Kirby For A Day: Chapter 2

The second episode of Kirby For A Day is on Facebook now!  Check out four Arizona artists honoring Jack Kirby's 100th birthday with the 24 Hour Comic Challenge -- filmed on location at Drawn to Comics in Glendale!  Of course, it's hosted by me, and masterfully edited by my brother Kyle.  These episodes are short and sweet -- check it out here!  Now!

Kirby For A Day: Chapter 1

Here it is -- the first episode of Kirby For A Day!  You may remember when I first talked about this project in August.  August 28th would've been Jack Kirby's 100th birthday, and since I've been organizing Kirby-themed birthday celebrations in Phoenix for the past few years, I wanted to do something really special.  I asked some friends if they'd attempt the 24 Hour Comic Challenge -- drawing to a Kirby-themed prompt -- and let me record the whole thing.  They agreed, and this is the result!

Kirby For A Day is a web-based miniseries about four artists' 24 hours at the drawing board.  We filmed over the last weekend of August at Drawn to Comics in Glendale, and, always, my sincere thanks to Ken and Susan Brown for hosting this overnight event.  An overwhelming amount of appreciation goes to my brother Kyle, for editing that footage into the episodes we'll post over the next few weeks.  We're making this series via "the Marvel method," as I give Kyle the general concept of each episode, and he brings it to life.  In this way, he's the Kirby to my Stan Lee, pushing the theme of the show that much further.

So . . . please watch!  My closest associates in self-publishing dedicated a great deal of time and energy to make this project happen, and they deserve your eyes and ears . . . if only for a few minutes every week.  Stay tuned!

To Honor A King!

It's here!  Jack Kirby -- the King of Comics -- would've turned 100 years old on Monday, August 28, and fans here in Phoenix are planning a multi-dimensional three-day extravaganza to honor him.

At his zenith, Kirby drew five to eight pages a day, at his board for 10 to 12 hours, so we're celebrating his productivity in a special way.  On Saturday, August 26, four local artists will attempt the 24 Hour Comic Challenge -- they'll try drawing a 24 page comic book in 24 consecutive hours.  If that isn't hard enough, they'll pull a Kirby-inspired topic from a hat first, to use as inspiration for their story.  If you're in or around Phoenix, join us at Drawn to Comics in downtown Glendale to see the cartoonists in action, and answer Kirby trivia questions for prizes, including sketches from the artists themselves!  The festivities will start at 1 p.m. -- and everything will be recorded for a webseries we'll drop later this year.

Dig the artists' websites before you see them in action!

Birdie Birdashaw: Bunny Vomit

Derk Harron: DerkArt

Jan Marc Quisumbing: The Janimal Draws

Zoe Sugg: Zuzu Cartoons

Then, on Monday, the 28th, ten comedians will roast Captain America -- Kirby's first, most famous creation -- at Monkey Pants Bar in Tempe, at 8 p.m.  The dais will feature some of the funniest people in the Valley . . . and Captain America himself!  Kirby fancied his drawing prowess as "performance."  He was a fan of cinema and pulp magazines, so a comedy show in his honor is as eclectic as the man himself.  A raffle -- featuring some pretty cool prizes, if I do say so myself -- will benefit the Hero Initiative, so your dollar bills.

Jack Kirby inspired a lot of people.  He created a legion of timeless characters and demonstrated a work ethic that sets a high standard for anyone writing or drawing comics today.  Honoring him is as humbling as it is fun, and I hope you'll join us, if not in person, then in the future, as we post pictures and videos from these events.  Happy birthday, Jack!

Appreciation Week Begins!

It's been nearly two months since I've updated the ol' blog . . . no, I didn't take that long to recover from this year's 24 Hour Comic Challenge, thankyouverymuch!  I've been busy making and selling Amazing Arizona Comics, of course!

I owe this busy summer to a lot of folks willing to take a chance on Amazing Arizona Comics, so I thought I'd spend the next few days expressing my appreciation to local and state-away businesses that have offered time and space to me these past several weeks.  You can never have enough gratitude, people!

Speaking of that 24 Hour Comic Challenge, my first Gratitude Platitude goes out to Drawn to Comics.  Ken and Susan Brown were kind enough to let me draw in their storefront window again, and they've upped the ante of their hospitality by agreeing to host a part of this year's Phoenix Celebrates Jack Kirby's 100th Birthday (more to come on that next week). Drawn to Comics recently won a spot on TravelandLeisure.com's Best Comic Book Stores in U.S. list, so I couldn't be more honored to work with them.  

Fun Fact!  Did you know DTC's Ken Brown and I co-host a podcast, aptly called the Drawn to Comics Podcast?  It's true! Here's an episode where Ken and I talk about our recent comics-related happenings, on SoundCloud.

If you're in the Metro Phoenix area, visit Drawn to Comics and tell 'em Russ sent ya.  It's a great shop, run by great people that love comics.  Oh, and here's the cover to that issue I drew in their window. . .

Next: San Diego or bust!

The 24 Hour Comic Challenge: Year 3!

It's that time of year again!  It's that time of year I decide to sit in a public place and attempt the 24 Hour Comic Challenge.  The challenge is simple: create a 24 page comic in 24 consecutive hours.  In 2015, I drew in the window of C-MOD, a beautiful post-modern furniture and collectibles store in Phoenix's Melrose District.  Last year, I drew at Drawn to Comics, downtown Glendale's premiere comic book shop.

This year, I return to Drawn to Comics.  I just love their big storefront window.  It's the perfect display case for a struggling artist!  The challenge starts June 24th (the perfect date!) at 1 p.m., and continues until Sunday the 25th, 1 p.m.  Come watch me draw! Coincidentally, the Glendale Toy Show will also be happening in the downtown area, so make a day of it, why don'cha!