Computer viruses suck! Whoever creates them must have absolutely nothing to do --- and they suck, too!!! (And, not in a good way!) With that said --- my computer is virus free and I can finally get back to work on
BGBF and my
blogs. Yippeee! I completely surprised myself by cranking out pages of the newest issue of
BGBF #25 - "Odd Couples." Not too long ago (and I go through this periodically), I got tired of doing this book. I got tired of drawing Neil's big, round head. I got tired of the panels. I just --- got tired of it. But, it was for all of the usual reasons: 1) it was a lot of work, 2) I didn't know if I was making a difference, 3) I didn't know if people were reading my
FREE online stories, 4) or if they even cared and 5) because it was just SO SO SO SO much work. I wanted to do something new --- which is why I created
"The Watchers." But, another story came along with other ideas and I realized again: it really is worth it. Especially, once I completed an issue. Now, if I could just work CONSISTENTLY.
I honestly thought I could eliminate one tedious step of my drawing process --- (
WARNING: boring artist details to follow) --- by going from thumb nails and directly to inks. I normally sketch out a story in pencil, then line it in ink, then trace the pencils and then ink the pencils. (AND --- erase the pencils, scan it in, stack them, line them up, clean them up, add the grays and page numbers and --- that's it.) I didn't want to do the pencils anymore. But then, I sat down and
patiently (for once, understanding that it would take awhile) started doing the pencils. I LOVED the way the pencil (4H or 5H for best results, a harder lead) just SLID across the paper. It was like a writer sitting down to type. I was back in love with my pencils and I was back in love with drawing. Here are a couple of thumbnails (mine are full sized, sketched quickly with a ballpoint pen. Yes, folks ---- a simple ball point pen!) from issue #25.
SYNOPSIS: Neil ends up with some unexpected and unannounced house guests during a time when he doesn't realize that his promising relationship with Jesus is in jeopardy because of his third party fling with Imu.
Wednesday Comics was a newspaper that came out (go figure) every Wednesday for 12 weeks by DC Comics. I picked up the final issue today and I can say that I'm quite pleased. I'm a DC fanboy. I have always been one and will always be one. I've been reading DC Comics ever since I could read comics. I LOVE DC Comics!!! (I can't say I'm particularly a fan right now. Too many deaths. Too much blood. Too many titties. Especially Powergirl's. Who I love. Especially by Amanda Conner, who did the beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL Supergirl strip.) If we get to see that much titty going on, then I need to see more male package and/or superhero ass. When I heard that DC was going to put out a Sunday comics format for twelve weeks of comics (on Wednesday) just like the Sunday comics from back in the day --- I got excited. I was sooooo ready for this. Incredible characters. Incredible stories. Incredible artists and writers, etc. Wednesday Comics delivered what it promised. OMG. I am so happy with the final product now that the twelve weeks are over. I can honestly say that I probably couldn't handle this forever on Wednesday, but it was a really nice twelve week run.
Wednesday Comics had Batman, Kamandi: the Last Boy on Earth (work too beautiful for words), Superman (be still my beating heart -- art work: breathtaking), Deadman, Green Lantern (stunning art work), Metamorpho, Teen Titans, Adam Strange, Supergirl (Amanda Connor --- you rock!!!! Love your work on Powergirl), Metal Men (OMG --- Jose Luis Garcia Lopez is STILL the greatest EVER!!!!!), Wonder Woman, Sgt. Rock, Flash (the best feature --- spellbinding!!!), Demon and the Catwoman, and finally, Hawkman. Grabbing this every week took me back to a time when comics were fun. It reminded me of the days that I would eagerly await for the Sunday newspaper and I would grab the "funnies" after my father read them. I would go straight to Brenda Starr, Reporter. No joke. Brenda is the greatest. Good job, DC. For twelve weeks, I enjoyed comics again.
