Here’s a piece of fan art celebrating the subject of Sonny Liew’s graphic novel The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye that is sending shockwaves through the very medium of comics itself! You gotta check this out, but don’t take my word for it, take it from NPR:
At once dizzyingly meta and deeply heartfelt, the book spans 80 years and in its complicated layering remind me of everything from “Maus” and “The Tin Drum” to, believe it or not, “Ulysses.”
Link to Listen to the Story at NPR
Some stories just don’t get old..
May the Fourth be with you! (I added these to a Tumblr account that I started recently.)
Stepping Out: I left Portland a couple weekends ago to meet my dad in San Diego for the Reuben Award weekend, and the days have just been ticking away since then. I think meeting and just sharing the room with so many legends in cartooning set my brain on fire and it’s still smoldering. I “talked shop” with Sergio Aragonés and Russ Heath, shook hands with Mel Lazarus and Rick Geary, just to name a few. Here’s a picture of my dad with some of the cartoonists at our table during the award ceremony. Can you spot a Dan Piraro or a Matthew Diffee?
I’d like to do a thorough report of my experience. It really was a remarkable weekend, but I’m going to have to put that on the back burner for the time being.
Kicking In: I would like to direct the attention of anyone in the industry to the National Cartoonists Society because they are looking to expand the roster of qualifying members. There are new perks for being a member that are in the works. That’s right, “Perks in the Werks!” You can find out everything you need to know about joining at the newly renovated website HERE.
Kicking In: I recently contributed to a Kickstarter that my friend, photographer, comic book collector, and comic book writer Jim Berry is running to fund the production of a thrilling graphic novel about The Battle Of The Little Big Horn (Greasy Grass) featuring art by legendary illustrator, Val Mayerik. Please take a look at the Of Dust and Blood Kickstarter and consider pitching in to make this book a reality. 
Stepping Out…to the comic shop, I encountered a number of excellent books coming out right now. Probably at the top pf my list for entertainment is Starlight written by Mark Millar with art by Goran Parlov that is just riddled with nods and homages galore to the late, great Moebius. I’ll sign off with this piece of Starlight fan art that was created in everyone’s favorite new graphic software, Manga Studio 5. Stepping out of my comfort zone to learn this new tool, after kicking in some cash to buy it;-) 
I went to the Stumptown Fest on Sunday, and had a great time meeting up with friends of old and making some new ones. Yesterday for some reason was a rocky road at the drawing board. The stuff I was working on was not coming together, so I did this sketch inspired by the husband/wife duo who have been drawing X-Men character sketches of late. Great stuff! I HEART the awesome X-Art of Jesse Hamm and Anna Sahrling-Hamm. (Click the names, view the blogs, thank me later;)
Weeks between blog posts, and I’m posting another Conan drawing. That seems odd, doesn’t it? Well, here’s the story: I was poking around online when I did my first sketch of the Cimmerian (previous post) and discovered the new Conan comic by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan, an adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s Queen of the Black Coast. Furthermore , I found a contest that Dark Horse was hosting to promote the comic series. I listened to an audio dramatization of Queen of the Black Coast and did a little doodling, and thought I might enter the contest if I found the time. Cut to a day or two before the contest deadline and I decided to develop my sketch. So now my drawing is in the running and part of an album on facebook that may contain the highest level of testosterone than any other collection of images found on the internet. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Have a look for yourself: Conan Fan Art Facebook Album
Here’s my color piece. I wanted to capture the feel of Becky Cloonan’s art for the series, but I’m such a John Buscema fan, I tried to pay tribute to his Conan, as well.
And if you’re interested, here’s the ink and pencil drawing. This was drawn to the edges of a 14×17″ piece of paper and I ended up narrowing it slightly for the cover version.
The Cimmerian senses trouble. 2011 may be skeletal remains in the dust, but beware the ghosts! Yes, I’m starting the New Year with cliched metaphors….no where to go but up!
Editor’s Note: Conan was smaller in the original version of this sketch, but my Dad, a reader of Conan books and a comic artist himself, thought he should be bigger and made the revision in Photoshop. I agree entirely! Thanks, Dad!
Shirking responsiblities last night at the movie house led to shirking the morning away with some fan art for Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I’ve wanted to see it since it opened and good reviews had my expectations peaked, but I was not prepared for the emotional tour de force that was in store. Go apes go! Conquer! (Wait, something seems to be wrong with this line of thinking…?)
Anyway, on an unrelated note, here’s my contribution to Occupy Wall Street:
Ron Randall’s Trekker is the theme of the Periscope Sketch Challenge this week. I’ve been behind pretty much all month and I haven’t had time to make blog posts, but I had to make time for this sketch. We’re promoting Ron’s revival of his creator-owned series Trekker, now available in weekly installments at http://trekkercomic.com .
For now here’s my tribute to Trekker, let’s call it Trekker in the Sky with Diamond…knee pads.
Aaron McConnell 