SLAM-A-RAMA!

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Hal-Con!

2011-11-12T04:51:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let folks know I'll be appearing at Hal-Con this weekend here in lovely windblown Halifax! I'll be signing and selling (hopefully!) copies of SLAM-A-RAMA #1-4 and SCENESTER: THE INEVITABLE COLLECTED EDITION at the Strange Adventures table (look for us in the autograph area) from 3:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturday, November 12, AKA today. I'll also be appearing at a few panels/workshops--I'll be moderating the "How I Got Into Comics" panel this morning at 11:00 AM, and I'll also be appearing at the "Making Webcomics" workshop Sunday the 13th at 4:00 PM. See you there!

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Page 100!

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2011-09-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Bidness Cards!

2011-08-24T06:30:00.001-07:00

Thanks once again to original SLAM-A-RAMA logo designer James White of Signalnoise Studios, we are now business card-equipped in time for Fan Expo! If your smartphone has a QR code reader app, you'll be able to scan the code on this bad boy and it'll take you right to this website. Futuristic! Thanks again to James, and thanks also to Calum of Strange Adventures for picking them up for me! And once again, if you're in the Toronto area this weekend, drop by the Hand Solo records booth to buy some comics! Or just say hello, either way.

Fan Expo! The Official Debut Of SLAM-A-RAMA #4!

2011-08-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

Er, yeah, the title pretty much says it all. I'll be at the Hand Solo Records table this weekend at Fan Expo in Toronto, selling SCENESTER: THE INEVITABLE COLLECTED EDITION, SLAM-A-RAMA #1, 2, and 3, and officially debuting the just-printed #4! I'll be sharing table space with my pals Sean Jordan and Kody Peters, where we'll also be selling copies of the first two issues of SNAKOR'S PIZZA! So, if you're in the T-Dot this weekend, drop by and say hello!

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Now Available Online!

2011-08-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

Check it out on your right, we're now taking orders online! Five bucks each for issues 1-4 (issue 4 will be available after August 28, see below for why), shipping included, within Canada and the US. If you happen to live anyplace else, email me at davekhowlett@gmail.com and we'll figure something out. Also, I'll be selling issues of Slam-A-Rama (along with Scenester: The Inevitable Collected Edition, and Snakor's Pizza) at Fan Expo in Toronto, August 25-28! This show will be the official debut of the print edition of Slam-A-Rama #4, be the first to get your hands on it!

Issue #4 Cover!

2011-07-13T05:04:00.000-07:00

So #4 is off to the printer, and should be on sale at Strange Adventures by the end of the month, hopefully. In the next few days I'm going to try and get a PayPal option going on this site as well, if you'd like copies shipped to you. I can sell you issues through PayPal now--email me at davekhowlett@gmail.com for details if you're interested--but I would like to get a shopping cart and all that jazz installed right on the site. But, in the meantime, here's the cover to the fourth issue!

Also, it may be a week or two before more pages go up--my computer monitor has, for the last few months, been developing multicoloured vertical lines up and down its screen. Not enough to stop work, but just enough to be really annoying. I didn't want to get it looked at until the fourth issue was off to press (because I didn't want to delay the issue any more than it already was), but now I have no further excuse. So, when the next batch of pages (the final batch, I should say) start appearing, they'll either be coming from a repaired computer...or a new one, if it's a problem that can't be fixed (I'm really crossing my fingers for that first option).

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2011-07-07T05:24:00.000-07:00

Whew! And that constitutes the last page of what will make up the second-to-last issue. I'll be off the grid for hopefully not too long, getting SLAM-A-RAMA issue #4 ready for printing--I'm hoping to have physical copies ready for sale by the end of July. Back with more soon!

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More Fan Art!

2011-04-26T05:09:00.001-07:00

New page coming later this week, but in the meantime here's some Sasquatch Armstrong fan art from my pal Burnt Lobster--check out more of his work at his blog, but a word of warning--ages 18 and up, kiddies! Thanks, BL!

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2011-04-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

The delays between these pages are getting longer and longer, and I have no real excuse other than Homestretch Blues (there's only 34 pages left of this beast!). Well, that and a full time job and plenty of other commitments besides. However, I still plan on having this entire thing done before the year--hopefully, the summer--is out. Only one match left, folks--the main event! Plus lots of other backstage drama too. Thanks for sticking with me so far, and I hope we can all see it through to the end together!

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2011-03-15T18:29:00.001-07:00

Nearly two weeks since the last page?!?! Unacceptable! Bad enough I've only been turning out a page at week, at best, for most of 2011 so far. Truth to tell, I feel about as exhausted as these two guys look as I try to finish the pages that make up this fourth match. Thankfully, there's only one page of it left, then I'm hoping to regain my momentum in time to bring SLAM-A-RAMA to its (hopefully) rousing conclusion...in another 35 pages? Yeesh. Oh well, onward and upward!

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Sorry about the delay, but here's the page I should have posted on Thursday. This brings us up to the 2/3rds mark in our story--only 40 more pages to go! And don't forget to pick up the print edition of SLAM-A-RAMA #3, on sale now at Strange Adventures!

Page 79 and Issue 3!

2011-01-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Not only do we have a new page for you today, but also a special announcement...the print edition of SLAM-A-RAMA #3 will be on sale tomorrow at the Halifax and Dartmouth locations of Strange Adventures, with the Fredericton store soon to follow! Watch this space for further details on other spots to buy this and other issues. Reserve your copy NOW!

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And we're back! In other news, SLAM-A-RAMA #3 should be ready any day now, I saw the finished proof a week ago and Etc. Press knocked it outta the park once again! Watch this space for updates!

Issue Three Update!

2011-01-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Hey folks, just a quick heads-up that the print edition of SLAM-A-RAMA #3 is at the printer as of this afternoon, and will hopefully be available to buy around the end of the month! I'm also hoping to resume posting new pages next Tuesday. My goal is to have #4 ready to print sometime this spring, and the fifth and final issue will, with any luck, be done this summer. Of course, I'll keep posting pages right here until the whole thing's finished. Thanks for reading, and tell your friends! Remember--new pages resume next week!

Issue Three Cover!

2011-01-05T05:12:00.000-08:00

And we're back! Wow, after two weeks of Holiday laziness, it's really tough to get back into the groove, but at least the cover to the ever-imminent Issue Three is finished! I'm hoping to have this off to the printer by Monday, so then it'll be a matter of a couple of weeks. New pages are underway as well, so keep your eyes peeled.

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2010-12-11T05:30:00.001-08:00

A couple of days late is better than never, I guess! This may be my last new page of 2010, thanks to the one-two punch of the holidays and getting Issue 3 ready to go to press. If that's the case, Happy Holidays and see you all in the new year!

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Sorry for the week with no new pages--catching up from the trip to Expozine took longer than I thought (check out my report here). Anyway, we're back on track! New page comin' Thursday!

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And just like that, there's only fifty pages of this cockamamie thing left! I seriously doubt I'll be able to get a new page up on Tuesday, as I'll just be getting back from Expozine in Montreal the night before, but I should be able to have Page 71 up by Thursday (or failing that, the following Tuesday).

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For your consideration, a new page...more later this week. I'm gonna try like hell to stick to my schedule, although it's gonna be tough...in two weeks time I'll be off to Montreal for ExpoZine, and this past weekend was Hal-Con here in Halifax. I had a great time talking to folks and doing some drawings for kids, which if nothing else, taught me I need to be drawing pretty much every day to keep my skills sharp. All of this conventioneering is great for getting new folks into my books, but it unfortunately takes time away from working on said books. However, I did get to hang out with comics superstar Darwyn Cooke for two afternoons, which was terrific. Cal took this great shot of him reading SLAM-A-RAMA...maybe there's a PARKER crossover in the works? Er, not likely. Still, cool photo! Pretty exciting.

Page 66 (With Yet Another Mike Holmes Drawing!)

2010-10-28T05:20:00.000-07:00

Another Thursday, another new page. In other news, I'll be at the Strange Adventures table at this weekend's Hal-Con Sci-Fi convention, selling SLAM-A-RAMA #1 and 2 and SCENESTER: THE INEVITABLE COLLECTED EDITION, as well as trying desperately to siphon off some of the coolness of other guests like Darwyn Cooke and Faith Erin Hicks. And finally, we have yet another Mike Holmes drawing, this time of Andar The Berserker! I should have just gotten this guy to draw the book...

Page 65 (And Another Mike Holmes Drawing!)

2010-10-26T04:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to buy SLAM-A-RAMA and SCENESTER this past Saturday! If you missed the 'Zine Fair, all three Tuco Comics releases are now on sale at the Halifax and Dartmouth Strange Adventures locations (and Fredericton should have some later this week), as well as Obsolete Records at 2454 Agricola Street. My pal Sean Jordan should be back in Toronto by now with a pile of them as well, and he'll have them at the Silver Snail at 367 Queen Street West this week sometime.

And Mike Holmes can't stop with the fan art! Here he is again with a wicked cool rendition of everyone's favourite drugged-out spider enthusiast, Terry "The Tarantula" Purvis! Thanks, Mike!

HPX 'Zine Fair and a Drawing From Mike Holmes!

2010-10-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

The HPX 'Zine Fair--which saw the official launch of SLAM-A-RAMA #1 and 2 in colour--was a blast, thanks to everyone who came out and bought stuff from us! Thanks also to Sean Jordan (AKA Wordburglar, and writer of SNAKOR'S PIZZA), James White of Signalnoise Studios, and Mike Holmes (writer/artist of TRUE STORY and THIS AMERICAN DRIVE, as well as artist on Oni Press's SHENANIGANS) for sharing table space. I'll next be selling my stuff at next weekend's Hal-Con on Sunday, and I'm seriously thinking about hitting up Expozine in Montreal next month. After that, who knows? SJ and I were talking about getting a table at Fan Expo in Toronto next year, and I may look into the Toronto Comics Arts Festival as well. Also, Mike whipped up a swell Jack Jordan sketch! Thanks, Mike!

SLAM-A-RAMA #1 and 2 should be on sale now, or in the coming days at least, at Strange Adventures, as well as my other comic, SCENESTER: THE INEVITABLE COLLECTED EDITION. Also, new pages will be appearing here Tuesday and Thursday, so keep your eyes peeled.

Hot Off The Presses! For Real This Time!

2010-10-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

It was close, but etc. Press came through! Tomorrow at the Halifax Pop Explosion 'Zine Fair, I'll be selling SCENESTER: THE INEVITABLE COLLECTED EDITION, and issues 1 and 2 of SLAM-A-RAMA in full, glorious colour! I can't believe the job etc. did on these, they look fantastic! So come on down and buy some comics!

If, however, you can't make it tomorrow, they'll be available at Strange Adventures, afterwards, and hopefully some other locations soon to follow. Failing that, email me at tucocomics@gmail.com, and I'll mail 'em right to your doorstep!

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Page 63!

2010-10-19T04:42:00.000-07:00

All right, so after a far-too-long absence, we're up and running with new pages again! The reason for the delays, as previously stated, was that I was preparing honest-to-goodness PRINT versions of SLAM-A-RAMA #1 and 2 for this weekend's Halifax Pop Explosion 'Zine Fair, as well as a compilation of my early-2000s minicomic, SCENESTER (check out some preview pages here and here). If you're in town this Saturday, come on by and buy some comics from me! If you can't make it, they'll be available at all three Strange Adventures locations as well. So yeah, we're back on a twice-weekly schedule for new pages here, let's see how long I can maintain it! I may take a hiatus between what constitutes issues 3 and 4, but I hope it won't be as long as this one was.

Hot Off The Presses!

2010-10-14T05:23:00.000-07:00

ust a quick reminder, folks--new pages of SLAM-A-RAMA resume next Tuesday. In the meantime, though, I signed off on the colour proofs of issues 1 and 2 on Tuesday--they should be ready in time to debut at the Halifax Pop Explosion 'Zine Fair on Saturday, October 23! Check 'em out...

Oh man!

New Fan Art!

2010-10-12T05:00:00.001-07:00

Wow, that was a much longer-than-expected absence! My excuse is that I've been busy prepping print versions of the first two issues of Slam-A-Rama for the Halifax Pop Explosion's Zine Fair at the end of the month (Oct. 23, to be exact), as well as a compilation of my old minicomic, Scenester (for a preview, check out my other blog at tucocomics.blogspot.com). I've also been stockpiling colour pages to begin running them here again...I'm going to post at least until the end of issue three (or page 72, going by this numbering scheme), and then I may suspend posting pages for awhile, since I'm going to do a print version of the whole series. Or I may keep posting pages anyway. We'll see how I feel when we get there. In any event, new pages will resume NEXT TUESDAY, come hell or high water. But in the meantime, here's some new fan art from my friend and co-worker at Strange Adventures, Nathan Boone!

Bonus Back Cover Art

2010-08-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

This is the back cover that appeared on the mini-comic version of SLAM-A-RAMA #1, back when it was still called THE SQUARED CIRCLE. It provides a look at Andy Reddick in happier times. Part of the fun of publishing single issues (which I may still do with all this stuff one day, who knows) is coming up with fake ads like this; it immerses you a bit more in the comic's fictional world, and is far less distracting than real ads. Plus, it allows you to sit around dreaming up names for characters you'll never have to draw, like "Velvet Elvis", for instance.

Grunt! The Movie

2010-08-03T05:15:00.000-07:00

My buddy Jason Eisener (if you haven't seen his awesome Hobo With A Shotgun trailer--soon to be a major motion picture starring Rutger Hauer--go here and check it out before you do anything else today! Be careful, though, it's most definitely NSFW) recently brought this movie to my attention. I've never seen it or even heard of it before, but it looks pretty fantastic. Here's a link to the trailer on YouTube. Has anyone ever seen this thing? I'm all kinds of intrigued.

And yes, I'm still working on some new pages, I just want to get a few stockpiled before I start publishing again! Just give me a couple of weeks and we'll be back on track.

A Bit Of Inspiration...The SHOCKMASTER!

2010-07-29T05:03:00.000-07:00

A few readers spotted this one as the inspiration for Andar The Berserker's ill-fated debut...in a lot of ways, when my buddy Alex Kennedy first showed it to me, it was the seed that grew into the whole idea for SLAM-A-RAMA many years back. Go here to check out video of the debut of The Shockmaster! It's shocking, but for all the wrong reasons.

Bride of Fan Art

2010-07-27T14:39:00.001-07:00

This newest piece of awesome SLAM-A-RAMA fan art comes from Graeme Partridge-David, or as I like to call him, GPD (see, GPD can stand for stuff other than Geriatric Profanity Disorder!). Its arrival in my inbox was followed by a worried question that the piece's claim that "Susanna Hoffs is hot" might not be era-appropriate enough--would "Susanna Hoffs is a babe" be more likely for the time period? I replied that either would have worked for me in 1988. What do you, the readers at home, think? Thanks, GPD!

Son of Fan Art

2010-07-22T04:54:00.001-07:00

More sweet fan art, this time from another Atlantic Comics Kingdom alum Gino Collins! Check out more of Gino's work at his blog, and also at his deviantart page. Thanks, Gino!

Fan Art!

2010-07-20T04:45:00.001-07:00

While I'm stockpiling the next bunch of pages, here's a look at some great SLAM-A-RAMA fan art from Shawn McLeod! Shawn is one of the fine folks behind the Atlantic Comics Kingdom minicomic anthology (on sale now at Strange Adventures), and you can find him on the Web here! Thanks, Shawn!

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2010-07-15T04:33:00.000-07:00

And with that, it's time to announce the winner of the halfway contest...and it's Chad Boutilier! Chad will be taking home a WWE Survivor Series DVD and a drawing of the SLAM-A-RAMA character of his choice. Congratulations Chad, and thanks to everyone who entered!

I'm going to refrain from posting new pages for the next month--back when I started this series, I had a nice backlog of material--a lot of which I accumulated during the week where I broke my toe and couldn't go to work. I've slowly burned through that backlog, and I'm worried that if I stick to my current schedule, the quality of the work will suffer if I want to maintain my deadline. So, the solution was to either a) break another digit and stay home from work again, or b) take a short hiatus in order to stockpile some more pages. The second option seemed more realistic, and certainly less painful. So, Page 63 will debut in mid-August, with the rest of the series to follow after with hopefully no more delays. I'll be posting in the meanwhile, with some cool SLAM-A-RAMA fan art and other fun odds and ends, so stick around, and once again, thanks for reading!

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2010-07-13T04:33:00.000-07:00

Don't forget, our halfway-point contest continues! Simply leave a comment or email me at dkhowlett@hotmail.com with the words "Page 60 Contest" in the subject line to enter, and you could win a WWE DVD and a drawing of the SLAM-A-RAMA character of your choice!

Page 60

2010-07-08T04:49:00.001-07:00

All right, so this is page 60 of SLAM-A-RAMA, otherwise known as the halfway point of this story! Whew! As promised, to commemorate this occasion, we're gonna have a little contest. One lucky winner, drawn at random, will receive a WWE Survivor Series DVD from 2004. According to the back cover, "WWE Superstars are artists. The ring is their canvas. This is going to be a masterpiece of mayhem." So, basically, it's an art film, I guess? Anyway, the winner will also receive an original drawing of the SLAM-A-RAMA character of their choice. All you have to do is leave a comment below, or send an email to dkhowlett@hotmail.com with the phrase "Page 60 Contest" in the subject line. The winner will be drawn one and announced one week from today, on Thursday, July 15! Good luck, and thanks for reading SLAM-A-RAMA!

Oh yeah, I'm also going to be on CBC's Mainstreet this Monday, the 12th of July, to discuss the comic, around 5:30 Halifax time! Listen in as I try not to make a complete jackass out of myself.

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2010-06-22T04:40:00.001-07:00

This is exciting--this was the very first scene I worked on when I first sat down to write the script for what would eventually become SLAM-A-RAMA. I didn't know where I wanted the story to begin yet, and the structure of the whole thing was still sort of nebulous to me at that point, but I knew I wanted to have a scene like this one in there so I just sat down and started writing it. The whole Bobby Bullhorn sequence remains my favourite scene in the whole story, and I'm glad other people can finally see it starting!

Thanks for sticking with me so far--we're only five pages away from the halfway point of the whole graphic novel now, and I'm considering doing some sort of contest when we hit Page 60. More on that as it develops.

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2010-06-10T04:41:00.000-07:00

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2010-06-08T04:41:00.001-07:00

Hey folks, I'll be updating with new pages every Tuesday and Thursday now, rather than Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. When I started posting pages here, I had a comfortable backlog of ready-to-show pages--that backlog is getting considerably smaller these days, and I don't want to have to take a hiatus from posting or anything. So, we'll be twice weekly from now on, most likely for the duration of SLAM-A-RAMA. Thanks for checking it out! Tell your friends!

Shiny New Logo!

2010-06-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I've spruced up the joint a bit with an awesome new logo. It's the handiwork of my buddy James White, the mega-talented designer and international bon vivant behind Signalnoise Studios. Head on over and check out his work. Thanks again, James!

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2010-04-30T04:54:00.001-07:00

Hey everybody, don't forget about FREE COMIC BOOK DAY tomorrow! Go to http://freecomicbookday.com/ to find info on what stores in your area are participating. Make sure you bring a few non-comics reading friends along so you can find some good stuff for them to enjoy!

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