With A flock of dreams now being available and Ozone, Banes and Tantz talking of collaborating again, perhaps it's not too early to start discussing another Anthology. Especially given how long the last one took to make.

If another were to happen, what would people like to see as a theme? Or would it even need a theme?

I always figured it'd be nice to read an anthology where there's a very basic plot outlined and the different artists deliver different types of comedies and shades of drama retelling the same story in their own way. But perhaps people are eager to see a variety of plots. In that case, I'd recommend a theme of unknown. Someone's or something's absence being a defining point in the stories or the mystery of not knowing defining the lives of characters.

Also, get that anthology listed on Goodreads. I wanna rate and review it once I have the spare money to buy it. These creators deserve their feedback. :)

We've had horror, and dreams… What about Magic? or Outlaws or something?

InkyMoondrop wrote:
I always figured it'd be nice to read an anthology where there's a very basic plot outlined and the different artists deliver different types of comedies and shades of drama retelling the same story in their own way.

I've considered doing something like this from time to time. It would be interesting to see how the same basic story could be shaped by different creators

Like the very basic plot interpreted by different creators. Problem is the very basic plot. Has to be general enough to fit all kinds of styles but self contained enough to fit within 16 pages.
-Cinderella variations
-Protagonist goes to bank and foils a bank robbery.
-cheating spouse plots murder of partner.

Or could just pick up one of previously rejected themes.
-Love.
-hate
-greed
-anger
-lust
One of the seven deadly sins is always good for a short story.
How about swords?
Anything so long as it features a sword?

It could also be history with some fictional elements. I'll never forget Peter Watkins's La Commune (Paris 1871), an almost 6-hours long film where they not only reenacted those days in a warehouse with a whole bunch of amateur volunteers, but they did it in a way as if televised news reports were a thing back than, so reporters are doing live coverages of the events and of course, depending on the channel, they shift the narrative. “What if?”-s are great themes.

You should watch the old “You are There” series. News reports by the best in TV news of historical events mostly done back in the 1960s. There's also a British documentary done of the Jacobite rebellion like that among many others.

History could work as a theme. Stories cannot be in the present and must somehow display another time period. Accuracy optional. However not fantastical so no faerie in Elizabethan England or “magic was real” witches. That could be its own theme as in “what if” fantastical takes on history.

I’d personally have to bow out on history I’m no good with historical fiction, it just doesn’t appeal to my creative muscles. It’s a good idea, I just don’t think I could come up with anything.

Looking through the old thread I saw Summer and Winter specials being floated. This is probably a bad idea? What if we did a Summer themed anthology and a Winter themed one and we could fill them with both original stories based on the theme and take submitted specials from various existing DD comics that are like a beach special or holiday special for an existing comic on DD. It might be a good way to drum up more participation? I think it can be easier and faster for some people to work with characters they already know so having that option might help? I kinda figure preparing both would lend itself to letting us essentially having a vol 3 and 4 in the works and just release which ever one is done first but that might be too much so idk it’s just a thought.

Here's the thing about historical fiction. Say I want to write something I did as a teen in the 1980s. That's historical fiction. How about a day in the life of my grandmother? That's 1916 and it's historical fiction. It's based on my family but I can't write word for word what happened so it will be fictionalized. It's not just George Washington or Battle of Hastings. It's anything in the world before today. Heck, you could do a story about a social studies teacher. Still fits in the theme. Historical is just a function of setting.
That's how themes can work.
I really like your idea of the summer or winter seasonal story using our own preexisting characters. So long as it's a stand alone that doesn't require in depth background. Like I had a summer vacation surfing setting when two of my current characters were called back to duty. I could do a sequence about their vacation. Maybe fictionalize some of my own vacation adventures.

bravo1102 wrote:
Here's the thing about historical fiction. Say I want to write something I did as a teen in the 1980s. That's historical fiction. How about a day in the life of my grandmother? That's 1916 and it's historical fiction. It's based on my family but I can't write word for word what happened so it will be fictionalized. It's not just George Washington or Battle of Hastings. It's anything in the world before today. Heck, you could do a story about a social studies teacher. Still fits in the theme. Historical is just a function of setting.
That's how themes can work.

Yeah I get what you're saying, there's a lot you can do with that sort of theme. I just don't feel like I could make something I'd enjoy making I guess is the best way to put it.

bravo1102 wrote: I really like your idea of the summer or winter seasonal story using our own preexisting characters. So long as it's a stand alone that doesn't require in depth background. Like I had a summer vacation surfing setting when two of my current characters were called back to duty. I could do a sequence about their vacation. Maybe fictionalize some of my own vacation adventures.

Yeah that's what I was thinking! Just like a beach episode or a holiday special or one of those Free comic book day issues of a regular comic series. It can also kinda doubles as a soft intro to those comics and characters for anyone who hadn't read them before.

Tell you the truth I like the seasonal idea a lot better than the historical.

Taking off of that the issue theme could be “vacation” if there are any who don't want to use their preexisting characters for whatever reason.

I'm okay with it as long as it's not mandatory for it to be light-hearted. And of course using solely one's own pre-existing characters would limit it when it comes to new creators. Yes, it should be stand-alone. So readers don't require context to understand who's who and it's not filled with inside jokes you need context to get.

My fave anthology was a fantasy book of short stories I bought for my sister years and years ago. She didn't really care for it but I happened to open it up after she'd abandoned it and really loved it.
The theme was “magic”.
It was very loose. People approached it in a fully traditional way, in urban fantasy way, using cyberpunk, and other alternative approaches.

-I had no point to make here, I just loved that anthology haha!
As long as the theme is loose and like Inky says we don't need background context to understand what's going on it will be brilliant.

I like the idea of a single word theme that's not necessarily genre specific, broad and loose, wide open for creators to go wild.

Genejoke wrote:
I like the idea of a single word theme that's not necessarily genre specific, broad and loose, wide open for creators to go wild.

Probably the best way to go. What you do with the theme is up to you. You can do the one shot with your characters but others are free to do anything within the theme.

So we did “horror” and “dreams”. What's next?

bravo1102 wrote:

Genejoke wrote:
I like the idea of a single word theme that's not necessarily genre specific, broad and loose, wide open for creators to go wild.

Probably the best way to go. What you do with the theme is up to you. You can do the one shot with your characters but others are free to do anything within the theme.

So we did “horror” and “dreams”. What's next?

Could be Seasons. The vacation fits well with the theme of summer, but it won't be limited to it.

Can we not be so broad as “seasons ”. One season. Just a touch of focus.
All you need is one autumn leaf and you have seasons. It's HUGE. Something just a bit more specific.

Horror was vast. Dreams was vast. Very intimidating. For both I had to focus in on one thing. One was garish Italian horror comic covers. One little piece to get inspiration.

So I think we can come up with something just a bit more specific than “seasons ” and just pick one. And you do realize that seasons can be seasons of anything– baseball season to seasons of life. Huge topic. Too huge. Just pick one season.

InkyMoondrop wrote:
I wanna rate and review it once I have the spare money to buy it. These creators deserve their feedback. :)

We should start a forum topic DD2 Flock of Dreams Review / Feed back forum topic.

Ideally it would be spoiler free.

Kind of a comments section for readers to say what they liked and didn't about the Anthology. It might sell more copies and certainly would be feed back for the authors/artists/stories.

bravo1102 wrote:
Can we not be so broad as “seasons ”. One season. Just a touch of focus.
All you need is one autumn leaf and you have seasons. It's HUGE. Something just a bit more specific.

Horror was vast. Dreams was vast. Very intimidating. For both I had to focus in on one thing. One was garish Italian horror comic covers. One little piece to get inspiration.

So I think we can come up with something just a bit more specific than “seasons ” and just pick one. And you do realize that seasons can be seasons of anything– baseball season to seasons of life. Huge topic. Too huge. Just pick one season.

Something more specific like:
Swords.
weapons.
Ghosts.
Fast Food.
Bad Hair day.
Boots.
Late!
Fish.
Hiding.

We seem to be spiraling a bit, what if we just each suggest one or two themes we like the sound of then vote like last time? Nothings been set in stone yet but if we go back and forth on the themes too much we might end up with too many suggestions to parse.

Imma say mine are
Magic and Treasure

Mine are the 2000s and Journey.

Nostalgia and Crime

My favorite comic book anthology was Warren Ellis's Global Frequency. A series of standalone episodes where B Level heroes would be thrown into emergencies. I also liked Batman Black and White, which were also various stories that vaguely revolved around Batman.

That said. I liked the idea of retelling Fairy Tales in different genres.

Smiles
vacation
Envy
Greed
A kiss
Flight
Summer
Autumn

Could be a tribute to a genre
Detective
Sword and sandals
Crime procedural
Suspense (think the old radio show)
Escape (think the old radio show)
Monsters

So many awesome ideas here


my two or three theme suggestions -

Winter
Music
Water

Footwear and The Moon

Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and make a poll, I think we've waited on this long enough, I'm gonna go ahead and list what's been suggested so far, (since my last post) and everyone please vote for One thing, if we don't have a clear winner I'll take the ones that got a vote and start a new poll. Sound fair to everyone?

• Swords
  
• Weapons
  
• Ghosts
  
• Fast Food
  
• Bad Hair day
  
• Boots
  
• Late
  
• Fish
  
• Hiding
  
• Magic
  
• Treasure
  
• 2000s
  
• Journey
  
• Nostalgia
  
• Crime
  
• Fairy Tales
  
• Smiles
  
• Vacation
  
• Envy
  
• Greed
  
• A kiss
  
• Flight
  
• Summer
  
• Autumn
  
• Detective
  
• Sword and sandals
  
• Crime procedural
  
• Suspense
  
• Escape
  
• Monsters
  
• Winter
  
• Music
  
• Water
  
• Footwear
  
• The Moon
  

A lot to choose from so lets whittle em down!

the moon

Emma_Xross wrote:
Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and make a poll, I think we've waited on this long enough, I'm gonna go ahead and list what's been suggested so far, (since my last post) and everyone please vote for One thing, if we don't have a clear winner I'll take the ones that got a vote and start a new poll. Sound fair to everyone?

• Swords
  
• Weapons
  
• Ghosts
  
• Fast Food
  
• Bad Hair day
  
• Boots
  
• Late
  
• Fish
  
• Hiding
  
• Magic
  
• Treasure
  
• 2000s
  
• Journey
  
• Nostalgia
  
• Crime
  
• Fairy Tales
  
• Smiles
  
• Vacation
  
• Envy
  
• Greed
  
• A kiss
  
• Flight
  
• Summer
  
• Autumn
  
• Detective
  
• Sword and sandals
  
• Crime procedural
  
• Suspense
  
• Escape
  
• Monsters
  
• Winter
  
• Music
  
• Water
  
• Footwear
  
• The Moon
  

A lot to choose from so lets whittle em down!

I vote Boots and Bad Hair day. Those two are awesome ^_^
Boots wins out for me.