Pia Guerra
#169 - 2416 Main Street
Vancouver, BC Canada
V5T 3E2
If you have any questions I'd like to ask that you check the FAQ first.
They really are Frequently Asked and this may save you (and me!) a lot of time.
Pia Guerra was working in comics for over a decade before becoming an "overnight" success with Y - The Last Man. She works hard for the money, so hard for it honey.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
We have a tonne to do before heading out on Thursday. Cleaning up the apartment, export permits, Cali tax permits, incorporation paperwork, travel insurance, sorting through pages for sale, business cards... and hopefully a load of laundry in there somewhere.
Finally had a moment to figure out why the hell my computer kept defaulting to Quicktime making it impossible to save audio files without downloading some expensive and useless upgrade. After getting it all sussed I felt pretty silly for not taking the time sooner. So simple a fix and it would have saved me a lot of annoyance.
Spent the last few hours saving the rest of Deja Vu for the trip and getting the Dr Who theme converted to mp3 so I could get it sent to my phone. I'm not sure it worked but it was worth a go.
It's snowing outside, a thick wet slush that will probably be gone by sunrise. A few hours ago two skunks were furiously going at it under our window, a lusty swirl of black and white and angry squeaks. I'm sure the snow has cooled them right off.
Pia Guerra @ 5:59 AM
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Tuesday, February 27, 2007
7 pages out today. Wow, I feel pretty good about getting more than expected done.
After listening to the Luther Arkwright CD a few times and being immersed in a state of concentration I haven't had in a long time, the kind that gets you really deep into the right side of the brain and creatively charged like nobody's business, I went online to find more to listen to.
I was hunting specifically for audio dramas but ran into a lot of rambling podcasts about drama by people who could not start a session without saying how sorry they were it had taken so long to get a new 'cast out. Ugh.
I found an old time radio site and listened to a few episodes of the Shadow. There was a Dr Who audio fanfic that was scary awful (I could only take a couple of minutes before I had to switch off), another Falcon Banner thing that had better production values but sounded too much like Star Trek fic, couldn't get past the first episode.
And then I found a blog called This Writing Life set up by a new-ish author named Ian Hocking. He had recently published a book called Deja Vu, a techno thriller that had received some "critical acclaim" so I decided to listen to it, chapter by chapter posted on the blog.
And my god what an addictive story! It's the kind of sci-fi I really enjoy, set in the near future, dealing with emerging technologies and their implications. It reminded me of a cross between Wim Wender's Until the End of the World and Children of Men but less bleak.
It starts off a bit choppy, throwing you into the deep end of events without any kind of floatation device and then smooths out as you get to know more about the characters. The writing is stylistically elegant and engaging and it doesn't hurt that Mr. Hocking, who reads the book, has an easy-to-listen-to, velvety voice. It's perfect for work and very entertaining.
I'm at chapter 13 and am very, very hooked.
Pia Guerra @ 8:36 AM
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Monday, February 26, 2007
6 pages almost done. I'll have it out on Tuesday.
French architecture is a bitch to draw. Seriously.
Pia Guerra @ 2:21 AM
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Saturday, February 24, 2007
Almost done with page 9, pages 10 and 11 are halfway there.
We've got an old keyboard at the office and there are vintage keys for auction on e-bay. Damn it's tempting. Maybe I can get away with brass sheeting and some specialty woods?
Argh.
I should go and feed the cats now.
Pia Guerra @ 3:29 AM
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Friday, February 23, 2007
Pages 7, 8 and 9 are halfway there. Started page 10.
If I had the equipment and the time I'd try and figure it out but as it is I'll have to wait until some marketing genius gets them mass produced so I can buy one and love it forever.
Pia Guerra @ 3:35 AM
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Thursday, February 22, 2007
Page 6 is done, pages 7 and 8 are started.
When we got to the office this evening we found the Luther Arkwright cds in the mail pile. And then I became very giggly and happy. I played the whole set while working and holy cow what a fun adaptation. Some bits were taken out from the original story, the New Amsterdam reporter is gone and the Nirvana and baptism sequence is done in sound effects with no narration, but despite this it was spot on. Tennant was faaabulous as Arkwright, playing his restlessness and bravura just right.
One distracting, albeit amusing element was hearing Arkwright call fellow WOTAN agent and paramour by her name, Rose Wilde.
Recommended, even more so if you're a fan of the book.
Pia Guerra @ 4:51 AM
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tenacious D rocked our fucking socks off tonight! We were in the 7th row right under these massive speakers and when KG and JB "went to hell" in grand Tommy-esque fashion our hair was literally blown back, threatening our very cardiac rhythms with thundering beats. The antichrist was on lead electric, Charlie Chaplin played base and Colonel Sanders kicked out on a devilish drum set raised high on a mountain of skulls. There were old favourites, a few new tunes from the movie and covers of Queen, Led Zepellin and the Who with a few appearances from Lee and the Devil himself.
And I think I lost a good chunk of my hearing.
I really don't care if we don't get Police tickets after seeing that. Wow. And wow.
Pia Guerra @ 12:23 AM
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The first 5 pages of 56 are out today. Lots of challenging backgrounds in this set. Phew!
Now to get a few hours sleep before the Tenacious D concert tonight!
Wooo hooo!
Pia Guerra @ 1:35 PM
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Monday, February 19, 2007
I've got 2 pages done and backgrounds to finish up on the rest of this batch. It'll be out on Tuesday.
Just got the last half of the script for issue 56. After reading it I totally cried. It's starting to hit now that we're in the final stretch.
Pia Guerra @ 4:01 AM
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Saturday, February 17, 2007
5 pages getting worked through this weekend.
Saw Ghost Rider tonight. I really liked the character work, the humour and the easy cheesiness of it all but the actual plot was more distracting than entertaining. Kinda just wanted more of Ghost Rider riding around and stopping pretty crimes than the whole Blackheart's-after-the-big-bad-scroll thing.
Pia Guerra @ 4:52 AM
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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Pages 1-3 are looking good.
It was announced in this week's solicits that Y would be going bi-monthly. The main reason being to allow for more time to finish the last issue which will be double sized. The alternative would have been to take a three or so month hiatus between issue 54 (out this week! Go get it!) and the final arc Whys and Wherefores and that just seemed a little too much to put the readers through.
Myself, I'm very happy about it. I've been getting more details about how this finale is going to play out and it's great knowing there will be time to give it the attention it really needs.
So excited right now.
Pia Guerra @ 3:46 AM
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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
While browsing ThinkGeek this evening I came across an item that gave me the biggest laugh of the week:
Maybe I'm just a sucker for theater of pain but the idea of a 113 decibel alarm clock that makes your bed rumble really cracks me up.
And then I read the part about it having a snooze button.
Pia Guerra @ 3:11 AM
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Monday, February 12, 2007
Issue 55 is DONE. 6 pages just went out the door leaving five issues to go.
Holy crap.
Pia Guerra @ 1:23 PM
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Friday, February 09, 2007
6 pages almost done, I'll have them finished over the weekend.
Just an example of one of the many challenges of drawing this book: finding interior shots of the cargo hold of a modern German freight train.
Pia Guerra @ 12:06 AM
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Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Wondercon Schedule!
SATURDAY, MARCH 3: 2:00-3:00: Cartoon Art Museum, Room 236 ANDREW FARAGO MODERATES (there will be a reception that evening at the Cartoon Art Museum for their new Worlds of Wonder exhibit where you can see a few Y pages on display. I'll be in the corner getting drunk.)
4:00-5:00: Vertigo: Looking Ahead, Room 200
6:00-7:00: Vaughan, Harris and Guerra, Room 200 (This one is going to be a party so bring your noisemakers!)
SUNDAY, MARCH 4: 11:30-12:30: Spotlight on Pia Guerra, Room 236 (Come and see me and my sister Victoria drone on about our oppressive childhoods!)
SUNDAY, MARCH 4 1:30 - 2:30: Gender and Genre, Room 236 (Hosted by the Browncoats!)
Pia Guerra @ 2:50 PM
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Pages 17-19 are almost done, page 20 is laid out.
Found the Luther Arkwright cd over at Big Finish and placed an order. Yay!
Programming for Wondercon is about to be finalised and I'll have a full list of panel/signing times posted here shortly. I am really looking forward to this trip. San Francisco is a fun town!
Charlie is back to his energetic, pooping, peeing, bratty lil' self.
Pia Guerra @ 4:01 AM
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Tuesday, February 06, 2007
While doing a little Wiki surfing this evening not only do I learn that one of my favourite graphic novels, Bryan Talbot's Adventures of Luther Arkwright has been adapted into a full cast audio production available on CD but that it also stars David Tennant!
HOLY SHIT I MUST HAVE THIS!
I came across Luther Arkwright in the early 90s when I was digging through the creaky stacks of 4th Dimension Comics in New Westminster. I'd been going to this amazing store since I was 15 because the older gentleman who ran the place knew my parents were fine with me buying mature titles. This was where I picked up the first issues of Sandman, Hellblazer and Helfer's Shadow relaunch, books that would have a profound influence on me. And then this little treasure.
Talbot's artwork immediately grabbed my attention and I bought what few issues of the Dark Horse reprint they had. After reading them I was completely blown away by the density of the narrative and the depth of artistic detail so rich it had appendices for reference at the end of each issue. This was the ultimate realisation of the marriage of words and pictures, the art didn't overshadow the writing and the writing didn't drown out the art and it absolutely charged me up about drawing for comics. I could be a participant in telling the story and not just the person who makes pretty pictures to go with the words.
It took a while to find the missing chapters and later I was fortunate to come across the full sized versions originally released in the UK. The detail in those were more visible and oh so brilliant.
Totally recommended, and now I have to go and hunt down these cds. Woo hoo! I can play these while I work! I am so psyched!
Pia Guerra @ 3:55 AM
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Monday, February 05, 2007
From Neatorama, this very lovely time-lapse video of the 2006 Reno Balloon Race.
Pia Guerra @ 9:53 PM
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3 pages laid out. Some interesting choreography to work out.
Charlie spent an expensive night at the vet's. It's not clear whether it's early pancreatitis or just an unhappy liver as a result of eating some spilled talcum powder the other day. He's home now and we're keeping an eye on him.
The little guy is gonna make me go grey, I swear.
Pia Guerra @ 1:57 AM
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Friday, February 02, 2007
5 pages out today.
Getting antsy for more Dr.Who.
Pia Guerra @ 6:15 PM
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Thursday, February 01, 2007
Almost done with this batch.
Ian, Vic and myself finally made it out to Stanley Park to see the devastation from the windstorms that hit town a few weeks back. Despite all the news reports it was still a shock to see so many trees down. And Prospect Point was almost unrecognizable. I hope that family of raccoons we saw there last summer were still okay.
The view down the stairs was even creepier with the absence of trees and brush. You can see all the way down to the still closed seawall, the parts that weren't covered in debris anyway. The fog was pretty, the air was chilly and we were all goofy.
After our little drive we headed over to the VAG for a look at the Fred Herzog exhibit of photos of Vancouver from the 1950's to the present. One particularly eerie picture was of a man wearing a short-sleeve shirt with a cheesy print of the Manhattan landscape complete with WTC buildings on it. He was standing with his back to the camera somewhere on the midway of the PNE. The photo was dated September 1st 2001.
It was interesting seeing Vancouver from earlier times, we're so used to seeing old photos of other large cities like New York or Chicago, and here were frozen moments of normal people going about their lives, drinking a coke, sitting on their porches, working on boats or watching a Chinese New Year's parade from their windows all in places that are surprisingly familiar. These were Herzog's neighbourhoods, rough and worn yet still brightly coloured and alive. There's a comfortable satisfaction in these pictures, knowing life does and always will continue on. As Ian put it, "In 50 years an old woman will walk out of a store with an ice cream cone."
Pia Guerra @ 3:40 AM
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On The Stands
Y - The Last Man
Trade paperbacks and deluxe editions available in stores
Doctor Who - The Forgotten
Trade paperback available in stores
Appearances
Anticipation/Worldcon
August 8-10th, Montreal.
Biography
Pia Guerra was born in New Jersey in 1971.
When she was ten years old her cousin left a copy of X-Men #128 at her house and from there a love of the comics medium began.
Through the 1990s Pia worked on various independent titles including the Bruiser, Sinnamon, Slip, Weird Business, Asylum, and a series of gaming manuals for White Wolf's Masquerade, Changeling and Werewolf lines.
In early 2001 Pia got a call from Vertigo editor Heidi MacDonald asking if she would be interested in trying out for a book called Y - The Last Man written by Brian K. Vaughan. After submitting her samples Pia landed a job as penciller and co-creator on the massive project.
Since it's release in July of 2002 response to the book has been overwhelmingly positive. Y has been translated into several different languages for foreign markets including Europe, Scandinavia and Indonesia. Y - The Last Man has received praise from critics, numerous Eisner nominations, nominations for the Harvey Award and the Prix du Scenario at the prestigious Angouleme comic festival and was named Best Book of 2003 by Wizard Magazine. Pia won the Shuster Award for Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artist of 2006, in 2008 she won two Eisners, one for Best Penciler/Inker Team with Jose Marzan Jr. and the other for Best Continuing Series as co-creator along with Brian and Jose. There is a movie option in the works.
Pia lives with her very talented husband, writer Ian Boothby (Futurama, Simpsons comics) and three mostly lovable cats August, Charlie and Kinsey. When not freaking out over deadlines Pia likes to work on her scale model Victorian dollhouse and hang out with her sister Vicky.
Y - The Last Man Newsarama interview with Brian K Vaughan and Heidi MacDonald by Matt Brady
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Y ended? Why can't I find the last trade?
Y went 60 issues, as promised. The trade will be coming out in June of 2008. We went bi-monthly for the last arc so that's why there's a delay, sorry about that. You can check with your local comic shop or bookstore to order a copy or to find out when they'll be getting them in.
Will you be selling any pages from Y?
Yes. Go to The Hellkitty Store to see them. We're doing a few pages at a time to allow for things like work. And no, we won't be taking requests for pages. What you see is what's for sale that week. Sorry.
Do you do commissions/sketches?
I'm not doing commisions right now due to scheduling on other projects so here's what I'll do.
If you send me a backing board I will draw a quick convention style sketch for you for free (you read right, free). It won't be fancy, just the same kind of sketch I'd do for anyone at a con.
Here's what you need to do.
Send your backing board and request (example "I would like a picture of Ampersand please") along with a self addressed stamped envelope to the following:
Pia Guerra
#169 - 2416 Main Street
Vancouver, BC
Canada
V5T 3E2
If you are from Canada please add a few stamps to the return envelope. People from the US or other countries can send me those international coupon thingies (NO MONEY!) if you can't get those don't worry, it doesn't cost THAT much for me to send boards in the mail. Of course if I suddenly become inundated with requests I may change that policy.
Please, please put a note on your package saying DO NOT BEND. The PO box I get my mail from will sometimes bend envelopes in order to cram it into that little mailbox and this will ruin your backing board. If you can, add a stiff board of cardboard in there that I include with the return art, just to be safe.
I promise to get these requests done as soon as posible. Those who have already sent stuff out I am currently working on them, sorry for the delay. If you've had an address change or need to contact me about your request you can drop me an e-mail at hellkitty3@hotmail.com and I'll do my best to get back to you asap.
Oh, and if your request is personalised please don't let me see it turn up on e-bay. It's incredibly tacky considering I've taken the time away from work to give you a free sketch. And those thinking of buying one on e-bay, come on.
What is a backing board anyway?
Backing boards are the acid free pieces of white cardboard you get with bagged comics to keep them from bending. If you don't have one of these you can send a sheet of bristol or art paper. 8x10 or thereabouts is a good size, it keeps postage low and reduces the chances of it getting mangled by the post office. Don't forget to add a piece of stiff cardboard for added security!
I think your blog is screwy, I can't see certain sections on my Mac.
I just learned of this glich, trying to figure it out but my coding sucks. Any Mac mavens who can figure out what's wrong please send me an e-mail letting me know how to fix it.
I saw an interview with you the other day and I really feel you'd be perfect for this book idea I have.
I'm currently attached to IDW's Doctor Who and won't be available until the end of the year. Sorry.
Can you give me information on submitting work to comic book companies?
The best advice I can offer here is to put together three to six sample pages (photocopies, no originals) of your BEST sequential art. The idea is to show off your range so make the pages interesting. Make certain you put your name and address on the back of each page in case the pages get shuffled about. The last thing you want is an editor discovering a random page, loving your work but having no idea who to contact.
Pick a title you feel best suits your style and look at the credits box, there you will see the name of the editor and possibly an assistant editor. Get the address off the disclaimer bar and send your samples c/o of the editor or assistant editor along with a brief letter stating your interest in submitting work and a self addressed stamped envelope. You won't be guaranteed a response but if they do have an interest the SASE will make sure you hear it.
Conventions are also a good way to get your stuff seen. It's a great place to talk to other creators and get feedback. You may also run into editors willing to look at work. If you do, keep it short, show only your best work and LISTEN. Take whatever critiques/advice they give you and WALK AWAY. You'll probably be running into these people again and again in the future and you want to be sure you leave them with a consistent, professional impression of yourself. Many newbies get overly defensive of their work and in the process make asses of themselves (believe me, I've done it myself). You can bitch and complain with friends about your interview later.
Remember, there aren't a whole lot of bridges in this business so don't go burning them all willy-nilly and then wonder why you're not getting gigs.
After our little drive we headed over to the VAG for a look at the Fred Herzog exhibit of photos of Vancouver from the 1950's to the present. One particularly eerie picture was of a man wearing a short-sleeve shirt with a cheesy print of the Manhattan landscape complete with WTC buildings on it. He was standing with his back to the camera somewhere on the midway of the PNE. The photo was dated September 1st 2001.