Frank Reynoso Art

New York Comic Con 2011

2011-10-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I'm really bad at maintaining any kind of online presence. As most of you know, also, this past weekend was the annual New York City Comic Con. It was crazy bananas on ecstasy.

To give you an idea of the awesomeness that abounded, check out my buddy Michael Lapinski's latest post on his blog Paws As Hands. Aside from having a cool name, it's a gold mine of advice and enthusiasm for comics artists and artists in general. So go on and read it already.

- F

Liefeld and Mignola

2011-08-14T08:22:00.001-07:00

Following a series of links, I came upon this post on Rob Liefeld's site.

"... way back in 1991 while I was writing and drawing X-Force and the schedule was getting heavy and after the initial 7 issues I needed a break. X-Men editor Bob Harras had some potential fill-in artists in mind, one of which was Mike Mignola whose work I loved. Bob wanted me to stay on as layout artist for the issue as well as provide a framing sequence to keep the flow of the book."

As usual, Mignola did a stellar job creating dense atmosphere and an evocative story. What I find most interesting about this is where Mignola departed from Liefeld's ideas: rather than going with dramatic angles that Liefeld suggested, Mignola used simple designs and focused more on composition, spot blacks and shadows. It's not often that we get a look at how two radically different artists approach the same material.

"Funny note, afterwards Mike told me he never, ever draws downshots, or anything from a bird’s eye view. You’ll see that he adjusts anytime I call for a downshot."

I highly recommend checking out the other pages Liefeld posted.

Where I've been

2011-08-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a long while since I last posted anything. Been busy working on various comic projects. Once I have more concrete things, I'll post them here. For now, go to my other blog to see what's crawling around in my noggin.

Rorschach Pin Up

2011-04-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Rorschach pin up. Prints will be available at the upcoming MoCCA Fest in NYC, April 9th and 10th at the Lexington Avenue Armory. I'll be at booth H2 with Nik Moore and Dondi J. I'll also have zombie prints, Batman, zombie Batman, along with copies of popular horror anthology Zombie Bomb.

Preorder tickets to the fest.

Rorschach © DC Entertainment
Artwork © Frank Reynoso, Apr. 2011, All Rights Reserved

Zombie Prints at MoCCA Fest 2011

2011-04-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

This pin up opened Zombie Bomb #4, Dark Daze.

This pin up will appear in a future issue of Zombie Bomb. Both will be available as 11 x 17 prints at the MoCCA Fest April 9th and 10th. Booth H2.

Rorschach Commission

2011-03-31T11:49:00.000-07:00

Rorschach commission.

Full color, 11 x 17 prints of this will be available at this year's MoCCA Fest in NYC on April 9th and 10th. I'll be at booth H2 along with same size prints of Batman, Zombie Batman and others. Preorder your tickets!

Rorschach © DC Entertainment
Art work © Frank Reynoso, Mar. 2011, All Rights Reserved

Zombie Batman Pin Up

2011-03-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

My take on the undead caped crusader. This will be available as an 11 x 17 print at this year's MoCCA Fest. Order your passes now before the dark knight eats you.

Batman © DC Entertainment
Artwork © Frank Reynoso, Mar. 2011, All Rights Reserved

Batman Pin Up

2011-03-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Prints of this pin up will be available at MoCCA Fest, April 9th and 10th.

Batman © DC Entertainment
Image © Frank Reynoso, Mar. 2011, All Rights Reserved

Zombie Batman Comission

2011-03-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

A commission for a friend: Zombie Batman.

Fully colored prints of this one will be available at MoCCA Fest 2011.

Batman © DC Comics
© Frank Reynoso, Mar. 2011, All Rights Reserved

On the drawing board

2011-03-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

Working on this Batman pin up for the upcoming MoCCA Fest.

Batman © DC Comics
Art © Frank Reynoso, Mar. 2011, All Rights Reserved

Face Reality

2011-03-11T09:25:00.001-08:00

Here's a peek at the satire "Face Reality" with art work by yours truly and written by the uber-talented Adam McGovern of Dr. Id and the popular anthology series Pood Comics.

Why Kickstarter May Save Independent Comic Books: Q&A With Author Mark Andrew Smith

2011-03-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

Mark Andrew Smith and Matthew Weldon are at it again with a new installment of the kickass comic New Brighton Archeological Society. This time around they're raising money through Kickstarter. Below is a Wired Magazine Q&A with the writer.

And while you're at it, read their first book at their site.

Why Kickstarter May Save Independent Comic Books: Q&A With Author Mark Andrew Smith

By Dave Banks

When we first read The New Brighton Archeological Society two years ago, we immediately recognized what a great story was being told. Finally, here was an all ages graphic novel that treated kids intelligently and was really entertaining at the same time.

So we were surprised to see that the sequel was going to require some Kickstarter funding to get going. Surely a critical darling like The New Brighton Archeological Society didn’t need funding to get off the ground, did it? To find out more, we asked the book’s author, Mark Andrew Smith, about the New Brighton saga, Kickstarter, and the state of all ages’ books today.

Soilwork Pin Up for Nuclear Blast and Terminal Press Comic

2011-03-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

Pin up for the upcoming Soilwork comic by Nuclear Blast and Terminal Press.

Art Opening: Artists Against the War

2011-02-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

This one is for those who'll be in NYC tomorrow night:

The Society of Illustrators in NYC is having a killer art opening tomorrow night: Artists Against the War, featuring art work by such great artists as Peter Kuper, Steve Brodner and Lynne Foster. You can also pick up a copy of their awesome book.

Zombie Pin-up For Zombie Bomb #3, Dark Daze by Terminal Press

2011-02-07T10:04:00.001-08:00

The holidays sent me into such a tailspin that I forgot to post this way back in December. I did this pin-up for Zombie Bomb #4, Dark Daze, which debuted last month. The comic features new works by your favorite creators Adam Miller, Rich Woodall, Keith McCleary, Josh Morrissette and me. Grab your own copy of it and while you're at it, order a copy of Zombie Bomb #3, Highly Contagious that has the comic "NecRomancer" written by Keith McCleary and drawn by me.

The great folks at Terminal Press also used my zombie pin-up as part of their promo for the debut of Zombie Bomb! #4, Dark Daz e.

Spider-man Commission

2011-02-04T09:26:00.001-08:00

Commissioned Spider-man piece for my good friend Rebecca Giordano.

Bad luck with women, lack of money, corny sense of humor, and really cool super powers: what's not to love of Spider-man. It was fun to do something with one of my favorite superheroes.

The History of a Dream, The Indypendent #160

2011-01-31T08:00:00.001-08:00

This illustration accompanied Nick Power's alternate take on the last ten years, which appeared in the latest issue of The Indypendent.

Cover for The Indypendent #160, All We Need is Hate

2011-01-25T12:02:00.001-08:00

Here's the original illustration I did for the latest issue of The Indypendent.

And here's the version that hit the streets. The feature article by Arun Gupta shows how violence is an integral part of the right wing's rhetoric.

Work in Progress, Zombie Figure

2011-01-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

Inked this piece shortly before the holiday maelstrom. Still need to hammer out the textured background and do some possible touch ups.

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 2011, All Rights Reserved

Cartoons with a punch

2011-01-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Cartoon by Zunar.

A buddy sent me this link. Cartoon Movement is a really cool site that collects political cartoons and is open for submission.

Recently Read

2011-01-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

Laymon's disturbing and horrific novel The Woods are Dark charges with exciting twists and turns but there was - I never I'd ever say this - too much needless sex and nudity. A decent read for those with strong stomachs.

Dick's The Cosmic Puppets is a far-reaching novel that begins with an odd mystery and leads to a startling look at our place in the cosmos. He spins this yarn without losing the reader. A definite recommendation.

ZombieBombTV Season 1 Finale

2011-01-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

The wild and awesome folks at Zombie Bomb! just posted their latest video by Tom Bennett featuring creators Adam Miller, Keith McCleary, Rob Dukes, Andrew Houle, Josh Morrissette, Brian Ferrara, Jessica Ferrara and yours truly at the New York City Comic Con!

New York City Comic Con 2010

2010-10-12T16:25:00.001-07:00

Photos from New York City Comic Convention 2010. I wasn't a shutter bug as i usually am at these kind of things though I promise to be next time.

Thanks again to all those who stopped by the Terminal Press/Elite Gudz booth and showed their love and support. And apologies to all who I missed. You all make this so worthwhile.

The fams digging the zombs.

Mom showing off the fruits of her labor: a zombie-loving son.

Horror fans digging the zombie carnage in Zombie Bomb!#3 HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS.

This is was just plain creepy and cool. BAT BOY!

Islamophobia Illustration

2010-09-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

I did this illustration for an upcoming story on in The Indypendent. The article is on how the right wing use Islamophobia to unify people and fleece them of their money. I'll post a link to the article once it's online.

© Frank Reynoso, Sept. 2010, All Rights Reserved

...and the dead shall rise, NECROMANCER

2010-09-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

A page from "Necromancer" by Keith McCleary and moi. This sick little gem will be in the latest Terminal Press anthology Zombie BOMB! #3, which will debut at the New York Comic Con, Oct. 8 - 10, 2010. Swing by the Terminal Press booth at the NYCC to get your copy or I'll eat your BRAINS!!

Necromancer Panels

2010-09-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Here are some panels from the upcoming horror comic "Necromancer," scrawled by Keith McCleary and rendered by yours truly. This sick little gem will be in the latest Terminal Press anthology Zombie BOMB! #3, which will debut at the New York Comic Con, Oct. 8 - 10, 2010. Swing by the Terminal Press booth to get your copy or I'll eat your BRAINS!!

Keep on, keeping on

2010-08-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted here because I've been finishing up a comic project. Once it's done and I get the OK from the editors, I'll throw those puppies up on this.

I also have some other illustrations here that are in their nascent stages. They will eventually find their way onto this here blog.

Media Spin on Flotilla

2010-07-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

Did this illo for Arun Gupta's story "The Victim that is Israel" which appeared in the latest issue of The Indypendent. This dramatic story gave me an opportunity to use a more expressionistic style. (I was definitely was looking to Ashley Wood and Brett Weldele for this one.)

© Frank Reynoso, July 2010

Huwaida, Final Version

2010-04-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here's the final version of the Huwaida illustration. Looking at it again, I see that I still need to learn more about digital coloring and toning...

Huwaida Illustration, Black and White

2010-04-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

This is an illustration I'm working on for a newspaper. It's been a while since I've done a straight illo. This is a rougher, looser style than I normally use, which will hopefully pack it with more dramatic punch.

MoCCA Fest 2010, Recap Pt.1

2010-04-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

No lie, this was the best MoCCA Arts Fest EVER! I had a blast. GINORMOUS thanks to all who came to my booth and showed their love. You really kicked the fest up to 11. Yay!

I'll post photos and whatnots soon. And to those who either emailed, texted, noted, posted, or got in contact with me in some digital fashion, I'll get back to you asap. ;)

Cthulu Print at MoCCA Fest 2010

2010-03-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

It pays to clean my room every now and then. I came across an illustration I did last year and completely forgot about it.

Now this print of the Lovecraftian elder god, Cthulu, will be available at the upcoming MoCCA Arts Fest.

© Frank Reynoso, Apr. 2010, All Rights Reserved

King Con Brooklyn: Over and Out

2009-11-08T18:06:00.001-08:00

King Con has come and gone. I had a great time with fellow creators and comic fans. Thanks to all who bought our comics and prints and/or stopped by our booth. (Also, be warned that you're only encouraging my habit of making up wacky stuff and drawing them.)

Important note: King Con was Keith McCleary and I's last time exhibiting together. Needless to say I was a bit sad about it. But he's moving on to bigger and better things and I wish him nothing but the best.

I took a decent amount of pictures, which I'll put up soon.

Now it's back to my studio (aka. my kitchen table).

New Prints for King Con, Brooklyn

2009-11-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

These are new prints that'll be available at this weekend's King Con, Brooklyn's first major comic con. The misunderestimated Little Death.

Little Death faces an evil Cupid. When love is involved, it can't be anything good.

Cupid's packing heat and looking for some action.

Next Stop: Big Apple Comic Con

2009-10-12T12:13:00.001-07:00

It's been a crazy time for me.

Right now, I'm getting ready for this weekend's Big Apple Comic Con. Working on a five-page action/horror comic that I plan to show around.

I'll post those seq pages asap.

As soon as Big Apple is done, I'm going to get ready for King Con, Brooklyn's first comic con. I'll be exhibiting with my pardner in four-color crime Keith McCleary.

I'm slowly emailing all the great people I met at SPX. So, if you haven't gotten an email from me, then either email me or wait for my email.

Lastly, I have more SPX 2009 pictures to put up, which include Neil Swaab, Cheese Hasselberger, Ayo, and many other amazing cartoonists. I'll get to those soon.

SPX 2009 Pictures Pt. 2

2009-10-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

I took this picture really damn early in the morning. How early, you may ask. Too damn early because...

... hardly anyone else is set up. But the excitement of another SPX kept us chugging along.

Across from us, Mike Lariccia of One Time Press selling his fine illustrated wares.

Peter J. Lazarski and Mike of Imaginary Monsters set up their booth right beside ours.

All this hub bub is just the exhibitors. We haven't opened to the public yet.

I approve of our spread.

The youngest SPX attendee: 6 weeks old. Take that.

Ron was gracious enough to buy a couple of my comics and asked for a sketch. It took me a little while because I hadn't drawn Jock in some time. Looking at it again, I want to fix it up...

Anthony being eaten by Cthulu.

Pete and Mike of Imaginary Monsters drawing some ill creatures.

More pictures to come...

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2009, All Rights Reserved

SPX 2009

2009-09-29T11:40:00.001-07:00

Spent the day recovering from this year's Small Press Expo. Keith and I had a blast.

Thanks again to everyone who came by our table, chatted with us and/or bought our comics. And thanks to the awesome SPX volunteers and staff.

Here's the first part of the pictures.

Fri. Sept. 25, 2009

First night at the Marriott in Bethesda, Maryland. Keith McCleary calling his girlfriend.

First night at the Marriott in Bethesda, Maryland. Me calling my girlfriend.

On our way to pick up our SPX badges in the Overlook Hotel.

And here's one of the hotel's residents. Keith McCleary as Jack Torrance.

Friday night, setting up for the madness.

Our first night ends with Keith and me watching some flat-screen entertainment.

More pictures to come...

© Frank Reynoso, Sept. 2009, All Rights Reserved

Look for the Green Critter at SPX, Table F15

2009-09-20T18:45:00.001-07:00

So many goodies!

First, my comic "Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash" is in the House of 12's latest anthology Touching Children's Stories, which will debut at the Small Press Expo and be available at finer comic shops near you. If you can't wait order the anthology here.

This upcoming weekend, follow the green guy to table F15 at the Small Press Expo.

At our booth I'll have copies of the expressionistic nightmare Buenas Noches, the whimsical mini Wish and my irreverent anthology Saucy #1. (Read a review of Buenas Noches and Saucy #1).

I'll also have full-color prints, including these two:

Keith McCleary will have copies of his "multi-racial western" Killing Tree Quarterly, action thriller Deep Throat, and his latest animal-adventure comic Top of the Heap (with prints).

Swing by booth D16 and grab a copy of House of 12's all-new, all-ages anthology Touching Children's Stories, which has my latest comic "Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash." If you can't make it to SPX, you can order one at their website.

Couple of Cartoons

2009-09-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

I've often felt like this guy...

How can anyone not like pirates? Huh?

Prints of these cartoons will be available at SPX.

© Frank Reynoso, All Rights Reserved, Sept. 2009

Some Pics from the Brooklyn Book Festival 2009

2009-09-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, my girlfriend and I went to the Brooklyn Book Festival. The NY Comic Con folks had a booth and held panels by some top creators. (L to r: Danny Fingeroth, Scott Hanna, Denny O'Neil, Tom Raney, and Tom DeFalco.)

Here I am with living legend and my one-time professor Denny O'Neil at the fest.

House of 12: Touching Children's Stories

2009-09-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here's the cover for House of 12's latest anthology, Touching Children's Stories. This collection will debut at this year's Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland. Among the contributors are Miss Lasko-Gross, Evan Forsch, Cheese Hasselberger, Ayo Brathwaite, and me.

If you're in the DC area, stop by and grab a copy! And while you're there, stop by my booth and pick up a copy of Saucy #1. I'll be exhibiting with Keith McCleary (Killing Tree Quarterly, Top of the Heap) .

(Cover art by Miss Lasko-Gross and Kevin Colden.)

1st Page of Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash

2009-08-31T08:07:00.000-07:00

The first page from my latest comic Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash. It's an eight-page, all-ages comic that'll appear in The House of 12's anthology at this year's Small Press Expo. I'll be exhibiting at the expo along with my great friend Keith McCleary.

© Frank Reynoso, Augt. 2009, All Rights Reserved

Page 2 of Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash

2009-08-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

Unlettered page from my children's comic Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash.

© Frank Reynoso, Aug. 2009

Batman Sketch

2009-08-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

Wanting to take a break from the cartoony style of my children's comic Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash, I did this Batman sketch.

© Frank Reynoso, Aug. 2009, All Rights Reserved

Sample Panels from Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash

2009-08-03T08:09:00.001-07:00

A couple of unlettered panels from my upcoming 8-page children's comic Zed and Itty: Beach Bum Bash for the House of 12 anthology Touching Children's Stories. The anthology is set to debut at this year's Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland in September.

© Frank Reynoso, Aug, 2009, All Rights Reserved

My interview on Indie Spinner Rack

2009-07-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

Charlito from Indie Spinner Rack interviewed me along with some other cartoonists at the MoCCA Fest back in June. It's posted on their blog.

My interview on my latest comic Saucy #1 is halfway into the podcast. You can download it through iTunes or their blog.

Pencils for Wonder Woman Pin-Up

2009-07-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

These are the pencils for a commissioned piece.

© Frank Reynoso, July 2009, All Rights Reserved

Saucy #1 and Buenas Noches Reviewed on Comic Critique.com

2009-06-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

"“By George,” [is] a brilliant comic-of-the-absurd told in increasingly surreal nonsense-speak that will give a cathartic laugh to anyone whose life partially depends on paychecks from corporations."

Read the full Comic Critique dot Com review of Saucy #1 and Buenas Noches.

MoCCA Fest and then some

2009-06-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

MoCCA Fest was great yet incredibly tiring. Took me a day to recover. Now that I'm rested and have pretty much caught up with emails, I'll be back with more stuff. Stay tuned.

My Site, MoCCA Fest 2009, and Saucy #1

2009-05-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

Exciting times! First, my official website, frankreynoso.com is up. The splendid display of my visual wares was brought to you by Irina Ivanova. For the latest info and news stay tuned to my blog.

The Museum of Cartooning and Comic Art's annual Arts and Comic Festival is just around the corner and there will be lots of new goodies.

Keith McCleary presents copies of Deep Throat, the mad western Killing Tree Quarterly, and debut his new picture book Top of the Heap. Liz Tillotson returns with more of her popular handmade mini-comics. James Spruill offers a fresh batch of original screen-printed shirts and stickers. My irreverent anthology Saucy (see image) debuts at this year’s fest. Copies of the IndyKids coloring book Coloring Outside the Lines will be available as well as new comics and linoleum block prints by Nik Moore.

© Frank Reynoso, May 2009, All Rights Reserved, except MoCCA Arts Fest image, © MoCCANY

Deadly Tree Pencils

2009-04-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

Needing a little break from the humor comics I'm working on for MoCCA, I penciled this piece.

The idea came to me when I helped my girlfriend make a salad.

© Frank Reynoso, Apr. 2009, All Rights Reserved

Some Recent Stuffs

2009-02-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

Here's a selection of comics I'm working on. All these comics will debut at this year's MoCCA Fest 2009.

A freshly inked panel from my upcoming, satirical comic 'By George.'

This is a pencil drawing on tracing paper of little Frankie, the protagonist of my auto-bio comic tentatively titled 'Battery-Acid Test.' This drawing is for the title panel.

Little Frankie entranced by the wonders of Mr. Wizard.

© Frank Reynoso, Feb. 2009, All Rights Reserved

Pictures from NYC Comic Con 2009

2009-02-11T05:47:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, the fourth annual New York City Comic Con brought fans and professionals from all over. Overwhelming, exciting and inspiring, these picts are but a taste of what went down.

I regret to say that I didn't take pictures of some amazing artists such as Cully Hamner, Nathan Fox, Walter Simonson, Brian Bolland, Mark Texeira, Ted McKeever, Eduardo Risso, etc etc. But I had fun and look forward to the next con.

Ginormous line leading to the con. To give you an idea of how ginormous this thing was: this pict is just of 1/5 of just this line. There were more attendees already halfway onto the floor and inside the con.

The Ivanovs let it all hang out.
(Irina Ivanova and Serg Ivanov.)

Gotta love us.
(Nanette Maxim, Kris Dolbear, Joe Carmona, and Jiaxing Rong)

This is what the NY Comic Con is all about.
(Serg Ivanov and I.)

The great Brian Stelfreeze makes a rare appearance at the Con. Here he's sketching for a little boy who's going to be an artist when he grows up.

Keith McCleary of Killing Tree Quarterly, killing it at the Comic Con. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

© Frank Reynoso, Feb. 2009, All Rights Reserved

The Phenomenal Jock: Bye, Bye Baby

2009-01-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

Finally, some pages from my upcoming comic The Phenomenal Jock: Bye, Bye Baby. The comic will debut at this year's MoCCA Fest.

Jock's ravenous hunger leads him to a nearby, quaint suburban home. But everything's not as it seems. Can Jock handle the mighty Pwecious!?!

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 2009, All Rights Reserved

Latest Issue of The Indypendent

2009-01-21T17:47:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of The Indypendent is out now. With cover art by Lynne Foster and illustrations by Christine Hale, Tim Durning, Leo Garcia, Louis Joe Comeau IV, Brian Ponto, and Jaume Guerra aka Guerruntz.

Some stories that you might be interested in:

American Dreams: Obama Harnesses the Seductive Appeal of an Abstract Ideology by Cyril Ghosh

Obama's Choice: President or King by Ann Schneider

A Stalled Debate on Economy by Arun Gupta

Post-Palin Feminism by Abby Scher

And the feature article Who You Gonna Call? Expectations of Obama's Presidency by John Tarleton

And so much more.

Studying the Human Anatomy

2009-01-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing From Life: Over 1,000 Illustrations by George B. Bridgman

This book is a must for any aspiring comics artist. It's kicking my ass but I'm learning a hell of a lot about the human anatomy or the flesh machine as I like to call it.

I'm doing what all professionals advise: draw everything in this book!

From my Sketchbook

2009-01-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

I really like the simplicity and boldness of tattoo art.

Saw this couple the other week in Park Slope.

Just sketched this one while riding the train. Didn't base it on any particular person. Just a general vibe.

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 2009, All Rights Reserved

Demonic Brute Pencils

2009-01-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

While preparing my portfolio for the upcoming New York Comic Convention, I penciled this piece just for the fun of it.

© Frank Reynoso, Jan. 2009, All Rights Reserved

NACLA Cover

2008-12-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

This is an illo I did for North American Congress for Latin America (NACLA). Needless to say, the magazine deals with the US's relations with Latin America. It's a solid magazine with great, intelligent writing.

The issue should hit the stands in January. Pick up a copy. And read their articles, too.

© Frank Reynoso, Dec. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Fearless Cinema: Here’s the Best of This Year’s NYC Horror Film Festival

2008-12-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

One of the things that kept me busy lately was writing this review of the NYC Horror Film Fest for The Indypendent. Below is an excerpt.

New York City Horror Film Fest
November 12-16, 2008

Halloween may have come and gone, but as movie ticket sales and rising rentals point out, horror is timeless. And this year’s New York City Horror Film Festival, now in its eighth year, showcased a cornucopia of the interesting, unexpected and the traditional.

Modern monsters (psycho-killers, zombies, urban legends, etc.), a staple of the genre since the 1960s, were well represented in notable films like the action short First Kill, the eerie feature From a Place of Darkness, psycho-short Drip, and the apocalyptic short Antibody. Bmovies — a volatile blend of horror, gusto and laughs — excited audiences with Frank Henelotter’s Bad Biology winning Best Feature and Zoe Polley’s teen gorefest Devil’s Grove. The horrific whodunit Surveillance by Jennifer Chambers Lynch and the monochromatic, antiwar, pantomime Hold Your Fire by Jesse Gordon spoke to fans of intense horror.

Multi-genre films, particularly the sci-fi/horror hybrid, pushed expectations and won audiences over with each showing. The 1980s scifi satire/homage short Martians Go Home follows a sci-fi nerd’s battle with hostile space zombies. Harry Owen can’t escape his short-film existence in the humorous meta-fiction The Glitch. Eel Girl is a sleek and humorous horror- short-cum-music-video. Audience Choice-winning feature Time Crimes (Cronocrimenes) by Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo is a mind-bending mystery that brings out the best of both genres.

Surprisingly, absurd and humorous horror films dominated the fest with provocation and by connecting with audiences. Read rest of review.

© Frank Reynoso, Dec. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Christmas at the Palin Household

2008-12-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

This is a hi-res file that you can download and print out.

Forward to friends and foes.

Happy Holidays!!

© Frank Reynoso, Dec. 2008, All Rights Reserved

From My Sketchbook

2008-12-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

I'm back, folks!

Below are a couple sketches from my sketchbook. (Duh!) Both were inspiered by a night of playing Arkham Horror with my good friend Keith McCleary.

© Frank Reynoso, Dec. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Experiencing Technical Difficulties, Please Stand By

2008-11-24T21:09:00.001-08:00

Due to some technical difficulties - the scanner I normally use is out of commission - I'll have to wait a while until I can upload new images.

But don't fret. I have a bunch of new illos and comics. So stay tuned.

Peace,
Frank

Loopity-Loop

2008-11-19T20:36:00.001-08:00

Last week I covered the annual New York City Horror Film Fest. Over four days I watched about 50 films - features and shorts. Needless to say, I don't want to watch anything on the big screen for a little while. Hehehe.

Covering the fest pushed me back a little with my illustration and comics works. But I'll be in the swing of things by the end of this week.

Here's my piece on last year's Horror Film Fest - Bring on the Blood.

Late,
Frank

How To Create a Bloomzilla

2008-11-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are curious about my working methods, here's a walk-through of my recent illustration for The Indypendent.

Keep in mind that I don't have a "fixed" system. Every assignment's different - eg. full-color versus black and white, hand-painted versus digital, etc etc. But below is an example of my general process.

1. I read the text and got a sense of the messages conveyed in the story. (Sometimes the full text isn't ready so an outline or synopsis is all I have to work from.)

With those ideas in mind, I sketched this little dinger. Usually I'll do a series of sketches - four to five or more if I can't "get it right." But considering I only had a couple of days to do this illo, I went with the first idea. (I strongly suggest doing multiple sketches before moving onto the final.)

Most of my "thinking" is done at this point. I look for strong composition and draftsmanship.

2. I plunged into pencils. I went online and used five reference pictures of Bloomberg to make sure I got his likeness. (Note: use multiple references to avoid legal troubles.)

I changed the head's angle so the reader can see his face more.

Though I did most of my thinking at the sketch phase, I still modify things as I move along the process. Surprises can be cool but too many of them can make your final look like a hot mess.

3. Using a couple of brushes, acrylic ink and a micron pen, I inked the bugger.

Any modifications at this point are nominal. Eg, extra hatching in various spots.

4. I scanned it in, cleaned up any blemishes, erased a stray line at the bottom and bumped up the contrast.

With the illo clean, I digitally added grays and sent the final to the designers.

And here it is.

Again, I don't have a "regular system" for doing illustrations. (Recently I've incorporated tracing paper into my illustrations. More on that some other time.)

But I always use the a) think and sketch, b) pencil and modify, and c) ink and finish process for my illustrations.

Hope you had as much fun placating my ego as I did. :)

Rock on,
Frank

© Frank Reynoso, Nov. 2008, All Rights Reserved

New York City Horror FIlm Festival 2008

2008-11-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again: the annual New York City Horror Film Festiva l. Michael J. Hein and his crew amassed a slew of movies that are sure to hit a nerve.

The fiendish festivities start tonight at Don Hill's and continue till Sunday.

Here are two of the fest's features.

Driven by biological excess, a young man and woman search for sexual fulfillment, unaware of each other's existence. Unfortunately, they eventually meet, and the bonding of these two very unusual human beings ends in an explosive and ultimately over-the-top sexual experience, resulting in a truly god awful love story. Directed by Frank Henelotter

Program 7
Saturday, Nov. 15th
10:00pm

Resident Evil: Regeneration is a fully CGI feature directed by Makoto Kamiya. The story takes place seven years after the first zombie outbreak in the US. Counter-zombie fighters fight to contain the outbreak and their own survival in a locked airport.

Program 1
Thursday, Nov. 13th
9:00pm

Photos courtesy of NYC Horror Film Fest

Bloomzilla

2008-11-11T21:10:00.000-08:00

Here's an illo I did for the upcoming issue of The Indypendent.

Needless to say I had fun drawing our wacky mayor, who's running for a third term. And obviously he did it "legally."

© Frank Reynoso, Nov. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Venom Inked

2008-11-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

Came out a little lighter than expected...

© Frank Reynoso, Nov. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Geoff Vasile's Track Rabbit #3

2008-11-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

Snarky characters, clean illustrations, and totally DIY, Track Rabbit by Geof Vasile's a choice comic.

Track Rabbit © Geof Vasile, Nov. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Venom pencils

2008-11-05T20:44:00.001-08:00

Last night's election kept me from posting new stuff. At any rate, here's a pencil of Venom.

If all works well, I'll exhibit at the NYC Comic Con in February. I'm still on their waiting list.

© Frank Reynoso, Nov. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Sample Panels from "Phenomenal Jock"

2008-11-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

I've penciled additional pages for my old, unpublished comic "The Phenomenal Jock."

I plan to debut the comic at next year's MoCCA Fest.

Here are some sample panels.

© Frank Reynoso, Nov. 2008, All Rights Reserved

A Few Pages from "Buenas Noches"

2008-11-02T18:33:00.001-08:00

A while back, James Spruill and I made a comic titled Buenas Noches. We debuted it at this year's MoCCA Fest.

Here are the first few pages.

For more of my comics: comicspace.com/illjodienda/

© Frank Reynoso and James Spruill, Nov. 2008, All Rights Reserved

"Sock the Vote" Comic

2008-10-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Obamania Cover of The Indypendent

2008-10-29T20:16:00.001-07:00

Werewolf Pin-Up Inked

2008-10-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

"Adding Fuel to the Fire" Cover of The Indypendent

2008-10-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

Pencils of Werewolf Pin-Up

2008-10-23T20:16:00.001-07:00

So I fixed up the moon and tightened up the ground in the lower left hand corner.

Digital prints of this pencil will be available at the next comic convention I attend as an exhibitor.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Pencils of Superman Versus Darkseid Pin-Up

2008-10-22T17:35:00.001-07:00

My first public display of superhero pin-up. (I'm not counting the numerous Batman drawings done with crayons back in the first grade.)

I'll have digital prints of this pencil at the next comic con I attend as an exhibitor.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved
Superman, Darkseid characters © DC Comics, 2008

Mark Millar and Tony Harris at Midtown Comics

2008-10-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Some months ago, after waiting on line for over two hours, I met the talented comic creators behind the new series War Heroes, Mark Millar (Wanted) and Tony Harris (Ex Machina). Their stop in Midtown Comics, NYC, was part of their international tour promoting their new limited series, published by Image Comics.

Considering this a rare treat - Millar lives in Scotland and Harris in the South - I asked my girlfriend Irina to snap some picts. Here they are in chronological order.

Mark Millar (l) and Tony Harris (r) talking with fans and cracking jokes. And if you look closely, that's me in the far left, waiting on line and hoping that the pictures come out well.

Millar and Harris autograph a fan's recently taken-and-developed picture of themselves at this event. Very meta moment.

I asked Millar if it's cool to have a picture taken with him. As I was about to ask Harris if he'd mind getting in the picture, Millar smiled and Irina hit the button. Harris tried to get out of frame but apparently it wasn't far enough.

That's my nervous, goofy smile. (Yeah, I was a bit nervous meeting them, which is highly uncommon for me. I guess it's the fact that I have lots of respect and admiration for these guys and their work.)

I asked Mr. Harris to get into the picture - my initial intent was a picture of us three - and above is the result.

Thanks to Midtown Comics for hosting this special event and making sure everything ran smoothly. And thanks to Mr. Millar and Mr. Harris for staying well after their agreed upon time, being fun guys, and creating great comics.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved
War Heroes cover courtesy of Image Comics, War Heroes © Mark Millar and Tony Harris, 2008

A few Pages from "The Phenomenal Jock"

2008-10-20T09:30:00.001-07:00

A couple of years ago, I made the short comic "The Phenomenal Jock." Not happy with the story, I put it aside and never published it. Fast forward to SPX 2008, on the darkened bus ride from Washington DC to NYC. While everyone snored and farted in their sleep, I came up with a few extra pages of material that should really fatten the story out.

If all works well, this comic will debut at next year's MoCCA Arts and Comics Fest in NYC. (And New York Comic Con, if I get a table in artist's alley.)

I'll post the newly penciled pages as soon as they're done. For now, check out the first couple of pages of this minor epic.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Skull Tendrils Inked

2008-10-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

With a couple of brushes, black acrylic ink and a micron pen to ink, I plunged into the Lovecraftian looking skull and came up with this.

This is a color sample to get an idea of tones. I plan to color this digitally.

I plan to make a bookmark or a mini print from this image. If all goes well, I'll get an artist alley table at next year's New York Comic Con where you can see the prints. (I'm on the waiting list.)

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Geoff Vasile's "A History of Increasing Humiliation"

2008-10-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

With expressive art and playful narratives, Geoff Vasile's autobiographical mini-comic is a funny gem that too many people overlooked at this year's Small Press Expo (SPX). A History of Increasing Humiliation stands as an outstanding example of DIY comics.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved except image which is © Geoff Vasile, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Portraits from the Animal Kingdom

2008-10-14T16:04:00.001-07:00

These are some of my watercolor paintings - titled "Portraits from the Animal Kingdom" - that premiered at this year's Small Press Expo (SPX). They're mostly based on the various customers who stiffed me at my waitering job.

Long story short: if I get bad feelings about a customer I sketch them quickly, capturing as much as I can of their character. Then, whatever tip they left me - if they left me anything at all - and their attitudes along with my disposition determined if the sketch of them evolved into a greater piece.

This is the first time I've ever done this and found it to be rather cathartic - to say the least. :)

(I have sketches of the two other guys she was with. Basically these were three Italian twenty-somethings who came to New York City to shop, as their assorted shopping bags suggested. They barely spoke any English, which proved problematic. But I guess shopping is a universal language as opposed to tipping.)

(This is only painting not based on an actual person. It's based on a sketch. I liked the design and felt it fit in well with the others.)

(They didn't eat some food and wanted a discount, which is pretty reasonable. I explained to them that it was totally dependent on the managers. And lucky me, the manager on duty only gave them a slight deduction. The couple said they understood and didn't blame me for any of the trouble. I guess the long conversation and jokes time weren't enough. They left me less than a 10% tip and thanked me for everything.

PS. They're hair was actually this funky.

PPS. FYI, that's a man comforting a woman.)

(This lady didn't stiff me but was such a nuisance, along with two of the other three women she was with, that I sketched the three. Though they complained about the apparently sub-standard quality of their lunches and their veritable shopping list general dislikes, they left me a good tip. Unfortunately the good tip didn't wash away the ill feelings.)

I made a few other paintings that weren't printed for various reasons. I'll get those up here, so keep an eye out for them.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Slideshow of Economic Crisis Illustrated Essay

2008-10-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

My illustrated essay on the economic crisis - written by Arun Gupta - is now an interactive slide show, courtesy of Gary Martin. After enjoying that visual treat, check out the rest of the Indy site.

Masheka Wood's "So, You've Been Laid Off?!"

2008-10-13T11:28:00.001-07:00

If you're suffering from economic distress as most people are, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Masheka Wood's new mini-comic So, You've Been Laid Off?! What more can I say but "Delaware."

And while you're at it, grab a copy of Deep Doodle. Funny shit.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Economic Crisis Illustrated Essay

2008-10-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to check out the illustrated essay that explains how we arrived at the current crisis. The essay's the current top story on The Indypendent site.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

A Couple of Penciled Ilustrations for Future Prints

2008-10-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Though I'm still on the waiting list for an artist alley table at next year's New York Comic Con, I'm working on stuff just in case.

I originally penciled this werewolf months ago. I feel like I should redo the moon...

I planned to make bookmarks out of this skull illo. (PS. Those are tendril-like things coming out of the skull's base. Very Lovecraftian. Hehehe.)

More stuff to come as soon as I finish the pencils.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

More pictures from SPX 2008

2008-10-08T14:04:00.001-07:00

Irina and Keith set up our table, which was beside Drawn and Quarterly's table.

Keith McCleary takes a much needed break from drawing phallic comics for this picture. (PS. That is a copy of the comic Deep Throat and it was written by Keith.)

Geoff Vasile hawking his wares near the fest's end.

A view of the floor from our table, prior to opening the doors to the public.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

Some pictures from this year's Small Press Expo (SPX)

2008-10-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Though I only stayed for Sunday, I enjoyed every minute at the comics fest. Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the table to check out our stuff and chatted. And thanks to my girlfriend Irina for all your help, Erin Thompson and Keith McCleary for letting me sit in with him at the comics fest.

Some great moments and people at SPX.

Killing Tree Quarterly creator Keith McCleary sporting Dreadnoks shirt sans irony. Gotta love it. Hehehe.

August (left) and Deep Doodle's Masheka Wood (r).

Michael LaRiccia creator of Black Mane, Death of Black Mane and founder of One Time Press rocks out.

And lastly, yours truly, with my latest batch of watercolor paintings Portraits from the Animal Kingdom.

More pictures to come.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008, All Rights Reserved

New issue of The Indypendent and copies at Small Press Expo

2008-10-03T22:04:00.000-07:00

I'll have copies of he latest issue of The Indypendent, with the economic illustrated essay by Arun Gupta and myself, at this year's Small Press Expo (SPX).

The raging cover is by the undeniably talented Gino Barzizza.

"How to Wreck the Economy" Illustrated essay up on Indypendent site

2008-10-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

Everything you ever wanted to know about the biggest economic meltown since the Great Depression but were afraid to ask.

You can see a decent version of the illustrated essay at The Indypendent site. But I think it's better in actual print.

I'll have copies of the latest issue with the illustrated essay at this weekend's Small Press Expo.

© Frank Reynoso, Oct. 2008

Jeff Faerber and Rusty Zimmerman art at Repop, Brooklyn

2008-10-03T05:53:00.000-07:00

Frequent contributors to The Indypendent, Jeff Faerber and Rusty Zimmerman are showing their amazing work at Repop. Tonight is the opening.

As quote from Jeff's blog:

Rusty Zimmerman and I are having work up at Repop in Brooklyn

68 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205 US
Friday, October 3, 7:30PM
See Rust's work here:
Rusty Zimmerman dot com

Handsome paintings, vintage furniture, cold beer and wine, and the odd taxidermied head. Join Jeff and Rusty for a drink and a peek at recent paintings by both. 7:30pm to 11:00pm.
Visit www. repopny. com for directions Cheers, --rz and jf

Samples from upcoming illustrated on the economy

2008-10-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Below are some samples of my illustrations for Arun Gupta's essay on the econonmy. The full-colored, essay will appear in the next issue of The Indypendent. Grab a copy.

Illustrated essay on the current Economic Crisis

2008-10-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

Arun Gupta of The Indypendent and I, along with the help of numerous people, created an illustrated essay on the current economic crisis. The essay will appear in the upcoming issue of the paper. Keep an eye out for samples and links.

PS. I'm planning to turn this essay into a comic. Though it might not be ready in time for Small Press Expo (SPX ).

New watercolor paintings for upcoming SPX

2008-10-01T10:59:00.001-07:00

Keith McCleary has graciously allowed me to share a table with him at this year's Small Press Expo (SPX) in Bethesda, Maryland. I'll have some new watercolor paintings for this weekend's visual festivities. (Samples of the paintings will go up asap.)

Cover of The Indypendent #122, June 2008

2008-07-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

Here's the illustration I did for the latest issue of the Indypedent. It's a radically different style from the ones I usually do. I'm happy with the way this turned out.

And here's how it was published.

The main story is actually three stories:
The privatization of Everyday life
Verizon's sweetheart deal with NYC
- privatized healthcare
- urban development

More pictures from this year's MoCCA Fest

2008-06-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Here's another batch of picts from this year's MoCCA Fest.

(Liz Tillotson and I sharing a moment.)

(Check out the spread. Toy octopus courtesy of Nik Moore and Liz Tillotson.)

(The always-in-demand Nik Moore and Liz Tillotson on the frist day of the fest.)

(A couple of tired pups after a weekend of comix fun. Moi and James Spruill.)

SPX anyone...?

Re:MoCCA Fest 2008

2008-06-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

(James Spruill and I. Finger-raising excitement.)

(Liz Tillotson chilling while I chat with a MoCCA Fest attendee.)

This year's MoCCA Fest inspired and reinvigorated me. Thank you to all the folks who stopped by the table and to all who I chatted with. Lots of great conversations.

Rock on!!!

© Frank Reynoso, June 2008, All Rights Reserved

Moon Boy, Lil Death, and other prints at MoCCA Fest 2008

2008-06-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the prints that'll be available at this year's MoCCA Arts and Comic Fest. Reserve your copy at ill.jodienda@gmail.com.

These prints along with copies of Buenas Noches and Wish will be at booth B39.

© Frank Reynoso June 2008, All Rights Reserved

Frank at MoCCA Arts and Comics Fest 2008

2008-05-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

Tis that time again: MoCCA Arts and Comics Fest. It's cool, it's inexpensive, and it's sooooo much fun.

I'll be there with copies of Buenas Noches, Wish, and high quality prints of my watercolor paintings.

You can find me at booth B39.

B39 .B39.
Such a pretty, pretty rhyme.
B39. B39.
Gotta go while I still have time.
B39. B39.
Man, I can't believe this line.
B39. B39.
Wow, these comics are so fine.

© Frank Reynoso June 2008, All Rights Reserved