Messages

True.  John Burns is a fine, talented artist and I enjoy his work hugely, but for the climax of the series, it has to be you.  Let's hope John gets one last opportunity to shine in style to before that happens.

As I write this I've got around 8 more Dante Episodes to go ( around 50+ pages )
I think Burns has a good deal more than that and I'm sure he'll knock them out of the park as he usually does.

I've been promised the last episode and nothing will stop me from drawing it as soon as I have the script in my hand. It's been spinning around in my head for around 15 years now, I need to put that baby to bed!

[meaty]

Thanks to all of you for your enthusiasm and encouragement, that has meant a lot to me as I was working on Lilly & Cosmo over the last couple of years.

As of this morning 'Lilly Mackenzie & the Mines of Charybdis' has been temporarily removed from ACT-I-VATE.com while I go and draw some new pages and redraw some of the bits that need redrawing/splicing/extending. The new improved version will go back up online again after it sees print in the Judge Dredd Megazine ( dates to be announced )

I am also planning a French and Italian translation of Charybdis, which will debut online while I search for publishers in those countries.

In the mean time I've got a meaty ( and I do mean meaty ! ) chunk of Dante coming up around Xmas time. Then there will be the new Lilly storyline starting earlyish in the new year on ACT-I-VATE. So whether you like it or not, there's going to be a lot of me going on in the next 6 months or so.

Splundig Vur Thrigg

Simon.

A better preview image.

..and no I've not pitched Lilly to Rebellion yet, but I intend to...

[THE ACT-I-VATE PRIMER]

As some of you may be aware, when I'm not doing my dayjob of drawing THE ADVENTURES OF NIKOLAI DANTE in 2000AD, I write and draw LILLY MACKENZIE & THE MINES OF CHARYBDIS on ACT-I-VATE.

http://www.act-i-vate.com/9-1.comic

Well if you like that, then you might be interested to know that there's a whole new 12 page Lilly & Cosmo story featuring in THE ACT-I-VATE PRIMER.

As well as 15 other original stories by the premier webcomix collective, ACT-I-VATE, with a foreword by Warren Ellis, coming this October from IDW Publishing.

With its roster of renowned creators serializing webcomix for free since 2006, ACT-I-VATE, has reached a comicbook critical mass. Now this funnybook big bang has birthed The Act-i-vate Primer, the very first collection of stand alone, never-before-seen stories. This tome is a lot bigger than it seems. Each of these stories extend way beyond the boundaries of mere paper and cardboard out into ACT-I-VATE.com where you'll already be initiated to the worlds greatest webcomix collective.

The Act-i-vate Primer boasts original art and stories by Roger Langridge, Mike Dawson, Nick Bertozzi, Tim Hamilton, Dean Haspiel, Simon Fraser, Molly Crabapple & John Leavitt, Mike Cavallaro, Pedro Camargo, Jim Dougan & Hyeondo Park, Ulises Farinas, Michel Fiffe, Maurice Fontenot, Jennifer Hayden, and Leland Purvis.

"ACT-I-VATE makes comics better."
--Warren Ellis [from the ACT-I-VATE PRIMER foreward].



Diamond Item Code: AUG090968
ISBN: 978-1-60010-528-9

It's available for pre-orders from Diamond right now, so ask at your local retailer to be sure of getting a copy in October when the books hits the shelves.

There's going to be a fairly substantial ACT-I-VATE turnout at the Baltimore ComicCon in October to help launch the thing right. If you are likely to be there, then we would be very happy to see you.

End of Hype...

Simon Fraser.

just read Dante, and I must say - Mr Fraser has really upped his game here - his artwork seems far more detailed and delicate than the previous weeks, as if he has spent a lot more time than usual on it.

Dear all/

 Your kind words are very much appreciated concerning the artwork on this weeks Dante. I should point out that while only I seem to have been credited, this episode was pencilled by my studio mate and fellow ACT-I-VATEor Tim Hamilton //http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Hamilton_(illustrator) . The 2 parter was inked by yours truly and then coloured by Gary Caldwell as per usual.

Tim Has an adaption of Ray Bradburys FAHRENHEIT 451 coming out soon //http://us.macmillan.com/raybradburysfahrenheit451 which is superb and I heartily recommend it.

I'll pass all your comments on to Tim.

Thanks for reading.

Simon Fraser

//http://graphicnyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/around-world-with-simon-fraser.html Chris Irving Interviews ...um...me, with Photos by Seth Kushner. For their forthcoming NYC Graphic Novelists book. This is one in a series of Creator Interviews, all of which are worth your time.

Simon was it your auntie I spoke to at the Local Heroes exibition in Edinburgh? Lovely woman.

HaHAA! It was YOU!

Yes, you spoke to my Auntie Anne. You have no idea the effect that your little conversation had in my family.
I think I owe you a drink, at least.

Si.

Why are webcomics still portrait format rather than a more comfortable screen-shape?

Largely habit and keeping things simple for an eventual book reprint.
Act-i-vate is moving more towards the landscape format though. It works better.

Heheheh
That has been duly forwarded to all my Swahili speaking buddies.

Mzungu = Swahili for a person who ain't from around here, usually white.
Derived from 'Zungumsa' which means 'to travel', so a 'Mzungu' is someone who travels.

A MzunguSi  is a Si who travels

Here's something a bit different I've done

//http://www.smithmag.net/nextdoorneighbor/2008/09/14/story-12/

There's a lot of other good stuff on the SmithMag site too.

And for those of you not following the Adventures of Lilly and Cosmo, my other regular strip

//http://act-i-vate.com/9.comic

Have fun.

Simon.

1183 would have been my choice.

Si.

Link: http://www.simonfraser.net/Lilly-archive.htm" target="_blank">http://www.simonfraser.net/Lilly-archive.htm

http://www.simonfraser.net/ART/Lilly-pages/Lilly-banner.jpg">

An A5 Wacom Intuos tablet is absolutely fine for most things. The larger ones are actually quite hard work to use IMHO.

A friend of mine managed to blag a Cintique FOR FREE, as a marketing promotion ( bastard!). It is a mighty thing and no mistake, but they really need to build the computer into it.

Si.

Link: http://simonfraser.net/Lilly-archive.htm" target="_blank">Lilly Mackenzie and the Mines of Charybdis

http://simonfraser.net/Lilly-archive_files/Lilly-banner.jpg">

With Web publishing it's all about the product marketing itself. So while I could have hunted around and found a publisher for a 'Lilly' book in the US or France without a great deal of trouble, it would have to be published and then accompanied by a very significant promotion and marketing budget in order to get it noticed. That gives you a few weeks when your product is being projected as far into the full glare of the media as you can afford. Then it tails off rather alarmingly and unless you are really well known, that's almost the end of it. Outside of a 2000AD audience ( bless you all ) my name is worth diddly squat, so brand recognition won't do me any good.
Up until recently my options would have been to work in the superhero salt mines for a few years then try and move any following that I built up to a creator owned project at Image or somesuch. That sounds like a bit of a chore to me, so the web presents an interesting alternative route. One wherebye I can do exactly whatever the heck I please, stick it online and then see who bites. The 'Build it and they will come' approach.
Anyone wanting to print 'Lilly' on paper would be effectively buying reprint rights, but by that time the strip should have something of a following, so the marketing push can be more targeted and probably more effective. The online strip  effectively holds peoples loyalty and has the potential to sell ancillary items like t-shirts, mugs or even books. Print publishing becomes merchandising rather than the core business.
It's somewhat virgin territory, only a few people like Phil Foglio have managed to make this work, as yet, but there doesn't seem to be any great secret to it. If you can turn out good work consistently then you will get peoples attention.

Lets see how it goes.

Si.

Link: http://simonfraser.net/lilly.html" target="_blank">Lilly Mackenzie and the Mines of Charybdis

http://simonfraser.net/images/lilly/Lilly-2nd-site.jpg">

Charybdis is a classical reference. I thought it would be a good name for a planet of no return type thing.