Saturday, August 28, 2010
Good news coming!
I've got to confirm a couple of things, but it looks like I've got me an artist. Watch this space for an update soon...
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Toffsbury's character
My friend Henry (in no way the basis for Toffsbury's manservant, except, well, kind of) asked me what I find likeable about Toffsbury's character. I decided to post it here, for one and all to see what our hero is like.
He's an extremely wealthy, high-ranking noble, but he's snobbish. Though he's very much ingrained within an outdated class system, he'' befriend and protect anyone with good character or need, even the absolute lowest of the underclass (something you'll see further down the line).
He's kind of blind to the real world, and his way of thinking is completely outdated (after all, he believes in the British Empire and carries a flintlock pistol), but when it comes down to it, he is absolutely set on doing what he thinks is right.
He's a bit thickheaded in certain ways, particularly when it comes to seeing the world as it really is... but he genuinely wants to do good.
He is kind and generous and empathetic, in his somewhat blind way, and he takes hardship in stride. Even when brought to his lowest, he believes in justice and his duty to the people of England, and he'll fight to defend them. He perseveres against anything.
He's generally got a positive, pleasant outlook. He'll get annoyed on occasion, certainly, and his temper can be quick (especially if you've ruined his cognac or spilled his tea), but he tries to be understanding. He wants to see the good in everyone - even a heavily-armed, hulking thug who's pointing an energy cannon at him.
He's a strong character, and sometimes (in a goodhearted but kind of simple way) believes he's more capable than he really is, but he loves and even depends on his friends.
He's an extremely wealthy, high-ranking noble, but he's snobbish. Though he's very much ingrained within an outdated class system, he'' befriend and protect anyone with good character or need, even the absolute lowest of the underclass (something you'll see further down the line).
He's kind of blind to the real world, and his way of thinking is completely outdated (after all, he believes in the British Empire and carries a flintlock pistol), but when it comes down to it, he is absolutely set on doing what he thinks is right.
He's a bit thickheaded in certain ways, particularly when it comes to seeing the world as it really is... but he genuinely wants to do good.
He is kind and generous and empathetic, in his somewhat blind way, and he takes hardship in stride. Even when brought to his lowest, he believes in justice and his duty to the people of England, and he'll fight to defend them. He perseveres against anything.
He's generally got a positive, pleasant outlook. He'll get annoyed on occasion, certainly, and his temper can be quick (especially if you've ruined his cognac or spilled his tea), but he tries to be understanding. He wants to see the good in everyone - even a heavily-armed, hulking thug who's pointing an energy cannon at him.
He's a strong character, and sometimes (in a goodhearted but kind of simple way) believes he's more capable than he really is, but he loves and even depends on his friends.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Taking it public
Hello! This blog is hopefully the beginning of a great adventure, as I finally take the next steps to get Roland Toffsbury, Gentleman Superhero off the ground.
Toffsbury is a British nobleman, sworn to protect the British Empire from her deadliest enemies with sword and flintlock. A bit of Bertie Wooster and a bit of James Bond, he and Henry, his Chinese manservant, battle for Queen, country, and Earl Grey tea against ruffians, scoundrels, and all manner of high-tech evildoers.
Though he lives in the present, his mind is stuck around 1910. Still, he holds his own against Machiavellian misanthropes with murderous machines, and mechanically-armored henchmen with troubled marriages, all with a certain amount of flair and elan.
...
Toffsbury will be a graphic novel, broken into 12 issues at 22 pages apiece. The project started in 2007, when I was reading the DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics. I read a passage, saying (and I paraphrase), "Nobody wants to see your hero waking up, getting dressed, and having breakfast." I thought, "I could make that interesting." And I sketched out a page. Then the page became an issue. Then that became two. Then that became a plot for an entire graphic novel of tremendous ambition. Seven scripts of 12 are written, waiting to drawn.
Unfortunately, due to my lowly status as a student, I have never been able to afford to hire an artist to make the project happen. I've had a few very interested freelancers agree to a royalty-sharing deal, but all had to drop out when paying gigs came along.
I'm hoping now to use Kickstarter to help bring this story to life. I've placed ads and received submissions from quite a few extremely talented people, and hopefully I can raise the funds to hire one of them on. I'll be using this space to keep track of the search and the funding situation.
Here, meanwhile, are a few concept drawings, courtesy of Bryan Lawton, my first supporter on the Toffsbury project.
Toffsbury (The clothes look good, but the man should look a bit more heroic)
Professor Entropy (Original sketch - yes, the proportions aren't great, but I love that face and that pose)
Professor Entropy (Closer to complete - needs an adjustment in the back)
Destructo (Nearly there. The hair's not quite it, and he needs a few adjustments around the crotch, torso, and shoulders)
Gertrude (Destructo's wife)
Lord Borrington
Toffsbury is a British nobleman, sworn to protect the British Empire from her deadliest enemies with sword and flintlock. A bit of Bertie Wooster and a bit of James Bond, he and Henry, his Chinese manservant, battle for Queen, country, and Earl Grey tea against ruffians, scoundrels, and all manner of high-tech evildoers.
Though he lives in the present, his mind is stuck around 1910. Still, he holds his own against Machiavellian misanthropes with murderous machines, and mechanically-armored henchmen with troubled marriages, all with a certain amount of flair and elan.
...
Toffsbury will be a graphic novel, broken into 12 issues at 22 pages apiece. The project started in 2007, when I was reading the DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics. I read a passage, saying (and I paraphrase), "Nobody wants to see your hero waking up, getting dressed, and having breakfast." I thought, "I could make that interesting." And I sketched out a page. Then the page became an issue. Then that became two. Then that became a plot for an entire graphic novel of tremendous ambition. Seven scripts of 12 are written, waiting to drawn.
Unfortunately, due to my lowly status as a student, I have never been able to afford to hire an artist to make the project happen. I've had a few very interested freelancers agree to a royalty-sharing deal, but all had to drop out when paying gigs came along.
I'm hoping now to use Kickstarter to help bring this story to life. I've placed ads and received submissions from quite a few extremely talented people, and hopefully I can raise the funds to hire one of them on. I'll be using this space to keep track of the search and the funding situation.
Here, meanwhile, are a few concept drawings, courtesy of Bryan Lawton, my first supporter on the Toffsbury project.
Toffsbury (The clothes look good, but the man should look a bit more heroic)
Professor Entropy (Original sketch - yes, the proportions aren't great, but I love that face and that pose)
Professor Entropy (Closer to complete - needs an adjustment in the back)
Destructo (Nearly there. The hair's not quite it, and he needs a few adjustments around the crotch, torso, and shoulders)
Gertrude (Destructo's wife)
Lord Borrington
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