Hello All,
Sparky and I had a blast at the FX Show this past weekend. We hung out with Chuck Dixon, Matt Wagner, Mark Texiera, Marc Patten and a whole slew of others. I got to drive around with Ray Park (Darth Maul, Toad) and he’s a really nice guy, who looks like a major bad ass. Good guy though. Needless to say, there wasn’t much sleep as we were all having way too much fun and I’m still exhausted. I also got a chance to hang out with my family on Sunday in which we (about 14 of us) ended up taking over a Chinese resturant. The very loud Tucci clan indeed. I also got a chance to hang out with two friends, Chris and his wife Pauline, who I consider family on Friday night. It was the first time we’ve seen each other in 10 years and it was one of the best times I’ve had in years.

I’ve been working all day on cover design sketches for an upcoming crossover that will be announced next week. I’ll also be doing 11 pages in the book! Since I’m a dope, I don’t remember if I already wrote what it is, so hopefully I didn’t and can make a nice announcement with the cover art. I’ve got to do two covers this week for crossovers and the program cover for the Greece Show. Next week I’ve got to start that book and do the program cover for the Motor City Con (Golden Age Green Lantern). Sparky will be painting the Motor City guide and the cover to one of the crossovers.

I also have a meeting with Mark Paniccia and Chris Claremontt on Monday for my next Marvel project — which is REALLY cool. I’ll let you all know what it is as soon as all of the details are complete. I should be starting it in the next two weeks though. We’ll get Sparky to do the cover with me!

Well, let me get back to these designs.

Well, I didn’t do much hunting this year, but will be heading out for what seems to be the last duck hunt of the season. We’ll be heading out East for Wood Ducks, but the farm we’re hunting at is loaded (hopefully) with pheasants and we’ll be gunning for them as well. I’m really excited about going with my good friends, Jim Whitehouse, Nello and Frank Cavaliri and we hunt from about 3:30 pm to sunset an hour and a half later. I know some of you really don’t care for this, but I love it. The season ends on Sunday, but Sparky and I will be at the Orland FX con starting on Friday. Hopefully I’ll be able to convince Deb to let me go out tomorrow afternoon again.

I’ll also finish my Sgt. Rock piece tonight and have already added changes per your suggestions. I appreciate your honesty with my work as it only helps make for a better piece. So it’ll be back to the drawing board for an added building (perhaps) but first I’ve got to head over to my sister-in-law Christine’s house to remove a stove and then sit down for some dinner.

I’ve been working on my new Hellion For Hire (#20!) but ain’t sure just what to write about. It does involve Sgt. Rock and my attempt at drawing him, but also dealing with his POV on politics (he has no patience for it!).

Tomorrow, I’ll be having lunch with Peter David and will start working on a new project he and I have coming out this June! I’ll post the details next week with artwork for that and dare I say someting else.

We resigned with Mimi today to extend the option, but I’ve got a real good feeling about this. She’s partnered up with some real big guns and can’t wait to meet them all in L.A. in November. Say, Flerk, will you be home come Mid March?

Well, let me get back to my column and then it’s off for some fresh air!

Tally Ho!

Hello all, for some strange reason, James F. Burke, Jr. Chief Information Technologist, Systems Engineering & Technology — Qualified IS&S Information Systems Architect (IISA) — Chair, NCOIC Building Blocks Functional Team (http://www.ncoic.org) of Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems & Solutions (IS&S) has invited yours truly to lecture on storytelling to the nice folks of the aviation and technology giant tomorrow. I’m off today to meet with Jim and his team for dinner then another meeting with the man afterwards. I’m bringing the Sgt. Rock pic (latest) with me so I can work on him at the hotel afterwards. I’m really excited about this and can’t wait to bloviate! Seriously, this is a great honor for me and will give you all a nice report when I return Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

On the home front, everyone seems to be feeling better, but Deb who will hopefully get rid of her cold today.

Tally Ho and until tomorrow night –
Billy

We’re all sick here. William got Pink Eye from Chuck E. Cheese’s and gave it to all of us all. I was the last and woke up with it - damn! We’re also battling bad colds. Bloody hell! I’m hoping to go up to my great friend Mark McKenna’s house tomorrow evening, but have to see how the whole eye thing is working out. Deb and I have to get William a haircut this weekend too, but we’ll see how he feels. He’s a real pain when it comes to that. He screams and goes ape-shit and we both have to hold him down. We’ve been asked not to come back to two other places because of the disruption, but the Russian barber (who does my haircuts) isn’t fazed at all by it.

Will continue working on Sgt. Rock today and will find TJ’s sketch books for him this weekend. Next week, I’m off to Lockheed Martin to take part in a seminar and lecture about storytelling and how to sell your product. That’ll be real cool. It’s also near Cabelas so I’ll be heading over there. I’ll be gone next Tuesday to Wednesday night. I’ve also got to draw the program cover for the Greek Comic Con and think I’ll do Shi and Black Cat with a Grecian influence. After that it’s the one-page Tick story and the Shi/Deady story. I hope I can do all next week, but am not sure because of the trip. The following Saturday is the Big Apple Con and I’m really looking forward to getting out and talking comics with people. Sparky’s going, and hopefully so will the Frankster. Frank I got you a badge!

Well, let me get back to work and try to keep this damn gunk out of my eyes (which is getting worse) - better go to the doctor. Oh but who has the time?

I’ve spent the morning finishing up Hellion #19 (or is it 20?) and am now working on the solicitations for May. I believe we’ll see a new book, “The Billy Tucci Hellion For Hire Sketchbook”, which will chronicle my non-Crusade, and con sketches from the past year. I’m also hoping to include my articles, but will have to see how much room we have. I figure it’ll be about $9.99, but have to figure out how many pages and do the math on pricing.

Lord, I hate doing solicitations, but I must and then it’s off to more drawings which I’ll post at least one finished piece tonight. We’re also talking to a sculpting house to do a new Shi statue. I’m thinking of using Scott’s “Anna Sui” image for that statue.

It seems that our bouncing boys have Pink Eye — ugh!

Anyway’s let me go and I’ll see you on the boards!

Of course William got another black eye today. And of course, this morning the bus driver for his pre-school looked at us once again as if we were abusive parents… I’ll try and take a pic today! Dawn, TJ, does Dom do this?

Oo-fah!

Good morning Crusaders!
As you can see, I’m wracking my brain as to what I should write for my column. I was hoping to do a look back, but think that might have been over done these past few weeks. I finally found the reference I’ve been looking for in my attempt to get a real good Sgt. Rock down. Most of yesterday was spent doing that and more sketches. But I believe I’m going with image #3 today. The reference I’m using is of a Dough Boy Statue up in Rhinebeck, NY I took way back in 1990. Since it’s on film I (and not digital) the pic might not be so great. I used the statue for the “Through the Ashes” cover and also for my Captain America Battlebook cover. I just love the movement (contraposto!) and power the statue emits. I tracked down a Mr. Coon in Rhinebeck who was responsible for moving the statue from the side of a building (and obscurity) to the center of the town park. He’s sending me more digital photos of the image as well, very nice man indeed. Okay, so let me figure out just what to write for my article and get down to drawing.

I’m not sure if I did this right, but I don’t see the bloody statue image. If you’d like, check out the Sgt. Rock thread in the Crusade Fine Arts projects folder.

I also want to give a warm welcome to Delvie for graciously coming onboard to help with the website and keep it fresh and up to date! Thank you sire and please let me know a good time to call because I have some ideas for the website.

I’m also doing some pages for the Tick’s 20th Anniversary special! I’ll post them when I’m done.
Tally Ho!

I understand poor TJ went under the knife for the “big snip.” Ouch, but I think I’ll do the same thing when Deb get’s better. I hope everyone is being real nice to you buddy! I’ll tell Sparky so he does you one great sketch! I’ll get it from him this weekend. I read John Milius’ Sgt. Rock script (well, I finished it yesterday) and it’s AMAZING. The continuity actually works for comics (the final battle takes place on 2/15/44) which gives them almost four months to move to England for the D-Day Invasion. I called John yesterday and left a message with him on how much I loved it and that I’d like to go with it (before my “Rock - Year One” to DC. Thing is, it was the first draft of a screenplay for Warner’s but I’m not sure if we could use it. He says his buddy, Producer Joel Silver will give the okay. So we’ll see. I’ll scan in the Sgt. Rock’s I’ve been screwing up since Friday today, but think I’ve got one laid down and will go for it today.

In other news…

Sparky and I will be doing the new program cover for this year’s Motor City Con — and the illustration will be a homage to Marty Nodell and his original Green Lantern. I’d like to add Jade to the mix, but Sparky’s (who’s on the phone right now) isn’t too crazy about the idea, but he’ll ask.

Shi will be playing roles in FOUR crossovers this year. Lady Death/Shi of course, but also Shi/10th Muse and Deady - Big in Japan (which will be a blast for my buddy Voltaire!) through Sirius press and another to be announced soon.

Shi will also come back in her own miniseries but you’ll have to wait for that announcement!

Back to Sgt. Rock.

Well, by Golly it’s POURING outside. We’re getting the Shi collector’s boxes out today, but I’ve got so much to do. I didn’t like the Sgt. Rock drawing so I scrapped it, and will start again. I’ve got to finish it tomorrow. I’ll also be on the phone with IDW today (announcements soon!) and must think of May solicitations.
This weekend was very busy. Friday was my brother Philip’s 39th B-day so we had a nice (but loud) dinner over his house that evening. Saturday was a trip to Manhattan to see “Phantom of Opera” for the third time (but I haven’t been back to see it since 1990) so that was very enjoyable. Yesterday, I took down all the Christmas lights outside, went to b-day party for one of William’s friends (REALLY LOUD), visited my great friend Vito Carlucci for his b-day and finally a nice chicken dinner from Deb for her boys and my mom. As you can see, very social, very boring but I promised to write. Well, let me get upstairs to get working on the Sgt. Rock illo. Oh, I’ve got to finish J. Milius’ script first. Perhaps I’ll go to Starbucks for some peace and quiet –
Man it’s 10am already!!! (almost).

And I’d be Venom if I were a Super Villain. I hate that drooling idiot.