Where are they now?

[J. Torres]

This thread is for former contestant, judges, and other people who've been involved behind-the-scenes of Comic Book Idol to update us with what they've been up to since their participation, hype some of their work, and generally check in with CBR!

As for me, since the last CBI, I've been pretty busy writing Teen Titans Go and Ninja Scroll monthly for DC as well as contributing to other books like Batman Strikes, Blue Beetle, Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century, and Wonder Woman. I also worked on two graphic novel series during this time: Love as a Foreign Language for Oni Press and Degrassi: Extra Credit for Simon & Schuster.

Plus, I was single back then, but I celebrated my first anniversary this past May and we're expecting our first in December.

Looking forward to CBI3 and hoping I get more sleep (and work done) during this season's run :D

[Brandon Hanvey]

I'm pretty much the same. I mod the Indie board here at CBR, and I create and publish my own comics.

In 2005, I got married to my lovely wife. I also got a new job since CBI2. I now work as an on-site pre-press operator at a San Francisco comics publisher.



Looking forward to CBI3 and hoping I get more sleep (and work done) during this season's run :D

What is this sleep you talk of?

[Jonathan Hickman]

Okay, let's see...

Since the last CBI, Image comics published my book The Nightly News (The trade comes out on Sept. 19th).

I've got three more books coming out from them in the next bit: Pax Romana (Story and Art by me) is out in Novemeber, A Red Mass for Mars (Story by me) is out in December, and Transhuman (Story by me) is out in March '08.

I'm also doing some work for Marvel, and I do covers for some books from Virgin.

I've got a kid now (which is great), and I've put on 30lbs (which just sucks).

You can see all my stuff at the links below...

[carlitros]

I’ve been working for Image Comics since the second edition of the Comic Book Idol. My first assignment was issue 3 of The Pact mini-series, written by Phil Hester. Jim Valentino also gave me the opportunity to work for his Shadowline, and I pencilled issues 1 to 6 as well as a short story for issue 13 of ShadowHawk. My last assignment has been issues 1 to 4 of the Task Force 1 mini-series, also for Image Comics. Right now I´m preparing a few sample pages for Marvel and DC. You can have a look at some of my works at:

http://charlestoon.carbonmade.com/

Carlos Rodriguez

[MiCAH]

Whats up everybody? Wow, reflecting back on how my life has changed since I participated in CBI2...Its really very drastic! I just returned from Toronto about 3 hours ago, which makes for my seventh convention this year...I'm ready for some R&R:)
As some of you may know, shortly after I was eliminated from the contest I was hired by Aspen Comics. Since that time I've completed the mini-series "Soulfire: Dying of the Light", and have almost finished up my second series there, "Shrugged". During my run on "Shrugged" I've also drawn several of the Web-Comics for NBC's hit series "Heroes".
Personal changes have abounded as well. In the last 3 years I've moved from my hometown of Frederick, MD to Los Angeles, to Anaheim, back to MD and just two months ago moved to San Francisco. The past few years have been exciting, and at times very difficult, but ultimately extremely rewarding. I still sit back and can't believe how lucky I am to be doing what I love and making a living at it! Believe me, I attribute much of my good fortune to the opportunity presented to me by CBI2.
As far as the future goes, I'm finishing up the last two issues of "Shrugged", and then will move onto a 3 issue run on a book at Marvel(more on that soon!). Lets just say I'm more than a little excited about it. Then, once I finish up with that I'll be working on a brand new title at Aspen, which I think will redefine how many people think of my art(hopefully in a good way!). Anyway, thats about all for me!
www.sonofdavinci.deviantart.com
www.sonofdavinci.com
www.sonofdavinci.blogspot.com

[J. Torres]

I'm so happy for all of your success, guys!

[infurnari]

Hey, everybody! It's great to be reunited with many of you and I am looking forward to Comic Book Idol 3! Okay, so where have I been? Well, after my CBI experience I went back to work with my friends over at Caveman Robot (http://www.cavemanrobot.com) and we published a full color 32 page book (http://joeinfurnari.com/cmr1.html) where I did all of the art and coloring. That summer I was a winner for Oni Press' 2005 Talent Search. The result is that I'm illustrating the series, Borrowed Time (http://www.borrowedtimecomic.com) with author, Neal Shaffer (http://leftwich.blogspot.com). In 2006, I published my own full color minicomic, Mandala (http://www.joeinfurnari.com/mandala.html) and out of the success of that book, I launched my own ongoing webcomic called the Process (http://www.theprocesscomic.com). I also just finished creating character designs, backgrounds and illustrations for the proposed Caveman Robot animated television show. The animation bible that recently debuted at SDCC2007 is called, Caveman Robot! Behold the Dodecatron! (www.joeinfurnari.com/cmrbtd.html) On the horizon, I'll have another book for Borrowed Time coming out early 2008, a fill-in issue #14 on The Wasteland (http://thebigwet.com) with Antony Johnston (http://www.antonyjohnston.com) and Chris Mitten (http://www.christophermitten.com/) and Mandala will be reprinted in the anthology, Fablewood (http://www.fablewoodcomic.com) from Ape Entertainment (http://www.ape-entertainment.com/).

[Jason Masters]

I got quite a lot of local South African press for taking part in CBI2 and that in no small way helped me leave Art Direction behind and start on my illustration path. Since then I've done work for Virgin Atlantic, Dazed and Confused, Sturgeon White Moss, The Economist, MTV2 and many companies you've probably never heard of.

I also got married (yes to the same woman I proposed to on the forum)

Guys if a woman says yes to a marriage proposal on a comicbook forum she's a keeper;)

I also met a lot of really good people.

some of those cool people and I started ten ton studios (http://www.tentonstudios.com)
this is what we're about (http://www.tentonstudios.com/about.php)
and this is our forum (http://www.tentonstudios.com/forum/)

feel free to visit an look around

Comic-wise I'm working on a really exciting project with Brandon Thomas that I can't give too many details away on yet. There are some pages on my blog for those who are interested. Hopefully Jonah will let me pimp it when it's on it's way to the presses.

http://jasonmasters.blogspot.com/

some of my illustration work can be seen here.

www.jasonmasters.co.za (click on the squares)

[Chris Ring]

Hey,
Some artists I know who are looking forward to CBI 3 mentioned this thread and I was just hoping to remember my login info (it's been awhile). There are too many jokes to respond with as to what I've been up to since CBI 1, so I'll just be serious instead. In comics I've been working for PMK's imagination where I did the art on "The Perfect Victim". I've also done art for other PMK projects such as "The James Bond Literary Dossier" and "Nevermore" , a collection of E.A. Poe's short stories with artists Mike Grell, Norm Breyfogle, Matt Busch and Mark Pennington etc.. all doing illustrations for the collection. My story was "The Gold Bug".
For the movies, I've done promotional art for "Ladder 49" and "Chalottes Web". I have been doing a bit of automotive illustrating for T-5 Design which have been made into prints and led me to my latest project out "Costumes and Cars", a sketchbook combining my two favorite illustrating subjects: comics and cars, hence the catchy title.
The most fun though has been watching my kids grow and enjoy comics as much as I do. They all have sketchbooks and have collected some killer sketches from the many artists I've had the good fortune to meet along this journey. Glad to hear others good news and am happy to say I've picked up some of their work along the way.

Chris Ring
www.chrisringart.com

[PScherberger]

After the first CBI I was invited to try out over at Marvel, which lead to my first gig on Marvel Age Spider-man. Since then I've worked on an issue of Marvel Age Hulk, spent the last couple of years working on Marvel Adventures Spider-man, and I'm currently working on GeNext with Chris Claremont. (The BEST job in the world.)

Outside of Marvel I've done some work on the Marvel Vs Dc card set from Upperdeck, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean 2 card game which was never published. (But it was fun seeing the stuff from ILM before the movie came out.)

I was also lucky enough to become the father of a healthy baby girl this January. So I now spend my time between her and GeNext.

Who needs sleep anyway...

[frbarba]

wow, you guys have now become successful! its so overwhelming :)

[Big Red Spider]

After the first CBI I was invited to try out over at Marvel, which lead to my first gig on Marvel Age Spider-man. Since then I've worked on an issue of Marvel Age Hulk, spent the last couple of years working on Marvel Adventures Spider-man, and I'm currently working on GeNext with Chris Claremont. (The BEST job in the world.)

Outside of Marvel I've done some work on the Marvel Vs Dc card set from Upperdeck, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean 2 card game which was never published. (But it was fun seeing the stuff from ILM before the movie came out.)

I was also lucky enough to become the father of a healthy baby girl this January. So I now spend my time between her and GeNext.

Who needs sleep anyway...

I was wondering if you knew a date for GeNext? Your art actually got me interested in Marvel Adventures can't wait to see some new stuff.:D

EDIT: I just saw that your going to have some stuff in the Initiative Annual. I'm so excited!

[PScherberger]

No date yet on GeNext, and I can't talk about anything else yet. :)

I don't know nuffing'.

[Jonathan Hickman]

No date yet on GeNext, and I can't talk about anything else yet. :)

I don't know nuffing'.

That's funny, becuase I'm telling everyone that you gave me the script to read and showed me tons of artwork. :eek:

[J. Torres]

No date yet on GeNext, and I can't talk about anything else yet. :)

I don't know nuffing'.

It's Rocket Racoon, isn'tit?

[PScherberger]

I bloody wish. I've been begging to work on something with Rocket Racoon or Howard the Duck and keep getting laughed at.

But what can you do...

[sehthan]

But what can you do...


You could do that sketch of Wolverine killing a unicorn you owe me.:)

[MartinRedmond]

The Unicorn better win.

Gum under a shoe > Unicorns > Wolverine

[willustrator]

Reading this forum is very encouraging. Well done to all

[Billy Penn]

Hey y'all! Wish I had as much going on as the rest of you guys. I've been following everybody's success in online interviews and all over Previews. It really makes me feel like a mover and shaker!
Since CBI2:
-I did some work for DC/Powerade Flava 23 (Never saw the light of day)
-A four issue miniseries for Platinum Studios (Yet to see the light of day)
-A graphic novel for Platinum Studios (Waiting to see the light of day)
-A back-up story in Savage Dragon #130 (That DID see the light of day.)
-I was also in the top 50 for Platinum Studios/At&t Comic Book Challenge 2.
See me bomb my pitch! http://www.attblueroom.com/hollywood/comic-book-challenge/mediaplayer.php?pid=89997
-My wife and I are doing fine (thanks for asking.)
-We STILL teach in elementary schools.
-We STILL live in Tallahassee,FL
-The biggest change of all is I am now a proud father of a two-year old.
(2004 was a lifetime ago)