The once-bulging yellow envelope labeled
"Megaton Man 2002 to ink" lies flattened and empty, its rich contents spent in the last few weeks as I've inked up some 20 pages worth of material that had already been laid out and lettered around 2010 (plus drawn several new pages from scratch). Seen here are many of the half-page tiers of this material, forming much of what I've dubbed
The New Megaton Man #2 (much of the actual material crafted in 2002 forming #1), and currently being serialized on this blog as
Atomic Aftermath.
There is nothing sadder than a well-worn yellow envelope that once held a labor-of-love project, but is now retired from active use! But the more important question is, what to do with this stuff that has emerged from its golden clasps?! Self-publish, kickstart, jumpstart, deep six? I need your feedback!
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| Reverse: Brass clasp and actual piece of Post-It® tape (used to affix the finished art to the scanner below) on the Columbian® 110 Clasp (12 x 15 1/2) envelope. "Megaton Man 2002 to ink" inscribed in Sharpie® marker by the artist. Materials are guaranteed to utterly disintegrate within a few more decades. |
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| Front: "Megaton Man 2002" carelessly scribbled by comics legend Don Simpson! Fans, archivists, and office supply enthusiasts will cherish adding this priceless piece of Americana to their collections, especially with a ballpoint pen sketch of their favorite Don Simpson character added on the side of your choice!! |
Please look at the previous postings on this site (most of which have some relation to this current project), comment, tag, and share your favorites, and give me your two cents on the subject! The best comment posted anywhere on this blog by the end of May 2014 will receive a special gift -- the original empty 12" x 15" envelope shown above, adorned with a sketch of your favorite Don Simpson character in ballpoint pen, mailed anywhere in the world that gets mail! Please include an email address with your comments for notification and delivery instructions. (Offer not valid for members of Vladimir Putin's inner circle, People's Liberation Army officers in
Unit 61398 Shangha
i, or Boko Haram kidnappers!) Thanks!
I enjoyed reading about the Devengers work simply because I thought the artwork looked amazing. Plus, this contest for the great envelope reminds me of the last time I got a great envelope from Mr. Simpson. I took part in his get a Megaton Man magent offer, and I got a swell sketch on the envelope it came in, a envelope I still have to this day!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see a scan of that envelope, if you can get it out of the double bag!! Thanks for the kind words.
DeleteMust be a great feeling to empty that envelope (by finishing the work rather than disposing of it)! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteSend me your address at donaldsimpson1713 -at- gmail -dot- com. You didn't win the main envelope but I still have something to mail to you.
DeleteThat envelope went from house to storage locker to apartment, so it's a bit well-traveled, but I never thought of tossing it out. I knew the script was tight, layouts solid, and lettering top-notch, so I was able to set it aside confident that I'd be able to pick it up once I was through with higher ed (or higher ed was through with me, as the case may be)! Anyway it is a relief, and now I'm pulling together more ideas and seeing where they lead me.
ReplyDeleteMy original comment got eaten! Here's the gist:
ReplyDeleteMegaton Man has always been too far ahead of the game. He was "indy" before indy was cool. He was "black and white" before that was cool. He did the whole "series of mini-series" before it was cool. He was a "web-comic" before it was cool. So for the new books, you clearly have to figure out what the next big trend is, and then do it, making sure it's the next big trend before you can capitalize on it. I'm thinking go "retro." Put out an old-fashioned newsprint comic book, with the garish colors and awesome smell that new comics had when I used to buy them at the drugstore when I was a kid. Oh, and the envelope is "retro," too. It's all very poetic.
Chosen completely at random, Jeremy Bridges seems to be our winner! But I'd like to send djande and Pinkhamster a little something as well! So if you could all send my your mailing info to donaldsimpson1713 -at- gmail -dot- com, I'd be much obliged! And please tell us your favorite Don Simpson character! Thanks for playing The Mighty Megaton Man Envelope Contest!
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to see Cowboy Gorilla ride again!
ReplyDeleteFrom the look of your drawings the paper you used for this project is 8.5 x 11? Do you stitch them together in photoshop after? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes, Fred, about that size or a tad bigger. I think closer to 9" x 12". It's a bit more of a reduction, and easier on the ol' eyes. The half-page format can get a little monotonous, but a lot of the Marvels I read as a kid circa 1971 adopted the half-page layout (they were doing a lot of half comic half ad pages in those days). I own several originals from that era that I have framed and on the wall of my studio, so perhaps that influenced me.
ReplyDelete