Because I got asked in regards to my previous post, the shelf above the desk is for “immediate books”. Either my current to-read selection, or previously read things that I feel the need to revisit and/or reference.
It easily changes every week or two.
Here's a closer look at what's currently sat on it:
I for one am never able to think clearly in a cluttered space. When my space is cluttered, my head is cluttered. Lately though I've been doing, doing, doing without a whole lot of room left for thinking, and so:
With THE SOLAR GRID #5 out of the way, I finally got around to a little tidying up:
Now, to fix myself an afternoon coffee, and think.
I woke up at around 2:30AM last night (this morning?) and devoured an entire brownie. Just shoved the thing in my mouth and gobbled it down. It was time to feed child who awoke agitated, and I found myself dozing off as I stumbled to warm up his bottle.
No time to fix myself coffee or tea, but I needed a hit of something to keep my eyes open, and that something ended up being the brownie.
It did the trick, and the crash that followed was most pleasant. I slept very well.
Sleep is something I'm looking forward to doing bit more of this week, now that the 5th chapter of THE SOLAR GRID has finally gone live!
What a journey making this one has been! Started it in Denver over a year and a half ago (!!!), interrupted by relocating to Houston, first to temporary lodgings before finding the place we're currently in, followed by pandemic and lock-down and finally birth of child! 🤯
Also, it's the first chapter that features color (which I also did myself), not for the sake of just wanting to do comix in color, but as an integral component of the storytelling. I also feel like the storytelling breakthroughs in this one are numerous and I'm really proud of how it all turned out. Also, Josh MacPhee's written supplement? A freakin' treasure!
All in all, a landmark installment that has me more excited than ever to dive right into Chapter 6!
Okay, well maybe not riiiiight into Chapter 6. I'd like to take a day or two to organize around the studio. The aftermath of each of these always involves a fair amount of debris. Also need to respond to a handful of emails I've neglected, and ship out a few ganzeer.garage orders.
We could all probably use a double eklips on the rocks right now, it can't just be me, right?
6 days until THE SOLAR GRID #5 drops at [TheSolarGrid.net]
It's pretty much done, save for a few last minute finicky bits here and there. Reading through it this morning, I realize I may need to add just one last panel at the end of the chapter, more for mood than for “content”. Somehow it feels that one last panel will give impact to the entire thing, let it land right, avoiding the possibility of it feeling like an abrupt close. Will sit on it for a couple hours and see if I still feel the same way.
Looking forward to to treating myself to some icecream when it's actually finally done. Or maybe invent an actual double eklips on the rocks. I suppose it should probably include a little Moonshine.
Only 8 days left until THE SOLAR GRID #5 drops! 🤯
A lot has changed since releasing chapter #4. Moved to a different state, global pandemic unleashed upon the world, and the wife and I acquired a new family member, who is now napping on my desk between myself and the keyboard like an overly possessive cat.
I am awake. So I guess I'll do some lettering now.
Inbox at 186, and I haven't checked my feedcatcher in days. But I did manage to squeeze in a shave this weekend. Just my face though.
Too much info?
Psssht, it's my journal.
(Edit: Just noticed the date on my watch is one day behind. Crap. Okay, faster now.)
We've all been there ☝️, haven't we?
THE SOLAR GRID #5 is now 87% complete. Exclusive preview will go out to press, reviewers, and fellow makers later this month. Anybody who wants to be added to the list can totally just let me know.
Good morning + onward.
Just arrived. Thanks to the anonymous person who sent it. Been on my list for quite some time, but have never gotten around to picking it up. Guess the time was never right. Now that I'm a new father though, I imagine the timing couldn't be more perfect.
Thanks again to the kind individual who sent it. 🙏
So late, but getting closer! Currently lettering, which is kept enjoyable by making the dialogue up as I go. I obviously had some idea what was being said in the drawing phase of these pages, but not in any detail and I kept it very loosely floating around in the back of my head without committing any of it to paper.
I didn't always work like this. Chapters one and two of THE SOLAR GRID I wrote full scripts for. But then I realized that only really makes sense if you're writing for someone else to draw (and letter and edit, etc.). It's not really necessary if you're doing the drawing yourself, might as well save on that scripting time. Also, from the standpoint of the craft of comix, unlike film where you can't really change the dialogue after a shoot (minor exceptions include scenes where you can't see an actor's lips), in comix you totally can! So why not save dialogue till last anyway? Seems odd to ignore a facet that is so specific to this medium.
Easier for makers who work all aspects of their comix though.
Of course, I cheat a little, because I've got the best assistant in town:
Is it bad if I find myself devising ways to use a rubber band to keep pacifier from falling out of child's mouth?
Whenever it seems like he's just about falling asleep, the thing falls out of his mouth and he bursts out in agony. And he's been at it all night. Of course any opportunity at my own sleep has long been obliterated and the day as it were (9:00am now) must begin. It would be nice not to have to spend it all replacing fallen pacifier every five minutes.
This has got to be what inspired the myth of Sisyphus.