Have a good holiday. And don't kill anyone with your big knife.

IF I FIND OUT YOU WENT TO SAN DIEGO AND DIDN'T COME VISIT ME AT THE FANTAGRAPHICS BOOTH, I'LL SOCK YOU IN THE MUSH

That being said, I do hope you'll come out to Comic Con and celebrate the near release of the graphic novel I created (with my friend GEORGE CHIEFFET) at the Fantagraphics booth. Publisher Kim Thompson assures me that there will be copies of our book, LUCKY IN LOVE, BOOK ONE: A POOR MAN'S BIOGRAPHY available , and I'd love to get your initial reaction to it. I'll even do a teeny Post-it note sketch for you, if you ask me nicely.
Here's a link to the Fantagraphics Booth schedule:

http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Your-Fantagraphics-Guide-to-Comic-Con-2010.html&Itemid=113;

Looking forward to seeing you there. I'm including a little sneak peak image for you below, of a color study ace artist CARLY MONARDO did for my LUCKY promotional film (which I designed and the brilliant MIGUEL MARTINEZ-JOFFRE directed and animated). Carly and Miguel are two VENTURE BROTHER stalwarts, and the film is completed and quite brilliant. I hope to announce its appearance on the web sometime soon!

BILLY QUIZBOY AND PETE WHITE

Another commissioned piece I drew recently. 

I'm still available, if anyone's interested.....

Mr. and Mrs. THE MONARCH

Another VB commission I did recently.
And speaking of the Ventures, I wanted to clarify a bit about my last post. I described Siobhan's photo as showing "the people that make the show so good", when in reality, those are but SOME of the people that make that show so good. To suggest that only five people, as gifted as they may be, are completely responsible for a television show is kind of a nutty idea, really. In fact, the real-world Team Venture is staffed by some of the most talented folks in the New York animation community! I'll try and name all of them here for you, although I'm sure I'll muck up the spelling of their names, and I apologize for that.
On the design staff we have Martin Wittig, Matt Jenkins and Danny Hynes. Actually, on season 3 (remember, Jackson's in production on season 4 at the moment), the third designer was Douglas Lovelace, and then after Douglas was another Danny, "Kano" Kimanyen.
Danny Hynes was also on the crack storyboard revision team for season 3, along with Lauren Mondardo, Jon Roscetti and Rick Lacy, supervised by the always lovely Siobhan Mullen. The revision team was particularly heroic last season, at least in my eyes. Storyboards have only begun on season 4, so revisions won't begin for a month or two.
The color staff is lead by Liz Artinian, and working with her is Dayo, Chris and Lauren's twin sister, Carly Monardo.
Background design is managed by George Fort. George's team is Chris, Ray and Denny, super-talented all!
The timing staff is supervised by Nick Demayo, and features the talents of Jen, Kimson and Ian.
Rachel Simon is the producer, and Patrick "PeeDee" Shindell is the production manager. Adam and Alex were both on the production staff, and somehow managed to keep a straight face (and maneuver looming deadlines) while sitting next to the ever hilarious PeeDee. Originally, the production manager on season 3 was Cathy Kwan, but when she moved on to greener pastures, PeeDee stepped in and did an awesome job.
Lastly (as far as in-house staff is concerned) is show "editor" Tom Bayne, who I'm lucky enough to share an office with, along with Jackson himself. Tom is a great guy, just great, and killer talented (I do believe I referred to him as a "genius" previously on this blog).
If I've forgotten anyone, please give a shout. Really, you can see all of these names and more if you'll sit through the show's end credits. But then you'd have to squint really hard and read really really fast. And, seriously, all of these people deserve a big, big hand. If you're a Venture fan, give it up for these folks when feeling grateful for the show.
....
Other news:
MONDAY'S STRIP is kind of gone. Sorry. I've just got a bit too much on my plate at the moment. It was fun, and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it while I produced it. Thanks, really.
And about commissions, and the BLOGGIN' BASEMENT---those're not completely gone, but, again, I'm just a bit time-poor lately to pursue either. Still, I've found some pretty choice
stuff to entice you folks inclined to buy art right now. Pretty choice stuff....
later!

I AM ENTMANN.....coo coo ka joob

Please watch the VENTURE BROTHERS this evening. I donated my meager voice talents to a character prominently featured in tonight's episode. The character's name is "Entmann". If you're a fan of silver age comic books, I think you'll find him pretty funny.

Knowing how crazy you kids are for all things VENTURE, I'm reposting a photo found on shiversmetimbers.blogspot.com, featuring the true TEAM VENTURE. These are the people that make the show so good. Going clockwise and starting at midnight, Storyboard Supervisor SIOBHAN MULLEN, Producer RACHEL SIMON, Co-conspiritor and Chief Medical Officer DOC HAMMER, Art Director & Color Supervisor LIZ ARTINIAN, and Chief Conspiritor JACKSON PUBLICK. 

In glorious super-black and white.

DESTEFANO VENTURES FORTH....(and, FOURTH!)

This is a copy of a commissioned piece I completed a couple of weeks ago. My apologies, though, to the buyer, as well as to Jackson Publick.
Brock, I now realize, is off model.
His mullet is too long.

Even so, it's appropriate that I post this, as this month marks my return to the dangerous world of the VB's as design and storyboard supervisor for SEASON 4 of THE VENTURE BROTHERS. I should note that, while my credit on season 3 reads "Art Director", it's not completely appropriate, as both Mr. Publick and the astoundingly talented color supervisor LIZ ARTINIAN could easily be credited as "Art Directors" on the show as well. But show producer RACHEL SIMONS asked me what I wanted my credit to be, and I got all ballsy with the opportunity.