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December 13, 2005
On Experimentation
I think it was at the last Writer's Workshop a few weeks back that Scott Hassler pointed out that I'm not using any of the Steranko-esque storytelling devices in The Black Chamber. You know, like splitting up a single scene with panel borders, or photo-statting one panel to repeat it into other panels, diagonal panel borders, etc.
He's right, and it was intentional.
I want my first 'major' work to be something very universal and accessible to new readers. I'm pretty much sticking to five panels a page, split between three tiers, or four panels creating four tiers. I'm not pulling any of my tricks out of my hat on this project, because the last thing I want is for my readers to get pulled out of the experience (the 'Comixperience', if you will...), simply so that I can show them how clever I am.
I'm being deceptively subtle on the book, having all of my storytelling tricks imbeded in the art itself, moving the reader through the page, and giving them the information that they need to know what's going on, even without the text in there yet. So far, that seems to be working.
My next projects, though? Well, my next graphic novel is going to be one huge experiment, that will either turn out great or will fall on its face, but that's the thrill of exprimentation, isn't it? I'd love to clue y'all in on what I'll be doing with it, but that'd be telling. All that I can say is that it's something that's never been done before, and should make perfect sense once it's done.
My next serial, the thing I'm planning for the proposed anthology, I can go into a little more depth with. I'm not going to be experimenting as much with the art (although I am going to be doing this one all with ink and brush, which I'm excited about), but the story itself will be. Working title is "Crime Story", it will follow the entire story of a crime, from when it happened, when the perp gets arrested, all the way down to the prison sentence. I'd read about a TV show doing that, but I never saw it. Still, the concept really intrigued me, so I figured I'd play with that.
I figure it's something that will work really well for an anthology. It'll be an ongoing narrative, but each 8 page chapter will stand on its own, so that the reader doesn't feel cheated. Sounds fun, eh?
I totally love thinking about this sort of stuff when developing a project. Sometimes the story comes first, other times the storytelling device, sometimes I'll have that 'Eureka Moment' where the whole thing hits me at once, like the anthology story. I've got what I call a Dorkographic Memory. I've got over ten thousand comic books, hundreds of graphic novels, a shelf of comix theory books, and am constantly reading interviews and essays online about the form. I'm a real student of this, ya dig? But, see, I remember all of it. It's like a Rolodex, that as soon as my brain is presented with one of these obstacles, it immediately flips around to what I need.
Of course, there's also the adverse effect, in that I can tell you the superpower, civilian identity, and home world of every member of the (preboot (see, I even know what 'preboot' means)) Legion of Superheroes, but I only just found out this year that Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday.
Posted by Schamberger at December 13, 2005 09:44 PM