Designing Brigadier Buffalo - Curio & Co.

For whatever reason, we (Curio & Co.) tend to simultaneously work on many different projects until we set a release date for any one specific product. It then becomes the focus until completion.

The many projects are not just creative in nature, unfortunately, they may be web updates (recently speaking of coding), contacting distributors, research on packaging and shipping...

Brigadier Buffalo is one of the many creative projects that we have on the burners is Brigadier Buffalo another fake animated TV show, produced by pud Film, and designed by our famous but fictional Philip La Carta, the same character designer that brought you, Spaceman Jax and the Galactic Adventures. What you see here are some concept sketches I did for the project.

SUPERMAN ALWAYS HAS A JOB!

This one was done on Saturday morning, before heading to brunch. We (Curio & Co.) are planing a blog post on Superman and needed an illustration that fit. I don't usually have the time to do illustrations for the blog, but when I can squeeze the time to make it happen, … I sure enjoy a simple and free assignment like this one. Plus I woke with the image in my mind, and 3 hours later… there is the result.

Arctic Paper - Pamo Super, the paper for Time for Frank and His Friend

CPI Ebner & Spiegel Paper storage - two days worth of production

What led me to CPI Ebner & Spiegel for the production of Curio & Co. new book Time for Frank and His Friend was the paper options they offered. I was looking to produce the book on a specific stock of paper, Pamo Super, produced by Arctic Paper.

I really like Arctic Paper and my dealings with them have also been really positive. They are professional with what they do and, as I was looking to print on Pamo, one of their paper lines. It was their sales rep who put me in contact with CPI Ebner & Spiege . One of our corporate goals is to be environmentally friendly and Arctic Paper produces environmentally friendly paper, which has a really nice feel to the touch and an appealing color and structure. The previous books were also done on Arctic Paper, but with their acid-free Munken Pure line, allowing the books to be archival quality. The paper is more expensive but worth the money. I constantly get positive remarks on the paper stock of the book. As an aside, just for the cost of the shipping they will even make a dummy book for you, or send you paper samples. Check out their dummy shop. Those of you who make books know how important it is to have a book in your hands, to properly judge for the weight and feel. Technically making a book is product design, and having studied product design for a couple of years at the university, it left a impression on how I think and work. I really need to feel and see the material; it's part of the experience.

When I took a look at the CPI Ebner & Spiegel facility they also showed me their temporary stock room. Temporary, what do I mean by that? With their production volume they go through all of what you see in 2 days worth of printing, their presses run 24hrs/day with Sunday for repair and maintenance. I call that impressive! But what does this mean for you? This means that you have access to paper stock that you'd ordinarily have to order 10 tons of, or you would be out of luck! Sure you can order 10 tons of paper, but where are you going to store it? One of the paper rolls you see in the picture is about 1.2 tons. I say YAY temporary storage! Plus, this also means that there are people out there who like books as much as I do.

What Harry Potter, Monsters Inc. and Time for Frank and His Friend have in Common

The printing company that produced our Curio & Co.'s new book Time for Frank and His Friend is CPI Ebner & Spiegel, one of the largest in Germany, and one of the companies that besides producing the Dan Brown books like The Da Vinci Code also did J. K. Rowling's HARRY POTTER and the Deathly Hallows. Do you remember the whole frenzy of being a best seller before the book was even finished? The whole production had to be split into 3 companies just for the German market, 3 million copies had to be produced for its first release. CPI had to solely focus on printing Harry potter for 2 weeks straight, and produced 1,000,000 books. Our book was on the same press as Harry Potter, to me that is exciting.

Yup! on this press.

I took the time to be there at the time of printing and got to see the production facility. It was a treat! So many cool things to see, the whole automation and management of the company. It was my first time seeing a WEB press. Let me tell you it is impressive on one end you have a roll of paper of about 1 meter (3.28 ft) in diameter and on the other end you have the folded signatures, ready for binding. Specially when it's something that you worked on.

I was taken to the storage where the books not yet bound are stored, and it looked like this.

CPI Ebner & Spiegel signature storage

Pixar's Monsters Inc. came to mind immediately when I was through the door. And let me tell you the picture can't do justice to the experience of seeing it first hand. Just like the Grand Canyon needs to be seen first hand, so does this. I'm not saying that a storage room is in the same league as the Grand Canyon, just that you have to see it with your own eyes. Simply cool!

I can happily say that working with them has been a really pleasant experience. They are professional and look for solutions to make things work for your product. If any of you are looking to do a production run for europe, I would suggest you contact them. See what they can do for you. I'd be happy to pass on the contact to anyone interested, just send me an email.

Signing Off on your New Gadabout TM1050

Some of the hidden things in the Gadabout…

I thought of sharing how we sign the Gadabout. We only break character when we, as Curio & Co., art dealer of pop culture collectables, are at trade shows and are face to face with the public. On our official site we don't even work there (but boy do we work!) but other fictitious people do, like Mr. Druthers the head of the company, (he's been there since he's taken it over from his father a long long time ago), and Margie the Office Manager, without whom the company could not function. By the way if you write them they will write back! This was a little needed back story…

Now, every car manual has a Warranty Voucher just like every time machine, and this is no different fro the Gadabout TM1050. I personally wouldn't buy such a machine if it didn't come with a warranty. Unfortunately for all of us, these types of machines require maintenance, and yes I agree with you I have much better things to do then maintain a piece of machinery.

In addition to a warranty I would strongly recommend purchasing these types of machines from an official dealer. Would't you be skeptical purchasing a BMW from a dealer that sells second-hand Yugos and didn't give you some sort of proof that they knew what they were selling! After all, you are paying good money for that equipment. Pg 86 of the Gadabout manual takes care of that! There's proof of Delivery Inspection. Since we are the manufacturers and also dealers we have the right to stamp and sign the manual in that location, hence the official stamp. So, we do. And, that's how we sign the manual for those that know us and what we do.

But wait! There is a little surprise coming for the San Diego Comic-Con 2012. For those that have purchased the Gadabout in 2011 and have gotten the Delivery Inspection, I think it's time for you to bring your units in for some FREE scheduled maintenance. Bring your Gadabout TM1050 manual to our booth P5 at the San Diego Comic-Con July 12-15 and get your manual stamped for your Shake Down Diagnostics! And please let us know how the Gadabout has performed for you up to now. I hope you didn't try traveling to the Triassic Period, the machine is not designed to withstand such long journeys, and it voids the warranty. If you did, I sure hope you remembered to activate the Emergency Beacon.

If you'd like to have your copy signed make sure you include a note about it in the "special request field" at the time of checkout.

Time for Frank and His Friend - Ringer Publishing Paperbacks

Like everything that we do at Curio & Co. there's loads of back-ground work to build a product. Unfortunately a lot of this material that never gets seen so I figured I'll take the time to share some of it. With our last publication we had to bring to life a fake publishing house, the name had to be narrowed down form a long list of suitable ideas with an appropriate brand integrity (how big, the philosophy,… everything that a corporation should know about itself). The above logos did not pass our test for the corporate brand. Fortunately, I'm the one that does the design so I can be as hard as needed on my own work, never the less the selection is done between my self and Kirstie and

we do argue our choices quite a bit. In fact until we both say "I'll buy that!", as an argument or idea, practically until it feels real to us.

In the end Ringer Publishing Paperbacks was the chosen publishing name for our fake publishing house. So back in 1979, in the Curio world, Ringer Publishing, with one of its many publishing arms, Ringer Publishing Paperbacks, released Time for Frank and His Frank.

This is the logo that we ended-up going with. We felt it carries enough of the 60's and 70's to give a feeling of an established company, and corporate enough that it would pass as a "real" corporation.

Curio & Co.'s Books In Diamond's Previews

Here is a little something that put a smile on our faces when we got it in the mail box. We knew we were listed in Diamond's Previews but now we actually have proof!

This smile I'm talking about has a couple of people to thank, so let me start with...

Here is a how we got connected to Diamond. Last year we attended the WonderCon in San Francisco and on the fist day of the show Jackie Estrada, who's in charge of the Eisner Awards for ComiCon International, stop by and told Kirstie (my partner) that our first book Finding Frank and his Friend was selected for the Eisner 2011 - Best Graphic Album New. What a ways to start the show! But it wasn't official, so we had to keep our mouth shut. It was really painful. I did do let out a loud WOOOOHU in the middle of the exhibit floor, heads turned and I might have looked like a freak after I broke into a happy dance. But, I had to celebrate some how.

The show came to an end and the day after completely exhausted from the show, we come back from a leisurely and relaxing breakfast with some friends with whom we were staying, and our phone we found a message from Bill Schanes, VP of Purchasing for Diamond Comics Distributors, Inc. Saying that he heard about our book from Jackie Estrada and Brian Hibbs of Comix Experience and he would like to see a copy for review so that they could possibly include it in the catalog.

Well the rest is history Diamond now carries all of the previously published books (Finding Frank and His Friend, and the Gadabout) and decide to carry our upcoming release Time for Frank and His Friend.

For this Curio & Co. has to thank: Jackie Estrada and Brian Hibbs for liking our first book and to Bill Schanes to have given our first product a chance.

Thanks you guys!

Curio & Co. at WonderCon 2012 - SP 56

We just got the our space location at WonderCon.

We'll have the new books Time for Frank and His Friend, it will be a sneak peak, we'll start shipping them on the 28th of March. If you'd like to have a signed copy and a little sketch in it I'll be at Curio & Co. booth SP-56. I'm also making some new pen an ink drawing of Frank and His Friend that I'll be bringing these originals at the show.

See you there!

Curio & Co. Releases "Time For Frank and His Friend" on March 28, 2012

The official release day for Time for Frank and His Friend by Clarence 'Otis' Dooley (me) is March 28, 2012.

This is the book that I've been working on since I got back from San Diego Comic-Con 2011, well not just this book. There was a list, list, list, list, and other lists of other things that needed babysitting, and technically I did some drawings for it while I was working on the Gadabout TM-1050 time machine user's manual, that was really when the idea for this book started. Those of you who know me might remember seeing some of the preliminary work at the SDCC. Regardless, the book is done and being pressed as we speak, and Curio & Co. will preview it next month March 16-18 at WonderCon 2012 (Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA). We'll be in the Small Press area again so if you are in the neighborhood stop by and see us.

The book is a 128 page pocket sized paperback, perfect bound, with colored edges. Designed to resemble the old paperbacks comics collections. Here is a bit of a backstory on the book. (This is all made-up – in character with Curio & Co.)

It’s January 1979 and Ringer Publishing Paperbacks releases Time for Frank and His Friend, the first collection of Dooley’s comic not tied to his newspaper work. The content is completely new – not just a collection of previously printed strips – and Dooley has created it just for the paperback. The result of this is that Dooley feels that he has had more control over the product and more freedom in his work. (Even saying, “Who knew I’d love page layout so much?”)

Well, it’s not 1979 anymore, but we’ve got first edition “deadstock” copies of this best-selling comic paperback. And it’s just as terrific as you remember!

Unlike the rest of our products, this book is not archival quality, so we’re handling them with extra care.

Like the Gadabout TM-1050 and the Eisner nominated Finding Frank and His Friend, Time for Frank and His Friend will also be carried by Diamond Comics Distributors, I imagine it will be in Previews in the next couple of months. That means, you'll most likely see it in the comic book stores in 3 months or so. The copies that ship from our store will also carry a little info sheet (as certificate of authenticity) and an official Curio & Co. seal hand-stamped on inside book cover. After all, Curio & Co. sells collectables and as an art-dealer it's only fitting that it provides the products with the fitting paperwork.

For those of you interested, Time for Frank and his Friend retails at 14.95 USD from March 28, 2012 but we are offering an 11.95 USD price for pre-orders until March 27, 2012 (online only).

I'll put a period on this blog entry with some sample pages of the book.

Cheers,

Curio & Co. - Myth of Nostalgia - WonderCon 2012 Pannel

One other bit of news on the Curio & Co. front:

We’re thrilled to be putting together a discussion panel on ‘The Myth of Nostalgia.’ We’ll be discussing the power of collecting and memory with our good friends Pete Maresca (from Sunday Press Books) and artist James T. Walker (from pretty much all of your favorite animated shows).

Come and grab a seat!

We’re looking forward to seeing you there.

MYTH OF NOSTALGIA

WonderCon 2012

Anaheim Convention Center

Room 203AB

Saturday March 17

5:00-6:00 pm

If you want to stop by and say hello, before or after the panel, Curio & Co. will be located at SP-56 on the exhibit floor.

Larry Miller is the Winner of GEEK DAD's Gadabout TM1050 Giveaway

I just though of wrapping up this particular Curio & Co. - GEEK DAD giveaway with this post announcing that:

The winner has been picked (at random that is)!

Jonathan Liu, Senior Editor of GEEK DAD, (geekdad.com), was the blind folded man with the responsibility of extracting the winner (thank you Jonathan for taking on the responsibility). On February 10 we received the news:

Larry Miller, of Newtown Square's Pennsylvania State, was picked as the Winner, of a Gadabout TM1050 time machine user's manual.

Congratulations To Larry!

WIN a Gadabout TM 1050 time machine user's manual on WIRED's GEEK DAD

Geek Dad (WIRED) is hosting a give a way of a Gadabout TM 1050 time machine user's manual. If you are interested in time travel and want to take one home for your every time needs... Go on this link and and read-up on how to make it happen. Contest lasts until 11:59pm Pacific Time, Wednesday, February 8. Good luck to all time travelers!

wired.com - GEEK DAD - Reviews Gadabout TM-1050 time machine user's manual

OH YES!

We got a review on WIRED Magazine (the web version) GEEK DAD blog. The Gadabout got a great review by Jonathan Liu who runs the Geek Dad blog, we couldn't have asked for a better review. If you are interested in taking a read... here is the review Time Travel Is a Breeze With the Gadabout TM 1050. Many thanks to Jonathan!

Neil Gaiman card - Gadabout TM-1050 time machine user manual

Neil Gaiman, yes we (Curio & Co.) also sent Mr. Gaiman, writer of The Sandman and Stardust (two of my favorite works of his) a copy of our Gadabout TM-1050 time machine user's manual. We received this card on February 2, 2012 (no time travel was necessary for the delivery of this card). I have to say I would've liked to have had my name on the card, even though it indirectly is there as I am Curio & Co., and well... Kirstie is the one that sent the letter. How cool is it to receive mail from Neil Gaiman? As an aside, I saw him talk back in 2007 at the San Diego Comic-Con (here is a snippet of the talk), he's funny, easy going and captivating! It was an hour of Q&A with the public, and story telling. If you happen to hear he's giving a lecture, I suggest you go see him speak.

I have to mention Cat Mihos, Mr. Gaiman's assistant, was key for us receiving such a wonderful trinket by mail, the photo she took of him looking at our book, and of course including us in the Neverwear blog post when Neil Gaiman comes to town... Thank you Cat!

Dave Barry's card - Gadabout TM-1050 time machine user's manual

A quick background on what this post is about (and why). Curio & Co. is composed of me and Kirstie Shepherd; we do the development and production of our "fake" products. Like everyone, we have favorites in humor, visuals, entertainment, and Dave Barry makes us laugh, he has for a while, since before Curio & Co. was established. (If you are not familiar with his work you should take a read, it is worth a laugh.) We thought... let's send him a copy of our Gadabout TM-1050 time machine user manual as a little thanks for all the smiles and laughs he has brought to us. On January 9th, 2012 he brought us a unique smile when we got this card from him in the mail. It was great to start the 2012 new year, with a quick pitstop in December 28, 1914. Thank you Dave Barry!