Big Savings on my Sketchbooks at DCBS

The great folks at DCBS (Discount Comic Book Service) have a great deal on my sketchbook this month.

STEVE BRYANT SKETCHES AND DRAWINGS VOL 1
The first collection of artwork focusing on Eisner and Manning Award nominee Steve Bryant features conceptual art for his series Athena Voltaire, as well as commissions of Big Two heroes, the Buffyverse and a galaxy far, far away. Signed and numbered limited edition of 500. Color covers, b/w interiors. Product Code: OCT099003 (Steve Bryant)
Cover Price: $15.00
Your Price: $7.50 (50% discount)

STEVE BRYANT SKETCHES AND DRAWINGS VOL 2
The second volume of Steve Bryant’s sketchbook series showcases more Athena Voltaire work in progress, as well as commissions, samples and a look at the artist’s prep work drawing 24’s Jack Bauer for IDW. Signed and numbered limited edition of 500. Color covers, b/w interiors. . Product Code: OCT099004 (Steve Bryant)
Cover Price: $15.00
Your Price: $9.75 (35% discount)

STEVE BRYANT SKETCHES AND DRAWINGS VOL 3
STEVE BRYANT SKETCHES AND DRAWINGS, volume three Steve Bryant’s third sketchbook features more Athena Voltaire work in progress (of course!), as well as commissions, samples and a peek at the artist’s sketchbook studies of life drawings and more. Signed and numbered limited edition of 500. Color covers, b/w interiors. . Product Code: OCT099005 (Steve Bryant)
Cover Price: $15.00
Your Price: $9.75 (35% discount)

SKETCHES AND DRAWINGS VOL 1-3 Set *FREE PRINT*
All three volumes of STEVE BRYANT SKETCHES AND DRAWINGS in one set, featuring Athena Voltaire, as well as commissions, samples and a peek at the artist’s sketchbook studies of life drawings and more. Each volume is signed and numbered limited edition of 500. Color covers, b/w interiors. Buy all three volumes in this series and receive a free, exclusive, limited edition print, signed and numbered by artist/author Steve Bryant.

Product Code: OCT099006 (Steve Bryant) Your Price: $27.00 First time DCBS customers, get additional savings with the order code CGS8!

24: Cold Warriors Color Preview

I'm not sure when 24: Cold Warriors, comes out, but here's a link to an interview with Beau Smith, who wrote the book (and was BORN to write Jack Bauer!).

This was the first time I saw these pages inked and in color. I'm not sure who inked the second half of the book, but Chris Bailey handled the colors. Chris has a really neat pallet and I'm super-excited to see the entire book in color.

Until then, here's a tease of a couple of pages.

Today's Ursula Wilde Production Diary features a flashback scene with Ursula's parents.

And we continue our look at Athena Voltaire: The Legend of Mu-King at the Athena Voltaire Blog.

I bet Jack Bauer never gets Strep Throat

That whole cold/flu/blech feeling I mentioned yesterday? Turns out it's strep throat. My son and ex-wife also have it, so it's probably safe to say that my little 7-year old petri dish brought it home from school one day to share with his family.

While I mix up a cocktail of antibiotics and NyQuil, you can enjoy a couple more pages from the forthcoming 24: Cold Warriors.

Even More Ursula Wilde Stuff

I survived Jack Bauer! Having watched every episode of the show from its inception, I can say that it's no mean feat‚ for Jack's friends, as well as his enemies.

Dunno what Jack thinks about his illustrators...

From a personal point of view, it was certainly done under less than desirable conditions, but from a professional point of view, it was a joy and a pleasure. From IDW publisher Chris Ryall to my incredibly understanding and patient editor Andrew Steven Harris to colorist Chris Bailey, it was a wild and wonderful ride.

I have to specifically single out Beau Smith, who wrote the book. Beau spins a great yarn and the book is jam-packed with action and suspense. And let me just say that Beau was born to write Jack Bauer.

Next up for me is getting back to my creator-owned indy comic material (and a couple of freelance gigs I'm up for but can't talk about right now).

First up: Ursula Wilde. Here are the first few pages of the forthcoming Ursula Wilde mini-series. I'm writing and penciling the book. I'll post some of Jim Nelson's excellent inks soon. For now, though, this is what I've been up to.

24: Cold Warriors

Here's a peek at what I've been up to for the past few weeks.

Of course, all of the family stuff that goes along with illness and death have seriously affected my productivity and has forced to to drastically alter my working method (as well as putting in even crazier hours than usual). In some ways, I feel a slight sense of disappointment with the work—I had set my sights on the way that Al Williamson did adapted/licensed material. Of course, even if none of these crises would have happened, I'm sure that I would have fallen well short of the Williamson bar and would be feeling some of this disappointment, but I still get a sense of what might have been...

That said, however, any time that one changes up the way they work is bound to present new insights and create new opportunities to learn and rethink one's methods. That's certainly the case on this job. I'm eager top bring some of these new techniques to other projects down the line and see if they're merely situational solutions or new stuff for the ol' bag of tricks.

Paul E. Bryant, 1928–2007

I've had a significant lack of posts here for a while.

It started with juggling my work on the forthcoming 24: Cold Warriors (more on that, and preview art in the coming days) and recently culminated in the death of my dad, Paul Bryant.

I received a phone call from my mom three weeks ago today. My dad had a dizzy spell and was having trouble adjusting afterward. I hurried over and was pretty sure that he had, indeed, had a stroke. I carried him to their van and drove him and my mom to the hospital (my folks are of that generation of "not wanting to be a bother" and my dad wouldn't hear of me calling 911).

While in the hospital, we learned that, in addition to the stroke, he had lung cancer. Not quite a newsflash to any of us involved (he was 79 and had smoked since he was 16), but it was bracing, none the less. The plan was that when he was able, we would move him to a nursing home to begin the rehabilitation process from the stroke. When he was strong enough, we would start chemotherapy.

Last Saturday night (December 8), four days after being moved to the nursing home, my dad passed away in his sleep.

This sort of thing is never easy, but none of us make it through life—well—alive. In all honesty, it could have been much worse. Had it been sudden, none of would have had the chance to say goodbye. Had it dragged on for months, it could have affected my mom's retirement money (our health care system doesn't like to step in until poverty has been achieved by the surviving spouse). It sounds silly to think about stuff like that, but I know that would have weighed heavily on Dad's mind.

He wasn't in pain in the post stroke days, either. And the last doctor he saw was his granddaughter, Dr. Amanda Bryant.

I talked to him on a daily basis when he was alive. I think I talk to him even more now. After all, I don't have to pick up the phone to call him. He may not answer, but most of the time I know what he would have said. With how much I miss him, I find that to be both sad and comforting.

Before all of this came down, I had plans for Ursula Wilde and Athena Voltaire, all pending my completing the 24 job. I hope that those plans will be realized in 2008. For now, though, I'm keeping my nose to the grindstone with 24. My dad taught me that when you work for a person you work for them. So that's what I'm doing on 24: Cold Warriors. Working my ass off.

I hope you're watching, Dad. I think you'll be pleased with the results.