SOUL CHASER BETTY GRAPHIC NOVEL Now Available! BUY IT NOW!

Read It Online: 1st Chapter Preview:

ACEN Is On The Horizon
Update 5/6/08

Thanks to everyone who stopped by at Oconocon this past Sunday.  It was fun meeting comics fans from the great state of Wisconsin. 

Next up is Anime Central, probably my favorite show of the year.  I hope to see some of you guys there.

Meanwhile, don't forget to check out the new art on the site!

Savage Cave Girl

As well as the Savage Cave Girl Step By Step "how to art" section.

And, as always, this print is also now available in the Books and Prints Store.

BMAN

Oconocon this Weekend & New Art!
Update 4/28/08

Just updating to remind everyone in the Wisconsin area that Oconocon is this weekend (Sunday, to be exact).  I'll be there with other artists and comics creators all day, so if you're in the area, stop by and say hi.  For more information, check out the Oconocon Myspace Page.

Meanwhile, there is finally some new color art going up today.  This one is a color version of the Modest Cave Girl drawing, called Savage Cave Girl. 

Savage Cave Girl

This print is also now available in the Books and Prints Store.

If you'd like to see the progress this piece made from a con-sketch to color painting, check out this detailed page:

Savage Cave Girl Step By Step

It has a 15 stage "How To" that shows my process from sketch to final piece, with illustrated and animated examples. 

BMAN

New Art Goes Up
Update 4/1/08

Okay, it took awhile to get around to it, but there's some new art going up on the site today.  Most of these are con sketches, but one is an example of a con sketch that I've continued to work on and build off of.

First up is the con sketches themselves.  The first two are sketches I've done at cons based on specific requests.  However, the last two are sketches that I did to take to a con, and therefore are just things I was messing around with in my sketchbook and thought people might like.

Hula Girl (Wizard 07)
Dragon (Wizard 07)
Summon
Modest CaveGirl

Finally, the last drawing is Modest Cave Girl reworked and expanded.  This is an example of a drawing that I might work on with an eye towards doing it in color.  A lot more time is spent on this level of drawing, including more use of reference material and working out the anatomy.

Modest Cave Girl Drawing

BMAN

PS - I've added a new con to the schedule at the left:  Oconocon, which is a one day comic fest in Wisconsin.  You can find out more information about this show here:  Oconocon.

Betty Sale Ends - Uchi-Con - Witch Queen Mini
Update 2/20/08

Thanks to everyone who took advantage of the Free Shipping Sale on the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel!  That sale is now officially ended.

Also, thanks to everybody who stopped by the Capricon signing table!  Enjoy the books and I hope to see many of you at DukCon later this year.

In other news, U-Chi Con is this weekend.  I'll be out in the art alley and participating in comics related panels.  Drop by and see me if you are local, and also hello to fellow artist Dirk Tiede (of Paradigm Shift fame), among other guests.

Finally, Dragonblood minis has posted a painted version of the Witch Queen figure!  Head over there to check it out.

(PS - New art coming soon)

BMAN

New Con Schedule Up - Capricon Signing This Weekend
Update 2/11/08

Here's a general update for the site and all things BMAN.

First up, there is a new con schedule up on the side bar to the left.  I'll be adding new cons to this list as the year goes on, so you can always check there to see where I'll be appearing.

First up is Capricon.  I'll be signing books at the show this year, so stop by to say hi on Friday from 4 to 5PM and Saturday from 12N to 1PM.  Hope to see you there.

Next is U-Chi Con.  This is a one day free con on 2/23 at the University of Chicago.  I'll be participating in the artist alley and comic panel.  Their site currently looks like its still set up with info from last years events, so check back for updated info.

Of course, I wouldn't miss Acen for anything.  I'll be there in mid may in the artist alley!

Later in the year we'll have Wizard World Chicago and hopefully some other shows as well.

Outlaw Queen Mini Unveiled at Dragon Blood Miniatures
Update 12/05/07

Info on the second Dragonblood mini based on my art is up at their site, along with pre-order info.  Here's some picts of Outlaw Queen.  She stands 32mm high and comes in two pieces. 

Click the pictures for larger versions!

I can't wait to get my paint brushes on this one as well.  For more information, check out the Dragonblood site!

BMAN

Hobby Section Updated (Finally)
Update 12/03/07

Well, this site has been up since, oh I don't know, 2001 or so, and since that time there has been a section dedicated to Hobbies.  A blank section. 

Well, it is blank no more!

I've been so excited about the DragonBlood Miniature based off of my own Witch Queen art that it's kicked me in the buttocks to finally get some hobby stuff uploaded.   I've updated the Hobby section with pictures of my humble attempts at painting gaming miniatures, so feel free to head over there and check them out.  There will be more picts coming up, as soon as I can dust off the camera and set some up.

I'll also try to use the Hobby pages to keep everyone updated about the DragonBlood Minis, so stay tuned for more.

BMAN

Dragonblood Miniatures to Release Minis Based on Art by BMAN!
Update 11/07/07

Okay, I'm pretty excited about this one!  Dragonblood Miniatures has licensed some of my art to create gaming scale miniatures suitable for RPGs, table top gaming and collecting!

The first one is based on Witch Queen, and the first photo of the sculpt has arrived.  Check out the Dragonblood site for pre-order information, and look for more minis in the future!

Click the pictures to see larger versions!

I hope everyone is as excited about this as I am!

BMAN

Free U.S. Shipping on Soul Chaser Betty!
Update 10/25/07

Betty just ended its run on WebComicsNation today.  To celebrate the Twilight Tangents Store is offering free shipping on all Betty Graphic Novel orders within the U.S.!  So if you read Betty's adventures online, now's your chance to pick up the book, complete with pinups, character designs, sketches and a new afterword!

Help support independent and self published comics!  Remember that Betty is not available in stores.

This a limited-time offer, so order yours today.

BMAN

New Art, New Directions, New World
Update 9/27/07

NEW ART
Okay, I've finally gotten around to posting some of the new art that I spent my summer working on.  All four of the new pieces, which all depict Fallen Angels of one sort or another, are images that I created to help visualize story, world and character concepts for a new project I'm working on.

Fallen Metamorphosis
The Raven
Avenger 2
Fallen Queen

These new pieces are also now available as prints in the Twilight Tangents Books and Prints Store!

NEW WORLD
So, I can't really get into details on this new project yet (oh, so secret!), but I think a little explanation is in order.

I've always been interested in world building.  It's something that's often at the heart of my day job in game design.   Many of the game projects that I've worked on over the years have allowed me the opportunity to explore that aspect of the creative process, and it's one of my favorite parts of the gig.

While I've worked on a lot of projects where someone else is asking me to flesh out a world and its characters, SepterraCore was actually a game that really allowed me to bring a new world to life, as I saw it in my head.   Many of the ideas, concepts and themes that I had been working on for years in my story notebooks found a home in that world, and I was finally able to tell the kind of fantasy stories that I had always wanted to see.  I was immensely grateful to the die hard fans who, to this day, still love that world and its characters.

After completing Septerra I moved on to other projects and began developing lots of new ideas.  Many of these came from Septerra concepts that were never used, and they formed the basis for a new concept which became known as Seraphim.  Seraphim was an action game that had great potential. Fallen Angels in a unique fantasy setting fighting in the skies while mortals cowered in fear below.  Unfortunately, Seraphim never saw the light of day  (You can still see the trailer for the game at the Valkyrie Studios website) and I moved on to other projects.

Soul Chaser Betty was one of those projects.  I conceived it as a way to work on something a bit smaller than my previous stories, something that would allow me to focus on linear storytelling.  You see, as a game designer I often work on non-linear stories, and work hard on creating stories that allow the player to explore them in more than one way, while still ending up with a cohesive, single tale at the end of the day.  So I toiled on Betty and learned a great deal. 

Well, now what?  Betty wrapped up in 2004.  So what I have been working on since then (besides my forays into game development)? I've gone back to the Seraphim concepts, working on creating a new world, letting it grow organically and build upon its own history.  This project has now successfully occupied my spare time and creativity for several years.  I would snatch a chunk of time here, or a stretch of nights there, sitting down and building a world from the ground up.  Starting with cosmology, building on that with geology, expanding on that with cultures, and ending with characters and conflict.  And I did it for an entire world.  Not a continent the size of Europe, but a world the size of Earth, with almost as many unique races, cultures and nations. 

It took awhile.

I started it as an ongoing world building project.  This kind of work fascinates me.  And the more detailed I needed to get with the fantasy world, the more I needed to understand about the world I actually live in.  From weather patterns to ocean currents, to political systems and religious ceremonies, ancient to modern history, I had to do a great deal of research. 

The basic world bible for this new project now exists in a readable form, and is in excess of 500 pages of notes, nation profiles, religious systems, maps, histories and story threads.

And I've only just begun to scratch the surface.

From here it's time for me to start going about visualizing some of these concepts and then begin to move forward with concrete plans for the property.  RPG game books?  Maybe.  Comics?  Who knows?  Short stories or novels?  Already working on something, actually..

I'm excited about the possibilities this new world opens to me.  I hope to explore them in the near future, and share them with you in a real, tangible form.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the new pieces of art!

BMAN

Soul Chaser Betty Chapter Six Underway
Update 9/17/07

The homestretch has arrived.  The sixth and final installment of the Soul Chaser Betty story has begun updating on Web Comics Nation today (9/17).  The town of Armstrong is engulfed in a mysterious mist, Geist demons are running amok and Rolf's real world body has been kidnapped.  It's up to Betty to find the Weaver and stop his plan of combining the realms of Earth and Nod into one domain under his control!

And remember that the Betty Graphic Novel is now available from the publisher.  The 176 page book contains the entire Betty story in once place, with new art, extra scenes and bonus pin-ups.

Order yours here!

BMAN

PS - Next week new art goes up.  See you then.

General Update and Con Schedule
Update 7/18/07

Just updating to let everyone know what is going on here at Twilight Tangents.  First up, a quick run down of the upcoming con schedule:

07.22.07 - Toy and Collectible Show (Normandy Banquet Hall, 310 W Butterfield RD, Elmhurst, IL)
08.09.07 - 8.12.07 -  Wizard World Chicago
08.26.07 - Gurnee Mills Comic and Collectible Show (Holiday Inn-Gurnee, 6161 W. Grand Ave., Gurnee, IL)
11.02.07 - 11.04.07 - The Reactor

In other news, I'm currently working on several new color pieces, all of which are related to the new fantasy world concept I hinted at a few months ago.  I hope to have them done in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for a big art update.  The theme of the works can be summed with the word: "Fallen."

BMAN

Soul Chaser Betty Chap 4 Starts July 4th!
Update 7/2/07

Hey all, just dropping a note to let everyone know that Soul Chaser Betty Chapter 4 (Magical History Tour) starts July 4th!  Chapters 1 through 3 are already online!

Soul Chaser Betty
Witten and Drawn By Brian BMAN Babendererde

How Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation?

Join Betty, a cross dimensional bundle of trouble, as she enlists with a secret group of warriors known as the Soul Chasers. With her new partner, Rolf, she'll learn to fight back against the forces of darkness that are bent on shattering the barrier between the world we know and the dark land of dream.

Will she be able to wield the true power of a Soul Chaser? Or will this be the worst summer vacation ever?

Read it at Web Comics Nation
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/bman/scbetty/series.php

And remember, you can order the complete graphic novel collection of Betty’s adventures here
http://www.twilighttangents.com/store01_booksprints.htm

BMAN

General Updates w/ Sketches
Update 6/27/07

Well, Chicagolandz came and went.  Did anyone notice?  I was looking forward to this con, as I've never been to it and was hoping to reach some new readers for the Betty Graphic Novel.  Apparently it was packed a couple years ago.  This time around they had a large dealers area and lots of guest artists from the comics world, both small time (like me) and big time.

So what happened?

At any given point during the weekend, there were often, literally, more dealers in the hall than attendees.  It was the slowest con I've ever been to.  I don't know if something else was going on that weekend, or if the con just wasn't publicized enough, but it was dead.  And it wasn't like nice weather was competing with the show, it rained most of Saturday.

Oh well, sitting at the booth I had plenty of free time to kill, so I chatted with fellow comics artists, Jeff and Phil Moy, Art Balthazar and a few others.  I also killed time inking some random sketches I had brought with me, and most of the results are posted today for the update.

Finally, a special thanks and hello to everyone who I did meet at the con this weekend.  Thanks for stopping and talking, picking up a book or print and generally saying hello.  If you're new to the site, feel free to check out the large art galleries, and remember to keep checking for updates in the future.

New Art: Con Sketches
Once again, this update primarily consists of con sketches and inks, basically stuff that I've done at, or for, cons.  I have so many more of these than I used to, as its good practice, that I'm thinking of putting them in their own section...

Dragon Head Ink
Tara Of Mars Ink
Betty Pinup Ink
Blade Dancer
Betty Sketch

In the meantime, remember that Betty that is currently running on WebComicsNation.  Chapter Three is unfolding now, and it you like it, drop by the store here on the site and pick up a copy!

ChicaoLandz Con This Weekend
Update 6/18/07

Just dropping a note here on the page to let everyone know that I'll be at the ChicagoLandz Comics and Pop-Culture show this weekend (6/22 thru 24th).  I'll be setting up with copies of the new Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel, color prints, original drawings and sketchbooks.  So if you're in the area, drop by, check out the con and remember to stop by and say hi.

In the meantime, remember that Betty that is currently running on WebComicsNation.  Chapter Three is unfolding now, and it you like it, drop by the store here on the site and pick up a copy!

New Art & Myspace
Update 6/4/07

Okay, I've put up some new art for this update.  These inked drawings are all what I would call "con sketches."  That means that I either did them at a con as a commission, or that I did them to take with me to cons to put up for sale.  The exception is Slave Girl Maya, which was done as a commission through the web site.

My pencils tend to be very light, so often times my con sketches are a little too delicate.  To fix this, I decided to get in more practice inking them, which makes the sketches pop from the page and look that much better.  Most of my inking is done in Painter these days - in fact, all 165+ pages of Soul Chaser Betty were inked digitally.  However, I still ink with Microns for commissions (I'll probably never go back to pen nibs at this point - Painter is my master now). 

These drawings were done to get more experience with my Microns:

Betty Action Ink
Anime Sword
Angel Ink
Slave Girl Maya
Cave Girl Portrait

With those now out of the way, a few general announcements.  In an effort to network a little more online, I've finally broken down and added a MySpace page for myself and Twilight Tangents. So if you are a part of that community, drop by and say hi, or make friends, or whatever it is the kids are doing these days.  A Deviant Art site is in the works as well.  And don't forget to say hi at ComicSpace if you have an account there!

BMAN

Betty Chapter Three Starts Today!
Update 5/31/07

Just reminding everyone that Soul Chaser Betty Chapter Three starts today, over at Web Comics Nation.  You can also find Chapters One and Two there as well, for those of you who need to get caught up.

If you like the book, you can order a copy of the Graphic Novel here on the site!

BMAN

ACEN Report & Pre-Order Shipping
Update 5/15/07

Thanks to everyone who came by the table in Artist Alley at Anime Central.  We had a great show, and sold lots of the brand new Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel.   Alisa and I kept telling everyone that the books were "hot off the presses, and still had that New Book Smell!"  We lost track of how many people actually smelled the book, but it was a lot.  ACEN 07 was the best show I've ever had, and I thank each and everyone of the people who stopped by the table, from the long time supporters, to the new fans taking a chance on a new book.

Speaking of which, a hearty welcome to new readers that are stopping by the site to see what's it all about, as well as interested new readers who took a card at the table.  Here's the rundown:  Betty is currently being serialized at Web Comics Nation, where the story is well into Chapter Two.  Go check it out, and if you like it enough to pick up the book, you can order it here.

In addition, there's plenty to see on this site.  Feel free to check out the galleries of sketches and color art.  And be sure to visit the Store, where you can order books, prints, t-shirts, mugs, buttons or magnets.

And if you're a new reader who picked up the book at the show, feel free to drop me a line and let me know how you liked it.

On the flipside, those of you who pre-ordered the Betty Graphic Novel will be happy to know that Pre-Orders will be shipping out tomorrow (5/16)!

In the meanwhile, I'll have some new con-sketches up on the site soon, so check back for updates!

BMAN

Betty Pre-Orders Closed
Update 5/10/07

Thanks to everyone who supported the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel by Pre-Ordering the book!  Books have arrived and will begin shipping out early next week! 

Remember that the Betty Graphic Novel is always available in the Store, as well as several prints!

Now, on to Anime Central this weekend!

BMAN

Anime Central Con This Weekend
Update 5/7/07

Hey all, just updating to remind everyone that this weekend is the Anime Central convention in Chicago.  I'll be in the Artist Alley once again this year, so if you are attending the con, please come by and say hi.  I will definitely have copies of the Soul Chaser Betty graphic novel for sale at the show, as well!

Meanwhile, for those of you looking to pre-order the book online, remember that the 20% off sale ends at the end of the day this Thursday (US Central Time).  So if you'd like to get a copy, and want to save a little cash, order now!

BMAN

Online Comics Day
Update 5/4/07

Hey everyone, this year I am once again participating in Online Comics Day (otherwise known as Webcomics Awareness Day).  I did a special color strip (ala a "sunday funnies" style strip) of Betty and posted it over on WebComicsNation. Check it out, and remember to read the adventures of Betty every weekday on its new home at WCN.

Click the banner below to visit the official hub site of Online Comics Day and check out the other comics that are participating.

Pre-Orders Available!
Update 4/19/07

The Proofs have been approved and the book is in production!  With that out of the way, let's move on to the big news:

Soul Chaser Betty Pre-Orders Available
Pre-Orders for the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel are now available.  Normally retailing for $14.95, pre-orders submitted by 5/10/07 will receive a special 20% off price of 11.95 + S&H ($3 off the reg $14.95 cover price). Pre-orders are expected to ship by 5/15//07.  All payments are through Paypal.

(Note to Anime Central Attendees:  Books will be in stock by the con (5/11/07), so you can pick up a copy there and save the S&H fee.  Books at the con will be full price, but you'll still save $1 and I'll cover the Illinois sales tax.  That's a total of $2.40 off the price (almost 20% anyway) and you'll get your books sooner!)

Prints Now Available
I've expanded the Twilight Tangents Store to now include Prints as well as the Graphic Novel.  Many of the site's favorite images are now available.  Each print is hand signed and protected in archival safe, acid free packaging. 

And don't forget, there are now three all new t-shirt designs over at the CafePress store.

Soul Chaser Betty on Web Comics Nation
Soul Chaser Betty will be starting a serialized run on Web Comics Nation, with a new page updated every weekday.  Read the entire story as it unfolds, for free.  Why am I doing this?  To raise profile of Betty for web comics readers, and advertise the graphic novel - the series has been MIA on the web for several years, after all.  The WCN serialized pages will be the revised pages from the print edition, which means new art, new effects, new lettering and new pages!

BMAN

Graphic Novel Updates
Update 4/09/07

Well, its about time I posted another update.  The files for the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel are at the printers!  I hope to have books in hand by the first week in May.  While I'm waiting for the proofs to come back I've taken the time to update several things on the website.

First up, the Cafe Press store has been updated with three new t-shirt designs.  You can now find all new, fully painted images of Betty on a variety of shirts, as well as mugs.  One of the designs features the new Graphic Novel cover image, a second sports the updated and fully painted Chapter 5 title pin-up (also used on the back of the Graphic Novel), and the third design is the updated Betty Poster design.  Check 'em out.

Next up, I've updated the top bar of the website with some new art of Betty.  I had to go back a couple years to find old backups of the original website art before it was flattened, something I wasn't even sure I still had.  But now that I have it, I may be switching out the art for the top of the page more often in the near future.

I've also updated the links banners for Betty and the Twilight Tangents site at the top of the Links page.  Feel free to use them to link back to me.

Finally, I'll be looking into setting up a new online store through Paypal in the very near future.  I hope to set it up so that fans can order the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel, as well as color prints, directly from the site.

BMAN

New Color Work & Updates
Update 3/19/07

It's been a hectic several weeks for me, as I've been trying to get everything ready so I can start putting together the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel.  I've uploaded a couple of new Betty color works.  One is a piece I did a while back and never got around to posting, but now its up, and its also the current front page for the graphic novel preview.  The other is something I just finished last week: the cover painting for the graphic Novel.  The image I've uploaded for now is just a preview, and I expect a few things to change before its sent off to the printer.

Soul Chaser Betty Cover Preview
Soul Chaser Betty Poster

After two cons on two weekends in a row, and working hard on the book, I also found the time to have some friends over a few weekends ago.  Was it a party?  Kinda, but it was really a chance for me to present a new project to some good friends and colleagues for comment and feedback.  The project is actually an expansive fantasy world in the vein of SepterraCore, one that I've been working on, off and on, over the last several years.  I'm glad to say that everyone who came seemed to be really excited by the concept, and everybody offered some great feedback and support.   Hopefully I will find the time to talk more about it on this page in the future.  In the meantime, I have a lot of work to do before its ready to be presented to the world.

BMAN

UChi-Con and Sketch Update
Update 2/12/07

Hello to all, and a special tip of the hat to everyone I saw at Capricon XXVII over the weekend (even "NASA Dude" - We are one step closer to finding that Space Gold my friend!).  I had a great time this weekend, hanging out with friends and even a few fans. 

This week I am working hard on getting the cover for the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel painted.  Hopefully I will have a sample of it up on the site in the near future. 

UChi-Con
It looks like I will be attending UChi-Con, the one day anime convention that is run by the University of Chicago Japanese Animation Society.  You'll be able to find me in the art alley with copies of Betty ashcans (last copies, going fast), color prints and sketchbook collections.  I hope to see some Betty fans there!

New Sketches
In the meantime, you can check out some new sketches that are now up on the site.  Most of these came from Capricon.  Enjoy.

New Betty Sketch 01
New Betty Sketch 02
Shadow Thief
Dragon Head
Martian Princess
Cavegirl

BMAN
 

Capricon XXVII
Update 1/30/07

Work is proceeding on the Soul Chaser Betty Graphic Novel.  This week I'm starting work on the cover!  I'll have that, and some other new color art, to post soon. 

In other news, the annual Capricon Science Fiction and Fantasy convention is coming up in beautiful Arlington Heights, Illinois, Feb 8 through the 11th.  I'll be hanging out with some of the other local Chicago Comics and Games creators, and some of my art will be hanging in the Art Show.  If you're local, come by and check out the show.

Also, I've just launched a ComicSpace site dedicated to both Twilight Tangents and Soul Chaser Betty.  Stop by and check it out.

BMAN

New Years Updates
Update 1/18/07

Happy New Year to one and all.  Now on to announcements.

First up is the news that all 6 issues of Soul Chaser Betty will be collected in graphic novel format and published this spring.  Yeah, I know, its about time.  To make a long story short, Betty was being courted by several publishers, in what turned out to be a long and drawn out process.  In the end, it just wasn't looking like it was going to happen, so I've decided to publish the book myself.  I should have copies ready for the Anime Central Con in May.

The Graphic Novel will not simply be a reprint of the ashcans, however.  Last year I spent quite a bit of time going back into the book and "fixing things up" a bit.  I wound up re-lettering most of the book, re-doing the early effects and touching up an ungodly number of panels that always bothered me.  In addition, I added a handful of new pages here or there to help pacing.  Consider it an "extended cut."  I'm looking forward to having a hard copy book in my grubby little hands.

You can check out the new version of Chapter One in the Soul Chaser Betty section now.

In other news, I have a ton of new additions to the site that will be coming in the weeks ahead.  My aim is to personalize the site a bit more.  Don't worry though, I don't intend to turn this into a blog.  Instead, I'll start by adding some photos to the Hobby section, mostly of painted miniatures and model kits from my collection.  Of course, I also have a ton of new sketches that need to be posted, so there will always be new art updates coming as well.

In the meantime, I'm adding some personal touches to the left side bar.  You'll notice that now there is a list of personal pastimes, including what I'm currently reading, playing and watching.  In addition, there is now a Paypal Donate button as well.  If you like the art on these pages and want to help me maintain the site, feel free to send in a few dollars.  If not, that's cool too.

Thanks for visiting and come back in the coming weeks to see what's new.

BMAN