Although this wasn't the best year for TORC Press Financially or Commercially, it was a very good year creatively. I completed my 100th comic and began a bold (albiet failed) initiative with the Webcomix. There's lots of reasons why I have grown to love the webcomix, but one of the best is that I can construct a Year End HIGHLIGHT REEL, and actually include links to everything. So, get comfy, and prepare to hit the BACK button a lot.
Oh, and this page is on the Highlight Reel, since it's absolutely hi-larious. HUGS OF DOOOOOOM!
The Hot Fudge Sundae Adventure Club- The Hot Fudge Sundae Adventure Club rose like a phoenix from the ashes this year, reborn as a mad, fast paced, cosmic comic. The cast was huge, the set pieces were huge, the action was huge. Was it flawed? Yeah. Was it messy? Oh yeah. Did I make lots of mistakes? Of course. But the flaws are half the fun. Having this comic back in action, and making it an ode to the 4th World and the 80s Silver Surfer comics I grew up with mish-meshed with all the mad little TORCisms I've developed over the years, made this comic an absolute hoot to create. I have so many ideas for this comic, and I can't wait to get them all down on bristol. Here's the Highlight Reel for HFSAC:
HFSAC 18:
The First Double Page Spread on Page 2 and Page 3: This was the year of the Double Page Spread, and this was the first. Sure, they don't work so great in the Online Format, but if you buy the Print Edition you get these babies in all their glory. This Double gave us our first glimpse of the new cast of HFSAC, as well as the start of a wild brawl with Robots so Expendable they're literally wearing Red Shirts.
Page 9: Some fun character moments are on this page, but the real reason this is on the Highlight Reel is for the Los Super Hip Brothers Psychedelic Dance Party. Too many comics are too damn grim anymore. Sometimes you gotta get your dance on, people.
Page 12: The Gelatanous (misspelled) Blob Page! LET'S SMASH IT!
Page 13: The Best Darn Page of the Year, The Final Fantasy Page. Sheer, dumb comix joy.
Page 15: A funny page, and an important lesson, never assume anything. Or eat strange looking food for that matter.
Page 16: The Return of Classic HFSAC Villain, Levitone the Soul Eating Squid Demon from HELL!
HFSAC 19:
Page 1: A good splash page, and a nice little, "Oh, this guy is a lot bigger than we are" type of page.
The Double Page Spread on Page 2 and Page 3: Another Double with another "Cram everybody in and fight somebody" type of scenario. Except this time they've got a real fight on their hands, and not just a flock of Red Shirts.
Page 7: Our heroes go to 5-D Space to have a short conference while being in the middle of a deadly fight. We've been in Dreamland before in Clown & Penguin #1, but this page is prettier. Also, we get to see different versions of our heroes. A cool page.
Page 11: The Butterfly Bullet in All Its Glory.
Page 15: OMNICHRONUS in All His Glory. Personally, my Favorite Page of the Year.
Page 16: A truly TORC Pressian Ending. Because it involves tacos, of course.
HFSAC 20: This one is almost done, so we'll run a highlight reel on it, too.
Page 1: Space Smooch! Is there any romance in comics anymore? There is in the TORCverse.
The Double Page Spread on Page 2 and Page 3: Another double page spread, except this one doesn't involve fighting. It's got hugging, space dolphins, and my loving homage to Kirby's OMAC. Pretty page too.
Page 5: Just a really nice page. Also, more dancing.
Page 11: A storm of Angels, and enough color to melt eyeballs. A nice capper to the year for HFSAC.
Skull Mob: I need a dark comic, and Skull Mob serves that purpose. I enjoy HFSAC a lot more, but the grim and gritty adventures of the Death Moth (who really came into his own this year) and Co were enjoyable in their own right. This also gave you the On the Ground Perspective of my Universe. On the Con Circuit this one sold better than HFSAC, which shouldn't be much of a surprise. People like that kinda dark stuff.
Skull Mob 1:
Page 2: Ultra-violence right out of the gate. Really sets the tone.
Page 13: I like this page for the bizarre flower thing growing out of the wall. Very pretty, but kinda gross and offputting too.
Page 15: Xipe Topec in all his horrifying glory.
Skull Mob 2:
Page 2 and Page 3: The first double page spread for Skull Mob. Also, Sewer Battle. Also, that one dude gets a giant hole punched through his chest. This was totally a throw back to the kind of stuff I would draw when I was a teenager. Which was a hoot.
Page 16: And then we jump to the concluding page. The rest of the book is perfectly fine, there just wasn't a lot that looked good enough for the Highlight Reel. This page is a good one though. The Hard Light Armor is pretty cool.
Skull Mob 3:
Page 2 and Page 3: Yes, I really love my double page spreads. Sue me. A bit of a flip flop from the previous issue, where our heroes are on the defensive. Cool action stuff.
Page 5: An inspired bit of horrible grossness. Pretty much everything Skull Mob's supposed to be about.
Page 6: Big, jowly dog monster.
SDF: I've talked about it before, but SDF didn't really come together until Issue 6. I'm not saying that Issues 1-5 are bad. They're not. Octopus Jones is a great character, the supporting cast is great, and there were some great monsters in those issues. But I don't really think things Clicked until Issue 6. So we're just gonna jump to Issue 6. As for Issue 7, today's page is the only Highlight Reel worthy page so far.
SDF 6:
Page 2: A nice action page, and my rather blatant statement about everything that's wrong with our real world.
Page 4: The Chupacabra returns and eats a guy's head. Wonderful. Oh, and GOAT!
Page 5: Ride em Giant Worm!
Page 6: Doom Eagle uses Sea Food to violently kill people. I love comics.
Page 11: Dr. Dendull.
Page 12: Wild, wild action.
Page 13: And we end our 2013 Highlight Reel with Octopus Jones getting in a Big Hit. It's been a good year.
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