Monday, February 27, 2006
Mail order vs. buying from your local shop, which do you go with? As for me, until recently, I made the 30 mile drive to the closest shop and bought my comics every Wednesday. A friend on a message board I'm a part of works in a comic shop and told me that he could give me 20% and free bags/boards, free Previews, and free shipping. Some of you may have better deals but for me, who wasn't getting any kind of deal, this was like comic book manna. The only drawback I can see is waiting until the end of the month to get one big batch until my monthly fix. And, sadly enough, that has caused some withdrawals. Plus, I have to stay away from any of the threads that deal with books I get. But I'm really stingy so I'll take the discount.
I do keep some books at the other store because I think it's good to have a relationship with at least one retailer if I'm ever published.
That's something I'm working on and will probably have in a later post: retailing. Many people (myself included, to a certain extent) feel that once you get a product finished, in your hands, then you've reached the summit. But that's just the first step. Next comes promoting it so that it can be a big enough hit that you get to do it all again. Retailing is a whole other animal and the right way to go about it is something I'm trying to learn.
________________________________________
So far, I have done really well in my goals of attending to this thing more regularly but, when you were posting something once a month, it's all relative I guess. This week is one of those slow weeks I've lamented on in the past. The colorist is working on the sample pages for Magic Bullet and a new inker is trying his hand on Chimera so everything is moving slowly forward . I've submitted Out of Time to a publisher and I have an artist looking at Off the Grid so maybe they'll be some news on those fronts soon.
I'll read a comic and think how I just want to be doing this and it's so easy to get frustrated. I have to have patience. Every body I've ever read in the business says that patience and perserverance is the key.
I do keep some books at the other store because I think it's good to have a relationship with at least one retailer if I'm ever published.
That's something I'm working on and will probably have in a later post: retailing. Many people (myself included, to a certain extent) feel that once you get a product finished, in your hands, then you've reached the summit. But that's just the first step. Next comes promoting it so that it can be a big enough hit that you get to do it all again. Retailing is a whole other animal and the right way to go about it is something I'm trying to learn.
________________________________________
So far, I have done really well in my goals of attending to this thing more regularly but, when you were posting something once a month, it's all relative I guess. This week is one of those slow weeks I've lamented on in the past. The colorist is working on the sample pages for Magic Bullet and a new inker is trying his hand on Chimera so everything is moving slowly forward . I've submitted Out of Time to a publisher and I have an artist looking at Off the Grid so maybe they'll be some news on those fronts soon.
I'll read a comic and think how I just want to be doing this and it's so easy to get frustrated. I have to have patience. Every body I've ever read in the business says that patience and perserverance is the key.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Whoo-hoo! Two posts within four days of each other. I figure I better take advantage of what free time I have. In another two months, there's a little crumb-snatcher coming and she waits for no one.
First up, you might recall that I wrote about a little mental dispute I was having with myself. What it amounts to is this: I had a good concept come into my head. The kind that gets you excited right off the bat and you can't wait to work on it because it just "feels" like a good idea. So I started plotting the thing, finished the first issue script, and then it hit me. The device I had used to get my characters into the story was from an old Doctor Who show. The characters, the storyline, every thing else, was different except I had clearly been inspired by that episode in the general setup.
Talk about defeated. Here I had this great story going but had I crossed the line from inspiration over to stealing? I didn't think so but I couldn't be sure because I was so psyched about the story and was biased. I posted my dilemma on the Engine (great site by the way) and several people told me that they thought I was fine. It was just inspiration. So I've pressed on with the project but the nagging doubt remained.
Until the other day. It should have hit me earlier but it didn't. I was watching Seven Samurai and got to thinking about The Magnificent Seven. Clearly the second movie was influenced by the first. The same device (a village in trouble from bandits) is used to get our heroes in the situation. But no one considers the second movie a rip-off of the first. The first inspired the second. So now I don't feel so bad about my idea. I was inspired by the show but I've made the concept my own.
________________________
I've found a new colorist for Magic Bullet and things are going well on that front. Apparently, my inker has up and left for Chimera. I hope nothings wrong on her end but it's been a month and no contacts so I figure chalk it up to experience and move on.
I'm deep into the first issue script of that project I was talking about last time. It's going pretty good so far. I'm going to get the first pass out of the way and then go back in and see if I can beef it up some more. I want it to carry quite a bit of philosophical/political weight but I don't want it to get bogged down with it.
First up, you might recall that I wrote about a little mental dispute I was having with myself. What it amounts to is this: I had a good concept come into my head. The kind that gets you excited right off the bat and you can't wait to work on it because it just "feels" like a good idea. So I started plotting the thing, finished the first issue script, and then it hit me. The device I had used to get my characters into the story was from an old Doctor Who show. The characters, the storyline, every thing else, was different except I had clearly been inspired by that episode in the general setup.
Talk about defeated. Here I had this great story going but had I crossed the line from inspiration over to stealing? I didn't think so but I couldn't be sure because I was so psyched about the story and was biased. I posted my dilemma on the Engine (great site by the way) and several people told me that they thought I was fine. It was just inspiration. So I've pressed on with the project but the nagging doubt remained.
Until the other day. It should have hit me earlier but it didn't. I was watching Seven Samurai and got to thinking about The Magnificent Seven. Clearly the second movie was influenced by the first. The same device (a village in trouble from bandits) is used to get our heroes in the situation. But no one considers the second movie a rip-off of the first. The first inspired the second. So now I don't feel so bad about my idea. I was inspired by the show but I've made the concept my own.
________________________
I've found a new colorist for Magic Bullet and things are going well on that front. Apparently, my inker has up and left for Chimera. I hope nothings wrong on her end but it's been a month and no contacts so I figure chalk it up to experience and move on.
I'm deep into the first issue script of that project I was talking about last time. It's going pretty good so far. I'm going to get the first pass out of the way and then go back in and see if I can beef it up some more. I want it to carry quite a bit of philosophical/political weight but I don't want it to get bogged down with it.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
In the spirit of trying to get these things out more on a reasonable schedule (and to mix things up a bit), I can't believe I didn't mention this last time:
STEELERS WIN! STEELERS WIN!
Yes, I'm one of those people. I jumped on the bandwagon back around '78 when I was too young to really understand what was going on but my Dad liked the Steelers. I like sports quite a bit (the bread and circuses aspect aside) but the Steelers is the one team that I live and die by their games. Really, it's unhealthy.
Like I said, the last time the Steelers won the big one I was really too young to appreciate it and this one has been a long time coming. Finally, they win a championship where I can appreciate it.
No, they didn't play all that great and Seattle fans have some legitimate gripes on the calling but I can't bring myself not to be ecstatic that another trophy sits at Heinz Field. I wore something related to the team the whole next week just to bug all the kids I teach.
________________________
Writing news is that I'm now busy on a political/suspense book that I think is coming together nicely. It's probably the most ambitious thing I've written and I'm trying to take my time so I can do the concept justice. It probably won't be everybody's cup of tea (if I can get it picked up) but I'm really excited with it.
An artist has expressed interest with my Out of Time script so I eagerly waiting to see some sample pages he's sending me. I really like the concept of that series and I think it could really be made into something special (don't I always though). ;)
There's some changes on the Magic Bullet front too but it's a little early to talk about right now.
So there, shorter and more sporadic but shot out there a little sooner than once a month. I still have some long diatribes to get out, so, if you like that sort of thing, you won't always be disappointed.
STEELERS WIN! STEELERS WIN!
Yes, I'm one of those people. I jumped on the bandwagon back around '78 when I was too young to really understand what was going on but my Dad liked the Steelers. I like sports quite a bit (the bread and circuses aspect aside) but the Steelers is the one team that I live and die by their games. Really, it's unhealthy.
Like I said, the last time the Steelers won the big one I was really too young to appreciate it and this one has been a long time coming. Finally, they win a championship where I can appreciate it.
No, they didn't play all that great and Seattle fans have some legitimate gripes on the calling but I can't bring myself not to be ecstatic that another trophy sits at Heinz Field. I wore something related to the team the whole next week just to bug all the kids I teach.
________________________
Writing news is that I'm now busy on a political/suspense book that I think is coming together nicely. It's probably the most ambitious thing I've written and I'm trying to take my time so I can do the concept justice. It probably won't be everybody's cup of tea (if I can get it picked up) but I'm really excited with it.
An artist has expressed interest with my Out of Time script so I eagerly waiting to see some sample pages he's sending me. I really like the concept of that series and I think it could really be made into something special (don't I always though). ;)
There's some changes on the Magic Bullet front too but it's a little early to talk about right now.
So there, shorter and more sporadic but shot out there a little sooner than once a month. I still have some long diatribes to get out, so, if you like that sort of thing, you won't always be disappointed.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
It never fails. Everytime I write one of these things, I tell myself that I'm going to get the next one out faster. And, as you can see, the dates between the things keep getting longer and longer. I think it might be a problem with how I approach it. A lot of the blogs I look at are more like diaries, a couple of paragraphs devoted to whatever happened that day or went across the posters mind. Nothing that simple for me, thank you. No, I must complicate things by treating each post like an essay, designed to illuminate some topic under the light of my wisdom.
I'm sure you believe that last part.
So, instead of getting down my thoughts on a nifty inspiration vs. swiping thought I had run through my head, I find myself having to play catch-up on what's been happening again. First, Bounty was rejected by Image but it took a month for them to respond (which is a decent sign that it had some merit) and there were some positives to be taken from the email from Erik Larsen. It's off at another publisher now.
Chimera is moving along. Ferdie sent me the last 2 pages of the sample and they look great. I think I've got an inker/letterer for the project (I write think because she's not responded to my emails for a week but those things happen) so I hope to have the submission packet together in the next little while.
Bogdan Cheralu has got the pages done for Magic Bullet (I need to get some pages up on the site for that) and they are great. The lettering template is done and the colors are being added. I have high hopes for this one as well.
I've been putting the final touches on a story of mine called Out of Time and now I'm shopping around for an artist. I think it's some of the best writing I've done. Everything really came together for it. Plus I've got another concept that's gotten stuck in my head but, after thinking about it some, the influences on it are pretty transparent (hence my discussion on influence vs. swiping). I'm going to do some major tweaking to make it unique.
I've spend a lot of time typing on my novel lately (I usually have to write out novels/short stories in long hand first). Good concept I think (geez, do I like everything I come up with?). I have 2 novels already finished. One is a horrific horror story that would need to have a ton of revision to make it palatable and the other is more of a literary story that I desperately need to start revising.
One thing that's taken up some of my time is that I'm a news writer for Scryptic Studios now (www.scrypticstudios.com). I've started an interview column called 12 Questions with_________ where I interview a comic writer about the writing process. I've been very fortunate to have interviewed some really talented people so far and I have some exciting interviews lined up so keep checking that site out.
So, that's got the writing catching up done. Tera's still on her way. She's due April 23, but she's my daughter so I don't expect her until mid-May. ;)
I'm sure you believe that last part.
So, instead of getting down my thoughts on a nifty inspiration vs. swiping thought I had run through my head, I find myself having to play catch-up on what's been happening again. First, Bounty was rejected by Image but it took a month for them to respond (which is a decent sign that it had some merit) and there were some positives to be taken from the email from Erik Larsen. It's off at another publisher now.
Chimera is moving along. Ferdie sent me the last 2 pages of the sample and they look great. I think I've got an inker/letterer for the project (I write think because she's not responded to my emails for a week but those things happen) so I hope to have the submission packet together in the next little while.
Bogdan Cheralu has got the pages done for Magic Bullet (I need to get some pages up on the site for that) and they are great. The lettering template is done and the colors are being added. I have high hopes for this one as well.
I've been putting the final touches on a story of mine called Out of Time and now I'm shopping around for an artist. I think it's some of the best writing I've done. Everything really came together for it. Plus I've got another concept that's gotten stuck in my head but, after thinking about it some, the influences on it are pretty transparent (hence my discussion on influence vs. swiping). I'm going to do some major tweaking to make it unique.
I've spend a lot of time typing on my novel lately (I usually have to write out novels/short stories in long hand first). Good concept I think (geez, do I like everything I come up with?). I have 2 novels already finished. One is a horrific horror story that would need to have a ton of revision to make it palatable and the other is more of a literary story that I desperately need to start revising.
One thing that's taken up some of my time is that I'm a news writer for Scryptic Studios now (www.scrypticstudios.com). I've started an interview column called 12 Questions with_________ where I interview a comic writer about the writing process. I've been very fortunate to have interviewed some really talented people so far and I have some exciting interviews lined up so keep checking that site out.
So, that's got the writing catching up done. Tera's still on her way. She's due April 23, but she's my daughter so I don't expect her until mid-May. ;)
