DOING THE WORK
by Harris O'Malley

June 16, 2004

One New Thing

I have just completed the search of nearly twenty years. There as an insanely obscure song in the 80’s that I heard once, on a friend’s mix tape when I was eight years old. I never knew the band or the song title and only a smattering of the lyrics and the music stayed with me. And I’ve just that not only is it available via iTunes, but there’s also a 12” club mix as well. Shortly, I expect the high to wear off and I’ll realize just how pathetic this is and I’ll go curl up in the corner and drag my finger over my lips making “buh-buh-buh” noises.

These are the random moments that fill the life of a comic creator when he’s in the middle of trying to churn out pages. But first, here’s some back-story.

Back when I was in high school, I joined a local anime club in San Antonio. The anime club, really, since most of the public’s knowledge of anime was confined to Robotech, Star Blazers and the creepy cartoon tapes they had in the sci-fi section of Blockbuster.

What made this group fairly significant to my current situation is that it was run and attended by various artists, writers, colorists and other creative types from Antarctic Press and Radio Comix. Having access to this group of industry professionals played no small part in my eventually becoming a comic publisher.

To make a long story short ( “Too late!”), I’ve stayed a member of the club even since I moved to Austin in no small part because it’s allowed me to pick the brains of more experienced publishers.

The other week, I was talking with Elin Winkler, the Editor In Chief and Grand High Poobah of Radio, and she had sage advice for me when I mentioned that I was going to the San Diego Comic-Con for the first time this year: “Wear comfortable shoes. Imagine the most walking you’ve ever done. Now imagine more walking.”

No, wait. Wrong advice.

She told me “You always need to bring at least one new thing.”

This presents something of a problem for the aspiring self-publisher who foolishly decided to publish original graphic novels rather than, say, multi-part epics in singles. Since my work is done predominantly in large chunks, my schedule tends to be yearly, if I’m lucky, rather than monthly or even quarterly.

I’m sure you can see my dilemma.

Thanks to the my computer going balls-up at precisely the wrong moment, I’ve been thrown off whatever optimistic schedule Jens and I had for Berserker: The Wild Hunt. Before my hard drive decided that it was not 1337 and thus deserved d347h, having galley copies available was, at the very least was well within the realm of possibility. Now? Pfffft.

Since the only other new work of note I have available is a short story in Saucy Goose Press’
Smut Peddler, I needed something.

Fortunately, inspiration struck me.

Unfortunately, it careened off me, hit a guard rail, rolled over and exploded, but that’s a problem for the insurance company, not me. Especially since I wasn’t at fault, dammit.

While having a finished copy of the graphic novel ready had slimmer chances than a parrot with a rubber beak, having enough for a preview issue would be simplicity itself, especially since the book is functionally divided into four acts. 24 pages of story, which rounds out the first act nicely, some words from Jens about the myths Berserker draw from and a few sketches and model sheets and we’d be golden. A journalist friend of mine even volunteered to do an interview with the two of us for the book.

So, a plus-sized new book for San Diego, perfect for soliciting back-cover pull quotes and extras for the graphic novel’s finished release.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Of course, now I just have to have it all finished with enough lead time to have it printed, but hey. When I was working on Between The Cracks: All Miracles Have A Price, I was churning out two and even three pages a day, wasn’t I? I completed two books in a little over a month, didn’t I?

What didn’t occur to me during that little burst of motivation was that this time, I didn’t have external circumstances (i.e. trying desperately to not deal with my father’s death) spurring me on. Then there was also the little matter of the fact that while I may have been churning out two pages a day, it looked it. Backgrounds became optional at best. If I ran out of ideas on how to simplify ‘em, I’d either drop them entirely or just throw a random shape.

A year later and that just doesn’t work any more. I can’t not notice the flaws in my work, and I don’t want to repeat them. So I find myself putting more effort into it. More effort means slower production rate. So it looks pretty damn snazzy, but I’m producing around a page and a half a day.

It also has the unintended side-effect of fueling my Law and Order addiction. I play the episodes I TiVO’d for background noise as I work. Now I know Detectives Briscoe and Green better than I know members of my own family.

Still, I’m far enough along that I should have enough wiggle-room in case things go horribly wrong at the printer’s. And, of course, they will.

But in the meantime, I’ve still got nifty obscure 80’s songs to cheer me up as I work myself into a frenzy.

Obviously, I will be in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con this year, with copies of Smut Peddler Vol.2 the Berserker preview (which will likely be a con-exclusive).

n the meantime, there’s a six page preview up on my site and an ashcan is available for anyone who wants one. Just hit me with your snail-mail address at berserker2004@web.de, and either Jens or I will get a copy out to you.

And of course, I can be reached at domalley@studiounderhill.com, and I’ll want to know what you think, so drop me a line, won’t you?

 

Harris O'Malley is a writer/artist/publisher of BETWEEN THE CRACKS. He lives in Texas.


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