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I Want Comics To Make Me Laugh

U44_Issue2_Cover

Wes Locher writes, 

The story goes that when Stan Lee was close to quitting his position at Marvel Comics, his wife, Joan, encouraged him to write the comic book he always wanted to write. After all what's the worst that would happen? And y'know what Stan wrote with that mindset? The Fantastic Freakin' Four.

There's a fantastic lesson in that anecdote. As comic creators, it's easy to latch onto the latest trends or try to pitch a publisher with what we think they might want. It's easy to see a creative team thrive in a particular genre and want to try duplicating the feat. One works for one may work for another, and all that. What we really need to be doing is creating what's going to make us feel the most fulfilled. After all, it's our art. We never know when the strangest, weirdest or silliest of ideas just might take us to the next level. Besides, wouldn't you rather fail being yourself than succeed being someone else? (The correct answer to that is "yes" for all you smart guys out there.)

Unit44_1_Cover

I recently applied Joan's logic to my own work. After several working in the small press, I'd produced a crime noir miniseries and a heist graphic novel, and while both were amazingly gratifying in their own way, they weren't me. After taking a bit of time to think about what type of comic I wanted as both a writer and reader, and one thing quickly became clear: I want comics to make me laugh.

With all of the "dark," "gritty" and "street level" comics that crowd the shelves each week, I longed to do something that would be the polar opposite—something light, something fun and something that could be read by anyone. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and my angsty years are over, or maybe I was just looking for something to break the mold.

Rather than seek out a pre-existing comic to fill that void in my life, I created my own, a silly book called Unit 44.

unit44_page1

Unit 44 is the story of what happens when inept Area 51 employees forget to pay the rent on their off-site storage unit and the secret contents are sold at public auction. When an alien invasion threatens planet Earth, the agents must recover an item from the locker if they hope to save the planet.

It sounds like fun, right?

This was all dreamed up a year ago and now here I am, with Unit 44 ready to be published by Alterna Comics. I'd love to get this book out into the market this year, so myself and artist Eduardo Jimenez are raising some funds on Kickstarter to expedite the process If you've enjoyed silly comics like D4VE, Knuckleheads, Edison Rex, or Scud: The Disposable Assassin, I invite…nay, URGE you to visit our campaign, read the first seven pages of issue #1 for free, and see if this is something you'd like to get behind.

Next time you're down on comics and can't find a book or series that holds your attention, take Joan's advice and consider writing or drawing exactly what you want to read. You'll be amazed at how much you'll love the medium again.

Bleeding Cool readers: If we reach our funding mark over the weekend (only $800 to go), we'll draw Rich Johnston  as a background character in our comic book! (Or other BC contributor if they fear image release forms.) Can you resist putting a BC staff member into the middle of an alien invasion?

unit44_page2


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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