NEWS: GHOST STORIES

In a bit of unfortunate news, Essex County Vol.2: Ghost Stories will be delayed about a month or so, due to some production and lettering issues. In the end, the book will be better for it, so thanks for your patience. Here's a quick preview of the cover art though...

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: RYAN OAKLEY

I'd like to talk about my good friend, the wellest-dressed chap in town, Ryan Oakley. Ryan is a dapper gent, a clever wit and above all, a fantastic writer. I've had the pleasure of reading Ryan's last novel TECHNICOLOR ULTRAMALL. I even did this cover illustrations for it. Set in the future, where the outside world has become uninhabitable, people have taken to massive indoor, multi-level structures, or malls. There are the Greens, the upper level, rich and privileged, the blues, the working class below, and then the reds, the lower levels, a swarming mass of ultra-violence, sex, drugs and mall gangs. Our hero Budgie, is in one such gang, the Jabberwocks, and is struggling with the lifestyle and the possibilities of getting out and moving up.

It's a visionary work, really. The thing is a slab of absolutely visceral brilliance. So, where can you buy this amazing novel? At your local Barnes and Noble? Why no...you can't buy this book, because it was never published. You see, the world of science-fiction publishing is a tiny, fickle, dying thing. There are fewer and fewer books being bought every year, thus fewer and fewer being published. And those that are being published are generally the safe "name" authors. The few sci-fi publishers left are loathe to take risks on unproven talent.

Now, in the world of comics, Ryan would have a clear solution to his dilemma. He could simply do what I did with my first book Lost Dogs, and self-publish, gain a bit of buzz and indy cred, then take his next book to TOR or whoever the fuck else still publishes sci-fi. But, you see in the world of "real books", self-publishing is a dirty, dirty word. Unlike the alt-comics scene, it does not carry any hipster cred, in fact, it kind of makes you into a sort of literary pariah. Only those who can't get published, self-publish. And if you haven't been published, you'll never get published. So to be quite frank, Ryan is fucked. He'll keep writing his brilliant fiction, with no real end game in site, because that's what real writers do...they write, no matter what. And, maybe a lucky few, like me. will get to read them. All of this seems quite shitty to me.

I don't know that there is a solution to any of this. The publishing world is clearly at a crossroads. Graphic novels are one of the few "genres" in book publishing that are currently growing. The rest is slowly dying off. The possibilities of online publishing and distribution are rich and full of potential, but still hasn't developed into any kind of valid, or cohesive form yet. Maybe Ryan's future lies here on the world wide web one day, as an Internet Literary Superstar and Fashionista. Or, maybe he should do what everyone else and their brother is doing and turn to writing comics...oh sorry "graphic novels" (or, maybe Ryan should write that historical fiction novel about his Irish Grandfather and the founding of The Donegal Express that I know he has in him, use that to get published, then go back to sci-fi? hint hint Ryan). I don't know where else this post is going, I guess I've blown off my steam, and made my point. And, you should all go to Ryan's blog. That's all.

COMIC REVIEW:

WOLVERINE #56: Jason Aaron + Howard Chaykin

Jason Arron is quickly making a case for himself as the best young writer in mainstream comics. His Viet Nam miniseries from Vertigo, THE OTHER SIDE was brilliant, and SCALPED is really taking off. And now, this one-off issue of Wolverine he did with the great Howard Chaykin. This is a brilliant done-in-one comic, one of those little gems you find now and then, where it's not part of any run, or long running storyline, just a great single issue of a comic (A rarer and rarer commodity in today's "writing for the trade" marketplace).



The set up is simple and dead cool; Someone has trapped Wolverine in a 30 foot pit, and an armed guard sits above with a machine gun firing into it every ten minutes to keep his healing factor from catching up, thus preventing him from escaping. To say anymore would ruin a great story. Chaykin's art is as visceral and brilliant as ever, and Arron's dialogue lives up to his wonderfully crafted, tight script.


This is a really satisfying read, which is something I can rarely say after sitting down and reading a monthly floppy. All in all a great little comic book. Highly recommended.

TCAF INFO

TCAF This Weekend

Jeffrery Brown, Brett Warnok and I will be signing, sketching at the Top Shelf booth at The Toronto Comics Art Festival this weekend.

I will also be selling a load of new paintings, my Tales From The Farm Cut-Out Dolls and this new print of the Justice League.

Coinicidentally, I have also launced an Online Store at jefflemire.com, selling all these things, and my original artwork from lost Dogs and Tales From The Farm!

Marvel Mania

Here a some of the paintings I did for the San Diego Con. I am now offering similar painting of your favorite superhero or comic character for $40 + shipping.

Just pay below, and email me with your request! I also accept cheques made out to Jeff Lemire. Each painting is 6"x8''. I'll upload more samples soon! I will also draw any characters from my own comics!

San Diego ReCap: Part1

Had an amazing weekend at the San Diego Comic Con with the Top Shelf crew. Got to meet some of my idols, like Eddie Campbell and Bill Sienkewicz, and I got to spend some quality time with my fellow Top Shelfers. The Affable Andy Hartzel, Dazzling David Yurkovich, Jumpin' Jeremy Tinder, Arresting Andy Runton, Rollicking Rob Vendetti, 'Mazing Matt Kindt, Battlin' Brett Warnok...ok, you get the point.




David Yukovich handed me some of his great alternative superhero comics, Death By Chocolate and Less Than Heroes. He also gave me his AMAZING BILL MANTLO retrospective book! This is a great read and really opened my eyes to one of Comocdom's often overlooked writers. I highly recommend it to all fanboys. David also does a killer Stan Lee impersonation which made the hours fly by in a fit of laughter.




Jeffrey Brown's Incredible Changebots is a must read as well. It's a fantastic and hilarious book! Jeffrey and I will be signing at the Top Shelf booth at TCAF August 18-19 in Toronto by the by.

And, of course there was spectacle...lots of freaky spectacle for all...