Cropped Will Cardini artwork

March 8th, 2011

STAPLE! Recap

Filed under: Recaps — Tags: , , , , , — William Cardini @ 7:00 am

Hey yawl, the Gold County Paper Mill and Glademade had a blast at STAPLE! last weekend, thanks to everyone who hung out and bought stuff!

Glademade and GCPM at STAPLE!
Zoom out shot of the table (I was able to get everything in the image except for the second Glademade card rack). Glade’s face is like “why are you d00dz hiding?”

We met a ton of kewl people and got to hang out with kewl people we’ve met at past STAPLE!s (that plural spelling of STAPLE! is straight from the style guide, I swear).

Glademade and GCPM at STAPLE!
Now everyone is showing their faces. From left to right: Michael Miles, David Fullen, Glade Hensel.

Some highlights:

  • The people across the aisle from us, writer Adam Smith and artist Matt Fox of Wet Black Ghost press, had driven all the way from Little Rock, Arkansas, where they say there’s not much of a scene. I dug their short sci-fi comic and I’m looking forward to the fantasy webcomic that’s on the way.
  • Speaking of driving cross country, I met several people who said they had just moved to Austin from Portland, like the cartoonists Aaron Whitaker and Melinda Boyce. Coincidence or growing trend? Let’s hope more cartoonists defect here.
  • Jake Ewing, proprietor of Awesome Comics in Dallas, shared a table with the Arkansas boys. He makes pretty kewl little folded full-color comics.
  • I’m really glad that Sparkplug Comics had a table at STAPLE!, I wish their were more out of town indy publishers there. Chris C. Cilla was in attendance, so I’m glad I’d been waiting to buy his new book The Heavy Hand from Domy so I could get a signed book straight from the author. I started reading it on the bus ride home from work yesterday and I’m really digging it.
  • It was good to talk to Paul Maybury and his also talented assistant Ricky Valenzuela. If I’d had more dough I would’ve bought some of Maybury’s sick looking original pages. At least we got to talk about coloring for a bit.
  • Man, I love how Toby Craig is still putting out watercolored comics in Houston. His earlier series Monster Engine was the first DIY comic I ever bought back at Bedrock City Comics on 1960.
  • I dug Partydog‘s VHS-style comic The Body is a System. Also he handed me a hilarious xerox mini of stick figure collaborations with his bf on this site. Loved it.
  • I was hoping that Zach Taylor would have Bear Quest 2 ready but his jam comic with Chris Sweet, 16-bit Breakfast, will tide me over for a bit.
  • I always enjoy chatting with Jen and MC of Buttersword. Their comics are like an angrier Porcellino with some sf elements thrown in every once in a while. Basically, they’re super real, honest, and independent. Also I applaud them for monetizing MC’s toy collecting.
  • Palfloat is a true Austin original. Click that link – you’ll thank me.

I hope to see you all again (and more people!) at STAPLE! 2012. Also, if you’re wondering, I’ll start posting the eight-page Glade and Mark comic on Friday. Click here for additional photos and GCPM-centric commentary

March 4th, 2011

The GCPM and Glademade at STAPLE! 2011

Filed under: Events — Tags: , , , , , — William Cardini @ 7:05 am

Hey y’all, David Fullen, Michael Miles and myself of the Gold County Paper Mill will be tabling at STAPLE! this weekend alongside Glade Hensel’s Glademade for the third year in a row.

STAPLE! banner

This year, for the first time ever, STAPLE! will be two days, March 5th and 6th! The event is at Marchesa Hall and Theater from 11am to 6pm on Saturday and noon to 6pm on Sunday. It costs ten dollars for one day and $15 for both days.

The GCPM and Glademade will be sharing Table 76, which is in the Annex. If you’re standing with your back to the entrance, the Annex is the room to the back and the left. We’ll be selling a lot of stuff, both old and new. Here’s what we’ll have in alphabetical order:

  • Screenprints and digital prints of my ATTACKS one-page comics
  • Candy or Medicine Volume 12, a minicomics anthology edited and published by Josh Blair (I drew the cover of this volume)
  • The second issue of Catch Up, a comics and poetry magazine edited and published by Jak Cardini and Robert Bozwell of the GCPM, featuring two different covers by Josh Burggraf, comics by Noel Freibert, poetry by Adam Day, and a short story by David Fullen
  • Comet a print by Glade Hensel
  • Froghead Hangover, a twelve-page xeroxed zine by me
  • Glademade greeting cards
  • Hypermorph, a digital print in original colors and the inverse
  • Lords ov thee Black Sun, a xerox zine by Michael Miles
  • Masks, a twelve-page xeroxed zine by me
  • One read-only copy of Math Fiction, a sixteen-page 11×17″ blue/red anaglyph 3D comic featuring Pat Aulisio, Ian Harker, Josh Burggraf, and myself
  • A two-color Miizzzard screenprint in purple/green or purple/orange
  • Original art by myself and Michael Miles
  • Shaman Thunder, a twelve-page xerox comic that Josh Burggraf and I made together
  • Slime Studies, a zine by Michael Miles
  • TRANZ, a twelve-page zine by me

Michael Miles process shot
A process shot from Michael Miles. He’s working to get Slime Studies finished in time for STAPLE!

Also, there are pre- and post-parties for STAPLE! The pre-party is 7-11pm tonight at Austin Books and Comics. There are an after-parties Saturday and Sunday at Club Deville from 8pm to whenever. We might be at some of these – if you see us feel free to say wuzzup.

March 1st, 2011

Quick Wedding Post

Filed under: Life — Tags: , — William Cardini @ 7:40 am

Hey y’all I know I said that I’d start posting a comic today, but I decided to postpone that until next week because there are some things I want to talk about this week, namely my wedding and STAPLE!

Our wedding/reception was a lot of fun. There are a couple of details that I was involved in so I thought I’d post those here.

We had a unity volcano instead of a unity candle. Glade and I made it and then I painted it, here’s an action shot:

Glade and Mark's ceremony
Picture by my uncle. Sorry it’s a bit blurry. Notice the froghead on my best man.

The eruption wasn’t quite as high as we were hoping but oh well. The officiant (my good buddy Will Sellari, pictured holding microphone) included some lines from King Crimson in the ceremony. Also, one of my friends told me that they felt a strong gust right before the procession and knew that the wind wizards were giving their blessing. So, all in all, it was a pretty proggy wedding.

It was also pretty froggy. All of the dudes in the wedding party and the dads had these frogheads that Glade made. Here they are all lined up in a row (without their hats):

Glademade frogheads

Also, I drew the ceremony program:

Glade and Mark's ceremony program
The front and back covers for the ceremony program.

I made the comic that I’m starting to post next week for the ceremony program. Yes, we had the idea before we heard about Adrian Tomine’s latest book.

STAPLE! is this upcoming weekend here in Austin. For the third year in a row, the Gold County Paper Mill will have a table. I’ll post about what we’re bringing in detail on Friday.

January 7th, 2011

2011!!!1!!!ONE!

Filed under: Life — William Cardini @ 7:09 am

Happy holidaze and new year yawl! Sorry this is a bit belated, I took a little holiday break. To all those who came over because of the Meathaus blog post (and anyone else who just wandered here), welcome!

I was trying to do a drawing for 2011 to accompany this post and I was stymied, so I decided to let the cover of Leif Goldberg’s latest calendar ring in the new year for me.


Leif Goldberg’s Full Metal Rabbit, buy it online at Picturebox or come into Domy Austin and buy one

So what’s in store for 2011? Personally, things are going to be pretty quiet on this blog because my wedding and honeymoon taking up the first half of my year. However, during that time you can come see me and buy GCPM stuff, including the next issue of Catch Up, at STAPLE! on March 5th and 6th here in Austin, or pick up a copy of Math Fiction Squared, which I will again be contributing to, from Pat Ausilio at MoCCA. Expect more detailed posts as those events approach. In the second half of the year, things are fuzzier. I won’t be able to attend any cons or festivals but I want to put out some longer comics either here on my site, on other people’s sites, or in print. The specifics are misty but I’ve got a lot of ideas percolating, so don’t delete me from your feed yet!

October 15th, 2010

Hypermorph Work on Sale

Filed under: Events — Tags: , — William Cardini @ 9:13 am

Hey y’all, Domy has posted by work from my show Hypermorph for sale online here.

Also, if y’all aren’t in the area and can’t make it out, you can also see most of the work at that link.

October 12th, 2010

Review of Hypermorph on The Great God Pan Is Dead

Filed under: Inspiration,Press — Tags: , , , , , , , , — William Cardini @ 7:04 am

Robert Boyd reviewed my show Hypermorph at Domy Books Houston on his blog The Great God Pan Is Dead. I appreciate his thoughtful review, you can read it here.

In his review, Boyd quotes my description of the Hyperverse from the press release and then says that his “first reaction to this is that it seems pretty dumb.” Ha! I can dig that. Boyd goes on to say that, what makes my approach to genre dumb is that, unlike the Fort Thunder artists that I am (all-too clearly, I know) influenced by, my work lacks does not take genre ironically or satirically. Well, that’s true. I definitely take genre, even the most ridiculous parts of it, extremely seriously. If you want me to get all metaphorical on you, I feel like I do live in, to quote my description of the Hyperverse, “a realm filled with immensely powerful inhuman beings who battle over worlds with strange geologies and hoard advanced technologies” where “mountains shift from molten to crystal between moments and clumps of rock are inhabited by malevolent intelligences ready to hurl face-melting spells,” a cosmos of constant flux, “of constant magical warfare.”

I mean, look at these photos by Edward Burtynsky:

I’m just reflecting the world as I see it.

And I have a response to Boyd’s final question:

So, if creating boyish sci-fi worlds is an aspect of the whole Fort Thunder aesthetic, can we say that aesthetic is inherently male? And if we accept that, is there a female counterpart? And if so, are plush frog heads a part of it?

I definitely wanted Glade to be a part of my show. I’m well aware of how much of a “boy’s club” all of the collectives that I am a part of (Totally Wreck, The Gold County Paper Mill) slash admire (Okaymountain, Fort Thunder), with some exceptions, are, and it’s something that I don’t like about them. All I can say is, I am going to make sure that my first long-form comics narrative passes the Bechdel Test.

September 28th, 2010

Hypermorph Opening

Filed under: Recaps — Tags: , , — William Cardini @ 7:38 am

The opening of my show Hypermorph went splendidly, thanks to everyone who came out!

Here are some shots of the event, taken by my dad:


left to right: Michael Miles, me, my brother Peter Hensel


left to right: Glade Whitworth, Meg Mata, Karen Cassidy, Chase, some d00d, me, my mom Carol Hensel

The show closes on Oct 21st, so you still have about four weeks to go see it. If you need some enticing, check out this write up in the Houston Press (and yes, it’s true, I was working on my show until the last minute). I’ll post more pics once the show closes.

September 24th, 2010

Hypermorph Opens this Saturday at Domy Houston, 7-9pm

Filed under: Events — Tags: , , , — William Cardini @ 7:43 am

Look into the eyes of the Miizzzard:

Hypermorph, new work by William Cardini, opens 9/25 from 7-9pm at Domy Books Houston

Here’s the official invite for my opening:

Hypermorph, new work by William Cardini, opens 9/25 from 7-9pm at Domy Books Houston

I hope to see y’all there!

June 1st, 2010

In Science, the Lion Sleeps with the Lamb

Filed under: Events — Tags: , , , , — William Cardini @ 10:12 pm

It’s been a bit quiet around here, I’ve been busy. I drew comics for Smoke Signal #5 and Taffy Hips #8, of course I’ll let y’all know if my drawz make it in any of those fine publications. In the meantime, if you want to see some awwwrt, come by Big Medium (5305 Bolm Road #12, Austin, TX, 78721) this Saturday (6/5/10) from 8 to 11 pm to see Totally Wreck‘s newest show, In Science, the Lion Sleeps with the Lamb.

This show is being put on by Big Medium in conjunction with MASS Gallery.

April 20th, 2010

SHAMAN THUNDER Reviewed at Optical Sloth and on Sale at Forbidden Planet and Domy Austin

Filed under: Press,Print Comics — Tags: , , , , , — William Cardini @ 7:29 am

Josh Burggraf and I’s comic SHAMAN THUNDER was just reviewed over at Optical Sloth, here’s a snippet:

Sometimes it’s tough to say who would enjoy a particular mini and who wouldn’t, but this one is easy. If you’re enough of a dork to want to see a thoroughly ridiculous though oddly realistic fight between two shamans, it’s never been done better to my knowledge. If you consider yourself above such things, lucky for you there are many other mini comics in the world for you to choose from.
Review

And while you’re over at Optical Sloth checking out the rest of that review, be sure to contribute to Bramer’s fundraiser to go to SPACE and check out his interesting online comic rental store idea.

Our comic is one sale over at Forbidden Planet, at Domy Books in Austin, or you can buy it from us, leave a comment or send me a message.