Going to San Diego for this year’s Comic-Con? You’re not alone. Once again the show is sold out. But for those of you lucky enough to score some tickets, make sure you swing by the IMPACT Books booth to see what your favorite IMPACT authors are up to. Here’s our entire schedule of events, so you won’t miss a thing:

Thursday, 7/23

11:00 a.m.

Harry Hamernik, author of Face Off and Cartoonimals

1:00 p.m.

Chris Ryall and Scott Tipton, authors of Comics 101

2:00 p.m.

Randy Martinez, author of Creature Features

Friday, 7/24

11:00 a.m.

Andy Schmidt, author of the Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels

12:00 p.m.

Kristy and Brian Miller, authors of Hi-Fi Color for Comics

1:00 p.m.

Peter David, author of Writing for Comics and Graphic Novels

3:00 p.m., Room 30CDE

IMPACT University: How to Write and Draw Comics, Graphic Novels, Manga and Fantasy!

Saturday, 7/25

11:00 a.m.

Scape Martinez, author of Graff

1:00 p.m.

Peter David, author of Writing for Comics and Graphic Novels

2:00 p.m.

Kristy and Brian Miller, authors of Hi-Fi Color for Comics

3:00 p.m.

Harry Hamernik, author of Face Off and Cartoonimals

3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Portfolio Review Area

Pam Wissman, IMPACT Book’s Editorial Director, Portfolio Reviews

If you’re a fan of Star Wars, you’ll want to check out the latest news about IMPACT author and officially licensed Lucasfilm Ltd. artist Randy Martinez. Randy is offering all 9 of his artist return sketch cards from his work on Topps’ Star Wars card. Check out the details here. Also check out Randy’s IMPACT book, Creature Features, here. 

After a limited opening yesterday, Star Trek is now showing in all theaters today. I was able to see it in a nearby theater last night and was surprised by the small crowd (fewer than 20 people in the theater). Where were all the trekkies?

I was a little disappointed since a large, excited crowd always makes opening night seem more fun. Despite this, Star Trek has everything you’d want in a summer blockbuster: adventure, romance and lots and lots of shiny explosions.

It’s not lacking in the plot or acting departments either. J.J. Abrams thoroughly revamps the Star Trek franchise, and the young actors bring new life to the well-loved characters. There’s still the occasional hokey line and gimmicky plot device, but don’t we expect and want at least a little of that from Star Trek?

Watch the official trailer here and go see the movie this weekend!

Want to draw your own space ships and alien life forms? Check out Mechanika by Doug Chiang and Creature Features by Randy Martinez.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”

What is the world of Jane Austen coming to? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Yes, that’s right, Quirk Books has published a version of Jane Austen’s classic work in which flesh-eating zombies add a certain grisly quality the original lacked.

If that weren’t enough, thanks to Elton John’s Rocket Pictures and director Will Clark, we can now experience the Bennet family saga in yet another entirely new way: with a bloodthirsty alien slashing its way through Pride and Predator.

Want to create your own predators and other gruesome extraterrestrials? Check out Creature Features by Randy Martinez. Find out more about Martinez here.

Have a great weekend!

mary

If you haven’t already, go check out Monsters vs. Aliens this weekend. The film is geared towards kids, but also has enough jokes and kitschy references to keep adults entertained (especially those of the nerdy persuasion). Click here to watch the official movie trailer.

Want to create your own monsters and aliens? Be sure to check out Randy Martinez’s new book Creature Features. Read a fun interview with Martinez here.

Have a fun weekend!

mary

The newest IMPACT title, Creature Features: Draw Amazing Monsters and Aliens is set for release on April 8. Here’s a Q&A with the author, Randy Martinez.

Bio:

Randy Martinez was born and raised in southern California. The son of two artists, he was destined to be an artist himself. But his road to being a professional started on the basketball court at California Lutheran University. Not only was Randy on the basketball team, he also served as the official team artist, creating “Lu Dog” logos and T-shirt designs.

Eventually Randy’s art professor helped him realize that his future didn’t lie in a pair of sneakers. After a two-year stint at CLU, Randy spent two years in the art program at Ventura College before attending the Kansas City Art Institute. Kansas City represented a chance for Randy to get out of his comfortable setting in southern California and challenge himself with new forms of art and ideas.

After receiving a bachelor of fine arts degree in design and illustration, Randy moved back to southern California to pursue a professional art career. He got his first big break in 1999 by doing artwork for Star Wars Kids magazine. Since then, Randy has become a favorite among Star Wars fans. His art has been published and used for official Star Wars publications and collectibles worldwide.

Randy currently lives in southern California, where he illustrates books, children’s games, trading cards and Star Wars memorabilia. To learn more about Randy and his art, visit www.randymartinez.net.

Latest IMPACT book: Creature Features: Draw Amazing Monsters and Aliens

Hometown: Ventura, CA

Kids and/or pets: No
 
Favorite food: Chicken Parmegan at a restaurant called Ferraro’s here in Ventura. There is nothing else like it.

Favorite candy bar: Twix or Reese’s. Depends on the mood I’m in!
 
Favorite TV show: My All time favorite is Seinfeld. My current favorite is a toss up between The Clone Wars and No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain
  
Favorite movie: The Whole Star Wars Saga 
  
Favorite website(s): Wow, this is hard. I guess I would say facebook, or ESPN:NBA.
 
Favorite blog(s): I don’t really read that many blogs. I’m too busy writing how to draw books.
 
Favorite comic(s): I’ve always loved the X-men. But I have come to enjoy a lot of different titles. A lot of it has to do with the art being produced. If the art is good, I usually like any kind of comic.
 
Do you collect anything (stamps, comics)? I collect Star Wars Galactic Heroes. They are these cute little figures intended for kids 2 to 5 years old. But they are so fun. I take them out of the package and play with them with my nephew.
 
First job ever: My first job ever was drawing caricatures for $0.25 each at a carnival when I was about 8 or 9. You can imagine at a carnival my earnings didn’t last longer than an hour.
 
Best job ever: My best job ever is being what I am now, a freelance Illustrator.  I make art for a living…for me, there isn’t anything better. I have the freedom to take on as much or as little work as I choose, I can pursue other career interests like music, I can travel when I want or need to, and the best part, I can sleep in when I want!
 
When did you know you wanted to be an artist? Honestly I cannot remember not being an artist. Both of my parents were artists, so I always had materials within arms reach. My mom has pictures of me painting when I was like 2 or younger. The only other thing I wanted to be growing up was a basketball player in the NBA. But once I stopped growing at 6’2” and I could not dunk the ball every time I realized art was my destiny. No complaints here.
  
Give us a taste of your latest project. The biggest project on my table at the moment is Scholastic Books’ Star Wars: Rebel Force. It’s 10 book series and I am illustrating the book covers for it. It is very exciting because I get to draw all the classic heroes and villains from the Star Wars Universe. There are already 2 volumes of Rebel Force on bookshelves (Target and Hostage, available at all major book stores), with a new book coming out just about every other month. 
I just finished creating art for Topps Trading Cards Star Wars Galaxy 4. This is exciting as it will be my first published trading card. I have done many “sketch cards” before but never a design painted for reproduction on a card. Star Wars Galaxy 4 released in early February.
    A new project that is just in the starting phases is another how-to-draw bookwith IMPACT Books. I can’t tell you much at this point as we’re just starting to develop it. But I can tell you, if you like Creature Features you will not be disappointed in this follow up book, no matter who you ARRRRRRR! 

Talk about a time you felt star struck in your line of work. I lived in Hollywood for about 6–7 years. One of my best friends was a pretty well known actor so I went to a lot of parties and events where stars were, so I kind of got used to the idea of celebrities. The thing you learn is that most celebrities are like everyone else, they laugh and cry like the rest of us. But every once in a while you find a truly unique person, and that makes things exciting when you get to talk with them. Personally, the most exciting thing for me was meeting illustrator legends Drew Struzan and John Alvin. It was amazing meeting the artists behind the brush, but the greatest thing is I became friends with both.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received? The last answer kind of bleeds into this one, because Drew Struzan gave me some advice I will never forget. I met Drew Struzan at Star Wars Celebration 1 in 1999.  I was just out of art school and was struggling to get my career going. I kept in contact with Drew over email, and he was kind enough to share little tid bits of art and the business. One day I wrote Drew when I was particularly frustrated with my career and the pace it was taking. Drew wrote me back the most important advice I had ever gotten at that time. He wrote “Patience is a virtue that I am sure you have”. It was great advice because the truth was I did not have patience, and Drew was telling my in his Obi Wan Kenobi way that I needed to attain it. Over the next few years I worked on changing things in my life, and the day I let things go and gained patience my career started taking off.