| The Tom and Shaenon TRUNKTOWN CREATION LOG ARCHIVE |
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Thursday, October 31, 2002 Probably tonight. It might only be one or two strips if I send 'em tonight, though. I was going to write more during my lunch break today, but coworkers kept distracting me with manga drawings of the Virgin Mary and concerns about the Yellow Claw's sex life. I'm talking to you, Carl Horn and Robert McCarthy! The strip is suddenly much easier to write. There's just something about politics and elephants. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:21 PM EST |
Hahaha ! You're a riot! So ok, when does she slide me some new Trunky strips?
Posted by Tom @ 06:06 PM EST |
Good, good. Keep me updated. I'll want to know if I'm fictional. Do keep in mind that we only met in person very briefly, so it's entirely possible - likely, even - that you made me up and are writing these very words. I don't know who's drawing Narbonic, though. I wish she'd be more careful with her inking. Posted by Shaenon @ 04:49 PM EST |
I said: "investigation still open. further experiments to continue through march. will file report with hq. -Tom" Posted by Tom @ 04:19 PM EST |
What did you tell him? Am I real? I'd like to know, because I'm curious myself. Posted by Shaenon @ 03:48 PM EST Wednesday, October 30, 2002 I just want you to know that my dad wrote this in response to my recent serializer spam: "Explain Shaenon Garrity to me. Real ???? -Dad" Posted by Tom @ 08:28 PM EST |
The elephant looks great. The donkey will be like the minihorse, only not horrible and disturbing in every way. Possibly. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:34 PM EST |
I hate drawing animals! I really do. And I suck at it! Did you see my friend's comment who said ti cracked him up that the elephant walked with both feet in the same direction at once? That was an accident! Cause I haave no IDEA WHAT I AM DOING! And donkey I will SCREW UP. You just watch! T Posted by Tom @ 03:07 PM EST |
Despite your evil laughter, I trust you implicitly. I know you'll take whatever ideas I have and make them good and right and strong. Hutch's expression in the first panel of 30 is hilarious. Also, I am totally loving the elephant. I have to work in Vernielle's donkey so I can make you draw more animals. Posted by Shaenon @ 01:34 PM EST |
Ok I was going to draw them all but my hands aren't working so, I photoshopped 29. 26 and 30 should be tomorrow. But 29 is kind of nice. I made a pun, almost, too. (changed a few words in panel 2.)
Posted by Tom @ 12:46 AM EST Tuesday, October 29, 2002 You got it.
Maybe. haha. Posted by Tom @ 10:10 PM EST |
Well, I *am* brilliant. But I'm not brilliant on #16. Okay, let's see... first two panels are good. Hutch in panel 3 is good. Panel 4 is weird as all hell, and I like it. So the trouble is Baldy in panel 3. Have him say: "You have no SOUL, do you, Hutch? Sometimes I think I'm the only one left in this town who cares about nurturing the delicate expressions of the soul's innermost depths..." Hmm. Something like that. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:13 PM EST |
I thought the idea of this log was to show people how BRILLIANT we are! Not how hopeless we are! Posted by Tom @ 05:27 PM EST |
Yeah, I'll get some new strips out. Gotta look at my sketches and see where I left off... I don't know about 16. I feel that the rhythm in the third panel should be different for the fourth panel to work, but I don't know how to fix it. I'm sorry. I don't know what to do about this one. Posted by Shaenon @ 05:03 PM EST |
Yeah I like the new ones a lot too. Hey since I respond better to instruction then vague notions, you should tell me to change that thing in 16 or else I will forget. And anything else I may be neglecting. Call to action! Tell me what to do! I'm farther along the remaining strips than may appear. Any chance of getting new strips soon? I don't want us to get too far behind! PS- love the Mell at school strips!
Posted by Tom @ 12:52 PM EST Monday, October 28, 2002 Yeah, I saw the new 16 and 17 when I was writing blurbs the other night. Is 16 funny? That, I fear, is for the American people to decide. Honestly, I can't tell anymore. I've rethought it so many times I can't look at it objectively anymore. Maybe the buildup to the last panel would be better if we tweaked the dialogue in panel 3 - like, "You have no SOUL, do you, Hutch? Nobody in this town does..." Hmm. Something like that. 28 looks great. I feel like the strip is really taking off now! The new ones are good! Posted by Shaenon @ 02:48 PM EST Saturday, October 26, 2002 16 done. 17 done. 28 done. needless to say, some rewriting of the balloons is almost necessary. I wonder if 16 is funny at all, to anyone. It was certainly fun to draw, and I think it turned out well, and fun, but in the end does that matter if it's not FUNNY? Not sure. That's a main reason for asking you to do this with me. You know this stuff. I want to understand the workings! 17 is funny, but it will be no secret. I have no idea what Frick looks like when he's not going nuts. This is a problem. T Hopefully 27 and 29 soon too. Posted by Tom @ 12:27 AM EST Friday, October 25, 2002 I work FAST? This is a DAILY. A DAILY. I'm averaging less than 5 a week! Too much Chug-Bot! I'll do 16& 17. we're good now. I'll also re number #30 to fit much past our real #30 up to which I hope to draw this weekend.
Posted by Tom @ 12:23 PM EST |
We've got a caption for 17, right? That's the one about letting Frick execute a peasant and so forth. Okay, so go with the King/Frick bit for 16. And that should bring us up to date until that strip labeled #30, which is actually ages in the future and isn't a big concern right now. Phew! I'll do some captions tonight, and hopefully write some more strips this weekend. You work fast! Serializer is looking good! Man, I love Sam Henderson. Posted by Shaenon @ 12:04 PM EST |
Your 3:00 was a manucure- you don't need two a week. Do some work! I'll draw it, but you gotta fill in the balloons. Maybe I'll do it now. What about 17? I'm handling that, right? This is going to become the 16 and 17 thread and we'll never get past week 5. Where was that TCJ Thread? I can't go there unless I know what I'm looking for. Posted by Tom @ 09:03 AM EST |
Hey Shaenon- I uploaded the next 2 weeks into Serializer. When you get a chance, feel free to title! Posted by Tom @ 08:59 AM EST Thursday, October 24, 2002
I'm leaning toward the King/Frick punchline, because a) we want to establish this type of "cutting to the King" gag, and b) it's weirder. But I could be wrong. Trust your gut and draw what you like. I came across the Tove Janssen site through the Comics Journal messageboards, at exactly the right moment: coming out of an increasingly infuriating (but typical) thread about how women are genetically incapable of being great artists. I looked at her illustrations and laughed and laughed. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:51 PM EST |
Oh man- aren't they the greatest? http://zepe.250x.com/hobbit_tj/index.html for the unitiated. Re: 16- tell me which way you're leaning and advise. but don't forget the future! 30 and on beckon.... Posted by Tom @ 07:44 PM EST |
Incidentally, Tove Janssen's Hobbit illustrations are GORGEOUS. I'm reasonably certain I've seen them before, in some old edition. But yeah. Tove. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:33 PM EST |
Dammit, 16 is hard! But the first three panels are so great! "You have no SOUL, do you, Hutch?" Okay, how about this: the last panel is Frick freaking out as per #2, and the king looking on approvingly, saying, "Now, that, Frick, is SOUL!" Just to bug that one guy who doesn't get Frick. Or if not, I'm actually warming to your sadist punchline. Rereading the strip, I think it fits. Posted by Shaenon @ 06:54 PM EST |
If you want to focus on the future, I'll handle 16 and 17; I've got enough to go on now. I love Daredevils. All that stuff. Posted by Tom @ 03:16 PM EST |
Oh, crap. That means I have to actually do it! Okay, gimme a minute... Idea for future storyline: Baldy the Daredevil. Posted by Shaenon @ 02:20 PM EST |
Yes, please. I love that stuff. Posted by Tom @ 12:51 PM EST |
Aces! I like Oswald's expressions. 16 so far is good. 16 with a blank final panel is bad. Maybe this *could* be one of the strips where we cut to some kind of ironic comment from the king. What do you think? Posted by Shaenon @ 12:19 PM EST Wednesday, October 23, 2002 Ooh theres a 25 and 27 now. I skipped 26 by accident. Photoshopped while watching My Neighbor Totoro.
Posted by Tom @ 10:37 PM EST |
I love 16 so far! (except have to rearrange the lettering.) Watch out- if you don't put something in, I'll just throw a Frick freak out session in there and Nick Fagurland will hate us even more! Posted by Tom @ 05:47 PM EST |
#24 looks great! I have no idea why I thought this was funny, but it is! The elephant is great. I'm going to make you draw large mammals in all the strips from now on. Posted by Shaenon @ 05:31 PM EST |
In case my goofy rambling didn't make sense: I did finish #24 and hope to do 2 more tonight. Loving these new strips! Posted by Tom @ 04:02 PM EST Tuesday, October 22, 2002 You going to come up with something better for 16 right? Drunk and watching Warner Brothers cartoons with the wife. You could say no and it wouldn't even matter. T Posted by Tom @ 11:52 PM EST |
Ok Shaenon- computer's fixed. Got a 24 for you. I've lost control of life. I hope we don't fall more behind than this. Should have two more for you in a day. T Posted by Tom @ 11:49 PM EST Monday, October 21, 2002 S- I think everything has a punchline. Saw all your titles by the way- love them! The computer, after one hour of a computer doctor's house call time, is apparently fine. Hopefully can send you a couple finished versions soon. They're really pretty!! More soon! Posted by Tom @ 07:41 PM EST |
I like the execution punchline to #17! Yes, that'll do nicely. #16 I'm not so crazy about, although it's better than what I had. Okay, does everything else now have a punchline? Posted by Shaenon @ 04:34 PM EST Sunday, October 20, 2002 The good news is I inked 2 Trunktowns and pencilled one this weekend. The bad news is my computer completely freaked out and might have died and so you won't be seeing them for quite some time. In fact, I am writing this in the sand. I hope someone can read it. Tom
Eh? #17- "Maybe I'll even let you execute someone, Frick." Then Frick's "You are way to generous sire" ?? Not too sure about this one, but throwing a bone to Frick might be funny. Or alluding to the invasion, such as "Maybe we can find a town to invade while we're out..." I don't know! I'm throwing ideas out. You're the funny one. -T Posted by Tom @ 10:04 PM EST Thursday, October 17, 2002 It would be great if we could get this storyline to clock in at about six months. And now we're 1/4 done with it! Yipes! A daily strip really creeps up on you, doesn't it? For the record, every Narbonic storyline has taken way longer to complete than I originally expected. 2003 is going to be SUCH a busy year! Posted by Shaenon @ 06:37 PM EST |
Six months is what- 130 strips? We're almost 1/4 there at 30- is that right?
Posted by Tom @ 05:21 PM EST |
You rock. I am in your hands. (Do you really think this will be about 6 months? The speed of how fast we got where we are makes me think it would be quicker.) Anyway, I'd be happier if I just relax and watch you go. Posted by Tom @ 05:19 PM EST |
Actually, the current storyline (which, if we play our cards right, will be about six months long) is starting to take a solid shape in my mind. I have an idea of what the climactic scene will look like, and things that will happen along the way. I don't know about secrets; I think we've discussed most of this stuff at some point. I am, however, extremely flexible. So, yeah, a few days ago you brought in the line about the practice targets, and now I have them worked into a strip. That sort of thing. Your idea about Fen smuggling arms to Cardboard Flats was a revelation for me - when I had Fen make off with the trunk, I wasn't even sure why, but that was obviously the reason. So I will be working that in. Oy... I don't know if I'm even making sense. But this is the same way I do Narbonic - the story gradually takes shape in my head, and I add bits and pieces as they occur to me. Also, a circus would rock! Not now, but maybe later. Posted by Shaenon @ 04:33 PM EST |
Shaenon- That DOES look like Baldrick! I thought it was a cop for a future trunktown episode. But you really nailed Baldrick's damaged and vacant, dumb look. Anyway- these new ones are so great! That first one is so surreal I'm not even sure if there's a joke in it, but I laughed in every panel! So hey- I get the impression you're not nearly ahead of me conceptually as I think you are. Like, I usually think that you're guarding all your secrets about where this story is headed but then your roughs show up and I'm not so sure anymore. Like, for instance, if I suggested, just perhaps, that all the armadillos were really circus performers under some spell, I'd all of a sudden see the next batch of strips to feature tumblers, clowns and other rabble. Now this is totally, totally cool; everything about how this is going is terrific; I'm just wondering, that's all. You are hiding SOME secrets right? Should we have a long story idea volley soon to go farther than we're at, or are we doing good? T Posted by Tom @ 03:07 PM EST |
Yeah, thanks for asking for PERMISSION as you post the drawings! I am of course delighted to share with the world. Those are all Trunktown characters except for the guy in the upper left-hand corner, who is Baldrick. I was watching "Blackadder" while I was drawing. Posted by Shaenon @ 02:18 PM EST |
Shaenon- your newest strips are completely brilliant and wonderful of course! Rock on! Can I post some of the sketches? Everyone- click here to see Shaenon's sketches of some of the Trunktown characters. More soon
Posted by Tom @ 11:55 AM EST Wednesday, October 16, 2002 Look at the titles now and tell me whether they match up. I'll fix any problems tonight. Viz is putting out "Spirited Away" film comics, an art book, and a picture book. All very nice. Posted by Shaenon @ 11:54 AM EST |
Also- please keep a list if you can, of these, for the book collection. (Yes, Virginia...) On a side note, what Spirited Away book products does Viz offer? Posted by Tom @ 10:59 AM EST |
Hey Shaenon! Show me your strips! Posted by Tom @ 10:53 AM EST Tuesday, October 15, 2002 This tragic image of a bruised and battered Fen fills my heart with unease. And yet I suspect that it will happen. Someday. Okay, I didn't enter the episode descriptions last night, but I'll do them tonight. Last night I was reviewing an anime called Super Atragon for Animerica magazine. There were a lot of explosions. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:49 PM EST |
Have you ever seen this? http://www.tomhart.net/sands/sandsdrafts2.html I was looking at it again, reminded of all the preliminary Fen work I had done. That line, I wanted to use so bad: "I had not seen Fen in many months..." (He was "Feng" then, too.) Just felt like showing it. Maybe you can use that image there of Fen returned but badly badly wounded. I love this Trunktown thing. Posted by Tom @ 09:09 AM EST Monday, October 14, 2002 I know exactly where "Show Us Your Trunks" is coming next. Ugh... I still have no idea how to make 16 and 17 funny. I do have some new strips, though. And I just wrote the Serializer titles for the current strips; I'll fill those in tonight. Posted by Shaenon @ 08:00 PM EST |
Apologies to anyone who didn't see today's strip for the past couple of hours or so. My fault. Fixed now. Posted by Tom @ 04:09 PM EST |
Sounds like you're on it! Uh.. so when do I draw again? (by the way- #16 and 17 await your more appropriate punchlines. They're finished until that last box.) T Gotta make sure "Show us your trunks" doesn't become too overused unless we take it a step further psychologically. You know what I mean? I don't. Posted by Tom @ 04:07 PM EST |
You know, I'm incredibly happy with the way Trunktown is shaping up right now. These are some great ideas! Okay, specifics, specifics...
- I think there is no doubt about the political reference. It's happening anyway, very naturally, and is likely to become a crucial part of this storyline. So, yeah, old-fashioned and timely at once is the mood we are likely to invoke here. Posted by Shaenon @ 12:31 PM EST Sunday, October 13, 2002 Shaenon- A lot of thoughts on the Trunktown story: The more I think about it, the more I think it would be the right thing to do to parallel what is happening in our real George W. Bush world a bit. I keep imagining a book blurb saying either "a fun romp in the style of old comic strips" or "in a eerie parallel to today's headlines..." and, well I just think there's so much ANXIETY in the air, and my anxiety has always been a good inspiration, I just want to stay on that a bit. It can be both of the above, and I think it should be. Thoughts? So RANDOM RANDOM thoughts and lines regarding this:
*The King is on his elephant drumming up support for his possible invasion of Cardboard Flats. Uses that WIT he just tested now and then. Insulting the populace?
Random images:
Posted by Tom @ 02:36 AM EST Friday, October 11, 2002 You can't get rid of me. The fans love me. I'm your Urkel. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:31 PM EST |
Alright Shaenon- you're banned from this board! Posted by Tom @ 06:41 PM EST |
He'll have to say "I am Fen - for freight and transport" in another strip, then. Remember, we have months and months of strips ahead of us, and we've only done about 25. Gah. Why did I have to remind myself of that? Posted by Shaenon @ 06:40 PM EST |
I'm bummed he didn't get to say "I am Fen - for freight and transport" but I just couldn't figure it out. Oh well. Please be funny in that last balloon cause I CAN'T!! Posted by Tom @ 04:33 PM EST |
Glad you got the armadillo. Isn't he adorable? Heh heh. Posted by Shaenon @ 04:11 PM EST |
PS_ thanks for the awesome armadillo! His little paw up in the air- he's so cute! Posted by Tom @ 01:11 PM EST |
Ok take a look at my new #4 and write us a punchline! Feel fre to rewrite any dialogue too. I decided to play with some of Fen's disappearance a little. I hope you had ideas for that of some kind and that they aren't clashing. There is a lot you could do with this strip in the future. Things that make me laugh!
Posted by Tom @ 01:23 AM EST Wednesday, October 9, 2002 Hey, you're the artist. You can draw in all the butts you want. Medieval butts only, though. Posted by Shaenon @ 07:53 PM EST |
Watch the juggling show! That Eddie Campbell stuff is really great, though. I'd like to see what you think. The History of Humor! Chapter 1 is BUTTS! Chapter 2 is FLIP FLOPPING! You gotta love it! More butts in Trunktown. Ok see you! Tom
Posted by Tom @ 03:23 PM EST |
Well, heck, who am I to refuse a command to read Eddie Campbell? Sacrificial kings and Lords of Misrule are neat! Maybe we should work something like that into the strip... Omigosh, #23 is the best! That looks perfect! I laughed and laughed! Damn, your art improves my writing by a county mile. And now, yes, there are approximately twenty billion balls in the air. And we launch next week. Eep! Posted by Shaenon @ 03:11 PM EST Sunday, October 6, 2002 Shaenon- you are ordered/requested (after looking at #23 (which -will it be #23 or something later? is there more in between?) to read Eddie Campbell's the History of Humor in his new "Egomania". So much great medieval humor bits and cruel things like the peasant who would get to be king for a few days, then be killed to fufill a ritual where a king had to be killed once a year. And Leela is reading this great medieval history- she just read me something about "The Lord of Misrule"! I don't even know what she said! Remember Frick rides on the elephant's tail and has to shade the king with an umbrella! Tom Posted by Tom @ 12:30 AM EST Friday, October 4, 2002 This new one with the king on the elephant. You are genius.
Now whew- there are so many threads we've pulled in this first 20 some strips- are you keeping track?
Man, a lot to think about. How about you? Posted by Tom @ 12:14 PM EST Thursday, October 3, 2002 I love the way the king has turned out! I can't draw him at all, for some reason. I like Vernielle's look a lot, and it will definitely cement after you've drawn her a bit, like Faustine has. (I'm saying this in the midst of my total Dave overhaul on Narbonic - I was starting to hate drawing him, so I'm changing EVERYTHING. Well, not the flannel. But almost everything.) Argh, yeah, those two strips need punchlines. I'll look at them again. Maybe I can be funny now that I know the characters a little better. Posted by Shaenon @ 11:59 AM EST Wednesday, October 2, 2002 Don't worry about the new strips. All in good time! Have a good weekend.
Other than that, I'm happy and ready to launch. Vernielle keep changing visually, but Faustine is good and consistant now. I guess it's just takes time to make them work out I guess. The funnest time to draw Trunktown is when I've come from life drawing sessions. The king is so fun to draw on those evenings! Posted by Tom @ 12:48 PM EST |
I LOVE THE ELEPHANT! I like the king's expression and pose in the last panel, too. Oh, crap! We're launching in like no time! I gotta write some king strips! This weekend I'll be out of town at ANOTHER wedding (Andrew's brother is getting married in Vegas), so I'll get at least a couple scripts out to you before I leave tomorrow night. Heh heh... elephants. Posted by Shaenon @ 11:54 AM EST |
22. Can you believe it? Another one I hate! Your sketches are funnier than my finals. Anyway, we'll show them someday soon. Everyone, we go live in less than two weeks!
Posted by Tom @ 01:13 AM EST Tuesday, October 1, 2002 it's got to be doable. Should I save it as part of the image? (That's a last resort!) Text above and below seems workable, but not sure how that jibes with the Serializer code. I'm working on it. I've been taking our advice and pulling back a little to draw the figures. It's a big help. You'll see #22 soon. By the way, I think we should launch Oct 15 with a week of our own before Serializer goes up, because I think that will be Oct 22. Thoughts? Posted by Tom @ 12:43 PM EST |
Oh, yeah, the donkey! Okay, we work in the donkey later. Yeah, Found is great! I have a subscription to the print magazine, although I've only gotten one issue so far. Pretty amazing stuff. I would love to have titles and "Next" titles above and below the strips, a la Thimble Theater. Do you think this is workable, or is it completely pie-in-the-sky? Posted by Shaenon @ 12:38 PM EST |
Do we want to do titles for each strip? I know you want to, so let's do it, but how? In text? Maybe in the about field, and then on MT we could add it in text above it somehow? As for the political stuff, feel free to create set ups and I can riff on that stuff a little too if you want. I'll probably chime in as I get more enraged anyway. PS- that foundmag- I meant the web site- it's so great- an image of a man pushing a woman on a donkey- circa 30s or so. So great! We forgot about Vernielle's donkey?
Posted by Tom @ 10:26 AM EST |
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