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I'm back!

Sorry about being away so long. Since my dad had a heart attack in October I haven't been keeping up on my blogging duties.

I just wanted to mention what I'm up to nowadays.



Design/Layout:

I'm doing layout for "Earth Rangers" which is an online comic being published at Kodansha's Michao site:

http://moura.jp/manga/michao/

More info can also be found at:

http://www.playfullness-comics.com/

It's written and drawn by Kishira Akanuma, a talented young comic creator who has a unique vision and a huge interest in musicals, Takarazuka theater, and American Comics!! I did the logo and I also do the layout for the "splash page".



I'm designing some "goods" for the "Next Stage: Hudson Dance Cup 2008".

I designed the logo for the event which can be seen here:
http://music.i-revo.jp/ice/regular/dance_cup/contest/index.php



Illustration

I'm working on some illustrations for a Tom and Jerry puzzle book.

It will be out in March. It's an interesting gig. I hope they put out a Looney Tunes one.

MANY years ago I was asked to draw the Looney Tunes on the window of the supermarket I worked at for Xmas.



Writing:

I'm pitching a comic for the same Kodansha site mentioned above. It is about a middle-school vampire chick living in a town of monsters. She goes from hero to zero in about one day.

It will be illustrated by my good art-mate Yukitoshi Kono.



I'm also pitching two books. One is about learning English, the other is an extension of my "American Comic Sound Effect Dictionary" that I've been selling (and selling out of) at the Comic Market. If all goes well, you might see it come out from a major publisher! We are in discussions and I'm working on a sample chapter.



Translating:

I hope to be getting some interesting translating work coming soon. We'll see... Stay tuned.



Animation:

Putting together pitches for a phone site. 3 pilots completed so far!!

Some samples can be found here:

http://giantleapcreations.com/



Other news:
My dad seems to be recovering. My Uncle Leo is now having some health problems and he is in our thoughts. I seem to be getting through this winter without a cold (knock-on-wood).

I'm reading Lisey's Story by Stephen King. I'm recording all kindsa crap on cable that I don't have time to watch. On my video player is "30 Rock" and "Moonlight". One's hilarious, the other intriguing. I was interviewed for Tim Young's Deconstructing Comics podcast over here:

http://www.globalcomics.net/podcast/
If you go through the archives, you can hear when Tim and Co. came to visit me at Comic Market. Even earlier you can pick up my first podcast with Tim, Patrick G., and Mulele. A lot of funny raunchy moments were (un)fortunately left out. Good guys.



The semi-weekly D&D gathering has been bunches-a-fun. I'm slowly getting used to playing a cleric. I'm thinking about making a comic based on a gamer-geek theme.



Let's see. In March I'll have a show at the Metro Govt. Building again. The 4th annual HEARTokyo. I'll post more info about that another time.



I'm out for now. Gonna go see Sweeney Todd tomorrow and finish up a few more Tom and Jerry roughs. I still have some t-shirts to design as well.



I'm throwing up a pic of Snake Plissken that I did recently. Enjoy!!

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