jasonfranks

 
Last year Steve sevenredblurs  Mangold and I co-wrote a story that was published in BAD-ASS FAERIES 2.

The anthology was mentioned in a recent New York Times article about the renewed popularity of modern fairytales in the bookstore:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/books/review/Marler-t.html?_r=1

Check out the article! The book has just been reprinted (now under the banner of a different publisher, Mundania Press). Steve and I are in volume 2: http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Bad-Ass+Faeries+2:+Just+Plain+Bad

Amazon have sold out of the prior (Mariette Publishing) edition of the book  and the new one does not appear to be available there yet, but you can purchase it from the publisher's website at the link above. It's also available as a PDF ebook.

-- JF

Guest writer Jen Breach takes a third turn behind the wheel:

 http://www.thesixsmiths.com/wordpress/?p=293

 Cover concept for a GN  called DEUCE I am working on with Nic Hunter.



-- JF

The Sixsmiths family wishes you a happy halloween:

http://www.thesixsmiths.com/wordpress/?p=290


Hail Satan!

-- JF

This week's installment is a little bouncier than usual. Make with clicky:

http://www.thesixsmiths.com/wordpress/?p=287

--JF

 
Dear Powderfinger,

Boys, I've never been a huge fan, but I like a couple of your songs and I always sort of respected you for being the mainstays mainstays of domestic Aussie indie rock. You've never been exported well; aside from brief appearance on the MI:2 soundtrack the local bands that have gone on to crack the US have been always of the bigger and dumber variety: Blink 182 The Living End, the Vines, Jet, Wolfmother. I don't wanna call you boys soft, but, like your music, you fellas have always been the sensitive types who've stayed home to look after Mum. I've never doubted yoru credibility before, but I'm afraid I gotta call you on this new one.

See, I caught the video for your new song, All of the Dreamers, on TV over the weekend and... well, where to begin? Ok, let's start witht he first line:

"But when you come down to the barrio. Get a feel of the peoples scenario."

I'm really sorry, but that is just fucking terrible. Yes, it rhymes, but really? This from the same 'acclaimed songwriters' who penned My Kinda Scene? But it's worse than that. See, based on the video clip, I'm pretty sure that you don't know what a 'barrio' is. (Hint: Downtown Melbourne isn't it). The Melbourne CBD is as much the barrio as P!nk is a rockstar.

Now, okay, I know there's almost no Hispanic people in Australia to put you wise, but I still have to call you on it. And fellas, I'm as happy as anyone to see the return of flannel and stubble,  but the waxed eyebrows are ruining the effect. It's all getting a bit boy-band for my taste. 

Pull up your socks and wash behind your ears, chaps. I expect better.

-- JF

 
I'm just about recovered from the Armageddon expo now, just in time for the book launch tomorrow night.

KAGEMONO: TOOTH AND CLAW arrived the day before the show, thanks entirely to the heroic efforts of Baden Kirgan of Jeffries Printing. 

I showed up on Friday to set up and then worked the whole con, 8 til 8 on Saturday and 8 til 6 on Sunday, on the verge of exhaustion and sporting the worst haircut I've had in about 10 years.

Traffic seemed light this year and volume-wise I sold less books than I have in a long time... but the new KAGEMONO sold as well as any new book I've brought to a show and I did manage to walk away with a profit (if you don't count the money I spent buying other comics).  I shared a table with Bobby N, a local creator who is developing a firm reputation as the secret weapon of the Melbourne indie scene. (Check out Bobby's con report, which is, as usual, much more detailed than my own and contains photos: http://bobbynsblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/normal.html). 

Caught up with a bunch of other locals at the show, including Trev Wood, Colin Wilson, Tom Taylor, John Retallick, Matt Emery, Brendan Halyday, Luke Pickett, Andrew Fulton, Avi Bernshaw, Paul Bedford, Henry Pop, James Andre, Chris Sequeira, Ben Stenbeck and Ben 'BMB' Byrne. I actually managed to speak to some of the guests: Nicola Scott and Greg Rucka, both of whom were charming and supportive despite me being a graceless noob trying to foist his work on his betters.  Lovely people; it was an absolute pleasure to speak to some pros whose work I've really enjoyed on my own home turf.

-- JF

KAGEMONO: TOOTH AND CLAW, the biggest and baddest Blackglass book ever, is now available for purchase through the online store. 10 stories at 84 pages by 14 creators from 5 different countries (or 6 if you count me as a Jaapie). 

Purchase multiple copies today!

I'll soon have it available through amazon.com and Melbourne-local comic shops, and I will be selling the book at Armageddon this weekend.

Cheers,

-- JF

 

KAGEMONO: TOOTH AND CLAW is now complete and at the printer. (Yes that is a new cover).Fingers crossed, it should be available for purchase at Armageddon this weekend.
 

And don't forget the book launch on Thursday the 22nd of October 2009 at Loop Bar, Meyers Place, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia.

Be sure to buy multiple copies!
 

-- JF

​

Haven't heard a lot about Bruce Mutard's new graphic novel, THE SILENCE (Allen and Unwin 2009) in the couple of months since it's been out, but it's a terrific book that deserves attention.
 
While on a business trip to procure some artwork, gallery manager Choosy and her artist boyfriend Dmitri discover an amazing new artist. As they search for the mysterious artist's identity they are confronted with the age old questions of art versus commerce and the nature of art itself.
 
If you're looking for exploding monster trucks, this isn't the book for you (see me after class, I have one of those for you). If you're interested in a serious attempt to solve a difficult philosophical question, rendered with staggering aplomb in Mutard's polished, realist style, you need to check it out.
 
What is perhaps most impressive to me is that Mutard is willing to tackle the big philosophical questions ("What is art?") without resorting to action blockbuster theatrics or ceding the argument to a despairing 'it's all too hard.' He operationalizes the problem with a pair of interesting and well-realized characters and uses them to demonstrate his Zappa-esque conclusion in no uncertain terms. But, over and above all of that, Mutard uses comics to frame the problem in a way that no other medium could have.
 
This book actually predates Mutard's prior offering, THE SACRIFICE, although it has changed publishers and undergone a substantial reconfiguration since it was first completed. The illustration looks just about as polished as SACRIFICE, although I don't think the dialogue is as natural in the first half. But that's just a quibble. This is a classy and intellectually rigorous book and I'm looking forward to reading it a second time.
 
It's not available in the direct market, because Allen and Unwin don't play that way, but you can find it in bookstores Australia-wide. It's also available on amazon.com, or you can buy direct from A&U.

-- JF

  

I once killed a man.

Mmmm…

I guess that’s not strictly true. I’ve killed a lot of men.

Women, too. Children.  Even some animals.

Lots of reasons, really. For king and country, yeah. For money. For revenge, for spite, for pleasure.

Now… nowadays it’s just kind of a bad habit, I guess.

So, yeah.  Anyway. I once killed a man…

Uh…

…I forget where I was going with this.  Can’t have been all that interesting if I’ve forgotten it already, can it?

Anyway, so, where were we?

 

This week's installment:

http://www.thesixsmiths.com/wordpress/?p=278

 Ladies and gents,

We have a bit of a book launch event coming up and you are all invited:

Blackglass Press, Milk Shadow Studios and Guzumo Comics are hosting party to launch their new books: KAGEMONO vol 2., YUCK! #2, THE GARBAGE TRUCK FAILURES, and EVERYTHING ENDS IN TEARS.

If you like comics, words, pictures, horror movies, music,  humour, or just some plain old fashioned drinking then this is the event for you!

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147449494267&ref=nf

http://www.blackglasspress.com
http://www.milkshadowstudios.com
http://www.guzumocomics.com

Your hosts: Jason Franks, James Andre & Matt Emery
Date: Thursday, 22 October 2009
Time: 19:30 - 21:30
Location:
Loop Bar
23 Meyers Place
Melbourne, 3000

-- JF

 

This week we've reached a whole new level of wrongness.

http://www.thesixsmiths.com/wordpress/?p=272

-- JF

Today's strip, by the usual crew of idiots:

 http://www.thesixsmiths.com/wordpress/?p=266

-- JF

 
Comp Copies
I love it when publishers send me free books.

Silver Hair
I am usually oblivious to fashion. If I notice something new, my usual reaction is usually one of sneering indifference. But I have to say, all these girls with silver hair I'm seeing around town? Awesome.

Having Too Many Deadlines
It's hard fucking work and I don't know when I last had a day off, but I am fucking thriving on all the work I have due. People actually want to read what I'm writing--when the hell did that happen?

-- JF