After much hesitation and procrastination I have finally laid pencil to paper and have 5 pages drawn out. (still looking for a good program or technique for inking, however)

The opening chapter is the battle for London followed by a montage and a few short stories/ brief descriptions of the early career of the Acolyte. Locales include NYC, LA, Miami, Tokyo and Chicago.

This project will provide me with the opportunity to draw all kinds of things not usual found in most comics (save for Mignola-esque stuff, and a few others) such as military costuming throughout the ages,ancient weaponry, occult/magic stuff, monsters, exotic locales, different historical and non-historical time periods.

The New 52, The Mighty Thor, Self publishing

New drawing table- Check! New character design sheets- check! New direction, new inspiration, new goals Check, Check, Check!

So, the past few weeks have been filled with hope and excitement over the prospect of my comic and its long overdue start. I have been reading some new material put out by the biggies (ie. Marvel, Dc, Darkhorse, etc) both new and old comics, reading blogs about self publishing comics and makes a hero, world and political history. Finding unexplained phenomena to use as starting points for various story elements.

I am going to review some of this stuff now, partially for you and partially for me.

The Legion Lost and Demon Knights (#1's) have surprised me; each in it's own way. The new 52 is a push that DC has taken to recreate their lineup, to attract new readership- Superman, Wonder woman, Batmat, Aquaman, Deadman, Hawkman, Animal man, The Demon, The legion of Superheroes, The JLA, etc all have gotten (or will be getting) newly reworked versions.

Now DC says they are going to avoid retelling origin stories but it is clear they have rethought at least a few of the main 52 titles with a few characters that had been in committed relationships; now, barely knowing their former spouses. While, other characters are dead or powerless, etc. Costumes, tried and true, are tossed aside for new redesigned "futuristic/armor like" new costumes. Certain trade paperbacks and major events have been stricken from the now revamped canon; while other things thought trivial are now shaping the world. (note: Perhaps they should call it the new 50 since 2 of the "52" are actually revolving writer/inker/penciller- type fare with one shot stories featuring heroes and characters possibly from other series- one being a cowboy western serial and the other is Dc Presents: Action Comics!)

I have read 2 titles out of the 52 (many have not been released yet, and others still, do not pique my interest at all.) The titles I have read Demon knights and The legion lost restart both are changing characters I have liked for a long while now.

Legion Lost (the graphic novel) was brilliant Coipel pencils, DnA writing- on overwhelming great story, with each issue of the 12 issue run,narrated by a different character. Each of the characters was so well written, even if you where new to the series ( As I was) you quickly "knew" them, powers, friends, foes, feelings- everything. This new start however is (IMHO) starkly barren. The artwork is not up to par of a restart of a series- the exposition hamfisted at best, characters that have supposedly known each other for years yelling to each other saying things like: "You should use your super strength "full name".While I, "full name" will use my super speed powers to do "effect"."

Sigh. Seriously? You have started these titles over to draw new readers. I tried to give them a chance. this title is a definite "skip"

Demon knight is better. The artwork, is interesting. The writing though it still has some strange segways, and exposition is not nearly as odd. The Main character Etrigan the Demon, has been summoned by Merlin to ancient England. The premise is cliche, but so far I am willing to see where it goes. I do feel the artwork could be a touch better. hopefully the penciller and inker find their own version of the character and setting.

The Mighty Thor which restarted in April and is available to issue #5 (the #6 issue comes out on Sept 28) and is in my opinion, one of the best super hero comics I have read in years. The plot is great Asgard is crashed down in the Midwest. The Asgardians are mingling with a town, filled with fear and religiously whipped up. Meanwhile Galactis figures into the story predominantly, as well as the newly reborn Loki. The scripting is amazing as are the inks and the great pencils of Coipel. The characters of Sif, Hogun, Thor, Odin, Loki, etc look great. Galactis, and the Silver surfer, the Asgardians are all sporting classic costumes (as well as futuristic space suits!)and all look terrific. I cannot stress enough- if you are a comics fan do yourself a favor and catch up on the 5 back issues. READ THIS! (to be continued)

Berlin, Giant robots and super heroes WWII

Reference found, prelim character sketches worked out, scripting rough drafts written down- and still I am beside myself with a fear to begin. The blue line pages are sitting in the library at my house ( I know it is pretentious to have a library but hell I have the space and so-)

Perhaps it is a drawn out and long cultivated fear of having to restart after this once again. After so many false starts or the stack... the absolute fact there is a pile of pages inked and lettered that are all so much debris from this whole process. Frustration will not keep me from telling this story. I really need to press forward. Part of me needs to whip together something to get started knowing full well I will again in the future go back to bring those up to what I want them to be. The other part of me wants to do this right from the start and deal with the inherent stumbling blocks and growing pains that will be unavoidable.

Alas, I'll press on and I will keep you up to date as I move forward.

To begin again and again and again, once more.

Readers- It is my intention to once and for all actually use this journal. I am going to dedicate time each week to its update and (with any luck)hopefully chronicle the
growth of the long-thought-about-redesigned-and-redesigned again comic that has been flitting around in my head for years now.

After much reconsideration and diliberation I have scrapped nearly all early story elements, added new characters, changed motivations (of both protagonists as well as the motivations of the antagonists), redesigned costumes, as well as major themes and last but not least I have retooled the original cast of characters I began all of this with years ago.

The story arch is wholly different now. The idea remains somewhat similar: a Golden age character guiding the "youth of today". The idea of an idealist trying to corral the sometimes dangerous and often un-heroic actions of a far younger team; would seem less Professor Xavier and his X-men and far more akin to a captain of a ship mid-mutiny with each of the crew self assured that they would be the best leader. Perhaps, our leader is slightly out of touch. Maybe his views- seen by the "youngsters" as tragically out of date and un-hip- but it is a story of one person trying to show someone, lost and confused, confident that they know best. A teacher reaching out to students; hardened by a harsh world. Trying to show them a light in darkness.

Yeah, a little corny I know but I feel it has that this plot and idea can have at once that "Golden age charm- mixed with the edgier Bronze age aesthetic of a dark and gloomy world hating its heroes yet the heroes press on none-the-less"

As soon as I have the characters protected so they are legally recognized as mine I will post pictures and at least the introduction scene.

here is a hint on the subject of the intro to whet your whistles:Its the 1940's. A character and his sidekick fighting the good fight, in urban Europe. Tanks roll up and down streets. Planes scream over head. Soldiers falling in the streets and our heroes are there battling a monster...

ps. (The younger character as we later learn post introduction is our main character no longer the side kick. His mentor remains in our present day tales as well. Both Retired. The sidekick looking back with nostalgia. His mentor jaded, paranoid and elderly.)