New Comic Strip Submission

Okay, so this blog is alllllllll about my life as a cartoonist, right? Right.

So in the spirit of that mission statement, I'm going to take you through my latest comic strip submission to the big five US syndicates.

Every Friday I'll be posting three or four samples of that weeks work with a little write up as to what my thinking was behind the gag, the art or both.

So here we go.

Every panel or comic strip idea submitted to the big five syndicates (King Features, United Media, Universal Press, Tribune Media and Washington Post Writers Group), require---as per their submission guideline instructions--- 30 strips, a cover letter, a CV and a character page, if needed. Once that's completed I normally mail them out to the states and then post them up on here, in their entirety, as I did with Bib and Adam & Eve.

But this time I thought it would be fun for you to follow me as I create a new idea from scratch. To hear my thoughts on the process and see how, if at all, the comic changes from my initial idea through to its eventual completion. I guess what I'm trying to say is, you get an insight into not only my working practices but my though process...worrying as that may prove to be.

If time wasn't an issue and I had a clear run at it, I could probably produce all thirty strips in a week. But because I have a lot of other commitments, I'm forced to allow myself only one day a week to work them up. And only then after I have roughed out all thirty gags in my sketch book; which can take anything up to a few weeks of snatched moments here and there.

Okay, so onto the meat and bones. The first thing I do is create a synopsis for any new feature that I'm working on. This can either be about the characters, where they live, what their views are on life; are they human, animal or something else. Most strips follow the usual formula of family, kids or animals. But any subject theme can be used so long as the newspapers readers can identify with it on some level.

Then there are the off-the-wall type comics: Far Side, Herman, Bizarro and to some degree Non Sequitur; and it is into this last genre that my new idea, Tales from Toonsville falls. And below I have written my initial working synopsis for it.

 Synopsis for Tales from Toonsville

If the cartoons lived in an actual, real and identifiable parallel universe, then ‘Toonsville would be its main hub. My cartoon is best described as a documentary of what daily life---past and present--- would be like if the world was run by the 'toons.

Although Tales from Toonsville takes a homologous and decidedly oddball look at this crazy paradox it has no set characters, but it does carry some regulars that can be visited and revisited, as and when the muse takes me. But nothing you can hang a name on. Some of these semi regular characters are as follows:

·         Granny Apple: A delightful if not heavily put upon Grandmother who never thought retirement would ever be quite like this.

·         Frankenstein: These strips are based around what would happen if a variety of brains were used on the monster and how it would affect him.

·         101 Uses for a Divorce Attorney: Not the most liked of people or professionals and most of us have come up against these antagonistic little reptiles at least once in our lives. My ideas are what I, and possibly a lot of other people, may wish to see being done to them.

·         Lilly & Jim: A married couple who not only have to deal with marriage and all of its pit falls, but have to remain optimistic and in love within a relationship that a world run by toon characters and situations throw at them.

Tales from ‘Toonsville is basically an off the wall cartoon, but one that has taken itself to the next level of off-the-wall-ish-ness.

So that said, here's four of this weeks out-put of six. Once the six week run for this feature has come to an end I will put all thirty strips up, including the ones that I didn't initially show.

I'm just too good to you.

I've always loved the anomalies that religion and the Bible throw up. I never mean to offend, I just like having a little bit of fun at the establishment. And anyway if, as the Bible says, God made us in his own likeness, he'll have a sense of humour, right?. If not, then it's the hot place for me.

The basic premise of Frankenstein, or his monster, has always been that of the brain of a convicted murder will make a murderer no matter who's body you put it into. So to have Igor---who's always getting the wrong brain, or the brain of what ever is available---bring back a kiss chase champions  plays heavily to my sense of the absurd.

Well times they are a changing. Where as the survival of the fittest has always been the norm, especially in the world of learning, nowadays with technology being king, the nerd is the new alpha male on the block. This cartoon just held up a mirror to how the new college hierarchy will be shaping up soon, if it isn't already

What can I say. He's basically a fish, right? And fishermen catch fish. It was bound to happen sooner or later. This type of cartoon also plays to my love of the old horror classics.


I sincerely hope you enjoyed this post. If you did then please share it like a demented sharing person and keep on coming back for more of the same, and a whole lot besides.

Would you Adam & Eve it...a new proposed feature

Well haven't I been the busy little chap. I took a whole week off from everything and managed to write and produce thirty comic strips for submission into the American syndication market.

The strip is called Adam & Eve and runs under the byline of: the antidote to the family strip.

Most everyone of note will tell you that when thinking of something to create it is always best to write about what you know about. And seeing as I have two failed marriages and a string of disastrous relationships lying crashed and burning in my wake, I think it safe to say that I am somewhat of an expert on the subject.

So when writing a family strip ( my first ever), I decided to write less about the lovey-dovey side of it--- the homogenised view of the nuclear family that we have become accustomed to until now---and more of the darker, less salubrious view of the modern family.

That said, the strip is still meant to be fun and indeed funny, but just a bit more about how I remember it, through the jaundiced coloured spectacles I wore and still, on certain occasions, do wear (especially when writing this strip).

Anyway, down below are, as usual, the thirty sample strips and the character page required by all the major syndicates, but you---you lucky devils---get to see them first.

I really do hope you enjoy

Cheer Karl

By the way, for another sample of a previously submitted strip click here to read my Bib strip and on a final, final point: those regular, and more eagle eyed of my readers, will probably notice that this whole strip was based on two single panel gags first publish here

AND NOW ONTO ADAM & EVE, THE STRIP

New comic strip, new hopes and new ideas...

Well, once again, here I am apologising for not having gotten around to posting on this, my launch pad site for the many ideas I have and the projects I undertake that you, my wonderful followers, follow.

As you can see I have been busy, and today I can announce the completion of my first comic strip submission for syndication in over 10 years. And to celebrate this mile stone I've attached the character sheet and all 30 strips, as I have submitted them, for your delectation and enjoyment.

The cartoon strip is titled simply 'Bib'. and below is the synopsis description from the cover letter that has accompanied it to the top three American Syndicates: King Features, Washington Post Writers Syndicate and Universal Uclick.

Strip Synopsis

Bib is a scientist one moment, an impressionist artist the next, (which he slams and criticises vociferously) a child psychologist (holding forth with his own particular brand of views and opinions, from the coal face as it where), inventor, poet, bohemian, food critic, marriage guidance councillor for the two argumentative garden Gnomes outside and on Thursdays, the leader of the crèche escape committee. Other than that he worries the cat next door, has adventures and flights of fantasy using the kitchen pedal bin as the vehicle for his imagination; avoids the attempts of the amorous dribbling baby from down the street, experiments through his department of dubious sciences on his hapless Grandma, the cat next door and an even more hapless travelling salesman, and wages a campaign of evasion against his slobbering aunt who seems unstoppable and indestructible in her quest for a kiss and a cuddle.

In short, Bib is not your quintessential little baby strip. He tears and howls his way through life as his diminutive little body tries to catch up with his overly developed imagination and mind.

I hope you like what you read and please do leave any comments--- and or your thoughts--- on Bib. Also please, PLEASE do keep coming back as I have so much to share and talk to you about.

Thank you

Karl 

September 2014

Character Sheet and Strips

Roswell---the next project

Roswell. What can I say about this little chap? Well he goes against every rule in comics as far as I've heard.

Let me elucidate: I produced Roswell originally as a comic strip around four years ago and dutifully sent it around the major five syndicates. All of them rejected it out of hand, and I was at a loss to understand why.

Oh don't get me wrong, this isn't my inflated artistic ego talking, I'm a professional cartoonist, I know all about the world of the rejection slip so it had nothing to do with that; and after a short period of reflection I can usually see why the syndicates turn my ideas down and try to learn by those mistakes and push onto the next idea.

But the thing is I never really understood why they didn't go for it. Everyone who had ever seen it loved it not only for the characters but for the idea, something that none of my previous efforts had garnered. So what was wrong with it...why did the syndicate editors drop it like a hot potato?

Well its been a few years since I've sent anything to a syndicate and I'm not sure if I ever will again: this isn't sour grapes, I'm just not sure if its the way to go forward for me. But lately I heard an interview with a syndicate editor---I think it was someone over at Universal Press---who was talking about the ever increasing mountain of submissions and how they filter them. I leaned in closer to listen.

And there, almost at the top of ideas that they reject out of hand, was 'Alien strips'. Apparently they have so many strips submissions about aliens coming down to study us, that befriend a little kid who helps him understand our culture with hilarious consequences, that they just stamp 'reject' and move on without even looking.

And there I had it. Right out of the mouth of the syndicate review board. That was why Roswell was rejected. Without nary a glance or a flick through the material they decided my submission wasn't worth it. Not once did they take into account the months of careful development and character definition and design, or the weeks spent writing and selecting the correct balance in gags that typified the strip exactly or the hours spent crouched over a drawing board; not to mention the cost in postage.

No it was just rejected. No thanks. We're not giving a reason, just go away and come back with something else that we may reject out of hand for reasons you'll never know because we can't be arsed to put it on the submissions guideline sheet.

But I have a few points to make on the syndicates rather ill thought through viewpoint:

1. There has never been, to my certain knowledge, a cartoon strip about an alien--- with or without a little wise cracking boy--- in the papers; so how do they know this will be a doomed concept?
2. Isn't the idea of the syndicate to bring to the masses cartoon ideas that they would like to see? And seeing as just about ever strip ever written has at least one little wise ass kid, how do they arrive at the conclusion that an alien strip in this format wouldn't work any better---especially seeing as they've never tried it.
3. And if they want to give to the public something they like then they should look at the plethora of alien based web sites there are out there; when I did a simple Google search there were over 32 million of them---now that's just sites, not the people who read them.
4. And finally, my biggest point is this: my cartoon strip Roswell is not about an alien and a wise cracking kid, and if the editors had bothered to even look at it they would have clearly seen that it is a strip about an alien teenager and his Big Foot teacher. Yes Roswell gets involved with our world but--- and this is the biggest bugbear of his Big Foot tutor who needs him to not be seen--- he likes to lead by experience. So the sight of Roswell working in a McDonalds, or in a call centre or selling you life insurance door-to-door would not be an unusual one. But none of these things would be based around a confused alien trying to understand our ways, it would be an alien joining in and seeing how much fun he can have before getting spotted. Its a buddy strip with no wise cracking kids, in fact the only regular and reoccurring connection he has with humans are the two FBI agents who are trying to capture him and keep him under wraps, a short sighted and slightly deaf old lady who thinks Roswell is her little Jimmy come back from the war and Bo and Clem, two mechanics working out of one of those desert gas stations in the middle of no where who do the many and varied repairs on his space ship, not once being fazed by the fact that he's an alien. And Roswell, eager to please as he always is, never questions how they can always fix his star ship with the spare parts from an old caddy out back. Then the final humans he has contact with are Abdul the Bomb-Bomb, an Al Qaeda terrorist whose plots destruction but fails, due mainly to Roswell's interference and Hetty and Filbert Spieglebeen. Hetty is a hoofer of a woman who has had some kind of past with B.F. that he doesn't want to talk about it and would rather be anywhere but in her presence, and Filbert is her weakling and innefectual husband.

In fact Roswell was more about how we perceive aliens than the other way around. We see aliens as poinkers of probes and impregnaters of susceptible young cheerleaders: who only want to be taken to our leaders and to crush us under their advanced war machines and laser rays. What the syndicates would've seen, if they'd bothered to look further than the cover letter, was a strip that was more about the relationship of a tired and defeated Big Foot tutor and his new alert,

inquisitive, balls out teenage alien pupil. Of how this open and honest little personality just wants be be every one's friend.

They would've seen a strip of many tiers that has Roswell time travel, go back to his own planet and visit his parents---serious monk like creatures that float everywhere and are the leaders of the three planet system they run---they would've seen a strip that was about how other creatures from other planets may be more like us than we think. And as to having a wise ass kid teach them about us, had it never occurred to them, like it did to me, that maybe, just maybe a civilisation so advanced as to traverse the many billions of miles of light years needed to get here, and who have already supposed to have been here on countless other occasions throughout our history, might actually already understand us?

Obviously not. According to their narrow view point, these highly advanced sentient beings still need a baseball toting, bubblegum blowing wise ass kid to help them.

But this post isn't just about a gripe at big syndicates thinking in narrow and small minded ways. I appreciate that they have a lot to do and stuff  just gets lost under a pile of daily tasks and ultimately rejected without having a good chance to be reviewed. I also understand, probably more than they realise, that submitting cartoons to a syndicate is a crap shoot at best and expecting every single idea to be thoroughly vetted is a pie in the sky dream. But to reject a whole genre just because it might have a wise ass kid in it is just plain crazy .

But the real reason for this post is this: having learned about their somewhat jaundiced view of alien strips I decided to go it alone. I'm not going to produce it as a comic strip, I'm going to produce it as a weekly webcomic, very much like the Brabbles & Boggitt page we have every Friday. I'm going to make, as my next project, an episodical set of cartoon stories about the one subject that the great and unquestionable syndicate editors say none of you want to see...so lets see how it goes, eh?

And I promise you, no wise ass kids.

So keep coming back to learn more about the Roswell project. And of course all the usual stuff will be going on as I  keep entertaining you with my life, my ideas, my silly stories and my comics...and remember, its still all 100% FREE!!!

If you like my blog and the things that I say and do, please tell your friends; mention me on Facebook, Twitter and any of the other fine social media networking sites you use. I would love to have my work reach a much larger audience and although I could no doubt eventually get there under my own steam, I'll get there a lot quicker with your help, so please, please spread the word.

Thank you