>> COMICS > THE PATH TO THE PAGE

A Road Never Traveled

Should warn you now, if the pending great experiment falls on its face or is a colossal train-wreck; blame Shannon Wheeler. Yea, the guy who writes and illustrates Too Much Coffee Man. Why? Well, I’ll get to that in a minute. It is no secret that I’ve long desired to create my own comic book. I love comics. I love everything about them. I love the stories, the art, the coloring, and the lettering. Hell, I even love the scent that is only found in a well-stocked comic book store. (It is a lot like a library, but with a hint of Cola and Cool Ranch dust). However, my desire to create said book has not equaled my artistic skills. In fact, it hasn’t even come close. Here, let me show you my current penciling level:

Pretty hideous, isn’t it? Want to learn something even worse...

I’ve taken art courses, lots of them. Each and every time I think I passed because the teachers just felt sorry for me. Kinda’ like how my High School PE Teacher passed me simply because he didn’t want me yet another year of my lame (and increasingly large) ass. Anyway, fast-forward to now and your friendly neighborhood Geek finds himself forming a comic book publishing company. I’ve already got one book “in the pipe” as the saying goes, a book that already has an artist attached. But, being the masochist that I am, I want to publish more. This brings me back to Shannon. (Told you I would bring this all around).

His comic art course was the last time I attempted to learn penciling skills.

About a month ago, I was tossing back some fine cocktails at the Cosmic Monkey Comics party after the Stumptown Comics Festival. (Damn, can this posting get any more self-absorbed or navel gazey… Yes)! Anyway, after my fifth Whiskey ‘n Coke I found myself talking with Fatboy, Dave Walker, a hot Dark Horse Employee, and Shannon Wheeler. It was all good fun as we ranted about crappy comics and the people who create them. Then, after much goading from the above-mentioned Fatboy, I leaned in close to Mr. Wheeler and promptly proclaimed. "Hey, I took the first art course you ever taught at PCC a few years back". He smiled and replied how cool that was and how much he enjoyed teaching. I then proceeded with the following, "Yea, I still can't draw for shit"!

To his credit, Shannon didn’t skip a beat. He grabbed my shoulder and with a hearty laugh replied, "Dude, look around this store. This place is filled with books from people that can’t draw for shit. Didn't stop them. Make your damn book". He tossed back his drink and moved on to a cooler group of people. (The hot Dark Horse employee followed, eh, I wouldn’t keep hanging out with me either). Anyway, that got me thinking. Why the hell should I let my lack of artistic skills prevent me from making my own book? Shoot, it doesn’t stop Michael Turner. What does that have to do with you, the fantastic reader? Well, nothing really. Except to say that I intend to make my struggles public. If I have to suffer for my art and so will you.

What that means is from time to time, you’ll see my pain-filled rants hitting these very pages.

Thanks for watching!