Author: Ethan Nicolle

It’s Mr. Toast!

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

Well, I am off to Comic Con, so this is the first on my auto-update blogs that feel so life like as if I am actually here, blogging to you in real time.  Today is I present to you a very special Axe Cop guest episode by one of my best friends and favortie artists/writers of all time, Doug TenNapel.  This episode was written by his 5 year old daughter Olivia.  I think it may be a cooler experience for you to see the “making of” video first, then read the strip, so first, watch this:

 

 
 
What is really funny about that video if you know Olivia is that she is one of the rowdiest and roughest little girls you'll ever meet, but gets super camera shy.  So, from that video I give you the episode that came of it:
 
 
 
 
Now, if you are not familar with Doug's work, you really should be.  He is one of the most prolific graphic novelsits of our time and also one of the greatest guys in comics.  His new book, Ghostopolis just went out on Scholastic and the movie rights were bought by Disney and the Hugh Jackman attached himself to play the lead roll.  It's seriously a GREAT all ages book which I helped color and have read a couple times.  The only other place I have ever seen so much imagination in one place is… well, Axe Cop.  So take that as a recommendation, not saying it is like Axe Cop in style, but it is similar in the sense that it has a pretty giant imagination behind it… heck it even has mummy squirrels.  You can buy it at your local book store or click the image below to buy it on Amazon:
 
 
 
 
The story of how I met Doug is an interesting one.  I went to Comic Con as a very naive 21 year old looking for my “calling” so to speak.  I was a young Christian kid who didn't think comics were anything really worth pursuing.  I met Doug there, who is also a Christian, and he became an instant hero because I bought his book (brand new at the time) Creature Tech.  This book became one of my all time favorites.  Long story short… Doug gave me relentless amounts of advice throughout the process of making a few really bad comic series before I even got to Chumble Spuzz.  Any time I asked a question he gave a thorough answer, and I took him at his word.  He gave me the Master Splinter treatment and there is a good chance that if I had never met Doug TenNapel i would have given up on comics a long time ago. 
 
The San Diego Comic Con when I met Doug was in 2002.  8 years later we're sharing a booth, and he has a reissue of Creature Tech coming out this year with new pin ups in it.  Guess who got to do one? 
 
That is basically the whole book on one page.  I put a lot of love into that drawing, but to get a better look at it you will need to buy the book.  I don't know when it will be available (should be out this month some time) but you have to make sure to get the Image Comics version and not the Top Shelf version if you want my pin up to be in it.  The cover should look like this:
 
 
 
 
And if you didn't already know, Doug created Earthworm Jim and the TV show Catscratch on Nickelodeon.  He has something like 12 graphic novels he singlehandedly write and drew.  So there, that's my big Doug sales pitch.  If you are at SDCC come by and say hi to us at booth 1714.  Also, if you are missing the con, you can still buy my sketchbook in the store.
 
-Ethan

New Sketch Book Now Available

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

Today's episode…

 

 

As I mentioned yesterday, I put a new sketchbook in the store today full of art from my recent sketchbooks.  Most important if you are an Axe Cop fan, this book contains art from my recent visit to Malachai and it will give you some glimpses into the crazy stuff we worked on.  There aren't any real spoilers because most of the art is not labeled.  The book has 88 pages and is black and white with a color cover. Limited to 100 signed and numbered for online sales, you can pay an extra $5 to get an original sketch inside the actual book.
 

If you are going to San Diego Comic Con, don't order it online, you cna get it from me at the booth!


So click the cover below to go to the store and order your copy.  Please allow 4 to 6 weeks since I have to sort all these out and sketch in them all. 

 

 

See you in San Diego at booth 1714!

Ethan

Axe Cop and McNinja!

Posted on July 19, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

Today is a big day as Comic Con approaches… but this page took a while and I have been working hard on it, so here it is…

 

 

So in case you haven’t been keeping up, tday’s big news is this…

 

 

Click the image for the full story.

 

I did a pretty good interview with  Ronebreak.  Check it out here.

 

COMIC CON info I have right now is this…. I will be at booth 1714.  My name, or Axe Cop’s name will not be in the program.  I will be splitting Doug TenNapel’s booth, so look up Doug TenNapel and you will find me.  I will be doing a signing at  DARK HORSE booth, #2615     Thursday 1:00 – 2:0o pm. 

 

Among the merch I will have available at my table… I will have multiple posters (2 that are not available in the store yet).  I will have both volumes of Chumble Spuzz, my first sketch book (printed), my book “Sumo Poop”, AXE COP LOGO t-shirts (not available online yet), stickers and more.  One big thing I will have is a new Sketchbook which I limited the print run to 250 on:

This sketchbook includes NEW AXE COP ART that I did while I spent a month with Malachai.  It has sketches that will hint at things to be in the new Dark Horse miniseries, and it has a ton of other stuff in it too.  I will have 150 available at the con, and I am selling 100 in the online art store.  They will (hopefully) go on sale tomorrow.  I have been pretty busy.

 

That’s all I have to say for now.  Oh yeah… starting on Wednesday you will be getting guest episodes.  We have a special episode coming from Doug TenNapel this week, and next week the Dr. McNinja story begins.  See you tomorrow!


Ethan

 

P.S. if you are coming to Comic Con and planning to cosplay any Axe Cop characters, you should coordinate with other members in our forum to do a group photo.

 

Ginormousness

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

Today's episode is short and to the point, but I felt it was a good note to leave you with for the weekend.  So, happy Friday:

 

 

This is the first ever Axe Cop “splash page”.  If I was ever to do one, this would be it.  One of the reasons I am excited to be doing a print comic is I will be more free to do stuff like this.  Do some big art.  let the story breathe.  So there you have it… Eggy Eggy, how will we defeat you?  See you Monday.

 

Ethan

You Can Be on my Team!

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

So, today's big news is that I finally get to publicly announce that Axe Cop is now officially a Dark Horse comic!  More on this after you read today's page:

 

 

So, if you haven't read it yet, you need to read the interview Malachai and I did with Comics Alliance now!  It was a lot of fun and we finally got the chance to announce that Axe Cop will indeed be printed into a book by possibly the coolest publisher in comics, Dark Horse!  I mean… come on.  The GOON, Hell Boy, Sin City… I get to be in some pretty rad company here.  Laser high fives all around today.  If you will be at San Diego or New York Comic Cons, you can pick up the “Axe Can” we will be handing out, which will be the first printed Axe Cop book ever.  It's a miniature comic with 16 pages of Axe Cop favorites:

To be clear on what the future holds… the first 3 chapters of Axe Cop (chapter 3 is the current storyline) and the first 50 or so Ask Axe Cop episodes will be collected into a book due out in December (publishing to paper takes quite a bit longer than publishing to a web page), and then not long after that, an exclusive to print, full color 3-part miniseries will be released thru Dark Horse.  Yes, that means there will be Axe Cop content that is not free and that you have to go to a comic shop or order online to buy.  But fret not, the online comic will continue.  I will probably have to take a break after chapter 3 concludes, and while we are doing the miniseries I will go back to a 2 or 3 updates a week on the website… but this is an exciting opportunity, and besides… I gotta get paid, and print comics truly are where my heart is at and I look foward to putting Axe Cop into that format.

 

So, on we go… the Axe Cop train has yet to slow down!  Thanks for reading and for staying aboard.


Ethan

Number 3

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

The Baby Man Hunting Trip goes into it's third and final segment… starting now:

 

 

I have to admit, both this story and the Axe Cop story that are running along side each other are taking more pages than expected.  I am enjoying it, don't get me wrong, but my estimation was pretty far off for the page count I thought this story would take. 

 

Bad news for CHOP pod cast fans… tonight's episode has been cancelled because James is still in the process of moving and does not have his stuff set up to record the show.  So if you are one of the people eagerly waiting to find out if your limerick won, well, you will have to wait.  I'm not even sure what will happen next Wednesday since I will be at Comic Con.  Chances are I will tell James and John my favorites of the limericks, let them pick a winner and announce it on the show.  While I am at Comic Con we will have some great new guest episodes going up including one by Doug TenNapel (creator of Earthworm Jim and a ton of other stuff) which he did with his 5 year old daughter Olivia. 

 

If you will be at Comic Con I have just found out that Doug and I will be at booth 1714.  Look for the big Axe Cop banner.

 

Ethan

Awesome Uber Alles

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

Keeping in line with the Axe Cop philosophy… awesome trumps practicality in another page of Axe Cop…

 

 

It's been a long day, and I am sure you noticed that I got this posted much later than usual.  Tomorrow you get an Ask Axe Cop, then wed-fri a new turn in the Baby Man (and family) hunting trip.  See you then.

 

Ethan

Two for one!

Posted on July 10, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

I decided to do a double fisted episode today, to end the battle with Candy Candy as the weekend come upon us so we start fresh next week with the rest of the Baby Man adventure.  So, here you go.  I drew all this for you…

 

 

Baby Man truly is John McClane in a baby suit, and that is why I love him.

 

We have a big announcment coming (I think) next week!  I have been holding it in for a while now.  Can't wait!  Thanks for reading, and I promise you'll get at least one Ask Axe Cop episode next week.  The main reason I have been focusing on story episodes is because once this chapter is done we'll be making the first Axe Cop book!  More on that later.  Happy weekend!

 

Ethan

Say hello to my little friend

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Ethan Nicolle

Today we get to see another weapon in Baby Man's arsenal.  (Or is this the first weapon we have seen?  I think it is).

 

 

That guy in the first panel is my friend Eric, and it's his birthday today.  Happy birthday Eric!  prepare to die.

 

If you think it would be awesome to die in an episode of Axe Cop, join our forum and submit a limerick in the limerick contest thread.  The best limerick (as picked by James, John and I on the podcast next Wednesday) will earn the writer of that limerick the opportunity to die in a future episode of Axe Cop.

 

Tomorrow I'll give you the next page in the Baby Man subplot.  I'm glad you guys enjoyed yeterday's “Axe Cop Presents“.  I don't have a lot of material for another one of those right now, but I'm sure I will get more in the future.  I'm sure Malachai will be surprised to see that go up,  I don't think he realized I was planning on making that play-time into a comic.

 

Ethan