Let's go borpin'!

July 18th, 2008

New Merch and San Diego Comic-Con

7/18/08 10:35 am

Yipes! I can't believe that it's July already and you know what that means...Comic-Con is coming up! I'm scrambling to prepare for the big event, as well as other events, but here's what you have to look forward to in the world of Bumperboy!
SDCC

San Diego Comic-Con 2008

Once again, I'll be at my usual spot in the Small Press Pavilion, Table O-16. I'll have a couple of new products which are highlighted a bit later in this newsletter! I'll also have my usual cargo of books, t-shirts, prints, stickers, and buttons.

Also, on Saturday, July 26, from 5-6pm, I will be sketching and signing with the Cartoon Art Museum. This year, the Cartoon Art Museum's Sketch-A-Thon will take place on the mezzanine annex (not on the main floor of the con), Booth # MZ11. Please swing by and purchase original drawings from some of your favorite comic artists and support a great museum! If you have a Facebook account, you can see the complete schedule and details at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=22160190683.

Sunday of Comic-Con is the designated "Kids Day," so why not attend some of the great panels and events for kids? One that I guarantee will be fun to check out is the "Kid's Draw" event:

10:30-11:30 Kids Draw!- Join a great lineup of kids' cartoonists as they draw their hearts out - right in front of you! Cartoonists including Nick Abadzis (Laika), Debbie Huey (Bumperboy) Johann Matte (Flight Explorer), Scott Morse (Visitations), Andy Runton (Owly), Kean Soo (Jellaby), and Dave Roman (Nickelodeon) will create art as you watch - with your help! Room 30CDE

For more information San Diego Comic-Con, point your browser to: http://www.comic-con.org/cci

Rock On tee New T-shirts and Buttons
Did you know that sometimes Bumperboy just wants to ROCK? Well, the latest Bumperboy shirt sure shows it! This shirt features Bumperboy rocking out, complete with lightning bolt! These American Apparel t-shirts come in navy and several sizes: Unisex Small, Medium, Large, X-Large, and Women's Medium and Large.

Button Set E

Also new in the Bumperboy shop is a brand new set of buttons! These new designs include Bumperboy nervously riding his bike, Hugga Hugga Bear in his hugging stance, Bumperpup taking a quick nap, and Gordy blogging on his laptop.

Check out these items and more in the Bumperboy Shop!

http://www.bumperboy.net/shop

And that is all for now, Bumperfriends. Hope to see you in San Diego!

June 6th, 2008

VINYL APOCALYPSE June 6th San Francisco

6/6/08 02:12 pm

VINYL APOCALYPSE June 6th San Francisco
Originally uploaded by nogunsproduction.

For all of you guys in the Bay Area, come on out and check out this show tonight!

Opening Reception:
FRIDAY, June 6th
7pm - 11pm

with your Sound Providers:
TopCat
Romanowski
DJ Enki

Lower Haters Gallery
597 Haight Street @Steiner
San Francisco 94117
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 12-7pm
www.lowerhater.com

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May 28th, 2008

Jillian vs. the Ocean

5/28/08 09:45 pm

Yes, another Jillian piece! She is just too fun to draw that I can't resist when I have an art project to do. (Apparently she is fun to draw for a couple of my friends, too! Perhaps I will post there awesome renditions later...)

So this piece is for the "Vinyl Apocalypse" show that Ben helped to co-curate with Lower Hater and it'll be exhibited at the Lower Hater store in San Francisco. The premise of the show is to use vinyl records to make art. Some people are painting on them, and I hear that other will be sculpting with them! It'll be interesting to see. And if you're in the area you can check it out for yourself. The opening reception is on Friday, June 6.

( If you want to take a glimpse at my process of getting this painting done, then click after the cut! )

Hope you guys can come out to the show!

May 6th, 2008

Fundraiser Sketch for David Pirkola

5/6/08 11:31 am

Looking For Adventure
Originally uploaded by debbiehuey.

This is a sketch I did on behalf of David Pirkola, a comics retailer who was shot during a robbery of his store. Last I heard, he was in critical condition and he doesn't have health insurance! James Sime of the Isotope notified me that the fine people of iFanboy.com set up a fundraiser to help pay for Mr. Pirkola's medical bills. Soon there will be an auction of plenty of comics goodness so keep a look out for it! This sketch is part of my contribution to the auction.

Click here for more information on how you can help!

And in other news, I'm still sad that my San Jose Sharks got knocked out of the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs. Poop. But it was a fun ride. My sister and I got to go to an amazing game that featured a comeback and overtime. And the final game went into FOUR overtimes. Sheesh. Go Sharks!

And in other news...well I don't have the news yet, but I might have some good Bumperboy news in the near future. And, I apparently I did pretty well on my Library Assistant written test so hopefully I can be promoted pretty soon. I love the library!

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April 24th, 2008

Gooooo Sharks!

4/24/08 09:47 pm

Anyone else have playoff fever like me?

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April 17th, 2008

New MacBook Pro!

4/17/08 01:43 pm

Look at that! That's mine! It's my lovely new MacBook Pro that I bought a couple of weeks ago! Can you tell I am excited and that I love this machine? Keep in mind that my previous machine was a G4 PowerMac tower that I got over 8 years ago. That is pretty darn ancient in computer years. With my old machine, I couldn't watch a Youtube video without being frustrated of all the choppiness. I also couldn't have both Illustrator and Photoshop open at the same time. And I couldn't have my music playing while I worked because it would slow down any other application to a crawl. But now, I can do all that and more with my new machine. I've finally entered 2008 in terms of technology, updated all my Adobe software (legitimately!!!) made a nice photo slideshow for my family, and video chatted with my sister in Canada. Cost me a fortune, but it's all well worth it. Yay!

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March 12th, 2008

Speaking at the Book Fair

3/12/08 10:41 am

Remember those Book Fairs that you used to have in the gym at your Elementary school? I personally loved them almost just as much as rifling through those Scholastic and Troll book catalogs and pining for that astronomy book that came with a free telescope, puppy posters, and Snoopy bookmarks. Anyway, it had been at least 20 years since I've last attended a Book Fair, until last night!

I was fortunate enough to be invited to speak to the kids at Reed Elementary in Tiburon, CA as part of their Book Fair week. I held a little half-hour seminar on drawing your own comic book character. This was my first time speaking to a group of kids like this, and despite all my nerves, I think it went pretty well! I talked about how I got into comics, and then proceeded to make up our own superhero on the spot. I asked the kids questions like, what superpowers he has, what his mode of transportation is, etc. We ended up drawing a character named Super Squiggles, who has x-ray vision, freezing superpowers, and rides a skateboard! Hopefully I gave enough tips to get kids started in drawing up more of their own characters.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and hopefully I won't be too shy to talk to a group of kids in the future. Thank you to Elizabeth Singer Hunt and Rekha Dutt for inviting me out there and making me feel at home!

March 5th, 2008

One Balloon Left

3/5/08 08:16 pm

One Balloon Left
Originally uploaded by debbiehuey.

I just finished a painting for Nucleus' 3rd Annual "Power in Numbers" Show. There are a million bajillion artists who are participating in creating 5" x 7" pieces of art for this show, so there is bound to be something that will catch your eye! And 20% of all sales go to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. You can find all the details, as well as a preview of the show at: http://gallerynucleus.com/gallery/exhibition/141

By the way, I never considered myself as a painter, but I'm starting to like this thing called painting! I'm not sure why I'm starting to like it more, but perhaps it's just that I totally enjoy drawing (and painting) Jillian. Perhaps I will be painting more often than usual in the future?

"One Balloon Left"
5"x7"
Gouache

February 26th, 2008

Back from Wondercon!

2/26/08 10:26 pm

Whew I am still pooped and trying to recover from the weekend! Sales were decent and I had a really good time. People were friendly, neighbors were friendly, friends were friendly! I'm gonna try to keep this report relatively short, so here we go!

Friday was pretty slow for me in terms of sales. Turnout seemed to be good, but I guess everyone was browsing at that time. Saturday made up for it though, because it turned out to be CRAZY almost all day. I also participated on the Bay Area Local Cartoonists Panel, moderated by Andrew Farago (thanks again, Andrew!). It was pretty interesting, because everyone of us was doing something quite different from each other. It was neat to hear everyone's background stories. Sunday at the con was a little difficult because I was starting to feel the exhaustion. But I got through it and still managed to have fun. On to the photos!

Here I am!

( Click for more photos )

February 21st, 2008

Wondercon/Bumperboy article in SF Examiner

2/21/08 10:22 am

Hey look, an article about Bumperboy and Wondercon is in today's edition of the San Francisco Examiner! Ooh la la! Check it out!

Thanks to Christina Troup for putting it together!

February 19th, 2008

Wondercon is this weekend!

2/19/08 12:07 pm

Hey folks,

Just a reminder that Wondercon is coming up this weekend in San Francisco!

WonderCon celebrates its 22nd year as Northern California's most popular comics and pop culture event with a return to Moscone Center South on February 22-24, 2008. The February date solidifies WonderCon's status as the first major convention of the year in the United States.

Again, I'll have a table there in Artists Alley, so look for me at Table AA-55. And on Saturday, I'll be participating in a panel spotlighting Bay Area artists:

SATURDAY, FEB. 23, 2:00-3:30pm-The Cartoon Art Museum Presents: Spotlight on Local Cartoonists:

San Francisco has been a hotbed of cartooning for over 100 years, and that tradition continues today with the Bay Area's vibrant creative community. Join panel moderator Andrew Farago (Curator of San Francisco's Cartoon Art Museum) as he interviews six of the Bay Area's most talented cartoonists: MariNaomi (Estrus Comics), Fredo (altgeek.net), Lloyd Dangle (Troubletown), Justin Hall (True Travel Tales), Debbie Huey (Bumperboy) and Michael Jantze (The Norm). Room 232/234

More info about Wondercon and all its programming at: wondercon.com.

And here's a picture of the 2nd reprint covers of First Day of School. Yep, they look a bit different because now they use green ink on yellow paper!

See you at Wondercon!

November 8th, 2007

New Jillian "paintings"

11/8/07 10:36 am

I have a couple of pieces that I'll be showing at the Studio Gallery in San Francisco for their "Tiny Show." Do I call them "paintings"? Or "mixed media" pieces? In any case, they are made of mat board, gouache, string, and lots of glue!

"Balloons For Sale"

"Poop."

Both feature my favorite character to draw these days: Jillian. She makes me happy when I draw her and I'm currently developing her back story for the next Bumperboy book. I'll tell you now, she has quite the checkered past!

Anyway, if you want to come out and see these in person, this Saturday would be a great day!

STUDIO Gallery
"Tiny": small pieces under $400
Wednesday, November 7th - Sunday, December 23rd
reception: Saturday, November 10th, 4-8 pm
4th Anniversary Party: Saturday, December 8th, 4-8 pm

October 5th, 2007

Hijinx has it!

10/5/07 02:28 pm

Hijinx bookmark-front
Originally uploaded by debbiehuey.

Here's a bookmark that I made for Hijinx Comics, a cool comic book shop in San Jose. In fact, The Metro named Hijinx as the best comic book shop in Silicon Valley this year! The theme of the bookmark is "monsters" so my job was to think up as many monsters as I could. Dan from Hijinx thought up most of the comic book titles that the monsters are reading. All in all, it was a fun project!

You can click on the image to get a closer look at it, and check out the other side of the bookmark by clicking this link!

September 19th, 2007

Arrrrrr, matey!

9/19/07 10:35 pm

Today is "Talk Like a Pirate Day" (even though for most of you who are reading this, the day has passed)! I didn't even know the day had already come until I read a bunch of blogs this morning. But I so happened to draw up and color some new drawings that feature a pirate-like character. Her name is Jillian and she'll probably be featured in the next Bumperboy story!

This is her when she's kind of sad:

And this is what she looks like most of the time...like one tough cookie!

I also worked on a new Gordy illustration with his "new" scarf. Thought it would be appropriate to post this one since autumn is just around the corner!

August 27th, 2007

Cool children's books

8/27/07 08:53 pm

One of my favorite things about working at the library is that I always get to easily browse through all the books and find titles that I normally would not purchase. Reading books from the library definitely saves me a whole lot of money, but often times I'll check out books from authors that I've never read before and suddenly I am huge fan and want to buy the books! Recently, I've been on a great streak of checking out awesome books from the children's section.

First I got a book from the Japanese Children's books section called How to Be a Good Dog. The cover got me from the start and I was pleased to see that the interiors were just as hilarious. Basically it's a guide for humans on, well, how to be a good dog! Plus, it included english text! I wish I could find more information about the author online, but no luck. Great book.

The next book I got also originates from an international artist/author, this time from France! The book is The Old Man Mad About Drawing: A Tale of Hokusai by Francois Place. The story takes place in the later days of famed Japanese artist, Hokusai. Hokusai invites a young and curious boy to come by his studio and learn the ways of being a celebrated printmaker and artist. It is wonderfully illustrated and equally enjoyable to read.

Yet another international author, also hailing from France, is Joann Sfar. I just read Sardine from Outer Space and Little Vampire Does Kung Fu! Both are hilarious! They both have a really strange yet original humor with silly gags galore! I always try to strive to have a similar weirdness in my stories, so I look forward to reading more books in the series.

Besides my library books, I'm always reading about 3 books at the same time. Right now I'm reading the final Harry Potter book (I'm taking my time, don't tell me ANYTHING), the latest trade of Y the Last Man, and the fourth book of Tezuka's Buddha. Yay books! What are you guys reading these days?

August 6th, 2007

I got a new camera!

8/6/07 07:33 pm

I got a new camera!
Originally uploaded by debbiehuey.

Yup, I had to save a whole lotta birthday money to get this baby! It's a Canon Rebel XT dSLR with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens! As you can tell from this picture, I am super happy. I haven't taken a whole lot of pictures yet, but I can't wait to take my camera out and snap everything in sight. I really wish I could've had it in time for Comic-Con, but oh well. At least I'll have it for my upcoming trip to Disneyland!

Yeah, my previous digital camera wasn't cutting it anymore, and the shutter lag started to get on my nerves. I missed the feel and quality of my old manual SLR (a Pentax K1000), so I thought making the big step to a digital SLR was due. I don't have any fancy zoom lens, but so far I don't mind that. I was able to use my Pentax K1000 without any zoom lens for 5+ years without complaining, so I'm sure this lens will work for me.

Hooray!

Better Late Than Never

8/6/07 07:20 pm

Well, I'm still in post-San-Diego-recovery mode, so I've been a bit slow to catch up on some tasks. I finally got a chance to sort through my bag of goodies that I took home, and here is my stash of new books! Now I just have to read them all!

And I just realized that I forgot to mention the two most recent anthologies that I have stories in...

Life Meter 2 is a great collection of comics based on video games. Comics + video games = awesome! I got the chance to draw up a story on Abobo, the bald meathead that always seems to get in the way in one of my favorite NES games, Double Dragon. For more information on this book, check out www.lifemetercomics.com!

The Girls' Guide to Guys' Stuff is the latest release from Friends of Lulu. This book is packed with great anecdotes from over 50 talented female cartoonists from all kinds of backgrounds. I know I relate with several of these artists with our love for comics and other "guys' stuff" such as video games and sports! My contribution to this anthology is my short story on why I love ice hockey so much. Go check it out! http://www.friends-lulu.org/anthology_ggtgs.php!

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August 1st, 2007

LA and San Diego!

8/1/07 09:57 pm

Oh man, I'm back. I've been back for a few days, but I haven't had the energy to post an entry about my trip! In fact, I still feel like I don't have enough energy to type! But I'll try anyway.

( Read all about about LA and San Diego Comic-Con 2007 )

More pictures from the con and LA can be seen at my flickr account!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/debbiehuey

Well, I'm sure I'm leaving a lot out. But right now I'm too tired to think any more! Another San Diego, come and gone...

July 18th, 2007

New Bumperboy Comic + San Diego Schedule!

7/18/07 02:32 pm

Hey there, Bumperfriends!

We're already halfway through July, so that can only mean one thing: SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON is just a few days away! But wait, that's not the only thing happening!

New Bumperboy Minicomic!

Yep, it's a brand new Bumperboy story...this one is called, Bumperboy Learns How to Ride a Bike! You may be asking, "What?! Bumperboy still doesn't know how to ride a bike?" Yes, it's true, so it's about time that he learns! Watch him wobble his way through many obstacles, including the dreaded Hugga Hugga Bear! Pick up a copy in the Bumperboy Shop!

San Diego Comic-Con 2007

Ok, so here's the skinny on this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Again, I'll be sitting at my usual spot in the Small Press Pavilion, table O-16. I'll have several copies of Bumperboy Learns How to Ride a Bike! on hand, as well as the new stickers, memopads, and Bumperboy prints that San Diego attendees have not seen yet.
SDCC 07

I'll also be making appearances at places other than my table. On Friday, July 27, from 4-5pm, I will be sketching and signing at the Cartoon Art Museum booth, E-11. And on Sunday, July 29, from 1-2pm, I'll be participating on a panel that features some of the greatest comic artists working on comics for kids today:

Sunday, July 29, 1:00-2:00 What's Happening in Kids' Comics Today? Some of the most creative work in the industry is being done in kids' comics. Svetlana Chmakova (Dramacon), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!), Debbie Huey (Bumperboy), Kazu Kibuishi (Flight, Amulet), George O'Connor (Journey into Mohawk Country), and Gene Yang (American Born Chinese) talk with moderator Dave Roman (Nickelodeon) about the importance of kids' comics - and the fun they have creating them! Room 8

For more information San Diego Comic-Con, point your browser to: http://www.comic-con.org/cci

And that is all for now, Bumperfriends. Hope to see you in San Diego!

July 15th, 2007

Nick Jr. and new Bumperboy

7/15/07 10:10 pm

Look ma! I'm in Nick Jr. Magazine! Yep, the July/August issue is on the stands right now, so go check it out! I got the opportunity to draw the Table of Contents picture (pictured below) as well as 4 other short comics that include these same little frog buddies. Hooray!

In other news, I'm feverishly trying to get ready for San Diego Comic-Con, which is coming up in just a little more than a week. I'll post more details about my schedule for the con in a few days. In the meantime, here is what I'm doing now:

Yep, that's just a fraction of the covers that I hand printed for the new Bumperboy minicomic, Bumperboy Learns How to Ride a Bike. I've got a whole lotta folding and stapling to do!!!