Here’s a “teaser” for a new project in the works… written by me with art & lettering by Brandon Earnhart:
I don’t think there is anyone who would disagree that the comics industry needs kids. Without them the industry dies off. And as of right now, the overwhelming majority of comic book readers are not kids. I’ve read a number of people state this, yet have seen very few solutions.
Michael Chabon has a fantastic essay in his book Maps and Legends where he offers those solutions. What follows is his list (along with my summary) of how to successfully write stories for kids.
1. Let’s not tell stories that you think kids of today would like, tell stories that you would have liked as a kid. I would add to that: tell stories that you would like NOW as well. The greatest “children’s” stories work on both levels. For me personally, the kinds of stories I like are generally the ones that are enjoyed by both audiences.
2. Let’s tell stories that, over time, build up an intricate mythology that is also accessible and comprehensible at any point of entry. Kids want to explore, go on a journey where new information is revealed along the way, challenging what came before. But at the same time need an entry point, especially in comics – to tell a complete story (or part of the story) in every issue.
3. Let’s cultivate an unflagging readiness as storytellers to retell the same stories with endless embellishment. To give the comfortable, but something new. Kid’s love repetition, anyone who has ever told a story to a kid can understand that. But they also want
4. Let’s blow their minds. Their minds are not blown simply by thrilling action sequences, but by taking them to places they’ve never been, both mentally and emotionally. When you make their dreams come true, and at the same time create new dreams to fill that space.
5. Let’s tell stories about children. An overwhelming number of stories in comics, that are aimed at kids, are about adults or teens. If you want kids to relate and go on the journey with these characters – kids relate to kids.
6. This last one is not from Chabon, but from Jacob Medjuck – writer and director of the film Summerhood. “If you want to reach kids with a moral, wrap it in the dirtiest joke possible.” Now, you have to take that and apply it to your own story & audience, but his point is valid. In other words – Let’s share our values, yet not hit them over the head. Even kids can see the moral coming a mile away. Simply tell stories that are honest and unique to your life.
Do any comics you read fit the above descriptions? What are the cartoons, books, or films that do? Can you help fill that void in the comics world? Go create.
- Hudson
Randomly picked up a book at the library recently. It’s called “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer” by Roy Peter Clark. I knew nothing of the author, but it looked up-to-date and easy to digest.
After flipping through a few chapters, it’s quite an interesting read. Most of the books I’ve consumed on writing have been screenwriting focused, which tend to be more story-oriented. Clark’s book however (which is intended for all kinds of writing, from poetry to journalism) talks about the joy (and power) of words, sentences, paragraphs… And how to use them effectively. And it’s quite good.
One particular chapter I enjoyed is “Draft a mission statement for your work.”
For myself, I think it’s something I do informally with every script that I write, but I really want to start applying it in a more focused manner.
A lot of times I find myself losing focus. Maybe it’s a producer wanting a rewrite, or maybe it’s just me getting bored with a character. When these issues arise, a mission statement helps me to find that excitement and purpose behind the story.
For myself I divided this mission statement into 4 categories:
• Theme – What is the “big idea” I want to get across, not just the theme that arises in every story, but also my personal beliefs?
• Form – What makes this script different than the one before it? How can I push myself as writer? How can I tell a story in a new way?
• Tone – What emotions do I want to evoke? What “kind” of story is it? Adventure, comedy, drama? How does this affect the themes?
• Character – What is the character journey? Why is it happening? What makes these characters unique?
What other areas can you think of that might be applicable in a writers mission statement?
New comic, written by me with art by Brandon Earnhart. Check it out at our new preview site here:
Artist Brandon Earnhart and I created a short comic called Strawberries for a competition over at iFanboy.com (where we were really excited and flattered to get a runners-up nod).
Strawberries tells the story of a monk, a tiger, and two kids in love.
Click here to download a pdf (or view jpg’s at the iFanboy link above).
Would love to get your feedback! Look for more from Brandon and I in the near future.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
It seems like every day we read a press release about a new comic book project being optioned for film. And, it’s no wonder, with the critical & box office success of such properties as 300, Wanted, and Watchmen. For better or worse, Hollywood is going to keep mining the comic book industry for creative property until it has nothing left to give.
What does this mean for the future of the comic book industry? Is Hollywood helping to create a financial model where independent creators can make a fortune off of their small-time properties? What exactly IS an option?
I spoke recently with three different comics creators who are all in the thick of this discussion to get their honest take on these questions:
B. Clay Moore is the writer of Hawaiian Dick (published by Image Comics and previously optioned by New Line Cinema), the Leading Man (published by Oni Press and optioned by Universal Pictures), and Billy Smoke (soon to be published by Oni Press and optioned by Warner Brothers with Matthew Fox set to star).
Robert Venditti is the writer of the Surrogates (published by Top Shelf and optioned by Disney. Directed by Jonathan Mostow with Bruce Willis starring, set to be released this fall.) Venditti also works a day job in the Top Shelf mail room.
Kevin Mellon is the artist and co-creator (along with writer Dennis Hopeless) of Gearhead (published by Arcana comics and optioned by producer Gale Anne Hurd for Valhalla Films.)
Clay, you’ve got Billy Smoke, Leading Man, & Hawaiian Dick all set up at various studios. Am I missing anything?
MOORE: As of now, no, although Hawaiian Dick’s option was renewed and then expired, so it’s technically on the market again as a property. I have other things in the works (some comic related and some not), but those are the announced options.
Is there any “secret” to you having so many projects optioned?
MOORE: I don’t know about that. I know that I tend to write stories centering around a strong protagonist, building a world around that character. That appeals to Hollywood, and, particularly, to actors looking for meaty roles.
In comic book terms, I try to make the “hook” clear and engaging, and I try to build a unique and entertaining world around the characters. Those things seem to translate well to other media.
Two of your projects are set up at Closed on Mondays (The Leading Man, Billy Smoke), Oni Press’s sister-production company. How does working with this company, which has closer ties to the comics industry, vary from your experience with other companies?
MOORE: I love the guys at Closed On Mondays. Eric Gitter and Peter Schwerin, along with Oni Publisher Joe Nozemak, were some of the first guys to realize that they were sitting on a virtual catalog of ideas that were marketable to other media, almost all of which also happened to be fantastic comic books. I think Hollywood now understands that Oni (much like Image Comics) produces a broad range of material that works in a broad range of genres, and that the new spin comic books put on old ideas is often a lot more fresh than most ideas generated exclusively with film in mind.
When I work with Eric, Peter and Joe, I’m working with guys who have gone out of their way to help me push my career in new directions, and not always to the benefit of their companies. They value talent, and do their best to set projects up with actual hope for development. I’m not officially attached to them in any capacity. I’m just a freelance creator who trusts them to take care of his properties.
Robert, Tell me a little about your experience getting the Surrogates optioned: Was the option as a result of your self-promotion? Top Shelf? An agent/manager?
ROBERT: I’d say it was in part a result of all three factors, but mostly it was just the circumstances of being in the right place at the right time. I know the property ended up on Hollywood’s radar because of some of the positive press the early issues of the series received, and I was able to meet a lot of producers because Top Shelf has such a consistent presence on the convention circuit. Ultimately, though, it all comes down to the story resonating with its audience, and the team involved in the film production having an honest appreciation for the material.
MELLON: The first Gearhead option was on the table before the first issue even shipped. A small Canadian production company that Arcana had been trying to develop some things with over the years became interested, and ended up optioning the book on the basis of a director/writer/producer there wanting to make the film. That was in early 2007.
They basically sat on the project for a year until the option ran out, and we were in the middle of discussing renewing the option when the possibility of working with Valhalla came up. I, personally, wasn’t too keen on renewing with the first company due to their lack of development and my complete disinterest in the producer and the director’s vision of the film, so we let that option lapse and worked out a producing option with Valhalla in the fall of 2008.
MELLON: Valhalla has a long track record with comic book properties, and I think they saw the same things in Gearhead that made Dennis and I do the book in the first place; a strong female lead on a quest to find herself amidst the crazy world she lives in. Plus she kicks the shit out of a bunch of stuff. What’s not to like?
How do you think the current “comic book option frenzy” is affecting the comics industry as a whole?
MOORE: Positively. I mean, companies that are producing bad comics in an attempt to get things optioned would probably be producing bad comics regardless. But for creators such as myself, it puts us in the enviable position of being able to make ends meet, and to further publicize our work and our “brands,” all while creating our own books.
MELLON: I don’t hold a lot of stock in the movie side of things, Hollywood being the snooty bitch at the party everyone wants, but is only giving out handjobs to a handful and the full vag to a few, and anal to Frank Miller [NOTE - conversation conducted before "the Spirit" did less than stellar at the box-office]. I have to treat that shit like it means nothing because if you let yourself get too caught up in it, it takes your head away from the things that matter in life, making the books.
VENDITTI: I worked in book retail when the comics-to-film trend started, and the increase in the number of customers buying comics was very noticeable. Even if a customer only buys the book that’s been adapted, I still think that’s a good thing because they’re being exposed to the comics medium, whereas otherwise they might not have. Where the “option frenzy” can become a problem, however, is with creators and, worse, publishers who base they’re entire business model on the hope that their properties will make it to the screen. When that becomes your primary goal, the material suffers.
MOORE: One of the best things about seeing Hollywood poke around comics for new ideas is that ideas and concepts one wouldn’t normally associate with a film have been snapped up, and some are in development. Scott Pilgrim is a great example of that. And it is spreading awareness of the medium. Whenever a film based on a comic book gets a lot of press, the comic’s sales leap upward. We saw that with Hellboy, Sin City, 300, and even the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I was on a flight back from an authors event in Milwaukee last month, and a (female) television reporter was explaining to the guy next to her how she’d never read a comic book before in her life, but was really curious about Watchmen, which she had on her lap. I’m hoping the Scott Pilgrim film makes Bryan Lee O’Malley a gazillionaire.
MELLON: It’s a double edged sword. It’s good in that it can provide much needed exposure and a little bit of money that just doing the comic books alone won’t provide.
MOORE: And it never hurts to have your name attached to projects associated with other media.
What about you personally? When writing a project, are you considering Hollywood at all?
MELLON: Dennis Hopeless and I talk about those aspects on our projects in development, but those conversations usually consist of the phrase “will go over like a lead balloon in Hollywood” and “this will never work as a movie” being bandied about over and over. It’s something we’re aware of, but don’t tailor anything we do towards.
VENDITTI: I never thought about The Surrogates in terms of Hollywood viability—I just wanted to tell the best story I could. That’s still my focus, but if Hollywood continues to come calling, so much the better.
Has it changed the way you look at your own career?
MOORE: It has, to some extent. I’ve enjoyed working on the work-for-hire projects I’ve tackled, and enjoy writing and putting my spin on existing characters, but I don’t feel a desperate need to sell a billion copies of a “hot” character’s book to qualify as a success. I’m open to conversations with anyone about any project, but diversifying my income streams and shifting the focus of my work from one project to the next is pretty gratifying.
A lot of young creators now look at the Hollywood option as having “made it,” as if it’s this magical doorway to fame and riches. Is this true in your experience?
MELLON: Contrary to what I’m sure other people will say, it’s not a lucrative or consistent way to make a living. It’s very hit and miss, and the guys that hit tend to do well, in a fashion, but there’s thousands of other comic people who never see a dime from dealing with Hollywood.
Publishers tend to dislike creators talking about this shit, so do movie studios, but here’s the dirt from my very limited experience. The money in options is with HUGE studios. Most comic books are optioned by producers or production companies for very little to no money and those options rarely mean anything of substance is taking place with the property. The first option for Gearhead, with a Canadian production company, was for no money. This is so fucking common in comics it’s ridiculous.
VENDITTI: In a lot of cases, having a property optioned doesn’t really net the creators much because the bulk of the money comes when a studio makes the final purchase of the property, usually on the commencement of principal photography. If you get to that stage you can do alright for yourself, but it’d be a mistake to think that all you have to do is sell one property and then you can retire. Literally, the day after I received the purchase check from Disney, I was back in the warehouse at Top Shelf.
MELLON: Most of the announcements you see are just option announcements, which rarely mean anything other than that company has signed a contract giving them the sole rights to make that film for a certain amount of time. When a film studio makes a movie, they’ve usually bought the rights to make that movie outright and own that property forever. There’s a huge difference in meaning and in money in both of those things.
Most people don’t understand the nature of an option. When you option with a producer or a film studio, it’s less money and you (usually) get the rights back after a set amount of time. When you sell it to a studio, you (usually) are selling them the rights in perpetuity and you get a lot more money for it. Sometimes enough to buy a car, in the best cases enough to buy a few houses and live off for a while. There’s no formula, and there’s no hard rule. Everyone and every deal is different.
MOORE: And you can’t just short-circuit the art of producing comic books and just go to work selling options. The reality is that what works well in comics, and comes across as a unique and engaging concept, might work in film, and you might be able to attract the attention of a studio or a producer, and you might sell an option and see some money, but that’s a lot of “mights” to rely on. What you’d better be doing is producing a comic book you’re honestly proud of, and one that you’d be perfectly happy with even if Hollywood never came knocking on your door. And, you know, producing comics is really, really hard work.
MELLON: The thing about Hollywood from my POV is that you either have to earn someone’s trust in order to just sell the idea before doing the book, or you have to do the book in full so they can visualize the project and also know that it exists in some other form. There’s a long discussion to be had about the way Hollywood works when they’re developing original material versus adapting something from another medium. It seems (from my vantage point) to be a lot cheaper for them to adapt from another medium than to spend the money needed to pay people to generate new ideas.
VENDITTI: Having your story get translated into film is a good way to get your name out there, though, so it can lead to more writing work and help get your career off the ground.
MELLON: Those press-releases are fucking gold for young creators. Your name begins to mean a lot more to a lot more people when every comics news site is running your press release about your option being announced. You just have to make sure you can back up the hype with good product or you’re just another shmuck whose name comes and goes in a bullet point on newsarama and cbr.
I don’t count on it for anything and will be shocked if any of what I have “in Hollywood” at any time amounts to more than a press release or two. For me, personally, it’s better to remain distant and cold to it or you can fast end up on the roller-coaster of diminishing returns both creatively and emotionally. I make comics, not movies. If they never make the Gearhead movie my life changes not one bit.
Thanks so much guys! I love your comics and can’t wait to see the films adapted from them.
- Hudson
I don’t do reviews much… mainly because I’m not that great at it… and also, you can find a thousand reviews of just about everything out there possible.
However, I took a gander at Shaun Tan’s breathtaking book, “The Arrival”, recently and I just can’t keep my mouth shut.
The Arrival is a story told all in pictures. Beautiful, painstakingly drawn pictures. In the credits of the book, Tan mentions that the book took 4 years to complete, and it shows. Even without the story, the artwork is stunning on it’s own.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from a wordless story, but what I discovered was a wonderful lost art form. Usually reserved for children’s books, Tan uses the technique to tell one of the most touching stories I’ve read all year.
And the story itself is what really got me. The Arrival follows a man as he leaves his wife and young daughter to journey to a new land in order to give himself and his family a new home and a new hope.
It is an incredibly imaginative allegorical retelling of the immigrant story. Instead of escaping wars and turmoil, the characters escape creatures and giants. The language and customs of the new land are like nothing you’ve ever seen. And what you find is, in today’s society, of being so modern and in touch with the rest of the world, Tan’s take on the immigrant story is really the ONLY way to really get across the confusion and strangeness of a new world.
The Arrival, ultimately, is about second chances. The book touched me deeply in this way. I’ve always held such deep respect for the immigrant. To not settle for the hand you’ve been dealt, but to dream of greatness, and to do whatever it takes to make that greatness a reality. And I think that’s something we can all relate to, whether the hand we’ve been dealt is being born poor or sick, or whether we just live with regrets & mistakes.
Three ideas stood out to me from the book that I would say are key to second chances:
1. Determination – The hero of the book sets out on his journey with no doubt that he will soon be reunited with his family. He hits a number of road blocks and a great deal of time passes, but he never gives up. He never says “this is too hard” and falls back into the hand he’d been dealt.
2. Simplicity – The hero of the book doesn’t immediately search for lavish surroundings or a quality job. He takes what he can get. To him, to simply be in a new, safe, free country is all he wants. He doesn’t need more than that. His goal is simple.
3. Community – The hero of the book quickly surrounds himself with people who help him along the journey. Along the way, they help meet his needs, point him in the right direction, and provide a joyful escape.
If you haven’t read it already, please take a look at Shaun Tan’s The Arrival. It is a very simple, but very beautiful story. And as you face your second chances, keep these ideas in mind and know that no matter what you are facing, it is possible to overcome whatever hand life has dealt you.
I had the pleasure of listening to a dialog between the great cartoonists Lynda Barry & Alison Bechdel on a podcast called “Live Wire!” recently and Lynda in particular hit on something that I had been thinking upon a great deal lately. And that’s the idea of purpose behind art.
I struggle with art a lot of times because it feels like such a selfish endeavor. Many times it’s driven by pride or money or fame… particularly in the movie industry (although I imagine it’s true of all art, I just have less experience with other industries.) Even the idea of struggling artists who create art “just for themselves” really turns me off. I think anything done “just for yourself” is a bit of a waste. I think it’s why I am happiest when I’m creating in a collaborative environment, whether that be a comic book artist or a writing partner, where I’m forced to bump into people. I believe that we’re put here on this earth to touch people and change lives, through our friendships, through our giving, and certainly through our art.
Lynda spoke to this during the conversation with this brilliant story:
“You all know what phantom limb pain is? That’s that thing where you lose part of your limb but you still have the sensation that it’s still there. There was a guy who had a particularly intractable case of it. He had lost his hand from here down. But his sensation was that his hand not only there, but it was in a really painfully clenched fist. He was in misery, the pain was constant. His life was really deteriorating. They didn’t know what to do for him.
And there’s this brilliant neurologist named V.S. Ramachandran who has done a lot of amazing work with imagery on the brain. And he had this idea, and his idea was, well, let’s make a box and we’re going to put a mirror in that’s slanted this way and there’s a hole on this side so that the guy can put his hand into the hole on this side, and then when he looks down it’s going to be the illusion of seeing two hands. You follow me on that? And so the guy did it. So he sees two hands. And Ramachandran says, ‘Open your hand.’ And he did. And he saw the other one open. And the pain went away.
And I believe that’s what images do. That there’s something about – whether it’s in another book, or it’s something that we make – there’s something about seeing something – and I don’t mean literally, necessarily, although with art that’s true – there’s something about working with images that can unclench something that we have no other way to get to.”
I was listening to the program in my car and after hearing this, I literally cheered. It was exactly everything I had been thinking, put into a simple, beautiful illustration.
What got me thinking about all of this was a lunch with a very good friend of mine named John Ray. John’s son, Marcus, was one of my best friends growing up and he took his own life almost 10 years ago now. After the death of his son, John became a pastor. And he did this in part, I believe, in order to help the hurting. Here is a man who has been through the worst pain imaginable, who very easily could have turned all of that pain inward and slowly morph into a twisted bitter old man. But instead, he took that pain, as inexplicable as it is, and used it to help others. Myself included.
When I had lunch with John, I was really struggling with my place in life. I was broken, not sure of what I should be doing. Just burnt out on trying so hard to be successful, in life and in art. And John said to me with such clarity, “Hudson, what you should be doing is taking the gifts God has given you, and using those gifts to tell your story. To share with others the questioning and the brokenness and the hurt that you’ve been through in order to help those who are on similar paths.”
This, to me, is art. Art is personal. It’s vulnerable. Art is not teaching. Just like John, I have no more answers now than I did before the pain. A lot of times, there are no answers. But I do know how to come through to the other side.
After the above illustration, Lynda goes on to talk about how Alison’s fantastic graphic novel Fun Home “opened a lot of fists” with it’s auto-biographical portrayal of a girl dealing with the death of her father who was a closeted homosexual. It is a story exploring death and life and sexuality and father/daughter relationships in a way that is completely unique to Alison.
The greatest desire all of us have in life is to know we’re not alone. It’s these unique, personal stories that speak to the hearts of the lonely.
We create, not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. To share beauty and to ask questions… to challenge minds and to warm hearts.
Tell your story through your art. You never know whose fist you might be opening.
Go create.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
I made a promise to myself, that when I started writing, learning the in’s and out’s of the film & comic book industries, that I would always remain transparent. No matter how desperate it might make me appear or how embarrassed it might actually make me. I have no desire to sell myself as anything except for what I am. So, here I go with another soul-exposing rant:
I’ve been on a journey this year of losing jobs, losing girls, and just about losing my mind. But sometimes we have to have our house of cards destroyed in order to see just how shitty our craftsmanship is. Thanks to a good therapist & a good bit of reading (highly recommended: A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis) and life-searching, I feel like I’m ready to start building that house again… but this time with a solid foundation.
Let’s start with least personal aspect of my life (although probably most applicable to those reading this) – screenwriting. Over the past 4 years I’ve written 4 full film & TV scripts. (Having said that, I realize just how unproductive I’ve been, and as much as I want to, I won’t make excuses [although I have written numerous treatments and comic projects and journalistic endeavors as well]). For now, I’ll not consider whether these scripts are any good or not. For sake of argument, let’s just go ahead and say they aren’t. Of these 4 scripts, one of them was optioned by a major studio, although we were later fired from the project, and although it may still see the light of day, it will not resemble our script in any way. Another made it to “talks,” but fell through. Another was, admittedly, so bad that we never showed it to anyone. And the last was read by a few agents and managers, but no one was interested. (Also, of note is a comic project that had no less than 3 false starts.)
So, looking back on this now, I would even say this is a pretty successful track record. 4 scripts and 2 of them generated interest. That’s pretty good! I should be proud of my accomplishments and keep moving forward, right?
However, in the thick of things, the disappointment along the way just stacks up. (And really, you’re getting the clean abbreviated version, not the dirty, down in the trenches, war stories.) Add to this financial and personal problems, and life starts to get you down.
I began to think in these big terms like “I’ll never make it” or “my dreams will never amount to anything” or even “I’ll never be happy and die alone.” But the truth is, a lot of people wouldn’t even look at the above record as a disappointment! So why are we so blinded by the moment of things?
For me in particular, the problem lies in two things:
1. I become a slave to the past.
I tend to think it terms of “fate.” That I’m going to fail or succeed because I’m destined to fail or succeed. Yet the more I live my life, the more I have to disagree with this. Everything was so clear at 16. I knew exactly what I wanted to do and (thanks to my faith in God & fate) I knew that it would happen TO me. And now at 30, I FINALLY realize that if I want the life I dreamed of at 16, I have to MAKE it happen (even if I still believe in things like God & fate, which I do).
And if I fail at this goal, it’s not because I’m destined to fail. We fail, because well, shit happens. But we don’t have to be a slave to that. We don’t have to be a failure just because we fail. We have the freedom to get back up and try again. Every single time.
I think this applies to dreams, life, work, LOVE, everything in life. We always have 2nd chances. We always have ta choice at each step in life. For me, this could be that I CHOOSE not to write anymore, but it would be my choice, not destiny giving me a shitty hand.
This idea of choice fills me with crazy freedom. That I can do anything I want with my life, because I’m not limited by fate or circumstances anymore. I refuse to be a slave to my past mistakes, to my circumstances, to people who discourage me, or to fear of rejection.
2. I strive too hard for “happiness.”
In the past, I’ve had this ideal life in my head. This life, to me is happiness. I want to be a writer, I want to marry a particular girl, I want to live a particular life. So, to me, if i don’t have these things, then I can’t be happy. What a limiting view on life!
I think if we strive for happiness, the only thing we’re going to get is more striving. I think true happiness comes from COMMITMENT to who you are where you are.
Life is a journey. If we can’t enjoy the journey, then we’re never going to enjoy the destination.
I’ve always had a problem with this idea, because I felt like enjoying life where I was at was like settling. I hate the word “contentment.” It sounds so bland. I don’t want to live a content life, I want to live an extraordinary life.
But again, if I believe in CHOICE, then whether I live an extraordinary life or not is in MY hands. If I want to be a writer, I have to commit to being a writer. If I fail at it, then it’s MY fault. Not God or fate or destiny. It might take 40 years, but I’ve got to find joy in the journey.
The more I think about it, I realize that all of my past pain comes from searching for “answers” and when I don’t find those answers, I get frustrated and angry. What if there are no answers? What if there is no perfect place to be? How much freedom does that give us if we just give up the search and just choose to simply LIVE?
These thoughts are certainly for my own self. Maybe you can relate, maybe you can’t. Maybe everyone gets this idea already and it’s just taken me 30 years to figure it out. But I’d love to hear from you if you’d like to continue the discussion.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
As most of you know, Zuda is DC comic’s entry into web comics. And I’ve got to say that, just based on my limited web comics experience, they have been innovative in bringing original web comics to the masses and really encourage fresh new voices.
One such voice is Amy Pearson. Amy is the writer/artist of Mathema, which is part of Zuda’s web comic competition for October. Mathema intrigued me from the beginning described as a “comic set in Victorian London and has themes of clockwork, magic, and math.” It reminded me of “Steam Boy,” and in a really good way.
Mathema tells the story of Emery Hall, a troublesome young man who learns of a device called mathema, which allows the welder to access ancient mystic powers. Emery finds himself on the run with William Wenbury, the young son of Mathema’s discoverers, (who, taught by his parents, is more skillful with mathema than anyone else) after a group of sorcerers track down the device for their own evil purposes.
I spoke with Amy over email to learn more about the project and her experience working in web comics.
How does Zuda’s web comic competition work?
The competition runs monthly; anyone can submit a comic and the editors pick 10 comics to compete. 8 ’screens’ and a synopsis are originally submitted and the winner will then be commissioned to produce a further 52 screens of the comic. For the most popular comics, there are also opportunities after your 60 screens.
What drew you to the competition?
Zuda’s approach to complete creator control really opens the board for the range of comics available at Zuda. I’ve been with the competition for a while and I’m always surprised by what is posted each month; for this reason I was drawn to Zuda specifically with ‘Mathema’, since it was never going to be a conventional comic.
Perhaps the best reason for being part of the competition for me though is the feedback. Zuda has some very talented folk in the community – as a new creator the feedback and advice has already been invaluable. I like the comments from people just reading the story for the sake of it too; it’s good to know you’re trying to tell a story people actually want to read.
What drew you to web comics in general?
Accessibility. I’d love to be able to share stories and the internet is obviously a great way of reaching people. On the other side of that, it means the response is just as immediate and varied.
Do you work in print comics as well? Do you prefer one over the other?
No, I am very new to comics in general, which leads to what I guess must be one of the greatest benefits of web comics – exposure. The competition has put my comic and art right out for public view (and scrutiny), I’m not sure an attempt at print would have been as effective as quickly.
However, for what I read personally, web comics has been something I’ve warmed to; Zuda itself has changed that a lot. My immediate reaction to the question may have been ‘I want to be holding the art work in my hand’ – but I’m not sure that’s really true. With the risk of sounding indecisive I’d say for me it depends on the story/art rather than the format.
How did you get involved with art and storytelling?
I’m from an animation background; involvement with this medium really sparked a need for storytelling, though the 2D art and comic path has been something I’ve had to find myself. I think one of the things I enjoy most is really how the story can be told – by this I mean I love it when a comic sets up a visual style and set of rules and then plays these or breaks them to provoke something different with the story – an author will do the same with words. The methods used in visual storytelling are something I like to explore and learn – there becomes so many different ways for something to be said.
What are some of your favorite stories / story tellers?
I’ll try not to make the list too long, so I’ll go with the ones that spring straight to mind…
Most recently in comics I’m reading ‘Blacksad’ and ‘La Licorne’ in both cases the art is just amazing and I find the stories pretty intense. I’m also very fond of a new one called ‘Clues’ – I met the creator and it was really inspiring for me.
I don’t go far without a book and to date my favorite authors are: Robert Jordan, Ursula Le Guin, H. P. Lovecraft – and right at the other end of the scale I guess Philip K Dick and Brett Easton Ellis; different storytelling styles interest me as much as the stories themselves to be honest.
What is Mathema? How did the idea come about?
‘Mathema’ is the concept of magic through maths and is perhaps almost a character itself – the Mathema device could essentially make anyone who controls it a sorcerer.
I’m not really someone who can force an idea, and though the concept seems almost inevitable to me (given themes that interest me personally) the very first glimmers of Mathema were probably the product of daydreaming. Quite often with my projects once it’s started there is a danger of it building itself into something huge; depending on how far Mathema goes it has parts that make it quite an intricate story.
With stories I am always very character driven, a lot of Mathema has been guided by the main character Emery; I usually find if the character works they’ll tell me how the story is going to go.
What kind of marketing are you exploring to bring attention to the comic?
I’ve been trying several approaches, but these are the main two of note so far; firstly and perhaps most basically I’ve been supporting some banners across comic and art sites. In terms of the competition I think this method is good for general awareness, though it only really seems to apply to weight of views – it doesn’t offer so much constructive response.
I’ve been contacting smaller communities of people through blogs and forums; I’ve spent quite a bit of time searching them out for not only comic people but those I thought may enjoy the comic anyway. I think this has been the best sort of response. Despite offering a smaller volume of potential voters individually, contacting these people personally has made the difference perhaps to the votes but to me as the creator as well.
Do you have anything else in the works?
I am working on a couple of my own projects right now that hopefully will one day come to light – but it may be some time before I have the opportunity for this.
Where can we go to find out more about yourself, Mathema, and support your strip over on Zuda?
Well a direct link to Mathema at Zuda:
www.zudacomics.com/node/756
The best way to support the comic is to ‘vote, fave and rate’ at Zuda!
This is also where people can leave comments, it’d be great to know what you think of it.
Also the Mathema Blog runs alongside the comic and has the most current art:
mathema-comic.blogspot.com
It’s a good way of keeping up with the competition and will link you to other parts and people at Zuda – it will also be the best way to learn ‘Mathema’s’ fate after the competition.
Mathema is also making friends at Myspace;
myspace.com/mathemacomic
Thanks Amy! Best of luck with the competition.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
This site is about writing. Specifically film, comic, & journalistic writing… which I haven’t done much of recently. However, I have been writing some poetry and some songs. I’ve realized that writing is writing, whether you’re writing a 1000 page novel or a two line poem. I’ve been trying to write every day to keep “in shape” and lately, this is what’s been coming out, so I thought I’d share it here:
THE GHOST
Heaven would never satisfy
And Hell would be too cold
If I had to wait for you to die
If I had to go it alone
I’d find a map of the stars
And knock on God’s door
Just to ask Him for a favor
Just for one minute more
Even as a ghost
It would be worth my time
For I’d haunt your heart
Just as you’ve haunted mine
I’d scare you to death
And quickly apologize
I’d hate to see you frightened
But I’d need you by my side
FALL
Winter, when we met,
Sweaters mixed with blankets, the embers of your cigarette
Winter never felt so warm
Spring, when we fought,
Pain mixed with sex, I should’ve just bummed a cigarette
Spring never felt so luke
Summer, when I left,
Tears mixed with beers, the embers of my cigarette
Summer never felt so cold
Autumn, what’s next,
Change mixed with fate, I hope you’ll come bum a cigarette
Autumn never felt so fresh
I LOVE YOU FOR YOU
I love you.
Not for your smile,
Although I’d rather lose my sense of sight
Than to spend another day without seeing you.
Not for your laughter,
Though I’d rather lose my sense of hearing
Than to spend another day without hearing you.
Not for your breasts,
Though I’d rather lose my sense of touch
Than to spend another day without touching you.
Not for your lips,
Though i’d rather lose my sense of taste
Than to spend another day without tasting you.
Not for your neck,
Though I’d rather lose my sense of smell
Than to send another day without smelling you.
I love you.
Not for what you give to me,
Though you give me more than my wildest imagination,
But I love you for you,
Being exactly who you are.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
I miss your always changing hair, always perfect
I miss your big bright beautiful blue eyes
I miss your perfect nose
I miss your sexy lips
Your fantastic neck, the taste, the smell.
I miss your back, touching it… your legs, so tender, so slender…
I miss the beauty mark on your cheek, which I’ve always wanted on a girl
I miss the scar on your chest that I find so sexy
I love every single little thing about you, everything is perfect, I would never change a thing in a million years
I want to continue exploring you for the next sixty years
I miss watching you brush your teeth before bed
I miss falling asleep to sitcoms
I miss watching you sleep, so beautiful, like an angel
I miss your impression of me sleeping, so embarrassing, like a demon
I miss waking up next to you, crowding you and you pushing me off
If I can’t wake up to your perfect face every morning, then I never want to wake up again.
God, I miss you.
I miss riding bikes with you, singing the star wars song instead of the wizard of oz song, making up children’s books
I miss making plans for the future
I miss our dreams, the chevelle, the motorcycle, the comic strip, dirt bags, menna’s beachgan cafe, the perfect house..
I miss you making fun of comic books
I miss you telling me things you think are sexy… like suits.
I miss your obsession with James Mcavoy
I miss making you laugh with my horrible impression of him.
I miss, more than anything, making you laugh until it hurts, it’s my favorite thing.
I miss you doing the same to me.
No one can make me laugh like you.
I miss you quoting stuff and me not knowing what it is..
I miss you remembering little inside jokes that I don’t and thanking god that you have a better memory than me
I miss the look in your eye when I know you want me
I miss connecting with you over our lack of understanding of drunkedness
I miss your strong opinions of bands I like or movies I wanna see…
I miss seeing your family and feeling at home as rare as that was
I miss having in-depth conversations where I feel stupid because of how smart you are and how much you understand people.
I miss playing mario kart with you
I miss making homemade vegan recipes with you
I miss your kitty talk
I miss you quoting roseanne or louis ck…
I miss you helping me not to get in wrecks in the car when I’m distracted by your beauty.
I miss staying up late sitting in parking lots like in the beginning
I miss how nervous I was to hold your hand
I miss how we would be shy in person but open up totally over email
I miss our long email conversations, our cute myspace comments
I miss the excitement of our first kiss, make out, touch, blind groping…
I miss tms
i miss your concern over my cancer knee
I miss you for the way you pay extra attention when i talk about marcus or my dad
I miss the way you want me to feel better when I’m sad, You don’t try to cheer me up, you’re just there for me.
I miss our trips I want more of them, so many places yet to explore with you,
I miss your smoking, your cursing, your questioning of God, all the things that make you you.
I miss shopping with you and guessing completely wrong which things you’ll like
I miss going to blockbuster or going out to eat and trying to guess what the other person really wants to rent or eat.
I miss your perfect smile, Your contagious laugh, Your unrivaled sense of humor
I miss your presents, I’ve never recieved a bad one from you.
I miss your presence, I miss your love, your patience, your understanding, your accpetance.
I miss your perfection.
I miss your love of poetry, of gangster movies, of comedians, of ice cream, of punk rock, of me.
I miss your mock-racist comments
I miss hearing about your ex boyfriends
I miss hearing about your childhood stories and friends
I miss watching AFV with you and losing it…
I miss eating puppy chow and watching america’s next top model
I miss discovering new shows we love like himym
I miss lying in bed and holding you…
I miss the way you’d encourage me
I miss you telling me I’m the best boy in the world, that’s the nicest thing anyhone has ever said to me.
The way you think it’s cute when I do something stupid
When you tell me everything will be alright, I actually believe you.
I miss the way our tummies talk to each other when we’re hungry
I miss our corny little sex jokes.
I miss having a few drinks and passing out, not from drunkedness, but from sleepiness
I miss hearing about your day at work,
I miss listening to your hard times, to how ridiculous that place is run
I miss all the office gossip
I miss going to Moe’s and not having enough money to pay for it.
I miss you coming to my office and doing your homework.
I miss our openness
I miss watching you do everyday things
I miss you not saying good night…
Good night.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
To A Woman | Victor Hugo
If I were a king, I would surrender my throne,
My royal carriage, my scepter, and my kneeling subjects,
My golden crown, my baths of porphyry,
My fleets that sail the seas, my regal splendor,
All for one look of yours.
If I were God, the earth, the sky, and the oceans deep
The angels and demons beneath my divine rule,
The profound chaos with flanks of flaming gold,
Eternity, space, the sky, and the planets,
All for one kiss of yours.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
I don’t know why I’ve never gotten into web comics. They only take seconds to read and, if done well, they are worth the time… and it’s quick, it’s not like I’m reading a whole book on screen.
I think my problem is that I just don’t feel like that many web comics are done well enough to even make my seconds worth it. Even if they are, wading through the infinite web comics out there to find ones that are truly awesome is a task. So… I guess I do know why I’ve never gotten into them.
However, occasionally I happen upon one on accident and it sucks me in. So, if you’re looking for a great web comic to read, here are two of my favorites that I’d recommend:
The Fart Party by Julia Wertz (fartparty.org)
Fart Party is not only my favorite web comics, it’s one of my favorite things ever. Julia has an insanely refreshing, incredibly honest, and ridiculously funny voice.
Fart Party follows the life of Julia as she deals with relationships and life, occasionally delving into her family and childhood. It’s been collected in a book, out from Atomic books, and it’s a beautiful collection which spends most of it’s time on the relationship with Julia and her boyfriend Oliver. It’s sweet & bitter, funny & sad, beautiful & disgusting… occasionally all in the same panel.
Also of note… Fart Party is the ONLY comic that I’ve been able to get my best friend / ex-girlfriend to read. I gave her the first collection of Fart Party comics and she flipped over it. (I think due to the fact that she has an unusual amount of things in common with the author). And we’ve found ourselves quoting the book frequently.
And while you’re at it, check out Julia’s always funny blog, which is basically just the prose version of her comics.
My Doomed Affair by Jacob Hunt (mydoomedaffair.com)
My friend Jacob just told me that he writes and draws comics. I was surprised to learn he was even into comics. Even more surprising is that his comic, My Doomed Affair, is really good.
My Doomed Affair is a relationship comic based mostly on the real life relationship of Jacob and one of my good friends. What I love about the My Doomed Affair is that there are comics where you wonder what the two of them see in each other as they are either overbearing or completely clueless, but I find myself relating to the mistakes one makes in “young love” relationships. And about every tenth comic or so, something really sweet happens and you end up pulling for them again.
This to me is what makes both Fart Party and My Doomed Affair stand out from the pack They aren’t just jokes, they are emotional journeys… and ones that are sometimes painful to go on, but just like in real life, when you get to the end, they are worth the trip.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
Heidi Meeley runs a blog called Comics Fairplay and has just posted a FANTASTIC article about what average Americans think about comics and geek-culture. The ideas Heidi presents here are the foundation from which the comics community can begin to change it’s very real and very negative public perception. This is exactly the kind of story more comics journalists need to be involved in. Thank you Heidi.
Click here:
Filed under: PERSONAL
Every summer, my high school friends and I spend a weekend together, in part to remember our great friend Marcus, who died tragically in the summer of 2000. For the past few years, we would rent a lake house about an hour outside of Atlanta. It’s generally considered the best weekend we spend every year. For a few of my friends, it’s the only time I get to see them, as they have moved out to New York or L.A.
This summer was different, however, as one of our friends, Mark (who hasn’t made it for the past few years since moving to Dallas), was getting married in Amelia Island, about 6 hours away from Atlanta off the coast of Florida. We decided to move the dates of the MRMGT (Marcus Ray Memorial Golf tournament [golf is rarely played]) to this weekend in August (normally in July). What we didn’t count on is a tropical storm called Fay.
The 5 of us (Dan, Lance, Kyle, Steve, & myself) arrive at our beach house Thursday evening. The first sign that it’s going to be an interesting weekend is that there is a tree, blown down on it’s side, blocking the entire entrance to the neighborhood.
Once around the tree, we arrive at our beach house, only to find no key in the lock box (where the owners said the key would be located.)
So, we call the owner, who tells us that she wasn’t expecting us until tomorrow (even though our paperwork said exactly what day we were coming on… I believe what she really meant was “I wasn’t expecting you guys until after the TROPICAL STORM was over.”)
She tells us, however, that she’ll call her friend John Holmes, who lives down the street to come bring a key. Well, about fifteen minutes pass (of all 5 of us standing on a very small porch in the pouring down rain), and no John Holmes. So, we call back and she tells us that she can’t reach John Holmes, but will send someone from Jacksonville, an hour away, to come bring a key.
We decide to hit up the store to buy some groceries while we wait on the key. It takes us about two hours and we get back and still no key. So, we call back and the owner gives us the number of Mr. Ed, the person who will be bringing us the key. We call Mr. Ed and a woman answers. She tells us that she doesn’t know how to get to the house, and can we give her directions (we, who have only been there once). So, we just tell her to sit tight and we’ll come meet her.
Around this time, the owner calls to check in and we tell her the story, that it’s not Mr. Ed, but some woman who is lost on the way to the house, and that we’re about to meet up with her. The owner, at this point, is very confused.
We meet up with the woman, and it turns out, the woman is in fact Mr. Ed, and Mr. Ed just happens to have a very high pitched voice. Whoops.
So, Mr/Mrs. Ed follows us back to the house to make sure we get in. The key fits, and all is good. We wave goodbye to Mr. Ed, and are at this point joking, very loudly about our mistake with Mr. Ed’s voice when the doorbell rings. We answer, and of course, it’s John Holmes looking very confused and holding a key.
We tell John Holmes that Mr. Ed just dropped off the key and that we’re all good. John Holmes seemed to have no idea who Mr. Ed was, but nodded and walked away confusedly.
Tune in next time for Power Outages! Midnight Tropical Storm Swimming! America’s First All Black Beach! And More!
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
Dear Comics Journalists,
I sat in on the journalists panel at HeroesCon this year, and, to be honest, it turned me off to the journalistic side of comics a little bit. As an industry, comics journalism seems to be taking itself way too seriously, it seems to give too much voice to the loud anonymous vocal minority, and it seems inbred… in the sense that most comics journalists just serve the small comics industry with no interest in (or at least no means to) “reaching out” to larger audiences.
This is not an attack, however. Certainly not on any one person or website. I understand why you take yourselves so seriously, and in a way you should. Comics journalism should be taking itself as seriously as any other kind of journalism, but at the same time, if you aren’t having FUN doing what you’re doing, you need to reconsider what you’re doing. I hope that if you are doing any kind of comics reviews, journalism, or commentary, that you are doing it because you love it. You are doing it because you can’t NOT do it.
I understand why you pay so much attention to anonymous feedback. In a world where you are writing into a void, this is the only gauge of effectiveness that you have. But I would challenge you to stop looking at your audience as your gauge and start looking at yourself. Are you accomplishing what YOU want to accomplish? Are you writing the kinds of stories YOU want to read? And once again, are you having FUN?
I understand why you are so happy staying within the small “comic reviews for comic readers” niche. It’s a built-in audience. It takes less work. You are immediately accepted by a group without having to “prove yourself.” But I would like to challenge everyone who writes about comics to at least consider what you can do to reach out to a larger audience.
Comics are at a point socially that I’m not sure they’ve ever been. This is the time for us to stand up and show the world what we’ve got – some of the best, most unique stories ever told. “Preaching to the choir” is all well and good, and it’s a living (well not much of one), but there is an opportunity right now to open up the doors on comics and help to form an industry like the world has never seen. To prove that we are here to stay.
Let me give you an example. I found a new hero on the journalist panel at HeroesCon… a man named Carlton Hargro. Carlton is an editor & writer for Creative Loafing in Charlotte, NC. He writes a weekly comics column in the independent newspaper that goes out to 60,000 people in the Charlotte area.
Carlton was a name I wasn’t familiar with before Heroes. And I imagine you’re not familiar with him either. However, Carlton is doing 1,000 times more for the industry than any journalists I’ve ever heard of.
I spoke to Carlton briefly about how he got started and this is what he had to say:
“Actually I started out wanting to draw, write and publish comics and then I sort of fell into journalism. I worked as and editor for a ton of different media companies and then finally landed an Editor-in-Chief gig at Creative Loafing. Once in the head position, I immediately used my power to start a comic book review column! Creative Loafing is definitely the only newspaper in the city — and one of the few newspapers in the country — that covers comics every week.”
The more I see magazines like Entertainment Weekly and newspapers like USA Today cover, not just comic movie news, but comic book news, the more I believe that now is the time to make a difference in the industry.
What if every “comics news to comics readers” journalist contacted their local newspapers and pitched the idea of doing a weekly or bi-weekly column about comics? What if we all contacted major pop culture magazines about running freelance comics articles catered to their audiences? What if we all contributed to online mainstream zines, not just comic news ones?
And if you need more motivation than just “for the sake of the industry… well, these places can actually pay.
Together we can make a difference. Thank you.
- Hudson
JOY’S THAT STING | C.S. Lewis
Oh doe not die, says Donne, for I shall hate
All women so. How false the sentance rings
Women? But in a life made desolate
It is the joys once shared that have the stings.
To take the old walks alone, or not at all,
To order one pint where I ordered two,
To think of, and then not to make, the small
Time-honoured joke (senseless to all but you);
To laugh (oh, one’ll laugh), to talk upon
Themes that we talked upon when you were there,
To make some poor pretence of goings on,
Be kind to one’s old friends, and seem to care,
While no one (O God) through the years will say
The simplest, common word in just your way.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
Let’s jump right into it… My Top 5 Favorite movies of the first half of ‘08…
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
I think people use the term “Apatow Film” loosely… it seems like half the comedies coming out today are branded an Apatow Film… and frankly, they aren’t all that good. He’s only directed 2 films, but somehow his name as a producer gets more attention than the other filmmakers or stars involved. Well, his only credit on Marshall is Producer. I am mixed on the “Apatow” films… I loved 40 Year Old Virgin, but only mildly liked Superbad & Knocked Up. I think the problem I have with a lot of these new brand of comedies is that a lot of times I just don’t like the main character. But Marshall, written by Jason Segel, was funny, touching, creative, and had a likeable lead in Mr. Segel (Who I was so-so about in Freaks & Geeks, but have come to like a lot in How I Met Your Mother).
4. Iron Man
I know, everyone LOVED this movie, so it should be higher right? Well, I too loved this movie… it was fun & entertaining, but there is just something keeping me from “having to see it again right away.” Probably having something to do with the story falling off in the last 1/3rd. So much has been said about this movie and I know you all have seen it and all loved it… so let’s move on.
3. In Bruges
I actually saw this at Sundance Film Festival this year. (Of course the only movie I see there happened to come out like 2 weeks later in theaters). And changes are you probably missed this one because it didn’t exactly tear up the box office… Well, go rent it now, because it’s fantastic. Very funny. Great action. And it has an emotional core that is stronger than anything I’ve seen this year. Very well made from beginning to end. I know what you’re thinking… and I hate Colin Ferrell too. But he’s quite good and quite funny in this, surprisingly. It’s a very unique film with (I think) broad appeal
2. Wall•E
I’m a fan of Pixar movies, but I don’t salivate over them. The Incredibles is one of my favorite movies of all time, and Monsters Inc. was a fantastic concept done well. But the rest, I could take or leave. Well, Wall•E now unseats Monsters Inc. as my 2nd favorite Pixar movie. It’s just BEAUTIFUL. Such a wonderful pure story that left me thinking long after I left the theater. And the animation work, especially in the first 3rd of the movie, is phenomenal. Like nothing I’ve ever seen before… the way they zoom and focus… and the way dust covers everything. Beautiful.
1. Speed Racer
I can not tell you why I liked this movie as much as I did. But it was the most fun I’ve had at the movies in years. Sure, it’s a little long, and the story is a little jumbled… but man did they make those races fun. And every character is really fleshed out with a fantastic story. And from a filmmaking perspective, the Wachowskis just nailed it. Really a ton of creativity poured out onto the screen. When I first saw the preview for this movie, I thought it looked horrible. The graphics were cheesy, the actors were stiff, the dialog was lame… but about 2 minutes into the film, I “got” it and it hooked me from that point on. It just works. You really have to check your expectations at the door with this one and just go along for the ride. It’s so much fun.
Filed under: COMIC BOOKS
I’ve been working on a kind of “history of the comics industry” article… but since you can probably just find that on wikipedia… I’m not sure it’d be that interesting. I certainly don’t have anything new to add.
On top of that, Mike Gold posted a GREAT article discussing why and how the direct market was formed and the mistakes of comics past (there’s a lot of them, by the way).
Check it out here: www.comicmix.com
