Anyone want to draw a superhero comic?

[BobGreenwade]

(I've also posted this on my MySpace blog; the following is a cut-and-paste of the "meat" of that post. If you're on MySpace, though, I still prefer you either email me directly or PM me through this board. This is also cross-posted from the NGD forum, which is probably where it most properly belongs; I'm posting it here for those who have that forum "blocked" for any reason. So please only reply openly to this thread if you can't post to either the MySpace blog or the NGD thread, or via some private means.)

 

Back in the late 1980s, during the "comic book boom," I tried to start my own comic book company. In retrospect it's probably just as well that I didn't (wanting only a lack of capital), since the industry virtually collapsed a few years later, but I did have several scripts for books and plans for several others.

 

The idea I had was to introduce a line of superhero comics in emulation of the Big Two (DC and Marvel), with a "shared universe" but a few subtle differences (some of which I'll go into a little later).

 

Now I'm giving some serious thought to reviving that old universe, with a slight twist: instead of a whole line of comics, I'm thinking of doing just one monthly title that explores this entire superhero world. The first several issues would be simulated "first issues" of flagship titles, and others would cover pivotal moments in the heroes' sagas.

 

The thing is, as I've long said, for whatever great talent and ability I might have as a writer, I have no drawing talent whatsoever. I like to joke that the only thing I can draw is a conclusion. So I need someone to cover that part for me.

 

To save space (and to not reveal too much publicly), I'll just go into what I want to do in the approach to art that's different from what we usually see in mainstream superhero comics; I'll talk over the writing aspects privately with whomever is interested.

 

For one thing, only a minority of superheroes in my universe wear spandex. I think the whole "steroidal figure in spandex" model is starting to fall out of favor anyway, at least for new characters (Superman and Batman will probably always be like that, and should), but I'm leaning more toward trousers, pull-overs, jumpsuits, and similar gear that wouldn't look quite so contrived on a live-action model.

 

I also want all characters, hero or otherwise, to have a variety of body types. For one thing, a minority of people have the classic "superhero" proportions; many have thinner builds, shorter limbs, odd-sized heads, and so forth -- and I've never quite understood why comic book females, superheroines especially, seem to always have figures that would make a C-cup seem small. And, at least at the start of a hero's career, most lead characters will probably be less than ideally muscular unless they're already in a position to be better (such as a cop, professional athlete, or some such).

 

I'm also wanting as much as possible to use real-world locations and other things drawn from real life. The artist for my work would need to be willing to do at least basic research (with which I'd gladly help) to know, for example, what a certain actual building looks like, or the visual difference between a roundhouse kick in tae kwon do and one in pentjak-silat.

 

I'm also going for something like what one would see in the mainstream superhero comics, or even a bit more conservative than that. That means, among other things, you won't be doing any open nudity, nor will I expect to see much in the way of overly revealing or suggestive clothing (except where both plot and character require it). For similar reason there will be a minimum of occultic figures and symbols.

 

In short, I'm aiming to do something that's sophisticated enough that someone in his thirties or forties can enjoy, but down-to-earth enough that the same person won't feel bad about sharing with his nine- to thirteen-year-old kids.

 

Finally, I'll have a strong preference for someone who lives close enough to Corvallis that we can occasionally meet in person, though that's by no means a requirement. If you live further away than that, don't worry about it. It's just a preference. I rather doubt that I'll be contacted by anyone living within range.

 

And I should emphasize that getting this published is definitely not a "done deal." I might just get a few character sketches and then, depending on what happens over the next few months in both my own life and the comic book industry, decide to tank it. So I'm not guaranteeing anything... but I do really hope to be able to work this out.

 

If you have any interest at all in doing this, just drop me an email and we can discuss it further.

[Hermit]

Re: Anyone want to draw a superhero comic?

 

I can't draw worth a lick, but good fortune to you in finding one.