It was hoppin’ in Chicago last weekend! C2E2 ‘s second year was even better than the first, which I felt was a really solid show. Cheers to all the people at ReedPop for all their hard work. Lance, Peter, Kim, Mike and everybody else, you have my sincere thanks and deserve a round of applause. I had a great time, drank a lot of local brews, ate some unbelievable burgers at Kuma’s Corner with C.B. Cebulski and my friends from Threadless, and drew a few sketches, too. A great batch of interesting requests, and one really special Galactus piece for the Hero Initiative tattoo auction. The tattoo turned out great, thanks to master inker Brian Stringer and the patience of our super-cool winner, Artie. We only had time for black and white at the show, but I can’t wait to see the piece evolve with color. Maybe next year?

I’ve been hearing about how great the Emerald City Comicon is for years now, so I was really grateful for the chance to attend this year. Jim Demonakos and his crew have created a truly excellent show that caters to both fans and professionals. The atmosphere is super-friendly, and everyone I spoke with had as wonderful a time as I did. Add to that all the amenities of downtown Seattle, a food-lover’s dream, and you’ve got an incredible event. I really can’t wait to go back.

Man, what a weekend! The Javits Center was completely filled all weekend, with attendance reportedly near 96,000. NYCC is now truly one of the biggest shows of the year, and I’m surprised I survived. I had a great time talking with everyone at the show and I’m looking forward to next year. But first, some sleep!

JUSTICE LEAGUE:GENERATION LOST #10 goes on sale this week, both in stores and digitally from Comixology. My original sketch showed Batman rappelling down the side of the building, which I liked since we never see him with a bat-rope or gear any more, but it was politely suggested that I go for a moodier approach. I still plan on changing the flag to GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! XXX!!! before print, but we’ll see what happens. Don’t tell anyone!

JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #9 goes on sale this week, both in stores and digitally at Comixology.  This is actually the first cover I drew for this series. Writer Judd Winick had suggested the image, but I was worried about it just being another damsel-in-distress kind of thing, so I added the fire effect and most importantly, her smirk. Who’s locked up with whom? Click on the image for the original sketch, inks, and final.

Baltimore Comic-Con was once again a real pleasure. LOTS of fans and LOTS of comics. The show grew even bigger this year, and it’s to Marc Nathan and his team’s credit that the show runs with the same invisible smoothness it’s always had. On top of the show, Marc also welcomed a brand new baby boy to his family, so congrats to the Nathans for a huge week. As a 2-day show, I didn’t get enough commissioned sketches done, but I really enjoyed this year’s batch. I’m waiting on a scan for a special piece I did at the Hero Initiative table, but I’ll update this post when it comes in. Next up, the gigantic New York Comic-Con and you’ll find me in Artist’s Alley. I sold out of sketchbooks in Baltimore, so I’ll have one last NYCC edition with a new cover for the show. More details soon. See you next month.

Somehow, Comic-Con feels bigger and bigger every year. Lots of old friends to track down and new ones to chat with, so unfortunately, fewer sketches this time around. I may scale back on the list next year, since other shows seem to be a better place for me to concentrate on drawing. Still had a great time, especially with my boothmates Jill, Fabio, Gabriel, Cris, and Rafael. Next stop, Baltimore!

JUSTICE LEAGUE:GENERATION LOST #6 is on sale this week, both in stores and digitally from Comixology. Who doesn’t love Saul Bass? I needed a graphic way to show the story of a man lost in time, and when the idea of time periods in concentric circles seemed like it would work, I couldn’t resist a nod to Bass’ iconic Vertigo poster. I began with a grayscale sketch, but started playing with a 70′s kind of palette which really helps sell the vibe. Click on the image for the sketch, inks, and final.

Birds of Prey #3 is on sale this week. Editor Janelle Siegel asked me to help out for this cover, and after hearing the story behind it — Penguin-ized versions of our heroines — I was in. All the monocles and tophats made me think of Alan Cumming in Cabaret, though I don’t know if I really captured the seedy feel as I wanted to avoid any burlesque comparisons. Still, it was a fun cover! Click on the image for the original sketch, inks, and colors.

Though haunted by bloody dreams and possessing a supernatural control over nature, 18-year-old Sun Green is very much your typical high school student, unsure of her destiny and what the future will bring. In the midst of her turmoil, we meet The Stranger, a man in black who may or may not be the devil himself. He likes to play games and push people’s buttons. One ripe target for him is Sun’s cousin, Jed Green. Orphaned at a young age, the now 30-year-old Jed was raised by and still lives with his grandparents, who surely wouldn’t approve of his side-job running pot down to Los Angeles.