Hey all. Just letting everyone know that I posted some new stuff in the "More LDB" gallery, and my "Pin Ups" gallery. I know I pimp Lil' Depressed Boy a lot (www.lildepressedboy.com), so I thought I'd change it up and pimp my other friend's site (which, incidentally houses a new strip I did), Chainsaw Comics (www.chainsawcomics.com). Some truly interesting stuff goes on over there that's all VERY off the beaten path for most comic readers? Even webcomic readers. Regardless, you should check it out. I especially recommend all the Chainsaw Guy comics, really funny and interesting stuff that revolves around ridiculously simple drawings of a guy with a chainsaw for hands.

A truely original story. Cool artwork too.

Hello again,

I'm not sure how many people have noticed (even though it's pretty obvious) but the cover for Lotus is created in a much different style than the rest of the book. In fact, the cover was created well after the completion. The brilliantly talented man behind the cover art is none other than Tong Zhao.

Mehe?

Yeah, that was my initial reaction and you can assume how the confusion continued when I found out Tong was living in China and that he spoke/understood limited English. I posted a similar blog to this a few years ago in the old Lotus Blog, but the gist of it this:

I was told to describe how I saw the cover of Lotus. So I did. I wrote a 2 page description that flowed with descriptive imagery and teased what the essence of the book was going to be.... Or so I thought.

When Z2H saw the document they knew right away that if they submitted this to Tong, it would be like deciphering hieroglyphics. So they sent it back, and I read it again..... And I realized it was CRAP!

I see it almost as a blessing to get to rethink the original idea. I boiled it down to what exactly the first issue of Lotus is... A story about a guy who tries to kill himself.

I described what it might look like if he had achieved his goal and how someone might feel if they weren't able to carry it out.

Tong took this and made a wildly emotional painting of exactly what Lotus needed.



Xie Xie!!

Well went through my Outcast Issue 2, and fixed some mistakes that I found.

Yeah, it's a good thing I did go through it again.  Such glaring mistakes that I missed as I was typing it up.

Probably still more, but not that I seen at the moment.  Next is to work on "The Other Side".

You Rock!!!!!!!!!!!111

CBC Kids has announced their fall line up for this year, so I feel like I can share a little bit of info I was holding back from you all.

Remember when I said I was doing some writing for a kids TV show? Well you can look for my name in the credits of CBC's 'Animal Mechanicals' on weekday mornings starting this fall. I wrote 5 episodes total, which should start to appear towards the end of the season.

It's a really fun show, and I had a great time writing for it. It's about these five robotic animal characters and their adventures in an amazing 'snap-together' land of floating islands. They're all about teamwork and action and adventure, and geared towards pre-schoolers. Best viewed in your underoos with a bowl of froot loops.

http://www.halifaxfilm.com/productions/animalmechanics

Lots of new people are signing up and joining this community and that is great!  I hope you all stick around for a long time, because the fun is just getting started!  Now of all of us, it seems to me that Scott (Lotus) is doing the best job of attracting new fans, and for that he should be commended.
I'd just like to ask his (and all the new admirers of stories here) to spend a few minutes sometime and check out some of the other stories.  This is not just a shout out for my Minus One comic - there are many great comics here, all deserving to carry on in one or more forms.
Do yourself a favor and check out some of the other titles while you are around!  You never know what you are missing!

Reminds me of Lock Stock or In Bruges

(Continued from Scene Two)


PAGE FOURTEEN: (Five Panels. 2-1*-1)
Panel 14.1: BLAKE thumbs the END button on his phone, turning to favor the PUNK with a wry glare.

BLAKE: Fancy meeting you here.

Panel 14.2: Low shot looking past BLAKE's hand as it tosses the phone to the ground. In the background past the hand, PUNK #2 rests the bat on his left shoulder and makes a "gimme" gesture with his right hand.

PUNK #2: Shut up and drop the phone, asshole.

Panel 14.3: Wide Panel. PUNK #2 rests the baseball bat across his shoulders, draping his arms over it cruciform style. He has a look of sad amusement on his face as he contemplates BLAKE's imminent fate. He's taken a couple of steps forward from the circle towards BLAKE.

PUNK #2: You know, those were some pretty fancy moves you pulled on me and my brother.

PUNK #2: Flipped me into a display, tossed my brother through a window.

PUNK #2: Oh, and I almost forgot...

Panel 14.4: Inset panel between 14.3 and 14.5. Close on PUNK #2, screaming directly at the viewer, enraged, tendons standing out on his neck and spittle flying.

PUNK #2 (yelling): YOU TOOK MY FUCKING WALLET!

Panel 14.5: Wide Panel. Side view of BLAKE with his back to the edge of the platform which drops away at the right side of the panel, seen between two silhouettes of thugs at the extreme edges of the panel. BLAKE turns his head to the left (towards viewer) searching for a way out of the sudden trap. His face is nervous but not afraid.

BLAKE: In hindsight, that may not have been the best idea, I'll admit.


 
PAGE FIFTEEN: (Four Panels. 1-2-1)
Panel 15.1: Wide Panel. Low angle, looking past feet in silhouette in the foreground at the edges of the panel. On the left PUNK #2 has closed to within ten feet of BLAKE, still obviously furious. He still carries the bat over his shoulders, his head craning far out ahead of his body. BLAKE has raised his hands nonchalantly, curled hands rather than flat as though tuning a gigantic radio.

PUNK #2: They violated him because of you. Now my brother's going back up for ten years!

BLAKE: You think maybe the armed robbery and attempted murder might have helped him along some?

Panel 15.2: PUNK #2 has returned to his previous stance of the bat leaning on his left shoulder, and now he points at BLAKE with his right hand.

PUNK #2: Yeah well now you're gonna help him along some, smart guy.

Panel 15.3: BLAKE turns his head slightly to watch two of the thugs move up beside him out of the corner of his eye, still keeping his hands up innocently.

BLAKE: Oh?

PUNK#2 (O.P): That's right. Cause you ain't testifying against my brother.

BLAKE: And if I refuse?

Panel 15.4: The glint in PUNK #2's eye is only outshone by his malicious smile as he continues. Behind him, the two punks who flank him have drawn guns, the one on the left brandishing a snub nosed .38, the other a 9mm semi-auto.

PUNK #2: See, that wasn't me asking.

PUNK #2: I'm saying you won't have the chance.


 
PAGE SIXTEEN: (Four Panels. 2-2-1)
Panel 16.1: Close on BLAKE. The furrow in his brow deepens as he begins to realize that he might be in trouble.

BLAKE: Look, even if I don't testify, what about the store owner? He saw you too.

Panel 16.2: PUNK #2 looking at the thug next to him, giving him an elbow in the arm. The thug grins menacingly, eyes hidden behind his unnecessary shades.

PUNK #2: Don't worry, we made sure he knows it's in his best interest to forget it ever happened.

Panel 16.3: Closer on BLAKE. A bead of sweat runs down his forehead, eyes watching every movement of the thugs.

BLAKE: Fine, point taken. I'll keep my mouth shut. Okay?

Panel 16.4: PUNK #2 is holding the bat in front of him, looking up at it, while adjusting his grip on the handle as if critiquing his own form. He is side on to Blake, who is visible in the background.

PUNK #2:  Ya know, that's not gonna do it.

PUNK #2: Nope. With you, it's personal.

Panel 16.5: Wide panel. On the right Blake takes a step forward, straining against into the two thugs on either side of him who are now restraining his upheld arms.  On the left with his back to the viewer is PUNK #2, who holds the bat out pointing straight as if to call his shot.

BLAKE: Look there's no reason to kill me, I'm not going to say anything.

PUNK #2: What's the matter, all of a sudden you scared to die?

BLAKE: No shithead, I'm afraid you're gonna botch the fucking job!