This is a page from ARDY: CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS. It's the last page from the first part of it (6 pgs). This was Earthshock in the mid-90's. You can tell that Tim while drawing him was extreme in terms of detail. I think we'll cut it down some to go with the cartoony style, but its such a classic look. Enjoy! 

Thief #0 update

Well everyone has been waiting on this one...

Thief #0 is well-underway. Eric and I have decided that we will not release the book until its perfect and complete. This doesn't just mean this issue. So as of right now, we will be waiting a while to publish, but the good news is this, Eric is already 4 pages into the script, and with touchups coming up, the art is looking good. He's penciling first, and then we'll test some ink methods, with it being possible for ME to ink some of the pages myself, which is making me giddy just thinking about it.

We showed you a cover concept idea for the book, as well, so you guys are getting a good look at what's coming up. Hopefully you are just as excited as Eric and myself. I'm going to have to get him access to the blog, so that he can update himself, and start uploading some pics.

Guys, at his current pace, Eric will be catching up to where I am with the script in no time...which isn't really a bad thing, since the closer I think the book is to completion, the more I get jazzed to write more.

When the pages are more final, I'll possibly upload pics of the pencil to ink visual. I think everyone will get a kick out of all of it.

Here's a "Teaser" sent from Eric for the people looking at THIEF. I actually really like the layout and all, so I may have him do something similar for the cover (if he doesn't want me to tackle covers, hehe). I really think he's found a great mesh style, and I'm really looking up about this project, now...BIG TIME 

Howdy

Well, as the month rolls to an end, I haven't heard from Eric in a bit, so I figured I'll post a little about what's going on outside of comics (for me) right now. I'll probably finish the script for Thief #2 tomorrow or at latest by next week. I like where its going, so it should be able to get me to where I want it to go within 5 16 page issues (+ the #0 issue). Hopefully I can fit it into 4, so I don't feel I'm ripping people off for a 16 page book for less than $2.00. I mean, with all the books that are 22 pages of story for $3 or more, a book for less than $2 with just as much meat, just a little less potatoes should be something people want to look at.

So in wrestling, Batista finally left Evolution, even though everyone knew it was going to happen. I personally can't wait, because the road to Wrestlemania has a stop near me, so I've got tickets to the March 7th RAW, and that ought to be a lot of fun. Hopefully they'll bring Mick Foley back so that I have someone I really respect in there, too.

GELATOMETTI seems to be having difficulties uploading recently. if you haven't seen this website, you need to check it out, its here at blogger, and its the blog of the WILDSTORM STUDIO of artists. Very cool, hopefully they'll get their problems figured out.

Been having some trouble sleeping recently. Most of it is attributed to my one dog, Ardy, who whines since he's not allowed on the bed. It typically started about 8:30 in the morning, and Christy normally comes to bed around 2-4, so it doesn't leave a lot of sleep with as light as I sleep to begin with. Hopefully this won't hurt my production on THIEF, but if it does, you guys know where its coming from.

Landis, my other dog, turned 3 yesterday. Easy daqte to remember, 2/22/02, not too hard to see. I wanted to give her a shot (since in human years she's 21) but I stopped myself, since she's had a kidney stone before. Don't want her to go through any more problems, so I'll just stick to water for the dogs...not to mention, it's less for me.

I've done some more sketches for the Revamp and Earthshock characters from THIEF, and though I'm sticking to a retro look for Earthshock (he was created in a time that Rob Liefeld books were a hit), but Revamp is going to be REVAMPED into a new kind of vampire. I like both designs, and am trying to keep them more cartoony. You'll probably see them before too long.

Well, before I start making stuff up, I'm going to bolt.

Been a couple days...so an update

Sorry for not being on here the past few days, I've had off the last two and actually have tomorrow off, as well, but I just really have tried to not write until it just hits me that I have to put it down on the keyboard.

With production on Thief moving forward, JK Radtke and I were talking the past couple days and we are going to continue to try to get ARDY/TORCH: Spring Broke done. Hopefully writing the second half of it will be as good as I think the first half is, which is funny, since I wrote it about 3-4 years ago and never finished it because JK and I just were unable to make it happen. That's not the case anymore, so I just need to tap into what got me that far and just finish the deal. Hopefully I'll be able to update this site with some drawings from JK about the movement forward on the project.

Eric from last I heard, has started more character designs and actually started laying out THIEF, which I believe we'll introduce the title with the #0 issue, explaining how Derek Stevens actually gets the powers, and then explain how he deals with them in the mini-series (that could subsequently become an ongoing). The idea is so strong that I feel I'm getting intimidated when it comes to writing it, because I think it is a stronger idea than I am a good writer...I'll guess we'll see with that.

Since I haven't written anything in the past week or so, tonight I'll probably do some character sketches for other characters in the book, since I am expecting Infinity to have a clash with the other heroes of this universe. I'm trying to think of a good unused name for a team of heroes that Infinity was part of before that character was killed, so that there will definitely be a situation there.

I was talking to another buddy of mine, Al Lucente, about writing of comics, and its funny that I see myself NOT doing what I told him he needs to if he ever wanted to write a comic book...and that is to make sure that you have a beginning, a middle and an end. As a character, Infinity and even Derek Stevens has the capability of becoming an Iconic character, one that can continue to evolve, rather than be built on one small concept that stales over time. Kind of the Power means Responsibility statement.

I hope people are reading this board, because they are the ones that I'm hoping to make fans and enjoy my works. Have a great evening, all, I'm going to the drawing board.

DREAD MUTT by JK Radtke. The Idea was from a really weird convo we had about two years ago about a bounty hunting dog from outer space...kinda fits the bill, huh? Look for more on this cool canine later. 

And so its over

Hockey season has ended. All because they couldn't come to terms. I hope people boycott the next year they finally DO play, because they deserve to have NO ONE in the stands.

NHL Labor dispute...

My view...

Millionaires wishing to make more money on both sides. Just like everytime a major sport can't come to an agreement and go on strike, this is ridiculous. Hockey isn't making the revenue that all other major sports are, the season is too long and ultimately, it's just millionaires trying to pad their money that if smart, they'd never run out of anyway...but that's never the case.

The players lost ANY leverage AND credibility when NOW, 6 months later, they say they'll take a cap. Owners won't meet them halfway, and I don't blame them now. But I don't like either side of this, because both sides are just greedy.

Truly, I hope they are ready to have empty arenas. $40 a ticket for a team that is only about money and not fans is ridiculous. They better be ready to give ALL the seats for free, just so they can get a couple thousand fans in the audience. I don't expect them to give away free tickets, and I don't expect anyone to go to the games, including the die-hard fans, because they are the most shafted by this. They are the ones that buy the merch, they are the ones that bring the whole family wearing jerseys and start playing in hockey leagues to pass the time, and tomorrow, no matter what the decision is...most "fans" have already written off this season, and a lot of them have written off what used to be a sport...and now is just a business.

addendum to that last post...

Here's an interesting history lesson to go with what I posted earlier. Did you know that the issue of SCORN that Ardy first showed up in was also the first appearance of ELISA LANDIS, star of LANDIS.

Interesting, huh? Also, I may have the name incorrect about the Scorn book I wrote, but if I did, I'll change that later.

Ardy: history and retrospective

Everytime I start writing comics, I always think back to 1986, a good ole' 19 years ago, when I created a character named Ardy. I was eight years old, but I always liked to draw, paint and just make a mess, but one day I created this yellow creature with very Garfieldesque eyes, and two strands of hair on his head. His nose was round, and he looked really silly, but then, back in the day, I couldn't draw a real face, so I drew this character, with Three fingers and a thumb on both hands, and big feet. He didn't have big muscles until I got to junior highschool, when I hooked up with a couple buddies, Jeremy Phillips, Anthony Seymour, and a couple others, and it was all about Illusion Comics, then Comix, then I changed it to Illusion Studios, because I liked the sound of it more.

This is what was weird. Jeremy and Anthony loved a beefed up Ardy character with a larger nose, so they started doing loose-leaf comics of him, and about 50 to 75 other characters. Every so often they'd even pull an old Rob Liefeld trick of copying some of our favorite scenes out of books to really spice up the storytelling.

About 1992, I decided that since Ardy was my character, I was going to do something that they were cool with, and that was take over the ARDY "monthly" series and write and draw it myself. I went 25 issues, creating silly things like special covers with holes in them, glow in the dark ink and much more. It was always fun, because it was my character doing all his crazy antics, but it wasn't well written, and it wasn't well drawn, but it was fun, and probably the most popular of our books, because they got passed around to everyone.

In late 1992, I found out I was going to be moving to North Carolina with my folks, and had just a few months prior, talked up a deal with a company 5th Panel Comics, and created a comic called CITY OF ILLUSION. It went one issue, and although never officially cancelled, Jeremy, who drew the first issue, and I lost touch, only talking once in a blue moon, and the series just couldn't continue.

In 1993, I took Ardy with me to another company, Super Crew Comics, and Chris Crosby, a name that would become synonimous with my comics career, scary enough. Funny that a couple 16 year old kids would be so ambitious. Chris would have me write a one page Ardy piece every so often, though I don't think any of them ever saw print.

In 1995, (I think, I'm losing time somewhere I'm sure) Chris came up with this idea for a character named Scorn, and talked Milton Teruel into drawing it for him. I got tapped to write 28 pages in 7 days for him, and that is what actually became SCORN: DEADLY REBELLION the issue after. I got 5% of the profits the book made, got my name up there on the cover, and ultimately, my only stipulation was, as long as I write Scorn, I get to write a backup Ardy story. It became known as CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS and was based in Las Vegas. Two parts were published and it made me realize that a true talent like Timothy Johnson was one that was just too good for this kind of storytelling.

I remember writing the story in a way I've not written since...with nothing but spoken words from the characters and possibly from thought balloons. No artist I've worked with has ever been able to read it and just go from there. I've recently told Tim I want to reletter and rerelease CTNS as a oneshot, and he asked to have his name taken off it. Why? I'm hoping he's not ashamed of it, but hoping more so for the fact that like many artists, he'd only see how far his art has moved forward since then.

Anyways, this is about how Ardy has so much history. Ardy has made appearances in Spider-man (Sensational Spider-Man #21), Major Bummer (#6) and even had his name written across the wall in Uncanny X-Men #346 (the Spider-man / Marrow issue). Bill Maus, Tom Nguyen, Mike Weiringo, and others have talked about how fun he is to draw, and how imaginative of a character he is. Javier Saltares was going to draw a sketch of him for me once, only to have me not return to the convention (DAMMIT!) to have it done.

But Ardy finally got his day in color on FCBD 2, as LANDIS #0 shipped, again, published by Chris Crosby and Keenspot under the name A-Bomb. 22000 copies printed and shipped, and Ardy, although not the star, definitely made his way into the script and got larger and larger in terms of his role by the end...why? Because he's always been the star, and like Robert DeNiro in ANY supporting role...he just takes over...and he still does today.

Ardy's Spring Break story will be told...even if I have to tie JK Radtke up and only leave his hand out to draw. I'm tired of writing, so I'm going to bounce.

Latest Comic Update

Well, what a weird week this has been.

First, as you all read, I'm moving forward with certain projects and making them happen, and then I had my first poker night tonight, and unfortunately, I missed the money round by about $3 in chips, BOO...

On the Comic front, Eric and I had a conversation through email these past few days, and with him trying out a cartoony "Powers-y" style, he feels that he wants to work on THIEF before Atomic Teen...and because of this, we've decided to go a different route than initially stated, which should be fortunate for all, but some who really wanted to see AT first, unfortunately will just have to wait.

We've decided to bump THIEF up into production now, because its really the freshest and newest of the ideas, and 100% original. As you've seen from Eric's art, he's definitely having fun with the project, too, so it looks like we're going to start seeing some penciled pages within a few weeks.

At the same time, expect me and Josh (JK) Radtke to continue persuing a comic strip online, that may even be seen here, who knows. More on that when there's more to inform about.

More of an actiony pose, this time, again, From Eric...hope everyone likes the art, I'm certainly getting more and more stoked about it! 

Eric Kent, showing that he can do the cartoony art style I'm looking for, drew this THIEF sketch and sent it my way. I may bump this title back up to the head if he keeps drawing him instead, hehe. Definitely cool! 

LATEST NEWS: Landis, Dread, Ardy and more!

Alright, I'm going to try to do this in bullet form.

**- LANDIS v.1 (Volume 1) should be in MAY's issue of PREVIEWS, and be available at the latest in July. That means any orders for it through Amazon or Barnes and Noble online will be fulfilled by then.

As a side note on this, I want to thank Chris Crosby for putting up with me, and how much of a dick I probably was for a lot of it. Hopefully he realizes how near and dear to me that material is, and I've grown to understand why it has taken so long for this to finally be getting put together. He told me today that in the coming months, I'll receive color proofs to make sure everything is up to par before the finaly printings come out.

Hopefully, I'll actually be allowed to put some of my own sketches in there for the characters and such, because it isn't often that your work gets done, and if nothing else, like Kevin Smith, I'm putting everything I have into this, that way I can say that I drew something in it.

**- Thief may be put aside from an artside until the right artist has been found for the property. JK Radtke expressed interest early on for it, but has since decided that he'd rather work off rust with a webcomic or a smaller project, like the miniseries, ARDY/TORCH: Spring Broke. No problem from me, I'd rather have the script complete so I may be able to shop the property off.

**- As stated in bullet above, JK Radtke and I are putting the possibility of a webcomic together, and who knows where or when it might end up, but we're hoping to have some neat little pieces to use to show it in the coming weeks. There are two ideas from us, DREAD MUTT, a story about a Bounty Hunting Dog, and Radtke's own Sister Syn, which I'm sure he can explain better than me, so I won't even try.

**- Atomic Teen is going to move forward, but I'll stress the title like this...although I'm expecting it to be an ongoing story, it may start as a two or three issue story, then take a hiatus, before returning to continue, much like Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's Planetary. Just the format, not the story =).

**- Thief may end up being drawn by Eric Kent as well, but only after an issue or two of Atomic Teen have been completed, but this could change like the wind...more later.

**- Ardy: City That Never Sleeps, my first published comic story (after a book from 5th Panel Comics) is being contemplated for a return. The idea is simple...without having to redraw it, I'm thinking about releasing the whole story (including the 10 page finale) in a REDUX format, possibly re-writing some scenes and re-lettering the entire book. The reason is first, no one ever got to see the end, second, Earthshock from THIEF is actually the "villain" here, too, and third, I think the script may not have gone over as well as needed, so I'm looking to reletter it.

With this, will it happen? If I have my way it will. Eric has said that he'll help with this ANY way he can, and although I'm not exactly sure how we're going to do it, I would expect more info on this as well.

Hopefully I'll be able to give another big update like this when it happens. If and when I get more info on any of this stuff, you know here's where to look first.

Landis moving forward

Hi all,

I'm trying to give more up to date news as often as possible, without trying to just drum up the same stuff over and over again. Today, I bring you the latest information on a book that is 3 years in the making.

In October of 2002, I resubmitted an idea to Chris Crosby for a book called Landis. I said that we already had a cover for it drawn by then's X-Men artist, Ethan Van Sciver (now Green Lantern Rebirth's artist) and said that we should really try to gain some sales by utilizing that cover and that art. Chris couldn't disagree, or if he could, for once he didn't =), and we decided to find an artist. A Young Canadian by the name of Owen Gieni was found with a vigor and powerful stroke, the man was a renaissance artist, able to pencil, ink and paint, WOW. This guy was perfect. He could draw manga, comics, or sci-fi (as he showed with his designs for THE GOODS). This book was fast tracked, and with Keenspot backing it undercover, from the three of us creating a name that would show up in the front of the independent portion of Previews, A-BOMB, we were moving forward. I never felt a script get written so quick and well by me, and then everytime I saw Owen's pages, I knew that he understood and hoped he was enjoying the pages as well.

The title was where I got free reign to write what I wanted, when I wanted to, and about whatever I wanted. Chris was editing it, but it really was just flowing, and though I got told I had to re-write #0, which saw print and looked great, even on newsprint, I still got to do it my way. In fact, right here, knowing that Chris will probably read this, I have to say that I've been a dick about this project, trying every way I can to get it printed...heck, I still want some of the original art, but Owen and I only talk on rare occassions now because he's trucking away on sorethumbs.com, a cool webcomic about political video game store owners. Anyway, before staying on a rant, I want Chris to know that I'm apologizing for a lot of things I may have said, since all he wanted to do was find a way to get the most exposure for my title so it wasn't a waste of money for him or his company, and it has taken me this long to understand that.

Anyways, LANDIS v.1 right now is slated for July of 2005, so it should be available to be seen in the May issue of Previews. This is great because it means two things...It should be available to show at all the big conventions, and hopefully it'll be ready at HEROES CON in Charlotte, since with all my wedding planning and all, I may not have the money for the other shows, and it'll definitely be available to give as gifts to everyone who attends my wedding, hehe.

LANDIS v.1 is about an immortal named Elisa Landis and her adventures. Thsoe she befriends and those that consider her an enemy, all trying to locate Thor's hammer, Mjolnir.

It is also the first full color appearance of the alien known as Ardy Vanstarr, just in time for his 20th birthday in 2006.

More later!

ARDY and more.

Tim Johnson recently gave me the okay to REPUBLISH Ardy: City That Never Sleeps, as long as I don't credit him. He said it isn't because he wasn't proud of the art, he just feels its because he's so much further than that point in his art life. So I may republish that with the Tom Nguyen (JLA, BATMAN, etc) drawing as the cover, since its a cool piece, or maybe the Bill Maus piece.

I want everyone to know that if I do it, it is simply because I felt that it was such a fun story that it NEEDS to be redone, since the last 10 pages NEVER saw print, and I've recently found parts to it that never saw print the first time. If I DO republish it, I may do so as a DIRECTOR'S CUT, and re-letter it, clean up some of the sequences, and actually add some director's commentary.

Chris Crosby does not own the artwork or the publishing rights and he's told me that he'd be okay with the reprinting, but of which, as a nice thing to do, I'll definitely credit where the pieces originally saw print, just because its the fair and honest thing to do.

Speaking of Chris Crosby, I'll be emailing him this week, in an attempt to get an update on the status of LANDIS, the first 5 issues that are to be re-printed in the summer before convention season. Hopefully he's ready to really get it out there, snice the first issue was very well received, and artist Owen Gieni DESERVES to be out there with the big names. I've never seen a young artist put so much into making the title come alive, and Owen did just that. I got excited about seeing pages from a book I wrote EVERY time he sent them my way.

Hopefully, you folks will get to see the pages at some point, on more than really bad newsprint. But then again, heck, how many indy-writers can say their book was ever FULL COLOR? I gotta give it to Crosby...he gave me the right to say that.

This is Earthshock. He wears a helmet that restricts his power from being too strong, as he has seismic powers, and he also wears bands around his wrists like space ghost. I've always loved this silly early 1990's design, but this was done just recently because in Thief #1, Earthshock makes his retun to comics. I just figured I'd show that even while I'm not writing, I'm still designing the characters. 

Talk with Joe Quesada

Well, earlier tonight, I was reading on NEWSARAMA.COM, probably the best place to get info on upcoming comics, and it would be great to one day get some headline on there, when I was reading an interview between Joe Quesada and his editor, Axel Alonso, when I noticed that Joey Q was online...so I decided what the hell. And I did ask permission to use one quote from him, hopefully he doesn't hate me for posting a little bit here. Joe Quesada is the Editor in Chief at Marvel.

RPotchak: Joe, you are all over the place on Newsarama...thanks for all the insight

JOE Q: yeah, like a bad smell

RPotchak: if you say so. It's impressive that you are trying to be a lot more open with the comic public... it almost seemed for a while there that you had disappeared into the night

JOE Q: I was just laying low for a while

RPotchak: just when do we get to clone you so one can draw? =)
RPotchak: we all miss your art...some of us just don't mind saying it

JOE Q: Got a petrie dish filled with DNA but it ain't working

RPotchak: Marvel's lawyer's not letting you go forward with stem-cell? =)

JOE Q: LOL!

RPotchak: could you imagine what kind of creativity we could get out of like 5 Quesada's?

JOE Q: Five times the lazyness

And because I want to keep most of it to myself, since I don't want to get sued by Marvel, and may in fact want to TRY to get hired by them one day, I'll just end it with this...

RPotchak: what drives you to stay on top...besides the obvious, Bob Wayne pulling out his hair?

JOE Q: Boob Wayne doesn't drive me to do anything but laugh

RPotchak: thanks for being such a sport, Joe...and you said boob, was that a typo?

JOE Q: What drives me is just making good comics for people who spend their hard earned money on them. Did I say Boob, well look at that

Now, I don't think he meant to take another shot at Bob Wayne, (who doesn't like Quesada for statements made in the New Yorker, and he himself works for DC Comics) especially when I asked to use a couple quotes for my blog (I've got that part saved, so, I think I'm in the clear).

I just thought it was fun to finally be a five minute interviewer and have everything sound fun. I hope my three readers enjoy.

Superbowl Sunday

I know I've already given my prediction, but I'm going to go into how I think the game NEEDS to go if its going to end with how I said.

Everyone believes if Philly is going to win, its going to be a game where they have to win a close one. I don't think this is the case. In the 8th week of the season, when New England was playing Pittsburgh, Pitt jumped out to a 17-3 lead, and New England was done. They didn't know what to do, and they were taken out of their gameplan.

A close game can go to either team, and Adam Vinatieri is probably the most clutch player in the game since Joe Montana.

Philly needs to make a quick score and a quick stop in the first quarter. If they don't get that, its going to be a long day. These two teams have only played 2 games in 5 weeks, now. There's going to be some rust, so Philly needs to jump out early.

It'll be interesting. But I'm stating this as fact. The Eagles NEED a quick score out the box, to throw the other team off their plan.

Been a couple...

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I know I go in spurts. Figured I'd give a rundown.

I bought some new comics this week, including Phoenix: Endsong from Marvel. Apparently the first two issues have sold out, so I made sure to pick them both up. Marvel does this thing, now where they reprint a book, or a second printing as its known, but their new marketing strategy is to call them "Limited Edition" books when they are second prints, which is pretty accurate. They change the cover on the second print, but they print less of them, so although its stupid, it works.

I input the entire side of my family's addresses into the laptop, and MANNNN is that a long list. This list, of course, is for the wedding guest list, and my family side alone is like 100 people...sheesh.

The writing has slowed a little the past couple days, not just here, but in general. I'm hoping the laptop isn't hurting my creativity. Its intended to do the exact opposite, but, any creative person knows that some things meant to make it easier...rarely do.

I have the whole #0 issue and 3/4 of the #1 issue of THIEF written, already, and next issue the fun really starts, as I'll introduce a team of heroes that wants answers for where Infinity had disappeared to, and how he "came back." Should be a fun reactionary type story.

It's funny, I used to notice that I would write action scene, action scene, drama, action scene, drama. Now, I find myself flip-flopping that. I'm writing more dramatically, with less action and being told that there isn't enough going on. I'm told the scripts move along and deal where they need to, but an entire issue can take place in five minutes time.

I try not to decompress, but sometimes, you need to have the character put one moment into place, and the whole issue encompasses it.

Well, I'm going to leave it at that...Oh, and how about Philly 31 - New England 17.

You heard it here first.

The Best News of the Week!

Today I received my HP Laptop from Bestbuy's CTO. I have to upgrade the memory on it, but I've already got a wireless mouse for it, so I should be up and running with it in almost no-time.

This is great for everybody, because it'll allow me to move around and have my creative juices flowing, not just from my computer room in my house. Hopefully this will mark a whole new element in my creative process.

Let's hope I don't break it.