A while back, I shared some of the hand-made toys my brother, Roman Bunn, had created with stuff he had around the house. As I visited family in North Carolina this past week, he surprised me with his latest creations — a new version of Eddie and Big Al from The Damned! I’m not sure what he uses to make them, but he indicated to me that Big Al contained coat hangers, coiled wire, some pennies, and other assorted hardware … enough strange odds and ends that we wondered if airport security might think the demonic crime boss was some kind of threat.
A few final pieces of artwork (by my pal Brian Hurtt) from the proposal for Penny Dreadful (2002). I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at one of the first pitches Brian and I put together. Scanning these pages has certainly been one helluva walk down memory lane for me.
Click to make the images big (the way gods are big).
Below is a link to the complete script for the first issue of the “series that might have been.” These days, I don’t usually write an entire issue when submitting a proposal, but in 2002 I was trying to show that I knew how put a script together. Looking back at it, I think it still has some things going for it. One of the early scenes has been cannibalized and used in a short comic story that will appear at some point in the future, and the Stillborn God concept has surfaced in my work over and over again (and will continue to do so). My choice of format has changed a little over the years, but it all originated right here.
One of the things that strikes me about the proposal for Penny Dreadful is that I actually thought I could cram all of this story into a mere 4-issue series! I probably could have done it, but if I were to craft this proposal today, I’d definitely give myself at least 6 issues.
A bit more from the “the series that might have been.” Here we have a page of character descriptions from the proposal, as well as some shots of our hero, Geoffrey Archer. I think the only character that’s not on the linked page is Sherlock Holmes himself. He appeared in book, if I recall correctly, long enough to use his violin to conjure up a Lovecraftian oracle creature from the depth of the Thames.
Waaaaaaaay back in 2002, Brian and I put together our first proposal for a limited series — Penny Dreadul. For various reasons, the book didn’t get picked up, and Brian and I moved on to other projects, such as The Damned and The Sixth Gun. I’ve used some of the concepts from the Penny Dreadful proposal in other projects, but I still find my mind drifting back to the simple Victorian-era horror concept Brian and I came up with what seems like a lifetime ago. A few days back, I uncovered a folder containing all of the original pitch materials. You know what? I still think the proposal had merit. Was it perfect? Not at all. But there were a lot of things I really liked about it. After 8 years and a few computer crashes, I no longer have any of the electronic files, so I thought I’d scan everything in and post it here. Over the next week, I’m going to post the original proposal, some concept art, and even the script for the first issue. Remember, this was done a long time ago, when I was young and stupid, so be a little forgiving, won’t you?
Below is the original story overview. Click to enlarge the image.
I had a chance to sit down with the good folks from upstart comic company Saint James and talk about The Damned, The Sixth Gun, RAZE, and a bunch of other stuff. Check out the interview here.
Like everyone else, I feel down and out every now and then. Lately, I’ve been trying really hard to fight those feelings of defeat and despair that creep up on me from time to time. The songs in this playlist help me stave off the wolves, so to speak. What’s more, it’s likely one of these songs playing through my mind as I approach some editor or publisher for the first time. Being a painfully shy person, I need every little boost I can get when it comes to networking.
Let’s take a look at what Siris and Kast are up to in this latest sneak peek at the upcoming webcomic RAZE: Pursuit (co-written by Shawn Lee, art by Jeff Wamester).
The good folks at Oni Press have posted a 7-page preview of the first issue of The 6th Gun. Go check it out when you have a moment, and make sure to head to your local comic shop on Free Comic Book Day (May 1st) to snag your copy!
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