Holiday Musings #1
With a few weeks respite from work, I though it high time that I actually do something on this here Blog of mine. So, what subject should I cast my keyboard to this time. After much deliberation, I couldn’t think of anything special. Instead, I’m going to try something out. I’ve often wondered what would happen if I just typed, not thinking about anything in particular, just putting down what comes into my head when it comes to Bart Sears. So here goes nothing.
When I think of Bart Sears, I have very mixed emotions. It is mostly fondness that I feel, but there is a fair portion of concern and regret mixed in. As far as the fondness goes, I reminisce about my visits to Bart’s home, the acceptance into his life and the joy of watching him go about his work. I also think of the Ominous Press days, when I had vivid dreams of meeting Bart, and him showering me with OP material. I think of the times when we were out to dinner, talking about OP characters, some known to everybody, some to just a few. We would create scenes involving characters, acting out the roles ourselves, working though character plots and trying to put all of the pieces of puzzle together. Sometimes we would just talk about life, what we wanted, what we liked, how we could have done better. Those were moments that mattered; our friendship was formed there. And while we don’t talk as often as either of us would like, and only via email, there is that bond there, formed from friendship and similar interests.
Despite our similar interests though, Bart and I are very different. Bart once told me that he was never really a fan of anything, sure, he has his likes, but he felt he never had it in him to really be a fan. I, on the other hand, probably go too far in my fanaticism. Bart also has said that he doesn’t really like to draw. He can see that he has talent, but almost grudgingly accepts it and uses it. I can draw too, pretty well when I’m drawing what I want to draw, but I see that talent as a reason to relax, that surely with that talent, things will come my way, resting on my laurels, essentially.
But I think it is our love of the same story style that really ties us together, we both love a plot that has massive, core-shaking twists dropped in along the way. Bart is in expert at this, to the point where I still shudder when I think about the twist in one of his unpublished stories. Bart also came up with a twist in a characters origin the last time I was staying with him that had me almost hyperventilating with excitement and awe. I write a lot too, but I bow to his superiority humbly, willingly and thankfully.
I have regrets when I think of Bart, for what might (and probably should) have been. The guy can draw comic art the best in the world in my opinion. He is widely adaptable; he has a knowledge of anatomy second to none, can draw everything believably and has a cool core style. He is the greatest writer I have ever read (and I’ve read a lot, having worked in bookstores for 10 years), he can write incredibly stories that ooze originality and spark. He is also adaptable with his stories, having written stories on a wide variety of sub-genres within the science-fiction/fantasy realm, any stories of which deserve their place alongside the greats such as Tolkien, Kay, Jordan, Gemmell and Goodkind.
Bart is also proficient in his knowledge of the film industry, his first love. He is a filmmaker at heart, which shows in both his art and stories. He has a visual style that is both accessible and attractive.
So, my regret is somewhat diluted with a thankfulness for what he has given us. I regret that we have, as yet, not been able to go to the cinemas to see Bart Sears’ latest epic. I regret that I can’t go to the local bookshop and buy Bart Sears’ hot new novel. But I am thankful that he has provided us with over 200 fantastic comics to both read and look at, not to mention all of the other comic related paraphernalia. Would I prefer to have a backlog of Bart Sears movies, or Bart Sears novels, rather than all of the comic work he has done? I don’t know. I guess, ideally, I would like to see him maintain all three fields. To have a new movie out every couple of years, a book every other year, and the odd comic graphic novel too. That seems fair doesn’t it?
I would dearly love to see a Bart Sears movie, and I know he would dearly love to make one, but I think I’d rather see him do graphic novels and novels with illustrations. A lot of the regret I feel when I think of Bart comes from the OP days and what ultimately lead to its closure. Knowing what I know of what was to happen, it saddens me that these further tales may never go past the written form. I love OP, I think it is Bart’s single greatest achievement professionally to date, and I really can’t see it being surpassed by anything other than more OP. It was his world, his characters, and his art. Everything else pales in comparison, because they are tainted by somebody else’s hand. No disrespect to the other artists or writers or anybody else he has worked with. But as the motto says, ‘Bart Sears is Ominous Press.’
I must admit that I feel concern for Bart often too. Let’s face it, the plum jobs in comicdom aren’t exactly banging down his front door, though I’ll never understand why. Sure, he’ll be the first to admit that he has burned a few bridges in his career, but jeez, given the right project and the right amount of lead in time, he could smoke any other artist, without a shadow of a doubt. So, yep, I worry. The way things are going, Bart won’t be in comics for much longer, due to a need to put food on the table, which is just a goddamn shame. And an absolute travesty if you ask me. Sure, Bart has made some mistakes, but he’s a bankable commodity, given the right opportunity.
It is very difficult to envision where Bart will be in five years time, its tough to see just one year from now. I sincerely hope he is still in comics, but I believe it will take something drastic for that to happen, which I’m holding out for. Bart is currently at Dark Horse Comics, which has its redeeming titles that Bart would be great on, none more so than Conan, who Bart is still yet to have a solid go at. But I don’t think his future lies at DH, or Marvel or DC for that matter. I think Bart is treading water at the moment, and probably will do so for the rest of the year. I think two things might happen at the end of the year.
1) Some comic company will come along and throw Bart a rope, or
2) Bart will decide he’s had enough of comics and get out of the metaphoric pool.
I wish I could do more for the guy, I really do. I’ve often dreamt of winning the lottery, setting up a comic and book company just for Bart to publish his OP stuff, and fund the odd movie. That is my dream. You see companies like that come and go, Crossgen instantly comes to mind, but they never really work out. I think a lot of that has to do with the talent on board, and what they produce. There have been scores of companies pop up with comics that are just deplorably bad, with terrible art being the most evident, but that is something you definitely wouldn’t have to worry about with Bart. So I think that the return of OP is not impossible, and not necessarily a bad move, given enough funding. Bart really just needs a good six months to a year to get a good head start, financially secure and all of that, to come up with a package he is happy with. What form it would take, I don’t know. I’d like to see Bart work on just graphic novels, to not bother with a cliffhanger every 22 pages, and get a good story flow going. Can you imagine picking up a 120-odd page graphic novel with Arkon at the helm? That would be incredible. Even a quarterly 32 page comic would suffice for me.
Oh, to dream, to dream… I’ll keep buying those lottery tickets, just in case, though.
In the meantime, I’ll be content to pick up anything that Bart does, hoping for the day when Bart rises to the high ranks of comic artists again, I know he’s got it in him.
And the winning lottery numbers are….
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Sunday, August 5, 2007
The Relentless Pursuit
The Relentless Pursuit
A Bart Sears Collector's Tale
Its frustrating being a big Bart Sears fan. Its even more frustrating being a Bart Sears collector. Sad but true. And this is why.
I’ve been collecting Bart’s huge body of work for over 15 years now. I have a gigantic collection of his various publications, by far the biggest in the world. But I’m still a long way from completing the collection and I doubt I ever will actually reach the point where I can say that I have everything that Bart has ever done. Which doesn’t particularly bother me, though there have been times when it has.
I’ve spent many a day on a wild goose chase, hoping against hope to discover some as yet unknown piece of Bart Sears magic. Most days I come away empty-handed. But there are those blissful, though albeit rare, occasions when I do manage to catch the goose, be it some cover I was completely unaware existed, or a trading card to go nicely with the collection.
And that is the thing about collecting Bart Sears work, and I suppose collecting in general; the thrill of the chase is half of the pleasure.
It all started in late 1991 for me. I had been living in Hong Kong with my family for a year and was desperately deprived of an even half decent comic store. I’d been satiating my addiction with whatever comic I could get my sensitive and lovely little hands on, be it Doom Patrol, Judge Dredd, or even, to my eternal shame, Marvel Comics Presents.
But a chance encounter after being back in Australia for a matter of days changed my life from then on. I had been a fan of several artists prior to this, mostly Erik Larsen and Dale Keown. But when I picked up a comic grab bag with Justice League Europe #’s 2 & 3 in it, I knew I had found my man.
I remember instantly being amazed at the anatomy this Bart Sears guy could render, far beyond anything I’d seen before. Needless to say I bought the grab bag and it was the greatest couple of dollars I ever spent……….or was it?
I started my voyage by collecting Bart’s Justice League Europe work, most of which I picked up for about $2 a pop at a local comic shop. That led to the Faith miniseries in Legends of the Dark Knight, then Justice League America and Eclipso. From there, I discovered his Turok and X-O and a few other odds and ends. Eventually I picked up a copy of Wizard magazine and came upon his Drawing Power tutorials held therein. Then came Ominous Press. I still remember that fateful day when I walked into that same local comic shop as the one where I picked up those JLE issues, but that story is for another article.
By the time Ominous Press and ‘It Begins’ were unleashed on an unsuspecting, and unprepared, public, I was a huge fan of Bart Sears. But the problem was, I’d pretty much exhausted all of the comic shops in Melbourne of their Bart Sears resources. I was almost entirely relying on Wizard and other trade magazines for any scrap of information concerning Bart; these, of course, being the days before the internet and email.
I endured this situation for several years, picking up what I could and amassing a sizeable collection. I spent a lot of time going to collector’s fairs and markets during this time, and managed to procure some fantastic things along the way, the most notable being the almost complete run of Wizard magazines featuring Bart’s tutorials for a $1 an issue. I also managed to obtain a car around about this time, and this opened up a much larger area for me to frequent.
Finally, the Internet became more popular and easily accessible, much to my joy. Here, for the first time, was a veritable goldmine of information for me to put to use in my collecting trips. But the Internet was as much a curse as it was a gift. Often I would come home from a hard days Sears hunting, happy that I’d found the piece I’d set out to find, only to discover yet another item I needed.
Then I discovered eBay, and boy did the money flow. In the years of 1999 and 2000, my collection of Bart Sears artwork seemed to multiply tenfold. Not only was eBay a great place to buy relatively hard to find items, it was also a great place for finding out information on any particular subject.
It was in about 2000 when I started buying Bart Sears original art. Though I bought only a few items to begin with, I really started going nuts in 2003 and 2004.
Today, I mostly just pick up the new pieces Bart does. I’ve reached a point where the things I still need are either incredibly rare, or I don’t even know of their existence at this stage. But I do have the joy of picking up something new every now and then. For instance, just last year, I managed to finally get my hands on Bart’s interview in Comic Book Collector #24, thanks to my good pal, Darrin Wiltshire. I also managed to procure another Bart Sears Conan T-shirt in the last few weeks.
So, can I pass on any pearls of wisdom on the subject of collecting Bart Sears art to any would-be hunters? Well, gather around children and let me teach you a few things.
1. First of all, always look at your local comic shop before buying something on the Internet, it’s quicker and quite often cheaper.
2. Only buy over the Internet if you can’t find the piece anywhere else close, or if you live in a cave, far away from humanity.
3. Always wear protection! If you’re going out Sears hunting, make sure you come prepared for any eventuality. That means having plenty of sleeves and backing boards ready, and always take more than you envision you’ll need. Have a card folder or even just sleeves and a box. But most importantly, have a bag that won’t damage your newly acquired Bart Sears paraphernalia. If that means taking a few pieces of cardboard to keep your comics flat, so be it. Believe me, there is nothing worse than coming home to find that not only are your new comics bent, but your bottle of apple juice has decided to spill on them too!
4. Discover the wonders of a laminating machine. There are plenty of Bart Sears posters out there, and you’ll obviously want to keep them in good condition. I’ve been laminating Bart Sears things for 10 years now, with no sign of fading or warping.
5. If there’s a new Bart Sears comic out that you think is the best thing since sliced bread, buy two copies. One for reading, one to keep in good condition. But make sure you label which one is which.
6. Bart has done a lot of covers in his time, without doing the interiors, and if you were to hang on to the rest of the comic, it would take up a great deal of space. Long ago I made the decision to remove the covers and get them laminated, a move I definitely recommend. Of course, there will be the odd one where you want to keep the comic as well, maybe something by Andy Smith with a cover by Bart Sears. I suggest buying two copies.
7. Storage is always a problem. For comics, I use a bookshelf, for laminated covers and pin-ups I use a solid folder with plastic sleeves. For cards I use a Pro-Gard binder, which is better than a ring file folder in my opinion.
8. Original art is expensive, but if there were a case where the saying ‘quality, not quantity’ applied, this would be it. Don’t be tempted to buy up every piece of Bart Sears original art that comes around. Pick pieces that really appeal to you. And don’t always go for the splash pages! They may be pretty, but they’re invariably more expensive. And let’s not forget, Bart is a master storyteller too, some of my most treasured original art pieces are just ordinary story pages.
9. Buy the full comics first! Bart has done some spectacular covers in his time, but you’re much better off getting the comics he’s done interiors on first, it’s all about value for money.
And last but not least. Enjoy yourself!
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t seen that comic grab bag all those years ago. One thing’s for sure, I’d be a whole lot wealthier. I’d probably have more friends, and my house would be a lot tidier.
But do I regret picking up that grab bag? Not for a heartbeat! Sure, I have nothing in the way of savings and I almost have a whole room dedicated to Bart, much to my wife’s chagrin. But there are far more positives than negatives; being able to consider Bart a friend is top of the list, even higher than being his #1 fan.
When I look back at all the time and money spent on Bart and his work, I see a collection of the coolest artwork by the coolest artist I have ever come across. And that’s when I know that I don’t need to obsessively track down every single piece of art Bart has ever done. I used to look at my collection of Bart’s work and only see the things that were missing, even though I was immensely proud of what I had. But with time and maturity comes a certain amount of perspective. I used to fight ferociously for peoples acknowledgment that I was Bart’s biggest fan. But that isn’t why I collect Bart’s work at all, and I see that now. I collect Bart’s work because he is my favourite artist, and I like looking at his stuff. Sure, I have responsibilities as Bart’s #1 fan, which includes me buying everything new that comes out by him, but I know that there is a trap that is very easy to fall into when you start collecting something you like. I fell for it, hard. I spent so much time running around looking for new Bart Sears work, that I almost forgot why I even wanted the stuff. It had become a case of simply needing to possess the things, to covet.
Now, when I pull out something from my collection, I look at it with a fresh perspective. I am no longer the rabid collector I once was; it may have taken me a very long time to get to this point, and the journey was a lot of fun upon reflection, but I’m glad I’ve reached the point where I can sit back, relax and enjoy Bart’s work as an appreciator and admirer.
A Bart Sears Collector's Tale
Its frustrating being a big Bart Sears fan. Its even more frustrating being a Bart Sears collector. Sad but true. And this is why.
I’ve been collecting Bart’s huge body of work for over 15 years now. I have a gigantic collection of his various publications, by far the biggest in the world. But I’m still a long way from completing the collection and I doubt I ever will actually reach the point where I can say that I have everything that Bart has ever done. Which doesn’t particularly bother me, though there have been times when it has.
I’ve spent many a day on a wild goose chase, hoping against hope to discover some as yet unknown piece of Bart Sears magic. Most days I come away empty-handed. But there are those blissful, though albeit rare, occasions when I do manage to catch the goose, be it some cover I was completely unaware existed, or a trading card to go nicely with the collection.
And that is the thing about collecting Bart Sears work, and I suppose collecting in general; the thrill of the chase is half of the pleasure.
It all started in late 1991 for me. I had been living in Hong Kong with my family for a year and was desperately deprived of an even half decent comic store. I’d been satiating my addiction with whatever comic I could get my sensitive and lovely little hands on, be it Doom Patrol, Judge Dredd, or even, to my eternal shame, Marvel Comics Presents.
But a chance encounter after being back in Australia for a matter of days changed my life from then on. I had been a fan of several artists prior to this, mostly Erik Larsen and Dale Keown. But when I picked up a comic grab bag with Justice League Europe #’s 2 & 3 in it, I knew I had found my man.
I remember instantly being amazed at the anatomy this Bart Sears guy could render, far beyond anything I’d seen before. Needless to say I bought the grab bag and it was the greatest couple of dollars I ever spent……….or was it?
I started my voyage by collecting Bart’s Justice League Europe work, most of which I picked up for about $2 a pop at a local comic shop. That led to the Faith miniseries in Legends of the Dark Knight, then Justice League America and Eclipso. From there, I discovered his Turok and X-O and a few other odds and ends. Eventually I picked up a copy of Wizard magazine and came upon his Drawing Power tutorials held therein. Then came Ominous Press. I still remember that fateful day when I walked into that same local comic shop as the one where I picked up those JLE issues, but that story is for another article.
By the time Ominous Press and ‘It Begins’ were unleashed on an unsuspecting, and unprepared, public, I was a huge fan of Bart Sears. But the problem was, I’d pretty much exhausted all of the comic shops in Melbourne of their Bart Sears resources. I was almost entirely relying on Wizard and other trade magazines for any scrap of information concerning Bart; these, of course, being the days before the internet and email.
I endured this situation for several years, picking up what I could and amassing a sizeable collection. I spent a lot of time going to collector’s fairs and markets during this time, and managed to procure some fantastic things along the way, the most notable being the almost complete run of Wizard magazines featuring Bart’s tutorials for a $1 an issue. I also managed to obtain a car around about this time, and this opened up a much larger area for me to frequent.
Finally, the Internet became more popular and easily accessible, much to my joy. Here, for the first time, was a veritable goldmine of information for me to put to use in my collecting trips. But the Internet was as much a curse as it was a gift. Often I would come home from a hard days Sears hunting, happy that I’d found the piece I’d set out to find, only to discover yet another item I needed.
Then I discovered eBay, and boy did the money flow. In the years of 1999 and 2000, my collection of Bart Sears artwork seemed to multiply tenfold. Not only was eBay a great place to buy relatively hard to find items, it was also a great place for finding out information on any particular subject.
It was in about 2000 when I started buying Bart Sears original art. Though I bought only a few items to begin with, I really started going nuts in 2003 and 2004.
Today, I mostly just pick up the new pieces Bart does. I’ve reached a point where the things I still need are either incredibly rare, or I don’t even know of their existence at this stage. But I do have the joy of picking up something new every now and then. For instance, just last year, I managed to finally get my hands on Bart’s interview in Comic Book Collector #24, thanks to my good pal, Darrin Wiltshire. I also managed to procure another Bart Sears Conan T-shirt in the last few weeks.
So, can I pass on any pearls of wisdom on the subject of collecting Bart Sears art to any would-be hunters? Well, gather around children and let me teach you a few things.
1. First of all, always look at your local comic shop before buying something on the Internet, it’s quicker and quite often cheaper.
2. Only buy over the Internet if you can’t find the piece anywhere else close, or if you live in a cave, far away from humanity.
3. Always wear protection! If you’re going out Sears hunting, make sure you come prepared for any eventuality. That means having plenty of sleeves and backing boards ready, and always take more than you envision you’ll need. Have a card folder or even just sleeves and a box. But most importantly, have a bag that won’t damage your newly acquired Bart Sears paraphernalia. If that means taking a few pieces of cardboard to keep your comics flat, so be it. Believe me, there is nothing worse than coming home to find that not only are your new comics bent, but your bottle of apple juice has decided to spill on them too!
4. Discover the wonders of a laminating machine. There are plenty of Bart Sears posters out there, and you’ll obviously want to keep them in good condition. I’ve been laminating Bart Sears things for 10 years now, with no sign of fading or warping.
5. If there’s a new Bart Sears comic out that you think is the best thing since sliced bread, buy two copies. One for reading, one to keep in good condition. But make sure you label which one is which.
6. Bart has done a lot of covers in his time, without doing the interiors, and if you were to hang on to the rest of the comic, it would take up a great deal of space. Long ago I made the decision to remove the covers and get them laminated, a move I definitely recommend. Of course, there will be the odd one where you want to keep the comic as well, maybe something by Andy Smith with a cover by Bart Sears. I suggest buying two copies.
7. Storage is always a problem. For comics, I use a bookshelf, for laminated covers and pin-ups I use a solid folder with plastic sleeves. For cards I use a Pro-Gard binder, which is better than a ring file folder in my opinion.
8. Original art is expensive, but if there were a case where the saying ‘quality, not quantity’ applied, this would be it. Don’t be tempted to buy up every piece of Bart Sears original art that comes around. Pick pieces that really appeal to you. And don’t always go for the splash pages! They may be pretty, but they’re invariably more expensive. And let’s not forget, Bart is a master storyteller too, some of my most treasured original art pieces are just ordinary story pages.
9. Buy the full comics first! Bart has done some spectacular covers in his time, but you’re much better off getting the comics he’s done interiors on first, it’s all about value for money.
And last but not least. Enjoy yourself!
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t seen that comic grab bag all those years ago. One thing’s for sure, I’d be a whole lot wealthier. I’d probably have more friends, and my house would be a lot tidier.
But do I regret picking up that grab bag? Not for a heartbeat! Sure, I have nothing in the way of savings and I almost have a whole room dedicated to Bart, much to my wife’s chagrin. But there are far more positives than negatives; being able to consider Bart a friend is top of the list, even higher than being his #1 fan.
When I look back at all the time and money spent on Bart and his work, I see a collection of the coolest artwork by the coolest artist I have ever come across. And that’s when I know that I don’t need to obsessively track down every single piece of art Bart has ever done. I used to look at my collection of Bart’s work and only see the things that were missing, even though I was immensely proud of what I had. But with time and maturity comes a certain amount of perspective. I used to fight ferociously for peoples acknowledgment that I was Bart’s biggest fan. But that isn’t why I collect Bart’s work at all, and I see that now. I collect Bart’s work because he is my favourite artist, and I like looking at his stuff. Sure, I have responsibilities as Bart’s #1 fan, which includes me buying everything new that comes out by him, but I know that there is a trap that is very easy to fall into when you start collecting something you like. I fell for it, hard. I spent so much time running around looking for new Bart Sears work, that I almost forgot why I even wanted the stuff. It had become a case of simply needing to possess the things, to covet.
Now, when I pull out something from my collection, I look at it with a fresh perspective. I am no longer the rabid collector I once was; it may have taken me a very long time to get to this point, and the journey was a lot of fun upon reflection, but I’m glad I’ve reached the point where I can sit back, relax and enjoy Bart’s work as an appreciator and admirer.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Night of the BEAST!!!!
The mask whispered to him, it always whispered to him. It whispered of death, of blood, of dreams. The Nightbeast blocked the noise out, the Nightbeast always blocked the noise out. He was hunting, he would fill the mask’s lust for blood and death soon enough, he always did. He gazed down at his prey, the moon’s light reflecting on its great mass. Such ugly, yet fascinating, and ultimately worthy, prey.
These suits can get so damned hot! The man thought. Sweat dripped down his brow, and into his eyes. He hated these night-watch gigs, so friggin’ boring. But at least it gave him a chance to get comfortable with the new parts he was constantly ‘acquiring,’ like the new shield compensator he’d won at the local table. But even still, so god damned boring! He manipulated the complex levers in front of him, and the great robotic machine, with him in its belly, moved for another sweep of the grounds.
The building was elaborately armed. Motion detectors, infra-red, infra-sonic, laser-sighted weaponry. Most importantly, the whole building was statically charged, meaning that any impression made on it sent a ripple through the charge that did not go unnoticed. The Nightbeast was unconcerned by this, there was not a device invented that he could not evade. He paced around the perimeter of the roof, not making a sound, nor touching a thing; the wind didn’t even feel his passing. The machine below him, on the other hand, was a symphony of elaborate mechanical sound. The Nightbeast looked down at the machine with something verging on amusement. These things were overtly lethal, but so comical in their movements at the same time.
The man thought he saw something on the roof through one of his visor screens. He pondered the possibility, but then disregarded it quickly. This place was a bloody fortress, as impenetrable as this armour. He didn’t even know why they needed him for security, nobody got in that wasn’t supposed to be in, and very few people even came out. He didn’t know what went on in the building, and though he couldn’t deny he was curious, it had been made abundantly clear that it was none of his business, and as long as the pay kept coming in, he was happy to keep his curiosity on a leash.
There it was again! Something, fast as lightning, was on that damn rooftop, but how? His sensors were all flat-lining, no heat emanations, no light refractions, zip! That wasn’t possible! Then his mind clicked. He’d heard of something, something that had been destroying other Armours with ridiculously ruthless efficiency. Campfire stories, to be sure, but there was always the possibilty…
The Nightbeast paused. This one was better than the previous ones. No matter. The end result would be the same. He backtracked along the rooftop, then leapt from the building, landing silently and alert, on the dusty ground below, not stirring even a puff of dirt. He circled the building, approaching the machine from the rear. It didn’t know, and wouldn’t know until it was far too late. The machine was within striking distance; he could smell the oil that always assailed his nostrils. But as he was about to pounce, something stayed his hand. He looked at the building, and It almost felt as though it looked back at him. The mask whispered its recognition; there was something in there that was calling to him, pleading to him, screaming for release. He turned back to the machine, only to be blasted away with a massive force.
What the hell was that thing? The man had felt that something was tracking him, though he had no earthly idea how. The monitors had still shown that all was quiet, but his own senses told him otherwise, a creepy feeling on the back of his neck. He’d whirled around as quickly as the machine could move, and laid eyes on the weirdest thing he’d ever seen, that was for sure. It was a person, though of that he was not so sure. It was smacked out in a body-hugging black costume with red stripes down the sides, and it wore a mask, a wacky mask at that. It was all red, with sharp tendon-like quills pointing out the back, weird stuff. He’d blasted whatever the hell it was at point blank range and now watched the thing fly way away. The man smiled, if that was the thing he’d been told of, he had just killed it with one shot, not so tough, whatever it was. Still, he had to thank it for one thing, working Armour numbers were becoming thin on the ground, aided by the recent disappearances of several suits, so demand was high, and he could charge clients more, win-win really.
The figure hit the ground in the distance, the impact registering on his sensors. He chuckled, that was cool. He returned to his sweep, but was almost struck dumb by a piercing wail that reverberated between his ears. He pivoted the Armour to face the building, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets with the pain in his head, he could feel blood trickling down his neck, and his ears were clogged with the warm feel of liquid. The building seemed to shudder, then cracks began to appear on its surface. The cracks widened, and there were several blasts as the defensive mechanisms exploded. A huge section of the building crumbled away, revealing a lamp-lit corridor within. The man knew he shouldn’t, but found himself walking to the hole in the building all the same. The Armour barely fit in the corridor, but it wasn’t long, and the door at the other end was unlocked and opened up to a more spacious room.
The man sucked in his breath through pursed lips. The room was full of scientific equipment, the likes of which he had never even thought possible. He cast his eyes around, remembering to click record on his sensory board. There were things he didn’t even know how to register in his mind, so left them as just random shapes. But one thing he did recognise. A massive tube with a dim green glow to it in a corner caught his full attention, and held it. Inside the tube, which went from the floor to the ceiling, something was moving. The man almost lost control of his bowels at that. He took a few steps backward, fearful of what it was. This was turning out to be the weirdest night of his life!
The Nightbeast was calm. It stood, waiting, ready, eager. The machine backed away from the room, obviously scared, if a machine could be scared. A green glow reflected in the Nightbeast’s eyes, and was growing stronger. The Nightbeast ignored it, for the moment.
The man felt something was wrong. The machine was making sounds, wrong sounds. He felt something at his back, then screamed as the upper limbs of the Armour were ripped asunder. The Armour fell to the ground in a heap, he looked up and saw black, and two red, penetrating eyes, with a green light reflected in them, there was movement in that green…then only the night he saw.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Ominous Biographies #1: Mael Part 1
Ominous Biographies #1: Mael Part 1
By Jay Penn
Character is the first building block of any story. Even before a writer has a story, or even a setting, or an idea, a character should be created. A character will establish motive, story arch and relationships with other characters, before the first word has been written.
A well-rounded character is crucial in creating a believable story, no matter what takes place in it or where it exists. Look at Sherlock Holmes, Jane Eyre, Captain Ahab, Druss the Legend, Drizzt, Frodo; all are well-rounded, and most importantly, fallible, beings. Holmes was a master detective, with an almost perfect brain for his vocation, but he was incapable of maintaining a friendship and was addicted to drugs. Frodo Baggins was a perfect candidate to carry the ring to Mordor; small, quiet and with an above average capacity for resistance. But he was slow to make decisions, and dependant on Samwise Gamgee.
My point is, nobody in the real world is perfect, and nor should a fictitious character be. It is the imperfections that make them enjoyable, recognisable. A point that Bart Sears was well aware of when he created the Ominous Press multiverse and its many varied characters. They are egotistical, proud, covetous, manipulative, insane (in several cases), vain, and much more.
How much do you really know about any of the Ominous Press characters, really? The truth is, just going by what was released to the public by way of comics, cards and interviews; there isn’t much information to gain.
Until now.
I’ve chosen the most visually recognisable character from Ominous Press to begin a series of Ominous Biographies on this Blog; our old friend Mael.
Firstly, here are the statistics on Mael found in Bart’s preliminary character notes and a few other sources.
Name: Maelloryll, Mael, Brute and Maellor
Height: 7’
Weight: Moderate to Heavy (450 lbs.)
Skin: Dark greenish, metallic
Hair: Red and yellow energy
Strength: Obviously considerable, though not yet measured
Intelligence: 8
Powers: Protective Shield, capable of surrounding self and others
Powerful energy discharges, drain energy
Power Balls, used in hands as small shields
Appearance: Like a muscular male figure, metallic
Mannerisms: Honorable
Protective of Auoro
Brave in battle, close to being arrogant
Powerful and confident mind
Your typical hero, really, when it comes down to it. But in reality, there’s a lot more to Ominous Press’ lead character than can be found in those character notes.
Let’s look at the hero as we first see him, in ‘It Begins.’ Mael has been searching for Auoro for a long time, without even a hint of where she can be found. He is almost beaten, and is grieved by this fact. He is deflated, exhausted and weary.
But through his mental link to her, Mael discovers her whereabouts, and worst of all, it is with somebody he considered a friend and fellow warrior. Mael’s anger at this realisation is both potent and instantaneous; he seems to be a being whose emotions flow from one extreme to another.
Mael is a being of great power, and of high prestige. He has his own palace, after all. He is a being who commands respect, as shown by the way he is addressed by Dramaurg’s ‘dog’ who greets him, even if he is being ‘led’ into a trap.
It seems that the only beings that get to treat him with anything less than respect are the main players of the piece, namely, Dramaurg, Moon and Snake. It is perhaps no coincidence that these characters have a past with Mael, for good or for bad. It is also with these characters that Mael’s arrogance and ego is matched. Bravado and self-glorification are the way of the great in this world.
Mael’s speech has always been interesting to me, as it says a great deal about the being he is and the world he lives in. Look at page 1 of It Begins, the introduction to the character. Mael, despondent and weary, says, ‘I have quested for years…?’ ‘Quested,’ not ‘searched,’ nor ‘looked’ – ‘quested.’ This word alone suggests that Mael is educated, but more importantly, he uses heroic terminology fluently. He goes on to say, on the same page, ‘…And woe to any who dare bar my way!!’ ‘Woe,’ another word that suggests education and free usage of heroic terminology, compounded by the fact that Mael has evoked two extreme emotions in a matter of moments, yet his vocabulary persists. This suggests that Mael’s use of these two unusual words is not a deliberate act, this is his natural speech and word choice. Look at practically any sentence uttered by Mael, and you will find evidence supporting this fact.
So, what are Mael’s shortcomings, either mentally or physically? Well, there are several, adding to the depth of the character.
Firstly, Mael is rather headstrong. He is firmly confident in his physical prowess, regardless of his adversary. Confidence is great, but it pays to know your enemy. In Infinity, Mael verbally jousts with the unseen ‘Dread Lord’ of the Molochs. If Mael knew who the ‘Dread Lord’ actually was, there is no doubt in my mind that he would not be quite so anxious to pick a fight with him.
It seems as though Mael can be a mislead judge of character. Mael alludes to being a past ally of Dramaurg’s, not to mention being trained by none other than everybody’s favourite comedic interlude team, Moon and Snake.
Physically, Mael is strong, no question about it. But he has his limits, which are reached during his battle with Moon and Snake, Viere and Dramaurg’s dogs. Sure it took him obliterating a whole troop of dogs, and ‘killing’ Moon and Snake, compounded with exhausting energy releasing Auoro from her bonds to reach his limit, but he none the less has a breaking point.
But Mael has a lot going for him as well. Sure, he can be beaten, but it will take a lot to beat him, and few beings are capable of bringing that amount of power necessary to the table. He may be slightly gullible to a point, but on the flip side of that particular coin is that he is predisposed to seeing the good in everybody.
So, that’s Mael for you, in a roundabout sort of way. This is only the first Blog to deal with Mael, other aspects of his character will be delved into at a later stage, but I thought I’d close this post with some words from Bart himself. I recently asked him for his thoughts on the character Mael, here’s what he had to say.
What do you think of the Mael that appeared in the published comics?
I thought the art came out well, the story was... too quick. Not developed enough. Needed expanding and fleshing out. Was a poor starting point, I think. Liked the dialogue, was supposed to be so, formal, I guess. Think I liked the wizard mini-best... even though that was all too much, too quick.
What would you change?
Not the basic story, though I would expand it very much. Would redesign everything, B&B was brought into Ominous that way, and done first, based on input and suggestions from successful people I knew... may have worked, but My story was too weak. Don't like the design of them/that world... not what it should be.
Your thoughts on the character himself now?
Like him, like the development, the back story, where it ends up. Ha! But I didn't develop it, within the comics, smartly, way back then.
A cool thing about Mael that the public doesn't know?
When he and Auoro merge, the being is the one who...
If OP returns, will he have a place?
Yep, but much different than we've seen.
By Jay Penn
Character is the first building block of any story. Even before a writer has a story, or even a setting, or an idea, a character should be created. A character will establish motive, story arch and relationships with other characters, before the first word has been written.
A well-rounded character is crucial in creating a believable story, no matter what takes place in it or where it exists. Look at Sherlock Holmes, Jane Eyre, Captain Ahab, Druss the Legend, Drizzt, Frodo; all are well-rounded, and most importantly, fallible, beings. Holmes was a master detective, with an almost perfect brain for his vocation, but he was incapable of maintaining a friendship and was addicted to drugs. Frodo Baggins was a perfect candidate to carry the ring to Mordor; small, quiet and with an above average capacity for resistance. But he was slow to make decisions, and dependant on Samwise Gamgee.
My point is, nobody in the real world is perfect, and nor should a fictitious character be. It is the imperfections that make them enjoyable, recognisable. A point that Bart Sears was well aware of when he created the Ominous Press multiverse and its many varied characters. They are egotistical, proud, covetous, manipulative, insane (in several cases), vain, and much more.
How much do you really know about any of the Ominous Press characters, really? The truth is, just going by what was released to the public by way of comics, cards and interviews; there isn’t much information to gain.
Until now.
I’ve chosen the most visually recognisable character from Ominous Press to begin a series of Ominous Biographies on this Blog; our old friend Mael.
Firstly, here are the statistics on Mael found in Bart’s preliminary character notes and a few other sources.
Name: Maelloryll, Mael, Brute and Maellor
Height: 7’
Weight: Moderate to Heavy (450 lbs.)
Skin: Dark greenish, metallic
Hair: Red and yellow energy
Strength: Obviously considerable, though not yet measured
Intelligence: 8
Powers: Protective Shield, capable of surrounding self and others
Powerful energy discharges, drain energy
Power Balls, used in hands as small shields
Appearance: Like a muscular male figure, metallic
Mannerisms: Honorable
Protective of Auoro
Brave in battle, close to being arrogant
Powerful and confident mind
Your typical hero, really, when it comes down to it. But in reality, there’s a lot more to Ominous Press’ lead character than can be found in those character notes.
Let’s look at the hero as we first see him, in ‘It Begins.’ Mael has been searching for Auoro for a long time, without even a hint of where she can be found. He is almost beaten, and is grieved by this fact. He is deflated, exhausted and weary.
But through his mental link to her, Mael discovers her whereabouts, and worst of all, it is with somebody he considered a friend and fellow warrior. Mael’s anger at this realisation is both potent and instantaneous; he seems to be a being whose emotions flow from one extreme to another.
Mael is a being of great power, and of high prestige. He has his own palace, after all. He is a being who commands respect, as shown by the way he is addressed by Dramaurg’s ‘dog’ who greets him, even if he is being ‘led’ into a trap.
It seems that the only beings that get to treat him with anything less than respect are the main players of the piece, namely, Dramaurg, Moon and Snake. It is perhaps no coincidence that these characters have a past with Mael, for good or for bad. It is also with these characters that Mael’s arrogance and ego is matched. Bravado and self-glorification are the way of the great in this world.
Mael’s speech has always been interesting to me, as it says a great deal about the being he is and the world he lives in. Look at page 1 of It Begins, the introduction to the character. Mael, despondent and weary, says, ‘I have quested for years…?’ ‘Quested,’ not ‘searched,’ nor ‘looked’ – ‘quested.’ This word alone suggests that Mael is educated, but more importantly, he uses heroic terminology fluently. He goes on to say, on the same page, ‘…And woe to any who dare bar my way!!’ ‘Woe,’ another word that suggests education and free usage of heroic terminology, compounded by the fact that Mael has evoked two extreme emotions in a matter of moments, yet his vocabulary persists. This suggests that Mael’s use of these two unusual words is not a deliberate act, this is his natural speech and word choice. Look at practically any sentence uttered by Mael, and you will find evidence supporting this fact.
So, what are Mael’s shortcomings, either mentally or physically? Well, there are several, adding to the depth of the character.
Firstly, Mael is rather headstrong. He is firmly confident in his physical prowess, regardless of his adversary. Confidence is great, but it pays to know your enemy. In Infinity, Mael verbally jousts with the unseen ‘Dread Lord’ of the Molochs. If Mael knew who the ‘Dread Lord’ actually was, there is no doubt in my mind that he would not be quite so anxious to pick a fight with him.
It seems as though Mael can be a mislead judge of character. Mael alludes to being a past ally of Dramaurg’s, not to mention being trained by none other than everybody’s favourite comedic interlude team, Moon and Snake.
Physically, Mael is strong, no question about it. But he has his limits, which are reached during his battle with Moon and Snake, Viere and Dramaurg’s dogs. Sure it took him obliterating a whole troop of dogs, and ‘killing’ Moon and Snake, compounded with exhausting energy releasing Auoro from her bonds to reach his limit, but he none the less has a breaking point.
But Mael has a lot going for him as well. Sure, he can be beaten, but it will take a lot to beat him, and few beings are capable of bringing that amount of power necessary to the table. He may be slightly gullible to a point, but on the flip side of that particular coin is that he is predisposed to seeing the good in everybody.
So, that’s Mael for you, in a roundabout sort of way. This is only the first Blog to deal with Mael, other aspects of his character will be delved into at a later stage, but I thought I’d close this post with some words from Bart himself. I recently asked him for his thoughts on the character Mael, here’s what he had to say.
What do you think of the Mael that appeared in the published comics?
I thought the art came out well, the story was... too quick. Not developed enough. Needed expanding and fleshing out. Was a poor starting point, I think. Liked the dialogue, was supposed to be so, formal, I guess. Think I liked the wizard mini-best... even though that was all too much, too quick.
What would you change?
Not the basic story, though I would expand it very much. Would redesign everything, B&B was brought into Ominous that way, and done first, based on input and suggestions from successful people I knew... may have worked, but My story was too weak. Don't like the design of them/that world... not what it should be.
Your thoughts on the character himself now?
Like him, like the development, the back story, where it ends up. Ha! But I didn't develop it, within the comics, smartly, way back then.
A cool thing about Mael that the public doesn't know?
When he and Auoro merge, the being is the one who...
If OP returns, will he have a place?
Yep, but much different than we've seen.
So, who wants start the discussion?
Monday, March 19, 2007
Well hello there!
Hello and welcome to a brand new addition to the Bart Sears Art website - Jay's Bart Sears Blog, run by me, Jay Penn.
Some of you may be aware that I very briefly (like, 2 days) had a MySpace Blog dedicated to Bart Sears. Well, through discussions with good friend Darrin Wiltshire, who runs this whole site with Bart, we decided it was best to put the Blog on this very site.
Bart, Darrin and myself have been discussing the possibility of doing many things with a website for a while now, and I always thought there was room for something like this. Something that would keep fans up to date with what Bart is doing, but also a place where I could run free, writing articles, hold contests and so much more.
This will also, more than likely, be the place where I re-launch the Bart Sears Fan Club, which went into hiatus a few years ago. The Fan Club will be vastly different from its original incarnation, with Newsletters being posted on this Blog, rather than printed up; which was costing me too much money and time. This way, there can be colour images, and more room to breathe.
This Blog will also be the place where the subtle nuances of my favourite subject, Ominous Press, can be discussed in full. In my mind, there just isn’t enough space put aside on the Internet, or anywhere else, dedicated to Ominous Press, so I really want to address that issue. I’ll be doing this with many different tools. There will be character biographies, art discussions and reviews, contests and whatever else I can come up with. So put on your OP boots, it’s an Ominous Dawn!
Jay Penn
Official #1 Fan of Bart Sears
Ominous Press Curator
Ominous Press Chronicler
Ominous Press Promoter
Ominous Press Collector
Ominous Press Fan
Ominous Press Dreamer
Ominous Press Inker
Ominous Press Colourist
Ominous Press Forever!
Some of you may be aware that I very briefly (like, 2 days) had a MySpace Blog dedicated to Bart Sears. Well, through discussions with good friend Darrin Wiltshire, who runs this whole site with Bart, we decided it was best to put the Blog on this very site.
Bart, Darrin and myself have been discussing the possibility of doing many things with a website for a while now, and I always thought there was room for something like this. Something that would keep fans up to date with what Bart is doing, but also a place where I could run free, writing articles, hold contests and so much more.
This will also, more than likely, be the place where I re-launch the Bart Sears Fan Club, which went into hiatus a few years ago. The Fan Club will be vastly different from its original incarnation, with Newsletters being posted on this Blog, rather than printed up; which was costing me too much money and time. This way, there can be colour images, and more room to breathe.
This Blog will also be the place where the subtle nuances of my favourite subject, Ominous Press, can be discussed in full. In my mind, there just isn’t enough space put aside on the Internet, or anywhere else, dedicated to Ominous Press, so I really want to address that issue. I’ll be doing this with many different tools. There will be character biographies, art discussions and reviews, contests and whatever else I can come up with. So put on your OP boots, it’s an Ominous Dawn!
Jay Penn
Official #1 Fan of Bart Sears
Ominous Press Curator
Ominous Press Chronicler
Ominous Press Promoter
Ominous Press Collector
Ominous Press Fan
Ominous Press Dreamer
Ominous Press Inker
Ominous Press Colourist
Ominous Press Forever!
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