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Underground > Comic Books >

Who's made a comic then?

  
  

Page: 1(2)34

 
 
Gypsy Lantern
17:28 / 05.12.03
I made quite a few (graphic novels), and non-graphic novels too...
But as I'm french and nothing's published in english, nobody cares...

Nonsense, your stuff is great. I can't read it, but I can look at the pictures and get a sense of the story, and french speaking freinds who have read it assure me it's as good as it looks. Film noir with occult themes, cool artwork, the babalon working, what's not to like?

It might not be a bad idea to create some kind of running thread, or mailing list, where we could talk about our experiences trying to get stuff into print, and published. And, also artistic tips, either here or in the creative forum.

Now that's an idea.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
18:32 / 05.12.03
Wow, I just want to quickly chime in again on this thread. I've been avoiding so, because there's a lot to respond to, and I haven't really had the time to compose a massive post.

It might not be a bad idea to create some kind of running thread, or mailing list, where we could talk about our experiences trying to get stuff into print, and published. And, also artistic tips, either here or in the creative forum.

I'm glad some other people have picked up on the potential of this. There's a real comics community here that I was always aware of... but I still didn't imagine quite as many as there are popping up. My dad often says to me, that I should try and get involved in some kind of underground comic scene... and really, I think I am. I think we should make an effort to keep this kind of thing going.

Do you think we should continue discussions about getting in to personal projects/print/new work/comic making tips in this thread? Share the knowledge! Share the dream! I always had these things in mind (aside from knowledgable dreams) starting the thread - but I can see on one hand it might be better to have a new thread for that. On the other hand, this thread seems to be going well, and I wouldn't want to see the new thread sink (I know for one I'm not the most prolific poster). What does everyone else think?
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
18:45 / 05.12.03
I saw we keep everything here, and keep it massive as possible. Keeping it in the top tier of Comic Books means it's more prolonged exposure for those of us struggling for readership (I know I've doubled my daily attendance since this thread started up).

It's also a nice shred of validity to have it here instead of Creation, which has thick connotations of "Trying But Not Quite There." Fuck that. My comic's got colors and words you can read. It is done and ready for conquest. Everyone on here has gotten stuff done, has stuff out there right now, and there ought to be a nice safehouse somewhere on this site for recognition of that fact and those works.

I'd also really like to pump up the sensations of community, creatively, at the most basic level. I can't remember the thread, but I'm pretty sure a conversation was on here somewhere where Cameron mentioned the need to Break-In Crow Quill tips and how that was a hindrance using them over brushes. I could completely be confusing this with somewhere and even someone else, but regardless, that kind of discussion is always very helpful. And some viral form of a Barbelith Street Team couldn't be anything but good for all of us.
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
18:47 / 05.12.03
Also, if Suede could moderate that first post with a running tally of links for the creators, that would be pretty rad.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
18:52 / 05.12.03
Definitely in full agreement here. Espeically as I don't even know what a crow quill tip is.

I'm on the links now! Although, I hope you realise, you're gonna be making me actually learn how to do them...
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
19:04 / 05.12.03
'S easy.

{a href="http://www.alink.link"}a link{/a}

Change { to < and } to > and there you are. Just to make it easy, here's my html:

http://www.benjaminbirdie.com/genrecity.html

And the title is Genre City.

Simple!
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
19:22 / 05.12.03
Well, I've given it my best shot!

I'm still not any closer to knowing about crow quills, though.
 
 
raelianautopsy
20:03 / 05.12.03
I made my own comic but Im not into computers enough to have a website or anything. It's called Gelatin Entropy and I rather like it. Someone contact me and I'll mail it to you.
 
 
dlotemp
18:24 / 06.12.03
crow quill tip - It's an inking instrument related to the family of nibs used in calligraphy. You dip the tip or fill the resevoir with ink, which then flows to the tip via channels cut into the metal nib. It can provide a nice sharp line while still allowing you to control weight and density, unlike say a rapidiograph marker or pen that has a flat, steady line. You could possibly use a calligraphy style pen with adjustable nibs or buy the crow quills outright. The latter used to be available in disposable models. A brush provides arguably better control with weight and density of lines but typically holds more ink so you can ink longer. I don't know how to break in a crow quill but would love to hear about it. I've tried using some crow quills and find it difficult to adjust the flow of ink.

RE: comics

I also am part of the Jenny Everywhere project. Check out MRS. ZIRMA at the jennyeverywhere.com.

In addition, I've worked on some illustrations for fan fiction and the odd free newspaper column.

My first published collaboration just came out this week in comic stores. I contributed the story "Devil in the Playbox" to the anthology FANZING presents JOBS WANTED. You can find more details and some previews by going to the site - http://www.fanzing.com/jobwanted/

I'll be honest and admit that the artist obscured or missed (depends on your pov) some key plot points and the story suffers for it. Que Sera Sera. Stili. it was a fun project.
 
 
Gypsy Lantern
19:28 / 06.12.03
When I get a chance I want to go through all of the comics listed on this thread and write mini-reviews of them - ask the creators any questions that spring to mind about their process, technique, tricks of the trade, narrative devices, and general stuff on the craft of making comics. Figured it would be a good way of kickstarting some interesting discussion within this here barbelith comic-making community we seem to have unearthed.
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
20:52 / 06.12.03
I like Crow Quills because I actually seem to get more control with them. There is a Genre City character, Kirby, for whom the whole gag is that I use a brush to ink him, but other than that, I am an exacting student of the Dave Sim school of cartooning and, I dunno, I just like the more controlled line variation with the CQ. Brushes are just way way too shaky for me and the lines are too thick. I work at around 8 1/2 x 11, so a brush would just give my stuff a line that's too thick for my tastes. One exception: I f I can ever find the brush pen that I saw Craig Thompson use once I would consider switching, because that would give me, conceivably, much better control. I have a few lesser brush pens that I enjoy sketching with, but I can't see myself inking GC with them. There's a section in Hicksville where you can tell he switched to brushes (in a recent interview he has admitted to switching back) and I don't think I'd like such a glaring switch over. Maybe if I ever find the time to do non-Genre City stuff I'll experiment.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
15:07 / 07.12.03
Crow Quills: Oh, I think I actually use them. I thought it was like a speicific type of nib or something. I've never heard it called that before. I'll be the first to admit I'm not very knowledgable about all the technical things. In the comic I'm working on right now, I use the traditional "dipping pen" for the most part and then do some stuff with brush afterwards.

I get very confused with the whole thing, I find it very difficult finding the actual pens I want to use. In fact, I'm not sure I really have the ones I want. The only reason I ever started using this kind of pen was because I borrowed it off someone I knew. (In fact, further back, the only reason I started using watercolours - as seen in the work linked - the way I did was because I borrowed them off a girl at college. Just to give you some idea of the only way I ever seem to come across using new things, finding out about stuff. My extremely limited materials knowledge!). Unfortunately I broke the nib on that pen, and went off to buy new ones. I can only find one shop where I live that has any, and they have seperate holders and nibs. Unfortunately they only seem to have two drawing nibs, but they seem be be working alright for me. Also; I tend to let the ink get all jammed up so the nibs get stuck in the holder, because otherwise they are kinda wobbly. I think they do start off a little stiff (with a new nib) so they are probably best to break in a little (though I don't really know if that's what that's about...)

I'm working quite small at the moment (10 x 7.5, if we're doing it in inches!) just for ease of scanning, and so I can, hopefully, prepare my files for printing. I'm finding the little details (usually noses, etc) I really have to concentrate on, not helped by my little shaky, sweaty hand (There's another one, who gets nervous after 3 days* work on a page? Don't fuck up! Also: any lefties?). I'm looking foward to trying out working on a larger scale, in fact, I think later on in this project, I'm going to split up the panels so I can draw them a lot larger, then put them together in to a page on the computer.

It'll be interesting working out how I'll need to work on a larger scale - I don't think I've ever even tried it. I think I'll have to stick doing my main lines with a crow quill (feels weird saying that.... are you sure its not a *special* nib?) as I'm pretty certain I can't get a decent line with a brush. I don't feel confident enough to get a decent line. My main brush is a no. 2, but I've got a 1 as well as a couple bigger ones (which I mainly use for large areas of black**). However, one of my favourite bits of doing a page, is doing the shading/shadows with a brush. In fact, I probably go overboard...

What are brush pens like? I've never even seen one. I did see a rapidowossname claigraphy-like "drawing" pen, but it just annoyed me because you have to change cartridges and whatnot - and they're like £10! It just seemed like a rip off.

Gypsy Lantern: I think that's an excellent idea! V cool. I like. Let's make the most of this thread and our little (big) comics community! Also, s'fun eh?

*It takes me ages, not because I'm terribly slow, but because I'm lazy and/or whenever I make a mistake (that I know I can clean up on the computer) I get so mad I have to take a long break. Cleaning it up on a machine is cheating!

**I've never quite managed to understand large areas of black in comics, especially the ones with little white lines, drawings, etc. Is this often done on computer? Inverting the colours?
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
16:22 / 07.12.03
**I've never quite managed to understand large areas of black in comics, especially the ones with little white lines, drawings, etc. Is this often done on computer? Inverting the colours?

Let the black dry and then use white ink. I've never tried it. Photoshop is much more effective. I haven't filled in a black on any of the 54 GC pages thus far. Computer cleaning is not cheating!

Oh, and lefties 4EVA!
 
 
Lynae
02:04 / 09.12.03
Working on my first comic series, a graphic novellization of a series of novels by YA author L. J. Smith. I already have have my artists, but neither the rights nor a publisher as of yet. We're waiting 'til we've put together a proposal to start on that.
 
 
shrinky dinky
20:03 / 09.12.03
i wrote loads of scripts as part of a workshop run by the comic creators' guild, and had a few drawn up, but the only stuff i've been paid for is a couple of future shocks for 2000AD published in the past year. i haven't been able to repeat the success yet, as they've been turning down all my subsequent ideas!
 
 
Nelson Evergreen
23:58 / 09.12.03
So much stuff to check out....

Me, I'm in the middle of my first proper freelance job, illustrating a comic book about pop stars in space for the UK teen market. That's 50 pages of black and white per month, by god, so there's been a radical shift from my usual laidback working methods.

You can see the most recent results of said laidback working methods here (click on the 'mmm... magazine' box). They're a bunch of splash and sequential art pages completed fairly recently for a limited edition publication conceived and edited by fellow Barbelite yawn; it should be hitting the shelves in selected arts venues in Scotland sometime soon.
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
01:02 / 10.12.03
Nelson,

You're officially out of control fantastic. Do you color your own stuff, and if so how? I am a very big fan.

Sincerely,
Benjamin
 
 
sleazenation
07:51 / 10.12.03
50 pages a month?

*ouch* That's not far shy of 2 pages a day...
 
 
Regrettable Juvenilia
09:23 / 10.12.03
50 pages a month of pop stars in space? I think I'd probably want to know where I could buy this *whoever* was drawing it, let alone with Evergreen art...

Benjamin, can I just sincerely say how much I love Genre City? Thanks!
 
 
Gypsy Lantern
10:21 / 10.12.03
but the only stuff i've been paid for is a couple of future shocks for 2000AD published in the past year.

Interesting, I've never managed to crack 200OAD myself, would you mind giving a brief synopsis of the stories that they bought off you? I'd be really interested to know what sort of thing they go for these days. What do you think it was about those stories that made the sale?
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
15:53 / 10.12.03
No, no, Fly. Thank you.

I hope to get to a point where I can add pages on a more reliable schedule, but I've been so caught up in other stuff that I haven't had the chance. We'll see what happens. Along with my 9-5 job I'm trying to swing some creative opportunities that would actually lead to money and success. But I can't tell you what a difference your enthusiasm for the project makes.

It's weird, my readership is infinitisemal, but it seems the right people are enjoying it. Some well-placed pimps have got me tentative pin-ups from Dylan Horrocks and (get this) Nathan Jurevicius, who's only, like, the most exciting and gifted toy designer on the planet. Don't ask me how I swung that one. And it also led to me being contacted about these super-secret projects that have been taking up all my creative free time. So, it may be 10 readers as opposed to another's 10,000,000 (a confirmed number by my chum) but it seems to be the right 10. I'd much rather have fans like yourself and BigSunnyD, active supporters of my work (and Thank God for you both) than the faceless hordes so many other webcartoonists (well one) I know seem to get in their audience.

That's definitely been the most rewarding aspect of putting together a webcomic like the one I do (read: no "gags", lugubrious pace, extended narrative, payoff hundreds of pages away), the feedback I've been getting is 100% positive from really intelligent people who's own work I admire and who I know "get" what I'm "doing". It's long and time-consuming work and I truly pity the people who have to wait for this story to unfold at the pace it's going (luckily I have it all in head and I can relive how awesome it's all going to turn out whenever I feel like it) and I don't blame anyone but myself for my paltry readership. I'm confident, though, that a year from now, my readership, which I predict will have balooned to maybe 30(!), won't even remember these slim and dark times.

It goes without saying that once I get my shit together and put out the first book, you'll be getting a free one. And signed to boot! With, like a sketch of whoever the fuck you want!

And I definitely like where this thread is going. Once I get Nelson's Secrets of Glorious Photoshop Work, I shall be unstoppable!
 
 
superdonkey
17:40 / 10.12.03
I do comics. I make mini-comics and printed artists books, etc. I do my own title called "The Secret Voice", edit an anthology called Studygroup12, and have had short stories in other people's anthologies. Titles include: Kramer's Ergot #3, Swell, All about Fuckin', Project: Telstar , and the upcoming Hi-Horse Omnibus. The most recent issue of Studygroup12 won an Ignatz award, btw. That was kind of cool.

There are a couple older things on my website, but nothing very representative, to be honest. I Have a new longform webcomic set to start on Serializer.net in January though.

zack
http://www.studygroup12.com/
 
 
bigsunnydavros
19:42 / 10.12.03
Wow, great thread. What a creative lot you are.

Benjamin - love your stuff and look forward to seeing more Genre City whenever your mysterious other work allows it.
 
 
Tamayyurt
20:10 / 10.12.03
Wow, I think this is a great idea. I've done a few jenny Everywhere comics and an Eleggua comic. I'm currently working on three titles. Thoth Boy, Suzy Satori, and Santero Joe. I like idea of having a place where we can all talk about our own projects and not get attacked with "SPAM!" posts.
 
 
Nelson Evergreen
22:42 / 10.12.03
Benjamin: I'll be joining Genre City's readership just as soon as I get a broadband connection. In recent tests this dial-up thing I'm presently stuck with messed badly with the page-to-page flow.

Thanks for liking my witterings. Yup, the colours are Photoshop. A gorgeous piece of software, that.
 
 
Tamayyurt
12:00 / 11.12.03
Matsya- I didn't know Godlings was yours! It's great. I've been reading it for a few months now!

Ok, this is where this community comes in handy... I have to write a cover letter/pitch for a proposal package I'm getting ready to shop around. But it's weird writing about your own work, you know... so aside from a summary of the story and what you want the physical comic to look like what else to publishers look for in good proposals? Any help will be great.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
19:24 / 11.12.03
Wow, I keep losing track of this thread.

Can I ask that from now on, if people want to be linked in the first post, they PM me? It's just easier for me to keep track of that way.

Benjamin: I've only looked at a couple pages of Genre City (it's always "oh... yeah... I'll look at the rest when I've got a sec...) - but I promise either tonight or when I've got the time at the weekend I will take a look! Because I do, quite literally, have the time. Sometimes I just need to relax my brain from comics, and only allow it little snatches of goodness in case I OD. 50 pages indeed! I'm a big fan of the web blog like format too

Nelson! I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it to you - my memory is, in fact, like a sieve. But I really like the stuff you put together for yawn. V pretty colours. I cannot quite fathom how you do them, being as I am, only ever colouring one page. Ever. Like the orange buddha. Like it all. Have to look away! Avert thyne eyes! In a good way, obviously.

Can you tell us more about POP STARS IN SPACE!!! yet? Or do we just have to wait?

Oh, and how do *you* do yr oft-used white lines/black bckgr combo? I can't get my head round it. And white ink? *scared*


Anyone have any tips on clogged nibs? Tips on maintaining yr pens? Mine have been fucking up on me a bit lately.

Lordy, I can't even remember any of the things I've been meaning to get down, so that's all. For now...
 
 
Mister Six, whom all the girls
00:22 / 12.12.03
I've written a short story for a sci-fi comic anthology called Zebra that Patrick MM and I are working on. I've got a number of other irons in the fire, so to speak, but this is the best thing I've come up with so far.

Looking For Something To Hit
 
 
the Fool
04:23 / 12.12.03
This is a comic I made a year or so ago. Its full of spelling mistakes and is badly scripted... but it looks pretty!!!

clicky here
 
 
Sax
08:20 / 12.12.03
Lordy, I've missed this thread through a self-imposed exile from the comics forum for a couple of weeks. As MC Lentil said on the previous page, he and I did My Bloody Valentine, a Jenny Everywhere story up on the website, and Kit-Cat Club is, I believe, about to become the first woman in history to join the men's locker room that is the JE creator's club when she puts the imminent finishing touches to The Death of Jenny Everywhere. Just hope she can stand being whipped with a damp towel.

Other than that, my comics stuff is non-existent. I did two pitches for the now defunct Epic line (*spit*) from Marvel which obviously didn't get taken up, a new treatment of old second-stringer Union Jack and a mini-series about the secret fifth member of the Fantastic Four, called Cosmic Ray. I did actually get letters from an Epic editor explaining that the whole project had gone tits-up but inviting me to submit other work, but I've been busy in negotiations with a small independent publisher about a novel and haven't had the chance to look at anything. Besides, I'm a bit disillusioned with Marvel at the moment. Perhaps in the New Year.

I'd like to do something non-Jenny Everywhere but, as Flyboy said, good artists who are willing to work with rank amateurs are like hen's teeth.

Besides, there's too much Barbetalent here for me to read through via all the links for me to have the time to actually write anything myself. Good work, fellas.
 
 
moriarty
05:44 / 13.12.03
I've just started my holiday from school, and I don't know what to do with myself. In an effort to keep sharp, and partly due to guilt from this thread, I've taken up my comic diary again, at least for the next few weeks. Written, pencilled and inked in under an hour to get all the bad drawing out of me before going on to something more important. I enjoy looking over these things and finding all the flaws. It's like Where's Waldo.



Over on the Comics Journal message board, they've been talking about brush pens and white out, a topic that might cover your questions about white lines over black areas, Suede. They also tackle lettering in Illustrator.

The absolute best place to go to with any of your questions would be Shane's Board. Shane's gone now, but Cameron is a moderator over there, so you can hassle him. There are forums for tutorials, critiques, information, drawing jams and getting other artists to draw your picture better to illustrate your weaknesses. It was there that I found a place that sells that great duo-tone paper that Roy Crane used to draw Buz Sawyer on.

I've mentioned them before, but you can get entire books on drawing by Andrew Loomis here and here. I've printed most of these off for a few binders full of great info.

Draw magazine is a great periodical. I only have a few issues, but I plan on hunting down the rest. Many of the participants are members of Shane's board, and have invaluable advice. The Kevin Nowlan issue has a comparison of different white-out pens.

One of the contributors to Draw is Paul Rivoche, who I got a chance to see lecture in Toronto last month along with animator Charlie Bonifacio. I'll have notes from Mr. Rivoche transcribed soon, but for now I do have the ones from Mr. Bonifacio.

There's really almost too much great knowledge out there. It's overwhelming.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
23:44 / 13.12.03
Thanks moriarty! Although, like you say, it is kinda overwhelming. I think that's probably why I just bug people about stuff, so I can take it all in in little bite-sized chunks. And especially when I'm trying to keep all the specifics of my current work lodged in my head. I’m so confused! But now I know where to look, when I need to. I was going to ask, actually, if there were any books explaining all this. It seems all the stuff I’ve read already assumed you understand a bunch of techy stuff, which frankly, I don’t.

I really like the cartoon-y style (I don't know what else to call it) in the work you posted. It’s really fun. And how manic does that girl look coming round the door! Cute cats = good. Get the bad drawing out? Ha! I usually don't even bother sketching (much), because I tend to think it gets all the good drawing out of me. (I realise this might be bad, but the amount of times I do a sketch I love, only for it to remain better than the *actual* work I do...)

Shane’s board. Gone on a couple of times, skulked about. I always feel a little… I dunno, fish out of water, I guess. Also, the thing runs so incredibly slow for me! I really do need a better computer. Knowing it’s there though, kind of makes me feel safe. Like, I know I can use it one day. When I can upload things properly and have a decent computer set up, that is… I hope I'm not alone in finding these boards - and the comics journal board especially - kind of daunting.

I recently heard back from some comics competition, called “Stripsearch”, I entered. It was a Midlands based thing, I’d actually forgotten all about it. I can’t really remember much about it. (Runs off for research…) Oh! Right, it offers 10 people a chance to study in comic workshops with John McCrea, Hunt Emerson and Kev F Sutherland, and apparently at the end of it you get to draw for 2000AD. I don’t think I even knew that when I entered! Obviously, I wasn’t chosen, but John McCrea had this to say; “Your work has a nice naturalistic style and a pleasant surprise to see work without guns, superheroes or Manga style. Keep going!” Which was nice. I’m glad it wasn’t just a standard letter, at least.

Genre City - I'm going to check this out later tonight. I was going to look last night, but the broadband conked out. Like it always does when I decide to finally reply to everything, and do all the computery things that I've let pile up... anyway, as soon as I finish the page I'm working on (I'm working so slow! Nearly! Done!) I'm gonna read the whole bastard. In fact from what I’ve seen so far, I really like the ideas – in the storytelling especially – I love all that stuff comics-sepcific stuff. Some of the illustration is really nice too, and there are some panels, or splashes that really work for me. I won’t say too much without having a proper look, but top stuff so far!

I feel like I've been working all day today, although when I look back to what I've done it's kinda underwhelming. I also feel like I'm losing ideas at an incredible rate! Dammit, I really have to organise all my notes and stuff so my head doesn't spin so much.

I really have to stop using this thread as a "notes to self" kinda thing.
 
 
Ethan Van Sciver
05:08 / 14.12.03
I did some comics. FOR A GOOD TIME CALL EMMA was my first, which was about an octogenarian prostitute. And then I did one called YOFF, who was a birdy kid with big ears. (See NEW X-MEN's Beak, and a little image of Yoff himself on a tshirt of one of the students in NXM #117) They were all done on typing paper with Bic pens, which is the only way to do comics for your classmates when you're 12.

Crow Quills are fine, but brush is more respectable. You have to be highly, highly skilled to used one well, and other artists will nod with admiration if you say, "I prefer to ink primarily with brush." Quill is better for detail work, but honestly, pen is fine. It's thuggish and lowbrow to use Pigma Microns, but I know my station in life. That's my primary tool.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
18:50 / 14.12.03
I prefer to ink primarily with brush! Eh? EH?

Guys...?
Sorry.
 
 
Bed Head
19:22 / 14.12.03
What's wrong with inking with a brush, Suede? I sometimes ink with a brush and yeah, it's very difficult to do it really well, but heck it always looks interesting. Give it a go, just don't be frightened of it man. Specialist tools are for brain surgeons. This is art.
 
  

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