What I've been up to - Writing, toons, etc

[TreverT]

As this falls into the category of non-pipe stuff, here's what I've been up to and why I haven't been seen on any of the various pipe forums for about 4-5 months. LOTS of writing lately. I'm doing a big article for forthcoming magazine "Space Monsters" (A Famous Monsters-like mag devoted to classic SF and fantasy films) on the three Ray Harryhausen Sinbad movies. This should be fun and it will be the first time I've had something published in many years, as I basically gave up writing when we were living in France due to the overwhelming pressure just to make a living. I'm also doing a 50's SF-themed comic strip for the same magazine, which I'm working on now (and trying to come up with good jokes for, which is harder than it sounds). Still, I'm looking forward to doing a strip devoted to the days when interplanetary rocketships had flames out the back that went straight up in space, and the captains smoked pipes while having coffee in the planning rooms.

My other two big personal projects have been my web comic and my movie review site, both of which I've been having a lot of fun with. The web comic is the pet project, which I've been experimenting with and developing on the fly. It's called Kentucky Fried Popcorn and it's the ongoing story of a few young guys in 1977 having adventures with time travel, superheroes, and various other flights of fancy.

KFP - The Comic

The current strip is a mini storyline concerning one of the guys, George, and his attempts to become a real superhero... which doesn't go entirely to plan.

My other A&E project is my movie review blog, which I've posted about here before. Kentucky Fried Popcorn is devoted mainly to older horror and SF/fantasy films, though I do try and write up interesting modern indie flicks too, sometimes. The cartoon characters from the web comic have started crossing over lately and offering their own commentary on the flicks, just for general silliness.

KFP - The Reviews

Finally, I've also just finished a detailed tech review of a couple of competing models of mechanical keyboards, and am going to be submitting it soon, though I've also got a couple of horror stories I also need to submit to publishers... Basically, 2013 has been a busy year so far. :affraid:

 

[Boulder&Briar]

Congratulations Trevor! Though you've been absent from the forums and very busy it sounds, you also seem to be doing what you love. Keep up the great work, and continue to share that creative gift you have. :cheers:

 

[TreverT]

Congratulations Trevor! Though you've been absent from the forums and very busy it sounds, you also seem to be doing what you love. Keep up the great work, and continue to share that creative gift you have. :cheers:

The operating rule - If it's not fun, don't do it. Life is too short already, I'll never get half the stuff done that I want to. I have to admit I'm really enjoying getting back into writing, though. It's always been something I've enjoyed, and it would be nice if I can swing it such that it pays me a few bucks in the process.

 

[BigCasino]

sounds like your livin the dream, good luck to your projects!

 

[Harlock999]

The comic ides sounds cool!
I love the old EC stuff.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Cool.

Although count yourself quite fortunate; there's plenty of not-fun stuff that's pretty necessary to make way for the good stuff that comes from it all (at least a working theory, anyway). Which is fine...makes the sweet even sweeter when it arrives. Life is too short, and everyone's flower bed is a different size. Take care of it accordingly with no less joy, if possible.

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome back, Trev ! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

:face:

 

[TreverT]

The comic ides sounds cool!
I love the old EC stuff.

Yep. For my strip for "Space Monsters", I've been going back over the old Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers newspaper strips, to see how I can capture a little of their spirit. I want to make something that's very respectful of the more dated aspects of the older SF while still mining it for some humor, if that's possible (My guiding light is always Young Frankenstein, which did such a marvelous job of respecting the classic monster flicks while parodying them at the same time) I'm naturally tempted to go all EC-horror on them, but they want to keep the magazine's theme SF and fantasy, as there are already plenty of horror mags on the stands.

Also... Yaksylvania? :face:

 

[user 2027]

I'm sure an odd ball Yog Sothoth will make it into the strip now and again :face:

BTW, are you going to come down to TAPS show?

 

[TreverT]

I'm sure an odd ball Yog Sothoth will make it into the strip now and again :face:

BTW, are you going to come down to TAPS show?

I have no idea - I don't even know when it is! Don't think I've gotten any mail or notices on the subject, AFAIK.

 

[Harlock999]

The comic ides sounds cool!
I love the old EC stuff.

Yep. For my strip for "Space Monsters", I've been going back over the old Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers newspaper strips, to see how I can capture a little of their spirit. I want to make something that's very respectful of the more dated aspects of the older SF while still mining it for some humor, if that's possible (My guiding light is always Young Frankenstein, which did such a marvelous job of respecting the classic monster flicks while parodying them at the same time) I'm naturally tempted to go all EC-horror on them, but they want to keep the magazine's theme SF and fantasy, as there are already plenty of horror mags on the stands.

You could always pay homage to Wally Wood. Steranko certainly did!

Some other faves:

 

[TreverT]

I am perpetually amazed at how good those guys were in terms of basic drawing strengths. Looking at a lot of modern comicbook art, I boggle at how Photoshop spfx have replaced concepts like basic anatomy and composition. On the site where I host my web comic, there's a forum with a lot of discussion among younger comic artists, and they're almost universally wowed by fancy color FX and are terrible at simple drawing and writing.

But I digress and rant...

I don't know if the strip I'm doing for Space Monsters will grow into anything or not. For now, it's just starting out as a simple 3-4 panel joke strip, with a look that's more Bloom County than Jim Starlin or Gene Colan. Time will tell.