One of the best pieces of advice that we were ever given was “make the stuff that you would want.” Well, what we want (along with world domination, of course) is neat little cutout paper toys to go with our new comic. So… may we present the first two of a series of low-budget Girl Genius action figures. (They have two actions—they stand up and they fall down.) Glue the little stands to the back and enjoy!
A NOTE ON THE NATURE OF THE TINY AGATHA & GIL CUTOUTS: Yeah, I know: The tiny figures of Agatha and Gil are back to back. It's the only way that I could make them fit. Sorry about that. I only included the small figures for decoration and my own amusement anyway. But if you must have both… I’ll include the small version of Gil in another issue when I have space. Deal?
I decided to include the inside front and back covers of volume 1 of the Girl Genius comic book so everyone could have the complete experience of seeing the Girl Genius comic cut-out "action figures" and toys. As you can see, the the airship ornaments are double sided, but the action figures are not.
I know the long passages of text in the images above are somewhat blurry (especially the second one; it seems to be a limitation of my scanner), so I included a transcription below each image for your reading pleasure.
I will include the inside covers in any future "Floppy Friday" posts I make. (I intend to keep going until I cover all thirteen comic books, but who knows what the future holds?)
Cover of issue eight of the Girl Genius comic book. Story by Phil & Kaja Foglio. Pencils by Phil Foglio with Colors by Mark McNabb. Lettering & Book Design by Kaja Foglio.
This issue of the Girl Genius comic book was printed in November 2002 and includes pages 38 to 72 of volume 3 of the graphic novel series. (These page numbers are from the second hardcover edition of volume 8. In the first edition, the pages were numbered 42 to 76.) The pages in the comic book are numbered 2 to 35.
You may notice that the graphic novel page count is one greater than in the comic book. This is because an extra page had to be added to keep a double-page spread (the big wasp fight) aligned properly.
See the rest below the cut.
Inside front cover: For those who do not choose to cut up their books and who don't feel like monkeying with photocopiers or scanners, extra covers are available from the publisher at a small price from our Web site—airshipbooks.com, as are a selection of back issues and other works by Phil and Kaja.
Inside back cover: No text from the cover is reproduced here.
Back cover: Happy Holidays! Here are some tags for your presents and another sub for the fleet.
Permission is granted to make copies for personal non-profit use only.
Additional content before the comic: Our Story Thus Far. Additional content after the comic: Mimmoth sketches; Photograph of Agatha Heterodyne sculpture; Transylvania Polygnostic University #3: Ethics Exam; Ad for Tozer-Kiltz Robotics; the Girl Genius Secret Cypher Society.
Sample pages:
Our Story Thus Far: Note that the caption of Agatha’s picture is still “Agatha Clay”. I have no idea if the fact that she was a Heterodyne was still a big secret or an open secret among the fans at this point.
When a strange clank stalks the streets of Beetleburg near Transylvania Polygnostic University, Agatha Clay is mistaken for the assistant of its builder and taken aboard the airship city Castle Wulfenbach.
Clumsy, perpetually distracted and prone to headaches, Agatha has the drive to create but seems unable to build anything that actually works. Since boarding the Castle, her head has begun to clear, but she has now begun to wander in her sleep. To her embarrassment, she usually awakens at an empty workbench in her pajamas.
Castle Wulfenbach is ruled by Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, a particularly powerful Mad Scientist (or "Spark" to be polite) who has long enforced a kind of peace over the squabbling powers of Europe.
The Baron's son Gilgamesh has come to believe that Agatha herself is responsible for building of the Beetleburg Clank, and is hoping that just this once he has caught his brilliant father in a mistake. Gil has arranged for Agatha to be transferred to his lab as an assistant, and is keeping a close eye on her.
Meanwhile, Agatha has met Krosp, an experimental creature created to be the "Emperor of all Cats" and Othar Tryggvasson, a rather famous Hero being held captive by the Baron. Each of these meetings has reinforced Agatha's suspicion that she has not fallen amongst the "Good Guys" and that she herself may be in some danger. This is not a bad guess.
Mimmoth: One of Phil’s most charming mimmoth drawings is included as additional material.
Cover of issue ten of the Girl Genius comic book. Story by Phil & Kaja Foglio. Pencils by Phil Foglio. Color by Laurie E. Smith. Word Balloons & Locket Colors by Cheyenne Wright. Lettering, Book Design & Cover Colors by Kaja Foglio.
This issue of the Girl Genius comic book was printed in September 2003 and includes pages 94 to 123 of volume 3 of the graphic novel series, which conclude the volume. (These page numbers are from the second hardcover edition of volume 3. In the first edition, the pages were numbered 100 to 129.) The pages in the comic book are numbered 1 to 29. You may notice that the graphic novel page count is one greater than in the comic book. This is because an extra page, page 112 (118) had to be added to graphic novel volume 3 to keep a double-page spread (Agatha and Krosp escaping, the final two pages of the volume) aligned properly.
See the rest below the cut.
Inside front cover of issue ten of the Girl Genius comic book:
Oh no, I goofed! This is General Goomblast, not General Zog. I got the stands mixed up last issue. Just switch this base with the "Goomblast" base from issue Nine, and you're set. Sorry about that!—Kaja
Jäger General Goomblast [not Zog!)
Inside back cover of issue ten of the Girl Genius comic book: Cut from the other side!
LOCKET INSTRUCTIONS
Cut out the two locket pieces above.
BE SURE TO CUT FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PAGE!
This side has extra color around the edges to allow for any alignment "wiggle" during printing.
Fold "A" so that the trilobite is on the outside and the gears are on the inside. Fold "B" so that the embossed pieces are on the outside and the portraits are on the inside. Place "B" inside of "A."
Secure any way you can think of—I’m going to use a staple. Huzzah!
Art by Phil Foglio (Pencils) and Cheyenne Wright (Colors) • Locket design by Kaja
Join the mighty Studio Foglio e-mail list at
www.studiofoglio.com/admin/mailinglist.html
Yes, you can now sign up to receive an e-mail notice every time someone in the Studio sneezes. We'll let you know when we have a new product, when we are making a convention appearance or doing a signing, or when we have some other exciting announcement about our Studio Foglio doings that might be of interest. Notices go out around twice a month and are (we think) most entertaining and worthwhile. As always, our mailing lists remain closely guarded secrets.
Back cover of issue ten of the Girl Genius comic book:
On locket:
If found please return lo
Agatha Clay
Clay Mechanical
Forge Street, Beetleburg
REWARD
Be sure to cut from THIS SIDE!
Permission is granted to make copies of this cover for personal non-profit use only.
Back issues and all sorts of other goodies are always available at our Web site…www.studiofoglio.com
You can download a high-resolution printable PDF file of the locket from the Girl Genius Fun Extras Downloads page.
Additional content before the comic: None. (The credits are printed in a box directly on the first page of the comic.) Additional content after the comic: The Girl Genius Secret Cypher Society page, with an illustration of Klaus and Gil. Ads for Dork Tower (John Kovalic) and Sluggy Freelance (Pete Abrams).
Sample page:
This illustration of Klaus and little Gil as "Lone Wulf and Cub" has been reproduced elsewhere, but not in this exact form.
Cover of issue seven of the Girl Genius comic book. Story by Phil & Kaja Foglio. Pencils by Phil Foglio. Colors by Mark McNabb. Logo, Lettering, Artist Bullying & Book Design by Kaja. On this cover, the Girl Genius tagline has become A Gaslamp Fantasy with Adventure, Romance & Mad Science.
This issue of the Girl Genius comic book was printed in July 2002 and marks the beginning of volume 3 of the graphic novel series; it includes pages 1 to 37. The pages in the comic book are unpaginated.
See the rest below the cut.
Inside front cover: For those who do not choose to cut up their books and who don't feel like monkeying with photocopiers or scanners, extra covers are available from the publisher at a small price from our Web site—airshipbooks.com, as are a selection of back issues and other works by Phil and Kaja.
The stands for the cutouts are on the inside back cover.
Inside back cover: No text from the cover is reproduced here.
You can download a high-resolution printable PDF of the “Build Your Own Dingbot kit” from the Fun Extras section of the Girl Genius website.
Back cover:
Build your own dingbot—
Actual Instructions Inside!
www.airshipbooks.com
The last submersible, which was promised in issue 6 to be part of the next issue, actually shows up on the back cover of issue 8.
No additional content before the comic. Additional content after the comic: "A Standard Waiver to be Distributed to all Students Enrolling for the Fall Quarter at Transylvania Polygnostic University"; ad for the first Girl Genius Collection; the Girl Genius Secret Cypher Society, including "Build your own Dingbot" instructions.
Sample page excerpt:
AN HISTORICAL REPLICA
BY PROF. KAJA FOGLIO
Build Your Own Dingbot—
On the Back Cover you will find a cute little replica dingbot (slightly flatter than the originals.)
Body, feet, hands and an antenna are all provided, plus lots of in-between bits to connect them all. Cut them out and punch holes in the indicated spots. Put it all together in an arrangement of your own choosing. Metal brads work great for this, as do small rivets. Tape or glue will work in a pinch, if you don't require articulation. Please note that there is no marked spot for the antenna—just stick it on anywhere you like. Or not.
THERE IS NO "WRONG" CONFIGURATION!
fig. 1—a metal brad
fig. 2—punch holes and connect
fig. 3—a finished dingbot
Sample page: Girl Genius Ad
The First Girl Genius Collection
Brown Ink throughout for an Olde-Timey look!
Eight Full-Color Pages—Thoroughly Modern!
Silly Ramblings by the Authors to fill up Extra Pages!
Don't miss the first-ever Girl Genius Collection.
Bound in both trade paperback and hardcover editions, it combines the first three Girl Genius issues with the eight-page Web-comic story Agatha Heterodyne and the Electric Coffin.
Available from fine booksellers everywhere!
