"WHAT DO YOU WANT BE REMEMBERED FOR?"

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

So as with anything else that is going on in my life a question was asked of me that made me take pause to not only the meal I was eating but everything else else that I was thinking about / feeling.
Kind of a loaded question.
The statement carried with itself a long list of ideas and concepts that had been floating around my brain since days of Junior High School (when they still had those) back in 1980's.  The English teacher back then Miss Kelly had possed the question "What would you want on your grave stone?"  That idea was brought up again by my friend Dax after talking to him about the abysmal sales at the Crypticon show.
He asked me "Ben, would you want to be remembered as the guy who could draw and pay his bills OR would you rather be remembered for being a great artist?  Both are equally valid answers but they have different ways of getting there."
It was a valid question for me and I had to stop eating and made me think about that earlier statement.
I answered with enthusiasm which I am sure wasn't a big surprise for Dax.  "A great artist." I know my work is good and it is sellable.  I also know that the scratchboard work I do currently isn't wildly used by many people but it is gaining popularity and I want to be at the forefront of that movement.
And with that things that have been in a log jam of sorts such as when the next show will be and newest if commissions to fill and art to create not only out of vanity but work that ispires.  There are three pieces that I have done that transends vanity.  Something that moves through me not from me.
A little woo woo?  I'm sure that is how it sounds but like Stephen King once wrote about how he was writting the Dark Tower series he wasn't writing so much as he was channeling it.
There are pieces that I have done over the years that are like that.  The first was a pencil drawing that I did in High School- Scarecrow.  

The next was a image of Jeff Goldbloom using several inking techinques for art school.   The next one was an airbrush piece of Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates from the orginal Psycho. 
Then a long hiatus as always due to personal bs.  Then the scratchboard came into view.  WOW!  Three pieces that have really come along are the

"Watery Adventure of Richard Parker " was the first,  then "Into the Future", and finally "Down with the Weirdness".
All are really nice complete images.

As my girlfriend had pointed out to me is that im taking the story sensibly. of the comics and transposing them into a single image that tells a story not just a part of one.  She right.
And I know where it origin lies- Jim Starling.  
As a kid I collected comics and his work on the Avengers Annual #7 and Adam Warlock and Captian Marvel all had a great story telling device the illustrative comic montage. 
This was so much more apparent in his work of The Metamorphosis Oddesy.
Also that story was much more adult in its content than the other comics I was reading.  It was fucking awesome.  In content, layout and design.  I tried very hard to pull those kind of elements into what ever I working on at the time.
And now, as of this date, time to put that kinda work to the test.

BECAUSE....
Now there is a new OMS taking place OR SCRATCH n BURN SHOW 2014!- as I like to call it currently.

Since nothing has progressed with My Brother's Crawfish as far as a show is concerned, I'm moving forward.  In my case I had already talked to the people from SeeSee's Coffee  to have a show over there.  Now it seems that they were ready.
This is the kind of venue that seems to work for me really well.  
But it also means im gonna be putting in some time to make twi new 16"x20" pieces and a ooster to promote the work.  The weather is great outside so I think I can do a show well.  No as big a space as the Slingshot Lounge or NWIPA but big enough to show  for about 10 pieces to go up.
  Half of my inventory with at least two new pieces= Awesome! 
So here is to my next show.  Cheers!


DDREAMS OF ELYSIUM:

Well work continues but it has been a trial to to keep at task.   I keep hoping that I will be able  to get the rough version of this book done before the end of the year.  I does take a bit of doing considering what I want to do.   

ODDITIES:

Fun stuff.

As Doug Jones was the HIGHEST point of the Crypticon Experince I also received notice from Tumblr that Doug Jones is now following me!  That's pretty awesome in my book.

More of this info can be found at  www.thevelvetcoffin.co.
and at Ratchet Raven Productions.

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And the kid is out of here!

A WEEK LATER.....

Hey sports fans, Al here with the latest:

Well the week has been interesting and of course assessing the fallout from the Crypticon show this last week but the Kid isn't gonna take it and lay down and curl up in a log and go into hibernation and wait till next year for something to happen.  

Nope, not by a long shot.  Again, those fragile egos artists have can get jilted pretty good and I thought that I was past that years ago.  But having shit happen to be throw at you like monkey poo like printing and shows can still hit me.

I guess I was wrong and I'm still affected by that kind of stuff.

No biggie really though because I did what I had to do and relieved myself of this issue like a hiker getting up in the morning and stepping out of a tent and taking a wiz right into the face of nature.

But art don't stop just because yer having a bad day bucko, shows or anything else like that  your personal life.  It (the ART)  says you got just buck up and do it, so with that I move on.

There will be other shows for sure to go to but as this latest  one it was a learning experience and  either I pony up the cash for a vendors table and not worry about people encroaching in on my territory that I paid for OR don't go to a show.

Simple as that.

But then there is the art that needs to be made which has  been put on hold for the last couple of months but I will get to that in a second.

But firstly art that does sell!

And one of those sales took place at the 88 STRONG show that went up about month before the Crypticon came on.

Now in years past this show is a group that I had been part of which was always kind fun for me since I get to hang out with my art buddies and swill beer and munch on chips and down a few brauts.

So now "Gunslinger" is hanging up in somebody's house.  Yay!

So when you sell a piece like that,  that's kinda cool.  And that happened on top the my bad feelings from the Crypt show.  And of course when I also got  word that I had sold another t-shirt at NWIPA- bonus!  And I wasn't even there having to push it.  COOL! 

 When work like that goes out to the public you feel that even if you had a bad time at a show other things come together to prop you up when you're feeling down.

Now keep in mind that this group of work (The painted stuff not the t-shirts) was painted in color not etched like the scratchboard.  Thats a big deal for me because color and my painted work (in my opinion) are my weak points for art so a sale like that is awesome!

And now with the show worries outta of the way other projects can be focused upon.  That means Corpse Cop can finally get lettered and edited like it needs to for the next comic show.

COPRSE COP NEWS:

"Inhuman Torch" is going to move forward with the help of Paula Akin to help edit the book for me.  With Jason Pott (NeoTrash Comix) who has edited my books as well a Adam Watson (Darkslinger Comics) I can't take up any more of their time as they focus on their separate projects for their companies.  I do really thank you guys a lot for helping me out over the last couple years dudes.  Go out there sell your books and kick ass!

But after this  Corpse Cop story gets edited and printed the previous  "Arctic Wolf" storyline will be printed too. After that  I will  need to focus of the secular pieces of artwork to sell at other shows up and down the I-5 Corridor.  And that means making different t-shirts, tons of more buttons, more types of postcards (Like modeled after Richard Parker, the Deep Sea Diver) and the prints!

BUT THAT doesn't mean I will stop creating comics though.  I will continue to keep thumbnailing stories and posting images every once in a while because I have a small window time to crank that stuff out.  It's fun for me to work on that and just keep it for a later date to work on when I have more cash to spend on printing it and time to work on it.  

HOWEVER along that point I will be working on one comic related project that I believe that has great potential to stand out from the rest of the stories I have ever worked on and you probably have already guessed at what I have been talking about - The DREAMS OF ELYSIUM story.

DREAMS OF ELYSIUM;

It slowly comes together as I continue to work on the marker compts for the rough layouts.   The physical book is beginning to look like a monster of a book.  The scratchboard idea could be very labor intensive for me but when that work is completed and completely edited and ready to print that's where the hard work is gonna come in.   Kickstarter or GoFundMe will come into play to help pay for the printing, shipping and the incentives.  And that will take some planning and research to market it because I need to look at the international copyrights of printing and selling books overseas because of the way the book is set up to sell.

Any worth while endeavor like this is worth doing well and prepared for.

A long process to sure of but I don't want to go in blind with a work like this otherwise I'll get blind sided and spend a shit ton money that I don't have.

OTHER SHOWS;

Nothing yet, but this is Portland and anything could happen.

ALAN'S SOAP BOX THIS WEEK:

Already mentioned it above.

ODDITIES:

Fun stuff.

As Doug Jones was the HIGHEST point of the Crypticon Experince I also received notice from Tumblr that Doug Jones is now following me!  That's pretty awesome in my book.

More of this info can be found at  www.thevelvetcoffin.co.

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And the kid is out of here!

CRYPTICON 2014- AFTERMATH!

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

Well Crypticon 2014 is now just another memory and sadly something that I will not think of fondly as I have in the past of last year's show.
Now I realize that may sound like a downer but there are reasons for my choice of words for a show that I hold high praises for in the past.
Now firstly I should say all the prep work has been highly successful everything of the promise of post cards and prints.
Couldn't have done it without help of others.   Thank you all so much.

Last minute snafu's (postcards not ready on time my end of things and last minute stand in's), Travel time, Check in times, cheap food, stress of making cash off of sales to cover table fees. gas, lodging, after parties and break down of set up heading home.
And there is is so much good things that came out so really it comes down the pros and cons of the show.

AND ON THAT FRONT:

So here we go, drum roll please....

1).  Hot Damn! Getting to do the show again.  Had a blast for last year and did well so really looking to crush it this year with new material.   SWEEEETTAHH!
T-shirts- check.
Postcards- check.
Limited Edition Prints- check.
TRAIN IS LEAVING THE STATION!

2). Company of friends.  Adam Watson, Devon Devereaux, Robert Diaz, Sean Hemak, Jason Pott, Robert Diaz  and of course George Leon. I don't think it would have been possible to keep a real postive attitude towards the cons of the show but I'll get to that soon enough.  

Thank you guys of the PORTLAND CREW.  You're all AWESOME!
A special thanks to George Leon.  Dude really a saving grace at this show for helping listening to me vent about this whole show and situations becuase you were right there in the trenches with me.  Thanks buddy I hope we can have another show together.

3). Guests:  OF EVERYTHING OF THIS SHOW Doug Jones has to be in my opinion the jewel in crown of nice guys.  I never met a actor who gave hugs out so freely or so honestly.  And though he is an actor he seemed genuinly touched by the present of art I gave him for his birthday on Saturday.  This I think will stand out as one my favorite celeberaty momements in my life.

Jeffery Combs I think was was next runner up as far as celebs go.  Perhaps a little more tradional in his interaction with fans go but as actors go but warm and pleasant to shake his hand and say that I enjoyed his acting work for Star Trek (DS9 and Enterprise).

4). SQUARE.   A good 3rd to half of my business sales were through this little beast. Welcome to the 21 Century! 

THE CONS(!) I WILL WARN YOU, THIS IS A MAJOR BITCH FEST!  So if you want to stop, please do so for I am not going to be nice in what I write next.

Ah but here comes the pain like thumbscrews and electro shock treatment to help with my sudden blurting out of turrets syndrome - FUCK!

1). Tables.  Being mad at a table is not the issue.  It did not attack me but what did happen was the lack of knowing where our table was.  That was frustrating.  So we set up camp where we thought we'd make the best spot.  This may have proved to be our un-doing.  But the first day was hard to tell because there were so many looky lu's in house just scooping out what.

2). Window Wall paper of sponsors.  There's nothing quite like working on a piece of original artwork with a sharp instrument like and x-acto knife and having a 8 foot tall pieced together post land on your head.  Fantastic!  Use duct tape to hold these this stuff up man.

3). NUBES!  This might take a little bit longer than most of the issues that I had with the other shows of the past and mind you this deals with not one but two tables right accross from each other that grated on me like fucking tectonic plates.  Watch out, there he goes!
   I do really understand that if you have never set up a table before at any show that your going to make mistakes but this travesty of errors just kept going.
Friday load in had us in a pretty good spot that was on a corner to be seen on different fronts but then a person I will call Dogman came into the light, so to speak.
I know there are people with service dogs that are help the people out with either carrying supplies, know when people are having a seizure or even stress but if that were true why is this guy dressed as a zombie and drinking a beer out on the floor?  If this were truely a service dog go get me some brew boy!
  But Dogman was not alone no he was with family that had  Dad, Mom, even Grandma  drafted into helping selling a book by clogging up the hallway.  Not cool.
  Problem is the term "Service Dog"  because as a person can't ask someone to leave because of their special needs.  Well swilling beer ain't of them in my book!

And the thing was Dogman wasn't even the vendor selling the work at the table he was brother!  How's this show working again?

NOW THIS was not the only nube that we had to deal with at the show even though Dogman and fam were already rubbing us the wrong way.   IN ROLLS SATURDAY- the KING day of frustration for this kid.

As George and I have already had a good breakfast to get the ball rolling here and walking into the show table we now have a neighbor who is setting up shop -like in a major way.  Didn't I see that vendors were to have their load in and set up the day before, like yesterday on Friday night?  That's what I thought.

A artist alley table is 6'x2' and these guy's display who I will call Oddball (NOT THEIR REAL NAMES!)  have a backdrop that is easily 8' wide by 8' tall.  

Whattt?

Then on top of that they have a computer monitor that takes almost another two feet on the side of their table so that make it 8 foot table space.  Does anybody else have that going on?  Fuck no.  "Real estate" like that for a small vendor like Black Box Visual Arts or Custom Comic Shop get real territorial and I felt like we we getting our dicks stepped on!  Isn't there somebody keeping out an eye for this?

BUT TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY  The Oddball (NOT THEIR REAL NAMES!) people don't sit behind their table like normal vendors but force feed every single person walking by standing in front of their table.  

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!

I flipped out.  As I came around the corner there were a number of people talking in front their table at Oddball. When I asked them to move because coupled with Dogman and crew directly across the way everything was bottlenecked.  No person could get through.  

Sit behind or off to the side of the table display and talk to your friends BUT this guy began to debate me about  it. 

 DUDE!  Get a clue man, I'm a vendor your not, fuckin' bounce!  Of course I didn't say that but I did ask them to move and guy wouldn't.  I was ready to pop this guy right in the face but turned around told George I had to go outside and chill for a bit.

  The day came to a close but everything I had just experienced left a terrible taste in my mouth.

Sunday rolled around as George and I had a slow beginning for the morning coming in about a half hour later but we would not be 

deterred from eating.

But when the forces of Dogman and Oddball join all I could do do was laugh (and make snarky comments) in the hopes that the universe heard it.

We'll see.  But blocking the isle with people is a safety hazard, blocking sponsorship with a huge ass display is bad form because with out it no sponsorship, no show.  It hurts everybody.

And as George hit right on the head "Just because you have champagne tastes doesn't mean you can do it on a beer budget."

SO NOW THE QUESTION IS as always would I go back to this show?  HELL NO!  

There is no way i would go back UNLESS I had some kind assurance that this kind vendor behavior world have a "no tolerance" in effect and ENFORCED.  No vendor I have ever known in the last 15 years of doing shows have ever done this before and continued to do it even after being asked (though heatedly) to please step behind the table. And multiplied by 2X ? - UNBELIEVABLE!  Bad bad form guys!  Thanks for leaving a bad taste here.  

AN EMAIL was issued out to the promoter this morning (as of this Thursday morning) to let the people at Crypticon know that this was a terrible ssituation that I would not subject myself to again for any reason what so ever.  The only way to make this right is either a vastly discounted table or a vendor's table in the main room a.k.a The Red Room.

COMMISSIONS & PRICING:

IF anything from the experience has giving me is applying the Devon Devereaux Method of selling product and it did well for me all things considered up above.

I should mention that I do commissions. It usually depends size, complexity of the piece, varnished and framed.  I.E. Gilrandree Commission 11"x14" varnished, one subject, no frame- $175.00  Usually half down and half on completion of project.  Easiest way for payments is through Paypal  using my email address blackboxcomix@yahoo.com.

If you are curious about it please email me at blackboxcomix@yahoo.com

CORPSE COP NEWS:
Even though the new books weren't ready for sale the next show I should be attending The Rose City Show should see two new CORPSE COP BOOKS!    "Arctic Wolf" story and "Inhuman Torch" story should be ready for sale.

But if you wanta play catch up check out this link for the one CC's first adventures here indyplanet.com http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4799

DREAMS OF ELYSIUM:

Amonst the urging of both close friends as well as what I have already stated for backing away from comics and focusing  on strictly artwork this Graphic Novel stands apart.  As the pages and format start to take place the scope of book is beginning to really look very cool.  Its sometimes difficult because the story is told strictly through the use of the images, nothing else.
Even the white marker that I have been using could almost be used and orinted in it's own book .  Which it might.


ALAN'S SOAP BOX THIS WEEK:

Already mentioned it above.

ODDITIES:

Fun stuff.  

More of this info can be found at  www.thevelvetcoffin.co.

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And the kid is out of here!

MAKING POSTCARDS (and Crypticon 2014)

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

The New BBVA ICON 2014!  copyrighted 2014
 by Alan Bennett and BBVA 

Well like the title informs you yes that is exactly what I have been doing- making and formatting images of the past that would work well (in my opinion) as postcards and making the strongest images into prints.

Of course the focus has taken my attention away from the comic stuff but that's okay because at every show that I have ever gone to and tabled at the art Always outsells the comics.

That's unfortunate for me because I love comics and the illustrations.   It what got me to follow this path in the first place.
I guess that's why I continue to keep plugging away at Corpse Cop as a comic and Dreams of Elysium as that last great work of sequential Graphic Fiction.

But to support oneself as a working artist you have to transcend the people lack of picking up something new only to watch them put it back down on the table.   And it kinda get to you when you think "Man, I really thought I had a sale there."

Years ago about 5 to be exact and my friend Adam had heard me actually say "Man, if don't sell something today that's it.  I'm done with this."  
As it turned out I did sell and sold big (by that standard of selling anything ) And of course it wasn't even a comic book, it was a piece of artwork.

The caste was set.  But it kept me in the game for a long time.  But I realized (slowly)  that even though the art work was comic book themed it still was a secular piece. 

So here I am making merch that is based on comic book fantasy but no new comics to speak off.

I keep hoping that will change.

CRYPTICON 2014!

In in less than a week I will be at this event and blowing people away with the new material that I have made and brought to the show.  I had a blast with table mate George Leon last year while we sat and watched the parade of horror cruised on by the table. 

BUT that wasn't the only thing that was great about that show but the commissions that came in made up for half of my sales while I was there.  That to me was rockin'! I really look forward to this show.  And all of that mentioned above with cards and prints, t-shirts everything to get this kid making art work and making a living to doing it. 

It is true that I have had cut back on comic production but the ideas still proliferate my brain.
Even a re-launch of Corrax The Seeker is and has been running around in my head.  That ol' crow headed robust about might see another version.  A parallel universe character with his cosmic Ax and all.  But as a singular character.

Could be interesting.


AND ON THAT FRONT:
CORRAX THE SEEKER!

Strange that there had been draw back to the comics and Corvis was technically that last sci fi character I was really working on.  Even though I have a partial script for Future Cop and Corpse Cop always has something going on with me in my comic book universe or somebody else's AND Last Monster ON EaRTH for WERID ATOMIC TALES latest mini being worked on Sci Fi books just weren't really selling that well so what it is about this character I like so much?
The more that I began to think about the comic that I had created and started looking at the problems with the comic I had created that sits front of me on my wall as a proof that I did this.  
And all of all the sci fi characters I had worked on why this guy?  I have several characters that I could have worked on - in particularly Johnny Vega, why Corrax?  'CAUSE HE ROCKS! 

The originally idea was that Corrax was just a side kick for the Vega books.  But as I found Corrax had a strong following and funny enough from women too.  So I followed up with that  but the story began to get bogged down with a highly convoluted back story and all of it streaming from Vega and even further back with the Angry Robot story I had written and drawn up for Guilded Edges back in 1999/2000.  
So I had to gut the original story and see what good parts I could re-tool so I made a quick list while at work.

So the main points for the RE LAUNCH of CORRAX THE SEEKER- PLANETFALL.
1). As one friend asked when she got the book "What's he seeking?" He is seeking revenge.  Pretty straight forward for any character.
2). Revenge upon all A.I.'s across the galaxy for the destruction of his home world.
3). There are no Galactic Rangers to step in nor The HUB or JOHNNY VEGA.  NONE of that exists in this parallel version.
4). Is CORPSE COP involved?  Possibly.
5). Is DOKTOR PLUTARIUS involved in this parallel?  Maybe.
6). Is any of the previous history of the original Corrax from the Vega Universe going to spill over into this story?   NO.  I don't want the boggy version of that history coming over.  Keep it simple and straight forward.
7). Does he still have the Cosmic Ax?  Yes, but again this is a parallel version.

So there you go a stream lined idea for a relaunch of Corrax with a heavy purpose.

COMMISSIONS: 

I haven't had many since the beginning of February but ready to get back at it again.

I should mention that I do commissions. It usually depends size, complexity of the piece, varnished and framed.  I.E. Gilrandree Commission 11"x14" varnished, one subject, no frame- $175.00  Usually half down and half on completion of project.  Easiest way for payments is through Paypal  using my email address blackboxcomix@yahoo.com.

If you are curious about it please email me at blackboxcomix@yahoo.com

CORPSE COP NEWS:

Now like I said above, I have had to stand back from the comics but this does not mean I am done with CC by any stretch of my means.
There are still at least three different Corpse Cop stories that I want to do before I'm done with him.

"Inhuman Torch" is complete with the art being formatted into a comic currently.  The lettering and the content editing still need to be done for this book.  Hopefully it will be completed before to long. 

"Arctic Wolf"  still needs to be released nation wide but there is only a minor tweeks that need to take place there.

But if you wanta play catch up check out this link for the one CC's first adventures here indyplanet.com http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4799

DREAMS OF ELYSIUM:

  The scale of this piece is looking good and the grand feel of this book is even better.  But I do have a sneaking suppision that the ending of this work could change.  After looking at the adventure I realized that there was a drastic change in the story line concerning Craig Lancher.
  But I am sure that I will figure out the right way to dispose of main characters that will satisfy readers and collectors. The work is making the book much larger but the Graphic Novel will be worth it.  Just looking at the marker comps for the book makes me almost wanta make a graphic novel with just the comps.

ALAN'S SOAP BOX THIS WEEK:

Nothing to bitch about but that can always change at the drop of a hat!

ODDITIES:

Fun stuff.  

More of this info can be found at  www.thevelvetcoffin.co.

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And the kid is out of here!