Archive for Comics

Call It What It Is…

Deep One / 2011/09/21 / One comment

UPDATE:When I wrote this originally, I forgot to mention a few things. I enjoy Catwoman as a character. She’s strong, willful and doesn’t take shit from anyone. She and Batman’s love story is one of the few in comics that doesn’t feel contrived. I object to how Winick tells it in this incarnation. /UPDATE

I’ve been with you so far, DC. The relaunch has done some good things, some things I don’t like, and some things I just don’t get. Today, well, it pissed me off.

This is a dirty, dirty book, and you’re going to enjoy it.

Judd Winick said that at San Diego a while back, when the relaunch was new and shiny. This caused a minor internet uproar when people rightfully pointed out that no title with a dude as the star was being billed as dirty or sexy.

So, here’s a brief synopsis followed by some analysis.

TRIGGER WARNING: EXPLOITATION, RAPE

SPOILERS FOLLOW

Catwoman’s house blows up, but she escapes while only wearing half her costume. Guillem March likes to draw bras. Seriously. They are everywhere. Mostly on Catwoman and the “sorority of prostitutes” (yes, I’m quoting the comic book) that are a big feature of the first issue. Catwoman’s bra appears on seven pages of the book, and gratuitous ass/crotch shots fill another four pages. When I say gratuitous, I’m not counting ones that are actually relevant to the story. So, half of the book is basically soft-core porn. Not that I’m against soft core porn, but it’s getting in the way here.

Anyway, back to the story. Selina needs money for a new house, so she meets her fence (a pleasantly plump woman, I must say. She had meat on her bones.) to discuss a job. Enter the Russian mob. She spies on them (witnessing the aforementioned sorority of prostitutes) and discovers that there is a painting she can steal and get money. Also, some mysterious figure from her past shows up. We get a flashback of Selina witnessing someone’s murder.

She tracks this guy to the bathroom, vamps it up to get close to him, then beats the shit out of the guy, almost as if she can’t control herself. Then escapes back to an abandoned penthouse. Where she rapes Batman.

You read that right.

Here is a transcript (emphasis mine). All dialogue is Catwoman:

Page 18
Panel 1: I don’t think he knows who I am. Although he is the master detective. So, maybe.

Panel 2: But I sure as hell don’t know who Batman is.

Panel 3: And I don’t need to know.

Page 19
Panel 1: This isn’t the first time.

Usually it’s because I want him. Tonight I think it’s because I need him.

Panel 2: Every time…he protests.

Then…gives in.

Panel 3:And he seems…angry.

Panel 4: But that doesn’t slow either of us down.

Still…it doesn’t take long…

Page 20
Panel 1: …and most of the costumes stay on.

Yes, Selina, he looks angry. He told you he didn’t want to have sex with you. But you did it anyway. That’s called rape.

The fun of this book is getting back to what Selina Kyle’s always been about.

This suggests to me that Mr. Winick thinks that Selina Kyle has always been a sexual predator. AND THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW FUN.

Some of you are now busy saying “Dude, guys can’t get raped by chicks.” You are wrong. It can and does happen. It’s happened to at least one person that I know. Some statistics, courtesy of National Center for Victims of Crime, an advocacy group:

  • About 3% of American men – a total of 2.78 million men – have experienced a rape at some point in their lifetime (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006).
  • In 2003, one in every ten rape victims was male. While there are no reliable annual surveys of sexual assaults on children, the Justice Department has estimated that one of six victims are under age 12 (National Crime Victimization Study, 2003).
  • 71% of male victims were first raped before their 18th birthday; 16.6% were 18-24 years old, and 12.3% were 25 or older (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006).
  • Males are the least likely to report a sexual assault, though it is estimated that they make up 10% of all victims (RAINN, 2006).
  • 22% of male inmates have been raped at least once during their incarceration; roughly 420,000 prisoners each year (Human Rights Watch, 2001).

Some of you are saying “Dude, he must have wanted it. Catwoman is hawt!” Except that “every time…he protests.” That’s just a fancy way of saying “Every time, he doesn’t want to.” No means no. It does not mean yes. Say it with me: NO. MEANS. NO.

Look, I have no vested interest in who Catwoman has sex with. She likes to have sex in costume, that’s fine. I object to her forcing others to have sex. I don’t care if it’s Batman or anyone else. No on deserves to have that happen to them. Rape is one of the most heinous crimes I can think of. It’s a crime of power – I have the power to do whatever I want to you.

Take a look at the few events I described in the issue. Her house blows up. She has nowhere to go. She sees someone who scares her and attacks him, putting herself at risk. She has no power. Then, Batman shows up. She has power over him. She uses it.

Some of you probably think I’m overreacting. I don’t think so. Let’s say that this scene played out with different characters. Let’s imagine for a second that it was Green Arrow and Black Canary.

Now imagine if it was Green Arrow who was explaining his actions.

Page 19
Panel 1: This isn’t the first time.

Usually it’s because I want her. Tonight I think it’s because I need her.

Panel 2: Every time…she protests.

Then…gives in.

Panel 3:And she seems…angry.

Panel 4: But that doesn’t slow either of us down.

Still…it doesn’t take long…

Read that again and tell me it isn’t at least date rape. Tell me it isn’t someone justifying their actions. If these events had happened between Ollie and Dinah, with Ollie initiating, this never would have made it past editorial. The writer might not even have a job anymore.

I don’t know if DC can fix this. I’m not sure if I trust them anymore. I hope that this is a tempest in a teapot, that Batman will clarify that he actually did want to fuck Catwoman’s brains out. (I actually hope he says “Man, Catwoman, I really wanted to fuck your brains out. That was awesome.”) I doubt it.

Rape is rape. I’m writing DC to let them know how I feel about this. Not because I’m a guy, but because I’m human. I’ll say it again, no one deserves to be raped.

Category: Bigger Picture, Comics / Tags: ,

The Week In DCNü – Week 3

Deep One / 2011/09/14 / One comment

This week was a bit slower than last week, but we picked up five of the new DC titles, including some surprises. In addition, we got some non-DC stuff, just to keep things interesting.

From my least favorite to most:

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW

#5 – Batwoman

First things first, the art on this book is gorgeous. I mean that. It’s pretty to look at. The story, though, leaves a little something to be desired. I’ve read Batwoman: Elegy, so I had the background to understand why Batwoman was pissed at her dad, but the comic explains it clumsily. It doesn’t do better with Bette, the unexplained new sidekick. We never see her in action, though she claims to have once been a teen titan.

There are some other things that upset me. One is the picture of Renée Montoya. It’s on the wall at the police station. If you’ve ever been to a police station, you know that probably means that Renée is dead. Not cool. I’m a Renée fanboy, and if she’s gone, and not even on-screen, I’ll be upset. Another is that Kate Kane (aka Batwoman) is colored like she’s one of the Endless from the Sandman. She’s beyond pale, and into solid white. I’ve never liked that look, and it still doesn’t work for me.

The big upset is the villain. She’s some sort of ghost that drowns people, and is probably Batwoman’s presumed dead twin sister. I didn’t like that story in Elegy, and I don’t like it now. Seriously, you’re pulling out evil twins in Issue 1? Even if it isn’t an evil twin, I’m not sold on a baddie that drowns kids from a specific neighborhood.

Detective Maggie Sawyer shows up, and that’s a high point. Sawyer is a good cop, a fun character, and is a good, honest counterpart to the various Bats in Gotham. She tells worried parents the honest truth, that she can’t guarantee she’ll save their kids, but that she’ll never stop looking. I like her.

Overall Rating: C+
Next Month: Maybe. I want to know about Renée, but I might not be willing to pay $2.99 to find out.

#4 – Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.

I loved Jeff Lemire’s Animal Man so much that I bought this comic. I’m not exactly disappointed, but I’m not super happy, either. The story deals with Frankenstein, who works for the Super Human Advanced Defene Executive fighting monsters. He’s estranged from his wife (the Bride of Frankenstein, who else?) and was on vacation until a town gets wiped out by monsters.

I love me some mad science. And there’s a lot of mad science in this book. All of the “agents” (with one exception) Frank works with are experiments gone awry. They work out of a miniaturized flying city and have psychic internet access.

But the story doesn’t gel for me. I’m not given any reason to care about Frank, and the agents are pretty one-dimensional so far. I’m not crazy about the art, though it isn’t as distracting as Kate Kane, supergoth. I want this book to work, but it’s going to have to impress me next month.

Overall Rating: B-
Next Month: I like mad science, but I’m not compelled to care about Frank. I hope you pull out the big guns next time.

#3 – Mister Terrific

This was another comic I wasn’t expecting to pick up. I’ve never followed the JSA, and I know next to nothing about Mister Terrific. I heard, though, that Karen Starr (sometimes, in other timelines, known as Power Girl) was part of the story. So, why not?

I have to admit, I was a bit impressed by this one. Good art, solid story, sexy Karen Starr, what’s not to like? They don’t go over the top with origin story, giving us just enough for the character to make sense. His motivation? Well, to make the world a better place! I like that in my super heroes. It’s not enough to just stay in crisis management mode, you should really be working toward a better future. Terrific does that.

The villain appears to be using some sort of mind control, which may result in Mister Terrific being labeled as a villain. This I like, as long as it is dealt with soon. Don’t fall into the trap of having your hero be on the run forever! Clear his name!

Overall Rating: A-
Next Month: I’ll check it out. We’ll see if it has staying power. Also: WE (OKAY I) WANT MORE KAREN STARR. ALSO, MORE POWER GIRL!

#2 – Batman and Robin

I love Damian Wayne. My biggest fear of the relaunch was that he would become more…stable. I am happy to say that those fears were groundless. The book is not without it’s problems, but overall, I was quite happy. Damian is still a bit crazy, and entirely too violent, but that’s a part of his charm.

Really, the weak link here was Batman. The issue start out with him rethinking his relationship with his dead parents. It turns out that he now wants to celebrate their life, rather than focus on their death. Um…okay. It’s not like the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents was the defining moment of his life. Well, actually, it was, but I’m sure that this new direction can work. We’ll have to wait and see how it’s handled.

Robin continues to push the relationship with Batman. In his previous incarnation, he was teamed with Dick Grayson as Batman, during the death of Batman stuff. Dick and Damian were an excellent team, with Dick being a flamboyant, outgoing Batman, and Damian acting as the dark, brooding Robin. The dynamic worked, especially because it was so different. Now, Batman is still dark, but Robin is starting to become more outgoing. I’m not sure how it’s going to work, but I have hope.

Overall Rating: A
Next Month: I’ll keep getting it.

#1 – Suicide Squad

This was a big surprise. I did not expect to like this as much as I did. I picked it up for Deadshot and King Shark, who were spectacular in Secret Six. I was hoping for something readable, and I got something that was fun.

So, here’s the basics. You go to death row, and spend 23 hours a day in your cell. That is, unless you join the Suicide Squad. Then, you get to do what you do normally, and the worst that’ll happen to you is that your implanted neck bomb goes off and kills you. Or, your bosses torture you to see if you’ll crack under pressure as a test.

There are six members currently – Deadshot, King Shark, Harley Quinn, El Diablo, Black Spider and Voltiac. The story is told through their voices, with the clever use of lettering and distinctive writing to make sure we know who’s talking. We get a bare bones introduction of why some of them are in prison, and each one has a personality that shines trough. (On a side note, Harley’s arrest story was actually kind of touching.)

I had very few issues in the book. It’s not long enough for every member to have a defining moment, but even Black Spider and Voltiac (who don’t have a lot of screen time) are presented as real characters. Hopefully, they’ll get their chance to shine soon. One other thing, King Shark’s new look is not great. I much prefer him as a Great White, rather than a Hammerhead. And he never once said “I’m a shark!”

Overall Rating: A
Next Month: I really, really want to see how they kill 60,000 people…which is their next assignment!

Category: Comics, Reviews /

Keep Out The Tommies

Deep One / 2011/09/11 / One comment

The soulless british horde is coming. We, as a nation, must prepare for the worst.

Category: Comics / Tags: ,

Pick Of The Week – Animal Man

Deep One / 2011/09/08 / No comments


This week, my favorite comic was Animal Man. I picked it up because I heard it was a bit of a horror story, and I have fond memories of Buddy Baker from 52. I can say honestly that this comic is the best I’ve read in a good long while, and I’ll be a bit surprised if anything else in the DCNü manages to top it.

This is not a kid’s book. The imagery is intense and the story is horrifying. I have suggested to some that they not read this one before going to bed. I’m not prone to nightmares from comics, books or movies, but I was concerned for my sanity after reading this.

Consider yourself warned.

“It’s Like Getting Hit In The Head With A Shovel…
…in a good way.” That’s how a friend of mine described this issue. I can’t disagree. Buddy Baker is Animal Man, part-time actor, part-time stuntman and part-time superhero. He’s drifting through the world, anchored only by his wife and kids. He’s tied in to the “life web” that allows him to take on the abilities of animals. He can borrow flight from a bird, the thick hide of a rhino or even the bark of a dog, which he uses to freak out his opponents.

He is, in short, lost. He doesn’t know that, but his wife Ellen has an inkling. They live in the suburbs with their kids, Cliff and Maxine. His daughter wants a puppy. His son wants his dad in the Justice League. Ellen wants him to make some money. Buddy wants his family.

The beauty of the dynamic is that it’s believable. I can identify with Buddy. His career is stalled, and he’s sometimes too short with his kids, but he’s a decent guy. Within a few pages, Buddy was real to me. No other comic this week (or this year) has managed that. Jeff Lemire writes like no one I’ve read in a while, seemingly without effort. Every word is placed just so, and every one counts.

When Cliff shows up saying that there is a hostage situation at the hospital, Buddy goes to help. Cliff wants to go with, but the family has rules against that. Ellen wants him to stay home. Maxine wants a puppy. Buddy wants to know if he has a clean uniform.

That page alone was genius. Everything we need to know is encapsulated in the brief exchange. Ellen wants him to be happy, but doesn’t want him to be in danger. Cliff wants Dad to be famous. Buddy wants to help, but wants his family to be happy. Maxine still wants a puppy.

At the hospital, Buddy faces off with a man who recently lost his daughter. He’s holding the children’s ward hostage, until the hospital gives her back to him. She’s dead, of course. He’s gone ’round the bend. The whole incident gets Buddy thinking about how much he needs his own family, about how he wouldn’t know what to do if he lost one of them.

The fight is brief. The aftereffects are enormous. Buddy feels stronger than he has before, his powers seem enhanced somehow. After the fight, he’s bleeding. For no identifiable reason. Creepy…

At home, there are dreams. Surreal, strange dreams. Horrible dreams. And then, well, the last page is too good to spoil. It hits you in the head. With a shovel.

The Good
The story is paced well. It doesn’t rely on you knowing anything about the old continuity. It is horrifying without relying on gore. It is made of andymantium, the rarest of comic book metals. Okay, that isn’t technically true. The book is made of paper.

The dream sequence is beautifully surreal. The art is strange, but not in a bad way. It’s clear enough that we’re viewing a dream, but it’s realistic enough that we wonder if the dream is a portent. Travel Foreman’s pencils gave the book a wonderful shape.

Mostly, though, it’s the characterizations that make this book. I can’t deeply relate to Bruce Wayne. I’ve never been a billionaire, or witnessed my parents shot in front of me. I can’t deeply relate to Superman, I can’t fly. I’ve never been given a power ring by a dying purple alien. Most heroes, while cool, don’t have that moment where you say: “I get that. I know how that feels.”

Animal Man is full of those moments.

The Bad
The art is a bit over-inked. Dan Green did a fine job overall, but sometimes, I don’t need cross hatching. It never pulled me out of the experience, but I noticed it on the second read through. That’s it.

The Verdict
I said on twitter that “Animal Man is, upon second reading, the creepiest, most disturbing comic I’ve ever read.” I stand by that assessment. If you like horror comics, read this one. It’s good enough that I’m now picking up Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. based solely on Lemire’s writing.

A+

Category: Comics, Reviews / Tags:

The Week In DCNü – Week 2

Deep One / 2011/09/08 / No comments

This was a big week. We went to our FLCS and dropped $25.92 on seven new titles. Here is my take on them, ordered from least favorite to most.

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW

#8 – Green Arrow

I wanted more from this book. I love me some Green Arrow. Ollie is one of my favorite characters. Sure, he’s got bat-envy something fierce, but at his heart, he’s a zen archer, waiting for the perfect moment to do a thing.

What we get from this…isn’t. GA is some sort of globe hopping vigilante, shooting up whatever he feels like. He has a support team in the form of QCore, which consist of a weapon designer who doesn’t want to design weapons and a conveniently pierced hacker chick. Character development is kept to the bare minimum.

Ollie’s motivation? BAD THINGS HAPPENED IN THE PAST! I was given no incentive to care about anyone in this book.

Overall Rating: C-
Next Month: Don’t care. Pass.

#7 – Hawk And Dove

Rob Liefeld can draw feet! I honestly had no idea. Also, Hawk and Dove fight zombies. No, really. Zombies. I wanted to like this one, if for no other reason than to be contrary. But again, the writer (Sterling Gates) takes the easy way out. Hawk is pissy because BAD THINGS HAPPENED IN THE PAST. At least here, we get some specifics about the BAD THINGS, and it makes a certain amount of sense. Overall, though, the story failed to interest me.

Overall Rating: C+ (Extra points for Liefeld learning to draw feet)
Next Month: Don’t care. Pass. Will buy anyway for others in my household.

#6 – Men Of War

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. It’s a war comic, which have been very hit or miss for me in the past. The art was not great for me. I found it pulling me out of the story from time to time. Which was a bad thing, because the story is not clear.

It’s full of slang and acronyms (explained with asterisks), and maybe I missed some details, but the mission set up seemed quite forced. Meta humans appear on the battlefield, but we never really see them. Many people die.

The back up story, however, was wonderful. It’s short, and the first of a three-part series about Navy SEALs. The characters are delightful, as is the set up. I want to know what happens next.

Overall Rating: B-
Next Month: I’ll get it, but you need to impress me with the main story to keep me.

#5 – Batgirl

This was a shocker! I expected Batgirl to be higher, based on the fact that Gail Simone was writing it. She did a great job with the story. There are equal parts hope, fear, anxiety and outright awesome. It was my number one…until the last action bit.

Let me explain. For those who don’t know, Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) was paralyzed from the waist down for several years (there’s a moment in the book where she makes a joke about her upper body strength). She has recently gotten the use of her legs back, and has resumed duties as Batgirl. In the final fight, the Mirror (her new nemesis) points a gun at her midsection.

And she freezes. Fair, PTSD can be triggered by that sort of thing. Meanwhile, The Mirror dumps a guy out a window. Batgirl watches the whole thing.

That right there is the problem. Barbara has never allowed herself to be beaten. Frightened, terrified, angry or gleeful, those are allowed, but never defeated. The last fight defeated her. Perhaps that wasn’t the intent, but the art to me seemed like Batgirl had been kicked to the curb, like, well, a little girl.

This is unacceptable. I’m fine with her not saving the guy, but she can’t be flat out beaten. If she had been in a stance that indicated she was headed out the window to try, I would have loved it.

I’m hoping that it’s an artist thing. That in issue 2, panel 1, she’s headed out to make this right. That I misinterpreted the art. That is my hope.

Overall Rating: B+
Next Month: Get it, hope for redemption

#4 – Stormwatch

I love the Wildstorm Stormwatch and Authority. Obviously, so did the people behind this book. It makes no assumptions that you know Wildstorm history, or the characters, or any of that, but it delivers if you do. There are bits that I appreciated for paying homage to the past. There are bits of pure awesome.

I’m not a Martian Manhunter fan, but he is working in this so far. We only get a moment of young Jenny Quantum, so I’m not sure if I love her yet (though I doubt she’ll chain smoke). Apollo and the Midnighter were perfect. Apollo just wants to be left alone, and the Midnighter wants to kill all the bastards. Glorious!

Two complaints, and one is the art style. It’s not distracting, but I feel it could be better. But if it stays at this level, I’m happy. The other is the story referring to events in Superman #1, which isn’t out yet. Grr. Like you need a Stromwatch tie-in to sell that.

Overall Rating: A
Next Month: Getting it. Hoping for a Superman crossover. I’ve always wanted him to get beat up by Apollo.

#3 – Action Comics

I’ve never been a Superman fan before. It feels strange. Grant Morrison has converted me, at least for now. He takes Superman back to the Golden Age, jumping across Metropolis and being a working class jerk. He’s targeting white-collar criminals, and I love every second of it.

Even better is the costume. Blue jeans and work boots for the win! Superman here is an everyday hero, somehow. The little guys in Metropolis even help him out when he needs it.

It remains to be seen if Morrison can keep it up. I have a feeling that this one upset a lot of diehard fans, but so be it! Keep it up.

Oh, and at least one comic shop is refusing to carry it anymore. Surely a good sign!

Overall Rating: A
Next Month: Getting it.

#2 – Batwing

I had no notions of what to expect going in to Batwing. He’s an unknown quality to me. That, in and of itself, intrigued me. He did not disappoint. Batwing is heralded as the “Batman of Africa”, but he’s really the Batwing of Tinasha, a city in the Congo.

The story is well paced, with a terrifying baddie named Massacre killing, well, lots of people. It’s hinted that Batwing knows this guy, but we’re not sure yet. Batman makes an appearance, and I was afraid that it was going to turn into another episode of the Bat show, he’s used sparingly, and never outshines the lead.

The setting has a lot of potential. Tinasha seems like a corrupt place, but without Gotham’s pervasive gloominess. It’s bright, not bothering to hide its ugly side. Batwing, in his alter ego of David Zavimbe, is a local cop. He knows his force is corrupt, but he’s trying to reform it, and not just waging a one man war on crime. Good on him.

This isn’t a book for kids. It’s graphic without being gory, and is very adult themed. I want to know what happens next.
Overall Rating: A+
Next Month: I can haz now? Kthxbai.

NUMBER 1 WILL HAVE A FULL REVIEW SOON!!

Category: Comics, Reviews / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Teaser Propaganda

Deep One / 2011/09/02 / No comments

Yes, that is Winston Churchill.

Why, yes, that is Prime Minister Churchill.

Category: Comics / Tags: , ,

Brilliant Ideas!

Deep One / 2011/08/30 / One comment

So, I have this BRILLIANT IDEA™. My partner always says that I deal with depression much better when I have an ongoing project. It’s true. Last year, during Nanographicmo, I was going through a pretty rough time. The constant stress/worry/panic/PURE FUCKING JOY of creating something that month may very well have saved me. I’m doing better now, thanks in part to some Vitamin D therapy, good friends and such, but things are starting to look really, really stressful and depress-a-rific in the near future.

Writing the script and treatment for THE SEEKERS helped, but I’m not so egocentric that I’m sure I’ll get Stan Lee’s stamp of approval, so I’m not counting on that project. (I’m not discounting it, either, mind you – it was a damn good script.) So, I want to do something, see it through, either on paper or in pixels.

This leads to some problems. As anyone who read TRANSLUNAR (pro tip: to read it for free click on the word TRANSLUNAR at the top of your window and download it in either .pdf or .cbr format) knows, I am not an artist. Much of that insanity was done with the GIMP and some Creative Commons images. So, in order to see a project come to life, I need to either hop in the wayback machine and have spent the last couple of decades becoming an artist, find an artist who wants to draw my vision for a chance at maybe someday not losing too much money on it or do the damn art myself.

I don’t have a wayback machine. Also, I suck at meeting people, and know very few artists willing to work for nothing. This leaves me with option 3, do the damn art myself.

It’s okay, I have the GIMP, and Photoshop, and Inkscape. Nate Piekos over at Blambot provides absolutely stunning fonts for lettering comic books, and the license for his free fonts is generous as all get out. He even has a number of articles about how to properly do lettering, something I did completely horribly in TRANSLUNAR.

And there are a ton of public domain images of the WWII era.

So, here’s the basic idea. I do a shitload of work for a while, behind the scenes. I register a domain name (or possibly a subdomain here). I do a lot of image editing. I build up a several month buffer (I hear that’s important, if one wants to be a webcomic creator). Then I launch the fucker.

You can guess that the story involves the Second World War. It also involves the years after (not the Cold War, though…). Science fiction exists to ask the question “what if?” Well, my what if is something I’ve never seen before, so I hope that it works. I may post details as the story develops, or I may force you to read it.

The point of this endeavor is not to make money, though it would be wonderful if I did. The point isn’t to build a portfolio, though that will happen. The point, here, is to get some of the stories out of my head, because every time I do that, I’m a little less down. If it entertains you, great. If you hate it, meh, whatever. It costs next to nothing to host a website these days, and if this keeps me from descending into depression-madness again, it’ll be money well spent.

Stay tuned. Expect to hear things as time goes on. I doubt this will be anywhere near ready to launch this year (I’m serious about the buffer, I’d like to be able to have a few months ready before I launch), but if I start busting shit out, it could roll early next year.

That’s where you come in, loyal readers. Don’t let me abandon this one. I’ll try and keep you all in the loop about what’s going on, but if you don’t hear anything about it, prod me. I’ll mark every post about this with the tag TANKERS so you can easily find it. Don’t see anything recent? Comment! Or email me (mchenry @ fish – god . com). Bug me on twitter (@ mchenrykeith), or Google+ (I’m McHenry Keith), or even Facebook (I don’t check it often!).

I need your help. I know me. I’ll want to abandon this at some point. Talk me down, remind me that I need to get this out. Remind me that I promised you all a kick ass, retro-future tale of World War II.

Do that, and I’ll thank you any way I can.

Thanks.

Category: Comics / Tags: , , , , ,

Achievement Unlocked: Contest Entry!

Deep One / 2011/08/27 / No comments

Woohoo! I entered a contest!

Thank you for entering

This is a BIG THING for me. I managed to produce a 10 scripted pages of comic (this translates to 16 pages of text and associated reference pictures) and a two page treatment for Stan Lee’s THE SEEKERS. I did it on my original schedule, even though the contest has been extended through September 23rd.

I thought for a while that I could take the extra time to do a rewrite or two.

I’m glad I didn’t. You see, I have megabytes of stories and scripts that I’m going to rewrite someday. Let me tell you, in my case, someday never comes. When I finish something, I’m sure it’s the best thing ever! It needs no rewriting, because why would I have put down a word that isn’t perfect? But years of hanging out with serious writers and taking college writing classes have made me doubt myself.

So now, I finish something, and I put it in a folder on my hard drive, thinking “I’ll just give it some time to ferment. Then I’ll fix the problems I can’t see right now.” And I never go back.

That needs to change. Not because I’m not putting much out there (though that’s true), or because I don’t actually make mistakes (I do, believe me), but because I’M LIVING MY LIFE IN FEAR.

Submitting is hard

That little “Submit” button? Clicking that was one of the hardest things I’ve done in a long time. What if I don’t win? Is it good enough? What if people don’t like it? Am I a failure? It took a long time to push that button. But you know what? After I did it, I realized that I just don’t care about those questions anymore. If I don’t win, I have ideas from that script that I can use elsewhere. If MTV and Stan don’t think it’s good enough, well, that’s their loss. Let’s face it, not everyone is going to like my work. But I’m not a goddamn failure.

Dean Wesley Smith has some fabulous articles on rewriting (Part 1 and Part 2). He’s more or less against it. I don’t agree with everything he says, and I tend to still do a second read through to correct the little stuff, but he’s really on to something.

And I refuse to live in fear anymore.

Category: Bloggy Crap, Comics / Tags: , , , , ,

Halfway There

Deep One / 2011/08/23 / No comments

So, I’ve got five of the requisite ten scripted pages done for THE SEEKERS. I’m liking the characterizations so far. I’ve never written for someone else’s characters before, and it’s a bit of a challenge. It doesn’t help that they’re STAN FREAKIN’ LEE’s characters, to boot.

That said, I’m having a lot of fun with them. If you haven’t checked out the treatment yet, the characters include ARTHUR NORDEN, an Indiana Jones-like archeologist and JENNIFER HART, a cable news reporter who thinks that she’s getting shafted because she’s beautiful. I’m having fun with the dynamic.

I’m taking a break for now to avoid burn out, but I need to get this done by Friday, along with a two page treatment for my vision of the book. It’s okay, I do my best work under pressure.

Category: Comics / Tags: , ,

Excelsior! It’s Contest Time

Deep One / 2011/08/21 / No comments

Hey, comic people! Stan Lee needs our help!

Well, okay, Stan probably doesn’t, but he does need writers and artists. He and MTV Geek are putting together a new comic. Called THE SEEKERS, it revolves around (of course) an alien conspiracy to blow up the Earth, and the archeologist and newswoman who are trying to stop them.


Stan and MTV want to give new folks a shot, so they put together a contest. Stan wrote a 10 page treatment, and from that, prospective artists or writers can submit, well, art or writing. MTV will then pick what they feel are the 20 best submissions from each category.

Then, the crowd-sourcing begins. The collective wisdom of the Internet™ will be harnessed through a process of voting to determine the best writing and art. Winners get to meet Stan, and are given the opportunity to make THE SEEKERS in a work-for-hire arrangement (meaning that the writer/artist gets a paycheck, but no rights). The final product will be a 110 page graphic novel.

Full contest rules and the entry form can be found here.

I am so going to enter this one. Not because it’s writing a Stan Lee character (though that is really, really cool), but IT PAYS. Up to $10,000. And I sure could use $10,000, and some professional publishing history.

I really encourage anyone who wants to be a comic writer/artist to think about this one. It’s a paying gig, and quite a bit of exposure to boot. Plus, you get to meet Stan the Man! Writers only have to do 10 pages of script and a two page treatment on where you see the story going, artists need only produce five pages of sequential art.

When the time comes, vote for me! Excelsior!

Category: Bigger Picture, Comics / Tags: , , , ,
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