Black Box Comix

BBC Update 10/16/11

2011-10-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

October begins to move the center of the month ending with HALLOWEEN!
It is my favorite part of the year and my favorite non holiday when you could be anyone you wanted to be. A spirit, a historical figure or movie star.
Though I have been a few people who have dressed up as a concept rather than a person or monster. Although I find this clever, I like monsters!
Anyway if Halloween could happen all year round, I would be a happy camper.

COMMISSIONS:
Another commission completed early this week moving onto the next. A tattoo design. Onward to a Fallmen sticker design and a private "Joker Pencil Trick" Illustration. It has been pretty cool with these and between Gallery work.

SCRATCHBOARD:

As you can see more secular pieces of work are coming down the pike and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. And the rendering is getting better and better. This latest batch of work is for friends. Not necessarily something for Christmas Presents but a "thank you for your support".
Now there a lot of people who like my work and have said that would buy it if they had the money for it. And these people are my friends. But the presents I am illustrating are more for people who have been around durring times that have been very challenging for me. My artistic ablity is a way of showing my thank you.

BBC Update 10/9/11

2011-10-07T18:08:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

THE BIG 200 SHOW, 2011:

Now you have heard me talk about the BIG 100 Show of last year with four out of five 8"X8" scratchboard pieces being sold again giving validation to the work which was not a fluke after the commissions from the Fallmen from previous year.
Before the end of this year 20 pieces of art alone for gallery work (not counting the commissions or the comic pages) were completed.
Not bad for a guy working a 9 to 5 kinda job.
Now its to see if I can begin to make a living doing what I love to do.

THE CROSSOVER:

Well the crossover continues with a looming deadline. I knew that once I had the script in hand from Jason I knew I would have to out the best work I could. And that is happening right now. Here is a few updated pages of this book.

NEW PROJECTS:
In working closely with the guys from NEOtrash Comix, the one thing that has been said is that it rocks when you have something new to show at the Table for a particular show. Nothing is truer than that! With the brown bag P.F.B. Proved that at this years Jet City show in Seattle.
Well the first on deck will be the War Ram mini. It was unfortunate that this project never made it out to the shows this year but it doesn't mean I stopped doing them. Ah hell no. Those little books do well for me.
The second book on deck is a collected book of scratchboard illustrations from the last two years. It is tentatively called Scratch Pad.
This volume would hold all the images of last years images from the BIG 100 and this years BIG 200 + the smaller images from the last couple comic book shows.
I think it would be a great calling card as a friend of mine told me a couple weeks ago.
I think she was right about that.
At the beginning of the year there is another Corpse Cop book in the works that includes a new scratchboard rendition of the original Corpse Cop mini story AND a brand new 12 page story of "Arctic Wolf".
Things are picking up with scratchboard as well as the commissions as well. But first on the list, Scratchboard. Lots of scratchboard work to be had.

JOHNNY VEGA NEWS:
As with any main character arc, Vega is looking at the possibility of change. Just compare the original black and white character of ten years ago to the character in the color comics of today.
Big changes. Now the Origin Story. Y'know the one that sets everything in motion. Of course I won't pull a George. Lucas Maneuver and literally "remarking" my beloved character. No, I won't do that but I am planning on putting a spin on the classic space opera hero. Flash Gordon was my templet now it was time to improve on that.
He won't have Midi-chlorians to tell you who is imbued with the force but there might be a dark side to Johnny that we haven't seen yet. It goes to the core what a hero is. A perfect man is boring An imperfect character is much more interesting.
And there you have it.

BBC Update 10/2/11

2011-10-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with latest:

Well this is the beingging of a momentious month and after a one week after the successful show of Jet City last week.
This week the show of the 88 STRONG came in. My work along with two other of my friends Dan DePaulo and Tony Morgan shared the space with 88 other artists in the list.

It was a great turn out with beer and spirits being inbibed and art being bought. I have no idea if any of my peices sold but I no matter I made an impression upon the curators of the show by being one the first to have my art ready to go for the show.
I think that says a lot about my ablity to illustrate as well as paint.
And I took that drive with the following art that I have been producing to heart with the other show that I had been invited to participate in, the BIG 200 at the People’s Art of Portland’s Gallery

With this gallery work completed, things are moving forword with the crossover well as another page rolls away from the drafting table and is scanned for conversion. The goal is to have the book completed by Halloween. But I cansay this with certianity thaqt the crossover of Werid Atomic Tales will be ready by the time E.C.C.C. comes around.
Of course the only thing that could hold up my time table is a commision of some type and fortunately (or unfortunately however you look at it) could put out production work out of wack.
I just hope that this doesn’t happen.

The JET CITY COMIC BOOK SHOW : THE RESULTS.

2011-09-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

The JET CITY COMIC BOOK SHOW: THE RESULTS.

One word could describe the show - GREAT!

I had a great time being there talking to people being a fan boy even after all these years and selling comics. Vega had a little interest but I realize that I just need to make some books with VERY EYE CATCHING graphics. A little scratchboard might help out with that like the painted covers I have seen being placed on traditional drawn comics. OR go for a total revamp of the Johnny Logo I have been using for the last 5 years. We’ll see- it will be soon to experiment!
Aside from a minor muscle pull in the back loading in the set up went off without a hitch. easy and the fact the table was on a main drag even better. At least we didn’t have the blaring trumpet of revelry going off like we had at the Emerald City Comic Con early this year.

This was a show strictly for comics and as we had only one name marquee entertainer of William Katt of “The Greatest American Hero” fame there as compared to many of the entertainers that have been funneling into Seattle for Comcon.
Though I will say there were a few die hard fans there in costume that were there supporting Katt. Good for them.
The Cross Pollination of entertainment never works well from a indie creators point of view because you get squeezed out of the shows eventually with huge colorful signs and flashing lights and bells and whistles. For anyone who knows - that has already happened down south in San Diego ComCon.
I could say that the only thing that kinda bugged me, and I said kinda bugged me, was the small remote controlled robot across the way that would roll out into the walk way to literally stop people and force them to look around who was controlling it and walk around.
I’ve seen this kind of sales tactic played from a lot of people over the years, I don’t usually see them them the following year. Of course I had to laugh as someone actually knocked the robot over! That was funny (and just)!
And what kind of praise I can give Mr. Jason Z. Pott? A lot, thank you very much sir. Jason and I roughly about the same age which is not the same as dirt by the way. We had a lot to talk about and got our “geek on” talking about all things comics, movies, directors, some politics and minor personal stuff. But not a boring moment.
I think at one time during a lull at the show I busted out “Honey Badger” on my youtube connection and made him laugh. If you have not seen the Honey Badger you should . It’s not unlike when I traveled to shows with Adam Watson and did the same thing. If you look like your enjoying yourself at the show and people see it, they are going to feel like they want to get in on the joke and come up to your table. Humor is infectious.
There are times at every show that the fanboy comes out of the creators. It is always there no matter how you want to downplay it. My meeting with Dan Brereton, Creator of the Nocturnals, was like that as I had him sign my hardbound edition the of "the Dark Forever and Other Tales". If you aren't familiar with his work, you should go to your local comic shop and at least pick up one of his books to look at. Fantastic artwork. Talking to him about some of his other projects like "Giant Killer" series from DC was a topic that I asked him about if he would be doing anymore with that character and the like with his other creator owned properties. Even a professional of his caliber had the same problems as the rest of us indies. Just a dude selling his stuff. I traded him a Corpse Cop "Corpsecile" book to say thanks and he gave me a Red Sonja book that he had done for Dynamite Entertainment. Pretty cool.
Also giving friends some art. Now true sometimes as an artist work piles up and this is true of anything you hold onto. I would say that the pages of Corpse Cop “Corpsecile” story were given to people whom I thought could really like and appreciate the work so I gave away three pages of the story to Amy Riddle, her husband Brain Meredith and Ron McCain for being good friends at previous shows and current.

Jason’s sales of the “Pig Fucker Blues” outdid everything else at the table -especially the books in the brown bags. I think the funniest moment was when Ashley Cook of Giant Fire Breathing Robot (I love that title!) was on the fence about whether or not to pick up the collected Brass Knuckles Rituals or P.F.B. When she went with that book I think it shocked Jason. And my little “War Ram” was also picked up. But when it was found that there was mar on the surface of the piece I said “Give it here, I’ll fix it.” And I did.
The cockiness of an artist who says that about fixing a scratchboard and actually making the piece better than it was before- that’s pretty cool.
So all in all, lots of favorable responses for all the books and several cool people to talk to.

GALLERY WORK:

The piece known as Corrax: The Seeker went up for sale at the Po’boy Art and Frame Shop in the artists Appreciation party @ Po Boy Art for the 88 STRONG show coming up next week

And that's it and back to the drawing board for gallery work and the crossover.

BBC Update 9/20/11

2011-09-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

THE CROSSOVER MARCHES ON!

As Jet City Comic book show fast approaches, work continues on this great crossover. Inking and penciling background details continue on a regular pace. I am hoping by the Halloween rolls around that the book will be completed. But I will add this tid bit. This work will eventually see color. And presented in the chronology of Johnny Vega.
This is an exciting time for Vega (and me) as his true origin has been written down and laid out with good ol' Postits.
My game plan is by the time the crossover is completed and gallery work is in it's selected shows, the whole Johnny Vega run will be not only plotted out but laid out as well.
This is ambitious plan but I think it merits the character. I mean seriously when you think about it Vega has in fact been in three different cross overs over the years (The Glass Rhino Red Book-an ashcan, The Ghost Assassin/Johnny Vega Crossover with Darkslinger Comics and Tale of Two Jo(h)nnys with NEOtrash Comix).
What's this say about this space ranger?
He may not have the marquee value of say of Corpse Cop but he does have staying power, like no other character I have ever worked on before.
I will keep you updated on his progress.

GALLERY WORK. 88 STRONG AND THE BIG 100:

Well by the time you read this blurb the 88 STRONG Show should be within a few days. A grand event of Portland Oregon's artists showing off theIr diverse interpretation of 88 different theme terms. Of those picked
“Cowboys & Aliens” - two of them. “F€$%ing Blazers”, “Earthquake”, ”Noose or Necktie”, “Bikers”, “Fiend or Polio” and “China”.
at http://poboyart.com/ OR their Facebook profile http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001148136393&ref=ts
In the month of November The BIG 100 will take place. Of this you have seen Braincage, Cowboys & Aliens2, Faries, With this I Could..., World on Fire.
These are five of Ten I have currently competed. Another five are on there way. When I ran into one of the. Curators of the BIG 100 he was surprised that I had so many pieces already done. But since no one else does scratchboard work like moi, it was time to set myself away from the rest of the pack.
But I will let you be the judge of the work.

BBC Update 9/04/11

2011-09-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

GALLERY WORK!!
Well with a small break in the inking and pencil transfers for the Ultimate crossover for Weird Atomic Tales painting took center stage and cranked out a hard 8 acrylic painting for the upcoming 88 STRONG show taking place later this month.
Now the funny thing is that same guys who earlier this year put on the PORTLAND LOVE SHOW 2011 and after the BIG 100 so one part of the yea is usually filled with a lot of gallery work.
But a friend of mine named Joel Barber has offered a place at the GLOBE for a Monster themed show. Now doing some types of monsters are easy (Werewolves in particular) zombies. Corpse Cop comes to mind in this.
But of course when I am working on a monster it gotta be and look serious. Like this SOB could mess you up in a real bad way.
With that we'll see what comes out of this twisted mind of mine.

THE CROSSOVER MARCHES ON!

Now even though the book is not done for Jet City Comic Book Show 2, I believe it will be ready by the time ECCC 2012 rolls around. Take a look at a few of these pages and gage what this monster is gonna look like when it is done!

COMMISSIONS:

Well it looks like this is still going on with smaller pieces of art being produced for tattoo designs and stickers.
One tattoo design has more or less been asked of me to add my artistic embellishment to it.
The other is a design to incorporate a surgery scar into the design without making it looking like some reed growing out of the buttcrack.
The last on the docket is a sticker design for the FALLMEN.

PAINTING:

Well with the painting finished with the 88 STRONG Show there is still a urge to continue working with paint. Now I had planned about 6 years ago to start painting but other art projects like creating and plotting Vega had side stepped me to finish those stories and print up the Eugene Comics Guild books titled Guilded Edges and Pandora’s Garage. I had purchased a couple of canvases but never finished them up. Well it looked like it was time to bust out the canvas again. Color used to frighten me but not any longer. And the size either. I have dealt with the size issue. I still will work small when I am plotting out pages for books but they will be enlarged when I have to and the same is true of painting as well as any of the scratchboard work I have.
Ambitious? You bet. But you can’t be a great artist if you never try.

A month out but back now.

2011-08-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

TALE OF TWO JOHNNY'S A.K.A. WEIRD ATOMIC TALES:

The art continues but doubt of making it to print by the time Jet City Comic Book show rolls around, I do not think I could have a completed piece of work that would be to both Jason's and my liking. That book deserves to have the best possible look.
We have waited this far just a little longer for the books release.
It will be work it, trust me.

COMMISSIONS!

One of the hardest types of artwork to do and create is a piece for friends. And even more so for friends who also play DnD. And have been a former DnD'er I know how particular players are when it comes to visual renditions of their characters.
SO this was a daunting task for me to take on.
But as the my birthday approached I was able to bulldog my way through to a finished piece that I was happy with.
The funny thing is that in the last 15 years that I had been associated with this particular group of friends (whom I would call my family in a way) I had done other images of older characters in the game campaign.
So really this was not something that was new to me but my artistic style had grown and I was being paid for this so that put a different spin on things in a big way.
But it is done and of course one image opens into others as now I have another commission for a sticker coming up for the FALLMEN again which is about the most steady commission work I got going for myself. But it also opened up the possibility for other work another band as well. So we'll see where that goes.
The Reading on the run here is with the proud owner of the scratchboard hanging on the wall. I love seeing people with the work that they have purchased. It makes me proud and validates the work.

GALLERY WORK:

Work has increased as the deadline looms away for about two weeks. I should have no problem with that but the following month in October the BIG 100 we’ll see what happens.

BBC Update 7/24/11

2011-07-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

TALE OF TWO JOHNNYS A.K.A WEIRD ATOMIC TALES
So it begins... The inking. Now for some inking has been reduced to a all to common phrase from a movie (in particular Chasing Amy) "You're just a tracer." Every single comic illustrator I know and writer has heard this or have been the subject of being a tracer.

As the artist of the work and your finishing it, are you,   in fact, at that time still a tracer? I would have to say yes you are.
Now that being said I can say - like Banky - I am the finish artist.
Every artist I have come across has a different way of approching the inking as they do the penciling. I leave my pencils pretty loose when I'm drawing because I haven't figured out where the light source is coming from or it has not been specified in the script. And then there is the background to keep the work grounded.

The other thing is size. Inking defines a character.   I'm not the greatest penciler out there but I am a competent one but inking is a while different story. Weight of a ink line for a penciled page goes a long in definition.

It was one of those things that helped Jack Kirby become forever immortalized along with his body of work and layout style.
I will never be that close to be like Jack unless I had the kind of support that he had cranking out the pages. But finding that someone is still very illusive.
Reguardless the deadline looms in the distance. And with every passing minute that much closer.
But great work comes with time.   And so far this has been a great work.
Things are still looking good.

BBC Update 7/17/11

2011-07-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest from the box!

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNY'S. A.K.A. WEIRD ATOMIC TALES #1
Are you ready for the Mother of all Crossovers?!
We hope so!
The story of the crossover moves into phase 4- final inking! Let the fun begin! Time to ink a wrap around cover and complete 49 pages of this illustrated extravaganza!
Take a gander at the proposed cover for the crossover. We think it looks pretty cool.
On top of this, the book being off by an odd page count we have decided to throw in a supplement story as well for shits and giggles.
More to follow on this topic.

COMMISSIONS UPDATE:

The piece I called "Reading to Run" is now currently at the framers right now. Onward to the next commission on the agenda. Hopefully this piece will be as good. I think it will.

JOHNNY VEGA NEWS

As the crossover is completed and the other art shows are going on, the creative edge of the box continues on. "Humble Beginnings" and its follow up "All Tomorrow's Parties" are thumbnailed out and directly feed into the four color books on hand right now "The Rock Apes of Xandar."
Now lately there have been Numberious images generated with Vega more in a fantasy setting.. A lot of the commissions have been theamed with heavy sword and sorcery. If a lot of people didn't know it that subject is where I cut my teeth on. A steady diet of Conan the Barbarian Magazines and reading as many Micheal Moorecock books as I. could get my hands on dealing with the Eternal Champion.
Of course Buroughs influenced me a lot especially with covers the of Frazetta and Boris Vallejo of sword weilding John Carter.
Action is where Johnny is going. And things are going be interesting as "WEIRD ATOMIC TALES" will enter with an alternate version of Johnny as Vega the Barbarian. Also will be featured other sci fi stories that don't fit into the regular Vega Universe. The Misguided parts 3 and 4. Boy in the Bubble, D.F.A. At least that's what I got set up for a several books.
AND of course because it was a shared book to begin with Jason from NEOtrash Comix can use it as well.

CORPSE COP NEWS:

"ARITIC WOLF" is still undergoing development but rest assured that this cop of the undead will be scratched out for another year.

GALLERY WORK:

Well this weekend marks the beginning of the 88 Strong show . What I mean by this is the promoters of the show will be handing out 8"X8" wooden panels that will be handed out this weekend for the show in late September. Now as it turns out I may already engaged with another show this year in Seattle for the second Jet City Comic Show.
In October the same gentlemen of the 88 Strong will be hosting the BIG 100 show.
The BIG 100 last year turned out to be a very good show and I don't see this year being any different.

Busy time for the kid.
And I am out of here.

BBC Update 7/10/11

2011-07-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

THE PORTLAND GUN SHOW

Its not what you think it is there true believers. (apologies Stan).   This gathering of artists for the month of July and America's Independence Day was artist showing guns featured in their art work.
Earilier this year Black Box Comix show cased the Corpse Cop “Corpsecilce” story board art. And had a lot of positive feedback. This time I wanted to present the work a little more than art pieces stuck up on the wall at Globe.
Now since Corpse Cop, everybody's favorite cop of the undead just happens to have a chain gun, it made sense to show him.
The piece that will feature him rendered in beautiful detailed scratchboard of black and white. The title "Fill in the Blanks". Framed and the price for this framed masterwork -$300.00.
If you haven't seen the show or happen to be passing through the Portland Oregon area, check out the Globe at (link)

COMISSIONS!
Well in the last couple of weeks that have happened between June and July I have been fortunate enough to have been contracted for a couple commissions.
The first is still in the works but is moving forword for some friends I know. Sorry that is about much as I can say about this illustration.
Next on the docket is a scratchboard piece. It is entitled "Reading to Run" 11"X14".    This beauty retailed in at $150.00.
This had to be one of my better pieces I have done. As my friend Lynn Peterson said (to paraphrase her father) Nice and sinister...('the plot sickens' ).

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNY'S

Well Jason and I have decided that this story will be printed under comic banner of "WIERD ATOMIC TALES".

Now as may have noticed I have been doing a lot of Fantasy influenced art for Vega lately and I realized that all the stories I have for the Man of the Future have been plotted out till the end of the series. With that being said I didn't want to let this character go so I started to develop the Paraelle time line of Lost World for Vega and company.
Just wanted to put a different spin on the mythology of the Vega Universe with "A World not of his making.". I personally love that line.

It was a title that I was messing around with and sounded like a good jumping off point for this crossover.   Work started this weekend on the finished inked pages. Hopefully my inking skills are up to this task- just kidding. I am totally looking forword to this.
Jason and I both agree that we don't want this book to look half assed in any way so when its done, it looks right.

So a very busy summer for the kid.
And I am out of here.

BBC Update 7/03/11

2011-07-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

BBC Update 7/3/11

Well sports fans Al here with the latest. As I write this a the first of the art pieces for gallery work has been dropped of for the Globe “**Call to Artists**”.

Next week will be the drop off for the show and should do well for Corpse Cop as far as I can tell.
As I was told by my co-writer Jason Pott on the Crossover for the Tale of Two Jo(h)nny’s that Jason of Floating World in downtown PDX once he saw Corpse Cop popped on the scene he said “Tell me more”.

Now I have talked to this gentleman a couple of different times but have never really pitched the book to him as I have had my nose dug into making art and creating. It is one of the weaknesses that I think most artists usually have.
Marketing themselves. I don’t mind the percentage that could be taking off the top for helping me out but the compulsion to create is so strong I don’t think that I can stop.
But gallery work is beginning to pull me in another direction.
The creative bug has gotten into me -especially with the New title called “Weird Atomic Tales” Risky Sci Fi is back! With a vengeance! Haha.

But seriously I had been looking again at the idea of old anthology of Pandora’s Garage and dusting it off but I wanted to streamline the content of the anthology.
Vega is on my mind as is Corrax, War Ram and a couple other potential crossover ideas that will be retooled for the book. Firsdt namely is “Ston” based upon Ben Perkin’s Heavy Horse character. Ben’s look and feel for Heavy sparked a lot of initial ideas for me but his ultimate version is his and I don’t wanta throw away those stories that I thought could work easily in the Heavy Universe. And nor do I want to step on his toes with such a fantastic character! Seriously if you haven’t seen any of his work on Heavy you should.
The re tooling will under the story called “The Rules of Set” with the new character, Ston, that I will be working on.

War Ram the mini is coming out soon for the shows. I have been in between small breaks been able to turn out some very small press print runs of War Ram and the Strange Alchemy books. Of course when it comes time for Werid Atomic Tales War Ram will be brought back into the fold. as Well as an ode to the EC and Warren magazines of old with “the Over Intelligence”.
Check out

COMMISSIONS:
Work on these images on. The first I must keep under wraps but enough to say that it is a fantasy oriented piece. If you have been watching the Vega The Barbarian piece I have been turning out then you know where it might be going.
The second is a birthday present so that is self explanatory.

BBC Update 6/26/11

2011-06-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNY'S:

Phase 3 begins with a red pen. This has always been the best way to see any and all mistakes that would be glaring to the readers out there. A red pen issue or proof as it is commonly known as, are a staple for printing.
Almost every independent comic publisher I know does this unless you're fool hearty to just put stuff out there.
I know, I've done that too and paid the price for it. And it's expensive.
Hopefully within the next week I will have a copy back to work on and finished pencils and inks to be added.
I've also included a cover (above) drawn by Mr. Pott himself. Please take a bow.

JOHNNY VEGA NEWS:

"Humble Beginnings" Parts 1 and 2. As well as "All Tomorrow's Parties" Parts 1 and 2 move into Phase 2 for editing. Though this may take a big longer to see fruition it will be awesome to see and look at in the context of the bigger Vega picture. And the updated pages from the first three issues of the color Vega books as well.
Not quiet a re launch of the book and title as it is a consistency issue. Not unlike when Mike Mignola works on a solo Hellboy story. Its great to have all these great supporting artists work on the books like Davis on the B.R.P.D. Or Cobin or Fegredo but when the man steps up to the plate you know its gonna be awesome!
The John Carter influenced piece was something that I wanted to play around with for other types of Johnny Vega stories that wouldn't fit in the regular Vega Universe. So I decided to create a COMIC that featured these other types of stories in it. I could dust off Pandora's Garage and come up with a Volume 6 which would be kinda cool or a whole new different kind of book called "Weird Atomic Premire" Who knows what will come out of that.

SCRATCHBOARD NEWS:

Now in all of this down time in between projects scratchboard begins to loom not to far off in the works. I am aiming for about 15 different 8"X8" pieces of art. The first of these wonderfully weird pieces you have already seen - "Brain Cage 2". Others will be posted in due time.
RELATED ART NEWS: I have been invited and have AGREED to participate into a couple of different art shows this year to get the work of moi (Alan Bennett if you didn’t know already) for a couple of art shows this year. The first is

**Call to Artists** for the PORTLAND GUN SHOW. taking place the 2nd week of July.
Hosted by Joel Barber at the Globe. Located at 2045 SE Belmont St. map link is here

In this this show will feature the everybody's favorite undead Cop- Corpse Cop. Mr. Cop will be sporting his ever present chain gun of death in this heroic piece entitled "Fill in the Blanks" 16"X20". Going price $300.00 smakers.
The second show is called
the 2nd annual 88 STRONG 8"x8". It will be at THE GOODFOOT GALLERY (2845 SE Stark) for Last Thursday, September 29th.
map for this event is at this link
And later in the year hosted by the same guys from Po’boy Art and Framing is the BIG 100 which I hope to participate in again this year with more work.

CORPSE COP NEWS:

Now this a double for the cop on the undead beat. Firstly is a decent sized scratchboard piece already mentioned above but ALSO IN THE WORKS-

Another scratchboard follow up to "Corpsecile". A 12 page story called "Arctic Wolf". It is currently being set up for send off to my editor along with the script to really get this project going.

So a very busy summer for the kid.
And I am out of here.

BBC Update 6/19/11

2011-06-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS:

The work continues on phase 2. A few Minor set backs have held the book in check as the cross over enters its third week of June.
This in of itself is a major thing. With the. layout and tight pencils and the lettering complete, now comes the fun time with editor. Refinement.
But the work is looking good and coming together. The aim is have this book ready for the Second Jet City show this September.
Jason and I are both looking to seeing this book completed.

JOHNNY VEGA NEWS:

Well as Vega begins his tour of Alternate Universes (I.E. Crossovers with Darkslinger Comics , NEOtrash. Comix), Johnny swings back into his own Universe with that little known thing called an ORIGIN!
Yep you heard it here first! In the ol' Condo of Concepts (Mr. Green take a bow) Johnny's origin can be told as it should. After working on this character for over a little ten years. It is about time for this character to get origin he deserves. Like so much of the old black and white Johnny work he kinda started off in the middle of career. But in keeping with the campiness of stories I loved as a kid I kept that feeling alive with "Humble Beginnings" as well as with the immediate follow up "All Tomorrows Parties".
It should also be fun.

BBC blog Update 6/12/11

2011-06-12T12:15:00.001-07:00

Images of the crossover pages 23 and 24

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNY'S
Phase 2 now in it's last couple Pages the book begins to move into Phase 3 - editing. LIke so many projects the questions always remain-where can we trim the fat to make the book accessible for readers.
As a creative individual I write and draw for myself and what I would like to see out there since it isn't being done. FEAR Agent is about as close as it gets to what I'm doing with Vega with Green Lantern Corps. Mixed with Flash Gordon.
But back to the story- with the editing. Sometimes before a work is complete I like to know how much art I'm going to have to produce as opposed to how much art will be covered up by text & word balloons. Time is valuable when it comes to this. In talking to another artist buddy of mine Dan DePaulo from NEOtrash Comix confirmed this thought. To a guy like me when you're working a regular 9-5 kinda job and then working on the side- art can become daunting.
But if you want that stuff out there you got to put in the time.
With that being said -

Image Rough Pencil with Computer Color Underlays from Johnny Vega "All Tomorrow's Parties"

JOHNNY VEGA NEWS.
The rough script has been translated into several pages of layouts for both Vega's Origin story "Humble Beginnings" and the immediate follow up "All Tomorrow's Parties". Of course editing must take place and I think that as the help from Kat Meyers of Darkslinger Comics (trademarked Adam Watson 2011. ) she might be over inundated with tons of Vega material.
But this character has a future I feel otherwise I wouldn't have been working on him for over a decade.
Weird to think it's been that long. Anyway lots of new exciting things for the Man of the Future.

Images from Johnny Vega "Humble Beginnings" Part 1. Layout pages 1-8

And so June Begins

2011-06-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNY'S

Let the pages COMMENCE!
You heard it here phase 1 one of the cross over is now complete and onto phase 2. Its time for setting up the lettering and word balloons in place to see if artwork needs to be expanded upon for the story to flow evenly between the script and the art.
   Then it will be onto Phase 3.
   Of course in the case of Phase 2 there is the issue of expanding pages. Jason has written a brilliant action oriented story involving one space ranger Johnny Vega and Jason's gun toting hit man, Jonny Morbid. In such a crossover there is going to be a lot of revelations made by both parties.

This leads to the expanse of the book. Especially in such a jam packed book.
   Jason has definitely taught me something that I had forgotten about and I believe it is a problem that all comic illustrators run into when they write their own stories - action and fun.
Unfortunately we artists/ creators have a tendency to be "up in our collective heads". The stories are clear to us but not those around us.
A page of the crossover

When working with Adam Watson on the crossover with David, The Ghost Assassin, I learned quiet a bit. Pacing and lack of dialogue can keep a mood and keep a story flowing just as well.
For more check out this crossover for purchase at myebook.
Vega had been suffering from a couple of things when I first started him about 12 years ago.
But at the time he was simply an homage to the movie serials of the '30s.   But as the stories grew in their complexity the character had to grow and change he couldn't just be a carbon copy of space heroes of the past. So I began to change him from the inside out while trying to keep the flavor of those stories. That's when the crossovers began to exert a particular kind of influence on the over all story arc of Vega.
Anyway, I'm getting off topic here.
I didn’t want to trim any of what Jason had written down so I took the previous drawn figures and moved them into bigger panels. This meant more pages.
So there you go. A kinda long winded explanation but gives the story the room it needs to breathe.

IN OTHER NEWS

Scratchboard is rocking hard with the latest piece for Ben Perkins "Perkins' Essence". And now a updated larger "Brain Cage". The original 5"X7" was sold up in Olympia but the image was such a impression on me and those around me I thought I would reproduce the image. It is in line with the 8"X8" format that I used for the Big 100 art show last year.

In this week...

2011-05-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

As the month begins to wind down the dead line looms in the future for the rough pencils to be completed for the crossover. But every single panel will look AWESOME!
Working on Jason's script has been a lot of fun and I do wish that this kind of story could be made into a film but pipe dreams for that idea.
Anyway it will be nice to have the illustrative parts done and focus on the transfers and inks for the book.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Soon coming to a shop near you - "Perkins' Essence". You to can share a small piece of the Man, the myth in the making. T-shirts coming to a shop and sale table near you!
Seriously as an artist you. Have to take a step back from the drawing table and do something completely different from what you are working on so you come back with a fresh perspective on your project. This was one of those times.
If you know Ben then you know this captures him at his best.
And that is it for the kid till next week.

OLYMPIA COMICS FESTIVAL 2011

2011-05-22T16:24:00.001-07:00

Well Sports fans, Al here with the latest:

THE OLYMPIA COMICS FESTIVAL 2011

So much for the kid not going to shows this was a fun event. Olympia show that I first attended three years ago was a fantastic eye opening experience. With one major sale and four copies of Pandora's Garage Volume Five and Vega Number 2 being sold pulled me out of a funk thinking that my art work would never sell.
All creative artists that manage to get their stuff out there validation is measured in sales. At the time I thought about throwing in the towel but that all changed that day.
Anyway, enough of reminiscing about the past this years show was held at the Senior Center as it was last year. Hitching a ride with NEOtrash again (always a fun time) I helped set up and took candid shots between eatting, talking to guests and working on the cross over script. Oh and the occasional sell of more scratchboard. "Brain Cage" and "Brain in a Jar" both sold.

THE TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS CONTINUES:

The rough pencils are still being laid down but with much satisfaction from myself and Jason of NEOtrash Comix. He watched as the process of how I work (to some degree). I think my friends understand why I'm the hardest working man in comics right now. Its looking really good!

And that is it for the kid.

Wonder Northwest 2011

2011-05-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

Well sports fans, Al here with the latest:

WONDER NORTHWEST 2011

In a strange twist of fate when I thought I would he just pounding coffee next to my drafting table cranking out image after image for the crossover I got a call from an old friend of mine to help out at this show. I had promised myself that I wasn't going to be doing anymore shows till I was done with the crossover but when I got the call to arms (strong arms carrying in comic book long boxes) I went.
Royce Myers has been a long time of mine and has helped me out many times, here was a chance to pay back a little.
Small venue it was but fun today I do plan going to help if I can and hopefully not spend a ton of cash on things that I want but should not buy. With money being freaking tight and printing a high priority I can't.

THE CROSSOVER CONTINUES:

The rough pencils are nearly done. Within roughly a weeks time I belive that all the rough pencils will be completed and the transfers can commence. This will be a great opportunity to place the script into the frame and see how much background I really have to come up wIth. Then inking should begin.

JOHNNY VEGA NEWS
And though I had said that I was going to be focusing on scratchboard Pieces for shows later in the year the thumbnailing bug bit me and I have been in brief moments working on sketching the origin story for Vega. The ACTUAL origin. Thanks to Kat for prodding me to explane his beginnings I sat down and Texted myself the story outline.
And with the infusion of Jason's script on the crossover, I realized that I needed to add a lot more action to the existing story arc of Vega.
I think I have done that. And I'm very happy with the results of the work.

And that it for the kid as I head to the show for a time.

April is month of Change

2011-05-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans Al here with the latest:

NEWS FLASH! IT's Mother's Day you geeks. Call your moms! For some I already know the stories. Even if you have bad blood appreciate those who are close to you and say thank you for a gift of life.

NOW BACK TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED PROGRAMING:

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNY'S

Kicks into gear this month As a third of the rough pencils are completed for the crossover. This means by the end of this month I should be able to start finished pencils and begin inking as well. Cool stuff for a smack down action book.
I can't wait to start in on that process.

AND SPEAKING OF VEGA....

While cleaning the studio I came back across the ORIGIN of Johnny Vega - Humble Beginnings. As so much of Vega is a homage to the Sci-Fi I love so much (with just a hint of parody added) I plan on turning out a definitive Johnny Vega collection that tells of his actual origin up through the updated first four books of the Man of the Future. All of this was at the urging of my latest editors from Darkslinger Comics, Kathryn Meyers and publisher Adam Watson.
They have been helpful with the sell out of the Scratchboard Corpse Cop in Seattle at the Emerald City ComiCon 2011 and the latest Stumptown here in Portland.
The jpeg is a copy of the script with several notations off to the side to denote how many panels per page (pages 11 and 12) and which direction each page is facing. I love post its!

APRIL IS THE MONTH OF CHANGE!
As I have said before once the once the Crossover of the Take of Two Johnny's was completed I would focus on the scratchboard galley pieces to work on. One of the biggest issues with all art work is Presentation. It's not just enough to have great talent and being humble of your work but it's also the ability to see beyond that creative process to let it go out into the World and be appreciated by others.
Not always the easiest thing to do.

So there you have it. A update for the box. Keep watching as there may be more in the works as Black Box looks to redefine itself on the web with it's website presence.

Stumptown Comics Fest 2011: THE AFTERMATH

2011-04-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

STUMPTOWN 2011: THE AFTERMATH
It has taken me a week to really go through the event and put into words and pictures what my thoughts were on the show.
It has come and gone and has left a warm feeling in our belly. It was a much better show than I was anticipating. I had felt that many things might have gone askew but I have happily relived that changed when the first two hours elapsed.
Then the fun began. My table mates of NEOtrash Comix (Jason, Ben and Dan) made the whole thing more than bearable they made it fun so you as a independent wouldn't be just hoping that someone would stop and just look at your books better that they would buy them. "That's not a pickle!" was a common thing being said at the table. I'll let your twisted minds figure out what that means.
Regardless of that Vega kept up with the sales of Corpse Cop this show which was nice. AND original small pieces of scratchboard sold off the table as well. So even though "scratch box" sign didn't make it premier at the show because I forgot something at home that work sold itself. To me this can be summed up in one word, awesome.
It was unfortunate that War Ram mini wasn't ready for this show but next year we'll see how it turns out!
So many things to do so little time so little money.

THE TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS crossover is kicked into high gear as we move towards the Jet City Comic Show this year.
Looking good so far.
And it back to the drawing table.

Stumptown Comics Fest 2011

2011-04-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hey sports fans, Al here with the latest:
STUMPTOWN COMICS FEST 2011 is here! In less than a day and the reason I'm posting right now is because I will be at the show.
Along side NEOtrash Comix, our partners in crime this year.
Now of course we have been showing images of late of Corpse Cop and Johnny Vega.
But not enough attention has been paid to the cross over of the Tale of Two Jo(h)nnys recently. I am hoping to change that. With nearly a third of the rough pencils completed the story is really evolving from the thumbnail stage about a month ago. I am planning by the end of April that final pencils and the beginning of inks will take place.
Here is to keeping fingers crossed.
And for a little coffee to kick it off!

A week away

2011-04-10T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

Well guys it looks like we are less than a week away from Stumptown Comics Fest 2011.

It means a bigger venue this year as things have moved from the Doubletree Hotel for the last three years to the Convention Center.
Check out Stumptown @ http://www.stumptowncomics.com
Hopefully we wont run into the same problems that happen last time when we were there 5 years ago back in ‘07. BUT without sounding like a downer Black Box Comix will be sharing a table again this year with NEOtrash Comix.
Jason and I have had a real good time working with each other behind the table up ECCC and looks like we will be having another good time this event!
It also helps that we are working together on the crossover “A Tale of Two Jo(h)nnys” at the same time. It always helps when there is a little down time between rushes at the show. Good times to be sure of.
Please check the fantastic art of Dan DePaulo and Ben Perkins for the The Brass Knuckle Rituals and Professor Ozarks Secret Medicine Redux. Both penned by Jason Z. Pott.
Check out NEOtrash Comix @ http://www.neotrashcomix.com
He’s a madman I tell you, mad!
Black Box Comix will be representing Darkslinger Comics to best of our abilities for this show. Adam of Darkslinger is taking a step back from the shows a wee bit to focus on the business side of things for his company and the potential collaborations between other small comic companies like Black Box Comix and others.
And if you make it to the show (and I hope you do) also check out Gunbaby Graphics @ http://www.gunbabygraphics.com as well. Tony’s work will blow your socks off with the latest painted images he has been working on as well as the Covers he has been doing for Darkslinger’s “Chronicles of Von Helsing”
For all new Darkslinger Comics things check out Darkslinger Comics @ http://darkslinger.com

NEW IMAGES FOR SUNDAY:
Occasionally as an artist you have to take a break from the drawing table and the imposed deadlines (remember I said occasionally) to drawing something that is not related to your current work schedule well these are the most current
The first is the latest bus ride illustration of the Man of the Future, Johnny Vega Soaring the Spaceways. It’s too bad that I didn’t really render this one in pen and ink on bristol like I normally do but this was a fun stand alone image for him.

The other is Corpse Cop! You’ve seen it in black and white , you’ve seen it in color. Now you get to see a sample of the work in Scratchboard! Still a work in progress but fun nevertheless.

And a new sign for the show. As I realized Black Box Comix has delving into a lot of scratchboard this last couple of years with gallery work and the success of the Scratchboard Corpse Cop Special “Corpsecile” so I needed a sign that represents! And this is it. I can’t wait to see how things turn out for this show.

And that is it for the kid!
I got a meeting to get to.
Alan

In Memorandum to Ty Wakefeild

2011-04-04T16:51:00.000-07:00

Well sports fans, Al here to bring you up on the latest news.

A hero was lost yesterday in the state of Idaho. His name was Ty Wakefeild, and he was a friend of mine.
As my association with several people in the comics community I have been introduced to quiet a lot of people that have left a impression on me some have been other creators working for both the big three at the time (Marvel, DC and Dark Horse), others working for them selves and the smattering of people who like to rub shoulders with the creative types.
My awareness of Ty first came through a mutual friend of ours, Adam Watson of Darkslinger Comics.
A business minded man with a charisma to match. And when Adam told me that this guy was like a brother to him I wondered if the world could handle that much power. I mean after all I had told Adam once that if there was a apocalypse it would avoid him because he was Adam Watson.
When I met Ty he and Adam and Paul (Adam's Brother in Law) had been invited to have dinner at a place that I had been living for about less than a year. We had a good time but by the end of the night he had to take off to get ready to head back to Lewiston Idaho.
I had wished he had more time to hang out.
He had told me of his character named Captain Cure based upon his own experience dealing with cancer and to give hope to children who shared the same affliction. A non profit book. What a fantastic idea. No one was tackling this kind issue
I had my chance a few months later heading over to hang out during the year of shows over in Spokane. Yes, the weather was hot and humid but Ty hospitality and opening his house as well as the food he had prepared was a real sign of his character. The following day a trek to Spokane.
We were all kind squished together into a small table and had a blast.
When it came right down to it, when Adam told me that Ty was going to be in the area or someplace moderately with traveling distance I went.
We always had a good repose with each other.
We all have our own personal issues that we share with each other in the hopes that something might be resolved out it. With Ty he resolved this by sharing it with his readership and making his own company Alternate Reality the spear point with dealing with Sarcoma. He fought and fought. Showing that there was reason to fight to live by giving children a personification of this disease that was eating away at them from within. And that within each of them was a hero like Captain Cure.
I will say that when another creator like Ty asks you to do a commissioned piece for him. To me, to render his character was a big deal. For him I tried my best to make sure I adhered to the character I had seen. I think I did a pretty good job. I never took a payment for it either. He was my friend.
I was not as fortunate to be able to see him on Adam's last trip to Lewiston. But I do know that if I could have gone I would have.
I may not have had chance to know him for a long time and like some others but I feel like I had gotten my chance to.
Rest well buddy.
Your presence will be missed.

The First Comic Show of April

2011-04-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Well Sports fans, Al here with the latest!
April is here and only a few weeks away from the Stumptown Comics Fest 2011 is around the corner so things have to be kicked into high gear. And there is no better place than to do it in. If you don’t know anything about comic illustrators and the like Portland Oregon is a mecca for the comic book demi gods. The only place that has a larger amount of these talented individuals is New York City.
For me that is a impressive thing, since I only used to live down the road in Eugene.
But now I made the move to the City it has been nothing but a slow rise up with the new books characters and shows.
I have also found a lot of camaraderie here with people of like people. Good things.
But back the shows.
The Globe was the first featured Comic themed Art Show. And of course for comic creators there is nothing better than having you art being shown while you can drink beer and hang out with your buds.

Always a blast.
But I have to get back to work on Cross overs and Prep for other Corpse Cop antics.

Many Apologies

2011-03-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports. fans, Al here with the latest:

This has been a year of fast paced doings and what I mean by that is shows, shows and more shows. Both consisting of comic book venues and gallery work.
Now as you have noticed to you folks that Black Box Comix has been absent in sending regularized updates and emails. For that I profusely apologize for. Work has taken on a life of its own and required a lot of attention to get to where we are at now. Meaning lots of crossover projects with other small companies, mini comics and lots of scratchboard and freelance illustration.

But any of you have been following the blog on Myspace know that it has become extremely bothersome to upload things on that site now and the hassle of putting new things up is confusing to say the least. At the same time the Black Box web site is undergoing a major re fit as well. Again for the same reasons with Myspace, we had to change with the work that is being turned out currently.
But you can still follow our exploits here at blogger.com, facebook.com and twitter.com and deviantart.com.
Now on to exciting news The month of April.
April Fools Day Comic Illustration Art Opening (no fooling). Starts the month off at the Globe.
With following week by the Stumptown Comics Fest on the 15th and 16th. At the Portland Convention Center.

LATER in the year is both the Olympia Comics show and Jet City Comics show. Both have been real good for the Box in the last couple of years and we are hoping to attend both.

And that is it because I still have to prep for shows.
Later.

A Week of Prepping

2011-03-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hey sports fans Al, here with the latest:

NEW SUNDAY DRAWING:

Now of course, anything else but it’s always a goal to put a new piece of art on line every sunday of course it’s monday so I’m a little behind but I think what I came up with was pretty cool.
I have been re watching a lot of Spaghetti Westerns recently and have loved every minute of it. So some people suggested that I put the comic characters into and the first one I was thinking about was Vega and Corrax. Corrax got there first.
Fun times.
There maybe more to come.

COMIC MONTH IN PORTLAND!

To start this month off Black Box Comix will kicking off comic book month here in Portland at the Globe 2045 SE Belmont
Portland, OR
Both Vega and Corpse Cop will be there.
Come out and support this great art form and check out everything from traditional pen and ink to other. Plus music! A fun time to be had by all. For more info checkout this link:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171777059540812

As the month progresses

2011-03-25T15:51:00.001-07:00

THE CROSSOVER
That's right the crossover is being worked on currently as we speak. Pages are being reformated from their original concept to make sure that the size of the type is not lost nor cover up the great artwork that accompanies it. At last count what was a 40 page book has grown by nearly 10 pages.
That my friends, is a hefty book to be looking at as a crossover goes.
Once the final work on the script has been completed, the finished art will take the forefront of this monster title.
And for now that's all I can say.

New Things for today

2011-03-20T12:27:00.001-07:00

Hey there sports fans Al here with the latest:

STUMPTOWN COMICS FEST
It looks like fate has decided to intervene on a few handful of people this year and it has placed it’s guiding hands upon NEOtrash Comix and us here at the Box. Though not an “official exhibitor” according to the guidelines set down by the people running the show I will be sharing a table with the NEOtrash again guys again of Dan DePaulo, Ben Perkins and Jason Z. Pott. It has been my pleasure to hang with these fine goatmen over the last couple of years and looks to be a good time to be had by all. Of course we both have to thank Denis Culver who gave us his table in the hope that the “comic raffle” might not get a table for himself or his friends Vincent Navarrete and Joss Williams.
Take a look on the map as we are listed as table A-28 Exhibition Hall A

http://www.stumptowncomics.com/scf11/images/STCF2011_floormap.pdf
for more info on the price of tickets for this two day affair and location check out
http://www.stumptowncomics.com/

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS

The King of Crossovers is working hard on another crossover with NEOtrash Comix Point man Jason Pott on this down and dirty action/gore filled jaunt between two small comic companies. We had over heard so many of our contemporaries complain how they didn’t like crossovers between characters or between companies like DC/Marvel “Amalgam” line of books. After they left Jason and I looked at each other and said “I like crossovers”. So that is where the story emerged. It actually predates the crossover between Johnny Vega and Adam Watson’s Ghost Assassin from Darkslinger Comics.
For purchase check out

Be assured that this book will be printed up in the chronology of Johnny Vega.

CORPSE COP

The clamor for more Corpse Cop just seems to be no stopping this zombie of destruction! Seems every time when you think he may have adverted the on coming Zombie Apocalypse there something new that creeps up on you bites you!
Just like the tag line says “Sooner or later we will all have to deal with Corpse Cop.”
For the latest purchase of Corpse Cop “Corpsecile” check out
http://www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4799

STRANGE ALCHEMY

Now this might seem a little odd little book which it is but I have always had a love for the more obscure characters in comic books like ManWolf or Morbius the Living Vampire and Deadman.
This is totally a throw back to those kind of characters.

And for now I got jump back on the drawing boards for the crossover.
And I am outta of here for now!
Al

New Images for latest comix

2011-03-19T14:14:00.001-07:00

New things are on their way as I begin to clean my desk of work and aim for the crossover for The Tale of Two Jo(h)nnys.
It should be fun!

ECCC 2011 Come and Gone

2011-03-17T06:34:00.000-07:00

I would be lying if I said I never got nervous before a show. But for some reason this is a big deal for me. Why? I can only guess but since I have made money and sold artwork at the galleries. The amount of money dropped on this show was huge.
It’s not like other shows. It’s the big time. At least it is to me.   I have for the last couple of weeks been feeling apprehensive about completing a finished project.
The idea of true success is kinda freeking me out.
But I have a better idea now what it is and how to deal with it.
I am here now I hope and pray that the show will go off without a hitch. I have no idea what to expect. It would be awesome to have everything sell out at the show. And you never know it could.
In a way I kinda had to force myself to push further ahead by keeping busy and not thinking about the what could be or the what I wanted to happen. I just got to keep moving forward because it can only just get better.
I've learned a lot from watching and observing my other friends here in this rented home. I have my own private room. Now if I just had a beautiful naked woman by my side to snuggle up too.
Here is to keeping my fingers crossed. For everything.
Second Day was began with a rush and a push to get out of the way from the mad dash of fans in search of talking to their idols and getting that one book for collection. In some ways the rush during the journey is the thing, not the completion of it.
But I can say one thing for sure. KING OF SELL OUTS!
Again to my amazement the second installment of Corpse Cop "Corpsecile" sold out about three quarters of the way through the show. I certainly didn't expect that!   I knew the book was good but I totally under estimated power of the scratchboard!
I guess after the crossover with Jason is done it's onto D(r)awn of the Dead and Corpse Cop "Arctic Wolf".
I will say it has been fun so far.
There is only one thing I will say do not room with a couple of divas! In my best gay voice "It was just to much!"
We'll see how this last day of the show will go.   Who knows, Vega could just be making the turn.
Day three the opening charge for table and artists wasn't nearly as hectic as Saturday. Thank God that was the truth of it.
But I did manage to push a lot of prints from the Big 100 show out to the people of Seattle.   Besides that, imagine the circulation associated with. Black Box Indirectly?.
It would be awesome and if Gabe comes through for me in the website a lot of things will be rocking this year in the free world.

Sunday Stuff!

2011-02-27T12:44:00.000-08:00

As always sunday is the day for lots of projects, big and small, come to and end. Today was one of those kind of days. The Angry Robot has returned! And no good can come from it.
AX1-2501 is one of my earliest creations when I started looking to develop comic books and stories. He even predates the ever famous Bender from Futarama.
The other is another layout page of rough pencils along with wording to so you could see how much room any artists has to work with. As you design a page (even if you are the one writing the story) you have to be aware of what you are doing and design the best possible page you can.

The Players for "All Tomorrow's Parties"

2011-02-26T15:50:00.000-08:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:
ECCC is fast approaching this next week but the creative juices are still flowing like mad for the box!
Down below is an excerpt from the Johnny Vega, Man of the Future entitled "All Tomorrow's Parties". It is a book that takes place even before Johnny Vega issue #1 is to take place.
One of my editors had said to me that I needed to have a origin story for Vega so I initially opted to present "It was a dark and stormy night..." but the beginning starts off like that but takes several turns why Vega looks at becoming a Ranger in the first place and what on earth happened to him in issue 4?
Once that book is in hand I will reveal why I, Alan, decided to change up the character.
More of Vega’s past is reveled as a collection will be put together with refurbished pages from the last three issues of Vega that are currently out now. Once that is done more things will come into play.

THE PORTLAND “LOVE” SHOW COMES TO AND END.

Tonight the last day of the Portland Love Show comes to an end for show casing the scratchboard talent of your truly. But there are other works in progress that cross over from one form of artwork to the next. Namely more Corpse Cop!

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS
This particular story is revving up as ECCC comes into light. Once back from the show all my attention will be focused on getting this book put together and printed up.

BLACK BOX COMIX PRESENTS AN EXCERPT FROM "ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES"

PAGE 6, PL 1
A CLOSE UP OF JADE'S FACE WITH AN AMUSED LOOK ON HER.
Jade Yes that is a line and yes we have met before briefly when the Rangers brought in the remains of that robot that attacked Professor Kcon.
JV. That's right. I Remember now. Jade isn't it?
PL 2
MODERATE CLOSE UP OF BOTH THEIR UPPER CHEST AND HEAD. AND SHOULDERS. THERE'S A SMILE ON HER FACE AS THEY STAND APART FROM EACH OTHER.
Jade Yes. You got a little banged up by the attack if I remember right helping save the Professor.
JV. Yeah that was then and here we are. Can I buy you a drink Miss Jade?
Jade Delta.
JV Perfect.
PL. 3
JD'REL HAS BEEN WATCHING JOHNNY FROM ACROSS THE WAY OF SQUARE. THERE IS A STERN LOOK IN HER EYES FROM THE VISOR SHE IS WEARING.
Shedel OP Jd'rel, what are you doing? Were you expecting something?
PL 4
MODERATE SIZE PANEL OF SHEDEL TALKING TO HER FRIEND. JD'REL IN THE FOREGROUND LOOKING BACK.
Shedel Don't worry if your going to get him, you will.
PL 5
A LONG PANEL OF JADE AND JOHNNY WALKING TO A OPEN BAR. THERE IS A FRINGE OVERHANG AS THEY WALK UP.
JV. So what will you have?
Jade I'll think I'll have a Derisian tea.
JV Haven't had one of those yet but.
Nar Then suddenly

PAGE. 7, PL. 1
LARGE PANEL CRASHING THROUGH THE BAR OUT OF THE BRUSH IS ANOTHER ROBOT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT ATTACKED KCON. JADE IS KNOCKED TO THE SIDE WHILE JOHNNY DODGES THE BLOW.
JV Jade get outta here! Whoa!
Robot attacker VEGA you should be here. You are distorting the time flow!
Vega Like hell I am!
PL 2
EXTREME CLOSE UP OF THE ROBOT'S RED CYCLOPIC EYE.
Robot Attacker Objective Vega, J. Your existence is a temporal anomaly. You disrupt the time flow.
JV OP. That's not the issue robot! You ARE!
PL 3
VEGA BRINGS A FOOT TO KICK THE HEAD OF THE ROBOT ATTACKER. KNOCKING THE HEAD TO ONE SIDE. BUT WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. THERE IS PAIN IN VEGA'S FACE.
Robot attacker Your physical assault will do nothing to me.
JV I know that.
PL. 4
KCON WATCHES FROM HIS MONITOR THE ASSAULT BY VEGA. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE SEE KCON IN PROFILE. THE MONITOR IS A HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTOR
Kcon Vega at this point should roll and run towards the armory at this time.
PL 5
A MODERATE SHOT OF VEGA RUNNING THROUGH THE CROWD TELL THEM TO GET OUT OF WAY. THE ROBOT ATTACKER CRASHING THROUGH PLANTERS AND DESTROYING THEM AND PUSHING OTHER RANGER CADETS OUT OF THE WAY.
JV Move! Get of the way!

After that, anything goes!

And I am outta of here!

New books for purchase

2011-02-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

NEW BOOKS FOR PURCHASE:
Johnny Vega #4 “The Rock Apes of Xandar- the conclusion” is finally done and ready for your purchase here at Indyplanet.com
In this issue Vega and the rest of the ranger cadets go in a all out assault upon the raider stronghold. Two planetary races depending on the success of the rangers. In one final confrontation between Vega and the Raider Alpha Captain takes place with unforeseen consequences. Has the Man of the Future survived? Find out in “The Rock Apes of Xandar - the Conclusion”

to buy

http://www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4794

And for the other
Corpse Cop “Corpsecile”
There is no stopping the on coming Zombie Apocalypse or is there? Corpse Cop is on his way to the north to put and end to sudden zombie outbreak or the beginning of it’s start?
Find out in Corpse Cop....the last word in the undead!

to buy

http://www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4799

March Shows:

And it is about time too as the ECCC show creeps ever closer in about a week and half now (http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/) Black Box Comix along with the guys from NEOtrash Comix will be heading up to Seattle to hock our wares to those happy comic collecting people who are looking for something new to buy and read.
It will be a fun time to had by all based upon from our last years experience at the show.
And with a booth as opposed to an artist alley table well will be able to isolate ourselves from the rest of the pack.
Stop by table 410 on the map and say hi to us and the rest of the gang.
Here is to keeping our fingers crossed for a successful show.

King of Crossovers: A Tale of Two Jo(h)nnys

The work continues of this masterpiece of mayhem (is it a good thing that I am listening to Fight Club?).
Work is a little slowed as preparations for the ECCC show take the lead but be assured that this book will be done this year.

And that is it for the kid and I am outta here!

The Love Show is here!

2011-02-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

Well today is the day for the Portland LOVE show which I am looking forward to but of course you can never stop doing what you love to do and since gallery shows have been pretty good to me this last year and the subject matter that I have gotten into, I figure I'll keep up with it.
Meaning Corpse Cop is moving into the field of gallery work that wouldn't normally sell to other outside of the comic book buying community.
So I am slowly drawing up images for a show currently.

As the weekend continues

2011-02-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

The name of the show is PORTLAND LOVE SHOW. It will be on display from the 12th-26th of February at Gallery Homeland.
Here are some links to check it out.

http://www.galleryhomeland.org/wordpress/
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=2979532336757877572&q=gallery+homeland&gl=us

The physical location is in the Ford Building
2505 Southeast 11th Avenue #136
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 819-9656
Closest cross street is S.E. Division
For further information please check out
http://portlandloveshow.com/
If you can’t make it no worries but I hope I can see you there.
Al

A Tale of Two Jo(h)nnys

2011-02-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

HEY THERE SPORTS, AL HERE WITH THE LATEST:

A TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS
The starting process for this book has been a long time in coming and I have been wanting to work with Jason Pott from NEOtrash Comix for about two years and the project finally materialized at the end of last year as a kind of Christmas present for me.
It was jump started when I gave Jason a copy of the Corpse Cop mini at last years E.C.C.C. in Seattle WA.
I will have to say that it is a balls to the wall action packed story between to small press universes and introduced a new character that could be used in either comic company.
That is the fun of working small press and showing people that comics can be fun again.
Watch for further details.

First month of the year down!

2011-01-30T23:59:00.000-08:00

Well sports fans, Al here with the latest:

THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO SPACE FOR JOHNNY VEGA!:

It looks like Johnny Vega #4 is off to the races! As of this evening the last finishing touches were placed upon the forth installment of Johnny Vega. An ending a two year story arc. A number of things have happened in that time. A major move to a larger city a number of crossovers with other small time publishers here in Portland. And the advancement of Johnny through the ages beginning with his origin and his eventual end and the beginning of a new story with a sidekick Corvis Corrax.

CORPSE COP NEWS:

A new story call “Arctic Wolf” has been written and has begun the drawn process of thumbnails. Nothing beats a good thumbnail like a zombie does.

A TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS:

Speaking of thumbnails the crossover with NEOtrash Comix creator Jason Z. Pott has culminated in a story crossing the story of Vega with his character Jonny Morbid. 44 pages of absolute mayhem is about to be unleashed of the comic book world! Watch for it.

STUMPTOWN COMIC FESTIVAL:
For the first time in 6 years that Black Box Comix has been going to the show we have unfortunately found ourselves not being able to gain entrance in our own backyard for a comic book show. Now like with some many things the comic book field is fill lots of back biting and back stabbing as good as any soap opera out there, but being better than point fingers at people in this small community, the BOX will be moving forward to better thing places and more prominence with better quality comic books than a garage sale of comics can offer.

ECCC LOOMS IN THE FUTURE!
Even though it is saddening to us that we will not be attending the local Portland show which had been a stapled for us, the Seattle show, 9th Annual Emerald City ComiCon. It is taking place March 4th - 6th, 2011 | Washington State Convention Center :: Seattle, WA. MORE INFO CAN BE FOUND AT http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/. We hope to see you there.

And that is it for the kid- for now!

A strange thing to look at

2011-01-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever just sat back and looked at the volume of work you have done?

Well as I putting together the back inside cover page I realized HOLY CRAP, how many books have I worked on? 16 separate books and not including the ones that I had worked on with the Eugene Comics Guild. Seven to be exact with them. It is staggering when you think about the vast volume of artwork and hours(!) and money(!!) to put into something you love so much.
I just kinda had to stop and take stock in what I have been doing for the last 12+ years doing this work and that some would call insanity.
Things are getting closer to being finished for the Fourth installment of Vega and then onto the (final for this year)crossover with NEOtrash Comix. Also staring Johnny Vega back in black and white format.
That should be fun.
So keep an eye pealed for this as it develops.

Art City Weekend

2011-01-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

This has been the week for busting out the artwork.

JOHNNY VEGA #4 MOVING AHEAD.

As you can see three finished pages from Johnny Vega #4 pages 17, 18 and 19. A collaborative effort on my part for all the computer color on the previous work on Vega. Many thanks to Adam Watson and Kat Meyers for editing the book.

WEEKLY DRAWINGS AND SKETCHES

On top of that here are a couple pencil drawings that I have done one in reference to Corpse Cop and the other Corrax the Seeker.
Corpse Cop might be turned into a scratchboard poster for a later date. the Corrax piece just gets filed under Sunday drawing/ Dental Bus Ride.

SCRATCHBOARD NEWS

The others are two scratchboard pieces. One was a quick down and dirty one for my friend Aron for his birthday and the other “Trust Me” is a for a Valentine’s Day art show yep you guessed it, “The Love Show”. That piece is a 11”X14” for $175.00.
All in all a busy couple days for this weekend.
And I am out of here and back to the drawing board.

The Family Portrait Scratchboard Style -Part 2

2011-01-16T14:16:00.000-08:00

Well here it is sports fans, the latest from the box. Two days time in total I believe. I think that I should have my own personal time clock to really keep track of the amount time that I spend working on these. But it had to be done. There are two other projects that I can do but focus on a fewer characters and smaller sizes. This was a big one 16”X20” piece.
That’s big for this kid to work on but it does say that the detail that is involved on this is pretty good compared to say three years ago when I started playing around with the idea of doing scratchboard as a comic medium.
But now onto other project that won’t nearly be as long.

CORPSE COP NEWS: FINALLY BEING PRINTED!
Over the last several months this book has been put on hold because of financial constraints but now is looking to be completed and printed. It should be ready for the Emerald City Comicon 2011 this year.

JOHNNY VEGA #4 IS CLOSE ON THE HEELS OF THIS RELEASE!
By the end of this month “The Rock Apes of Xandar- the conclusion” will be heading off to press. Much excitement as this story gets the pressing that it deserves. But it does mean that when a collection comes around there will be much to be added to the work a redrawing of nearly all of the pages of issues 1 through 3 and a introduction and the official origin of Johnny Vega called Humble Beginnings.
How long this will take I am not sure but I do know that after the completion of “Tale of the Two Jo(h)nnys” crossover no other work with other creators will impede the work on getting Johnny back to where he needs to be.

And that is it for the kid.

The Family Portrait Scratchboard Style

2011-01-15T09:56:00.001-08:00

The Family Portrait of the Vega Universe is taking on another take of the same image. Fun but time consuming.

It's all in the coffee!

2011-01-13T09:15:00.001-08:00

Parallel Team Up ROUGH CUT! As there is no team up books these days I, Alan Bennett of Black Box Comix have dubbed myself King of the Crossovers! In true old school Marvel Fashion I decided to work on a few ideas at the end of last year and the Crossover that has been worked on my me and my friend Adam Watson of Darkslinger and the current crossover of Tale of Two Jo(h)nnys with Jason Z. Pott of NEOtrash Comix I have a hankering for another.
Then my friend Ben Perkins (who is a god of painting LARGE SCALE) had to hit me with a character he calls Heavy Horse. And then it hit me while we were both raving why don’t we work on a crossover.
Damn before I knew it, there I was banging away on keypads of my PVA at work writing whatever came out of my head for a story.
This image is of Heavy and Corrax: The Seeker working to topple a tripod complete with a floating brain inside!
You can’t beat that! I love that stuff!
Next for images is a Corpse Cop pic that I am working on for press.
Looking good for the first of the year!

In the First Week

2011-01-09T12:02:00.001-08:00

Well Sports fans the first week of 11 is already over and things are moving fast now as new work begins on the last of the crossovers (for now).

TALE OF TWO JO(H)NNYS CROSSOVER
The two pages that are featured are from the crossover with NEOtrash Comix’s creator Jason Z. Pott. Jason and I have been friends for about 3 years now and has a very quirky way of looking at life and we both share a lot of the same kind passion for the 70 movies and TV shows.
It was decided that we as small companies could work together on a project and just have a lot fun doing it. A Tale of Two Jo(h)nhnys came out of that.

JOHNNY VEGA #4 SOON TO BE DONE!
The conclusion of the Rock Apes Saga will wrap up by the end of this month! It’s about time.

And that's about it.

Welcoming in 2011

2011-01-01T07:13:00.001-08:00

Well Sports fans Al here with the latest here on New Year’s Day.
JOHNNY VEGA #4 IS BEING WORKED ON!
Truer words have never been spoken by this kid as work on this long project are beginning to see fruit as this project grows to it ultimate conclusion.
Vega will be completed nearly half of the goal last year was to try to get the book done by the end of 2010 but that was not the case because I did not want the book to look bad. That's the truth of it with all the you always to make the best of what you’re working on .
And Vega is exactly that. So even though it may seem like a step backwards doing illustration but with the strength of the black and white along with the color backgrounds and everything.
So there you have it a nearly finished project. Good Times to be had by all.

The Latest for December

2010-12-12T21:41:00.000-08:00

Well it has been pretty fun so far this month. Four of the five scratchboard images that I had developed for the BIG 100 art show up here was a huge success for the kid this month.
As well as two more scripts completed. One for the impending crossover of Corvis the Seeker and Ben Perkin’s Heavy Horse character.
The anthromorphic character is called War Ram. His first appearance is in the cross over but his origin is much different than the Ram he is now.

Just a New update

2010-11-14T13:26:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to update with a new image before really locking myself into pages and all. But this kind of exercise helps me relax and get into the mood of the story I need to be working on. No different than when I put on a movie with a sci fi theme on in the background from the 50's or 60's.
Just lots of fun.

Well Gallery work Completed

2010-11-13T16:04:00.000-08:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

THE GALLERY WORK COMPLETED!

YES that is true that the gallery work that I was contracted for is now completed! Nothing more than this artist brainy ideas spilling out onto the sketchbook and cranking out five pieces of scratchboard all falling into the size of an 8”X8”.
This was a big thing for me as I crank out the work for something other than a comic book.
each one of these works will be shown at the Po’Boy Art Gallery and Framing here in Portland Oregon.
These will go along with the previous piece of “Sting of Passion”.

JOHNNY VEGA #4 UPDATE:

But with the art of the Gallery out of the way it’s back to Vega and get this book done! Currently re penciling page 17 out 24.
I will say that that the penciling and inking that is going on is looking very nice and I am very pleased with the effect.

CORPSE COP “CORPSECILE” STILL ON HOLD!

With limited resources this fully illustrated scratchboard comic is still on hold until a large amount of money can be brought to the foreground before anything else can be done. Like so many other small comic book companies I am looking at the option of a Kickstarter to help defer the cost of the printing.

Gallery Work- Scratchboard Awaits

2010-11-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans Al here with the latest:
Well Gallery work has been thrust upon us here at the Box and with the favorable response from the Curator of Po’Boy Art Gallery and Framing it looks like that the scratchboard you have been seeing me post up will finally get it’s chance to be seen as is it is intended.
In a show.
This does not mean that the comics will stop but it does mean that if the images of scratchboard do sell (and I know they will) it will help supply the funding for comics. That is to say that the art will support the art and hopefully me as well.
Some of the images I have made of recent times I can’t show because of the nature of the piece but if you go to this redirect you’ll see what I am talking about.
http://johnnyvega13.deviantart.com/#/d3253xb
Thanks
Alan

HALLOWEEN GREETINGS!

2010-10-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

Blogger Boo!

Well sports fans Al here with the latest:

JOHNNY VEGA #4

is still moving forward with pencils and ink right at the moment. It is looking fantastic! I am very happy with the way it is turning out currently. Before you know it color will be added and it will be done.

NEXT ON THE LIST: CORRAX THE SEEKER

As you have already read an except from the second story with him the art for the CtS books featuring the "Cosmic Confrontation" series continues to keep moving forward with standard pencils and digital color. Learning new techniques in Photoshop always makes me happy!

CORPSE COP ON HOLD!

As this was a book slated for a Halloween release and now it being the 31, it's apparent to everyone that this is not going to happen today on a Sunday. Sorry is the only thing I can say as money has had to be used for other personal matters. Unless you like talking to a creator with massive holes in his teeth! Yuk!
Anyway Black Box Comix is looking at a few new optional ways of funding the printing by either a private party donation or a Kickstarter account. Both are doable but since Vega #4 is going ahead full steam I don't think I'll be ready to approach this until I an done with the book.

OTHER CORRAX THE SEEKER NEWS!
This is and has been the year of crossovers and it seems like it ain't stopping. A friend of mine named Ben Perkins who works as he penciler for Neo Trash Comix on Professor Ozark's Medicine Show has his own comic character called Heavy Horse.
Liking this character I suggested that we do a crossover with Corvis Corrax. As if I didn't already have enough on my plate. Another suggestion was that I add Corpse Cop into the work. And I have found a good way of introducing him in.
The tentative title is "Do Sheep Sleep?" I'll let you think about that for a while.
And I am outta here.

A small excerpt for Corrax: The Seeker

2010-10-22T23:48:00.000-07:00

With all the talk about Corrax: The Seeker going on it only made sense that I would post something of the script (though extremely rough) along with two images from the 2nd installment of that character.
To put this in context of what is going on you have to understand that Corrax and Shedel have been sent out on a mission to investigate a mysterious group of deaths. But traveling to this place is frought with several things and people that aren't what they seem. The Pit Chief is one such person:
Shedel " So you like setting up your fellow Rangers for a fall? Nice. I hope you sleep well at night with that in your mind."
Chief "Don't tell me how to feel missy. I went into this with my eyes wide open and sleep very well thank you."
Corrax thinking That's when things got a little crazy. I don't remember if it was me thinking it or the ax but it literally flew out of my hand and hit the chief square in the chest.

And there you go a small bit for a feather covered hero!
It was fun working on something like this so far down the road but every once in a while you just gotta go for it.

Another Drop in for Vega!

2010-10-22T11:35:00.001-07:00

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

JOHNNY VEGA MAKING A COMEBACK!

Things for Johnny Vega #4 are on the move. After a very long time of talking to other people and convincing myself the only way Vega can be done is to head back to the beginning for this character. that means that I have gone back to pen and ink to finish the story. The whole digital color issue was defeating the purpose and the fun of doing the story.
Comics should be fun not a choir that you begrudgingly have to do like work cleaning up after people like I have had to do for so many years.
Anyway, The first five pages of that story have been redrawn and inked and have been scanned in with the original lettering over lay. So if you see similar pages from previous posts, don’t be surprised. But because of all the things that are happening with Vega i am looking at the end of the road for him as well. Not because I want to but because I have to.
Other characters that have come up recently for me such as Johnny’s sidekick Corvis Corrax and the latest zombie character called Corpse Cop have jumped into the light I can only see this as a good thing for Johnny.

CORRAX: THE SEEKER NEWS

With the change coming up in the cosmic storyline of Vega there has to be somebody I can hand off the story to and there is nobody better to deal with that than Corvis Corrax!
Though I think that books of Corrax: the Seeker (other wise know as CtS) will be self contained stories unless I have some reason to produce a TBP. And that is always possible.

So sorry about the wait in between posts but I have been busting my ass to get Vega back on board as soon as possible because I refocus my attention to his very first adventure and introduction to the Galactic Rangers.

Another long time

2010-09-26T19:45:00.001-07:00

One of the things that has always been a fascination with comics is how do you illustrate something that you can't really see?
Its been a problem with Johnny Vega Man of the Future. And Corrax: the Seeker isn't any different. Its always a problem but in this case with the world or rather the universe of Man of the Future. And with so many baddies out there with mind control and force of will I needed a character that could deal with them and show off at the same time.
Corvis was the perfect choice with this. The huge back log of information from Vega and his eventual end, Corrax had to fill the void. There has always been a great amount of interest in Corvis so after his initial psionic awaking because of Vega partially I had to follow up with something after his dealing with the Albino.
I will say that Corvis is a much more colorful character than Vega. He always has been. That's why I decided to go with him instead of back pedaling with Vega coming back into the public view. When you start bringing a character starts elevating to near demi god status you need to drop it down to something a little more manageable.

What's New for the Box 8/22

2010-08-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a strange year here for the Box and it shows no sign of letting up either. As you have been reading up, Johnny Vega has been on a indefinite hold for several months. this was never my intention but life and other smaller projects took on a life of their own that I wasn’t ready for when I came up with them. This means Corpse Cop.
I’m sure that people are wanting to know why if any new books are EVER going to be printed with Black Box’s predominate space hero?
Well the answer is yes.
After talking to my new editors it has been made clear to really show Johnny from the beginning of his career.
This means his birth to his entry to the Rangers as a cadet. And how he has to fight his way working to the top student hierarchy before getting tapped to be trained by the legendary Captain Ix Triskelion.
Most heroes always have humble beginnings (at least in my opinion they do) and Vega is no different.
This character means a lot to me and has been around for ten years. That's a long time to be working on one character but it does one thing that I like, it makes things constant through out the run of Vega. The other is that it makes working on him fresh and that is a major thing for an artist and creator.

OTHER NEWS: CORPSE COP
the 16 page scratchboard epic is nearly complete at this time meaning that a new mini is under development and a October show is in the works for a small few places here in the Portland area.

Good stuff!

News Flash for the next week

2010-03-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

Al here with the latest:
NEWFLASH next weekend Black Box Comix along with Neo trash comics and Darkslinger Comics will all be traveling up to the Emerald City ComiCon. In the Emerald City known as Seattle.
A two day event that should be fun and marking a return for the box back to that city after a two year hiatus from '08 show.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that the economy is little more forgiving with buyers this time around.
But this show will also be the unveiling of the newest Black Box Comix mini comic "Corpse Cop". I am hoping that that love of zombies will illicit more interest in the comic company this time round showing that Black Box Comix is not strictly a sci-fi centric comic book company.
I will be looking to see peoples reaction to this little guy until the release of the Ghost Assassin Johnny Vega cross over later this year that I have been working on for the last couple of months.
I am sure that Adam of Darkslinger Comics will be happy about that.
By July, I am hoping to have the forth issue of Vega and the conclusion of “The Rock Apes of Xandar” done and off to the printer.
So begins the year of shows.
Where's my big top.

Updates -Finally

2010-02-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

I apologize for not getting back here with the amount of things that cropped up at the end of 2009 and Christmas and all that which comes with that. But as I have learned that is no excuse.
So here I am with some new stuff so you all could see for the crossover with Darkslinger creator and owner Adam Watson. He had asked many months about if I ever had any problems with working with any body else.
No I have worked fine with most people in the past ever since I was associated with the Eugene Comics Guild and the comic known as Guilded Edges and most recently Pandora's Garage.
so here you are a few images of those pages.

On the other side of the fence, so not to become bogged down by doing a piece like this I have also been keeping a practiced hand doing illustration in scratchboard and getting paid for those small projects and also planning out my game for doing scratchboard illustration in the comic book medium as well.

So I haven't been doing nothing in these last couple of months but have been extremely busy as you can see.

The Christmas time of year!

2009-12-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

A lot of things are happening for the Box and Johnny Vega . Issue 4 is in a holding pattern until I am finished with the crossover with Darkslinger Comics. This is to say that that #4 is not been edited or anything, far from it.
The base colors have completed but the finishes and the back grounds are now being held up on.
But that’s okay.
Work still progresses. Currently issue ten is being scripted and thumb nailed out . that say a lot when a series is being looked forward that far in advance.
But hard work and getting thing printed is where I am at right now.
Fun stuff but hard work as well.
There is also a Corrax solo story that I have been working on as well.
But that will be set up long in advance and won’t be seen for a while.
Johnny is the focus for now.
Have a good Christmas.

To Puyallup and back again

2009-11-11T19:21:00.001-08:00

Well there sports fans Al here with the latest:
The third issue of Pandora’s Garage is finally out and ready for sale. And in my opinion, it’s about time too! Having missed a show in Washington to sell I was a little bugged that the books could have not have been here sooner but that is why you have to plan in advance for these problems, this one was just another learning step along the way of doing things.
But it is here and here is the address for it and the previous two for the collection. I still have to find what happened to the website that I had posted Pandora’s Garage is at because they are not showing on the site for Ka-blam.com
It is at times like this that I wish the on line companies would keep us vendors appraised of the changes taking place in their system that might keep people from seeing the product.
Having empathy for your customers is something everybody needs to keep in mind.
But aside from that glitch, thing have been pretty good. I had a blast traveling out of town to the land north in Puyallup Washington. Again it seems like this is the place to sell artwork at, whether it be comic books or actual art but all of it good.
An original piece of art was handed off to Adam of Darkslinger Comics and then shortly there after another page of scratchboard (page 10 out of the Pandora’s Garage Volume 5) took off to find another home. that makes two page from that book to venture out into the world from it’s creator.
The Destination was Comic Evolution with the catch phrase “Have you evolved?” being on the lips of several people. Again it has to be one of the coolest shops I have been in and the owner Chuck is one of the nicest people you ever meet.
One of the big change ups for this show was the two readings taking place in the store one by Tony Morgan and his collaborator Anthony and the other from an editior of Planet Lovecraft reading a bit from a zombie story.
I will have to say that the most interesting part of the trip was the end part as both Adam and I sold a few comics at a rest stop as we were heading home.
Again a great time!

Printing Woes (again) and other Projects

2009-10-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Is there something in the air?
I have to wonder sometimes with all the cascading things going on right now with printing.
One of the worse things a comic creator and company ever wants to ever hear from a printer is “You have corrupted files”.
Well this was something I as wanting to hear for anyone else let alone for myself but here it is.
One of the key issues of working with others is communication and I have tried desperately to get that point across to others and only a few people really understand that concept.
I wish I could get that point across to printer. Some of less savvy artistic types aren’t blessed with the mathematical mind set to deal with code or understand the techy talk.
But that aside, the third issue of JOhnny will be printed up one way or another.
That is good thing the worry of having printed up and here before the 7th of November is a whole different thing.
Also in the news, the Box will be meeting up with a possible new editor to help with the transition of the issues of Pandora’s Garage into it’s new collection. That I have high hopes for.
Amongst all that, work is being prepped for the commission piece for Darkslinger Comics and work on fourth issue of Vega and layouts for the gothic horror story “Dreams of Elysium” have both worked on at the same time.
A busy time for me.

Another Month down and New Stuff

2009-10-11T08:05:00.001-07:00

Well sports fans it has been nearly a month since I last posted and I have been under a great strain to get things done as well as move the office of Black Box Comix to a new location here in Portland Oregon.
Actually not that hard to do really when a lot of things are already done digitally but there are some new thing to rave about:

1) The third issue of Johnny Vega goes out today to the printers at Ka-blam printing. Yeah! Finally after a long look at a lot of the pages and the urging of a fan, there needed to be more backgrounds in the book so I took nearly two months (not counting time for other art projects to be worked on) reworking these images as well as adding more depth to the characters. Definitely a few steps up from the days when I was working on Johnny Vega in color #1.

2) Nearing the completion of The Garage Chronicles: A collection of Pandora’s Garage Volumes 1 though 5. This project has been a major undertaking as I have had to resize the format of the book and and add more pages to the book. The funny thing is as I was redoing the format I came across printed oddity, I had early on with Pandora, managed to reprint a duplicate page twice! The first true page appears in volume 2 on page 23 and then reprinted in volume 3 on page 14. You can imagine my shock that of all the people who have read and bought the book never made mention of it to me. Of course this has lead to speculation whether or not I I should have my own version of a Johnny Vega “No Prize” like marvel use to have back in the sixties and early seventies.
That is still under work.

3) Grand opening of a new comic Shop here in the PDX area called All About Heroes. Took place off of 107th and Holgate. If there was ever and action figure that you were looking for this would be the place to go.

4) Emerald City ComiCon beckons to the Box again for next year. As we have been working closely with Darkslinger Comics over the last year, we have doubled up and sharing the table cost and splitting the fees since times are tough. Show a little solidarity for each other. But this has turned to be a very cool partnership with the ride being supplied right to the place where we need to be and and the company along for the ride as well as co pilot. Though this kid does have a tendency to nod off early in the evening.

So there you have it. New news and events, new comics! Go read!
Alan

A new page for JV#3

2009-09-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

Well here is another page down, a couple more left to do. At this rate, I might wanta start putting up pages on the internet so people could read the book that way. I know it can be done but still haven’t figured out how to post and get paid for it at the same time.
My friend from Darkslinger Comics, Adam Watson, has his work for “Ghost Assassin” posted to buy.
I am still brand new to that kind of work but I would love to get Johnny up there.
This page is #8 out of 24 for issue three. With half of the book already being done from about pages 11 up, it should be easy to get done, but every time I have said something like that I always get tripped up.
With myself and Black Box Comix relocation, several projects are on hold as packing takes precedence over everything else.
It’s again, because once you have gotten settled nobody likes to move again.
But I keep plugging away on the book. It’s look great.

A Grand Opening

2009-09-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

One of the few things that I like when I have the chance is to check out a new comic shop that I never have been to. And Especially when you have been invited to show and sell your artwork in the process.
Yes, it is like taking candy from a baby but art whores are always gunning for the best way to get (easy) money back for their work. Today will be no different.
I would imagine that a comic shop would be like a street corner for vendors (whores) and collectors (the johns).
Of course I am sure that not everyone is in agreement about this but oh well, don’t be so damn touchy.
But again hanging out in a comic shop and being a nerd is always fun. And if I make some sales in the process of even better, that's what I am hoping for.
That’s what any real creator is looking to do and have people buy and laud over your work.
I am keeping my fingers crossed today.

New Pages

2009-08-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

New pages. Always something cool to look at but hard to stay on track when you are work and slaving away at a nine to five kinda job. Kinda sucks but I have heard that a lot of indy companies do exactly that. So may be I am not in the wrong business after all. But since completing the commission piece of scratchboard art for Ty, it was back to the digital drawing pad and monitor (and hot freakin’ weather) to get this little bugger off to the printer so I can focus on two other projects of scratchboard for Darkslinger Comics and Manga sized collection of Pandora’s Garage Volumes 1-5.
When those two are done then it’s on to issue four.
With that being said I believe that there will another change coming around which will in our editorial staff as well.
Adam Watson from Darkslinger Comics has said he would step into the shoes as editor for Black Box Comix as well as Darkslinger.
We thank him for this.
So here you are with some of the latest addendum's to Johnny.

Captain Cure Commission Piece

2009-08-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

News of the latest: Well work on Vega 3 has been temporally put on hold for a time as I finish a commission piece of scratchboard for my friend Ty. I t should be done by the time I see him next week up in Puyallup for a benefit in his name and for his family.
I am sure he’ll like his piece of artwork it since was deeply inspired by a comic character he loves so much, Batman.
By looking at the piece you can see it definitely comes through.

Images of Books to come

2009-07-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hey there sport fans, Al here with the latest:
Things have been working fast and furious for the Box over the last couple months and show no sign of stopping either.
Scratchboard seems to be the way to go as far as artwork so I am looking to focus on that but the work on Johnny Vega continues on. And won’t stop until the story will it is done.
This is a currently un printed image of Rantings of the Floating Brain page three. 11”X17” Airbrush on Scratchboard and traditional Illustration. The Original is and has been sold at a March of Dimes event up in Puyallup Washington last weekend.
I was pretty stoked about that.
But I still have four other pages to go.
But will be printed up in the up coming Garage Chronicles. a collection of Pandora’s Garage volumes 1 - 5.

Another Page closer

2009-07-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

There are times when things get within the closing distance of a project and you realize that what you have accomplished is best damn thing you have ever put together.
Well that is the way I feel about this project.
I hope it shows.

Another Page

2009-07-05T16:35:00.001-07:00

Since Johnny vega has become...
The story grows and continues onward. I can only hope that most people will be checking out the story as it continues on. I know only the collection of the stories will really set people right about this character but I also know that it will only be after two collections of Vega are brought forth. Of this I am sure. At least that is the market as it stands here in Portland (an I suspect a lot of other places too.)
I also suspect that once a third copy of the collection is brought to bare that other factors may be tapped as well. We’re talking animation deals and the like.
I really think that Vega taps into the adventure of outer space but at the core of the character though it doesn't read like that with the first couple of issues that Vega is a modern space age hero with very real problems and human foibles, it’s evolution that has different plans for Vega.
So you heard it first.

And if your so inclined check out these as well:

The official website-
http://blackboxcomix.vpweb.com/

and our additional blog spaces-
http://www.myspace.com/bbccomix
http://blackbox13.deviantart.com
http://www.sketchloader.com/users/blackbox13

Art of issue #3 of Johnny Vega

2009-06-30T16:30:00.001-07:00

Work on issue #3 is coming along pretty good all things considered as it’s pretty much a one man show here at Black Box Comix.
Issue three’s pages have taken longer to make because they have grown in depth of characters and the backgrounds of the comic.
This is not a bad thing though. When Mark Schultz was printing up Xenzoic Tales it took months for another issue to come out then it the year mark and then where is it at?
I don’t want to get to that point but I don’t want the readership if feel jipped because I was taking so long with the work.
Page 20 is at 1/4th done and looks like it could be done as early as this thursday night.
If that happens, onto the next page.
Yeeha!
In about three weeks time, I will be traveling up to Washington State for a Charity Event. I haven’t quite picked out what I want to go out but I’ll find something.
Alan

Reviews and new art.

2009-06-20T07:45:00.001-07:00

Well sports fans, Al here with the latest:
It looks Black Box Comix is getting some of the coverage that I had always hopped for as the year continues on. A gentleman by the name of Calvin Daniels had done a review of Johnny Vega #2.You can read about it at http://www.webextra.yorktonthisweek.com/
under reviews.
This comes really at a good time for the box as we had a very awesome last weekend up in Olympia Washington. A small Show but some thing that comes at a much needed time when so many indipendant comic companies are struggling to just get their work out there.
The only thing I can say about this is stick to it man. I know where you guys have been and don't give up hope. If I can do it so can you.

New Things for Weekend

2009-05-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

This work is all in preparation for an actual physical painting. The other is for a erotic/horror story done in scratchboard.

Hey there sporst fans AL here with the latest:
We’ll this weekend we will be heading to a show back in Spokane Washington this Saturaday.
For more info check out this as http://spokanecomicon.com/.
This will be our first time there so I hope that it will be fun.
We will be hitching a ride along with our friends from Darkslinger Comics as well.
On top of that in just two weeks later another trip to Washington will be taking place in Olympia. Here is the info about that show http://olympiacomicsfestival.org/
So work has been slow on issue three of Johnny as has been for the last couple of months. But trust me it will be all worth while.
So I have been working on a few solo projects just outside of the Johnny Realm so take a look.

And for other info check these sites out as well:
www.blackboxcomix.net
www.myspace.com/bbccomix
http://sketchloader.com/users/blackbox13
http://blackbox13.deviantart.com/gallery/

A new page done

2009-05-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

It has been time since I have really jumped into working on these pages for issue three of Johnny Vega.
It seems that there are several people who want me to work with them on several projects but just not enough time to work on each one like I would want to. Johnny has been crossing over into other people universes recently which tells me there must be something that people like about him.
If this hold true, then it is only a matter of time before the public at large pick up on this.
Watchout!

the Show- Stumptown Comic Fest '09

2009-04-24T07:51:00.001-07:00

The Stumptown Comic Fest of ‘09 has come and gone.
Some of the feel of the show had changed from last year as I was able to get away from the table and see what was being sold this time around.
I was impressed by how many new books had that finished and cleaned up look than years previously my only regret was that I didn’t have the third color comic ready and the manga sized Pandora’s Garage collection up and running.
I think that both would have made it fun for anyone to ready and buy.
But the show was fun and ended on a high note for me so I didn’t walk away with that empty feeling inside “no body likes my work” attitude.
But I did sell some of the books which made me happy and I got to see old friends from last year and that was cool.
Also many new ideas are flying around my head as new way of selling books by using a UPC code and the ISBN number for selling to bigger book sellers.
That was a huge boon for me as was the information about the photoshop and screens option and multiply option for color my scratchboard projects. That alone opened up a lot of things for me. I can’t wait to try them out when I get to the scratchboard again.
And then there are a few more shows coming up that I have to be ready for as well so I am expanding the playing field for the work which is what I need to do.
Here is to keeping my fingers crossed.

Today is Stumptown

2009-04-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

Today is a new day and I have been lax on getting things posted here but it has been a rough and tumble kind of couple of months but today is where things pay off for themselves today. Today is the day for the Stumptown show here in Portland!
Our mayor Sam Adams has officially made this “Comic Book Month” here in town so we creators are all very excited !
There will be new posting here from the show as time goes for the next couple of days.
Yea, us!

The new Cover for DFA

2009-02-27T21:20:00.000-08:00

Well I finally got finished the cover for this years Stumptown mini. I had problems with the original grayscale cover that I thought would have appealed to the masses but I realized that just ain’t the way to put things out there for potential buyers. So now that it done it time to work on the internal aspects of the book.

2009-02-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

It’s been a while since I posted so I’ll post now. I just wish that I had more time to be able to devote to illustrating and writing my comics than just working paying bills and rent and the like.
But these days like everybody else not so easy to do and you go where the money is so there you have it.
I have been working on three projects to be completed by april. The DFA mini is now completed and just waiting to get to Kinko’s for printing up 35 booklets.
The third issue of Johnny Vega is taking it’s time because I don’t want to be a in a rush when it comes out.
With digital printing, if you make a mistake, it a very glaring mistake when you see it in print. This has already happened during the printing of the second issue of Johnny and fifth issue of Pandora’s Garage.
Lastly is Angry Robot. This was a story that was developed for a group of artist putting together their own comic book down in Eugene, Oregon. But artists like every artist I know, can be real flakey and this was one of the reasons why this fine amount of illustration never got printed until now.
I am looking forward to it.

Contemplation and Fans

2009-01-23T08:02:00.000-08:00

The new book is coming together but now is the time to think, do I need to rush to get the book done or do the book right?
As a publisher I can understand that I need to be able to bring new material out on a regular basis and the Stumptown show is just a perfect way of doing that. But I do know that I have had some books that I have put together have suffered a artistically just to get the product out.
It’s a tough call when you have promised a lot and not quite begin able to deliver but things haven’t gotten to this point yet.
So take a look at what I have currently and know that I have two other pages that are nearly done since I made these jpegs.
I’ll be posting later.

One another note-Getting new young fans.
Last night was one of those kinda days when you are sitting back and watching tv and suddenly, you are barraged by questions about comics. Well anytime is a good time to talk about comics - especially if there are mine.
Two kids named Colin and Donovan came over last night as their mother was getting here hair done by one of my two roommates, Drake.
We had been talking and we got on the subject of the comic books that I had done.
Well this is fun for me because they had several questions that I answered with what seemed like a reasonable response.
Colin is 12 and Donovan just about 10- or so as he tells me.
This was about the time I started getting into comic books when I was a kid. Hopefully the first issue of Johnny Vega will bring them back for another.
Through the characters I hope I can influence them in a positive way.
I keep my fingers crossed.

New Icons

2008-12-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Another image for the DFA Stumptown Mini for next years show. The book needed a inside icon for the blurb that I like to place at the beginning of each issue.
I wanted to keep the readership up to date why things were being done.

The Newest Addition to Black Box Comix

2008-12-19T21:02:00.001-08:00

Here sportfans, Al here with the latest:
The newest book rolls off the press today and is listed at

http://www.indyplanet.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1562.

for Pandora's Garage Volume 5. I haven't been sending out as many emails to let people know what's been going on but I hope to make a better run of things before the Stumptown Comicbook Fest for April of next year.

And of course check of the official website at www.blackboxcomix.net
and our additional blogs

http://www.myspace.com/bbccomix
http://blackbox13.deviantart.com
http://www.sketchloader.com/users/blackbox13

Thanks for checking them out.
Alan

Re-orders are here

2008-12-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

One of the things that has been happening is that I have been working on getting the images of the books that I have worked on in the past listed on the Black Box Comix website.
Well the wonderful thing about pod (print on demand) is that you never have a huge amount of stock to ever really worry about but when you sell that last issue it always happens that somebody else wants a copy.

It's just the layout of the land I guess.

Good news is that Black Box Comix has in it's possession re-ordered books from Ka-Blam. This i s a good thing as I am currently getting things ready for a big show in April. Unfortunately we won’t be heading up to Seattle next year as it was such a abysmal return on anything except from Chuck Messinger and his Comics Evolution store.

That was our only good return from the show.
Everything else well... coulda been better.
I have just received that Ka-Blam had has gotten my upcoming issue of Pandora’s Garage Volume 5 and have sent me a digital PDF proof copy to check.
Looking good.
One out of three down, two more to go.

http://www.myspace.com/bbccomix
http://blackbox13.deviantart.com
http://www.sketchloader.com/users/blackbox13

And our email: blackboxcomix@yahoo.com

More things lining up for April next year.

2008-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

Well as updates go this is a major one for Black Box Comix. Having tables at the Stumptown Comics Fest is and has been a major part of how and why Black Box Comix is going. Ever since Scott Allie of Dark Horse had told me about it back in 2005 in Eugene I had wanted to break out of the Eugene area and into something bigger. Well PDX is hella bigger than Eugene will ever be and it definitely is a much more engaging crowd.
By next month I should receive confirmation that we'll be in it- a nice kind of way to end the year as far as I am concerned.
The color work for Johnny Vega #3 is progressing quite nicely so far. I am hoping to have work completed by end of the next
month. Again another nice way of ending the year.
The personal debate about how the collected work of Pandora's Garage I think is now at end but I still have the layout to work on after I get the two projects out of the way for Stumptown. and if you're currious about the show check out place.

http://www.stumptowncomics.com/

And if you're bored check these places:

http://www.myspace.com/bbccomix
http://blackbox13.deviantart.com
http://www.sketchloader.com/users/blackbox13

And our email: blackboxcomix@yahoo.com

Another book off to the races!

2008-11-28T08:46:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I had managed to get another black and white sent off to the printers day before yesterday but it won't be delivered until today. I'll have to wait about a week before I know if it made it or not but since my big show doesn't happen until April of next year, I shouldn't have to wait to long.
Next on the list of books to do is the third color Johnny Vega book and then the mini which I have already posted about.
My only other task is make a rotating slideshow of the comic book work with picked out images of the books and burn them so people could just drop in a CD instead of picking up a business card. I think the way things are going right now I think that would be the best way to go about selling and promoting the books at a show.
A lot of these new artists and writers are pretty technically hip with all the developments that are coming down the pike for making comics.
I just hope to lead by example and make a name for myself and my company.

2008-11-10T06:43:00.000-08:00

I felt that since we were coming up on the two week issue that I would post another image and icon for the Stumptown Mini that I have been developing at my editors insistence. I think that she had a good idea when she came up with it, so here to you, Rowan.
The main difference that anyone would see is that it is pen and ink - in the rough. I have meet, and so have you, a few artist that pick up a ball point pen and illustrate these incredible pictures thought they may be just on a notebook piece of paper.
I figured that if I could do it with a little help from my mac, anyone could do it.
I’ll be posting some of those here pretty soon as well.

Deadline kept! Yea!

2008-10-31T08:18:00.000-07:00

Well it’s been about two weeks since I had posted anything here so I thought that I should keep you updated on the workings of the box here. Deadline for the finished interior artwork has been completed on time! That’s a huge relief for me now Pandora’s Garage Volume 5 moves into it’s next phase- editing. This may make time for it's release a little harder than I was expecting but I don’t have big office space and lots of employees to deal with. Overhead as they say.
But I had changed the “Scratch” comic and incorporated into the fifth issue until Dan has the remainder of El Samurai ready to print.

Closing in on the deadline

2008-10-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

Today is one of those days when you feel that you are closing in on a deadline that you set up for yourself. This is so true that it hurts. And hurt so good it does.
With today I realized that most of the artwork that I have been doing is closing in on four pages of scratchboard work and, yeah!, the art will be done. I am looking at having the Fifth issue of Pandora's Garage done by Halloween. At least that is my goal.
So here is a taste of what I have done most recently.

Pandora's Garage Vol. 5: UPDATE

2008-10-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

The nearly finished "classic" pose of good V.S. evil. Guess who comes out on top in this one? This is page 34 out of a 36 page black and white and will probably be Johnny Vega last black and white outside of a sketchbook. I am looking at the possibly of making this into a painting and it will digitally re-done for the color comic. The chronology of Johnny Vega - Man of the Future is looking pretty damn good.
As to the the black and white itself, Pandora’s Garage volume 5 will be the last one that I put together until my other partner Dan Barton comes through with his story.
HOWEVER there are still stories that only a black and white can do justice to- a horror title. This has been something that my friend and my editor have toying around with over the last couple days or so. Halloween is just around the corner but I don’t think that I would have anything ready for that just yet, maybe next year.
I think that could be real fun.

New Art on the Way

2008-09-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well there sports fans, Al here with the latest:
New images for volume 5 of Pandora's Garage. It was about time for another issue to be put together and since my other art partner has gotten back to me on some the topics of putting together another issue I decided like I did for the Volume 3 that I would make this an Alan Bennett issue.
Page count is a pain in the ass for everybody, especially when you are the one laying out a new book and realize "Ah jeez! I need more pages. Well this couldn't be more true than with the fifth volume and with the last black and white installment of Johnny Vega.
Printing up four pages just to complete the original story would have been a major let down and honestly I didn't like the way I had finished that story line in the first place. It seemed to rushed when, in fact, you should savor the final chapter of a book or the last few minute of a good movie.
So I added seven new pages to round out the rest of the story. Eventually this story will be reprinted but in a entirely different format, digital color like the color Johnny Vega books out right now. The other thing is that Johnny Vega is that these stories will be printed in chronological sequence as to jumping back and forth over the different periods in Johnny's life.

Check it OUT!

2008-09-23T22:05:00.001-07:00

Hey there sportsfans, Al here with the latest:

The newest production from Black Box Comix. Check it out.

http://www.indyplanet.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1278.

That's the place!

Alan

New Work begins-part two

2008-09-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Work moves forward for the Box as the second issue of Johnny Vega now has arrived. As I have looked at it and the viewed the digital proof which I can only think is a way to save on paper to make sure everything is prefect. Well I like to think that any one of the books can stand on it’s own. Yes there are mistakes in each one of them I kinda like to think that they are like the mis woven threads in a Native American rug. The imperfections for rug show that we are not gods but mortal.
I seldom start writing philosophical for the blogs, I usually let the books do that for me because nobody wants to be preached at, especially from a comic book writer and artist.
But observation is what drives the art.
Transfers for both Misguided and the new additions for Johnny Vega, both slated for Pandora’s Garage Volume 5 are looking good. It is only working on Johnny that I am trying to go backwards capturing the flavor of the story that I worked on years ago. So far it’s been pretty cool.

Website is up and running

2008-09-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

The Website is up and running! YEA, Black Box Comix! You should come by and check it out when you get the chance. Also you have two new images one is the Black Box Banner the other is a jpeg for the second part of the Misguided story that I am currently working on for the fifth issue of Pandora's Garage. Talk about being busy! Whew!
So stop by www.blackboxcomix.net when you get the chance.

Johnny Images from 2 and 3

2008-08-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Updates for the latest of Black Box Comix. Well sports fans here ya go, the second issue of Johnny Vega - Man of the Future is on it’s way to the printer as we speak. The arrival of the burned disk is being waited on right but I have told that they are looking forward to seeing the book.
So I thought I would go ahead and post a few jpegs of the second issue and post a couple of the preliminary images being developed for the third issue. This is a very productive time for the Box. The third issue of Johnny Vega and the fifth issue of Pandora’s Garage as well could be a very good year.
My editor L. Rowan Watson has been pointing out that a small inexpensive web site availability is at hand and,I, for one will be looking at this new possibility for getting a presences up so people could take look and actually buy the books when they felt up to going on the web to buy.
So keep your fingers crossed for us!

New Images , new project

2008-08-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

These are new images that are going to be printed up later this year in either another copy of Pandora's Garage or a seperate book. But my goal is to make something that is being used much these days because of the process which it takes to make. Scratchboard is one of those mediums that isn't used much these days, 'cept maybe in Europe. It has a feel like old wood block printing and is perfectly suited to a horror story.
The Misguided story originally printed in Pandora's Garage Volume 3 was done more as a traditional black and white story. However this time I wanted it to take on a much different look and feel for what I was telling as a story. Hopefully, I will have this ready by the time October roles around.
Alan

New Cover, new book

2008-08-02T10:47:00.001-07:00

Well work on the second issue for johnny Vega is in final preparation for being sent off to Ka-Blam for printing. As with everything the internet is not a perfect thing and is not as intuitive as some tech heads might tell you. But regardless of this imperfect world as one of my heroes says, there it is. Johnny Vega makes the jump from drawn and digital to full digital. Oh yes there is still some of the actual hand drawn layouts being done for getting the feel of the story but everything else is digital.
The two covers here are some of the example of what I had to do "fix" issue two for the jump. Story wise the second issue cover in green was actually completed before the second issue was ever really done so there was mass amount of continuity errors in the illustration of Johnny and what is supposed to be a teaser for a reader to pick up the book. It'll never be a prefect process but it'll have to do until there can hardwire my brain to Photoshop CS whatever.

Images of the Independent's Day

2008-07-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I managed to get the photo images of the Puyallup Comic Show posted today after a small phone call from a Hobby Show taking place here in Portland.
Business wasn't much in the way of selling today but of course business cards took off from the table that I was asked to man. I was approached by a couple different people about the work. Especially questions dealing with the scratchboard work that I had out. One person was looking for information about hiring someone to work on illustrating a Biblical story. But of course I have seen this kind of thing before and I wasn't going to get roped just by a verbal agreement.
I’ve been working in the field long enough to know when I see somebody wanting something for free. And under the auspice of religion. Ain’t gonna happen.
Even minor illustration like thumbnails have to be compensated for the time worked.
I have found in my experience that people would like to own a piece or a group of illustrations want to reproduce at anytime they want without thinking about the proper payment to the artist for the use of their artwork.
If ya wanta play with out any kind of hassle from me, you gotta pay.
We’ll see what happens.
I won’t hold my breath.

News

2008-07-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hey there sports fans Al here with the latest!
Yesterday was a pretty successful day for Black Box Comix as a trip up to Washington state was nice and I got to met several new people in my kind of environment of creators some were interesting some were annoying or otherwise over sensitive as I have come to expect from other artists.
But all in all, it was a good day. Books that would have gone to other individuals most of whom are not returning customers at the comic shows made a major first move in getting the books out to people and places that I wouldn’t have thought having my books at.
Comic Evolution in Puyallup Washington was one of the most impressive comic shops I have ever been too. Well kept clean not at all cluttered like the shops that I have been going to down in Eugene. And on top of that Chuck Messinger the owner of the shop was one of the most gracious host I have had the chance to meet and get to know. I do believe that I will be going back to see him as long as he asks for me to come to his shop.
In other news:
Two new pages for issue number 2 of Johnny Vega. The digital work continues to keep going but at a slower pace than I had originally planned on. As it turns out it might be the end of July before I can get this book put to bed but it will be worth it I believe and on the horizon I see the continuation of The Misguided story line that I started in volume three of Pandora’s Garage in it’s own comic. Ultimately, I plan on having this story collected into a single large volume down the road but I have to have it edited first.
The last bit is a pic from the the Emerald City ComiCon. Yes it is true that I am looking a bit surprised in the pic by my friend Rizzo, but this show was a new experience for me. I don’t think that I am going to be heading back there until I am ready with more color comics in hand. Big main stream shows do better with color comics than black and whites and the opposite is true of independent comic shows like Stumptown. What I do see happening is that people like myself and others like Adam Watson of Darkslinger Comics, Jason Pott of NEOTrash Comix, and Travis Bundy of Thoughtbox Comics all are in a particular who all are dedicated creators who look at making comics as a lifestyle rather than a hobby which most people do for indy shows slapping kinko’s copies a few hours together and selling them.
But this topic opens up a can of worms that I am wanting to open up just yet.
Later, maybe.

Breaking Silence

2008-07-04T12:19:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the delay, I am usually much more on top of blogging and posting than I have been of recent times but the Fourth of July is allowing to making my own personal independence known.
So with that being said there sports fans, Al is here with the latest:
I have been busting my hump to get my comics done before then end of the month. I have a better idea about how long it will take me to put together a entirely digital comic book from here on out and how to put the thing together without the pit falls of the problems that I had problems with in the past with the previous four issues of Pandora’s Garage and the first issue of Johnny Vega.
So I have posted a few new images of the completed pages of issue # 2. Take a look and tell me what you think?
Now as the Johnny comes closer to being finished I have begun looking at the continuing workings of my horror story, “The Misguided.”
Tentatively, I am looking at having a portion of this work done and completed by the time October but things are still up in the air on this as to when exactly but I would like to have working copy more or less by the time Halloween roles around.
On top of that I have up loaded some images of issue 2 of Johnny Vega . So at least you all knew that I didn’t die or the company of Black Box Comix has fallen off the Earth.
On top of that myself and a few others from around the Portland area will be heading up to Puyallup, Washington this July 12th at Comic Evolution for a small (and hopefully) yearly show.
And that is it.

new images for JV #2

2008-06-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

This is right that i would have another image to post here since it's been a time since my last one. The page that you are looking at is that of page #11 of issue 2 of Johnny Vega- Man of the Future.
I felt that i should leave out a couple of images as I work on the book. I realized that if keep posting images all the time I would really have to make a comic book then would I?
After talking to Jason of NEO-Trash Comix, I realized that johnny might do better as a collected work than that of individual issues. Though I again I realized that if I do that I might have to re work the previous issue so it is along the same style as the last one I am currently working on.
This sounds a little George Lucas unfortunately but I think that in the case of Johnny, it might be a good idea.
Again consistency.

Marketing of comic books

2008-05-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

It’s not just enough to have a good looking product that people get excited about or the creator (like yours truly) getting excited about his or her work and that excitement being infectious like the andromeda Strain but knowing where different styles of work are going to work and sell.
You may have noticed that anybody can draw and create a comic book but most people don’t know any better. If you draw superhero books you don’t sell them at a Anime event.
That just never works.
And independent comic shows like Stumptown do better with black and white than they do with color.
I guess what I am trying to say is this know your show that you want to sell at.
If your company does both kinds of books, great. It shows to people over a period of time that you and your is very flexible to different interests.
And of course free stuff never hurts anyone.
If you are smart enough and have the finances to do it have a friend take a hand full of mini comics and walk around an event handing out these freebies to people who haven’t seen or know where your table is at.
I saw this happen while I was in Seattle this year. These guy had these black and white Kinko copies that were slapped together and selling them to vendors while sitting at their tables.
Unfortunately, I don’t like this kind of sales tactic. If it weren’t hard enough to make a sale to the passer by what makes a person think that I am going to pony up cash to buy your book? A bad way of doing it. If it were free on the other hand, you might have a chance.
And one thing I think is people like minis. They take up a small amount of space in a person’s collection. It is definitely a novelty, but it does perk up peoples interest.

New Work begins

2008-05-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Well as it turned out Seattle was a pretty good show but as always with a new venture things never quite go according to plan. This show was no different. Lots of people but not a lot of sales. That's ok though, made a lot of cool contacts and the my visibility is definitely being noticed. That's a good thing as far as I am concerned. That's tells the big guys that I am not going anywhere but to the top and they better start watching out for me and Vega!

How to Gage A Show

2008-04-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Well Stunmptown Comic Fest is now past you have to as a vendor wonder "how do you gage a successful show?". Well years ago if you had asked me I would have said that if you make the money back on your project and the cost of your table then you were heading in the right direction.
But now a couple of years in the business I realized that maybe that isn’t all and really if you think about that is very short sighted as well.
I sit back as I drink my coffee think of all the people who did stop by and picked up the business cards that I think I only have five of left. And the email list that grew like crazy and finally the REAL professionals that stopped by the table. The comments that most people wouldn’t have really heard because they were to excited by the fact that so and so is talking to me.
Long conversations with these people make me hopeful that artistic community will be soon joining has much to offer me and I hope that I can add a little spark to them.
I think I, we, had a VERY successful time. Now on to Seattle and unknown territory.

The Woes of Printing - part 2

2008-04-20T07:48:00.000-07:00

Today is one of those days when you wonder whether or not you made the right choice. And of course that statement is in reference to my digital printer back in Florida. Show has fallen in the valley in springtime and gives this moment great reflection.
I still really like the product that they put together but I think that if I were to plan far enough in advance have everything edited before I send off the burned CD of books and paying up front, (including shipping and handling I could still work with these guys.
But is the effort really worth it?
That's the question.
The Shows for both Stumptown and the Emerald City ComiCon will still go on but will the company? Lack of response to any question to reassure a vendor that “your books are on their way” is a bad way to run a business.
Hopefully for their part they get their act together and get this mess figured out.

The Process of Making Comix

2008-04-12T22:07:00.001-07:00

Well so true so true. I had simplified the process of making comics but today I had really broke down the process of making comic books with one notable exception, the initial spark for the story. That one is as hard as asking why there is air. It is one of the most common questions that any artist has been asked sitting behind a table.
But it is not the easiest to answer. How to make is a slightly better question.
At http://blackbox13.deviantart.com/ I went ahead and placed a number of images of how I make Johnny Vega, Man of the Future.
It’s a 13 step process but I am sure that there is a couple steps that I am missing. So please don’t hold me to this process just yet.
But I believe this closer than most other artist are willing to share with others.
I’m not afraid, ask away.
Isn’t that why we are all here?