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Cutting Edge ConformityJuly 10th, 2012 Started up a blog, believe it or not. As I say in my first book, cool is just cutting edge conformity. So that's what I'm calling the blog. It'll cover books, movies, art, and whatever else I want to ramble on about. Drop by, say hi, stay awhile. Comics You Should OwnMay 16th, 2012 A great article by the inestimable Greg Burgas over at CBR about Rex Libris, and why every fine collection of graphic novels should include a copy. Or two or three. Includes notes on the process of making the comic. Check it out. TCAF 2012May 8th, 2012 Shared a table at TCAF again this year with the talented troublemaker Noel Tuazon, which was a blast as always. Great crowd, great location, wonderful atmosphere. Saw new and familiar faces, such as Jason Turner, Dave Lapp, Brit Wilson, and Andy Belanger. Promoted Hell Lost and Max Zing. Had a few requests for more Rex Libris material. Felt under the weather though and lost my voice thanks to gabbing with such wild abandon. Didn't get around to as much as I'd have liked to, such as meeting Jeff Smith. But then I'd just have rasped at him, and who wants that? If you're ever in Toronto in May, check it out. One of the best art/comic conventions out there. And it's in a library! How cool is that? Mährchen von der KatzenfamilieMarch 5th, 2012
In 1861, Johanna Andreae published a children's book about a family of cats: Mahrchen von der Katzenfamilie. She's my great, great, great, great grandmother. One of them, anyway. When I was a kid, my aunt gave me an english translation of the book. Of course I promptly lost it. All I have now is the incomprehensible german version and an image of the cover. Very cool nonetheless. The book is even listed on Amazon, although none are currently available, and it's likely to remain that way. Johanna is not the earliest writer in the family. There's another I'll mention later, who published a book in 1619. How far we've fallen. I write comics, which rot the brain and corrupt youth. So I'm told. Screenwriter Assigned to RexFebruary 24th, 2012 A fellow by the name of Ben Zazove has been assigned to Walden Media's film adaptation. They move quick. Read about it here. Rex Libris Optioned by Walden MediaFebruary 12th, 2012 Good news for members of the Ordo Bibliotheca! Film rights for Rex Libris have been acquired by Walden Media. You can see more information here. It was previously optioned by Warner Brothers. A script was developed by Mark Burton (Madagascar), but that's where it ended. Be interesting to see where Walden takes it. Hell LostFebruary 1st, 2012 The online comic is now up and running. You can check it out here. It'll be updated Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Check it out. You know you want to. Hell LostJanuary 10th, 2012
Announcing my next comic, Hell Lost, about the inevitable counter-revolution in, you guessed it: Hell. It'll detail what's gone down in the Infernal Realm since Milton's Paradise Lost. Yeah, that's right, I haven't stopped. So. Why a counter-revolution in Hell? Are you kidding? Hell sucks. And, sooner or later, some Fallen Angels are going to wise up and ask, "What were we thinking?" More to come soon. TCAF 2011 After-Action ReportMay 10th, 2011 What a convention! Bringing together some of the best talent in independent comics from all over North America (and beyond), TCAF has become the boutique blockbuster of comic book festivals. The event continues to expand in size and attendance; the second floor space now easily rivals the main display area on the first floor. I had a great time; the energy this year was better and more positive than ever, and the volunteers and organizers made the whole thing run seamlessly. The public was engaged and relaxed, and there was no sign of the dread 'zombie shuffle' that sometimes settles in at the larger conventions. At least, not in the little corner eddy we were in, which tumbled happy browsers out of the main traffic flow to catch their breath with us. It got pretty crowded out on the floor. The volunteers were fantastic, and their positive attitude really helped make the event. Congrats to all the people who made the event happen so smoothly. You made it a pleasure to attend. I ran into lots of talented people, including Andy B, Michael Cho, Brian Evinou, Erika Moen, patron-of-the-arts and publisher Anne Koyama; Alice Quinn, my bro Jason Turner, Ed Brisson, Salgood Sam, Dalton Sharp, Fiona Smyth, Britt Wilson, Vicki Nerino, Eric Vedder, Maurice Vellekoop, Dave Lapp, Dave Roman, and more. My terrific table-partner-in-comic-crime, Eisner nominated Noel Tuazon (Tumor, The Broadcast), drew up a storm, and I got one of his pictures. Noel may also have stepped out at some point and robbed a bank or two, as is his wont. He can be such a troublemaker. Speaking of which, I was going to take photos, but forgot my camera. Again. Both days. Next year, if I'm there, I swear I'm takin' lots. They threw a great party on Saturday, and thanks to the warm weather, the patio atop Pauper's was crowded until the wee hours of the morning. Artists in attendance that I wanted to meet but didn't include such luminaries as Kate Beaton, Blake Bell, David Boswell, Graham Annable, Ross Campbell, Brecht Evens, Stuart Immonen, Jeff Lemire, Seth, Jillian Tamaki and Chris Ware. It was terrifically busy, and as a result I didn't get away from my table for very long and lost track of signing times. There was an overwhelming selection of talent on site, and I wound up spending more on books than I'd intended to. I think my knapsack was as heavy coming as it was going, and I sold out of books. To top everything off, a pair of psychologists stopped by from Buffalo and picked up a couple more of my maps; they gave great feedback about the pieces, and their endless ability to generate conversation and debate. Very rewarding to hear, especially considering all the time I lavished over the things. And I met Lorenzo Mattotti! Bonus! Convention Appearances for 2011March 5th, 2011 I will be appearing at Wizard World Toronto March 18-20th, at the Direct Energy Centre, with prints, books, and buttons. In May I'll be appearing at TCAF (May 7-8th), and later in the summer at Fan Expo (August 25-28th). I hope to have the first chapter (56 pages) of my new book printed for TCAF. Yeah, it's a big chapter. That's decompression for you. It'll be epic. If I don't finish by TCAF, I'll have it for Fan Expo. What's it about? Drop by and find out. New interview at NewsaramaApril 14th, 2010 The countdown has begun. The rule of the Warlord of Io is about to begin, in all its dysfunctional glory. It'll be hitting the shelves in July, and solicited in May. Chris Arrant interviewed me about the project and some of the thinking behind it here. Graphic Novel course at OCADApril 12th, 2010 I will be teaching a continuing education course at the Ontario College of Art this May. Check it out here. Warlord of Io hits the stands this springMarch 5th, 2010
Be sure to pick up a copy when it comes out. 206 pages of outer space mayhem. Visit us on Facebook for all the latest news.
A Fabulous Fan ExpoAugust 31st, 2009
Had a great time at Fan Expo 2009. Sold out of all the books I brought, including a set of cool librarian handbooks and 10 copies of WOI Chapter II that I printed up. Took terrible pictures of random dead guy, a well dressed batgirl, Marc Wolfe, and tron's super spiffy bike. Have to use the camera more often. Met some really wonderful people. Downside? Didn't get to hang with Leonard Nimoy. Nothing's perfect. Rex Libris: Book of Monsters In Stores Now!May 11th, 2009 The latest collection of Rex Libris comics has hit the stores! An incredible eight issues compiled into one volume, it's a feat that must be seen to be believed. Head on down to a fine comic book shop near you, and pick up a copy. It's educated adventure at its very best. But don't take my word for it. Check out Glen Weldon's NPR review right here! Post-TCAF ReportMay 11th, 2009 Met a slew of wonderful people at The Toronto Comic Arts Festival, including lovely longtime fans and a gaggle of greats in the comics and arts industries, such as Paul Rivoche, Brandon Dawley, painter Dave Sheppard, Andy-B, Salgood Sam, Tyrone McCarthy, Aaron Leighton, Steve Wilson, Clayton Hanmer (Cton), Michele Laframboise, and (a special treat), the brilliant Jason Shiga of Bookhunter fame. It was a fun convention; good conversation and feedback, and a pleasant atmosphere. It was especially cool having it at the Toronto Reference Library. Kudos to The Beguiling and Christopher and Peter and all the volunteers. As usual I forgot to take my camera and so have no pictures. But some were taken of me, so I lifted one from The Doodlers'. He's got great pictures of just about everyone who was in the convention.
Oh yes... if you're in Canandaigua, NY, check out Pulp Nouveau, the comic shop. They took a chance on Warlord of Io and ordered it, which quite obviously makes it one of the finer comic shops in NY State. Interview With The National PostMay 5th, 2009 There's a brief interview with me by journalist Mark Medley at the National Post which can be seen here. Everyone who's showing at TCAF gets quizzed. Check out all the interviews with the hip comic book cats, and thanks to Mr. Medley. Don't miss TCAF this weekend, at the Toronto Reference Library! James Appearing at TCAFApril 24th, 2009
James will be attending TCAF on May 9th and 10th. Check out TCAF here. I will have the new comic Warlord of Io and Other Stories for sale (hopefully), plus buttons, Fridge Chess, and more. The second Rex trade, Book of Monsters, has unfortunately been delayed due to a printing error. It should be available in June. Come on by TCAF and say hi! WOI Website UpApril 23rd, 2009 It can be viewed here. Be sure to check it out. Chapter Two is available for download! Interview at ComicMonstersFebruary 11th, 2009 I did an interview with the fabulous people at ComicMonsters. It can be seen here. WOI PosterJanuary 3rd, 2009
Another poster for Warlord of Io, in which our fearless protagonist Zing flees from a giant Tikibot. What has this to do with Rex Libris? Absolutely nothing! Why is it here then? The answer is simple: because I've been too lazy to build a WOI page. Eventually I'll get around to it. I feel it incumbent upon me to include something Rex related in this post, so I'd like to mention that the second Rex Libris trade will be coming out in 2009, and it'll be a doozy, compiling 8 issues. That's right: 8 issues! Can anyone handle that much Rex Libris in one dosage? Time and emergency wards will tell! A Tiki Space Pirate New Year!December 28th, 2008
A promotional image for Warlord of Io, featuring a menacing Tiki Space Pirate Warrior, scourge of the space lanes in the 28th Century. First in a series of four posters. Correction: Back Cover by Peter FergusonNovember 12th, 2008 The wonderful illustration on the back cover of issue 13 was done by illustrator extraordinaire Peter Ferguson, whose website can be seen here. Text by Pete as well. The wrong credit was run on the bottom of the inside front cover. I neglected to update the type from issue 12. My bad, and apologies to Pete! Rex Libris Final Issue Hits Shelves October 22nd, 2008!October 18th, 2008 The final issue of the Rex Libris comic book series by James Turner (That'd be me; I do my own promo work. Limited budget) will be available October 22nd! At the end of issue 12, Circe had been blasted, perhaps killed, by a swarm of freshly awoken Cthulhites, while the island itself was about to be bombed to smithereens by the Skylords of Bel. In the meantime, the US Navy was caught between onrushing Imperial War Penguins and the deadly Kraken, while Rex had been teleported, unarmed and temporarily bewildered, into the midst of his greatest enemies! Can any of them survive? With the series at an end, there's no script immunity. Everything is up for grabs. Who will survive? Who won't make it? Will anyone manage to stop Cthulhu Two, or is the planet, and the universe, doomed? Don't wait for the trade! Pick up a copy and find out! Warlord of Io CoverOctober 18th, 2008
Here's the working cover of Warlord of Io; it depicts newly crowned Emperor Zing and his trusty companion, Moxey Comet, as they prepare to fend off furry villains who could quite possibly be dangerous. About the EconomyOctober 13th, 2008
Someone hasn't been flushing. Announcing Warlord of IoOctober 1st, 2008
Power. Deceit. Treason! Venture into the orbit of power politics on Jupiter's moons in the 25th Century. Can newly crowned teen Emperor Zing keep his throne with the help of his friend, Moxy Comet? Will he be able to reform an unjust Imperial system, or will it consume both him and his allies? And what about his music career? And the brewing revolt of the equatorial steam swamp mud men? Find out the answers to these questions and more in the astonishing new series Warlord of Io by James Turner! Unlike many other projects I do, this one actually exists. Sale and a T-Shirt!September 22nd, 2008
The impossible has happened: SLG is having a sale. I know. I didn't believe it at first either. It's insane, radical price cutting in an effort to bring more quantity to the quality. And vice versa. Best of all, it's this week! How can you, dear reader, take advantage of this astonishing event? It's easy: simply enter in the coupon code 'bigsale' when ordering a product from SLG. Any product. The sale is across the board! And they have lots and lots of amazing stuff, including mine. There's also a Death by Coffee t-shirt available now from SLG. True! It's the name of a famous cafe in Nil: A Land Beyond Belief. You can find the shirt, and buy it, here. Don't miss out! There's still time to assert your preferred manner of demise. The Adventures of Hypatia PhoenixSeptember 15th, 2008
Hypatia Phoenix is a character who deserves a series of her own. Regrettably, that series doesn't exist in our reality, but I can still extract images of it from memetic pocket universes where it does. In this image from issue 4, Hypatia's facing down an evil Zurble bug. Or perhaps it's a bloated, brain eating Iggifly. Gads. They can be hard to tell apart sometimes, even for experienced entomologists. Don't you hate that? New Horizons!September 3rd, 2008 A new school year has dawned! The perfect time for a sneak peak at a new graphic novel. Well. Old new: it's adapted from footage I found in the ruins of a film studio buried by a Mojave desert sandstorm in 1935. I've painstakingly transferred it to graphic novel format. At least, that's the story, and I'm stickin' to it. 
Stay tuned for further details... Rex Libris: The Animated SeriesAugust 30th, 2008
Here's a screenshot from the recently completed Rex Libris: The Animated Series. This is the biggest project I've ever worked on, yet I haven't been able to talk about it until now thanks to a non-disclosure agreement. Believe me, I've been dying to spill the beans! This is the first public announcement of the series, which is a co-production between Day Dream Animation Studios and Hedgehog TV. It will be broadcast in 2009, barring any unforeseen problems, such as Hedgehog TV not existing and the entire project being a figment of my fevered imagination. Which of course it is. I know I'm looking forward to it! Fan Expo AftermathAugust 25th, 2008 The expo went well; much stuff was sold and many wonderful members of the public met. Thanks to those who stopped by, especially Darth Vader. He seemed interested in my work, and we exchanged business cards. Score! That guy is connected on a galactic level. Finally, I can get out of this pee-wee market and get into the big leagues. Screw this piddly planet! So long, suckas: I'm going to a bigger pond! Fan Expo This WeekendAugust 19th, 2008 Fan Expo runs from the 22nd to the 24th of August at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and I'll be attending. Come on down and hob nob with the comic book glitterati. I will have comics, buttons, magnets, prints, and more! Original Rex Libris PreviewAugust 7th, 2008 The original Rex Libris preview of issue 1 is still up at SLG. Take a gander here. Updated History SectionAugust 1st, 2008 Three new articles up in the Library History section by guest writer/librarians Greg Hill and Kate Low (author of 'Casanova Was A Librarian'). Discover the dark side of Dewey! Read of libraries over 1,700 years old! All that and more right here. Chest Pieces and Fridge Chess for Fan ExpoJuly 26th, 2008 
My Chest Pieces buttons will be available at the upcoming Fan Expo in Toronto (August 22nd-24th). There is also a Fridge Chess version on magnet sheets, and perhaps even Button Fridge Chess with magnet backed buttons. Board will likely be an acetate sheet for the fridge, and a t-shirt for the chest. Play anywhere! Just be careful with the pins. Expanded Nil Website LaunchedJuly 25th, 2008 The Nil: A Land Beyond Belief website has been expanded with the addition of an HTML section. It includes The Great Hole, Merchandise of Destruction, News, and other goodies. Get all you need to know about nothing right here! The Toronto Public Library Foundation Engagement BrochureJuly 12th, 2008 
I did a semi-abstracted 'map' of the city with numerous libraries placed amidst familiar landmarks for a brochure way back in November. Now the brochure has won an award in the ADCC show in the Public Service Design category. The funny thing is that when I was commissioned to do the piece they didn't know I do a comic book about a butt-kickin' librarian. It's a wonderfully small, holistic world. Rex Review at Rain TaxiJuly 1st, 2008 There's a great review by William Alexander of Rex Libris at Rain Taxi. Check it out. He mentions Jorge Luis Borges's short story 'The Library of Babel' which I read a couple months ago. It's a trippy short about a library that's as big as the universe, and where all the books have the same number of pages. Awesome. Borges's thinking was, at times, at a right angle to reality. I've included the Babel Library in a Ordo Handbook I'm working on. Fantastic Deal!June 29th, 2008 Just what you've been waiting for: The first issue of Rex Libris, the incomparable comic with more words per square inch than any other since Lynda Barry, is now being offered FREE by the good folks over at SLG Press! That's right! Incredible but true! FREE! All you have to pay is postage. Can you get a better deal? Well, you could if someone paid postage I suppose, but you can't have everything. The universe might implode. While supplies last. Fan Expo 2008!June 18th, 2008 James will be attending, with buttons in tow. And comic books. The convention runs from August 22nd to August 24th, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. If you're in town, drop on by. Website UpdatedJune 18th, 2008 The long awaited website update and redesign has been completed. Colours have been changed. Fonts have been altered. Vitamins and minerals have been added. View frequently for best effect. The Comics Reporter InterviewJanuary 22nd, 2008 I've been waiting for this guy to interview me for a year. Finally, my day in the sun has arrived! Check it out here. Buttons!January 5th, 2008  I've been doing buttons since my agent got a lean, mean button making machine. They are available wherever I attend conventions, as well as at The Beguiling, one of the world's best comic book shops. Several series are under development, including a modern worker series loosely (ever so loosely) based on Mayan hieroglyphics. Plus various Rex buttons, of course, including an official Ordo Bibliotheca membership button! Revolutionary Trading Cards!January 2nd, 2008  Because Trotsky and Lenin didn't flip hockey cards. A must for every arm chair revolutionary. Collect all 28 and complete your deck. Also available in button, poster, and t-shirt form. Be the envy of Mao! Note that these are meant purely tongue in cheek. We do not take responsibility for any attempts to overthrow national governments. Interviews with James TurnerMarch 10th, 2007
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