A Spelunker's Guide to the City
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Macbeth, MacHeath, Mabuse, Moriarty, Fu Manchu and Dr. Moreau, all these evil M's have had their turn. It's a new day in Null City and it belongs to Odile Moiré. In some stories he is the driving force, in others a bit player. Sometimes he is only referenced; an ominous warning, tagged on a wall. No one can put a face to the name, but the dread is real and overpowering.
The rules governing Null are vague - reality is malleable. Night follows day, but beyond that all bets are off.
Nicolas Restif is known on the streets as Taildragger. Like the wolf in the blues lyric he drags his tail to cover his tracks. He’s the Backdoor Man. Need a go-to in Null or a guide on an urban safari? TD is your man.
The Spelunker stories are a collision of style and genre. In Null City is surrealism as a way of life.
This is durn good.
Really interesting. Shades of Dave McKean in the artwork which is good for me. It all feels quite refreshingly abstract but it's hard to tell if there is a great story here with only the eight screens. Cool though!
YO! I think it should make a come back too, even though i like it better on AA, it still should get another shot here on Zuda.
So with the announcement of a "reader's most requested comics showdown' for July I'm going back and picking my top ten. I'm sure it won't surprise anyone that this is on my list. Anyone else?
-Rob
Honestly though, why the Bugs Bunny reference in the last page? You sort of crack the mood in half and without the mood, you've got nothing.
Pretty fucking sweet stuff here. I find myself just flipping back and forth between the screens. You going to post more?
It was neat...could've had alot more to it, though.
Thanks wolf. much appreciated.
I've posted a reworked prologue to SGC at:
http://www.amalgamatedartists.com/playing.html
more to come..... G
This blows just about everything else I've read on this site out of the water. THIS is the sort of talent I was looking for when this site was first announced; really fitting the definition of an "alternative comic", not some dinky robot strip or bullroar about warring mountain tribes.
You can rest assured that your comic will go down as one of the underrated greats of this site.
a bit heavy and abstract, but both writing and art are definitely nice.
Ahh, 2row the contest is over and I regret if you don't win. The form is different and one must fallow his heart, I don't believe in this "just do it to sell it" idea of creating art. Especially comics. As for me life is short, I don't want to waste it, I want to create my stories, stories I like, that's why it's so beautiful that we all are different.
Anyway - it's great you have 2 chapters finished and you are working on more, could you please write in big bold juicy font where we can find it?
Regards,
herr ZEBA
More sephia word! And yes is very cool, the hole concept is a nice submission... Congrats dude!
[]s
Ricardo Soathman
Sick art, man!
Dear Author,
As much as I encourage playing around with form, one must understand that Zuda is basically a popularity contest. Those first eight screens should have a clear hook - here, all I see is the "feel" of the story. Of course, that may be enough, and with SuperTron in the lead this month, what do I know (not a slight to SuperTron in any way).
Great! When is it? I was free and will be again shortly! I've only stood in for a Bellman once before and it was so unpleasant that I can't wait to try it again. Will you ride the prey naked in the moonlight like you did last time - I've heard that story so many times from people who weren't even there and it always makes my four-cheeks burn with envy. Let me know all the details, I must away, I have to make a hurried motion, a tribute to that great porcelain God of the nether regions! It may bring us luck, who knows, or cares, or worries, or waits?
mpd57:
As we gather for the annual hunting of the Snarkasaurus, I find our posse is short one Bellman. Any free time? (We can translate/explicate for each other.)
Famished - Did you understand and appreciate the comic strip above is the question? My review is irryverylent and almond implossibile to die sigh fer!
Wow, I must have inhaled more spraycan fumes in my lifetime than I originally thought, 'cause I don't really know what mpd57 is writing on about with Minnie Mouse. Did I miss the writing on the wall this morning?
mpd, it attracts aragance because it's so darn good. (I definately agree with the rest of your post.)
Restif51, you strike me as an intelligent and thoughtful guy, I salute you. Frank... you mustn't assume that when people don't appreciate this style of comic that they are somehow stupid or that they accept the other comics by being spoon-fed! Restif51 seems like a nice guy and has put a lot of thought and effort into his comic, but no more than anyone else. I'm intelligent and thoughtful too, but it doesn't mean I have to like this comic! I accept that Restif51 isn't being arrogant, but this strip sure attracts some arrogance from the commentators!
Love the art by the way. It's always a good thing when you can't quite tell exactly how it's been achieved. Gives it weight!
Thanks Frankcaz. I'll be posting it's new home when the lights go out here.
mpd57; Goodness Gracious and Leaping lizards...I think I'm sorry.... are you free to write chapter four?
Hmm! I'm getting people trudging through the rain, umbrellas, more rain, perhaps drizzle, caverns, under-ness, but rain is good, broken columns, broken things in general all good, now concrete, underneath, flyover, collage, more broken things, asphalt - swirly asphalt, strong currents, maybe undercurrents, clearly anarchy, anarchy is good, touch base with the 'kids', rain and anarchy, check. Hold up, docent, docent, d-o-c-e-n-t! No, no no, oh well alrighty - must be some american thing!
Now, Sade, ah Sade, rain plus anarchy plus Sade. It's beginning to make sense (but not in that way), but I was waiting for Sade, sometimes it's Joyce (Introibo ad altare Dei), but for the teenage market it has to be Sade everytime, nevermind. Alphonse, Alphonse, Vincent Price, Edgar Helen Poe, ah nevermore. Pop culture, TV, more rat, some subtle horror, not overplayed but still on target, demographics, 50's, cinema, now Batman, more importantly Arkham, more rats. Coyote, acme, road runner, good, feathers, good. French, Bastille, blood, rat, Escher, not Escher and some more references. A bouquet for a boxer perhaps - no wat i meen?
Remember Minnie Mouse is a blood relative of Umberto Eco. Minnie Mouse is a blood relative of Umberto Eco. Repetition is the key to meaning. Honestly, I was missing Mustapha Mond, Barbara Undershaft, Violet Trefusis & Vita Sackville-West, mummy and daddy, Willy and Jenny, the baby, Mrs Scrubbit, Sam and the very biggest spotty dog you ever did see. I can see now that I must abandon my Stick Figure Theatre re-imagining of À la recherche du temps perdu ... and I was on volume two (working backwards for sheer effect)! Anyway I must away to my back up plan. He's going to arrest Polly Garter, mark my words!
Do you see it now?
Do you see it now?
How about now?
How disappointing that more people aren't picking up on the Spelunker. This is a challenging and thought provoking piece and deserves to continue, unfortunately most people don't want to be challenged and don't want to think about things. They would rather be spoon fed something familiar that goes down easy. What a shame. Please don't let that discourage you from your endeavors. This story needs to be told and I for one would gladly follow it to whatever forum it ventures to. I love all the Zuda competitor comics and all the variety of genres available, but I could care less for all the winners, instant or not.
Oh well, whatever...nevermind.
I am completely impressed and in respect of what you're trying to do here. I have no idea what's going on, but you are a hell of an artist. (Artist meaning artist in general. Not just as a visual artist.)
ooooooooh. very murky and mystery.
I got to say I keep going back to this one more and more. The same way a David Lynch movie can sometimes do...it stays with you...
Thanks, gph;
i really appreciate Philip taking the time to pull all that stuff together.
Read the interview on Knave. I really like the look; gives the story its feel.
Visit the Knave's Log (http://knaveofkrypton.blogspot.com) to see the Knave of Krypton's Interview with SGC creator Gary Epting.
bom
More please!
Just checked out tatu.com. Your Bill O'Reilly looked like he was wearing one of those things they put on dogs to keep them from biting themselves if there hurt. (what a run-on sentence) I happen to be a fan of his, but he does get a little bombastic (or rabid), so I thought the work was funny. I really liked your work on the site, all around cool stuff.
I can't believe I hadn't post here before... the art rocks... and "Escher Logic"... love it (that last page is dizzying).
9th doc. That's the plan... I have the next 2 chapters ready to go and I'm working on more.
So SGC will still continue even if it does not receive the contract? I too will folow wherever it goes.
nice artwork. You have my vote. Hope to see you at the top of the leaderboard soon.
checked it out again. Fine art man, really fine art. Eff the comic business. Sell this stuff in a gallery. I bet you'd get way more than $250 a frame.
if it does have to continue elsewhere I'll follow along.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Jonas Planck, thanks for turning me on to "The King in Yellow".... Wow, that's what I'm talking about!
Nice, Very nice Ninth Doctor. I hope you have a whole lot more friends than i do. It's a long way to the top from where I'm sitting.
Hope: thanks for the kudos and I'm happy to see you checking in.
jonwes: I was sorta planning 4 page chunks... but i suspect it's gonna hafta happen elsewhere.
mr. godon: That pesky letter. Hmmm, I'm pretty sure it's the answer to everything... gravity, string theory, lost sox AND you can get it from Acme Products.
Thankfully, SGC is rising. Slowly, but it's rising. Let's hope the movement picks up a bit. Remember SGC fans, use the send to a friend function copiously if you aren't already bringing friends to zuda.
Moody, moody, moody. Some really great compositions and experimenting going on. I just can't get into the story. The narrator is confusing. Who's talking? What the heck is that letter all about?
Wow, I really like this. It IS very well done. It's mysterious without being irritating. I think it's very good at feeding you just enough imagery (written or drawn) to keep you wanting to go forward. I'm not sure how it'd read one page a week, but I'm all for trying.
Gary, this is the best thing on Zuda so far! I love it.
Congrats on getting to this stage, I hope you go all the way!
Big Hugs! --Elfkin
The art was okay up till page 4, then the really strip took off. Each page was better and better. Good story and looks to be an interesting journey. Definitely a strip I would continue to follow.
now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about! I feel like I just read a page from The King In Yellow! Whoo HOO!
Now that's real work. It's so well executed (content and art) that is puts the rest to shame. How can it be in 9th place?
Thanks for the support guys. I was starting to think.... always a dangerous thing to do.
Thanks Steve and the rest of the Vebkomikers. Glad to see you.
Frankenstein Casanova has found a favorite and it lies in the heart of a spelunker!
This somewhat reminds me of the Arkham Asylum Graphic novel. I enjoyed it while reading, and wanted more when it was done. That gets you my vote...