Like most of you, I surround myself with media all the time—podcasts, CDs, books, you name it.  (OK, I don’t watch TV, but I don’t really miss it either.)  So, for no other reason than for you to compare your personal mediasphere with mine, here’s what I’m into at the moment:

Books:

• Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels, by Andy Schmidt
• Modern MastersVol 18 John Romita JR, by George Khoury
• Supreme: The Return by Alan Moore
• Watching The Watchmen, by Dave Gibbons

Podcasts

• Art & Story
• Big Illustration Party Time
• Deconstructing Comics
• Gutter Talk
• Webcomic Beacon
• Webcomics Weekly

Webcomics

• 9 Chickweed Lane
• Bloom County
• Brat-halla
• Dilbert
• Evil Inc
• Frazz
• Girl Genius
• Nodwick
• Pibgorn
• PVP
• Sheldon
• Sinfest
• Union of Heroes
• Wayfarers Moon

Blogs/News Sites

• Comixtalk fka Comixpedia
• Lying In The Gutters on Comic Book Resources
• Webcomics.com

CDs

• Doors, The Best Of
• ELO Best Of
• Like A Hurricane—A Tribute to Neil Young (various)
• Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring
• Neil Young’s Greatest Hits
• Neil Young—Crazy Horse At The Fillmore 1970
• Neil Young—Massey Hall 1971
• Neil Young—Sugar Mountain Live At Canterbury House 1968
• Trans Siberian Orchestra—Beethoven’s Last Night

Good friend John Wilson has made “Johnny Saturn” today’s Sketchmag Spotlight over at the Sketch Magazine site.  We are, of course, quite honored.  Plus, he mentions Benita’s spinning wheel, which is a long-standing presence when we do comic shows.

You may have noticed that there is no Johnny Saturn store up.  I’ve had technical difficulties, to be honest.  I’ve tried to install Zen Cart three times, all failing, and the third time it took down the whole site for a while, forcing me to do a restore.  I can’t go back to eShop, because it did a real job on our database.  So, a store is coming, and it will be sooner than later, but I’m just not sure when exactly.

Over at Webcomics.com, I put Johnny Saturn up for a critique by my webcartoonist peers.  The advice and observations I’ve received have been invaluable.  I mention this because, if you think I’m above criticism, you are incorrect.  I will never be too good to stop working on improving the strip.  I consider myself to be a journeyman, and my masterwork is still out there, in the future.

Speaking of “Sketch Magazine,” I would like to make sure that at least all the readers of this blog know about it.  Having been published for well over thirty issues, and featuring interviews with many of the comic industries top stars, Sketch Magazine has offered valuable advice for learning cartoonist for some years now.  It has covered every aspect of the comic creation process in some detail, and it has adapted to the times by recognizing and offering instruction to the world on the rise of webcomics.  I have been very proud to be a semi-regular contributor to this fine publication, and I would strongly urge all learning cartoonists to buy or subscribe to it.  It’s available in virtually all comic shops, and online.

Scott.

Hi, Folks!

Item: I recently discovered the forums over at webcomics.com. This community looks to be shaping up into a pretty useful webcomics thinktank, so I suggest checking it out.

Item: I’m going to revamp my portfolio site that promotes me as an illustrator. It hasn’t done much for me lately, so I’m considering making it less formal. Instead of just showing off my best finished work, also showing works in progress, sketchbook material, figure drawing from open studios, watercolors, and the like. Plus, I am going to make more of an effort to push myself as a fantasy artist. I think it’s time for a change.

Item: I think that after I’m done with all my current work, and I get a good buffer built back up on Johnny Saturn, I’m going to start taking commissions. I will probably limit myself to fantasy commissions, or those that do not infringe on other parties’ copyrights. I’ve had a longstanding rule that I don’t draw other comic book characters unless I’m commissioned by the character’s owner—That costs me money, no doubt, but I can live with myself.

Item: I recently found an old hardcover book, “Frank Cho: Illustrator.” For those who don’t already know, this guy is a monster talent. From funny animal cartooning, to classic pen & ink, to modern superhero comics, to cheesecake, this guy has pretty much mastered it all. If you aren’t already a fan of Frank Cho, I suggest you check out his work pronto.