Colorful Characters
As mentioned a few months back, Jeff has been working on Illustrations for another of his collaborations with writer Michael P. Spradlin. The Monster Alphabet is coming in 2012 from Grosset and Dunlap, and a whole new generation of little kids is sure to get excited about learning their ABCs once they discover that A stands for abominable snowman, F stands for Frankenstein's monster, and S is for sasquatch. Jeff's illustrations are now completed, so we're treating you to a preview of a few of the colorful characters (pun intended, because we're just that clever!) that await kids in the pages of this, the most charming introduction to the alphabet since cuniform became obsolete!
Nursery rhymes your mom won't be reading to you...
now in bookstores everywhere!
Illustrated by Jeff Weigel
Written by Michael P. Spradlin
Published by HarperCollins
Author Mike Spradlin and Jeff have hatched another volume of zombie rhymes for a panting public. In the past, they've massacred Christmas carols and timeless love songs. This time out, they're desecrating classic nursery rhymes! You can now get this collection of perverse poems and eerie etchings at your local bookstore. This volume contains over 50 twisted illustrations, all guaranteed to give a you new perspective on some of the characters originally brought to your acquaintance by your loving mom or a kindly teacher. That probably won't be happening so much with these...but then, who are we to criticize anyone's child rearing choices. If you want to buy this book for your kids, knock yourselves out. You might need to buy them a night light to go with it, though.
Click here to see a few illustrations from the book.
The Return of The Sphinx!
Back in the 1990s, Jeff's first comic book work appeared in the much-beloved retro anthology title Big Bang Comics, published by the fine folks at Image Comics. Big Bang was dedicated to recreating the spirit and sense of wonder of comics from past decades, and Jeff's character, The Sphinx, fit right in with that mission. The Sphinx stories Jeff created for BB were a big hit with that title's regular readers—in fact, Jeff's 40-page story introducing the Avian Adventurer earned him a nomination for the Russ Manning Award for the Most Promising Newcomer in Comics back in 1998!
Now thanks to popular demand from longtime fans, 2012 will see the return of The Sphinx and plenty of other favorites from Big Bang! Pulp 2.0 Press will publish new trade paperback collections of highlights from Big Bang's long run, including all The Sphinx stories, plus a generous helping of previously unpublished bonus material to boot! Keep your eyes on this site for more info about when you can get your hands on these great comics in the coming year.
And rest assured that along with The Sphinx epic, Jeff's work on Big Bang characters like Ultiman, The Hummingbird and others will be available, too.
Annie, get your gun... and your microscope.
As noted below, the adventures of ace disease detective Annie Biotica will be coming to you, starting this fall, from Enslow Publishing. There are five Annie books in the works, and Jeff has done the artwork for all of them. Here's a peak at the covers of books two through five. Germ warfare has never been so action-packed and colorful! Click on the images at right to to take a closer look.
Just the facts, ma'am.
A new series of books coming later this year from Enslow Publishing teaches kids about the science behind illness. The books follow the adventures of Annie Biotica: Disease Detective, as she investigates disease "crimes", gathers clues, theorizes about illness "perpetrators", and sets disease crime "victims" back on the road to health. Each whodunit-style casebook in the series will feature full color cover and interior illustrations by that artistic accessory-to-the-crime: Jeff Weigel. Annie's adventures will begin hitting the streets later this year. Until then, let's be careful out there!
Celebrate Vincentennial!
To help celebrate the 100th birthday of St. Louis' native son, actor Vincent Price, Jeff has contributed his talents to an art show commemorating the legacy of this master of the cinematic chiller. On display now in the posh gallery room at St. Louis' StarClipper Comics and Books is Jeff's faux cover for the thirteen issue of "Vincent Price's Macabre Tales." It's a comic book that never was, but certainly should have been. Drop by Starclipper (one of the finest comics stores you'll ever see this side of the Gotham City) located in the hip neighborhood known as "The Loop." You'll find Jeff's work there along with art from many other artists hellbent on paying tribute to a hell of an actor.
Civil War Buff Alert!
Jeff has done a pair of new t-shirt designs based on an idea from his frequent collaborator Michael P. Spradlin. If you are one of the many folks who are gearing up for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, these designs will help you announce your interest and enthusiasm for this historic commemoration. You can now go here and get your own "Civil War Buff" t-shirt! It's your chance to tell the world that not only do you know a lot about American history, but you can also bench press a volkswagon!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Jeff's artwork usually involves fine lines done with pen and brush on paper, with color added digitally. But his work as a designer keeps him up to date with all aspects of digital graphics and production, and so he's got a bag of tricks and styles beyond what fans of his comics and zombie illustrations are familiar with. Below is a great example. It's an illustration for a project he's currently working on, and it's done entirely in Adobe Illustrator—all vector art done in the computer and untouched by human hands. And yes, for the record, Jeff is a huge Beatles fan!
School Library Journal blog salutes Thunder From The Sea
NYC librarian and School Library Journal blogger Elizabeth Bird has written a long and glowing review of Thunder From The Sea! Here's a short excerpt:
"It’s as if [the author] made a dare with himself. Not only would he create a book about the Royal Navy battling it out with Napoleon’s seaside forces, not only would he make that book a graphic novel, and not ONLY would that graphic novel contain tons of factual information about early 19th century seafaring ways, but he’d also put in enough battles and fight scenes to make it worth a reluctant reader’s while. Kids are bugging you for more pirate books? Throw this puppy their way. By the time they realize there isn’t a peg legged man to be found it’ll be too late. They’ll be hooked, and if you read it yourself, so will you."
If you'd like to read all of Ms. Bird's review, you'll find it here. Or better yet, just break down and buy a copy of the greatest Napoleonic-war-nautical-adventure-graphic-novel-for-kids ever conceived by mortal man! Head to your bookstore or click here.
New York Public Library honors Thunder From The Sea
Jeff's graphic novel, Thunder From The Sea, has been named to The New York Public Library System's 2010 list of 100 Children's Books. Here's what the bookworms in the Big Apple have to say about this epic adventure of a boy's life on board a British naval frigate struggling to defend England from the invasion forces of Napoleon:
"This rousing naval adventure, seen through the eyes of an orphaned ship’s boy during the Napoleonic Wars, offers a rich mix of fact, fiction, and pulse-pounding action."
The titles on this year’s list of Children’s Books (100 in all) were selected by a committee of librarians working in the branch libraries of The New York Public Library. Click here to see the complete list of 2010 titles.
Clothes make the man.
Thanks to author (and Jeff's frequent collaborator) Mike Spradlin's entrepreneurial endeavors, you can now get t-shirts adorned with Jeff's artwork from Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime! Just think of the jealous rage your friends will fly into when they see you strutting around in one of these babies! Not only can you get your shirt in any color, but they're even offering designs Jeff and Mike did especially for this line of couture creations (Project Runway, here we come)! Click here to join the fashion elite!
Undying love lurches into a bookstore near you.
Illustrated by Jeff Weigel
Written by Michael P. Spradlin
Published by HarperCollins
Just because you're dead doesn't mean you don't have feelings! This December, bookstores all across the land will be offering the perfect book for those readers with a love so strong it refuses to die—it's the latest collaboration between Jeff and author Michael P. Spradlin, Every Zombie Eats Someboby Sometime: A Book of Zombie Love Songs. This follow-up to the New York Times bestseller, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies: A Book of Zombie Christmas Carols, is another combination of Mike Spradlin's loving lyrics and Jeff's deathless drawings. Classic tunes like "You've Lost That Livin' Feeling", "You're the One That I Chomp" and "I Can't Stop Chewin' You" will melt the hardest of hearts (even if the cause is rigor mortis). The books has over fifty tender depictions of love that's gone unchecked despite the fact that the lovers themselves have checked out. Plus there are portraits of some of popular music's greatest artists, from Sinatra and Dino to John Lennon and Buddy Holly. Sure, they're all dead now, but that doesn't seem to be stopping them!
Jeff's page of black and white art samples shows a few of the illustrations from this deathless tome. Now run out and buy two copies—one for yourself and another for the one you love.
Thunder From the Sea: a graphic novel adventure
Written and illustrated by
Jeff Weigel
Published by G.P. Putman's Sons
This exciting graphic novel for kids follows the adventures of Jack Hoyton, a twelve-year-old orphan who finds himself thrown into the world-altering events of the Napoleonic War. Join Jack as he and his mates aboard the British frigate, The Defender, struggle to save England from Napoleon's invasion forces. There's adventure, espionage and history to be found in this swashbuckling tale of action on the high seas! You can see a few pages from this tale of action on the high-seas by clicking here.
"This [book] will lure in young readers with exciting seafaring adventure (and conflict) and fascinating factual tidbits. It offers a well-rounded, if brief, picture of the period. The illustrations, maps, and diagrams are chock-full of details. A rich reading and visual experience." —School Library Journal
"The realistic illustrations and complex characters make for an exciting story. The plot twists will keep readers guessing until the last page." —Junior Library Guild Monthly