Byron Vaughns Shazam Blog: October 2010

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam graphic novel

Hey guys, I know it is a little late but here is some news regarding my work. DC Comics

has included my first Billy Batson story in the new Mike Kunkel and Art Baltazar graphic novel , Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! with inks by Ken Branch.
The available copies on Amazon are very inexpensive, so take a look-see!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=billy+batson+and+the+magic+of+shazam+%21+by+mike+kunkel+and+art+baltazar&x=19&y=18

Also, sorry to be away for such a long time but I have been involved in a fun project that I will share with you in the coming months. Stay tooned to http://www.byronvaughns.com

WELCOME

Salutations and Howdy, Folks! Excuse my overt greetings, but, being from the South (Arkansas, that it is), I thought that I would open the first installment of this “Shazam!” missive in a friendly, down home manner. Welcome to my Shazam blog; hope you like it because this blog is really your blog! What are your interests regarding the good Captain? How often have you followed his adventures? What would you like to discuss? Feel free to respond, I am very much interested in your comments!

MORE STARVING

He moved on to the Arkansas Dispatch, where he wrote/drew a regular series of historical panels and editorial comic strip series, “The Arkankids” and wondered if/when/how food/and/or money would materialize. Later, he ended up at the Pine Bluff Commercial where he did local editorial cartoons and a daily comic strip series, “Pine Bluff Paradise” and continued to wonder if/when/how food/and/or money would materialize. The world of television beckoned when KATV Channel Seven in Little Rock, Arkansas employed him as graphic designer, working closely with the news department. This led to work as an Artist-In-Residence (a high falutin’ title for an on-site artist at a school campus) with the Arkansas Arts Council. This job had Mr. Vaughns in Hope, Arkansas (Clinton Country, y’all) only a few miles from Egg City (no joke again!). A natural interest in cartooning opened the door to work as an Animation Director with the Arkansas Arts Center.

SEEKING HIS FORTUNE IN THE WEST, “YOUNG MAN”

Eventually, he moved west where he worked for various animation studios (such as Warner Bros., Disney, Universal, Starz Media, etc.), and found that finally he no longer had to wonder if/when/how food/and/or money would materialize. He worked his way through the ranks peculiar to the animation profession: storyboard artist, assistant animator, character designer, development artist, director and finally, producer. He has directed/produced traditional animation, computer animation (CGI) and internet animation (Flash). He has also worked on a variety of cartoon series and direct-to-video features including the recently released Rob Zombie’s Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Starz Media, Burbank, CA

MORE ANIMATION BACKGROUND

His background includes television series such as "Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Animaniacs" (Warner Bros./Amblin Entertainment). While directing the popular cartoon series "Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures" for Warner Bros. Television Animation, he received an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program (Fox Network). Other series and direct-to-video features include "101 Dalmatians" (Disney), "Weird-Ohs" (Mainframe), "Casper’s Haunted Christmas" (Harvey Entertainment), "Make Way for Noddy" (SD Entertainment).

HOW HE MET DAN DI DIO

Mr. Vaughns met Dan Di Dio (then a general manager at ABC Network’s Children’s Division) while working as Producer on "Dumb & Dumber", Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc., Hollywood, CA. While Mr. Vaughns moved on to Cartoon Network’s Johnny Bravo to produce and co-develop the series with the creator Van Partible, Mr. Di Dio (yes he has two last names) eventually left California and went on to DC Comics in New York. While working on the "Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam" Comic Book, Mr. Di Dio remembered Mr. Vaughns and gave him a chance to work on it. The rest, they say, is history!