Issue Four, Page Three...Return to Stickboy's Dorm Room!

So here's page three with comments below...

So returning to Stickboy's dorm room, which I haven't drawn a scene in since 1999, feels like full circle. Nostalgia just oozes out of the page. His room is the same color as issue one (has he had the same dorm room for 15+ years?!?). The fourth panel where he greets Psychoboy is a parallel to the panel where we first see Psycho in issue one. And, yes, I can check my Chiggy cameo off on the first panel there (that particular pose is the one he had on my old student website back in 2000).

The poster in the background was something I thought of at the last minute since I wasn't sure if all the dialog on the page would even allow for much in the background. If you've followed me from beginning you'll recognize this as an image I did for my first Youtube video, symbolizing other concepts of mine I would like to make into comics someday.

Now that we've established our characters, it's time for the campaign. Up next, I'll be scripting the rest of the issue and doing Psychoboy's campaign site (electpsychoboy.com). Psycho's campaign posts will be taking over the social media updates mostly, though I'll still be letting you guys know when pages are done and various other updates on what I'm doing (like the release and variant cover for issue three within the next couple weeks). 

So be prepared, Psychoboy is coming to an internet near you! Start feeling dread now!

Issue Four, Page Three Colors...Here's Psychoboy!

Here's the colors for page three. Ah, the bland color of Stickboy's dorm room feels like coming home. I'll be posting the complete page tomorrow.

 

Issue Four, Page Three Inks...Hey, it's Stickboy!

Inks for page three are done. We return to Stickboy's dorm room not seen since issue one. I'll be pulling an existing pic of Psycho and warping it for what's through the peephole in panel three.  

Issue Four, Page Two Done! The Many Firings of Psychoboy!

Here's the page with commentary below... 

 

 

Panel 1- The color scheme and uniforms are based on Mooby's in Kevin Smith's movies (most notably it was used as the setting for Clerks 2), again with the idea that my characters occasionally wander into the View Askew universe.

 

Panel 2- I kept trying to think of inappropriate bands/musicians for a Catholic church when Marilyn Manson popped in my head. I chuckled and that's usually when I know a gag works for me.

 

Panel 3- It was a real thrill drawing Green Ranger here. Obviously this is Psycho getting fired from his position as Lavender Ranger in Super Rangers (as seen in issue three). The kitten orphanage was the worst possible thing I could think of he could have stepped on with his zord.

 

Panel 4- Who could resist a Miley Cyrus VMA gag?

 

Panel 5- I love this monologue.

 

Next up, page three and Stickboy!

Issue Four, Page Two Colors...Purple Bears and Green Rangers

Here's the colors on page two.  You can probably tell who Psychoboy is getting fired by in most of the panels by now. I'll be lettering and finishing up the page today hopefully.

 

Issue Four, Page Two Inks...Rejection in Black and White

Just finished with page four inks. These panels were fun but a lot of work as the epic firings continue. A malware attack that lost me most of the afternoon yesterday has pushed me behind schedule but I'll get it at least partly colored tonight.

 

 

Issue Four, Page One...The Many Jobs of Psychoboy!

So here's the first page of issue four with commentary below...

 

So one of the problems with putting this series out in my spare time is it's just a few short stories a year making ongoing gags that would go through a full length monthly series impossible. So readers are missing out on the ongoing gag I had planned where Psychoboy has a different job, girlfiend, car, hobby, etc. everytime you see him. So a short called the "Many Jobs of Psychoboy" popped in my head, showing briefly a sampling of Psycho's jobs.

 

But then I was wondering how to end it. What do you do after you've been fired from every job in existence? Well then you try for a job that requires no qualifications or work experience....namely a seat in Congress, duh. And so that spun the story in a whole new (and longer) direction and it became "Psychoboy Goes to Washington."

 

This is the first story told from Psychoboy's perspective. Stickboy will be showing up later, but it's Psycho's show for the most part.

 

The second panel is one of the most challenging to draw  in the issue since I rarely draw cars, much less ones in a wreck. It also features the third appearance of my Officer Barbrady parody character. I really need to give this guy a name by now.

The background gags in the third panel actually happened organically as I created it. I ended up with way more empty space than I wanted after drawing the characters and the flaming car, but I didn't feel like drawing garage equipment or more mechanics. Then I remembered seeing some pin-up girl art in a garage with some hilariously suggestive car mantiance language on it, jokes about lube and dip sticks and all that. So I decided to do some exaggerated versions of that. At some point the name "Quicky Lube" popped in my head as the name of the place.

 

The layout on the first few pages is simple enough that I'm actually scripting it as I go. I'll have a whole script done by the time I get to page four so that I know exactly how to pace the rest of the story.

Issue Four, Page One Colored....Cars Be A Burning

Here's the colors and background letters on page one. How is it that even when I'm not doing an action story, I'm still coloring smoke and fire? Gotta love Psychoboy.

Issue Four Character Designs...Dressed For Success Or Something Like That

So while I'm coloring the first page of issue four, here's the character designs I inked and colored last night. These are the outfits Stickboy and Psychoboy will be wearing most of the issue. I plan to use variants of these images in promotional art and, hopefully in the issue itself.

 

Since I didn't want to do black or gray suits, I decided to jazz it up and dress up each in their Super Ranger color from issue three. So here they are, ready to campaign the hell out of this election. Watch out democracy, here they come!

 

 

 

Issue Four, Page One Inks...Psychoboy's Odd Jobs

Figured I'd show you guys the progress on the first couple pages of this issue until Psychoboy's campaign site is ready to rock. Here's the inks on a page showing Pscyhoboy's struggle in the current job market...

 

College Follies at Winston-Salem Comic Con and NC Comicon this fall!

So here's my next two conventions. Winston-Salem Comic Con is happening again on September 13 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $1.  It's once again at the Bolton Home and Garden Building, 421 West 27th Street, at Gate 9 of the Dixie Classic Fair Ground in Winston-Salem, NC. I'll have print copies of the variant and regular edition of the first two issues there along with prints...and the print copies of issue three, which will get it's digital release on Amusedom and DriveThruComics the first week of September! I'm hoping to have the variant cover for issue three done as well, but that's tentative at this point. I will definitely be working on issue four, so stop by Psychoboy's campaign headquarters and say "Hi!"

Then on November 15 and 16, I'll be at the NC Comicon at the Durham Convention Center, 301 West Morgan St. in downtown Durham. This is a massive convention with big name creators so admission is $35 for two days or $20 for one. The show goes from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday the 15th and then from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday the 16th. I'll have regular and variant editions of the first four issues of the series! It's my biggest con yet and I'll have a big set up to match. I'll have a screen set up so you can watch me color a page and I'll even be doing sketches that I'll ink and color on the computer. This is the big one, guys!