So, do you remember that graphic novel I mentioned a few posts ago? The one that I'm working on with Sherwin? Well, we've hammered out some of the details; it looks like this thing is really going to happen. I'm quite pleased - the historical subject matter is interesting and relevant to current events. I don't really want to go into details about it here, but suffice to say it's exactly the sort of thing I enjoy writing. We've gotten an editor, a publisher, and an artist. In fact, here's the artist's website: http://www.slemonsillustration.com/ - take a look and perhaps you'll see why I'm so excited about this project.

Incidentally, I'd seen Jeff's artwork before we were connected by Sherwin. He did the illustrations for a roleplaying game that came out recently, Hollow Earth Expedition (http://www.exilegames.com/games/hex.html). You can see some of his work on that book at his website, under "Hollow Earth." Cool stuff!

What else? My classes are going well thus far. I'm working on my Senior Project, which I'll be hanging for display in the school by the end of the semester - this is one of the Big Things that a student works toward for his entire scholastic sojourn, a culmination of everything he's learned thus far. After speaking with my advisor/teacher, I was reminded of the fact that my portfolio is in need of several things, namely:

- Action scenes (Fighting, Chases, Explosions)
- Street scenes (Regular Folks, Storefronts, Parks, Buildings, Environments)
- Animals (Dogs, Cats, Etc.)
- Finished Pencils (rather than the inked work that dominates my portfolio)

So, I've been working on a script that will incorporate all of these things. Thus far, it's called "Sangre" - a cop story set in Mexico City. Two federal agents are investigating a rash of high-profile kidnappings, which they eventually discover to be the work of a drug lord who believes that by sacrificing his victims to the ancient Mayan/Aztec gods, he'll ensure a place of power for himself when the Mayan calendar "resets" in 2011, supposedly ushering in an apocalyptic "remaking" of the world. So, "Law and Order" plus "The X-Files" in Mexico City, I guess.

Right now I have two issues that arise with this project. I have to be able to summarize my story in a concise "elevator pitch" (a pitch short-yet-grabby enough to get a publisher's attention while you're riding in the elevator with them), which has proven a bit difficult. The above description works okay, I guess, but it puts a lot of emphasis on the conclusion without describing much of the action. I'm not certain if that's a problem or not, but it's bugging me at the moment because my comics projects in classes thus far have been skimpy on action.

The second issue is on the opposite end of the spectrum: I think I may have too much story to fit into my planned 24 pages. I'm still hammering out the events of the plot, but it seems like every time I think about it, another scene or bit of information gets added. I want this to be lean, fast-paced and interesting, but I suspect my tendency is to write for graphic novels, not individual comic book "pamphlets".

Anyway, whining aside, I'm excited about this story. It's going to stretch me a bit, since I'll be drawing a lot of things I'm not used to drawing, and I'm researching a fair amount about Mexico City, Mayan/Aztec religion, and Mexican police forces. Ay, caramba, the corruption, the sprawl, the pollution, the economic strife, the crime rates... It sounds like a terribly dangerous and unpleasant place in many respects, but it also has beauty and history. In short, the perfect setting for an action comic.