Friday, April 22, 2011

Gotta start somewhere!

When I was a young teen in the carefree 1980s, I remember strolling into a local depanneur, and noticing a spin rack near the door.




That's where I first discovered comic books.




Leafing through the colorful pages, I was immediately and irrecovably hooked. Using my allowance, I purchased an Incredible Hulk issue (having been a fan of the Bill Bixby series) and read it cover to cover. Through a classmate, I was introduced to Capitaine Quebec, a store that sold only comic books! I collected a variety of titles, including the New Teen Titans.




That particular comic book influenced me significantly. The art was filled with energy and mindboggling detail, and I became a big George Perez fan. I remember creating my own Teen Titans story on foolscap, with the colored mass of papers stapled together proudly.




I still own that 'comic book'. It doesn't look half bad!




As I grew older, I dreamt of breaking into comics, working for either DC or Marvel. Considering the tiny odds of catching some editor's eye, I never formally applied. At the same time, I never really applied myself to properly learning the craft of comic art. Taking Illustration & Design at Dawson College opened my eyes to the hard work and training required to become a successful illustrator, and I was always intimidated by that reality. My skills have slowly developed over the years, although I'm still light years away from George.




Over time, my desire to produce my own comic books has grown. Many germs of ideas have popped into my head, and several have been developed to a point where I'm quite pleased with their potential. Self publishing is incredibly daunting, especially in today's challenging marketplace (comic book sales are on a rapid downward spiral); that being said, I believe strongly that a quality product released regularly can develop a sustainable fanbase. I really can't see what else I'd be happier doing, drawing comics just feels right.




And that's what this blog is all about.




Here, I'll be introducing my concepts, and showcasing what I've managed to accomplish with them so far. Each week, I'll present sketches, background insight into my creative thought process, as well as finished pages. Over time, this blog may become the outlet where my polished material is presented, we'll see how things go. My goal is to ultimately have completed issues for all of my concepts, available to download or purchase. With luck, I'll be able to continue the stories and/or have them collected as graphic novels.




Although I've come this far, I'm not afraid to ask for help. You'll notice a Paypal donation button off to the side; any donations would be sincerely appreciated. Working on this comic book publishing project is a part-time sidebar to my regular work. Any funds I can gather become a tool allowing me to realize my dream and get my concepts off of my drawing board.




I thank you in advance, and hope you'll come back next week!

2 comments:

  1. Good luck with your comics. I'll be following.

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  2. Thank you kindly . It looks like it's gonna take time and good ol' fashioned elbow grease to get the word out, but I'm in it for the long haul.

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