RobGuillory.com

Merch!

2011-12-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

The new CHEW Chog shirt is available NOW for pre-order here. We'll be taking pre-orders through January 1, then orders will ship in mid-January. Take advantage of this pre-order price, as there's a good chance we'll be raising the price to $20 after the Jan. 1 deadline.

Spread the word! The better the response, the more new merch we'll make.

And of course, CHEW #22 and the Omnivore Edition Vol.2 are both in stores TODAY. In fact, both CHEW Hardcovers are on sale today for 45% OFF at Thwipster.com, so you'd be an IDIOT not to pick them up at that price. This sale ends tomorrow, so jump on that!

And as always, there's tons of CHEW Original Art for sale at RobGuilloryStore.com.

Thanks,
Rob

Behold the Chog Shirt!

2011-12-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

Pre-order details tomorrow. And yes, we're printing on American Apparel shirts. Sadly, we don't have time to for pre-Christmas shipping. Late Christmas gift, anyone?

Catching Up.

2011-12-01T07:41:00.000-08:00

CHEW #22 will have 2 covers, and will be out on 12/7. Same day as the second Omnivore Edition.

We'll be monthly for the rest of the Major League CHEW arc, then will take a month off to release the trade. We're basically catching up from our lateness in 2011 (due to real life stuff), and we're on track to an on-schedule 2012. Exciting!

Of course, the bad news is that I had to drop out of the London Super Comic-Con in February. The con fell right in the middle of working on an issue, so it was a no go. Like I said, the schedule has priority. Maybe we'll have better luck in 2013.

On the whole, I'm cutting back on con appearances next year, which is kind of a relief/bummer. I love touching base with the fans, but cons are a major energy drain, especially with all the jetsetting. But, whatcha gonna do?

It occurs to me that I've done a bunch of press online that kinda fell by the wayside while I've been taking my hiatus. Here's a bunch of interviews I've done in the last few months.

The Beat: I chatted with Australian mag The Beat before my trek there, regarding social media. Good talk.
NonCanonical Podcast: Interview with Australian podcasters, about success, speculating and that damn TMNT cover.
The Outhousers: Pretty straightforward interview. Nice guy that I kinda scared with my disclaimer: "Ask good questions." Sorry, bud.
The Hourly Planet: Fun, fun interview. There's a Mortal Kombat reference in it. That's a WIN to me.
Image Addiction Podcast: An hour-long discussion about comics and whatever, featuring myself and Morning Glories artist Joe Eisma. Really fun time.

Other stuff:

CW show "Hart of Dixie" made all kinda CHEW references in one of their episodes. Thus earning all kindsa Cool Points.

And Blair Butler gives CHEW some love on Attack of the Show.

I may be forgetting some things, so forgive me. I'm almost halfway done with CHEW 23, so look for that in January. Back to work for me.

Best,
Rob

Re-up.

2011-11-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

CHEW 22 is officially in the can. Thank God. Sorry for the delay, folks. Going to Australia and New Zealand was a massive (and possibly once-in-a-lifetime) opportunity that I couldn't pass up.

That said, CHEW 22 will be on stands on 12/7 (same day as the second hardcover). And next year will be dedicated to getting back on schedule. Ten issues a year has always been the goal, but with the new baby and various life changes in 2011, we fell short this year. 2012 will be about getting back to the goal, and I'm very excited about that.

Best,
Rob

Austin.

2011-11-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

I hit WizardWorld Austin last weekend, and as usual, it was great. Did a ton of commissions, sold a ton of books and met a lotta really cool, talented folks. Below's a few of the commissions. Pardon the quality of the photos, as I took them with my phone.

Back. But not all the way.

2011-11-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Me and the kid on Piha Beach in Auckland, New Zealand.

Quick update until I can get the time to do a proper blog post.

Yes, I survived the Armageddon Expo in Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand. Both were spectacular, and thanks to anyone who came out. Liked it so much that the wife and I have agreed to retire to NZ in twenty to thirty years.

No, I'm not back on Twitter and Facebook, though it's been a bit over a month since my hiatus. Honestly, I may not be returning there. Ever. I may be totally over them both (as snooty as that may come off). Not that I don't love knowing what's going on in people's lives. After butting heads with folks on both platforms, I'm just coming to the conclusion that I may not be built for that level of internet inter-connectivity. We'll see.

Oh, and since I've gotten quite a few worried emails from folks that think I left the sites because I'm depressed or something.....Relax. I'm just doing my thing. I know it's weird in this day and age to willingly withdraw from "The Collective Mind" that is the Internet, but I'm fine. I just got back from friggin' New Zealand, for God's sake.

Finishing CHEW 22 inks today, and coloring next week. Sorry for the delay. Dense, dense issue that took a lot of time.

Back later. Take care.
-Rob

NYT and Baseball.

2011-10-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

Rough night. That stomach virus I was down with earlier this week landed on my wife last night, so that skewered my workday. She's doing much better, though. Thank God. I'm so done with vomit, man.

I did manage to work on the colors for the CHEW Vol.5 Cover (above), so that's something. Pretty sure I'll be changing and tweaking colors around by the time this sees print in early 2012 (because I always tweak them...), but works for now. I'll be adding the character shots to the top of the cover a little later. Should be pretty cool.

And speaking of trades, CHEW Vol.4 "Flambe" just landed at #3 on the New York Times Best-seller's List. Purty awesome. This is the third CHEW volume of the four to make the list (Volume 3 was the one that didn't make it...WTF???), so that's pretty neat.

Back to it. Long weekend before I fly out to Melbourne.

-Rob

Trade 5 Cover. In Progress.

2011-10-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

Workload for the day, cover art for CHEW Vol.5 "Major League CHEW".

-Rob

Crank.

2011-10-13T06:37:00.001-07:00

Panel from CHEW #22.

What a crazy-ass week. Gearing up for next Tuesday's trek to Melbourne, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand, and I still have a buttload of work to do. Didn't help that I was bowled over on Tuesday by a nasty stomach virus, but I'm making the best of it.

If you're in Aussie or NZ, stop by the Armaggeddon Expo and say "hey!" I'll be signing books, selling CHEW trades (I'm not bringing many, cuz they're heavy), new printings of the CHEW sketchbook and CHEW original art. And yeah, I'll be taking a few commissions while I'm there. VERY few, as it looks like I'll be running around quite a bit at the con.

And I'll also be doing a Comic Art panel on Sunday, Oct.23 at the Melbourne show with the great Frank Cho, so that should be pretty fun.

Speaking of Original art, RobGuilloryStore.com is up and rolling. Easy one-button art sales for all your impulse buying needs! And we'll be putting new shirts and merch up there for sale soon.

Speaking of cool shit, check out this Chog sculpture made by Sean Viloria. And it's all mine!

Where I been.

2011-10-10T06:57:00.001-07:00

Taking a month off Twitter/ Facebook's been good for me. Pencilled 13 pages of CHEW 22 last week (that's the entire in-progress issue above), and inking them this week. Gonna be a good week.

Leaving Oct. 18 for Armageddon Expo in Melbourne and New Zealand. Should be a great trip.

Also, finally got an iPhone after my son destroyed my cell over the weekend. So I may be posting via mobile a bit more. Who knows?

Back to work,
Rob

Back to Basics.

2011-10-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

Found these cool 5.5x4.25 inch pane cards in my closet and decided to make some use of them. So I've been screwing around with these fun little shots of some of my favorite characters as a morning warm-up. Below are the initial trials, which I scrapped since wet media didn't work well with the cards at all. Above is today's trial, Goku and Piccolo from DBZ (yeah, I'm a fan from way back). Happier with the DBZ ones, so I think I'll try to keep a daily blog of these for fun. Fingers crossed. I may or may not sell these at www.RobGuilloryStore.com.

Below is a cover for IDW's new TMNT series that made the rounds quite a bit last week. It's a long, exhausting story, so if you wanna hear it, feel free hitting the Google. Very proud of the cover, and it was really a dream come true, as TMNT was a big part of my childhood. Will I ever work on the project again? God only knows. Regardless, the cover is for TMNT #6, which I think comes out in December.

And below is the final cover art for the CHEW Omnivore Edition Vol.2, which also comes out in December. Tons of extras and goodies.

And that's kind of it. I'm taking a bit of a sabbatical from the usual Twitter and Facebook haunts at the moment, so here's the one place to find me. I'm kind of done with the constant information barrage that is social networking, so I may or may not return to it. And if I do return, it'll be in a way reduced capacity. I've definitely been guilty of using both sites as a forum for mindless bitching and snarky comments, so I'm done with that at the moment. I just wanna draw good comics and have some fun.

Oh, and I finally dropped my LinkedIn account. Because it was totally useless.

CHEW #21 hits stands today, so check that out. I'm knee-deep in penciling #22, which should be out in mid to late November. It's a longer break between issues than I like, but the issue calls for it. It'll be worth it, promise. Strong, strong issue.

Best,
Rob

On The Schedule.

2011-08-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

Last Monday was an important day, as Mondays tend to be. It's all about building up that momentum that will (hopefully) carry me through the week. An important day, made even more so because I was starting the next issue of CHEW, the first of a new story arc and the first chapter of the second third of the book's life. It was crucial that I start the week off on the right foot. So on Sunday I mentally prepared for the work day, psyching myself up. Off to bed early, planning to wake around 5:45am and begin the kickassery that surely awaited me when I woke.

Monday's Goal: Layout, pencil, ink and scan Page 1. And pencil (and maybe ink) the cover of the second CHEW Omnivore Edition.

Cut to Monday morning. My wife is down with severe neck pain from God knows what, bleary-eyed from sitting up with our 7-month-old, who has the shits from a mild food allergy. Apparently, he's lactose intolerant, as I am. He's okay, but CRANKY.

So work had to wait. As it does whenever Life kicks The Schedule in the crotch. You see, Life, REAL Life, hates The Schedule. Mine, at least. It's always throwing things in the spokes of my plan. Someone gets sick. Someone dies. An impromptu trip pops up. Someone gets a flat tire and needs a ride. And it tends to be right when I'm getting into the flow of things. Never fails.

So, after taking care of things on the home front, I arrived at the studio 5 hours late. Half of my workday GONE, just like that. GAH. I don't know if other artists experience this, but there can come a point when a blank page can be a bully. For me, my blank pages remind me of time I wasted and of potential unrealized. Fortunately, yesterday was one of the good days. I tore past the doubt and anxiety and got to work.

Five or six hours later, I'd produced the work you (partially) see above.

Actual Work Completed: Page 1 penciled and partially inked. Omnivore Cover penciled.

So I fell short of what I wanted. Sucks, but it happens. Didn't finish the inks on either piece, and I still have to make up the time later. Maybe on a weekend or a late night. Bummer. Still, I left the studio at a reasonable hour, happy with the work and energized.

As I said, Monday was one of the Good days, despite the small bear trap that Life set in my path to achieving the day's goal. I've had many, many bad ones. Days where NOTHING went right. Days where I sat at my desk, fought with a page for hours, then tore it to shreds. Days when I forgot how to draw. Horrible, horrible days.

It happens. All you can do is keep rolling with it, suck it up and work the extra hour later. That's how it is for me, anyway.

A week later, I'm still cranking, and still a few hours behind where I want to be. But what else is new? Below is the above cover, still in progress, but getting closer.

-Rob

On Style.

2011-08-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

"How'd you come up with your style?"

I get this question more than anything else. And it's funny because my "style" was a pretty big hindrance to my career up till about 4 or 5 years ago. Don't get me wrong, I got work. But getting editors to really invest in me fully used to be pretty friggin hard. I just figured it was all me. "I must not be good enough." So it's really odd when young artists wanna know how I developed the look of my work.

Of course, I don't have a set formula for this stuff, really. And I certainly don't have the secret to becoming a great artist. It works different for everyone, I think. As it should. I think the key is finding the place where you're most comfortable. And by "place", I mean a visual vocabulary. For me, I'm most at home in a place that's bright, silly and manic with just a hint of darkness under the surface. Unfortunately, it took me something like 10 years to find it. Sorry. There are no shortcuts.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we?

Circa 1991, my first official mini-comic. I was 9 at the time, and I ended up doing dozens of these between then and high school. No focus on "style" or anything. Hell, the thing was done in Bic pen on pink construction paper. Not much to discuss here, really. I just loved comics even then, and my motives for making it were pure. I just wanted to entertain the few friends I let read it. I may even revamp this later, so don't steal it.

Jump to around 10 years later, 2000-ish. A young Rob was just starting college as a Computer Animation major (because how the Hell does one just become a pro comic artist anyway?). I was still dabbling in comics between classes, still trying to draw "serious" comics that "mattered". I'd always been a Marvel kid, and stylistically, I'd always tried to attempt that look.

Except for the fact that I totally sucked at it, as the above images show. This was about the time I was discovering Photoshop (Ooooh, lookit the colors!). I had a decent grasp of what color grabbed the eye, but still had no friggin idea what to do with the program.

Cut to 2001, the above page changed the course of my career, and I suppose, my life. I did this autobiographical comic on a whim, just trying something different. Angsty, right? OH, it gets much, much worse.

I sent this page to an old artist friend of mine along with the page above it (the one with the fire). I think I even did both in the same day. Anyway, I sent them to this older, wiser artist pal, expecting him to tell me how friggin AWESOME the angsty "serious" stuff was. But what'd he say?

"Hey, what was that other thing you sent me? That cartoony thing? That was great. I think that might be your style."

"Really?", I thought. How could he like that page? It was just me messing around. I didn't even break too much of a sweat on the damn thing.

But being the glutton for affirmation that I am, I pursued it, deciding to try a stripped down, elastic style to learn the finer points of storytelling. After all, I sucked at drawing backgrounds. And I hadn't done a whole lot in the way of composing a page. If I wasn't focusing on "the cool shit" (like drawing veins and abs that showed THROUGH clothing), maybe I could learn these rudimentary comicbook principles that had eluded me. What a concept.

Cut to 2002. Simple style, it was. Not a lot of frills, but I was learning. Also, I was pumping out art by the assload. I didn't even remember half of this stuff existed until I found it today. A lot of these were failures, but I still see seeds of things that I still draw from today. Most of my vocabulary for character expression came from this period. Learned a lot about color, too.

More 2002. Young Rob was full of angst, hormones, philosophy and loneliness. I'm posting this because it shows some pretty neat experimentation with transition, storytelling and page layout. Also, I was getting better with Photoshop.

2003. I was doing a weekly strip for my college paper, getting the hang of this nifty simple look. As I got the visual language down, I started experimenting with texture, adding more detail to the art and testing Photoshop's capabilities.

All autobiographical, by the way. The bottom one was a cathartic documentary of how I was let go from my job at Office Depot. Upon seeing the strip in print, my old manager sent a letter of warning to the University's Dean. I stand by my decision, since the rival Office Depot found it hilariously accurate.

2004. This shows nothing, other than I still had a hell of a sense of humor.

More 2004. Slowly adding more and more detail. I was getting confident with the simpler style. I was learning a lot about Photoshop, too.

Now 2005-2006 was weird. I'd gotten the rules of the simpler style down, so what'd I do? I started breaking them. I started bending things that shouldn't be bent, twisting shit around, and I loved it. Another really important time for my development. Also started working on line quality and inking after Erik Larsen thumped me during a critique for having shitty line variation. He probably wouldn't even remember it.

2006-2008 was a blur. Having graduated from college, I basically got a real job and barely drew for a good year and a half. Yep. I just stepped away from it and paid some bills. Here are a few pieces I came up with for various projects once I decided to return to comics. By this point, I knew how to navigate a comic page pretty well.

2008-NOW. You know how this story ends.

Anyway, I'm hoping this can be somewhat encouraging to up-and-coming artists unsure of their direction. Everyone has a beginning. Ya just gotta keep pushing. Not everything will be beautiful, (as this post shows, I think) but even the bad stuff is ultimately redeemed by what you learn from it in your new work. So make some ugly-ass art, dreaming of the day when it'll be beautiful.

And you suckas better appreciate me embarrassing myself, just to make your asses feel better...

Best,
Rob!

Pill.

2011-08-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

Panel from HERO Comics 2011 Charity Book. Out Today!

-Rob

Peek.

2011-08-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

Panel from CHEW 20.

Yep.

2011-07-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

My wall of Awesome. And Voltron protects them all.

For those who haven't heard, CHEW won the 2011 Eisner for Best Continuing Series last weekend. And that's pretty stinkin' awesome. Thanks to all you fans, creators and retailers that made this possible. You guys are awesome.

And YES, I know the blog's been pretty damn barren as of late. What can I say? Between having a kid and keeping an (almost) monthly comic schedule, things have been busy. A lot's happened in the last year, and I've sucked at covering all of it. So I've dedicated myself to posting more regularly from here on. Seriously this time. SERIOUSLY.

See ya tomorrow. (seriously).
-Rob!

Process Junkie: Coloring CHEW.

2010-12-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

Alright, due to the positive response of my inking process post, I've decided to go forth with this short tutorial, outlining a bit of how I digitally color CHEW.

First, a Disclaimer. I am not a "Tech" guy. I have had several conversations with professional comic colorists, and they pretty much always degrade into me staring blankly at them while they talk about Photoshop Channels or whatever other crap that I have no idea how to use properly. Look, I took ONE Photoshop class in college, and it taught me NOTHING. What I've learned over the past decade of using the program is a cobbled-together mess of "Things I need to know to achieve the look I want." Truthfully, I have scratched just the surface of Photoshop's power, and I know how to do one or two things in it well. But I've dedicated my life to exploiting those one or two things until the day I die.

Step 1: Scanning!

First up, I scan in the finished inks at 1200dpi in B&W Lineart mode. It's crisp and the red graphite I pencil in doesn't show up on the scans. I use studiomate Kody Chamberlain's Epson 15000 scanner, and it's got the best scans I've ever seen. From there, I convert it to GreyScale mode, then CMYK mode, then drop the resolution to 600dpi. I drop the lineart into a pre-made template, then size it down to about 6.875 x 10.187. From there, I'm ready to go.

Step 2: Rough Shadows!

Next up, I'll roughly draw the shadows for the page. This is mostly an informative step, since I have a color assistant, S. Steven Struble to fill in color separations and clean up shadow work according to my guides. Also, I do this because I am ANAL. Several comic friends rib me for not just contracting all my color work away, but hey, doing it myself makes the finished product that much more rewarding to me. Maybe one day, after I have sufficiently worked myself to death, I'll stop coloring.

Anyway, below is the "rough shadow" layer without lineart.

Step 3: Separations!

Thank God for my color assistant, because I hate this stage. Struble goes into the lineart, and basically lays out the foundation that I will be building the rest of the color on top of. For major characters, he works from color guides I provide him with. For everything else, I generally just let him do whatever and change the color choices when I get around to it. Struble's contribution has been totally invaluable to the book's workflow, and we could never keep it coming out at this pace without him.

Step 4: Shadows!

Next, I drop Struble's flats into the lineart. I tweak the color choices, generally leaning toward more subtle colors. Then, I tweak the rough shadows, adding a darker shadow layer for extra depth. It's mostly detail work, really.

Also, I brush over some of the black lineart, turning it into color, for more depth and a fun touch. Note the green bubbles floating around Drunken Colby, as well as the backgrounds in Panels 2-3. Turning the background lineart a different color is an easy way to separate background from foreground. Easy, but I like it.

Step 5: Harmony!

An easy step. I drop in a couple Photoshop filters for color harmony. Generally, I have one Color Layer at low opacity and a Burn layer just to darken things a bit.

Step 6: Gradients!

Another shadow and lighting step. Using the digital airbrush I add gradual lights and darks. One Multiply layer for darks. One Overlay layer for lights.

Step 7: Highlights and Texture!

I drop in a texture layer in Multiply, just for a nice non-uniform feel. I have a crapload of textures, everything from sidewalk cracks to grease stains. All totally invaluable. Again, I lean on the side of using them in a subtle fashion.

Plus, I draw in the Highlights in an Overlay layer. Two depths of lighting: A bright white for brightest points, a grayer white for not-so-bright spots. Again, gives the feeling of a nice depth that probably only I can appreciate. Did I mention that I'm ANAL?

Step 8: Vivid Glow and Effects!

Last step. This is literally polishing the page. I drop in a Vivid Glow onto Panel 1, just to simulate the sunny day feeling I'm wanting. Plus, I also airbrush in some Vivid highlights onto the windows, metallic substances, etc... Just a little extra something. I drop in a red color layer over Colby's red eye, just for a nice glow. Plus, I drop in a Zip dot texture into the background of Panels 4-5, just to busy the space a bit more. From there, I save the file as a Tiff at 600dpi, and I'm done!

And FYI, in the end I generally have no more than 20 Photoshop layers for a standard page.

Here's hoping this wasn't too mind-numbing and at least partially informative. My best advice: Just experiment. Try some stuff and see what you come up with. There's no better substitute for getting your hands dirty.

-Rob

Process Junkie.

2010-11-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Alright, people have been bugging me for what seems like forever to do a walk-through my process for doing a page of CHEW. Of course, being busy (and a bit lazy), I've been ignoring said requests until now. Short, sweet and simple, here's the making of a page of CHEW.

Please excuse the crappiness of my photos. I don't have the will to actually scan in each stage. Told you: LAZY.

10:30am: Thumbnail.

Step 1 is actually reading the script a few times, but for the sake of boredom, I'll skip to the thumbnail. Above is a reeeeally quick thumbnail of our page. I tend to focus more on mass, layout and pacing than much detail. It's not much, but it's all I need to get started.

11:00am: Rough Pencils

Next, I work up a quick, very rough layout of the page. I pencil using red graphite, because I find blueline's too waxy to ink on top of. Red's easier to see, plus it won't show up on a scanner. And it kinda looks cool under the finished inks. Again, focusing on layout and mass, but starting to flesh out character acting. I try to do these as quickly as possible, because Morning Rob tends to need a warm-up like a car in winter. I attack the blank page before it can intimidate me, really. These take, maybe, a few minutes.

11:15 to 1:00pm: Detailed Pencils

Now, onto the details. One panel at a time, I flesh it out, generally starting from the last panel, working backwards. I'm weird like that. I spend more time on body language and facial expressions than anything. As simple as they look, I agonize over the nuances of them.

Pencil Details: Click to embiggen!

1:oo-2:15pm: Fine Line Inks.

I think this might be the most important step of my process, mentally. This is the point where I commit to the page. Right or wrong, there's no turning back. Unless I f*ck up and have to use white-out, but that's rare. I tend to draw a lot with the pen, adding details without ever penciling them. Fairly improvisational. It's all cake from here.

More details:

2:30-5:30ish: Line Variation and Blacks

This is the part where I get to put a movie on and shut my brain off a bit. Simple stage. Adding thickness and variation to the fine lines, adding patches of shadow, etc... I usually add easter eggs and background jokes at this stage, mostly out of delirium.

And that's kinda it. Maybe one day I'll walk you through the Photoshop stage. Maaaaybe.

Peace,
Rob!

CHEW 15.

2010-10-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Poster Cover for CHEW 15, due out 11/10.

Post SDCC 2010.

2010-07-29T06:07:00.000-07:00

My first shiny prize.

So, being that I've only posted a whopping 2 times in the last year, I figured it was time for a real update. The last year, not the mention the last week, has been one bit of madness on top of more madness. All in a good way.

1) CHEW wins the EISNER Award for Best New Series:
Complete and utter lunacy. Not to mention that the awards were presented to us by the great Dave Gibbons. Fitting, as I studied Gibbons' work on Watchmen for ideas on how to build the world of CHEW visually. A surreal experience, and an incredible honor. John and I have put a lot of hard work into making CHEW a consistently entertaining read, so it's great to have it pay off with the comic industry's most prestigious award. Thanks to everyone that supported our weird little endeavor.

2) CHEW in Early Development for TV:
It's true. And so far Stephen Hopkins (Californication, 24) is attached to direct and produce it. Exciting, but I won't allow myself to smile about it until 1) I see it on TV, 2) It's GOOD and 3) The check clears. Maybe a lot to ask for, but I'd rather aim for excellence than mediocrity. Either way, things are looking good.

3) CHEW in Morgan Spurlock Comic Con Documentary:
Weird, but Layman ended up as a "character" in this thing. I ended up being his awkward, but incredibly handsome partner. Actually worked for me, as I hate being on camera. The camera crew managed to get all sorts of SDCC goodies on film, including our Eisner win. Should be a great time capsule.

4) CHEW/Threadless Contest Announced:
Yep, submit your best comic-related shirt design. If you win, your design will appear on a major character in CHEW #15. Lose, and Layman gets to pummel you to death with his Eisner. We'll be judging this personally.

5) CBR Interview on a Yacht Online:
We got limited edition CBR kazoos!

6) We got HARVEY Nominations:
One for Best New Series and I got one for Best New Talent. Honored to be nommed, of course. And of course, I wouldn't mind winning. Won't be able to make it to the ceremony due to a signing that same night.

7) CHEW Shirts:
The first CHEW apparel, featuring Poyo (below), was debuted at SDCC, and is available online. $20 plus shipping. Printed on American Apparel shirts, these are comfy and high quality. Expect more designs shortly. Email chewcomicsales@gmail.com to order.

And I guess that's it for now. Back to the grind. Below is an unreleased bit of CHEW art, created for the Image Comics SDCC Exclusive 2010 Yearbook. Enjoy, and see ya later.

Peace,
Rob!

Check-in 2010.

2010-06-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Damn, I've reeeeally been slacking on the blog-updating side of things.

But hey, it's been a crazy 2010. Went to Italy (as pictured above) for the release of CHEW's Italian version and enjoyed fine wines, fine cuisine and a much-needed nap. I also finished CHEW's second story arc, "International Flavor", and am knee-deep into the book's third arc, "Just Desserts". And even made time to impregnate my lovely wife April. Life is good...

Here's what's new:

1) CHEW #11 will be released on June 9, along with the CHEW Vol.2 trade paperback (both pictured below).

2) CHEW Omnivore Edition Vol.1 due out on July 21. Hardcover goodness collecting the first 10 issues of the book, along with tons of sketches and exclusive goodies.

3) CHEW nominated for an Eisner Award (Best New Series) and 2 Eagle Awards nominations (Favourite American Colour Comic and Favourite New Comic). Hells yeah. Pretty damn flattering to be nominated, but I must admit that I want these shiny prizes.

I'm looking to post a more extensive blog post later, but for now, here's a look at future CHEW covers (including a cryptic peek at the top secret CHEW 15 cover).

Peace,
Rob

2009: Year of the Crazy.

2009-12-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, folks. Thanks to everyone who made 2009 such an unbelievable success in the CHEW camp. For me, things could not have gone any better than they went this year. Total dream come true, and a dream that I've been having for a long, long time. So, thank you. 2010 promises to be even bigger and better, as cliche as that is.

But first, 2009 wraps up with CHEW #7, which hits stores today. John and I are dedicated to making every issue better than the last, so hopefully we'll live up to that. We're both proud of how 7 came out, at least.

Notes and Press:

Newsarama has a new interview with John and me, focusing a bit on what's next for CHEW.
IGN names CHEW "Best Indie Series of 2009.
MTV Splash Page names CHEW "Best New Series of 2009.
MTV also did a nice feature, talking about why CHEW should be adapted to a movie, etc...

And then there's this:

The Image Comics Christmas card. I was really flattered when the Image guys asked me to do it, and pretty happy with how it came out. I have 25 of these to spare. And the first 25 original art orders will get one. If you're interested in CHEW art, hit chewcomicsales@gmail.com.

Catch you in 2010, suckas.
-Rob!

I, Slacker.

2009-11-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

Spidey Commission.

Crap, I didn't even post in October, did I? Life moves fast on a monthly schedule...

Alright, I haven't been much for long-winded internet ramblings these days (except on Twitter, and that keeps me to 140 characters), so I'm gonna keep this short. Here's the news:

1) CHEW Vol.1 debuts this Wednesday!:
Yep, seems like just yesterday I was blogging about starting issue 1, doesn't it? And now a full trade is hitting stands on Nov.25, collecting the full "Taster's Choice" arc (Issues 1-5). Craaaazy. And even crazier? It's all for $10. 128 pages of full color madness for a measly 10 bucks. And John and I have already gotten advance copies of this thing, and it's beautiful. VERY proud of this. And on the same day, we also have...

2) CHEW #6 in stores the same day!:
This is the first part of the new "International Flavor" arc, and along with the trade, is a perfect jumping-on point for new readers. Check it out.

There's a new interview with Layman and myself that features a nice preview of CHEW #6 here.

3) Signings!:
Yep, I'll be heading out to Boston this weekend for what should be a fun time. Then, a week later, I'll be signing with John in Texas. Pop in and say "What up". I'll be signing comics, shilling original art and hanging out. Here are the details:

11/29
Rob Guillory in Massachusetts
Larry's Comic Book Show
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
at the Westford Regency Hotel

12/5
Layman AND Rob in Round Rock, Texas, outside Austin:
Rogue's Gallery
Starting at 7 p.m. until close.

And I think that about does it for now. New pages are a-callin', so it's back to the grind. But I'll try to keep this damn thing updated more often. Art prints are still coming, as are t-shirts when I find the time.

In the meantime, here's a peek at the covers to CHEW #8 and 9.
Peace,
Rob!

More Original Art Info.

2009-09-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

Above is a framed page that my buddy Tofuguns bought at SDCC.

Still got pages from #2-4 available, and ONE page left from #1.

These suckers have been selling great, so if you're interested or want to inquire about a price list, shoot an email to chewcomicsales@gmail.com.

I'll be posting an updated price list on the site shortly and trying to keep it as up-to-date as possible each month as new issues debut. Speaking of which, we're pricing the #4 pages this week, so they'll be available for sale soon.

And on the subject of future issues:

Above is the cover to CHEW #7. Enjoy!

Peace,
Rob!

What's New?

2009-08-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

Has it really been a month since my last post? Time flies when you're grindin'. I haven't looked up from my drawing table since SDCC...

Without getting too long-winded, here's what's new on my side:

1) The CHEW Sellouts continue.
Yep, as of now, we've sold out of everything that we've put out (which is insane). So on September 2, look out for CHEW #1 (fourth and Final printing), CHEW #2 (third printing), CHEW #3 (second printing) and CHEW #4 (first printing). Whew...mouthful.

2) CHEW Trade release on Nov. 25....for $10!
That's right. 128 full color pages, collecting the Taster's Choice arc (Issues 1-5) for a measly $10. Not only that...but on the same day, CHEW #6 will be released (cover below-SPOILER ALERT). Perfect jumping on point. Check out the trade cover above and you can Pre-Order the trade HERE.

3) Art Sales Stuff:
Thanks for the patience of all the folks that have been inquiring about original art. We're finally getting on track and getting organized. I'm adding an Original Art page to the site where you can check in for updated price lists for CHEW. I'll be debuting that this week.

4) CHEW Limited Prints:
This is something really special that I'm particularly excited about. These are oversized (think 11x17) full color, extremely high quality prints of CHEW printed on fine, fine cotton paper and signed and numbered. The guys at 1of1Printing did a sample print of the CHEW #1 cover for me at SDCC, and I'm completely in love with it. These things are frame-able pieces of art, and honestly are the best reproductions of my art I've ever seen. I'll be posting more info, including sample photos and price in the near future. I may do on-demand interior pages or just do limited runs of each cover. We'll see.

5) Press Bits:
NPR.com did a cool write-up on the book.
IGN.com did a pretty extensive interview with Layman.
iFanboy did a short video interview with Layman and me at SDCC, a cool podcast review and gave us their Pick of the Week. Very cool.
AICN had some nice things to say.
And ComicsPriceGuide.com posted one of the more bizarre CHEW-related news bits. Weird...

And lastly, I just wanna say THANKS to you folks that keep supporting this crazy-ass book. It just gets more fun from here.

Peace,
Rob!

*********SPOILER IMAGE BELOW!!!!!***********

Comi-conquered.

2009-07-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

SDCC was a blast. A blast that I am still reeling from. Thanks to everyone that came out and supported the book. You guys rock.

See ya after I get some sleep,
Rob!

New Art Inquiry Email.

2009-07-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Please send any art inquiries to Chewcomicsales@gmail.com.

-Rob!

Art Sales.

2009-07-11T06:47:00.000-07:00

Alright...I've been avoiding this post like the plague, but here goes.

Thanks for everyone that emailed about original CHEW art. The response was not at all expected and totally overwhelming. I've been organizing these sales as best as I can, making sure everyone gets a solid page at a decent price that's fair to you and me. I avoided selling via eBay, mainly because I really feel like having you guys fight for the art would be annoying, greedy on my part and a major turn-off to potential fans. I'm not looking to make a fortune here. You guys have made this book a hit, and the alternative to getting these pages in your hands is for them to be stuffed under a pile of crap in my file. So it's a no-brainer.

So bear with me as this really is my first time selling originals of my comic work. It's quite strange. Sale details are as follows:

Price: Every interior page is priced starting at $150, and varies depending on complexity. Covers generally go for $400-ish.

What you Get: Each page is a black and white composition done with red graphite, inked over with pen and brush on a custom RobGuillory.com bristol page (Fancy!). Certain pages are not for sale (or may go for cheaper) because they have blank panels, which I leave for adding digital elements. Just pick up the book, and email me which pages you like already!

And to answer the question I've gotten more than anything: NO, I'm not selling the cover to CHEW #1. Keeping that baby to pay for my kids' college, or to sell should I be banished from comics down the road. But be sure to check back in about 10 years or so :)

Monthly Sales: I'll be selling a new batch of pages every month as new issues debut. Lotta pages equals a lotta chances to score one. So check back monthly. I ship out pages as their respective issue hits stands.

Commissions: Headshots go for $100, and price goes up per complexity. Allow a couple months for me to do them. I DO sleep from time to time. Sporadically.

Payment: Still working out the best way to do this. More than likely, Paypal. To be continued...

I'll be posting new info as I think of it. I'm refining this process as I find what works for me and doesn't interfere with the monthly work. Bear with me, you lovely, lovely people.

Peace,
Rob

In the Manner of Hotcakes.

2009-07-03T05:49:00.001-07:00

Page from CHEW #3.

Alright, if you haven't heard, CHEW #1 (Second Printing) and CHEW #2 are both sold out. In the case of the second issue, you might be able to find a few at a local comic shop if you're reeeeally lucky. But as for the second printing of #1, this is a case of the readers blowing our expectations. We set out to print a certain number, did it, then the demand for the issue totally dwarfed what we were prepared for. Which is friggin' fantastic for us, but you those who still haven't snagged a copy, it kinda sucks.

But, don't panic. On August 5, the first 3 issues of CHEW will be in stores. This is a PERFECT opportunity for new readers to jump on, and for others to catch up. So again, on that date, we'll be releasing:

CHEW #1 Third Printing
CHEW #2 Second Printing
CHEW #3 First Printing

That's a mouthful.
Also, don't forget, Layman and I will be hanging out at the Image booth at San Diego Comic-con. We'll be selling and signing books, doing sketches and generally shaming the Image brand, so stop by and say "Hey!"

And again, THANK YOU to everyone that has made this book such a huge "WTF?" success. Seriously. You guys took a chance on a total madman writer and a no-name artist, and we're dedicated to delivering the best damn book in comics (mainstream or otherwise). John and I think it only gets better from here.

Later for now. Pages to ink.

-Rob!

CHEW News and Art FAQs.

2009-06-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

First look at the cover of CHEW #4.

So, yes, if you haven't already heard the news, CHEW #1 sold out in 48 hours. Incredible. Thanks to every single person that picked up this book, and extra-special thanks to every person that blogged, tweeted or messenger-pigeoned about it shortly after reading. You guys rock, and we hope you stick around for the rest of the ride because it only gets crazier from here. CHEW is the most fun on comic shelves today. And I say this as someone that's read the first 6 issues.

Next up, on July 1, the second printing of CHEW #1 (with a crazy green logo) will be hitting stores side by side with CHEW #2. So be sure to pick both up. Issue 2 is Tony's first day on the job in the FDA, and it's a crazy one. As I said, there's more to being an FDA Agent than meets the eye. And there's friggin' ninjas.

Now, onto some FAQs.

1) Commissions: Yes, I do take on commissions from time to time. Generally, I charge $100 for a 9x12 headshot in pen and ink, and it goes up depending on complexity. For any inquiries, hit me at rob@robguillory.com.

2) CHEW Art for Sale: Yes, I will be selling every page of CHEW art in the coming months. Can't sell any just yet, but I'll be having a whole lotta pages to get rid of soon. Check back here for updates on that.

And San Diego Comic-con! John Layman and I will be parked at the Image booth, selling copies of the book as well as other assorted goodies. So stop by and say "Yo". I'll be doing commissions all week.

Later for now,
Rob!

THANK YOU!

2009-06-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

"CHEW is a great comic book – the type that grabs you by the ears, takes a bite out of your nose, spits it in your face and still leaves you laughing and hungry for more. After only one issue, it might be my favorite book on the stands. 9.5/10."

-IGN.com

"The most unsettling, most awesome piece of comic book material that's been published in quite some time."

-COMIC PANTS.COM

"How do I describe Chew? The perfect recipe for your comic book appetite: a healthy helping of police drama, a dash of humor, sprinkle in some action, and throw in some cannibalism for good measures. Chew has it all, just be sure not to read it on an empty stomach."

-COMICS ADDICTION.COM

"...One of the most innovative and all-around successful ideas in the market today."

-COMICS WAITING ROOM

"Layman offers a story so flawlessly distinct amidst a bombarding and suffocating genre without any pretense; he has given this genre a much-needed gasp of air. Beginning to finale, Layman prevents CHEW from festering in clichés and presents readers a refreshing, provoking and entirely entertaining new comic. Bon appétit."

-COMIX411.com

"Chew blends a dark, compelling crime-fiction atmosphere, biting political satire and over-the-top, absurdist humor to arrive at an entertaining and surprisingly compelling bit of storytelling that almost defies description."

-EYE On COMICS

Damn.

What a crazy-ass day yesterday was. I'm still processing it. Seriously, I've been grinding for the last decade, trying to break into this friggin' industry in some meaningful way. And from the moment John Layman put this project into my hands, it's been unreal ever since. And I just wanna take a second and show some love to you guys. Not in a cheesy, I just-won-an-Oscar kinda way. But you guys have been so great, and I feel so incredibly blessed that I feel "Thank Yous" are in order.

Thank you to everyone that picked up this book and tried something different from the norm. I love this industry and think that despite all the weird creative recycling that its been prone to lately, the best days of the comic industry are still ahead. There's still room for new, crazy ideas, and you picking up CHEW is proof of that.

And in a Soapbox moment: Who's to say that CHEW is a crazy idea anyway? This industry was built on grown men crawling walls in spandex, blue men with their blue penises flopping around and hairy midgets with metal shooting from their hands. It's only a crazy idea until someone chooses to accept it. Then it's all fair game.

And thank you, John friggin Layman. For bringing this unbelievably brilliant thing to a total newbie like me and trusting me with it. Seriously, I can't imagine a better collaborator, and I am completely spoiled now.

Now here's the thing: If you dig what we're doing here, then we need you to show love.

Spread the word. Post blogs. Share links. Twitter it. If you only have messenger-pigeons, then let them fly. We're putting all we have on the page to make CHEW the best book on the stands, indy or mainstream. But we still need you to sustain our little creator-owned baby. So if you dig it, why not tell somebody else about it?

Deal?

Thanks again,
Rob!

CHEW Day Treats.

2009-06-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy day ahead. My head is buzzing. CHEW #1 hits stands today, so please run down to your local comic shop and harass your retailer until he sells you a copy.

Here's some new goodies for today:

CBR has the complete CHEW #1 script online now, so check it out after you get the book. Later on, we're gonna be doing a type of Director's Commentary on the first issue, so check back for that.

The IND, a newspaper based in my hometown of Lafayette, LA, has a nice (somewhat cheese-flavored) piece on the book, as well as a brief 3 minute bonus interview with yours truly. So if you have a thing for watching camera-shy geeks, shoot on over there.

Mania.com has an interview up, in which I talk a whole lot about the story and art. Probably my favorite interview we've done so far.

Comic Addiction has a short, very positive review of CHEW #1, as well.

Catch you kids later,
Rob!

CHEW #1 Tomorrow!

2009-06-02T06:03:00.001-07:00

Yes, tomorrow is the big day. And guess what? I also turned 27 today, so you know what you can get me :)

Also, just in the spirit of keeping the news flow going, here's a bunch of recent press, plus advance reviews that we've been stockpiling:

AintitCoolNews.com Interview
Newsarama Ambidextrous Interview
TFAW.com Interview
ComicsWaitingRoom Advance Review
Secret Identity Podcast Advance Review
Eye on Comics Advance Review
Comixtreme Advance Review
Fanboy.com on the CHEW #3 Cover Art

And there's more to follow, including some cool stuff we'll be putting up on ComicBookResources.com over the next few days. Until then, how about some peeks at future issues?

UPDATED: CBR just put up a cool Process of CHEW piece that I scribbled up a while back. It chronicles the creation of the CHEW #1 cover and 2-page spread, from script to final image. Check it out, you process junkies, you!

The Process of CHEW on CBR.

Peace,
Rob!

CHEW #3 First Look.

2009-05-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

First Look at the cover to CHEW #3. Below is the full solicit.

CHEW #3
story JOHN LAYMAN
art & cover ROB GUILLORY

AUGUST 5
32 PAGES / FC
$2.99

Amelia Mintz is a food critic and a Saboscrivner. That means she can write about food so accurately, so vividly and with such precision, people get the actual sensation of taste when reading her restaurant reviews. Since the government prohibition of poultry, she’s lost her enthusiasm for the culinary world, and only reviews restaurants with a “D” rating or less from the Health Department. Her last review caused half the city to projectile vomit, and sent hundreds to the hospital with severe food poisoning. Agent Tony Chu has been assigned to arrest Amelia Mintz, but there’s just one problem with that… he’s madly in love with her!

Presenting the weirdest comic you will read all month, and maybe the best, as the deliciously twisted new series about cops, crooks, cooks, cannibals and clairvoyants continues!

-Rob!

Fast Food.

2009-05-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

First peek at a page from CHEW #2. More goodness to follow.

And don't forget to snatch a copy of Walking Dead #61, which has a special preview of CHEW in it. Walking Dead is a brilliant book (that I am absolutely addicted to), so it's very flattering to be featured in it pages. Check it out.

Peace,
Rob!

TFAW.com Interview and First Look.

2009-05-05T07:39:00.001-07:00

TFAW.com just posted a great interview with John and me. Tons of new discussion about story, art process and future arcs. Check it out here.

Plus, there's also a 4 page peek at CHEW #1's interior art with a few never-before-seen pages, so hit that here.

Peace,
Rob!

The Art of CHEW on CBR.

2009-05-01T06:37:00.001-07:00

For those that may have missed it, CBR has posted a mini-sketchbook of CHEW art at this link. It's a great behind-the-scenes look at my art process and gives a good peek at future issues. Hit it!

-Rob!

Chop-Sockey!

2009-04-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

Panel from CHEW #2. Bigger for the details!

-Rob!

CHEW #2 Cover.

2009-04-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

First look at the cover to CHEW #2. Yes, there are Ninjas. Ass-kickery ensues.

There are a few new interviews up at ChewComic.com, so check them out. More to follow. But now, back to work.

-Rob!

PREVIEWS Solicit and ChewComic.com

2009-04-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple scans of our write-up in PREVIEWS magazine. Pretty snazzy (though no one says "snazzy" anymore).

Also, the official CHEW blog is live here. Feel free to Twitter, MySpace, Facebook or Messenger-Pigeon it everywhere. The view is subject to change, so bear with us while we get our footing. We'll be posting new stuff over the next few weeks as new interviews and special goodies get released.

Also, here are a couple cool pieces of press from the last couple weeks, so check them out at Fanboy.com and ComicsWaitingRoom.com.

I also did a cool Making of CHEW feature for ComicMonsters.com. It's a look at the process of creation behind one page of the book. Fun stuff.

More to follow. But I got pages to pencil right now.

-Rob!

Breaking In.

2009-04-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

C.B. Cebulski just posted a six-page short we collaborated on a few years back, which was published in the HERO Initiative's Charity Anthology for that year. I'm slightly blushing over the age of the work, but feel free to check that out.

For those that don't know, C.B. is a writer and Talent Scout for Marvel Comics and has been doing a series of Twitter posts on Breaking into Comics. His posting of our short inspired me to share a bit of my experiences breaking in, a pretty long, but interesting ride.

I began making the push into comics around 2001, and it all started with a pretty simple plan. Now, I’m not saying this is the “Breaking-In-Plan-to-End-All-Plans”. This is just what worked for me as the 20-year-old, no-money-having, south Louisiana artist that I was at the time. My Break-In plan was cyclical and had a few different legs, as complex as that sounds. It went like this:

1) Hit a con. Walked the alleys, working past my own general awkwardness to meet, greet and get portfolio reviews from artists, editors and the occasional writer. Take note of whatever feedback I got in a sketchbook. Be polite and not too self-deprecating. Ask questions. Trade business cards for instant connection. Network!

2) Go home and Follow up. I’d email almost all of the creators that I’d meet, just as a thank-you and as a way of saying “I’m serious about doing this for a living”. Oftentimes, creators would encourage me to send them new work, and they’d respond with invaluable advice. Jim Mahfood was the first creator that did this for me, and it was a huge boost to me when things got hard. And since we’re on the subject of using the Net…

3) Post Work Online. I posted new work at least twice a week on at least five different message boards. Sometimes, people would respond. Sometimes, they wouldn’t. Sometimes, they were flaming assholes, but whatever. This was a priceless way to getting my work seen, getting feedback, and meeting people. I can’t count the number of professional contacts I’ve made just because the right person was surfing my site at the right time. This is how Marvel Talent Coordinator/Writer C.B. Cebulski found me via MySpace, of all places. I was just minding my own business when he messaged me one day, saying he dug my work, and asking if I'd be interested in working with him. Crazy. You’ll be amazed.

4) Work my Ass off. Apply what I’d learned at the last con and try some new things. Build a new portfolio and get ready for the next one.

5) Hit another con. I’d hit two conventions a year. Once every six months, roughly. Being from the south, going to these shows usually required an expensive trek out of state, so this gave me plenty of time to save the necessary cash, as well as produce a whole new portfolio of work for each con. Simple enough idea. Added bonus of hitting these cons regularly was that I became a face to creators. People remembered me and my work, often to the point that many of those folks are now good friends.

And that was it, really. I paid some dues by doing a bunch of non-paying indy stuff for guys I’d meet at the cons. Eventually, there was a snowball effect, and that free work became paying gigs as my work got better. Simple as that. Approaches and results may vary.

It's very odd how this stuff comes back around. FYI: C.B. was the guy that introduced me to Tokyopop President Jeremy Ross at a San Diego bar. Of course, Ross then hired me to work with Brandon Jerwa on a never-released pilot called Jason Mason. Jerwa, in turn, was the guy that referred me to John Layman, who hired me to draw CHEW.

You just never know...

Cheers,
Rob!

CHEW Pre-Order Info.

2009-03-25T15:32:00.001-07:00

A few rough "hashing-out idea" pages from my sketchbook. In this, case, I was contemplating cover ideas for Issue 1, along with general themes. For the Process Junkies. Also, a few character sketches for Issue 2.

The Diamond Pre-order code for CHEW #1 is out, so be sure to lock in your copy.

APR09 0337 Chew #1

Hit your local shops and order this sucka today. You're gonna love it.

Peace,
Rob

FINALLY....

2009-02-28T05:46:00.001-08:00

Finally, I can talk about this. All the secrecy and "don't show anyone" was killing me...

Alright, so the word is out. CHEW was announced yesterday at Wondercon 09 by my partner-in-crime, madman John Layman during the Image Comics Panel. And I couldn't be more excited. John and I have been working on making this the best, craziest damn comic on the face of the earth, and I'm friggin' ready to share just what it is I've been working on, because frankly, this project is the most fun I've ever had working in comics.

First, I think it's important to say that I'm not what you would call normal, either. I mean, sure, Layman's crazy, and the premise of this very book is batshit insane. That was my reaction from the second he pitched it to me. In fact, I remember the initial pitch going something like this:

Layman: "So, it's a police procedural. But taking place in a world where bird flu has killed millions, the FDA is the new Homeland Security, and there's a whole subculture that believes it's all a conspiracy. OH, and the hero's a psychic who solves cases using his psychic ability that gives him visions based on what he eats."

But here's the even crazier part: It works. By God, it freakin' works.

Enter Fan Mode:

The world that Layman has created is a wonderland of psycho chefs, shady FDA agents and a wide-ranging conspiracy plot that takes its characters everywhere. Every issue is a new turn on one big rollercoaster, and I am absolutely along for the ride. It's rich, unbelievably funny, and downright heartfelt at times. And I'm speaking as a fan that has read the first four issues worth of script. This is a book I'd buy. Something totally original and new. I think you'll dig it.

Check out the CHEW coverage so far here, here and here. There will be more to come over the next two weeks, including my Newsarama interview and an exclusive 6-page preview on Comic Book Resources. And as always, check back here for the occasional goodies, sketches and whatnots. I'll be posting the PREVIEWS pre-order code here as soon as I get it.

Until then, check out some preview art from the first 5 issues.

Peace,
Rob!

Chewed.

2009-01-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Character sketches for CHEW.

John Layman makes me draw the craziest crap. Love him for it.

-Rob!

Late Resolutions...

2009-01-19T14:07:00.000-08:00

Man, I really suck at this updating thing...

Alright, so this is a few weeks late, but I figure now's as good as any time to show a few of the 09 projects I'm cracking away on. I've got three projects in development that are too early in the going to really chat about, but the stuff below is what I've got locked in so far.

1. CHEW

I've been posting the occasional peek at some of the CHEW artwork over the last few months, and I'll be revealing more until its release in May/June. We're starting it off with an initial five issue run through Image Comics, and I'm thinking there will be more to follow. My writer on this, John Layman, is a total mad genius, and I've had a blast kicking his scripts around. It's an edgier, more mature break from the kid-friendly stuff I've been dabbling in lately. Speaking of which...

2. St. Spooky's

Just finished Book 1 of Spooky's (9 issues, 4 page serialized chapters) for Random House's The DFC. This one's available via subscription only, and primarily in the UK, but US residents can order it with shipping costs attached. I'd highly recommend it. The DFC's an awesome way to get kids not only reading, but reading comics. We may be doing a Book 2 of this later in the year.

3. Teddy Scares

Yep, I'll be doing more Teddy Scares this year, too. So far, I've contributed to three issues (both on sale here, and the third will be on sale soon), and they were a blast. I'm a huge fan of infusing humor in my art, and the TS stories are always hilarious. Plus, the guys at APE have been really cool about letting me experiment with different techniques, which is always fun. For the new issue (above), I went with a dirtier, textured look.

4. Solo Project

This one, I've hinted at in a couple past posts. Keeping mum on this for now, except that 1) this'll be my first project where I'll be handling script and art, 2) it's sci-fi-based and 3) it's complete lunacy. More on this later.

5. Children's Book

This one's been a fun little break. Written by local writer Theresa Singleton, this is my first real foray into children's books, which I've thought of trying for a while. This was a great experiment with a really clean, simplified look. I'll be finishing art on this in the next couple days. After that, I'll post any info as I get it.

Also, expect a site and gallery update in the next couple months. It's time to dust off the cobwebs...

And that's it for now. Now that the New Year's blitzkrieg has settled, I'm gonna try to get back into the habit of posting new art on a weekly basis.

Fingers crossed...

Peace,
Rob!

Muzak.

2008-12-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

Side B Anthology Self Portrait, yo.

Wow. Has it really been over a month since my last post? Damn. Time does fly...

I'll be posting a peek at my 2009 work sometime in the next week, so check back for some goodies. It'll be worth it. I promise.

Peace,
Rob!

Duo.

2008-11-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

Couple more panels from CHEW #1. The first issue's wrapped, so I'll be starting the next this week. Progress!

Peace,
Rob!

Medium Rare.

2008-10-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Random panel from CHEW.

-Rob!

Back that Thang Up.

2008-10-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

A peek at some of my process for St. Spooky's.

-Rob!

Chewy Pieces.

2008-09-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

A layer from what will be a double page spread from CHEW.

-Rob!

"Just the Beets, please."

2008-09-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

-Rob!

Absentee Landlord.

2008-09-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the slow flow of updates, peeps. I've been really busy these days working on a bunch of stuff that I can't really show off yet. But things are good, so stay tuned for the real fun.

Above is a page from a new project that kinda fell in my lap a bit before Comicon. This one's written by the awesome John Layman. More of this to follow. But for now, I've got pages to ink!

Peace,
Rob!

Friggin' Incredible.

2008-08-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a little Pixar, eh?

-Rob!

Whoa.

2008-08-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Random panels from the Teddy Scares Vol.2 story I'm doing at the moment. More of that filthier, grungier coloring style I'm playing with.

San Diego Comicon went extremely well. I've got a lot to talk about, but I think instead of talking about it, I'm just gonna wait until I can show you.

;)

-Rob!

SDCC....Here we go.

2008-07-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

A test image for this children's book I'm being commissioned for. Fun stuff. I'm working on reducing my dependency on technology, so all of this is ink wash and pen. Always a good exercise when Ctrl-Z isn't handy...

The mad rush toward SDCC is well underway. I'll be flying out Wednesday morning, so wish me luck! And I'll be sure to post an update of all the convention goings-on when I get back.

Unless it goes badly. In which case, my update will be posted in the form of cyber-tears on drawing board.

;)

-Rob!

Oh my God. He's even got a Watermark.

2008-07-15T13:08:00.001-07:00

Last year, I made new business cards for the San Diego Comicon madness. And for the last week, I've been debating whether or not I should make a new one. I mean, using the same card for the same con twice...no big deal, right?

Well...I tried to fight it, but I couldn't resist. Whipped these up from scratch this morning, and just ordered them, rush delivery for the con. Here's hoping they come out all right.

And yeah, this is for a side project I've been developing in my free time. If you can squint hard enough, you might even see the title. Up top is the front, and below is the card back. Or does it even matter?

Peace,
Rob!

Keep your Pimp Hand Ready.

2008-06-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

Some concept art for something in development. Why not, eh?

-Rob!

Moving on.

2008-06-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Newsarama has a nice little write-up on the fate of the Tokyopop Manga Pilot Program that's been under fire for the last couple months. Of course, writer Brandon Jerwa and I were a part of said program, but after all the instability the company's been experiencing lately, we felt it was best to move our creation, Jason Mason, elsewhere. We're shopping it around at a few different comic and book publishers, and things are looking ripe.

For all the hellfire Tokyopop's taken lately, I can't say our experience with the company was a negative one. We entered into the Pilot Program with a simple plan to test the waters, and if things fell flat with T-Pop, there was still an out contractually where we could take our project elsewhere. And honestly, getting out was an easy thing to do. We took a chance, and now we're moving forward.

Here's to all the guys who didn't land as softly. Namely, good luck to all the editors, including ours, Paul Morrissey.

-Rob

I got Class.

2008-06-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Just got back from St. Charles and St. Tammany parishes, where I hosted a few comic classes for some unsuspecting kids. It was a blast. I covered a few of the basic processes (working from script, thumbnails, pencils and even a little Photoshop), and a few basic drawing exercises.

Man... I would've killed to have something like this when I was a kid. I swear, these kids today get all the best toys.

Peace,
Rob!

Sketchbloggery.

2008-06-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Just felt like throwing up a few random sketches from the old sketchbook. Why not, huh?

-Rob!

Shortbussin'.

2008-06-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

-Rob!

Spidey Done.

2008-05-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

Spiderman is the greatest superhero on the planet, man. Period. And for me, Doc Ock is the quintessential Spidey villain. That might be because Doc Ock was the only Spidey baddie I had an action figure of as a kid... but still.

This was a lotta fun. A perfect chance to be silly (hence Doc Ock pining after Aunt May. Ya know, they dated once? True story...) I wanted this piece to be action-y, but retain a silliness that I think is key to Peter Parker. Peter's a quirky guy, and I can relate, so I tried to put that across in this piece.

So often doing art can fall into "work", but there's nothing like feeling like a kid again to make you remember just how fun drawing comics can be.

I think I'm gonna have to do more of these. A Batman one might be fun for the next one... :)

-Rob!

Spidey Incomplete.

2008-05-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Been a slow last couple days waiting for Editors and all that fun stuff, so I decided to play around a bit. Ya know, I've never done a full color Spidey piece before. How is that possible?

I'll wrap up colors on this tomorrow. Yawn...

-Rob!

Hells Yeah.

2008-05-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

Yeah....It's still in development.

And it will still rock your socks.

-Rob!

TS Colors.

2008-05-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

First attempt at full color with this technique. A lot more muted and dark than I usually go, but I think it fits the book.

Still a few tweaks I want to make to it, but it's heading where I want it to be.

-Rob!

TS Inks.

2008-05-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

Testing that ink wash technique on Page 1 of my next Teddy Scares 10 page story.
Same deal as before: Light pencils laid down, then I cover the whole page with Luma brand Amber Yellow ink mixed with water. After it dries, I work out the lineart with black brush and pen, then shadows are dropped in with tan and sepia Copic markers. Highlights are added with a Presto white-out squeeze pen. Maybe a bit low-tech, but I like it. I also pushed around some ink with my fingers here and there just for a little dirtying-up texture.

Not a lotta people know that I have my degree in Painting (what a degree), so it was really fun treating this like a little mini-painting instead of a comic page. I'm definitely gonna be using this technique more.

Now, for the Photoshopping...

-Rob!

Hester.

2008-05-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

Testing a new look for Teddy Scares. This one uses pen and light amber ink, brush, Copic Marker, white-out and a little Photoshop blue color filter.

-Rob

Daredevil Commission.

2008-05-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

A few months back, I got hit up by Greg McQueen, a comic collector who's currently doing a series of Daredevil cover recreations. I'm a big DD fan, so I jumped on it. Fun stuff. And a Kirby cover, no less.

Here's what I came up with. Pen, ink, Copic Marker, acrylic paint and a few other goodies.

As an artist that works regularly with computers, it's a whole other test to work without the safety net of Ctrl-Z. I liked it a lot, and I'm definitely gonna do more of this sorta thing.

Again, for commission queries, hit up rob@robguillory.com.

Peace,
Rob!

Shape of Things to Come.

2008-05-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been stuffed under a rock for a while, cooking up all kinda goodies, and it's almost time to unveil them. FINALLY. But not yet. Heh.

But in the spirit of keeping the blood flowing, I figured I'd post a few one-panel peeks at what's on my plate. Here we go...

First up is my contribution to the DFC, St. Spooky's School for Girls, written by Tony Lee, which will be debuting in the UK this month. Spooky's has been a great opportunity to just go absolutely insane with my color palette. Seriously, the colors were my favorite part of the whole project. Crazy liberties were taken.

Next is a mystery project that I'm extremely excited about. Let's just say that it has afros and lots of guns. Oh, and Josh Fialkov is writing it, so expect lots of crazy. This is the quick and dirty project I've been dreaming about while working on all my more kid-friendly projects.

And of course, there's Jason Mason, my Tokyopop pilot written by Brandon Jerwa. It's officially in the can, so expect that to go online shortly. OH...and expect a little viral activity. Just a little...

I'm also starting my next volume of Teddy Scares for APE. Working on a bit edgier of a look for that.

And the mysterious panel at the top of this post is a panel from Shortbus Superstars! that's never been seen. Looks like a gathering of monsters of some sorts. Hmm...

That's it for the preview for now. Later for now.

-Rob!

Coming Sooner than later.

2008-04-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

-Rob!

504.

2008-04-08T17:11:00.001-07:00

T-Shirt Commission. For sale soon on DirtyCoast.com.

As Dirty Coast is a New Orleans-based company, the design is inspired by Katrina, of course. Having gone to N.O. for the Antigravity Expo earlier this year and seeing the cities of tents that still exist there after all this time, I was taken aback and really wanted something with some resonance. Hopefully, I got that.

More shirts to come.

-Rob!

Ghost.

2008-04-01T20:53:00.001-07:00

Page from Jason Mason and the Ghosts He's Chasin' for Tokyopop.
Look for the whole 30-page chapter online at Tokyopop.com this month. I'll keep you posted.

-Rob!

Big Bang.

2008-03-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

I think this is gonna be one of my first shirts. We'll see.

-Rob!

A First Attempt.

2008-03-12T15:16:00.001-07:00

-Rob!

GRINDER, cart and more...

2008-03-10T10:08:00.001-07:00

Yo! Just recovering from last Saturday's Grinder, and getting back into the swing of things. This is a 3 print set I did specifically for the show. Did a limited run of these, so look for me to start selling the ones I have left through this site.

Speaking of which, I'm working on getting a cart on here. So expect RobGuillory.com to start selling original art, prints and a whole lot more soon. (Hint: t-shirts....)

Hit me up at rob@robguillory.com if you have any questions.
And hit the Grinder link above for pics of the show.

-Rob!

Antigrav.

2008-02-26T15:29:00.001-08:00

A few quick pics from the Antigravity Alternative Media Expo from last weekend in New Orleans taken by Andrew Thibodeaux.

Had a good time meeting a bunch of great people. The turnout was great, and the crowds were definitely feeling the many artists who'd turned out to share their wares. It was cool getting to chat with all the creators that stopped by.

-Rob!

The Grind.

2008-02-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

Pre-lettered poster for the fourth Grinder live art expo on March 8.

-Rob!

Inside.

2008-02-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

-Rob!

Black/White.

2008-02-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

A couple of art pieces for ArtLoveMagic's art book centering around the interpretation of the Divine and the Profane. Kept them pretty simple, but kind of experimental. No inks, just straight pencil and Prisma.

I decided to stay away from angels and demons in these. Never been much for those overused symbols. For me, Divinity is as simple as the complete peace that comes with love. Likewise, Profanity is as simple as the absence of light, and the loneliness that comes with that.

Looking at them now, they're both pretty meditative to me, which fits since they're both subjects that have always intrigued me. I like that the color palettes are a bit different from what typically is thought of when these subjects come into mind. They're somewhat complementary, which fits for me.

-Rob

Thumbs.

2008-01-30T15:07:00.001-08:00

Complete thumbs for Jason Mason for Tokyopop. Finished pencils today, so I'll start inks tomorrow.

-Rob!

I will call him... Johnny Slotpocket.

2008-01-28T18:49:00.001-08:00

Pinup for Hector Casanova's Screamland.

-Rob!

Glitch.

2008-01-18T15:08:00.000-08:00

Email's working again after some tech difficulties. I can still be reached at rob@robguillory.com or lateralcloud@gmail.com.

-Rob!

08.

2008-01-15T14:40:00.000-08:00

Meant to publish this as a Year-closing blog, but as a condition of one of my New Year's Resolutions ("Thou shalt spend less time farting about online"), I put it off until a bit later than planned. Excuse over. Here we go.

2008's looking to be a pretty busy year for me. Honestly, my busiest start to a year so far. Below are a few peeks at four projects on schedule. I've got a few preview/test pages for a couple projects in particular that I'm gonna have to wait to show off, but we'll get to that.

And yes... this is also a means of showing that I haven't been doing nothing in my spare time. So there.

1) Teddy Scares Vol.3 & 4 from Ape Entertainment.
Volume 3 should be hitting shelves in Feb./March-ish. I've got an 18-page story in that one, as well as an alternate cover. Rather hilarious story. Here's a peek:

I've also got a ten-pager in Teddy Scares Vol.4 (below), which I should be wrapping over the next couple weeks.

2) Jason Mason and the Ghosts He's Chasin' for Tokyopop.
This one's been in the works for a while, so it's kinda nice to see it moving along. We'll be debuting it as a 30-page online comic via the Tokyopop site in March/April. I'm ten pages into that one, and it's moving along nicely. Below's a quick peek at the first three pages. Call me a tease. You can also check out the original 5 test pages I did in early 07 here.

3) St. Spooky's School for Girls.
This is a fairly big new project that I'll be working on with writer Tony Lee. The publisher's a lock, but they're pretty bent on keeping the details of the project hush, so look for an announcement later. I can say that it is going to be distributed first in the UK, though, with a US release sometime afterward. As for a peek...

4) Shortbus Superstars!
Yep, still working on this sucker. Not saying anything other than "It will own your ass."

That's enough for now, I think.
I'd say that I'm gonna try to post more, but...you know.

And now in remembrance of 2007....my favorite quote of the year.

Peace,
Rob!

Lite Bright.

2007-12-20T10:10:00.001-08:00

Possible shirt sketch.

Haven't had much time for blogging lately, so I'll be popping up in about a week for a Year-End Blog-tacular, with previews of just what the hell I've been doing lately.

-Rob!

POPGUN!

2007-11-28T22:09:00.001-08:00

Image Comics' PopGun Anthology, featuring tons of insanely talented comic folks (and me) hits stands tomorrow. Check it out, peeps. It is indeed the ultimate comics mixtape.

I've got a seven page story in it called They Shoot Ponies...Don't They? written by Mark Sable (Image Comics' Grounded).

Hit the links below for tons of previews, interviews and ordering info.

PopGun Official Page.
PopGun Ordering Info.
PopGun on CBR.
PopGun on CBR. Again.
PopGun on IGN.
PopGun on MySpace.
PopGun on Newsarama.
PopGun meets Newsarama: The Revenge.

SuperHeroes!

2007-11-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

I rarely draw other (other people's) superheroes, but I decided to do a few hero prints for the WizardWorld Dallas con this weekend. Fun stuff. Hopefully, the peeps will dig 'em.

-Rob!

Technorati!

2007-11-05T21:13:00.001-08:00

Technorati Profile

Punks Part 2!

2007-11-05T08:11:00.001-08:00

Pinup for the Punks Christacular Special. Lotta craziness in that one.

-Rob!

Monkeys!

2007-10-22T14:58:00.001-07:00

The move to the new studio is complete, suckas. Finally.
More to follow.

-Rob!

Welcome to Crowtown.

2007-10-17T19:38:00.001-07:00

Crowtown Page 2.

Loving the new studio.
-Rob!

Eat Crow!

2007-10-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Page one of Crowtown, written by Tony Lee. Something a bit different.

-Rob!

Thumbs!

2007-10-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

New thumbnails for Teddy Scares Vol.4 from Ape Entertainment. Thought I'd throw these up since I haven't posted in a bit.

Lately, all the new stuff I've been kicking out is Shortbus related, so I can't really show everything just yet. But I will sneak a few more peeks at some of that stuff soon.

-Rob!

Worky-work, Bizzy Bee!

2007-09-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

Where's Rob, you ask? I'm right here, in studio, working my ass off.
Here's what's on my agenda:

1) New Shortbus pages. Getting back into the groove of pumping these suckers out. Got sidetracked from the project during the summer due to other (paying) gigs. Life happens, my friends, but I've got a stack of about 20 Shortbus penciled pages that points to good things.

2) Crowtown concepts and thumbnails. Finally got a good look that I'm happy with for the project. See below for a peek. I'm thinking I may start page thumbnails this week if I can squeeze it in.

3) Kill Fate. What is Kill Fate, you ask? My new comic collaboration with Courtney Huddleston, that's what. And that's all you get for now.

4)This alternate cover for Teddy Scares Vol.3 available only through Diamond. I also have an 18-page story inside (pencils, inks and colors) that will knock your socks off.

5) New studio. Looks like I may be moving into one next month. Sweet...

On a personal note, my wife will be heading for a tropical cruise with several of her family members and crew from work next week. I, having been traumatized by Jaws as a small child, shall not be going.
Five whole days without my better half. I wonder how long it'll take before I'm bed-ridden, eating peanut butter in my undies with my bare hands in between tossing scissors at the ceiling.

Sigh. I miss her already.

More stuff soon.
Peace,
Rob!

Shortbus in 3D Part Deux!

2007-09-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

Here are two of my favorite 3D models of my Shortbus Superstars! characters, fresh in from the Dave School. These two nailed the characters the most and have inspired me all over again. They captured the style I've tried to bring to the SB art, and brought something entirely new and fresh to the look. Seriously, it's been a long time since something's made me grin ear to ear like a fanboy. But here they are.

Derf by Gabriel Garza.

Albert by Ed Ruiz.

I'll definitely be working more with these guys in the future (if they let me). And I'll be doing more work with the Dave School guys in the near future.

Peace,
Rob!

Soul Power!

2007-09-05T18:01:00.001-07:00

A little over two years ago, I was commissioned to do a series of tshirts and skateboards for a couple clients. That commission, of course, went completely south, leaving me with a ton of new work (good problem) and no cash to show for it (bad problem).

These pencil drawings have remained untouched in my portfolio since then, sort of a painful reminder, a life lesson. I've always loved these, but the most attention I've given them was repeatedly saying "One day I'm gonna do something with these things."

So, yesterday I finally colored these damn things, and it felt good. Kinda like closing the book on that whole experience.

I'm gonna be selling them as a four-print 9x12 set, and as t-shirts later down the road. Interested parties can email me at rob@robguillory.com

-Rob!

Downtown!

2007-09-03T17:28:00.001-07:00

Test piece for my collab with writer Tony Lee, called Crowtown.
Trying to nail the right look.

-Rob!

Feelin' Froggy.

2007-08-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day.

-Rob

Super Retro.

2007-08-26T23:34:00.000-07:00

Yeah...I'm beat. Been a long, busy couple weeks.
Teddy Scares Vol.3 is officially done on my end (barring any revisions...fingers crossed), and I couldn't be happier. Easily the silliest sequential thing I've ever done.
Tomorrow, I'm finishing up a character design commission for a www.wanttobesquare.com pitch. Madness...
More sketches for my collab with Tony Lee coming shortly, as is more Shortbus art.
Speaking of Shortbus, the 3D models from the Dave School are coming in, and I'm pretty excited about them. Look for those in the next couple days.

Peace.
Rob!

SB in 3D!

2007-08-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Concept drawings of two of the Shortbus Superstars! to be made into 3D models by students of The Dave School under the tutelage of William "Proton" Vaughan. Can't wait to see what they come up with.

Tease.

2007-08-17T20:56:00.000-07:00

A few character sketches for something I'm developing in my few spare moments with writer Tony Lee.