Maine Comics Arts Festival & Doodles!

This Sunday, May 22nd I’ll be at the Maine Comics Arts Festival in Portland, Maine, organized by the incredible Casablanca Comics!

I’ve heard amazing things about this show and Owly and I can’t wait to visit Maine! We’ll also be doing a presentation/workshop at the Porltand Public Library on Saturday, May 21st, at 11:00am.

This show is going to be full of all kinds of comic artists from all over, including my friends Zack Giallongo (who did the show’s awesome poster), Carol Burrell, and Colleen A.F. Vannable!

It’s going to be great! But while we’re all having fun, please take a moment to imagine an unpredictable disease that causes tumors to form on the nerves of your body.

Such a disease exists and it’s called Neurofibromatosis. Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disorder that affects one in every 2,500 births. 115 babies are born with this genetic disorder each day. NF is more common than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and Huntington’s Disease combined.

Depending on their location, the tumors from this disease can cause disfigurement, dysfunction, deafness or blindness. In the wrong place they can be fatal. If that weren’t enough, NF can also cause learning disabilities, seizures, bone deformity and cancer.

Despite the many researchers studying this devastating condition, there is still no cure, and treatments are largely inadequate.

My late cousin, Kathleen had NF. She was a lovely soul, I will always remember her kindness and support. She could not see but always loved to talk about the beauty that surrounded her. I miss her and will do anything I can to help others affected with this horrible disease.

As part of NF Awareness Month, I did two Owly doodles that will be auctioned from eBay until May 22nd and 23rd.

Doodle 1 features Owly and Wormy along with Mrs. Raccoon and their friends.

Doodle 2 features Owly, Wormy, and a little Monarch butterfly who’s come to visit her new friends!

100% of the funds raised will benefit NF, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing support to individuals and families affected by neurofibromatosis by providing education, advocacy, coalitions, research for treatments, and a cure. I only do Owly drawings at shows, so if you can’t see me at any of my visits, now’s your chance to own an Owly drawing! There are also all kinds of other doodles by all kinds of celebrities! See the whole list here! So, please be generous… bid away and help a very good cause! Thanks! :)

Free Comic Book Day, 2011!

The brand new Top Shelf Kids Club comic books have arrived and that means that Free Comic Book Day is here!

This year’s offering from Top Shelf is an all-ages mini-anthology! Inside you’ll find an all new 4 page Owly story, a brand new tale from Christian Slade’s Korgi, one starring James Kochalka’s best little ghost, Johnny Boo, and stories from new Top Shelf family members Jess Smart Smiley, Ray Friesen, and Chris Eliopoulos (who also did the awesome cover)! It’s perfect pick for everyone in the family! I hope you all enjoy the new stories and have an awesome Free Comic Book Day! Head on down to your favorite comic book store on Saturday May 7th and pick up a great selection FREE comics! Just Click here to find the participating store nearest you!

This year, I’m honored to be spending Free Comic Book Day with the wonderful crew of the Columbus Book Exchange at the Coca-cola Space Science Center in Columbus, Georgia! It’ll be an amazing day celebrating comics! I’ll be talking about what I do, answering questions, teaching how I sketch, signing books, doing tons of Owly drawings, and selling all kinds of Owly goodies! It’s going to be a blast!!! :D

If you’re in the Columbus area,come on down and say, “Hi!” If you don’t live nearby don’t feel left out, Free Comic Book Day is a wold-wide event! All you have to do is walk into any comic book store and you’ll get a selection of comic books for absolutely FREE! Find a participating shop near you by clicking here and get there early to get your very own copy of the Top Shelf Kids Club!