Hearts & Iron and Jeff's Muscle Studio 10th Anniversary!

Carl and John's first print appearance was in Gay Comix #25 in 1998, in a one page story called "Midway." But it was on Labor Day, 2001, that I launched my Jeff’s Muscle Studio site and the comic Hearts & Iron. On New Year’s Day, 2000, I’d started inking the first page of H & I #1. Much thought and work had gone into the site and comic before that.

One of the reasons for putting the book, and these characters John and Carl, out there in the world was to see if anyone else would like them... or was like them... I felt somewhat outside of the gay community and created characters who were as well.

They reached more people than I expected; I've had comic orders and fan letters from England, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and France as well as the USA. Interviews and articles on my art and comics have appeared in Brazilian, Argentine and German publications, and the US gay sports magazine Compete. The Werebear strips are appearing in All Bear magazine in the UK. H & I and the Werebear strips are in the Phoenix publication Desert Knight News.

Currently, there are 4 print issues, a number of H & I webstrips (as well as Ursus Major: A Werebear's Tale and Paul Bunyan strips) and on Jeff's Muscle Studio, drawings of bodybuilders, strongmen, firemen, policemen, and other masculine archetypes. And giants — a fan favorite!

Thanks to all of you who've written and ordered comics or artwork; you make the effort all worthwhile. Here's looking forward to the next 10 years of muscleman art and Hearts & Iron!