CHESTERFEST

A Response from the Red Cross about Japan

2011-03-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

C.B.-

Thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately, it seems as though you have received some incorrect information. The American Red Cross has made an initial contribution of $10 million to the Japan Red Cross, and is funding approximately half of the United Nation Food Programme’s operations in Japan. As longer-term plans are formed and pledges are fulfilled, the American Red Cross will make additional financial contributions to its partners to assist people coping with this disaster.

The disclaimer you mention states: “On those rare occasions when donations exceed American Red Cross expenses for a specific crisis, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other crises.” In the case of the Japan relief efforts, with the crisis still unfolding, it is impossible at this time to have a final dollar figure that will be needed. Therefore, the American Red Cross is still gratefully accepting donations to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief fund. If you are interested, you may make a donation by:

· Calling 1-800-REDCROSS

· Texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation (charges will appear on your cellphone bill)

· Donating online at www.redcross.org

I hope this information is helpful. If there are any further questions or concerns, please feel free to call me at (716) 878-2372. Thank you for your interest, and have a great day.

Jay Bonafede
Communications Coordinator
American Red Cross
Greater Buffalo Chapter
786 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14209
716-878-2372 (p)
716-878-2389 (f)
BonafedeJ@usa.redcross.org

Deadpool's Killer New Moves

2010-03-15T11:47:00.001-07:00

X-Infernus Debuts in France

2010-01-30T10:56:00.001-08:00

And Cammo and I were there in Angouleme for the launch...

(Should've gotten that haircut before I left.)

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Marvel Talent 2009

2010-01-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned over on Twitter, I've been in the process of figuring out just how many new freelancers were hired by Marvel in 2009. So after looking over various spreadsheets and data, and culling down lists of talent we've started working with in the last 12 months, I've calculated, albeit in no real exact scientific or mathematical way, that Marvel's editorial/publishing arm hired 144 new freelancers in 2009! That high number surprised even me, to be honest. Not bad for being in a recession, eh? Looking at that number more specifically in terms of artistic disciplines, here how it further breaks down...

Writers - 24
Pencilers and/or penciler/inkers - 81 (Provide non-color line art)
Digital painters - 13 (Provide complete artwork from sketch to color, covers and/or interiors)
Inkers - 8
Colorists - 15 (Provide color only over line art)
Letterers - 3

A few other quick observations just looking over the list...

- 18 of these talents were women.
- It struck me the number of writers from the previous year when we were publishing Marvel Comics Presents and the Unlimited line of anthologies.
- The increasing number of pencilers who have started to ink themselves lead to a fall in the number of dedicated inkers we hired as well.
- Geographically speaking, the largest percentage of talent came from the U.S., followed by Italy, Spain and South America.
- These numbers reflect what I'll call "first-time talent" who had never been published by Marvel before. I took out any talent who had returned to Marvel after a long period of time after working in other industries or at other companies, and also removed artists who left studio systems and came to work for us directly, of which there were quite a few.

And I'd like to publicly thank Angie Nunez and Alex Morales at Marvel for their help in getting me all the freelancer data to review. I couldn't have done this without them.

Marvel Fairy Tales - On Sale Today!

2010-01-20T13:59:00.001-08:00

In comic and book stores everyday...

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Hallo, Berlin!

2010-01-14T15:12:00.001-08:00

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On Sale Today!

2010-01-13T07:34:00.000-08:00

Nation X #2 goes on sale in comic shops across America today, featuring a Jubilee story co-written by me with Jim McCann, and beautifully illustrated by Mike Choi and Sonia Oback! Here's a preview over at CBR...

Four Pieces of Advice for New Artists

2010-01-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

I get sent and review at least ten portfolios a day from new artists, and I usually find myself replying to each and every one with one or more of the exact same four comments. All newbies tend to get ahead of themselves make the same four mistakes. So much so, in fact, that I now keep these four constructive comments as a document on my desktop that I cut, paste and expand from for each individual. Since some of you have been asking about FAQs for new pencilers, I figured I'd start with this. Here you go...

1. When doing layouts, stick to the grid. Boring, I know, but learn and use the basics when it comes to storytelling. You need to walk before you run.

2. Don’t break panel borders. This is a more advanced penciling technique that is usually mis-used and abused far too often, causing the reader's eye to go to the wrong panel and only serves to confuse your storytelling.

3. Pull your camera out. You are going in too tightly and cropping out too much of the figures/body parts/action. Don't be lazy. Start by learning to draw everything asked for in the script inside your panel walls effectively first.

4. Include more backgrounds to give us a better sense of place. Think of your background as another character in the story and use it to help enhance the storytelling and the world your characters are inhabiting.

More soon...

Fresh Sushi Tonight!

2010-01-02T17:35:00.000-08:00

Bagged two nice Mahi Mahi about a half an hour after leaving Lahaina harbor...

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Buffal-arrgghh!!

2009-12-27T14:24:00.000-08:00

Buffalo wings are probably my favorite food on the planet. They're my choice for my "last meal before dying". So I'm always on the look out for great wings (recommendations always welcome!) and tend to order them of the menu of whatever new restaurant/bar/pub I visit. I also have the bad habit to being attracted to any kind of "buffalo style" snack foods I find in supermarkets, like chips and cheeses, and these are usually ALWAYS disappointing. But today's find takes the cake for crappiest buffalo style flavored product ever...

I can't even begin to describe the taste of these bite-sized bits of barf it was so revolting. It's not chicken. It's not buffalo sauce. They're a just a jumbled mess of processed who-knows-what with some kind of unidentifiable heat/spice added that instantly makes you want to spit it out if you put one in your mouth.

It's too bad too because as far as mass market, packaged jerkys go, Jack Links usually does a good job, like with their Prime Rib Tender Cuts. But I recommend avoiding these buffalo "chicken" ones at all costs! Trust me on this.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T19:32:00.000-08:00

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Jubilee Sneak Peak

2009-12-24T13:13:00.001-08:00

A quick couple cropped panels of Jubilee, illustrated by the amazing team of Mike Choi and Sonia Oback, from the story Jim McCann and I wrote for Nation X #2!

Just To Be Sure

2009-12-24T01:30:00.001-08:00

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Mobile Test

2009-12-24T01:25:00.000-08:00

Trying out the new eBlogging app from my iPhone.

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Three Alternate Ideas for Turkey Leftovers

2009-11-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

If you're tired of turkey sandwiches on Black Friday, here are three quick ideas for more "international" ways to cook up your leftovers...

1. Break up nice chunks of turkey by hand and fry them in a pan with Korean kimchi. I personally prefer using cabbage kimchi, cut into bite-size pieces with scissors. Serve over rice.

2. Shred the leftover turkey and mix it with shredded pepperjack cheese and minced garlic. Stuff into whole cubanelle peppers after removing just the tops. I use a grapefruit spoon. Let them then sit in the fridge for a few hours to harden. Take out and grill or bake till the peppers blister and the cheese melts.

3. Fry bite-sized cubes of turkey with olive oil, diced onion and chopped garlic. In a separate pan, heat some dry white wine then add in heavy cream and a few pinches of coarse black pepper. Reduce till it thickens into a sauce. Add in the turkey you fried. Then mix in penne al dente and saute it all on low heat for a couple minutes.

Anyone got any other simple, original ideas? Please share.

Beer Me

2009-10-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Whenever I travel I do my best to try as many of the local culinary customs as I can. And that includes beer. I make it a point to drink the best local beers and microbrews I can at the bars and pubs of whatever city I'm in. But it recently dawned on me that whenever I come back to NYC, I always fall back into old habits and order my usual pints of Bass or Magic Hat. Which is a shame as New York boasts a pletora of amazing local breweries! So I've started consciously adapting my drink orders to sample as many local NY beer offerings as I can when out and about here in my hometown these days.

This week's recommended brews of choice are Ithaca Apricot Wheat and Allagash White, both enjoyed at the Fat Cat on Christopher St.

Correction: I just discovered I was misinformed and Allagash is actually brewed in Portland, ME.

Toronto, Here I Come!

2009-08-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

This year, for the first time, I'll be throwing one of my Chesterfest bashes here in Toronto, Chesterfest North! Here's a look at the invite, featuring me and the lovely ladies of Canada's own Alpha Flight, illustrated by the insanely talent Adrian Alphona!

FanExpo Toronto Schedule

2009-08-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here's where I'll be, what I'll be doing and where you'll find me this weekend...

Friday, August 28

Dark Reign Panel – 6 to 7PM, Room 714

Pint of C.B. – My Annual Breaking into Comics Panel – 7 to 8PM, Room 714

Signing at the Marvel Booth (#538) – 8 to 9PM, bring comics!

Saturday, August 29

Cup O’ Joe Panel – 4 to 5PM, Room 716

Signing at the Marvel Booth (#538) – 5 to 6PM, bring more comics!

Sunday, August 30

Signing at the Marvel Booth (#538) – 12:00 to 1:00PM, bring even more comics! And water. And Tylenol with codeine. (Do they still sell it over-the-counter in Canada?

Marvel Your Universe Panel – 3 to 4PM, Room 714

Mondo Marvel Panel, 4 to 5PM, Room 717

When I'm not in any of these places, you should be able to find me either at the Marvel booth or at my Artists Alley table.

See you this weekend!

'Nuff Said

2009-07-26T12:43:00.001-07:00

CBC at SDCC 2009

2009-07-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here's where you'll find me the rest of the week:

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22nd
7:30PM - 8:30PM: Signing @ the Marvel Booth
Later in the evening: Probably at the TweetUp, then over at the Hyatt later.

THURSDAY, JULY 23rd
11:30AM - 12:30PM: My First Secret Twitter Portfolio Review (Follow @cbcebulski for details)
1:00PM - 2:00PM: Mondo Marvel Panel @ Room 6DE
3:30PM - 4:300PM: The Breaking Into Marvel Panel @ Room 6DE
5:00PM - 6:00PM: Signing @ the Marvel Booth
Later in the evening: Some parties, probably at the Hyatt again later.

FRIDAY, JULY 24th
11:00PM - Noon: X-Men Panel @ Room 6DE
12:00PM - 1:00PM: Game Show @ the Marvel Booth
2:00PM - 3:00PM: Cup 'O Joe Panel @ Room 6BCF
4:00PM - 5:00PM: My Second Secret Twitter Review (follow @cbcebulski for details)
Later in the evening: A couple parties, probably at the Hyatt later.

SATURDAY, JULY 25th
11:300PM - 12:30PM: Dark Reign Panel @ Room 6A
1:30PM - 2:30PM: My Third Secret Twitter Review (follow @cbcebulski for details)
4:00PM - 5:00PM: The Comic Experience Panel @ TBD
Later in the evening: Several parties, probably at the Hyatt later.

SUNDAY, JULY 26th
Noon - 1:00PM: My Last Secret Twitter Review (follow @cbcebulski for details)
2:00PM - 3:00PM: Game Show @ the Marvel Booth
3:00PM - 4:00PM: Signing @ the Marvel Booth

Marvel Signing Schedule

2009-07-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

The most important times circled in red!

My Omnivore Hundred

2009-07-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

The Very Good Taste Blog have something they call The Omnivore's 100 and someone sent it to me to check out, so I figured I'd play along. Below is their list of 100 things that they think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. Bolded are all the items I’ve eaten. Let's see how many I've tried...

C.B.'s Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

So it looks like I'm 79 out of 100. Wow. Living in Japan helped out on a large part of the list though.

I've of course had clam chowder, but never from a sour dough bowl.
I've had absinthe but not the one listed here.
Don't even know what clotted cream tea is.
Not crazy enough to try a scotch bonnet raw.
Not sure what Kaolin is either.
Currywurst I've been dying to eat and will do so in Berlin in October.
And you ain't never getting me to smoke a cigar. So that's out.
Same with tomoatoes. No way.
Everything else, I just haven't had the chance to taste yet, but am looking forward to!

All in all, not too shabby!

Japanese Manga Stamps

2009-06-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

We received a box today covered in the the Japanese Postal Service's new stamps celebrating "The 50th Anniversary of Japanese Weekly Comic Books for Boys". Pretty damn cool! Since someone went through the trouble of carefully applying the all the stamps around the shipping labels by hand, we naturally assumed the box was for me, sent by one of my otaku friends in Japan. Wrong. It was for Mutsumi, which cracked me up. Guess Kobe's postal meters were busted last week, or they were really pushing these stamps!

So, how many different manga series can you identify here?

Heroes Con Schedule

2009-06-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

I'll be at Heroes Con this weekend, June 19th - 21st, in Charlotte, NC. You'll probably be able to find me at table #711 in Artists Alley most of the time, where I'll be selling, signing and reviewing portfolios, but taking breaks to attend the following panels:

FRIDAY, June 19th, 1:00pm-2:00pm, Room 217BCD

MARVEL: Pint o' C.B.
He’s one of the most recognized persons in the comic industry, at the center of many things Marvel. He’s C.B. Cebulski, Writer and Marvel Talent Liaison, and he’s joined by the top writers in the industry to take on all questions and drop a few surprise announcements! Join Brian Michael Bendis (ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN), Matt Fraction (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN), Ed Brubaker (CAPTAIN AMERICA), Mark Waid (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) and more!

SATURDAY, June 20th, 2:00pm-3:00pm, Room 217BCD

MARVEL: DARK REIGN
He lost, they won. They are the new Masters of the Marvel Universe, and they are NOT nice people. The villains finally have their day, now hear from the folks pulling the strings what happens next. This panel will have the announcement of the next big chapter in Marvel history, so be there for it! Featuring Brian Michael Bendis (DARK AVENGERS, NEW AVENGERS), Matt Fraction (Dark Avengers/X-Men), Jonathan Hickman (SECRET WARRIORS), editor Jeanine Schaefer and Talent Liason C.B. Cebulski.

SUNDAY, June 21st, 3:00pm-4:00pm, Room 217BCD

MARVEL: X-MEN
They thought they’d found a home, a safe haven. They’re about to find out how wrong they were! The world the X-Men built is about to come crashing down, and we have their personal wrecking crew right here to take on your questions, including Matt Fraction (UNCANNY X-MEN) and C.B. Cebulski (X-INFERNUS).

Hope to see you all there!

Breaking Into The Big Two

2009-06-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I made a comment on Twitter about being able to count on my hand the number of artists who broke into comics with their first gig at Marvel or DC. While I made this comment in reference to the number of people who have done so during my time at Marvel, over the past 8 years, the always enterprising Eddy Choi decided to research things a little farther back and sent me over the following list, reprinted with Eddy's permission:

"Hey CB, your recent tweet, "I can count on one hand the number of creators I know who had their 1st writing or art gig on a Marvel or DC book with no prior experience." got me thinking. I used to hunt down back-issues of a creator's first work as a kind of "rookie comic," so I wanted to see how many creators I could find who started at DC or Marvel and here's what I got:

Jason Aaron - Wolverine #75
Chris Bachalo - Sandman #12
Travis Charest - Showcase '93 #3
Jim Cheung - Justice League Task Force #26
Darwyn Cooke - New Talent Showcase #19
Marko Djurdjevic - X-Men: First Class #1
Ron Garney - G.I. Joe #110
Gene Ha - Green Lantern #36
James Jean - Fables #1
Geoff Johns - DCU Heroes Secret Files and Origins #1
Joe Kelly - Fantastic Four 2099 #5
Adam Kubert - Secret Society of Super-Villains #13
Andy Kubert - Savage She-Hulk #20
Jeph Loeb - Challengers of the Unknown #1
Joe Madureira - Marvel Comics Presents #87
George Perez - Astonishing Tales #25
Whilce Portacio - Alien Legion #6
Paolo Rivera - Marvel Double Shot #2
John Romita Jr. - Amazing Spider-Man #146
Jim Shooter - Adventure Comics #346
Marc Silvestri - House of Mystery #292
Walt Simonson - Weird War Tales #10
Chris Sprouse - War of the Gods #1
J. Michael Straczynski - Teen Titans Spotlight
Brian K. Vaughan - Tales From the Age of Apocalypse #2

Btw, one of the first guys to come to mind was Stephen Platt. I still remember when he did Moon Knight #55 and it was such a splash for an unknown guy to be so popular right off the bat. I found out later that he did a cover for an independent company earlier in the year, so I didn't include him in the above list, but I'm sure there are plenty of guys like that who just got one little thing published somewhere before getting their first storytelling work.

Another example is Olivier Coipel who got a single character published in Resident Evil Magazine #3 through WildStorm and then years later, he drew Legion of Super-Heroes #122. Techincally, his first work is Resident Evil, but like Platt, I could see where some would say his first work is actually LoSH, b/c I don't think he really used that previous piece to land work at DC."

Wow! That's a pretty damn impressive list. Thanks for compiling it and sharing, Eddy. And couple artists I can add off the top of my head are...

Skottie Young - Iceman #3
Adrian Alphona - Runaways #3 (although it may technically be an Exiles pinup in X-Men Unlimited.)

But I know there are probably a few more that I'm blanking on now. Anyone care to play along and try to add to the list?

Update from Mark Waid: "Not to undercut your point, which is FAR more applicable today than it was in the two-horse-town days of the '70s and early '80s, but, yeah...my first published gig was Action Comics #572, Oct 1985."

Too Cute Not To Film

2009-06-15T08:07:00.001-07:00

Caught this on my camera yesterday afternoon, these two active little kittens were having a playful Sunday here on Broadway in NYC as they waited for the right person to come along and adopt them...

Supermarket Signage

2009-06-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

This sign always cracks me up and makes the ride up in Fairway's elevator that much more bearable...

Another Post-Con Image

2009-06-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

And sometimes when you meet an artist at a portfolio review you'll make an off-hand comment about a Marvel character you think would look cool illustrated in that artist's style. Say, like... Venom. Then you open up an e-mail weeks later and find a kick-ass piece of art like this...

Caricatures

2009-06-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, sometimes the artists whose portfolios I review at the various cons I travel to like to follow up with an image commemorating our meeting...

And while I greatly appreciate them all, some can be more flattering than others. :)

Star Wars meets Wall*E

2009-06-08T09:57:00.001-07:00

My buddy Agent_M just posted this and it's so damn cool I had to steal it to share...

Battle of the P.I.s

2009-06-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

By now, I'm sure most people who visit this blog have seen the HAN SOLO P.I. video that's been making the rounds on the net. Well, here's something else that crossed my desk that you may not have seen yet, a side-by-side comparison with the original Magnum P.I. opening...

Snagging the Indiana Jones role away from Tom Selleck wasn't enough for Harrison Ford, was it? He needs to go after his most notable character as well?

Obama in Barcelona

2009-05-28T10:27:00.001-07:00

One of the coolest but strangest exhibits of the convention will certainly be the one centered around Barack Obama, where various Spanish artists painted their artistic interpretations of our new President on a large mural that will be displayed all weekend...

The Inner Workings of a Comic Con

2009-05-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

David Macho took me over to check out the con center and the show floor layout while they were still setting up earlier. Here are a few quick snapshots I took as the exhibitors all scramble to get ready for the masses tomorrow...

Hola from Barcelona!

2009-05-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

Our flight to Barcelona left on time and arrived an hour early. How often does that happen these days?! Go Delta! The mood in the plane was great too as the pilot announced right before take-off that Barcelona had beaten Manchester United 2 to 0 in the Championship League soccer finals. Sorry, Brits!

As we got in early, before 8AM, our rooms weren't ready so we went out for some coffee and pastry, but I ended up having a jamon serrano sandwich, which is always the first thing everyone should eat on arrival in Spain! When we finally did check in we got a room with a view of the Plaza Espanya, which Mutsumi requested as she read on a Japanese blog was the way to go, and they weren't kidding...

Our hotel is right next to the old bullfighting arena, which is now being renovated into a shopping mall that will also house the world's largest collection of rock n' roll memoribilia.

See the clock on the hotel? Our room is all the way to the right of it.

And last time we were here, we discovered this great little Spanish brasserie that served simple yet amazing food, and since it wasn't too far of a walk, we headed over for our first official beers in Barcelona! Cheers!!

Claire Wendling Sky Doll

2009-05-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

OK, OK... I hear you. Ever since I tweeted I got news about what Claire Wendling's working on next, people have been constantly asking me for an update on what that project is. Unfortunately for you, I'm not going to break confidences and spill the beans. But to help feed your Claire addictions, I'm happy to post this cover she did that not many of you may have seen. The talented Miss Wendling did this piece for Barbara Canepa and Alessandro Barbucci for a special edition slipcase that shipped when Sky Doll 3 was released in France years ago. Simply amazing, ain't she?!

Move Over Moleskine...

2009-05-04T11:00:00.001-07:00

Japanese theaters always sell cool little bobbles and trinkets for fans to buy after they see a movie they like. I always wish we could get a lot of it here. As I helped out my buddy Aki and Paramount Japan with a few Iron Man issues last year, they hooked me up with a lot of the awesome IM keychains, pens and folders they produced for theaters there. Now Watchmen just open in Japan this past weekend and Aki shot me over a pic of one of the goodies they're selling... a reproduction of Rorschach's notebook!

Perfect For Trips To Hoth - Updated

2009-05-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

Who needs a Tauntaun to keep you warm when you have R2-D2?!

A friend of mine was cleaning off her camera phone yesterday and sent me this pic, which I may have talked about but don't think I've ever posted an image of. My friend John Paretti's awesome wife hand-knitted me this incredible R2-D2 hat this past winter. I love how it's really subtle in its design, where if you didn't know, you might not even realize it's R2's head on mine.

Think it will clash with my Boba Fett hoodie?

Update: The hat was knitted for me by Sarah Paretti who you can follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sairyknits, and to download the pattern, please visit Carissa Knits.

On Sale This Week - A Pleasant Surprise!

2009-04-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

I had no idea that the Spider-Man: Legend of the Spider-Clan - Elemental Evil one-shot that Skottie Young and I did together has now been collected in the new SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-WOMEN DIGEST TPB, on sale today!

SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-WOMEN DIGEST TPB
COVER BY: RON LIM
WRITER: TOM DEFALCO
C.B. CEBULSKI
PAUL TOBIN
PENCILS: RON LIM
SKOTTIE YOUNG
COLLEEN COOVER
THE STORY:
A heaping helping of timeless tales of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man! First, MARY JANE takes center stage as she teams up with She-Hulk, Hellcat, Marvel Girl and some other lovely ladies to take on The Enchantress! Next, see what happens when an old television program that features SPIDER-MAN and ARAÑA (with guest appearances by SPIDER-HAM and the SPIDER-MOBILE) returns to haunt SPIDER-GIRL! Plus, Peter Parker — a.k.a. Spider-Man — is the last survivor of the secret ninja group known as the Spider-Clan... or so he thought. But when Peter is attacked at the gravesite of his Uncle Ben, he goes on a quest to learn the truth behind his origins — and he won’t like what he learns! Collecting material from KING-SIZE SPIDER-MAN SUMMER SPECIAL #1, SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE, SPIDER-MAN FAMILY FEATURING SPIDER-CLAN #1. Rated A …$9.99

Proof...

2009-04-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

...you don't need artistic talent to work in comics. Writers should never draw!

Would you believe someone tried to sell that Red Sonja sketch card for $100 on eBay?!

Personality Goes A Long Way

2009-04-28T06:42:00.000-07:00

Retweeting some of my own posts as everyone else seems to be doing it too. :) Edited and expanded a bit here though to clarify and correct my shitty Twitter spelling and grammar...

Talked with a writer today who's been getting some buzz in the indy world & trying to break into the Big Two (Marvel & DC Comics). Thought I'd share a little.

One critical "x-factor" that rarely comes up when talking about breaking in (to comics) but is extremely important is personality.

It's of the utmost importance, especially for writers, that you're able to get along with your editor, mainly, but also with other creators.

Comics is a very collaborative medium. Especially with the Big Two, where we're all playing in a shared universe with numerous characters.

Editors talk to their writers in great detail, often several times a week, and they need to have an instant bond and shared sense of trust.

An editor has to feel comfortable when hiring a writer, no matter how good he or she is, and know they're going to get along....

...both professionally AND personally. Proving you're going to be easy to work with is almost as important as turning in a great pitch.

A Real Giant Robot

2009-04-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

To help celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the hit Japanese sci-fi anime series GUNDAM, they've begun constructing a life-size Gundam robot in Odaiba in Tokyo. Scheduled for completion on July 11th, the finished model will stand 18 meters tall and be open to the public. Some early production shots...

I'm not even a big Gundam fan but I think that's pretty damn cool! All the more reason to possibly head over to Tokyo this summer.

You can find more images and information, in Japanese, here: http://gundam.info/topic/2542

On Sale This Week

2009-04-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

UNCANNY X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY HARDCOVER

Written by ED BRUBAKER, MATT FRACTION, GREG LAND, KIERON GILLEN, C.B. CEBULSKI, CHRISTOPHER YOST, MARC GUGGENHEIM, YANICK PAQUETTE & SKOTTIE YOUNG Penciled by GREG LAND, TERRY DODSON, DAVID YARDIN, ANDRE COELHO, HUMBERTO RAMOS, PACO DIAZ & DAN PANOSIAN Cover by ALEX ROSS Witness the biggest shake-up in X-Men history. With the mansion in Westchester destroyed, the X-Men are moving to San Francisco. But it's not just a change in the zip code. Come see what the momentous change in status quo means to the X-Men. Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN #500-503, X-MEN FREE COMIC BOOK DAY #1 and MANIFEST DESTINY: DAZZLER, KARMA, MERCURY/X-23, COLOSSUS, EMMA FROST, GRAYMALKIN & JUGGERNAUT. 200 PGS. $29.99.

Jamba Juice Secret Menu

2009-04-27T16:40:00.001-07:00

I've been to two different Jamba Juice joints here in the city this week and neither knew how to make the Sour Patch Kid drink off their secret menu. I guess the menu is so secret they even keep it hidden from their employees. Anyway, on the advice of one of the drink mixers I spoke with today, I found the recipe online and will bring it with me next time I go. And since I went through the trouble of googling it, I thought I'd post it here for you all as well...

SOUR PATCH KID
Original size
12 oz lemonade
One scoop of each sherbert, lime, pineapple, raspberry, and orange
One scoop of blueberries

The other drink off their secret menu they caught my eye was this one:

FRUITY PEBBLES
Soymilk (tell them you want the Protien Berry Pizzaz, and you want
to substitute everything except the soymilk with...
Orange sherbert
Rasp sherbert
Lime sherbert
Pineapple sherbert

Other secret Jamba Juice flavors include:

- White Gummi Bear
- Red Gummi Bear
- Green Gummi Bear
- Starburst
- Sourpatch Kid
- Now and Later
- Peanut Butter and Jelly
- Apple Pie
- Skittles

And a little "legal disclaimer" I found online along with the recipes: "Jamba Juice does not recognize, endorse, or approve any of these smoothies due to copyright and trademark on names. However, the White Gummi, Pink Star, and Strawberry Shortcake have been added to Jamba's register system as well as the employee recipe list, though remains off the menu visible to customers.

Enjoy!

B. Cafe

2009-04-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

If you ever find yourself on the Upper West Side of New York City, I highly recommend you pop into our neighborhood's newest eatery addition, B. CAFE. This friendly little Belgian joint has quickly become our favorite brunch spots and we haven't had a bad meal there yet. They have an incredible selection of beers on tap and in bottles, the fries are some of the best you'll find in New York, served with mayo of course, and the helpful & friendly staff makes dining here very comfortable. I went again today with my brother and he became a believer as soon as he saw the beer menu. A couple Kwaks and Tripels later, our amazing meal arrived. I had what's become my "usual", their superb turkey Croque Madame...

(I definitely recommend going with the Madame over the Monsieur as the fried egg makes a world of difference in the taste!)

And Roman went for a nice pot of mussels steamed with garlic, onions, carrots and a few other herbs and spices...

Plus, we discovered that not only have they just started a new delivery service, they deliver all their bottled beers to boot!!

B. Cafe West
566 Amsterdam Ave, New York 10024
(Btwn 87th & 88th St)

Blast from the Past

2009-04-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Me in Red Square in Moscow in 1988...

Screen Savior

2009-04-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

The beautiful weather is also bringing out the birds in force, and the cats are going crazy as they land out on our ledges and window sills, as if taunting them...

Clyde's about ready to claw through the screen to sink his teeth into one of them!

I Don't Always Stay Inside

2009-04-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

It was too nice outside to spend another Saturday cooped up on the couch reading, so I packed up my comics and magazines and headed to Central Park to spend the day reading there instead. Took a few pics on the way in and out and thought I'd share.

Upon arriving at the Great Lawn, I quickly discovered I wasn't the only person in NYC who wanted to get out and enjoy the weather...

I'm sure the Ultimate Frisbee geeks were crushed as bikini-clad sunbathers covered their turf...

Squirrels and birds are everywhere in the park, but it's not often you come across a raccoon mother protecting her baby in the daylight...

Just thought this contrast of colors in bloom looked cool...

The way the late afternoon sun hit the Rose Center Planetarium gave it this really eerie, ethereal vibe. I just wish my little point-and-click had picked up the light a little better...

For as much as I hate New York sometimes, these first few days of early summer really bring out the best in the city!

Guest Foodie Post

2009-04-26T07:22:00.001-07:00

My sister Erika lives and works in Shanghai and recently took a trip to Xi'an where she visited the "legendary" De Fa Chang dumpling restaurant...

Looks awesome! I can't wait to go and visit her, hopefully later this year...

The Wonderlost 3 Soundtrack

2009-04-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Before I start scripting an issue of Wonderlost, I always create a soundtrack to write to, composed of songs from the time period that helps me get in the mood and jogs my memory. I began writing Wonderlost 3 yesterday, which takes me back to high school for more teenage trouble, and here's what's got my mind moving and fingers flying as I relive the late '80s...

Everybody - Tears For Fears
Leather and Lace - Stevie Nicks & Don Henley
Heat of the Moment - Asia
(Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Öyster Cult
Always Something There to Remind Me - Naked Eyes
Do It Clean - Echo & The Bunnymen
Rio - Duran Duran
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
The Blue Sky - a-ha
Mothers Talk - Tears for Fears
On The Loose - Saga
Love and Affection - Def Leppard
Wild in the Streets - Bon Jovi
We Belong - Pat Benatar
40 (Live 1983) - U2

To Those Visiting For The First TIme

2009-04-21T22:33:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO CHESTERFEST!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you'll stick around and read a little and subscribe if you like what you see!

The Chesterfest Online Index

2009-04-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

As I continue to post and tweet and e-mail advice to folks about breaking into comics, a number of people have been asking about the best places online where aspiring writers can meet potential artists for their projects, and vice versa. I posted a few of my suggestions today, and the Twitterverse then responded with some recommendations and additions of their own. So before some website or other blog collects all the information, I figured I'd post the list that was generated here...

Digital Webbing: http://www.digitalwebbing.com/forums

Pencil Jack: http://www.penciljack.com

Brian Bendis' Jinxworld Forum: http://www.jinxworld.com

Mark Millar's Millarworld Creative Forum: http://forums.millarworld.tv/index.php?showforum=19

Concept Art: http://www.conceptart.org

Panel & Pixel http://www.panelandpixel.com

Ten Ton Studios: http://www.tentonstudios.com/forum

Comic Space: http://www.comicspace.com

Atlanta Comics Creator Group: http://atlcomix.ning

Ronin Studios: http://forums.ronin-studios.com/forumdisplay.php?f=57

The iFanboy Forums: http://www.revision3.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20

Now I'm not promoting or endorsing any of these sites. Some I'd never even heard of or visited myself until today. Which is why I'm not hot-linking them. I'm just posting this list as a resource generated by myself and a few other people who've had success finding creative partners using these sites. Visit at your own pleasure, risk, peril... whatever. And of course, when on any creative forum, be cool and be professional. I'll probably start twittering about the etiquette of making contact and finding the right person(s) to partner with in future Twitter rants. Which will also most likely be collected and posted here. :)

Now go out and make comics. And most importantly, have fun doing it!!

Regarding Deviant Art

2009-04-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

An interesting conversation about Deviant Art popped up yesterday that I thought I'd repost and share here:

X-Men editor Nick Love kicked it all off: I love Deviant Art's content, but the interface is just AWFUL! It's so hard to look through artists' work.

To which I replied: Amen to that.

Suburban Glamour artist Jamie McKelvie then jumped in: That's the whole reason I never used it (Deviantart) as a portfolio. Terrible navigation. So many clicks, and counter-intuitive.

I then tell people what I've always told them: I am so gonna keep driving that into new artists' heads: Don't use Deviant art as a portfolio! Start a blog instead!!

Wizard of Oz artists Skottie Young says that as a working pro, Deviant Art is useful to him in constantly building his fan-base and offers sage advice of his own to new artists: Use all the tools. Start a blog, use deviant art, flicker, photobucket, etc. More places, more eyes.

So I clarify my stance: Don't get me wrong, I like Deviant Art and visit everyday. I just don't recommend it as a place to showcase your art to break into comics.

And ian_x then jumped in with some potential good news: DeviantArt have been working on a new Portfolio feature which may change all of that

That's good to hear. Let's hope!

Advice for Writers - 4/20

2009-04-21T05:50:00.000-07:00

Collecting my April 20th Tweets with advice for up-and-coming writers here in one place for those who missed them...

One last bit of advice today, for writers: use spelling and grammar checks before sending in your submissions to publishers. Please.

Sounds basic, I know, but simple spelling and grammar errors can quickly turn off editors. You'd be surprised how often we still see them.

Its vs. it's. There vs. they're vs. their. You're vs your. Yes, we all often mistake them when we write, but remember...

...your submission is your job resume. Proof it then proof it again. Check it then check it again. Make it as professional as possible!

In regards to spelling & grammar, yes, I would suggest having someone else proofread your submissions. Trust people over computer programs.

And two responses I got regarding proof-reading that are always good to remember...

@BrigidAlverson: "We tend to be blind to our own mistakes."

@moxiegraphix: "Fresh eyes will catch mistakes you miss!"

Glad No One Spilled

2009-04-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

I've been going through the pics from my last three trips today and blog posts about Dallas, Seattle and Sweden will be up soon. But for now I just had to share this gem with you all...

This is a napkin Paul Smith, one of my all-time favorite artists, was doodling on at Von's in Seattle one night. Not sure who the lucky bastard who went home with this amazing collection of sketches was, but it wasn't me unfortunately. Just glad a snapped a picture of it though so I could stare and share.

Lockheed!

Time-Lapsed Tokyo

2009-04-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Lisa Katayama posted this video over on her Tokyo Mango site and it's fascinated me enough that I thought I'd share here...

It was shot by photographer Samuel Cockedey and you can see more of his work over at his website, http://www.samuelcockedey.com.

Enjoy!

Paving the Way for Obama

2009-04-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

Watching President Obama's news conference from Trinidad and Tobago today, Mutsumi pointed out it looked like he was speaking from the balcony of the Hilton, where we stayed when we traveled down there in 2005. This then reminded me that I actually met Trinidad and Tobago's President George Maxwell Richards before Obama did! So I had to bust out the old pic...

I remember the joke at the time being that the look on his face clearly indicated he didn't appreciate my Hawaiian shirt. :) Hopefully Obama dressed more to his liking...

New From Me This Week

2009-04-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

The "What If The Runaways Became The Young Avengers?" back-up stories that Pat Spaziante and I did that ran in all the issues of last year's WHAT IF? event are now collected into one single story in this week's WHAT IF?: SECRET WARS TPB...

WHAT IF?: SECRET WARS

WRITERS: REED, McCANN, CEBULSKI, GRANT, TOBIN, SUMERAK & BOLLERS
ARTISTS: PANTALENA, SPAZIANTE, VASQUEZ, SCHERBERGER, GORING & MOLINA
EDITORS: PANICCIA, GABRIE & COSBY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: JOE QUESADA
PUBLISHER: DAN BUCKLEY

Marvel once again poses the question, "What If...?" What if Iron Man had died instead of Captain America? What if the Scarlet Witch had said "No More Powers" instead of "No More Mutants?" What if Mary Jane was shot instead of Aunt May? What if Dr. Doom kept the Beyonder's power? And finally, what if the Runaways became the Young Avengers?

NOTE: This trade paperback collects WHAT IF?: FALLEN SON, WHAT IF?: SPIDER-MAN: BACK IN BLACK, WHAT IF?: SECRET WAR, WHAT IF?: NEWER FF, WHAT IF?: X-MEN: HOUSE OF M and WHAT IF?: YOUNG AVENGERS/RUNAWAYS.

Taco Bell Creative Teams

2009-04-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of the four creative teams that worked on the original stories you'll find in the comics that are part of the Taco Bell Kid's Meal promotion...

AVENGERS
Written by Joe Caramagna
Illustrated by Cory Hamscher
Colored by Chris Sotomayor

THOR
Written by Paul Tobin
Illustrated by Allan Jefferson
Colored by Chris Sotomayor

CAPTAIN AMERICA
Written by Joe Caramagna
Illustrated by Scott Koblish
Colored by Chris Sotomayor

FANTASTIC FOUR
Written by C.B. Cebulski
Illustrated by Sara Pichelli
Colord by Val Staples

And each issue also features an original Mini-Marvels back-up feature by Chris Giarrusso!

ECCC Interview

2009-04-17T04:27:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of speaking with Ron Richards of iFanboy at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle a few weeks back. Here's what my fast-talking, fat ass had to say...

And it's a good thing I got a haircut the day after the show ended. Boy, did I need it!

Taco Bell Clarification

2009-04-17T04:18:00.000-07:00

As there seems to be a little confusion around the net in regards to these Taco Bell comics, allow me to clarify one thing... these are NOT reprints of older comics! While the covers have been used elsewhere in the past, the stories in each of these comics are all new & original and were written and drawn exclusively for this Taco Bell promotion.

Also, the guys over at Comic Impact posted a pic of the actual display from their local Taco Bell...

And their "Yo Quiero Comic Books?" headline was much more original than mine was. :)

Never Been In a Kid's Meal Before

2009-04-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

Starting today, if you pop down to your local Taco Bell and buy a Kid's Meal, you'll receive one of four original Marvel comics, one of which, the Fantastic Four comic, is written by me and illustrated by the incredible Sara Pichelli...

S.A.S.E. - Send Another Submissions Editor

2009-04-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

As I continue to travel from con to con on my never-ending quest to find the best talent the comic book world has to offer, I get asked a lot of questions about breaking into the biz, especially in regards to portfolio reviews. Eventually, someone always ends up asking about the worst portfolio review I've ever had/given and I usually chose to tell one of five stories that were particularly memorable for me. So memorable in fact that I once wrote a story about them all. A story that was even drawn and published! Then just yesterday, after inevitably being asked the same question at Reverie down in Dallas, I told a few of the stories, mentioning the fact that they'd once been published, when someone else inquires, "Have you ever thought about republishing the comic online so people can read it?". As this was a thought that honestly never occurred to me before, I immediately called the original publisher and got his OK to share the story with internet audiences everywhere!

So here now for your reading pleasure is S.A.S.E. (Send Another Submissions Editor), illustrated by Rob Guillory, artist of Image's upcoming CHEW series with John Layman, originally published in the Hero Initiative's ACTOR COMICS PRESENTS anthology in the Fall of 2006.

After reading this, please visit the Hero Intiaitive's website, find out about how they're so graciously helping comic creators in need, and donate to their cause if you can.

Thanks to Jim McLauchlin of the Hero Initiative for giving me his blessing to post this, to Rob Guillory for so beautifully illustrating my crazy con adventures, and to Randy Gentile for putting the words in my mouth with his impeccable lettering.

Enjoy!

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag

2009-04-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

I so wish this wasn't an April Fool's Day joke as I would buy one in a second!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/tauntaun.html

Waiting for Daddy to Get Home

2009-03-31T23:05:00.001-07:00

More of my "Breaking In" Tweets

2009-03-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

comicscareer.com has now also compiled a pretty comprehensive list of all my tweets of advice for new artists looking to break into comics. You can find it here.

Reverie's Opening Reception Pics

2009-03-29T10:33:00.001-07:00

Laptops, Cintiqs, projectors and ART!!

Aleksi Briclot

Life drawing...

More life drawing...

More brushes/functions I ever knew Photoshop was capable of...

Marko Djurdjevic rocks the Joker for the crowd...

Jason Chan is just amazing...

Now THIS is breakfast!

2009-03-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Traveling to Dallas

2009-03-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

Sitting on the tarmac at Laguardia, I couldn't help thinking how old American Airlines buildings looked...

Flying over Texas here, where this highway snakes like a river through the middle of the state, connecting parts of the city as it goes...

The old Cowboys Stadium from the air...

Landing...

Downtown Dallas as we drove into the city...

Dinner Day One!

Food Porn

2009-03-28T09:17:00.001-07:00

Mutsumi actually took some pics of the meal we cooked that I was twittering about the other night. While I might not have a future as a chef, I think she might be able to make a living as a food photographer.

Grilled leeks with yuzu kosho...

A spicy Korean-style chicken and pork medley...

My 2009 Con/Talent Scouting Schedule

2009-03-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

There are bound to be a few dates added as we get further into the year, but here's where I'm scheduled to be in 2009 so far...

March 28th-31st - Reverie, Conceptart.org's International Art and Design Symposium, Dallas, TX. More info here.

April 3-5th - Emerald City Comic Con, Seattle, WA. More info here.

May 28th-June 1st - Barcelona Comic Con, Barcelona, Spain.

June 19-21st - Heroes Convention, Charlotte, NC. More info here.

July 22nd-26th - San Diego Comic Con, San Diego CA. More info here.

August 28th-30th - Fan Expo Canada, Toronto, ON.

So that's the list of my current confirmed travel plans. It looks like I might also be in Lucca, Italy for the Comics and Game festival in October, as well as Leeds, England for Thought Bubble, and then in Dublin City Comic Con, both in November. I'll be posting more info once my arrangements for those shows are confirmed.

I unfortunately will NOT be attending SICAF in Seoul, South Korea as I previously announced as the dates of that convention were moved to conflict with San Diego. Sorry.

Hope to see you all sometime this year!

(And yes, I'll be sure to pop home and visit for a weekend or two, Mom and Dad.)

I'm outraged!

2009-03-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

Really.

I used to respect Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. They found and featured a lot of cool restaurants and I always assumed that they did their best to find the best places possible. Until today.

They went to my hometown of Farfield, Connecticut to visit a "famous" hot dog joint. Now anyone who knows Fairfield food would have told you that they must be going to Rawley's. Rawley's is the oldest and BEST hot dog place in the town. Hands down. No question. The chili is to die for and cannot be beat. So you assume host Guy Fieri would roll in and eat there. Right?

Wrong.

He ends up at Super Duper Weenie, which is known as probably the second worst hot dog joint in the entire state. Ridiculous. Unbelievable. If they're gonna recommend a place like SDW, I now have lost all respect for the show.

Yes, on the upside, it will keep more tourists away from Rawley's. But it's a blow to my foodie pride that Fairfield finally makes the show and they don't spotlight the best the town has to offer.

The Tao of Breaking into Comics

2009-03-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Sam Humphries was kind enough to go through all my recent Twitter posts about breaking into comics in order to organize and compile some of the gems here on ROBOT SIX. Thanks, Sam!

Il Grande Cebulski

2009-03-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

"The Big Cebulski" is how they referred to me in the newspaper during my visit to speak at the comics school in Reggio...

The Dude abides?

Today's Comic Purchases

2009-03-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted a list like this, but since people over on Twitter have been asking what I bought after spending a few hours at Jim Hanley's Universe and Midtown Comics today, here's what I picked up...

Naoki Urasamwa's Monster Vols. 16-18
20th Century Boys Vol. 1
Blade of the Immortal Vol. 20
Slam Dunk Vol. 1 (Viz Edition)
Umbrella Academy: Dallas 2-4
Four Eyes 2
G.I. Joe Origins 1
Aspen Seasons Winter 2009
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt 4
Johnny Hiro 1 & 2
The Art of Paul Duffield
Criminal Vol. 4 : Bad Night
Soulfire: Shadow Magic 3
The Great Unknown 1
I Kill Giants 6 & 7
Executive Assiatant Iris 0
Youngblood 8
Body Bags One-Shot
Life Sucks OGN
Dead Irons 1 & 2
Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft HC
Killer of Demons 1
Hexed 2
Inbound Issue 01

Marvel Cosplay

2009-03-03T11:22:00.000-08:00

Italian Style!

Another Amazing Meal!

2009-03-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

We went out Saturday night to the oldest trattoria in Mantova, the Trattoria Due Cavallini, or Two Little Horses. The pictures will say more than my words in this case...

Prosciutto, coppa, salami and panchetta...

(Damn shadow!)

One of the most incredible pasta dishes I have EVER eaten, cappellacci stuffed with meat and cooked simply in butter with grana...

Macaheroncini cooked in a wine sauce with beef brisket...

Brasato, basically a stew of wine-soaked brisket over polenta...

It's not Gucci or Prada...

2009-03-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

...but I so wanted to buy Mutsumi this handbag in Mantova!

And the cat was a pocket for your cell phone.

Forget Dessert

2009-03-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

Always stick with the after dinner drinks instead! Nothing beats washing down an amazing meal with a red beer, a grappa, two limonchellos and a real espresso...

Why I miss home...

2009-03-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

This Could Get Dangerous

2009-02-27T11:55:00.000-08:00

The hotel has an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet with unlimited prosciutto! Knowing what I pay for it in New York, my breakfast this morning would have run me about $50 given the amount of cured ham I ingested!

Making Mouths Water

2009-02-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

We ate at La Frattoria twice last year as it was so good, and we had no choice but to go back for our first meal in Mantova last night. I went with my usual, the Mantovana pizza, simply prepared with homemade sauce, mozzarella and local salamella sausage. I was so excited that I dug into it before remembering to take a picture. Out of this world!

Italy Quick Hits

2009-02-27T11:34:00.001-08:00

Cool cafe tables at the Rome Airport...

My lunch of prosciutto and cheese filled cappelletti, also at the airport in Rome. Why can't every airport have food as good as this?

Disembarking old school: off the plane, across the tarmac and onto a bus...

Much like Angouleme, Mantova got their own cars this year...

Advertising for products that matter...

Breakfast in Rome

2009-02-26T02:06:00.000-08:00

As I couldn't change my flight, I've got a five hour layover here in Rome, which I'm making the most of to catch up on e-mail, blogging and scripts. I was starving when I arrived though, so this was how I started my day...

Move over, Wheaties, prosciutto and mozzarella sandwiches are the new breakfast of champions!

On Approach

2009-02-26T01:47:00.000-08:00

So I'm in Italy this week to attend the Mantova Comics and Games Festival. I came last year and it was a blast so I'm thrilled to be back for 2009. Found a lot of great talent here last year and am hoping for similar success again this year! I'll be blogging all week from the show, so keep checking back.

The flight over was bumpy as hell and I didn't sleep very well, which is odd for me. I even had my own row as the flight was pretty empty, but even stretching out, I had no luck dozing off. I was actually awake for dinner, which was surprisingly good for airline food. One of the best meals I've had on a plane that I've been awake for in years; steak with gnocchi on the side! Ended up reading magazines and comics for most of the flight. Naoki Urasawa's PLUTO was incredible as expected! Also played some Solitaire and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, except it was the British version and was pretty damn hard! How am I supposed to know what color British driver's licenses are or where Beckham was born?!

Anyway, this was the view out my window as we began our descent into Rome...

When Ordering

2009-02-26T01:37:00.000-08:00

Recently, when I've been going out for dinner, rather than ordering something I want to eat, I've been ordering things I know that I can't make better by myself. I look for more complicated and exotic dishes on the menu that I know I have no way in hell of cooking on my own at home. It's a new habit that's served me well.

Case in point, for my birthday, when Mutsumi asked me where I wanted to go, rather than pick a steak house as I usually do, I choose to go to Blue Ribbon for one of my favorite meals that there's no possible way I have any chance of creating in our kitchen... Oxtail Marmalade and Bone Marrow on Toast!

Trust me, if you're in New York City and looking for one of the best things you could ever possibly have to eat anywhere, go to Blue Ribbon and try this stuff! It really is to die for!!

And their raw scallops and sweetbreads are amazing as well if you're feeling even more adventurous.

Recent Comics From Me

2009-02-26T01:26:00.000-08:00

As I haven't posted in a bit, here a look at a few recent comics that came out that I had something to do with...

X-INFERNUS #3

ASTONISHING TALES #1

ASTONISHING TALES #1, Marc Silvestri Variant

YTHAQ: THE FORSAKEN WORLD #3, which I adapted into English.

WAR OF KINGS SPOTLIGHT, featuring a Darkhawk interview with me.

Reeeoooww!

2009-02-26T01:23:00.000-08:00

As you can see, Wilie was so happy to see us last weekend...

Can Asuka Play With Us?

2009-02-26T01:21:00.000-08:00

One of the coolest things I've seen all month, the Evangelion soccer ball...

Mutsumi wouldn't let me buy one. :(

Fighting Wine

2009-02-26T01:19:00.000-08:00

Maybe you can't judge a book by its cover, but sometimes you can judge a bottle of wine by its label...

How could you see this and not buy it?

After A Brief Break...

2009-02-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

...I'll be blogging a lot more starting this week. Sorry about the lack of posts these past few weeks, but NYCC took me right into the Marvel Artists Training Seminar after which I got deathly ill with the flu, mild bronchitis and a sinus infection. I'm better now but have been working my ass off to catch up on work and life, which meant a break from blogging, which I apologize for. But I'm back in good health and have lots to say and will begin regular posting again shortly. And from Italy no less! Sitting in JFK now actually, waiting for my flight to Rome where I'll connect to Bologna in order to attend the Mantova Comic & Games Festival again this year! So stay tuned for some sure-to-be-interesting updates. Ciao for now!

Chesterfest 2009 Invite

2009-02-06T06:28:00.001-08:00

By David Lafuente and Emily Warren...

My New Favorite Comic Store

2009-02-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Dewey's Comic City in New Jersey for picking War of Kings: Darkhawk #1 as their Highlight of the Week!

NYCC!

2009-02-03T08:10:00.001-08:00

New York Comic Con takes place this weekend at the Javitz Center here in NYC and I'll be there all weekend.

I'll be at Table E5 in Artists Alley with Ryu Moto. Please stop by and say Hello!

You'll also be able to catch me at the following panels and signings...

Friday

War of Kings Panel (Panel Room 4 - 1A14) - 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

X-Men Panel (Panel Room 4 - 1A14) – 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm

Signing @ The Marvel Booth (Booth #1141) - 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Saturday

Cup O’ Joe Panel (Panel Room 3 - 1A08) - 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Sunday

Signing @ The Marvel Booth (Booth #1141) - 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Marvel: Your Universe Panel (Panel Room 7 - 1A24) - 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Hope to see you there!

CBC Comics On Sale This Week

2009-02-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

Astonishing Tales #1 with a Wolverine/Punisher story by me and Kenneth Rocafort...

...with a Variant cover by Marc Silvestri!

We got our first pretty positive early review here on Comics Bulletin.

And also hitting today is War of Kings: Darkhawk #1 by me, Harvey Tolibao and Bong Dazo, featuring the Loners!!

Afro Samurai: Resurrection

2009-02-02T22:23:00.000-08:00

Afro Samurai: Resurrection goes on sale on DVD today, February 3rd. I had the pleasure of serving as the story consultant on the project and I think it turned out pretty damn well. I absolutely love how the talented folks at Gonzo were able to bring with what we came up with into such incredible animated life!

You can check out the trailer for the film here and buy the DVD from amazon.com.

With a French Twist

2009-01-31T09:19:00.000-08:00

Only had a few minutes for lunch today so I stepped out to grab a very quick lunch by myself. I was thrilled to find that this amazing little kebab place that Mutsumi and I discovered by chance a few years back was still in business. They make a killer kebab, but rather than on pita, they fill a baguette with the meat, veggies and sauce. Now I know it may not be the proper way to eat one, but it rocks this way!

Coming Soon to Domino's?

2009-01-31T09:13:00.001-08:00

And what would my blog be without a few pictures of foreign food?

Here's a look at the flam I had the other night. It's like pizza but with a different, chewier crust and no tomato sauce. I guess some people also call it "German pizza". My toppings this evening were totally French though... cheese, chopped onions, grilled potatoes, duck magret and duck livers!

Damn tasty!!

The Gaston Building

2009-01-31T09:12:00.001-08:00

A Busload of Marvel Characters

2009-01-31T09:09:00.001-08:00

Moebius!

2009-01-31T09:03:00.001-08:00

Living comics legend Moebius has a booth here where he's selling books and signing and sketching. A bunch of people, myself included, were standing there just watching him doing his thing when this kid walked up and asked if he was reviewing portfolios. A surprised gasp then hush fell over the crowd as we waited to see how he'd respond, but Moebius stoop up, said yes, and started checking out the kid's work. All class!