Social networking no more.

I've deleted my Myspace and Facebook accounts. These websites have collectively become a hopeless vacuum of time; time better spent doing other things. Join me in the revolution!

Israel

We are back from visiting family in Israel. Here are some photos.


Jerusalem


Open-air market, Jerusalem.


Walking on The Sea of Galilee


The Golan Heights

The Jordan River

Kibbutz Ma'ale Hachamisha



Shavuot


That big, bright band of light on tippy top of the horizon is the Mediterranean.

D.B. Cooper teaser

Here's a panel for ye.

We Kill Monsters.com

For more info on the series, check out their really fancy pants website. Click here.

Stumptown

Stumptown was fun. Here's a pic of the girls and I.

The Engineer HARDCOVER for $9.99?!

That's right, 128-full-color pages for only $9.99. Available June 24th.

Creepy Comics #1

Creepy Comics #1
Writer: Neil Kleid, Joe Harris, Dan Braun, Mike Woods
Artist: Angelo Torres, Bernie Wrightson, Jason Shawn Alexander, and others
Cover Artist: Eric Powell
What's black and white and clawing its way onto your reading list? It's the newly resurrected Creepy, of course! Now, don't fret, my putrid pets -- these new terror tales are cut from the same cursed cloth as the outlandish originals, telling contemporary horror stories with gorgeously ghoulish art from a lineup that'll make you lose your head! Original Creepy artist Angelo Torres teams up with devilish Dan Braun on "Hell Hound Blues"; Michael Woods and artist Saskia Gutekunst serve up a dose of "Chemical 13"; Neil Kleid and Brian Churilla provide "All the Help You Need" at a weird weight-loss camp; and jaundiced Jason Shawn Alexander brings his phenomenal painting skills to Joe Harris's "The Curse"! Plus Bernie Wrightson, the return of "Loathsome Lore," and more. All this, plus one classic story from Uncle Creepy's dank dungeon, and you've got 48 freakish pages of terror to bring home to mummy!
Publication Date: July 15, 2009
Format: b&w, 48 pages
Price: $4.99
UPC: 7 61568 15862 5 00111

We Kill Monsters #1 (of 6)

Coming in July from Red5. Art by me with some ink assists by Hilary Barta. Here's a very kind blurb that was is on the Previews website (it's a staff pick!).

"Proving to the comic book world once again that their 2007 GEM award for “Best New Publisher” was well-deserved, Red 5 Comics continues to release original, high-quality stories that rival just about any other book currently being published by even those who have been around for decades.

We Kill Monsters is a tale of two brothers who live fairly simple lives, and that’s just fine with them. Of course, the brothers’ lives go from simple to insane all in one night when a bloodthirsty creature decides to make the brothers its next meal. This unexplained attack triggers a chaotic journey for the siblings as they witness firsthand that there really are monsters under the bed — and everywhere else.
In the action-comedy tradition of Red 5 Comics’ other hits like Atomic Robo and Abyss, We Kill Monsters is fun, genre-bending actioner from creative professionals spanning the world of media from comic books to television. With art by Brian Churilla (Rex Mundi), and words by creators Laura Harkcom and Christopher Leone (Sci-Fi Channel’s The Lost Room), this will be the next choice for fans of books like Living With the Dead (Dark Horse) and Proof (Image Comics).

See PREVIEWS page 278."

"Dude...Where's the carb on this thing?"

Relax. It's a toy.

db sketch

Starting to get really excited...

Stumptown Comics Fest

Portland's coolest comic show, Stumptown Comics Fest, is this weekend, April 18th and 19th at the Lloyd Center Double Tree. It's only six flippin' bucks to get in!

Come by and see me, Brian Churilla, peddling my wares at table 90.

See you there!

Click here for more info.

The D.B. Cooper Diaries.com is live!

Not much content yet (the real launch is in June), but bookmark it, RSS it, Google Reader it, whatever you do, do it and do it now, folks. I mean, c'mon, I'm giving you a free comic fer Pete's sake!!!

CLICK HERE!

DB Process 01

Figuring some stuff out.

Maya's Big Trip

We received this in the mail today. Apparently Maya is planning some sort of trip out of the country. When I inquired as to what her vacation plans are, she blew a raspberry and soiled herself. Highly suspect.

Note the nearly perfectly spherical head. I think it's safe to say we all know where she gets that from...

Ronald Reagon

I spelled the president's name wrong though the whole report and still pulled off an A-. My teacher had the hots for me for sure.

I've always been horrible at spelling. I actually emailed someone today and spelled "spilled" as "spilt". What a moron.

The D.B. Cooper Diaries

This July I will present to you my weekly webcomic "The D.B. Cooper Diaries". Written and illustrated by myself with letters by L. Jamal Walton, the ongoing experimental comic details the exploits of infamous hijacker and extortionist D.B. Cooper, leading up to and including the incident itself...

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM ATLAS LABORATORIES’ FOUNDER, DR. RUPERT SHIELDS.

“On November 24th, 1971 in Portland, Oregon, a man whose moniker would live on in infamy boarded a Northwest Orient flight headed to Seattle. This man was D.B. Cooper, and not only did he hijack the craft, he was successful in extorting a nearly a quarter–million-dollars from the airline. He then parachuted from the plane, never to be seen of heard from again, and after nearly thirty years, he remains on the FBI’s most wanted list.

On November 24th, 2001, several reels of encrypted analog data were discovered in an abandoned farmhouse in southwest Washington. Soon after, a team of Atlas Laboratories scientists and engineers were able to decrypt and extract a staggering amount of textual, audio and visual data from the reels. It is our belief here at Atlas Labs that within this fragmented data is a comprehensive imprint of D.B. Cooper’s psyche, and more importantly, reveals “The D.B. Copper Incident” for what it actually was. I unequivocally proclaim that it was not a hijacking and extortion plot as widely reported. In fact, this cover story is quite pedestrian, as what really happened nearly changed the course of human history.

Atlas Laboratories, with the cooperation and support of The Griffin Consortium present to you, the secret history of D.B. Cooper…

The D.B. Copper Diaries.”

More info on D.B. Cooper here.

Die, Earthlink. Die.

Chat InformationWelcome to Earthlink LiveChat. Your chat session will begin shortly. Feel free to begin typing your question.
Chat Information'Satchel G' says: Thank you for contacting EarthLink LiveChat, how may I help you today?
manmade@earthlink.net: A few months ago, I canceled my earthlink service (DSL). At that time, I was offered two free months of email. Now I have received an email threatening to pay for this service, which was supposed to be complimentary
manmade@earthlink.net: I want this resolved.
Satchel G: I apologize for any inconvenience caused. Give me a chance I will set this right.
manmade@earthlink.net: I have encountered nothing but problems with earthlink
Satchel G: Please provide me with the security word on your account for verification. The hint for which is Mothers Maiden Name.
manmade@earthlink.net: XXXXXXXXX
Satchel G: Thank you for the account verification information. I was able to verify your account.
Satchel G: As you have receive the two months free service for November and December now your acount is charged for the month of January.
Satchel G: From now your account will be charged for the service $3.95 a month and $2.00 paper invoice.
manmade@earthlink.net: Right, but after december it was supposed to let it expire
manmade@earthlink.net: i don't want this account anymore
manmade@earthlink.net: i cancelled the account
manmade@earthlink.net: the two months free was a conciliatory gift for you guys screwing me last time.
Satchel G: I am sorry, you have not inactivated the account after the free months service.
manmade@earthlink.net: i was never told I had to
Satchel G: There is no contact in the month of December to inactivate the account.
Satchel G: Do you have confirmation number of your account cancellation?
manmade@earthlink.net: right, because I was never told I would have to
manmade@earthlink.net: why would i make contact when I've closed the account
manmade@earthlink.net: m done with the account
manmade@earthlink.net: all of the emails have been forwarded to my new account
manmade@earthlink.net: there is no reason to "contact"
Satchel G: I am sorry, you were offered the service with two months free and there after $3.95 a month.
Satchel G: You need to get back to us to avoid the charges after free months service.
manmade@earthlink.net: Nope, I don't. That's on Earthlink. It's fraud to do this sort of thing.
manmade@earthlink.net: Fraud
Satchel G: If you want you can inactivate the account now.
Satchel G: Make the payment for the balance due I will provide you with confirmation of account cancellation.
manmade@earthlink.net: Do you see that Earthlink charged me #.95 in December?
manmade@earthlink.net: 3.95?
Satchel G: Yes, the charges are refunded.
Satchel G: Refund check is processed on 12/09/08 for $3.95.
manmade@earthlink.net: Right, so there's a record of inaccurate billing and discrepancies right there in front of you.
manmade@earthlink.net: I'm not making this up.
manmade@earthlink.net: I was never told I would have to physically call and deactivate the account
manmade@earthlink.net: There was never any word given as to the nature of this "offer".
Satchel G: I am not authorize to cancel the account with balance due.
manmade@earthlink.net: I am not liable for these charges. It was a conciliatory offer because of the poor service
manmade@earthlink.net: I'm not willing to give my credit card information because of Earthlink's inaccurate billing history. You over billed me numerous times. Is that the kind of outfit you run over there, "Satchel"?
manmade@earthlink.net: Can you understand why someone wuld be apprehensive to do so given that earthlink has a record for over billing?\
manmade@earthlink.net: Can you please transfer me to someone who is authorized?
Satchel G: I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
manmade@earthlink.net: Copy and paste.
Satchel G: Please stay on hold while I transfer your chat to the supervisor.
manmade@earthlink.net: Copy and paste.
Chat InformationPlease wait while I transfer the chat to 'Raymond N.'.
Chat Information'Raymond N.' says: Thank you for contacting EarthLink LiveChat, how may I help you today?
Raymond N.: Hello, I see you've already been chatting. Please give me a moment so I can read the previous chat and pick up where you left off.
Raymond N.: I will assist you with the issue.
Raymond N.: Let me inform you that no account is set to close with future date.
Raymond N.: According to EarthLink policies any account is set to close at the end of Bill cycle date.
Raymond N.: Once you received the refund for the month of December invoice you have not confirmed for account cancellation.
Raymond N.: This is the your account is charged automatically.
Raymond N.: Are we still connected?
manmade@earthlink.net: When I closed my DSl service, two free months of email service were offered as a conciliatory offer. I was never told I would have to go and physically deactivate the account. I understand that there is an Earthlink policy, but if that policy is never conveyed to the customer, how is the customer supposed to know?
manmade@earthlink.net: You are then trapped. When the offer expires, you are then being charged for an account which you believe is closed.
manmade@earthlink.net: How was I supposed to know the account was still opened? How was I supposed to know I needed to close it
manmade@earthlink.net: Because of Earthlinks inaccurate billing practices, I am unwilling to give any finacial information over, as I fear it will be used in a fraudulent manner as it has in the past.
Raymond N.: Not to worry, now I will waive off the charges on your account now and inactivate the account as of today.
Raymond N.: Also provide you with confirmation number.
manmade@earthlink.net: You can look in the billing history at the various refunds given due to Earthlink's inability to bill accurately
manmade@earthlink.net: Over the years there are sveral
manmade@earthlink.net: Okay, thank you.
Raymond N.: Please stay on hold while I process the cancellation.
manmade@earthlink.net: Thanks
Raymond N.: I've taken care of canceling your service as of today XX/XX/XXXX, your last charge date was XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of $5.95. For your records, the Cancellation Confirmation number is XXXXXXXXX. Can you provide me with an alternate email address so that we can send a cancellation confirmation email to you within the next two weeks?
manmade@earthlink.net: XXXXXXXXXXX
Raymond N.: Updated the email address.
manmade@earthlink.net: Thanks
Raymond N.: You will not be able to access the email address any more and will not be able to retrieve any information from the email address.
Raymond N.: Is there anything else I may assist you with today?
manmade@earthlink.net: No. Thank you very much.
Raymond N.: Thank you for using EarthLink LiveChat. If you would like a copy of this chat emailed to you, you may choose that option upon closing this window. In the survey that appears, the second to last question will ask if you would like this emailed...choose Yes. In the last box, enter your email address...the entire chat session will be automatically sent to you. Should you need any further assistance, please feel free to return to EarthLink LiveChat.
Chat InformationChat session has been ended by the agent.

Egg Song

Here.

Advice about the comics

I've been approached by two aspiring comics artists recently about how to break in to the business, and just for some general advice. Being that I still feel very much like a fledgling artist at best, and very much an outsider, I'm not sure I'm very qualified to help. I hate. No, really hate most of the crap I hack out. I have a mental disorder about it. I am glad that some people like it. That brings me more joy than anything in regards to this "career" of sorts. I tried my best to help these two guys. I thought it prudent to put these here. Why, I dunno. Let me be very clear. I am not an expert, I am not a great artist. I am an artist that has worked hard and has had some recent luck. Thanks to everybody who reads this blog and supports my books/projects. Names and particulars have been omitted.

~Bribbles

... I'm interested in one day becoming a comic book artist. ...the link to my webpage:
... (To view my work, click "Browse Gallery.") It would be great to get some feedback from somebody in the business, as well as possibly a part-time job as an artist...I am a potential penciler and/or inker. Is there any way he could arrange an on-site portfolio interview? ... I am passionate for an arts career, especially one in comics. I've been accepted to several art colleges such as ... but am not, as of yet, sure which road to take...

Thank you so much for your assistance!

Hi ...,

First and foremost, your art shows promise. There are some composition and sequential storytelling fundamentals that you will learn in time, either by getting critiques, or simply doing the work. I think I had to grind out at least 500 comic story pages before I came up with anything that had staying power (something I'd be proud of year after year), but hey, that's me. I'm super obsessive and anal retentive.
The comics industry is very challenging, competitive and sometimes cruel. For every guy lucky enough to land paying work, there's literally, I'm not joking here, 1000 other guys in line behind him that are either on par or better than him. Think of it like a pro sport. How many guys make it to the "big show" and all the other apt athletes, for whatever reason do not? There's no real answer there. For better or worse, it's a sadistic game of numbers and chance. You need to be at least two of these three things to get work: be fast, nice, or really good.
I'm thirty-one years old now, and just in the last two or three years have I started to get paying work. I only started doing art full-time five months ago. What was I doing all those years other than art? Well, given that I have ZERO education and no other skills than being a comic artist/illustrator, I've work mind numbingly dull, tedious, soul-draining "Joe Jobs", such as working for eight years at Nordstrom stocking shelves. EIGHT YEARS. I've also worked at fast food places, other various department stores, and even worked, ironically, the graveyard shift at a funeral service, literally picking up and delivering corpses in various states of decomposition. Nice, huh? No. Not nice. When I use the term "soul-draining", I do NOT use it loosely. Toiling away for years for little compensation doing something you hate is damaging to your spirit. This is the fate of many artists. MANY. I believe it has taken years off my life and aged me prematurely.
My biggest piece of advice, stay in school as long as you can. Don't squander ten or more years of your life floundering around from job to job in hopes to use those few hours at night when you're not working said day job to o what you REALLY want to do, which is, of course, art. Secondly, obsessively draw everything and person around you. Instead of sitting working on a robot drawing for a half-an-hour, go outside, to the mall, wherever, and draw the things around you. Keep a moleskin sketchbook of this stuff in your back pocket. Constantly do gestural or contour line drawings of EVERYTHING. It will help you immeasurably.
Thirdly, don't pigeon-hole yourself strictly as a comic artist, rather, visualize yourself as a commercial artist, one who works in many mediums, styles, and works in a broad range on industries. The comic book industry is in great state of upheaval and change right now. The advent of digital readers (Apple is expected to unveil the iTablet in the fall), will most certainly put the last nail in the proverbial coffin that the floppy market (with the exception of Marvel and DC).
Fourthly, diversify your abilities. Drawing is fundamental, but you need to learn other things to diversify and make yourself more marketable, and thus, able to make a living. Learn some web design, Flash, graphic design, drawing, painting, life drawing, etc. ( obviously at one of these fabulously fabulous schools you've been accepted to). Who knows, you may figure out there's something else out there that you like even more than comics. I know, hard to imagine.
Lastly, to quote one of the most trite ad slogans ever utilized, just do it. Want to make comics? MAKE FREAKIN' COMICS!!! That is THE best way to learn anything. Doing it. Start a blog (like a Blogspot blog) and post a new page or strip every week. There's no one stopping you except yourself.
You should come down to Stumptown Comics Fest April 18th and 19th. I'll be there at table 90 (with my wife and baby). I think it's only six bucks to get in. If you want to talk more about your work, feel free to swing by. The show is in Portland near Lloyd Center. There will be a lot of independent creators to talk and network with. It's a fantastic show. Here's the link: http://www.stumptowncomicsfest.com

Best regards,

BC

...

Hi Mr Churilla.
My name is ... I'm an amateur comic artist and I live in ...
I am big fan of your work and follow your blog constantly.

I'm building a blog with my portfolio and I would like to know if you could take a look at it and get an opinion from you about my work and if possible some hint of how to work in the U.S. comics industry.

Thanks and I look forward return if possible.

...

First off, thank you.

Here are a couple things I've learned over the years:

1) Simplify. Always simplify. I find that if a figure doesn't "read" as a silhouette, it's not worth drawing.

2) Things in the foreground are almost always darker than things in the middle ground and background.

3) Also, make sure where you are putting your big spots of black makes sense, if not, you are cluttering the page.

4) Lastly, storytelling is more important that drawing. If your pages don't "read" well in a visual sense, then it's pointless.

5) I get work through dumb luck and obsessive tenacity. Go to cons, talk to editors, talk to other writers, etc. Do your own web comic or creator owned comic, etc. It's a long haul for most (including myself) so hang in there. Do comic because you love it first, for money later. You want to make comics? Make Comics.

Recommended reading:

Comics and Sequential Art by Will Eisner

Anything by Alex Toth: http://www.tothfans.com/

All that said, I like your work.

Hope all that helps. Also, take what I say with a grain of salt. I'm an idiot and don't know what the fuck I'm doing half the time.

Cheers,

BC

LETTERER NEEDED!

Hey all,

I'm working on a weekly web comic and am looking for a letterer. The format is one widescreen panel a week, akin to Travis Charest's "Spacegirl".

That's it, one panel a week.

If you or somebody you know would be willing to donate a nominal amount of their time to this labor-of-love project, please email me at b r i a n c h u r i l l a a t g m a i l d o t c o m.

Thanks!!!

~Bribbles

Claria Hi-Definition Ink Epson Stylus Photo 1400

Emerald City Comicon

Did I mention I'm going to be at Emerald City Comicon this weekend? Come by table L-4 and say hi! I'll be doing commissions and such, so I dunno, there you have it.

"At the tone, please hang up."

Solomon Kane

The Mighty Knuckle

Hey there. You might or might not be coming to Emerald City Con. That's fine. No really, it is. That's fine with me. If you ARE going to be there, GREAT! Good for you. I'll be there. BOTH days. I'm doing it for you. I'll be doing con sketches like this one. So swing by the table (L-4) and get one. Or just say "hi". I''ll be selling originals as well. And some out-of-print comics. And human hair. And fingernail clippings. And prosthetic hammer hands. And turkey necks. Fortified vitamin elixirs. Baby parakeets. Balloon hats. Farmer tans. Snake oil. Arrest warrants. Chili. Apple. Gamma ray gun suplex. Turgidity. Ham fists. Broken English. No one reads this blog. Well, a couple people I guess.

Dear Mastodon,

I've been listening to you fine gentlemen since the Remission LP came out. I purchased your Crack the Skye" CD today, and upon listening I was reminded why I'm such a big fan: you kick face. The first time I saw you guys live was in 2003, and the admission was $11. About a month from now you'll be playing Portland, and this will be the first Mastodon show I will not be attending. Why you ask? It's goddamned near $30 dollars to get in! You goat-licking douche humpers are screwing your fans. Oh well, I'll be able to avoid the jock assholes in The Red Chord t-shirts trying to alpha it up in the pit.

~Bribbles

P.S. I still love you. Let's never fight again.

March 24th

Super Price Happy Fun Time Show

Talons of Fury

The Cimmerian

smell the brutal

Happy St. Patty's Day

puddle listener

Max Payne

I knew this wouldn't be a tour de force action epic, but I did expect just a little awesome. What I got was a stinking pile of donkey flop. In a multi-million dollar action film, how many times has:

1. The movie started out with a 1st person VO over a black screen.

2. A new guy been transported to a different police department.

3. The grieving cop's wife slaps his ex-partner at the wake.

4. Drugs are designed and implemented to make soldiers into uber-deluxe aggro soldiers (spoiler - oops)

The list goes on and on, but Jesus, this thing also got sold to the public as something completely different as well. From all the trailers, this looks like an awesome monster movie (albeit a cheese dick Marky Mark monster sinny), But it's not, NO! Not at all! Those winged beasties in the trailers are flippin' hallucinations! Oops, another spoiler. Sorry. But really, it's for your own good if you thinking of renting this turd. About a half-hour in I decided to watch the rest at 2X with the subtitles on. T.T.F.N.

bubbles

your mom

The Creepy cat is out of the bag.

It's safe to come out and announce this now. I'm working on a story that will appear in the first issue of the new Creepy series Dark Horse is publishing. "In the first issue we’ve got Bernie Wrightson, Angelo Torres, Brian Churilla, Jason Alexander, a painted cover by Eric Powell". #1 is out in July, just in time for SDCC. I'll be at the DH booth at some point. More on this soon. Here are a couple of articles:

Here.

And here.

Amazing finish.

All this stuff connected. Nate Marquardt's incredible.

Tesla coils sing the Doctor Who theme

THE ENGINEER TPB coming in June

"An ancient sentient entity is feasting on the very fabric of space and time. Only one man can stop it: The Engineer.

Utilizing a colossal pipe organ that enables pan-dimensional travel, The Engineer pursues the lost components of The Konstrukt, an archaic mechanism that imbues
whoever possesses it with the ability to manipulate
reality itself. 

The Engineer endeavors to restore The Konstrukt, using it to defeat the creature and undo the incalculable damage already done.

Giant bat creatures, were-crabs, immense rock creatures, amorphous witches and armies of undead abound in this pulpy sci-fi romp for all ages!"

Finally this thing is getting collected. It'll have all three issues, an extra 10-page story, pin-ups by Matt Wagner, Guy Davis, Kieron Dwyer and Phil Hester, as well as an extensive gallery of concept art.

let the video parade continue...

I'll have some actual art up soon. Until then...


Sony Releases New Stupid Piece Of Shit That Doesn't Fucking Work

Terrifying...

Anybody else getting excited for Saturday night?

So...yeah.

I'm kinda giving up n the sketch-a-day thing. Not enough hours in the day. I will try to post sketches and such on a more regular basis though.

012

011

010

Happy New Year (again)

009

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