The Best Damned Comics of 2008 Chosen By The Artists
Could that be HIGH MOON we see listed?Why, yes it is.
Thank you, Daily Cross Hatch!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
HIGH MOON: Best Damned Comic of 2008!
The super-excellent blog, The Daily Cross Hatch currently has this rather excellent article online article that you may not have checked out. It's called:
Why, yes it is.
Thank you, Daily Cross Hatch!
Why, yes it is.
Thank you, Daily Cross Hatch!
Tristan Macgregor Spin-Off?
Over the last three weeks, I have gotten dozens e-mails in regards to a Tristan Macgregor / HIGH MOON spin-off series. The response to Tristan has simply been awesome - which is pretty rad. But, we've gotten so many requests that I thought I'd make this public announcement.
If you'd like to see Tristan in his own steampunk western spin-off series, send your request to feedback@zudacomics.com - and let your voice be heard.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Young Raven progression
For those of you hankering for more High Moon, I decided to let out a few more sketches of things. Here is the progression of how Young Raven came to be. The first sketches date back to almost a year ago.....
Young Raven is meant to be a Cherokee character, so she is dressed in a version of a Cherokee raven costume. As she developed, I wanted her to have the black shining eyes of a Raven. So black the light is sucked into them. They glimmer with light from reflection. It's amazing that so much research can be distilled into as simple images as these...
Young Raven is meant to be a Cherokee character, so she is dressed in a version of a Cherokee raven costume. As she developed, I wanted her to have the black shining eyes of a Raven. So black the light is sucked into them. They glimmer with light from reflection. It's amazing that so much research can be distilled into as simple images as these...
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
HIGH MOON Season 2 Concludes
The second season of the critically-acclaimed online graphic novel HIGH MOON has come to a climactic end.
This holiday weekend is the perfect opportunity to read the series that has been highlighted by Wired Magazine, Geek Monthly, Rue Morgue, Write Now, and Wizard!
Join the half-a-millon readers who have made HIGH MOON the critical hit it is today!
Read it for free, in full screen mode, at: www.highmooncomic.com
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Original HIGH MOON art for sale
See that awesome image of Matthew Macgregor up there?
It would make a perfect gift for the holidays, wouldn't it?
This, and many more, pages of original HIGH MOON art can be yours!
Simply head to Cadence Comic Art, look at the gallery of awesome pages, and place your order!
Looking for something particular that you don't see in the gallery?
Drop us a line at: highmooncomic@gmail.com
Prints and commissions are also available!
Monday, November 10, 2008
High Moon Art Could Be Yours!
Looking to decorate your living room with a glorious piece of HIGH MOON original art? Well, you've come to the right place! Within the next week, we'll be releasing details on how you too can own a Steve Ellis original!
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
SCHWAPP!!! Reviews HIGH MOON
As part of Zuda week, Kevin Huxford reviews HIGH MOON. Here's just a snippet of what he had to say:
"HIGH MOON is one of the many Zuda offerings to have received high praise all over the internet in the past. After having read it from start to finish, I can see why ..."
"HIGH MOON is one of the many Zuda offerings to have received high praise all over the internet in the past. After having read it from start to finish, I can see why ..."
Thursday, October 30, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ZUDA COMICS!
One year ago, on this day, ZudaComics launched their first batch of freshly baked comics.
And, it's been one hell of a tasty year with a whole lot of awesome sprinkled on top!
The High Moon team would like to thank Kwanza, Ron, Nika, Dave, Richard, and Paul for making Zuda a great place for making comics - and the fans for making Zuda the community it is today!
Go ahead and wish them a Happy Birthday here, here, or here!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Pre-Halloween, Pre-Anniversary HIGH MOON
On Thursday, the HIGH MOON crew will celebrate it's 1-year anniversary running on ZudaComics.Com.
Celebrate by reading the latest installment of our second season, right here: http://www.highmooncomic.com
If you are a fan of HIGH MOON, be sure to check out this latest installment, leave a comment, and share it with your friends!
(And, don't forget about our HIGH MOON HALLOWEEN ART GIVEAWAY! )
If you haven't had the chance to catch up, now is the perfect opportunity to read the webcomic that the Webcomic Overlook says that "when compared to other webcomics, High Moon seems out of place. It's just so polished and professional looking. "
HIGH MOON, a joint venture between David Gallaher, Steve Ellis, Scott O. Brown. It runs every Tuesday night at Sundown on ZudaComics.Com!
Read it for free, in full screen mode, at: www.highmooncomic.com and visit our production blog at: http://www.thehighmoonrises.com
Celebrate by reading the latest installment of our second season, right here: http://www.highmooncomic.com
If you are a fan of HIGH MOON, be sure to check out this latest installment, leave a comment, and share it with your friends!
(And, don't forget about our HIGH MOON HALLOWEEN ART GIVEAWAY! )
If you haven't had the chance to catch up, now is the perfect opportunity to read the webcomic that the Webcomic Overlook says that "when compared to other webcomics, High Moon seems out of place. It's just so polished and professional looking. "
HIGH MOON, a joint venture between David Gallaher, Steve Ellis, Scott O. Brown. It runs every Tuesday night at Sundown on ZudaComics.Com!
Read it for free, in full screen mode, at: www.highmooncomic.com and visit our production blog at: http://www.thehighmoonrises.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
High Moon Nod On Comics Reporter
On Friday, CR readers were asked to "Name Five Comics Which You Admire For Their Quality, But To Which You Also Have Another Connection -- Don't Explain It!"
Click here to read to results and see the High Moon nod!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
101 Reasons To Love HIGH MOON
On Tuesday, the HIGH MOON crew posted the 101st screen of our critically acclaimed werewolf western graphic novel, currently running on ZudaComics.Com. Next Thursday, October 30th, will mark the one-year anniversary of the series.
If you are a fan of HIGH MOON, be sure to check out this latest installment, leave a comment, and share it with your friends!
(And, don't forget about our HIGH MOON HALLOWEEN ART GIVEAWAY!
If you haven't had the chance to catch up, now is the perfect opportunity to read the webcomic that About.Com calls, "highly original!"
HIGH MOON, a joint venture between David Gallaher, Steve Ellis, Scott O. Brown, and DC/Zuda Comics, runs every Tuesday night at Sundown!
Read it for free, in full screen mode, at: www.highmooncomic.com and visit our production blog at: http://www.thehighmoonrises.
Not High Moon: Strangeways: The Thirsty to be serialized!
The HIGH MOON posse would like to congratulate Matthew Maxwell on his joint venture with Blog @Newsarama. Matt is the author of STRANGEWAYS, a horror western series, which will debut on Monday, Oct. 27, with new pages posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Congratulations, Matt! We look forward to reading it!
Congratulations, Matt! We look forward to reading it!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Hang 'Em HIGH MOON!
Check out the awesome HIGH MOON display that proudly hangs next to THE NIGHT OWLS display in the awesome offices of DC Comics!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Appaloosa
I just saw the new Ed Harris film "Apaloosa" the other day. It was a pretty decent western, it had all of the prerequisite western tropes, but it had a much different take on the relationships of the characters. Clint Eastwood used to have the enigmatic "Man with No Name" thing, but this one has a name and has feelings. It's kinda weird watching two hired lawmen talking about their feelings....
Overall, I liked it and it gave me a lot of inspiration for details in the visuals for High Moon. I sat and took notes in the theatre from things like details of clothing to wallpaper textures to vegetation and other stuff that if you don't focus on a little tends to make your book seem less and less a period piece.
The devil is in those details...
Overall, I liked it and it gave me a lot of inspiration for details in the visuals for High Moon. I sat and took notes in the theatre from things like details of clothing to wallpaper textures to vegetation and other stuff that if you don't focus on a little tends to make your book seem less and less a period piece.
The devil is in those details...
Monday, October 13, 2008
Zuda: The Animated Series
So, you may have read this little piece in Lying In The Gutters about a bunch of Zuda titles currently in media development ....
Thursday, October 9, 2008
HIGH MOON One-Year Giveaway
To celebrate the one year anniversary of HIGH MOON on October 30 and the awesomeness of HALLOWEEN, our posse is staging a goodie giveway. If you dress up as any character from HIGH MOON and send us the picture, and we'll send some tricks and treats your way, including some productions notes, script samples, signed zuda samplers, and an original sketch.
Dress as Jeb, Conroy, Tara, Mac, Tristan, a werebat or a Steam Engine Golem ... its up to you.
This is not a contest. Just dress up as one of the characters and send us a picture. That's all you have to do. It's that simple.
Send your photos to david.gallaher@gmail.com
The goodie giveway expires on 11/1/08.
And be sure to keep up with the incredible adventures of HIGH MOON every Tuesday:
http://www.zudacomics.com/high_moon
Dress as Jeb, Conroy, Tara, Mac, Tristan, a werebat or a Steam Engine Golem ... its up to you.
This is not a contest. Just dress up as one of the characters and send us a picture. That's all you have to do. It's that simple.
Send your photos to david.gallaher@gmail.com
The goodie giveway expires on 11/1/08.
And be sure to keep up with the incredible adventures of HIGH MOON every Tuesday:
http://www.zudacomics.com/high_moon
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Influences: Brotherhood of the Wolf
Our friends at Need Coffee, have a ace review of one of my favorite films, one that certainly influenced our series HIGH MOON, so go check out the review and pick yourself up a copy of this fantastic flick!
Genius Moon
The ever exceptional blogger, Sean Kleefeld, has made a series of awesome posts mashing up some pretty awesome webcomics ... and it just so happens HIGH MOON is one of them, so go take a look!
HIGH MOON Season II, Chapter II Begins!
Tesla? Monsters? Steam Punk? Werewolves? Golems?
With last week's incredible revelation, things are really heating up for the second season of HIGH MOON.
This week, the mystery deepens, as we enter the second chapter of this wild werewolf western ...
Check it out here:
http://www.zudacomics.com/
Comments are encouraged.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
HIGH MOON is OK
Literally.
Nerdage, NewsOK's blog of awesomeness, lends a hat tip to HIGH MOON's second season, which takes place in Ragged Rock, Oklahoma.
Nestled in the great Arbuckle Mountain Range, Ragged Rock is a largely self-sustained community created as part of the all-Black town movement in the post-Reconstruction era. As the nation's economy shifts agricultural to industrial, Ragged Rock is facing a change of its own.
Read this week's mysterious installment to learn more.
Nerdage, NewsOK's blog of awesomeness, lends a hat tip to HIGH MOON's second season, which takes place in Ragged Rock, Oklahoma.
Nestled in the great Arbuckle Mountain Range, Ragged Rock is a largely self-sustained community created as part of the all-Black town movement in the post-Reconstruction era. As the nation's economy shifts agricultural to industrial, Ragged Rock is facing a change of its own.
Read this week's mysterious installment to learn more.
Monday, September 8, 2008
My Daddy's a Super-Villain on Zuda!
Scott O. Brown, valued memeber of the HIGH MOON
posse, has a brand new comic on ZUDA called My Daddy's a Super-Villain! - and I think it's totally worth checking out and voting for.
posse, has a brand new comic on ZUDA called My Daddy's a Super-Villain! - and I think it's totally worth checking out and voting for. Tuesday, September 2, 2008
HIGH MOON: And so it continues ...
The weekly adventures of HIGH MOON continue tonight!
Join us as Macgregor investigates the hidden mysteries of Ragged Rock, Oklahoma!
If you though last season had suprises, thrills, and chills ... you ain't seen nothing yet!
See you tonight - at sundown!
Join us as Macgregor investigates the hidden mysteries of Ragged Rock, Oklahoma!
If you though last season had suprises, thrills, and chills ... you ain't seen nothing yet!
See you tonight - at sundown!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Lord Bowler Dies
Actor Julius Carry, who played Lord Bowler in the The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. died recently. We were big fans of his. He'll be missed, as he played a influencial role in HIGH MOON.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
NOT HIGH MOON: The Silencers
While you are waiting for Saturday's full moon debut of HIGH MOON Season Two, why not go read THE SILENCERS, by Fred Van Lente and Steve Ellis for free at wowio. SILENCERS has been described as THE SOPRANOS meets superheroes. It is currently the 5th most downloaded comic - and well worth the price of admission (I mentioned it was free, right?).
Go check it out already!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Famous Monsters on High Moon
Steve, Scott, and I are moving full speed ahead for HIGH MOON - and to kick things off this week is an old interview that we did with Famous Monsters! Check it out!
Friday, August 8, 2008
High Moon Season Two: Update
Hey everyone, I'm working hard to bring you more High Moon Goodness. Once again, David has written and excellent script and I am struggling to keep up with the art. David sends me script with so much ref in them I feel like I'm shooting a movie, with all of the detail thrown in. But it's a labor of love, so I'm working like crazy getting ready for the upcoming High Moon second rising.
Later!
SteveE
P.S.: Come back here for some preview sketches as they come....
Oh, and I vote for music to be added for inspiration for High Moon....Hot Rod Lincoln has been playing here non stop today.
Later!
SteveE
P.S.: Come back here for some preview sketches as they come....
Oh, and I vote for music to be added for inspiration for High Moon....Hot Rod Lincoln has been playing here non stop today.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Not HIGH MOON: Activate Secret Origins!
In webcomic news:
The crew at ACT-I-VATE is starting a monthly column called "Activate Secret Origins!
Tales of Activators before they were famous,"over at the act-i-vate.com site.
The first installment of which you can read right here:
http://activatecomix.com/pressblog?viewcomment=y&blogid=74&page=1
Go check it out!
The crew at ACT-I-VATE is starting a monthly column called "Activate Secret Origins!
Tales of Activators before they were famous,"over at the act-i-vate.com site.
The first installment of which you can read right here:
http://activatecomix.com/pressblog?view
Go check it out!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
HIGH MOON: Animated
Sure, it's not a cartoon or a movie, it looks pretty durn sweet regardless ...
(Check it out here!)
(Check it out here!)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
HIGH MOON on the Twitter
Kids these days ...with their new fangled computer applications. Well, if you're into that whole Twitter thing, here are a few Twit Feeds you should follow:
HIGH MOON Creators
http://twitter.com/DavidGallaher
http://twitter.com/Hypersteve
Some other Zuda Creators
http://twitter.com/THEWesMolebash
http://twitter.com/neilkleid
http://twitter.com/BTimony
http://twitter.com/ptimony
http://twitter.com/joshalves
Just a few of the awesome HIGH MOON Supporters:
http://twitter.com/RichLovatt
http://twitter.com/dcorsetto
http://twitter.com/JTShea
http://twitter.com/ohsuperheroine
http://twitter.com/chrisarrant
http://twitter.com/BenMcCool
http://twitter.com/laura_hudson
http://twitter.com/mollycrabapple
http://twitter.com/mrtonylee
HIGH MOON Creators
http://twitter.com/DavidGallaher
http://twitter.com/Hypersteve
Some other Zuda Creators
http://twitter.com/THEWesMolebash
http://twitter.com/neilkleid
http://twitter.com/BTimony
http://twitter.com/ptimony
http://twitter.com/joshalves
Just a few of the awesome HIGH MOON Supporters:
http://twitter.com/RichLovatt
http://twitter.com/dcorsetto
http://twitter.com/JTShea
http://twitter.com/ohsuperheroine
http://twitter.com/chrisarrant
http://twitter.com/BenMcCool
http://twitter.com/laura_hudson
http://twitter.com/mollycrabapple
http://twitter.com/mrtonylee
Monday, July 28, 2008
HIGH MOON on ComicMix podcast
Click to listen, as David Gallaher and Steve Ellis from the award winning High Moon webcomic and how they came together to create the Zuda phenomenon.
HIGH MOON: SEASON 2 ANNOUNCED!
If you attended the Zuda Panel this weekend at ComicCon International, you may have heard the good word:
HIGH MOON SEASON 2 IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!
Look for it in August!
HIGH MOON SEASON 2 IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!
Look for it in August!
Monday, July 21, 2008
SDCC: HIGH MOON Con Schedule
Going to ComicCon? This is where you can find the HIGH MOON posse.
At the DC Booth, we will be available for free signings and free sketches. In addition the Zuda Crew have giveaways like the world renown Zuda Sampler, Zuda Mousepad, and everyone's favorite collectible the Zuda POSTCARD.
Thursday, July 24
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM David Gallaher, Steve Ellis & Scott O. Brown (DC Booth)
Friday, July 25
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM David Gallaher, Steve Ellis & Scott O. Brown (DC Booth)
Saturday, July 26
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM David Gallaher, Steve Ellis & Scott O. Brown (DC Booth)
Sunday, July 27
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM Zuda Panel
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM David Gallaher & Steve Ellis (DC Booth)
In addition to all of that, The High Moon Posse has teamed up with the Timony Twins in Artist's Alley Table GG-04, where we will be selling prints, original artwork, and sketches!
We hope to see you there!
At the DC Booth, we will be available for free signings and free sketches. In addition the Zuda Crew have giveaways like the world renown Zuda Sampler, Zuda Mousepad, and everyone's favorite collectible the Zuda POSTCARD.
Thursday, July 24
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM David Gallaher, Steve Ellis & Scott O. Brown (DC Booth)
Friday, July 25
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM David Gallaher, Steve Ellis & Scott O. Brown (DC Booth)
Saturday, July 26
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM David Gallaher, Steve Ellis & Scott O. Brown (DC Booth)
Sunday, July 27
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM Zuda Panel
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM David Gallaher & Steve Ellis (DC Booth)
In addition to all of that, The High Moon Posse has teamed up with the Timony Twins in Artist's Alley Table GG-04, where we will be selling prints, original artwork, and sketches!
We hope to see you there!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
HIGH MOON: The Critics Take
It's been nearly two weeks since the dramatic conclusion of HIGH MOON, and now that the story has concluded, we have some real fantastic critiques from around the blogosphere.
The Webcomic Overlook
"High Moon emulates its Western forefathers by being sparse on words. Instead, it lets the art do the talking. Steve Ellis’ art is incredibly attractive, gritty and sleek at the same time. (He cites High Plains Drifter, Django, and El Topo as inspirations.) The attention to detail brings to life a secluded town where wooden buildings show signs of wear and where brothels look hazy and smoky. While the action scenes are some of the best you’ll ever see in a webcomic, High Moon can get downright elegant in its quieter moments." (read more)
mpd57
"This is the first Zuda competition winner to begin as a regular strip and how David and Steve managed to keep to the pace of the updates without any noticeable loss of quality I'll never know. This strip sets a certain benchmark in quality that future contributors would do well to consider before they sling their scribbles in the direction of Zuda." (read more)
Kleefeld on Comics
For those who haven't read any of High Moon, it's essentially a Western with werewolves and vampires. That kind of description, though, belies the nuances of the story. Yes, we've got some all-out werewolf/vampire fight scenes. Yes, we've got the mandatory silver bullet "solution." We've also got the classic rough, Clint Eastwood style, loner hero character. All the tropes you'd expect in a mythical horror/Western. But they're blended together in a manner that, I think, combines to form something new and different. I have to admit, though, that I'm finding it difficult to explain some of those change-ups without revealing portions of the plot that would otherwise prove interesting story elements to those reading it for the first time. (read more)
NeedCoffee
If you haven't checked out the story, then you should. I like it because it's deceptively straightforward. You read the first installation and say, "Yeah, okay, I see where this is going." And it involves werewolves and very large revolvers, so you don't mind that. But as the story progresses it goes somewhere else, then goes three blocks west of there--and it's good. I'm almost sorry it's over in sixty pages, to be honest. I felt it might have could have been pulled out a bit longer in places. (read more)
Broken Frontier
Exceptionally well-realized, High Moon is certainly one of the most prolific winners of the Zuda contest, and it’s easy to see why. While there’s clearly an abundance of the supernatural around every corner, the creators never let it overburden the mystery at hand to find a lost little girl. Every character is so fantastically realized from concept to design to execution, that’s its hard not to get lost in the pages. The story does grow a bit too convoluted in the final act, it still packs an awesome twist in the end. Like all the webcomics reviewed so far, High Moon is highly recommended. (read more)
The HIGH MOON team would like to thank everyone for making this experience so incredible. It's been a blast. Steve, Scott, and I will be at the San Diego ComicCon this coming week, so if you are there, please come by and say 'hello'.
The Webcomic Overlook
"High Moon emulates its Western forefathers by being sparse on words. Instead, it lets the art do the talking. Steve Ellis’ art is incredibly attractive, gritty and sleek at the same time. (He cites High Plains Drifter, Django, and El Topo as inspirations.) The attention to detail brings to life a secluded town where wooden buildings show signs of wear and where brothels look hazy and smoky. While the action scenes are some of the best you’ll ever see in a webcomic, High Moon can get downright elegant in its quieter moments." (read more)
mpd57
"This is the first Zuda competition winner to begin as a regular strip and how David and Steve managed to keep to the pace of the updates without any noticeable loss of quality I'll never know. This strip sets a certain benchmark in quality that future contributors would do well to consider before they sling their scribbles in the direction of Zuda." (read more)
Kleefeld on Comics
For those who haven't read any of High Moon, it's essentially a Western with werewolves and vampires. That kind of description, though, belies the nuances of the story. Yes, we've got some all-out werewolf/vampire fight scenes. Yes, we've got the mandatory silver bullet "solution." We've also got the classic rough, Clint Eastwood style, loner hero character. All the tropes you'd expect in a mythical horror/Western. But they're blended together in a manner that, I think, combines to form something new and different. I have to admit, though, that I'm finding it difficult to explain some of those change-ups without revealing portions of the plot that would otherwise prove interesting story elements to those reading it for the first time. (read more)
NeedCoffee
If you haven't checked out the story, then you should. I like it because it's deceptively straightforward. You read the first installation and say, "Yeah, okay, I see where this is going." And it involves werewolves and very large revolvers, so you don't mind that. But as the story progresses it goes somewhere else, then goes three blocks west of there--and it's good. I'm almost sorry it's over in sixty pages, to be honest. I felt it might have could have been pulled out a bit longer in places. (read more)
Broken Frontier
Exceptionally well-realized, High Moon is certainly one of the most prolific winners of the Zuda contest, and it’s easy to see why. While there’s clearly an abundance of the supernatural around every corner, the creators never let it overburden the mystery at hand to find a lost little girl. Every character is so fantastically realized from concept to design to execution, that’s its hard not to get lost in the pages. The story does grow a bit too convoluted in the final act, it still packs an awesome twist in the end. Like all the webcomics reviewed so far, High Moon is highly recommended. (read more)
The HIGH MOON team would like to thank everyone for making this experience so incredible. It's been a blast. Steve, Scott, and I will be at the San Diego ComicCon this coming week, so if you are there, please come by and say 'hello'.
Monday, July 7, 2008
HIGH MOON: The End?
Tune in tomorrow night at sundown to read the thrilling conclusion of Zuda's first reader-chosen, winning comic.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
HIGH MOON: The Pen-Ultimate Update
Oh yeah ...
The pen-ultimate installment of HIGH MOON is LIVE!
The next and final update is July 8th.
So, go read it already!
The pen-ultimate installment of HIGH MOON is LIVE!
The next and final update is July 8th.
So, go read it already!
Friday, June 13, 2008
4 Years - Over 800 Pages!
We here at TheHighMoonRises like to celebrate the notable accomplishments of fellow webcomic creators, which is why today we are celebrating Phil Gibson - whose webcomic - Lancaster: The Ghost Detective has come to a natural close - after over 4 years and over 800 pages!
[Hat tip to our friends at The Scienteers for passing along this information]
[Hat tip to our friends at The Scienteers for passing along this information]
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
Not HIGH MOON: Red Ice
Ace HIGH MOON letterer, writer, and all-around 'Man of Comics' - Scott O. Brown - is currently fighting it 'thunderdome'-style with other comics in this month's Zuda battle-royale.
His entry RED ICE is a interplanetary pulp that is both intriguing and beautiful.
I urge you to check it out and show Scott your support this month!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
HIGH MOON: Pinkerton and Lincoln
On your left, Allan Pinkerton standing next to Abe Lincoln. If you've read this week's installment of HIGH MOON, it might make a little more sense.
HIGH MOON: James Bowie
The following information is cobbled from Wikipedia to aid in your enjoyment of this week's installment of HIGH MOON:James "Jim" Bowie (April 10, 1796 – March 6, 1836), a nineteenth-century American pioneer and soldier, played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution, culminating in his death at the Battle of the Alamo. Countless stories of him as a fighter and frontiersman, both real and fictitious, have made him a legendary figure in Texas history.
Shortly after his marriage Bowie became fascinated with the story of the "lost" Los Almagres Mine, said to be west of San Antonio near the ruin of Santa Cruz de San Sabá Mission.[26]
After obtaining permission from the Mexican government to mount an expedition to search for the legendary silver mine, Bowie, his brother Rezin, and nine others set out for San Saba on November 2, 1831. Six miles from their goal, the group was ambushed. The citizens of San Antonio believed the members of the Bowie expedition must have perished, and his wife, Ursula Bowie began wearing widow's weeds.[54]
To the surprise of the town, the surviving members of the group returned to San Antonio on December 6.[54] Bowie's report of the expedition, written in Spanish, was printed in several newspapers, further establishing his reputation.[55]
Sunday, May 25, 2008
HIGH MOON: Commentary Track
Last week, Steve and I sat down with the folks at Comic Book Resources to put together a DVD-style commentary track for some of the pages in HIGH MOON. You won't see any major spoilers, but if you are interested in the thought process behind some of the pages, check out the feature here!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
NOT HIGH MOON: Atomic Robo Love
We love Atomic Robo. And you should too!
Not only does it share the fabled Tesla connection with High Moon and Five Fists of Science but it is a superb series with lots of action, adventure, and a whole lot of awesome robotic super fighting!
The trade paperback, collecting the first six issues of Eisner-nominated series, comes out in June.
Do yourself a favor and pick it up!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Weekly Webcomic Round-Up
Good morning,
To start things off, I thought I'd take a moment to mention that HIGH MOON, Act III begins tomorrow night - and boy - is it a doozy! Be sure to check it out tomorrow night at sundown!
And now for the rest of the news:
So, that's it for now ...
To start things off, I thought I'd take a moment to mention that HIGH MOON, Act III begins tomorrow night - and boy - is it a doozy! Be sure to check it out tomorrow night at sundown!
And now for the rest of the news:
- If you are in the New York area tomorrow night, be sure to join fellow webkomikers, Molly Crabapple, Kevin Colden, and Neil Kleid for Comic Book Club - Live!
- Foolstrip took a moment to present a Zuda Comics Roubtable. Got read what the creators of Supertron, Pray for Death, High Moon, and Road had to say about the Zuda experience!
- The Webcomic Promotion Guide is a brand new site for your webcomic promotional needs. It's got some great bits about social networking, building communities, and promotion. So, if you are looking for a way to spruce up your marketing skills, go give it a read.
- While it has nothing to do with webcomics, in particular, ComicDorksCast, has a nice little piece about the refound popularity of Westerns. It's well-worth the read.
- Comic Fencing is looking for comics to review - so check out the site and send in yours!
- High Moon gets a Facebook page! And a listing on StumbleUpon.
- The Midnight Cartooner takes a look at the series Under Review. Go read what he thought of the printed edition of the webcomic.
So, that's it for now ...
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
HIGH MOON Gets An 'A'
The folks at WeeklyComicBookReview.Com took a look at HIGH MOON. This is just a little of what they had to say:
The story is well paced, grabbed my interest very quickly, and kept me turning the page. The protagonist is intriguing as is the nature of the man, Conroy, whom he is pursuing. The artwork by Steve Ellis is solid as well. The style of his art really suits the tale and is evocative of the hot and dusty setting where the story dwells. The highest compliment I can pay this comic is that by the end I found myself needing and wanting more. ... (Grade: A)
There's more to the review, so give it a read right here!
The story is well paced, grabbed my interest very quickly, and kept me turning the page. The protagonist is intriguing as is the nature of the man, Conroy, whom he is pursuing. The artwork by Steve Ellis is solid as well. The style of his art really suits the tale and is evocative of the hot and dusty setting where the story dwells. The highest compliment I can pay this comic is that by the end I found myself needing and wanting more. ... (Grade: A)
There's more to the review, so give it a read right here!
HIGH MOON #8 on AMC's MonsterFest's PowerRanking!
After a week off the charts, the werewolf western webcomic series, HIGH MOON, jumps into the #8 spot on the AMC MONSTERFEST PowerRanking!
The series, by David Gallaher, Steve Ellis, and Scott Brown, is available to read for FREE on ZudaComics.Com.
HIGH MOON, which updates fortnightly, is the only comic to be featured in this week's collection of all things horrorific!
Check out the PowerRanking here!
HIGH MOON: Gallaher Gigcast
Last week, JT and Scott over at the Gigcast took some time to sit down and interview David Gallaher about the webcomic series: HIGH MOON.
Go give it a listen
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Free Comic Day and Iron Man
I don't know if this is appropriate to have on this blog but...
It was pretty cool to see the turn out for free comics day at Midtown Comics West in Manhattan. There wa a line outside down the street to get in. David and I were on a city wide drop off of free Zuda samplers to the cities finest comics stores and Midtown was the first on our list. We told the who we were and we skipped the line and gave our samplers to Gaul, one of the managers.
Gaul handed us a paper bag full of free comics. I've only read some so far, but my first impression are pretty positive. One of the things I've become particularly sensitive to is comics for kids. I have a five year old and he likes comics but it's hard to find ones that aren't filled with post modern jokes( none of which he gets...they seem mostly written for the parents) references to long ago stories(and so aren't complete stories in and of themselves) and are well written and drawn. There seems to be a feelings among a lot of creators(not all mind you) that taking the same story you would give to an adult and replace grown up superhero with a fuzzy animal in a spacesuit and you've got instant kid material. It's tougher than that.
It's one of those things you can know when you see it but it's hard to define. Kids don't understand most pop culture references...they don't get the humor or the reference...and even if they recognize the reference they don't get irony...at all. Irony comes with life experience. Also, writing that relies too heavily on irony and pop culture ref is poor writing, the writer using glyphs( meaning writing using symbols that pretend to be story elements but are just lifts from other sources used as shorthand thus debasing your own work as derivative); and nods and winks to tell a story.
Kids don't care about continuity...or realism. In my experience kids love free standing stories which have and end in the book (if you've ever read a comic to a five year old you will also know that trying to explain all of the continuity winks and the hanging storylines, you will understand the frustration the kid feels)
As a grown up who can't pick up all the titles from a given publisher to follow the continuity, I appreciate individual issues and complete stories as well, if I'm gonna plunk down my $3-$4 on a comic...it damn well better have some kind of a resolution at the end of it's flimsy 22 pages.
There seemed to be several things in the bag which satisfied the older reader in me and the young reader in my son....I haven't read them all yet.
Iron man was cool...distilled forty years of confusing often baroque storylines into a clean elegant origin story....which it seems is the essence of good comics movies...take tons of material and cherry pick the essence of the story....cool...it's almost four AM...I'm going to bed
Steve
It was pretty cool to see the turn out for free comics day at Midtown Comics West in Manhattan. There wa a line outside down the street to get in. David and I were on a city wide drop off of free Zuda samplers to the cities finest comics stores and Midtown was the first on our list. We told the who we were and we skipped the line and gave our samplers to Gaul, one of the managers.
Gaul handed us a paper bag full of free comics. I've only read some so far, but my first impression are pretty positive. One of the things I've become particularly sensitive to is comics for kids. I have a five year old and he likes comics but it's hard to find ones that aren't filled with post modern jokes( none of which he gets...they seem mostly written for the parents) references to long ago stories(and so aren't complete stories in and of themselves) and are well written and drawn. There seems to be a feelings among a lot of creators(not all mind you) that taking the same story you would give to an adult and replace grown up superhero with a fuzzy animal in a spacesuit and you've got instant kid material. It's tougher than that.
It's one of those things you can know when you see it but it's hard to define. Kids don't understand most pop culture references...they don't get the humor or the reference...and even if they recognize the reference they don't get irony...at all. Irony comes with life experience. Also, writing that relies too heavily on irony and pop culture ref is poor writing, the writer using glyphs( meaning writing using symbols that pretend to be story elements but are just lifts from other sources used as shorthand thus debasing your own work as derivative); and nods and winks to tell a story.
Kids don't care about continuity...or realism. In my experience kids love free standing stories which have and end in the book (if you've ever read a comic to a five year old you will also know that trying to explain all of the continuity winks and the hanging storylines, you will understand the frustration the kid feels)
As a grown up who can't pick up all the titles from a given publisher to follow the continuity, I appreciate individual issues and complete stories as well, if I'm gonna plunk down my $3-$4 on a comic...it damn well better have some kind of a resolution at the end of it's flimsy 22 pages.
There seemed to be several things in the bag which satisfied the older reader in me and the young reader in my son....I haven't read them all yet.
Iron man was cool...distilled forty years of confusing often baroque storylines into a clean elegant origin story....which it seems is the essence of good comics movies...take tons of material and cherry pick the essence of the story....cool...it's almost four AM...I'm going to bed
Steve
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Friday, May 2, 2008
Steve Ellis draws the NIGHT OWLS (plus news!)
Over at the Twin Comics Blog, Bobby Timony posted a sketch of Mindy Markus having tea with a werewolf - drawn by none other that Steve Ellis!
So go check it out ...
And if you are in the New York City area, you can see the Timony Twins talk on Tuesday at the Comic Book Club! It'll be awesome - and tickets are only $5!
Deleted Scenes
I've always been interested in deleted scenes - the material from your favorite film that never makes into the final cut of a movie. You know the stuff that just sits on the cutting room floor, until the DVD is eventual released.
When I wrote the outline for HIGH MOON, I tried to pack as much action and excitement into 60 screens as possible - but there are one or two bits (not even full scenes) that are in my original outline that never made it to the final cut of the series.
Why did I leave out this material?
Well ...
Although it was an action beat, the first sequence I had written did nothing to advance the plot and revealed nothing to the readers that they didn't already know. The sequence was just filler without consequence - and honestly - I don't want to waste our reader's time giving them something incidental to read. Readers invest their time into the strip - and I want to give them a good return on that invenstment.
The second sequence I deleted from the final screens was also a action bit. Steve and I went back and forth as to whether or not we'd include it. Sure, it might look really awesome - and be a really fun sequence to write - and it'd be a sequence with a whole lot of consequences - but as time went on, we both felt that it revealed too much information, way too soon. We are crafting a mystery/horror piece - and with any good horror piece - you need to leave some of it to the readers' imaginations.
I don't regret taking these bits out of the strip, and I think the story is stronger for it, but if you ever wanted to know about some of the stuff that hits our cutting room floor, now you know.
When I wrote the outline for HIGH MOON, I tried to pack as much action and excitement into 60 screens as possible - but there are one or two bits (not even full scenes) that are in my original outline that never made it to the final cut of the series.
Why did I leave out this material?
Well ...
Although it was an action beat, the first sequence I had written did nothing to advance the plot and revealed nothing to the readers that they didn't already know. The sequence was just filler without consequence - and honestly - I don't want to waste our reader's time giving them something incidental to read. Readers invest their time into the strip - and I want to give them a good return on that invenstment.
The second sequence I deleted from the final screens was also a action bit. Steve and I went back and forth as to whether or not we'd include it. Sure, it might look really awesome - and be a really fun sequence to write - and it'd be a sequence with a whole lot of consequences - but as time went on, we both felt that it revealed too much information, way too soon. We are crafting a mystery/horror piece - and with any good horror piece - you need to leave some of it to the readers' imaginations.
I don't regret taking these bits out of the strip, and I think the story is stronger for it, but if you ever wanted to know about some of the stuff that hits our cutting room floor, now you know.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Weekly Webcomics Round-Up
Good morning,
Steve, Scott, and I have wrapped up the latest installment of HIGH MOON, which is scheduled to hit Zuda on Tuesday! In the meantime, I thought we'd get you caught up with some interesting webcomic news that circulating around the Internet.
In the next day or so, I'll either be talking about some High Moon "Deleted Scenes" or "Character Voice". See you then!
Steve, Scott, and I have wrapped up the latest installment of HIGH MOON, which is scheduled to hit Zuda on Tuesday! In the meantime, I thought we'd get you caught up with some interesting webcomic news that circulating around the Internet.
- If you haven't check out the recent Zuda news from the New York Comic Con, you missed some real humdingers! Not only that, but the Zuda series, Pray For Death, now has a blog! And Bayou's Jeremy Love gets himself interviewed over that Pulp Secret (around the 6:23 mark).
- The awesome Brad Guigar of Evil Inc, Courting Disaster, and Phables, has added a wicked neat feature to one of his comics thanks to Dumbrella's Phillip Karlsson. Kudos Brad and Phillip! Brad is also one of the co-authors of the book, HOW TO MAKE WEBCOMICS (which is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) and is one of the co-pundits/podcasters behind WEBCOMICS WEEKLY.
- Danielle Corsetto of Girls With Slingshots repute, along with her girl Friday, Wren, have set up set up a survey on merchandise. Head over to the link and tell her you want sort of cool plushies, coffee mugs, and shot glasses you'd like to see.
- The Gigcast interviews the crazy madmen behind Ink Tank!
- And finally, Kevin Colden's Fishtown begins it's fifth and final chapter! Read it now on Act-I-Vate!
In the next day or so, I'll either be talking about some High Moon "Deleted Scenes" or "Character Voice". See you then!
Friday, April 25, 2008
COMIXOLOGY profiles HIGH MOON creators!
In the fourth NYCC Special podcast, writer David Gallaher and artist Steve Ellis join David Steinberger of COMIXOLOGY to discuss High Moon, a werewolf western webcomic hosted at zuda.com and the first competition winner chosen by zuda's users.
Give it a listen here!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
HIGH MOON: My new favorite review
I found this a few minutes ago on the ComicBloc forums, and got a chuckle:
"If you're not reading HIGH MOON on Zuda... you're wrong."
-StormKing
"If you're not reading HIGH MOON on Zuda... you're wrong."
-StormKing
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Gallaher and Ellis on the Zuda Panel
Click to listen to the podcast, where Steve and I talk about the HIGH MOON process. You'll also have a chance to hear the other awesome zudaites talk about their strips.
So, give it a listen already!
So, give it a listen already!
Monday, April 21, 2008
HIGH MOON in AMC's Top 10!
HIGH MOON, the werewolf western webcomic series by David Gallaher and Steve Ellis, debuted in AMC's MONSTERFEST Power Ranking Top Ten Listing of Horror Movies and Comics this morning!
Be sure to check it out here!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Webcomics Round-Up
Good morning. Things are really busy in Casa De High Moon this week as Steve and I are making preparations for the New York Comic Con. All the fun process stuff will return next week, with now pretty groovy thumbnails, in-progress pieces, and maybe some exclusive HIGH MOOON art.
Before we go; however, we wanted to take a moment to spotlight some other wicked slick webcomics news from around the interweb:
So there you have it.
And, if you'll be at the Comic Con, please be sure to say hello to Steve and I.
Before we go; however, we wanted to take a moment to spotlight some other wicked slick webcomics news from around the interweb:
- Congratulations to the ACT-I-VATE crew on their brand-spanking new website.
- The talented folks at Amalgamated Artists have developed a collaborative A-Z Bestiary, including many awesome and assorted monsters and freaks. It's well worth checking out.
- Jim Shelley, of Flashback Universe, gets himself a pretty groovy interview over at Content Digital. And if you like the interview, be sure to check out Jim's thoughts on Silverlight, Microsoft's answer to Adobe Flash.
- Meanwhile, The Scienteers have developed an evil and dastardly Equation for Webcomic Success. Check it out and see if you agree!
- If you'll be in Dallas the weekend of May 3rd, why not head to CAPE for their Free Comic Book Day Event? Scott Kurtz of PVP will be attending, and you should too!
- And if you are looking for a new webcomic to fill your days, why not check out STARSLIP CRISIS by Kris Straub. Kris is one of the co-authors of the book, HOW TO MAKE WEBCOMICS and is one of the co-pundits/podcasters behind WEBCOMICS WEEKLY.
So there you have it.
And, if you'll be at the Comic Con, please be sure to say hello to Steve and I.
NOT HIGH MOON: Congrats, Scott O. Brown!
DreamWorks has acquired the film rights to Atlantis Rising, the science-fiction war series from Platinum Studios.
In the five-issue miniseries, which debuted in October, the legendary undersea kingdom of Atlantis is pushed to war with the surface world because of pollution. Written by Scott O. Brown and drawn by Tim Irwin and Andy Elder, the final issue is due in stores later this month.
(Yanked from Blog@Newsarama)
Friday, April 11, 2008
A HIGH MOON Rises In New York!
The HIGH MOON posse will be joining a rag tag team of Zuda Outlaws for the NEW YORK COMIC CON next weekend April 18th - 20th!Steve Ellis will have his own table in Artist's Alley, where he will be selling Original High Moon Pages, prints, and paintings!
Steve and I will also be signing at the DC Comics / Zuda Booth at the following times:
- Friday: 6-7 PM
- Saturday: 5-6 PM
- Sunday: 3-4 PM
And please join us on Saturday, April 19th at 4:00 in Room 1E02, for at the Zuda Panel!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
HIGH MOON: Voice Casting
This here is a picture of radio and television actor, Parley Baer, and he is the voice model of one of the characters in HIGH MOON: Deputy Jebidiah Garrett.
Parley Baer appeared in a slew of awesome radio and televison programs, including GUNSMOKE and YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR. As an on-camera performer, he was recognizable by both his voice and his paunchy appearance. He also voiced Ernie Keebler in the cookie commercials until 1997.
Jeb's voice is one of honesty, earnestness, and mild authority, which makes him the easiest character to write. Jeb might be simple, but his is no simpleton. He's not the best lawmen in the world, but might just be one of the most honest men in the Wicked, Wild West.
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