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Topics - Ghastly McNasty

#1
Hi all,

Excuse the  self-promotion but I've just gone through the nerve-wracking experience of pressing the launch button on a Kickstarter campaign. This is my first KS and I'm really proud of the comic we've made. If you good folks could do me the honour of taking a look at what I'm peddling I'd be eternally grateful.

http://tiny.cc/get-woke

Imagine a world in which all conspiracies are true. A world of secret societies, shadow governments, aliens, monsters, and the supernatural. No need to imagine too hard, that's the world you live in today. It's all real and it always has been.

And if such evil exists in the world, which it does, humanity is going to need a very special team of heroes to protect them from from the horrors that lurk behind the curtain of a false reality. they are...

Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Princess Diana, Bigfoot and the disembodied brain of JFK battle evil in a world where all conspiracy theories are true.

Don't believe in conspiracies? You need to...

#2
Games / KJC Play by Mail Games
24 June, 2015, 02:35:03 PM
About 20 years ago I had a brief obsession with Play-by-Mail games. Particularly It's a Crime and Troll's Bottom by a company called KJC.

It's a Crime revolved around building a little criminal empire, hiring thugs and causing trouble, where the Troll based adventure had you digging tunnels and mixing potions.

The format involved posting your moves to the game moderators (KJC) and they'd send you back a little printed document saying what had happened based on your actions. In Troll's Bottom you'd choose what type of troll you wanted to be and mooch around the titular island, looking for roots and shit, occasionally bumping in to other players and fighting in order to be top troll.

It was a really cool and clever format back in the day. I'd forgotten about these until last night when a fevered dream must have sparked a distant memory of my youth.

Anyone else remember?
#3
Film & TV / The Jinx [TV Series] SPOILERS
20 March, 2015, 11:14:44 AM
Full title = The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.

6 part documentary following Robert Durst, the son of a billionaire New York property developer. Durst is now an elderly eccentric character who recently agreed to film a documentary about his extraordinary life which covers the mysterious disappearance of his wife in 1982, the unsolved murder of a close friend in 2000 and a 2001 incident in which he managed to escape jail after being accused of murdering and chopping up his neighbour.

The final episode of the series is a unique piece of TV. It's an astonishing conclusion to a gripping series. Seriously worth a watch.

EDIT: I've added 'Spoilers' to the title as general chat about this program will probably contain them.
#4
Events / The Birmingham Comics Festival
17 January, 2015, 10:02:05 AM
2 comics fests in Brum this year! They really are spoiling us.

Edgbaston Stadium, home to the Warwickshire County Cricket Club since 1882, and the second largest venue of its kind in the UK, is to play host to the City of Birmingham's inaugural Comics Festival on Saturday April 18th 2015.
#5
Creative Common / Kill Spree
04 October, 2014, 11:47:33 AM
Some Saturday afternoon reading for you. After a considerable amount of blood, sweat and tears I'm pleased to announce the launch of my new online comic Kill Spree.



Created to push the boundaries of both technology and taste Kill Spree uses the latest web-technologies to deliver a unique experience. Cool features include the ability to view the comic book creation stages including pencils, inks and even the script, an additional animated version for those who like motion comics, all wrapped in a responsive website which adapts to fit the screen of whatever device it is viewed on.

There's no point having an amazing website without having an amazing comic to match! Kill Spree is a highly original action/adventure/sci-fi/horror/comedy story, beautifully illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia, and loads of fun too! The controversial subject matter instantly sets the story apart. At heart it's a story about friendship, its outer wrappings, an attack on the media, pop culture and commercialism, sprinkled with a healthy amount of puerile humour and very bad language.

The concept...A gang of disturbed losers seize control of America's most high-tech shopping mall and embark on a deadly game of competitive mass-murder, broadcasting the entire event live as the world watches on in horror.

Welcome to the world of Kill Spree
#6
Film & TV / Under the Dome (TV Series)
09 August, 2013, 01:16:08 PM


The TV version of Stephen King's Under the Dome, adapted for TV by Brian K. Vaughan, will start on Channel 5 on Monday August 19th at 10pm.

It's been airing stateside for 7 episodes so far and I'm really enjoying it. It follows the book pretty well with some extra tit-bits thrown in to keep it fresh.

Can heartily recommend to the folk on this forum.

Is anyone else watching?
#7
Creative Common / Madefire Motion Comics
03 April, 2013, 11:46:39 AM
Not seen much mention of Madefire on this forum. I imagine opinions on it will be very much divided.

I've read a fair few of the free comics they have in their app and they are all of a very high standard. If you've not heard of them I suggest you take a look.

Madefire have just recently jumped into bed with DeviantArt (press release) and will be opening up their 'motion comic' software, allowing people to create these type of comics and sell them through DeviantArt.

Here comes my reason for posting. I'm looking for an artist for a collaboration on a story I am writing that would be well suited to be a motion comic. The software is all web based and, as that's my thing, I'd be happy to do all the motion stuff. I hoping that this balances the writer/artist commitment issue a little bit.

It is, of course, a horror story. Any profits split evenly. Anyone interested, please PM.

Any other opinions on Madefire, post below. It deserves a thread of its own anyways.



#8
Links / Malaria - Motion Comic
28 January, 2013, 01:09:22 PM
Worth 5 minutes of your time. This is as cool as...

http://vimeo.com/56433514

MALARIA tells the story of Fabiano, a young Mercenary who is hired to kill Death.
This short film combines Origami, Kirigami, Time lapse, nankin illustration, Comic Books and Western Cinema.

#9
Here's a new venture of mine that everyone's welcome to join. Who needs Comixology - support small press instead.



What is Comicsy?
Comicsy is a brand new online marketplace designed to help UK small press creators sell their products.
Whatever you're looking to sell, comics, artwork, books, posters, sketches, graphic novels, or anything well...Comicsy, you can be up and running in no time. Simply open your own 'Comicsy Shop', add your products, and start receiving orders. The advantage of being a member of the Comicsy network is that your goods will sit alongside other UK small press creator's work. Buyers will be able to browse all items on the site, resulting in more sales for everyone.

With Comicsy you can sell your products in 3 different ways:



Comicsy is suitable for those looking to get their goods online, in an easy to manage web store, or for those who have already set up their own sales site but want the benefits of being part of a small press shopping network. Think of it as a permanently open, online comic expo.

How it Works
Each shop owner manages their own products in their own dedicated area. Comicsy simply displays all the items, from all stores, in one easy to search area. When a buyer is ready to purchase an item, Comicsy directs them to the store where the product is located.



Buyers can fill their shopping cart with products from up to 10 different Comicsy Shops.

Why sell on Comicsy?
We've listed a few simple reasons why you should join the Comicsy network:

  • Tangible or digital goods
    On Comicsy you can sell both physical goods (ideal for selling items that are already printed) and digital goods (suitable if your print run has been exhausted). If someone purchases a tangible product, you will receive an email containing the customer's details. Simply package the goods and ship them off. Digital products can be uploaded to our site and, after making a purchase, customers receive a link containing instructions on how to download the item instead.
  • Link elsewhere
    If you have already built your own website, or added your products to another marketplace, you can link your Comicsy products to these existing sites, so customer looking to buy your products are automatically directed there. This option is ideal for users who sell products via print-on-demand services such as Lulu, or for users who have their items on Amazon.
  • It's FREE
    No, you don't need your eyes checked. Comicsy is all about promoting the UK small press scene and rewarding its sellers for being on the Comicsy network. Without your products, this site wouldn't have anything to sell, so to say thanks, there are no insertions fees, no sign-up fees and no membership fees.   
  • Easy to setup
    All you need to get up and running on Comicsy is a Paypal account and some products to sell. You can have your own store up and running in a matter of minutes.
  • Safe, secure and reliable
    Comicsy is built using the Wordpress platform. According to Wikipedia, "Wordpress is used by over 16.7% of Alexa Internet's 'top 1 million' websites and as of August 2011 manages 22% of all new websites. Wordpress has become a global brand thanks to their system's easy to use controls, flexibility and security.   
  • Safe, secure and reliable
    Comicsy is built using the Wordpress platform. According to Wikipedia, "Wordpress is used by over 16.7% of Alexa Internet's 'top 1 million' websites and as of August 2011 manages 22% of all new websites. Wordpress has become a global brand thanks to their system's easy to use controls, flexibility and security.
  • Customisation
    If you're looking to create or develop your own brand you can style your 'Comicsy Shop' to reflect your image. Upload your own banner/logo and choose your own colour scheme to make sure your customers know who they are buying from.
  • Connect with your audience
    As a Comicsy seller you can add news updates and articles so your customers can keep up with your latest products and news. Include text, pictures and videos in to your posts using the standard Wordpress technique.
  • Upload Your Products
    Use the inbuilt product uploader to import your catalogue of products.
For talented individuals who are not technically inclined, setting up your own website can be a real pain. Some already have their own website to sell the fruits of their labour, but being discovered amongst the millions of other websites out there, in the big world wide web, can be virtual impossible. Our goal is to bring these people together in one simple, easy to use website. It's a simple idea – strength in numbers. We hope you agree it's worth your time.
www.comicsy.co.uk
________________________________________
#10
..and you still clicked to read the topic?!

Loooooooooooooooooong shot but worth an ask.

I've had an artist drop out of a story for Hallowscream due to personal reasons. So, with the week before Halloween deadline looming I'm looking for an awesome artist appear from the shadows and take up this challenge.

Awesome artist? Surely beggars can't be choosers. You're right of course, but in my defense I think it's the best of the crop I've written this year - a year which I've had submissions accepted for Something Wicked, Futurequake, Massacre for Boys and CFM's Psycho Journo of Time Travelo.  It was the only thing I was submitting to Hallowscream this year so now find myself in the sad position of not having a story in my own comic.  :'(

So, if anyone fancies a crack at illustrating a 4 page zombie horror comedy musical, please get in touch.
#11
Books & Comics / Comics Accelerator
14 June, 2012, 09:20:24 PM
Had some sales gumpf today from iVerse, the people who run the Comics+ App. They're setting up a comic related Kickstarter style program called Comics Accelerator.

QuoteYou're receiving this email because at one point you may have expressed an interest in working with iVerse, and we might have mentioned to you that we had plans to launch an initiative later on in the future that you could potentially take advantage of. Well, that day has finally arrived!

Attached you'll find a PDF outlining our new Comics Accelerator program. I'll let you review it in your own time, but in brief it is a new service we're offering that essentially combines the elements of Kickstarter and Groupon to let you create projects and garner support for nearly any sort of pop culture property you can imagine (and not limited to digital distribution). Also, one of the staff coordinators of this program was previously responsible for putting together some of the most successful Kickstarter programs of all time, and if your project becomes accepted, he will be an available resource for advice to help you put together your own potentially successful initiatives.

You can have a full read of the mentioned PDF here.

Quote
What type of projects can you start?
As long as it's directly related to the comic book industry in some way, the sky is the
limit. You can start projects to fund comic-based video games, motion comics, short films,
board games, action figures...whatever you like, such as

Limited Edition Hardcovers

Here are a few examples of projects we believe people will be interested in seeing...
Deal of the Day Variants - Projects can go on for 30 days -- but they can also be 24 hour
"time clock" sales. A limited edition "one day only" variant can create buzz about a new
project, boost sales and create an instant collectable!

Digital Singles/Printed Trade - Give your backers access to the single issues of your series
in digital format, then ship them a trade when the book is complete!.

ComicsAccelerator is launching 6/18/12.

I nicked this next comment off someone on i09, from a story about the fairly amazing Sulivan's Sluggers Kickstarter campaign that's making loads of money.

QuoteThis is how the world works now. Thanks to the internet and social media, the traditional business model used by the music, film and art industries (where the studios, labels, networks, publishers, etc. serve as gatekeepers and tastemakers by providing the funds and public platform) is rapidly becoming obsolete now that artists can connect directly with their audience and cut out the middleman. But here's the rub: in order to generate actual interest and support from fans, the artist has to have genuine talent and work that actually fascinates and excites people.

The days of the bogus superstar with a career fueled by old school media hype are numbered. The public just isn't buying it anymore. But when they find something on YouTube, Facebook or Kickstarter that truly interests them (or even moves and inspires them) they not only become fans, but also the artist's most valuable resource. And in return for their valuable time and money, the fans get to be part of a community that has a far more intimate, rewarding relationship with the artist than they ever had in the old days. Everybody wins -- except for the hacks and the suits who try to sell them.

I know the whole Kickstarter thing can cause annoy some people but I agree with the statement above. Fuck the studios churning out remakes and unspired sequels. Power to the people.
#12
Back From The Depths are once again looking for contributors for our free, annual pdf horror comic, HALLOWSCREAM...

...but...

we're also looking for contributors for something else.

That's right. This year we're doing not one but two creepy comics, and we need all the scares we can get. What is this second scare-filled tome? I'll tell you what it is – it's a Christmas special.


It's yet to be named, but we're looking for yuletide based horror yarns along with the more general stuff.

HALLOWSCREAM GUIDELINES

Ideal submissions should be horror orientated and must be weird or spooky to make the final cut. We are mainly looking for completed comic strips between 1-7 pages in length. Script submissions should also preferably be around 1-7 pages in length. Eerie illustrations and artwork along with interesting horror/comic articles, scary short stories, petrifying poems or anything just plain creepy will also be considered. Take a look at our previous issues here.

XMAS SPECIAL GUIDELINES

Identical to the Hallowscream guidelines, but submissions must have either a Christmas or winter theme. Anything which doesn't meet that criteria will be more likely to end up in Hallowscream.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

If you're looking to illustrate something, get in contact and we'll give you details of available scripts.

We'll also consider material previously published elsewhere, as long as the contributors own the copyright.

Completed artwork can be either colour or black and white, and should preferably be A4 (21cm x 29.7cm) 300 dpi jpegs.

Submissions can be sent to merjeagles@yahoo.co.uk or ghastlymcnasty@backfromthedepths.co.uk

As this is a non-profit, small press publication, contributors will not be paid but they will retain copyright on any material submitted.

DEADLINES

Deadlines for the Hallowe'en and Christmas editions are identical. There's no need to point out which issue your story is meant for, as it should be obvious from the story's content.


  • Scripts, articles and text submissions : Sunday 22nd July
  • Artwork : Sunday 7th October
  • Completed strips : Sunday 21st October.

The finished issue of Hallowscream will be available online for FREE on October 31st. The finished issue of the Christmas special will likely be available online for FREE mid-December.

You will also be able to purchase print version via the online publishing site Lulu.

Official Release
#13
General / 2000AD Reboot - DC Styley
07 March, 2012, 02:13:44 PM
Has this been mentioned before? Not trying to cause a Mega-City riot, how would people feel about a 2000AD reboot.

With an ageing Dredd, and 35 years of lore, would a reboot make everything more accessible to new readers who might get drawn in by the new film.

I kinda know what the majority answer is going to be but don't flame me, just promoting interesting debate.

#14
Off Topic / Self Consumption
07 March, 2012, 12:54:19 PM
Inspired by the fascinating anthropological findings of the 'How do you wipe yours' thread I wondered which forum members enjoy eating their own waste products.

Now, I don't mean poo, that was covered in the other thread and the options were never front to back/back to front/slip your finger in for a scatty sherbet dip. Instead, I'm talking about other bits.

I enjoy biting my nails but avoid eating them, however, I do eat the little bit of skin you can find next to your nails. Also, I could live on bogies as they are delicious and finding a nice big juicy one up my nose is a real treat. However, scabs are a no-no for me but a delicacy for others.

How do you eats yours?
#15
Off Topic / PornPad
07 March, 2012, 11:01:06 AM
A rep at work has just delighted the office with an interesting anecdote.

He recently purchased a 16gb refurbed iPad from the Apple site for his 63 year old mother-in-law. Upon receiving the iPad for her birthday she switched it on to find that it would only work for 3 minutes at a time, and for those 3 minutes it would loop a scene from a porn video involving a German couple, a dog, and a donkey!

Stories coming from reps are usually bullshit but this tale seemed like an honest one.

He got a written apology from Apple, a groveling phone call, and a new 32gb iPad2. Considering his mother-in-law, his wife and his child all saw it, I think he could have hung on for much more.

Disgruntled Apple employee maybe?
#16
Creative Common / Anyone wanna make a webcomic?
11 January, 2012, 01:27:14 PM
Just been ch-ch-checking out some of the lovely webcomics over in this thread here.

Any of you creative types out there fancy making a webcomic with little old moi? I've an original story itchin' to be told, which would make a suitable webcomic. Just need pencils/inker/colourist/letterer and editor willing to commit to making a page a week for the next 3 years of theair lives!!!!!!! :o

I'd bring the web know how as that's what I do. Got some interesting ideas in that dept. too.

The finished work would also make a nice graphic novel. Who's in?
#17
Creative Common / Small press digital comics hub?
13 December, 2011, 08:23:47 PM
Anyone interested in digital downloads?

If 'someone' were to set up a website that sold digital downloads of UK small press comics, with all revenues going to creators, would people be interested in that? Or is that treading on the toes of selling hard copies?

[Emp edit: Split off from here.]
#18
Film & TV / Black Mirror
04 December, 2011, 09:42:16 PM
Amazing piece of TV currently on ch4. Dont catch the end of it. It's repeated an 4+1 at 10.00.

It's a total must watch.
#19
Film & TV / Death Valley
30 November, 2011, 11:37:24 AM
Has anyone else yet seen the U.S. TV show Death Valley?

It's a mockumentary style cop show about a police team that deals with the supernatural.

QuoteA year ago, vampires, werewolves and zombies mysteriously descended upon the streets of California's San Fernando Valley. Death Valley is the dark comedy that follows the cops that capture the monsters, and the camera crew that captures the cops.

Follow the horrific yet comedic exploits of the newly formed Undead Task Force (UTF), a division of the LAPD created to combat the emergence of monsters in the San Fernando Valley. Death Valley showcases the outrageous and courageous men and women working the toughest beat in the US: Death Valley.

It is amazingly funny! I've watched about 6 episodes (which clock in at a very handy 20 mins) and have had several splurting out my tea and crying with laughter moments. It's heavy on the gore and can be scary at times too however, it never takes itself too seriously.

More info
#20
Links / Experimental webcomics
18 November, 2011, 01:11:17 PM
Just surfing the web looking for ways of making a web comic stand out from the crowd. Came across Scott McClouds site and his section on experimental webcomics.

Especially interesting are:

Hobo Lobo of Hamelin
A stunning side scrolling web comic that work's really well. The 3D element is amazing.

Wormworld Saga/
Beautifully drawn vertically scrolling web comic.

Turbo Defiant Kimecan
Uses Flash, a simple click moves the story along. Looks purdy too.

Red Light Properties
Another nice click and read. Not Flash.

Bol
This is done with animated gifs and suits the subject.

Never Mind the Bullets
Uses HTML 5 but i'm not digging the scrolling though.

Shiga Books
Loved Fighting Fantasy and Choose Your Own Adventure as I kid so I enjoyed the comics you can find in the menu of this page. Try 'The Last Supper' or The Bum's Rush'

Bearmageddon
Just an example of a standard web comic, done well, for comparison. Plus it's a wicked story too.


I like the idea of the experimental ones but the normal way of doing it works just fine with me. Also, at least you have a print ready version if you go normal.