Preview Teo Skaffa's Upcoming Web Comic "An Adventurer Is You!"

I don't think I have ever fallen in love with a web comic before the first panel has even been officially published. But, Teo Skaffa's An Adventurer Is You is so charming, so clever, and so irresistibly well drawn that I cannot wait to start reading the finished product. Originally from The Netherlands, Teo currently makes his home in Istanbul, Turkey where he spends his time painting and drawing. It has taken him a year of designing and redesigning the characters before they evolved into final their final form.

When I spoke to Teo via the magic of the internet, he explained, "It sort of changed from a comic to a videogame and now back to a comic with some videogame elements. It's nowhere close to being done sadly. I would probably do well to kill some darlings and make the whole project more manageable so that it'll actually get finished haha."

Well, while we impatiently wait for An Adventurer Is You to be ready, I highly suggest you check out Teo Skaffa's other work. Start with his Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Behance! And, be sure to tell him that An Adventurer Is You should be a priority!

Must Read: Intimacy Mini-Comic by Dale Lazarov and Martin Chan

Hot on the heels of a flurry of wonderful comic releases in the past six months, Dale Lazarov is back working his magic with the twelve page mini-comic Intimacy. This time around Dale teams up with first time comic illustrator Martin Chan. Though new to the comics game, Chan is a veteran illustrator who spent years working in the video game industry as a 2D artist and UI designer. And, I think not being over immersed in the comic industry allows Chan  to bring a fresh perspective to illustrating male interaction that we have not quite seen before. It's refreshingly heart warming.

Intimacy is a touching twelve page look into the best part of being with another human being - the intimacy. And no, intimacy does not mean getting it on in the sack. It means the cuddling, the stealing of kisses while doing the dishes, the knowing glances, the resting of legs on each other while watching tv. All the things that make both falling in love and sharing your life with someone else so special. Dale does a great job incorporating all age ranges, all walks of life, all types of guys into this comic. Honestly, there is pretty much no way to read this comic and not long for the romantic moments depicted. Lazarov and Chan have created a fantastic work of art.

If you missed it, we did an interview with Dale Lazarov back in July around the time that his comic Fast Friends was released. Dale is well known for his numerous erotic graphic novel series including Good Sports, Nightlife, Manly, Sticky, Bulldogs, and Greek Love. He has teamed with a cadre of amazing artists such as Steve MacIsaac, Bastian Jonsson, Yann Duminil, Amy Colburn, Dominic Cordoba, Chas Hunter, Si Arden, and lots more! 

Intimacy is available as a very reasonably priced digital download. It's under $3. You can get it online at Dale Lazarov's online store. Also, I suggest checking out his website or fun blog Fuck Yeah Dale Lazarov! 

Nothing Happened Today: An Interview w/ Illustrator Ed Harrington

Illustrator Ed Harrington is my hero. His snarky, single panel comics lampoon pop culture in a way that would make even The Far Side's Gary Larson green with envy. More importantly, they pretty much never fail to make me laugh. And, I am not the only one. Aside from his numerous national awards, Ed Harrington's work is being featured by the likes of Rachel Maddow, Buzzfeed, The Nerdist, and more. Check out The Onion's AV Club feature on his Ikea Instructions series, in which he shows you the tools needed to assemble your own horror movie monsters.

I looked and looked for any kind of bio info on Ed online. When I found none, I emailed him asking what gives. This was his reply:

Yeah -- I actually don't have much of an online presence. I'm not on Facebook and never had a MySpace! I live in Richmond, Va and am the Art Director for the local alt-weekly paper, Style Weekly, in which my comic strip appears. BTW -- It's called "The HR Department." I moved to Richmond in 1993 to go to art school (Virginia Commonwealth University), where I majored in Illustration and Graphic Design. Basically, I've been drawing comics my entire life.  I have binders full of all the rejection letters that I received from comic-strip syndicates. I loved getting them in the mail! There was a definite scale to them - from the standard form letter saying "no" all the way up to a hand-written note from the president of the company giving me advice on what to tweak. Once the internet became a thing, I switched over to web-comics and stopped submitting to syndicates. As far as my comics now, I think having that commercial-art design/illustration background has shaped my style. I try to draw things the way a robot would draw them -- simple, clear, concise, and use as few words (if any) to get an idea across. Plus, i spend way too much time watching TV and movies (Or as I call it, "Monitoring the Culture), so of course pop-culture is going to be my main subject matter. 

Aside from The HR Department, Ed and his girlfriend adopted a stray kitten a couple of years ago. They began to notice that he was an exceptionally animated dreamer. So, they stared a Tumblr called Milo Dreams of Adventure in which a sleeping, stretched out Milo battles Godzilla, poses for Jack on the couch aboard the Titanic, fights Agent Smith in The Matrix, and is superimposed in pretty much every other fantastical dream scenario one could imagine.

Ed Harrington was kind enough to put his drawing pad down long enough to grant me an interview! You will see he has an alarming love of 80s culture! After reading below, if you would like to delve even deeper into the world of Ed Harrington, check out his Tumblr, Instagram, and Website!

Q: I have spent hours going through your Tumblr, mostly because I was laughing uncontrollably. I am in awe of your ability to utilize pop culture icons from virtually every decade. What is the most obscure reference you have drawn that just completely went over people’s heads?
Ed: Not an obscure pop-culture reference, but a basic math one. I drew a comic where Optimus Prime couldn't figure out the next non-prime number in a sequence. That comic flopped. Learned my lesson - no more math comics. Or that idea just wasn't funny. My old web-comic, "Nothing Happened Today," had the characters on the show "Mantracker." This gameshow was about this Canadian Cowboy/tracker who would hunt down contestants in the woods of Canada. Basically, you had 36 hours to get to a certain pick-up point before Mantracker caught you. It was the best show ever. He would look at a broken blade of grass and could tell which direction you were going and how far along you were. Plus, nobody used his real name -- they would say things like "Shhhh! There's Mantracker!" Apparently, I'm the only person who watched the show.

Q: You frequently bring up 80s bands. IE: Twisted Sister, Joy Division, A-Ha, Misfits, The Residents. Are you trying to tell us something?
Ed: Ahhhh -- I love the 80's and 90's. I'm 39, so basically the music nodes in my brain were formed during those decades. I honestly don't think that I own an album by anyone younger than me. Plus, who's more fun to draw -- Dee Snider or Chris Daughtry?

Q: Just out of curiosity, what did poor little Susie Derkins ever do to you to deserve being turned into a psychopathic killer ala American Mary?

Ed: Ha! First -- American Mary is a sympathetic character and the hero of that film. Also, I'm a huge fan of the horror/thriller genre, and "American Mary" was the first actually good thriller that I had seen in a long time. Just wanted to draw a fun fan art in the Bill Watterson style. Gotta say, his drawing style is tougher than it looks! Every line has to be bold and confident -- done in one stroke without fussing around. The man is a master!

Q: Have you received a Cease and Desist or any type of invoice from Milo’s attorney about using his likeness in all of these fictitious so called "adventures?"
Ed: Fictitious? I spent hours training that cat to hold up that boombox like Lloyd Dobler!

Q: Roller skates. Gift wrap. Tacky decals. Is there anything you won’t do to an AT-AT?
Ed: I've even stripped an AT-ST off all it's "meat" so we could see it's bones. If it's funny, I'll torture an AT-AT. They're on the wrong side of the rebellion, no sympathy from me.

Q: When stalking you online, I ran across this YouTube video. Did you even know this existed?!

Ed: That is AMAZING! My girlfriend is going to be mad at you -- this is going to be playing constantly.

Here's a fun video of me lighting the Viking-funeral pyre of Oderus Urungus with a flaming arrow at the Gwar memorial this summer. Several thousand people watching, no pressure, right?

Q: You draw a lot of superhero stuff. What comics/graphic novels stick with you from when you were a teen?
Ed: I was a huge X-Men and Batman fan as a teen (Jim Lee and Frank Miller were my idols). Plus, I really enjoyed what Dark Horse Comics was putting out back then -- Sin City was visually groundbreaking! Plus, their foreign imprint "Cheval Noir" gave me a glimpse into drawing/storytelling styles from around the world. "The Dark Knight Returns" is still the best graphic novel ever written in my opinion and is the reason why I stopped collecting comics. Everything I read after that just seemed "Blah."

April, 1940: Dick Grayson’s first day on the job as Robin.

Q: What comics/graphic novels/artists are you currently following?
Ed: I'm not actively reading comics anymore, but i'm still following comic-book artists for their art. Frank Cho, Chris Samnee, Phil Noto, Adam Hughes, JH Williams III are a few of my many favorites.

Q: Who do you think you have drawn more? Jason Vorhees or Alien(s)?
Ed: Definitely the Xenomorphs. That world is so much fun to draw. And of course, have always been a huge HR Giger fan.

Q: Who would win in a fight? Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything or that bully Johnny from The Karate Kid?
Ed: Johnny. Cobra Kai all the way!

Drawing Random Monsters: An Interview w/ Illustrator Jake Rohdy + Free Original Art Drawing!

With the flick of a wrist, self-taught artist/illustrator Jake Rohdy can turn anyone or anything into the most impossibly charming version of themselves. People, plants, cats, dogs, rodents, pachyderms, crustaceans, cephalopods...all turn into adorable, lovable creations when Jake sets his sights on them. Aside from his own comics, Jake has performed this service for indie rock bands, websites, blogs, and even an HVAC industry magazine!

Currently, Jake Rohdy manages four (yes, four!) cartoon series. Chuck Charles is for fantasy adventure lovers. It features a hapless band of warriors and wizards meandering about the countryside bungling their way through misguided adventures. Tilly and Todd tells the tale of a frustrated house cat and her mortal enemy/closest confidant, a wise cracking house plant. The Random Comic series is a look into Jake's home life and inability to give up geekyness in exchange for domestic bliss. Comfort Zone is inspired by Jake's work as an HVAC tech. Basically, it's his hilarious way of venting about horrible clients and their unfair expectations. Finally, there is From The Vault. When pressed for time, Jake will sometimes post a drawing or unfinished piece of work from the past.

Despite sharing so much of himself through cartoons, Jake doesn't care to give much bio info. Here's the extent of his online bio:

"About Jake
He may or may not draw comics that people may or may not read.
His art background is nearly non-existent
grammar and spelling is laughable
but he’s glad that you care enough to learn about him
go ahead and pat yourself on your back. Thank you."

When I asked for a bit more detailed info, this was his reply, "I don't know if that is good enough, but I try to keep things modest around these parts! If you need good information, or perhaps factual information: Jake Rohdy, small town in Michigan, wife, cat, houseplant." Honestly Jake, that is good enough for me.

Thankfully, he was a bit more talkative when it came to answering the questions for the interview! Don't forget to visit him online at JakeRohdy.com or his Facebook page! Also, see below for info on how to win an original piece of artwork from Jake Rohdy!

Q: How do you find time to juggle four strips plus post sketches in From the Vault? Are you drawing all the time?
Jake: It seems like it. But it's less time I have to spend with my wife, so I'll continue to suffer! Luckily, I don't draw every different strip all the time. My main focus is on the Random Comics and Chuck Charles, the other comic strips I do on a whim. And when I can't come up with any good comics, and find myself staring at a blank piece of paper, I have the From the Vault series to fall back on. I drew all of those while sitting in class at college. So, I post those when I can't come up with a comic on time.

Q: A lot of your Random Comic series deals with band mates arguing. Are you drawing on your own failed band experiences?
Jake: Oh God I wish I was in a band! I've always wanted to be in a band, especially a bad one! I just really love music, so any chance I get to talk about it is great! My wife no longer cares about my opinion on music or what I consider good music. So those strips give me a good outlet for my music fandom.

Q: Also, every band you draw has a totally different, hilariously terrible name. Do you ever run out of bad band name ideas?
Jake: I haven't yet! I come up with funny ones all the time, of course there are some I can't use in the comic strips! If I had to choose an all time favorite name that I came up so far is The Kami Cosbys. Every time I think about that name I chuckle... Anyways you would be surprised on how many names I think I come up with that are already band names! So I always Google the names before I write them! Believe it or not, there are some really creative people on the internet...

Q: What’s with all the sea creatures hanging out in bars?
Jake: To be honest I just love drawing random animals and monsters, It gives me a chance to draw something other than talking heads. And who doesn't want to see a crab trying to pick up chicks at a bar... You know he's pinching some girl's butt when he's three deep!

Q: Your protagonist in the comic series Comfort Zone is a wise cracking air conditioning repair man. My HVAC system has been acting up a bit this Summer. Would you mind taking a look?
Jake: Hell yeah! As long as you pay for the plane ticket and give me a place to stay! We'll make a weekend of it! Unless there's no beer, then you're shit out of luck. But seriously, what's it doing? Low on charge? Bad capacitor?

Q: Just out of curiosity, what kind of house plant is Todd?
Jake: Todd is .... that is a good question! I'm not sure... a green one? The funny thing is Todd is a real plant! That whole strip is based off my real house plant and cat. Pretty much everything that happens in that strip has happened in my household. Tilly and Todd is the only comic that I make that if you Google image search it comes up as one of the first pictures, along with Tilly and Todd no nits! A children's book about lice.... at least I think! Is it wrong that I Google search my own comics? Probably...for sure...

Q: So, in Chuck Charles, you claim The Lady of the Lake has the following counterparts: The Lad of the Lagoon, The Belle of the Bight, Cousin of the Cove, The Boy of the Bay, Person of the Pond, Chap of the Canal, Husband of the Harbor, Gal of the Gulf, Runt of the Rapid, Pal of the Puddle, The Senorita of the Sound, and The Woman of the Wash. How many more did you come up with but had to leave out?
Jake: I STRUGGLED to get all of those! For like an hour.... But that may have been because I had been drinking... Is it okay that I'm drinking right now? Because I'm not stopping, I just wanted to see you were comfortable with it...

Q: What is your favorite bad joke?
Jake: Besides the ones I write? Ummmm... I can't say I have a favorite, but I have heard some really awful ones! I do work in the construction field after all.

Q: What artists/illustrators are you currently following?
Jake: I don't really tend to follow anyone, I'm not really a computer/internet savvy person to say the least, (I still use Microsoft paint to edit my comics). But I had a friend send me a link to an awesome French cartoonist who seriously draws some awesome and in depth comics. His name is Boulet, and you can check him out at english.bouletcorp.com. Besides that I always tell people to read Bill Waterson's Calvin and Hobbes, because that is the gold standard of comics. And I will literally fight anyone who says otherwise, seriously....sssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiioooooouuuuussssllllly.

Q: Would you draw us your rendition of a “gaming mouse?”
Jake: I have no idea exactly what you wanted by "gaming mouse", So instead of asking I just drew this. Mario Paint anyone?

 If you like 

**Click any pic to enlarge!