The RAGE comics may or may not have run their course, I don’t pay enough attention to really know.  What I do know is the authors have done a fantastic job tapping into a very large audience’s aggravation.  I’ve noticed that some of the funniest comics have the simplest (and in some cases, worst) art I’ve ever seen.

Being a comic-book guy, I’ve always enjoyed the detailed and finished look of superhero books.  It took a while to appreciate what the writers did, and even longer to begin purchasing books based on writers rather than artists.  I still, however, had trouble grasping why I liked some very cartoony (ahem, sorry, ‘highly stylized’) work, and why so many other people did too.

Then I found Scott McCloud!  Or, rather, his graphic novel Understanding Comics, The Invisible Art.

This guy is just amazing.  One of the things I learned was that simple art requires a subconscious buy-in to what is presented.

He explains it much, much better-

He goes into a lot more detail, and if you enjoy comics it’s worth a read.  If you create comics you NEED to read this.

I’m now at a loss for a “close”.  So:

<something clever>

<seque>

<something clever>

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More posts regularly on their way! Yay!

For 2 consecutive months we’ve had at least 1500 viewers!  Awesome!  Thanks for checking out the page.

It looks better now than it did 2 months ago, and any suggestions are welcome.  I like the idea of a community forum and will look into it.  In the meantime, feel free to comment-no sign up is required.  You don’t even need to leave your e-mail!

Updates can be found at www.facebook.com/TheGoochParade , come on over and give me a “like”, my insecure artsy soul needs the cyber-love.  I have been informed I NEEEEEEED a twitter account by someone who will never understand the correlation between these two items:

Her obvious lack of sophistication aside, I’ll be creating one.  I’ll keep you posted!

Continue reading "Who are the 1500?" »

Here is the brand new logo for the site!

It took a couple of tries, and I am very happy with the lightning through the o’s.

Here’s the first try (click to enlarge):

The figures are affectionately called “happy dance guys”.  I started doodling them a number of years ago and wanted to incorporate them into the logo.  They represent (to me) a joy in drawing unencumbered by “making it look good”.  Once the idea of lightning through the o’s hit, I HAD to use it!  The Flash logo is one of my favorites EVER, and I like the nod to it.  Also, The Flash was the first comic I ever bought!  I liked the idea of the hand-drawn G, but overall it seemed too sloppy.

This is attempt number 2.  I tried to streamline things a bit, and keep the cursive G.  The lightning bolt was too fat, and I linked the o’s.  Still a little sloppy, so I took what I liked and made number 3 above!

Continue reading "Logo!" »

As of this moment, THIS VERY MOMENT, I am working hard to update my technical savvy-I’ve caught up to most 10 yr olds, and will be entering the cyber-equivalent of puberty soon.  Now THAT MOMENT is gone and all we have left are the sweet sweet memories of CAP LOCKS gone by.  Until I get a flux capacitor.  Or a phone booth.  Maybe both, but I’d rather have a TARDIS.

Actually, I’d just settle for knowing what the hell I’m doing!

In the meantime, have some chicken mcnuggets

OUR DEMISE STRENGTHENS YOUR SOUL!

Continue reading "Working hard so you don’t have to" »

Woman punches BEAR in the face!

Can you imagine the street cred for this?

Criminal 1: Hey, let’s take that lady’s purse.

Criminal 2: Dude! She’s the chick THAT PUNCHED A BEAR IN THE FACE! Let’s go tackle that MMA fighter instead

In the real world we have to settle for punching bears-which, admittedly, ROCKS. However, in comic land we get to PUNCH LIGHTNING IN THE FACE

Not hardcore enough? How about PUNCHING REALITY IN THE FACE?!?

Okay, Brooke’s still got these two beat…a normal person with no super-powers totally PUNCHING A BEAR IN THE FACE beats a whiny emo-superboy punching dimensions AND an old-ass superman showing off his invulnerability.  Go Brooke! Bear Face Puncher!

Continue reading "News!" »

Don’t forget to back up the database.

Too late!

Everything from 6/14-8/17 is gone! Well, back to the drawing board!

Continue reading "Note to self" »

Name: Rusan (pronounced like Susan, with an R)

Character Traits:

• Rusan truly does not care what others think of her-thus her hair.
• She is very intelligent, but lacks the “suspension of disbelief” quality necessary to really get into comics and cartoons.  Patrick has that trait in spades, so their conversations are lively.
• Rusan is quite sarcastic, and has enough kindness and compassion to make up for it.  She is the type of person who will call you a dumb-ass if you deserve it, and give you a shoulder as long as you need it.

Religion: “As long as you practice what you preach, and don’t smell bad, I don’t care what religion you are”

Favorite Color: Purple “I’m royal. It’s not my fault you people don’t realize it.”

Favorite Hero: Swamp Thing “A plant that thinks it’s a man? That’s SO ridiculous I love it!”

Favorite Song: “It’s horrible. I love it. What is it?” Hardware Soundtrack

That’s just her favorite song title, her real favorite song is: “Daddy I’m fine” by Sinead O’ Connor

Design Notes

My wife, Robin, actually wore her hair like this for two years.  It was originally for a Babylon 5 Centauri costume.

Don’t let this chick fool you:

I am AWESOME at needlepoint!

The Centauri were TOTALLY first

Winnie?

Don’t give me any “the Hari Krishnas date back to before your art sucked” nonsense, either.  EVERYBODY knows Kosh travelled back in time with Valen, totally giving them the idea.  Kosh was good and holy-he knew I’d have a thing for hot bald women.

Girls don't like boys. Girls like cars and money. Starships too.

Bald women? Wtf?

I will destroy V'Ger with my unadulterated HOTNESS

I totally blame Star Trek the Motion Picture .  During my very impressionable youth I saw Ilia.

Like a duckling imprints on it’s mother (or a block of wood depending on how much of a jerk the scientist is) I totally

imprinted on the bald chick as my hotness ideal.

Continue reading "Rusan Character and Design" »

I learned two very important things with this piece:

1. I don’t know how to color
2. My friend and co-worker Jessica should color my pages

If you have ever taken an art class, or own a box of crayons, you have a better understanding of color theory than I.  It was Jessica who suggested getting a color wheel:

My daughter, who is in kindergarden, understands this better than me

This comic page shows the importance of  practice (do it!), less is more, and warming up.  The very first pose of Rusan (the pony tail chick) is both out of proportion AND overdrawn!  Compare that to the last panel that has less lines and a better grasp of gesture and anatomy. 

The idea itself came from my childhood fascination with the The Thing.  For some reason I would draw him over and over with different powers: a Green Lantern ring, Johnny Blaze busting his helmet as he transformed into a skeleton-Thing.  I guess I’m the one who needs to accept he’s just a strong pile of rocks!

Continue reading "Notes on “She-Thing”" »

 well, had to give credit where credit was due.

The comic page is my very first attempt at sequential storytelling. It was done completely free-hand on a wapo tablet in Corel Paint. The lettering was also done free-hand.

Free-hand pros: natural and organic feel to the whole structure, including text

Free-hand cons: shaky line quality (can be fixed with practice, practice, practice) 

Continue reading "Notes on the very first posted cartoon" »