Head Gear

  • by Drew

When I first started working on the script for the upcoming next issue of Skateboard Heroes, I wanted to do some stuff with kids on bikes. It was a way to get some of the boys’ friends involved, and also a logical pool of antagonists. Kids on bikes would of course be natural foes of kids on skateboards. No brainer, right?

Thing is, I wanted a decent old school BMX style helmet with full face coverage. Mostly because I wanted to have a potentially unlimited pool of villains, and I didn’t want to have to buy scores of helmets or secure the services of dozens of kids. With some face coverage I coulld easily make one kid play the role of 10 or 12.

It proved difficult to find a helmet within my customary budget of EXCEPTIONALLY little, though. I tried bike helmets, motorcycle helmets, toy plastic things…you name it. I even considered a welding helmet. Finally, after much searching, I ended up with a World War II style motorcycle helmet with vintage-looking goggles.

The thing is, it is a fully padded motorcycle helmet for an adult. It actually looks great on kids because it covers their entire heads. On me, however (because I did hope to press it into service as my own safety helmet) it has a sort of Dark Helmet from Spaceballs vibe. All the interior padding makes it perch way high on my head. And it is BIG.

Oh well, there’s always Halloween.

Road-worthy

  • by Drew

We were recently asked to consider a Skateboard Heroes signing event at a local comic shop. Sure we’re small-time, at least right now, but it seems like a lot of fun. The boys can get kitted out and we’ll sign some books, sell some t-shirts. Great stuff. But where’s the potential for taking this to the next level? I mean, most events like this that I’ve attended are either with major writers with dozens of books to their credit, or with artists who do sketches.

We’re lesser known, obviously, and our art is photographic in nature. I can’t exactly sketch something out. Maybe we won’t be going on the road in a tour bus after all – cancel the rv insurance quote.

Then I had an idea. with a camera and a laptop loaded with Photoshop I can snap fans with the Heroes themselves and then edit it in true Skateboard Heroes fashion. If I bring a decent printer I could actually generate some fan art in about the same amount of time it takes a comic artist to do a head sketch. Hmmmm. I am starting to see the potential for some real FUN!

With a little help…

  • by Drew

The Skateboard Heroes have added a bunch of new photos to the Friends of the Skateboard Heroes (FOSH) page. Check out the sketches from New York Comic Con 2011, various signings and events at the greatest little comic shop in the Hudson Valley, Alterniverse, and random chance encounters on the streets of America. Well, not so much the last one, but… some cool drawings by some awesome creators nonetheless.

The Heroes will Rise Again

  • by Drew

Yes, friends of the Skateboard Heroes, I know you are waiting for updates. All I can say is please bear with us. The all new SH Mini series is underway. It’s just a matter of time, I assure you.

And let me tell you, there’s some great stuff coming your way. We’ve got BMX bikers raising havoc, an amazing Inferno reveal, exploding tractor trailers, the unprecedented Gattling Baby, disco grenades… maybe even spine surgery Dallas. Don’t know what that means? Me neither. But the new pages will still seriously rock.

T4T

  • by Drew

Our favorite comic shop is going to be doing a Toys for Tots toy drive again this year. Last year they did a great job, and their T4T day was full of new toys, door prizes, games and… Marines. Seriously, I have pictures of the kids with Marines. It was awesome. This year, in addition to bringing in some toys, we’ll be contributing a Skateboard Heroes prize package to the festivities. Lucky winners will get a t-shirt, stickers, and a signed copy of Issue #0. Rock on! It may not be that gift basket for Mom you were hoping would save you from holiday shopping this year, but still… free stuff rules, right. Especially when you’re talking good cause. Very good cause. And hey, maybe your Mom is more about comics and skateboarding than berries and scented treats. It could happen, right?

Hero Schwag

  • by Drew

Things have been quiet on the Skateboard Heroes front for a while, but rest assured, the new stories are in progress and under way. In the meantime, have I recently plugged all of our great merchandise? We have stickers, a rainbow assortment of t-shirts, and actual books you can read. We haven’t gone so far as personalized coins or anything yet, but I know some people and can get stuff signed. Just saying. The creators have some pretty unique signatures. Fun for the whole family. You should check it out at www.skateboardheroes.com.

More NYCC

  • by Drew

In addition to some sweet Dr. Inferno sketches, we got a few other treats at Comic Con. For my geek readers, forgive the explanation, but for everyone else – DC Comics is going through this whole 52 new titles thing. They have rebooted all of their titles. So books like Action Comics and Superman and various Batman titles are all starting over at number 1. Considering many of these titles were in the 700s and 800s (do the math – 12 per year) it is a major renumbering… if nothing else.

Anyway, I got a sketch of Wonder Woman from Cliff Chiang, the artist who is working on the rebooted Wonder Woman book in the DC 52. I also got an incredible Super Girl from Dustin Nguyen, who is not, to my knowledge, working on Supergirl. But if Supergirl was a cute little adolescent girl… I mean, really, this sketch is incredible. And lest you think think DN is weird or something, he asked how old our little girl is, so he was drawing something with a very specific target age in mind.

We’re talking way better than something you put on t-shirts or cute baby rompers. This is legit wall art, no question. Not that you, or your very stylish baby, couldn’t wear this level of art. The penciling ois just so delicate and lovely. We’d need some inking and color I think. I mean, at least to make something a baby could wear to dinner.

NYCC – Here we come!

  • by Drew

New York Comic Con is coming up! That’s really all I need to say, right? I don’t need to explain the super fun Friday I have in store? Hoping to see Mark Hammill and Peter Mayhew to get my adolescent geek on. Carol and I both are psyched to meet Felicia Day from the Guild. Love the show. Love the comics. Love it, love it, love it. And then there are dozens of creators I am hoping to meet. Last year we played it low key, but this year I’m planning to go all out. I’ve got a special folding cart to load all the stuff I’m going to try to get signed… plus the booty. Oh yes, the delightful booty.

Must cruise the boxes for stuff to get signed!

Another way to read

  • by Drew

So I’m an audiobook fan, that much is clear. The thing I can’t totally wrap my head around is ebooks. I get it, and I don’t object or anything, I just haven’t cozied up to a digital book yet. I know some people who are totally dedicated to their devices, as well as the savings associated with buying ebooks versus hard covers.

Maybe its that I haven’t decided if I want to stay with my smart phone and go the kobo ereader route or if I want to throw it all away and go with a super kicked up tablet. I like the idea of being able to watch movies and use the Internet on a thingamabobber that would also allow me to read books. But I don’t know if it outweighs all the other variables. Hmmm… the jury is still out.

Listen Up

  • by Drew

I’m an unabashed and very vocal fan of audiobooks. I fell in love with listening to stories almost 20 years ago when I was driving between Amherst and Boston for band practices and gigs. In the early days it was old time radio shows like the Shadow. A few years later I was living in Connecticut and driving to Boston to see my girlie. At a precursor to the contemporary dollar store I bought a few abridged novels. I was so hooked.

Some years later I discovered digital unabridged novels and started downloading to the old mp3 player like a fiends. I now have well over 250 in my library and I’m not slowing down.

I have friends who say they’d rather buy oriental car floor mats or a solid gold back scratcher than waste their money on having someone read to them. Hey, to each his own, but I listen to a couple books a months (aside from what I read because I still do actually read, believe it or not). Mowing the lawn, washing dishes, chopping wood – all chores that I look forward to because they involve audiobook listening. And the drive to work is a breeze. I am even calmer with all the aggressive drivers on the road when I’m listening. Sweet!

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