Benjamin Marra blog

Art Opening Reception | February 25th

2012-01-25T17:48:00.002-05:00

More details to come ...

OBEY Interview

2012-01-18T22:24:00.003-05:00

OBEY's Chris Ziegler interviews me over at their website. We talk about where my ideas come from, loving what you make, stoner-style doodling, photo-reference and other subjects. Here's a piece of the awesome introduction Chris wrote:

Does Marra simply just love drawing a motorcycle tire smearing some thug’s head into pulp on a sidewalk in Nowhere City, U.S.A., circa 1983? Turns out that ‘Fuck yes!’ doesn’t even do the sentiment justice. The adolescent passion unchained here is matched only in the most ridiculously enduring excesses of punk and heavy metal—the soundtrack to what Marra describes as the kind of artwork that spills out of a sullen stoner in the back of the class in high school. His characters and his plots and his worlds themselves are distorted and deformed beyond the laws of physics and society both, but make up for it with the kind of confident enthusiasm you get only when your sword is also a chainsaw, and you can fly, too.

Check out the full interview here.

The Werewolf Of London | Rubin Museum Introduction

2012-01-18T15:55:00.001-05:00

This Friday at 9:30 I'll be introducing the timeless horror movie THE WEREWOLF IN LONDON at The Rubin Museum. Swing by, hear me talk about horror, have a cocktail and watch the movie.

Best of 2011 | GANGSTA RAP POSSE, ISSUE 2

2011-12-23T19:25:00.003-05:00

GANGSTA RAP POSSE, ISSUE 2, comes in at number eight on Tucker Stones Best-of-2011 list over at Comixology. Here's what Tucker had to say:

While Benjamin Marra's reputation precedes him enough that the general tone of his work is unlikely to surprise, his experiments in how he exercises that work seem ever-developing. 2011 saw the guy showing up everywhere, but it was in the gray newsprint pages of Gangsta Rap Posse where the most hits landed. One of those long sought after "perfect comics", GRP #2 didn't hold back from a single transgresion, delivering page after page of shadowless violence. More celebration than revelation, Marra's brazen willingness to prize his own taste above all else bore fruit once again. If more cartoonists were as in touch with what their hands want to create, making these lists would be a whole lot harder.

GANGSTA RAP POSSE Rounds Out Timothy Callahan's Best Of 2011 List

2011-12-13T12:28:00.000-05:00

Over at Comic Book Resources Timothy Callahan begins his Best of 2011 list in the latest installment of his column When Words Collide. GANGSTA RAP POSSE makes the list coming in at #30. This is what Tim said about the issue:

A couple of years after Marra's Traditional Comics published the first issue of this series in which an N.W.A-like rap group lives the life it rhymes about, he returns with issue #2, using a more streamlined pen-and-ink style to depict the violence and debauchery of his mythical "heroes."

The thrill of this book is not just in its witty satire of politics and hip-hop poses, but in the glee in which the story unfolds. A book like this makes all other macho action comics seem like soft-focus Lifetime movies in comparison.

Check out the list #11 to 30 here.

Matt Seneca On The Brooklyn Comics And Graphics Fest, Reviews Elf Booklets 1-4

2011-12-10T00:04:00.017-05:00

Matt Seneca writes an impassioned report on this past weekend's Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest. He includes several reviews of books he found including my four Elf Booklets, zines of drawings I made, employing Raymond Pettibon's aesthetics, inspired by the movie "American Psycho." Here's a few highlights from the review:

Ben Marra has been the single most important artist of action comics going for a few years now, and the new issue of his slashers 'n' strippers series Night Business that came out at the Fest only strengthens his case as the modern era's heir to the comics-about-fighting throne. Much as his work outclasses Avatar and outguns Marvel, though, Marra has an equally strong affinity for the avant-garde, and his truly bizarre quasi-adaptation of everyone's favorite Christian Bale movie (what) shows off the more uncompromising side of what's already a rock hard aesthetic.

And:

But the real story here is Marra's art, which is far and away the best work of his career. Free of the demands placed on it by story, Marra's compositional sense runs absolutely wild, filtering everything from Kirby to classical painting to Black Flag gig flyers into a stark, streamlined, utterly arresting whole. These pictures seem almost mathematically calculated to haunt the eyes they meet: whether it's the sublimely balanced blacks and whites or the point-of-impact axe to neck shots, something here is bound to stick in the mind long after the 'zines are put away.

Here are some highlights from the 'zines:

Brooklyn Comics & Graphics Fest

2011-11-30T17:33:00.001-05:00

This year's Brooklyn Comics & Graphics Fest is happening this Saturday, December 3rd, from noon to 9 PM at the Our Lady of Carmel Church. Entry is FREE. It's a great collection of comic books, art books, art prints and other random ephemera. It's possibly my favorite comic show of the year. This year I'll have the following comic books debuting and goods to offer:

NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 4
OFFICIAL DEBUT
Check out the fourth installment to the epic, dramatic, saga of urban crime, violence, sex and street justice. Price: $3

GANGSTA RAP POSSE, ISSUE 1, SECOND PRINTING
OFFICIAL DEBUT
Due to popular demand and many requests, I've reprinted GANGSTA RAP POSSE, ISSUE 1, for a SECOND PRINTING. Price: $2

TRADITIONAL COMICS, ELF BOOKLETS
The first four booklets of my illustrations based on the movie AMERICAN PSYCHO are premiering at the Fest. They're small (~4" x 5.5") 'zine-type experiments on a Raymond Pettibon approach to drafting with brush and ink, or brush pen in this case. Limited to 24 editions each. Price: $1 EACH

SMOKE SIGNAL #10
Michael DeForge and I collaborate on a 6-page CyberPunk story, FAUNAMANCER DOMINATION: ASCENDANCY, for this issue. I may not have copies at my table but there will be plenty lying around the Fest I'm sure. Price: FREE

T-SHIRTS (HOPEFULLY)
They're supposed to arrive Friday so I'll have them for Saturday. One is of the NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 1, cover art and the other is the TRADITIONAL COMICS logo. Both black ink on white t-shirts. Price: $15

THE REST OF THE TRADITIONAL COMICS COMIC BOOKS
The rest of the issues of NIGHT BUSINESS, GANGSTA RAP POSSE, THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD and THE NAKED HEROES, will naturally be available as well. Price: $1-$3

LOCATION
I'll be at Table 24 in the Downstairs area. Here's where my table is on the map:

Hope to see you there!

NIGHT BUSINES | ISSUE 4 | OUT NOW!!!

2011-11-20T22:44:00.002-05:00

Secrets revealed!! Discover who is behind The Slasher!! Find out if Johnny survived the warehouse explosion! Discover Pimp Donny's evil designs for Krystal! The Rider continues to wage her bloody war on street crime single-handedly ... or with some help!? Steve, left to watch over Glitz Glam Entertainment, is presented with shocking information! An issue not to be missed!!!

Order your copy today at WWW.TRADITIONALCOMICS.COM!

DOMY Monster Show

2011-11-02T23:12:00.002-04:00

My piece for the recent Monster Show at DOMY Books.

Your Wednesday Sequence Interview

2011-11-02T17:43:00.001-04:00

Matt Seneca (who's one of my favorite writers/critics/observers/perceivers of the comic book medium) interviews me for his brilliant weekly column Your Wednesday Sequence over at Robot 6. Check it out here. We talk about my comic-book storytelling methods, page-layout philosophies, and the influence of King Kirby on the way I think about organizing narrative information from panel-to-panel. I could talk about that stuff forever so it was a thrill to answer Matt's thoughtful questions. Thanks, Matt.

Demon The Whiskey Down Album Artwork

2011-10-25T23:06:00.007-04:00

Above is the album artwork I created for The Naked Heroes new album, Demon The Whiskey Down which officially released today. You can download the album for free on their website here. Even though the music couldn't be more down-home, Budweiser-swilling, parking-lot, trans-am-T-top, full-throated, red-blooded American Rock 'n Roll, George (lead vocals, guitar) and I thought doing something kind of Proggy artwise would be an interesting choice. I was also influenced by the imagery and Cenebites in the movie Hellbound: Hellraiser II. It was the first digital painting I've ever created. I also made a short, 8-page comic that was inserted into the limited-edition 12-inch vinyl release of the album. The comic cover art is below.

NIGHT BUSINESS On Bored To Death

2011-10-11T10:45:00.001-04:00

On last night's season premiere of the third season of HBO's Bored to Death, NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 1, made a brief cameo appearance, opposite Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie.

GANGSTA RAP POSSE | ISSUE 2 | OUT NOW!!!

2011-09-22T13:59:00.004-04:00

Because you demanded it! The most outrageous and notorious rap group in the world is back!! And this issue raises the stakes!!! The boys elude assassination attempts by corrupt police Lieutenants and the Mayor of Los Angeles. They take on a neo-Nazi punk rock band and their fans. But worst of all Harold Smithsonion, the lethal leader of the 70s funk band, Funk Congress International, and his former bass-player-turned-CIA-assassin, Snoozy Koblins, want GANGSTA RAP POSSE deader than disco for sampling their hit songs without permission or payment!! Still GANGSTA RAP POSSE finds the time to cause a ruckus, spray some bullets around the cityscape, turn Nazi-punk-band groupies to their flava and satisfy the wives of Omnicom's board of directors!! Just another day in the life of GANGSTA RAP POSSE!!
MATURE READERS ONLY | EXPLICIT CONTENT
(Sorry kids, this one's too cool for you).

Product details:
Full-color, matte covers
24 b&w interior pages
6" x 9" pamphlet

Order yours today!

SPX 2011

2011-09-08T15:05:00.001-04:00

This weekend I'll be at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD, at table H9 along with a couple of bros from Mammal. On Saturday I'll be a part of the panel entitled "Excruciating Detail," moderated by comic critic extraordinaire Sean T. Collins, along with Johnny Ryan, Tom Neely and Lisa Hanawalt. At the table I'll have a new print and new surprise comic for sale as well as copies of Twisted Savage Dragon Funnies. If you're in the DC metro area, be sure to swing by!

DC-FiftyToo! Jack Kirby's The New Gods

2011-08-16T20:12:00.008-04:00

Large image above

Here's my contribution to the DC Fifty-Too! blog, curated by Jon Morris. Jon asked everyone "If DC approached you and offered you any DC property - past or present - of your choice to be your own new ongoing part of the DC Universe, what would the cover to the first issue look like?" Every day leading up to the DC relaunch/pseudo-reboot more covers will be posted, so keep checking back!

Above are the various stages for creating the image: pencils, inks, colors and the final image with the logos. The top image is slightly larger so you can see the detail.

I was really happy to see, when Jon invited me to participate, no one had chosen The New Gods yet. It's one of my all-time favorite comics, along with the rest of Kirby's Fourth World books. It was a dream to draw these characters.

Philadelphia Alternative Comic Con

2011-08-13T07:37:00.002-04:00

This weekend I'll be at the Philadelphia Alternative Comic Con. If you're in Philly, swing by!

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-08-12T13:00:00.000-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

Twisted Savage Dragon Funnies Collection Signing

2011-07-18T20:36:00.000-04:00

This Wednesday I'll be signing copies of the Twisted Savage Dragon Funnies collection with several of the other creator contributors.

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-07-15T20:24:00.002-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

TWISTED SAVAGE DRAGON FUNNIES Collection Comes Out Today!

2011-07-13T10:27:00.000-04:00

The TWISTED SAVAGE DRAGON FUNNIES oversize, 144-page collection comes out today with stories by Tom Scioli, Jim Rugg, Zack Soto, myself and many, many other fine and twisted comic creators. Michel Fiffe organized, edited and midwifed the whole thing and deserves thunderous applause. Swing over and support your local comic shop by picking up a copy!

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-07-08T14:14:00.001-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-07-01T21:26:00.001-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-06-25T13:27:00.002-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

New ZORION THE SWORDLOARD Pages Are Up

2011-06-17T12:05:00.001-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-06-03T20:48:00.001-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

Signed Stinkers Sticker Sheets

2011-06-02T22:08:00.001-04:00

Signed prints of my STINKERS stickers sheets are now for sale here!

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-05-27T21:34:00.002-04:00

BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING

New ZORION THE SWORDLORD Pages Are Up

2011-05-20T18:42:00.000-04:00

Start at The Beginning!

Mysterious Details

2011-05-17T21:54:00.010-04:00

New Pages Of ZORION THE SWORDLORD Are Up Now

2011-05-13T17:54:00.001-04:00

Start at The Beginning!

Space Barbarians Of The Ultimate Future Dimensions

2011-05-06T14:29:00.001-04:00

I am entering the realm of web comics with the story ZORION THE SWORDLORD. He is one of the immortal SPACE BARBARIANS OF THE ULTIMATE FUTURE DIMENSIONS, but more on them later. I plan to stop reading during my commute and instead draw pages for this web comic while I wait for buses and trains, while I'm on buses and trains or when I have idle time, like drawing during breakfast, or random downtime I find for myself, plotting the story as I go. New pages will be added every Friday. You can start reading it here.
The Story of the SPACE BARBARIANS OF THE ULTIMATE FUTURE DIMENSIONS

When the Space Gods created the universe they did so using a powerful tool, the PHASER-AXE. But the PHASER-AXE is also the most powerful weapon in all of the universe and it gained sentience. With it's self-knowledge it felt hate toward the Space Gods, for the PHASER-AXE is truly the embodiment of all evil, and it set off on its destiny to destroy the universe in the only way possible, by cleaving the HEARTSTAR. Wrapping itself in a comet, the PHASER-AXE, travels toward the HEARTSTAR, hellbent on bringing the universe to its end. The Space Gods then created the SPACE BARBARIANS OF THE ULTIMATE FUTURE DIMENSIONS, warriors in different dimensions of the universe with individual destinies and adventures, existing and operating with no knowledge of each other, in separate realities taking place near the demise of the universe. Each of the SPACE BARBARIANS, through their legion of adventures, is a piece to a puzzle which will stop the PHASER-AXE from completing it's mission: to reach the HEARTSTAR and shatter all dimensions by cleaving the central sun in two.

Some of the known SPACE BARBARIANS include:

• U-Nonymous the Unknowable, barbarian detective addicted to the cosmic drug known as The Make, who seeks to find the Opto-Gravplex and save the planet Pollear-Axis 99 from falling into a black hole.

U-Nonymous

• The Ark of the Desecration, the exiled Black Prince of Elia, now famed bounty hunter in the year 106,672, wielder of the magic sword Megahellnaut and master of strange science sorcery.

The Ark of the Desecration

BronzeGold, worshiped wandering warrior, lover and slayer.

BronzeGold

Hjellhjammer the Heschienne, the hirsute seducer of the Infinite Tesseract, enemy to demons, the Bike Masters and the Cyber-Caesar.

Hjellhjammer the Heschienne

Be on the look out for more news about the SPACE BARBARIANS OF THE ULTIMATE FUTURE DIMENSIONS!!

Dramatic Reading For The PEN World Voices Festival Of International Literature

2011-04-27T20:06:00.003-04:00

I'll be doing a serious, dramatic reading of my U.S.Agent story from Strange Tales II at this year's PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature this Saturday along with some fellow NYC-based comic creators like, Kate Beaton, Mike Dawson, R. Sikoryak, Michael Kupperman and Dean Haspiel. Check out all the details here.

2011 Stumptown Comics Fest And Portland

2011-04-19T21:50:00.000-04:00

I had the honor and privilege of sharing a booth at this past weekend's Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland, OR, with the immortal Jason Leivian, proprietor of Floating World Comics, one of the best comic shops on the planet. The show itself was fantastic. We had a spacious booth to relax in and sell our wares from. I found some terrific comics including some Jademan back issues and several mind-blowing comics from an indie company called Raw Fun. I was introduced to several fine folks from Dark Horse Comics including publisher Mike Richardson. I spoke with Brandon Graham, Nate Simpson, Tom Neely, Rick Remender, and many others. I chatted at length with Matt Maxwell who writes Strangeways, about horror movies, Clive Barker ones in particular, and Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II specifically. I did a few sketches at the con in people's sketchbooks including one of Pinhead for Matt.

On the Thursday before Stumptown, Jason hosted an art opening and signing at the store for me. Floating World Comics is the comic store you think you can only imagine, but there it is, in downtown Portland. I bought many things. During the signing I was able to speak at length with a bunch of folks I only know through the internet mostly.

Other than hanging out with Jason for a quality amount of time, the best part of the trip was meeting all the fine people living in and around Portland. Already plotting a return to next year's fest.

Nick Gazin Covers MoCCA At Vice

2011-04-12T17:01:00.002-04:00

Nick Gazin has a write-up over at VICE that includes myself (pictured above) and several other folks, like Rob Corradetti, Whitney Mattheson, Zach Hazard Vaupen, and Dan Nadel, who showed stuff last weekend's MoCCA Festival. Check it out here.

Strange Tales MoCCA After Party

2011-04-08T12:49:00.002-04:00

After the Saturday edition of this year's MoCCA Festival, I'll be at The Mad Hatter for the Strange Tales II Party, along with several of my sterling co-creators. Be sure to stop by if you're going to be at MoCCA. Check out the flyer above for detes.

MoCCA 2011

2011-04-07T18:41:00.004-04:00

I'll be at this weekend's MoCCA Festival at table A17 (see above floorplan). Swing by for some deals on some comic books! ... except for GANGSTA RAP POSSE. I'm sold out of that one. The MoCCA fest is at the Lexington Avenue Armory, 68 Lexington Ave. Things kick off at 11 AM on Saturday.

Nylon Guys Illustration

2011-04-04T22:30:00.002-04:00

I made this illustration recently for the issue of Nylon Guys hitting stands this week. It's for the upcoming Rockstar video game L.A. Noire.

Strange Tales II Sketches

2011-03-30T22:40:00.010-04:00

Here are some sketches I did for my Strange Tales II story, U.S.Agent vs. the Terror-Saur. You can check out many of the other creators' sketches over at the Comics Alliance here. Rafael Granpas' sketches are mind-blowing. The Strange Tales II hardcover collection came out today.

Show At Floating World Comics

2011-03-30T22:28:00.002-04:00

Thursday, April 14th, I'll be having an art show and signing at the renowned comic book store, Floating World Comics, in Portland, OR. Things kick off around 6. Floating World is hosting a bunch of events that whole week, leading up to the Stumptown Comics Festival, which I'll also be attending.

Savage Dragon Short Story

2011-03-19T00:30:00.004-04:00

Here's the first page to my Savage Dragon story I'm currently working on, "Space-Werewolf Biker Gang Zealots Gone Wild!" Savage Dragon is the creation of Erik Larsen and published over at Image Comics. I've been a fan of Larsen's work since I started reading Marvel books. I really enjoyed his early stuff in The Punisher and Amazing Spider-Man.

Best Writer Nomination for 2011 Stumptown Comic Arts Awards

2011-03-15T13:53:00.004-04:00

I'm nominated for Best Writer for BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) in this year's Stumptown Comic Arts Awards. Check out all the nominees and cast your vote here. I'll be attending the Stumptown Comics Fest in April and having a show open that same week in Portland. More details about those things later though.

Pin-Up For The Urn

2011-03-14T20:58:00.001-04:00

Recently, I finished this pin-up for the upcoming comic The Urn, written by Patrick Kindlon and drawn by Leandro Panganiban. Check out the kickstarter page here (they're well over their goal) to learn more about the project. It's a seriously awesome-looking book.

Feeding Ground #5 Pin Up

2011-02-23T14:37:00.004-05:00

Here's a pin-up I did recently for my good friend Michael Lapinski's werewolf book, Feeding Ground, from Archaia Comics. It'll be appearing in the #5 issue.

La Frontera Illustrations For VICE

2011-02-07T23:11:00.007-05:00

I created some illustrations for Leslie Jamison's essay "La Frontera" about her experiences along the Mexican border which is appearing in the forthcoming issue of VICE. You can read it here on the VICE website.

Madlib Album Covers Covered By Pitchfork

2011-01-27T12:08:00.002-05:00

Jeff Jank gets profiled by Pitchfork for his awesome art direction on the monthly series of Madlib albums called Medicine Show. Check out the full write-up here. I provided artwork for one of the volumes.

Ian Burns Reviews Strange Tales II At The Comics Journal

2011-01-14T13:07:00.001-05:00

In his review of the recent issues of Marvel's Strange Tales II over on The Comics Journal blog, Ian Burns writes this about my own story from issue #3:

Benjamin Mara’s[sic] “U.S. Agent vs. The Terror-Saur!!” in which U.S. Agent rides a rocket bike to Terrorstan with a scantily clad female reporter to fight a half-human, half- velociraptor with a nuke on its back is … unorthodox … even in relation to its fellow strange tales.

It's funny because I see my story as completely consistent with the superhero orthodoxy. But I often get the response that my drawing is weird, when I see it as being completely normal. See Burns' full review here.

Release Party and Signing!

2011-01-13T13:35:00.002-05:00

I'm having a release party and signing over at Bergen Street Comics, the great comic shop in Brooklyn, for BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) on Saturday, January 22nd, from 8-11. We're also doing an after party down the street at Lucky 13 Saloon, a metal bar. Be there!!

Michel Fiffe And Nathan Fox Name TRADITIONAL COMICS Comics As Favorites Of 2010

2011-01-03T17:47:00.002-05:00

MTV Geek had several comic creators list their favorite comic book stories from 2010. Michel Fiffe named BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF FICTION AND SATIRE) and Nathan Fox named NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, and BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF FICTION AND SATIRE). It means a lot to me coming from two supremely talented comic creators. Check out the list of all the creators' favorites here.

Sean T. Collins Reviews BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION)

2011-01-03T12:34:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite comic journalists, Sean T. Collins, gives a very positive review of BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) over on his website, Attention Deficit Disorderly.

This is one of the most vicious and effective works of satire I’ve seen in comics in I don’t know how long. I say that as someone who pretty much loathes political and editorial cartooning of all stripes — an endless nightmare of preaching to the choir, taking complex issues and boiling them down to ideas and images with all the subtlety and insight of blowing the raspberry. By contrast, Benjamin Marra’s stroke of genius in The Incredibly Fantastic Adventures of Maureen Dowd lies not just in picking an unusual target, but in the pinpoint accuracy of hitting it ...

Sean also included NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, in his list of The 20 Best Comics of 2010, pairing it with Matt Furie's Boys Club #4 at the 20th spot. Glad to have NIGHT BUSINESS snuck in there with an appropriate partner.

Tucker Stone Names NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, As One Of The Best Comics Of 2010

2010-12-28T22:21:00.003-05:00

NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, comes in at lucky number 13 on Tucker Stone's list for The Best Comics of 2010 over at his column, This Ship Is Totally Sinking, on Comixology's website. Says Tucker:

As great as his USAgent story in Strange Tales was (pretty great) and as trendsetting as that Maureen Dowd thing was (pretty trendsetting?), my heart will always belong to Night Business. A nakedly unrestrained id delivering a passionate meditation on all of the things that healthy boys love the most, Ben Marra's Night Business is a comic that's impossible to get tired of.

Thank you very much, Mr. Stone.

11 O'Clock Comics Reviews BENJAMIN MARRA'S INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION)

2010-12-23T23:26:00.000-05:00

The guys over at the 11 O'Clock Comics podcast say some positive things about BENJAMIN MARRA'S INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) in their 138th episode. Check it out here. They start talking about it at the 59:17 mark. They even mention my status as one of the Art Directors Club's Young Guns, which is pretty awesome. Check out the rest of their podcasts. They really know a lot about comics.

ROM The Space Knight Fundraiser

2010-12-22T17:40:00.003-05:00

The SPACENITE AUCTION FUNDRAISER FOR BILL MANTLO was held recently at the amazing comic shop FLOATING WORLD COMICS in Portland. A print of my contribution can be found here on eBay. But a whole bunch of other artists also contributed awesome work for to help support Bill Mantlo, writer of all the ROM comics, who was paralyzed after a hit-and-run accident 20 years ago. 100% of all proceeds go to Bill. Here's a gallery of pics from the show.

Interview with Amber Unmasked

2010-12-22T15:52:00.001-05:00

At the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest earlier this month I was interviewed by Amber Delaney over at her website Amber Unmasked. Check it out in the above YouTube video. The interview can be found in her report about the fest right here.

Mention From MTV Geek

2010-12-22T15:36:00.002-05:00

Valerie D'Orazio, an accomplished comic book writer and editor, now running the show over at MTV Geek, talked with me for a bit at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest earlier this month. I got a mention in her post over at the website about half-way down the page. Check it out here.

The 12 Days of Comic Book Christmas

2010-12-22T15:31:00.000-05:00

I did the above illustration for the second day of The 12 Days of Comic Book Christmas over at the Comics Alliance. It's the first illustration I've done using my new Cintiq tablet. I'm making the move over to digitally creating my comics in an effort to increase my production, save time, expedite my process, etc. Still getting used to it, but I'm surprised at how much the digital drawings look like my traditional-medium drawings.

BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) Reviewed At WEEKLY COMIC BOOK REVIEW

2010-12-22T15:21:00.002-05:00

Dean Stell over at the WEEKLY COMIC BOOK REVIEW website reviews BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) and gives it an A-. Check it out here.

Matt Seneca Writes About NIGHT BUSINESS Art

2010-12-22T10:16:00.002-05:00

Matt Seneca wrote a beautiful analysis of my artwork in NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 1, earlier this month over on his blog DEATH TO THE UNIVERSE. Go read it here. Specifically, Panel 3 on Page 13. Actually, Matt verbalizes my artistic goals with NIGHT BUSINESS and my other comics better than I ever could. I think my comic book art is about re-seeing or paying tribute to comic art traditions from the past, from Kirby, to Gulacy. To the anonymous, assembly-line artists from the '40s who unknowingly birthed the form, thinking themselves artistic failures and drowning their sorrows in alcohol. To the crime and horror comic artists who drew the flawed ire of Fredric Wertham and were eventually, unfairly targeted for political purposes by Sen. Joe McCarthy. Anyway, Matt writes brilliantly about comics and I feel humbled my stuff would be a subject for his words.

Maureen Dowd Reponds To BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION)

2010-12-07T17:34:00.002-05:00

Close to the end of last Sunday's CNN's Reliable Sources, host Howard Kurtz got a brief quote from Ms. Dowd responding to the comic book, BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) with a nice funny-book joke:

As an intrepid reporter myself, I asked Dowd for her reaction. "I never read anything about myself," she said. "It's debilitating, like Kryptonite."

Amazing. Check out the transcripts here (go to the end). And you can check out the Quicktime video of the show here, but it takes a little while to load. The brief segment is at the very end of the show.

Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest This Saturday

2010-12-03T14:14:00.003-05:00

This Saturday – and this Saturday only – from 12PM to 9PM, the second Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest will be held at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

I will be there debuting my new comic book, BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION), the comic everyone is talking about. I'll be at Table 4 (see diagram below). In addition there will be a sale specifically for the event:

$10 for all five TRADITIONAL COMICS comic books

NIGHT BUSINESS Gets A Nice Recommendation From USA Today's Pop Candy

2010-12-02T21:50:00.003-05:00

Whitney Matheson, who writes the pop-culture blog Pop Candy for USA Today, includes NIGHT BUSINESS in her recommendations for comics. Check it out here.

BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) Featured On Fox News

2010-12-02T00:36:00.006-05:00

The Fox News late-night/early-morning show, Red Eye, (see above images) had a short mention of the new comic from TRADITIONAL COMICS, BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTIONS). You can check out out here on the Fox News website. The comic has also gotten attention from several mainstream online news outlets Gawker, The Atlantic, New York Mag, Mediaite, and the Huffington Post. But it really started with the blog posts from the comics community: Robot 6, The Beat and Comics Alliance.

UPDATE: The New Yorker adds their post. So, does the Washington Post.

BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION) NOW AVAILABLE!!

2010-11-29T23:30:00.008-05:00

Announcing the release of a new comic from TRADITIONAL COMICS: BENJAMIN MARRA'S THE INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF MAUREEN DOWD (A WORK OF SATIRE AND FICTION)!! Order your copy today over at the TRADITIONAL COMICS website!!

Maureen Dowd, the famous and popular political opinion columnist, is about to write her most powerful and influential column ever!! She's come in possession of information that could topple the American government, destroy the White House and bring the Free World to its knees. Joined by the shadowy black-ops rogue agent, Shadow Wolf, can she fend off the assaults of fanatical White House officials and Hezzbollah commandos in time to write and deliver her column before deadline and still be on time for her third date with George Clooney? What's a girl to do?

Preview pages below:

NIGHT BUSINESS At The Widen+Kennedy Shop

2010-11-19T14:59:00.000-05:00

Issues of NIGHT BUSINESS are now available over at the Widen+Kennedy Shop.

Strange Tales II #3 Preview

2010-11-19T14:10:00.002-05:00

I have a story in the upcoming Strange Tales II #3. There's a preview up over at Comics Alliance with a page from my story, starring U.S.Agent! You can also see the page here, above.

Night Business Fan Art

2010-11-08T23:39:00.002-05:00

The legendary and incendiary cartoonist known as Bald Eagles does his interpretation of the cover of Night Business, Issue One. I think it rivals my original drawing for intensity. I hope he colors it.

Body Double Illustration for Cinefamily in LA

2010-10-29T21:56:00.008-04:00

Here's a program cover illustration of the Brian De Palma movie, Body Double, I just completed for Cinefamily in LA. Below are some of my sketches for other ideas and compositions.

Creating Comics

2010-10-17T21:35:00.004-04:00

In the new book, Creating Comics!: 47 Master Artists Reveal the Techniques and Inspiration Behind Their Comic Genius, which was recently released, I (now evidently a "master") dissect my process in creating the first five pages of NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 1. Some other masters in the book who also share their creative ideas when constructing comics are Michael Cavallaro, Paul Pope, Jim Steranko and Dash Saw. You can grab the book on Amazon here (and check out a preview of the interior pages). The forward of the book is written by the main man, Paul Gulacy (who also shares thoughts on his own creative process).

Forbidden Planet NY Comic Con Video

2010-10-15T13:41:00.003-04:00

Matt, one of the managers of Forbidden Planet, interviewed a bunch of creators on video at this year's NY Comic Con, including myself. I'm at the 1:28 mark. You'll get to check out my new clean-cut, preppy look. One of my co-workers said I look like a Soc from the Outsiders movie. I took that as a high compliment. I aspire to be like those Socs pricks. They're much cooler than those lame Greasers.

Forbidden Planet and the folks who work there have been extremely supportive of my books, especially early on when I first put them out. I can't thank them enough.

Ink Plots

2010-10-13T20:54:00.003-04:00

I have some pages of Night Business in the show, Ink Plots : The Tradition of the Graphic Novel at SVA, currently up at the Visual Arts Gallery on 26th St. A bunch of other no-names have some pieces in the show like Will Eisner, Gary Panter, Klaus Janson, Ben Katchor, David Mazzucchelli, Jerry Moriarty, David Sandlin, Walter Simonson and Art Spiegelman. The show is up until November 6th and there's an opening reception tomorrow evening, Thursday, October 14th, from 5:30 to 7.

New York Comic Con This Weekend

2010-10-05T20:17:00.003-04:00

I'll be at New York Comic Con this weekend from Friday, the 8th, to Sunday, the 10th, at the Jacob Javits Center. As usual I'll be with the Mammal boys, this year at table 654. Use the above diagram as a guide. The standard TRADITIONAL COMICS COMIC CON SALE deal applies: Get all three issues of NIGHT BUSINESS and the first issue of GANGSTA RAP POSSE for $10! Hope to see you there!

Satan is Real

2010-09-02T22:11:00.002-04:00

Here's my contribution to the upcoming Satan is Real show at the Pony Club Gallery in Portland, OR.

Acclaim Feature With Jeff Jank

2010-08-17T23:29:00.006-04:00

Jeff Jank, the art director at the awesome record label, Stones Throw, and I get the feature treatment in the new Friends-themed issue of the Australian Street Culture magazine, Acclaim. We have a conversation about our creative processes, the Madlib project we worked on together and a few other things. There's a release party for the new issue at the Mishka store in South Williamsburg, at 350 Broadway on Friday, August 27th, from 7-10 PM. Penthouse Pets, Justine Joli and Ryan Keely, who also posed for the issue's cover, will be in attendance, along with Ellen Stagg who photographed them.

Strange Tales II

2010-07-23T12:26:00.004-04:00

So, it was just announced on Comic Book Resources here, so I thought I'd spread the word as well: I'll be part of the new Strange Tales from Marvel. Be on the look out. It's a stupendous line-up as usual. I'm excited to get to work on my contribution.

Guerillas Pin-Up

2010-06-28T23:50:00.001-04:00

My friend and colleague, Brahm Revel, creator of the wildly awesome comic series GUERILLAS, is releasing a collection of the stories and asked me to do a pin-up for the book. Brahm is an awesome draftsman and his writing is top notch as well. Certainly check out the book when it drops.

Mention On The Indie Spinner Rack

2010-06-18T15:09:00.003-04:00

Colin Panetta gives a shout out to NIGHT BUSINESS and TRADITIONAL COMICS during his MoCCA-floor interview with the Indie Spinner Rack podcast blog. You can check it out here. Colin's interview starts between the halfway and two-thirds mark I'd say. Also check out Colin's blog here and his website here.

Interview With GQ

2010-06-15T21:52:00.002-04:00

A recent interview I did with GQ's Alex Pappademas is up over on GQ's blog The Q. Check it out here.

The Naked Heroes | Album Art Woodcut

2010-06-11T12:36:00.002-04:00

Lingerie Models, Secret Assassins

2010-06-09T09:45:00.004-04:00

Here are my pages for the upcoming issue of Secret Prison, a two-page story entitled Lingerie Models, Secret Assassins!

Secret Prison Cover

2010-06-07T21:46:00.004-04:00

Here's the cover I made for the upcoming second issue of Secret Prison, a Philadelphia-based, free comic newspaper.

Lil B | Black Ken | Album artwork

2010-05-28T13:15:00.002-04:00

Here's the artwork I recently finished for Lil B's upcoming album, Black Ken.

Jason Aaron Gives Some Love To GRP

2010-05-28T12:44:00.002-04:00

Jason Aaron, writer of the acclaimed series "Scalped" and "The Other Side," gives some love to everyone's favorite comic book gangsta rap super group, Gangsta Rap Posse, over on his blog. Check it out here. We give love right back at you, Jason. If you haven't checked out Aaron's book "Scalped," you must run over to your local comic shop and pick up as many currently available trades and/or floppies. It's a brutally awesome comic, the best book currently being published monthly and proof that Vertigo really hasn't gone all that soft.

Tucker And I Discuss Rise Of Arsenal At The Factual Opinion

2010-05-22T10:31:00.004-04:00

Tucker Stone, the immortal online critic of comics and other artifacts of popular culture, and I discuss (among other things) the first two issues of one of the more mind-boggling comics out right now, Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal over at Tucker's blog, The Factual Opinion. You can check out here. It's pretty lengthy.

Goodby Frank Frazetta Over on VICE

2010-05-13T12:02:00.003-04:00

I wrote a little something for VICE about Frank Frazetta, which is pretty much an expansion on my own blog post about the great man. Check it out here. Johnny Ryan wrote something as well, check it out. And so did Nicholas Gazin here.

The Revenge of Rapper X

2010-05-13T11:55:00.006-04:00

For the Madlib Medicine Show #5, The History of the Loop Digga, I did a comic about a fiction 90s rapper called Rapper X for the CD booklet. It's a tale of love, racism, police brutality and revenge. Check out the entry at Stones Throw's website here.

Night Business | Issue 3 | RELEASE PARTY!

2010-05-10T18:01:00.002-04:00

Come to the official TRADITIONAL COMICS, NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUE 3, RELEASE PARTY at UNION POOL!

With musical performances by:

THE NAKED HEROES
ODDATEEE
MKNG FRNDZ
and with jams supplied by DJ JAY GREEN.

Here's all the necessary detes:
Where: UNION POOL, 484 UNION AVE., BROOKLYN, NY
When: SATURDAY, MAY 22ND
When exactly?: 9-12, BANDS START RIPPING IT AT 9:15
Damage: $8

Hope to see you there.

Frank Frazetta, R.I.P.

2010-05-10T17:37:00.006-04:00

I was introduced to Frank Frazetta's work through a couple of paperback art books collecting images of his paintings that my friend's family owned. I was in 5th or 6th grade and looking at those pictures brought about an unidentifiable sense of euphoria. His renderings of flesh, metal and marble seemed impossible to have achieved and yet there was the evidence, before my eyes, these materials illustrated perfectly. But it was not just the illusion of surface, it was his conveying of weight and gravity in his figures, their sublime gesturing, swords parrying, languidly laying, voluptuous women. Everything. The imagination on display, his paintings were windows to fully realized worlds we knew existed somewhere, but had never seen before.

I rediscovered Frazetta's work in college while studying illustration. A professor of mine, lecturing on science-fiction and fantasy illustration said "You publish a blank book with a Frazetta cover and it would sell." I have no doubt.

After college I began to take art creation very seriously as a sacred act. I was young. I dismissed all illustration, but in the back of my mind I still coveted being able to draw and paint not only like Frazetta, but also draw and paint his subject matter: warriors, women, monsters, etc. Eventually I shed my narrow outlook and let comics and fantasy illustration back into my heart. It never had left really.

It's a sad day to learn of Frank Frazetta's passing. He has meant so much to burgeoning artists of all disciplines, his technique and genres are vehicles for feelings of excitement and passion and the limitlessness of imagination. I truly believe he will always be remembered as a true American visionary. He will always be alive in the vast scope of his artistic influence and in the souls of everyone his pictures touched, which I believe is anyone who has seen them. I read in an essay bemoaning the fact that Frazetta's work was not included among the greats in museums. But I believe the temple that keeps and respects his legacy is safe within the hearts those who will always revere him and his genius. Frazetta's emotional content is like the earth and cosmos, base level, and have no need for shelter in the sometimes cold and blind hallways of self-important institutions.

Thank you, Frank Frazetta, for what you shared with us, what you gave to the world.

The Adventures of Bronzegold, Barbarian Rogue

2010-05-03T19:38:00.003-04:00

Here is my contribution for the upcoming issue of Smoke Signal, the local, Brooklyn, comic newspaper, published by Gabe Fowler of Desert Island Comics (which is an awesome publication). My page illustrates an early, brief adventure starring my Manowar-style, Heavy-Metal Barbarian character, BRONZEGOLD! He's named after his bronze skin and golden locks of hair.

Loop Digga Album Available For Pre-Order

2010-04-27T20:01:00.006-04:00

Madlib Medicine Show No. 5: The History of the Loop Digga, a limited-edish album of early work by hip-hop artist, Madlib, is now available for pre-order on Stones Throw's website. Check out everything here. I did the cover and a comic book insert for the album. Some of my artwork was the basis for the silkscreen vinyl covers. I worked with Stones Throw's Jeff Jank, who put together the designs for everything and was great to work with.

Coincidental, Textual Cameo By Super Satan

2010-04-21T16:50:00.008-04:00

Today, the spoof, anthology comic, Captain America: Who Won't Wield the Shield #1, was released by Marvel Comics. In Matt Fraction and Brendan McCarthy's psychedelic contribution, Doctor America, makes mention of the "Super Satan Formula" (see above diagram). Probably a total coincidence, but I like to believe Fraction, author of one of my favorite comics in recent years, Cassanova, was influenced by everyone's favorite sinful saint, our evil exemplar, the one and only happy hellish hero! Super Satan! As demonstrated below, thus and so:

Night Business and Gangsta Rap Posse reviewed on Roctober

2010-04-21T16:45:00.002-04:00

Robert Dayton gives a very thorough and complete review of NIGHT BUSINESS, ISSUES 1 TO 3 and briefly touches on GANGSTA RAP POSSE. Robert nails many of my influences on NIGHT BUSINESS and makes some observations about NIGHT BUSINESS' relationship to the Black-&-White comic boom that surrounded Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It never really occurred to me when I was making NIGHT BUSINESS that it would echo the comics that first appealed to me, specifically Darick Robertson's SPACE BEAVER. But more and more I realize it may have been an unconscious decision, to make a comic that reflected that time as it was an era that had profound effect on me during some formative years.

Here's some of Robert's words from the review:

... [I]t is certainly accomplished. There is a deceptive stiffness that works for it giving the comic a crackle of intensity/removal play. The grid form gives the panels a voyeuristic quality. Yet these panels have a rhythmic staccato flow. They occasionally open up for wide shots, such as the sequence of one of the strippers in the ballet studio. All through each of her sweeping movements she looks like a hood ornament. All of the characters themselves seem to be composed of taut, molded clay with faces that look like grinning skulls.

Thanks very much for the review Robert.

Timothy Callahan Digs On TRADITIONAL COMICS

2010-04-19T18:31:00.001-04:00

Over at Comic Book Resources, my favorite source for comic-book news of the mainstream variety, Timothy Callahan mentions his appreciation of the TRADITIONAL COMICS titles in his recent "When Words Collide" column. Tim runs down his experience at both the MoCCA fest and Boston Comic Con which occurred during the same weekend. (I don't know how he did it. I get tired standing in one place during a con, but Tim's walking all over two cons in two cities. Zow). You can check out the full article here. Tim wrote some kind words. I share:

I bought all the comics of Benjamin Marra - those were my first big purchases. You may know Marra from his unforgettable video promo for Traditional Comics (actually called "American Tradition Comics" according to the covers of his books), or maybe you've never heard of him at all, but know this: I spent plenty of money on comics over the weekend, and "Gangsta Rap Posse" #1 was the issue I enjoyed the most. And "Night Business" was a delight as well. Hilariously garish and excessively exploitative, Marra's comics are the kind of things Mark Millar aspires to be.

Ha! Take that Mark Millar! It is indeed TRADITIONAL COMICS, Tim. I abandoned American Tradition Comics as not to be confused with Jeff Katz's American Original company. Plus, TRADITIONAL COMICS sounds more generic and I love generic.

Thank you, Tim, for the awesome mention in your column. The appreciation is mutual. Check out more of Tim's columns here. And check out his blog here.

MoCCA 2010

2010-04-07T18:10:00.001-04:00

MoCCA 2010 is happening this Saturday and Sunday, April 10th and 11th. TRADITIONAL COMICS will be spending it with our brothers at the Mammal Magazine table (see map image). You'll be able to get all four TRADITIONAL COMICS comic books for just $10. I'll also be available to sign any copies upon request. Details from MoCCA about the show can be found here.

Interview with Inkstuds

2010-03-25T22:08:00.001-04:00

Robin McConnell interviews me over at Inkstuds.com. We talk about comics - naturally - but also, illustration and Boris Vallejo. In addition to the interview you get to hear some musical stylings of N.W.A., Loverboy and Pantera. Check it out here.

Interview with The Comics Journal

2010-03-24T11:22:00.001-04:00

I did an interview with Jason Leivian of Floating World Comics (the great comic book store in Portland, OR) for The Comics Journal. Check it out here. We talk about self-publishing, process, VHS and technological leaps among other things.

TRADITIONAL COMICS Now Available Through Picturebox

2010-03-23T21:40:00.002-04:00

You can find all three issues of Night Business, the first issue of Gangsta Rap Posse and the TRADITIONAL COMICS Bundle for sale on the Picturebox website, right here. And that's not all! Every issue is signed by yours truly, Benjamin Marra. Picturebox sells a lot of great stuff, so make sure you thoroughly peruse what they have to offer.

1-800-MICE #4

2010-03-02T20:07:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite cartoonists, Matthew Thurber, has just released the next issue in his series, 1-800-MICE. It's a comic that's impossible to describe. You just have to read it and even then ...

The Naked Heroes | Sheila Video

2010-03-01T22:56:00.006-05:00

My good friends, The Naked Heroes, have just released their new video for their song "Sheila," made under the strong-arm direction of the legendary Ken "Lemon Cookie" Shadford. My beard and I make a cameo appearance during the party. If you dig the song you should absolutely download The Naked Heroes album, 99 Diamond, which is available for free on their label's website Powerload Records. It's a rip-roaring record of full-throated, redblooded rock 'n' roll.

Michel Fiffe Talks Night Business

2010-03-01T18:30:00.003-05:00

Over on his blog, Michel Fiffe wrote a bit about some comics he recently purchased, which included Night Business, Issue 3. You can read what he had to say here. Below is an brief exerpt:

Equal parts old school Paul Gulacy and Faust’s Tim Vigil, Marra’s making his comics on his own terms with a dedication that’s pretty admirable. Thank God he’s not waiting around, hoping for a publisher’s permission to start his comic. And thank God he’s using newsprint.

Thanks, Michel.

Ugly Americans Posters

2010-02-27T22:57:00.006-05:00

My good buddy, Devin Clark, has a hilarious new animated television show coming out on Comedy Central in a few weeks on March 17th called, Ugly Americans. Check out the site here. It's better to go read about the show or look at some of the videos provided instead of having me explain it. I helped Devin execute a couple of the posters, based on his sketches, specifically the demon one, to promote the show. Right now they're all over Manhattan. Congrats, Devin.

NIght Business and Gangsta Rap Posse on 11 O'Clock Comics

2010-02-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

In episode 96 of the 11 O'Clock Comics podcast the guys talk about my comic books, NIGHT BUSINESS and GANGSTA RAP POSSE. You can check it out here. It's about two-thirds of the way into the program that they start talking about TRADITIONAL COMICS. Pretty awesome to hear these guys try to make sense of the books. Thanks, guys, for devoting some time on your podcast to discuss my stuff. Word.