Comic books and connections.

A couple of years ago I attended the "24 Hour Comic Book Day" at a local comic shop here in Spokane. The challenge was to write, illustrate, and color a comic in a full 24 hours. I sat there, being one of the only women in the store, and did this challenge. I didn't stay the whole 24 hours, but I made it for about 14 before I felt like I was going to pass out. While I was there, I met some cool people. One being Jeremy Whittington, who is an amazing artist. He befriended me, and after talking with him a bit, got to enjoy him and what he did. He also was intrigued by my love of horror. He gave me a business card, and said maybe we can collaborate one day. I was stoked, but didn't really think anything would ever come of it.  The next day or so I received a friend request from him on Facebook. I got to stalk his pictures and see the amazing work he did.

Months went by, and we were normal Facebook friends, we would like one anothers photos, and comment on status'. One Friday night I got a message from him asking if I could write something up that he could draw for us to sell at a con. I was beyond excited, and of course accepted this challenge. I cooked up this story in about a week, and sent it over to him. At the time, it had no dialogue, and was just a basic outline, but that worked. He drew it and it went into print.

I have a comic book.

It was on the shelves at Merlyns, but was sold out. I'm not sure if there are still copies out there or not, but I still feel awesome about it. I want to write more, cause it really is fun.

Here is the original outline for my comic book story.

                                               

PAUL, 26. Tall. Muscular build. Dark Hair, dark eyes.  Always wears a baseball cap.

BACKGROUND:

Paul has lived his entire life without dreaming. He was born to a drug-addicted mother, and as a result spent the first year of his life in and out of hospitals. His brain was affected, but in each year of his life, his brain seemed to heal. The only thing missing was dreams. He grew up In and out of foster care, going to group homes, and never finding a permanent place to call his own. Being 18, he ventured out on his own. He got a job, an apartment, and started to figure out whom he is.

Story:

Paul rests, but can never fully sleep. He can never get himself to the REM cycle that is needed to sleep deeply. He is always awake, and always aware. He is on edge, tired, distracted. Sleep studies do not help. Doctors do not help. That is, until he met Dr. Andrews. Paul is understandably depressed, and Dr. Andrews is the first one to listen. He prescribes Paul Paxil. Something Paul has never tried before.

Paul starts his medication and within the first night, he sleeps, and dreams. When he wakes he feels tired, more tired than usual. He knows he slept; he has a vivid memory of the night’s occurrence. As the day goes on, Paul gets flashes of people, places, things, he doesn’t recognize. He continues his day, walks, works, eats. He notices bruises on his arms.

Second night of sleep.  Paul has a nightmare.

Morning after he calls Dr. Andrews to voice his concern. Dr. Andrews is convinced that they will fade away, that it is just his body adjusting to the new medication. He tells Paul to wait a few weeks for the medicine to completely kick in and his nightmares should end. He set up a follow up appointment in a month’s time.

Paul continues his medication. The nightmares get more intense.

He drinks coffee; energy drinks, and takes caffeine pills. He does whatever it takes to try and stay awake. The more days that pass, the more he notices bruises, scrapes and scratches.

Dream Sequence: Paul is surrounded by trees in the midst of a forest. He hears voices surround him, but cannot see a thing. He gets stabbed, bitten, scratched. He just lays there.  He slowly dies.

Each night in the dream, he tries something different. He stands one night, punches the air another, all trying to defend himself.  Nothing works.

He wakes up as soon as he dies in the dream.

Day after day he wakes up feeling no different, the nightmares get more intense.

A month passes.

It’s the day before the appointment. Paul has made it this far, and is out of the months medication.

That night, Paul doesn’t want to go to sleep. He pulls his eyes open every time he drifts.

He falls asleep. He lands in the woods. Alone. He is attacked from every corner.  He starts to drift into death, only he can’t die.

He can’t wake up.

I'm so proud that this made it into a book, and that I could be a part of the comic community, if only for that period of time. I don't want that chapter of my life to close, so I'm working on getting more of that accomplished, but with the Holiday time, and Jeremy having a day job too, it makes comic booking a bit tricky. With the new year approaching, I hope to give this another go. Who knows, it could take me some place new and wonderful. 

Here's to hoping.