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One of my aspirations is being able to work a day job and do comics, I’m interested in others’ methods of doing this. My attention was drawn to a well known comic writer Harvey Pekar. His autobiographical comics are known to be so synthetic with his life, I thought I could spurn some ideology from it. But, alas, Harvey’s style seems more a way of nature than any kind of method. He died this year at seventy. I read a large amount about him today and learned a little about how he managed his life between comics and everything else.
What I did learn:
1. He made less money than he liked.
2. He was a middle class Jew (like me).
3. His fame is undeniable. Having read many articles reviewing his career, the most provocative is this>The Premature Immortalization of Harvey Pekar by Alan Kurtz . The article itself doubts the means by which Harvey became famous at all. After which, (in the comment section) the author of said article and a book shop owner argue about the validity of everything Kurtz tried to argue.
Some favorite quotes of mine:
“Two Words: Cowardly Weasel.”
“This is an intense example of why people don’t respect reviewers. This last line is where I could call you any name I like and readers would cheer. But unlike some, I have a bit of restraint. Get some.”
Their argument is more entertaining than crap I can write at present time. So, check it out.
4. He had a web comic. Who knew?
5. He also had written music and art reviews. These writings were unpopular. But what gained his friendship with the all mighty R. Crumb (who later helped produce Pekar’s earliest works).
6. He worked with a number of great artists, writers and creators. Including the current graphic novel all-things-great-god-of-beard-king-of-the-nerd-forces-and-all-Juju Alan Moore. This wiki-page gives a pretty good list.
7. His writing was essentially meaningless without himself. His character and his actual involvement in the media and life created something almost political. From one end, Harvey meant nothing more than to express his views and the value of ordinary life (in his series American Splendor, probably should have mentioned that earlier. Still new at this.). On the other, when given the chance to speak to the greater nation, he actively broke away from the orthodox ideas expected.(Click the link if you expect to understand this.) This was almost a revolutionary or political action because of its national platform and obvious agenda. Boosting his fame, it also catalyzed the opportunity for a following. However, I don’t doubt that all media sources, no matter how lowly, local, or poorly made (not that Harvey was any of these) are capable of being political. To quote a better writer: “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
-D
Approx. Published: 10:00 PM EST 12/15/10
I chose to write on paper today. I think it helps new writers produce at a more comfortable speed in a more comfortable way. It was also a free writing, so it was anything I want. A cleaning of the mental septic tank, so to speak.I won’t post anything literal, but I’ll show you proof. That’s about 4 and a half pages on how must of us stop changing around 27 and thoughts on how to change it. If there is ever a big demand, I’ll post it.
* He laughs too himself, holding his severely beaten shreds of confidence from slipping through his knobbly fingers.*
Also, upon arrival to home, there was a present on my bed. It’s quite useful. It is written by some reliable sources. Steve Lieber; a Joe Kubert graduate and a veteran creator. Nat Gertler; a big graphic novel teacher and creator. I don’t know a hell a lot about these guys, but for those of you who don’t know, the Joe Kubert School is the only school in the nation that teaches just comics.**
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**However, a new competitor, the Center for Cartoon Studies has opened in Vermont. They have some promising minds teaching their like the great Jason Lutes and Stephen R. Bissette. (One of these days, I’ll write a blog on the presence of comic education and its place in academia, but for now, this will suffice.)
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Sure, there are a few cartooning schools, and some pro-art colleges that offer it as a path, but Kubert is the only place only for comics. Most of their graduates are hired by the big two (DC and Marvel). So, it’s a pretty reliable credential, which is why I trust this book. Not to mention, there are only a few books on sequential art, until recently. That, too, is for another post.
GOODNIGHT EVERYBODY! (SNL outro music)
-D
P.S. Damn this post has a lot of name dropping. Let me just say, I don’t know any of these people. I just admire their work.
Approx. Post: 11:36PM EST 12/14/10
Wrote an update for the comic. It counts. Though I feel like it doesn’t somehow. I’ll copy and paste for you. Here’s the link if you like: GEC
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WINTER BREAK & FGCU STORIES
ADDRESSED TO THE READERS:
Me & Ed would first off like to thank all of you for supporting the GEC. We’ve been established one full semester and the Eagle News now views us as a substantial source of content. That said, we still need as many friends as we can get. The waters are still murky. However, by all means, our relationship with the paper is now much stronger.
Secondly, in order to be properly represented, we ask that you click on this link (must have a tumblr): http://www.tumblr.com/directory/recommend/comics/genericeaglecomic .
It will ensure that we are listed on the tumblr directory as a comic. This way our comic can gain a bit of legitimate internet credence (which has always been so hard since “Chocolate Rain” set the bar so high).
Lastly, an announcement for those of you who are FGCU students. Next semester (Spring 11’), the GEC will be launching a new program directed towards the students. The idea, with your help, is too chronicle real students’ happenings at FGCU. This will give the student body a more defined identity; something the FGCU culture currently lacks.
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The Idea is this:
1. We will ask you to send in your story (Cartoon@eaglenews.org).
It must be about student life, the university, or something relatively related. You do not have to be a student to participate. You can be a professor, worker, janitor, or anything connected to student life and the university. But STUDENTS WILL GET TOP CONSIDERATION.
2. Once sent in, Ed and I will look at it. If we like it, we’ll ask you if we can use it. And if you want us to credit you in the story. You may make anonymous entries.
If you say yes, then: You will, by default, have to give your permission to the EagleNews (an e-mail or two with our editor). This way we can protect your rights and our own.
If you say no, then: Why’d you send in a story if you didn’t want us to use it? You must like the attention. That’s okay. Go change your major to theater.
3. The story will be translated into a comic, which will be published in FGCU’s student paper; The Eagle News. It will also be published on this tumblr. And, you will be awarded the original art of your own comic. Our gift in exchange for your story and a way of saying thanks.
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Look for promotions of this next semester around campus. If you have any stories already in mind, we are accepting stories as of now. Cartoon@eaglenews.org
Happy Holidays FGCU, Fort Myers, Florida, and the world from the Generic Eagle Comic.
Approx Publishing: 5:28 PM EST 12/12/10
Here marks a new use for this blog. I don’t know what to call it yet, other than practice. Everyday, I will write something here. Correction:
I will write everyday.
Maybe personal, maybe not. But something. And if not here, somewhere and I’ll show you. I’ll scan it. I’ll show you a picture. While I’m typing this, I’m trying to believe I’ll respect the rules I’m laying down. Institutions to better yourself are almost always underminded by yourself. I think we reach too hard or fast, or vice versa some times. So, I’ll start slow and make the least I have to write one sentence. A quality sentence mind you.
ENTRY #1:
Saying someone isn’t funny is a mono-psychotic billboard created to reach a self satisfying, mythical, and useless seat of entitlement. It also isn’t funny.
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NEWS:
1. The GEC has survived for an entire semester. Me & Ed are proud of this. We are working on a long term project you might hear about later, too. If I’m back next semester, we have some exciting plans for it and the GEC. We’ve also made a commitment to better our skills and thus better our comics. This explains the one thing a day thing. He’s starting to sketch and read his McCloud. I lent him “Making Comics”. And by lent I mean, I’ll never see it again.
2. May or may not be ending up at FSU.
3. May be starting a comic club and a zine next semester. This way I could promote more comics at FGCU. I could also make a student organized publication. I don’t think we have any of those, so it would be another first. I could also meet a lot of creative types this way. I’m always looking for those to stop my brain from clawing at the walls.
4. According to the stats WordPress supplies, more people are reading this blog. Who are they? Really? Who reads this? Why?
5. I‘m looking into better ways to host comics on the web. I mean image quality, site quality, and practicality. If anyone has any advice, comment or send me an e-mail.
Also, need to research copy right and how to protect original properties. If you can help me, do so.
-DT
acapdtjsvt@gmail.com
Semi-exciting news net dwellers! Ed & I, after five minutes of conversation, have brought the Generic Eagle Comic to the internet! That’s right! Now you can read from the very beginning, and don’t have to be an FGCU member to enjoy this once in a lifetime experience! WEEEEE!
But, really, go read it. My writing doesn’t seem so bad if you have them all next to one another. On another note, my 24 hour comic made it to a official looking spot on one of the official 24 hour blogs. It is just nice to look at really.
That’s all for now, stay good baddies.
Know that this took me one whole day’s time, but the time sleeping in between would make it a 32 hour comic. The drawing and writing in it by no means represents my best. I did it just so I could do it. So, if you can’t read it, don’t like it, can’t understand it : i understand. It wasn’t written for you. On another note, the first long plot in the comic interested JoJar when he read it, so he wants to collaborate on a Garry’s mod movie translation of it. Should be an interesting side project.
P.S. Poops! Poops McGee!
Hey, I’m at hour seven of my 24 hour comic. Just thought I would check in and tell you about something happening on youtube. I just submitted my Supernote. “What’s Supernote?” You ask, quite skeptically and perhaps a little too pushy. Well, it is a youtube competition where youtube stars ask people to respond to one video of them singing a note, Each response is another person singing that note, and at the end they give a prize to whoever has the longest summed up note. I just entered project Lavanote. But you can pick any team you like. Click on the supernote link if you’re interested.
In other news, Generic Eagle Comic is taking a new turn. Dumping the old plot. Saving a few characters, and possibly printing in a new format.
Ta-Ta for now.
This year’s 24 hour comic day will be on October 2nd. You don’t need to be professional, you don’t need to be good, you don’t even really need to be creative. All you need is paper, pen, and the energy to stay up a full day. Then you can post it in a number of sites. I’ll be posting mine here and at McCloud’s (as is tradition, he did create the thing). For those of you who don’t know, 24 Hour comics day is when comic book shops, comic enthusiasts, and creative people create one comic panel/ page an hour for an entire day. It was originally created by a great mind in comics: Scott McCloud, which you can read more about here. A lot of people take this day to write about their lives, make fiction, make nonsense. Go crazy with the idea. And then afterwords you can compare with people on many forums, or go to your local comic shop, and show them your’e a indy stoner with dirt lined pockets that makes comics in his basement.
Kosher Blog
Hi.
I realize it has been more than a year since THE PRAGUE BLOG and I’ve still to finish. But! Things have changed and i’m back at college, meaning unless I become a miracle child, very little PB will get done until months later. With that said, many things have happened since last we talked:
One: No more lady. That went kablooey.
Two: BP went kablooey too.
Three: I am running a weekly FGCU comic with a great friend, Ed Droney. I don’t think EagleNews takes us very seriously, they still put us under the title “Viewpoint”. It makes us seem like an article about porcelain clown collections, but in all reality we did ink this first comic with a ballpoint pen (pic below).
Sorry about the format. Adobe.pdf files aren’t friendly. Just press shift + CTRL + Plus and you should be able to turn the pics.
Four: This will be my last semester until I have an AA, and can transfer to anywhere I want to go. So, back to the college application process I go.
Five: Unemployed. Hooray for the American experience! Looking for jobs.
Six: Now go to therapy, somewhat. May have some kind of inherited depression. Might start meds, might not. We’ll see.
Seven: Now nineteen and single. Ugh. Haha! But.. meh. *sniff*
Eight: I’m aiming towards being a comic creator/producer/publisher/writer for my career. Music went down the drain. Even though my major is still Political science (changed it about seven times through the year). I’ll change it when i have the time. Going to study business, plus astronomy (if i can). I’ve figured out you should study writing on your own. Unless your a journalist. Then, you know, study.
Originally I wanted to make this a vlog update, but I don’t have access to many good cameras here at FGCU. Might work on that if i ever have a budget to help. For all of you who continue to read: Thank you. I’m not sure why you do, but if you feel like responding… respond! Comment on a post, or go directly to the about me page where you’ll find a Gmail address. You can send comments, questions, and shady Craig’slist responses.
