Mike Dawson Comics

Another recent drawing I drew.

Also: I posted a new TCJ Talkies podcast over at The Comics Journal, featuring La Mano’s Zak Sally. I really enjoyed chatting with Zak – check it out.

I like drawing maps. Here’s one of central and northern New Jersey, which accompanies the comic I’ve been working on. Note: Pinewood Forest (setting for Troop 142) is technically over the border in New York state.

I haven’t posted any new pictures in forever, and I’m not sure how I’m going to handle putting comics online for my new story… but, here’s a recent panel I drew. “Reservoir” is a word I consistently have trouble spelling (see also, “restaurant”), so putting it on the poster in the background of this scene was very helpful to me.

Hope to see some of you at MIX!

A brand new comic posted this morning: a short story about a working mother who has a secret. Read the full thing here.

And, a reminder: The Troop 142 book release party is going to be held this Friday, September 2nd at Bergen Street Comics in Park Slope, from 8-11PM. The event is open to the public, so please come on out. There’ll be drinks, good times, and advance copies of the book. Troop 142 officially debuts at the Small Press Expo in Bethseda, Maryland, on September 10th which I will be attending.

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Just so’s it doesn’t seem so much like I’m not posting drawings anymore, here’s a recent pic. I’m also still working on my Ain’t No Power comics, but taking a minute to step back and think about it some more. There’s something nice about diving straight into a new full-length story, but there’s also something appealing about catching my breath for a minute and taking some time to let the story develop.

It’s interesting – creating Troop 142 was such a rush. I’d gotten the story thought out enough in my head, that I was able to just power on through, writing and drawing the whole thing in a relatively short period of time. It’s made me realize how precious that sort of momentum is. It’s not easy to create. I don’t think it’s possible for me to operate at that level on a constant basis.

So, I’m figuring, Troop 142 is about to drop, maybe I should pause and try a couple of different things for a few months. I’m going to be doing a ton of traveling in the Fall, going to all sorts of cons. Maybe I should just enjoy the downtime.

While at my parents this past weekend, I came across these old Marvel fan-fiction comics I’d drawn as a teenager, in 1990.

My story was set in the distant future, 2015. The premise was that after Thor was killed in battle, Captain America retrieved his mystical hammer, Mjolnir, and became The Sentinel of Liberty. Here are the pages depicting his origin. It starts with the battle on Asgard, where Captain America and Thor are fighting a troll.

THOR: NOOO! If he is dead your life will become of it! So swears the son of Odin!

WOK!

THOR: Od’s Blood! What is this. He hardly noticed the blow. Mjolnir, I think we have our work cut out for us!

THOR: And my work is not to be taken lightly. By the storms that are mine to command… YOU SHALL PERISH!

Meanwhile, in Nevada, a mysterious old man has paid 5 million dollars to use Tony Stark and Bruce Banner’s miraculous de-aging machine that they have invented…

Old Man: It’s working! Even as I think, old and stubby limbs are becoming as good as new!

Bruce Banner: OK Anthony, stop. He’s done. Unshackle him.

Tony Stark: Looks good.

Bruce Banner: Yes. I hope he thinks it’s worth it.

Tony Stark: He’s glowing!

ASGARD

Captain America: Oh Thor… I’m gonna miss you old friend. Huh! What’s that?

EARTH

Bruce Banner: He’s broken the tank! He’s gonna…

ASGARD

Captain America: Thor’s hammer. Should I take it? Yes.

EARTH

BAOOM!

ASGARD

Captain America: The energy. It has filled me.

EARTH

Old man: Heh heh heh. Heh heh. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

ASGARD

Captain America: Captain America is no more! Thor has perished!

Captain America: Now. To take their place, The Sentinel of Liberty is here… now and ever-more!

EARTH

Old man: I am reborn. After a hundred years of hiding as disguise. Adolf Hitler is back! And this world shall perish!

Hitler: Now! I need a herald! Someone with power. But a hero so I can destroy the ideals of others. Who?

Hitler: I know! John. John Walker.

LATER. IN THAT SAME RESEARCH LAB

Iron Man: Bruce? Bruce! Dead!

BRUCE BANNER. A GREAT MAN. DISCOVERED “F10″ THE CURE FOR AIDS. MADE AN AGE MACHINE SAVING THE LIVES OF NICK FURY TO GEORGE BURNS.

DEAD.

Hitler, it turns out, is really The Dark Phoenix. John Walker, a.k.a. US Agent, becomes his herald: Master Race. I especially love Hitler’s reasoning behind the choice: a hero, so he can destroy the ideals of others. Chilling stuff!

Progress on the drawing of a street scene I was working on the other day.

Proof I am still drawing some comics from time to time.

OK, this is silly, but maybe funny.

These scans are from my 1989 Junior High School yearbook. You see evidence of my wicked sense of humor in these hilarious word balloons. I imagine my fellow 14-year olds and I thought these were the absolute height of hilarity at the time. We must have fancied ourselves such clever satirists. Satirists of what, I am not sure. 7th grade? Kids? Something.

Look at how we really stuck it to everyone! Nobody was safe!!

Bleargh!!!!

This is the beginnings of a new project. It’s just starting to take shape, so I can’t say exactly what it will end up being. I’ll keep updating as I make progress.