EPIC, a new superteen comic book, will make it’s official debut at this year’s Baltimore Comic Con.   Writer Tyler James, artist Matt Zoman, and color artist Ty Tyner will be appearing together in a corner booth on the main showroom floor to give this exciting project a proper launch.

For sale will be EPIC #0, a 32 page full-color book containing a self-contained 16 page story, along with pin-ups, sketches and more.

The EPIC team will have three versions of the inaugural issue on hand.

• EPIC #0 – Standard Edition, featuring an awesome wrap-around cover.
• EPIC #0 – Artist Edition, featuring a one-of-a kind sketch cover, with pencils by Matt Zolman, inks by Tyler James, and colors by Ty Tyner.
• EPIC #0 – Baltimore Comic Con / Comic Related Exclusive, we’re partnering with the comics news site Comic Related to bring you this exclusive cover.  Quantities extremely limited!

About EPIC

After a freak accident gives teenager Eric Ardor incredible abilities, he enthusiastically joins the ranks of the superpowered set as the masked crusader EPIC. He quickly learns he’s one of the most powerful heroes around: super strength, speed, flight, invulnerability. You name it, he’s got it. Unfortunately, he’s also just discovered his only weakness…beautiful girls! Eric’s powers are inexplicably linked to the attraction and arousal center of his brain. While other boys his age lose their cool around hot chicks, EPIC loses his powers! Living in Miami, home to the zaniest super-villians AND the most beautiful women in America, it’s gonna be a problem…

For a closer look at EPIC, check out the Digital Ashcan Preview to the right, in the featured comic section of this website.

Attending the con?  Want a FREE Sketch?

If you’re planning on attending the show, you’ll definitely want to check out the Free Sketch Card Promotion we have going on!

What Else?

In addition to copies of EPIC #0, our booth will feature a select number of prints, including AWESOME collaborative Baltimore Exclusive Prints.  All three creators will also be sketching and taking commission requests.

Tyler James will have print copies of his popular webcomics OVER and Tears of the Dragon available for purchase as well.

Oh, and by the way…

If you would like a $2 Off Coupon, redeemable for anything we’re selling at our booth (comics, prints, original art, our souls, etc.) contact me at tylerjamescomics@gmail.com or leave a comment below saying “Hey, I’ll see you guys at Baltimore!”

Tyler James Comics has partnered with brand spanking new mobile comics publisher Oxicomics to distribute a selection of books in a format tailor made for the iPhone, and sold through the App Store.

Tears of the Dragon #1 is now available for purchase, one of the inaugural handful of comics released during Oxicomics soft-launch kick-off.  (In fact, Oxicomics has been using Tears images in the promotional images of their new app…which is fine by me!)

TOTD #1 is on sale for just $0.99 at the app store, and can be found easily by searching either “Tears of the Dragon” or “Oxicomics” or simply by following THIS LINK.

Also available FOR FREE is Tyler James Comics Presents…Vol. 1.  Yup, that’s right.  FREE!  So, please, download and let me know what you think!

In the coming weeks and months, I’ll be adding new titles to the Oxicomics Catalogue, including Tears of the Dragon #2 and the complete OVER series, with all new, mobile-only covers.

One of my biggest goals of this year was to get my comics on the iPhone and iPad.  Partnering with Oxicomics, a new kid on the block whose comics reader rivals the best apps out there, made a lot of sense, and it will hopefully be a win-win for both of us.  Though I’ve been drooling over the iPhone for a long time, I refused to allow myself to purchase one until I was selling comics through it.

Well, looks like I’ll be hitting the Apple store, soon!

AVAILABLE NOW AT OXICOMICS

Convention Season In Full Swing

• 2010 has already been my most successful convention season to date.  With big days at the Boston Comic Con, ComiCONN and a Free Comic Book Day event at Larry’s Wonderful World of Comics, along with a few other smaller shows, I’m really pleased with how this year is shaping up con wise.
• That said, this month I’ve had a number of minor set-backs.  Unfortunately, I did not get artist alley table space at this year’s New York Comic Con, so it looks like I’ll be skipping that show.  And I just found out that the organizer of July’s New England Small Press Assembly is canceling the show due to personal reasons.  Major bummer, as I was really looking forward to doing a small-press centered show.
• Despite those setbacks, I’m focused on making this year’s Baltimore Comic Con my biggest and best show ever!  Once again, I’m doing FREE Sketches for attendees who contact me ahead of time.  (Click to get on my list.)  This year, I’ll be moving out of artist’s alley and into a booth on the main floor, tabling with Matt Zolman and Ty Tyner, aka the EPIC creative team.  We’ve got some killer product we’ll be selling at the booth, including the debut of EPIC.  More on what I have in store for B’more in a later post.
• I’m looking at adding a few more cons to my 2010 schedule, and will hopefully have news to that effect soon.  I’m really hoping to get an invite to Meredith Gran’s New England Webcomics Weekend.  I’m also considering the Wizard World New England Comic Con as a replacement show for NYCC, and even inquiring about doing a show in my home town of Albany, NY later this year.  So stay tuned for that!

OVER

• Hard to believe, but it’s been more than a year and a half that I’ve been working on OVER.  It’s been quite the process, and I’m planning on doing a thorough post-mortem analysis on lessons learned, successes, failures and challenges with putting out my first online graphic novel.
• In the meantime though, my head is down as I plow through to the finish line.  The fifth and final chapter begins next week, and three times a week updates continue there on out.
• As announced yesterday, PRE-ORDER has now opened for the OVER graphic novel.   $20 will get you the GN before anyone else, and that includes shipping and an Artist’s Edition upgrade to boot!

EPIC

• Three versions of EPIC #0 are currently at the printers, with an early August delivery date.  These books will be making their debut at the Baltimore Comic Con, and given the strong reaction to the digital ashcan, we’re very optimistic it will be one of the “hit” books at the show.
• Matt Zolman contributed an EPIC pin-up to the Master Digital Color/ Hi-Fi Color Annual contest hosted at the HueDoo forums.  (One of the better entries posted so far is shared here.)  To see all the entries, head on over to HueDoo.com.
• Eric White, HueDoo moderator and contributor to the Master Digital Color site did a comprehensive interview with the entire EPIC creative team.  If you didn’t get a chance to read it, definitely check it out.
• More EPIC action is being worked on as we speak.  Before we launch into the EPIC ongoing saga, we’re first doing a short 8 page EPIC crossover with the flagship character of another indy creator.  Announcement coming soon, but it’s going to be more fun than a comic book has any right to be.  Stay tuned for that!
• The EPIC Facebook page is the best place to keep tabs on the latest with our book.  If you haven’t gone over there and given us a “LIKE” yet, please do!  You won’t regret it!

Tears of the Dragon

• The TOTD Webcomic is currently a little more than halfway through Chapter 2.  Right now, we’re on a bit of a hiatus, as artist Koko Amboro gets caught on pages.
• I’m pleased to report, TOTD has been quite the hit at conventions so far.  I’ve been busy cranking out a ton of Artist’s Edition dragon sketch covers. There are plenty still available, so snag ‘em up before they’re gone.

Podcasts

I’ve had a number of performances on some great podcasts over the past couple months.  Give them a listen and let me know what you think.  My three most recent include:

• Zone 4 with Brant Fowler.  This is one of the more interesting discussions I’ve been a part of.  In this special Zone 4, I joined Victor Dandridge, Mason Easley and Chad Strohl in a discussion about paying creators, conventions, webcomics, indies and mainstream, and much more!
• Why I Love Comics Podcast with Eric Ratcliffe.  Eric relaunched his popular podcast with a new creator-interview focused format, and I was his first guest.  (Considering his more recent guests include Mike Carey, Joe Eisma, and Christos Gage, it’s definitely an honor to be included in that company.)  In this interview, we chatted about my work, and also covered my reaction to the news of changes at Zuda.
• The Lightbox Podcast with Matt Stout and Chris Flick.  This episode has received a lot of praise from creators, as we get into a discussion about “the dip” creators go through, and ways to get through the tough part of creating to eventually get to the rewards.

Columns

I’ve continued to pluck away with columns over at Comic Related. If you haven’t been keeping up, here are the latest:

32: Going All In
33: The Dip and Being the Best in the World
34: Patience Pep Talk
35: Tools You Should Be Using: Viddler
36: Zuda Says No More Competitions
37: Business Mailbag
38: 30 Characters Challenge Post-Script

Zombie Bomb

• I’m working on a short ~6 page story for the Zombie Bomb! comic anthology project. I’ve run into Zombie Bomber Adam Miller a number of times over the past several months, and have been extremely impressed with the book he’s editing.  So I figured what the hell, I’ll submit something.  For this, I’m teaming up with illustrator Greg Marathas, a guy I’ve met a few times at Boston conventions.  Greg’s got some chops and is looking to break into the industry.  I saw this as a good opportunity to work together on a small projects that could be a lot of fun.
• The story I’m working on is called Side Splitters. Check out some of Greg’s concept art for it here!

Other Stuff

• I have some commissions in the queue that I’m excited to get started working on.  I need to keep the pedal to the metal to get OVER complete on time, but will be working on some cool original art pieces around the edges.
• I’m very close to inking a deal to get my comics on the iPhone (and eventually iPad) with at least one distributor.  I’m cautiously optimistic about the game changing power for mobile digital distribution.  I think the current “app culture” may greatly benefit creators who are smart about the technology.  And as a bonus, I promised myself I could purchase an iPhone only after I had comics being sold on one…so iPhone 4, I’m coming for you!

That’s about it for now!  You’re caught up, and so am I!

Hey, guys! I’m excited to tell you that I’m now accepting pre-orders for the OVER graphic novel!

A week from today, the fifth and final chapter of OVER begins. (With no more breaks, I promise…3 days a week, straight on ’til the end!) However, NOW is the best time to place your order for the 180-page print collection of this story, which will contain 10 pages of content
never released on the web!

Why is now the time to buy?

Everyone who pre-orders OVER before August 31, 2010 will receive:

• A SIGNED copy of “OVER”
• FREE SHIPPING
• ARTIST’S EDITION Upgrade- That’s right, all pre-ordered copies will include a one-of-a-kind sketch on a blank page inside the book.
• An “I Support Indy Comics!” Button

The cost for pre-ordering is just $20, and yes, that includes shipping.

OVER is expected to go to print in early September, with Pre-Ordered books expected to ship in early October.

Why is Pre-Order So Important to Indy Creators?

Pre-order is a way for small-press and indy creators to judge demand for our products before putting in our print orders. It is also a way to raise capital to help cover the substantial cost of printing our books. Pre-ordering products from indy creators is one of the most powerful ways you, the reader, can support you favorite creators.

I’ve set a modest goal for my pre-order campaign, which I will be updating every few days to let you know how I’m progressing. (And as you can see, this campaign has just kicked off and I’m already 12% there!)

Will you help me reach that goal, and pre-order the OVER graphic novel today?

Want a FREE SKETCH CARD?

Had an awesome time a few weeks ago at the “First King-Sized Annual ComiCONN” in North Haven, MA.  Show organizers Erik and Mitch put together a solid, fan-focused show, and were incredibly creator friendly.  Once again, I did a solid number of free sketch cards for attendees, as well as some original art commissions.  With a guest from Star Wars in attendance, there was a strong presence from Star Wars fans.  So naturally, I got my Jedi on and knocked out a Vader, Chewie, Yoda, Leia, and a number of Darth Maul sketches during the event.

Sales were good and attendance was steady throughout the day.  I had a number of great conversations with comic fans, and even saw some familiar faces from previous conventions.  I also had a chance to chat with some pros, including Ron Marz (Witchblade, Angelus, Artifacts from Top Cow) and DC’s Jamal Igle (Supergirl, War of the Supermen) as well as up and coming artist Cesar Feliciano and the Luke Foster of the webcomic Moon Freight 3.  Great guys and all super talented.

If you weren’t there, well, here’s a glimpse at what you missed!

Want to catch me at the next convention?  Here’s where I’ll be next:

• THIS WEEKEND! Seacoast Collectible Show, June 6, 2010, Hampton, NH 9 am- 2 pm
  

• New England Small Press Assembly July 18, 2010  Warwick, RI

• Baltimore Comic-Con August 28-29, 2010 Baltimore, MD
  

Artist Matt Zolman and I are thrilled to present a sneak peek of EPIC, the new superteen comic we are co-creating which will be making its debut this summer at the Baltimore Comic Con this summer.  This is a project we started work on last December, and we’re excited to start sharing it with the world.

Check Out the Digital Ashcan Preview Below! (Read in full-screen mode for best viewing.)

I finally have a minute to share what an absolute BLAST I had at Larry’s Comics in Lowell, MA last week for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.

Larry was nice enough to provide me with a table to display my wares and do free sketchcards for his patrons.  I decided to limit my product offerings for this event, figuring I wouldn’t have the space I’d have at a large convention.  Turned out this strategy worked out just fine for me.  Everyone who wanted a sketch card of their favorite character got one, and I was able to expose plenty of new readers to Tears of the Dragon.  I had copies of the standard edition of the book (which sold out) as well as the Artist’s Edition, which also sold well. I even moved a few of my sketchbooks and some original sketches, in addition to the 40 or so free sketchcards I gave out.

Exhibiting next to me was local artist and Zombie Bomb architect Adam Miller.  Zombie Bomb was the HOT book at the Boston Comic Con earlier this spring, selling out completely on Saturday.  Zombie Bomb is an anthology series full of zombie stories by literally dozens of creators.  Adam knocked out a Larry’s Exclusive Zombie Bomb cover just in time for the NBA playoffs.  (See the Zombified Version of “The Big Three” above.)  Adam’s a nice guy, talented artist, and it was awesome to see him move a lot of books at Larry’s.

Also at Larry’s this year were the super talented dudes from Th3rd Wold Studios, the guys behind “The Stuff of Legend.“  In attendance, illustrator Charles Wilson III and publisher Mike DeVito. I can’t stop talking about this book…it’s THAT good.  (Read my review here.)  CP Wilson did a ton of amazing sketches and it was great to see them connect with the fans.  I have no doubt this book is going to be a classic.

One of the great things about Free Comic Book Day is that it gets a ton of people out and into comics stores who wouldn’t normally be there.  (Not these girls above, of course…Requesting sketches of She-Hulk, Green Lantern and The Joker, clearly they know their comics.)  But I talked to plenty of “first timers” who came through the doors and walked out with some great comics in hand.

A big thanks to Larry and the rest of his staff for throwing such a great event.  He really rolled out the red carpet for us creators.  He even took the time to give me some feedback on EPIC, which I’ll be starting to promote this month and is gearing up to make a huge splash later this summer.  Sales-wise, I did about as well as I’ve done at some large conventions last year, so it was certainly well worth my time.  And the opportunity to interact with local comics fans…well, you just can’t beat it.

Can’t wait until next year!

]]> http://www.tylerjamescomics.com/2010/05/free-comic-book-day-2010-larrys-comics/feed/ 0 http://www.tylerjamescomics.com/2010/04/comixstreet-recap-6/ http://www.tylerjamescomics.com/2010/04/comixstreet-recap-6/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:59:00 +0000 Tyler James http://www.tylerjamescomics.com/?p=770

Item 1 – Creator Spotlight: Dawn Griffin on the Release of Her 1st Webcomic Collection

In this week’s Creator Spotlight, I had a chance to talk with webcartoonist Dawn Griffin, creator of Zorphbert + Fred.

1.) Dawn, big congrats on the upcoming release of Zorphbert + Fred Volume 1: Prepare to be Analyzed, the first print collection of Z+F.  What can you tell us about the book?

Thank you Tyler! I am very excited about this book. There’s few things more exciting to a cartoonist than holding your first comic strip collection in your hands, and thinking “Damn, I drew a whole lot of comics, didn’t I?”  This book contains my first 200 comics, and in about a year the second book can be released! I really wanted to make this book worthwhile to spend your hard-earned spare cash on in this economy. So, there’s a slew of bonus material to thumb through, and every single strip comes with an “artist retrospective” comment or two. It’s amazing how your view on each strip changes over time.. some become funnier, others you kind of regret. Some conjure up a funny story, or really show where your technique changed. In an industry where the consumers are paying for a product they could essentially get for free online, we have to give them a little something extra to make it desireable, and I believe I did that.

I have to say the process went pretty smoothly. I shopped around for a while, narrowing down the printers… it came down to Createspace or Lulu. I had already dealt with Creatspace a little, as I illustrate a kids’ book series “Abby’s Adventures”, and that was printed through Creatspace, so I had an idea of the quality. What sold me was the price point per book for me, Lulu was much more expensive. Createspace was very user-friendly, and gave me no issues for the most part. The best advice I could give overall is to learn Adobe InDesign if you don’t already, as well as Acrobat. That was probably my biggest hurdle- making the PDF small enough, yet high quality enough, to upload. (Createspace allows up to 100mb). Also, saving your comics as you make them in a format that InDesign can easily handle makes your life easier when creating your book. Also.. not that I am a procrastinator in any way, but if you have a con coming up, do leave PLENTY of time to make your book, upload it, wait for the mailed proof, approve the proof, and order your books! This is quite a lengthy process, time-wise.

Funny you should ask. (April 16th-19th to be exact) I joined Byron Wilkins of 1977 fame, exhibiting at Chicago’s C2E2, which now even has a “webcomics pavilion” section! Many of the webcomic “big guns” were there, and it’s probably the biggest con I’ve been to.  After C2E2, I am looking into Philly’s Wizard World (right in my neighborhood!) in June, and the Baltimore Comic Con again in late August. I would love to attend the New England Webcomics Weekend again, it was a blast last year, but it just happens to be on my wedding date- Nov. 6th 2010! Some things take priority, even over comics!

That would be SELLING the books! More cons, more P.R. work, more marketing. I have spent 3 years now working hard at making a decent webcomic, I feel it is time to take to the next level, now that I have an extensive archive and solidified characters. Not that my site will take a break, I’ll still be updating twice a week, plus blog posts and extra goodies. I would love to go three times a week with the comic, but with the side project of the kids’ book series, it eats up that time for a third update. Speaking of, I am working on the third Abby’s Adventures book, “Earth Day and the Recycling Fashionista“, and it should be released in a couple months. The publisher, writer and I hope to get some sponsors for this book, as the environment is a hot subject right now, especially in schools… it could be our breakout title! And beyond that, just.. oh.. getting married this fall! My fiance, Rick, must be wondering who will be walking down the aisle– me or one of my characters!

Item 2- Mark Millar: Kicking ASS and Nemesis

Mark Millar has had a big couple of months, now, hasn’t he?  Kick Ass is currently the #1 movie in America, and last month’s hot new book was his Nemesis.  I’m a big fan of Millar’s work.  I think he’s the best “high concept” guy in comics right now.  He’s also probably the best marketer of his own product out there.  Which just goes to show indy guys, even when you “make it,” even when you’re considered one of the top writers in the comics game- NO ONE IS GOING TO CARE MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK THAN YOU.  No publisher, no marketing staff, no business people, no retailers…no one.  So it’s YOUR job (and will always be YOUR job) to market your books to the best of your ability.

Here are a few things Millar did that I liked:

- Once again, he did a viral campaign where he agreed to post the name of comic shops who put up self printed Nemesis posters in their shops and took a picture of it.  You scratch his back, he’ll scratch yours.  Always a good move.

- He auctioned off the names of his two lead characters to raise money for charity.  This A.) is a newsworthy story, which gives free publicity to the title, and B.) raises money for a good cause.  Bravo.

- The high concept of Nemesis is so simple that it’s easy to talk about and easy to spread, and Millar’s done a great job spreading it’s message in a few words.  “The world’s only super-villain vs. America’s smartest cop.”  “What if Batman and The Joker were the same person?”  “Crime is Awesome and So Am I!”  These are all short and compelling sentences that, paired with killer art, entice readers to check it out.

Question:  Can you think of three pithy log-lines for your comic that are this good?  If not, you have some work to do.

- Even his throwaway tweet about Nemesis being on a Time Square billboard got the book some extra coverage near launch day.  (Just a Photoshop job, guys.)

Here’s one promotional miss from Millar in my book, though.  Issue #1 of Nemesis contained the tagline, “Makes Kick Ass Look Like #$%!”  Don’t get it.  Not sure putting down your work that is currently flying off the shelves and about to be in theaters to sell a new book is a good method.  Furthermore, the biggest difference between Kick Ass and Nemesis is that Steve McNiven is doing the art as opposed to John Romita, Jr.  JR, JR. could easily take umbrage with this assessment (were he not counting his big bags of Kick Ass money right now.)  Add to this the fact that without inker Dexter Vines finishing McNiven’s usually immaculate linework, Nemesis looks a little less polished and unfinished compared to what we’re used to from Steve.

And the fact that issue #2 has been delayed, something that plagued Kick Ass and many of Millar’s other projects, is a mis-step as well.  But regardless, Millar is certainly having himself a nice spring.

Item 3- FREE COMIC BOOK DAY – May 1

FBCD 2010 is almost here.

Click here for a preview of the books available.

I’ll be doing my first Free Comic Book Day event, giving out free sketchcards at Larry’s Comics in Lowell, MA.  I’ll also have copies of Tears of the Dragon on hand, and more of my “Spidey @ Fenway” print that went over so well at the Boston Comic Con.

Item 4- Upgrade to ComicPress 2.9

Using ComicPress to run your webcomics?  Then if you haven’t upgraded to ComicsPress 2.9, I really suggest you do it.  There are a number of sleek new features and enhanced widget options that definitely make it worth your while.  I recently upgraded Tears of the Dragon and Over and am very happy with the new content management system upgrade.  Definitely put it on your to-do list.

Item 5- SketchCards

With con season in now in full swing, I’ve got to tell you…I can’t sing the praises of sketchcards enough.  (Considering I’ve set the goal of doing 100 free sketch cards this year, and will likely hit that number by the end of next month, I must be a fan.)

If you’re looking to get into the sketch card game, here are a few resources:

For some premade, professional sketchcards, check out Versicolor Productions.  They have some affordable, high quality options.

While I’ve used some of the purchased, pre-made sketch cards before, I found myself really wanting to brand my sketchcards with my website.  I was going to just make up a sketchcard template, when, through the magic of Twitter, artist Ralph Contreras posted this 8-in-one sketch card template sheet on his website.

I downloaded the template, edited the template in PS to include my branding, and then printed those cards out on some bristol board and SHAZAM! (Ralph uses that word all the time) I’ve got personalized sketcards for FAR cheaper than the standard going rate.

Don’t sleep on the sketchcards…they don’t take up a lot of time to create and don’t take up a lot of space on your table at cons, but they give you a great way to engage comics fans.

Previous Columns

ComixStreet Recap #1: Welcome to ComixStreet…Lee Nordling’s ComicsProPrep…DC’s Earth One…JAVILAND Podcast…Indy Comic Book Week

ComixStreet Recap #2: ShishKaboom…Comics Grammar…Character…Old Man Logan…Indy Comic Book Week is Here

ComixStreet Special Comment: Webcomics.com Becomes a Subscription Service

ComixStreet Recap #3: Dan Govar talks Azure 2.0…How to Say Everything E-Book…Sketch-A-Day with Cory Walker…Filling the Webcomics.com void…Pithy advice from a master marketer

ComixStreet Recap #4: The iPad and Comics…Panel One…Indy Comic Adverts…Public Domain Characters…Ads in Comics

I did this special Silver Surfer cover recreation for Dan D. and his girlfriend. They loved it.

The Boston Comic-Con, which for all intents and purposes is my local show, has steadily grown each year. But the 2010 show set a new bar. With a new location, bigger showroom, and an incredible guest list headlined by JIM LEE, It’s not surprising the show reached capacity at one point Saturday, and the fire marshals had to stop people from coming.

For me, the show kicked major butt. I had done a lot of prepping for the show, undertaking on a massive pre-order campaign which saw me do over 100 pieces of original art for the show. I stepped up my table set up once again (view video of my set up here.)  Saturday, I was sketching pretty much the entire show, and moved a lot of books.  And the Spider-man @ Fenway print sold like hotcakes.  In fact, by the end of Day 1, I had already had my most successful con, more than doubling sales from last year’s Boston Comic Con.  (For a glimpse at Day 1, check out this video.)

Day 2 of the show was a lot more of the same.  While the crowds weren’t quite as big, they were definitely steady.  Tears of the Dragon made its convention debut , and I was quite pleased with how that book sold.  Most of the rest of the sketches and sketch cards I did pre-show were picked up, and I had a chance to have some great discussions with some fans.

Special thanks to Eric Ratcliffe from Comic Related, who manned my booth from time to time Sunday, giving me a chance to stretch my legs a bit.

For a video look at Day 2, check out this video.

I will definitely be back again next year.  I hope the show keeps growing.

Here are a few more pics.  To see all of the pics I took, check out my Facebook photo album.  And while you’re there, make sure to check out the album of sketch cards I’ve done this year.

Look for this banner!

That’s right, this year’s Boston Comic Con, the biggest and best comics show in Boston in years is finally here.  The show is at the Westin Boston Waterfront on Saturday and Sunday April 10-11 from 10am to 5pm each day.

For me, this is the official kick-off to convention season.  I’ve been prepping for the show for months!  I’m launching a new book at the show and have done more than 75 pieces of original art, free sketch cards, and commissions.

If you’re looking for me at the show,  I’ll be in artist’s alley.  This is going to be a packed show, so to find me, keep an eye out for my convention banner.  My table will also be sporting a brand new red table cloth, which will hopefully help me stand out a bit from the crowd.

If you’ve put in a sketch request, just stop by and say hi.  It should be ready for you to pick up.  In addition to original art, I’ll also have the following products available for sale.  I hope you’ll check them out!

Boston Comic Con Exclusive! Spidey at Fenway Print

Especially designed for this show, this year’s limited edition 11 x 17 full color print features everyone’s favorite webslinger doing his thing in Beantown for a change.

Supplies will be limited, so one early!

Making its Convention Debut! Tears of the Dragon #1

Tears of the Dragon tells the story of a well-traveled Old Manand his two young grandchildren, who are taking a long journey to the homeland of the old man’s beloved and children’s grandmother, the Kingdom of Vapolany. To pass the time, the children request a story. Young Callum wants to hear one of the old man’s legendary war stories, while little Cayla would prefer a love story. They’ll both get their wish, as the old man spins a grand tale of swords and sorcery, dragons and demons, revenge, regret and redemption, and above all…love.

Tears of the Dragon is a fantasy comic written by Tyler James, drawn by Koko Amboro and colored by Paul Little.

Also Available! Tears of the Dragon #1- Artist’s Edition

The one-of-a-kind Artist’s edition to the first chapter of Tears of the Dragon!

• A signed, numbered edition, limited to 100 copies!
• Original , one-of-a-kind dragon sketch cover drawn by Tyler James!
• Full Color!
• Cardstock cover!

Readers favorite! Over #1 – Standard and Artist’s Edition

After being dumped by the woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with, indy comic book creator Felix Hughes makes a graphic novel recounting every painful detail of the failed relationship. Convinced he’s written a work of romantic brilliance, Felix is shocked when his publisher trashes it- literally. And when his ex discovers the graphic novel, things go from bad to worse.

Collects the first act of “Over” the romantic comedy online graphic novel by Tyler James.

Get a Sampler of my best work! Tyler James Comics Presents Vol. 1

Pick up a great sample of my comics, featuring collaborations with up-and-coming comic talent.  This full-color book features three stories written by me and drawn by outstanding artists from around the world.

Stories Included:

• ICE: Interrogation Control Element(Art by Damian Couceiro)
• Tears of the Dragon (Art by Koko Amboro)
• CounterTERROR (Art by Stefano Cardoselli)

And much more…

See you at the show!

Item #1- Improve Your Lettering

Good lettering won’t make your comic, but bad lettering could break it.  For a while now, I’ve encouraged aspiring comic writers to learn to letter themselves.  With the prevalence of decent lettering fonts and software, there’s no reason anyone can’t train his or her self to be a serviceable letterer.

But the operative word in the above statement is TRAIN.

Lettering is still an art to be learned, and one that requires practice.  Personally, my lettering has come a long way (and still has a ways to go.)  Even a very well written and drawn book can be seriously damaged by less than professional lettering.  Honestly, I don’t love reading early issues of my first book Super Seed anymore.  The lettering is the biggest turn off for me, and I’ll be relettering the entire series when it gets collected for the trade.

Part of the problem with the Super Seed lettering was that I was using Photoshop.  It wasn’t until I switched to Illustrator that I was able to take my lettering to the next level.  In addition to making that move, here are a few additional resources I recommend:

• Blambot fonts are the way to go.  They have a wide selections of high quality free fonts, along with affordable premium fonts.  They break them down into useful categories: dialogue, sound effect, design and symbol fonts.  Download, unzip, and copy to your fonts folder, and you’re ready to go.

• ComicCraft’s Balloon Tales website is a great spot for advanced lettering tips and tricks.  Overlapping balloons, special sound effects, and general dos and don’ts can be found there.

• A solid book on both lettering and coloring is the DC Comic Books Guide to Coloring and Lettering.  It’s a resource worth adding to your library.  (Now if only I could remember who it was I loaned my copy out to…hmm…)

EXERCISE: Finally, for those of you who are having trouble getting their word balloons to look right, I recommend this exercise:

- Scan in a favorite comic book page done by a professional letterer.

- Bring the scan into Illustrator, and dim the layer.

- Create separate text and balloon layers, and do your best to duplicate the lettering on that page.

Pay special attention to word arrangement and shape, balloon shape, and placement on the page.  While I recognize this might seem like a waste of time, the practice will come in very handy when it’s time to letter your own page from scratch.

Item #2- Sacrifice and Breaking In

Last week, I wrote an article for Comic Related titled, “Going All In.” In it, I asked other aspiring creators to weigh in on how much they’re willing to sacrifice to “make it” in comics.  The article led to some interesting discussion, and a wide range of opinions, and even spawned an entire episode of the Javiland Podcast.  (Check out Episode #35: Sacrifice for a great discussion.)

Cary Kelley, creator of Fallen Justice and the upcoming ongoing webcomic Dynagirl admitted he’s willing to sacrifice “pretty much everything. I’ve been through two wives, a couple of houses, cars, the works” in pursuit of his comics dreams.  On the other hand, Hotshot creator Victor Dandridge didn’t view creating comics as a sacrifice, and argued creators should work smarter, not harder. And as he often does, writer/editor Steven Forbes interjected some common sense truth:

“…There is a level of sacrifice needed for everything. No one comes out of the womb being able to create effectively. The honing of talent takes time, and the taking of that time is sacrifice in and of itself. Study, practice, research–all are investments in time, and any investment of time in those areas means you’re not doing something else that you could be doing: going out to dinner, going to the movies, reading a book for pleasure. It is all sacrifice.”

One of the pleasant outcomes of the discussion that followed my article came from Scott Dubin over at the Webcomics.com private forum, who pointed me to the essay “Breaking In Without Rules” by writer Kurt Busiek.  This is must read stuff for aspiring creators.

Particularly insightful:

“…The people who break in are the people who keep trying until they find a way. They’re the people who figure out their own rules, whether it means maxing out their credit cards to make a movie or Xeroxing their own comic book to sell locally and show around. None of them have any guarantee that it will work. And for some of them, it doesn’t. But the folks it doesn’t work for either quit, or they try something else. And the ones that keep trying either figure out their road in, or they quit. Or they die still trying…

…But don’t look at the great gulf of distance between where you are and where you want to be and complain that you can’t get there without help. Look for the closest opportunity you can find, finagle or create. And go for it. Then, whether it worked or not, look for the next one. And if it takes you 18 years between deciding you want to be a comics writer and actually making a dependable living at it, well, welcome to the club. That’s how long it took me, too.”

Plenty of wisdom packed into that article.  Worth reading, bookmarking, printing, and saving.

Item #3- Talent Registration for San Diego

A heads up for any creators thinking of attending San Diego Comic Con this year (July 22-25), professional talent registration has already begun.  In fact, it may soon be difficult to attend the show on anything other than an pro badge, as Friday and Saturday badges are already sold out for the general public.

Online registration for Pro badges started March 9, 2010, and is free until May 8, 2010.  You can find all the details to submit your pro registration requests here.

Item #4- Check Out NOLA from BOOM!

Next time you stop by your LCS or a Boom! Studios table at an upcoming con, keep your eye out for the four issue limited series NOLA, written by Chris Gorak and Pierluigi Cothran, and drawn by Damian Couceiro.  Damian is the extremely talented artist I worked with on ICE: Interrogation Control Element.  I said last summer I thought he was a few years away from getting regular work from the big two, so it’s nice to see he’s well on his way to making my predictions come true.  I’d argue no studio took a bigger leap forward last year than Boom! Studios, and Damian hinted that he’ll be doing more work for them in the future.  (Of course, I’ve got him in mind for a couple of projects, so I hope he’s doesn’t get TOO busy.)

A bit about Nola from the publisher:

After cheating death, Nola Thomas wakes up alone in a deserted New Orleans hospital. Bruised, broken, and badly burned, she emerges from the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina with one thing on her mind…revenge. From Chris Gorak, the writer/director of the critically-acclaimed film, Right at Your Door!

Having lived in The Big Easy for a few years, I’m definitely checking this one out.

Item #5- Project Rooftop

Power Girl Redesign by Ross Campbell, posted on Project Rooftop

I’m not sure how much overlap there is between the millions of comic book fans and the millions of “Project Runway” fans of the world, but I’d have to assume there is some.  If I’m right, those people seriously need to check out Project Rooftop, a site devoted to Super Hero Fashion.

From the Project Rooftop blog:

Project: Rooftop is where cartoonists and illustrators bring their costume design skills to task in tribute to the superheroes and villains we’ve grown up with. This site is intended to promote the idea of superhero costume redesigning as a skill, specific to superhero media. We also aim to foster continued interest for these amazing characters and spotlight up-and-coming creators.

Project Rooftop was “created by comics creators Dean Trippe and comics journalist Chris Arrant…as a way to showcase this artform in tribute to classic superheroes, and as a catalyst to improve costume design in the industry.”

Occasionally, they run costume redesign contests, complete with prizes and great guest judges.  Check out the recent Wolverine redesign contest.  Some spectacular art there.

This is one comics blog that is definitely “In.”  And I’m sure Heidi would agree.

***

The ComixStreet Recap posts every other Thursday at TylerJamesComics.com.  Pass it along if you know someone who might enjoy it.  And If you’ve got a story or a link you think might interest me and the readers of ComixStreet, feel free to email me at tylerjamescomics@gmail.com, send me a Tweet @tylerjamescomic, or leave a comment below.

Previous Columns

ComixStreet Recap #1: Welcome to ComixStreet…Lee Nordling’s ComicsProPrep…DC’s Earth One…JAVILAND Podcast…Indy Comic Book Week

ComixStreet Recap #2: ShishKaboom…Comics Grammar…Character…Old Man Logan…Indy Comic Book Week is Here

ComixStreet Special Comment: Webcomics.com Becomes a Subscription Service

ComixStreet Recap #3: Dan Govar talks Azure 2.0…How to Say Everything E-Book…Sketch-A-Day with Cory Walker…Filling the Webcomics.com void…Pithy advice from a master marketer

ComixStreet Recap #4: The iPad and Comics…Panel One…Indy Comic Adverts…Public Domain Characters…Ads in Comics

Mark your calendars, boys and girls…Tears of the Dragon returns March 22!

Chapter 2: Torvuld’s Plight will continue the fantasy epic that began last July.  They say heavy is the head of he who wears the crown, and it’s never been truer.  The early days of Torvuld’s reign should have been joyous…a beautiful wife, a strong daughter, a kingdom in peace.  Yet sinister forces are at play, hellbent on his destruction.

Tears of the Dragon is an epic fantasy webcomic written by Tyler James, with art by Koko Amboro.

Read Tears of the Dragon Chapter 1: To Become King in it’s entirety online here, purchase the standard edition of Chapter 1 from Indy Planet, or get a limited Artist’s Edition version here.

Now available for purchase is the Artist’s Edition of Tears of the Dragon – Book One: To Become King.  These are exclusive collectors items,  each featuring an original, one-of-a-kind “Dragon” sketch cover drawn by me.  I’m only making 100 of these books…ever!  I expect them to move pretty quickly during con season, which starts for me in April with the Boston Comic Con.  This book with be debuting in Boston, and I expect the TOTD- Artist’s Editions to sell very well.  I’m making them available for purchase online for those of you who won’t be able to get to the show.

These books feature the full color first chapter of the Tears of the Dragon saga, written by me and drawn by the incredible Koko Amboro.  Artist’s Editions feature a cardstock cover with a penciled, inked and marker toned original dragon sketch, that I’m having a blast drawing.  The back cover features the brilliant image featured on the standard edition cover.

These books are priced to move at just $15 + shipping.  It’s been added to my online store and you can order directly by clicking the link below.

Also available is the standard edition of Tears of the Dragon Book 1: To Become King.  Order a copy from my friends at Indy Planet!

Item 1- The iPad Cometh

So…The iPad.

On the off chance you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard, Apple has finally unveiled its long rumored new tablet/e-book reader/ portable digital media device.  It’s been both lauded as the next must have device and a Kindle killer, and dismissed as a let down…nothing more than an oversized iPod touch.

Regardless of your take, members of the comics creating (and consuming) community are paying major attention to the device.  Is the iPad the future delivery platform of comics?

Why I’m going to get one (eventually)

- I’ve been in the market for a new laptap.  However, when I think about it, I really only want a laptop for portable play- music, internet, that sort of thing. I’d still do the real work (writing, coloring and lettering comics, etc.) tethered to my desktop.   This device looks like it could satisfy my laptop needs and save me from buying one.

- I want an e-book reader- for comics, for PDFs, etc.  I had no interest in the Kindle with its black and white screen, but this…I could get very into.

Why I’m waiting for iPad Rev 2 (at least)

- The price tag- While Apple made a point to price the iPad aggressively, given their history of dropping price points relatively quickly, I’m willing to see if I can get more bang for my buck later.

- No front facing camera- This seemed like a no-brainer.  Given the explosion of live streaming sites like…er, LiveStream and UStream, an integrated front facing camera would allow easy real-time broadcasting and simple video conferencing.  I’m sure this will be coming to the device…and I’m gonna wait for it.

- No multitasking?  This was a major bummer.  Can you really not listen to music and read a book at the same time?  That just seems like a bizarre design decision, given the way people operate these days.  I’ve got to think they’ll fix that immediately.

What I’m worried about

Many comic creators are excited about the iPad as a distribution vehicle for comics, and over the next several months, both indy and mainstream publishers will be rolling out plans to get their stuff on the iPad.  But this Twitter exchange between creator Stephen Lindsay and ComiXology gave me pause:

@comiXology – how come the link to Jesus Hates Zombies on this page no longer works?!? http://tinyurl.com/ygd4dqx

@StephenRL Apple deemed it inappropriate according to their SDK guidelines, unfortunately. We signed on to those guidelines, so… =(

Note, ComiXology was publishing JHZ on it’s iPhone app, but recently removed it, which is what Stephen was asking them about.  What scares me here is that Apple already is censoring comics material that is being released for the iPhone and will likely extend that to the iPad.  And if the iPad becomes the new newstand for comics, I’m worried many great comics will be banned.  Apple reserves the right to reject any comic it determines to be “obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory.”  Jesus Hates Zombies, in their opinion, falls in under that broad umbrella.  Apple could quickly become the defacto arbiter of what makes it on the virtual shelves of its device, and could potentially be more powerful than the comics code authority ever was.  I’ll be keeping my eye on this as it plays out.

BTW, worth a listen is this great podcast featuring some major players in digital comics from Iverse, IDW, and ComiXology.

Item 2- Comic Book Scripts

There is no one way or standard format to write a comic script.  However, some approaches are clearly better than others.  Still, I always encourage writers to not get hung up on issues of formatting at the expense of working on their story.  Find a basic format or approach to scripting that works for you, and roll with it.

The best book I’ve come across as a resource for comic book scripts is Panel One: Comic Book Scripts by Top Writers.  It’s a great book with excerpts from actual comic scripts along with interviews from the authors, including the likes of Kurt Busiek, Neil Gaiman, Greg Rucka, Kevin Smith, Marv Wolfman and more.

Another great online resource is the Comic Book Script Archive, a blog that’s been posting actual scripts from top talent.  There’s some quality content over there, including scripts from Ron Marz, Brian Bendis, B. Clay Moore, and (er) more.  Check it out.

And while you’re looking at scripts, to get a sense of how I do it, check out my script to ICE: Interrogation Control Element, a comic that was featured last summer at Zuda comics.

Item 3- Indy Comic Adverts

Indy Comic Adverts is an idea that seemed to spring on the heels of Independent Comic Book Day.  In their words:

“Indy Comic Adverts is an organization for independent comic book creators. We give free samples of our comics to comic book stores to give out to their customers once a month every month. This gets indie comic book creators into stores and out to the public. By giving stores 1 copy of our comics each month, they can see which comics are doing the best. At that point they can request to purchase your comic directly from you cutting out the distributor!

Joining ICA is easy. There is very small monthly fee of $2 USD. The fee is mainly to help with shipping cost. After that you just send us at least 1 to 5 comics each month to be shipped to the comic shops and fill out a sign up form and you’re done!”

My take:  First, I do love the spirit of ICBW, and I admire any creators in the comics space willing to try new things and think outside the box.  However, I don’t quite see the value premise here.  Paying a middleman a monthly fee to ship your books to a comic shop willing to give your comic away for free doesn’t seem like a great use of your marketing budget.  I really don’t understand the line about stores being able to see which comics are doing the best, because they’re giving them away.  Am I missing something?

Item 4- Public Domain Hero’s

Kid Tyrant by Greg Giordano

Greg Giordano’s been doing a cool project on his blog.  Check out his Public Domain Character of the the Day sketches.

Greg’s been drawing guys like Kid Tyrant, Black Satan, Miss Masque, Atoman, and a host of other characters you and I have probably never heard of.

Who knew all of these characters were free to use and abuse?

Item 5- Great Marketing/Annoying Comic Reading Experience

Great piece recently on Comic Vine.

A rule of good marketing is that it’s something that is “remarkable” or worth talking about.  Clearly, Mass Effect’s campaign in recent DC books did just that.  But boy does it hurt the comics reading experience.

You know, sometimes I belabor price points and such, not wanting to charge more than the cheapest books put out by the Big Two for my comics.  But hey, my books at least offer an uninterrupted reading experience.  And you just can’t get that from Marvel and DC these days.

***

The ComixStreet Recap posts every other Thursday at TylerJamesComics.com.  Pass it along if you know someone who might enjoy it.  And If you’ve got a story or a link you think might interest me and the readers of ComixStreet, feel free to email me at tylerjamescomics@gmail.com, send me a Tweet @tylerjamescomic, or leave a comment below.

Previous Columns

ComixStreet Recap #1: Welcome to ComixStreet…Lee Nordling’s ComicsProPrep…DC’s Earth One…JAVILAND Podcast…Indy Comic Book Week

ComixStreet Recap #2: ShishKaboom…Comics Grammar…Character…Old Man Logan…Indy Comic Book Week is Here

ComixStreet Special Comment: Webcomics.com Becomes a Subscription Service

ComixStreet Recap #3: .Dan Govar talks Azure 2.0…How to Say Everything E-Book…Sketch-A-Day with Cory Walker…Filling the Webcomics.com void…Pithy advice from a master marketer

Stepping Up the Social Networking

Most of those of you reading this have probably already noticed, but I’ve been putting a lot of time into social media/Web 2.0/whatever it’ll be called tomorrow.  I’m definitely a believer of the power of this stuff, but want to keep it in perspective.  Content is King…I could spend all day long interacting with people online and building awareness for the stuff I’m doing, but at the end of the day, if I’m not putting out great product, it’s a waste of time.  So my primary focus is and always will be making great comics.

That said, I’m really jazzed about the tools out there to expand my audience, and the real friendships I’m making online.  Here’s what I’ve been focusing on lately:

• Facebook Fan Page- Having fun with this.  Been posting some exclusive EPIC stuff here, and connecting with some of the hundreds of millions on FB.  Fan me up if you’re a Facebook fan.

• Twitter- Twitter has quickly become my primary social networking platform.  I recently upgraded my page to have a bit more character.  Check it out and give me a follow.

• Podcasts- I’ve done a few Podcasts this year already and have a few scheduled.  In fact, I’ve been on 3 of the last 4 episodes of the JAVILAND Podcast, most recently talking about Teaching Comics and Making Webcomics.  Had some great feedback on these episodes, so if those topics strike your fancy, give it a listen right here:

EPIC is Coming!

Momentum is really building for EPIC- “Super Teen Hijinx” brought to you by myself and Matt Zolman. Matt recently completed this killer pin-up, which we’ll be using to promote the book, and as a test page to find a colorist to join our team.  I recently posted an ad at Digital Webbing, a site that I’ve had a lot of success finding artists on in the past.  We’re reviewing a number of promising colorists for the gig, and are confident we’ll find the right guy or gal for the job.

Matt is cranking on layouts, and barring any major hiccups, EPIC should be out this summer.  We have a number of cool things things in the works promotion wise, and I’m really thrilled with how this project is taking shape.

Over

Believe it or not, I’ve cranked out more than 100 pages of Over already! While I’ve still a long way to go (estimating the final page count to be somewhere around 165 pages) I’m definitely on the downhill climb.  The readership continues to steadily grow, and the feedback has been largely positive.  I’ve asked a lot of the readers, as Felix’s journey has been quite dour at times.  The good news is, I promise to stay true to the story, tie up all the plotlines, and deliver a satisfying (and happy) ending.  (Okay, that’s a big promise.)  But I’m looking forward to delivering.

In a few months, I’ll be starting to take pre-orders for the Over graphic novel.  The goal will be to secure enough pre-orders to pay for the printing costs upfront, without going too deep into the red.  I’ll be offering some great pre-order incentives, so hopefully I’ll be able to generate enough scratch to do a nice big print run.

Right now, I think I’m a bit behind schedule to have Over printed and on the table in time for New York Comic Con, my original goal.  But I haven’t abandoned that target yet.  Over completed in 2010 or bust!

Tears of the Dragon

Chapter 2 of Tears of the Dragon is well underway on the production side.  Earlier this month, I sent a big check to my main man Koko Amboro who is killing it on the art side, and I already have my hands on some gorgeous new pages.  I’m getting color notes to Miguel Marques for more colors by the end of the month, and while I haven’t announced the return date, sometime mid-March seems likely.

Also of note, Tears of the Dragon: Book 1- To Become King is now available for purchase!  There are two versions of the book.  The Standard Version is being sold through my friends at Indy-Planet.

Also soon available for purchase is an Artist’s Edition of Book 1, featuring a one-of-a-kind Dragon sketch cover by me.  These are going to be limited to 100 and is sure to be a collector’s item.   I’ll solicit the Artist’s Edition version when I have them in hand.

Conventions

This year, I’ll set a new record for the number of conventions I’ll be attending.  I’ve been listing my con schedule at the bottom of this site.  However, con season starts earlier than expected for me, as NEXT WEEKEND I’ll be tabling at at Larry’s Woburn, MA Comic Book Show on February 20, 2010.

Through the magic of social media (see above) I struck up a chat with Larry from Larry’s Comics on Twitter (@LarrysComics), and he invited me to attend his show and is hooking me up with a table.  And guess what?  That’s my birthday! So, I’m much looking forward to kicking off con season on my 31st.  If you’re in the area, you’ve got to stop by!

As for the rest of my schedule, I’ve already sent in my table fees for Boston Comic Con and NESPA and I’m a guest at ComiCONN.  So, I’m definitely getting pumped.  Here’s my schedule:

April 10-11, 2010
Boston Comic Con
May 15, 2010
ComiCONN, New Haven, CT
July 18, 2010
New England Small Press Assembly
August 28-29, 2010
Baltimore Comic-Con
October 08-10, 2010
New York Comic-Con >
November 6-7, 2010
Webcomics Weekend – Easthampton, MA

And a reminder, I’m challenging myself to do 100 FREE SKETCH CARDS this year.  If you’re attending any of the above shows, email me tylerjamescomics@gmail.com and get on the list.

Colosseum X

Colosseum X has taken a back seat as I’ve been pushing EPIC forward.  However, artist Enrique “Z” Savory, Jr. and I are  pushing toward getting the concept art phase finished in time to preview some stuff at the Boston Comic Con.  I’d love to have a pin-up/print ready to go at that show to start getting people fired up.  EPIC will be my lighthearted super hero book, and C-X will give me a chance to do the dark side.  While the books will be aimed at slightly different audiences, I think they’ll compliment one another nicely.

I don’t have much in terms of concept art to show yet, but here is a sketch from Z that’ll help explain why I’m so excited about this project and looking forward to working with him to bring it to life.

Columns and Classes

I’m continuing my run of Creating Comics! The Art + Craft over at Comic Related.  The column still comes out on Mondays, but is now on a bi-weekly schedule.  I’ve done three columns so far in 2010.  Here are links if you missed them:

29: Setting the Table for a New Year of Creating Comics
30: Ready to Script

31: An Artist Ready Script

I’ve also put out several columns for my new series The ComixStreet Recap.  This is a forum for great resources and items of note that I think will interest the comic creating community.  Give it a read if you haven’t yet.

And, I’m two weeks into an eight week session of the Creating Comics Club, a once a week after-school program for 4-5th graders in a  Newburyport elementary school.  I’m having a blast teaching it, and the kids seem to be enjoying themselves, too.  I’ll be sharing some student work soon.

On the Back Burner

Because there is only so much time in the day, Super Seed, ICE: Interrogation Control Element, CounterTerror, and a yet to be titled sci-fi/horror series are on ice for the moment.  I’m optimistic about the future promise of each of those brands, but the above projects are currently prioritized.  When Over frees up, I’ll definitely be moving a few of these forward.

Whew!  I’m exhausted.  Now, back to work!

The fourth chapter of Over, my online graphic novel that started running last June has begun.  It’s been a good 90 pages or so that readers have been following the struggles of Felix, a comic book writer desperate to get over a girl who broke his heart.  Chapter four promises to shake up the status quo, as Felix finally sees the effect his behavior since being dumped is having on the people around him.  Can he turn it around?  Well, you’re just going to have to read to find out.

If you’re new to Over start reading here.

Also of note is the “Jinx’s Sign Contest” I ran last week.  Jinx is the rascally legless bum who always carries a sign around with him to aid in his panhandling.  Over readers contributed a bunch of great Jinx sign ideas.  Funny stuff.  You can check out a slideshow of reader entries right here:

Last time in Creating Comics! I responded to a reader looking for tips on how to get started with the actual scripting part of making comics. I gave a number of tips and suggestions, but the biggest part of the scripting process is just putting your butt into a chair and getting words on a page. (Afraid I can’t help you there…that part is all you.)

This week, I’m going to assume you put in the work, and knocked out a script. I’m also going to assume you then put in the REAL work of re-writing that script, ‘;cause let’s face it, that first draft was a turd. (Go back and read my columns on Re-Writing if you’re sitting with a first draft you’re sure is gold.) You have a draft in your hand and you think you’re ready to hand it to an artist (or draw it yourself) and make the magic happen. But before you, do, I want to give you a few things to think about.

Until 2008, I never really worried all that much about my scripts. I had always done all of my own drawing and lettering, so I never had much need to share my comic scripts with other people. But after making the decision to start working with a few outstanding artists to bring some great new comics to life, this had to change. Now I wasn’t only writing for myself, I was writing for an artist. Because of this, it was important to take my scripts to another level of quality and polish. What follows are some suggestions of things you should do prior to sending your scripts off to an artist.

Proofread. Should go without saying, right? Unfortunately, it needs to be said. You’re the writer. Proofreading is YOUR job. It’s not your artist’s job and it’s not your letterer’s job. It’s not even your editor’s job, if you have one. I’m shocked at how many people post scripts online on sites like Pencil Jack or Digital Webbing looking for feedback that contain loads of God awful errors in spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and syntax. We’re talking scripts that aren’t even fit for a remedial high school English class. I’m not even addressing the content here; I’m simply talking about easily corrected errors. I can’t count how many times I’ve looked at scripts online and haven’t made it past the first line of the script without coming across a typo. And punctuation? From the looks of many of the scripts online, you’d assume there’s a gene common to aspiring comic writers that makes them allergic to commas and periods. I even read one script that was posted online looking for feedback, where the writer said at the top, “Hey, I’m looking for feedback on this script. Don’t worry about the spelling or English mistakes. I’ve got people who will take care of that for me later.” Trust me, I didn’t worry about it. Because after coming across 15+ easily correctable errors on page 1, I stopped reading.

It’s your job to do the best you possibly can at proofreading your script BEFORE you put it in the hands of your artists. Look at it from the artist’s perspective for a moment. If you’re an aspiring writer, you’re likely partnering up with an aspiring comic artist. (I’d suggest partnering up with someone a little more seasoned than yourself…they’ll make you look good.) Realize that when it’s all said and done, they’re probably going to put more time into the comic than you are, simply because it takes longer to draw than it does to write. Also remember, most of the time you’re going to care about the script a lot more than your artist partner will. It’s your baby. It’s going to take the artist a while to get invested. So, if the artist gets a script that has typos and easily corrected errors, what’s he going to think? Well, either:

A.) You’re not a great writer. (This is not good. If I’m an artist trying to make a name for myself, I want to partner with the next undiscovered superstar. I’m looking for the next Matt Fraction or Jason Aaron. I’m NOT looking for some guy who doesn’t know the difference between “there” and “their.”)

B.) You just don’t care that much about this script. (Also not good. If the writer doesn’t care enough to run his script through spell-check, why should the artist care? Your script sets the tone for the project. A lazy script can lead to lazy art, where the artist, instead of doing his or her absolute best work, will cut corners here and there, leave out little details, fake perspective, etc.)

You want the alternative. You want to send the artist a pristine, engaging, dynamic script that inspires him to do his or her best possible work. Be professional. Proofread.

Be clear. When you turn your script over to an artist, you are entrusting your vision of the story to another. The only way to ensure that your story is told the way you want to tell it is to be as clear as possible. When you’re writing descriptions, you need to describe as best as you can, the precise picture of the panel you have in your head. Who is in the panel? What’s the setting? What’s the action? Where is the camera positioned? What is the focal point? The more of these details you include, the more likely it is that your artist will deliver.

Remember, with rich and detailed descriptions, a strong artist can deliver the picture you have in your head. The more details you leave out, the more you’ll get the picture in the artist’s head.

Provide reference. Drawing comics is time consuming work. Think about it. Brian Michael Bendis can write five different comic books a month. How many can Bryan Hitch draw? Ten a year, maybe? Because penciling and inking is so time consuming, as a writer, you want to make things as easy as possible for the talent you’re working with. You want them spending most of their time drawing. But, if you write in your script something like, “The sky is filled with a squadron of World War II-era planes,” and leave it at that, what’s the artist going to do? Most likely, he’s going to spend time Googling old warplanes. Think about it? Do you want your artist Googling, or do you want him drawing?

Since you’ve done research anyway, (and if you haven’t, here is why you should) providing links in your script or creating a shared online photo album on Photobucket or Flickr with potentially helpful reference images should be easy. Cut your artist some slack and do some of this work for him. You may find that a lot of the same reference material that inspires your writing on a particular project will help inspire the artist as well.

On ICE: Interrogation Control Element, for example, I wrote this in the script I sent to the artist, Damian Couceiro:

Panel 1- Full black panel, save a stream of water pouring down the center of the panel.

CAP (TRIP)- There are sixteen authorized interrogation methods consistent with the Geneva Conventions.

Panel 2- Close in on the face of Iraqi prisoner Number 240, HESHAM FARUK. He is strapped down on a table, with a blindfold over his eyes. There is a strap around his forehead, which is attached to the board he’s lying on. The stream of water is filling up in his mouth and he is clearly in panic and pain. He’s being water boarded.

CAP (TRIP)- This is not one of them.

REFERENCE NOTE: This opening approach was first inspired by this short clip. Watch for great reference.http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/22/advertising.humanrights

I was clear about what I wanted and provided reference. And as you can see here, Damian delivered.

Sketch a layout. Sometimes when writing comics, you’re going to ask a lot of an artist. Maybe there’s a particularly tricky action sequence that just has to be done right. Maybe there’s a page with a heavy amount of dialogue, and every word truly matters. Rather than fire that page off to your artist and hope for the best, it’s a good idea to try to layout the page yourself first.

Sure, easy for me to say. I’ve drawn hundreds of pages of comics in my lifetime. Of course, it’s no problem for me to layout a page, but what if you are “just a writer.” Relax. When I’m suggesting you layout a page, I’m not asking for a beautifully rendered piece of art. Anyone can draw rectangular panels and stick figures. Below is a page from one of Jeph Loeb’s scripts for Batman: The Long Halloween. You’ll see Jeph did a quick and dirty layout for his artist, Tim Sale. Don’t tell me you can’t do at least as good a job as Jeph here. (For more on Jeph’s writing process, check out Writers on Comics Scriptwriting by Mark Salisbury.)

By taking a stab at laying out a page, you will better be able to answer questions like: Will it all fit on the page? Will these panels have impact? What’s the most important panel on the page? Where are my word balloons going to go? You want to have confidence that the script you send your artist will work as written. Doing some quick layouts is one way to get that confidence.

Do these things, and you’re script is ready. Once you’ve proofread your work and are sure it would pass muster in Mrs. McCaughey’s English class, once you’ve been as clear as you need to be, once you’ve provided reference where helpful, and once you are confident the pages will work as written by sketching or laying out pages quickly yourself, you’re ready to turn your work over to an artist.

Congrats!

And now things get fun. You get to take off your writer’s hat, and put on your producer’s hat, to shepherd the project from written page to finished comic. This brings up its own set of challenges of course. But trust me, once those pages start showing up in your email box, all the work you’ve put into writing suddenly becomes so worth it.

NEXT: The Dip

Tyler James is a comics creator residing in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He writes and draws Over, a romantic comedy online graphic novel updating every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He also writes Tears of the Dragon, an epic fantasy webcomic. His work has been featured at Zuda Comics, and includes Interrogation Control Element, a political action thriller, and Super Seed, the story of the world’s first super powered fertility clinic. When not making comics, Tyler works as a game designer and content producer for a software company.

Contact Tyler directly at tylerjamescomics@gmail.com, keep up with him at his blog, or follow him on Twitter.

Attention Readers: If you enjoy this column, you might be interested in checking out The ComixStreet Recap. It’s a new series I’ve begun where I share and comment on interesting topics, resources, and events relevant to comic creators. The column is bi-weekly, and posts on Thursdays.

Previous Columns

1: Big Goals
2: Resolutions
3: The Great Idea
4: Research Part I
5: Research Part II
6: The Killer Pitch Part I – The High Concept
7: The Killer Pitch Part II – The Synopsis
8: Pay Your Artists
9: Zuda Comics- A Tale of Five Submissions
10: Creating Great Characters Part I (Or Why Wolverine is Everywhere)
11: Creating Great Characters Part II (Or Why Wolverine is Everywhere)
12: Structurally Sound- The Beginning
13: Your Reputation
14: Structurally Sound- The Middle
15: Structurally Sound – The End
16: Your First Con
17: Beat It
18: Memorable Scenes
19: Mailbag
20: Comics Dialogue – Part I
21: Comics Dialogue – Part II
22: Baltimore Comic Con – Part I
23: Baltimore Comic Con – Part II
24: Is It Worth It?
25: The Re-Write Part I
26: The Re-Write Part II
27: The Re-Write Part III
28: Taking Initiative
29: Setting the Table for a New Year of Creating Comics
30: Ready to Script

My goal for the show was to get Jav himself fired up about getting into the webcomic game, something he admittedly has been hesitating to do.  The rest of the panel and I seemed to do just that, as Jav plans to launch a new webcomic in the near future.  If you missed the show, you can listen to it below, or search JAVILAND on iTunes.

And I might as well mention that I’ll be on the show once again this coming Monday night (Feb 8, 2010) at 11pm EDT, where Jav and I will be talking about teaching comics.  If it’s not too late for you, tune in!

TOTD is written by Tyler James (me!) and Illustrated by Koko Amboro.

Book One: To Become King is the first of seven chapters in the grand Tears of the Dragon epic. The story begins with the tale of Torvuld, a young nobleman with his eyes on the crown. Evoking an old rite of passage, Torvuld sets out to slay a dragon to prove his valor, earning the wrath of the mighty dragon Sythic.

Tears of the Dragon #1 TM and © Tyler James. All rights reserved.

Head on over to Indy Planet and pick up a copy!

You’ll also see I’ve added a widget to the front page of this blog, which will give you the latest feed from the page.