005: My favorite episode is "Sam The Man."
Sorry I’m a little late here. I hope you had a lovely May Day. Me? I was lettering comics, squeezing in DIY housework, and attending a free class on preparedness for natural and man-made disasters. ‘Nuff said.
Sooooo, what’s new? Well, the Ringo Awards are now accepting nominations for 2025! Voting is open to fans and professionals alike. Because I’m just too gosh-darn-well-connected, I’m refraining from endorsing anyone, as that’s bound to annoy whoever I don’t endorse, and we can’t have that. Instead, I ask that you nominate whoever you feel did the best job in each category. You’ll notice there’s one for “Best Letterer.” Feel free to nominate me, or one of the other letterers who did great work in 2024. I read a lot of comics last year whose letterers made me clench my fists and exclaim “How? HOW?!?!” Either way, please don’t leave “Best Letterer” blank.
We Called Them Giants is up for another award—this time, it’s the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story or Comic! If we win, we’ll be one third as great as N.K. Jemisin. That’s how awards work. I want to letter a Jemisin book real bad.
Apart from that? I did some medical stuff last month. One secret to my success is that I wake up way too early—usually between 4 a.m. and 5:30—regardless of when I go to sleep. Normally, I use those early morning hours to get ahead at work, so first passes and corrections are finished before editors get to their desks. But I did an overnight sleep study the other week—trying my best to sleep in a strange bed while covered in wires, tubes, and belts. Hopefully enough data was gathered, and soon I’ll know why the hell I’m like this and what I can do about it. Sorry, editors.
I also had bloodwork done to make sure my childhood vaccination against measles is still effective—and it is. Shoutout to my infant niece who’s too young to receive the MMR vaccine—Uncle Clayton loves you. That’s where my head’s at. Once again, ‘nuff said.
On to the content.
Sound Effect of the Month:
This is from an upcoming issue of [REDACTED]. One pet peeve of mine is balloons with multiple tails pointing at different speakers (mainly because I don’t think I’m very good at them), and in this book, we had a crowd of dozens screaming in unison. I felt using multiple tails would turn the panel into a hideous, tentacle-monster space invasion. So this was my solution—one huge, transparent balloon with a few copies pasted behind it for a nice, echo-y effect. It’s loud, it’s clear, and it gets the point across without flooding the panel with excessive tails. Rendered with BB Brushzerker.
Q&A:
Q: When did you discover your passion for lettering? What keeps you still going?
A: I think I found my passion a year or so into the job. I chose lettering as a career because I knew I was good at it, and I thought it would be a good networking tool for my eventual pivot to drawing. But once I realized lettering could be a craft—that you could tailor a “style” and not use the same basic look for everything—that’s when it became a passion. Umbrella Academy (lettered by Nate Piekos) and Marvel 1985 (lettered by John Workman) were the books that showed me the way.
As for what keeps me going? It varies. Sometimes, it’s just the promise of another paycheck. I love my job, but it’s still a job, and it’ll mash you to a pulp if you’re not careful. But most of the time, I’m less cynical. Sometimes it’s new art hitting my inbox that keeps me invested. Sometimes it’s seeing what happens next in a story, sometimes it’s working with people I like, and sometimes it’s the thrill of trying something new. But above all, it’s knowing that I’m honoring my inner child. Working in comics was the job the younger-me wanted, and there’s nothing more reassuring than knowing he’d be excited about what I’m doing today (even if it isn’t drawing).
If you have a question you’d like me to answer in a future edition, ask away in the comments section.
Tip:
Sorry, dear readers. I’m working on a primer for dialogue captions and their correct formatting, but it needs a little more work if I want it to be crystal clear. Next month!
Community:
Andy Schmidt has been named the new Editor-In-Chief of BOOM! Studios, and boy is that great news for BOOM! Studios. Full disclosure: I have not had the pleasure of working with Andy. I do, however, know him socially, and I can’t think of anyone in this business more dedicated to nurturing talent and doing the right thing. I can’t wait to see what happens at BOOM! under his stewardship.
Recommendations:
Comic: The Fables of Erlking Wood. Produced by aforementioned Goats Flying Pres, I received my physical copy from the Kickstarter campaign a few weeks ago, and it blew me away. The art and stories are terrific, but trust me, you’re going to want a physical copy. The printing, the embossment—even the texture is wonderful. Shoutout to production designer Jeff Powell—let’s all make an effort to remember his work during next year’s award season.
Non-comic: Detroiters. Every decade has its own “Funniest Show That Nobody’s Heard Of.” The ‘90s had NewsRadio, the ‘00s had Andy Richter Controls The Universe, and the ‘10s had Detroiters. Starring Sam Richardson and Tim Robinson, Detroiters is about idiot best friends who inherit a washed-up, ‘60s-era ad agency and live on a steady diet of hot dogs for every meal. It’s streaming now on both Netflix and Paramount+, and I urge you to give it a try. My favorite episode is “Sam The Man.”
Stuff With My Name In It (May 2025):
5/3 (Free Comic Book Day):
FCBD 2025: Fantastic Four/X-Men #1
FCBD 2025: Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe #1
FCBD 2025: Star Wars #1
5/5:
Astonishing X-Men Infinity #20
5/7:
Adventureman: Family Tree #2
All-New Venom #6
Batman by Chip Zdarsky vol. 5: The Dying City HC & TPB
Birds of Prey #21
Daredevil #21
Star Wars #1
Trinity: Generation S TPB
X-Men #16
5/12:
Astonishing X-Men Infinity #21
5/14:
Absolute Batman #8
Godzilla vs. X-Men #1
Star Trek: Lower Decks #7
Star Wars: Jedi Knights #3
Superman: Up In The Sky Deluxe Edition HC
Uncanny X-Men #4
5/19:
Astonishing X-Men Infinity #22
5/21:
Doom Academy #4
Star Trek: Defiant #27
Strange Academy: Omnibus HC
Weapon X-Men #4
Wonder Woman #21
Wonder Woman by Tom King vol. 3: Fury TPB
5/26:
Astonishing X-Men Infinity #23
5/28:
Adventureman: Family Tree #3
Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #2
Giant-Size X-Men #1
Giant-Size X-Men: Tribute to Wein & Cockrum TPB
Jenny Sparks: Be Better TPB
The Power Fantasy #9
Predator vs. Spider-Man #2
Star Trek: Defiant vol. 4: The Supernova Conspiracy HC
Star Trek: Lore War - Shaxs’ Worst Day #1
Uncanny X-Men #15
The Wicked + The Divine Compendium TPB
And, finally, the cat photo:
See you all in June!