Portland Comics Questions 53 : Kevin Cross

Born again Skateboarder Kevin Cross, is an illustrator and cartoonist currently living in Portland, Oregon with his wife and new daughter. He has worked as a professional illustrator for 13 years. He has also written and illustrated his owns comics. He has been playing guitar for various punk rock outfits since 1985.

His personal portfolio

Kevin co-hosts Big Illustration Party Time with  co-host Joshua Kemble. This is a podcast that follows the two illustrators as they discuss the ins and outs of freelance illustrators. The show was started in 2009 and you can see how their life experiences, such as becoming a new father, affected their life in illustration.

Illustrator * Punk * Skateboarder * Dad

Doug Dorr: What projects are you working on currently? –
When I'm not working on client work, which I usually can't talk 

about while I'm working on it, I'm

working on a children's book and scripting a four issue story arc for a new comic series that I will get to after the children's book is finished.

DD:   What is your artistic Process? –
First I write, rewrite, then rewrite some more. Then I thumbnail and pencil digitally. When that's done, I print the digital pencils out using a non-photo color and ink traditionally with brush and ink on bristol. I do this because then I can sell the originals. A must for illustrators these days, I think. Then I scan the page into the computer and finish coloring with Photoshop. I hate Adobe illustrator and am starting to hate digital fonts, so Adobe Illustrator is getting phased out. When its all finished, I pat myself on the back and go skateboarding.

DD:   When are writing, what is your process working with the writer?
When working with a writer for children's books, I breakdown the script into beats and thumbnail the illustration keeping in mind that I want the art to further the story and not just be a visual representation of what is written. I haven't worked with a writer in comics, who isn't me, but I'm 99.9 percent sure my process would be the same. However, I have a short list of comic writers I'd like to work with as I'd rather stick to doing my own work.

DD:   What Comic/ Trade would you recommend?
Anything by Roger Langridge!!!

DD:   What Comic/ Trade would you recommend to someone new to comics?
That's tough because I'd need to know what kind of stuff said person is into, but again... anything by Roger Langridge is high on the list. Also, "Three Shadows" by Ceril Pedrosa is fantastic and is a great example of how great this medium can be.

DD:   What skill would you like to learn?
I'd love to be able to pull off a McTwist.

DD:   What's the most important thing you've learned?
Don't judge your art against someone else's. Compare and despair!

DD:   Do you have a collection? If so, what is one of the items you're most proud of?
Yes, I do. Its mostly Bronze Age stuff and I'm stoked that I have the whole run of "Howard the

Duck".

DD:   What is your favorite genre of Comics?
All of them, especially if comedy is part of it.

DD:   What is your favorite TV show/ movie?
The original "Jonny Quest" cartoon from Hanna-Barbera is my favorite TV show. "Planet of the Apes" (the original, not that Tim Burton version) is tied with "Conan the Barbarian" (again the original with Arnold) for my favorite movie. Funny thing... while I love those movies, they are an example of having to separate the artists from the art because I can't stand Heston or Schwarzenegger's right wing politics. 

DD:   How does the Portland comics culture shapes your work?
I don't know if it has. I feel like an outsider when it comes to the comic scene here.

DD:   What was your first comic convention?
APE in SF. A long time ago.

DD:   If you weren’t doing comics what would you do?
Making money.

DD:   Do you have a favorite restaurant that you would recommend?
Los Gorditos!

DD:   How long have you lived in Portland, what made you choose Portland?
I've been here almost 7 years. I moved here because San Francisco got way too expensive for a native who is an artist to live there because of everyone moving there from everywhere to work in the tech/computer industry. I didn't want to leave, but I also fell in love with a girl who lived here and the long distance relationship was getting way too expensive too. Now we are married with a one year old daughter. So... here I am.

DD:   What is your favorite part of Portland?
Food carts and record stores.

DD:   Where in Portland/ Oregon would you most like to visit?
The airport. I really need to visit my family and friends soon!

DD:   Would you like to write/Illustrate for another media? Or write a character from another media, for example, Dr. Who, James Bond? What would you explore?
I wouldn't mind working on licensed characters in or out of comics as long as it paid a decent rate. Otherwise, I'd rather just work on my own books.

05/23-25 The International Comic Arts Forum

The International Comic Arts Forum is dedicated to the study of comics from around the world  is an annual academic conference dedicated to promoting the scholarly study and appreciation of comic art, including comic strips, comic books, comics albums and graphic novels, magazine and newspaper cartooning, caricature, and comics in electronic media.

It looks like an exciting opportunity to learn more about about the study of the comics art form.

This conference is in Portland and has an amazing agenda

Location: University of Oregon's White Stag Building, 70 NW Couch Street,
Portland OR, 97209


Learn more about ICAF's mission and our annual conference.

• Learn more about Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon, Tommi Musturi, Chris Roberson, Matt Fraction, Diana Schutz, Greg Rucka and other invited guest artists and writers here.
• Confirmed plenary speakers: Douglas Wolk, author of Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean, and Scott Bukatman, author of The Poetics of Slumberland: Animated Spirits and the Animating Spirit.

  http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org/

05/29 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1 release party @ FWC

Press release from:  FWC

WHO: Jeff Parker
WHAT: ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1 release party, benefit for All Out
WHEN: Wednesday May 29, 5-7pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Join writer Jeff Parker on Wednesday May 29 to celebrate the release of ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1, featuring work by Jeff Parker and Chris Samnee, plus stories by Jeff Lemire and the team of Justin Jordan and Riley Rossmo. 100% of the proceeds from this issue will be donated to Allout.org to support their fight for LGBT equality.

From Portland Mercury, 2/21/13:

DC Comics recently hired Orson Scott Card to write a story in the first issue of their new Superman comic, Adventures of Superman. Card’s a hell of a writer—he wrote Ender’s Game, one of my favorite novels, the long-awaited film adaptation of which will come out this fall. He’s also a relentless, shameless bigot.

For at least 20 years, the Mormon author has been doing his sanctimonious best to deny respect and basic civil rights to everyone who isn’t heterosexual. There’s a huge chasm between the person who I imagine wrote Ender’s Game—a fantastic, nuanced story about the brutal lies of war, the strength and frailty of human beings, and neat rooms where kids can float around because there isn’t any gravity—and the person Card’s revealed himself to be through actions like serving on the board of the National Organization for Marriage. When he isn’t saying that gays and lesbians should be arrested—

What we do with small children is to establish clear boundaries and offer swift but mild punishment for crossing them. As their capacity to understand and obey increases, the boundaries broaden but the consequences of crossing them become more severe…
Laws against homosexual behavior should remain on the books, not to be indiscriminately enforced against anyone who happens to be caught violating them, but to be used when necessary to send a clear message that those who flagrantly violate society’s regulation of sexual behavior cannot be permitted to remain as acceptable, equal citizens within that society. (Via.)

—he’s (apparently seriously) vowing to overthrow any government that lets gays and lesbians get married.

Marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down. (Via.)

I also spoke with Floating World Comics’ Jason Leivian, who—like Chicago’s Challengers Comics—has found a pretty fantastic solution: Yes, he’ll be selling the issue, but 100 percent of Floating World’s proceeds from the book will be going to “All Out or another LGBT charity organization.”

“While I feel that a financial boycott may hit DC’s bottom line a little harder,” Leivian says, “I like that there has been a large public response to this story and I’d like to spin it in the opposite direction by using this controversy to directly support organizations Orson Scott Card would be opposed to.”

A couple weeks later artist Chris Sprouse announced that he would not illustrate the story written by Card, citing the media attention surrounding the controversial author. As a result DC has cancelled the Orson Scott Card story, possibly to be published later with a different artist.

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/05/15/adventures-of-superman-benefit-for-all-out-with-writer-jeff-parker/

05/22 Gabriel Ba , Fabio Moon signing at TFAW

Check out these amazing superstar artists at TFAW.     The art the creators in one of my favoritee Graphic Novels Daytripper.  

Date:Wed , May 22, 2013
Time: 7:00pm 10:00pm
Location: Things from Another World

                  2916 NE Broadway Street,  
                   Portland, OR 97232

 Press Release from TFAW:

"Superstar Brazilian artists--and twin brothers--Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon are signing at the Portland Things From Another World May 22 from 7 to 10 p.m. Meet the multiple Eisner Award-winning talents behind B.P.R.D. Vampire, Casanova, Daytripper, The Umbrella Academy, and more! Attendees will enjoy free food and beer (those 21+ with valid I.D.) and receive raffle tickets to win an original sketch by Fábio Moon (pictured in the event poster, above).

SIGNING POLICY: Get anything purchased at TFAW (with receipt) signed! Outside items (not purchased at TFAW) limited to three per customer.

Gabriel Bá rose to prominence as artist for The Umbrella Academy in 2007. Written by Gerard Way, it won the Eisner Award in 2008 for Best Limited Series. Fábio Moon delighted fans worldwide with Sugarshock, a one-shot written by Joss Whedon that won an Eisner Award for Best Web Comic. The brothers often work alongside one another, including on such acclaimed series as Casanova, with writer Matt Fraction, B.P.R.D. 1947, with Mike Mignola and Josh Dysart, and B.P.R.D. Vampire, with Mike Mignola. Their creator-owned series, Daytripper, won the 2011 Eisner Award for Best Limited Series.

In addition to their signing at the Portland TFAW, the brothers are also guests of The International Comic Arts Forum May 23-25, where they will have two tables on Friday, May 24th.

The Portland TFAW will have a wide variety of books by Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon available for purchase. Mark your calenders for this signing May 22 for your chance to meet these talents in person and enter to win an original sketch!" 

https://www.facebook.com/events/153388178169310/

05\06 "Husbands" Signing with Jane Espenson & Brad Bell @ Powell's City of Books, Portland

PORTLAND SIGNING for HUSBANDS the COMIC, Hardcover edition, by Dark Horse Comics!

Powell’s City of Books (Downtown Location)
Monday, MAY 6th, 7:30PM

Featuring Q&A with creators Jane Espenson and Brad “Cheeks” Bell + artists Ron Chan, Natalie Nourigat, and Ben Dewey!
 
"Portlanders, take note! Ron Chan, Natalie Nourigat, and Ben Dewey will be joining “Husbands” series creators Brad Bell and Jane Espenson for an evening of discussion and drawing TONIGHT at Powell’s City of Books. “Husbands” (published by Dark Horse) tells the story of famous gay newlyweds Brady and Cheeks, who sparked a media firestorm when they woke up legally wed after a weekend in Vegas. There will be a Q&A followed by a signing with copies of the hardcover comic collection on hand. The event kicks off at 7:30, see you there!"

http://periscopestudio.com/husbands-event-tonight-with-ron-chan-natalie-nourigat-and-ben-dewey/

05/02 Dash Shaw's NEW SCHOOL Tour @ Floating World

 Had fun at Stumptown.   Come see Dash Shaw at Floating world.      

 Date: Thurs, May 2, 2013
Time: 6:00pm 10:00pm
Location: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St, Portland OR

The creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Bottomless Belly Button and Bodyworld hits the road in support of his new graphic novel, New School, as well as the one-shot comic book, 3 New Stories. At Floating World, Dash Shaw will be signing copies of his new books before their wide release, with a gallery full of original artwork and presentations of his animation works (including the Sigur Rós video, "Seraph").

New School is a full-color, classic coming-of-age story that encapsulates the current generation, both trapped and enthralled by pop culture. Shaw dramatizes the story two brothers, one moving to an exotic country where an ambitious new amusement park recreates historical events and the younger one who goes to find his brother after years of little contact. New School is unlike anything in the history of the comics medium: at once funny and deadly serious, easily readable while wildly artistic, personal and political, familiar and completely new.

Dash Shaw lives in Brooklyn, NY.   He is currently writing and directing an animated feature film, The Ruined Cast.

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/03/25/may-2-dash-shaws-new-school-tour/

04\04 Bobby Madness Showing @ FWC

"London has returned one of the finest collections of Bobby Madness art known to have survived the fires, room mates, girlfriends and madness himself…

After nearly 20 years these pieces will be made available for viewing to the public Thursday Aplil 4th at none other than Floating World Comics. Pages and art from the final Soul Twinkies and early Kill City comix, demonstrating the power and glory of Bobby Madness.

WHO: Bobby Madness
WHAT: Soul Twinkies/Kill City art exhibit
WHEN: Thursday April 4, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Artwork will be on display until the end of April.
Madness is from New York, then Oakland, and now Portland. As a kid his comic collection was burned before his very eyes by bikers. His 3rd grade teacher printed his first comix in exchange for not disrupting the class. From there he has torn a hole in the ass of comix, bikes, writers, zines, and bars across the world. Come find out for yourself what it means to be an Underground Comix legend. 36% punk."

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/2013/03/21/april-4-the-world-famous-bobby-madness-kill-city-original/

03\29 Suicide Girls at FWC

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03/13 Floating World Comics

Press Release:    Floating World Comics
 

WHO: Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Jesse Hamm
WHAT: Hawkeye Vol. 1 TP release party, signing and fundraiser
WHEN: Wednesday, March 13, 6-8pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St.

Join Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber and Jesse Hamm on Wednesday March 13th to celebrate the release of HAWKEYE VOL. 1 MY LIFE AS A WEAPON TP. We will also have copies of the Hurricane Sandy benefit issue, Hawkeye #7 for sale. 100% of the proceeds from the event will be donated to American Red Cross, to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy. Hawkeye #7 artists Steve Lieber and Jesse Hamm will draw sketches for fans in exchange for American Red Cross donations.

From CBR:

    Writer Matt Fraction was at the center of a special signing appearance for “Hawkeye” #7, autographing copies of the Hurricane Sandy-themed issue and raising money for the American Red Cross.

    “The whole book is about the dude who doesn’t have superpowers so it seemed like if we were going to try to do something to help people, that’s the book to do it…hopefully we’ll be able to write some checks and do a little good,” Fraction told CBR during the event about the special issue of the popular Marvel series.

    Inspired to write the issue after Hurricane Sandy decimated parts of New York and New Jersey, Fraction is donating his royalties from the issue to the American Red Cross. Though the Portland-based writer was not in New York when Sandy hit, the devastation left in the storm’s wake prompted him to want to do something to help the victims.

    “I spent an awful lot of time there and had lived there for business purposes,” Fraction explained. “I realized that not only would I have been evacuated, I would have been under water if I was still there in the place I had been living.”

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/category/events/

Strip Search, Season 1, Episode 01 - Artists Assemble

 Penny Arcade has brought to us "America's next great Web Cartoonist"   Including our very own Erika Moen.

Just got back from Emerald City Comic Con

We had a fantastic time.    The show seemed twice as big with 5  times as many people.   It was a great time and I got to talk to tons of great creators.    It was amazing.