Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Even more half pencils/half inks from 'The Wildwood Days of Doo Wop' !..

One from 67' and one from 68' are both on my plate!..

Check out these two works in progress - as half pencils and half inks can only do justice!..

I'm normally drawing two to three comic pages at once for this next graphic novel feature and at this point, I've drawn over 100 motels.. and I'm not done yet!..

There really were so many of these motels (seems to be well over 300 at one point) in Wildwood,New Jersey when I was young, that I can't remember them all.. So, to discover new ones that no longer exist has been the most thrilling.

A dream project it is, with being a joy to produce and research this personally felt historic subject for nearly two years, I'm also planning on having a very special component to it (finger's crossed and more on that later). For now, enjoy these two pages as you are taken back to a special time and place via ink and pencil!.. More soon.. stay tuned and a happy new year to you!..

Thursday, November 14, 2019

More previews from 'The Wildwood Days of Doo Wop' graphic novel!..

The fun hasn't stopped with creating this venture, as I'm enjoying so much of the research with the reading I've done on the movement, and Wildwood's beautiful significance to Doo Wop vocal groups and the early artists (and architects) of rock n' roll. I'm very lucky to be creating this in 2018/19/20, as there's enough enjoyable and credible material to cite from. Plus, the architecture.. is such a fun thing to draw!..

Enjoy these previews of what's becoming a 70+ full-color monster of fun!.. 

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Promo from 'The Wildwood Days of Doo Wop' graphic novel!..

Here's a promotional piece I'm designing in conjunction with a few others, for the 'The Wildwood Days of Doo Wop' graphic novel. It's been a pleasure to learn about the various acts that made Wildwood such a diverse town for music. One of them, was of course, Philly born Bobby Rydell.

 I've had a blast going through his body of work and you can definitely tell he loved Wildwood, New Jersey in his music. He just recently, and in his seventies, performed in Wildwood again this September.

The most fun about making an architectural comic book, is finding the thematic cultural connection between the time period and the structure. Though this promo is more on the fictional end, the elements are still bound in the non-fiction - as the Cardinal Motel once had a rainbow in it's sign design (today it's more modern), Bobby Rydell's lyrics match it just right. Most certainly a Wildwood night bird, singing in the night as a cardinal bird might!..


Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Half pencils/half inks from 'The Wildwood Days of Doo Wop'!.. // Seattle's Pinball Zine, Skill Shot Reviews 'Destroy Centaur'

Seattle's Pinball Zine, Skill shot (Issue #54 - June 2019) - http://www.skill-shot.com/ has given it's review of the latest Bombshell Comics release, 'Destroy Centaur' and overall, it's a nice review, calling it "a pleasantly strange comic book.." and that, "..if you're a fan of the pin, you will love Destroy Centaur!.." 

Pages from the Wildwood Days of Doo Wop continue to be produced.. I'm somewhere in the 40 pages range right now, and plan to go in to the 70's in page length and era of Doo Wop Architecture from Wildwood. The period of Doo Wop architecture doesn't really get going until 1956, but the movement goes strong all through the 1960's and Wildwood becomes filled with hundreds of these unique resort Motels that I cannot wait to share through my storytelling. 

Hotel Seipp eventually becomes The Tides Inn..

The book thus far, has been a journey of discovery and investigation. The research needed to fulfill the drawings AND the factual information worthy of being published can be tricky, and certainly, time consuming.. but I am having so much fun. Summer 2020 is my goal for a release date.. with more surprises to come.  Keep checking back when you can!..

The Flame Inn and The Binns Motor Inn were/are pre-Doo Wop architecture.

Thursday, January 31, 2019

M.W.F. # 9 // The Wildwood Days of Doo Wop // Going back to Nebraska!..

It's a been a little bit since a posting.. Big surprise.. Anyway.. I'm working away on some projects, and wanted to give a little preview behind them!..

As Misfit Wrestling Federation #7 is submitted to comixology.. I'm continuing working on issue #9, which is coming along steadily. This issue will juggle all sides of the plot that I've had going with the story, so I'm excited as it will be pretty well-rounded and will also contain a unique flashback motif for the Bald-Headed Freak that I'm really excited about.

 My next full-colored feature, as I've previewed in previous posts, is 'The Wildwood Days of Doowop'. An over-sized, historically based book on one of the birthplaces of Rock N' Roll and a place I vacationed at as a youngster with my family - Wildwood, NJ.

This feature has really brought about some great challenges for me in terms of drawing architecture and environment - The most unique shapes make up these buildings and finding new perspectives beyond my postcard references have been a challenge I've really enjoyed. I have quite a bit to go on it (I'm on page 29), as there are (or were) so many Doowop motels and hotels in Wildwood, it's astounding.. I'm not looking to draw them all, but I'm willing to draw all the worthy ones.. which, are quite a lot. So far, most of them are fitting 2-up per page and are assembled according to their release date, chronologically.. and it wouldn't be a Doowop comic book without the music, so there's a good amount of that that's also contained.


The last bit of news I'm willing to share here is that I'm going to be returning to Nebraska to re-release 'December 3rd, 1967: An Alien Encounter' alongside of another special object dedicated to Herbert Schirmer's U.F.O. encounter. More on that and the date, soon!..