FF KARAOKE RELEASE PARTY!

NOT EVERYTHING STAYS IN VEGAS!

That featureless glowing figure on stage is yours truly singing IMAGINE to 

bestest pal Darwyn Cooke and his new bride Marsha aka (the Nicest Girl Ever). 

It was a big kick being their personal "lounge lizard" for their first dance at the 

House O Blues in Las Vegas this past weekend.  The wedding was moving and 

super cool at The Valley of The Falls with the Rev Dave Johnson performing the 

ceremony.  Several days of Vegas-ee madness filled out the activities.  Much 

sleep was required when we got home. Congratulations DAR & MAR!  Love you!

STUFF ON THE SIDE!

I realized that I've done a few things over the past year or so that I
haven't posted, and some stuff that probably hasn't been seen anywhere
in print.  So, here are a few of those items starting with this "re-do"
piece for my "art guy" Simon Miller, of gotsuperpowers.com:

A variant cover for IDW:

A twist on a "re-do"

Another cover for IDW:

A couple more "re-dos":

And a couple "unique special requests":

And then there's this 40th anniversary Ms Magazine WONDER WOMAN 

cover on the stands now:

I know I've done more stuff to possibly show here, 

but it'll take some digging to make that happen.

MAD ABOUT MARVEL!

Back at Marvel having a blast and setting new goals.  Wanna see if I can break my record for consecutive monthly books while drawing my best work ever.  I've become quite the efficiency
expert, increasing productivity and experimentation while keeping a strict focus on consistency.
A bit of a balancing act, but invigorating.

Kicking off with Daredevil #17...

...followed by Wolverine and the X-Men #17 (what is it with the number 17?)

...and then MARVEL NOW POINT ONE which prologues the FF
series I'm launching with the crazy cool Matt Fraction via this Ant-Man story:

So far, so good.  The first issue of FF is in the can and I seem to be 

on track to not need a fill-in artist for a good while.  I'm selfish that 

way.  I'm having so much fun that I've done multiple covers and 

images that may not see print before the first collection.  For example:

That's actually the image where I first came up with the logo for the series.

It's no secret that The Kirby issues on Fantastic Four are my all-time favorite comics,

"The Galactus Trilogy" my favorite comic book story ever.  So, to be teamed up 

with my pal, Matt (and the award-winning Laura Allred) with our own humble 

version of the FF has got me intimidated yet pulsating with excitement.  Ant-Man is 

one of my favorite characters, Medusa was my first comic book crush, and She-Hulk 

and Miss Thing are my latest.  It's almost too much.  But you won't hear me complaining.

If you dig what we're doing, please tell your friends to pick it up so we can keep doing it.

XOXO

FOR THE LOVE OF JOE KUBERT

I'm stunned in learning of the passing of Joe Kubert.  While Joe 
was there almost from the very beginning of the comic book industry, 
he seemed as ageless as his work is timeless.  He never lost a beat.  
What a loss to everyone.  Of course, most especially to his wonderful family. 
But what a legacy.  What an incredible phenomenal astounding legacy.

You might imagine how thrilled I was when he did this incredible piece for me.

Love ya forever Joe!

SUPER CRAZY ANIMAL HAND!

Anthony Hernandez asked me to do a cover for his upcoming comic, SUPER CRAZY ANIMAL HAND.  The idea was so insane I just couldn't say no.  The book doesn't have a release date yet, but Anthony said I could go ahead and post a sneak peek.

LAURA WINS & OTHER BIG NEWS!

After something like seven nominations, Laura finally brings home her Eisner Award for BEST COLORING for iZOMBIE and The MADMAN All-New Giant-Size Super Ginchy Special!   That's her above squeezed in between our pals Craig Thompson and Darwyn Cooke.  Lots of our good friends won big that night including Francesco Francavilla who took away my BEST COVER ARTIST Eisner.  I still love him anyway.

In other news, it was revealed today what my second Marvel "guest issue" gig was: http://blog.newsarama.com/2012/08/03/doop-returns-in-surprise-wolverine-the-x-men-fill-in/

And the first clues to my big "Top Secret" Marvel series:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40243

Having the time of my life! And with a renewed commitment to take progressive leaps with my artwork and storytelling, I truly feel like my best stuff is in front of me.  Not to mention some foreword inching on the movie front.  But I'm "not mentioning".  Still time for that news to have its day.

In the meantime, really getting a big kick out of this roll out.  It's huge fun having the full skinny and swimming in the suspense.  Super pumped for when everyone gets to see what we're doing in full!

SAN DIEGO HERE WE COME!

Remember, if you haul it, I'll sign it.  If I have to stay up all night sitting on a sidewalk I'll sign anything that you bought of ours. It's the least I can do for supporting what I'm so grateful for being able to do.  I'm livin' the dream!  And it's all thanks to you folks who pick up our stuff.

And, I hate to break it to you folks who thought ComiCon would be where my "Top Secret Marvel Series" would be announced.  Not gonna happen.  I'm told the big announcement will be in August.   I know I know.  I'm bursting at the seams wanting to scream it from the rooftops.  But a secret's a secret!

Best place to find us off the schedule will be at TR!CKSTER, 795 J Street

Here is our public schedule:

THURSDAY

4pm.  Very briefly running by the Marvel booth.  A blip on the radar.

5:45  VERTIGO panel. Super easy to find me at this one.  So happy with what we did on iZOMBIE and welcome any opportunity to talk about the experience.

FRIDAY

2pm I'll be on Professor Ben Saunders panel, room 4, author of DO THE GODS WEAR CAPES?  Highly suggested for the brainy and super cool!  Don't know why I'm on it.  I'm neither of those things.

8pm EISNER AWARDS

Laura and I have three nominations between us, but they asked us to present, so I'm not sure that's a good sign for our chances.

SATURDAY

1pm Signing at the IMAGE COMICS booth with my IT GIRL artist, Mike Norton!  They are giving out free tickets to help with the crowds, so get yours early.  This is my only official signing.  Otherwise, you'll have to haunt TR!CKSTER to find me to sign stuff.  I'm told IMAGE will have copies of the soon to be rare and out-of-print "MADMAN MONSTER".  Best and last chance for a very long time to get this baby signed.  We won't be making any comic show appearances for a very very very long time.  I'm all about being as productive as possible for the foreseeable future. 

SUNDAY

Graphitti Designs 30th anniversary "Dead Dog" party!  Good luck getting in that one!

MONDAY

Airport. 

Homeward Bound!  Great Simon & Garfunkel tune.

IT GIRL #3 cover!

NEXT UP: DAREDEVIL!

My first "post iZOMBIE" gig was just announced by USA TODAY.  I've loved DD

since I was a kid, and virtually every incarnation since.  The current run is FANTASTIC

and I'm thrilled to get a "guest spot" in before my next big "secret project".  There's still 

another "guest spot" planned before then too.  Hopefully announced soon.  In the meantime,

here's the USA TODAY article:  http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-05-16/Daredevil-Mike-Allred-comic-book-series/54999824/1

THE GEAR at STUMPTOWN!

Stumptown was a gigantic kick!  So many great enthusiastic folks!  So many creative wonderful people! And we had an amazing crowd at the Stumptown after party where THE GEAR played!  Here below are a few snaps that DEBORAH CURTIS LIPSKI took.  THANKS DEBORAH!  We made a faux live album cover out of the first one:

 

 

Joe Keatinge was invited on stage to be an honorary member of THE GEAR and resident "Tambourine man"!"It was the best of times.  It was the bestest of times!"

LOOKIT! LOOKIT!

I can't say EXACTLY what this is for yet, except that all-new IT GIRL
ginchiness is on the way.  An official announcement should come soon.
So, for now, hope you enjoy this "tease".

EISNER LOVE!

Laura and I recently found out that we were 

nominated for EISNER AWARDS!  We truly 

believe that we are living in a golden era with 

more quality comic book work being achieved 

today than ever before.  So it is especially 

overwhelming to see the incredible talent we 

are listed with as well as those who weren't.  

Laura is my absolute favorite colorist and 

deserves every possible accolade.  And I'm a 

huge fan of her fellow nominees and mine.

But speaking for myself, I'm humbled and 

honored that I made the cut.  BIG FUN!  

We've both been on an incredibly encouraging 

high ever since the announcement.

Laura was nominated for BEST COLORIST 

for her work in 2011 including iZOMBIE and 

THE MADMAN ALL-NEW GIANT-SIZE 

SUPER GINCHY SPECIAL!

And for my work in 2011, including the same

 titles, I was nominated for  

BEST PENCILLER/INKER and for 

BEST COVER ARTIST!  

Here are some examples of what we love 

doing and somehow brought us these 

flattering acknowledgments: