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Flanders On January - 21 - 2011

Okay guys, first off sorry about the delay for today’s comic. It will be up later today. As you know, both Carter and I are adequate in our own fields, at least by GCSA standards, but when we combine our skills generally something awesome happens (i.e., Stab A Miller). So for today’s comic Carter and I have both shouldered the burden of making something great for you! With me doing the art and Carter doing the coding, we’re hoping to knock you guys off your feet.

Generally, comics happen in three stages. Usually, each stage has a full day devoted to it.

Three steps to comic success:
1. Think of an idea.
2. Concept art.
3. The finished product.

That being said, I would like to talk a little bit about making comics and the joys and difficulties of it, something Carter learned not too long ago. As with anything great, a comic starts with an idea. Just because something is funny doesn’t always mean that it will make a great comic. Sometimes I get these wonderful ideas for comics, but they don’t always work. Why? Well, that has to do a bit with the style of my comics and because it’s hard to fit some jokes within the confines of four panels. You have to think of creative ways to express your ideas to fit inside the border of a few panels.

That being said, the hardest part about making comics is getting ideas for them! As I said before, some ideas are great, but just not possible. Another hindrance is that what might be funny to the creator, might not be amusing to others. For example, I would enjoy doing a comic about Beauty and the Beast or about pretty dresses, but not everyone would find it appealing, so you have to think of your audience. That’s not say that every comic I do is tailored for all of you. Sometimes I do stuff that will only be funny to those who know the story, and sometimes I do something just to make one specific person laugh. It just all depends on the mood and what I can do.

Anyway, after I finally come up with a plausible idea for a comic, I then set to work trying to get the details right for how I want the characters to be as the joke unfolds. Earlier when I began, that would mean simply moving their eyes, but now that I’m trying to evolve my art style, I actually have limbs to worry about! Oh noes! Still, writing and drawing comics is fun, and I hope to continue doing it for quite some time.

So what was the point of this little rant you may ask? It’s because I have a favor to ask of you my dear readers. The first is a selfish request… should you stumble upon a comic that is not quite up to par, just know that I was trying. Second is that I would like to hear your ideas for comics! I would love to hear what you guys would like to see in a Nasty Hack, and I will try my best to make it so.

And that is it for today, though here is a bit of random trivia for you: Do you know that I started doing Nasty Hack nearly two years ago? It started out as flash movies and moved toward comics. Another piece of trivia you ask? If you take the comics I’ve done throughout the years,  I will soon be hitting my 50th comic! Now most people celebrate their one-hundredth comic, but as you know we here at GCSA aren’t nearly as adequate as them! So I will be doing something special for the 50th comic! Just wait and see, true believers!

When in doubt, hurt Miller,
Alex Flanders

Category: News

8 Responses

  1. Carter says:

    An excellent write-up on how we do things. This should become required reading for all future interns and crew. ::makes it so::

  2. Alice says:

    i was looking into buying a drawing pad form my laptop so i could start on something i wanted to do for GCSA…however…i saw clothes and i decided they would look much better on me than a drawing pad. BUT! i’m still looking into the drawing pad because i still want to do the “mini adventures of young miller” i just don’t want to do it all by hand…or with a mouse.

  3. Flanders says:

    Did you get some new clothes? I thought we were going ‘shopping’ lol. And I don’t know, a drawing pad would like nice on you. Just a drawing pad…nothing else. ^_^ And yeah, that’s definitely why I want a drawing pad. It will make things a lot easier.

    • Carter says:

      We all know Wacom tablets are the best. For the both of you, I would recommend the Wacom “Bamboo Pen” tablet. Walmart has it online for ~$56. That is an excellent price. I’ve only ever used Wacom “Intuos” tablets before; those are $200+. In our applications, the only differences you’ll notices is that the Bamboo doesn’t have an eraser tip on the end. So you’ll have to set up a button to be your eraser brush. But for $150 savings, I’m sure you’ll be happy to do so.

      Go get it: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Wacom-Bamboo-Pen-Only-Tablet/13021240

  4. Flanders says:

    That’s actually the exact one I was looking at. Perhaps after taxes I can purchase one and truly make Nasty Hack into something special.

  5. Flanders says:

    I’m sure you do. ^_^

  6. Alice says:

    yeah i’ve been looking at bamboo. both ken and i have been talking about it.

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