The second printing of Marooned #1 “Arrival” is available for order on IndyPlanet.com. Remember this is not mini comic sized, but standard comic size. It’s the same content as the ashcan without the Floopy back cover (there’s a Ka-Blam ad there instead).
I’ll be getting started on issue #2 soon. However, I would like to know what you all think about the creator comments. I liked doing it, but thinking about it, I wonder if they would be better served as a special section in the back, instead of on each page. I almost think it distracts a bit from the strips.
What do you think? Vote in the poll below and let me know.
Special Super-Secret Project!
Above are a couple panels from a story entitled “Green.” What is this story you ask? Who is this strange looking robot? Well, unfortunately, I can’t tell you just yet! This is not part of the Marooned universe, but it’s a special project that I am involved with. This project includes a lot of other very talented artists.
That’s all I can tell you right now, but there will be more coming soon. Stay tuned!
This week the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are was released. It seems like everyone has read and loved this book. As a child I was enthralled by Maurice Sendak’s illustrations, and I still look on them today with a kind of reverent awe. It’s an amazing style, and it fits the feel of the book so perfectly. Someday I hope to be able to present that kind of atmosphere that fits so well with the story for Marooned. Anyway, lovely trailer – so glad it’s mainly live action.
The other day I was thinking about books that have shaped my creative ideas. I got into reading as a very young child and have been a voracious reader ever since. I have memories of reading Peanuts (Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel) to my mom on the couch at a very young age.
Libraries are one of my favorite places. When I was a kid, I would explore the library for hours on end, looking at all kinds of subjects, although quite often focusing on fantasy and science fiction. I discovered Tolkien, of course, fairly early. Like most Tolkien fans, I’m a re-reader of the series and I lost count somewhere between 35-40 readings.
When I was a young teen, my Grandfather gave me a box of books that he had read (he was a fantasy/sci-fi fan too) which I read and re-read for many years. Here’s are six series of books that had a big impact:
I’m not sure which I discovered first, Tolkien or Lewis – but they were at about the same time, 5th or 6th grade. Once I had read all 11 of those books, I scoured the shelves for similar fare. I have no idea how much Fantasy I’ve read, but it was a lot at one point.
The Thomas Covenant series is utterly amazing. There are very few stories you can lose yourself in like Covenant. The depth of character and atmosphere is so pervasive in these books, it is unparalleled. The conflicts and pain Covenant goes through, you go through it with him. You feel his love for the Land and it’s inhabitants, and his struggle with his disease. The new series has been just as amazing – which is amazing in and of itself.
The Company Wars books by C.J. Cherryh give you the same type of suspension of belief – except in a sci-fi atmosphere. You think you are on a ship in space. She makes it feel real in a very non-Star Wars like way. It’s small, cramped and dirty with bad food and worse smells. The opening of Heavy Time is one of the most compelling stories you will read. She also involves you emotionally with her characters, just like Donaldson and Tolkien do. To me those books are what sci-fi should be in a lot of ways. I wish she would revisit those themes.
What can you say about the Hitchhiker stuff? If you like that type of humor, it’s the best. Geek humor at it’s highest, there’s nothing better.
I had to throw in the Dark Tower series. Even though I think it ultimately failed to deliver – which really sucked – it’s still an amazing tour de force series. The first few books, where the Gunslinger awakes, figures out his predicament and draws the three, there are few books that can suck you in like that. Again it’s not only the action, but King involves you with the characters. You get tied to their plight and feel what they feel. If it seems like I keep mentioning that, it’s because I do. To me it’s what makes great stories.
If you ever read the story about how he started these stories – on special green paper that he’d been given, it’s pretty neat.
It seemed like the last couple books though, King lost his way. I really hated the tie-in with the Harry Potter books. Even though so much of the story involved jumping between realities, this was stepping out too far. It broke your ties with the imaginative world in which you were adventuring. And it felt cheap.
The whole thing with him actually bringing himself into the story was perhaps innovative but ultimately a failure. Again, you became pulled out of the story. I’ve read some of his thoughts on why he did it and such. Certainly it was his book and his decision, his story. You have to do what you think is right. But your fans don’t have to like it, either.
(Bit of a spoiler below, if you haven’t read it…)
The last book was eagerly anticipated. He finally gets to the Dark Tower, but the result was just not satisfactory. It’s the best way I can explain it. And when he steps through the door and essentially starts over. After all he went through to get there and resolve things. This was the quest of all quests – and he flips back to the start? This is as bad as “it was all a dream.”
Even so, still one of the great adventure series ever.
I’ll have to list more on a different day. I love books.
I just got word from Ka-Blam that the second printing of “Arrival” has processed. Remember this is no longer mini comic sized, but standard comic book size. The cover has been slightly altered to fit the new size and the “Red Planet Press” publishing company badge was added.
The only difference in the books other than that is there isn’t an illustration of Floopy on the back, like the Ashcans have, there’s a Ka-Blam ad there instead. I would have liked to keep the illustration, but the ad helps offset the cost.
I’ll let you know as soon as these are available, you will be able to get them from IndyPlanet.com. My plan is to continue to do the strip collection books with them if all goes well.
There is still seemingly at least one copy of the Ashcan left at the HeavyInk.com Marooned store, if you want it.
Hrm. A couple times I’ve thought about doing an e-mail newsletter. It would be a once a month type thing. In it I would probably discuss what’s going on in the story, what’s coming up and who knows what else. I might also include sketches and development work.
I’m not sure that enough people would value this to make it worth my time. I see some other webcartoonists doing it, so I figured I’d ask. Some of the bigger strips are using a new product called Asset Bar that readers can subscribe to in order to get bonus content. I don’t have enough readers to support something like that, nor do I have the time right now to make enough extra bonus content to make it worthwhile.
But, a monthly newsletter – I’m thinking I could put a few goodies in there once a month.
So I guess the questions are not only would you sign up for it and read it, but what would you want to see in it? Or, is the comic enough for you and you really don’t need the extra. Inquiring minds want to know.
As mentioned last week, Tom Racine at Tall Tale Features Radio interviewed me and buddy Steve Ogden last week. We talk about Marooned, Steve’s projects (see a note on that below) and collaboration as artists, among many other things. We had a great time and I think it’s a pretty good episode:
Speaking of Steve and projects, he recently completed an awesome little 3 page comic called “Cubicle Pigs.” You gotta see this one folks! Hopefully we’ll see more of these fellas.
Holy smokes. Today marks the one-year anniversary of Marooned. It’s somewhat amazing to me when I think back to how this all started. I had a few ideas for a gag strip, I developed them and posted them and then said to myself “now what?”
What happened was lots of wonderful people encouraged me to continue right when I was thinking of hanging it all up. As most of you know, I decided then to begin telling the stories of John, Asimov and the Martians and not just making silly gags. The transition was pretty rough, I’ll tell you. Looking through the archives there’s some stuff I still like, and some stuff… well, not so much.
But what amazed me the most – and honestly still amazes me – is that people seemed to really enjoy the strip almost as much as I do! Even through all the experiments I’ve done with the strip – changing style and colors almost on a strip-by-strip basis at times, you hung in there with me. I can’t tell you how much that means.
So to all my readers, whoever you are – THANK YOU! Some of you I know by name and some I don’t, but I appreciate each and every time you visit the site or read a strip in your feed or e-mail. I hope to give you an even better second year of Marooned.
Also, a big special thanks go out to all of you folks who comment on the strips on a regular basis. That’s really fun for me to get that instant feedback and see you enjoying the strip.
Lots of interesting stuff happened along the way. I believe my readership changed at some point. I don’t know how many of you have been here from the very beginning, but it was certainly slow at first. A few mentions on some blogs and forums, and readership began to build. I certainly got a nice traffic bump during Webcomic Idol 08. Taking third in that competition was in large part thanks to your voting efforts and support.
While this is a labor of love, there are some frustrations. I do feel that the strip moves kind of slowly at times, and that it has cost me readers. I really wish I could update three times a week, I know it would help. It’s just not humanly possible for me to do. Maybe someday.
My plan is that Marooned is going to be around for a long time. I have lots of story ideas for these characters, and it only keeps building. We’ve embarked upon the second story – but really the first one that has been fully thought out from start to end. A lot is going to happen in the coming months. We’re going to meet some interesting new characters and there’s going to be some shocking events. The world of Marooned is going to get much larger, and hopefully, more interesting.
This year there will be more comic books printed, t-shirts are on the way (they are being worked on right now!) and who knows what else is in store. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.
As always, I enjoy your feedback. Feel free to leave comments or use the contact form to shoot me a message anytime you like. So once again, thank you!
My webstore partnership with HeavyInk is now in Alpha testing mode. I’m one of the first comics to work with Travis and the guys over there. A great group of people. They have some great comics over there (it’s where I bought Atomic Robo).
Anyway – if you missed out on the Ashcan and you want one, this is your last chance. There are 5 copies left at the HeavyInk Marooned store. That’s all that is left, and they will NOT be reprinted in this format. So if you want something kind of unique – there were only 20 of these made, and I kept one and gave some away to friends. So it’s pretty limited.
Keep in mind the store is still kind of in “test” mode – but you should be able to order it off the page I supplied.
If you liked it, have some spare time on your hands and wouldn’t mind registering on their site – it would be great to get some reviews of the comic up there. It’s a lot to ask, I realize – but you may find you like the site and what they have to offer. If you’d like to help me out in that way, it’s the same page linked below – just click “write a review.” You’ll have to register, then you can review and rate the comic. Thank you in advance!
/Dirk Gently series by Douglas Adams
series by Stephen King
