OK. It is announcement time-I just got copies of my comic book in!

While some people here know about it-I never made an official announcement before. But I have been working on a comic book for the last two years.

This is not EXACTLY the book I have been working on, but it's a companion to that book.

Let me explain: my REAL book is called "KHWAN:Thai-Ger". Frank Cho described it as "a semi-autobiographical story of this hot look chic in Thailand who turns into a cat-like creature who fights crime with the help of a baby elephant...all with a Buddhist twist". OK, that will work for now.

Its the kind of book that I would want to read. Its the kind of book that I wish they made more of. Its Carl Barks-but with cute Asian girls instead of ducks.

Its also LONG. I want to give people value for their money. The first issue is 130 pages long. Its like a graphic novel. And the plan is to release these issues every 6-8 months. No, not manga...it is a comic book.

The artist to the book is a Filipino artist named "Ziggy". The covers are painted by Michael Calandra (http://www.calandrastudio.com/) who is best known for his covers to Heavy Metal Magazine.

Along with the main story, each book was going to have 1 or 2 short stories by my artist friends (Dean Yeagle & Steve Rude have promised future stories)

Everything was going along fine, slow but fine, and then late last year some real world problems happened...divorce, a nervous breakdown, homelessness, a job at a toxic waste factory, clinical depression (and the drugs that go with it)...and those were just Ziggy's.

He quit. Then wanted to come back. Then quit again. Then MAYBE wants to come back.

Meanwhile, I have been talking to another Filipino artist and an artist from Brazil who want to do the book if Ziggy does not continue. Another artist, a well-known artist who hasn't done any comic book artwork (by his choice) since the 1990's wants to do a six-issue mini series as his return to comics. So I have a few options right now.

But also right now, I have 130 pages of artwork from the first book that need to be lettered (I do my own lettering). Well, they are already lettered, I am in the process of re-lettering because I found a new font that I like much better.

But I also have no patience to wait!

So, I decided to do a small 32-page comic book just for fun. I gathered up three of the short stories that I had originally planned on using in the main book and made a book called "Tales Calculated to Drive You...KHWAN". And had 369 copies printed (yup, this is a very limited edition). Michael Calandra painted an exclusive cover for it.

And the book is wonderful (if I do say so myself!). What started as a joke now looks and reads like a really funny, well written and well drawn comic book. Without even trying, the three stories inside have the flavor of the original MAD comic books. Two of them are drawn by Ziggy and the third is by Anthony Carpenter (www.carpenterart.tripod.com)

This book turned out to be so nice, I am planning on doing one of these collections every year! And Anthony Carpenter has agreed to do one story in each of them (and as you can see by the artwork sample above (the 2nd one), his artwork is gorgous!

WHEW. I hope I didn't brag too much? Seriously, I am very happy with how the book turned out. It's really something that I am proud of. The artwork is great, but more importantly, the stories are good. They're funny, but they also have something to say (I hope).

Unfortunately, my original plans for selling it at the San Diego Con has fallen through. A friend of mine was suppose to have a table (sharing with a friend of his), but now tells me he won't have a table. Maybe I should post time I stand outside of convention and stand on box and sell copies of my book. I can yell: Comic book for sale! Comic Book for sale!



KHWAN

PS If you would like to see previews-please check out the Comic Space Gallery I have for it.

I will be making announcement soon on how to buy a copy.

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Hi. My name is Khwan. That is spelled with an "H". K-H-W-A-N.

Kwan is a man's name in China. I am not Chinese and I am not a man.

But don't worry-if you spell it wrong. I won't laugh at you. Many people make that mistake. But if you spell it right. I give you credit for being cool.

And I'm from Thailand-not Taiwan. Thailand is very different than Taiwan. Like my name. Many people make the mistake and think that they are the same. Taiwan is part of China. Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia near Cambodia and Vietnam.

Or maybe when people spell my name "Kwan" they not make mistake. Maybe they want to speak to gentleman name "Kwan" who live in Taiwan?

If you want to speak to Kwan in Taiwan. I sorry-you came to the wrong place. If you want to speak to Khwan from Thailand-that is me. :-)

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I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. And here is my card with original artwork:

CLICK HERE FOR KHWAN'S COMIC CHRISTMAS CARD

Hope all enjoy. And comments welcome.

And yes. I know Christmas not holiday for everyone. But if I Buddhist and can enjoy the holiday. I hope you can too!

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http://www.khwan.com
http://www.pinupheaven.com

These are the two Yahoo Groups I own. One is about artwork (comics and pinup artwork). One is about me. :-)

I was born in Thailand and lived most of my life in Bangkok. Now I'm in Los Angeles.

So much more to say. In the future.

Here we go again....

OK. And also I see the sad prejudice that I find in other places on internet also here. If people not understand-I member here less than 1 week and I already start to get nasty emails from people. That is--because I girl and because I look the same way that I do. That it must be impossible that I really like comic books and comic artwork. And because of people who judge others by the way they look-I am forced to prove that I serious about my passion for comics.

So for those judgmental people. Yes. I love comics. But I sure that you not beleive that because it easier to look down on others. So. Here is list of people:

Steve Rude
Buzz
Frank Cho
Terry (Al Rio's manager)
Michael Bair
The Comic Geek Speak Crew (especially Jamie)
Peter Bagge

Feel free to ask them about me and if I real person or not. Or if I serious enough about comic books.

And if you still want to find reasons to not like me because of the way I look-sorry, I can't change that. I suggest that more people stop worrying and judging others and start enjoying their own life.

Because of that I think I have the right to look and dress like I want. And I fight for that right. Think of me as the Rosa Parks of Thai Girls in Lingerie. :-)

Seriously. There are 2 things that most people need to know about Thai people:

#1-Thailand is the land of smiles. That mean that most people Buddhist and they try to find happiness where the can and they try not to let problems bother them.

#2-Thailand is the only Asia country to NEVER have other country success in invade us. That mean. We smile. But please not try to take advantage of that smile. Because if you do-we kick your a**…and we smile when kicking.


I am here to make new friends who like the same things I do-comics. And spend time with old friends I have before. And to have interesting discussions. So you have comments or questions. Please post-and I will try to reply.


Click here to send email

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OK. Have many people ask what I read and enjoy so I try to make some lists:

It nothing special or fancy or underground or make me sound cool. I not read comic books because I like 1 character. That mean I not can say I like Batman more than I like Spiderman. Or I read every issue that have Black Canary in.

I mostly follow artists and writers and the work that they do.


My #1 Favorite: Carl Barks

My Other Favorites:
Jack Kirby
Will Eisner’s THE SPIRIT
PLASTIC MAN
EC Comics
Calvin & Hobbs

Some Manga. I LOVE Nana! And I enjoy lots of Manga Horror like TOMIE.

I like Cerebus. But I have only read some of it and I have so much more to read.


ARTISTS:
Kent Williams
Dave McKean
Moebius
Milo Manara
Richard Corben
Peter Bagge
Jeff Jones
Jim Steranko
Geoff Darrow
Jon Muth
Dave Stevens
Robert Crumb
Mark Schultz
Dean Yeagle
Steve Rude
Michael Calandra
Bruce Timm
Lorenzo Sperlonga
Frank Frazetta
Bernie Wrightson
Al Rio
Chris Ware
Shane Glines
Giovanna Casotto

And MANY more that I not can think of right now. I sure when I finish this list. 5 minutes later I think of 25 more.



And now special place in my heart for my new hero writer Warren Ellis (he know why!). Lots of people write about superheroes, read about superheroes, collect nothing but books about superheroes. But rarely act same in real life. In his own small way, Mr. Ellis has shown me that there are people left in the world who still act to help-even when they have nothing to gain.

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