My webcomic is featured on The Duck Webcomics!

THE DUCK WEBCOMICS ADDED SUMMER TO WINTER ON ITS FEATURED LIST. You can check it out on: https://theduckwebcomics.com/Summer_To_Winter 

What to expect in my webcomic

I think it's a given that if you've been reading my blog, I have very strong opinions.

I also like being as informed about a variety of topics. 

I don't shy away from being uncomfortable when learning about new things.

I also try not to lay the emotional burden of information on friends and loved ones by trying to teach myself or passively learn from others who have already uploaded blogs, videos, and/or any kind of research.

So... SUMMER TO WINTER is a fluffy Slice of Life/Romance Comedy/School Life webcomic. But it will deal with topics such as racism, colorism, sexism, misogyny, health care, mental health, the state of public and private education in the US, as well as a host of other topics and social/societal issues.

Sexual acts and intimacies will be discussed between partners, spouses, and lovers in healthy ways. I will try to encourage and promote healthy romance (this does not mean CLEAN ROMANCE. There are other writers for that) and downplay and even discourage toxic relationship views.

My characters communicate. They talk a lot. I do, too, and what didn't help was I was a substitute teacher, a speaker at various functions such as Career Days, New Student Orientations, and workshops, as well as I was a former college lab tutor. But as an Introvert, those moments were also hell, no matter how small or large the crowd was.

I was raised by a school teacher and well-read and well-informed parents. Politics will be mentioned. Religion and Faith beliefs, too. My cast of characters are inclusive and varied, so cultural ideas will be mixed in as well as gender diversity. People exist and so they will they exist in my webcomic.

Childbirth, adoption, and fertility will be mentioned. As a chronic health sufferer, chronic conditions, autoimmune disorders, allergies, and disability will be in my story. 

Even though the story is romantic, even though it is comedy, I want to include these because my characters deserve joy and love and affection in whatever form those come in.

Just as I do. And you, dear readers. Even you.

 

Much-needed Updates!

I am Finally, FINALLY, updating my DeviantArt account. And once DA reminded me in an email I have been a 'deviant' with the social media for a decade, I decided now was the time to purchase my CORE+ Membership. 

I already closed my webhost account with Bluehost (it's not them, it's me) and my domain names are still secure for when I migrate. I know who will host me next. I also canceled my Canva account. Will download what's left.

Who would have thought I would become so obsessed with dot-grid (in some cases, titled 'bulleted') sheet paper that I would end up drafting hundreds of comic pages of a nebulous idea from nearly 20+ years ago?

Clean-up Vs Draft

First clean-up vs original draft ---

This particular episode is almost complete in its touching up. 

Fixed the text boxes to make them more organized on the page, improved on the PA speaker, tidied up Yanina, fixed Peter to be thicker, and fixed up his tie, collar, and sweater vest.

Most important update, Ms. Forsyte is no longer a sketchy blob but now looks definitive. And that phone actually reaches her cat ears*! If you follow me on Twitter, you know this is one of my pet peeves when it comes to headphones, earpieces, and other accessories not reaching the animal characters' ears!

Original draft:

Gave Quatermain back her high forehead (XD) and fixed her chin. Made Peter's headshape more consistent in the 3 panels he appears in. A lot of dialogue and expository text boxes needed rearranging and cleaning up. Also, remembering Peter was a linebacker in college, so his torso is squarish with his waist being about the same width as his chest. I also fixed up Yanina’s hair a bit and gave her a body in the third panel (lower left). My favorite but hardest part was the fourth and last panel. Yanina’s hair tends to look frazzled when she's experiencing sudden emotions. Also, I like how Peter's profile turned out. It was driving me nuts in the earlier draft. Also, fixed those clothing wrinkles!

Original draft:

Ok, I have to admit I found this scene fun when I drafted it. I had in mind to fix Yanina’s profile and highlight Peter’s whimsical nature. I fixed details like his hair texture, more detail to his sweater vest, Yanina’s dog ears by enlarging them, making her black heart earrings more defined, show her long sweater, but most fun of all was showing Quartermain's growing confusion and later shock at what's happening in front of her! I thought it would be funny if, after a giant question mark ❓️ appeared over her, then she would be peeking over with the one exclamation point❗️, and then add another exclamation (‼️) the more shocked she becomes, lol! Also, frazzled Quartermain's hair, have movement lines, Peter doing a little dance instead of shrugging when Yanina threatens to tell his aunt how he's embarrassing her at work.

Original draft:

Now when I put this comic together on FireAlpaca, I'll stick this in-between the panel with the kiss on Yanina’s forehead and the panel with Yanina freaking out and Quartermain doubly (double exclamations!!) shocked. I also fixed Peter's hairline, his goatee, and Yanina’s nose bridge and chin. Also, when someone holds a person's chin, they tend to squish and the chin being held looks almost like a double chin, lol. I rewrote the text and used the heart template to show Peter's affectionate tone. Will need to enlarge Yanina’s ears and make Peter's hand a little larger. Fixed dialogue to be easier to follow and added another response from Yanina (as well as her blushing) to emphasize her confusion.

Original draft:

So there you have it! I knew this post was going to take me a long time! I will still be posting on Insta but I wanted a platform to explain at the least, this particular scene and where my creativity led me.

Bye for now, Dear Readers!

'Summer to Winter' will soon debut

I came to the decision to self-publish this webcomic. As to getting the story digitally ready for an online/mobile format as well as coloring/shading/effects.

In the meantime it will debut on my Tumblr blog, I have some self-publishing platforms to also submit to. 

I have at least 3 episodes in the running for FIRST EPISODE. While I'm debating, my readers can see some of the new edited  pages. 

Here's a complete scene: 

Page 1 - "Peter's & Ronan's Pub scene" 

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4 END

Reminder I added alt text to my Jan 2020 comic post on Insta!

My January 2020 comic scene now has #AltText. Descriptive text will be incoming for this post!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6zot7TAkgL/?igshid=NjcyZGVjMzk=

[Main link]

http://www.instagram.com/handdrawnbycarmenjr

P.S. I also have other comic post with alt and descriptive texts. Simply check out the captions underneath and if it says 'Alt text', then that means screen readers or other accessible software can read it! I'm working to make sure all comic posts and illustrations on Insta are accessible!

Quick Note

Ever since my phone did this major system update, even the text-capture on the camera has bumped up. This will make creating alt text smoother for the Summer to Winter comic on my Insta. 

Happy Pride Month 2022!

This is the first Pride Month I'm celebrating by posting characters from my SUMMER TO WINTER cast who are part of the LGBTQIAP2S community.

So many attacks against Transgender folks, so many anti-trans bills, and other hate bills against thr LGBTQ community in recent years. 

To give some happiness and joy in these moments, and for my own mental health, I decided to use Pride Month as the impetus to work on more of my comic's cast and in color since the comic may be in black and white.

As promised, while these illustrations are being posted on my Twitter and Instagram, all Pride artwork will be made available on this blog! 

Since officially beginning the comic back in 2018, some of these characters have either popped up, been mentioned, or have been scripted in my comic journals for further/future side stories.

All these characters ARE canonical to the story and most will become involved in their own love stories. SUMMER TO WINTER is a romantic comedy after all! 

My 3-part Insta Videos about Yanina's Sexual Orientation

My 3-part instagram videos about my romantic comedy and slice-of-life graphic novel's protagonist's sexuality- Here's PART 1!!

[*I enabled captions*]

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeA75AFLTJF/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

PART 2

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeA-IIDOWWX/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

PART 3

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeA_VJjOTAa/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

SUMMARY

https://www.instagram.com/p/CeBES8_rJsH/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= 

The Fifth Element is still inspiring!

"Septimus in all pink"(2021)

My OC, Septimus, and Peter's cousin, from SUMMER TO WINTER - full color in all pink with quoted statement in pink.

"Septimus on gay/queer-friendly niche strip club ad"(2021)

One of my romantic-comedy/slice-of-life comic/graphic novel OC's mannerisms are based on Ruby Rhod from The Fifth Element! And if you actually believe he played no significant role in that film- somebody actually said this- I'll know you didn't pay attention since you only saw an over-the-top, loudmouth Black man. 

"Septimus as a convention booth babe"(2021)

My character, Septimus, is loud, brash, full of sass, very queer, and isn't afraid to shut down bigots, confront abusers, and though shorter than the average man, can still kick a bully's behind. If you want to see him in full color, head on over to my Instagram @ handdrawnbycarmenjr. 

"Septimus models with model friends"(2021)

Again, take care, dear readers!

Graphic novel is finally being FINALIZED

I began finalizing my graphic novel, SUMMER TO WINTER, last week. If anyone asks, I will give 2018 as the official time I started putting the story together, but off-the-record, it is actually 2001 when I wrote down the idea.

The premise about my protagonist having a crush on her high school teacher came from a rumor when I was in high school. When I did decide to start working on my comic stories around 2001, I was still practicing writing down synopses, loglines, and "pitches" for what I thought would be short comic stories. 

Only a few years back, I was in a creative writing course for the first time and the professor taught us about summarizing our story ideas into a small paragraph and as a single sentence. So I practiced what she taught us and because I was early in my writing professionally. 

SUMMER TO WINTER is a lifetime project. It has gone through many incarnations but I am now pleased by the look it has now, which is why I can start to pin it down to what it must be. 

For those who follow me on Instagram(handdrawnbycarmenjr), you can see the story in its roughest format. Because I've posted the official 2018 pages until now, though it isn't in order, you can roughly follow most of the story. 

[2 rough sketch pages in a public library & a spoken word poet performing & talking to protagonist]

[Finalized page 8in × 11.5in Canson comic/bande dessinée/manga paper - I merged both pages since the original pages are 5.5in x 8.5in]

More from the Land of Twitter - Part 2

When I start to draft these scenes, I'll post on Instagram. One of the styles I use is as free-form as possible with little background and not as many panels. My comics look more like illustrated books for grown-ups.

I also wonder if there's any way I can get short comic stories published by lieu of indies, really small press, and literary journal publishers? I notice there's more journals that have comics and graphic arts in their submission guidelines.

This is what I'm looking at and have been submitting to. I want editing as well. Just like with my short stories.

I'm lazy. So, so lazy. I want to work at my own pace. I'm not good with deadlines
(But getting better) and feel I'd do worse with comic submissions. Especially if it were a regular comic publisher.

"Tribes of Kai" micro-review

What an incredible graphic novel...

You were too short a story and I love you.

I first read "Tribes of Kai" while it serialized in the short-lived Frazetta Fantasy Illustrated Magazine back in the 1990s. The same periodical that showed a new ElfQuest story from Wendy Pini!

Tribes of Kai takes place on a prehistoric world. The technology is Stone Age. Belief system is in its nascent stages. Knowledge is passed down orally and language are cave dweller drawings. Anthropomorphic wildcats that have 'centaur' like bodies are the dominant species and the main characters. One such individual thinks differently from the tribe and is exiled. Through lush painted comic panels and a hypnotic narration, the reader wonders: is the protagonist a harbinger of doom? Or a savior?

Tribes of Kai is written by the mesmerizing storyteller Lance Haunrogue (Writer) and each-panel-a-gallery-masterwork Daren Bader (Artist).

Please look for Tribes of Kai where ever books are sold, on eBay, or through Flesk Publications website and you can check out the publisher on Facebook!

I'm taking a breather with some things to focus on other things

Have two micro-reviews on some fabulous graphic novels coming up!

In the meantime, have been busy trying to set up a new desktop computer. It's been slow-going despite having all the tools (external drive and cables) that I need but this Florida summer humidity isn't helping things.

Plus, I've had to do some deep soul-searching to decide to make up more hours at my job while still maintaining my freelancing career. I've given up on the fellowship-hunting for now. Can't be putting out all that energy and not really getting any returns now, can I?

And in other news, can you believe it? Inktober is just around the corner and I'm already planning on what series I'll be illustrating... May do some comic or graphic novel pages just to see if I can do it within such a lean time and space? May just stick to ink and markers for now.

August just started and there was a blood moon in July I didn't get to see but you know what... "I see a bad moon a-risin'" (folks of a certain age will get the reference).

Until next time, Dear Readers. I haven't abandoned you or this blog. Still too many adventures in this writing and art-working life.

The 100 Pages That Shaped Comics

And if you feel as blessed as I do, you've come across and may have even read a handful of these titles!
http://www.vulture.com/article/100-most-influential-pages-comic-book-history.html?utm_campaign=vulture&utm_source=tw&utm_medium=s1

I Completed A 20-page Graphic Novel!

Month of February was both a difficult month emotionally, mentally, and physically for me.

I won't get too much into one of the reasons but I can talk about the other reason: I worked on a 20-page graphic novel! It was a rush job as I only had roughly two months to complete it.

Instead of using my special micro nib pens for inking, I decided to use my double-head black designer markers instead. It gave a children's book feel. I drove this idea home especially that I used a junior high school-aged Latin-American boy as protagonist.

I had my mom and five co-workers read the graphic novel and received only positive and heartfelt feedback!

The application package had four deadlines and, on my part, I completed the cover sheet, my bibliography, a resume, and the work sample (graphic novel)! I already had an appointment with a professor colleague who worked on my letter of recommendation. I only have one letter left. That deadline isn't until the first day of next month.

I posted cropped pages of the comic on my Instagram (@Handdrawnbycarmenjr) since it's in the submission process.

Please wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed!

INKTOBER 2017 PROJECTIONS

Last year, I worked on most of the characters from the dog Great Depression novel.

While I'm still working on that, during many of the disasters, and Irma, a curious thing happened: a science fiction story near and dear to me, that I've had in mind since childhood, started to figuratively write itself! These will be a series of shorts that I'm currently compiling.

For this Inktober, I'll showcase these SF characters with updated looks!

Just as I did with NaNoWriMo and Camps NaNoWriMo to pen most of the Great Depression novel, I'm using #Inktober2017 to work on a slice-of-life comic series. So, HAPPY INKTOBER!

P.S. If you wish to see my Inktober 2016, hop over to my DeviantArt profile at http://coppersphinx.deviantart.com

Comic strip now in literary journal!

My comic strip "Geek Muses: Writer's Block & Inspiration" is on The Tishman Review 3.3! Pages 122-125


NOTE: Published works are on "The Angry Goblin" blog! Head on over for a complete list of my publications - short stories, illustrations, essays, articles, comic strips, etc.

Latest Publication News and Updates!

My comic strip "Geek Muses: Writer's Block & Inspiration" has been accepted by The Tishman Review! 
EXCITING. Will provide more info when it comes!

Also, remember that whatever I have published is on "The Angry Goblin" blog as soon as I receive news.

I've been shortlisted!

Just learned that the writing-related humor contest I entered, though I'm not the winner, I did end up on the shortlist! Not only that, despite the contest asking for comics and essays, I was given special mention for being the only comic entry! What a wonderful surprise and honor!
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