In lieu of cash payment, I asked for one of the prototypes. They said no.

Earlier this year, I illustrated a 28-page educational comic for SAMHSA, the government agency that handles substance abuse and mental health. After a long road, it’s now available for free here.

It’s my first gig with the government so I was definitely unaccustomed to the layers upon layers of review and approval involved in bringing this project to fruition. There were a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but the core collaboration was myself, the writer Cathy Baker, and AD Michael Lurry.

The script was created in-house so I had the pleasure of just purely focusing on the artwork. They wanted a positive and hopeful vibe—a challenge considering it was about substance abuse and mental illness—so I got to play with a more colorful and representational palette than I typically use.

It was a great experience, and the final product is more than what any of us initially envisioned… which I feel is the result of a positive collaboration! The primary format is a free physical comic, so the double page spreads don’t translate to SAMHSA’s digital low res presentation so well, but hey—free comic!

Dave’s early work was children’s books, but now he’s exploring the landscape of portraiture.

Painting closeup.

Over 10 years later, he’s still dropping wisdom and insight like a kick in my face. Even though I was the one talking to his classes and conducting critiques, I was still getting schooled like I was back in Beginning Illustration drawing my Masamune Shirow rip offs.

And now for the obligatory self-indulgent stroll down memory lane:

The department where it all began. Astronomy > comics. Makes total sense, right?

Nostalgia tastes like triple bypass surgery.

Ahhh yes: student activism.

After marriage and a kid in a cramp NYC apartment, my college place ain’t looking so bad…

A student installation. Is it still Zen if I accidently break the sand rake?

The art department where it all ended.

After a busy, exhausting, and fun Spring—crisscrossing the country from California to Arkansas, Michigan to Arizona, and beyond—it’s with mixed feelings that I’ve decided not to travel for anymore 2013 events.

You’d think it’s because I’m tired, but quite the opposite: each experience is awesomely invigorating and I really love these amazing opportunities to connect with people of all walks of life, so much that I devote a massive amount of energy and prep into each and every event to make it as unique and engaging as possible for the audience and community.

But it’s time to redirect that energy to professional and personal matters requiring my extended attention for the rest of this year (i.e.: I need to get shit done).

My returns for these wonderful events always far exceed my investment, so immense gratitude for every person, organization, college, and university providing these fantastic experiences. It’ll be lonely without you the rest of the year, but I’m already planning for Spring 2014 visits (so by all means feel free to contact me if that’s your time frame!) and, heck, there’s always Skype…

As of today, VIETNAMERICA is available across digital platforms (Kindle, Nook, etc.) for $14.99. I’m super psyched and grateful for this opportunity to reach new readers; a portion of its audience is the classroom so hopefully the %50 price tag makes it more accessible (and convinces people to buy rather than bootleg!).

Although part of me is bummed e-readers won’t experience the story exactly the same way as the hardcover—its hand sewn binding so you can view splash pages in their entirety all the way into the gutters, a dust jacket that unveils an image underneath on the hardcover, printed end sheets that literally and figuratively contain the story—I’m very excited to see how nuanced differences translate to the digital experience. Very intrigued to see a physical incarnation of an intangible memory transforms into a digital artifact.

Somewhat auspicious that it’s released the day after the 38th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon (or the reunification of Vietnam, depending on which of my relatives you ask). Thanks to everyone who’s supported the book and made this possible… and for anyone on the fence about picking up the hardcover: supplies are dwindling! (This is my spin on my publisher unexpectedly releasing an e-version…)

Beginning tomorrow, I’ll be at my ‘ol stomping grounds, the University of Arizona, for a two day artist visit! Although class visits and portfolio critiques are available only to students, I’ll be giving a public talk:

Thursday 25th, 5-6 pm
School of Art, Room #203

This is my final Spring event, and I can’t imagine a more perfect, synchronous note to end on then returning to whence I graduated back in 199… cough cough.

Arizona comes on the heels of an amazing four day blitzkrieg in Arkansas last week through Henderson State University, Hendrix College, and the Arkansas Literary Festival. Heaps ‘n’ heaps of praise and gratitude to Randy Duncan, Alex Vernon, and Brad Mooy respectively for making it all possible! It was filled with amazing moments—awesome students, fried okra, and Ben Katchor attending my panel [?!]—but you wouldn’t know it by my only two pics documenting the entire experience. Terrible.

Organizers know what’s up when your festival welcome bag contains hand sanitizer.

From the Fest’s SPINE SHUFFLE panel, L to R: Sam Calvin Brown, Dusty Higgins, Ron Wolfe, Corley Whaley, and Heather Sutherlin.

Henderson State University, Author/Artist Talk
Thursday 18th, 12:30-2 pm, Hule Library

Saturday 20th, Little Rock
Spine Shuffle Panel, 11 am-12 pm
Illustration Panel, 2:30-3:30 pm

I was originally invited down for last spring’s fest, but a tiny thing called “the birth of my daughter” kept me away, so am extremely grateful and excited for the second chance to participate this year! Looking forward to immersing myself with awesome storytellers spanning multiple mediums and hopefully entertaining a few attendees.

As my daughter becomes more and more adventurous with her eating, we’re trying to expose her to as wide of a palette as possible so RAMEN PARTY’s exploratory approach to learning about food and music is just insanely awesome. Bonus for any Toronto parents reading this: there are still a few open spots for RAMEN PARTY’s free sing ‘n’ play events this weekend at the Very Important Kids Enrichment Center!

Okay, back to me me me: tomorrow I’ll be part of a free, public talk at NYU:

“Drawing the Asian American”
Friday 12th, 6:30-8:30 pm, Kimmel Center Room 909, 60 Washington Square South

Wendy Xu and Juliet Shen will also be giving talks, and then we’ll wrap it all up with a big ‘ol audience Q&A and signing to the backdrop of delicious food so c’mon out if ya can!