Roche Limit #1 - Out this week!

So Roche Limit is out this Wednesday. The Roche Limit team is pretty darned excited for the release. Mostly so we can finally get the first issue of this fantastical sci-fi/noir story into the world (and your paws) Above is the cover to Roche Limit #4.

Here’s my schedule for the next few weeks. (other than the indicated dates, I’ll be hunched over my drawing table finishing up issue 2!)

— Wednesday Sept. 24 - I’ll be signing at Happy Harbor Comics in Edmonton, Alberta (This is one of my hometown stores. They’re amazing! Edmonton is actually riddled with a number of great comic book shops. Wealth of comics!)
More info on that one right here..
http://www.happyharborcomics.com/events/signings/page_event_ed_signing42.shtml


— September 26th - 28th (Friday - Sunday)
I’ll be at Edmonton Expo which is a newer convention (Third year?) but the show has grown like crazy. I’ll be taking a limited number of commission sketches while there and will have some comics and original art with me. Of course I’ll sign any and everything you bring (Anyone’s comics are fair game)
I’ll be participating in an Image Comics Panel on Saturday afternoon (you’ll need to check the schedule for time and room)
Information here - http://edmontonexpo.com/


— Wednesday, October 1st
I’ll be at Alpha Comics in Calgary, Alberta. Bring the copy of Roche Limit you bought on the release date! The third issue of X-Files: Year Zero comes out on October 1st as well. I’ll be sketching and signing stuff!
Info here… http://alphacomics.ca/vic-malhotra-signing-october-1st-for-roche-limit-1/


— And lastly!
I’ll be at Lethbridge Comic Con October 17th - 19th.
Sketches, comics, signing. All that fun stuff.
Info… http://lethbridgecomiccon.com/index.html


—vic

X-Files: Year Zero #2

X-Files: Year Zero #2 is out tomorrow (technically today... it's 12:30am here as I write this)






The preview for this issue can be found online here ... HERE

Since these pages are shown in the preview (coloured and lettered), I thought I'd post the pages in B/W. This issue was a blast to draw. There's some cool scenery changes and some tense moments.

Pick it up at your local comic shop or online... While you're at the shop, think about adding Roche Limit, my new Image book that debut's in September, to your pull list. Me and the rest of the Roche Limit team sure would appreciate it!

Click to see in a decent size.

--vic

Talking Comix: Thumbprint #2 - Pages 14 and 15

Here’s the black and white art and the colour art for a double page spread from Thumbprint which is a book I did last year.

My editor insisted I colour the book as well as draw it and it was a daunting task, but I learned a hell of a lot doing it. I’ll probably colour my own work again someday (I still colour some of the covers I do), but it’s nice to see what a great colourist can add to your work. it’s one of the best things about collaborating.

As far as the linework for this book and even for most of my stuff now, I always strive to capture some sort of urgency to the line and to the brush strokes. It’s very specific and I rarely hit the mark, but I think I’m getting better at it. I don’t think this example really worked as well as I’d wanted, but it’s still looks pretty good to me and was as good as I could do at the time.

For the colours, I planned from the layout stage to tackle the sky and the desert with colour and spent a good deal of time working on a digital painting that complimented the rough art. I spent a lot of time making a few custom brushes that gave me a good dry brush effect and used those brushes a ton for this book.

I’m not a big fan of using blur effects and that sort of thing on comic art, but I thought it added something here and the rest of the Thumbprint team liked it as well.

As for those small impact panels. I don’t think it was scripted that way, but I wanted to slow down and focus on how much of a rag doll the guy looked like as his body made contact with the ground.

—vic

Talking Comix: X-Files: Year Zero #1 - Page 11

Taking a minute between drawing Roche Limit pages to post something here.


This is Page 11 of X-Files: Year Zero #1 (IDW) that came out last week. It's also the first page from my half of the story (the 1940's story of the first X-file.)

Mat Lopes (the colourist) came up with this really nice blue centric colour palette for this page that I just love. I like working with Mat, although he probably gets really annoyed at my constant colour guides and changes. I think he said I was definitely the most involved and detail noticing artist he's worked with. ha.

I drew this page 3 times at different sizes until I decided what I was comfortable with. I ended up finally drawing it and the rest of the issue (and series) just a bit over print size. It's a size that Zach Howard (Artist of Wild Blue Yonder) showed me.

This book, even the issue I'm working on now, has,been filled with 6 panel pages, so it's a cool challenge to find different ways to layout pages. For this one I went with the uber stack (that's my term for 5 tiers, that I just invented), not sure I could do 6 tiers, but maybe that's something I should do for issue 3 of the series. You gotta know when to try something different and when to just go with 6 even square panels that I associate with some of Alex Toth's work, like his Zorro stuff. It does help that my story takes place in the 40's so I fully embrace going for a look that suits the period.

I was looking at a lot of Kevin Nowlan at the time and tried to be in control of line weights and all that stuff, but at some point I just grabbed a brush and went to town. Should have put some clouds in that first panel sky, but I like the openness of it as well. oh well.

One thing I've learned with drawing comics is just to do your best in the time you have. Make sure the storytelling works and move on. You'll have the opportunity to tackle similar shots in different ways down the line.

Okay, back to work.

--vic

X-Files: Year Zero #1

IDW put an advanced preview of the first issue on their Facebook page yesterday, so I'm good to post this.

Here's one of my pages from X-Files: Year Zero #1. Meet Millie Ohio. I drew the second half of this issue, so I don't expect more pages to show up in preview form. Colours by Mat Lopes.

--vic

Iron Fist - EEK!

An Iron Fist commission from this past weekend at the EEK Comic and Pop Fest.

--vic

X-Files Year Zero #1 - Panel Mashup + Teasers for new book

Helllllo dear readers!

Lots of cool stuff happening. Stressful work load, but I like to look at the positives of all this comic making. Mainly that it's awesome.

Anyhow, here's a panel mash-up from my portion of X-Files Year Zero #1. Karl Kesel wrote a great script. There's a lot of intrigue, fun, and action packed into this story so make sure you go pick it up when it comes out near the end of July. I'm drawing the portions that take place in the 1940's.

On another note, some teasers for my Image book have leaked (as planned ;) Sites like Comicosity, Multiversity Comics, and a few others have been running them... mostly described as a "Mysterious new Sci-Fi Image book" Reactions from everyone have been awesome.

We haven't done the official announcement yet, but here's the creative team we put together.
On writing and art we have Michael Moreci and myself.
Colours by Jordan Boyd, Letters by Ryan Ferrier, and Design by Tim Daniel.
I'm really stoked to be working with such an amazing team and I'm proud of the work we've done so far. Everyone is bringing their next level game on this one. It's really cool to witness.


For people local to Edmonton and the surrounding area, I'll be at St. Albert's Eek Comics and Pop Culture Fest this weekend. I'll be doing sketches and all that fun stuff. Come swing by. More information here... http://theeek.com/ 

--vic

This week on Imaginary Aquaintances - Blacksad

Wanted to plug the group sketch blog that I'm a part of again. This weeks topic was Blacksad the amazing French/Spanish comic. It definitely brought out a ton of creativity from the group, because all the entries posted this week have been fantastic!

Check all those beauties out! Go here:  http://iasketchblog.tumblr.com/

I didn't have too much time this week for my entry, so here's a quick late late late night ink sketch with a very different take on the coloured version. I like both of them in their own ways.

Another reminder. I'll be at C2E2 this weekend at artist alley table B-8. I'll be tackling sketches and will have original art and prints on hand. Also I'll have a new banner there that has a sneak peek for a new book I'm doing with Image Comics this summer.

--vic

Next up: THE X-FILES: Year Zero

Well, this just got announced. :)

This July, Karl Kesel, Greg Scott, and myself start a brand new five issue mini-series titled "The X-Files: Year Zero".  We'll be joined by my colourist pal Mat Lopes and held together with edits by the supremely witty Denton Tipton.

I'm excited as ever to be working on this project! I'll be drawing the story portions that take place in the 40's which focus on two new characters named Bing and Millie (You'll love them, as I already do!) This project also gave me the perfect excuse to re-watch many of my favorite films from that period so I could nail the look I wanted for the time period.

Full press release here: http://www.idwpublishing.com/news/article/2812/

Stay tuned for more regarding this project as well as news about a different project :)

PS -  C2E2 is around the corner (starting this upcoming Friday) and I'll be there at Artist Alley table B8. If you're going to be there, track me down and say hi and chat for a bit.

--vic

Superman - Imaginary Acquaintances

Myself and a bunch of talented artists decided to make a group sketch blog titled “Imaginary Acquaintances”

Each week we’ll be tackling a new topic.Our first topic was "My Superman." Mine is pictured above. Just a gag, but it was fun to draw.

Check us out here: www.iasketchblog.tumblr.com/
And give us a follow.

—vic