Tiki P.I.

I created this pinup for the first issue of Tiki P.I., by the talented Bill Hewitt (www.lickyourelbow.com). The story & character designs took my imagination back to my days of pouring over Scud: Disposable Assassin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other indispensable, black & white indie comics. So I tried to bring that brand of energy to my drawing.

"It's crazy but it's true, I only wanna be with you!"
- Dave

King Gum Comic!

I'm ecstatic to say that, after years of toiling on work-for-hire jobs, I've found myself in a position to focus more on creator-owned projects. The first one I've completed is an 8-page comic titled, "In The Clutches of The Derby Queen!" This short story features my alter ego, King Gum, in the days before he won his crown. On this adventure, he's been taken prisoner by a race of deadly Derby Girls. The only way for Young Gum to win his freedom is by defeating their brutally beautiful Queen in all-out combat!

This comic will appear in the next volume of Titmouse Inc's MOOK comics anthology (release date TBD), so I can't show too much online. But finishing this piece has rekindled my love for making comics. I've already begun work on a handful of other sequential stories, so there'll be lots to look forward to in 2013. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

"Let's take a drive, love... so we can make up our minds, love...
to commit the crimes of passion that sets us free."
- Dave C., aka King Gum

C2E2 Commissions!

I had a fantabulous time in Chicago during C2E2 weekend. Many thanks to my friends at Nerd City, for giving me a home at their booth and providing such fun company all weekend long.

And despite grappling with a post-convention nerd flu, upon my return, here are some shots of the drawings & paintings I created for a handful of friendly collectors!

Oh, and this last little guy was actually a doodle that was on my airplane seat, when I flew out of LAX. I don't know who did it or what character it exactly is. But game recognize game, whoever did this has my respect. It's not every day that you get cool, cat-in-a-hula-skirt-playing-ukelele seat graffiti!


"I build a ship. I sink or sail. Every tooth and every nail."
- King Gum

If The Earthquakes Don't Get Us, The Budget Cuts Will!

Aaaaand here's the finalized version of the cartoon I posted, this morning. As you can see, the client decided on keeping the state abbreviation "CA" in the finished art. The inks and gray tones were done in a feverish, "must finish before 6pm" frenzy at my drawing table. But I ain't complaining. There's nothing like a hard deadline to get me right back into the game, after a long stint away from Chateau Gum.

"Talons fly as a last disguise. But no return. The time has come."
- Dave

I'm Making A Comic!

After a whole lot of hullabaloo and poppycock, I'm finally working on a comic story of my own. It's a one-shot, surrealist-adventure story called "Auris Infinitum." I'll be debuting this book at Wizard World Anaheim and the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, in a month. Be sure to keep an eye on this blog for regular updates and progress shots.

"Whaddya mean there's no more? ALL the rations? Sound the alarm! There must be a stowaway!"
- Dave

YO GABBA GABBA! Comic Book Time Art Preview

If you love the funktastic cast of YO GABBA GABBA! then get ready to enjoy them in comic book form! This Wednesday marks the release of "YO GABBA GABBA! Comic Book Time," an oversized, hardcover anthology of short stories featuring everyone's favorite boombox-dwelling monsters and their tangerine DJ friend.

This volume includes a 10-page tale written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and illustrated by yours truly, titled "Muno! and The Case of The Vanishing Inspiration!" In honor of the book coming out tomorrow, I thought I'd share the above preview of the finished artwork from our story. I had a blast painting these, and am super-excited to see the finished product in print. Speaking of which, it looks like I'll have a few copies of "... Comic Book Time" on hand at my C2E2 table (K3). So be sure to stop by and check out the goods!

To buy "YO GABBA GABBA! Comic Book Time" online, visit OniPress.com and Amazon.com.

"When I was small... they called me the leprechaun."
- Dave, aka King Gum

Scarface & Sketches!

Behold, my last customized copy of Scarface, plus some sketches from earlier this week!


"I love most brothers, but someone told me that I burn bridges.
I simply use a rapper's bones to build my furniture."
- King Gum.

On The Slate - Raw Sequential Fishscale

I'm working amid boxes and orderly stacks of... well, everything. But that's not getting in the way of tonight's On The Slate. Above are some piping hot pages you may recognize from the previous OTS. Tonight, both are a bit further on their way to completion.

It feels like a lot of what I've been wanting to achieve in my sequential art is actually beginning to happen on these pages, and some other projects I'm chiseling away at. Guess I better keep it up, if I want to have a book ready for convention season!

"You thought I fell off at last? The legendary Ghost Deini might be dead?!"
- Midnight Gum.

On The Slate - Comics-In-Progress!

For today's On The Slate, I thought I'd share snapshots of a top-secret comic project I'm grinding on. These images are the beginning of a pitch for a project with writer Chris Kirby (The Lost Squad). I can't say much, save that it's a sci-fi/action book and the story is incredibly inventive.

Best of all, Chris has given me carte blanche to throw myself at this thing, visually. I'm getting to go ape-poo with it, bringing more raw power to sequential pages than I think I ever have before. Hope you dig the peekaboo!

"Runnin' from the law, the press and the parents!
'Is your name Michael Diamond?' Naw, my name's Clarence!"
- Gum.

CHOKER #5 out today, featuring pinup by Dave Crosland

That's right! The painting I did for Ben Templesmith & Ben McCool's CHOKER (Image Comics) appears in the back of issue #5. The book was released today, at comic shops across the USA. Hit up your local retailer to make sure they're carrying it!

Find out more on the Image Comics website.

"Where my gerunds at? Parenthetical."
- King Gum Crosland

Joe Fixit!

I mean, c'mon... who doesn't love a super-genius Grey Hulk, with a mob muscle alter ego?!



I mean, c'mon... who doesn't love a super-genius Grey Hulk, with a mob muscle alter ego?!

"... so it's best to play the game, while there's breath up in your frame."
- King Gum.

On The Slate - Week In Review!

Awful internet connection, be damned! Here's what I've been up to, this past week!

Editorial cartoons

A page from my new minicomic

A small portion of my arsenal

A short for BOOM!'s CBGB series (written by R. Eric Lieb)

Customizing JARFACE and DEATHWARRANT for recent orders

Head 'em up, move 'em out, RAWHIDE!

Bustin' a move on the freshest commissions

Most of this art was created to The Beat Bee Sessions, courtesy of Jane Dope and Food One: thebeatbeesessions.libsyn.com/, as well as some Rob Sonic, Parliament, White Strips, Edan, The Black Keys and a handful more. It's been a pretty musical week.

From Oakland with love,

- Dave, aka Gum.