Next-Door Neighbor Story Monday!

This Monday December 8th, I'll have a story up at Smith Magazine as part of their online anthology of Next-Door Neighbor Stories edited by Dean Haspiel. Titled, Vs, this story was written by Alexis Sottile and I back in the day and it is a harrowing tale of my cryptozoological New York rental history! See! My terrible run-ins with vociferous fowls! Frankensteinian pooches! Tentacled jam bands! Drunken cro-magnons! Pill-pushing werewolves and many many more! IT'S ALL 100% TRUE MEMOIR COMICS AT THEIR FINEST! See you there!

San Diego Comic-con 2008: A Brief Summary

So right off the top, I didn't win the Eisner, folks. The award for Best Digital Comic went to Joss Whedon and Fabio Moon. I'm totally fine with this because, as many have already told me, it's still an honor to have been nominated. It sure has been a great ride since the nominations were announced and I am pleased with how well things have developed.

San Diego Comic-con 2008 was largely about networking for me. I met a ton of people and had a great time socializing and taking in the sights. One major highlight would have to be meeting Shannon Wheeler of Too Much Coffee Man fame. Shannon joined "The Transmigration of ULTRA-lad!" group on Facebook and when I passed by his booth, I thought it would be nice to give him a postcard and thank him for his support. Little did I know how well we would hit it off! Shannon was so generous in offering his advice and assistance with publishers. Thanks to him, I will be pursuing other avenues I might not have otherwise considered. He even gave me a free Too Much Coffee Man T-shirt! WOW! This is but one of many great experiences this weekend.

While visiting my good friend, Scott Shaw!, I met Hugh Brown. It turns out that Hugh Brown was the art director for Rhino Records' brilliant box set, "Weird Tales of the Ramones". We spent some time talking about the many cool comics contained within this package before he told me about another project. Hugh is compiling a book of spoofs of famous paintings, sculptures and photographs united by their inclusion of a chainsaw! I was so glad to have pointed him to a Neil Jenney painting titled, "Sawn and Saw". Who knows, maybe I have helped with this fun book idea in some way? Wouldn't that be cool!?

I'd also like to thank some other friends who I was able to see again: Chris, Elizabeth and Oscar Wisnia, Chip Mosher and the Boom! gang, Scott Shaw!, Captain Asskick and Ducky, Gina Gagliano, Randy, Cory, James and Joe and the rest of the Oni crew, Scott Chantler, Brian Hurtt, Jeff Lemire, Johnny Ryan, Dan Bigelow, Cecil Castelluci, Matt Silady, Antony Johnston, and Christopher Mitten. Thanks everybody!

Commissioned Sketch: Ultra-Lad!

I recently received a commission for a color sketch depicting Ultra-Lad, y'know that non sequitur character from page 20 of the Process? Well, here he is again in all his glory!

This is a fine example of the kind of color sketches I can do for YOU when you make a donation of at least $50. Have a favorite character or situation you would like to see me illustrate? Well, hit that there 'donate' button, add the appropriate dollar amount with your sketch request and click 'send'! Very soon you'll be receiving a little piece of wonder like this in the mail.

What, you say, "you're still hyping!?" YES, cuz this sketch request was very well timed as I am planning on developing this character further. Keep your eyes peeled because you'll never guess where he'll turn up next!

Eisner Voting Now Online!

Hey, Industry Professionals! It's that time again where we all vote for our favorite Eisner nominees. This year, as many of you already know, I've been nominated in the Best Digital Comic category for the Process. This is a huge deal to me so if you haven't already seen the webcomic, go check it out. Your journey through the Process starts here. When you're done, head on over to the Eisner voting website, www.eisnervote.com and cast your vote for your favorites. If you took a shine to the Process and think it deserves wider recognition, I would very much appreciate your vote! Thanks for your support, everyone!

the Process Nominated for Eisner for Best Digital Comic!

I’m speechless. Unfortunately, that isn’t conducive for writing posts so I’m putting aside all stupefaction to confirm that the Process has been nominated for an Eisner Award in the Best Digital Comic category! This is the single greatest honor (besides winning) that could be bestowed on this project and I am very fortunate to be in such esteemed company as the other finalists, The Abominable Charles Christopher by Karl Kerschl, Billy Dogma, Immortal, by Dean Haspiel, PX! By Manny Trembley and Eric A. Anderson and Sugarshock!, by Joss Whedon and Fabio Moon. The awards ceremony, held during San Diego’s Comicon International, will be at a gala event on July 25th, 2008. When this really sinks in, I’ll write a followup post but in the meantime, I’d like to thank the judges for their consideration and thank YOU for supporting this project.

Best,

Joe

Best Artist!? I'll Take It!

Well, the votes are in and the tally has been taken and Webcomicgeek's best webcomic of the year goes to…Dresden Codak! Congratulations and continued success to Aaron Diaz! I was honored with the award for best artist of 2007 and I am absolutely tickled purple (tinged with shades of green, of course)! Here it is from the horse's mouth:

Best Artist goes to Joe Infurnari for The Process. His art is truly spectacular and seems to go from strength to strength as the project develops. I don’t think I can add anymore to what I’ve said previously in my rather gushing review. However, it was the spectacular image on page 14 of chapter 2 that clinched it. The idea behind this comic nearly clinched a second award and along with Rebecca Sugar’s Pug Davis, made judging the originality and invention award really difficult.

This goes a long way to numbing the pain and bring sensations to the numbness! Thanks, Webcomicgeek! See you next year!

the Process: Comic Critique Webcomic of the Year!

Adam McGovern of Comic Critique has this to say in his "Extended Flashback: 2007 in Review":

Best Webcomic: the Process by Joe Infurnari From the magic-mirror landing page to the meaningful creative-process background notes to writer/artist Infurnari’s fluid, free-associative storytelling, this is everything that inventive online art and mind-opening comics are meant to be.

Wow! What a nice surprise and a real honor. It's very nice to have my work validated yet again. Thanks Adam and thank you Comic Critique! I have to go and put a salve on my swollen head!

the Process on WebComicGeek

After having been nominated for Webcomic of the Year by WebComicGeek, the site is now doing reviews of all nominees. First up is the Process! Vileboy has some amazing things to say and I have only recently been able to stop blushing! It truly is a great testament to my readers and to this project to be the subject of such insightful writing. And I quote:

Joe Infurnari’s The Process made the shortlist as a result of the gorgeous artwork and the brilliant concept.

Infurnari’s artwork is truly spectacular, he not only conjures up a weird fantasy world but also visualises the creative process at work.

This comic truly is a masterpiece of layout design. Each page is a work of art and some pages take on the complexity of a modernist mandala. Sprays of colour and complex interweaving of images that I have only ever seen successfully realised in Blade of the Immortal, until now. While Hiroaki uses his technique for the occasional center piece, Infurnari treats us to visual spectaculars far more regularly.

If that wasn’t good enough Infurnari, gives a glimpse into his creative process with detailed comments and rough sketches. It is great to see the artistic process at work and dissected so thoughtfully and reflectively.

If you consider yourself a fan of comics then The Process is a title that demands your attention with a visual insistence and a degree of intellectual playfulness rare in the form.

Is he good or what!? Thanks, Vileboy! I hope to see you next year…