Fan To Pro - The Blog of Professional Geekery

Tales from the Ashcan: Meanwhile, Over at the DC Comics Disaster Circus....

Sometimes, when you're a major subsidiary of an entertainment behemoth, nothing ever seems to go right.  Such is the mess over at my favorite disaster circus of late, DC Comics.  First it was the pissing off of just about every member of fandom regarding their relaunch.  Then the controversy over their Zuda comics label.  Then it was the blatant sexism regarding the New 52 relaunch.  Then it was charges that DC no longer has a business strategy.  And now?  Well, let's just say that they're going for the Royal Flush (down the toilet.)

If any of you recall, a few years ago, there was a huge outcry over the changing of the DC "Bullet" logo to the current DC "swirl."  Well, get ready for the new new logo.

Say It With Me: Fantrepreneur

Well, I wasn't going to do this earlier, but something inside told me I needed to. Others have spoken, now so must I.

Folks, I am not just a geek, not just an otaku.  I am the amateur trying to turn pro.  You know them by plenty of names.  The profan, trying to turn his drawing and coding into video games.  The protaku, trying to hone her voice to become the voice actress dozens will hear in the dubs.  And then there are the ones who take it in a different direction.  Those of us whose dreams are owning a comic store, or creating a cosplay cafe, or starting a business based on the webcomic we've created.

You know us by many names.  Megatokyo.  Penny Arcade.  The Golden Apple.  Midtown Comics.  Royal/T.  All of these people strive for more than just fandom, more than just the entry-level.  They aspire to turn their fandom into both avocation and calling, not just for themselves, but for others.

In short, they are fans who want to be employers, to create jobs and a business.  They are fantrepreneurs.

I am a Geek!

(As part of Speak Out with Your Geek Out.)

Hi.

I don't really follow sports except during the playoffs if the Habs are there, though a baseball game's a great way to spend the afternoon.

I may not keep up on mainstream gossip on what Britney, Lindsay, or J-Lo are doing, though I'm sure they're nice once you get to know them.

I may not like current music or going out to crowded bars, but I do get together with friends.

Sometimes we watch anime or discuss the relevance of the plot twists in Doctor Who.

Sometimes, we just sit around the table and pretend to be someone else in an imaginary land.

Tales from the Ashcan: Art - The Lesser Part of the Equation

What, you thought you got rid of me? Nope, told you I'd be back.  So thus, I are starting a new monthly ongoing series, which I've entitled Tales from the Ashcan.  Why?  Well, in animation and artistic terms, the ashcans (officially, ashcan art) are the rough sketches that you do for fun or just for practice, the ones that never really get into the final work.  Nowadays, we'd call them "roughs", "bonus art" or "Dead Piro Days."  

Tales from the Ashcan will be just an ongoing thing as I document Megami Studios' steps going forward in the wide world of being both protaku mangaka and fantrepreneurs with a business.  Sometimes we'll talk about that.  Other times, I may just rant to get something out in the open.  Still other times, I might interview another artist to let them give their points of view on how things are.  And then there will be the days when we just go off piste and I'll let someone else do the talking, as my lovely wife has done today. 

Take it away, Ayne.

Launch or B....Oh, the Hell With It - LAUNCH!

And now, the curtain rises.  Take a bow, you've launched (or in our case, yesterday.)

Now, it's time to party.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 1 - AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!: Last Minute Doublechecking

Give me just a second.  I need to get something off my chest.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 2 - Oh Shi---: Tweaking (the Way You Want to Go)

We're now in launch week.  Needless to say, this is a terrifying exciting time.  But hey, we're consumate professionals, so we'll take it in stride, bravely moving along with a dance and a song.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 3 - Oh My Stars and Garters: Networking

Okay, for those of you who are currently dodging hurricanes (and for those of you who aren't), you might want to spend a little time pressing the flesh.  That's right - it's time to network.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 4 - OMGWTFBBQ!: Identity Design

Okay, show of hands!  Who hasn't started working on their webcomic/videogame/book/whatever yet?

Okay, those of you with your hands up, keep them up.  Okay, out of all of you, who already has their logo and stuff ready to go?

Okay, everyone whose hands have dropped, we'll meet you on the other side of the jump.  For the ones who haven't....

....what are you thinking?

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 5 - Boom! Goes Our Sanity: Process Lettering, Part Two

Well, here we go: five days left, and things are not getting any easier.  Again, it's time to scream.