Nine, Nine, Nine!

Amazonia also gets a makeover in this issue, including a new hairstyle. After I've drawn her for a couple of pages, I've started to think that Amazonia looks a bit like Olivia Munn. What do you think?

I'm kind of proud of this page. If it goes right, there will be two "Holy Smokes! That was surprising, and yet so in character!"

This is probably the last page before my well-deserved vacation. Nine pages down, and one left to go before the end of the month. I think I can do that. It's good to be on schedule.

Darkerblade

For reasons which will become clear when you actually read it, Darkblade gets a costume redesign in issue #12. He gets darker (hence the internal name Darkerblade) and a little more intense. You know, gritty, 90's style.

Or maybe there's something else going on.

Here, he makes a dramatic declaration. As I will saying "Eight pages down! Twenty percent there! I am on a roll, baby!"

Get to Know Me

Here's another reason to follow me on Twitter. Sometimes I run contests. In the panel after this, Doc Karma talks to his receptionist. I needed a name for her, so I put out a Tweet saying "Next female who Twitters me her name gets the receptionist named after her." (Not to be all Mirror Universe District 9, but I had already drawn a lady, and calling her "Dave" just makes no sense.) The winner, Vaneta (yes, Newsarama's own Vaneta Rogers) now has her name in the next issue.

I'd show you that panel, put it's the beat panel. Besides, I really like the body language here with Doc Karma confused and whipping around, and Abby really does look smug.

I need to do three more pages before the end of the month to stay On Pace for the new issue. I've got a little holiday planned next week, so it's not quite as safe as it sounds, but I still think I can do it.

Sixes other than Tricia Helfer

I've come to the realization that the storyline for this twelvth issue of Love and Capes has so many surprises and twists that I just can't post any artwork. It'd give away too much.

But I like posting artwork.

So, I'm going to write fake dialogue. It'll be some lame joke, or something I think is kind of funny. As seen here. In the real issue, Abby and Charlotte aren't really discussing the 2008-9 TV season. And as a little visual cue, the word balloons will be a little different than the traditional LNC balloons. Just so you know they aren't the real words in the issue.

Page Cinco!

It's occuring to me now that there's going to be a lot of panels that I have to hide dialogue on during this book. If I do this one right, there will be a lot of surprises.

I continue to try to push my poses and body language. If you pay attention to such stuff, you'll notice that there's a lot more curve to the ladies' stances. Abby is definitely leaning against the refrigerator, and Charlotte is hunched over her coffee.

Also, I got this page done, start to finish, in a day. That's good. I think I need to try to keep up that pace.

The Sleep of the Just

Four pages done! And with the fourth page of Abby sleeping, you can tell this may be the most exciting issue of Love and Capes evah! Although, I promise, lots of stuff happens. Also, lots of stuff doesn't happen.

Oh, heck, you'll have to read it to understand it.

Lego my Crusader

I'm blessed with great Love and Capes fans. There's something about the book that draws people in and hooks them. And they're so supportive and so cool. Here's an example:

One fan, David, makes custom Lego characters. He repaints them, adds to them and makes them awesome. He's done the Justice Society, Watchmen, and now the Crusader.

I met him in San Diego a few years ago. This year, in his display case, was this:

From left to right, it's the Plutonian (Irredeemable), Samaritan (Astro City), a little character called the Crusader, and Black Adam.

Man, that's just a gallon and a half of awesome sauce. You can see more of his work here.

Reviews on #11!

Reviews are starting to float in for Love and Capes #11. I guess on the West Coast it was delayed a week. I don't know why. But the important thing is that the book's out now and you can buy it!

Anyway, reviews and comment. First from Blake Petit at Comixtreme.com:

Words just can’t express how much I love this book. Each issue is steeped in superhero trappings, but the core is invariably about the heart, the relationship, and everything that comes with being in love – both the good and the bad. Zahler is a brilliant storyteller, both in words and visually, and Love and Capes is the smartest, sweetest, and most honest love story I have ever read in comic book form.

And from Dave Van Domelen:

…there's loads of conflict that flows naturally from the setting and characters while not involving fistfights (which mainly happen off-screen). Oh, and love the Nick Castle reference. Strongly recommended.

Come to my Window

I've been reading the Walt Stanchfield lectures, which is the first drawing book in a while where I feel like I'm learning something. Not that I'm so good that mere books cannot teach me. Lord knows that's not true. But so many of them are a beginning to intermediate level. The Stanchfield books contain his Disney lectures, and are aimed at the working cartoonist.

Honestly, I just want to put them in a blender and drink them up. I read the books and find myself saying "Get in my brain faster!"

I'm trying to incorporate what I'm learning in the books into this issue. One of the things he teaches is pushing the pose. So I'm trying to loosen up and get some nice body language and images working. I think Abby's pose here has a lot of energy. You can feel her whipping around and looking worried.

It's a little thing, but you have to keep pushing, right?

Page Two

Hey, I've already got page two done, too!

Of course, it's a three panel page, so it wasn't as hard as it could have been. Still, more pages the better. And, as odd as it sounds, I take heart in the fact that I had other jobs I probably should have done before this page. That kind of obsessive "I need to get this page done" feeling is essential in getting issues of Love and Capes done and on time.