Super Pro K.O.! Show : The Incredible World of Jarrett Williams

It’s been awhile but I’m back! The best part is that Super Pro K.O.! 3 Season is well underway. It all begins with a new exhibition called “The Super Pro K.O.! Show: The Incredible World of Jarrett Williams.” This exhibit is up at the FAB Gallery at South Carolina State University through October 16^th. It includes a ton of  work, mostly from Super Pro K.O.: Gold for Glory! coming from Oni Press in early 2016. More on that soon :)

What’s great about having this show is that it gives readers a brand new way to engage my comics.  I owe Giordano Angeletti, a professor at SCSU, for really making this show happen. It’s great having such supportive people in my corner.  Check out some photos below:

Here’s my Artist Statement for the exhibit:

“When it comes to making comics, I have always drawn inspiration from my childhood. I think back to my youth and the things that encouraged me to pursue a creative career in my adulthood. In the mist of the books, comics, board games, LEGO, videogames, cartoons, and movies, there was also one other interest. I was the epitome of a pro-wrestling fan.

Saturdays consisted of my relatives and I watching Midsouth Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). The real-life heroes of the ring were so amazing to me and my love for wrestling went well beyond college and into the present. When Oni Press decided to publish my original graphic series, Super Pro K.O.! (S.P.K.O.!) , I was beyond ecstatic. This was the result of years of working the comic convention circuit looking to get my big break. I finally had a chance to create a fictional pro-wrestling world where the characters were just as over-the-top as the stars I recalled from my childhood. I used my personal experiences breaking into the comic industry as a frame of reference to showcase my main character, Joe Somiano, rising up the heavyweight-ladder within S.P.K.O.!

This exhibition contains a significant amount work from Super Pro K.O.!: Gold for Glory (releasing in April 2016). This is my third graphic novel, and over 280 pages so I’m truly proud of what I accomplished here. Fun characters, detailed-environments, dynamic energy, comedic writing, and nonstop action--it’s everything I love about comics. I worked on this book over 2.5 years. If I can make the reader feel like they’re experiencing a live, Super Pro K.O.! event, then I’ve been successful at my job. And who knows, it might lead them to become a fellow pro-wrestling fan as well. “

I’m pumped about the artist talk I’ll be giving on Tuesday, September 29^th at 2:30pm at the B. Vaughan Recital Hall. I’ll be talking my journey into comics so far and what’s ahead. 2016 is the year! Stay tuned!

Later,

Jarrett

The "Glam Stretch"! Don't Tap Out, Sike!

Another page showcasing the awesome wrestling maneuvers in SPKO 3: Gold for Glory!

The Sike vs. Glam rivalry continues this volume. Who'll come out the victor? Stay tuned :)

J

Food Fight!!!!

Here’s an example of a food fight scene in Super Pro K.O.! #3 and the initial sketch layout (originally in blue pencil).  

 

You can view the above image on my Tumblr here . My sketches are pretty much rough nonsense and I rarely share them for that reason. I work everything out and tighten things up in the inking phase (my favorite part of comic making).

I was prompted to share this by Patric Reynolds who nominated me for an Artist Sketchbook Challenge. I have to say, this challenge forced me to sit and flip through five sketchbooks I’ve used over the past 2 years. It was pretty cool just going back and seeing what the hell I was doodling. Thanks for forcing me to revisit this stuff!

J

It's Been a Hot Second

This is one of the first few pages you'll see in Super Pro K.O.! #3. This particular scene was based off some friends and I hanging on a hotel balcony in NYC. I wanted everything to feel "epic" this volume. You'll notice all sorts of details as you flip through it. The spread above took about 6-8 hours from beginning to end. Joe Somiano and the Wildchild twins are alot of fun for me to draw. Recently, a buddy asked me who my favorite character is and I honestly couldn't answer that question. They're all fun in different ways. They're all extensions of my personality in some ways too.

So the past several months have been amazing. I've traveled from coast to coast (for personal and professional reasons). I'm talking Toronto, Berkely, San Francisco, Houston, New Orleans, Miami, and even Omaha all in the span of 6 weeks. Miami, I got a chance to meet Andre 3000 at Art Basel and it was awesome crossing paths with such an artists. I met all sorts of folks at Art Basel from graffiti artists to coffee bloggers. The scene there is epic. I know these experiences are just helping shape the stories I'll be able to tell. In fact, one of my personal goals has just been to get out and see, explore, and learn as much as I can from others and the world we sometimes take for granted.

I've been out of the loop social media wise. I struggle with it constantly. I'm definitely a recluse by nature and I wonder how we're shaping the perception of our work as cartoonists by sharing so much too soon. I'd much rather present a fully realized body of work versus a snippet. I didn't always feel this way but I guess its normal to change your views over time. The experiences I've had the past year have been great due in part to them being "mine" I've found that sharing stories with friends and family have been more meaningful since they weren't privy to the details via an app. Am I just getting old and out of touch? Or am I just living in the moment and owning it? (precedes to take selfie). 

I keep getting asked when Super Pro K.O.! v3 is coming out. It's all about timing. It's been the best work I've done to date. If you stay glued to my Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, or FB, you'll know soon enough ;) For someone who hates these apps, I have a ton of them it seems. Ha!

Later Comickers!

J 

Action Slamson Promo Art & A Summer of Comic Cons

Here's another piece of promo art for Super Pro K.O. v3 featuring Action Slamson!

I put a lot of effort into really developing the pro-wrestling fans in this volume. It gives the whole S.P.K.O.! world a more authentic and energetic feel. If you've ever been to a live wrestling show, you'll know this is key. I think I've nailed it :D

You'll actually get to see clips of Tomahawk Slamson as Action Slamson in S.P.K.O.! 3. I had this character planned early on so it's cool to see characters naturally evolving and taking on new personas as the series continues on. Here's a close up. Slamson's way too happy with his fans! 

I had a blast at Heroes Con and SC Comic Con the past month. If you saw me at either spot, thanks for stopping by to say, "hello!" . It looks like I'll be roaming San Diego Comic Con at the Wired event at the Omni Hotel from July 24-26th. It's been a busy summer but it's even better now that I only have 30 pages left to ink of S.P.K.O.! 3: Gold for Glory! It's wrapping up! Wooooooo!

Shout-out to Pat Loika for this awesome picture from my Heroes Con table!

Later!

Jarrett