In case you haven’t noticed, full-color rendering for Johnny Saturn is back, and it’s here to stay.  We started again on Monday’s episode, and it continues in this style from here on out.  At one point, because of medical problems with my right hand and arm, I thought my coloring days were over.  I’m glad to say that I’ve adjusted my approach, and colors are here to stay.

As I mentioned Monday, I bought “Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite.”  This was a good read, and very imaginative.  The characters aren’t all that likable as people, and they can’t even make nice long enough to put their recently deceased adoptive father in the ground.  The interior art is very much Mike Mignola inspired, and Dave Stewart on colors is outstanding.  I’ve never heard the music of My Chemical Romance, so that had nothing to do with my purchase of this book.  I guess I got this graphic novel for the wacky antics, weird superheroes, and ironic writing.  B+. 

What webcomics am I reading right now?  Well, it’s Girl Genius, PvP, Evil Inc., Sheldon, and Side Chicks.  There are some other old favorites that I’ve fallen behind on, and I need to catch up with them.  Girl Genius is my favorite—The Phoglio’s surprise me again and again with their outlandish imaginations, and I’ve actually grown to care about the characters.  Side Chicks has gone through three artists so far, but it retains its high quality and engaging storytelling.  Evil Inc. is brilliant, and Sheldon is to me the funniest comic I read.

If you ordered a copy of “Johnny Saturn: Synns of the Father” from Amazon.com, could you place a review for us there?  We have three reviews up, but we could use a bunch more.  Don’t worry about being glib, or offending us—Just write what you think of the book.

Scott

I’ve got another busy day coloring Johnny Saturn lined up, plus work for one of my favorite customers, so today’s blog will be short.  In fact, I’m going to resort to the “lists of stuff” approach!  Lazy, lazy, lazy!

What webcomics do I follow most of all?  The list, presented in no particular order:

• Girl Genius
• SideChics
• PvP
• Evil Inc.
• Sheldon
• Frazz
• 9 Chickweed Lane
• Dilbert

What podcasts do I follow?

• Webcomics Weekly
• The Webcomic Beacon
• Comic Related
• Sequential Artists’ Pub
• Art & Story
• Plus, a rotating list of others

What websites do I visit a lot?

• Digital Webbing
• Art Unleashed
• Comixtalk
• Myspace

What magazines do I read?

• Sketch Magazine
• Draw
• Imagine FX
• Watercolor (2 Magazine, I forget the exact titles)

Well, there you go!  Useless information about me!  Out of curiosity, do any of you read, watch, or listen to same material I do?  Do you see something omitted from my lists that I should really check into? 

Scott.

Hi, Folks!

Over the years, as I have continued working on my art and webcartooning, I have been asked one question again and again: Why do you do long-form comics? Why not do a gag-a-day strip? Gag strips are easier to promote, and they are generally more popular, are they not?

Yes, gag strips are more popular, by many magnitudes, than long-form webcomics. There are a few exceptions, but none I can really think of. Girl Genius is long-form, but it usually has humor and often includes humor. The Dreamland Chronicles? Maybe.

Here are my reasons for doing a long-form webcomic.

• This is the story I want to tell. It’s tragic, dramatic, and edgy, but it’s rarely funny.
• I don’t know how to write jokes. In person I can be funny and I’m good at getting the laughs, but I have no clue how to communicate that in a comic.
• I grew up reading titanic tales of adventure, both in prose and comics. I didn’t read funny animal comics, or humor comics, so I don’t have much history with that.

Back when I read monthly comics, my favorites were usually team books, such as JSA, JLA, the Avengers, the Defenders, and the like. As far as the individual characters go, Batman, Captain America, Daredevil, Thor, Conan, these are what I dug. Later on, it was books like Planetary, the Authority, and Hellblazer. You can probably see elements of these teams and characters in Johnny Saturn.

Those are the kind of stories I loved. This is why I produce long-form adventures. I loved Calvin & Hobbes, Far Side, and Bloom County too, but I just didn’t feel the call to follow that path.

I’m still reading the Dave Gibbons book “Watching the Watchmen,” and what an excellent book it is.  Reading this book really makes me marvel at the commitment it took to make comics in pre-computer days.

For example, Gibbons did all the lettering by hand, as well as the logos.  If he was going to reuse a prop, like a framed picture, he would section it off so that he could accurately redraw it again and again.  If he drew a set that he might need to reuse, he did it on tracing paper and reapplied it as needed.  The colors had to work as flats, and they all had hard edges and no gradients.  To make a four-color comic, the colors had to be labeled, and then distributed among twelve layers of acetate for printing purposes.

As you may see, the computer made the overall process very much easier and more streamlined.  Did that make for better comics?  Not necessarily.  While there was a revolution in comic coloring and production values, the content and quality of storytelling in comics of 1990’s suffered.  But, that’s another story.

When Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns were published in the 1980’s, it revolutionized the comic industry and changed it forever.  Searching through my mental catalogue of comics, I wonder if there have been any other really far-reaching and influential comics published in then.  The first twelve issue run of the “Authority” comes to mind, by Ellis and Hitch.  The first series of the Ultimates, by Millar and Hitch, also rank, I believe.  But, what else?

Heroes Reborn?  Nope.  Hush?  No.  Brand New Day?  No no no.  Infinite Crisis?  No.  Identity Crisis?  Close, but no.  Planetary?  Really close, but no.

I don’t want to come off as negative.  There are some truly spectacular books that have come out since the 1980’s.  The Killing Joke.  Alan Moore’s Supreme.  Alan Moore’s Promethea.  The Invisibles.  Seven Solders.  Batman & Son.  World War Hulk.  Planet Hulk.

Well, in memory of 2008, I’d like to mention my favorite graphic novels of the year:

• Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus
• World War Hulk
• Salvation Run
• Umbrella Academy
• Batman & Son

As for what webcomics I’m still reading:

• Girl Genius
• Wayfarer’s Moon
• PVP
• Sheldon
• Evil Inc.
• Sinfest
• Frazz
• 9 Chickweed Lane
• Dilbert
• Nodwick
• Classic Bloom County

Like most of you, I surround myself with media all the time—podcasts, CDs, books, you name it.  (OK, I don’t watch TV, but I don’t really miss it either.)  So, for no other reason than for you to compare your personal mediasphere with mine, here’s what I’m into at the moment:

Books:

• Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels, by Andy Schmidt
• Modern MastersVol 18 John Romita JR, by George Khoury
• Supreme: The Return by Alan Moore
• Watching The Watchmen, by Dave Gibbons

Podcasts

• Art & Story
• Big Illustration Party Time
• Deconstructing Comics
• Gutter Talk
• Webcomic Beacon
• Webcomics Weekly

Webcomics

• 9 Chickweed Lane
• Bloom County
• Brat-halla
• Dilbert
• Evil Inc
• Frazz
• Girl Genius
• Nodwick
• Pibgorn
• PVP
• Sheldon
• Sinfest
• Union of Heroes
• Wayfarers Moon

Blogs/News Sites

• Comixtalk fka Comixpedia
• Lying In The Gutters on Comic Book Resources
• Webcomics.com

CDs

• Doors, The Best Of
• ELO Best Of
• Like A Hurricane—A Tribute to Neil Young (various)
• Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring
• Neil Young’s Greatest Hits
• Neil Young—Crazy Horse At The Fillmore 1970
• Neil Young—Massey Hall 1971
• Neil Young—Sugar Mountain Live At Canterbury House 1968
• Trans Siberian Orchestra—Beethoven’s Last Night

Phil mentioned our Alliance Stumble Group last night on the TGT podcast.  I’m happy he did, but also very sad that I missed the episode, because Phil Foglio was their guest and I am a huge Girl Genius fan.  I didn’t miss it because I forgot—instead, we had a lightning storm going on, and we felt it prudent to unplug our computers.  Replacing slagged computers, and tons of original files, is not in our budget, I’m afraid.

We added a new webcomic list, Family Webcomics, to our little collection of such lists, as seen near the upper part of the right column on this site.

Benita and I have lately had to tighten our belts, and that means we had to cut off most Johnny Saturn advertising.  I’m delighted to report, however, that the loss of traffic has been minimal, and it shows us that, if anything, our core audience has grown considerably.  I guess what I’m saying is, you, the fans and readers, have really come through for us!  You make Benita and I feel like real winners!  Thank you!

On an entirely unrelated note, I watched “James Bond: Casino Royale” last night.  This was a terrific James Bond movie, a sort of cross between James Bond and the style of the “Bourne Identity” movies.  Gone were the cheesiness, cheap comedy, fancy gadgets, and ridiculous one-liners and quips.  Judi Dench rocked as M, and Daniel Craig made a great debut as the ice-hearted, all business, and somewhat taciturn James Bond.

Yet, one thing bothered me.  There is an excellent scene where James Bond leaps onto a moving jet fuel truck from above.  He barely catches hold, but then succeeds in climbing to the walkway on top the truck.  Then, he swings down, into the cab, and fights viciously with the terrorist-for-hire villain.

Where have we heard this series of events before?  Hmmn.  Thinking, thinking.  Oh, wait, that would be in “Johnny Saturn No. 2,” wouldn’t it?

Well, I doubt there’s a connection, and many elements of this scenario also date from “Raiders of Ark” and its masterful truck chase scene.  Still, watching this scene in James Bond was a little like watching one of our own scenes played out in big budget splendor.

Scott.

Item: I just uploaded and placed orders for “Johnny Saturn 2nd Ed.” 1 through 5, as well as the “Johnny Saturn Pinup Gallery,” at Kablam. This means that soon “Johnny Saturn” single issues will be available online again at Indyplanet, and to the direct market at Comics Monkey. Issues 6 to 9 will follow shortly thereafter.

Item: One of the collectives “Johnny Saturn” belongs to is the Webcomic Collective, and it has now been taken over by W. Byron Wilkins of “1977 the comic,” and I feel confident the group is in good hands.

Item: I finished reading “Wanted” last night. Written by Mark Millar, and illustrated by JG Jones, there was fanboy goodness strewn throughout the comic, but the last two pages were real eye openers. Let’s just say that it go kind of “meta.” If you don’t mind tons of violence, lots of four letter words, and person being drowned in diarrhea, then this comic is for you.

Item: I’ve been going to the chiropractor lately, and I feel great. It had been six years since I had gone, and I had gotten used to lots of little pains. Suddenly relieved of the chronic discomfort, I’ve felt like I’m walking on air, or that gravity is not as strong suddenly.

Item: When it comes to FTP programs, the free Filezilla is really impressive. I’ve used Cuteftp for ages, but Filezilla seems to work better.

Item: I’d like to draw your attention to the webcomics I’ve been reading lately: 1977 the comic, 9 Chickweed Lane, Bloom County, Chainsaw Suit, Dilbert, Evil Inc, Frazz, Girl Genius, Heroes Inc., Ménage A 3, PVP, Sheldon, Sinfest, Spying with Lana, Wayfarer’s Moon, and XKCD. If your comic isn’t on my list, then fret not, because there are some I get caught up on every month. If I had to name my favorites from the above list, it would be Dilbert, Girl Genius, Ménage A 3, Sinfest, and Spying with Lana.