April 24, 2011

April 18, 2011

Geeks In Space #12

This is probably my personal favourite of the 38 Geeks strips produced to date, inspired by a lengthy wait in a post office queue. Spike makes a one-line appearance. It originally had the title "Vive La Images!", but as I did an isometric drawing with that name (you can see it on my deviantART page), I took the title off this one. Oh well. You get the idea.

April 15, 2011

One Year Already?

Today is the first anniversary of this blog, so I thought I'd post some cool stuff as well as the usual artwork. I'll begin with the artwork, so here's an illustration from the untitled third Juliet Prime hybrid comic (I'm still trying to write it, but it's progressing very slowly). It's an updated version of the Juliet's apartment picture. If you've seen the original, it's just her hair that's different.


Airbury Academy is still on hiatus after completing Volume III and Special Edition last year, but I'm still drawing the characters for fun and practise. Here's a piece of promo art featuring the character Natascha, mimicking that of the Battlestar Glactica spinoff series Caprica. The quote on the left isn't in the comic anywhere, but I'll put it in at some point.


Next is a page from Constantinople, my autobiographical comic about my uni years. This page introduces the character of Beardo Tech Dude. This was a guy who was serious about his work – maybe even too serious.


Packaging isn't a particular interest of mine but I like the design, colour and typeface on these Berri juice bottle labels. The die cut on them is a jagged edge, giving them a 'torn paper' effect.


The following pictures are from the Daniel Cunningham Collection Of Stuff What Came From Japan. As you know, my obsession with collecting little Japanese toys shows no sign of slowing and Dan's collection is off to a good start with these cup noodles, soft drinks and snacks.


Got yer, didn't I? The above items are actually erasers! Notice the detail: the white lids on the noodle bowls and the bottle caps are also erasers, and the two drink bottles (all 600ml bottles in Japan are that shape) have their own little shrink wrap. Too good to rub out pencil with, I think.


Meiji, a popular brand of chocolate in Japan. Eat this one and you'll break your teeth, or at least require a lot of prunes. It's a plastic puzzle. Unlike the food erasers, whose logos are meant to resemble actual products, the Meiji logo and packaging looks exactly like this. Below you can see light sabre chopsticks, a kit of blocks that form up into a bird, and the food erasers.


It's been a good first year on the blogwagon – the World Cup, Gorillaz, Sydney and the joys of crap photography. Thanks for stopping by, whether it's been from day 1 or day 365!

April 11, 2011

Geeks In Space #11

What's with all the elevens? I have no idea. Today makes six years that I've been living in Melbourne, though. I've had six years to figure out hook turns, how the Jam Factory got its name, the importance of the 'skipping girl' neon sign and why Essendon supporters can't string a sentence together, but I'm going to have to admit defeat there!

I was in Minotaur yesterday and this middle-aged guy who was lounging behind the comics counter (talking to the ponytail store dude) was heard to remark "I saw Jodie Foster's beaver last night! Tee hee hee!" Thanks for making us comics fans look like unhip dorks, pal.

April 8, 2011

Nirvana Comics

Kurt Cobain, the Nirvana frontman, has been gone for 17 years today. He was found dead at his Seattle home on April 8, 1994, as you probably know (that April 8 was a Friday, too). Many people are convinced, including me, that he didn't commit suicide but was in fact murdered – but that's another long story. Of course, there will eventually be a feature film based on Kurt's life, but what about comics?

There was a fan comic in the early '90s which Kurt ended up with a copy of (and probably Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl too), but in 2003 a graphic novel was published entitled Godspeed, written by Barnaby Legg and Jim McCarthy and illustrated by Flameboy (aka Steve Beaumont). Although it is a retelling of Kurt's life, by no means is it intended to be fully factual. Flameboy's art depicts both scenes which Nirvana fans will find familiar, and those which require the reader to imagine. If you were at one of their gigs, so much the better, as in the panel below.

(© Legg/McCarthy/Flameboy)

To finish with here's a non-serious cartoon drawing I did of Nirvana two years ago. If you want a realistic depiction, go ask Flameboy!

April 3, 2011

Geeks In Space #10

The tenth Geeks In Space strip, and the first since I moved to Melbourne. Cliché Man is real, of course. I'm sure you know him.

On another topic, April 15th is the first anniversary of this blog! Expect a super juiced-up megapost on that date.