All of us here at Tall Tale Features are very happy to present the newest member to be added to our roster, the talented and funny Mr. Jonathan Lemon! You may already recognize his name from his brilliant syndicated comic Rabbits Against Magic which you can read over at GoComics. For those of you meeting Lemon for the first time, you can get to know him through his very touching bio over on the Cartoonists page.

Lemon stuck his foot in the door to Tall Tale Features a while back by playing roving reporter for Tall Tale Radio on more than one occasion (you can find those episodes next to his name on this list). Apparently, no amount of slamming would get him to remove that foot, so we figured we might as well just let him in. As it turns out, we are all very honored to have him on the team and feel he’s going to be a great addition to the site.

So please join us in giving him a big warm welcome! Oh and drinks for everyone! Lemon’s buying.

Sit back, grab a cold one, and listen to Michael Cavna talk about million dollar comic books, animation Oscars, the future of the iPad generation, and celebrity interviews.  Michael does the most excellent “Comic Riffs” column over at the Washington Post, and if you go through his archives, you’ll see he’s talked to everybody you’ve ever wanted to talk to in the comics/film/entertainment world. He’s an amazing resource of information, and a damn nice guy to boot…so we can’t hate him for his stunning job too much.

His column is required reading every day, so get over there, and join in the discussion!

Reviewers: Brian Anderson & Irma Eriksson

ART

Brian: If you’ve seen Moon Town I’m sure you’d agree there is no need to review the art. It is insanely beautiful. Each comic looks like stills from an animated movie. The art sucks you right into the panels and you are there, on the moon.

Now beautiful art is one thing. Add on top of that Steve’s clean, crisp sequential abilities and you’ve the got the makings of a hit. His use of special effects blends right into the story. No jarring motion lines or forced Photoshop effects (unless Steve has a secret ILM plugin he’s not sharing).

Irma: The art for Moon Town made a huge first impression on me. I immediately liked the style of the art from the first page that loaded. It’s just beautiful and inspiring to look at. Smooth lines and solid, bold colors. There is attention to detail, but at the same time it’s not so much that it would distract from that cartoon feel. And I really like the cartoon look of it. I feel like I can easily see this in animated form.

The palette Steve has chosen for this comic is perfect to set the mood of the strip. Dark shades that help portray that something sinister is going on, something hiding from us in the dark (both literally and figuratively). There’s a lot of contrasting combinations of blues/purples and orange/yellows that is really pleasing to the eye. You get the feeling that you are in the monochromatic wasteland that is the moon, but with something beautiful and exciting about it.

One thing that always sticks out for me: Steve really knows how to make lights shine and glow. as if there was a real bulb glowing right there in the strip. Very effective.

WRITING

Brian: Far to often in comics, the opening is piled high with back story. Steve jumped right into the story and keeps things moving. Word balloons aren’t stuffed to the bursting point with back story. Characters aren’t rattling off information that other characters should know.

Steve’s characters talk like you think they should. They fit in their world. In chapter two, Simon wakes up to the news, brushes his teeth and heads off for work. Now, in many stories you would skip scenes like this, except here, Steve brilliantly offers up some exposition in the form of the news all the while using his stellar sequential skills to show the drudgery of Simon’s daily routine. Artists take note: this is how you do it.

There are a few shaky moments. When Simon heads off to find Sinclair, things slow down a bit and Flagg prattles on and on. And when Simon picks up Quinn, it’s a touch odd that Quinn thinks Simon is guilty of shooting her down. We’ll see how that pans out in future episode.

Irma: The things that are most important with me when it comes to writing are pacing, and believable dialog between characters. The strips flow well from one to the other. The pacing of the story is good. I don’t feel rushed through it, and I don’t feel it dragging either (besides wanting the next update to be up already yesterday!). At the the latest point in this story, the characters are concerned about some mysterious and serious happenings on the moon, but this concern is mixed with some banter which I find fun and engaging. There is a good balance of dialog and art used to tell the story. The silent strips are just as important to the plot as the rest of them. And even in strips that aren’t silent it’s sometimes the silent elements that are cleverly used to reveal something more. (I won’t give an example as I don’t want to spoil the fun for new readers).

A final little note on the writing (perhaps this is more appropriate in the “art”category): I like the use of yellow speech bubbles vs. white speech bubbles to differentiate the character speaking over a transmission vs. “in person.” It works quite well and makes the dialog easy to follow.

CHARACTER DESIGN

Brian: The concept work is amazing. Everything fits. Like any animated movie, you get the sense that Steve put enough work into the preliminary designs that there could be an “Art Of” book.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Brian: This one is visually one of the best comics out there. The story starts strong without the shackles of back story. The one negative I can think of is that not an awful lot happens in each episode. Yet the strip updates three days a week and the oversized panels are powerful landscapes of sequential bliss.

Irma: As someone who knows something about web design, I have to give the website design a big thumbs up. I think, personally, that it’s important to have a good, personalized design to your site that compliments your comic and is consistent with the mood. Putting some work into how you present your comic on the web shows something about how serious you are about it. The design of the Moon Town site is clean and consistent with the comic. The dark, cool colors of the site both match comic and help it stand out from the page without clashing.

Finally, the only bad thing I can say about Moon Town is that I can’t stop worshiping it. And I’m not so sure what that says about my skills as a critic.

Michael J. Fox might have gone back to the future, but Lora Innes and I go back to the past! The writer and artist of the brilliant “The Dreamer,” an adventure/romance about a 17 year old girl who seems to be living two lives…one in a modern day high school and the other in 1776 at the height of the Revolutionary War…joins me for a spirited talk about history, comics, art, character writing and more history! (We sort of geek out a little…so forgive us a little historical indulgence!) I had a blast talking to her about one of my favorite subjects.

Lora is also involved in great charity work through the Comics Creators Alliance, doing her part to bring awareness to the very real problem of human trafficking.  More chances to help out will be coming, so keep your eyes there and learn more about this horrifying problem.

And, congrats to Brock Heasley on his team’s stunning last minute victory over at Zuda.com.  Be sure to check out Monsterplex! You can check out my recent interview with him, artist David Schlotterback and colorist Mike DeVito. Obviously, that’s what put them over the top!

“Promise me you’re never going to do this again!”

That’s what my wife Erin said to me over the phone as soon as she found out. And after she screamed with delight. My response?

“You got it.”

This month has been a whirlwind of hard work and emotions for me and my family. In my adult life, I learned a long time ago what it really means to work hard for something. You almost have to not care about the outcome. You just do the work that needs to be done. Focus on that and, even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll at least know you did everything you could. Most of your satisfaction will come from just knowing that, no matter what the result.

But…sometimes things come together perfectly and you win one! Now that’s a sweet feeling. MONSTERPLEX has been a 2 year journey for me. 2 years. David came on around the same time, and Mike about a year later. Having now won…I’m still in a kind of shell-shock.

I’m still there and if there’s one feeling that’s overriding all others it’s this: gratitude.

You are all awesome. If someone asks you today, “Are you awesome?” You will be able to say “Yes, I am awesome.” If that same person fires back with “How do you know?” you will turn to that person and say, simply, “Because MONSTERPLEX won.”

I really, truly feel as though this win is because of all of you. I wish I could thank you all individually, but there’s no way I possibly can. There’s too many of you! We’re humbled by that. Truly humbled. We could not have done it without all of you and I’m just so amazed by how everyone came out to support us. I see all of you as a part of this thing with us.

I do need to name at least three people that were INTEGRAL to this success:

To our wives Erin, Tracy and Lauren. They took this journey with us, fought for us and, in some ways, it meant even more to them!

Also, thanks to David Schlotterback and Michael DeVito for doing this thing with me. They make it look like I can write.

To that I would also like to thank my girls, Elora and Cami for putting up with Dad spending hours at the computer and in the bedroom doing interviews. I hope they enjoy Monsterplex for many years to come.

Now…a lot of you are asking, what’s next? What’s next is that we’re going to disappear for a little while. Maybe 2 or three months. During that time, we’ll going to be heavy into production on MONSTERPLEX. Then, soon, Monsterplex will restart on Zuda and you’ll get one new page a week for one solid year. We have a contract. We will fulfill it. (We will be paid!) We are excited.

During that time, we hope the popularity of MONSTERPLEX can grow. If it does sufficiently, DC/Zuda will renew our contract and maybe one day you’ll see it in print! We hope so! This thing is for real now and we want to make good on the promise we’ve shown this past month.

But besides all that…we think you’re in for a real treat. We have a fantastic, fantastic story planned. It’s got twists, turns, suspense, cliffhangers, romance, violence, comedy, monsters galore, mystery…man, MONSTERPLEX has it all.

Stick with us. It’s gonna be one heckuva ride!

One more time…THANK YOU!

More later. Much more.

-Brock

P.S. Keep your eye on the blog, you never know when it might update!

People never ask me, “Lucas, can you explain your comic creation process?” Well, I’m going to answer none of those people, right now!

First, and foremost, it’s all about the content. You must have content, people. I can’t stress that enough. Without something, you have nothing. Think about it.

Sometimes, however, finding decent subject matter can be difficult. I find that reading the news, eavesdropping in on confessionals, or copying Witmer’s ideas can provide a substantial amount of content to feed the creative beast within.

But if that creative beast has indigestion, or is a picky eater or something, I just go for the ol’ reliable, and easy feeding-tube method:

Human suffering.

Okay, good, I have subject matter. Now, it’s time to brainstorm.

I usually doodle my ideas on a Canson, 9×12 inch sketch pad using a 0.7 mechanical pencil, but I’m not adverse to using napkins or paper plates with crayons.

After I’m less than satisfied with my ideas, I take a quick break.

Now, it’s time to start the penciling process! Yep, penciling. I go old school. No Cintique for me. What do you want from me, people? It’s not like I have Bill Amend money!

The tools I use are Micron Pigma pens, .07 mechanical pencils, 11 x 14 inch Stathmore Bristol smooth paper, and a Sanford Design kneaded eraser. What is a kneaded eraser? Well, it looks like a big, gray elephant booger, but it lifts pencil marks beautifully, without leaving those little eraser boogers. Notice, I’ve said boogers a lot here. HA! Boogers.

Anyway, I usually do two comics per page at 13.5×5 inches. I go a little larger than your standard strip size, because that’s how I roll.

After I pencil, I ink the letters first. This is important because the script can make or break a strip. It should be given much attention. Probably even more than the art. Apparently, I forgot to do that here, because it appears I’m inking the character first. This is one of those frequent moments where I say, “do as I say, and not as I do.” Look people, I’m a dumbass. Let’s move on.

After I do all the inking, I use the elephant booger to erase the pencil lines. HA! Booger.

Next, I scan the comic and clean it up in PhotoShop.
After that, I adjust the size of the strip, proof it, and send it off to GoComics!

Done!

Finally, after this long, arduous and painstaking 12-hour process, I visit my local watering hole to wet my whistle and celebrate a job well done.

Because that’s how I roll. Good times.

Ha! Boogers.

To see the finished comic, visit GoComics.com!

Eddie Pittman’s “Red’s Planet” has already leaped boldly into the webcomics scene with it’s stunning art and engaging story. You can immediately tell there’s a real artist at work, and it’s no wonder…Eddie spent a number of years at Disney as an in-betweener and clean-up artist, does storyboards and illustration professionally, is a top-notch character designer, and taught aspiring Disney artists. I’d say he’s qualified to kick some graphic novel butt.  We talk “Red’s Planet,” Disney, animation in general, art, and Saturday Morning Cartoons!

Don’t miss my little tribute to Mike Witmer’s “Pinkerton,” celebrating his 500th comic! And stay tuned at the end for a visit from someone from sitcoms long past!

Reviewers: Lucas Turnbloom, Chip Skelton, and Mike Witmer

Synopsis from MLS’s website: Misery Loves Sherman is about a shy and sometimes snarky kid who lives in two worlds. the outside world where he gets beat up (especially by his sister, Fran) and is tortured daily by his parents, teacher, classmates and, especially, his sister. In his room, however, two aliens live with him and provide a whole different world of adventure, excitement and chaos.

Rotation: New strips post Monday thru Friday.

Art

Lucas: I’m going to say something that’s probably pretty obvious “Misery Loves Sherman” is a beautifully illustrated comic strip. I can’t look at it and not be impressed with his character designs, usage of contrast, line control, and layout, etc. Let’s face it, dude knows what he’s doing.

One of my initial thoughts when I was introduced to “MLS,” was it was reminiscent of the first few years of “Calvin and Hobbes.” However, I soon realized that my first impression was wrong. Sure, Watterson’s influence was there, but Chris’ style much tighter and cleaner, where as Watterson treats ink more like a wet medium. No, “MLS” appears to be more heavily influenced by the 1940s and 50s Googie/Populuxe art style. In my humble opinion, “MLS” has more in common with the “Jetsons” “Ren and Stimpy,” and the “Incredibles,” than it does to “C&H.” Which is just as cool.

One of the things that has fascinated me about the strip is the characters’ appearances haven’t really evolved much from their introduction. Sure, Sherman’s hair is constantly changing, and he’s shrunk a little — as have Benny and Zort — but the overall look has remained pretty solid. This isn’t a bad thing, of course. It actually says a lot about Chris as an artist. He’s sure of his craft, and of his characters. I wish I could say the same.

Chris is a pro when it comes to lettering. Seriously, Google him sometime. It makes me jealous. Very, very jealous. However, early on in the strip, Chris started using a heavier line for his lettering. This made the panels feel heavier in a way, and was somewhat distracting. Especially, when he started using more contrast in the strip. I think Chris may have noticed this too, because he eventually went back to a thinner line. Which was absolutely the right choice. The thinner lettering compliments his art beautifully. Dig through the archives, you’ll see what I mean.

I love this strip. Not only is the art rock solid, it’s family friendly. Which is refreshing in the world of webcomics. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Buy the book while you’re at it. I did.

Mike: I do get rare flashes of Calvin in the Sherman character. I hate to say that because it’s become so cliche. But Chris’s art style is so well thought out (or at least it feels like it). He has a knack for directing your eye thru each panel.

Writing

Chip: When I started reading Misery Loves Sherman I was immediately struck by how much it brought to mind my all-time favorite strip, Calvin and Hobbes. Instead of a stuffed animal, however, MLS has aliens. Unfortunately, the comparison did not favor Misery Loves Sherman. I loved Calvin because I could identify with him. Heck, my Dad (who looks alot like Calvin’s Dad) often said that I did a lot of the same things Calvin did. Calvin wasn’t always a victim, nor was he always a jerk. He was someone we either knew or were.

With Chris Eliopoulos’ Sherman I found the perpetual victim. He is a cute punching bag for everyone. Sherman just seems to drift through life buffeted by the whims and aggression of those around him.

Similarly, those characters around him seem to only exist to use, abuse, or disillusion the poor kid. This worked for the first several strips, but the running gag grew tired and depressing after a while. By the time I reached the current strip, even though I liked some of the jokes, I was sort of numb to the whole affair, and found I had detached from the on-going story of poor, old Sherman.

I think the strip has a very wonderfully diverse and creative cast of characters. From Zort, the wanna-be world dominator to Larry the Leech, Chris has a great sandbox to play in. I love the characters. My favorite is Mort, the kid Death that appears now and again. It’s a shame that these great characters only have one cord to play. With such a strong and original ensemble cast, I really wish they could be more well-rounded, and less dependent on the cliches they seemed trapped to play.

Overall, I think both the characters and scenes in the strip should be allowed to breath.

Life isn’t always a purposeless downer. Maybe Sherman’s Dad could be something other than a jerk, or Zort could profess his tender love of kitty cats, or Sherman could be something either than a victim. Surprise me. Let me invest in these characters by making them more than walking and talking personifications of a manic-depression.

Mike: I’d have to disagree with Chip on this one. I did feel some of the comparisons to C&H when the strips centered around Sherman’s family. But I love the aliens and there were glimpses of personality flaws with them…example: Zort getting the hairpiece. I feel they add a bizarre take to the strip that compliments Sherman’s existence in the panels.

Lucas: I think I have to disagree with Chip too. I don’t know that I see Sherman as a perpetual victim. More like the straight man surrounded by zany personalities. And honestly, that doesn’t bother me. I actually kind of like it that way.

Mike: Plus, the title IS “Misery Loves Sherman.” Seriously tho, I can see how some folks would feel this way. I guess I was distracted enough by the cast.

Character Design

Mike: I went thru a large portion of Miserly Loves Sherman to get an idea of who the characters were. I came out being a bigger fan of the strip because of it.

Thanks to Chris’s drawing style and brush lines, it’s easy to immediately compare his main character, Sherman, to that dreaded comparison that every “young boy” comic strip unfairly receives…Calvin. Hell, MLS COULD be drawn by Watterson…the influence is there, there’s no doubt about that.

The truth is, I found myself not caring about the humans in Misery Loves Sherman. Not much, anyway…

I believe MLS’s strongest characters are the non-human types. I tend to find myself captivated by Zort and Benny, Sherman’s alien roommates. Whenever they appear, they steal the show. Great antics. Great expressions. Chris seems to have invested time in getting to know who they are. So, to me, they were the most appealing.

Same goes for the more obscure characters: Action Figure Guy, The Sock-Eating Monster, Death, The Tooth Collector (don’t call him a fairy!), Larry the Leech. These were the characters I felt drawn to because of the “color” and uniqueness they brought to the strip.

Lucas: Ditto with what Mike said. The strongest characters are absolutely the non-human types. Which if you read my strip, I’m all in favor of.

Final Thoughts

Mike: Okay, I’ll take this one…My only complaint about this strip is that I wish Chris was a little stronger with his web presence. It deserves to be seen. His website is a little vague. If I were behind this strip, I definitely wouldn’t be afraid to “pimp” it out a little more.

It’s time to talk Zuda with Tall Tale Features very own Brock Heasley, he of “The Superfogeys” fame.  Brock has written a wicked-cool comic called “Monsterplex,” and he’s got it entered into the monthly contest over on Zuda.  Brock did a great interview recently over on the wonderful Comics Coast to Coast site, but this time, he’s brought reinforcements!  Joining me are artist Dave Schlotterback and colorist (and Th3rd World mogul) Mike DeVito. We talk about the whole Zuda experience, the background of “Monsterplex,” and how each gentleman fits into the puzzle. We also talk comic book influences, and a discussion about the future of comic books in the upcoming post-iPad world we’re going to find ourselves living in!

Check out “Monsterplex” at Zuda.  Register, vote, favorite it, comment on it…all these things will help it win this month’s contest and give Brock and his worthy crew the coveted one-year contract with DC comics!  Also be sure to check out their great blog, constantly updated with cool stuff.

Dan Piraro of “Bizarro” joins me today. He’s one of my favorite cartoonists of all time, and we talk about his 25 years in the biz! Find out why B. Kliban’s book “Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head” changed his life…learn about the symbols he hides throughout his comic…Find out about the animated film by his friend Nina Paley, who introduced him to the Cintiq…learn how this self-professed introvert did a stand-up comedy tour! “Bizarro” truly is one of my favorite all time comics, so it was quite the honor and pleasure to talk to Dan, and his candor and humor make this one of my favorite interviews.