Speed Painting Master Angouleme 2010 HD

Boners.

Special Holiday Announcement

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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???

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

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

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.

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

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!!!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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

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

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

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, Friends, 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.