Jesse Lonergan's Comics

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

2012-01-17T08:57:00.000-05:00

I think this might be the end of the dailies. With the next graphic novel and the danceraday stuff, I just don't think I can keep the dailies going. This started off as a daily and I was good Monday to Wednesday, but missed Thursday, hit Friday, and then just sat down and finished the story yesterday.

Anyway, this is one of those stories that I find myself telling pretty regularly, and I decided to see how it would turn out as a comic.

Jonathan Richman

2012-01-09T10:40:00.000-05:00

The dailies are a little bit different this week. Instead of just making up a story with no ending in sight (see all recent posts), I just decided to do an appreciation of Jonathan Richman, starting on Monday and wrapping up on Sunday (ending in sight!).

And if you haven't heard Jonathan Richman, or if you have and just a few moments to listen to him some more, these are some of the songs mentioned in the comic.

Roadrunner.

Dancing in a Lesbian Bar.

Dignified and Old. This is me in high school.

Monologue about Bermuda. This is basically the story of this whole comic, only it leaves out how much I like Jonathan Richman.

New England.

He's the best.

Merry New Year!

2012-01-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

Oh, man! It's three weeks of dailies cause I flew the coop and didn't get around to scanning these! If you make it to the end of these twenty-one pages, you should feel extremely proud and pat yourself on the back and give yourself some sort of reward, perhaps some ice cream.

And it's a new year! Which means looking back on the year that went and looking ahead to the year that's comes.

Looking back: I made some awesome new friends and was pretty good about keeping up with the old ones. I drank too many beers and not enough gin and tonics. I failed on almost all of my 2011 resolutions. I exercised pretty regularly. I got name checked in America's Best Comics 2011. I watched the Red Sox crumble in a truly amazing manner. I finished the rough draft of my next book. I didn't floss regularly. Some movies made me cry. I argued a lot. I kissed some people. Some people kissed me back. I probably didn't tell the people I love that I love them often enough, but hopefully they know.

It was good.

Looking forward: I got some plans. I'm going to get that next book done. I mean it. Also, I'm going to draw a dancer a day Monday through Friday. You'll be able to see those on my tumblr. I just put the first one up today. It's Superman. I'm going to run outside in every month of the year. This unseasonably warm weather has allowed me to start January off well. February will be the challenge. I will try and convert Facebook friends into real friends. I'm going to get good at baking bread. I said this last year and didn't bake a single thing, but I started this year off right with an attempt at bread baking yesterday. Unfortunately, it didn't come out so well. For some reason the dough wouldn't rise, and I just got fed up with waiting for something that clearly wasn't happening, threw the dough in the oven, and an hour later, had a nice hard salty bread like substance that would probably be put to best use by a stone mason. I'll get better. I'm sure. I'm going to drink less beer and more gin and tonics. I'll kiss some people. I'll make sure the people I love know that I love them.

It will be good.

Uncle Machete and Company.

2011-12-12T09:21:00.000-05:00

I recommend listening to this throw back jam while you read this comic (cause it was in ma ear all weekend). Also, if you haven't been around for awhile you should check out this comic and then this comic in order to know what's going on.

And that last panel was an attempt at ASL fingerspelling, but looking online, I'm not so sure about the second to last hand. It appears that there are two options for "G." Also, thanks to Kevin for help with the naming of all the family members.

And this just cracked me up all week.

My God!

2011-12-05T18:44:00.001-05:00

Picking up from last week.

Whew! Busy weekend! Went to New York to see my friends Patrick, Avani, Anaadi and Macaulay Culkin. I think that Culkin might have a crush on me. He texted me, like, three times on the bus ride home. I also went to the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival as a fan (of course forgetting to bring any sort of postcards or business cards or anything), which was pretty cool. A lot of awesome comics and it was in a gymnasium. It totally looked like a science fair, only instead of lame old baking soda volcanoes (which really are pretty cool)(but you know what I mean) it was all wicked awesome comics.

And then today I was up in Manchester, New Hampshire at the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where I gave a little talk to Joel Gill's comic book class (I'm sure it has a much more sophisticated collegiate sounding name than "comic book class") about comics (like, duh), how I draw them, and how I got published. It was a lot of fun, and hopefully I said some worthwhile things. I also did some critiques of work, which can be a little difficult. It's not always easy to know what to say. You may see something, but will commenting on it help? What does this person with their art in your hands need to hear? What will help? What will hinder? What will make them cry? Will it help if they cry? Anyway, it was fun and we all had a good cry.

The Passive Aggressor

2011-12-02T08:34:00.001-05:00

I'm planning on doing a series of these. "The Heroes You Know." I've already got a few more planned: The Instigator, The Overthinker, The Argyle Snoot, but I'm totally open for suggestions. This one wasn't even my idea (credit goes to Colleen AF Venable). So let me know of any ordinary heroes you think need to get a little recognition!

There Are Rules

2011-11-28T08:44:00.001-05:00

A new batch of dailies with a little bit of a cowboy twist, and for some reason they didn't come out as jokey as previous ones.

And I got this from my friend Stephanie and it blows my mind.

And my friend Kevin sent me this, which is super awesome.

But he also sent me this, which started an argument.

But we were both in agreement about this.

And my friend Colleen showed me this, which I had missed, and I am still debating whether missing it was unfortunate or fortunate. Either way, I'm not sure I will ever be the same again.

This Is Fantastic!

2011-11-21T08:26:00.001-05:00

Fantastic? Well... that's the first line this week, but I'm not sure.

About a week or so ago I was in a bar, and on the stereo it was the Clash, The Amazing Royal Crowns, and the Bouncing Souls, which got me talking to the bartender who turned about to be Lenny from Darkbuster, who I had seen play up in Burlington, VT a decade or so ago (I remember a cover of this song from the show). He ended up giving me a CD and I've been listening to it on repeat ever since. This cover in particular. Bahley.

Hasta La Vista

2011-11-14T08:22:00.001-05:00

I think you should listen to this song while you read this dose of my daily comics, but you don't have to if you don't want to.

Also, there have been a few changes to the blog. Most importantly I've added some static pages which contain full comics I've done in the past. They're in all those tabs along the top.

And check this ridiculous drawing out.

And as much as I love Star Wars, do not buy me this for Christmas.

I Just Want Her to Like Me

2011-11-08T09:00:00.006-05:00

Listen to this song while reading this comic.

Up until now I have been doing all these daily comics entirely in ink with no pencils or predrawing whatsoever (which is why characters' appearances tend to shift a bit as I draw them). However, starting with the November 5th drawing I used a pencils for planning. I didn't erase them, so you can see them if you look closely. It feels a little bit like cheating to me because the whole point of these comics was that they would be completely unplanned, but I am happy with the results.

Also, those dates are a little bit fudged. I didn't really draw that November 5th drawing on November 5th. I was in New York on November 5th and got a little bit distracted.

Cruiser Territory

2011-10-31T09:02:00.005-04:00

Things took a bit of a trivia turn this week.

And this comic looks awesome. Oh yeah, I guess I gotta buy it! You probably should, too.

And this drawing is super super cool.

And this makes me want to draw people fighting.

Happy Halloween!

The Sex Sex

2011-10-28T08:23:00.003-04:00

Sometime in 1997 a guy named Erich and I started a band, but then I switched colleges, the band ended, and we lost touch with each other. However, we recently got back in touch, and he's doing comics and I'm doing comics, so we decided to do a split mini (like a split seven inch). Since we were in a band together, it only made sense that the theme would be rock and roll.

Here's the first page of my story (I'm still working on it, so if the color is bogus, or if you think some of lines are glitchy, let me know).

The idea was that we would have the mini all ready for KingCon in Brooklyn, which was scheduled for next weekend, but now KingCon has been postponed until I don't know when.

I am bummed.

BUT...

The Boston Comics Roundtable just turned five! Five years! We had a birthday cake at the meeting last night, and some people made speeches. I didn't make a speech, but I have to say that I love the group. Both of my graphic novels were done in Vermont with a fair amount of isolation, and to come to Boston and find this group and become a part of it has just been amazing. I've made friends. There have been anthologies. Whenever I draw anything, I can bring it in, and people will give me their thoughts on it. I've gone to way more conventions than ever before because of the group. This includes a marathon drive back from SPX this year, a ride in which it was discovered that I am able to fall asleep mid-sentence and then wake up ten minutes later and finish the sentence. There have been discussions about ames lettering guides (how cool is that?)(not cool at all)(but dorkmeterwise it's off the charts)(which is pretty cool). I got help the last time I moved. When Joe and Azat got reviewed by some dope who didn't know Turkmenistan was a real country, the BCR was there to turn my indignant rage into laughter.

I even got telephone dumped by a girl right before a BCR meeting started.

But mainly it's just been great to have a place to go every week and geek out about comics. Comic drawing can be such a solitary activity. It's been awesome to be a part of the group the last few years. Thanks to everyone!

AND there's going to be a costume party tonight at seven thirty at the Crimson Lounge at Tommy Doyle's in Harvard Square to celebrate the release of Hellbound 2! Everyone in the vicinity should come.

Never Ever Gonna Be Done

2011-10-26T08:42:00.006-04:00

A few more add ons for the Battle Royale, which is beginning to feel a little something like Leaves of Grass (only of course really really nerdish).

I'll be sliding these into the original drawing using Photoshop.

Devil Tambourine!

2011-10-24T08:36:00.003-04:00

Picking up from last week, where the tambourine went crazy and killed people.

And that's it for the maracas and tambourinerism! And that's also it for the Moleskine as well! I started drawing in it on July 26th, and except for a few missed days during SPX, I've drawn something in it every day since then. And now I get to buy a new one!

And look at these eyes!

And look at these icons! Which reminds of this comic that my friend Ben and I started way way back back in the day (1999!) and rather regularly tell each other we're going to finish. Of course, we were a little ahead of the iconographism trend then, and now we're a little behind.

Further Tambourinery and the New York Comic Con

2011-10-17T07:54:00.007-04:00

First, a fresh batch of the dailies. I'm not sure if I've explained these, but basically before bed every night I draw a moleskine page of comics. Originally, these were daily life type comics, but at some point I got fed up with that (not my daily life, but the drawing of my daily life) and just started making stuff up. This picks up from last week's batch about tambourines and maracas.

AND now, New York Comic Con, which was this weekend. I got into New York on Friday night (two and a half hours later than the scheduled arrival time)(Mega BUS!), and I immediately met up with my friend Stephanie from Peace Corps days (hadn't seen each other in five years!)(hadn't seen each other since Turkmenistan!) and her husband Rick, and we had many drinks.

And then Saturday morning was rough. Thankfully, Stephanie and Rick got me fed and on the subway and into Manhattan. I wasn't quite sure where I was going, but then I saw this and knew I was on the right track.

I then saw a Power Ranger whom I followed to the Javits Center, where I was completely overwhelmed. Seriously, my mind might have been a little frazzled from the night before, but that place would frazzle the most unfrazzled of minds.

In no particular order:

The yelling booth:

I'm not really sure what the point of this was, but people were getting into this booth and screaming their lungs out. There was a meter on the outside. This kid hit one hundred on his third try.

Speed Dating:

No way! And it's being taped for television? My sweet lord. Word on the street was that a lot more men were interested in this than women, about six to one. I'm shocked... and very curious.

Me and a Storm Trooper:

Notice the footwear, no way I'm running away from this guy with those kicks on! But seriously, Storm Troopers or anyone else in a costume that involves a helmet have no periphery vision, so if you want to attack them come from the side!

Voltron Panel:

My friend Jacob Chabot is working on the first of series of Voltron graphic novels. This was the room where he had his panel about it. This was one of the smaller rooms at the venue.

North Hall:

Oh my God! Look at how big that room is! AND this is just like a twentieth or thirtieth or fortieth part of the show. This is a giant room that I actually had trouble finding. In this area there is a costume contest, some gaming, some cars, some sort of spinning top final four competition, and way down at the end is the autographing area, where the awesome Colleen Venable was signing books.

Darkwing Duck:

Darth Vader doing well with the ladies (but remember, no periphery vision, so I'm not sure he even knows they're there):

A car painted matte white and drawn on:

The Ghostbusters:

I actually saw this guy early Sunday morning in Jersey City out the window of the diner where I was eating the lumberjack pancakes and then again at the show:

The Batmobile with a Delorean in the background:

Boba Fett:

A Boba Fett lunchbox:

Chewbacca, Mini-Mario, and Princess Peach:

And Chris Giarusso drawing pictures and signing autographs (he's awesome):

Whew! And I don't think I even got the one percent of it. There was the giant new Black Eyed Peas video game which had groups of ten people or so on stage dancing to My Humps (heaven!), Lego sculptures, a bajillion toys, a Jedi club, video games, video games, video games, MTV was there (who knew they still existed?), video games, anime characters, silly hats, people who I thought might be in costume but maybe that's just the way they dress... and there were definitely some funky smells. I don't think those Storm Trooper costumes breathe well.

Thanks to Colleen, Tara, Joey, Candida, Shel, Chris, Jacob, Julia, Stephanie, Stephanie, Rick and Erich for making it an awesome weekend!

Maraca Man!

2011-10-10T08:12:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I played wiffle ball on the beach! In October! In Massachusetts! Fantastic and riding the train up to the North Shore and the beautful sun and wanter and the Massachusetts coast, I swear I had a Massachusegasm. I love New England. A this time of year I don't think there is any place that I would rather be.

And next weekend, New York Comic Con! And this is one I'm going to as a fan. No sitting behind a table for me. I'm just going to be out there trying to get as many pictures with people in costumes as possible. Is Boba Fett gonna be there? I hope he's gonna be there.

AND also in little New York next weekend, there will be a little reception for a little comic book art show which features a little bit of work from a little me. Supercool. This is the notice:

Yep, that's my drawing on the invite!

AND in other news, this cracks me up.

AND this cracks me up and then makes me cry a little and then cracks me up and then sparks a melancholy ache in my heart for the way of the world is with its hopes and cruelties and frustrations and the fact that some people try so hard and... OH, GOD! IT'S JUST SO SAD AND BEAUTIFUL!

AND just in case you had any doubts about how awesome maracas are, check this out. Now you know.

The Dailies (How about a Drink?)

2011-10-03T08:08:00.004-04:00

Oh, man. What with the Sox going down is such an amazing blaze of ineptitude and all this rain it's been a little bit hard to keep one's head up.

Fortunately, this exists.

And I don't know if I have linked to this song before, but it brightens any Monday.

MICE!

2011-09-26T08:22:00.007-04:00

Okay!

First things first, the Massachusetts Independent Comic Exposition was this weekend and it was fantastic. Everyone involved in putting it together should get a medal of some sort for all their hard work. I'd like to specifically mention Dan Mazur, Shelli Paroline, Braden Lamb, Cherry Ogata, Jerel Dye, and Carl Tsui who seemed to always be there.

And I would personally like to thank Erik Heumiller for hooking me up with the buttons, Lauren and Roho for helping me put my books together, and Jen Vaughn, Rachel Foss and Rachel Dukes for making the weekend awesome!

Totally a great show!

And second things second, the dailies:

Okay, and normally I don't like to interrupt the flow of this nonsense, but this following page suffers from my lack of abstinence on Saturday night. Hence, the ink blot and my forgetting of what century it was.

And third things third, this is sweet.

Fourth things fourth, I know it may be a little early, but if you've been wondering what to get me for Christmas (and I know it's hard because I'm so remarkably picky) this is it!

And fifth things fifth, this is the real geektronic.

MICE!

2011-09-21T13:02:00.006-04:00

Yeah, BUDDY! MICE! The Massachusetts Independent Comics Exposition is this Saturday! I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it! I'm about to lose control and I think I like it!

And why am I as excited as the Pointer Sisters?

1. Cause it's a comic book show packed with awesome people in my own backyard!

2. I got a brand spanking new hot off the presses comic making its debut. It's a debutante! It's also the first book I have done in full color! It's a full colortante! It's an awesometante! Dan Mazur wrote it! I drew it! It's got ice castles and assassinations and rooftop jumps!

3. And I'm going to finally get on top of the ball and have me some postcards! Every single convention I say to myself, "Damn, Jessup, why you so stupid and always forgetting to make some free postcards to give out to the people!" But not this time! This time I'll be saying, "Damn, Jessup, those are some wicked sick postcards you're giving out!" Provided of course that I remember to bring them!

4. And I'm gonna have some little buttons! Which I haven't made, but I swear I'm going to make 'em tomorrow and these are the sheets that I'll be making 'em from! There birds! It'll be a bird buttontante!

4. New tag team comic called Hot Mess put together by the remarkable Jen Vaughn and myself! Which I don't have a picture of, but it is going to be as awesome as awesome gets! Trust me! Would I lie to you? (Yeah, I know I said that this thing was going to be at SPX and then it wasn't, but you know, things happen, and this time I swear to god it's going to be there)(if it isn't, I'll let you punch me). And she (Jen Vaughn) is also gonna have the awesomer than awesome anthology Lies Grown-Ups Told Me for sale! An anthology that features me (so buy it, dad!).

5. Still got a few limited edition silk screen Battle Royale prints down by Joel Christian Gill for you to drool over!

6. DIM SUM the day after!

I will feel most sorry for you if I do not see you there!

The Dailies

2011-09-19T10:37:00.004-04:00

I hadn't missed a daily until SPX! Then Saturday and Sunday, lots of drinks, no drawings. Anyway, here's some absurdity to brighten up a Monday. It may make more sense if you check part 1 and part 2 first. Then again, it may not.

And I think that may be the end of Devil Man, at least for now.

A little more SPX.

2011-09-19T08:09:00.003-04:00

So, at the last few conventions I've done hourly comics as a way of recording the event. Basically, every hour I sit down and draw whatever it is that happens to be going on at that moment. This is an awesome way to draw a comic and I highly recommend it to anyone (even if you don't draw comics)(seriously, just get some paper and stuff it in your pocket)(and stuff a pen in there, t00)(and every hour do a little doodle)(DO IT!). It's totally satisfying and at the end almost without even trying you have a comic. It's way better than those brutal 24 hour comics. As far as I know John Campbell is the guy who thought it up.

Anyway, I planned to do this at SPX, and I was pretty good all through Friday, though this consisted mostly of drawings of riding in the car from Boston to SPX. Not the most exciting stuff, and then on Friday, once the free drink tickets came out, the hourly comic crashed and died. This was the last one I managed to draw, after having completely forgotten about it for four hours.

The only other drawing from it worth posting was from earlier in the day. It's about beards and glasses.

Oh and on Friday I won a Nerdlinger! I got the Grammar Sex God Award. How cool is that?

Some people said I wasn't supposed to drink it, but who can resist?

And I got a whole bunch of comics! I haven't even begun to try and get through my pile.

But one that I have read and think is fantastic is Seamus Heffernan's Freedom. It's awesome and you should check it out (and by check it out I mean buy it). He won a Xeric! And he's from the North Shore! Not that I have a New England prejudice or anything.

The SPXes

2011-09-13T13:07:00.003-04:00

Man, oh man, oh man. SPX! I love you, SPX.

Why would I get up early on Friday and drive forever to see you? Love.

Why would I let you kick me out like you do every year? Why would I spend all Sunday night driving back to Boston? Why would I get home at 6:30 in the morning and then go to work at nine o'clock all bombed out and stupid? Cause I loves you, SPX.

Why would I take all the money I made on my comics and spend it on other comics? Cause I just can't get enough.

Why would I put up with people coming up to my table, reading all my comics, laughing at the funny bits that I always hoped people would laugh at, taking their time looking at every drawing on every page and walking away without even a comment let alone a purchase? Cause I love you (and because those people are the annoying exception to the rule)(and I love you).

Why would I stay up way way way way later than I should drink drink drinking drinks with the other drinky cartoonists? Cause I love you, SPX (and you gave me free drink tickets).

Why would I go up to Scott C. and tell him how awesome he is, which he, like, totally already knew, and then totally forget to give him the comic that my friend and I did solely because we were inspired by the sheer awesomeness of his comics? Cause I'm fucking stupid, SPX (and you'd given me free drink tickets the night before).

Why would I choose to stand behind a table for eight hours in a room with no windows on a truly beautiful Saturday? Cause I loves you, SPX?

Why would I ever eat at a Chili's? Because just like me, Chili's is wanting to be close to you, SPX.

Yeah, SPX is awesome.

If you haven't gone, you definitely should.

Wait! More SPX stuff!

2011-09-07T13:05:00.003-04:00

So I won't have this at my table, but it will be available from Jen Vaughn, Nomi Kane, and Caitlin McGurk... the Lies My Parents Told Me anthology! Which I have a story in! It's about broccoli!

And I saw a proof the book when I was up in White River Jct. last weekend, and it looks awesome! I was laughing out loud at the lies that the parents were telling their children! Kids say the darnedest things? I don't think so. It's the parents! I can't wait to get my copy (and I hope I'm correctly remembering that I get a free one for contributing a story)(but maybe that's a lie I was telling to myself).

So What'cha Gonna Have at SPX?

2011-09-06T15:38:00.004-04:00

Well, I'm gonna have ten big old prints of this fight scene that I cranked out. These are full on silkscreened original pieces of art done by my main man Joel Gill (who'll also be at SPX selling the awesomest thing in the world: black conservative trading cards!). Each one will come with a little guide to all one hundred and sixty two characters (you know in case you forgot who the green Voltron guy was)(God! I can't believe you don't remember!)(Who could forget Pidge!)

If that don't plug you in just like you was Eddie Harris, I don't know what will.

Then again maybe a comic called Bounce Pass will.

This was done by me and my other main man Kevin Cline, and in many ways I think it's the one that I'm the most excited about. Kevin and I were cracking up making it and this is one of those awesome collaborations where it's all such a blur you can't even say who did what. Whose idea was it? His? Mine? No ways, Ours!

Yeah, you're eating cheese like you'd think I was from Paris!

Oh and then there's this piece of awesomeness (which will be in a whole book of awesomeness).
A tag team between me and Jen Vaughn! Super sweet. Jen Vaughn = Awesome. Jesse Lonergan = Awesome. Together = Wicked Awesome!

And of course, I'll have some grammar comics. One of which was so obnoxious that one of the kind readers on Reddit said that reading it made them want to punch me in the face!

How can a little grammar inspire such feelings of rage?

You better check it out, and hopefully, if you read it, it'll make you want to give me a fist bump and not a punch in the face.

And I'll have Dancing with the Star Wars, naturally.

And a whole mess of other comics and stuff. Minis, my graphic novels, a few experiments, and my always charming demeanor will be on hand.

See you theres!

The Dailies (Stop Making Sense)

2011-09-05T11:15:00.004-04:00

Let the nonsense commence! This might make more sense if you read last weeks post, but I can't guarantee anything.

All vestiges of journal comics have disappeared, but if I were to do a journal comic it would be all about how awesome the Center for Cartoon Studies is. At the encouragement of Jen Vaughn I finally made my first trip up there and I can't believe I've been so close for so long and never visited before. White River Junction is a small little Vermont town that is just packed with cartoonists. How cool is that? Thanks to Jen, Molly, Sam and Ryan for an awesome weekend and for the place to sleep. Thanks to Bill, Donna, Jen again, Rachel, Sam, and Sara for an awesome night of drawing (and my fingers are crossed in hope that they will not post any of the dirty things that came out of my pen). AND thanks to Andy, Dave, and Joyanna for the longest game of Uno I have ever played and which will guarantee that I think twice before ever saying yes to a game again. And thanks to everybody else at the Center for Cartoon Studies. Awesome. I can't wait to go back.

The Dailies (Keeping It Unreal)

2011-08-29T08:52:00.003-04:00

So... I was keeping these as sort of journal comics documenting my life, but last week I just lost patience with that and decided I'd just draw whatever I feel like. There might be an ongoing narrative, there might not be. For now all it's really about is taking the time at the end of the day to do some drawing.

The Dailies

2011-08-22T12:19:00.006-04:00

And this came up in conversation over beers on Saturday night. Do you know what the worldwide top-selling albums of all time are? I didn't. I had some guesses... but I think I only got one right.

Here we go.

1. Michael Jackson - Thriller - 110 million (roughly the population of Mexico). Of course, the one I would have guessed.

2. AC/DC - Back in Black - 49 million (a bit of a drop, but still more than the population of South Korea). I'm surprised, but then again, I think almost everyone I think is cool has a copy.

3. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - 45 million. Okay.

4. Whitney Houston/Various Artists - The Bodyguard Soundtrack - 44 million. Doesn't everybody gag when they hear "I Will Always Love You"?

5. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell - 43 million. Are you kidding me? Meat Loaf? "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"? Are there really that many people (the population of Tanzania) who buy albums out of ironic spite?

6. The Eagles: Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) - 42 million. Ugh.

7. Various Artists - Dirty Dancing Soundtrack - 42 million. Unbelievable. I just checked to see what the other songs on this album are besides "I Had the Time of My Life", I'm not going to go through the whole list, but one of them is "You Don't Own Me", but not the Lesley Gore or Joan Jett version. No, it's performed by a group called the Blow Monkeys. I'm not joking. Track Seven. I'm tremendously curious about their royalty deal. Say they get a penny for each album sold, that's 420,000 dollars!

8. Backstreet Boys - Millenium - 40 million. Awesome. No arguments about this one (population of Argentina).

9. Bee Gees/Various Artists - Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack - 40 million. Well, my mom did own this, so it must have been pretty big.

10. Fleetwood Mac -Rumours - 40 million. Another one of mom's, but really?

But really? That's the top ten? Man, my mind is blown. I had no idea my collection was so incomplete. I gotta get to the record store!

And then I can listen to this!

The Dailies

2011-08-15T08:54:00.002-04:00

And here are some other comics that I think are awesome.

Dharbin.

Cat and Girl Comics.

Gingerbread Girl.

And some just general ex-girlfriend weirdness.

Battle Royale (some color)

2011-08-12T11:02:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago I posted the finished inks for this gigantic everybody vs. everybody mash up brawl. As I said in that post the finished inks don't really look like much. Color adds a lot of definition. It's amazing how recognizable characters suddenly become when you can see the colors.

The plan is to have this done in time for SPX, where I'll have it available as a print (and also be available for suing by just about every media company on the planet).

And here are a few things that I think are awesome.

Sculpture.

Secret Advertisements.

Food.

The Subway.

And this is what I think I will be like when I am older.

Small Drawings

2011-08-12T08:32:00.002-04:00

More drawings while riding the bus.

I think I've developed a technique for drawing on the bus. Quick big lines when you're at a stop, then little lines of pattern for the bump and herk and jerk parts. I've also developed definite bus driver preferences based on the smoothness of the ride.

And while riding the bus, you gotta have your new favorite song that you listen to all the time over and over again.

Cold Wind

2011-08-10T08:53:00.003-04:00

Here are few pages from this comic I've been working on (not in sequence). This is the first comic I've worked on where I haven't written the story as well. It was written by Dan Mazur, one of the cool people at the Boston Comics Roundtable.

One of the things I've really enjoyed doing as a part of working with somebody else's script is getting to flex some comic booking muscles that I don't normally use. I haven't really done too much in the way of action comics. There just hasn't been that much running, jumping or shooting in my comics. It's been cool to get a chance to get the action in there and crank out some extreme perspectives that would be totally inappropriate for the low concept stuff I normally draw.

Yeah, so I'll be feeling pretty good about my drawings, but then I'll look over at this guy's blog and just crap my pants.

Damn.

The Dailies

2011-08-08T08:54:00.003-04:00

I've gotten some comments about the dailies recently, things along the lines of, "damn, you're bumming, dude." Looking over them myself I kind of get the same impression. So for the record, I am not always procrastinating, drinking myself to oblivion or kicking myself for not drawing. I do draw. Regularly. The thing is that a day of sitting at a drawing board isn't so interesting outside of itself. A comic about a guy sitting at his desk moving a pencil or brush across a piece of paper for twelve hours sounds pretty boring to me. Failure is much more interesting.

Or maybe I'm wrong. I don't know.

Anyway, last week I inked twenty-four pages, five a day until Friday when I took it easy, did four, and then went to the bar.

And I love this letter that a pixar guy wrote that my friend Kevin saw and then sent to me after reading my daily comics because he thought I might need cheering up.

And I love this little bit of awesomeness.

And I heard this song this morning, and I got a feeling way down deep inside, oh lord, that it's going to be stuck in my head all day.

The Dailies

2011-08-02T08:53:00.002-04:00

Oh, man. SPX is coming on September 10-11??? Oh, man. I said I would get so much done by then. I gotta get cracking. I think if I manage to do five pages a day up until the convention, I might be close to completing all the things I said I would complete. Of course, I'm gonna forget something.

Guess I should stop goofing around in the internet. Looking at cool stuff like this.

Or this (you gotta wait a second for full awesomeness).

Or this, which Jen Vaughn told me about.

Small Drawings

2011-07-29T08:49:00.003-04:00

Whew. Is it Friday? Finally? Man... feels like a long week. And at the beginning of the week I told myself I was going to be so good and so productive and I wasn't going to go out and have drinks, I was just going to go straight home and put in some solid time at the drawing board, but then I said I'd just have one drink on Monday and four drinks later I was lamenting what a fool I was but Tuesday I decided I hadn't quite been foolish enough on Monday and had to really kick the foolishness into high gear and end up at Hong Kong, which is where all evening go to die in Harvard Square, and then Wednesday...

But this weekend... I swear. Work time!

But you never know.

And this is death.

Battle Royale Finished Inks

2011-07-28T09:11:00.003-04:00

Some details of the finished inks for this big fight scene that I have been working on. This was drawn with the intention of it being colored, so right now these inks really don't look like much. I drew this, and I can't really make sense of it all. It kind of looks like a jigsaw puzzle. Characters blend together, and it's hard to tell exactly what's going on. Color will fix all that.

All of this was inked with a Hunt 107 pen nib, which is good and stiff and can provide a really fine line. A fine line was important because of the amount of detail in this drawing.

And all this inking was done with the help of Gene Vincent.

And this stuff is the best.

And this is the other best.

The Dailies

2011-07-25T08:39:00.005-04:00

The old Moleskine that I had been doing the dailies in got all filled up, so I decided to switch to a bigger one. I also switched to a rapidograph for the drawing.

Okay, and the movie I was watching on Saturday was Terminator 2, which is awesome. But unfortunately, it's the special director's cut or something (and I shouldn't really complain because it just fell into my lap anyway, cause my friend Mario was dumping DVDs). I feel like the term Director's Cut has shifted in my mind. It used to mean the awesome-real-version-of-the-movie-you-were-supposed-to-see-but-THE-MAN-didn't-think-was-commercially-viable (like the British version of Brazil). But now I think it means the longer-than-you-want-crammed-with scenes-cut-for-obvious-reasons-put-together-for-another-DVD-edition-that-might-convince-you-to-buy-the-movie-again version.

I just want my movies the way they were!

The worst example of this would be the Star Wars Special Editions, but it's spread. I was watching The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and it turned out to be the special edition with added scenes. Perfect. If there was ever any complaint I had about The Good, the Bad and the Ugly it was that it was just too too short. Unfortunately for this special edition director's cut, the sound on the original scenes had been lost, so they were redubbed by Eli Wallach and Clint Eastwood. Of course, thirty years later and their voices don't sound the same at all.

The Dailies

2011-07-18T08:05:00.004-04:00

Oh, another Monday. Makes me feel a little bit like this little lamb.

But at least I don't feel like this.

But it's probably just best to keep it in perspective.

Small Drawings

2011-07-15T08:12:00.003-04:00

Some doodles while waiting...

And I'd like to give a shout out to the other Jesse Lonergan, who seems to be doing very well in the under 18 Australian Rules Football League.

In these models blow my mind! My mind was fine before, then after... BLOWN!

And ever since I read about the Dunning-Kruger Effect I've been seeing it everywhere I go!

And as you step into the weekend, step in with this song. Ooh la LA!

Battle Royale (Raw Inks)

2011-07-12T16:02:00.006-04:00

Here are a few more process details from this huge fight scene I've been drawing. Inking's been a little difficult because it is hard to keep track of where exactly one character ends and where another begins. What seemed like a perfectly clear pencil line at the time of penciling, turns out to be a vague scribble when I return with the pen and ink.

As I said before, I'm trying to get as many characters in as possible, and I keep getting reminded of characters that I'd forgotten (Bill and Ted!) or characters that I didn't forget, but if you're going to draw a battle royale, and your main goal is to get as many awesome characters and people in as possible, how could they not be in there (PRINCE!).

And I also realized I'd been a little remiss and forgot to show some anthologies that I've been involved in.

There's this book, that's all about teaching or being taught, so if you've ever been a teacher or a student or anybody's ever taught you anything or you ever taught anybody else anything or if you were anybody else's teaching or if teaching taught you anybody's students, or if you ever slept with one of your college professors... this book is for you. It can be picked up from Ninth Art Press.

Then there is this super super sweet anthology about Werewolves I did a story about an all monster battle of the bands for. This is the final issue of the series and I'm so happy to be in it. You can pick it and all the other issues up here.

And if you're not feeling like picking anything up... well, I guess you could grumble about the things that people do to their pets.

And if you're not feeling like looking at some super sweet links cause it's just too much effort, I give you: DUCKTOOF!

Drawn by my buddy Kevin Cline.

And this morning I was riding the escalator out of the T, and I looked down and there was this guy riding the lower escalator air drumming to his headphones, which put a smile on my face, and then a second later..."What have I become...now that I'm alone?" this song lyric pops in my head. But what's the song?

"What have I become...now that I'm alone?"

God damn it! What is it???

"What have I become...now that I'm alone?"

Then in the elevator up to work the doors close and bing... CORAZON D'ORO! One of the sweetest songs around! Perfect for these hot hot days!

The Dailies

2011-07-11T08:28:00.003-04:00

How'd this week go by so fast?

Oh well, I'm sure the next week will go by really slowly.

Small Drawings (and some drawings from friends)

2011-07-08T08:35:00.004-04:00

These drawings aren't done in a real sketchbook. They're done in a little day planner that my friend David had no use for, a super small moleskine one, which includes all sorts of important information like how to convert your American foot into a British shoe. I just ignore this information and draw all over the pages. Which feels really good. It's like drawing in the textbooks in school all over again (not that I ever did that if any of my former teachers happen to be reading this)(it was Scott).

But sadly, this little book's pages are running out and I need to find a new little book, and it seems silly to buy a daily planner with the intention of using it for a sketchbook, when there are sketchbooks available, just so I can ignore all the lines.

And I don't know if you know this, but there is still in fact a United States Postal Service. I'd totally forgotten about it until I got these two little articles this week.

This postcard from Kevin who was vacationing in France.

And Patrick, who is going to become a father today (TODAY!!!), sent me the phone charger I forgot in Brooklyn a while back and he put sweet stuff on the envelope. I whited out his address because I don't want all my former teachers who are reading this blog sending him phone chargers expecting him to send them back in padded envelopes with awesome drawings under the address.

Patrick falls into that category of people who draw way better than I do without even trying. Kind of like this guy.

And all of these things after careful evaluation have been deemed awesome.

Toy cars.

Birds.

Strong Female Characters.

And my friend Carl's airplane.

These were decided to be awesome by an independent group consisting of electors appointed from each state who formally say "yay" or "nay" in regards to awesomeness. Article II, Section 1, Clause Awesome of the Constitution specifies how many electors each state is entitled to have and that each state's legislature decides how its electors are to be chosen, which isn't true at all, these just happen to be things on the internet that I like.

Battle Royale (Pencils)

2011-07-06T08:30:00.003-04:00

I've had this desire to draw an absolutely huge super mega fight scene with everybody fighting everybody in it, and this weekend I finally sat down and began to get to it. These are some pencil details. I've tried to get almost every awesome character in: Superman, Batman, James Bond, Indiana Jones, Axel Foley, Wolverine, Edward Scissorhands, and on and on, and I thought I had done a pretty good job.

Then last night I was having a beer with my friend Nick and he brought up Garbage Pail Kids and I knew immediately I needed to get some of them in there. And then, of course, once you think of one thing to add, other things to add just start to pile up: Knight Rider, Spaceman Spiff, the kid from Flight of the Navigator, Johnny Quest, Bill and Ted...

So, I though these were details of the finished pencils, but it now seems that that is not the case.

The Dailies

2011-07-05T08:49:00.005-04:00

Oog! Spelled Charlie's wrong! I'm such an idiot. And what's up with navy blue and white striped shirts? They're everywhere!!

Another year half gone!! Man, they just get going so fast. How fast? Too fast. Anyway, it being just a little bit after the half year mark, I think it's time that I check to see how I'm doing on my New Year's resolutions, which I so wisely posted here in January. This is gonna be awesome!

1. Memorize the periodic table.

Ha ha! Signed out a book from the library all about the elements, but only got as far as the rare earth metals and I've already forgotten those.

2. Publish a tract on the proper way to ride a city bus (because apparently some people need this; for example, if there is an empty seat in front of you, SIT IN IT! Don't just stand there blocking the way, you big dope!)(I know there is this idea that if you're a healthy young man in the prime of life that you shouldn't take that seat and instead should leave it for someone decrepit, but all you are doing is blocking the aisle of the bus and blocking the view of all the empty seats in the back of the bus, and suddenly in a few stops the front of the bus is all clogged with people standing up because you were standing up because why would you be standing up if there were empty seats)(and if someone decrepit does come on the bus you can always stand up and give them your seat and then all the people on the bus will think, "What a kind young man.")(SO SIT DOWN!!!).

Nope. Which is probably for the best anyway.

3. Calm down and stop foaming at the mouth about how people don't know how to ride the bus.

Damn it! In this very string of comics posted today I did that!

4. Get a firmer understanding of the history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (I know, I know, I know, I made the same resolution last year).

Failure!

5. Find out just who exactly this Justin Bieber character is.

Sadly, I've been successful with this one.

6. Remember to close the cabinet doors in my kitchen instead of leaving them open all the time.

Bumped my head on an open cabinet door this morning.

7. Cease snorting derisively when anyone mentions McSweeney's.

No.

8. Smile more frequently.

No.

9. Wear headphones less often.

No.

10. Bake a wide variety of breads.

Haven't turned on the oven once this year.

11. Refrain from mocking books and movies that I have never actually read or seen.

Right, like that's ever going to happen. Especially if they (those idiots in Hollywood who never seem to listen to the messages I telepathically send them) keep releasing things like the Green Lantern!

So, not too successful. But I promise, I swear I'll do better in the second half! Six months. Sweet. No problem. I could bake, like, 183 loaves of bread in that time!

And I'll even add one. I'm gonna learn how to play Chug-a-lug by Roger Miller on the guitar cause it's my new favorite song.

Lies Grown-Ups Told Me

2011-07-01T08:47:00.004-04:00

A while back I got an email from Jen Vaughn calling for a submission to an anthology called Lies Grown-Ups Told Me, which has to be one of the best ideas for an anthology ever. I've been talking with everyone I know about it since. Anyway, my story is about the invention of broccoli and hopefully it gets accepted (but I know other people have been told some pretty good lies)(for example, quartz is an ice that doesn't melt). Here's the first page:

And here are some drawings from the little notebook I carry with me at all times.

And here are some awesome things that I think you should check out:

Warwick Johnson Cadwell's blog. I don't think any of this guy's stuff is available in America, but it should be. I just love looking at his drawings.

Nathan Bulmer's blog, which I love more and more with each new comic.

This makes me wish I'd never gotten rid of all my toy cars.

And this song's opening has been stuck in my head for days!

The Dailies

2011-06-27T08:18:00.002-04:00

Whew! Another week come and gone.

And seriously, what is going on with that storage facility?? I'm so bummed I didn't get an answer this weekend. I can't believe I had to leave Vermont to come back to Boston without knowing at least what is inside.

But at least on the bus I got to see this. That Garrett Hedlund, so dreamy.

But I think this is dreamier.

While this is dreamy to the max.

Birthday Fett/Small Drawings

2011-06-24T08:36:00.007-04:00

My friend Tara's little brother's birthday was on Wednesday, and she commissioned me to do a Boba Fett drawing for a gift. The results:

Probably one of the skinnier Fetts around. I love drawing Star Wars stuff because it gives me an excuse to put Star Wars in the DVD player and I can call it research. It also gets me thinking total geek thoughts, like which Boba Fett costume is more authentic, the one from Empire or the one from Jedi? The differences are slight, but I'm sure people (people more devoted than me) will notice. Is it okay to mix and match? "Oh, all the real Star Wars fans will hate it!" That's what I'm saying in my head as debate the placement of the little pouches hanging around Boba Fett's belt.

And here are a few small drawings drawn in my down time.

And this comic is awesome.

And these drawings are awesome.

And this dancing is awesome.

And this song is about to be the soundtrack to my weekend.

The Dailies

2011-06-20T08:48:00.003-04:00

Man, all I got to say is that a daily comic just doesn't do justice to a trip to New York. Hourly is the only way to go. I was down there seeing my friends Avani and Patrick who are expecting the arrival of a new baby in a couple of weeks, and helping them out with the getting ready. It was very informative. For example, I had no idea what a onesie was.

Anyway, they're going to have a rockin kid, and I finally get to be Uncle Jesse (though I'm not sure if it'll be the Dukes of Hazzard or the Full House version)(not that I'm related anyway)(but us only children have to insert ourselves into the uncle/aunt role whenever and wherever possible).

And I think the little guy should start off dancing to this (baby's can dance when they're born, right?).

And they should drive the family around in one of the these, and when people ask them how they're doing, they should say, "We're livin' large!"

And I can't wait to help make this!

They're probably going to hate it when Uncle Jesse comes to town.

The 300th Post!

2011-06-15T08:30:00.005-04:00

Whoa. Number three hundred? How did that happen? Damn, I hope it's a good post.

My friend Erich (who has an awesome blog himself)(you should email him and tell him that his blog is awesome and that he should post more often)(seriously)(and compare him to me and tell him, "Jesse's at like post number 300")(no don't do that)(I mean do that)(no really don't)(DO IT!)... anyway, my friend Erich said:

"I really like the process pics. I think people really enjoy seeing how their preferred artists work. It gives them a sense of being a part of the thing."

And I don't know if I'm too many people's preferred artist, but here come some process pics.

Currently what I am working on is a story called Cold Wind which was written by my friend Dan Mazur. He originally submitted it for a horror comic anthology which I am editing called Hellbound. I rejected it because it wasn't really a horror story. Then I told him I'd like to draw it. And Dan was like, "I don't know whether I'm coming or going with you. You reject me. Then you pull me back."

And I was like, "It's just the rules of the game, baby."

So the process really starts with Dan's script. He didn't break it out into pages or panels, so there is a lot of leeway in terms of what happens on a page. The white area is the page I'm going to draw.

Next comes a rough sketch in my sketchbook. Depending on how awesome I am that day, this can go really quickly or really slowly. If I'm particularly awesome, I'll come up with something I like rather quickly. If my personal awesomeness is at low-tide, it will take forever. I'll draw and redraw, erase, draw, erase, doubt myself and every decision I have made in the last few years, and eventually decide to put on my headphones and go for a run because at least I can manage to put one foot in front of the other in a semi-competent manner most of the time.

Once the page is laid out, I'll do a little bit of visual research. The characters being machine gun toting wolf guards, I look up wolves, Nazi uniforms, and machine guns on the internet. Mainly, I look for photographs, but occasionally I'll look for some comic book references to see how other people have done something. In this case, I took a look at my friend Dirk's drawings (yeah, that's a signed page by him)(no I didn't look it up on the internet)(it's in my library)(it's awesome).

I always love looking up guns because it brings me to such interesting websites created by people who scare me.

Personally, I'm never really sure how useful much of the stuff I look up online is. It often feels like justified procrastinating. Did I really need to look up Nazi uniforms? This not being historical fiction there is no need for accuracy. I probably could have figured an intimidating guard uniform out on my own. I also definitely find myself getting a little off track and looking at things that have no relevance whatsoever.

Procrastination completed, I start doing some sketches of the wolves and one reference sketch of the guns that they will be carrying. Because these characters are only appearing on this page and one panel of the next, I don't sweat it too much. If they were main characters I would do more practice drawings (that's a lie)(I'm the worst)(I never do enough character studies)(I just make a lot of it up as I go and hope for the best).

Then I take out the 11x17 bristol board and get to work. I'll do the panel borders in blue first. Then, using a 3h graphite pencil I lightly draw in the contents of the panels. Basically, this is just to come up with the idea of where the perspective points should be. I don't use blue pencil for this because I don't think I draw as well with a blue pencil (I have also yet to find a blue pencil that erases well)(and I need to erase a lot)(my awesomeness is not immediate)(it only comes after lots of refinement)(I'm super jealous of people who are awesome right out of the box).

Once I've figured out where the perspective points are I'll use the blue pencil to draw all the perspective lines. For perspective points that are far off the page I'll just tape a piece of copier paper to the back of the page like a wing and put the perspective point on that. I do this because I really don't like taping pages down to my drawing board.

The perspective lines are just guide lines that won't actually appear on the finished page. When I ink, I don't use a ruler at all, so this may seem like a lot of work for nothing, but I find that having the perspective lines there underneath just makes the drawing tighter even if the final lines are not perfectly straight. Individuals lines are off, but everything is in the right place.

After that (what a ridiculous process!)(the only thing worse than someone sitting down and doing this would be somebody taking the time to break down the process bit by boring bit)(where are the dancing superheroes??)(damn it!), I do finished pencils with a mechanical pencil (in this case, a cheapo Bic #2 from CVS)(cause I can't find my good one)(cause somebody came into my house and stole it I bet).

And that's it until the inking... which I think I'll get to next week.

Also, everyone should check out my friend Patrick's blog. He's doing some awesome stuff about his coming baby.

And this guy isn't my friend, but I wish he was.

The Dailies and a Belated MECAF Report

2011-06-13T08:33:00.007-04:00

Never have I wanted to know Spanish more.

and MECAF!!!

All, right, so like a billion years ago I went to MECAF (actually I think it was three weeks ago) and, of course, it being an awesome independent comic book show I picked up a bunch of comics, and told myself I would read through them and then mention my favorites here. And then I got home and put all the minis in a pile and then got distracted and had a few dates and few beers out with friends and a couple of poker nights, and I created piles of dishes and piles of library books and piles of DVDs...

BUT Saturday I decided to finally get down to it and remove that nagging pile of MECAF comics from my list of piles (which is actually a pretty awesome chore to have)("oh, damn, I'm going to have to spend this worthless rainy Saturday afternoon listening to the Mekons and reading awesome comics")(sucks to be me).

So here we go. My favorites in reverse alphabetical order by title (because "in no particular order" is just lazy):

You're Never More at Home then When It's Time to Leave by Matt Young. An awesome collection of stories, including one called Not Band X which I wish I had written. If you were bummed out when you heard The Buzzcocks "What Do I Get" in a RAV 4 commercial, this story is for you.

Werewolf 4 and Werepups by a whole mess of people, but put together by Penina Gal, Betsey Swardlick, Josh Rosen, and Nick Patten. Awesome stuff about Werewolves. Highlights for me were Betsey Swardlick's stories in both books and Josh Rosen's old bones in Werewolf 4. Over all on a scale of Milli Vanilli to the Beatles I give the books a Aftermath Era Rolling Stones (the British, of course)(not that compromised American version).

Sugar Baby by Nomi Kane. This is just straight up great comic booking. Awesome comics that just nail childhood. She gets it right. It sort of hits all points, the good parts, the sad parts, the silly parts, the rough parts. It's all their. And she just told me it was about growing up with diabetes, which totally sells it short, because it's about so much more than that. Also, judging by the title of her website she's also a big Clash fan.

Inkbook by Bob Flynn. I think I might hate Bob Flynn because he draws so well and makes it look so easy. This is just a collection of doodles from his sketchbook and it's just great. I bet that even when Bob is putting ketchup on a burger it comes out as an awesome drawing.

Heavy Flow by Jen Vaughn. I few years ago, my girlfriend at the time had a boss who told her that she should have life consultants, specific people chosen to offer specific advice for specific situations. So you'd have a legal consultant. A relationship consultant. Whenever I thought about this I would always find myself drifting off topic and deciding on things like my Star Wars consultant or my Clash consultant. Anyway, Jen Vaughn would be my lady fluids (I believe she coined the term) consultant. Seriously, before Jen Vaughn came along the only thing I knew about menstruation came from the Kids in the Hall. Even more seriously, this is an awesome comic book that made me laugh a lot. Especially the bit about plungers and giants.

Grune by Zack Giallongo. There is a lot of sci-fi and fantasy that I hate. There seems to be this fictional history lesson at the beginning of the story, where the writer takes all this time explaining the rules of the fictional world to you, giving all this backstory and history, while nothing actually happens in the book. It's like that begat section from the Bible (I mean really, couldn't they just have written "sometime later" and be done with it?)(that would save us all a lot of trouble)(it would also mean the fundamentalist Christians wouldn't have to count all the years that people live in order to figure out the age of the earth incorrectly). Zack doesn't fall for this trap. He drops you right into the story and you the reader are left a little behind, but he tells the story so well that you know he's going to clue you in later.

Whew and I think that about covers it.

I promise I'll be faster after SPX.

Small Drawings

2011-06-10T08:36:00.004-04:00

A little less doodling and a little more paying attention to where I am. For these I'm using a Micron, the first few an 05, the last bunch an 08. Again, most of these are drawn while waiting for the bus, the train, or my friends (because I'm always early).

Man, but sometimes I'll see someone else's awesome sketchbook and think, "Oh, damn, I should draw like that! (if I could draw like that)"

And you should check out these pieces of awesomeness.

1. My friend Dan Mazur reveals where Sarah Palin gets her facts from. How sweet is that?

2. Go into your itunes and buy the Best of Loma Records cause it's wicked awesome soul music that you need to have in your life, and I don't know if it's a mistake or what, but it's got fifty songs and it only costs ten dollars. How sweet is that? Before you were like, "I wish I had a wicked cool soul music collection," and then ten dollars later you've got it on your ipod and you're on the bus and you're like, "Damn, I've got way cooler music than everybody else on this bus." And if you're unsure just listen to Stay with Me by Lorraine Ellison. I was listening to it and all of a sudden I was like, "Where are my socks? Oh, damn, I know, Lorraine Ellison just knocked them off."

3. Know that you live in a world where you can get gin in a bag.

4. And you've probably already seen this, but you should see it again.

5. And I think this guy is my hero. FREEHAND!

The Dailies

2011-06-06T08:32:00.003-04:00

The idea with these daily comics is that I just sit down and draw whatever I feel like at the end of the day, but what I find happening is I debate if what I am doing at any particular moment is what the comic is going to be about that night. I really don't want this. I don't want these comics to be planned. I tell myself not to think about it until the end of the day, but it's kind of like a bug bite. I'll just find my mind scratching at it.

"That girl on the bus is staring at me again! Should I draw todays comic about her?"

Or, I'll kick myself the next day because I'll remember something way better that I should have drawn the comic about.

But really, I'm trying no to think about it and keep it unaffected.

And everybody should listen to this song, which I regularly butcher on guitar.

Small Drawings

2011-06-03T08:40:00.003-04:00

More drawings done while riding the bus. While nobody pays any attention to someone fixated on a smart phone, drawing in a little book does get noticed. People take little sideways glances at my book, trying to see what it is I am drawing without having me notice that they are trying to get a peak. I know what they are doing because I look at people in almost the exact same manner when I am drawing them. A quick passing glance that will hopefully appear inadvertent. "I'm not looking at you. No, no, no, my eyes just happened to pass over you as they made their way from those incredibly interesting flip flops on the man next to you to the thought provoking Diabetes Foundation advertisement above your head. Any attention paid to you was purely accidental."

My fear is that sometime I'll be drawing some snotty drawing and then get caught by the person on the bus who was the inspiration.

"No, no, no! Not only was that an inadvertent glance that had no intention behind it, but this is also an inadvertent drawing. Any resemblance to you is purely coincidental. What? You think that drawing of a guy with a handlebar mustache is you?? No, lots of assholes have handlebar... Not that you're an asshole, I mean, on you it looks good and unaffected. Really. I mean it. No, I'm not being sarcastic. It's just the way I talk."

And then I'll quickly get off at the next stop.

The Dailies

2011-05-31T09:57:00.003-04:00

I can't believe I spelled Monday wrong on the last one!

Small Drawings

2011-05-27T12:54:00.005-04:00

A few more pages from my little pocket sketchbook (formerly a day planner).

The Dailies

2011-05-23T13:02:00.005-04:00

I just got back from a great weekend in Main at MeCAF. I rode up on Saturday with my friends Shelli, Brayden and Zack (Zack and I were not friends before this trip but it has now become official on Facebook), drank a mess of free beer at the Shipyard Brewery and got myself all good and tired out for the convention on Sunday.

It was a good show, but I did learn what kid-friendly really means. Before I went, everyone was telling me that the show was kid-friendly and I thought, "Yeah, yeah, there's nothing too offensive in my comics. It'll be no big deal." However, the first time a five year old picks up one of your comics you realize what kid-friendly really means. Comics about relationships: not kid-friendly. Comics about Turkmenistan: not kid friendly. Irony: not kid friendly. Grammar jokes: not kid-friendly.

Fortunately, I had plenty of dancing Star Wars characters, and Star Wars is about as kid-friendly as you can get (well, except for talking animals). I also did free sketches and found myself drawing lizard-monkeys.

And the comics from the last seven days:

Small Drawings

2011-05-20T08:28:00.004-04:00

I got this little Moleskine planner from my friend David. I'm not much on planning so I just keep it in my pocket and doodle when I have a spare moment. A majority of these were drawn on or while waiting for the bus.

I love charcoal!

2011-05-18T08:36:00.004-04:00

Here are some results from a figure drawing session. I can't say how much I have enjoyed doing this. Drawing comics is pretty clean. My hands might get a little ink on them, but not much, and the whole goal of a comic book image is that it is going to be read, so the drawing should be pretty clear (at least in most comics). I draw these neat smooth lines with a brush on nice thick paper. But with charcoal I get to make a complete mess! Lots of dashes, quick movements, scribbles... It's great.

And thanks to my friend Erik for getting me back into this.

The Dailies

2011-05-16T08:44:00.002-04:00

Two weeks ago I started drawing little one panel comics before going to bed. These aren't meant to cover the whole day or be a diary really, just moments from each day that stuck out. Hopefully in the future I'll be more consistent with the pen color.

Hot Hot Hot

2011-05-09T08:27:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure if it's just the greater Boston area, but it seems like there are an awful lot of ugly dudes with beautiful girls. You'll just see a couple and wonder, "What bizarre universe is this?"

Me, Myself and Me

2011-05-03T13:09:00.001-04:00

It's frustrates me how often I overhear this kind of conversation.

Catching Eyes

2011-04-29T10:38:00.005-04:00

I've done a fair amount of comic conventions now, and I am slowly (SLOWLY) learning how they work. Slowly I'm learning things that I'm sure are obvious to others. For example, having a giant bright colored image that attracts the eye of people walking by really makes it easier to sell stuff. It works much much much better than telling people how good the reviews were for your book about Turkmenistan.

Anyway, here a few brightly colored dancing storm troopers that will be printed big and bold to catch the eyes at the next con.

If you feel like dancing, I recommend Tighten Up by Archie Bell and the Drells.

Prepositions

2011-04-27T10:54:00.002-04:00

There are things that I'm a sucker for. There are certain things that I will just like no matter what their quality. An example would be movies that feature sad robots. It could be the worst movie ever, but I'll still enjoy it because it has a sad robot in it. Such cinematic triumphs as A.I. and Bicentennial Man fall into this category. I cannot defend either of these films in any way. Yet, because they featured sad robots, I enjoyed them. Another example: punk covers of pop songs. Works every time. Or even better MOOG covers of pop songs.

But another example which is a little more specific is this type of song, and I'm not sure if this type of song has a name, but basically, it starts out really simply, with just a voice and perhaps a guitar or piano. After the first verse a steady but simple drum beat comes in. After the second, a bass lines appears and that drum beat gets a little more funky. The song builds and builds until it's this huge swelling party by the end. Sisterwoman by the Gentle Waves and Me and Paul by Willie Nelson are two of my favorites of this type of song.

Anyway, this comic sort of follows along those lines. Only with prepositions, which are rather fun (unless English isn't your first language, in which case they are nearly impossible). And there are some good prepositions out there that don't get used nearly enough. I think I should definitely try and slip "abaft" into more of my conversations. Of course, in order to do this I will probably have to spend more time on boats than I have of late. Perhaps "betwixt" is a better choice.

Figure Drawing

2011-04-25T09:57:00.004-04:00

My friend Erik invited me to a sip and sketch at Artison's Asylum near Union Square. I don't think I've drawn from a model in over ten years. I've drawn people on the street, sketched buildings, and studied myself in a mirror, but it's something else to work with a person sitting there. You just get to focus so much more than is socially acceptable in any other environment. Hopefully, I'll begin doing this more regularly.

The MOCCA Report

2011-04-12T10:38:00.007-04:00

This weekend I went down to New York for the MOCCA show and had a great time. I saw a bunch of old friends, got a lot of comics, sold some comics, and drank enough coffee to keep me up for a month. I haven't really even begun to dig through the pile of mini-comics I picked up, but some of my favorites so far have been...

Hello Operator by Aaron DeLaRosa. This had me laughing out loud yesterday. I love this guy's comics. I picked up Adventures in Hi-Fi at the last MOCCA I was at (two years ago) and it's awesome, too. You can check him out here.

The Adventures of Pooptoast #1-3 by Nathan Bulmer. The title threw me off a little, but I found that it got better and better with each issue. You can see his stuff here and here.

Hobby by Simon Gardenfors. This was at the Swedish comics table. This is the story of remembrance of a friend who has died and is moving and hilarious at the same time. I'd never heard of him before, but I feel like I should have.

Brace for Impact by Stephanie Yue. Autobio comics so much better than any autobio comics that I will ever do.

And thanks to everyone who helped me out this weekend. Aya, Braden, Cathy, Dan, and Shelli who I shared the tables with. Tara for letting me crash at her place(s). Erich and Ryan for stopping by with much needed coffee. Candida and Joey for giving me the full New York experience. And, of course, everybody who stopped by, chatted, and picked up a few of my books.

AND...

If anybody wants the detailed hour by hour experience of MOCCA, here is an hourly comic documenting the whole thing, from the moment I left my house on Friday morning to the moment I got back home Sunday night.

Continued Geekitude

2011-03-28T09:25:00.004-04:00

Total total geekiness. Sitting in front of a TV with the Star Wars DVD going (non-special edition, of course), piece of bristol board in my lap, rapidograph in one hand, remote control in the other. Freeze frame, fast forward, rewind, freeze frame, skip, freeze frame, super slow motion (cause the freeze frame gets a little pixelated sometimes), freeze frame.

I found myself wondering if all these images were truly iconic, or whether they were just iconic to me because I've seen Star Wars so many times. I think almost anyone could look at any of these drawings of the backgrounds and recognize which scene they're from. Hexagonal hallway, has to be the detention block. I don't think you could say the same with the prequels, but then I haven't bothered to watch the prequels so much. But what if it were the backgrounds from Indiana Jones? Would I recognize the bar that Karen Allen owns? I'm not so sure.

Blade Runner? I think I would definitely recognize the movie, but I'm not sure if I could place the scene.

As Geeky As I Get

2011-03-25T10:46:00.006-04:00

The MoCCA comics show is coming up in New York in a couple of weeks. I'll be there with a crew from the BCR with a whole bunch of minis and prints and random other stuff. You should come by and check us out. I'm planning to have a dancing Star Wars mini ready for the show. That depends on me being productive in the next two weeks and getting Luke, Han, and Leia doing moves that make the game sizzle.

As of right right now, all I've got his backgrounds for characters to dance in front of. I'm not sure whether drawing this has been actual work or a very developed form of procrastination that allows me to watch Star Wars over and over again.

Anyway, it's pretty geeky. I'll probably be adding some gray tones before I'm done.

Other Stuff I've Been Working On

2011-03-23T10:56:00.004-04:00

Last year at MICE, I picked up a copy of Werewolf!, which is an awesome mini-anthology about werewolves put out by Betsey Swardlick, Josh Rosen, Nick Patten, and Penina Gal. I told them to let me know if they were doing another one, and well, they're doing another. I decided not to limit myself to werewolves and have big mash-up vampire-zombie-mummy-robot-werewolf battle of the bands. Here's the first page.

The newest edition of Werewolf! will be available at MECAF on May 22nd.

And Dan Mazur has put together a little comics anthology all about education. I've had a fair amount of experience substitute teaching and finally had a place to put it.

Friday Night Sketch Challenge

2011-03-21T10:58:00.005-04:00

Last Friday a bunch of us got together for a drink and draw night (which is as geeky as it sounds)(Star Wars vs. Star Trek was discussed). We settled into a sketch challenge where everybody would be given ten minutes to draw a character and then everybody would show their sketches and a winner would be chosen. The winner would get to choose what everybody would draw next.

I won with my drawing of Vader and selected Captain Kirk as a peace offering to the Star Trek fans who I'd recently offended.

My Wonder Woman came out a little bit like Daria from MTV.

And everyone said my Green Lantern looked like he had polio.

Just Following the Lines

2011-03-16T14:07:00.003-04:00

I love drawing, but there are times where I just get sick of the stuff that comes out of the tip of my pen, pencil, or brush. I get bogged down in getting anatomy right, telling a story, deciding whether something is funny or whether something is even worthwhile. I draw a lot, and it is easy for drawing to get routine. Dull. Where the next drawing is just another drawing. When I find my mind in that place, the only thing that seems to work is to just try to clear my mind and not think of anything and let my pen go wherever it wants to. No worrying about representation. No worrying about accuracy or anything. No pencils and no erasing. Just a pen. Just lines on paper in whatever form they may take.

I feel a whole lot better afterwards.

Sound Effects

2011-03-14T11:26:00.003-04:00

I've always like onomatopoetic words and comics just happen to be filled with them. These come mostly from 1960s Marvel comics. Some people probably only think of the campy BIFF, BAM, POW from the Batman TV show, and I know Alan Moore went out of his way to avoid the use of any sound effects in V for Vendetta (not even to show that a phone is ringing), but I think there is a certain wonderful art in coming up with these words. Fzoosh. Zeept. Krrruntch (which is so much better than a mere "crunch").

Adjective Clauses, Boyfriends and Birthdays

2011-03-10T10:45:00.003-05:00

It's my birthday, and I know what your thinking. "Oh, damn! It's Jesse's birthday and I don't have a super sweet gift to give him! He always gets me the best gifts and never forgets my birthday! Oh, why am I such a horrible friend?? I wish I could do more than just send him birthday wishes on Facebook!"

Well, have no fear. Belated birthday gifts are always welcome. I like ties (preferably Brooks Brothers) and colorful sneakers (size 12)(preferably not hi-tops, unless they're wicked sweet hi-tops).

Send them along to:

Jesse Lonergan

68 Winsor Ave.

Watertown, MA 02472

And if you want to give me your birthday wishes in person I recommend you go to T.T. the Bear's tonight and see MEN. I'll be there.

The Really Fantastic Four

2011-03-07T08:16:00.002-05:00

When I told my friend I was drawing the Fantastic Four, he asked me if I was going to draw the Human Torch as a zombie since he died recently. It had never crossed my mind. Partly, because I don't really keep up with the FF, but mainly because for me the Fantastic Four is the Fantastic Four drawn by Jack Kirby and written by Stan Lee in the 60s. It's the same with Spider-Man. It's only in those issues where he is drawn by John Romita Sr. that really count. I just love those 1960s Marvel Comics. It's like you can see the fun that Kirby and Romita were having while drawing them. It just leaps off the page. I'm not saying that there hasn't been anything good since then, but for me, they're just the best.

From the Simple Present to the Future Perfect Progressive

2011-02-28T10:09:00.005-05:00

I am an ESL teacher, but this is generally not the example I use in class when I am explaining tenses. However, I do try to avoid the classic grammar book examples which always seem to involve telephones ringing, taking showers, walking home, having dinner and someone coming into the room (I was having dinner when the phone rang. Sharon came into the room after I had eaten dinner. The phone had rung three times before Sharon entered the room. I had been thinking about taking a shower for fifteen minutes when Sharon entered the room. Before Sharon entered the room, she walked home. Sharon had heard a phone ring in a neighboring house while she was walking home. I wonder when Sharon will enter the room again, and if the phone will have rung before she next enters the room. How many showers will I have taken by that time? And why is Sharon always entering my room?).

There is some grammar planet where phones are always ringing and showers are always being taken and Sharon always enters (but never exits) a room.