My band, The Jellyfish Bandits, are just finishing recording music for our first album going to be released through Mushpot Records this summer. The illustration above depicts the song we just finished called Loch Ness Monster (right-click to download). I hope you enjoy it!

To hear more of our music visit The Jellyfish Bandit’s Music Blog. We update it weekly with new music and pictures.

I will be debuting a lot of new material on April 24th and 25th at Portland, OR’s Stumptown Comic Fest. I’m really excited! Here are the projects to be released (previews coming soon):

The Awkward Quarterly #1: “Teenage Ruckus” – Black & White – 48 pages
A collection of funny and sad autobiographical short story comics about my teenage adventures. Like most coming of age tales it includes a lot of firsts and even more embarrassments.

The Awkward Quarterly #2: “Starving Artist” – Full Color – 48 pages
After I was laid off I was forced to confront the fact that I had no clue what I was doing and what direction I was going in. Starting with a road trip across western USA and then leading to a downward spiral of confusion and self-doubt, Starving Artist is an autobiographical comic about the life of a depressed young artist with a lot of free time and little money.

Batcave Beach: Part 1 – Beautiful Full Color – 52 pages
Written by Aaron Whitaker, Illustrated by Melinda Tracy Boyce
A teenage outcast sneaks into a private school’s Halloween island party and befriends an eccentric duo who are obsessed with death and the purpose of life. The first part of a quirky genre-bending adventure that plays out like Michael Gondry directed an 80′s slasher film.

Here is a picture I drew for the Jellyfish Bandit’s song, “Oswald Park”. Visit the Jellyfish Bandit’s Music Blog to hear the full song.

It’s January and the theaters are full of production company’s post award season dribble. We must look forward to the films sitting off on the horizon. Here are my top ten films I’m most excited/curious about seeing this year.

10. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Release Date: April 30th
My favorite and the last of the 80′s slasher greats to get their remake. Although I’m sure it will be trash, it made my list for the great casting choice of Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy.

9. Cyrus
Release Date: At Sundance, TBA limited release
The Duplass Brothers (The Puffy Chair, Baghead) are mumblecore greats. I’m excited to see what they do with Hollywood stars (John C. Reily, Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill and Catherine Keener) and industry financial backing.

8. Black Hole
Release Date: TBA
This is based off the amazing graphic novel by Charles Burns. It follows a group of teenagers around Seattle in the 70′s where a strange STD, that causes mutations, is being passed around. Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en).

7. Shutter Island
Release Date: February 19th
I’m a sucker for a film that promises a twist at the end. I’m also a sucker for mental illness horror thrillers. Throw in some Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Dicaprio and I think we may have a winner.

6. Inception
Release Date: July 16th
The trailer looks pretty badass for this sci-fi thriller with the tagline “your mind is the scene of the crime”, but what really hits my curiosity bone is to see how Christopher Nolan will follow up The Dark Knight. I’m sure this will be the action film of the summer (along with Iron Man 2).

5. Greenberg
Release Date: March 26th
Just like Charlie Kaufmen and Wes Anderson, I will always be excited about a Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding) film. This dramedy follows Ben Stiller sorting out his life. Also starring are two of my favorite mumblecore actors: Greta Gerwig (Hannah takes the Stairs, Nights and Weekends) and Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair, Humpday).

4. Green Hornet
Release Date: December 22nd
This is a risky one, but it’s so strange I think it could work. This oddity is based off of the tv show of the same name, written/starring Seth Rogen and directed by the always creative Micheal Gondry. Also Christoph Waltz, who wowed me as Nazi Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds, is the villian. The only downside? Troll Cameron Diaz is the love interest.

3. Your Highness
Release Date: October 1st
Should a stoner/medieval comedy be this far up on my list? Yes, if it’s written by Danny McBride and Ben Best (Observe and Report, Eastbound and Down). Yes, if it’s directed by David Gordan Green (Snow Angels, All the Real Girls) Yes, if it’s staring two of the hottest girls in Hollywood, Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel. And yes, if it’s a stoner/medieval comedy. The cherry on the top is if it gets an “R” rating.

2. Arrested Development
Release Date: TBA 2010/2011
I don’t think I need to even explain myself. (I cheated a little bit because this might get pushed to 2011, but I’m staying positive.)

1. Scott Pilgram vs. The World
Release Date: TBA 2010
I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time. It’s based off of my favorite comic book series about Scott Pilgrim and his quest to kill his girlfriend’s evil ex-boyfriends that may or may not take place in a video game. It has a fitting cast (Michael Cera, Jason Schwartzman) and a director that I think can pull the absurdity off (Edgar Wright). Fingers crossed that it lives up to my high expectations.