Skulls and Paper

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I'm still furiously plugging away at getting Smithee ready for print! Garvin had the idea of making a variant limited edition cover, so I made that. I made the actual How-To-Spin-Yarn instructions that will ONLY be found in the print edition. I figured out how to layout the pages in the correct order for printing. Plus, throw in a couple traumatic (to me) dental appointments involving a double root canal to make for unproductive days recovering, and here we are.

I just happened to pick up a free comic day reprint of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the quarter drawer and was reading the saga of in the intro of how that came to be and got ramped up all over again to be publishing my little survival tome. In my book, I want not only to appeal to Zombie fans in general, but also to those looking for real life information that could theoretically be used in the event of needing to know this stuff.

 Speaking of real life - and diatomaceous earth - I have a new theory as to why it messed up my dog. In studying bladder stones in dogs, it seems that when the urine PH becomes alkaline, it promotes stones. And wouldn't you know it, that stuff alkalizes the PH of urine. Plus, part of her home-made diet was sweet potatoes -which are high in Oxalate's (stone forming material), not to mention a home-made diet rich in vegetables can also be alkalizing. Little did I know! To compensate, I give her vitamin C and Cranberry pills to tip the balance back towards acidic.

Diatomaceous Earth - what you need to know!

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I thought I would impart an update on my using Diatomaceous Earth. As it turns out, if you google the side effects of using Silica suppliments (Diatomaceous Earth is Silica), you will find side effect warnings all the advocates of Diatomaceous Earth never seem to mention.
Here are some results of my search:
Overdosage, toxicity and cautions for silica
Vital Health Zone
Some of the possible side effects are

Silica can lower your blood sugar levels, which can be particularly dangerous if you have diabetes.

Silica acts as a diuretic, so you shouldn't take it if you take water pills. Combining silica with other diuretics can lead to dehydration and dangerously low levels of potassium.

Taking silica with chromium supplements or herbs that contain chromium, such as brewer's yeast and bilberry, can increase your risk of chromium poisoning.

Long-term use or very high doses of horsetail (or silica) supplements have caused irreversible kidney damage, especially in people with existing kidney or heart disease. People with eodema should also not take silica (or horsetail) supplements.
I bring this up because my dog developed a uriniary tract infection as a result of getting DE. For that reason I wanted to get some of this information out because you generally won't find these cautions when you read about the wonders of DE. I didn't realize what was going on with my dog at first. In retrospect I wished I had heeded the signs sooner. But you know, denial is alot more fun!

That Special Ingrediant!

 

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Well, Billy goes ballistic. Being an ex-mercenary, you just don't lock those kind of people in a cage and expect them to be quiet about it! But Smithee has a plan. A Special Ingredient in his Home-Brew soda. Smithee is quiet, but he does what has to be done.

This very well be the concluding panel in Issue #1 of the ware-wolf story. I am going to think about it.

Now I gotta focus on getting Issue #1 to print. I tell ya what, a year ago I woulda never thought I would be dealing with comic convention deadlines, or ever dream of tabling at a comic convention. There is one principle I am beginning to see in doing comics, and that is persistence. Not giving up even though your not as good as you want to be. Just having the guts to put yourself out there in itself more of an accomplishment than you would think.
On a personal note, got a toothache, darn it! I hate going to doctors.

Nuclear War Survival Skills

 

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I Found this nifty free guide to share with you all. Something Smithee wishes he had! Smithee cares about YOU'RE survival, so he shares this link with you all.

If you're new to my blog,click HERE to go to the start of the Ware-Wolf story.
Enjoy and SURVIVE!

Time To Die!!

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Billy can be temperamental, but this time he really might have a screw loose!
In other news, I have thought about it and I'm going to split this ware-wolf story into 2 issues so it can go to print sooner. Plus, I have signed up for a table in artists alley at the upcoming Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival on 11-3-2012,  which is held at the Clark County Library on 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. and I want to be certain to have a book ready since Garvin said he would be there if I had a new book finished. I mean you would want to meet the man who inspires the character of Billy wouldn't you? Garvin Lee is an independent film actor who is actually on IMDB. This will be my first time tabling and I'm both really excited and really intimidated. Though, I actually was behind a table once back in the 90's at a Trek Convention where a buddy was trying to sell Enterprise phones. Never sold one, but I met someone who actually was a Borg and I won the costume contest with my Borg costume. So, we didn't make a dime, but it was a blast!

Smithee page 10 - I ain't crazy!

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Billy is a bit wild-eyed and on edge after his encounter with the ware-wolf, and Smithee is obviously skeptical.

My Facebook Page

ROWRR! Ware-Wolf Attacks

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'Ware-Wolf attacks! ( in full color) I wanted this to be abstract and vague since it is based on Billy's recollection of what happened. I did this in pastel. It was a blast to be so expressive and loose.
Free Comic Day today! Last year I blew over 100$, this year only about $30. I passed up alot I wouldn't have last year. A year's collecting experience will do that. The thing I spent the most on was Death Of Spiderman issues. Also scored a few MacFarland spidey's. Also passed out a few of my Smithee Business cards and talked to some artists. I walked up to the table at Alternate Reality and asked if they were all local artists,( they said yes, except for Rick Tucker who said he used to be from Vegas), then I said "so am I!" Then I introduced myself and gave them my card. Check out my Facebook Page for more.

Uncle Smithee

 

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Welcome to page 6. It was fun making the 3 cell spanning word balloons. Smithee tests Billy with a little sarcasm to asses his true state of mind. I woulda made this sooner,but I had a jammed packed weekend of the MLAA artist meeting, then a printmaking workshop. Not much time left over for a Smithee page.

But, here ya go!

Crying Ware-wolf!

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Billy unfolds his tale of his life and death struggle with a big - hairy -  foul breathed beast that nearly got the best of him while whinning about his role as hunter (which he not-so-secretly enjoys). I think my word ballons are getting better, and I like the wild-eyed look in Billy's eyes. He's kind of a little off since he escaped the ware-wolf and Smithee isn't sure what to make of it yet. Smithee is has an underlying suspicion of everything. I think it comes with not being able to remember his former identity.
This weekend I plan on spiffing up this Smithee tome to be posted on a comic collective website. I don't want to look like too much of a dork beside the more polished (and colored) comics. When you do B&W, you have to work a little harder since everyone is used to colored comics. The cover for this book isn't like a standard comic, it's geared more towards being a zine. I'm thinking of reworking it to be more comic bookish. And I definitely want to redo word balloons before sending it out to it's new venue.  I'll let you know when it's on the new site.

Home Brew Medicine

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Welcome to page 5. Billy get's his wounds cleaned with home-brew alcohol. I re-drew Billy in panel 2. I like how haggered he came out looking.

I have switched ISP providers and now have regular service back - yippie! It is good to post from the comfort of my own home again, let me tell ya!

Incase you didn't notice, I have a new page of survival links reachable under the banner.Today I'm adding the CDC's info about zombie outbreaks I thought you all might be amused by. That's right folks, the CDC jumped on the Zombie bandwagon to utilize the metaphor of Zombies to teach the public about emergency preparedness, like I'm trying to do.

I've been learning about lettering and word balloons and had fun with them in this page. Thanks for reading!

NO more knitting!

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Well, here I am again posting from the Apt. complex computer center, but surprise - on a thursday! I don't think will mean another post on this weekend. Depends on if my ISP gets thier act together.
This computer is really limiting what I can do like putting in those handy PREVIOUS links. So, this will have to do.
So, here we get Smithee's reaction to having a gun put to his head. The humor is based on sarcasim, I especially like Billy's last word on the subject. The next pages will be basically chapter 2 - about how Billy ends up in a cage overnight.
Dang, I can't even put tags on this post!

Don't shoot!

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]Don't push Billy's buttons, or your liable to see his dark side. Of course Billy has good reason to be so testy, as we shall see. Everyone has thier limits you know, and Billy certainly had his pushed in the last 24 hours!
And let me introduce Rex - the dog. Rex ended up here to provide a beat between cells and balance things out. Also, Rex has to be in this comic since it is about fur- yarn-making, etc. The duo has to have a source of fur after all, don't they? Believe me, there are worse places to get your fur from...
I'm not posting from the comfort of my own home because my ISP provider is being uncooperative. Perhaps all the Solar Erruptions lately disrupted things? Speaking of which, when I can do this from home again, I'm thinking of putting up some usefull links to survivalist related info like SpaceWeather. For now, posting from the computer center of the Apt complex will have to do. But as in all survival situations, you have to remain calm and utilize what is at hand.

Get ready to rumble

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Welcome to page 2. Spent most of my time making the fence cage. The cage is in the "Cold Room" where perishables are stored. Billy isn't very fond of it, considering recent events, so Smithee decides to tease him a little about it by tossing his new mitten into it. Probably not such a good idea. Billy can be temperamental. The cage is an emergency refuge incase they are cornered by Zombies. Or, to keep Billy from pilfering sodas. Also a safe place for valuables while they are out on a mission. Why doesn't everybody have a chain link cage in the spare bedroom?

Ware-Wolf begins

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And our exciting introduction into the world of Smithee Zombie Hunter begins! Here we catch Billy sneaking a home-brew soda. He kills people (well, hopefully not real people - just Zombies) for a living, so upsetting Smithee's inventory is no big deal. Besides, he has had a harrowing time lately getting that one mitten he is wearing.
I enjoy doing these drawings. With each one my pen & ink style gets better and I learn a little bit more. I use a digital pen to draw with in photoshop and compose it all in CorelDraw. My plan is to update every week, probably on the weekends like today. It all depends on what's going on.
Enjoy & Survive!

Ware-Wolf Introduction

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Welcome to the online preview for my in-progress Smithee Survival Guide #2. The survival skill that is taught in this guide is how to spin your own yarn from dog fur. The plot revolves around Billy's harrowing encounter with a very hairy dude who sells mittens, and turns ware-wolf and attacks him when the sale goes awry.
I redesigned this site to be in the format of the standard webcomic site with a cleaner interface. I find enough people come to my blog that I thought I would make it more about the Smithee story line than my art musings, which will now go into my Plutonium Casserole blog. The old posts will still be here, but now I am focusing more on Smithee. Plus, since I'm doing all this work on Smithee #2, I wanted to share what I'm drawing with you.
I drew several  ware-wolfsbeore arriving at this one this ware-wolf in pencil. And by the way, I spell it ware-wolf on purpose. My ware-wolfs aren't biological creations, but technological. And what better way to talk about fur and yarn spinning while providing some danger and drama?

Smithee number two updates

Here is one of the cells I did with my digital pen directly in the computer. However, my elbow was starting to complain, and now I'm drawing them directly on paper while capturing in on the device to upload. It is turning out to be faster that way, and more fluid. I can do 2-3 cells a day. I might have a roughly 110 cells to do total. So speed and efficiency are supreme.I have 12 cells done so far. Because of the huge amount of work ahead of me, I'm pretty sure I'll stick to B&W.
This cell is about where I'm going into the 'Cold Room' where Billy is sneaking another one of my home-made sodas. In the 'Cold Room' is a chain-link cage we made to keep food safe incase of attack, or have a refuge for ourselves in that event. It is A 'Cold Room' in that is isn't heated, and is vented to the cold air outside for refrigeration purposes.

Plutonium holiday

Well, so much for making a fast comic! The following still took a couple hours. But, they are different.

 

 

I need to take a break from Plutonium to work on my Smithee Zombie Hunter #2 Werewolf story. I just can't manage two endeavors at once right now. Maybe I'm lazy.
That is what these panels are about. I don't know what you were thinking, sicko!

ARGH!!

Argh!

The last 2 weeks have been very distracting art-wise.
Intense days sitting infront of the computer, hunting, hunting, hunting!
Where is my next source of food coming from?
The neighborhood decided they'd rather hire a better Zombie Hunter.
One who can kill food quicker and without any input from them. A mind
reader. I am a lousy mind reader. I didn't get that particular ZAP from the radiation. I think they were enamoured for someone with bigger muscles, probably cheaper too. In the end they wanted me to just KNOW what they wanted me to hunt without any direction from them.
But, I  know there are people who will appreciate the skills I really do have. Just gotta keep hunting, hunting, hunting!

Pure Zombie Hunter

OK. So here is the deal. I want attention!
Here I am out there hunting zombies all daylong, I have this blog, and all I put up is my doodles. You read the blog title and think zombie hunting comic. So where are the comics already?
Let's be honest, I have a real tough time drawing from imagination. So did Norman Rockwell. But, if I am realistic and patient with myself, maybe I can improve. So, Ill give it a shot and see if I can draw anything comprehensible. I do far better drawing from life. Cartooning might look simple, but it tougher than you think! Simplicity can be one of the greatest expressions of real skill.
My journey thru art has been rough. I don't know what is realistic to expect of myself. I had a mother who could draw PERFECT characters from imagination, and still thought she had no talent at all. It's humbling to have to work at it so hard when it was effortless for her. But it is also a journey thru myself as it reveals what I'm made of, my limitations and insecurities.
It is tough finding my own voice. My own place. And figuring out if my work means anything. I figure if anything I'll have a nice 'body of work' to leave my family who doesn't talk to me. It sure would be nice to find people in the here and now who get something from what I do.
I tried sharing my talent today when I got a baby shower card to sign for someone. I took a chance and did a cartoon baby saying "mom. enjoy your baby shower!" I don't think God gave me my talents to keep all to myself and not share with others. So, why not? Though it makes me squirm to think how it makes me stand out from the other folks who signed with the regular trite greeting card lines.

Hello and welcome fellow Zombie enthusiasts! This is the home of my innane ramblings and superficial attempts at meaning. As well as share my twisting odessy into comic publishing, and some of my free spirited attempts at sketching just for the pleasure of it.
It began with those plentyfull Christmastime full color flyers with all kinds of pretty people.
well, it goes further back, about 2 years back.

I have B&W survallence cameras and wondered to myself if I was in a survival world, or say back in the 1800's, could I make color pictures? Kind of like Doc made ice in the wild west in one of the back to the future movies. So I reasoned it out, did some research, and took some pictures with 3d glasses for filters and took the pics into photoshop and messed around. and to my amazement, color pictures from B&W!! Then I took my fantasy further and wondered if I could publish without a real press, with just crude tools? Instantly it came to mind the kind of pictures I have always loved in told books.
You know, before half-tones came to be where tonality was done thru lines. That always captivated me. But how did they do that? Can I do that?
They did it by taking a needle and etching lines in copper plates and printing them. Hmmm.
what about plastic plates?
Well, I came upon a large supply of cheaply framed posters thrown away with plastic sheets covering them, and the quest was on! It was quite a struggle to get it to work. I very nearly gave it up. I decided one last attempt and took a chance and got some Akua color itaglio ink and hesitantly tried it. And lo, it worked!
Over the next year I did etching after etching. I soon made my own press from a metal rollar and a clipboard along with some padding - since that's all an intaglio press it. And it has worked nicely and I have shaved down a clipboard in the process and had to get another.
I eventually moved to doing 4 and 5 colors. But after a year, I was looking for something different. Then the Christmas flyers started coming out, and I was intrigued to try drawing some people. So after doing a bikini lady, I got the idea it might be fun to do a bunch of etchings and make a comic!
With the help of some supportive friends, I arrived at the Zombie hunting theme.
I created a couple characters and layed out a couple comics. But I wanted to get my feet wet and just put out a Zine incorporating the characters and my methods for making color pics from B&W. I have them for sale on Etsy for a mere $2.00!
http://www.etsy.com/people/CalvinTheEtcher.
So far those who have read it have liked it. It is also in the Las Vegas Zine Library.
Feel free to stop by my store and tell me what you think!