4 posts tagged “the dfc”
1) The DFC officially printed it's final issue (for now) last friday. Boo! They are still looking for buyers and are exploring other options for using all the strips that have been created for the comic etc etc, but it generally looks like it will be a long time before anything else comes out of that, if ever.
But all is not lost - I have met an incredible bunch of fantastically talented writers and artists through working on the DFC, and so we have teamed up to create a new comics blog site at http://supercomicsadventuresquad.blogspot.com/ - check it out! I have no idea where they got the idea for that incredibly brilliant name though.
2) The Guardian is also going to discontinue their comics section (it is a comics APOCALYPSE) which means my comic is getting cut off half way through its run. GAH. But you can see all the episodes that didn't make it into the print edition yet here, and I am getting paid for all twelve episodes anyway, so: woo!
3) I am trying to come up with ideas for a new comic (because going back to Beaver and Steve feels like a bit of a cop out). Here is idea number one, tentatively (and unimaginatively) titled 'monsterworld':
4) I actually post a lot more comicky stuff on my livejournal because, well, I sort of know you all here, and it feels a bit strange telling you about pictures of cartoon animals that I have drawn. So if you are interested in drawings that sometimes have colours then you might want to take a look at that. Like I never posted this here did I?
So
it looks like the DFC is going to be publishing it's last issue this
month - the publishing house that's been backing it is putting it up
for sale, and it's pretty unlikely that a buyer is going to turn up.
Here's the press release:
Children’s Comic, the DFC, Up For Sale
The DFC, a weekly comic (launched May 2008) for boys and girls is up for sale, following a decision by The Random House Group to cease publication.
Philippa Dickinson, MD RHCB, said: “We are very proud of the DFC and the reaction it received from families, schools and especially the children who have enjoyed reading it. It is an innovative concept which we have been very happy to back. There can be no successes without taking risks, after all. Unfortunately, in the current economic climate, we have decided that the DFC is not commercially viable within our organisation.
“David Fickling, the staff at the DFC, and all the comic’s contributors have worked tirelessly to produce what is an amazing weekly publication and we would be delighted if a buyer could be found who would like to take the DFC on as a going concern”
If no buyer is found, the title will close on March 27th.
It's a real shame that it's ended so soon, but it's been an absolutely fantastic experience and I'm really proud of what everyone at the DFC has acheived. Go us! Now, does anyone have a few quid kicking about and want to buy themselves a comic...?P.S for those of you wondering where this week's edition of Super Animal Advneture Squad is, I'm afraid it looks like the Guardian hasn't bothered to put the comic section in their online edition this time. The scoundrels! If it turns up I'll let you know - and hopefully they'll remember to do it next week!
Ok, I think things are close enough to fruition to reveal what's going on - the project I'm working on (which you can see a snippet of a few entries back) is for a new children's comic called the DFC, which is launching at the end of May. I've spent the last 2 weeks at home, finishing off my first 11 week storyline (I say finishing off - I have been working every night this week, and still have two more to colour) and I've surprised myself with how non-crappy it's turned out.
It is an incredible amount of work though - I worked harder in the last two weeks than I have in years (but don't tell my boss that), and while I really enjoyed doing it, now that I'm back at work I'm not sure how I'm going to keep it up. They want me to do 2 pages a week for my next storyline, and while this means more money it's not enough to give up the day job just yet, so I'm going to somehow have to combine my day job with doing 20-30 hours of comic work a week. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage that without collapsing in a frazzled heap after a couple of days - I think my only hope is to ask my manager very nicely if there is any way that I can work part time and get a day or two off every week, but I'm really not sure how that's going to wash. They did give me the last two weeks off with basically zero notice, so there is some hope. Fingers crossed!
The other obvious casualty is going to be Beaver and Steve - the last few weeks I've been mostly relying on guest strips, and the one comic I did manage to produce was just not fun at all to make. Unless I can get some serious time off on a regular basis I am afraid Beaver and Steve might have to come to an end, or at least a lengthly hiatus. I really hope I can figure out a way to keep it going as well - I still have a pile of ideas lined up for it - but right now I don't see how that's going to be possible, which is kind of sad after putting so much work into it. Beaver and Steve will never die though, as long as we keep them alive in our hearts. Or in some sort of suspended animation.
More updates as they come...
