WOW Signal: Crowdfund

WOW Signal, the book by myself, SirGryphon is currently in the crowdfunding stage. Its been an on and off again project as I worked on other books for other creators, and I wanted to be able to put more time into it. To do that I have to show that there is a demand for this kind of science fiction.

The project has evolved and originally was just me testing the waters of working completely digitally. The process was fun as it allowed me to play around with not just digital pencils and inks but also starting my hand at digital painting to create more dynamic images that had symbiosis between each layer.

The book WOW Signal, has a group of explorers preparing to undergo a mission that takes a dark turn when Aliens try to dog humanities reach outside their own solar system.

It is an idea that I've been playing with for a long time, and originally was more of a space fantasy then the science fiction tale it is now. Inspired by sources such as The Cosmos (both Tyson's and Sagan's) Star Trek, Homeworld, The Hazards of Space Travel, and System Shock, my book tries to take our current technology and prognosticate what it will be like in 61 years into the future. It imagines a world post WWIII and a star system that is tamed by humanity.

One of the double splash pages introducing the NAMALSADIRAH II. A character of itself.

One of the challenges of scifi that is intergalactic is trying to figure out how a people travel from place to place and navigate space both functionally and efficiently. I tackle this in a unique way-where some scifi's try to have a universal form of transportation I realized that a diverse universe would probably have diverse travel. Each with its own unique challenges, pros and cons. In the first issue we see that humanity for instance uses fusion for their conventional travel and for vast distances employ something called the Trabean drive: A propulsion system that functions more like the Hitchhikers guides improbability drive in that it alters the nature of physical reality than propelling the ship forward. Another craft employs something called the Shadow Drive, a engine that warps the craft into shadow that is cast instantly to where it shadow lies, this drive while faster than anything else has a limited distance and takes time to charge.

These are just some examples of what I am toying around with in my series. To see more please bring this book to life by your support!

SirGryphon is an advocate for space travel and salutes all those who have undertaken the dangerous journey into space to help mankind fully discover the final frontier.

KNIGHTS MISSIVE 12/11/2015

KNIGHTS MISSIVE 12/11/2015

Gryphon Knights announces the publication of Millennials #1! This series, written by Dimitrios Fragiskatos, drawn by Guillermo Villareal, and colored & lettered by our own SirGryphon .  


The book was successfully crowdfunded and completed and was released on November 25 along side the Frank Millers Dark Knight III in a David vs. Goliath launch. Both a parody of and homage to The X-Men, the comic takes us on the adventures of... Entitleman! Mr. Hideous! Buzzgirl! Cyber Bully! and Know-It-All! Featured in Bleeding Cool the comic was crowdfunded and received press from sites like the 13th Dimension The comic MILLENNIALS hit stores in late November and sold through the first run quickly, Dimitrios also appeared and talked about the book on the Midtown Comics Podcast; we couldn't be more proud.  

The Second Issue is Due out in late January but we will keep you up to date on any changes!

More coming soon...

This article was written by Tony Wolf who is the creator of Greenpoint of View and True Tales of Comics Series featured on Gryphon Knights Comics. He is also an actor and writer and you can find more about him as well as his social media on his site (Tonywolfactor.com)

Graphic Novel Review: Last Days of an Immortal

Last days of an Immortal is a French graphic novel published by one of my favorite companies Archaia. Its written by Fabien Vehlmann and illustrated by Gwen De Bonneval. This novel follows a man named Elijah who is a member of the philosophical police, as he journeys through the universe trying to not to solve crimes but to resolve them by helping different people understand, and come to accept vastly different belief paradigms and practices.

This book may be one of the hardest things to deliver to audiences because just as Elijah tries to rationalize diverse socio-cultural systems to others De Bonneval is trying to help us understand and ground oneself in this distant Utopian future, where intergalactic travel is so commonplace it doesn't bear mention. In a world where death is all but extinct thanks to mediums called echoes, except for the death of ones furthest memories which are lost when merging with an echo of oneself. It seems a difficult task but she remedies this issue by starting with something carnal and familiar as Elijah investigates a grisly murder scene.

This murder was committed all by a misunderstanding, as an alien who mistook an assassins gunshot in his direction as a sign of affection and the large beast returning that affection ended up murdering his attacker. Elijah is then responsible for resolving the feelings between the human, now revived because of his echo, and the alien and helping them understand where the misunderstanding occurred. This introduction mimics the overarching story as Elijah is trying to resolve the motives of two ancient alien races the Aleph and the Ganedan. Millions of years ago an Aleph ate a Ganedan prince and the Ganedans responded in kind-this conflict was the foundation of each groups customs and culture and now in the present future their conflict threatens to plunge the current society into war. Elijah and his echoes are trying to rationalize what started the original attack between these species all while he is trying to resolve the reasons his friend has chosen to completely die.

Bonneval's artwork is an interesting complement that is hard to fully describe but it is really easy to absorb and take in. This simplistic rendering has a sort of reminiscence to how Americans perceived elements of the future in the 40s in a type of Italian futurism; it makes an unimaginable future perceptible without the distraction of drowning in overwhelming ad nausea details. The artist takes much care in the setting of scene their artist style morphing to fit the mood and changing mediums (ie from ink to a watercolor wash) to help certain effects stand out.

Last Days of an Immortal  was extremely gratifying to read, while it was initially hard to get into and certain parts seem to be waterlogged with exposition the book helped to challenge my perspectives of science fiction and give me a grasp of what might lay beyond the perceivable. It also puts forth a remarkable demonstration of individual, interpersonal, societal responsibility for our actions and understanding ourselves in these various roles, and what death and memory mean as individuals.

It is a read for someone who enjoys sifting through a heady novel a couple of and times as then sit and simmer in the ideas it presents. Otherwise it can easily go unappreciated as a preachy or dull to the impatient laymen.

I'd like to thank my brother Sean Griffin  for gifting me this book.

The artist SirGryphon sometimes likes to overthink things and will illustrate them as humorous anecdotes in a series called MEANWHILE... or as a fun scifi adventure in WOW Signal. Both books can be found at Gryphon Knights Comics!

Indie Comics Review: Salvagers ISSUE 1

SALVAGERS: Visual Storytelling Done Right

There are many space opera sci-fis out there. Stories where you watch characters go from nobodies on a farm to galactic heroes whose names are spoken in awe by its denizens. SALVAGERS is not one of them; though that's not a bad thing.

I was given the opportunity to read their first issue when the creators of Salvagers graciously gave away free PDFs of the book to celebrate 10k followers. This premiere of the series quickly introduces us to the crew of the Harrier, the calculating Teagan bickering with the computer A.V.R.I, the quirky Brigby, Mighty T'yr, and of course the roughneck Cpt. Roanick. The first novel introduces them not as heroes but blue collar labor, a theme of the series that originally drew my interest. These "Salvagers" are a group of people trying to make money harvesting old wrecks that are drifting through space post a huge galactic war.

Bob Salley really nails a few features of this first book. In a one page blurb without too much text he is able too give you context so that you can grasp the state of this galaxy and basic economics, it was so short and sweet that I wish George Lucas could have seen it before making episode 1 whose dialog was washed out with economic and trade discourse. The first issue also really drives home the relationships of this crew, while they are concerned about each other, they aren't tight as family; rather they are coworkers - trying to do a job while not getting killed by automated security in

Its this "let the page speak" presentation that I really admire as a fellow comic creator. Too often you have huge blocks of text that are hogging otherwise beautifully rendered pages that try to educate the reader about the world their entering but only end up alienating them, even more so if the book is a science fiction piece. It is something that I feel plagues the industry especially "the big 2" who often need these word chunks to outline decades of prior history and timelines of their characters. Its terrible, and that is why Marvels "nuff said" series in the 90s really spoke to me... No pun intended. They used pictures exclusively! That was remarkable for the entertainment industry that has gotten too reliant on narration, reading large blocks of text,
and seemingly unable to leave things implied.
otherwise dead warships or sucked out into space. In just 24 pages he is also able to give you a firm grasp of who these characters are using subtle hints in the communication between each crewmember, such as Brigby betting on T'yr destroying something emphasizing that character as a bruiser sort of archtype.

Let me get off the soapbox simply to say that Salley has started strong. It allows the artist that he works, George Acevedo to create really engaging gritty images. These are chock full of Jim Lee levels of detailed backgrounds, and he creates doodads and circuit panels and so many other eyecatching inventions to fill the image. One page I really liked visually was page 5 where Teagan is arguing with the computer , Acevedo doesn't just fill the screen with nonsense, he has actual blueprints displayed their of the wreck they are investigating. A ton of work for such a simple detail that only seen on one page. That's crazy! I like that kinda crazy. As far as his visuals his visual story telling and even his stylistic leanings remind me of early Adam Kubert work, specifically on the 90s X-men. Its this ability that really moves the action along and allows your eye to flow smoothly along the page.

As far as lettering goes there isn't really anything groundbreaking or special there and the letterer does a capable job telling a story. That's not to downplay that ability as early letterers often can make a mess of the page. The one thing they may have considered is when transporting the letters from whatever program they use they might want to consider adjusting its color as black text moved from a program like Illustrator to Photoshop lose their crisp black element, and you end up having words and word bubbles that are grey and it just looks a little lazy and sloppy.

Those minor nitpicky grievances aside my interest was originally peaked in Salvagers because of a little number called Starlight Tavern. A comic-strip comedy that is an extreme foil to Salvagers, as Salvagers tone overall is dark and has muted colors and thick dark inks, the Starlight Tavern, meanwhile, is fun and bright and welcoming. Both series are worth as shot, and I think these guys really have something special. They have 2 other issues of their book out and a 4th on the way so you don't have to worry about the series ending on a frustrating cliffhanger... You can salvage them from Comixology or their store.

All in all, Salvagers was a refreshing break from the norm of glorified farmboys in space, and I have to say I'm looking forward to more.

This guy SirGryphon is a scifi junky and he eats it for breakfast and dinner. He works on his own scifi over at Gryphon Knights Comics called the WOW Signal. 

The Daunting Comic Convention: Neighbors

Conventions are always filled with many characters! 

Neighbors... They can be amazing, sharing a spoon of sugar, a cup of salt. Or they can blast R&B music at 4am during the work week. They truly can make life hell.

In the case of conventions especially when you are just starting out its good to find people to share tables with. This can help cut costs and help your table appear full if you still only have a limited amount of product. The right person can also help you engage your audience and customers, as well as share their convention experience with you, for example providing insight on what are good events to attend as well as what the audience is like at those events.

To find people to table with you can attend a convention yourself, and search around. If when talking with someone at a table you gel well you might consider requesting to share a table with them in the future. Additionally you might want to share a table with someone whose content is different from your own. For example two people sharing a table that each have their own noir stories might cause a bit of redundancy, and end up unintentionally cutting out sales for the other.

A hard seller can be a bit threatening
and intimidating

At a convention its not just table partners that can depend on your success its also neighboring and nearby tables. These neighbors can either make or break your success as a salesperson. We've been fortunate to have had really good neighbors. The Barbarian Brothers, Henchgirl, Monster Haiku, Immortal Lycanthropes; these have all been amazing people to meet, and work near, even share a table with. People like these create a great atmosphere and help engage with the community of convention goers. However, everyone is not the salt of the earth like these. Recently however we attended a convention were our direct neighbor was a hard sell.


Hard sellers are individuals who use any method at their disposal to get people to buy. From spouting
the merits of their work to all out guilt and shaming anything goes with a hard seller. Our table mate
at this convention had this to say about our hardselling neighbor:

                     "The guy at the table next to us at East Coast Comicon was a real 

                hard sell guy -- he literally demanded a customer go out and prostitute

                himself to make enough money to afford the wares he was selling.

                Presumably he was joking. But he wasn't joking when he demanded that 
                people who already owned his book give it away to "a worthy friend" and 
                buy another copy RIGHT NOW. "Be a man! Be a man!" he screamed at 
                people who would not buy, as they slunk away from his table."

Its hard to do anything in this situation. You can't reprimand them or lambaste them as it only creates an escalating conflict. In addition to these comments the gentleman wreaked of weed and the smell and his shaming would have people steer clear of him, this included avoiding that section which included our table. In the end we did the best we could in light of the circumstances, but this is reality. You will always encounter individuals who tend to alienate people for their gain.


Our own belief in salesmanship is a bit different than this character but we'll cover that next week in "Making the Sale."

Sir Gryphon is trying to sell people on edible chia pets, and Frankenstein vs. Dracula with Gryphon Knights Comics. Please patron to help these visions come to light and for blog content to continue!

SASB: Artists Are Like Drummers

When Gryphon Knights first got their start around 2011 it was fueled by dreams and idealism. It was this tingling excitement that drew almost 2 dozen people to the company for that very first meeting. However after many shared what their hopes and vision for this group would be, it became quite evident that at the time we didn't have the organization resources or the manpower to bring to fruition the fictional universe we imagined. In the end many lost steam and it wasn't until a few years later that things kicked off again and we started small.

However, in all that ruckus one thing stood out. It was very difficult to find artists.   

Moral of the Story: Dreams and Idealism is bad fuel

Not that they were impossible to find, but it was gaining the talent of an artist and then retaining them, a process that was made daunting for 3 reasons:

1) THE MONEY: It was difficult finding an artist who would work for a percentage of the profits of a produced work. At the time that's all we could promise people as any assets were fueling the company. This is not an unreasonable thing when you garner a little bit of cynicism and actually see how many comic book projects are out there. It can be daunting putting in the amount of work for you to succeed, and often you have to have multiple releases before you get any attention at all. Additionally we were just starting, its hard to garner attention when all you can promise someone is a percentage of potential. Many artists would be happy simply to have the exposure, but again we were a no name company at the time, so our exposure was 10 people (including mom, dad, and the dog)!

2) RELIABILITY: Even if you do end up finding someone that's willing to work for a promise of glory its often a cointoss whether they are consistent or just blowing steam. Actually its more like a dodecahedron toss that has to land on 4 whether they are consistent. Even finding an artist it can be difficult for them to follow through. This could be because they are occupied with too many other life tasks or responsibilities or it could be they are just flaky. George once said "To get anywhere you have to be stupid and just love creating, because most of the time it won't take off." Another friend of mine who is a graduate from SVA and writes for a living said to me that she only knows two other people who graduated with her that are actually working in an artistic field. Its tough and to do it you just need to love doing it.

3) DIVERGENCE OF VISION: So you have someone working with you and they are fantastic. They make deadlines, they are consistently creating and investing in the work but suddenly you hit a roadblock. They don't like your story, or they think something needs to be different. That's the problem when someone is working for free: They get emotionally involved in the storytelling, because that is the thing they are most invested in. How many times do you hear people parting over creative differences? Well its not much different when there is no money involved, there is just no press about it. That's why sometimes people will have contracts at the beginning  so they can retain sole creative rights over a project.

So what do I do?

Well my friend, if you keep hitting blockades in trying to build a creative team, the only thing you can do is keep putting your work out there, telling people your stories, and one day you might meet someone that says "Wow... I'd really like to draw that."

If it kind of sounds a lot like dating it is. You really have to meet a variety of people to find a compatible creative team that shares a passion, drive, and vision with you. You can meet artists by joining clubs, going to conventions, or even find a bunch at www.deviantart.com. Another thing I found is if an artist's ability is still unrefined, but they are a beast at consistently producing work, you want them! If someone is consistently creating there is no way they won't improve, especially if they are open to critique, and they will appreciate the chance to work on something (Sounds kinda like the plotline of strictly ballroom).

Another way finding a good artist is like dating... If you have money, it becomes easier.

Sir Thomas J. Griffin is an artist and reluctant writer that has had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days. He has been too busy creating books like WOW Signal for GRYPHON KNIGHTS COMICS to go shopping.

Webcomic Review: Henchgirl

Henchgirl is a webcomic, created by Kristen Gudsnuk. The main character Mary Posa is the black sheep of her family, lovelorn, and unable to get a legitimate job even at the dankest restaurant. These circumstances bring our... er... "hero, " into the sordid arms of a crime syndicate in a metropolis called Crepe City. Mary then becomes the ever adorable Henchgirl! Meanwhile she tries to bring resolution to her esoteric ails all while surviving and trying to be not too evil.

Those MEAN STREETS!

Henchgirl is refreshingly not a "strong" female protagonist, at least not in the current traditional sense. In a world where female characters seem to have been homogenized into badass martial arts killing machines, absent of personality, Mary Posa is different. She is rich in character whose struggles are empathetic to both sexes. Her true strength is in her determination to move forward in spite of depressingly frustrated ideals. One of my favorite scenes of her trying to overcome, is when she discovered a super powered friend shattered. Taking each of their pieces she painstakingly puts them together with simple things like tape and super glue in hopes that it might restore them.

This scene is reminiscent of a few others throughout the book in a theme that seems to recur in people trying to put others, themselves or things back together; a hope to restore. A powerful inclination that echoes the original theme of persevering.

Well I think its adorable

And while many parts of the book are dark for such a bright character there are many hilarious memorable moments. Such as Mary's roomate whose only ability is to create an army of carrots out of her skin. Not giant carrots, just regular sized carrots... out... of... her... skin...

While her influences are evident of certain anime influences her art style is reminiscent of Bryan Lee O'Malley's, while remaining distinctly her own. A feat she accomplishes through the diverse textures of color she uses throughout the book. However one of the things I feel was recently lost was the progression the creator made over the course of its creation, by beginning to remake the earlier pages of her story to be comparative of her current work.

While "Lucasing" has become more common in the arts, and while her newer pages look excellent, I almost wish that both versions of her vision was available. I myself am a victim of being dissatisfied with earlier work and trying to bring some sort of resolution to it by modifying or remaking it, but by doing so perhaps I am erasing something in the history of creation.

Creative politics aside the twisted tale of the Henchgirl is a great summary of our generation as we are all a bit lost looking for something meaningful, while we are rejected from large chains because our fancy degrees tend to make us unwanted in those positions. Its speckled with pertinent, and the bizarre; then perfectly balanced with a helping of conflict and puns that make this story claw its way into my brain, and heart.

Sir Thomas J. Gryphon is a bunny who has lost all his eggs working for Gryphon Knights Comics on wacky books like "Meanwhile..."

Keeping Your Soul in Creating, Part 1: Comics

            There has always been one taboo in the art community, a taboo that is universally criticized, and longed for; "Selling out." No one wants to be a sell out, but to continue to support a career of creativity, and live comfortably its often the direction one has to take. Selling out usually involves an artist trading off a creative property or properties for their monetary benefit, and usually losing partial or all control over that property. The stereotypical opinion in taking this action is that the property lore can be watered down its story can be twisted and characters can become diluted or warped by its new owners. While this has happened, and I feel is evident in film or remakes like the Great Gatsby it is not always the case. With the rise of the webcomic and crowdfunding there are more individual contributors and fewer middle-men with overarching creative and financial control over artistic ventures. So is "selling out" going the way of the dinosaur?

            I've been given a chance to do a quick Q&A with Vas Littlecrow on her thoughts about this topic, whether its good, bad, or if there is some middle ground. Vas is an out-of-the-box thinker, and underground supporter of the indie artist and webcomic community, who is heavily inspired by Russian culture and history. She created a multimedia comic-based arts collective, which started in 2006 with the launch of her webcomic called Rasputin Catamite (*WARNING This comic contains. content that is not suitible for all audiences & may be NSFW*) The book is a dark comedy that takes place during the fall of the Soviet Union. One of her comrades and collaborators is Ram Lama, whose webcomic, Dark River, I've reviewed in a previous blog post.

Q: Tell us more about your company?

There is no company, actually. I don't do corporate. The idea of giving life to an artificial entity whose sole purpose is to make profit at the expense of everything else, including human life, offends me. The non-profit corporate structure also strikes me as problematic, so I avoid that as well. This is why I run a sole proprietorship known as VAS Littlecrow. Velvet Rasputin is merely its most visible department.

Q: Tell us more about your Velvet Rasputin; what was your mission statement at the start? Has it evolved at all since then?

Originally it was, "FUCK ART!" I mostly have an adversarial attitude towards mainstream art, its mindless slavery to fashion, its rejection of historical curiosity, and its ridiculous snobbery. I still do. Over time, I modified Velvet Rasputin's mission statement to say, "We battle against evil empires through the power of intellectual and spiritual curiosity." It means the same thing, but in a more passive aggressive sort of way. Apparently, its easier to get art funding, if you pretend to give a shit about other people's opinion while avoiding swear words.

Q: Could you go into detail about your current projects and the artwork you are creating.

Right now, the biggest priority for me is Rasputin Catamite since, the Aston/Nicholls studio kindly took over Rasputin Barxotka for the time being. 

Rasputin Catamite is a multidisciplinary project, cleverly disguised as a webcomic. Rasputin Catamite started out as an inside joke about Napoleon Dynamite between project alumna, Caylie Dean, and I. It was supposed to be a throwaway seven-day spin-off from one of my print comics. To everyone's surprise, it has grown into so much more.

Rasputin Catamite is mostly a metaphorical autobiography mashed up with my concerns about the world. Everything actually represents something else, but still comes across as a straightforward dark comedy about young Russian misfits growing up during the death throes of the Soviet Union. The story is meticulously crafted to make the reader feel the emotions that inspired a lot of the imagery, so it's an uncomfortable story by design. I am the creative director and lead writer for the project. Ram is the lead artist for the comic. Studio A.d.H.D heads special projects. Loki Kaspari works behind the scenes as the editor. There is a musical element known as Upir's Mark featuring fellow songwriter, slaveboy thom s.R. wolfox, fellow musician, Narphy La Mancha, with a little assistance from Thibault Kervarech. Flavin works as the current puppetmaster, and is preparing for the day when we will be able to tour as a stage entity once again. It's not happening anytime soon, but it will happen. The end game will be an animated horror musical, if the best case scenario decides to materialize.  If not, we'll have a beautiful glorified storyboard with a neat soundtrack.

Q: What does selling out mean to you?

The willingness to compromise on one's creative vision when dealing with a personally meaningful project. It is also the idea that one has to be a slave to artistic fashion, or violate one's own principles, in order to be a "real" artist. It has nothing to do with money for me. A sell out creates art that speaks to a focus group. An artist bares the soul, money or not, but the creations are better when starvation is not involved.

As a former punk who is still a musician, I have no shame in admitting that Henry Rollins had a huge influence on me regarding this philosophy of creative integrity.

Q: Have you ever sold an artistic work and regretted it?

No. Art is more useful feeding me and the crew while bringing someone else joy, than sitting in my studio. Physical possessions are less important than the happiness of human beings. The moment you elevate art above humanity, is the moment you start to lose sight of why art matters to the human condition.

Q: In social media discussions you seem to be averse to giving up your intellectual property for a profit. Why is that?

I have absolutely no problem giving up my intellectual property for a profit at all.  If someone paid me $40,000,000 for Rasputin Catamite right now, I will conclude it, make the movie my way, turn the rights over to its new owners and split the profits among all the project participants based upon their involvement. With the remaining proceeds, then I will reinvest a considerable portion of it, and create something even more ambitious and personally meaningful. 

The price I ask for art depends on how attached I am to project, and how much a client is willing to pay me. Hell, if I make a caricature at an art festival, I will sell that intellectual property for $25.00 along with the paper it was drawn on, because it's not worth anything to me. If you don't share your art, it's completely useless as art. As slaveboy thom once told me, "How could someone be an artist if  the art isn't shown to anyone?" If people are willing to pay for you undiluted vision, that's the ultimate compliment

What I have a problem with is people being ripped-off by intellectual property poachers and opportunists who promise the universe and only deliver residuals, if anything at all. Product and money should never matter more than people, and if you are going to demand someone else's creative control, the least you can do is be honest about it. This is why I stopped using student interns. It made me sick to stomach when looked at myself in the mirror to know that I was exploiting people in such a way. It's immoral to me. 

At this time, the team isn't paid as well as I'd like them to be, but what I promise them is exactly what they get. The only time I don't pay, is if someone volunteers to help without me asking for it. I accept such a donation as a gift and an honor.

Q: Is there any point you would sell a creation of yours?

You can go to the Amazon.com Kindle Shop right now and buy eBooks based on my properties, at this very moment. I used to be a graphic designer and a caricature artist, so I did it all the time. Selling my creations is what helped me escape prostitution and starvation when I hit rock bottom.  I still have abstract art prints and fabric designs available for sale all over the place online.  Even an idea can be worth money. Just because I don't sell out, I doesn't mean that I won't sell. I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't.

Q: Have you ever created something as a product solely to sell, that you weren't very attached to?

Since age eight, and I haven't really stopped since. I don't get attached to finished art. This is why I burn most of my sketches.

Q: Do you think anything is lost when a person gives up partial or complete creative rights to their property to a larger entity or institution?

Control of the vision. Nothing more, and nothing less. If you have a great contract, solid people and, sufficient compensation, the process of selling creative rights feels downright painless to me.  

Having said that, the same is true for individuals and small entities. In fact, some of the egregious and spectacular screw overs that I've ever experienced in my life in regards to the arts, happened because I split project copyrights with collaborators. As a result, I do not share intellectual property rights for my comics anymore, unless it's a crossover project. My collaborators may have my comic characters and stories over my cold dead body, which is why I am contractually obligated to keep them named in my will.

Q: Is there ever a point where giving up an artistic piece is beneficial or necessary for the creator?

Yes. When it feels right, and the other party is honest about their intentions.

Q: Do you value any project over another?

If it wears the Velvet Rasputin label, it's probably my baby and very special.  All Velvet Rasputin projects are interconnected.

Q: How have webcomics changed the comics scene, in your opinion?

It has obliterated practically all entry barriers to publishing comics.  As a content delivery method, the Internet is absolutely great.  It truly made comics a lot more diverse and interesting. It's especially wonderful for underground stuff.  I love it.  Unfortunately, the indie comics community has gotten a lot more competitive and less like a community, and there are a lot more sub-niches than ever before. Comic conventions now are more like pop-culture promotion events. It's very different than it was back in the late 80's and 90's, and I am not sure that I get it all that well. That's why I am semi-retired now.

Q: Mainstream companies have tried to revolutionize comics numerous times, with digital comic; moving comics, which are similar to the Marvel cartoons of the 60's and having mobile smart phones which can interact with the comic to expand the story. Do you think any of these are truly innovative? What do you think the next revolution of comics will be?

The future of comics are gaming, movies and videos. These formats are better suited for mobile devices the represent the future of computing. If Marvel had not had such spectacular success with blockbusters in the last few years, print comics would already be extinct as a form of mass entertainment. Ad-based webcomics have pretty much self-destroyed as an economic engine, for the most part, even if they aren't going anywhere. If it weren't for crowdsourcing and patronage, almost no one would be making money on webcomics at all. Comics are a semi-obsolete technology, but one that is full of historical significance and accessibility for those who don't have the resources to engage in other creative disciplines. As comic artists we should shift our focus away from the newest gimmick to keep comics relevant, and towards the long-term preservation of the art form and its role as a social muse. A world without comics would be a very sad one, and I think that we need to teach young people that this art form is worthy of existing for generations to come.

Webcomic Review: Calachurras

Jesus and Angel Delgado understatingly summarize their webcomic Calachurras as "a few three-arm guys, a beach and a very strange battle."

You are welcomed into this world in a first person POV through the eyes of a churra. The plot is cleanly laid out by one of the leaders of the clan (or Misters) that their clan's purpose is to battle a rival clan, and defeat them before the great wave comes and destroys them all.

You quickly garner the concepts in this society by their castes and jobs. Following two of the Misters, Mr. Future and Mr. Maker you become drawn into the urgency and the innovation they are trying to execute so that their tribe may survive.

Things aren't easy though as they quickly encounter red tape, and taboos which pepper this culture and makes for amazing parody & commentary on religion & politics. This satire while silly strikes very close to home for anyone who has dealt with a system.

The art captures one's attention right away. It has beautiful simple landscapes and in its simplicity immediately reminds me of the works of Jeff Smith (the creator of Bone) or Lewis Trondheim. The Brothers Delgado allow the time of day to affect their characters, fully immersing them into this world, a detail which many forget to do. The lighting plays off their civilization indicating the passage of time, as well as ticking down to the oncoming battle, and creating a sense of urgency that continues to draw the reader in.

In most webcomics you see the art evolving or improving over time, but this book has a consistent look throughout its first arc, a nice feature (although I do find see the evolution of an artist's style entertaining.)

The pacing in this book is amazing, the art and dialogue work in tandem to create a time bubble that races you through this story, but leave you wishing for another tome in this epic.

I would encourage anyone to step into the... grabbers of these churras, and experience the difficult battle and complex war they are engaged in. 

Sir Thomas J. Griffin is an artist and acloyte of Chaos Magick working for GryphonKnights Comics. He's illustrated books like Greasers in Geese , Hero, and The Only Choice.

For readers who enjoyed Calachurras I'd recommend reading GryphonKnights's Frankenstein Vs. Dracula!

Webcomic Review: Jesus Christ Comics

Religious webcomics aren't new, and it can be really challenging to stand apart from the mass of artwork that is out there. When Dave contacted me the other day to check out his Jesus Comics (www.jesuschristcomics.com), I thought it was funny because before I did comics I was pretty religious. I attended church regularly, studied Greek, Hebrew, Biblical Archaeology etc... Yes, comics have taken me off the path of righteousness, that or helped me realize that religions can be a little nuts!

I still get a kick dealing with the topic. For example The Book of Genesis illustrated by R. Crumb is one of my favorite things ever. It's page after page of detailed illustrations interpreting passages of Genesis. Its a massive, beautiful book, and contains all 50 chapters.

In this case, however I was confused with Dave's introduction.  "...The subject matter is [too] controversial," he said. referring to the story of the birth of Jesus, one of the most retold stories of all.

But I dove in! It was a pretty quick read; 4 parts, 11 pages each. It's a bare bones retelling of the greatest story of all, but Dave's imagery seems to stand out in certain points, where the pictures end up being accidentally hilarious. For example, there is these gory images of a Rabbi standing over John and Jesus with a pair of sharp, bloody scissors.... post-circumcision. A panel with the caption "King Herod was also upset." has the image of a man clutching at his sliced throat while an interesting combination of Hades from the Disney's Hercules and ZigZag, glares in the foreground.

Herod, actually is my favorite things about this comic; his design and the creepy way he carries himself stands out. He isn't the only character in the book who has a face-lift; the angels look more like the common interpretation of Djinn from Islamic mythology.

Over-saturation of this type of comic makes it tough to compete in the market. Even though it isn't the strongest book I've seen there is a lot of potential and while needing refinement the artwork stands out as stylistically memorable. The coloring is also good for a webcomic made by only one guy. Dave shows some competence in lighting and storyboarding which other neophytes lack.

Jesus Christ Comics has the potential to be something really awesome if he allows more character exaggeration like he does in Herod.

Again thanks to Dave for showing me his book!

Sir Thomas J. Griffin is a poor artist and carpenter working for GryphonKnights Comics. He's illustrated books like Greasers in Geese , Hero, The Only Choice, Meanwhile, and others.

He also wonders if Herod is worse than Emperor Septimus from Greasers in Greece

Webcomics Review: Fighting Stranger

I draw a lot of webcomics for GryphonKnights Studios  but on my down time I also like reading and discovering new webcomics. Sometimes they really pull me in and I find myself waiting for the next update. Usually it's only a one page update; the story doesn't progress much. But once in a while that one page changes everything.

Fighting Stranger written by Adam J. Monetta & Illustrated by Juan Romera, starts off with a beautiful splash page; A man in a cloak finds himself standing over a city remembering no more than the city's name. He wanders into the tiny cramped metropolis, and finds it to be a  mostly, deserted wasteland. He's tries to kill a fugitive mutant and is led out of the city towards another.

A man in a cloak finds himself standing over a city remembering no more than the city's name, This purposeful repetition and mimicry of the event that starts the book is what immediately sets Fighting Stranger apart from any other dystopian sci-fi. When I came to this point, I wondered if I accidentally started the comic over, and my sense of disorientation and uncertainty at this moment made me realize that I was sharing the feeling of the main character of the series. Arriving at a similar point, not sure exactly if we've been here before. It's this ability to allow the reader to empathize with it's protagonist that made the series go from entertaining to riveting, as you begin to wonder and read as the mystery of these cities and the stranger slowly unravel.

The Stranger isn't a very compelling character. He is a worn rugged mercenary archetype. The supporting cast, however, kicks ass! The citizens of this world are constantly trying to manipulate the stranger for their own ends. The Strangers stoic persona, is countered by these characters from C4D to Lacey, whose rough existence creates entertaining, dark humor which immerses me in their world.

The art and coloring of this gritty, arid planet draws you in. The colorist is excellent at conveying texture on every element of the set, from the cold metal of a gun to the rocks to the red sky. I am also a fan of the lettering, particularly  the robots' font.

I would be loath to forget mentioning the action sequences. They are amazingly story-boarded! The fights with the mutants each is laid out like a video game boss-fight, as certain mutants only have a couple of weaknesses.

So step into the rough world of The Fighting Stranger and then let me know what you think of the series, and we can theorize together!

Signing off!

T Griffin would also be remiss to forget to mention his own sci-fi, non-dystopian works WOW! Signal and Felix and Saw

Your Promiscuous Comic

So your into comics, huh?

The truth is comics have been around.

There's not one comic that exists that you can claim as yours. The X-Men issue #1 you own was handled by at least one factory worker, at least one distributor, and at least one retail worker before those perfect corners, luscious colors, white gutters, even staples ended up in your hands.This was before you sent it to CGC services to get it graded and slabbed.
Thank God, those CGC guys use protection when handling your book! Who knows what those other guys had!

Maybe you can claim the comic you wrote, or drew is yours. What about the copy that ended up with a 5 year old? She colored in the black and white parts. She showed her mom who congratulated her for a good job and asked for her autograph. The black and white parts were a snow scene in your story, now thanks to the orange and red Crayolas, there is a lava portion instead. Did you collaborate with that 5 year-old? Are you going to denounce her book as non-canon? You can probably claim it's yours, if you claim the child is yours.

Did you create the character that appears in a comic? Did you come up with the plot? What about the readers who offer their interpretation of what happened? What about those who assign a meaning, to what happened, one you never thought of? Are you going to disagree with them in public? Or secretly claim that was your intention all along?  That character has left your hands and has been handled by someone else. They've made stories you couldn't dream of. You'll still get credit. After all Icebox and Ovenflame wouldn't exist without your initial guiding hand. The sad part is when Alan Moore reinterpreted them and brought about their sexual awakening, where we learn Ovenflame is a pyro-sexual and that that's ok, fans have started to ask for the "realistic" version. Your version is the cartoon version. It's dated, and for kids. At least, to those aware of it. Most people won't ever remember you were involved. No one will say it's yours.

No. No comic is ever yours. But there is a time where you pick one up, read it, and get invested in the story you read. That's the only thing you can claim ownership of:

The moment.

It's also true for when you hit save on the Word document, or add that final touch of India Ink to page 23. That moment is yours and it's precious, and the only unselfish thing to do it to share it.

Check out the gooses in Greasers in Geese

A lesson about comics, and maybe life.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to respond below.

Dimitrios Fragiskatos
Author and new contributor to this blogspot

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