Creating a Graphic Novel : Art – Food – Photography

It’s so humbling to receive great feedback about Word Smith! I’m so happy the students at Dee Why Primary School are loving my little story.

The Terralympus Kickstarter is done! I can’t thank everyone enough for their support. Almost $6000 raised and 211 backers. I’m so happy that all these people are willing to take a chance on a new story. There’s a lot of work now to get everything organised for the print run as well as getting the rewards organised!

Although we didn’t get to the $7000 stretch, I would still like to share the artwork that was commissioned. This was done by Sebastián Navas. I’m sure I will find a place for it and I absolutely love how it turned out.

It’s down to the final 3 days of the Terralympus Kickstarter. It’s at just over $5100 now and I’m hoping for a strong finish. I’ve set a final exciting stretch goal of $7000 that will have something for all pledgers. I’ve been thinking of doing a lucky draw prize but any announcements will come on the last day. Let’s all see it we can get to the $7000!

Link to the Kickstarter :
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1917428739/terralympus-a-science-fiction-graphic-novel

Let’s get a strong finish to the Terralympus Kickstarter. We’re past the 1/2 way point in the campaign now and it would be amazing to see how big this project can end up!

Link to the Kickstarter :
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1917428739/terralympus-a-science-fiction-graphic-novel

The Terralympus Kickstarter has been funded and we’re into the stretch goals now. It’s amazing to see that 2 of the goals have already been reached. We’re currently at around of the halfway of the Kickstarter so there’s still some time to go. Let’s keep getting the word out about this project. Thanks for all your support!

Link to the Kickstarter :
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1917428739/terralympus-a-science-fiction-graphic-novel

The Terralympus Kickstarter has reached its first milestone of 100 backers in 3 days. Thanks for everyone’s support. So close to getting funded now!

Link to the Kickstarter :
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1917428739/terralympus-a-science-fiction-graphic-novel

The Terralympus Kickstarter is now LIVE! This is the first science fiction that I have written and I’m really excited to finally be able to share it with all of you. I’ve always loved the genre but it’s incredible to craft a story of your own. This is also the first collaboration with Shaun Keenan and it was great to take his concept and help bring it to life.

Link to the Kickstarter :
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1917428739/terralympus-a-science-fiction-graphic-novel

Be quick to get all the limited rewards and early bird rewards. Those won’t last long! With your support, we’ll be able to get this project across the line.

Kickstarter Link :
http://drorangecomic.com

Joseph Duis has written some graphic horror novellas including Bless the Children and The Order of Dracula. I was provided a preview copy of Doctor Orange to review. Dr Orange is a classic horror story with a sense of terror that builds until the final act. You’ll never look at a pumpkin the same way again.

The Kickstarter for Dr Orange is set to run on the 14-Aug-18. Joseph was also kind enough to provide some of his time to answer some questions about his work.

All you works have elements of horror. What draws you to write in this genre?

As far as what draws me to this type of story, I used to write only comedy but a field trip in middle school inspired a horror plot but I had no idea how to write a horror story. So I started studying up on the genre. I had actually been exposed to universal monsters at a young age in a colouring book of all things but the tone was lost on me. I went back and watched all of those, moved on to Godzilla, King Kong, reading Lovecraft and really started to deconstruct the genre.

When I decided to focus on comics I wanted to focus more on building mood than building a world so I naturally thought of things like Twilight Zone and Tales from the Dark Side. Horror works best when you don’t know what’s going to happen next.

What was your insipiration for Dr Orange?

I wrote the original story in 2011 while I was carving a pumpkin on my porch with a huge kitchen knife. My wife was away at med school at the time and wasn’t going to be home for several hours. It struck me that if I accidentally cut myself that I’d bleed out and die with no one the wiser.

I was all alone, just me and the Jack o’lantern. But if the Jack o’lantern was there, I wasn’t really alone, right? Then it hit me . . . what if the Jack o’lantern was the one who stabbed me? Everyone would think it was an accident but that would be crazy.

Colour is thematically important in Dr Orange. How did you find the colouring process for this work?

The process is more expensive and more time-consuming, but I’m glad we had colours in this particular book. I couldn’t name it Dr. Orange and have it be in black & white! I told our colourist, Maulana Faris, to do it in a fall palette and he went even further and made nearly everything orange, which turned out great. I actually had to talk him out of making the dog orange.

Thanks for your time and good luck with the Kickstarter.

Kickstarter Link :
http://drorangecomic.com

BIG NEWS!
BIG NEWS!
BIG NEWS!

The Terralympus Kickstarter now has a launch date on the 19th August 10pm (Australian EST). More details will be released in the next few weeks but I’m extremely excited to be able to share this science fiction graphic novel with everyone. Terralympus is the first collaboration with Comics2Movies!

Leichhardt Library (as part of Comic Con-Versation 2018 where Sydney based libraries run a host of events about all things comic related!) exhibited various artwork including 2 pages of Word Smith. It’s incredible to see your creation on the wall. (Thanks P.R. and Peyton for bringing life to my story!)

On some 5 Seconds Volume 2 news, the Wall of Fame for 5 Seconds Volume 2 is now done! Thank you to everyone who help support this project. I can imagine all those graphic novel parcels making their way around the world.

Link :
http://sigmatestudio.com/wall-of-fame-6/

What’s coming up for Sigmate Studio? I am working on 5 Seconds Volume 3 (ETA 2019) as well as the next instalment of Word Smith (No ETA). However I’m hoping to launch a new science fiction graphic novel Terralympus in the next few months. I do hope you will check it out when the Kickstarter is out.