Periscope: Portland's storyboard and comics studio.

Ah, yes: Superhero costumes for infants and children. You've gotta love the superman bunting, but none of them can possibly compare to this.

The CIG to Creating Graphic Novels is listed in the October Previews, on page 390. (That's in the "Books" section, subcategory "How-To".) I'm told that retailers ordering it then will receive them in December and possibly even late November depending on when the PO is cut and how soon the publisher fills the orders.

Drew Johnson's has been working ridiculously long hours in the studio recently, doing remarkable work on Wonder Woman. Fans of the character are in for a treat. Here's an interview with the writer.

As Private Parker noted below. I won't be at SPX this weekend, but my original art will be. The illustration from the cover of the SPX anthology will be part of the CBLDF auction. You can own this picture, a spectacular rendering depicting dozens of your favorite mutilated cartoon characters. Try to name 'em all!

Posted by Lieber

Ha! Finally the Revolution has come, and other non-Steve members of Mercury Studio can post on this blog! We can speak for ourselves, give news not seen through Steve's glasses! So the first thing I'll talk about with my new power is Steve.

Many people assume Steve will be at the Small Press Expo this weekend, but they would be wrong. Too bad too, because it's a great show and our pal Steve Conley is taking it over this year because he just doesn't have enough responsibility. But the Lieberpresence will be felt: that image above of a tank rolling over beloved comics characters is the cover of this year's SPX Anthology, and Steve was one of the judges for this year's Ignatz awards, which are worth going to all by themselves. Still YOU should go. Go buy the latest book from G.T. Labs or Roger Langridge. Buy a drink at the conveniently placed bar.

Have a great time, like Lieber wouldn't!

--Posted by Buck Private-Level Mercury Member Parker

Going round the room:
David Hahn is ridiculously busy these days. After wrapping up Bite Club, David illustrated a mass-market Batman handbook, and is currently illustrating an Escapist story for Howard Chaykin and a Fables story for Bill Willingham.

Ron Randall recently finished adapting the CONSTANTINE movie for Vertigo. Ron, of course, was among the first artists to ever draw the character, back in the Alan Moore Swamp Thing days.

Drew Johnson is hard at work penciling Wonder Woman.

Pete Woods is illustrating something very cool for DC. I don't think it's public yet, so you'll have to take my word for it.

Rebecca Woods is illustrating a comics story for Malcolm Bourne, and a gallery art project.

I'm doing commercial art and some short comics stories for various venues. (Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.)

Karl Kesel is inking Fantastic Four over Mike Wieringo.

Paul Guinan is inking a Batman story and illustrating his Heartbreakers/Boilerplate book.

Jeff Parker is working on a long Escapist story that'll be entirely his own: script, art letters and color.

Terry Dodson is MIA.

And Matthew Clark is still putting in massive hours on Adventures of Superman. Here's an interview with the writer.(The article, unfortunately, doesn't include any of Matthew's spectacular interior art.)

Parker and I are both too busy to ever write anything about it, so here, to suppliment the press coverage are some photos we took.



Ezra Claytan Daniels eating tater tots, a food once described by Comics Journal editor Tom Spurgeon as "the crack cocaine of midwestern gluttony." Ezra has since moved to Chicago. Make of that what you will.



Bite Club's David Hahn, drawing...



...and accepting applause.



Wonder Woman artist Drew Johnson cannot believe this audience has turned against him.



This is me, modeling the latest in maternity fashions, trying to calm the audience as it roars its enthusiastic support for my opponent.



Nathan Beatty and Nicole Georges.



As Teams Alternative and Mainstream beat each other bloody, Team Web squats in the audience, waiting and watching. They know their time will come.



Jeff Parker and Aaron Reiner duke it out in the Battle Royale.



Parker recovers his shoe which was ripped from his foot by Nicole in the midst of battle.

Jeff Parker and I will be at the Baltimore Comicon this weekend, September 11-12. Johanna Draper has posted a programming schedule. Should be fun.
Matthew Clark will be also be appearing this weekend at the Vancouver Comicon in British Columbia. See him and get a sketch.

October 12-16, I'll be a guest at the Salon Internacional del comic principado de Asturias in Gijon, Spain. I'm flabbergasted too.