Behind the scenes

Some exclusive footage for you until the hotly awaited new Corvin pages are done and uploaded.

First, here's a snapshot of my "studio". If you take a closer look at the drawing board, you can see a new page in the course of being pencilled. To be honest, this is not an ideal drawing table, but maybe one day I'll have an adjustable one. Also, sorry for the wallpaper...

There's always some good stuff at hand on the sofa to provide help with drawing. Scott McCloud's Making Comics is an extremely useful manual for comic work and Jeff Smith's masterpiece is also very handy to consult for the composition of panels and loads of other practical things.

While I'm at it, two photos about the crew of the comics course held in last November:

From left to right: Ági - creator of artistic drawings that depict the modern individual's twisted psyche , Edina - co-writing a story about a group of student acting out Romeo and Juliet, me - uncombed hair, raising my head instead of straightening up as one should, Csongor - our instructor, also with a preference for the topic of urban neurosis, Gergő - Garfield fan and author of the wicked penguin's adventures, Józsi - coming up with a strip about the kung flu slug, Dosadi - excelling in manga with fantastic colours thanks to ProMarker pens.

...and a more spontaneous shot with nothing much happening. Behind the camera Zsolt, inspired by Frank Miller in creating hard-hitting stuff about the darker aspects of our world.

So, thanks for joining me on this footage about the "Fabulous Life of the Hobby Cartoonist".
O yea, comments are absolutely welcome! A blog without comments is like a fish without a bicycle or some sad sight of that kind :o)

Remarks on Corvin

The previous post contains the first pieces of the story that started to formulate in my head after reading Bone by Jeff Smith. To be honest, I'm also curious to see how it will proceed. Maybe I can give away as much that it is loosely based on a significant event in Hungarian history, but I prefer to treat it more like a fantasy story. The historical source is a good thing, as it provides the backbone, it's only the flesh - a lot of it - that needs to be added.

What I have on my mind is clearly a comic story of some bigger length. These are usually called graphic novels, but at this point it would be premature to state that I will deliver one. Anyway, new pages will appear here from time to time, preferably with the text in English below them.

Also, something ugly happened to the layout of the blog while doing some further editing on the previous post. Hopefully I can restore the original features soon. If you click on this and the first post, you can see the proper layout again. If someones knows what's screwed, just gimme a shout.
See ya soon

Corvin: a graphic novel/ short story / something

Starting page

George: So how did all that turmoil start in the village?

Page 1

Panel 1

Colin: I didn’t let them harass the girl. It’s not on where we come from.

Panel 2

Pip: And concerning the wine, we usually settle these situations by meaningful discussion back home.

George: Great customs you have. However, you’d better not discuss anything with Count Ulrik’s thugs unless you have a weapon.

Colin: So far I thought you were all up against the Turks.

George: That would be an improvement.

Panel 4

George: Tomorrow we’re leaving early and going on through the forest. It takes longer but safer.

Ulrik: Not for sure, Mister George. Your new friends have caused me enough trouble already.

Panel 5

Ulrik: Time to take care of this business. (to the butler) Get me Kaspar!

Panel 6

Ulrik: I’ll give you one more chance. Take your men and bring those three here.

Kaspar: We’ll do our best, Sire.

Ulrik: I highly recommend that. Don’t bother to return here without them.

Panel 7

Butler: Do you want your herbal tea, my lord?

Ulrik: Of course. I won’t let those scoundrels give me stomach pain.

Page 2

Panel 1

George: Wake up, sleepyheads! Time to go!

Pip: Now? It’s hardly even dawning.

Panel 2

Pip: (Yawn!) I could have used a coffee. And a bite for breakfast too.

George: Oh, give me a break…

Panel 3

George: You’re such splendid company! One is daydreaming all the time and the other can’t stop criticizing. Wait till we get to Lord Corvin…

Pip: I wouldn’t mind being there already! I’m feeling like a target here.

Panel 4

Kaspar: Will they ever get here…?

Panel 5

Thug1: It’s getting darn hot!

Panel 6

Thug 1: Anyways, lying in wait in bushes is not in our contract if I remember well.

Kaspar: What contract? The deal was that the Count doesn’t have us hanged if we work for him. Which reminds me, have we got the rope?

Thug 2: Sure, I do.

Panel 7

Kaspar: Awesome. Tie ‘em up real tight, especially the little pipsqueak and his sad-faced pal.

We cannot fail this time!

Page 3

Panel 1

George: Also, you’ll have the chance to tell him what business you actually have around here.

Colin: Well, that might take up some of his time…

Panel 2

Kaspar: Stop, in the name of Count Ulrik!

Panel 3

Pip: What are we gonna do now?

George: You’re the smart guy, think of something!

Panel 4

Kaspar: No tricks, please. Kindly get off the cart so that we can tie you up. The Count can’t wait to see you.

Panel 5

Pip: Certainly, at once. Can I ask you a riddle first?

Panel 6

Kaspar: What?! You’ll regret it if you’re taking the piss.

Thug 1: Wait, wait! You know how much I love riddles!

Panel 7

Kaspar: Fine. You have one minute.

Panel 8

Pip: Right away: “Who says my name, destroys me immediately!”

Welcome and behold good-old Piroska!

So, welcome to my outlet and advertising spot for the artwork I attempt to produce when the spirit moves me. I would suffice introducing myself to say that I'm a bloke residing mostly in Budapest, who still hasn't defined his place in the world completely, although he's slowly but steadily leaving his youth behind.

You can read the story of how I became interested once again in reading and making comics here:http://egysaltamontes.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-comic-book-revival-probably-everyone.html

where you can actually see the following 2 page story, which may look like repetition, but as this is my comic blog from now on, it has actually taken its rightful place. So here's the modern and modified interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood (in Hungarian Piroska), in which she goes in a bar to ask directions for her Granma's place and comes upon a rather likeable woolf, but in the end a violent and "dominant " Granma breaks up their party.

If you got so far, you surely noticed that the text is in Hungarian, which is also the case with all my recent comics. Then why is the blog in English? Apart from aspiring to fame, it is in order that my friends living in other parts of the world can also look of my stuff. How will they know what is it about? Hopefully this issue will be soon dealt with as text in comics is often just as important as the images.
Some genuinely new material will be visible soon, I can responsibly promise that.