Cheat Week: Holiday Special

I know I've been silent this month. The new job threw my schedule for a loop and left me with little brain power for blogging. Still, this is my favorite time of year and I didn't want December to pass without some recognition of that. So, without further ado, I'd like to share an old classic...

A Charlie Brown Christmas

...and something newer...

Community: Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas

One is a piece of my childhood and goes a long way toward defining the season for me, the other is one of the best episodes of my favorite new show, and defines the holiday in a way that's both fresh and comforting. You can watch both of them on Hulu for free at the provided links.

Whichever holiday you celebrate, I hope it brings you warmth and joy!

A Retrospective Retrospective: Hulk (2003)

A recent and sudden bout of employedness has kicked my productivity in the ass (it's a high-class problem), so I'm recycling an old article to meet this month's quota. Luckily, if you haven't followed my writing for Geeks of Doom, this article will be brand new to you!

When Louis Letterier's The Incredible Hulk was coming out in 2008, I was tasked with writing a review for Ang Lee's much-debated 2003 Hulk film for GoD. It became more of a deprogramming than a film review; my ultimate statement on a movie which I still consider one of the best of its genre (regardless of what genre you think it belongs to). In light of the news of ABC's new Hulk TV series, and after seeing yet another discussion about this movie pop up on one of the message boards I frequent, I figured it would make for a quick, easy, and hopefully interesting Cheat Week alternative while I'm dealing with the restructuring of my schedule for the new job.

Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving!

Movie Review: Hulk (2003) - A Retrospective

Imagine a high concept science fiction story. Imagine heavy psychological drama. Imagine an intensely personal exploration of identity, family, and destiny. Imagine all of these elements wrapped up in an extremely bare-bones, classical-style film. And finally… perhaps most importantly… imagine that that film is not based on a comic book.

When Ang Lee signed on to direct the feature film adaptation of one of Marvel Comics’ most beloved characters in 2003, it was only because he saw something special in the material. Something deeper. Something buried beneath years and years of comic mythology and fan expectations. He saw to the heart of the Hulk.

Now, five years later, Hulk is still the most heavily debated comic book film among fans of comics and film alike. The lovers hail it for its cerebral depth and emotional complexity. The haters boo it for its meandering narrative and questionable performances and effects.

“You can’t have a summer blockbuster that takes 42 minutes for the action to start!” was the general consensus among the naysayers, and they were not entirely wrong! The movie was released in June of ‘03, when the summer movie season was just getting started. It featured a character whose entire reputation was built on a very simple concept: He gets angry, he gets big, and he destroys everything in his path. People walked into that theater expecting a Michael Bay-sized action extravaganza and instead they were met with long, contemplative close-ups of desert flowers, flashbacks within flashbacks, and, yes, a 42-minute wait before any of the anticipated destruction began.

That an audience revved up in such a way might have been thrown by this, is not at all unreasonable. If you go to the movies wanting Transformers and you end up getting No Country For Old Men, it doesn’t matter how good the latter was, you’re still disappointed it wasn’t the former. Your expectations kill your ability to just enjoy what’s in front of you.

Let’s take the film out of that context, though. Let’s imagine that the movie was released at a less-onerous time, and wasn’t billed so heavily as an “action adventure.” How might audiences have reacted then? Well, in that scenario, you still have the reputation of the character to contend with. So, as I suggested earlier, let’s eliminate that factor. There was never any comic called The Incredible Hulk. No TV show. No previous knowledge of a frail scientist who turns into an emerald giant when he gets angry.

Let’s strip the experience down to its absolute barest elements. What do we find?

Read the full article here!

Selling Yourself

Living the life of the gainfully unemployed is a constant game of self-promotion, solicitation, and motivation with the possibility of maybe gaining the slightest step towards the promise of some kind of reward.

(It could be said this describes the life of a freelancer as well... go fig.)

Every now and then, though, you'll come across a job prospect that genuinely piques your interest. That makes you realize all you've been doing to find a job up till this point isn't as much as you COULD be doing. It inspires you to do more.

This happened to me last month when I came across an ad for a "Creative Director" at a company that produces promotional "idea pitch" videos for circulation on the web. The videos on their website were clever, entertaining and genuinely interesting, and the overall vibe I got from the company was a positive one, so I decided to put that extra effort into telling them how awesome I am.

My only problem? I've never been a "Creative Director," or any other kind of director, in my life, and I could only guess at what such a person might do. Yet I still felt a pull towards the position. The epiphany that eventually struck me led to what you are about to read: a self-promotional piece written in the casual, conversational style of their videos, with an emphasis on entertaining, educational storytelling, explaining why I thought I was right for the job, despite maybe being under-qualified at first glance. I posted it as a private page on my personal website so that, after reading it, they might browse through my other work to learn more about me. It was, effectively, my cover letter.

Sadly, I never heard back from them (which is why I'll be replacing their business name below with "Company-X"), but I wouldn't hesitate in encouraging others to make this sort of effort when applying for a job they're passionate about. It may seem risky, but sometimes these risks pay off. Make your passion known. Don't just rattle off facts at prospective employers, engage them. Show them that you're a person who WANTS to do the job, not just a robot who can do the job.

Anyway, I invite any tips, advice, or criticisms regarding what you read below. Maybe next time I do something like it (and I'm sure I will) I'll actually get a response.

~*~*~*~

Hello, Company-X. Let me tell you a story...

Have you ever read a comic book?

Of course you have; everybody loves comics.

Well, maybe not that guy...

But do you know what goes into making one?

Every comic starts with a Writer.

(You’d be amazed how many people don’t realize that.)

Today, comic books are much more of a writer-driven industry than they were even a decade ago. Whether you’re looking at the corporate assembly lines of Marvel or DC, or the myriad independently-owned publications, comics -- like any story-based medium -- are born in the head of the writer.

If that writer is lucky, he is also a skilled artist and letterer... but more commonly, the writer writes and he relies on other talented individuals to handle the rest of the creative chores.

But what if a writer doesn’t already work for one of the Big Two? What if he’s just a regular Joe with a dream of making comics?

First, that writer needs to find himself an artist. If he’s lucky (you’ll notice “Luck” becomes an essential part of the creation process), he’ll find an artist who can cover the full spectrum of duties: pencilling, inking, and coloring.

If not, he'll likely need to find a different person to handle each aspect.

(Just in case you’re keeping count, that’s FOUR people working on a single comic book.)

1) The Writer provides the story…



2) The Penciler translates the writer’s words into images…



3) When needed, an Inker brings depth and weight to the penciler’s illustrations…

Like so.

(Far more than simple tracing...)

(...popular myth notwithstanding)

4) Finally, the Colorist adds vibrant life to the images…

And what about the words?

Well, that’s where the Letterer comes in. The letterer is tasked with fitting all of the writer’s dialogue into the word balloons, and placing them throughout the panel -- it may seem simple, but you’d be surprised how difficult and precise the art of lettering is, and how important it is to the reading experience.

That brings us to a total of FIVE team-members.

Five separate, yet equally important factors which must come together perfectly to produce a single comic.

If you have the time, you can let each team-member take as long as they want… but that’s not very realistic is it? Not if you want to put a new comic in your readers’ hands every month. Even with tons of lead-time, the deadline always rears its ugly head, so it becomes essential to keep the wheels on the creative train running smoothly.

In a big publishing company, it’s the editor’s job to make sure the talent is on-schedule, but in the world of independent comics, that responsibility falls to the person who kick-started the whole endeavor in the first place… The Writer.

The writer sends the scripts to the penciller, acts as intermediary between penciller and the inker, inker and colorist, and when the art is finished, the writer gets it to the letterer to work his magic.

On a good week, all pieces of the creative machine can be working simultaneously.

So, what would you call the person who conceives the story, finds artists to draw it, keeps them on schedule to get the finished art to the letterer in time to get the finished book to the publisher in time to pass it to the printer in time to hand it to the distributor in time to send it to the stores in time to get it on the shelves by Wednesday?

Well… I guess you’d call that person a Creative Director, wouldn’t you?

Sounds awfully official, though. All the writer wanted was to tell a story. That technical, managerial, business stuff was just what he needed to learn in order to make his dream a reality.

Hi.

I'm a writer.

On my best days, I am a comic writer.

Most importantly, I am a storyteller.

I've never held the title of "Project Supervisor," but what I have done is incepted, overseen, and completed several comic book projects. I have a creative mind and an artist’s eye, and I know how to manage multiple elements of a single project while communicating openly and clearly with the artists involved to ensure everyone has the best experience possible while getting the work done on time.

Within my mind is the architecture of a Creative Director.

I’ve explored your website, I’ve watched your videos, and as you can see, I found myself inspired. I want to be a part of your team and I am willing to learn whatever is necessary to make that a reality. I knew nothing about making comics before I decided I wanted to write them... In this case, I'm confident I have more of a head-start than that. Given the opportunity, I know I will make a valuable addition to your team.

Of course... in order to prove that, I need to be given the opportunity.

The ball is in your court.

No pressure.

Thanks for your time. Feel free to poke around the site.

Geeks of Doom Article: What Form Will TV's New Hulk Take?

My love of the Emerald Avenger is on display in this one.

With the news last month of a live-action Hulk television series in development over at ABC, many questions are swimming through the minds of fans.

Will it be in continuity with the Marvel films?

Will any of the film actors commit to a television series?

Who will play Banner?

For myself, the first question that sprung to mind was, “How are they going to do the Hulk effects?” I’ve made no secret of my long-standing love affair with the not-so-jolly green giant, and of all the creative hoops the studio and show-runner will eventually have to jump through, the one that weighs most heavily on my mind as a fan is what the beast will actually look like on the small screen.

It might surprise some to learn that the Hulk is one of the few characters to have been brought to life through almost every school of visual effects there is.

Behind the cut, we’ll take a look at those different incarnations and speculate on their potential for the new television series.

Read the whole thing here.

The piece is filled with photos and youtube links showing the different forms the character has taken, including this video:



And, here's a bit of trivia I left out of the article... at the 1:40 mark in that video, that guy shaking hands with the Hulk? That's my uncle. I was pretty thrilled to find that when I was researching for the article.

Hope you enjoy!

Cheat Week #5

Yes, it's another Cheat Week, but this one is intentional! In the spirit of the season, I wanted to share with you one of my very favorite horror stories, which just so happens to be a (completely free)

AUDIO DRAMA!!!

Darker Projects is a creative studio that produces audio dramas of all kinds, but focusses on the realms of science fiction and horror. They have several great productions that they offer for free on their website, but the one I'd like to call your attention to today is probably my favorite of the bunch.

Autumn is based on the first of several horror novels by British author, David Moody. It's set in the English countryside and follows the trials of a group of people who have survived a world-ending plague that kills and then reanimates the majority of the population. Yes, this is a zombie story, but not quite like any other zombie story I've seen or read. The twist is a relatively minor one, but for someone who has sampled the many variations of zombie fiction, it will make the story surprisingly suspenseful and unpredictable. And, of course, for those who have never had an interest in zombie fiction before, this story may change things up enough to draw you in.

It's wonderfully acted by Darker Projects' cast of volunteer actors, with atmospheric music that will stick with you long after its finished. I've listened to it three times and I fully intend on giving it another spin before Halloween.

All six episodes can be found on the above-linked Autumn page. Hope you enjoy it!

Geeks of Doom Article: Destroying Comics For Fun and Profit

The Farther Room is a place for positivity...

...but sometimes, things just piss me off. When these things pop up, I need a place to vent about them. Thankfully, my overlords at Geeks of Doom have given me a platform through which to do this.

I spotted this little tidbit on Bleeding Cool and was compelled to write something.

Superworld Comics is a store in Massachusetts that specializes in bronze, silver, and golden age comics and original comic art. On their YouTube channel, they have a feature called “Trash-A-Comic.” The title is pretty self-explanatory. Every episode, they destroy a comic book from their back-stock in what they insist are fun and creative ways for, one can only assume, the entertainment of their customers.

Because comic book fans — especially collectors of mint and slabbed comics — LOVE seeing those books destroyed.

In their first episode, they shot an issue of Classics Illustrated: Kidnapped to pieces with a paint gun.

In their second episode, they fed a near-mint issue of Dazzler to a couple of pigs before having it pecked by chickens.

In their third episode, they ripped an issue of Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories in half, put it in a blender, turned it into a smoothie, and drank it while toasting, “Here’s to the end of another worthless comic.”

In their fourth episode, they rolled over a CGC slabbed issue of Shazam with a steam shovel and fed it into a wood chipper.

Laughing all the way.

Read the full article here.

Creative Release

So, I had an epiphany during the move.

In the months leading up, RC and I talked long and hard about getting all of our preparation done early. We assured ourselves we would be fully packed, with boxes lining the walls, by the time our first moving pod arrived. Our last move had been utter chaos, so we were determined not to see that happen again this time around.

We would be ready. We would be disciplined. We would be organized.

This, of course, didn't happen.

We caught ourselves every now and then, saying, “We’re not doing what we said we were going to do. We’ll watch this movie, or play this game, or browse the internet tonight... But TOMORROW, we really get down to the business of packing!”

Then the next day would come and we’d do a box or two. A couple more the day after that. Then it would be Thursday and Thursdays are shitty, so we’d let ourselves rest that evening, saying we'd pick it up again the next day, but then the next day would be Friday and Friday is Date Night, so we’d resolve to get our work done over the weekend, but then Saturday is Saturday and who wants to wake up early on Saturday, so Sunday would come around but the next day’s a work day, so we’ll just…

And so on.

Then, about a month and a half before Moving Day, during one of these moments of clarity, I realized exactly what was keeping me from committing to the move... I was too busy trying to be a writer!

...

I know, I know. This was just more mental masturbation, convincing myself that the real problem was ANYTHING but my inherent laziness... but the thought wasn't entirely without merit. I’d spent many evenings writing when I should have been packing. And evenings when I wasn't writing, I was THINKING about writing, which left me staring off into space or listening to music... doing just about anything, but packing.

Blog posts, audio dramas, this comic, that comic, eHow articles, Geeks of Doom articles… my mind was a whirlwind of creative thought, and it was taking time away from the move-prep.

So, that day I decided I would put all creative pursuits on hold -- the comics, the articles, everything -- until the complicated and stressful act of relocation was completely behind us. I knew that once I freed up my mind to focus on planning and executing the move, things would move faster and we would be 100% ready when the day came.

And, believe it or not, it actually worked.

For about a week.

Then I started getting the shakes. Then I started itching everywhere. Before long, I was wandering the city streets offering sexual favors to any stranger who might be able to hook me up with a fix.

Because I, my friends, am a Creativity Addict.

That may sound like a self-important "Aren't I Awesome" sort of statement, but listen to me... really understand...

Quitting creativity cold turkey was one of the most enlightening experiences of my life, because it made me realize that I could not function properly without a creative outlet. If you thought I was a scatterbrain before? (...and if you knew me, you would...) Holy shit. I became a complete blithering idiot. I couldn’t focus at work. I couldn’t focus at home. I couldn’t focus while packing. I couldn’t focus while SPEAKING. I overreacted to almost everything and had more than a few emotional breakdowns over the stress of it all.

It's like whatever machine fed me all those fun ideas was also connected to my central operating system, and the minute I pulled that plug, it ALL came crashing down. Creativity was my brain's liver! Sorting out the good thoughts and the holding back the waste. You can't live without your liver, people!

It felt like I was back in school, repeating the fifth grade again because, “He’s a smart kid, but he just doesn’t apply himself.” Without a creative direction, I was utterly lost.

But... the move still happened. All that pent-up energy turned me into a human forklift. I’m pretty sure I lost more weight in those last two months than I have in the last two years, just from all the picking up, carrying, loading, and unloading I’ve done. So, there’s that, at least.

But I'll tell ya…

The minute I sat down by the window in my brand new apartment with my brand new view sprawling out before me, and booted up my laptop…?

Release.

24 Hour Comics Day 2010

October 2, 2010, was the 7th annual 24 Hour Comics Day. For those who don't want to follow the link, 24 Hour Comics Day was created by comics guru Scott McCloud, first as a challenge to a fellow artist , but soon as a challenge to every lover of the comics medium. Anyone is free to join in, regardless of artistic experience or disposition, and there is only one rule: the comic must be conceived, written, and drawn entirely by you within a single consecutive 24 hour period.

Eventually, a day was made of it, so that comic lovers far and wide could take on this creative endeavor as a community.

Last Saturday was my first attempt. I started at midnight and worked straight through to 10pm on October 2nd (I included time stamps on each page to mark when I finished it). The result is what follows.