Jeffrey Thompson illustrations in a new fantasy novel

I was reading The City of Lost Fortunes by Bryan Camp, a fantasy novel about magicians and luck gods in New Orleans this week, and thinking something looked familiar about the interior illustrations.

It turns out that they're done by Jeffrey Thompson, of Baltimore. For many years, Jeff was the Wednesday staff at Big Planet Comics Bethesda and I've followed his illustration career for years. It was a good feeling to see these illustrations in a brand new book. I didn't photograph them all, but the Tarot Card concept is integral to the plot.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit, and I've seen it compared online to American Gods which seems reasonable. I'd recommend it.

Jef Thompson let go from Big Planet Comics Bethesda (revised)

I'm updating this as some of the material I tried to quote from Facebook didn't appear, nor did other material that I had in the draft version. My apologies to my readers.

Jef Thompson has reported on Facebook that he's been let go from Big Planet Comics Bethesda, after working there for sixteen years. The decision is purely a financial one according to the store's owners. Jef was the most recognizable employee behind the counter since former employee Peter Casazza purchased Liberty Comics & Books (nee Closet of Comics) and turned it into Big Planet Comics College Park. Joel Pollack, founder and co-owner of the store with Greg Bennett, said on Jef's Facebook page, "I assure you, it was a sad day for me. A simple"thank you" cannot express my gratitude for all you did for Big Planet and for me personally. This wasn't an easy decision." The store will be solely staffed by the two owners for the near future.

Both Joel and Greg have assured me that Big Planet Bethesda is financially healthy, and making a profit, but noted they're both taking a salary from it. Joel also needs to plan for the future as he approaches retirement age -- which is hard for me to believe, but when I think about it, I've been going to his store for over 25 years now.

Jef works as a professional illustrator and his website is http://www.jefthompson.com/ - you can also buy his original artwork online from him on Etsy. He noted that the job "gave me a cushion cash wise to earn money as an artist." I've got some of his art decorating my office and home, and will be buying more now, I'm sure.

All three people in this posting are friends of mine, but I feel this was worth noting both because Jef's been a regular presence at the store for so long on comic book day (aka Wednesday) and will be missed. The long-term viability of comic book stores is regularly debated, but Newsrama reported today that some stores are reporting that sales are up. Assumptions are dangerous, but the federal government's sequestration and the following shut-down affected salaries in the area, and may very well have affected sales at the store; I know that I cut back on my personal spending in the summer and fall due to those events.

In any event, my best wishes go to everyone involved.

-- Mike Rhode

Jeffrey Thompson's new website

Jef Thompson, illustrator and Big Planet Comics Bethesda employee, has a new website: http://www.jefthompson.com/

Kickstarter game features Jeffrey Thompson art

Scalawag!, a game with a Kickstarter fundraising campaign features Jeffrey Thompson art.  Jeff is a long-time Big Planet Comics Bethesda employee as well as a children's book artist. You would think the Scalawag designer would mention Jeff since he's selling a bunch of the original artwork at the bottom, but...

I'll be backing this one anyway, because of Jeff.

Decorating my office with original art

For a short time, I've got an office at work. I've started framing some of the original comic art that I've gotten, and putting it up.  Buying this type of art is a good way to support cartoonists you like, of course.



The great Rob Ullman, who illustrated the sex column for the Washington City Paper for years, did the above. As a spot illustration, this doesn't have a title, but I call it "Coffee I.V." He's got a new minicomic for sale.

 

"Dr. Jenner's Vaccine" original scratchboard art by Baltimore children's book artist Jeff Thompson (of Big Planet Comics) on vaccinating for smallpox with cowpox. You can buy his art here.

 

"Penicillin" original art by British cartoonist Hunt Emerson, - a Christmas gift from my wife. You can buy his work here.

Jeffrey Thompson's travel sketchbooks

Big Planet Comics' staff (and children's book artist) Jeffrey Thompson happened to mention that he was planning on traveling to Peru this summer and would then be posting his sketchbook online to me today. I was surprised to find out that he's been doing travel sketch books since this one from Belize in 1996. Links to his others are here: Italy & Amsterdam, Iceland & Ireland, France & Verdun, Mexico & Belize.

I love these types of books.

Jeffrey Thompson's new children's comics

Writer Lori Mortenson and Big Planet Comic's Jeffrey Thompson (the artist) have some comics from Capstone Press out for very young
children.

A Day At The Fire Station
Going To The Dentist
A Visit To The Vet
Working On The Farm

These are really aimed at first graders, but Jeff did a nice job
making the art clear and easy to follow.

Jeffrey Thompson's Hiawatha originals

Jeff Thompson who works at Big Planet Bethesda on Wednesdays is a Baltimore artist who's done children's books. He gave me a couple of pieces of artwork. Here you can see his Hiawatha children's book - scratchboard originals mounted with the finished book cover.



Jeff can be found online at

deviant art page
http://xochicalco.deviantart.com/

web site
http://mysite.verizon.net/jeffrey71o/

flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9440125@N07/

April 21: Jef Thompson painting exhibit

Big Planet Comics' Jef Thompson has a show of Icelandic and English Landscapes in Baltimore from April 21-May 16. Viola!

Feb 1: Jef Thompson painting exhibit opens

Odd Men and Industrials opens on February 1, from 6-9 pm in Baltimore at the Ottobar, 2549 North Howard St which Jef says is "close to the BMA. About 6 blocks south. 8 blocks north of Penn Station." Jef's worked at Big Planet Comics Bethesda for years, and has illustrated children's books, of which I have almost a complete set. You should all go and buy a painting. I'd be up for a car pool if anyone's interested.

Jeffery Thompson, children's book illustrator and Big Planet employee

Jeff Thompson's worked in the Bethesda store for years, and has been doing art for childen's books too. He mentioned to me that he had a new book out today. I just ordered all the ones I was missing, as he didn't mention some of the recent ones to me until I started quizzing him today. Book signing next Wednesday - at least for me!

Jeff's books with ordering info from Amazon -

The new one:

Cesar Chavez: Champion and Voice of Farmworkers (Biographies) by Suzanne Slade and Jeffrey Thompson

Two favorites of his (and mine). He did all the work on these except the original poem:

The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere (Hardcover) by Henry W. Longfellow - note on the paperback version of this, Amazon has conflated Jeff and Christopher Bing's two different books. Bing's an excellent artist too, who used to do regular editorial illustrations for the Washington Post. I really like his work as well. Buy both books.

Hiawatha And Megissogwon (Hardcover) by Henry W. Longfellow (Author

Thomas Edison: Inventor, Scientist, and Genius by Lori Mortensen and Jeffrey Thompson

The Camping Scare (Read-It! Readers) by Terri Dougherty (Author), Jeffrey Thompson (Illustrator)

Brazil Abcs: A Book About the People and Places of Brazil (Country Abcs) (Hardcover) by David Seidman (Author), Jeffrey Thompson (Author)