When we released The Blackness Between in November of last year, our stated plan was to get the next book out by June of this year. It didn’t happen. The next book is twice as big as the previous books and it is full of old artwork that Howard hates to look at. This book project has lurked like a vulture. It just sits and waits blackly. Where ever you go you’re always peripherally aware that the thing is there. Waiting. Then when you do really look at it, the first thought is always “That thing is huge!” The size of the project has been paralyzing for Howard. That’s why we missed the June release date. Now we’re aiming for October. But this time it is a little different. I’m going to take care of the vulture.
Last week Howard asked me to pull out the files of his old artwork so we could see what to put in the empty spaces between strips. Yesterday I dug it out and sorted through it. I loved looking at all the old artwork. Yes it is artistically awful, but it brought back so many happy memories that I loved it all. I kept looking at things and thinking “Oh this HAS to go in.” I took the pile and the excitement to Howard and he hated it all. If he had his way none of that stuff would ever make it into the book. Instead he’d draw all-new marginalia. But there is a lot of space to fill and the thought of drawing so many new pictures depressed him. He asked me to put the file aside so that he could work on the buffer.
I thought this over for a day or so. I realized that I love the idea of this project. I love the chance to organize the strips and put in the margin art. Then all I have to do is ask Howard to write a few notes. I don’t even care if the notes say “I hate this art, but Sandra made me put it in because she thinks you’ll want to see it.” So I have wrested the layout project from Howard’s unresisting hands. I’m so glad that I’ll get to influence what goes in. Like the picture of Schlock which Howard didn’t like, so he gave Schlock a talk bubble saying “I look awful. Keep trying toon boy.” Or the very first character sketches of Schlock, Tagon, Kevyn, and Brad.
This book when it is finished, will always make Howard want to apologize for the art. What he can’t see is how much people love getting a glimpse into the origins of things. People WANT to see the bad art. They want to see the awful prototype for the F’Sherl Ganni which never saw the light of day. They want to know the story of why Sentient Elephants wear earrings and body paint. If you’re a Schlock fan, please comment and back me up on this. I think I’m in for some arguments about what gets to stay in the book.
Mostly though, I’m just excited to have a fun project that allows me to directly contribute to the Schlockiverse.
SO true! I absolutely love going back in the archives and reading the old strips. It’s fun seeing just where Kevyn evolved from, the styles that Howard decided to keep and what he decided to change… It’s like going back and looking at childhood photos! (Y’know an art piece that would be fun is an evolutionary chart of a character or characters, much like the popularly publicized charts of the evolution of man, as he progresses from humpbacked monkey-oid to straight-backed business-man, to greedy-eyed mercenary!) I love the old artwork, and I was actually very disappointed that the first book released started so far down the storyline. I’ve been anticipating this book for a while!
Old art
We can see it any time we go into the archives. So that’s out as argument.
As for how horrible the old art is: so? I collect studies. That’s the quick sketch that artist do when they get hit between the eyes with a idea. Yes, its rough and unfinished and exactly what the artist wanted. The finished piece is never the same, never quite what the artist wanted in the moment of creation. That’s why I want to see the stuff that has never seen the light of day. It’s the moment of creation.
Tell Howard to quit complaining and let you get this book done because the fans want it. Yeah, his style has improved. Good! We want to see into the dark musty spaces. No one who buys this book is going to wine about the quality of the artwork, and if they do, there’s always Schlock’s Plasgun to to settle the issue. 😛 (Besides, you need the money, mercenary like, y’know)
I agree completely. I have one of the Far Side collections includes some of Gary Larson’s earliest work. That section was the most fascinating part of the book for me, even though the art wasn’t as good as his later work. It was interesting to see how things evolved.
Evolution in action…
Let’s face it, the early art was pretty harsh on the eyes. I can understand Howard’s point, but in a way this is the evolution of a craftsman going from a self-taught recruit to the Schlock Mercenary that we all know and love. The analogy of baby pictures holds, too. These are the pics from the junior high school yearbook moving up to high school.
Among the rough drafts lies the ore that Howard used to forge the funny, and it’s not just for our idle curiosity, but it’s also for history. When theTayler Corporation succeeds in taking over the Earth somewhere down the line, this will contain the things that historians will need to understand the man, the myth, and the legend.
Okay, enough ego stroking. 😀 Howard, this is as close as your fans are going to get to look over your shoulder in congregate and see where things started. Wouldn’t it be nice if you gave that gift to us?
I’m with you! I love seeing where things come from, and you don’t get much more ‘behind the scenes’ than that. I’m thinking about how sometimes, when you watch the special features for a movie, they’ll show some of the concept art they did for the characters, and some of it is (in retrospect) absolutely the most absurd stuff you’ve ever seen, but you love to get to see it.
And don’t let him apologize too much, either. There’s a line you have to draw between, “Heh, wasn’t the art bad back then?” and, “I’m sorry to subject your defenseless eyes to this drivel!” I’m sure you can strike a balance.
When *I* was a kid . . .
. . . my favorite Star Wars products were the art portfolios. I HATED most of the designs, but I LOVED seeing all the stuff that was rejectected. I could look at it an say, WOW Darth Vader looks much cooler than that!
Anyway, I think that everyone will love to go back. It will be like watching Speed Racer or the Dark Crystal, but without the evil.
Sandra, we love you for this.
You have taken action that needed to be done.
We fans of Howard (‘We many, we proud many, we Fans of Schlock’) don’t think it’s bad art.
It’s just early art.
He’s grown as an artist, and everyone should have the chance to see in dead tree format that progression.
I have nothing but confidence that this book will utterly and completely rock my socks.
Howard – Do what your wife says for this book. She r seerius laydee. This r seerius bok.
Not only do I want to see and remember the evolution of the art, I want to hold on to that gentle voice that tells me, “See? The greatest didn’t start off where they are now. They started off shaky, uncertain, and — this is key — hopeful. And now they make a living doing what they love. This is how you know it’s possible that your book will get published.”
Oh certainly we want to see the old stuff…the origins, etc. I’ve seen Howard comment before that he isn’t happy with the early art. Even the archives on Schlock represent that, suggesting that a better place to start than at the beginning is some three years into the strip.
What he perhaps doesn’t see is that the stories and character development in the early work is absolutely outstanding. They’re just plain fun. (Less talk, more “PHOOOOMMM!”)
As an “artist” myself, I’m NEVER happy with my early work. Lot’s of times I’m not happy with my current work either!
I’m looking forward to the “early” Schlock collection, and any art, development, etc that’s included in the book so we can see where it has come from (and perhaps insight to where it’s going) is a good thing.
Rock on!
CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer
http://lifeisaroad.com
Of course we want to see the early stuff. Gainsborough, Monet, & Picasso probably weren’t proud of their early work either, but people pay big bucks to own it now, and enthusiasts study it closely. Origins are fascinating to some of us, and I for one love to see the process of development. Besides, Howard’s art is still not the reason I read Schlock Mercenary — it’s the storytelling, and the characters I’ve come to love. Background on that is very welcome.
You know I’ll buy five copies. =)
And now I do want to see the “Keep trying, toon boy” picture. Heehee!
I’ll back you up. Look, I realize Howard made an “intro” to let people get into the story without looking at the old art, and yes, even with my lack of artistic ability I can easily recognize the progression. But unless he actually wants to take time away from updating to go back and redo all of the older strips, they are still part of the story. They are still part of the history of the webcomic no matter what, and they are what many readers originally fell for and what still more went back to read to catch up.
One of the things that has driven me crazy about some people is when they say, “Every time I write something, I hate it within the next six months.” (Or other period of time.)
Maybe they really do. I suppose this is their prerogative. Maybe they are really that down on themselves, or maybe (as I think they mean to convey) they are really improving that fast and that much.
But when I hear that, I enjoy their work and my interactions with them less. I feel that they have essentially told me not to enjoy their work, that if I do enjoy their work my taste and judgment are inferior to theirs (or at least will be within six months :P). If they accept compliments after saying something like that, I feel uncomfortable because I wonder if they were trying to be manipulative and be able to get reassurance while still looking down on their audience.
I do actually understand it somewhat from inside — there are times I look back on something I wrote a long time ago and liked (though it, uh, takes me more than six months) and absolutely cringe. There are times I write something and look at it immediately and go “Meh” or even “Bleah,” although just to confuse matters I have found that sometimes those very works end up being the ones others like best. But if it’s something I have put up in public, I try to resist the urge to be deprecatory or apologetic, because from my experience on the other side I feel it’s rude to the people who do enjoy it.
Now, saying “I can do better” or “That isn’t how I meant it to come out” or “I can see this flaw, and that one”… is somewhat different. I think the improvement in Howard’s art is pretty objective. *grin* And I can understand not wanting to look back at things you now wish you’d done better. But as you say — fans want this. Fans like the old strips, even if sometimes it’s in spite of the art; some probably like the art because it’s associated with the stories! And their enjoyment is legitimate.