Fun_PD.DoggieMojo3

This is the book version of this piece, my final Doggie Mojo installment for the Penny Dreadful.

So I've been in a drawing funk recently. I don't have that same hunger from back when I was in college. Speaking of which, it's so ridiculous to think of myself as an alumnus, you know? To be fair, I felt the same about being called a college student till around late sophomore year; I felt like I was a high schooler who had sneaked in somehow. It sucks now cuz just as soon as you think, Man, I can't wait to get back in the fall for that crisp New Haven autumn, you realize, No, that's it, man.

Watching SNL always reminds me of Yale, because it was one of my first memories (t)here. As a Californian, I was so excited to finally see the show on East Coast time. And I remember watching it in the beautifully cave-like, original JE buttery, and then later in the cold, empty husk called Swing Space, and feeling so unbelievably at home, more than I ever had anywhere else.

Call me psychic, but can I call it or what? Yay.

Reuxben

Fun_PD.DoggieMojo2

This is the book version of this piece, my cover for the Penny Dreadful.

The Penny Dreadful, alas, is likely on its way out of existence. I was with the publication since issue two, and I'm so proud of how far we came, but unfortunately I have a strong feeling it's going to die out by next year. I believe there's two people who could save it, though: him and her. But who knows.

Good news, bad news, GO!
Good News: I'm officially, tangentially a real-deal published author--I noticed this piece got published at McSweeney's! Yes, it's written by our old Record Chairman, but I pitched the original idea way back in the day and I even got to illustrate it. This news is particularly cool because the original ran back when the Record was still heavily rebuilding, but the piece was definitely one of the outstanding ones. And look how far the Record's come, too; it looks set to really thrive now. Absolutely awesome!

Bad News: I received some horrific welcome-back-home news--we're bankrupt! Absolutely awesome.

No pressure to go pro, right?

Reuxben

Fun_PD.DogieMojo1

This is the "book" version of this illustration for the Penny Dreadful. I think I wanna recolor this further...

Hey, did I ever tell you the weirdest fan interaction I ever had? This girl came up to me and went, "Hey, you're Reuxben! You do the Doggie Mojo in the Penny Dreadful! I love that!" I wanted to go like, "Yeah, I also do some comics on the side every now and then..." Haha. But anyway, it was pretty cool to be known as the "Penny Dreadful" guy for someone rather than the "YDN" guy, especially since that was my first time doing pure prose comedy writing (not comic or TV scripts, but prose), and yet it seemed to have gone over pretty well--so much so that a random girl felt compelled to come up to me and tell me that's how she knows me. Also, I feel like most of my college fans were female...what's up with that?

Speaking of which, I miss Yale. It hasn't really sunk in that it's all over, but it's getting there. I'm already in a quasi-nocturnal cycle...Yale was great for helping me structure my day. Now it's all me, and I don't have a scanner, a desk, or proper workspace, and it's blazing hot in sunny California...how long until my art reserves give out? How long until I have to resort to this for new art content? How long until I start showering daily?

Animorphs #3, let's dance,

Reuxben

Fun_PD.Boy

After hiding out in JE an extra day after a last minute flight-fiasco, I'm back in California, Internet's up, and I'm somewhat sad to announce that my book has SOLD OUT. Technically I just run out of copies, I haven't sold out of copies--it's a free Sudler-funded book after all. So if you didn't get a copy (or my word that you will receive yours in the fall), tough luck, buddy, that's it (sorry, Mom!).

Anyway, now that I'm in Yale-retirement and have the rest of my life to "look forward" to, I'm thinking of how to spend the rest of my days. It's weird. My first time waking up in California since Winter Break was this past Thursday, and it started to sink in that I was always just visiting Yale; I was never a resident. It's like it was only a dream. which I just now woke from, like it never really happened.

Ok, so I'll be posting the exclusive recolorings and some of the printings hitherto only available in my book, the first (cough) of which was actually featured last time, but this is the first color job, a revamp of one of my very first pieces ever for the Penny Dreadful.

I made a To Do list on the plane, and here's a bit of it:
-Lose weight, maybe via exercise for a change?
-Re-read my Animorphs collection
-(Re)-read the Everworld Series
-Clear my Fiverr Waitlist
-Project DF
-Project SHS
-Project BRB
-Project ZLM:A

So now we get to see who the real fans are, since Yale's been done for a while now, and now it's just me and you, Removal. None of those pesky fair-weather fans. And heaps of Animorphs to tear through (I've got books 1-39, 3 Megamorphs, all the Chronicles books, an Alternamophs, and even the "Meet the Stars of Animorphs" book about the TV show...). Removal book club, anyone? Animorphs #2, you're up next, kid.

Reuxben

Penny_dm.BigRisky

So, the last Deal of Doggie Mojo is out in the latest issue of the Penny Dreadful.

In "Big Risky," the volume finale, Lillis confronts the Galaxy Police's mighty Admiral Megan Megan.

As I understand it, the story's getting massive edits, so even I don't know how this one's turning up. It may also be changed into a more finite ending, but it was written to continue on, so who knows how this'll shake out.

Ridiculously busy. Full update and pencils coming soon.

Reuxben

Penny_dm.TheSpaceBetween

A special advanced screening today, the illustration for the next installment of Doggie Mojo, my prose series in the Penny Dreadful, and it's also going to be the cover. Neat!

In this Deal, "The Space Between (Interlude in B Flat)," Lillis has to tangle with the deadly H.Arms security mechs meanwhile piloting a stolen mechsuit with uncanny natural skill.

Will she make it through the cold, pilotless machines' inhumanly precise security defenses? Will she die? Will there only be one more Deal? I don't know!

This is what it looked like before the bells and whistles.

Photoshop is sorta tricky to work with--the more stuff you learn about, the more you want to start adding on new tricks and techniques, but I love lines so much and I don't want to lose them in the mix.

That's where mangaka get it done; they know exactly what's just enough to let the lines sing uninterrupted, while still adding enough production to elevate the piece. That's why I don't like US comics so much--too much emphasis on color, when the lines are what really matter.

Easter Eggs: Metal Gear Solid chat window, Gundam style model for the H.Arms, pokeball.

Fun Facts: Trying to keep the Toonami vibe.

Baa: I hate the process of going to sleep and I hate the process of waking up. But I love sleeping. It's the space between that's key.

Daily Post Challenge done.

Reuxben

Penny_dm.MechsuitShuffle

This volume of The Penny Dreadful debuts my official entrance into the prose arena, featuring the first "deal" of my series Doggie Mojo, which will eventually be available here.

I couldn't afford time for two illustrations, not that I'm thrilled with this one, and I haven't even read the published version yet(!), but I wanted to take a moment to properly kick off this Dreadful art series.

Easter Eggs: Braille R. Design cues from Evangelion, Mobile Suit Gundam, and Pokemon.

Fun Facts: I wrote this series for my Writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy Class this past Summer Session, at first as a salute to my favorite gang, Team Rocket, and then it grew into a nod to all those inspirational Toonami shows that were just so phenomenally meaningful to me creatively.

Baa: Before writing, I would listen to these old Toonami hype clips to get in the zone, and even summarize the day's work in that excellent voice that I always associate with Toonami over Transformers. I would repeat in that husky voice, "Toonami is proud to present...Doggie Mojo...Saddle up." Or whatever, just thinking of cool, pithy taglines at the end. Man, I'm getting all inspired just thinking back!

A part of me wanted to write for narrative practice (since, as a literature major, merely reading stories can only do so much for you artistically), and a part of me just wanted to prove to myself and others that I am no one trick phony, I can draw and write, pure drawing and pure writing both co-mixed together, in fact.

Part 1 and its volume seem to have sold out, and parts 2 and 3 will be upon us soon enough, but until then, here's a snippet from part 1, "Mechsuit Shuffle":

"His powerful, meaty fingers hungered, tenderly caressing her soft, sumptiou--"
Wait a minute, WHAT?!

Reuxben

Fun_PPPPackUpMyBag

This is the pencils of a Penny piece that never was, but it's appropriate cuz I can't wait: I'm flying back to Yale in < 24 hours!

Also The Matches were insane Saturday night! They absolutely destroyed with this song, and it was altogether an incredible show! Shawn Harris even made tons of time to talk to anyone who came up to him after the show, too. His hair was literally dripping globs of sweat, but he chatted away like nothing.

I shook his hand and he had a surprising light grip. I told him I named my series after his song--which happened to be their finale, too--and I think he said he thought that was cool. Anyway, I just checked, and I come in second in a Google-image of "Sick Little Suicide," so that's pretty neat.

Anyway I'm trying to be optimistic about their "hiatus" being temporary, especially since I totally blew my chance to see them at Toad's sophomore year, but in any case, Yale, Yale, Yale!

I'm turnin' the doorknob,

Reuxben

Penny_CowboyBullets

I never got around to posting this old illustration for the Penny Dreadful.

The story was from way back in Volume II, Issue 2.

This is my least favorite Dreadful piece, another rushed job, but it shows how much I'm trying to mimic Eric Canete, especially since I'm still pretty new at inking and he just rocks the inks.

Whenever I've got a Dreadful to do, I always think, how would Canete do it? He's got some insane stuff.

Reuxben

Penny_PerfectionGirl

I hurriedly drew this a while ago for the Penny Dreadful.

Easter Eggs: ZLM. Nivel Ari is Ira Levin, who wrote the source material for the illustrated story, but the story was also partly inspired by the pencils below.

Fun Facts: The piece started as an illustration for this story because I forgot that I had assigned the story to someone else (it was my first semester as the Dreadful's Art Editor). Thankfully I was only on pencils before I realized the error, but there's plenty of change between drafts after I reworked it for a new story based on these pencils.

Reuxben

Penny_TrainGirl

This is my other piece for the semester's final issue of the Penny Dreadful, interiors for a story about a girl on a mysterious train.

Easter Eggs: The background is basically my other train piece from the previous issue.

Fun Facts: The scene depicted here, where she adjusts her collar, was actually cut from the final draft, I discovered!

Baa: I draw a lot of stuff with trains. It's partly coincidental, but also cuz I love trains; they're probably the most romantic form of transportation.

We couldn't get an artist for this story and it was literally the night before the magazine had to get to the printer's so I blasted this one out, and I guess all ended well.

So that should be it for all my published work for the year. I don't have a scanner here in California or even Internet for my laptop, so I've only got a few stored up scans in my email before we have to switch to photographs, unfortunately.

Reuxben

Penny_West

The semester finale of the Penny Dreadful is out now, and I'm on cover duty.

I illustrated this serial's premiere, with a jackalope versus a cowboy. And now the cowboy is somehow in the Civil War...?

Easter Eggs: Second gun behind shoulder.

Fun Facts: The only thing I guessed on was the shoes; even the sergeant patch is accurate.

Baa: I haven't read any publication in a while beyond researching the story I'm illustrating...there's no time! Also, big Monster dump this Saturday night, outside the JE dining hall. Take one if you need to not sleep!

Here're the pencils, by the way.

In a bit of stinging irony, while I attended Ex!t's senior show, I missed the Purple Crayon's senior show! Unbelievable.

I had two Spanish papers to write, which proves my belief that Spanish work only exists to keep me from doing what I'd actually rather be doing.

I really wanted to see the Crayon one last time. Dangit.

The piece started like this, with the double guns more evident.

I did a 9 page(!) comic for my science fiction final project, which'll go up throughout next week.

I also did a comic for my graphic novels final last semester, called "Pangolin Falls."

Reuxben

Penny_CrazyTrain

The latest Penny Dreadful is out now.

Easter Eggs: A bunny and a gunny cuz the character is supposed to sport straight, dark hair, and mid 90s fashion.

Fun Facts: I drew most of the rough lines on the train to New York to see an awful Richard Foreman "play" for a class. I drew my second on-train piece a couple of weekends ago to go watch a heart wrenching play with the great former JE Master.

Baa: My last Culture Draw was for The American Plan, which closed with, "Happiness exists, but it's for other people." That's kind of my philosophy, except I'd say I'm a tad bit more optimistic.

Reuxben

Penny_Rex

I drew this Penny Dreadful cover a while ago. They also used it for interiors.

Easter Eggs: The upturned earth indicates a bottomless pit.

Fun Facts: This was drawn to accompany art for a canceled story I had illustrated the previous semester; the revived story had not been merely tweaked but rather completely redone, so now both pieces are now only loosely related to the story, unfortunately.

The dog, the boy, and the pit have nearly nothing to do with the story now, but you should have read the original story, it rocked.

Also, this could be one of the pieces that caught that publisher's interest! We'll see what happens there.

Reuxben

Penny_LittleRedSanta

Here is an illustration for a last minute short in the Penny Dreadful's first issue this year.

Easter Eggs: "LOL" in the boa.

Fun Facts: I couldn't tell who was speaking a sarcastic sounding line in the draft they sent me so I wasn't sure how to dress the kid; they also never used pronouns so I went with a girl dressed as Little Red Riding Hood because I was writing a paper on that story for my Tales of the Strange lit 'nar (Perrault vs. Grimm).

As an added bonus, here's an updated color version I did this past Saturday night, my last night at Yale for Fall '08.

Fun Facts: I haven't used markers to really color in years, but I used every one that came in the little pack my brother got me for Christmas last year. This is also the first time I've really posted on-theme for a major holiday...kinda (the story was about Santa trying out Halloween).

Merry Christmas!

Reuxben

Penny_Jackalope

This is a jackalope for the Penny Dreadful.

Our semester finale should be out by now...

In any case, when next we meet, I'll be done with Yale Fall '08.

Edit: Hey Yale 2013 is on its way to being formed! Congratulations!

Reuxben

Penny_DoomsdayVaultIII

This is the interior artwork for the Penny Dreadful's "The Doomsday Vault," part three of three.

Fun returning to this character, especially since I didn't think I'd ever draw him again. And it was fun trying out more perspectivey stuff.

Easter Eggs: Yale in cracks.

Fun Facts: He has a bump on his head.

Right, so today is My Chemical Romance! It'll be my first real concert and I am quite excited. I just hope I don't get lost or mugged or both.

Reuxben

Penny_FinalCover

I was honored to be asked to draw the Penny Dreadful's cover for its third and final issue. As a Sudler funded project, it wasn't meant to run forever, unfortunately.

Anyway, this captures a scene from the Doomsday Vault series.

Easter Eggs: On screen MCR, MCS, MTG, pikachu, and question sleep [Z?]. Skull steam, too.

Fun Facts: I thought of Livewire from Superman for Cindy's hairdo. Also, I actually got up and tried to model for that running pose. It was tough and dorky.

Reuxben

Penny_DoomsdayVaultII

Here is my other Penny Dreadful submission, for the second episode of a story called "The Doomsday Vault."

Easter Eggs: "All ur base" and an evil face appear on the left screens, the final lines appear top right.

Fun Facts: Since this guy grows plants, his chair is apple y and the holo-projectors are twiggy. White people are convenient to draw.

That's it for this issue's previews. If you see the publication around, please pick it up.

Jerks.

Reuxben

Penny_ToWhatEnd!

I'm now drawing for The Penny Dreadful, an exciting publication I hope survives. Egotistically, I hope that if I give it some nice art, it'll build an audience, get legit, and survive. Perhaps I might leave the Record for this? I don't know. But it was a lot of fun.

Anyway, this piece is an illustration for a story called "To What End!," which you can read after the issue publishes soon.

Easter Eggs: The man in the moon looking worried, the X-Files logo, Pacman/ghost dust wads, and Darling Find brand kicks.

Fun Facts: I'm practicing wacky perspective after Chamba. I realized last night I would love to draw for a living and must break old habits.

Thanks for visiting, especially those across the Ivies. I've only got Columbia left to complete my Bingo card today.

[UPDATE: Peculiarly, the story never got published, so this art never saw daylight either.]

Reuxben