Nightcrawler by Bridgit Scheide.

I continue my interview with Sketch Charlotte and its members: Rich Barrett (RB), John Da Costa (JDC), Tom Davidson (TD), Derek Davis (DD), Henry Eudy (HE), Dan Morris (DM), Brandon Padgett (BP), Eraklis “Herc” Petmezas (EP) and Bridgit Scheide (BS). In this part we delve into the comic’s background of each of the members.

How long have you been drawing comics?

RB: I’ve been working on my own comic called Nathan Sorry for about as long as I’ve been involved in Sketch Charlotte though I’ve really only been putting it out there and moving full steam ahead on it in the past year. I’ve always wanted to do my own comic and the idea for it had been in my head for a while but I really have to thank the encouragement (and constant prodding) I got from the Sketch Charlotte gang otherwise it might be something I was still just thinking about rather than actually doing.

DD: 5 years.

DM: I’ve been drawing comics for years. I started in the 4th grade and didn’t stop after that.

BP: I’ve always drawn, even before I knew how to write I would sit down in the floor and draw for hours.  I’m 36 now, so I’ll let you do the math! It wasn’t until I got to college that I started focusing on comics. Now it’s pretty much all I draw!

BS: I’ve been drawing my whole life, but I really started getting into the sequential format in high school.

TD: Completed stories? Since 2004. But I’ve been cartooning since I was a wee lad.

HE: I’ve drawn comics and cartoons for my own enjoyment since childhood. In high school I drew stuff for the school newspaper but for some reason didn’t stick with cartooning as anything more than an occasional hobby. Late in 2007, after reading Jeffery Brown’s book Clumsy, I decided to recommit myself to cartooning and started making a serious (well, semi-serious) attempt at comics making. In spring of 2008 I Xeroxed off my first mini comic, Get to Know Me. It was actually pretty gratifying to see what a piece of ugly junk I had made. I’ve kept to the mini comics path and have made nine little books thus far as well as having contributed to a few anthologies.

Henry Eudy sketching at Sketch Charlotte.

How did you get into comics?

JDC: I had a friend in junior high who introduced me to comics. Before then I always dug superheroes and what not but I wasn’t really serious about comics. From then on I’ve drawn comics for kicks and giggles but it wasn’t until after I married and had my first kid that I decided to start being a little more serious about it.

BP: My Dad was big into comics when the Silver Age was booming. He used to tell me stories about them all the time, then when I was old enough he introduced me to the world of comics! As far as drawing comics, it was a natural progression really. I was in the fine arts department at ASU and I was reading a lot of comics at the time. It was bound to happen! After I dropped out of comics late in my college career (and transferring into another department) I stopped drawing altogether. As I slowly got back into comics I started visiting a lot of comics related forums. I found Newsarama and they had just started a weekly art group. I joined and jumped back in with both feet! That directly led to me producing my own sketch books. I’ve been doing that for four years running and plan to do it again this year!

EP: I think I initially saw them in a convenience store and fell in love with them instantly. I was fortunate to travel to Greece at a young age and be subjected to many great European artists that just blew my mind. After that I didn’t read as many superhero titles and got into the great Indy scene of the 80′s and 90′s. I’ve been writing and drawing since. I was fortunate enough to graduate from SCAD where I became friends with a lot of great artists. In the early 90′s I tried to “break in” (mostly as a writer) and had a lot of almosts, but nothing concrete. So I switched gears and did more illustration work. After not doing sequentials for so long I got the buzz again in the early 2000′s and have been doing comics since. It recent years I’ve been mostly self publishing and working on anthologies. I joined 803 studios as well. It’s been a lot of fun.

An unused Mr. Lune cover by Eraklis Petmezas.

TD: I learned to read thanks in part to cartooning; I’d stare at comic strips when I was super wee lad, getting the punchlines visually of Snuffy Smith or Andy Capp, and then eventually as I learned to read I was hooked into the daily adventures and dramas in Gasoline Alley, Hagar the Horrible and so forth. When I was 8 or 9 a friend of mine asked me if I’d seen comic books. “Hunh?” I had no idea. He gave me some Stan Lee & Jack Kirby Thor, Fantastic Four and Spiderman, as well as Captain America & Falcon and Daredevil and I was HOOKED, baby.

BS: I was always into creative writing classes in school, and I think the desire to tell stories, particularly through art, is something I’ve always had. Even when I was a kid I would draw really simple pictures, and then sit my parents down and share an elaborate story based on the image. While technically working on larger-scale pieces in high school, my mind would be working out a plot of why I was drawing this a certain way, or why a character was in a particular setting and what they were doing before they were there. I’d think up back stories or create futures for them while I was working on that single moment. But it took more than halfway into my high school year for me to actually commit to comics. (Most high school art teachers don’t want to tell their kids that comics are art, haha!) I’m so thankful for all the other comic geek friends I made in my college illustration classes. I met some really awesome art kids at UNCC and I think we all kind of helped inspire each other and encourage each other’s pursuit of it all.

DD: I had a football coach that got me into reading comics when I was about 9 and have been reading them ever since.

Baba Yaga by Henry Eudy.

HE: I actually have a pretty clear memory of my grandmother buying me my first comics when I was little fat boy instead of the big fat man I am today. Against my mother’s protests, she would frequently give me copies of Peter Porker, the Amazing Spider Ham and Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew. I think I could barely read at that point, but it fostered in me a deep and abiding love for humor, parody and funny animal comics. As a whelp, I was a dedicated reader of Cracked magazine and recognized Dan Clowes’ style right away upon seeing my first issue of Eightball as being the same guy who drew the Uggly Family. I drifted away from comics in middle school but was reawakened when a school chum somehow snuck a copy of The Killing Joke class. After that I was rabidly into superhero comics all through my teenage years. Then came the glut and excesses of the early nineties. The shenanigans and stupidity flowing out of Marvel and Image in those days drove me right into the waiting arms of DC and Vertigo. I got hooked on Sandman, went back and read the Alan Moore Swamp Thing run, chased down the Miracleman comics from Eclipse, discovered Fantagraphics, became an adherent of Hate, Eightball and Love and Rockets. Then, in 1994 I saw the movie Robert Crumb. I had a peripheral knowledge of Crumb, but I had never actually read any of his comics. Just like it was 1968, my head exploded with the greatness of the genre’s greatest line maker. I then got really into underground comics and quit reading current comics for a very long time. Then, in 2007, I walked back into Heroes after a very long absence and looked around. Comics looked very different from the way they had appeared in 1994. I felt very little familiarity with most of what was on the shelf. I did find these curious little books in the back that looked like they were made by a palsied eight year-old, however. These comics were crude looking, but really funny, extraordinarily human and they really spoke to me. I bought books by Jeffery Brown and James Kolchalka and I was suddenly back in the comics saddle.

DM: My first memories of reading comics were we my family stayed at my grandmother’s house in Connecticut. She still had the comics my dad read in his youth and college years in her attic. So my brother and I would read those whenever we went up there and of course, treat them like any child would treat them. However, I really started getting into comics around 4th grade. That was when CMS started their magnet school program and I went to one of them which meant I got to ride the bus to school, and it was a very long bus ride I should tell you. On the bus ride, there were these two brothers who let me borrow the comics they had which were generally either X-Men comics or the old Marvel Tales series which was this comic that reprinted old Spider-Man comics. To say, I was hooked is an understatement.

A recent Sketchercise by Brandon Padgett.

What were your favorite comics as a kid?

BP: Mostly Marvel, Amazing Spider-Man, G. I. Joe and Transformers and DC‘s Batman. As I got older and could afford more I started reading titles like Fantastic Four, Thor and Uncanny X-Men. Pretty much wherever my influences showed up I’d buy it!
 
What are some of your artistic influences?
Whew…there’s so many to name!  I’ll stick with the basics, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Albrecht Durer and Norman Rockwell laid the foundation and in the comics world John Byrne, George Perez, Art Adams, Walt Simonson, Jim Lee and a host of others built the house that stands on that foundation!

RB: The Chris Claremont/John Romita Jr. era X-Men. Also Howard Chaykin‘s American Flagg which I probably shouldn’t have been reading at the age I did.

HE: Um, I realize that I just told you my whole life story in comics so I’ll try to keep this one a little short. As a young kid I was really into funny animals and Harvey comics based on cartoons like Heathcliff, Richie Rich and Casper the Friendly Ghost. Then I was huge into Cracked and Mad and started reading Sergio Aragones’ Groo the Wanderer. In middle school/early high school it was all Batman and TMNT then somebody got me reading the Marvel X titles. I read X-Men, X-Force, X-Factor, New Mutants , Ghost Rider and Spider-Man pretty regularly. Really embarrassing time to be reading that stuff. When Image broke I read The Maxx and Pitt but found myself unable to get into WildC.A.T.S., Spawn or (God forbid) Youngblood. Gave up on Image really early on and read Sandman, Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, etc. Got all indie soon after and read Eightball, Yummy Fur, Hate, Dirty Plotte, Love and Rockets, Meatcake, Trailer Trash, Frank, Jim, etc. After that, childhood was thoroughly crushed.

DD: My favorite comics as a kid were Spider-Man, Hulk, and Superman.

EP: Anything by Matt Wagner, Nexus, The Jam, American Flagg, Zooniverse (track this down now), Love and Rockets, Zot!, Hate, Lucky Luke, Dylan Dog etc. I really could go on. haha.

Batman mock-up page by Dan Morris.

DM: Definitely Jim Lee‘s X-Men run and the three or four years after that. That was really huge for me as a kid especially since the X-Men cartoon’s character designs were all based on those first 10 or so issues of X-Men. Calvin and Hobbes was another big one as was the Far Side. Later in my youth, Dragonball Z was a huge thing for me. Akira Toriyama‘s action storytelling really blew my mind.

JDC: I started reading in the early 90′s, so of course there’s the obvious Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane comics. I loved how they drew.

TD: Daredevil (Gene Colan rules), Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, The Spirit, Crossfire, Swamp Thing, and Tales of Terror.

BS: I read stuff like X-Men and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when I was younger, but I think the pinnacle moment for me was reading Maus in high school. I attended Governor School for art the summer of my Junior year, and indie comic artist Ben Towle was my professor. He introduced our class to a lot of great independent comic work, but Maus made me realize how intricate and diverse comics can be as a storytelling medium. Comics can have more meaning then simply guys with cool powers. Though that’s always fun, too!

What are some of your artistic influences?

EP: Matt Wagner, Mike Mignola, Philip Bond, Jamie Hewlett, Glyn Dillon, Hugo Pratt, Dupay & Barberiene, Nicolas De Crecy, Tezuka, Hernadez Brothers (all 3 of them), Yves Chaland, Pander Bros, Andrew Robinson, Doug Alexander Gregory, Zak Plucinski, Scott Fischer, Al Columbia, Pat McEown, Mike Allred, Kyle Baker, Dave Cooper, Eddie Campbell, Charles Burns, Gipi, D’isreali, and Lewis Trodheim. All of the Sketch Charlotte crew. Seriously, these cats are all amazing.

RB: This changes a lot. There’s a handful of comic book creators whose work is very important and influential to me. People like David Lapham, Daniel Clowes, Naoki Urasawa, Gilbert Hernandez and Cameron Stewart. But I also pull my influences from novels, films, photography and other things I come across.

TD: Egon Schiele, Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Henri Mattisse, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Chuck Jones, Maurice Nobel, Gene Colan, Will Eisner, Klaus Janson, David Mazzuchelli, John Hubley, Lew Keller and Saul Bass.

DM: My holy trinity of artists has to be Mike Mignola, Osamu Tezuka, and Herge. Those three guys influence my work the most out of anybody.  After that Matt Wagner, Katsuhiro Otomo, Moebius, Miyazaki, The Fort Thunder guys, Los Bros. Hernandez, Chester Brown, and Shotaro Ishinomori are all really big artists to me. Those guys played a huge impact on my love and understanding of comics. Out side of comics, I really love the work of early 20th century artists like Piet Mondrian, Alexander Rodchenko and other Constructivists, and other artists that were very design and abstract oriented. I’d be remiss in not mentioning the big influence punk and indie rock have on my work. I don’t think I would be walking the path I do today artistically without that music. Finally, I want to give a shout out to three of my SCAD friends; Elena Diaz, Jon-Erik Garcia and Josh Santamaria. The four of us really kept each other going while we were all down there and I know I’m drawing the way I do now because of them. Oh and I definitely have to give a shout out to my Sketch Charlotte brethren.  Having them around has definitely made me want to up my game artistically.

Pinky and the Brain sketch by Bridgit Scheide.

BS: Vera Brosgol, Ben Towle, Mike Mignola, Doug TenNapel, Samuel Beckett, Ben Templesmith, Dave McKean, Caspar David Friedrich, Joss Whedon, Mark Brooks, Chuck Palahniuk, Gabrielle Del’Otto, Scott Campbell, Johnny Hart, and fairytales and folklore that are passed down but we no longer know the author.

DD: John Romita, Jr., Erik Larson, Todd McFarlane, and Jim Lee.

JDC: Today, that would be a wide gamut of inspiration. My friends at Sketch Charlotte definitely have some input in there because we push each other to grow as storytellers. Pros that still inspire me would include Sean Galloway, Humberto Ramos, Ryan Ottley, and Jason Howard. This list could keep growing.

HE: My stuff is a mess but I actually count some pretty talented guys as influences. Not that it’s their faults. First is Robert Crumb. I spent a lot of my life trying to get just the right sort of crosshatching that comes so naturally to Crumb. Then probably Jeffery Brown and James Kolchalka. Both these guys’ work is deceptively simple looking but actually boils down a visual narrative to its simplest and most honest components. Really helped me get over my Crumb worship. Gilbert Hernandez is a huge influence on my preference for brush inking and through his stuff I discovered Jesse Marsh. Berkeley Breathed (of Bloom County) was a big hero of mine and I used to study his strips intently as a kid. Then Raymond Pettibon is a guy I aspire to be a little like. I also wish I could ape both Sammy Harkham and especially Ted May.Both those guys are astounding.

What are you reading right now?

RB: The Passage by Justin Cronin. It’s not the kind of novel I normally read but it’s a really well-written Vampire-apocalypse novel. I’m also reading Pluto by Naoki Urasawa, among too many other comics and graphic novels to even mention.

HE: I finally read Roger Langridge’s Muppet Show stuff. Man, I should have got on that train a lot sooner. I follow Anders Nilsen’s Big Questions as they slowly come out year after year. I’ve recently read two issues of Paul Grist’s Jack Staff and enjoyed them, despite the superhero leanings. I like Ted May’s Injury comics which, I assume died with Buenaventura Press. Tales Designed to Thrizzle was pretty much designed for me and my enormous thrizzle habit. Like most snotty, pretentious people I read MOME each season, also Papercutter. I pick up Jeffery Brown’s Sulk books when they come around and read anything Dan Clowes does (sadly, didn’t love Wilson). Mostly however, I read mini comics as of late. My favorites recently have been by Joe Lambert, Matt Wiegle, Sally Bloodbath, Chuck McBuck, Joey Weiser, Josh Latta, Eleanor Davis, Julia Wertz and Anthony Clark. I also enjoy reading the comics of my fellow Sketch Charlotte alums like Herc’s Last Cigarette, Tom’s Circle City Tales, Bridgit’s Kindle and Rich’s webcomic Nathan Sorry.

JDC: Nathan Sorry, The Astounding Wolf-Man and Invincible. I don’t get a whole lot of time to read as much as I’d like to.

BP: Tons of trade paperbacks, sketchbooks and art books and anything by Darwyn Cooke, Chris Schweizer and our Sketch Charlotte members. I feel a lot more of a personal connection to their work and I like to support them any chance I get.

Dracula sketch Rich Barrett did at the Union County Library Mini-Con.

DD: G.I. Joe, Incredible Hulk, all the Star Wars books.

EP: I read a lot of the Vertigo, Image and Fantagraphics books. Of course all the books by the creators I listed in my answer to te previous questions. All the Hellboy books. Rasl has been real good too.

DM: Right now I just finished reading two graphic novels: Hope Larson‘s Mercury and Doug Tenepal‘s Ghostopolis (which was lent to me by fellow Sketch Charlotte member Bridgit Scheide). I really enjoyed both and I think that Mercury is definitely one of the best comics I’ve read so far this year. Another graphic novel I read recently was this Marshall Law book that Henry recommended. I was really surprised how much I liked it and now I really want that Marshall Law Omnibus that Top Shelf has. I’m really excited for the ending of Brandon Graham‘s excellent King City though also saddened that it’s ending but hopefully Graham’s new Multiple Warheadz series will start before the end of the year. I’m knee deep in the middle of Naoki Urasawa‘s 20th Century Boys. Urasawa is easily one of the best storytellers that the world has right now and his comics are essential reading for me. I was also reading his series Billy Bat but uh now that a certain website is down, I have to find somewhere else to read it. Also have been reading The Best of the Spirit by Will Eisner, which I originally bought for use in a class but it’s been really entertaining to say the least.

TD: Asterios Polyp, Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Sweet Tooth, The Muppet Show Comic Book and Scooby Doo.

BS: I just got finished reading Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel. It is the most beautiful graphic novel I’ve read yet. He is quickly becoming a huge influence to me. His storytelling is extremely smart, and the creativity behind his character selection is so imaginative. It’s so amazing how cohesive his stories are – his imagination and intention are so astonishingly linked. I laughed and cried throughout that story – never done that with a graphic novel before. (With the exception of the tears I shed for Rorschach during his “What are you waiting for?!” moment at the end of Watchmen.)

Stay tuned for Part Three of the Sketch Charlotte Interview!

This week’s spotlight has been more difficult than usual to narrow down my selections.  Make sure you peruse this week’s new releases page because there are quite a few impressive titles coming out today.  Last week I focused largely on non-Marvel publications.  This week it’s quite the reverse, as Marvel offers a variety of potentially good books for your reading pleasure.

1) Thor: For Asgard #1

Writer Robert Rodi and artist Simone Bianchi bring us a tale of Asgard’s storied past.  Rodi has already proven his ability to write Asgardian characters with his Loki series from a few years back.  Bianchi is a fan favorite artist who I might argue is finally on a title that suits his art style.  In this new series we see Thor trying to keep the fractals of Asgard together, all while being unable to use his famed hammer.  Here’s hoping we see Thor take on lots of monstrosities with a big battle axe in place of Mjolnir!  You know with the upcoming Thor film quickly approaching we’ll be seeing lots of Thor and Asgard-related comics in the next year.  Along with the great new Thor: the Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee, this may be one of the better of those many upcoming miniseries.

2) Amazing Screw-on Head HC, Baltimore: The Plague Ships #2, Hellboy: the Storm #3, Baltimore: The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire HC

For those of you like me who think just about everything Mike Mignola does is worth reading, this is one of the best weeks we’ve seen in a long time.  Not only will we see the second chapter of the new Baltimore miniseries (co-written with Christopher Golden and illustrated by Ben Stenbeck), but also a new printing of the Baltimore novel that inspired the new comic. We haven’t had a copy of the novel in a good while, so this is a great chance for those of you who enjoyed the first issue of the Baltimore comic and want even more back story.  This week’s Hellboy: the Storm issue wraps up the second series in three by Mignola and Duncan Fegredo.  And finally, we have the long-awaited Amazing Screw-on Head HC.  Originally published as a one shot, the initial printing is incredibly tough to track down.  This new hardcover format not only reprints the Screw-on Head story (which focuses on a robotic agent drafted by President Lincoln to protect the country), but also other rare Mignola stories.  Included in the other rare material is the story “The Magician and the Snake,” which won an Eisner award a few years ago.  And to top all that is the fact that there are brand new unpublished stories also included in this collection.  It’s truly a great week for all the Mignola fans out there!

3) Wolverine #1

Not just another new relaunch of one of Marvel’s mainstays, this new series deserves attention if for no other reason than the talents of writer Jason Aaron.  While I’m not a huge fan of Wolverine, Aaron and Ron Garney’s recent Wolverine: Weapon X series really impressed me with its honest portrayal of the character.  In this new ongoing Aaron teams with recent DC artist Renato Guedes who some of you might remember from Action Comics and other Superman titles.  The first story in the new series focuses on Wolverine’s soul being sent to hell while his body remains on Earth.  Expect lots of violence being directed towards demons, humans, mutants, and probably countless other creatures.  Also in this issue is a backup story by Aaron and local artist Jason Latour.  Latour illustrated a great story in last month’s Daredevil: Black and White one shot, and also contributes an Iron Fist story to this week’s I Am An Avenger first issue.  This new Avengers miniseries boasts a first issue that also includes the likes of Jim McCann, Duane Swierczynski, and Chris Samnee.  We’re happy to see two new comics today featuring art from Jason Latour, an artist we’ve known about for a while but one whose work you’ll definitely be seeing and hearing a lot more about in the industry in the coming years.

4) Taskmaster #1

In this new miniseries from Marvel Zombies writer Fred Van Lente and Doctor Voodoo artist Jefte Paolo you’ll get to see what happened to the classic villain post-Siege.  The character has apparently suffered recent memory loss so the series also gives us a look back at some stories from the character’s mysterious past.  Not only is Taskmaster one of Marvel’s great villains, but he’s got a couple of talented creators bringing this new story to life.  In recent years Van Lente has worked on several popular Marvel titles and won several fans in the process.  Some of you might not be as familiar with Paolo’s art, but you definitely should be.  Doctor Voodoo was a series than never quite got too far off the ground but Paolo’s art was definitely one of the strongest points of that title.  So if you pick up Taskmaster and want to see more of his work, check out the short-lived Doctor Voodoo title in our back issues.

5) San Francisco Panorama Comics Section Tabloid Format

Here’s your chance to see the lauded comics section from last year’s large format publication from McSweeney’s.  The lineup of contributors reads like a who’s who of Indie and Literature comics masters!  Included here are works from Art Spiegelman, Jessica Abel, Chris Ware, Seth, Kim Deitch, Alison Bechdel, Adrian Tomine, Dan Clowes, and the underrated Jon Adams.  And that’s only a handful of the creators present in the book!   The comics section was originally only available as an inclusion in McSweeney’s San Francisco Panorama before going on to be sold as a stand alone comics section through McSweeney’s site.  Now we’re happy to be able to offer it to you in our fine retail establishment.

> Other new releases that I wish I had space to talk about in greater detail: the compilation hardcover of the new Fraggle Rock series, the talented indie artist Julia Wertz‘s new memoir graphic novel, Drinking at the Movies, DC’s new Freedom Fighters series, and the Legendary Talespinners trade paperback.  Do yourselves a favor and go ahead and take a long look at this week’s new releases page.  What a week for new comics!

Unused panel from Eraklis Petmezas's Last Cigarette story.

Rich Barrett (RB), John Da Costa (JDC), Tom Davidson (TD), Derek Davis (DD), Henry Eudy (HE), Dan Morris (DM), Brandon Padgett (BP), Eraklis “Herc” Petmezas (EP) and Bridgit Scheide (BS) are all members of a local artist collective called Sketch Charlotte. I set out to get to know the group and the members a little better by sending out a questionnaire and the response I got was overwhelming! So overwhelming that I am breaking the interview into three parts that I will post throughout the week. This first part gives a general history and purpose of the group. Stay tuned for the next part where we get to know the members a little better!

What is Sketch Charlotte?

RB: Sketch Charlotte is the brainchild of Eraklis Petmezas. It started with him, myself and Tom Davidson about 5 years ago and has now grown into a group of about 15. It’s a pretty loosely organized meet-up group where local artists (as well as writers, photographers, designers and anyone else really) can get together and draw and talk about art and stuff. It’s got a definite focus on comics and cartooning but not all our members are necessarily aspiring comic book artists.

EP: Sketch Charlotte is a group of local artists, writers, designers and like minded individuals that meets weekly to draw and discuss all types of art. It’s been a great springboard for ideas.

JDC: First and foremost, Sketch Charlotte is awesome!
 But we’re also a collection of artists/illustrators/writers/perpetrators of general misfit in the Charlotte area.

TD: It’s a laughing, friendly group of people who love comics and cartooning, who love to draw and who love to get together with like-minded nerds to share stories and good times.

DM: Basically a loose group of individuals who all draw comics in some for or another.  Or alternately a bunch of lunatics that meet up at Showmars every week, heckle each other, and make plans to corrupt the young and innocent.  Mostly though it’s a meet up to draw.

BP: A, now weekly, art group that gets together to discuss not only art and comics but other cultural influences such as movies, music, photography, literature and computers. There’s really nothing off limits. Artists and non-artists alike gather to share their thoughts and ideas in a stimulating environment.

BS: Sketch Charlotte is an awesome chance to get involved with other local comic book artists in Charlotte. It provides encouragement from people who really care about what you’re drawing next. And it’s so much fun! If you’re quiet and tend to zone out that’s cool, but generally there is a lot of laughter from around the table. Everyone there has a really great sense of humor and it’s always a great time!

Page from Henry Eudy's sketchbook.

HE: Oh man, the hard questions right off the bat, geez. Um, well, Sketch Charlotte is a loose little confederation of creative types who pal up once a week or so to draw in sketchbooks, eat pita burgers and talk endlessly about comics, music, art, sasquatches, the films of Tim Burton (even the bad ones), fringe stuff and popular culture at large. The group is primarily people with a firm interest in comics and a good many of us are comics creators of one form or another. We spend a few hours each week drawing with one another, showing off our work and getting feedback from our peers in the group. We talk about our plans, our aspirations, our fears and how we can’t draw feet convincingly. We take inspiration and support from our Sketch Charlotte brethren and hopefully give that inspiration and support right back. We’re cool dudes, and that’s what’s important.

Who is responsible for forming Sketch Charlotte?

HE: Big Daddy Herc is the man responsible for creating our beloved little club. Rumor has it that he was once just a meek goat herder, watching over his flock in the rocky Greek highlands, drinking Ouzo and listening to Fugazi on his Sony Walkman. Then one day he spied a bearded Jackalope caught in some brambles. Herc knew right away that this was the mighty god Zeus out on one of his mighty benders and he quickly and expertly freed the deity, making sure to rub the creature’s belly three times so as to be granted three magical wishes. For his first wish, he wished for a Sony Discman, because it was, like, 2004 and the Walkman just wasn’t cutting it. Next he hoped to have a pair of Adidas high tops, so the old school Greek rappers would finally show him respect. And lastly he wished to be teleported to Charlotte, North Carolina where he could create a club devoted to drawing and Greek cuisine. Thus, Sketch Charlotte was born.

So then Herc, what made you decide to form a group like this?

EP: When my wife and I first moved here, over five years ago, we wanted to start a group so that we could meet other local artists. We were hoping it would help push us to continue to be creative. As an artist sometime you work by yourself so often that it’s nice to have other artists around to critique your work. That year I set up at HeroesCon and passed out fliers to anyone that seemed interested. I believe our first meeting was around four or five people: Tom, Rich, Tess, and I. Now we have over fifteen people that come on and off. Everyone helps out with different aspects of the group. It’s way more of a partnership then anything.

John Da Costa's offering for a recent Sketchercise.

What made you decide to join Sketch Charlotte?

HE: I was wasting away here in the arid cultural desert of Charlotte. I mean, I knew I was a genius, but I really needed other people to confirm and expand upon that assertion. I drew and drew in my sketchbooks, filling them up cover to cover. But it was lonely and unrewarding work with no pals around to share my inky toils with. I had met Tom Davidson at the 2009 HeroesCon and he had invited me to come by and join the group. I checked out the Sketch Charlotte website from time to time but didn’t actually manage to make it to a meeting until February of this year. That first meeting was a revelation to me. I had no idea there were so many smart, talented, super nice people here in my own sleepy town. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. We all hung out and talked and drew and I suddenly knew this was just what I needed in my life. I had tried going to figure drawing groups and taken art classes at CPCC in the past seeking out the kind of creative fraternity that exists so freely and easily within the Sketch Charlotte collective. There are no big egos here to contend with, there’s no judgment on the work you produce or pressure to produce work at all. It’s like-minded people getting together and just enjoying the process of making and appreciating art in whatever form it may present itself. As I said before, really cool dudes.

Sketch from Rich Barrett.

JDC: Herc wanted to start a group where local creators could get together, jam, talk comics and mostly just have a spring board for inspiration. I met him a few weeks before HeroesCon, and he invited me to a new group he was starting up, so I just went and had a blast.

BP: I needed a creative outlet and the motivation to keep drawing. Everyone in the group brings so many different things to the table and are very supportive of what you’re trying to do artistically. Makes it easy to keep showing up!

DM: I had just graduated college this past spring from Savannah College of Art and Design with a degree in Sequential Art and there was unsurprisingly a tight knit community of comics making people there.  When I got back here I was hoping that there was at least one or two people who drew comics here.  I was really fortunate to run into Henry Eudy, who had been following me on twitter (and vice versa), and some of the other guys from Sketch Charlotte at this past HeroesCon.  We talked and I was like “Man I really need to go to Sketch Charlotte!” after the meeting.  So I’ve been going ever since because it’s great to have a large group of people who make comics and are interested in making comics in your hometown.

TD: I have always felt I was a lone nerd, making my own comics and stories, here in Charlotte until I met Herc. 
I was sitting beside him at my first HeroesCon back in 2007.

RB: Being a creative person in Charlotte requires you to seek out other creative and like-minded people. Especially when you narrow the focus even further from “creative people in Charlotte” to “creative people in Charlotte interested in cartooning and creating their own comic books” the number of people gets a lot smaller so you really have to seek those people out. Sketch Charlotte has made that a lot easier. When I moved down here from New York I was seriously missing being able to hang out with other artists so I jumped at the chance to do something like this.

Sketch Charlotte has started doing a new drawing exercise. Explain Sketchercise.

BS: Sketchercise is a weekly assignment that everyone has a chance to participate in. It’s basically the personal artistic interpretation of a specific theme. Like, one of my recent favorites was an Archie theme that had to include only certain characters. Even though the theme might not be something everyone is super familiar with, it’s cool because you’re kind of forced to think outside of the box. (Or just be lazy and not do it, haha!)

Page from Tom Davidson's sketchbook.

TD: For those who need an extra creative push or are having trouble thinking of something to draw other than what they’re comfortable with, this exercise is for them.

BP: I brought the suggestion of a weekly sketch theme to the group and they ran with it! Henry Eudy came up with the title in jest and it stuck, especially after he illustrated it!

HE: Sketchercise is the brainchild of Brandon Padgett and was given its awful name by yours truly. (I fully expect it to hunt me down for retribution some day, much like A Boy Named Sue.) It’s something we’ve been trying out the last several weeks where a subject is selected by one member of the group and we all go out into the world and draw up our own variations on that theme. Thus far we have collectively drawn images of our favorite comic strip characters, done a triptych of Archie characters and tried our hands at the wide world of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. The results have, truthfully, been spectacular. Looking at the Sketchercises, you can really see the potency of creative talent harnessed by this group. We’re doing much more than just borrowing imagery from established sources, our members are taking those characters and ideas and forging them into new and crazy creations. It’s a manifesto to the world, oh yes.

EP: Sketchercise is the brainchild of Brandon Padgett. He wanted us to have a themed “homework” assignment. Henry Eudy came up with the name and corresponding art piece. We all switch off coming up with topics to draw. Although, I’ve yet to participate. Yikes!

Stay tuned for Part Two of the Sketch Charlotte Interview!

What made you decide to join Sketch Charlotte?

Saturday is the first ever International Read Comics in Public Day! And from the response it has been getting this will be the first of many. Brian Heater and Sarah Morean of The Daily Cross Hatch are the brains behind this event which, through no coincidence, is the same day as Jack Kirby‘s birthday. They are organizing it as a way to bring attention to comics as a legitimate form of literature and to encourage comic readership.

They are doing a heck of a job promoting it using their blog and social networking sites, like Facebook. They even have downloadable posters on their website. The story is getting coverage from all over.  NPR ran a story, as did The Beat.  I especially like how they are reaching out to libraries and not just comic book stores.

If you want to participate just read a comic outdoors and have a friend take a picture of you then send it to readcomicsinpublic@gmail.com. And if you tweet about the event don’t forget to use the approved hashtag: #readcomicsinpublic.

What comic will you read in public?

On sale today is Madame Xanadu #26 which features interior art by Charlotte’s own Chrissie Zullo! This issue is written by Matt Wagner with cover art by Mark Buckingham and is the third part of the Extra Sensory storyline and focuses on the sense of smell. The first five parts of this story arc are written by Wagner with art by five different artists (in addition to Zullo, Marley Zarcone, Laurenn McCubbin, Celia Calle and Marian Churchland) and they center around the five senses, but the sixth and final part of this storyline will bring back Amy Reeder and Richard Friend where they will delve into the sixth sense.

Zullo is best known for her Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love covers and this issue of Madame Xanadu is her first published sequential artwork. Her process is pretty incredible. She first paints in black and white then she photographs the work using a high resolution camera (or scans it at a high resolution) then so uploads the image onto her computer where finally she digitally colors it. And if that weren’t enough, for her cover work she often paints the initial image on wood! She is an extremely talented artist. Go check out her art blog for examples of her amazing work!

Also, Chrissie will be signing copies of Madame Xanadu and doing sketches today at Rebel Base Comics and Toys from noon to 6 pm. Stop by and support one of Charlotte’s artists!

1) Superman: Secret Origin #6

Though this culminating issue from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank was delayed, I’m happy to let you know that it should arrive today.  While re-imaginings are frequently able to find an audience in our marketplace, this book is an example of one that ventured  beyond the core Superman readership and found its way into the hands of a wide array of readers.  Part of this is largely due to Johns’ understanding of the character, but one can’t ignore the draw of Frank’s eerily accurate Christopher Reeve-inspired artwork.  Issue 6 comes in at 48 pages, so even though some of you have been anxiously waiting on this one take solace in the fact that you’ll get an extra page count for your trouble.

2) Star Wars: Blood Ties – A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett #1

Though the chronology of the numerous Star Wars comics can be intimidating, the Boba Fett comics have been especially accessible over the years.  This new mini series from veteran Star Wars comic creators Tom Taylor and Chris Scalf aims to cash in on the character’s accessibility with a tale that occurs before the Clone Wars and gives a further glimpse into the background of everyone’s favorite bounty hunter.  It should be noted that Scalf’s art on the previously published Star Wars: Purge got a lot of notice, and as in that series the artwork here is fully painted.  Early previews look impressive, so pick up a copy and see what you think.

3) Guarding the Globe #1

Robert Kirkman brings us another side project from the Invincible universe, this time with help from co-writer Benito Cereno and artist Ransom Getty.  This six issue miniseries focuses on the heroes who remain on Earth while Invincible is off-world.  If you know anything about Kirkman or his Image books, you know they sell quickly.  Don’t be surprised if this mini series gradually becomes as hard to find as some of his previous ones.  For fans of Invincible, you might recognize Cereno for his work on previous spinoff miniseries like Atom Eve and Atom Eve and Rex Splode.  Artist Ransom Getty, owner of one of comics coolest names, has an art style that fits in nicely with regular series artist Ryan Ottley.  Kirkman has done a nice job of maintaining a similar look and feel among the books in this corner of his universe, and this new title looks to be a nice addition to his work.  Also new for Invincible fans this week is Science Dog Special #1 which collects the characters backup features that have appeared in Invincible over the years but haven’t been collected in any of the trades.

4)  Superman/Batman #75

From the cover art by Frank Quitely, to the long list of great creators including Paul Levitz, David Finch, Adam Hughes, Joe Kelly, and Duncan Rouleau, this issue offers many reasons to pick it up.  Aside from the main story from Levitz which brings the Legion of Superheroes into present time to team up with Superman and Batman, this issue brings us the first work illustrated and written by David Finch, along with a Supergirl and Batgirl story illustrated and written by Adam Hughes!  The contributions from Finch and Hughes alone should make this issue sell quickly, so make sure you are one of the lucky few who get a copy early.

5) Namor: The First Mutant #1

Spinning out of recent events in the new ongoing X-men series, Namor gets another shot at another ongoing series of his own this week.  This time around writer Stuart Moore and artist Ariel Olivetti bring the new vampire threat to Atlantis in the first storyline.  We can inevitably expect future stories to focus less on the Namor’s recent involvement with the X-men and more on the moral ambiguities we’ve come to expect from character over the years.  The idea that you never know exactly where Namor might stand has always made him unique.  If you couple that with the fact that he’s one of Marvel’s oldest properties, here you have a new series that might be a good prospect for old and new fans of the aquatic character.

Bonus Non-Comic Pick of the Week:

James Jean’s Rift

It’s always a good day when we see another new James Jean product in our store.  The fabled Fables cover artist’s new effort is Rift, a book of postcard-type art that unfolds like an accordion.  While that alone is an interesting packaging idea, what’s even cooler about this particular set of art is that you can overlap certain pieces of the accordion to combine into an even larger picture.  We’ll only have a few of these in store this week, so if you’re interested in this you might be wise to act early.  Also still available is the recently released Fables Comic Cover portfolio which has been in the store for a while but is worth another mention.  This portfolio contains 12 color prints featuring some of Jean’s Fables covers.  Most of these prints are available in the often out-of-print Fables covers hardcover, but the advantage of the portfolio is that you don’t have to destroy your book in order to display the art on your walls.

How often is it that you actually get the opportunity to uncontrollably laugh out loud? I mean, with the stresses of our everyday lives it is often difficult to focus on a story and let go of reality for a moment to just escape and enjoy ourselves. Well, if you have a moderately twisted sense of humor, I have stumbled upon a solution to this quandary. Jason Howard and Ryan Ottley’s Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark is one of the most hilarious books I have ever read in my entire life. It captivates your attention and tickles your funny bone to the point of belly-aching laughter. In fact, the first time I read this I was hysterically laughing in public so uncontrollably that I began receiving off-glances from strangers.

I am not going to lie, this comic is not for the kids; it is rather violent and somewhat crude. But if you are an adult who can laugh at people being eaten by confused creatures and fairly rude jokes, this book is definitely up your alley. This work is the ultimate comedy for a strange sense of humor.

The book is split into two separate stories, the first being Howard’s Sea Bear. To me, this story seemed reminiscent of Jaws with a bizarre back-story revenge plot eventually incorporating the genealogical progression and cultish worship of the Sea Bear. I cannot fail to mention that it is horrendously humorous to see a bear jump out of the water and attack people. You cannot go wrong with this strange concept and the art provides fluid motion throughout the tale. Maybe I’m just a weirdo but it makes my day.

Although Sea Bear is mind-bogglingly world-rocking, the second story, Grizzly Shark, is my favorite of the two. I could not stop laughing while eating up this story like it was a freshly baked batch of cookies. Maybe I just favor wilderness and back-woods characters over the ocean but seeing a shark swoop down from a tree, picking people off one by one, makes me giggle like a crazed lunatic. Along with this out-of-the-norm concept the main character, Donnie and his father are a wonderful treat as they consistently crack jokes about the brutal consumption of Donnie’s legs. Anybody that can appreciate distorted humor will be tearing up with laughter. And again, the artwork complements the story very well adding to the story’s nonchalant humor with its cartoonish style and beautiful gray tones done by Cliff Rathburn.

I highly recommend picking up this issue. It is a gem that may have gone unnoticed if it weren’t for the amazingly bizarre lull of the title. I can’t say that I wasn’t a bit skeptical at first. This comic could’ve been really good or really bad; but I couldn’t help myself and I am very thankful I picked it up because I hadn’t laughed like that in years and I must say that it instantly became one of my all-time favorites.

I have been loving Thor The Mighty Avenger! It is a fun and well-written book that appeals to fans of all ages! In the first issue we are introduced to the two main characters, Thor and Jane Foster. Thor has mysteriously been sent to Midgard and wants to return home. He meets Jane at the Bergen War Memorial Museum when he tries to get his hammer, Mjolnir, out an urn in one of the museum displays. We are also introduced to the villain of this story arc, Hyde. The second issue is action packed as Thor defeats Hyde. Now, in issue three, the action continues as mayhem ensues, with a little help from Loki. Thor meets superheroes Henry Pym (Ant-Man) and Janet van Dyne (Wasp) but it is not a friendly encounter.

Roger Langridge‘s writing is perfect for this series. It is fun, fast and self-contained. All you need to know is between the covers. Partner that with Chris Samnee‘s art and you’ve got magic. I love the bold lines and the dynamic movement of Samnee’s art. And I love the sense of life that he gives the characters. If you want to see more of Samnee’s art check out Siege: Embedded and the Comic Twart Blog. Matt Wilson‘s coloring really helps to accentuate Samnee’s art. Everything fits together incredibly well!

This book has a classic, timeless feel. It somehow balances retro styles and modern sensibilities. Ant-Man and Wasp don their original costumes. And Hyde is very much a throw-back villain. Yet something about this book feels modern. It might be the rich colors and the bold lines. Or it might be that Jane Foster is a strong and feisty character. At least more so than any of the 60′s Marvel women.

The first page of issue three we are given a re-cap of the events in the previous title, which adds to the retro feel. This book is perfect for new-comers. You don’t need to know anything about Thor to be able to understand and appreciate this book. You don’t need to know anything about other Marvel characters either. Langridge does a perfect job of introducing everyone. The first time we see Janet van Dyne she is reading a fashion magazine at the Pym research facility. We know right off the bat that she is fashion-conscious and intelligent. That is all you need to know about her. And Samnee’s art helps to describe the characters, especially through facial expressions. The smile on Loki’s face on the bottom of page 7 sums up that character, no words needed. Not to spoil too much, but the fight between Thor and Ant-Man is nicely executed. The coloring and lettering all work together to help make things clear and concise. The end of this issue leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy. I seriously can’t recommend this book enough. If you aren’t reading it, you really should!

While there are numerous new superhero titles to check out this week, including several Avengers books and new issues of Brightest Day and Image United, I’ll focus today’s spotlight on two other areas of the store.  So let’s look at five books ranging from a couple of great kids titles, to a couple of genre titles worthy of attention, and a new release in our literature section that I think some of you might enjoy.

1) Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet #1

Marvel had some recent success with their recent kid-friendly adaptation of Secret Wars entitled Spider-man and the Secret Wars.  They build upon that success with this new four-issue all-ages adaptation of the Infinity Gauntlet series.  Brian Clevinger and Brian Churilla are at the reins on this series, and while these two creators have worked on more genre-based stories in the past (like Atomic Robo and the Anchor) they should do a nice job translating the classic Marvel tale for younger readers.  It’s nice to see Marvel focusing more publishing efforts on a younger audience.  Using source material culled from some of their previous stories is a great way of using old properties to pull in new readers.  If a young fan enjoys a series like this, in a few years they may find themselves wanting to read the original story.  That’s the kind of publishing strategy that I can get behind!

2) CBGB #2

We move from a good all ages offering to a new mini-series for a mature audience.  Issue one was one of last month’s favorite issues for several of us on the Heroes staff. Read our new staffer Justin Crouse‘s review of that first issue on our blog to see why this book works.  Grounded in the fabled NYC punk mecca CBGB, this new mini-series takes a look at why the place was so relevant  by telling small stories set in that world.  In the process the creators illustrate how that time and place in New York continues to be relevant to so many writers, artists, and musicians today.  Don’t assume that you have to be a huge punk fan to enjoy this book.  The best thing about this book is that you can value it without necessarily knowing much of anything about punk music or culture. If you look at this series as a kind of historical fiction it’s easy to appreciate it as a set of straightforward stories that are rooted in a very real place.

3) Darkwing Duck #3

It was only a matter of time before Boom! Studios published a series featuring this character, but I’m sure even they were unprepared for how quickly the first two issues would sell.  For those who don’t remember, Darkwing Duck was a newer Disney character that had an animated series in the early – mid 90′s and featured one of animations coolest rogues gallery, including two of the great villain monikers Quackerjack and Liquidator.  Not only does the new title maintain the fun tone set by the cartoon, but its art looks like it was lifted straight out of the old animation!  This is one of my picks for best new kids book of the year and is easily accessible to adult readers as well.  If you’ve got kids or nieces and nephews, this is a book that will be a lot of fun to read to and along with them!

4) The Light #5

The popular mini series from Nathan Edmondson and Brett Weldele wraps up with this issue.  While the plot has been driven by the novel concept of a light-borne virus, Edmondson has done a nice job juxtaposing this genuinely frightening scenario with the nervous relationship between the father and daughter main characters.  Weldele illustrates the horror with an art style akin to Ben Templesmith, which works very well for a story like this one.  For a more detailed look at this series refer to fellow Heroes staffer Jenny Bement‘s recent review on our blog!

5) Set to Sea GN

This week we see the anticipated debut graphic novel from Drew Weing.  Focusing on a poet who winds up spending a life at sea, this graphic novel looks to be a worthy addition to the niche of maritime comics.  In the past several years we’ve seen Sammy Harkham‘s deceptively simple Poor Sailor and Christophe Blain‘s excellent Isaac the Pirate books, and early reviews of Set to Sea have been high in their praise.  So if you’re a fan of pirate or maritime stories or happen to be looking for something new in the literature section of the store, this is one you’ll want to consider.

Hey guys! I just wanted to do a quick post to update everyone on the results of the poll we did last week. We asked our fine blog readers to let us know what is the best day for signings/in-store events. “Saturday afternoon” won with a clear majority of the votes. 65% to be exact! We will keep this in mind as we organize events. We want to ensure that the maximum amount of people can attend. Thank you everyone for your input, as always we appreciate it!