The launch of Fight or Flight also coincides with the release of my new solo effort, Aeolus. This was planned (or just happened to end up as) a three-parter: Part I is due out this month, Part II hopefully by the beginning of February, and Part III is coming out whenever the hell it comes out, so don't rush me.
Yes, I know - your fearless blogger has, in previous posts, made the announcement that "Dark Corner Productions will get a comic out in December, so help us God!!!" And of course that has not happened.
Why?
Well, firstly, we - myself and the inimitable Joe Haines (everyone I know is inimitable) - are a couple of comic book moonlighters with little free capital. There's just no money, and there's just no time. Dark Corner Productions is currently hogtied by its artists' committments. As long as this continues to be the case, we can kiss any definite deadlines goodbye.
Secondly, I've experienced a change in philosophy. I used to be extremely gung-ho about deadlines, considering my previous experiences with comics and comic book artists/editors, but after my failure to produce a comic by December, I have to admit that my outlook has shifted somewhat. It is as if I went from being an idealistic young deadline-Nazi, screaming, "Ve must have ze comic now! Now! NOW!" to playing the grouchy old Irishman, growling, "It'll come out when it comes out, so bugger off" as I swill a giant tankard of beer. Personally, I like the old Irishman better - he gets to drink more - and that deadline-Nazi was a bit of a prick.
Thirdly, I've realized that I'm not Superman - I can't finish a comic in a week and have it look really, really good. I mean, I can finish a ten-pager in a week, but it's more of an ego thing, and anyway my line quality starts to suffer around page six. No - if you want quality, you have to be willing to invest the time. My plots, I think, are definitely starting to improve.
Fourthly, and lastly, I've gotten over my prejudice against producing series. Back when I thought Dark Corner Productions was going to be an anthology comic (much like Comics Obscura, God rest its poor soul), my motto was, "icks-nay on the eries-say", as I thought it would be difficult to follow a multi-issue storyline when there were several stories involved; most readers like one or two artists, and are thus less than enthused when they have to purchase a slew of stories they don't read (A drag-net analogy might be useful here - bringing up the starfish with the sardines, etc). Once I realized that Dark Corner Productions would not be an anthology, however, it became clear that my anti-series hangup was more curmudgeonly than practical; I just didn't want to do the work. A series guarantees sales, as people who like the first part of the story will have to buy the next one and the next one to get the whole thing.
Once I finally admitted that to myself, I stopped trying to cram all of Aeolus into one twenty-page issue. Paring it down to ten pages over three issues is more economical (as the printings should coincide with my paychecks), and the story doesn't suffer from enforced brevity.
At any rate, those are some of my reasons. Yes, I know, things haven't worked out the way they really should have, but believe me - they are working out. I will have Aeolus Part I out this month.
Rick Out.
Yes, I know - your fearless blogger has, in previous posts, made the announcement that "Dark Corner Productions will get a comic out in December, so help us God!!!" And of course that has not happened.
Why?
Well, firstly, we - myself and the inimitable Joe Haines (everyone I know is inimitable) - are a couple of comic book moonlighters with little free capital. There's just no money, and there's just no time. Dark Corner Productions is currently hogtied by its artists' committments. As long as this continues to be the case, we can kiss any definite deadlines goodbye.
Secondly, I've experienced a change in philosophy. I used to be extremely gung-ho about deadlines, considering my previous experiences with comics and comic book artists/editors, but after my failure to produce a comic by December, I have to admit that my outlook has shifted somewhat. It is as if I went from being an idealistic young deadline-Nazi, screaming, "Ve must have ze comic now! Now! NOW!" to playing the grouchy old Irishman, growling, "It'll come out when it comes out, so bugger off" as I swill a giant tankard of beer. Personally, I like the old Irishman better - he gets to drink more - and that deadline-Nazi was a bit of a prick.
Thirdly, I've realized that I'm not Superman - I can't finish a comic in a week and have it look really, really good. I mean, I can finish a ten-pager in a week, but it's more of an ego thing, and anyway my line quality starts to suffer around page six. No - if you want quality, you have to be willing to invest the time. My plots, I think, are definitely starting to improve.
Fourthly, and lastly, I've gotten over my prejudice against producing series. Back when I thought Dark Corner Productions was going to be an anthology comic (much like Comics Obscura, God rest its poor soul), my motto was, "icks-nay on the eries-say", as I thought it would be difficult to follow a multi-issue storyline when there were several stories involved; most readers like one or two artists, and are thus less than enthused when they have to purchase a slew of stories they don't read (A drag-net analogy might be useful here - bringing up the starfish with the sardines, etc). Once I realized that Dark Corner Productions would not be an anthology, however, it became clear that my anti-series hangup was more curmudgeonly than practical; I just didn't want to do the work. A series guarantees sales, as people who like the first part of the story will have to buy the next one and the next one to get the whole thing.
Once I finally admitted that to myself, I stopped trying to cram all of Aeolus into one twenty-page issue. Paring it down to ten pages over three issues is more economical (as the printings should coincide with my paychecks), and the story doesn't suffer from enforced brevity.
At any rate, those are some of my reasons. Yes, I know, things haven't worked out the way they really should have, but believe me - they are working out. I will have Aeolus Part I out this month.
Rick Out.
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