This weekend I'll be at Comic Fest in Denver, part of Star Fest!  I'll have a booth and be part of two panels!

Other conventions I'll be attending this year are:

 Denver Comic Con, May 31 to June 2.
Intervention in Maryland August 23-25

Intervention will be my first ever out-of-state convention, but I hope to be attending lots of conventions around the US in 2014!  Emerald City and C2E2 are high on my list, but we'll see if I can get in first!

 

Trying to "take a break" and "relax" (what are these things, I have heard of them, but what are they??) so I have a little time for a journal meme.    I was tagged by

Joker
[x] You have a dark sense of humor.
[x] People often tell you you're 'crazy', 'weird', 'a freak' and other words to that effect.
[x] You like wearing bright colors even if they clash.
[x] You don't tend to make a lot of sense.
[x] You are self-obsessed. If by "self-obsessed" you mean "paranoid that everything I do is wrong" then yes.
[ ] You will do anything for a laugh.
[ ] You can't laugh at yourself very easily.
[ ] You're smiling a lot of the time.
[x] You are intelligent.
[ ] You like to be the center of attention.  
[ ] You enjoy the work of the Marx Brothers.
Total: 6

Two-Face
[ ] You are a Gemini.
[x] You seem to have two sides to you that different people see Only two?  Where's 20-face when you need him?
[x] You have taken revenge on a bully.
[x] You have/had a burn or scar or something similar visible for over two months.
[ ] You believe in chance and fate.
[x] You tend to be paranoid.
[/] You consider yourself unattractive. Work in practice to feel attractive.  I've managed to accept "cute" and sometimes "pretty" but the default is "ugly"
[ ] You feel no one can truly like/love you for who you are. Used to believe this.  Fortunately, no longer do
[ ] You have trouble making decisions by yourself.
[ ] Blackmail is a completely acceptable method to use in getting what you want.
Total:  4.5

Penguin
[ ] You love birds.
[ ] You consider yourself a complete gentleman/lady.
[ ] You have/had an overprotective mother.
[ ] You always keep an umbrella in your bag just in case.
[ ] You are always dressed smartly.
[x] You were/are bullied in your youth.
[ ] You consider yourself obese.
[ ] You have a lot of connections.
[ ] You want to work with animals in some way.
[ ] You want to run your own nightclub.
Total: 1

Scarecrow
[/] You like to scare people. Used to.  Feel progressively more guilty about it as I get older.
[x] You have a reclusive nature.
[x] Your life is ruled by research/work. Ha.Hahaha.  HAHAHAHAHA this meme thinks I have a life.
[ ] You are scared of birds.
[/] You are tall and skinny. Tall-ish and skinny-ish
[/] You take/have taken psychology at school/university/college. I've taken local courses run by the Jung institute
[/] You feel your parents were loveless towards you. I think they did in their own way, but we have very different opinions on what "love" means.
[ ] You were born out of wedlock.
[ ] You used to pick on animals as a child by hurting them or scaring them.
[ ] You have/had religious fanatics in your family.
Total:  4

Riddler
[ ] You love puzzles and riddles.
[ ] You have red/ginger hair.
[ ] You have OCD.
[x] You are quirky. Uh.  Yes.  "Odd Duck" is my personal favorite phrase for this.
[ ] You consider yourself a 'smooth talker'.  AHAHAHAHA oh, oh most def-pfffaaahAHHAHAHAHAHA
[x] You are an intellectual.
[x] You get high marks on your texts/exams.
[ ] Most of your body is covered in tattoos.
[ ] You seldom win in physical fights.
[ ] You complete computer games with ease.
Total:  3

Mr. Freeze
[x] You prefer cold weather.
[ ] You want to be cryogenically frozen.
[ ] You have lost a loved one to a terminal illness.
[ ] You go/have gone to boarding school.
[x] You are a loner.
[ ] You go all out to hurt someone who hurt you.
[x] You would do anything for the one you love.
[x] Winter is your favorite season.
[x] You have poor blood circulation.  You have no idea.  How bad.  It is practically a super power.
Total:  5

Ra's Al Ghul
[/] You are manipulative.  Used to be very manipulative.  Now in environment where that's not useful for survival, and I much prefer NOT manipulating.  Much happier without it.
[ ] You would love to get rid of everything and start the world again from scratch.
[ ] You want perfect environmental balance.
[/] Science is/was your favourite subject. All subjects are pretty much my favorite subjects, if taught well.  
[x] You consider yourself a spiritual person.
[x] You consider your age to not be an issue.
[ ] You want a son.
[ ] You keep yourself fit
[ ] You want to live forever.  No, but I want my work to.
[/] You see the world as decadent and corrupt.  Yes, but also wonderful and marvelous.  It's not a one-dimensional world. It's a sphere.
Total:  3.5

Bane
[ ] You consider yourself as physically strong.
[ ] You go the gym a lot.
[ ] You have an addictive personality.
[ ] You have been to prison.
[x] When you were younger, you had a teddybear that you took everywhere.
[ ] You had a classical education.
[ ] You have/had nightmares involving bats.
[ ] You are violent.
[ ] You do not explain your actions.
[ ] You have a Mexican heritage.
Total: 1

Clayface
[ ] You like B-Movies.
[ ] You want to be an actor/actress.
[/] You are a good liar. I am a terrible liar, but good at using half-truths to let people make their own false conclusions.  See manipulation above.  Hate, hate, HATE lying.  Blech.
[ ] You make sculptures.
[ ] You enjoy the work of Boris Karloff.
[ ] You have had plastic surgery.
[ ] You have been in a car accident.
[x] You hate remakes.  
[ ] You can't swim.
[ ] You reference films all the time
Total:  1.5

Killer Croc
[ ] You were born with a medical condition that affects your body on the outside.
[ ] You were/are raised by a member of your family that wasn't/isn't your parents.
[x] You enjoy your own company.
[ ] You have quick reflexes.
[ ] You enjoy wrestling.
[ ] You are a good swimmer.
[ ] You can run very fast.
[ ] You grew up without your mother.
[ ] You enjoy circus sideshows.
[ ] You are muscular.
Total:  1

Black Mask
[/] You come from a well-off/wealthy family. Upper middle class?  Enough to set aside money for college.  But I also chose practically, which made college affordable with minimal loans.
[ ] You had an accident/serious injury as a child.
[x] You hate hypocrisy above all things.
[ ] Someone has broken up with you in public.
[x] You are accident-prone.
[/] You consider yourself as unlucky. I think luck has more to do with the people you surround yourself with, and the effort you put into your work.  When I was around sabotaging people, I believed very strongly I was unlucky.  Not so now.
[x] You are determined. Some (me) might say stubborn, but yes.
[ ] You enjoy films like Turistas, Wolf Creek, SAW and Hostel.
[/] You like to intimidate people. I hate intimidating people, but I've been told by multiple people that I am unintentionally intimidating.  :/
[/] You want to be the top dog. I want to be the best at what I do, and be respected as such, which is kinda like being a top dog.  I at least want to be near the head of the pack
Total:  4.5

Ventriloquist/Scarface
[ ] You are meek and mild.
[ ] You want to be a ventriloquist/have a dummy.
[ ] Your favorite film is Scarface.
[ ] You like gangster-related media and/or clothing.
[ ] If you could live in any time, it would have the 1920's.
[ ] You tend to verbally abuse people.
[ ] You have a speech impediment.
[ ] You let other people take the blame rather than yourself.  I usually volunteer for blame.  I feel like I'm at fault for everything.
[ ] You call your nearest and dearest 'Sugar'
[ ] You have an Italian heritage.
Total:  0

Mad Hatter
[/] You are shy.  Depends on the crowd.  Put me in a comic convention behind a booth, I'm everybody's friend.  
[x] You have/had feelings for someone who didn't feel the same.
[ ] Alice In Wonderland is your favorite book/Disney film.  Hate.  HAAAATE.
[XXXXXXXX] You love tea. Can this count for more than one?  Can I count it as a bjillion?
[X] You have a lot of hats. Hats are the best!  Especially goofy ones.  I've even made a few.
[x ] You have been called delusional.   I want to be a webcartoonist full-time.  Of course people think I'm delusional.
[/] You are immature.  I'm mature enough to know that in a year I'll look back at myself at this time and know how immature I was.  And will be.  I think people are immature forever.  They just get better at knowing they are as they keep working on themselves.
[ ] You identify more with children than adults.
[ ] You sometimes have trouble separating reality from dreams or your imagination.
[x] You like to rhyme. Especially if it's also a pun
Total:  5

Man-Bat
[ ] You love bats.
[ ] You are deaf or have hearing problems.
[ ] You want to be a scientist.
[/] You tend to think illogically. Depends on the situation.
[ ] You feel comfortable in the dark.
[ ] You are instinctive.
[ ] You love fruit.
[x] You wish you could fly.  Who, given the choice between having the ability to fly, or not, chooses "not"?
[ ] You have a strong family life.
[/] You are married. Practically
Total:  2

 

I've been trying to add something new to the store every month, and I'm particularly proud of the most recent piece.  This is the first large poster I've ever made, and certainly the first piece of artwork I've ever tried to convey a complete idea and emotion using only one image.  I'm so used to panels and word-bubbles as story-telling tools that it was wonderful and new to try boiling everything down to a single moment.  I hope you enjoy the result!

 

STOP what you are doing RIGHT NOW and BACK THIS PROJECT!  If only to hear the voice of BILL WATTERSON.  Yes.  That's right.  The mysterious man behind Calvin & Hobbes gave an interview for this project...along with 90 OTHER CARTOONISTS!  This love letter is SO CLOSE and all it needs is the final push to be everything it was meant to.  YOU could be a part of that final push.

CLICK HERE TO BACK THIS PROJECT!:  [link]

Or you can go to kickstarter.com and search for "Stripped"!

 

The first Storytelling Tips Session will begin in 10 minutes!  Join me live to learn some of my brainstorming techniques for character arc, character common ground, and theme.  [link]

TOPICS:  Brainstorming - Character arcs, common ground, & theme
TIME:  TUESDAY, March 5th!  5PM EST.  (10 PM GMT)
OPEN TO: Anyone interested in learning some of my tips and tricks
PLACE:  Presentation will be streamed on Livestream.
RESOURCE:  1-page brainstorming worksheet


The presentation will last 30-60 minutes and will be followed by Q&A.  For those of you that will not be able to attend, the presentation will be recorded and posted at a later date.

Hope to see you there!

 

PLEASE HELP FOR SCIENCE!!
If you read LeyLines, please take a few minutes to fill out this 10-question Survey!  I'm trying to build my convention schedule for 2014, but I need to know the best places to go and what to bring!  That means learning more about LeyLines readers!  It will only take you a few minutes, but it will have a BIG impact on my goals for next year!!  Thank you for your help!

WASABI
This weekend I am at Animeland Wasabi in Denver, Colorado!  I'll be sharing a booth with the ever wonderful !  If you're in the area, we'd love it if you stopped by!

STORYTELLING TIPS
This Tuesday (March 5th) at 5PM EST  (10 PM GMT) I will be running the first of several storytelling tips sessions.  They're open to anybody to attend.  I'll be streaming a presentation and taking questions on:
Brainstorming
Character arcs, common ground, & theme
 PROVIDED RESOURCE:  1-page brainstorming worksheet

More information will be provided on Monday!

 

Are you attending Denver Comic Con?

Do you make a webcomic?

Are you part of a minority group in the comics field?

Please contact me!

Why?  I've been asked by the DCC panel manager to host a panel on minorities (gender, race, sexuality) in webcomics.  This is to help promote two  twin missions of the Denver Comic Con: Community and Diversity.   I have 6 spots for panelists available!  If this sounds like something you'd like to discuss in a public forum, please let me know!

 

I just got the news that my application to Intervention - the Internet Convention was accepted!  This convention, held in Maryland, will be my first out of state convention ever!  I hope to connect with some of you east coast LeyLians in August!!

 

Click here to vote for LeyLines on Your Webcomics!

LeyLines has been nominated for review!  Please help get the word out by taking a moment to vote!  Thank you!

 

As some of you may know, in October 2012 I ran a Kickstarter campaign that many of you here on DA helped make a success.  In the latest update, I let you know about a stumbling block we encountered with volume two, as well as how we're moving forward, and the impact this will have on getting your books to you!

Read more on the Kickstarter Update Page here:  [link]

 

I will be the first to admit, coding is not my specialty.  So when offered to fine-tune my DA skin, I eagerly took her up on the offer!  So glad I did!  The little touches she made to the design made a big difference, and I think the journal looks so much sleeker now!

You can find more of 's work at her website Evil Ink, which provides business branding, webdesign, social media, and eBook assistance to creators of digital media!

Plus, she delivers a fantastic podcast.

This statement is in no way influenced by having been on one...or two...of them.  It just makes me more informed about how crisp, clever, and informative they are.  

 

Added a long-needed update to the cast page.  Includes new images for most of the cast, and information on Lu Pai, Una, Milan, Ravazhi, and Nikel!  I've also added links to the first appearance for each character.  So for all you folks that love extra little details, please take a look at:  [link]

 

Hello all!  If you're visiting my page, you'll notice quite a few changes here!  I realized that I haven't been using my DA gallery here very well.  I'd relegated it to "place I put things I do in my spare time" which meant there was nothing getting posted here, because I can't remember the last time I had spare time!!  

Biggest changes you'll be seeing with the redesign:
1.  LeyLines comic pages will be co-posted here, in addition to on LeyLinesComic.com.
2.  Every time I post a video or article, I'll post a cover for it with a link here too!
3.  As merchandise is added to the store, I'll be posting photos of all the new goodies

So, basically, expect a lot more activity here!  It will be nice to share all the work I'm doing on DA, so that readers here won't have to visit another site just to get the latest news.  It will all be here, right in your DA inbox!