Eric Orchard's Blog, page 58

Hall Of Bat Monuments

A scene from Maddy Kettle showing some of the mysterious things you'll find in caves. Especially in the desert. Julie and I are both fighting some sort of cold thatHenry probably brought home from daycare. It seems to be a particularly lazy virus, as the symptoms are pretty mild. I'll just throw a blanket over myself and work all day. I'm working on a book cover today, which is going really well. 

A Comic For Everyone!

Johnny Boo Twinkle Power (this is the second book) by James Kochalka is maybe the most fun comic book to read out loud I've ever come across. The words and the pictures combine to create an irresistibly charming book that is perfect for readers of any age. Drawn with a confident, informal line and with a simple but engaging story it holds up to reading after reading. I've read this book to my three year old over and over again, often multiple times in one evening, and neither of us ever get tired of it. I've been a fan of Kochalka for a long time and I think his very best work is for kids. It's just wonderful.

On Amazon

D Is For Dooiney Marry

A benevolent Dunny. Often a guide for one who is lost. Or who rescues one who slips on the wet rocks on the shore.

Alphabeasts. 

What I'm Reading

The Comics Journal Issue 295, December 2008
I have yet to read an issue of this publication that wasn't totally engrossing and entertaining. Not to mention informative. 

Saturday Review

Henry at Little Island Comics for the launch of J Torres' and Dean Trippe's all ages comic Power Lunch. 
Henry looking for ghosts on Halloween. 

Twelve Minutes To Midnight

I finally can show a book cover I did for Nosey Crow for an amazing book by Christopher Edge called Twelve Minutes To Midnight. I loved doing this cover and am working on the second in the series right now. These are great books, ones I'd love to read even if I wasn't involved. 

Friendly

Something from the minicomic archives. Almost done a huge stack of pencils! But first I have a book cover to do. A little break from comics, I guess. 

Inky, Upside Down

Another panel from Maddy Kettle, this one is the scene where Maddy, Harry and Silvio, having already met in the desert and formed a sort of team, find themselves in an ancient bat cave where they meet Inky the bat. I won't give away any more details, this all happens about midway through the book. I'm starting to get into a real groove work wise, penciling one page after another. I'm a few pages away from having another stack of 20 pages to pencil, which I plan to have done by Christmas. If you've never done something like a graphic novel the way you need to plan ahead over months requires a lot of discipline and fore thought. It's weird to have a goal 2 months in advance and worry about meeting it, but that is a lot of drawings. What a crazy thing to do. I'm feeling pretty fortunate I can do it at all.

Read a great laugh out loud interview with one of my favorite cartoonists Jim Woodring yesterday, you can read it here. It's from 1993 but still relevant. Here's a more contemporary one.

On a side note Henry ate a googley eye yesterday. The nurse says this is perfectly fine. But, boy, what a weird thing to eat. 

A Bear In A Bat Cave

This is one of my favorite drawings of Harry. It captures the sort of weird charm I feel he should have. Both friendly and a bit scary, because he's a bear. Of course, he's the gentlest character in Maddy Kettle.

I've started thinking more and more about the second book. It will be more or less a pirate story and I'm already excited to draw it.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween! 

Alphabeasts C Is For Caillagh Ny Groamagh

Caillagh Ny Groamagh, also known as The Gloomy Old Woman. A type of Banshee from the Isle of Man. She washes ashore every St. Bridget's Day to collect sticks. Also, she stands under waterfalls.

More Alphabeasts.