Obey! Here’s the cover for Green Arrow & Black Canary #8, on sale next week. I tend to like doing more graphic covers, and luckily this issue really lent itself to this idea. The poster background was a lot of fun to draw, with that slick, high contrast style. Click on the image for pencils and inks.

What are YOUR plans for FCBD? I’ll be signing and sketching at Upstate Comics with Brian Wood and editor Will Dennis. If you’re in the neighborhood this Saturday, please stop by, hang out a bit, and grab some free comics.

UPDATE: Thanks to Brian DeStefano and everyone at Upstate Comics for a great time. I had a blast talking with people, drawing Skrulls, eating pizza, and watching Raiders. You can check out some pix here.

Nick Magazine recently published their annual cartoon issue, and I got to do this small illo on superheroes. While the finished piece called for a different approach, I did get a kick out of the little iconographic sketches I did for the editor. It’s one of the rare instances where I actually liked the sketches on their own.

I think I’ve finally recovered from the show. It was giant, it was busy; it was a lot like San Diego, really, but you’re not stuck at hotel bars and you can jaywalk freely as our founding fathers intended. I think this may have been my first big show after drawing Green Arrow & Black Canary, and it was surprising to see all the new faces at my table. So, lots of talking and not enough drawing! At the Vertigo panel, they announced I’ll be drawing the Greendale hardcover graphic novel, written by Josh Dysart and inspired by Neil Young’s concept album of the same name (wha? Yes, THAT Neil Young). It’s a beautiful story, and I’m very proud to be part of the team. We’re going to keep the artwork under wraps for now, but I have a few ideas for goofy things to post here so it doesn’t turn into a ghost-town. Watch this space!

The New York Comic-Con is this weekend, and you can find me sketching away in Artists Alley, TABLE J7-8.  I’ll also be signing at the DC booth on Friday (5-6) and Saturday (12-1). I also hear they may be announcing my Vertigo book at the graphic novel panel this weekend, so expect some news on that front soon.  See you at the Javits Center!

Special thanks to Dave Cummings and Bill Nolan for bringing me up to Boston, and to everyone we met at the show. It was a great weekend, and I hope to be back soon.

Actually, the official name is The Boston Comic Book, CD/Record & Pop Culture Spectacular so there should be something for everyone. From the name itself, it sounds like there should be elephants and oompa loompas, too. And if not, you can still come over and throw peanuts at me while I draw. I haven’t been back to the old stomping grounds in a while, so I’m looking forward to meeting all you Boston fans. See you on Sunday!

Green Arrow & Black Canary #7 is on sale this week. I think I got the idea for this cover after catching Quadrophenia on cable at 4 AM during one of my all-too-frequent all-nighters. Between the leather and the motorcycle, Black Canary looks like more of a Rocker than a Mod, if you ask me. Click on the image for pencils and inks.

Countdown #4 is on sale this week, and features a 2 page Ra’s Al Ghul story drawn and colored by me. With an origin story, the time and setting jump around quite a bit and each panel basically becomes its own little illustration. What I thought would be a pretty simple job ended up feeling like I was producing 11 covers at once. I’m pretty happy with how it all turned out, and I got a big kick out of drawing the old school Batman with a sword. Click on the images for a closer look.

Pick up the Spring 2008 issue of NYLON FOR GUYS for a cool Q&A with 5 comic book artists. Alex Maleev, Paul Pope, Ron Wimberly, Gabriel Ba, and yours truly(!) answer questions like “How have you seen comics change?” and “What is the craziest fan encounter you have ever had?” Thanks to the people at NYLON and DC for putting me in such great company.