Year in 2013 and 2014

2013 felt like a non eventful year. There was no traveling, just alot of work. I did get to see New Mexico and Wyoming, but again, it was due to work. I did have time away from work and managed to squeeze out a few moments of glory.

Planet Comic Con in Kansas City is one of those moments that really stand out. Maybe it was because it was a convention. It was my first real convention that I attended since SDCC in 2008. It was alot of fun. I got to meet some of my favorite artists like cosplayer Yaya Han, penciler Scottie Young, and of course got to be in the presence of Marvel Comics's " rock star"C. B. Cebulksi (didn't actually meet him). I got to see Ray Park, Billy D. William, and Peter Mayhew. What really turned me back on to the convention circuit though was the artist alley. What I learned is that even amateur "pop" artists can even sell some prints there and to me that's exciting because it means that with out having to be a big name artist I could make up some prints and sell them. (Hell yeah, entrepreneurship!)

Mega Cake Meltodwn! It was a two night event in Topeka at Gamer's HQ where gamers got together to play a multitude of games, tournaments, and just have some good clean, safe fun. Honestly I see more of these showing up. This was a great night for two reasons, one watching how some people took an idea that started in my living room and ran with it. Secondly, I took people to school with my Avengers that night. Welcome to Avenger's Academy. It was fun to be had by all.

Lastly, the best part of 2013 is it finally ended. I felt stuck last year. I didn't feel like I went anywhere. I did do a lot of planning last year and this year I'm gonna try to put those plan into fruition. That being said, bring on 2014!

I've decided to not do the whole "resolution" thing this year. Instead I'm just gonna suck it up and have goals. The stigma behind a resolution is that they are made to be broken and if you have it a week or so after you made it then you're already better than last year, no matter of you accomplish it or not. So that isn't the plan.

So here we go, goal, World Domination!

Step One; Create my own personal website. Not a blogger, not a tumblr, but my own website that will have a blog, prints for sale, progress, and online comics.

Concept photo of Cringer looking
up at Thundercat insignia.

Step Two; Rock like a rock star, and by that I mean draw my ass off. The online comics will all be labors of love. The plan is to create two on going web comics for characters that I loved as a child and still do today. One is Masters of the Universe vs the Thundercats (working title). I've created a story that would actually meld the two universes together and would prove to be something exciting for fans on both sides of the table. The second is my take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I promise you that it's not the same turtles you've seen on Saturday cartoons, silver screen theaters, and most likely not in any other comic. It's a fresh start. Some things you will recognize, some you won't and will be totally original to my take. As I've previously said about the TMNT online comic, it will launch along side Michael Bay's movie, August 8th of this year.

Prelim sketch, in no way
depicts finished quality as
this was a quick sketch.

The formats are still a work in progress at this point, I hope to alternate material from one week to the next or every other month, Every other week is what I'm thinking that may be anywhere up to 5 pages a week so that's 10 pages of each story every month. What?! Not a full comic experience? I said this was a labor of love, not one that pays the bills. If production can be upped then it will. Along side, yet alternately, a production diary will be kept and released with that weeks comic; ex; TMNT will release with the previous week's MOTU vs TC production diary. This way, if anyone gets lost on the material or confused you can see where the inspiration came from for a particular decision or part of the production process. This is also where you would see character designs as some may/will be different than what you may have seen.

Step Three; You will dig it, you will love it, you will elect me your supreme ruler of this planet.

Sounds simple huh?

Artistically I'm still pushing forward with my own properties this year, not to mention I thought of a few others last year that while conceptualized are on the back burner for now. I'll discuss those more in detail as the year progresses.

On a personal note, my work has taken my to Wyoming and while I plan to come home as long as it is a financially sound idea, I may not make it home all the time. This allows me to one, work more artistically, and two, travel and explore the north western United States. I'm only a few hours from Denver which I love and also Mount Rushmore which I've always wanted to visit. So my time at home will be fairly limited (as if it wasn't already). Because of traveling I plan on picking up photography this year so that should be interesting considering I hate taking pictures.

Lastly in 2014 I wanna try to blog more often. I hardly blogged last year but I really didn't have anything I was working forward to last year. This year is different as I feel I have alot of irons in the fire so to speak. So cheers to last year, while unproductive it gave me time to reflect on where I want to go in 2014!

-Pat!!!