My story's story on humor

Humor has always been important to me as a longtime fan of stand-up comedy, an avid sitcom watcher, and preferring comedic actors over drama actors. 

So when I decided to work on my webcomic, Summer to Winter, I knew humor is especially difficult to write and therefore, convey well in a narrative. This is why I not only relied on my graphic skills, but I tried to rely on what made me laugh growing up. 

I have always liked the idea of Romance Comedies. I mean, I'm an avid Romance novel/graphic novel reader. I also LOVE comedians! They are some of my favorite celebrities! And when they're starting out, I usually become a Day One Fan, following their careers throughout the years. With this in mind, I have the best of both worlds when it comes to Romantic Comedy. 

However, I noticed a pattern. Most of my favorite Rom-coms were often overseas fare. When I did watch or try reading US romance comedies, what we made and viewed as romantic comedy seemed manipulative, bordered on obsessive behavior, dysfunctional, and even dangerously toxic, none of which I found funny. 

That's why my WIP rom-com's humor seems heavily influenced and inspired from Britcoms (British comedy/ sitcoms), early US sitcoms (the 70s-90s), and the situational misunderstandings that occur in a lot of Asian comedy media.

So far, my readers (some beta) are getting my brand of humor and have become invested in the overall story. And now that I plan on revitalizing the comic through art software and self-publishing it to multiple platforms. I'm also editing it and will let more eyes look it over beforehand.

Wish me good luck and whatever prayers you invest in to help me along. And thank you, my Dear Readers, for believing in this blog.

I'm one of the guests on a podcast!

Check out @LEXFactorShow's Tweet: https://twitter.com/LEXFactorShow/status/752156438584176641?s=09

More points, more inspirations...

I said it before many times in my journals and so I'll say it again: I often list my inspirations for the canine historical drama. This list is as a litany; to remind me why this story must be told.

So, here goes: "The Aristocats". Why this? It's about cats! How could this inspire a dog story? But it did, in the elegant cat named Duchess, and the stray cat named Thomas O' Malley,  'the alley cat'!* The best part of this Disney film for me is when Thomas' friends perform their jazz music for Duchess and her kittens who are used to Opera and classical music. However, the home-raised cat and her kittens swing with the rest! When Duchess plays the harp afterwards is a treat.

I mentioned "Lady and the Tramp" in a previous post. The parallels between my story and this are far more obvious: Lady is a Cocker Spaniel, born to be a housepet. Tramp is a stray mutt with Terrier in him. He is older and more worldly. And has been around... In the full sense of the word. This is a Disney film as well, but the superlative writing makes that point that Tramp is no longer innocent, but that Lady is...

We come to the end of this post with the earliest influence of these films, and that's "City Mouse, Country Mouse".

Why this Aesop fable? Well, Aesop's use of animals as symbols of human folly made huge impressions on me.
In my childhood reading, I would come across an Aesop tale now and again. Yet, the significance of these fables never rang more true than when I spent hours reading a thick volume in my junior high library. I was so inspired, so enthused, I created my own tales, penning and illustrating notebook paper before self-binding the little pages by stapler.

"City Mouse, Country Mouse" is a tale of opposites. A country cousin leaves his rural home to visit his slicker city kin.
Mayhem ensues, with the country mouse rushing back to a world that, though no less dangerous, is familiar and makes sense.

This is no simple kiddy-tale, but a profound look at how our troubles can comfort us and that we musn't envy another's life.
Their ways may appear so alien and frightening that it could render a person to flee back to their comfort zone.

Please do yourself a favor, and read "City Mouse, Country Mouse" in any adaptation, in as many variations as you can find. You will appreciate its message.

*Viewers who watched "The Aristocats" know this little ditty!