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 well! Thanks gang!

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.

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.

SHOOK ONES PT. III.I

Finished...

SHOOK ONES PT. III

Painting on a floor tile for a group show... SUPERIOR FLOOR SYSTEM for my pals at Exclamation Gallery.

mobile test.

ITS DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS.

Noodles before Bedtime

just some doodle-y stuff from the cabinets before I turn in. Have Have Have Fun!

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.

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!

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!

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!

Are you ready?!

Moleskine Treats For Tired Feets

Feeling froggy after getting my legs under me a little bit today. Might as well mark the day with another Moleskine drop. . .

Shadows of the future. . .

Something sketchy to keep 'em guessing. . .

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!

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. . .

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!