Recap
Hello, peeps! Whew, what a month…I got sick around the 13th and once I started getting back on my feet, I got vaccinated. WHAM! My little immune system didn't appreciate the double shots, and since then, it’s been a slow road to recovery. In a desperate turn of events, I had to cancel my signing sessions at the Salon du Livre de Montréal, which did NOT help my mood. But the worst is behind me, hopefully!
Earlier this month, I made a delicious announcement regarding my next comic book project, which is called L’heure du Lunch. It’s a book about lunch and sandwiches, their history and their disproportionate place in my life. There are no metaphors or deep underlying themes here: I just want to draw food. For the announcement (during International Sandwich Day, yes yes), I made this little teaser image and the response has been fantastic. I can't wait to get into it more seriously!
After almost 20 years of partnership, I decided to end my longest professional relationship of all time: I ditched the Adobe Suite just before the annual renewal. The exorbitant monthly price, the feeling of being locked into a subscription model, and more recently, their pivot towards AI, finally convinced me to move towards more ethical options. If I managed to learn Photoshop on my own, without tutorials or resources at seventeen, I should be able to teach myself how to use the different Affinity products without too much trouble. So far, it’s going great.
Announcements
My Expozine plans fell through but in a rather incredible turn of luck, I managed to score a table at the Christmas Comiccon, on December 2nd and 3rd. I wanted to make an announcement earlier but given how unpredictable my health has been, I didn't want to jinx anything. In any case, if you want to shop for gifts, swing by the Palais des Congrès this weekend. Admission is free!
Speaking of gifts, it's holiday sales time in my online store. I've made so many new illustrations this year, there's sure to be something you’ll enjoy. This is also my last run of festive raccoon cards before retiring them forever. The code CABFETES23 will give you 15% off your purchases at checkout until January. In order to receive everything before Christmas, better get shopping now! Also, I added a new print of Nuclear Winter for fans of the series. I got them back from the printer and they look really good!
That’s all for November! I have a month to prepare all my end-of-year posts and playlists.I can't wait to share them with you. Until then, take care of yourself!
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Recommendations
Reading:
Dense Discovery: a duly curated newsletter, which highlights books, artists, cool sites and interesting subjects. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters and this one definitely makes me a better person.
Skate Park, by Dominique Carrier, Jeik Dion and Charlotte Soucy. In a post-apo world, rival gangs of ultra-badass girls wage turf wars through skate and rollerblade races. A super effective page-turner whose art is highlighted with splashes of fluorescent colors. Loved it!
Watching:
We’ve been spoiled this month in terms of very, very high caliber animated series. Starting with the impeccable animated adaptation of Naoki Urasawa's masterpiece, Pluto. The first time we see Atom (Astro) in the series, I got actual chills. Then I treated myself to Blue Eye Samurai, a an original series about a young Japanese woman who is looking for her Western father in a Japan which remains closed off to foreigners. The series is visually stunning, with a flawless mix of 2D and 3D art, extraordinary writing and ultra-original fight scenes. We want more. And finally, after months of waiting, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off dropped. I wasn't really expecting the turn it took story-wise but let’s say I binged it in 2 days anyway. Every second made me incredibly happy AND envious of the royal treatment this comic has been given over the past few years. I would make shady deals with the devil or people in suits to see Nuclear Winter adapted with similar means. Dear Netflix, here is my eternal soul in exchange for an adaptation by Science Saru and a trip to Tokyo, please. The only downside of the series is, ironically, the English performances by the original, star-studded, A-list cast. The Japanese dub works MUCH better with the style and energy of the series, I find.
Listening:
Rope Skills, who gave a solid performance at the launch of the Skate Park at Turbo Haüs. Punk punk punk!!
This playlist of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, with the tunes in order of appearance. I'm obsessed with United States of Whatever.
Cool artist: Jason Schier, a design producer on Blue Eye Samurai. Go check out his beautiful concept art for the series, it's worth it.
I'm glad you're on the mend. I think I may have missed the window on my flu shot, but I can still get the vaccine.
Congrats on making the leap to Affinity software! I had to do the same when the hard drive on my 2009 iMac essentially died.
I also love "United States of Whatever!" I was so stoked when it was included in that episode. It was the perfect mood-setter.
That sandwich looks delicious!
Im also starting up with the Affinity suite, I started using the Publisher one as I work with manuals but will be poking at it for my comics as well.
Thank you for the recommendations and I hope you feel better!