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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Comic Prices and Thoughts on Rage #3

High comic prices. They need to stop. I personally think it's killing the industry. $4 to $5 a comic? Gone are the days of buying a good handful or stack of comics. I only stick to 1 or 2 titles now. I buy about 4 comics now if I go to the comic store. That's about $16!! That's crazy! Gone are the days of buying 7 or 8 minimum, taking chances on new titles. I'm done reading comics in 5 to 10 minutes, there goes the $4. WTF?
I'm trying to buy more graphic novels but it's too easy to put those off. It's putting me off as a lifelong fan and I can imagine it keeps parents from buying more then 1 or 2 comics for their kids.
In my opinion this hurts the industry and makes me kind of scared about my future in it. Where do comics eventually go? The web? Is this where all print is going? Even collectable books of any kind? Will people pay for online comics?

*. *. *

Well, it's just a matter of time before I put in word balloons for the comic...my thoughts so far...I'm so glad this is coming to an end, it wraps up the story nicely.
Sometimes you draw and ink in flow and momentum. When the time comes to do background work, sometimes you skimp on the details for the sake of momentum and flow. I don't regret skimping on these for the sake of quicker production because I know those details would only take a few days to finish them.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Rage # 3

Looks like I'm nearing the end of inking Rage # 3!

With the exception of finishing up a few more panels, I've basically finished inking all 30 plus pages. I will go over all the pages, correcting mistakes as I go. After that, I will scan all the pages into the computer, put in sound effects and words balloons to complete the story.

After putting the book into digital form,
I will put the book up for sale on an online website.

I plan on putting the book out for 75 cents
Why 75 cents? Because it's the magical price point I bought comics at when I was a kid. I feel that comics should still be at that price, as opposed to $3.99 today. I could go on about the price of comics and how that has effected me as a comic lover but that is another blog. Perhaps the next.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Rage #3 Motivation

Rage #3 seems to be progressing. I can't wait to put this issue together with the previous as a single graphic novel.

About 6 pages remain to be inked. Once inked, they will be printed to a smaller size then scanned into the computer where text will then be laid onto the page.

Some of the inspiration I've had during this very long process has been my close friend and fellow creator
Greg McConkey. He has finished several new comics during my time working on Rage #3.

Truly, he's set the standard as far as drastically cutting down production time on his comics without sacrificing style, characters and story. I'll will be posting some of his work and putting up a link for his webpage soon (with his permission of course).

Another blast of inspiration has been the fantastic graphic novel Old Man Logan, which I bought from Jay and Bob's Secret Stash in NJ (more about that experience later). The story is elevates the genre and motivates me come up with some pretty deep stories myself. In the story Logan vows to never use his claws again and he has a family to support in it. Most of the Marvel Superheroes have been killed off by the Supervillian's. Red Skull, Doctor Doom, Kingpin, and The Hulk have taken over various parts of the US.
Logan/Wolverine has certainly been 'tamed' in this story. All is well until he has to pay back rent to The Hulk who has taken over much of the West Coast in which Logan now resides. He constantly gets beaten by Hulk's grown up redneck children. Hawkeye arrives with a special mission for Logan. Logan agrees to go on this final mission for money to pay The Hulk. That's all I'm willing to write about. Go read the rest and pick up a copy. The story has a feel of a Clint Eastwood spagetti western.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Rage paving the way for 4th Hour

Still inking Rage 3 and continuing preproduction sketches for '4th Hour'
the graphic novel.

I'm real excited at the potential 4th Hour has for a fun, great, graphic novel! It will incorporate the best aspects of the book and make the story much more simple and streamlined.

4th could very well be the first of several more personal-fictionalized stories from me. 4th Hour promises a quicker production time then any of the Rage comics using several new production
Techniques not used previously. A simpler looser illustrating style will be key.

'Rage' has been preparing me for the amazing visual and sometimes personal and intimate '4th'.