Re: Portland Comic Book Show - October 10th - Bendis, Mack,
Sep 01, 2004 5:31 am

I Know Andy Lee is also doing Baltimore. I'd like to do it. Was just too busy this year. I'll try to do Baltimore next year.

But we've been planning this Portland con for a long time. It's a great excuse for the con to fly us all to visit Bendis and stay at his house

We'll hang out with him while he writes in his basement we'll make art and watch movies
Let the magic begin!

Usually it starts with my girlfriend in the middle and me on one side of her. And one of her girlfriends on the other side.

But I like to find a way to end up in the middle by wake time.

Thanks for reading it.
Let me know what you think of it when you read all 5 of the volumes you got in Toronto

I'm very happy with it. I can still look back at it and see a lot of charm in it that still holds up. But I did it ten years ago. I was twenty years old when I did it. So I also look back at it and see my 20 year old self when I look at it. Some of that is a little heavy handed. A little crude, and parts can make me wince a little now, as I'd have a bit more finesse with some parts of it now. And with my 20 year old self. Much of it was a reaction to the death of my mother at that time.

But for the most part, I do enjoy looking back at it and seeing the raw passion and emotion that came out of my 20 year old self at that time and did make it into those pages.

But I make a conscious effort to improve or go in new territory with each story. I'm curous to see a readers reaction when they can read all six volumes in a short time and see the character and story progression. Because that is several years of my life condensed into that read.

And I do think that Metamorphosis (while still not perfect) marks my most EVOLVED Kabuki work as a writer and as an artist.

Partly because it is standing on the shoulders of KABUKI: Circle of Blood to go in new and uncharted territory. Taking that raw emotion and building it into something philosophical and meaningful.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Anyone?

SteveZ wrote:
That finger thing... One of my favorite things in a comic. So bad-ass.

But I ultimately had to trust my ideas. My ideas are smarter than I am. And I had to just go through with it and be true to the writing.

But there was that point in drawing it when I was like "I can't believe I'm drawing this". I hope this comes out right or it is going to be ridiculous".

A lot of stuff in Skin Deep was like that too.
I was like "I can't believe I'm drawing a maxi-pad. This is ridiculous".
I don't know if maxi-pads have ever been in comics before. There, my contribution to the medium.

And one of the central images in the story is toilet paper. Often folded into new shapes, but still. I was like this is a story full of toilet paper, if this isn't handled right, it could be way off.

Lots of moments like that in Meta and Scarab too. Lots of bizarre stuff in Scarab. Thankfully Rick Mays drew that one and pulled it all off beautifully with his Japanese style.

But thanks for the finger mention. I think it only works because of the scenes of her training as a child. The scenes with the locusts and the chickens. The finger is sort of the pay off to those scenes. A practival application of her training.

who cares? wrote:

MACK! wrote:
I'm very happy with it. I can still look back at it and see a lot of charm in it that still holds up. But I did it ten years ago. I was twenty years old when I did it. So I also look back at it and see my 20 year old self when I look at it. Some of that is a little heavy handed. A little crude, and parts can make me wince a little now, as I'd have a bit more finesse with some parts of it now. And with my 20 year old self. Much of it was a reaction to the death of my mother at that time.

But for the most part, I do enjoy looking back at it and seeing the raw passion and emotion that came out of my 20 year old self at that time and did make it into those pages.

But I make a conscious effort to improve or go in new territory with each story. I'm curous to see a readers reaction when they can read all six volumes in a short time and see the character and story progression. Because that is several years of my life condensed into that read.

And I do think that Metamorphosis (while still not perfect) marks my most EVOLVED Kabuki work as a writer and as an artist.

Partly because it is standing on the shoulders of KABUKI: Circle of Blood to go in new and uncharted territory. Taking that raw emotion and building it into something philosophical and meaningful.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Anyone?

well, obviously, anyone that looks back on past work finds faults with it and things that they would do differently, but that's natural and normal, because your life and your concious being changes over time... as you said, when you wrote Circle of Blood, you were affected by the death of your mother (which i'm very sorry to hear), whereas now, i personally think that you would be able to look at things more objectively...

i think that in the context of "Circle of Blood", all that raw passion and emotion that was affecting you reflected very well in the story, especially with the story being what it was... i think that's one of the things that stunned me most about the book, was the power of all the things you were trying to convey...

i know you said that had you done "Circle of Blood" now, you would have done it differently, with more finesse, but in some cases, raw passion IS necessary (in all mediums, including comic books)...

so far, i've read the first 3 books and i can see that each one is its own being... they are all different when it comes to art, and even the style of storytelling is different.... it shows that, as you evolved as a writer/artist, you were able to adapt to whatever type of story-telling you were trying to accomplish and change the art to fit that particular type of story-telling....

i personally cannot wait to read Metamorphosis, which, as other people here (and you yourself) say is the culmination of your work, but so far, it's fascinating seeing you change along with each volume...

I do use a different style, different storytelling pace, different mediums and a different point of view for each of the Kabuki volumes.

I like that each is a different facet, a different perspective, and they all fit together like pieces in a puzzle, even though they are very different animals on their own.

I also tried to write (and draw) each on in layers. So you see one layer the first time you read it. And in each repeat readeing you will see a new layer that is encrypted in the story. It's not just linear, but also layered in a depth. The more you read them the deeper you can go.

I think they get better the more times you read them.
You can't see everything the first time.

Ron T. wrote:
I can definately see your point, Mr. Mack. It must be strange having people comment on work that you did ten years ago, especially when you, as you say, 'improved' over what you feel you did at that time.

I would definately agree that your work shows a market progression of growth, and I have enjoyed each volume just a bit more than the previous one. I LOVED Scarab, and I think it will be hard to top, but that was only because I connected with the character on various levels--both emotional and psychological, and became very attatched to that character in particular.

With the release of Alchemy #1, I was very excited to get the next 'chapter' in the story, and the way the panels and art and words flowed together seamlessly, it quite simply blew me away.

(My only regret is that I got the TPB's, because I am now thinking I may have to get the hardcovers of this series, and pass my TPB's on to my friend, Lynda.)

Congrats, Tony!

I like your avatar
That's a good look for you...

I'm planning on being there Fri-Monday.
A slight possiblilty I may arrive at the end of Friday. But definitely there all the time the other days.

Please stop by and say hello. I'll be right next to Andy Lee and Anh Tran.
I'll have all the Kabuki books, prints, art and more.

Don't be jealous

Yours is nice too (or I'm sure would be if you had one) but Goodman's is new and funny.

And Goodman, I love your Akemi songs.

All the Circle of Blood Hardcovers published by Image are totally sold out.

But I have a few COB hardcovers from a limited run published pre-Image that I may bring if people want those. They don't have the dustjacket like the Image one. But it is a pretty rare limited run (only 300 made).

Is this something readers would want instead? Should I bring them?

Or you could just wait until Image makes more Circle of Blood Hardcovers. But that won't be until the current printing of the paperback runs out. I'd estimate at least a year to two years.

And I do have ALL of the other Hardcovers in stock, and ALL of the paperbacks to all six voumes.

Glad to hear that
Please post what you think of it when you get a chance to read it.
Will this be the first Kabuki that you have read? Or have you read the new issue #1 or any of the other trades?

TheKraken wrote:
What the f*ck is Travis Charest doing lately? Anything at all? Is he still working on that 6 page Metabarons story he started in 2002?

Gale,
If you go, please stop by and say hello

Your welcome

I've heard that a lot of places are selling it for $15.

For anyone that wants the Maleev cover, it is still availabe for re-order. Place re-orders for it now, and anyone can order it in any quantitiy for the regular price.

Glad you got it!

Stay safe.

There is a good chance I will be doing a signing and talk at Harvard January 30.
I'll keep the board updated.

In case you don't know Oeming also did some art in KABUKI: Masks of the Noh with Dave Johnson.

Andy Lee usually has a guitar with him.

You'll get a kick out of Dragon con. There is all kinds of stuff going on 24 hrs a day.

It is also the "least clothed" and "most heavily armed" con.

I think you will like it
It sprawls out into two hotels and into the streets of downtown Atlanta.
Makes for great bizzare photo ops.

Yeah, no problem

I don't think it says I'm in talks about it, but that I'm working on it at Fox.
That besides writing the treatment, I'm working as visual designer, creative consultant, and co-producer.

I've sold the option for film rights to Fox a couple times. And then worked for them as writer, producer, and so on since then. The Kabuki film is at Fox, and they've renewed the option for the last few years while we put it together.
It's been moving along ever since.

That's really all I'm allowed to discuss about it, (what capacity that I'm working for Fox) as Fox is supposed to do all the official announcements.

But lots of cool experience with it so far!
I'll be able to talk more about it soon, and I'll keep you updated here

That's classified

It is very cool to hear an actress auditioning and saying words that I wrote. Very bizzare and amazing. But I gots to keep that all on the DL

Greg T wrote:
Hey David,

Are you going to be at Baltimore or Wizard World Texas?

emeraldsundae wrote:
I have CoB in my backpack right now!
Hoping I can gt it signed at Dragon*Con by Mack himself.
*big puppy dog eyes*

Please stop by my table and introduce yourself