Changes

As I promised on the facebook page, there are changes coming to Crowded Void.  The first and biggest one is the update schedule.  This was a hard choice to make.  I loved doing two updates each week.  It moved the story along.  It forced me to work harder and faster. The resulting work was fantastic, in my opinion.  I hope it has shown to the readers as well.

But life changes.  In October I begin working on a degree in Graphic Design and Media Arts from SNHU.  On top of that, I am still on active duty in the military with a constantly changing and evolving schedule.  I also find that, right now, two updates a week leaves me balancing quality time with my wife and kids and other projects I want to pursue or other hobbies (I haven't touched my guitar in who knows how long).

So here's the plan and my goals with this change:  First, I will be returning to updating on the original Tuesday schedule.  I have enough of a buffer that I can get a good lead on the weeks leading up to my SNHU start date if I keep creating two strips a week, but only posting one.  This extended buffer will also grant me additional time to continue to develop additional skills like web design.

Those of you who follow the comic know I've been working on a new website design/layout to break away from ComicFury.  They've been great so far but I want to expand the website in ways that I want and not be limited by ComicFury.  I've been fiddiling with CSS/Wordpress/PHP webdesign a lot lately.  (I go to bed trying not to think of DIV tags and PHP coding).

Once I get the new website online and stable, I should have a better handle on how much time between work, class, and family.  My hope is that with less time devoted to webdesign, I might be able to resume my twice-a-week schedule.

When I started Crowded Void, I had no idea where it would be going long term.  In all serious I still don't.  If anything it is teaching me valuable skills and entertaining a few people on a regular basis.  To those who have helped contribute to the nearly 15,000 hits since it started, thank you.  There is much more to come.  I feel I've barely scratched the surface of what Crowded Void might become.

Updates / Web Comic Spotlight

I definitely need to update this more regularly.  A lot has happened over the past few weeks in my web-comic endeavors.

First off, I pulled the trigger and began updating Crowded Void.  This was a big move on my part as I had only been updating once a week.  This will force me to work harder and faster on comic production.  This is a good thing as it will help develop my skills even more while providing more content to the reader.

Second, I started a reading group to preview and bounce ideas off of.  Right now it consists of one other person, but she's always helpful in her critiques and usually catches my typos and inconsistencies.

Lastly, I created a Facebook Page for Crowded Void to help promote my site even more.  We'll see how that works out.

Now, my next objective is to do a periodic Web Comic Spotlight where I talk about the different comics I read on a regular basis and provide links so others can read them..  I think it will help boost some web traffic to other sites and maybe even help me get some new visitors.  Who knows.

So now that Crowded Void's web presence is increasing, we'll see what happens.  There are multiple ways to get in contact with me if you want to provide comments, reviews, support, death threats, etc.  (Please keep the last one to a minimum if possible).  Below is a good index of where you can find me at:

Crowded Void - The Comic Series:  http://crowdedvoid.thecomicseries.com (hosted by ComicFury.com)
Crowded Void - The email address:  crowdedvoidcomic@gmail.com
Crowded Void - The Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/crowdedvoidcomic

I can also be contacted via the forums on ComicFury.com, who, for now, provide the hosting for me until I can get my own web presence off the ground.

Thanks again to my readers, it definitely helps to know that someone out there is reading it.

The Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con

Today I had the privilege to volunteer and spend most of the day in Artist Alley of the Vegas Comic Con.  I got there early and as a volunteer had early access to the exhibit room while the exhibitors were setting up for the day.  This gave me a good amount of time to browse most of the floor and even chat with several exhibitors.

First  guy we ran into gave us a free premier issue of his comic "Armageddon: Hell."  I graciously accepted because, hey, free stuff.  Haven't read it yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

Continuing to browse the floor, I ran into Tim Shambris, one of the makers of "Poverty Pack."  We talked for a bit about all the convention and his comic. I mentioned that I was striving to become a better artist and maybe do comics on my own someday.  He offered some words of advice and encouraged me to keep working hard on it.  He was very friendly and I later bought the first issue of "Poverty Pack," a sort of low profile avengers type comic with the tagline "Superheroes Gotta Eat Too!"  This one I too haven't read but the concept seemed interesting enough.

Next up I ran into Steven Oaks, a colorist who does fantastic work on various super-hero illustrations but is part of the Kickstart-funded comic "Mortifera."  As we chatted, he worked on a Cintiq with an additional monitor facing the walk-ways and I watched him work on coloring an illustration of Venom.  His work was superb and he too gave me some encouraging words about developing my artistic skills as well as insight to his processes.

I also got to talk with Mat Nastos about his work on the cartoon Phineas and Ferb, but it wasn't as in depth.
Lastly, after volunteering I talked for a while with Rachel Oaks, writer of Children of Eldair.  She explained a little about her comic and asked if I was into webcomics.  I told her I was and was actually working on developing one.  She inquired about Crowded Void and seemed to think it was a cool concept and told me to update her online if I ever get it going.  We'll see if that happens.

Probably the biggest take-away though from spending so many hours looking at so many people's fantastic pieces of art, was a realization that my mindset has changed quite a bit from when I took art classes in High School and one in college.

In the past, I would work hard on some drawing or painting and think it was great.  I'd go to the art-show of everyone in the classes final projects and walk out feeling down.  I'd see so much great art that I would become discouraged and think I could never be that good.  That was one of the major reasons I never really pursued art.

Now, as I stood in the midst of so much talent, it was inspiring.  I wanted to go home, hop on the computer, whip out my Intuos tablet and just start practicing.  I wanted to work hard so that I too could one day reach  that skill level.

Now all I have to do is find the time to do so :S.

-MW

Initial Musings

Over the past decade or so I have been many things....Missionary, college student, writer, blogger, computer technician, bi-lingual help desk analyst, husband, Airman, weather forecaster, and more.  Over the past year or so, I begun working towards something I never had anticipated.  An author and illustrator of web comics.  

I began reading comics online just a few years ago, but they weren't really true "web comics."  The were your daily "funnies" from the newspaper in an online format.  It wasn't until I really started listening to the Writing Excuses podcast and discovered "Schlock Mercenary."  It was the first time that I can recall where I read a comic that came to existence online and continued until today.  Over the years I stumbled across other webcomics.  Usually through somebody sharing them on Facebook.  I developed a love for comics like Doghouse Diaries, Buttersafe, XKCD, Dr. McNinja , Real Life Comics, and more.  As I worked nights as an Air Force Forecaster in Hawaii, I read entire years worth of webcomics over a few weeks time.  It was an engaging medium of storytelling and art.  (More importantly it helped pass the time on long nights of good weather).

In 2012 or so, I began working with our squadron newsletter and in order to fill space, I took the rants and ravings of a very eccentric Technical Sergeant and transformed them into a comic called "The Hubstar."  It ran monthly for the remainder of my time with that unit.  During this time I saw how my comic developed over time and developed confidence in my own artistic abilities.  In the year or so since I posted these comics online, I've had over 20,000 hits.  I know it seems small compared to big named comics, but these were silly things I threw together with a punchline that would only make since to a small audience. 

In mid-2013, I decided to try and develop something new and original.  The brain-child of this was called "Crowded Void".  I got about 10 strips in before I had to change duty stations and go through a multitude of mandatory training.  I'm just now reaching the point where I can begin to focus on it once more.  

So why am I telling you this?  

First, it is 1AM on a Monday on an off night where I'm running off of residual traces of NOS, Bawls, and Mt. Dew which I consumed at a rather late hour.

Second, I want a place where I can ramble and write whatever I want to with regards to the development of my webcomic with the hope that by just writing, I'll be able get past the writer's block I have and get back to work on my comic.  

So there it is.  Hopefully someone reads this some day.  Better yet, go read my comics and tell your friends to like them.  

-MW