The Cheese Log

NYC Comic Jam 10th Anniversary Jamboree

2011-07-27T15:46:00.001-07:00

AUGUST 2001: You remember those halcyon days of innocence, don’t you? The world was at relative peace. Comics were still printed on paper. And “blog” was just a funny word you said once when you were high. It was into this world, at that very time, that the NYC Comic Jam was born!

YOU’RE INVITED TO CELEBRATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MIGHTY NYC COMIC JAM!

Things have changed a lot over the last decade, so we’re proud to say that the Jam has ever remained a stalwart stewpot of good fellowship, merriment, and graphic depictions of sentient genitalia. See how fast you can abuse the drink specials! Test your mad skillz on the Jam Wall! Hobnob, mingle, get down and have fun as we pat our ten year old prodigy on the head and tell it that we love it in spite of itself!

Saturday August 6th, 2011, 8 p.m. at
Jack Demsey's Pub,
36 West 33rd Street, downstairs
Free to attend, but tip your waitresses, please.

As always slightly more info and stuff at http://www.nyccomicjam.com

Please share this invite will all your friends, the more the merrier.

Production Blooog#1

2011-02-15T12:55:00.001-08:00

Lately I've been thinking, since I've turned the main site into a blog, there's no real reason to keep this one. But, I need a crutch to get me past my recent OCD attacks that leaves me stuck in front of the Playstation for a week (damn you, Yakuza 3). For years I've been thinking I needed something to kick me in the ass, a production journal that might shame me into working more. A project to help focus my projects. So, here it comes, The Cheese Log.

Hollow Earth, Chapter 2, Preproduction.

Our story starts a few weeks back: I'm starting to plot out the second chapter of the House of Twelve story, Richard Sharver and the Hollow Earth, for issue four of the digital comic, House of Twelve Monthly/Quarterly.

In the story so far, our hero, Pennsylvania steel worker Dick Sharver has been visited by the mental projection of a creature living deep within the Earth. Calling himself BooBeri, the alien tells Dick that his race has been enslaved by the fat, evil, naked, blue baddies the Fearo, and that it's up to Dick to come rescue them.

This second chapter has Dick starting his trip in his 1965 Impala. He stops for supplies and has more discussions with his new, inner-alien pal on the way to the state park he has been told to search for an entrance into the Hollow Earth realm. Sounds simple enough, no serious action, maybe a few gags, and mostly more exposition about the two characters. But then, of course, comes actually doing it.

I started out sketching some page layouts, deciding where I want the page beats and how long the story's going to be to fit all the ideas (or at least most) that I have in my head. Along the way I edit out some bad ideas, add worse ones, and add the bad ones back, smoke a lot of cigarettes and get drunk a few times. It takes about 2-3 weeks to get a first draft outta me.

There's no real script at this point, but some ideas scribbled onto the page layouts. I used to be much more formal when coming up with scripts, I would spend years tweaking scripts, making sure everything was perfect. That was a huge mistake. In the end it cost me several ideas that were eventually done by other people (fuck you, Kick-Ass) and I would work on things over and over until I hated them, thus losing interest. For me it's better to keep moving forward, if I get stuck in the mud I'll lose it.

As I looked at the layouts, I began worrying about the car Dick drives, the Impala. It's in nearly a quarter of the panels and like a lot of comic artists I know, I can't draw a car to save my life. I don't know why it's always cars, but I can think of 5-10 'name' guys who can draw a Jem'Hadar fighter from memory, but can't draw a Datsun. Fucked up, I know, but true.

This was one of the main motivators behind me buying the full (EX) version of Manga Studio. Unlike Manga Studio Debut (which I recommend you try because it's dirt cheap) MS-EX has the ability to import 3D models and place them on pages as line art. Thanks to Google's Sketch Up 3D warehouse, I was able to find the exact year and model of the car I wanted. It took some finagling to get the file into a format MS-EX could read, but once it imported correctly it's worked like a charm.

After the model is imported I can move it around in the space using any angle I want, even modifying the camera to distort the image and create some pretty dynamic perspective options. When placed, I can convert it into a blue-line sketch, add in what other elements are in there and use that as a guide for a finished pencil layer, ready for inking. After futzing with it for a a couple of weekends, it all ended up working a lot better then I had ever expected it to.

The next thing I was concerned about was getting details about the period setting right — storefronts, highways and clothing especially. I needed to do some research. Flash to 1985: Little Cheese is talking with his illustrator grandfather about how artists should keep image libraries. File cabinets of magazine clippings, newspaper photos, archives of reference material, entire rooms dedicated to having the right picture of the Colosseum for the whatever job may arise. For a time in the 80s and 90s I tried to keep one myself, before too long it was more then a little unwieldy. Flash to 1995: My first real access to the internet. Flash to 10 minutes later: Me throwing each and scrap of my archive out.

With very little Google-Fu, within an hour I found some dude's collection of high resolution scans of postcards of the Pennsylvania turnpike (circa 1964), an entire group of women scanning clothing catalogs from Sears and J.C. Penny's from the mid-sixties (cross-referenced by model and designer, this was some OCD super-nerd shit going on here), and piles of photos focusing on the rise of the strip mall throughout the rust belt.

Now, I was ready to actually draw the fucker.

To be continued!

February 2011 Comic Jam

2011-02-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

One regular jam before our big Jam Announcement! Bring your pencils and your burnable love notes to:

The NYC Comic Jam!

This Thursday, February 3rd. 7 pm until Drunk

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 W. 33rd street, downstairs

NYC

http://www.nyccomicjam.com

Finally, House of Twelve Monthly #3 is being released

2011-01-03T15:52:00.000-08:00

Hey, look! Another House of Twelve Monthly is coming out January 12th, 2011! Sweet!

That's right, issue #3 of Ho12's ongoing anthology series explodes onto the Comics app by Comixology (available for your idevice or on the web! Now available for Android too! But I have no idea how to link to their app marketplace!).

This issue kicks off with the continuation of Miss Lasko-Gross' epic sci-fi story, "Henni," (which first appeared in Ho12#1) in which our freethinking, native monkey-girl learns more about her oppressive society, and her place in it. Then, Sam Henderson's Robot Duck from outer space has some questions on human sexuality that need answering, immediately. Also, Darryl Ayo redefines superhero teams with, "Ghost," and we close out this month with Xeric winner Nick Jeffrey retelling a harrowing tale of midwestern terror with gags; all wrapped in a lovely Dave McKenna cover. It's really a nice package.

Also available for $1.99 is the beautiful House of Twelve #2 with stories by Fred Noland, David Paleo, Dave McKenna, Kate Lacour and Cheese Hasselberger.

And as our gift to you this holiday season, starting next week, House of Twelve Monthly #1 will be FREE!!

So you really have no excuse not to sign on to Comics.comixology.com and check it out.

House of Twelve Monthly #3 can be yours next week for the low, low price of $1.99.

Check out more samples after the jump.

NYC Comic Jam - January 2011

2011-01-03T15:48:00.000-08:00

Start out the year right by coming out and drawing some dick jokes!

January 6th, 7 pm

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 W. 33rd St., downstairs

Speed Painting Master Angouleme 2010 HD

2010-12-23T14:10:00.000-08:00

Boners.

Special Holiday Announcement

2010-12-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

With the immanent release of House of Twelve #3 via Comixology's Comics app — and because we love you — we here at Team 12 Headquarters have a special holiday gift for everyone, House of Twelve Monthly #1 is available for the low, low cost of absolutely free.

Take this opportunity to check out some of the great comics running in each and every issue if House of Twelve. Issue #1 features stories by award winning cartoonists like Miss Lasko-Gross, Sam Henderson & K. Thor Jensen along with longtime webcomics fan-favorite, Darryl Ayo.

Available right now on the web and on the Comics App for the iDevice of your choice.

Ho-Ho-Ho, 2010 Holiday Jam

2010-11-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

That's right, my lovelies, it the time of the year to share some joy! And what better way to do that then to skip shopping for a night and get shitty drunk in a basement while drawing booger jokes!?! Come one, come all to America's favorite comic jam, the NYC Comic Jam.

Thursday, Dec. 2, 7 pm - 11ish

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd, downstairs

Bring your pencils and your thirst for adventure, beers.

November NYC Comic Jam - B-day Edition

2010-10-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

Hey, another NYC Comic Jam is in the works for Thursday, November 4th, 2010, 7 pm - 11ish @ Jack Demsey's, 36 W. 33rd St., Downstairs

For nine years, The NYC Comic Jam has gathered the best from New York's indie comics community to get drunk and draw comics. The jam continues the long tradition of cartoonists being misanthropic fiends who are only able to stand other cartoonists. It's a place to showcase your funny bone or just sit in and watch the live-action cartoonery. Invite your friends! Free to attend, but please tip your waitresses.

November is always a special occasion because it's not only my birthday week, but also Jam regulars Dave McKenna and Marc Wilkofski's B-days as well. Come on out and get help us get our old man jam on.

Hey, do me a favor and click on one of the little share links under this post and invite your pals, the more the merrier!

Check out samples and other fun Jam facts over at the new NYC Comic Jam site: http://www.NYCcomicjam.com/

NYC Comic Jam - October 2010

2010-10-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

I was out of town and wasn't able to update this until now, but yes, there is a NYC Comic Jam this Thursday. Come on out and get shitty with a bunch of like minded drunk cartoonists.

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010 - 7pm

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 W. 33rd Street, in the basement (or in the attic, depending)

Check out the newly revamped http://www.nyccomicjam.com or our fabulous Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/Houseof12

UPDATED! We had four people call out sick last week, (and by "call out sick" I mean, "went ro other NYCC parties." Which in truth, I understand), so we rescheduled for this week. So there's no other conflicts this week, so come on out and dip your feet in the cool, sorta-greenish Jam waters.

Ho12 Monthly #2 emerges!

2010-09-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Holy Shit, it's actually out!

That's right folks, after a nearly summer-long series of "discussions" with the powers that be, House of Twelve Monthly #2 is actually available for your viewing pleasure. You can get the new issue two ways. You can get the e-book for your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad through the app, Comics (by Comixology, Inc), it's sort of an itunes for comic books. Once in the app, click on browse, and type House of Twelve into the search bar. Or you can now purchase the title through Comixology's new web based comic reader (Direct link here). Issue number two is over 70 digital 'pages' and costs a measly $1.99.

Ho12 Monthly#2 is an amalgam of two separate issues, combined to make one super-sized, super-awesome, super-nerdy extravaganza containing stories by Kate Lacour, Fred Noland, David Paleo, Cheese Hasselberger and Dave McKenna. Adventures a-plenty in this massive installment; explore the hidden lives of licensed properties to a look into a wondrous world beneath your feet.

Now go out and buy this goddamn thing, and remember to rate it!

Cheese

Oh, here are some samples...

From Dave McKenna's Creeple

From kate Lacour's McThology

From Fred Noland's Big Green

From David Paleo's I Haunted My Mother's Womb:

From Cheese's Richard Sharver and the Hollow Earth:

NYC Comic Jam - September 2010

2010-08-28T12:46:00.001-07:00

Hey there folks, the next Jam is scheduled for Thursday, September 2, 7pm at Jack Demsey’s (36 w. 33rd, NYC). We’re penciled in for our usual basement room, but keep in mind that this time of year we often get pushed up to the Attic room, so if you don’t see us, double check! As always, check out the Facebook page and RSVP so I have an estimate to tell the bar. Weeeee!

Facebook Event Page

Ho12Monthly#2 Cover Production

2010-08-04T01:17:00.000-07:00

For the cover of Ho12Monthly#1 I posted a little "How I Did This" series of pics and descriptions and people liked it so I figured I do it again for the second issue's cover.

When we first did the book I had a different cover in mind, I even finished one (as seen in this previous post) but as things progressed and I saw more contributors stories it became evident the book needed a nicer cover (the old one got cut down and is now the issues back cover).

For inspiration I looked to Dave McKenna's story which featured a Pterodactyl and Fred Noland's story which has a decidedly environmental theme. With the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I figured a mash-up of these ideas would make a funny, yet poignant mix.

I started out with some doodles I did in Dave McKenna's sketchbook while manning the table at an indie comic show in New Haven, CT.

Then we went to Louie's Lunchbox and got cheeseburgers.

We enjoyed them very much.

Afterwards, I did a larger sketch in my own book, took a snapshot of it with my iphone and laid down some color ideas.

That same day, Kevin Colden and I were talking about the program Manga Studio and how much he liked it. I found it on sale at Amazon for $2o (I had $20 in credit from pre-ordering Red Dead Redemption, making it essentially free) so I picked it up. It arrived few days later so i plugged in the Wacom and started playing around with it. I first did a sketch of the cover on it, then cleaned up that in a blue line layer.

Manga Studio has some pretty great inking tools in it, I gotta admit, I'm pretty smitten with it.

Not knowing how to use the color system in MS, I imported the inked sketch into photoshop as layers and colored the bitch.

That came out swell, but I still needed to do the background. I started looking up some photo reference for the ocean, clouds and oil rigs.

I chose this ocean pic from someone's wallpaper site.

This shot from above the clouds from some random girl's photostream (I then flipped it upside down)...

and was freaking astounded to find actual photos of an oil rig exploding. The guy had a whole set of these, from a little smoke to full blow BLAMMO!

I guess that happens more often then anyone would like to tell you. Crazy!

Anywho, I combined them in photoshop and turned the tolerance way up, getting a rough idea of what I wanted.

I then sent it over to Manga Studio and made a blue line layer out of it.

I used that as a guide and inked the background straight over it.

That came out pretty sweet!

I had been playing with the color tools in Manga Studio a bit by then and tried my hand at coloring it there, getting some pretty good results, especially on the top half. One thing I couldn't figure out was on the ink layer the program treats white areas as a opaque, creating large parts of the bottom half I couldn't color correctly. Phooey!

Suffice to say, it was back into photoshop where I was able to finish the coloring, add a gradation to the rig explosion and some shading to the cloud layer. Sadly I didn't think to keep copies of any of this, sorry folks.

After a few finishing touches I merged the fore and backgrounds, dropped in the Ho12 Logo and bing-bang-boom, ladies and gents, we have a cover.

It maybe took four hours start to finish for the foreground image, about three hours to research and draw the background, another two to figure out the color for the BG and maybe another hour to combine it all and call McKenna and get his opinion. So we're looking at about 10 hours total from doodle to finished piece. I'm sure I could have cut that by two hours if I had a better understanding of Manga Studio, I still don't know what half the buttons and do-dads actually do. Oh, and Smith Micro (makers of MS) what the fuck? No eyedropper? Shiiiiiiit. I hear there's a plug in that has it, I gotta look that up, taking crib-notes on an RGB slider scale over what colors I'm using is a suckas game.

The whole book should be available in a few weeks via Comixology's Comics app for the iDevice of your choice. It's packed with great stuff from David Paleo, Kate Lacour, Fred Noland, Dave McKenna and myself. These things just get better and better looking as we go along. I'm really proud of this one, I hope you all like it as much as I do.

NYC Comic Jam ninth Anniversary - Aug. 5th

2010-07-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

Come one, come all to the latest NYC Comic Jam. For nine years, The NYC Comic Jam has gathered the best from New York's indie comics community to get drunk and draw comics. The NYC comic jam continues the long tradition of cartoonists only being able to stand other cartoonists. It's a place to showcase your funny bone or just sit in and watch the live-action cartoonery.

Thursday, Aug. 5th - 7 pm - 11ish

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd St., NYC

In the basement

Get more information at our facebook page or on our still under construction website revamp: http://www.newyorkcomicjam.com

So, what's the story on Ho12monthly#2???

2010-07-29T10:44:00.001-07:00

Hey, that's a good question. Here's the deal. After about 2 months of back and forth with the powers that be, we've finally gotten the go ahead for issue #2! The book will be a supersized spectacular featuring new work from five great artists: Kate Lacour, Dave McKenna, David Paleo, Fred Noland and myself. You can expect it in about 2-3 weeks via Comixology's Comics app (would have been sooner, but I've been bed-ridden with the flu all week).

Here's a peek at the cover, I'll do a whole post on this next week...

New York Comic Jam - July 1st

2010-06-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

D for effort.

Once more, my brothers, once more we cast ourselves into the night in search of spirits and ahrrrt. We shall start our hunt at Jack Demsey's Pub, where in the basement we shall find a murder of nerds, scribbling away making penis and flatulence jokes by the bushel. It is, the New York Comic Jam! Come one, come all — experience the thrill of live comic book action, the likes that have never been seen before!

Thursday, July 1, 7 pm - 11ish

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd Street, in the basement

New York

Bring your pencils, pens and snuff!

New website coming soon!

The Real Deal Rides again

2010-06-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

In about 1996 (97?) I went to the secret indie cartoonists beach party at the San Diego comic con, it was pretty good, big fire, beers, etc. While there someone came running over waving around a book asking if anyone had ever seen it before. It was a copy of The Real Deal. "Of course," I told them, "Fuck Berlin, The Real Deal is the best comic in America!" I was told moments later that Jason Lutes, creator of Berlin, was standing behind me. To this day I stand by that statement.

About five years ago I got in touch with one of the creators, RD BONE and eventually exchanged a few emails with them about getting some issues to sell at cons, he claimed most of them were destroyed by a flood some a few years earlier, but he'd look around. I never heard back and Ho12 books got in the way and I never fully pursued it, much to my disappointment.

In 2008 the guys over at ComicsComics got a hold of Real Deal co-creator Lawrence Hubbard, and started selling the books at shows and the response has been unbelievable, people love the Real Deal.

last week at the Los Angles event, Art in Time, Johnny Ryan got up on stage and interviewed Hubbard about the Real Deal story and the comicscomicsmag.com guys taped the whole thing. It's pretty great, check it out...

L.A. Rumble

In the interview Hubbard mentions that he's revamped the RD website, which I encourage you to go to and spend, spend, spend. He claims if there's enough of an interest issue 7 & 8 mightsee the light of day, which would be a dream come true. He also says he might do the Small Press Expo in September, at which Ho12 is a regular exhibitor. If that's true, I'm fucking psyched.

www.realdealcomix.com

UPDATE:

Here's a video of the discussion.

On a lighter note, it's JAM week, Bub.

2010-06-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's the first week of the month and you know what that means... It's jam time! Wheeeeeee!

Thursday, June 5th, 2010

7 pm - 11 pm

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd Street, in the basement

New York, NY

Be sure to check out the Facebook page for updates, events, discussions and up to the second House of Twelve news.

Victor Cayro vs. Apple S&P

2010-06-01T12:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a funny story, remember last week when I said that Ho12 Monthly was coming out? Yeah, well that didn't happen, crazy! Seems Apple Standards and Practices has a problem with Victor Cayro's story, The Mazk, and we're going to have to cut it from the issue.

I can't say I'm too pleased with this. Apple has a rule about comics depicting torture, which I understand, and agree with. I think they're trying to avoid something like the Human Centipede in comic form. I get that, but Victor's story is like Bugs Bunny for adults. In Cayro's story the main character is forced to strip and lick his own blood off of a car's bumper. Technically, these are acts performed under duress, which would classify them as torture, but taken in the context of the whole piece, it's a little silly to call it that.

I've been Victor Cayro's publisher for about five years and I understand that his work can be jarring to people. It's often disturbing, violent, overtly sexual and grotesque — and that's the point. He sees the world for what it is and he doesn't suffer fools who would candy-coat it, mocking them openly through a palette of pop-culture references and day-glow colors. He is, I believe, the finest artist working in comics today and it's a shame Apple has chosen to reject the strip.

Nonetheless, we will suffer on, Cayro will have another story in three months and we'll just have to cross our fingers that it'll meet Apple's muster. In the meantime, Ho12 Monthly #2 will be out ASAP with new stories from Kate Lacour and myself, as well as some selections from the Ho12 archives.

Here is Victor's story in it's final form. Torture porn, meaningless masturbation, or none to subtle social commentary?

Ho12 Monthly #2 coming this week!!!

2010-05-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ho12Monthly#2 cover by Cheese

Here we go again, House of Twelve Monthly #2 will be out on Comixology's Comics app Thursday! This month's issue features art from Kate Lacour, Victor "Bald Eagles" Cayro and yours truly, Cheese. Here's some samples...

Kate Lacour investigates the socio-political landscape

of McDonaldland in her Earth-shattering exclusive report, 'McThology.'

I made the mistake of trying to choose a single panel or sequence

of Bald Eagle's story, 'The Mazk!'

That turned out to be futile, so here's a whole page.

These dudes are The Feero, the main baddies in my new ongoing series, 'Richard Sharver and the Hollow Earth.'

All this and more await you in the May issue of House of Twelve Monthly, available Thursday, May 27 for your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad exclusively through Comixology's free comic reading app, Comics.

2010-05-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

Come one, come all to the latest Ho12 Comic Jam. For nearly nine years, Team 12 has gathered together every month and followed or creed, "Get drunk, Draw comics." Usually held the first Thursday of every month, the Ho12 comic jam continues the long tradition of cartoonists only being able to stand other cartoonists. It's a place to showcase your funny bone or just sit in and watch the live-action cartoonery.

Thursday, May 6th 2010: 7:00
Jack Demsey's Pub
36 West 33rd, in the basement
New York, NY
Just down the block from Jim Hanley's Universe.

Join our fabulous facebook page.

Ho12 Monthly #2 coming soon.

2010-04-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, but my aforementioned vacation threw a wooden shoe into my comic making schedule so I'm a little behind on House of Twelve Monthly #2. My bad, please accept my sincere apologies. Give me a week or so and we'll be back on track.

Issue 2 features new work from K. Thor Jensen, Kate Lacour, Victor 'Bald Eagles' Cayro and of course, Cheese. Here's a peek from my story, Richard Sharver and The Hollow Earth!

It's been a while since I've worked in color, I gotta admit, I'm having a blast coloring this stuff. I am a wacom addict.

Whew!

2010-04-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

Team 12 Shogun and all-around sweet dude, Cheese, poses with a fan in Kobe, Japan.

It's been a busy couple of weeks around Chateau le Twelve, I got engaged while on vacation in Japan, House of Twelve Monthly was released on April 1st and got at least one decent review so far (link), House of Twelve #5: Touching Children's Stories came in second for anthology of the year on ComicCritique.com (Miss and Frank are also mentioned in other parts of the 'best of' list, check out the whole thing), on top of all that we went to MoCCA and there's the delayed April Ho12 Comic Jam this week! I fucking wiped just thinking about it!

So, the jam: Same Cheese time, Same Cheese Channel — Come on out and see the free range cartooning! Bring your pencils!

The Ho12 Comic Jam

April 15th, 2010 - 7 pm

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd St.

NYC

Less then a week!

2010-03-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, this thing is supposed to animate, WTF?

I feel robbed. Go to www.houseoftwelve.com for the Real Deal.

Just a few short days now and House of Twelve Monthly will be released on to a fairly unsuspecting world. This thing is just gonna rock so fucking much. I can't believe some of the great work I've been receiving, each one outdoing the last. Thumbs up all around.

So remember, go get the Comixology's Comics app now, and come Thursday, look up House of Twelve in their 'Creator Owned' category and buy that motherfucker!

In other news:

Ho12 Monthly Comic Jam delayed until April 15th while I'm out of town. Keep your shirts on until tax day, then remove them.

News, News, News!

2010-03-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

So the clock is counting down for the release of House of Twelve Monthly. Our target date is April 1st, no foolin'. From then on you'll get a monthly dose of Team 12 the first week of the month, just like unemployment checks, as a matter fact, you should spend your stimulus checks on digital Comics from comiXology, specifically (wait for it) House of Twelve Monthly. Call your senators and congressmen and let them know, you want more House of Twelve. Tell them, you're really fucking lazy and you want not only a iPhone to view it on, but you want the book itself paid for and installed on the device when you get it, and so do every other unemployed American.

In other news, the next Ho12 Comic Jam will be Thursday April 15th, 2010. I know, I know, usually we're like clockwork, the first of the month. Well, I'm going outta town for a few weeks and I won't be around, so y'all are going to have to wait. In the mean time, check out the facebook fan page and my rarely used twitter feed to stay up to date with all the Ho12 goings on. As a special gift, here's a little sample from Dave McKenna's story for issue 3 of Ho12Monthly, it's a gassssssss.....

March 2009 Ho12 Jam

2010-02-23T19:34:00.001-08:00

C'thullu after his visit to the Ho12 Comic Jam, June 2006

So here we are again. It's another month and it's time for yet another Ho12 Comic Jam. I was asked the other day if I ever considered giving up the Jams. "No," I replied, "because like a giant, slobbering retarded 50 year old with the intellect of a infant, the Jam is my child, and no matter how much I resent it for destroying my figure (I was very attractive once, y'know) or fucking the cat, I cannot just leave it in a dumpster, it is my love and my burden." Sweet, no?

Anywhoo, same Bitch-time, same bitch-channel, the Ho12 Comic Jam, fun for all ages (over 21 only)!

The Ho12 Comic Jam

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd Street, NYC, NY, in the basement

Thursday, March 4th, 2009

7 PM til 11ish.

House of Twelve Monthly #1

2010-02-23T14:49:00.001-08:00

It's done. Jesus, it's been like training cats to play water polo, but we finished the fucker.

News next week on it's release dates, updated Houseoftwelve.com, story previews and other goodies.

Also, Jam is next week, so YAY!

The cover

2010-02-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

I was pretty stuck with a cover idea for the first Ho12 cover. The first book has comics from four of my favorite cartoonists and I wanted to create something that had at least something to do with one of the strips. I really liked Darryl Ayo's story about folks with x-ray vision a lot, so I started mulling that one over.

Dave McKenna, Amy (my better half) and I were at Maxwell's in Hoboken seeing a show by Brian Musikoff's old band, F riends, Romans, Countrymen when I was struck like a bolt from the blue. I typed up a note on my phone, screaming out much like Spock in 'The Devil in the Dark.'

Xray eyes!

white and color on black!

chakra lines!

energy waves!

The next day I came up with this doodle.

Sort of an "Alex Grey meets Ayo" sorta thing. I thought it was kinda neat, so I moved on to the next phase: actually drawing the fucker.

A few days later I drew out each layer separately while watching Hill Street Blues on Hulu — that show holds up like a motherfucker.

I should point out that these are obviously not scans, but iPhone pictures. Y'see, I started conceptualizing the cover while I was at the office and they were the best I had. I'll scan the art for the final. They cleaned up just fine for my needs. Anyways...

So, I colored the layers and thinking about how I wanted to present them. After monkeying around with it for a while I came up with this:

"So far, so good," I thought, but a little jumbled. It was kinda hard to see what the fuck was going on, so I ran through a variety of configurations.

I'm a few hours away from a final design, and I still have to scan the art and replace these iphone pic stand-ins, and add in some 'energy lines' (time to break out the Spirograh!), but I figure by sometime tomorrow we should be good to go.

later the usual, the February Jam announcement!

2010-02-03T12:49:00.001-08:00

Fuck, I nearly forgot to announce this. Things are hectic, I am working on getting the first collection of stuff for the iphone project together and trying to create a new website for it as well, all while working full time and trying to get the Batmobile up and running (as seen above).

Regardless, here it is, yet another in a long line of Late Ho12 Comic Jam announcements.

Details are as usual:

February 5, 2010

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd, in the basement

New York, NY

7 pm until 11ish

Bring pencils, pens, paper and proboscises (for the farts).

What to do, what to do...

2010-01-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

Budda is a bad mammajamma.

So, as it turns out I'm going to be out of the country the first two weeks of April, so when is the April Jam going to be? Should it be the week before I leave, the last week in March? Or should it be on April 14th, the first Thursday I am back? I open the floor to discussion.

I am also hoping to meet up with some Japanese cartoonists while I am in Tokyo and have an international fart joke exchange. If you know anyone over there, lemme know! I'll be there the first week of April.

Cheese

2010, the year we make fart jokes

2010-01-05T20:32:00.001-08:00

Yes, it's that time again for a Comic Jam. Come on out this Thursday (January 7th) for our first jam of the new decade.

The Ho12 Comic Jam
January 7th, 2010
Jack Demsey's Pub
36 West 33rd street, downstairs
7 pm til about 11ish.

Be there or be, well... a regular kinda person.

DIY Publishing: Zines and Comics

2010-01-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

So my POE-News.com pal Stopheles (Or Bill) made this nifty little documentary on the New York DIY zines and comics and Ho12 was featured prominently. Darryl Ayo, Jenny Gonzalez and I are interviewed about why we do it, what's the jam all about and the future of the bizz. Check it out to the big dog.

Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival

2009-12-04T14:10:00.001-08:00

http://www.comicsandgraphicsfest.com/

Come out this Saturday to the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival and stop by the Ho12 table to see some stuff from the up coming Comixology iPhone project and pick up the latest issue of House of Twelve, Touching Children's Stories for all the weird kids in your life. The show runs from 11-7 and we'll have an excellent selection of rotating guests through out the day, Miss Lasko-Gross, Sam Henderson, Jenny Gonzalez, AYO and special guest Adam Suerte will be running around being all kinds of sacrilegious and shit.

One last time before the apocalypse

2009-11-27T23:55:00.000-08:00

One last time for 2009 I invite you to the Ho12 Comic Jam. Come on out you fucking monkeys!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

7 pm to 11ish

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd Street, in the basement

New York, NY

YOU! Come to the jam!

2009-11-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, another in our long line of spectacular showcases takes place this week and you — yes! YOU! — the general public are invited! Come on down to Jack Demsey's pub this Thursday at 7 pm for all the excitement live comic bookery can deliver! Your eyes will explode in your fucking head after you see what spectacular awesomeness that will be delivered by our special team of socially retarded supernauts. Come see what real-life shut-ins look like, it's abso-fucking-lutely the single most important coronary-inducing event of the season!

Bring some pencils and paper and shit too.

Special note: The jam will be wrapping up a little early this month due to an art opening fellow jammer Stacy Swane is having down at Niagara the same night.

Ho12 Comic Jam

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 w. 33rd st. Downstairs

Thursday, November 5, 2009

7 pm - 10:30

What should we name it?

2009-10-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in the world there are a dozen cartoonists working on comics for Ho12's iPhone project with Comixology. With that underway there are several things we need to take care of so we can start on the next phases of the project. One being, what the hell do we call it? So far I've got a few ideas, but none really stick. Any ideas? So far my fave is iHo12, but that's kinda tired.

The Pros and Cons of Brooklyn

2009-10-13T17:07:00.001-07:00

I was pretty vocal about my disgust about last year's MoCCA Festival and opined for an alternative. Apparently my cries were heard and two new 'indie' shows haves sprung up in the last few weeks.

First is KingCon, happening in early November. The show is a spin-off off the Brooklyn ZineFest. At first it sounded like a good idea, but the more and more I heard about it the more it soured. The program lists several seemingly unrelated events including a classic video gaming championship, a LOLcat caption contest and several panels revolving around DC and their various properties. That doesn't sound too 'indie,' it also burned my ass that the Zinefest tables were $40 and KingCon tables are $200 and up. I nearly jumped on this show regardless.

Then Ho12 iPhone contributor Sam Henderson clued me in to the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival, happening on December 5th. So far this show's guests include Charles Burns, Kim Deitch, Gary Panter and about a half-dozen more solid, alternative cartoonists. The show is being put on by the Brooklyn comics shop Desert Island and publisher PictureBox, so their indie cred is pretty grounded. I don't think they'll be any LOLcat naming contests at that show.

So, for a multitude of reasons I'm going with the BCGF, the paperwork is on its way and looks like we'll be seeing you in December.

Ho12 on ISR!

2009-10-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Indie Spinner Rack podcast features Dave McKenna and I talking up Ho12#5, Monstaland and the iPhone deali-o. Check it out, we were hungover, but I think that only enhanced the love.

Direct Link: mp3

SPX 2009 and October Comic Jam

2009-09-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

So another SPX has come and gone, I'll come up a with an extended wrap up later this week, suffice to say, we did spectacularly. Ho12#5 went over well and Dave McKenna's Monstaland was a huge hit. All in all we moved more units at this show then ever before and a great time was had by all, even though I spent Sunday in hangover hell.

Hey, look at that, it's jam week! I totally missed it, too caught up in the Ho12 madness. So come out and jam this week, Jack Demsey's, 36 West 33rd street, downstairs, 7 pm until we can't see straight. Comics!

Well fuck.

2009-09-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

UPS tried to deliver Ho12#5 today but I had to be at stupid work. I realistically won't be able to get them until Thursday evening, the day before we leave for SPX. Which I guess in all truth is fine, seeing that even if there is something horribly wrong with them I am bringing them anyways. We'll be rolling into Bethesda in about 72 hours. I am anxious.

House of Twelve #5 to debut at SPX 2009

2009-09-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

The House of Twelve gang returns with it's latest, greatest with House of Twelve #5: Touching Children's Stories. Seventy-four pages of comic masterwork from New York's new line of alt-comics superstars. Ho12#5 is an all-ages comic anthology full of heart-warming tales of blissful youth depicted as only a bunch of misanthropic curmudgeons could.

Contributors include:

Kevin Colden / Miss Lasko-Gross / Jenny Gonzalez / K. Thor Jensen / Dave McKenna / Kate Lacour / FuFu Frauenwhal / Chris Garrison / Frank Reynoso / Evan Forsch / Darryl Ayo / Cheese Hasselberger / Nick Jeffrey / Hugo / Brian Musikoff / Rodá

House of Twelve #5: Touching Children's Stories will debut at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD on September 26, 2009 and retails for $7.95. It will also be available from www.houseoftwelve.com and various independent comics distributors and outlets as well as exclusively online through the Comics iPhone app by Comixology.

Check out some new samples below.

Dave McKenna

Miss Lakso-Gross

FuFu Frauenwahl

Chris Garrison

Nick Jeffrey

Cheese Hasselberger

Why are these guys smiling?

2009-09-02T01:10:00.000-07:00

Because it's the eighth anniversary of the Ho12 Comic Jams, of course!

Eight years ago a half dozen of New York's finest comics arteeests came together and created something wonderful, the Bowery Bowel Movement comic jams. Since then we've moved out of the Bowery and just changed the name, but it's many of the same folks and dozens more meeting every month to get drunk and draw comics. Come on out!

Thursday, Sept. 3rd, 2009

7pm

Demsey's Pub

36 W. 33rd Street, UPSTAIRS! (usually we're in the basement)

Bring your moms!

House of Twelve #5: Touching Children's Stories is done!

2009-08-24T13:07:00.001-07:00

I'm going to spend the evening taking one last look over Ho12#5 and then it's going to the printer. I am abso-fucking-lutely thrilled to say it's done. It looks great too! The book will make it's big debut at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD next month and be available from www.houseoftwelve.com then too. It'll also be one of the first things you can get from us on the iPhone through Comics by Comixology come October (along with a series of selections from the back catalog). Ho12#5 will retail for $7.95 for the paper version and $1.99 for the digital. It is 72 pages, has a full color cover by Kevin Colden and Miss Lasko-Gross and black and white interiors and is our first All-Ages book. Contributors include: Nick Jeffery, Jenny Gonzalez, Fufu Frauenwahl, Kate Lacour, Dave McKenna and yours truly, to name a few. Be sure to get your hands on it any way you can!

Next up: redesigning the website and getting ready for the monthly Ho12 book through Comics starting in January.

edit: I can't spell!

2009-07-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

Above, this years 'weiner' of the Ho12 award for frankfurter excellence.

Another month, another jam. Ho-hum. Blah, blah, blah. Insert joke here.

Bring your pens, pencils, paper and bad attitudes to:

Ho12 Comic Jam

Thursday, August 6th, 7pm - 11ish

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd St.

New York City

House of Twelve #5: Touching Children's Stories 9/09!

2009-07-29T14:38:00.001-07:00

Here are the front and back covers for the next Ho12, due out this September at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD. The cover is by Kevin Colden and Miss Lasko-Gross.

The book is a real deal, honest to goodness all ages book done by your favorite underground smut-peddlers. So you can expect the Happy Meal version of all our favorite Team 12 themes.

See as the familiar boy who wouldn't grow up tempts the children to indulge in their imaginations...

...with tragic results.

Ho12 on the iPhone

2009-07-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

Ho12 will be undergoing massive changes. I am proud to announce we have just signed on to create monthly content exclusively for Comixology's new iPhone app, appropriatly called, Comics.

Comics is designed and administrated by Iconology, Inc. outta New York City, who are the same guys who run Comixology.com, a site that integrates the convenience of the web with local comics retailers providing store-specific pull lists and new comic previews. Comics costs $.99 and individual comics vary in price. It allows folks to buy single issues as well as subscribe to their favorite series and comes with over 30 free comics to get you started, some good ones too, Mage, Skyscrapers of the Midwest and The Walking Dead to mention a few.

Comics and is available through the Apple App store and is exclusive to the iPhone and iPod Touch devices (and all generations of each). Click here to check it out.

House of Twelve will start running "Best of" issues in October for free (as well as Ho12#5:Touching Children's Stories for a couple of bucks) and starting in January Team Twelve will begin delivering new and original comics though the Comics App. The book will be 24 pages long and feature a rotating cast of Indie/Alt comics all-stars, including:

Fredo Noland (Black Sheep, Midnight Creep)

Miss Lasko-Gross (Escape From Special, A Mess of Everything)

Sam Henderson (Magic Whistle)

Kate Lacour (Milk Teeth, Ho12)

Jenny Gonzalez (Too Negative, Ho12)

Dave McKenna (Monstaland, Ho12)

Cheese Hasselberger (Ho12 Team Captain)

Kevin Colden (Eisner Nominated Fishtown, I Rule the Night)

Darryl Ayo Brathwaite (Little Garden, Ho12)

Bald Eagles, aka Victor Cayro, aka The Beard (Kramer's Ergot, Typhon, Ho12)

K. Thor Jensen (Red Eye, Black Eye, Ho12)

Some artists will use the space for single issue one shots, others for continuing story-lines. We plan on inventing how stories can be told in this new and exciting mobile world.

www.houseoftwelve.com is currently undergoing a redesign that will include author profiles and samples from everyone. That's going to take me some time to finish though, so in the meantime, the current site will be updated , and point folks to this bloooog (ho12.blogspot.com) and our Facebook page.

Take a deep breath, 'cuz here we gooooooooooo!

(edit - Cleaned up contributor list to mark recent changes.)

Ho12 Comic Jam - Thurs., July 2

2009-06-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

You want a piece of this? Well, do ya, PUNK!?!

Come get some at the monthly Ho12 Comic Jam, happening this week at Jack Demsey's pub in lovely Herald Square, NYC. Come show off your funny bones and join in the all out madness that you get when you mix New York's indie comics art stars and a few gallons of beer. Bring your pens, paper and love of fart jokes to:

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 W. 33rd St., in the basement

New York, NY - Just down from Jim Hanley's.

Thursday, July 2nd

7 pm - 11ish

MoCCA 2009

2009-06-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

House of Twelve did decent financially; better then last year, not as good as the year before. Kinda average, which is fine.

As you may have read by now, the 69th Regiment Armory is a 105 year old fortress with a wonderful huge open space, decent latrines and meeting rooms, three rocket launchers on display and NO FUCKING AIR CONDITIONING. The main gripe about MoCCA's Puck building past was how people would avoid going up to the 7th floor area because it was so dreadfully hot . Why they would choose a new venue that "solved" the problem by making everyone melt is beyond me. You haven't smelled the Earth until you've inhaled the funk of 1200 sweaty fat fucks, 10 tons of ink and paper and 100 years of military men with each breath.

So obviously, the lack of any AC is my biggest gripe (also maybe more then 1 garbage can for the entire hall would have been a good idea), but a close second is the announcement of next year's table prices; $400 a table. And that's the early bird price, making the regular price, what? $500?

For many of MoCCA's most ardent, core audience it's the self-published comic, or mini or zine or hand crafted silk-screened one-off that makes the show special. How are those people supposed to make the table cost back? Or even close? For much of the room 'making table' is considered a success. At $300 it's doable only if you huckster your ass off for 2 days, but $400-500? There's no way. No one is ever going to make 400 beans selling a $.50 mini. They are cutting out the very people who made the show what it is. And that's a shame.

If I'm not mistaken, MoCCA 2010 is now the most expensive 'small press' show in the country... during the greatest economic nightmare in three generations... with print comics sales losing ground to web comics day by day... with no AC... and one garbage can...

Way to go MoCCA, stay classy.

Cheese

photos by Jenny Gonzalez

Ayo is awesome:

MoCCA Week Jam

2009-06-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hey there one and all, it's MoCCA week here in sunny New York City and as always Ho12 is proud to have it's monthly comic jam in conjunction with the show!

Come on by Jack Demsey's Pub @ 36 West 33rd street (just up the block from NYC's famous Jim Hanley's Universe Comic Shop) Thursday, June 4th, 2009 from 7 - 11 pm. Try the food, sample some beers and draw some shitty comics!

All are welcome, (21 and over) so pack up your pencils, pens and sketchbooks and join in the fun at the House of Twelve Monthly Comics Jam, New York's largest and longest running comics event.

Check us out on the Facebook!

The Real Deal at MoCCA

2009-05-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

Picturebox will be selling copies THE REAL DEAL at MoCCA next week. As many of you might know, it's long been one of my favorite comics series ever printed. I am going to pick up new copies to replace my decade old, dog-eared collection. If you buy anything at MoCCA, buy these - oh, and any House of Twelve stuff would be nice too.

Comics Comics has a good interview with Real Deal creator, RawDog. Check it out!

Well that worked out pretty well!

2009-05-05T19:07:00.001-07:00

Having the jam a week early seemed to work out pretty well, we lost one or two people who have emailed me this week with, "When's the jam?" subject lines, but all in all it was fine. Best of all it didn't cost me several hundred dollars in electronics, like the 1st April jam did (I left my ipod there).

We'll be at TCAF next weekend, if you are of a Canadian persuasion, and in Toronto, swing on by and check all the indie comic fun. We had a blast last year and look forward to going again this year. Special thanks go to Porter Airlines, who have some kick-ass low airline fares, thank fucking god I don't have to drive again.

And finally, here's a special look inside the life of yours truly. I am moving into a new apartment over the next few weeks and as with a lot of things, I get caught up doing stupid shit that never actually is helpful, like making a to scale map of the new joint in Illustrator. i took a copy to the jam and here's how it was decided to decorate.

I like Tom Motley's idea of a boob rug.

Ho12 Comic Jam April Part 2

2009-04-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

This month Team 12 is double teaming you with two, two, two comic jams! Check it out to the big dog! Thanks to half of us going to Toronto next week when the jam would usually occur, we are having the May jam one week early! Hooray for you and everyone involved!

Bring your pencils, sketchbooks and love of pain to:

Jack Demsey's Tavern

36 West 33rd street, downstairs

Thursday, April 30, 2009 - 7:oo p.m. - 10-11

Join our Facebook Group!

Jam moved up!

2009-04-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

Seems I didn't realize that the next Jam (May 2009) was scheduled to be the night before the Toronto comic art festival in — you guessed it — Toronto. We are headlining the event (and by 'headlining' I mean, we'll be hidden in the back) so it might make it tough to do the whole get drunk, draw comics thing. So as a special event I am moving the jam UP a week! It'll be held on April 30, 2009. Lucky you! You get 2 jams in one month, you fucking lucky bastards! More details later as I think them up.

Cheese

April 2009 Ho12 Comic Jam

2009-03-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

Nice shirt!

The Ho12 Jam is on the hunt for new members, including you! Come on down to Jack Demsey's next Thursday, April 2 around 7 p.m. and see what the New York Times calls "REMOVED" and Variety raves, "LEGAL PAPERS SERVED!" With reviews like that, how can you not show up!?!

Some come on down to 36 west 33rd Street (in the basement) and see the live action cartoonery taking place right before your very eyes!

Dancing in the aisles is strictly prohibited.

JACK DEMSEY'S PUB

36 W. 33RD STREET, in the basement

Thursday, April 2

7 p.m. - 11ish

It should be pointed out this is the last jam for founding Ho21 Jam member (he was the third person to show up at the first jam), K. Thor Jensen as he's moving out to eh west coast in a few weeks. Thor and I have been pals for nearly eight years, and he's one of my favorite cartoonists. Ho12 wishes him well in everything he does. (sniff)

As always, check us out on Facebook and join the group for regular updates.

--------

Here's a secret...

I have been editing old jam books.

A Mess of Video

2009-03-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

Fantagraphics just posted a little video preview of Team 12 den mother, Miss Lasko-Gross' new book, 'A Mess of Everything' which we will be debuting at Tcaf in May. It's pretty gosh darned beautiful.

Follow meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

2009-02-25T19:20:00.000-08:00

Hooolee! Everyone is talking about the March Ho12 Comic Jam! From sports super-star SHAQ to Pickle_Dick66 (secretly FRANK MILLER!)! Isn't it about time you came on out to one?

The Ho12 Comic Jam
Jack Demsey's Pub
36 West 33rd St., in the basement
7 p.m. to 11ish

--------------------

So yes, I've gone and joined Twitter. Now you can follow not only the goings on of Team 12 here on the blog, or on the Facebook page, but now you can follow the day to day — no, minute to minute — goings on of ME! Good'ole wonderful ME!!! What could be better then that!?! Nothing, I say.

The New Math

2009-02-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

So if you roll through some of the old posts here you'll find some nice drawings I did for an art show in LA last summer entitled MATH. Mostly it's a bunch of D&D drawings, so lots of monsters and swords and sorcerers type stuff. I had a lot of fun doing it, and decided to do up a few more drawings and publish them into a stand alone book. So here are some doodles of the new stuff that I need to finish up. The expected release date for the book is the Toronto Comic and Art Festival at the beginning in May.

That there is me (from High School) they are looking at in that last picture. It's pretty sweet!

The Cons of 2009

2009-02-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

Miss, Cheese and Kevin at Tcaf 2007

With exception to the NYCC, (which isn't cool enough to be San Diego*, and too high-end to be about actually interesting comics) I love me some comic-con action. I really get a thrill piling Team 12 into a van and driving out in the wilds of the great adventure that is North America.

This year we have a metric ton of material coming out, so much so in fact that there should be a new book or debut at every one! Lucky you, the Ho12 consumer! Here are the shows and crew members you can expect to see this season...

Tcaf

The Toronto Comic Art Festival

May 9-10, 2009

Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.

Toronto, Canada

Every other year we treat ourselves to this wonderful show, crossing borders to sell dick and fart comics is the most honest thrill an artist can feel. I feel I am helping America by contributing to down-paying the national trade deficit.

Attendees:

Cheese, Miss Lasko-Gross, Kevin Colden, Brian Musikoff, Dave McKenna

New Stuff:

• Miss is debuting her latest opus A Mess of Everything at Tcaf! Come on out and get your filthy hands on one of the first copies off the presses! AMoE is the sequel to her 2007 graphic novel Escape from Special, both are available from Fantagraphics, and from Miss herself at the con.

• Brian Musikoff will have copies of the latest in his Mauled! series, Mauled! #4: Mauled by Machines, which I would explain, but it kinda explains itself.

• Kevin will have copies of his Xeric Award winning Fishtown graphic novel that has been burning up the review charts.

• And I'll have copies of House of Twelve Goes to War! (#4), a collection of autobiographical stories of our intrepid cartoonists in the heat of battle! All amazingly true, right down to the last detail! Honest to god!

MoCCA

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Festival

June 6-7, 2009

The 69th Regiment Armory at Lexington and 25th street

New York, NY

This one's the no-brainer, it's our hometown show. This year at a new location I talked up a few months back, the 69th Regiment Armory, the show needed a new venue and they found the perfect on here.

Attendees:

Cheese, Dave McKenna, Miss Lasko-Gross, Kevin Colden, Kate Allen, Jenny Gonzalez, and more.

New Stuff:

• I'll be debuting my first solo art book, MATH, some of which I posted right here on this very blog not too long ago. The final version has several new pieces and more fun notes from Dave's high school calculus notebook.

• Miss' sequal to Escape from Special, A Mess of Everything will also be available in mass quantities.

• Kevin's Fishtown will be right there, on the table for all to gaze upon.

SPX

The Small Press Expo

September 26-27, 2009

The Marriot Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center

Bethesda, MD (Actually, I think it's Rockville)

My favorite show, we kill at this gig every year. This is where the big Ho12 guns come out and play. This year you have three new releases as well as the always popular Strike Team Dodecca Sales Experience managing the table.

Attendees:

Cheese, Miss Lasko-Gross, Kevin Colden, Dave McKenna, Kate Allen and a special guest, Pete Townsend (no relation).

New Stuff:

• House of Twelve #5: Touching Children Stories - Ho12 is proud to announce the latest in it's always popular, cutting edge anthology series with this awesome collection of all-ages stories meant to tickle the funny bone of both adult and child alike.

• Dave McKenna's long awaited adult comic debut, Monstaland will finally see the light of day. Dave has take his two favorite things in life, porn and giant monster movies and combined them into one of the most amazing adult comics you'll see this decade.

• The second issue of Kate Allen's fabulous Milk-Teeth will make it's first showing at SPX 2009! The first issue of M-T was a grand-slam, out-of-the-ball-park smash, selling every copy we had with us.

Add to this Miss's A Mess of Everything and Kevin's Fishtown and whatever other junk we can fit on the table and Ho12 is looking to murder each and every one of you with our amazing line up of great comics.

So keep your peepers peeled for the 2009 line up coming from Ho12 Industries and it's affiliated partners.

* On a side note, I was having a drink or nine with buddy Chris P. the other night and he mentioned that at the last San Diego comic con there was a huge booth, one of the mega booths, a booth usualy reserved for an entire big time movie company, for the TV show 'The Office.' Y'know, I get it, but FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK YOOOOOOOOOOUUUU, Mr. or Mrs. The Office. Go have OfficeCon 2009 somewhere. Y'assholes.

Of Jams and Men

2009-02-09T16:26:00.000-08:00

Upstairs at Jack Demsey's at the Ho12 Comic Jam, 2/5/09

So last week's Ho12 Comic Jam was another rousing success. If we keep having nights like these I am going to have to actually start putting thought into this, which after 7 years seems silly. I gotta hand it to the old facebook, I just signed up for it 2 months ago and it's already been responsible for rustlin' back several long lost contributors and bringing in three new guys. Seems my little recruitment plan has worked, let's hope it keeps up.

We are still having issues with getting the basement reserved every month, I really need to talk to Vinne, the manager of Demsey's, about that, I know in the past the relocation to the upstairs has caused at least one person to miss the event, I really don't want that to happen again.

Kevin and Miss seem to have rocked out at the NYCC this past weekend, good on them. Check out Kevin's blog listed on the bottom right of this page. It's twitery.

Seems all our convention appearances are coming together all at once, I will have post later this week going over it all.

Off to kill zombies with friends.

Cheese

February Comic Jam, 2/5/09

2009-01-27T15:52:00.001-08:00

Yes ladies and gents, that's me, Cheese, right there on the motherfucking moon, planting the Ho12 flag into its crunchy, chocolate shell. I made this trip (at great personal expense) for the sole purpose of telling you about this month's House of Twelve Comic Jam at Jack Demsey's Pub (36 W. 33rd Street, in the basement) next Thursday night at 7 p.m. So please, come on by and share your love with the homely, misshapen comic book peoples and while your there, why not draw a penis joke in their dog-eared, little books? I mean, shit, I went all the way to the goddamn Moon to invite you, you can at least come to midtown and have a beer.

The Ho12 Monthly Comic Jam
Jack Demsey's Pub
36 W. 33rd Street, in the basement
7 p.m. - 11ish

for slightly more info: www.houseoftwelve.com/jam
Also check us out on Facebook: The Ho12 Jam page

January Jam Post-Op report

2009-01-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

Man, there are times when the jams just get swept away in their own awesomeness, last night was one of those nights. The January 09 jam was one of my favorite jams in years. Not that I don't usually have a good time, but last night the room was jam packed with great talents and good friends. The jams we made were funny too, I talked McKenna into scanning some of them, hopefully that will happen soon and I will get it all posted in due time.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was when Miss asked for her check.

Don't let anyone tell you comics are a dudes only medium, see she's labeled even!

I only wonder what mine said, after the 8 (at least) beers I had, I don't remember looking.

Next Jam is Feb. 5, 7 pm at Demsey's more details to come as they are available.

Miss and Kevin on the Indie Spinner Rack

2009-01-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

http://indiespinnerrack.blogspot.com/

Miss and Kevin let Mr. Phil and Charlito (and through them and their awesome podcast, Indie Spinner Rack, all of us) into their home and feed them donuts and comics. It's a good'un (although they coulda mentioned Ho12 more then .3 seconds at the end, grumble, grumble).

January Jam

2008-12-29T16:28:00.000-08:00

Some people might think, "Hey, it's the first thursday of the month, it's time for the comic jam!" They'd be wrong this month. Because the first Thursday lands on New Years Day, we're pushing it off a week to offer our drunk members a chance to consider alcohol a viable option again. So look for our fat assed selves on Thursday, January 8th. Same drunk time (7pm), same drunk station (Demsey's Pub).

Anti-Social Networking

2008-12-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

So after long being denied for having the name 'Cheese' I finally got around to joining the social networking nightmare that is Facebook. There is now a Ho12 group there, join up and rock out. Book release dates, deadlines, jams and parties will all be cross posted here and there.

Click here to become socially networked to the House of Twelve.

Spain Rodriguez

2008-12-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a neat little vid I snatched from Heidi over at The Beat, a 2 minute rant about counter-culture from noted undergound scenester Spain Rodriguez. He also talks about his book, CHE: A Graphic Biography. Check it out to the big dog.

Victor Cayro comic

2008-12-12T16:24:00.001-08:00

Victor Cayro has posted a new story that was rejected by Vice! magazine, they are retarded. Read it on his Flickr Stream (6 pages, page 6 is posted in the comments on page 5).

Go read it, now. It starts off a little slow, but picks up and by page six it's a motherfucking masterpiece.

MoCCA Moves!

2008-12-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

According to Ace MacDonald over at Publishers Weekly's The Beat, the annual MoCCA sow in New York has a new home, the much celebrated 69th Regiment Armory. Swank! I really like the Armory, it's a massive, yet beautiful room with mile-high ceilings and a very chill atmosphere. I am enthused. Look at me being enthused.

In other news, so I come into my office today and find one of my co-workers has received a book for Xmas entitled, Stuff White People Like, based on the website I guess. But I pick it up and open it to any random page and am hit smack in the face with a picture of Ho12 pal and soon to be contributor, Chris "G$" Garrison. Who shared several small apartments with yours truely in the early 90s. Neat!

Ho12 XXX-Mas Party tomorrow night, bitches.

How gay is Cheese?

2008-12-10T20:06:00.001-08:00

Oh, very gay.

As you may have noticed, down there on the right of the page you'll notice that my Xbox has it's own blog. Recently the xbox underwent a system upgrade that makes you have these little cartoony game people to represent yourself. This is mine. Allow me to introduce to you, Bowlringer.

In other News

Kevin is rumored to be on the TV this week. Seems G4's Attack of the Show has a comics segment, Fresh Ink, in which Fishtown will be discussed. Sweet. I have been DVRing the show since he got the call last week, thing is, they play the damned thing seven times a day. I had to delete approximately 12 episodes of it last night.

Also

The Ho12 XXX_mas party is this Saturday at Casa de Fromage. If you want in, drop me a line, it should be a good time; food, booze, music, nerds! Dancing in the aisles is not permitted.

Come Meet Santa at the Ho12 Comic Jam

2008-11-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again and as usual, we here at Ho12 Industries are rolling out the welcome wagon for our good pal SANTA! Come sit on Santa's lap and tell him all your dirty little secrets! (no kids) Remember we get our Santa directly from the North Pole Santa Intern Program, while they haven't been vetted for perversion or drug use, they are official representatives of Saint Nick himself.

Bring your pencils, pens, paper and desire for Red Suited boners to:

Jack Demsey's Pub
36 West 33rd Street, in the basement
New York City
Thursday, December 4th - 7 pm

Kevin Colden: Rockstar Tour of Tours

2008-11-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

Ho12's own Kevin Colden is doing some classy signings around the Tri-State area over the next few weeks, for his great new G-novel, Fishtown. If you are around, go see him and poke him in the belly.

The Beards of SPX

2008-11-17T15:52:00.000-08:00

If you have gone to the Small Press Expo over the last few years you've more the likely noticed the abundance of BEARDOS. As a tribute to the men of SPX, young and impressed with their own puberty, Team 12 went on safari. A Weird Beard Safari. Each of us was tasked with hunting down and capturing the most impressive display of beardism at the show. Here are the results:

First up is Kate Allen's entry, "The Beau"

Note the stringy hair and the 'is that a beard or is it chocolate cake' soul patch, all wonderful, but it's the wispy, curly-cue mustache that really tops off this history honoring beard/mustache combo. 1870, here we come!

Kevin Colden's "Beard on a Wire"

A bold and truly American beard, with a french twist! Part Grizzly Adams, part North American Indie Rocker; this ensemble is as classic as it is beautiful. Since it's inception in the mid 1990's it's become one of several "standard uniforms" for nerds everywhere; this particular variant includes a nod to our E.U. brothers with it's distinctive French Flip on the mustache. Here, Kevin captures the beard at it's most pure, needing no wearer, the beard stands alone.

Cheese with "Science Hair of the Face"

The chaos theory has never been so proven as with this amazing representation of the American Nerd. It's distinctive frizz and texture communicates, "I am comfortable with my face and hair resembling a pile of steel-wool and pipe cleaners." A bold statement, indeed. What truely brings the whole package together here is the addition of the safety goggles. Who hasn't been to a comic book convention and said to themselves, "Y'know, what I really need to bring next year is some safety goggles." BE PREPARED!

Dave McKenna, "Piltdown Man, Alive!"

Nowhere in a the annuls of fashion does it say that one's hair should be symmetrical, in fact some of modern style makers are renown for their off-center daring. Here is a perfect example. What Mom wouldn't be proud of her little angel sporting this inventive and heart-warming combination that screams both, "I am thirty cents from being homeless!," and "I am on discount, Canadian medication!" equally loud and with such conviction. A masterpiece!

Miss Lasko-Gross, "Big Rock Nerdy Mountain"

SPX has it's fare share of fatties, but to tell the truth, compared to other comic book events it's pretty sickly. It is here that a true man of girth can take a stand and shout out with pride, "You're all poseurs!" Such is the case with the above subject. Not only does he outdo the 16th President with his stylish "Lincoln++" chin defining neck-beard, but he subtly lets his preposterous size speak volumes about the state of the geek community. He says, where'd all you hipster bastards come from, take your motherfucking girls and go home. Leave comics to the fat and unwashed, as nature intended!" He is a statesman.

In the car on the way home, the entries were studied, examined for authenticity and voted upon. It was a close race, but in the end, Dave McKenna's "Piltdown Man, Alive!" won the day. Mr. McKenna was awarded a copy of a book I can't remember the title of, but he seemed to enjoy it. Congrats Dave!

We all look forward to next year when we can again go on another WEIRD BEARD SAFARI!

S. Clay Wilson suffers severe brain injury

2008-11-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

It seems S. Clay Wilson, famed underground cartoonist from the late 60's and beyond, was either mugged and beaten or fell down too many times on his way home from the bar and now has been diagnosed with severe brain damage.
Wilson was one of the first underground artists I got into, thanks to some early Mtv animated promos (child of the 80's, gimme a break) featuring his Checkered Demon cartoons. He and I share many similar interests: beer, pirates and goatees. Not to mention a belief that sex and violence are a legitimate artistic endeavor. He drew some of the most lurid art of his generation, and while he certainly had his fans, he never gained the prestige of some of his peers. He never became the 'World's greatest living artist' that Crumb is, or achieved the gallery success and artistic legitimacy of Robt. Williams; but he happily ruled his moderate kingdom, content to be surrounded by loved ones, booze and madness. He is in may ways, my hero. I hope he either recovers completely and quickly, or dies just the same way. I raise my glass to him today, Get Well Soon/Vaya con Dios.

Here's my hastily rendered version of his classic Checkered Demon character.

UPDATE

So I posted a mention of the demon doodle on Bruno/Hugo's blog and he challenged me to draw another Wilson character, Ruby the Dyke. Thing is, I can't remember what she looked like, so I did this instead, inspired by S. Clay Wilson.

MATH

2008-11-06T00:41:00.000-08:00

I mentioned a while back that I had recently been in an art show, a tribute to Gary Gygax. I recreated a math notebook of a high school student with some totally kick ass D&D drawings in it. I'm eventually gonna get some better scans of the stuff and publish it, but here are some of the drawings. Some are black and white, some are in color. I drew them into an actual notebook and am have trouble balancing the white while keeping the blue lines in. Troublesome. But nonetheless, here they are.

November 2008 Comic Jam

2008-10-31T12:50:00.001-07:00

Interesting FACT: If the jams were held in the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans, we'd meet at this Jack Demsey's. They have better onion rings. But alas, we don't live on the bayou, we live in the the big city, so we will have to — at least for the time being — meet at our own JD's. Be sure to bring your pens, pencils and your mom.

Jack Demsey's Pub
next Thursday (Nov. 6th) at 7pm,
36 West 33rd Street, New York City, NY.

BONUS: It's both Dave and I's Birthdays, so bring us gifts.

Some Milk-Teeth mentions

2008-10-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

Tom Spurgeon and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but I respect his opinion and his obvious love of comics. Earlier this week he wrote up a nice little review of Kate Allen's Milk-Teeth, which I mentioned before was a big hit for the Ho12 table at SPX this year.

He likes it a lot.

Eric Reynolds from Fantagraphic's FLOG! also mentioned Kate in his SPX report, saying:

At the end of SPX, Kate walked up to me and gave me a very sweet - if slightly creepy (in a good way) - drawing of my baby daughter, which I was extremely touched by! So I was even more pleased when I got home and discovered that I liked her comic [Milk-Teeth].

Kate also has started a new blog of her own, she's got a little SPX report up there now, more to follow I am told.

Check it out to the big dog.

UPDATE: Monday, Nov. 3, 2008

Another well deserved rave for Milk-Teeth from our Canadian pals over at Inkstuds. Bravo!

You can buy Milk-Teeth here.

Miss/Kevin in The Villager

2008-10-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Hey, whattaya know, a post that isn't about monsters!

Local Greenwich Village/L.E.S. newspaper, The Villager, has a write up about longtime Ho12 contributors Miss Lasko-Gross and Kevin Colden. The author has a bit of an obsession with 'Maus' but it's worth a read nonetheless.

Check it out.

PS - In the interest of full disclosure, I am the Art Director of The Villager, and yes, I suggested the guy talk to them.

Yet even more

2008-10-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Zombie Chicks

Having an Aneurism.

Even more scares

2008-10-16T16:20:00.000-07:00

POE is apparently afraid of some pretty sissy shit.

Claustrophobia of the feet.

Losing your hands (ok, that one kinda spooks me too)

Another Scare

2008-10-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

I asked the poe-news guys what scares them and figured I will draw what they say for a few weeks. Here is my fave one of the day.

"Too Many Teeth."

I liked it so much I did it twice.

Actually this one was first, but looked too much like a bunch of worms or cigarettes.

I got another I really like I have penciled and will ink on Friday maybe.

Monsters!

2008-10-15T00:20:00.000-07:00

So I just ruined a large pile of 11x17 paper and am feeling guilty about it. So it's not a total wash, I am going to do a bunch of monsters on them in a salute to Halloween being around the corner. Here are the two I did at the office tonight.

These kinda go along with my running theme of late, creatures of darkness. This past summer I worked on a project for an art show in Los Angles at Chris Prynoski's animation studio, Titmouse, Inc. the theme of which was a Tribute to Gary Gygax. My piece was a recreated notebook from a High School junior, complete with cribbed calculus notes and about a dozen or so highly rendered pencil drawings of monsters and mayhem. It turned out really well and more then likely you will see it in print before MoCCA 2009.

Cheese

Comic Book Fight Club

2008-10-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

To say the end of last night's comic jam was exciting would be appropriate.

So there we were, minding our business, jamming along, having a gay ole' time when this little Irish dude comes down into our room and takes a seat at one of the empty tables. Not an uncommon occurrence in Demsey's. There are often wandering drunks exploring the catacombs of the building, it's part of it's charm; Dungeons & Drunks. So, Little Mick the Drunk Elf comes down and plants himself there for a few minutes alone. Soon enough he is joined by a rather large pal. At first they seemed friendly enough, whispering softly to each other. When they first grappled, it seemed like a brotherly embrace, then the big guy took Little Mick's head and bashed it into the bar, causing about a pint of blood to spurt out. They continued to throw each other around for another minute as I ordered everyone to clear out (telling dashing Dave McKenna to get the bartender). Little Mick kept up a decent fight for a minute or two until the other guy picked him up and dropped him on his head, he was out like a light after that. As his eyes rolled back into his head, blood began to spread on the floor.

By the time the bartender came down I was kneeling over Mick, making sure he was alive and the big guy was charging for the door, I told the Bartender to to grab the guy, and he seemed to go after him, but he came back empty handed. Evan was on the phone with 911, but they kept getting the address wrong. They still hadn't arrived when we split.

Mick came around a minute later and walked off to the bar and from last I had heard they were serving him another drink. We paid up and cleared out pretty quick after that.

It was a red stained exclamation point to a pretty decent night of comic bookery.

SPX 2008

2008-10-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty decent year at the Small Press Expo this year, we got a decent amount of attention, some nice sales numbers and drank more booze then anyone else there, again.

We got in early on Friday evening, met up with a few pals, had a few drinks and moseyed over the the most average diner on earth for a completely adequate dinner. Then we went back to Rafer Roberts room and drank a case of beer before going down to the main bar and mingling with the rest of the early arrivals. It was a nice way to slip into the weekend, very relaxing.

The big news of the show was the reaction to Kate Allen's Milk-Teeth, it was an off the rack seller. We kept putting them out on the table and half an hour later they'd be gone, it was really fun to watch. Kate was also inundated with drawing requests, my personal favorite being two guys that saw a doodle she did with a sexy girl and a corn dog and they HAD TO HAVE personalized drawings of some sort of corn dog persuasion in their sketch books. Classy. At least she made a few bucks outta them. She ended up getting more then a few publishers sniffing around, I fully expect her to be snatched up by one of them fairly soon. I am becoming the Kevin Smith of comics. If Miss and Kevin are my Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, then maybe Kate is my Jason Lee, but without all that creepy Scientologist weirdness. So be it, as long as they continue to come back and do my shitty books, who am I to complain?

Anyways, Saturday night was our annual victory dance at Athenian Plaka (the best greek food I've ever had) we rushed back to see the Ignatz Awards, a chocolate fountain and the return of the drag-cheerleader. Not to mention more mingling, more drinking and more late nights smoking out the windows.

Sunday was a bust. A much as Saturday was great, Sunday sucked. The attendance was half of what it was on Saturday. The drop off was astounding. It was like being at a convention the day after it closed. OK, maybe not that bad, but pretty awful nonetheless. We pulled up stakes and hit the highway as soon as we could and cruised home at 80 the whole way, dropping everyone off in town around 10 pm, safe and sound.

So with another successful year behind us we look forward to the next show, most likely Tcaf in Toronto next Spring (May 9-10, 2009).

I got a few nice things, and some real stinkers. I did miss out on what looked like the most awful thing there, there were these guys in the corner who were greeting folks with, "Hello, welcome to the Action Comics Unlimited Outpost!" and were hocking some really choice superhero books — and by choice, I mean holyshitbad. Team 12 Man-at-Arms Dave McKenna searched out the only two legitimately porn comics at the show, both were pretty nice, although one was a little too cutesy for me. Kate found a really nifty mini from the guys who do Strange Detective Tales (one of my secret faves from last year) about a alien invasion, with nudity! I'll do a full rundown later, over the weekend most likely. Shit, it's time to get ready for the Jam, see you there.

Cheese

Get Drunk, Draw Comics

2008-10-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

House of Twelve Comic Jam this Thursday

Fresh back from our trip to beautiful Rockville, MD and the awesome Small Press Expo Team 12 invites you — one and all — to our monthly Ho12 Comic Jam. Join New York's finest young purveyors of dick and fart jokes as we get drunk and draw comics. All are welcome, but be sure to bring your pencils, paper and thirst for excitement, booze.

Come on out and say hello,

Thursday, October 9, 7 pm

Jack Demsey's Pub

36 West 33rd st., NYC

In the basement

7 pm - 11ish

What is a "comic jam" anyway?

At it's base, a comic jam is when a group of artists get together and draw a single story. Formats vary between various jams and groups, ours tend to stick to this standard system: One person draws a single panel that sets the setting and characters, then the page is passed to the next person who draws the second panel, they then pass it to another and the process continues. THis goes on until A) someone makes the perfect gag for the situation, B) it runs out of steam, C) it is put out of its misery for just being too goddamn awful.

The original San Francisco Undergrounds did many comic jams, and not unlike our own, they are drunken messes involving numerous references to male genitalia and farts. We feel that the tradition of drunk cartoonists should be carried on and passed down to the youth of tomorrow. "Booze, Comics, Loneliness!" This is the cartoonists creed.

The Ho12 Comic Jams have been going strong since 2001 and have been a great place for New York's up and coming artists to cross pens with some of the best and brightest in the community. Many of our regulars are regular contributors to not only the House of Twelve titles, but have been published by some of the best alternative publishers around, come on out and shake hands with the best.