Q : So 2009 thus far has been a pretty big year right?

A : For me, yes. I got to do a few things I’ve always wanted to do. Number one, going to HEROES CON as an exhibitor. That was great fun and am definitely coming back next year. Also finally going to SAN DIEGO COMIC CON was a definite treat. I have a lot of people to thank for that finally happening. It defiantly worked out well because of all the friends in high places, strings they pulled for me and plus the wife allowing me the funds to go. It was a great time and I learned a lot.

Q : And you released some new material.

A : Oh yeah, absolutely. I did my first sketchbook ever and that sold extremely well. I was surprised, actually. But Sketchbooks seem to be pretty well sought after now. So I attribute it to that. I also started doing con exclusive prints that are nicely framed. Those do great at the shows. But the main thing is I released Wise Intelligence 1-3, a book I did with writer Ryan McLelland, as well as The Expendables #2, a book written by Brett Pinson. Not to mention the final PLEASANT LIFE tradebook! The tradebook sold out this year as well.

Q: It sold out? Wow!

A: Yeah it was a great thing to happen. Sales are pretty good on it. Plus I handed a lot of copies out to friends for them to check out. The feedback I’ve gotten back on it was enormous. People really like it and think its some of my best writing I’ve done. Although I admit it was hard to leave these characters and move on to other things.

Q: And this is definitely the end for Pleasant Life as a series?

A: Yes. Although I haven’t ruled out the possibility of something small and different with it in the future, but definitely no more ongoing stories. But I think that since the first three tradebooks have long since sold out and reprints are hard to get because the company that did the printing is out of business now, I may have to do something with that. Maybe collect them as one big book. Interestingly, a collection like that would be over 600 pages long! I think that will happen, but somewhere down the road. If I were to do a collection like that, I would include new material. There’s a couple stories I never got to tell during the series, so maybe I would include that as an incentive for longtime fans to look at it. But again, that’s in the far future sometime. I got other things going on right now.

Q: You said you were releasing the first in a trilogy of graphic novels this year called The Outcast. What happened with that?

A: Well, it is in heavy production. I am about 100 pages into it. But I am being extra careful with it. The art is more involved now and the concepts are heavier. Its taking longer to make than previous work I’ve done. Plus being a full time father now has cut my time into a third! Then also commissions and outside artwork have been increasing. It’s just a juggling act. So I plan to release it next year and give me some breathing room to get it done the right way. If I rush it, then it will come out looking rushed. And that’s not what I want at all. But it will come out. Guaranteed.

Q: You’ve been mentioning on your blog about a new comic besides The Outcast and some of the art pages from that are on your deviantart. What is that about?

A: Oh yeah, that’s the other thing delaying Outcast! (laughs) It’s an idea I had a long time ago and it started to evolve in my head more this year, especially after San Diego. I got inspired to finish it. It’s quicker to do than Outcast so I decided to bring it to the front burner for a while and complete both concepts at once. It’s called ANNA POCOLYPSE, and about a post-nuclear war Earth about four months after the bombs fell. The remaining humanity is starting to scatter and scavenge. It’s basically like a 1980’s post-apocolyptic movie. Something like “Mad Max” or “Warriors of the Wasteland.” It’s going to have the same feel to it. The villain has this over the top quality to him like those movie villains had. Our hero is like a Wonder Woman of the new generation. I’m writing her to be quite strong and bad ass. I really want to give passionate women readers a good read instead of the same stereotypical thing where its all T&A and guns. Also, I’m coloring it myself for the first time. My first color comic book that I colored myself! Watch out! (laughs)

Q: Do you have more Wise Intelligence or The Expendables coming out too?

A: Wise Intelligence is Ryan’s baby. He handles that. I think we’re gonna do more as we talked about doing more. He likes the collaboration as much as I. He just got married and is busy with that and his work. But I am sure we will sit and chat about doing more. With Brett on The Expendables, it is inevitable we’ll do a third one, as the last one was left as a cliffhanger. We talked about it and he’s gonna work around my schedule on it. Outcast and Anna come first. Then there will be more after that.

Q: You exhibited at Heroes and Pittsburgh Con this year. Why no other shows?

A: Well, originally I was going to do more, but I lost my day job in February. That put a damper on some of it. But for those I missed, I’ll be back there in 2010. That will be the year I make contact! (laughs) I’ll come back to do again. Definitely Heroes Con and then I’m thinking of adding another one. I try to do one new show each year that I’ve never done before. I’m thinking of trekking south and doing something down there. We’ll see. I got my eye on certain places. It will definitely happen.

Q: What do you love about conventions that keep you coming back?

A: Well, its great to see my friends again. I’ve come to depend on them a lot over the years of doing this, and its great to get the work out to people who have never heard of me before. It’s a whole weekend in a room full of people who love the same type of stuff as me. What is not to love about it?

Q: Are there any more things coming in 2010 from you?

A: Actually yeah. Dean and I are putting together another Tales of Sequential Mayhem book. It’s a collaboration anthology book. Last time we had some great talent. This year will be no exception. We’ve got a new, interesting theme of doing a homage to the old EC horror type of comics. Put tons of fake ads into it and make the whole book an experience from cover to cover. I cannot wait to work on that. Each artist will have around eight pages to themselves. Should be great fun to do.

Q: Sounds like you got a busy year ahead of you!

A: Oh yeah. That’s what I prefer. There’s a song by Dream Theater that I love by. Its called “Constant Motion.” My brain is always rolling and thinking about these things and things I have to do or get done. My focus is pretty toned. Its just with the day job, being a father and other things, you have to learn to balance yourself. I am trying to step away more now. Like take a break from creating and spend time with myself and the family. But the creative stuff will always be there. I don’t see myself stopping ever.

Q: Did you accomplish any goals in 2009?

A: I cannot tell you what it meant for me to stand on the floor in San Diego. To get on a plane for the first time? It was totally surreal. I’d love to do it again. For years I’ve been promising myself to go out there and I finally did. I didn’t have a table out there, but people were selling my comics. I was a part of it. It was awesome. I mean, to be walking the floor, being in an elevator or at the bar with celebrities around you hanging out, it’s just a whole different world than I am used to. I think also, the Pleasant Life tradebook was great. It came out exactly how I wanted it to. I’m glad people are digging it. And the sketchbook was a genuine surprise. It sold really well. I’ve never thought my art was something people were super stoked on, so why have a collection of it? But apparently I was wrong. I sell more sketchbooks at cons than books. And the sketchbook is more! It’s totally odd. But a valuable lesson for myself.

Q: I know we’re a few months away, but what are the goals for 2010?

A: Well, now that my con season is officially over, I’m going into heavy, heavy production on all my stuff. And get I’ll have it all ready by first quarter next year to be printed in time for con season. You’ll see me back out on the road with new material to pimp. Also I’d like to finally get a nice table backdrop. Other than that, release new material that is the best I can do and make new friends and fans of my work. That’s always my main goal. Its what this is all about. I’d also love to get people to traffic my website more. I’m toying with ideas on how to make that happen. Some more exclusive content there perhaps. We’ll see.

Q: Lastly, you announced that you joined YOUTUBE to create your own video channel and dubbing it “IDIOTHEAD TV.” Tell us about that.

A: I’ve always been interested in recording videos and the people I love to follow are accessible enough to do such things. I’ve recorded videos from past shows and I’m planning on doing a whole series of videos there. I’ve had an account there for years, but have never done anything with it. So now, I’ve uploaded some of my convention travel videos and personal videos. I plan to do some office tour stuff, some making of type of stuff, more funny videos and just general videos of what my life is like. It’s sorta what youtube is anymore right? I hope I can entertain people with it. I’d like to get to the point to where I am making really great videos with scripts, effects and lots of editing. But right now, I’ll just focus on the comics and take that step when it feels natural. But I plan to post new videos as much as I can. Be it working on a page and talking about it, or something funny one of my cats does. Who knows man? It’s all going on there for people to enjoy.

Q: Sounds like you just want to have fun with it.

A: Yeah, exactly. It’s an idea that Shane and I had when we formed the band IDIOTHEAD, but it never got off the ground. We were going to do a series of weekly funny videos but we never could get together on it. And now that the IDIOTHEAD concept is just myself alone, I’d like to pursue it more actively. I think it’s about creating “passionate users” of my work and keep them coming back to the site. That’s the goal in everything I do.

Q: Anything to add?

A: You know, each year I do this gig, I learn new things. 2009 so far has been the best out of all of them. I plan to take everything that I did and learned and plug it into 2010 and come out shining. I'm evolving as an artist and a writer. I am hoping people out there will see what else I am capable of next year and see that I am not just a guy who can do slice of life humor comics. I plan to do it all and show it to the world. Hopefully I attract an audience that will be into what I want to do and follow me with the journey. Plus, the longtime followers of my work will want to come along for the ride. I'm looking forward to the challenges and the new heights I plan to scale with my devious plans for next year!