pomme noir comics...

Los Angeles Examiner “Broken Pieces” #1 Review – 5 Stars!

2011-12-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Examiner “Broken Pieces” #1 Review – 5 Stars!

COMIC BASTARDS: Review: Broken Pieces #1

2011-09-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

COMIC BASTARDS: Review: Broken Pieces #1: After reading the zero issue to this series I really had no idea what was going on, but one thing was clear… it was the Incredible Hulk....

The Weekly Crisis - Comic Book Review Blog: Cover of the Week - Red Robin & Ghost Riders: Heavens of Fire

2010-02-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

The Weekly Crisis - Comic Book Review Blog: Cover of the Week - Red Robin & Ghost Riders: Heavens of Fire

Jason Rubin on Iron and the Maiden

2009-08-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Megan Fox briefly talks Fathom Movie

2009-07-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

Megan Fox briefly talks "Fathom"

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

reminiscing

2009-07-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

Soulfire 10 WWPhiladelphia Con Cover

2009-06-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

Here is Joe Benitez' pencils for the Soulfire #10 Wizard World Philadelphia Convention Exclusive cover.

Here is what Roz did to it.

To see what Peter did to it - visit our Aspen Myspace page at
ASPEN COMICS MYSPACE PAGE
or
Joe Benitez Myspace Page

EA Iris cover process

2009-04-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

Hey folks just wanted to show the process of the cover for Executive Assistant: Iris 2.
Press release and colored version can be found at newsarama

Michael Turner's SOULFIRE #8 in stores 3/18/2009!

2009-03-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Five more days until Soulfire #8!!

Aspen at WonderCon!

2009-02-24T20:35:00.000-08:00

Aspen Comics will be at WonderCon 2009 at the Moscone Center this weekend and we will be unveiling our all new original action-adventure series Executive Assistant: Iris! Here is the WonderCon exclusive cover available only at the Aspen Comics Booth #513.

Executive Assistant: Iris is created by David Wohl and Michael Turner and is written by Wohl with art by Eduardo Francisco, colors by Peter Steigerwald and character designs by Joe Benitez. Wohl and Benitez will be at the Aspen Comics booth throughout the weekend to sign autographs and discuss the all-new Aspen property.

Joe Benitez Soulfire

2008-12-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

Ello, ello!
Hope everyone isn't as stressed as we are around the holidays. Things have been very busy lately. Alé has been putting some love into his Fathom pages and Sana Takeda is making Soulfire: Shadow Magic (issue one just came out yesterday!) shine. Marcus is still cranking away and can't wait to show off his pencils. Francisco Herrera has taken his art to a new level and Micah has been working on something new and different. Also look forward to Eduardo Francisco's pages in Executive Assistant: Iris #0 out in March - they will make your eyes explode.

I really wish I could show you guys what all these talented artists have been turning in but.. I only got the "go ahead" to show you what Joe Benitez has been slaving on. Check out this killer dragon in an upcoming Soulfire issue!

I wanted to give a gift to those that check out the blog.
Remember...
Soulfire RETURNS March 18th.
Write it down, postit note it, ical it, entourage reminder it, oven timer it, or just repeat it every morning when you wake up.

Happy Holidays!

New Zealand Armageddon Expo Interview

2008-11-12T15:25:00.000-08:00

Chris McMorran was nice enough to interview me at the New Zealand Armageddon Expo, so I thought it would be nice to share!

..and by "overnight stays" I mean I was working evenings as a waitress, days in production, and at night trying to color. Just felt compelled to clarify :P

Nov 15th Golden Apple Signing!

2008-11-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

Join us at Golden Apple in our home state of California for a special signing of the Michael Turner Tribute issue!

New Cartoon I'm Pitching

2008-11-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a new cartoon idea i'm pitching...

I pretty much just combined two of the coolest things in the world.

Sorry for the slacking on posts. We'll get some cool things up here soon. It has been a couple of busy months. We finished the Fathom Definitive Trade (a monster of a book) and the Michael Turner Tribute book (in stores now!) in addition to working on Fathom, Soulfire: Shadow Magic, and Shrugged. Garza and Steigerwald put together 4 connecting covers to issue #4 of Fathom. Have you seen them? So sick, we made it into a poster. Aspen Showcase: Benoist came out recently and the line continues with Aspen Showcase: Ember in January- which shows off Randy Green's sexy pencils.

Joe Benitez has turned in some Soulfire pages just recently... They look INSANE! This is hands down his best work to date. Maybe I should up some of those up? Whadduyathink?

Aspen Necklace found in France

2008-09-18T17:06:00.001-07:00

Check out this Aspen Matthews looking necklace I found in Paris! She gets around :)

Boston - Like Art?

2008-09-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

X-Men are Cool

2008-08-20T16:52:00.001-07:00

Anyone get the Michael Turner X-Men #500 cover? They were sold out when I went so I just printed this out and glued it over the one I gots.

Robert Kirkman

2008-08-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

Robert Kirkman Video on producing creator-owned work

This past Saturday!

2008-08-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

Hey guys just wanted to come on and thank all of you who came out this past Saturday! It was an honor to share the experience with those of you who made it out. Some came and hung out till the end, while others just came by to pay their respects. It was all appreciated, and I know I had a blast! Hopefully I'll be able to coordinate more Fathom inspired events in the future. Thanks again!

-a

This Saturday! And today!

2008-08-06T10:42:00.001-07:00

Hey guys Fathom Vol 3 issue one hits today! Go out and pick a copy up! Also if you're in the Bay Area, we're having a gathering in honor of Mike, and his character Fathom at 111 Minna this Saturday! If you get a chance come say hi!

-a

Micah Gunnell SDCC '08 Sketchbook

2008-07-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Artist Micah Gunnell's Sketchbook on sale at San Diego Comic Con 2008!

Chicka chicka yeah!

What're you laughing at?!

2008-07-18T03:02:00.000-07:00

I just got back from seeing the Dark Knight... pretty awesome. I actually did this a while ago but thought it would be cool to wait till after I saw the movie to post it. I like to ride the wave.

FATHOM #1 - SDCC get ready!

2008-07-10T12:19:00.001-07:00

Want Epic?

Nicest guy in comics...

2008-07-02T02:26:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to take a second and express my thoughts as to the recent loss of Michael Turner. I luckily had the honor to know Mike as a friend, and colleague over the past few years. As a newbie to the industry he was always kind and supportive. I remember first seeing his work on Witchblade and have to admit it was quite stunning to me. He was a part of a generation of artists that helped craft many of the top talents you see working today. His skills will be missed. Working with him on Fathom for the past year or so, I have to look back and say that I am simply amazed at the work he managed to put out going through all he was. It's truly a lesson to be learned by all other artists in this industry to help realize what a gift it is that we're able to do what we do for a living, and that it should never be taken for granted. I know I have. I look forward to continuing his vision with Fathom Volume 3, and will do my best do his creation justice. A part of me knows I got a new editor over my shoulder 24/7 making sure I do the best work I'm capable of, and that's just fine by me. Dance on, brother!

-a

Team Kiani-Talent Caldwell!

2008-06-30T10:07:00.001-07:00

Team Aspen-David Finch!

2008-06-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

Team Grace-Francis Manapul!

2008-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Artsenal Round 3

2008-06-30T09:57:00.001-07:00

In honor of Michael Turner, Artsenal still went on this past weekend in Chicago. Mike was definitely there watching as David, Francis, and Talent all put there artistic hands to his character, Aspen Matthews. The results were nothing less than phenomonal, as all three out did themselves! So without further ado we give to you, in Mike's honor, Artsenal Round 3, Aspen Matthews!!!

Good Bye, My Friend

2008-06-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

I miss you already.

ARTSENAL ROUND 3 IS ON!!!

2008-06-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

The largest comic book artist sketch-battle competition in history continues as the ARTSENAL 2008 moves into round 3 at Wizard World Chicago 2008 with the teams neck and neck in points! TEAM KIANI currently leads the pack with 61 total votes while team Aspen isn't too far behind with 52. Team Grace started round one strong with a W but has since slipped into third with 42 points. But no team is safe in the ultimate battle of lead and paper, so without any more delay here are your round 3 gladiators:

Talent Caldwell's made his name in comics on the hit titles Fathom, Gen13, and Wildcats--now he's looking to brand his name on the ARTSENAL 2008 Round 3 trophy! Tal's been steady training with a diet of vodka and HGH to strengthen his mind and wrists in order to drop his sweet science on his unlucky competitors!

Dave Finch is a superstar in the biz working on titles like Fallen Son and the New Avengers-and he's one hell of a nice guy also! But now he's cashing in his nice-guy smile for a can of ass whoopin' deluxe that he'll serve chilled to his Artsenal Round 3 foes!

Team Grace needed a pick-me-up after falling into third place in the voting, but now they've reloaded with the greatest sketch-battle competitor in history! The sketch battle legend himself--Francis Manapul! When asked about his legendary battle reputation on the streets, Francis humbly replied: "Aint no myth--it be fact, I'm the Great One."

*This quote or his obscene Latin mustache cannot be verified for authenticity

You know the deal folks! Cast your TOPIC SUGGESTION in the comments section below to help determine what these three awesome combatants will be drawing. If your suggestion ends up as the WINNING TOPIC, you'll win an exclusive 11 x 17 inch print of the winning team's round three entry. It's free to cast your vote, so DO IT NOW!!!

soon...

2008-06-20T20:16:00.001-07:00

HULK GRAB PUNY HUMAN!!!!

2008-06-16T01:33:00.000-07:00

I just saw the Incredible Hulk and had the urge to draw so here you go. TO SMASH!!!!!!

whut whut

2008-06-06T10:01:00.001-07:00

thought i'd post my recent piece for the upcoming summer swimsuit blast... coming out soon... btw, no "swipe" here, lol LITG you caught me... I guess? since when is using photos for reference a swipe? either way rich j you fell into my trap, thanks for the press... a boy like me will take it where i can get it... funny thing is i used two photos for that there "swipe" good luck finding the other rich j.... peace i'm outta here....

-a
"BRANK!BRANK!"

Hey I Can Post Here!

2008-06-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

That's cool!

Uh, now I just need something to say.

Heh.

Well, uh, bye.

Aspen Matthews and WWPhilly

2008-06-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth and attended our Aspen Panel at Wizard World Philly. It was great to hear that Fathom #0 was getting an awesome response from the fans and new readers.

Look forward to more Aspen Matthews in the new Showcase book due out pretty soon - 6.25.08.
For those of you that missed the panel - we showed off this page from the book.

Written by
C.B. Cebulski
Artwork by Talent Caldwell and John Starr...

Up, up and away!

2008-05-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I was recently asked to contribute a piece to the Joe Shuster awards which will be held on saturday June 14th to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the first publication of Joe Shuster’s legendary co-creation, SUPERMAN, in 1938. It will be held in Toronto at the Lillian H. Smith Library Auditorium (239 College Street, east of Spadina Ave.) and, along with our evening awards event, we will have a day of programming called the SEQUENTIAL ART SYMPOSIUM that will include guest comic creators; signings; sketches; workshops; panels and an art exhibit called VISIONS OF AN ICON.

http://www.joeshusterawards.com/

This piece will be part of the art exhibit Visions of an Icon along with many other artists. These pieces will be auctioned off as part of a fund raiser for the Shuster awards and also part of the proceeds will be donated to the hero initiative. If anyone of you are in Toronto that day, check it out and enjoy the art.

Mark Roslan's Batman

2008-05-14T20:27:00.001-07:00

This summer is going to be legen... wait for it... dary! There is a whole crap load of cool movies coming out. We were talking about which we were most excited about. Frank of course can't wait to see Hulk. Peter is a big Indian Jones fan. Vince loved IronMan. Josh said something about Hellboy. I personally can not waaaaait for Batman 2: The Dark Knight!

Sketch - all in photoshop - 25 min

Aspen Matthews

2008-05-09T20:52:00.000-07:00

Talent Caldwell is hard at work on Aspen Showcase: Aspen Matthews #1. I'll try to get him to post up some of his sketches but he's a busy dude. The pages look absolutely amazing... and the story is beautifully written by C.B. Cebulski! I'll show off some interiors later, but for now, here is the pencils for the cover!

P.S. Look out for the Alé Garza cover too!
( we'll keep that one to ourselves for now :)

Inks a doodles

2008-05-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

it's funny, i can remember way back before i actually got into comics, that for quite some time i wanted to be an inker rather than a penciler... when i got into the industry i realized inking was waaay harder than it seems and is truly an art form unto itself... in my days i've been lucky enough to know and work with some of the most talented in the biz, rich friend, sandra hope, scott williams, and most recently sal regla, heck even artist like carlos d'anda, dan norton, and jim lee, are some of the most amazing inkers to work with! it's only recently that i've been bitten with the inkin bug again, and have really been bustin my ass tryin to hone that skill... confidence with the tools is slowly coming, and i'm quite excited with each and every new piece i do! i guess my hope is to someday be able to finish my thought process from pencil to color all in one full comic books work! btw, if interested ive posted some new art for sale on my myspace page, www.myspace.com/lexlucrative check it out! thanks!

-a
merrgoo?

music suggestions! The Presets!

2008-04-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite bands, the presets, just released their newest album, Apocalypso, on Itunes! Make sure to check it out! Also they're touring the US, woo hoo!!! Already got my tickets for the san fran show! peace out yo!

-a
"PSHOO!PSHOO!"

Kiani Commission

2008-04-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hey peeps, here's a Kiani commission I finished recently. Definitely had fun with this one, especially with her hair. Hope you like!

gearin up

2008-04-28T23:43:00.001-07:00

hey you guys..... how goes it? just wanted to pop this wonderland piece i did recently... really working on my inking techniques lately... studying i guess what would be considered more traditional inking techniques rather than the finesse dlines were all used to seeing on a regular basis... also ben workin on my photoshop colorin/paintin skills... with any hope my next project after fathom v 3.0, i will tackle all art chores! for now though still focusin on aspen, makin sure to make it sweeet!

-a
"pshoo!pshoo!"

Wizard 200 - Michael Turner draws Hulk

2008-04-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

WIZARD 200 IS COMING! All-star jam cover by Bryan Hitch, Steve McNiven, Joe Quesada and Michael Turner!

Here is a scan of Turner's pencils for the cover. Wizard Magazine #200 is in stores this Wednesday!

Crazy Ol' me

2008-04-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hey guys just wanted to pop in and say hi! been super busy over here on fathom and many of my many other under takings... artsenal has been a ton of fun sooo far... a great thank you to all of the amazing artists who have came out so far to participate... so whats goin on people? how have you all been? here's to an exciting year in comics... i personally am adding weapons to my own art senal every day here... peace out yo!

-a
"www.myspace.com/mistersistermusic"
pshoo!pshoo!

Aspen @ New York Comic Con

2008-04-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Guess what?!

Aspen will be in New York for the NYCC with an array of convention exclusive comic books, prints, and original artwork all weekend long at the Aspen Comics both #1445.
Show us some love!

Before and After: WWLA Program Cover

2008-04-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at Turner's pencils and the finished product after Peter and Roz got a hold of it. A special cover with both Aspen and Grace together.

MVP

2008-04-11T11:09:00.001-07:00

Cool Video

2008-04-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

A friend of a friend made this - pretty cool huh?

THE ROUND 2 WINNER IS...

2008-04-10T10:56:00.001-07:00

TEAM KIANI!

Round 2 took the young ARTSENAL competition to new levels as even more voters arrived to help crown one team the ultimate collection of sketch artists in 2008! In addition to the increase in the voting pool, there was also a bit of controversy in round 2 as we had to disqualify a number of votes for both TEAM ASPEN and TEAM KIANI due to foul play. Needless to say I've re-counted the total votes minus these disqualified votes. Don't waste your time commenting on the vote count as its not open for discussion. One additional note, let's keep the voting process clean of any prejudice or racism people in your posts. Any votes with these type of remarks from here on out will be subject to disqualification also!

So after all was said and done, Peter and TEAM KIANI rebounded nicely from their week 1 loss with a total vote count of 40, bringing their total sum on the year to an ARTSENAL-leading 61 votes. TEAM ASPEN went head-to-head with TEAM KIANI with Lopez' playful piece garnering 34 votes bringing their sum to 52. Benitez and TEAM GRACE's awesome entry stunningly garnered only 9 votes and thus TEAM GRACE has now slid into 3rd place with their total of 42 points on the year. But, I for one am not worried, because in THE ARTSENAL 2008--it's now anybody's crown for the taking!

Artsenal Round 2 video

2008-03-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick video of the three teams in action!..

2008-03-16T09:04:00.001-07:00

ROUND 2 PIECES!

The pieces are in, now it's up to you to decide the round two winner! Will TEAM GRACE add to their leading total and continue to lead the pack, or will TEAM KIANI or TEAM ASPEN break through and claim the lead in the largest comic book sketch battle of the year!

To vote for your favorite team's piece, simply leave a comment/vote in their respective comment section below!

2008-03-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

TEAM ASPEN

2008-03-16T09:01:00.001-07:00

TEAM KIANI

2008-03-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

TEAM GRACE

Round 2 Topic Is....

2008-03-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

Wonder Woman and Ghost Rider!!!! The artists are getting ready to throw-down deep in the heart of LA! Stay Tuned for updates from the booth soon!!!

ROUND 2!!!

2008-03-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

ROUND 2 BEGINS!
The first battle is over, a new one has risen! Round 2 will take place live this Saturday 2pm at the Aspen Comics booth in Los Angeles, CA at Wizard World Los Angeles 2008! The teams have grown larger now with the addition of the round two combatants...And, why wait any longer? Let's meet the newest ARTSENAL warriors!

TEAM ASPEN - MICHAEL LOPEZ

TEAM ASPEN is reloading with longtime penciler, master of the female form, and straight up dope guy Michael Lopez! Joining us courtesy of the Wildstorm gang, Lopez is ready to drop down on the city of Angeles with his pencil and pad and set the record straight! Lopez is currently producing covers for GEN 13!

TEAM KIANI - PETER STEIGERWALD

Hometown legend Steigerwald has been busy coloring the very best Aspen has to offer and now he's ready to drop his wacom pen and pick up the lead to go head to head! Plus he plans on distracting his opponents with "yo mama" jokes. Peter's work includes Soulfire, Fathom,DC's Identity Crisis, and Marvel's Civil War!

TEAM GRACE - JOE BENITEZ

But hold on people, TEAM GRACE is still sitting fat on their impressive round one victory and plan to add to their total with the addition of mega-artist Joe Benitez. Known for his awesome work within the pages of Batman and his impressive series Wraithborn! LA is Joe's stomping ground and he's not letting the other two out of the convention center without paying their dues--It's on!

Okay people, you know the drill. Drop your topic suggestions in the comment section below for what you wanna see these awesomely-talented artists sketch in a 90 minute sketch battle! And remember, whomever suggests the winning topic will receive an 11x17" print of the winning team's entry!

ROUND 1 WINNER: MICAH GUNNELL AND TEAM GRACE!!

2008-03-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

The results are in and all the votes have been counted. Micah Gunnell brought home round 1 for TEAM GRACE with his winning rendition of the devil lad Hellboy! The battle was fierce and Ale Garza and Mark Brooks' Hellboys added up to 3 amazing pieces for everyone's viewing pleasure! The final voting went TEAM GRACE: 33 votes, TEAM KIANI: 21 votes, and TEAM ASPEN: 18 votes. All three teams will carry their point totals into the next round...

And speaking of round 2, stay tuned, we'll be announcing the ROUND 2 competitors....TODAY!!!

ARTSENAL ROUND ONE VIDEO

2008-03-12T12:23:00.001-07:00

ROUND 1 VOTING CLOSES IN 48 HOURS!

2008-03-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

Round 1 set the stage and will go down in history as the first ever Artsenal battle! Each artist came through with their own unique take, delivering three awesome Hellboy pieces (see below). Well, the polls are set to close on Wednesday at noon--pacific time. The winning team will be announced Wednesday and all three teams will take their point totals into round 2!

Congratulations to Mike Diesel for winning an 11x17 print of the Round 1 winning team's piece with his topic suggestion of Hellboy!

Con in Cow Town

2008-03-05T23:21:00.000-08:00

Convention season hits west coast canada on April 26-27. And Calgary resident badass Marcus To will be there ;) and it appears that superstar Ale Garza will be there too! And the guest don't stop there. check out the details at http://www.calgaryexpo.com/

Hope to see you all there!

The BATTLE is Over! Let the VOTING begin!!!

2008-02-23T18:18:00.001-08:00

Okay people, the pencils are down, the contestants tired from a grueling 90 minute Bay Area Battle. Let's give up up for three talented mofos. Now, let the real battle begin. Place your votes for your favorite team's entry by leaving a comment under their respective piece. ONE VOTE ALLOWED! Double voting will disqualify both of your votes so only pick one!

TEAM KIANI

2008-02-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

TEAM GRACE

2008-02-23T18:14:00.000-08:00

TEAM ASPEN

2008-02-23T18:12:00.001-08:00

The Depths of Hell...BOY!

2008-02-23T15:27:00.000-08:00

The topic has been chosen, the ever popular demon lad Hellboy is the choice! The three sketch competitors are sharpening their lead in the depths of San Fran's Moscone Center and duking it out! Stay tuned for details!

ARTSENAL 2008 BEGINS NOW!!!

2008-02-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

This is it folks! SATURDAY! SATURDAY!! SATURDAY!!! The Artsenal 2008 kicks off in full-force this Saturday LIVE in San Francisco at WonderCon 2008! The Aspen Comics Booth #615 is the site of what is sure to go down as the start of an all-time classic battle. Join Michael Turner, Ale Garza, Micah Gunnell, Marcus To, Peter Steigerwald, Mark Brooks, Francis Manapul, Joel Gomez, Cross, Ryan Odagawa, Jon Boy Meyers, Humberto Ramos and more as they battle it out in the ultimate sketch battle competition--The Artsenal 2008 brought to you by Aspen Comics and the CBLDF!

The rules are simple: You the fans will have a 2 day topic suggestion period followed by the topic selection by Aspen Comics, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and the three teams respectively. The three teams (ASPEN, GRACE, KIANI) will then duke it out in a 90 minute sketch-off with the fans deciding the winner online and in person at the booth. All votes will be accumulated and added to each respective teams' totals. The team with the most accumulated votes at the end of the Artsenal 2008 will be crowned the champions at the San Diego Comic Con International 2008 later this year.

Don't miss your chance to vote on the topic--AND--the poster whose topic is chosen will win an 11x17 print of the winning teams sketch!!!

Now without further ado, let's meet round one's teams/competitors!

Ale Garza - artist, musician, philantropist. Ale Garza does it all. No stranger to sketch battles, Ale is an underground comic legend and one of the most feared sketch competitors ever! Garza has been training hard in the Bay Area and is looking to claim the first round of the Artsenal for his team and his city! Accusations that he's been using performance enhancers to draw quicker have been proven false and now Ale's ready to lay down the law! Ale's work can be seen in the upcoming Fathom series, his own series Ninja Boy, and Supergirl for DC.

Micah Gunnell - But wait! Ale's not the only hometown hero in the Artsenal's first round as Micah also hails from the Bay Area. When asked if Garza and himself would be able to share the city, Gunnell replied with a "no-answer," which of course means "hell no this city ain't big enough for the two of us!" Micah has worked on such Aspen titles as Shrugged and Soulfire, and also as illustrated the mega-popular Heroes graphic novels.

Mark Brooks - Superstar artist and all-around good guy, Brooks is a special guest entrant in the Artsenal is looking to squash TEAM ASPEN and TEAM GRACE's hopes right off the bat. Just look at the pic above to see the fire in Mark's eyes as he eyes his two competitors and sharpens his lead. Mark has worked on the industry's top titles including the X-Men and Spiderman. Now he's looking to add two more notches to his belt in the form of Ale and Micah!

TOPIC SUGGESTIONS!
Okay people, now's the time to decide what these talented artists will be sketching for 90 minutes! Please post your topic suggestions in the comments section below! And don't forget, whoever chooses the winning topic will receive an 11x17 high-quality print of the winning team's entry!!!

Hide your Children this Con Season

2008-02-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

Aspen will be at WonderCon '08!!!

But hide your 5 year olds...

http://www.howmanyfiveyearoldscouldyoutakeinafight.com/

I got 30

(Vince and Frank scored lower)

Happy Happy Birthday, Happy Happy Birthday!

2008-02-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

My best San Diego friend celebrated his first birthday Feb 9th and I was there with my camera to commemorate the event.

Now I get to share it with you!

In Dale We Trust

2008-02-06T11:01:00.000-08:00

Frank and Phil aren't Muslims, but they spent the morning praying to Keown's Hulk piece.

wondercon 2008

2008-02-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

hey guys, no internet connection for the past week, ugh! thought i'd update a quick bit of info... one of my things planned for wondercon this year... my band mates and i set up a show to close out sunday night of the show at the edinburgh castle here in sf... looks to be a rockin time! hope to see you all there! www.myspace.com/mareislandmusic

Manapul STU- STU- STUDIO!

2008-01-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

Here is a Studio Tour of Iron and the Maiden penciller FRANCIS MANAPUL'S STUDIO by the good people over at CBR

Iron and the Maiden: Brutes Bims and the City 1

2008-01-25T20:20:00.001-08:00

Iron and the Maiden: Brutes, Bims and the City #1 came out in stores this past Wednesday - did you pick it up?

It was a challenge to organize the book, but I think it came out nicely. There's still some images I wanted to fit in but not everything had a place. Here is an example of some cool detail that went into making the mini-series.

Be sure to check out IRONandtheMaiden.Com often because there are still some things to show you!

wondercon 2008

2008-01-25T04:17:00.000-08:00

with wondercon just around the corner i thought i'd mention i have a new sketchbook being made available. i'll be splitting time between the aspen booth and my table in artist alley. limited amount so get em while theyre hot!;)

-a
PSHOO!PSHOO!

The internet makes me laugh

2008-01-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

This kills me...

Heroes in a half shell

2008-01-23T04:23:00.000-08:00

I was halucinating at 4am and i felt the need to draw a turtle. Hope you enjoy it, just got myself a set of copic markers and have been testing them out. Time to sleep and draw comics in the afternoon...ZZzzzzZZZZZzzzzzZZZzzzz...

kickin it old school

2008-01-22T23:15:00.001-08:00

i remember gettin really lucky back in the day... my first big gig came at the hands of my great long time friend jj kirby giving me word of a little series these little guys liquid were trying to do... eve protomecha... needless to say the opportunity was a huge blessing! liquid at the time was the biggest kid on the block, coloring all the coolest books at the time, aka x-men, battlechasers, etc, etc... eve along with soul saga both turned out quite great thaks to ol aron and christian... one of the great things aside from that was just gettin a bit of christians knowledge on how to make things look dynamic... great creative mind... so just thought i'd ramble... gotta get back to work now... you all behave...

-a
"hmmm"
PSHOO!PSHOO!

March of the Garzas

2008-01-22T11:46:00.001-08:00

You ask, I deliver. Lemme introduce you to the latest hero in Fathom universe: He's more swoll than Cannon Hawke, has a bigger beak than Kiani, and a better tushy than Aspen.

gettin close

2008-01-21T21:18:00.000-08:00

excited to see this really cool art being posted... ARTSENAL is shaping up to be quite fun... got some great talent involved... pic above is a commision i did a minute back... figured i'd show dc some love... drawing penguins now... ask vince why... smooch

-a
"i thought the hangover black worked well"
PSHOO!PSHOO!

Blood and Snow

2008-01-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

Hey kiddies, just did this new Wolverine pin-up as an example of the more serious side to my art to show the good folks at Marvel. I had a lot of fun with the blacks on this one...and using the blood and snow as design elements. Happy MLK day!

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

2008-01-21T16:58:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for a while, Happy New Year! I've been locked away in my cave training for my first battle with a faceless opponent. Soon will the curtain drop and reveal 2 warriors ready for ARTSENAL! One will stand victorious as he embraces the lamentation of the women, and the other will be shunned and ridiculed by his peers. Who will be next? Only Stargirl knows for sure...

i dare ya...

2008-01-20T00:07:00.000-08:00

figured i never had actually drawn daredevil before, thought id give it a shot... threw in spidey for good measure... tried to do it in under an hour... good practice for artsenal, heh... threw in spidey for good measure... made bacon and cheese stuffed burgers for dinner... a hobo flashed me and my gf today... in the famous words of ice cube... today was a good day... ooo ahhh

-a
"hey i know you"
PSHOO!PSHOO!

friday night lites

2008-01-19T02:25:00.001-08:00

wonder con coming up...working on gettin a new sketchbook for this years con circuit... little doodle thatll be in it... so how was your friday night? mine was fantastic! got some good ol fashioned drawing done! this is actually a commission i had to get finished up... taking a new list for anyone interested... same ol same ol... bring on the weekend!!!

-a
"guh..."
PSHOO!PSHOO!

Artsenal!

2008-01-18T20:14:00.001-08:00

sketchbook doodles...

2008-01-14T17:42:00.000-08:00

a little sketch from the ol doodle book... just love drawing girls... honestly in all varieties... this one i threw in photoshop, threw some quick colors over it... a rough most likely for a larger piece down the road... getting ready for wonder con hope all you are as well!

-a
"well kiss my grits!"
PSHOO!PSHOO!

just cause...

2008-01-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

cant all be about art can it? figured i'd share a little caesar recipe for you all! i love to cook, so who knows, maybe this will become a regular feature ;)

-a
"the san francisco treat"
PSHOO!PSHOO!

and now.. fathom

2008-01-13T00:38:00.000-08:00

thinking back i've been quite lucky to have had the chance to get my own stories out there for you fans to enjoy... first, ninja boy, which to me is still the one series i hold nearest and dearest to my heart. it was a chance to work with a life long friend, on a project i had dreamt of doing for many years. i grew up loving ninjas and all the mythology that came along with them. next up i would get the chance yet again to work on a series of my own, in the form of skye runner. fantasy at its finest, granted i had some serious life changes mid way through the series that affected its final outcome, i still am quite proud of that outing as well. so... now i'm onto another creation... this one however is a creation of one of comic doms legendary talents... michael turners, fathom! for what its worth, i'm hoping to take what i put into my own series, and channel it onto this exciting, lush, and dramatic world! i sit here tonight designing hopefully what will become some memorable and imposing, bad ass villians! it's a new challenge... one i am taking very seriously... ale garza has maybe fallen off the map as of late... maybe... with this series i hope to re establish myself as a comic artist force! i've been quiet for a minute, but its time now to draw this little narrow ass off! we got some great stuff planned for this blog... expect some cool stuff very soon, and hopefully vince will let me keep you guys excited about the process of putting together one of the most exciting series of 2008, fathom volume 3!!!

-a
"get sum!"
PSHOO!PSHOO!

The Process.

2008-01-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd post this up here. I put this together to show the process that was gone through to create the Christmas cover to Shrugged #7...Hope you enjoy! Pencils by me, Inks by Jason Gorder, and Colors by Beth Sotelo.

Comics and Rock and Roll!

2008-01-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

hey guys just wanted to post and comment on how much i loves me some music. so much in fact i am now a part of a straight up rockin and or rollin band!!! gotta say its been a lifelong ambition to get involved with something like this as music has always inspired me in my artwork. and for any of you attending next months wonder con you will be able to see me and my bandmates shake it down, as we are planning a show for that weekend! details to come soon! so, ARTSENAL... think it's gonna be awesome... the aspen boys and i have come up with some great new twists on whats previously been done on blogs in the past ;) so... this is home... can't think of a better fence to hop than the one of wildstorm to aspen... everyone that works here is super fantastic... we have a great year of fathom awesomeness planned and i can only hope and pray that i do mike's baby some justice! so lets get posting guys... bring this blog stuff back to life!!! www.myspace.com/mareislandmusic

-a
"apples and oranges? eff that i like grapes!"
PSHOO!PSHOO!

ARTSENAL!!!

2008-01-07T15:59:00.001-08:00

Hey guys all new art battle!!! Micah Gunnell vs Ale Garza coming right at ya!!! Artsenal will be a one hour battle, where both artists are given a limited number of tools to choose from to create artistic genius! One pencil! One pen! One eraser! One marker! ONE HOUR!!!

Fathom: Kiani #4

2007-12-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

OooOooOoooooooooooh Man!
You've waited for it - Fathom: Kiani #4 in stores tomorrow!
This book is a crucial get!

Marcus To, Micah Gunnell, Jason Gorder, and Kianibook Faceman are checking out Kiani's lunch.

OOOH YEah!

2007-12-14T22:13:00.000-08:00

Vince and I were talking about maybe getting a license to a new property...

...what do you think?!

fathom 0

2007-12-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

well ye ask and ye shall recieve! i'll sneak as much as i can without vince killing me, lol! as to micah and i? i'm down if he tis...

-a

hey guys

2007-12-08T19:45:00.001-08:00

whew, ale sure can disappear... just wanted to pop in and say hi, finished up fathom 0 recently... working with sal regla on it, all i can say is amazing! i really hope you guys enjoy it... really wanting to put my unique stamp on the character... not sure when it comes out, but i can't wait! would love to get some more stuff going on here... a little more situated in life so hopefully i'll be posting more regularly... maybe do an art off with one of the fellow aspen guys to kick start it... micah maybe? marcus? francis? mike? heh... lets do something fun guys! woot!!!!!

-a

December Aspen Books!

2007-12-03T19:55:00.001-08:00

Just a heads up!
Coming out this week we have IRON AND THE MAIDEN #0!!

Then in two weeks look forward to FATHOM: KIANI #4!

Art is Resistance

2007-11-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

When I'm cleaning Mike's pencils I like to listen to my Music (or the Adam Carolla Show).
My new favorite indulgence is a website that has hours upon hours of Nine Inch Nails music - a collection of remixes done by tons of different people. You can just hit play on the playlist and it goes and goes and it seems familiar but not at the same time. If your a fan or not - check it out. There is something for everyone.

REMIX.NIN

Oh and Soulfire is cool stuff too :)

Roz

The Frog King

2007-11-23T00:16:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick doodle of Naruto and Hinata, not much else to say. Enjoy!

Spidey and MJ

2007-11-09T23:41:00.000-08:00

Hey peeps! Here's a new print I just finished up pencils for. The colors will be provided by the amazing Kelsey Shannon, and I'll be sure to post them up when they're finished. Hope you like!

Remember, remember the Seventh of November

2007-11-05T10:46:00.000-08:00

Remember, remember the Fifth of November! well actually, try to remember the Seventh of November!!

This Wednesday Iron and the Maiden #4 comes out! It is the action packed mini-series finale that may lead you to blowing up the Houses of Parliament if you miss it!

Here is a design layout for a train that show up at the trainstation where... you'll have to just read the book.

Red.

2007-10-30T03:14:00.000-07:00

Hey peeps, I had kind of a "day off" so I decided to try my hand at some coloring. This is one of the only pieces that I've drawn with the specific intention of using color to finish it, so I didn't use any shadows or even much in the way of line-weights in the pencil stage. Done with pencil, using photo ref for the figure, and then colored in PhotoshopCS2 with a Wacom Graphire tablet(sucks). Hope you like it!

WINTER!

2007-10-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

I just looked out of the window 20 mins ago and low and behold, it's snowing! And just earlier today it was as warm as 18 Celsius, crazy Calgary weather. The pics are kinda dark but you get the picture.