out of sight, out of mind

Hey, I'm still here. I'm still working hard, still working hard on a comic strip because that's what I do.
But the work is not ready for prime time; in fact it has 97% chance of failing and never seeing the light of day. Indeed, its immediate predecessor , 5 months worth of work-from April to August 2017--will never be shared-anywhere. And while of course there is some inevitable disappointment in that, it's something I accept as part of the process and the necessary task of "getting it right". I fully expect to work another 6 months to a year on this project before it's shown publicly. And even then, it may not pop its head above sea level. We'll see.
 "Jetpack Jr." was never right. "Babyheads" was better-in that it was itself,  fully realized for what it was, a work of parody and satire. But it lacked characters an audience could connect with, and so it floundered. But looking back on it, I think I achieved what I wanted with the strip-well, at least to some extent.Whether or not I was the only person laughing, I don't know. But  at least I was true to my vision, such as it is.( or was.)
But I don't feel "Jetpack" ever found its groove--primarily because the lead character was an empty vessel. I never found the right voice for him. Only at the end, when I started playing around with Trump as a character, did I feel I'd found an interesting lead. But there were problems with that too---I couldn't keep up with every tweet, every egregious act or statement, and it ultimately felt like a dead end.
So, I decided to pull back and retool. The surprising thing is, I've found I don't miss posting.I don't miss the "likes". I don't miss the scramble for an audience, the pressure to be "seen".  After awhile, as a cartoonist-- whose job it is to be part of the daily media onslaught-- you grow to think life and work and career are nonexistent apart  from those social tools; that you're nowhere unless you're seen on Instagram, FB or Twitter. But the truth is, the work exists independently-- and its failure and success-- as work--can be independent of its visibility. The work comes first. Why share just to share?  In the meantime, I continue to write and sketch and draw and ink and photoshop and when I think I've finally got something, I'll let it go and see how it floats. It might be 3 months, 6 months or a year. But-if it doesn't beat the odds, if like most endeavors it ends up a failed attempt at "something", it'll remain beneath the ocean with all those other beautiful wrecks, those decayed treasures of the imagination.  Wish me luck.

A Brief Introduction

Along with several others of my colleagues at Adelphi University, I've been asked by my Dean to do a little presentation of my work--I guess because I'm a bit "under the radar".  Rather than do a Powerpoint with questionable links to my websites,etc., I thought I'd gather together some things here at home for convenience.

For those who aren't familiar, my work over the last 15 years has been in collage, comics and-most recently--animation. For those who want to see a fuller accounting-please see my FB page: facebook.com/geoffgroganetal/ 
 This isn't everything I've done, but the things that stand out to me looking back.
So--without further ado, a career retrospective: 
Collage(2000-2005):

Comics:

Look Out! Monsters(2008)

More Comics:

 Fandancer(2010) 

 KORUMBU! pts.I & II (2011)

( Korumbu Confesses! & Korumbu Attacks!) 

Jetpack Jr. (2011-)

www.gocomics.com/jetpack-jr

and Jetpack this week:  http://www.gocomics.com/jetpack-jr/2016/12/05

 Animation(2016):

 
Bella Dilemma TV Show Trailer from Geoff Grogan on Vimeo.


 And-my current work-in-progress:  
Plastic Babyheads from Outer Space



PBHFOS8-1 from Geoff Grogan on Vimeo.

Jetpack's Back!

What was it Michael Corleone said?  "Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in."
Comics. They have this gravitational pull---and I'm a sucker for 'em. And specifically, the comic strip. There's something about the daily comic strip, as outdated as its format may be in the digital world--there's something about the structure, the one-two-three punch; the narrative limitations of working in short bursts-that I respond to. And, forgive my hubris, over the course of  five years, I think I've gotten good at it. Well--at least, pretty good.
And--freed from pressure, whether deadline pressure or the pressure of self-imposed aspirations, it can be fun--and it is fun. So this return to "Jetpack Jr." is for fun--fun for me, and I hope, fun for you, my reader. My goal is to provide a moment's entertainment, and maybe a little more than that. At the very least I hope to share my love of the comic strip--its form, its history, its tradition. I hope, when you read "Jetpack", some of that comes across. 
For whatever good intentions are worth, my plan is to continue to relay the stories of the Gladlee household as they come to me, but at my own pace, and with a somewhat irregular schedule, to allow for the work I'm doing on the other projects I've told you about in my last few posts.  It's likely the stories will come in bursts of a few weeks at a time--as far as I can tell, anyway. Then it may be a month again before you and I see them again.  I don't get to their neighborhood every day; it's clear on the other side of town-- and I do have a job, and a wife, and dogs and cats, and groceries to buy.  
But I can't stay away for too long, they are oddly compelling in their way, always good for a laugh, and I've grown fond of them.  Forgive me if I assume too much, but I think-- maybe you have too. Just a bit. 
With that in mind, The Gladlees and I will see you soon at GoComics.com!

P.S. Be sure to like the strip's FB page: www.facebook.com/BellaDilemma00 and for more on my work:www.facebook.com/geoffgroganetal
Thanks!

Stops and Starts

I just finished David Levy's "Animation Development: From Pitch to Production". This book is helpful on many levels, not merely for the next potential Matt Groening, but for writers and cartoonists of all stripes, whether you're working on the next "Rick and Morty" or just slaving away on the next "Jetpack Jr." comic strip. The first few chapters alone, detailing the content necessary for any good "pitch bible", forced me to think, and re-think, character over and over again, as "Plastic Babyheads" gradually transitioned to "Jetpack Jr." this past year.
Character is the honey that keeps the flies coming back; whether to comic or cartoon, novel or TV series. Of course, that's no news to even the most inexperienced writer, but artists are most interested in pretty pictures--and so it was a lesson learned late for me. Nevertheless, I worked and worked at it--and put Levy's book aside until I felt I knew who my characters were. That didn't come easy. I didn't start with a defining concept(other than an Earth invaded by plastic babyheads), or the idea of pitting this character against that one. They developed more or less organically as the strip has evolved, and it's taken time to get to know them. 
Picking up with Levy's book where I'd left off  last Fall, I found the remaining chapters no less educational, and just as challenging. The life of the creative animator/story-teller described within its pages is fraught with ups and downs, loads of disappointments and rare success. Frankly, I finished it feeling defeated before I'd begun, so difficult is the world of television animation development Levy describes. If you have illusions about overnight success, this book will wake you up to reality pretty quick.  It's loaded with a lot of insightful information that should help budding young animation developers pitch their ideas and navigate the rough waters of development, should they be so lucky. But it's clear, animation development is not for the faint-of-heart--and if you don't want it badly enough, this book will ward you off the attempt.
Levy might as well have been writing about the world of comic strip development; for while the details differ, the trials are the same. For every Phoebe and Her Unicorn  there are hundreds
(thousands?) of strips that never get off the ground, and many more that get to one stage of development but not the next. And every step of the way is fraught with the same emotional highs and lows. It's not for the faint-hearted.
Obviously, the subtext of this post is that I've been thinking of the next step for "Jetpack Jr.", both as comic strip and as animation. In both cases, the chances are slim; realistically next-to-nil, and I know that(accepting it is another thing).  At this point in my life, I still have dreams( yes--geezers still dream!) but very few illusions. I work on "Jetpack Jr." because I love it, I'm obsessed with it- it's great fun and, go figure, I have to know what happens to these people.  
If I put together a pitch bible, or a submission package, it's not only because I have a hope for success(sure I do), but because it's a learning experience, a creative endeavor in itself.  The process teaches me more about the strip, its world and its characters--and makes the strip better.  Putting together a pitch, or working on sample animation--can only be a plus for me.(All of the work on character this past year wouldn't have happened if I'd not been challenged by David Levy's book.)  Not only will I be creatively engaged in a medium I've always loved and admired, challenging myself to broaden the range of my abilities--  I'll bring my experience back to the classroom, to my students! And... if I'm very lucky, I might make something good, something I can be proud of. 


via GIPHY
Jetpack Jr. may never make it to syndication, and it may never be an animated TV show. I mean, get real--right? But there's always the next step--and continually stretching oneself, as a story-teller and as an artist--will have a different payoff.
If I were to let the challenges posed by David Levy's fine book dissuade me from trying, then I never wanted it bad enough in the first place--and the only one who loses in that equation....is me.

via GIPHY
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"Jetpack Jr." returns October 1st!

"Jetpack Jr." is back! October 1st new material begins appearing again at GoComics.com.  
Lots of surprises in store--I won't let on now, you'll just have to wait! 
Those strips you see strewn across my drawing board in the photo above are the product of my "hiatus", a brand new bunch of comics, which I'm in the process of coloring now.  Time off was really no time off at all!
For those of you introduced to the strip through the reruns that have been running  on GoComics since August, or the material appearing at Tapastic.com, the transition should be seamless--picking up right where we left off.  And for those of you who've been reading all along, I appreciate your patience! I promise--the new strips will be worth the wait!

Behind the Scenes: Process!

My friend Kevin Mutch often posts interesting gifs, displaying his process. I thought I'd follow suit and show a little of the work  "behind the scenes" for "Jetpack Jr.".  It starts with the blue line sketch;  and then working the piece in layers on translucent vellum: background, middle ground and foreground. Each is scanned and then colored in photoshop, and brought together in the final piece. Yes, I could do it all in photoshop, but as I've said in the past, I still like creating an original hardcopy.
This little gif gives an illustration. (Click on the image to make it larger) Enjoy:

GIF Crazy!

Here are two new GIF's of Jetpack Jr. comics! Be sure to check out the Jetpack Jr. channel on GIPHY.com! Meanwhile,  enjoy!

Career Choice: 

and "Art Therapy"

Behind the Curtain

I've always found an artist's process interesting; several years ago there was a great book out on various cartoonists called In the Studio(Todd Hignite; Yale University Press; ©2006). It featured a number of my favorite contemporary cartoonists; Crumb, Seth, Jaime Hernandez. It was both informative and entertaining and I devoured it. I think I read it in a night or two.

Jetpack Jr. ink on vellum; ink & blue pencil on Canson Art Board

Recently, I revised my process to better accommodate the digital work I do in Photoshop, while retaining the hard-copy paper original. It's old skool, I know--but I'm loathe to let go of the original, not so much for tradition's sake, but I prefer being able to conceive of the work in real space--it helps me with scale, proportion(panel to panel-as much as figures within the panels) and most importantly, rhythm; the rhythm of the images and the words together across the strip. I like being able to judge the flow of the entirety in real space. What can I say?  I'm old!

I start with the sketchbook--in my case just a little composition notebook(the kind you used in third or fourth grade) and a tape recorder. I tape ideas and notes while driving on my long commute back and forth to work--and listen to them later--sped up so I sound like I've inhaled helium. It's more interesting listening to yourself that way.
Anyway-after I've loosely blocked it out in the notebook--and written and re-written the text, the next step is to work the strip out in blueline(w/non-photo blue pencil) on 11" x 17" Canson Art Board.  Initially, I keep things really loose, blocking out the text first, after which I begin to work out the figures. I may draw and re-draw several times before pulling something that I can live with out from the tangle of lines.  


Previously to "Jetpack", I'd been going over the blueline in 3B or 4B pencil--then scanning the pencils as text at 600dpi. The result was increasingly disappointing to me, and needed a lot of clean-up.
It also made the coloring I do in Photoshop unnecessarily difficult.  

I've changed the process to better accommodate the work I do in Photoshop and to make life a little easier--and hopefully a little speedier( as juggling a full-time job and a comic strip doesn't leave a lot of time).

In the new process, I separate the figures and the backgrounds into two physical layers-as in traditional cel animation. I work the backgrounds on the Canson Art board in ink(Pentel fine-line markers) over the blueline--and then, with the markers, I trace the blueline figures and text  onto translucent vellum. The vellum has a beautiful surface for the markers' ink--and the process eliminates the clean-up I'd spent so much time doing before. After some erasing on the art-board layer, I scan the pages just as before.

Jetpack Jr. on vellum. from the April 26. 2015 strip on GoComics.

Once in Photoshop, I work on each layer separately and bring them together at the end-just as in cel animation. Of course I make any necessary color adjustments at that point. Sometimes I'll finish coloring the figures and lay them over the background before I've colored the ground. That way I can mold the background colors to suit the figures. I turn the figure layer on and off as I need before merging the two in the final.

Obviously,  I'm mimicking the process of working in Photoshop layers but in vellum and board. Still, it's working great for me--and while I know it's easy to do working on a Cintiq, Wacom or Surface Pro tablet--for now, anyway--I prefer having an original hard copy--and it's giving me a lot of freedom in coloring that I didn't have before.

New Beginnings

Jetpack Jr. ©GeoffGrogan

 Let's face it, the title sucked. More than one person told me "Plastic Babyheads from Outer Space"  turned them off before they ever read the comic, and well--it certainly didn't attract readers to the strip.  I have a theory that titles ending with  "...from Outer Space" (post 1950's ) are doomed to ignominy.  For years I've avoided watching Killer Clowns from Outer Space-- just because. I've tried recalling any film, book, comic, pop-culture relic post 1960 with "..from Outer Space" in the title. Nothing comes to mind.( nothing good, anyway)  It seems a sure-fire path to the cultural trash-can. 
Well, it's a theory, anyway. Maybe it was the "Babyheads" bit. I've got to admit, the image is just a wee bit...uhm... bothersome. Particularly if you have a soft spot for babies. (and who doesn't?) One way or another, the title was a bomb.
So, I thought--what the hey-let's change it up a bit.  I've got nothing to lose. 
And thus, this week-- Jetpack Jr. begins on GoComics.com  and Plastic Babyheads comes to a close--sort of.  It continues, albeit in slightly altered fashion.(Thanks to everyone at GoComics.com for supporting the change.)
All things in time and it took time for
Jetpack to arrive. You might say it was a protracted gestation period. Three years as Plastic Babyheads from Outer Space before the characters began to emerge from the crowd. Where did the time go? What took so long?  
I'm not one for forcing the issue, I suppose. Hey, I stumbled into the strip--came at backwards-and in those rocky beginnings, never thought it would last.  But the strip has its own momentum and it's pulled me along in its wake. And as time went on, certain voices spoke louder than others. It really is true, the characters tend to find their own direction. And so, this is the path Jetpack Jr., Hank and Marsha, Rensselaer, Kramden, Bella Dilemma and a few old friends(as yet to reappear) were determined to follow. I am excited about it--and if you're reading this, I hope you are too. Where they want to go, they haven't told me--yet. We'll find out together. Meanwhile, this blog will be a place for me to let what's left of my hair down-a bit--put up some stuff on process and inspiration, or just talk about stuff I'm looking at, reading, listening to, stuff that I like. A casual affair. Hope you'll drop by often.