Blog-It Llama!

Posted By Papa Llama on March 4, 2010

Aleksander Christov: Assassin - at ZudaComics.com

We love talking to competitors in each monthly Zuda Comics competition, webcomic creators who are competing for votes, views, and 5-star ratings that will earn 1 of the 10 creators (or creative teams) a contract to keep producing that comic for DC Comics’ online Zuda division. Every month’s competition is a different story in and of itself. This month features a variety of great art and some of the comics demonstrate particularly strong storytelling skill. We spoke with the writer of a comic that shows strength in both areas, Aleksander Christov: Assassin.

Aleksander Christov: Assassin
by Janine Frederick (script) and Ken Frederick (art)
http://zudacomics.com/node/1680

Llama: So how did you wind up writing a webcomic?

Janine: A little over a year ago, I started tinkering with this story. At the time, my husband was returning to his artwork for the first time in ten years. At one point, Ken and I were discussing what I could possibly do with the story I was writing. We both thought that maybe it could make a good comic book and I thought maybe Ken could draw it for me. About a month later, Ken decided he wanted to turn part of chapter 1 into our submission for Zuda. So, I got to work on converting chapter 1 to comic script format. A few weeks later, we had the finished 8 pages, ready to send off to Zuda. The whole decision was really per chance, in a way.

Llama: Where did this lead character come from?

Janine: In many ways, Aleksander (Alek, for short) is me.  (No, I never killed my father and don’t plan to – he’s my hero.)  I think all of the characters I write have a little bit of “me” in them, even Alek’s father.  I know I’ve had my moments of defeat in life, stewing in self pity, and lashing out at those around me… it’s human.  I’m also willing to bet that every single one of us has been Alek at some point in their lives, weather we were being mistreated, fighting for self-preservation, alone, taking HUGE risks, being involved in something bigger than ourselves, or given an opportunity to change our lives completely.  In all honesty, this lead character came from my heart and my soul, not my head.  

Llama: You’ve shown us an 8-page origin story.  Will page 9 leap forward in time?

Janine: Yes, it has to.  The story is about an assassin’s life, so page 9 will definitely get you into who Alek has become.  I intend on flashing back, at various scenes, to events that happened between page 8 and 9 and before page 1, to get the reader acclimated to an emotion or the importance of a situation.  The reader isn’t just going to be shown gory pictures of Alek killing people with lackluster plot that’s loaded with convenience – that’s not what this story is about, at all.  The rest of this story, as in pages 1 – 8, will allow the reader to have the same adrenalin rush and emotional connection to Alek.  Even though, he is a fictional character, he feels real enough for people to root for him when he’s running from guard dogs, stealing a dossier, or planting a bomb.  In this story, people can also feel his pain and anguish when he finds disappointment, fails at certain tasks, or realized that he has no control over certain situations.  Basically, the reader is in for a wild ride. 

Llama: How far ahead do you have the story planned? How detailed are your plans?

Janine: I actually have it about 3/4 completed, in story form.  I write the story first and then break it out into script format.  My process is extremely detailed.  I like to write back-story for every single character that the reader will encounter – I find that it adds life to each one.  There are no “red shirts” in Aleksander Christov: Assassin.  I even have a map of all the characters and their relationships on one of the walls in my house.  It looks like a serial killer lives here.  

Llama: You’re doing a lot of research for the comic. What kind of research?

Janine: Well, considering this story takes place in Russia, during the cold war era of the 1960’s, I’ve been scouring the internet, libraries, and talking to people who were have an insight on the goings on at the time.  I was born in 1979, so, I can’t say I experienced the same fear, sitting in front of a little black and white TV watching the Cuban Missile Crisis play out.  Most of the information I’ve been coming across has actually come from the CIA website’s database. 

Llama: I’m actually familiar with that website. I’ve had to use it for research too.

Janine: I’ve been on that thing so many times I’m surprised they haven’t come to my house. 

Llama: And how well did you research Zuda itself?

Janine: I researched the crap out of Zuda.  Basically, I’ve watched and participated in several competitions in the past 6 months, keeping my eye on how the competitions themselves play out from start to finish.  I’ve followed Kwanzer, Perazza, and Niksterr on twitter – and I always pay attention to the “Making Comics” advice that they give.  I hope all of my research pays off!

One's Janine. One's Ken. Figure it out.

Llama: How much did you and your artist confer on what look the comic would go for?

I pretty much let my husband decide how he wanted to draw it, based on the feeling it gave him.  As you can see, it’s a bit grittier than most, which we both felt added to draw the reader in.  The penciling, inks, and coloring are almost like a characters in the story, similar to how a movie soundtrack would be.  The viewer doesn’t realize it at the time, but the coloring and weight of the inking, weather bright or muted, thick or thin, involves a reader on a subconscious level.  We both felt that these were items to consider when deciding on what look is the best for any comic.

Llama: You’re off to a strong start in the competition, and I must say I love your energy.

Janine: Thanks!  I, and my husband, are just so thrilled, humbled, excited, and honored to be a part of this.  This is absolutely amazing!!!  I can’t express to you in words what this opportunity means to us.

Llama: What can you tell us about Aleksander’s future?

Janine: Aleksander’s future is one that most people dream about, but would not want for themselves.  However, Alek’s future is a lot like everyone else’s life now… filled with challenges & opportunities.

Llama: And about your own future?

Janine: My future, hopefully, will include me writing comics professionally – on the side of working my regular day job.  I do my best writing at night anyway.  I’m definitely hoping that Ken’s future includes more drawing comics. It’s what he loves!

Check out her assassin’s origin at http://zudacomics.com/node/1680.
If you like what you see, you should register, rate it, and vote.

Visit Janine Frederick online:
http://twitter.com/J9Naimoli
http://www.facebook.com/j9frederick
also http://twitter.com/prontocomics

We know the Zuda competition is rough on people...

Category: Interviews, Zuda | 5 Comments »
Tags: Aleksander Christov: Assassin, Assassin, DC, DC comics, Janine Frederick, Ken Frederick, patricide, webcomic, Zuda, Zuda Comics

Posted By Nick on February 26, 2010

Video game developer 2K’s hit game “Bioshock” won multiple awards for 2007’s Game of the Year, from television shows like Spike TV’s “Video Game Awards” and G4’s “X-Play” to magazines like IGN and Game Informer. The sequel, “Bioshock 2,” has a high standard to uphold. Is it successful? That depends on whether the player wants a return home or a revolution.

“Bioshock 2″ is set 10 years after the original game’s story. Things are different this time around as the player takes control of Delta, a Big Daddy who resembles a goliath inside an old diver’s suit that has a big drill for a hand. Big Daddies were the toughest enemies in “Bioshock,” so playing one is a twist on expectations. These creatures are not like foes in the traditional sense because the world of Rapture, the underwater city that is the setting of both games, runs more like a food chain than an all-out war. The enemies interact with one another in a kind of hierarchy. Becoming a Big Daddy further engrosses the player as a natural part of this murderous ecosystem.

This is a game for the fans. 2K takes what worked from the original and heavily expands upon it. A massive number of new gene tonics passively boosts combat prowess. With such a huge number to choose from, the game has a greater number of slots available to equip these tonics. Plasmids work the same as they did in the first game. The arsenal is truly ruthless – starting off with a big, brutal drill hand gives just a hint of what the weapons are like. In the original game, the player would be wielding a classic Thompson machine gun. Delta wields a gun that looks like what Rambo used to kill hundreds of Burmese military at the end of “Rambo 4.” Each weapon comes with three upgrades, the third of which is generally quite revolutionary. The game starts out tougher than it ends. The better equipped Delta becomes, the easier the game gets. Players who find the difficulty unsatisfying may change the difficulty from the pause menu.

The plot better explains what happened during the fall of Rapture. The city is falling apart, which is appropriate considering the hell it has been through. It feels more like a city than the previous installment, mostly thanks to open spaces and the option to walk outside into the ocean to see the complete scope of it all. A lot more moral choices are here than just rescuing or harvesting a Little Sister. Knowing Delta’s personal connection to the Little Sisters, a player must be very cruel to harvest them. The player’s choices determine the kind of ending received.

Multi-player is better than to be expected. The aiming does not feel as precise as other shooters. The mechanics for recovering eve, the resource used to activate plasmids, could have been more natural than just finding a syringe lying around the level, but it does fit the traditional mechanic of searching for ammo. Being able to photograph an enemy’s dead body for a damage bonus is a decent taunt to the fallen foe and a reward. Players who participate in ranked matches will notice their rank increase and they will earn new weapons, plasmids and gene tonics to choose from. “Team Fortress 2″ fans will find the gameplay more to their liking. The game takes what worked in the original, giving it some extra polish. Fans of “Bioshock” or those who did not get to play it the first time around should see what waits for them under the sea.

Category: Blog-It | No Comments »
Tags: 2K, Bio Shock 2, Bioshock, Playstation 3, PS3, Sequel, Videogame, Xbox 360

Posted By Papa Llama on February 25, 2010

Troll 2 is known as the “best worst movie” for many reasons. We unabashedly love this movie. Unlike Ed Wood’s masterpieces of terrible filmmaking, Troll 2 has no slow parts. It’s interesting and mind bogglingly weird from beginning to end.

After the Action Flick Chick reviewed it, (“Troll 2 (1990): Reasons Not to Eat Green Eggs and Ham”), she wound up discussing people’s favorite “bad” movies on twitter and even heard from Troll 2 star Michael Paul Stephenson himself (“What Is the Best Worst Movie? With Best Worst Movie (2009) Documentarian & Troll 2 (1990) Star Michael Paul Stephenson”).

The making of Troll 2 and its cult popularity became the subject of the award-winning documentary Best Worst Movie, produced by Lindsay Stephenson. The documentary, which has been featured at various film festivals, is now getting a theatrical release.

Best Worst Movie documentary trailer

PRESS RELEASE AREA23A TO RELEASE "BEST WORST MOVIE"

New York, NY (February 24, 2010) - Area23A, the event-based film
distribution company formed in January by industry veteran Richard
Abramowitz and Kirt Eftekhar, founder of Ocule Films, announced today
that it will theatrically release the award-winning "Best Worst Movie"
which has been an official selection in over thirty film festivals. The
documentary had its world premiere at South by Southwest and has
received several awards including the Top Ten Audience Favorite at Hot
Docs 2009.  Area23a will open the film in Austin, Los Angeles, New York
and other markets to follow this Spring.

In "Best Worst Movie" Michael Paul Stephenson makes his directorial
debut by exploring one of the worst and most critically panned movies
ever made, Troll 2, which he starred in twenty years ago as a child.

In 1989, Italian director, Claudio Fragrasso cast small-town dentist Dr.
George Hardy and a group of unwitting Utah actors in the ultra-low
budget horror film, Troll 2.  Soon after its disastrous release, Dr.
Hardy retired from his short-lived acting career and returned to
dentistry in his hometown of Alabama, unaware of the legions of fans
that would one day recognize him as a cult movie luminary.

"Best Worst Movie" reveals the improbable heartfelt story of an Alabama
dentist-turned-cult-movie icon and an Italian filmmaker as they come to
terms with their internationally revered cinematic failure. 

Stephenson and his wife, Lindsay Stephenson produced "Best Worst Movie"
under their production company, Magic Stone Productions. Brad Klopman
also produced and Doug Mankoff of Echo Lake is the producer's rep for
the film.

Of the acquisition, Stephenson says "Our movie - that we have devoted
the last four years to - can not be in better hands than with Area23a.
They have demonstrated their ability to skillfully handle specialized
films in a crowded market place.  The recent success of "Anvil!" is only
the most recent example of Richard's  expertise in theatrical film
distribution." 

Abramowitz adds "We are very excited to bring 'Best Worst Movie' to
theaters across the country.  The movie has been generating both
incredible word-of-mouth and critical acclaim through the festival
circuit. Audiences are appreciating the film's humor and are also moved
by its homage to bad movies and, at least in this case, the good people
who make them." Said Eftekhar, "Keep your eyes open: we're bringing a
"Best Worst Movie/Troll 2" party to your town soon..."

Area23a is currently distributing the acclaimed "Soundtrack for a
Revolution," "The Mighty Uke," "American Harmony," and "They Came to
Play."  Later this year it will release Sandy Cioffi's "Sweet Crude."

Category: Articles, Blog-It, Video | No Comments »
Tags: Area23A, Best Worst Movie, documentary, Linday Stephenson, Michael Paul Stephenson, Michael Stephenson, Troll, Troll 2, YouTube

Posted By Papa Llama on February 23, 2010

In September we talked to Adam Lucas about his webcomic Goldilock, which he’d entered in that month’s competition for a contract with DC Comics’ Zuda online division. And lo and behold, Adam won!

Tomorrow Goldilock returns to Zuda, launching its weekly run that will add 52 more pages to the 8 we already saw during the contest. So we checked up on Adam to see what he’s been up to durign the months in between.

Llama: When you won your Zuda competition, which was the stronger feeling – joy over winning or relief the month was over?

Lucas: Joy. I was doing jump kicks over bushes. Anyone within fifty feet of me knew that I was excited about something… and to steer clear cause they might get a hug from a stranger.

Llama: How did you celebrate?

Lucas: Beer and sleep.

Llama: How have you spent your time between the win and the upcoming launch?

Lucas: Trying to get better at drawing. Visiting family. Got lucky enough to get some pretty cool freelance gigs like doing a few illustrations for the Ninja Assassin DVD and have been trying to get my feet wet in the book cover world as well as some concept art work for film.

Llama: Now that you get to flesh out story events and details that had previously been lurking in your head, how much has your story changed?

Lucas: Surprisingly not much. I’ve changed some character designs and have created a few new characters but story wise all of the major plot points are still intact. As far as details, I am finding out though that even with a script to go from, things still evolve and change once I get into the panels.

Llama: We’ve noticed a lot of Zuda comics where the art changes between page 8 (last page of the contest entry) and page 9 (first of the ongoing run). Are you conscious of making any changes artistically?

Lucas: I feel that I’ve grown more comfortable in my style so hopefully it looks better! Oh, and much less pink. I’ll admit, it got a little out of hand.

Llama: How far ahead do you have this story planned?

Lucas: Right now I believe this could be a tight, fun, two season story. Each season being sixty screens with of course the possibility to do more. Hopefully the public will enjoy this first part enough that I will get to continue it.

Llama: Will we see you at San Diego Comic-Con?

Lucas: Not sure yet but right now I’m signed up for New York.

Llama: So we’ll see you when we see you. Well, have a great year. Thanks for visiting with us again.

Lucas: Thanks again for the opportunity!

Read Adam’s comic GOLDILOCK weekly at http://zudacomics.com/node/1261.

Category: Interviews, Zuda | 1 Comment »
Tags: Adam Lucas, art, artist, comic, Comics, competition, contest, creator, DC, DC comics, Goldilock, Interviews, sci-fi, science fiction, Survivor, webcomic, webcomics, writer, Zuda, Zuda Comics

Posted By Papa Llama on February 22, 2010

Early this month we spoke with SuperFogeys creator Brock Heasley about another comic he has written, Monsterplex, a comedic entry in DC Comics’ February Zuda competition. Monsterplex was #1 at the time. Island Alone has moved into first place, but Monsterplex is running strong. So this week we asked Brock’s Monsterplex artist Dave Schlotterback about the whole process.

Monsterplex – http://zudacomics.com/node/1759

Monsterplex art by Dave Schlotterback. We were privileged to be the first to show an advance copy in black and white. Here it is in all its full-color glory.

Llama: How does the process of creating a comic differ when you’re creating it specifically to be a webcomic?

Schlotterback: Well for me, I’ve never made comics any other way. I’m very new to the comic-creating world and I was introduced to it through the webcomic medium. I would think the process would be easier than print form, due to the immediacy of the medium. Coloring can be a bit of a technical headache, as well, when dealing with printing in general when trying to match the color on screen to how the printer will actually print the color on paper. So, I would think in that aspect webcomics provide an easier environment to work in.

Llama: Magazines are failing left and right. Hundred-year-old publications are closing down because the Internet is sapping their readership away. How do you see the relationship between webcomics and comic books?

Schlotterback: I’m sure there could be a symbiotic relationship in there somewhere, however I’m not sure how that would happen. People are generally in front of the internet more than their in front of the newsstand, so once again, the immediacy wins over.  If a publisher was to use the web medium as a way to get readers to go to the newsstand and purchase a print copy that would certainly help. How one could actually do that, I have no idea. I’m by no means a marketing genius.

Llama: What comics do you read – online or in print?

Schlotterback: I honestly don’t read very many comics. I was heavily into comics in my grade school years, but fell out of it once junior high came around. I recently have been reading a little more thanks to Brock (my cohort on Monsterplex), he has thrust several top-notch books in my face and I’ve enjoyed getting in touch with that medium again.  Now that I’m helping create a comic myself, I find that I notice a lot more subtleties in major comics that I never noticed before. Paying attention to the detail in art and noticing the tricks to making the art help the story flow better have been revelations to me when seeing a pro do it for a major publishing company. So, nowadays I read for education on how to improve more than for enjoyment of the story.

Llama: Besides the chance at getting a contract to keep producing Monsterplex, has this competition already benefitted you in other ways?

Schlotterback: Certainly! Exposure is the main thing I’ve been hoping to get out of this experience and exposure I’ve gotten. The amount of people that flood Zuda to see your art can only benefit you, never hinder.

Llama: How did you and Brock meet? Or for that matter, have you met in real life at all? We’ve spoken with creative teams that have not yet met face to face.

Schlotterback: Brock and I work together at the same company. We’re both employed as artists and have known each other for several years. I followed his other comic Superfogeys since it’s inception. I think we’re both admirers of each other’s creative abilities in one way or another. That mutual respect has helped, I’m sure, in the creation of Monsterplex.

Llama: It really seems like more people should be voting on all the Zuda comics. Why aren’t there more? Is it hard to explain Zuda to people?

Schlotterback: Well, one would think it’s not rocket science, but it appears there are still people out there that don’t understand how the internet works. I’ve found most people have trouble or are annoyed at the fact that they have to ’sign up’ to participate. So, I’m sure that right there knocks several potential voters outta the ring. With that said, I’m not advocating that we do away with the ’sign up.’ It’s definitely necessary to keep the competition fair and to show DC who’s comic actually is generating response enough for them to invest in.

Llama: Are there ways Zuda could improve the process?

Schlotterback: The biggest complaint I’ve been receiving from people about Zuda in general is that their computers can’t handle all the information that the Zuda site is giving them. Not everyone has a top-of-the-line Mac, so Zuda and anyone making a site should keep that in mind when designing the interface. Other than that, most everyone has been enjoying the process and the competition.

Llama: What are you doing to promote the comic?

Schlotterback: We’ve utilized the big three obviously: Facebook, Twitter and Email. Forums have come in handy. We’ve recently added an ad campaign through Project Wonderful. Our Monsterplex blog has been a major tool as well in creating dialogue between us and the readers. But, more than anything, just word of mouth can get you very far. If it’s good, they will come! I’ve seen people come out of the wood works to support us and that is the most gratifying feeling in the world.

Llama: The comic that was #2 has pulled into #1. Your comic can just as easily jockey back into first. There have been numerous months when the #2 comic surged ahead in the last 48 hours.

Schlotterback: Let’s keep our fingers crossed, shall we?

Llama: About the comic itself - Monsterplex deals with such a variey of characters, creatures. Which is the most fun for you to draw?

Schlotterback: Sorry for this generic answer, but they are truly all great to draw because they are all so drastically different from one another. One of the great aspects of Monsterplex, coming from an artist’s point of view, is having so many outrageous creatures and monsters to draw. Nothing opens up creative drawing like a good monster! I always thought the folks who designed the Star Wars creatures had to have had a field day with the universe Lucas created. I feel the same about drawing Brock’s universe. Very satisfying and fun! Thanks for the interview!

Read MONSTERPLEX at Zuda Comics: http://zudacomics.com/node/1759
If you like what you see, then register, rate it, and vote.

Category: Interviews, Zuda | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By Jessa Phillips on February 15, 2010

Courtesy of TempleCon

Guest writer Jessa Phillips blogs at http://sultryminxzoe.wordpress.com.

TempleCon kicked off the 2010 New England gaming convention schedule this past weekend. Taking over the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, Rhode Island, 2010 celebrated the event’s fifth year, bringing players together from all forms of gaming. Billed as an event experience unlike any gaming convention, TempleCon paid particular attention to gamers and what we like – extending beyond gameplay. Here you were likely to see belly dancers, musicians, and filmmakers, mixed among the gaming and panels. Arr, there be pirates too! This is Rhode Island after all.

Board Games, Collectible Card Games, Role-Playing Games and Video Games were all represented. There was something for everyone. Without a doubt, some of the biggest draws at TempleCon were the Miniature War Games. This was clear as soon as you registered for the event. All pre-registered attendees received custom imprinted Dog Tags to commemorate the event. Even if you aren’t into War Gaming, Dog Tags just make you feel badass.

Privateer Press, one of the major sponsors, maintained a dedicated presence in the main ballroom with plenty of space for miniature gaming. Among the games and demos running all weekend were WARMACHINES, HORDES and MONSTERPOCALYPSE, including championship gameplay with prizes to boot. Sharing the space was another sponsor, The Warstore. The Warstore packed lots of product for popular games and ran Malifaux demos throughout the weekend.

So miniature gaming isn’t your thing. Don’t worry, there were lots of other gaming opportunities. From tabletop Role-playing games such as Unhallowed Metropolis to Collectible Card Games like Vampire: the Eternal Struggle, or casual games like Apples to Apples, gamers of all skill levels found themselves at home. PC and Video Gamers like myself, could lose ourselves in the LAN Lounge day or night. Even better, if you brought your Xbox 360 or PC, all you had to do was plug and play. Still not what your into? How about some good old-fashioned Arcade games? Neo-Geo games were on hand with Samarai Shodown & Kings of Fighters tournaments.

TempleCon began as a small regional convention. Over the past few years, it has drawn more attendees from an international audience, growing so much, the event had to change venues for 2010. With all the gameplay, it’s no wonder. Gamers are the target audience, but TempleCon is not just for gamers. Like most conventions, there are attendees that come to show off their costuming skills. With its retro-futurism theme, TempleCon openly embraces cosplay.

We all know it just is not a convention with some Star Wars cosplay.

What better way to show off costuming skills than with a costume contest? Saturday night, that is just what we got. The Penny Dreadfuls scoured the crowd at the Deco, Dance & Design event to find some of the most creative costumes.

Half the reason for attending conventions is all the great performances and after hours fun. Friday night’s Diesel, Deco & Dance event was all about music, featuring The Dirge Carolers, Sasquatch & the Rock-a-billys, Emperor Norton’s Standing Marching Band and DJ Delicti.

The Mad Hatter served as the Master of Ceremonies for Saturday’s Deco, Dance & Design event. The show opened with a Godzilla-inspired interpretive dance performed by Ameena. Following her performance was Neylan with a Firefly inspired belly dance routine and Paloma showing off her skills in a gothic number. Additional dance performances included Happy Hour Burlesque, Samara, Troupe Moirea, Tempest and Ela Rogers. All these lovely ladies certainly know how to put on a show. Rounding out the performances was a bit puppetry from Rick Sardinha with his creations Terrance Redbone & The Great Grimpen Mire.

Being a fan of video games, and being blessed to have friends who game, this event was right up my alley. As soon as I heard about TempleCon, I knew I had to attend and I am glad I had the chance. At the end of the weekend I found myself curious about other types of gaming and intrigued by retro-futurism culture. There may be belly dance lessons in my future and I will definitely be calling on my newfound friends to introduce me to some other games.

The best part of the weekend, by far, was the people. I got to spend some time with Nicole Wakelin of Nashua, NH (visit her blog at TotalFanGirl.com), to get her thoughts on Templecon. Attending the convention with her husband for the second year, it was board games that caught her interest. Though she confessed, one of the main reason she attends is also because of the people. As a very social person, TempleCon affords Nicole the chance to meet up with friends throughout New England she does not get to see often. She has been to larger conventions like Atlanta’s Dragon*Con, as well as smaller events such as Carnage Con in Vermont. As Nicole explained, each convention is its own event – large conventions can be somewhat overwhelming, and the smaller events have the benefit of seeing the same people each year. TempleCon seems to be the best of both worlds. The event is full of fun people and events. With its location within New England, it is a convenient event, making it easier for fellow gamers to come together.

So, if you find yourself in New England around this time next year, be sure to make time to hang with the gamers at TempleCon. Better yet, break out your calendar now and plan to see me there!

For more information on TempleCon, visit their website at www.templecon.org. Please be sure to check out the websites for some of the sponsors and performers below.

Category: Blog-It, Convention | No Comments »
Tags: Apple, board games, burlesque, collectible card games, cosplay, cosplayers, dog tags, Gaming, Hordes, Malifaux, miniature war games, miniatures, Monsterpocalypse, PC, Privateer Press, role-playing games, RPG, Star Wars, TempleCon, Unhallowed Metropolis, Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, video games, Warmachines, Warstore, Xbox 360

Posted By Papa Llama on February 14, 2010

We’re seeing plenty of Zuda this month. We’ve interviewed the creators of the both of the comics that are running neck and neck for 1st and 2nd place in the February, 2010, competition to win a contract with DC Comic’s online division. Brock Heasley talked to us about Monsterplex and then Shawn Aldridge wanted to discuss Island, Alone.

And in 3rd place there’s Sci-Fi Drive-by by Ryan Estrada, who’s creating pictures for people left and right (e.g., his Selleck Waterfall Sandwich variation, Pereira Waffle Pyramid). Our friend Action Flick Chick Katrina Hill interviewed him about his comic and the sheer lunacy of churning out all those pics. He did a simply fantastic rendering of her Action Chick avatar (you know, the star of our new Action Chick webcomic) in addition to depicting her and all the women of the Screen Team Show as the Screen Team 5.

The interviews:
* Brock Heasley – Monsterplex
* Shawn Aldridge – Island, Alone
* Ryan Estrada – Sci-Fi Drive-by

And we’re not done with Zuda this month either. In the upcoming week we’re going to revisit previous Zuda winner Adam Lucas now that his winning entry Goldilock is about to start its regular run.

Category: Blog-It, Zuda | 3 Comments »
Tags: action chick, AOTS, Brock Heasley, Fox Force 5, G4, G4TV, guest artist, Island Alone, Kevin Pereira, Monsterplex, Pereira Waffle Pyramid, Rocket Llama, Ryan Estrada, Sci-Fi Drive-by, Screen Team, Screen Team 5, Screen Team Show, Selleck Waterfall Sandwich, Shawn Aldridge, Zuda, Zuda Comics

Posted By Papa Llama on February 12, 2010

Every month’s competition for a contract with DC Comics’ online division Zuda gives us interesting new turns of events as readers rate and vote on ten new comics. This week Shawn Aldridge’s Island, Alone has moved up into the #1 spot. We spoke with writer Shawn right before the comic reached the top. We started by noting the story’s variety of fantastic elements, which had us wondering exactly what kind of story it utimately would become.

Llama: Will it be more science fiction or fantasy?

Aldridge: It will be more fantasy than science, though there will be some science elements to the story. The science elements will be mainly steampunk, but nothing too over-the-top. I mean Wharton won’t be making an analog computer out of coconuts or anything. The fantastic elements, though, will be over-the-top. What I like most about Island, Alone is that it’s set up in a way that the creatures and monsters can be anything. They don’t all have to be cut from the same cloth. If I wanted a unicorn that breathed fire, the story allows for it. (not to disappoint potential fans, but there are no plans for a fire-breathing unicorn at this time, but that would be sweet!)

Llama: Which came to you first – the world, the hero, or the plot?

Aldridge: Good question. To answer it requires a little background on how all of this came about. Several months ago, I posted on a few message boards that I was looking for artists to work with on Zuda projects, adding that the story/idea could be something I had or something based on what the artist wanted to draw. My only caveat being “no zombies.” Not that I dislike zombies, I just don’t feel I have much to offer that genre. I received a few (tons) of replies. One artist who responded said he wanted to do a non-T&A jungle girl story. My first thought was–Is that even possible? I mean the whole jungle girl genre is sort of based on women running around in skimpy outfits, right? But I loved the artist’s work, so I took the challenge.

Llama: How big a challenge?

Aldridge: I spent a few weeks or so trying to come up with my own spin on the genre. The first thing I decided was I didn’t want the girl to be weak, submissive. I wanted her to be the strong one, the hero. So many times in those stories it seemed the man always ended up as the hero, which always struck me as odd. Here you have this woman who’s managed to survive in the jungle on her own for years, yet when an outsider shows up she suddenly finds herself hanging above a pit of hungry tigers.

After that I had to figure out where the story was going to take place. I knew I wanted some fantasy elements to it, but didn’t want to base it on any predetermined mythos. Want I mean there is–I didn’t want it to be, say, set in a South American jungle and based on the myths/legends of that region. Then one night it sort of hit me. I’ve always had a fascination with old maps and how some contained these islands and continents that didn’t really exist. Old mapmakers would just fill empty space with fake islands and such for purely aesthetic reasons, though that didn’t keep people from trying to find them. The island Mayda was one such island. So, I had the idea–What if one of these “space-fillers” actually existed? What if there was a reason no one had found it, a reason why different maps showed it at different locations? The answers, of course, play a huge part in the overall story of Island, Alone. Not only that, the setting really changed the genre and feel of the story. It became less jungle girl and more “lost world.”

Llama: And the hero?

Aldridge: As for Wharton, he was actually the last piece of the puzzle.

Llama: What stories would you say have most strongly influenced you and shaped you to create Island, Alone?

Aldridge: That’s tough. I would say it’s probably a mix of everything I’ve read with some influences being more obvious than others. But when I sat down to write the script I really wanted it to have the feel of the supernatural and fantastic literature of the Victorian age or thereabouts. I’ve always loved how authors like Henry James, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edith Wharton, Edgar Allan Poe all approached works dealing with the supernatural and fantastical. There are times in those works where the reader isn’t even sure what is happening is actually happening or whether it’s all just in the mind of the protagonist. Obviously, H. Rider Haggard and Jules Verne are major influences also. Even a little Edgar Rice Burroughs. Oh, and tons of old pulp novels.

As for the comic book side of things, probably a lot of the old 40s and 50s stuff. The old adventure comics and such. Art-wise Rich’s influences are Jack Davis, Jack Kaman, Wally Wood, Steve Ditko, Burne Hogarth, Berni Wrightson, Frank Frazetta, Neal Adams, Ryoichi Ikegami, Rich Corben, Tim Vigil, Jack Kirby, John Romita, John Buscema, John Severin, Will Eisner, Will Elder, Jim Lee, Joseph Linsner, Todd McFarlane, Tony Moore, and Ryan Ottley to name a few. (Rich emailed me the list)

Llama: Collaboration is a tricky thing. For you two, how does the collaborative process work?

Aldridge: It is a tricky thing, especially when the original artist bails out. This goes back to my answer of which came first question. Right as I was finishing the script up, the original artist disappeared. Not sure what happened to him. Perhaps he fell victim to the island. So, Rich wasn’t around for a lot of the early stages of the creative process. That said, I don’t think things could have turned out better with Rich becoming the artist. His art really adds a layer to the story that I don’t think my writing alone could have accomplished. I mean, he fits it so perfectly. Plus, his creature designs are just brilliant.

When I work with artists, I want to give them as much freedom as possible. Unless I have something really specific in mind, I usually just say, “then a creature appears,” and let the artist use their imagination as to what said creature looks like. Plus that approach really kicks my imagination in the rear. I see how Rich approaches things, which opens up my mind to new ideas.

In doing the eight pages on Zuda, we emailed back and forth quite a bit. Rich would send me the pages at various stages of completion to see if they were want I wanted. I would email back–This looks great!!

Now, of course, Rich is a lot more involved in the overall development of the story. His art has really made me rethink some story elements, which is always a good thing. Case in point, he sent me a sketch the other day with the girl talking to some weird creature that had an eyeball for a belly. I knew immediately that creature was going to play a major role in the story.

Artist Rich Fuscia

Llama: How long did the process take?

Aldridge: The script took me probably a month in total to write. That’s including initial story idea to revision. I tend to spend more time revising than anything, weeding out everything that I don’t think adds to the story. Rich finished all the pages in about a month, too, if memory serves. His really quick with the pencil.

Llama: How hectic is this month for you?

Aldridge: On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say it’s an 8.5. Most of us, the competitors, have full-time jobs, a girlfriend, and what-have-you. So, it’s really tough trying to balance all of that and figuring out how to get as many eyes on your entry as possible.

Llama: Shawn, you’ve been through this before. Why are you putting yourself through this again?

Aldridge: Apparently, I’m crazy. Seriously, though, despite all the headaches and stress, the competition is genuinely fun. Plus, it’s nice to see that people enjoy something you’ve created.

Llama: What did your previous Zuda shot teach you?

Aldridge: Well, the first time around taught me not to stress too much. Losing a Zuda competition isn’t the end of the world. I was certifiably nuts by the end of that competition. I didn’t sleep and when I did all my dreams involved the competition. I think all of that doubled when we’re in 1st place through the first half of the competition, then we fell to 2nd. From there on out, I became obsessed with getting back to number one. I look back on it now and can’t help but laugh at how I was about it all.

Llama: And how did your previous Zuda entry benefit you?

Aldridge: I think previously competing in Zuda helped this time out in a lot of ways. Mainly, I was able to establish a decent fan base, find people who enjoyed my writing and the way I tell stories. Even found some good friends along the way. It also helps you understand the best and most effective ways to bring readers to your work.

It also helped me land a few writing gigs, which I don’t think would have been possible without Zuda.

Llama: What other kinds of stories do you hope to tell in the future?

Aldridge: Simple answer–good ones. I’m working on a few different things right now, a few of which are Zuda projects. They range from a story about a Kentucky coal miner to a kid who has gloves made from the rob of Merlin. I hope each of those projects have a different feel and explores different themes, which I hope is the case with anything I work on. I always want to challenge myself. It’s part of the reason I took on the initial idea of a non-T&A jungle girl comic. It’s not something I would have thought to write on my own, but in taking the risk I came up with something I’m really proud of as a story. There’s an old adage “Write what you know,” but I also think there’s a time when you have to write what you don’t know in hopes to learn something new.

Llama: And how far ahead do you have this particular story planned?

Aldridge: I know exactly how it ends. The middle may evolve here and there, but all the major points, twists, and such are pretty much set. It’s going to be one strange, strange trip. Where this is all heading isn’t where people might think. Here’s a few questions for readers to chew on: Why was Wharton the first to find the island? Who really found who? Why do different maps show different locations for the island?

Writer Shawn Aldridge

Island, Alone at Zuda: http://zudacomics.com/node/1774

Category: Blog-It | 1 Comment »
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Posted By Alex Langley on February 8, 2010

Category: You Can't Do That on the Internet | No Comments »
Tags: Chameleon, Evolution, Monkey, Mutant, Screaming Guy, Telekinesis

Posted By Papa Llama on February 5, 2010

Monsterplex - this month at Zuda Comics!

Check out out this pic from the Monsterplex team – as of this writing, it’s exclusive to our site. If you’ve read Monsterplex in the January Zuda Comics competition, spot the character that has not yet appeared in the comic.

Monsterplex – http://zudacomics.com/node/1759
Also read Brock’s webcomic The SuperFogeys at http://www.superfogeys.com.

Llama: In Monsterplex, you’ve given us a complete 8-page story and a clear set-up for the future. Not everybody manages that feat with their Zuda submissions. When you were getting ready for this contest, how intensively did you study the past Zuda winners and losers?

Brock: What does and does not make a successful Zuda submission was very much on my mind as I wrote the script for Monsterplex. I didn’t compare winners vs. losers so much as read several entries and ask myself how I felt about them and why. What I found out was that it’s really easy to get angry at a Zuda entry. Whenever I would reach the end of the 8 pages and had no more idea what the comic was about then when I started (happens more often than you think), I would get mad. I also found that the impatience inherent in reading on the web was a huge factor. A lack of momentum in a lot of entries had me tuning out after two or three pages.

He does the Monster Mash.

For Monsterplex, I made it my mission to craft 8 pages that, by the end of them, you’d feel no need to read the synopsis. In fact, when it came time to write the synopsis right before submitting to Zuda, I kind of resented the exercise. Everything was in the submission. The second goal I had was to keep things moving by putting a cliffhanger or twist at the end of every page. 

Llama: The one at the end of page 6 really grabbed me.

Brock: I wanted readers to feel compelled to go to the next page so that before they knew it they were at the end where I could unveil the biggest twist. I figured if I could do all of that and write some good characters and get some beautiful art, I’d have ‘em hooked.

Llama: What kind of stories do you plan to tell? Your comic reminds me of a well-planned sitcom pilot. Do you plan for the next 52 pages to be a series of stand-alone episodes or a continuous, year-long novel?

Brock: I’m gonna take the “well-planned sitcom pilot” description as a huge compliment since that was exactly what I was going for. From the ground up, Monsterplex was conceived for Zuda and I literally put everything I had into those 8 pages–I had no further ideas where to take the story! I knew I had a good cliffhanger and premise for potential stories, but I had no idea where to take it.

So, for a little while there, I took it on faith that my abilities as a storyteller would overcome. I’m happy report that after letting the ideas behind Monsterplex percolate in my brain a bit, a truly terrific story took shape–one that grows directly out of what’s in those first 8 pages. The first season is all plotted out and it will be one continuous story spanning an eventual 60 pages–which of course ends in a huge reveal and cliffhanger. We’re choosing to be optimistic about our chances at a second season. (Which of course presupposes that we’ll win in the first place, but, like I said–optimistic.)

Llama: You’re no newcomer to webcomics. Do you plan to stay in webcomics or are they steps toward what you really want to do?

Brock: I’ve been writing and drawing my first webcomic, The SuperFogeys (http://www.superfogeys.com/) for about 3 years now and I’ve really loved the immediacy of the web and the community that can build up around something as silly as comic about old superheroes in a nursing home. It’s hard to imagine I would ever leave that behind. Still, I’d be lying if I said that’s all I want to do. Ideally, I’d love to take a crack at writing print comics. I know I’ve got a good Superman story inside of me.

artist David Schlotterback

Llama: How did your team come together?

Brock: After I first came up with the idea of taking Monsterplex to Zuda, I knew I needed an artist to do it properly. I’m an artist myself, but I consider my talents somewhat limited. Monsterplex artist David Schlotterback and I work in the same office together–both of us as artists. I’ve always liked the graphic nature and cartoonish edge of his drawings and realized very quickly he’d be a perfect fit despite having almost no prior experience drawing comics.  He said yes, much to my relief. Since then, he’s grown by leaps and bounds. We’re about 8 pages ahead on Monsterplex right now and his stuff keeps getting better and better as he learns more and more.

Colorist Michael DeVito

Colorist Michael DeVito is actually the Publisher of Th3rd World Studios–the independent comic company that hosts and publishes my webcomic The SuperFogeys. After David and I had been working on Monsterplex for some time on our own, we finally admitted to ourselves that we weren’t going to be able to color it. I’m color-blind and David’s experience in coloring his own work was almost nil. I knew Michael was an amazing colorist and a busy guy, but I count him as a friend and figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Amazingly, he said yes. This of course puts me in the odd position of hassling him about Monsterplex, even while he has to sometimes hassle me about SuperFogeys. It’s strange, but it works.

Llama: I love the name Corman Cinemas. Do you have a favorite Roger Corman movie, or at least one that really sticks out in your memory?

Brock: To be honest, I’ve never seen a Roger Corman movie! I’m actually not a huge horror buff. My dad was, so my familiarity with the monsters and the tropes and the cliches is pretty high. I kind of view monster movies from a distance, I suppose.  Some might think that disqualifies from even writing a comic called Monsterplex, but I think it provides me with a unique perspective that allows me to repurpose the familiar into something new.

Llama: Why monsters?

Brock: Why not? While it would certainly be frightening, I don’t think a theater featuring Chick Flicks with Katherine Heigl and Kate Hudson doppelgangers running around would hold much appeal.

Llama: A version of the lame “Where do you get your ideas?” question: How did this premise come to you?

Brock: The truth is that Monsterplex started out as a pitch to Mike Raicht (writer on Stuff of Legend, Army of Darkness, and a number of DC and Marvel Comics) as a story for the collected edition of his horror anthology, Creature Features (also published by Th3rd World). I started with that title–Creature Features–and tried to think of a story that would fit it. What I came up with was a short tale of two old women who mistakenly walk into the wrong theater–Corman Cinemas–and get attacked by one creature after another. It skewed funny, which is why I think Mike ultimately, rightly rejected it.

Still, I thought it was a pretty cool idea and the more I thought about it the more I realized there was a good story there. All I needed to do was tweak it a little to make it a story that could keep going. And give it a new name, of course.

Llama:  SPEED ROUND: Freddy vs. Jason – who should have won?

Brock: No idea! Don’t like slasher movies and have never seen any of their movies! (Don’t tell Aunt Ant.)

Llama: Zombies vs. vampires?

Brock: Vampires. Hands down. They’re crafty.

Llama: Godzilla in a rubber suit vs. Godzilla CGI?

Brock: Rubber suit. Part of the charm is the willful suspension of disbelief. CGI just invites me to find the flaws.

Llama: Munsters vs. Addams Family?

Brock: Addams Family. Wednesday could pretty much take out all the Munsters by herself. Even Marilyn (who we all know was the toughest of them all).

Llama: Buffy vs. Edward (Twilight)?

Brock: Buffy wouldn’t even bother with Edward. She’d let Xander handle him. Eyepatch Xander. With one hand tied behind his back.

Llama: Kevin Spacey in Se7en vs. The Smurfs?

Brock: The Smurfs. Every time, the Smurfs.

Read Monsterplex at http://zudacomics.com/node/1759. If you like what you see, register and vote!

Category: Blog-It, Zuda | 2 Comments »
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Posted By Alex Langley on January 29, 2010

Alex here, with the maximum level of Ritual Report! In part 5 we’ve got the best and the brightest rituals that you can pick up as level 21-30 characters! These are the top dogs of the spellbooks, the senior spells that make the wimpy freshman give up their lunch money! The baddest of the bad, the magickest of the magicks, the EPIC RITUALS!

Mmm, Sphere of Annihilation, how I've missed thee.

• Divine Sight- Lets you spot deities hidden as other people. Now you can figure out if that screaming homeless dude is actually a god, or if he’s just suffering delusions of grandeur.
• Loremaster’s Bargain- you summon an extraplanar deity and, if you can convince it to, learn very useful and very specific information from it. Much better than the lower level spells of a similar nature, where if you ask something like “Is there treasure to the north?” they would say things like “Reply hazy. Try again later.”
• Observe Creature- Super Spy. Let’s you spy on anyone, anywhere. A spell otherwise known as the Wizard’s Peephole. In most schools for wizards, many a youthful magi has tried to learn this spell first, in the hopes of spying on the fine ladies from the Witches Academy.
• Deceive Sensor- Fools scrying magic into seeing whatever illusion is presented to it. Sort of the wizardly equivalent of spray-painting the cameras, or hacking the security system to show your footage rather than the footage of you robbing the casino.

Hmmm... something about this seems... fishy...

• Shift Mote- This uninspiring name goes to a quite inspired spell, one that allows you to control a floating island. Let’s be honest, every wizard wants his or her ultimate fortress to be on a floating island, because that’s just awesome. However, you need the Raise Land spell to first lift the island out of the ground. Once you do that, Shift Mote will allow you to control it.
• Ward of the True Name- Should someone try to spy on you, you find out who they are and where they are immediately. It gives you a great opportunity to scare the crap out of someone who thinks they’re spying on you without you noticing.
• Imprisonment- Imprisons someone in a super-magic prison. With this bad boy in your spellbook, you can rest assured that the creepy goblin that you captured and keep as a guide won’t be able to escape willy-nilly.
• True Portal- This thing should be called ULTRA PORTAL, because that’s what it is. It’s a superior version of every portal spell I’ve talked about before- there’s no limits to what this bad boy can do. Want to teleport to gramma’s house in Asgard? DONE! Want to visit your friend the fish in the elemental plane of water? KASPLOOSH! Need to get the heck out of the Nine Hells? KA-SPROING! True Portal is the ultimate transportation spell, and is invaluable to any magic user’s arsenal.

Had he properly prepared some rituals, this cleric wouldn't be having such an awkward time on his date with a Necromancer.

So there you have it! The coolest and weirdest rituals in D&D! As more rituals are created, I’ll review them so you can keep your spellbooks as up to date as possible. Now, with everything you’ve learned, go forth and beget some epic shenanigans!

Category: Dungeons and Dragons | No Comments »
Tags: Bard, Cleric, D&D, DnD, Druid, Magic, Magic Ritual, Magic-user, Necromancer, Ritual, Ritual Report, Spell, Spellcaster, Sphere of Annihilation, Warlock, Wizard

Posted By Papa Llama on January 28, 2010

War of the Woods promotional art by Matthew Petz. Used with permission.

The monthly Survivor-style competitions to win contracts with DC Comics’ line of Zuda webcomics regulary take some interesting turns. This month, we’ve seen Matthew Petz’s War of the Woods rise steadily up the ranks to reach the #1 spot. WotW had been galloping toward number #1 even before The Thunderchickens, which had held that rank throughout the month, dropped out of the competition.

The abbreviation WotW might confuse some of our regulars because around here, that usually refers to G4TV’s Women of the Web program which featured our colleague Action Flick Chick Katrina Hill as the winner of their Next Woman of the Web competition, just hold in your heads that for the rest of this article, it means War of the Woods. Got it? Good!

Official synopsis:

War Of The Woods is a classic alien invasion story told from an entirely unique point of view, that of the animals of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Father and son otters Nathaniel and Phinneas Waterbrooks will embark on an adventure with close friend, turtle Issac Brownshell. They, along with the rest of the animal kingdom, will not only survive but fight back against the greatest threat the planet has ever known.

Phin is a young Otter who loves reading the forgotten comic books of hikers and campers. Nathaniel, his father, is a fisherman descended from a long line of fisherman. He has cared for Phin alone since the death of his wife. Issac is his good friend and a grandfatherly figure to Phin. Through the eyes of these three we begin to witness the invasion. When UFOs begin descending upon the Earth the lives of all animals will never be the same. War Of The Woods is sprawling saga that will introduce us to the animals and their societies during this crisis. Phin will find himself at the center of a great war, a war that will take our characters all over the world, and a war for the future of the planet.

War of the Woods is an epic adventure along the lines of The Road, Lord of The Rings, and Aliens. It follows the quiet moments of survival and the explosive moments of a planet on the brink. At its core it is about a father and son and the bonds we all share during extraordinary times.

This week we discussed the competition and its craziness with War of the Woods creator Petz.

Llama: How strange has this month been for you?

Petz: I wouldn’t call it strange, it has been interesting though. For me I’ve tried to just focus on the comic, its merits, and the promoting. It has been really exciting to see the momentum. Since day one, I’ve been blown away by the support…it’s overwhelming.

Llama: You’ve been active on forums and twitter. You’ve run a contest to give away your art. What have you found to be the most useful means for finding WotW lovers?

Petz: I think its a combination of everything actually. I think first and foremost you need to have a solid comic and premise. That though, will only get you so far. It then becomes about promoting. Twitter has been really cool. I’m new to it, but I’ve followed bands and artist for maybe less then a year, but I still learned some great things with it. The instantaneous nature of it is very cool, and its very direct way to get in touch with people. It’s great for sketch contests. It’s also great to just keep the word out. Forums are great, and Facebook is probably better. Social media really is redefining how you connect with people. For something like Zuda its something you have to use.

Llama: What kind of person is a WotW lover?

Petz: I think people who want something that’s going to entertain them. Something unique and new. With the 8 pages online I tried to give a reader a sense of the characters the world, and leave them wanting more. I also wanted something with broad appeal.

Llama: What kind of person is a WotW creator?

What kind of person...indeed.

Petz: We’ll I’m a fan of the big epic stuff, But I’m also a fan of the small moments that define characters. My hope is to craft a story that will combine both. I want to show readers things they haven’t seen before. I want to make them fall in love with the character. I want to knock their socks off with the art. I think if you make a comic that you yourself will be in love with, chances are good that you’ll find an audience.

Llama: What do you think the biggest influences on your artistic and storytelling styles have been?

Petz: I think right off the bat stories like Lord of the Rings and Wind in the Willows are a big influence. Of course War of the Worlds as well. The Road was a big influence as well. That book killed me. Artistically I was very influenced by E.H. Shepard. He’s most famous for the “Winnie the Pooh” and the Wind in the Willows illustrations. As well as Masashi Tanaka’s manga Gon. I was also really, really loving the guys on Zuda as well. They make amazing use of the format and the delivery system.

Llama: How long did it take you to create this piece?

Petz: I think the whole thing took about a month? The technical stuff, drawing, coloring, etc., that went pretty fast. But I spent a lot of time researching and planning a very large story. Also developing a mythology to this world.

Llama: But why otters?

Petz: I made it otters because the world doesn’t need another “aliens invade the world and humans fight back” story. I think seeing a global alien invasion but from the animal kingdom’s point of view was something new. Plus my girlfriend loves otters; they’re super cute and kind of perfect for the story.

Llama: Panel one, your story starts with a tranquil, panoramic view of forest and lake. Panel two, there’s a talking otter. Panel three, daddy otter’s reading in his chair. Pretty soon, we turn the page and there are the flying saucers. Are you going to keep cranking up the wild-and-weird factor as this story continues?

Petz: Definitely. I do think that the 8 pages of a submission tend to move things along a bit faster than one might want, but its works for the story. I have a lot of crazy things planned. My hope is that people’s eyes will light up and they’ll smile at where the story takes them. There’s so many animals you’ll meet both for the long term and fleetingly. Once the aliens hit the woods things get really fun.

Llama: Why did you want to tell this particular story?

Petz: It’s a story I’m totally in love with. In some ways that’s the only type of story you should tell. I think it’s a also a story that will really connect with readers. I know it will be something really great when it’s all said and done.

Llama: Do you have any advice for next month’s competitors?

Petz: Fill up as many pages in a sketch book with ways and places to promote as you can. When your totally out of ideas take a break. Then go back and add more pages of ideas. You simply can’t promote enough. You can’t just rely on a good or even an amazing concept. You’ll need to promote. Constantly. Wrangle as many reliable friends as you can to help. When you think you’ve done everything. Do more. There’s always something you’re missing or forgetting. Don’t just rely on what you know, think outside the box. Zuda is a pretty awesome thing; take advantage of it.

Read War of the Woods on Zuda: http://zudacomics.com/node/1661
If you like what you see, then register, rate the comic, and vote!
Contests ends Friday at noon.

Category: Blog-It | 1 Comment »
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Posted By Papa Llama on January 27, 2010

She came, she saw...

The popularity of our partner Action Flick Chick Katrina Hill has grown by leaps and bounds. One year ago this month, because her film reviews had grown so popular, she branched off into her own website, actionflickchick.com. Since last spring, her following on twitter has grown to nearly 34,000 and just keeps growing every day. She talks to celebrities and they talk to her. Some even ask her advice. She covered Dallas Comic-Con for G4TV’s series Attack of the Show! and recently won the competition to become G4’s official Next Woman of the Web.

And people love her bird.

Starting next week, you’ll get to see a lot more of that gun-toting yellow chick – brought to you by the feathered fury’s original designer, Rocket Llama artist Nick Langley.

Category: Site Report | 2 Comments »
Tags: action chick, Action Flick Chick, Action Flick Chick Katrina Hill, actionchick, G4, G4TV, Katrina, Next Woman of the Web, twitter, webcomic, Women of the Web, WotW

Posted By Papa Llama on January 25, 2010

Sex and the City 2 - The Horror!

We remember when Action Flick Chick Katrina Hill reviewed Sex and the City (2008) as the worst action movie ever. Personally we thought it was a horror flick. Now with the upcoming sequel, Carrie Footface and friends have ventured deeper into scary movie land.

Related reviews:
* Carrie (1976) - chicks who don’t want flowers for Valentine’s
* Sex and the City (2008) – chicks who don’t know what they want

Category: Blog-It | 2 Comments »
Tags: Candace Bushnell, Carrie, Carrie 2, Carrie Bradshaw, Chris Noth, Cynthia Nixon, HBO, Jennifer Hudson, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Lynn Cohen, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, MGM, Michael Patrick King, Roadhouse Pictures, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City, Sex and the City 2, Stephen King, The Rage: Carrie 2, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Brothers

Posted By Alex Langley on January 22, 2010

Category: You Can't Do That on the Internet | 1 Comment »
Tags: Co-workers, Office work, The Office, You Can't Do That on the Internet, zombies