Captain's Log. Stardate 01977.5.1... Sorry wrong franchise. I probably shouldn't try to get booted before I even get started. If you're reading this then welcome to my very first v.i.p. blog entry on starwars.com. The very fact that the folks at sw.com consider me a "very important person" to take part in their new blog endeavor is definitely flattering but I think the better suited acronym for me would be "virtually impossible person (to live with)". This is most likely due to my erratic work schedule and late hours I tend to keep when it comes to drawing Star Wars. I'm usually only totally at peace with myself when I'm knee-deep in drawing a Star Wars project. When I'm not drawing SW however, or if I happen to be drawing something else non-SW related, then I spend the rest of my time worrying when my next SW project will happen. It's not healthy, I know but it's a living

Star Wars Celebration III has come and gone and on all accounts it was a huge success for me. Selling artwork and making money are always good things (and important when you're self-employed) but having fun drawing for and talking with fans, goofing off with friends after the show and rubbing elbows with Star Wars celebrities and LFL employees (hi Bonnie!) are what I always look forward to the most at these kind of events. I want to thank everyone who stopped by my table at the art show and took time to buy a print, some original art or just to say to me and my pal/webmaster/partner in crime Justin from World Famous Comics.com. I can't wait to do it all over again in San Diego later this summer.

Speaking of Justin, we both drew sketch cards for Topps Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Trading Card Series that was released this April. Justin did around 100+ cards for the set and they were looking pretty sharp so count100+ yourself lucky if you pick up of one of his cards (especially one of his Chewbacca sketches) in a pack or off of eBay sometime. I did around 290 cards this time for Topps, with about 75 different variations of character sketches. I only did three of each kind of sketch (except for cranking out lots of battle droids towards the end when I was trying to make the deadline) so that will make each character drawing a little more unique. There are also the Vader, Yoda and Clone Trooper two card sketches. I did six sets of each of those. Back in March Star Wars.com interviewed me about drawing for this new Topps Set so if you're curious you can check it out here...

http://www.starwars.com/collecting/news/topps/news20050125.html

You can also check out all 75 variations for the RotS set (plus a few new color sketch cards I drew) along with my Clone Wars and Heritage sketch cards at my official site too.

My second issue of Star Wars Empire, Issue #31, has shipped, I'm really excited for everyone to see it. I feel like this is my best work yet for Dark Horse. I was a lot less nervous drawing this one than my first at bat for them drawing #25. A lot of my favorite artists growing up as kid were Marvel Star Wars comic book artists so It's been a big goal of mine to contribute to the Dark Horse line of SW comics for a long time now. I owe a big thanks to my editor Randy Strandley and my good pal Jan Duursema for giving me a chance and helping me to finally get there. Drawing Star Wars comic books is definitely what I want to do for the rest of my career but if that doesn't happen then just drawing comic books in general is what I'm all about. I'm really not qualified for much of anything else

I even penciled the cover for Empire #31 (my first SW cover for Dark Horse) which features my all time favorite character, Darth Vader. If you happen to know me you can pretty much surmise that it's secretly a Batman cover since I'm not sure if I'll ever get the chance to draw Batman for DC, hopefully someday though. You see, I'm a big Batman fan, I'm an even bigger SW fan obviously, but I love the Dark Knight, ever since those campy 60's TV show reruns I watched when I was a kid. So anyway, I designed the cover with Vader perched atop a Coruscant balcony, framed by the city skyline and an armada of TIE fighters swooping past like bats with Vader's cape flapping in the wind. Brad Anderson did the colors and he does amazing work each month with Jan's art for Republic so I was really glad my editor hooked me up with him on this cover. Also, I'm really hyped for Batman Begins, Christian Bale rocked in American Psycho, Reign of Fire and The Mechanic so I think he's perfect for the character.

I'm also really hyped for Episode III obviously. Drawing Star Wars for a living allows me to be privy to lots of information before the general public but my instincts were confirmed when I was allowed to read the script for the comic adaptation back in November of 2004. You guys are gonna love it when you see it, trust me. It's definitely the most tragic, emotional and action packed of all the SW films. I also believe it's going to take a huge emotional toll on the audience, especially us die-hard fans, so I'm going on the record to say I have a feeling everyone's not going to be prepared for this one either. A lot of folks could end up walking away not liking it since it's *so* dark. Just like people did when TESB was initially released years ago and fans/critics/general public weren't prepared for it either. It was only in retrospect, years later was it so critically acclaimed. Everyone was was expecting another happy go-lucky SW film. Episode III will make Episode V look like a Sunday picnic though. What Ep III has going for it though over Ep V is closure since it completes the circle of the saga and leads into the next film which we are all already familiar with.

But with that in mind, it will give Episodes IV-VI that much more resonance, it will make those classic, great films that much more powerful. I really believe that's what the Prequels were designed to do in the first place, especially the first two. Starting at the very beginning with something as epic as the Star Wars saga requires a lot of exposition and establishment, just like the first chapter of any book so I'm a staunch defender of the Prequels. The first two Prequels are designed as set-up, a slow-burn if you will for the big pay off, which will be Ep III and then and of course the Classic Trilogy as well. I can't wait to see it all unfold with everyone else on May 19th!

I'll be back soon to share more about my Celebration III experience and to let you guys know what I'm working on next.