Thinking Out Loud: Update 7-21-26 (Patreon)

As I figured, the second printing of Nerd Inferno probably won't make it in time for either SDCC or my appearance at the Nomad event in Arizona this weekend. I have two copies I'm going to smuggle out there in my carry on luggage, along with a few copies of the Beasts of Burden Omnibus and Catacomb of Torment vol 1. Might also take a few Beasts comics. Depends on what I can safely fit in the luggage. I ordered an 11 x 17" portfolio that should arive tomorrow, and that should fit in my personal bag. If not, I'm taking an envelope of art/pages on the plane just to have something people can look at, since I won't have more than a small batch of books and a few pins. Maybe some Eltingville prints. I haven't really been able to work on any new small drawings to bring with me like I'd hoped. Lost too much time being sick. I am definitely not ready to go to Arizona on Friday. I still have a slight cough. I'm staying inside and avoiding Taylor Farms products so I don't get sick before the flight. Eating a lot of yogurt and dry toast lately. Boiled some eggs. I am a lazy cook.

Comics is such a glamorous industry, eh, folks?

I think Winky has an inkling that I'm going to be leaving again. I've started moving books and clothing around and I think she's figured it out. She's started biting me and that's usually a tell.

She bit me several times while I was doing a podcast interview today. I did another podcast interview last Friday. I'll let folks know when these are posted. I have a couple of other podcast invitations that I'm hoping to schedule next month.

A comics-adjacent project that I can't talk about recently took a step forward. Which doesn't mean all that much, but it didn't take a step backward, so, that's good. File under when/if.

A new comics-related project fell into my lap last week. Something else I can't talk about, at least not until an announcement is made. I tried to be smart for once and asked for extra time to work on it. It'll take me a week or two, I'm guessing.

The other stuff I can't talk about...I still can't talk about it. File under if/never.

I still have four pages to draw for some friends for their comics project. I've owed them the work for some time now. Will this be the year I finally catch up on old commitments? I sure as heck hope so, and I'm sure the people waiting for their drawings wish I'd get my act together on those.

I pushed back my latest script for Oni/EC's Catacomb of Torment. I'll juggle it in with the commission work after I get home on Sunday.

Speaking of commissions, I'm almost done with the inks for two music-related Milk & Cheese pinups I owe people. I think they're both color pieces. Then I have to get back on the third attempt a the Fugazi/Deadline cover reproduction, which is partially penciled. Then I've got M&C holding weapons while riding a panda and a polar bear. That one has tight sketches done that I need to punch up and lightbox before I add the other elements and do a tight pencil job to ink. I think there's two others and two trade pieces and I'll finally be caught up. I'm probably forgetting one or two that I owe people. I blame myself, and my brain.

I'm still hoping DHC will want me to do a signing at NYCC. but I haven't heard anything yet. It's SDCC season and that wrings people dry, I probably won't hear anything until September.

I quietly opened up my DMs on Instagram after shutting them down for a few months. So, that's started taking up some time again. I'm months behind on Tumblr messages, so many of the folks there wants me to comment on their art and that takes more time than answering questions. I answer what I can when I can. I have to say things are definitely starting to slow down on the Eltingville fandom front, which had to happen sometime. The book coming out kind of feels like a cap on things, because there aren't any other stories coming out. Nerd Inferno is the end-all. I'm enjoying the attention while it lasts.

I better go to sleep, or try to go to sleep, because I have to be up early on Friday. I'm stressing the flight, not horribly, but there are enough butterflies in my stomach to keep me awake the last few days. I'm not looking forward to the flight, but I am looking forward to seeing folks in Arizona on Saturday.

Good night, folks!

(Image above: from the Forest Hills Comic Con, me trying to remember how to draw Bart and Homer Simpson from memory. Not so good! It's been a long time since I drew anything for Bongo, all I remembered for sure was that Bart has nine points of hair on his head.)