ULTRASYLVANIA

Vol. 3: Page 9: Empress Frankenstein

Brian — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 07:01:00 +0000

The Bride of Frankenstein. Even back in Volume One I knew we’d do something with her – but her role wasn’t clear. I think she has one line and appears in maybe two panels at the end of the first book. That was it. Before writing Volume Two, I really didn’t know much about her – where she came from, if she’d fit into our story going forward, if she was born or made. It was one of the great pleasures – for me – with Volume Two, sussing our her origin and watching John Gomes take the lead on bringing her to life. For this final arc, I knew she had a role to play. However, it wasn’t until I realized that Meritaten had been talking to her all this time that her character and her story came into focus. This is probably one of my favorite scenes in the book – and there’s no Dracula and no Victor Frankenstein anywhere in it.

Election Night Dread, and Other Joys of Kickstarting

Brian — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 03:57:35 +0000

Despite the fact that we launched the Kickstarter for Ultrasylvania, Vol. 3 on Monday morning, I only just now find the time to say so herein. I’ve been living and breathing this crowd-funding business since the weekend. Anyone who thinks you just put a bunch of stuff up on the site and press a button and you’re all done…. That person is a jackass. That person will also fail at Kickstarter.

We’re not failing at Kickstarter. In less than three days – less than 60 hours, in fact – we’ve received $6,300 in pledges. That’s a whopping 84% of our $7,500 goal. Mind-boggling. Humbling. But, it’s not the sort of thing that inspires resting on one’s laurels. I’ve heard plenty of people say, “You have it in the bag!” – what with nearly 30 days remaining in our campaign. Will we hit our goal? It’s highly likely. Nevertheless, it instills the kind of fear in me that politician gets on election night. You know, the guy everyone is certain will win – and therefore no one bothers to vote.

Well, I want people to vote. And I want them to vote now. Not because I simply want to have reached our goal and be done with it, though that is not entirely untrue. I want them to vote now – to pledge now – because that builds momentum. Many Kickstarter projects succeed based upon perceptions. If I discover a project, see that it’s doing well (but don’t back it), and then come back and see it doing even better – I’m more inclined to think that they’re onto something. However, imagine the same scenario, only I return later only to find the project has stagnated. No one likes stagnation. Stagnant things are smelly. Don’t believe me? Leave a glass of water out for a month. Or some milk. Have fun with that.

Funny thing – this is absolutely not what I sat down to write. I actually cut a bit out. But, I’m leaving the rest. Cuz it’s honest. And we can’t really get enough of that. I was going to just say, “Hey! We’re Kickstarting this book! Check it out! Tell your friends! Share the link!”

And I just did.

So, please…. If you’re thinking about voting for us, think of that really awesome candidate on election night. And don’t let the other guy win.

Thanks for reading.

Vol. 3: Page 8: 1945

Brian — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 07:01:00 +0000

I love working with Monica. She has a very distinct style and you always feel that you know what you’re going to get – and then she gives you something even more fantastic. Jeremy and I ooh’d and ahh’d over this page throughout its creation. Speaking for myself, it’s one of the standouts in a volume of very strong work – the color work, Meritaten’s physique, those gorgeous, gauzy drapes!

And, yes, here we are in 1945. It’s 15 years later than the end – and beginning – of our last volume, which saw Victor and Sophia strolling Paris. I think I knew at the outset that this final arc would not only begin farther in the past than ever before, but also take us much farther forward. As you’ll soon see, some things have changed….

Vol. 3: Page 7: And Dealt With Them Accordingly

Brian — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 07:01:00 +0000

I love the callback to Page 2 that Josef gives us on this page – with Meritaten standing once again in that same spot, addressing her people. Only it’s some 3,000 years later.

Then, we just give the hint at the destruction of the Ottoman rulers. We purposely leave her powers vague. There were two things I was certain of at the outset regarding her abilities. First, I knew she wasn’t going to be the standard mummy fare from the old Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee films. She was going to be a force to be reckoned with. But – and this would be the second point – I didn’t want her powers to be an ongoing, relentless spectacle. That, for me, would skew a bit too close to those other mummy films from ten years back. Her powers would be strongest right at the outset, allowing her to decimate Napoleon’s army, then the Ottomans, and then to regenerate her appearance. That’s not to say she’s without abilities thereafter. But, that might be a more in depth dissertation for another time….

Vol. 3: Page 6: A Reasonable Response

Brian — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 07:01:00 +0000

So, belated note to Napoleon Bonaparte…. Perhaps it would have been best not to go digging around in the graves of an ancient culture. You never know who – or what – you might find – and piss off.

It’s That Time…

Brian — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 21:10:42 +0000

Following in the footsteps of our previous Kickstarter successes for both Volume One and Volume Two, we’re launching Campaign #3 this Monday, September 30.

If you missed out on either previous book for any reason, fear not. We’re making copies of both available as well.

We’re going to have some rather wonderful rewards lined up, too – plus, we might have something special to offer folks who back on Day One. I’ll update you on that if it comes to fruition.

Continue to watch this space. I’ll post a link when the campaign goes live.

Vol. 3: Page 5: Waking

Brian — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 07:01:00 +0000

Submitted without comment.

Except to say: “Holy shit!”

Vol. 3: Page 4: Ages

Brian — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 07:01:00 +0000

This page was both fun to write and to assemble. With regard to the latter, we again see the last panel from Valerio Fabbretti’s Page One from our very first volume. I knew I wanted to tie that in. That moment. When everything in this world changed. I also wanted to – at least briefly – convey the darkness and solitude of being buried alive and unable to die. I suppose we could’ve had a special week here at the site, with five posts instead of three, where each day was nothing but blackness and captions. That would’ve been more comprehensive, I’m sure. But, boy, would folks have gone nuts about it in the trade….

Vol. 3: Page 3: The Book of the Damned

Brian — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 07:01:00 +0000

I love the details Josef put in here, so rich and fun. For example, those three little objects at the bottom of the first panel? Canopic jars. Egyptians would put the organs of those mummified into such containers, preserving them. I’m pretty certain that wasn’t in the script. Always love it when the artist does some research, goes the extra mile – and makes us both look good.

Vol. 3: Page 2: Neferneferuaten

Brian — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 07:01:00 +0000

I’d wanted to get the story back to Egypt for a long time, but knew it would only be appropriate once we reached Volume Three. Neferneferuaten is an historical figure with a fantastically mysterious and debated upon past. You can read up on it here if you wish. When conducting the original research for Volume One of our tale, I knew that she would be our “Mummy”. And now we can finally share her origin with you.