Wow, it’s been a long while since I’ve done a projects update. Guess that means I’m busy, huh? Let’s dive right into it, shall we?

The 30 Characters Challenge

• We’re sitting here on day 24 of the challenge to create a new character each day for 30 days. Though we’ve still a week to go, I have to call the challenge a resounding success. Hundreds of new characters have been created and some of the artwork has been simply astounding. If you haven’t checked it out, what the hell are you waiting for? Click here immediately!

• I am looking forward to the completion of the challenge, however, because, low and behold, it IS a challenge… and I haven’t even been cranking out top caliber artwork like some of the creators. But it’s done exactly what I hoped it would…encourage experimentation and creativity. (Case in point, Jot and Nub here.)

Over

• Over soldiers on. My first foray into online graphic novels continues to pay dividends. Slowly but surely, I’m adding readers and am always surprised to find how many people are digging my story. It’s been a quality experience for me and I’m learning a lot committing to the story and delivering it consistently. Glad people are enjoying it as well.
• That being said, Over will be taking it’s longest break of it’s run shortly. I don’t want to post throughout the Christmas holiday, because let’s face it, people have better things to do than read my comic. And I also want to break on a good stopping point…luckily, I have that stopping point, but it will probably be the second week in December that we pause our update schedule until the new year. The good thing about this is that it will allow me to build my buffer again. And the pages that will start the new year…they’re some of the funniest stuff in the entire book. It’ll start the new year with a bang.
• I’m starting to do some prep work and research into printing costs for the Over graphic novel. My goal is to have the book ready for the New York Comic Con. We’ll see if I can make that happen.

Tears of the Dragon

• I want to finish chapter 1 starting mid-december, and have been coloring the new pages myself. I will probably need to pull on a new color artist to make it happen, and will be looking for one over the Thanksgiving holiday.
• Received some dazzling new pages from Koko Amboro over the weekend. I love his art and I love this book. Hope you all do too.
• If you haven’t read any Tears yet, you can read the first 10 pages with a killer cliffhanger (literally) here.

Colosseum X

• Colosseum X will be my next (and final?) Zuda Comics submission. The script is written and it’s gotten positive feedback from a number of creators, which is great. I’ve delivered it to the artist and co-creator I’m working with, local talent Erique Savory, Jr. He’s been working on concept sketches for characters (there are a TON of characters), and I have too. This is a “go big or go home,” ambitious as hell project. If done right, it could be really huge. So, I guess we better do it right.

Creating Comics! @ Comic Related

• You’ve been reading my articles, haven’t you? If not, here’s the archive. I’m 27 articles in.
• I continue to get a lot of positive comments and feedback from people who tell me the articles are helpful. That means a lot, as do the retweets whenever I tweet a link to my latest column. Thanks guys!
• Haven’t announced it over there yet, but next week’s column will be my final column for 2009. No, it’s not that I’ve run out of things to say…it’s more that I have some other things that I need to direct some effort into that will also help the larger comics community, and I need the writing time to do it. So fear not. If people have found my articles useful this year, just wait until 2010…I’ve got some BIG ideas I want to implement that I think will be a serious help to a lot of creators.

Other Stuff

• TylerJamesComics.com will be getting a total facelift. I hope to unveil a brandnew personal webpage in time for the new year. Blogger has been a great home for the past two years, but it’s time I stepped up my presentation to the world at large. I want a clearer, more professional site that showcases my comics, links more clearly to all of my work, highlights the colloboraters I work with, and has an appealing storefront for me to sell my wares.
• Several projects are still sitting on the backshelf, including Super Seed, ICE, CounterTerror, and a very cool horror/sci-fi/mythology series tentatively titled “The Box” (although probably gonna have to change it since there’s currently a big budget movie out with the same name.) If I had unlimited time and money, I’d be working on them all. Since I have neither, I’m just trying to pace myself. Once I finish the art on Over, I’ll be taking a few months off from drawing to WRITE MY ASS OFF. In that time, I’d like to finish both the Super Seed and ICE screenplays and write at least 64 pages worth of “The Box.” That way, I’ll have those done and out of the way, and can turn my attention to drawing the remaining pages of the Super Seed graphic novel, without being held up by the writing of my other stories. Between that and writing Colosseum X for Zuda next year (play to win, remember) I’ll be very busy.
• Continuing to look to other avenues of getting my name and work out there in the public eye, and am lining up podcast appearances. I also hope to have an aggressive convention schedule in 2010. Should be a big year for me. Can’t wait.

That’ll do it for the update! Thanks for reading!

Those guys put on an enjoyable show. If you’d like to listen to the entire interview, it’s Episode 7, available on the widget below. And, for your added viewing pleasure, I made a video clip from the interview where I discuss 30 Characters along with art from all of the challengers.

Approximately 580 characters were created, generating more than 1200 comments, and more than 12,000 page views.  Not bad at all.

Although 30 Characters/30 days was initially my brainchild, opening it up and inviting others to participate really turned it into something special. Here are some quotes in particular from some participants that made me smile:

“What a great experience…The practice made me more comfortable with digital painting in photoshop and with art processes for character creation. It’s been an awesome time exploring outside my comic creation comfort zone.”

- Rob Stenzinger, Art Geek Zoo

“Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their work for me and all to see. Your hard work over the last 30 days has been truly inspirational.”

-Javen Ackerman, The Winchcombe

“Thanks to all the great comments on the characters, both the constructive and positive. Seeing everyone’s awesome work helped keep me motivated.”

-Ralph Contreras

“Genuine comradery is tough to find these days and your constant encouragement has me fired up to create more than ever! I can’t wait to see all of your next and current endeavors come to fruition.”

-Dan Govar, Azure

My sentiments exactly, and I was very touched by all the words of thanks from the fine folks who participated.

I’m also excited about the many great future things that 30 Characters has helped germinate.  Personally, I used the month to start populating new comic book universes, and am really excited about two projects in particular that will prominently feature characters I created for the challenge.  Several other writers and artists clearly have some great comic books in development, and I’m looking forward to seeing many of those characters appear in them.  Atombat is planning to turn a few of his creations into new T-shirt designs, which I can definitely see.  And Dan Govar was inspired by the comradery of the creators in the challenge, and is planning to start a new blog for monthly art challenges.  I imagine many of the participants of 30 Characters will jump at the chance, and I know I’ll be actively helping promote the endeavor.

Creating comics, making art, writing stories…it can a long, laborious and lonely endeavor.   However, the 30 Characters Challenge proved that it doesn’t always have to be. 

Which is a pity, because this is really my place of record for my journey doing this comics thing. As such, I’d be remiss not to mention the upcoming “30 Characters Challenge” I’ve gotten off the ground.

Next month, myself and a group of [brave, ambitious, foolish, insane] creators are challenging ourselves to create 30 new characters in 30 days…one for every day in November.

Why? Because the world needs new characters! (And I’m sure a whole host of other reasons as well.) For me, it’s going to provide a structure around which to get off my duff and start populating the characters for the Colosseum universe.

You remember Colosseum, don’t you? It’s getting off the ground in a big way, and as soon as art starts coming in, I’ll fill readers in on all the details. I’m working with a very strong artist on the project and researching the heck out of the thing. I’m hoping it has just the right combination of catchy high concept, killer visuals, and edgy, in your face writing that will make it a hit.

Anyway, here’s a link to the 30 Characters site. Check it out! And sign up, if you dare!