PLEASE RELEASE now available digitally

My out-of-print comic Please Release, drawn in 2004, is now available digitally from Top Shelf for less than two bones. It's an autobiographical essay-narrative in 4 parts, all about working for folks with disabilities, power dynamics, mobility, aging, punk, ghosts, and romantic misfires.

ANY EMPIRE review at This Cage Is Worms

Here's a refreshing and insightful review of the semiotic/storytelling elements at play in Any Empire.
It's a great feeling to have someone pick up on some of the more subtle and pervasive narrative choices within the book-- thanks, Cameron!

SWEET TOOTH #34 cover!

Here's the cover to Sweet Tooth #34, which is a collaboration between Jeff Lemire and me entitled "The Ballad Of Johnny And Abbot". Vertigo just solicited the issue to be released in early June.

I'm finished with the interior inks, and am halfway through the coloring process. Challenging and a bit nerve-wracking to color directly on the inks with permanent acrylic dyes, but so much fun.

Interview on FIGHT FOR COMICS Podcast!

Here's a new interview I did with the fine folks at Fight For Comics podcast, which was a follow-up to a previous discussion (here) about Any Empire and Swallow Me Whole. In this interview we discuss both of those books as well as my most recent graphic novel, The Silence Of Our Friends.

New stuff from HOUSEPLANT RECORDS!

Bloomington's DIY punk label Houseplant Records, run by Erin Tobey and Jeff Grant of Fat Shadow/ Pink Razors, have a couple of solid new releases this week:

Parlor-- Life Stays Great 7"

Full Sun-- Bare Floor cassette or download

and of course, Fat Shadow's Foot Of Love LP/cassette or download!

THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS review at CBR

Here's a thoughtful and critical review of The Silence Of Our Friends up at Comic Book Resources.

THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS interview/feature on Scripps Howard

Scripps-Howard News Service just published this interview with Mark Long about our graphic novel, The Silence Of Our Friends.

Soophie Nun Squad albums now available for download!

Soophie Nun Squad was a 10-piece, way-over-the-top punk ensemble I was in from 1992-2006, based in Little Rock, AR. Our last three records are now available digitally from Plan-It-X Records for less than $5 each-- download links are below.

Members of Soophie Nun Squad were/are also part of Humanbeast, Universe, V Manuscript, Tem Eyos Ki, Divorce Chord, Wait, Bloodhuff, Boomfancy, Sand City, The Insides, Shake Ray Turbine, William Martyr 17, Madeline, Sugar And The Raw, The Evelyns, R.I.O.T.S., Rainy Day Regatta, Deadbird, Zucura, The Body, and dozens more bands.

If anyone has photos or video of Soophie Nun Squad or Tem Eyos Ki, please email me!


The Devil, The Metal, The Big Booty Beats (2000)


Soophie Nun Squad/ Abe Froman split LP (2003)


Passion Slays The Dragon (2003)

Work-in-progress on SWEET TOOTH #34..

Here's a cross-section of panels from Sweet Tooth #34, for which I'm handling art and colorist duties. This shows each step along the way, from thumbnails to finished colors.

Should be out in the summer from Vertigo!

Spring 2012 Event & Convention appearances.

I'll be at these events over the next few months-- expect more info on each as the time approaches.
Hopefully see you there!

Mar 30- Apr 2--  Seattle WA-- Emerald City Comic Con
Apr 13-- Little Rock AR--  Cross Sections exhibition opening at Historic Arkansas Museum, 5-8 pm.
Apr 14-- Little Rock AR-- signing at The Comic Book Store (9307 Treasure Hill Rd.), 2-4 pm.
Apr 21-22-- Columbus OH-- SPACE (there will also be an exhibit of original artwork from Any Empire here).
Apr 28-29-- Portland OR-- Stumptown Comics Fest
May 5-6-- Toronto ON-- Toronto Comic Arts Festival
May 21-- Durham NC-- Durham Comics Fest (3605 Shannon Rd.) Discussion, interview, and signing.

4 weeks on New York Times best-seller list!

Thanks for everyone's support and enthusiasm, which kept The Silence Of Our Friends on the New York Times Best-Seller list for 4 weeks straight, peaking at #4!

You can get copies directly from me here, or from Amazon here.

EDIBLE SECRETS video trailer/ digital iPad book!

Here's a new animated trailer for Edible Secrets, written by Michael Hoerger and Mia Partlow and illustrated by me. Check it out!

It's available in print here, and is now a totally visionary multi-touch interactive digital iPad book !

Washington Post interview for THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS!

Here's a new Washington Post interview with Mark Long, Jim Demonakos, and I about collaborating on The Silence Of Our Friends. 

Guest essay in Wall Street Journal by SOOF team!

Here's an essay in The Wall Street Journal by Mark Long, co-author of The Silence Of Our Friends, about the culture (and business) of 20th century Texan prison rodeos! Illustrated by yours truly.

Guest spot at Shelf Awareness!

Here's a guest column/questionnaire I recently did for Shelf Awareness.

New interview up at COMIC BOOK RESOURCES!

A new interview with me about The Silence Of Our Friends just went up at Comic Book Resources.

THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS is a NY Times Best-Seller!

Just got word that The Silence Of Our Friends debuted at #6 on the New York Times Graphic Best Sellers list! 

(I gotta blow our collective horn a bit, and add that it's actually the #1 selling new graphic novel on the list-- the rest of the top 5 are classic-GNs-in-print and collected trades. zing!)

Spotlight up on Fourth Wall Podcast!

The folks at Fourth Wall Podcast just put up a spotlight on my two Top Shelf graphic novels, Swallow Me Whole and Any Empire. Check it out here!

Author Tour Dates for THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS!

Here are the dates of our forthcoming The Silence Of Our Friends author tour-- there are a variety of discussions, signings, parties, exhibitions, and panels all over the country. Additionally, there will be a number of high school visits not listed here.

Updates will be made here and on this site's Events page. See you there!

You can get copies of the book here or directly from me. Thanks!

Fri 2/3:   SEATTLE WA—Book Release Party & Artwork Exhibition @ Roq La Rue Gallery (2312 2^nd Ave.), 6-8 pm. Food! Drinks! Books! Pages!

Sat 2/4:  KIRKLAND WA – Discussion  @ Kirkland Public Library (308 Kirkland Ave.), 2-3:30 pm. (Mark & Jim only)

Sat 2/4:  SEATTLE WA – Discussion & Signing @ Fantagraphics Books (1202 S. Vale St.), 6-8 pm. (Mark & Jim only)

Wed 2/8:  SEATTLE WA – Discussion & Signing @ Richard Hugo House (1634 11^th Ave.), 7-9 pm. (Mark & Jim only)

Thurs 2/9:  LAKE FOREST PARK WA – Discussion & Signing @ Third Place Books (17171 Bothell Way NE), 7-9 pm. (Mark & Jim only)

Fri 2/10:  SAN FRANCISCO CA – Discussion, Signing, & Art Exhibit @ Mission Comics And Art (3520 20^th St.), 7-9 pm.

Sat 2/11:  SAN FRANCISCO CA – Discussion & Signing @ SFPL Anza Branch (550 37^th Ave.), 2:30-4 pm.

Sun 2/12:  SAN FRANCISCO CA – Discussion & Signing @ Cartoon Art Museum (655 Mission St.), 1-3pm.

Mon 2/13:  PETALUMA CA – Discussion & Signing @ Copperfield’s Books (140 Kentucky St.), 4-6pm.

Wed 2/15:  HOUSTON TX – Panel Discussion @ TSU (location TBC), 6:30-8 pm. (Mark only)

Thurs 2/16:  HOUSTON TX – Discussion @ Rice University (Sewall Hall 301; 6100 Main St.), 4:30-6 pm. (Mark only)

Thurs 2/16:  HOUSTON TX – Discussion & Signing @ Brazos Books (2421 Bissonnet St.), 7-9pm. (Mark only)

Fri 2/17:  AUSTIN TX – Discussion & Signing @ Domy Books (913 E. Cesar Chavez), 7-8 pm. (Mark only)

Sun 2/19:  AUSTIN TX – Discussion, Signing, & Reception @ Guzu Gallery (5000 N. Lamar Blvd.), 7-10 pm. (Mark only)

Mon 2/20:  AUSTIN TX – Signing @ Book People (603 N. Lamar Blvd.), 2:30 pm.

Tue 2/21:  AUSTIN TX – Discussion @ UT Austin (Joynes Reading Room, Carothers Hall 007, 2501 Whitis Ave.), time TBC. (Mark only)

Wed 2/22:  WASHINGTON DC – Discussion & Signing @ Watha T. Daniel Shaw Library (1630 7^th St. NW), 7-9pm. (Nate only)

Thur 2/23:  TAKOMA PARK MD – Discussion & Signing @ Takoma Park Public Library (101 Philadelphia Ave.), 7-9pm. (Nate only)

Fri 2/24:  VIENNA VA -- Discussion & Signing @ Big Planet Comics Virginia (426 Maple Ave. E), 6-7 pm. (Nate only)

Sat 2/25:  WASHINGTON DC – Discussion & Signing @ Politics & Prose (50515 Connecticut Ave. NW), 1-3 pm. (Nate only)

Sat 2/25:  SILVER SPRING MD – Discussion & Signing @ Wheaton Library (11701 Georgia Ave.), 4-6 pm. (Nate only)

THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS featured in Library Journal

The Silence Of Our Friends is featured in "Stories Beyond Black And White: 25 Graphic Novels For African American History Month" at The Library Journal!