Jeremy A. Bastian's Blog, page 2

Back from Baltimore, Talk Like a Pirate Day and the cons of Oct.

Just drove back from Baltimore this morning.  10 hours of staying awake while listening to Robert Jordan's Knife of Dreams on audio book.  I'm glad that one started picking up, the last couple of books seemed to drag a bit.  So, to all those who might be looking here for the first time and think "Oh, good he must post regularly because I just saw him at the Baltimore Comicon" I'm afraid you will be sorely disappointed.  But at least for now here's some new stuff.  First I'll start off with a couple of birthday presents.  July was the month of creation for both David Petersen and my sister Julie, and here's what I gave them. 


 The witches were the second great race that controlled the waters and the lands they possess in the world of the Omerta Seas.  This is the witch Circ Aileg, the words at the bottom -Majiq Edoui Seccr- I concocted. They might actually translate to something, but I am completely ignorant of it.  For me it means "magic hides within".  I've been developing a lot of back story for the world that Cursed Pirate Girl takes place in.  Hopefully some day you will be able to see it.  :) 

(btw I got a new keyboard so now my parenthesis keys work!)








This is a piece for David's Harry Potter Gallery.  It's a quite impressive gallery, you can check out the rest of the gallery here. 



So I tried something different with my con sketch list for the Baltimore show and I think I like it a lot.  I took a lot of pre show requests the week before and then tried getting them done before the show.  It worked quite well.  I was able to get a lot more done than I usually do.  I took scans of some of them.




  
I've still got a couple to complete and put up.  Hopefully I will be able to do that sooner than later, but you know me...

Here are a couple of pieces left from San Diego, you might have seen them on Instagram. 





And to finish off the art, here's a piece I did for my friends Anthony and Meagan for their wedding.

 So, this upcoming Saturday, Sat the 15th is Talk like a Pirate Day.  I have been asked to talk about my comic at my local library here in Plymouth.  here's a link to their website where you can see the details.  The only problem with this is that I do not the hardcover edition yet.  But I will try to make it fun regardless. 






 The next comic show I'll be at will be the New York Comicon, I am not on their list online but fret not, I will be there in artist alley.  Now speaking of the hardcover edition of CPG vol. 1, I have been told that Archaia expects the books to be in stores in early November.  They also have said that they will be getting a shipment in so that there will be books available for the New York show.  I will try to get a hold of someone to confirm this.  So cross your fingers everyone, we could be a month away from seeing this thing! WOOOO!  I will be opening the sketch list for that show starting Oct. 7th.  After that you can find me at the Detroit Fanfare show the 26th through the 28th of Oct.  This year they are holding the show in back in Dearborn.  And that's a lot closer (to me) than last year's Cobo show.  Here's the link to their site. 

San Diego Comic Con [pre blog]

Tomorrow Emily and I leave for "the big show", San Diego Comic Con or SDCC for those who like to save time by saying or typing the full name.  I will be set up at the Century Guild booth not artist alley.  We will be located in the 2800 aisle at the back.  We're usually across from Pokemon and kiddie corner from Image.  Hey! I found a map!  So here's exactly how to find me.  go in through C [or D] and follow the orange path.  Look for big elaborate Paintings with impressive wooden frames and a glass case with antique art nouveau vases.  I will also tweet a pic of what it looks like when we're done setting up.  If you don't know, my twitter account is just @JeremyBastian .


I was hoping this would be the best show yet, but now I'm just hoping it won't be the worst one yet.  I have not heard any news about the Archaia hard cover version of Cursed Pirate Girl other than it will not be available at the show.  I don't know when it will be coming out.  Hopefully I will have copies for sale at the next convention I am attending.  So there's that.  I am going to be on a panel though, so that's good. Archaia Presents: How to Tell a Better Story Through World-Building, Sat from 6:00pm-7:00pm in room 9.  I will be joined by David Petersen [you might know that guy] and Royden Lepp of the Archaia title Rust fame.  Dave and I did a similar panel at C2E2 and I thought it went quite well.  Hope you come and check it out.  You can also see more of Dave and I talking about this subject here, we did a little web panel thing for people who might be interested in world building.    So watch that and then come and ask questions... or not.  And if you do watch it and come to the panel, ask Dave about his girly hair he had back then.  Hah!

One of the items I will be bringing with me to the show is a new [!] print.  I have been taking a large number of prints from show to show and it just seems a bit boring to have the same stuff available at every show.  I do this because I usually don't have time to work on pieces outside of the book.  This year I made some time.  I had about two weeks in between the Heroes Con in Charlotte and the San Diego show so I thought that would be the perfect amount of time to do up something new for people.  I also decided that instead of adding one more piece I'd have to haul from show to show year after year, I would make it a limited print.  I will still be stained with tea, the same way all my prints are, but I am only making 100 of them.  So being that they will run out at some time, I am asking $30 instead of the regular $20 for the other stained prints.  Here it is if you'd like a closer look before the show.
Century Guild will be bringing a Cursed Pirate Girl t-shirt for sale.  I'm really excited about this.  They turned out great. 

They will also have a couple of Gail Potocki t-shirts as well, and I can't wait to see those in person.  Here is a link to the shirts they've made, I don't know if all of them will be available at the show.  So we're leaving tomorrow morning and I'm really looking forward to the show!  Hope some of you are able to come and then be able to find me! 

I would like to take a sec to thank everyone who decides to put up the money for con sketches.  I know I have a couple of people waiting for sketches and I promise I will get to them.  Thank you for your patience. 

Post Planet Comicon/C2E2/Boston Comicon/Motor City Comicon

Yep it's been awhile.  So I just came home from the Motor City Comic Con and I was pleasantly surprised.  This might have been my most successful MCCC I've set up at.  So thank you very much everyone!  Thanks for stopping by the table and checking out my work.  Also thank you for all the fine folks who've stopped by my table in Kansas City for Planet Comicon, Chicago for C2E2 and in Boston for the great show they held there.  I'm glad you are all still interested in what I'm up to.  Especially when it takes several months to update this blog.  So here you go, here's some art.  These are all the CPG related sketches I've done thus far.













So those are all the piratey sketches I was asked to do.  I will be attending the Cherry Capital Con in Traverse City this upcoming weekend, hope to see some of you there.  Still waiting for the Archaia hardcover edition of Cursed Pirate Girl vol. 1 but here's the link to the book on Archaia's site.


You can see a preview of the book AND you can pre order it straight from Archaia right here or from Amazon right here.  So if you've liked what you have seen on this blog and you don't get out to any comic conventions and you live too far from a comic book store- there you go.  When they let me know when we are to expect the books to show up I will let you know.  I know that everyone at the Archaia offices really liked the proof pages they received from the printer.  I can't wait to get my advanced copy.

Here's the updated list of cons left on this year's schedule

May 25th-26th Traverse City, MI.  Cherry Capital Con
June 22nd-24th Charlotte, NC. Heroes Con
July 11th-15th San Diego, CA. San Diego Comicon
Sept. 8th-9th Baltimore, MD. Baltimore Comic-Con
Oct. 26th-28th Dearborn, MI. Detroit Fanfare
Nov. 17th-18th Durham, NC. NC Comicon

a new print... and where you can get it.

Well I just came home from the MSU Comics Forum in East Lansing and it was a pretty swell show.  I realizied I have been toting the same set of prints around for some time, I needed to offer something new.  So the past few days I've been furiously working on a new print and finished it up last night.  It got me thinking of the mythology of the Omerta Seas.  I've got a lot of ideas I'm going to be working into the story.  But, I can't tell you about them now.  Sorry.  Here's the print though, "the Sea King as a baby, saves his mother from the eel garden"


detail of the Sea KingI will have something in the background of issue one of vol. two, the Bright Star.  So when that comes out you will have completely have forgotten about this post anyway.  ;] .  And here's the con sketch I did for the show at MSU-

Queen of Blades
I really want to do a set of playing cards...  I just don't know when I will have the time...

So, here's a list of conventions I will be attending [thus far]:

Mar. 24th and 25th- Planet Comicon Kansas City, KS.
April 13th-15th- C2E2 Chicago, IL.
April 21st and 22nd- Boston Comic Con Boston, MA.
May 25th-27th- Cherry Capital Con Traverse City, MI.
June 22nd-24th- Heroes Con Charlotte, NC
July 11th-15th- San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA.
Sept. 8th-9th- Baltimore Comic-Con Baltimore, MD.
Oct. 26th-28th Detroit Fanfare Dearborn, MI. 
Nov. 17th and 18th- NC Comicon Durham, NC.

I will be bringing prints to all of these.  I don't sell them online just because they are really time consuming and I can't keep a full stock on hand.  I print up and tea-stain what I need right before a show.  I will also be taking con sketch requests again, you could follow me on twitter to see when I open the list to those who can not travel to shows.  Just as long as you know it could take me a while to get it done and to get out to a post office. :]

Happy Holidays!

So thank you everyone who has stuck in there with me!  I'm glad you all seem to like what I have to show you.  Here's a piece I did for my good friend Mark Boss.  He is the curator of the Cursed Pirate Girl Yahoo group.  Hope everyone has a safe holiday season! 

and also... here's a sneak peek at what I've been working on for the Archaia hard cover CPG vol. 1 trade.  Now, if you've got a copy of that poster I did as an added incentive to the Kickstarter campaign or have seen the posts I've done on "that print" as I've called it here before, you might recognize the name of that little island in the Crusher Bay.  This was the inspiration for that print/poster.  I drew this map first and then decided to have the poster about this small island off the coast of the royal lands of the king.  Don't worry there is a LOT more to this map, I just don't want to give it all away now.  We're putting together something really special for this hardcover edition and I can't wait to tell you more.  But I will.  I will probably be dropping more tid bits from time to time though so there's your incentive to check back on a somewhat frequent basis.  Thanks again for your patience I will endeavor to make it worth your while.

A call for help!

So a little while ago my computer crashed and I lost a ton of scans of con sketches I had done at various shows. 


Emily wants to compile a sketchbook for next year but I need more images.  If you have received a con sketch from me prior to August of this year, please send me a scan if you can.  We'd appreciate it greatly!  You can email it to me at talpasouk@hotmail.com

FCBD 2012

So for Free Comic Book Day next year Archaia asked me if I would participate in a special hardcover graphic novel they will be offering for FREE at shops across the nation.  So I said yes.  For those who picked up the Cursed Pirate Girl #0 issue that Olympian Publishing came out with, the story in the Archaia FCBD will not be something you haven't already seen, although I cleaned it up a bit and re did the type on it so that it matches what people will find in the trade.  I am overwhelmed with the work I have to do for the next volume of CPG but I still wanted to be a part of this new hardcover so I asked if it was alright to reprint the #0 issue story in it.  They very kindly said yes.  I am very fond of this story and I'm glad more people will be able to see it.  Here is the official press release Archaia put out on Fri.




MOUSE GUARD, LABYRINTH AND OTHER STORIES
Original Graphic Novel Hardcover
2012 Free Comic Book Day
Retail Price: Free
Page Count: 48 pages
Format: Hardcover with no dust jacket (paper over board), 6" x 9", full color
UPC: 811514010689 00311
Country: U.S.

Written by Jeremy Bastian, Nate Cosby, Royden Lepp, Jim McCann, Ted Naifeh and David Petersen
Illustrated by Jeremy Bastian, Chris Eliopoulos, Cory Godbey, Janet Lee, Royden Lepp and David Petersen
Cover by David Petersen

This Free Comic Book Day, Archaia offers readers the chance to experience history in the making with a FREE, gorgeous, 48-page, 6" x 9" full color hardcover original graphic novel featuring all-new material! David Petersen returns with an all-new Mouse Guard tale that's guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! Lose yourself once again in Jim Henson's amazing world of Labyrinth, featuring a fantastical story from Eisner Award nominee Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin) and Cory Godbey (Fraggle Rock). Get a new perspective on Jet Jones in Royden Lepp's critically acclaimed Rust, with a short story seen through the eyes of younger brother Oswald Taylor. Jeremy Bastian's acclaimed Cursed Pirate Girl hits the high seas in this whimsical, swashbuckling tale of wonderland journeys and unimaginable dangers. Nate Cosby (Pigs) and Chris Eliopoulos (Franklin Richards) present Cow Boy, a comedy/western that tells the tale of a young bounty hunter determined to send his entire outlaw family to jail. And Jim McCann and Janet Lee follow up their Eisner Award-winning Return of the Dapper Men with an all-new short story that leads into the upcoming sequel, Time of the Dapper Men. Witness the origin of a new, major character! And…the return of 41?!


About Archaia Entertainment

Archaia Entertainment is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 50 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Return of the Dapper Men, Gunnerkrigg Court, Awakening, The Killer, Days Missing, Tumor, Syndrome, Artesia, The Engineer, and an entire line of The Jim Henson Company graphic novels, including Tale of Sand, which is based on an unproduced screenplay discovered in the Henson Archives. Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds, building one of the industry's most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels. Archaia was named Graphic Novel Publisher of the Year according to Ain't it Cool News, Graphic Policy, and Comic Related, and was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations. Archaia has also successfully emerged as a prolific storyteller in all facets of the entertainment industry, extending their popular brands into film, television, gaming, and branded digital media.



And in case you were wondering Free Comic Book Day [or FCBD] is going to take place May 5th 2012 at every comic book store in the US [not really sure if they have it else where] and here is their website.  You can see what books will be on the tables in May.

that coat of arms

For some reason there is always one image that doesn't link properly.  This time it was this one, so here's a closer look.

a lot of sketches... on their way to your homes + Archaia!

Okay, I know I'm a bit bad with the whole "regularity" thing.  But, here's a whole lot of artwork!  This takes care of the last 3 conventions I've done.  The two little ones are taken from my phone and you might have seen them on my FB or the Twitter. 












So, what's next for me?  Well the very next show I will be at will be the Michigan State University's Comic's Forum on Sat. Feb. 4th.  I still have a couple more trades I will have there but that will be the last show I will have the Olympian Publishing version of Cursed Pirate Girl. 

Archaia Entertainment will now be the home for CPG!  I am very excited about this.  Olympian Publishing was the perfect place to introduce CPG to the world, as well as a great partner to brainstorm with about coming up with new things to accent the book with.  Archaia will help bring it to a much larger audience.  It's a bit of a 360 degree move as I had first signed with Archaia, but I'm very proud to be welcomed back.  The quality of books they are producing makes me very giddy to see how they approach my little story.  So you should be looking for that some time in the spring.  I will most definitely be posting when that appears in Previews.  Don't worry you will get a heads up when you can go to your local comic book shop and order it.  There will be a couple of differences from the Olympian version.  I'll be dropping some tid bits on you about that in the future months preceding the release. 

Scary Chicago show, Wandering in New York and Kermit

Well I just finished up a piece for a show in Chicago later this month.  Got it finished right under the wire.  The piece is called- the Last Witch's Head at the Wall of the Man's Ruin, the show is called Grand Guignol II: Haxan- Satan + the women who love him.  You can see more about this show here.  And here is a little sneak peek detail shot of my contribution to it.
Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the opening of Haxan, Emily is putting on a horse show and I will be helping her out.  It should be a great show the list of artists is quite impressive.

I will be going to the New York Comic Con, but alas only as an attendee.  Kickstarter.com has graciously asked Tom and I to be a part of their panel on Fri.  We'll be talking about how amazing Kickstarter is and tell you how easy it can be to get money for publishing your own project.  I will also be making an announcement about the future home of Cursed Pirate Girl at the panel, and I might have posters to hand out too!  Here are more details on the panel as well as who else will be up there.
This will be the first time I've attended a comic con without setting up in... 6 years[?].  It'll be fun though that just means I get to walk around a bunch and actually see a show.  I'll probably go pester these two since they will have tables there, David Petersen and Katie Cook.  I will also be dropping off a limited edition sketch cover CPG to my pal Jimmy Aquino for his Comic News Insider charity raffle.  I'll try posting a scan of it just before I leave next Thurs.

The next show I will be setting up at is the NC comicon.  I had a great time last year and they said I could come back this year, so I am.  I like NC, you guys rock, you've been good to me in the past so let's hope the same goes for Nov.  Here is more on that show.

Here are some con sketches that I was able to complete from the Cincinnati Comic Expo and the Detroit Fan Fare.  Both of which I had a great time at.  For the Cincinnati show Emily and I were lucky enough to spend some time with the talented Tony Moore and his wife the amazing Kara Fairfield.  They were both really cool and welcomed us into their home, they might be giving Guy Davis a run for his money as the nicest person in the comic biz.  I'd love to see a three way nice-off, maybe at next year's C2E2... eh?  Anyway, thanks a lot for being so frickin welcoming!  Aaaaaand now here are some pictures, enjoy...?