My Comic Strip- Rib Roast

[Jds03Happy Magic Water Cube]

Pg.4 - I need your help selecting strips for my syndicate package!

I draw a comic strip called RibRoast, because all of my characters that act like humans are pigs for no particular reason... But any way I'm currently in the process of putting together my best strips and sending a submission to United Features syndicate, so that it could start appearing in actual newspapers.

I write, draw, pen and electronically color and shade all of the comics myself. Ive been working on drawing comics is a comic strip format for more than a year now, and you can probably see the difference between some older and newer strips. One main difference is that the text in older ones is lowercase font and all cartoons have all Capps text.

So enjoy! Oh and tell me which strips you thought were the funniest or best that could help me in putting together my syndicate package!

These are some of my Sunday comics:























And here are some dailies:


























































Thanks for reading!

[the ghostIt all started with a donkey]

Wow, you are really talented. I really liked the Chris Crocker one but they were all really funny. Also the peanut one was very funny.

[Vekoma Fan BoyThat random nerd]

Dude, you are great! My favorites are all the Sunday ones. (And the ones based around Ricky the dog are my absolute favorites!) I wish these were in my local newspapers!

[printersdevil78Nuthin' better than a naked donkey!]

These are pretty good! The Mr. Hanky one made me laugh out loud!

So what's the process behind something like this? Are they hand-drawn, computer-generated or a little of both? I've always been fascinated by comics creation.

[Jds03Happy Magic Water Cube]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

So what's the process behind something like this? Are they hand-drawn, computer-generated or a little of both? I've always been fascinated by comics creation.

A little bit of both. The strip really takes its form on paper and then i spice it up via Photoshop. I start by measuring and drawing the panels then i go over it with an ink pen. Then i add pencil lines for the dialogue and arrange it, because its much easier to move characters around than it is to move around dialogue. Then i sketch in figures, and then add more detail with a thinker pencil. Finally i go over the figures with the ink pen and rub an eraser over the entire strip, then i move to the computer by scanning my strip.

Recently though, Ive started to only use the computer for Sundays and Ive been shading the dailies with really awesome prisma-color cool Grey markers. It makes the same effect but in half the time!

[chmilo24TPR's Official Led Zeppelin Fan]

Wow! These are awesome! I really think you may be able to get these in a newspaper. My favorites were the Peanuts, Guitar Hero, iPod, South Park, and all of the one featuring Ricky.

--Chris

[eblTPR's Olden Goldie]

Your comic strip is very good, Josh. If I had the time, I'd devote more time to the one I've done for 30 years.

Just a tip: you might consider using a computer font (Comic Sans, Arial, etc.) for your dialogue. That'll make it a bit easier to read.

But your characters are drawn well and it looks like there are quite a few possibilities for storylines, situations, etc.

Eric

[Jds03Happy Magic Water Cube]

Thanks Eric,

Ive thought about doing the text on the computer but i realized it looks much more traditional with all Capps handwriting, and i think i mentioned before, i find it critical to make sure the text is arranged before the figures.

But that's cool that you've had a comic strip for 30 years, I'd love to see some if you don't mind!

[eblTPR's Olden Goldie]

^ When I started mine, I drew it on notebook paper, if you can believe it! Sometimes I even incorporated the holes into the story, or as an O in the dialogue.

I worked as a drafter for a few years back when we did drawings by hand, so my handwriting got to be very good, and still is today. In my dialogue, I use upper and lower case lettering. That allows me to use all caps to express anger or surprise (or yelling).

Sad to say, my drawing skills are...lacking, but everyone says the it's the storyline that makes it what it is. I've never been able to do a short two- or three-panel one with a quick joke that would be used in a daily newspaper. Mine are long adventures with humorous bits along the way.

Eric

[Erik JohnsonFormer captain of the Arrow bus.]

In the meantime, does you school have a newspaper? If so I would submit some of these.