ETSY STORE/BROOKLYN COMICS FESTIVAL/ILLUSTRATIONS

It's been too long without a blog post and a lot has happened.

First off, please review my ETSY PAGE where I've got all 3 Invasive Exotics for sale!

I debuted Invasive Exotics #3 at the brooklyn comics and graphics festival. It was a stormy day, but ironically I think it made the show even more busy because nobody wanted to leave and go out in the snow! Thanks to everyone who came out, I did pretty well, reconnected with some good friends and made some new ones as well.

Invasive Exotics #4 will be out in the beginning of 2010 and then I'm going to focus on living a little bit. My next story arch is entitled "Suburban Cyclops Hunters" ... nuff said!

Painting for Cake Shop Show curated by Carly James: "DEAD PIZZA PARTY"

OPENING INFO:

CMJ 2009

DAED PIZZA PARTY

Saturday, October 24^th, 2009

Bands & DJs include:
UUVVWWZ

Coin Under Tongue

MKNGFRNDZ

Love or Perish

Anamanaguchi

Noon to 6

FREE

All-ages

Cake Shop | LES | NYC

I'm going to try and make it. Hope to see you there!

Etsy Store Now Open

Etsy Store is now open! The Invasive Exotics Act 1 and Act 2 are now for sale!

http://www.jackturnbull.etsy.com

You can also buy Acts 1 and 2 at the following Stores:
Forbidden Planet, Union Square, NYC
Desert Island, Lorimer Stop, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Million Year Picnic, Harvard Square, Cambridge
New England Comics, Harvard Square, Cambridge
(more stores to come!)
$6 each

I've had some tough breaks lately, I'm not sure how to speak publicly about it on a blog. In any case, I've relocated back to the Boston area and am getting to experience the New England autumn foliage. I've grown up with this phenomenon, but having been removed from it for a few years, it's nice to know you're from somewhere.

The above illustration was for SO Rhode Island Magazine illustrating a Cajun styled soup. Special thanks to Alli Coate and Allison Cole.

THE INVASIVE EXOTICS - SNEAK PREVIEW pt. 2

Some Recent Work

Clients: WBGO and SO Rhode Island Magazine.

For the past couple of months I've been working on a graphic novel. I go back and forth about the idea of web comics over printed matter; there is a lot more one can do with a web comic, but then again I hardly read anything online as it's straining on the eyes. Amazon.com, Microsoft and countless other corporations continuously attempt to put out digital readers, but from what I can see and understand they aren't catching on like Ipods or Iphones. I love the feel of paper and the book as an art form presents countless design opportunities for experimentation. Look no further than Chris Ware, or even go far back to Windsor McCay and you and me and everyone we know know how satisfying a hardcover can be.

But with this said, I've worked in black and white for almost 3 months because printing in color is too darn expensive. The above color illustration (the last one of the junk pile ant hills) was made simply because I miss color as a design element; color is extremely tricky - balancing warms and cools is only the beginning. In all honesty, this illustration I find to be a monstrosity as far as color goes, but give me a break, I just got back into the color game. I see it as a formal exercise.

Coming up on this blog is another preview of the Invasive Exotics. My due date is September 30th and things are on schedule for publication.

Reading List:

* "Akira" by Katsuhiro Otomo: A Japanesse cultural anomoly that is a metaphor for Hiroshima. The book's audience is clear; it is geared towards testosterone filled adolescents and repressed buisnessmen. It isn't for everybody because somebody implodes or gets run over on basically EVERY page (not to mention future Neo-Tokyo EXPLODES). With this said, Otomo is THE master of creating envirornment. His architectural drawing is flawless and if a cartoonist wants to know how to use a setting as a character, this is the series for them. I'd love to get a discussion going somewhere based on how spaztic the sequencing in this book is in comparison to something like Jimmy Corrigan or Tintin; I read it OK, but I can see how someone who didn't grow up reading comic books would have trouble figuring out what the hell was going on.

"Tintin and the Secret of Literature" by Tom McCarthy: A phonominal disection of Herge's classic series, this book is an essential to anyone enthusiastic about the Adventures of Tintin. McCarthy explores not only how the Tintin series breaks down story structure to bare elements, but also the dualistic nature of Herge the man. In the end, Tintin is THE series if one wants to understand a 20th century European male worldview.

"The Gift" by Lewis Hyde: I'm still digesting this one, but basically it's about the difference between a capitalistic society versus a gift exchange society. I'll write more when I'm done reading it ...

MOCCA FESTIVAL WAS FUN! IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO UPLOAD THE GRAPHIC NOVEL/ZINE SECTION OF MY WEBSITE, SO FOR ALL THE OLD FRIENDS I SAW AT MOCCA TODAY WHO DIDN'T PICK UP A SNEAK PREVIEW OF "THE INVASIVE EXOTICS", HERE IS JANE EASEWELL, OUR STORY'S PROTAGANIST, BREAKING INTO AN ICE CREAM FACTORY. COMING OUT 2010, 80+ pages.

Big thanks to Allison Cole; art direction. For SO Rhode Island Magazine.

MOTHER'S DAY POST (FROM THE FAR REACHES OF THE UNIVERSE)

Hey! The new Star Trek movie is out; I'm so glad it's gotten good reviews and generally everyone I've spoken to has said good things. I grew up on TNG (reference picture above*) and since it's mother's day, I have a very special story about growing up Trek with my mom.

I think it was the winter of 1992 or 1993; living right in between Boston and New Hampshire, you didn't go out a whole lot in the dead of winter. Winter in this area of the world means lots of dirty snow covered in street salt that never goes away because it never gets warm enough to melt.

You find yourself staying in a whole lot. Luckily for the Turnbull family, WNDS 50, "The Winds of New England" ... the station located in Portsmouth, N.H., had just the cure for the snowy prime time blues. 2 repeat episodes of "The Simpsons" followed by an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation".

The combination was perfect; 2 comedies and a drama. The Simpsons supplied us with a satrical whit, pop culture maxims and dark humor while Star Trek lifted our souls and let us imagine about a future better than the ones we were in; ones with Klingon, Vulcans and other cultures yet to even be discovered. And the most surreal part?


This guy was the weather man in between the Simpsons and Star Trek and if you watch this video you'll know he's total viral video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nplpiNH5Nqw&feature=related ... this video is a bit bland (even though he has the best New Hampshire accent ever) but when this guy was younger he was SO PUMPED on doing the weather.

It wasn't like we were obsessed; it was a dark time for the Celtics in 92/93 (Bird started having back problems, Reggie Lewis DIED) and this seemed to be the only other family friendly 2 hour pack for family bonding, since the Family Channel, as we all agreed, was weird.

But we started really getting into it. So when we started channel surfing between it and the two weeks of the Winter Olympics, it got a little discombobulating.

We knew it was time to take a TV break when my mother said, "Why, this downhill skiing event really doesn't represent anyone! Where are the Klingon, where are the Romulians?"

I've never told my mom this, but I was right there with her in the fantasy. For a moment, I logically paused and thought "The Romulans are not a part of the Federation, mom."

But at around the exact same time, we both came to our senses and realized we had become, if we wanted to believe it or not, Trekkies. We turned off the Television, I retreated into my room to doodle space ships and I suspect my mother did a cross word puzzle.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

**********

I just watched this video above and thought to myself; this is what mom must have felt when the Beatles started dressing in bright colors and traveling to India.

This band plays pop songs that sound so familiar and from so many different histories. I hear the beach boys, Paul Simon's "graceland", house and afrobeats, maybe even chanting(and scatting? - What do you call what Avey Tare is doing with his voice?) ... and the lyrics re-enforce the nostalgic themes; the song references wearing summertime clothes and taking off your socks - a poetic visual both mundane and sublime. Mundane because it is a logical solution to the weather, sublime in the erotic undertones. A perfect pop song: made for the season, just a little dirty and just weird and psychedelic enough to be appealing to just about anyone whose got a lil' freak in them.

* Note scene is of Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge's mandolin being taken away by Lt. Commander Worf. They are dressed in Robin Hood attire in an extended space of reality by the cosmic trouble maker "Q". This is the famous episode where Worf insists to Captain Picard that he is "Not a merry man."

Dropping in MAY!

Hey hey hey! Jack Turnbull reporting from Bedstuy. The weather today was non-descript and ever changing; rainy at times but the day ending out with a rainbow (I didn't see it, but I'm sure it must of happened at some point). I only got outside to deliver a changing table to a lady in an amazing residential spot around north 11th.

I keep seeing all these luxury lofts being put up all around Brooklyn and I wonder if anyone is going to move in sometimes...

Up top: New Southern Rhode Island Magazine illustration. Once again a big thanks out to Allison Cole, art director and so much more.

THEN!!! ----> Coming out soonish (gimmie time, I'm about 1/3 done and 30 pages deep) THE INVASIVE EXOTICS!!!!

PS ---




I knew the above image was missing something! Meditative textile patterns loosely based on totem poles; of course, duh.

Moving Right Along

So the back of my computer has sort of imploted (?!?!?!) but the good news is that I have moved ... AGAIN ... but it's all for the best. The place is cheaper, closer to work, lots of more sunshine and more space. My roommates are Cooper Union seniors so that should be interesting.

Here are some before and after photos.

PLUS: My Xeric grant dreams have not fizzled into bitterness. I'm Still going strong on this story and it feels like old times when I used to put out zines.

Oh yeah! I got to do an illustration for the John Beard awards! For those who don't know ... the John Beard awards are kinda like the Oscars of cooking. Yay!

---Jack

Thanks for coming to Junto

Big thanks to all those who came out to the Collorgy show at the Junto Gallery last weekend. I was at first a bit dubious due to the scope of the show (about 13 artists show, a couple of bands performing, 2 stand up comedians, a Street Fighter tournament and then an all night dance party) ... but it went together VERY well and I think those who were there had a blast.

I was also fortunate enough to have the opening slot with my max/msp looping set. I seriously need to figure out a better system for putting this music online. Myspace doesn't allow me to update my ... space ... so I suppose straight up MP3s on Jack Turnbull.com may be the solution. That's something to look forward to. I've come a long way from endlessly looping the intro to Star Trek the Next Generation.

Pictured is about half of the work I showed (more was added later).

I have a few illustration gigs in the works ... I'll post as they come through.

Oh yeah ... happy March ... have some snow.

<3,
Jack

Here's a greeting card I've done for mini jake ... and just for laughs the Orange Dinosaur of Route 1, Saugus Mass.