MY ROBOT BRAIN IS STRONG
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ben_boxer's LiveJournal:
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| Friday, November 30th, 2007 | | 10:54 am |
| | Monday, October 22nd, 2007 | | 2:04 pm |
| | Thursday, September 27th, 2007 | | 8:56 am |
| | Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 | | 1:32 am |
Valkyries and whatnot.
I have updated my webcomics. I'm getting to the crazy part of the Brunhild story, where things get really strange and violent. Check 'em out! | | Friday, August 3rd, 2007 | | 11:33 am |
| | Monday, July 30th, 2007 | | 7:37 pm |
More Mini-Comics Discussion
After all the positivity of MoCCA, I figured I should balance out my mini-comics love with some cold, hard, reality. We deal with a lot of mini-comics here in the shop, and while I love minis very dearly, they can sometimes be a major nuisance. So I have written up some pointers for people who are selling minis to stores. I offer this wisdom not to be a naysayer or to discourage people, but to help. I want to help. Let me help. If you are a mini-comics/zine person, and you want to make dollars from your efforts, I have come up with these guidelines that hopefully will be constructive. These apply to comic shops (as that is where my experience is), and while certainly not universal, they're awfully common complaints. As always, Your Mileage My Vary..... 1. Never, ever, ever try to sell on a Wednesday. Not only are you interrupting what is traditionally the biggest sales day of the week, you are introducing a new element of paperwork and display and futzing on a day Filled To The Rim with such already. 2. Keep the format reasonable. Someone is going to have to figure a way to display your book. If your comic is bigger than say, the Fantagraphics POPEYE collection, it is going to be difficult to display. If your book will not lay flat, or if it's shaped funny, or if it is made of material that won't stack properly... any of these things mean that someone is going to have to spend a lot of time dealing with your books, lest they fester in an unsightly pile somewhere. Make life easy for your vendor. Your forty inch magnum opus may very well be a masterpiece, but oversized books are a bitch to display, and unless there is a huge demand (LITTLE NEMO, the aforementioned POPEYE) they move like cold molasses. Think about these things before you leave your six-pound trapezoid of a book in the hands of a retailer, who has other things to do than build special shelves for your book. 3. Be easy to deal with, and communicate. A 50/50 consignment is standard if a store has no idea who you are- don't expect to be paid 60% upfront. Have a business card, or at least be willing to give your contact info. Check up on your book- if a store has done well with it, chances are they want more. Don't be shy. Be in touch- we may have money for you! 4. Understand some basic human truths about what's "family-friendly". If your book has a giant cock-monster attacking a topless girl while screaming obscenities on the cover, we're probably not going to display it. We have a shop filled with kids and parents, and it's just not worth the hassle. 5. Know how much your books cost. Price your minis. And price them so that it's worth your while. Don't be ashamed of commerce. If you spent X dollars making X minis, do the math, and don't be afraid to price them so that you make your money back, and so that you and the vendor will make money from selling them. Here's a secret- people who are interested in minis usually buy a stack regardless of individual prices. It is rare that someone will go "FOUR DOLLARS!!! Outrageous!!!" and pass on the purchase. I know part of the DIY/home-made aesthetic is keeping things cheap, but let's roll with inflation, folks. 6. Know that while this may just be a hobby, or an after-work diversion for you, for the store it is business. It is a profit-making venture, and how we feed ourselves. If you produce something quality, and you approach this as a business opportunity... I will sell your comics and make money for you. Maybe not much, but you could see a mild return. If the books are well-crafted and interesting, I will hand-sell them and push them. If I can tell that you're never coming back, and you leave a smudgy stack of hostile weirdness behind, well... 7. Do your research. We sell any mini-comic (and a few zines) that you want to leave, as long as it's not wildly and obviously objectionable to any six year olds that might be poking around in the display. It's a 50/50 consignment, and they are displayed prominently on a wide shelf by the front door, under our cash wrap. Anyone buying anything in this store sees them. There are a handful of other stores with similar deals... you can find them easily. (If you want to play twenty questions about where to sell mini-comics in NYC, I do not have all the answers, and I will probably get frustrated.) 8. Be appreciative. If a store is carrying your mini, it means that they are making space for and giving a chance to something that has negligible profits and likely little demand. Think about it- your mini costs, say, four dollars. If I sell ten (which is a high estimate), I've made twenty dollars. That's a Best Case Scenario. Selling ten four dollar minis in a reasonable time-frame (a week) is a feat reserved for few zine-folk. Typically, your mini is two dollars, and we will be lucky to sell five in three months. That's five dollars every quarter. IF you sell out. On the other hand, OPTIC NERVE or WORLD WAR HULK will sell twenty times that (at least) in half the time, for twice as much. So a store is giving up shelf real-estate that could be filled with anything else, to give your mini a chance. Be grateful. Minis may sell incredibly well at SPX or MoCCA (or wherever), but those shows are a concentrated fan-base of like-minded people. The majority of people coming through our doors want FUN HOME or NEW AVENGERS, and aren't looking for zines or minis, no matter how good they are. Making minis is often a Labor of Love, and so is selling them. In short, don't be a dick to someone that is willing to try and sell your book for you. There are several folks whose minis we sell very well, and I see their books as a product as professional and as profitable as any other book in our store. Alec Longstreth, Jamie Tanner, the East Village Inky, and several other folks I'm forgetting... all are people who I'm happy to see walk in the door with new books. Aside from the quality of their books, they share a few other common traits. Let's call them Group A: 1. Books that are consistently well-made and easy to display. 2. Reliability. 3. Easy to communicate with. 4. Professionalism. The flip side is Group B. These are the people who mumble their way through vague questions on a Wednesday morning when we're desperately busy, producing a dirty stack of over-sized minis from their messenger bag, with no idea how to price them or where we should contact them, and have a snotty attitude through the whole exchange. In short, be in Group A. Group B just makes me sad and grumpy. PS: Bring minis to ROCKETSHIP! We are happy to sell them! Especially the great ones! Current Mood: busy | | Thursday, July 19th, 2007 | | 10:28 pm |
DRAW BJORN!
Folks, i am too busy to update my web comics. I mean, I'm really, really busy. I know this breaks hearts, but do not despair! To fill the void, I am starting a DRAW BJORN contest! Yep, draw my little viking chieftain, post it to your blog, flicker, lj, whatevs, and put a wee linky in the comments. After a week or so, I will declare a winnah, and give you an awesome prize of some kind. Like a Rocketship hoodie, or THE ART OF BONE. Something good, because I am so full of love. So that's it- get to it! | | Saturday, June 30th, 2007 | | 9:29 am |
| | Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 | | 9:50 am |
In Which I Review 15 Mini-Comics (or so)
I am up to my eyeballs in mini-comics, so I am going to review them (briefly), post some links, and share the love... 1. VAGUE CITIES by Tom KaczynskiThis is easily one of my favorites of the show. It's several stories in one mini, the first being an amazing meditation of city life, and the last few being ruminations on the future of technology and culture. The illustration is absolutely top-notch (zip-a-tone!) and the writing is (dare I say it?) sublime. It really is a set of lovely, dense, thoughtful pieces. We got a few of his other books, and they're all incredible. Highly recommended. 2. OCHRE ECLIPSE by Jonas Madden-ConnorA swell little book about daydreams and birds, with a goofy sense of humor. The cartooning cuts loose here and there, drops panel border, goes nuts, and gets really fun. 3. JUST THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN by Minty LewisA series of unrelated and mostly mundane conversations, as had by housecats and other suburban varmints. It's very surreal and often makes no sense, but by the end I was caught up in the stream-o-consciousness flow of it all. The drawing wasn't so much my thing, but it was a trippy and fun read. 4. THE MOST HORRIBLE THING IN THE WORLD by Dylan GrahamWhile I usually don't care for post-modern, vaguely satirical, ironic superhero tropes, this a fun, sweet, funny little story, and it totally works. The art is a wonderful mix of BEK and Richard Geary, and the pages flow like music without a glitch at all. Great stuff! 5. POCKET PARTY by Damien JayI loved this one too. It's manic and beautifully scribbled, and dense as hell, but also hilarious, smart, and imaginative. The story is so fast-paced, it feels like the art is trying to keep up with it, sketched madly with no panel borders, but packed onto each page. I laughed out loud several times reading it. Excellent stuff. 6. TURTLE KEEP IT STEADY by Joseph LambertA wordless story about a band of otters (?) and squirrels dancing and falling love and other tribulations. Through it all, the turtle drummer keeps it steady. There's something really incredible about this that just made me smile. Terrific cartooning. 7. PIG'S MISSING POO and APRES-SHAMPOOING by Robert GoodinIncredible comics. I would pay for a big deluxe hardcover filled with Goodin's stories- funny, subtle, and maybe my favorite illustration from the whole weekend. This guy is an amazing talent. I immediately recognized his work from PROJECT: ROMANTIC, and his story in that anthology was probably my favorite. Track these down! 8. SIMPLE ROUTINES #7 and THE OTHER SIDE by JP COOVERTSIMPLE ROUTINES is an almost perfect mix of Porcellino and Kochalka, and suffers a bit from the comparison. But it's a diary comic, and it has nice moments. THE OTHER SIDE, however, really shows off Coovert's cartooning chops. He's a talented storyteller, and after reading these (and a few others from his table) it seems like he's still finding his feet thematically and style wise. But that's cool- he's talented and skilled enough, so that watching him come into his own will be great. I enjoyed all his strips quite a bit. 9. LOBO CALIENTE IN "A LA LUNA" by Molly Colleen O'Connell Wow. i have no idea what this means, but it is haunting and beautiful and one that I keep looking at, again and again. This is a good example of what I hope to find in minis- distinct and original new voices. People bringing something entirely strange and memorable and fresh to the conversation. I love it! 10. TEEN BOAT #7 by John Green and Dave RomanOne of the stars of the show, TEEN BOAT is a damn near perfect comic. Green is a natural cartoonist, with pitch-perfect storytelling and design, and the great Dave Roman is an amazingly gifted writer (and no slouch of a cartoonist himself). In my dream world, Dave Roman would have a monthly kid's book in every grocery store, and TEEN BOAT would be on Adult Swim with a line of Action Figures. Hilarious and charming... these guys are awesome. 11. THE INTRUDER by Mark BurrierThe story here was a little strange, and I'm not altogether sure what to make of it, but the art was terrific- a little Mazzuchelli, a little Madden. I will certainly check out more of Burrier's art, he has a breezy, loose style that really works. I feel like the writing might be more effective alongside other stories he's written, so we get a sense of themes and and whatnot. I'm intrigued, for sure. 12. DOUBLE YELLOW LINES by Hope Larson(This is a double-mini, also featuring JP Coovert, who I talked about above.) It's always exciting when someone as gifted as Hope Larson makes a mini- you know you're in for a treat. This one is short and heartbreaking, straightforward and touching. It has some truly poetic moments, and as short as it is, the pacing is just perfect. The whole thing is just sad and lovely. I don't know what else to say. 13. DO NOT DISTURB MY WAKING DREAMS by Laura ParkA series of short strips, spot illos, and single panels, all very funny and lively. There is a variety of illustration styles here, and as versatile and talented as Park is, the pencil-work is where it really comes alive for me. These were a lot of fun, and range from very silly, stupid (in a good way) humor to incredibly smart and witty. A nice little anthology of a very talented cartoonist- she's another one who needs a big, deluxe hardcover! 14. THE BAIT AND SWITCH by Dane Martin and Joseph LambertThis reminded me a good deal of Paul Hornschemeier's work, in the best possible way. A horrifying tale about stick-horses, it has a dark whimsy that's very haunting. Terrific art as well. 15. CREPUSCULINE II by Conor Stechschulte I really enjoyed this mini, but come on, guys, get a website! Blogs are free! There's no excuse, really. Oh well... if you see this guy's stuff at the next small press show you go to, pick it up. It was cool. I also got some new KING CATS, the exclusive ARF!, and a mini by Matt Madden, but those guys are always the best, so you know they were great. | | 9:02 am |
MoCCA!
This year's MoCCA festival was some sort of blast, I say! There are many pictures up at the rocketship blog, but here is the pile of minis Kelly and i came home with...  Needless to say, I had an excellent weekend. There was karaoke madness.... serious madness.  | | Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 | | 11:48 pm |
| | Monday, April 2nd, 2007 | | 3:06 pm |
Another quick "meme" doodle.  | | 1:25 pm |
web strips
also, I have updated my web strips. www.lukewarmtales.blogspot.com | | 11:38 am |
Quick Sketch
I know I'm totally late to the game, but here's a quick doodle for the supergirl meme.  | | Tuesday, March 13th, 2007 | | 3:03 pm |
comicses
I dunno if anyone is reading this LJ, but if you ae out there, i would point you to www.lukewarmtales.blogspot.com , which is were i post comics that i do sometimes.comis | | Monday, January 29th, 2007 | | 11:28 pm |
| | Monday, December 11th, 2006 | | 1:38 am |
THIMBLES
I was recently asked if THIMBLE THEATER holds up today, or if it's mostly just considered important for the sake of history. Well, Thimble Theater is a perfect mix of romance, adventure, slapstick, and character comedy. Does it hold up today? Absolutely. The illustration, while having dated elements at first, eventually evolved into such a distinctive style that no one has drawn quite like it before or since- the bizarre people with their wonky limbs and strange, depression-era seaside clothes. Segar created a world so entirely his own, so distinct, that to this day, if we see a POPEYE character it's immediately recognizable, even if we don't realize it. We take his bizarre design style for granted. But as bizarre as it was, it never got in the way of clear, perfectly composed storytelling, and a damn near perfect sense of visual pacing. (The man knew how to time a gag as well as anyone in comics, ever.) The POPEYE stories (at their best) were rollicking, unpredictable adventures, peppered with weird creatures and mad villains, and characters so rich that they absolutely take on a life of their own. And the wordplay! The way each of his characters talked was so wonderful and lyrical and distinctive, and all rooted firmly in character. And the characters were always far more than just one-dimensional, one-joke cut-outs. They all had the kind of ranged and unpredictable emotional reactions that few writers hit the reader with. Their quirks were subtle and often heart-wrenching; for example, tough-guy Popeye has an enormous soft-spot for poor children, and every so often, his ridiculous generosity will come through in amazing and hilarious ways (I'm trying not to discuss actual events or plot points- i want the world of Popeye to be as fresh as possible for those that haven't read it yet.) These strips were an almost perfect synthesis of so many things, all wrapped up in strange and beautiful drawings. The magic of the Jeep.... the eeriness of the Sea Hag... the drama of kidnapped princesses... the mystery of lost islands on the high seas.... the love of Popeye for Swee' Pea.... the hilarious, deadpan and emotionless treachery of Wimpy.... the hard sarcasm of Poopdeck Pappy. And tying it all together, a toothless, one-eyed rough-house of a sailor with a heart as big as anything. What other fiction ever gave us such an unlikely hero with such an off-beat (and fully-realized!) supporting cast? POPEYE is the kind of great storytelling that can ONLY be done in comics. The strange creatures and the caricatured designs and the exotic locales. Drawn together with exquisite cohesion by Segar's effortless pen, everything clicked together in a way that few strips with such broad ambition ever do. Everything meshed together seamlessly. The characters, the genres, the language, the moods; everything works like an orchestra. THIMBLE THEATER could be hilarious, exotic, heart-tugging, and cruel, all in the same four panels! And underneath it all was an amazing sense of LOVE. Popeye's love for Olive and Swee' Pea, Pappy's love for (no spoilers), Wimpy's love for himself, the artist's love for the world and characters, and a general love of adventure and fantasy. And above all, an optimism that there was a bigger, better, more amazing world than the bleak real-world times of the Depression. POPEYE is filled with a simple generosity and optimismm that seems almost naive if it wasn't so damn sincere. Between the amazing illustration, the sublime writing and characterization, the serpentine and rollicking plots, the incredible word-play and dialogue, and the overall theme of goodness and selflessness in a crazy world, POPEYE is absolutely one of the greatest comics ever drawn, and certainly one that holds up today. Maybe now more than ever! | | Tuesday, October 24th, 2006 | | 5:08 pm |
Empty Update
I just noticed that my last update was on my birthday.... in July. That's horrible. So I will update now, just so that ridiculous picture of me in a ghostbuster costume is not at the top of my Journal. There are an obscene number of events happening at the shop throughout November, starting with a release party for TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE 3 this friday. Then we will cap off events for the year in December, and get ready for the holiday rush. Christmas in Brooklyn is always plenty of fun, even if (like myself) you generally can't stand holidays. Brooklyn is pretty much the best place in the world. | | Friday, July 14th, 2006 | | 1:24 pm |
| | Wednesday, July 5th, 2006 | | 1:46 pm |
The Big Three -Oh
yup. In nine short days I will be elderly. Bastille Day. I will be one year closer to sweet, sweet oblivion. Send presents! Current Mood: accomplished |
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