Until recently, I hadn’t updated my convention and show list for 2014 (on the Events & Shows page) in some time. This may come as a surprise considering I was an exhibitor or participant in an event nearly every month last year. This year is going to be a little different, at least for a while, and so today’s blog post is to give you some information about what to expect.  (Read more…)

If you’ve visited this site (jmdesantis.com) or chadhiyana.com in the past week, you may have noticed they’ve been down twice due to server errors. The first time was late Wednesday into Thursday last week. Then just yesterday the sites went down again in the morning. It seems to be a recent issue with the software I’ve been using on jmdesantis.com this past year and on chadhiyana.com since its launch. Why this is happening after a year of things running smoothly with said software, I haven’t the faintest idea.  (Read more…)

After experiencing a number of losses in the past few months, I am happy to announce some new life. Late last week my brother’s wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. (My brother, if you don’t know, was known as Teach back in our Game-Flush.com days.) Now, as Teach is my only sibling, and this is their first child, that means I am now officially an uncle! (Read more…)

I’ve been working overkill this week not only getting caught up on Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows, but getting ahead. I wrote about it in detail yesterday on chadhiyana.com, so I won’t go into it at length here. What I will say is that I finished the art for (the previously uncoloured) pages 29 and 30. I also put in the time to complete not only this week’s page 31 but next week’s page as well. So, I’m a little tired, but I’m happy to have finally gotten ahead of schedule (such as I had always wished to do since I first decided to take the graphic novel to the web). My hope now is this gain will be built upon, rather than it be a fluke. (Read more…)

I originally planned to post something about my comic art process today; however, things have been running behind on Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows (chadhiyana.com) the past two weeks despite my best intentions, and I didn’t have complete examples to show. I’m doing my best to catch up, and hopefully that will happen relatively soon. Though speaking of art and my process, I received in the mail yesterday a new device for my computer I’ve wanted to try for some time: a colour calibrator.  (Read more…)

In Memoriam
William “Bill” M. Baker
November 12, 1958 – February 20, 2014

I didn’t know Bill Baker a long time. We were first introduced at the 2010 New York Comic Con by a mutual friend and colleague, Mr. Mark Mazz (who holds the distinction of “discovering” me at the 2007 Big Apple Con). It was my first year exhibiting at that show, and I only spoke with Bill briefly then. Mark introduced him as a writer and journalist–but this was not just any run-of-the-mill wordsmith. Mark acted as though Bill was something of a legend and with good reason.

In that brief meeting, Bill spoke to me about his (then) upcoming book, ICONS: The DC Comics & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee, and an acclaimed interview with Alan Moore. However, what struck me most about Bill was not his accomplishments but rather how humble and personable he was even in the presence of an unknown creator. I find very often those who have “made it” have little time for those who haven’t, but that wasn’t Bill’s way. I’m not the comic historian Bill was, so at the time I had no idea who Mark had introduced me to. However, over time, I learned just how legendary Bill was and not just as a writer, but as a person as well. (Read more…)

I’ve actually wanted to do this for a couple of months now. Though I still love both pieces featured in the former top banner, they’re both a little out of date. What’s more, the old banner listed my title as Writer-Illustrator, though, for some time now, I’ve referred to myself as a Write-ist (Writer-Artist). So, I decided to finally take the time to create a new banner image. (Read more…)

Sorry, folks. Things are just a little crazy this week. I didn’t have much in me for a proper blog entry. However, I noticed I hadn’t update my Fantasy Art page with Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows cover (my newest Chadhiyana project–a graphic novel–if you didn’t know). So, I added it. It’s one of my favourite paintings I’ve done to date. You can check out the art, again, on the Fantasy Art page. Though, better yet, you can start reading the graphic novel on chadhiyana.com, if you haven’t already. It’s already five pages into Chapter I (after the Prologue). See you next week!

The death of a loved one is always a trial. Physically and emotionally the experience affects us profoundly. However, it is a very necessary step in our living relationship (or lack thereof) with the person. Through death, we come to terms with the deceased and begin to see them in a new light. We somehow understand them better. Given, the experience is not always a happy one. Many lose someone they would otherwise, given the opportunity, happily get rid of. (This is one of the many things which the Chadhiyana series will focus on.) However, in most cases, after death, we come to realise something about the person we hadn’t been cognitive of when they were still alive. And thus, we equally learn something about ourselves. (Read more…)

A big thank you to everyone who responded to last week’s post. If you didn’t, you can still leave a comment. I’m always appreciative of feedback, on any level. For those who did, I’ve reflected on your comments (both those posted and those which were said to me privately). What some felt I should blog about, whether it be restricted to writing and art or to include all aspects of my life and interests, differed from person to person; however, there were more important things I learned from this exercise than whether anyone would be interested in reading blogs about my love (since boyhood) for the Castlevania series–a major inspiration for me. (Read more…)