Issue #4 Update

3 pages in. Good start for the colors. Got to kick it up. Happy so far with how it looks. Got another page done on Issue#5. Time keeps on ticking down, down, down. Months away on my self-imposed deadline

Issue#4 Line art

Cleaned up for the most part, tomorrow onto the colors! Pretty cool I think that its progressing the way it is. Judging by the the timeframes I've had to adhere to before, this should be done by the end of January, AND by then I should be done with the pencils for the whole series.

DONE! DONE!

Issue#3 Letters DONE!, so Issue#3 DONE!. Just need the cover, son onto ISSUE#4!

Progress

Got 3 pages done last night. Will be done with lettering issue#3 next week. which means ISsue#4 starts then! Exciting, no? Well, for you, the reader(if there is one ) yes, because it means I'm inching closer to setting the pub date. I need to think about talking to my distributprs. Going to do new cover concept this weekend. Go cleaner, bolder.

DONE!

with the colors for Issue#3! Lettering commences and with any luck, should be done Friday at the earliest, Monday at the latest. Pencils and inks for Issue#5 continue, 8 pages in. Working on the REDACTED and trying to insert REDACTED into the comic book. Its all coming together, and that as they say, is a good thing.

New post, same old story

Working and it keeps on coming along for the 'ol comic book. I'm almost done coloring Issue#3. I'm finishing inks on the online supplemental art. Thinking about tweaking one last couple of panels for issue#1 (i know, I know, ENOUGH already, right???) So I'm excited, but As I work on this I become aware of how MUCH work this is and how much of a lead time I need if I am to have a normal life. SO, heres to having at LEAST four issues done by the time I start solicitations, which means AFTER four, I need to kickstart the REDACTED to get interest in the old book. Lots to think about. I should start pencils on Issue#5 this week. Got a few freelance gigs, which will slow down the night drawing, but that seems to go faster anyway than any other aspect of the process (save lettering)

Another one Bites the Dust

Issue#4 is DONE! (pencils and inks) Hot damn! Feels good. Also, I started a supplemental story arc to go along with the REDACTED. I think it will come out pretty well and be a nice lead-in into the comic book series. Picked up Crush It by GAry Vanderchuck (sp?) slim book, but its a good motivator. He has some good ideas. All I know is I have to give this comic book all I have an promote the hell out of it. After 4-pg arc, onto issue#5. I'm over the hump! 4 down (pencils/inks, 3 to go!) then the extras.

Weird. For the First Time

I have actually gotten an idea from a dream I had. I was dreaming the other day about Presenting my work to Brian Wood (of DMZ, ALSO of my high-school graduating class) Anyway, I have this dream, and in one of my descrpitions of Old Soldiers, there was a VERY cool element, (which I will tell later, closer to the issue when it comes out) I think it make a MUCH better impact that what I originally had. So I have to say, Thank you for my subconscious. I immediately got up, found my iphone and scribbled a note to myself. Funny how things, just come to you. ALSO, once again, the shower provides more ideas. I got a great idea for some more marketing to reach more people. Its probably not going to reach MANY people, but if it reaches, one then its done its job. More of a viral idea, which of course relys on people to actually help it along

I am very pleased

with the progress on the book. Issue#1 is basically ready to. Issue#2 is done minus cover and front matter. Issue#3 is about halfway colored. Issue#4 is 5 pages from being penciled and inked. Nice. On schedule. But I realize how time consuming it is to color these books, now that I'm paying closer attention, at my current rate (of two hours coloring a day, 5 days a week) It takes about a month and half to color one issue. This is due to the details in the background and the nature of the art. So maybe I should have 4 + issues done before I go to press. On the other hand I'll be catching up to the colors in about two months, so I'll have the evening hours that I'd usually pencil/ink to color too. Hmmmmm

More work

to be done, working on coloring issue #3 and it is looking saweeeeeeeeettt!!!! I think so, at least.

I think I'm getting faster and (my opinion) better as this goes on. I am excited, I'm on the schedule I wanted to hold to. Three pages this week is GREAT! I should be in fantastic shape by the new year. Which is my target drop date. I'm nervous about that but, I will try my best to get the word out. I still think my (REDACTED) is a great way to get interest in the project. NAd I truly hope that the distributors will look at the fact I will most likely have more than half the series ready to go (4 months by my calculation) that they can take a risk on me. It just feels good to do it, and I'm excited by the little hints and clues I'm putting into the story.

By the way, does ANYBODY ready these posts, or is it just me posting blindly. I'd like to hope that al least SOMEONE is reading. Although why, I wonder? its pretty dry production stuff right now, so on second thought, I'd be surprised if I had regular readers, but who knows right? Anyway, if you're reading, why not post something, or just say hi. (I will give myself this out so I don't seem pathetic) OR don't, it;s as they say :up to you..."

Update

Coloring issue#3! one page done, onto page 2. I'm paying attention to how long this issue takes me so I can judge my lead time on publishing. It feels nice. I'm not entirely sold on my cover concept, so I'll be working that. No more progress tonight on pages, I have a freelance gig to finish first. Can't believe I'm so far into it. I want to get it out there for people to see!

Hot damn!!!

Finished Issue #2!!!!!! (well minus cover, but that can come later. Very VERY excited. I need to create text for the "what has come before" for the inside front, will model after the AKIRA books from the 1980s. I actually started cleaning up art for Issue#3! I need to try to keep track of how long this takes me, because this will give me an idea of how long my lead time should be for publishing! I'm very excited to get it out. After Issue#3 I need to finish up the website for my (REDACTED). Which should not be THAT hard, other than coming up with logic puzzles and such.

working

working, working, Halfway through lettering issue#2. Almost halfway through pencils/drawing Issue#4. So, its coming along, I'm happy with how its progressing, but Issues #3 and #4 have a lot of "unique" backgrounds to color. Hopefully, the more I do, the better and faster/efficient I will get. With any luck, I'll be through lettering Issue#2 this week! Then onto colors for Issue#3. When I am done with issue#3, I will switch to the web side and will then finish that aspect of the project, then...gulp publish.

Update!

Closing in finishing the colors for issue#2. I'm up to pg 7 on issue #4, I feel good about the big backlog before I publish, this will allow me to (reasonably) have time to produce the last 3 issues If I have the first 4 ready to go. Bing-bam-bong! I like how the colors are going, for the first issue, I am going to do a little experiment with borderless word balloons, it might ad a nice art look, or it might look cut and paste, I'll see how it turns out next week. I estimate by then I'll be done with issue #2

Issue#4

I'm up to 3 pages penciled and inked. I really feel the more I work on this, the better and faster I get. I am really pleased with how this is coming together, I also am surprised how much can change as it goes along. (for the better) it reminds me of what you see on a movie where re-writes and scene additions com in and out. Its very time consuming, but soon I'll actually be halfway through the pencils and inks! On Issue #2, I'm closing in on finishing, cot two pages colored this week. That part is the most time consuming.

Cover

Working new cover concept, real graphic. Simple.

Tonight! Start Issue #4!

Issue#3 Line art done!!!!

Finished this weekend! Happy to be done with Issue#3, once I am halfway through Issue#4, I will be officially be halfway through the whole series. Its exciting, because it means I'm only that much closer to releasing the first issue. Also came up with (what I think) is a better cover concept.

Update

Haven't updated in a while. Nice progress on Issue#2. 2 more pages on Issue #3. Almost done pencils and inks on Issue#3! Should be done about the time I'm done with the colors on issue#2. I hope to be exactly halfway through the series by the time I publish Issue#1.I WILL post a picture from Issue#1 or two on Wed!

Progress

Did a 2nd cover, not sure which I like, maybe as a varient, no? I drew/inked one more page on issue#2, drew some supplemental backgrounds for Issue#1. I have one more panel for issue#1. Sigh...I know, this is IT

Update

This week I'm about halfway through coloring Issue#2, I want to re-draw a couple of pages, to get it Juuuust right. Next week start locking down subsites and look into buying remaining URLs. Get add kit and rates together. What are competative rates? How do I find this out?

more stuff

Colored a couple of pages for Issue#2. Still planning out marketing plan for comic books. I have a few ideas. Its coming now, so I have to really buckle down and get even MORE organized. Wish I could have made it to comic con, but I'm thinking maybe next year if I'm lucky.

Behind the scenes

Stuff this week. Redirected some of the subsites and linked them to my server, will place placeholders on the home pages, to hopefully get some hits from google, get indexed. Finishing inside cover, issue #1

NEW Website!

up and running now, minor tweaks, and content to come, but it is live!

New direction

I like my website, but as with anything, I wanted to do another take, now that its essentially a business site, SO, redesign! Started it, found some nice flash components. TO DO: Find how to sell ad space in the comic!

COVER!

Is DONE! Nice. Am going to post a picture on Twitter! For all of my two "real" followers. I'm going to do a re-design of the homepage now that I'm self publishing.

Comic Book Update

So Issue#1 is just about as done as its going to get I think. I went through and tweaked a few panels, I am now reducing the word balloons a little to get a nicer feel in the panels. When this is done attention will swing to finishing the gamesites and finding a way to advertise for sales.

Comic Book Update

Finished touch-up on colors on issue#1, will finish group photo. NEXT up tweak word balloons.

Update

Finished group photo. Came up with a very cool addition to issue#3-7, should add another layer of fun, intreague to the mix. Will post some photos of issue#1 this week for people to see! Colored 3 more pages of issue#1. Have to clean up group photo art and then color and put into issue#1.

Comic Book Update

Finished inks on page for Issue#3, Colored one more page. Started group photo.

twitter

As you can see, I linked twitter to the blog, here's to more traffic!

Comic Book Update

Tweaking of issue#1 continues, nice playing with space and depth of field going on. I think its an improvement, and I swear this will be the last time I "improve " this issue. I will finish a page from issue#3 tonight AND start group photo. I need to redraw last page issue #1, well only a couple of panels to conform with a rewrite and continuity.

update

Colored another page, GOAL to be completed this week, FINISH new group photo, note IMPORTANT to finish issue#1. Recolor some page.

Update

still coloring pages on #1, #2, Will finish page on#3 then redraw group phono *now with flamethrowers!

Update

colored some more pages on issue#1 tuneup (will it EVER be done?) Looks good, coming along, will rework group photo this week.

100th post, and Post xeric hopes

Funny that this should be my 100th post..I am going forward, I will find the money somewhere, (I already have plans, but as they say, try not to use your own money) I drew part of a page last night before taken down by a raging headache. Re-coloring some panels for consistancy in issue#1, I still think I've got a good thing going.

Oh well

Got the form letter from Xeric that I did not get the grant. I'm not going to lie and say I don't care, because, well, I do. Its a setback to be sure, but All I can do is just keep on going.

update

Went to see hangover last night (very funny) so no inks done, BUT I did get another 2 pages colored on issue#2. So today, my goal is to finish coloring one, page, start on another. I think its looking very nice indeed. I'm going to backup some of my work to clear space on my hard drive. Tonight, ink at least one page. I need to catch up on my inking before moving onto penciling again.

Comic book update

Inked a couple of panels last night, colored a page of issue#2, Issue#2 is coming along very nicely, I think its getting better the more I do. Working late today, hope to get a page or so done.

Comic Book Update

Colored 6 pages already in issue#2, so that is coming along very well. Ink arrived last night and inked one page. As with everything, the more you do, the better you get, I think (sigh) I might need to go back and do a little touch up work, I know for a fact, I should redo the last page, but I've worked so long on that particular issue, it does not excited me to have to revisit it.

Excellent progress

Got a LOT of pages penciled this weekend (still waiting for my ink to arrive!) I am over halfway through Issue#3 (woo-hoo!!!) So, excellent progress on that part! I have colored 3 pages of Issue#2 and hope to get at least two more done this week. Its all falling into an assembly line right now, which is nice.

Update"

Got two more pages penciled, for Issue#3, AND got 2 pages colored For issue#2!!!!, try to get a few more penciled this weekend, plus inks(if they ever arrive!)

Comic Book Update

OK, I have 3 more pages penciled, but not inked. Still waiting on my ink and pen order to be filled and mailed out to me. Hopefully, it will be back soon, I have my own system, and it seems to work OK, so I'd rather not disrupt that. Issue#3 is coming along very well.

Comic book Update

Got THREE more pages penciled an inked on Issue#3!!! Coming along nicely. I have a bit of sad news. We get attached to our instruments they are just extensions of us, and sadly, my good old yellow en (well more specifically the nib) died today. Sad to see him go, a lot of good times and good lines.

Domain Names

bought a few critical ones for the game. It amazes me what is NOT available, but, oh well. Not too bad, considering I can host multiple sites on my site.

And STARTED COLORING ISSUE#2!!! Progress. Nice. So it continues, but by bit, little by little each day moving forawrd. I'd be done if I were full time on this.

On Issue#3 got another page done, hopefully I'll have another one done tonight.

Progress Report

Tired and feeling sick yesterday, so I felt completely unmotivated to do ANYTHING. Worked more on the intro site yesterday. Nicely working out. Will work more this afternoon. TONIGHT, more pages!

update

More work on the (REDACTED) website! Intro DONE! with sounds, I think it looks cool, now to work on the inside and the puzzle that accompanies it.

website update

Started the flash build, YEAH! For the (REDACTED) website, Its coming along, found some pretty cool puzzles and riddles to kickstart the game! I hope to have this started soon, and I will hear back from Xeric in just about a month. I'm hoping. crossing fingers. If not, then other roads will have to be taken. Work on animation today.

Update

Nice work on the intro website. I'll finish the interface today and maybe start the flash build. Tonight, I should be able to do a couple of pages for issue#3

3 pages!

done for Issue#3! Will draw some background fill-in figures today. Design for (REDACTED) website to work on this afternoon.

Issue#2 Line art done!

Or at least cleaned up. First round. I'll be starting coloring this week. Started looking for interface fir first website. Find photos and source, write script today. Still no word from publishers, I'd think it rude, but I am the eager one, so who am I to say.

More tweaking

As ideas come to you, you have to listen, right? Of course. I had a great motif idea for the website, and now I have a great idea to pull some elements into the story. I think they fit in nicely. I drew some background figures for the comic book, I'll be scanning them in and placing them in the appropriate frames of the book. Even though issue#1 is "done" I want to add juuuuuust a few little things to tie the book together. Nothing too radical, even though I am contemplating redoing the last page of the book.

Scanning...Scanning

Scanning the rest of issue#2. I'm having a setback involving the real world for issue#3. Its hard to make time for it with work obligations and such. I will try to fit some time in for this week, but its going to be hard, (REDACTED) grandmother died, so its going to be very hard to find ANY time to work. At work though, I am cleaning up the line art for issue#2, and THAT should be done this week. I really have to kick it into high gear with the first website, its the only one I haven't designed, and its bugging me that it is outstanding. I really want it to be ready to go by the time I get word on weather I got the grant or not. I'm not that optimistic, but am I just bracing myself for disappointment? Probably.

Cleaning up

line art. Getting ready to start coloring. But before that I need to finish my research on the theme for the first website, got a couple of books, some nice tie ins. My goal for next week is to finsh line art, start first website.

Update

Worked on issue#3, will clean up art today, need to really get cracking on pages of issue#3 soon, can't fall behind. Got some research materials for starting website

Comic Book Update

Cleaning up art, and revising some dialogue in the later issues of the comic book. I think I have a pretty cool set of revised pages that really focus the story now and add some needed drama and interest. Ah, so vague, like anybody but me is reading this. Its good to have a outlet to put my thoughts. Once again, the shower proves a fertile ground for ideas, as a good one came to me while at the gym. Todays goal, to wrap up another page on issue#3.

More work

Cleaning up artwork, tonight, get one page done on Issue#3. I found a cool theme for the first game site, It ties in nicely. Its funny how even when you have the story and details all done, you can add and make it richer as you go along.

rolling...

And keeping it moving, started pencils on Issue#3, with any luck, I'll be done with issue#2 completely and done pencils and inks with issue#3 by the time I hear from xeric if I got the grant or not. Once again, I find it a little confusing that of the 15+ companies I sent proposals to, only 2 replied back. It seems a little off. Most places will at least give you a form letter. But Its only been 3 months, so I have to be patient. Its pretty much what I expected anyway.

Update

Tweaked some later issues of the story like I planned. I'm getting my marketing plan in place for the release, have to figure out the timing and such. I'll finish story edits this afternoon and start on issue #3 tonight. later this week, finalize first webgame website for (REDACTED)

Alright!!

Done pencils and inks Issue#2!!!

I need to clean up the art, and start coloring. Did minor tweaks to script this morning. I will start Issue #3 as soon as I can. I need a cover concept for issue #2. I imagine inspiration will probably strike me where it usually does, in the shower at the gym. Its amazing how your mind wanders to unexpected places while you shower. I can't tell you how many ideas I have got from musings while getting ready in the morning. Excited to be done with issue #2.

Missed my Goal

Of finishing the 2nd Issue this weekend, to much work, too many events and obligations. I also drew one page three times, but was not satisfied with how it came out, its a pretty important page in terms of the whole series, so I think that's weighing on my mind at the moment. I think I cracked it though. I'm wrapping up my ideas for marketing the comic book, I have some good leads , but unfortunately, they all involve spending money, but I've GOT to try, right? Right? I'll try my best so far I have the (REDACTED), a direct mail piece to retailers including giveaway, explanation of intent with cross platform marketing, POP display, maybe posters if not too expensive. A "dossier" with some brief bios of the characters, and a call to action involving the retailers.

comic book update

Drew another panel last night, was rather busy so not much forward momentum, these next two pages are pretty important in the whole story, so I hope it turns out OK. I have some kind of charity event the wife signed me up for tonight, so I don't think I'll be able to du much on the book, but lets' set a goal. Finish issue #2 this weekend.

There.

Now its been said.

Keep on...

Keepin' on. 1/4 penciled a page last night, inked another. I have to figure out what I need to do to contact the vendors that will be purchasing my comic book. Also, I might revise the log to be more graphic, less literal.

Blah..

More of the same. Not sure why I chose "blah" as my entry, but I did, so it is. Anyway, closing in on the end of issue#2, Which means cover after, and then I have to think about the supplemental pages that I have planned for issue #1 and #2. I'm not motivated today to create the site for the game, so I'm passing it off until tomorrow. Clean up line art today. Three moths after sending out samples, only ONE publisher has got back to me, and that was the one I knew would not really bite, more indie style. I sent sase's out, I wonder If I'll EVER hear back from them. Ah, well, I'll plug along.

Progress

Got another page penciled, goal tonight is to ink and start another, just 3 pages to go until #2 goes into production digitally! Sent back scanner, got a refund, so that was nice. Will clean up art today, cleaned up line art yesterday. Tomorrow, design extra website in game

More line art

Cleaning up. and more to do today. I will start the design of the secret site for the game, the 1 month added. I started a page last night, but was not able to finish. Hopefully, this weekend I will get an opportunity to close out Issue#2

Line Art

Cleaned up line art, Its good to see progress on issue #2. I'll try to get it all in the can before issue#1 comes out. The plan is to have it all done by the time I got to print.

finished

another page last night. Inching closer to the finish line. I should be able to get another page penciled tonight. I added the extra month on the game design and contacted on old friend to see if he could input some help with the game design. I truly hope he signs on. Today, work on a design for the contact site

Got a

"thanks, but no thanks" email from another literary agent I sent the comic to. Interesting, that I've heard back from the agents before most of the comic book companies I sent my materials to. Does this mean anything? probably not. But who knows, right? I need to keep it moving forward, 3 pages to go in the comic book, no real progress yesterday, wen to the ball game. Rays won.

I'll knuckle down and extend the game before the release now. Why is it like pulling teeth for me right now to think of ideas? Is it because I already started the design wireframe? I don't know. I'm sure once I'm back in the middle of it, it will start going faster.

two more pages

penciled and inked this weekend, swiftly closing in on finishing issue #2 (minus cover). This week I need to wrap up plans for the gam and finish (update) the flow chart for the game. Its going well, and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to start the game at least a month BEFORE the comic hits the stands to get people interested in the first issue.

scanning...

scanning...scanning...scanning...

;)

Progress

sort of...Started scanning issue#2, but in PIECES...YAY!!...not. Oh well, I'm sending back the scanner that was not working, the seller says he'll refund my money for the purchase. But its going to cost me to ship it, so, once again, YAY!

Started cleaning up line art yesterday and it feels pretty good, I still need to finish up some of the game sites, especially if I intend to extend the game, which is looking like a good idea at this point. So this week, some easy scanning, cleaning up, next week, back to making sites. Once the sites are done, I'll finalize the games and puzzles.

Back!

from vacation. What I want to know is why I even TRY to get a large format scanner. I won an auction on ebay for a scanner that seems to work in every function EXCEPT the bulb doesn't work. Sigh. I'll try to return. So for now, I scan in pieces. Maybe the large format scanner is a rich mans dream anyway.

Another page

Finished another page this weekend, getting ready for some time off, so It will slow down in the short term. Very close to finishing the pencils and inks (minus cover) of issue #2

In the Groove

With just a little time last night, I penciled another page. At this rate, I'll be done with the pencils and inks for issue #2 and move onto the coloring and lettering! Very pleased, but then of course its move onto issue #3....

Ok, you suck

I am of course referring to the spammers who picked this address off of blogger to send me viagra and penis enlarging pills. So here's to you, anonymous spammer a$$hole. And in that vein, who actually responds to spam? Stop it! You're ruinign the internet for all of us, if you don't respond, they are going to go away.

Nice!

Got THREE pages done last night. I can see an improvement in my art the more I work, which is natural. So, I'm in the final stretch of issue #2. I have some of the most challenging scenes coming up, but that's OK. I'm happy with the progress. Did not check the scanner, but will do so tonight. Will work on one of the subsites today, those are wrapping up. I am also considering extending the A RG before the pub of the book to get the word out on the comic to create buzz. I don't know how much lead time I need to get orders placed.

Comic book Update

Is anybody even reading this? Probably not. But to update, I finished another page, SO, its coming along, coming along. Tonight I expect to get at LEAST one page done. It looks like I am going to have to scan in pieces, which I hate. Worked on another part of the website, password protected in flash, which will make it much harder to crack.

Comic Book Update

Got half a page penciled, happy with how it looks, will pencil more tonight. I would post scans and sketches if my #$^%#^b scanner actually worked. I will try one last time before it transitions from scanner to large paperweight.

Progress!

Got some nice work done this weekend, I addition to tidying up the old studio, got TWO pages done, pencils and inks! So art wise I'm 2/3rds through issue #2 I guestimate. Still no joy from the scanner. Sigh. I can't afford one of those high-end large format scanners. I do NOT understand why in this day, they are not cheaper.

HA!

Got a shout out by the Talented Mr. Roto himself, Matthew Berry on ESPN Fantasy Focus. I tried to get into the Man's League by offering a bribe of putting him and Nate Ravitz as Characters in my comic book, they kind of bit, but not good enough! Should see an uptick in visit to the site.

Frustrated

My large format scanner seems to have decided to stop working for the time being. I was planning on scanning my pages and start to clean up line art for issue#2, but that will have to wait, or else I can scan them in pieces (echhh) and put them together in photoshop. Either way frustrating. BUT I have found some nifty flash code for logins to two of the websites. So, that should be pretty darn cool.

Website Progress

The main flash page for the subsite is DONE. MUCH faster than I even thought it would take. I am now trying to crack the coding for a secure log-in. S/B pretty cool. I think I'll put an easter egg in this site for people! Very cool and happy that this is going relatively smoothly. I want to have all the web stuff DONE by the time issue#2 come out so I don't have to worry about it.

Website Update AND Comic Book Update

Progress on the most difficult game site is going MUCH faster than I thought and I think its going to look pretty sweet when I'm done. I have a list of puzzles and riddles to choose from. I am very glad I made a comprehensive chart of all the links and how the game and comic relate to each other or else I know I would be lost. Planning counts. Drew some replacement panels. I will scan them in tonight. This afternoon I will gather reference for some scenes I am drawing.

Update

Wrote another article for website. I think I have enough now for the game. I can always add more if I need. Researching puzzles and codes to create my own for challenges. I will work on another game site flash website starting this afternoon and work on the comic book tonight! Bringing in scans this week to clean up and color for issue#2.

Update

Had a wedding to go to that monopolized a lot of free time, got some writing done, no pencils. Will pencil and ink tonight, scan in pages for production So I can start issue #2 this week. I did finish the questions for the OddJobs test. this week I'll try making the form so I can get that site up and running soon.

Update

Sadly, not much to report other than prelim sketches for some ideas for the game/comic book.

Oh yeah!

Got the postcard from Xeric saying they got my submission, and everything they need for the grant is in order. Pretty cool. It somehow feels real now, like I am in the running. Silly, I know. I really really want this, but when has that ever made things happen. I have to keep up my motivation and drive to finish this.

Comic Book Update

Re-wrote the dialogue for those revised pages and I think they flow much better now. I need to get back to penciling tonight, I think I can finish a page if I put my mind to it.

website Update

Finished the first page of the OddJobs website. Went pretty quick, once the design was done. I only need to design the second form page, the Job Personality test, that will be in plain HTML. I need to research how to send that info to a database. NOTE: research mailing list software. It feels good to have this site come together so quickly. Tomorrow AM, add new panel and change text to reflect new art.

Nothing like being sick

All weekend, and having it knock the **** out of you, so no work done on ANYTHING this weekend, aaaannnd I'm better just in time for work. I don't know if I should be glad of this or not. Like I said, no progress this weekend. I was doodling some sketches for a poster/promotion design with the tag line "justice is coming" which ties nicely into the return of Karl justice. After I came up with this, I think I can fix one of my least favorite parts of the current issue, the exposition of agents Kay and Ezra. I think introduction of this phrase with their scene could more naturally introduce karl justice's backstory to the storyline. Which, of course means minor art revisions, and about three pages of minor text changes, which I think would be OK.

Update

Not much progress today, had to take care of a an ailing wife, so spare time evaporated. Its OK, today I start building one of the websites, the OddJobs website. It should be relatively easy, all the sites will, but the puzzles and clues Hidden throughout the whole project will be less so.

Progress

Or what is going forward. Little by little every day I work on the comic book project. The designs for all the subsites are now set, I just have to build it. I'll start on one of the flash sites. The easiest one first I guess. I'd like to start off small then go big. I read a book that says you need to start promoting your comic book, MONTHS ahead of time, I stumbled upon a really cool promotion I dea, not terribly cheap, not terribly expensive, but it will be pretty cool when I send it out. Ever little bit counts, right?

Comic Book Update

Working on one of the subsites for the comic book experience. Getting the nav done. I think this site will be in HTML, not flash, there's no need as it is patterned after a news site. Write a couple of articles for subsite today. Its going to be little more slow going in the short term with other work occupying my time. I am eager to scn in the pages I have done and clean up the artwork. I had optimistically thought I could launch by the summer, and I still do, but it make me nervous in this economic climate to be starting a new venture. I heard a podcast on NPR that said that in bad economic times, you need to innovate and that some legendary companies have started during these periods. I hope I can make my mark.

Update

Wrote some more articles. I'll try to get 2 a day done, that should do it. I'm going to construct all the websites, and soon I'll start coloring the pages of issue#2

Keep it moving forward

Working on some of the too many stories for the (REDACTED) , just keeping it moving forward. I inked a little of a page, not entirely happy with the results on a couple of panels, so thanks to photoshop, I'll be replacing those panels.

Tired

Managed to get of NY, juuuuust before the storm hit, BUT had to route to Orlando. Got some work to do tonight on a design project, and bank to got to thins afternoon, so I don't think I'll get a lot done. I'll try to squeeze at least SOMETHING In, like a shark, I must keep going forward (I know not all sharks need this, but come ON, let the saying have some traction!)

Comic Book Update

Haven't heard back from any publishers yet that I have sent out packages to, but it is still early yet. Finished a rough pencil of a page last night, will put ink to it tonight. Must also pack for trip to NY. I am finding that the ARG I designed is a big job, because of the interface I chose, it requires a LOT of writing, and writing of predicting what the world will be in 6 years.

My web host SUCKS

Blue host is Down AGAIn, and won't be up for maybe 8 hours, I am totally livid. How can I ever trust these people again?

Comic Book Update

Was feeling sick last night, I kind of drifted off to sleep on the couch in front of the TV at 9:00, so I think I needed the rest, one of those weird, half-asleep kind of things, where you're still aware of everything around you. This am, started another subsite design for the ARG portion of the comic book. It's maybe too ambitious, but what the hell, I'm starting it so far ahead of the release date, maybe I can make it work. Subsite design I think I pretty good, I need to design a logo for the subsite, so I should put that on my to-do list. No responses yet from the first mailings, its only been a week, I'm checking traffic to the website and no increase, who knows if this is a good sign or not. I can't tell really. I really think I have a good story to tell, but I am biased.

Its OUT!

Xeric application mailed out today. It would be NICE if I didn't need it, but I think I should cover all my bases. Gathered some reference for the next page I'm penciling (maybe tonight). But like I've said, for the short-term, I have to switch to splitting my time in between comic, work, freelance, and family. I hope there's enough of me to go around.

Comic Book Update

Got all the materials for Xeric together. I think I have a pretty cool presentation in the folders I chose. I designed a fake label to look like a top secret file. it looks nice and keeps things organized.

Finished another page of Issue #2 (inked) Once I'm done designing the subsites, I think I'll start coloring during the day and penciling/inking during the night. I expect progress to slow a bit because I have a couple of freelance jobs to start now, but work is work, I enjoy being busy and stimulating my creative part of my brain. The more I take on, the more I can feel my mind opening to new possibilities and ideas.

Mailing out Xeric today, cross my fingers and say a wish for good luck.

Publishing Update

Scrambling to get all the bids in before the deadline, got one that was OK, strangely, the one I thought was a slam dunk seems to no be returning my emails, I have NO idea what that is about. Now do I dare try diamond when the time comes, I'd love to be in previews, but their new policy concerns me, can I move that much?

Got some more quotes in on printing and FINALLY some printers outside the US, which allegedly save you money. Including the big boy Quebecor.

Tomorrow, look into small business grants, who knows, maybe I'll snag one?

Xeric still looms big in my future, have to get it all together, not going to happen by Friday, so I have to set the deadline of Wednesday next week to mail out. So on monday I should get folders, bniders, whatever

Update

Designed a couple of logos. Tonight I'll try to get another page penciled and inked. I'll just keep on trucking on this, so by the time I get an answer yea or nay, I'll have hopefully another finished issue in the can, so I can start printing it (with a company hopefully) or do it myself, but either way, its good i'll have a buffer between the deadlines. Maybe I'll have another review tomorrow.

Comic Book Update

Well I'm reporting the ups and downs, warts and all. So I got two "no thank yous" from a couple of publishers. Its to be expected, slightly disappointed, dopes that mean I knew they would, probably. Most publishers are careful in the best o times, taking on new projects. I still think I have a good story and a new idea to present.

finished inking one page, penciled 1/2 of another.

Will design some logos this week for products that appear in the book.Then some t-shirt designs for some of the players.

Comic Book Update

Getting quotes from different printers so I can send out for Xeric grant. Need them by wed, thurs, to meet my goal of sending out by Friday. Good news, when I DO publish, if I go the self route, I at least have a distributor. Haven found my material worthy of distribution on a consignment basis. I'm nervous about this, I hope I can get someone to bite. I'll do it myself, but its a LOT of work. Penciled 1 page, almost finished inking page last night. Do more tonight.

Oy!

There is SO much to do when you're thinking of self-publishing. I just heard that Diamond is now upping their required amounts for inclusion in distribution, I found another distributor, but, who knows. I'll try. I have to. But I guess this is what makes this blog interesting to me. A LOT of legwork that I have to keep organized. I only hope I can make a blip that will get some notice.

Comic Book Update

Finished the web chart for Xeric, THEN illustrator crashed before I could save all the changes, SO, I had to redo them...ah well. Nothing lost though. I think It came out pretty well. Penciled and inked a page in issue#2. I think to streamline the process, I'm going to start to color them as I get them, I think if I go about it like an assembly line, it will make things go faster. I've found that inking right after I pencil is more satisfying than penciling a whole issue, then going back to ink. Will get more info and printouts for the Xeric today, should have everything but the budget done for it. GOAL: To have everything ready to go out by Friday for Xeric.

YES!

Went to the post office, sent out proposals! Good luck to me I hope. I'm feeling good about this. I want to get this out there and tell my story, get it going. I'm excited, but also nervous. I hope someone bites on it.

Worked on the flow chart for websites to include in Xeric application. This is as much for MY organization as it is for Xeric Foundation seeing what I'm thinking of. Its really crystalizing my vision of this world.

Comic Book Update

Today's the day. At lunch, I will go over to the post office and mail out the proposals. Having been through this before, I'm not expecting miracles, but it would be nice to get a nibble, or a bite. So now my attention turns to Xeric. I will write my statement of intent today and start mapping out the details of the web interactions. To do for early next week, finish up design for portal site. To use as an example of what I intend to do for Xeric.

Tonight, pencil 2 pages (hopefully)

LOST: "this Place is Death"

LOST continues its hot streak. Not surprised Charlotte was on the island, WAS surprised she remembered. When she said a "crazy man" told her to never come back, in my head, I thought "daniel" and it turns out I'm right. We knew another encounter with the Dharma Initiative was upcoming because of the first episode this season, so I guess Daniel finds young Charlotte. She says her mother left, leaving behind her father. Since LOST is rarely so vague about these things, I'm betting that the father will not be a nobody, but a named character...Wild theory, Sawyer. But who knows, maybe everything isn't so conveniant that EVERYONE is connected to everyone...wait, what am I saying, this IS LOST after all....Sigh on the Oceanic six being separated AGAIN, I knew ben would use the ring to get Sun back, to use it in the OPPOSITE of what Jin intended. I just want them back on the island, it just feels tedious now, I wonder how the actors feel about it?

Comic Book Update

Put together packages last night. Will review requirements and send out by Saturday at the latest! Friday, goal: get pencils done on two pages. Sketches on 2 for issue #2.

Comic Book Update

Got all the materials printed for packets. Will look at Xeric, for their requirements. For xeric, need one example website + flow chart for entire series.

Sent emails to literary agents, not going to get too hopeful on that front, most seem to want graphic novels, while this will make a nice Trade Paper back edition when I'm done ( especially with the added material from online...More to come on that), most seem not to want serialized. I'm still a sucker for it, especially with the interactive experience I have planned.

Note: must design unique t-shirt designs for characters in Comic. something cool and iconic. What's going to be hip in 6 years? What will the trend be, more 80's type symmetry, geometric maybe. That's where I'll probably go, but if all else fails, go back to the engravers look that seems so popular these days

Take one BIG step forward

And jump in. Sent first email submission today, more to follow. That feeling in the pit of your stomach is fear and excitement.

It's UP!

Website loaded to internet! Very cool, up and running, will probably change some text, but IT'S UP!

Worked on printing cover letters, will edit long version of story, print out versions to go in submissions. It looks more and more likely that this will be the weekend to send out packages. To do this week: Custom labels, get email letter ready for email submissions and a emailable PDF made of book. Spread or no spreads? probably no spreads I think.

Wiki Commons

Is my new best friend. Love it. Since I've now found some killer reference, I'll return the favor and release some photos to the common good!

Website Update

Nice! I think I'll be done with the flash site TODAY for the Big House part of the site. I need to tweak the loading movie from OddJobs, but that's just little moves. Will create pre-loader for main site today! Hendo helped me with figuring out some bad code that was tripping me up.

Afternoon update:

Dang! I thought I'd get the preloader done by 1:00, C'est la vie. I'm sooooo Close, I can taste it! Its almost ready to be put online. I'll take 20 tonight, finish the code, and (hopefully) upload.

With this step being done, I can finish my list of people to send samples to. Than, well who knows, cross my fingers, say a little prayer, and wait for good news?

Revised update:

Success! Preloader works, now I think tonight I'll upload to web, fix a couple of links. Maybe I can mail out proposals by THIS weekend!! That would be cool.

Website Update

Progressing nicely in flash, started timeline control actions now. I think I'll make the FYI section its own movie clip to make things cleaner. Assigned actions to buttons, which is cool. I think we'll be ready to upload by the end of the week, which means we'll be ready to start sending out proposals by next week at the latest.

Website update

Exciting, I got the animation finished (minus sound) for the flash site, wrote the code to load from outside. Nice. Will write preloader this afternoon.

On the comic book front, found a couple of online literary agents who are interested in graphic novels. Hopefully this will pan out, probably not since I would prefer to serialize it. But its worth a try and most prefer online submissions anyway.

Afternoon update.

Synced sounds to movie, came out pretty well, added sounds to buttons. Will add ambient sound to background on man page! Also will add preloader to small movie. I think I'm going to have to put the main SWF within another object to preload it, but that should be OK.

LOST

New LOST last night. as usual tightly plotted, nicely done work. I get a real sense of where the season is going, and I like it.

Website Update

Bought video clip and imported into its own FLA. Will have it load from outside flash to save on loading time. Started website layout for subdomain site. debating weather to subdomain it or buy urls for these sites....

Website Update

Finished logo for intro sub-domain website. Came out well...I WOULD post it here, but in the interest of keeping is somewhat secret, I can't really discuss it.

Logo!

Designed the Big House comics logo. Or rather re-designed the big house comics logo. The old one was hard to read at small sizes, nice concept, but a little impractical. The new one is all vector. I like it. Well, I would because I designed it, right? Anyway, while I'm here, I set up the letterhead for my submission cover letter, will be gathering names and submission information today.

Mid-day Update: built slideshow in flash. Input text for FYI. Added a couple of t-shirts to my cafe press site (for fun). I'll be the first to order one, I'm sure. Started culling names of potential suitors for publishing, crating a master database. Will send out with the appropriate guidelines. Most of them are the same, but some require waivers. In case they develop something similar I guess, to protect them, that's why I copyrighted my story with the US govt, to protect ME. Tomorrow...Email links to exterior web pages for email, blog, and store.

Update

Tuned up the cover letter this weekend, cut down the synopsis. Ready to roll once I get the website up and running. Worked on logo options this weekend, think I found a good one. It will go on the letterhead, website, and basically all correspondence. Will try to finish basic website by this weekend so I can start to prepare packages to send out. Today, work on slide show.

Oh yeah...there was a football game on Sunday, I don't know if anybody saw it. I really thought Arizona was going to do it. Another squeeker. Wow, the Super Bowl actually is turning out to be a good game...

Snoop a Loop

Saw Snoop Dog last night at Bud Bowl in Tampa, was worth it, the crowd was pumped, people just love that guy. On the website front, coming along, on the Comic Front, putting together my cover letter and synopsis. Goal is to have them done this weekend to send out packages this week. Will take longer for Xeric application

Website update

More flash work today, prepared images for a slide show. Started mapping out online game experience that will coincide with comics. Raining out. Maybe its just Tampa being so spread out, but you'd hardly know there were people in town for the Super Bowl. I haven't seen huge masses of people, but maybe I'm just in the wrong areas

Website Update

Made all the buttons, all the states. Now all the navigation is in place on the stage in flash. This afternoon, I'm going to add interactivity and start to create the content for each of the areas. Will work on interactivity for the buttons. Ever the optimist, I realize that if I ever get this off the ground and people might come here, I can't be so forthright in the interactivity of the co-story websites. Hmmm...I'll need to not be specific in those updates

Afternoon Update: Started the text input for the website. Scrollable text fields. Its starting to look messy now, because of all the layering now. I have yet to start the timeline.

Review: LOST "Jughead"

Good episode, but it felt like it was a lot of set up for upcoming conflicts, interactions.

So there's a buried, aging nuke on the island, wonder if this will play into the future? I can only imagine how the time shifts might effect a nuclear device. Those old bombs required a very precise sequence of detonations to start the nuclear chain reaction, especially in hydrogen bombs, so if the explosives are kaput, it should be relatively harmless. Relatively. Anyway, a theory, that woman with the gun on faraday, could that be his mother? He said she looked so much like "her". Who knows?

Tonight On TV

Ok, I'll pretend for now that someone is actually reading this. Tonight at 9:00 on ABC, LOST is on. If you haven't already started to watch LOST, then you should, rent, buy, borrow the DVDs, this TV show is a fluke, its unique, and probably will be legendary in what it has done on TV. Good stuff, good writing, literate and TV that doesn't insult your intelligence, it rewards it.

Website Update

Imported PNGs into flash, created the animation movie for the "neon" effect, looks pretty good. I think I'll try some more tonight, try tackling the buttons, hope to be finished with the buttons tomorrow. Which would be really cool. Just getting all the elements together and in flash, then the hard part comes, getting it all to work, but hey, that's the fun of it, right?

Review: Watching the Watchmen

Dave Gibbons has put out a book that details, in part, some of the behind the scenes thinking that went into the now legendary "Watchmen" comic book by him and Alan Moore. This isn't a complete telling of the story of how the Watchmen came to be, to get the full story, you'll have to also buy the "Absolute Watchmen" edition of the comic. So the story of the DC aquisition of the Charlton characters, and their eventual transformation into the iconic persona we know now is incomplete. However, what this IS, is a view into the creative mind of an artist/illustrator. It is amazing to see how much of the sketches Dave Gibbons has saved. He even has the home-made inkblots he used to figure out Rorschach's mask effect. This book probably was green-lit because of the upcoming movie, but who cares, its a treat. Its a look into the nuts an bolts, behind-the-scenes of what it takes to produce a comic. Its quite something to see the onion-skin manuscript that Moore sent to Gibbons. A reminder in this digital age, of how writing used to be done, laboring at a hulking metalic beast of a typewriter, having to use white out, smudging the script... That is what is great. The Chip Kidd cover is good, and has a nice obverse to the Dr. Manhattan cover. Now onto what's not so good. The interior design, not done by the estimatable Mr. Kidd . The inside is layed out out alright, but the designers choice to use colored body copy against black backgrounds, makes it VERY hard to read, the legibility of this design makes it difficult to give the book 5 stars out of 5, so I can't.  4 out of 5. It would be lower because the actual information (which is important in a book presentation) is so poorly designed, had it not been for the phenomenal source material, I would likely rate it a 2.5-3 star book at best. But its a definite recommend, and ultimately it needs its companion, the previously mentioned "Absolute Watchmen", but buy it, its a great read (tough on the eyes), and a great piece of art.

Website Progress

I have the design for the flash website finished. Today I cut all the PNGs out, I will layer them to create the illusion that the TVs are projecting actual information, this will make it much more modular, and allow me to pre-load the front part of the website, and then load the separate movies for each category. Tomorrow I start creating the buttons and individual movies that will combine on the website.

Tomorrow, my first comic related review....

OK

This blog's main purpose is to detail my endeavor to get published, what it takes to write, draw, produce, sell, and promote a comic book. Hopefully it will be full of all sorts of interesting trials and events, ups and (cross fingers) not too many downs. BUT I will also be using this blog to give reviews of books, comic books, movies, DVDs video games, whatever. I'll send it out to the ether, and if anyone wants to read my take on them, great. 

Sigh...

January 26, 2009: 8:44 PM, create blog.

January 26, 2009: 1:13 PM. Get first phishing email. Internet you are a fickle...Well you know what kind of fickle thing you are.

Up and Running!

Well, here it is. The first post to the blog for Big House Comics. I'm updating my website www.bighousecomics.com and am integrating flash into the design. I got my color copies back from the printer, happy overall with the color, good enough to send out. Will be drafting the cover letter this week, and synopsis.