’re near Central PA or Maryland you should check it out. More info here - http://www.pcad.edu/NewsEvents/CurrentNews/tabid/70/vw/1/ItemID/145/Default.aspx

Deadpool 35 in stores today!

I'm back, baby! My new arc on Deadpool starts today with issue 35, so go get you some! 

Check out a preview here. http://www.deadpoolbugle.com/2014/09/comic-deadpool-35-out-9242014.html

Best,

Mike

Quantum and Woody has a new cover artist. Guess who it is...

Yup, it's me! 

More info here.

Be sure to get yourself a copy, and look for more Q&W covers in the near future. 

Best,

Mike

PS - cover colors by the amazing Jordie B., my partner on Deadpool! 

Cover to cover three

I just posted a new story on Storehouse, an entire sketchbook cover to cover.

Check it out - http://t.co/fZxtqEcXX6

Best,

Mike

A story in panels: Storehouse story of the day

Hey everyone, 

An article I posted on Storehouse on how to make a comic page was chosen as story of the day. Go check it out, and share with your friends. 

http://strh.se/7BYI

Best,

Mike

More figure gestures

Hey everyone, 

Here are more figure gestures warm ups. Hope you enjoy. 

I'm hoping to do something with these for you guys and gals soon, so keep an eye out. 

Best,

Mike

Cover to cover; inside my sketchbook

Hey everyone,

I've been posting whole sketchbooks on my Storehouse page, and thought some of you might like to see - http://strh.se/7pKW

I love how easy it is to publish a bunch of images on Storehouse, and will be putting more sketchbooks up there as I finish them. 

Best,

Mike 

Warm up sketches

Hey everyone,

I've been starting the days with some timed figure sketches, then posting them over on my Twitter account. I'll eventually collect a week's worth and post the here, but feel free to check them out on Twittter. 

Best, 

Mike

ILLUSTRATED: New Gallery show

If you're anywhere near the Central PA area, you should check out the ILLUSTRATED gallery show at the Hive Art Space. I'll have work on hand in the show, and will be creating a piece live during the opening. Check out there Facebook event page for the show.

See you there!

Best,
Mike


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The winners of the 2014 french Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire (Great Award of the Imaginary) had been announced!

The winners of the 2014 french Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire (Great Award of the Imaginary) have been announced, and the Stefan Wul line of books won an award! I'm proud to have contributed, albeit in a small part, to the line with my series with JD Morvan - Oms en Série.

The books in this series are truly gorgeous, and I'm honored and humbled to be in such great company. Thank you!

best,
Mike


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Why I don't (normally) sell art.

Hey everyone,

Besides "Why don't you go to conventions?", the second most asked question I get is "Why don't you sell art?". I'm always flattered that anyone wants to buy my work, and appreciate it more than I can say in words, but more often than not I'm just not ready to let the work go.

Now, I should say that I have sold some art before. Just here and there, mostly around the time I was on Comic Twart. I like seeing the art go to good homes, but I almost always regretted letting them go at all. The reason is simple: I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

I'm pretty good at making a comic, but I'm no genius. I can't absorb work the way some artists seem to be able to. I have to live with it a bit, soak it in. Thing is, working in comics is grueling. I imagine it's like being a stand up comic. You tell a good joke, awesome. Now, tell another. Now another. Now ANOTHER. No more jokes? F&*k you, get off the stage! 





That's how I have to draw day to day. I remember, before I could get work, the thrill of finishing a new page. I was sure that page would be THE ONE to get my foot in some imaginary door at some publisher. I'd enjoy the page, study it, tell myself how awesome and clever I was for drawing it. Thing was, I was stupid then. I didn't know I was stupid, which is magic. I wish I could be stupid like that again. ... but I digress.

As you get better you start to see the misses, the goofs. You see the dumb, avoidable mistakes in the art that you SHOULD have seen while making it. Problem was that once I started to get work I was moving fast all the time so I wasn't seeing the mistakes in the art, I was seeing them in the finished books. That kills you. Well, it kills me anyway. But even then I'm not really seeing the mistakes. I'm seeing the shrunk down, colored, printed, lettered versions of my bullshit. To really learn I need to see the pages.


All I really want out of life is to tell a story with pictures better than every person who ever drew from now till the end of time (That, and to play the harmonica. Maybe speak French better... but that's it). Thing is, for me to get better I need time to see where I went wrong. So, I keep my pages. This way I can study them later. See where I went wrong, show them to smart people who can show me the stuff I missed.

This is why I don't sell pages very often. It's not you, it's me. I have the problem. I just want to draw really, really well. To do that I have to have the pages to go back to.

That's not to say I'll NEVER sell pages. In fact, I will. Some day.... when I can finally draw well or when the need for dough trumps my desire to draw better. Which ever comes first.

Thanks for understanding.

You're pal,
Mike

PS - I actually did sell the page above. "Hypocrisy" you say? No, no, It was for a charity thing. 


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Women, comics, and my experience part II

Hey everyone,

Sorry I've been quiet on here. Going through a family crisis of sorts, nothing you need worry about, but it's kept me offline for a bit.

However,  this issue of sexism in comics has reared it's ugly head again and it got me thinking about my last post on this issue and how women in comics have positively affected my career. Thinking about that lead me to think about how women in comics, and the arts in general, are affecting my present and maybe my future.

I just wrapped up my Visual Development class at PCAD, and there is a fact I'm seeing each semester that folks should be aware of. Most of my students are women. My last class was roughly 2/3's women, which is not unique to my class. The Illustration department, and the school in general, has a higher female enrollment rate than male. I understand that in general terms this is the norm for higher education, but it's great to see up close.

Also, these ladies are really good, I mean just CRAZY good, and intensely dedicated. The illustration program at PCAD is really rigorous, and the Visual Development classes are particularly challenging, but these ladies don't shrink away from the demanding work for a second. They're training damned hard, and they're determined to be ready for the work that is ahead.

There are students who graduated from my class but still come back to visit and gather more information, learn as much as they can, even if there are no credits involved. They just want to work and learn and get better and better.

I guess my point is this: If folks are not taking an artist seriously simply because she happens to be a women, or don't like having women in the arts well.... they're in for a surprise in a few years. The ladies I'm meeting are not playing around, and they are many. They're eager to work, but if work doesn't come for whatever reason they're willing to clear their own path, make their own way.

These folks who don't want women in comics can go ahead and keep telling themselves that only their tastes matter, or that women only get work because they're attractive, but posterity will only remember the work of the women who will prove them wrong.

Things will change, things will improve. I've met the future, and I have faith that they're going to fix things up. Dismiss them at your own risk.

As for me, I've decided to get on these ladies' good side. I kinda see me hitting them up for work in a few years ;-)

Ok, back to worrying and working for me. Talk to you later.

 Best,
Mike

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Deadpool Wedding signing!

Hey everyone!

The big, oversized Deadpool Wedding issue hit stands! Did you get it? Good, good. Check out some great reviews here, here and here.



So, you want to get it signed by me and series writer Gerry Duggan? Want to hang out at an actual Deadpool Wedding? Yeah, I thought you would.

Check out what we have planned this weekend at Third Eye Comics in Maryland.

If you're anywhere near Maryland, you gotta come out to the event!

Best,
Mike


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Oms en Serie 2 work-in-progress video!

Hey!

I've been working on my french comics, Oms en Serie II! Here's a quick progress vid.




This, and more, over on my Vine page. Enjoy!



Best,
Mike

Deadpool 27 process post

Hey everyone,

As promised, here is the Deadpool 27 process post for the preview pages Marvel released. Check out the pencil to ink comparison.

Hope you enjoyed this. Be sure to look for Deadpool #27 when it hits stands in April.

best,
Mike



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The Big Deadpool Wedding issue preview!

Hey everyone,

You may have heard about the big Deadpool wedding event Marvel has cooked up. Well, there is finally a preview up online. Check it out here at Comicbookresources.com

I've also been posting sneak peeks over on my Twitter account. Go see!

Please be sure to let your local comic shop know you want this issue. It's sure to sell out fast!

I'll have a process post up in the next day or so. So stay tuned.


Best,
Mike


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