Free Comic Book Day is Coming!

  • by Drew

Saturday May 7th is Free Comic Book Day, kiddies. Whoo-hoo! I’ve seen some of the books that will be available at participating shops and it’s gonna be a good one. Plus part two of my favorite two-store chain, Alterniverse 2, will be hosting kick-ass artist/writer Phil Jimenez.

Check city payday loans – here I come because I’m gonna be buying me some sketches, brother. Not to mention all the books I want to get signed. I’ve got old Robins and a new Adventure comics, but the center piece will be my 4th printing of the Spider-Man Barack Obama cover that PJ did. Suh-weet!

Free Comic Book day rules!

Rockin’ the 20

  • by Drew

Last Saturday was my 20 year High School reunion. First reaction? Holy poop I’m getting old! Seriously. And that was just the beginning.

Finding a jacket and pants combo that looks reasonable and has no stains easily hidden by carrying my baby girl around? That was a big challenge. For sure.

Then I looked in the mirror for probably the first time in a month. I mean, I glance in the mirror out of the shower and finger comb my hair almost every day, but I rarely look. But when I took a solid look, man…what’s the best way to get rid of blackheads? I mean, these days. Have there been any major technological advantages here?

More Free Comics!!

  • by Drew

The second segment of Skateboard Heroes is now available at www.SkateboardHeroes.com. Check it out!

And if you missed it, you can still download part one and/or take a look at the trailer. Rock on kiddies. SK82LIV!!

Commuter Woes Part II

  • by Drew

After my near-death morning experience, I witnessed something rather evil on the drive home. See, there was an ambulance that came screaming up in the other lane. I pulled to the side, as did the car facing me, to let the ambulance squeal by. With no shoulder on either side to speak of, the ambulance was having a rough time. I was pretty much alone on my side of the road, but I saw that when the ambulance passed, the guy on the other side of the road got pinned by the four cars racing behind the ambulance. Talk about taking advantage of the situation. And that poor guy who actually did the right thing…totally screwed by his fellow Americans.

It’s not like it was a florist truck making one of those emergency anniversary flower delivery trucks. We all know how important flowers are, particularly if you’re a dude who tends to forget. Maybe that would be acceptable – I mean, latching onto the floral delivery vehicle and all. But an ambulance? There’s no gift of love in the backseat. There’s probably just some dude who got a little aggressive with the chainsaw and has the fingers of one hand crossed with the fingers of the other hand in a cup of ice.

Speaking of anniversaries, mine is coming up. Think I should go with flowers? Or maybe there’s something cool I can get delivered in an ambulance. Time for a search engine…

Commuter Woes

  • by Drew

I usually work at home. I usually only go to the office once a week. I usually, therefore, don’t have to deal with commuter traffic with anything like regularity. Nevertheless, I experience seriously odd-ass things all the time. This morning was no exception. A guy in big Jeep Grand Cherokee was cruising about 65 miles an hour on a road with no shoulder. I was two cars behind.

All was going well until, quite randomly, the Jeep dude slammed on his brakes and pulled to the side. Now, saying he pulled to the side is pretty generous because well over half of his car was still in the lane. Seriously.

Yup, in about 100 feet of asphalt he went from 65 to parked with no blinker, no hazards, and no indication. Now some people are on their way to drug rehab treatment centers…and maybe they aren’t spot on in their decision making, but during rush hour?

Sheesh. There’s nothing like a 7am near-death from a crash experience to really brighten your day.

Have you checked it out?

  • by Drew

I’ve gotten some feedback through some other avenues and the response is GREAT! Have you checked it out yet? We made it loud so you don’t even need to crank your speakers for a real testosterone booster! Thrill to the sites and sounds of Skateboard Heroes, the super new Web-comic that will drop any day now. Be among the first to taste the lovely. For reals.

No spoilers here, but some hints: witty kids, rad skateboards, tricks, kickin’ tunes, masked villains and a dude with a massive robotic claw. Bit by bit, page by page, the story will unfold. At the risk of sounding a little cocky, it will be the best thing you ever see. Ever. Hands down.

Under the Big Top

  • by Drew

Is that reference too obscure? If you shout back “Perplexed!” your New German Cinema chops are most impressive. If you start humming “My Son” you have a real problem.

Actually, I bring up the ol’ circus tentage, it’s because the wife is getting very excited about the baby’s upcoming second birthday. It would seem we’ve selected a circus theme…and response has been pretty positive. The brothers are particularly excited. And the suggestion of face painting and photo booths…yeah, they’ll go nuts.

Not sure how you nail a personalized birthday gift with a circus theme, but we’ll come up with something.

And one other thing I have to say…

CLOWNS!!!

Cordelia’s Dad Rides Again

  • by Drew

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned Cordelia’s Dad, but they are on the great bands of the 90s. Not just because I saw a bazillion of their shows and actually had the honor of playing with them a bunch of times, including a short tour of the southern states. And here’s what really rocks – they are still playing. Not a lot, unfortunately, but once in a while. In fact, last year they did a show in Northampton, MA, and recorded it. Last Friday they released that recording as a double live CD. We went to the CD release. It was lovely…just lovely.

It was, without a doubt, one of the best performances of theirs I had seen. And that is saying a lot as I’ve seen many. In fact, as I listen to the CDs, I am impressed and do enjoy it, but it just doesn’t compare. I don’t know. Maybe it has the sound of digital recorders in people’s pockets – probably an unavoidable reality of live recording. But the energy of the live performance – the sweat and occasional (and welcome) mistakes, the pudgy ponytail guy dancing in front of the stage…it all makes the live show such a special experience.

Will the text-happy, You-tube and Facebook generation ever understand the power and intimacy and true, unique creativity of the Dad?

Sk82Liv

  • by Drew

Yup. That was an early mantra for me in my skating days. Also Sk84evr and Sk8ordie. You get the point. Anyway, as I tell you about the upcoming Skateboard Heroes comic here and here, let me mention something else. See, my primary actors are the boys, and at 5 and 8, they make for Heroes indeed. They actually look really good after a bunch of Photoshop filtering, and they do both of my skateboards justice.

Both? Yup, I have my checkerboard recent board that’s narrow and has a turned up nose and tail as well as my classic 80s Kevin Staab model from Sims. The latter deck is used by my 5 year old, masquerading as a longboard since he is relatively small.

Back in the day, when I worked on my college thesis, I actually staged a film. The initial process was similar to this current one in that I had actors that I photographed. Of course, back then I was just mocking up “film stills” without the more extensive Photoshop work I now need to do in comic land.

Either way, though, you know what’s great about this kind of project? As long as you are working on the computer, there is the opportunity to deal with a little Photoshop work. People always want to know how to get rid of pimples fast. Here’s how – Photoshop. It’s real fast.

Not that a 5 and 8 year old have much to deal with in the way of acne…

© 2026 Drew Bancroft. All rights reserved. Totally.