ARFstudios

Pineapple Press Updates!

2011-12-09T12:35:00.002-05:00

Friends, Fans and Family,

As you may know by now, earlier this year Pineapple Press picked up the publishing rights to my first graphic novel (and personal passion project) Flagler's Few and the Reaper of St. George Street. This will be Pineapple's first graphic novel published under their name.

After months of discussions, edits and revisions, Pineapple Press will be debuting my graphic novel, now retitled simply: The Reaper of St. George Street, in March 2011. It will be available through Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Amazon and a number of Florida retailers including museums and gift shops. You can also find it at pineapplepress.com.

Even more exciting news, is that I am currently in discussions with Pineapple about producing the sequel/spin-off graphic novel, Destination: Unknown (tentaviely titled). If everything goes according to plan, it should also be due out later in 2012.

Stay tuned!

ARFstudios introduces "Son of a Gator"

2011-10-11T00:57:00.005-04:00

As The Independent Florida Alligator's latest comic contributor, I'd like to introduce "Son of a Gator", a series I've developed exclusively for the local newspaper.

The story revolves around Allie, the son of the famed U.F. Mascot, Albert the Alligator. Allie is trying to enroll at U.F., but due to late admission, he has to seek out another way to get himself some edu-macation! Along with his trusted best friend, Heronson the Heron, antics ensue that take Allie on a crazy coed campus adventure!

I've been very proud of the work I've been doing on this strip. At first it was something I didn't think I had in me, but in the past two months I've received a lot of positive feedback from a variety of readers and I'm looking forward to continuing the series into the next semester and hopefully for a few years to come.

You can check out "Son of a Gator" in print or online through The Independent Florida Alligator, but be sure to "like" it on Facebook at "Son of a Gator".

CRYPTO CREATURES!

2011-09-08T17:54:00.003-04:00

So I'm taking a Book Design course at UF's Fine Art College. Our latest project is called an "Exquisite Corpse" which is in essence, a mix-n-match flip book where you can swap faces with different characters.

With my love of the paranormal, I did one which focused on Cryptozoology (study of paranormal and supernatural creatures). Below are the images I used. You'll see six crypto creatures in total: The Krakin, Bigfoot, Loch Ness, The Jersey Devil, Chupacabra and the Mothman.

Enjoy!

Updates!

2011-08-27T10:30:00.004-04:00

Just finished work on my latest children's book, Mudge and Bear do Harrod's by Robyn Karp. This was a fun project and I enjoyed working on it a lot! Robyn was a fantastic client, and I hope this wonderfully whimsical story is as fun to look at as it is to read!

Above is the cover illustration. Not sure what Robyn has planned for this book yet, but I'm sure it's big!

Next up, I will be dabbling into the fascinating world of Taekwondo in the upcoming book Foot Fist Chronicles, which is about a group of kids learning teamwork and perseverance and a little martial arts to boot....err...foot?

Talk soon!

The Rail Pub

2011-08-08T13:32:00.003-04:00

My tribute poster to the Rail Pub in Savannah, Georgia. This is a depiction of the good times I had during karaoke night. Everyone shown in the illustration (minus Brian, Roger and Spiderman) is someone I've hung out with at one time or another in the 5 years I lived in Savannah.

If you ever get a chance to visit Savannah, stop by this great hole in the wall bar. Everyone might not know your name, but I'm sure they'll be glad you came!

Cheers!

Latest News!

2011-07-08T09:47:00.013-04:00

Hey everyone! Back from Florida Supercon in Miami. Awesome trip and made some great friends while I was there. However, it's back to the drawing board and unfinished projects getting finished. First up, the latest from Robyn Karp's upcoming children's book Mudge and Bear Do Harrod's. Can't tell you much yet, but it's an exciting little story of a girl and her best friend getting into mischief in London.

Next up, is the latest from Wild Onion Press. I just finished work on the next installment of 101 Dogstreet, Tessee Teaches Gravity. Again, I can't say much, but I can say that Shelley Mickles and her team at Wild Onion have some super secret promotional stuff in the works!

As always! More to come!

Character Designs

2011-06-16T18:31:00.001-04:00

It's a bit early to be planning this out, but I was bored yesterday and decided to do some character designs for Flagler's Few and the Pirate's Skull of Fury (coming 2012 after the release of Destination Unknown later this year). This is just some initial concept work, the character may change in design...but I'm pretty happy with it so far.

Big things coming!

101 Dogstreet: Tessee Teaches Gravity!

2011-06-08T15:17:00.002-04:00

A sneak peak at one of the spot illustrations for Wild Onion Press's upcoming book, 101 Dogstreet: Tessee Teaches Gravity. Tessee is a studious little girl who despite being wheel chair bound manages to get herself into quite a few adventures with her new friend Fred and her dog Amos. Should be coming out soon, I'll keep you informed!

Winni Children's Museum

2011-05-25T16:56:00.005-04:00

Here are the three conceptual illustrations I did for Winni Children's Museum, up in Laconia, New Hampshire.

Promo Poster Design

2011-05-25T00:55:00.003-04:00

Check out the finished promo poster for the upcoming graphic novel, Destination Unknown, set in 1930's Savannah, Georgia. It's a spin-off of my previous two novels in the Flagler's Few series. Written and illustrated by myself, and inks by Ryan English.

I think it turned out well, and I hope you'll all stick around to see what it looks like after I'm done digitally adding color into it. The book is at 30% completion, and we're still aiming for a winter release.

Mudge & Bear

2011-05-04T13:33:00.003-04:00

The Lonely Shell

2011-04-28T08:39:00.002-04:00

I'm pleased to announce the publication of "The Lonely Shell", a children's book by Malia Domingo and illustrated by myself. You can purchase it off Lulu.com, and hopefully with success, it will be available nationwide!

Check it out, it's a beautifully written book, and the illustrations ain't bad either. ;-)

Poster Ad Design and Wedding Invite

2011-04-26T12:33:00.003-04:00

This is a poster I did for Greg Proffit's Creepy Crawl Pub Tours in Savannah, Georgia. It's a great ghost tour and I'm happy to be a part of it. If you're ever in Savannah (at least for the next four months) call this number and ask for me. I'll be sure to scare you and get you buzzed all at once.

The second illustration is a wedding invite for my sister's wedding. I haven't heard her thoughts on it yet...so this might not be the final artwork.

"Flagler's Few" wrap cover designs

2011-04-21T15:44:00.002-04:00

These are wrap cover illustrations for my second-run print of Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street Volume 1 and Volume 2. Originally designed as two separate books, I reworked the first cover and combined the two books together as a compendium. However, I've met with some unhappy feedback of the book being combined by my sellers in St. Augustine who prefer to sell the books separate.

If I can't find a traditional publisher (and I'm really hoping I do find one!) I may have to resort to selling the books as two instead of one. It's more cost effective and it seems to keep the sellers and buyers happy too! :-P

Welcome to the NEW ARFstudios website!

2011-04-16T21:19:00.013-04:00

Hello friends, fans and visitors! Welcome to the re-designed ARFstudios web-blog. From now on, the site formerly dedicated to all things Flagler's Few, will now incorporate all of my projects including book illustrations, graphic designs, ad designs, upcoming graphic novels and other side projects.

I will also be using the website as a sort of online portfolio for prospective clients, interested in hiring me as an illustrator. Below are some samples from the first few children book projects I was so fortunate to be a part of. (Authors of the books hold all rights to the illustrations, ARFstudios reserves the rights to use them in a portfolio setting).

Enjoy!

Yours Truly,
Andre

Jesse Breslerman's PJ's First Day.

Jennifer Salberg's Jambo's Journey.

Brad Blumenthal's Harley goes to Hollywood.

Artist Ryan English in talks to ink "Destination: Unknown"

2011-02-02T17:41:00.002-05:00

So today was an interesting day. I met with fellow Gainesville native, and former SCADSequential Art alum, Ryan English. We had a friend in common who put us in touch with each other. We decided to get together for a chat about comics and upcoming projects.

Well, I ran an idea by Ryan on our first meeting, which might have been a bit premature having just met him and all, but I asked if he'd be up for working with me as an inker for Destination: Unknown, the Victor Origin project. He sounded interested and actually a little excited about the collaboration.

My hopes, that by partnering up for this book, I can get the finished product out sooner. Not only that, but Ryan is a talented artist in his own right, and I think his inking will make my pencils 10x cooler!

Here's to collaboration!!!

New News!

2011-01-25T01:03:00.002-05:00

New news everyone! Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street is now collected into a 333 page compendium. This new book combines the stories from the original two digest size editions of the series and will now act as the first volume of the series. It will be available for purchase in mid-February. The two digest editions will be discontinued and considered "collector's items".

Also in today's news, I just finished the script for Destination: Unknown, the spin-off novel featuring a certain ghost from the Flagler's Few series. It will be set in Savannah, Georgia in the 1930's and will involve the Freemasons, Root Doctors, local legends, and murderous monsters! As well as a few ghost duels. I'm really excited to start working on the book and hope to have it finished by October 2011! I've planned a trip to Sapelo Island, a historic Georgia location which will be featured in the book.

I'm also in talks to work on Red Stylo Media's next book, a Edgar Alan Poe/Steam punk story. I'll be penciling the 24 page comic and it's expected release date is also in October 2011. Look here for more details in the future! I'm planning a trip to Baltimore to do some research and reference photography.

Atlanta Comic Con Update!

2010-11-27T11:19:00.006-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

I'll be starting December off with a bang! I'm attending my first comic book convention in Atlanta the weekend of December 4th at Wizard World: Atlanta Comic Con. I'll be sharing a booth with my friend and idol (don't tell him I said that :-P) Tracy Yardley, one of the lead pencillers for Archie Comic's "Sonic the Hedgehog".

I'll be promoting Flagler's Few and Azteca, and Tracy will of course be showing off his Sonic the Hedgehog stuff! If you get a chance, look for Riding Shotgun, a series of Tokyo Pop produced graphic novels that Tracy Co-Created.

Sure glad to have him "riding shotgun" on my first con adventure!

See you there!

P.S.- Be sure to check out Green Dreams Production's premiere book Jambo's Journey, written by Jennifer Salberg and illustrated by me! As well as the upcoming Wild Onion Press release of, Here Comes Julie Jack!

Dead Air Radio Interview

2010-11-02T20:38:00.000-04:00

I'll be on Dead Air Radio next week, November 7th, at around 8:30pm EST.

You can listen live at www.wbgufm.com

Tune in!

Flagler's Few: Short Film Project

2010-10-25T22:28:00.005-04:00

Lights! Camera! Action!

That's what was going on this past weekend in Saint Augustine, Florida, the setting of the all new, Flagler's Few: Short Film. I was allowed to sneak onto the set and watch the Flagler College film school shoot a 30 minute version of my graphic novel.

I met the crew last month and was very glad to see a great group of people taking the reigns of a project I hold really close to my heart. I was eager to see what they were up to, so I drove into town and watched. It was like driving back to 2005 and seeing the filming of the first movie (except with better cameras, sound equipment, and lighting!)

The team has assembled a new cast. While at first I was worried about some of the changes, I discovered how enthusiastic these new actors were with the characters and the filming. They really took these characters to some new levels, and I really liked the guy playing Will Garring, he reminded me of Mike McVicar's portrayal of the character in the original film: honest and good natured with a tinge of cockiness (sorry Mike!). As for Victor, the actor casted to take over for my close friend, Jon Lane, brought a sort of vaudeville spice to the Victor character. Not my vision of the character...but well executed and sure to be a crowd favorite!

The Reaper will remain unchanged, however, I am delighted to say that after discussing things with director/professor Mark Huelsbeck, we'll be able to hire my friend Steve Withers of Swithdrawn Productions. He'll provide some viz effects to make the Reaper appear more ghostlike and less like a person in a cape and red mask! :-P

Overall, I'm excited! Filming is estimated to be finished in mid-November. I'll report more as I learn myself!

25% OFF!

2010-10-20T23:57:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone!

Halloween approaches, and in honor of one of my favorite holidays, I've discounted the first two Flagler's Few books. Both are now 25% off their original price.

25% OFF!!!

Help support my addiction for writing and illustrating paranormal graphic novels, and help fuel the Flagler's Few series as I push to complete the 13 books in the series.

Flagler's Few is garanteed to help get you charged and ready to handle the paranormal forces you'll be encountering on All Hallow's Eve!

2012 is just around the corner...

2010-10-12T21:02:00.003-04:00

My friend/editor/slave-driver, Enrica Jang, is hard at work bringing the world everything Azteca, a graphic novel written by her and illustrated by Jhazmine Ruiz. Enrica is a fantastic writer with an even more amazing ability to promote, as can be seen by the success Azteca has garnered as of late, including a review in the big boy arena of Comic Book Resource (CBR).

Also, Red Stylo Media has uploaded the Azteca Official Website. Go there to purchase all the official Azteca gear.

Azteca was my first venture into inking and coloring someone elses work, and I struggled a bit, but I'm gearing up to work on inks and colors for the next issue, and hopefully bring some bigger and better quality to the next round. Got some new tricks up my sleeves I think.

Working with Enrica to set up a booth at Atlanta's upcoming Comic Convention, where I'll be representing Azteca and Flagler's Few. More on that to come. Hope to see you there!

Updates!

2010-10-04T17:47:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone, some news to share!

I'm scheduled to make an appearance on WBGU-FM Dead Air Paranormal Talk Radio, with Frank and Jim who broadcast live from Bowling Green University. Last time I was on their show we talked about a variety of stuff ranging from the relevant paranormal topics, to who was going to win in the series finale of 'LOST'.

I don't have exact dates on that (mostly cuz my iPhone is being difficult with my calendar) but I'll give you plenty of heads up on it!

Also, news from Flagler College, where Professor Mark Huelsbeck and his 'Advanced Film' class are busying themselves with the "Flagler's Few: Short Film Project". I had the chance to meet the production team and read over the script and their ideas sound top notch! I'll be making a trip down again soon to watch them film, and I will take some pictures for you to see on the site. So look for that.

I'm also in the midsts of changing over the blog site. With all the developments and projects I'm working on, I feel it's time to broaden the theme of ARFstudios.net into a more encompassing site. So soon we'll be featuring info from other projects I'm working on, latest illustration works, and other books. Don't worry, it'll still be a site to get all your info on "Flagler's Few" and it's series.

Really hoping to get a real website soon though. :-P

Til next time!

~Andre

Productions, Deals, Contracts, Releases!

2010-09-14T15:43:00.003-04:00

I am excited to announce several new projects I'll be taking part in:

I just signed a contract to work on Brad Blumenthal's Harley Goes To Hollywood. The story is about a Hippo named Harley, who along with his friend Wally the Crocodile, travel from the jungle to the Star-Studded city of Hollywood, California. Brad Blumenthal is an accomplished actor, author and advocate for inner city kids. Having spent years working with children, he's starting on this project as a way to entertain and educate children.

I'll also be working with Green Dreams Productions in Atlanta, Georgia as an illustrator for their upcoming series, Jambo's Journey. Green Dreams Production is currently in works on making this series a television pilot. The book focuses mainly on conservation and preservation of our planet's vast (but limited) eco-systems, something that is very near and dear to my heart.

Don't threat though, I'm still hard at work on Flagler's Few and Azteca. I'll be in Saint Augustine on Thursday to work with Flagler College's Communicaton Department, where Professor Mark Heulsbeck and his Advanced Film Class are hard at work at re-imagining Flagler's Few: The Short Film. It's REALLY exciting, and I'll show some exclusive pictures of that soon. Azteca has earned some backing from Haven Distribution, and so I'm cranking out inks and colors for the energized but lovely author, Enrica Jang!

Awaiting on the release of Here Comes Julie Jack. Just putting the finishing touches.

WOOHOO! BUSINESS IS GOOD!

Super Pro K.O.

2010-09-02T19:25:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge is now on sale in Saint Augustine and online, but don't forget to check out Jarrett William's Super Pro K.O. Jarrett is a friend and fellow SCAD grad, who I had the great honor of getting to know while attending classes. I remember meeting him back in 'Advanced Manga' (no joke, this class did exist). Williams would be in the back working on his series Lunar Boy, and I always remembered how crazy fast this guy could produce pages.

Super Pro K.O. is published through Oni Press, the same company that publishes the much adored Scott Pilgrim series, so you know that Super Pro K.O. is sure to be a smash hit (no pun intended). While it has nothing to really do with ghosts and spirits and the paranormal, Williams storytelling skills keep you on the edge of your seat, eager to turn the page.

Also coming soon through Wild Onion Press, Here Comes Julie Jack, by Ann LeZotte and illustrated by yours truly. This book (intended for the elementary school level) features a death girl named Julie Jack who starts a misguided feud with her fellow classmate Bon Ami. Julie Jack dislikes Bon Ami because of her odd and strange behavior. But, in the end, Julie Jack discovers that they might not be so unalike as she thought.

And don't forget to check out, Azteca, which is on it's way to the printers now and should be available within the next month. Written by the fantastic Enrica Jang and penciled by my close friend, Jhazmine Ruiz. Enrica and Jhaz met while interning at Marvel Comics in NYC, and have since developed this unique and suspenseful vigilante thriller set in Mexico. I'll bring you more on it's release as soon as I know.

"IT'S HEEEERRRRREEEEEEE!"

2010-07-27T01:01:00.005-04:00

Finally...after a nearly 10 month wait...Part DEUX of the two part opener of the Flagler's Few series is available for soft release. May I proudly present, Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge. Available currently ONLY on Lulu Marketplace.

This book gives you the exciting conclusion to the events from Reaper of Saint George Street. In this book you'll discover the secrets of Claire's past, the identity of the Reaper and what Victor's true agenda is...

Not only that, but can a skeptic, a witch, a pirate and a comic nerd really get along?

Find out...buy your copy TODAY!

Small delay on release!

2010-07-21T08:42:00.002-04:00

In case anyone is wondering why Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge is not up and available for online purchase yet, it is because I'm making corrections and it's unfortunately taking me longer then I wanted. I apologize for the delay and promise to have it out as soon as possible! Things have been pretty hectic on my end...

Thank you for your patience!

TAPS comes back to Savannah!

2010-07-11T19:19:00.007-04:00

Hey fellow ghost fantatics!

Since SYFY's Ghost Hunters came on the air back in 2005, I've been a fan, especially when comparing it to the other paranormal reality shows (all of which fall short on the validity but overdose on the theatrics). However, it does get frustrating being lumped in with all the crazy people who became investigators BECAUSE of Ghost Hunters. Every now and again it just irks me to be asked "Did you get into ghosts because of Jason and Grant?"...ugh.

But, one thing consistently bugged me...and that was why haven't the boys and girls of TAPS returned to Savannah, Georgia? One of the top three most haunted cities in the nation (and my current residence). At first I suspected something underhanded went on at the Sorrell-Weed House (known in their first annual Halloween Special as the "Bader House", which interestingly enough isn't featured on ANY of their DVDs). I thought maybe someone played a trick on them, or that the famous hospitality of the south fell short when they visited the Coastal Empire. Since then they have not returned to Savannah, and I thought maybe they never would...

However, that theory has recently been thrown out the window. A friend and current producer for the show contacted me a month ago asking for any advice on local cases. I immediately referred to her some locations, including a professional friend of mine who's house has been featured on a number of shows and on Robert Redford's film The Legend of Bagger Vance. Within a month, TAPS has set up a scheduled investigation and last night that investigation took place...

As you can see the house is beautiful. I don't want to give away too much information about the case for fear of incurring the network's, production company's and of course Jay and Grant's wrath, but the house does have a prominent haunting of which it's owner says has no problem presenting itself on cue.

Personally, it's a pretty big deal for me. As a paranormal investigator it's very exciting to be able to say I had a hand in a high profile investigation like this. I myself will be conducting an investigation into this home in the upcoming months. Look for this investigation and many more in the upcoming episodes of Ghost Hunters, only on SYFY...

...check your local listings. :-P

IT'S COMING!!!

2010-06-30T18:52:00.005-04:00

Hey guys! Here is a sneak peak at the cover of Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge. The layout is sorta rough right now. I haven't tweaked it enough yet, but the cover art is done by my very good friend Sandi Strand. She's a fabulous artist, and you should check out her work at bellsandy.com.

The book will be released as scheduled in mid to late July. Look for it then!

News! News! News!

2010-06-20T23:44:00.003-04:00

Great news from Saint Augustine! Bookstores are selling out of Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street!

Both Second Read Books and Flagler's Legacy have contacted me in the same week with requests for more copies! No word on who's buying them out, but it's a very uplifiting and positive feeling you get when you know you're work is appreciated! In the case of Flagler's Legacy, I had only sent them their copies less then a week earlier!!!

In other news, Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge is less then 3 days from completion! At least in the art end, next I'll spend a week working on word bubbles and construction of the book. Sandra Strand will be mailing me the cover no later then July 1st, and I am really hoping to have it available for all of my fans by no later then July 15th, earlier if I can!

Next up after this? I'll be starting work on Wild Onion Press's Here Comes Julie Jack, a children's novel about a little death girl and her adventures. After that, there will be revision time for Azteca, and hopefully starting in September/October, I'll begin work on Flagler's Few and the Pirate's Skull of Fury...as well as Destination: Unknown.

I'll be on Beyond Ghost Radio next month!

More to come!!!

Strange Frequencies Radio...again...

2010-06-03T15:42:00.003-04:00

Ugh! So that loser Jason Korbus asked me to come on his lame show Strange Frequencies Radio. Evidently I'm his favorite person in the world and his show needs my awesomeness to bring up it's ratings with it's plus thousand or so listeners.

Haha! No seriously, I'm excited about this Sunday. I'll be on at 4pm. Come Check out Jason, Bob and Robyn's show, Strange Frequencies Radio.

A "LOST" Tribute to the fans...

2010-06-02T01:36:00.003-04:00

I know I've been on quite a tangent with the non-art, non-Flagler's Few posts, but this is the last one, only because I feel I owe

it to one of my favorite shows and a great inspiration for storytelling. The ABC show LOST was a great weekly event for me

as it was to the shows loyal fans who stuck through it's six chaotic seasons.

My sister found this great dedication video done by none other then a set of devoted LOST fans. GREAT production guys,

my hats off to you, I've been singing this rap in my head all day.

Check it out! (Warning: Only LOST fans will really appreciate it.)

It's called I'll Never Be Lost Again...

ENCOUNTERS LIVE

2010-05-29T00:19:00.003-04:00

I'll be a guest on Encounters Li ve TONIGHT at 6pm EST.

Should be a great show, I'll be revealing some new stuff about Flagler's Few and the next upcoming book, some tid bits about Azteca and the latest paranormal investigations I've been working on. Both ghosts...and otherwise. :-P

Come join us!

Exorcised Estates

2010-05-25T17:36:00.004-04:00

It appears that 108 Ocean Avenue in Amityville is up for sale. You know it better as the Amityville Horror House, the iconic windows of which have recently been altered to sway tourists and fans of the film to stay away.

The house is famed for it's real-life hauntings after the murders of the DeFeo Family back in '74, by the family's son, Ronald. The house would later go on to be owned by Kathleen and George Lutz who's experiences in the house led to the bestselling book and film.

But, it's not the only house up for sale that fits in the category of "exorcised estate". The Hampto-Lillbridge home here in Savannah, Georgia is also up for sale. This house isn't as famous as the Amityville home, but the owner responsible for the restoration back in the 60's, Jim Williams, is best known in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, played in the film by Kevin Spacey. Williams restored the house a block from it's original location, right onto a plot of land that had a burial of over 10 bodies. The house supposedly has poltergeist like hauntings, and Williams himself had it exorciseds before he moved to his more famous estate, Mercer-Williams on Monterey Square. If you walk by the home, you'll notice that there are glass shards along the outside wall...supposedly Williams had a friend in the VooDoo community who might have been responsible for that. Glass shards placed along the outside of a wall are supposed to ward of evil spirits.

Funny thing is, the Hampton House in Savannah is nearly TWICE the asking price of the Amityville Home. Amityville has an asking price of $1.15millions supposedly, whereas last I heard Hampton-Lillbridge is on the market for 2.7million.

LOST: A review of the Paranormal, Mythological and Spiritual Aspects

2010-05-24T02:35:00.010-04:00

WARNING: Spoiler alert for LOST series finale beyond this point. Read at own risk!

"Previously...on LOST."

If you were like me, you may have been following last night's series finale on the critically acclaimed (and criticized) show LOST. A show that has lost signifcant viewership with every passing season pretty much because it leaves it's fans with the same feeling as the title. For me it marked a conclusion to a six year fantatical following of the adventures of the island-bound survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, the "Others" and the Dharma Initiative. It was bittersweet and of course still left me scratching my head about somethings...

Pretty much, I was both impressed and disappointed. For five seasons the show maintained the allure of a mysterious island filled with all sorts of unexplained, supernatural curiosities (70's style underground bunkers with mysterious buttons, unexplained health cures, black smoke monsters and of course...polar bears). Season 6 did explain a lot of things, we understood that LOST was willing to accept the existence of ghosts (Charlie and Michael coming back to lead Hurley like they were something out of Sixth Sense), time travel and alternate realities were also possible, but we also delved into a side that until recently, was simply the beliefs held by the all believing John Locke...faith.

LOST took an unexpected turn into mythos and the aethereal. It felt like Jacob and his evil twin brothers were something from a biblical story and we were expected to accept the existence of this "light" (the macguffin that Jacob was charged to protect) that came through the ground at the heart of the island. It wasn't the fact we COULDN'T believe it could happen on LOST it was the bizarre feeling of thinking: "Why has the island gone from being something paranormal in nature, to biblical?"

But perhaps the most shocking of the events that happened in the finale was that in the end,when all was said and done and the alternate reality (flash sideways) was nothing more then a sort of purgatory for the dead characters (which the LOST creators swore it wasn't) and all our heroes moved on to a new existence together (heaven?), we realize that the island we've come to think was so important, the island that we spent six years believing mattered...didn't. It was nothing more then a place after all, not a character unto itself and everything that happened there was just a mechanism for the characters to rediscover themselves.

But for it's many oddities, I was touched by how "The End" ended. In a lot of ways LOST touched on subjects that were close to me: the paranormal; the answer to life, death and the beyond; and the battle between science and faith and all the in betweens. Anyone studying the paranormal should consider this show a sort of theory as to what we percieve as existence and what that means to us as a people.

We are social creatures, and whether we choose to accept it or not, we are altered and changed by the events and people around us. LOST was an example of human life, changing the lives of those characters involved, all of which who were lost...and are now ultimately found.

Flagler College to host the next Whedonverse Conference

2010-05-22T11:12:00.005-04:00

Just when I started to think Flagler College could never beat out SCAD for odd-ball events, they surprise me with this. Turns out Flagler will be this years host for the Fourth International Whedonverse Conference, a conference designed around famed writer, director, producer Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse).

Whedon has been a mover and shaker in the business of ground breaking television. Buffy was one of the first heroines who didn't have to dress in a skimpy outfit while contradicting herself with "girl power" slogans left and right (which is usually a big turn off for guys). That, along with Emmy gold episodes like Buffy's "Hush" and the Space Western Firefly made his stories and worlds something all aspiring artists and writers could gush over week after week on television.

I myself was highly inspired by Whedon's work while creating Flagler's Few. Often when I try to explain my book I say something along the lines of: "It's Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Ghostbusters...in Saint Augustine..." I've also had the opportunity to meet George Jeanty, the comicbook artists responsible for "Season 8", even gave him a ghost tour while he was down in Savannah a few years back.

So it figures that the liberal arts college will host this event, and I'm sure it's going to be amazing. Sadly, Joss Whedon himself will probably not be in attendance, but the event will spotlight Flagler professors, guest speakers and seminars dealing with the creative writing styles, stories and character developments of some memorable Whedon fashion.

The event is open to the public, for more info go check it out here...

ENCOUNTERS LIVE!

2010-05-13T15:08:00.004-04:00

Hey all,

I've been asked by Tim Yancey of Encounters Live to come onto his show and talk about Flagler's Few on May 29th. Encounters Live is a South Florida based radio broadcast that has a huge listener base and brings on some of the best people in the paranormal community. Tim Yancy has over 35 years of experience in the paranormal and along with his wife, Trish, puts on one of the most informative and fun paranormal radio shows out there.

With that said, check out the latest broadcast video, and on May 29th, 6pm EST, tune in to hear us talk about the upcoming Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge, as well as what's in the works for Destination: Unknown and Flagler's Few and the Pirate's Skull of Fury!

AZTECA

2010-05-06T11:42:00.003-04:00

Hey everybody! Some great news! I can finally start talking about my secret project work on Azteca, a brand new up-and-coming series created and written by the amazing Enrica Jang and illustrated by my totally talented long time friend, Jhazmine Ruiz.

I'm currently functioning as inker and colorist on the project. I'd like to give a great show of thanks to Jhaz and Enrica for letting me be a part of the team. It's different from what I'm used to on Flagler's Few (which by the way is not being put on the back burner fans! More F.F. to come!) but it's a great opportunity!

This is no paranormal comic book though, the series is a darker, grittier, real life-esque series that will leave you grinding your teeth and begging for more. Enrica and Jhazmine have really got an amazing talent for bringing a story to life. I can't say much more...if you want to discover everything about Azteca check out their Kickstarter page, it recently got onto the "Recommended List".

Show your support, and spread the word of this great new upcoming series (but don't forget about Flagler's Few either now. :-P)

Feels good to finally air that out...

New Interview with Jim Harold!

2010-05-02T14:40:00.007-04:00

Got a chance to speak with Jim Harold of Paranormal Podcast! Jim was the first ever radio host I interviewed with a year or so ago in the paranormal field about Flagler's Few. Check out our chat about my book, fiction in the paranormal/supernatural field and my thoughts on the direction of paranormal television.

Thanks Jim!

Click here for the link to the podcast!

Kevin Days of the Week!

2010-04-08T17:22:00.003-04:00

So last year when I went to Saint AuGHOSTine 2009 Conference, I brought down to Saint Augustine with me the very talented trio, Jarrett Williams, Rashad Doucet and Kevin Burkhalter, fellow sequential art alumni of SCAD and fellow comic book artists. (Check out Jarrett Williams new book Super Pro K.O. coming out from Oni Press Books)

Well, Kevin does a great web journal called Kevin Days of the Week ,but because he illustrates them it takes him a couple of months to catch up...so this week I was fortunate enough to be included in Kevin's online journal.

So here's what happened...

Check out more Burkhalter Adventures at kevinsjournalcomic.com

2010-04-08T11:40:00.002-04:00

Coquina Online Magazine is featuring an article about Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street. Special thanks to Tracey Eaton, creator and editor of the Coquina, and Alex Scarborough who wrote the article!

Go here to check it out.

Besides featuring info on my book, check out the Coquina for all things Saint Augustine! Great source for interesting news and updates for the community of the nations oldest city!

The Milhopper Devil

2010-03-22T01:35:00.003-04:00

In Gainesville, Florida (where I'm originally from) there is a place called the Devil's Milhopper, so named by early settlers who found bones and fossils at the bottom of a large sinkhole that they believed was the hole that fed bodies to the devil.

It is a local legend, that long ago the devil fell in love with a beautiful native maiden. She refused his advances and proposal of marriage. One night, while she lay sleeping, she was kidnapped by the demon and carried screaming into the forest. Her tribe's bravest warriors gave chase, and when they had just about caught up with the Devil, the fiery demon whirled on them and transformed the posse into stone. At that same spot he opened a great chasm in the earth and disappeared along with his maiden prize to the depths of hell, leaving nothing but the stone warriors and the sinkhole known today as the Devil's Milhopper.

It is said on the night of a full moon, you can still hear the cries and moans of the young maiden.

On a cool Fall night in 2004, my best friend and I were driving to a friend's house down Milhopper Road on the way to a friend's house. As we drove we talked of all sorts of important events (girls, college classes, girls, the Gators, girls, video games, girls, etc. etc.) When all of a sudden "something" ran in front of my friend's Chevy Blazer. We both fell silent for what seemed several minutes. To break the silence I finally said: "Did you see that?" and my friend (a non-believer in ALL things supernatural and paranormal) said "YOU SAW IT TOO?"

Recently, I have revisited that night in an interview with a member of the Florida BFRO (Bigfoot Field Research Organization) who upon discovering my artistic background requested that I try to sketch what exactly it was I saw. Below is a sketch of what I have dubbed "The Milhopper's Devil".

Calling on Paranormal Enthusiasts!

2010-02-20T22:07:00.002-05:00

Greetings fellow paranormal enthusiasts!

I'm happy to report that Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge is over half way complete. I started illustration work on it on December 6th, and now just over two months I have completed more at a faster rate, then I ever did on Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street! Expect this next book out sometime in May-July 2010.

Because of this, I need to step up on requesting donations in the form of paranormal tips/quotes. If you or someone you know is a member of a paranormal organization of some sort, please feel free to send me an e-mail (e-mail messanger located on side bar) and you may be included in the next edition.

Still on the hunt for a traditional publisher. I have some leads and I'm working angles, but any advice or suggestions are also appreciated.

As a side note, I've got some exciting stuff in the works for Flagler's Few. I don't want to say more, but let's just say that Flagler's Few will be taking the form of something other then print very soon...

Keep checking in for more news and upcoming releases!

Happy Hauntings!

2010-01-28T15:29:00.004-05:00

BUY YOUR COPY TODAY!

$11.00

ALL NEW LOW PRICE!

BUY YOUR COPY TODAY!

$11.00

ALL NEW LOW PRICE!

2010-01-22T00:24:00.005-05:00

EXTRA EXTRA!

Flagler College's newspaper, The Gargoyle, is running an article on Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street written by staff writer Kaitlyn Teabo. You can view it on their site. The article will also be featured in the Gargoyle's print edition.

A couple of weeks ago I received word from the newspaper's editor who told me he really enjoyed being able to recognize places in the city in the book. This was a great compliment, seeing as I specifically designed the book to get that reaction!

In appreciation to the newspaper, and to any Flagler college student reading, below is a page featuring the main hall in the central building. I'm releasing this page for viewing pleasure of all, but hope Flagler students enjoy it especially seeing as it's their college in the book! This is page 28 in the next Flagler Few book, Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge. Check it out this summer when it's released!

Til then, enjoy!

Where's Andre?

2010-01-19T01:38:00.003-05:00

I'll be a guest on liveparanormal.com's "para 411" live conference with Michelle Ayers and Jen Brown on January 26th. This will be my first live-cam interview, and I'll be broadcasting right from the official ARF Studios in Savannah, GA.

On February 16th, I'll return to Paranormal Podcast to chat it up with Jim Harold. However, Jim's podcast will only be recorded on this date, and will be up for iTune viewing pleasure in the months following. I will keep you posted.

In March, I will be in Saint Augustine to serve as one of two guests of honor for the grand opening of "Ghost Augustine's Ghost Equipment Store". The other guest of honor is rumored to be Susan Slaughter from Ghost Hunters Academy. I'll be signing copies of Flagler's Few, talking about my next book and trying to talk Susan into doing a little ghost hunting around town...

April 11th I will be a guest on Dead Air Paranormal Talk Radio at 10pm EST.

Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge: Prologue

2010-01-04T15:34:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a great holiday! While you all partied, I continued work on Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge, and thanks to my beloved mother, I got a great 11x17 scanner. So the first thing I decided to scan was the prologue pages to the next book and wanted to bring you this preview for all my loyal readers and followers!

Hope you enjoyed it, and look for Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge on sale in May 2010, both on here, Lulu, Amazon and select stores in Saint Augustine, Florida!

New Flagler's Few Website coming soon!

2009-12-19T02:17:00.002-05:00

Dear Followers,

I am pleased to announce that I am hard at work designing and building the new Flagler's Few website. While this blog site has served me well, with the release of the first book, it's time to go a step further and create something a little bit more advanced, yet user friendly.

The new site will feature a home page, a gallery, and even a store front for direct sales of Flagler's Few and related memorablia. The site was originally intended to be used as an ARFstudios website, featuring a variety of my projects, but as Flagler's Few demands much of my attention, it's only fitting the focus go towards it. With any hope, my other books and series will follow suit and the site can be expanded to encompass them all.

This blog site will still be accessable via another address link, and will be visible on the new website as well. Stay tune for future details, I am hoping to have it up by January 2010.

Work continues on the second book, and my expectation is to have it released between April and May of 2010.

Happy Holidays!

Andre

Select pages from "Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street"

2009-12-17T12:22:00.010-05:00

CPR Show Interview rescheduled

2009-12-11T03:47:00.002-05:00

If anyone's been following me on twitter or facebook, you know that last week I was scheduled to be on Crossroads Paranormal Radio, with hosts Kris and Mike Baker. Well, due to some technical difficulties with their studios' equipment, we were unable to complete the interview.

Well, I'm secheduled to return again this Sunday the 13th. I invite everyone to tune in as we discuss all things paranormal and of course the release of Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street. This will be the first interview with since the book has been released and the first interview where the hosts have read the book!

As an added bonus, I'll try my best to divulge a little info about the next installment, Flagler's Few and Victor's Revenge...

2009-11-30T23:46:00.004-05:00

Make sure to purchase your copy! Order now!

ON SALE NOW!

2009-10-19T00:41:00.017-04:00

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY

Dear Bloggers,

Here it is! Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street. This will be a limited Halloween Edition in Digest format (5.5x8.5). The Trade Format will go on sale Nov. 1st. and this Digest format will be retired. Make sure you get your copy as soon as you can!

I'm already busy at work starting the next book Flagler's Few and Victor's Vengance! I'm hoping to have it out by the Spring or Summer of 2010. Now that I have a good grasp on how this all works, I should be able to get them to you faster without suffering in quality.

Thank you again everyone, and please help make this a memorable Halloween and order your copy TODAY!

HAPPY HAUNTINGS!

Andre Rene Frattino (ARF!)

Flagler's Few ON SALE October 21st!

2009-10-14T13:06:00.002-04:00

Hey there loyal followers,

October 21st, 2009. Ten days before Halloween. Exclusively linked on ARFstudios.net. You
will be able to purchase your first-edition, limited run, Flagler's Few and the Reaper of Saint George Street. This book is in digest format (5.5x8.5) and will be available only through the holidays before it goes into it's 6x9 permanent format.

This edition is mostly made for you all, who have supported and promoted my book through the past year. If not for you, I would still be working on the book and probably not nearly as far as I am now. I hope you are as excited as I am, and support me further by purchasing your limited copy on this date!

When you return on October 21st, there will be a link to Lulu.com's marketplace listing for the book. You can get it there! I'm going to be shopping the book to traditional publishers this winter and hopefully will have a bigger backer at that time, BUT the book will be marketed then as a trade paperback which is usually more common then this limited edition digest format.

Seeya in a few days!

A look at future titles...

2009-10-08T16:42:00.002-04:00

So here are some ideas for titles for the upcoming Flagler's Few novels...

Flagler's Few and the Hunt for the Reaper (not sure just yet)

Flagler's Few and the Pirate's Skull of Fury

Flagler's Few and the Head Hunters

Flagler's Few and the Terror of Old A1A

Flagler's Few and the Nazis at Matanzas

Flagler's Few and Saint Augustine Sea Monster

Flagler's Few and the Swamp Ape's Revenge

Flagler's Few and the U.S.O

Flagler's Few and the Reaper's Revenge

Flagler's Few and the Witches of Anastasia Island

Flagler's Few and the Last Minorcans

Let me know what you guys think. Of course, this all depends on how successful my first book is! :-P

BOOK STORES ARE GEARING UP!

2009-10-04T22:09:00.002-04:00

So this past weekend I attended Saint AuGHOSTine 2009. It was an interesting event...definitely not what I expected, but I met some interesting people like Murray Silver and Stacy the Ghost Cop. :-P We checked out the Saint Francis Inn, the Lighthouse and had a few seminars and guest speakings.

However, needless to say, it was more important that I went about and promoted my book at some of the local Saint George Street book shops. I had my eyes set specifically on three: Ghost Augustine, the Tavern shop, and Ghostly Experience, all of which are evenly seperated across the length of the walk.

Well, Ghostly Experience was hooked from the get go, and Ghost Augustine and the Tavern shop seemed eager to carry it as well for the upcoming soft opening. I managed to get a few others interested and I'm hoping that Barnes and Noble will carry a couple copies.

I of course will be pitching my book to some mainstream publishers, but I thought in the spirit of Halloween I'd give the tourists a taste of "Flagler's Few". I have a neat guerrilla advertising idea for the book as well...but need to discuss that with Saint Augustine's city affairs department.

The book will hopefully be available via Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com as well. Wish me luck!

Panama Monster!

2009-09-19T18:35:00.002-04:00

I just caught this online. Evidentially some kids in Panama were being attacked by this thing, but after throwing rocks at it and reportedly "throwing" it into the water...it appeared to have died. Officials claim it to be a fetus, but my opinion is that the arms on this thing are far too developed to be something like that. Check it out!

Rome Tribune Ghost Documentary

2009-09-15T19:35:00.004-04:00

Check out the documentary Rome News-Tribune put together about the ghosts of Rome. I showed you the photos earlier this month, but the videos that they put together are so much better!

I want to thank the Rome Tribune for bringing me on board this project, it was amazing fun leading the investigations into the Chieftain Museum, the Desoto Theatre and the Catacombs of Shorter College.

So I hope you enjoy!

CHIEFTAIN MUSEUM

DESOTO THEATRE

SHORTER COLLEGE CATACOMBS

For more footage of the Rome Tribune's investigations into the paranormal, check out their website at: http://www.romenews-tribune.com/

PRINCIPAL ARTWORK FINISHED!!!!!

2009-09-14T23:09:00.002-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, Flagler's Few: The Reaper of Saint George Street (Part 1) is FINISHED!

After a year of working on the artwork, I've just completed the artwork. Now comes the much more relaxing task of work bubbling and box placements. It'll be frustrating, but I'll be able to finish it in a fraction of a time!

Still leaning heavily to a October 31st release date!

I'll be posting some word bubbled pages up soon!

Also, if any paranormal investigators are interested, I'll be in St. Augustine attending Saint AuGHOSTine 2009! I'd love to see some friendly faces at what is sure to be a fantastic time! Hurry though, they're already at 80% capacity!

Progress!

2009-08-27T14:32:00.007-04:00

For your viewing pleasure, here are some more pages I had the chance to scan and upload. I'm penciling and inking the final 8 pages of the book, and should be ready to start word bubbling these pages by the first week of September. So we'll finally get some dialogue in these empty pages!

If all goes as planned, it looks like I won't have to apologize for postponing the book any further. October is still my planned soft-release date.

Until then, enjoy!

No new updates yet...

2009-08-22T00:24:00.004-04:00

Sorry folks! I'm working on the wire to get this book out before Halloween 2009! I originally wanted it done before the ghost conference in Saint Augustine, "Saint Aughostine", but that doesn't look like it's going to happen.

Though I may have some promotional material available at the conference to promote the book.

Please stay tuned, I should have something new for you to look at soon.

Flagler's Few in Halloween Special!!!

2009-08-03T16:19:00.004-04:00

Hey gang! Some great news! Shriek Freak Quarterly's Deaditor-in-Chief, Eric Downton, just contacted me and let me know that the pages I submitted for their First Halloween Special will be included. So while Flagler's Few will be released the same month, you'll be able to purchase the Shriek Freak Magazine to get a sneak peak at what's coming!

Please, everyone check out the Shriek Freak website and purchase a copy of the Halloween Special, not only to show your support for the graphic novel, but also for Shriek Freak Quarterly, who are hard at work to bring you the very best in horror-fiction provided by the fans themselves!

Not only that...but imagine what a collector's item you'll have when Flagler's Few becomes more popular then that little four-eyed british wizard kid! :-P

Flagler's Few Release Date!

2009-08-02T00:59:00.001-04:00

BREAKING NEWS!

I'm giving you all a set date for the release of my first graphic novel, Flagler's Few: The Reaper of St. George Street. A soft release will be set on October 31st 2009 in several tour and book shops along the real St. George Street in Saint Augustine, Florida.

Copies will also be available online either via this blogsite, or possibly via lulu.com

Get ready, THE REAPER IS COMING!!!

NEW PAGE! YAY!

2009-07-31T19:10:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I've actually uploaded a page to the blog, so here you all go, a little eye candy for the upcoming weekend!

More to come!

Desoto Theatre, Rome, Georgia

2009-07-23T17:56:00.011-04:00

The Desoto Theatre was at one time the pride and joy of not only Rome Georgia or the entire southern east coast...but of the country itself! Built by O.C. Lam almost a hundred years ago this beautiful theatre served as a "talkie" and then a live stage through its existence. It still stands as a part of Rome's historic district.

Alongside Chris and Berry of Southern Paranormal Investigators, I headed up a team consisting of several of the Rome-Tribune's finest to explore this supposedly haunted locale. Thanks to Jason, one of the theatre's associates, we were given a guided tour of some of the darker history the Desoto had to offer, including the tragic death of a little girl named Ruby, who at age eight was struck by a car just outside the theatre, brought into the theatre, and died with her eyes still open...watching a movie that was still playing inside!

Besides the belief that Ruby's ghost still lingers amongst the rows of stadium seating, is the belief that a more aggressive maleviolent spectre stalks the back hallways. We went in with a clear head, as most investigators should, but besides the usual shadow figure or unexplained sound...we had no real substantial experience (at least as far as I was concerned). Berry however, being a father himself, did experience what he believes was Ruby trying to get his attention on several occassions.

This exploration marks the first ever paranormal investigation of the Desoto Theatre, with the hopes that we'll be allowed to come back. Right now the guys of SPi are reviewing the hours of IR footage and sound bites. I'll keep you in touch with any evidence that emerges!

I'd like to personally thank the management staff of the Desoto Theatre for their cooperation and generosity of allowing us to investigate their beautiful structure, as well as thanking Chris and Berry, who are in my opinion, two of the most professional, scientific and fantastic investigators I've had the pleasure of working with. I hope to work with them again in the future!

Chieftain Museum, Rome, Georgia

2009-07-21T01:26:00.004-04:00

Got back just a little while ago from the first paranormal investigation for the Rome Tribune. We investigated the Chieftain Museum, a little historical house with some fantastic historical artifacts varying from native American memorabilia to murder weapons of Civil War officers.

The investigation was filmed by the Rome Tribune and featured myself along with two investigators of Southern Paranormal Investigators (SPi), Chris and Berry. The guys were great to work with and we all shared similar techniques and ideologies of investigating the paranormal.

Our ghost hunt began at around 8pm and lasted til close to midnight. While we would have preferred a longer investigation we had a limited time there. We did collect a lot of data via IR camera and voice recorders, so we have our hands full for the next couple of days. SPi had investigated the place before and the coordinator of the museum shared a lot of interesting history with us. All of this will be revealed via the Rome Tribune's website, due out in September.

Nothing really especially exciting happened tonight, but I felt that the Cheiftain Museum didn't really house anything too extreme in the haunting department, but, tomorrow, the boys of SPi and I will investigate the Desoto Theatre! MORE TO COME!

Road to Rome

2009-07-16T23:23:00.003-04:00

My good friend Alex Scarborough, a journalist for the Rome News-Tribune in Rome, Georgia has invited me to the small northern Georgia town to conduct an investigation of two historic buildings, the Desoto Theater and the Chieftains Museum. Both investigations will be recorded for online multi-media functions for the Tribune's website as well as a featured interview with yours truly for their newspaper.

Also joining me on the investigation will be a team of paranormal investigators based in the area. It's a great opportunity to branch out and work with other investigators, as well as promote Flagler's Few and possibly if I'm allowed...my upcoming TV show. :-P

Stay tune, I travel to Rome on Monday, July 20th and will be investigating the buildings on Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll post some videos for your viewing pleasure as well.

For now, back to my investigation in West Chester, PA.

Psychics in the Paranormal

2009-07-13T04:27:00.004-04:00

As a paranormal investigator facts matter to me. I feel that without scientific basis it will forever be impossible to gain credibility and approval from the masses on the workings of the paranormal world and the possibility of the after life. Most paranormal investigators use nothing but scientifically proven techniques to verify and confirm their findings. However, seeing as the paranormal itself is unproven, why is it we can't seek other techniques to find our answers?

I have to be vague when talking on this, but today I finished an investigation working with mediums rather then fellow paranormal investigators. I can't say much more then that right now, but what I can say is that despite my scientific background in the supernatural I was intrigued by what the psychics found.

Psychics get a bad wrap. Most of the time it's justified. In my experience a "psychic" is a dime a dozen. Every street you turn down you can find a palm reader, a fortune teller, a psychic or a medium selling their skills at high prices. Other times you find people who claim to have psychic abilities but fall short on providing the goods.

However, in my opinion, it might be that true psychics do exist in one way or another and that hopefully someday paranormal investigators and psychics alike can cooperate together in helping clients and families find peace in dealing with haunting and other paranormal incidents. While I am still far from being a true believer, I think there might be something to be said for their techniques.

Apologies for lack of updates...

2009-07-10T11:12:00.002-04:00

Sorry guys for the lack of updates. I've been engaged in some new business as of late, but I promise to upload something very soon! Don't worry though, I brought my pages with me to work on while I'm traveling on business.

So just a minor hick up, expect some new developments soon.

Book still on schedule!

Guest on Strange Frequencies Radio

2009-07-03T16:55:00.004-04:00

On July 5th, I'll be a guest on Bobby Nelson's and Jason Korbus's paranormal talk show, Strange Frequencies Radio. We'll be discussing the latest about Flagler's Few. I'll also be revealing something BIG that's happening on the horizon so you'll definitely want to tune into this mid-day talk show!

The show starts at 3pm (est), but I won't be on til the second hour at 4pm. But, make sure you tune in for the before and after interviews as these guys are sure to put on a stellar show!

See you there! You won't want to miss it!

Also forgot to mention, check out the paranormal share site, Paranormal Portal for the write up about Flagler's Few. I give a rather long quote. Thanks to Angela of S.O.S. Tidewater for the opportunity!

Flagler's Few UNITE!

2009-07-01T16:59:00.004-04:00

Book One is nearing completion (art-wise anyways) and I'll be releasing the novel as soon as I can.

A lot has been going on in my world and I'm happy to say that while it will mean a lot more responsibility and focus, it doesn't mean that my art time will suffer! In fact, the latest developments in my life actually are going to be helping me spend more time on my paranormal and storytelling endeavors and I hope that you all will be sticking around to see what I have set on the horizon!

So here's a little taste of Katherine Kasenow's book cover designs for Flagler's Few books one and two. Her designs of the characters are a little bit more fluid and stream-lined then mine, but I think that it will compliment my work very well!

More yet to come, and I'll be revealing my "BIGGER PROJECT" on July 8th. You're thinking: "What could be bigger then the completion of his first graphic novel?" Well, I'll tell you what's bigger on that date. So don't phase out on me just yet!

Interview with Terri Garofalo, creator of "Entities-R-Us"

2009-06-21T11:52:00.003-04:00

I came across "Entities-R-Us" via the wonders of Twitter one day. At first I have to admit a little bit of jealousy that someone beat me to the bunch about creating a comic about ghost hunters (I know, I know, Scooby Doo came first really, but let's not count that!). However, after given the time to calm down I found that "Entities-R-Us" is a fun daily stripe that deserves center stage when it comes to light-hearted, good-humored paranormality. Thus, this brings us to the stripes creator, Terri J. Garofalo.

Terri has been in cartoons since the later-cretaceous period ( i.e. high school). Writing many different strips over the years, she has come close to syndication, but not quite there. Entities-R-Us, Ghost Hunter Comic was the last straw. While it got positive reviews, the syndicates wouldn’t take it on. Nothing gets done unless you buck up and do it yourself. Enter, the web comic.

Entities-R-Us was launched on September 18, 2008. It’s a cartoon about a group of ghost hunters and their insane experiences. Since Terri is an investigator herself, she often includes “case studies” of actual hunts. The ghosts in ERU have a say and are very much a part of the character list. Some of the more interesting cartoons evolve from the spiritual perspective.

ERU originated within a previous comic strip endeavor called “In Spirit”. The story of a skeptic poet named Woodsworth who moves into a haunted trailer in the woods. Entities-R-Us is called to come in and “hunt” the ghost. That aspect was more amusing than the rest of the comic, except Fred, the ghost.

Woodsworth’s experiences parallel Terri’s own first paranormal experience. That one event sparked the beginning of a spiritual journey that she has been on ever since and Entities is a part of.

Terri is also a fine artist (of multiple media), graphic designer/illustrator, and equestrian.

ARF: So Terri, of all the things to draw comics about...ghosts? Why?

TJG: Ah... long arduous answer and when I'm done you'll commit me to the insanity ward. In the 90's I had one of those clear, vivid dreams. Jim Morrison of the Doors knocked on my door. I answered and he proceeded to show me how I was supposed to draw him if he was still alive and living as a recluse in the woods.

That was too weird for me - not being a huge Doors fan and merely an appreciator of the music. So, I drew the character, teamed him up with the recluse of Elvis and created a comic strip that went absolutely nowhere... except into my own slush pile.

Flash forward to 2006. I begin hearing Doors songs EVERWHERE I go - in the car, in malls, everytime the radio is on. I've learned to listen to signs. So, I drag out the character AGAIN... This time I make him a recluse poet named Woodsworth who retreats from society. Instead of Elvis, it dawns on me to give him a more elusive roommate, a ghost named Fred. Thus, the comic strip "In Spirit" was born. To that, I added a communicator for Woodsy in the form of the psychic Erna. I needed a group of ghost hunters, so in 30 minutes I had Arno, Merv and the Entities-R-Us Microbus.

I submitted this cartoon for syndication. I had a lot of good response on it, but no takers. It was nagging me that the Entities-R-Us guys over-ran the strip. Also, the ghost was awesome. Another sign cropped up... "inspirit.com" was not available, but entities-r-us.com was! That did it. I began a new comic based on the ghost hunters I drew in minutes...

ARF: Is the team from Entities-R-Us based off friends specifically or have you changed them a bit?

TJG: I'm not sure where these characters evolved from, they just showed up for me. Arno has a lot of my interests - a zealous interest in the unknowns like ghosts, yeti, lockness monster, UFOs for instance. The original drawings ripped off Ghost Hunter Dustin Pari's hair... The now version evolved into the weird buffant just through repetitive drawing. The ironic thing is it looks exactly like one of the first comic characters I drew, a rabbit named Radar.

Merv is just a goofball... He is what I would envision as a technician for a rock band. He's really loose, burnt and mellow. I don't think he cares about the paranormal as much as he's into the equipment. Again, he's no one I know personally. Ironically, he's beginning to show some signs of intelligence! Perhaps he's not as fried as I thought?

Erna looks pretty much like I did in my "hippie" days. One day I'll post a picture that will freak everyone out! Erna is at a spiritual point in her life where she's completely patient, unconditionally loving etc... something I strive for, but have yet to even come close to!

Vlad is Vlad... what a demonologist should be. A little goth don't ya think?

Carl & Thor are the ghosts who show up for Ouija Nite. These guys are sort of based on the old Asterix Comics that my Latin teacher brought in for all us High Schoolers to check out. Thor is pretty much a Visgoth and Carl a Roman soldier. They are just like any regulars you might meet in your local bar for Ouija Nite.

ARF:What has been the general response from your readers? What do they take from your strips?

TJG: Response has been great. Many readers are paranormal investigators themselves, so they relate to the 'goings-ons'. The investigators from my team run out the strips and wallpaper their offices. Some regulars are just fans of ghost hunter TV shows. Some have spiritual leanings.

ARF: During paranormal investigations, what do you find to be the most necessary piece of equipment?

TJG: A clear mind. If your mind is really busy, you will miss much. I also rely mostly on my digital voice recorder and my trusty camera. You're more apt to hear a voice, than get pictures or video.

ARF: What materials and tools do you use to make Entities-R-Us. In other words, take us through the process of making one of your strips.

TJG: Again, it's the mind. I keep a pad handy since ideas tend to just show up. Often I come home from an investigation with a huge need to write stuff down. I have cartoon entire investigations - which is really fun!

Drawing: I begin sketching with pencil. I use a template for exterior and divide them up into boxes as I draw. I tend to be quite loose in my format. (I've always hated boxes and restrictions.) My drawing works best in a gestural sense, so I like to keep the entire feel of the comic like that. I use the old fashioned bottle of ink and quill pens for the drawing. I hand-letter with a worn out quill that gives me the letter thickness I prefer. The boxes are hand done with a brush. I make every attempt to follow my straight pencil line, but if I veer off course a tad, I don't lose any sleep. Just like in my watercolors, my comics have little "happy accidents" some of which I leave - Whiteout is my friend!

ARF: Anything else on the horizon?

TJG: Yes, I'm working on a book. It's not going to be a standard collection of comics, it will be a little historical about the evolution of Entities. I also want to include various paranormal experiences.

ARF: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me Terri.

TJG: You're welcome! Honored to be here! I want to thank you and everyone who has helped bolster this adventure of mine.

Flagler's Few's First Gallery Show!

2009-06-16T15:03:00.003-04:00

In downtown Savannah sits a quaint little smoothie cafe called "Smooth" (simply put huh?). It's refreshing smoothies and well prepared lunches are a perfect compliment to the beautiful historic district of Savannah, Georgia.

Smooth has everything needed for a leisure luncheon, drinks, food, desert, books, a cozy place to sit and of course artwork. Infact, the owners of Smooth like to showcase local art on a weekly to monthly basis and they get everything from professional paintings to student made concentrations.

And this month, they showcase the first ever "Flagler's Few" full-scale artwork.

The first pages of Chapter 3 (inked and lettered) are displayed nicely in the back half of the shop. It's an honest little display, but from humble beginnings comes great things right? So if you're in the local area, stop by Smooth, check out the artwork and grab a smoothie.

(I suggest the "Awesome Acai")

Professor Jeremy Mullins (1977-2009)

2009-06-15T01:06:00.003-04:00

On a fall evening in 2006 I attended the Comic Arts Forum Introductory Gallery Opening (or whatever they call it). It was a pretty important time in my life. It was my second year at SCAD, I was coming into my own at Norris Hall, and I was eying a cute girl and Tracy Yardley (artist for Sonic the Hedgehog comics) all at the same time. :-P

But, besides all that it was also the day I met Jeremy Mullins, future Sequential Art Professor. In all honesty I smirked to myself when I first saw him. The guy didn't look much older then a graduate student, and he wore this ridiculously polished suit. Still, the guy had a good sense about him and was a real pleasure to talk to out on the street in front of the gallery.

It would only be a matter of months before I stumbled into a little known class called "Self-promotion" which was taught by Mr. Mullins, and any sense of him being a push-over, green-behind-the-ears teacher was immediately kicked out the door. This guy was looking to bust some heads with his strict class agendas and no-nonsense teachings. I went in looking for an easy "A" and came out with more street smarts in the business then I knew what to do with.

The guy had dedication! Especially to his students! I remember he would come in on weekends to help me with projects. He even helped redesign the "ARFstudios" paw-print into something a bit trendier and more stylish (look all over blog for the paw, you'll see Jeremy Mullen's handi-work).

The especially great thing about Jeremy would be the words he'd throw out in conversations. My favorite Jeremy lingo being "Janky". If there was something not looking right in your art, it wasn't "wrong" it was "I don't know about that ghost in the corner...he's looking a little janky." But, whatever the words he used it was never in a manner of talking down to you. Jeremy made you feel like you were one of his pals.

I ran into Jeremy only minutes after I graduated this past May. I shook his hand and thanked him for what he had done for me. He smiled the same warm smile and gave a reassuring approval that I, like so many other students he taught and mentored, were ready for the world...even if the world wasn't ready for us.

That was the last time I spoke with Jeremy Mullins, the last time I'd see him would be on Broughton Street, two blocks ahead of me. I knew it was him because my attention was focused on a glimmering object which was of course his very well polished bald-head, attached to a perfectly groomed, taillored suit. Looking back, it's sort of surreal having only seen Jeremy from behind...as he walked away...and then turned a corner.

Life is always precious, and we often take it for granted. While we usually expect to lose people in all manners of ways, we never expect really the abruptness of it. It's usually long and agonizing or justified and stupid. You can say "He had it coming." or "He was suffering for so long." but neither come into play with Jeremy Mullins, an outstanding gentleman with a great sense of honor and inspiration.

To the whole situation Jeremy, I call it "pretty janked up", but it goes without saying you will continue to inspire and teach no matter where you are.

Take care!

(Check out Mullins's website , but be warned, it's graphic!)

Which Witch?

2009-06-12T00:09:00.004-04:00

Centuries ago we were persecuting women who used herbal remedies or kept to themselves, claiming them to be witches and either burning them at the stake or throwing them in rivers. The witch hunts that went on were a devastating and cruel part of our history that even reached the shores of the future United States of America.

But today, all over the world, the "witch" gets a very different wrap. Part of it is thanks to the better understandings science and modern medicines (no longer considered the potions and spells of the dark arts), part of it is thanks to the rising interest in the religions of Wicca (not to be mistaken as some sort of magical cult) and of course part of it is thanks to the writings of one middle-aged british woman who writes about a little bispeckled boy who discovered he was a wizard.

Soon, come this Halloween (if all goes as planned) the arrival of another fictional spell-caster will make her mark on the literary world. I speak of course of Miss Alison Stewart or as she prefers to be called, Raven.

I came up with Raven as the answer to the "female equation". I felt Flagler's Few needed a strong female character. While Claire plays the damsel in distress, I didn't want my feminist friends to ridicule me for not having a woman who can stand up for herself. Not only that, but I wanted a bit of magic and mystery in the original group and so Raven solves the problem on both counts.

When I was preparing to film "Flagler's Few" I had a hell of a time finding a female to portray Raven, but the answer arrived via AOL Profile Search. Yes, sad to say I got my actress via stocking the web-verse. Her name was Yvonne Droese and she was a theatre major at U.F.

When my assistant director (my sister) and I sat down with Yvonne at a Chipotle diner on University Ave. I was immediately impressed with Yvonne's professionalism and so I agreed to give her a copy of the script. She read it and eagerly agreed to lend her talents. While her character appeared in fewer scenes then any of the other cast her scenes were definitely far and beyond excellence and she gave most of her male co-stars a run for their money when it came to expressing the character.

Today, as I scribble the pages of "Flagler's Few" and come upon the chance to draw Raven, I find that it was Miss Droese, like Jujuan Burton, Jon Lane and Talon May, who made the character something original. She changed Raven from simply a practicing witch, into a smart, classy and intelligent character. After the film was shown at Gator Cinema, her character was praised by the audience, and much later she herself thanked me for the chance to play the role.

All I can say today to Yvonne Droese is, thank you for introducing me to Raven.

A Napoleon Haunting?

2009-06-03T12:59:00.002-04:00

Our first stop on our haunted tour of downtown St. Augustine takes us to a little pink house on a lonely corner of the residential area. At one time, this home supposedly belonged to a family member of Napoleon Bonaparte. Today while it still stands, it seems the Bonaparte's no longer inhabit it...or do they?

More pages to come soon, and keep a look out for updates on "Flagler's Few" appearing in paranormal magazines. I'm working out the kinks to the pages, but you might be able to pick up something sooner then you think. ;-)

Til next time me matey's!

PIRATE ON FIRE!!!

2009-05-23T18:32:00.003-04:00

Now for a change of pace, the latest "Pirate Chronicles" episode showcases Talon May and his amazing ability to wield fire in the palm of his hands...ok...maybe not quite the palms, but closer then some might like to be to it.

Enjoy the show, and remember, DON'T DO THIS AT HOME KIDS!!!

Special Thanks To...

2009-05-20T15:54:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all the Paranormal Agencies and Investigators who have lent a hand and donated various "paranormal tips" for use in Flagler's Few. Those of you who don't know, each chapter of this upcoming book will feature an investigative tip/quote from different paranormal groups across the nation.

I've received a lot of positive feedback, and was honored that so many teams answered my call. This is a perfect example of the inter-networking and community collaboration that the paranormal society should be based in. I will of course promote the groups via my book.

The following are groups that have donated tips thus far:

Michael Carrico of Las Vegas Paranormal Investigations

Larry Braziel of Research Investigators of the Paranormal, Inc.

Craig Kimmel of Pennsylvania Paranormal Research Association

Emmi Grossard, Paranormal Producer of NorCal Ghost Talk

Candice Shatkins of Kenosha Paranormal

Terry Hofer of S.P.C.T.R.

Jonas Brihammar of Ghost Augustine

Angela of S.O.S. Tidewater Paranormal Research

Kelly and Diana Elkins of P.I.T.O.N.

John Eagen of Sarasota Paranormal Investigation and Research

Mark Keyes of Pennsylvania Paranormal Association

If any other investigative groups want to donate tips, please e-mail me at ARFstudios@aol.com.

The Prologue...

2009-05-15T14:01:00.004-04:00

So I will get chastised for this, but I just couldn't handle the frustrations and time-consuming nature that comes with using Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator or Indesign to make word bubbles for my pages. So I bought the program Comic Life, and I have to say...for the most part...this program is fun and stress-free!

I was able to letter 6 pages in less then an hour or so once I got the hang of it, and now for your viewing pleasure the first six pages of Flagler's Few penciled, inked, and lettered! I'm considering going back and possibly re-doing these pages because I've improved a lot as an artist since the time I did them, and a few editors have mentioned this to me.

Enjoy these for now. :-)

FFF

St. Augustine Archaeological Association

2009-05-12T22:35:00.003-04:00

I was walking down Cuna Street, taking some reference photos a few months ago for the book, and I ran into a strange group of people working on an empty grassy plot. At first I thought it was a construction crew, working on a city work order or something...but as I drew closer I saw the people working in the lot were of all different ages (young to old) and looked waaaaay too happy to be working on some main line.

What I had stumbled upon, was the Saint Augustine Archaeological Association.

S.A.A.A. is a non-profit group that is well respected in the St. Augustine area and seems to work in conjucture with the city of St. Augustine, as well as Flagler College. Their mission is to educate and preserve the city's ancient artifacts and heritage. The group works on sites in and around the city and welcomes new members and visitors to join their historical investigations.

I just received my membership certificate (membership was under $15 for a year) and it covers my participation on future digs, meetings and seminars. Anyone who's into history and lives in the general area or is willing to travel to partcipate I highly suggest you look into joining this team!

Archaeology goes hand in hand with the paranormal, because to understand history is to better understand the paranormal.

The Pirate Chronicles, Roger Blimes

2009-05-08T21:06:00.003-04:00

Next up on the Pirate Chronicles, we talk with Captain Roger Blimes, also known as my good friend Jujuan Burton, the truest inspiration for the wannabe pirate. Jujuan and I are reporting this interview from high a top Fort Matanzas, located along the intercoastal water way leading up to the city of St. Augustine.

Roger..errrr...Jujuan I mean, talks with me about his thoughts surrounding the character in the graphic novel, a little bit about what it was like playing him in the original film and how Roger stands up to iconic characters like Wolverine and Batman in the "bad-ass department".

Next up, we look at pages of work that were critiqued by Slave Labor's editor Dan Vado, as well as a step-by-step walk through of the creation of one of Flagler's Few's pages.

Editor's Day

2009-05-06T23:56:00.005-04:00

SCAD puts on once a month, an event where they invite all the big publishing companies to come visit the students and review their portfolios for potential hiring or publishing. We call it "Editor's Day" and to many it's the next best thing to Christmas.

In all honest, RARELY do the editors actually pick up anyone's stories or hire artists to work for the company on their projects. I personally think it's more of a vacation for the editors (no offense to any editor's reading) but, I also think a lot of students get their hopes up too high.

The REAL benefit of the meet-and-greet event is to get some face time with the usually way-too-busy people who rule our world. See how they approach and review your work, and learn and accept from their critiques.

On Friday, I'll be submitting Flagler's Few to the editors of Oni Press, Dark Horse and Slave Labor Graphics to gauge their response to the idea of a REAL paranormal graphic. I'll be promoting the three elements (comic, history and paranormal guide) and take their feedback into consideration.

I'm totally prepared for the worst, which is what you usually should be, but you got to remain positive in these situations as well. You never know what fate throws you. It's going to be a very difficult, stressful and tricky day getting my foot in the door of all three editors (especially since I'm only scheduled to see Dark Horse "officially") , but, I'll be sure to fill you all in as soon as I'm out of the lions den.

Wish me luck!

What do you see?

2009-05-04T14:43:00.003-04:00

This photo was sent along to me by the wonderfully talented Jennifer Jones, a professional painter based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Jennifer is a good friend of mine that I met on one of my ghost tours a couple of years ago and she was thoughtful enough to send my way a photo her friend took in Las Vegas while attending the Titanic exhibit.

Some of you might know of the Titanic exhibit through the SciFi show Ghost Hunters. I'm not sure if this is the same exhibit the TAPS team investigated, but I'm suspecting it is. The photo shows some distinctive blurring around the port hole. Faces can be seen in the image, but I can't decipher whether it's visual matrixing or possibly a legitimate haunting.

I'll probably send it along to Dr. Willin, a well established documentor of paranormal photography, but I invite you all to make your own conclusions as well.

Post them under the comment section if you can!

In memory of Hans Holzer (1920-2009)

2009-05-01T01:28:00.003-04:00

I know I'm a bit late on posting this, but that's because I was totally unaware of it until a little over 20 minutes ago. Hans Holzer, a respected paranormal investigator and in many cases a legend in the field of paranormal investigation, passed away this past Sunday, April 26th.

Hans Holzer, was born in Austria, and was responsible for authoring over 138 books on the paranormal, as well as appearing and starring on a number of paranormal documentaries and TV specials.

While one of his most famous cases, the haunting at 112 Ocean Ave. in Amityville, New York, had brought him greater fame as well as likely some discredit (the cases is still disputed to be a fake) it cannot be denied that Holzer has given a great deal to the paranormal community and will be greatly missed.

My condolences to his family, however, let's hope that Mr. Holzer has found the long saught after answers he's be looking for. I will also be adding a little tribute to Holzer in Flagler's Few.

Farewell!

Pirate Chronicles Part 1

2009-04-30T10:04:00.004-04:00

AVAST MATEYS!!!

Finally figured out how to use iMovie, and now I'm cruising along and editing the several videos for the Pirate Chronicles. The first one here is my friend Talon May who played Professor Merryweather in the film adaptation of "Flagler's Few", and he talks a bit about the character.

The sound quality is pretty bad thanks to the wind kicking up on the beach, so please bare through the first minute or so. It'll clear up right before we get started talking about the book.

Also, as promised, here are some new pages to show you guys. In honor of Talon and Jujuan doing these short video casts, I decided to show you the first glimpse of Merryweather in the book, and an excerpt of Roger fighting some thugs.

Til the next time fellow Pirates!!!

Wragg House Investigation (Follow-up)

2009-04-29T15:03:00.005-04:00

Hey folks!

So we finished the investigation a few nights ago and we're still going through the evidence. Until there's more to show you, I thought I'd give you a few interesting photos of the house. We didn't have any paranormal experiences what so ever, despite how creepy the house was. I did get a lot of dust in my throat, but nothing to say right off the house is haunted.

Whether the video and sound comes out as a plus, I must say the house was an amazing piece of history regardless of being haunted or not. Like I said before, it had never been wired for electricity...so you can imagine the last time someone must have lived there. The original 1820's wall paper was still on the walls!!!

Great team. They were all professional, and it helps that they're all working in sound and film as a career. We'll be putting together a professional video and of course add in our findings. If we find nothing, at least the house is documented as having an initial paranormal investigation with negative paranormal activity. That doesn't mean it's NOT haunted, but it means 1/1 investigations prove negative.

Wragg House Investigation

2009-04-27T00:00:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow night, at 11:30pm, I will be leading an investigation alongside Cristin Rodery into the 1823 Wragg House. This early 19th century home is located at the corner of Broughton and Habersham and while it's beauty is mostly unrivaled on that street, it may come with a rather dark past.

Not much is known about the house, it was supposedly used as a quarintine home during several Yellow Fever epedemics and it's final family owner, Miss Wraggs, was rumored to have been burned to death when she fell asleep a little too close to the fireplace.

Usually my blog site is to promote Flagler's Few, but I figure this is a related topic and plan to release some of our findings since we'll be the first paranormal team to have ever investigated this home.

Check it out!

Flagler's Few in Shriek Freak Quarterly?

2009-04-24T21:06:00.003-04:00

Recently, Johnny of Sarasota Paranormal Investigation and Research Initiative Team (S.P.I.R.I.T.) contacted me via Twitter and suggested I get in touch with the folks over at Shriek Freak Quarterly Magazine, a new horror magazine that makes itself available to the public through press and pdf format.

I spoke with Eric Downton, the magazine's "Deaditor-in-Chief" about possibly submitting some pages to the magazine for their July issue. Eric was very interested in Flagler's Few and encouraged me to go ahead and send along a submission packet for review.

So if all goes as planned, look into purchasing a copy of SFQ in July which may include Flagler's Few's publication debute! And don't stop there! Help this new venue of horror and paranormal fiction pick-up off the ground and subscribe quarterly!

Still working on putting up more of the Pirate Chronicles folks! Bare with me, they're only 2-7 minutes long, but it takes youtube FOREVER to load them up.

The Pirate Chronicles (Introduction)

2009-04-21T10:37:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Just checking in to show you the beginning of "The Pirate Chronicles". I'm hanging at a beach house in Matanzas Inlet, a few miles out of St. Augustine. Getting away from ghost tours and classes at SCAD, to work on Flagler's Few in isolation...it's tough...but I'm managing it with my good friends, fellow artist Garett Claypool, Jujuan Burton and Talon May.

Jujuan and Talon are actually the inspirations for the characters Roger Blimes and Professor Merryweather, the two pirates of Flagler's Few. We figured we'd goof off and do some little video podcasts for the heck of it. I don't know if it's going to really work out...probably seems a little silly, but what the hell.

So here's the first introduction. We're going to do some interviews, learn a little bit more of the creation of these characters, Talon's going to preform a fire-dance...should be cool. We'll even do a ghost hunt in St. Augustine and I'll tell some ghost stories.

Stick around, or be forced to walk the plank!!!

A Night with GCOM Paranormal Radio

2009-04-17T11:33:00.002-04:00

I'll be a guest tonight at 11:30pm (est) with Michigan's premiere paranormal radio show, GCOM (Ghost Chasers of Michigan). Dino and Diana are great couple of hosts, and expect to hear some new things about the book while I talk with them.

This will probably be my last radio appearance for a while. I love doing them, but I'm sure people need a break from me. Probably starting to sound like a broken record.

So if you haven't tuned into a radio interview, make sure you do tonight!

The Origins of Catalina

2009-04-15T11:11:00.010-04:00

This was a small one-day one-page assignment in my Senior Project class. It's got little to do with The Reaper of Saint George Street, but features a character from it's hopeful sequel, Flagler's Few and the Pirate's Skull of Fury.

More to come, enjoy this for now!

Also, I'll be appearing on GCOM Paranormal Radio this Friday. Click the link for the time!

Twittering

2009-04-09T14:28:00.005-04:00

I decided to jump on the band wagon and join Twitter. While I still don't understand the massive craze it has sparked, I figured it'd be a nice addition to my blog page. So if you look to the direct right of this post, you'll see I can do moment-by-moment updates of what I'm working on. I'll still be posting pages and vital info via the blog, but this is just an extra status-updater.

On other news, I'm in Saint Augustine again working more on reference photos. I'll be heading home tomorrow, but I got some work done. I'll be returning in two weeks along with Jujuan Burton and Talon May to film some "podcast" interviews with the men responsible for bringing to life Professor Merryweather and Captain Roger Blimes.

Look for more pics to come soon, as well as FLAGLER'S FEW the film...on YOUTUBE!!!

Jumping on Spooks R Us!

2009-04-02T00:54:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone, still plugging away at those pages.

I will be taking another breather this Monday to appear on Dark Plains Radio's "SPOOKS R US" variety show. Hosted by Wayne and Scotty. Based out of Wisconsin, SPOOKS R US showcases a variety of unique radio skits, including the "Paranormal Weather", A Paranormal Science spot, and a comedy routine.

Wayne was generous enough to invite me on this upcoming Monday's show. Seems I'm all over the paranormal radio shows as of late, but it's great fun and it's a fantastic way to get the book promoted.

So tune in this upcoming Monday!

So It Begins...

2009-03-23T23:28:00.003-04:00

So today is the day that I officially start down the path to madness. ONE HUNDRED PAGES penciled and inked before May 15th. I will probably end up hating everything about this book by that time...but if you're going to kill yourself...might as well kill yourself doing what you love the most.

I got to say, it's going to be an epic adventure! If I succeed I'll have broken the record for pages completed during Senior Project in the Sequential Art program at SCAD. The current record holder is the amazing Jarrett Williams, who if you haven't seen his work I recommend you check out under my "fellow artist" links.

To have you all fully understand how ridiculously insane this project is...I've attached a link to the video below. This is a mobisode for a little series you might have heard of called "LOST". Just cut and paste yours truly in the place of Matthew Fox.

Seeya off the island!

This week in the news...

2009-03-18T13:21:00.003-04:00

Here's the image of the week! I actually have a favor to anyone willing to give their opinion. I was thinking of having the dogs in the lower corner switched in each owner's hand. Like the female dog matching the woman should be switched so she's in the male dog owner's hand, and vise versa. Post a comment and let me know if you think that would work better.

Also in today's news, I'll be appearing on NorCal Ghost Hunters Radio Show on March 29th. Even cooler is the fact that my interview comes right in between the interviews of two TAPS team members, Brian Harnois and Donna LaCroix. So check out the show on Sunday night 9pm (est).

You can even call in and ask questions!

Truth behind photography

2009-03-16T23:16:00.003-04:00

Paranormal photography has been a fascination to both professionals and amateur ghost hunters alike. It's also a favorite pass time for tourists. Most of the time photos show nothing more then "orbs" which can often be the plight of paranormal investigators and the gag used by many inexperienced tour guides.

Here's an example of "orbs":

To those that don't know. Orbs are often believed to be paranormal, but more then usual are just dust or condensation on the lens. Real orbs have been stated to be electro-magnetic energy which is believed to be responsible for forming the corporal form of a real apparition. Still, orbs remain the most common "ghost" photography.

However, on rare occasions a gem of a photo can be found, something beyond the usual. Below are a few ghost photographs taken by tourists I've met on my tour. Some are legitimate haunts, while others are still open to discussion. Skeptic will continue to break them apart and search for plausible explanations...as they should, but for now let them remain things to baffle the mind.

Check out more fascinating ghost images in Doctor Melyvn Willin's books: Ghost Caught on Film and Paranormal these are both great sources for paranormal photography and Dr. Willin presents them in a scientific and well thought out manner.

This post is dedicated to the girls from Arkansas U, thanks for joining my ghost tour and have a ghost-free spring break! :-)

Chapter 3 almost finished!

2009-03-16T10:51:00.002-04:00

So I've almost finished with chapter 3, and just in time. My Senior Project class will start next week when SCAD goes back in session for Spring Quarter and then I'll be in full swing to finish up the book. As I stated earlier, my goal is to finish 3 pages each work day until the book is complete.

Also on another high note, Kate Kasenow has nearly completed the book cover illustrations for Flagler's Few Part 1 and Part 2. I'm really excited to see how they turned out, and will be sure to share at least the design for the first cover with all of you visiting the blog site.

In Saint Augustine right now and planning to head out to collect some more reference photos. Will post some artwork on the site soon!

Travelling with Pirates

2009-03-10T21:21:00.003-04:00

As some of you may know, from late March to early May I will be SLAVING over my drafting table to finish Flagler's Few before June. I plan on finishing at least 4 pages a day. I also plan to spend most of my days working on the book, in Saint Augustine Florida to really get in the mood and feel of the story.

And what author's journey is complete without his muse...or...errr muses? I'll be inviting both Talon May and Jujuan Burton, the friends who inspired the characters of Merryweather and Captain Roger Blimes. Both friends played the characters in the film I made back in 2005.

Plans are to stay a night at the Pirate's Haus Hostile, venture around the city's night life, and maybe even par-take in a ghost investigation of our own while we're about. I'll of course be working feverishly to finish the book, but a little down time to rest my hand will be in order.

I'm also planning on taking some video recordings with this entertaining duo and hope to post it on the blogspot!

Designing Saint Augustine's Night Life

2009-03-08T23:35:00.002-04:00

I finished off page 30. In the book the transitions between day and night are signaled by the borders of the pages going either white or black. On this page, you see the first transition from day to night with some pretty interesting establishing shots of Saint Augustine.

I'll be posting some pages with word balloons soon, so stick around!

Meet Victor...

2009-03-04T12:04:00.009-05:00

Who is Victor and what is his role in Flagler's Few?

Keep checking in to learn more!

The importance of skepticism

2009-03-01T19:11:00.006-05:00

In Flagler's Few, the lead character William Garrings is an avid skeptic...even when confronted with the unexplained.

It's important to the validity of paranormal research to remain skeptic, or to at least have a fair share of skeptics involved. It would be easy for anyone to "claim" something was paranormal or supernatural, but without the scientific basis to back it up, or without an outside opinion or view, it would be easy to have a number of non-paranormal events be thrown into the mix and upset the uniqueness of the REAL paranormal.

In the book, while Will is the hero and main protagonist, his skeptic side is set to make the fictional aspects more spectacular and to play towards the skeptic in all of us...because even the most avid of believers...can't help but be a little unsure deep down.

But, can Will become a believer in time to save the day? Or will skepticism go too far and leave Claire in danger? You'll have to read the book to find out. ;-)