If you can’t make it to Philly on the 15th-17th of June, then just wait what I have in store for you!!
I’ll also will be attending the Big Apple Comicon at Penn Station June 22nd-24th! That’s right, two, count ‘em, TWO shows in one month!

How does he do it?!

Well, there ya have it. I’m gonna be at Wizard World Philadelphia this June 15th-17th. I’ll bring along some updated pencils to hopefully get ya excited about the Batman Confidential work, so I hope to see yer happy shiney faces there!

When I do Philly I usually do a Wizard work shop so come by my table (#2714, I believe) and check out my signing, sketching, and workshop schedules.

Hope you can make it!

Best,

RAGS.

Ok, a few things to mention.

Thanx for everyone that showed up to the Pittsburgh Comicon. I had a great time being there in like, what…5 years or so? That show is one of the best around and there was so much appreciation for the artform and as a creator I think I can speak for Joe Jusko, George Perez, Arthur Suydam, Adam Hughes, aw hell…ALL OF EM…we were treated with such warmth and love, I’d be crazy not to make a return trip.

Anyone who showed up at the Hawthorne NJ show, I’d like to say a big thanx! We accomplished what we set out to do and the Hawthorne High School’s art department will be getting some much needed supplies to stimulate those creative juices for the coming generations.

Where am I goin next? I dunno. Wizard Philly is a possibility, as is the Big Apple Con…both in June. I’ll keep you posted as to which I’ll be able to go to.

Now about the work. Batman Confidential STILL doesn’t have a release date, so there’s no news there. At least not from me. If anyone knows more than I, will you please share it with the class. But what I DO know is that I’m proud of it. A fitting sequel to a great villian and wonderful original story. I’m on the second half of issue 3.

Wildstorms project is still on the drawing board, but I’m hoping to get it started full force by the end of June.

Ok, I gotta go.

RAGS.

The show last year at the Jacob Javits was spectacular. Those who attended, if you were lucky to show up early, got in and saw something that hasn’t been seen at the Javits since the 90’s. The turn out was so enormous, it broke NYC firecodes and left some 9000 people waiting in the cold, cold, February air that afternoon.

Well, the good news is that the show has been expanded to accomodate what is anticipated to be as large, if not larger, an attended show. Word has come to me that in a couple of years, the NYC Comicon at the Jacob Javits will be synonymous with the San Diego Comicon with regard to size and attendance.

This is good news, for all of us who love and support this medium. It means comic books are alive, well, and healthy again! Enough to re-open the Javits after the industry’s implosion during the 90’s.

As a professional and comic book fan, that means alot…thanx to all who supported the field during it’s low period, in the hopes that it would rebound. It has folks, we did it!

If you haven’t already been informed, there was an over sight in the guest list, and I will be attending this show. For some reason I was left off the list, and that will be rectified.

I’ll be hanging with Bair, and Ethan…it’s gonna be fun!

See ya in February!
RAGS.

Well, 2006 is coming to a close and I for one, am pretty dang happy about it. What started as a miserable year for me is closing out positively and I’m bringing that optimistic goodness to you, the comics cup.

I’ve made public my divorce and I’m not gonna drag it out anymore than it has been; I wouldn’t want to bore you with personal dirt. But suffice it to say I’m in a healthy relationship now, and a healthy artist is a productive one.

Currently you’ve seen the Dr. Midnight issue #19 of JSA Classified. If you haven’t then shame on you…go get it now! It’s a cool set up for a much cooler ending! Personally I think issue #20 rocks! Maybe even better than #19.

If you don’t know by now my next project is a collaborative effort with Geoff Johns, Richard Donner and such a cornucopia of great A-list artists that it makes me blush to be among them. Check out Action Comics Annual and feast on the eye and mind candy we’ll be spinning for ya.

I’m currently working (since I’ve kinda let the cat out of the bag in the Batman section of this website) on a 4 issue arc somewhere in the Batman universe. I don’t want to give away too much cause I’ll be interviewing soon and don’t want to disappoint my friends in the comics news world.

This of course will lead me into the Wildstorm universe…

So there you have it, a great end to a tumultuous year. I’m back, hoping my inertia is finally over with, and that it provides me with the opportunity to do what I’m blessed to be doing, working for you guys.

Have a great and prosperous new year and, of course, HAPPY FESTIVUS!!! However you decide to celebrate!

Much love,

RAGS.

p.s. come be my friend at myspace.com under the “display name”: ~MORALESS~

ON THE NEWSLETTER:

I’ve been having problems with the email addy I’m using for the newletter. I’ve sent notices, and it looks like I’ll have to eventually move onto another site…most likely hotmail.

Here something to consider:

As you already know, the JSA classified arc I’m doing is due out soon. Pay attention to the collaboration with Scott Beatty and I- it’s a prelude to what you can expect to see once we move onto the Wildstorm mini in months to come. And that mini will have a big connection to the Wildstorm universe as a whole. Watch out for it.

Currently I’m working on an Action Comics Annual. 12 pages with Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, and Mark Farmer. Colorist will be Eduardo Fernandez, formerly of “Out There”.

After that a 4 issue mini with Tony Bedard in the DCU. It’s something I REALLY look forward to…

And of course, as before mentioned will be my collarboration with Scott for the Wildstorm project.

Basically that is what my next year and a half to two years looks like.

See Ya!

RAGS.

I’ve been running through my head whether or not to start a newsletter….I know what you’re thinking…why not just blog?

I could, but then what to blog about is always an issue. My life is kinda haphazard, and I don’t have the stability to chime in on my daily doings like the lovable Ethan here.

So this is only for the Comics Cup who want to know my inner workings…what I have planned and what you can expect from yours truly. The kinda thing that is somewhat privileged information.

No, you won’t get the dirt on who got fired, but I’ll be giving out stuff pertaining only to me. Hell, I might even scream at the heavens for your entertainment.

If you want in, just send me your email addy through the private message board here at comicbloc and I’ll add you to the contact list.

Let’s give it a shot….

Cool?

Cool.

Hi folks!!

A little announcement that I will be at the Big Apple Comic Con the weekend of September 16th. It’s a two day show and word has it that I’ll be sitting with my partner in grime Mike Bair. Show up cause I’ll have some stuff I’m working on for JSA Classified to display.

Hope to see the Comics Cup…those who can make it!

It was mentioned in Philadelphia, at the DC panel. Brad Meltzer has crafted JLA #0, and has asked different artists to contribute a page to the story. Brad, in his infinite wisdom, has asked me to do a page- but in Jim Aparo style.

That got me reminiscing about the 3 pages presented to you (thanx Mark for holding onto them all these years- I’m touched) so I asked Mr. McMurray if he still had them and if he wouldn’t mind posting them.

You see folks, while pursuing your dream, you come across spatterings of revelation that seem kismet. Having Neal Adams take interest in my work was one. Having the late Jim Aparo appreciate a sketch of mine was another. Hearing how a young person is inspired to draw from my work is yet another. I always felt if I could just get someone to notice me as a professional, I’d consider my dream met.

But then Brad called me. “Rags, I’m going to try to do something. I’m going to write a JLA story and have different artists do a page for it. Do you think you can do one page in Jim Aparo style? I hope DC goes for it.”

It truly is rare when you have something like this… the chance of doing it again some 24 years later. If ever there was something that says to me, “You’re definately doing what you should be doing.” It’s the opportunity to recreate (to a degree) something I did while dreaming of doing this kind of thing for a living. Thanx Brad.

There you have it. That’s why we shared.

Let’s hope it isn’t a sign of the end of my career….

here’s the last page from the series, which Mark had shared with us.