Pulp21

Many, many moons ago, when Chet and I were running (into the ground…) the original Pulp21.com (itself a bastard child of workingtitlecomics.com) we came across the idea to follow through on the same mistake that every startup publisher craving attention does: A shared universe story.

Last night, Richard and I spent some time looking at what Indyplanet.com had to offer to get an idea about what we’re getting ourselves into. The POD comics scene is a weird beast not too dissimilar from it’s photocopy DIY sibling(the mini-comic?). In fact, the use of color and additional computer trickery is probably the only thing that really separates the two, aside from the obvious “publishing plan.”

In honesty, it reminded me of some of my disappointment in Artist’s Alley from Chicago a few years back. It’s more than evident that everyone doing this is more than dedicated to what they’re doing, but I really wish more thought would go into the presentation, as shallow as that may sound.

I know I’m verging on Asshole Territory with this line of thinking, but if I don’t say it someone else will. (Not that that’s a bad thing.)

It got us thinking about an alternative to the current POD model. A site that would be selective about the material it would carry, in the hopes of some kind of quality control.

Image, which everyone knows works under a radically different model from most other publishers, doesn’t just publish everything submitted to them, and it’s the Mecca of creator-owned books.

Which also led to: What kind of communities exist for web and POD comics?

Of the few situations that I’m aware of, most of the web and/or POD creators are solely concentrating on selling their own wares, as it should be. But as a community neither has the kind of organization that the fan base for the print material does. Maybe it’s too early for both relatively young mediums.

Magcloud.com and Lulu.com both impressed with not only the breadth of work available, but the care put into most of the design per package. And, yes, I’m pretty aware that neither site provides art direction for what they carry, or – more to the point – deals in comics.

And, yeah, those same design sensibilities don’t necessarily carry over well into comics, there are still lessons to be learned.

Anyway, that’s enough incoherent ramblings and musings for today.

Adios,
Chet

So, the weekend was a wash for work because of the holiday. However, plotting for the remainder of the first strip IS completed and I’ll start on the script this afternoon. Also managed to flesh out the rest of the strips in terms of intent, which will make writing those much easier, of course.

Plenty of research material to drop later, and there’s a lot of thought about what to do with the blog for the rest of the week. Possible talk about influences and maybe an interview with someone who’s been doing the web-to-POD thing for awhile now.

And just for the hell of it, some reading about DMT:

http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/other/gandz/gandz.dmt.html

Oh yeah,… we’ll get some pretty pictures up later too.

Later,
Chet

People and ideas i’ve been researching lately:

So, got most of the stories lined up in the order I’m going to produce them. Tonight, I’m going to finish up page plots for the first – after I decide how I’m going to work in some additional information; and, then, for the remainder of the week I’ll wrap up the script. Sunday will see layouts done, and then Monday I’ll begin penciling.

I’m currently aiming to finish a 10 to 12 page story in two weeks. Weekdays will be about penciling and inking, with the weekends reserved for color, lettering, and design.

I’ll get into more of this as it progresses, obviously; but for now I’m in a rush and need to finish this post with some links of inspiration for this first story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doc_Savage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(film)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu_Mythos

Again, appearances can be deceiving;
Chet

Dropping some sketches today to get some art on this blog. These were originally intended as a pitch for a freelance gig while I was living in Atlanta. While I didn’t get the gig, I don’t see the point in letting the designs just going to waste either. So, they’ll be repurposed for one of my strips, but I’m not entirely sure how yet.

Obviously, these were for some kind of cyber-punk project, but like a friend suggested – maybe I should’ve stuck closer to the accepted tropes of the sub-genre. Meh, fuck that. That’s boring, but maybe why I didn’t get the job too. Oh well…

Doing a lot of thinking about scheduling today, as well.

Thanks for looking,
Chet

Another playing catch-up post:

Chet fired off the first couple of salvos of our comics revolution, so I figured it’s probably time for me to introduce myself and maybe expand upon a little of what we’ll be about.

Game Plan: Richard and I are individually – and in at least one instance, collaboratively – cobbling together 10 to 12 page stories to be posted here once completed and then collected in some POD book.

Anyway, when an idea hits, I like to do a little research to hopefully add weight or maybe even inspire a change in whatever it is that I’m working on. The links below deal with Alfred Tennyson’s CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE. I haven’t read the poem since high school – and have yet to do so again, as of writing this entry; but it isn’t the poem itself that I’m actually interested in. I’m looking to pull from the events that inspired said poem and see how they work against or with what I have in mind.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade_(poem)

http://poetry.eserver.org/light-brigade.html

And out of the links that I’m going to drop, this is probably the least obvious indicator of what’s actually going to come about.

Currently, I’m in a pretty good position to start writing scripts. One story is already plotted out page for page. So, tonight scripting will commence, but I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to go about that. I usually try to stick with a full-on script – all actions dictated and dialogue provided, for those that don’t know – but I’m considering just scribbling it all down on paper and jumping into layouts. Try to keep the energy and spontaneity alive and well. We’ll see.

Okay, I’ve blabbed enough. Richard should be along shortly to give a shout out.

Thanks for looking,
Chet

Hello and welcome to the latest reincarnation of Pulp 21. Some of you reading this may remember the webcomics venue birthed at MillarWorld from over 5 (!) years back.

This go around, partner-in-crime, Richard Basey and I are going to run at this a little differently. Pulp 21 is the two of us – with some friends – producing the kind of comics we’d like to read. For the time being we’re keeping it closed off and just concentrating on the projects we have in mind.

We’re going to start with the web and plan to branch off elsewhere, like POD printing and (hopefully) legitimate print at some point.

This blog is going to serve as the home for all things originating Pulp 21. We’ll post links of research, discussions about work processes, and as things unravel… some actual goddamned comics.

In fact, you should be seeing some stuff from us relatively soon at both the following sites:

http://www.buckshotsundae.com

http://www.yourmomsbasement.com

And if for nothing else, you should just drop by those site, period; because they already house plenty of fine content.

For now though, we just wanted to get the ball rolling.

Hope to see you around;
Chet Presley