Once again, it’s time to GO APE. My favourite San Francisco comics-show will be held this coming weekend at the CONCOURSE EXHIBITION CENTER. I will be exhibiting there, at table #108, flanked by friends on either side; John Hoffman will be at #107 (with his crew; Kris Pearn and Craig Berry) while Michael Aushenker and Javier Hernandez will be at #109. Not to mention the fact that TONS of other friends will be exhibiting at the show too.

Now that Wondercon will be moving to Anaheim in 2012, not only is APE San Francisco’s coolest comics show, it’s the ONLY comics-show left in town, at least until 2013 when Wondercon may return. In the meantime, I hope to see you this weekend!

 

On January 7th, 1991 I arrived in San Francisco and, a few days later, I showed up to work on what I thought would be an 8 month job at an animation studio called Colossal Pictures… I still cannot quite believe that THIS week marks my TWENTY YEAR anniversary of living and working here in this wonderful city.

I had already visited San Francisco in 1988 as a tourist (back-packing my way across the USA, Canada, Mexico and South America) and I remember well that this city was one of those that actually made me stop and think “I’d like to live here someday”. It was a happy turn of fate that led me back here again a few years later but something more than that has kept me here all this time since.

Put simply, I fell in love with this place. Initially, the reason may have been that I was ready to stop moving and anywhere at all would do. I had just spent the previous 5 years-straight living out of a backpack, always in places where I could barely understand the language. So it’s not hard to see why I grabbed onto San Francisco with both hands; just the fact that I could have conversations with strangers (and perhaps make friends with them) was such a pleasant change after struggling to make myself understood in Europe, South America and Asia.

But more than that, from day-one, I felt that I “fit in” here, in this city of misfits. So much so that I have spent more time in this city than any other place on earth, including my own home town. And the obvious reason is that I feel more at home here than any of the many places I have been to (and I have been to a LOT of places). In this city of weirdos and outcasts a foreigner can feel at home.

This town has given me the absolute best moments of my career and some of its worst disappointments. I have made more true friends here than in any of the many places in the world I have lived in and, largely due to their inspiring example, it was here that I finally sat down and created personal projects for MYSELF rather than for THE MAN. This is the town where I fell in love, had my heart broken only to be mended so that I could fall in love again.

Of course, a lot can happen in a span of twenty years and most of these experiences may have happened anyway, had I lived someplace else instead. But I am so very glad that they happened to me here, in SAN FRANCISCO.

 

Whatever the philosophy you choose to celebrate with at this special time of year, I hope that it is a joyous season for all of you.

 

Here is an AD I made for the PROGRAM GUIDE of the CTN ANIMATION EXPO that I will be exhibiting at next week, (Friday, 19th through Sunday, 21st of November) down in Burbank.

This is only the second time that they’ve held this event, and I was at the very first show too, though as an attendee, not as an exhibitor. There were some very interesting seminars and panels which I enjoyed, not to mention the fact that I met people from just about every phase of my career (and some new people too) so it was fun from start to finish.

I was tempted to go as an attendee again this time around too, because as an exhibitor it is hard to attend the panels and so forth (plus I can’t sleep in!) But, in the end, I thought I’d give exhibiting a try. I have been meaning to do more shows each year, so why not this one, which is focussed on the community that I work in? I am very much looking forward to it.

A TON of friends will be also exhibiting this year; Patrick Awa, Maverix, Ghostbot, Jim Capobianco and more. A MAP of all the exhibitors is online HERE. It isn’t too late to get tickets, and if you quote the code BAKRX10 there is a discount.

I hope to see you all there!

 

Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween, everyone!

Sep 012010
 

After a long, long hiatus I’ve recently been fiddling around with some HTML again, and trying to learn about Web-design developments (such as JQuery) since the last time I gave a hoot about such things…. My main goal is to help Julia modify her site (more on that later) but it reminds me that it’s been a long time since I’ve updated my own (apart from posting in this here blog). I’d really like to do a total overhaul but I’ve found that re-designing a website is just another time-suck keeping me away from doing my own artwork.

So, as a compromise, I have updated my ARTWORK section with a few year’s worth of artwork that has been posted here in my blog.

 

Last weekend was jam-packed with fun-ness, including a trip to the fabulous MAKER FAIRE.

I may have found my new favourite arts festival. It is a tasty blend of Comic Con, Burning Man, a crafts fair and ROBOT WARS all rolled into one. If (like me) you are intrigued by the creativity at Burning Man but would gladly forgo all the nudity, sunburn (and burnouts) then this show might be for you. There are Fabulous bands, home-made robots, indie comics, steam punk machinery buffs and just about every thing creative that you can imagine, all with a focus on the DIY. This fantastic show is only 5 years old and it started here in the Bay Area (at the San Mateo showgrounds) and now there are Maker Faires springing up all over the place; Austin, Detroit, New York and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Rather than only taking place in one big, air-less barn of a building (like any comics show I have been to) the Maker Faire happens both inside pavilion buildings and outside in the sunshine. There are plenty of crowds but there is also the means to get away from them and sit down outside, have a snack and STILL be immersed in the experience, while all manner of weird and wonderful things pass you by. A girl driving a cup-cake car. A man operating a walking spider vehicle. A giant cardboard robot. A JULES VERNE Penny-Farthing bicycle. A steam-powered jalopy or a parade of punky kids on their souped-up bicycles.

We only went for one of the two days, but could easily have done another day without repeating ourselves. Part of me wants to exhibit at this show next time, but a larger part wants to just go and attend, to take in all the sights rather than be stuck behind a booth. But whatever happens, I will definitely be there NEXT year and so should you!

Oct 192009
 

Over the past few months, I have formulated a bunch of ideas for mini-comics and longer stories, all in various stages of completion. Just last week it occurred to me that I needed to get something in production for APE. Here is the KAT & TELLY mini comic I made for this Year’s Alternative Press Expo, which happened this past weekend.

After a few days of wondering which idea to actually do (a common problem for me) I started drawing KAT & TELLY in earnest on Tuesday morning (based on some drawings and ideas that had been frying in the brain-pan for sometime) and finally finished the last drawing in the wee small hours of Saturday morning. I had intended to print the books myself at home but, as the sun rose on Saturday morning, that plan was aborted due to yet another bout of printer trouble (the combination of a prima donna printer and a procrastinating cartoonist has been fatal for many CON projects in the past).

Thankfully, I was able to run down to the copy place a few blocks away, and get this mini printed out in a matter of minutes (on my own paper) and then hop a cab to the con, where folding and stapling completed the package in time for the minis to go on sale at 11 am.

This year, Rhode was unable to be a part of the show as he is out of town. However, he had already left a stash of his product at my place here in SF and I was able to load a stripped down inventory of both his and my stuff onto ONE luggage dolly and get it all to the show myself. Rhode’s pal Paul was able to help out with manning the booth.

UPDATE:
the book itself is online HERE: