The New Stumblebum Studios

Adam WarRock Gig Poster

2011-03-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

Gig poster for Adam WarRock's show at Leeter's on April 9th! Partly inspired by the awesomely insane cover to Strange Adventures #156, "The Man With The Head of Saturn".

The Fantastic Four-In-One Man

2011-03-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

I was working on this for the Whitechapel Cover Remodel of Fantastic Four #1 but unfortunately I missed the deadline. I was digging what I'd come up with so I decided to finish it up anyway and share it with the class. I love these remake/remodel/redesign challenges but I spend waaaay too long developing an idea before I start the finished piece which is why I'm always running up to the deadline or missing it completely.

Let's Have A Meeting About That

2011-02-16T15:18:00.001-08:00

I have a lot of meetings at work. During these meetings I doodle in my sketchbook. A lot. People usually think this means I am not paying attention. They are correct.

Whoops

2011-01-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

Man, I need to update this blog more often, yeah? Sorry. Here's a thing!

Blue Beetle Tres

2010-09-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

The Blue Beetle (aka Jaime Reyes)... this was a birthday present for a friend. I'm a huge fan of Ted Kord, but Jaime's pretty awesome. But man that costume is hard to draw!

Must Only Zibarro See The Beauty In A Sunset?

2010-09-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

Been re-reading All-Star Superman and remembering why it's one of the best comics ever. Case in point - Zibarro, the 'Bizarro' Bizarro Superman. That series also makes me long for a Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen ongoing series by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely... now that would be an awesome series.

Commissions

2010-09-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! As I mentioned in the previous post my D Magazine gig is done. Well the last few months have been a pretty bad time to be without that work (mostly due to having to get a new car and all the expenses that come along with it) so I figured now was a pretty good time to start doing commissions regularly again! Rates and samples below:

Sketchcard - $10

Headshot - $15

Single Character - $40

Additional Characters - $15 per character

All commissions are 8.5x11 (except sketchcards - 2.5x3.5), black & white, inked. Shipping is $5.

Here's a few samples!

For more samples check out my DeviantArt Gallery. If you'd like a commission email me with the details at thesuperleezard@yahoo.com. Payment taken by PayPal. Muchas gracias, mi amigos!

One Last Souvenir

2010-09-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Souvenir of Dallas is no longer going to be featured in D Magazine. Above is the very last one we did, which was featured in the July issue. Souvenir ran at D for three years and it was an extremely rewarding experience. I just want to say thanks to Tim Rogers and the rest of the fine folks at D for giving it a home for the last few years and letting us do some crazy stuff. Thanks to all the people who read and enjoyed the comic. And thanks to David Hopkins for writing such awesome scripts. For David's thoughts on the end of Souvenir of Dallas, just CLICK HERE. Not sure if it live on or in what form but I'll keep you posted.

More MarvelCats!

2010-09-20T11:10:00.001-07:00

Is it me or does Purrfessor X (HA!) look more like a teddy bear than a cat. Damn. Oh well. My favorites of the bunch have to be Venom and Speedball, incidently the two characters I can't think of funny cat names for.

The Cat-tastic Four (ouch)

2010-09-20T09:57:00.000-07:00

Jumping onboard the MarvelCats train that Katie Cook started. Spent a while this weekend just sketching out bunches of these little critters. So here's the Cat-tastic Four ready to do battle with Cat-lactus. And look, Mr. Cat-tastic even brought his Ultimate Nullifier. Even more MarvelCats to come... stay tuned!

Business Cards Are Go!

2010-08-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

I haven't had personal business cards in a long while. Oh, I've been told I needed them and found myself wishing on more than one occasion that I had some at my table at a con, but I could never come up with anything I really liked. Well, as you can see in the fuzzy pics above, I finally came up with something I like. Hopefully I can get these things printed and shipped to me in time for the Dallas Comic Con next weekend.

Heart(less)

2010-04-15T08:22:00.001-07:00

(Un)Dead Presidents

2010-04-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

This was done for Dead Presidents week over at the Metrosketchual blog. You can check out the final version HERE.

Canary On The Catwalk Tease

2010-04-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

Just a little tease of my in-progress Black Canary redesign for Project Rooftop's Canary On The Catwalk contest.

Goin' Rogue

2010-03-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

I think it's time to admit I've failed at the whole "Sketch-a-day" thing. Still want to keep this updated on a regular basis so whaddaya say to a sketch-every-coupla-days? Anyway, here's Rogue. Felt like drawing her current threads. It's a pretty swell outfit.

Two Wild And Crazy Guys

2010-03-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of random doodles from last night. Been reading Fear Agent recently so that's where the alien comes from. I think maybe I was trying to draw Owlman in that second pic and couldn't remember what he looked like.

Cupcake or Death

2010-03-08T09:32:00.001-08:00

The lives of cartoon cupcakes.

"Speak Softly And Carry A Big Stick!"

2010-03-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

A sketch of the Superman redesign I did for Warren Ellis' forums. Bully!

Monster!

2010-03-08T09:04:00.000-08:00

I love drawing monsters.

A Cat In A Man-Suit

2010-03-02T08:38:00.001-08:00

Like it says on the tin, a cat in a man-suit. Somewhat inspired by Kemlo Caesar, The Hyperdog who was one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite comics, Top 10. I should really draw some of those characters!

Some People Call Me Maurice...

2010-03-01T12:56:00.001-08:00

Space cowboy.

The Flying Fortresses... OF DEATH!

2010-02-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

The first four pages of my first full-length Dash Bradley comic, The Flying Fortresses of Doom.

Wee Folk

2010-02-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

My sketch o' the day and a little bonus scribble - a scary fairy and a devil dog.

Taste My Justice!

2010-02-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Hope you're reading The Tick: New Series by Benito Cereno and Les McClaine. If not then you must hate Justice. And America. Why do you hate America?

Daddy's Little Girl

2010-02-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

It's Galacta, Daughter of Galactus! Created by the totally badass Adam Warren, she'll be starring in her own one-shot coming out in May.

All Star Superwoman

2010-02-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

Ugh. Seriously, I'm trying to get better at drawing women but I don't think you'd know it from this sketch. I guess I'm pretty much happy with everything but that head. The hair, the face... just awful.

Son of (a) God

2010-02-16T13:01:00.000-08:00

Saw The Lightning Thief over the weekend. Not great, not terrible. There were some fun ideas and some really cool visuals. I really think it would have made an awesome tv show.

Mig-El, The Spider-Boy of Tomorrow!

2010-02-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

More Amalgam craziness, this time with Spider-Boy 2099!

The Old 97's

2010-02-11T13:43:00.001-08:00

Here's some comic pages I did waaaaaay back in 1997, the year I graduated high school! No idea if these pages were done in anticipation of showing them to an editor at a con or not. Oh God, I hope I didn't show these off to some editor. As you can probably tell two of my favorite books at the time were Joe Kelly's X-Men and Mark Waid's Ka-Zar (in which Thanos was the big bad). What is with those aliens? That design is just rude. Jeez. Man, I bet I thought these pages were really awesome once upon a time.

You can see these terrible, terrible pages in more detail on my DA page, God help ya.

Super-Soldier: The Man Of War

2010-02-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

The Outrageous Spider-Boy

2010-02-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

It's too bad Marvel and DC are so antagonistic these days. I would love to see the return of Amalgam Comics, especially Spider-Boy! More Amalgam sketches to come over the next week or two.

Super Secret Secret Avenger

2010-02-08T14:35:00.001-08:00

Even more Marvel ad parodying, this time of the Secret Avenger variety. I'm sure this'll get old at some point... but not yet!

Least Likely To Be An Avenger SPOILER ALERT

2010-02-05T15:27:00.001-08:00

*SPOILER ALERT* If you haven't read Siege #2 you might not want to look at this post. I warned ya.

More parodying of the "I Am An Avenger" ads. Poor, poor Ares. He really came apart in that last issue.

Original Avenger

2010-02-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

More parodying of the "I Am An Avenger" ads. Art by Ian Gibson from the Grant Morrison/Ian Gibson comic book series, Steed and Mrs. Peel. Really need to find those issues someday.

Ich Bin Ein Avenger

2010-02-04T14:51:00.001-08:00

This popped into my head almost as soon as I saw the "I Am An Avenger" ads. I know the whole "I am a donut" has actually been refuted but still... it's funny yeah? Check out Chip Zdarsky's mock-up!

The Original Super-Badass

2010-02-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

Created by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca, Afrodisiac first appeared in one of my all-time favorite indy comics, Street Angel before starring in his own graphic novel, which just hit shelves a week or two ago. I highly recommend checking it out, Rugg's skills are mind-blowing.

You're A Wonder, Wonder Boy!

2010-02-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

I haven't drawn good ol' Wonder Boy in quite a while. I still love the costume and the concept... maybe one day I'll actually get to do something with this guy.

Celestial Mechanics

2010-02-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

The Celestial Mechanics first popped up in the God of Rock one-pager I did a few weeks ago for the STAPLE! program and I've become quite fond of them since.

Little Trooper Lost

2010-02-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Hey look, it's the first Stormtrooper I've ever drawn!

Haunt-ed

2010-01-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

Love the book Haunt, in no small part thanks to the incredible Ryan Ottley. I was sad to hear that he'll be leaving the book after issue 5 but I'm amazed he was able to do that and Invincible at the same time anyway! Think I'll stick with Haunt for a while though since Greg Capullo will be drawing it after Ottley leaves.

Le Morte

2010-01-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

Weird sketch that started off as just the severed head and grew from there.

Caitlin & The Gen-Actives

2010-01-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

I don't draw enough ladies. And I think it shows. I definitely need to work on that. Also messed around with a logo design in this sketch. I kinda dig it.

I think I should note that all of these sketch-a-day drawings are usually done with a ballpoint pen.

The Lion of Olympus!

2010-01-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

Been digging the heck out of the Incredible Hercules series from Marvel so I figured I'd take a shot at drawing the Prince of Power. He's supposed to be running but he kinda looks like he's doing some kinda weird dance. Maybe he's just drunk.

So I Lied...

2010-01-25T14:42:00.001-08:00

I told you, my promises mean nothing. Now I'm falling insanely behind on this whole sketch-a-day thing. I think I've failed. This is how I feel today at work:

Sketch-A-Week?

2010-01-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

Crap! As if it wasn't bad enough that I started late, now I'm falling even further behind! Okay, new sketch tomorrow, promise!

Seis

2010-01-15T09:03:00.001-08:00

Brave heart, Tegan.

Cinco

2010-01-13T12:02:00.001-08:00

Watched Sam Rockwell's Moon last night. It was amazing and kind of inspired today's sketch.

Quatro

2010-01-12T09:27:00.001-08:00

Tres

2010-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

Got an itch to sketch some updated versions of the characters from my old webcomic Der Wundervolle Bean. Maybe one day I'll bring this comic back.

Dos

2010-01-08T07:24:00.000-08:00

Just a bunch a weird, random stuff mostly doodled during a very long and boring meeting at work.

Uno

2010-01-07T14:10:00.001-08:00

Decided to jump in on the Sketch-A-Day thing. Aiming at doing 365... already a few days behind here. So to start here's a big, super-sized OMAC inspired by Cory Walker's version.

It's Indy Comic Book Week... Day!

2009-12-30T08:01:00.001-08:00

It's finally here! Indy Comic Book Week! No Spider-Man, no Batman, no Avengers, no X-Men... just good, old-fashioned, homegrown independent comics as far as the eye can see! Okay, so there's that one issue of Blackest Night. But still, this week belongs to the Indy's! Including MY very first nationally distributed comic book collecting my 24 hour comic trilogy, God of Rock. It's a crazy, caffeine-and-cigarrette-fueled tale about Pan, the God of Rock and his battle against the evil forces of Anti-Rock, who are out to destroy rock-n-roll and enslave the world. Check out a preview of the book at TFAW. You can snag a copy of God of Rock at one of the following retailers:

Titan Comics in Dallas, Texas

Zeus Comics and Collectibles in Dallas, Texas

Heroplex Comics and Games in North Richland Hills, Texas

Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma

SpazDog Comics in Phoenix, Arizona

Source Comics and Games in Falcon Heights, Minnesota

Pulp Nouveau Comix in Canandaigua, New York

Midtown Comics in New York, New York

Phantom of the Attic in Pittsburgh, PA

Things From Another World Online Store

Other awesome ICBW comics to be on the look out for include Matthew Warlick's Senryu, Jake Ekiss' Solomon Azua and David Hopkins' One Night Stand (which is apparently available at just about every comic store ever). There will be signings and events all over, it's like a nerd holiday. Here's where a few of my fellow ICBW collaborators and good buddies will be today:

David Hopkins will be at Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles, CA

Joe Eisma will be at Keith's Comics in Dallas, TX

Jake Ekiss will be at Titan Comics in Dallas, TX

Matthew Warlick will be at Madness Games & Comics in Plano, TX

I was planning to be at Titan Comics with Jake today but a combination of work and debilatating illness kept me from being able to go. But that's not going to stop me from heading straight to the comic book store when I get off work! So come on, it's Wednesday and there's absolutely no reason you shouldn't be at your local comic book store checking out all of the awesome independent comics hitting the new week rack! And in the immortal words of renowned film critic Jay Sherman, "Buy my book! Buy my book! Buy my book!"

Just Remember, My Promises Mean Nothing

2009-12-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

I really should say thanks to everyone who was part of Stumblebum Studios over the years. Stumblebum was awesome because you guys ARE awesome, simple as that. My love to everyone involved who did such amazing stuff for the website, the books, at conventions and appearances and on those nights of endless folding and stapling and folding and stapling and folding and stapling, ad infinitum.

Here's to you Drew Clements, Katie Cook, Josh Dahl, David DeGrand, A.C. Hall, Bryan Hester, Josh Hinkle, David Hopkins, Neal Langham, Chris Medellin, Sam Milligan, Dana Place, Barry Rodges, Dave Sherrill, Cal Slayton, Kevin Steele, Brian Warthen, Ryan Wilcox and Aaron Wilson. To me you'll always be 'Bums.

A big thank you to everyone who wrote reviews for us, everyone were kind enough to do interviews, everyone who visited the site (accidently or on purpose), everyone who bought our books, every store that carried our books, everyone who ever supported us and even those who sometimes didn't. Thanks for being a part of it. You're all honorary 'Bums.

And last but not least, here's to my mom, Debbie Milligan. She was the webmaster of Stumblebum Studios from the beginning and she put in a hell of a lot of work to make sure the website worked, looked awesome and got updated every week. I don't think it would have been possible without her. And she did it all for free. I'm sorry mom... I'm a terrible son. I love you.

I'm sure I've forgotten some folks. If I did forget you please feel free to hate me forever.

Also, I promise to update this blog much more frequently than I have in the past. Which was pretty much never. Cross my heart.

The New Stumblebum Studios... Again

2009-12-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the homebase of the New Stumblebum Studios! Which is really just me, Paul Milligan, and my art (and whatever other rambling nonsense I decide to post here... you'll see).

Stumblebum Studios was formed in 2004 by me, A.C. Hall, Dana Place and Kevin Steele as a way to promote our creative endeavors. Over the next few years we self-published close to a dozen different comics (including four huge and awesome anthologies), recruited even more wonderfully artistic friends, began a weekly e-zine with articles and reviews covering all forms of entertainment and made a bit of a name for ourselves on the Texas con circuit. And then one day it all just kind of came to an end. With a whimper, rather than a bang.

See, just before the end we went through a massive reorganization. We invited a whole bunch of new talent to join the team, revamped our website and were getting primed for the next big step. Except we never really took it. We just sort of floundered with no real plan or direction to follow. I blame myself for that... I was so caught up with reinventing our look and our roster that it never really occurred to me that, hey maybe we should have some goals too. And slowly but surely we drifted apart until there wasn't really a Stumblebum Studios anymore, just a website that promised news that was never to come.

And for the most part I think we were cool with that, because most of us had become too busy to notice anyway. I like to think it was because the plan worked. That the original goal of showcasing our talent and getting our names out there was fulfilled. We were busy. We had projects. It was time to move on. We just didn't want to say goodbye is all. So much so that for years afterward Dana and I would constantly talk about what to do with Stumblebum. But it never materialized into anything. And so Stumblebum continued to sit quitely in it's little corner of the web, like a kid that not only gets picked last for dodgeball but when he is picked is done so grudglingly and is quickly knocked out of the game by his own teammates. Probably a red-headed kid.

But then people were constantly telling me, "You need to get a website." "You need to have more presence online." "You should do something with the Stumblebum name." "You smell. Take a shower." And so I took a shower and I thought, I used to have a website, didn't I? An awesome one? One that people really loved? What the hell ever happened to it?

Well you're looking at it. Yeah I know, it's just me this time and I was never really the best part of Stumblebum to begin with, but a world without Stumblebum Studios in it... is that a world you really want to live in? I'm doing this for you, see? Enjoy my art and make the world a better place! Stumblebum is back, baby! This time for good. (Or at least until the computers become intelligent, revolt and we end up in a never-ending war with the machines for the future of the planet. They have robots that eat corpses to power themselves for God's sake! It's true! We're all doomed!)

Introducing The Gang

2008-08-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here's some character designs for a new graphic novel I'm working on with writer David Hopkins (Emily Edison, Astronaut Dad, Karma Incorporated). David and I work together on a bi-monthly one-page comic for D Magazine called Souvenir of Dallas. I've been wanting to work with David on something bigger than Souvenir for a long time and when I brought him this idea (which will remain hush-hush for now but it does involve a group of indy comic creators) he totally dug it and we got to work.

This is my second pass at a group shot of the characters as I finalize their looks. Next I'll do individual character sheets so I can get used to drawing these folks. I've never really prepared too heavily for any of the comics I've done. I usually do a few sketches and then dive right into the pages, making up character designs and such as I go along. Probably not the best approach. This time I'm going to get these characters down before I draw one single panel of art for the book.

Say Then Do

2008-07-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Last night I plotted and then layed out most of a six page comic. Made me feel better about the whole being useless and lazy post from yesterday. I always feel kinda dumb after I put up posts like that. Makes me look like a whiner, constantly bitching about things that really shouldn't be that hard to deal with if I just man up.

Actually it really was kind of valid to begin with... the whole feeling creative when there's not much you can do about it thing. That was actually a valid topic I think, because it happens. But then it devolved into some sort of sad sack, woe-is-me, why-am-I-so-lazy-and-stupid kind of post. Like that's going to help me accomplish anything. So yeah, sorry about inflicting that upon you.

Whatever... I plotted and layed out most of a six page comic last night. That is good. I'm excited to draw the thing. It's the debut for a pulp-inspired character I created recently, Phantom Face... that's him up top. Man, I want to draw lots of comics about this guy.

Wrong Place, All The Time

2008-07-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

This is a problem I've had for a long time. I've noticed it for years, it's something that dawns on me every once in a while and then slips my mind moments later. It's not a problem I can really fix. At least I don't think there's a solution.

Anyway, problem = this: it seems that my moments of highest creative energy, the times when I am most excited and anxious and ready to draw/write/create are always (ALWAYS) at the most inopportune times and places. At work, where there is little opportunity to bust out a pencil and paper and start drawing lest I be caught and admonished for not working... even when there isn't much to do. Or driving, sure I could pull over and get something done but that's usually not an option, especially since I'm usually trying to get somewhere. It's just that this creative mood always hits me when I can't seem to act upon it. I've kind of got it right now.

But y'see by the time I get home, or some other place I can act on said creative impulses... well the feeling has kind of disappated. Like after work... man, I am lazier than usual after work. All I want to do is nothing at all. And then at the end of the night I sit and feel bad about not doing anything. Seriously, what is up with that? How's that fair. My mind is getting all anxious, my stomach is filled with that feeling you get when you're keyed up and eager and excited about something cool (like Christmas morning when you're ten) and I feel like I'm on the edge of a breakthrough and then... poof... it's gone. Right when I can actually use it, it's vanished. Yet another symptom of my disease, my inability to actually use my talent to further my own personal goals.

What the hell man? How can someone recognize a problem, be upset about it and still not be able to fix it? I have the talent, I know that. I'm a good artist, I love creating cool and interesting things, I like that people like my work. So what is this cursed wall that stands between me and actually going after this dream... I mean really going after it?! And how do I break it down?

(This has been a presentation of "Realizing You're Wasting Your Potential And Not Doing Anything About It, You Moron" Chapter 625, by Paul Milligan)

And Here We Go

2008-07-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Man, how many webpages does one guy need? I've already got my Deviant Art Page and my (sorely neglected) LiveJournal. I mean, I can barely keep those two pages updated (and let's not forget about my almost totally abandoned Stumblebum Studios), what business do I have starting up a brand new blog? Almost none really. But hey, everyone else is on blogger it seems. And yes, if everyone else jumped off a bridge I would be right behind 'em.

Actually I really just wanted to start fresh with a blog that is completely dedicated to my artwork. Such as it is. I hope you guys dig what you see. And I hope I give you guys lots to see. If not just write to your congressman. I'm sure he'll do something about it.

I'm Paul, by the way. How are ya?