Here's page one of a 4-page comic I drew a million years ago. I still think it's pretty clever, for potty humor written and drawn by a rank amateur. You know, how Spooky goes “BOO!”, but Dooky goes “POO!”, and the little buttcrack in Dooky’s doiby and stuff. And the story actually has a neat twist surprise ending, as you’ll see in 3 days.
I recently sent this artwork to eeTeeD as a love offering. He has been quite supportive of certain things behind the scenes. It just seemed like something that would interest him as a devotee of old obscure Harvey artists. He wrote back with some questions that will now make a nice little interview about this historic document.
eeT: what inspired you to create this story?
me: I just wanted to try my hand at continuity. It is one of my first attempts at a “professional”-looking comic. If not THE first attempt. I’m not sure. I know I started a Pink Panther comic once, and was immediately surprised and frightened at how hard it was to keep the characters looking the same, staging the scenes, everything that looks so easy until you try it. I know the Pink Panther comic never made it past page 1. I also remember starting to illustrate a Harlan Ellison story in comic form. That also never made it past page 1. I think Dooky may be the first experiment like this that I ever actually finished.
was it ever published or submitted to any publications?
I sent it to Kitchen Sink to see if they’d print it in Bijou or any of their anthologies. Of course, Denis K wrote back and said no. And I probably sent it to a couple of other publishers.
i don’t see a lot of pencil lines on the art, were pencils made on separate paper?
Nah, look closer. It has pencils in it.
why the odd oversized dimensions?
Because I was too stupid to notice that the shape of the drawing pad was nowhere near the shape of a comic book.
what kind of paper did you use? it doesn’t seem to be bristol board.
It’s just some cheap drawing pad paper.
***
About cons: Jed almost nailed it in his comments here. I love people, but have social anxiety issues. And what I'll call breadwinner anxiety issues, for lack of a known phrase. Sure, I may be able to sell enough Gnatrat art to pay for my trip - but I doubt it. And even if I did break even, what have I gained? Sitting at a table at a con is hard work for me. I don't want to work hard for zero gain.
8 comments:
I meant TMNT art, but whatever...
Boy! Your lettering sure has improved.
I relate to the social anxiety stuff--I also have this apparent impulse for self-sabotage. It seems that whatever is the exact wrong thing to say or do, I'll discover what it is, and do exactly that thing. I'm practically guaranteed to do what is precisely the most socially innapropriate thing for any given occasion. It's uncanny! And really, it's usually the most inocuous stuff, but it just happens to be stuff that has a way of making me and everyone else in the room uncomfortable.
Well, to be accurate, This isn't so much, "as a rule", but my endurance breaks down the larger the group, and the longer I'm exposed to that group. For short periods of time and in small gatherings I'm practically charming. In a mammoth convention hall filled with people, some, whom I admire, others who are practically heros of mine--well I might as well just pack it in. I'm ready at any moment to blurt out something like, "tits!"
Ok I'm not THAT bad. But close. According to my friend Jesse Reklaw I apparently have no social mask. The technical term for this is: "spazitis".
And yes, buying a plane ticket (someone usually lets me sleep on their floor, so I don't have to pay for a hotel) for the purpose of this apalling excercise seems like the height of extravagance and stupidity. Extravagant stupidity even. Especially considering what it ends up costing me in therapy afterwards. So, not quite bread winner anxiety, but how-are-we-going-to-pay-off-the-credit-cards anxiety.
So, you know, I relate. Or DO I?
This is from eeTeeD. Blogger is still discriminating -
"...your blog won't let me in. i might have to set up
a new account.
anyway, here's what i typed...
dennis kitchen said NO? maybe he would still be in
business if he had said yes!"
This is from me:
I KNOW! Chunky square-shaped Dooky comics could have prevented SO MUCH chaos in the comics industry! I try not to think about it. It makes my stomach hurt!
Aw crud!
I had typed a great thing about Eddie and Jackie and Mr. Hagler and old doo doo comics, and it didn't take!
And I have a google name, but it hasn't gotten in for the last several days.
I'm signing in "old school now."
Sigh.
Unfortunately, it sounded like jed was describing me.
My job trained me out of that- sort of- I have to set up so many large events and conferences (boring medical ones, not fun comic book ones) that I am now suave and confident in nearly any social situation. ALMOST. 85% of the time I'm fine- but the rest of the time I, too, say "tits" in public. Okay, maybe not tits, but I do tend to say dork-tastic things and then laugh, or reference something goofball.
Then again, I have much less fun at big meetings than I used to when I was higher on the dorkus scale. If I hang around the Teamster guys who set up the conference halls I can let my hair down- but around the MDs, even the ones I know, I have to stand off to the side and nod to make sure I don't embarrass my company.
Post a Comment