by John | Mar 16, 2010 | Blog
Art by Allen Freeman. ©2010 Allen Freeman
The basic concept of Last Kiss hasn’t changed much over the years: old romance comics with funny new dialog.
But there have been changes to the look and feel of the series. The most obvious are that the color is better and the gags are shorter. (And hopefully funnier.)
Short didn’t come easily, though. My source material–old romance comics–were talkative. Verbose. Bombastic. Gabby. Garrulous. And even wordy.
I liked imitating that style. It was fun to cut loose and write long. Not that I had a choice. After all, when I removed the old text from the original comics, I had to replace it with something. Otherwise, I’d end up with a hole in the art.
If I was an artist, of course, I could’ve just drawn something to fill the holes. And if it was something easy, I did. But anything that required any real talent (faces, hair, etc.) was beyond me. So I had to pile on the text.
Eventually, though, I hired Allen Freeman. At first it was just to color–which he does brilliantly! But then it dawned on me–hey, Allen’s an artist. A good artist. Maybe he can draw in those missing bits in the art.
Eureka! I finally had the freedom to write gags–without worrying about filling the “holes.”
(Click on images below to see: 1) original romance art; 2) my first attempt in 1996 to write Last Kiss text for this image; and 3) my latest version of the image–with color and extra art by Allen Freeman.)
I’m still struggling to be brief. (Gotta wrap this up soon!) But it’s a lot easier now because of Allen. He literally fills in the blanks for me.
(Below: Left–an image before Allen worked his magic; Right–magic courtesy of Allen.)
So I wanted to take a moment to give Allen some well-deserved praise. When he’s not making me look good, Allen stays busy with a seemingly endless number of other projects: illustrator, publisher, web designer, photographer and filmmaker. I get exhausted just thinking about it!
by John | Mar 7, 2010 | Blog
While in southern Cal, I’m be doing a signing at the ever-cool Metropolis Comics (in Bellflower) from 5-7 on April 21.
I’ll have Last Kiss comics and goodies, plus Disney comics and other things that I’ve written. Please stop by if you’re in the area. I’m not a rock star so I’m unlikely to be mobbed. Come by and keep me from being lonely!
Metropolis Comics, 16509 Bellflower Blvd., Bellflower, CA 90706
Tel: 562.263.0277
by John | Mar 3, 2010 | Blog
I’ll have an Artist Alley table at the Anaheim Comic Con from April 16-18, 2010. It’s going to be somewhat of a family affair since my wife (Shelagh), daughter (Caitie), and son-in-law (Chris) are coming along. Come by the table and meet me or a member of my family posing as me!
by John | Mar 3, 2010 | Blog
Click on image to enlarge.
Last Kiss often features smoking hot women, but this is the first time I’ve had a chance to show off a smoking hot woman with a smoking hot gun!
With the help of artist Allen Freeman, I recently transformed some unusual comic images into some fun Last Kiss-style magazine ads for CABLEready — a cable TV powerhouse which develops and distributes TV shows such as Inside the Actor’s Studio and The Magic of Harry Potter, and Dominick Dunne’s Power, Privilege and Justice.
Click on image to enlarge.
So far I’ve done two ads for CABLEready. More are on the way.
by John | Mar 2, 2010 | Blog
Good gravy and little dumplings! I’ve only got until March 6 to get all my T-shirt orders to the printer! So I’m having a four-day sale: Men’s and Women’s black Ts. Normally $22 each. But if you order by March 6, the price is only $18. If you can pick it up at the Emerald City ComiCon at Booth 408 on March 13-14, then no shipping. Otherwise shipping & handling is $6.
Select from any of the designs below. (The only way to be sure I have your size and the design you want is to pre-order.) E-mail me (john at lastkisscomics.com) with what you want–image design, male/female shirt, size–small, medium, large, extra large.
by John | Mar 2, 2010 | Blog
Last Kiss Entertainment will be at Booth 408 at Emerald City ComiCon on March 13 & 14, 2010 in Seattle. This year I’ll be sharing the booth with a couple of friends–Kevin Boze (The Virgin Project) and Mark Rahner (Rotten.)
The common thread? Well, we’re all got great comics that’ll warp your life. We’re all brilliant. And two out of the three of us are hilariously funny. Come by and find out which two!
–John
by John | Feb 16, 2010 | Blog
Wanna read many of the world’s best comics online for free? With unlimited access going back years, sometimes even decades? You’re in luck.
On Valentine’s Day, GoComics announced that it’s giving readers 14 days of free “unlimited access to our archives!”
This is your chance to go back and enjoy modern classics like Calvin and Hobbes, Doonesbury, FoxTrot and The Boondocks, or newer hits like Last Kiss, Lio, and Cul de Sac!
by John | Feb 14, 2010 | Blog
Congratulations to Gordon Pyke for winning the latest Last Kiss writing contest. (See comic above.) Gordon was one of seven finalists and his submission was the clear favorite in the fan ballot.
Second Place honors went to Jeff Willis for his submission: MAN: I feel faint. WOMAN: You should put your head between my knees.
Third Place bragging rights went to Gale Grove for the following dialog: MAN (thinking): I knew that she was a real women when she opened the beer with her tongue.
The contest — featuring an opening caption by literary luminary Orson Scott Card — attracted hundreds of dialog submissions. Many were brilliant. Many were weird. And a lot were both.
In case you’re wondering, the other four finalists and their submissions were (in no particular order):
MAN: Oui, madame — Inspector Clouseau at your service… – J. Rankin
WOMAN: Jeesh, everywhere I go, men are falling for me. — Valarie Ziroli
WOMAN (thinking): …and a real idiot for believing my story about a magic tree that grows beer cans. — Chris Martin
MAN: Is this heaven? WOMAN: Not yet, but a 180 degree rotation oughta do it! – A.J. Bodnar
I know my choice of finalists raised some eyebrows. Why these? Why not others? Why are so many of them so sexual?
All I can say is that:
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by John | Feb 7, 2010 | Blog
We received hundreds of submissions in the Last Kiss/Orson Scott Card writing contest. We narrowed it down to seven finalists, but you pick the winner. Vote here through Feb. 13, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
Results announced here and on GoComics.com/lastkiss on Feb. 15. Detailed info about prizes & rules.
by John | Jan 27, 2010 | Blog
Submissions are no longer accepted for the contest. But you can still read the all of the submissions. We received hundreds! The challenge was to use Orson Scott Card’s opening caption as a starting point and come up with dialog for the man and/or woman in the comic.
(To help select a winner, vote here. Winner announced Feb. 15, 2010.)
Submissions from Fans:
Cruelly mocked by the Homecoming King ten years ago with such nicknames as “Pepperoni Puss” (acne), “Nebraska” (flat and plain), and “Frez Nell” (thick glasses), Eustace Tittlesworth would have her revenge at the reunion picnic, as soon as the effects of his arsenic-laced cocktail took effect. — Torsten Adair
Billy Bob: Well, hell’s bells Norma Jean, this is my very last day ever as a tree hugger! From now on you can consider me a bona fide, genuine devoted Lap Lounger, for sure! This is darned comfortable. Norma Jean: (thinking) Why God? Why me? I only went braless the one time, and this is how you punish me? — Michael Clark
He wasn’t sure if he was suffering from heat stroke or if he was just dizzy in love, but he knew one thing… the only thing that could provide him relief was the shade from her gigantic rack. — Stan Yan
…Not realizing that he had just been thrown off the branch by an irate chipmunk. — Chris Martin
Her thought balloon: Screw visiting Granny, this dude is hot. — Karyl Miller
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