OPP - Other Peoples Projects

Recently, Caine asked me why the Flashback Universe has been so quiet on the comics scene, in that it's been a while since we've made any new comics around here.

Usually when asked such a question, homegrown comic creators like myself fall on the sword of economic and/or health related problems. And while I suppose I could place some blame on the economy - the real answer is way more positive. I've been involved working on project for other people.

Currently, I've got about three other projects I'm working on. One is a cool comic featuring a lot of new and Public Domain superheroes coming from our friends at Popbox Entertainment - the name of the comic is called The Agency, and I'm lettering the pages for them. The story is by Clayton Neal (who has written articles for this blog before) with art by Celso Ricardo of Rascunho Studios




I've been enjoying lettering this comic as the dialogue and characters have a nice bronze age feel to them.

Another project I'm excited about is from FBU Contributor Trey Causey. It's an Roleplaying Game based on a rather interesting concept. The idea is a RPG world based on the tropes of the Weird/Hard Boiled Pulp Era rather than traditional Sword and Sorcery. It's called Weird Adventures, and my role in the project has been as sounding board, logo designer and graphic designer (typesetting)





This project in generating a good bit of buzz about it as Trey has been posting teaser text, snippets and artwork for the project on his blog. One such piece of art was cool Doc Savage homage from FBU friend Reno.

Finally, the last project I've been helping out with is Five Dollar Mail - an ongoing Romantic Adverture set on a Pony Express Station. My wife Gina is the author of this story, and while Romance stories aren't really my cup of tea, I've been amazed at how may people come to her blog every week to read a new chapter. Currently, Gina's written a staggering 85 chapters so far, with a few side chapters contributed by fans. My assistance in this project has been as art wrangler as Gina wanted art for the story, but didn't really know how to handle working with artists via the internet. Here is illustration from Diego Candia of Saint, one of the characters from Five Dollar Mail.




Current plans are to take the first storyline (which should wrap up in another 15 to 25 chapters) and roll it up into a book from a print on demand site. Because of the awkward way blogger formats text, I suspect she'll need my help formatting the book when that time comes.

So, between Pierre's promotion (which has saddled him with a good bit more work) and these extra projects, we haven't gotten around to working on any new comics here at Flashback Universe. However, I think as things settle out and our plates clears up, I'm pretty sure Pierre and I will be itching to work on a new project!

Have a great day!

- Jim