C2E2 2016

Hello Internet!

This weekend is C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) and I couldn't be more excited. C2E2 is one of my favorite conventions and always has interesting panels, creators, and exhibitors for new and old fans.

Taken from c2e2.com

Here are some things you must do if you go to C2E2 this year:

1. Support independent comic creators
2. Buy original art from artists
3. Buy comics and stories from writers
4. Party hard
5. Be safe

Taken from enmnetwork.com

I'm not tabling this year, but I will be walking around with a Pro Pass. Feel free to say hello and chat if you see me on the floor.

I look forward to seeing you all there!


Keep it wizard,

Kenny

"You Can't Go Home Again" - Kenny Porter & Jim Towe (One-Page Comic)

Here's a comic that Jim Towe and I did for The Prompt, a comic book challenge and experiment created by Nic J. Shaw.

The Prompt - Tumblr

The prompt was to create a single page story that revolved around the theme of coming home. I decided to take it into a Twilight Zone kind of direction.

I hope you enjoy it!

Grand Rapids Comic Con - Independent Comics Panel on Saturday!

Independent Comics and Such

This Saturday I'll be on a panel with Andy Budnick, Jim Towe, and Matt Maldonado talking about creating independent comics and publishing them. We'll also talk about how we got into comics, collaboration, and will be answering any questions you have about our process or projects.

Here's the information on the panel:

12:45 to 1:45 pm

Andy Budnick, Jim Towe, Kenny Porter and Matt Maldonado, “Helpful Tips for Independent Publishing”: Learn tips and tricks for publishing your own works independently. Panel will discuss Kickstarters and digital releases to shopping your material around to small publishers.

So if you're curious about making your own comics come on over to our panel and we'll do our best to answer your questions!

Hope to see you tomorrow!

- Kenny

Project Update: Bluster #1 - Cover

Our New Cover

This is our new cover for issue #1 of Bluster. I have to say that I'm very happy with the current version. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Ink Ribbon -- New Print Edition!

Ink Ribbon

Visionary Comics published my one-shot crime noir comic on digital platforms a couple of years ago. Now I've reformatted the book for print and it'll be available at conventions and signings I'll be doing during the 2014 convention season.

Printed Version

The printed version features a modified cover.

Here are some images:

The new cover

Some interior pages

And some more interior pages

This is just the test print, but it turned out really well. I'm hoping that everyone will enjoy this manga-inspired story when it makes its con debut!

Back to the Script!

Where I've been

I've been sick for the past six days. It's been terrible. Not only have I had to deal with work, school, and walking tons of dogs, but I've been unable to put pen to paper for nearly a month. All of my energy has gone to school projects, and trust me, there hasn't been a lot to go around.

What's going on?

The project pool has been pretty warm lately. I didn't mean for that to sound weird, but I meant it in a "the water's fine" kind of way, not a gross way. Although the DayQuil version of me might think otherwise. The bottom line is that I'm working on some exciting stuff with some fabulous artists. I should have something to show off soon, and the pitches will be rolling out by the end of the year.

Just comic book pitches?

Nope! I'm actually going to be doing some fully creator-owned projects with some of my friends and collaborators. There are a few projects that need to be worked out, because people have hectic schedules, but despite being sent out as pitches they'll be fully realized. I don't want to tease too much, so I'll just say that they're awesome and you should be on the edge of your seat.

. . .

I guess I didn't do a great job of not teasing, did I?

Writing lately

My time has been focused more on writing prose lately for my classes. I'm a Writing Major at a Michigan university, so churning out stories is in the job description. I recently did my first big workshop and it was a huge success. I received some wonderful feedback and it made me feel like my prose was headed in the right direction again. Too much scripting can really take your prose down a peg or two, so it's important to shift back every once and a while to keep both sides sharpened.

When will you see some stuff?

Hopefully soon. Really, my collaborators and I are trying to balance our lives and our comics careers. I'm very happy to announce that they're doing extraordinarily well in that department, so kudos to them all!

I'll make sure to post some more content soon. Including my banner designs for comic conventions next year!

That's right, I'll actually have tables next year!

The World at Large

It's been a really long time since I updated on here, so I thought I should start using this blog a little bit more. Con season is upon me and I need to keep this site fresh and new so that my business cards don't direct people who a whole lot of nothing.

I've been working really hard for Visionary Comics as a Social Media Marketing Associate (fancy title). It's an aspect of the business I never really saw myself in, but it has some advantages in mixing creativity with business.

They say don't mix business with pleasure, but that always worked out well for James Bond.

Writing has been slow going. School has taken up way too much of my time to the point where I'm starting to get mad at it a little bit. I like the idea of having a Bachelor's Degree from GVSU, but I don't like the idea of my time being wasted so much with extra general education classes.

The actual stories I've gotten to write lately have been shorts that I plan on submitting to anthologies. Let's hope and pray that goes somewhere.

Meanwhile there's been some great progress with creators that I've seen come up in the world of comics in the past year. Mainly writer Justin Jordan (of Luther Strode fame), who is now killing it as a writer for DC. It was just announced that he'll be taking the new Deathstroke title, which I think will work well with his edgy writing style.

Congrats to him and anyone else who has progressed in the past year. If so, I'd love to hear with you and swap stories. I know I never would have guessed my resume would grow so much in twelve months. Let's have a beer sometime and talk it over.

Sincerely,

James Bo -- er . . .

Ken Porter.