Usagi Yojimbo is currently ranked #31 in Empire magazine's user-rated list of all-time greatest comic characters, *ahead* of Lex Luthor (32), Daredevil (37), and Spawn (50).

Go here to vote for everyone's favorite Samurai rabbit!

"House of Cards" premieres at Staple!

I'm a man of few words (which is very obvious if you've seen my work). So I'll just say I'm really looking forward to my second year at Staple! This show marks the first con appearance of my newest poster, "House of Cards". See you in a week!

Mark
www.MrOblivious.com

Indie Roleplaying Games at STAPLE!

You know how Box Office Poison is Alex Robinson's creative reaction to the story dynamics of mainstream comics? Well, folks in the indie roleplaying games community are designing and self-publishing games which are similar reactions to the creative and story-making dynamics of traditional roleplaying games. And if you look, this year you'll find a few of the best at STAPLE!



Jeff Bent will be at table #61 with his comics, sculptures, and copies of Jason Morningstar's award winning indie RPG Grey Ranks, for which Jeff did the awesome illustrations. In Grey Ranks, you roleplay Polish child soldiers during the disastrous 1944 uprising against the Germans.

Half Meme Press (me) will be at table #52 with my own Diana Jones Award winning RPG My Life with Master, and with Bacchanal, the most whispered about game of Gen Con 2005. In My Life with Master you roleplay the minions of a horrific master, struggling to form connections with decent townsfolk and break the dysfunctional psychology that keeps you under the Master's control. In Bacchanal you tell stories of companions separated by the debauchery and violence of a spontaneous city-wide bacchanal, trying to reconnect and then flee the city despite the direct and problematic influence of Bacchus, Pluto, Minerva, and Venus.

Cream Alien Games (Danielle Lewon) will be with me at table #52 with the ashcan edition of Danielle's game-in-development Kagematsu (the indie RPG community uses the term ashcan for books sold for prospective playtesting). Kagematsu is gender reversal roleplaying, with Kagematsu, a wandering ronin, played by a woman, and village women played by men; the village women pursue romance with Kagematsu, hoping if he falls in love with one of them he'll save their village from a horrible threat.

And Will Terrell, who did My Life with Master's eye-catching cover illustration will be right next door at table #51 with art prints and his Monsters comic, a perfect opportunity to get an artist signature on the game.

Stop by and check us out.

Zach Taylor brings Miners and Bears

The Time Has Arrived.



My book The Miner and that Cave That Ate Time will be available at Staple! It's a 120 page cartoon adventure in awesome full color. It's got clowns, lawyers, weasels, tornadoes, and murderous crickets. You know, all that stuff you love.



There's more about The Miner at Gnourg.com.

And I'll have posters of this teaser image for my new project. It’s about a bear that kills and maims people and the video game he stars in. It is called Bear Quest.



I'll be at the Gnourg Press table at 32A. Come visit me or be mauled!

Fanboy Video's Staple Flashback

For the next few weeks on FanboyVideo.com we will be spotlighting our Staple coverage from last year. You can check out the archives for past interviews, and even see never before seen interviews all leading up to Staple 2009.

We just posted a interview with Eric Powell one of the Special Guests from last years event, and more videos are coming soon.

MascotWedding's Joy of Painting the Movie

This is Mac from Mascot Wedding. We'll have a table at Staple to meet people and sell our comics/stickers/shirts/whatevs. We've just made a video entry for the Alamo Drafthouse's new Filmmaking Frenzy. The competition was to make a trailer for a movie based on a TV show that has yet to be made into a movie. We chose The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Enjoy:



After you watch it, if you liked it, please take two minutes to go to the FF site, register a username, and give our short a high rating. There's a bunch of other fun videos in the contest too so check those out as well.

Regardless, please come by our table at Staple and say hello!

Yummy food!

This year the concession at STAPLE! will be provided by Out There Cooking. Among the items they’ll have available will be Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Texas Chili, a Cuban Pork Sandwich, Club Sandwich Melt and a Shrimp Salad with Jicama. Mmm-mmm.

Hermit Hill Books Premiere at STAPLE! '09

Hey there STAPLE! community. With only two weeks to go before STAPLE! '09 I think I'm just about ready and I am really looking forward to it. Last year's show was such a great experience how could I not come back!

I wanted to stop by the blog to talk about the premiere release I'm bringing with me. This convention will be the first time folks can purchase my comic book collection from the web comic Hermit Hill Volumes 1 and 2. Both books will be on hand at my table. These books collect the past 6 month's worth of comic strips in bound, actual ink on paper form. Be sure to stop by my table to have a look. Each and every book purchase will come with a free collectable pin, featuring images also from the Hermit Hill comic strip.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in Austin again. It's going to be a great show.

JOHN LUCAS, MAINSTREAM SELL-OUT, TO ATTEND STAPLE.

Hey kids! After six years in NYC, working for DC/VERTIGO, MARVEL and DARKHORSE, I've back to Austin. Swing by and say "hello" or, "DIE filthy hack!". I'll have art from Exterminators, American Splendor and some superhero crap. You can ask me what it's like, working for "the MAN" and I'll tell you about the personal projects I've kept on the back-burner, while chasing the mighty Dollar. No spitting, please.

The Darkness From Warsaw Premieres at STAPLE!

The Darkness From Warsaw, the latest release from Panel Press, is now available

Haunted by something he found — or that found him — during the war, an old friend of Estelle White's is back. And now his survival depends on her experience with the extraordinary and the resources of the nascent Special Qualities Research Laboratory to uncover the secrets behind the mysterious forces at work.

This supernatural thriller combines WWII history with fantasy in a world where there's more than even the super-science of 1946 can explain. A standalone story featuring Estelle and Norris from Panel Press’ Death, Cold As Steel, including development sketches and alternate covers from artist Jamie Chase.

Stop by 7000 BC's table, #18 in the auditorium, and check it out. Say "Norris sent me" and take it for five bucks! You can preview a few pages at ComicSpace.

Austin, TX, here I come!

I am so excited to be coming to STAPLE. This'll be my first time at the show, Austin, or Texas! I can't wait to meet a brand new group of independent creators and publishers. I'll have a bunch of books I'm really proud of, as well as free comics, buttons and stickers for folks.

What I'm most excited about is I'll be previewing my latest book, What is This? which will first be available in May, exclusively through Uncle Envelope, a subscription-based paper-arts service for kids . You can read the entire thing, or just glance at it, and I'll have information on how to subscribe to Uncle Envelope, so you can be the first to get the comic, and eleven other fantastic months of paper surprises through the mail by some really great names in comics, crafts, and children's literature.

Don't be bashful on the 7th, come up and say "Hi," even if you don't buy anything, we're sure to have a great conversation.

email trouble

the info(at)staple-austin(dot)org account is acting a little sketchy right now - server issue, perhaps - so if you need to get in touch please use unclestaple(at)gmail(dot)com. sorry for any inconvenience. to me. - mgmt.

News from Lobster Land!

A little update from the good people at the Maine Comics Arts Festival:

Maine Comics Arts Festival guest update: Kean Soo, "Jellaby" creator

We are very pleased to announce that Kean Soo will be among our special guests for the Maine Comics Arts Festival. Kean is the creator of "Jellaby" which is one of our favorite books at Casablanca Comics. He also is an assistant editor of the popular "Flight" anthologies from Ballantine Books.

You can read all about Jellaby at the Secret Friends Society:
http://www.secretfriendsociety.com/index.php

Visit Kean Soo's website:
http://www.keaner.net/

"Jellaby Volume 2" will be out just in time for the festival. We can't wait!

We have also started to update our guest list on the blog and website. We are approaching a sellout within a week or two at this rate, plus we have more special guest invitations out there.
http://mecaf.blogspot.com/

Debut Mini from Jack: Adventures in Texas' Big Bend

Jack: Adventures in Texas' Big Bend, long running webcomic, is pleased to announce that STAPLE 2009 will witness the debut of its first print mini-comic: Night of the Grasshopper Mouse!

Jack is a comedy adventure strip set in the Big Bend region of far west Texas. The characters and situations are based as closely as possible on the actual behaviors, diets, and life cycles of the animals of the Chihuahuan Desert.

A brand-new mini-comic, t-shirts, and free sketches at Table 27B!

TABLE ASSIGNMENTS

AUDITORIUM
1, 2, 3 - Space-Gun Productions - Vinh-Luan Luu, Evan Bryce, Jake Ekiss, Matthew Warlick
4 - Busygamer.com - Scott Glover, Amory Gritta, Tim Lara, Terry Parr, Amber Alert
5 - Girls With Slingshots - Danielle Corsetto
6 - Big-Big-Truck.com - E.K. Weaver, Greg Simoes
7 - Hopper Comics Publishing - Carlos Samudio
8 - Bucky
9 - Manly Art - Jason Chalker
10 - Lone Star Press - Bill Williams
11A - Neil Brideau
11B - Andy Perez
12 - Mr. Oblivious - Mark Gonyea
13 - Studio Zoe/Josh Lesnick - Josh Lesnick, Malice Blackheart
14 - Strange Matter Comics, Lunasea Studios - Rebecca Hicks, James Hicks
15 - Kennon James
16 - Red 5 Comics - Scott Chitwood
17A - Kit Lively, Julie Lively
17B - The Onion
18 - 7000 BC - Bram Meehan, Monica Meehan
19 - Lucy Blue Studio - Jennifer Bryan
20A - Joe Eisma
20B - Brent Peeples
21 - Crazytwo.com - Venes Alic, Julie Brown
22 - David Hopkins
23 - Seraphemera Books - Marc Moorash, Librarian
24 - Bean Pot Toiz - Greg Hernandez
25 - Feeping Creatures/Studio NDR - Dylan Edwards
26 - Mitch Clem, Amanda Kirk, David Sherrill, Melissa Sherrill
27A - Leadpoint Comics - Cristina Benavides, Erica Taht
27B - Jack: Adventures in Texas Big Bend - Chris Ruggia
28 - Soldier Of Fortune/Art Love Magic - Joshua Boulet, Mike Lagocki
29 - deadsquirrelgirl.com - Kristin Hogan
30A - Little Engine Studios - Toby Craig
30B - Keith Quinn, Susan Kath
31 - Antigravity Magazine - Leo McGovern
32A - Gnourg Press - Zach Taylor
32B - Bivage Salvage, Ltd. - Dave Lamplugh
33, 34 - Austin Sketch Group - A. Litsa, Sam Hurt, Geoff Sebesta
35, 36 - Top Shelf Productions - Chris Staros
37 - Jeffrey Brown
38 - ECPrinting - Jim House


HALL
39 - Jug Wine - Meghann Rosales
40A - Mangled Stare - Will "The Mangler" Rodriguez
40B - Bramble Vine Comics - Nate Bramble
41, 42 - Capstone Connection - McLain McGuire, Eroll See, Joe Kertesz, Rita Moore, Tommy Shelton, C.S. Huble, Brian Moore, Brad Ellison, Ryan Alexander
43 - Paul Maybury, Cassandra Pasley, Steve Goldman, Leslie Goldman
44 - Stan Sakai
45 - Lipstick Press - Monica Gallagher, Dennis Last
46 - Ape-Gear - John "Ape" Mosteller, Lei Lani De Santiago
47A - The Gold County Paper Mill - William Cardini, Jak Cardini, Dr. Chuch, Mark P. Hensel, Anthony Romero, Mike Miles
47B - Cranium Comics - Anthony Rezendez, Brandon Church
48 - PALFLOAT - Chad Hopper
49 - Mascot Wedding - Mac Blake, David Jara, Ximena Estrda, Long Le, Dave Youmans
50A - Nate Southard
50B - Miguel Garza
51 - Will Terrell Art, Alternitoy, Lubbock Comic Book Expo - Will Terrell, Amber Dean, Brandon Adkins
52 - Half Meme Press, Cream Alien Games - Paul Czege, Danielle Lewon
53 - World of Almost-Real - Allee Blatner, Adam Blatner
54A - Jason Horn
54B - Flea Circus - Kelly Burns, Jeremy Fletcher, Brooke Peters, Hattie Hackler
55 - Monkeywrench Books, MCM Authoring
56 - Marshall Wilson, Matt Houk
57 - Paul Adam
58 - Martin Whitmore
59 - Rob Osborne
60 - Ryan Yount
61 - New Reliable Press - Jeff Bent
62A - MBD Studios - Michael Dulce
62B - Jose Esquivel
63 - Kristian Donaldson
64A - TORC Press - Joseph Morris
64B - KN Comics - Denise Guinn, NerdBoy Comics - Sarah Arnold
65 - Stikmanz - Robert Stikmanz, Janel Nye
66A - Antarctic Press - Daniel Conner, Rod Espinosa
66B - Mike Hankins
67 - Red Handed Studios - Cary Kelly
68 - RUMBLO/Snake Shop - KC Green, Lance King, Keri King and Taylor Williamson

KENNON! @ STAPLE!

Howdy folks. Just a quick shout out. It's been two years since I've tabled at Staple! and I'm stoked to be back! I'll have copies of my new self-published collection of whacky fish drawings: "The Funky Fish Book"

In addition I'll have various prints for sale, one of my newest being "C is for Carnage":

Looking forward to seeing everyone so come on by and say howdy.

TRANZ by William Cardini

Hello y'all, it's William Cardini from the Gold County Paper Mill. I'm working on a new comic called TRANZ that I plan on having ready for Staple 2009. I started drawing it with Faber Castelli markers but now I'm going to do the whole thing in india ink with a 00 Windsor Sable Watercolor brush. Here's the old version of the cover:



The idea is to do a lot of one to four page comics that depict a single transformation governed by a concise action verb. Here's an example page, called "Melt":



I'm doing the comic this way to practice my craft. Every page will be six panels - I've already cut the pages and drawn the grid with a pencil. I'm trying to explore transformation and repetition through the medium of cartooning. I'm really excited about this project, and I hope y'all will come by our table to check it out.

Paul Adam

Howdy y'all! I'll be at STAPLE! this year selling...

T-Shirts:



Sketchbook Ashcans:


and other rad swag!

I'll be splitting a table with Charles Soule, writer of Strongman (cover by me ;) ). He'll have copies on hand.



Can't wait!

Uncle Staple on the internets!

Just got interviewed for The Patrick Phillips Show podcast, talking about STAPLE! (of course). Check it out!

A Bunch of string at STAPLE!

Hot off the presses, 7000 BC will have issues 7-11 of its monthly anthology string for sale at STAPLE!.

Sure, we've been posting them for free download here all along (easily accessed by clicking on the images below), but why strain your eyes on that glowing screen when you could just drop a buck each and grab a finely photocopied, lovingly hand-folded and -stapled copy at the show?

    

Heck, mention that you saw this post and take all five of 'em (as long as they last) for four bucks!

Thought I'd try my hand...

...at coloring the gator ^_^

Jason Horn

...did this really nice coloring job on the Staplegator!