Aug 242019
 

Disclaimer: I am not an expert, and I don’t claim to be. But, I have learned a couple of things about writing that I know can help others get started. I’ll try to be quick about this.

Tip #1: What story is.

The first problem most new comic book makers looking to write their own book have is that they don’t really understand what a story is. To be fair, I did not either when I started.

Most novice writers will think in terms of some event, the big happening (like a fight, or a war, an explosion) or something ‘cool’. The problem is, these things are not story. Let me explain:

Imagine a building imploding upon itself. You could write three chapters in a novel, 10 minutes in a film going in slow motion, or even all 22 pages of a comic book going into detail each floor falling on the one beneath, each pipe bursting and the rushing escape of steam, etc. and so on. 

And you know what? So what. That is not a story.  Continue reading »

Aug 212019
 

Well, the writing hit a dry spot, but some stuff continues to get done. The big news is that the line art for Dr. Fizz issues 2 and 3 is done and has been sent over to a colorist. I’ve seen the first half or so and it is looking great. 

Dr. Fizz issue 2, page 1.
Art by Gino, Colors by Tyler Ochart

We also have completed a 4 page short set in the Dr. Fizz universe, a ‘Tale from Grand City’ titled ‘The Rental‘. It’s hilarious. 

I’ve recently also finally gotten around to doing the last bits necessary for Spook Town issues 3 and 4 to be printed, or be put into digital. I am still not sure if i should even bother with individual Kickstarters for each book or just try a trade paperback type of collection. 

In any case, the plan is to get all the books that are otherwise done and just waiting on me to do my part up on Amazon or such ASAP. I will need to check on exclusivity and so on to make sure it’s a good idea, but who knows.  Continue reading »

Apr 272019
 

I’ve discussed this with a few people I know, and frankly they seem to feel bad for me when I say this but here it is: I was wrong about my whole plan to make comic books.

I took Kickstarter a bit too much for granted. Yup. And after two miserable failures trying to ‘release’ a comic book I have pretty much come to terms with my mistake. I have made about 8 comic books so far, and have another 3 or so lying about in some stage of completeness with no need to be in a hurry to finish them.

Where did it go wrong? I still am not entirely sure, but I have my guesses. For one, I don’t think I am really willing to do the sort of things needed to be successful at Kickstarter. I don’t want to marry a project for months and spam my friends, family, and strangers relentlessly. I’d just rather not do that. And then there is my other guess, which is basically that in the last two years a lot of people have gotten sick and tired of the relentless onslaught of releases. It’s like everyone has a Kickstarter, every week, ad nauseum.

Edit: I just remembered a great case-in-point: Dulce. That was a fun looking sequel with a great advert plan being promoted by several people, a true campaign. And…well:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1410875579/dulce-tour-of-duty

Look, if that project cannot get funded then…what?

So, I now have a plan. And yeah, it sucks, but hear me out.

Aug 212018
 

It’s the big day, our first Kickstarter! Kinda a weird feeling, knowing what you don’t know. Will it fund? Will people like it? Aw heck, who knows? In any case it’s great to have finally gotten to this point in the whole process.

Click here to go to the

Kickstarter!

It all started in December of 2016 when I hired Rob Stanley to write and Rick Alves to draw ‘Dr. Fizz’. That book was a crash course in making an independent comic book. We had a couple of speed bumps, including a work stoppage due to my being laid off from work for two months. The time off at home was fun though.

Still, we worked hard and eventually finished ‘Dr, Fizz’. And around that time, Rei and Steve were finishing up pages for this book, Sissonne.

Both books take place in ‘Grand City’, a place that had so much crime that the mayor got a law passed to basically legalize vigilantes. Or, as we call them, superheroes. Some are indeed super, other not so much. Fizz and Sissonne are sort of in the middle type of heroes. They won’t be saving the world anytime soon, but Grand City is safer for them. This city needs them, and more like them.

May 252018
 

I want to give a shout out to a Kickstarter running right now that some of my readers might be able to use, a comic book writing tool called Superscript.

While there are many programs out there to specifically draft screenplays, there has not been a successful comic book writing program to date that I am aware of. There was one back in ’13 on Kickstarter, but it failed to deliver.

Here is the blurb and bits:

If you haven’t heard of it yet, Superscript is the software that comic book writers have been waiting for, which …

• automatically formats your script as you type
• automatically numbers page and panel headings
• tallies up dialog words per bubble, panel and page
• checks your spelling and autocompletes your custom fictional words and character names
• lets you embed images and comments
• exports to a variety of file formats
• allows you to choose between several popular script formatting conventions when exporting
• works on Windows and macOS

I’ve been using the program o my sequel to Bluebird, something I’m calling ‘The Roots of Glasir’, and so far I’m digging the program a lot. The shortcuts really are handy, and the output being in the correct format helps so, so much. About the only thing wrong so far are my typos. And Plot holes, lots of plot holes.

Normally, I’m not a fan of paying for ‘subscription’ software, but the lifetime license is not a bad deal at all, and on the plus side you can try the pre-release version today, for free (7 Day Trial).

I’m recommending it, and am a backer as well. Give it a look, let me know what you think.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jpsilva/superscript#

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