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Posted by:

RandylBishop

Date:

September 29th, 2008 9:02 AM

Header:

Homeless ideas and the cat skinning dillemma

Bulletin:

As someone who has thought of himself as an artist for most of my life, it is really strange that I find myself, full circle, back to the beginning of an existential crisis. I remember living through a time when a potential audience for my craft was only a dozen at most, and that was if you counted close relatives.

Now, the world is at almost every one who can hold a crayon's beckon call, provided of course their voice can be heard through all of the static, and that they have climbed an electronic mountaintop high enough to carry the message. Don't get me wrong- I love the fact that this is possible- who wouldn't? But at the same time, I the mighty artist, am suddenly faced with an overwhelming variety of choices. Sadly, very few of which seem to be viable options. I dare not speak of an option that would be profitable (gasp) in such bare times as these. Why are artists not paid a living wage?

At this writing, Wowio is more than a month behind in paying artists and writers their due. There is talk that print is dead and not worth pursuing if you are not already connected to insiders in the industry. Almost all voices, except the one in the back of the artist's head, say "give it up". And yet there has never been a greater diversity of ideas and art styles out there, never before ahave such great resources for collaboration existed, never before has there been such a thin wall between creator and reader.

Such exciting times!

The flagship graphic novel, that great American Novel idea in the brains of so many others has also been gestating in my head and I don't know where to start. To get traction on it. My desire is for it to be my greatest ever work, and for it to also be a great work in its own right. But the reality is that a complete story of any kind would be my greatest work ever. I haven't completed a 22 page story since high school. And that was some time ago. Yet, I haven't given up the habit of cartooning and drawing.

I have a choice now between doing a complete story that is not epic in length, and doing an epic lencth graphic novel that would be twice as long as The Watchmen. Or I could just continue to do short little tales written by my hand or others, or nervously sketch away in a meeting and throw the resulting mess away.

If there is anyone out there in this vast vacuum of Comicspace, either seasoned pro or ranker amateur than I, I would love to hear what it is you would focus your energy on were you in this dilemma. The saying goes that there is more than one way to skin a cat, and these currently homeless ideas are no exception.

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