So... I had a weird night on Friday. As some of you know, my brother has a killer one-man band called the Dr. Orphyus Project. I do the artwork and videos for the DOP. They're lovingly crude and ugly and beautiful. Bro is starting his 2012 Fall Tour, and the second stop of the tour was Friday in our backyard, Effingham, IL. Instead of playing the typical dive bar or whatever, Bro somehow got a gig at the Effingham Performance Center, an actual, full fledged concert venue that acts like Weird Al Yankovitch and Galagher have played at (yeah, I know, not exactly epic talent, but this is Middle of Nowhere Illinois, give us a break). So, for once, Bro's got a big fat stage to perform on and a professional sound system and all sorts of cool stuff going on. So, Bro decided that it was time to unveil the Dr. Orphyus Project Live Art Show.
To put it simply, Bro performed his act on stage, and I painted stuff. On stage. In front of an audience.
It was utterly terrifying.
Anyway, I did my thing, painted some paintings, and kept my back to the audience the whole time so I wouldn't just completely lose my nerve and run off somewhere and never come back. We got through the show, and people seemed to like it. I even sold some of the paintings. That was weird.
Anyway, anyway, if there is anyone reading this that was at the show on Friday, thanks for supporting the Dr. Orphyus Project and TORC Press. Hope you enjoyed the show. In the meantime, Bro (and his tour manager, Fitchy) is on the Road doing his thing. The should have been in Peoria, IL last night, and I think they leave the state today. Not sure where they're at right now, but I wish them good luck and godspeed.
In TORC Press News, SDF continues to update on Mondays, and our new strip, Truth or Consequences, updates on Saturdays (Page 3 went live yesterday). You can check out both strips for Freesies at http://www.torcpress.com/. I've got two more Cons to slam my way through this year. I'll be at the Nashville Comic and Horror Festival next weekend, and I'll be all the way out in San Francisco, CA for the APE show. Yeah. I don't what I was thinking.
Again, TORC Press will be on Vacation from the time I get on the airplane on Friday October 12 until Monday October 22nd, so there will be no new webcomix during that time, and I won't be able to fill any online orders (haha...always makes me chuckle when I type that) either.
Oh, and I think I'm starting to completely freak out about all of this. So that's something.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Production Updates- 9/23/12
Welcome to TORCland. Here's what's goin' down:
Conventions: We've got two Conventions left for this Year of Our Lord, 2012. First off, we'll be at the Nashville Comic & Horror Festival on October 6-7 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, TN. Details are available at http://www.comiccitytn.com/Convention_Listings.html. It's always a solid show, and as a super bonus, I get to hang out with my beloved cousins, my wonderful nephew, and hopefully get a little time to hang out with my buddy Mark.
Secondly, TORC Press will be hopping a plane the very next week to go to the Alternative Press Expo (APE for short) in San Francisco, CA. I didn't expect to end up working this show, so you can imagine my surprise when I actually got this show. Anyway, I'll be leaving on October 12, and the show is Oct. 13-14. While I'm out West, I'm gonna be taking a Loooong Overdue and Well Deserved Vacation. So, as a result, TORC Press will be on total shut down from October 12 until October 21. During that time, I won't be able to fill any Online Orders (hahaahahaha) and there won't be any Updates or Online Comix updated during that time period.
Webcomix:
SDF- The online version of "SDF" is currently on Issue 3. You can view the Archives of Issue 1 Here and Issue 2 Here. You can start reading Issue 3 Here. The current issue is pitting the Hardworking Heroes of the Community Watch against a Trio of Bullies that are Jacked Up on Unstable Mutagen. It's been a hard fight, and our heroes are not fairing particularly well. Plus, there's an innocent bystander stuck in the middle that our heroes are desperately trying to protect. That's not going well either. We're currently on Page 5. Page 6 comes out tomorrow.
Pulp Horrorshow- Issue 2 of Pulp Horrorshow: DirTown concluded this last week. You can view the entire Online Issue Here. Pulp Horrorshow will be on break until after I get back from Vacation, and will return with Issue 3 on 10/24/12. You can view the Online Version of Issue 1 in its entirety Here.
Truth or Consequences Issue Zer0- We've got a brand new online comic that we debuted yesterday. It's called Truth or Consequences, which is a reference to what my Company was originally called before I shortened it to TORC. It's a Zero issue cause I always wanted to do a Zero Issue. Yep. Anyway, the debut issue features the debut of Mango-Habenero, which is me finally getting to do my personal take on the Defenders. The first page features Octopus Jones from SDF and Dr. Dream from Pulp Horrorshow. I'm trying out a new Art Style on this book, as well. You can view the first page Here.
COMIX: Check out our Online Store to purchase any of Comix listed below.
SDF- The Print Edition of Issue One is currently available. It contains all of the Online Content, as well as an Exclusive 8 Page aliceislost story. I just completed the Print Edition of Issue Two. I won't be making it available online until after I get back from my vacation. The second issue contains all of the Online Content as well as an Exclusive 8 Page aliceislost story.
Pulp Horrorshow Vol. 3- The Print Edition of Issue One is currently available. It contains all of the Online Content as well as an Exclusive 6 Page aliceislost story and a 6 page Dr. Dream story. I am currently working on the Print Edition of Issue Two. It will contain all of the Online Content, as well as an Exclusive 6 Page Blade Rebels story and an Exclusive 6 Page story featuring the debut of a new character called the K-9. I have no idea when I'll have this one completed.
Clown & Penguin- The first issue is currently available. It's got a crazy mad Cosmic story featuring the Clown and Penguin, and a back up story filling in some of the blanks. I'm currently working on the 2nd Issue, which has a 25 page story that continues from Issue one, and a back up story that fills in some more blanks. I'm currently making C&P 2 a priority, so I hope to have the issue done before Winter.
Death Moth- The first issue of my horribly messed up Adults Only book is currently available. It's dark and wrong and bloody as hell. The Second Issue is currently on hiatus until after I finish Clown & Penguin 2.
Mystery Project- I've got a new book (besides Truth or Consequences, of course) that I'm going to start work on after I get back from vacation. I'll talk about it more after I've got some work done on it.
Random Notes:
I really like Octopus Jones. I like drawing him. I like writing him. He's a fun character.
I am getting close to producing my 100th TORC Press Comic. With the Publication of Pulp Horrorshow (v.3) #1, I have produced 93 Comics (give or take... my Math may be a little fuzzy). SDF #2, Clown & Penguin #2, Pulp Horrorshow (v. 3) #2, Death Moth #2, and Truth or Consequences Zer0 will bring the count up to 98. I'm not sure what will slot in at 99. Anyway, the point of all of this is that I'm gonna be doing a special issue for the 100th, and I'm gonna call it "Truth or Consequences 100". It'll be a bit of a shout out to my very first comic "Pulp Horrorshow" v. 1 #1. The first Pulp Horrorshow contained Three Short Stories and a Walt n' Sped strip, so Truth or Consequences 100 will contain Three Short Stories and a Walt n' Sped strip. Cool, right?
Conventions: We've got two Conventions left for this Year of Our Lord, 2012. First off, we'll be at the Nashville Comic & Horror Festival on October 6-7 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, TN. Details are available at http://www.comiccitytn.com/Convention_Listings.html. It's always a solid show, and as a super bonus, I get to hang out with my beloved cousins, my wonderful nephew, and hopefully get a little time to hang out with my buddy Mark.
Secondly, TORC Press will be hopping a plane the very next week to go to the Alternative Press Expo (APE for short) in San Francisco, CA. I didn't expect to end up working this show, so you can imagine my surprise when I actually got this show. Anyway, I'll be leaving on October 12, and the show is Oct. 13-14. While I'm out West, I'm gonna be taking a Loooong Overdue and Well Deserved Vacation. So, as a result, TORC Press will be on total shut down from October 12 until October 21. During that time, I won't be able to fill any Online Orders (hahaahahaha) and there won't be any Updates or Online Comix updated during that time period.
Webcomix:
SDF- The online version of "SDF" is currently on Issue 3. You can view the Archives of Issue 1 Here and Issue 2 Here. You can start reading Issue 3 Here. The current issue is pitting the Hardworking Heroes of the Community Watch against a Trio of Bullies that are Jacked Up on Unstable Mutagen. It's been a hard fight, and our heroes are not fairing particularly well. Plus, there's an innocent bystander stuck in the middle that our heroes are desperately trying to protect. That's not going well either. We're currently on Page 5. Page 6 comes out tomorrow.
Pulp Horrorshow- Issue 2 of Pulp Horrorshow: DirTown concluded this last week. You can view the entire Online Issue Here. Pulp Horrorshow will be on break until after I get back from Vacation, and will return with Issue 3 on 10/24/12. You can view the Online Version of Issue 1 in its entirety Here.
Truth or Consequences Issue Zer0- We've got a brand new online comic that we debuted yesterday. It's called Truth or Consequences, which is a reference to what my Company was originally called before I shortened it to TORC. It's a Zero issue cause I always wanted to do a Zero Issue. Yep. Anyway, the debut issue features the debut of Mango-Habenero, which is me finally getting to do my personal take on the Defenders. The first page features Octopus Jones from SDF and Dr. Dream from Pulp Horrorshow. I'm trying out a new Art Style on this book, as well. You can view the first page Here.
COMIX: Check out our Online Store to purchase any of Comix listed below.
SDF- The Print Edition of Issue One is currently available. It contains all of the Online Content, as well as an Exclusive 8 Page aliceislost story. I just completed the Print Edition of Issue Two. I won't be making it available online until after I get back from my vacation. The second issue contains all of the Online Content as well as an Exclusive 8 Page aliceislost story.
Pulp Horrorshow Vol. 3- The Print Edition of Issue One is currently available. It contains all of the Online Content as well as an Exclusive 6 Page aliceislost story and a 6 page Dr. Dream story. I am currently working on the Print Edition of Issue Two. It will contain all of the Online Content, as well as an Exclusive 6 Page Blade Rebels story and an Exclusive 6 Page story featuring the debut of a new character called the K-9. I have no idea when I'll have this one completed.
Clown & Penguin- The first issue is currently available. It's got a crazy mad Cosmic story featuring the Clown and Penguin, and a back up story filling in some of the blanks. I'm currently working on the 2nd Issue, which has a 25 page story that continues from Issue one, and a back up story that fills in some more blanks. I'm currently making C&P 2 a priority, so I hope to have the issue done before Winter.
Death Moth- The first issue of my horribly messed up Adults Only book is currently available. It's dark and wrong and bloody as hell. The Second Issue is currently on hiatus until after I finish Clown & Penguin 2.
Mystery Project- I've got a new book (besides Truth or Consequences, of course) that I'm going to start work on after I get back from vacation. I'll talk about it more after I've got some work done on it.
Random Notes:
I really like Octopus Jones. I like drawing him. I like writing him. He's a fun character.
I am getting close to producing my 100th TORC Press Comic. With the Publication of Pulp Horrorshow (v.3) #1, I have produced 93 Comics (give or take... my Math may be a little fuzzy). SDF #2, Clown & Penguin #2, Pulp Horrorshow (v. 3) #2, Death Moth #2, and Truth or Consequences Zer0 will bring the count up to 98. I'm not sure what will slot in at 99. Anyway, the point of all of this is that I'm gonna be doing a special issue for the 100th, and I'm gonna call it "Truth or Consequences 100". It'll be a bit of a shout out to my very first comic "Pulp Horrorshow" v. 1 #1. The first Pulp Horrorshow contained Three Short Stories and a Walt n' Sped strip, so Truth or Consequences 100 will contain Three Short Stories and a Walt n' Sped strip. Cool, right?
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A Declaration of Sorts
I try to have a more Blue Collar approach to Comix-making than most of my contemporaries. When I go to Cons and talk to my fellow Small Press Guys, most of them are flabbergasted at the amount of work I produce in a given year. Normal People will look at all the comix I've got spread out on my table and will inevitably ask the age old question, "Are all of these comics yours?" The implication being that you would need a whole team of people to produce the amount of comics I produce. I reply, "Yep. All mine. I'm the Writer, Artist, Letterer, and (now) Colorist."
In today's comic book world, the average artist is just penciling a book and can usually only make four to six monthlies in a row before needing to be bailed out by a back-up artist. Now, I will freely admit that a lot of those guys are WAY better artists than I am, and when it comes to their artwork you're getting Quality, not Quantity. But having said that, it's worth noting that no artist working today is even half as good as Jack Kirby was in the 1970s, when Kirby was (supposedly) producing work that was not on par with his 50s/60s work (Ahem, this is a load of crap, by the by. Kirby's work had simply progressed to an almost Primal Abstract state is all). And during the 1970s Kirby was Writing AND Penciling at least 4 different Books AT THE SAME TIME. And he wasn't some Youngbuck back then. He was in his 50s.
Artists today though are a soft, weak bunch. They don't have that Blue Collar work ethic that the Old Timers had. They're White Collar guys who have been pampered and spoiled and get a page rate that ensures they don't need to pencil four books a month just so they can feed their family (okay, admittedly, that's a sign of progress, but still). Me? I work 45 hours a week in a sawmill. Right now as I type this, I've got Poison Oak running up both of my arms, a bandage over the index finger of my right (drawing) hand from where a chunk of flesh got ripped off, and I got so many splinters in my right hand the other day that it took me two days to finally dig them all out. At the Sawmill, there is no slowing down. There are no Time Outs. You've got to keep up the pace all day long, with the only reward being a couple of short breaks and a glass of water. You have to work fast, efficient, and smart.
And that's the approach I take to Comix. My philosophy is this: If I can Work myself to death for 45 hours a week at a job I don't particularly like, then why shouldn't I put as much time and effort into my comix? Seems obvious, if you think about it.
I've been taking it easy lately. Being Lazy. Part of that has to do with how hard I pushed myself last year with the whole 24 Comix in a Year Challenge (and even I will admit that I went too far with that one...), and part of it had to do with some personal problems I've been working through. Mostly, I've just kept my two webcomix up on a weekly basis, and done a little extra work, and that's been about it. But I'm bored with that. I've been killing myself at work lately, and then coming home to get fat eating Cheez Puffs, and that's gonna stop. I'm going back to being a Blue Collar Dude when it comes to my Comix. That means 7 Pages in a Week. Every Week. Penciled, Inked, and if need be Colored. 7 Pages a Week. Every Week. Because I Love it, and Because I Can.
In today's comic book world, the average artist is just penciling a book and can usually only make four to six monthlies in a row before needing to be bailed out by a back-up artist. Now, I will freely admit that a lot of those guys are WAY better artists than I am, and when it comes to their artwork you're getting Quality, not Quantity. But having said that, it's worth noting that no artist working today is even half as good as Jack Kirby was in the 1970s, when Kirby was (supposedly) producing work that was not on par with his 50s/60s work (Ahem, this is a load of crap, by the by. Kirby's work had simply progressed to an almost Primal Abstract state is all). And during the 1970s Kirby was Writing AND Penciling at least 4 different Books AT THE SAME TIME. And he wasn't some Youngbuck back then. He was in his 50s.
Artists today though are a soft, weak bunch. They don't have that Blue Collar work ethic that the Old Timers had. They're White Collar guys who have been pampered and spoiled and get a page rate that ensures they don't need to pencil four books a month just so they can feed their family (okay, admittedly, that's a sign of progress, but still). Me? I work 45 hours a week in a sawmill. Right now as I type this, I've got Poison Oak running up both of my arms, a bandage over the index finger of my right (drawing) hand from where a chunk of flesh got ripped off, and I got so many splinters in my right hand the other day that it took me two days to finally dig them all out. At the Sawmill, there is no slowing down. There are no Time Outs. You've got to keep up the pace all day long, with the only reward being a couple of short breaks and a glass of water. You have to work fast, efficient, and smart.
And that's the approach I take to Comix. My philosophy is this: If I can Work myself to death for 45 hours a week at a job I don't particularly like, then why shouldn't I put as much time and effort into my comix? Seems obvious, if you think about it.
I've been taking it easy lately. Being Lazy. Part of that has to do with how hard I pushed myself last year with the whole 24 Comix in a Year Challenge (and even I will admit that I went too far with that one...), and part of it had to do with some personal problems I've been working through. Mostly, I've just kept my two webcomix up on a weekly basis, and done a little extra work, and that's been about it. But I'm bored with that. I've been killing myself at work lately, and then coming home to get fat eating Cheez Puffs, and that's gonna stop. I'm going back to being a Blue Collar Dude when it comes to my Comix. That means 7 Pages in a Week. Every Week. Penciled, Inked, and if need be Colored. 7 Pages a Week. Every Week. Because I Love it, and Because I Can.
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