Monday, December 29, 2008

Friday, December 26, 2008

Friday, December 19, 2008

Batgirl, Huntress, & Black Canary, bad background, good background

This is the final image, after I re-did the background.This was the first attempt. After I finished, I felt dissatisfied with the background pattern. Instead of unifying the piece, it became a disjointed distraction from the subjects. I came up with a couple more options, then asked the advice of the wise souls on the 11O'Clock Comics podcast forum.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Han Solo finished


The first of the Holiday Commission sale. Hopefully blogger won't cut the picture off again. If so, click the pic to see the whole thing.

Edit: Yep, Blogger is still cutting them off.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Holiday Commission Sale!

With the Holiday season approaching, and my move to Cincinnati nearly complete, I'm opening the doors for commissions, to be completed in time for Christmas.

To commemorate the upcoming season, and as a form of celebration over the election, I'm offering discounted prices as well as free shipping to anywhere in the contiguous United States.

I'll be doing 11x17, inks with grey tones =  This price structure is a limited time offer, after this round of commissions the prices will be going back up.

Added Bonus: even though Halloween is over, I'll knock another $5 off the price for anyone who wants a monster as the subject of their commission. I just love to draw monsters!

You can contact me via email at: dave@davedrawscomics.com

I hope to hear from you!

'Nuff said.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Green Arrow and Donatello



This was one I didn't get a chance to finish at the Windy City Comicon.

Windy City Comicon Report!

Last, last weekend, (yes way back then) I exhibited at the first annual Windy City Comicon. Organized by my buddies from the Around Comics podcast: Brion Salazar and Chris Neseman, the goal was to bring a comic convention back within the city boarders and have it focus on, get this, COMICS! It was a bit of an ordeal for me to attend the show. I had just moved away from Chicago just the weekend before, to my new place in Cincinnati. Once everything was in the new apartment(I've got too much stuff. A 17ft truck worth and then some!) I unpacked the computer and drawing table first so I could knock out the sketch pre-orders.

On that Friday, I journeyed back north with my parents, as they wanted to spend the weekend with my brother up there while I was at the con. I picked up Pat Loika from O'Hare airport and after a meal at a nearby bar called The Black Beetle, we crashed on air mattresses in my old empty Chicago apartment. (By the way, the new paintjob throughout and the tile work in the bathroom really helped the old place out. Only wish it had happened sometime in my 7 and a half years of residence there.)

Saturday was show day. The short drive to the Center on Halsted was punctuated by the appearance of Chris Neseman on the corner, taking a quick smoke break no doubt. He helped us unload the trunk of the Toyota and directed my to a primo parking space on an adjacent street. The show was almost immediately busy. On my way to the bathroom, I was surprised that I had to squeeze through a significant line of eager con goers. I hadn't finished my pre-orders, not even close, so I busily got to work on those before the doors opened. And after they opened. And past lunchtime. Okay, pretty much the whole day. I saw lots of old friends again, people from around town and some who had even come in from around the country. I finally got to meet some great people I have only known from their online persona. I was talking and sketching all day, with hardly a break for the bathroom or my patented pb&j crafting convention lunchtime show. The con preview edition of The Guns of Shadow Valley was flying off the table and I was doing my best to keep up with my promise of a head sketch on the back of every book sold. For a one day show, or one day of any other show, I was really surprised and proud of how many copies were traded for a pair of greenbacks. There were even some costumes at the show. Spider-man swung in for an appearance, as well as the linebacker edition of Mr. Freeze, and a few others that I noticed. And, of course, it wouldn't be a comic book convention without a Stormtrooper showing up. The floor was crowded the whole day. Chris, Sal, and their cadre of diligent volunteers were busy keeping things running smooth as silk. For their first show, or any show really, I was extremely impressed. I finally got to walk the con floor for the last 20 minutes , just in time to say 'hi' and 'bye' to some folks. I missed out seeing a lot of the other exhibitors who were there, but that's part of the tradeoff when your that busy. One of these days I hope to take it easy at one of these things, not worry so much about all the sketches and book sales, and just enjoy the company of the other half-crazy comic book denizens with whom I am sharing this weird and thrilling ride.

The after-party at Villains Bar in the South Loop was tons of fun. Finally a chance to just hang out, have a couple of drinks, and enjoy the company. The little halloween-themed stage show they put on was a pleasant diversion. After that a few of us traversed north again to nice little spot called Delilah's. A little quieter and more intimate, I was able to fully enjoy my last hurrah in Chicago. Ah, the memories. Do they have a lost and found?

On Sunday, Pat and I devoured breakfast/lunch at my favorite spot: Uncle Mike's. It was a blustery afternoon for us to make our way downtown to Millennium Park again, but Pat just loves that giant bean! Then, north up Michigan Ave to catch a showing of the Coen Bros' Burn After Reading. It was a weird little movie. Very darkly funny and enjoyable, just don't get too attached to the likable characters. I took Pat to a couple of the better Chicago comic shops: Darktower and Challengers. Dinner at the crappy little Chinese take-out joint near my place then an early bedtime. The next morning was Uncle Mike's again. We went there 3 times and Pat got the same thing each time. Pat, I know it's good, but there's more to life than the Honey Ham and Chicken Sandwich! Then to my regular Wednesday haunt, Brainstorm Comics, where we talked it up with proprietors Matt and Robert, I made my final comics purchase, and said my goodbyes. It was almost like breaking up with a girlfriend because we knew we couldn't make a long distance relationship work. Then a quick drive back up to O'Hare where Pat and I departed company. It's always a little sad, but we'll see each other again, never soon enough.

From there it was a straight shot out of town and down to Cincinnati. While negotiating the always insane Chicago highway traffic I caught a few glances back at that unforgettable skyline. I thought briefly on a few of the fond memories, all the way back to when my Dad dropped me off at college, the beginning of this 15 year journey. Slamming the breaks to avoid the BMW cutting me off in tight traffic, I focused my attention forward.

Here's a few pics, the rest can be found at my Flickr account:

Pat, me, and Andy Jewett:
Spider-man:
Marshall Law sketch:
So long, Chicago:

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

October a bust, for blogging

It's been a crazy month, thus the lack of updates. On the week of the 18th, I moved from Chicago to my new home in Cincinnati, Ohio. After 15 years, the costs of living in Chicago became too much to bear. I love Chi-town and I really hated to leave, but them's the breaks.

I hope to be behind my own computer tomorrow, actually getting something done. Then I'll be able to upload pics from the Windy City Comicon. Yes, I moved out of Chicago one weekend just to return the next for the convention. It wasn't easy. But it's a good thing I did, because the show was a personal success and tremendous fun. Chris Neseman and Brion Salazar of Around Comics put together a really great show. I know it will be late but I'll try to throw together some kind of con report.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Windy City Comicon - Oct. 25

I'll be at the 1st Annual Windy City Comicon, in Chicago on October 25th. I'll be there selling sketches, The Guns preview book, prints, and other assorted comic related things. So stop on by!

I'm also accepting pre-orders for sketches to be picked up at the show. The pricing structure is as follows:

Sketches: 9x12, inks and grey tones, $30 first character, $10 each additional.

Commissions: 11x17, inks and greys, $90 first character, $30 each additional.

Prepay through PayPal or cash at show.

Contact me: dave@davedrawscomics.com

Wrecker and The Dude

No, it's not the newest buddy cop drama from NBC, just a couple of sketches I haven't posted before. Both were pre-orders from cons this summer.


Now that I look at it again, I realize that on the Dude piece, I could have filled in the upper left quadrant with a trippy smoke pattern. That would have been cool.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Cap sketch - Bucky Barnes

9x12 on bristol. A pre-order from the CGS SuperShow.

CGS SuperShow 08 Wrap-Up

Last weekend(yes, it's taken me that long to post this!) I attended the CGS SuperShow, the first annual convention hosted by the fine fellas at the Comic Geek Speak podcast. I had a fantastic time at the show. It felt more like a geek class reunion than a comic convention. I saw old friends, made new friends, sold a bunch of books, did some sketches, and stayed out far too late.

Rather than bore you with an entire convention recap here's a link to my post on the CGS forums, highlighting some of my favorite moments. Also, I took a ton of pics, here's a link to the ones I posted on my flickr account.

A few pics, to whet the appetite:



Thursday, September 4, 2008

CGS Supershow!

I'm headed to the CGS SuperShow tomorrow, in Reading, PA. If you're going, stop by, say hi, buy some books, a print or a sketch! Here's a quick scan of one of the pre-orders for the show:

Friday, August 15, 2008

Tell Them Johnny Wadd is Here - Cover art


I'm drawing and inking the book Tell Them Johnny Wadd is Here from Terminal Press. Written by the kickass Tony Fleecs. This is the cover I drew for it before San Diego. The finished version is colored by Narek Gevorgian. You can buy a limited edition numbered/signed print here.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

San Diego Comic Con 2008 report

The Dial R Crew(l to r): Barry Miller, Dave Wachter(me), Michael Woods, James Andrew Clark, John Culjak, Pat Loika, Chris Maze

Another San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone. As always, it went way too fast, was extremely exhausting, and immeasurably fun. It was gigantic, it was crowded, it was the Mecca of comic fandom. For good or ill, there is no show like it.

WE SOLD OUT AGAIN! We completely sold out of the Guns of Shadow Valley preview book.

Jim passed out our submission package to a number of publishers and got some really encouraging responses.

I did nearly 100 head shots on the back of the books.

I found out the secret of the freight trains vs. San Diego.

I don't care what people say, this may not be only a comic book show, but there's more comic books than you can shake a stick at.

The absolute best part was seeing everybody again. It had been a long time for some, but it felt like we picked up right where we left off. Also, it was great meeting so many new faces that I can easily see maintaining strong ties with. I'm still so exhausted I don't have much else I can say about it right now other than what an incredible time I had.This report really sucks.
I uploaded my pics to my flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davewachter

Here's a bunch of them:

Starship Captains

Maze at work


Tony "mobliehome" Guagliardo
Superman
Terminal Press
Pat and Chris
Sketch for Chris
Star Trike
The Con Center
Jim and Chris
Chris and John
Tony FleecsSteve Bryant
People in Costumes: