Preview Pencils and Update

Just quickly, on page 14/15 at the moment. Production slowed down the last few weeks while I was participating in the "Graphic" animation competition from the Sydney Opera House. Was a Top ten finalist for round 2 but didn't make it through to the final round. *shrug. Oh well.

(http://incrediblekoala.blogspot.com is the blog address, with links to the facebook page if you want to find the animation link on Sydney Opera house...if you're interested that is :P)

Plus, I started a new job at the same time, and the hours have been full time in the city, so again, not much time.

But I'm back on track and the penicls are going ok. Here's a view of page 1 and page 4, and more updates to come soon :)

Update on "The Soldier Legacy" series.reads: I'm doing it :)

Work on issue 2 is slowly commencing as part of my Doctorate. I have written a draft script breakdown, which at this stage will be a part 1 story of a 3-4 issue story arc.

More info to come.

I was motivated by the positive response the comic received at its Brisbane Supanova release, (with several fans coming by the next day saying "Hey, I finished it. When's the next one?"), so I'm here to assure you "yes" the next one is about to commence with new supporting characters and more action featuring "The Soldier" in New Guinea 1943 and the "Young Soldier" (I should really come up with a name) in the dark surburbs 2010 , thanks for the support. I was also really touched that actual soldiers got a kick out of the idea, and picked up copies. One guy picked up one for his brother serving overseas, so to them I thank them and hope they enjoy the story.

I have also refined the original Issue 1 script to adapt it to a short animated film. Several drafts have been written and storyboarding based on issue 1 will commence soon. More info to come as I get the work done :). The script will be slightly different to how "The Soldier's" origin story plays out in the book, and so far, a little less "wordy". Unfortunatley when you are dealing with dialogue in a film, you are now dealing with the elemnt of time. A person can read a page of a comic book all day, there may be one piece of action going on in that panel, but it could be accompanied with a paragraph of inner monologue to "slow down" what is occuring in the 'physical' story to focus on perhaps the character's motivations, fears etc. In film, that action could take a second; the dialogue really has to move on. I'll work it out, and hopefully get some feedback on it too.

Gotta run :)

Supanova 2010 quick recap

CFCA Editor in Chief Kevin Scarfe with Marvel/DC great George Perez with "The Soldier Legacy".

Tim McEwen and Me.

Stewart McKenny and Me.

Me and Marvel/DC writer Marv Wolfman.

Me and my "Mary Marvel" partner Libby :D

Fan sketch I drew of Mary Marvel.

Hulk vs. Hulkbuster Iron Man sketch for a fan

George Perez and Me.

Me and some really cool fans.

I am sending the crowd to sleep during a talk on Aussie comics :P Featuring Paul Abstruse, Kevin Scarfe and Chris Sequeira.

Me and "Sherlock Holmes" writer Chris Sequeira.

Me and Kevin Scarfe at the Cult Fiction Comics table :)

Thanks again for all the people who came to the "Cult Fiction Comics Australia" table and picked up a copy of "The Soldier Legacy" issue 1 (or even a comission sketch :D). You certainly kept me extremely busy, and I had a fantastic weekend meeting new people, speaking about the book, getting feedback from both the punters and the pros and generally soaking in the atmosphere.

I've thrown up a few pics from the day here, otherwise you can shoot over to my "fan page" on facebook ( search "Paul Mason Comics and Artwork"-thanks to my supportive and wonderful girlfriend for doing this without my knowledge :D) and see some more pictures there. I got a big kick out of catching up with Dave, Chris, Blake, Zac and the whole crew from last year, I think pretty much all of you got a sketch done of your favourite characters, and it was really refreshing doing cool battle scenes like "Hulk vs Hulkbuster Ironman" or "Deadpool and Spider-man vs the Scarlet Spiders" etc.

I was also very pleased I got to spend some time, chatting to W.Chew Chan (great bloke) and spend some time speaking to the greater writer Chris Sequeira (another great bloke), who was also at our table promoting his upcoming "Pulse of Darkness" release, also I got to spend a few mintues getting tips on Artwork from George Perez and a great deal of time from Stewart McKenny (whose Captain America print sits framed above my work area- thank you sir). I also was bold enough to hand a copy of the Soldeir book to Paul Jenkins, Marv Wolfman, Geroge Perez and Stewert McKenny (who came over later and asked me to sign it....extremley flattered), and another Aussie great Tim McEwen popped over to pick up a copy, for which I am very thankful. Paul Abstruse who was there plugging his book was great to catch up with again too.

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend, I almost sold out of my first issues and I was drawing sketches right up to 25 minutes after the event's colse *phew. I want to thank CFCA boss Kevin Scarfe and my partner Libby for a all their help and support too :D If I've forgotten anyone, my apologies, it's not intentional, I'd remember when I see you, I know some of my friends from my animation course came by to support the book, Barry, Leon, Dmitriy and others, thank you, and Kate, Alyx, Siobhan, thanks again.

New update shortly.

Thanks for your patience.

Paul

The Soldier Legacy issue 2 Concept art part 1

Quick update for concepts based on issue 2 script. More updates to come, including images from Supanova 2010.
Thanks all, gotta run.
Paul.

2010 Update

Well I've been incredibly patient but this month hopefully the Soldier comic will see print for the lead up to the conventions this year. The original print run in October/November ended up being only a handful for hand in purposes at uni, but that was fortunatley a success with the project, along with the deveolpment book and theory thesis "Marvel in the 60's" landing me a great result for my honours course.

I'm pleased as the result gave me such a positive mark that I have been able to apply for a doctorate postgrad position, for which my studio practices will incorporate a short film (animated) based on "the Soldier Legacy", and a several part comic book story arc which can be repackages at the conclusion into a graphic novel. Basically, the idea is to research the marketability of Australian stories using the comic book/animation medium- a small scale look at the current trend in mainstream comic companies that "licience" their characters across several mediums for maximum exposure (particularly in the superhero/action genre).

I guess there is a number of different elements to the research, such as:

> The concept of "hero" in Australia (story elements: this elemnt will allow comparisons to not only America (superhero genre origin), but also other western (e.g.: UK) and non-western country (e.g.: maybe Japan? undecided as yet)

>The Comic book Industry in Australia and posssiblities (this will take some researching, discussion and interviews)

> Character developments and cross media: perhaps featuring artists such as Todd McFarlane (spawn), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Eric Larsen (Savage Dragon) (?), John Higgins (Razorjack)(?), comparsions to Kirby and Ditko? Image comics. (Will need some definition), methodology such as adaptations of comic book characters to animation, examples etc.

I'm looking forward to continuing the work with the characters from the Soldier Legacy, but I guess the main test in determining whether the future works will be feasible will be the reception of the idea at the conventions this year. Fingers crossed.

Anyways,

Gotta run.

"The Soldier Legacy" CFCA Indie Graphic Novel Trailer

The Teaser trailer for the comic book is here, I haven't updated the blog in the last few weeks as I'm waiting for the mini-novel to be printed. Hopefully, I will have copies of the comic in my hand at the end of this month (about 9 days away). In the meantime I am completing my honours thesis and a dissertation on "the making of" the comic book, the research, concept art etc.

Very exciting. Anyways, this trailer is a "trial" of sorts, I would really like to animate this character more in the future, projects and time permitting. Gotta run :)
Paul.

Talking to printers...almost done

Well, the "Graphic Novel" is done. I'm just going through that really fiddly stage of making sure all the pages are the same size, and an oversight regarding the black borders (not being 100% black) meant I had to spend a long time on my very slow computer changing all 48 pages to the right size and colour. Unfortunatley this didnt translate 100% into the linked illustrator files, so I had to spend the next day copy and pasting the artwork back into the files again...*cry*.

Anyways, I'm going to leave the changing of the file sizes for print until I find out from the printers what size/format/bleed area they need.

So now I'm scrambling to get the Blackwing internship moving (page 2 above), and some sort of animated trailer up and finished before the october deadline. The other thing that's going to take time away is the first internship, which was the business plan for the griffith innovation challenge. Barry and I have been notified as finalists, so now we have to prep a 20 minute presentation (and attend the seminars) plus a 3 min. pitch at a gala night (if we get that far...) which is all good, but another project which has to go back on the list of things to do...Anyways, rolling on.

Below is some images for page three of the epilogue that I was trying to work out what looked better in colouring.

Dark blue layer "multiplied"

Dark blue layer "normal"

Dark Blue layer "vivid light" (I think this was one one I went for...didn't want it too dark)

Below: BG colour experiments page 6

Splash page- Epilogue

Almost at the end. About 3 pages of colouring left, then a day or two to letter and edit...Hope to finish before I'm back at work again...

Comic Update and page one internship

Quick update: Kinda neglecting the blogging lately, I'm really under the pump at the moment. Basically, story one is done, edited and changes made. The second story pencils have been finished, all scanned in and page 1 is coloured. Page 2 has begun also. So I'm hoping if I can keep up the pace I can have the second story coloured by next week/week after, lettered a few days after and bascially have the whole comic done by week 8....hopefully anyway.

My only problem is I'm crunched for time regarding the teaser trailer... we'll see how fast I can knock one up when the Graphic Novel is done.

In the meantime I have begun the internship project, page 1 is here until I can post a link to an internship blog (that only exists on pen and paper at this stage.).
Anyways, gotta run.

Completed Cover...sort of

Completed Cover. Not sure what other info I need such as a logo etc, or if I'll put any blurbs on the front, but for now this will do.