I just finished ordering a proof for the Weekends With Carl graphic novel.  As this is my first “big” book this is both exciting a nerve-wracking at the same time.  Hopefully I haven’t completely screwed up the file formatting.  Once the book is done and ready to be published you will be the first to know.

I’m still plugging away at putting together a Weekends With Carl book.  I’ve got 5 pages of “Deleted Scene” comics finished, and I’ve got the front cover drawn but not colored (see above).  I still have to put together a few more extras and print a   Thank you for being patient while I put this together.

Not everyone may realize this, but weekends with Carl originally started as a conversation you can find here and here.

I was originally going to spin into another story from here, one that explained why L’il Buddha often ehibits un-Buddha-like behavior, but the story wasn’t all that great, so I trashed it.  Don’t worry, though; I have a much better story planned which I will get to eventually.

During the next week I will be posting guest art some friends have sent me while I work on a Weekends With Carl book.

Click here to go to the beginning of this storyline.

So that’s the end of “Weekends With Carl”.  Of course, its not the end of our protagonist’s story.  Soon he will learn what he wants out of life and how to make friends on his own terms.  But that’s a story for another time.

I will be posting another comic next  Sunday, and then I’ll be taking a week off from making comics to work on collecting “Weekends With Carl” into a book.   I wish I could specify a release date, but I really don’t know how long it will take to get a proof made (and make corrections).  Hopefully I’ll have something ready by January or February of next year.

I would also like to send thanks to all the loyal readers and commenters on this website.  You guys have been great!

Click here to go to the beginning of this storyline.

… almost… there…

Click here to go to the beginning of this storyline.

Here’s more info on the art on this page:

The Temptation of Christ – This was the one picture that I never made an on site sketch of. But I needed something to represent Christianity.

An Assortment of African Masks - These masks don’t technically belong here as they represent social structures rather than gods or other spiritual beings, but I wanted to put them in somewhere.

Buddha – At least I think its Buddha.  I never could find a picture of it on the website.

Ganesha - I know almost nothing about Hindu religions.

The Three Nymphs - I just had to throw in some nymphs somewhere.

The Bodhisattva Kuan-yin - A Bodhisattva is a Buddha who has turned down Nirvana until everybody else is enlightened.

And the whole “Six billion people, no one thing can work for all of them” is not an original thought.  It’s based on something the Dalai Lama said, although I don’t have the exact quote.

Click here to go to the beginning of this storyline.

I was going to post more about the Minneapolis Inistitute of the Arts exhibits that are in this page, but I am really sick right now.  I’ll try to post it tomorrow if I feel better.

UPDATE: I am feeling a lot better now.  Here’s the promised update on the art featured in this comic.

Mother With Child - I could not find a picture of the original on the MIA website.  The closet match I could find was this.  The picture is based on a sketch I made when visiting the museum.

Cartonnage of Lady Tashat – An awesome Egyptian coffin.

The Game of Go - I didn’t draw in the seam on this one as I throught it might be distracting.

Scenes of Plains Indian Life - A buffalo hunt painted on elkhide.

Dance Mask – A West African dance mask.

Little Servant Girl – I really like the elongated features on this one.

More art to come next Wednesday!

Click here to go to the beginning of this storyline.

So Ryan finally gets to got to the art museum.  The museum in this story is based off of the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts.  You’ll get to see more of the museum’s exhibits in the subsequent pages.

Click here to go to the beginning of this storyline.

The story’s not over yet!  Next Wednesday the epilogue begins.

Click here to go to the beginning of this storyline.