Mouse Guard Creator Commentary: Gene Ha

Back in the March 2021 Onlinecon, I invited comic artist and creator of 'Mae' Gene Ha on to go through his Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard story: 'Worley & The Mink' with Lowell Francis from volume 1.

Together Gene and I go page by page of his story to get his thoughts and process. Enjoy!

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/W2pMocAycOA

Legends of the Guard Creator Commentary with Mark Smylie

In the August 2020 Onlinecon, I had Archaia founder Mark Smylie on to go through his Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard story: 'Crown of Silver, Crown of Gold.' We talk about his role in Mouse Guard and Legends getting started, and go page by page of his story to get his thoughts and process. Enjoy!

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/SkyvxG1NFBs

Legends Creator Commentary with Jeremy Bastian

Legends of the Guard (The Mouse Guard anthology series) allowed me to work with some amazing illustrators and storytellers. I sat down with Jeremy Bastian, the creator of Cursed Pirate Girl, and wend page by page and panel by panel of his Legends story: The Battle of the Hawk's Mouse & the Fox's Mouse. Below is the video where you can listen to the conversation as well as see the panels and pages we are referring to.

Direct link to watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vTokuEmVJf8

Jeremy Bastian's links:
Website: jeremybastian.ink
Twitter: @jeremybastian
Instagram: @jeremy_bastian
Patreon: patreon.com/JeremyBastian




2019 Appearances
New York Comic Con October 3-6
Baltimore Comic Con October 18-20
The Fantastic Workshop Nov. 13-18

Creator Commentary: Legends of the Guard: POTENTIAL

I've made a Creator Commentary video for the short story from Legends of the Guard Vol. 1: POTENTIAL. Joining me on the video are the creators of that story, writer Alex Kain, and artist Sean Rubin. Watch the video below as we go page by page and panel by panel with behind the scenes info, inspirations, art & story notes, and reference. Enjoy!

Direct YouTube link: https://youtu.be/dwkEdwLK92k


2018 Appearances:

New York Comic Con: Oct. 4-7

Legends of the Guard characters revisited

To start on the 2018 sketchbook and to make sure my portfollio was stocked with original art for San Diego Comic Con, I had the idea of doing Mouse Guard pieces based on specific characters & stories from the guest contributors in Legends of the Guard. For those who don't know, Legends is a spinoff anthology series where guest artists write and illustrate tall tales, fables, and folklore set in the Mouse Guard world. The 3 volumes of Legends are now available in a nice boxed set.

Below I'll show a bit of the original artist's tale that I used as reference, and the inks and colors for my homage:

Potential

by Sean Rubin (a) & Alex Kain (w)

In Volume 1, Sean and Alex told a tale about a mouse named Eskel who visits Barkhamstead to stop a bear who has gotten too close to the town. To get the bear where he needs to perform the slaying, Eskel opens a locked canister filled with some special blend of herbs, pollens, etc that will lure the beast right below him.

For my version, I just wanted to focus on that moment where there is no turning back, where the elaborately decorated and sealed canister is opened, the contents blow to the wind, and the bear's arrival is imminent. 

inks:

colors:

The Mouse Generals

by Eric Canete

In Volume 2, Eric illustrated a story about three mice who, to be recognized as leaders, build and wear elaborate headdresses. Unfortunately, like in the Aesop story this is based on, the crowns become their undoing.

For my version, I copied the very pose Eric drew and the color palate Scott Keating painted. The designs for these mice are so wonderful, and I loved getting to translate each adornment and texture for this piece.

inks:

colors:

The Shade

by Jemma Salume

In Volume 2, Jemma did a Mouse Guard ghost story! Two Guardmice, Fila & Aaron, visit an uncharted town where a cursed tree's shadow transports those in the shade to a horrible place haunted by a ghost owl.

For my version, I redrew Aaron & Fila (I cribbed details from Jemma's initial character designs that were refined for the story) and studied a few owl skeleton photos for the ghost.

inks:

colors:

When Moles Around

by Charles Paul Wilson III

In Volume 2, C.P. Wilson III contributed a story about a mouse and a mole become unlikely friends, especially since burrowing moles would ruin the foundations of mouse dwellings. The mole ends up using this trait to foil the plans of a marauding group of mouse bandits & pillagers.

For my version, I drew a hero-shot of the Mouse and the Mole burrowing out to save the day.

inks: 

colors:

Oleg the Wise

by Alex Sheikman

In Volume 1, Alex adapted a Russian folktale about a warrior/king who is told a prophecy that his mount will be the death of him. For the Legends version, Oleg gives up the weasel he rides due to this prediction (seemly wise as a weasel is a natural predator) only to be struck down years after the weasel is dead and buried visiting its grave.

For my version, I kept the color palate and layout of a banner in Oleg's castle (again expertly colored by Scott Keating) but with the armor designs of the 'real' Oleg

inks:

color:

My hope is to do more of these Legends homages so that the bulk of the 2018 Mouse Guard Sketchbook is Legends of the Guard related. You can still order the 2016 & 2017 sketchbooks in my online store: https://mouseguard.bigcartel.com

2018 Appearances coming soon...

Legends of the Guard Cover Stories Video 3

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard covers aren't just wrap-around images meant to imply mouse-legends...no, I write a Legend for each cover (including the variants) and include it for the fans to read in each publication. To celebrate the release of a Legends of the Guard Volumes 1-3 Box Set, I've recorded narration for some of my favorites:

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Cover Legends 3

The Legends of the Guard Box Set

 is available from Your local comic or book shop and Amazon.com

For a past blogpost on the Box art for the Boxed set: http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2016/07/legends-of-guard-vols-1-3-boxed-set-art.html

For process blogposts on the 3 covers in the video:

The Cloverdale Snake Tamer:

http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2015/05/legends-of-guard-hardcover-art-process.html

The Moth Potentate Coronation:

http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2015/03/legends-of-guard-vol-3-4-cover-process.html

The Lost Calogero Caravan:

http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2014/12/legends-of-guard-vol3-cover-1-process.html

2017 Appearances: 

Emerald City Comic Con: Mar. 2-5

C2E2: April 21-23

Heroes Con: Jun. 16-18

San Diego Comic Con: July 19-23

Baltimore Comic Con: Sept. 22-24

New York Comic Con: Oct. 5-8

Legends of the Guard Cover Stories Video 2

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard covers aren't just wrap-around images meant to imply mouse-legends...no, I write a Legend for each cover (including the variants) and include it for the fans to read in each publication. To celebrate the upcoming November release of a Legends of the Guard Volumes 1-3 Box Set, I've recorded narration for some of my favorites:

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Cover Legends 2

The Legends of the Guard Box Set

 is available from Your local comic or book shop and Amazon.com

For a past blogpost on the Box art for the Boxed set: http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2016/07/legends-of-guard-vols-1-3-boxed-set-art.html

For process blogposts on the 3 covers in the video:

The Gatherers in the Dale:

http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2013/08/legends-of-guard-vol2-hardcover-cover.html

The Morten-Harvest Trio:

http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2013/06/legends-of-guard-vol-2.html

The Coin Horde Memorial:

http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2013/07/legends-of-guard-vol-2.html

2017 Appearances: 

Emerald City Comic Con: Mar. 2-5

C2E2: April 21-23

Heroes Con: Jun. 16-18

San Diego Comic Con: July 19-23

Baltimore Comic Con: Sept. 22-24

New York Comic Con: Oct. 5-8

Legends of the Guard Cover Stories Video 1

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard covers aren't just wrap-around images meant to imply mouse-legends...no, I write a Legend for each cover (including the variants) and include it for the fans to read in each publication. To celebrate the upcoming November release of a Legends of the Guard Volumes 1-3 Box Set, I've recorded narration for some of my favorites:

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Cover Legends 1

The Legends of the Guard Box Set

 is available from Your local comic or book shop and Amazon.com

For a past blogpost on the Box art for the Boxed set: http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2016/07/legends-of-guard-vols-1-3-boxed-set-art.html

2017 Appearances coming soon...

Legends of the Guard: The Timber Mice Video

The Timber Mice is a story in Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Volume 2. The melody was written by Cliff Monear, the lyrics were mine, and the story was illustrated by Justin Gerard. Vocalist, French Horn player, and Mouse Guard fan Kyra Sims recruited accordion player Jordan Shapiro and together they recored a beautiful rendition of 'The Timber Mice' for fans.

Below you can watch a video of the illustrations set against the performance:

For a past blogpost interview with Justin Gerard about his Legends of the Guard work:

http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/2013/10/spotlight-on-legends-of-guard.html

To Download a FREE MP3 of The Timber Mice:

http://www.mouseguard.net/downloads/music/

You can order the Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Volumes 1-3 Box Set

from Your local comic or book shop and Amazon.com

2016 Appearances:

New York Comic Con: Oct 6-9
2017 Dates coming soon...

Legends of the Guard Vol.s 1-3 Boxed Set Art

Archaia and I have decided to put together a slipcased box set of Legends of the Guard Volumes 1-3. It contains all three hardcovers (40 Mouse Guard tale tales & tavern yarns) and I've done some new box art for the slipcase.

The Legends of the Guard Box Set can be Pre-Ordered on Amazon 

-or- 

Through your Local Comic Shop 

-On Sale: November 2016
-Price: $59.99

For Today's post I'll be going over the full process of creating that artwork.

The first step was to decide on a subject. On this scan of my pencils of the mouse character, you can also see my notes for possible images: a mouse/bird delivery service, a mouse cartographer, and a mouse blessing or knighting a bat. But I ended up going with the idea of a Mouse Glazier. I drew this mouse while also researching how medieval glaziers soldiered lead or cut glass. On a lightbox I drew the background on another sheet.

I assembled these two drawings in Photoshop along with a stock image of a rose window design and a tile floor. The drawings are tinted to help me keep track of everything. Two things of note: 1) The assembly of a stained glass window is not done upright like this, but I thought it was more visually interesting and took some mouse-scale artistic license. 2) As this stage came together, I was mentally writing a story for this image (which is printed on the slipcase in the same way the Legends covers are all one paragraph legends).

Using my digital composite layout as a guide (I printed it out and taped it to the back of a sheet of Strathmore 300 series bristol and placed it on my lightbox) I was able to ink the piece. I use Copic Multiliner SP pens (the 0.7, 0.5, & 0.3 nibs). There wasn't much texture in this piece (stippling, crosshatching, etc) so most of the clarity of the image came down to line wights and strong contour lines.



I posted this image on Twitter as I worked on this piece. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to reveal what it was that I was working on, but here you can see the mouse fully inked, while I haven't started on the background and the layout image shows through on the lightbox.







After the inks are finished, I scanned them in and started coloring. This image is the finished 'flats' the part of the coloring process where you establish what areas are what colors with nothing but flat color. For color choices, I kept the basic tones I had in my rough for the checkerboard floor, and then re-used those colors and the star-fresco on the arches to supply the palette for the glazier's clothes.

I also established the colors of the stained glass pattern at this stage too, but I guess I didn't save a flats file after that...I just went into the next step.


The last step was to render the piece. Not only is this the part where I add all the texture and highlights and shadows, but also where I add lighting effects and subtle glows around the window, hot coals, and soldering iron.

I'm really proud of the Legends of the Guard Volumes 1-3. It was a huge honor to work with all those creators and get to see them flesh out corners of the Mouse Guard world I may never get to. This collection will make a nice gift and help tidy your shelf keeping you Legends of the Guard books together. Plus you can read about this Mouse Glazier and his tale in the wider Mouse Guard lore.

The Legends of the Guard Box Set can be Pre-Ordered on Amazon 

-or- 

Through your Local Comic Shop

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Volumes 1-3 contains the stories by:

Jeremy Bastian, Ted Naifeh, Alex Sheikman, Gene Ha, Lowell Francis, Sean Rubin, Alex Kain, Terry Moore, Katie Cook, Guy Davis, Jason Shawn Alexander, Nate Pride, Craig Rousseau, Karl Kerschl, Mark Smylie, Joao P. Lemos, Stan Sakai, Nick Tapalansky, Alex Eckman-Lawn, Ben Caldwell, Christian Slade, Rick Geary, Jemma Salume, Eric Canete, C.P. Wilson III, Cory Godbey, Bill Willingham, Jackson Sze, Justin Gerard, Cliff Monear, Dirk Shearer, Mark Buckingham, Skottie Young, Hannah Christenson, Nicole Gustafsson, C.M. Galdre, Dustin Nguyen, Kyla Vanderklugt, Mark A. Nelson, Jake Parker, Ramon K. Perez, Becky Cloonan, Ryan Lang, Aaron Conley, Fabian Rangel Jr., & Lauren Pettapiece.  

2016 Appearances:

San Diego Comic Con: July 20-24

Boston Comic Con: Aug 12-14

Baltimore Comic Con: Sept. 2-4

New York Comic Con: Oct 6-9

Legends of the Guard Volume 3 Hardcover

Tomorrow the third volume of Legends of the Guard comes out! I love getting to do the Legends of the Guard series because I get to work with so many amazingly talented folks who lend their artistic voices to the myth and lore of Mouse Guard. Today's blogpost is about the Hardcover and all the awesome stuff that will be collected inside.


To the right you can see my hand-drawn pagination guide editor Cameron Chittock and I used to assemble the volume. As you can see all the contributor stories are included (see below), but so are all the covers (including variants by Eric Muller, Humberto Ramos, and Ramon Perez), a new map, a 2nd floor cutaway of the June Alley Inn, and an epilogue by Lauren Pettapiece (see further below)

Stories and Contributors:

The Gosling & the Ghost: Mark Buckingham

The Mouse and the Moon: Skottie Young

The Armor Maker: Hannah Christenson

The Fall of Briarwall: Nicole Gustafsson & C.M. Galdre

Fallen: Dustin Nguyen

The Dancers: Kyla Vanderklugt

Nain Rouge: Mark Nelson

The Inventor: Jake Parker

The Tale of Abdiel's Heart: Ramon Perez

The Lament of Poor Lenora: Becky Cloonan

The Watcher's Stone: Ryan Lang

Deep and Dark: Aaron Conley & Fabian Rangel Jr.

...and..

an epilogue with pages from me:

and Lauren Pettapiece:

The hardcover has a two page spread dedicated to learning a little more about the patrons in the June Alley Inn this time around. 

You can also take a look back to past blogs about the process of creating each cover:

Issue #1 Cover Process

Issue #2 Cover Process

Issue #3 Cover Process

Issue #4 Cover Process

Hardcover Cover Process

Variant Covers

So enjoy Legends of the Guard Volume 3 Hardcover for all it's stories and extras!

2015 Appearances:

Art-Bubble Comics Festival: Copenhagen: Nov. 14-15

2016 Dates coming soon.