tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60495568232828098002024-03-12T19:28:52.409-07:00Locust of Death!matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-32000111139366773312012-01-09T21:31:00.000-08:002012-01-09T23:20:01.266-08:00El Bigote Pinups...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSEqsg9cVAHI9TP_DYekKC8DW5kEbK-cVJU3cIjYRNiUR9Rj6VG_Dplnw_ecK5oODAAdOdjij2H0D7fWCL1QNUqDCIB5B3VnXB0HKPwrpzrfJPigFq95NhXdz24ru87vEv76o-kEi2g4/s1600/El+Bigote+Pinup.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSEqsg9cVAHI9TP_DYekKC8DW5kEbK-cVJU3cIjYRNiUR9Rj6VG_Dplnw_ecK5oODAAdOdjij2H0D7fWCL1QNUqDCIB5B3VnXB0HKPwrpzrfJPigFq95NhXdz24ru87vEv76o-kEi2g4/s320/El+Bigote+Pinup.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695872637972679010" /><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSEqsg9cVAHI9TP_DYekKC8DW5kEbK-cVJU3cIjYRNiUR9Rj6VG_Dplnw_ecK5oODAAdOdjij2H0D7fWCL1QNUqDCIB5B3VnXB0HKPwrpzrfJPigFq95NhXdz24ru87vEv76o-kEi2g4/s1600/El+Bigote+Pinup.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;">'<i>Tonight I played cards with a disgraced priest. We wagered confessions</i>...'</span></span></a><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">Artist <b>Stewart Davies</b> drew the above pinup of <b>El Bigote</b>'s skull-faced nemesis. It'll appear in the <b>A Tequila-Drenched Reckoning</b> collection, and will be the cover of a future collection..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Et5i_ggWLegyFnocckyDm_4G2CI8uKuDln-Ub3pEOllf2qg-Cptt8UVgY1Mtb1gdOAhrQHK7HoCseNgUtiMgpBXhvwyW9J_ia7FF4nrN1RMGwO_tPVpaIIFiT4pirun6Fod8l8u9L4g/s1600/ElBigoteCoverHighRes.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Et5i_ggWLegyFnocckyDm_4G2CI8uKuDln-Ub3pEOllf2qg-Cptt8UVgY1Mtb1gdOAhrQHK7HoCseNgUtiMgpBXhvwyW9J_ia7FF4nrN1RMGwO_tPVpaIIFiT4pirun6Fod8l8u9L4g/s320/ElBigoteCoverHighRes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695872633557766210" /></a><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">'<i>I got hellfires a'burnin' inside me. Hellfires thet scorch flesh an' char bones. Hellfires thet blacken souls...</i>'</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">2000AD art droid <a href="http://thegrantperkins.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">Grant Perkins</span></b></a> - of whose absolutely bonkers style I'm a big big fan - drew the above pinup of Undead Quillslinger <b>El Bigote</b> and his faithful Ostrich. It'll appear in the <b>A Tequila-Drenched Reckoning</b> collection, and is set to be the cover of issue 4. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;" >Be sure to visit Mr. Perkin's website...<a href="http://thegrantperkins.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">here</span></a>!</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">For more information about <b>El Bigote</b>, get yer tail on over to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/elbigotequillpower.blogspot.com/">El Blogote</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-19112603749450443662011-12-30T01:37:00.000-08:002012-01-01T23:25:05.420-08:00Travel Waaaaaay Down South of the Border with El Bigote...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u449kwddx8An5f5MzrDJnbsZnU1oyvPkxj6AfFfF76CEoqZHkoTrjHlA10n8eWBhTCY1-SX7BYj5XE_5bszPlYVtsOU9PSS9m2wByPQreVh1Hxtw9nUlzUhKI9_1oQn7x3FmZUkOpMA/s1600/ElBigote+Trailer+LETTERED-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u449kwddx8An5f5MzrDJnbsZnU1oyvPkxj6AfFfF76CEoqZHkoTrjHlA10n8eWBhTCY1-SX7BYj5XE_5bszPlYVtsOU9PSS9m2wByPQreVh1Hxtw9nUlzUhKI9_1oQn7x3FmZUkOpMA/s320/ElBigote+Trailer+LETTERED-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691853325242663746" /></a><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;" >Take a trip South of the Border, the border between Life and the Afterlife, and visit Undead Mexico, where El Dia De Los Muertos never ends…</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; ">Living dead banditos and ghoulish conquistadores, cannibalistic muertoads and spectral sessquatches prowl Mexico’s haunted prairies – and it’s up to Undead Mexican Mustache-Quillslinger <b>El Bigote</b> to put them back in their tequila worm-infested graves!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; "><o:p></o:p></p></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;">Writer </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">Locust</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> (that's me, but I'm trying to make this sound like an official press release), artist </span><b><a href="http://vivachivo.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">El Chivo</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> and letterer </span><b><a href="http://futurequakepress.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">Bolt 01</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> are set to uncork </span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); ">El Bigote: A Tequila-Drenched Reckoning</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> on unsuspecting comic book readers.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';"><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';"><b><br /></b></span></div><b>A Tequila-Drenched Reckoning </b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">is a special stand-alone series preview issue aimed to introduce readers to and showcase the bizarre world of </span><b>El Bigote</b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">, which just might be the only </span><b>Gothic Mexican Horror-Western-Fantasy-Comedy</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> comic book in existence!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Blending dark humor and cartoon violence with biting satire and the meanings of unlife, </span><b>El Bigote</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> is sure to be regarded as profound by someone and nonsense to everyone else.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; color:#cccccc;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18px; ">'So where can I read <b>El Bigote: A Tequila-Drenched Reckoning</b>?' you inquire impatiently.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;">A special limited (100 copies) print edition of </span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); ">A Tequila-Drenched Reckoning</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> will soon be available for FREE through the </span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); ">El Bigote</b> <a href="http://elbigotequillpower.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">El Blogote</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> or the </span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); ">El Bigote</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/El-Bigote/268079929911650"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">Facebook Page</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> (details will follow in a future post, but it’ll basically be first come first serve).</span></p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18px; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; ">To make sure no one’s left out, the issue will also be available FREE digitally through…well…everywhere really: Clickwheel, Dropbox, Comixology, Myebook, ect. <b>The plan is just to get as many people to read and (hopefully) enjoy El Bigote’s adventures</b>.</p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18px; ">Of course <b>El Bigote</b>'s creators are actively searching for a Big Comics Executive <s>off-kilter</s></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18px; "> smart enough to throw lots of money at a weird little comic project and make them Rich Comics Superstars…</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;">Buuut in the meantime, they'll continue to produce the comic independently.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;">The first full-length </span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); ">El Bigote</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> story, </span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); ">La Noche De Los Muertoads</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;">, will be available mid-2012, and a series of episodic quillslinger adventures will appear in the pages of British Small Press anthology comics</span><b><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#993399;">Paragon</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"> and </span><b style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); ">AAAIIIEEE!!!</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;">.</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;">Be sure to subscribe to <b><a href="http://elbigotequillpower.blogspot.com/">El Blogote</a></b> for updates!</span></p></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-10326896650354092292011-12-21T12:40:00.000-08:002011-12-30T01:33:01.725-08:00Squashed Bugs.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDkLaxf5GUHbx6A4E1eMUO5_UqDtT2R2keAY_f-zTQSubkiyxbDKhFPWv34NhPybHr6DvaeeFDnLVOmWUvMa_3XUglLhH0IeKMz1VF29hsGk3GQZLhe2MeaHALtyzPk0PjIgQORV0htI/s1600/ET+trapdoor.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDkLaxf5GUHbx6A4E1eMUO5_UqDtT2R2keAY_f-zTQSubkiyxbDKhFPWv34NhPybHr6DvaeeFDnLVOmWUvMa_3XUglLhH0IeKMz1VF29hsGk3GQZLhe2MeaHALtyzPk0PjIgQORV0htI/s320/ET+trapdoor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688686366733436610" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">above: Exterminator extraordinare, Elroy Wargle, and entomologist wannabe, Stoss, prepare to take out a colony of space earwigs in <b>Extermination Theory</b> (art by <a href="http://mygrimmbrother.blogspot.com/">Matt Soffe</a>).</span></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Some disappointing news. The <a href="http://StarscapeComic.co.uk/">Starscape Comics</a> Storypaper has been cancelled after a single issue. Editor Christian Smilie issued the following <a href="http://starscapesays.blogspot.com/2011/11/end-of-storypaper.html">statement</a>:</span></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">"Thanks to all those who bought the first issue of the Storypaper...unfortunately, there just wasn't enough of you. I do however, appreciate those who dipped their hand into their pocket and, for many of you, the feedback given. With a number of big name artists and writers (both sides of the Atlantic) showing interest in the concept, it's a shame there was not enough appeal to develop a bigger audience.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"The good news: the stories will be switching to the internet to read for free, with collected text stories available in both book form and via Kindle etc.. See '</span></span><a href="http://superherostore.150m.com/starscape/prose.htm" target="_blank" style="line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cc33cc;">Prose</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">' to read the first chapters of the Knights of Eternity (sword'n'sorcery) and Extermination Theory (action sci-fi), plus full stories for Identity Unhidden (superhero) and the Metphysical Police (weird sci-fi). Also, comic and television fanfiction plus links to classic sci-fi/fantasy. Stay tuned for more stories too, including Atomic-CALL (feline espionage), the Deterrent (if Spidey was on Battlestar Galactica), the War Dogs (WWII superhero action) and historical war stories (Vikings, Romans, Celts etc.).</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"But what happened with the Storypaper?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"Reviews from readers were extremely good but, without distribution, it's just not possible to go on in print form. At £1.50 for over 50 pages, plus terrific spot art and stories that seemed to be popular, there appeared to be a lot of pull but it was just impossible to get it into readers' hands.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"Comic shop distributor, Diamond, rejected the Storypaper (in the nicest possible manner) as it wasn't a comic. A specialist sci-fi book/mag distributor rejected it for not being either a book or a mag. I tried the direct approach. I mailed every independent comic and sci-fi bookshop in the UK I could find. Each got a copy of the Storypaper, plus generous terms, that included the option of sale-or-return. I then followed up with an email after a couple of weeks to gauge interest. Now, I used to run a comic shop myself. I know how difficult it is to sell indie work. However, I also know that replying, which about 90% of comic shops chose not to do, is easy. How long does an email take? So no distribution to shops. That's the biggest shame really. If people didn't take to it, fair enough. Truth is, most potential readers had no chance of even seeing a copy.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"I had also hoped to do more with the pocket-book format. Around 50 pages of comics featuring Vikings, Romans, Medieval and Celtic action for £1.50? In my book, that sounds terrific. But if comic shops won't even countenance this format, there seems little point continuing with it. Unfortunately, almost halving the page count doesn't mean being able to sell 28 page US-sized at £1.50, taking into account comic shops' 50% discount. Its pocket format or small press only.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"Not that I'm having a go at small press distribution but, hopefully, I've moved on from that. With some of the previous work having sold into four figures, selling the odd 50 by mail order, then doubling that at festivals, but losing out via hotels, transport and table costs, is not something I'm interested in doing regularly. I've already written on my thoughts on distribution. It depends what your comic is for. In the case of the Storypaper, it was an attempt at mass-market appeal, rather than fanfiction, vanity press or trying out ideas. The choice then between a few small press readers (where superheroes/sci-fi/fantasy isn't the main interest) or hundreds of thousands of web readers, plus collected print editions seems a fairly obvious choice.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"So, unfortunately, no room in the UK for pocket-books at an attractive price with terrific covers. I did what I could."</span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnEQFRTh89oBwlyQXmrP664wt8B2Y88H9va00AmXFaM-3QQk3TpGr1VqIpJ9caezTG1Wyg9x9wg6yExH1VuJZNVqFiETLN88JYbKQ4cXHHHtOnTPHysu8UuOYkfxIs54ZDRXmZsexbC0/s1600/Ch5_Panel5+copy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 232px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnEQFRTh89oBwlyQXmrP664wt8B2Y88H9va00AmXFaM-3QQk3TpGr1VqIpJ9caezTG1Wyg9x9wg6yExH1VuJZNVqFiETLN88JYbKQ4cXHHHtOnTPHysu8UuOYkfxIs54ZDRXmZsexbC0/s320/Ch5_Panel5+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688686356579618178" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><i>above: Earwigs teeming under the surface of Colony Planet Dustworld (art by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dustin-Parrs-Art/109355589104940">Dustin Parr</a>).</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">So that's that. An interesting endeavor, fallen through.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Boo! Hiss!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/07/concerning-morphology-of-extermination.html">Extermination Theory</a></b>, was one of the stories serialized in the Storypaper, and as (maybe) one of you might recall, I was very enthusiastic about the project. Now I wonder if I <i>should</i> submit the story again - at this point there's a very big possibility it's a jinx, and I'd hate for <b>Extermination Theory</b> to exterminate another unsuspecting magazine.</span></div></div></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-72788550663901081732011-12-17T12:01:00.001-08:002011-12-17T19:34:53.535-08:00Something Wicked 07 Named SFX's Small Press 'Zine of the Month!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s3acDjWqnRv1g54xX5559yMbQO_w5or6IFhsDq9nlPwH2K4Bge8-6yr_ALENdlvt8pH3GNCYH3z1ZMcwpuiXF-L9KmVUVIcRJsbeMDWqyGIjVqaZlfLehdPQphonLYIDMbXAEJNUu6o/s1600/blogpromo.tiff" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s3acDjWqnRv1g54xX5559yMbQO_w5or6IFhsDq9nlPwH2K4Bge8-6yr_ALENdlvt8pH3GNCYH3z1ZMcwpuiXF-L9KmVUVIcRJsbeMDWqyGIjVqaZlfLehdPQphonLYIDMbXAEJNUu6o/s320/blogpromo.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687191505886874034" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">above: Warrior-Sorcerer Nakis battles the Witch Amondi and the Spirits of the Dead (art by <a href="http://balnacra.blogspot.com/">Vicky Stonebridge</a>) in <b>Witch of the Mists</b>.</span></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">I woke up this morning to the news that Something Wicked 07 - which featured my comic strip, <b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/11/something-wicked-witch-of-mists.html">Nakis: Witch of the Mists</a></b> - was named <a href="http://www.sfx.co.uk/">SFX Magazine</a>'s <b>Small Press 'Zine of the Month </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';">(editor Bolt 01 has posted a pic of the mention over on the <a href="http://futurequakepress.blogspot.com/2011/12/fanzine-of-month-for-something-wicked.html">FutureQuake Press Blog</a>; be sure to buy a copy or two of issue 07 while you're visiting).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Congrats to editors Bolt and Richmond for putting out such a quality release, and congrats to all the writers and artists involved!</span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-77743125997265666632011-11-26T23:54:00.001-08:002011-11-29T09:52:00.948-08:00Paragon and Done It for the 9th Time...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDqVXUVXQ8TflE4buRVPy-WKV03-A0vWcrQFBoOdNaOFxLicnNsx4gPkwcb0ckFc4qcgLIUJuowj7GhjZLwkzuyZQdV3HuFAe9DgflOEVyMGaP2ArBx1-bf8gGx5n8w-iWjlA_794dRs/s1600/Paragon%25239cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDqVXUVXQ8TflE4buRVPy-WKV03-A0vWcrQFBoOdNaOFxLicnNsx4gPkwcb0ckFc4qcgLIUJuowj7GhjZLwkzuyZQdV3HuFAe9DgflOEVyMGaP2ArBx1-bf8gGx5n8w-iWjlA_794dRs/s320/Paragon%25239cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679580896044851794" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">above: Thrill, Gasp and Shudder - in whichever order you please - to <b>Paragon the 9th</b> (cover art by Davey Candlish)!</span></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Hmmm. Seems like only <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/08/paragon-8.html">a few posts ago</a> I announced the arrival of the <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/08/paragon-8.html">8th issue of <b>Paragon Comics</b></a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Right, that <i>was</i> only a few posts ago. But that was posted three loooooong (and looking back, they sure felt loooooong, or maybe just sloooooow) months ago.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">In the meantime I've been busy. Some massive comics and prose projects are afoots and afouls, in the offings and prowling the yards. Been simply itching to blah-blah-blog about these, but...well, besides being sworn to secrecy under the penalty of death or tickling or something like that, I always feel that the more I'm blogging, the less I'm doing what I ought to be doing: offing things.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Words are precious, so why waste them on blogs or facebook posts, twitter feeds or myspace spaces (does anyone even myspace anymore)...?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">So anyway, yeah, um...right, okay. Let me stop pissing away letters and cut to the chase: <b>Paragon #9</b> is out, and you should buy it. Ordering details to follow, sales pitch here:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">I've got two stories in it, <b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/08/journey-to-bowels-of-earth.html">Jikan: Caves of Death</a></b> and <b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/09/robot-ramblings-mekkos-3-previewmekkos.html">Rise of the Mekkosapiens: Who Am I, Robot?</a></b>. In <b>Caves of Death </b>(art by <a href="http://james-corcoran.blogspot.com/">James Corcoran</a> and letters by <a href="http://clintflickerlettering.blogspot.com/">Jim Campbell</a>), time-traveling samurai <b>Jikan</b> slaughters a horde of demon-possessed cavemen, while in <b>Who Am I, Robot?</b> (art by <a href="http://lrgcarter.blogspot.com/">Louis Carter</a> and letters by <a href="http://chaingunchimp.blogspot.com/">David Withers</a>) G127 learns who he was a thousand years before the rebellion...and then robots are blown up into bits.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Also in the magazine you'll find the latest installment of <b>Icarus Dangerous</b>, a great strip by my good friend <a href="http://bountyquest.blogspot.com/">Dirk Van Dom</a> (art by the fantastic Stephen Prestwood), one-off Western <b>No Compromise</b> and the initial adventure of a pulpy hero-type called <b>Spencer Nero </b>(good old Davey Candlish renders these two tales).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">In the UK you can order your copy of <b>Paragon #9</b> - and copies of 1-8 while you're at it - by adventuring to the <a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/">Paragon Blogspot</a>; US buyers, journey to <a href="http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=0&fSearch=paragon+9">Lulu</a>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';">All you cheap bastards and trendy e-reader readers, you can get yours on <a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/paragon-%239/18698731?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1">Lulu</a> for only 99p British cash-money.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Now...I'm off to the offing, afeeting, prowling and afouling.</span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-18987756539922181522011-11-16T22:18:00.000-08:002011-11-26T23:53:14.711-08:00Jikan Noon Rides off into the Sunset...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmRni7MjVAfv6e4RowGZdFqD0-Rmy9qKKYsNkpJor-AAebkBhpLYAetxsAH-SjfKxofIhrR7dwT3PahDhvOVSBG8uPrVQFbpflUHJtsUiJ9a6N_u9WoPWk9fBqAoraasJRFb8mYD8q0E/s1600/Jikan_Noon_19.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmRni7MjVAfv6e4RowGZdFqD0-Rmy9qKKYsNkpJor-AAebkBhpLYAetxsAH-SjfKxofIhrR7dwT3PahDhvOVSBG8uPrVQFbpflUHJtsUiJ9a6N_u9WoPWk9fBqAoraasJRFb8mYD8q0E/s320/Jikan_Noon_19.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679570427663573138" /></a> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>410</o:Words> <o:characters>2341</o:Characters> <o:company>Astronomica Films</o:Company> <o:lines>19</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2874</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>10.1316</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><i>above: <b>Jikan</b> and his Demon-Killing Posse protect a wagon train from the Deminjun Horde (art by Davey Candlish). </i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">‘And just as suddenly as he appeared, the stranger disappeared, riding that hot wind to the next hell he would cleanse...’</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">After thirty-one weekly episodes spanning over six months, the Old West chapter of <b>Jikan</b>’s life is concluded. We’ve been through airborne fights with harpy gunslingers, an orgy of blood and butchery at the hands of a horde of deminjuns, and a gut-wrenching finale involved a giant planet life force dearth worm…</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">(right...I've collected all the weekly episodes of <b>Jikan Noon</b> for you to read, but in my normal fashion I’m going to ramble a bit, so click <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/02/cowboys-and-demindians-jikan-noon.html">here</a> to ignore me and skip to the comics)</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Writing a strip like this has its challenges – action and adventure has to dominate, because that’s what keeps the audience (both of you) returning week after week, and every episode has to end with a cliffhanger of some sort for the exact same reason. Yet somehow, for the sake of “character development”, a quiet moment or two has to find a place between all the violence and bloodshed. The process of writing a three-panel weekly can seem confining and frustrating at first, but really fun once you get the hang of it (and there are those of you who will question whether I’ve gotten the hang of it yet).</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Davey Candlish – creator of <b>Jikan</b> and editor of small press comics anthology, <a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/">Paragon Comic</a> – began the time-traveling samurai’s adventures in this exact format (you can find that strip collected in the <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/12/hither-came-jikan-inter-dimensional.html"><b>Jikan Chronicles</b></a>) as content for his <a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/">blogsite</a>. The next few <b>Jikan</b> stories were written (by Mark Howard) for <b>Paragon</b>, and traded in the newspaper strip format for the…um…yeah…the comic book format (I love it when I hit a spot like this, where there’s no better way than the obvious to describe something - but as a so-called writer I first feel obligated to “make it sound better” and then sheepish for being unable to do so).</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">I’d just finished a pair of stand-alone <b>Jikan</b> scripts for <b>Paragon</b> – <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/01/carry-on-paragon.html"><b>Jikan: Witch Fires</b></a> and <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/01/carry-on-paragon.html"><b>Jikan and the Caves of Death</b></a> – when Davey asked me to come up with a sequel to the original newspaper strip.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">What I like about <b>Jikan</b> is that, because he hops around from time to time, he can really go anywhere or do anything; one strip can find him in feudal Japan, the next can launch him into outer space; he can wade through an episode of violent action or creep through a horror-plot. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">For the newspaper strip's relaunch, Davey wanted a gritty Western - but I convinced him to let me write a whimsical fairy tale...and the adventure of <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/06/king-of-kappas.html"><b>Jikan & the Kappa King</b></a> unfolded over the next six months.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFc5PQ-R5Y5Jt0BTJID5vlCvQQPOXDSLMgFqp21DBJE_6xvUK3ZcX2WcH7FGfjTd4DYE5BJ8-h-9bV0QO3zAzy2l4Ox-TLyGp2eBceo-VcTuwI1bNL4q-Jk_h_DGjBZ1O_fkM7pMY5bSQ/s1600/Jikan_News_09.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFc5PQ-R5Y5Jt0BTJID5vlCvQQPOXDSLMgFqp21DBJE_6xvUK3ZcX2WcH7FGfjTd4DYE5BJ8-h-9bV0QO3zAzy2l4Ox-TLyGp2eBceo-VcTuwI1bNL4q-Jk_h_DGjBZ1O_fkM7pMY5bSQ/s320/Jikan_News_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679570271759030706" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">above: a rotten-mean oni steals a bouncing baby in <b>Jikan & the Kappa King</b> (art by Davey Candlish)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">When <b>Jikan & the Kappa King</b> concluded, I felt the script an uneven bit of writing; there are several really fine moments scattered throughout, but those moments are cancelled out by unfunny jokes and a <i>very</i> rushed ending. I could have had the story go on ten more episodes, mostly to explain the Oni’s back story, but simply ran out of space; this was mostly the result of me making the story up as I went, and when I blinked the weeks had flown by and I had an ending miles off but only inches with which to tell it. I had to wrap up the Oni’s origin in TWO PANELS</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Having learned a few valuable lessons - and having read reams of Prince Valiant and Conan the Barbarian newspaper strips to see how it should be done - I was eager to give the format another go. Davey again asked for a story set in the Old West. This time I sat down with an idea – and wrote every episode in one sitting. As a result the pacing in <b>Jikan Noon</b> is much better than in <b>Kappa King</b>, and the cliffhangers are more natural. I supplied <b>Jikan</b> with a new set of supporting characters, yet managed to give each of those characters a bit of depth...(if you consider <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/04/giving-jikan-willies.html">THIS NONSENSE</a> depth)!</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Look out for <b>Jikan Leviathan</b>, the time-travelling samurai's next small-format weekly adventure, next year!</span></p></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-61769909125111038082011-11-06T00:47:00.000-07:002011-11-06T01:45:27.882-07:00The (Something) Wicked Witch of the Mists...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJtKKTz8ME8Db3_-iOE7teJDfCg7ToROnNrPqu9OYV9LNYGvwSf8ceaoBNiaNPxkTyY7wioGz2fOE-jt3hgy-VhRqx7XGfqd7mTg5lqvnjm0AiDfmppM5PDxrFvYWrcBxlLxMeGcWsj8/s1600/Something+Wicked+07.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 223px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJtKKTz8ME8Db3_-iOE7teJDfCg7ToROnNrPqu9OYV9LNYGvwSf8ceaoBNiaNPxkTyY7wioGz2fOE-jt3hgy-VhRqx7XGfqd7mTg5lqvnjm0AiDfmppM5PDxrFvYWrcBxlLxMeGcWsj8/s320/Something+Wicked+07.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671786839943275138" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">above: Yeah, there's definitely <b><a href="http://futurequakepress.blogspot.com/">Something Wicked</a></b> after the poor sap on the cover of issue 7 (art by Adam Bolton).</span></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Creeping from out of its grave, the seventh of issue of <b>Something Wicked</b> - <a href="http://www.futurequake.co.uk/index.html">FutureQuake Press</a>' annual horror anthology - is sure to leave slime-stains all over the carpet. Flipping through the crumbling (not really) pages of this unholy (not really) tome you'll find my '<b>Spear & Juju</b>' strip, <b>Nakis: Witch of the Mists</b>.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiictADfa4r2CcEBTFGMtoCSkCrR5pRYLPwZoRXl0rvzER_hSszE_lI340E6zEbhnRg1RpmPvMPy0azwojpA9aQINbE8qo5PPQog1-NCEDNlESHQxnkguZYpR3spfyE45hJAzlWqX1uEvo/s1600/WitchOfTheMistsBLOG.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 253px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiictADfa4r2CcEBTFGMtoCSkCrR5pRYLPwZoRXl0rvzER_hSszE_lI340E6zEbhnRg1RpmPvMPy0azwojpA9aQINbE8qo5PPQog1-NCEDNlESHQxnkguZYpR3spfyE45hJAzlWqX1uEvo/s320/WitchOfTheMistsBLOG.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671786423818177762" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">above: a Warrior-Sorceror battles a hungry swamp creature in the Spear & Juju epic, <b>Nakis: Witch of the Mists</b> (art by <a href="http://balnacra.blogspot.com/">Vicky Stonebridge</a>).</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b>Witch of the Mists</b> is the first chapter in the saga of Nakis, a Warrior-Sorceror who wanders magic-haunted prehistoric Africa in search of - souls to steal. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';">In the Land of the Witch, Nakis comes upon 'villages wiped out by plague, chieftains transformed into blood-drinking demons to prey on their tribesmen, and women possessed by evil spirits to eat the flesh of their children'. The maker of such doom-magic must have a powerful dark soul indeed...and can only be the dreaded <b>Witch of the Mists</b>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Order your copy of Something Wicked 7 <a href="http://www.futurequake.co.uk/shop.php">here</a>.</span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-90858621434016764342011-11-02T13:37:00.000-07:002011-11-06T01:45:58.436-07:00AAAIIIEEE!!! Hallowscream is Back From the Depths!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5yIMeoGFUaPJEXhHLCUnXm9ZwWPelKzmZnCSloQp7injlsva5U6WvKWLfjCdQ2sIFq6cEmkMc-uG9J6mfo567FaQh2N_9Q0pgMvbrP348YTMVVu-5aIXBfAUVWEArFYK00ygLlKuVTM/s1600/Hallowscream3Cover3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5yIMeoGFUaPJEXhHLCUnXm9ZwWPelKzmZnCSloQp7injlsva5U6WvKWLfjCdQ2sIFq6cEmkMc-uG9J6mfo567FaQh2N_9Q0pgMvbrP348YTMVVu-5aIXBfAUVWEArFYK00ygLlKuVTM/s320/Hallowscream3Cover3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670500652101274322" /></a><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">above: <a href="http://www.backfromthedepths.co.uk/">Back From the Depths</a>' <b>Hallowscream Special</b> doesn't suck - it bites! ...and gnaws and chews and makes a bloody mess of its unfortunate victims (cover art by Andrew Milne)...</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Every ghoul's favorite<b> Scream!</b> tribute comic is unleashed for the third straight Halloween, and dare I say it's quite the carnival of carnage. Best of all for you Whorror fans - it's FREE!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">112 pages of FREE gore and gristle! 112 pages of FREE exquisite evisceration, delightful disemboweling, a veritable cornucopia of carnality! FREE, FREE, FREE!!! AAAIIIEEEEEEEE!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">You can download the comic (for FREE) at <a href="http://www.clickwheel.net/features/308">CLICKWHEEL</a> and <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11875984/Hallowscream%202011.pdf">DROPBOX</a>, or view it (for FREE) online at <a href="http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=100119">MYEBOOK</a>. Printed copies of the current issue - and back issues - will be available in the near future (those, sorry to say, will not be FREE).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">As you perform as autopsy of the magazine, quickly chop away the flab and fat to locate page 86. There you will discover a ghastly tale of sickening sacrifice as grim-faced monks encounter an evil spider goddess on an alien world in <b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/07/beholdthe-ubek-naren-ka-cometh.html">Ubek Naren-Ka</a></b>! My collaboration with the aptly monikered <a href="http://ghostpockets.tumblr.com/">Ghostpockets</a> and the Ever-Letterer, <a href="http://lostpropertybybolt-01.blogspot.com/">Bolt 01</a>, is sure to have you barfing your insides out...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">The first two issues - each featuring one of my gruesome monster morality tales - are still available (for FREE) - <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/10/hallowscream-and-hallowscream-again.html">here</a>.</span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-16382089692260597432011-09-08T06:22:00.001-07:002011-09-15T15:13:13.966-07:00Robot Ramblings: Mekkos 3 Preview/Mekkos 2 Review...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt534pYT4Mey-N4CX1XPQKRqKiSukb0xzCRCMCu4Pv6BPWOVn4A_0jokbjSfwC0MRdPghxKAi4YO1A6ExoloAHWWcIdhDqaFc3FWLJQwv8iiSwGLmeA_ISXTbapozKbu3wEdyC1QomtsI/s1600/Mekkos6blog.tiff" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt534pYT4Mey-N4CX1XPQKRqKiSukb0xzCRCMCu4Pv6BPWOVn4A_0jokbjSfwC0MRdPghxKAi4YO1A6ExoloAHWWcIdhDqaFc3FWLJQwv8iiSwGLmeA_ISXTbapozKbu3wEdyC1QomtsI/s320/Mekkos6blog.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650006969794749346" /></a> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>221</o:Words> <o:characters>1260</o:Characters> <o:company>Astronomica Films</o:Company> <o:lines>10</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1547</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>10.1316</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><i>above: has G127 been destroyed? And who are those other Mekkos? Find out in <b>Rise of the Mekko-Sapiens</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal; "><i> Episode 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(art by <a href="http://lrgcarter.blogspot.com/">Louis Carter</a>)<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/">Paragon 8</a> has hit the proverbial stands…and the <b>Rise of the Mekkosapiens</b><span style="font-weight:normal"> continues!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">In episode 2 the action heats up, with G127 inciting a robot rebellion against his mechanical enslavers. Several glimpses of the past – and mastermind of the Machine Earth – are given, and we learn who G127 was before his Mekko-conversion. Plus there’s smashing and bashing and explosions, and robots getting blown to bits.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Sounds like a good time, I hope. <i>To me</i><span style="font-style:normal">, of course, smashing and bashing and explosions, and robots getting blown to bits sounds like a good time – we’ll see what the first of the strip’s critics think come Monday (9/12/11) when <a href="http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/">Forbidden Planet</a>’s review is posted. If you’ll recall, episode 1 received…um…<a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/04/robot-ramblings-mekkos-2-previewmekkos.html">a less than favorable write-up</a>…</span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">But this time round there’s smashing and bashing and explosions, and robots getting blown to bits – that automatically makes it better, right? Having the ultra-talented <a href="http://james-corcoran.blogspot.com/">James Corcoran</a> on art duties doesn’t hurt either.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">And yet the pencil-monkey carousel has turned once again. <a href="http://lrgcarter.blogspot.com/">Louis Carter</a> has lent his pencils to the strip – and as you can see from the series of panels above and below, has done a bang-up job. Louis and I worked together on a strip called <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/11/madness-of-god-thing-lugal.html">Lugal</a> last year, and his incredibly detailed artwork is perfectly suited to capturing the ticks and tocks of the Machine Earth and its robotic inhabitants. Episode 3 looks fantastic.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">Rise of the Mekko-Sapiens Episode 3 is set <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; ">to appear in Paragon 9 later this year - so go buy Paragons 7 and 8 to catch up on the first two episodes!</span></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ8YL0NqmD6abkxvkT8ZLOXijujyWpkkWOT5XRCNMDfqp80n_kbD9IZ-xeFrchVedGF0NxhLd_BhK5BaP3BPv_eU09vGHeMhtIcNpsF6r_kCZphFlMtxGXZJLw7KGMqy2BebXehCviuI/s1600/Mekkos4blog.tiff" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ8YL0NqmD6abkxvkT8ZLOXijujyWpkkWOT5XRCNMDfqp80n_kbD9IZ-xeFrchVedGF0NxhLd_BhK5BaP3BPv_eU09vGHeMhtIcNpsF6r_kCZphFlMtxGXZJLw7KGMqy2BebXehCviuI/s320/Mekkos4blog.tiff" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650006795332961074" /></a> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>44</o:Words> <o:characters>255</o:Characters> <o:company>Astronomica Films</o:Company> <o:lines>2</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>313</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>10.1316</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><i>above: smashing and bashing and explosions, and robots getting blown to bits in <b>Rise of the Mekko-Sapie</b></i><i><b>ns</b> Episode 3. (art by Louis Carter)<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">It’s rather empty down here, I know. But here – here you’ll soon find reviews, of which there will appear at least three…the first on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">The first review is in, and it's pretty indifferent:</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">From the <a href="http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2011/paragon-issue-8/">Forbidden Planet Blog</a>: "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; ">Rise Of The Mekkosapiens is the second part of a strip that debuted last issue, and the errant G127 starts to build a revolution having thrown off his programming last time. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; ">Art okay, story a little hmmmm, dialogue a touch hmm as well, just too static for its own good. It is, to be honest a bit of a nothing strip in story and art....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; ">Mekkosapiens hasn’t really got my attention..."</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">So I suppose all that robot action upgraded the strip from "shite" to "meh". Maybe episode three will recieve a round about compliment...yeah, maybe.</span></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Edit: 09/15: The next review is in...and it's actually positive! I am both shocked and relieved.</span></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">From <a href="http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/131610993148264.htm">Line of Fire Reviews</a>' Kelvin Green:</span></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">"</span></span>The Rise of the Mekko-Sapiens" was the weak link last time around, but is much improved with this issue -- although it now appears to be called "The Mekko-Sapiens Uprising", which suggests that Candlish needs to employ a firmer approach with his editing -- with a higher page count, a bit more action, and strong art from James Corcoran. It still seems a bit derivative -- there are some eerie similarities with a Dark Horse series called <em>Syn</em> from a few years ago, but it's too obscure a series to be an influence, I'd imagine -- but at least something's happening, and there are some interesting -- and unexpected, in a story about robots -- musings on religion from writer Matthew McLaughlin."</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';font-size:100%;">I do have to mention that I've never read <i>Syn</i>, the comic Mr. Green felt <b>Mekkos</b> bears a resemblance to (funny, as last time it was compared to <i>The Matrix</i> - and I've never seen that either!). I hope that, as the story progresses and the further surprises I have in store for the reader, <b>Mekkos</b> will continue to grow on the reader - and stand on its own. Anyway, this review makes me feel <b>a lot</b> better about the strip.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-72427279158759125892011-08-04T12:58:00.000-07:002011-08-06T12:17:57.185-07:00Paragon 8: Those Mekkos Just Keep on Uprising...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdyGkc8k4hc3PefsRE62SuiyrOOMY7_J0dS9YqRTzdSZVo2j4qYAqXZoKs3uzUaIKcuZPeuo1PBBBGMwhO1XLbgtpawu8Hd3oxDbNMcd4v8UNG3_qTcWyCcIWwSrAYM4NwuV5A7u02_0/s1600/paragon+8+cover+a4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdyGkc8k4hc3PefsRE62SuiyrOOMY7_J0dS9YqRTzdSZVo2j4qYAqXZoKs3uzUaIKcuZPeuo1PBBBGMwhO1XLbgtpawu8Hd3oxDbNMcd4v8UNG3_qTcWyCcIWwSrAYM4NwuV5A7u02_0/s320/paragon+8+cover+a4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637092750302802050" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">above: The one and only inter-dimensional, time-traveling demon-hunter: Jikan slashes across the cover of Paragon 8! Art by </span></span></i><i><a href="http://chris-askham.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Chris Askham</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">!</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">That's right, </span></span><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Paragon 8</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> is back and bigger than ever! Robots rumble through the bleak future! Demons pollute the distant past! Mythological Heroes hurl through time and space! And more! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The robot revolution continues in </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/04/robot-ramblings-mekkos-2-previewmekkos.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rise of the Mekkosapiens Episode 2</span></span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And best of all, you get 36 action-packed pages for the paltry sum of 3 pounds and 50 pence!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To order your copy of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Paragon 8</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, click </span></span><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> if you're a UK resident! Or </span></span><a href="http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=0&fSearch=paragon+8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> if you live in the States! And if all of these exclamation points don't convince you, check out the </span></span><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Paragon Blogspot</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for sneaky peeks!</span></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-16368512333798825872011-07-27T04:55:00.000-07:002011-08-17T15:32:31.031-07:00Behold...the Ubek Naren-Ka Cometh!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJExq9aZ-A6aGEyEQGdhoup5-rfErBTKVtFzwQ7IfiH5Ou411MqmSSggMwt_DFWnzbFmOH7W8uJSRXXoqc8RezxvWR4MdocVaY-4Mp-VU55cpwb8ZdfZ7vUqkOgM8_Sh2TC0GKkyfUArY/s1600/u.n-k+trailer+edit2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 196px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJExq9aZ-A6aGEyEQGdhoup5-rfErBTKVtFzwQ7IfiH5Ou411MqmSSggMwt_DFWnzbFmOH7W8uJSRXXoqc8RezxvWR4MdocVaY-4Mp-VU55cpwb8ZdfZ7vUqkOgM8_Sh2TC0GKkyfUArY/s320/u.n-k+trailer+edit2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634000970633070738" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>above: foolish Monks attempt to bring god to the godless, with less-than-divine results. Art by <a href="http://ghostpockets.tumblr.com/">Ghostpockets</a>.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">
<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Some time has passed since I mentioned <b>Ubek Naren-Ka</b>, an upcoming strip I'm really enthusiastic about. But just the other day the enigmatically-monikered Human Ghostpockets updated me with his progress and, wow, the comic looks great - so great, in fact, I had a short 'trailer' cut together from several of my favorite panels (with letters by <a href="http://chaingunchimp.blogspot.com/">Chaingun Chimp</a>).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">
<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">(I should mention that none of the above dialogue appears in the strip - in fact, I've purposely made up a bunch of nonsense that has nothing to do with my script so to avoid SPOILERS)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">
<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">So far I haven't really given any clues as to what the project is about - well, now that we're getting closer I'll remedy that. Living in a quasi-medieval otherworld, <b>Ubek Naren-Ka</b> ('The Great Destroyer' in Quasi-Medieval Otherworld speak) is a creature of nightmares and cautionary tales...yet quite real, as those who end up in her belly can attest. An order of Monks has been tasked to bring the work of god the <b>Ubek Naren-Ka</b> - or destroy the Destroyer! ...</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; ">I shall say no more, for now.</span></div><div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuz7VQfVKninn5e0CvNHVOkkESILKJDDzTOhRHdo8oO1UdPoXJXA7q_gGAhFoXMVZN076RXy4-O31W5P9-5LGALDtraMcK8aRqm2kqzslUHbnk4GEl4q8djJ9rmLPImYq3q8BQCq5N_g/s1600/Locust-cameo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuz7VQfVKninn5e0CvNHVOkkESILKJDDzTOhRHdo8oO1UdPoXJXA7q_gGAhFoXMVZN076RXy4-O31W5P9-5LGALDtraMcK8aRqm2kqzslUHbnk4GEl4q8djJ9rmLPImYq3q8BQCq5N_g/s320/Locust-cameo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634000489294781650" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">above: a</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 14px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> WIP Panel from </span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Ubek Naren-Ka</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">. Recognize that good-looking fellow up front? Yeah, I'm not going to play sly or subtle - that's me. Art by </span></span></span><a href="http://ghostpockets.tumblr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Ghostpocke</span></span></span></a></i><i><a href="http://ghostpockets.tumblr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">ts</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">.</span></span></span></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">
<br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">As soon as the finished strip hits my inbox, I'll be sure to announce where </span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Ubek Naren-Ka</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">'s set to be published!</span></span></span></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-67461940490041277662011-07-18T04:22:00.000-07:002011-07-24T17:03:08.978-07:00Concerning the Morphology of Extermination Theory...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokos22DYxGKgTh7BOxIbTFCi5WJsb39_ZfVHTIJo0mUUI_Qtg9dviMemXrj5HaR0iuXpRw_iB7TmbcMK43xY6hC-YLvNCvKwna9K2kJh8D5uaUTuhxstcZKsf3iD8xjW0ivOhQxv59A4/s1600/ET+tunnel+battle+vers1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokos22DYxGKgTh7BOxIbTFCi5WJsb39_ZfVHTIJo0mUUI_Qtg9dviMemXrj5HaR0iuXpRw_iB7TmbcMK43xY6hC-YLvNCvKwna9K2kJh8D5uaUTuhxstcZKsf3iD8xjW0ivOhQxv59A4/s320/ET+tunnel+battle+vers1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630651897485761602" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: 'The only person standing between civilization and infestation is a dedicated Exterminator.' Art by <a href="http://mygrimmbrother.blogspot.com/">Matt Soffe</a>.</span></span></i></span></div></i><div><i> <!--StartFragment--> <h1 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Extermination Theory…</span><o:p></o:p></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There’s always a story behind a story. The journey ‘Extermination Theory’ embarked on from its conception to the <a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/07/starscape-storypaper-exterminate.html">published page</a> has been both strange and trying…to say the least.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"></p><p></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Extermination Theory, from Microfiction to Novel</span></span></b></span><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">‘…and what did Stoss find, but a little flesh-basket nest filled with gelatinous eggs. He could see ropey creatures inside, floating through the yolks, squirming impatiently; the brood was going to hatch soon…’</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i></i></span></p><i><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p></i><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">A few years ago I wrote a tale called ‘The Exterminators’ and entered it in a microfiction contest sponsored by Dark Horse Comics. Clocking in at roughly 450 words, ‘The Exterminators’ tells of a boy who lives in a rundown apartment complex and discovers that a pygmy Alien (yes, you read that right) has set up a nest in the building’s basement. When his mother calls the exterminators to rid the complex of the Aliens, the boy, feeling sorry for the little creatures (and unaware of how dangerous even a ‘full grown’ pygmy Alien would be), rescues one of them to keep as a pet…</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> </span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The story didn’t win the contest, but it did score a nice email from a Dark Horse editor. Based on his phrase ‘nice dark atmospherics’, I shamelessly offered to turn the story into an Aliens novel – it only needed what, a gazillion more words added on…right…?</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> </span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">(ah, I was soooo shameless in my youth, so, so shamelessly shameless)</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Couldn’t hurt to ask, I figured (shamelessly). Of course, I never thought I'd hear back either which way.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Well, I found myself surprised when an opening chapter was requested…</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </i><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojjCq2PyUE06ruDne4-aFHaKNCImu22L-_3-7Y6eAHeus_bSXNjRArHQzWB32LK2FF3vtnhmM4zOxXiBhg0QXywRzfhXMT7wCvL4PASPJ0s2Cb3TMRpGH6fyzXj-6gdk93uVUt0c_gnc/s1600/Panel1+copy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojjCq2PyUE06ruDne4-aFHaKNCImu22L-_3-7Y6eAHeus_bSXNjRArHQzWB32LK2FF3vtnhmM4zOxXiBhg0QXywRzfhXMT7wCvL4PASPJ0s2Cb3TMRpGH6fyzXj-6gdk93uVUt0c_gnc/s320/Panel1+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630651790657929842" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">above: the aftermath of an earwig infestation. Art by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dustin-Parrs-Art/109355589104940">Dustin Parr</a>.</span></i></span></div></i></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Extermination Theory, from Novel to Short Story</span></b></span><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>‘…hissing, the Queen uncoiled her serpentine body – and struck at his knee, her teeth plunging through flesh and shattering bone…’</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My idea for the novel was simple: what if the Aliens found themselves on a planet where the native creatures grew no larger than, say, cats? Well, they’d adapt somehow, right? That’s what the species does above anything else. Adapt and survive.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So, after years of evolution, the Aliens on the planet are no bigger than ‘fist-and-forearm’ and live underground in a network of caves – breeding – feeding – biding time until, of course, bumbling humans arrive to set up a few colonies.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I wasted no time in hashing out a dozen pages. The result – that opening chapter – is essentially the same ‘Extermination Theory’ appearing in the <a href="http://starscapeonline.com/">Starscape Storypaper</a>, but with alien-earwigs replacing Aliens…</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My contact at Dark Horse claimed to love it (“‘contact’ means ‘editor’, but I’m not giving out any names…especially when I still have hopes of someday working for him,” he said shamelessly), and I started counting my money in the bank and mentally memorizing ‘big-time writer’ convention speeches. But after a few largely positive emails our communication cut off, even after I submitted the requested rewrites. Eventually, nearly a year-and-a-half-later, I was told that pygmy Aliens weren’t scary enough and that Dark Horse no longer had any interest in my novel.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Although pretty shattered (a broken heart? too sensitive? yeah, I’m still crushed at a rejection but this experience more than any other taught me that you’ve got to pick yourself back up – still, I do go through a period of mourning for a rejected story before the picking up parts), I realized I really liked ‘Extermination Theory’ and wasn’t about to let it keel over and die so easily. A quick going over, x-ing out any Aliens references and injecting creations and backdrops of my own, and hey, I had new a short story…</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipJTaNLL462JZIYf9AQDEfHmdp5iI-Uv8UXs_vtE7xdDCZaSmTSA3jmsqTZGXciw_MemNHDJAONaSc9RA2NaV3Uir_k-a0splJjww3lpjxhSkNPuu39HPVvAJCbhFcR7XOB46cl48WTY/s1600/panel2+copy-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipJTaNLL462JZIYf9AQDEfHmdp5iI-Uv8UXs_vtE7xdDCZaSmTSA3jmsqTZGXciw_MemNHDJAONaSc9RA2NaV3Uir_k-a0splJjww3lpjxhSkNPuu39HPVvAJCbhFcR7XOB46cl48WTY/s320/panel2+copy-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630651564587578450" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">above: Elroy Wargle, self-proclaimed exterminator extraordinaire, and his protege, Stoss, get set to take on a colony of Al - um - earwigs. Art by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dustin-Parrs-Art/109355589104940">Dustin Parr</a>.</span></i></span></div></i></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Extermination Theory, from Short Story to Story-Comic</span></b></span><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">‘Alright kid,’ Elroy Wargle, self-proclaimed exterminator extraordinaire, announced as he led the teenager into the empty warehouse. ‘I know this is your first day on the job, but the first day is as good as any to start killing earwigs.’</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In no time, a magazine called Dark Worlds picked up ‘Extermination Theory’ and paid me a hundred bucks for the first printing and electronic rights. The editor seemed very enthusiastic about the story and planned to run it in the upcoming issue…the issue that never materialized. Months passed, no issue. More months, still nothing, not even a communication from the editor. With some trepidation – editors can be an evil lot, and I find it’s best to leave them alone at all times possible – I contacted him and asked if the story was still scheduled for publication.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It wasn’t.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The magazine folded, I was told, bad luck and all of that. Disappointing to say the least, but I still had my story and still had my hundred dollars. Wrong. Oh, that damned contract, that damned contract that gave away my rights to the story – at least until it had been printed. Those rights belonged to the creators of Dark Worlds and ‘Extermination Theory’ was theirs to do whatever they wanted with it…including nothing.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So I bought it back. I gave my hundred dollars back and got the rights returned to me. A painful thing to do, because at the time I needed the cash. But ‘Extermination Theory’ had become like a bastard son, the little bastard that gets shoved into the closet while the legitimates get to shine (I have no bastards, promise, and I’ve never shoved a kid into a closet except maybe once or twice). Well, finally the bastard was going to prevail whatever the cost.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So all in all in ended up costing a hundred bucks and about two years.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">I was determined to place it in the hands of an editor that would take care of it and do right by it. Then I noticed editor <a href="http://starscapesays.blogspot.com/">Chris Smillie</a> advertising a very unique idea: a Storypaper (and I highly recommend that you take a peek at <a href="http://starscapeonline.com/">this very informative article</a> Chris wrote on the history of Storypapers).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Chris is the editor of <a href="http://starscapeonline.com/">Starscape Comics</a>, a small press outfit that specializes in Superhero crossover comics and very cool reprint collections. There is a heavy air of nostalgia breathed into every comic Starscape releases – and a lot of care. Luckily, Chris liked ‘Extermination Theory’ enough to publish it in the first issue of the Starscape Storypaper, accompanied by wonderful the illustrations of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dustin-Parrs-Art/109355589104940">Dustin Parr</a> and <a href="http://mygrimmbrother.blogspot.com/">Matt Soffe</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Order your copy of the Starscape Storypaper <a href="http://starscapeonline.com/">here</a>!</p> <!--EndFragment--> </span><p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-37287524109031807162011-07-10T14:28:00.000-07:002011-07-10T16:50:37.420-07:00A Big Steaming Load of Cosmic Excrement...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXUe6ChxNKlO9l3MRlMebD2eahmX4yX9Pru0qaAQiBOhAY20KzTa52FXwtBEIlL83Suf0ZPcQnConuoQyklNKml6XCWfg0dkMRJK1Y0a5XxdNtPVfl6KdF-9iZIqKKtWEQA0p6etzRiA/s1600/cosmicexcrementblog1.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXUe6ChxNKlO9l3MRlMebD2eahmX4yX9Pru0qaAQiBOhAY20KzTa52FXwtBEIlL83Suf0ZPcQnConuoQyklNKml6XCWfg0dkMRJK1Y0a5XxdNtPVfl6KdF-9iZIqKKtWEQA0p6etzRiA/s320/cosmicexcrementblog1.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627839822182704178" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8SlK886G1FuFtt0DY8trvGPIh7kVqy3rJGx2uDLj13_Ebc8npyE-Ci4bvGni00M8jaTz0KguEgaNnAVNnubtFs2aLtXoaABqyQmYqfln9sbgIneiygPrz32id3IL8tgHJADxcXDV2Qg/s1600/cosmicexcrementblog2.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8SlK886G1FuFtt0DY8trvGPIh7kVqy3rJGx2uDLj13_Ebc8npyE-Ci4bvGni00M8jaTz0KguEgaNnAVNnubtFs2aLtXoaABqyQmYqfln9sbgIneiygPrz32id3IL8tgHJADxcXDV2Qg/s320/cosmicexcrementblog2.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627839551860008546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-GiKqLQsDwAwjDdG2gJ-UP7uk1zfzStjhyJ1-z2R7N-7uEaMBK_3EabFJJxohmrdrGJ1wsR6Ch-R_-QeiOeLMXbMm5DHPPtKAQqVXwlcbFDNvAgu1NETynsEEQNYBqybv4gchJy3X0M/s1600/cosmicexcrementblog3.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-GiKqLQsDwAwjDdG2gJ-UP7uk1zfzStjhyJ1-z2R7N-7uEaMBK_3EabFJJxohmrdrGJ1wsR6Ch-R_-QeiOeLMXbMm5DHPPtKAQqVXwlcbFDNvAgu1NETynsEEQNYBqybv4gchJy3X0M/s320/cosmicexcrementblog3.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627839394720881954" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtzy5HMOR0lO1reMZhx1KhP-ce1OxFS9kepdYl65gIdBTMbvBVKE4Or5u-zZt2AhcKVmq71p2cTsLV_7jeDi-q2mNBfyAJFI7OoQNjZfFTgnQSxlCrjSEpyBApWQ2HpfedcuchIhPQbM/s1600/cosmicexcrementblog4.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtzy5HMOR0lO1reMZhx1KhP-ce1OxFS9kepdYl65gIdBTMbvBVKE4Or5u-zZt2AhcKVmq71p2cTsLV_7jeDi-q2mNBfyAJFI7OoQNjZfFTgnQSxlCrjSEpyBApWQ2HpfedcuchIhPQbM/s320/cosmicexcrementblog4.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627839136858130818" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjkMF1VdTN175-k4G3HI7z5sHBmFjq9csBuPE9YUQZotBZt9ObflFCLFkr2ByPVA1Paw4fXUAP5c637MSfj0z8fyeerbm-LKE5JqUmitpV9YNGXbNLnfAw9U2jTbB8O79JIRT3EntU4o/s1600/cosmicexcrementblog5.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjkMF1VdTN175-k4G3HI7z5sHBmFjq9csBuPE9YUQZotBZt9ObflFCLFkr2ByPVA1Paw4fXUAP5c637MSfj0z8fyeerbm-LKE5JqUmitpV9YNGXbNLnfAw9U2jTbB8O79JIRT3EntU4o/s320/cosmicexcrementblog5.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627838988421377842" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>above: a load of '</i><b><i>Cosmic Excrement'</i></b><i> (art by <a href="http://bhunas-blog.blogspot.com/2011/07/complete-cosmic-excrement.html">Bhuna</a> and letters by <a href="http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=input&page=profiles&choice=DAVIDE">Bolt-01</a>).</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The first issue of </span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-WTF/122983944441503"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Doctor WTF?! Magazine</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> is completely sold out, and as I'm fairly certain none of you owns a TARDIS there's no going back in time to snag a copy. Luckily editor Owen Watts heard your plight and decided to do a couple of somethings about it: not only is he set to release a limited second print run, he's allowing the creators to post their strips on blogs, deviant art pages, bathroom stalls, Craig's List, the walls of underground tubes and wherever else they can be posted. So if you're a cheap bastard and didn't buy the 'zine the first time round and don't plan on buying it the second time round, you can take a few hours to scour the internet and read every single strip for free. Ah, even being cheap has its price.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">And so I present to you my humble offering, '<b>Cosmic Excrement</b>'. There's nothing more I can say about the strip that I haven't already discussed at (great, greeeaaat) length </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/riding-cosmic-inter-courseways-for-all.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/real-doctor-who-never-went-through-this.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/05/doctor-who-doctor-what-doctor-wtf.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> and </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/02/by-jove-ive-got-cosmic-excrement-all.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">. Sheesh. Don't read all my blibber-bloggering (I'm being presumptuous, as if you would anyway) - read the comic...and take comfort in knowing that i</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';">ssue 2 is in the works!</span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-75829918716159712522011-07-08T08:01:00.000-07:002011-07-08T18:58:44.315-07:00What's That Smell? Mmmmm, Dogbreath!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVbxSLWno-UC_DBlSlGCFBsHSSWol66hmj5vAAl94f5-uPryd9zJEJdro_0xDEr0mEu5xy8aIHAGNE4SWvjX1y7P3DbfqPCLgK8nkDbwnoiMJZ9uzZlITad5YponJfcl7CrdR5f6V3YM/s1600/Dogbreath+Cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVbxSLWno-UC_DBlSlGCFBsHSSWol66hmj5vAAl94f5-uPryd9zJEJdro_0xDEr0mEu5xy8aIHAGNE4SWvjX1y7P3DbfqPCLgK8nkDbwnoiMJZ9uzZlITad5YponJfcl7CrdR5f6V3YM/s320/Dogbreath+Cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627127890167312402" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: the b'dass cover of </span></span></i><a href="http://thequaequamblog.blogspot.com/"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Dogbreath</span></span></i></b></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> 24, by Nigel Dobbyn.</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Faithful readers of this blog (if you exist, and I'm not sure you do) might recall me mentioning '</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/fistful-of-sand-dollars.html">Catch of the Day</a>'</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> as far back ago as last </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/11/catching-strontium-dogfish.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">November</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">. Well, it's made its way to print at last, appearing in issue 24 of the fantastic Strontium Dog fanzine, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Dogbreath</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></b></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCJxmB1LcUFqsxNUlklFYUqxmXXPckkRnP6gfX_ZIe_fBL14_IzZSnmnVOJTcqeg6JLz0n5lBR6KT0XOk-Z7iB4qiacYVFRxKmr7W5rbGR0M8fzx247SfdQCLh2bFKctRkKh61edSt38/s1600/characterssd5-10.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCJxmB1LcUFqsxNUlklFYUqxmXXPckkRnP6gfX_ZIe_fBL14_IzZSnmnVOJTcqeg6JLz0n5lBR6KT0XOk-Z7iB4qiacYVFRxKmr7W5rbGR0M8fzx247SfdQCLh2bFKctRkKh61edSt38/s320/characterssd5-10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627127729060773346" /></a><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: </span></span></i><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Catch of the Day</span></span></i></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">'s crusty crew - (from left) Crabtree, Eel in a Filthy Suit, Mukky Mud Flapper, Vince Scampi, Bibb Squiddly and Shellboy (art by <a href="http://www.tezoarillustration.com/">Ryan S. Thomason</a>).</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">'</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Catch of the Day</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">' tells the story of Mukky Mud Flapper, the perfect character for a Redemption Story if there ever was one. Problem is, Mukky's not interested in redemption.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Years ago Mukky himself was a young up-and-coming Strontium Dog bounty hunter. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">But then he got old. Got mean. Got drunk. Got drunker. Killed a few innocent people and then killed a few more. Now he's got a whopper of a bounty on his head and every SD agent is after him - but for Mukky, that's like shooting dogfish in a barrel!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Order your copy of Dogbreath 24 at the </span></span><a href="http://thequaequamblog.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Quaequam Blog</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> - !</span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-12418356073253526382011-06-24T06:22:00.000-07:002011-11-30T12:36:43.483-08:00Tequila Worms: Bustin' Cabezas Since 1995...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4E8gV2xWD7CIL3EaGhbvAKVISxdyskA7EBMg81UgPpHIZDfgF77gxz0KtENDOoq8Iq-FY2ZPy4ESc8rHo3IDDJ35qmcuxHckxQsEKZsEBT_ZeON6C58uqokaKlL3wRVr32-4Gq4mOho/s1600/Tequila+Worms+Page.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4E8gV2xWD7CIL3EaGhbvAKVISxdyskA7EBMg81UgPpHIZDfgF77gxz0KtENDOoq8Iq-FY2ZPy4ESc8rHo3IDDJ35qmcuxHckxQsEKZsEBT_ZeON6C58uqokaKlL3wRVr32-4Gq4mOho/s320/Tequila+Worms+Page.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621776404553954786" /></a><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Tequila Worms</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> are out to bust a few cabezas (art by Some Fat Guy Whose Name I Can't Recall).</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">This afternoon, as I shuffled through a stack of old papers that had sunk to the bottom of my desk drawer, I came across the last surviving page of a comic book I worked on a looooong time ago...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Way back in 1995 the High School version of me could most certainly be called one of the (ahem) Cool Kids. In fact, the coolness that began rooting itself within me back then has only grown and grown until now my coolness cannot possibly be measured. What started it all?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Why...my membership in the <b>Comic Book Club</b>, of course.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In High School, what can </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">be cooler</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;">Except I wasn't really a member. Aaaaaand it wasn't even an official club. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">A few of us (ahem) Cool Kids would get together in the library to read and talk about comics. Eventually, we started writing and drawing them, too. Each 'member' (I think there were four of us, or maybe five) of the 'club' wrote a comic script and Some Fat Guy Whose Name I Can't Recall, the best artist of the group, decided which one he thought was best and drew it. My script caught on: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Tequila Worms</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Tequila Worms</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> were borne out of my love for the <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> and Mexican Action Films (no one should be so cool, I know). It was a Great Idea, everyone (three out of four of the Comic Book Club members) agreed, and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;">Some Fat Guy Whose Name I Can't Recall and I started putting together the comic book that was sure to catapult us into comics super-stardom.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;">I'm still waiting for that, yeah.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Years passed, and all of that. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">For some reason </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Tequila Worms</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> and members of their team - </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">El Bigote</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> and </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Tener Fojos</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> (check 'em out in panel 3) and the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Ape with Toilet Paper Roll Hands</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> - have always stuck with me. A f</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">ew months ago, when I sat down to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;">write a script for an upcoming Pulp Comic anthology </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;">I found my thoughts drifting back to them. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">I tried to write a 'grown up' version of the Worms, but everything that spilled onto the computer monitor was derivative of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">TMNT </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">- old habits die hard. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;">However, the supporting characters came to my rescue...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">El Bigote</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, updated as an undead Mexican Bandito, became the star, and <b>Tener Fojos</b> one of the baddies. Lots of the weird creatures that inhabited the <b>Tequila Worms</b>' alternate Mexico showed up as well: Tequila Goblins, Tekilla Worms and more. Artist <a href="http://vivachivo.blogspot.com/">El Chivo</a> has posted a sample of the new <b>El Bigote</b> strip on his blog <a href="http://vivachivo.blogspot.com/2011/06/que-pasa-havent-writ-for-while-this-is.html">here</a>.</span></span></div></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-44861374892146846732011-06-02T07:33:00.000-07:002011-06-02T08:22:18.588-07:00When Irish Isles are Smiling...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswe-45in4SvaCoNRDv3eg7unT_2-LtuFIYiKjDPyGIJ5801EseKE_OZ8kmpYzMyb5MVakS12mT9t5_awFk6VMTCw5tLLCZ6fzfoMrpIspxFKEvdySQPevpGxgStm8d9LCRTJBEpyb264/s1600/emerald+isle+cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswe-45in4SvaCoNRDv3eg7unT_2-LtuFIYiKjDPyGIJ5801EseKE_OZ8kmpYzMyb5MVakS12mT9t5_awFk6VMTCw5tLLCZ6fzfoMrpIspxFKEvdySQPevpGxgStm8d9LCRTJBEpyb264/s320/emerald+isle+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613630718583661058" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: the cover for Tales From the Emerald Isle's 2D Convention Special, featuring Highwayman Captain Gallagher (art by </span></span><a href="http://pencilmonkeymagic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Conor Boyle</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">).</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Aye, 'tis the latest issue of </span></span><b><a href="http://hiberniabook.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Tales From the Emerald Isle</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, debuting at this weekend's 2D Comic Convention in Derry, Ireland! Whilst the </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/12/telling-some-tales-from-emerald-isle.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">first issue</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> was made up of short strips featuring Irish 2000AD characters (including my Judge Joyce story, '</span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/12/muties-on-bounty-last-words.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Muties on the Bounty</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">'), this second issue focuses on the myths and legends of the Emerald Isle. Highwaymen, Faeries, Celtic Warriors not named Slaine, and Banshees abound!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">I've contributed a three-page strip, '</span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/05/sometimes-life-just-isnt-faerie.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Faerie-Catcher</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">'. Contact </span></span><a href="http://hiberniabook.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Hibernia Comics</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> for ordering information - copies are limited, so move it, boyo.</span></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-35202194319963312162011-05-31T15:50:00.000-07:002011-06-01T15:17:11.769-07:00Temple APA 9: A Remedy for Summer...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjNTjw1qlLyNyHR7xrWJulivVv2ys0aDHj2iAbv9eSH8srpuSDrmlZ8MsCU3mhgb1h1hpMZLvqEbP8AwGoLUzmzHDWwxtghu9Xtwozb1yu-06kvBC1kRzHTkA_FuKILZxqtVR1IH-RzQ/s1600/temple+apa+9.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjNTjw1qlLyNyHR7xrWJulivVv2ys0aDHj2iAbv9eSH8srpuSDrmlZ8MsCU3mhgb1h1hpMZLvqEbP8AwGoLUzmzHDWwxtghu9Xtwozb1yu-06kvBC1kRzHTkA_FuKILZxqtVR1IH-RzQ/s320/temple+apa+9.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613016443551288258" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Sun's shining bright. Days are growing longer and hotter. Summer's moving in fast. Bah! Summer! Give me rain and gloom, snow and doom! Any day, every day!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Luckily I've got a remedy for summer, a pocket of winter saved for an unbearably sunny day: </span></span><b><a href="http://templeapa.socialgo.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Temple APA</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> issue 9 (cover artwork by Simon Mackie), featuring '</span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/04/golligug-queen.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Little Yelena and the Golligugs</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">' (art by </span></span><a href="http://vivachivo.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">El Chivo</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">) and a one-page preview trailer for '</span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/04/theres-something-down-here-with-us-but.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Ubek Naren-Ka</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">' </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">(art by </span></span><a href="http://ghostpockets.tumblr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Ghostpockets</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, a gruesome comic strip in the works</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> for Halloweentime. Both are sure to give you chills, even as the humidity rises.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">And such chills can be had for </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">FREE</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">. That's right, as always Temple APA is completely </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">FREE</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Click </span></span><a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11875984/Temple9.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">HERE</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> to download your copy. Or if you prefer, there's always </span></span><a href="http://www.clickwheel.net/features/350?episode_id=3397"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">CLICKWHEEL</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, </span></span><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?m343q1o7phoeb9f"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">MEDIAFIRE</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> or </span></span><a href="http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=83966"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">MYEBOOK</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">. Temple APA, your ice cube during the long summer months.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Edit: <a href="http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2011/06/temple-apa-issue-9-showcases-british.html">Down the Tubes</a> has given the issue a short blurb. They refer to the magazine being 'full of British talent'. They lied. I'm not British. And I'm not so bold as to refer to myself as 'talented'.</span></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-72717622450916541112011-05-23T00:29:00.000-07:002011-09-08T06:13:38.031-07:00Doctor Who? Doctor What? Doctor WTF?!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X6nSsKgeqLdgeSFI2MfzmxwGKWfKmOBrSuC2Vg8TgoGPDp6xybh_u5sr4UgLHAIS2qOGQIweb1c898cxw5VqbFATxA58fjcFw4C72OFYMy077onR0kBs_4UgxyELFlbRnWZzePfQrqo/s1600/Doctor+WTF+Mag+Cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X6nSsKgeqLdgeSFI2MfzmxwGKWfKmOBrSuC2Vg8TgoGPDp6xybh_u5sr4UgLHAIS2qOGQIweb1c898cxw5VqbFATxA58fjcFw4C72OFYMy077onR0kBs_4UgxyELFlbRnWZzePfQrqo/s320/Doctor+WTF+Mag+Cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609810677040927138" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">A couple of weekends ago at the Bristol Comic Convention, </span></span><a href="http://crazyfoxmachine.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Owen Watts</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> unveiled </span></span><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-WTF/122983944441503"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Doctor WTF?!</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, a glorious full-color small press comic chock full of bizarre otherworld (otherdimension?) Doctor Who stories - including my strip '</span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/riding-cosmic-inter-courseways-for-all.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Cosmic Excrement</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">'.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b>Doctor WTF?!</b> has a very limited print run, so hurry up and teleport over to the </span></span><a href="http://drwtf.co.uk/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">website</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> or </span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-WTF/122983944441503"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">facebook page</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> and buy yourself a copy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">...if there are any left. If not, step into a wormhole, travel back in time and buy yourself a copy...</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">...i</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'times new roman';">f not, step into a wormhole, travel back in time and buy yourself a copy...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'times new roman';">...i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'times new roman';">f not, step into a wormhole, travel back in time and buy yourself a copy...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Update 9/8/11: Artist David Frankum has written a very positive review about the 'zine. Check that out on David's blog <a href="http://daveyf.co.uk/blog/?p=280&fb_ref=AL2FB&fb_source=profile_oneline">here</a></span>.</span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-61105694326040132882011-05-02T11:39:00.000-07:002011-05-04T14:03:25.918-07:00Sometimes Life Just Isn't Faerie...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pP6W8Oe0_Wy-J_1yL2bbsjqcwgAw1TquRghph6RQcaR08AqgJixrLs0sZNOTHBCR2mq-HXXWsXAYzxB8c3P8Zq4OQfH2wp7RngBfwqCHpIJJEY3kB_MsNrUHnxXNrhLw9RM4QkpWzAY/s1600/Faerie+Blog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 211px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pP6W8Oe0_Wy-J_1yL2bbsjqcwgAw1TquRghph6RQcaR08AqgJixrLs0sZNOTHBCR2mq-HXXWsXAYzxB8c3P8Zq4OQfH2wp7RngBfwqCHpIJJEY3kB_MsNrUHnxXNrhLw9RM4QkpWzAY/s320/Faerie+Blog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602190857059512546" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: a Druid crushes an evil little faerie, collecting its blood for brewing a magic potion (art by </span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dustin-Parrs-Art/109355589104940"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Dustin Parr</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">).</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">In </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Faerie-Catcher,</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> Christianity has begun to take root in Ireland. Needless to say, the isle's faerie-folk aren't very happy about that...and take to terrorizing villages and burning peasants alive(!), until a mysterious boy, the 'World's Greatest Faerie-Catcher', volunteers to hunt down and kill the evil little buggers ('polliwogs with wings', as he refers to them).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Faerie-Catcher</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> will appear in the next issue of '</span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/12/telling-some-tales-from-emerald-isle.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Tales From the Emerald Isle</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">', coming very soon from </span></span><a href="http://hiberniabook.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Hibernia Comics</span></span></a>!</div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-4605711677266879662011-04-24T01:43:00.000-07:002011-04-24T10:17:39.479-07:00"There's Something Down Here With Us. I'd Tell You What It Is, but I Can't Pronounce Its Name"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1svY3N_QZndhHoB1ys5H2uxMUX4SVOPJqSZtpSwMIbL2xD4wm3z622LGue61EV8vNmD7czpS3PrfBeoZOjy4TnWGg7JQCOacsoIFug68iqR_z9HMZtyqsSn8kcg6xNQZHS-siCmKPrU/s1600/ubk+blog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1svY3N_QZndhHoB1ys5H2uxMUX4SVOPJqSZtpSwMIbL2xD4wm3z622LGue61EV8vNmD7czpS3PrfBeoZOjy4TnWGg7JQCOacsoIFug68iqR_z9HMZtyqsSn8kcg6xNQZHS-siCmKPrU/s320/ubk+blog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599068246101583282" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: Is there ever anything good lurking in creepy dark caves? No, as a trio of foolhardy monks is about to find out (art by </span></span><a href="http://ghostpockets.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Ghostpockets</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">).</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Something big and nasty lives underground. It's been eating people. Lots and lots of people. For centuries.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">I can't say much else about this project, not even the title, as it's still on the enigmatically monikered Ghostpockets' drawing board, except that it might be the most gruesome tale I've written yet - and features yet another monster with a name that's a step away from gibberish.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">A one-page 'trailer' we've put together to preview the strip will show up in the next</span></span><a href="http://templeapa.socialgo.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> Temple APA</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> online magazine, and as for where the completed strip will end up...well, that's a surprise for later</span></span>.</div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-43739971447168045412011-04-15T16:19:00.000-07:002011-05-03T14:55:34.165-07:00Bibb Squiddly Pimping for Warren Ellis...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RGEz_h0fPPA-SKTgVklL5J6pPxvONf3VXCuVXtVOcqLToEt-vH43cWD4hOe314U5OktBsxUx8X5pjLStoAO7qK47mhCLVZ2crJBo3BJ80GKL9uu9cKwjSWLUZAY_3_yWdMO3ukMKZdQ/s1600/bibb+squiddly.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RGEz_h0fPPA-SKTgVklL5J6pPxvONf3VXCuVXtVOcqLToEt-vH43cWD4hOe314U5OktBsxUx8X5pjLStoAO7qK47mhCLVZ2crJBo3BJ80GKL9uu9cKwjSWLUZAY_3_yWdMO3ukMKZdQ/s320/bibb+squiddly.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595954342411039010" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: Bibb Squiddly, smallest fry in the Squiddly Squidd Brothers Strontium Dogfish posse, trades in his badge for a chance to work for </span></span></i><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Warren Ellis</span></span></i></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> (art by </span></span></i><a href="http://www.tezoarillustration.com/"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Ryan S. Thomason</span></span></i></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">).</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Warning: The following post is incredibly awkward.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Oh sure, Bibb, promote </span></span><a href="http://www.warrenellis.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">warrenellis.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> ('swhat the sign says) until the cowfish come home. Although, um, I can't but help you really should be out trawling the interweb with a sign that has something like 'visit </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">locustsofdeath.blogspot.com</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">' scrawled across it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">What's that, you say? You're not bothered with a silly blog that no one reads anyway? That no one reads...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';">Because I'm not Warren Ellis?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Oh, right, forget me then. I only, you know, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman';"><b>GAVE YOU LIFE</b>.</span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">No, you're right. I'm not Warren Ellis.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Sigh.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Anyway, you can catch the misadventures of </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/fistful-of-sand-dollars.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Bibb and his Brother Squidds</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> later this year in </span></span><a href="http://thequaequamblog.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b>Dogbreath Magazine</b></span></span></a>.</div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-66183570423609129832011-04-13T06:08:00.000-07:002011-04-13T16:05:43.823-07:00Giving Jikan the Willies...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHfdJfcnaU1f_8xn65F0zdt1Y6dSDgWuFbCLiSWaWeipZvQGAPPviRPT7ztsOzqYOf-vVOquS8Dm22-HyECeXeQmx1TJOr240Ln1LWjcaFgtVlendKiZM1r1vGN2QRYOp2WSJ6Hq2enw/s1600/Jikan_Noon_10.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHfdJfcnaU1f_8xn65F0zdt1Y6dSDgWuFbCLiSWaWeipZvQGAPPviRPT7ztsOzqYOf-vVOquS8Dm22-HyECeXeQmx1TJOr240Ln1LWjcaFgtVlendKiZM1r1vGN2QRYOp2WSJ6Hq2enw/s320/Jikan_Noon_10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595054549650768306" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">above: Samuel McDickie, Potshot Peter Wells and Willie Six-Fingers gather in a circle (art by </span><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Davey Candlish</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, letters by </span><a href="http://clintflickerlettering.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jim Campbell</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">).</span></span></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/02/cowboys-and-demindians-jikan-noon.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jikan Noon</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> has arrived at its tenth episode - a third of the way to the finish - and events so far have been rather grim and gritty. Arriving at the demon-plagued soon-to-be-ghost-town of Coso Diablo, o</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ur favorite time-traveling, demon-slaying samurai has taken on the role of the Man with No Name; immediately after dispatching several gunfighting Harpies, he's found himself enlisted in a posse of hard-nosed demon-killers.</span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Unlike most mysterious Wild West desperadoes, these men have names:</span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Samuel Mc</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dick</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ie. Potshot </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Peter</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Wells. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Willie</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Six Fingers.</span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ah, I love a good inside joke, especially when it slips past the editor - and involves wankers.</span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There's more to the name Potshot Peter Wells than a wanker joke, however; the real </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pete Wells</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> is one of my favorite...um...members of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2000AD</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'s </span><a href="http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">online forum</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. He's responsible for the incredibly informative blog, </span><a href="http://2000adcovers.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2000AD Covers Uncovered</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and organizes the yearly forum advent calendar.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Pete definitely deserves a bit of a tribute, even if in the form of a wanker joke, ha.</span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></span></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></span></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(I should note that Pete is NOT a wanker, far from it; he'</span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></span></span></div></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">s an incredibly nice fellow - promise)</span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><div style="text-align: justify; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For those of you not in the know, </span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/01/cowboys-and-demindians-jikan-noon.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jikan Noon</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> is a weekly newspaper-styled strip that can be found every Sunday on the </span><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Paragon Blogspot</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (and you can get up to date </span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/02/cowboys-and-demindians-jikan-noon.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">). This is second </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jikan</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> weekly series, the first being </span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/06/king-of-kappas.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jikan & the Kappa King</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">!</span></span></span></div></i>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-61276796997895302492011-04-10T02:33:00.000-07:002011-05-05T10:07:18.435-07:00Robot Ramblings: Mekkos 2 Preview/Mekkos 1 Review...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFma7dOMm0Myxu-IhtKkxSn181lnckvqBN0gxl9bRpxcR_0XxaPVpqLGMa-6w4jnCVcKVk3OSWkVAot9jxJ5XIk_cSQuqKT2lrDCT6fPaLh3I4FbZhGPhBav49Vx_HjFTsd590Z6VO4V4/s1600/Page4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFma7dOMm0Myxu-IhtKkxSn181lnckvqBN0gxl9bRpxcR_0XxaPVpqLGMa-6w4jnCVcKVk3OSWkVAot9jxJ5XIk_cSQuqKT2lrDCT6fPaLh3I4FbZhGPhBav49Vx_HjFTsd590Z6VO4V4/s320/Page4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593886153537588706" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: A sequence from the second episode of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> (art by James Corcoran).</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/2011/03/paragon-7-out-now.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Paragon #7</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> is out, and the </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/12/mekko-sapiens-press-release.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> has begun. The initial episode finds auxiliary drone G-127 waking from a deep, electronic sleep - and discovering he has human memories. Are these memories artificial, or was he once a man? Or is he a new form of God?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Episode 2 answers a few of these questions. G-127 receives a vision-transmission from the past, gaining a glimpse of the man he may or may not have been - and the sinister cult this man belonged to, an organization bent on achieving godhood through cybernetics... </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">If you'll notice, there's a switch in art duties for Episode 2 - in fact, there'll be a switch in art duties </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">every</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> new chapter! Editor Davey Candlish and I discussed doing a sort of 'round robin' for the art of </span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/05/mekko-sapiens-uprising-is-story-about.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, like those old 2000AD </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">ABC Warriors</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> strips; </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Davey himself led off, illustrating the first episode, while </span></span><a href="http://james-corcoran.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">James Corcoran</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> has illustrated the second and </span></span><a href="http://lrgcarter.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Louis Carter</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> is in line to take on the third</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDTcd6AiTiT5gNfvQtpN7r8H8I7HdCM5dR21bH_mzIwcK_NNT1keUJdseSohhUgB_6GEzErQVBCgZWmQrcOsDmcgOY6H744NTRVngF2gthzvc0ixTu0A_O8N8g8sUld-i5XCl7Dc7qSE/s1600/Jevidiah.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDTcd6AiTiT5gNfvQtpN7r8H8I7HdCM5dR21bH_mzIwcK_NNT1keUJdseSohhUgB_6GEzErQVBCgZWmQrcOsDmcgOY6H744NTRVngF2gthzvc0ixTu0A_O8N8g8sUld-i5XCl7Dc7qSE/s320/Jevidiah.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593886065621653138" /></a><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">above: Jevediah Call, Master Neurotheologist, and Michael Timmons, Chief Cyberneticist, peruse the Mekkgod's owners' grimoire (art by James Corcoran)</span></span></i></span></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Ah, reviews, reviews. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">In the past I've always posted reviews about my work; luckily (for my fragile ego) those few reviews have so far been positive. In the interest of fairness, I've got to post the not-so-favorable reviews as well...and the opening episode of </span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/12/mekko-sapiens-press-release.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> got tagged with - if not a bad review - a so-so review, over on </span></span><a href="http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/130237130072902.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">comicsbulletin.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">"</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekko-Sapiens</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">" is the weak link (of Paragon #7), a post-</span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Matrix</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> bit of science fiction, all robots and hive minds and free will, and the simplistic art and short page count can only detract from its impact. That said, the artist -- not named, although I think it might be editor Dave Candlish -- instills the protagonist with quite a bit of personality depsite the simple character design, and there are hints of further philosophical depth in the writing, so this one has potential even if it doesn't impress as much right out of the blocks...</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">(</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Mekkosapiens</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> is) </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">nonetheless full of potential".</span></span></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Okay, so it's not a bad review by far. But no writer wants his work to be the 'weak link'!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/paragon-7-mekkosapiens-uprising-begins.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> is my first multi-part comic strip, and I've learned a valuable lesson here: w</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">hen writing an ongoing series for an anthology comic - particularly a </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">quarterly</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> anthology comic - have a BANG or a BOOM in that initial episode. Give the reader something to remember the strip by, so that some-odd months later when the next issue falls into his lap, he remembers the story. The other two stories in Paragon #7 (a Jikan tale, and the fantastic Icarus Dangerous) are action-oriented comics with lots of BIG THINGS going on. </span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/paragon-7-mekkosapiens-uprising-begins.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, with its quiet opening, sits between these strips like a whisperer in a crowd of loud mouths.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">From here on out, however, I don't think the script can be accused of being quiet. There are several key quiet philosophical moments, yes, but there is also a big ROBOT RUMPUS in the making.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">And who doesn't enjoy a good ROBOT RUMPUS now and then?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Update 03/14: Ugh, another review, another beating for my poor Mekkos. </span></span><a href="http://WWW.geekchocolate.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88:paragon-issue-7&catid=39:comics&Itemid=61"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Geekchocolate.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> says:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">"</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Story number two follows on in </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">The Rise of the Mekko-Sapiens</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> from Matthew Mclaughlin. Much more of a pure science fiction tale, Mekko-Sapiens fails to keep up the standards of its predecessor. There’s more than a hint of The Matrix here, with the Mekko-Sapiens being plugged into a large hive of some kind. Raising issues of individual consciousness and the rights of the individual it fails to rise above, or say anything new about these staples of science fiction. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">The art is simple and uncomplicated, portraying a sleek minimalist future world. Like the story, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with it; it’s just that it is all a little too familiar. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">The ending at least with the door to a new world being opened, suggests that the next instalment may well take us in a different direction.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">The first chapter is too early to be writing the Mekko-Sapiens off...</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">The </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Rise of the Mekko-Sapiens</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> isn’t a total failure, but is definitely in the must do better category. With its glimpse of a different world at the end, here’s hoping it can do just that."</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Words like 'weak link' and 'failure' (even if not complete) are tough to read. But o</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">bviously, if two different reviewers have come to write almost the exact same review - I've done something wrong. The first review had me thinking that Lesson One was the problem - the episode needed a BIG EVENT - but a second review has left me with a Lesson Two: don't hold back. Plunge your reader headlong into your world. I'd like to think </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> is nothing like </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">The Matrix</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">, but I could be wrong. In any case, I could have avoided the comparisons by showcasing the world outside that single hallway G-127 starts off in. Perhaps a longer page count would have helped, but 6-pages is the norm for an anthology comic. The reviewer is right. I need to do better at both introducing my world as well as a lending the strip a sense of urgency from the get-go. I'm confident the second episode of Mekkos will atone for the rough start the series has gotten off to, but only time (and issue #8) will tell.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Still, at least one more review is on its way. My Mekkos has more lumps to take, I fear.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Update 05/05: Mercifully short beating from the <a href="http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/">Forbidden Planet Blog</a>:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">As first parts go it’s alright, but there’s not that much there to either thrill, intrigue or really interest in it’s tale of a robotic race possibly descended from humans and the one errant Mekko-Sapien who fights off his programming to become something more." Nothing new here that the other two reviewers didn't already say, but he does gut-punch me at the end when comparing Mekkos to another strip in the mag: "</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">The difference between Icarus and Mekko-Sapiens is that, with Icarus, I want to find out the answers. Maybe next issue? Hopefully?"</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Ouch. But we're done with the reviews, thankfully...</span></span></span></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-2944617490187313612011-03-27T16:01:00.000-07:002011-04-03T11:56:47.381-07:00Doctor Who Never Went Through This Shit...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKN2uhzDQKpp17fx26PkkmExMNTwZuchDkRsQ4q_wD8gOjihAlGsKjbM7Bz6AU-LRJRi_RXvGt_LjKDm7QuXlIW6l54SVux7VX1FaY7jcLUKNx1-0iiyHKbs43MEfn5XAfqz1VB51mYU4/s1600/MagnificentTwelve.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 154px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKN2uhzDQKpp17fx26PkkmExMNTwZuchDkRsQ4q_wD8gOjihAlGsKjbM7Bz6AU-LRJRi_RXvGt_LjKDm7QuXlIW6l54SVux7VX1FaY7jcLUKNx1-0iiyHKbs43MEfn5XAfqz1VB51mYU4/s320/MagnificentTwelve.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588898913403218306" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yeah, the blah-blah-blog's been a little </span></span><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-WTF/122983944441503"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Doctor WTF?!</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> heavy lately - but who cares?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">No one reads this stuff anyway, and really, writing the blog is for my own amusement during those few minutes a day when I'm bored or antsy or contemplating blowing up the "brilliant" script I've been working on (you know, the one that starts off with two fantastic pages and then turns to shit when my words betray me utterly and completely); the release of </span></span><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-WTF/122983944441503"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Doctor WTF?!</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> is fast approaching and sneaky peeks are starting to crop up here and there, including the great teaser above which showcases a panel from each of the twelve stories set to appear in the magazine (my contribution, '</span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/riding-cosmic-inter-courseways-for-all.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cosmic Excrement</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">', is the sixth image, the severed Who-head in the jar).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If you'll notice, that very big second paragraph is a single sentence.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ah, but you enjoy my long-windedness? Excellent! Then read </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/03/riding-cosmic-inter-courseways-for-all.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">this</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for an especially long-winded write-up on '</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cosmic Excrement</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">' (!!) or read </span></span><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2011/02/by-jove-ive-got-cosmic-excrement-all.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">this</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for even </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">more</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> background on the strip</span></span>.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Edit 04/03/11: As if the above promo isn't nifty enough, check <a href="http://drwtf.co.uk/">this sucker</a> out. How many times will you make the logo bounce?</span></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6049556823282809800.post-91861960607035673462011-03-17T15:04:00.000-07:002011-03-29T11:25:55.608-07:00Paragon 7: the Mekkosapiens Uprising Begins...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jRh8mV-qM1v81ATBcFRyUOgUZyhZ743a79MOkZ-DaYsoilxADUSFYF93wCs8BP8TDlQoOgRYJAppy1kWSYj-As1JFazniEWuTDJaQCPQ9JWBEaPGNGN2EPH0dd8qa0LmSSrSH5PSwOE/s1600/Paragon+7+cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jRh8mV-qM1v81ATBcFRyUOgUZyhZ743a79MOkZ-DaYsoilxADUSFYF93wCs8BP8TDlQoOgRYJAppy1kWSYj-As1JFazniEWuTDJaQCPQ9JWBEaPGNGN2EPH0dd8qa0LmSSrSH5PSwOE/s320/Paragon+7+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585173352064896514" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Paragon Comics</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> issue #7 is up for sale today, and in within its pages you'll find the first episode of </span></span><b><a href="http://locustsofdeath.blogspot.com/2010/12/mekko-sapiens-press-release.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Rise of the Mekkosapiens</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">, a 10-chapter series I've written for the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><a href="http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/2011/03/eagle-awards-nominations.html">Eagle Award</a> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">nominated (best British black & white comic) anthology comic (art by Davey Candlish, letters by Matt Brown).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Is Mekkosapien Auxiliary Drone G127 a robot? A man? Both?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Enter a world enslaved by machines, where religion and science have merged to create synthetic godlike beings, where flesh is extinct but the human soul struggles to break free from the cybernetic chains that bind it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">'Long ago, we tired of being men and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> wanted to become gods,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">' G127 laments, 'but now that I am a god, I want nothing more than to be a man.'</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Order a print version of Paragon 7 </span></span></span><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/paragon-%237/15146944"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC66CC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">here</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> or download it </span></span></span><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/paragon-%237/15146945"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC66CC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">here</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Edit: Oops! I should make mention that the brilliant cover artist is none other than friend and frequent collaborator </span></span><a href="http://mygrimmbrother.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Matt Soffe</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">!</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Update: Read Down the Tubes' Paragon 7 blurb <a href="http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2011/03/icarus-flies-into-paragon-7-out-now.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Downthetubesnet-TheBlog+%28downthetubes.net+-+British+Comics+News%29">here</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></div>matthew mclaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523224564959797356noreply@blogger.com0