Ramblings and webcomics from LeEMS
originally in the running to be my site mascot. Urgh threw the race so Idge could win. They’re good friends.
I just wanna draw all day, and tell stories…and draw.
Actually, my first graphics tablet. I’m really not used to digital painting or anything like that. I like pencils and pens. But I’m trying out new things. So here’s me playing around with a sketched out idea I had while writing Tattoo.
I think I said before, you know back in my first web comic love, that I would follow up with more as I had time to read more of the ones I had bookmarked that looked as if they were really smashing. Well, I’ve had a little time and they were really smashing. Here’s some more of the maybe-you-haven’t-found-these-yourself type of comics, that I’m only doing you a good turn by telling you about them–so that you’ve heard of them now.
Friends with Boys — Ok, so I was reading this and it was wonderful with a bit of quirky and I was really interested to see where it was going but it wasn’t there yet. Then, I go back to it (’cause it’s taking me a really long time to write this post) and it has a massive amount of new pages and now I cannot wait another second for the next page! Oh, and the drawing style is absolutely beautiful!
Todd Allison and Petunia Violet — The style is fresh, endearing, and colorful. I like how it just jumps into the everyday life just before the intrigue explodes and takes you along with it. The characters are explained as the action progresses; yes, a great way to hook a reader. I am hooked!
Sfeer Theory — Really gorgeous and polished. I don’t know about you, but I often find it hard to get into a story that is also building a completely different world with hierarchies and vocabulary. I mean, it’s a hard thing to do–take a story completely out of reality as we know it and not belabor the process. Well, I am completely intrigued in this world, and really want to see where it’s going.
Fishbones — Nice style! Good story set up…surprised and liked the flash-back pages. Yes. Page 52, introduce new character as liking Giallo films, do I need any other reason to like this comic? (and yes, I owe all my knowledge of Giallos to Richard and doomedmoviethon, but you’ve been there, right? trying to explain something to someone and having to give a history lesson just to get to your original point. It’s nice to find people who just know.)
Dresden Codak — Oh it’s so pretty. And though I am still confusingly wrapped up in story lines and another world (like I said–hard to do right), I am still eyes-glued-to-screen on every single page. This is a comic that somehow creates a fabulous, complicated, touchable group of characters with a few words and drawn expressions.
Octopus Pie — is about two women living in Brooklyn. From the description, I have to admit, I didn’t really think it would appeal to me, but I had hopped to it from another comic that I already liked who liked it and then I couldn’t stop reading. I. Couldn’t. Stop.
The Meek — This is another some-other-world one that starts out all wild girl in the woods and ends up genie in a bottle who is going to take over your soul and end the world. After it hurts people that is. No, not horror. Definitely fantastical and earthy at the same time.
2D Goggles or the Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage — Did anyone else have to take History of Computers in school? Is this dating me? I came from the time when schools realized that computers were the coming thing but they were still new enough to need a full introduction to ignorant children. The point being, I had to study Charles Babbage and his Analytical Machine. I never thought I’d be using my learning to read comics one day.
Badirfilay — So pretty and weathered and gloomy and really just starting up. Even so, it’s been picked up my Manga Magazine. I”m excited to see where it’s going. I love the secret underbelly of society thing. Or, is it the secret controlling force of society thing?
Johnny Wander — What can I say… I am not the first to stumble upon this comic, think it was pretty spiffy and then promptly fall in love with all the characters. I have feelings of the stalker in me: I want to meet them and shower adoration upon them…only I’d freeze up and not be able to say anything ’cause that’s how I am. The rapper Adam WarRock mentioned in his forward to volume 2 that the comic felt like home when you were home sick. I’d have to agree.
Band Vs Band –Did you know I got a box set of Jem and the Holograms for Christmas. Band vs. Band by Kathleen takes all the best parts of cartoon bands and makes them gorgeous! I love the magazine covers and the band interviews.
Bucko — by Jeff Parker and Erica Moen, billed as a comical murder-mystery. Not sure where this is going but it is fantastic so far with a host of unique characters that split the action without managing to make it confusing at all. It makes me think of Canada, but I have never been there.
The first book I ever took a whack at, Penelope Sea and Ocean End, needs some massive editing. I think I am just getting into the mood for that too. This is Penelope.
A little while ago I was playing around with seamless patterns–the manual way. I had a few sketches hanging around in my folders and I finally got around to coloring this one today.
In case you didn’t know, the manual way of seamless patterns is to get yourself a square sheet of paper and draw on it. Fill it up to the edges as much as you can. Now cut your square into four squares and tape them back together so the top right square is on the bottom left, top left – bottom right, bottom right- top left and so on. Then draw again. Now scan.
The only problem I always run into is that I use cheap paper which inevitably warps and expands with the moisture of my hands while I’m drawing. Thus I have no really perfect seamless patterns. Shucks.
Back in my first Indie Comics Etsy haul I also ordered Oleander & Mint. I had gone out in search of this after meeting the writer through my husband, and it deserves a post separate from the haul.
It reminds me of Faulkner, or more specifically of As I lay Dying. It is filled with beautiful desolate characters and an almost stream of consciousness narrative, and contrasted with lovely, graphic, and stylized illustrations. I very heartily recommend it.
The web site is fabulous as well. It will tempt you into spending oodles of time there. Buy the book at the Oleander & Mint Etsy Shop.
Happy Year of the Dragon! I got all year to say it, so its ok that I’m late. 🙂
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore on Vimeo is beautiful and lovely as it sneaks up on you and makes you cry.
Hey! Didja know the Doomed Moviethon girl is mine too? Or, er, mine and Richard’s. Only that I don’t draw her near as much as he would like me too. Yes, that is her with my cat, Sparkles.
If you didn’t know about Doomed Moviethon you should head over there and check it out. It is replete with fabulous reviews of sometimes horrible horror movies. Sometimes good ones too. All fabulous reviews, though.
Dunno if you’ve noticed, but I like to commit to crazy creative challenges. I keep finding out about ones that have just passed without my knowlege (like hourly comics day). So in an attempt to miss as few as possible, I’m planning.
Inktober – an ink drawing a day throughout October: no pencils, no erasers.
24 hour comics day – registration open in June. This was a crazy day to get through the first time I did it, but I ended up drawing a story I probably would never have come up with otherwise.
NaNoWriMo – November writing challenge. I’ve signed up every year since I first heard about it in 2008. I have only won twice. There is something magical about having a quest, a goal, a crusade to throw yourself into the moment you get home from work.
Jason Turner Project or Page 100 – where you make a comic of the 100th page of a favorite book. I was so excited about this I rushed to my book room to grab one of my childhood favorites and realized that I’ll probably have to re-read the thing in order to get it right.
Allison Lehman’s 30 Day drawing challenge – I was looking around for more challenges and I found this. I like the list and the idea of compiling a challenge of one’s own. So the months outside of October and November are prime for this.
