28 replies to this topic

[nigel auchterlounie]

I sometimes find self promotion awkward to say the least.
I've finished my web comic "weak as I am"
http://spleenal.blog...-am-part-1.html

It took me 112 pages. It's all there for free.
Here's some comments so far…
"a more realistic take on superheroes"
"It was AMAZING. Most gripping superhero comic I've read in a long, long time"
"holy crap it is good!"
"Kurt Busiek mentioned this comic being very cool on his facebook page. He was right. "

You know Kurt Busiek writer of stuff like Astro City, Marvels and Avengers.

What do you think though?

Edited by nigel auchterlounie, 09 July 2012 - 10:10 PM.

[Jim Ohara]

I've read the first three web pages so far. I had no idea what to expect but bloody hell that was great! Well done Nigel - great ear for dialogue and a great engaging story so far. Wish you much success with it.

I'll read the rest after dinner.

[ditta]

Me gusta

I know you're finished but there's a typo on the third panel of the doctor's office issue. "I was to chicken for a local so..."!

But I'm just nitpicking. It's great work!

[Jim Ohara]

Couldn't wait for dinner.

I think this may be the best thing I've ever read in the creative forum here. It's wonderful.

[ditta]

Couldn't wait for dinner.

I think this may be the best thing I've ever read in the creative forum here. It's wonderful.

Isn't it just? I was aiming to go to sleep but I just can't stop reading it.

[nigel auchterlounie]

Me gusta

I know you're finished but there's a typo on the third panel of the doctor's office issue. "I was to chicken for a local so..."!

But I'm just nitpicking. It's great work!

Yeah sorry there are about a 100 more typos, it's all "pre editor"

[David Meadows]

I love this.

[Christian U]

Wow, that was awesome. I had to read it all through in one sitting, couldn't stop. Completely satisfying story, great characters, fantastic dialogue, funny and warm and exciting. So well done, man. I also noticed that, in spite of the cartoony style, this was actually the most exciting superhero action comic I've read in ages. The battles were just huge and earth-shaking in a way that the normal superhero books never seem to manage to make them (it reminded me more of Akira more than anything, actually). Brilliant "final battle", too.

It's a weird thing, this balance between funny/cartoony comedy strip and serious superhero book, if I have one criticism at all it'd be that that balance didn't always quite work. I think it worked best when it stayed on the more serious side (still funny, but not in that completely-out-of-the-story cartoon kind of way). Oh, and that it was too short! When's the sequel coming out?

Seriously, this is fantastic. What are you going to do with it now it's finished?

[David Meadows]

I commented after I had only read part 1. Now I've read the whole thing, and "I love this" is inadequate. This could be my favourite comic of the year.

Gutted that you destroyed the Dunston Rocket though

[nigel auchterlounie]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Christian U I've got no future plans for a sequel and no plans for Weak as I am either.

I've had a book published by BlankSlate books called "Spleenal" and there's plans to have "Megg" Published in the Autumn perhaps. (There's a preview of Megg near the top of my blog.) So there's half a chance Weak as I am might get published.

RFO, KOF Yeah sorry about destroying the rocket but I really wanted to see if it would fly

One question...
I see myself as a writer first. Would it be better drawn by someone else?

[Jim Ohara]

Lord God no! Your art is fantastic for the story.

If I'm to give one criticism, I don't know if the title is right. You've got this bombastic super hero story that's funny and action packed and honest, but the name only has a mild link to the story itself. I think you could name it something else and it'd be alot more impactful. Just an outsiders perspective.

[Deniz]

I saw this some time ago and thought it was amazing.

Great job, man.

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Christian U I've got no future plans for a sequel and no plans for Weak as I am either.

I've had a book published by BlankSlate books called "Spleenal" and there's plans to have "Megg" Published in the Autumn perhaps. (There's a preview of Megg near the top of my blog.) So there's half a chance Weak as I am might get published.

RFO, KOF Yeah sorry about destroying the rocket but I really wanted to see if it would fly

One question...
I see myself as a writer first. Would it be better drawn by someone else?

No way. Artwork is great, and perfectly appropriate.

[Christian U]

Christian U I've got no future plans for a sequel and no plans for Weak as I am either.

I've had a book published by BlankSlate books called "Spleenal" and there's plans to have "Megg" Published in the Autumn perhaps. (There's a preview of Megg near the top of my blog.) So there's half a chance Weak as I am might get published.

Fingers crossed, then. It deserves to be out there and be read by more people.

One question...
I see myself as a writer first. Would it be better drawn by someone else?

I loved the art on Weak As I Am, but like I said, I did wonder what it would be like to see this drawn in a more realistic way. Let me put it like this, I don't think that as the book is, it'd be better drawn by someone else, but I could see a slightly more serious version of the story drawn in a realist way that would be very interesting, and probably have a better chance of reaching a wider audience (since a lot of people will unfortunately reject this kind of story simply because of its cartoony style, and on the other hand off-kilter superhero stories do tend to do well at the moment, what with America's Got Powers and Ellis' Avatar superhero stuff that I think Weak As I Am is actually quite close to, in some ways).

[jamon g]

great work, great story, great art. frozen scenes are great. powers are great. well done.

[garjones]

I really enjoyed this, great story and fun artwork. I'd like to read more from Nigel.

I would say though it would help to work on the finer details, get someone to proof read it and cut out the typos. It may seem trivial but when everything else is so good it's an easily resolved black mark that may turn off a potential editor or publisher seeing some hard work ahead of them.

[Ulf Imwiehe]

Fantastic work! The art (and tonality) is perfect, I think. Yes, more realistic art might help to shape this story into something more palatable for the mass market but it's the cartooning that makes this thing so powerful. Get a copy editor on board to get rid of typos and stuff and you have a winner!

[nigel auchterlounie]

Thanks again every one.
If you're interested there's a new post on my blog showing the making of weak as I am.

http://spleenal.blogspot.co.uk/

[Jimmy F]

Nigel, this is awesome work. Quite literally stunned at how good this is.

When I started reading this I thought the artwork was going to annoy me after a bit, then I realised how totally absorbed I was becoming in the character and story.

It is a great read. Then like others I started thinking what would it be like drawn by another artist, then I swung back again and thought no, I believe some of its innocence and charm would be lost if drawn by someone else. I felt the same way reading Maus. Your style lends itself perfectly to the subject matter,symbiotic perfection.

What might be interesting is seeing your pencils inked and coloured by someone else this might give a slightly slicker polished feel. But seriously dude, don't change a thing.

[Geoffrey D. Wessel]

I read this all in one go over the weekend. Fantastic stuff. I hope you release this to the masses in print...

[Michael Stranger]

Yeah, that was great. Had a really nice way of building up the tension, and some very cool set-pieces (the building-drop and the run on the waves). Loved it! I used to draw on the tube and bus, so sincerely well done for handling all the jiggling and the people obviously looking over your shoulder. Nice tip about the sideways-seats.