A History

So before I launch my new project, I'd like to share that which I have created in the past.  For about 2 years, I was part of an online community known as Drshnaps Productions (currently undergoing rennovations).  While there, I created 3 comics known as sprite comics, a popular form of webcomic that uses graphics from old video games.  These projects were the ones I were most dedicated to during my comic-making career.

I'll share the link to the first comic of each now, where, if you so desire, yu may view the entire series.  I'll also talk a little about the aim of each series, as none were completed.

Great Limitations

Runs 84 comics

Contains violence

In this project, I edited images from the original Mega Man games to create the characters.  The backgrounds were all created by myself to try and match the blocky style of the sprites I was working with.  Though not graphically impressive, I was pleased with how a lot of the backgrounds came out.  This series was actually one of the only ones where I outlined the plots in advance, a strategy I should have employed more often and plan to do for the new Mushroom Man series (even though they will largely be one-shot comics).

Playing God

Runs 42 comics

Contains strong language

In this project, I had an artist designing custom sprites for me, and the backgrounds came from a game known as EarthBound.  This project was meant to be a parody of the world of Pokemon, but with a deeper sense of the consequences involved in forcing creatures to battle and genetically engineering them for maximum performance.  I had big plans for this series and would enjoy getting back into writing it, but I no longer have contact with the aritst from the project.

StarShadow

Runs 19 comics

More in the model of traditional sprite comics, this comic features art exclusively from one game: Kirby and the Amazing Mirror.  This comic, for me, was more about having fun when I wanted to get away from the largely serious storylines featured in my other 2 comics running at the time.  It didn't run as long as the other comics mainly because I had no clear vision for its storyline.

So, as they say, before you move forward, you have to look back.  I'll use these former experiences of mine to help avoid the motivational pitfalls that came up during them as I move forward with the new Mushroom Man comic.

A Reunion

There was a time in my life where I was working on several comic style projects, as part of an online community (maybe I'll share those projects on here some day).  But that has probably been 4 or 5 years ago now, and I really haven't done much comic-making since.  My leisure activities have shifted pretty drastically since coming to Carthage and I just never find myself wanting to sit down, away from the exciting social landscape, and just draw/design.

But a couple of events recently have gotten me interested once again in creating a comic.  First, I took a course this past fall titled Intro to Visual Communication.  While the class itself was not that thrilling, the software we used in it, Adobe Illustrator, had some interesting functionality that I thought lended itself perfectly to comic-making.  Second, my girlfriend recently disclosed a secret love for comic books of her own.  How fortuitous!  She encouraged me to come with her to a local comic book shop, Heroes & Dreams, where I found a Sonic the Hedgehog comic series, a character I loved growing up.  Reading these comics fired up my interest in creating my own.  Third, already anticipating trying to get back into making comics, I asked for a personal scanner for Christmas.  Ask and you shall receive.

Excluding some of the original Mushroom Man comics I drew in elementary and middle school I had never really made a comic by hand.  There is enough media on the web to make entirely digital comics, which is the realm I preferred throughout high school.  And knowing that I am not a very gifted drawer, the task of returning to that medium was a daunting one.  Still, with my new scanner and new knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, I at least wanted to try.

It didn't take me long to think of what that comic should be.  My old standby, Mushroom Man.  Fairly easy to draw and with an existing base of characters to work from, it made perfect sense.  So, I recently worked on and completed a sample page of the newest rendition of Mushroom Man.  It can be seen below:

The lines are not very clean and there are things about it I wish were better, but I also think the unpolished look helps give it some style and character.  And because I am not aiming to do this professionally, producing some sort of output is more important than the added effort cleaning it up would take.

My intent with this project is not to create a "serious" comic as I depicted in the sample page.  Rather, I want to create a humorous comic, much like the other comics featured in Carthage College's newspaper, The Current.  So, my next goal is to script out and create a funny strip--and I'll do my best to document the process on here as I go.

Welcome!

Because I do not like to stare at a blank blog, I am extending a hearty welcome to any and all who might come across this little project. More posts will appear as the details of the project are outlined to me.

This blog is being created to fulfill curriculum of the GNRL 271 Teaching with Web 2.0 Technology at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI.