Tragic Relief #'s 8 and 9 now for sale online.

I don't tend to get ideas for short comics, so much as impulses. And when these impulses pop into my head, they have the voice of the guy from this Kids in the Hall sketch shouting "Let's boil the broom!"



In the case of Tragic Relief #8, the voice said "Let's draw a shark! Let's draw a guy PUNCHING a shark!" And then I had draw a story around that image, which ended up being:


Tragic Relief #8- Revenge! I've had this mini for sale at a couple of conventions now, but only just got around to adding it to the shop. Apologies for that. Rich Kreiner of The Comics Journal wrote a nice review of it here. Check it out!




Tragic Relief #9 is available now, too! I'm changing the format again with this issue, gotta the readers on their toes (all ten of them). For the next 6 issues of the Tragic Relief minis, I'll be serializing my next graphic novel "Basket Ogress". Each issue will also contain a short back-up story, for people aren't into the whole Pacific Northwest mythology kids story thing.

The back-up story for this issue is called "The Hunt", and started because I was looking at too much Frank Frazetta art after he passed away, and starting thinking "Hey! Let's draw a jungle girl story!"

I like feedback, and tend to do a lot of corrections and redrawing pages when making comics- I've redrawn and condensed about seven pages of this chapter of "Basket Ogress" since Rob Clough last reviewed it. So send me a your thoughts- ColleenFrakes@gmail.com








Issue #10 is already nearly done, and should available at SPX in September, and online a few days (or months) after that. I'm bad about these sort of things.

Help me pick colors!

I think I've figured out the design for my next book cover, but I can't figure out the colors.

Any advice is appreciated!

Basket Ogress #1 SOLD OUT

I have no more copies of Basket Ogress #1 for sale! It was a numbered, limited edition and they are GONE.

There's a review of it here.

Places where you can probably still find a copy:

I Know Joe Kimple
Trees and Hills (it's not on the website yet, Colin bought a bunch of copies from me. Shoot him an e-mail)
Stephen Bissette might have some copies for sale at his booth in the Quechee Antique Mall, if you're in the area.

And...that's it! At least until the book comes out, and it already looks like I'll be redrawing half these pages for the final book anyway.

Last of the Basket Ogress Pages

I'm very close to finishing "Basket Ogress" (not counting corrections, of course), so these are the last pages of the book that I'm going to post. You can read more than half of the story online here. The whole book will (hopefully) be available in stores by May.

Speaking of stores- if you're in the Upper Valley area, visiting the Center for Cartoon Studies or skiing or sampling some maple syrup, there's a bunch of local stores that are now carrying my books, and books by other local cartoonists! Here's a short list:

The Grape Vine in the Hotel Coolidge, 39 South Main Street in White River Junction, VT. They're primarily a gift shop/convenience store, but they've got a little spinner rack with our comics.

Revolution at 26 North Main Street in White River Junction. Coolest clothing store in the area, also have a nice display of local comics, books and zines.

Left Bank Books in Hanover NH has a display of CCS mini comics right near the register. While you're there, check out their used books. There's some amazing stuff.

Stephen Bissette maintains a booth at the Antique Mall at Quechee Gorge Village. It's full of comics, movies, memorablia AND comics by Steve, CCSers, alumni and other local cartoonists. Quechee is a bit of a drive, but there are free cheese samples at the Cabot store in the same building, so it's worth it.

And...I think that's it? Something new next week.

Of pages and parties.

Oh right, I have a blog. I've been trying hard to post something new every week, but got busy and skipped one.

By "busy" I mean I've been drawing and watching The Mighty Boosh. Oh, and I went to a party (it was nice) and had my first experience trying to drive on black ice (it was not).











































































































































These pages are from the last chapter. I just scanned in page 70 of "Basket Ogress". There is an end in sight!

The first fourteen pages of Basket Ogress #2 are up on Flickr. Check them out!

Rob Clough was nice enough to review the first part of this story over at The Comics Journal. Read what he had to say here.

100 POSTS! and More Basket Ogress Pages

Break's over, I'm working on the book again.

See the whole story so far here.

Summer Break

There's more of the Basket Ogress story up here. I'm taking a break for a few week to move and go camping and enjoy the summer, but there will be more pages to come.

The good people at Alice Blue Review have published another issue of the online literary magazine. Take a look, and check out the archives. I'm partial to issues one and four, myself.

Basket Ogress

Read the rest here.

Basket Ogress

Working on a new story. See more of it here.