Art & Skulduggery

CHANGING OF THE SEASONS

2012-02-20T00:22:00.000-08:00

Hi guys.

I want to talk about Con-Sketches. Ive done them all of my 23 years in Comics when I attend Conventions, but I think Im gonna change up. There is soooo much going right now on Twitter, message boards and the like concerning creators rights, creator owned properties, the BIG 2 going corporate, etc.... So being involved in some of that, I have had to assess my role in things and adjust my operating procedures as Ive had to do many times over the years.

My next Con is gonna be the 30th anniversary of the HEROES CONVENTION! So starting then, I am gonna stop taking commissions for copyrighted, company owned characters. I will still sketch, but just my characters, public domain, and the characters I have permission to use( from their respective creators ). This may seem to come outta nowhere, but it isnt that at all. The industry is changing FAST. By that I mean redifining Rights, Clearly defining copyright Law, and the opportunities afforded creators to create and publish their properties is shrinking. Not to say the Industry is hurting, because I dont think it is. Just changing. For the good, and the bad. So as a player you have to adapt. So thats what Im doing. I wanna avoid problems with any of the afore mentioned publishers, and continue to make great Comics. I dont wanna deal with the "possible" hassle of stepping on toes, and crossing legal lines. Safer than sorry. If I dont involve myself in things that could entangle me in unpleasant events, then those things wont come to pass.

I just wanna make Comics. Good ones. Enjoying the process as it happens and I dont wanna deal with crap that might happen. After I saw Sean G. Murphy declare that he was doing this, AND reading and keeping up with all the current and past drama in the press over too many Creators, and properties embroiled in legal battles and money, and given my current direction( toward personal work that I own ) it made sense.

Also, my run as Cover Artist on the currently running SHADE mini series at DC will mark the closure of work for hire cover gigs for the foreseeable future so that I can concentrate fully on all the Creator Owned properties I am currently writing and drawing.

This isnt a Fuck you, to the BIG 2. Its just me taking stock of what I really want to do, and embracing the opportunities that have come my way to see these Projects happen. Its that simple.

So I hope you will come along with me and be kind enough to check out what Im doing. Its what I feel I have been working toward for years, adding pieces to the complex puzzle of Publishing in comcs and showing the readership what I have. Thanks so much to everyone who has followed my work, bought my books, my art and have supported me through everything I have done. The best is yet to come. I promise.

TONY

WIP

2012-02-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

I said some volatile things earlier on Twitter, and I was contacted a shitload for interviews, and quotes, etc... thought I would put down all of it Crystal clear here on my Blog, to set the record.

See, all this shit happening to Gary Friedrich is just the tip of what's about to be one big fucking Iceberg. Remember Steve Niles and me asking and BEGGING, ALL YOU FREELANCERS to hook up with us and let's get organized as a group? Well, it worked and it didn't. There was a great deal of support, some of which surprised the hell out of us. Some of the rejections we got from people we thought were a lock, were shocking too. We have volunteer Legal Counsel, Web Designers, and an assortment of Artists all involved in varying stages to help out with the cause. But it stalled. Just like it has EVERY other time that anyone has tried. Steve is still there on Twitter -@steveniles, and I am too - @tonyfingharris, It just kinda fizzled, and I cant even tell you why. But make NO mistake. This is just the beginning people. The big 2 are now TOTALLY CORPORATE. Period. We as a group of individuals with no connection officially beyond working relationships and personal ones have NOTHING. No solid foundation from which to build. No strength in our numbers. Hell we aren't even a community, not really. Just solo acts. Any Bond we have as a group, is delicate and any structure is tenuous at best.Unless this changes, in a BIG WAY, we are in trouble. What's next from Corporate comics? And how far will they strip us of any rights that we might have left? Sub-par page rates( ask any artist to figure his Hourly rate vs. page rate ), no health insurance, Hell! NO benefits AT ALL. Precious few,qualified, Editorial Squatters, minimal royalties ( and for Colorists, none at all ) absolutely NO consideration from the company for being loyal to them for years, trying to build whatever history you can with them. We as creators are as disposable to the larger companies ( even though they have built their respective empires on our fucking backs) as Comics were intended to be at their Inception. Cheaply produced and printed Pulp Goodies, that by the way- Changed Pop-Culture forever, and outlasted every ones expectations. And NOT because of publishing Houses, or Banks, or Carpet Bagging Celebrities or Mr. EIC of the week or month or decade. But because of Me. And every other guy or gal who has been at this longer than they can imagine. Who have sacrificed personally, professionally, lost friends, been Black-Balled( Fuck you Editorial, we know it exists) , rediscovered, lucky, or just plain fortunate, or deserving. And most of all, to all of us who live a primarily painfully solitary existence chasing a muse that we seldom catch up with for the yearning of a few minutes of bliss, lost in art. THEY, WE, I, am the reason the Comic Book Industry has endured. Selflessness, true love of the medium, not wanting to be rich, or to be greedy. Just to be, OK. To be able to take care of our families and create. Little of that( unless you are the "Hot-Artist-Of-The-Week-Month-Year") comes our way. We are working stiffs, looking for that "Right" project, that rings true with everyone, and takes us all the way. That's why I have moved in and out of Creator Owned work EVERY time the opportunity came to me. I knew that's what I ultimately wanted to do. So I paid my dues, took all the work that came my way, and parlayed that success into personal work. Again, no Hellboys in my Portfolio. But very respectable, successful creator Owned work. And LOTS more to come. But that's the point. We are creators. So we create. Some good work, some not so good. But you keep at it, cuz you haftoo! It eats away at you from the inside, until you spill it out onto paper. Creator. I think this word has been thrown around TOO liberally in the last 15 years. More of you reading this( Newbee or seasoned Pro ), are Creators too. Developing, Scheming, paying your dues, waiting. You just haven't done it yet.You have not yet taken that plunge. I envy you. You can never get that "First-Time" feeling back. Its always a rush, but DAMN!
But we deserve, whats coming to us. In the form of proper credit, AND compensation for what we create, if not outright ownership. We as Freelancers, and the guys and gals coming up, and the future of our Ilk, will be no better off than we, unless we make a move to improve things, and not be the Lowest paid, Red-Headed-Stepchild-retard-Artist, that the Art World, and world of Entertainment keeps in the basement, sliding us a plate of Slop under the door, when they feel like it, and DAMMIT! We should be thankful for that.

Shouldn't we?

TONYFUCKINGHARRIS
http://www.jollyrogerstudio.com/

OPEN SUBMISSIONS

2012-02-12T23:30:00.001-08:00

Heya everybody!

Tony Harris here! I am developing a new property and for the first time in 23 years am looking for an Artist instead of drawing the book myself. I have a ton of stuff I know Ill never get to if I hold onto to drawing it myself, so here we go. Its creator owned, so the Artist will OWN 50 % of the property. I will be doing character designs, and painting the cover, beyond co-writing with my pal Eric Layton. The book is called, "BARREL DANCIN'", and is in NO WAY involving superheroes, or the like. A real story, for real times. Set in the late 60's-early 70's in America revolving around an Alchoholic, Drug-Addict, Rodeo Clown bent on self destruction, with a hardcore deathwish. Its THE WRESTLER, set in the Rodeo Circuit of the 60's and 70's watching the downward spiral of a man bent on self destruction. Go to www.jollyrogerstudio.com click on contact us, and send us a link to your MOST CURRENT sequential art. No pin-ups or illustration. I am interested in how well you can tell a story. Realistacally.

AVILES, ESPANA=PERFECTION*

2011-09-24T22:36:00.000-07:00

No kidding.

And it almost didn't happen for me. It was a tough nut to crack, coordinating my appearance at this Show( If you can call it a SHOW. It's more like a gathering of Lovers of Comics) for Jorge and German. These 2 guys are top Notch. No other way to put it. They clearly have put a LOT of thought into what they want their Venue to be. Jorge has been putting on this Event since he was 16 years old. Yep, 16. And it shows. I would LOVE to have attended every single one of these Events to be able to recall how they have evolved and improved over the years. I'm sure it would read like a Textbook of how to put together a Comicbook related event, no matter what Country.

So Jorge contacted me out of the blue to ask if I wanted to be a guest for the 2011 Show. I had no knowledge of the Event, or Jorge. So I set about looking into him and Aviles , like you do when you are invited to a Comic Show you have never attended. I was blown away at what I discovered. So, since my wife and I had decided that we had done too may American Shows for too long, and we wanted to branch out with my Fan-Base, we decided it would be a great Idea to attend. BUT, because like many European Venues, it is run and paid for by the Town or city/State where it occurs, the budget is sometimes VERY limited. It's also VERY expensive to fly Americans over to these shows, well, just because It is. Expensive. $$$$$ So I explained that I do NOT travel abroad without my Stacie and tht would be contingent upon me appearing in Spain. Immediately Jorge set about figuring a way to make it happen. He felt it important that I appear there this year, and he bent over backwards to make it happen. But alas it wasn't in the cards that Stacie and I would be able to go. We have 3 kids, and It can be difficult to travel with them in School, and arranging Childcare for them. So, after I asked Jorge to meet our needs( which he did by arranging a signing in Madrid-post Aviles to help pay for Stacies Ticket) I had to tell him his efforts were in vain. I really wanted to cancel at this point because European shows can be taxing on your personal and professional time, just because of the length of the Events and the Travel. I knew it would be difficult for Stacie. BUT, she told me to go. She said that they had worked so hard to make it work, that she felt it would be an insult to back out at this point, so I agreed to attend. This sucked big time because I then had to tell my wife on a daily basis how amazing the show was, whilst conveying my loneliness due to her absence. Remember, we had JUST begun to do european shows, and traveling, globally is something special to her and me.

Jorge was as good as his word, and I was off to Spain, for the second time( Barcelona, 3 years earlier was our first trip abroad). Despite my longing for Spouse and Family, It was hard NOT to be swept away in the experience. Spain is such a beautiful Country, and I was looking forward to seeing a totally different part of it than I had experienced with Stacie 3 years earlier.

Of course( I should have known) that I would be met at the Airport by my Hosts! German and a lovely lady( I am embarrassed that I do not remember her name, but I do remember that it was HER car, she was a volunteer, she had a son that we spoke about and that she had to travel to Aviles 20 minutes or so until the weekend, when she would stay at the hotel to fully embrace her Volunteership thru the weekend) See I suck at names, but I remember details. Weird, right? 15 minutes down the road, wonderful scenery, AND weather. That awkward, stilted conversation that you endure when you first meet someone. Still, all good, Hospitality In-tact. We arrive at the Hotel, Luzzana( I hope I got that right), and it was a quaint little place, on an equally quaint street, just a few yards from the Town Square, where City Hall resided. Then, just up the street beyond and around the corner past a 14th Century Fountain, resting on top of marbled streets (Yes, marbled) , just past a Catholic School , swarming with small children, embedded inside of a beautiful courtyard( jeezus , I am throwing up at this point) , lay the Cafe/Hotel that would be my home for the next 8 days. And beyond it, just to the left was the Tent set up to House the Show itself( with a Bar, tucked in the back for the Guests that didn't open nightly until 12 Midnight) mainly because we went to dinner at around 10 PM, and Spaniards take their time with almost everything.

So I was told that beyond my meager responsibilities to the Show( ie...Press conference, panel/Q and A, and a signing) that I was on my own. That the usual conduct was to park your ass at the cafe just beyond the Tent and Hob-knob with your Fans. That meant, sitting in a chair, drinking amazing coffee, eating wonderful bread, cheese and various deliciousness while talking to your fans, drawing sketches, swapping stories, laughing, and just generally hanging out. So after I finished up with my duties to the show, I made a decision. I decided that I would spend every waking moment that I could reasonably spare sitting in that Cafe, and doing just that. And ONLY that. Because I have no idea how frequent my travels to europe will be, or how many of my fans I am able to reach on any given trip, so it was important to me to make the most of it.

I think I did. I had NO idea that the Show held an Awards Ceremony each year to recognize Guests for their various and varied efforts concerning the events. So I was equally surprised as I sat in the Theater ,during the Ceremony, and MY name was called to receive the Award for , "THE COOLEST GUEST OF 2011". So I stood up out of my seat and wandered, stunned, up the stage and took my Lady-Bug Statue, from Jorge, hugged him, waved at the audience, then kissed and hugged every person on the panel to thank them for this amazing Honor. It really was special. Even more than the 2 Eisners that sit on my Mantle, really.

So I set about my duties as a featured guest of the Show, drew Sketches, talked to Fans, drank good Coffee, good Whisky, ate good food, laughed my Ass off, reconnected with lost friends and Collaborators, and had the Single BEST Convention experience of my almost 25 years in Comics. No contest.

I hope to return to Aviles next year, this time with my wife, Stacie. And share the joy of that place and the experiences instead of having to try, and fail to "tell" her what i felt, or saw, heard or tasted. Only then, will I erase my ONE regret concerning The comic Book Show in Aviles. Then it will TRULY be perfect*.

TONY HARRIS
MACON GA, OCT. 2011

AVILES, SPAIN PHOTO PARADE!

2011-09-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Heres some pics. Full report coming1

Tony

ART SALE!!!

2011-09-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Okay. I have a few items here that I need to move so grab em while theyre HOT!

I have bumped down the prices a bit, so's I can get my sons car hooked up quickly. Good luck, and as always it's first come first serve @...

shipowreck@cox.net

MACHINA HARDCOVER VOL. 2
$1200

MACHINA JAM PIECE FEATURING COVERS TO

ISSUES 48, 49 AND 50

20X30 $2000

UNCHARTERD #2 COVER

$1000

MACHINAHARDCOVER VOL.4

$1200

GOING ABROAD

2011-09-10T21:22:00.001-07:00

So on the eve of my departure for Spain, I wanted to drop a quick note to all you folks who have been following the blog, and have been so supportive. If you are in Spain, and can make to Aviles, come on out! I'll be there a week.

TONY HARRIS
SEPTEMBER 2011

CONVENTIONS

2011-09-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

As I prepare to leave for Spain on the 11th, I find myself slipping into what my wife calls, "Convention Mode."

It's a mix of excitement, trepidation, stress, and most of all, having a very thin skin.

See, I have a tendency to Cram before a show. I worry about the time spent away from Home, and from work. The time I will spend missing Stacie and the Kids, and the time I lose at the Drawing Table. I try to make sure that Stacie can come with me as much as she would like when I travel, but it's harder now that her Parents moved away at Retirement. So she comes when we can arrange childcare for the Brood. Funelly enough, I don't see her much during the day, because she is VERY busy turning the temperature in the Hotel room down to -20 celsius and crawling into the bed with a good book. Quiet. That's what she craves when she get's away. But we hang at night, at Dinners, and the bars with friends we only see a few times a year. So when she doesn't come with, I miss her so. BUT, It allows me to put my Game Face on and work. Because, make no mistake. Conventions are work. Maybe not for everyone( including me when I was a younger man) but it should be. You are there( In MY mind) to do several things.

1. Show up! Because in a LOT of cases, Show Promoters have paid for your travel and acommodations, so it's the least you can do is be at your table when the Show opens.

2. Press The Flesh! Again, that is what you are there to do. To meet, hang out and CONNECT with your Fanbase. This is an EVER increasingly important part of your Job as a Comic Book Creator.

3. NOT BE A DICK! Yes , I said it. Because I have witnessed this first hand many times. If you don't enjoy attending conventions and meeting the people who pay your Rent, then stay the Fuck Home!( barring the occasional fuck-up or bad mood because yer Human).

4. Make as many Fans experience with you, no matter how great or small, MEMORABLE. Most of these folks are spending a great deal of money to buy Plane Tickets, Hotel Rooms, Food, incidentals, and maybe even buying your Art, Prints and T-Shirts, so give them the time of Day. Treat them with the respect they deserve. Or stay Home.

5. Make yourself available to the Show Promoters( as much as is possible, because this is our Job and most guysNEED to be at their Table to make the $$ they would have if they were in the Studio). Do some Panels, interviews or just hang out , have a drink and thank them for bringing you out to the show.

6. Be nice to the kids. You know why, I don't think I have to explain this one.

I was supposed to do a panel at a show recently, and I don't recall what show it was. They all start to bleed into one after a while. Anyway, I was on the way to the Panel, and I was chatting with my Studio Mate about what to expect. Most times unless you are Jim Lee, there isn't a HUGE turn out. BUT, the people that ARE there, want to be. They are interested. So we hatched a plan: If there were just a small handful of Fans in attendance, we would invite them to leave the Conference room and have a Spot of Lunch, or a Drink at a Roundtable Discussion. So that's what we did. And guess what? It was the BEST panel I ever did. No pressure, just talking. Fans and Creators talking about what they love: Comics. And isn't that what it's all about?

TONY HARRIS
MACON GA 2011

UNCHARTED #1 COVER!

2011-09-06T13:41:00.001-07:00

ROUNDEYE: For Love NEWS!

2011-09-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like this WILL be my next project when I complete the last 3 issues of THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE WHISTLING SKULL for DC Comics! The SKULL is intended to be a total of 40 issue long, but told in a series of mini series, but we will have to wait until all 6 are out collected and #ers tallied by DC to see if they wanna commit to any further. Meanwhile I will resume work on ROUNDEYE: For Love until it's completion . Then we will collect it in a beautiful oversized hardcover with lots of bells and whistles! There is some MAJOR news regarding who will be publishing this, and I wish I could say more, but cannot. Soon though. It might be

the biggest news of my career to date.

And during this period I will also continue as cover artist on THE SHADE Mini Series at DC, and also at DC as the UNCHARTED cover artist. Lots of other crap too, but I digress. Heres a look at the cover to Issue#1, and the first 8 pages of ROUNDEYE: For Love....

ESSAY 6: BALANCING FAMILY AND COMICS: The Life of a Freelance Illustrator

2011-09-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

Family. You want one, or you don't. If you don't, that doesn't mean you won't end up with one. That's how life is. You think you are heading down a path. Hopefully one you have had a hand in choosing the course of said path. But usually, and I DO mean usually, it ends up veering off in directions you couldn't hope to know about, or understand. In my case, in my 20's, I didn't have a clue what I wanted.

All I knew was that I fell into Comics, I loved what I had fallen into, and that's all I wanted to do. ALL. I literally ONLY did that. Comics all day and all night. I joined up as a founding Member of GAIJIN STUDIOS at the outset of my Career. I count myself lucky to have fallen in with that lot. Good guys. Some with REPS and experience, some without( which is the category I fell into). But a good mix all the same. But I digress. I had no family at that point. Except the one I grew up with. My Mom and Dad, Brother and Sister. So these guys were Family, at least my Day-to-Day family. And like all Families there are good times and bad. We had our share of all of that. I spent a year there, walking away with a mixed bag of contacts, friends, on the job experience, memories( good and bad), lessons learned, direction and my LIFE in a couple of Bags thrown in the back of a shitty, white, oil burning Ford Thunderbird.

Then I left. I had to start over. Try to find a NEW LIFE. So I went back from whence I came. Where I knew, and was known. My comfort zone. I stayed with some friends because there was no way I was gonna ask to go back home to my folks. Pride and all that. So while I rebuilt myself I subsequently LOST every contact I had in the Industry.

Meanwhile, I lived. I ate, I slept, I laughed, I painted, I drew, I hung out and remembered how to be a person. During that time, there was this girl. Her name was Stacie and she lived in the apartment upstairs from the one I stayed in with my friends. She was friends with them too, so she around a lot. My hosts were popular among the local Art scene so there was always a group of people hanging out. We got to know each other during that time and it was clear there was an attraction. Time passed and I ended up moving in with Stacie into her apartment upstairs. Things were great, and we left there shortly and rented our first house together. A year later we were married and living in our first home that we owned.

During all of this, I reconnected with my Comic book World, and landed Starman. My first monthly Comic. Things were simple then. No kids, just me and Stacie living, and getting through the life that we were building together. My studio was in our home so I was there all the time while Stacie went to school to finish her Engineering degree.Then we got pregnant.Everything changed. For the good and bad. See, when little ones come into the mix it's inevitable. So we adapted, we changed our lives to deal with the eminent birth of my NOW 16 year old son, Enzo. I was okay at first, balancing work, and Family while Stacie was pregnant. but we quickly realized that in our starter home, there wasn't enough room for Enzo, and my Studio.

So we decided that I should move the work out of the house. We would have a healthy separation of Family, and The Job. So I connected with some guys that were in or wanted to be into the Comics Industry locally, and we decided to rent a space downtown from where we lived. Rent was cheap as it was a rundown older building, and we got the entire 3rd floor of a building right in the heart of Downtown Macon GA. I was the ONLY full time comic Artist in the group at the time, so I was there all day by myself pretty much. There was no AC, so there were days when I was literally sitting in my Boxer Shorts with a Box fan set between my legs underneath my desk dripping sweat on the STARMAN pages as i drew them.

Meanwhile, Stacie finished her degree, and quit working for a bit to raise our Son. Then she went out back into the work force and landed a great job on the Air force Base near us. So my son had to go into Daycare. Stacie was working so we had to rotate and juggle who would drop him off and pick him up. This was the first hurdle I had to work into my schedule ( and Stacie into hers). I think Stacie dealt with it much better than I did. I am easily distracted, and the work disrupted by just about anything. So I didn't fair well. During this period my studio( JOLLY ROGER STUDIOS) was whittled down to 2 people, and we decided to move and upgrade our working environment to a place that had heating and AIR! We did and it was a gargantuan effort. We settled in and got back to work and things were fine. Then Stacie changed jobs into the private sector as an Engineer for a consulting firm. Closer to home, but the same problems. Her Job, my job, daycare and everything else that comes with LIFE. The I got the bright Idea that I wanted to expand the Studio, and invite in a buncha new guys, and become a Production House. A ONE stop shop, with pencillers, inkers, colorists. The Lot. And we did it. It worked for a time and It was good. But at the price of my Family. As the Studio grew and Jobs came in, and we built a reputation, things were falling apart at home. My wife had too much on her with our child, our financials, her Job. And selfishly, I focused on one thing. Comics. I have always been Driven, especially when it comes to my work, but I let it get away from me and it damaged my Family. Shame on me. I should have been more a part of how my Family operated and lived in those days. But I kept telling myself I was building something. That it was gonna pay off in the long run.

It did in a way. I carved a niche for myself in Comics. Made a name for myself and secured my place. But my home life had gotten away from me. I hadn't noticed that my wife had sacrificed so much for me, and for MY career that her hopes and dreams were slipping away. But that's what I was talking about earlier. That LIFE has a way of slipping past you and deciding your direction if you get distracted by this thing, or that. Don't get me wrong, Stacie doesn't regret me, or our children. not in the slightest. But she saw things differently, in regards to her LIFE .

So we had our second child, a girl named Mina. More complications. LIFE is hard. But anything worth doing is. It's not worth it otherwise.

Meantime, my Studio was falling apart as well. Things got complicated and It was clear that there were opposing sides in regards to politics and Direction. You know, the Old, " Creative differences" thing. Half the group decided behind closed doors that they were gonna go off on their own and start their own Studio. And that's just what they did. That was one of the worst days of my life. Not only did I lose my guys, "That" version of Jolly roger Studios, but friends. People I trusted beyond all else.

But in hindsight, I think It was the best thing to ever happen to me regarding my Career. So I moved home. After 10 years of having studios big and small in and around Downtown Macon GA. I packed it all up and I came home.

We had moved into a new house by then and I took over the front Living room as my Studio. One of the guys from JRS moved a desk in there too and we continued to work together for a time. But again, that kind of time spent in the Studio, at home, took it's toll. things were no better at "Home". The line between Family and Work was further blurred and put a tremendous strain on us. But we survived. I sought help for myself and my Studio partner left. Things returned to Normal at home. And they got better. i learned by being home how to better balance things between the 2 and become productive again.

Then we became pregnant again with our 3rd child, Lucy. It was clear very quickly that they wasn't going to be room for me to work at home. So after she was born, It was Stacie that said, " You need to get outta here and get a studio." She saw that me being home was a strain on the Creative process. So I took a Studio 3 doors down from the house.

Ilanded Ex Machina during this time. my second monthly Comic in 23 years of being in the Biz. Moving out of the House was the best thing for my work. I spent 6 of my most productive years in Comics working on Ex Machina. And I also learned how to be a better husband( still have a lot to go though), and a better Father.

Things are great now. It's always gonna be a tug of war though. The Job requires a lot of your time. Period. But Stacie has always understood that. That's what makes her special. That's what makes her the Saint that she is. Her understanding knows NO bounds and I count myself lucky to have been thrown in with her Lot. She is my Family, and my Job and my Work are possible because of her. I LOVE you Stacie. Thank you.

TONY HARRIS

MACON GA 2011

HOME SWEET HOME

2011-09-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is gonna be my Digital home for the foreseeable future due to a huge workload, and some life changing things( good ones!) brewing in Jolly Roger Studios. As you know I posted on Twitter and Facebook yesterday that I was gonna take a Hiatus from hanging around in the world of Social Media to focus on the afore mentioned stuff, but, that I would periodically update my peeps here. So this is just a cursory post to get that established. I was honestly not managing my time properly and had to re evaluate things.

So I do have a short list of upcoming Essays to continue that series and here they are:

~BALANCING FAMILY AND COMICS: The life of a Freelance Illustrator

~ CONVENTIONS

~EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATION

!ORIGINAL ART SALES: Agent or NO Agent?

~COMICS AND THE HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION

~SUPERHEROES VS. ORIGINAL MATERIAL

~TRADITIONAL PAINTING VS. DIGITAL MEDIUMS

~THE CONTINUATION OF: BIRTH OF AN IDEA WITH B. CLAY MOORE

Aside from that, the only thing else I have just now is my last 2 convention appearances.

I will be appearing at the Comic Book Festival in Aveles, Spain the 12th thru the 18th. Info HERE. And I will be returning to Leeds, England to attend THOUGHTBUBBLE! November 19-20th. Info HERE.

So if you are able, come on over and hang out.

One last thing: If you follow my Blog, do me a favor and join up on my list. I'd like to get a good accounting of how many people read because I am putting together a big ole' contact list of friends and fans.

See you later, SHITPOKES!

TONY HARRIS

MACON GA. 2011

ESSAY-5

2011-08-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

How I roll.

I think I always knew, in the back of my creative mind that I wanted to do Original Material. Hindsight is 20/20, so maybe not. All I know is that I have always had my own stuff rattling around in my head from day one. Shit, that is how I got into the business. I did a creator Owned book called B.L.A.D.E. with my best friend Seaborn Mercer, back in 1989.Google it. It's interesting. Or if you have a copy of my Art Book: TONY HARRIS~ Art and Skulduggery( and , YES, i DID spell that correctly), look in the front of the book and the entire first issue is printed there for your pleasure. So I think that I always Intended to do Original material as the opportunities presented themselves to me. I just didn't know that when I was trying to build my empire one failure at a time. So I did what I had to. I took ANY job that came my way, no matter what the character, or size of the gig. Because that's what you do. Then, I guess as you do more work, and you build relationships with publishers, and Editors( that you hope will be lasting), you begin to throw yer weiner in the middle of the road. Hoping it won't get squashed in the process. That can be crushing. To your Ego, and to the Notion that you have Ideas that are Valid. Every time you hear a "No" it crushes you. You re-think what you thought was cool, or good. You start to take the story apart in your head and ask a whole buncha questions that really are not valid. Then you have to muster whatever confidence you have and tell yourself that your Ideas have worth. Just because "That" guy, or "Those dudes" didn't dig it, it doesn't mean it isn't good. Things change. People move on from a position of power, to elsewhere. So opportunities arise. Sometimes ones that you thought were gone. Sometimes, otherwise. There is NO game plan. No formula for getting something looked at, or even picked up. So you chip away at the Mountain. You pay attention to the cracks, and you wait. Sometimes you take a nugget from a "Rejected" pitch, and you pocket it. Then maybe you do that a number of times( which is likely) and you bankroll those Ideas until another opportunity presents itself to you.

Of all the books I have pitched, that were rejected, I have eventually re-worked them and folded them into something else. Every time. Because If they are good Ideas, they will find their place in time. They never flounder long.

I have always done enough mainstream work for the BIG 2 over the years to stay relevant. And whatever success I have had on ANY of those books, I have parlayed into attention for whatever Creator-Owned work I wanted to pursue. And I have been fortunate enough to have done a good bit of that over the years.

Part of that success is understanding what it means to be relevant. You can't become complacent. As cheesy as it sounds, you have to keep up with contemporary Music, Fashion, Current events and ALL things NOW. If you do that, then your Art will never look Dated or Old. there is a definite difference between "Old-School", and "Old." Don't let yourself fall into the latter. You are Dead, if you do. About every Decade or so, the Big-2 will pull out their Brooms and start trying to sweep out the "Old". Go back 30 years and you will see that I am right. The only guys/gals who stick around during these transitional times are the ones who stay RELEVANT. Case in point: STARMAN was the ONLY book to NOT be cancelled from the "0-Hour" EVENT. Not because James Robinson and myself were necessarily better writers or Artists than our contemporaries during that time. But, because we were MORE RELEVANT. To that period. We just hit with the RIGHT thing at the RIGHT time. Again, we could have washed out with everyone else. But we were LUCKY enough to hit some resonant frequency with people at that exact time. And THAT is what makes up a huge part of what success is regards to creative endeavors . LUCK. You could craft what you think is the strongest work of your career, then put it out there for people, and it FLOPS. Then, conversely do something you din't think was your best effort, drop it, and people go CRAZY for it. There is NO rhyme, nor reason. You just have to keep trying. keep telling stories, and hope they ring peoples bells. If not, Then you are yesterdays toilet paper, covered in your own worthless shit. And then you get flushed.

TONY HARRIS

ESSAY-4

2011-08-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

Hola! Bitches.

So , now for my FUCK-UPS. Or at least one or 2. Wow, now that I sit down to think about it, I have to discern between standing my ground on principle( i.e. being bull-headed) and just PLAIN being wrong.

OK, so what is the biggest Fuck-Up of my career? And second. what is the ONE thing I regret, right or wrong. That's 2 categories. We shall start with the FUCK-UP.

I had to pause, and REALLY think about this. I have regrets, to be sure. I think everyone does. But that's not the same as a FUCK-UP. You know what I mean.

I think the biggest FUCK-UP of my career, to date anyway, is that I left STARMAN as the regular Penciler and Co-Creator with issue 45.

Now, it has to be said that were many things that led to my departure. Many, indeed. James Robinson and I were on the "outs". No worries there because time does indeed heal ALL wounds, because were are right as rain now. AND, I am looking forward to working with him again! But at the time, Archie Goodwin( our beloved Editor, father figure, and Friend) had lost his battle with Cancer. It crushed me. He IS the reason I am in the Biz. Period. SO his death took the wind outta me. Then James and I had a difference of opinion regarding the direction of STARMAN. He wanted to go into Space, I did not. So I decided that it would be the perfect time for me to leave STARMAN. Now, 15+ years later, I am, just now, for the first time, admitting that I was mistaken. I shouldn't have left. I wish I hadn't. Looking at the STARMAN OMNIBUS I feel this wholly. Heres why: I did another series, many years later , called EX MACHINA. I leveraged my name, and Rep when I was hired to make sure that there would NOT be fill-ins or the like. That I would be able to draw ALL 50 issues of the series. YES! It was selfish, and calculating. But I wanted a Legacy of sorts. I wanted to correct what I had FUCKED-UP with STARMAN. And I did. I drew all 50 issues of EX MACHINA. It was collected in Trade Paper back, then in Hardcover, not to mention all 50 issues of the Singles. The Specials, that I did the covers for, the New Covers for the Trades, and the Hardcovers, the Posters. All of it. I could NOT be more proud of that achievement.

BUT. I could have had that twice. That achievement. 2 times. But, I fucked up. I let my feelings rule my decision making. Which is a common failing among young Creators and Artists. I see that now. It's OK though, because I will forever be known as Tony, "STARMAN" Harris. I made him, and HE made me. And that's OK. That is the book that put me on the map, and regardless of fill-ins etc.... I still drew the Bulk of the series, and stayed on as Cover Artist until I passed to Reigns to the Capable, and Brilliant Andrew Robinson. I just wish I had drawn it all. Every Bit.

I FUCKED-UP. God how I wish I could take that back.

The Regret? Losing 2 friends. One, a fellow Artist, and the other, Administration at a publisher.

The Artist? Now, and Ex-Friend( sadly) that I met early in my career. We hit it off immediately and were close for many, many years. So I decided, along with him, that we should work together. We did. And it was everything I hoped it would be. Rewarding in so many ways. During this period we were literally on the phone daily. Chatting and drawing and loving life. Then after our collaboration it was decided that I was to keep the Original Art.

Flash forward a few years later. I fell into a situation requiring liquid capital, which is NOT uncommon in this field. So, I had to come up with $$ to keep my family afloat. So I had this Original Art, which I had created HALF of, and it was given to me as a gift by my friend and Collaborator. So I sold it. My family was taken care of, and all is good. Except it isn't. A bit of time goes by, not too much, maybe a month or 3. Which in Comic Book Time, is NOTHING. I try calling him to chat. No answer.this goes on and on and on and on and on. I finally realize that he isn't going to speak to me anymore. My dear friend. It was only a considerable time later that i was told by a mutual friend that he found out that I had sold the painting, and was furious, and expected that he should receive half the money, and cut me off, and found me to be dead to him. I reached out sooooo many times, with phone calls and the like. To NO avail. That is a dead chapter in my life. And i could not be more sad about it. I miss him.

The second? A friend and Artist who was catapulted into Editorial Administration. We remained friends,( or so I thought) for many years as he rose through the ranks. Then VERY recently he placed me on a project that he said he thought I was perfect for. Things went VERY badly, and after my PROPER resignation, I was told by him to , " DO ME A FAVOR, AND LOSE MY #." I was Heart-Sick. Still am. I wish I could hit a restart button on these situations. But I feel they are lost.

TONY HARRIS

More soon.

TONY HARRIS

ESSAY-3

2011-08-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have had my share of Success over the years. I have also had plenty of failure, not to mention, fuck ups. Now there is a BIG difference between those 2 things. Failure is the end result of effort. Actually trying something and not succeeding( for whatever reason) is called FAILURE. Fucking Up is totally different. That's when you forget to do shit, or lie about your "Actual" effort regarding a certain Job, or assignment, or just plain blowing something off, and in ALL cases....getting COLD busted for it. So I thought it might be good for this series of Essays to give you a VERY clear example of both, and a buncha other tid-bits along the way.

First. A Tid-Bit~

NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO, THERE YOU ARE.

In Business, it does NOT matter what perception is, or might be. Events, and experience are ALL that matter. Take all of them and bank them. I'm not saying hold a grudge, or live in the past. I am just saying don't forget how you got where you are, and what you did( good or bad) to get there. Most importantly, treat Folk as good as you'd like to be treated. Shit WILL come back at you. Good, AND bad. You might think about a lotta things over the years regarding work, a gig, or relationships you have with an Editor, or a Company. Don't be stupid. Be careful. Cross your "t's" and dot your "i's". That way, when someone tries to take a dump on you, it won't come as a surprise. Then you can deal with it rationally, and not emotionally. In other words, be a business man. Handle your business. The only place for a Fan on the professional end of Comics, is when your knowledge of the History of Comics comes into play within the context of a Gig.

So anyway, I got a job from a publisher through a key player in Administration a while back, and it didn't quite turn out the way I had hoped.

I had been sending covers to several guys in key positions at several companies ( as I finished assignments) in an effort to garner an ongoing Cover Gig. I figured if I sent actual Covers that I was contracted to do, that it would work on several levels with the Editors I was calling on.

1. The images were my MOST current work, and a perfect example of my particular skill-set.

2. It would show that I was gainfully employed, and still had a Creative Voice in the Industry.

3. It would keep me connected with a small group of Editors at several different publishers that I had either worked with, or wanted to work with.

So, that is what I did. So after a few covers were sent, I hooked up with ONE particular guy. He was grooving on the stuff, understood that I wanted to land a regular cover Gig and wanted to talk. We had been pals for years, like minded creatively and he said he thought I would be perfect for a job that had come across his desk. I looked it over, and after learning that I was the actual Editor on the Books FIRST choice, I said yes. This Gig was a big deal. At least that's what I was told. So I was offered a LOT of money for this job. WAY more than I get for a regular cover. But that was because it was an Event. So I got to work after I signed Pay Vouchers filled out by the Editor, with the promised amounts filled in, with his signature down below. I produced 3 covers, before I heard that I was NOT to be paid what I was promised, but that they could get me CLOSE to it. That happened no less than 3 times, all the while I am still producing work. I was told "this" guy, or "that" guy, who were important to the approval process for $$, would be back soon from vacation and all would be good. I kept working. By the way, after all these covers, and weeks passed by, I STILL had not been paid a single dime. I couldn't be paid, because my rate had not been approved by the publisher.

So, I had enough. I was more than patient and I sat down to do what my Attorney told me to do. Write a proper resignation letter, citing all the reasons why I decided to step aside. I did that, sent it off to my Editor, colorist, and The Editorial Admin rep who I originally connected with to get the gig in the first place. This did NOT turn out good.

I did not hear from my Editor, nor my colorist, but from - let's give him a name. I heard from CHIKLETT. He sent me a letter saying how shocked he was that I would pull such an unprofessional move. But really, he wasn't shocked, cuz whenever he get's together with his peeps to discuss the most unprofessional people in the Industry , evidently , according to his letter, my name ALWAYS comes up first. TOP OF THE HEAP. Then he tells me that I have been part of no less than 4 maybe 5 projects that got fucked up/screwed that he was directly involved in. So I asked CHIKLETT, " Exactly what are those projects you are referring too?" But not before I yelled back at him for calling ME unprofessional, whilst calling me names( and also copying these statements to other Editors at the company, which I am pretty sure is Illegal, oh yeh, AND slander). So, then CHIKLETT apologizes, and says that I am REALLY talented, but not worth the trouble, without telling what those Mysterious Books that I fucked up were.

So. Wow. This sucked. And I will tell you why. NOT just because of the shit he said. NOT, just because I was promised all this $$ and never got it. Not just because I was strung along with no information, whilst waiting to be paid after multiple covers had been produced and turned in.

It sucked because I "THOUGHT" that I had been friends with CHIKLETT for like, I dunno 15 years. Really, no Bull-shit. And he spun on me like a Black-plague-ridden-stranger. Then he tells me to do him a favor: "LOSE MY NUMBER."

Then I go to a convention, see some folks that I am friends with ( which happen to be mutual friends with CHIKLETT) So, I walk over, and give big hugs, and say hi. Knowing that he is standing just-Off-Sides, looking on. I turn to walk away, and I hear, " Hey, Tony." I know who it is, and I dreaded this happening, because I am NOT one to shrink from confrontation usually, so I was afraid of what I might do, or say. And also, because I figured THIS guy, speaking to me, was TOTALLY out of the question. So what could I do? He knew i wouldn't make a scene in public, so that's why he did it. I turned around on a dime, extended my hand and said, "Hi CHIKLETT." Then abruptly walked away. I felt like I betrayed myself by letting him control me. Like a fucking PUSSY. But that's for me to deal with.

So that's it. Story over. I still have to travel the same Circuit CHIKLETT does. I see him, and I am SURE he sees me. But that is OK. I remember that I am unaffected , and that I am a professional, the VERY thing he said I wasn't.

TONY-FUCKING-HARRIS

ESSAY-2

2011-08-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

I had pretty shitty grades in High School. That is until I woke up one morning of the latter part of my 10th Grade year, walked into the Bathroom and literally looked at myself in the mirror and asked, " Holy Shit! What are you gonna do after you Graduate High School?!" I had no answer. So it was time to quit screwing around, and focus on my School work so that I could Graduate. I did, but one thing was different than I had hoped. I didn't have the grades or the money to pursue Art in Secondary School. No Art School for Tony Harris. This was a MAJOR blow. I , along with my family had always assumed that I would attend some kind of Art School after High School. If for no other reason that I won a LOT of Art Awards over the years, pursued my ability vigorously with ALL of my parents support. But then I became a teenager got mad about everything, and fucked off on School, Art, Family and anything else that mattered. It was really hard for me as a kid. I can't speak for my Brother and Sister, but it was for me. It was also REALLY good. We grew up in a Military Family, moving about every 18 months or so. Sometimes longer periods in one place, but that was about the average. After a while of always being the new kid, and dealing with ALL that comes with that Horse-shit, you learn. you adapt, or you wither and die. So for me, my Art was my refuge. That was the bad part. The good part were my folks, and my home life. It was great. My Dad was Military and worked a lot, but was and is a GREAT FATHER. Mom was the same, AWESOME MOM, stayed home for most of our young lives to raise us, until we became Latch-Key kids during my Pre-Teenage years. But all the while, they supported me, and my Art. Just felt like that all needed saying. Support for a young Artist is so key to their development. Without that coming directly from where you dwell, you have major obstacles in your way.

So looking back now I can see things foggy. NOT clearly. I did NOT read comics and collect them as a child. Unlike most of my contemporaries. I did buy the Occasional Comic from a Gas Station, or Book Store( when they had them, *Thanks Book Nook of Charleston SC!! for having what a 12 year old needed!) Notably The Pocket sized Paperback of Empire Strikes Back from Marvel ( written by Archie Goodwin, who would almost 15 years later become my Editor on STARMAN for DC Comics) and CONAN from Marvel, Illustrated by the AMAZING John Buscema, and Ernie Chan! But i didn't know ANY of that then. I just thought they were cool. No, Indeed I would not really "Discover" Comics until I was 19 years old, and outta School. but , at least I did. I fell into it after moving to Athens GA, post High School( which is where my then Girlfriend, and High School best friend moved to attend UGA). WOW! I think we veered into a History lesson here. But I think you might understand me better as an Individual, among many, i.e. my contemporaries in the field of Comics, if you know a bit about how I arrived here, in Comics. And as I type these words, I realize it is both unlikely, and meant to be, in equal portions that I would make my Artistic home in this Medium. I think maybe that is the benefit of writing about these things , that it makes you recall things. To remember.

I am gonna back up a tiny bit. I did have a small amount ( and by NO means Insignificant) of post-High-School, Art Education. It came to me, in Macon GA in the form of a Local Portrait Artist, and Teacher , named Houser Smith. Amazing man. I met him through the local Artistic, Social circles and was keen to take his figure drawing classes. Didn't have any cash though. So my friends made the Introductions, I showed him my portfolio, and he made me a proposal. He offered me Figure Drawing Classes, bought and paid for in exchange for weeding his Beloved Rose Garden just outside his Studio window. OH! how Houser LOVED his Roses. I, of course, accepted! Best decision of my Artistic life. The most important piece of advice I carry with me( among a million others) and pass onto others from Houser is this:

" The human Body is the most complicated Machine ever created. If you can master Drawing it, you will draw a better tree, a better car, a better dog, and a more precise world view, through educated eyes." It doesn't get any better, or right, than that. But I digress.

So After discovering Comics, and by proxy, Commercial/Advertising Art, I discovered something else. I guess I became wide awake in a way.

I was aware that ART is everything, and everywhere. Sad part is, most people don't know that, or care. From the design of your bedside Fan, to your car, to the Store Signs you pass as you drive down the road, to Product labels, to Company logos, to Medical Instruments, to Machines that make food safe, to paintings, to sculptures, to Movies, to Poems, to Music, to shoes to Cereal, to the internet, to your web page, to your cell Phone, to your car, to your toothbrush, to your Fine China, to your Television, to your Calculator, to you Toilet Bowl, to your House, to your Suit, to your Dress, to your kids Big-wheel, to your landscaping, to your sexual aids, to the Rug the President walks over as he sits down at his desk in the Oval Office, to your paint, to your paint brushes, to your drafting table, to your dogs haircut, to your haircut, to street signs, to storefronts, to diapers and to Dragon Tattoos. It takes an Artist, a designer, ART to make all those things come to life. A vision, an initial thought translated into pictures so that someone else can build it, paint it, print it, drive it, or fly it.

It's hard being a Comic Book Artist. Harder than you think. Yeh, OK, theres the obvious work load. 22 pages a month if you draw a monthly, and if you are doing a mini-series. The Industry Standard is a page a day of pencils, an Inkers are expected, along with Colorists to work far faster than than. Shit travels downhill and those guys have to take giant bites of wandering shit sandwiches on a daily basis.

You know what else is hard about being a Comic Book Artist? What takes you 15 minutes to read takes me 30 days to create. The Artist ( in a perfect world) has to be able to draw EVERYTHING. Did u catch that? Not just be good at drawing cars, or Zombies, or Dildos, but EVERYTHINGA! All of it. The whole damned, God-Forsaken-existence-on-this-good-green-Earth. Cars, Dildos, Coffee makers, pencils, tacks, pop-tarts, TV's, animals, Balls, China, kids, old people, women, men, tables, chairs, toasters, water, hair, babies, cats, spoons, lamps, carpet, hardwood floors, bricks, cups, chicken( the meat, not the bird), Chickens( the birds), Tigers, Lions, AND Bears. Etc............ So you have to be a Renaissance Man. You gotta do it all. And quite frankly( or Frank Quitely, if that's your thing) if you can, you'll be more successful and get more work. A one stop shop, if you will. I think maybe I am a Masochist, cause I love it all. All of it. As fucked up as it is, comics are me, comics are mine, I know it inside out, I feel like I am a part. I OWN this. Ya know?

Next time maybe I'll talk about all my fuckups over the years. Maybe....

More soon~

TONY HARRIS

Macon GA, Aug, 2011

AN ESSAY

2011-08-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be a Comic Book Artist? What does it REALLY mean?

I think It means you have to be able to tell a really good story. You have to be able to Draw, for sure. But Storytelling is the Pure Essence of what it's about. You have to be able to lead the viewers eye around the page from panel to panel without them noticing, while they have a good time doing it.

Books are Books. Prose. Words strung together in a poetic fashion to weave what you hope to be an entertaining yarn. Comics are Comics. Words strung together with Drawings to weave what you also hope to an entertaining yarn. Heres the difference though: Drawings. Theres the real rub. People read comics, because they want pictures with their words. If not, then they would read a Book, right?

So let's focus on the collaboration of Writer and Artist. I don't think that one is more important than the other, because in a perfect world a Comic should be a true collaboration of word and picture. That the Writer should not feel like he should, or should want to tell the Artist how he should interpret his script, and that the Artist should also not presume to tell the Writer how to do his job. It should melt together. Writers should leave enough leverage in their script for interpretation by the Artist to create a great story that pays respect to the source material. Working together. And by that, I mean if you, as the Artist, have an idea that diverges from the script you were given, then talk to your Writer about it before you just run with it. Now that's not to say that you won't be over eager from time to time. You will. It's the nature of who you are. Just as Writers sometimes want you to draw Exactly what they wrote. That's where the collaboration comes in. Give and take. Knowing when to fight for your ideas, and when to let go and trust your partner. Again, I am talking about a perfect world here. Which is rare. That's why there are so few REALLY great Comics. It's rare to hook up with "That" guy, or Girl who "Get's" you, and you "Get" them. So when it happens, attach yourself to that person for as long as you can. I promise It will be rewarding. Communication is key. If you find yourself connected with a creator that isn't interested in talking, whether it be on the phone or e-mail, RUN. That's a clear sign that they are NOT into collaboration.

Now there is also another theory:

It goes like this...

The writer is like a Script Writer for film. They write the Script, then it goes into production. That means a Storyboard Artist, A Director, a Cameraman, a Lighting technician, Costumers, designers, Special Effects, Set dressers, make-up, pyrotechnics, research and development and post production. And I know I missed a ton. So really the Heavy Lifting of a Comic is all on the Artist. The Writer has one Job, and the Artist is saddled with every-one-of-those-other-positions. ALL of them. So, theres that. And let's just say that there are few guys who can pull all that weight without being crushed under it. And It's not for me to say who can and cannot bare the weight. Just to point it out.

It also bares pointing out that a LOT of these things come with time. You can't do some or all of these things as a Freshman. You have to spend time learning your craft. Making mistakes and learning from them. Being paired with the wrong guys, and the right guys, and knowing the difference after. And hopefully moving towards creating your own material and steering your own ship. But again, that's in a perfect world and shit gets fucked up on a regular basis in Comics. You just do your best to Navigate the waters without your ship sinking, and hopefully create something beautiful along the way. The balance between your Job and your Art will always rip you to pieces. To be continued.

TONY HARRIS

Precon commissions for Baltimore!

2011-08-11T16:07:00.001-07:00

It's time again. So I am opening up my Pre-Con commission list for the Baltimore Comicon. There is no limit this time. My schedule is pretty lite right now, and I have the time, so Jump in, and email me @ shipwreck@cox.net and we can work out the details. This has really worked out great for a lotta folks who haven't gotten a sketch from me over the years, so good luck!

This time around I am doing 10x14 PENCIL, INK, and GREYWASH for $400. Check out some examples above.....( No worries, Van. I got you!)

UNCHARTED

2011-07-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

This is a little post I thought necessary to correct a mistake in the press currently concerning the Comic Book adaptation of the Video game, UNCHARTED to be published by DC Comics.

I was contacted by DC last year about this, and asked by my Editor Ben Abernathy if I was interested in providing covers. Ben said that SONY had asked for me specifically. Of course I said yes!. So then all the shake ups at DC concerning Wildstorm, etc..

So time go by and I am told it's being moved around, and will land somewhere under the DC Umbrella soon.

Then the other day, I found this.

Anyway I called to speak to Ben, and was told I am still the cover artist, and that ADAM HUGHES will be providing variants. AND, that the image you have seen was contracted to Adam directly by SONY as a poster for San Diego. SO.........

I will be proving covers for the UNCHARTED mini series at DC Comics. Just to clarify. And I am PUMPED to be working with my buddy Adam Hughes on the gig. Should be ablast!

TONY HARRIS

THE BIRTH OF AN IDEA-PART 2( I went to fucking jail)

2011-06-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

No, REALLY. Went to jail Tuesday morning. Around 8 a.m. I woke up after a good nights sleep ( as I had just returned from The Albuquerque Comic Expo, thrilled to be in my own bed) Showered, dressed, brewed Coffee, let out my Dogs, and kissed my Wife and Kids Good-Bye, and left to my Dentist appointment( Cracked Molar, pain, and i was going in for a Crown), which was at 9:15 a.m. So I turned onto Vineville Avenue and the Blue and Red lights popped on in my rear view mirror. I slowed to a stop and waited. We all know what's next. So I reached back for my License, Insurance, and Registration. No License( as it was still in my Travel Back-Pack that I went to New Mexico with), and I couldn't locate the Insurance card, or the current Registration. OH, SHIT! Now the Officer is knocking at my window. OH, SHIT! OK, so I buzzed the window down and he asks , "Do you know why I pulled you over?" "No.", I said. " Your rear tail light is out.", he said. " Oh. I had no idea.", says I. Then he asks for my License, which I don't have, and my registration, and Insurance, which I can't locate. So he writes the information on his hand as I dictate. I wait, looking in my rear view, nervous, but confident that I have no record. No outstanding Warrants, no nothing. WRONG.

He comes back and asks me to exit the vehicle. So I step out, and he snatches my hand, twists it around my back as he removes a pair of Hand-Cuffs from his belt, slapping them on my wrists. WHAAAAAAAAA----!!!!. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Wait! What just happened?! "Sir you have an outstanding Warrant, so I am gonna have to take you into custody, and go Downtown. " said the Cop. So I start telling him that I have NEVER been arrested, and I have NO record( which is true, by the way). He doesn't buy it, so in the Patrol Car I go, as I ask him to call my wife, and see if she can come get my car, which is RUNNING in front of his, as we block and slow down morning Rush-Hour traffic. He calls Stacie, and I can tell by their conversation that she is incredulous and beside herself( because my 3 kids are asleep, she isn't dressed, and has no car to come get me). She's on the way. Meanwhile, he has stuffed my 6 foot 2 inch, 240 pound ASS into what seems like the back of a Clown-car. After 10 minutes I can't feel my hands. Numb. Pain. Patience is going Bye-Bye! Mainly because I can hear him being told that my Warrant is for not reporting to my Probation Officer 10 years ago( which I did, after racking up a stack of parking tickets, that I went to court to pay, reported to my Probation Officer weekly until I paid off the debt and went my way), and they want their cash for some unpaid parking tickets that I went downtown to voluntarily ( albeit late) pay, and was never arrested for, so that's why my Probation was conditional, and Non-Restrictive to Travel.

I explain this to the Officer, to no avail. So my wife arrives (after I stood, being handcuffed on one of the busiest roads in Macon, GA, seen by God knows how many of my friends and neighbors) with the help of my good friend, and Neighbor, Eric O'Dell. Cop let's me outta the back, to talk to Stacie and she tells me to behave, which I agree to after a Kiss, then she removes the WAD of cash I had in my pocket, just having returned from a Convention( which would have looked REALLY bad). She tells me she will call our lawyer, and Homicide detective neighbor, and friend, and have me out super quick.So off to Jail I go for some FUCKING BULLSHIT I TOOK CARE OF 10 YEARS AGO.

I roll up to the Bibb County Jail( NOT to be confused with State Prison) which I have driven past a thousand times, never giving it a second thought. This time, I noticed, and I thought about it. I was going in.

Through a huge Barbed Wire topped, 10 foot fence with camera/recog, entrance, we go in, up to a holding area, inside a second fenced area( later I would be told by a State employee the gates are inoperable, explaining the frequent, widely publicized escapes) . Cop parks his Cruiser inside what is supposed to be an enclosed, secure garage. It's not. It's open on both ends. He opens my door( just behind his), removing his Glock from it's Holster, turning his back on me and unbelievably placing in the floorboard of his Cruiser( which, again, I was told by a State Employee that he was supposed to deposit his weapon in a safe, Lock-Box at the secured, camera monitored( yeah , right) entrance. He escorts me through an open yard, past the lockbox for his gun, into the County Jail. This is where shit get's REAL. I sincerely hope, NONE of you reading this, EVER has to experience what it is like to be processed into the Department of Corrections, unless you deserve it. Cuz I sure didn't, and I can't UN-KNOW what I know. I really could have lived my whole life without experiencing this.

So into processing. " Stand on the Blue line."( still in cuffs.) Now it's my turn. "HARRIS!" I move up to a Deputy. The arresting Officer FINALLY removes the Cuffs. I can barely move my shoulders. Hands are numb and wrists bruised. So he tells me to remove ALL items from my pockets. Remove my shoes, belt, Handkerchief from my head, and any wristbands, or Jewelry. Then my piercings( which I only have 4, in my ears). I do that, and he commands that I remove them ALL. So I say," That's it, CHIEF, maybe your cock and balls are pierced, but not mine."YES. I said that. So, he then removes all the $340 in cash from my wallet, with his surgical glove/clad hands and counts it out, filling out a form with the amount, and the contents of my pockets. Heres the really debasing degrading part. " Put your hands on the table and spread your legs." I did. Then I got felt up for weapons, or contraband. NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT. Inside of your legs from ankle to Balls, grabbing, and groping all the way. Then it's up to your Man-Tits, armpits, stomach and ass. Nice. Sign yer documents, and move on.

Shall we continue?

Then you see a Med/tech. Tell me all the Meds you are on so I can call your Pharmacy to confirm that we just told all yer OLD friends at the Pharmacy that YOU ARE IN FUCKING JAIL. Sign more documents, and move out into the main holding area. A buncha Deputies hollering at you randomly to GO!, MOVE! GET IN TANK 1! You look around, find a label above a metal room with one window, filled with scary looking dudes. Then, guess what? You reach for that door, and you walk in under you own power. Against everything you know to be right, you reach out and you open the door, and walk in in.

I am not a weak man. NOT of mind, and NOT of flesh. Those of you who know me? Nuff said. I am also NOT a Super-Hero. What I am is Human. And I was scared. Of what? I have no Idea. I didn't know what to expect.I don't know if what you see in TV and Movies is real. All I can relate to you here, is what happened to me. Unfiltered. True.

In this Jail, they have multiple holding Tanks surrounding a Command center that controls the opening of the doors electronically by 4-6 Sheriffs Deputies. When you enter, you begin at TANK 1 and move on to TANK 3 and release. Entry. Internal ventilation thats serves NO purpose, and also serves as an entry point to VERIFIED RAT ATTACKS on detainees( by a State Employee). There is a steel toilet attached to a sink above, hooked into a cinderblock wall that is covered in shit, bloody snot-rockets and GOD knows what, just above a PISS-soaked concrete floor. The smell was unbearable. I was later joined by other Detainees. Firts was a stinking sack of Human Shit. Crazy as a shit-house-rat. Asked me if i was, " Chillin?" Next, a guy who went on and on about how I had been here 2 hours without a phonecall, and that was Bullshit. Then he proceeded to punch concrete walls and floors. NEVER SHUT UP. NOT EVER! Echoing off concrete, and cinderblock in INCOMPREHENSIBLE EBONICS. Lots of nodding and ," Right Ons!" from me. Then Georgia Chain-gang Prisoners were brought in. Finally I was moved to TANK 3 after my wife paid my Ransome. FINALLY they call your name. This is when you are photographed and released. You are given back your belongings, and ordered to examine every piece. Your money is counted out back to you, and you sign more documents.A Deputy escorts you down a LOOOOOOOONG hall as you say under your breath, " Sometimes, the Green Mile can be sooo long." My Deputy laughed out loud, and said, " In a minute, YOU are gonna be on the OTHER side of THIS."

So I came home, talked to my wife, my friends, and reflected on what happened. Yep, I was pissed. Yep, Scared for sure. But after a LOT of discussion, it was clear to me that I had to assimilate this into my life, as well as my work. So what happened to me in Jail, THAT day, WILL be written into BUFFALO MONK. After all, MONK is the Sheriff. We will deal with Jail, Prisoners, and the like. So why not pull from experience? So th esecrets of what happened to me in TANKS 1-3 will be revealed, in time. Stay tuned.

TONY HARRIS

BIBB COUNTY DEPARTMENT

OF CORRECTIONS

MACON GEORGIA

2011

THE BIRTH OF AN IDEA

2011-06-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hiya. So I thought I would do something new. After all isn't that what I keep preaching? So here goes putting my money, where my mouth is.

Me and B. Clay Moore are already working on a Creator Owned book for DC Comics called THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE WHISTLING SKULL, and the experience for me, working with Clay, has really been rewarding, so I had this other concept for a comic that I wanted to start fleshing out to prep it for launch that I brought to Clay and asked he would be into developing it with me. Much like I did with SKULL. So I verbally pitched it to him, as I still did not have ANYTHING real on paper. Just Ideas rattling around in my head, and scribblings and key words on a half dozen different post it notes along with relevant photo-ref for designing the characters( which I haven't done yet)around the studio. Anyway, Clay LOVED the Idea right away. You how I could tell? Cause he immediately started spring-boarding ideas for the Book, and even new characters, as we sat next to one another in Kansas at Planet-Comicon this past spring. So we went home, got busy with our lives, and work. Then I was thinking about the book again the other day so I began to chat with my wife about it. She is a very talented writer, and full of wonderful ideas. So she came up with a couple of gems, and said I could use them( thanks babe!) So I figured it was time to put something down on paper, no matter how preliminary, to get things rolling. And boy did they. I emailed Clay with these notes, and suggested to him that we do this back and forth Blob about the birth of an Idea. Really from the literal beginning all the way thru to ( hopefully) publication. Clay jumped at the Idea, with one suggestion. "We gotta hold back on some stuff." He's right. If we tell you every little nuance about the story, it won't feel fresh when you finally read it. But, we intend to be as transparent as we can with everything else.So keep coming back, and also check out Clay on his blog for his MONK entries too. I hope you enjoy experiencing the birth of.......

BUFFALO MONK

INSTALLMENT 1:

These are the notes I wrote down just the other day unedited or changed....

This would be BUFFALO MONK! Heres a quick rundown.

I haven't written the story yet because I am creating the "world" just now. I always work like that, so I know the rules as I'm writing.

It's a Western set among the bordeland areas of New Mexico or the Equivalent in the township of MURDER. This is a skewed reality with Animals co-existing with Humans. No explanation needed as we throw you right into the story. Everything revolves around the Sherriff of MURDER, and that is BUFFALLO MONK. He's an 850 lb. Silverback Gorilla that wears a full length Buffalo Skin coat. He rides a small Donkey called FINNEUS. He does not carry guns, but a pair of Slingshots in holsters. He uses dried dung from Horses and such for ammo, so youll see it sitting all around the Jailhouse on window ledges, drying out. He has 2 Deputies named DIRTY BIRD ( an Ostrich wearing a Fez and a Paper collar) and a Midget Human named WESLEY, who is addicted to Elegant Haberdashery, and as such, is dressed to the nines at all times. He rides Dirty Bird as his Mount. Down the street is the Saloon called HICCUP MIKES( Mike is human), and upstairs is the ever popular Brothel called, " THE CAT HOUSE" Run by a Human Woman called BEA, and all her girls are Meerkats. There is a Gang of Banditos in the Canyons, north of town headed by the evil "JESUS LIZARDO" a Jesus Christ Lizard ( Basilisk). His men ( comprised of animal and Human Bandits) fear him terribly, and LIZARDO keeps them in line with the fact that someone may have heard of a guy who might have talked to someone that may or may not have seen JESUS LIZARDO walk on water.LIZARDO also has, within, his group, assassins called , " A MURDER OF CROWS."( YES ,THEY ARE CROWS) Anyway, these guys terrorize the town of MURDER with regularity. ALWAYS lurking on the outskirts of the story is a mysterious character barely seen until towards the end. He is watching all of the events in the story unfold, but with a keen eye for MONK in particular. This character will be revealed to be THE NAKED BUFFALO that MONK took his coat from. The BUFFALO is pissed, out for revenge, and to retrieve his hide. I like the idea of ending the story with his reveal, and you realize that we haven't even scratched the surface of this "World", or BUFFALO MONKS back story of how he came to be Sherriff of MURDER, and how he got that coat.

My wife's ideas were the Brothel named The Kat-House, and the group of assassins called, "A Murder of Crows"

-----So now, the next step for me as the Artist is to start breaking down each character to the Nuts and Bolts of who they are. That usually dictates to me what they should look like. That, and my own visual sensibilities as a designer. And sometimes things I design for a character will actually add a bit here or there to the story itself. I also start thinking about the Logo at this point too. Don't know why, but that's my process. This is also the time to start my research. I do tons of this. I mean TONS. I am a stickler for getting things right, and think that is in large part due to the fact that I used photo ref for such a long time. I recently decided to put it down when I started work on SKULL, and I am quite happy with the way I working now, but getting all the details right for a photo shoot has embedded itself in my minds eye, I think, and now I pour over books, and the Internet to collect a visual "Bible", for lack of a better term. These are a collection of images that I print hardcopies of, put them into a folder, and keep them at the ready when ever I am working on a particular Book. So thats where I am at the moment. What's difficult here is the Juggling. I am working on quite a few things currently, and have to toggle back and forth constantly. It can be quite frustrating as an Artist( and to my Family,my Fans and my Editors!) to not be able to devote ALL of your time to one thing. And that comes from fear really. Fear that I won't ever get around to doing it all if I don't start several things all at once, then drudge through the muck of deadline Hell, and making sure each Book get's the proper amount of attention when it needs it. This doesn't always work either. Sometimes I will ultimately be forced to put one or more things down in order to properly finish something else.

So the next step? Wait for Clay to send me back his notes, and Ideas. And in my copious spare time, Start designing the "look" for the main character, BUFFALO MONK. See you soon.

TONY HARRIS

July 20011

JOLLY ROGER STUDIO

IN A BETTER PLACE

2011-04-20T16:23:00.001-07:00

So i have been taking stock of my current working "Situation" of late. Really taking it apart and asking hard questions to myself about my productivity, the quality of the work I produce, and the importance of each individual project, and where it's place is in the pecking order.But those are the kinds of questions you do ask yourself when you are in a creative slump.

Now let me define "slump"

This is what the dictionary says:

SLUMP–verb (used without object)1.to drop or fall heavily; collapse: Suddenly she slumped tothe floor.

2.to assume a slouching, bowed, or bent position or posture:Stand up straight and don't slump!

3.to decrease or fall suddenly and markedly, as prices or themarket.4.

to decline or deteriorate, as health, business, quality, or efficiency.

5.to sink into a bog, muddy place, etc., or through ice or snow.

6.to sink heavily, as the spirits.

Heres what I say:

SLUMP–verb (as applied to being an Illustrator)1.to drop or fall heavily; collapse: Suddenly she slumped tothe floor.( after you have worked your ass off for 3 days straight to hit a deadline with 2 hours sleep)

2.to assume a slouching, bowed, or bent position or posture:( because you spend too much time at the desk, and not enough walking in the sunshine)

3.to decrease or fall suddenly and markedly, as prices or the market( this happens when noone wants to look at your crappy artwork anymore , and you can't get work)

4.to decline or deteriorate, as health, business, quality, or efficiency( You get the flu,shit yer pants, get drunk at a Con and lash out at someone who's been a dick to you one too many times, blow deadlines, blow deadlines, blow deadlines.....)

5.to sink into a bog, muddy place, etc., or through ice or snow(this happens when u are an Outdoorsman, and an idiot. This is why I rarely leave my Art Cave, but I did draw a one page column for a year for OUTDOOR LIFE magazine, called, THIS HAPPENED TO ME, where idiot outdoorsmen wrote letters to tell on themselves, and i drew their sad tales.)

6.to sink heavily, as the spirits( Now. Here we go. this is the one. But it's the sinking of your Spirits, because your "Muse" has left you. She's the one who inspires you, gives you the pictures you see in your mind, and whispers stories in your ear as you sleep, that you eventually write down, and then draw. She is you and you are her. One. So , when she leaves( god knows why, wish I could cage her scitterish ass) you are sad. You can't see the pictures. You can't hear her voice as you sleep telling you "you" stories. So your spirit sinks, low. As it should.

Until she comes back :)

Which was yesterday.

TONY

MACON GA APRIL, 2011

2011 CONVENTION CON SKETCHES

2011-04-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

So I thought I would do an in depth look at the new process for sketches at shows, and answer a lot of questions all at once, and show a lot of cool stuff too.First off, they are called THE FAST PASS SKETCH. This means that I will issue 10 FAST PASSES each of the 3 days of the show. 10 only. These will have a time stamped on them, and you can choose from available times on a first come, first serve basis. Once you have your pass in hand, all you do is return to my table @ the time on your FAST PASS, and I will produce the sketch for you live. Takes around 30 minutes or less. That way, this frees you up to wander the show, and collect other swag, and goodies at you leasure! Plus gives us some time to hang out and chat, while I do your drawing. So here find a few examples of sketches I did in Kansas City on the FAST PASS system Worked great, and folks were happy. Plus I popped one of those sketches into a template I designed, and it will be printed "ON" the Arches watercolor paper that I am using for these. I also have included a few Sketches I have done in the past on the regular commission system, which I still do upon request, depending on the show. So the FASTPASS Sketches are on 9x12 Arches watercolor paper, pencil,ink, and greaywash for $150. Regular commissions of waist up/paretial BG are still $250 and a bit larger at 11x14. Full figure with partial BG are still $350.

CONVENTION SEASON/APPEARANCES

2011-04-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Been a little while1 Hard at work on THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE WHISTLING SKULL, and ROUNDEYE, and painted covers for THE SHADE ( penned by the Amazing James Robinson), so little time for anything else.

I wanted to post a list here of my Convention schedule as it stands just now. A few might be added in Europe, dont know for sure yet. Anyway here they are, and a sneak peak at one of the 2 Starman related prints i will have available all season! Cant wait to see you all! I will also be previewing Whistling Skull, and Roundeye pages.

BOSTON COMICON

April 30-May 1 2011

MOTORCITY COMICON

May 13-15 2011

HEROES CON

June 3-5 2011

ALBUQUERQUE COMIC EXPO

June 24-26 2011

BALTIMORE COMICON

Aug 20-21 2011

DETROIT FANFARE

Sep 24-25 2011

THE NOW PART 2

2011-01-31T10:21:00.000-08:00

So a lot of folks have asked the same question regarding mine and a handful of other Creators comments regarding Original Material.

That question seems to be, " Who is all this aimed at?" Well, at the Fan Collective, and mainly at retailers. Retailers who chose to a large degree what the put on their shelves for the Fan Collective to peruse on Wednesdays. This is a key point, and needs to be our focus. So I would invite YOU as a retailer anywhere on the Globe to reach out to me, or to Steve Niles, or Eric Powell, and ask us what we are thinking. Pick our Brains about promotion. Hell, share with us your ideas on how we can get our product in your store, or more of what's already there.

As I said in part one of this Blog, I am not running down the big 2, or there product, I am just saying thats not all there is. Industries, and companies of all types get stale and die, with fresh, new product, to peruse, sample, and buy. Thats a fact. Why do you think our industry is suffering? Its not because people don't wanna read comics anymore. Its largely because PEOPLE DON'T WANNA READ THE SAME DAMNED ONE EVERY TIME THEY BUY ONE.

But the ball falls squarely on our court as Creators. So I know I have put my money where my mouth is. So hey you. Creator, who is doing nothing but mainstream work ( but secretly have al these hidden away Ideas for new Characters, and books) , when are we gonna see them?

Again if you are a retailer, get in touch, and lets share ideas and talk. That's the main thing is talking Email me DIRECTLY at---shipwreck@cox.net and lets get this party started.

TONYFINGHARRIS

THE NOW

2011-01-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

I think thats where we are in Comics. The "Now". Very few care about longevity. Leaving a creative voice that hopefully will be heard for decades after you are dead and gone.

Don't you wanna make a lasting contribution to the Industry you claim to love? Don't you wanna share your Original thoughts, Visuals, and Ideas with your Fanbase? Hell, with the entire industry and beyond? I do.

Like most of us who are working professionals I got into the business with high hopes. Hopes of getting to draw and work on all the cool characters. The BIG GUNS!! So that i could be popular. So that i could be famous? Respected? Revered? Envied? Maybe even hated?

My point is, that your short sight hopefully will get sharper, and interested in the long run instead of the sprint as you get older and wiser. Hopefully you have an original idea rattling around in your head. Maybe even 2 or 3! Or 10. I guess from early on, I was never content to just draw whatever I was offered. I was developing Original material before I ever got mainstream, or Indy work 22 years ago. But I took ANYTHING I could get. All of it. Did my best to provide my Editors with good material, and always strived to get better. All the while, scheming, and biding my time. Planning, and pushing the envelope as far as I could, without burning myself down. I had my share of success, and plenty of failure,, to be sure. But you never know what will work unless you try.

I think what I did was do as much mainstream work as I could get, as high profile as I could get, and then pushed those successes into attention for an Original Idea. A creator Owned Comic, in the parlance of our times.

And I have been lucky, and blessed. People liked what I did, and seem to like what I AM doing with my Original material.

But I am not saying that I dont wanna do anymore company owned work. That kind of work has been good to me, and my Family. But I guess I am saying It's never been enough. Imsaying that It's not enough to be the 435th guy to draw Batman. I know cause I have been that guy. I am always chasing that next new idea. The thing that rattles so loud in my head, that if I dont do everything within me to make it a reality, then I will go insane.

I also think that there is a big difference between the term Creator, and Artist. I know this isnt a popular notion but I don't care, you think about those 2 words and you figure out what you think they mean, and who does, and who does not deserve either title.

If I shopped at any given comic shop, or any outlet for your Comic Book purchases and all they EVER had were Superhero book after Superhero book, and little to nothing else to choose from, I think I would ultimately start seeking my entertainment elsewhere.

Wait! That is what's happening. For a long time now. So why haven't I sought my entertainment elsewhere? I love comics too much to leave. And I DO think that I can affect change, even in the smallest way. By doing new books that are Original material. And that people wanna read. Thats the other main point here. I am not abandoning the Big 2 to forge my own way in the world, and shit talk the mainstream. I have done my share of Creator Owned stuff for smaller publishers, but I have always pitched, and been lucky enough for DC to be open to Original material from me and take a chance. So I am riding the fence really. All I can hope is that with every Creator Owned book I do for DC, Marvel or whoever it may be, if it's successful, it'll make it just a little bit easier for someone else to get in the door. Or just make it easier for DC, Marvel or whoever to look with open eyes, and say , "Yes, I think we are gonna give your book a shot!"

TONY HARRIS

TONY HARRIS ORIGINAL ART

2011-01-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

Hi all! been a bit. But mainly cuza holidays, and getting back into the swing of drawing interiors, after a break from it. Mainly doing covers, and commissions. But I forgot how much I missed telling stories until I started drawing THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE WHISTLING SKULL. for DC Comics!! we call it SKULL, or WHISTLING SKULL for short.

Anyway, I am selling my own art now, and as we speak, my amazing freind and VERY talented designer is putting the finishing touches on WWW.JOLLYROGERSTUDIO.COM that will go live in a few weeks, where I will continue, ( thru monthly updates to sell available originals there at the site) But for now, i will list the work here that is available for purchase!

Here goes. A few points. I am not putting up jpegs of pages or covers here. Just too many. But I will when we move it over to Jolly roger. Here, I will list the art, Book Title, page #ers etc... for pages, and I will send Jpegs of Covers upon SERIOUS inquiries only. All payments must through paypal @ stacieenv@yahoo.com first come 1st served. Shipping is additional as well as insurance. Email ALL INQUIRIES to me @

shipwreck@cox.net

COVERS

MACHINA DELUXE VOL. 2 PEN/INK COVER $2500

MACHINA DELUXE VOL. 4 PEN/INK COVER $3000

MACHIN DELUXE VOL. 5 PEN/INK WASH COVER $2000

MACHINA VOL.9 TRADE PEN/INK COVER $3000

MACHINA VOL.10 TRADE PEN/INKWASH COVER $4000

EX MACHINA COVERS 48,49, AND 50 ONE LARGE ILLUSTRATION

MEASURING 20X32 PEN/INK $4000

WAR HEROES #1 PEN/INK COVER $900

WAR HEROES #3 PEN/INK COVER $900

WAR HEROES #5 ( FORTHCOMING) PEN/INK COVER $900

SHADE #1 PAINTED COVER( FORTHCOMING) $4000

SHADE #2 PAINTED COVER( FORTHCOMING) $4000

JLI:GEN LOST #1 COVER PRELIM/MARKER $250

JLI: GEN LOST #1 COVER ROUGH/MARKER $50

JLI: GEN LOST #2 COVER PRELIM/MARKER $400

JLI: GEN LOST #5 COVER PITT PENS $500

JLI: GEN LOST COVER ELEMENTS ON 8.5X11 PAPER

(WANTED POSTERS)

BOOSTER GOLD-COPIC/PITTS $50

FIRE-COPIC/PITTS $50

ICE-COPIC/PITTS $50

CAPTAIN ATOM-COPIC/PITTS $50

PREDATORS MOTION COMIC ILLOS

FOR DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

BG ELEMENT $50 ANIMATION PAPER

PRED DOG SMALL- $50

PRED DOG LARGE- $100

HERO PREDATOR FULL FIG-$500

HERO PREDATOR FULL FIG2- $500

PREDATOR MONTAGE - $200

PREDATOR MONTAGE2- $200

LARGE PREDATO MONTAGE- $300

PAGES

MACHINA 49

PG.1--$225

PG.2--$300

PG.3--$300

PG.4--$150

PG.5--$150

PG.7-$100

PG.9--$300

PG.10--$250

PG.11--$200

PG.13--$350

PG.14--$400

PG.15--$175

PG.17--$200

PG.18--$800

PG.19--$400

PG.20--$200

PG.21--$150

MACHINA 50

PG.1--$500

PG.2--$300

PG.4--$400

PG.5--$200

PG.7--$100

PG.8--$200

PG.9--$125

PG.10--$200

PG.11--$275

PG.12--$100

PG.15--$150

PG.16--$250

PG.18--$250

PG.19--$100

PG.20--$375

PG.21--$350

PG.23--$350

PG.26--$200

PG.27--$300

PG.28--$275

PG.29--$350

PG.30--$350

PG.31--$350

PG.32--$275

PG.33--$200

PG.34--$100

PG.35--$400

PG.36--$400

PG.37--$400

PG.38--$400

PG.40--$800

PG.41--$800

PG.42--$400

PG.43--$200

PG.44--$200

PG.45--$1000

PG.46--$400

PG.47--$100

PAGES 24-25 DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

FEATURING MANY ALTERNATE

GREAT MACHINES ALL ON ONE PIECE OF

BOARD $3000

ALL ART IS PENCILLED INKED, PAINTED AND WASHED BY TONY HARRIS

Fuck-Wits

2010-12-10T19:19:00.000-08:00

Hiya. I recently launched a massive fund raising campaign for a project that I have been developing for over 10 years. It is located here.

This is MY BABY, for my Baby. For my wife. Stacie.

I have been very fortunate and lucky in my 22 year career. I have weathered being fired, getting great jobs, personal tradgedy, winning awards, getting fired, being lied too, losing friends, having creative awakenings,, being fired, losing friends.. you get the idea. but I love what I do. i feel fortunate.

So when i am attacked publicly by Trolls who feel safe behind their monitrs, I attack back. Anyone who knows me, knows i am a bulldog. But i try to argue my point with intelligence. So i feel like after you go to the link I posted, and read ALL you see on that site. then read this:

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This is a must

Update #7 posted 41 minutes ago

edit this post

I hate to have to do this. But i feel it necessary. A friend pointed out a few sites where i am being crucified for being Smug, and Selfish. So I sat down ,and tried to think about all the question that people might have. Here goes.

"I am not a crook".

hey guys. Lemme clarify a few things i have tried to, more than once on Kickstarter. I guess i have failed.

To call me smug, or greedy is just, I dunno, kinda mean.
You DO NOT have to donate a single dime. BUT, I am asking you to, if you are a fan of mine, and you want this book, which has been hard to get placed, see the light of day.

WAR HEROES?? Kirkman and I are talking, It will finish. Follow me on Twitter @TONYFINGHARRIS and you will get weekly updates on that. The money is finally there to get it done.

Whistling Skull??? Coming out in 2011 from DC Comics. Painted all 6 covers. Just got first script approved, start drawing next week.

ROUNDEYE????

Heres the skinny? You asked for it? You got it. I was trying to be a gentleman and not spell everything out about my personal life, but if I am going to be blasted publicly for being selfish, to try and commiserate with like minded people, and as a public figure reach out to THOSE people, and ask them to help me make it happen and entertain them in the process, then i am gonna tell you, what is what.

I get paid $275 to pencil a page, I get paid $150 t ink a page, i get paid $125 to color a page. Thats $550 a page. Thats $52,800. I am foregoing the writing $$ altogether. I am paying out for lettering, which is usually $10 a page. Thats almost a Grand. So I take it to a publisher, finished. DONE. they DO NOT HAVE TO PAY OUT A SINGLE FUCKING DIME TO PRODUCE THE ART BECAUSE I ALREADY TOOK CARE OF THAT THROUGH FUNDRAISING ON KICKSTARTER( PLEASE GOD!!!) Hell yeah, they are gonna guy it. And publish it, with a big fucking smile on their face. NO I WILL NOT be paid all over again by said publisher. I will share in profits after the publisher makes back all their printing , and advertising, and administrative costs. Which by the way includes anywhere from a 40, to 60 % discount off cover price from Diamond Comic Distributors. Not to mention Tons of Advertising costs and unseen bullshit.

There isn't really a whole lot of profit to be made. Serious, ask ANY comic book guy, or girl, and they will tell you they don't do this for the money.
And, any other book you can think of, from X-Men, to Ex Machina to Y- the last man, to Superman, to Batman, and to whatever, they all cost the same to produce. And in most cases more. Because they have bigger names than me writing and drawing them, and their rates are a lot higher than mine. So I could go on, and I will if need be, but i hope that clears up a few things. you are not a fan. Dont donate, if you are? i will NEVER forget what you did. And I will shake your hand and sign your book an draw in it, and make you know that you made it happen. YOU.

I don't know how I can be any more transparent than this. I just wanna make beautiful comics. Thats it. if I wanted to be rich, i woulda gone into another field, If I wanted to be Famous, Comics would have been the LAST job I pursed.

I just wanna tell stories.

TONY

Im back! Quick update, and lots more...

2010-12-01T21:28:00.000-08:00

Heres a quick update. ......

http://kck.st/fnMsfU

....Lots more to come as far as keeping you guys updated.

Old man Harris

MOVING ON

2010-09-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Been a little bit since I posted, so i thought I would give a shout, and maybe share some art. First things first..... I dumped all my accounts on the Internet except this blog, and my website ( which is being rebuilt right now)which you can find HERE. I rolled up Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace, and all my memberships on message boards, and deleted them permanently. I was just spending too much time on those sites, and not at my drafting table producing art. Plus they are so full of Piss and Vitriol it's staggering. I mean REALLY staggering. I just couldn't take it anymore. So I wanted to focus my attention down to a fine point. I wanted to hyper focus on my coming and current projects, this blog, and the Jolly roger Studio website. I also am reducing the number and frequency of appearances at American Comic Book Conventions as I would like to travel, and meet some fans abroad. There is a huge string of European conventions that I want to visit, and see how our brothers in other parts of the World, live. So I am starting out by going to The Thought Bubble Sequential Arts Festival in Leeds, England in November! And my good Friend, and wonderfully talented Barry Kitson promises to hook me up with quite a few shows, including ones in Holland, and France.

My other big focus right now, having just finished my 50 issue run on my Eisner award winning series, Ex Machina, is my new Series. It's called The Further Adventures of The Whistling Skull. It is co-created and written by B. Clay Moore, and will be released through Wildstorm Comics. I will be pencilling , inking and grey washing all the art, and my dear Friend, and amazing talented colorist JD Mettler will be joining us on the trip along with Ex Machina Editors Ben Abernathy and Kristy Quinn. This will mark my return to 2 of my favorite things: The 1940's, and Traditional Painted covers. We are planning on using Mike Mignola's Hellboy as a model, and do Skull as a series of mini-series instead of a back breaking monthly. So the first arc will be 6 issues, and Clay has already turned in his masterful script. Ben has asked me to paint all 6 covers in advance of beginning the interior art for the series. I think this is brilliant as we will have fully painted art to promote the book as we near it's release date. Stay tuned here, and from time, I wil share what I can of the books creation with you. I am also involved in a super secret book being developed right now, that I hope will allow me to finally finish ROUNDEYE: For Love. My very personal graphic novelI have been developing for years. More on this, as I am allowed to . That's all for now. So stay with me here, and you can always reach me through my website, here or my email if you have it. Cheers.

Tony

AN ARTIST AND HIS PATRONS

2010-08-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to have an Artist/Patron relationship for many years. The closest I have ever gotten is the rare Commission ( due to my busy publishing schedule) or the sketches I do at conventions for you guys. But never the connection with a true Patron until now.

After I finished my 50 issue, 6 year run on Ex Machina for Wildstorm/DC Comics, It was simply time for a break. So I decided to open up myself to be available for Private Commissions, and not to focus on published material for a short while. These are Not Con-Sketches, mind you, but Commissions. The same level of quality, thought, and dedication that goes into all of my published work over the years. Except with these commissions, they are conceived of by you, and designed, and executed by me, with the Patron acting as kind of an Editor. Not so much telling me to change stuff, but giving me points of interest that they would like to see included in the Illustration, or painting. Just 2 people, (Patron, and Artist), making pretty pictures.

It has been liberating. Not only creatively, but purely from a point of Stress levels. I find myself really loving my Studio Space again. Connecting with it in away that you can't when under the breakneck speed of constant deadlines.

And more often than not my Patrons have said, " I would like this character, but with your spin on it", or my favorite: " Do whatever you want". So it is pure joy picking up the pencil or paintbrush. That is the second thing about this that is so liberating, that I am being asked to Paint on board again. I haven't done it hardly at all since I adopted Photoshop years ago. But It's nice to pick up a brush again, and has re-invigorated me for traditional painting to the point that I will be painting my covers on my future projects ( mostly, as time allows).

Either way, I'm painting again, and my wife is thrilled.

Here is the first commission I took, of Lon Chaney ( The Man of a Thousand Faces), and his many creations. The Patron asked for atheme here. Whatever character I wanted to draw in a trophy room lined with appropriate villians, or what-not. So this is what we hatched at Heroes-Con one year. I have included the Lineart, and the Greywash. In the coming weeks, I will be posting, other commissions featuring The Shadow, Captain America ( Golden Age), Thor, Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, Zatanna, and the Golden Age Flash! Enjoy.

HEROES-CON!

2010-06-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

I love this Convention. It really is what I consider to be my "Home" show. Like having the home field advantage in sports. I just feel at ease there. It isn't hard to do that when you have such a great host like Shelton Drum. He and his amazing staff( I'm talking about you in particular Dustin!), plus his amazing wife Linda really know how to throw a great Con. Mainly because he goes out of his way to make it a Family show. No Strippers or Porn Stars selling autographed pics of themselves, whilst their Boobages spill out all over the con. Sheesh, the Cos-Players have that angle covered already, but that's one of my fave parts of the cons too. But it is also Kid Friendly. I see more children at this Con than at ANY other! That's why I wanted my children's first Con experience to be Heroes Con. And it was, last year. They had such a blast! So much so that my wife and I decided they should come back this year, and it was even better for them. Anyway, I am gonna do another update here soon with a bunch of Pictures, and scans of Sketches and what-not! More soon. In the meantime, enjoy this Conan commission from the show. I did this for a fella named Gin Kung. This was clearly my favorite one of the show. Thanks for asking Gin!

OLD MAN HARRIS

The "REAL" Mitchell hundred

2010-05-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

So I just scheduled my last photoshoot with a fellow named Jimmy Hill. Now for most of you, that name means nothing. To some though, you will remember that Jimmy Hill has played a character for me in Ex Machina for 6 years. The characters name is Mitchell Hundred. He happens to be the mayor of New york City. And a guy who got fucked up, and recieved the Ability to control Machines with his voice. He spent a short time trying to be a Hero, then cashed in what little success he had into a political career. He ran for Mayor of NYC, won by a landslide ( after he stopped the second tower from being destroyed on 9-11, and then unveiled his secret Identity an d announced he was running for Mayor).

So Jimmy has come over to my house every month, for 6 years to pose for, and to BE Mitchell Hundred. And lemme tell you, he Owns this role. I stopped second guessing whether or not he knew what to do as we were shooting an issue in our first year. He started giving ME suggestions as far as what Mitch should be Emoting. Point is, I will miss Mitchell. I will miss Jimmy too. It's really weird. I feel like I know Jimmy as well as I do anyone, including myself. I'll miss you Mitch. And in turn, I will miss you, Jimmy.

SAEG progress

2010-05-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

Writing the Mission statement over the last few days. Almost there. Then I am gonna run it by Steve Niles, and a few others. Once it is where we think it needs to be, we will put it to the group for a vote. Then on to the next step.

Meanwhile, we are building the website and whittling down our choices for a logo in the back ground of all of this, all the while trying to stay on top of deadlines( Ex Machina #50, JLI covers, Various secret projects, etc...) and spending time with my family( School ending, kids getting awards, and performing). Sheesh. I keep reminding myself, and all of those who have joined in with SAEG, that anything worth doing is hard. Keep telling yourself that. It isn't supposed to be easy. If it was, everybody would do it. But If you are on the fence, and you are reading this, PLEASE contact me. We need you. The group needs you. The more of us that band together, the easier it's going to be to get Insurance rates lower, and lower. It will be easier to put together a retirement plan to will yield MAX benefits. Hell everything will be easier. This is really just a reminder that we are still here. Don't lose steam because you are busy, or you haven't heard a Rant in a few days. Take care.

OLD MAN HARRIS

2010-05-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

So these are concept Illustrations for a project Steve Niles and I are "Slowly" developing. I think we have a year in it already? Anyway, It's me trying to figure out a visual approach to the 2 main characters. It's NO secret who these guys are, but I want you to go and read the descriptions on these cats in their respective books, and you will see that I am "trying" to channel what the Authors were visualizing. More on this later. When I am not so buried in work!

OLD MAN HARRIS

2010-05-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Heres the final design, minus the body-suit, for B. Clay Moore's and my New book called The Further Adventures of The Whistling Skull!!

OLDY T

BIG-E

2010-05-13T11:28:00.001-07:00

Heres the man himself, Enzo ( Big-E) in the Studio.

THEM'S WHO NEEDS COURTIN'

2010-05-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

So I have a 14 year old son who is apparently a damned artist. Least that what I think. I have talked about him, and his work to friends ,family, and fans alike over the years. So nothing in that regard has really changed. Just like all Fathers, I am proud of my kids( I have 3).

But something has changed recently. He has made the first noticeable creative leap ( which I hope is the first of many). I look at everything he draws, or sculpts, either because he brings it to show, me, or I will see it lying on his desk, or a table in the house. So I try to keep my finger on the pulse of his talent. But these drawings lately, which he has added the use of grey washes to, have been far beyond what I have seen in recent weeks.

I'm not sure what to think yet, except to feel proud of his burgeoning ability as a young Illustrator. He really loves it too. i know this, because I can see it deep in his eyes, when I look in them. Listening to him tell me about the particular piece we might be sharing at any given time. I know it when I see it, because I have it. I have had that same passion, and love for Art since before I could articulate it, except visually with pencil, paper, or paint.

And he does it all. Not just drawing. He paints, and Sculpts. He makes shit outta' Duct Tape. I mean REALLY cool shit. And one of our( my wife's too) favorite things over the years has been his "Twist-Tie" sculptures. Little people, doing various and sundry things. My wife has one hanging from the Mirror in her car to this day. And one standing vigil on her nightstand as she sleeps. ( I think this one has a bottle cap as a helmet, and a sword.)

He has been working with me in the studio now for about 6 months or so, and really has turned out to be a great assisstant( when he's not chasing his girlfriend around, or going to the park with his buddies). but when I really need him, he's there. He fills in blacks on all my pages, and covers, and generally helps me around the Studio when I need it. And he gets paid. $10 a page for filling blacks, and $15 a pop for covers. So I am trying to teach him the value of a Dollar, and a deadline.

All I can do is hope that if Art is something that he wants to pursue as a career, whether it be comics, or otherwise, that he attains that dream. My wife and I will be right there to help him make it happen , with whatever we can do. But until then, I will aid, support, encourage, and critique his Art, and teach him.

All of the Drawings above are by Vencenzo Anthony Harris, 14 years old, 6 Ft. 4 In. We call him Big-E.

2010-05-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

So I come into Work this morning, check my email, and I received this

http://www.headlinenewsmakers.com/index.php?key=1d12f0fa931143050bf1f911bee53a67

from my friend Brad Meltzer. We recently have been talking about the SAEG organization, which he gladly has become a part of. Thanks for that Brad. Made me smile first thing in the door. Not a bad way to start my day.

OLD MAN HARRIS

Setting Sail for Bluer Waters

2010-05-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

Well. Here it is. My Blog. For what it's worth. I am going to be moving all my posts from Twitter about SAEG here I think. Then when we are ready to launch the SAEG website, I will have a link there, that will bring you here. Hopefully this will allow me to talk a little more openly, and stop clogging up your feeds on Twitter. I can also put some art up here and make it really feel like the Captains Quarters. Anyway, welcome Swabs, to Art & Skulduggery ( yep, that IS spelled right). Hope you hang around.

OLD MAN HARRIS