Roger Langridge's Blog, page 272
March 15, 2013
March 14, 2013
Ask the Inkmonkey
The first in an occasional series where I wrestle with your questions, force them to the ground and kick them to death.
Felix writes:
Hey Roger!
Can you give a fan some insight into how the publishers choose the paper they use for the comics? I love the matte paper, feel and look, that Popeye is published on. I even like what Bongo comics uses for Simpsons books. However, I can't for the life of me appreciate the glossy stock that always seems to have wrinkles, printing issues, tears, kinks, etc... Seems like it doesn't affect the cover price, but maybe the profit margin? Anyway, any insight would be appreciated! I'm only venting because I found the last 2 pages of my Rocketeer Hollywood Horror to have some massive wrinkles through the page!
Anyway, the octopus made me think of the Spirit. Then I thought how cool would it be for the two to have a team up book? Looking forward to issue 2...
BTW - Rocketo... a shout out to the comic Rocketo?
Roger replies:
I don't have much insight into these decisions, really, although for what it's worth I hate that glossy stuff as well. I may be misremembering this, but I have a vague memory that the paper stock on Popeye was initially a mistake, but everybody liked it so they stuck with it. I know when I was self-publishing, I had two main criteria: (1) Is it cheap? and (2) How cheap is it?
As for a Rocketeer/Spirit team-up... I agree! Somebody should get on to that right away.
Last but not least, the "Rocketo" line... the comic book did occur to me, but it was more a reference to the comic strips of Gus Mager, who used to do a strip called Sherlocko the Monk. Paul Tumey recently did an excellent series of blog posts about Mager if you want to find out more about him - you can read that here. The Marx Brothers took their stage names from Mager's fondness for giving all his characters names ending in "-o", including one "Groucho the Monk".
As for why that might be significant... I couldn't possibly comment.
Felix writes:
Hey Roger!
Can you give a fan some insight into how the publishers choose the paper they use for the comics? I love the matte paper, feel and look, that Popeye is published on. I even like what Bongo comics uses for Simpsons books. However, I can't for the life of me appreciate the glossy stock that always seems to have wrinkles, printing issues, tears, kinks, etc... Seems like it doesn't affect the cover price, but maybe the profit margin? Anyway, any insight would be appreciated! I'm only venting because I found the last 2 pages of my Rocketeer Hollywood Horror to have some massive wrinkles through the page!
Anyway, the octopus made me think of the Spirit. Then I thought how cool would it be for the two to have a team up book? Looking forward to issue 2...
BTW - Rocketo... a shout out to the comic Rocketo?
Roger replies:
I don't have much insight into these decisions, really, although for what it's worth I hate that glossy stuff as well. I may be misremembering this, but I have a vague memory that the paper stock on Popeye was initially a mistake, but everybody liked it so they stuck with it. I know when I was self-publishing, I had two main criteria: (1) Is it cheap? and (2) How cheap is it?
As for a Rocketeer/Spirit team-up... I agree! Somebody should get on to that right away.
Last but not least, the "Rocketo" line... the comic book did occur to me, but it was more a reference to the comic strips of Gus Mager, who used to do a strip called Sherlocko the Monk. Paul Tumey recently did an excellent series of blog posts about Mager if you want to find out more about him - you can read that here. The Marx Brothers took their stage names from Mager's fondness for giving all his characters names ending in "-o", including one "Groucho the Monk".
As for why that might be significant... I couldn't possibly comment.
March 13, 2013
Ham II
It's all about the pigs today.
Ham
Missed posting yesterday because my computer was away being repaired. So - double shift today. I'll post another thing a bit later.
March 11, 2013
Inky McLangridge
Work in progress - a fragment of what I worked on today. I feel rusty inking with a brush. Hoping the juice starts flowing soon.
March 10, 2013
Even Grosser Point
Here's a sketch of the protagonists of the 1990s DC book I worked on, Gross Point. (Brian and Teri, was it? I think those were their names.) I remember thinking at the time that drawing a monthly book meant that I'd finally "Broken In" (capitals and all) and how this would be my professional life from now on.
How I laughed about that a couple of years later, when nobody would answer my calls.
How I laughed about that a couple of years later, when nobody would answer my calls.
March 9, 2013
March 8, 2013
March 7, 2013
Rocky II
Quick one tonight, because I'm pooped. Just want to say thanks for all the kind words about our humble Rocketeer funnybook. Thank you too much.
Gross Point
In the 1990s I worked on a DC kids' book called Gross Point. Here's a splash page I stumbled a cross a couple of days ago in a pile of artwork I was sorting. Blimey, I was a bit obsessive, wasn't I?
