(click for larger view)
Floating World Comics in Portland, OR, is hosting a charity art show and auction called Full of Pryde. The show's theme is the X-Men character Kitty Pryde. My Kitty Pryde (seen above) is sort of a mash-up of Ernie Bushmiller's Nancy comic strips and issue #143 of X-men comics. For those of you unfamiliar with that comic, the basic plot is that Kitty Pryde, who has the power to "phase" through solid objects (like walk through walls), is left home alone on X-mas eve and is chased around the X-mansion by a monster called N'Garai.
All artwork will be available as 11 x 17 posters that will be sold for $5. Most original artwork (including mine) will be available as part of a charity auction. The show is a not-for-profit fundraiser, 100% of the proceeds will go to the hemophilia research department at OHSU.
The show is curated by Jason Leivian and Douglas Sherwood and will include Kitty Pryde art by a lot of cartoonists working in the comics industry today: Rob G, Brandon Graham, Michael Deforge, Ross Campbell, Nikki Cook, Zachary Baldus, Zack Soto, Corey Lewis, Vasilis Lolos, Becky Cloonan, Chuck BB, Bryan O'Malley, Hope Larson, Farel Dalrymple, Joelle Jones, Brian Hurtt, Steve Rolston, Robbi Rodriguez, and many more!
The event opens either May 7th, or May 9th. I'm unclear on that, but will post more info when it's closer to that time.
Here's a page from the original X-Men #143 by John Byrne and Chris Claremont: 
Tom says it's "adorable!"
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Full of Pryde at Floating World Comics
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
Year of the OX
Giant Robot has put together a "Year of the Ox" group show for their GR2 gallery in L.A. Here's my ox:
"The Death of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox at the Hands of the Royal Canadian Mounted Giant Killers." It's watercolor and ink on paper. 19 by 50 inches. (click for larger view)
The show includes many great artists and friends: Andrice Arp, Shawn Cheng, Levon Jihanian, Kiyoshi Nakazawa, John Pham, Jesse Reklaw, Daria Tessler, and many more.
Come see our Oxes! The show opens this Saturday, March 14th at GR2. GR2 is at 2062 Sawtelle Blvd.
Click the flier below for more info:
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Creepy #46
Robert Goodin has a blog where he asks cartoonists to do their own versions of classic comic covers. It's called Covered. The site has great contributions from Jeffrey Brown, Jim Rugg, Sarah Glidden, Dash Shaw, Renee French and many more. It's updated daily, so go bookmark it.
Go to the Covered site to see my version of Creepy #46 alongside the original cover by Spanish artist Sanjulian.
I spent a while trying to figure out what classic cover I wanted to "cover." I was looking at some of my favorite Spider-man and X-men covers that inspired me as a child. But nothing seemed to really click. Recently, I've been collecting a lot of old horror comics, especially Warren's Creepy and Eerie. The original cover for Creepy #46 by Sanjulian jumped out at me immediately as something that I would like to do. It has the kind of strange, dramatic composition that I'm interested in. The background is so minimal and abstract. And I love drawing creepy hands, so those weird creepy zombie/vampire hands appealed to me instantly.
Check out Sanjulian's site- lots of great barbarian and fantasy illustrations. I wrote to him to tell him about my cover. He said he'll be at San Diego Comic Con this summer.
If you were wondering what I was drawing on my birthday morning, this is it.
If anyone's interested in purchasing the original art for my Creepy #46, please e-mail me. The original art is 18 x 24 inches. It is just the image. The "Creepy #46" lettering is separate. The original is ink and watercolor on paper.
Joder, me has fallen the red boat.!
My first Spanish review of El Borrón arrived today. If you can read Spanish, go here.
Here's avery broken Yahoo Babel Fish translation that doesn't make a lot of sense:
Joder, me has fallen the red boat.! This exclamation must of have loosen almost any sketcher to it of cómics, and I also suppose that Tom Neely, the creator of ' The Borrón'. And I dare to venture that the idea of this cómic was born when had a mishap of this type. Perhaps, in one of those moments, it said " we canalize the wrath that this causes and we remove to him something to me of benefit, I will make a tebeo… " TO EXTEND PHOTO ' The Borrón' he is cómic very complex, where Tom Neely has decided, mainly, to play and to undergo with all the mechanisms and techniques that the means allow him, using like protagonist to the red. Is pure metalanguage, in volume where love demonstrates his by cómic at the same time as reference can to serve as for all those sketchers that wants to see what can be done, until where can to arrive in some aspects, where it is the border… and that Neely is young, was born in 1975. History is practically dumb and narrates the life of an anonymous personage, in a city whatever it suddenly begins to see itself persecuted by the Red (the Nothing of ' Interminable' History;). Chapter to chapter, is surrounded in the rocambolescas situations, and every time it is seen more surpassed by the situation until he appears his rescuing angel in the form of woman who will take to him by the correct way, it calms, it cures and it alleviates to him. But everything is not what it seems, and the angel can become demon… In the end, in which the author tries is a happy end, it appears the color in the tebeo, like a metaphor. Between the strongpoints of this work they are all that we have mentioned of dominion of the technique and to experiment with means and to show its possibilities. In it must, is the fact that it needs a little spark, of feeling, although it can be compensated from the above. by Ricardo Mena
If anyone wants to give me a better translation, that would be nice.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Gin Stevens finally has a blog!
The web-challenged Gin Stevens finally has a BLOG!
He's one of my very favorite artists in the world.
He's also 25% of The Igloo Tornado.
Go visit his blog often.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
I'm 34 today!
I spent the morning doing my favorite thing- drawing.
Now I'm gonna go buy myself a new record.
My friend Greg sent me this:
Thursday, February 19, 2009
"El Borrón" is Spanish for "The Blot"
I'm really happy to announce the first foreign edition of The Blot.
El Borrón was just published by Ediciones La Cúpula in Spain, who have also published Spanish editions of some of my favorite books by Robert Crumb, Blutch, Gilbert Hernandez, Charles Burns, Gabriel Bell, Dan Cowes, Kim Deitch and many more.
It looks like a French edition of The Blot will happen by the end of the year. More details on that at a later date.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
BEASTS! Book signing party at SHQ!
This Friday the 13th I'll be at the BEASTS! Book signing party at Secret Headquarters in Los Angeles.
I will be signing books along with many of L.A.'s best cartoonists and artists including: Levon Jihanian, Billy Reynolds, Mark Todd, Jordan Crane, Tony Millionaire, Steven Weissman, Johnny Ryan, Ron Rege Jr. and many more. I will also have limited edition letterpress prints of my Skinwalker for sale (see below). 
Come on out and have a drink and get a book signed.
Beasts Book Signing
Friday, Feb. 13th
8-10 pm
Secret Headquarters
3817 W. Sunset Blvd.
L.A., CA 90026
323-666-2228
See you there!
Monday, February 09, 2009
2008 best of...
I made a couple of Best of '08 lists for other websites.
First- my top 5 comics/graphic novels was posted along with many other cartoonists' lists at The Daily Cross Hatch.
And my top 10 albums + top 10 comics/graphic novels are posted over at the Hydra Head Records site alongside much funnier lists by their employees and bands.
Here's that list:
Top 10 albums I bought and listened to the most in 2008:
(note- a few of these were not released in 2008)
10. Ludicra - Fex Ubris, Lex Orbis
9. Mamiffer - Hirror Enniffer
8. Mission of Burma - VS. (vinyl re-release)
7. The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
6. Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill
5. Winterfylleth - The Ghost of Herritage
4. Jesu - Why Are we Not Perfect
3. Bloodbath - The Fathomless Misery
2. Low - The Great Destroyer
1. Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters Double Vinyl LP
Honorable mention goes to the most horrendous and bafflingly billiant album of 2008: Guns 'n' Roses - Chinese Democracy
Top 10 Comics and Graphic Novels of 2008:
10. Silver Surfer - In Thy Name - Drawn by Tan Eng Huat, published by Marvel
9. Ghost Rider # 24 - (continuing) - Drawn by Tan Eng Huat, published by Marvel
8. Creepy Archives Volume 1 & 2 by various artists, published by Dark Horse
7. Wormdye by Eamon Espey, published by Secret Acres
6. Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw, published by Fantagraphics
5. Freddie and Me by Mike Dawson, published by Bloomsbury
4. Sammy the Mouse by Zack Sally, published by Fantagraphics
3. Danny Dutch by David King, published by Sparkplug Comic Books
2. Capacity by Theo Ellsworth, published by Secret Acres
1. Ink Weed by Chris Wright, published by Sparkplug Comic Books
Honorable mention goes to You're Disease Spread Quick, The Melvins Comic Book by Tom Neely, published by Robotic Boot... because I did it.
Speaking of "Best of 2008"... The Blot receives a mention as the "Comic of the year 2008" over at this blog. Even though The Blot came out in 2007, the blogger says it is the best book he read in 2008.
Read the nice, glowing review of The Blot here. It's still for sale in my store.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Wolf
I'm working on inking my next book. It's called "The Wolf."
This book is going to be a collaboration between my comics and the music of Aaron Turner (of ISIS and many other good bands). Aaron is going to compose and record a sort of soundtrack for the book.
This is the first teaser page. 
It should be released sometime this summer as a book and album packaged together.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Post Its for sale
3 of my post-it-portraits did not sell in the GR2 show and have been returned to me.
They are Kurt Vonnegut, Mark Twain, and Lucien Freud. If you would like to purchase them directly from me, please e-mail me and I will send you paypal information. They are $20 each.
UPDATE: Kurt and Mark are now sold.
UPDATE: Lucien is now sold.
THANKS!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Hey, San Francisco-- 100 BEASTS!
I almost forgot! Tomorrow night there will be an opening for another BEASTS! art show at GRSF. They should have my "Skinwalker" letterpress prints available for sale. Check it out!
Speaking of San Francisco, Emma Krasov blogged about me earlier this week. Read it here.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Beastie Bot #003
For some reason I thought this show was opening tomorrow night... I'm an idiot for not looking at the postcard. But most shows in L.A. open on Saturdays. Gallery 1988 must think they are in San Francisco, where all openings happen on Thursdays... So, I missed the opening and now I'm blogging about it too late.
Anyway, I did a little collaboration with my friend Matt Burlingame for this Beastie Boys themed group show.
Matt makes amazing robots (I own one, and bought one for my brother, too). He's a genius at building these things. I can't believe they are hand-made and one of a kind! He also makes amazing diarama house sculptures that you have to see to believe. They look like some ancient wooden toy built by a puppet master from the 19th century. I also love that he has a sick sense of humor and a healthy appreciation of the macabre. Matt is also one of the set builders for the Robot Chicken show. And he's also in the latest BEASTS! Book 2 with a super creepy Wendigo sculpture. Someone give this guy a good solo show!
Normally, I avoid theme shows (especially ones like this) and collaborations, but Matt's a swell guy and he talked me into it. Plus I like robot toys. So, here's our "Beastie Bot #003" Matt made the body, I painted the three interchangeable heads. There is a head for each Beastie boy, with three different faces on each head piece. It came out really nice. 
Monday, January 05, 2009
2008!
What a year:
The Melvins Comic Book, Comic Strip Poems, Igloo Tornado show, first radio interview, BEASTS! Book 2, American Illustration #27, a few group shows and plenty of traveling to several comic conventions... and Obama won!
Of course, the best thing that happened was getting married to Anna! And going on our honeymoon to Belize.
I've got a lot of things planned for 2009: a new graphic novel that I'm working on, a book of my paintings and other non-comics artwork, more traveling, maybe a new dog... who knows what else?
But I'm starting off 2009 by training for a triathlon with Anna and growing a Jesus in the bathtub:
Saturday, January 03, 2009
I'm in New York Times Magazine
My first illustration for the New York Times (above) will be in tomorrow's magazine section.
The online version of the article can be found here. There are also nice illustrations by Adrian Tomine, Seth and Zohar Lazar.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Geeked!
Brilliantly Ham-fisted got a little mini review in the upcoming January issue of Geek Magazine. Click it to read it: 
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
POST IT SHOW 3 video
I'm bummed I didn't make it to the opening night. But someone made a little video of the POST IT SHOW 3:
BEASTS! 2 release party
Here's a Flickr set from the BEASTS! 2 show at Fantagraphics last weekend. If you look closely, you can almost see my print hanging near the bottom of the wall above the bookshelf.
I wish I could see the rest of those prints. Some of them look incredible. For more, check them out at the BEASTS! blog: here, here, here and here.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
2 Group Shows this weekend!
I've got work in two group shows opening Saturday, December 13th:
POST IT SHOW 3 at Giant Robot 2 in Los Angeles.
I made 19 post-it-portraits of artists and writers that I like. I posted all of them here. With most pieces priced at $20, this show is a great way to get super-inexpensive artwork by a lot of todays best cartoonists, illustrators and artists. Recession art!
Not in L.A.? Sorry- GR won't pre-sell anything from this show. It's a first-come-first-serve sell-a-thon at the opening reception. After that, they will sell the remaining post-its through their web store. 
BEASTS! 2 book release party and print show at the Fantagraphics Book Store in Seattle, WA.
I have nice new prints of my Skinwalker beast. The prints are a 2 plate letterpress with hand-painted watercolors by me. Limited edition of 60 copies. Fantagraphics has numbers 1-5.
They are $60 - Cheap!
Or order the BEASTS! 2 Book here.
Not in Seattle? In January there will be another Beasts! 2 show at Giant Robot San Francisco (more details coming soon). Sometime after the holidays, I hope to get these prints up on my online store.
Monday, December 08, 2008
ISIS t-shirt
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
POST IT SHOW 3 at GR2
Giant Robot is having it's 3rd Annual POST IT show.
Lots of artists are asked to do drawings on Post-it notes.
The show opens Dec. 13th at GR2 in L.A.
More info about the show soon.
Here are my Post-it-Portraits of artists and writers who I like:
The 3x3" post its will be $20. The 3x5" post its will be $30.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
20 Questions
Twenty Cartoon Questions is a little blog started by comics-savant, Austin English*. Austin asks the same 20 questions to different up-and-coming alt-cartoonists. The questions focus on the artists' process and materials. The results are some of my favorite interviews.
If you're at all interested in peeking into the minds and studios of some of today's best cartoonists, I recommend all of these interviews. One of those cartoonists is me. My 20 questions can be found here. This is an on-going series, so bookmark it.
*Austin is also the author of Christina and Charles and editor of Windy Corner Magazine. Both are published by Sparkplug Comic Books.
Review of "The Blot" from The Comics Journal is online now.
This review appeared in The Comic Journal #287. Chris Mautner has just posted it on his blog for everyone to read.
Here's an excerpt:
...And yet The Blot really is that good. I’m actually sorely tempted, for example, to compare it to the first issue of Acme Novelty Library, or The Biological Show or Good-Bye Chunky Rice. Not that it’s necessarily standing on the same high aesthetic ground as those works (though I’d find it hard to believe it won’t be included on my “best of” list come January), but rather that it’s an impressive and declarative debut in the same fashion that those other books were. This is the type of book where after reading it you get the feeling you’re going to start expecting big things from the artist from here on out.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
You can't tell me some things weren't better back then...
For more images from old Macy's Parades, go here.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Aquarius Records
Aquarius Records is probably my favorite record store in the universe. I discovered them when I lived in SF nearly 10 years ago, and even though it was significantly smaller than Amoeba, it felt more like my kinda place. I was sad to lose my regular trips there when I moved to L.A., but soon found that they have an amazing website and they review nearly every album they carry. The reviewers are all knowledgeable and smart and each have their own personalities and niche taste in music. They're kinda like that cool older kid in high school who introduced you to all your favorite bands. Just the other night a friend was asking me "where do you find out about all these crazy underground bands?" My secret is Aquarius Records.
Anyway- while I was up in SF for APE, I stopped by and gave them a bunch of the Melvins comic books to sell. And this review of it includes my favorite description of the comic so far. Read it on their latest "new arrivals list #305":
"For those of you who missed out on the ultra limited Melvins A Senile Animal box set (which is probably most everybody), we managed to get a handful of these super limited comics, by aQ customer Tom Neely, which came in the box along with a belt buckle and a bunch of other stuff. The comic is amazing, inspired by the album, which means it's bizarre and twisted and fucked up and garish and beautiful. For those of you who have yet to see Neely's art (you very well might have and just not known it as he does a lot of commercial stuff too), you're in for a treat, classic and old fashioned, but just a bit tweaked and damaged.
This Melvins comic is the tale of a horse, who loses his head, some sort of spectre, plenty of gore and blood and vomiting, a bandaged worm man with a very powerful tongue, being chased by little legged dots, a bar full of vampires and historical figures, a wolf in grandma's clothing, a long journey across a black sea in a rickety rowboat, a strange mountaintop female cyborg, a giant eagle, a city wrapped in living tendrils, more removable heads and a horde of horses. Sure it sounds insane, it's a comic based on a Melvins record!!! The back cover has a funny Melvins parody ad, and the inside back cover has bios of both Neely and the Melvins."
So, now you can order the book from Aquarius or from Hydra Head Records. Support independent record stores like Aquarius. They are a dying breed, but one the last representatives of the amazing diversity of arts in the world we live in.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
BEASTS! 2 pre-order
BEASTS! 2 is now available for pre-order from Fantagraphics.
The first BEASTS! book was great and I'm very happy to be included in the second volume, which includes an even more impressive lineup of artists. The above image is my contribution to the book- The Skinwalker. There is also going to be some sort of print show at the Fantagraphics store in Seattle. I have made a limited edition of hand-painted letterpress prints of my Skinwalker that will be available at this event. More details coming soon.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Another great review...
A very nice review of "Your Disease..." and "Brilliantly Ham-fisted" by Brian Heater can be found here.
...fans of Neely’s deservedly lauded book will no doubt be satiated by both books which provided a happy return to Neely’s strange and wonderful universe and a chance to delve even further into the artist’s happily warped psyche.
I've received e-mails asking how to order these books. "Your Disease..." can be ordered through Hydra Head Records here. As for "Brilliantly Ham-fisted," as soon as I make some more of the, I will put them up in my store.
More Obama love
Two things I have in common with our president:
• He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics
• His favourite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
I wish I could also say I can bench-press 200 lbs, but at least we have similar taste in literature.
More facts about Obama are here.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
"Your Disease Spread Quick" available.
I haven't had a chance to get "Your Disease Spread Quick" up in the I Will Destroy You Store yet, but for those of you who want it, it's now available at the Hydra Head Records Store for only $6. This is the comic book I created for the Melvins box set for "(a) Senile Animal." That box set is selling out quickly. But the comic book can be purchased separately at the HHR store and a few comic book stores around L.A.
If you want to sell this book in your store, please e-mail me about wholesale prices and orders.
