Ian: Once again Nuv has interrupted online research time (read: saucy lesbian pornography) by getting all up on my nuts about writing another article. Normally I’d be chapped, but this time I’m stoked because it’s about our pal, Jason Copland.
Nuv: Jason “Jerkface” Copland is the reason the rest of the R2AK staff looks almost as good as I do. All of the original art you see, from the faces to the left of this article to the figures in the banners above them, is his handiwork. (If you haven’t yet, when you’re done reading this, click ‘About’ in the navigation bar above and go see what he and our web-wizard Cody constructed. Then tell your website’s About Page to go draw a warm bath and slit it’s wrists) Jason is an absolute assassin with a pencil. I’ve watched him grow and evolve over time to become what he is today: A f@¢king capital A, all-caps, kick-ass ARTIST that has only one flaw that I can see: he’s also friends with that son of a bitch, Ian. On that note, back to you F@¢k-O…
Ian: Thanks, S#!%face. I first met Jason on the strike line (during the 2007 municipal strike) where he was doing a kick ass Daredevil in his sketchbook. I knew right then and there that a) I wanted that damn Daredevil and b) I was probably going to have to befriend the guy to get it. HA! Just jokes J.! Seriously though, it’s art that grabs you right out of the gate. I should also note that he was goodly enough to give me that Daredevil sketch!
Nuv: Let’s talk a bit about some of our favorite pieces from his website, (You can see them in the gallery below), where he posts new art a few times a week in between being a goalie, raising a child, knocking people with umbrellas out from under awnings and just generally being better than Jim Valentino. (You should all take some time and go peruse jasoncopland.com. Good times shall be had, this I swear!)
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Nuv: We’ve mostly shown you stand alone pieces, which fail to touch upon one of Copland’s greatest strengths: his story-telling. He never skimps on backgrounds and puts a lot of thought and work into staging scenes and making sure it’s a smooth ride from panel-to-panel. If you don’t believe me, here’s some stops you should make on your way the f@¢k outta here:
1) Jason has a short story you should check out here. (I love the first page; it’s all fairly ordinary stuff, but something about the angles/distances he chooses and even the panel shapes all give me the feeling that something Twilight Zone-ish is just around the corner…)
2) Another short story will be released as part of the anthology Trickster in June 2010, so mark your calendars.
3) Pick up his previous work on the series The Perhapanauts (pin-up in issue 4 and back-up story in issue 5)
4) Go to your local comic shop and pick up The Perhapanauts Special: Molly’s Story, released February 17th. Today. NOW! Jason draws the creepiest mullet/mustache mofo of all time, and you don’t wanna miss that s#!%, do ya? If they don’t have it, kick them in their little chick-pea nuts and demand they order you a copy. It’s for your own good.
Ian: Interesting side note. Jason told me he based that creepy mullet guy on a picture he found of you on Facebook. Yeesh!
Nuv: Oh, those. They were from a costume party I attended. The theme was ‘Things that are more attractive than that crowhole Ian’. I dressed up as Mama Explosivo circa 1980. (Age, not year) Other attendees included: Seal’s scars, Rosanne Barr’s toilet seat and a yeast infection.
Ian: You, my friend, are a post-poop, pre-wipe a-hole.
Nuv: I’m not your friend, Lice Cube.
Put two in the air…
– The Big Two
NEXT ISSUE: THE DASTARDLY DUO ON THE DRUGS?! WITH THE WORLD AS THEIR WITNESS, WILL THE RIDDLER AND HIS TRUTH SERUM FINALLY DOWNSIZE THE BIG TWO?!? CAN IAN AND NUV BAND TOGETHER LONG ENOUGH TO ESCAPE THIS SUPER-LONG TEASER??? FIND OUT IN THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF ‘RIDDLE ME THIS.’?SAME IAN-TIME, SAME NUV-CHANNEL…
Copland’s image of Thor leaning up against the tree is amazing. It is quiet yet very powerful.