The founder of KISS comix

Last week the publisher of Spain's KISS Comix, Jose Maria Berenguer, died. It seems that lately most of my updates are about the deaths of people who were important to me and I feel it's necessary for me to write about it. But I seriously hope this is the last death entry for a very long time.

Last August I wrote about the end of KISS Comix with an interview with Sr. Berenguer where he mentioned a lot of the artists who have contributed to the magazine and failed to mention me. Now, I have to own up to the fact that I was a little peeved at that and I even thought about just deleting the post so I wouldn't seem petty about the oversight, but I decided to leave it. We're all slaves to our emotions sometimes, so I'm sure you all understand.

Like every artist/publisher relationship since the dawn of time, we had our differences. I mentioned at the top about people who were important to me and he was. He started the first Spanish erotic anthology magazine and invited me on board just as the first GIRL series was wrapping up. It's too bad that both of La Cupula's magazines, EL VIBORA and KISS Comix, had to end, but apparently Sr. Berenguer had been battling cancer and I guess he couldn't keep them going. But 20 years is a pretty good run for a magazine. The cover above was my first and it was the second issue.

Sr. Berenguer was a good man and we had some great times. Like I mentioned, we had our differences, but I never lost my respect for him.

Fins despres, cavaller!

The Return of Francesca

Yes, I am still working on the final installment of the series GIRL: The Second Coming. and one of the main plot points is Jaleira returning to Silo City and the FANG universe.

My first color series, the three issue FANG comics introduced Francesca, a young woman searching for her mother in a weird city populated by werewolves and vampires. She, as you might expect, has one hell of an adventure. In the third issue Jaleira makes a cameo appearance to help guide Fran. So I decided to have Francesca return the favor, but I wanted to make her a more integral part of the story.

For the first two issues of FANG I didn't even have a name for her. I didn't want to use a common name found in comic books then-not Jane or Donna or nothing too mainstream. After finishing the second issue, I went to Rome and met a gorgeous italian girl named Francesca. I didn't think of using that name for my character then, but a month after that trip, I was home and caught a late night television airing of "The Mad Monster Party" which is, in my opinion, probably the greatest stop motion animated film ever made with characters designed by the great Jack Davis. (If you've never seen it, find it.)

The "damsel in distress" in the film was named Francesca and that's when I thought about it. I had gotten into the third issue by then and tried to think of any existing comic book characters named Francesca and couldn't think of any. I haven't kept up with comics lately, so there may be some now, but at the time I was doing Fang, I couldn't find any. It's a great name, so I decided to use it as a name for a total amazonian bad ass.

And as you can see in the painting, you probably don't wanna piss her off.

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Moebius- One of my Greatest Heroes Falls

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/03/10/moebius-death-french-comics-icon-jean-giraud-dead-at-73-bbc-reports/

There's no need for me to write anything more about this great man than I've already written on this blog almost four years ago. You can read my Moebius story below.

http://blacklacestudios.blogspot.com/2008/06/moebius-aka-taylor-fan-trust-me-i-dont.html

However, I will write a heartfelt "So long. And thanks for all the inspiration."

GIRL-New York and Silo City

The next GIRL volume takes place in two different worlds, GIRL's New York City and Silo City from my FANG series. Jaleira had a cameo in the FANG series, so for the last volume of The Second Coming she returns to Silo City where Francesca has a prominent role. With the appearance of Fran, this will mark the one series that all of my major characters have appeared in. I'll post a page with Fran sometime later.

The other point of this volume is that I decided to paint it with two different techniques-one for the New York scenes and another for the Silo City scenes. Since they're two different dimensions, I wanted them to look different. In the pages above you'll see how it looks, the left page being N.Y. and the right Silo City. New York is mainly watercolor while Silo City is markers and more airbrush and also a little darker.

For years I've wanted to do one book with multiple techniques ever since I saw the series ZORA by Fernando Fernandez in Heavy Metal Magazine. Although Fernandez used multiple techniques I decided to stick with two-two worlds, two techniques. Besides, this book has taken me long enough as it is.

So, for those who thought I've stopped doing comics, and even to those few that thought I was dead-yes, I actually read comments on forums and on my Deviant Art page that some thought I was dead-I'm hard at work on the last GIRL book and I'm hoping it will be greeted warmly..okay, hotly. With a passion! So, I hope you all have just a little more patience. Once this volume is done, I plan to take GIRL into a different direction.

And you're gonna have to wait to hear about that.

http://kevinjtaylor.com

GIRL-The Second Coming -Kevin J. Taylor

There are lots of ways to enjoy a lollipop.

I've been reading on a few forums that lots of people think I've stopped drawing and doing comics. Someone even sent me a message when they found my page on Deviant Art and wrote they thought I was dead. One day, sure, but I'm still working on the final GIRL book. Unfortunately, little things get in the way, like having to do other things to earn a living. The crappy economy over the last few years has spared no one.

I'm much further along with the book than the above page, which is page 18. I recently posted another page on my facebook page which shows the painting process. I'm hoping to have this book done soon so I can go on to other projects. There's still a lot to be done.

I ain't dead yet.

http://kevinjtaylor.com

She can do WHAT?

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Queen of Opala

This is one of three pieces I did for the new Queen of Opala game. I had never heard of this game before the creator contacted me, but I've spoken to some gamers and, apparently, it's really huge. So, if you play the game, you'll see some Taylor originals there. It looks like winning would be fun.

http://kevinjtaylor.com