Over the next couple of weeks we are going to take a look at some of the talented comic writers and artists we spent time with at Staple-Austin over the past weekend. We had a great time meeting and interviewing these guys and girls and want to give you a chance to check out some of their work.

Brad West is an Austin based costume/clothing designer specializing in comic book, sci-fi and fantasy wear for conventions, parties and themed events. The costumes they create as well as wear to comic events and conventions are some of the most well designed and creative work you will see. You can always pick them out of a crowd because there is usually a large group of people surrounding the asking for pictures or to find out where they got their costumes. For more info on Brad West visit www.outrageousoutfits.com and order your outfit for comic-con today and enjoy the interview below…

Bio via his companies facebook.

We are an Austin TX based costume/clothing designer specializing in comic book, sci-fi and fantasy wear for conventions, parties and themed events. Doing our part to keep Austin weird. We have a skilled network of tailors, prop makers and fabrication artist proficient in a wide range of costume component development. What ever you can imagine we can create.

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to take a look at some of the talented comic writers and artists we spent time with at Staple-Austin over the past weekend. We had a great time meeting and interviewing these guys and girls and want to give you a chance to check out some of their work.

Paul is an Austin based artist and writer whose work has been featured by Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Heavy Metal, Ubisoft, Metro, Image, Criterion and Mirage Studios. You can find his work in book stores everywhere or for more info visit paulmaybury.com. You can also read his original webcomic Party Bear for free here. So make sure you check out his stuff and support artist who are out there doing good work. I’d recommend Strange Tales #2: Little Lies. Classic art style, good stories, Definitly worth checking out…

Pasties! There… Now that thats out of the way (dusts off hands). Matthew Jones from The Noob News interviews Black Mariah, burlesque dancer and master costume & pastie craftsman, on the finer points of Inter-Woman politics, why geeks are avoiding free panty catalogues, and electric light-up bacon sandwhiches.

Don’t forget to visit her website: www.blackmariahdallas.com

P.S. – Best Burlesque Costome… EVER!

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to take a look at some of the talented comic writers and artists we spent time with at Staple-Austin over the past weekend. We had a great time meeting and interviewing these guys and girls and want to give you a chance to check out some of their work.

Keith Quinn is a comic artist and writer who produces the book “Local Heroes”. You can find out more info on Keith and his comic at www.localheroes.us. So check out his site, buy his books, and enjoy the interview below we recently did with Keith.

From his site…

About Keith: Keith Quinn is the creator of the Local Heroes comic strip (writing, drawing, lettering), logos, and web site. Keith was also the co-creator of A Girl and Her Wookiee, a bi-weekly comic strip that ran from June 4, 2001 through December 24, 2002 at SWG Stratics. If you’d like to see more of his work, check out his online portfolio.

Experienced Throat Artist Neil Kaplan takes a minute with The Noob News to talk about his start, what he will and will not say as Optimus Prime, and why there is no whipping of voice actors in LA.

Some of Neil Kaplan’s credits are Optimus Prime, Tychus Findlay from Starcraft II, and more Video Game and Anime voices than you can shake a stick at… go on, try it! I dare you…

P.S.- Here’s the video to which he was referring in the video… where he’s talking about the video… and stuff…

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to take a look at some of the talented comic writers and artists we spent time with at Staple-Austin over the past weekend. We had a great time meeting and interviewing these guys and girls and want to give you a chance to check out some of their work.
Today’s artist of the day is writer and producer Seth Caplan. Seth has produced a ton of movies including “Teenage Dirtbag”, “Flatland”, and the upcoming “You, Me and the Circus”. Enjoy our interview where we discuss the recently released graphic novel “Throne of Secrets” as well as tons of other upcoming projects and check out his bio below.

Seth Caplan is a Chicago born award-winning filmmaker who has worked for production companies in New York, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam. Seth co-founded Enspire Learning, where he produced e-learning courses for Harvard Business School and the Department of Education. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.F.A. from the American Film Institute. Caplan’s thesis film “Duncan Removed” was honored with a student Emmy and was nominated for a Student Academy Award. His next project, “FLATLAND: THE MOVIE,” is an animated film featuring the voices of Martin Sheen, Kristen Bell, and Tony Hale.

Matthew Jones heads to All-Con 2011 in Dallas, TX to furiously fap all the steampunk girls with Mr. Richard Hatch of Battlestar Galactica fame.

P.S.- On a side note, while many may always remember Mr. Hatch as “APOLLO” from Battlestar Galactica, he will always live in my mind as “Dan” from “Prisoners Of The Lost Universe”.

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to take a look at some of the talented comic writers and artists we spent time with at Staple-Austin over the past weekend. We had a great time meeting and interviewing these guys and girls and want to give you a chance to check out some of their work.

Monica Gallagher is a talented comic writer and artist that just happens to be a super nice lady. She also makes awesome horror heroine portraits. You can check out her work and find more info about her at www.eatyourlipstick.com.
See her super long bio from her website below the interview we did with her at Staple…

Monica Gallagher is a graphic designer during the daylight hours and a comicker at night. While an animation major in college, Monica first tiptoed onto the comics scene with her webcomic Gods & Undergrads, following the awkward adventures of a girl transitioning into college life while simultaneously discovering her connection to Greek gods. Once her eyes had been opened to the online comics scene, Monica couldn’t help herself and continued to produce more work.

A short stint in amateur modeling led Monica to create both an autobiographical story dealing with her struggles with self-esteem (titled Boobage) and a fictional series dealing with a professional model who works part-time as an assassin (titled Lipstick & Malice). In 2010, she chronicled her experiences modeling in her autobio When I Was A Mall Model. Luckily, Monica emerged from modeling with both her boobs and her criminal record intact. She then discovered something else to become obsessed with and inspired by — Roller Derby. Bonnie N. Collide, Nine to Five is the result of her inspiration — a weekly webcomic that combines the superhero side of being a rollergirl with the Clark Kent side of working a day job. Monica just completed her first season as a member of the Junkyard Dolls, one of the four teams of lovely ladies of the Charm City Roller Girls. Sadly, she’s currently on a break from derby at the moment due to time constraints, but you better believe she’s still out there skating!

Recently, Monica contributed to Oni Press’s Roller Derby Anthology JAM! Tales from the World of Roller Derby which was released on June 23, 2010. She is currently working on illustrating a full-length graphic novel for Oni.

Monica continues to create short stories, contribute to anthologies, and tackle illustration work from her home in Baltimore, where she lives with her boyfriend and their dueling cats. Check out her blog for the latest dirt – you never know where she’ll pop up next!

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to take a look at some of the talented comic writers and artists we spent time with at Staple-Austin over the past weekend. We had a great time meeting and interviewing these guys and girls and want to give you a chance to check out some of their work.

Today’s artist of the day is Space Gun Studios. Space Gun Studio is a Dallas based creative arts studio looking to build a diverse range of creative offerings in both interactive media and print. You can find their work at space-gun.com

From their facebook page…

Space-Gun is a creative arts studio based out of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Studio members consist of Jake Ekiss, Vinh-Luan Luu, Paul Milligan and Matthew Warlick. Though we have a diverse range of creative offerings in both interactive media and print, our main focus lies with comic books.

Here at Space-Gun Studios, we eat, sleep, and breathe comics. With an expanding library under our creative belts, we set out everyday to create a diverse range of titles and concepts from our own creative impulses and experiences. We use various social medias to promote our books and are looking forward into the digital frontier of development, promotion, and distribution.

While Space-Gun’s primary goal is the creation of new creative properties, we also provide our artistic services on a contract basis. All told the studio boasts more than ten years of cumulative experience in multimedia/print design, illustration, copywriting, and sequential storytelling (comics). Space-Gun aims to be a haven of cool art, wicked ideas, slick design and phat rhymes.

At what age did you start learning how to play the flute?
About 21 or so while in transition from military to civilian life.

How did you learn how to play?
Applying my background in music theory and practice and upon finding the standard concert flute in C fingering chart.

What inspires/motivates your music?
As a photographer and graphic artist, music fulfills my innermost expressionism and experiences of beingness.

Out of all your albums which is your favorite? And why?
That’s easy! “CHANGES”, my first recording, is always my favorite because it launched me in a new direction full of possibilities.

Where do you grow up? Where do you live now?
I grow wherever I happen to be from one moment to the next. I have two homes, one in northern Sonora in an O’odham village called Chuk’saan and the other upon the Weeminuche’ Uncompahgre Plateau. Mostly, I live on airlines.

Out of all the places you have performed which was your favorite and why?
That would be craters in Volcanoes National Park on Hawai’I and later performing with Keola and Moanalani Beamer in Kamuela. My spirit comes from Polynesia.

Are you working on any projects or upcoming albums?
Yes, three but of those which will make it to Canyon Records will be discerned as each becomes finalized.

What kinds of music or artist influenced you?
Besides traditional ceremonial music of the Mojave, Chemehuevi, Yuma, Cahuilla, Hopi, Athapascans and Celts, I have always liked the music of many world cultures both old and modern.

Can you tell me about your cultural heritage?
I’m one of a number of peoples. I am born into the Red Willow people and born for the Mountain people of the Bear kiva. I am also born through my mother’s people for the Corn and Deer kivas of the Ashiwi. I also carry the blood of my ancient ancestor of the northern Spanish Celtic peoples.

If you had a chance to work with anyone you wanted whom would it be and why?
Saami, Senegalese, Mongolian, Moroccan dreamers of sound and silence. No particular individual strikes me at the moment.

Talisman is Nakai’s fifteenth studio album; the album celebrates 25 years of the Native American flute. The album will take you on a journey as it illustrates a soundscape of Native past. Nakai’s flute music in this album is not diluted with other instruments, only flute and in some songs two. The album sheds a new light on New Age music while paying homage to the heritage. You can purchase this album on Canyon Records website.

If you liked Nakai’s music, he also has a new album “Dancing into Silence” that is collaboration with William Eaton & Will Clipman. This album is different than Nakai’s solo work. “Dancing into Silence” not only has the Native American flute, but it also combines and harmonies with harp guitar and ethic percussion. In a few songs it also has some chants/prayers in the background. The album really portrays a Native soundscape and a good direction for world music. You can purchase the album on Canyon Records website

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to take a look at some of the talented comic writers and artists we spent time with at Staple-Austin over the past weekend. We had a great time meeting and interviewing these guys and girls and want to give you a chance to check out some of their work.

Up today is Austin Rogers. Austin is a talented writer and artist who runs redbeardcomics.com. You can find his work there as well as buy his comics and order commissioned works. Check him out and enjoy the interview we did with him @ Staple-Austin 2011.

From his website…

In the beginning, Austin “Redbeard” Rogers was merely an intangible mass of cosmic gases, until the day all was in grave danger. That is when the gods saw fit to have him forged with Thor’s mighty hammer into a man that could fight giant Martian Crocodiles with one arm, break bricks with a glare and stop a supernova with his beard. For eons he has fought the evils of the universe atop his trusty space mastodon. Now he is retired, creating art, comics and other stuff.

I understand this is your solo album, does this mean that Vermillion Lies broke up?
The band is on an indefinite hiatus. We are both focused on our solo projects and super excited to be doing music independently. I hope for a reunion tour someday though.

How does your music differ from Vermillion Lies?
Vastly. Vermillion Lies was part music and part cabaret. Some of our songs were genuine and many were story songs unrelated to our own lives and experiences. A lot of the songwriting was focused on comedic effect and shock value. While in Vermillion Lies I was writing a lot of the songs I play now and they didn’t quite work with the band. They were too honest. My sister and I both wanted to go in the direction of more sincere music making but its hard to change once people expect a certain thing from you. My songs are super vulnerable for me to perform. I still put a lot into my performance but in a different way… a more vulnerable and less theatrical way.

Your music is very unique if you had to put it in a genre what would you put it in?
Geek glam. Music for people who wear sequins to the library.

Who or what inspires your music?
Despite my best efforts, most of my songs are about heartbreak or heartache. Relationships are my inspiration. I don’t necessarily or exclusively mean romantic relationships. I have written many songs about friends or members of my family. They end up all sounding like love songs… which they are… just not the kind people might assume they are.

If you had a chance to work with any artist who would it be and why?
My goodness… that’s a super hard question to answer. I’m not sure I could pick just one. Andrew Bird is on the top of the list. He is incredible. Mosdef is in there. Johnny Cash if he were alive. Jona Bechtolt of YACHT and The Blow, he makes such amazing beats.

If you weren’t making music what other career path would you have chosen?
I have so many things I’d love to do. I can’t really imagine not doing exactly what I’m doing though. It keeps me sane… and also insane.

That said, I would love to focus more on prisoners rights activism. That is something I’m really passionate about and don’t have a ton of time to devote to. I have played at Folsom Prison four times in the last year. It’s been a really incredible experience to go in there. I’ve learned so much. The justice system in our country is not awesome. Its really punishment based instead of working towards rehabilitation. Its a self sustaining system with no hope of a cure the way its being run now. I could go on and on about this…

Can you walk me through your music making process?
Oh my… not really. It’s pretty random. Often there will be a line in my head for weeks and eventually there will be a tune with it and then I’ll pick up my guitar and try to figure out the chords to match the tune and then if its works and sounds good I try to write the rest of the song. Its a lot of trial and error. I’ve recently been experimenting with using just my voice to write instead of guitar. I will write and record backing vocal parts with harmonies and come up with a lead vocal to sing over it. That is really fun.

Out of all the places you have played at which was your favorite and why?
I love playing my home towns… anywhere I’ve lived and know lots of people. I get really nervous. I don’t usually get super nervous before shows so its a nice change. Its really exhilarating.

Out of all your songs which is your favorite and why?
That changes all the time. Usually my newest songs are my favorites. One that has been at the top of the list for a while is one that isn’t recorded yet. I wrote it a year and a half ago. Its called Serrated Spoon and is about a museum I build to display someone’s faults. I’m really proud of the imagery in it. “I’ll pick little parts of you out with a serrated spoon. I’ll fill jars with formaldehyde and put those parts of you inside.”

What are you looking forward to SXSW 2011?
I really loved SXSW when I went a few years ago with Vermillion Lies. Playing there is interesting because its hard not to get lost in the mix. There is so much going on. What I love is just hanging out and finding music. There is so much energy buzzing around and so much creativity. The unofficial shows are my favorite part. Every drive way, store front and back yard is hosting a show. It’s wonderful to be a part of it in any way. I’m excited to be hosting my own party this time. It’s also incredibly stressful. All the bands are really great and I can’t wait to see them all play.

Zoe’s new album called “Artichoke Perfume,” the album is catchy and enchanting. Her music sounds like a mixture between folk and pop and emulates the sound of an old vinyl record. Her lyrics will take you on a journey as she sings about heartaches and love with an array of whimsical charm she will leave you wanting more. If you want to find out more about Zoe or buy her album “Artichoke Perfume” check out her site http://www.zoeboekbinder.com/

The Noob News.com exclusive interview with Home Video

How long have you known each other and how did you meet?
We’ve known each other since freshman year of high school… so a long time. We shared an art class together and sat at the same table. We didn’t end up making music together until our last year of high school, but have been pretty much making music together ever since.

How did the band get started?
We used to play as a three person band with our friend Paul (who goes by the name Airman Our Pal) during the summer breaks in college when we would go home to New Orleans. We recorded a good amount together and played a handful of shows. We all went to school in different states, so it was hard to collaborate during the rest of the year.

Once we graduated college, David moved to New York, where Collin was . We ended up living in a brownstone in Brooklyn together and started making music together. We made three solid tracks that we felt were cohesive and started giving them to label people we knew. This was before blogs!

What inspires/motivates your music?
I think there is an immediate joy in making music that you feel proud of. That feeling is something very motivational. Also, the feeling of focusing your life and energy on something substantial. There are so many people who go through life doing things every single day that make them unhappy – all for the pursuit of money. And I think that life will catch up to you eventually.

Out of all the places you have performed which was your favorite and why?
We played Pukkelpop Festival, with Nine Inch Nails headling the festival, in Belgium a few years ago at 12 noon. We headed into it sort of exhausted from touring, and thinking that no one would be there so early. But when we came out on stage the tent we played was pretty much full, with at least 1,500 people. I remember feeling the exhaustion just evaporate, and this giddy feeling overwhelm me.

Out of all your songs, which song is your favorite and why?
I’m a big fan of Accomplished But Dead, the first track on our new album. I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but right now I’m liking it a lot.

What kinds of music or artist influenced the band?
From the old school – Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Portishead, Massive Attack, Radiohead, Brian Eno, Bjork, Boards of Canada, The Cure. Composers like Chopin and Philip Glass have definitely left their mark on us.

But we also bonded in art class, so we have an attachment to visual art as well. Painters like Francis Bacon, Rothko, Edvard Munch. Film directors like David Lynch, Jeunet and Caro, Wong Kar Wai, Brothers Quay.

If you had a chance to work with anyone who would it be and why?
My first thought is Brian Eno. He seems endlessly creative, and insanely smart. Although, I actually haven’t thought about this question much before.

Can you walk me through your music-making process?
We utilize the computer/studio pretty heavily in our writing process. So, one of us usually will record a piece of a song, a beat, or chord progression and bring it to the other. Then each of us will add and subtract from this until there seems to be something inspiring going on.

At some point, Collin sits with the music and writes lyrics to it and susses out a melody. This usually will dictate some of the structure. Then we come back together for more refining and additions. For our latest album, The Automatic Process, we also hired our friend and drummer Jim Orso to play drums for some of the songs, which we recorded in a proper studio.

So far we’ve done all of our own mixing and production, so we’ve had months of relistening and refining mixes of songs until we feel like they’ve proven themselves to us.

How has your music evolved since your first album?
Musically, the songs have gotten thicker on this latest album. The mixes are more dense and epic. We’ve focused more on the piano also. There are more songs on The Automatic Process with live instrumentation than No Certain Night Or Morning – including more live drums.

Lyrically, the new one is more personal. There was an intention to bare something more honest in these new songs, where the first album was a little more universal.

Production-wise, we’ve gotten much more adept at everything. We have better equipment. We’ve learned how to record and mix better.

Do you have any upcoming projects or tours?
We will be playing some shows at SXSW in March (check out our website: www.homevideo.fm) and we are releasing our new album, The Automatic Process, in Europe and the UK at the end of February.