200 Words or less

I was on Facebook typing with a friend of mine who is a writer, he is looking to submit his work to a publisher when he found out that this particular publisher wants a story synopsis in no more than 200 words. He was wondering if he could do it but I have no doubt he’ll get it done. The question that this incident brought to my mind is,
‘Can I summarize my story in 200 words or less, including my conclusion?’. I tried, it worked out and while I’m not going to post the results here it was still a great exercise. In fact, after doing the synopsis of my story I went back and did a synopsis of my book. Since the over arching story will take more than one book to do.

I found that trying to summarise your book/story really makes you think about what you can say, you are forced to leave out characters and descriptions and all the dressing that usually cover up what is happening in the story you’re telling and get to what actually happens.

It’s not the same as trying to figure out what your story is ‘About’ but it does show holes in your understanding of your story and forces you to patch them. Try it at home for yourself and see.

P.S. Happy Holidays to one and all :)

Wacom Bamboo Connect Tablet

So I finally made the plunge and bought a Wacom. I had tried the one at my workplace and found it interesting but the hand eye co-ordination threw me off.
I work traditionally... A2 paper blue line pencils, dip pens, pigment liners, brushes and real ink. I also believe print media is a dinosaur... costing too much up front, needing too many iterations of the same content, and being inefficient in supply and demand. My two trains of thought were not ‘gelling’ so I bit the bullet, went to the computer store and bought this little Bamboo. I wanted the ‘Capture’ but they were already sold out.

So far, it’s still hard, the latest Crazier than Fiction strip was done using the Bamboo (Strip 30 was done in Photoshop, I did strip 31 in Manga Studio EX, but it’s taking some getting use to). What I lost in speed I made up for with the removal of process steps. One never realises how much time it takes to fill in blacks, clean the ink out of brushes or nibs not to mention scanning.

Right now I have a headache from concentrating too hard on drawing, but I used to get these headaches when I first learned to drive, and when I first started coding websites, it’s just a side effect of me concentrating too hard. As my experience doing both of those things grew, I got better / more efficient at both, and can do them with relative ease, I think it will be the same for this.

Hopefully this will inspire me to update more often.

All Shades of Grey

Is a comic series created by Nigel Lynch and Matthew Clarke.

Sometime back Nigel asked me if I’d be available to draw an issue, I agreed and as I write this I have finished drawing the third installment of the All Shades of Grey series.

I have no idea when its going to be released, but I am honored that they let me play in their world.

The comic comes out from Beyond Comics a local (Barbados) studio.
Click here to go to our Facebook page

Looking forward to 2012

I'm looking forward to 2012, I don't expect a perfect year, I know it will fluctuate between good and bad like all the years that went before, but what 2012 has that 2011 is all out of is POTENTIAL.

366 days of Potential people, go make something of it, Happy New Year!

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands

I had bought this game during Steam's Christmas sale and have now gotten around to playing it. The game is fun, I love adventure games, and POP series has been some of the best. Ubisoft delivers wonderful gameplay coupled with beautiful graphics and locations. Unfortunately the design environment design is not up to that of the last Prince of Persia game that came out in 2000 but at least I'm sure that this character is the prince. My hang up with the game was the length, I beat it in just over 5 hours... and I was taking my time. I will play it again to try and find all those statues but I don't thin it is a necessity, my favorite part of the game was being able to wear Ezio Auditore's uniform from Assassin's Creed II, that's not much.

The story basically follows the Prince as he heads over to the lands ruled by his elder brother and finds them under siege. From there his brother had this brilliant idea to release a mythical army contained below the city. You know exactly what that kind of asinine thinking leads to. I won't give away the ending but if you've played any of the Prince of Persia games you'll understand what I mean by "The Prince can't seem to catch a break". If he saves the world he loses a love one and to save a love one he'll lose the world (Prince of Persia 2000)... talk about a rock and hard place. Even in games which have a happy ending (Prince of Persia: Warrior Within) the sequel screws it over (Prince of Persia: Two Thrones).

The only way his life could be worst is if he were in a Left 4 Dead game... I guess he kind of is.

That said, the game was interesting and definitely worth a play. I'd advise buying it during a sale.

Hellboy Library Editions

While shopping at comic con I had come across the library editions of Mike Mignola's Hellboy and I bought the first three. You have got to love 50% off sales. Hellboy is awesome, the movies were fun but the comics are far more somber and introspective, a totally different character all together, but both are entertaining so pick which ever you like, I preferred the books.

A large part of that reason is Mignola's art. I have never seen solid black be so rich with unseen potential. The pacing, the silent panels, the character designs, all come together into a masterpiece and the stories are great too.

The library editions are cumbersome to hold and reading them may build some serious muscle, laying in bed, holding them over your head is out... and possibly an attempt at suicide. I found the convenience of having all my story one place to be the appeal for me. Although I found it odd that stories referenced in book two in the past tense were in book three, but that slight hiccup aside they are fantastic.

Chew

So I have finally read the first two collected editions of Chew and the story is actually very interesting, disgusting but interesting.

The protagonist of Chew is detective Tony Chu a cop with a odd ability, he is a 'cibopath'I don't know if this is just made up for the book or if there is some history about this but basically its like psychometry but instead of touching some thing and psychically knowing its history you have to consume it. That's where the comic's name come from. The things Tony has to chew on are at most times stomach churning.

The story is set in a world where the avian flu got to the point that chicken is outlawed and the FDA is the most powerful American government agency. Tony comes to their attention after stopping a serial killer. From there he is thrown into a world of intrigue and betrayal and despite the world spiraling around him Tony remains stoic and focused on just doing his job.

The really great thing about the Chew books I've read so far have been the characters. Everybody even the minor characters have such an individual voice, that the entertainment never stops.

So if you like espionage and intrigue and have a strong stomach I'd suggest you give Chew a read. It's worth it.

Crop Over 2011

The Crop Over season and festival have recently concluded here in Barbados. And while I haven't been to any of the festivities I have hung out with my friends, because despite what the celebration might be, it is your company that makes it special.
^_^

Oh, and new scetches are up.

Computer problems

Well I droped off the net for the past couple of months thanks to some major computer set backs. It is incredible just how much a computer has been intergrated into my life. I'm sure if many of you out there stopped and thought about it, it would disturb you too.

I took the opportunity to start working on a comic project that is a long time in comming but I'll post more about that when I have something completed to show untill then I'm updating my sketchbook with a lot of the stuff that never got posted because of said problems.

New Year

It's valantines and I'm now updating my website for the first time for the year, for shame, for shame.
I have also finally, FINALLY, finished putting up the semi-decent photos from my trip to Chicago. There are new sketches but no new comics, once again, 'for shame, for shame'.
Happy New Year to one and all, hope 2011 washes the bad after taste of 2010 out of my mouth. Also happy Valantine to all the lovers.

Copic Markers

So I was wandering around Wizard World Chicago Comic Con when these incredibly cute women in plaid skirts and white dress shirts caught my eye. (No I do not have a catholic school girl fetish... well no worse than everyone else.) I walked over to their booth and they were selling supplies from a 'Blick Art' store.
Now earlier that week I had dropped a hefty sum at a Blick Art store and wasn't looking to spend more but the hottie wearing a cast (I have no clue how she hurt her arm but it did not detract from a skirt short enough to pass for a belt) showed me
The Copic Black Ink Pro Wallet Kit and said "C'mon, you know you want to." and I was SOLD.
Although I made the purchase with a blank mind and eyes fixed firmly down her shirt it turned out to be one of the better buys I made on my trip.

Over the years I have bought several tools for inking, I've dabbled in Micron's pigment liners, dip pens and brushes, the whole kit and kaboodle. As a rule I prefer the effect I get with brushes but because my hands shake and 'clean up is a bitch' I lean toward pigment liners for most of my comic work.
I've found Copic's Multiliner to perform as well as Micron's Pigment liners and like my Pentel brush pen my Copics are refillable making them my new mainstay over the Microns.

I know of no art stores in Barbados that sells them but if you have the luxury of a well stocked art store near by or are traveling see if you can find some Copics, you just might like them.

Crazier than fiction

I have relaunched my webcomic.
I know I'm possibly the worst updater... like ever but I find when I do a webcomic at least I'm doing something. I have refused any freelance work and now have some time to myself and if all I do is sleep and read it will be a waste.
So I'm changing the name to 'Crazier than fiction' because 'A day in my life' just sounds corny. As usual with my autobiographical stuff all of these things actually happened but some creative license will appear here and there.

I'm going to try to update daily... lets make that weekly... we'll change that to 'as often as I can'. ;)

So enjoy.

Dennis Cadogan

On Saturday the 5th of September 2010 my good friend Dennis Cadogan passed away.
I had just turned in for the night when my phone beeped indicating a text message. It was from my friend Kerry, he and Dennis are cousins. The message asked me to call him, so I did, and he told me the bad news. Something in my chest just dropped.
As I type this it is Sunday and I spent the day in and out of a doze sitting in my room, not knowing what to do with my self. The unsettling thing is that Dennis and I had plans to hang out today, Sunday, but all the potential this day held just seemed to went away.
Goodbye Dennis my friend, you will be missed.

Back from Chicago

I'm back. It was short but sweet.
Above you'll see a link to a photo gallery I'm still in the process of editing pictures to managable size but I did the Comic Con ones first and they are up. I'll try to continue updating through the week.

Wizard World Chicago

Well I'm off to Wizard World, least to say I'm excited, I'm gone for two weeks. I'll tell you all about when I get back.

Mass Effect 2

I gave into the evil temptation that is gaming and bought Mass Effect 2: The Deluxe Edition from Steam and my GAWD, that game is like crack 2.0 I can't get enough. I get to bet after midnight. I go to bed thinking about it I wake up thinking about it, my niece has to drag me off the computer for me to get to work, I... O_o
It's soo sad, I haven't drawn anything in days. Sigh.

You can review Mass Effect 2 all over the web, my two bits is that it is a vast improvement in the mechanics of the first game, but a weak continuation of the story, the fact that Shepherd has the Prothean Cypher in his head played no part in 'ME2' and aside from that I can see no reason someone else couldn't have fulfilled his mission. The DLC is fun but they don't really add anything to the game. I've played Zaeed's section and Kasumi's mission along with the Firewalker pack and I found all of them to be too short and not very engaging.

Here is hoping that Mass Effect 3 keeps the mechanics (which pretty much feel like Gears of War) and bring back the immersive story of the first Mass Effect.

Productivity (a personal observation)

I have been realising that creating comics takes a lot of dedication and, as of late I am very easily distracted.
Between video games, reading (both novels and comics) and sleep I get very little done. My new diet has wrecked my work schedule. I have to eat at certain times which knocks me out of my flow and changes my sleep cycle.

I'll need to be more persistant if I want to get anything done... right after I read over Mass Effect 2 :)

V for Vendetta

Finally purchased the comic 'V for Vendetta'.
When I walked to the second hand book store and found the complete 'graphic novel' for $11 bds I was delighted. I had read a few issues of the series when I was younger but never read the series in its entirety. I had enjoyed the movie but I didn't find the V for Vendetta movie an improvement over what little I had read.

Comic Tastes

I find that I find it difficult to read a comic if the art doesn't resonate with my personal asthetic.
I've noticed this when reading Hellblazer some story arcs gave me a headache and I have to force myself to power through them.

Let me get specific, Let's talk Alan Moore.
For those who don't know Alan Moore is a famous and eccentric writer who works in comics. His works are usually ground breaking and often polarizing, people either love or hate his work but seldom both. I'm one of those few people who both detest and love Alan Moore books. I've loved his work on Watchmen, Tom Strong and what I've read of V for Vendetta and Promethia but I detest The Leauge of Extraordinary Gentlemen and the Tales of the Black Freighter story, in Watchmen. It makes me conclude that I like Alan Moore's writing but I'm a little 'iffy' on his choice of artist. I'm not saying the art in these latter comics are bad, but I am saying that they didn't suit my taste at the time, and so I find them hard to read.

Makes me wonder about the stories I've passed on over the years because of aesthics, I may have overlooked something great.

Zuda closes its doors

I am sad to see Zuda go the way of the Dodo, I was really looking forward to trying again. I find it especially disapointing that I can't continue to follow the series I was reading before (I don't have an iphone and the comixology app bites). I intend to buy Highmoon and Night Owls at Wizard World but when are they going to put out Celedore and Melody (my two all time Zuda faves). And what about my collection and my friends list... I don't have any of those people's emails. It was sad when the competition ended, but it was sadder when DC killed the community page, fortunately the forums are still up but who knows for how long.

Books II

Ordered my newest round of books this time it was The Ultimate Rocketeer collection and Alex Toth's run on Disney's Zorro. Both were incredibly entertaining. I was surprised by two things; how different the Rocketeer Comic was from the movie (I know that should not have surprised me), and that Alex Toth at his worst (he admitted in the foreword that he hacked out the pages after a disagreement with his editor) is better than a lot of other people's best.

Eleventh Doctor

I watched the first episodes of season five of Doctor Who staring Matt Smith as The Doctor. I have to admit Smith does a fantastic job as The Doctor and yes, seeing the trailers, I definately had doubts.

My doubts were laid to rest by a scene in the first episode, "Eleventh hour" when The Doctor and Amelia are sitting in her kitchen, the way Smith said her name "Amelia Pond", I could believe it was the same character played by David Tenant despite the change in actors.

I look forward to this season, it looks like it's going to be good.

Locke and Key

Talk about a roller coaster ride. I heard the Podcasters on Around comics gushing about this book but it wasn't until I saw Gabriel Rodriguez's artwork that I decided to buy this.

I have not been disappointed, the art is great but its the story that completely blows me away. Let me give you a plot point that spoil anything. Key house (the home in which most of the story takes place) is a home filled with magic doors. The Keys to open these doors are hidden through out the property. Most of the keys seem to have a corresponding door but a few are a bit more unique.
Imagine that, it is a wicked concept and the story Joe Hill writes is so compelling that I keep re-reading it and finding something new.

So far I've bought the first two collected editions of this story and I am anxiously awaiting the third.

It is definitely worth the wait and the series is worth the read.

Star Wars Dark Times: Path to Nowhere

I recently bought 'Star Wars Dark times Path to Nowhere', It collects the first 5 books in a new star wars series. That takes place between Episode 3, Revenge of the Sith and Episode 4, A New Hope. The tale follows Jedi Master Dass Jennir and his friend Bomo Greenback in their serch to rescue Bomo's Family.

Without giving too much away this book is aptly named, the writers Welles Hartley and Mick Harrison are telling a terrific tale. But if a story of desperation, violence, lost love and shattered hopes doesn't apeal to you, buy it for the art. Doug Wheatly totally rules. I haven't been this excited about a Star Wars comic since Cam Kennedy's Boba Fett run. I mean holy cow, everything looks so solid and from what I've been able to determine Ronda Pattison colours directly over Wheatly's pencils, no inker... o_O

Rather than me gushing on go to this link and check out the first part of 'Star Wars Dark times Blue Harvest' it is one of the stories that follow 'Path to Nowhere'. Just incase that link doesn't go directly to the page its issue 18, you'll find the issue numbers below the page.

Enjoy the read and go buy the book.

Books

I recently ordered a couple of books through the Book Source. Amulet book 2, Locke and Key books 1 and 2 and Star Wars Dark Times collected edition 1 and they were all great. I plan to buy more graphic novels over the course of this year and cut back on all my excursions to the cinema and bars... the cinema for sure.

Prince of Persia

After over coming Mass Effect, which was a delight, I took a stab at Prince of Persia, I've got to admit it was a lot of fun. The difficulty was not high, although some of the boss battles were button mashing madness, once they were figured out beating them was just a matter of time after all the hero can't die... I'm not being cavalier he really can't die. I mean I jumped off of ledges into "corruption"... on-purpose and nothing happened. Elkia is like a bungee cord.

That aside, I still have no idea how this character ties into being the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Trilogy. In my play through Elkia still has no idea of his background and neither do I (the player).

Prince of Persia was definitely a high adventure, with an expansive world that offered stunning vistas constantly. The game's ending left a lot to be desired but a sequel is supposed to be coming that may or may not answer some questions, either way I look forward to it.

Christmas Gaming

I love computer games because I have a natural affinity for exploration, discovery and adventure along with a natural distaste for getting shot at.

Over the Christmas Holiday Steam was running a massive sale on a lot of titles. I decided now was the time to pick up some games I was dying to play. Both titles I choose were from Ubisoft. The first was the 2008 installment of the Prince of Persia and the other was Assassin's Creed. Now I've already beaten Prince of Persia and have decided to hold off on starting Assassin's Creed until I finish a few projects.

Mass Effect

I know everybody is all about Mass Effect 2 but I lack disposable income and more importantly disposable time so I am behind the times and am now playing Mass Effect. This game is the reason I avoid starting long book series or watching completed seasons of my favorite TV series, I get hooked and can't stop.

Games like Call of Duty 4 (multiplayer) and Team Fortress 2 allow me to game for hours and are infinitely enjoyable they don't make me want to know what will happen next.
Its more about the story than the game play, make it engrossing enough and you have me.

Mass Effect is one such game. The action is fast and enjoyable, the characters are diverse and the situations are sometimes intense. I can't speak on it further because I haven't gotten very far, but I hope it Mass Effect continues along this path as I play it in the future.

Update 20/09/2009

The comic for this week was based on outting a little while back, we had fun and gamed until five in the morning. Good times, good times :)

Update 06/09/2009

Updated webcomic, "A day in the Life".

Update 30/08/2009

Three new sketches added.

Update 23/08/2009

I've put up a new webcomic and two new sketches. Other than that it's been a quiet week.

Brush Pen

I recently bought a Pentel Brush pen, It wasn't expensive but bringing it into Barbados cost me an arm a leg and my first born child. That aside, the pen is definitely a good buy.
If you've checked my webcomic "A Day In My Life" you might notice my attempts, both past and present to use a brush. I'll admit, I suck, but practice will make perfect (at least it can't hurt). Using a brush has lead to me revising my entire work flow, I've started using blue graphite leads for my mechanical pencil, inking directly onto my page rather than using tracing paper and I changed my paper stock preference. "Cartridge paper rules" but I'm making myself to use up my old stock first, waste not want not.

The pros of the brush pen can be summed up in one word "speed". With the removal of a cap the pen is ready to use, no preparation of pallet, water, soap, tissue, clean workspace... nothing comes between you and creativity. This was the reason that for so many years I have used felt pens. Staedtler's Pigment Liners to be precise; but inking with a felt tip pen always felt off (pun not intended). The con of the brush pen is variety. When I worked with conventional brushes I always had three (3) broad brush for filling, a number 2 for most everything else and a number 0 for detail. While versatile with the pentel brush pen, what you see is what you get.