Ravings

#Batober Is Here!

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This year, my day job asked me to participate in #Inktober – the annual drawing challenge that asks artists to sketch something each day in October, following a list of prompts.

Inktober 2019 Prompt List
The Inktober 2019 prompt list.

At first, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to think up enough original ideas to be able to sketch something each day – but then I remembered that I didn’t have to! Following the lead of Daredevil and Captain America artist Chris Samnee, I made my #Inktober into #Batober. And I’ve been having a blast knocking out a quick Bat-sketch each day.

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That Time I Mentioned the Hodag While Interviewing James Tynion IV

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Over at Multiversity Comics, I recently got the chance to interview writer James Tynion IV and editor Eric Harburn about their new ongoing horror series, Something Is Killing the Children.

Because Tynion IV is a fellow Sconnie (and Something is set in Wisconsin), we briefly talked about the 90 minute drive that connects Madison to Milwaukee, the book Weird Wisconsin (which was written by an author from my hometown), and the most fearsome critter to ever stalk Wisconsin’s Northwoods.

No, the hodag does not appear in Something Is Killing the Children. Don’t worry; the book’s still great.

If you’d like to read the full interview, just click this link. And to check out the first issue of Something Is Killing the Children (which was quite good), click here.

Sometimes I Talk About Comics and Marketing at My Day Job

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In my secret identity as Matt Ledger, Content Strategist and Copywriter at Butler Branding, I recently took a look at how ComicHub is set to upend the world of comics sales and marketing (in a very, very good way).

Click over to the Butler Branding blog to read the full post, and feel free to check out some of my other articles while you’re there.

On a Sunbeam Featured Image

Did You Notice the Conversational Lettering in On a Sunbeam?

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There are many reasons you should read Tillie Walden’s On a Sunbeam. The pitch-perfect plot, characters, pacing, and color palette combine to deliver a feels-worthy sci-fi epic.

But because On a Sunbeam is so good (and you’ll likely fly right through it), you might not notice how much characterization Walden’s lettering adds to the story. The dialogue throughout On a Sunbeam does a ton of work, letting readers in on characters’ emotional states and cementing their personalities.

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The-Walking-Dead-Finale-193-Featured

I Love That Robert Kirkman Is Making Comics Surprising Again

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First, Robert Kirkman launched a new comic series without telling anyone – not even the comic shops receiving the book.

Then, he concluded his massive mega-hit, The Walking Dead, without tipping his hand before the final issue dropped. If you somehow managed to avoid the internet for a couple days before buying your comics on July 3, you’d have had no idea you just bought the last issue of The Walking Dead.

I have not read a lot of Kirkman’s comics, but I love his publishing stunts. And I love Kirkman’s rationale for them, which is simply to make comics surprising again.

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