So most of you don't know this, but I self-published a comic in the late 90s. It's been both one of my biggest achievements and unresolved failures. I started publishing RIGHT as the speculator bubble burst and comics (my sales included) took a shit.

These characters, and this project, have occupied a space in my head for over 25 years now. When there were times when it felt like I had no real friends out there, they were just a pencil and sketchbook away. I still want to tell this story somehow. I guess it's the one life accomplishment I want to make--see these characters come to life and see this story get put out there.

So I kind of had a moment tonight, when I was sitting at the computer, and heard one of the songs (France Jolie's "Come to Me" in this case) that used to be "Milikardo" music--the songs I'd go to when I wanted to create. I heard another one of my old writing songs earlier when I was at the gym (and having nothing else to do on the treadmill, started thinking about the old project), so that France Jolie song just armed and pulled the trigger. Before it was over, I had the tablet out, Photoshop up, and I was blocking out the bluelines.

So long since I've worked with some of these characters. I was running from raw memory with a few--how did I draw them last? How did their physical proportions interact with one another? It was like a visit from old friends. At one point in time, I was even crying as a few characters were taking shape on the screen, and I started to think about the emotional ties I've got to this project. Weird artist thing, I suppose.

I'm finishing this one. I have TONS of bluelines on my hard drive that will probably never be finished. But this one...this one I have to finish. Likewise, I need to finish school. That's been sucking up so much creative time. I really lose my shit when I can't create--write or draw. I need that outlet. I need to get into those fantasy spaces and work with characters and stories. If anything, my drawing is almost getting to the point where it could float a project, but not this one. This one, I'd hire out. Then again, finding the right artist is just as tough. My first guy was a needle in a haystack, and his successors could never match his talent. Likewise, I'd need to find someone who really got the feel for these characters. Until then, I guess I'm still sketching and crafting, waiting for that moment that lightning strikes...

Back row (L to R)
Critekar:Close quarters combat specialist
Walter Romaine: Weapons specialist
Leoladocious: Tactician

Front row (L to R):
Sid Marischino: Scientific field analyst
Lisa Nixon: Espionage
Robert Mitchell: Unit command
Tabitha Montgomery: Electronic intelligence gathering and computer countermeasures

(And no, Leo and Crite are not apes. Thellians--a simian-like race forced into exile with the Animalian settlers from Earth. Racial tension between the two species plays a huge role in the first story arc in particular. But if you were one of the 500-something people who bought issue 3, you knew that already) ;)