I’ve decided to put off Monday’s comic, which is nearly finished, to Wednesday morning. There’s a good reason. I need to redo the first issue of the Far Reaches on Wowio. Here’s the problem. Way more people have downloaded the first issue of the comic, which is chapter one and some extras, and then never download the other four issues. The reason is pretty plain. They’re judging the entire series by the first impression of issue one. Issue one was done two years ago and totally represents the ugliest, worst art of the comic, and has practically no story. The ending makes me cringe at this very moment. In fact, even having redone the first few pages the whole thing is simply horrible. It’s no wonder only half have downloaded the other books. Most have no real incentive to do so. The first book sucks lemons so bad that I need to do something drastic for it. I’m going to do an introductory comic and showcase art from later in the series. It’s important that people know that, while yes this issues is the worst thing I’ve done, unfortunately it’s the beginning of the series and things get a lot better. In a couple weeks I’ll be ready to release issue 5, which represents the very best of my work thus far. I want people to give the whole thing a chance and not judge it by the first issue.
In fact, in many ways I’ve thought of redoing the first issue somehow. Not entirely, perhaps, but improving it. It might be cool to do a remix version of the story that actually has a good ending, and introduces the characters better. On the other hand, that would mean slowing down the current comic, and that’s something I don’t want to do. So we’ll have to see. What do you all think of the idea of fixing it up a bit?
As soon as this sequence with Brin and company is finished, and after a brief bit with Gilrec and Bentley, I want to see about getting a real publisher. But while a publisher would love the current art, what would they think about the old stuff. I’m thinking they’ll want it changed. People won’t buy it if it starts out so weak. I’m not Fred Gallagher with 100,000 plus people reading Megatokyo. When you have that kind of an audience built in, the publisher isn’t going to say anything about the cruddy early stuff. Besides it was funny. But with the small audience I have, I need every selling point I can get. So maybe slapping a new coat of paint and rewriting some stuff is a good idea. Mind you I’m not talking about completely redoing it. That would take forever. Also, I want the current story to keep going. But maybe updating things and fixing the stuff that needs fixing would be good, especially in the first chapter.
In the mean time, I need to add a forward or funny introduction comic to issue #1 and an ad sporting the latest art so that people will download the other books. Let me know what you think.
If it would help, could you fix up the old stuff while at least working on BW’s for the current storyline? I can forgive a few BW pages (and you can always go back and fix them later), but I’d really like to get back to the main plot. You’ve left far too many threads just hanging for such a long time now, at least from my point of view. Didn’t you introduce that whole thing with Gilrec getting the weird keychain device something like 1 year ago? We haven’t even heard it mentioned since. Just seems like things have really slowed to a crawl plot-wise, and that’s a shame, because the way your plot used to advance noticeably with every comic (or at least tell a joke) was one of the nicest things about The Far Reaches.
(I still vote for you on Buzz every time you post an update or a blog entry, so it’s not like I’m going to stop being a fan or anything if you have to take a break to get your ducks in a row. But still… story please?)
You make a really good point. I have strayed from the main plot quite a bit with all this stuff, and so many things have happened in my life slowing the comic down that it has been forever. Part of the problem is that I let the comic become so complex to create, although I’m starting to simplify it now. You’ll notice a lot more mix of “hand-painted” art vs. everything being in 3d. Technically, I should be at almost 300 pages by now. Chapter three was not meant to drag on for a year like this. But I’m glad you made this comment. The current plot with Brin, though at the moment is an action piece, will be a direct connection with the keychain device and the Grynn plot.
But even that was started last fall, and needs to start moving again. I’ve fallen into the trap of decompressed story-telling, and while that works great for a 200 page volume of manga, it’s not so great when only one actual page a week is being released.
I need to seriously rewrite some stuff and streamline a lot of things and get back on track. That’s what I’m trying to do now, and you’re comment has made me think how much more I need to streamline. I won’t stop doing new pages like Lady Yates did with Earthsong. I think you’re right that the story needs to start moving again. I got totally sidetracked. Of course the whole thing with the device was supposed to come into it again with the bounty hunters Frak and Koda, but it’s been a while since we had them too.
I’m thinking that the best thing to do is wait on fixing the old stuff at the moment and work on getting the plot going again like you said. At the rate I’m putting out pages it’s just too slow for a long-form webcomic. I need to get to where I can put out at least two full pages a week, minimum. I’m such a perfectionist that I’ve been trying to get it to look as cool as possible, but the story is far more important. I need to refocus. Good comments. Thanks. Anyone else have any thoughts or suggestions?
I have to say, I really liked the old pages. Now, whether you take that as a compliment or as evidence of my atrocious taste is up to you.
Keep up the good work,
Anemone
Well, I do understand how important it is to make sure that people are downloading your books on Wowio, and I’m not saying that it’s wrong to go back and take care of that first book. I’m just saying that while you’re taking care of that, if you could release a few really simple hand-drawn pages each week to get the plot moving I’d greatly appreciate it. Later, you could go back and bring those pages up to your standards.
Thank you both for your input. I’ve decided that, while I may update the art in the first book later, what I’m going to do in the mean time is add a silly gag strip in the beginning basically explaining that the first book is like the worst art of the series, and why and make it cute. I’ve finished that already. Then I’m going to have a preview of the art from the upcoming issue 5, showcasing some of the nicer scenes and getting them wanting to give the later issues a try. Then I’ll finish up page 164 for Wednesday morning.
But both your comments have made me think that I need to simplify things a bit and get the story moving. I have a plan for working up to four half pages a week, then maybe five or six. The thing is that if I can keep a half page down to 4-5 hours, there’s no reason I can’t do four a week. That’s two full comic pages and hopefully I can get up to three (in six installments.) The half pages are just easier for me to keep up with, considering my crazy schedule. But like you say, Anemone, the older pages aren’t that bad. So I’m going to not keep striving for movie quality visuals and keep it more realistic so that I can get the story moving. I’m also going to spend some time rewriting the script so that it’s more cohesive.
good work man
my advice: don’t be afraid of rewrites.
the problem with serial comics like this is that you can’t generally go back and change things that don’t fit and i totally understand this.
but serious changes in that first chapter wouldn’t be a disaster, so if you really feel like you need to change or add stuff, i wouldn’t have a problem with it and you can always post the originals elsewhere.
i love your mix of 3D and hand drawn images and stuff, good technical qualities. i am working on a graphic novella using photoshop and handdrawn stuff, i am amazed you can get so much done so quickly (but then, i’m new to this)
keep up the good work!
Thanks for keeping us in the loop like this. I look forward to the more regular updates!
I went back and looked at the old pages today, and I have to agree, they’re not bad at all. The ending was weak though (it’s a good thing I was able to extract that woman’s pet?), and I think that last impression might possibly have had more to do with people not wanting to try the next issues in the series than anything else in that issue.
Still though – Gilrec becoming a gamer, the martial arts chick robot, Wellington… it was good stuff! And while I love the 3d rendering you do more these days, the art back then was actually pretty good. So what if there weren’t cool lighting effects like you have now? The hand-drawn stuff you did even then was excellent in its own right.
You’re welcome for keeping you all in the loop. I love this WordPress site so that everyone can comment and let me know what they think. Also, I’m glad both you and Anemone think the old pages aren’t too bad. I guess they could be a lot worse. You’re right about that horrid ending, though. It’s so lame. I should have changed it when I first showed it to my sister. She had the same reaction. She really did compare it to a disappointing anime ending. At the time I just thought I’d do the gag strip after. But I’m thinking it would be good if following that gag strip I had a new version of the page with funnier dialog. That, if nothing else, needs to be fixed. And it’s really only a writing thing. My sister’s better at dialog than me. I should get her to help me come up with something good.
Tomorrow I’m going to work on punching up the script so that chapter three and these side plots won’t drag on any longer than necessary. Friday will be a fun gag strip about the bug-eyed aliens. I just feel that they need a bit more character, aside from manic evil laughter. But it’ll be an easy full page strip and will give me time to regroup and tighten this story. We need to get back on track. I can’t believe I started chapter three a year ago.