Epic FailThe TGT Podcast website just featured Epic Fail as one of their spotlights, so go and read what they have to say. They do a weekly webcomic podcast featuring interviews with some really top webcomic artists. It’s one of my favorate things to listen to while I’m working.
Epic Fail just got a cameo over at The Apple of Discord. Martin seems to have found a mission that offers a reward this time! Go and see what they’re up to.
The Apple of Discord is a really fun comic that Amuletts would completely approve. It’s chaotic and unpredictable – you just never know what you’re going to get. It’s experimental and full of suprises. The recurring characters make The Apple of Discord enjoyable as a long-term read but there are plenty of random one-shots that make ‘dipping in’ rewarding.
And it seems it is their 1 year anniversary tomorrow, so Happy Birthday Apple!
The Thing is a web & mini comics convention that happens every year in the UK – and it’s on tomorrow, Saturday the 28th of March at 10am – 5pm in London.
You are going right? This will be my first ever comics convention and I’m really excited!
I know a few of the people attending from online but nothing beats meeting someone face-to-face. I haven’t got a booth – to be honest I wouldn’t know what to do with one – so I’ll be the person floating around with a sketchbook randomly molesting artists. To make myself recognisable to anyone specifically seeking me out I will be wearing fairy wings. Got that? Yes, it’s random and not related to Epic Fail in the least, but they are really easy to spot! So no excuses for not saying hello!
I’m going to set up twitter on my phone and send updates of what I’m doing throughout the day. I’m hoping to have lots of fun!
The webcomic WAR! is over. It ended last night when the remaining participants Life’s a Witch and Slightly Off Topic fell in battle leaving my nemesis Union of Heroes the sole survivor – and victor.
Epic Fail & Apple of Discord died together when Ant Guy turned out to be a suicide bomber. Who knew? Sadly this means I have no victory to celebrate and will not be making cartoons in my underwear. Disappointed parties – you know who to blame!
For me the contest was a push to get out there in the webcomic community. Prior to the contest I barely knew another webcomic artist. Now I have met a great deal and consider several to be good friends.
With Epic Fail being so new there was no way I would have started promoting it if not for the WAR! The rules contained a straightforward list of promotional activities. I’m proud of the fact that despite joining two weeks late Epil Fail was the WAR’s top promoter. I tryed everything… except advertising. I signed up for Project Wonderful but sadly never got any furthur. That’s something I intend to correct however, I have heard a lot of good things about it.
Things that really worked for me were:
Doing Fanart – FUN! You get to draw other peoples characters, and show them how much you appreciate them. They usually link back to your comic and might even reciprocate with some fanart for you. Most importantly you just made a friend for life!
Signature Banners – This means that every time you post to a forum there’s a link to your comic there. Loads of people click on it.
Twitter & other Social Networks – Just get out there and meet people – lots of people! They make it really easy to remind people your comic just updated and tell them any special news.
Many thanks to Frumph & Webcomic Planet for running the WAR! I know he put a great deal of time into it.
Thanks to everyone who helped me in the webcomic WAR! by doing things to promote Epic Fail. As you know I joined the contest two weeks late and was therefore at a disadvantage. With your help, I not only made up that disadvantage but overtook everyone else in the game. At the end of the resource gathering phase I was sitting pretty at 4930 crystal points!
The comics have been embroiled in battle for about a week now. Here is a list of the fallen:
Bitter Tea Studios
Capes N Babes
Clan of The Cats
Diablito Del Ring
Doomed Media
The Glass urchin (whom I took down personally)
Oy
Phineus
Recombobulated
Unconscious Ink
You Me and Steve
I have avoided being a target… until now! Several sharks in the pool are collectively turning on me. But I’m not going down without a fight, and if I do I fully intend to take my enemies with me!
That said if I win the WAR! I promise to:
1) Post a picture of myself in a bra & panties (bribery is such an ugly word, I prefer ‘incentive’)
2) Create a celebratory animated video
3) Post a bonus page of Epic Fail related to the WAR!
In the meantime check out this interview with me over at the Soulless Machine. It has pictures and everything!
This week in Epic Fail: With either incredibly good or incredibly bad timing Amuletts orders Andy to release Dirk just when he happens to be straining to his utmost. Gravity plays its part; Dirk falls on his arse. Tinuvielle helps him up, and berates him sternly for allowing himself to be baited. He resolves never to let it happen again. This is put to the test immediately when Amuletts decides to create an illusion re-enacting his fall.
Creator’s Commentary: I wasn’t sure whether this page was going to work out, because it has a lot of Dirk in it and his character design was the least worked out. But now it’s all done I think it’s pretty funny. *Snigger*
This week in Epic Fail: Amuletts, exasperated by Clodins stubbornness, laments that Martin paid her so little. Hearing this the dwarf is even more outraged. Amuletts realises she has hit a brick wall and, growing impatient, uses the force magic to manipulate him. It works. Clodin accepts her apology, however, Dirk is still being held by her minion, Andy Roid. She thinks it is funny, but agrees to order his release after Tinuvielle threatens her. Tinuvielle is most embarrassed to discover Amuletts finds her ‘cute.’
Creator’s Commentary: So now you’ve been introduced the main abilities Amuletts receives from her God, Loki. She can produce fire and use a minor charm spell (like the Force magic can have a strong influence on the weak-minded). These mimic abilities the deity himself has, but are far less powerful. Unlike normal spells they require no preparation and are used at will, so she tends to throw them off rather casually.
This week in Epic Fail: Amuletts, in an act of friendship, explains to Martin that he should expect her to try and cheat him. (If she hitherto succeeds Amuletts will consider Martin responsible since he was warned but let her do it anyway). Unfortunately, with a mix of subtlety and a word of over three syllables, she merely manages to confuse him.
She offers Clodin a rather glib apology which only in angers him further. Finally, the irate dwarf feigns deafness.
Creator’s Commentary: The title for this page is a quote from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Look, I took a screen capture of the alien Dr.McCoy was referring to. Yep – them’s some huge ears! Anyway, I used it in this instance to poke a little fun at my own cartoon style. I tend to, shall we say, exaggerate ears a bit.
This week in Epic Fail: Clodin throws an axe into Amuletts’ negotiations with Martin. Martin figures 100 gold is a small price to pay for her to behave herself. She explains, rather cryptically, that he has been cheated, but pockets the money anyway.
Creator’s Commentary: Now you know why Clodin responded so violently. As for Amuletts… she’s greedy. Mind you, she didn’t think Martin would take her offer, after all, it was extortionate! He was supposed to barter. Gold to Amuletts is rather like a pocketful of coppers, but “look after the pennies…”
Incidentally I like the close-ups on Clodin. They worked out better than I expected.
I gave my Mother the comic to read and she did so out loud. She did Clodin’s lines with a squeaky little voice, presumably because he is small. It made me laugh.
So, the messenger delivers her message (if you thought she was a man you are forgiven. I drew her pretty androgynous to add to her mystery. But in page 1, frame 8 you can see the curve of her left boobie). In case you haven’t guessed she is a lead-in character, and you probably won’t see her again. That said she has quite a strong personality and I will miss her. She is determined and practical.
Not there are a lot of mistakes on this page. “Shoot mess-anger” is one, Tinuvielle’s left arm is another. I won’t point out the others. Perhaps you won’t notice them. Mistake fixed!