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.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
BIG FAT BLOG
According to Tom Scioli's blog, as I type this on Tuesday, August 28th, 2012, this would have been Jack Kirby's 95th Birthday. I barely knew who the King was before he died. I've spent a good chunk of my adult life digging up the King's work like some kind of Comix Archeologist. I've obsessively studied Kirby's work, watching his evolution as a writer and artist over the 5 Decades of his Bombastic Career. I could ramble here all day about Kirby (actually, I kinda want to... remember that scene in "The Eternals" where the lead Celestial displays the Circuit on his thumb that contains the formula for the extinction of the entire populace of planet Earth? Wasn't that the single most awesome thing ever? Or the "Glory Boat"? Or the "Pact"? Or... oh, I'm doing it, aren't I?), but I've got a ton of ground to cover. So let's go.
We here in TORCland continue to do our webcomic thing. SDF is up and running, with our heroes trying to hold their own against a trio of headhunters jacked up on Unstable Mutagen. I know, I know, it doesn't make any sense, just enjoy the wild violence, okay? Anyway, the latest page can be viewed at http://www.torcpress.com/sdf3-2.html.
The latest page of our dark comic, Pulp Horrorshow: DirTown, is also up and running. Before I start talking about it, head over to http://www.torcpress.com/ph2-9.html and check it out. Now. let's Ramble a Bit.
So... awhile back, I introduced a group called The Skull Mob, which consisted of just about every heroic character in the TORCverse. They showed up in Monster King a little and were referred to in some of my comics from last year. In Monster King I alluded to the Skull Mob declaring a Candy Colored War on the Forces of Evil. They eliminated some of the lesser threats (some managed to sneak away, like Dr. Dendull), and then set out to destroy Ortex. Some members of the Skull Mob didn't participate (the Clown's Butterfly Mob and aliceislost were not present, along with a few others).
Now, a good writer would have showed the Epic Confrontation between Ortex and the Skull Mob. Unfortunately, I'm not that guy. I knew the outcome of the Battle, and I couldn't bring myself to show it.
Y'see, the Good Guys Lost. Big Time.
Now, if you've got "Death Moth" or if you've been reading between the lines on a lot of my books, you already know all this. If you haven't caught on, sorry to spoil things. But like I said, it wasn't much of a surprise, because I skipped clean over the whole fight.
Anyway, if you refer to PH Issue 2 Page 9, you'll find 5 Severed Heads decorating the Wall of Jack DuPre's Office in Ortex Tower. These are the Heads, impaled on spikes ala Game of Thrones, of the Division Leaders of the Skull Mob. Some of these guys you might know, some you might not (actually, most of you don't. Who am I kidding? No one reads my comix...). Anyway, here's the Dead Folk from Left to Right:
Bad Jack- Leader of Skull Mob Division 3 (the Shadow Mob). Most notably seen in "SDF: Pulp". If you've read "Death Moth" #1, you might be confused how Bad Jack is running around in that book, while his head is decorating Jack DuPre's office. Welp, Bad Jack's got a brand new body, simple as that.
Cosmico Rex- Leader of Skull Mob Division 4 (the Colorful Mob). Most notably seen in "SDF: Pulp".
El Exclamation Point!- Leader of Skull Mob Division 2 (the Mask Mob). One of the most prominent characters in the TORCverse is dead. Yep. That's him. Dead as Disco. Not coming back. I really liked El Exclamation Point! Why did I kill him off? Off panel no less. I don't get it.
Gemini Aqualung- Okay, this guy's kinda obscure. He hasn't really been seen since the olden days of the Xerox comics. Also, he wasn't a Skull Mob Leader. His Division, uh, Division 8, the Pig Mob, was actually led by Johm Smythe. But Johm Smythe was a Nuclear Man, so when he died, he completely blew up. Aqualung's head was collected as a substitute.
Halloween M@n- Another moderately obscure character, we haven't really seen this guy since the original "SDF". The former sheriff of Mosquito Village and the Leader of Skull Mob Division 7, the Halloween Mob, also died during the Fight. I also liked this guy. It's too bad to see him gone.
There's some heads missing from the wall. Like I said, the Clown's Division, Division 1, the Butterfly Mob, wasn't in the fight. King Dark, the leader of Division 5, Eyenigma, is also missing. Of course, it's hard to collect the head of Living Darkness. (Also, he may not be...totally dead. Maybe) Akuma Boy, the leader of Division 6, the Anarchy Mob, is also missing for some reason. We'll get to that one sometime in the future.
Long story short, this page fully illustrates something I've been hinting at for a while. The Heroes are Dead and Ortex has Won Everything.
The two characters that appear on this page are also pretty important. In the Olden Days of the Xerox Comics, I used to have little cut away segments with these two guys. When I started doing my "For Real" comix, I wanted to Ortex (and the two men that run it) in the background. But now that Ortex is in the forefront, it was time to bring them back.
The douchebag in the white suit with the pony tail is Johny Styles. He actually popped up briefly in an issue of "The Clown and Tea Cup Show" #2, I think, as well as "Monster King" #5-6. Styles is the Executive Vice President of the Ortex Corporation. That basically makes him the second most powerful man on Earth. He may look like a pussy, but he's a total bad ass (again, check out MK 5-6 for how scary this guy can get). He's a half breed Human/Demon. He's also married to the Clown's old roommate/love interest, Voodoo Dolly. Which nearly killed the Clown.
The big, angry looking fellow with the widow's peak is Jack DuPre, also known as the Deathbringer. He is the BIG EVIL of the TORCverse. He's the Dr. Doom of the TCV, except in this case, he's actually won the whole damn game (Poor Doom. How has he never actually completely conquered the world?). DuPre is also a half breed Human/Demon, which is one of the reasons why DuPre and Styles get along so well. DuPre's Father is Cthug, who is the Lord of Hell. DuPre's goal is to unleash Cthug from Hell. To do that, he needs to open the Locke City Hellgate, which is really complicated. We'll cover more of that another time. The Deathbringer is the most powerful man on Earth, not just because he is the President and CEO of the Ortex Corporation, but also because he can destroy an entire city block with a wave of his arm.
It's time to stop pussyfooting around. It's time to start bringing the Bad Guys into play. It's time to start moving this story along. I plan on wrapping this thing up when I'm in my 50s or 60s after all.
I was gonna Rant about how I've decided to stop buying Marvel or DC comics, but it's totally Bed Time. Another Time.
We here in TORCland continue to do our webcomic thing. SDF is up and running, with our heroes trying to hold their own against a trio of headhunters jacked up on Unstable Mutagen. I know, I know, it doesn't make any sense, just enjoy the wild violence, okay? Anyway, the latest page can be viewed at http://www.torcpress.com/sdf3-2.html.
The latest page of our dark comic, Pulp Horrorshow: DirTown, is also up and running. Before I start talking about it, head over to http://www.torcpress.com/ph2-9.html and check it out. Now. let's Ramble a Bit.
So... awhile back, I introduced a group called The Skull Mob, which consisted of just about every heroic character in the TORCverse. They showed up in Monster King a little and were referred to in some of my comics from last year. In Monster King I alluded to the Skull Mob declaring a Candy Colored War on the Forces of Evil. They eliminated some of the lesser threats (some managed to sneak away, like Dr. Dendull), and then set out to destroy Ortex. Some members of the Skull Mob didn't participate (the Clown's Butterfly Mob and aliceislost were not present, along with a few others).
Now, a good writer would have showed the Epic Confrontation between Ortex and the Skull Mob. Unfortunately, I'm not that guy. I knew the outcome of the Battle, and I couldn't bring myself to show it.
Y'see, the Good Guys Lost. Big Time.
Now, if you've got "Death Moth" or if you've been reading between the lines on a lot of my books, you already know all this. If you haven't caught on, sorry to spoil things. But like I said, it wasn't much of a surprise, because I skipped clean over the whole fight.
Anyway, if you refer to PH Issue 2 Page 9, you'll find 5 Severed Heads decorating the Wall of Jack DuPre's Office in Ortex Tower. These are the Heads, impaled on spikes ala Game of Thrones, of the Division Leaders of the Skull Mob. Some of these guys you might know, some you might not (actually, most of you don't. Who am I kidding? No one reads my comix...). Anyway, here's the Dead Folk from Left to Right:
Bad Jack- Leader of Skull Mob Division 3 (the Shadow Mob). Most notably seen in "SDF: Pulp". If you've read "Death Moth" #1, you might be confused how Bad Jack is running around in that book, while his head is decorating Jack DuPre's office. Welp, Bad Jack's got a brand new body, simple as that.
Cosmico Rex- Leader of Skull Mob Division 4 (the Colorful Mob). Most notably seen in "SDF: Pulp".
El Exclamation Point!- Leader of Skull Mob Division 2 (the Mask Mob). One of the most prominent characters in the TORCverse is dead. Yep. That's him. Dead as Disco. Not coming back. I really liked El Exclamation Point! Why did I kill him off? Off panel no less. I don't get it.
Gemini Aqualung- Okay, this guy's kinda obscure. He hasn't really been seen since the olden days of the Xerox comics. Also, he wasn't a Skull Mob Leader. His Division, uh, Division 8, the Pig Mob, was actually led by Johm Smythe. But Johm Smythe was a Nuclear Man, so when he died, he completely blew up. Aqualung's head was collected as a substitute.
Halloween M@n- Another moderately obscure character, we haven't really seen this guy since the original "SDF". The former sheriff of Mosquito Village and the Leader of Skull Mob Division 7, the Halloween Mob, also died during the Fight. I also liked this guy. It's too bad to see him gone.
There's some heads missing from the wall. Like I said, the Clown's Division, Division 1, the Butterfly Mob, wasn't in the fight. King Dark, the leader of Division 5, Eyenigma, is also missing. Of course, it's hard to collect the head of Living Darkness. (Also, he may not be...totally dead. Maybe) Akuma Boy, the leader of Division 6, the Anarchy Mob, is also missing for some reason. We'll get to that one sometime in the future.
Long story short, this page fully illustrates something I've been hinting at for a while. The Heroes are Dead and Ortex has Won Everything.
The two characters that appear on this page are also pretty important. In the Olden Days of the Xerox Comics, I used to have little cut away segments with these two guys. When I started doing my "For Real" comix, I wanted to Ortex (and the two men that run it) in the background. But now that Ortex is in the forefront, it was time to bring them back.
The douchebag in the white suit with the pony tail is Johny Styles. He actually popped up briefly in an issue of "The Clown and Tea Cup Show" #2, I think, as well as "Monster King" #5-6. Styles is the Executive Vice President of the Ortex Corporation. That basically makes him the second most powerful man on Earth. He may look like a pussy, but he's a total bad ass (again, check out MK 5-6 for how scary this guy can get). He's a half breed Human/Demon. He's also married to the Clown's old roommate/love interest, Voodoo Dolly. Which nearly killed the Clown.
The big, angry looking fellow with the widow's peak is Jack DuPre, also known as the Deathbringer. He is the BIG EVIL of the TORCverse. He's the Dr. Doom of the TCV, except in this case, he's actually won the whole damn game (Poor Doom. How has he never actually completely conquered the world?). DuPre is also a half breed Human/Demon, which is one of the reasons why DuPre and Styles get along so well. DuPre's Father is Cthug, who is the Lord of Hell. DuPre's goal is to unleash Cthug from Hell. To do that, he needs to open the Locke City Hellgate, which is really complicated. We'll cover more of that another time. The Deathbringer is the most powerful man on Earth, not just because he is the President and CEO of the Ortex Corporation, but also because he can destroy an entire city block with a wave of his arm.
It's time to stop pussyfooting around. It's time to start bringing the Bad Guys into play. It's time to start moving this story along. I plan on wrapping this thing up when I'm in my 50s or 60s after all.
I was gonna Rant about how I've decided to stop buying Marvel or DC comics, but it's totally Bed Time. Another Time.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Cheezquest 2012
Welp, my month of Roadtripping continues today. Bro and I are gonna work half a day at the Mill, and then we're gonna hit the road with Boolah for Cleveland, OH, where our ultimate goal is to acquire the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich. What are you doing with your life? Cause this dude is driving 8 hours for Grilled Cheez. Yeah.
Anyway, I'll be gone all weekend, but the next page of SDF is ready to go for Monday, so fret not. Once I get home I need to start buckling down and getting some work done on a bunch of different projects.
Later.
Anyway, I'll be gone all weekend, but the next page of SDF is ready to go for Monday, so fret not. Once I get home I need to start buckling down and getting some work done on a bunch of different projects.
Later.
Monday, August 20, 2012
SDF #3 and Death Moth
First off, "SDF" is back up and running. Issue 3 Page 1 is up and running at http://www.torcpress.com/sdf3-1.html. The story picks up right where Issue 2 left off, with the Puzzelor attempting to protect a member of the Community from a trio of punks jacked up on Unstable Mutagen. Always fun.
In additional addition, we've added a new comic to the Online Store. It's called "Death Moth", and... it's messed up. Death Moth continues the story of Bad Jack, who debuted in "SDF: Pulp" and was last seen in "Monster King". It's a story about revenge and horror and resurrection. It's ADULTS ONLY. I can't stress that enough. There are things in here that once you see them, you can't unsee them. It's 24 pages in Full Color for $4.00 plus $2.00 S&H. You can check out a preview over at: http://www.torcpress.com/dmprev.html.
Anyway, it's off to the Mill.
In additional addition, we've added a new comic to the Online Store. It's called "Death Moth", and... it's messed up. Death Moth continues the story of Bad Jack, who debuted in "SDF: Pulp" and was last seen in "Monster King". It's a story about revenge and horror and resurrection. It's ADULTS ONLY. I can't stress that enough. There are things in here that once you see them, you can't unsee them. It's 24 pages in Full Color for $4.00 plus $2.00 S&H. You can check out a preview over at: http://www.torcpress.com/dmprev.html.
Anyway, it's off to the Mill.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Hamburgers, Wrestling, and, of course, Comix
So, Brooks and I hit the road for Indianapolis, IN for the Chikara Pro Wrestling show on Saturday. After finding the venue, we set sail for nearby Carmel, IN in order to get that most wondrous of things: A Good Burger. We found the place, about a half hour away from the venue, nestled in a quaint but happening little community. Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream is a little joint which has more seating on the outside than it has on the inside. Luckily, with just two of us, it was quick and easy to get a table. Now, the gimmick with this place is that they have a burger called the Big Ugly Burger, which is a full pound burger. If you eat one, you get a picture on the wall, eat two you get a bigger picture, eat three you get a very large picture, and if you eat four you get a full sized poster. For the record, there was no way I was eating one burger, let alone four. Nope, I got me the 1/4 lb. burger. It's pretty simple, no fancy toppings, just a burger, bun, cheese, with lettuce, tomato, and pickle on the side (who needs that crap). I went ahead and got pepper jack cheez and jalepenos and loaded up with ketchup and mustard. Turns out I didn't need the extra stuff.
Because this was the Best Burger I Have Ever Eaten in a Restaurant.
I've had burgers with better toppings. I've had better burgers at home and at cook outs. But in terms of pure, simple Burger goodness, this was the best burger I've ever had. It actually reminds me quite a lot of the End of "The Clown & Tea Cup Show" #1.
Anyway, back to Indy we went, and we hit the Chikara Show. And it was awesome. Fun, exciting, silly, strange, beautiful. There was a eight man tag that was incredible. Mike Quackenbush went nuts. I'm in love with Saturyne (did I just type that...ignore that last line). It was great. I picked up a DVD and a new Wrestling Mask to add to my collection. I was happy.
In TORC Press News, we'll have be starting a new Issue of "SDF" on Monday, and if I can stop myself from taking a nap, I'm gonna try to add a new comic to the Online Store at www.torcpress.com today.
Oh. And the following is an experiment. Dark Knight Rises. Adventure Time. Um, what else is popular? Glee? That should give me a good litmus.
Because this was the Best Burger I Have Ever Eaten in a Restaurant.
I've had burgers with better toppings. I've had better burgers at home and at cook outs. But in terms of pure, simple Burger goodness, this was the best burger I've ever had. It actually reminds me quite a lot of the End of "The Clown & Tea Cup Show" #1.
Anyway, back to Indy we went, and we hit the Chikara Show. And it was awesome. Fun, exciting, silly, strange, beautiful. There was a eight man tag that was incredible. Mike Quackenbush went nuts. I'm in love with Saturyne (did I just type that...ignore that last line). It was great. I picked up a DVD and a new Wrestling Mask to add to my collection. I was happy.
In TORC Press News, we'll have be starting a new Issue of "SDF" on Monday, and if I can stop myself from taking a nap, I'm gonna try to add a new comic to the Online Store at www.torcpress.com today.
Oh. And the following is an experiment. Dark Knight Rises. Adventure Time. Um, what else is popular? Glee? That should give me a good litmus.
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