GEEK TIME!!

I was so flattered and thrilled to see a young man dressed as the SCARLET SPIDER at last weekend's HEROES CON. I was the designer of that costume and I must admit it's really fun to see someone take the time to make and wear a costume of a character that you designed.

His name was Thomas (as is my full, real name) and he was nice enough to provide a link to the photo that his friends took of us together. I'm attaching it.

As you can see, I'm not in costume. I'm not quite in shape for it right now. But I have started jogging again since my father's death. So, hopefully I'll be more svelt by next year's con.

Thanks, Thomas. I'm really geeking out on this.

Tom

REAL Heroes Con Photos and INFO

Hi all-
First off, let me say that I'm overwhelmed by Matt Wieringo's scholarship in his brother's name that is to be awarded to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) where I am currently teaching. For all the info, you can read about it at Newsarama.

His brother, Mike passed away very prematurely and this will add to Mike's already voluminous legacy in such a positive manner. I thank everyone at HEROES CON (Todd Dezago and company) who was helping to raise money for the scholarhship. Some very deserving students will be helped a great deal by this effort.

Now, for photos from the show. That second one up there scares me. I've always been accused by my wife of being a mouth breather ... this confirms it.
;-)

In the first photo, featured prominently is Diana (Shazzbaa) Bennett. She was at last year's con and this was her second Heroes Con. She and all the other student volunteers (that's Andrew Greenstone sitting down) were a huge help. We couldn't have done it without them.

Btw, these photos are from famous SCAD Professor and new Sequential Department Chair, David Duncan. Go see more photos and info on David's site Gobnobble.

We'll be at HEROES CON next year as well. COME AND SEE US!!!

HEROES CON REPORT

HEROES CON 2008 was in Charlotte, NC this last weekend. SCAD had a huge presence and it was fun. SCAD professors and one grad student conducted 7 workshops on varying topics around
Sequential Art and they all went well. Of course, yours truly went with his normal skill set and his workshop was on "Superhero Anatomy".

I want to thank all the teachers and students who helped. They were all great.

I have no pictures ... yet. I hope to have some soon. For now, you'll have to settle for this picture from last year's Heroes Con.

The summer quarter at SCAD starts today, so I'll be busy despite being tired as heck from the convention and the drive home.

Thinking about the Past!

Well ...
guess who this little, precious wonder is!

If you guessed a future teacher at SCAD, then you are so genius.

This is little Tom Lyle at about age 2 with his Easter Basket full of fun stuff. I love this picture because I'm smiling so big. I was a shy kid except in front of a camera. What a ham!

I used to like to act out the songs from commerials on TV from back then. You'd have thought I'd become an actor, but ... no, I had to become a comic artist.

Spider-Man never knew I was coming.

Dad's funeral is tomorrow. I'll be teaching summer school starting on the 23rd. I will also be in Charlotte the weekend right before school starts for the Heroes Con. Come and see me.

I'm kind of not posting much art, am I? I'll start back with some soon.
See ya.

Henry Durham Lyle, Sr. 1914-2008

HENRY DURHAM LYLE, SR - My DAD!!

My dad passed away today at about 11:00 am this morning. He was 94 years old. I remember the good and the bad things, but I'll tell you ... that man did pretty good raising three wildly divergent and different boys.

I've always been intrigued by the changes in life and society that my dad saw in his life. I mean, movies, airplanes and cars were very new when he was born.

The photo to the right is one of my mom and dad from Christmas of 1955. I would have been 2 years old. My brother Larry would have been 5 and Sandy would have been 8. What a dress, eh?

Anyway, I got to be with dad over the weekend and on Monday for his last really lucid days. I really appreciate that I was able to be there for that.

My dad was sent back to his home in Williston, Florida by Hospice, so he got to die in the home that he lived with my mom in at the end of her life as well. I think that being there made him happier. He was definitely ready to go to the Lord. I know that he missed mom tremendously. They were married for 67 years after all.


The photo to the left is from the summer of 1959 - July to be exact. I was 5. My brother Sandy is behind me - he is 11. My brother Larry is in the back - he is 8. That's my Daddio in those neat-o plaid slippers on the back steps of the house on Oak Street in Jacksonville. 2910 Oak Street to be exact ... again.

Larry has been gone for 13 years now. He died of AIDS in 1994.

Sandy is still here and strong as a horse. It's down to me and him now. I want to acknowledge that my brother was at the bedside for both my mother and my father's passing. I'm glad that they were not alone.

I was getting ready to go back to Florida tomorrow to be with dad, but ... at least I was able to say all my goodbyes on Monday.

I was lucky to have both of my parents for so long. It's just really odd trying to get used to the idea that the Lyle, family of 5, is now down to 2.

Say a brief prayer for every parent and thanks to all for your support.

Coming Soon!!

Well, here I am with some more art - a con sketch from last year's HEROES CON - and no more news about my dad.

Dad is deteriorating rapidly and will probably move up to heaven within a day or two.

I am learning to deal with changes and no parents. Kind of weird, I must say.

My brother and I are not that close, but I do know that I want to have a relationship with him. However, the graphic novel story that I want to do involves both of us, family stuff, and personal stuff for me and I think he may not like what I do with it.

My wife, Sue, says to "write fearlessly" and to not worry about reactions from family or friends.

I will try to remember that.

Summer school starts June 23rd and I am teaching four classes again this year. I need the money and I like how easy the classes are with 8 or less students in each class.

Everyone be good and keep plugging. More tomorrow or Friday. I'll be away from home from Friday on with no access to the internet, so I won't be able to post for awhile after the next couple of day.

Best-
Tom

Promises, PROMISES!!!

All right!
I'm back.
I'm alive.
I will post more often.
I will post art AND pictures.
I will not be a bum.

But ... just to fill you in:
It appears that life marches on.
I have just come back from two days in Jacksonville, Florida where my dad is (or was) living. He went into the hospital on May 29th and is now headed back to his house in Williston, Florida where he and my mom lived for 10 years to be under Hospice care. He is going to die and soon and I will have lost both parents in 6 months. That said, I've had them for a long time. My dad is 94. He regaled us with lots of stories this weekend ... and he had some life confessions. He, however, is fully ready to move on to the afterlife and be with my mom and brother in heaven ... and that's okay.

I'll be fine. I'm sad, but okay. I'm in Savannah until later this week, then I'm driving back down to FL to see my dad before he goes.

On a positive note:
I'll be at HEROES CON in June as a SCAD representative.
Come by and see me there.

The art posted is two pages of my tight roughs from CHICKASAW ADVENTURES #5. That's how tight I work. The originals are 6" x 9" for the actual art area. Small, but proportional to the final page. More to come.

Take care.

Tom