Bit of breather, yeah? It's been some time since the last "official" post from me regarding the Manga Memoirs anthology.  In the interim, I've been busy editing another project, a complete 360 turn in subject matter, content and the ever important VOICE.

I'm not ready to do the post mortem on the first official Manga anthology just yet, soon though.  The project from soup to nuts was a very good experience for me, in terms of what I learned and the finished product.  It's been well received so far.

One thing I should mention here, is that the scripts for the anthology are currently being translated into Japanese (!!!) That's exciting, non? Stay tuned for updates as translation progresses.

In other news, it turns out I'll be attending San Diego Comic Con this July.  The first for me.  I'm...apprehensive? That would be putting it mildly, very mildly.  I'm highly uncomfortable around several elements of genre entertainment fandom.  Nothing personal.  I agitate easily when conversation veers too close to "Wolverine could totally beat up..." territory.  I judge harshly.  I'm a bit of a self-loathing fanboy?  Is that statement redundant?

Maybe? I nerd out over different things I guess.  Music.  Intersecting Nodes of Culture.  A character in a film mentioning (vaguely) a line from a novel, song comic etc.  It's all the same right?  Everything referencing everything else until it's all one writhing mass of culture.

Anyway...

The wrap up edition of Thanks For The Memories should be along shortly, sometime within the next couple of weeks.  I'll somehow wrap it with my report on the Anime Evolution festival? Convention? Panel?

L to R: Me, Kevin McKay and Aya Barry

See you soon.

So, since I botched simplicity, I'm going to try my hand at complexity and figuring out what role it should and shouldn't play in plot, character, setting and everything in between.

I'm starting again with Pixar. I'm watching Ratatouille now, and sure enough, it has the same sense of simplicity driving the plot as "Up!" But that doesn't mean that complexity is lost completely - watching Remy scurry about the kitchen like a furry Sam Fisher is an extremely complicated - and worthwhile - sequence.

But at the core, it's still the story about a rat who desperately dreams of being a Paris cook.

Compare this with the other movie I saw -- Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. You've probably heard a lot about this movie in the last couple days. I'll try to sum it up as best I can.

It's long (150 minutes).

It's loud (It's directed by Michael Bay)

It's confusing (again, Michael Bay)

In spite of all of this, I really enjoyed the film. It wasn't a masterpiece by any means - the "critical praise" the TV spots show for Transformers 2 is kind of laughable how much it's been lampooned. And to be fair, it's filled to the brim with throwaway characters, unexplained mythos and plot holes so large they put the pot holes along my native Illinois roads to shame.

But I still found it entertaining. I still liked following the action. I still plan on buying the DVD.

This has lead me to re-think my conclusions on simplicity, because at the end of the day, both Transformers 2 and Ratatouille have the same goal to entertain.

Pretentiousness occurs when intent to entertain becomes insufficient. This isn't to say entertainment can't be multi-purposed. Some movies educate. Others satirize. And still others ponder. But when the aim of entertainment is seen as insufficient or entirely unnecessary, that's when pretentiousness sets in.

Pretensiousness is the deathblow - whether in works simple or complex.

PS - On a totally unrelated note, please check out my One Page Challege Pinch! I need some feedback!

I have not written a complete 22 page comic in almost a year, but here we go.

http://www.zeros2heroes.com/pitch/1223

The idea for Celestia came to me last winter. For about a week I had been obsessing over a concept I called "space whale". For some reason, space whale existed a lot. For example: They Might Be Giant's "Apollo 13", the video game "Beyond Good and Evil",  and some terrible children's TV show whose name I don't remember. I kept bringing the idea of space whale to my friends. We started riffing on this idea of anything being more awesome in space. Someone said vampire.

"No, that'd be stupid. You can't have something that's not that cool than put it in space. It'll just be slightly less stupid," and then I blurted out, "Now a werewolf! You wouldn't f*** with a cowboy werewolf in space!"

Then we just kept building to it. Adding words like ninja and pirate, but nothing replaced that original image in my mind of a cowboy werewolf. In space.

This character eventually became Leiland Pak,  one of the seven characters who inhabit the spaceship Hydra in the vast area of space known as Celestia.

The idea of werewolf cowboys eventually drifted to this idea of making a universe where all other universes existed within each one. Science-fiction, pirates, ninjas, etc. And it remained as such for some time. The character that would become Nathanial was once a mute Pirate snatched from his own time.

As I did some research into the cliches of the sci-fi and fantasy genres, I began to notice a lot of overlap. And it made me relalize that these two opposites make one coin. They both search for this utopian world, although by different means. One uses science, the other magic.  This is the central idea behind Celestia. If science existed in one universe, magic could not. I chose to break apart the wall and say that both existed in full force.

So, please, if you have the time, tell me what you think of my pitch. I need some feedback, preferably negative so I know how I can improve. If you're an artist and want to be my best friend, I would kill (not you, though) to have some real concept art for my main characters.

And, oddly enough, vampires will eventually appear.

It's still July 1 in Hawaii so this is not late:

Panel One: One piece of the Netmind, a glowing cloud like object floats in the air.
<He was spying on us - I.> <They are spying on us ? I.> <No!  Not spying!>
<Not spying!>
<Not spying!>
Panel Two: The netmind shimmers and glows in its panic.  Many members of the netmind shudder and rage.
<The pens are surrounded.>
<Pens are surrounded.>
<Which pens?>
<All pens!>
<All pens?>
<All pens.  The Dam?d Roaches.  Surrounded the pens containing our bipeds were humans.>
<All of them?>
<All.>
<All.>
Panel Three: Outside the netmind, on the remains of a parched, arid planet, insects three meters tall march to dispatch their last competition.
<Here they come!>
<Here they come!  The Dam?d Roaches!  Wiping us ? me out!  Killing us ? me!>
<What do we ? I do?  What do we ? I do?  What do we ? I do?  What do we ? I do?>
<The Dam?d Roaches!  The Dam?d Roaches!  The dam?d Roaches!>
<Can we ? I infect them?  Infect the Dam?d Roaches?>
<We ? I can not.  Have not we ? I tried before?  They are immune to us.>
<The Dam?d Roaches!  Dam?d Roaches!  Dam?d Roaches!  Dam?d Roaches!>
<Be not afraid.>
Panel Four: The army of roaches are slaughtering the naked humans huddled in pens.  Clouds of the netmind, shimmering with colors are fleeing their hosts.
<But our hosts ? selves are dying!  They are killing us ? me!  The Dam?d Roaches!>
<Calm yourself ? myself.>
<We ? I cannot!>
<We ? I must.  We ? I will survive.>
<But our hosts ? selves?>
<Are being killed by the Dam?d Roaches.  We ? I know.  We ? I must do what we ? I have always done.>
<What we ? I have always done.  What we ? I have always done.  What we ? I have always done.>
<Survive.>
<Adapt.>
<Survive.>
<Change.>
<Survive.>
<Mutate.>
<Survive.>
Panel Five: Birds eye view of the carnage.  Most humans dead in river of crimson.  Slaughter continues.  Some Roaches are looking up and shouting.
<But the only life left are the Dam?d Roaches now.  Why did we ? I take away the biped were human?s ability to fight when we ? I gained control?>
<Why?  Why?  Why?  Too late.>
<Into the Dam?d Roaches then?>
<No!  Never!  No!  Never!  No!  Never!  No!  Never!  No!  Never!  No!  No!  No!  We ? I cannot.  We ? I will not.  No!  Never!>
<What then?  We ? I need hosts.>
Panel Six: The netmind is fleeing towards the ocean.  We can see the white tipped waves.
<The screaming is over.  Our - my biped were humans are no more.  What do we ? I do now?>
<Survive.>
<Change.>
<Into the ocean.>
<The ocean.>
<The ocean.>
<The ocean.>
<We ? I need time.>
<Time.>
<Time.>
<Time.>
Panel Seven: The netmind is diving into the ocean.  One has formed a slick just beneath the surface.  You can nearly see the features of a face there.
<In time, when we ? I return, then the Dam?d Roaches will learn whose planet this is, once and for all.>

Hope you like it.

Today.

Happy Canada Day from the creature living within the sewers of North Carolina...and now, your nightmares.


Huzzah!

Here's my One Page Challenge entry. I collaborated with my pal Luke Perks on this - he should be showing up in the Z2H-verse soon. For now, enjoy and let me know what you think.

Pinch

By Richard Pulfer and Luke Perks

 

Page One

 

1:1

 

A henchman stands in a row with several other henchmen, similarly dressed and similarly armed. They are dressed in generic stormtrooper fashion - helmets and goggles covering all but their mouths, and not-too-distant-future body armor covering everything else. They are standing along a ledge firing at a dashing-clad tuxedo-clad super-spy - a James Bond-figure (Connery, not Craig), leaping towards them with a confident smile spread across his face.

 

Caption (PINCH): Here we go AGAIN...

 

1:2

 

The super-spy hits them with the full force of a linebacker. The opposing henchmen are scattered in every direction like bowling pins from the force of the impact. Only Pinch - the introduced henchman, remains in an upright standing position. He is still firing his pistol from a couple feet away. The super-spy doesn't have a scratch on him.

 

Caption (PINCH): Some call it the CURSE. Others call it STORMTROOPER SYNDOME. And still others just call it BLIND DUMB LUCK.

 

Caption (PINCH): For whatever reason, we can't hit the broad side of a barn.

 

Caption (PINCH): Then again, who in their right mind would want to shoot a barn anyway?

 

1:3

 

Pinch is the only henchman standing - the rest of them are lying at his feet unconscious. The faces we see of the henchmen on the ground have the cartoonish swirly line to indicate unconsciousness. The super-spy is running away in the opposite direction. Pinch is throwing his left hand up to his goggles in disgust, his gun pointed up as it fires pitifully in the air.

 

Pinch:   This is so HUMILIATING.

 

1:4

 

High angle shot from the ceiling looking down at Pinch and the super-spy charging away from him. Pinch's gunfire has blasted off a light fixture from the ceiling, which is now falling down towards the super-spy.

 

SFX: KA-POW!

 

SFX: KA-CHING!

 

1:5

 

Over-the-shoulder shot from Pinch as he watches the light nails the super-spy right in the head. Pinch's posture should show he is utterly surprised. Put a lot of force and mass behind the light posture as it smashes into the spy's head.

 

SFX: KA-RAACK!

 

1:6

 

The super-spy turns around. He has a nasty expression lining his face. There's an ugly bump on his head, and his eyes are grotesquely swollen. Suffice to say, Pinch just inadvertently ruined his good looks. He looks down the hallway towards Pinch with murder on his mind - and face.

 

SUPER SPY: My hair!

 

CAPTION (PINCH): OH SHIT! I didn't mean to do that!

 

PINCH: OH SHOOT, I didn't mean to do that!

 

1:7

 

Dynamic shot of the super spy lunging at Pinch. This shot should be from the heel of the super spy's foot which is pushing off, his entire body taking up much of the panel. Towards the lower left hand corner of the panel we should see Pinch frozen with fear as he attempts to shoot the super spy coming at him. His gun jams however.

 

SFX: CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK

 

PINCH: AHHHHHHHH!

 

SUPER SPY: YAAAAH! 

 

1:8

 

A profile shot as Pinch chucks the pistol squarely at super-spy's forehead in sheer desperation. The gun catches the super-spy right in the brow, and goes off - with a miniature explosion at the barrel's tip showing a bullet trail catching the super-spy in the foot. The super-spy jerks in a fit of shock and pain.

 

1:9

 

Same shot as the previous panel but the Spy is now totally out of the panel and Pinch is now looking down scratching his head. A look of bewilderment cast over his face.

 

CAPTION (PINCH): When you work for the other side, you get a bit used to your luck. I don't think this guy has ever felt pain.

 

SUPER SPY (OFF PANEL): MY FOOT! YOU SHOT MY FOOT! AHHHH! GAWWD!

 

SUPER SPY (OFF PANEL) (in small whimpering letters): oooowwweeee...

 

1:10

 

A close profile shot of Pinch looming over the super-spy - we should only be able to see the super-spy's head in this panel since he is on the ground cradling his foot in the fetal position. The super-spy's hair is a ruffled, and he should look pale. But unlike what most guys would be like in this situation, Pinch isn't gloating. Instead, he's a consummate professional - very serious, very confident.

 

PINCH: Let's TALK.

 

CAPTION: THE END . . . FOR NOW.

Sorry for my lack of posting on either here or the Undeliverables yesterday. I was at work. Very early. And sick to my stomach - not a good combination.

So - to all the artists on the site - I have a dilemma I'm hoping you guys can help me with. And yes, there is money involved.

I've been playing this little X-Men RPG over on Yahoo! Groups for some time now - at least four years to be exact. I thought it would be cool to find an artist to illustrate our characters and commemorate the experience.

The opportunity presented itself last spring when an artist I was working on asked I knew anyone that needed any commissions. I told him I'd hire him myself to give him something to do. So I paid him some money and he said he'd have it done in a week.

I told the people on my X-group I'd have a surprise for them.

But then a week turned into two. And then three. I wanted to be patient, because I know this artist had other - better - things to do than carter to my own egotistical whims.

Now it's been three months and he hasn't returned any of my e-mails for about the past two months. He might finish the commission. He might not. Regardless, I've decided to take another hit (I've got the money anyway )and find a new artist.

Here's the specs for anyone who is interested.

The Job: A pin-up of a team of five X-Men-style characters in a cover pose. I have reference images on most of them, as well as a description of their powers. Pencils and inks - possibly colors if budget or artist allows..

The Pay: Negotiable. I'll work with your rates. Payment will probably be made through Paypal.

The Deadline: I'd like it to be done within a month - if this seems fair and realistic. If not, no biggie - just keep me posted so I'm not holding the bag.

What To Do Next: If you are interested (or you know someone who is) post a link to their samples below and how to get in touch with them. If I like what I see, I'll contact you with the specs on the job.

Well, that's my pitch for the day. Have at it artists! Hopefully tomorrow I'll be feeling less gloomy.

Today.

Warren Ellis. Do Anything 05. Bleeding Cool.


.

Today.

This is fun.


mauhahha.

That's the working title for the next arc planned for City Of Darkness.  This arc places our hero in quite a position with the Smithsonian, as a special investigations chief.  Also whereas the first arc included only Angels and Demons this time we're throwing in vampires.  Will the Archangel make another appearance as well?  Probably not, but you'll just have to stay tuned, City Of Darkness "Fight The Grave" will be launched shortly after I upload a revised version of the original which should be in a few days.

For my birthday (It's tomorrow) I got two new graphic novels.  Both are the third in their series, and one works, the other doesn't.

       Some said it could not be done, that we were cursed. Some whispered that angry hard-core X-tian hackers were angry that Geko had pulled a Rushdie and used God and Satan as  fictional charactes in (gasp!) a comic, and decided to run a Jihad on the team's computers. But we fought back. Technical difficulties couldn't stop us. Deadlines couldn't stop us. Demon viruses straight from the bowels of the former Soviet Republic barely slowed us down.
     We are pulling into the home stretch with Stan's Last Deal, and this past week has been crazy, with Patricio and Aya working around the clock, burning the midnight oil,  (insert cliche here) nose to the grindstone.... uh. Yeah. Anyways, it just goes to show, give an artist a deadline, and watch 'em go! For myself, that old saw is certainly true; that if it wasn't for the last minute, I wouldn't get nothin' done. In fact, the  lettering is being applied to the finished artwork at this very moment, and it is very possible that the entire comic will be finished before Canada Day rears it's ugly booze-soaked head.
Stay tooned.

Hey there, Z2H'ers, I hereby recommend you click your eyballs over to Zuda and vote for the best comic there this month, which in my opinion is 'Quick' by Thane. I don't normally point out things happening on Zuda, but I'm making an exception this time around. The competition is close, and it finishes in the next day or so.

Thane's previous comic was called Azz's Inferno, and it also rocked, but was closely beaten out by The Hammer, which (all issues of quality aside) benefited from a massive voting campaign.

Quick is a great comic - good writing and outstanding art, but don't take my word for it. Have a look for yourself:

http://zudacomics.com/node/1243

If you get there and something else strikes your fancy, so be it. But IMNSHO, Quick deserves to win, and that's the one I'm pushing for. If you're going to vote, you have to do it today. The voting closes at the end of the month!

Survivor - On-Going

Survivor is a project that I've been working on for a while. Really, I'd like the book to stand for itself. With that, I have gone far more into the overall pitch than I normally do. So, go check it out.

That is all.

Birthday season is almost finished - just 2 more birthdays to go. I just wanted to drop a quick note here about my pitch 'The Overlord'. My son has been asking me a lot of questions about my stories lately - and in explaining things to him I had a breakthrough! I now have a very excellent plot planned out for this story. Some of you had expressed interest in this story, which is part of what kept it in my mind over the past few months. Anyways I am off to my nephew's birthday party...