The Spectress & Sabanion #6 script is percolating w/ my editor and feedback is on its way. It's packed w/ a lot... death, sadism, sacrifice, supernatural journeys, and old regrets. It's packed w/... too much actually. I had to pare a bit back as the rewrite kicked it back up to 40 pages. The plan was to bring everything together at the end of this story arc and blow it all up. Well... it was too much to bring together, LOL! I'm still learning.
Some advice from a guy who, even after several years, still feels new at this: first of all, go for it... but yet... I've got a bit of hindsight to share.
When you really get serious about your idea and start researching making comics, you always hear, "just make a comic, and you're in comics!" So that's what I did. I started a serialized story w/ a loose direction of where I wanted to go and heaped a bunch of goodies in there along the way. In the end, there were too many goodies (Sorn, Cheska, Domira, Sahi, Yevgeni, Jerry Pepper, the Moon Crew, introducing villains (6 of them, no less), the moon ritual, the exorcists, the Blackcoats). Is it too much, or worldbuilding? Or too much worldbuilding? You decide! I’m always open to feedback.
Now... in defense of some of the comic creator advice out there (Write or Wrong was my initial guide), they say "don't start w/ your magnum opus" which basically means warm up a little bit before you start your BIG DEAL. So I created Spectress and thought, boom - that's done, I'm ready for my Ulysses! Don't get me wrong, my 10 pages of black & white magic is near and dear to my heart, but it wasn't enough to get me ready for an ongoing series like Spectress & Sabanion. It was the idea that I had at the time. I'm immensely proud of it, but a little more direction from the outset would have been a good idea. My advice: plan, find an editor from the get go. Find one that turns on the lights for you. I found the right one on the third attempt. If you're just going to write 8 - 12 page vignettes (like the advice says you should), you'll be ok w/o one but if you want to start your magnum opus, your BIG DEAL, find someone who can professionally tell you, "Yeah, this is a bit too much. Let’s make some changes."
I'm lucky enough to have that bit of hindsight while writing Ruxy Vampire (the Ruxy Issue #3 script is about 40% done, btw). I'm going to keep it simple, fun, sexy, and full of action (though there are little voices in my head telling me, "stick Elliot Ness in there! DO IT NOW!" I shall resist!). I have other ideas for other characters in the Sandsverse that could have their own titles also. Really wish I could do this full time!!!
Here's the cover by Chris Ehnot.
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