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So, this week in the world…. ISIL attacked the airport and train station in Belgium, killing dozens, and injuring hundreds. In this week Gary Shandling, considered to be the FIRST Seinfeld, Rob Ford, crack Mayor of Toronto, and Phife, from A Tribe Called Quest, died. That was the sad part of the week. Also in this week….A bird landed on Bernie Sanders podium while he gave a speech on why he should be our next president. Later this week he goes on to win all three Caucuses against Hillary Clinton. Providence? Maybe. That was the sad part of the week. Also in this week….A bird landed on Bernie Sanders podium while he gave a speech on why he should be our next president. Later this week he goes on to win all three Caucuses against Hillary Clinton. Providence? Maybe. That was the inspirational part of the week. Lastly in this week, and on a personal note, I found three friends, from childhood, that I would most likely would still have as friends had we kept in touch. One in particular, my blood brother ( Literally pricking our fingers and rubbing your thumbs together, shit I did when we were kids.) I watched The Seven Grandmasters. Forgetting how great it was, it became the “NEW” one of my favorite, Kung-Fu movies. Lastly I learned how breathing certain ways can potentially cure and prevent or at worst control body functions body to withstand sickness bringing mental, physical, emotional health. Thank you Wim Hof. Thanks for the lookout Neal. That was the great part of the week. Oh, yeah, I saw Batman V Superman. That part of the week was….. it was…….. WAIT A TIC! There were events that I just named seemed pretty consequential. Outside of the personal friend re-connect, and the movie choices, I think that everybody experienced those events as well, Right? So, out of those events why can’t I close out the event that was Batman V Superman? CLEARLY, it is TRIVIAL BULLSHIT, especially compared to the other events that either shape our lives in their immediacy, or held weight to sympathetically pause to remember those who touched our lives, whether through laughter, musically, (hence creatively) or in inspiration? Why am I about to write about a MOVIE, in a week of far more consequential acts? Why is it that out of all the things that happened this week, this was the thing that is the most divisive? Why was this the most important thing? Was it? If not, why discuss it? What does it say about us? Where we are? What we’re about? What we prioritize? The answer is simple. Batman V Superman’s, argument is the reflection of not only pop culture, but about the human condition as it stands today. It defines not only what we think, but how we view things. Polarizing as it may be, it is a discussion that is needed. Call it closure call it emotional catharsis, but in the end this argument says more than our reaction to the world events that happened. Their answer is easy: Life ends so …Carpe Diem. The low and downtrodden are manipulated for personal gain by the megalomaniacal and the greedy wanting power and control. Perseverance proves the possible can become likely through work. Batman V Superman argument IS that thing that happens between life and death. It exposes not only how we live, but what we think WHILE WE ARE ALIVE. It exposes our weaknesses, prejudices, and shortcomings all looking to be resolved in order to fix and grow. It has to be discussed. It is about life. Let’s delve. I didn’t know how to approach this at first. I’ve read the reviews, heard the comments, read the responses, and heard all the arguments on, “It was good because...” or, “ It was bad because….”, So, there’s no point on going into that. So with that I’ll give my opinion on the movie in one sentence and get to what I was referring to in the beginning. I didn’t like it….. At all. Ok, that was two sentences.. kinda, but you get my drift. Done. Now, lets talk about the reason why I can’t finish what that was in my past week of life. The first reason: Conversation. There is none. It’s a dodge ball match. Fanboys run to one side, Haters to the right (tee-hee). The whistle goes off, everybody scrambles for a ball. Your hit, your out . You catch the ball , a member of your team is back in. On and on it goes. Every conversation I heard about this movie was a point of view, mostly closed, mostly personal. I read valid points get shot down and shrugged off as opinion. I saw reasonable doubt validate story execution. I saw personal opinion and taste warped into being hailed as ridiculous dribble and nonsense. With some I agree and with some I don’t, but what I DIDN’T SEE WAS A CONVERSATION about what we as a collective didn’t like, and as a collective what we did like, and how it all translates into piece the work which frankly should be judged. Oh, an for those who say ,”You shouldn’t judge this.” I say,” then DC/ Warner shouldn’t have released it. But I digress. Opponents were labeled as haters and non- fans of comic books, which was totally stooopid( Spelled incorrectly for effect). Proponents were labeled uncultured dumb-asses that can’t tell as story from a hole in the ground. I’ll say this. From the onset, meaning from the time this movie was announced and teams were formed, I watched the political story of who and why this movie was being made, and I didn’t like what I saw. The first trailer hits, and with that I saw things I agree with things I didn’t. That’s pretty much how it went until the release. I watched with the optimism that whatever fear I owned ( yup….owned) would be sold off by the time the movie was over. It wasn’t. In fact I owned more than before. In the end, having my opinion, I sought two very close friends who saw it, and who’s opinions I respected about the flic. Mind you, they were comic heads. Mind you both of them were invested in creating and about the value of art. Mind you their opinions both differed from mine. And so started the discussion about WHY. Not a dodgeball match. A clear and political discussion about what we disagreed on. Between the two conversations, one after another, about 4.5 hours on the telephone, and a total face ache later I was happy with our outcome, and I believe so were they. We yelled, we screamed, I might’ve lost some hair or even greyed a little. It was heated, it was intense, it as perverse, but in the end I learned and I taught. Oh…. and in that conversation and on an unrelated note, one of them TOTALLY destroyed Avengers Age of Ultron for me. Through logic and reason. I’ll never watch that movie the same way again. In the end I got one of my buddies to look again at “The why” he felt the way, he felt, (I thought he was projecting), and learned from the other that in the end the movie was about’’ the internal hardships we all face that battles with the outside forces that look to twist that struggle to its agenda.” Wait, did he just channel the Dalai Lama? That last one although metaphorically was so sound Warner should HIRE that friend as their Press Agent. Wow. Not the movie I saw…. At least in its execution. But I digress…. again. Here’s my point. Comic books are at a critical point. That point is artistic validity or passive novelty in pop culture. Comic book movies, along time coming now, partly because technology’s ability to portray these grand ideas in a literal fashion plus the IDEA-LESS machine that is Hollywood to barely create anything substantial, let alone, NEW, will decide which side the coin flips. So how do comic book shows portray themselves? Is it the grittiness sprinkled with a dash of hope like Daredevil on Netflix? The total re-hashing of the Batman’s origins and his city like Gotham on Fox? The totality of other stories told before it in order to acquaint the audience to the gathering of a team movie like the Avengers. Or maybe the real life interpretation of powered beings and vigilantes dealing with not only their arch-enemies, but the political structure and society they live in like The Watchmen? Comic books and Graphic novels, where these ideas started, had to have something that would make them appeal to the reader. This thing something would allow them to grow. That growth gave them the light to attract the powers that would turn those comics into the blockbuster movies or successful TV series they were to become. Something that gave fanboys the chills when the lines they read in comics were translated to larger forms of media. That’s the second thing: SUBSTANCE. The substance carries weight to the idea that was executed through story. So, where are we now? What do we consider substance? Do we even consider it? Since we are ultimately talking about Batman V Superman, I can ask: Did it have substance? Was it something that could stand alone, or was it idea of a movie ONLY MADE for the promise of what’s to come by that said movie being set up being a set up for the REMATCH, or in this case, SEQUEL? I can tell you this: It doesn’t work for Boxing. So here it is.. It’s love. We fight about whether something we love is better if parts, regardless how insignificant make the whole, or does the entirety of the thing only validate the success of it? Truth is we won’t know until we stop yelling personal plot points at each other and talk…. TRUTHFULLY. I’ll go first. I love comics. So much I decided to make my own. That’s how you show your love. It influences what you do, or how you act. Sometimes both. I used to as a kid to have discussions on whether The Hulk could beat EVERYBODY in the Marvel Universe. Right now the WAY that argument progressed seems more valid than HOW we, as grownups are talking about things now. In comics arguments there were rules: The angrier Hulk became, the stronger he became. So he could just overpower everybody, hence.. HE WINS, Right? Not quite. The point would then shift to a counter point. It then became: How do you beat the Hulk WITHOUT trying to overpower him? The argument became tactical. We were children. There’s no excuse for how we do it now….AS ADULTS! Here’s some indisputable points: Fact should override opinion only if you are talking about something tangible. Opinions can be valid if it isn’t meant to override fact. They can mix, and still exist in the same space and both be right, but it might need a little give and take. You need to accept the truth about it. It’s not always just two points of view. Sometimes one, sometimes five. It’s not always about fact. It’s not always about opinion. The situation or conversation decides that. “Is Superman faster than a jet speeding at its fastest?” is not the same as,” Can Supes fly faster than a speeding jet?’ Both are the same question both can be answered both factually and opinionated. The difference is the latter question can add nuance but the first is a straight question. We should listen and teach… if you can, but be open to learn if you can’t teach. Don’t worry, you won’t catch on fire if your disproved. Take from someone who has first hand experience with that. WE ALL LOVE COMICS. If we didn’t we wouldn’t be talking about this. There’s on more thing. It’s about the love. If you love something , you protect it. No, that doesn’t mean be ready to “ jap a bitch” for attacking the thing you love. Instead you listen to their gripe and be open to see if it holds validity. If it doesn’t: you win. If it does, you can fix it: YOU WIN!!!. “See you can have your cake and eat it too. That’s what cake is for” ~Martin Reamy. Love that line…... I heard someone say,” If your looking for Inception in a comic book movie your stupid!” I don’t agree No, it doesn’t have to be complex, but it does need one more thing. It can’t be made just to make money. It shouldn’t ride the success of the previous thing as purpose of its existence. It can’t be made to fix what the thing before it got wrong. It cant be the thing to set up the next thing.( Yes, I said it again.) It can’t be only great in some parts but bad overall. It can’t have plot holes bigger than the overall story. It can’t rely on A class actors or big budgets to carry its weight. It can’t be accepted because you WANT to like it. Those are facades: they’re trending. They’re cool. All those thing are attempts to be the thing that DOES matter; The “thing” that stands the test of time. 2001.The Sandman. A Tale of Two cities. Hard Boiled. Butch and Sundance. Y, the Last man. The Matrix TRILOGY. Conan the Barbarian. Kingdom of Heaven ( UNCUT version). Mad Max Fury road. That is the third thing: It needs to be BRAVE. That’s what makes it RELEVANT. Not cool. Not trending. Would you accept this movie as it was if it was the comic version? Comics are the brave fathers of the lesser children that are their movies... so far. That is a tactical argument. I kept the nine year old. I love comics. I love the IDEA of comic book movies. I want them to be taken seriously. I want them to be art. In order to do this, they need to be better. Some are good, most are ok, some are bad. None are taken as art, but some of their sources are. Until Steve jobs came along, the computer was a thing not used by the common person. Jobs believed and strived to make the computer something more. He strived to make it a work of art. Now it’s a mainstream staple: A necessity in our lives. What if comics could become “that” thing?
Stop the bullshit arguing. See the thing for what it is. The world is looking at that thing you love will be judged on what you hold it up to be. Admit and fix what is wrong before that thing is judged against your belief. Then it will be too late. Be the comics you’ve read. Be truthful. Be brave. One more thing: If we're gonna talk about the LEAST important thing that was this past week, we should at least make it count. Rant over. From inception to, omega. End to end control....LITERALLY!(Previously posted on 2/23/2016)4/21/2016 I have a quote on my corkboard over my desk, that I read everyday. Call it a source of inspiration. Call it “a one (of many) mantras” I have. Hell, call it whatever you want. Here it is. NOTE* THE BEGINNING IS A LITTLE LOST IN TRANSLATION. “No food without blood and sweat. Farmers are busy: framers are busy If farmers weren’t busy where would grain get to get through winter come from? In winter the lazy man freezes to death Don’t depend on heaven for food. But only your own two hands to carry the load Unless to ask for crops, it all depends on hard work and fertilizer If the man works, the land will not be lazy. ~Old Chinese proverb~ Truth is, I would and should reach out more to promote through the social networks. I agree and disagree with that last statement. Promotion is the thing that is needed in order for people to know that the work even exists, and in the constant stream of content on social media networks, a day lost is a day you're forgotten. Where I disagree with that is the reason I don’t post constantly is because well,…. I’m working to bring you more content. Being an independent comic creator is tough. Though I consider my peers in comics necessary and important to my development,(both major publishers as well as independents, {Note: I will not say “Indy”/ See my article called: “What’s wrong with Indy” to know why.}) at the end of the day we’re all competing for your dollar. With all the different types of heroes, villains, art styles, writing styles, genres, etc. Its hard to keep up. Doing that while being an independent publisher: IT’S MISSION IMPOSSIBLE! That’s cool; I was one of my favorite shows when I was little. So I guess psychologically, I’m attracted to that notion knowing I’ve just made m journey tougher. But isn’t that what matters? Isn’t it the journey important and not the destination? I say yes. And the journey I’ve embarked on has brought me to this point. If you were to list my credentials on a resume one could post the following: Artist writer, colorist, letterer, publisher, editor.. (Wait scratch that last one. I’ll get into that in another posting.) Moving on; Social media correspondent, web developer, graphic designer, accountant, financial manager, corporate sponsor, fan boy (yes of my own shit), hype-man, CEO, CFO, cook, morale booster, janitor. Not bad eh? Look out Mr. Stark! I think you get it, I do it all. Everything you see here ( except editing….. NOW), I DO. Good or bad, whether it works or not, it on me. I can now add one more .…. BOOK PRINTER! Wait, what?!? Yup. I now print my own books. Truth is it’s one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve made since I’ve ventured out on my own adventurous adventure of independent comicbookdom. To create something from your mind, and see it to fruition has to be one of the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had, and to that, to hold the final product now KNOWING that I have not only created it, but put it together with my own two hands, having complete control in that is just another piece that is the completion of me. That completion comes from the fact that in the end, I want to create a product for those who are interested will not only enjoy artistically, but not in craftsmanship as well. The funniest thing: It was born out of necessity and a little bit of luck. Wanna hear how? Keep reading. So here goes. In looking to print the first copies of LEGACY, the second in the trilogy of Sons of Fate, I found out that my printing prices had gone up…. in a little less than a year, by almost 60%. Mind you. Legacy is a bigger book than Origins by about a quarter, but even after plugging in my old numbers for the first book, the price was significantly higher. The company, I had print my books mind you, are great at what they do. Better still, they are one of the cheapest games in town, and we had a great rapport. Seriously, if I were ever in town, I ‘meet up with them and take them out for drinks. They were that good. Couldn’t be mad. It’s the law of supply and demand, and like I said they were still the cheapest game in town, with GREAT results where their competitors charge double and TRIPLE the amount for the same if not worse results. So, with the situation of having not one, but two, and soon three graphic novels under my belt, with each one larger than the previous, I was in a pickle. The NUMBER ONE problem with small publishers in the comic field (I think) is sustainability, and overall cost for any comic publisher is printing. The big three, and the smaller rest have printing deals, distributors, marketing, sponsors, hype men, etc.… backed by bigger companies that can not only sustain them through the highs and lows of the market, but can crush those who are not in their circle with these sustained assets. So, you see how see how anything like higher printing costs, would drain my ability to keep making books, which in turn would cause me to raise the price of the book just to keep up with the cost, which would cause those who are interested to.. jump ship because of that price hike the big wigs can keep their prices low because of the low overhead due to their enormous print run and most importantly…BRAND! I get it. More importantly, they get it. And a lot of independent publishers don’t. And for that, that are killed by costs, NOT a lack quality of their product, which in the end SUCKS… for everyone. True North is cool, but my true north has caverns, and lakes and mountains I have to skirt around and still head north. So as you can guess, I can’t have any wasted moves. So, now we’re done with the economics of Independent comic ownership. Let me finish the tale. So here I am NYCC 2015. I was invited to a pre-show panel where there were fellow artist talking about there experiences I the field. Alitha Martinez was one of them: DC artist, and independent book publisher. So, as you can see, she’s a master at her craft. Check out her work. www.ariotstorm.com Anyhoo, The show has started, and I start my usually convention path, meeting, greeting, and selling. Eventually I happened upon Alita’s table in Artist Alley. We re-acquaint ourselves, and I take a look at her work. I go to comment her on how great her books look not only in artistic style, but also in craftsmanship (hard cover, soft cover, big and small formats ect). She mentions, almost in happenstance, that she PRINTED EVERYTHING HERSELF. Postcards, posters, and most impressively, ALL HER BOOKS. I was floored! “ What?!?!? How?!? “, I asked. Then she went to explain to me her process and what she used. Mind you, to a person she just met yesterday, and a potential rival. That was how awesome she is. (Which is scary.) At first, her terminology, and process was all Greek to me (I don’t speak Greek), but she had answers to “You made this!! This hardcover book! This high gloss book interior and exterior pages, the sleeve, the jacket?!? All to a resounding, “Yup!”. I quickly realized that although I didn’t speak the language she spoke, I needed to learn it. I stopped her in mid-sentence. I told her that I would be back tomorrow with pen and paper and like Lex Luthor (played my Kevin Spacey) told Jor-El in that.. TOTALLY SHITTY MOVIE (Yeah, I said it!) Superman Returns, and when I do….“ Tell me everything.” And when I returned she did just that. Paper companies, printer types, which printer does what, which is better for which project, how to, when too, when not too… EVERYTHING!! A human Google, without looking for the answer without knowing the question. Impressive. So, with that I started to investigate the information she gave me. IMMEDIATELY not only did I see others praising the products she suggested, but how others who used these techniques, of self printing where far happier wit the end result than having done by a third part. The photography field in particular. From the printer, to the ink, and the paper, when added up, was all reasonably less than what I had to pay for with the high-end results at the expensive end of printing. Most importantly I had the one thing I wanted. I got what call the STEVE JOBS. What the hell is the Steve Jobs? It’s simple. It’s END-TO-END control of my product. Alitha showed me a way to not only print out my products, as I need them (which saves money), but at a fraction of the price (which saves money), and with better quality (which saves money), and have them turn out HOW I need them to be. ~It needs to say “Hello.”~ STEVE JOBS. That last thing I said it what’s important to you, those who are interested in what I produce. My fist and foremost reason to being independent was so that I could bring a product that I thought to be quality. It’s because of this I was able to make the Sons of Fate Hardcovers (AKA coffee table Editions), in which the covers are made of wood. Each personally hand crafted, and something I could NEVER do unless I did it independently. See how much I love you guys? I wanted to make something that I myself would want to own. And now through self-printing I can achieve that. Here are the results. OK, HERE'S THE MONEYSHOT! EVEN IT THIS TOTALLY BLEACHED FROM FLASH PIC I TOOK, YOU CAN SEETHE BUMP IN COLOR AND DEEPNESS OF BLACKS. I USE ARCHIVAL MATT PARER WHICH ALLOWS THE COLORS AND BLACKS TO POP. THE WHITES ARE WHITER, AND EVEN THE GLARE IS GONE ON THE PAGE I PRINTED. OH, BY THE WAY, IMAGES AND TEXT ARE JUST AS IF NOT EVEN CRISPER. YEWOSER!!! Yup. Whereas before I as limited by budget constraints and walking that fine line between fighting the good fight and living to fight another day, now, I can do both. The idea implemented to conclusion brought you the story, art, colors, letters, were all brought forth by me, now I can add the intensity of the colors, the deepness of the blacks, the mood, the design, the paper. Intended points in mind of creators, but can get lost in third party development.
Don’t believe me, watch Mad Max: Fury road on HBO. Colors are sooo dulled down compared to the theatrical screening. It is the closest thing I’ve ever done in the comic field that could represent an archival print. That was the goal from me to you: Actual, personal art End to end control. That is and forever will be the goal. Taking myself out of what I say next. Support independent ideals. Support independent comics. There are creators (in every field) who are re-inventing how and what we as consumers buy in this world: in the quality of what they sell. Sadly most of the time they are swallowed up or over-shined by powers that just have the muscle to do so. Be attentive to what’s in your face although you may not be looking at it. Thank you Alitha. “You can have your cake and eat it too. That’s what cake is for.” You were right Martin. He gets it. Thanks for listening….well reading. GOOD NEWS: If you subscribe, to blackberryjuice.net, GREAT NEWS: Subscription is free and you get FREE UPDATES as well as free art swag. SO, THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO SUBSCRIBE.
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SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE for access and to receive updates and discounts on merchandise on blackberryjuice.net And,... don't forget you free desktop wallpaper!! SONS OF FATE,SPIDERMAN, BATMAN, IN A FIST FIGHT FOR READERS (Previously posted on 8/30/2015)4/21/2016 WHAT’S WRONG WITH INDY? I hear a lot of people talk about the demise of the comic industry. Books aren’t as good as they used to be, there’s no story continuity, The art is just ok, etc… Another thing I hear is independent comics are the new lifeblood of the comic industry. They are far more creative, the art is new and inventive ect… I have issues with both of these ideas; with some of what is being said I agree, and disagree with others. In the end I believe that it is a matter of personal opinion, BUT that opinion should be based on fact. I want to discuss these issues along with solutions I believe would help solve the rift within comics. Let’s delve. I’m just gonna say it. Mainstream comics aren’t what they used to be. I say that much like I say that movies, music, and other forms of entertainment aren’t either although TV is makin’ a hell of a comeback ( Thanks cable and internet network shows for raising the bar.) As an 80’s child, and now, with a child of my own, I am constantly making the comparison how what THINGS were like then in compared to now. Nine times outta ten, the older stuff wins. The 80 comics fall under that umbrella. I’ll say '80's to the millennium. It’s strange to me, with all the new technology, the mass use of the internet,and comic based movies one would think that the comic medium and industry would thrive. I can’t say that is hasn’t, but it has definitely EXPANDED. I was in the comic store the other day. In front of me was a massive wall of comics to choose from. I didn’t know where to start. Let me explain; I didn’t know where to start because there were so many comics, but because each title had sub-titles. Those sub-titles were not expansions of the main title (ok, some of them were), but most of them weren’t. These sub-titles were elsewhere books, alternate reality books or single character off shoots. Hears the problem: Hardly any of them carried continuity into and throughout the main book. What’s worse, a lot of the main stories have pivotal, and practically yearly events, wherein which a major BOMB DROP happens, only to have that event almost unwritten. With that, the event becomes meaningless, and alienates the reader, by making them feel like they wasted their time and money on said comic. Lastly COMICS DON’T STOP! There is no ending in sight. No changing of the guard, no climax, and most importantly, no resolution to why that said hero donned their outfit in the first place. I know, I know, evil never dies, but it seems neither do our heroes. In the end some are re-booted only to tell the same story again. Let me say this. I DO NOT believe that ALL mainstream comics ARE BAD, or even those who follow certain story arcs, reboots, and endless issues are bad. Some actually have really good reasons why they do what the do, THERE IS NUANCE IN EVERYTHING, but amass all the titles out there, picking a title to read can be dubious, while finding a new and original story amongst the wall is downright daunting. Ok, where mainstream failed, we have independent comics. Cool. INDEPENDENT COMICS, I don’t like saying INDY, ( and I’ll address that in a few) are a place to go to see new and original titles, a broader range of styles and a fresh take on what you would call a comic books. Here’s the rub: These books are hard to find. Most comic stores don’t carry Indy books unless distributed by Diamond Distributors, and most aren’t taken seriously. They get put in a separate section, away from the mainstream books and are most often glossed over. I mentioned earlier the fact that I didn’t like calling these books Indy. To me calling Independent Books ,” Indy” belittles them. Indianan Jones wasn’t called Indy by anyone in his respected fields ( except for close friends of course). Could you imagine in Raiders of the Lost Ark, where Bellock is giving that speech in the standoff between he and Indy ( see what I did there) when Indian Jones was going to blow up the ark? How powerful or meaningful would that speech been if he called him “Indy” anytime throughout?!?! That’s my point about Independent Comics. Respect earned is respect demanded. Image is an independent company. No on calls them an “Indy” company. Be like Image Comics, but that my friends fall within the individual making those independent books. It also implies what you think of your book. At least it suggests it to others , including potential customers. I’m an artist, FIRST AND FOREMOST. I want to sit down at my desk, and draw. I an ideal world, I make my art, and it magically goes to those who want and appreciate my efforts, CASE CLOSED! That is the ideal world. In the real world, I know and understand that there is a business aspect along with the art side. Truthfully, the business side is a lot more time consuming and VITAL to the masses even seeing my contribution to comic books. With that I understand that I am competing with not only other independent creators and their creations, but The BIG THREE, and ALL the other larger independent books out there. More importantly, I’m selling my books against INSTALL BASES in the MILLIONS that go back DECADES! Fuck it, I QUIT! Now, I am only kidding, but the realistic look at the situation is a dire one. HOW DOES MY BOOK, SONS OF FATE BEAT SPIDERMAN, OR BATMAN, IN A FIST FIGHT FOR READERS? How can I even compete when I love these titles? Titles I grew up on? Titles that taught me morals (other than my parents), and the difference between good and evil? How does my little, ONCE A YEAR BOOK, match up to hundreds of once a month books with a legacy that go back 50+ years? In places mind you, where most stores wont buy the book or because it’s not familiar, and therefore there is no guarantee that it’ll sell (My big-ups than humble thanks for those store who have bought copies.). Again, I’m not assigning blame nor am I blaming anyone for not giving Independent comics the serious look that we deserve, BUT there IS a culture. There is no one reason for this “ culture “ to exist. It’s more of a perfect storm of situations and circumstances. I’ll use my all time favorite Independent comic book , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) for example. When TMNT came out I was in fifth grade. My mom who wasn’t (at first) too keen on me reading comic books absolutely OUTLAWED TMNT in the house. She thought that it was too violent and bad lanuguage. For a 10-11 year old boy, she had a point( my mom is awesome BTW). So, what’s a young aspiring, hard headed, comic-loving adolescent to do? KEEP BUYING THEM AND HIDE THEM FORM HIS MOTHER. Let me stop right there and say this! Disclosure: I DO NOT CONDONE, NOR AM I SAYING THAT CHILDREN SHOULD HIDE ANYTING FROM A PARENT OR DISOBEY THEIR PARENT IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM!!!! My mom is fully aware of this, I have taken my licks and we have both moved on amicably and laugh at it today. ( Like I said before, She is AWESOME!) So back to the story, I kept buying the books and hid them from my mom. I was a BIG Marvel and DC fan spending about $10 a week in books ( at 75cents a book that’s a lot), but TMNT was a whole different world. It went places and took chances that even Marvel and DC didn’t do although back then when they were far edgier. TMNT held its own with those books and then some. Now we all know the story of Eastman and Laird selling of the franchise to survive, I get that, and I sympathize, and we know that they BOTH have landed on their feet and are doing well, BUT……. Their franchise was turned on its head. It went from a kiddie cartoon, to muppets ( not the actual Muppets), for their movie debut ( which ironically was the best of these attempts minus the pizza reference marketing ploy and outside of the 2007 TMNT animated movie), through comics, and each time in its re-imagining, slowly killed the kid who read those oversized beautiful black& white, curse filled, violent comics. That book carried A SERIOUSNESS to them in the absurdity that four turtles were trained in the art of Ninjitsu, by a rat, and took on a ninja clan that went back hundreds of years. To this day I haven’t seen a FAITHFUL adaptation of that great book. The movies are still geared towards kids and the ridiculous notion of changing the art to make a buck. The IDW book aren’t bad, and the BEST attempt toward a good story and art, but They don’t get my vote until they go to all RED HEADBANDS AGAIN! Oh, wait they did! ..GOOD JOB!!!!! WAIT, THEY WENT BACK TO DIFFERENT COLORS?!?!? Seriously?!?! That’s what Independent books are missing. Seriousness. Not in there art or the story either, and that’s the worst part. The seriousness in lost in demanding that the books that individuals put out should be regarded just a much as any mainstream book out there. PERIOD! Truthfully, a lot of independent creators are making their creations by themselves or with VERY SMALL TEAMS whereas the big three and other companies have a staff with each person dedicated to a task from the art to the marketing and business end. Personally, I am everything to the CEO to the janitor in the making Sons of Fate, and I’m here it tell you,….IT AIN’T EASY!!! Hell, it’s damn near impossible!!! So, in wrapping up, to the mainstream I say this to you: Whatever I am, whatever I do in comics is from the amalgamation of great ideas, and beautiful artwork I have had the IMMENSE PLEASURE in experiencing through your books. That, anime, and STAR WARS (especially Star Wars). You have challenged me, fought me, twisted and turned me. You have made me see what I am made of, and I express out that through the books I now produce. They are the result of those experiences from your pages into and through mine. With that said,…You are NOT lesser children of GREATER MEN. For the ones that don’t, MAKE BOOKS THAT REFLECT THAT FACT! Also, I know there is a notion going around that comics are for kids, or there should be a demographic based system. Nah, don’t do that! Books with adult content is fine ( i.e. MARVEL MAX), but as for the standard books please don’t sacrifice story for appropriateness. Look, I got it when Colossus had to come back from the Secret Wars and tell Kitty Pryde “I fell in love with an alien girl whom I only left because she was killed while I was away. Sorry” ,Sue Richards Running around With Namor ALTHOUGH she was still married, and lastly, one of the favorite X men story from creators, enthusiast, and critics alike, including me, Life Death: A Love Story. Don’t patronize kids thinking it may disturb them or they may not get it. I did and thrived from it. They will too. Plus, you’re an adult FAR LONGER than you are a child so you’ll appreciate those stories longer. I read Watchmen when I was 12. CHANGED MY LIFE! Sorry mom. She didn’t know that. To al my independent creators, I say this: I have met quite a number of you in my travels. You are all great people, your ideas are even greater and I commend you for following your dreams to completion; with or without help, support or acceptance (I empathize on that.). With that, I cannot express enough to demand the respect your creation deserves. Don’t be a carbon copy of another story already popular or has tenure. It is a waste of time. Who would buy Spider Man or the indy book Man-Spider ( My apologies to anyone who made a Man-Spider comic. It was unintentional, and just used as an example). Don’t call your book Indy, not even for short. We don’t call Lawerence Fishburne, Larry Fishburne anymore. I remember when he first changed his name to the proper. I was like, “ Who does he think he is?” Note to my past self,” He’s MORPHEUS, bitch!!!” Be like Lawerence Fishburne(Hell, I can’t even say Larry anymore.). If we demand to be looked at as equals, potential fans will look at our book as such. Liking it may well be another thing entirely.
Lastly, and I mean lastly, I asked earlier how could my book Sons of Fate compete with such beloved books which span our entire existence? The answer is simple.: I Do the BEST book I can. Is Sons of Fate in most comic books stores: No. Eventually I will distribute through Daimond… eventually. For the books that do. Have they sold? Honestly, it’s about 50/50. It’s hard buying a book you don’t know against a book you do know. Especially when the book is a whopping $25 graphic novel with characters and stories your not familiar with to a $15 graphic novel with characters and stories you are familiar with. It’s a hard Sell. Personally, I’d prefer the new thing, but I’m biased! Most of my sales are through shows, store signings and www.blackberryjuice.net NOT TO GO ALL DONALD TRUMP but I will say this: Those who purchased Sons of Fate LOVED IT, and they should!!! It is a great book, with great art. The story is unique and original and most importantly, I made it to be a book that help move the comic field forward not for just a profit. If I can inspire a kid to go into comics…. I’D TELL HIM TO RUN LIKE HELL!! Just kidding. If I could inspire a kid to get into comics just as past books and artist inspired me to do so. That would be enough. I’d put my book up against any graphic novel out now and ask you to decide. I believe in it THAT MUCH! After all, at one point, Spidey, Bats, Wolvie, and Supes were once Indy books as well. Thanks for listening. Rant over!! In the comic world today, our heroes deal with a range of situations, and from that emotions. Why wouldn’t they? After all, their consequences for their actions are usually something on the lines of global (or even in some cases) galactic devastation. That’s a lot of pressure on an individual (or team), and with that those situations probably have emotional consequences as a result right? Not too much. It seems that nowadays the hero (usually) or villain has no residual effect on what they have done or what has happened to them. If they do, in most cases, it isn’t long lasting and hardly has any effect on the story in the long run. That I don’t get. I understand that the heroes I’m talking about are larger than life and in that can deal with anything and everything thrown at them. I get it, but I don’t like it. It’s not enough. To me, if there is an emotional tie, it makes the character that much more interesting. My two favorite comic book character are without doubt Magneto and Batman. I know, I know, everybody likes Batman: Playboy billionaire by day, masked vigilante by night. No powers, but can beat Supes (strongest character in that universe) in a fight using nothing but his will and intelligence. What’s not to like? I like Batman and Mags (I going to refer to Magneto as that from here on in.) however, because they were molded into those larger than life beings by the TRAUMA they went through. Young Bruce saw his parents murdered whist helpless to do anything about it, as Mags (Erik Lehnsherr) who not only survived the attempted genocide of the Jewish faith (the Holocaust), but also the bigotry of mutant persecution which caused the death of his wife and love of his life Magda. Seriously, who wouldn’t be able to at worst SYMPATHIZE with Mags and why he is the way he is. These traumas in their lives are what give them the will to fight whatever fight they have. In that they are so much more interesting than most character s in comic books today. In creating Sons of Fate, I had the opportunity to take what I love best about storytelling and use them. Kamau’s scar he received while protecting his friend from an attacking cheetah is the physical manifestation of the beginning of that trauma. To him, it is a constant reminder of his failures in the story, although he received the scar actually doing something good. When in distress you will see Kamau stroke the side of his face. If you look throughout Sons of Fate (ORIGINS), you will see when he starts to do this and how this action coincides with the current situation. It is further explained and explored in the follow up sons of Fate (LEGACY). In the second of the three part trilogy, the trauma has developed, and the reader is starting to see the RESULT of that trauma not only from what we know that happened in the previous book, but the unknown events which helped him to get to Japan. In short, Kamau has PTSD. I wanted my protagonist to not know where the line is and in sometimes cross it. The events that happen in his life have profoundly affected him in a way where he is so focused on what he believes is the right thing to do, he misses whether he should do it or not. The reason of the immaturity in his actions are a result of that trauma happening early on in his life and only having sporadic moments of guidance. In short, he has to figure things out by himself as he goes on, not making the wisest decisions because of that fact. For me that is the only way the character will grow. Trained by some of the greatest samurai, but not emotionally stable to fully utilize those skills to make the world better. The one thing he wants to do. With that, the burden, and responsibility of carrying the weight fate has unwittingly burdened him with. Forging the history of Japan. I know, I went all heavy in the end. well, …IT IS HEAVY.
In the end, Sons of Fate could be called a morality tale. There are consequences, and those consequences not only play out to those involved, but also have a long lasting and far-reaching effect. There are lessons to learn. I wouldn’t call it a morality tale however. To me it is just a life in the lives of many. A situation we all face (although not a grand and far reaching. To me, it is life. An ordinary story wrapped in a Western Samurai Epic. In the ongoing documentation of the journey of creating Sons of Fate (LEGACY), wanted to discuss idea of emotional content with in the comic industry. After all, with out emotion how would there be conflict? There has to be some sort clash of ideologies between two forces to spark what we pick up and read everyday and read right? Without some sort of emotional base how can we have conflict? LET’S JUMP IN. There isn’t as much emotion happening in comics today. Don’t get me wrong, its still there and there are a lot of creators who execute this idea in their comics, but between the SHEER NUMBER of comics that get published (mainstream and independent), that idea has dwindled greatly. Before I get started let me say that I DO NOT consider comics to be something created to mindlessly entertain: style without substance if you will. Some of the most deep and engaging stories I’ve EVER read were comics books. Books in their own right have the magic of the reader imagining the world as they read them, but comics come with a visual interpretation that come along with the story. Like books comics CAN have a range of age appropriateness in mind, but at the base there should always be an engaging and at its core emotionally ground floor whether it be a story of revenge, love retribution, or even everyday affairs. In creating Sons of Fate I wanted to do just that. I want the reader to know and understand not only what is going on, but also WHY it is happening. For me the only way I can do that is to have an emotional core. I want my character to feel, I want the STORY to have feeling. I said before, without feeling, what’s the point? If the story can be tied to an overall reason, all the other things fall into place. That reason is usually from an circumstance or instance that sparks emotion and sets that story into motion. So, the other day, I got to a point in drawing Sons of Fate story that moved me emotionally. I knew it was coming, after al I wrote the story as well, but to finally put pen to paper became very hard to me. WITHOUT SPOILERS I will say that it was a sad moment. More than that, it was an emotionally pivoting point in the storyline. I was bothered to execute the illustrations that I created in the writing process, but was something necessary to keep the story going. It wasn’t done for shock value or just to add a twist for “twits sake”, it was necessary. As an illustrator of comics, I drawn a ton a number stories and I never experienced that before. It was powerful. And more importantly I don’t think it was because I WROTE IT, but then again it is because I wrote it. What I mean by that is my overall outcome is for the reader to sympathize ( or even empathize) with what is happening. If I can do that, then I’ve done my job as a storyteller. I think I did….. I hope I did. Anyway on a lighter note, I wanted to give you a little sneak peek of the pages I call “ the pages of 10,000 brushstrokes. I had a TON of fun with these pages. It was something so obvious, yet a “situation” I’ve never drawn before. Figuring out how to do it, I looked back at the past greats, in particular FRANK MILLER. Thanks Frank, for the inspiration! Gonna end it here with a sneak peek of Sons of Fate (LEGACY), in particular, one of the pages of 10,000 brushstrokes. Thanks again for listening( or reading). See you soon. On another note, Daredevil on Netflix is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!THE PINNACLE of what comic media brought to television SHOULD BE!!!!! True to the core of that story.
Story, …STORY, STORY!!!!! Thanks again Frank. He really is at that! As the production of SOF LEGACY, the second of the three part trilogy of Sons of Fate comes closer to a being finished and released, I’d thought it’s be a good idea to pull the “ creative curtain” back and give you a little behind-the –scenes look at what it is that makes Sons of Fate well… Sons of Fate.
Legacy, the second part of the trilogy picks up some time after the events of the first books sons of Fate ORIGINS. Truthfully, where Origins provided the groundwork, and back story for the base of Sons of Fate, LEGACY its where the story REALLY takes off. There you will see how our protagonist has grown (and suffered) in the time that has passed from his ordeals of his journey told in ORIGINS. In SOF LEGACY we not only get to see the growth of Kamau, but also the result and the toll of the events on his psyche. He is driven, he is skilled, he HAS BEEN PATIENT, but is he ready? Now in the nation of his Martial Maser’s birth and homeland Kamau now faces a new and foreign culture, hardly known to him as well as the immediate burden of “freeing “ himself of his more immediate circumstances that were set in motion in the conclusion of ORIGINS. But I digress. What we are talking about here, why you are really reading this is to know why the ninja is screaming at he woods. Well, here it is. Although an ACTUAL moment from SOF LEGACY, it also stands as a metaphor to what Sons of Fate represents. It is the answer that drives us on the journey, but it is the JOURNEY that is taken where we find out who we are and what we’re made of. Like that ninja, who is screaming at those trees, the mystery of what is out there is what drives us to look for the answer. Where Sons of Fate ORIGINS is the foundation of the book, LEGACY, is the intricacies inside. Where the first book dealt with what it means to reach your ultimate goal and the idea of realizing that not only are you the sum of your actions, but those same actions ultimately reveal your ultimate goal, Legacy is how that culmination is manifested and the results that follow. The telling of Sons of Fate LEGACY is the telling of a far grander tale. The consequences of ONE individual carve the history of not only those directly around him, but the nation of Japan as well. In LEGACY through the scope of the story, you will not only see all many of feudal Japanese society, but specifically their reaction to a foreigner “ brought to their shores. A foreigner who not only carries the WILL of one of their greatest military generals, but also determination forged through the testament of suffering to its conclusion. Why is that ninja ACTUALLY screaming at the woods? Sorry, you have to read the book to find out. |
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