Double Think on Amazon

Double Think, the awesome anthology work masterminded by Matt Aucoin, is now available on Amazon! 

Includes contributions by the very-talented Denis St. John, Kevin Kilgore and David Yoder, and of course, Matt himself.

Snap it up to read the first chapter of The Gabriellas, written by Matt, illustrated by yours truly (who also drew the cover , thankyouverymuch).

It features PUNCHY-ACTION!!

...as well as THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION-ACTION and later on, MONSTER-WHOPPING ACTION!!

So check it out!

Pinup lady

Behind the cut: pinup-lady with colors inspired by Meghan Trainor's body-positive music video for "All About That Bass". I don't usually listen to much pop, but this song has clever lyrics with a great message, so I'm all for it!

Warning: semi-nudity of aforementioned pinup lady. Yes, there is nipp-lage. Young 'uns beware.




Click "read more" below for the rest...

Man Bags: a helpful visual guide

Accessorizing.

Hipsters vs. Cartoonists

Know the difference. It could save your life. 

Some masked-hero-types, an update of the top-hatted ladies last seen in this post.

Distribution

Full view recommended: 

Checking out my online distribution options. Electing to just sell this stuff myself.

Mice

Circle of life, brah.

Turkeys and Tutus for TBI

Today we're featuring a very special episode of Holly's Blog.

A few months ago I was contacted by Elizabeth Reininger, who sells these awesome pre-made and custom-made tutus on Etsy. She is organizing a virtual run for Zach, a young man with a Traumatic Brain Injury. 100% of the proceeds will go towards a Duet Bike for Zach so he can ride with his mom. Elizabeth and Zach are both superhero fans.

(Check out Facebook and Etsy for more details and how to donate)

So what we have here is a combination of superheroes, tutus and a fundraiser.

What it means for yours truly is that I am extremely proud and honored to contribute artwork to be used as prizes for participants in the virtual run. And it just so happened that I drew a couple new tutu-heroes at Boston Comic Con, just before getting an email from Elizabeth:

Along with a selection of heroes in all their graceful and balletic glory, I included a print just for Zach of his favorite superhero:

The idea that my artwork might be of real benefit to someone is quite rewarding and fills me with warm fuzzies. 

Big thanks to Elizabeth for inviting me to be a part of this fundraiser and best of luck to Zach who is the real superhero here!

...And for anyone who has a comic convention to go to and hasn't a thing to wear, Elizabeth does plenty of superhero-inspired tutus along with the custom ones and SPARKLY LIGHTS!!!

Old Sketches

In the interests of doing some regular posts, here's one!

Found some old sketches, we're talking 2009 or so. So here's a little collection.

These are a scattering of characters from different story ideas which may or may not come to fruition.

I have not been idle!

So, AGES since my last post...

This is why. I'm coding the whole thing from scratch, and learning quite a bit about HTML 5, which is pretty fun. It's intended to be a mostly static site, for the purposes of promoting my work to potential illustration clients. I also had the URL printed on my new business cards, and was under pressure to get something up there before distributing said cards and the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) which, of course, was awesome!

 It's still a work-in-progress. I have a few more illustrations to post, and I need to get a real online store going (so if anyone has any feedback concerning paypal, etsy and/or other online selling options, feel free to email me!), add some links and make the whole thing a little more polished.

Here's a cut little picture that I did three years ago, because this post needs a picture:

Although I haven't been posting them here, I've been working on both short comics for the next issue of Brain Parts (once I have that scanning-party, I'll post some) and Unpleasant People #5. Related to that, I'm also working on a website for Unpleasant People which will have a blog, character profiles, sketches and the first three issues available to read for free!

Here's the header for the Unpleasant People website, because this post needs another picture:

So I've put a lot on my plate. Fortunately, Boston Comic Con 2014 is in August again which gives me plenty of time. I plan on having two new issues of Brain Parts by then as well as Unpleasant People #5. I'm also tossing together an issue of Brain Parts with comics that I did when at the Center for Cartoon Studies.

Also, to those living local in the Boston area, Unpleasant People #1-4 are at Hub Comics in the local artists section. Yaaay!

War Stories

More dispatches from my years working at the front desk at a fancy gym (we weren't supposed to use the word "gym". We had to call it a "fitness center")

For the record, I recorded this conversation pretty much word-for-word...

...because god knows that a male who lives in a mansion in Hollywood would know so much more about war than a female who lives in a mansion in Hollywood.


...and female soldiers? Pretty sure that's just a myth.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! Have some pictures of

A demon-girl:


A half-mechanical lady:

I'll probably take the time to color that one, since it's already lineart and all...

A disgruntled waitress:

("Bad tipper, always fresh, never frozen.")

Actually, working in the service industry hasn't made me bitter at all, why do you ask?

Aaaand, a 18th-century ghost hunter on the job:

Quick Summer Throwback

What... what's THIS?! TWO blog posts in one month? Have I gone mad?

Weeeeell, this little bit of holly-bitches-about-dumb-clothes has been sitting on my desktop for a little while and it's cold enough that people are going to forget what I'm talking about if I wait any longer to post it.

 

These are just feelings I had to get onto paper so it didn't bother me anymore. 

MICE 2012

Oooooooh damn, how long has it been since my last blog post? A long time. I don't even want to look. Oh god. Too long.

Here's another Star Trek: Voyager comic to prove I haven't been slacking:

The Borg Queen has SUCH a villain-crush on Janeway!

Well, I'm still alive. Since my last blog post I've finished Unpleasant People #4 ($3 plus shipping), put together Brain Parts #3 ($1 plus shipping), moved to a new apartment, attended the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (aka MICE) for the first time and been off-and-on scripting this webcomic idea of mine mentioned in my last post. So, it's not like I haven't been doing anything. I just haven't been sharing it with the internet.

Well, here's the fruit of my labors:

 

 If you'd like to order either of these books, or any of my other zines or comics, or get a full price list of what I'm selling, email me at holly_foltz@yahoo.com

The zombie-waiter cover of Brain Parts #3 is my favorite Brain Parts cover I've done so far. I'm also proud of the Unpleasant People cover. It's a transparency printed with the title and cover image, over a wallpaper sample, so each issue is different. 

 

And here's some of the great stuff I scored at MICE (which represents only a fraction of the kickass art and comics available there. I had to limit myself as, after this last move, I realized I just have no room for more comics).

 

Row 1: "Thrift Store Batman", can't find the info for the hilarious person who traded this with me, "The Plot" numbers 1 and 2 by Neil Brideau 

Row 2: "Strange New Worlds", a Star Trek fanzine edited by the talented Denis St. John, featuring two one-pagers by yours truly, thenkyouvurrymuch, "Klown from the Moon: A Killer Klown Survival Guide" by S.R. Bissette, Denis St. John and Mike Crosier, "The Alfa Bravo Charlies" by Anna Jo Beck, "The Littlest Elder God" by Nathan Kitler

Row 3: "Today is a Good Day to Dine" by Joey Peters, "Darkfull" by Roho and Jamie Hibdon, "Space for Rent in Latveria" by Swamp Thing and Maggie Siegel-Berele

Chad Sell had a wide range of work at his table. The standout work was his digital portraits of the queens from "RuPaul's Drag Race", which he was selling as large and small prints and in booklets ("Chad Sell does 30 Queens"). He also had some great comics, both of the kid-friendly variety ("Kittybunny: the Bag Grab") and of the drunken-superheroin variety ("Fool Girl: of Monkeys and Masks"). It was great to meet him and check his work out!

 

 Joel Gill, a local fellow and art professor who does comics and zines both entertaining and educational (often at the same time!) was sold out of the Black Conservative Trading Card (series 2) packs when I got to his table, but I picked up a printed card of them. They have hilarious quotes and "Abilities & Powers" on the back! Can't wait for series 3!

Jeff Lok, a friend from Center for Cartoon Studies, was tabling with Jose-Luis Olivares and myself and I got to trade with him for two of his great comics ("The Gag Rag #2" and "Oh Babies")! They lure you with the familiarity of the style of early animation (such as Betty Boop and the early years of Loony Toons) only to punch you in the gut with violence and tragedy. Very visceral, very funny and definitely not for the sensitive!

I was pleasantly surprised to see my pal Kenan Rubenstein there, who is responsible for some of the most thoughtful and beautiful comics I've seen at a convention. He was selling his gorgeous new book, "Last Train to Old Town: Chapter 1", hand-made, perfect-bound, full-color. All of his comics have a unique "look" to them (unusual sizes, shapes, binding, etc) and this one is no exception. The ending makes you eager to read more, and I can't wait for the next issue.

 

  

So, that was MICE. A great show, can't wait for next year! Time to dive into Unpleasant People #5! Stay tuned!

Some Pleasant, and Unpleasant, People

First off, I know this is kinda old news, but after a wait that seemed like eternity, "Avatar: Legend of Korra" (sequel to the masterful animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender") is finally here! It seems that perhaps the animation isn't quite as smooth as "The Last Airbender", but maybe it's because I was so dazzled and hadn't seen anything like it before. I sort of miss the whole journey aspect of the first series, too, but I love this one to pieces anyway, and I'm so impressed with the world-building. Again, these people did all their homework and created a three-dimensional, complete world and populated it with engaging, well-rounded characters. Anyhoo, this was my reaction:

In the me-centric news department: I finally finished the pencils for "Unpleasant People #4".
I've started inking it (starting with the lettering and panel borders) and hopefully it won't take too long. A big shout-out to my pals Mo Oh, Matt Aucoin, Jose Luis Olivares and Denis St. John who gave me their feedback and helped me present a more polished comic. So here's a couple portraits of the character Magda. A lot of issue 4 is about her back story. I was going to save the pencil sketch to put in the comic at the end, but Magda's head is so frikkin' big, I'm just going to draw something else.

 

 

As for stuff I'm watching that inspires me: I've been having "RuPaul's Drag Race" marathons. In the first season I was completely taken with Pandora Boxx. She was funny, intelligent and beautiful both in and out of drag. She was absolutely enchanting for the whole competition. 

Her nose is a little too big in the left-hand picture. In the right, she's a space princess gone rogue. And that's that.

the ULTRA UPDATE!

Okay, so I have good excuses this time for the lack of blog updates over the past few weeks! April was crazy! It felt like everything that could possibly happen to me, happened to me in April: did my taxes, got really sick, juggled two jobs for a little while before switching and had two conventions in two weeks! April had its ups and downs, but I'm glad it's May now. I've decided to take it easy this month. I'm also getting close to finishing the pencils for "Unpleasant People" #4. Just a couple pages left. I want to go to the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo in the fall and I want to have two new books by then (the aforementioned "Unpleasant People" and another issue of "Brain Parts").

Speaking of conventions, I had a great time at the Boston Comic Con and the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Festival in NYC.

At the Boston Comic Con I tabled with my good pals Matt Aucoin and Jose Luis Olivares. We had a great time and even put together a little anthology called "School Pencil" the night before the con. It was a combination of one-page works from all of us, plus some jam comics. Matt drew the fabulous cover. It's a pretty awesome cover. I don't want to jinx it, but odds are, there will be a "School Pencil" #2.

Some of my favorite costumes from the con here in Boston: Starfleet, of course, I nearly shit myself when I saw a "Stargate" costume (first time I've seen one at a con), also the first time I've seen Carl Sagan cosplay (apparently not a lot of people were recognizing him. For shame, science fans!), I liked that this Harley Quinn was faithful to her costume in the comics and show (I'd seen enough interpretations), the Keymaster is always a hit, where else do you see Indiana Jones face off against Lady Deathstrike, and I loved these Doctor Who ladies (does this mean the Tardis is also the companion?).

A nice fellow named Rich Johnston stopped by the table to chat and shared some fruit snacks with me. If I had known at the time that he was a journalist, I would have tried to act more intelligent. But he did end up mentioning Matt, Jose and myself, as well as some other great exhibitors in an article he wrote about how great Boston Comic Con is. And it certainly was great.


Some of the great stuff I picked up at Boston Comic Con: "A Daley Dose of Monsters" by Rich Daley, "Avra Kedabra Vol. 1" by Elizabeth Neronski, "The Stuff of Legend, Book 2: The Jungle" by Mike Raicht, Brian Smith and Charles Paul Wilson III, "Caroline's Catalog" by E. J. Barnes, "Geraniums & Bacon #6" by Cathy Leamy, "Kristilyn's Burlesque Sketchbook Vol. 1" by Kristilyn, "The Superhighs" by Dani Marie and Jessica Vitali, "A Conversation about Spiders" by Aya Rothwell, "It's A Maglorificent Monday" by Andy Wong, "Inky Stories" by Dave Marshall, "The Underburbs #1" by Joe Haley and T. J. Dort, "Paul and the Reveres Issue 1" by Tina Pratt

MoCCA was a blast, too! Got to stay with my good pals Katherine Roy and Tim Stout (also alumni of the Center for Cartoon Studies). I also got to see my pal Kenan Rubenstein and pick up one of his great teeny comics. If you haven't checked out his shit, you should check out his shit.

A sampling of the great stuff I picked up at MoCCA: "Yasha Lizard" by Kristina Stipetic, "The Island of Doctor Moreau" and "Pugs on Drugs" by Kat Fajardo, "Rat Bastard Part 1" by Cliff Galbraith, "Amelia Part 5" by Denis St. John, "What's Normal Anyway?" by Morgan Boecher, "9 P.M." by Melanie Gillman,  "Franz Kafka's Poseidon" by Jarod Rosello, "Nothing is Private" and "El Diablo" by Luis Enrique Echavarria Uribe, "On the Beach" by Kenan Rubenstein

And since I feel bad that I've been neglecting my blog for so long, here's another comic to close out this post:

I can't stop with the Illuminati jokes!