This is for an exercise that Warren Ellis came up with here.

“So here’s the deal:

You are an artist/designer. You have to put together the cover for a comic called SUPERMAN. It is issue 1 of this book.

You have been told that Superman is a man who dresses predominantly in a shade of blue, and wears a red S symbol. You know nothing else about the character.

The cover must include a logo and the text THE COMPLETE STORY OF THE DARING EXPLOITS OF THE ONE AND ONLY SUPERMAN.

And that’s it.”

This is what I came up with.

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your comic Bloody Pulp. How did the project come about?

JM: My name is Jeff McComsey I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with my girlfriend Samantha. I‘ve got an ongoing creator owned series called “American Terror: Confession of a Human Smart Bomb” published by the fine folks at Alterna Comics, as well as a series I’m working on with Jorge called “9 Months”. Jorge and I have worked together before and I really wanted to take a stab at a Zuda submission, so I enlisted the help of the gnarliest writer I know. Bloody Pulp is the result of that.

JV: Hey. I’m Jorge. I’m the writer/creator/co-creator of a couple of titles. I published an original graphic novel, Gunplay, last year with artist Dominic Vivona and Platinum Studios. Not too long ago, I started a pair of indie press labels, KID KONG ENTERTAINMENT and TWO FISTED PRESS. Kid Kong is a family friendly label. I publish a book call Kaeru-Boy there with artist/co-founder, Darrin Stephens. While Two Fisted Press is a place for grittier, more mature stories. Two Fisted is where I publish another title, 9 Months, with Jeff providing the art. Two Fisted Press is also the unofficial base of operations for our Zuda entry, Bloody Pulp.

JM: Originally I had pitched Jorge a rough premise specifically for Zuda about a hired mob torpedo that has had a change of heart and decides to start saving his victims. We chatted about a couple of other ideas and parted ways(we were at the NYCC). Fast forward a week or two later Jorge sends me an eight page script that, blew me away. I’ve worked with Jorge before and know what he’s capable of as a writer and this Bloody Pulp script just far exceeded what I had hoped for.

JV: Bloody Pulp is the story of John “Pulp” Polpowski, the kind of guy you only see if you owe the wrong people a lot of money. He’s a 1930′s leg breaker who carries a dangerous secret; he’s been quietly relocating some of the people he’s been paid to kill. He’s been moving them to an undisclosed farm house in the middle of nowhere. A place where they can get a fresh start. A place where the sins of the past dissolve in the present. This is the house that Pulp built and the rules are simple: No one leaves… EVER. But there’s nothing simple about the arrival of Eustace Parks, a Negro band leader who has drawn the attention of the Kansas City syndicate– the wrong kind of attention. When Eustace arrives, his presence causes lines to be drawn, passions to ignite and horrible acts to be carried out, leading to an epic standoff that will measure just how far Pulp is willing to go to bring order to his house.

JM: I love a good period piece story. Always have always will. Kansas City, as I understand it, during the Prohibition era had the reputation of being a very “mob” town. I love the idea that even the cops couldn’t help you and, in many cases, were simply an extension of the crime syndicates. Kansas City is a place that hasn’t been the focus of a lot of other crime stories like say, Chicago or New York City. This allows Jorge and I a kind of freedom to morph the city to our specific story/plot needs. There are also several plot points that call for some of the unique elements that both the time period and locale provide.

JV: Shhhhhhhh!

JV: I don’t know if Pulp is all that different from other characters I’ve written. I tend to be drawn to stories surrounding dangerous leads. The kind of character who is capable of committing what I call “terrible acts of heroism”. When faced with choosing the lesser of two evils, many of us get stuck and do nothing. But the main characters in my stories never allow doubt to hinder action. They’ll do whatever is necessary to make the lesser of those evils a reality, even if it’s only a hair less than the other option. More often than not, that leads to intensely violent moments in storytelling.

JM: I think folks should vote for Bloody Pulp because, first off, I can say with no ego that it’s some of my finest work and I am immensely proud of this submission. Jorge and I have worked together in the past and found the partnership a great fit. We’ve already worked out those initial writer/artist issues that inevitably pop up. This story has flowed naturally from the beginning and if we manage to pull off the win I can assure you that if you like what you read on Zuda there is plenty more where that came from.

JV: The places we’re taking this story… get a helmet.

You can read more about Bloody Pulp on their blog at http://twofistedpress.com/ and Zuda.com

If Interrogation Control Element is lucky enough finish on top this month, things will get off to a fast start.  In the very next scene, you’ll get to see Trip doing his thing in the interrogation booth, and immediately see why Uncle Sam tapped him to run their new ICE.  And, you’ll see Shallah doing some interrogating of his own, as he starts to usurp control of his terrorist organization in swift and brutal fashion, aided by his right hand woman, Asima.  (Remind me to find out how to say “Bad Ass Chick” in Arabic.)  The whole first act will interweave Trip taking the reigns of the ICE, training his interrogators in some unconventional ways, with Shallah establishing control of his network and laying the groundwork to do some very bad things.

Why should you vote for ICE?  Well, if the eight pages on Zuda weren’t quite enough to convince you, here are three more reasons:

1.) Damian’s art. Trust me, a few years from now, if you want to see the incredible line work of Damian Couceiro, you’re going to have to plunk down $3.99 at your LCS like everyone else.  This guy is an incredible young talent with a tremendous upside.  Let’s lock him into a Zuda contract to make sure we get to see his work on a regular basis for free. (Sound good?)

2.)  Zuda diversity. One of the common knocks against Zuda is that it’s all the same stuff every month, and the range of stuff that wins is even narrower.  While I don’t think this is entirely true, and I do think the editorial staff make an effort to include a variety of different genres, there isn’t anything quite like ICE in Zuda’s current stable of titles.  A political action thriller, set in the real world (or close proximity) could be a nice addition to the Zuda line.  And the success of such a title may encourage more diversity in offererings from future Zuda contestants.  (I will concede, however, that this month’s crop of competitors is particularly diverse.  Way to go guys.)

3.) Support a good cause. Only factor this in if it’s an absolute coin flip between ICE and another submission, but one of the commitments I made to myself a while back was that I would give back 10% of proceeds from any of my creative endeavors to an appropriate and worthwhile charity.  The way I see it, whatever extent that I can profit from my creativity is a blessing.  And blessings should be shared.  I’ve chosen The List Project, a U.S. non-profit that helps resettle to safety Iraqis who are imperiled due to their aiding America, as the beneficiary of ICE‘s proceeds.

Thanks again to everyone for reading.  Our team really appreciates the comments and the dialogue.  Be sure to follow the Interrogation Control Element production blog throughout the month for more content, goodies and making of features.  I hope you’ll give ICE a shot, and I hope you’ll check out some of my other stuff as well.  And thank you Gus for doing the interview and continuing to entertain us with Re-Evolution.

You can read Interregotion Control Element on Zuda.com and see the trailer for his comic below.

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your comic Kogoshii. How did the project come about?

Well I am a “writer at large and shameless self promoter” I’ve worked with companies like Marvel, Shooting Star Comics, Platinum Studios, etc. I’ve bounced around the industry for about 10 years in various functions. Gigi is a manga goddess, who has blazed trails with her own successful webcomics on Drunk Duck (before they were bought out by Platinum)  and worked on her own Platinum book called Love Bites.

Kogoshii, basically came about from me talking to Gigi and saying “want to pitch something to Zuda?” And then brainstorming on what best suited both of our talents. I had an untitled story that was loosely based on a project that fell through and we went through it tossing out what didn’t work and refining what did.

2) Give us your pitch, can you briefly summarize the concept behind the story for people not familiar with your comic?

Basically the high concept is a romeo and juliet style story with a twist. It takes place in sort of an alternate world/timeline where Japan has become sort of the center of everything, but like with most countries it comes with its own dark past. There are these two groups, the Kaitou which are basically “ninja robin hoods” they’re trained in the arts of stealth and speed and taught that it’s dangerous for the few to control great masses of wealth, that while what they do might be illegal but it’s in the service of a higher honor because they are spreading the wealth around. Of course over the generations some have just enjoyed the thrill of the action more than the actual credo of the Kaitou but it is instilled in all who are chosen to live among them in their gypsie style camps.

Then on the otherhand you have the Hitokiri who are deathdealers. Assasins who trade human life to the highest bidder. They don’t really care much for honor or credos, they basically do what they are good at, and revel in their status and power. The two clans have been at war for as long as they’ve existed. Even if like in most cases of blood feuds by this point a great majority of them most likely don’t know what originally came between them.  Along comes two kids who don’t really care about past grievences, or power struggles. Shinji a Kaitou boy had been in love with Satori, a Hitokiri girl since the first moment he laid eyes on her.

They had a secret romance for sometime, until finally they were discovered and the two groups thought their union might be a way to bring about peace between the two groups. But that is a lot to put on the shoulders of two children. And they knew the punishment should their love not be enough to keep these age old enemies at bay. Shinji made a choice he thought was right, but he’s just caused more trouble than he can ever know.

3) Your entry, I believe, is one of the few manga styled Zuda entries? What made you choose this style and format for your comic?

I chose it, mostly because it is the format Gigi is most known for, and the style she and her daugheters love the most, and the themes of the story lead to a semi-shojo style story. So we went with our strengths!

4) This question is for Gigi, how was your experience working with Danny on this project and what challenges did creating an eight page zuda entry present you with?

GIGI: Working with Danny: easy

Challenges: not many just the format was unual to anything I’ve done for the web or print and Im trying to figure out a way to make the tones come off cleaner not so muddled. Its the first time I’ve had this problem

5) The name Kogoshii, what does it mean and where did it come from?

It is actually Japanese for “Glorious” It came from Gigi’s lovely middle child Venessa who is our demographic. She was so passionate about that name it became infectious. We did put it to a vote, both internally at Gigi’s house and on Facebook and of all  the potential names (I think there were 5 in all) Kogoshii got 66% of the vote.

6) Lastly, tell us why people should vote for Kogoshii and what we can expect from future episodes if you were to win.

We are just getting into the thick of it. When we pick up there will be a huge change in moods. We will get to meet the other members of the clans, we will get to see more of the history of the two sides, where their ideologies seperated, what caused the rift between them. And Shinji will have to face the wraith of Satori upon his return back home.

Gigi was very sad that we could only send 8 pages. Because there is something on page 11 that she was just dying to draw and share… We will only get to see that if YOU guys help us. We greatfully appreciate your votes! We are only a handful away from that top spot! YOU can make a difference.

To get more information about Kogoshii visit Zuda.com

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your comic The Urban  Adventures of Melvin Blank. How did the project come about?

Bill Williams: I’ve been making comics for over ten years now and publishing things under the Lone Star Press banner.  Making a few bucks by making comics is harder than ever, so I have been trying new things like making webcomics.  My SideChicks strip has been my focus for the last couple of years where I write, (occasionally) ink and (sometimes) color the thing.While looking for more work as a freelancer, I drifted into a writing group with a few friends.  Clockwork Storybook is made up of Bill Willingham, Matt Sturges, Chris Roberson, Mark Finn and me.  We get together and hammer the best work out of each other.  Anyway, someone in the group was asked for a pitch by a major publisher and we slaved away at that thing as a group project.  The publisher was fine with the group concept and a couple of us are still trying to crack that market and get steady work.  We got a solid pitch together and got back notes and then tightened it up a bit and sent it back in where it was dropped.  That’s life as a freelancer.  But we did a load of work for free and I decided that if I was going to do another pitch, I’d try to get paid something for the work done.  So, it’s a bit mercenary, but I wanted to get paid a few bucks for my part in the pitch process which is kind of how I look at the Zuda Deal.  Ironically, I’ll probably spend more on advertising the strip than what I made for the project to date.When it comes to story, I wanted to do something narrated by a character with a different point of view.  Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying is a terrific example of this.  So, I wrote the script and called Thom.

Thom Zahler: Bill and I had been working together on lettering SideChicks and some other design projects. When he called about working on Melvin, I was thrilled to be able to work with him from the ground up on a project. Not that lettering isn’t collaborative, but this is certainly our closest collaboration.Also, I was familiar with Zuda and was looking to pitch something myself. I wasn’t able to lock in a concept I liked enough. Bill came with one fully-formed, so it was a match made in heaven.Most of my recent projects, including Love and Capes, have been ones where I wrote and drew the whole project. It was nice to be called upon to fill the art duties and be able to concentrate exclusively on that.

2) Give us your pitch, can you briefly summarize the concept behind   the story for people not familiar with your comic?

Bill Williams: Here is the pitch for the strip from the competition page–  “With the mind of a child and the strength of a brute, Melvin Blank chases the American Dream in the heart of a big decaying city. In between shifts as a dishwasher, he has his urban adventures.”That was the heart of the pitch when I sent the script over to Thom.  After he read the script, Thom still had a few questions so on the phone, I came up with some shorthand for the strip.  It is the ongoing adventures of Lenny from Of Mice and Men.  And then Thom said, “click.”  As to art style, that’s all Thom.

Thom Zahler: I’ve been messing around in a more cartoony style, and when Bill sent his pitch, I didn’t see how they’d mesh. But when he mentioned Lenny from one of my favorite books of all-time, it all made sense. Lenny’s a cartoon of sorts, and has I believe been the inspiration for some Warner Brothers cartoon (“I will love him and pet him and name him George”). Plus, I think the cartoony vibe gets across the seeming innocence of Melvin and how he views the world. When you see a cartoon go dark, it leaves you wondering what will happen next, since it plays against expectations.I also picked up on Bill’s mention of the city being “decaying”. I wanted to do something that didn’t look just like Love and Capes, so I muted the color palette and have all the inked holding lines print in a sepia. It gives it a sun-bleached desolate look that hopefully gets across Bill’s vision.

3) Your entry is a complete eight screen story that has a beginning,  middle and end. What made you choose this format?

Bill Williams: God help me, but I’m a bit of a contrarian and when I looked at the Zuda strips, I saw a few common threads.  A load of them were the first sixteenth of the first chapter of the war epic to end all epics.  And that kind of work is easy.  No writer has a problem droning on and on and chewing up the dead tree real estate.  A classic example is the writer who has his characters spend a chapter having lunch or trying on hats.  While you can use those chapters to unload Chekov’s gun cabinet, the heavy lifting of writing is shortening a story.  Telling a story in sixteen panels is much much harder with every line of dialogue and pacing decision being more important.Plus, I had a mercenary reason for working like that.  In the Zuda contract, it states that there is an additional payment if the story is included in an anthology.  I figured a complete story would have a better chance than a fraction of a story and I think that art should go off in odd directions.  In terms of style, having a cartoonist like Thom draw the thing gives it an added dimension that I enjoy.

Thom Zahler: Obviously, this is all Bill since he came up with the original idea of Melvin, but I agree with him completely. There are a lot of billion-issue magnum opuses out there, and they’re a bit of a commitment. Comics seem to borrow a lot from TV these days, and I’d like to see them borrow that idea of telling an accessible story with a beginning, middle and end. Sure, you might lose some of the nuances coming in on a middle episode of Buffy or Grey’s Anatomy or Burn Notice, but they all catch you up right quick.Plus, Bill’s written a story that, while complete, screams out to continue. It’s a great “best of both worlds” approach.

4) Where did the character of Melvin come from? Was it hard to tell  the story from Melvin’s simplistic viewpoint?

Bill Williams: I tended bar an a variety of places, so I have spent time with a broad spectrum of people from the restaurant business and Melvin is a bit of a composite.  I have this odd fascination and affection for dumb characters whether it is Woody from Cheers or Joey from Friends.  At the time, I had just watched The Wire and some All in the Family, so I had urban decay in the back of my mind.  I considered what it would be like to be the last man standing as the world kind of fell apart around you.  This first story is a brick falling from that tumbling wall as Melvin has the problems of the outside world literally end up on his doorstep.

Thom Zahler: Visually, I wanted big and dumb. So, he comes across as a pudgy guy, but there’s some structure and muscle there. And his face is so expressive that I can go from the innocent expression and body language to something a lot more terrifying. Bill called for the character to be hidden for most of the story, so it took a lot of staging to keep him in shadow or cut off and make it feel “natural”. Hopefully, as you read it, you’re trying to turn your head a little more to catch a better glimpse of Melvin.

5) In your synopsis for the comic you say “Melvin is absolutely sure  that he is living the American Dream and he wants to share it with the  rest of the people in his neighborhood”;  What is the American Dream  to you and how is it similar to Melvin’s?

Bill Williams: Well the American Dream has classically been defined around the drive to be a home owner and by that definition, Melvin is living that dream.  His parents are deceased and like any kid he inherited things from them when they passed.  I think that my American Dream is closer to the modern definition that falls under the umbrella of ‘success.’  I think the prior dreams had their roots in ‘success’ but the shorthand of the age called it homestead or home ownership.  A feeling of security comes from having some place that some rich powerful person cannot kick you off of.

Thom Zahler: The American Dream? Wasn’t that a run on Shade the Changing Man? Bill’s answered Melvin’s vision better than I could have, so I’ll just take the second part. Mine comes down to the pursuit of happiness. I quit my day job in late 2001 and went completely freelance and never looked back. To succeed on my own terms, have the kind of life I want and get that by doing the thing I want, that’s my dream, and thankfully, my reality, too.

For more information about The Urban Adventures of Melvin Blank visit Zuda.com

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your comic Sidewise. How did the project come about?

DWIGHT: Well, I’ve been in this wacky biz for about 4 years. I was nominated for a Harvey and Eagle Award for my fantasy epic The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo. I’ve published creator-owned titles with Image, Silent Devil Productions and Arcana Studio and written stories for IDW, Devil’s Due Publishing and Slave Labor Graphics. I am married to a beautiful, intelligent, witty woman named Rebecca and I have three sensational sons named Clayton (13), Duncan (11) and Logan (8).

I am billing SIDEWISE as “Sublime Steampunk for the 22nd Century. The story is about a teen genius named Adam Graham. Adam borrows his parents’ time device to visit 1902 London, only to find himself in an alternate dystopian past. As a member of Nikola Tesla’s band of young freedom fighters known as SteampunX, Adam must wage a war against a myriad of deadly steam-powered robots, mad scientists and a nefarious state police controlled by Queen Victoria’s preserved brain to free the oppressed nation, crown a new monarch and return to his world in time for a final exam.

I created SIDEWISE after my 13-year-old asked me what Steampunk was. Originally titled SteampunX, I took the idea to my pal Igor Noronha after he suggested we work on a Zuda submission together. Igor really dug the idea and began working on a few character sketches. Production moved along quickly, we submitted the project and here we are.

IGOR: I am a Brazilian born artist and am currently living in Denmark. When I have the time, I develop my characters and stories over at my website www.tlobstudios.com. I am 24, and I have been an independent comic artist and creator since I was 15, so I know a bit how rejection and (relative) success are like. So far, I worked for Brazilian publishers and for Image as colorist. But the will of creating my own stories made me a one-man band — now I write, pencil, ink, color and letter my own comics. To tell if I am successful in all these tasks, you gotta read my motion comic Light Apprentice Nate (lan.tlobstudios.com) to find out. Now I am trying to develop each skill the best I can.

2) Give us your pitch, can you briefly summarize the concept behind the story for people not familiar with your comic?

DWIGT: SIDEWISE is a time travel story with a twist. Instead of merely traveling back into time, Adam moves “sidewise” into a parallel universe where he is forced to fight for his life against robots, science-sorcerers, a ruthless state assassin and a dead Queen’s brain.

Throw in Nikola Tesla as a resistance leader and advanced technology exo-suits and you have SIDEWISE.

3) On your blog you have written several articles exploring alternative methods of publishing for comics, Do you think Zuda is on the right track with the future of the industry?

DWIGHT: Oh, absolutely. In today’s industry, creators should use every distribution option available to them. For instance, I have two webcomics: The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allan Poo (http://www.drunkduck.com/The_Surreal_Adventures_of_Edgar_Allan_Poo/) and Interagents (http://www.th3rdworld.com/web-comic/Interagents). Interagents is also available for purchase exclusively through IndyPlanet (http://www.indyplanet.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?osCsid=1e258e9192ea502064cde4e551daebd9&keywords=interagents&osCsid=1e258e9192ea502064cde4e551daebd9&x=22&y=6). Now I have SIDEWISE on Zudacomics.com (http://www.zudacomics.com/node/1305). I’m always looking for new distribution options to get my work out to readers.

Yes, Zuda is definitely leading the way. The key to selling a print comic book successfully is to build a fanbase before the book’s released. Especially in a tanking economy. Readers simply do not have the extra cash to risk on an unknown property. By making SIDEWISE–for example–available for viewing on Zudacomics.com, we can build a fanbase and generate interest in the property before the book is released in print. It’s a genius move.

IGOR: Besides that, I think Zuda is a pioneer in the webcomics medium and is a great opportunity for both amateur and independent artists to show their work to a big crowd and get some cash for it. Many people complain about the format of the competition but I think it makes the experience unique for both the artist and the reader, and that’s a thumbs up.

4) This next question is of particular interest to myself and other aspiring comic book creators. You’ve got several project going on right now including the popular American McGee’s Grimm, What’s your secret? How do you continue to create great comics and not go insane with all the deadlines?

DWIGHT: 14 years in the Army taught me how to multi-task, focus my energy, remain cool under pressure and to be pro-active and tenacious. I don’t sweat deadlines, I just get to work and accomplish the mission. In most instances, publishers and editors have been amazed with how quickly I can produce. On American McGee’s Grimm, for instance, I completed the first three scripts before the deadline for issue 1.

I don’t have a secret to my success. I’m just a hardworking perfectionist who’s been blessed with an overactive imagination.

IGOR: And, he’s a zombie!!

5) This last question is for Igor, What was it like collaborating with Dwight on this project? What inspires those cool “steampunk” designs for the comic?

It has been extremely cool to work with Dwight. He lets me free to create the art like a kid in a backyard with all those toys to play with. And that’s why I am enjoying so much to work on this project, I have the freedom I want to explore things my way, tapping here and there before. From the start, we had the idea of working on a steampunk all-ages comic with the appeal of manga-style art. But I wanted to add a bit of more of my own style and ideas, that I think most of them wouldn’t go through if I were working with a strict editor. For inspiration, I watched a lot of steampunk-themed videos like Blur’s A Gentlemen’s Duel and researched about Victorian England architecture for quite a while. Since the story is set in an parallel reality, I used my artistic freedom to develop the designs from there to something more personal of mine.

For more information about Sidewise visit zuda.com or visit Dwight’s blogs at:

http://dwightmacpherson.wordpress.com/
http://dwightmacpherson.blogspot.com/

]]> http://www.originalwonders.com/comics/wondercomics/wonder-of-comics-interview-with-june-2009-zuda-contestant-dwight-l-macphersons-sidewise/feed/ 0 http://www.originalwonders.com/comics/wondercomics/wonder-of-comics-interview-with-may-2009-zuda-contestant-amber-hale-supermodel/ http://www.originalwonders.com/comics/wondercomics/wonder-of-comics-interview-with-may-2009-zuda-contestant-amber-hale-supermodel/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 04:39:27 +0000 GusHiguera http://www.originalwonders.com/?p=1189 Amber Hale, Supermodel is currently in third place in May’s Zuda competition in another close battle to capture the contract with DC Comics. I talked with Daren Strange one of the writers and creators behind this great new comic and he explained to me why we should vote for a comic about a supermodel and how the story fits into the bigger universe of his Black Halo series.

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your comic Amber Hale, Supermodel. Who is on the creative team? How did the project come about?

Daren Strange: Lewis and I are the writers and Josh Howard is the artist. We started formulating our world sometime back in 2002. We began with an ensemble cast of characters for our flagship project Divinity. Over time, as we refined the characters, some of them proved interesting enough to give them their own story. With 5 planned on-going series and one mini-series within the same universe, the project became the “Black Halo Series”. Our timeline runs from 1700AD to sometime in the undetermined future (approx. 80-90 years from now). Amber is one of the Divinity characters to get a starring role in her own series. Her story begins toward the middle of our timeline and about 4 years before Divinity.

2) Give us your pitch, can you briefly summarize the concept behind the story for people not familiar with your comic?

Daren: In the undetermined future, Amber Hale is the most famous face in the world. But it’s later discovered she’s the first completely synthetic biological human being created by Kael Thane, an internationally respected businessman. This controversy puts the world in an uproar and her fame takes a drastic turn to fear and hatred. She’s now tasked with finding out exactly how she was created (something Thane is keeping from her) and thwarting the efforts of a group of mysterious assassins that want her dead. All the while, her journey to seek out her own soul may have dire affects on the balance of Heaven and Hell.

3) Did you run into any particular challenges while creating this entry?

Daren: We knew exactly what we needed to happen in Issue 1, so the whole thing was planned out before Josh started drawing. But, knowing we were going to submit it to Zuda, we also knew where page 8 needed to end. When we started working with Josh to actually draw the first 8 pages out, we found some problems, specifically with the photo shoot segment. In the end, we decided to cut it out completely, which, as some Zuda readers have pointed out, makes the pacing seem a bit rushed. I don’t disagree, but the best response I can give to any pacing issues is that it will work out when the entire 22 pages are available to read. Knowing the rest of the story, it’s the best way to edit it.

Our other challenge was the dialogue. We were so focused on “simplicity is best” that I think we may have overdone it just a bit. One comment we got was the dialogue seemed a bit forced in some segments. Looking at it now, I agree. Over all, though, I’m really happy with how it turned out, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Josh does with the rest of Issue 1.

4) One thing that makes your entry stand out is that you have branded it with your creative company’s logo, Black Halo Entertainment. What is Black Halo and how does this branding strategy fit into your aspirations to win this month’s contest and your future as comic book creators?

Daren: Since Supermodel is part of the larger Black Halo Series mythos, we’ve marked it with the “BHS” logo you see at the top-right corner. This will appear on each comic within the BHS universe. They all connect together, even though they may seem entirely different from one another. For example, our next BHS story, Reign, is illustrated by Kirsi Salonen who did Lewis’ World of Chi: Chronicles. It has a traditional painted look to it which fits that story perfectly.

The BHS stamp is an instant signal to readers that the comic is part of the Black Halo Series canon, so, in one way or another, the events and characters within have an affect on the over all BHS storyline. Each series within BHS will be running simultaneously, but that doesn’t mean you have to read each one to know what’s going on. By having each comic series look and feel different, it will allow readers to pick the one(s) that interest them most. But, of course, you’ll get more insight into the characters and catch certain elements (inside jokes, history/relationships between characters, etc.) if you read them all. We’re going to give people as many options as possible so we can reach the widest audience.

Regarding the Black Halo Entertainment logo, the company was founded in 2006 and took its name from the Black Halo Series since it’s our primary project. There was a reviewer who was really harsh about us putting our logo on Supermodel. He said it was pretentious. The fact is, the logo was included because we want our products to be as professional as possible. The presentation of a quality product is very important to us. But if Zuda had a problem with it, Nika would’ve told us–and we would’ve gladly removed it. I was sorry to hear our efforts to be professional were taken by some as egotistical. That wasn’t the case at all. I look at it like “BHE in collaboration with Zuda presents”.

One day we hope to expand the company further by helping to produce and/or publish works by other creative teams. We’d love to get to a point where we have enough funding and reputation to make a positive impact in the indie community. We’re pushing toward that goal little by little each day.

5) You’re another returning competitor to Zuda and looking at your website it looks like you have another Zuda entry in the works as well. Aside from winning the competition, can you tell us what it is about Zuda that keeps you wanting to come back and go through the agony of the competition?

Daren: It’s very agonizing! That’s definitely the right word for it. Despite my best efforts, I stress out all month. But, really, there’s no other program like it. No one else can offer the opportunity Zuda does. We’ve got at least 2 (possibly 3) more comics to submit before the end of 2009. Depending on how things go, we may do more, or we may switch to print instead. We’ll just have to see.

6) You’re in second place at the moment, if your comic doesn’t win, do you have plans to continue it?

Daren: We keep switching between second and third with Sides (pretty cool comic, I might add). If we don’t win, then Issue 1 will be distributed in printed format instead. I can’t give an exact date, but we’ll definitely be finishing it and continuing with more issues at some point. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from people who’ve read the complete Issue 1 script. And the comic store owners we’ve presented it to have been genuinely excited about it. So, we’re working on plans to have it distributed the traditional way. A lot depends on Josh’s schedule and our priorities, but the goal is to have it out as soon as we can!

7) Last chance to plug your comic, why should anyone vote for a comic about a supermodel?

Daren: For those assuming it will be about a supermodel running around kicking butt, they’ve got a few big surprises coming their way. There’s a reason we’ve categorized it as Drama and not Action/Adventure (although it will have its fair share of action too). And, sure, on the surface we’ve got a supermodel who’s apparently been synthetically created and is now causing havoc. I admit that may seem a bit cliché, but once we start exploring her past in more detail, we’ll be delving into some really cool, unique stuff–and I hope readers agree. I wish I could reveal more without ruining the whole comic, but I can’t.

But I can say we’ll find out who the assassins are and why they’re after her. We’ll get clues as to what’s really happening at Kael Thane’s clinics and how it relates to Amber. We’ll touch upon some romantic elements with Trent and Amber, and watch how that gets shaken up when we introduce Caz (a prominent character in multiple Black Halo stories and the love of Amber’s life). And primarily, we’ll explore Amber’s psychological plot.

The key thing to remember here is, unlike in the real world, the existence of human souls are a fact in the Black Halo universe. The reader will know souls exist, so the premise of Amber potentially not having one is a bit jarring. What if she doesn’t? And if not, what happens if she dies? How would that affect the balance of Earth, Heaven, and Hell? That’s a journey for her and the reader to take together.

You can read Amber Hale, Supermodel on Zuda.com

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your comic Beertown B’hoys. How did the project come about?

I’m a cartoonist from Brooklyn, NY. I’m currently classified as “weird”, but I’m hoping with enough fame and fortune I can work my way up to “eccentric.” Beertown B’hoys is an offshoot of another project I’d been working on. I was fleshing out the backstory of one of the main characters and realized it was better than the main story, so I changed focus.

2) Give us your pitch, can you briefly summarize the concept behind the story for people not familiar with your comic?

Coitainly! It’s about the rise of real-life gangster Monk Eastman, who was, at the turn of the century, the most powerful gang lord in New York and America’s first celebrity gangster. Eastman isn’t the main character though. It’s an ensemble story about the people around him. So I guess you could call it the Sopranos meets Newsies.

3) What is your background in comics? Is this your first webcomic? Why did you bring this comic to Zuda?

Aside from my past Zuda entries I have published a graphic novel called Minister Jade through Cellar Door Publishing. I brought the comic to Zuda because overall I enjoy the whole Zuda experience. This level of exposure and feedback isn’t widely available to a lot of newer creators. And the money doesn’t hurt either. I’m sure for a lot of new creators their Zuda checks represents the first money they ever made in comics.

4) The b/w style artwork of your comic has made your comic stand out amongst the entries this month. How did you decide on this style? What is your creation process for each of the screens like? Did the Zuda format present you with any particular challenges in the creation of your screens?

Considering the exaggerated (some would say cartoony) style of the artwork, I thought color would make the comic look way too upbeat and romantic (although if the strip is allowed to continue I do plan to use some color in the future for that exact reason). The look I was going for was something between graffiti and Max Fleischer cartoons. I’ve gotten mixed reviews on it so far. Some like it, others think it clashes with the subject matter. Since most crime/noir comics are drawn in a gritty, realistic style I can definitely understand the latter opinion. All I can say to people who think that is– trust me. While it may not be the right style for a crime/noir story, it is the right style for THIS crime/noir story.

5) You have cited your love of Brooklyn as an inspiration for this comic, what are the top five things you love about Brooklyn.

The pizza, the bakeries, the F train, the history, the diversity.

You can read Steve’s entry Beertown B’hoys on Zuda.com.

First off, congratulations on your win this month. Zuda’s competition seems to get tougher every month so my hat goes off to you guys as you’ve seemed to pull off a win in what was a really close competition. To begin, can you tell us how the Earthbuilders project got started, what the story is about and how your team got together?

Axel: Maybe Llarena or Abraham have a better recollection of this, but as I remember, we had been developing this story in “slimline” format since a year, a year and a half ago, or so… we had it laying for a while until we decided to take it the Zuda route. Felipe came to the save when it became apparent that I’d never finish coloring the sample.

Abraham: The first draft was about a terraformer (Irina) and her robot. It started about 6 years ago. The first treatment is still present in EARTHBUILDERS and because of this I can’t provide details, they’d be spoilers.

I met R G Llarena in the early 90′s when he started to make comics in our city. Felipe Sobreiro, Llarena and I concurred in a comic forum since about 1999, and after that I met Axel in DeviantArt a few years later and despite we know each other since then; this is my first joint venture with them all as a team.

Can you tell us a little about yourselves like where you are from, what your role was in Earthbuilders, how long you’ve been making comics and what some of your influences are?

Abraham: I’m from Tampico, Mexico. I provided the “spinal chord” story and discussed with Llarena several treatments over that. Before writing comic, I started writing fantasy prose, and because of that my influences came from the Golden Age Sci-Fi, The Lovecraft Circle and the folklore.

Axel Medellin: Penciller and inker. I’m from Guadalajara, Mexico… I studied industrial design, but after graduation I decided I liked drawing best… I’ve been making comics since I remember, but my first professional story (in the international market that is) was a short one with script by Alexandro Jodorowsky for Metal Hurlant.

These past couple of years there have been several projects appearing in Heavy Metal (with Llarena), Zenescope and Boom! Studios. I have too many influences to count, but I’d say my main art heroes are Mike Mignola, Kevin Nowlan, Frank Cho, John Buscema and Frank Frazetta.

RG Llarena: Writer. Mexican living in Tampico. In Earthbuilders I’m doing the script, based on Abraham’s plot. I’ve been writing comics for about 14 years. Did the self-publishing route for some years and them decided to freelance though from time to time I still walk the “do it yourself” path. In the American market I’ve been published in Heavy Metal Magazine and Popgun (Image). I think my main influences come precisely from, Heavy Metal Magazine as well as British comic book writers and the Cyberpunk writers of the eighties.

Felipe Sobreiro: I’m the colorist and letterer. I’ve been doing comics for a few years now, not only as a colorist but also as an artist (I drew a short story called “The New Adventures of Sigmund Freud” that was featured in the British anthology COMMERCIAL SUICIDE and that proved to be my most popular work to date, somebody scanned it and it spread throughout the net like crazy). I drew some stories for sites like Opi8.com and Nextcomics.com, some magazines and anthologies, and more seriously I took the task of coloring and was published in Image’s Popgun, Heavy Metal and BOOM! Studios’ CTHULHU and ZOMBIE TALES.

If I am correct, some of your team members competed on Zuda before. What did you do different this time around? What lessons did you learn from the last competition that were applied to Earthbuilders?

Axel: Last time I was contending with “Laura’s Bazaar”. I had the curious cosmic coincidence of getting married and on my honeymoon the exact month of the competition, so I barely could participate in the boards or promote the comic. So I learned not marrying each time I try to compete at Zuda.

Llarena: This time I knew what places to go and ask for votes, when to do press releases or where to contact friendly journalists. Also, last time I learned that without being pushy you have to remind people to vote.

Sobreiro: the other time around I already had done the best work possible, but now I knew that despite the quality and the hours dedicated to the pages, you needed to pace yourself through the month in order to keep gathering votes and promoting, and for instance didn’t waste time putting banners in sites that hadn’t proved worthy the last time around and things like that.

Now that you’ve won and you can sleep again, what advice would you give other creators who are thinking of submitting a comic to Zuda?

Axel: Rent your bed, you won’t need it. Use that facebook list Cash favors.

Abraham: Promote everyday. Always keep the fairplay spirit. Never give up.

Llarena: Think about new ways of promoting your comic, try to reach audiences that somewhat are not sought by other competitors.

Sobreiro: don’t be lazy when doing the submission for Zuda, be professional if you want to be taken seriously and don’t make people waste their time reading your comic if it isn’t as good as you can do it. That way you’ll get votes naturally, and the promotion you do will only help you along.

Earthbuilders takes place in the distant future “where space has been conquered, one planet at a time”, as you put it in your synopsis on Zuda. Do you believe in life on other planets and that humanity will be able to reach that point of technological mastery?

Axel: I like the Carl Sagan’s point of view: if we are alone, what a waste of space. We are living a pretty wild decade, I strongly believe that after we survive this present turmoil, there’s hardly anyway to go but up to the space. We’ll see…

Abraham: Life in another planets or moons? Definitely But maybe we’re expecting to find life in Earth terms and not life (or intelligence) in terms very different to ours. There is a great novel (“The Starmaker”) about these issues, give it a try!

If mankind will reach that point, well… we’re changing our planet’s shape and climate one way or another, very fast! I’m pretty sure we can reach the stars and make them our home, if we learn a lot and become wise enough.

Llarena: I would like to think that we’re not alone in the universe. Without revealing anything here I can safely say that these issues would be touched as Earthbuilders develops. Abraham likes to tackle these kind of themes in his stories, I’m much more concerned (as evidenced by the short stories written by me that Heavy Metal has been publishing) with things such as “otherness”, “true understanding”, “embracing differences” and some of these themes might also find their way into Earthbuilders.

Sobreiro: I don’t think life in other planets is a matter of belief, I do HOPE there is, the probability’s on their side. I don’t think they’re those gray little hominids that like to abduct weirdos in the countryside and probe their nether regions, though. About humanity conquering space, I’m not so sure. I mean, I think Earth’s resources will be depleted before we get to the technological point where it’d be feasible to transport thousands (not to mention millions or billions) out of here, sadly!

Earthbuilders Concept Art