Limited Edition - Part 2

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Limited Edition

Speaking of Hypnotic Tales (in the last post), here is a large drawing that was published only in the limited edition hardcover version of that 1992 book. It was used for the endpapers at the front and back.

Below you can see how the printed version looked, at least at the back of the book.

In the front of the book there was also a signed bookplate which obscured part of the drawing. Plus the flap of the dust jacket hid parts of it as well.

Something else the hardcover version had that the soft cover version didn't: a quote on the inside dust jacket flap from the great Dan Clowes. The publisher (or the AD, can't remember) made the decision (mainly because of my design of the back cover) that there was room for only one quote on the back. And so even though Dan had graciously contributed his quote first, we went with the equally unbelievably kind quote from Gahan Wilson (which came in just as the book was about to go to the printer) as the sole quote on the back and the only quote on the softcover version. (I remember writing a letter of apology to Dan about that -- I hope he has finally forgiven me!)

Frankly, I was shocked that I had any quotes at all for my first book, let alone from two of my favorite cartoonists. In fact, they were the only two people I approached for a quote, so that was extremely encouraging. I have no idea if "blurbs" ever really help sales, but it certainly can give the author's ego a boost!

Haircut (1987)

Here is an old strip I recently came across - I didn't realize I still had it. It's from years and years ago - during the rise of "alternative" comics in the 1980s. It was originally published in some long forgotten anthology in 1987 and then reprinted in my book HYPNOTIC TALES in 1992.

I never seemed to really fit into the "alt" scene of those days, although I wanted to. For example, I wasn't interested in doing autobiographical comics which just about every alternative cartoonist back then did at some point - it seemed to be almost expected. All I wanted to write was fiction -- fiction free of the usual genre trapping found in comics. Certainly there were other cartoonists who were serious about doing that, too -- Gilbert Hernandez in particular, comes to mind. Admittedly, my stories tended to read more like fever dreams than narratives with a beginning, middle and end. I was (and still am) inspired by writers who gleefully dive into absurd and dark places, who may suddenly make abrupt turns into delirium or senseless violence. I loved black humor. And I loved employing the first-person "unreliable narrator" technique as well (that is, in this case, what the character was telling you was happening wasn't necessarily what you, the reader, saw was happening).

I also wasn't interested in the other typical trends found in alt comics in those days. There were funny animal comics (but, like, not for kids) and "variety show" comics (you know, the kind of comics that tried to follow in the footsteps of the great Eightball). Fantasy was big in alternative comics back then, too, believe it or not. The scene was crawling with elves and trolls and "wise-cracking" fish and rodents in capes and horse-headed people in love. (I mean, young cartoonists today probably wouldn't believe what was considered "alternative" back then). I also didn't feel my forte was in the field of scatological comics or comics that "pushed" any kind of boundaries or made any overt political statements. Back then I just wanted to write these odd little short stories, admittedly based on my own neurotic preoccupations. I saw myself as an expressionist, not a naturalist. I liked symbols and subtext, and madness and delirium. I like to depict things becoming unhinged, falling apart in ways that were psychological -- as far removed from "slice of life" and sympathetic characters as possible. My stories also flirted with elements of horror -- something else you rarely saw in alternative comics back then, believe it or not.

But there was a lot of the "I don't get it" reaction (in fact, that's STILL pretty much the reaction a lot of these early stories get!) - enough to figure that maybe I wasn't communicating my intentions properly. That's a real, legitimate concern for an artist.

Anyway -- Eventually, my love of genre elements - elements from thrillers and horror in particular - began to become a more prominent factor in my work. What really pushed me in that direction ultimately was the reaction to "Invisible Hands", which was a little tongue-in-cheek story that appeared in my self-published "Night Drive" in 1984. It was different from most of my work at that time. It was an expression of my life-long love for old-time mystery movies and pulps, written in a (fake) serial format. It was purchased by MTV out of the blue and was made into a cartoon in 1989. I honestly thought people wouldn't "get" that either -- well, most people didn't -- but a surprising amount apparently did. MTV had required me to turn my fake serial into an actual one, with a real story-line and a real ending. I enjoyed doing that more than I can say. I was in heaven. Instead of "commenting" on the genre, I was in it, actually a part of it, writing the kind of (absurd, mysterious, often frankly silly) story I always loved. It finally dawned on me -- this is who I am and who I always was. I just needed room to stretch out and tell long, complex stories. Eventually I was able to do that -- and, despite the time-consuming, labor-intensive nature of writing and drawing comics, it's really what I now feel most at home doing.

For anyone who may be interested (or has read this far!), I'm also putting "Haircut" up for sale. I'm going to offer it as a set, rather than as individual pages, for now. Interested parties may contact me directly at richard@richardsala.com -- or you may go on over to The Comic Art Collective and purchase it there. Here's the link: Comic Art Collective - Art by Richard Sala - Original comic art from top artists

Even if you do that, you should still consider writing to me directly afterwards. I can always help speed the process along. (Update: It looks like the strip has been sold. Thank you!)

Thank you, loyal readers!

In the Gallery

Thanks to all the people who participated in the shows at Meltdown and The Secret Headquarters. Thanks especially to Robert Goodin of Covered and to the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Linda Pine. The shows have now ended and the two pieces I had hanging in them have been added to the Comic Art Collective site - Comic Art Collective - Art by Richard Sala - Original comic art from top artists

(Both works have been sold)

Thank you!

By the way, you may always contact me directly through the email listed on this blog if you purchase art on the CAC but don't get a reply within a day or so.

Ghost Stories

Recent drawings commissioned for a book of ghost stories.

Thank you again, Booklist

Booklist Online - Top 10 Crime Fiction for Youth: 2010, by Ian Chipman (FEATURE)

More Praise from Booklist Re: CAT BURGLAR BLACK

Booklist Online - Great Graphic Novels for Teens: 2010 (FEATURE)

Many thanks to Booklist for continuing to say nice things about CAT BURGLAR BLACK. Besides making the list of "Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2010" (see above link), the book also recently appeared on their list of "Top Ten Crime Fiction Books for Youth".

These kinds of mentions are important for little books like mine, and I appreciate it very much. It helps keep the book alive long after the publisher has moved on to other things. I feel sure that the many kind reviews were the reason the first printing sold out and a (modest) second-printing followed. I truly enjoyed writing a book with a younger audience in mind and I am gratified that it appears to be my best-selling book. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to do it and to do it my way.

I've been receiving occasional letters and emails from schools and libraries with questions about the book and its characters and I want to thank all of those folks who were interested in the book enough to write. It means a lot to me. In answer to the most frequent question: A sequel has been plotted out in detail in which loose ends left dangling in the first book are tied up in (I hope) satisfying and unexpected ways. With any luck, someday that sequel will be able to join the first book on the shelf. However, these kinds of things are often sadly beyond one's control. I wrote the book so it could be read as either the first installment of a series or as a self-contained, stand-alone story with any loose ends not tied up left to stimulate the creative imagination of the reader. A little mystery is good for the soul!

So - it looks like the next book of mine to be released -- at the end of this year (knock on wood!) -- will be something entirely different and new. That's all I can really say right now. That, and the fact that there are a few other projects and surprises scheduled to start showing up late this year and early in 2011 (I suppose I'd better knock on wood again! Nothing is ever certain, unfortunately).

I'll naturally post more concrete news about upcoming projects right here when I can. Writing and drawing comics can be a long and arduous process and I am grateful for the readers who have stuck with me, been patient with me, and encouraged me through the years. Thank you all very much!