Today I share some thoughts on opportunities open to independent comics creators, having just attended an ALA “Unconference” in Ann Arbor. If you haven’t thought about getting your books into libraries before, I think I have some observations that will get you to do so.
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Thunder Punch Daily 120 – ALA Unconference Read More »
Inspired by the rage I felt when I read about a new Zorro film (shared by Jon David Guerra), I rant a little bit about the value of the Justice Hero, or better yet, the Smiling Justice Hero. A revisiting of topics first explored in A&S 112 – The Big Good Guy.
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Thunder Punch Daily 119 – Justice Heroes Read More »
Today I share a few thoughts in response to a thread in the Art & Story forum about the dreary state of Direct Market publishing. Is it a sign of stormy weather for comics, or is it an opportunity for a brighter world? Bet you can guess what I think!
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Thunder Punch Daily 118 – Nothing to Fear but… Read More »
Today I share an exercise I’ve used in my classrooms to teach some vital comics storytelling skills. By drawing a conversation sequence, we explore moment choices, scenery, emotional context, acting moments, and best of all, word balloon placement!
Also mentioned some great lettering tutorials over at Balloon Tales.
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Thunder Punch Daily 117 – The Art of Conversation Read More »
Today I let myself get a little angry as I talk about a common misconception concerning cartoons and stories aimed at young people. Too often I hear a criticism leveled at these materials that runs along the lines of “it doesn’t hold up” after experiencing them as an adult. I share a few thoughts on how we need to consider the intended audience before jumping to conclusions on the quality of a work. And also why these people are dead wrong.
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Thunder Punch Daily 116 – “It Doesn’t Hold Up” Read More »
Today I share some thoughts on how a technical goof-up during a workshop made it one of the most pleasurable experiences I’ve had teaching in a long time, and how mistakes can inspire your comics work.
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Thunder Punch Daily 115 – Failure IS an Option! Read More »
Today I share some thoughts inspired by a conversation I had with Dan Mishkin about writing characters and keeping their emotional arcs “honest”. Believe it or not, I manage to tie my points into a common argument amongst cartoonists over “how much is too much backstory?”
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Thunder Punch Daily 114 – Emotional Honesty Read More »
Continuing my series of TPDs recorded on my drive to Grant, Michigan for the Kids Read Comics Super Fun Tour, I ruminate on some classroom interactions I’ve been having lately that remind me of some of the basic concepts of comics storytelling. Three key ingredients seem to be Shape, Size, and Line.
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Thunder Punch Daily 113 – Shape, Size, & Line Read More »
While driving to one of my stops on the Kids Read Comics Super Fun Tour, I share some thoughts I’ve been kicking around while evaluating Tumblr and Posterous as free content management systems.
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Thunder Punch Daily 112 – Tumblr vs Posterous Read More »
Today I share some thoughts on cover design and put out a call for a new Art & Story challenge inspired by Jamie Gambell and the Covered blog. I use some anecdotes about my thought process on the cover designs between the two iterations of The Front: Rebirth as a starting point to figuring out what cover design challenges face us in the years to come.
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Thunder Punch Daily 111 – Judging a Book by Its Cover Read More »