Nick Davis's Blog, page 86

New Perks if you Pre-Order A Teddy Bear Tale II – Faithful on IndieGoGo

Tristan Pencil by Nick Davis

Great news we broke through our $500 Goal on IndieGoGo for A Teddy Bear Tale – Faithful!!! To celebrate I’ve released to new Pledge Perks which I help push this project to the next level! 

For $60 along with A copy of A Teddy Bear Tale Part Two signed by the Author Nick Davis and Artist Dan Nokes. A print of one page of internal artwork from the book and a poster of the book cover. You also will receive a credit as Producer in book. In addition you will receive the 16″ Wilma Bunny Cuddly Defender Toy by DotsBears.

For $80, you will receive everything mentioned above, along with Wilma Bunny and an original piece of Tristan artwork by Teddy Bear Tale Author Nick Davis.

Two new perks that offer with some really cool stuff, I hope you claim them over on IndieGoGo… Please spread the word and thank you!!! Because of you Tristan will live!!!

An Interview, a Mishap, Two Unexpected Things with a Deadliest Catch and the Cycle of Life

It has been a very longtime since I posted a what is going on in my life blog. After the events of today I figure this would be a good time to write one. Now are you sitting back? Relaxed with a cup of tea in your hand? If so I will begin.

As many of your know I’ve been in procession of my new Employment Authorization Document for just over a month now, and I’ve been very, very busy sending out job applications within and above remit of a Graphic Designer and developed skill set as a Web Designer. I’ve applied for design positions, customer care, web designer, web account management, social media coordinators/manager, screen printer, T-shirt designers, sign maker anything and everything I feel I have the knowledge, which is considerable, and skill set to fulfill… I know I can do pretty much anything I put my mind too, and I hope perspective employers will recognize that.

The last two days have been bracketed with interviews with two companies I would love to have the opportunity to work for. I feel I did good in each interview and put on my best face trying to sell myself, I know I can do each job well and bring something unique to each one. I can only hope my interviewers saw that too.

I will though bring the focus on today’s interview, mainly because of the events that bookended it. The interview was early in the morning at 9am and I feel it went well. I get in the Jeep all happy and chipper with myself, feeling I did a real good job talking about my skills and how they can used to this companies advantage. I drive out to get on with the days chores which involve Emission Test for the Jeep and pay the bills… All is good…

Then I get to the Emissions Test Centre get in line to wait my turn and then to my horror find my wallet is not in my pocket. What followed was a crazed ten minute search of my Jeep throwing stuff everywhere!!! It wasn’t in the Jeep!!! I tear out of the Emission Center and back to the site of the Morning’s interview, the only place it could possibly be. I call asking if anyone had handed in my wallet, I was starting to panic, not only did my wallet contain my life, but also the bill money!

The Wallet wasn’t there or hadn’t been handed in yet! I spend the next thirty minutes running up and down the car garage where I was parked, bothering receptionists and security guards all around the block were I was. No one knew where it was… Frankly this wasn’t a part of town where if you dropped your wallet you really expect it to turn up.

A final Hail Mary was returning to the company where I was interviewed in the hope that someone, someone had turned it in while I was searching… Nothing… Nothing at all… I had lost it, the money, my driving license, SS card, bank card, paypal card, my work autho… Everything… I was near despair, I didn’t care for my sins that fate plays cruel tricks with me, just don’t pull my family into the maelstrom, they deserve better.

Then I pass the Souper Freaks Foodie Truck that was parked there that morning and a miracle happened, with their amazing help we found my wallet. You could hear the cry of relief and hysterical laugh a block away! They even gave me a free bottle of water to cool my hot head down… They simply were Souper-Heroes and saved me from what was quickly turning into a very, very dark day. Please check out their website here, and follow them on Twitter and Facebook to find out where their Foodie Wagon will turn up next! They saved this dumbass Englishman and that counts for a lot, well at least for me. Crisis averted much to my relief and that of my wife… That was the Mishap… With the first of the unexpected things the amazing help of the Souper Freaks!

Headed back to the house via Emissions, Jeep fails again, not really a surprise the vehicle is 12 years old and built when Emissions tests were just a rumor that was supposed to be lobbied away. Get the money into the bank, get back to house, pay the bills before anything nuts happened to me.

Second unexpected thing happens; Captain Keith Colburn of the F/V Wizard from Deadliest Catch TV show on Discovery is following me on Twitter! Very unexpected and neat, maybe the Good Captain has a thing for Teddy Bears? If so, who knew? Either way it was a fun moment exchanging Tweets with him, I know he isn’t the most liked Captain on the show, but he is methodical and brings in the crab. The ship may not be the loony toon boat, but you get an idea how crabbing works from and the work is hard… Pretty cool unexpected moment, eh?

I sup down a cup of tea line up the job applications for the day, plough through them before heading out to the store for just one more errand, Cat food, Guinea Pig food and plastic wrap for wife to wrap her fondant goodness.

It was then we had the cycle of life moment, sometime during me checking on Blaster the Guinea Pig after that temperamental lightning storm last night and going to refill his food bowl this afternoon he unfortunately passed on. He was a friendly little critter and my stepson’s first pet, died before his time and I feel the storm last night may have had something to do with it. The afternoon ended with a pet burial and continuation of the cycle of life… And no we have no current plans to get a new one.

For this was a very eventful day, as most of the time they stretch into running a couple of errands, job searching and then drawing or painting new Cuddly Heroes. Oh one last thing before I go… I have no idea what has been happening today, but we’ve had Police Helicopters over us constantly which is unusually for what is normally a very quiet area…

Truly a day of events… See what life does to you when you are busy living it? Be gentle with the Earth now

Sigmartyr – An Unofficial Action Figure Action Webcomic – Confrontation Part Eight

The Unofficial Action Figure Webcomic Sigmartyr continues… With Omega Commander Castle distracted by the heroic Mech Pilot Ide, Alpha team lift off in the Dragonhawk Dropship …  Click here to view this epic story…

Happy Mothers Day to my wife Jean a small gift for you…

Jean by Nick Davis

Happy Mothers Day to my wife Jean, I don’t have the coin for roses or chocolates, all I have is my head, heart and hands I hope you enjoy gift that I’ve poured my small talent into. A humble little gift on this day that celebrates Mothers everywhere.

Listen to an extract from A Teddy Bear Tale – Unconditional read by the author Nick Davis

A Teddy Bear Tale Cover by Dan Nokes

Enjoy this extract from A Teddy Bear Tale – Unconditional read by the author Nick Davis and if you like what you hear check out the book here.

Teddy Bear Tale II Update – Now up on IndieGoGo Concept Sketches for Faithful by Dan Nokes

Tristan Vs the Knockers a Concept Sketch by Dan Nokes

I wanted to share with you all a pair of concept sketches from the pencils of the book artist Dan Nokes for A Teddy Bear Tale II – Faithful. In this image Tristan, in a concept outfit, is taken on a set of classic Knockers that he encounters in the crew cab of the Toy Train.

Concept sketches are used to visualize certain scenes or to explore imagery from the story’s prose. From these images the ideas for the main illustrations are put together. It is a little like storyboarding that is used for a film or animation. These concepts are a great way for the author and artist to bounce ideas around. Like this second concept of No Names in Biplanes, that Tristan and Wilma encounter as they are flying in the Golden Goose to catch up with the runaway Toy Train. After I could not resist putting everyone’s favorite Monster the No Name back in the second story, they just work so well as those glorious slightly comical Minions.

No Name in a Biplane a Concept Sketch by Dan Nokes

A Teddy Bear Tale II – Faithful is now available for Pre-Order on IndieGoGo, please take a moment to check it out and if you haven’t pick up a copy today and get us to the starting line to publish click here to learn more.

Sigmartyr – An Unofficial Action Figure Action Webcomic – Confrontation Part Seven

The Unofficial Action Figure Webcomic Sigmartyr continues… It is Mech Vs Mech in heavy metal action and only one will survive …  Click here to view this epic story…

This is what I would love to do with A Teddy Bear Tale Books and you can help make it happen!

You see that book in the picture above? That beautiful hardback is the Archaia Entertainment Anthology released for Free Comic Book Day and it is a simply amazing little book. The stories inside are wonderfully illustrated and the entire package is an enchanting journey into imagination…

I would love to do this with A Teddy Bear Tale, can you imagine how beautiful that would look? I  promise you all once we finish the third book I will find away to compile all three books into a hardback edition that has the same enchanting feel as Archaia’s Anthology. How can you help make this happen? Please Pre-Order A Teddy Bear Tale II – Faithful at IndieGoGo help us launch the second book by clicking here it will put us one step closer  :)

Meet the Avengers, X-Bears, Indies and more in the Cuddly Hero Sketch Card Art Project

Cyclops by Nick Davis

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been posting images from my Cuddly Hero Art Project on Pinterest and twitter. The idea is to collect together comic book, computer game and movie heroes and give them a fluffier spin. So far I’ve cranked out about 24 cards and working on the next set of 8 – which will include some DC favorites.

All Sketch Card Prints start life as original pencils, hand painted with Gouche Watercolor and then inked.  Each wave is approximately 52 cards and is released in sets of 8 at time. Please click the links below to browse the range and use our contact form to suggest new Cuddly Heroes for Nick to draw. You can view all the Cuddly Hero Sketch Cards by clicking here.

Review – New Valiant Release X-O Manowar #1 by Robert Venditti and Cary Nord

Title – X-O Manowar #1

Publisher – Valiant

Writer – Robert Venditti

Artist – Cary Nord

Cover – Esad Ribic, David Aja, Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic & Cary Nord

Let’s start this review by saying I am coming in completely cold about Valiant and X-O Manowar. I do know this is second incarnation for this title and company, and this is the extent of my knowledge. Yes, it sounds limiting, but I kind of missed Valiant as it happened when I was traveling around. So… This is all from first impressions and frankly I am impressed.

There is no lead up, there is no monologue or ground laying that you would expect from a reboot. We are thrown directly into the action as an army of Visigoths take on the Roman Legions. This is not glorified action, the Visigoths are fighting a desperate rearguard action, and it is bloody violent affair. But it does not dwell on the violence like many other titles would, it deals with it in a matter of fact war just as it would be at the time. This sets up a series of conflicts that leaves you pulling for our revealed hero Aric, as he goes up against increasingly powerful overwhelming foes ending with him facing off against the Vine Aliens that sets us up for the first look at the Manowar armor.

The book did its job leaving me wanted to learn more and find out what happens next to Aric and why the Aliens are leaving Doppleganger Babies on Earth when they clearly have the power to overwhelm the 400AD Roman Empire.  The story style reminded me more of the 2000AD titles and a long form story telling, the art is nice to look at and the panel pacing is not overwhelming or trying to be flashy. It is a good solid comic book that I hope has the time to tell the story within it.

We are treated in the back of the book at a preview of Harbringer the next title coming up from Valiant, it has a Wolfe Smith feel to it which I like. It seems Valiant isn’t trying to wow us with explosive panel image blasting style and is instead going to settle back with solid story telling… It is refreshing… Take a moment to pick up this title and give it a chance, you are going to be pleasantly surprised.

4 Thumbs Up out of 5