Let’s raise our crystal skull goblets to 2013 and the coming hyper-folk-sci-fi utopia! I hope that everyone had a happy new year’s.

This is my first sketchbook page finished in 2013. I began it while chilling over the holidays and finished it today.

2012 was a year of upheaval, change, and growth.

Personally, Glade and I made some big choices. In the spring, we decided that we’re going to stay in Austin for the foreseeable future. In the summer, Glade opened Paper Party in Domy Books Austin and was able to move to part time at her day job in the fall. Domy Books Austin is now closing but Glade’s going to move Paper Party to a new spot at 1223 Rosewood. I’m bummed that Domy is going to be gone. Every time I went in there Russell was so enthusiastic about comics and would show me all the great new stuff that came in. He’s also been a great supporter and promoter of my comics. But I’m glad that Travis Kent and Mikaylah Bowman are carrying the torch with Farewell Books in the same spot.

2012 was a big year for my comics career:

• I finished Frank Santoro’s class and got some attention for the comic I did, Moon Queen.
• The Vortex minis have started to gain some momentum, gotten me in some distros (Sparkplug Comic Books, Birdcage Bottom Books, and Wow Cool), and made Virginia Paine’s 2012 top ten list.
• I collaborated with some great people – Keenan Marshall Keller for Secret Prison #666 and Sean T Collins for Thickness #3 (which also got on a best-of-the-year list).
• Future Shock, the Josh Burggraf-edited sf anthology that I’ve contributed to, has gotten better and better.
• The Digestate anthology is the first book that I’ve been in that’s been distributed by Diamond.
• The Gold County Paper Mill put out two print issues of our poetry and literature journal Catch Up. I was a comics editor for both issues.
• I was in two fantastic art shows, the Paper Party Print Show and Surreal Landscapes. Both openings were a lot of fun and I’m glad I exhibited alongside so many talented artists.
• I tabled at out-of-state cons for the first time, APE and BCGF.

Not everything was a triumph, however. I applied to the final round of the Xeric grant and didn’t get it. I’m still putting more money into my comics than I’m earning. I have several self-publishing projects that are stalled out.

I’m looking forward to experiencing what 2013 brings. My primary goal is to finish Vortex, put out the rest of it in minicomics, and explore the options for publishing a collected edition.