Graphic Novelists - Day 35

One of my favorite locations for shoots is Floyd Bennett Field, an abandoned airfield in Brooklyn. When cartoonist Tom Hart told me he'd like to do his shoot somewhere "abandoned and demolished," I immediately knew just the place.
Tom is perhaps best know as the creator of the Hutch Owen. That last book came out in 2002. From then on, wanting to "surprise himself more," he dedicated himself to the quickness and lightness of comic strips, by doing Hutch Owen as a strip for 4 years, and finished that early this year. Tom is now developing a strip called called Ali's House, with his friend and ex-student, Margo Dabaie, which they sold to King Features and will be launched early next year

CAMBA - Day 5

I trudged out early on a rainy morning today to midtown, where I had the pleasure of photographing former NYC Mayor, Ed Koch. When Koch was mayor, he helped to make it possible for CAMBA (the agency I;m doing this project for) to exist.
With only a few moments to get the shot, I quickly set up my lighting and made the portrait below.

Graphic Novelists - Day 34

Walking in to the Rodeo Bar in Kips's Bay to meet Jimmy Palmiotti, one can't help but think that Jonah Hex - the old west bad ass that Jimmy and co-writer Justin Gray write each month for DC Comics - would feel right at home.
Aside from inking literally tons of books, co-founding Black Bull Media and Marvel Knights, Jimmy seemingly writes almost more books per month than most people read. His more recent works include; Jonah Hex, Doc Walloper (with Ed Burns), and Back To Brooklyn (with Garth Ennis) which is being released today. Jimmy also recently wrote an animated film, Dead Space, which will be released on DVD next month.

CAMBA - Day 4

Continuing my project on Flatbush, Brooklyn, I photographed Shirley Walker in her home hair salon, and Ed Powell of the Umma group.

CAMBA - Day 3

I headed back to Flatbush the other day, to shoot Karate instructors Dameion & William Cross, and Youth Council president Marlii-I Marin.

Graphic Novelists - Day 33

I met cartoonist Ben Katchor at his office at Parsons yesterday. The view from the window behind Ben's desk provided the prefect backdrop of old New York City, helping to capture the flavor of his book, The Jew of New York. Check out Ben's various Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer books, as well as his monthly strip in Metropolis Magazine.

Graphic Novelists - Day 32

Back on the Graphic Novelists track this afternoon, I met up with Michael Kupperman at his Crown Heights home. Upon arrival, I was happy to discover that his surrounding perfectly fit my concept of tying the location in with his work.
For those not familiar with Michael's work, check out his book,
Snake 'n'Bacon's Cartoon Cabaret, and his Fantagraphics series, Tales Designed to Thrizzle.

CAMBA - Day 2

Friday, I did the second shoot for a new project, which I recently hinted at. Now that's it's been finalized, I can talk about it. Several months ago I was contacted by an organization called CAMBA, a non-profit Brooklyn based agency that provides services that connect people with opportunities to enhance their quality of life. They had seen my book, The Brooklyites, and thought I might want to work on something with them. They were right, and the first thing that came to mind was to produce a photo book which they would be able to use to promote their organization. The concept is to photograph some of the interesting people who are involved with CAMBA, as well as residents of Flatbush, the section of Brooklyn where CAMBA started. I will be teaming up with my Brooklynites co-author, Anthony Lasala, who will be writing the text, and designer, John DaPonte, who will be handling the design and packaging.

The first shoot was with singer/songwriter Maya Azucena, which I posted a couple of weeks back. The photo below, is of Graig Grant aka "muMs," who you may remember from his role of Poet on the HBO prison drama OZ.

Graphic Novelists - Day 31

I met up yesterday with Dave Roman and his wife, and my recent subject, Raina Telgmeir, at the NY Hall of Science in Queens.
Dave's work includes - The graphic novel Agnes Quill, the Ignatz award winning minicomic series Teen Boat, the Harvey Award nominated sci-fi Jax Epoch series, and the inspiration for the photo below, the webcomic Astronaut Elementary.

Molly Crabapple

I recently had a shoot with another of my favorite subjects, artist/burlesque performer/model Molly Crabapple. I've shot with Molly several times now and I always enjoy the collaboration and what we create together. The image below is an outtake from the shoot, which was for an upcoming issue of Heeb Magazine.

Maya Azucena

I did a shoot last week with one of my favorite subjects, singer/songwriter Maya Azucena. This was the first shoot for a new project I'm starting. More info soon.

Graphic Novelists - Supplemental

A few times on the project I've played around with concepts to create something 'extra' just for fun, which I've given to the artists to use on their blogs, etc.

The image below was inspired by Mike Dawson's book, Freddy & Me, about Mike's love of Freddie Mercury and Queen. The image is a direct riff of the iconic album cover of Queen II.



Tim Hamilton is adapting a particular Ray Bradbury novel (which involves flames) for a not-yet-anounced into a Graphic Novel for Hill & Wang.

Graphic Novelists - Day 30

Nope, I'm not shooting dental ads - that's cartoonist Raina Telgemeier in the photo below. This situation is a direct play off of Raina's very enjoyable web comic, SMILE (A Dental Drama). Raina describes it as "the true story of how my mouth got messed up, and then fixed."
Also check out Raina's young adult series, The Babysitters Club, from Scholastic.
Thanks to my dentist of nearly 20 years, Dr. Jack Sherman for giving us the run of his office!

The Beat

Heidi MacDonald over at Publishers Weekly's The Beat did a nice write-up on my NYC Graphic Novelists projects. See it here.

Graphic Novelists - Day 29

Art Spiegelman is someone I've always wanted to photograph, so I was thrilled when he agreed to be a part of my new project. We had been shooting on Art's Soho roof deck for a little while when he grabbed a piece of chalk and began drawing on the side of a neighboring building. As soon as he was done and sat under it, I knew immediately it was THE shot.
I first read Art's Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel, Maus back when I was in college, in the early 90's, and since then my copy's been passed around to just about every member of my family. Also great are The Wild Party: The Lost Classic by Joseph Moncure March and In the Shadow of No Towers.

Christina Minasian

I recently did a shoot with Christina Minasian, creative director of the fashion line, Pensey. The line is NY-based and was started by Christina, a celebrity stylist and former buyer.

Graphic Novelists - Day 28

Yesterday, I shot Christine Norrie - my 30th subject for the project! After reading Christine's books Cheat and Breaking Up, it occurred to me that she's doing a modern-day take on romance comics. Inspired by her work, and by classic romance comic imagery, I set-up the photo seen below.
Christine gave me a preview of an upcoming project she's illustrating for DC Comics, and it looks really great.

Graphic Novelists - Day 27

It's easy to tell from reading Peter Kuper's latest book, Stop Forgetting to Remember: The Autobiography of Walter Kurtz, that the Crysler Building is his favorite NYC structure. I met Peter in Grand Central Station this afternoon and we scouted the area until finding the angle seen in the photo below.
Aside from co-founding World War 3 Illustrated in 1980, and doing Spy Vs. Spy for Mad Magazine for the past 11 years, Peter has put out a number of great books, including; Speechless, The Metamorphosis and The System.

Graphic Novelists - Day 26

I arrived extremely sweaty at Dash Shaw's Bed Sty home on Sunday morning. At only 24, Dash is certainly the youngest creator in my book. Check out his beautifully designed 720 page graphic novel Bottomless Belly Button, and preview his next book, Body World online at his site.

Graphic Novelists - Day 25

I spent Friday morning at the Park Slope home of cartoonist Mike Dawson. His book, Freddie & Me, made my recent flight to San Diego almost seem to breeze by. Mike has crafted a comix memoir about his how his love of Freddie Mercury and Queen ties into the seminal moments of his life.
The concept for the photo below came easily.

Morgan Spurlock

My portrait of director Morgan Spurlock is in the current issue of YRB Magazine. The image below is the one that ran, rather than the one I posted a few weeks back.

Graphic Novelists - Day 24

After returning Monday night from five days in San Diego on a bachelor party trip, I woke up exhausted but excited the next morning, because I had a shoot scheduled with Paul Pope.
Paul had the very cool idea to do the shoot at the Slipper Room and have his girlfriend and subject, Harvest Moon performing in the background.
Check out Paul's wonderful coffee table book, Pulp Hope, and follow up your viewing of The Dark Knight with Batman: Year One Hundred. Also, Heavy Liquid is coming back into print this fall.




Thanks to Veronica for taking the behind-the-scenes photos. Great job!


I'd aso like to take this opportunity to officially welcome aboard Christoper Irving (right) to the project. Chris will be writing all the text for the book. His work has been published in Comic Book Artist Magazine, and in his books, The Blue Beetle: His Many Lives from 1939 to Today, and Comics Introspective: Peter Bagge.We've been talking for months, but we didn't meet until right before the Pope shoot. Chris lives in Virginia, but was in town to conduct a bunch of interviews for the book.

Jonathan Groff

Check out the current issue of Time Out New York to see my portrait of stage actor Jonathan Groff. Jonathan starred in Spring Awakening on Broadway, and was nominated for a Tony for it. He's about to open in Hair at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

The image on the left is the one used in the magazine. The right one is a piece I put together to play of his being in Hair, and inspired by 60's psychadelica and most specifically by Richard Avedon's portraits of the Beatles. It was originally supposed to run, until it was decided by the editors that the other better fit the layout.

Graphic Novelists - Day 23

After reading Alex Robinson's fantasitc new book, Too Cool to be Forgotten, I knew I had to photograph him in a high school classrooom. Read the book and you'll see what I mean. Also check out Alex's previous books, Box Office Poison and Tricked.
A point of interest - the classroom where Alex is sitting is the very same where I slept through Bio in the 10th grade.
Thanks to Carlos Molina for getting us into my old h.s to shoot.

Graphic Novelists - Day 22

I met up with fellow Bay Ridge resident Becky Cloonan this morning.
Becky's Eisner nominated collaboration with Brian Wood, DEMO, was just republished by Vertigo Comics. Volume 2 will hit this fall.
Beck showed me pages from her soon to be released self-published book, Pixu. It looks beautiful and can only be purchased at khepri.com or from Becky herself at one of her upcoming con appearances.

Graphic Novelists - Day 22

I did a re-shoot with Simon Fraser on Friday. Simon is best know as the co-creator of Nikolai Dante for the British Weekly Anthology, 2000AD.
Simon grew up in Scotland watching slide shows of his father's trip to the 1964 NYC World's Fair. From looking at Simon's work, I think those images seeped into his consciousness and helped to shape his aesthetic. So, it only made sense to shoot at the World's Fair grounds in Queens.
Check out Simon's wonderful online comic, Lilly Mackenzie and the Mines of Charybdis, at ACT-I-VATE.

A Great Day in Brooklyn

I was recently asked to be a part of a very special event. Community arts organization, Dope Swan organized to have a group photo taken by legendary photographer, Jamel Shabazz, of the people who make up what they're calling the "Brooklyn Renaissance era." It was called "A Great Day in Brooklyn," paying homage to Art Kane's iconic image of jazz aficionados, "A Great Day in Harlem." In addition to the photograph, the Brooklyn, Stand Up! project will consist of monthly arts programming in and around Brooklyn, an online archive of interviews of Brooklyn's self-made leaders, and a scholarship fund for Brooklyn students.

I was honored to be included with such Brooklyn luminaries as Mos Def, Michael K. Williams from HBO's "The Wire", Black Girls Rock! founder DJ Beverly Bond, Councilman Charles Barron and Tony Award winning Def Poetry Jam artist Suheir Hammad.

Check out the image below. Please note, this is a snapshot taken over the photographer's shoulder, so it's not the final image. You can find me in the third row from the top, image right of center. I'm the guy in the blue shirt, standing next to my buddy, Anthony LaSala, who's looking up, for no apparent reason.


Photo: The Jamel Shabazz Photography Group

Format Mag article

One of my favorite sites, Format Mag, did and interview with me recently, and posted it this morning. I usually don't like how I come off in interviews, but all that Brooklynites press last year must have made me better, because I think I actually sound coherent and intelligent here.
Thanks to Carmel Hagen for asking good questions and writing a great piece, and to Leah Satlin, Daniel Eckler and everyone at Format for thinking of me.
See the article here.

Graphic Novelists - Day 20

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting the Upper East Side home of comics legend Irwin Hasen. Mr. Hasen, now 90 years old, started out at DC Comics in the 1940's drawing the Justice Society of America, among other titles. In the mid 50's he accomplished his dream of working on a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip when he co-created Dondi, which he continued to work on until the late 1980's. I had a wonderful time with Mr. Hasen as he shared his stories of the golden age of the comic book industry with me.
About the photo below - When I started this project, I swore to myself to not do any "artist at the drafting table" shots, but it just seemed to fit with Mr. Hasen.

Graphic Novelists - Day 19

Late last night, I pushed through the tourists and theater crowds of Times Square to meet Howard Chaykin. The concept was to shoot Howard in the middle of all the chaos and LCD and neon, to give the impression of the futuristic elements seen in much of Howard's work. Coincidentally, Howard had theater tickets for his last night in town, so it worked out perfectly.
Howard's been incredibly prolific lately, doing art on runs of Wolverine, Punisher War Journal, War is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle, and he's about to start writing Squadron Supreme. Most exciting though - Howard's seminal American Flagg is finally being collected by Image Comics! Volume 1 will be released in hardcover on 7/30.


Thanks to my wife, Terra, for staying out late on a school night to help out and take snapshots.