Video Blog Status

I am having some problems with the software that I use to do the Homemade Komics video blog.
Until I can figure out what has happened, I may post some written reviews here. I know it will be difficult to have to read a review, rather than just watch it, but just relax, we will all get through this!

Homemade Komics episode 8/ SPACE

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics2/episode8.wvx

Click on the link above to see Episode 8 of the video Blog featuring ZED by Duane Abel

The SPACE pre-Show Party Episode 7

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics2/spaceparty.wvx

Ckick the link above to see some clips of the SPACE pre-show party, and a review of MR BIg # 6
Story and art by Matt Dembicki

Homemade Komics Episode 6

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics2/episode6.wvx

Click on the link above to see Larry Johnson's Tales of Fantasy # 31

Homemade Komics Episode 5

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics2/episode5.wvx

Click on the link above to take a look at writer Jason Degroot's "KREETOR " no. 1
Published by REPERCUSSION COMICS!

Homemade Komics Episode 4

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics2/episode4.wvx

Clck the link above to check out Kevin Cool Comics by Larry Blake

HOMEMADE KOMICS VIDEO # 3

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics2/episode3.wvx

Hey, I finally have been able to post another episode of the Homemade Komics Video Blog.Just click the link above to watch it. It works with Windows Media Player.
Although I must admit this is more of another test than anything else.
I am happy to tell you that I think I am ready to really get started with the next Episode.

Next time I will be taking a look at some comics by long time small presser, Larry Blake.
Check back soon

Regarding The Video Blog

I am currently putting together the next Homemade Komics Video blog. I am doing the early steps such as intro music and that kind of thing. But, as of right now I do not have a new comic to feature.

I can pull something out of my collection, but I would rather show something more current. SO.....
If you are a small press cartoonist, and you think it would be fun to have your comic featured on the video blog send it to Larned Justin PO Box 471 House Springs, MO 63051.

If you do not want to send an actual publication, just send a copy of the cover, and maybe an inside page, and do your own write up. I will still be able to show it on the vlog and read your write up.

I have just switched to cable DSL, so I am hoping the quality of the video uploads will be much improved. The hosting service for the first two episodes was a free trial. Now I have had to switch to a paying account, and with that switch it seems as though the first two episodes will not play anymore. So I will consider those just tests, and we will move on from this point.

I think there is quite a bit that can be done with this type of small press comic review, so check back often and see what is happening on the Homemade Komics Video Blog!

Video Blog Episode 2

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics/episode2.wvx

Clock on the link above to view The Homemade Komics Video Blog Episode 2. A review of Mineshaft Magazine.

VIDEO BLOG

http://easylink.playstream.com/homemadekomics/Show_1.wvx

The link above is a test of the new HOMEMADE KOMICS VIDEO BLOG. I am still working the bugs out , and learning how to work with the software, as well as trying to figure out the best way to publish it. The vlog is designed to work with windows media player, however when I use it at home, since I have AOL, the AOL player pops up. And it's not very good.
If you take a look at the Vlog, please leave a comment as to how it played on your computer. If you are a cartoonist and would like your comic featured on a future video, just send a copy of the comic to Larned Justin PO box 471 House Springs Mo 63051. If you would rather not send a complete comic just send a scan of the cover and write your own description (about a paragraph) of the story.

RATTLETRAP # 1

Mini/ 7 pages / 1 stamp / From Jerry Smith 3344 Horner Dr. Morristown, TN 37814

This is a minimalist comic from Jerry featuring some "everyman" conversations. If you are married with kids that are around the teenage years, then you have had these exact conversations. If you draw small press comics, it will surely remind you of past conversations.
The art is minimal to say the least, but had this been done by some of the better known experimental cartoonists like the Fort Thunder guys, it would be hailed as a masterpiece.
My criteria for minimalist comics is knowing whether or not the artist can draw a standard type comic or not. Of course Jerry can, and has proved it over many years. The comic is certainly worth a stamp, and if you collect small press comics, you should by all means have it in your collection.

"THE WANG" Who's Your Daddy?

Graphic novel/ Standard comic book size/ 96 pages/ color covers/ $9.95/ From Stan Yan
Squid Works Comics PO Box 480463 Denver, CO 80248-0463

The continuing story of Eugene Wang, a guy who seems to always look at the dark side of things, and nine times out of ten he is right. Stan Yan's pro level cartooning is the first thing you will notice about this second volume in "The Wang" saga. Stan out does himself this time, with his cartooning and overall design of the book.
The story of course has some twists and turns but Eugene basically is looking for the Father he has never known. I won't give any more than that away here. This one is well worth the cover price, and you will find yourself going back through it after you read it, just to enjoy some of the wild panels Stan creates.

ERASER DUST # 7

Size 8 1/2 x 11/ aprox 22 pages/ free from: Eraser Dust Comics 15096 Buena Vista Ave. White Rock, B.C. Canada , v4B1X9

Holy cow! I'm not sue how to describe this one! It's humor.....and the humor is something like Mike Goetz, but with a lot more characters. The artist is RC Johnston, who also has a band called "Quanset". He includes comics drawn on sticky backed paper, so you can make your own stickers. One of the stickers is a key hole you can hold it up to your eye, and spy on anyone, anywhere, anytime.

I am not sure what to make of the rest of the comic, other than it's different. Heck , get one their free, what could it hurt?

INKED PAGE

Well here is the finished, inked page for Tim Corrigan's "MightyGuy" Comic. Twenty three more pages to go!. Of course I do not plan to show every page on this blog. You will just have to buy the comic to see how it turns out.
Hey do you want to see a very funny web page? Kel Crum's web page is up at:
www.dangerousbird.com check it out, you will get a kick out of it!

The Making Of a Comic Book Chapter #1

Since this blog is supposed to be about making homemade komics, I thought I would show the various steps in this project as they occur. I am doing the penciling and inking for a new issue of Tim Corrigan's "MightyGuy" comic. This issue is based on a plot line by me, called "Night of The...eh... NIGHTOWL"
Tim wrote the script, lettered all the word balloons, and very lightly did the character layout and placement. All I have to do is the finished pencils, and the final inking. To make it even easier, he has included a typed narrative for each panel. The page shown here on the right is my pencil of panel one. The added challenge is to make the characters look like Tim's characters including the proper expressions. I am not sure how well the pencils will show up here but you can click on the image to enlarge it.
The page on the top ( sorry, the page with all the panels penciled should have been on the bottom) has panels two and three penciled. The next step is inking . Since I am working on three seperate projects at the same time, it may be a while before I get the inked page up on the the blog .

MIRACLE FORCE # 17

( Who are the Wasper Men?)/ digest size / 12 pages/ free to new readers/ from Jerry Smith 3344 Horner Dr. Morristown, TN 37814/ http://miracleforce.blogspot.com.

Let me quote a letter from Larry Blake to Jerry Smith, from the inside cover of this issue. It says more about Jerry's work in a few sentences, than I could in a couple of paragraphs.

" You have a host of strong concepts and characters that lesser comic's writers would kill for! All your titles I've seen are strong enough to carry their own series! You could draw like Da Vinci, but it'd be pointless if you had nothing to write that anyone would care about! Not everyone has the goods, Jerry, but you do! It's no wonder that you and Troy Hickman were such a good team....Your writing is as fresh as his... And way more imaginative in some ways. What I wouldn't give to be in on a brainstorming session with both of you at once! You have an amazing book here. I hope it goes on and on forever!"

I'll second that motion!

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

All of a sudden I find myself hip deep in comic strip projects. Tim Corrigan and I discussed my doing the art work for one of his "Mighty Guy Comics", when we were at S.P.A.C.E. last April. Well, I just received a post card from him telling me he had just about finished the script and it should be about 24 digest size pages. A day or so later I received a letter from Christoph Meyer with a script for 24 panels. He had asked a few months ago if I would be interested in doing a strip for his zine " 28 Pages Lovingly Bound With Twine", and I said sure I would love to. Couple that with the fact that I am trying to complete 32 pages of my own comic "NUT # 3", plus keep up my web comic , "The Propeller Beanie Report" ( about 4 panels a week). I also have to keep up my 2 page strip that runs in "The All Comics APA" bi-monthly. So I think you can see why I say I am hip deep in comics projects.
Knowing that I have all this to do, I usually walk into my studio, ( pictured above) look around, and then head straight for the X-Box and play " Brothers in Arms, Earned in Blood". I wonder why I don't seem to be making a dent in these projects?

New Homemade Komics logo

I was so impressed with the logo on Shawn Hoke's blog, "Size Matters", that I asked him if he could help me with placing one on my blog. Shawn was a big help, because I don't think I could have ever figured out how to do it on my own. I sure don't know any thing about html. So a big thanks to Shawn!
That said, I hope it is visible to all. The first time I did it, I was the only one that could see it.
The other thing I have noticed is that the color is not showing in the sky of the 3rd panel, and the word "Bonk". I guess I'll never quite understand how the internet works.

Making The Rounds

It seems that I have developed a routine that I go through almost every day with regard to sites that I visit on the intertnet. If you would like to be a hip underground cartoonist like me, you may want to follow this cyber space trail.
I start out with a visit to Size Matters. After seeing what's new there I head to Wasp Whispers, to see what Matt has to say. Then it's on to the Poopsheet Foundation , Rick Bradford's informative site. Optical Sloth is my next stop to see if I agree with Whitey's take on the comics he reviews. After that I check in at the forum located at Small Press Comics . This site is great for picking up small press related news. And just recently I have started to drop by Tea Krulos site Notes from the Joke Blog. Tea published Riverwurst Comics, and always has something interesting going on. And last but not least I sneak in and lurk around Ian Shires SPA forum.
By the time I finish my rounds the work day is just about over, and I can start thinking about wrapping up another hard day at the office.

THE UNBELIEVABLE LAUNDRY DETERGENT MAN # 4

Standard comic book size/ 24 pages/ full color covers/ $ 2.95

"Nino" continues the adventures of a young man who was forced to drink a soapy mixture by a gang of thugs, turning him into a super hero. In this issue a new hero is born. Once again it's a street gang, this time robbing an unsuspecting older couple, that produces an unlikely hero.
After his wife is killed in the robbery, Unger Thadius Ensile, puts together a costume from discarded hardware and becomes UTENSIL!
Nino, Jose Mesarina is able to blend drama and light comedy in the same story. Although this issue does not have a lot of comedy.
It seems that both Utensil and TUBLDM are both crime fighters, they may not get along with each other that well, and the cops don't like either of them.
It will be interesting to see where Nino takes this story line.
By the way if you are fortunate enough to see Nino at a comic con, he may be sporting his full Laundry Detergent Man costume! That's right he has a full custom made costume!
To send for the comic, the address is Instant Press Studios 5130 Elston Ave Chicago, IL 60630