I've always been a fan of The Far Side, and one day while doodling in my sketchbook, I drew an egg wearing a trenchcoat standing over a puddle and two popsicle sticks. I found amusing the idea of an egg detective solving crimes involving 'living' household or grocery items; the idea lingered in my brain until I decided to expand on it.
A fim course at McGill introduced me to film noir; as my idea developed I could visualize Slam (the name came pretty easily, a nod to Denny's breakfasts and egg commercials I remember fondly from my youth) in a black and white world both literally and figuratively.
Here are some early pages that were printed in an issue of Comicopia. They're pretty rough and incomplete, but give an idea of my thought process while developing the concept:
I've always loved the effect that crosshatching produces, and remain a big fan of Gerhard of Cerebus fame.
In 2008 (if memory serves), I submitted Slam as an entry in Platinum Studio's Comic Book Challenge. I was chosen as a Top 10 finalist, and invited to attend the San Diego Comicon to pitch it to judges. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to afford the flight, and didn't win.
However, the experience did tell me I was on to something with my hard boiled detective.
Next week: what happened next, and what's on the horizon with Slam
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