T Campbell's Blog
Writer of Penny and Aggie, Fans (also called Faans), Rip & Teri, Search Engine Funnies and A History of Webcomics. Experienced webcomics editor, currently seeking full-time work and working on strange and interesting new things...Saturday, January 29, 2005
Letter Imperfect.
Done Today: Lettered.
Lettered a lot, actually, finishing 14 FANS pages and prepping about 32 more. In the home stretch now, and these things are always better done in batches.
I'm the only person I know who still uses QuarkXPress to letter comics, which is kind of embarrassing, because I once wrote a guide to cartooning which recommends QXP as a lettering tool. I guess I'll need to roll up my sleeves fairly soon and see what's better out there... I've given myself till spring to come out with a revision to that e-book. Isn't it time, though, that somebody came out with a program designed SPECIFICALLY to letter comics? Is there such a program? I've never heard of it.
Also, finished Part 9 of "The History of Online Comics." It's the money chapter!
Also of note: You know, it's just impossible to convey all the fanboyish reasons why you enjoy watching Justice League Unlimited to your female non-comics-reading schoolteacher roommate.
Lettered a lot, actually, finishing 14 FANS pages and prepping about 32 more. In the home stretch now, and these things are always better done in batches.
I'm the only person I know who still uses QuarkXPress to letter comics, which is kind of embarrassing, because I once wrote a guide to cartooning which recommends QXP as a lettering tool. I guess I'll need to roll up my sleeves fairly soon and see what's better out there... I've given myself till spring to come out with a revision to that e-book. Isn't it time, though, that somebody came out with a program designed SPECIFICALLY to letter comics? Is there such a program? I've never heard of it.
Also, finished Part 9 of "The History of Online Comics." It's the money chapter!
Also of note: You know, it's just impossible to convey all the fanboyish reasons why you enjoy watching Justice League Unlimited to your female non-comics-reading schoolteacher roommate.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Well, That's Disappointing.
Done Today: I spent a lot of today taking a look at Flatland. An early science fantasy, it was mentioned in Michio Kaku's Hyperspace, and it appealed to me as a rare story that I could adapt and illustrate myself. I love my artists, but occasionally you get the itch. Its copyright had expired, so no issues there. It also concerned a subject I care passionately about: the perception of other worlds and the persecution of those who perceive them. Written just before Einstein's breakthrough into the fourth dimension! This Edwin A. Abbott sounded like a guy I wanted to know.
Unfortunately, you get a few chapters in and you find it's GOD-awfully misogynistic. I really thought I'd seen it all after Dave Sim's description of Women as Voids, but I think Abbott may have actually topped him. Since I'm sure that statement intrigues somebody, you can check out the really offensive chapter here. (What gets me is there's no REASON to call lines "women" and every other shape "men;" it's as stupid as naming the isosceles triangles "wogs" or "kikes.") There's also an utterly laughable attempt to spin it PC, post-production, in the preface to the second edition. I note that Abbott was a clergyman, which had to limit his contact with the fairer sex. Some people joined the clergy for that very reason. You gotta wonder. (Edit-- not so. See this post for corrections.)
That leaves me with three undesirable options: 1) give up, 2) present an adaptaion strongly unfaithful to its original subject matter, or 3) insult half of Planet Earth as viciously as possible. Option 3 is right out. I'm weighing option 2.
I just dunno right now. It is a great work of imagination, and the best parts don't really rely on the misogyny. I dunno.
Unfortunately, you get a few chapters in and you find it's GOD-awfully misogynistic. I really thought I'd seen it all after Dave Sim's description of Women as Voids, but I think Abbott may have actually topped him. Since I'm sure that statement intrigues somebody, you can check out the really offensive chapter here. (What gets me is there's no REASON to call lines "women" and every other shape "men;" it's as stupid as naming the isosceles triangles "wogs" or "kikes.") There's also an utterly laughable attempt to spin it PC, post-production, in the preface to the second edition. I note that Abbott was a clergyman, which had to limit his contact with the fairer sex. Some people joined the clergy for that very reason. You gotta wonder. (Edit-- not so. See this post for corrections.)
That leaves me with three undesirable options: 1) give up, 2) present an adaptaion strongly unfaithful to its original subject matter, or 3) insult half of Planet Earth as viciously as possible. Option 3 is right out. I'm weighing option 2.
I just dunno right now. It is a great work of imagination, and the best parts don't really rely on the misogyny. I dunno.
Because My Ego Grows Ever Larger. LARGER!!!
I know, I know. Another blog?
I already had one, "T's Teases," which morphed into the subject-specific "Science Fiction Blog," which is now relying increasingly on other hands. (And this is as good a place as any to say that the Science Fiction Blog can still use one or two more dedicated contributors.) That transformation came about because I wanted a blog that was more about subject matter and less about what the author had for breakfast that morning. I've seen enough catblogs to make me hack up a hairball at the self-centeredness of some people.
However, a couple of facts have been brought to my attention. One is, a few people actually look up to me. Strange for me to think that, but it's true: last few years, I've been giving more advice on comics than I've been getting.
Second fact is, I'm doing so many different things right now, I really need a separate soapbox just to make sure people who like my stuff can keep TRACK of me... the completion of current projects, the creation of new ones, the attendance of conventions and the little honorifics like the Websnark Shortbread. 2005 is going to be a very, VERY busy and interesting year. If you want to join my mailing list to keep up with the MOST important stuff, e-mail me.
So, welcome to this little apartment adjoining the life of a comics writer. There's soda and cold pizza in the fridge (no beer, sorry-- this job's risky enough without intoxicants around). Help yourself, pull up a chair, and I'll be with you as soon as I can bring order to these little black patterns dancing across my screen.
Done Today: Drafted a proposal for Antarctic Press, met a representative for a new publisher, and sent out the final interview question for Part 9 of "The History of Online Comics."
I already had one, "T's Teases," which morphed into the subject-specific "Science Fiction Blog," which is now relying increasingly on other hands. (And this is as good a place as any to say that the Science Fiction Blog can still use one or two more dedicated contributors.) That transformation came about because I wanted a blog that was more about subject matter and less about what the author had for breakfast that morning. I've seen enough catblogs to make me hack up a hairball at the self-centeredness of some people.
However, a couple of facts have been brought to my attention. One is, a few people actually look up to me. Strange for me to think that, but it's true: last few years, I've been giving more advice on comics than I've been getting.
Second fact is, I'm doing so many different things right now, I really need a separate soapbox just to make sure people who like my stuff can keep TRACK of me... the completion of current projects, the creation of new ones, the attendance of conventions and the little honorifics like the Websnark Shortbread. 2005 is going to be a very, VERY busy and interesting year. If you want to join my mailing list to keep up with the MOST important stuff, e-mail me.
So, welcome to this little apartment adjoining the life of a comics writer. There's soda and cold pizza in the fridge (no beer, sorry-- this job's risky enough without intoxicants around). Help yourself, pull up a chair, and I'll be with you as soon as I can bring order to these little black patterns dancing across my screen.
Done Today: Drafted a proposal for Antarctic Press, met a representative for a new publisher, and sent out the final interview question for Part 9 of "The History of Online Comics."
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