October 31, 2008

BRAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNS



Happy Halloween Ya'll!

Here's another run of my infamous Halloween sketches drawn on small paper treat bags. Enjoy the horror!

After the Phillies won the Series, watching all of those people in the street flipping over cars and looting, got me in a zombie apocolypse mood.

5000.

September 16, 2008

LEON: Enter: Chalmers


In this strip, I introduce CHALMERS, A kid in Leon's grade who is the archetypical 'rich kid'. Well that's a stretch - he's more the Ralph Kramden template - the kid who's always scheming on how to make a buck. Here we see some of Chalmer's design chops.

I took this act on the road and brought a buncha Leon strips to a local school and the kids ate it up. I did a lotta Chalmers sketches. They liked the kid who loves money. How interesting is that?

Anyway, you're gonna have to click on that image - it's crazy small right now.

UPDATE: I realized that I put a newer strip first. It's cool to see how I'm getting used to drawing Leon and he looks a bit better in the strip below. Also Chalmers is the first classmate to make two appearances in the strip so far.


APPEARANCE ALERT!
I'll be appearing at the Baltimore Comic Con at the end of the month. Mark your calendars!

September 13, 2008

LEON: Enter my darling Clementine



One of my other fave LEON strips is where I introduce CLEMENTINE JUSTICE, the nosy overachiever one-upper, always-the-last-worder kid from Leon's school, Antonio Hardy Elementary. Clem is the captain of the Hall Monitors, a group you'll see more of as the strip progresses, and maybe more when it opens into new formats. One thing with the monthly strip, is that there's not much room to keep a daily setup since it's one strip a month, you need to keep it fairly open-and-shut, story-wise. That's a lotta hyphens!

As you can see, she also has an admirer, a kid I didn't name, but JUICEBOX sounds good right now.

LEON: Protector of the Playground

Yo yo.

So I've been doing my kids' comic, LEON: PROTECTOR OF THE PLAYGROUND in Delaware County Magazine for close to a year now, and never really got around to putting the strips on my blog. Here's the first one, and I'll post more as I get the second.

I really enjoy Leon, and it gets great reviews from kids and adults alike. I will be at the Baltimore Comic Con at the end of the month, (More info to come) and I will be on a LEON kick while I'm there. Come through and get art!

Here's the first strip. I enjoyed the colors on this one.

September 10, 2008

August 31, 2008

More on LIVE LIVE LIVE!

I'm gonna keep hitting you over the head with this.

Here's the WHYY youtube clip that wouldn't load on the last post.



The last part with the squid? That's . . . that's not our show.

August 29, 2008

LIVE! LIVE! LIVE! Coming next week

Puppets like you've never seen them before!

Hey gang! Here's more press on the event I'm putting in on next week. There's a new poster that may be a little suggestive, but it's puppets, so Caveat Emptor.

>>

From this weeks CITY PAPER:
LIVE! LIVE! LIVE! Hoity Meets the 'Hood
LIVE! LIVE! LIVE! Hoity Meets the 'Hood teams the urban puppeteers at Little Bunny Voodoo and hip-hop cartoonist Jamar Nicholas. We know LBV's 2007 Fringe offering, Late Night at the Tiki Bar, was a visual delight. To quote CP's review: "We could watch these puppets watch paint dry," and we've been following Nicholas' street-smart hip-hop comix for years. The concept here is a "design mashup" with LBV's Alisa Sickora Kleckner and husband Chris Kleckner working with Nicholas to bring his creations to life. "They took my half of the project and really gave my ideas wings," says Nicholas. --Brian Howard

Read it:

read Puppets at the FRINGE: on WHYY

They interviewed me as well, but they TOTALLY LEFT MY WHOLE PART OUT. :pout:

Anyway, it's coming, and there's nothing you can do about it. If you're in Philly, come check it out. It NEEDS to be seen live.

August 24, 2008

SUPERIOR FLOOR SYSTEMS: Notes from the group show



Remember a few threads back I went on about the tile I was creating for the group show SUPERIOR FLOOR SYSTEMS, at Exclamation Gallery? Well I did, it was done, and it got lookeded at. My pals over at the gallery posted a neat look into the show along with plenty of pics and a great video. See if you can find mine.

Here's a link to the gallery Flickr site, as wel
l! Thanks gang!

August 21, 2008

The Illest Collabo since that guy and the other dude. . .


My man TOOBZ cordially invites you to:


Please join me as I collaborate with puppet troupe LITTLE BUNNY VOODOO to bring forth the illest Fringe show ever! Would love to see you there if you find yourself in Philly (for you out-of-towners) next month.

Also, we were interviewed by WHYY Public Radio about the show, so once I find out when that airs, I'll pass the info on to you.

Click here for our Philly Fringe show info.

NOTE: Just to be clear, the show is at THE INSTITUTE, not the Walking Fish.

August 09, 2008

Thesaurus is Colored.


bad joke. I felt like giving that sketch some pigment.

WATCHING THE DETECTIVES: Dissecting Detective Boogaloo Pt I

Now that I've been streamlining my deal over here at the JN Studios, it's been easier to put things back in place, to put some stuff in order. Some things that have been in the works or have fallen to the wayside find their place again. One thing I wanted to focus on for the JHAAJ gawkers is my place in Hip Hop Culture, and all that stuff that comes with it.

One of my properties, DETECTIVE BOOGALOO: HIP HOP COP has always been my study on my life and love of Hip Hop, and what boils down is a dialogue on 'Old vs. New School' Hip Hop and all that goes with it. Some people who enjoed my webcomic just enjoyed the pretty colors, or 'like a breakdancing detective'. That's cool. Do You. The strip, at least in my mind, had a lot of layers, and one is the idea of Hip Hop broken down into sections of eras, and along with that, come fashion/lifestyle examinations. One character in the DB Universe is contact and Ill Intel Copper: THESAURUS JONES. (Click here for his first appearance) Thesaurus' look is of mid-late 80's fashion and ideals - like the 80's Rap Scene blew up in his closet. He also comes correct with the illest High-Top Fades, Flattops, Boxes and Trigonometry Haircuts.


figure 1: Black to the Future

What's really interesting to inspect, is that I came up with Thesaurus, probably in 2000 or somewhere around there. He used to rock a Theo Huxtable Shag, but when I intro'd him into the comic, I thought he Box would be a little more culturally and visually revelant. It's bugging me out that the 80's have finally come up on the fad/culture dial, and now I'm seeing young teens out in the streets rocking them again. Apologies to whomever this image got jacked from. Respect due, Internets:

Figure 2: What Comes Around Comes Back Around Again... Again

Now, That's great and all, and is amusing to see kids go nuts with this outlandishness, but the 20-year-later Jamar has to stow the 'fad' part of this and just see it for what it is. I think the olny difference was when it happened the first time, is that it was the first time. "You had to be there" really applies to what's rocking out there in the streets. Thesaurus' character is a keeper-of-culture, and has an important place in the DB universe. I wonder, when I bring Boogaloo's adventures back, if he'll be seen the same now that you can look out the window and see some kid looking just like him.

August 03, 2008

You can get with this/You can't get with that

It's been a while between posts, so here's something to gnaw on:

I just deleted my Myspace account.

I just deleted my LiveJournal account.

More to follow. Soon, there will be only a few places on the intenerds to find my updates. Simplification is the New Black. Get up on that.

ONE.

June 17, 2008

DRRRRRRRRRROP!

Yo. I've been in radio silence for a while for a few good reasons, that I don't need to get into, since there's only 8 of you that come here. Just say that if you need to see whats' on my mental river on the daily, check the twitter to your right or sign up to follow the leader (chikka chikka).

I have some stuff to drop here in a few, because people keep asking me, 'where can i see your stuff!?'. I'm very easy to Google. It'll usually point you here, or to another of my 22 websites.

So I'll leave you off with some old Detective Boogaloo art, this was for a t-shirt design for a long-sold out ICE TRE' tee.

T'Challa!

May 01, 2008

Free Comic Book Day AGAIN!


Man, another year down!

Look for me along with my comic-drawing pals as we'll be holding it down this Saturday at Captain Blue Hen Comics, making dreams come true for FCBD!

You know the drill. Also feel free to use the labels on the right to read about FCBD's gone by.

See you there!

April 15, 2008

Noo Yawk Cahmekahn and TOKYOPOP

Hey what's good!

This weekend I will be on site at the NY Comic Con in lovely Manhattan. I will be on a signing schedule, so here's my whereabouts as they are. Between these times, find me galavanting around bothering my famous friends and posing for photo ops. One of the places that you can kick it with me will be at the TOKYOPOP Publishing booth, #1321. You can't miss it, because it'll be the size of a small continent. I'm on the schedule for a couple of things so check me out!



TOKYOPOP APPEARANCE & SIGNING SCHEDULE

Saturday April 19

12:30-1:30 PM
Creating Art for Manga Panel at TOKYOPOP booth #1321
(Drew Rausch, Jamar Nicholas, James Barry, Joanna Estep, Lincy Chan, Maximo Lorenzo)

Moderated by Hope Donovan

Sunday April 20

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 PM

Humor and Manga Panel at TOKYOPOP booth #1321
(Amy Reeder Hadley, Jamar Nicholas, Maximo Lorenzo, Svetlana Chmakova, Steve Buccellato)

Moderated by Lillian Diaz-Przybl

>>

I'll be in some other spots as well, but I gotta stretch these posts out somehow. Come back soon!


March 25, 2008

The Black Billy Crystal?


We're jussumen that rock the mic!

So I'm back on board to host the GLYPH awards this year in Philly, coming up in May. Check out the PR posted last week for it - it's big news!



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JAMAR NICHOLAS RETURNS AS HOST OF THE GLYPH COMICS AWARDS

The Glyph Comics Awards Committee is proud to announce that Jamar Nicholas will return to host this year's awards ceremony at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) in Philadelphia. Nicholas, a Philly native, is best known for his hip hop comic strip Detective Boogaloo, as well as his autobiographical series The Jamar Chronicles. In 2007 he hosted the Awards for the first time, delighting the audience with his unique brand of humor while serving as emcee of the evening's entertainment, which also included performances by spoken word/rap artists Grayson Board, Randy Moore, and Brother G.

"I'm very excited about having the opportunity to host the 2008 Glyph awards, and am honored to be asked," says Nicholas. "I had a great time hosting last year's awards, and to have it take place in such a historic institution as the African American Museum makes it even greater."

"We really couldn't ask for a better host," says Committee Chair Rich Watson. "Jamar's local, he's a cartoonist himself, and he's funnier than anybody hosting this thing has a right to be, so we hope to have him as our go-to guy for a long, long time."

The Awards ceremony will be held Friday, May 16 at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the night before ECBACC, which will be held the next day, Saturday, May 17, at Temple University's Anderson Hall.

The Committee also wishes to remind everyone that the poll for the Fan Award remains open until March 31. Everyone is encouraged to head over to the ECBACC website (http://ecbacc.com/wordpress/?page_id=76) and vote for your favorite black comic from 2007.

About the Glyph Comics Awards:

The Glyph Comics Awards recognize the best in comics made by, for, and about people of color from the preceding calendar year. While it is not exclusive to black creators, it does strive to honor those who have made the greatest contributions to the comics medium in terms of both critical and commercial impact. By doing so, the goal is to encourage more diverse and high quality work across the board and to inspire new creators to add their voices to the field.

The awards are named for the blog Glyphs: The Language of the Black Comics Community at Pop Culture Shock (http://glyphs.popcultureshock.com), started in 2005 by comics journalist Rich Watson as a means to provide news and commentary of comics with black themes, as well as tangential topics in the fields of black science-fiction/fantasy and animation.

About ECBACC:

The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC), in association with the Temple University Pan-African Studies Community Education Program, is an annual gathering of comic book creators and retailers who create and sell material that caters to black readers of all ages. In addition to selling their work, they also take part in panel discussions and self-publishing workshops for aspiring creators. The convention is held on the Temple University campus in Philadelphia each May. ECBACC is an outgrowth of the original Black Age of Comics Convention in Chicago, founded by Turtel Onli.

For more information about ECBACC, contact event coordinator Maurice Waters at maurice.waters@ecbacc.com, or visit the official website (www.ecbacc.com).

That's What's Up!

March 14, 2008

USED TO LET MY TAPE ROCK 'TIL THE TAPE POPPED


Do your lessons!

Learn your math!

Sketch study for something else going out the door. stretchy arm is a little wonky, but that's entertaiiiiinment. . .

March 13, 2008

FRECKLED KID


Little color joint I did as a gift to someone who hooked me up the ill rice paper I drew it on. the prismas bleed RIGHT through the other side, but I loved the effect.

This is a two-fold gift, that will work it's way out into whoever else I need to give art to. I love this stuff!

March 02, 2008

BLACK IS BACK. . .

Even if you haven't seen me, I see you. You should be ashamed of yourself.


Here's a moleskine joint for you. Look for more posts from me this month. Along with some news. I've been crazy busy, almost so busy I haven't had time to catalogue what I'm up to. Let's rectify that.

Also look for another classic full-color Boogaloo strip in the newest issue of UVC magazine this month.

Peace Connecticut!

January 31, 2008

Jamar Nicholas: INTERNET SUPERSTAR!



INTERNET SUPERSTAR! is the joint - we stay crispy in milk, son. Click the vid to see me RIGHT IN YOUR FACE talking about the BBWW Blog and pimp some other stuff as well. Thanks to my new ace, Martin Sargent and my man Gator for the look out! This was the inaugural episode, so we make history YET AGAIN. Also hang around to see Tom Green do his thing.

January 08, 2008

Some Full Page Action in Delaware County Magazine


Well the posting schedule begins, and we're rolling through it with no bumps.

For you on the other side of the world (or state) who can't get their hands on a copy of this month's Delaware County Magazine, you'll be missing the debut of my new comic strip LEON: PROTECTOR OF THE PLAYGROUND, and also you'd be missing a nice article that was done on me for the occasion. It's a nice piece, tho some things were quoted a little fuzzy, it's awesome nevertheless! Big shout outs to my man Scott Neely, my man Marc Manley who takes the best pictures of my goofy face, and also to the interviewer, Tom Leavy, who was a great guy. I hope we cross paths again soon.

Click on it to get a fullsize view!

January 06, 2008

The store is OPEN! Boogaloo ILL CRIMES UNIT CASE FILE for the last time EVAR!

DETECTIVE BOOGALOO: ILL CRIMES UNIT CASE FILE (The Collected Strips)







Hey all! Back again (Told you I'm on the schedule!) and this time I'm trying out some new store stuff. I created the Boogaloo Case File some years ago, back when I was still doing the strip at Moviepoopshoot.com and I just unearthed a little crate of extras that I thought I sold off. Now it can be yours yours yours!

The Case File collects in a neat manilla-file folder, the first 25 strips from the Detective Boogaloo: Hip Hop Cop webcomic, presented in a police format - black and white interior, complete with never-to-be-seen-again (!) insider info on the DB Universe - an official Ill Crimes Unit Rap Sheet on Boogaloos' nemesis ICE TRE, along with an ill forward by then-editor now-editor-in-chief of IDW Comics, Chris Ryall! Yeah, I knew him back when.

It's a real cool package, and every folder is different - I self-stamped and self-coffee-ringed each one of these babies. I've been selling them for years at cons, but now it's time to put this to rest and do the NEXT Boogaloo thing, that I'm not gonna put over yet. . . But you knew it was gonna happen eventually.

The price for this is going to be 10.00 USD, (I know the cover says 5) but I'm throwing in the shipping and I'll personalize it for you and your shorty. That's MY gift to you!

After this dissappears off the front page, I'll put this on the sidebar, and I'll be putting up other things I find in the studio attic as we go through the Great Purge of 2008 - to get ready for THE NEW NEWNESS.

And you can pay with PAYPAL! If you don't know what Paypal is by now, then maybe you don't need to be on the internet yet.

Thanks - let's see how this works.

2008 - The Year of the Poobah

What's good party rockers!

As referenced by many of my blogging pals, 2008 seems to be a turning point for a lot of creatives that I know, and I'm bunching myself in there as well. Not dealing with the resolution route - 2008 is taking off to be a 'make or break' year for a lot of people, and with that, I'm planning on steamrolling thru this sucker with some bull power.

First up is some structure. I'm fixin' to begin a posting schedule here on the blog, where on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays expect a post from me on the Big Beautiful Wonder Woman Blog, and then on Tuesdays, Thursdays and mayhaps the Weekend, check for new posts here. I'm sure you're all RSS-ed Up here, so you don't have to miss a thing.

I have a million things I need to get out of my head this year, so let's start with one simple one - more updates.

Also, pay attention to the Appearances sidebar, as I'm going to try to stay on top of that this year. I have a signing for Tokyopop next weekend here at the American Library Association 2008 Midwinter Meeting: , but I don't think they let you in unless you're a librarian. Who knew? As one would think, I'll be at the Tokyopop booth signing copies of THE GROSSE ADVENTURES for a few hours. I'm all atitter!

One other thing you should be on the lookout for is another one of my properties, LEON: PROTECTOR OF THE PLAYGROUND is a new comic strip that you can see every month in the Delaware County Magazine!

LEON is the story of a super-hero sidekick in elementary school. It's a lotta fun, and it's all-ages, and I think people of all ages will dig it. You can see the first comic story of LEON in the pages of EVEN MORE FUND COMICS anthology, from a few years back. Dig it up and you'll see me working out the kinks. I'm really proud of Leon!

Along with my great pal Scott Neely, (GLO, Mr. Bundles!) and Mike Manley, we will be bringing you a full page of full-color comic strippy goodness every month in the pages of this super mag!

If you live and love in the Philly/Delaware/Tri-State Area, you can cop this anywhere. There is also an awesome interview with me in the latest issue, as we debut our new strips (Scott debuted ALFIE a few issues ago, but now were all in it to win it)!

I guess this counts as a weekend post, huh? Sounds good to me.

Be Easy!