my time with the LDB

My friend created, writes and colours (yes, he prefers that spelling) this lovely strip called Lil Depressed Boy.

We met through mutual friends in the comic book community. I'm his faux editor, periodically, and sometimes a cheerleader (in spirit, if not uniform).

He recently had two weeks of guest writers and I leapt at the chance to add my pen to the cause.

I was a bit hesitant to play in someone else's sandbox (hence a sandbox being in my first strip), but I think I have a decent familiarity with the character to stay true to the comic and yet add a dash of my voice. I think I more than succeeded when people assumed he'd ghostwritten my first one.

This was my first time working with an artist and let me just say, not only did Scott Arnold take my scripts and bring them beautifully to life, we found a common love -- Canadian music -- that will hopefully keep us friends for ages.


Ergo and hence, Lil LDB --
(including the about the authors notes because no one ever reads the bottom).


Strip #1

"I have no clue who Vaughn Mason is. He is an enigma, wrapped in a cypher, boxed in a conundrum and covered in secret sauce. He's apparently 6'3" and I know he doesn't do a good Texan accent. However, he wrote today's strip for me. Also, I suspect he may not even exist. Which is good, because he can't claim to have created Little LDB. Bwahahahaha."

Strip #2

"Thanks to Leo Burke, Zach Trover, Travis Fox, Chris Fenoglio, Raul Rodarte and Kat Cahill for helping out. And double thanks to Scott Arnold and Nick Brandt for starting the fortnight off, and now ending it. Aw crap, not Nick Brandt. Vaughn Mason. Why do I always confuse Nick Brandt and Vaughn Mason? All you guys did a great job, and it was fun to see all those other interpretations. Thanks so much."

Honestly

When someone isn't instantly blown away by my creative mastery, my first response is a lingering "F%#$!" (Sometimes voiced, sometimes kept inside)

After that minute or so, it's quickly followed by, "well, I'll just have to win them over then, won't I?"

Thankfully, generally speaking, people seem to vibe with what I put out.
But I want 100% approval.
It's a lofty goal, but I'm willing to work.

Stolen from an IM today

[15:07] nicofopolous: so the development person looked me up on Studio System and asked how long I'd been rep'd by ICM
[15:07] nicofopolous: to which I said, "I'm repped by ICM???"
[15:07] nicofopolous: (I'm not repped by ICM, btw)

Never a dull travel day

Travelling often involves the universe messing with me.

On the way out:
I show up at 12pm to the wrong airport in Los Angeles for my 2pm flight out ($100 cab ride to Burbank airport and additional travel stress). Thankfully, the brief layover on the flight out was in Las Vegas and I actually won back $50 on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Those were my mom’s favorite. I call this the universe giving me the 50% off dumbass discount.

On the way back:
I got pantsed by security at the Providence Airport (immeasurable embarrassment and comedy potential). I was randomly selected for a pat down and said pat down happened before I put on my belt. The pat down was thorough enough to dislodge my pants from my hips, dropping them to the ground, revealing my relatively plain boxers to whoever was looking.

The universe has a sense of humor.

Full On Optimism

Not only have I been to set, I've seen that our director is really crafting something special (good special at that).

A couple more weeks of shooting, then editing, then... the world?

Time will tell, but I am full on optimistic.

Excitement?

News of cast sprinkles down to me.
Shooting Friday.
For the longest time, I've been saying I'll stop being cautiously optimistic and start to believe it when it starts shooting.
I guess in less than two days, I become a believer.
I'm excited.

Who Plays Who

Initially word from our producer has me very psyched about some casting directions they're heading in.

Obviously, I can't say anything until it's public knowledge, but if all works out, expect a full-on, super sloppy geekgasm.