In summary I am writing and producing my own original graphic novel entitled “Raven Nevermore”. The complications came about after completing issue #2. The Editor/Letterer I have on board, Thomas Moore of the Pop Gun anthologies and much much more, made a comment about the abrupt and unfullfilling… ness… of how it resolves the tale thus far. This comment aligned with my personal thoughts about some plot points I planned on bringing up later via flashbacks and such. I also wanted something left a mystery in case I could put a second collection together later on.

What Thomas accomplished then was something greater than just suggesting I expand issue #2 by 6 pages to fill out the ending. I was faced with coming to terms with some much more profound change to the entire production. The bonus to the difficult journey is that I get a new kick ass fight scene focusing on Dante, Corvan’s son–seeing the pages always makes the hardship worth it!

Here is a summary of the lessons learned:

Adding More  Pages

I needed to go back to issue #1 and add pages to set up earlier plot points that would be resolved through the 6-part series instead of left hanging for a possible second collected trade. The fact that I had to go back to material written a year ago became more daunting than I would have imagined. Writing NEW pages, which I thought would be fun and easy, turned out to be much harder to do because it involved thinking about all 6 issues in a complete, closed, fashion. Issue #1 and #2 will now be 28-pages long instead of 22-pages. Issues #3 to #6 will likely go to 28-pages as well now that they will just be collected into one book. Issue #4 has been expanded into issue #5 and the entire origin plot will be fully resolved in issue #6 which deals with the “big bad” that was going to carry through maybe 24 issues.

Change Plot Flow

I needed to change plot flow because I’m removing some flashbacks and executing these scenes in the present timeline which required me to deliver seeds differently, more cautiously, but still drop the seeds required for future payoff later. I had to decide what needed to get introduced faster and ensure I could deliver a payoff. I had about 24-issue summaries planned out. Parts and pieces of those 24 issue summaries are now within the SIX issues. Instead of each issue buffering main plot points between other side-stories with the main/major payoff at issue #24, plot points were all condensed, simplified, and delivered as the final complete trade  payoff.

Production Length and Cost

On the production level, I had to come to terms with the additional 30% financial investment. I committed to expanding the series to 6 issues instead of 4 issues, and make each issue a 28-page standard instead of 22-page, which causes me to re-structure the financial framework and ensure the project remains within my financial means! Seeing as I am choosing to be jobless to see much of my projects through to the end this year, this additional cash flow arrangement demanded I really look at me commitment to the project, my willingness to believe in the final product, and my determination to persevere against the odds.

Close the Series

Finally, and most importantly, I decided to tell a CLOSED story that ends at issue #6 and complete the collected trade book as a stand alone origin story… because, well, I could never know if this series WOULD continue and that wouldn’t be fair to those who supported it, nor to me for all the work done thus far. Many creators have trouble letting things go, or changing things; this too proved to be a hard lesson in self-editing.

Ultimately, the BIG PICTURE needs to be kept in mind: The final goal of the big picture needs to be greater than individual elements.

Blueprint Magazine has released the march issue with the theme of “Roots”. You can read the magazine for free on their website.

The idea for a strip revolving around “roots” was taken a bit more literally on the concept stage. At first I considered doing something based around the dwarves of Hellmouth and their “Birthstones”. The Birthstones for the dwarves are considered to be part of the Roots of Yggdrasil, the World-Tree. After pondering how to do a half-page strip story revolving around a concept that connected a stone to a tree… I figured I’d start over with something more within the universal subconscious.

That took me to taking a look at the myth of the dryad on Hellmouth and how they treat and deal with death. The subtext of the strip was the actual intended concept I wanted to get across. Not so much a “hippie thing” as something that suggests we all live on an Earth that gives us sustenance even as we take it away to progress as a species. A balance is something worth considering, instead of being ignorant to. If the Earth goes… we go.

The fifth installment of the “Beholder Series” made it into the tail end of this issue even though I thought for sure I’d have to skip it this month. Now that I’m taking on writing comics more or less full time, you’d think I’d have more time to get around to everything. The reality is that with so much time to devote to thinking about creative endeavors, it’s remarkable how much time just flies by.

Thanks to Emmanuel and his unintentionally effective subtle encouragements (or maybe a “nudge” of this form from him simply means I get to see his awesome art bring a new short piece to life–and that’s all it took to commit to it over one night with a few days to deadline).

The idea for this strip didn’t come quickly, but it also didn’t really have much other competition when it finally sprouted to life in my mind. At first I was going to do something more obvious, like showing an interaction between a fiendish tyrant and his devoted followers who sacrifice themselves in exchange for the security and economic growth he provides his nation. I decided it might be a little too much for this venue and shelved that character. He will likely be brought to life for a much more dense and long form story in the future though–maybe even in future issues of Raven Nevermore if it becomes an ongoing gig.

The next thought pattern became: “What’s beyond national patriotism?”… Like, why not “global patriotism?”… or lets scale beyond that, why not “universal patriotism?”

You get the point. This scenario became obvious after that. I’ve always wanted to find a way to introduce this alien race to the “World of Hellmouth” but figured I’d take much longer to bringing them up. This strip acts as the official premiere for these stranded intergalactic travelers. Details about them, of course, will still be withheld for future stories!

I also got to feature a bit of the Iberian culture from the World of Hellmouth. They are a culture of fisherman, explorers, simple folk really. The culture also represents a strong pirate nation that makes a fortune with the slave trade. I imagined a lone young man who dreamed of a more simple life where he could find a dream at sea to take him away from the pressures of his society. Poor bastard.

Here’s a cover preview to Raven Nevermore #2! This issue introduces a new villain for the Cog Town Nightwatcher to face off against–just a hint: He’s the kinda villain that’ll teach you to fear the silence in the dark, even if you thought you had those fears mastered. The story behind “Mute” is one that stretches well past this first arc and I’m eager to one day be able to tell it!

This one was the longest one to figure out for me. I must have tried to work out thirteen or so different concepts and scripts for this month’s issue which centered around the theme of “food”. Something to do with cannibilism came to mind first but then the more it rolled around trying to find a way to flesh itself out, I determined it just seemd to obvious a direction and that wasn’t challenging enough to me.

What came after words came from me asking the question: “There’s got to be something I can do relating to vegetarians instead…”

–And so the Cannible Tree was born! I just love the last panel, Emmanuel nailed exactly what I had in mind and I awkwardly chuckle each time I imagine the dance of joy coming from minions of the necrafruit tree.

It is featured below (Click for larger view):

I actually can’t believe that the submission deadline is already next THURSDAY! Where does the time go! Next issue theme is about “Food” and I haven’t even begun to think about the strip. It’ll involve eating, that can be certain. Here’s to another exciting last-minute production!

I had the concept fairly early on–one that, after you see the strip, seems almost self-explanatory. At least in my head since Hellmouth as a world has been brewing for nearly 6 years! I passed the script onto Emmanuel and, like always, he nailed it on the first go around! His thumbnail sketch was more like rough pencils (at least in my eyes) and he went straight to ink from there. All in one day!

Letters will be done this evening and then off it goes! Another great little chance to show a piece of Hellmouth that may never get a larger story told about it… maybe.

On a related note: If there are any artists out there in particular who have work that they’d like to see in print, please go to the Blueprint Magazine Submission page and consider sending in work for future issues (or this one if it’s not too short notice!!!). There is no pay for the work, but check over the mags content and feel out for yourself whether it’s a product that you wish to support with a contribution. It is a freely distributed magazine in the Kitchener-Waterloo community relying on funding to be produced. If you aren’t an artist but know artists: Please pass on the word!

[Click to View Larger]

Blueprint Magazine is out! Click on the link to read the online version is a cool flash flip-book viewer!

The first installment of what I hope will be a monthly series guided by the magazine’s theme is printed at the end of the magazine. World of Hellmouth: Beholder Series will be a window into the world of the Hellmouth and it’s people, places, monsters and events. I’m really excited about this opportunity to be able to explore small one-shots with Emmanuel Xerx Javier, the series artist.

Great thanks goes out to editor Erin Epp for this amazing opportunity!

One little catch: I had 4 days to do it!

I immediately contacted artist Emmanuel Xerx Javier, the art machine behind Raven Nevermore, and since he’s nearly as crazy as I am (nearly I said!) he was immediately on board as well. It was midnight for me and morning for him on the opposite side of the world. Emmanuel was preparing to take a weekend trip in a few hours. I eventually needed to sleep. Between a collaborative back and forth on the spot, the entire thing was done by the time I woke up and then re-written and lettered the next day.

Blueprint Magazine is a local publication centered in the Waterloo Region. It is the official student magazine of Wilfred Laurier University and part of the Wilfred Laurier University Student Publications group. The publication aims to provide an independent outlet for student discourse, creative thought and expression between the university masses and the Waterloo community as a whole. Each issue is composed entirely of content submitted by students and members of the greater community.

Once it gets published and released around Sept 25th, I will put the strip up here as well! Each strip will be a window into the World of Hellmouth and will be directed by Blueprint’s monthly theme. Here’s to looking forward to other great opportunities!