For the most part, my gallery updates the last few months have been mostly limited to one drawing a week. I explained this in one of the older drawings, but these are my part in a weekly sketch "competition" that my local comic shop has started hosting. There are no prizes and, apparently, no rules (there were originally several rules in place: the drawing must be done on a comic backing board, it must be done in under one hour, and the subjects [one per week] rotate male/female. About the only thing still holding true is that the drawings have to be on a backing board).

So, when I make reference to "this week's character" or something of that nature, that's what I'm talking about.

We got back from Chicago Comic-Con Sunday, and I've just spent the last couple days recuperating (these shows are a ton of fun, but they leave very little time for sleep, especially for a night owl like me).

Anyway, we had a pretty decent year, especially considering the weak-ass economy and the decreased attendance at this year's show (actually, considering those things, we had a pretty damn good year). I've updated my gallery with as many convention sketches as I have copies of (I did more, but those mostly go off with the person I did them for and I never see them again).

For those interested, and I have to imagine that includes everyone here (not that I'm that arrogant that I think everyone cares about me, but I have to figure that only like 3 people are going to read this, and they're probably my die-hard fans), I (and my company, Hero Universe Comics) will be at Comic-Con in Chicago (actually Rosemont, IL, just north of Chicago) next weekend, August 6-9th at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center at table 3228 in Artist's Alley. Come check out our wares, including prints (most of which can be seen on my DeviantArt page, so if you like something you see, I make you a deal, eh?), sketchbooks, and, of course, comics. We'll be running all kinds of specials to help out our economically challenged friends ($2 mini-prints, buy 2 get 1 $5 prints, half price commissions, and price breaks for buying multiple titles, including the debut of our newest book, Borrowed Time), and we'll even have some freebies on hand (including the Hero Universe Sampler and the always-free sketches and signatures). We also still have a few of the Michael Turner memorial prints on hand, with all proceeds from sales of those still going to benefit the American Cancer Society and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Hope to see you down (or up, depending on your current geographical alignment) there.

Okay, I didn't make it by myself. I wrote and drew this Mosaic (Mosaics, for those who don't know, are one page Transformers comics), while Rafael Yanez [link] colored it (he actually made it look like I knew what I was doing when I drew it) and Sean Moore [link] put my words on the pictures all pretty-like.

So, if you like my stuff (or, I guess, even if you don't), go have a look at "The Great Mirage" [link]

With absolutely no fanfare, the "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" DVD slipped into Best Buy stores around the country a few weeks back. When I found out about this, I rushed (waited until the next day and stopped by while running errands before work) to the nearest Best Buy (to my work, since I had to go that way anyway) to pick up a copy (first checking their website to see that all the stores in the area were indeed supposed to have copies available). Not knowing exactly what category it would be in, but knowing that it's a musical comedy, I first went to musicals. It was not there. I then went to comedies. It was not there. Not wanting to give up, I decided to try for the action section, then I even looked in dramas. I then decided to start on one end of the DVD section and look through the entire thing to be sure. I checked "special interests," sports, anime, horror, sci-fi, westerns, martial arts, family, Disney, and finally found it in the last section I checked (and the last remaining section in the store)... television series. What the fornicate, Best Buy? What the fornicate? DHSAB has never aired on television, and in fact only exists because Joss Whedon wasn't allowed to work on his television show during the writers' strike. I applaud Best Buy for even making copies available in a brick and mortar store (the only reason I hadn't yet picked up a copy was because I don't like paying for shipping or waiting for my movies. That's why Netflix would never work for me), I can't help but think that someone less diligent (obsessive) than me would have given up long before I did, and it's certainly not going to attract any casual customers sitting in a section it doesn't belong in (whereas it might attract some fans of musicals and/or comedies if it were stocked in one of those sections).

On a related note, sadly, Best Buy is not carrying the soundtrack. What the hell?!