Side by side 6 - final

The original Bolt page 6.

Woah, panel two is so full of random nineties kitch! This page also has some more of what I would term graphic effects. It's also about 2 or 3 pages squeezed into 1. Here is the only time in the original story that the reporter ( She is given the name Wendy Winters in the new version) is seen, though her prior bad experiences with The Bolt are shared through some hasty exposition. I believe her head piece was originally intended to look like an "Electra" style head wrap but looked more like bandages hence the idea of a back story where the Bolt had fallen on her somehow. I like the newspaper headline as a finishing touch. It was left out of the remake due to page count, deadline, wanting the story finished or all three.

The Electrifying Bolt -page 10

The Electrifying Bolt- page 11

The Bolt leaves Timberr's dignity intact in the remake but his heart shaped boxers still end up on display. The remake also shows the chainsaw actually destroyed by the fall. I guess Bolt just carelessly dropped it. Lots of homages to the original story in these panels including the sound effects panel. The whole thing was an exercise in producing a comic completely digitally for the first time. Some of it I still feel is as cringe worthy as the original but it was definitely a very worthwhile learning curve particularly learning about colouring which as stated in an earlier post, is a whole new ball game for a .

So there you have the Electrifying Bolt fly's again with help from Michael Stoneburner providing a new script. Hopefully there is not a remake of the remake in another 20 years but I'd settle for a animated series or movie. Hollywood? Hello? Anyone?

Side by Side 5

The original Bolt _page 5

This original page really highlights how you can cram too many of your influences into one page!  Among the 90's greats that are all being emulated (not very successfully), This page is very much a tip of the hat to Larry Stroman who incorporated a lot of abstract geometric shapes and lines into his comic art.

The Electrifying Bolt - Page 8

The Electrifying Bolt - Page 9

I'm still not sure changing the wings for a "chopper" was the best choice but Mike's "Squeaker, Squeaker, Squeaker" Sound FX definitely was.

I'm not sure the new panel 1 on page 8 is actually better than the original. Panel 3 on the same page is a recreation of panel 4 on the original. Ironically I think the original has better perspective than the redone panel in which I actually did use perspective.

Panel 4 on page 9 is actually a favourite of mine. It's not dramatic or particularly cool but it is a time when I just let the drawing flow without overthinking it. In my opinion it has a bit more of a "Style" than the other panels.

Side By Side 3

Original Bolt page 3

Bolt page 4

Bolt page 5

The villains original name was 4B2, inspired by the way a certain family member would say 4 by 2. unfortunately in the UK and America it's 2 by 4. So we went with Timberr instead. I still love the ridiculousness of a wooden suit wearing villain.

Layouts are very similar, yet spread out over 2 pages instead of the one. The original page has a myriad of styles vying for attention even a "smashed glass effect". Very cutting edge! The original panel 2 pose is used in the next few pages of the new Bolt story. These new pages also are some of my first ever use of motion blurring.

Changes to 4B2's/Timberr's costume include more barrel styled pants over the paling skirt and a more tree trunk inspired helmet. I sort of miss the bent nail, but figured a good woodworker wouldn't have that.

New improved script provided by Michael Stoneburner.

Side by side 2

original Bolt page 2

Bolt page 2

Bolt page 3

As you can see some scenes were extended in the retelling of this Bolt story. It was inevitable considering the original was only 6 pages long. This page introduces Wendy Walters, Edensburgh's resident ace reporter. The original story has a reporter sort of tacked on at the end and hints that the Bolt is a real pain to her. The plan was to have Wendy as a recurring character reporting on The Bolt's "heroics".

Once again new improved script brought to you by Micheal Stoneburner, who incidentally, really disliked the bangs I gave Wendy for her hair style. He also came up with the TV stations name of "
WZZN TV 10". There is a reason behind it but I'm not sure I can reveal it at this time.

I've spoken before about Mike Perry and his great help in teaching me colour. The bolt pressed up against the glass is also inspired by the way he has drawn that in his comics.

Fun fact: I did my best to make the trucks number plate spell "roadkill".

The Bolt: "Side by side" - or "Why am I showing you this?"

As I stated in an earlier post I used a lot of the layouts from the very first Bolt comic from waaaaaay back even I don't remember when. All I know it was sometime in the nineties (at a guess 92ish). I thought it might be interesting to show the pages that had a similar layout side by side.

       

A thing of beauty: The original Bolt page 1.

Well at least this one is in colour.

I can identify quite a few artistic influences in the top panel alone: it has a bit of Mcfarlane, Liefeld, failed Lee, possibly some Breyfogle and some Perez effects. As you can see the styles are all blended seamlessly. Sigh. Wait til I show some other pages, it actually gets worse haha.

Other points of difference include:
The original VW is a little off model ( as pointed out by my father who was a mechanic
The original VW passengers were a LOT more hostile to The Bolt, calling him some not very politically correct names, hence the substituted grawlix.
The original was theoretically set in the Sydney area, whereas the new version is set in fictional Edensburgh.
The original Bolts power wasn't so much "electical" but more "blasty" hence the stars on the logo and inspite of being "electrifying".
The bolt's origin is different in the new version.

Importantly, the new version has a far superior script thanks to Michael Stoneburner. Mike is the one who coined the hilarious term "stay-at-home-weight-lifter".

Fun fact: The bus number 775 is number of a bus I frequently got stuck behind on the afternoon commute home.

The Electrifying Bolt gets a recharge.

As I mentioned in the last post the urge to draw a new Bolt comic was not going to go away. Of course the first thing to do was test the character's design. Here is the original in all it's 90's over-rendered-cross-hatched glory:

Here are some redesigns I considered. I was toying with the idea of goggles to emphasize the humorous aspect of the hero. When I showed my brother Dan he said it's too Golden age and that he liked the original design. I agreed and in hindsight the design was a little too much like the original Blue Beetle costume.

                   


And here is how the Bolt appears in the Bolt Comics Presents #1. So it's basically the original costume design sans the pointy shoulder things.

Yes, I guess I am sentimental as the first panel is a homage to the original comic. More on  page by page comparisons in another post.

New Bolt Comic Launch at ComicGong 2016!

Newsflash: Subscribe to the Bolt Comics newsletter to get all the latest inside goss. Sign up here in time to receive the very first edition!

Fun fact: Bolt Comics derives it name from an old character created in the 90's. When I launched the Adventures in 2013 I realised I needed a comic brand logo to put in the top corner so  used the name Bolt never intending to use the character again and Bolt Comics was born!

Fast forward two years later. I had learnt a lot producing The Adventurers and was realising the potential of using more digital technology in my art beyond that of lettering. In fact by the time I was working on The Adventurers issue 4 I was getting frustrated with my traditional process and wanted to explore digital possibilities (including colour). I only held out in order to keep a consistent look to The Adventures first series.

I had the increasing urge to redo a Bolt Comic I had done way back in the 90's. I basically already had the layouts from the old comic and it would be a great way to experiment on an all digital comic making process. How hard could it be?

Micheal Stoneburner could testify that it wasn't that easy. He had read the original bolt story years ago and had even written a redux of the story for he and my brother Dan to collaborate on then. He was so excited about the Bolt I brought him on as a co-writer. We had a blast sitting writing the story and sharing future story ideas.

So after a year or more of showing little bit and pieces of The Bolt in progress on various social media platforms he is ready to fly again! For the past three years Bolt Comics has launched a new comic at ComicGong. This year the tradition continues with BOLT COMICS PRESENTS #1
Our first full colour comic featuring two stories: A Brigand's Tale: I wrote the story and  Dan drew the pictures (We haven't collaborated like that since the 90's either though I dare say this is the best collaboration we have ever done) and The Electrifying Bolt! We are very excited to release this book and hope you all enjoy it!

The Adventurers in The missing Adventure.

Today I thought I'd share something a bit different with you all. Here is the one and only panel from a short story I had in mind to introduce The Bolt to the Bolt Comics Universe. It was planned to be a "breaking the fourth wall" story, that is, the characters would be aware they were Bolt Comic characters. As I planned the pages, I realised it wasn't the short introduction I originally intended. I also felt that as it would be the first ever Bolt Comics crossover with all the lead characters including Brigand from A Brigand's Tale, that a fourth wall gag strip wouldn't do the event justice.

The Adventurers on the adventure that never happened.

The panel itself is inspired by Indiana Jones, with the flaming torch and stone passageway. Who knows? It could prompt an Adventurers story idea in the future. 

As for a Bolt Comics inter title crossover, it's bound to happen... one day. We've already got a lot of ideas for how it occurs and lots of jokes from the gag strip will be able to be used on that occasion.