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Topic: Seeking advice from John Byrne for a similar title.... (Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Drew Spence
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Joined: 19 February 2014
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Posted: 24 February 2014 at 11:17am | IP Logged | 1  

Years ago I stated experimenting with digital comics and put together a few titles. Most recently, I started editing my web series into a comic book format and included a soundtrack. I was excited and surprised when I saw the prolific talent John Byrne craft a title for Star Trek, one of my long-time favorite series.

And so, I've been seeking him out for advice and an expert opinion on my similar style (photo-graphic system) and wondered if there is room and interest for this kind of work.

Thank you for letting me join the forum.
Mr Byrne, could I have your thoughts about this direction, please?

Forumites are welcome too, since this is an open forum- I didn't want to sound like no one else mattered. Thanks for your time.

Some links to my work:

Mark of the Griffin

Created from my live-action web-series. Also has asoundtrack and several video releases.

 

Comic books:

1stFailure of an Angry Man with a Gun

http://issuu.com/producersedge/docs/1st_failure_of_an_angry_ man

 

2ndVillainy of the Vile

http://issuu.com/producersedge/docs/2nd_villainy_of_the_vile _for_web

Web Series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr1yFQiKSsk&feature=share &list=PL1E53ECC13F46FA91

 

 




Edited by Drew Spence on 24 February 2014 at 3:45pm
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John Byrne
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Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 24 February 2014 at 1:51pm | IP Logged | 2  

You want the gloves off for this, right?

One of my complaints about modern comics is that many artist use photo reference much, much too much, with the result that their images have no life to them. The look like traced photographs -- dead on the page.

You've skipped the tracing part, but the end result is the same. There is no life in your pages, no "bounce".

In the STAR TREK photonovels, I try to use some of the tricks I have in my bag from years of drawing comics. The pictures can't actually move, but the panel shapes, the position of the balloons, can draw the reader's eyes around the page and give at least a sense that action is flowing from one image to the next.

And I'd seriously reconsider your choice of fonts.

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Drew Spence
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Posted: 24 February 2014 at 1:58pm | IP Logged | 3  

Awesome. Thank you so much for taking the time to look.
I'll consider what you said and work to improve.
Thanks for the feedback.
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Drew Spence
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Posted: 24 February 2014 at 3:42pm | IP Logged | 4  

By the way, you should look at the Mark of the Griffin comic.
That's actually my latest work. I'll edit my post to reflect that.
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Matt Reed
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Joined: 16 April 2004
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Posted: 29 March 2017 at 4:20pm | IP Logged | 5  

bump
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Drew Spence
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Posted: 29 March 2017 at 4:42pm | IP Logged | 6  

 Thank you so much for the pointers.
Years later, I am back at it- with a new title.
I have gone with upping the drama of the director's control and increased the tension, plus I think the writing system has been addressed.

Here,
https://dynamicsplus.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/the-annihilato rs-02-sins-of-the-pass/


Edited by Drew Spence on 29 March 2017 at 4:43pm
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J W Campbell
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Posted: 30 March 2017 at 2:57am | IP Logged | 7  

You're trying waaay to hard with the lettering. Some of the fonts are hard to read, as are a lot of the semi-transparent balloons. Pick one good dialogue font and stick to it (there are loads of serviceable free ones on Blambot's website). I'd suggest using standard speech balloons for all normal speech… if you want to suggest robot/computer speech, try a different balloon style — squared off, or radio style, maybe with a jagged pointer.

Overall, you need to dial it all back. You shouldn't even register good lettering; the moment it starts to get in the way of the story, you have a problem.
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Drew Spence
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Posted: 30 March 2017 at 5:00am | IP Logged | 8  

Thanks for offering your opinion and taking the time to read.
It's much appreciated.
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J W Campbell
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Posted: 30 March 2017 at 7:21am | IP Logged | 9  

(I should probably have mentioned that I'm a professional letterer, so I have some clue whereof I speak…)
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Drew Spence
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Posted: 30 March 2017 at 7:33am | IP Logged | 10  

Oh it's just not you, I just got a message that a reader said "The robot speaks cool, but it's hard to read. Please make him speak bigger"
My GF said the robot should be the same text (she meant font) but a different color (she wants green like his headlight).
That I won't do. I already tried it early on and didn't like it.

That does it. I'm making changes. Give me 1 hour and I'll be back.
Thanks for helping.
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Philippe Negrin
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Posted: 30 March 2017 at 9:46am | IP Logged | 11  

I'm not a professional or anything but I can tell you this. it looks cool but it doesn't LOOK like a comic to me. Why stick to the panel structure as if it were a comic book ? I think it would look better if totally freed from this page with panels structure. Make it freer !

Edited by Philippe Negrin on 30 March 2017 at 9:46am
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Philippe Negrin
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Posted: 30 March 2017 at 9:46am | IP Logged | 12  

sorry...this should have been in the previous post...edited for spelling

Edited by Philippe Negrin on 30 March 2017 at 9:47am
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