Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble
I'm not sure why, but I've had an surge in commissions the last week. So, let me take this 
The one I'm posting today is an Tula and Mera sketch. When I got the request, the commissioner wrote "Mera and Tula aka Aquagirl." I responded back with "Please. I am quite aware that Tula is Aquagirl. (Best read in Comic Book Guy voice.) "
The result is my best Aquagirl sketch ever. As well as my first. Anyway, here it is. Click and embiggen if you so dare!
And, hey, remember that I've got two whole books of these commissions for sale, including the newest one, Powerful Women #2.
Reason #8 to Buy the Love and Capes Collection From IDW
Reason #8 to buy the LNC Trade
#8 It's on page 293 of Previews, and you know they only put the best stuff there.
Diamond Previews order code SEP084142E.
Reason #9 to Buy the Love and Capes Collection From IDW
Diamond Previews order code SEP084142E.
* Neither have read it.
Reason #10 to Buy the Love and Capes Collection From IDW
Ive decided to present the Top Ten Reasons to Buy the Love and Capes Collection from IDW. They'll run, one a day, here and on Twitter. So now, I present, in countdown fashion, #10…
Diamond Previews order code SEP084142E.
The Drawing Machine
For some reason, I've been doing a lot of caricature gigs lately. More than I have in a while. Sunday was particularly busy, as I had both a morning and afternoon event to do. Still, it keeps me busy and keeps me paid, so that's all to the good.
The second Sunday event was for Lake Erie College, a frequent client. I love high school and college gigs in general because it's just so cool to talk to people deciding what to do with their life. As someone who's always known what he would do, the whole process of figuring things out and what other people decide what to do is just endlessly fascinating.
These photos were taken by the multi-talented Bob Zyromski, late of the YMCA and as always an ace photographer. (You should hire him to photograph something for you, too. Give him a shout here.) He was out taking pictures, and they are pretty cool, aside from my ugly mug. It's interesting to see what I look like when I draw, too. I didn't realize that I looked so intense.
With all of these photos, you can click and embiggen!
Luthor, You Treacherous Snake!
Thought you might like to see the third and final Bobble Fish, along with his brothers. And a certain bald scientist who may or may not have something to do with them. And, if you'd like, click and embiggen, Super Fool!
If You Only Order One Love and Capes Collection This Year, Make It This One!
It's been a year in the making. Well, three years in the making, if you count when I actually started the darn thing. But thanks to Harlan Ellison, Chris Ryall and IDW, lo, there shall come a Love and Capes trade.
It's in the new Diamond catalog, order code SEP084142E. Please, put it on your pull list or order. You can use this handy order form to do it, too. And, if you need to find your local comic shop, you can use the Comic Book Shop Locator. If all else fails, feel free to order it from Amazon
Here's what some comics pros and reviewers are saying about it, if you need any more reasons to buy a copy or eight:
"LOVE & CAPES is warm, witty, clever and lighthearted without being empty-- there's real, satisfying emotion underlying the comedy. It's one of a very few comics my wife tries to steal from me so she can read it first."
KURT BUSIEK
SUPERMAN, ASTRO CITY
"Damn straight it is. And what do you mean, 'tries to'?"
ANN BUSIEK
"A surprisingly charming tale about a hardworking superhero and his girlfriend…Thomas F. Zahler’s boldly cartoony artwork recalls "The Incredibles," and so does his wry, smart dialogue. A-"
DOUGLAS WOLK
SALON.COM
"These mundane episodes in the domestic life of a superhero — some more amusing than others — exude just enough charm."
NISHA GOPALAN
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY ONLINE
"My favorite superhero book on the market today. Five Tonys."
TONY ISABELLA
TONY'S TIPS
"A book full of rare delights--bright, lively art, a fun and clever story told with perfect pacing, and a fresh look at the best (and sometimes silliest) tropes of superhero-hood. Thom Zahler's doing great work on an irreplaceable book."
GAIL SIMONE
WONDER WOMAN, BIRDS OF PREY
Captain's Log
I have a motto: Appreciate the good times.
Well, I have many mottos, including Why pay more to someone else when you can pay more to me, and Faster pussycat, kill, kill! I am a man of infinite complexity.
But, back to the first one. Appreciate the good times. Today was a good time.
I started the day over at my cousins’ sons’ birthday party. Yeah, technically the kids in questions are my second cousins, but calling anyone thirty years younger than me “cousin” just seems off. I can’t explain why, but it was just such a nice, sweet day that I didn’t want to leave.
I did leave, though, because I had to go to do my signing for the Lake County Captains. Today was the day they were giving away the last in the series of Bobble Fish that I designed.
Last time I did this, back in June, it rained like crazy before the game. A couple little things went askew, and although it was a fine day, I couldn’t help but think it could be better.
I was right.
Today was a great, sunny day. The Captains staff, helpful as always, made a sign indicating that I was the designer of said Bobble Fish, so I got a lot more people coming over. In fact, I signed for a good twenty minutes straight without a break. And until the second inning, I signed a pretty steady stream of them.
The people are always the best part, and I met a bunch of great ones. To a person they were all fun to meet and talk to. I even met someone who I might be able to get some work from, I hope.
The game was good, and despite being down a couple of runs in the last innings, the Captains managed to win. (More than I can say for the last time.) We played launch-a-ball and I almost won an entry to get a big appliance gift certificate. I was so close with most of my throws that people behind me were cheering. If I had only had a couple more tries…
Then there were fireworks, and I have to say for a Class A ball club, they were pretty impressive. I then went home by way of a gas station, top down on a perfect summer night, “He’s a Pirate” from Pirates of the Carribean blaring away.
Hey, what do you expect? It was the Lake Couty Captains. Nautical themes were on my mind.
Anyway, it was just a really nice day. Hopefully, the Captains will have me back next year and I can have some more.