"Float like a Butterfly…"

Knocked up this homage to a great 1970s DC Comic (cover by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, based on Joe Kubert layout), featuring Muhammad Ali boxing Superman. Rest in peace, G.O.A.T.

'Graphic' with guest Len Wein: A Great day at the Sydney Opera House

Many thanks to the organisers, staff and support crew of 'Graphic' at the Sydney Opera House for their kindness, good nature and professionalism during last weekend's 'Graphic' festival. I had the great pleasure of being invited to research and chat with Comic book legend Len Wein (The co-creator of Wolverine, Swamp Thing, The new X-men, Marvel EIC, etc.)  on Saturday for his 'Creator Focus' panel. We managed to cover a wide range of his career in the hour, from Gold Key (Twilight Zone, Microbots, Star Trek), to Marvel, to DC, the crazy bullpen, Wolverine, X-Men, Swamp Thing, Jigsaw, Lucius Fox, that infamous pirate hat (;P), Watchmen, X-Men: Animated, and more...there was still a few questions I would have loved to have asked (and was able to chat and get some stories outside the panel that I was very appreciative of), but really, you could spend a whole hour just on Brother Voodoo alone. Apparently, I was able to cover a great deal more than most panels held in the past on his career, according to Len. I was very pleased with the feedback I received, and had a great time. It was great to hear a whole bunch of funny and interesting stories from the man himself, and many stories I didn't find during the research. A sneak peak into his methodology too, and if not for a combination of surprise Daylight savings changeover (we don't have that up here in Queensland...), and family commitments, I would have had a better chance of catching his Sunday appearances. Alas, it was not to be. But, happy for the time I was able to have at 'Graphic' on Saturday.

I won't bore folks with a tonne of badly taken International Fleet Review photos and fireworks (that was on in Sydney the same day; public transport and crowds throughout the city were as big as New Years Eve and the Sydney Olympics...nuts!), but there's a taste there too of the drinks night for the artists on the balcony of the Opera House, while the Navy ships and helicopters lit up the sky. Very cool! Overall, it was nice to be appreciated for the Doctoral studies in Comics; something different again from the Comic illustrating/Writing or Australian team Taekwon-do.

Anyways, gotta run, thank you for the pics taken during the panel. I completely forgot to palm the camera off to someone. 

Photos courtesy of Ian Browning

Some kids dressed as DC Comic characters ask Len Wein some last minute questions. We both agreed that it was awesome to see the next gen getting into comics. Very easy to forget, considering the output, that comics ARE for kids too ;P

Thank you for taking the photo Christine- Your husband is right: you do take good pictures (despite my terrible camera!). Lovely to meet you, and Angus.

Image by Prudence Uptonhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=740681185958735&set=a.740672382626282.1073741835.130801790280014&type=1&theater

Melbourne and Gold Coast Supanova April 2013 photo dump

Many, many thanks to all the fantastic people who came by and supported me when I was a guest at the recent Melbourne and Gold Coast Supanovas back in April. Was very happy to be back again at both shows for another year. Still flat out, so I don't have a lot of time or brain power- needless to say, I am very thankful to Daniel Z, Tim, Royd and the whole Supanova crew (including Mark, Dion, Bruce, Peter, Quinny, Missy, Felicity etc. etc.) for all your help, love and support.
Kicking myself I didn't get a chance to get a pic with David Gibbons, but it was great to chat and swap some stories/Comic signatures (!)
 But, met one of my heroes, Kostya Tszyu. Very cool. Pics below. Big thanks also to All Star Comics Melbourne, Kaboom Comics Toowoomba, Geek Speak, the Brisbane 31 Digital TV crew, Death Rocket Podcast, Whatcha podcast, Worldwide Taekwon-do, and special thanks to Gifts for the Geek and Black House comics for all your help, support and kindness, in one form or another, that you guys provided over the tour.
And of course, all the awesome Soldier readers and print/sketch people (New and old; I may thank you constantly for your support, but that's because without it, there would be none of this), other comic folks who gave me their time, and my awesome stablemates Jason Franks (and Yuri!), Chris Sequeira (and Jacqui and Valentina), and  W.Chew Chan. Cheers to Dean Rankine, Cassandra James, Nicola Scott, Tom Taylor, Colin Wilson (who drew an inspiring and epic sketch in my "Battler Britain" Tpb), Tristan "T-Rex" Jones, Billy Tan, Doug Holgate, Matt Emery, Bruce Mutard, and Paul Abstruse too. Lots of names and faces, all a bit of a blur right now, but you know how I feel- I appreciate the lot of you that I saw and spoke to.

Billy from 'Death Rocket Podcast'- Nice to meet you :)

Black House Comics: Wonder Woman and Captain Cold approved ;D Thank you, gang!

Two Masons: Damien and me. No relation, just a cool surname :)

One of a heap of head sketches from both cons. See more below as you go. 

Me with Melbourne comiker Thomas Tung, and Chris Sequeira.

Forgot to snap his sketch, but 'Slenderman-child' is creepy ;P

Cordi, and good mate/training buddy Doug Holgate!

Doug, Dean Rankine, Bozo the clown and Jason Franks. Thanks to you and Yuri for everything too, my friend :D

Same as above, but joined by the shy Cordi, Chris, and W. Chewie Chan. 

The" Black House "crew in Melbourne: now with added "Jason Fisher" via the Dymocks stand- writer of 'After the World', and the  recently released Novel 'Quiver'.

'The Human Fly' for Tim McEwen.

Bunch of new Soldier readers in Melb. Cheers, fellas :)

Writer Tom Taylor is inducted into the 501 ;D

Awesome- with fellow guests: Undisputed World Champion Kostya Tszyu and writer/script writer Dustin Warburton

Another good mate, fellow guest Tristan 'T-Rex" Jones. Always a pleasure catching up, man.

And the Gold Coast:

Soldier approved. Cheers mate :)

err....Crazy mad scientist approved ;P

Me with illustrator Ken Best. Nice to catch up.

Ken was a Karate dude, and wanted a fighter pose pick. Happy to oblige, bud.  :)

Wicked! Marceline and The Ice King from Adventure Time! Cheers as always for your support, Amy and Dave.

Turns out, The Ice King thinks the comics are "Cool", and Marceline thinks they're "Killer" :P (Nice work, Dave)

Causing havok during our Gold Coast Panel. Much to Quinny's annoyance ;P Mentose, Anyone?

More Panel nonsense :D

Finn digs the books too! Thanks Saxon.

Awww, Soldier readers rule! An awesome Kirby "Thing" gift. It's clobbering time!

Add caption

Is anything more epic than a Cardboard Ironman and a Horse singing "Rammstein"?

So Jason and I started to Mosh. 2 Seconds later, this.

Buddies Jessy and Fred stop by.

Speaking of mates, 'The Late Nite Show's" Flashman stops by, in an awesome 'Red Mist' outfit. Good to see you, man! 

Mini-me: Agent of Shield.

Keeping dry, Japanese style!

Biff! Pow! Bam! 

My buddy Chris is "Conan the Barbarian" in an upcoming show. Crom!

"Twoa Snakezz! Facenug eech addher!"

A Magnificent "Maleficent"

Another one bites the dust!

Cheers Adam!

Ey, yo! It's little Rocky!

Brendan and Meredith! Thank you for your long time support :D

I had so much fun on this Punisher sketch cover request. And honoured to be asked.

A Head sketch for Kostya. 

I think there's probably a few stray photos floating about that I've missed... oh, hang on:

Crazy eyes for the 'Geek Speak' lead in video for Gold Coast Supanova. Thanks for putting up with my B.S , guys. Steve and Mel did a good job, as did Todd, Wade and the crew.

So we picked a song I thought I knew...and didn't :P Jase on the Guitar, Chris on the other one, Sarah and Chewie on the Drums, and a sore throat-ed me screaming the words ("Dirty Deeds" by ACDC. I realized after the fact, I was going in with the words to "TNT" in my head. They are the same song! Conspiracy!)

Yep, here's a disturbing one to finish on. Snapped by "Captain Cold"- borrowing Lara Croft's pistols. Thanks Adele. 

Ok, that's it. I'm wiped. Was awake for a good 42 hours straight at one point this week, so on some level, I MUST do comics for the love of them... :P Anways, this photo dump reminded me what a crazy month April was. The week before Melb, I graded, and achieved my 3rd Degree Black Belt in NSW. Guest at Melb the following week, Gold Coast after that, then Australia Team squad training on the Sunshine coast to end the month, before FCBD in Geelong, Vic for 'Gifts for the Geek' to kick off May. Along with picking up 'The Human Fly' story from the US, I was overall honoured to have done all these cool things, and it touched my heart to meet folks who genuinely cared what I was doing, and what they were reading in my comic series- include Oz Comic-Con madness and awesome fun in March (in Perth and Adelaide), means not only a lot of flights, but a lot of kind people who have allowed me to fulfill a lot of goals in a short amount of time that (though I may be the only one who gives a damn) am very thankful for. I may be broke, I may have a mind-numbing and one stressful day job at present, and find it always an uphill battle to gain traction sometimes in this sometimes-fickly and ego-abound scene, but I'm pleased to be a small part of the worlds that I'm in right now, and look forward to more fun times and memory-making soon. Cheers for allowing me to thought-stream on here sometimes. Will throw up some random pages next post, so it's not always about the kind promotion pieces that comes my way, clogging this blog.

Thanks for sticking with me through all this. I salute you, Soldiers.