90: City Excursion- new toy!
dgriff13 on Aug. 26, 2007
okay…. so, I'm trying new things, so the ride may be a bit bumpy for a while, peeps. This page isn't that great, I know, but it's presenting a new opportunity for our alien friends.
From what I gathered from the review of Z&F (in the forums– go see!), what the comic needs is better writing and more of a “zing” (but not swearing or adult content, still thinking “newspapers” here). Something fresh and exciting. And more color, preferably, ALL the time. So…
#1. I came up with this idea that would allow Z&F to get out of suburbia with ease (while the owners are at work of course)… just to add more flavor to the stories and open up more possibilities for punchlines, etc. Yay for teleportation. Hence the pimped-out dog house. We'll see where this take the comic. I'm sort of writing this as I go for now…
#2. I tried digitally inking this one in Illustrator. I usually use old-fashioned fountain pen and then scan and vectorize. Not sure if I like it yet, it looks a little different to me. Opinions? It may just take time for me to master my tablet pen. But I'm hoping in the end it'll save me enough time to COLOR every comic, not just use grayscale. This one took me FOREVER, though, as it was my first time digitally inking. arg!
Hopefully these changes will take Z&F from “pretty decent, but nothing special yet” to “something special”.
P.S. Universal Press agrees Z&F is “nothing special”– got their rejection letter this weekend. King Features is the last one who has my submission, It's looking awfully dreary, guys. *sigh*
dgriff13 at 7:36PM, Aug. 28, 2007
excellent review, Carrollhach, you're the best! Thanks for readin' subcultured!
dgriff13 at 7:35PM, Aug. 28, 2007
well thanks NYjaplander, it's always good to remind myself that it's MY comic... but I am the type of artist who's always looking to improve! Like my illustration professor in college used to say, "Never get comfortable".
n_y_japlander at 7:09PM, Aug. 28, 2007
Just keep doing what you do, and what you like to do! once it becomes a task for someone else, the "love" will be lost, and it WILL show in the art! Loe it!
carrollhach at 12:48PM, Aug. 28, 2007
Hell, I love this strip. I'm gonna head over to the reviews and offer my opinion to that effect.
subcultured at 9:23AM, Aug. 28, 2007
heh kids
dgriff13 at 3:05PM, Aug. 27, 2007
okay okay! I know! Way to colorful! Got it, check! I did this way too late Sunday night. Wednesday's will be less harsh on the eyes, I promise. ;0)
CorruptComics at 2:53PM, Aug. 27, 2007
My eyes are bleeding rainbows.
Vindibudd at 1:50PM, Aug. 27, 2007
I like where this is going. I like new toys as well.
dgriff13 at 11:08AM, Aug. 27, 2007
just maybe, JZintel.. just maybe....
dgriff13 at 11:08AM, Aug. 27, 2007
WOW, thanks for the mini-review FAL and Ersatz. I agree about the color- I want to rethink the colors I use... some are just too generic cartoony BRIGHT AS HELL colors. Part of the reason coloring take so damn long for me.. too many choices! The line does look a little thicker.. I know how to fix that though.
JZintel at 11:00AM, Aug. 27, 2007
Could this new teleporter lead to crazy mishaps ala "The Fly"?
Ersatz at 9:42AM, Aug. 27, 2007
I have to admit that it looks different and it threw me for a minute, mainly because it's only SLIGHTLY different. Even so, it's not BAD different, and the colour does look great, especially the panel with the supervisor - nice contrast. I like the idea of our heroes going on travels, make sure they come to England at some point! Nicely paced joke as well! 3 thumbs up! (Damn these mutant hands).
FAL at 9:41AM, Aug. 27, 2007
Hey, this is great! I see you take our advice seriously. I really like the "new toy" joke, it works perfectly. Regarding the color, I think it works best in the first panel. I think the lines look too thick for Z&F on the last two panels, they loose that sense of cleanness. I honestly like the coloring in your previous page much better. In this one the colors are too saturated for my taste and that gradient on the last panel is just too much for my eyes. Sorry for the long rant. I just love Z&F and want to see it reach the stars :)
dantheman at 8:52AM, Aug. 27, 2007
i think it looks pretty good this way. Don't worry about the rejection. Do you know they rejected several of Bill Watterson's ideas before accepting Calvin and Hobbes. It's almost like playing the lottery. You mainly have to get lucky.
Priest_Revan at 8:04AM, Aug. 27, 2007
You know, I always thought you digitally coloured. I think you should do whatever is easiest for you.
slimredninja at 11:25PM, Aug. 26, 2007
Great stuff he who dies with the most toys wins.
Crispiest Fortune at 10:10PM, Aug. 26, 2007
Your strip rocks, D! Eff the syndicates! All they want is more crap like The Family Circus or Dennis the Menace. Though I'm sure the masses will get to enjoy Z&F in some form... preferably as a cartoon! And plush toys! Oh, and I can't wait to see where Z&F will travel!