Zoetica 2009

Every year I draw a picture based on my interweb pal Zoetica Ebb. It's become an interesting time capsule-ish tradition. I went kind of dark and creepy with this 2009 entry. Gotta keep things interesting.

Links to the past:

2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008

And as it turns out, this is officially my last piece of art of the decade.

Everyone, I hope you have a wonderful New Year's, and I wish you nothing but happiness and success in 2010! :) Thank you for supporting me and my crazy art adventures.

Smell like Prismacolors I do.

Grab yourself a New Year's sketch card treat

I'm still taking orders for sketch cards. I have regular personal card stock (blank on the front, my name on the back), as well as Star Wars Fan Days II and III card stock. Full-color like the Toony Indy above is $50 -- B&W/duotone like the Vader is $30. Paypal me at grantgoboom@gmail.com if interested - please add $5 for shipping. And of course make sure you specify which character and card stock you'd like. And if you want the character "toon-ified" like that Indy, make sure you say so. :)

And I still have ONE blank artist return card left for the Clone Wars Widevision set - I'm asking $150 (Edit: Widevision card has been SOLD). You can choose any character you like. Email me if ya want it. Thanks!

Character Commissions

I will soon be caught up on past-due commissions and that means I can start taking a few new orders. At the moment I'm offering two options:

• Marker-colored, single-character, 8.5"x11" pieces for $100 (samples: Padme, Clone Trooper, Plo Koon).

• Digitally-colored, single-character, 8.5"x11" pieces for $200 (samples: Captain Rex, Racetrack, Boba Fett) -- You get both the original line art and a high-resolution file of the final colored piece.

I need to finish up all of my 2009 commissions before I begin work on new orders (so don't expect to see new commissions finished in January), but the sooner you grab a spot the better - I'll be tackling these in the order I get 'em. So if you're interested, send Paypal payment to me at grantgoboom@gmail.com, write "Early 2010 Commission" in the subject line, and let me know what character you'd like in the notes section. No extra money for shipping required.

If you have any questions, shoot me an email at grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "Commission Question" in the subject line. Thanks, everyone!

ATTN: Art & Sketchbook Collectors!!!

I'm clearing out some of my personal convention sketchbook/art book collection. They need good homes.

SOLD!Adam Hughes: A Brand You Can Trust, '04: $75
5.5"x8.5", RARE, signed by Adam Hughes on front cover.

SOLD!Adam Hughes: How To Draw Boobs..., '05: $60
5.5"x8.5", signed by Adam Hughes on front cover.

SOLD!Adam Hughes' Greatest Hits Vol. 2, '06: $40
5.5"x8.5", signed by Adam Hughes on first page.

SOLD!Adam Hughes: Hissy Fit, '08: $30
5.5"x8.5", signed by Adam Hughes on front cover.

SOLD!Art Pimpin' #1: Art of Ryan Benjamin, '05: $35
5.5"x8.5", signed by Ryan Benjamin on back cover plus an awesome original DARTH MAUL SKETCH.

Matt Busch Sketchbook: Volume One, '06: $20
5.5"x8.5", numbered 815/1000, signed by Matt Busch on inside front cover.

J. Scott Campbell: Vintage Tin, '06: $75
5.5"x8.5", signed by J. Scott Campbell on inside front cover.

J. Scott Campbell: Sketchbook, '07: $75
5.5"x8.5", VERY HARD TO FIND, signed by J. Scott Campbell on front cover.

SOLD!J. Scott Campbell: Tall Sketchbook, '09: $40
4.25"x11", signed by J. Scott Campbell on front cover.

Intermission: A Selection of Works by Eric Canete, '09: $35
8.5"x11", signed by Eric Canete on first page.

Got Cheeks? Sean 'Cheeks' Galloway Sketchbook, '05: $60
5.5"x8.5", Volume 1, 1st Edition, RARE, signed by Cheeks on front cover, and includes ORIGINAL BATGIRL SKETCH ON INSIDE BACK COVER - drawing also signed by the artist.

SOLD!Katie Cook: The Joy of Cook, '09: $20
5.5"x8.5", numbered 80/200, signed by Katie Cook on cover.

SOLD!Katie Cook: The Joy of Cook (Cheesecake Edition), '09: $20
5.5"x8.5", numbered 52/200, signed by Katie Cook on cover.

Tom Hodges Sketchbook: She-Devil's On The Loose, '09: $20
5.5"x8.5", signed by Tom Hodges on front cover.

SOLD!Jonboy Meyers Sketchbook: Scribble, '05: $20
5.5"x8.5", signed by Jonboy Meyers on back cover, includes inserted promo card with original WOLVERINE SKETCH.

Keron Grant: The Art of Keron, '08: $35
8.5"x11", signed by Keron Grant in silver ink on the front cover.

Jim Lee Sketchbook, '09: $45
5.5"x8.5", numbered 462/1000, signed by Jim Lee on front cover.

Khary Randolph Sketchbook, Pimpjooze Vol. 2, '05: $25
6.5"x10.25", (adults only), signed by Khary Randolph on front cover.

Monkeyjuice: Ben Templesmith Sketchbook, '04: $45
7.5"x9.25", Ben Templesmith's first sketch volume with EXTREMELY RARE FIRST EDITION COVER.

Leinil Yu: Lead Poisoning, '06: $40
5.5"x8.5", numbered 240/800, signed by Leinil Yu on inside front cover.

I didn't want to deal with eBay, because their fees are becoming ridiculous. So if you see something you want, shoot me an email at grantgoboom@gmail.com -- I'll be asking for $5 to cover shipping in the U.S. (or $10 international). If you buy a book and are still waiting on a commission from me, there's no need to add shipping - I'll send the sketchbook along with your commission. Any questions, let me know. Thanks!

The 2009 Grantie Awards

As per annual nerdy tradition, it's time for me to hand out some Granties!




Star Trek
I loved "Next Generation" back in the day, but never really considered myself a huge Trek fan. This movie made me fall in love with the franchise. It's the complete package -- fun, funny, exciting -- with a perfect cast. For me, Star Trek set the bar for the rest of the year, and nothing ever topped it.

District 9
This movie really took me by surprise. It took twists and turns I didn't expect, and even though it borrows sci-fi elements I'd seen before, it unfolds in an original and captivating way. District 9 will stand the test of time, and it's one helluva debut by director Neill Blomkamp and actor Sharlto Copley.

Zombieland
While I don't consider Zombieland to be on the same level of "cinematic quality" as my first two choices, it was probably the most fun I had in the theater all year. I thought it was hilarious, I loved the characters -- I can't wait to own it on DVD. To be honest, I had a hard time choosing between Inglourious Basterds and Zombieland for my #3 spot. I think I like them equally. But in the end, Zombieland will probably stay with me longer and be more enjoyable on multiple viewings. I think it's a goofball horror flick that'll age well, like Ghostbusters. (Bill Murray... He just gets me.)




True Blood
Those of you who aren't giving this show a chance because you think it's just another vampire craze/Twilight knock-off, you're doing yourself an injustice. "True Blood" is one of the most entertaining shows on TV (and definitely not for kids - thank you, HBO). Season 1 was a lot of fun, but Season 2 is what really hooked me. It's insane and addicting and has a killer cast, and I'm excited to see where it goes in Season 3.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars
First of all, I gotta mention that the DVD/Blu-ray packaging for Season 1 is amazing. Easily one of the coolest-looking releases -- the booklet of concept art alone makes it worth buying! But the main reason I'm listing "Clone Wars" in my top TV shows of 2009 is because Season 2 so far has been incredible. It's better than Season 1, for sure, but more than that, it's really finding its groove and delivering the Star Wars goodness. The stuff the prequels got wrong, the "Clone Wars" cartoon gets right.

Modern Family
My favorite new sitcom. Every episode is hilarious (and surprisingly touching) - the entire cast is great. It's up there with "The Office" and "30 Rock," in my opinion, and that's quite a feat, considering the show is brand-spankin'-new. I hope the writers can keep up the same level of quality that they've given us so far.




Star Trek: The Art of the Film
I'm a sucker for big, glossy movie art books. I saw this one at Barnes & Noble, and obviously I loved Star Trek, so I flipped through it. Loved it, had to buy it -- everything from ship designs to costume sketches -- it's just a damn pretty book. Highly recommended for any Trek fans and/or dorks like me who get overly excited about sci-fi movie concept art.

Bone, Volume 9: Crown of Horns
The conclusion of the "Bone" saga in all its full-color glory came out this year (it was my first time reading the series - I'd been buying these new Scholastic versions as they came out). Needless to say, the critics are right. "Bone" is a wonderful series, and this final book is probably my favorite of all nine volumes. Jeff Smith has such a smooth, easy, cartoony style. I definitely want to re-read the series sometime in its original black & white format.

Exodyssey: Visual Development of an Epic Adventure
This book caught my eye at Comic-Con. It's a massive collection of sci-fi visual concepts by a team of insanely talented artists, and every page blows me away. It's one of these things that I like to have sitting on my shelf so that I can flip through it and get inspired. I love the variety of styles and I highly recommend it to anyone who digs concept art. Great-lookin' book.

As you can probably tell, I didn't do a whole lot of reading in 2009. It was mostly looking at art books... Just didn't find much time for novels or comics. :/




Battlestar Galactica: Season 4 Soundtrack
All of the BSG soundtracks have been amazing, and this one's no different (and of course, being the final season, it went out with a two-disc bang). It's definitely the CD I listened to the most in '09. Bear McCreary can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned.

The Beatles Remastered
I'm counting the entire Beatles reissue/remastered release as one entry here. But if I had to pick a top favorite CD, it'd probably be Abbey Road. What else do I need to say? The Beatles.

Alice In Chains: Black Gives Way To Blue
This one was an event for me, because Alice In Chains is one of my favorite bands of all time and they hadn't put out a new album in 14 years. I was hoping for the best, but secretly dreading it would suck... Turns out, I loved it. It was like an old friend coming back into my life (yeah, I know, I'm getting super cheesy here). Alice In Chains didn't let me down. And I'm happy to see that there is, indeed, life after Layne Staley.




2009 saw the end of my beloved TV series: Battlestar Galactica. A lot of fans were divided over the 4th and final season. Personally, I'll admit, yes, there are a couple things that didn't completely satisfy me. But over all, I loved Season 4. I don't think there was a single episode that didn't have my jaw on the floor at least once. The show didn't pull any punches, it wasn't afraid to go into strange, unexpected directions, and every week it delivered a level of quality far above anything else on television. I could go on and on about how much I love BSG. It'll go down in TV history as one of the great, monumental sci-fi series. In fact, when I think back on this decade as a whole, it'll be one of my fondest memories. Kudos to the cast and crew for a frakkin' awesome experience. I miss hearing those poundy drums every friday night.

Avatar

I just got back from a midnight 3D showing of the long-awaited Avatar. Right off the bat, this movie had two things going against it (underwhelming trailers and lame alien designs) and one major thing going for it (James Cameron).

Without giving any long-winded explanations or spoilers, here's my over all opinion on the movie: I really liked it, but I didn't love it.

I thought it had absolutely STUNNING visuals. There are moments that will have you gasping -- you really do get sucked into the world of Pandora for awhile. But unfortunately the story's pretty cookie cutter and predictable.

The highlight of the movie for me was the lead female alien character, played by Zoe Saldana (Uhura in Star Trek). I thought she was amazing. Easily the best CG character I've ever seen. She was the one character I felt emotionally invested in. The rest of the cast... eh, didn't care too much about.

Is Avatar worth seeing? Absolutely. And you need to see it in 3D, it's an awesome experience. Just don't expect much more than two and a half hours of eye candy.

Widevision Sketch Cards: Batch 4

Some more artist return sketch cards from the Clone Wars Widevision set. I have a couple left that are still up for grabs. Shoot me an email if interested.

A Peek At The Process

I posted a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of my cover for "Brislan Frost" #1. You can check it out over at BrislanFrost.com!

Kevin Eastman Digs "Wolves"

I recently discovered that Kevin Eastman (TMNT co-creator & owner of Heavy Metal magazine) plugged Wolves of Odin on his blog! Here's the link.

I hate to get all mushy and sentimental, but that is a HUGE honor for me. I spent countless hours as a teenager looking at the old black & white Ninja Turtle comics, doodling the characters over and over again in my school notebooks (we're talkin' old school -- all red headbands, people, none of this multi-color crap!). To know that Eastman read my book - let alone dug it! - is beyond flattering.

Special thanks to my pal Dan Mendoza for sending me the link. Dan's book Zombie Tramp was also given a nice plug by Eastman, and I know Dan loves the guy as much as I do, so it's like an early awesome Christmas present for both of us. :)

Brislan Frost

Here's a first look at my latest side project - I'm writing a book series called "Brislan Frost" (and I did the cover art, modeled by the awesome Shea Standefer).

I created an official site: BrislanFrost.com -- Not much there yet, but there's cool stuff coming very soon. :) I also created a Facebook fan page. Here's the link for that.

Super Soldiers & Wolves of Odin

Whoo hoo :) I love seeing my book in stores!



So this is just a quick update. I've been behind on emails and commissions for some time now, and I plan on fixing that ASAP. From now until Christmas, I'm going into super soldier mode. I want to get caught up just as badly as all of you WANT me to get caught up. So lots of commissions - out the door - ASAP. Emails answered - ASAP. I'm gonna do my best.

I want to start 2010 with a clean slate. I want to restructure how I handle commissions. Good things on the horizon.

Another topic I wanted to bring up is the "Wolves of Odin" webcomic. You know, that thing that fizzled and died? :P Yeah, well, I still want to tell the story and it's still on my plate of things to do. I'm planning on relaunching it in early 2010, but I don't want to give a solid date or anything until I know for sure, and I want to make sure I'm not setting myself up for another fizzley death. So more info on that soon. I haven't forgotten about it. I'm just a busy man with lots of projects, and I really underestimated the amount of time a webcomic would take up.

I hope you're all having a great, safe, wintery weekend!

New Clone Wars Webcomic Pages

My latest batch of pages are now online at starwars.com/clonewars/comic, continuing the new story featuring Tyzen and Ganch and Keelyvine (luvs me some Keelyvine).

I did something a little different this time around -- I skipped the inking stage.

1) I started with super-loose blue pencils,

2) then did tight red pencils over that,

3) then scanned the pages into Photoshop and got rid of the blue lines,

4) then turned it all to greyscale mode and darkened the lines,

5) and then just digitally colored on top of that.

It's something I've wanted to try doing for awhile, since inking is generally my least favorite step in the whole process. So I'm curious to know what you all think. Do you like the "inkless" look, or do you prefer my usual inked pages... or do you like 'em both?

I'm also curious to know what you all think of the new webcomic in general so far. Do you like the new characters? Which one's your favorite? What are you hoping to see more of, or less of? There's a thread going at the TFN forums, too, focused on the webcomics - here's a link. If you dig the webcomics, please head over there and voice your opinions. We want to hear from ya! :)

Star Wars Celebration 5

Lucasfilm has finally announced the date and location of the much-anticipated Star Wars Celebration 5 convention. It will be from August 12th to 15th, 2010, and will take place in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Click here to read the official announcement at StarWars.com.

I definitely plan on going to C5. As of right now, my convention schedule for 2010 is looking like this: MN MicroCon, C2E2 in Chicago, (maybe HeroesCon), Celebration 5, MN FallCon, and Star Wars Fan Days in Texas.

As soon as everything's set in stone, I'll post up a list, but for now, those are the ones I'm shooting for. Lots of big changes from my usual lineup. No San Diego Comic-Con or Wizard World Chicago for me in 2010.

Update

Just wanted to let everyone know that, yes, I'm alive -- I'm all moved into my new place. It's been a stressful couple of weeks (deadlines, bills, etc.), and I know I'm way behind on emails at the moment. I'm doing my best to catch up now that I have internet again. So it's back to commissions (if I don't have each and every one done by end of December, I'm gonna explode), and my blog here won't be such a ghost town -- lots of new stuff coming! So keep watchin'. :)