Tuesday, July 29, 2008

GI Joe

My first cover, with hopefully more to come...

GIJOE #0

GI Joe #0 Cover

SDCC 2008 is OVER

And we're all still recovering.

Yes, this is a long post. Lots of photos. My most mellow one yet really. I took it pretty easy, ( at night ) and didn't even drink that much, but had an awesome time catching up with people I've been meaning to for so long. Plus of course, I did plenty of signings and met a ton of people who I am lucky enough to have as fans of my books. ( Cheers to you all for coming out. )

To all the people who said hi to me at random times as I was walking about, I'm sorry I didn't know your names! Aaaah, so many people at Comic-con I only see once a year, it's bound to happen. I spent much of my time at the IDW booth, but never enough. Next year I hope I'll be basically camped the the entire time instead of racing around to multiple booths for multiple signings when I know most people just turn up at IDW to find me.

Lots of interesting developments this year too, but nothing I can talk about yet. We'll see how they all pan out.

Anyways, another thing I've been meaning to post is a lengthy podcast I did while I was over in Sydney. Check me out here as I run my mouth off on a bunch of stuff and probably get into a lot of trouble. Eh. It's my way. Kryptik Musings Episode 03

Now, onto the con photos. I had a fake homosexual encounter on the con floor. I vandalized a baby and I nearly got a spanking from Stan Lee.


SDCC 2008

Before the madness of 125000 people start assaulting the convention floor.

SDCC 2008

The IDW Publishing booth. My home away from the office.

SDCC 2008

Ash Wood and the IDW Booth suddenly got very busy.

SDCC 2008

Yes, there's a few of my hard to find Poppycock sketchbooks now available in the Dallas area, at Comic Asylum. Details on the card in the picture obviously. You can't get these things anywhere else except off me in person practically!

My art agent, Splashpageart.com ( Mark Hay ) actually owns and runs the store.

SDCC 2008

I drawed on him.

SDCC 2008

Crotch powah.

SDCC 2008

The city of San Diego is run by retards who refuse to put in even one pedestrian bridge to allow some of the 125000 people find another way across the train tracks to the city from the con, other than the one bottlenecked road crossing.

City planners don't actually exist in America, it seems.

SDCC 2008

Yes, that's a giant robot.

Brainchild of the Uber Talented Ashley Wood and his World war robot range of toys/artbooks.

SDCC 2008

Yep, my Hoxford thingy is a little behind the bot, but there it is.

SDCC 2008

I told him to bend over and take it like a man.





So he did.

SDCC 2008

Vandalizing a child.

SDCC 2008

Vandalizing a child.

SDCC 2008

William Morris Party. More than any other place, they actually had enough staff to actually SERVE people. Who'd have thought you'd need people like that at a PARTY?

SDCC 2008

Yeah, that's Stan Lee.

SDCC 2008

SDCC 2008

IDW party rapidly spilled into the street. That means it must've been a good party.

Preparation for SDCC 2009 has already begun!

Next up, a bunch of new art I can now show thanks to things being announced at SDCC.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

SDCC The madness begins.

Well it does for me. Already taking meetings and doing bloody interviews.

A quick recap to get to this point.

Dinner with Aaron Weisenfeld.

Dinner with Aaron Wiesenfeld.

Who does comics no longer, but instead does fantastic paintings. ( he's on the far right of the blurry photo )


SDCC Pre-con cocktails

SDCC Pre-con cocktails

Held at my place downstairs where a bunch of delightful people proceeded to show up and drink all me booze.

Big cheers to Fraser Irving, Jaime McKelvie, Kieron Gillen, Jim Lee, Joe Keating, Brian Hitch, Heidi MacDonald and a bunch of other people I forget, for turning up to the little shindig.


SDCC Pre-con cocktails

Silent Mexican films played on the wall the whole time.


Oi

Royd Burgoyne and Mr Fraser Irving. Top blokes for foreign types in a strange land.


Oi

Brian Hitch and some tosser named Templesmith.

And now onto the real convention. I will have the last few copies of PoppyCock, my first sketchbook/exhibition book on me at the con, so if you see me and want one, just ask and ye shall receive. ( For a donation of twenty bucks or so )

The madness begins. And I still have deadlines to contend with.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Prepared for SDCC

I still have a horrible amount of work to get done, some of which will have to wait til *after* as I'm damn near burned out here...but this is how you prepare for the coming nergasm that is San Diego Comic-con.

Prepared for SDCC

Friday, July 18, 2008

Updated SDCC schedule: Templesmith Buggers About.

Deadlines swamping me right now, as I verge towards insanity leading up to San Diego Comic-con.

I'll be there, so if you want to meet me/get stuff signed/give me ebola ( though please don't I'm still getting over the last bout ) then here's what you need to know!

This list is just the signings, not including the bazillion meetings and other things I have to do, alas. When I can I'll be off down to the Gaslamp Hilton for a drink or some desperately needed food.
Templesmith at SDCC:

THURSDAY:

EA/IMAGE DEADSPACE COMIC SIGNING: 2pm-4pm

SPLASHPAGE COMIC ART 4pm-5pm

FRIDAY:

IDW PUBLISHING: 11am-12pm

EA/IMAGE DEADSPACE COMIC SIGNING: 2pm-4pm

SATURDAY

IDW PUBLISHING: 10am-11am

IDW PUBLISHING PANEL 11am-12pm room 3

EA/IMAGE DEADSPACE COMIC SIGNING: 2pm-3:15pm

GENTLE GIANT 3:30pm

EA/DEADSPACE COMIC PANEL 5pm-6pm room 2

SUNDAY:

IDW PUBLISHING: 12pm-1pm

FEARNET 3pm-4pm

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Wormwood: Gentleman Zombie the French Edition!

Yup, if you speak/fread French, there is now an edition for you, coming from the delightful chaps over at Delcourt. I even gave them a new cover just because they were so nice.

Over in France, Wormwood is literally going to simply be known as "Wormwood" with the first collection's story title being Gentleman Zombie. It's a name change I'm fine with since the book does more than just collect Birds Bees Blood and Beer.

Delcourt have been so nice to me, I'l even be in Paris in September doing, uh, French things to help celebrate this puppy coming out.

And yes, it's a hardcover, in true French Album style. Way better than the US pamphlets in my opinion. English version hardcovers in some form are not too far off either.

Yeah, the wee bastard is going places.

Wormwood: Gentleman Zombie the French Edition!

Wormwood: Gentleman Zombie the French Edition!

Wormwood: Gentleman Zombie the French Edition!

Wormwood: Gentleman Zombie the French Edition!

Wormwood: Gentleman Zombie the French Edition!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Welcome to Hoxford SDCC Exclusive Ashcan

Just landed on my desk while I was away...

Available exclusively from IDW Publishing at San Diego Comic-con. A preview of the actual comic, plus extra content that won't be found in the comic itself.


Welcome to Hoxford Ashcan

Welcome to Hoxford Ashcan

Welcome to Hoxford Ashcan

www.Hoxford.com

Hoxford.com is now percolating along. Will have some desktops & extras up shortly.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Welcome to Hoxford #2 Covers...

Yes, some actual art!

New covers for Welcome to Hoxford #2

Diamond Order code: JUL084075

Ray hasn't been taking his medication. No surprises there. Turns out the Hoxford staff don't really have the prisoners welfare at heart... more like their own stomachs. Dr Ainley keeps trying to gain access to her old patients, only to find herself locked in the Warden's office with a strange old man as night falls, the full moon lights the sky... and the screaming begins.' Eisner-nominated writer/artist Ben Templesmith (Wormwood Gentleman Corpse) offers up two bloody good covers to go along with chapter two of his latest opus.

Codes: 82771481524500211 82771481525200211 JUL084075 JUL084076

Release Date: September 24, 2008

WELCOME TO HOXFORD #2 A

WELCOME TO HOXFORD #2 B

Sunday, July 13, 2008

San Diego Comic-Con

Yes, LAX continues to be one of the most horrible airport experiences out there but I have survived the entry back into the States. Still shaking off this damn virus though.

But onto the San Diego Comic-con!

Yes, the big one. The mother of all cons. The Grande Armee of convention paper mache deathstar cosplayers, will soon be upon us. And let's not forget the virtual soft porn nature of some of the female outfits. Sometimes it feels like a strip club with the lights turned on.

And yes, I will be there. Some people have been asking, but can only assume they don't check my appearance section on www.templesmith.com, which you know, has a fair bit of info...and I'll be updating it with more soon.

So! If you'd like to meet me, get any/all your books signed, come by these booths at these times, or possibly seek me out at the IDW Booth anyway, my official home on the con floor, or in the Gaslamp Hilton bar, though if you do that, you gotta buy me a drink/beverage or buy a sketch off me or something as I will also be working at the con. But it may be a better way for a more informal chat outside of the convention madness. ( this isn't madness, this is Sparta etc. )

I will have a small amount of personal art on me for sale, plus Splashpage art in the original art dealer section has my more commercial work, though I've yet to hear back if I'll be appearing at their booth as yet. IDW will also have an EXCLUSIVE ashcan for WELCOME TO HOXFORD.

Here's my current schedule that I'm aware of, though I have a bunch of meetings I'm told I'll be doing also, yet t slot in:

Wednesday

Injecting myself with as much caffeine as I can in preparation.

Thursday

Image Comics Signing 2pm-4pm

Friday

Meetings 9am-10am

IDW Publishing Signing 11am-12pm

Image Comics Signing 2pm-4pm

Saturday

IDW Publishing Signing 10am-11am

IDW Publishing Panel 11am-12pm room 3

Meetings 12pm-2pm

Image Comics Signing 2pm-3:15pm

Gentle Giant booth 3:30pm- 4:30pm

Sunday

IDW Publishing Signing 12pm-1pm

Friday, July 11, 2008

International Horror Guild Award Nominations

Just learned that I've been nominated for the International Horror Guild Award in the Illustrated Narrative section...not once, but kinda...twice. Freaky stuff! For Wormwood and a short I did in an Anthology ( Put together via Heidi MacDonald yay! )

It's always nice to get nominations ( but of course, I'll never actually win! ) but especially nice this time to get a nod for my writing, on Wormwood, which has never happened before. Someone out there apparently likes me, so many, many thanks.


ILLUSTRATED NARRATIVE

* Scalped: Indian Country. Jason Aaron (writer) R.M. Gu�ra (artist) (Vertigo/DC Comics)
* The Nightmare Factory. Thomas Ligotti (creator/writer), Joe Harris & Stuart Moore (writers), Ben Templesmith, Michael Gaydos, Colleen Doran & Ted McKeever (illustrators) (Fox Atomic/Harper Paperbacks)
* The Blot. Tom Neely (I Will Destroy You)
* The Arrival. Shaun Tan (Arthur A. Levine Books)
* Wormwood Gentleman Corpse: Birds, Bees, Blood & Beer. Ben Templesmith (IDW)

Now I'm off for 17 hours on a plane.


WORMWOOD: VOLUME 01 BIRDS, BEES, BLOOD & BEER

Advanced Photoshop Magazine

Oh yeah, recently I had the honour to be asked to do a piece for Advanced Photoshop Magazine ( issue 44 I think ) on my process, so if you want to delve into my process on how I basically put together the Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse Volume 3 cover, go grab a copy!

Advanced Photoshop Magazine Issue 44

Advanced Photoshop Magazine Issue 44

Advanced Photoshop Magazine Issue 44

Advanced Photoshop Magazine Issue 44

GORBACHOV: THE MUSIC VIDEO - BIGGER AND RUSSIANER

Still getting over virus. Lost a good week to the bugger. About to head back home where deathly deadlines await.

If you never liked Mikail Gorbachov ( remember a little thing called Perestroika? the transition to a part market economy etc etc which started under him wasn't without pain, though most Americans assume the lack of food/products in russian stores back then was merely how communism worked ) then this music clip might change your mind. Or just entertain you.

Anyways...here's Russian Metal Band ANJ.


GORBACHOV: THE MUSIC VIDEO - BIGGER AND RUSSIANER from Tom Stern on Vimeo.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Perth Supanova Comic Convention

It would have to happen. I've caught some bug off someone finally, in the depths of winter during the Aussie cons. Most of the people at the con had it while we were there but it saved me for last it seems.

So considering that, I'm just going to throw upa few of the photos from the Perth con, which, to all intents and purposes was a great success. From what I hear it'll be an annual fixture if the crowds continue to be this good. Thanks to all who came out!

Once I'm feeling better I'll get back to some actual art on this blog.

Chaykin and Jusko Perth signing
Chaykin and Jusko signing.

Professional Convention Signing supplies
Yes. Jusko Cheese.

Jewl and Kandyse and some idiot
Jewl and Kandyse and some idiot.

Dalek Fondling
Dalek Fondling.

Da Boyz
Chaykin, Jusko, McKewen, Chaloner, Templesmith, Burgoyne and Yardin.

My, that's a big one...
Chaykin says it's phallic. I say it's err...

Kandyse cuts the BSG cake.
Kandyse cuts the BSG cake.She missed the wrap party for the entire show, so she got a cake in Perth instead.

Sunday night drinks in Perth
Saying the goodbyes after 2 weeks of convention madness.