Intense: Comic Omnibus Collaboration

In 2008, I had the good sense to take a Comic Intensive course that included instruction by the terrific comic book artists and teachers Jessica Abel and Matt Madden (the hilarious and talented Peter Bagge was also one of my instructors, along with PNCA driving unit Daniel Duford). I learned a lot about comics from these people.

Image from my comic "One Queen Per Hive" ©2009 Greg Tozian

One of the great things that came out of the class is I struck up a friendship with a bunch of fellow comic book artists who I met in he class, including: Jefferson Powers (an artist and former comic publisher), Randall Jahnson (who co-wrote the movie, The Doors, with Oliver Stone); Kevin Uhlein (a hardworking comic artist who subsequently went to that comic college in New England); Marco Kaye (an advertising copywriter); Chris Hazel (who ended up going to one of those highly thought of California illustration schools); Jonathan McNally (a really pro comics illustrator), and Ezra Ereckson (another terrific illustrator).

I collaborated with the comics students above to put out our first independent publication: Intense: Tales From the 2008 PNCA Graphic Novel Intensive, with an Introduction by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. Each of us did an individual comic, contained in the omnibus. Jessie Bazata did a great type-treatment cover for the book, too.

One of my bee drawings from One Queen Per Hive. © Greg Tozian 2010

My 10-page comic in the omnibus is called “One Queen Per Hive,” an adaptation of one of my previously published short stories. I still have copies of this if anyone is interested in purchasing one. Just send me an email and we’ll talk. : ) Below is an illustration, ripped, as they say, from the pages of my comic.