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2004     2005     2006     2007     2008     2009     2010     2011     2012     2013     WORKSHOPS IN THE WORKS
APL PRESENTS #1     APL #2     APL #3     APL #4     APLSS #1     APL #5

April 24, 2013

ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 24th, FROM 3:30 TO 4:30 IN THE ANDROSCOGGIN ROOM (ALSO KNOWN AS THE COMMUNITY ROOM) DOWN STAIRS AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE PREMIERE EVENT FOR APL PRESENTS #5 WAS HELD, OPEN TO ONE AND ALL, DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE PIZZA BANQUET (COURTESY OF LUCI MERIN AND THE AUBURN CLC) WHICH WAS JUST FOR THE STAFF MEMBERS FOR THIS ISSUE.  AFTER TWO MONTHS OF WAITING FOR MR. JORDAN TO FINISH HIS PART OF THE BOOK, ALL THAT POST-PRODUCTION STUFF, THE STAFF CAME TOGETHER ONCE MORE TO WITNESS, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR.  CRYSTLE C. WAS THERE, AS WAS PAIGE C., AND GAVIN H., MIKE H., AND REECE R. (WITH JENNIFER BABINEAU AND KAREN HENDERSON ON HAND AS WELL), BUT THE STAFF WASN'T COMPLETE BECAUSE ALEX S. WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND.   WHILE THE STAFF SCARFED PIZZA, MR. J WENT ON AND ON ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO BE HAPPENING DURING THE EVENT, AND, STILL COMING UP WITH IDEAS, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT MR. J SHOULD START INTRODUCING THE SHOW FROM THE OTHER ROOM USING HIS DARTH VADER VOICE.  HE DIDN'T THINK THAT WOULD GO OVER SO WELL, BUT IN ALL FAIRNESS, HIS INTRODUCTION JOKE KIND OF TANKED.  BY THE TIME 3:30 ROLLED AROUND, GUESTS STARTED TO ARRIVE INCLUDING CRYSTLE'S FAMILY, REECE'S MOM AND SIBLINGS, AND GAVIN'S MOM.  ALSO THERE WERE DONNA WALLACE, THE TEEN LIBRARIAN AT APL AND THE PUBLISHER OF THE ISSUE, AND SHORTLY AFTER WE BEGAN THE SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK, LUCI M. WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT, AND STAYED FOR THE REST OF THE PROGRAM.  DURING THE SLIDE SHOW, THE TWO MAIN HIGHLIGHTS, OTHER THAN THE MAIN STORY, WERE THE EVER POPULAR CAUGHT IN THE HEADLIGHTS GAG SECTION AND THIS TIME AROUND THE RECURRING SOUND EFFECT OF THE BLACK GOO COMING OUT OF DECTRICON'S CLONING GUN, WHICH WAS DEMONSTRATED BY THE STAFF ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.  AFTER THE BOOK WAS DONE, WE MOVED QUICKLY (HAVING LESS THAN A HALF HOUR LEFT) TO THE PRIZE SECTION OF THE AFTERNOON.  THESE WERE DIVIDED UP INTO TWO PARTS.  ON THE RIGHT SIDE, WE HAD THE SPECIAL GIFTS, AND ON THE LEFT WE HAD THE HO-HUM EVERYDAY GIFTS.  WE DID THE ONES ON THE RIGHT FIRST, BRINGING OUT THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WORKSHOP TOOLS TO WIN, (INCLUDING ONES ABOUT THE AMES LETTERING GUIDE!!!)  MIKE WON THE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS DISC WITH THE ACCOMPANYING 'DUMMIES' BOOK TO SHOW HIM HOW TO USE IT; KATHERINE WON OUR MASCOT, BIKER SQUIRREL; GAVIN WON THE OTHER MASCOT, E-CAT; AND EVERYONE ELSE WON FRAMED AND SIGNED ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY MR. J, LIKE THE ORIGINAL DRAWING OF DESTRICON, AND ORIGINAL PARTS OF THE COVER.  THEN WE CAME TO THE SECONDARY PRIZE SECTION, WHICH INVOLVED COMICS, ACTION FIGURES, CARTOON COLLECTIONS, DVDS, T-SHIRTS, AND PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING RELATED TO THE COMIC AND CARTOON FIELD.  TO WIN, ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT COMICS AND POP CULTURE RELATED MATERIAL.  NORMALLY, WE JUST DO COMIC QUESTIONS (WHAT SIZE ARE SPIDER-MAN'S LONG-JOHNS AND THE SUCH) BUT WHEN THEY WENT OVER LIKE A LEAD ZEPPELIN, WE HAD TO IMPROVISE.  THE GARFIELD BOOKS WENT TO CRYSTLE (AFTER A MIND CHANGE), REECE CHOSE THE STAR WARS FIGURES FOR HIS YOUNGER BROTHER (IN ATTENDANCE), PAIGE GRABBED AN ART TABLET, GAVIN SNAGGED THE SIMPSONS ART BOOK, KATHERINE WENT HOME WITH SOME HARRY POTTER STUFF, AND MIKE TOOK DOWN A WHOLE STACK OF COMIC BOOKS.  AS A PARTING BLOW, MR. J. ASKED ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS TO SIGN THE PREMIERE POSTER, AND THEN DID A LAST PRIZE GIVEAWAY.   HE ASKED THE SUPPORT STAFF A QUESTION ABOUT THE APL PRESENTS PROGRAM, AND KAREN WAS GIVEN THE POSTER AS A MEMENTO OF THE ORDEAL.  IN THE END, EVERYONE GOT THEIR COPY OF THE BOOK, A COPY OF THE FIRST TWO ISSUES OF MR. J'S COMICS, THEIR ORIGINAL ARTWORK BACK, AND THEIR OWN BUSINESS CARD ATOP AN EASEL MADE OF SMARTIES CANDY CANES.  AND WE HAD ALL OF THAT FUN IN ONE HOUR, AND, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US, CLICK ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS ICON ABOVE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.  THANKS AGAIN TO APL FOR LETTING US PLAY IN THEIR SANDBOX FOR THE AFTERNOON, AND TO THE AUBURN CLC FOR MAKING IT ALL HAPPEN.  ALSO THANKS TO HEATHCO (WHO BROUGHT THE PIZZA) AND THE APL LIBRARY CAFE (WHO BROUGHT THE DRINKS AND COOKIES).  
TO READ ABOUT THE WORKSHOP THAT PRODUCED THE BOOK, CHECK OUT THE LISTING BELOW.

January 08-February 14, 2013

LESS THAN A WEEK FOLLOWING THE BELOW MENTIONED SIGN-UP MEETING, ON TUESDAY THE 8th OF JANUARY, THE FIRST OF THE SERIES OF WORKSHOPS TO CREATE THE FIFTH INSTALLMENT OF APL PRESENTS COMMENCED IN THE LIBRARY AT AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL AT 3:00 SHARP.  WITH FOUR FAMILIAR FACES STARING BACK AT HIM AND TWO NEW ONES, MR. J, MAKING LIBERAL USE OF THE HANDY MOBILE DRY-ERASE BOARD, GOT A QUICK START AND NOT ONLY GOT THE MAIN PLOT NAILED DOWN WITH THE NEW STAFF TOSSING OUT GREAT IDEAS, BUT ALSO GOT A GOOD START ON THE VILLAIN, A CREATURE SOON KNOWN TO BE DESTRICON.  THOSE POOR SOULS WERE PAIGE C., KATHERINE G., GAVIN H., MIKE H., REECE R., AND ALEX S. (OUR TWO NEWCOMERS).  IN OUR SECOND TIME OUT, WE WERE JOINED BY OUR SEVENTH MEMBER, CRYSTLE C., AND, AFTER WE HAMMERED OUT THE WEAK PLACES IN THE STORY, EVERYONE BEGAN WORKING ON THEIR CHARACTERS.  AFTER THAT, WE SPENT THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS DANCING AROUND FLU ABSENTEEISM WHILE MR. J. DEMONSTRATED THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE AND LAID THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FINAL PAGES BY PERFORMING EXERCISES SUCH AS FIGURE REFERENCE AND DRAWING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND SHOWING THE STAFF HOW TO LAYOUT THEIR PAGES.  THEN THE GRUELING WORK SET IN TO COMPLETE THE FINAL PAGES BEFORE THE DEADLINE MEETING. EVERYONE SURVIVED, AND DURING THE COURSE, WE ATE AN OVER ABUNDANCE OF SMARTIES, FOUND TWO MASCOTS, AND HAD A BOAT LOAD OF FUN.  (IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US, CLICK ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS ICON ABOVE).  OH YEAH, AND EVERYONE TURNED IN THEIR PAGES THIS TIME.  AND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN THOUGH WE SCHEDULED THE PROGRAM DURING THE NORMALLY SNOWIEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR, WE DIDN'T LOSE ONE DAY TO WEATHER OR ANY OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS.  ANOTHER CHANGE IN THE CURRICULUM INVOLVED A LONG DESIRED STINT IN THE NEW CREATE! MEDIA CENTER AT AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHERE MR. J. GOT TO SHOW THE STAFF SOME OF THE CREATIVE HOOPS HE HAS TO JUMP THROUGH TO DO THE FINISHED POST-PRODUCTION WORK ON ADOBE PHOTOSHOP.  DURING THE LAST OFFICIAL MEETING OF THE SERIES AT AMS, MR. J. BROUGHT IN SOME COMICS AND QUIZZED THE KIDS ON AMES LETTERING GUIDE LORE.   GAVIN GOT THE FIRST PICK AND GOT THE PUNISHER/WOLVERINE TRADE PAPERBACK (SEE THE PHOTO IN THE BONUS SECTION FOR THIS ISSUE), AND THEN PERIODICALLY DURING THE HOUR, HE'D ASK FOR HANDS AGAIN, UNTIL ALL THE BOOKS WERE GONE.  AND FINALLY, AFTER TWELVE SESSIONS BETWEEN AMS AND APL, COUNTLESS REWRITES, SEEMINGLY THOUSANDS OF PICTURES, EVERYONE FINISHED AT THE DEADLINE MEETING ON THE 28TH FOLLOWING THE STAFF'S FEBRUARY VACATION.  ALSO IN ATTENDANCE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE ADVENTURE WERE JENNIFER BABINEAU AND KAREN HENDERSON, (MY INTREPID RIGHT AND LEFT ARM THROUGHOUT THIS ORDEAL) WHO NOT ONLY OFFERED THEIR INDISPENSABLE  ASSISTANCE, BUT BOTH WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS MEMBERS OF THE STAFF PROPER.  SPECIAL THANKS TO LUCILE MERIN AND THE AUBURN COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER, WHO NOT ONLY SET UP THIS WHOLE THING, BUT FUNDED IT AS WELL.  AND EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO DONNA WALLACE, JOYCE DOYLE, AND MARTY GAGNON AT AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND HELP DURING OUR OUTINGS AT THE LIBRARY.
TO SEE THE PREMIERE FOR THIS ISSUE, CHECK OUT THE LISTING FOR THE EVENT SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 24TH OF THE SAME YEAR.
ALSO, CHECK OUT THE SIGN-UP MEETING THAT GOT EVERYTHING ROLLING FOR THIS WORKSHOP.  IT IS THE LISTING DIRECTLY BELOW THIS ONE FOR JANUARY 3RD.

January 03, 2013

AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR'S HIATUS, ON THURSDAY, JANUARY THE THIRD, A SIGN-UP MEETING WAS HELD AT THE LIBRARY OF THE AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PREPARATION FOR THE FIFTH INSTALLMENT OF APL PRESENTS.  THAT'S RIGHT, FOR ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR MR. JORDAN LECTURED THE POOR SOULS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE WORKSHOP SERIES ON THE TERROR AND HORROR OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED IF THEY WERE FOOLHARDY ENOUGH TO JOIN THE NEW STAFF FOR THE LATEST ISSUE.  AND, STRANGELY ENOUGH, EVEN AS MR. JORDAN WARNED THEM OF THE GRISLY CONSEQUENCES, THEY SEEMED TO BE ENJOYING THEMSELVES, MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY SKETCHING ON SCRAP PAPER AS HE SPOKE, AND STRANGER STILL, THEY SEEMED EAGER TO ATTEND.  AMONG THOSE POTENTIAL VICTIMS THAT WERE PRESENT WERE:  SEBASTIAN S., MICHAEL H., MACKENZIE R., KATHERINE G., GAGE B., GAVIN H., TABITHA D., PAIGE C., AND RACHEL M.  IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, MR. J SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THE TIME ACQUAINTING THE NEW RECRUITS TO THE WHYS AND WHEREFORES OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY NECESSARY WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY REPEAT OFFENDERS THIS TIME AROUND, THANKS AGAIN TO THE EXTENDED HIATUS.  AFTER DRONING ON FOR ALMOST TWENTY MINUTES, MR. J, TO GIVE THEM A TASTE OF HOW THINGS WOULD WORK, DID A GROUP EXERCISE WHERE EVERYONE PITCHED IN TO CREATE A CHARACTER.  AS THE POTENTIAL STAFF MEMBERS THREW OUT SUGGESTIONS, MR. J WORKED AT A PORTABLE DRY ERASE BOARD.  THE RESULTS WERE IN THE FORM OF MUTANT SPUD MAN (CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL TO THE LEFT FOR A FULL SIZE IMAGE), WHO WAS NOT ONLY CREATED VISUALLY, BUT SEVERAL OF THE KIDS CAME UP WITH ORIGINS, FROM HIS STARTING OUT AS A REAL POTATO IN IRELAND TO HIM BEING A REAL MR. POTATO HEAD TOY, BUT IN ALL CASES, SOMETHING WENT TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY WRONG.  AFTERWARD, WE DID A GIVEAWAY, WHERE THE FIRST ONE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION "WHAT IS THE TITLE OF BOOK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING?" GOT TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A DILBERT AND A CALVIN AND HOBBES COLLECTION BOOK, AND GAVIN, AFTER A FEW FALSE HANDS UP, TOOK AWAY THE CALVIN BOOK.  AT THE END OF THE MEETING, AS THE BUS KIDS SCURRIED FOR THE 2:45, WE COLLECTED THE PENCIL DRAWINGS THAT THE KIDS HAD BEEN WORKING ON, UNPROMPTED, THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.  TO SEE THOSE AND MORE ABOUT OUR FEATURED MAN OF THE HOUR, SPUD MAN, CLICK THE PHOTOGRAPHS ICON ABOVE.  THEY ALL SHOWED INCREDIBLE IMAGINATION, AND THAT, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAD MORE GIRLS THAN BOYS THIS TIME AROUND (USUALLY, IT IS DRASTICALLY THE OTHER WAY), IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE BOOK GOES THIS YEAR.  ALSO IN ATTENDANCE WERE MY LOVELY SIGNIFICANT OTHER, JEN BABINEAU, AND THE HEAD HONCHO OF THE AUBURN CLC, LUCILE MERIN.
 

August 01,2012

ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE 1st, AT AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, WITH THE GUIDANCE OF MR. JORDAN, SEVEN TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE PRODUCED THE FIFTH INSTALLMENT OF APL PRESENTS---AND THEY DIDN'T.  IT WAS ACTUALLY A SUPER SPECIAL ISSUE RENDERED LOVINGLY IN BLACK AND WHITE AND WAS PRODUCED IN SIX HOURS.  YUP, THAT'S RIGHT, SIX HOURS, NOT DAYS THIS TIME.  FROM 10AM TO 4PM DOWN IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM (AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE DUNGEON) THE CREATORS (RANGING IN AGES FROM 10 TO 18) SCRIPTED THEIR PAGES, LAID THEM OUT, DREW AND INKED THEM, AND MR. JORDAN, WITH SOME HELPFUL HANDS, ASSEMBLED AND CUT THEM ON THE SPOT, SO EVERYONE WENT HOME WITH A COPY OF THE BOOK.  IF THAT DOESN'T SOUND AMAZING, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT MOST OF THE ATTENDEES HAD NO PREVIOUS COMIC EXPERIENCE, AND THAT THE PHOTOCOPIER WE USED WAS ON THE SECOND FLOOR WHILE WE WERE IN THE BASEMENT.  IT MAKES ME TIRED JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.  WE DID THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THIS TIME AROUND, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE TIME CONSTRAINT, SO THE WORKSHOP WAS PRIMARILY TO GIVE THE STUDENTS A TASTE OF WHAT PRODUCING A COMIC IS LIKE.  WHAT THAT MEANT WAS, INSTEAD OF THE JUNIOR STAFF DOING PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING FROM INVENTING THE PLOT AND ALL THE CHARACTERS TO THE FINISHED ARTWORK, THEY CAME UP WITH THE MAIN BAD GUY (GOTTA LOVE CARL THE CONQUEROR) AND SCRIPTED AND ILLUSTRATED THEIR OWN PAGES.  NOT REALLY MUCH OF A CHANGE FROM THE REGULAR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, RIGHT?  WELL, AT THAT POINT, THE PROJECT WENT INTO POST PRODUCTION MODE, WHICH IS WHERE THINGS WENT ASTRAY FROM THE NORM.  WE CUT AND PASTED AND ASSEMBLED THE BOOK ALL THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF COMPUTER AND PHOTOSHOP, SO AS THEY DREW THEM (AFTER REDUCING THE ORIGINAL ART DOWN BY ABOUT A THIRD), THAT'S THE WAY THEY GOT PRINTED--AN ORGANIC COMIC--AS NATURE MEANT IT TO BE.  HOWEVER, THIS MEANT NO TOUCH UPS, NO ADDED TONES, NOTHING, SO DON'T EXPECT THE POLISHED FINISH AND FINE TUNED TOUCHES THAT HAVE GRACED THE OTHER PAST ISSUES.  IT ALSO MEANT THAT, OTHER THAN THE STAFF GROUP PHOTO ON THE BACK, MANAGED WITH A  SEVERE AMOUNT OF FANCY FOOTWORK BY THE ADULT STAFF, THERE WERE NO PICTURES PRINTED IN THE FINAL EDITION (ALTHOUGH HERE WE WERE ABLE TO ADD THE PHOTOS IN A POST-PRODUCTION GALLERY).  THAT ISN'T TO SAY THAT THE BOOK WASN'T UP TO STANDARD, BUT THE TALENT IS IN A VERY RAW FORM, WHICH WE'VE TRIED TO MAINTAIN IN THIS DIGITAL VERSION, WITH AS LITTLE MUCKING ABOUT BY MR. JORDAN AS POSSIBLE IN THE TRANSFER OF MEDIA.  BUT ENOUGH OF THIS SERIOUS STUFF; LETS TALK ABOUT WHAT WENT ON BEHIND THE SCENES.  FIRST, LETS INTRODUCE THE STAFF.  IN ATTENDANCE WERE MULTIPLE ALUMNUS, JAGGER T., FELLOW ALUMNUS AMANI T., FIRST TIMER BUT TRIPLE LEGACY THROUGH BOTH HIS BROTHERS AND SISTER, GRAESYN W., KARATE ENTHUSIAST JEREMY C. AND HIS FRIEND BROCK N., AND THE HULK-O-PHILE LOGAN M. WITH HIS FRIEND SETH K.  OVERSEEING THE THE WORKS, OTHER THAN MR. JORDAN, WAS HIS LOVELY ASSISTANT AND EQUAL ARTIST CHICK, JENNIFER BABINEAU (SPECIAL THANKS TO MASTER JEN FOR TAKING UP THE SLACK WHILE MR. J WAS RUNNING BACK AND FORTH TO THE PHOTOCOPIER), AND THE ASSISTANT EXTRAORDINAIRE, SHAWN LEVESQUE, FORCED INTO SERVITUDE THAT DAY BY HIS BOSS, MARTY GAGNON (OUR ILLUSTRIOUS PUBLISHER)--WHO DID MAKE A BRIEF APPEARANCE HALF WAY THROUGH--AND WAS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REFRESHMENTS (ICE TEA AND DOMINO'S PIZZA!!!) AND BEING THE MAIN SHUTTER MAN WITH THE CAMERA.  AFTER MOST EVERYONE HAD FINISHED THEIR PAGES, WE KEPT BUSY WITH SOME FIGURE REFERENCE AND FACIAL EXPRESSION EXERCISES UNTIL EVERYONE ELSE HAD PRETTY MUCH COMPLETED THEIR PART OF THE STORY.  AND, WHILE MR. JORDAN STRETCHED HIS LEGS UP AND DOWN TWO FLIGHTS OF STAIRS (THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT LAST RAMP!!!), THE PRIZE PORTION OF THE EVENT COMMENCED, INVOLVING A DOUBLE DISC SET OF THE HULK MOVIE, NUMEROUS DILBERT BOOKS, ART SUPPLIES, AND ALL KINDS OF SUBJECT RELATED MATERIAL.  ALTHOUGH IT LOOKED DICEY THERE FOR A WHILE, LOGAN GOT HIS HANDS ON THE COVETED HULK DVD.  WHEN THAT WAS OVER, WE DID A DRAWING FOR THE FINAL BIG PRIZES (AN ART KIT AND TWO SIGNED AND FRAMED ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY MR. JORDAN THAT WERE THE ORIGINAL LINE DRAWINGS FOR THE COVER ART)--AND THEN WE WENT CRAZY AND PULLED OUT ALL KINDS OF OTHER STUFF UNTIL EVERYONE GOT A BONUS PRIZE.  BY THIS POINT, THE BOOKS WERE DONE AND CUT TO SIZE JUST UNDER THE WIRE WHEN THE FIRST OF THE PARENTS BEGAN TO ARRIVE.  TO SEE THE FABULOUS RESULTS, CLICK THE LINKS AT THE TOP OF THIS LISTING AND ENJOY "THE EVERYTHING MACHINE!"

May 31, 2011

DESPITE GREAT ADVERSITY (AND WE AIN'T KIDDIN' THERE) WE MANAGED TO MUDDLE THROUGH THE PREMIERE OF APL PRESENTS #4  AND REUNION FOR PAST ALUMNI ON MAY 31st, 2011 AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY.  WE WERE SCHEDULED TO BE IN THE ANDROSCOGGIN ROOM  BUT SOMEWHERE OVER THE LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND, A WATER TANK BURST AND FLOODED THE BIG COMMUNITY ROOM DOWNSTAIRS.  THIS HAD TWO MAJOR REPERCUSSIONS, ONE)  WE HAD TO SHIFT UP TO THE MUCH SMALLER MAGGIE TRAFTON ROOM UPSTAIRS, WHICH LIMITED OUR GUEST SPACE CONSIDERABLY, AND TWO) THE ROOM DOWNSTAIRS WAS THE ONLY ONE SET UP FOR THE SCHEDULED SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATION.  NOT A GOOD START, BUT WITH THE DYNAMIC EFFORTS OF THE TEEN LIBRARIAN, SALLY H. AND A WHOLE GAGGLE OF SUPPORT STAFF AT THE LIBRARY (JEN, ROBIN, AND BRIAN) WE NOT ONLY GOT THE SLIDE SHOW UP AND RUNNING IN TIME (WITH THE HELP OF A STACK OF PIZZA BOXES-HONEST) BUT NOT ONE PERSON HAD TO STAND THAT DIDN'T WANT TO.  HOWEVER, BY ALL THIS UNEXPECTED STRIFE (INCLUDING NO SHOWS FROM THE INVITED LOCAL PAPERS-ALTHOUGH A REP FROM THE AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL PAPER DID COME), DON'T THINK WE DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT TIME ANYWAY, BECAUSE YOU'D BE WRONG.  THIS YEAR, WE DID THINGS A BIT DIFFERENTLY; WE HAD THE PIZZA BANQUET (DELIVERED BY THE AUBURN DOMINOES) BEFORE THE ACTUAL PREMIERE PRESENTATION (SO NO ONE WAS EATING DURING) AND CHECK OUT THE LIST OF ATTENDEES.  THE WHOLE CURRENT STAFF WAS THERE (JOHN A., DORIAN B., GAGE D., RIDWAN I., JAROD L., ANDREA M., BEN Q., AND MIGUEL R.) AND WE HAD SEVERAL ALUMNI FROM THE PAST THREE ISSUES ON HAND (JAKE B. (#1), JASMINE D. (#1 AND A REPEAT OFFENDER FROM OTHER WORKSHOPS), REBECCA D. (#2 & 3), JAMES E. (#2), MELIKY G. (#2), JOSH P. (#2), JENNA B. (#3), AND ETHAN W. (#3)).  AFTER THE PIZZA, AT ABOUT 3 PM, WE GOT STARTED ON THE ACTUAL PREMIERE.  MR. J DID A SMALL AMOUNT OF SPEECHIFYING AND THEN WE DOVE RIGHT INTO THE SLIDE SHOW WHERE EVERYONE GOT TO SEE THE BOOK FIRST HAND.  IN THE AUDIENCE, BESIDES THE REST OF THE SUPPORT STAFF (MR. J, JENNIFER B., BONNIE M. SALLY H. AND ROB S. FROM OVER AT AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL) WAS A POTPOURRI OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY (GAGE'S FRIEND AUSTIN, JAKE'S GIRLFRIEND, BEN'S FATHER, BONNIE'S DAUGHTER, BERNE B. AND DORIS H.-CAM'S GRAND PARENTS-JENNA'S FRIEND, AND ANDREA'S FRIEND (TREVOR?)) AND TO TOP IT OFF WE HAD A MEMBER OF THE PRESS FROM THE AMS SCHOOL PAPER, PAMELA M. WHO WAS THERE FOR THE WHOLE EVENT AND A POP IN BY THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR, LYNN L.  WITHOUT USING FINGERS AND TOES, THAT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN SUCH A SMALL SPACE, BUT WE TOUGHED IT OUT AND HAD A GREAT TIME.  WE WENT THROUGH THE BOOK PAGE BY PAGE, INCLUDING THE PHOTOS IN THE GALLERY AT THE END, AND EVERYONE LOVED IT.  AFTER A ROUSING OVATION FOR THE WORK EVERYONE HAD PUT IN ON ISSUE FOUR AND JEN'S WORK AT THE COMPUTER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, WE MOVED ON TO PROBABLY THE SECOND MOST POPULAR SECTION OF THE PREMIERE, SECONDED ONLY BY THE PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK, OF COURSE WE MEAN THE PRIZE AND GIVEAWAY PORTION OF THE EVENT.  WE STARTED OFF WITH A NAMES-IN-A-HAT DRAWING FOR THE CURRENT STAFF MEMBERS, AND THEY GOT TO, AS THEIR NAMES WERE DRAWN, GO UP TO THE GROANING PRIZE BOARD AND CHOOSE ANYWHERE FROM ART BOOKS AND SUPPLIES TO MOVIES AND BOOKS.  (RIDWAN GOT THE TWO SPIDER-MAN MOVIES, BEN GOT THE CLASSIC HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY BOOK, AND DORIAN TRADED UP THREE TIMES).  AFTER THE DRAWING WAS DONE, MR. J. DID A SPECIAL GIVEAWAY OF FRAMED AND SIGNED ORIGINAL ARTWORK FROM THE PAST ISSUES, INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL SKETCH OF MECHA-BATTLE SUIT X, DEAD BETSY, KING KANGA, AND MRS. BUTTERWRATH (THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF REFICE IN THERE, BUT SOMEONE GOT THE ORIGINAL BY ACCIDENT DURING THE WORKSHOP!!!).  ONLY THE STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE CORRESPONDING ISSUES WERE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN EACH, AND THE WINNING WAS DONE BY ANSWERING A QUESTION FROM THAT ISSUE AND HAVING VERY FAST HANDS.  THE REST OF THE TIME WAS SPENT CONTINUING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER GIVEAWAY FROM THE GIFT TABLE BUT EXPANDED FOR THE WHOLE ALUMNI POPULACE.  OTHER THAN A SMALL CONTENTION OVER THE MANGA PANDA KEYCHAIN, EVERYONE WALKED AWAY WITH WHAT THEY WANTED, AND EVERYONE CAME AWAY WITH A PRIZE.  AND WE DID ALL OF THAT IN AN HOUR AND A HALF.  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?  AND DESPITE SOME EARLY ON UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES, EVERYTHING WENT OFF PRETTY MUCH AS PLANNED.  SO, OTHER THAN EXTENDING THANKS AGAIN TO THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE AUBURN COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER FOR MAKING THIS ALL HAPPEN, MR. J CAN PUT ANOTHER NOTCH ON HIS BELT FOR A JOB WELL DONE AND BE ALLOWED TO GO AND COLLAPSE HAPPILY BUT EXHAUSTEDLY INTO A CORNER.

FOR COPIES OF THE LIMITED PRINTING OF APL PRESENTS #4, PLEASE CONTACT SALLY HOLT AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY AT (207) 333-6640 x 4.  WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, AND CHECK OUT THE WHITE HOUSE LETTER CONCERNING OUR LITTLE SOIREE.

January 11-March 15, 2011

THIS YEAR'S SERIES OF WORKSHOPS WHICH PRODUCED THE FOURTH ISSUE OF APL PRESENTS GOT OFF TO A ROCKY START.  SHORTLY AFTER THE SIGN-UP, WE DID HAVE OUR FIRST SESSION, ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 11 FROM 3-4 PM  (DURING WHICH WE DID GET THE PLOT AND THE MAIN BAD GUY PRETTY WELL SQUARED AWAY), BUT THE NEXT THREE WERE PLAGUED BY SNOW, SNOW, SNOW AND A SIDE ORDER OF A GAS LEAK WHICH CANCELLED THEM ALL.  SO, EVEN THOUGH WE GOT AN EARLY START, THINGS DIDN'T GET ROLLING AGAIN UNTIL INTO FEBRUARY, BUT ONCE THEY GOT ROLLING WE REALLY GOT MOVING.  I'VE NEVER HAD A GROUP THAT DOVE IN SO FAST AND HARD, AND I COULD HARDLY DISTRACT THEM FROM CREATING THEIR CHARACTERS AND STARTING ON THEIR PAGES EVEN WITH THE EVER POPULAR FIGURE REFERENCE EXERCISES AND THE ONES ON DRAWING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.   THE STAFF THIS YEAR CONSISTED OF DORIAN B. (OUR ONLY RETURNING ALUMNUS THIS YEAR BRINGING STICK PERSON BACK FOR A RETURN ENGAGEMENT), ANDREA M. (WHO CO-CREATED OUR VILLAIN), GAGE D. (WHO GOT OFF TO A SLOWISH START BUT WAS THE SECOND ONE TO TURN IN HIS PAGES), BEN Q. (WHO ALSO HAD A HAND IN THE MAKING OF REFICE), JOHN A. (WHO GOT HIS DISCO LIGHTS-HOPE YOU LIKE THEM), MIGUEL R. (WHO WASN'T ABLE TO GET HIS PAGES IN BUT DID PROVIDED THE OPENING VIEW OF TOONWORLD'S PRESIDENT),  RIDWAN I. (WHO STILL DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT MR. J. DREW HIS PAGES FROM PAST ISSUES), AND JAROD l. (WHO, DESPITE HIS 'B-O-R-E-D-O-M' TURNED OUT TWO STELLAR PAGES AND A TRULY SINISTER VILLAIN).  ON THAT FOLLOWING TUESDAY, WE REFINED THE PLOT AND THE VILLAIN (THE FIRST BIG DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ADD 'DOCTOR' TO THE FRONT OF HIS NAME WHICH ENDED UP GOING TO A VOTE BROKEN BY DORIAN), AND WE FINISHED WITH SOME QUICK FIGURE REFERENCE EXERCISES (WHERE THE KIDS GET TO PUT ON THEIR ACTING SHOES AND ONE BY ONE POSE IN VARIOUS ACTION STANCES WHILE THE OTHERS DRAW THEM AS DETAILED STICK FIGURES).  THE NEXT WEEK EVERYONE STARTED LAYING OUT THEIR PAGES ON SMALLER PAPER AND FINISHED OFF WITH A SERIES OF EXERCISES FOR DRAWING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.  THE FOURTH INSTALLMENT, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR SEVENTH AND FINAL, THE STAFF STEAMED AWAY DILIGENTLY ON THEIR PAGES BUT FINISHING THEM BEFORE THEY LEFT FOR FEBRUARY VACATION THE NEXT WEEK WAS TOO MUCH TO ASK EVEN FOR THESE GO GETTERS.  TWO WEEKS LATER, THE LAST THING ON ANYONE'S MIND WAS THE WORKSHOP, BUT, IN THE LIBRARY AT AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE DID GET COMPLETED PAGES FROM ANDREA, (WHO THEN REPRODUCED HER CHARACTER AQUA FOR THE COVER SPOT), GAGE AND BEN.  THEN THE LAST MEETING, KNOW AS THE DREADED DEADLINE MEETING (OR THE FINAL CUT-OFF POINT WHERE THEY COULD TURN IN WORK), WE GOT PAGES FROM EVERYONE ELSE, AND SOME OF IT WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO THE WIRE.  SPECIAL THANKS TO JENNIFER B., BONNIE M., AND SALLY H. WHO WERE THE EVER-PRESENT SUPPORT STAFF FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT; A SECOND KUDOS TO SALLY H. (THE TEEN LIBRARIAN) AND ONE TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, LYNN L. WHO PROVIDED A PLACE FOR US TO MEET (THE DUNGEON AGAIN THIS YEAR!!!) AND PUBLISHED THE BOOK; SEVERAL TO THE AUBURN COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER (WITH LUCILLE M. AS THE DIRECTOR AND ROB S. AS THE COORDINATOR FOR AMS) PROVIDING NOT ONLY THE FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT BUT THE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDED THE STAFF AS WELL; AND LASTLY, A HEARTY HEARTFELT THANKS TO ALL THE OTHER UNSUNG HEROES THAT HAD A HAND IN PRODUCING APL PRESENTS #4, NOT THE LEAST OF WHOM WERE NIK AND SHAYNA FROM THE PRINT DEPARTMENT OVER AT THE MINOT AVE. OFFICEMAX.  AND NOW THAT MR. J. IS DONE WORKING HIS MAGIC WITH A GIANT ASSIST FROM ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, EVERYONE IS PRIMING UP FOR THE BIG PREMIERE WHICH HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE 31ST OF MAY.  (SEE ABOVE)
PS.  KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE EXTRA SUPER SPECIAL BONUS SECTION FOLLOWING THE PHOTO GALLERY.
PPS.  CHECK OUT THE LETTER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE IN ANSWER TO THE LETTER WE SENT THEM.

JUNE 2, 2010

ON JUNE 2nd AT 4:30 PM IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM (YEP, THE OLD FAMILIAR DUNGEON) DOWNSTAIRS AT AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE GALA WING DING FOR THE PREMIERE OF THE THIRD APL PRESENTS WAS OFFICIALLY THROWN.  THE ITINERARY FOR THE HOUR LONG AND MUCH AWAITED EVENT WAS KEPT PRETTY SIMPLE.  DURING THE FIRST FIFTEEN MINUTES, THE WELCOME SPEECHIFYING WAS MADE, AS WELL AS INTRODUCTIONS ALL AROUND FOR THE STAFF (AND SHOWING OFF THEIR ORIGINAL PAGES) AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN PRODUCING THE BOOK, AND A HEARTY CONSUMPTION OF PIZZA.   THE SECOND SEGMENT INVOLVED THE DRAWING FOR THE MULTITUDE OF PRIZES SUPPLIED BY SALLY AND MIKE J., HIGHLIGHTS OF WHICH INCLUDED MICHAEL SLIPPING IN AND NABBING JOHN'S INTENDED PRIZE (THE DVD OF IRON MAN AND THE CORRESPONDING ISSUE OF THE COMIC THAT THE MOVIE WAS LOOSELY BASED UPON), AND VIRGINIA, ALTHOUGH THE LAST NAME DRAWN, GOT THE "TUT TUT" GAME SHE WANTED.   THE THIRD SEGMENT WAS, ALTHOUGH BY A CLOSE VOTE, THE MOST FUN OF THE DAY, BECAUSE THAT WAS WHEN THE COPIES OF THE BOOKS FINALLY GOT HANDED OUT AND EVERYONE GOT TO SEE THEIR WORK FULLY ASSEMBLED (AND A FEW, LIKE ETHAN, DORIAN, VIRGINIA, AND NICOLE GOT A FIRST LOOK AT THEIR COMPLETED PAGES).  AFTER MUCH READING, LAUGHING AND COMPARISON OF NOTES, THE FINAL SEGMENT COMMENCED AND TRUTHFULLY SAILED PAST WAY TOO QUICKLY.  FIRST, A POP QUIZ WAS GIVEN TO WIN NOT ONLY HUMPHREY OUR KOALA MASCOT (DAMIAN WAS THE FIRST TO NAME ALL FIVE AUSTRALIAN RELATED ANIMALS THAT MR. JORDAN HAD DRAWN OUT FOR THE STUDENTS AT THE FIRST OF THE WORKSHOP-ACTUALLY HE STILL HAD HIS SHEETS WITH HIM AT THE PARTY) BUT A BONA FIDE AUSTRALIAN BOOMERANG AS WELL (REBECCA WAS THE FIRST TO NAME ONE OF THE SEVEN TOWNS THAT WERE HOST TO KANGA SIGHTINGS-SIDNEY, WHICH WAS STRANGE BECAUSE HER STORY TOOK PLACE IN HYDEN AT THE WAVE ROCK.)  THERE WERE MORE GIVEAWAYS WITH THE REMAINING BUNDLES OF COMICS, LOTS OF PICTURES (CLICK THE LINK ABOVE), AND VIRGINIA SCAMMED THE ORIGINAL PAGES MR. JORDAN DREW USING HER LAYOUTS.   IN ATTENDANCE WERE THE PRIMARY STAFF:  NICOLE PEPIN, REBECCA D. (OUR TWO ALUMNI FROM ISSUE #2), DORIAN BEAULIEU, VIRGINIA G. (SORRY ABOUT THE SPIDER), MICHAEL KELLEY, JOHN N., ETHAN WITHAM, AND DAMIAN YODER, (ONLY COREY AND JENNA WERE MISSING FROM THE FULL MUSTER); AND THE SUPPORT STAFF:  JENNIFER BABINEAU, SALLY HOLT, BONNIE MORIN, AND OUR VERY OWN MIKE JORDAN; CHARLIE LIU (FROM THE CLC AT AMS); JIM WILKINS (THE NEW DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR APL); NANCY (ONE OF SALLY'S INTERNS AT APL); JASMINE D. (ONE OF OUR ALUMNI FROM ISSUE #1);AND OUR GUESTS:   REBECCA'S MOM AND SISTER; DAMIAN'S MOM;  ETHAN'S FOLKS; AND A COUPLE OF LATE COMERS, NICOLE'S OLDER SISTER, KRISTINA (ANOTHER ALUMNUS FROM ISSUE #1), DORIAN'S MOM; AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST (ACTUALLY THEY WERE THE FIRST TO ARRIVE), TWO COMIC ENTHUSIASTS, MIKE AND SARAH, WHO SAT IN AFTER FINISHING THE ANIME MOVIE JUST UP THE HALL IN THE ANDROSCOGGIN ROOM.  WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, NO ONE HAS YET INVENTED SCALES LARGE ENOUGH TO MEASURE THE FUN THAT WAS HAD BY EVERYONE., AND MR. JORDAN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE WAS AFRAID OF HOW HIGH THE CREATIVE BAR HAS NOW BEEN SET FOR THE EVENTUAL STAFF OF APL PRESENTS #4.   AND CONTINUING THANKS TO LUCILLE MERIN, THE HEAD OF THE AUBURN CLC, THE GOOD FOLKS AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE. 
FOR COPIES OF THE LIMITED PRINTING OF APL PRESENTS #3, PLEASE CONTACT SALLY HOLT AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY AT (207) 333-6640  x4  WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.

MARCH 1-APRIL 28, 2010

AS PROMISED, APL PRESENTS #3 CAME OFF WITHOUT A HITCH AND ON SCHEDULE.  FIVE DAYS AFTER THE ABOVE SIGN UP SESSION, THE FIRST HONEST TO GOODNESS WORKSHOP BEGAN ON MARCH 1st FROM 3:00 TO 4:30 IN THE ANDROSCOGGIN ROOM AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY.   AFTER PRELIMINARY INTRODUCTIONS, WE QUICKLY HASHED OUT THE PLOTLINE FOR THE NEW STORY (ONE THAT WOULD HAVE MADE CAMERON PROUD) AND EVEN CAME UP WITH DESIGNS FOR OUR VILLAINS.  ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, WE REFINED THE PLOT A BIT, ESTABLISHED SOME OF THE GAGS FOR THE CONCLUSION, AND STARTED WORK ON THE STORIES FOR INDIVIDUAL PAGES.  ON THE THIRD SESSION, WE DID A BRIEF EXERCISE ON FIGURE REFERENCE WHERE, AFTER HANDING OUT HOMEMADE FIGURE REFERENCE MANNEQUINS, THE STUDENTS GOT TO BE ACTORS AND ARTISTS BY, ONE AT A TIME, POSING IN VARIOUS ACTION STANCES FOR THE OTHERS TO DRAW.  THE SECOND HALF OF THE CLASS INVOLVED EMPLOYING THIS NEW SKILL IN LAYING OUT THE ACTION IN THEIR PAGES.  THE NEXT TWO SESSIONS ALLOWED THE STAFF TO WORK AT THEIR OWN PACE, REFINING THEIR PAGES AND TRANSFERRING THEM TO THE FULL SIZE PAPER.  BY THE END OF THE SIXTH SESSION, SOME OF ARTISTS WERE DONE WITH THEIR PAGES AND HAD CHOSEN APPROPRIATE WORD BALLOONS AND FONTS FOR THE FINISHED PRODUCT, SO THEY GOT THE CHANCE TO WORK ON THE SPLASH PAGE AND THE COVER.  (ANOTHER REAL LIFE LESSON--WHAT DO YOU GET FOR FINISHING EARLY?  MORE WORK!!!)  BY THE END OF THE SEVENTH AND FINAL, WE HAD EIGHT COMPLETED PAGES, THE SPLASH ILLUSTRATION AND THE COVER DESIGN, AND THE CREATORS GOT A TWO WEEK REPRIEVE TO THE WEDNESDAY FOLLOWING THEIR VACATION, KNOWN AS THE DREADED DEADLINE MEETING.  ON APRIL 28th, IN THE ART ROOM AT AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE COLLECTED SIX MORE PAGES, THE SCRIPT AND LAYOUT FOR TWO MORE, AND TWO CHARACTER SHEETS.  WE HAD OUR BOOK!!!!  TO SEE THE AMAZING RESULTS OR TO SEE PICTURES OF WHAT WAS ENDURED TO DO IT, CLICK ON THE BUTTONS ABOVE.  THE STAFF ROLL CALL THIS TIME AROUND CONSISTED PRIMARILY OF:  NICOLE PEPIN AND REBECCA D. (OUR TWO ALUMNI FROM ISSUE #2), DORIAN BEAULIEU, JENNA B., COREY BOUCHARD, VIRGINIA G., MICHAEL KELLEY, JOHN N., ETHAN WITHAM, AND DAMIAN YODER, WITH A SUPPORT STAFF OF JENNIFER BABINEAU, SALLY HOLT, AND BONNIE MORIN AS CREATIVE COACHES, AND OUR VERY OWN MIKE JORDAN, WHO SERVED AS EDITOR, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, AND CHIEF COOK AND BOTTLE WASHER, AND LASTLY, OUR MASCOT, HUMPHREY THE KOALA.  WHAT AN AMAZING GROUP OF TALENTED FOLKS!!!!  OF COURSE, WE COULDN'T HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING WITHOUT THE HELP OF SALLY HOLT AND LYNN LOCKWOOD AT AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY WHO PROVIDED US A PLACE TO ACHIEVE AND LUCILLE MERIN AND CHARLIE LIU FROM THE AUBURN COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER WHO BANKROLLED THE WHOLE SHEBANG AND PROVIDED THE VICTIMS-er-PARTICIPANTS.  AND A SPECIAL HATS OFF TO THE GOOD FOLKS AT THE PRINT SHOP AT THE AUBURN OFFICE MAX THAT DID SUCH A SUPER JOB OF PRINTING UP THE BOOK.  THANKS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED, AND WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE FINAL RESULT JUSTIFIES THE MONUMENTAL EFFORTS THAT WENT INTO PRODUCING IT. 
THE PREMIERE FOR APL PRESENTS #3 HAS BEEN SLATED FOR JUNE 2nd OF THIS YEAR (SEE ABOVE).

FEBRUARY 24, 2010

ON FEBRUARY 24th FROM 2:30 TO 4:00 A PRE-WORKSHOP WORKSHOP WAS HELD IN THE ART ROOM UP STAIRS AT THE AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL.  THIS ONE WAS A BIT MORE IMPROMPTU THAN ONE OF MR. JORDAN'S NORMAL AFFAIRS.  IT WAS DURING SIGN-UP WEEK, AND THE YOUNG ARTISTS IN ATTENDANCE WERE THOSE INTERESTED IN TAKING THE COMIC BOOK WORKSHOP (APL PRESENTS #3) TO START THE FOLLOWING MONDAY.  THIS ONE, LIKE THE ONE BACK IN FEB. 2009, WAS TO GIVE THE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS A TASTE OF WHAT THE WORKSHOP WAS GOING TO BE LIKE, BUT THIS TIME WE HAD THE FULL PERIOD WITH ONE GROUP.  EVEN SO, THERE WASN'T NEARLY ENOUGH TIME TO PRODUCE A COMIC BOOK, SO WE DID THE NEXT BEST THING, A THREE PANEL STRIP LIKE YOU'D SEE IN THE NEWSPAPERS.  MANY OF THE DYNAMICS ARE THE SAME BUT IN A MUCH MORE LIMITED COMPACT FORMAT, BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY GIVE THE IDEA OF WHAT WOULD BE TO COME.  SO, WITH MR. JORDAN AT THE BOARD, SQUEAKY CHALK IN HAND, WE CREATED THE FOLLOWING STRIP BY COMMITTEE.

IT IS ENTITLED:  "THREE MONSTERS WALK INTO A BAR", AND WHEN ETHAN FIRST SUGGESTED THE GAG, NO ONE GOT IT, INCLUDING THE ADULTS.  WHEN THE FULL IMPACT OF THE HUMOROUS POTENTIAL SUNK IN FINALLY, IT WAS CHOSEN HANDS DOWN FROM THE MULTITUDE OF OTHER JOKES.  DURING THE COURSE, WE DEVISED OUR CHARACTERS:  A ZOMBIE CHICKEN WITH KATANAS (JAPANESE SWORDS) FOR LEGS AND CARRYING A FISH WITH AN EYE-PATCH, A GHOST WITH SNAKES FOR ARMS AND ONLY ONE EYE, AND THE LAST, FULLY EQUIPPED  WITH METAL HAIR, DONUTS FOR ARMS, ICE CREAM CONES FOR HANDS AND CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS FOR LEGS (NO PARALLELS WITH THE AMPUTEE CHICKEN).  THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ARE REBECCA D., NICOLE P., DEMITRI K. (ALL ALUMNI OF APL PRESENTS #2), DORIAN B., VIRGINIA G., CRYSTAL L., JOHN N., ETHAN W.,  DAMIAN Y., AND MR. JORDAN, WITH NO SMALL ASSISTANCE FROM  MASTER JEN (BABINEAU), AND BONNIE MORIN,  AND A BRIEF APPEARANCE BY SALLY HOLT (SHE HAD A MEETING AT APL) AND CHARLIE LIU.  SORRY FOLKS, THERE WEREN'T ANY PHOTOS TAKEN DURING THE EVENT, BUT STAY TUNED.  MOST OF THE TALENTED FOLKS FROM THIS INSTALLMENT DECIDED TO SIGN UP FOR THE ACTUAL REAL CLASS, AND THEY, PLUS MIKE AND COREY (WHO WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND) WILL BE SEEN IN PICS FOR THE NEXT ONE, WHICH SHOULD BE COMING YOUR WAY SOME TIME IN MARCH.

JULY 21, 2009

WHEW, WE DID TWO IN ONE MONTH, ONE WEEK AFTER THE OTHER.  ON JULY 21st FROM 1-3PM IN THE ANDROSCOGGIN CONFERENCE ROOM DOWN STAIRS AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, MIKE JORDAN PRESENTED THE NEWEST IN A VERY LONG LINE OF COMIC WORKSHOPS.  THIS ONE, ARRANGED AS ALWAYS BY THE SUPER EFFICIENT TEEN LIBRARIAN, SALLY HOLT, WAS CALLED "IT'S JUST AN EXPRESSION" AND WAS DESIGNED TO INSTRUCT THE STUDENTS IN THE FINE ART OF DRAWING BASIC FACIAL EXPRESSIONS THROUGH SOME FUN EXERCISES.  NOPE, NOBODY DID JUMPING JACKS.  THE PROCESS HAPPENED IN TWO PARTS.  ONE:  THE KIDS GOT TO BE ACTORS AS WELL AS ARTISTS AS THEY EACH GOT A CHANCE TO ACT OUT VARIOUS EMOTIONS IN FRONT OF THE CLASS WHILE THE OTHERS SKETCHED THE RESULTS.  TWO:  THE CLASS GOT TO EXPERIMENT CREATING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ON THEIR OWN BY EITHER ADJUSTING THE EYEBROWS, EYES, OR MOUTH ON A PREPARED SHEET, AND THE DARING ONES GOT TO TRANSFER THEIR CREATIONS UP ON THE DRY-ERASE BOARD.  SEE SOME OF THE IMAGINATIVE RESULTS AND ALL THE OTHER PICTURES BY CLICKING THE PHOTO ICON ABOVE.  IN ATTENDANCE WERE (ARE YOU READY, THERE WERE SEVENTEEN!!!!) KATIE WALLINGFORD, ASHLEY MARCHESSEAULT (OUR RESIDENT SPONGE-BOB AFICIONADOS, WHO WERE HAVING WAY TOO MUCH FUN PUTTING MOHAWKS AND ANTENNAE ON THEIR DRAWINGS), JOSH PELLITIER. (WHO QUICKLY EMERGED AS THE MASTER OF DRAWING NAUSEA), AND NOAH PELLITIER. (WHO IS ONE OF OUR REPEAT OFFENDERS FROM WAY BACK IN APRIL OF 2007-SORRY I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU SOONER), MARY M-K. (WHO WAS TOO SHY TO SHOW THE WHOLE CLASS HER GREAT DISNEY AND HORSE DRAWINGS) AND HER YOUNGER BROTHERS PATRICK (WHO HAD TOO EASY A TIME CREATING HIS FACIAL EXPRESSION) AND MICHAEL (WHO DREW AN EYE PICTURE THAT MADE ME GLAD I HADN'T EATEN FIRST), ALEX McCLOWN (WHOSE CROOKED MOUTH DRAWING WAS GREAT) AND AARON McCLOWN (WHOSE ADDED THUMBS UP IN THE HOT SEAT WERE THE TOAST OF THE AD LIBS), OCEAN MABERG (WHO SHARED HER GREAT ANIME INSPIRED ARTWORK WITH EVERYONE, TOOK THE HOT SEAT TWICE, AND EVEN WENT TO THE BOARD) KELSEA GILBERT (WHO I THINK WAS MORE SERIOUS ABOUT THE WORKSHOP THAN WE WERE,  WAS THE FIRST TO TAKE THE HOTSEAT), ARIEL R. (WHO WAS THE QUIET ONE OF OUR GROUP), EMILY F. AND REBECCA D. (WHO DREW MOST OF THEIR EXPRESSIONS IN AN ANIME STYLE), GWEN FRASER (WHO VOLUNTEERED HER SIDE OF THE TABLE TO GO FIRST TO THE HOTSEAT), AMANDA BLOSS (WHO DREW AN EXCELLENT JAPANESE-ESQUE PROFILE), AND GABE GAGNON (WHO ALSO DID TWO STINTS AT THE HOT SEAT AND TOOK A SHOT UP ON THE BOARD),   (WITH MARY, MICHAEL, AND PATRICK'S MOM AND ARIEL'S MOM SITTING IN AND DRAWING ALONG WITH THE CLASS.)   DID I SAY WHEW BEFORE??  AND, AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, IN BETWEEN THE TWO ABOVE MENTIONED PARTS OF THE EXERCISE, EVERYONE ENJOYED ANOTHER AWARD WINNING SNACK BY MS. SALLY ( DO YOU THINK IT COMES NATURALLY OR DID SHE TAKE SNACKOLOGY IN SCHOOL?) AND, WHILE EVERYONE MUNCHED, WE DID ANOTHER SUPER PRIZE GIVEAWAY QUESTION RALLY.  WHAT IS THIS EXACTLY, YOU MIGHT ASK.  MR. JORDAN ASKS RANDOM QUESTIONS ABOUT VARIOUS COMIC RELATED SUBJECTS, AND THE FIRST ONE (RAISING THEIR HAND QUICKLY) TO ANSWER GETS TO CHOOSE A PRIZE FROM NOT ONLY FROM OUR VAULT OF PRIZES, BUT SALLY ADDED A GAGGLE OF THEM HERSELF.  THERE WERE ANIME BOOKS, ART BOOKS, ART SUPPLIES, COMICS, AND EVEN A HARRY POTTER BOOK (WHICH I'M SURPRISED DIDN'T GET NABBED), AND THE QUESTIONS KEPT FLYING UNTIL EVERYONE GOT A PRIZE.  WHEW INDEED.  AND IF YOU THINK MR. JORDAN HANDLED ALL OF THAT BY HIMSELF, YOU'D BE SADLY MISTAKEN.  ALONG WITH GRANDMASTER SALLY AND MR. JORDAN'S LOVELY ASSISTANT (AN ARTIST IN HER OWN RIGHT) JENNIFER BABINEAU, WE HAD A HELPING HAND FROM A COUPLE OF STUDENT VOLUNTEERS, NIYATA D., AND MISKI M. 
WITH THAT ALL SAID AND DONE, WE HOPE WE GOT EVERYTHING RIGHT.  MR. JORDAN HASN'T HAD A GROUP THIS BIG IN YEARS, BUT LUCKILY THE VENUE ALLOWED FOR A LARGER CLASS THAN USUAL.  UNFORTUNATELY, THAT MANY STUDENTS IN ONLY TWO HOURS, IT WAS TOUGH TO KEEP EVERYTHING STRAIGHT IN THIS ANCIENT MELON I CALL A HEAD.  SO, IF BY SLIM CHANCE I GOT SOMETHING WRONG, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

JULY 14, 2009

ON JULY 14, 2009 FROM 1:30-4:00, OUR MIKE JORDAN BRAVED THE TREK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO KENNEBUNK (THAT'S THE FURTHEST SOUTH HE'S GONE FOR ONE OF THESE) TO PERFORM HIS NOW WORLD FAMOUS "MASTERWORKS THEATER" WORKSHOP.  THAT'S RIGHT, ON THE SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, SUZANNE O'HARA, THE TEEN SERVICES LIBRARIAN AT THE KENNEBUNK FREE LIBRARY, COAXED US (THAT'S MIKE AND HIS ABLE BODIED ASSISTANT AND SIGNIFICANT OTHER, JENNIFER BABINEAU) ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE (OKAY, IT'S ONLY A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR'S DRIVE) TO SPEND SOME QUALITY ART TIME WITH NINE OF THEIR VERY TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE.   IN ATTENDANCE WERE COLIN ALIE (HE IS VERY INTERESTED IN THREE DIMENSIONAL ART AND HAS A SENSE OF THE BIZARRE THAT WOULD HAVE MADE EDGAR ALLEN POE SMILE), BETH A. (SHE'S AN ANIME ENTHUSIAST WHO HAS A CHARACTER SHE LIKES TO DRAW, BUT WENT WITH THE STICK MAN TUG-OF-WAR TEAM), ERYKAH CONDON (SHE VERY MUCH LIKES TO DRAW NATURE, PARTICULARLY FROM HER BACK YARD, AND SHE INCORPORATED THEM NICELY INTO HER SELF PORTRAIT.), ROSIE CRIMP (ALTHOUGH SHE LIKES TO DRAW DOLPHINS, SHE DECIDED ON A LESS AQUEOUS THEME TO HER DRAWING), RACHEAL CROTHERS (SHE IS PROBABLY THE QUIETEST STUDENT I'VE EVER HAD, BUT THAT DIDN'T SLOW HER DOWN FROM MAKING AN A-1 SELF PORTRAIT USING A TURTLE, A FEW DUCKS AND A LOT OF TALENT), ETHAN E. (THIS QUIET, SELF-TAUGHT YOUNG ARTIST TURNED HIS EQUAL PASSION FOR A CERTAIN SLEUTH INTO A WORK THAT WOULD FIT IN ANYWHERE ON BAKER STREET), EARL FALL (HE TOOK THE GOLD MEDALIST APPROACH TO THIS WORKSHOP AND FINISHED FIRST, HANDS-AND RUBBER SHOELACES-DOWN), MELISSA FERRIS (IN ONE SENTENCE, SHE LIKES TO DRAW HORSES, AND SHE'S VERY GOOD AT IT.  ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE NEEDLESS EMBELLISHMENT), AND ACADIA (CADY) FRENCH (SHE EFFECTIVELY MANAGED TO WORK HER BLOB CHARACTER INTO HER SELF PORTRAIT, AND FINISHED IT UNDER THE WIRE DESPITE HER HURT FOOT).  YOU ALL DID A WONDERFUL JOB, AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US, CHECK OUT THEIR DRAWINGS.  AND, ON TOP OF CREATING A GAGGLE OF KEEN SELF PORTRAITS, THE WORKSHOP FEATURED THE UBIQUITOUS "RESPECT FOR PAPER" SEGMENT (WHERE WE GOT TO WRECK A FACSIMILE COPY OF BAT-MAN #1), A QUESTION AND ANSWER GIVEAWAY THAT WENT ATOMIC (COMICS, ART BOOKS, AND ART SUPPLIES OH MY!!), AND A MEGA SNACK (MULTI-FLAVORED OREOS!!!) PREPARED BY MS. O'HARA.  WHAT A TIME!!  ON A FINAL NOTE, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT, OUT OF ALL THE TIMES THAT I'VE PERFORMED THIS PARTICULAR WORKSHOP, I THINK THIS PROBABLY RAN THE SMOOTHEST OUT OF ALL OF THEM.  AND AS WELL AS THE OTHERS HAVE GONE, THAT'S NO SMALL COMPLIMENT.   IN THE WISE WORDS OF A COMIC BOOK ICON, 'NUFF SAID.

JUNE 9, 2009

ON JUNE 9th, AT 3PM, IN THE MAGGIE TRAFTAN ROOM AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE OFFICIAL PREMIERE OF APL PRESENTS #2 WAS HELD, AND THE LONG AWAITED BOOK WAS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, AND TO THE CREATORS.  MANY HAD SEEN THEIR INDIVIDUAL PAGES FINISHED, BUT, UNTIL THAT DAY, NO ONE HAD SEEN THEM BOUND ALL TOGETHER IN ONE SLICK VOLUME.  SADLY, BECAUSE OF SCHEDULE CLASHES AND ILLNESS (AIN'T THAT ALWAYS THE WAY) WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE STAFF TOGETHER FOR THE EVENT.  OF THE THIRTEEN STAFFERS, REBECCA DELANO, JAMES E., KELLY FARRAR, CAMERON GELDER, MELIKY GRANT, JOSH PELLETIER, AND NICOLE PEPIN WERE IN ATTENDANCE, AS WAS A SHIRT TAIL MEMBER, KEEGAN KANE, WHO NOT WAS NOT ONLY AT THAT FIRST OPEN HOUSE WORKSHOP, BUT GAVE KELLY A HELPING HAND WITH HER VILLAIN.  THE ENTIRE SUPPORT STAFF WAS THERE, MIKE JORDAN, JENNIFER BABINEAU, MARTHA TRUSCOTT, AND OF COURSE SALLY HOLT WHO ARRANGED THE WHO AFFAIR (INCLUDING THESE GREAT MAPLE COOKIES WHICH ONLY MARTHA DEDUCED WERE MADE FROM MRS. BUTTER-WRATH'S CONTENTS).  ALSO THERE IN A SEMI-OFFICIAL CAPACITY WERE CHARLIE LIU, OUR MAIN MAN HANDLING THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THE AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER, AND LYNN LOOKWOOD, THE NEWEST DIRECTOR FOR AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY.   THE EVENT WAS ONLY ABOUT AN HOUR LONG, BUT WE PACKED A LOT INTO THE TIME, BOTH SALLY AND MR. JORDAN SPOKE BEFORE THE BOOKS WERE HANDED OUT, AND THEN SOME SERIOUS READING HAPPENED.  OTHER THAN A COUPLE OF NAME SNAFUS, EVERYBODY LOVED IT, INCLUDING OUR GUESTS, WHICH INCLUDED CAM'S MOM, ANITA, AND HIS GRANDPARENTS DORIS ANNE HOLMAN (THE FAMOUS ARTIST) AND BERNE BABINEAU (WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MASTER JEN'S DAD-DON'T ASK, IT GETS REALLY COMPLICATED); JOSH'S MOM, AND MELIKY'S DAD.  ON TOP OF TAKING HOME COPIES OF THEIR OWN BOOK, AND CHOWING DOWN ON ANOTHER AWARD WINNING SNACK, FINALLY, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, MR. JORDAN HELD THE DRAWING FOR THE GRAND PRIZE.  WINNERS GOT TO CHOOSE FROM A SELECTION OF OLDER COMICS FROM MR. JORDAN'S PRIVATE COLLECTION.  THEY INCLUDED UNCANNY X-MEN #106, DAREDEVIL #24 (THAT'S FROM THE SIXTIES), FANTASTIC FOUR #199 AND 200, AMONG OTHER SILVER AGE AND FAMOUS COVER BOOKS.   BOTH KEEGAN AND MELIKY WON AND TOOK HOME THE DAREDEVIL AND THE FF BOOKS.  OTHER THAN THAT, NOT MUCH HAPPENED.  ALTHOUGH WE DID MEET KELLY'S MOM AGAIN AND REBECCA'S MOM FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE END.   SO TECHNICALLY......

MARCH 3-APRIL 14, 2009

ON MARCH 3rd, THE ACTUAL OFFICIAL WORKSHOP TO PRODUCE APL PRESENTS #2 BEGAN.  WE ORIGINALLY CALLED IT THE "COMIC BOOK IN EIGHT EASY LESSONS", BEFORE THE ABOVE MADE IT SEVEN, REALLY, BUT WE KEPT THE NAME JUST THE SAME.  WHERE TO BEGIN.   DURING THE FIRST WORKSHOP, THE KIDS {THAT'S JESSICA DEGEN, REBECCA DELANO, JAMES E., KELLY FARRAR (AN ALUMNUS OF APL PRESENTS #1), BENJAMIN F., CAMERON GELDER (ANOTHER ALUMNUS), MELIKY GRANT, TRAVIS H., DEMITRI K., EVAN MANCINI, NICOLE PEPIN, AND COREY P.} CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF HAVING ROBOT NINJAS, KILLER CLOWNS, AND REMOTE CONTROL LAWNMOWERS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ATTACK THE US CAPITAL, AND THAT THEIR AS OF YET UNCREATED CHARACTERS WOULD THEN SAVE THE DAY.  IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THEN THAT, BECAUSE OF THE LOCALE, THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE IN IT, IN SOME FASHION, MAYBE TO GIVE KUDOS TO THE VICTORS AT THE END OF THE STORY.  ONCE THE MAIN PLOT WAS ESTABLISHED, THE MAIN VILLAIN HAD TO BE CREATED.  CAM SUGGESTED A CHARACTER WHOSE SYRUP HAD GONE BAD WHO WOULD DESTROY BREAKFAST FOREVER.  EVERYONE ELSE MADE HER THE BREAKFAST ICON GONE BAD AND FILLED IN THE REST, INCLUDING HER ATTEMPTED DEMISE.  THEN, ON THE SECOND WORKSHOP, WE WERE JOINED BY A LATE COMER, JOSH PELLETIER, AND WE ALL GOT TO WORK FOR REAL, CREATING CHARACTERS, WRITING SCRIPTS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PAGES, COMPOSING LAYOUTS, FINISHING THE PENCILS, AND THEN INKING.  WHEW.  IT'S EXHAUSTING JUST WRITING ABOUT IT.  IN THE END, AFTER SOME POLISHING (THAT'S CLEANING UP SOME OF THE SHARPIE MESS AND ADDING APPROPRIATE BACK GROUNDS) BY MR. JORDAN, THE SECOND ISSUE OF APL PRESENTS WAS COMPLETED.  TO SEE WHAT THE FINAL RESULT IS, CLICK ON THE ABOVE "VIEW THE BOOK" LINK, OR TO SEE SOME OF THE MANY GREAT PICTURES (PART OF THE PHOTO GALLERY OF THE ACTUAL BOOK) USE THE "PHOTOGRAPHS" ONE.  SPECIAL THANKS TO JENNIFER (MASTER JEN) BABINEAU, A LOCAL ARTIST, AND ARTIST AND ASSISTANT TEACHER, MARTHA TRUSCOTT, WHO LENT THEIR CREATIVE HANDS IN HELPING THE KIDS PRODUCE THIS WORK.  EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO CHARLIE LIU AND LUCI MERIN, ADMINISTRATORS OF AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER NOT ONLY PROVIDED THE STUDENTS, BUT THE FUNDING FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM AS WELL.  AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, EXTRA SPECIAL SUPER DUPER THANKS TO SALLY HOLT, THE TEEN LIBRARIAN AT AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHO DID EVERYTHING ELSE, INCLUDING TAKING PICTURES AND PROVIDING SNACKS.  EVERYONE, STAND UP AND TAKE A BOW, YOU ALL DESERVE IT.  NOT BAD FOR THE SECOND TIME AROUND.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING ONE OF THE LIMITED EDITION COPIES OF APL PRESENTS #2 CONTACT SALLY AT (207) 333-6640 EXT. 4 OR AT sholt@auburnpubliclibrary.org WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.

FEBRUARY 24, 2009

STARTING OFF THE YEAR WITH A BANG, ON FEB. 24th, MR. JORDAN HELD THE FIRST OF A NEW SERIES OF COMIC WORKSHOPS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY TO PRODUCE THE SECOND ISSUE OF APL PRESENTS.  THIS INITIAL SHOT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE DID THE FIRST TIME AROUND.  INSTEAD OF A REGULAR SESSION OF WHIPS AND SLAVE-DRIVING AND SUCH, LUCI MERIN AND CHARLIE LIU, WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT AMS, ARRANGED AN OPEN HOUSE WORKSHOP FAIR OF SORTS WHERE THE INSTRUCTORS SET UP STATIONS FOR THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS OFFERED AND THE KIDS GOT TO VISIT THE ONES IN WHICH THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THREE, TEN MINUTE INSTALLMENTS.   BESIDE THE ROBOT RACES AND SPORTING EVENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE HUMMING IN THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA, MR. JORDAN DEMONSTRATED TO EACH OF HIS GROUPS HOW TO CREATE A NEW CHARACTER, GIVING THE KIDS THE REINS AND HIMSELF MANNING THE DRY-ERASE BOARD.   THE THREE GROUPS WERE NOT SHORT OF IMAGINATION AND CAME UP WITH SOME PRETTY WILD IMAGES.  IN THE FIRST GROUP, QUINCY Q., KYLE A., IZAAC W., EVAN MANCINI, SCOTT G., LUIS M., ERIC D., AND M. TAYLOR CREATED AN EXTREME SKIING BEAVER WITH A BIG AFRO NAMED BODE NORRIS.  THE SECOND GROUP, ZACH C., KELLY FARRAR (AN ALUMNUS), MATT B., CAMERON GELDER (ANOTHER ALUMNUS), REBECCA DELANO., BRIAN V., JAMESON R., AND CRYSTAL L., PRODUCED A FEMALE ELF WHO'S FOND OF INK AND CAN CHANGE HERSELF INTO DIFFERENT INSECTS.  AND THE THIRD GROUP, SHAYLIN C., ANTHONY M., ANTHONY (THRASHER) C., DYLAN C., ZACH B., KEEGAN (KA DIE) KANE, JAMES E., JAKE J., MELIKY (SUNDRU VRIKI) GRANT, AND (SGT.) TRAVIS H., PRODUCED A PRINCESS WHO IS FOND OF WEAPONS AND CAN CHANGE HERSELF INTO A WEREWOLF WITH A FLAMING BODY.  WOW.  MORE OF THEIR PICTURES (SNAPPED BY THE EVER VIGILANT SALLY HOLT FROM APL) WILL BE APPEARING ALONG WITH THEIR CREATIONS IN THE PHOTO GALLERY OF ISSUE TWO OF APL PRESENTS. 
IF WE MISSED ANY NAMES OR GOT ANYTHING WRONG, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
MORE IS FORTHCOMING AS THE ENSUING WORKSHOPS UNFOLD!!!!!!

FEBRUARY 26, 2008

ON FEBRUARY 26th AT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM (THE DUNGEON) AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE FIRST ISSUE OF APL PRESENTS WAS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC IN A GALA EVENT ORCHESTRATED BY SALLY HOLT (THE TEEN LIBRARIAN FOR APL) AND LUCILLE MERIN (THE ADMINISTRATOR OF AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THE AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL).  ON TOP OF THE STAFF EACH RECEIVING A COPY OF THE BOOK THEY ALL HAD A HAND IN CREATING, ANOTHER KILLER SNACK BY SALLY, SPEECHES BY MR. JORDAN, SALLY, AND ROSEMARY WALTOS (THE DIRECTOR OF APL AND THE PRESIDENT OF APL PRESS), THE PRESS WAS ON HAND (DAN HARTILL AND RUSS DILLINGHAM FROM THE LEWISTON SUN JOURNAL) TAKING PICTURES AND INTERVIEWING EVERYONE FOR THE ARTICLE THAT APPEARED IN THEIR MARCH 3rd EDITION.  IT ONLY LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR, BUT EVERYONE HAD A GREAT TIME.  IF YOU DON'T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT, SEE FOR YOURSELF.  WE HAVE PICTURES!!!!!    ALSO IN ATTENDANCE WAS THE STAFF OF APL PRESENTS #1:  JACOB BOLDUC, DEREK CARON, GABBY DUNN, JASMINE DYMENT, KELLY FARRAR, SCOTT FICKETT, CAMERON GELDER, BRITTANY HUDSON, KRISTINA PEPIN, RICHARD RICHARDSON, AND KAZMYN TROUANT (JAGGER TROUANT COULDN'T MAKE IT); MANY OF THEIR PARENTS, AND SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY STAFF.  THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING AND MAKING THE EVENT VERY SPECIAL.  IT WAS A PARTICULARLY UNIQUE EVENT FOR ME, GETTING A CHANCE TO SEE AFTER THE FACT WHAT MY HANDY-WORK HAS WROUGHT (WOW BRITTANY AND SCOTT).  HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN FOR ISSUE TWO.  (FOR A PEEK AT WHAT THE KIDS PRODUCED, SEE THE BELOW WORKSHOP LISTING.)

SEPTEMBER 20-OCTOBER 25, 2007

SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY.  INSTEAD OF DOING JUST A SINGLE WORKSHOP LIKE HE'S ALWAYS DONE IN THE PAST, MR. JORDAN HOSTED A WHOLE SERIES OF EVENTS FROM SEPT. 20th TO OCT. 25th (SOMETHING CALLED "THE NINE HOUR COMIC BOOK WORKSHOP") IN WHICH THE POOR VICTIMS WROTE AND ILLUSTRATED THEIR VERY OWN COMIC BOOK, WHICH THEY CALLED APL PRESENTS #1.  AND, INSTEAD OF US GOING ON AND ON ABOUT WHAT FUN WE HAD AND WHAT WAS PRODUCED, WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER IF WE JUST SHOWED YOU WHAT THE FINAL PRODUCT WAS.  SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO......PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE.
   HOWEVER, BEFORE WE GO, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK SALLY HOLT (THE TEEN LIBRARIAN AT APL) AND LUCILLE MERIN (THE HEAD OF THE COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER AT AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL) FOR ARRANGING THE WHOLE AFFAIR, AND WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK JACOB BOLDUC, DEREK CARON, GABBY DUNN, JASMINE DYMENT, KELLY FARRAR, SCOTT FICKETT, CAMERON GELDER, BRITTANY HUDSON, KRISTINA PEPIN, RICHARD RICHARDSON, JAGGER TROUANT, AND KAZMYN TROUANT, AND AN SUPER EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO JENNIFER BABINEAU AND CHARLOTTE HOWARD.  EVERYBODY STAND UP AND TAKE A BOW.  YOU ALL EARNED IT.
FOR A COPY OF THE BOOK (WHILE SUPPLIES LAST) PLEASE CONTACT SALLY HOLT AT EITHER (207) 333-6640 EXTENSION 4 OR sholt@auburnpubliclibrary.org FOR MORE INFORMATION.  FOR A LOOK AT THE PREMIERE PARTY EVENT FOR APL PRESENTS #1 SEE ABOVE.

JUNE 9, 2007

DUE LARGELY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE LAST WORKSHOP AT APL, SALLY ASKED ME BACK ON JUNE 9th FOR ANOTHER SPIN AT THE SAME SUBJECT, OR SOMETHING WE LIKED TO CALL:  "EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT COMICS, but didn't ask the first time".  AGAIN, I TURNED THE CONTROLS OVER TO THE STUDENTS AND LET THEM TAKE THE WORKSHOP WHERE THEY WANTED IN THE REALM OF COMIC BOOKS.  THIS TIME, THERE WASN'T QUITE SO MUCH INTEREST IN THE PROCESS SIDE AS THERE WAS IN THE ACTUAL, HAND'S ON PRODUCTION.  SO, FOR MUCH OF THE TIME, EVERYONE GOT A CRASH COURSE ON THE USE OF SPEEDBALL PENS, AND BOY THEY CAUGHT ON FAST!  IN ATTENDANCE WAS MY #1 FAN, JAGGER (WHO SPENT MOST OF THE AFTERNOON WORKING ON A PICTURE OF ONE OF MY CHARACTERS, FARANIAR-ONE OF THESE DAYS I'LL HAVE TO HIRE HIM TO DO MY ART BECAUSE HE'LL BE DRAWING MY STUFF BETTER THAN ME), CODY (ANOTHER ONE OF MY REGULARS WHO HAS, SINCE I SAW HIM LAST, CHANGED HIS FIELD OF INTEREST FROM EVERYTHING STAR WARS TO EVERYTHING MEDIEVAL/FANTASY, PARTICULARLY DRAGONS), HIS BROTHER CAMERON (WHO IS ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN DRAGONS BUT SHOWED HIS PROFICIENCY AT DRAWING MEDIEVAL WEAPONS), THEIR COUSIN MEAGAN (WHO, JUST UP FROM FLORIDA, PRODUCED A GREAT PICTURE OF A HOUSE AND TAUGHT US ALL THE PROPER WAY TO SPELL HER NAME) AND HER BROTHER, JUSTIN (WHO IS NO SLOUCH IN THE DRAGON PRODUCTION MARKET, AND SURPRISED EVERYONE WITH HIS VAST KNOWLEDGE OF COMICS), JASMINE (WHO WAS ALSO A RETURN ALUMNUS, WAS BUSY WORKING OUT DIFFERENT STYLES OF HAIR TO DRAW FOR HER PEOPLE), AND HER FRIEND BRY (WHO WAS REALLY, REALLY BIG INTO ANIME AND MANGA, WHICH WAS VERY HANDY SINCE SHE WON A JAPANESE ILLUSTRATED BOOK IN THE RAFFLE).  AND, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THEY WERE ALL THERE, SEE FOR YOURSELF 'CAUSE WE HAVE PICTURES!!!  THE REST OF THE SHOW WENT ALONG PRETTY SMOOTHLY EXCEPT FOR ONE DEEP CONTENTION ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF JAPANESE ANIMATION.  SIDES WERE TAKEN AND BATTLE LINES WERE DRAWN, BUT THE WHOLE MATTER BLEW OVER LUCKILY BEFORE ANY BLOOD WAS SHED.  ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAD A RAFFLE WHERE EVERYONE GOT TO CHOOSE A PRIZE, INCLUDING ART PADS AND VARIOUS ART SUPPLIES AND SOME COOL BOOKS, EVERYONE WON COMICS (COMICS COMICS) BY ANSWERING SOME PRETTY TOUGH QUESTIONS (CAN YOU NAME THE ORIGINAL AVENGERS TEAM?  WHAT TEAM WAS MOTH MAN ON?  WHERE DID THE GREEN HORNET KEEP HIS WINGS?), AND SALLY SERVED UP ANOTHER AWARD WINNING SNACK WHICH KEPT EVERYONE FROM PASSING OUT FROM THE HEAT IN THE DUNGEON.  WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, EVERYONE WALKED OUT UNDER THEIR OWN POWER AND NOTHING WORSE THAN A FEW POTATO CHIPS GOT SPILLED.  A ROUSING SUCCESS BY ANY DEFINITION.  ANYWAY, I THINK EVERYONE HAD A GOOD TIME (I KNOW I DID), AND WE HOPE TO KEEP THIS PROUD TRADITION OF ART WORKSHOPS WITH MR. JORDAN GOING FOR A VERY LONG TIME-OR AT LEAST UNTIL HE BECOMES BIG AND FAMOUS AND CAN PUT ALL OF THIS BEHIND HIM.  KIDDING!!!

APRIL 14, 2007

DON'T SAY YOU WEREN'T WARNED, SO IT WASN'T OUR FAULT IF YOU MISSED MIKE JORDAN'S FIFTH VISIT TO THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH ANOTHER OF HIS INFAMOUS ART WORKSHOPS FOR TEENIORS (TEENS AND UP).  THIS TIME, ON SATURDAY, APRIL 14th BETWEEN 1 AND 3  (STILL COURTESY OF THE GRANDMASTER OF TEEN AFFAIRS, SALLY HOLT) HE PRESENTED A PROGRAM CALLED "EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT COMICS, but had no one to ask", WHERE HE TURNED THE FLOOR OVER TO THE ATTENDEES AND GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HIM ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO COMICS.  CONSEQUENTLY, WE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND, FROM HOW COMICS ARE PRODUCED AND BY WHAT METHOD THEY END UP ONLINE ALL THE WAY TO THE VARIOUS METHODS SPIDER-MAN GOT HIS BLACK COSTUME IN THE DIFFERENT MEDIA.  THERE WAS QUITE A ROOM FULL (IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US, CHECK OUT THE PICTURES!!!) OF NOT ONLY VARIED AGES BUT OF  VARIED INTERESTS AS WELL, FROM THE VERY YOUNG (NOT QUITE TEENS) TO ADULTS (IN THE SAME AGE GROUP AS MR. JORDAN) AND FROM ANIME ENTHUSIASTS TO FOLKS INTERESTED IN COMMERCIAL ART AND ILLUSTRATION.  IN ATTENDANCE WERE JASMINE D. (WHO LIKES ANIME, ELVES, AND DRAWS PORTRAITS FOR FUN-AND WAS NICE ENOUGH TO HELP SALLY PREPARE THE SNACK), T. J. (WHO ALSO LIKES ANIME AND IS AN AFICIONADO OF WOLVERINE LORE-LOGAN NOT THE FURRY CRITTER-AND TESTED MY KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT THE SHOW AND HAS HIS OWN COMIC BASED ON EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY), PORTIA L. (WHO HAD ATTENDED ONE OF MY EARLIEST WORKSHOPS, AND WOW YOU SHOULD SEE HER PROGRESS-SHE'S EVEN TAKING A CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN COMMERCIAL ART AND HOPEFULLY BLOWING ALL OF HER INSTRUCTORS AWAY WITH HER CONSIDERABLE SKILL), VIOLA M. (WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DRAW AT FIRST, BUT SOON GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS IN THE STYLE OF THE LATE CHARLES SCHULZ AND ASKED A LOT OF REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS ON TOP OF IT.  V WANTS TO BE A TEACHER WHEN SHE GETS OLDER.), THE FIRST OF THREE FAMILIES CAME NEXT, MATTHEW M. (WHO HAS A COMIC STRIP OF HIS OWN ALREADY AND IS DOING A VERY PROFESSIONAL JOB OF IT EVEN BEFORE THE WORKSHOP!!! AND HAD ANOTHER CHARACTER THAT WAS VERY REMINISCENT OF FOXTROT), HIS SISTER, DANIELLE M. (WHO IS VERY FOND OF AN ONLINE COMIC WHICH ISN'T OURS!!! AND SPENT HER TIME REVAMPING A CHARACTER SHE DID YEARS BEFORE IN JUNIOR HIGH AND DOING SPECIAL EFFECTS ON THE LIGHT BOX), AND THEIR MOM, MARY M. (WHO IS AN ARTIST HERSELF AND WAS GOING TO SIT IN ON THE WORKSHOP AND ENDED UP ASKING ME A QUESTION THAT TOOK ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES TO ANSWER-BUT SHE MADE UP FOR IT BY LAUGHING AT MOST OF MY JOKES), THE NEXT FAMILY  WAS TWO BROTHERS AND A YOUNGER SISTER, JAGGER T. (WHO IS EVERYTHING AN ARTIST COULD WANT IN A BIGGEST FAN, NOT ONLY DOES HE LOVE MY BOOKS, BUT HE'S A HECK OF AN ARTIST HIMSELF AND DOES A GREAT JOB ON ALL OF MY CHARACTERS-THANKS FOR THE DRAWING OF THE BOYS-AND HAS HIS OWN BAND!!!!!), HIS OLDER BROTHER, KAZ T. (WHO IS VERY BIG INTO ANIME-ATTENDING MOST OF THE LIBRARY CLUB MEETINGS, WHICH IS WHERE I FIRST MET HIM A FEW MONTHS BEFORE-BUT ALSO FINDS TIME TO READ AND ENJOY MY STUFF, TOO.  LIKE HIS BROTHER, HE IS ALSO AN ARTIST OF SOME CONSIDERABLE SKILL), AND THEIR YOUNGER SISTER, AMANI T. (WHO WAS TOO SHY TO REALLY TALK TO ME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW, BUT BY THE END WAS ASKING QUESTIONS AND PARTICIPATING WITH THE BEST OF THEM.  SHE ALSO SHARES A COMMON FAMILY TRAIT OF ENJOYING THE PARVERIAN TALES-OF WHICH SHE GOT HER OWN COPIES BEFORE LEAVING THAT AFTERNOON!!!), AND THE THIRD AND FINAL FAMILY, JACOB P. ( WHOSE FAVORITE COMIC STRIP IS GARFIELD, WHO FITS INTO THE VERY SHY ARTIST CATEGORY-WHICH ISN'T A BAD OR UNCOMMON THING FOR A YOUNG ARTIST-AND WHO ENJOYS DOING ART PUZZLES WITH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER) AND NOAH P. (WHO NOT ONLY IS ON TRACK TO BEING A PROFESSIONAL ILLUSTRATOR BUT RECOVERED PRETTY QUICKLY FOR SOMEONE WHO CLAIMED TO KNOW NEXT TO NOTHING ABOUT COMIC BOOKS).  NOAH AND JACOB'S MOM, PATTY? , ALSO SAT IN ON THE WORKSHOP AND PRODUCED A FREEHAND SKETCH OF A COTTAGE WHILE I YAMMERED ON ABOUT TECHNICAL PENS AND AMES LETTERING GUIDES.  (IS IT JUST ME OR ARE THESE THINGS GETTING LONGER?)  BEYOND HAVING A GREAT TIME WITH THE STUDENTS AND THE NEW WORKSHOP, A FEW OTHER THINGS OCCURRED OF NOTE.  SALLY PROVIDED ANOTHER INFAMOUS SNACK, THIS TIME FIENDISHLY CONCOCTED CUPCAKES WAS THE MAIN ATTRACTION.  THERE WERE ALSO THE GIVEAWAYS!!!  A REALLY AUTHORITATIVE BOOK ON BEGINNING TO SKETCH, TWO PASSES TO A LOCAL MOVIE THEATER, SOME ART SUPPLIES, AND COMICS COMICS COMICS (INCLUDING A LATE SIXTIES DETECTIVE COMICS AND AN EARLY SEVENTIES AMAZING SPIDER-MAN).  ALL IN ALL, THE WORKSHOP HAS BEEN LISTED UNDER THE SUCCESS COLUMN; I JUST HOPE EVERYONE ELSE HAD AS MUCH FUN AS I DID.  I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT I SAW SOME PRETTY BIG SMILES AT THE END OF THE AFTERNOON.

AUGUST 2006

ON AUGUST 8th, BETWEEN 1 AND 4 PM, MIKE JORDAN RETURNED TO THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY (THEIR NEW/OLD SITE) FOR HIS FOURTH VISIT TO PERFORM, BY THE GOOD COURTESY OF SALLY HOLT, HIS NEWEST WORKSHOP CALLED "MUSCLE SEE; MUSCLE DO", IN WHICH HE INSTRUCTED THE TEENS (ET AL) IN ATTENDANCE ON THE RIGORS OF CREATING THEIR OWN MUSCLE REFERENCE CHART.   THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GASTROCNEMIUS AND THE STERNOCLEIDO-MASTOID, COMPARING AND CONTRASTING THE PECS, ABS, DELTS, AND GLUTES, AND EXPOSING THE DEEP DARK SECRETS OF THE ILIO-TIBIAL TENDON, AND SO ON, WHILE THE GUINEA PIGS-er- ARTISTS WORKED FROM PREPARED ANATOMY HAND-OUTS.  IT WENT VERY WELL FOR THE FIRST TIME OUT OF THE CHUTE, AND MR. JORDAN WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE VERY TALENTED PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED FOR BEING WILLING PARTS OF HIS EXPERIMENT.  IN ATTENDANCE WERE ANNIE (WHO IS INTO ANIME AND CREATES HER OWN COMICS WITH HER FRIENDS FROM SCHOOL), RACHEL (WHO DREW AN AMAZING FANTASY CHARACTER SKETCH AND WON ONE OF THE WOODEN ARTIST MANIKINS), MIKAEL (WHO IS A RETURN FROM AN EARLIER SHOW AND NOW INTERESTED IN  MORE SERIOUS ART), HELEN (HIS MOM, A FORMER PROFESSIONAL ARTIST WHO DID A DISGUSTINGLY FIRST-RATE JOB ON TRANSLATING WITH DISMAYING ACCURACY MR. JORDAN'S MUSCLE HANDOUTS), LINDSAY (WHO ALSO ENJOYS ANIME AND WON THE BOXED SET OF THE NARNIA BOOKS), JAMES (WHO WAS OUR YOUNGEST MEMBER IN ATTENDANCE AND PROBABLY THE SECOND MOST SERIOUS ABOUT COMPLETING THE TASK AT HAND, STARTED TO ADD ARMS AND LEGS TO THE FRONT VIEW MUSCLE CHART ALA LEONARDO DaVINCI) , CODY (WHO WAS ANOTHER RETURN VICTIM-er-ARTIST AND THE MOST SERIOUS-SLIGHTLY ABOVE JAMES-ABOUT COMPLETING A WORKING MUSCLE CHART, DRAWING THEM OVER AND OVER TO GET THEM EXACTLY RIGHT.  HE ALSO WON THE SECOND ARTIST MANIKIN), DAVID (WHO CAME IN A CLOSE THIRD IN THE COMPETITION, ALSO WON ONE THE CALVIN AND HOBBES COLLECTION BOOKS), DEXTER (WHO DIDN'T SAY MUCH BUT WAS VERY ADEPT WITH A PENCIL, PARTICULARLY AT THE INTRICATE PATTERNS HE WAS DRAWING WHILE IN CLASS.), JENNI (WHO IS VERY MUCH INTO ANIME AND DRAWING THINGS FROM VIDEO GAMES, WON A COPY OF THE BOOK, GIDEON), ZACH (WHO DRAWS THESE COOL BIRD-LIKE THINGS WITH BIG EYES BUT HATES COLOR WAS VERY CONCERNED BEFORE THE SHOW THAT HE WOULD BE THE OLDEST ONE THERE), AND NATHAN (WHO WAS ALSO INTO ANIME, BUT THE MORE CARTOONISH SIDE OF THE GENRE, WAS THE ONE TO GET THE OTHER CALVIN AND HOBBES BOOK).  CHECK OUT THEIR MUG SHOTS, 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT PICTURES!!   WHEW.  DID WE MENTION THERE WERE 12 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE?  BEYOND THE CLASS, THERE WERE THE GIVEAWAYS (THERE WERE RUMORS THAT ONE YOUNG LADY DANCED ON THE TABLE OVER HER WINNINGS, BUT THEY ARE ALL UNTRUE-HOWEVER A MANIKIN DID LOSE AN ARM IN THE CREATION OF THIS MOTION PICTURE) PROVIDED BY APL, A LOCAL BIG THREE AFFILIATE (CHANNEL 13) CAME IN AND FILMED US TO BE PART OF A MONTAGE IN A LOCAL COMMERCIAL, AND A GRAND MID-POINT MEAL SET OUT BY SALLY.  GOING INTO THIS, NO ONE KNEW HOW IT WAS GOING TO TURN OUT, BUT WE THINK IT WENT WELL ENOUGH TO EVENTUALLY ADD IT TO THE PERMANENT LIST OF WORKSHOPS FOR THE FUTURE, WITH SOME MINOR TWEAKING.  MR. JORDAN ALSO LEARNED AN IMPORTANT POINT.  HE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BONE UP ON HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE NEWER JAPANESE ANIMATION.  AND HOW.

MAY 17, 2006

AFTER THE GREAT SUCCESS OF THE FIRST EVENT, THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE BOOTHBAY HARBOR MEMORIAL LIBRARY (AS PART OF THEIR NEW CLICK PROGRAM) HAD ME BACK FOR A SECOND WORKSHOP ON MAY 17TH FROM 2-5:30 AGAIN AT THE BOOTHBAY HARBOR OPERA HOUSE.  THIS TIME, THE KIDS GOT TO TAKE THE CREATIVE HELM AS I (AND TRUSTY HELPER MASTER JEN) PRESENTED ANOTHER OF THE "MASTERWORKS THEATER" PROGRAMS.  THAT IS, THE KIDS LEARN HOW (LOOSELY) COMIC BOOKS ARE CREATED FROM SCRIPT TO DISTRIBUTION--THE "SCRIPT" BEING THEM CREATING A SELF CARICATURE IN WHATEVER STYLE THEY PLEASE AND THE "DISTRIBUTION" BEING THEY ALL GOT TO TAKE A COPY OF EVERYONE'S FINAL PRODUCT HOME.  (TO SEE THE FINAL ARTISTIC RESULTS, CLICK HERE)   IN ATTENDANCE WERE MIKE W. (WHO DOES AMAZING CUSTOM CARS AND DETAILING AND RAISES HIS ART TEACHER'S INSURANCE RATES), PRESTON T. (WHO HAS ADDED CONSIDERABLE MUSCLE TONE TO HIS ANIME CHARACTERS AND TO CLEAR THINGS UP ONCE AND FOR ALL, THE MAKE-UP SPONGE IS FOR ARTWORK!!!!!)-BOTH OF WHOM ATTENDED MY LAST SHOW A MONTH AGO-SAL A. (WHO IS REALLY INTO DRAWING FANTASY STUFF AND HAS A COOL DAD), KEVIN K. (WHO IN HIS MILD MANNERED ALTER-EGO IS A PIANIST, ALSO FINDS TIME TO TEACH ART TO SOME OF THE LOCAL KIDS-INCLUDING JOHN--CLAIMS ALSO TO BE OLDER THAN ME BUT I THINK HE WAS PULLING MY LEG.), AND JOHN S. (WHO WAS THE YOUNGEST ARTIST IN ATTENDANCE, A STAUNCH FAN OF JUGHEAD JONES AND GETTING REALLY GOOD AT DRAWING SWORDS)  FOR PICTURES OF THE PREVIOUSLY LISTED CLICK THE PHOTO LINK ABOVE.   ON TOP OF THE NORMAL GIVEAWAYS (JOHN GOT THE STACK OF COMICS THIS TIME), BITS OF INCREDIBLY INSIGHTFUL-Uh-INSIGHTS, AND ANOTHER SINGULAR REPAST SWUNG BY MS. DIANE DORBIN, I DID SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS TIME WITH THE EXTRA HALF HOUR ALLOTTED.  I GAVE A CRASH COURSE IN FIGURE ANATOMY REFERENCE WHERE I PROVIDED THE READERS DIGEST VERSION OF TEACHING THEM HOW TO MAKE THEIR OWN MUSCLE CHART FOR DRAWING PEOPLE.  BEFORE WE WERE THROUGH, IF SORT OF RESEMBLED A SIMON SAYS CONTEST, BUT IT WENT WELL ENOUGH THAT I PLAN TO ADD IT TO THE PERMANENT CURRICULUM WHEN TIME ALLOWS.  ALL IN ALL I THINK EVERYONE HAD A GOOD TIME; I KNOW I DID.  AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE TALENTED KIDS (AND ADULT) FOR COMING AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO DIANE AND THE LIBRARY FOR PROVIDING MOST OF THE TOOLS WE PLAYED WITH ON THAT FATEFUL WEDNESDAY.

APRIL 5, 2006

LET IT BE KNOWN, THAT ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 5TH OF THE YEAR 2006, MICHAEL S. JORDAN DID MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE TO BOOTHBAY HARBOR AT THE BEHEST OF MS. DIANE DORBIN OF THEIR MOST HONORABLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY, AND DID SET UP HIS ARTLY WARES AT THE STATELY BOOTHBAY OPERA HOUSE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 2 AND 5 PM.   HE DID THERE AND THEN PERFORM ANOTHER OF HIS "TOOLS OF THE TRADE" WORKSHOPS, SPEAKING AT GREAT LENGTH AND GREATER VOLUME OF MANY AND DIVERS SUBJECTS IN THE FIELD OF COMIC BOOK ART TO THE GOOD AND TALENTED YOUTHS AS A PART OF THE NEWLY FOUNDED CLICK PROGRAM.   AT SAID WORKSHOP THERE WERE IN ATTENDANCE:  YOUNG MASTER JULES (A FINE PURVEYOR OF SPORTS CARICATURES AND A COLLABORATOR IN A COMIC VENTURE ABOUT THE LOCAL FAUNA), MASTER PRESTON (A PENCILER OF THE FIRST WATER WITH A PROLIFIC IMAGINATION FOR ALL THINGS ANIME), MASTER MIKE (WHOSE TASTES RAN TO AUTOMOBILES AND THEIR DETAILING AS WELL AS MUSIC THAT IS HEAVY AND OF METAL), MASTER TRAVIS (WHO SADLY WAS BURDENED WITH THE LOSS OF HIS PORTFOLIO SOON BEFORE THE SHOW, BUT PROVED HIMSELF A MASTER OF X-MEN LORE AND WELL VERSED IN THE WAYS OF SINGLE PANEL COMICS), AND LASTLY BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE LADY EMILY (ALSO AN AFICIONADO IN THE ANIMATED ART OF THE JAPANESE AND AND THE VARIOUS DESIGNS OF DRAGON-KIND)--AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, CHECK THE PICTURES!!!!!  WE'LL ENOUGH OF THAT KIND OF TALK.  OTHER THAN BENDING THEIR EARS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE COMICS ( I EVEN INCLUDED A NEW PORTABLE LIGHT TABLE TO THE CURRICULUM) WE DID GIVEAWAYS TO THE TUNE OF COMIC TRIVIA (TRAVIS WENT FOR THE STACK OF COMICS FIRST INSTEAD OF THE ART BOOKS ON A WOLVIE QUESTION) MS. DORBIN FED US SOME HOMEMADE GOODIES AND SOME MULTI-COLORED FISH.  I DID ANOTHER ORIGINAL STRIP WITH A LOCALIZED JOKE (SEE BELOW) WHICH THE KIDS GOT TO TAKE HOME, AND A GENTLEMAN FROM THE LOCAL PAPER (MR. JONATHAN EDWARDS OF THE BOOTHBAY REGISTER) TOOK PICTURES THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE SHOW.  EVERYONE HAD A SWELL TIME, AT LEAST SWELL ENOUGH TO WANT A FOLLOW UP WORKSHOP (SEE FURTHER BELOW) AND HOPEFULLY THIS ONE WON'T GET SNOWED OR SNEEZED OUT.  THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THE KIDS, TO MS. DORBIN (AND THE PEOPLE AT THE OPERA HOUSE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE) AND TO MY INFALLIBLE ASSISTANT, MASTER JEN.

There is an aquarium in the next town, sort of a petting zoo affair, and they have dogfish you can pet.  Still don't get it?  They look exactly like little sharks (actually of the same family).  You see, Faraniar he--oh never mind.  Sheesh.

AUGUST 16, 2005

IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN.  YOU'VE MISSED ANOTHER "TOOLS OF THE TRADE"  WORKSHOP WITH THE STUPENDOUS MIKE JORDAN (YAY!  HOORAH!)  THIS ONE WAS ON THE 16TH OF AUGUST  BETWEEN 1 AND 4 PM WAY UP NORTH COURTESY OF LYN SMITH AT THE PITTSFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY  (THERE'S A GREAT MURAL PAINTED BY TIM SAMPLE BACK IN '83 UP IN THE DOMED CEILING OVER THE FRONT DESK).   IT WAS MY FIRST APPEARANCE THERE, AND WE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT TEN KIDS TO BE IN ATTENDANCE.  BY A LITTLE AFTER ONE, WE HAD NINETEEN (19!! IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT, CHECK OUT THE PICTURES!!!! ) AND HAD TO MOVE TO A LARGER ROOM.  ONCE THE DUST HAD SETTLED, WE GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS, AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS ABOUT TWICE THE SIZE GROUP THAT I'VE BEEN USED TO IN THE PAST, I HOPE I IMPARTED AT LEAST SOME OF MY VAST WISDOM (?) TO SOME UP AND COMING ARTISTS (AND ONE WRITER, REALLY).  IN ANY CASE, I THINK EVERYONE HAD A GOOD TIME (I KNOW I DID); THERE WERE DOUGHNUTS AND GIVEAWAYS; AND I MADE ANOTHER ORIGINAL COMIC STRIP FOR THE EVENT (SEE BELOW); AND PERISH FORBID THE ATTENDEES MIGHT HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING DEEP AND MEANINGFUL ABOUT COMICS THEY DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE WALKING IN THE DOOR.   I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT (OR TWO) AND THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME TUESDAY:  JADE WELLS, TRENTON KELLEY, SARAH MERCIER-CARUSO, DESTINY DUKE, LEWIS FITTS (THE WRITER), MATT DUNCOMBE, COLBY BRADSHAW, JOSIE (COLBY'S SISTER WHO WASN'T SURE IF SHE WAS IN ATTENDANCE), A J DENIS, LEAH, CORRINA, AND SAM EDMONDSON, CURTIS McCLOUD, DAVID PENNOCK, JACOB ALLEN, MIKE AND CYNTHIA MacDONALD, COURTNEY OUELLET (WHO CAME IN A LITTLE LATE), AND WIL FRENCH (WHO MADE HIS PRESENCE KNOWN INTERMITTENTLY).  THANKS FOR MAKING ME FEEL SO "ILLUSTRIOUS". ALSO, A SPECIAL THANKS TO LYN (WHO SET THE WHOLE THING UP AND HAD TO MAKE A SPECIAL DASH TO THE TOWN HALL), KENZIE (WHO HELPED MAINTAIN THE GOOD VIGIL AND FED US HALF WAY THROUGH), AND JEN (MY FAITHFUL LITTLE HELPER).  AND A SPECIAL NOD TO ALL THE PARENTS AND BYSTANDERS WHO SAT IN FOR A BIT OR THE LONG HAUL. DID I MENTION THAT I THANK YOU? FOR THOSE STILL INTERESTED, LYN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT A FOLLOW UP WORKSHOP SOMETIME IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.  NOTHING HAS BEEN SET IN STONE, BUT KEEP AN EYE HERE IN THE WEEKS TO COME FOR MORE INFO OR CONTACT MS. SMITH AT lsmith@pittsfield.lib.me.us . 

This is the strip I did for the Pittsfield gig.  If you don't get it, don't worry.  It's a location joke.  Really.

JUNE 28, 2005

AND THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE. ON JUNE 28TH AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY FROM 5PM TO 7:30PM, SEVEN LOCAL YOUNG ARTISTS, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF MIKE JORDAN, PRODUCED WHAT HAS BEEN SINCE CALLED "MASTERWORKS THEATER".  IN THIS, THE THIRD WORKSHOP FOR APL, MIKE LET THE KIDS DO ALL THE WORK AND CREATE CARICATURES OF THEMSELVES WHICH WE COPIED AND BOUND TOGETHER IN ONE WILD COLLECTION.  IN ATTENDANCE WERE THIRD TIMER JARED SERPICO (WHO HAS RACKED UP ENOUGH FREQUENT FLIER MILES TO GET TO THE JOE KUBERT SCHOOL OF ART), CODY BEDARD (WHO DREW HIMSELF BATTLING VADER), CHELSEA COOLONG (WHO TOOK TO PEN WORK LIKE A DUCK TO SWIMMING POOLS), JOSH FLOWERS (CREATED A SCENE THAT WOULD HAVE MADE RUSSEL CROWE CRINGE), NATHAN GERRY (WHO I THINK WAS READY TO ADOPT ME AND JEN BY THE END OF THE EVENING), MIKAEL HEIKKINEN (WHO DREW HIMSELF WITH HIS OWN CHARACTER),  AND MARY HOLT (SALLY'S DAUGHTER, AND THE THANKFUL FIREWALL BETWEEN MYSELF AND MASTER FLOWER'S BLURRING  WIT).  WHAT CAN I SAY, WE HAD A BLAST.  BEYOND THE ARTWORK, THERE WAS PIZZA AND SNACKS, TWO ART BOOK GIVEAWAYS, AND A PHOTOGRAPHER (MS. AMBER WATERMAN) SHOWED UP, TOOK LOTS OF PICTURES, AND MIKAEL, NATE, CODY, AND MY KNEES ALL GOT IN THE NEXT MORNING'S EDITION OF THE LEWISTON SUN JOURNAL.  SALLY SURE KNOWS HOW TO ARRANGE A WING DING.   THE KIDS WERE AMAZING, AND TALK ABOUT IMAGINATIONS.  WOW!!  AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, CLICK HERE AND TAKE A LOOK FOR YOURSELF.  FOR MORE INFO ON FUTURE EVENTS WITH APL, EITHER KEEP AN EYE ON THIS WEBSITE,  THEIR WEBSITE, OR CALL SALLY HOLT AT 207 333-6640 EXT 4 FOR THE NEXT DATE.

MARCH 19, 2005

ON MARCH 19th, 2005, ANOTHER WORKSHOP FOR TEENS WAS HELD AT THE LISBON FALLS COMMUNITY LIBRARY FROM 12-2PM COURTESY OF SUE RAMSAY, THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN.  SIX VERY TALENTED KIDS ATTENDED (I DIDN'T GET PERMISSION TO USE ALL OF THEIR FULL NAMES HERE, BUT FOR A PICTURE, CLICK THE PHOTO ICON ABOVE) SOPHIE, SAM AND SAM, JOSH, DILLON, AND EXTRA SPECIALLY JAGGER TROUANT (NOW MR. JORDAN'S BIGGEST FAN!!!!) FROM THE LAST WORKSHOP.  THE LIBRARY PROVIDED A SNACK FOR THE ASPIRING ARTISTS, COMICS WERE GIVEN AWAY, AND DURING THE COURSE OF THE WHOLE THING, I FINISHED ANOTHER ORIGINAL STRIP CARTOON USING THE PARVERIAN TALES CHARACTERS (SEE BELOW).  THIS TIME I GOT IT DONE IN THE TIME ALLOTTED, AND THE LIBRARY PHOTOCOPIER WORKED JUST DANDY SO EACH ONE OF THE KIDS GOT TO TAKE HOME A SIGNED AND PERSONALIZED COPY.  AGAIN, I HAD A LOT OF FUN AND GOT TO MEET SOME GREAT YOUNG FOLK WHO, BY THE LOOKS OF IT, WILL BE GIVING ME SOME PRETTY STIFF COMPETITION IN A FEW YEARS.  A SECOND FOLLOW-UP WORKSHOP WAS TALKED ABOUT, BUT NOTHING WAS SET IN STONE; HOWEVER, THE RECENT REDECORATION OF THE LIBRARY (SOMEONE PARKED A CAR IN IT OVER EASTER WEEKEND) MAY FORCE THE DATE OF THIS BACK FOR A WHILE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS, CONTACT MS. RAMSAY AT (207) 353-6564 (SORRY, MS. RAMSAY IS NO LONGER WITH THE LISBON LIBRARY) OR CHECK BACK HERE EVERY SO OFTEN.

 This is the strip I did at the Lisbon Library.  I still don't know the significance of the duck suit.  

FEBRUARY 5, 2005

ON FEBRUARY 5th, 2005, THERE WAS A FOLLOW UP WORKSHOP FROM 11am TO 1pm HELD AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY COURTESY OF SALLY HOLT (THE WONDERFUL LADY WHO SET UP THE FIRST ONE).  THERE WAS PIZZA (DONATED BY THE LOCAL PAPA JOHN'S) AND THERE WERE PRIZES (SOME HOW-TO ART BOOKS COURTESY OF APL), AND I GOT TO SHOW OFF ALL THE KNOWLEDGE I'VE COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THE USE AND CARE OF THE 'TOOLS OF THE TRADE'.  IN THE OTHER HOUR AND FIFTY-SEVEN MINUTES....JUST KIDDING.  A FEW OF THE TEENS FROM THE 1st WORKSHOP WERE IN ATTENDANCE JARED SERPICO (PEANUTRON RULES!!), AND THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO WILL STILL BE KNOWN AS "M" (WHO WENT FROM WILDLIFE TO HARRY POTTER), AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW FACES:  PORTIA LOTHROP (WHO WILL MORE THAN LIKELY BE RAIDING HER DAD'S DRAFTING TOOL SUPPLY BEFORE LONG),  BRIANNA STEVENS (WHO COULD DRAW DRAGONS WITH THE BEST OF THEM), HER BROTHER TYLER STEVENS (WHO NOT ONLY HAD DATES ON ALL HIS WORK BUT PRODUCTION TIMES AS WELL), ZACH KILTON (THE YOUNGEST ATTENDEE WHO DIDN'T SHOW ME HIS WORK UNTIL THE END OF THE WORKSHOP), AND JAGGER TROUANT (WHO SWITCHED FROM DRAWING DRAGON BALL Z STUFF TO DRAWING THE PARVERIAN TALES BY THE END OF THE AFTERNOON).  DURING THE COURSE OF THE TWO HOURS (WHICH STRETCHED AGAIN INTO OVERTIME) I CREATED A THREE PANEL STRIP JUST FOR THE EVENT (SEE BELOW).  UNFORTUNATELY, THE LIBRARY PHOTOCOPIER WAS ON THE FRITZ AND I HAD TO COPY THEM LATER.  HOPEFULLY, ALL THE KIDS GOT THEIR COPY (WHICH I PERSONALIZED). 

This is the strip I did at APL.  It's a little blurry in this size, but still readable.

DECEMBER 2, 2004


THE FIRST WORKSHOP FOR MIKE WAS ON DECEMBER 2nd, 2004 AT THE BOOK BURROW, A SMALL BOOKSHOP IN AUBURN.  THE WHOLE AFFAIR WAS ARRANGED BY SALLY HOLT AT THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND WAS SUPPOSED TO CONSIST OF A SHORT LECTURE ABOUT COMICS AND THEN A Q&A SESSION ENDING WITH A QUICK SIGNING AND SELLING OF THE PARVERIAN TALES.  IT ENDED UP BEING A VERY INFORMAL EVENT WHERE MIKE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER SOME OF THE LOCAL YOUTHS' TALENT AND TO HELP THEM BECOME BIGGER AND BETTER COMIC ARTISTS.  THE KIDS WERE GREAT, AND WITH THE HELP OF DOUGHNUTS AND COCOA (IT WAS COLD OUT) WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TIME, A BIT OF FUN; AND DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS, ALL LEARNED A THING OR TWO.   IN ATTENDANCE WERE ALENDRA HARRIS (VERY MUCH INTO THE JAPANESE STYLE OF ART), JARED SERPICO (WHO ALREADY HAS HIS OWN CHARACTERS IN THEIR OWN STRIP-AND OTHER MERCHANDISE), COLE BENAK (WHO ALSO HAS HIS OWN STRIP WHICH WAS VERY REMINISCENT OF CALVIN AND HOBBES), AND A YOUNG WOMAN WHO DOESN'T WANT HER NAME USED AND WILL HENCEFORTH BE CALLED "M" (WHO FREEHANDED A PICTURE OF A WHALE AFTER INFORMING ME ON NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT SHE DIDN'T READ COMICS).  ALSO THERE, AS UNOFFICIAL ATTENDEES WERE SALLY, AND BOTH JARED'S AND M'S MOTHERS.   

MR. J. IS STILL WORKING WITH DONNA WALLACE AT APL ON DOING AN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP WORKSHOP WITH THE TEENS AT THE LIBRARY, AND HAS BEEN TENTATIVELY SLATED FOR JULY 10th FROM THREE TO FOUR, AS A PART OF THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM.  CHECK BACK IN A WEEK OR SO, AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAMMERED OUT THE CRITICAL DETAILS BY THEN.
AS FOR THE WORKSHOP IN RAYMOND FOR OUR OLD PAL SALLY HOLT, IT HAS BEEN SLATED FOR JULY 7th AND IS STILL TENTATIVELY A MUSCLE SEE; MUSCLE DO AFFAIR.  MR. J. WILL BE VISITING SALLY IN THE FARAWAY LAND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AND THEY WILL SET A DEFINITE TIME SLOT AND A MENU OF WHAT WILL BE COOKING THAT DAY.

NOTHING ELSE HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR 2013 AS OF YET.   IF YOUR ORGANIZATION IS INTERESTED IN CONTACTING MR. JORDAN ABOUT HOSTING A WORKSHOP, YOU CAN DO SO BY EITHER E-MAILING AT:  bigredapress@roadrunner.com OR BY WRITING HIM AT 18 ARNOLD DRIVE, LISBON, ME. 04250. OR CALLING HIM AT (207) 353-4021.  IF YOU DESIRE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HE DOES, PLEASE VISIT OUR WORKSHOP INFO CENTER.

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