Aaron Renier

So MoCCA Art Festival is this weekend... and I will try to get in and walk around and pretend I shouldn't be at home drawing. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody. Liz Prince and Nate Beaty will be crashing on my floor.

Craig recently put up a comic we started to do together... so I thought I should add a little bit to that. Here are some frames I like that he didn't post on his blog.

The reason it didn't work is that we are both working on our own projects... and what started out as a fun game, became a chore. I would love to do something with him when we live in the same city again. Somebody on his blog said our work goes together like peanut butter and chocolate... and that made me really happy. There was such a long time that I was so influenced by him, and compaired to him, that I feared I wouldn't continue on to find my own voice. I feel like I have, and when Walker Bean comes out other's will realize this as well... but I loved that I could still be complementary of him, since he is not only a very good friend, but one of my favorite artists.

On a last note, my comic book cover for Nickelodeon Magazine is out.... it's hidden inside the Indiana Jones issue... so if you get a chance take a look while you are grocery shopping.

I hope everyone is doing well! 

So my first book project since Spiral-Bound is out in stores. You can order it here at amazon. It's part of a series of books called The Knights Tales by Gerald Morris. There is at least one more to follow that I have already finished. I hope it does well, because that means I can continue drawing and getting better at drawing knights, and horses and hopefully dragons. My dream is that more and more of these types of projects can happen, and people will seek out my other work, and then eventually I can just be doing my own books. I'm very glad to be a part of this series though. The author is also from Wisconsin, and for some reason, I feel like it's this that makes our work fit together.

Almost 90% of my friends are in Portland Oregon for Stumptown comic fest. My biggest regret is not being there for the unveiling of BFF by my good friend Nate Beaty. I wish I was there, but I'm also glad to be home drawing my book for First Second. I just need to focus on my hermitdom. Here is a panel from the book that I really like.

It's a junk shop called The Armed Junk & Thrift in a town called Spit Head. You can see a slightly bigger version here. The owner's name is Taro Tung, and the characters entering are Shiv, his dog Perrogi, and Walker Bean. Huddled in the corner is a shadowy character known as Dr. Patches. These are not the real colors it will be printed in... I will leave that to the amazing Alec Longstreth.

And on a quick note... speaking of amazing people in my life, Nicole Joanne Georges has a new book of Invincible Summer out for sale. I had the privilege of hanging out with her for the last couple days, running around the Natural History Museum, and eating chocolate with hints of sesame and leather. Anyway, check it out here.

I hope everybody is having a great spring! The weather in New York is perfect for staying inside and drinking coffee... which I am drinking out of my new novelty mug that I think is depressing and hilarious at the same time.

This coming Saturday I will be drawing at Jim Hanley's with a bunch of really amazing cartoonists for kids. I'm going to be there earlier in the day with Sara Varon, and Geoffrey Hayes. The event promises to be an extravaganza of comics, cookies, and creativity... obviously I am going for the cookies, everything else is bonus. I'm really excited, if you are in the NY area and have children, please stop by!

Here's the lineup:

10-12: Sara Varon , Geoffrey Hayes, and me
12-2: Misako Rocks!, Kevin Pyle, and Fred Van Lente
2-4: Dave Roman, Raina Telgemeier, Frank Cammuso, and Jay Lynch
4-6: George O'Connor, and Nick Bertozzi 

I will also be up in the Bronx this Wednesday, in a program between the New York Comic Con, and the New York Public Library. It's a two hour program for children, the first hour I will be discussing my work, and how I write, and the second hour the kids will be making their own comics. So if you're a patron of the Westchester Square Library, I will see you there at 4.

I also just discovered that you can read part of my first book on google book search. Do they actually have somebody scan in all those drawings? I'm sorry, for whoever had to do that. That must have been a pain. I could have sent you jpegs.

Other than that, I'm just drawing the Unsinkable Walker Bean. It's going well, and has a new publisher. I'm now proudly working with Mark Seigel at First Second. So far it's a match made in heaven. I'm very excited to have this project back on the font burner.

More Soon.

Hello. I know. I know. I never update my site, and I never blog. I really wanted to write this entry earlier, but the picture I wanted to include was lost in the mail until a few days ago. So... here we go...

I traveled back to Wisconsin for Christmas and was able to see a lot of really great people. I mostly hung out in Green Bay with my family. Making pies, watching football (we'll get more into that in a bit!) and drawing comics in my mother's craft room. So much snow (The view above is from my bedroom window in Green Bay)

I took the train down to Chicago to visit my friends Ezra and Laura. I've spent a lot of time there before, but this time was really different. I've lived in climates for the last 8 years that really don't lend themselves well to sticking snow, and Chicago made me feel really good. We walked everywhere, drank, did last minute Christmas shopping, and drew a whole lot. I posted two drawings I did with Laura in my sketchbook section.

She's really amazing. I was able to look through her mountains of work, and I really don't think anyone knows what is coming with Ms. Park. I declare her the CLOVERFIELD of comics. In so many ways. I can't wait to draw with her again.

I was back in Brooklyn for New Years, and spent it with some very good friends. It was a lot of fun. And speaking of really good friends, one of my best friends, Lauren was recently named a "Young Person Who Rocks" by CNN. She's doing really great work in Bed-Stuy, and is one of the most active and caring people I know. The woman interviewing her is annoying and close minded, but if you can get past that, it's pretty awesome. You can see that here. Congratulations to her.

Like I said earlier, I watched a lot of football in Wisconsin, and.. I've been watching a lot since I've been back. I will not bore you with the details... but the Packer vs. Seahawks game was beautiful. The first two minutes?  A nightmare. But then the snow came down and running back Ryan Grant rose from the grave and it was AWESOME. If you care to see what I'm talking about go here. And also a little thank you to the New York Giants. I feel bad we are going to have to wipe your faces in the frozen tundra. Sincerely.

I think there was a bunch more that I wanted to talk about, but hopefully that'll give me an excuse to update sooner. Who knows? Me? Of course not! I hope everybody is have really amazing 2008!

Hello, Sorry for my writing drought. I'm currently trying to finish the second book for Gerald Morris' Knights' Tales Series, and a picture find for National Geographic Kids. Both are going pretty well I think, I feel like I'm getting better at drawing. I wish I could say the same for my big project Walker Bean. I've been having some problems outside of myself on the project, that I can't discuss... but at this rate my book isn't going to come out at least until 2009. I wish when it came out the work we be an obviously huge undertaking, but I think it'll be about the same size as Spiral Bound. We'll see.

On a happier note Halloween was really a fun week. I went to a party at Jason Little & Myla Goldberg's in Brooklyn. I attended with my homemade Snipper Sniper costume, from one of my favorite comics of all time, Mourning Star by Kazimir Strzepek. 

I had to explain myself to many people who I was, but I think I peaked some interest. I also feel like I possibly helped start a cartoonist trend... dressing up as each other's characters. One of my favorite people and favorite artists, Laura Park, decided to dress as the sandwich portrait on the second page of my book Spiral-Bound. 

Obviously, I was really really flattered.

I also want to show everybody Craig's Pee Wee Herman costume, and the two Pee Wees he was hanging out with... here. If I was in Portland I would have tried tagging along as Amazing Larry.

Let's see... what else? Well, I couldn't possibly not  mention the Green Bay Packers. 7-1? I know. I know. Pretty amazing. Crazy amazing. My old school friend Pat Somerville, has an amazing Packer blog called the Fontenot... it's actually a great read. I know some of you think I'm kidding around, but Patrick is a great writer, really funny and interesting stuff.

Which brings us to a Packer related Youtube video recently uploaded by my cousin Michael. Which you can watchhere. I really encourage you to watch it all the way through. I believe it's from 1990. In the video one of my favorite athletes of all time, Chuck Cecil, picks my drawing I sent in depicting quarterback Don Majkowski getting sacked, and horribly injured by Freddie Joe Nunn. My cousin Michael suggested as a joke that I should draw it and send it in. I was shocked to learn I was going to appear on the show for drawing something so mean. And if that is not enough, I decided to wear a rival team jersey onstage. I was 12 I think. If you listen to Don talk to us, you can hear in his mumbling that he's not into our sense of humor. Anyway, I personally think its hilarious. Also, check out my pants! Check out Michael's Zubas! Check out the hairdos in the crowd! Really, every second is priceless. PRICELESS.

I'm going to close this with a quick mention of a mini comic I did for SPX in Baltimore. I didn't make many but you can see it on my secret Flickr account. You can get to it by secret icon that appears at the bottom of the screen on my website. It's not always there, so click around and look for it. When, and if you find the comic, understand it's really just for adults. Swearing, nudity, and absurdity ensues.

Thanks for putting up with my lack of blogging. I always say I'm going to try doing it more, but, I am a liar. I hope everyone has a fantastic November.