Comic Book In-A-Box. John E. Thompson ITGM705 Professor Delao Project A Proposal

Transcription

1 Comic Book In-A-Box John E. Thompson ITGM705 Professor Delao Project A Proposal

2 Comic Book In-A-Box Table of Contents Introduction... 3 Look and Feel Exploration... 5 Prototype Part I... 8 Progress Report Final Prototype Final Prototype Pages Clamshell Box Covers Final Thoughts Newest Images

3 Book in a Box In 1963 the first book in a box, a French novel written by Marc Saporta, titled Composition No. I was published. A novel (no pun intended) idea, the book was actually not bound at all, merely a sheaf of loose papers printed on one side. The reader then was instructed to shuffle the pages into a random order and read it like that. There have been a few other books created similarly, some in very nice clamshell boxes, but they are fairly rare to come across. I think the idea of a small scale interactive book, 3 x 4, printed on a cardstock to aid in shuffling, would be an engaging interactive experience for anyone who enjoys short fiction and sequential narrative. I plan on creating this as a sequential project with about panels or pages. The story would almost never be the same. I plan on packaging this in a clamshell box, much like the examples I have come across, and also adding a piece of ribbon or shoelace and punching holes on the left side of the book. This will allow the reader to temporarily hand-bind the work and allow for ease of reading. Below are some links to articles about the Saporta book. marc-saporta/ 3

4 Pages measure 3.5 x 4. There is a I /2 margin on the left side with a I /4 hole-punch. This will allow the reader to use the binding string provided to temporarilly bind the book for ease of reading. The art area measures 2-3/4 x 3-3/4 with an additional I /8 safe area. Art will either be in black & white or duotone. 4

5 Look and Feel Exploration While beginning the preliminary exploration for this project I had been doing some other research into Golden-Age comic book characters that have fallen into the public domain. I had recently finished reading both volumes of Paul Karasik s books on cartoonist Fletcher Hanks, You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation and I Will Destroy All Civilized Planets. The books are a partial biography, partial collection of all of Hanks work including all appearances of the characters Stardust and Fantomah. Both characters have appeared in various, unrelated publications over the past few decades as well as other characters from comic publishing s Golden-Age, generally considered the years covering Intro panel from a Stardust story. Story and art by Fletcher Hanks. c Another character that has fallen into the public domain included the Black Terror. Created by comic writer and editor Richard E. Hughes and artist Don Gabrielson, The Black Terror first appeared in Exciting Comics #9 cover dated, January of With a striking black costume that featured gold trim, a blue and red cape, domino mask and a skull-and-crossbones chest emblem, Bob Benton, the alter ego of the Black Terror, was by day a pharmacist who, with the use of formic ethers, was granted powers such as super strength and invulnerability. His junior partner, Tim Roland also exposes himself to the ethers and joins him in his fight against crime. Intro panel from a Fantomah story. Story and art by Fletcher Hanks using the pen name Barclay Flagg. c The character has been revived many times, and has at certain points appeared in multiple publisher s books at the same time. 5 Cover to Exciting Comics #9, Jan Art by Elmer Wexler.

6 The character follows a long line of similar costumed avengers. The mystery man portion mimics characters such as the Scarlet Pimpernel, Zorro, the Shadow and Batman. Another story reveals that the Black Terror is just one of a long, familial line of other Black Terror adventurers that preceded him reminiscent of Lee Falk s, The Phantom. Because there was an established history with the character I felt it would fit well within the story I wanted to explore. I did a few sketches and began with a bit of a character redesign. Throughout the years since World War II there have been many characters that have come and gone and come again with a more modern appearance. I wanted this to seem as if the character had been well established, much like DC Entertainment s Batman or Superman. I wanted to give the character a more modern, menacing appearance similar to what Frank Miller did with Batman in The Dark Knight Returns in I added a cowl to the costume and changed the jolly roger looking chest symbol with a more graphic looking version. I also wanted to develop a sense that he was a member of a supergroup similar to DC s Justice League or Marvel s Avengers. 6

7 Look and Feel Exploration-continued I began to also look at various typefaces. Because this was meant to be driven by both words and pictures, I wanted to convey the sense of a unified combination of type and art. I also wanted to give it a comic book appearance. I began to experiment with a variety of novelty and display typeface combinations. Fantique Four & Chalkboard Balloon & Cooper Black Crash Landing & Creative Block Batman Forever Outline & RedStateBlueState Newsflash & Twelve Ton Goldfish Feast of Flesh & SmackAttack 7

8 Prototype I Example 8

9 9

10 Progress Report Keeping in mind I knew this would be a pretty big row to hoe I knew I would have to plan a lot of this project ahead. As we get nearer to the deadline though I see that I am going to have to ramp up my production. I also see that it is getting much harder to develop a coherent story line when the pages are shuffled which I knew was probably going to be a possibility. Although, the original idea Marc Saporta presented when he first published Composition No. I was not necessarily to present a linear narrative I think the idea may be possible. In the case of this particular project though, I think that would require more planning than I have time for. Taking this into account as well as feedback from the class, I believe that the actual storyline will fall along the lines of what Grant Morrison describes in his book Supergods as using surrealsit methods: automatic writing, found ideas... deliberately elliptical...and provocative. (Morrison pp ) Morrison himself defines the late 1980 s and early 1990 s of comic books as The Art School lnvasion.lt was a time of great experimentation and, in fact, an interview with Alan Moore, writer of The Watchmen and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen during this period is where I first heard of the Saporta book. After all that wordy, expository introduction, I describe the storyline as being more trancelike as if the reader begins in a dreamstate. It will in all likely-hood not make a linear narrative but it will, I hope, be interesting and engaging none-theless. 10

11 Newest Images Images currently in progress 11

12 As you can see I have begun to illustrate and add the art to my page templates. I will have to admit that I need to ramp up my production but I am happy to be able to have an excuse to sit and draw for hours at a time. I do not get to do that very much anymore. I am also enjoying experimenting with various styles to fit the mood of each piece as if each page were to represent the work of a different era in comic book history. Some of it I go for a more dynamic Jack Kirby feel and some for the more nervous hatchwork of Robert Crumb. Some of it I try and push an old Golden-Age feel and some I push more toward the Dark-Age, post Dark Knight feel. I m excited to see how it all turns out as long as I can finish on time. I do plan to upload this as a do-it-yourself.pdf file when I submit my final piece as well if you are interested in trying it out yourselves. 12

13 13

14 14

15 Comic Book-in-a-Box Attached are ten pages encompassing the guts of the final piece. If you would like, print those pages on thick cardstock, cut carefully with a sharp knife, shuffle the pages, and give it a try. The feedback I have received has been pretty positive. I gave out test copies to a number of students at both schools I teach and also a few at the comic book store that I frequent and allowed them to experiment with the format. The thing most people found hard to grasp was the idea of a non-linear story but once they got started things went very smoothly. Most seemed to understand that the story was not necessarily meant to be a cohesive, linear story in the same sense as traditional storytelling methods. I would classify it as a successful test run. I have also included the cover design which is on the page following the 10 story sheets. The inside front cover gives a basic story setup as well as instructions on how to read the story. The back cover gives a little historical information on the main character, The Black Terror. I hope you enjoy your experience with this. 15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26 Covers Comic Book In-A-Box Front Outside The Black Terror Back Outside BEWARE! The Black Reality has been torn asunder. Bob The Black Terror Benton seems to be Terror the only person in the universe that is aware that anything has happened at all. Tossed through time and space, reality and unreality, only he is aware that something is wrong with the universe. Journey with The Black Terror on his terrifying travels as he experiences time, space and dimensional shifts. With this interactive experience you help create the story, each time with different results. Shuffle the pages and lace them together with the ribbon provided. When the story is done unlace, shuffle and read again. The Black Terror s fate is in your hands. Literally John E. Thompson The Black The original Black Terror first appeared in Smash Comics #9 dated January Terror 1941 in a story written by Richard E. Hughes and art by Don Gabrielson. The character has had a varried publishing history appearing in a number of publications by a number of publishers. In the character s origin story, pharmacist Bob Benton breathed in formic ethers which caused his skin to harden enough to stop bullets as well as endowed him with super strength. He used these powers dressed in skull emblazoned black jumpsuit with blue cape to fight crime. Early on in his adventures he teamed up with a junior partner named Tim Roland who wore an identical suit. The two battled crime throughout the 1940s as the Terror Twins John E. Thompson Front Inside Back Inside

27 Final Thoughts After revising this project I really had to do nothing to improve it. All-in-all I was very pleased with the final result. I have had a number of colleagues try this out and all said they thought it was very engaging and entertaining. Some of my associates within the comic industry have also encouraged me to see about marketing it. I have since thought of maybe revisiting it with a sequel but, at least until I finish my MFA, it will have to wait. 27