Hey head choppin' homies.  The bad news is I am too swamped to get you today's episode because of the Anniversary event coming up tomorrow in Los Angeles.  But the good news is that you will get guest episodes every day this week, and a couple days next week… plus you will get a new Bat Warthog Man Can't Find His Friend episode next week, AND you will get a new Ask Axe Cop episode, so be of good cheer.  For the next two week AxeCop.com will be updating just about daily.

Some quick news… new interview is up at Strange Kids Club and io9 got an exclusive look at the cover art for Bad Guy Earth issue 3 coming in May.
 

Today's guest episode comes to us from the creators of the Fleabitten and it involved cheese:

Also, we have this awesome pin up of Axe Cop doing a fly kick by Nate Domschot (click for full size)…

And here is a piece of fan art from Andrew Pollard:

Everyone should be ready for the AXECOPALYPSE.  It's coming.

That's that.  I need to go run around like a bad guy chicken with its head chopped off.  See you tomorrow!!

Ethan

I feel like the giant ramp in last weeks episode was a metaphor for this week's traffic!  It's been a good week.  Big thanks to Boing Boing's write up  and Peter Serafinowicz for spreading the Cop!  Thanks also to Joe Randazzo of the Onion, the guys at Riff Trax and Graham Linehan too.   Axe Cop's book was at #263 on Amazon's bestsellers list, and at #2 on  “movers and shakers” because sales went up almost 6,000%!

But you came here for your new episode, so go ahead and read it, but you better read the rest of this blog because there is more I have to tell you!

Next up… Axe Cop was nominated for Best Character and Best New Comic on the Webcomics List Awards!

Also, January 25th is the AXEIVERSARY!  Which is a dumb word, but a special day, because it is the day that AxeCop.com went live!  If you have a message, a drawing, a guest episode, or anything you want to contribute, please send it to info@axecop.com by January 23rd.  I will be posting Axeiversary items throughout the week of the 25th. 

We want to make the ultimate list of the TOP TEN AXE COP MOMENTS OF 2010, so please send us your own favorites.  You can send us your own top 10, but please do not send more than 10.  Please keep it between one and ten.  Send your list to chopcast@gmail.com

That week will hit it's apex on the 27th when we have our big Axe Cop Anniversary Party at Meltdown Comics!  If you live anywhere near Los Angeles, don't miss it, Malachai will be there and so will I!  Also in attendance will be James and John of CHOPcast.  We will be debuting the Live Action Axe Cop short film of episode one made by some Australian head-choppin' film students.  Check out these teaser pics juxtaposed to the actual comic:

I am pretty sure I am forgetting something, but that seems liike plenty to leave you with.  I will end with another plug for RATFIST by Doug TenNapel because you really should be reading it.  Full color, 5 updates a week from the creator of Earthworm Jim… there are not many free things as awesome as that.

Oh man, it has been over a month since the last episode of this story was posted!  Between my break, the Christmas episode, the birthday episode and the episode Malachai drew, Bat Warthog man remains patiently unable to find his friend.  Well the wait is over:

Yes, this episode was all about having a sweet ride, and it was written during my visit with Malachai while we were playing with his toy cars, in case you couldn't tell.  We did a bunch of work on this storyline while I was there and oh man is it going to head off into some crazy places.  Can't wait for you to see what I have to attempt to draw.

In other news, the anniversary (or.. AXEIVERSARY) is coming soon.  January 25th is the actual day that axecop.com was posted.  To celebrate, we are doing an awesome event at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles pn January 27th!  Malachai will be taking the first plane ride of his life (with our Dad) down here to sign books and join us for this awesome event.  Also, James and John of CHOP CAST will be there! Here is what you can expect if you come:

-A sneak peak at a scene from BAD GUY EARTH

-An Axe Cop art gallery with prints for sale, some of art that has never been seen online or in print before.

-A discussion panel with James, John, Malachai and me featuring various videos including motion comics and a brand new live action short film adaptation of Axe Cop episode one (made by some very talented fans!)

-A special look at the creative process, with new visuals along with a Q and A with Malachai and me.

-there will be a food truck or two present to feed you food.

-lots of awesome people.

-This special ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY PRINT will be for sale at this event and it will be the only opportunity to get it signed by both Malachai and me.  (it will be available online signed by me only)

(note: the print is a two color screen print, it will not have the logo/text on the bottom. It is 18×24 and is black and white ink on french speckletone oatmeal paper)

RSVP for this event on Facebook!

I have one more announcment, and that is that Doug TenNapel (Earthworm Jim's father) started a brand new web comic called RAFTFIST!  It's beutiful brush work, full color, and updates 5 pages a week!!

That's all for now!  See you next week!

Ethan

Remember that Axe Cop Halloween Costume Contest?  The winners, Nayib Nader  and John Davidson, won the chance to be background characters in Axe Cop.  Well, here they are in a scene from the upcoming Bad Guy Earth series.  Nayib is on the left, John is on the right!  They are on uni-smart world…. but oh no, what happened to their horns?!

Congrats guys!

Ethan

Many, many people have asked to see an episode of Axe Cop where Malachai draws it and I write it.  My response has always been that Malachai doesn't like to draw… but then he got a Toy Story art set and wanted to draw a Moon Warriors comic, so finally, we tried trading jobs for an episode…

Now, I had a lot more I wanted to do in this story, but Malachai made an executive decision three panels in that he was bored and did not want to draw any more.  So, my story about the Moon Warriors fighting a bear became the story of the Moon Warriors being eaten by the God of All Bears.  Humbled, I must admit that whatever I had in mind, Malachai has once again out-awesomed me, even though he killed off his favorite Axe Cop characters to go play Xbox.  I know lots of people will be asking if this episode is canon and if the Moon Warriors are dead forever.  Well, yes, it is canon.  The Moon Warriors are Malachai's favorite characters though, so I am guessing that at some point he'll find a way to revive them.  I guess we can all hope.

If you live in Los Angeles, plans are being made to have an Axe Cop event at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood at the end of this month on January 27th.  I am working on a print that features every character to appear in Axe Cop since the comic started (it's a lot).  Malachai will be coming down for the event and it should be quite a good time.  So mark your calender and as I get more details I will post them here.  It is also wise to follow Axe Cop on Twitter and Facebook (links to the right of the blog).

I know it has been a while since the Bat Warthog Man story has been updated, but rest assured we did some work on it during my visit and there is a ton more story to be told.  I have been busy so I posted this episode today, but next week the Bat Warthog tale will continue.  See you then!

Ethan

Today is the day!  One year ago we created Axe Cop.  I know i said I wasn't going to draw anything else unti the new year, but I totally went back on that and created this Christmas Special with Malachai:

That's right, I even aded red and green because I love Christmas so much.  This episode is a good example of what I love about Axe Cop, he is Bat Man and Bugs Bunny all wrapped into one character.  He wants justice and he is not afraid to get it by giving his enemy a present full of TNT.

Also to celebrate, Malachai and I shot a little video and talked about the last year, and decided to sing the Axe Cop Christmas carol for you…

It's been a crazy few days since the book has been released.  The signing went reallly well.  Here is a recap from Dark Horse and I realliy liked this piece from the Portland Examiner who got quotes from my family and friends as welll as Malachai and I.  We sold out of books in the first hour, Malachai was a total champ.  He loved signing people's Axe Cop merch and would add stars lightning bolts and hearts to his sig to spruce it up.  We did a live drawing demonstratiion where we created a character named “Cougar Man”  (created after Malachai mistook the city name 'Vancouver' for 'Man Cougar').  A friend had a cell phone and took video… Malachai had to take a fierce leak during this demonstration so he dealt with it by doing what looks like the Baby Man dance.

Since I'll be hanging out with the family on the actual anniversary of Axe Cop's creation, I decided to post his birthday episode today…

Malachai and I drew the first episode of Axe Cop on December 23rd, 2009 during my Christmas visit.  This comic is to celebrate the birth of a character who has changed both of our lives forever.

Now, the REAL anniversary I want to celebrate will be on January 25th, which is the anniversary of the website going live.  This is a significant date in Axe Cop history, therefore I want to dub it the AXEIVERSARY.  I welcome pin ups, guest episodes, songs… whatever you want to come up with to celebrate the Axeiversary on january 25th.  We are going to do a special episode of the podcast and possibly some other things on that day.  So I just want to throw it out there… if you have enjoyed Axe Cop, year one, prepare for Axe Cop's one year celebration. 

I will be at the Anaheim Wizard World Con, and don't forget about the event in Portland on Saturday!  Both are on the events page.  Also, if you haven't ordered your copy of the Axe Cop book, due out one day before Axe Cop's birthday (Dec. 22nd), DO IT!

Also, for the first time ever I put a piece of original art up on ebay!  it's the best drawing of Sockarang I have ever done:

May the highest bidder win!

This will be the last Axe Cop comic of 2010, tomorrow I'm heading up to visit the family, who I can't wait to see!  I'm ready for a break.  Have an awesome Christmas, God bless all of you and your families, have a wonderful holiday and I'll see you next year!

Ethan

I know that more Army Chihuahua story is in high demand, but I am waiting for more writing time with Malachai before I continue that story, so for now we have Axe Cop answering the age old question: What is the best dance?

The big news right now is that if you live in or near Portland, OR Malachai and I will be making our first public appearance together at Bridge City Comics on December 18th!  The Axe Cop Volume 1 book willl be released at the event four days earlier than the official release date (Dec. 22nd).  We will be doing a demonstration with audience participation on how we work together, we'll be signing books (well, I will, he probably will sign a few then get bored with it), so get there early!), and answering questions… and just generally hanging out.  Shawna, our editor from Dark Horse says she is bringing Axe Cop cookies and there will be Axe Cop coloring pages for kids.  It's an all ages event and will be a lot of fun.  We will also be selling an exclusve print for $10.00.  More info on the event here!  You can also RSVP for the event on Facebook.

Also, just a warning, but the books will be in limited supply.  The event starts at three, and if you want to be sure you get a copy you should probably be on time.  See you there!

Ethan

Today we find out more about this new set of heroes who will be joinging Axe Cop and Batwarthog Man on their adventure…

I'll be announcing the sketch sale very soon… but for now let me remind you that we have a new awesome shirt in the store with Axe Cop and Wexter on it.

Alright headchoppers, I am trying to do a couple of things right now.  First, I am shutting down the Axe Cop art shop, meaning that all sketches/signed prints will no longer be availabe after December 10th.  I am doing this because I just don't have time for it!  BUT, I am going out with a bang and I am doing a big sale on custom sketches, sketchbooks and I have EIGHT Wexter on the Moon prints which I found that you can get signed and sent in time for the holiday.  I am doing all this because I need to pool together some money to visit the family and buy them presents this year, so if you buy something, you are not only getting a good deal, you are helping me out!!

ONLY EIGHT LEFT OF THIS SIGNED PRINT (CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE IN STORE)

SKETCH SALE:  Whatever you want me to draw (within reason) for $20.  Add my sketchbook vol. 2 for only $12.00 (click image below to view in store)

Any questions on the sketch deal just ask!

Ethan