Tales of Colossus

Happy 2012

2012-01-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

Well gang sorry I've been highly remiss in continuing my blog but I have good reasons.

1. co wrote co directed John Carter with Andrew stanton out this year in March 9th go see it.

2. Directing Brave also out this year- actually still making it. out in June go see it.

will try to post more but am teaching as well not to mention being a dad of 4 keeps extra drawing down to a minimum. Plus everything Im working on I cant show you. legal reasons. I know BS but there it is. Hope all are well and have a great 2012. heres a little something I can show. I still keep up with the sword fighting. heh heh

MANDREWS OUT

Yes this is what I do at work all day. This is an edited version ie cut to be a cool action sequence. yes its sped up just a bit.... but only a bit. enjoy.

RIDDLE OF STEEL!!!!

2009-10-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

No art this time just some images of actual combat. I've been doing martial arts of one form or another since I was a teen but SWORDPLAY has become my pastime of choice for the last 20yrs. So below are some captured frames showing full contact rapier fighting with my pal Larsen ( whom I've been teaching for the last 5 yrs at least). this isn't your typical on a strip traditional fencing but more like " renaissance street fighting". Its as close to actual combat you can get. No holds barred- hence the motor cycle armor which as you can see leaves certain areas very vulnerable.

Hell were not trying to kill each other....... well we are, but not for real. We have a point system so you can literally bleed someone to death as a tactic used in a real fight or kill them with one blow.

So below are all the kill shots from a 5 minute bout.

enjoy. These pictures are 3 yrs old. Larsen and I have moved onto longsword....... sans armor. and no.... not full contact. That would be dumb.

I'm on the left- Larsen is on the right ( in shorts) I lunge and he hits me with a thrust to my underarm- pierces my lung. I'm dead

A simple thrust catches Larsen in the neck. Its just a poke but its his jugular so..... He's dead.

Larsen grabs my blade. HEY! ( totally legal in a street fight).

My blade caught Larsen goes for a cut, which I block with my hand. Ouch!

So I kick him in the gut! Also legal in a street fight.

I press the advantage of the kick and a cut to the head finishes Larsen off.

Later.....a well timed thrust catches me in the belly. I'll bleed out for the rest of the day and then die. Sad.

Attack and defend. We both attack at the same time but I block his cut with my arm and land my cut to his head.

A big and risky move, I commit to a leaping off line attack and luckily land a cut to the head.

LONG TIME NO POST

2009-10-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone, but you know how it is. I have been very busy but in my line of work, alas, I cannot share all the cool ass shit I've been doing. But here is something. Just picked up an Iphone and if you don't have one....GET ONE! It is the miricle machine or what I like to call, the GOD BOX. it can literally talk to god. Anyway so you can get applications for it, little programs fo all different kinds. I have one called sketchbook which allows you to draw and its really cool. So now when ever I'm waiting around, I have a digital sketchbook book with me at all times. And here is one of my first sketches.

I'll try to post more often.

MANDREWS OUT

SUPER HEROS!

2009-06-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves them but have you payed them? heres a character I came up to play with for a forth coming Heros role playing campaign. It a d6 system ( which I have issues with) but it'll be fun none the less to let BARRIER kick some ass using his ability to manipulate Kinetic energy.

So bring it on super villains!

Mandrews out!

The ULTIMATE: WOLVERINE

2009-05-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

My son.... heh heh.

He loves Wolverine. Loves loves loves Wolverine. So he wanted me to make him wolverine. So I did. Watch out Hugh Jackman.

Here he is before a little Photoshop Love.

Mandrews out

The GODS of ROCK have spoken!

2009-05-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry it been forever for a post. busy ya know. busy drawing and creating and sadly nothing of which I can share. Which is a bummer for me as well as you because I like to share. So here is something I can share. the PIXARPALOOZA poster design. Its going to be a show of epic proportions when eight bands all Pixar home grown take the stage one after the other to rock. Sorry there are no tickets for this event its for Pixar eyes only. But heres the cool poster I did for it. heh heh

Hopefully more doodles and drawings coming soon. I've had requests to just put up anything.

Mandrews out.

Wanna' see this Movie?

2008-12-18T20:40:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine while on a trip to Scotland conceived this idea.... and yes were already developing it and yes its registered with the WGA. Wanna see it? I sure do. Heres the one sheet. ie ( movie poster)

MANDREWS OUT

How about a Fantasy novel

2008-08-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Well its been forever since i posted and what can I say. I"VE BEEN BUSY! I've been drawing and stuff around the clock, alas, I can post nothing as it would compromise the project i am currently working on. So that sucks. I wanna share but can't! So which comes to the current post. i did something I can share. I 'roleplay' ( some call it gaming, other refer to it as D&D) and it is THE BEST way of developing character and story. So I am playing around at writing a novel using one of the characters I created during an awesome campaign I did back in college. And here it is. I'm in 95 pgs and its a blast. HELL I could turn this into a graphic novel.

I love this *%#$@!!

2008-05-14T17:58:00.001-07:00

I do I can't help it I'm a nerd for this stuff. Can't wait to do a movie about it.

Mandrews out

ANOTHER GRAPHIC NOVEL

2008-04-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

Thats right true believers, I think I am crazy enough to do it again. Call me insane ( just not to my face 'cause I'm sensitive) but I have this overwhelming desire to do another one. I've had this story I've been kicking around way before COLOSSUS about this cowboy who gets...well...abducted. He wakes up in an enclosure that looks just like the wild west except its only a couple square miles, the rest is a hologram. Not to get to into it he meets up with different alien beings who have also been taken away from their worlds and want back. So our unlikely group have to not only solve the mystery and find a way home but survive each other in the process.

I don't know how long the book will take me to do but probably a year or so. It will be 200 plus pgs and potentially full color. I'm just starting to do some exploration with the characters and look before I lay into it. pgs will be updated on the blog as I go.

Takes a deep breath, wipe forehead aaaaaand..... GO!

Mandrews out

main character Blackjack

color or....

Black and white, I haven't decided yet.

a bad guy. automaton called the KEEPER.

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

2008-03-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Yup! Its that time again. more abstracts. I just can't get enough. trying something different this time with good ol' mr. square ass brush and opacity. But what are they? You the viewer decide.

guess I better break out the box O' oils and a canvas and get doing this for real!!!! Maybe one will be hanging in your house!

Mandrews out

couple of new ones

MAKING MOVIES

2008-03-18T20:09:00.001-07:00

I've worked on several animated movies and when I was in high school and college shot goofy kung fu movies and stuff but really making a movie ( not that animated films aren't real you synical types) thats a whole new ball of wax that challenges your film making shot creating core. I've been fortunate to have been able to shoot two live action short films and have learned tons from each one. "VIOLET" I got to direct that. And I just finished shooting "TRIFLES" I was DP on that with some-well lets be honest-lots of help from my good friend Peter Sohn who knows his lights.

Trifles is Directed by Pam Walker based off a play that she adapted. SHe directed the stage play and loved the material so much wanted to shoot a short film. So she asked me if I'd DP. I said yes then called my crew from violet right away- Sohn and Patrick James. Pam got a great crew together everyone from Pixar- with the help of Sabine Koch (producer) and the set was run like clockwork by Stacey Hendrickson (first AD). The actors were great and we shot the film over three consecutive weekends.

The story is-in a nutshell- about some farmers wifes who solve a mystery their husbands can't. It's a real good piece and it was fun to shoot, moody and creepy. I dig it. You learn a lot shooting on a set being restrained to three walls, you put to use all you know about creating images when you're actually physically doing it. Its not easy. And I highly recommend it.

So here are some stills I took while on set.

We shot on High Def video with the Panasonic HD 24p and rented a lens package with 5 lenses from 18 mm to an 85 mm and also had the Fisher Dolly. Awesom Awesome Awesome. Made shooting so much fun. You could do almost anything with that awesome machine ( starting to sound like Micheal Bay). I highly recommend dropping the 3g's a day and rent one for your short film. heh heh

Of course this is the movie I'd prefer to shoot. heh heh

Well, maybe next time. I've got an idea for a WW1 short I may be persuaded to do. Looks like its time to sell some stock.

MANDREWS OUT

ABSTRACT CRAZY

2008-03-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

So when I'm putting the kids down to sleep and I've gone through my emails. looked at posts on the blog, checked out my routine websites and blogs just waiting for the kids to fall asleep I doodle. abstract doodle. I go crazy with the lasso tool color distort filter layers. its fun and kind of consuming. so heres one.

Mandrews out

ALMOST DONE

2008-02-17T20:14:00.000-08:00

This will be the END PAGE of my 18 pg short that will be in AFTERWORKS 3 coming out late this summer. Most likely the book-an anthology of comics done by artists at PIXAR- will be out for APE in San Fransisco.

Mandrews out

APPLE FOR TEACHER

2008-02-04T20:56:00.000-08:00

Started this semester teaching VISUAL STORYTELLING at CCA. Up to my third week now, I think its going well, you'd have to ask my students what they think. each week is a 2 part assignment. watch the assigned movie and do a drawing assignment. so far they've watched 'Man who would be King' and this week 'Mad Max'. I have so much to teach and show its hard to figure out exactly what and since they are all beginners to really keep things basic at first. I'm working on teaching story hand in hand with boarding.

So I get my own apple thanks.

-special thanks to Dice Tsutsumi for the apple painting workshop-

Mandrews out

MORE GUNS

2008-01-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

Looooooong rifle. Related to the pistol.

GUNS, GUNS, GUNS

2007-12-21T20:49:00.000-08:00

Just playing around with a gun design. Perhaps it has something to do with what I'm working on, or perhaps its a visual for an RP I'm gaming, but I'm not tellin'. Besides its innocuous enough. More designs to follow.

MANDREWS OUT!

Saving Scotland

2007-12-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

Its happened! Something to get me off my duff and blog. In all actuality I've been very busy and everything I've been drawing I can't post. Bummer. But alas a buddy of mine pointed something out to me which I had to take on. The new slogan for the Scottish Tourism campaign.

Don't laugh this is serious stuff to me. ( being scottish-my family actually arriving to the americas with the mayflower-no bull) Ahem. So on with the story. Last years slogan was- "The Best Small Country in the World" Well after 6mos and 250 thousand lbs ( thats a half million dollars here in america) the advertising company came up with this years slogan and the scottish government surely got their moneys worth- "Welcome to Scotland"

If you just slappedd your hands to your forehead I did that too. So now I am on a mission with the help of friends to come up with a better slogan and possibly a graphics campaign that is way better than - "Welcome to Scotland" And so far we have 130 way better alternatives. Come next friday I will sort through the list and pick the 10 best and send them to the scottish government for a looksee and see if they wont amend there current solgan.

So roll up your sleaves and if you got a better idea than "Welcome to Scotland" I'll send it on up to the First minister himself Alex Salmond and see if we can't rectify this gross over sight.

Mandrews out

ON VACATION

2007-07-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

I'm out on vacation visiting my wifes family. Posts will be leaner than usuall for a few weeks. so how about this? 10 min artrage.

St. Louis is hot hot hot and humid, makes for some great cloud formations. These things are massive thunderheads forming over the city. This is inspired from what I've seen.

Mandrews out!

ABSTRACT CRAZY

2007-06-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

So when I'm putting my kids to bed I sit up with my lap top and check my emails and surf the web and stuff but then one night I was messing around on Photoshop. I made these absracts with the lasso tool and paint bucket. and lots and lots of layers. I started playing around with Tartan inspired concepts. why? CAUSE I'M SCOTTISH!!! ( 500 years back or so, but who's counting)Thought I'd share. And yes the kids are asleep by the time I'm finished with these.

Mandrews out

NINJA ARMOR

2007-05-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

Ressurecting a long ago- dust ridden character from the ol' D&D days- AKIRA ORUKO a 30th lvl Ninja. Transfering him over to RoleMaster and going to continue a campaign I played in high school. with all the ol' pals. its gonna be fun. keep a watch out for More Akira Ninja inspired works.

Gaming inspired Art

2007-05-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

Everything below is inspired by Roleplaying Campaigns. Fantasy Campaigns mostly with some time travel campaigns and scifi campaigns. Just thought I'd share. Since people ( who shall remain nameless) have dropped subtle hint sthat I haven't posted in a while.

I like to have some kind of visual to show players when we play so they can better make that image in their mind. So I have to draw environments things people ect. heres a smattering of some stuff.

MANDREWS OUT

Yeah.... I game! so what

2007-03-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

I've said it before so I'll say it again- Gaming is such a rich resource to inspire the imagination. In fact its THE BEST. anyway heres some characters I did for a superheros campaign I ran several years ago. Rule number one DONT DO A SUPERHERO CAMPAIGN. It was fun and all but its a big pain in the ass. any gaming in modernday is well kinda crappy. Why? Because we know to much so the convention of suspension of disbelief is out the door. Fantasy even sci fi works the best.

Images below inspired from the game.

These guys are the Instructors at the Academy. They help you train and develop your powers. No they don't have any powers of their own...or do they?

Bad guys- everyone below is a super villian the characters had to fight. Some have super powers and a couple ( you'll pick 'em out) are genenticlly designed ala Dr. Moreau.

And then theres my Dr Doom tribute villian.

Mandrews out

Monster show down!!!

2007-03-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Sam Hiti has a great blog site if you dont already know about it called fist-a-cuffs at ---- http://fistacuffs.blogspot.com/
Check it out. this is my monster the GORKENGIEL. pronounced Gor-ken-geel. Its going in to the tag team rounds on fista kuffs with C. Scott Morse's monster. So keep your eye open and vote for me.

Batman vs Spiderman

2007-03-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

Lets here it for a geek debate. Now asume that it is not just a contest of stregnth ie they not just a fist fight in a sealed room. This is a chance encounter at night on th erooftops and each thinks the other is a badguy...and its to the death. Use your reason not your passion for your favorite. who'd win?

Mandrews out

Still Around

2007-02-14T15:06:00.000-08:00

Sorry its been a while since the last post but I've been busy. in fact to busy to post anything 'cause I really haven't done anything. Im on pg 12 now so only 4 to six more pgs to go until completion. But things are more busy so free time to work on the comic have been cath can.

So here are some panels from pg 12. i dot want to put the whole story on line before its published.

Mandrews out

pg 9-HALF WAY

2006-12-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

At least thats what I'm hoping. I could find myself easily doing twenty some odd pages of two Samurai fighting with bows at close range from horse back but why? Its gratuitous. So I will hone down the fighting to a poetic six pgs.

below is a rough for one panel and the completed pg 9.

Mandrews out

End of pg 7

2006-11-16T14:08:00.000-08:00

It's coming together. slowly yet surely it is happening. The story fleshes itself out and I am at the part in the story when the duel begins. So I thought i'd share the latest image.

Mandrews out

PANEL 016

2006-11-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

This is one panel of many I thought I would share. I have 4 pages done already and I dont know how many to go. It depends on how gratuitous I get with the fighting scenes.

Mandrews out

It Begins: and the readers have chosen...

2006-10-25T21:52:00.000-07:00

So its going to be Samurai Warlords. Heres one panel of the comic I just finished today. More to come. But not all. I don't want to spoil it.

The two Samurai are equals, and they hate each other. Each thinks he's better. This escalates until they have to duel to prove once and forall whos best.

FIRST PAGE DONE!!!!

Mandrews out!

AFTERWOKS 3

2006-10-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

thats right, its coming. I hope you all have your Afterworks 1 and 2's already. Afterworks 3 is going to be huge. So I'm thinking about doing a piece in it. Like.....

I found a story about two Japanese warlords that hated each other so much they got tired of just calling each other names and decided to put they money where their mouths were. so they each brought their armies out to fight. once there they decided to fight each other one on one. This was the time in japan before the Samurai's soul was the sword and was instead the bow. so they dueled and shot each other full of arrows as their armies watched. at the end they both collapsed near death and were taken back to their respective kingdoms to heal. from that moment on they were best friends.

its between that and a little short story of Colossus running around during WW1. He'd slice a WW1 tank open...thats kinda cool.

I can't decide.

Test page.

Mandrews out

Painting and Roleplaying

2006-09-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

Yeah I do it....roleplay. D&D for the uninitiated. So what. i used to play D&D when i was a kid. in college I graduated up to Rolemaster a percentile based system which really livened things up. Anyway....Its a great way to exercise the mind and to become a better actor, pretender, and its the best place to generate characters and stories. here's some inspiration that have come out of Roleplaying.

MANDREWS OUT

Swordplay and Storyboarding

2006-09-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

I hate exercise. Getting to the gym and pumping iron, running, I hate it. Why? It feels like a job. And its boaring. BUT WAIT!!! theres something better. Swordfighting combine cardio with strength training and you can't get bored when steel is being swung at you. So I love exercising now. I've been fencing for 13 yrs now all types, olympic three weapon, rapier dagger, broadsword, kendo. Its a blast and peels off the pounds. Larsen ( the guy featured opposite me in the photos) is my workout pal and he is just learning but gives me a run for the money. below are photos of broadsword action but I will post Rapier action as well. We wear armor while rapier fighting and go full tilt. Its awesome.

Oh yeah by the way PIXAR is looking for board artists so get your portfolios in asap!!!!

Fighting after lunch

Proper stance is important( notice Larsen and I have switched to Rapiers)

Typical ward ( typical on lookers)

broadsword in action

more broadsword action

Larsen and me fighting on Skye- were all the great celtic warriors trained ( so what if we're using plastic swords)

Mandrews out

CYCLASTEED

2006-09-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry for no posts in awhile but ive been in SCOTLAND. anyway I'm back sooooo. Heres some images of my poor modeling attempts of the cyclasteed.

The original design drawing

the maya models

INSPIRATION

2006-08-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

It happens in strange and wonderful ways. Things we see, hear, dream, think. The following images are all Inspired from a great friend of mine who just one day popped the idea out of his head and into the world. I loved it so much, I started drawing stuff. So I thought I would share.

Who knows if this will germinate into anything. I don't mind if it doesn't, thats not the point. The idea got me thinking and in doing so Drawing and creating.... Thats the juice!

Mandrews out

Tonal stuff

2006-08-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

Well heres some more stuff ta' look at. All the art is personal stuff that I am working on.

Mandrews out

since everyone liked the tonal robot better than the color (and cause i suck at color) here it is again in tone!!!!

Yes that is a lightsabre. A character for a Star Wars project that will probably never be made. But here's to dreaming!

Captain Badraq! One of the main characters from another sotry idea concived and adapted out of Role playing. One of the most fertal grounds for story ever- WHY!!!!???? 'Cause its character driven pal!

Another idea for a sci-fi version of a literary masterpiece. Can you guess which one. And don't think about stealing the idea. its already registered with the WGA.

I like big ROBOTS

2006-08-02T22:47:00.001-07:00

How about you?!!!

SCROLL DOWN

STORY BOARDS BABY!!!!!

2006-07-18T20:58:00.002-07:00

Hey, it just hit me... I should post some boards. Its what I do everyday, why not? Well because i can't really show off what I'm working on because its all top secret and stuff. Don't want to spoil the surprise. BUT!!!! I have dug through my huge flat files and found some good stuff that I can share. The following is part one of a sequence I did a while back for a friend of mine who was getting a project going. It didn't take off sadly but the bit I worked on was a blast to do.

Set in the 20's-30's gangster era, its about three brothers "the Rossos'" who are italian hit men. In this scene their is an ambushed planned to take them out. Well the Rossos' are just too good.

I use this sequence when I'm teaching as well, to show economy in boarding, how reusing shots keeps the audience clear on where we are. Look for the visual clues in the sequence that identifies the particular enviroment or setting we're in from shot to shot.

The sequence was totally created. I had no script just the formentioned idea of it. Then I was left to my own devices.

enjoy. And be advised there is dialog and there is language and violence. I'd rate this sequence 'R'

Rosso sequence part 1

read left to right then down a line repeat-

(scroll down to clear text on right)

30 DAY SCRIPT

2006-06-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

Its an exerscise in story telling is what it is. Because you don't get a really good script in thirty days now do you. The whole philosophy behind this exercise, thought up by a genius friend of mine, is to produce something that WILL suck! Then once written-the hardest part being over- you put on your anyliizing cap and get to work picking it apart and editing it and revising it and adding new scenes and taking others out, etc, etc, etc for five to ten years until you have something really good.

So there are rules- devised by my genius friend- that to write a thirty day script you need to
1. have a story that has not been previously worked on. ie written down in anywya. thought about is okay.

2. 90 pgs minimum up to 120 or more. Thats three pgs a day for 30 days minimum to get it done.

3. start at scene one pg one and continue until you reach "the end" straight ahead story telling. No stopping and going back to fix something no spell check. Keep writing until you finish-then if you have time go back and edit and spell check.

WHY???? Thats crazy Mark what the hell would you do that for. One reason- not to think too much. If you start with an idea then do an out line then a treatment then a scriptment you can get caught up in the details before you actually write the script. This EXERSCISE ( for tose who believe I'm saying to write a script this way) is designed to get to the outcome and then go back and refine from there the bulk of the work already being done you can while away the hours picking your story apart and sculpting the details. Broad strokes first.

The other thing thats interesting about this EXESCISE is that when you write straight ahead you-the writer- are the audience. You have no idea where this story is going, you may suspect but something could happen and you're going off another direction. its awesome.

So there the 30 day script challenge. I've done it four times now. Its a blast. So here are some exerpts from scripts I have done. And yes they are registered with the WGA. Enjoy.

SAVIOLO

INT. SAVIOLO’S SCHOOL

Jeronimo stabs the mop into the bucket incensed, cleaning the floor of the hall. A few more perturbed strokes and he’s finished. He pulls his shirt from the wall pegs and puts it on.
Saviolo enters and examines the job.

SAVIOLO
Finished?

Jeronimo glares at him as he laces his shirt. Saviolo strolls the hall a furtive eye inspecting.

SAVIOLO
Fine fine. You must be hungry. Go, eat... No. You are not finished.

Jeronimo stops mid stride to the kitchen exasperated.

SAVIOLO
This will not do Jeronimo. It must be clean. Look dust, dirt--

JERONIMO
(defiant)
What does it matter? What does it matter!? I clean and clean and clean. Its never good enough. You always fine something that goes beyond my noticing. What does it matter?

Saviolo stares at Jeronimo blankly. An answer doesn’t come.

JERONIMO
As you wish!

Jeronimo grabs the bucket the mop and marches over to the area in question and begins to clean again slamming down the mop with a echoing thump. His motions frantic. Saviolo regards him compassionately seeing Jeronimo does not grasp a deeper purpose for his toil. Saviolo reaches out and Jeronimo jerks away.

JERONIMO
Get away from me!

SAVIOLO
You do not understand--

JERONIMO
I understand. I am just your servant?! That’s all you want me to be. Florio made it entirely clear to me. Said that I could learn from you, that you would be my mentor and I the protege. But that I had to prove myself. Do as you ask. Serve! You embarrass me all day long playing the fool-- I can beat everyone of those silk laced baffoons you cater to. Then make me work all night long. And for what? Gratitude?!! Well enough! You hear me enough? Enough!

Jeronimo throws down the mop and marches across the hall.

SAVIOLO
Do your legs hurt?

JERONIMO
What?!

SAVIOLO
Do your legs ache? Are they sore? Does moping the floor tire you?

JERONIMO
No. I can do the stupid mopping all night.

SAVIOLO
You can? Why?

JERONIMO
I’ve done it every night. Night after night.

A knowing grin stretches across Saviolo’s face.

SAVIOLO
Stamina. A fight could end quickly against a lesser opponent, one of these silk laced buffoons perchance. But a skilled sword? Attrition would be your only weapon. Will against will body against body. Wear him out wear him down, one tends to make mistakes when tired. One gets tired if one is without...

JERONIMO
...Stamina...

Jeronimo realizes he’s just been schooled.

SAVIOLO
We improve only when challenged. You would not drill with half so much energy if I plainly asked it of you. I know you dislike me. I am aware of it, your contempt hurts me not. So I make you work. Work in ways which you are challenged but do not see. I apologize for such measures but believe me they are not conducted out of spite or arrogance or even ego. This is how I learned. This is how you will learn. I know no other way. These means are devised only to prepare you.

MISSION: HELL

The General leads the line of men up the pitch black doorway and is the first one to step through. One by one they pass through the threshold. Duncan and Ortiz are the last to step through. It is a weird sensation. At first they are in the grotto and as if passing through a curtain of nothingness they emerge into another world.

CITY OF GIS

The troops are already spread out and scanning for hostiles.

ORTIZ
Down father, down.

Ortiz directs Duncan to take cover. They squat behind a reddish boulder next to Tomas and his trooper.

FATHER TOMAS
Look at the sky.

Duncan looks up to see nothing but and ink red black sky that swirls like a liquid. Duncan sniffs the air and looks confused.

FATHER TOMAS (CONT’D)
What is it?

DUNCAN
There’s no smell. Not putrid, acrid, nothing.

Duncan scoops up a handful of dirt and takes a whiff.

DUNCAN (CONT’D)
Doesn’t smell like sulfur doesn’t even smell like dirt.

ORTIZ
Maybe we’ll find the brimstone further in.

Through the COM in the helmet everyone hears the Generals command.

GENERAL CULLIN
Move out.

ORTIZ
Lets go.

Ortiz gets Duncan up as the line of troopers move down the rocks trail towards the city sprawl below.

GENERAL CULLIN
Those structures look similar to ones in the middle east, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Jerusalem.

LT. MASON
Are you saying what were looking at is still on earth?

GENERAL CULLIN
That door may be some sort of gateway, but short of the sky being red as blood this does not seem like some fantastical dimension to me. There is the possibility that we may just be in some podunk village in butt-fuck Egypt. Having a secret door right into their back yard would peak the Pentagon’s interest very much.

LT. MASON
The GPS is off line General. If we were on earth we’d know it.

The column reaches the outskirts of the city and the troopers spread and get into cover fire formations slowly moving down the narrow street. Duncan and Tomas stick close to the wall. Duncan looks at the wall and goes white.

DUNCAN
Tomas.

Duncan directs Tomas’ attention to the walls. The bricks that form the walls are compacted humans. Mashed and packed into the size of a brick and used to construct the dwellings. Tomas looks closely at one brick seeing an eye. It blinks, sending Tomas falling back onto his ass.

FATHER TOMAS
They’re alive! They’re still alive!

Duncan rushes to Tomas and helps calm him getting him back on his feet. The scene gets the rest of the parties attention.

DUNCAN
They’re not alive, they’re souls understand? Souls. They’re already dead. Its just some form of punishment for their sins. Don’t touch anything!

The General storms back to the end of the line.

GENERAL CULLIN
Goddamn it! We’re in a hostile environment we cant afford to compromise our position every time we see something as fucked up as that.

DUNCAN
And we’re going to see more strange things. So if Father Tomas or anyone else looses it for an instant I’d let it go, okay. We’re fine. We’re not soldiers, we don’t know the rules so back off a little.

GENERAL CULLIN
I cant afford any fuck ups. We’re as strong as our weakest link.

DUNCAN
Don’t worry about us.

GENERAL CULLIN
I should have left you behind. Ortiz! These two on you.

ORTIZ
Sir!

DUNCAN
Listen this is the birth place of the most horrifying things any one can think up. Prepare yourselves.

GENERAL CULLIN
Everybody copy? Move out!

FATHER TOMAS
Sorry Duncan.

DUNCAN
Don’t worry about it. At least you didn’t wet yourself.

Tomas shakes his head and smirks at Duncan’s ability to disarm any situation. Duncan stays by Tomas’ side as they move down the street. The point man slowly peers around the end of a building as the side street opens up into the...

SACRIFICIAL SQUARE

A wide open area that five streets pour into. Dominating the center is a large stone platform with horrible high wheels protruding from every corner. Atop the wheels are mutilated bodies moaning. At the center of the platform is a large chopping block with a large rotund bloated butcher covered in opened slashes poorly stitched shut.
A large bloody pile of parts is steadily growing while some deformed fish like midgets drag up another naked body from a wagon full of naked bodies. The trooper turns bone white.

TROOPER
We got a situation.

The Butcher looks over at the Trooper, the trooper raises his gun....the Butcher stares, then, unconcerned it goes back to work.

GENERAL CULLIN
What is it trooper?

TROOPER
I got...I got....

The General and Mason maneuver to the other side of the street to get a better look. They gawk at what they see. Some mutated bastard choppin’ up bodies

LT. MASON
Christ.

GENERAL CULLIN
Father Ross!

Duncan dashes across the street escorted by Ortiz taking positions right next to the General.

GENERAL CULLIN (CONT’D)
Explain this?

DUNCAN
I have no idea.

GENERAL CULLIN
You’re the expert.

DUNCAN
And I’m telling you I have no idea.

ORTIZ
Look what it’s doing to those people...

DUNCAN
Souls corporal, souls. They’re already dead.

ORTIZ
Still that’s some fucked up shit.

LT. MASON
Why isn’t it doing anything. Its like it has no concern about our presence.

DUNCAN
Of course it doesn’t, it probably perceives us like we’re just damned souls and it will get to us eventually.

GENERAL CULLIN
It’s grossly misconceived. However we can’t afford to let it alert anything else about or presence. Mason, I’ve seen enough.

Mason raises his rifle and....The flash from the rifle shoots out six feet and turns the Butcher to spatter along with its minions and pulverizes the platform and peppers the surrounding buildings. SKREEEEEETCHHHH!!!!! A banshee howl pierces the air. The troopers look up and watch as a twelve foot tall winged demon lands on what was left of the square.
It scans the area and spots the troopers. It cranes its neck and hisses at them and brandishes a black flaming sword. Two more demons swoop in from above and land. One can’t help itself and takes a bite out of one of the naked corpses.

DUNCAN
General we’re in big trouble!

GENERAL CULLIN
Fall back! Suppressing fire!

The Troopers open fire as they move backwards down the street. The demons are torn to ribbons easily.
A few more demons dive at the retreating troopers from above. They too are eliminated.
In the midst of the firing a swollen grotesque form staggers out from the shadows of an alley reaching out to one of the troopers. The trooper turns at the last moment and sees the pitiful thing. Its fingers graze his armored shoulder just before the trooper blows it to a fine fleshy spray. The fleeting touch was enough the Troopers eyes turn black as he is instantly possessed. He turns his weapon on one of his own. Sparks fly off the armor as it is ripped to shreds. Everyone turns, startled in disbelief.

TROOPER
Hey?!

That trooper is blown away. Everyone dives for cover as the possessed trooper fires randomly, his face expressionless.
Duncan and Ortiz stay low watching in disbelief.

ORTIZ
What’s he doing?!

Stepping out from one of the buildings reaching out towards a handful of troopers taking cover comes another Undead.

DUNCAN
Look! Stop that thing!

Ortiz bears down on the thing and smears it across the wall. The troopers point their guns at Ortiz and Duncan thinking they are now possessed too.

ORTIZ
Behind you.

The troopers turn seeing more zombies spilling out from a building behind them. They start firing.
The General stands and gets the possessed troopers attention. Before the trooper can pull the trigger the General fires and kills him with a controlled bursts that obliterates the troopers head. Duncan scans the street and sees more zombies approaching some troopers. He is to late to warn them and those troopers are possessed and start firing into their other men. The situation is worsening rapidly.

KONDO-COLOR!!!!!!

2006-04-26T01:02:00.000-07:00

Nuff' said. check it....

AFTERWORKS 2

2006-04-19T00:35:00.000-07:00

Its about time I posted something. Sorry for the wait. Ive been busy, what with a feature film to board, moving, kid number 4 on the way and just the ins and oits of everyday life.

But here it is. Two clean up pgs from my short story that will be in Afterworks 2 published by comics. And guess what. they are also putting out Afterworks 1. Awesome!!!

I am busy drawing away in the wee late of the night and Kondo is furiously painting my pages as I finish them. Im halfway through so its coming along....slow but coming none the less. These pgs took 3-4 hours to cleam up. Its nuts. So enjoy and please send your comments- its not like Im too busy to respond or anything.

Mandrews out

in the house!!!

2006-03-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

Here it is the 3rd incarnation of Colossus hits the stands next week. You can buy it at any comic book store and or at Amazon on line. New cover ( for avid collectors who want all three) new lettering by Sean Konot, new Title ( cause I can't afford to compete with Marvel comics legally- but that is for another blog) The book is totally awesome.

kicks butt!!!. So go out there fans tell your friends buy them all up so we can run another print run, perhaps even several so they'll be enough interest to do Tales of Colossus the movie!!!!!

Mandrews out

Color baby! COLOR!!!!

2006-02-06T15:20:00.000-08:00

Check this out!!!!

What I've got here are some of the first color passes by my pal Robert Kondo. These are just color studies but they look freeking AWESOME!!!!! Thought I'd share. Stay posted more to come. Robert and I are working on ways to intagrate the color with my line so keep your eyeballs glued to this blog for more Mandrews Action in Kondocolor!!!!!

This is all you get!!!

2006-01-27T15:17:00.000-08:00

That's right true believers the last of the rough Pgs for my short story submission to AFTERWORKS2. Based on the actual experiences of an F-18 Naval aviator ( and best pal) when he was 'In counrty' in Iraq.

This is all I'm going to leak out because I don't want to spoil anything.

As the color comps are done I'll post those too.

By the way Robert Kondo will be doing the color- He rocks!!!!! I'm very lucky that he agreed to help. You may remember Kondo's work in the first afterworks.

Check him out.

Anyway on to the roughs. Enjoy

Mandrews out

Really Really Really Rough

2006-01-12T21:34:00.000-08:00

The way I like it.

Okay so you twisted my arm. i'm just in the preliminary stages of figuring out this short story for AFTERWORKS 2- its going to be an anthology by a lot of very very very talented artists- then me. And... Its all going to be in color. Since I knew poop about color Im sure you will all be in for an interesting ( to say the least) treat. So without further ado here are some roughs- studies and pages.

enjoy

Oh yeah. these are all done on my cintiq. no paper

Mandrews out

My Best Friends F-18

2005-12-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

Inspiration comes in many forms. And one form is when my best friend comes to visit me....IN HIS F-18!!!!! Thats right, my pal flyes for the Navy. And so does his wife!!!! F-18's BABY!!!!! He's flown in Iraq and even gave air support to Marines in Fallujah.

Every once in a while Jon will pop out and visit....IN HIS F-18!!!!!!

He usually flies into this place.

Coming in for a landing

Taxi in

Jon is an 'A' typical Navy fighter pilot and I dont mean that Tom Cruise shit. Jon's all cool!

And a little cookoo. Hell you have to be to land on a postage stamp in the ocean ( aka Aircraft Carrier)

My brother and Jon walking the "spine" of the plane

My brother and I got to spend time with Jon on his aircraft carrier. Its something the Navy has been doing since Vietnam. Its called "Tiger Cruise" A lucky few civilians get to ride the last leg of the tour with there host. We got up close and personell with the F-18....

so yeah, I can fly this baby.

My boy loves the F-18 too. Who can blame him.

But then it comes time for Jon to go and fly back to his home base and put his Hornet to bed. The missile aint armed

Hornet by night

Prep for take off

The saddest part of Jons visits is when he has to leave. So long pal. FULL ON AFTERBURNERS!!!!

Its always inspiring to see Jon. I've known him since high school and all he's ever wanted to do was fly jets for the Navy. And even before I knew him we wanted to fly jets. Just knowing Jon has inspired me to do a short story based on his experiences as a Naval fighter Pilot.

I hope to complete it to be in the upcoming AFTERWORKS 2 anthology- coming this summer to comicon. So everyone stay on me to get it done. Especially YOU Jon.

MANDREWS OUT

PLIEN AIR

2005-11-24T01:13:00.000-08:00

Thats right so shoot me. I'm a plien air fan. I love it. and here is one of mine. more to post as I get time to paint them. all done on photoshop with a cintiq and not going outside once. Kinda defeats the porpuse huh. Well, I think of these little compositions more like an exercise.

Mandrews out!

This painting done with Artrage and my cintiq-

REAL NEW-

NEW-

These paintings all done in Photoshop and my cintiq-

THIS JUST IN!!!!

2005-11-10T09:33:00.000-08:00

will be publishing COLOSSUS in March. Thats right will be publishing COLOSSUS in march. It will be available through Amazon. Barnes&Noble and your local comic book store all over the country. Thats right baby!!!! ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

Hell I was as surprised as you when my good buddy Scott Morse called me and told me his pals at are interested in COLOSSUS. So I met with these great guys- Jim and Eric, and BOOM!!!! will be publishing my comic COLOSSUS.

Is that not cool or not!

The book will be exactly the same- BUT BETTER- it will have better paper and perhaps for the published COLOSSUS a new cover. Im still thinking about it.

So thats it. Keep on the look out cause Ive hit the main stream in mighty morphin comic quality atomic powered publishing... that would be baby!!!

heres a little something- a tease for the up coming short story I'll be doing in AFTERWORKS 2

Mandrews out!

Europe Connection

2005-08-15T10:19:00.001-07:00

Hello all, Just wanted to put this up. Its a pin up for some German friends of mine for their comic ( actually scketch book of the comic) Chronique des immortels by Thomas von Kummant and Benjamin von Eckartsberg. If you dont have it get it.

Oh yeah by the way Colossus now available via PAYPAL get your today!!!!!

Things at work are heating up again and Louis Gonzales is busily working on an E-ville press web site so watch for it.

all for now

mandrews out

On Sale in Bay Area!!!

2005-08-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

Thats right true believers!!!!( ala Stan Lee my hero) Colossus, for those of you who could not go to San Diego for the ComicCon can now find Colossus and other E-ville Press titles at limited comic stores in the bay area. In San Francisco ISATOPE and SUPER 7 have them and in the bay area DOCTOR COMICS. For those of you who don't live up this way do not fear I am currently investigating distributers and looking into online sales. Also, E-ville Press will be having its own dedicated web site up soon with links to all the E-ville press guys ( my fellow co-workers who also did comics this year for Con -safety in numbers) and this web site will have artist gallery sections and links to on line purchasing of our books and much much more. So keep checking back for updates.

Heres some roughs from Colossus for you...enjoy.

Mandrews out!

WANT SOME?!!!!

What Brown didn't do for me!

2005-07-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

Well the San Diego Comic-Con is over and did I have a blast. But it wasn't all fun and laughs no sir. It started off a very different story.

UPS screwd me! Thats right. I was all ready to recieve my shipment of Colossus-- 18 packages, 39 books a box. It was sent express from India. Thats right India. Had my books printed over there. They were shipped to be here in time for comic-con. i had schedueled to leave on tue night. Be there wed morning unload set up camp with the rest of the E-ville Press guys( thats short for Emeryville where me and some of my other buddies work, thats right, comics isnt my day job).

So, I track the shipment, left New Dehli on Thur should arrive Mon thats three working days as promised for exprees ( they get Saturday for free) so thats actually four working days. Me and the boys were planning on having a sale at our place or work on monday before the con. So when do my boxes arrive.......? Tue! That five days boys and girls five freeking days!!!- AND THATS EXPRESS!!!! Not only are they late, like hours before I leave, they don't deliver all my boxes!!!! 16 out 0f 18?!!! WHAT THE HELL???!!!

I rent a cargo van so that all th eE-ville Press guys and myself can load up and make one trip, but because the books are late I have to rent a second van and drive myself down and unload by myself ( missing the forklift do it for you day) It was stressful and a mess.

So I had planned to drive down with my family but instead was stuck in a van for 12 hours. UPS screwd me.

Anyway, it turned out all right I set up shop, we had two tables. Sold 194 books, 15 shirts, and three pages of original art. Hung with my guys, had a great time with my family in the off hours and saw Gene Simmons.

what a comic-con.

Moral of the story- dont use UPS

the books arrived

the long drive at night

The table set up

the whole set up on my side of the table. Thats Ted Mathot on the left- his book kicks butt Rose and Isabel find it get it.

How'd you do it?

2005-06-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hey metal heads! Just thought I would keep sharing with everyone how Colossus came to be.

The image above is the cover of the book done by the fabulous Dominique Louis! I am a big fan of his work and he so graciously agreed to honor my book with an original illustration.... done entirely on computer. So a big thanks and a big bow to Dominique!!!!

I dont know how many comicbook artists use the computer these days but thats all i used in creating this graphic novel. i use the computer all the time to do my work. Its true I've left the pencil and the comfort of paper behind but what I've lost is more than made for in flexability.

I work only with photoshop and I draw on a wacom cintiq ( its the kind you can draw right on the screen) most people ask me if there is any lag? The answer is NO! not really . If I draw really fast there is but it doesn't change how you draw. the cool thing about it is I never have to erase, you just grab it and delet, perfect, no smudges. I can also get as close to my drawing as I want without getting close, no more bending over the table. Saves the eyes. There are many more benifits that well out way what I miss about paper and pencil. Ah well Im a tech convert.

Not to say that classical illustration will be left in the dust.... no way... drawing in the classical way or even painting gives you a foundation that is priceless.

anyway enough rambling. I did the whole comic on the computer because it was fast and gave me way more flexability and control. the pages below will explain in a simple way how I did it.

enjoy

M

Colossus is here

2005-06-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my first Blog. That's right I am totally new to this. Anyway enough of the editorial, this blog is to commemorate the publishing of my graphic novel COLOSSUS. There may be fans out there who already have the book first published way back in 2000. But this is a new and improved COLOSSUS, filled with 100 more pages of story and a whole new gallery section by some of the best artists you have never heard of.

I will be at the San Deigo Comicon this summer with th erest of my compadres E-ville press. We'll have a booth and if you find us you will also find yourself ready to buy COLOSSUS, a COLOSSUS T-shirt and also original COLOSSUS artwork ( from the first book, the COLOSSUS redux was entirely created on the computer.) Anyway enough talking posted below are some sample pgs to wet your appitite. Feel free to comment and or contact me.

MANDREWS