Nick Marino

Since I've been on the blog here. But, actually, it's only been a week.

I went to both the Pitt Con and SPACE this past weekend. I'm really glad I did both shows. I learned a lot. Unfortunately, that's also another way of saying that I could have done a lot better than I did.

My more outgoing, gimmicky sales style went over WAAAY better in Pittsburgh. In fact, had I stuck around there for Saturday and Sunday, I'd probably have had some pretty strong overall sales.

SPACE is a much more subtle environment, among many other things. Suffice to say that my style didn't feel like it gelled there. I felt a bit outclassed.

Not to be defeated, I already have a revitalized game plan for next year's SPACE! And, most importantly, if I never went to Ohio for SPACE, I never would have seen this:

Gorgeous.

Anyway, I finally sent in my Future Shocks script submissions to 2000 AD today. I've been working on them for at least two months now... maybe a tad too long! I'm really proud of them and I hope they actually get read by someone and not just overlooked.

Also, have you ever let the credits play all the way out on SFIV? It's got this ridiculously corny voice that starts spouting some nutty faux-philosophy about street fighting. WTF?

P.S. Can't wait for my SSFIV to get here! Damn it, Amazon! It better be here tomorrow!!!

P.P.S. Went to a great comics lecture last night by Bill Boichel of Copacetic Comics. Thx, Bill!

That's right. I'm gonna be at both the Pittsburgh Comicon and SPACE this upcoming weekend!

Friday, Justique and I will be holding down the AudioShocker table at the Monroeville Convention Center from 1-7 PM. Then we'll be at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, OH on Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 11-5.

What can you buy from me at the show? Check out the new lineup of AudioShocker Comics at the new Store tab on the AudioShocker! Seriously, please check it out because it took me friggin all day Sunday to make that damn page.

What can you get from me for free at the show? The new lineup of AudioShocker Comics, of course! How? By taking the AudioShocker Superhero Comic Book Trivia Challenge, of course! Questions abound when you engage in this high-stakes competition. You know you wanna!!!

Check out some of my friends and colleagues who're gonna be at these shows:

• Shawn Atkins
• Josh Blair
• Seth Fronzoli
• Dan Greenwald
• Scott Hedlund
• Brian John Mitchell

Here's the last installment in my best of Tekko 2010 sketchbook!

Let's end things with my simple Batman sketch. I tried to capture the basic iconics of the character -- costume, setting, and mood. It's probably a bit overly simple, but that's what I dig about it.

Next weekend is a biggie for me -- both the Pittsburgh Comicon and SPACE are going down.

For those of you unacquainted with SPACE, it stands for Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo, and it's held in Columbus, OH. I'll be at table 19 or space 19 or slot 19 or whatever. I'll be at 19!!!!

Anyway, to promote the show and the artists involved, my friend Brian John Mitchell has organized a FREE online comics anthology. Download the SPACE 2010 Anthology over on ComicsXP (you can download it as a PDF, CBR, or CBZ file).

My contribution is a collaboration with my table-mate, Josh Blair. It's a gag strip called Fart Tennis. Enjoy!!!

The best of my Tekko 2010 sketchbook continues!

Up next is robot Moses, a request from my friend and frequent collaborator, Shawn Atkins. "Let my robots go!"

Over the next few days, I'm gonna toss up some sketches I did over the weekend at Tekkoshocon, Pittsburgh's annual anime convention. I hope you enjoy the best of my Tekko 2010 sketchbook!

First up is an alligator taking a shower. Believe it or not, this is not even close to the first time I've drawn an alligator taking a shower. Seriously.

Man, this beat = TROUBLE. It sounds great, don't get me wrong. I used to shop it around back when I was trying to sell beats. It helped me make all sorts of awkward connections. Eventually, it led me to one local Pittsburgh singer that asked if she could record over it. And then, suddenly, drums were missing. Gone from existence exactly one day before I'm supposed to take it into the studio. So I rebuilt it!!! I REBUILT IT AND MADE IT STRONGER!!!

Colossal's not on my album Brilliant Shower because it's not 100% original. But a bunch of other good songs are on there! Check it out.

Linkage: You can download the full Superior Tech mixtape here on the blog and check out my Superior Tech playlist on YouTube.

Pencils, inks, and panels, letters, and:

So close to finishing this damn comic!!! I'm almost there. I've got less than four pages of gray tones to go and I CAN'T WAIT TO BE DONE!!!!!! This is fun but also torture.

Anyway, I think this will be my last post of process art. Maybe I'll take a photo of the page when it's printed... I guess that'll be my epilogue. In the meantime, check out this 2001 Time Log video Pete and I made. The TL story has, uhhh, come a long way to say the least.