The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

...for shopping online!



I’ve finally managed to put together a little book that compiles the Jail Comics, art, sketches, and Journal comics from 2008 and 2010. I’m calling the book Hatke Family Adventures Volume 1: Tales from the Bohemian Highway. There are two slightly different purchasing options for this book:

OPTION ONE: “The Basic.” You can buy a copy of the book from Lulu.com for $14.00 by clicking here. This is the speediest option.

OPTION TWO: “The Deluxe.” By clicking here you can purchase a version which will be signed and include an original sketch (of my choosing) as well as a 3X3 inch watercolor (also of my choosing -mostly creatures like these). I’m offering no more than 25 of the deluxe version, so order sooner rather than later! This option will take longer since it has to ship twice.

Please keep in mind that this is the first time I’ve really tried to sell anything online so ...let’s just collectively hope that nothing catches on fire, okay? Here are a few more pictures from the little book:







Oh, and if you're looking to buy something online that tastes better than a book: We have this friend named Maggie. The Jams she sells in her Etsy shop are crazy-delicious!

(The Bohemian Highway, incidentally, is a stretch of road near where Anna grew up. I sort of became enamored with the moniker)

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Eighteen: Happy Endings

This is it. The last Jail Comic. I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed telling it! Fair warning: I'll be collecting these comics, along with sketches, drawings and other journal-style comics into a little book which will be available right here. More news on that very soon. And now, without further loquacity from me, the final installment.



(It's rather long so I've put it after the jump. Just click the image, or below to see.)

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Seventeen: Freedom

Ahhhh... Freedom never tasted so good as a bag of Doritos after a few hours in the slammer. It turns out I didn't have too much trouble readjusting to life on the outside, though I was a little nervous in open spaces for awhile (I'm kidding).

This was actually a limited freedom, as I was told not to leave the state until after the court date that cleared everything up. One thing I omitted from these comics is that the Magistrate told me I wasn't to travel out of state until after the hearing. He kindly asked me if that would cause me any trouble and I said that I had planned on attending the G.K. Chesterton conference in Maryland.

So he wrote me a permission slip to go to the Chesterton conference!

Well, we have one more of these little episodes to go -a sort of epilogue to the adventure. And then ...who knows?

Stay tuned.

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Sixteen: Crook Look

My little trip to jail is drawing to a close.

However annoying, this misadventure of mine was definitely an instance of lawful imprisonment. Wrongheaded and avoidable, but lawful. There was a crime committed, and there was a warrant issued. The problem was that, for whatever reason, the police ended up coming after one of the victims instead of the actual perpetrator.

But unlawful imprisonment happens too, and if you’re up for some scary stories about that then I refer you to last weeks episode of This American Life, particularly to the second story in that episode in which a New York Beat cop records his superiors giving some very scary (and illegal) orders.

However, if you find yourself interested in something a little more tame this friday, then you should check out Michael Pollan’s fascinating documentary The Botany of Desire, which examines four different plants and how they have “used” humans to spread their domain far and wide.

Finally, check out Chris Mautner’s SPX report! A certain father and daughter comics team are mentioned (and pictured!) at the end.

Happy weekend my friends!

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Fifteen: Magistrate

One Thousand Dollar Bail -which I only had to pay if I skipped town instead of showing up in court. Court? That's right true believers, the last episode of this comic takes place in a courtroom.

Have you guys all seen the movie Amistad? Well, it won't be a lot like Amistad.

Now go watch this panda bear. (link a trovato grazie a JP Ahonen)

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Fourteen: Whistlin'

Okay I ought to be fair: I can see where the young prison guard was coming from because I think I was whistling Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison.

I'm developing this habit of singing or whistling without realizing I'm doing it. It wasn't always this way.

SPX: I will be there on Saturday the 11th! I'll have comics! I may also have a 7-year-old artist along with me and she JUST MIGHT have a backpack full of chicken themed comics.

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Thirteen: Cellmate

I can't really describe how sad this guy made me in his torn out crocs, crazy-long toenails and orange prison jumpsuit. He didn't speak in anything above a whispered mumble. I know he probably burned his mind out with drug use, but I still wish the prison guards hadn't yelled at him so much.

There are only FIVE INSTALLMENTS left of this comic! How will it end? The countdown to freedom has begun.

Bonus silly birthday card after the jump:

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Twelve: No Phone Home

There’s a bit of poetic license here. My giving the raspberry falls more into the category of “things I should have done” rather than “events as they actually transpired.” My actual reaction to the news that I would not be giving Anna a reassuring phone call was to say something like “Oh, okay” in a glum sort of voice.

Moving right along: ...The Small Press Expo in Bethesda! As I mentioned in my last post, I will be there. Today’s news is that I will be there ...WITH COMICS! I have a small stack of collected journal comics (and other art) that I’ve titled “Tales From the Bohemian Highway.” These little books will be signed and available for sale or trade! So let me know if you’ll be there too because I won’t be at a table, just wandering around like a hobo or a comics-drawing vagabond. Here are some pictures of my little book:





Several more pictures and a bookshelf after the jump!

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Eleven: Intoxicating!

I have to say I wasn't very impressed with the guards at the jail.

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Ten: Those that Follow

Next stop Jail! Promise! I'm as eager to get there as I'm sure you are.

Your Link for Monday: An Off Broadway production of The Screwtape Letters!?! And more surprising, it looks good. But I can't help but look at the picture on the front page and wonder ...is it bad that I want to dress just like Screwtape?

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Nine: A Small Kindness

l tell you one thing, those police cars drive FAST.

I hope these little comics will continue to be entertaining after the solution to the mystery has been given. I don’t want to beat a dead horse by keeping the story going too long. Though this adventure was costly, nerve-wracking and inconvenient, it gave me a lot to think about. It’s still on my mind.

Links: Here is one of the best reflections of the relationship between art and family life that I’ve read in a long time, an article titled The Parent Trap: Art After Children, by Frank Cottrell Boyce. Highly recommended reading.

(Link discovered via Bill Powell and Colin Mason).

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Eight: The Solution

Full Disclosure Time: I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what this was all about! And I think it’s high time for an explanation. I was charged with “obtaining money by false pretenses” or, in layman’s terms “ripping off a convenience store.” Today I finally went to court and, thankfully, within about three minutes everything was sorted out and all charges were entirely dropped. But why was I charged with this in the first place? Here’s the answer:

As a freelance artist I get checks from a variety of clients. Not everyone updates their records with new addresses (especially for semi-nomadic Hatkes). Well, recently a check for some illustrations was sent to a very old address -a house we moved away from two years ago. It took me awhile to realize that the check had gone missing but when I did I called the client and had them cancel the check and send a new check to my current address (thankfully there were records of all of this).

Unfortunately, before the check was cancelled someone signed the back with my name and cashed it at a gas station convenience store. Apparently it was one of the “conveniences” that this particular store offers is that they don’t check ID. When the convenience store went to bring the check to the bank it had been cancelled. So they sent me a letter asking me to pony up the stolen money (with some added fees).

I didn’t. So I got arrested.

My friend, Three-Chord Phil, has written an entertaining post on his blog that might or might not be a true account of this fiasco with the names of those involved changed. Hmmm.....

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Seven: Those Left Behind

I have it on good authority that right after the squad car pulled away Anna went upstairs and read the girls a boisterous bedtime story. What a gal!

And speaking of the Queen of the Hatke Home, I started a portrait painting of Anna a couple weeks ago, which is something I’ve never done successfully before (not for lack of trying). Busy young mothers don’t make great models. They’re beautiful, to be sure, but they just don’t have a lot of time to sit sit still. This time however, we’ve carefully planned for a couple free hours each afternoon for me to paint.

It's been a real challenge to get back into painting shape. Like running a marathon after a year of living off doughnuts. But after eight long sessions the portrait is just beginning to take shape. I have high hopes.

The other helpful thing is that we’ve temporarily moved our bedroom to the cooler downstairs, which has allowed me to convert out upstairs bedroom, with its north-facing window, into a temporary painting studio.

And so, in the spirit of temporary painting studios I offer these photos, from our 2008 stay in Italy, of my very messy indoor and outdoor workspaces:

Pictures after the jump...

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Six: Look Away Dixieland

This is part of the arrest procedure, “looking away,” ensures that the cartoonist doesn’t bite or spit on the arresting officer. It’s difficult to enforce though because cartoonists have a hard time ”getting it.” Cartoonists have the same trouble with the dentist.

Important Links: Maggie, who reviews children’s books over at Little Lamb Books, has done a nice little post about Zita the Spacegirl and comics and art! Beartato and Reginald seem to be having their own prison adventure. Finally, some of you may have seen this video of Artist David Kassan painting a portrait on an ipad using an app called “Brushes.” Last night I had the chance to do a quick little sketch myself and I have to admit it was fun to paint with light using only your fingertips.


“Van Shadows” painted in the back of a minivan on highway 66.

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Five: Slippin' the Cuffs

I realized pretty quickly that this was unwise.

To Be Continued!

D&D Jailbird Blues Part Four: Cue the Violins

Ha ha Constitutional rights! ...sheesh. Also, I shouldn't really poke fun at my friends here. They were actually a big help and the evening would have had a whole different flavor if "the guys" hadn't been around. Real friends follow you to jail and then give you a ride home.

In other news, Lawrence Klimecki, over at Gryphon Rampant, has posted an interview with me in which I talk about Comics and Storytelling and Faith and in which I artlessly dodge questions about success and failure. Take a look.

I’ve been riding a wave of creativity lately after a severe dry spell. It’s good. I’m painting again, and learning to play the guitar, an instrument that has baffled me for years. I’ve been having some real difficulties in writing the second Zita the spacegirl book and I’m hoping that this is the creative wave will crash into and destroy that wall of writer’s block.

You other artists out there -how do you deal with the ups and downs of creativity?

The D&D Jailbird Blues Part Three: Roll Opening Credits!

I really did have the thought that this was like an action movie setup, but I don’t think it was at this moment exactly, because I know I was still pretty nervous at this point. Also my Dungeons and Dragons friends were starting to spill out onto the porch to see what the fuss was about. I was definitely going to miss my turn.

Felony Fun Fact: Did you know that the United States has the highest prison population in the world? Thoughts?

The D&D Jailbird Blues Part Two: Cuffed!

Wow, I think this is the most blog traffic I have ever had! Everyone loves a scandal... So I'm posting the next episode a little early and I'll post the third installment on Monday.

So I was handcuffed.

I’m trying to keep pretty close to actual events in this little tale, but in this episode I’m leaning more toward comedy that was perhaps the case in life. In real life I was not at all comfortable about being handcuffed on Game Night. So the first panel, where I don’t want to turn around? ...that went on for a bit. And it was definitely the part where I was the most “resist-y.”

Also, to be fair, the officer may have just been fiddling with his belt. And the side he was reaching toward/fiddling with had a (super cool) stun gun and not the other kind of gun.

The D&D Jailbird Blues Part One: The Arrest

On Wednesday evening, out of the clear blue sky, a police officer arrived at my home and arrested me for a crime I did not commit. A felony, no less, which involves a warrant and handcuffs and (apparently) no reading of rights and a “fun” ride in a police car and some time sitting in a jail cell waiting to be processed. Also, for a felony, according to the officer, they can just walk right into your home and drag you out. Oh, and this all happened on Dungeons and Dragons night. So my kitchen was full of guys who like roleplaying games.

It was one of the most bizarre and surreal experiences of ...well, of the month, at least. So the most obvious response is for me to make a series of comics about this misadventure. Here is part one:



Visit again on Monday for the next exciting installment!

Felony Fun Fact: In Virginia theft is a felony at $200. Does that seem low to anyone else? I mean for a crime that puts you in the same bracket as guys who burn down orphanages?