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

Sturgeon River preview 3

This is a page from Sturgeon River - my new book with UMBRA writer, and good friend, Steve Murphy. I penciled very minimally for Sturgeon, because most of the magic comes out in the inks with this book. Check past Sturgeon posts to see what I mean.

Mike

Secrets revealed!...almost

If you get my newsletter (What?! You haven't signed up yet?!?!) then you already know what new books I'm working on currently.

Here are some sneak peaks of the art.

G.I. Joe - Origins
I'm taking over art duties on the new Origins series for IDW. Fun stuff! I'll be doing line art and colors on the five issue series.
Here's Duke and Scarlett



Star Trek Spotlight*
I did an issue featuring the tribbles!




Sturgeon River
My follow up book with UMBRA writer Steve Murphy. This one you already know about (if you follow the blog or newsletter) but here's another sneak peek anyway.










Oh, and I'll be finishing up One Man Gang and publishing it online at ThinktankComics.com

You can also sign up for my newsletter at ThinktankComics.com by entering your e-mail into the newsletter field under the "About Mike" section.

You can also check IDW Publishing's site for more details.

There is ONE more book I'm penciling for Dark Horse and ONE more at Vertigo which I'm writing and drawing that I can't announce yet.. you'll just have to check back later ;-)

That's all for now.

Thanks!
Mike

* Last minute edit - Apparently my Star Trek comic has been solicited! So, you know, pre-order it! ;)

Sturgeon River preview 2

Another Sturgeon sneak peeks. More soon.

Mike

Sturgeon River preview

Speaking of up coming projects, here is the only one I CAN say for sure is coming - my next graphic novel with UMBRA writer Steve Murphy. This one is called Sturgeon River, a coming of age story that is set in the 70's. It tells of a night of teen aged vandalism, and how it affects these four friend's relationship. Really touching stuff, believe me.

Oh, and it's a true story! Forgot to mention that part.



Very different from my earlier books, it allowed me the opportunity to stretch my legs a bit and even incorporate some abstract elements into my work.

I'll show you guys more in the coming weeks.

best,
Mike

PS - Murph has been showing previews over at his blog too, if you're interested,

Sturgeon River

Lil' sneak. Lil' peek.

Mike

Sturgeon River

You know, sometimes I forget to tell you folks about my "other" book - Sturgeon River. I loved working with Steve Murphy so much on Umbra that I signed on to this new graphic novel of his. It's drastically different then Umbra, but really damned good. I started this around the same time I started Un-men, and will be finishing up around the same time as the series ends. Kinda funny how that worked out.

Anyway, here's a sneak peek.

mike

PS - Murph has been posting inked and lettered pages over at his blog, if you're interested.

My OTHER book...

When not working on The Un-men, and wrapping up Hysteria, I'm working on my OTHER book... Sturgeon, with Umbra writer Steve Murphy.

This'll be a small format graphic novel, and will run about 120 some pages. Set in the 70's, it's a coming of age book Steve's been cooking up for years.

Hope you dig it.

Best,
mike