New 24Seven Preview!!

24Seven is in the spotlight at MySpace and, as an exclusive preview of this year's anthology, they have a complete story up there. Which one did editor in chief Ivan Brandon choose?

Mine.

Go there and check it out.

Talking about MySpace, we're there too. Click here and find us. I don't do much, it's mostly Bá's playground as we try to divide this whole internet thing (I got the Engine and the Forums).

But hey, the robot story. Check it out.

It's one of my favorites.

Ivan.

I have no idea how exactly we met Ivan Brandon. He contacted us to do a story for the first 24Seven anthology, but I'm not sure if it was because he saw our ROCK'n'ROLL, or if he saw Smoke and Guns, or even if he saw that Casanova teaser image that ran on the back cover of Fell 1.

Turns out Ivan is a really nice guy, loves comics, and has this unique way to make you want to work with him. Money is never an issue with Ivan, we're never getting rich working together, but we're not losing any money either.

Today is Ivan's birthday.

He likes robots.

Happy birthday, man.

The look

The comic book artist should always be looking at the world. Suspicious, if possible, searching what's behind the things we see. When we see a sad person, a building in ruins, a sick dog, those are the facts, the images, but beyond that there are reasons, unreasons and, above all, stories. The comic book artist watches the world looking for stories.

The artist should watch with his hands as often as possible. Have a notebook, a sketchbook, a bunch of small papers you keep in your pocket, anything to, at any given time, register your vision of the world, with the style of your hand. Nowadays, I take a lot of pictures, but it's not the same. I'm registering the image, but not my impression of said image. It's the camera's filter, not mine.



I'm getting to the end of the robot story, and already I like it. I finish one page and want to know what happens next, awakening in myself the reader of the story. This is the last week I'll have to work on it, and if I have only that to do the entire week, all will be fine. I'm always waiting bombs to fall off the sky delivering last minute jobs, so I never count on an entire free week to do comics.

Not yet, at least.

Soon.

Momentum.

I was talking with Grampá over the weekend and we made some very important decisions concerning the special comic book we're planning for San Diego this year. I still have to check all this out with Becky and Vasilis, but I guess they'll be just as excited as we are. I'm very happy to see Grampá's enthusiasm over doing comics at last, and that's the kind of people you should have at your side if you can when you're going after your dreams. Likewise, Becky and Vasilis share this kinetic energy on their personal projects, one that sometimes gets lost on other endeavors, and one that should be nurtured and watched closely. I know a lot of people who want to do comics, but just a few that really love to create them. Becky was one of the first I met, and she introduced me to Vasilis. And, once Bá and I met Grampá, all fell into place and it was just a matter of time until we decided to do something together. Here we are, trying to capture this momentum, this time in all our lives where we simply love what we do, and we do it the best we can.

Before all that, I have to finish my robot story.

I've been drawing at a much slower pace than usual, and that's not what I originally planned, but at the same time that got me much more time to think about my future projects - or the ideas I have and the hope they'll become future projects. Risking to spend more time on the future than o the present, I can't help but to feel happy that I'm doing comics, I'm creating stories and I have friends to do all these things with.

And I work everyday with my brother. That alone is a priceless experience, one that I can't describe and that you wouldn't believe me if I did.

Carnaval

Did you ever wondered "what does it look like at the twins studio"? Wait no more and check it out. Even if all those pictures are two weeks old and now the studio looks completely different (messier) and so do we (we look prettier, if that's at all possible).

And while I'm still in storyboard hell, my robot story is waiting. Looks like I'll have work to do during Carnaval, all of that so I'm fresh and free to begin my project with Matt Fraction after that. Good thing I have a drawing board at the beach.

Today's robot.

In order to draw robots, I had to create them. I realized that once I finished the thumbnails and the pages stood there, blank, looking at me. It's not going to be the same as drawing people. It's not something I do all the time. Every time you have to do something new, you should prepare, study, get comfortable with what you're going to do. When you get confident, you'll transport this confidence to the page, and say it like you mean it.

This robot, I created right after breakfast. I hope it was the coffee running through my veins that helped me, for I drank a lot of coffee this morning and I'll sure need it today.

Today: page one. And two, if possible.

You never know.

Casanova News:
Clicking here you'll find a preview of Casanova 7, out this wednesday. We got or copies on friday, and the last chapter of this first album looks beautiful.
Reads beautifully as well.

Also, Christopher Butcher is doing a review (or analisis) of every issue of Casanova this week, so that should be fun.