Grim and the JC presents The Unstoppable Force

April 14, 2011 - The Unstoppable Force: Blood on the Tracks #1 - New Jack's City - Taylor's Original Thumbnails for Page 19

So, last time I completely failed to mention that the most recent episode of We're Not Fanboys was this past Sunday, and not only did we delve into the whole "Rob Granito Affair" but we also talked with Jason Brubaker, blogger (read that shit, it is dope) and creator of the comic reMIND (coming to print very soon). Jason admitted at the top of his segment that we were his first podcast, but I think he sounded like a pro. Granted, our experience is limited, but it's an excellent conversation about making independent comics. If you're here, I imagine you might get a kick out of that, so take a listen!

Above, as you can deduce, are two different versions of Taylor's thumbnails for Page 19. The layout on the left is the first, which I like quite a bit -- obviously, most of it's the same -- just didn't merge with what I saw in my head. As well, Zenn initially shows the blade's dangerousness by chopping into Heller's platform, which isn't what I'd intended (they may be crazy, but they aren't about to waste perfectly good props). So, we got that changed to a plank of wood, and moved him closer to front center stage in panel two. After that, it was merely altering the angle in the last panel, really utilize the "widescreen" format, and voila! Another radass page of The Unstoppable Force by Messrs. Lymbery and Payne (and Taylor [Jordan], when his colors make you cry*).

It really feels like this is one of the pages near the end of the book that we really started hitting on all cylinders. I think we're actually starting to make a real comic now. There are still kinks for sure, but, hey, the more we do, the better we get, right? I've been working on stories that will really flesh out the world, background, and the stakes involved in this series, which I hope you're looking forward to reading about, because I'm having a blast writing them. They'll be a triptych of sorts, each one revealing just a bit more about where we've come from, and we're finally headed, and they'll be interspersed over time, likely in future Giant-Sized issues, and between larger story arcs. Other single or double issue stories will fill in some character specific origins and development, but those three will be the series' Bible. Blood on the Tracks is designed, along with the Giant-Sized #1, to jump right into the thick of things and have some fun with people you kindasortanotreally know doing something you probably never expected them to do, and hopefully haven't seen before (generally). At least, not exactly like this. I also really wanted to establish, right away, the kind of range I want this comic to have (and with the Exciting Adventures of the Force Unstoppable, for the universe to have). The aforementioned triptych will stretch that range a bit further, too, I think. It's not groundbreaking stuff, but it should be wilder than Girls Gone Wild Goes on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.**

-Rob of War

* In a good way. When the printed comics are out. Booya.

** There will be nothing like either of those in the comic.^

^ Okay, maybe the latter.