Celadore: A Case Study – Introducing the Creator

6Jul/110

Celadore: A Case Study – Introducing the Creator

This past Monday I reviewed a graphic novel called Celadore. Sorry I forgot to link to it on Monday but it was a holiday and we didn't have air conditioning so I spent most of the day trying to not melt. Go read it now and then come back. I'll wait.

So, I reviewed a story full of imagination, clever writing, and some fantastic art. Well, it should have been. Instead, it was kind of a mess. But I read it because I'd recently discovered the work of Caanan Grall, Celadore's creator, and wanted to shine a spotlight on talent.

Instead, I ended up emailing Caanan to discuss what went wrong with the book. These emails led to a larger issue that we'll spend the next couple of posts discussing. But first I want to give Caanan the space to introduce himself. Take it away, Caanan!

I come from a background of doing illustration work for kids books, educational books, and storyboards for advertising. I came to North America to be closer to the convention circuit so I could get in front of people. And that didn't work at all. The only thing that did was make me see how bad I sucked. So, I hid for a while, working on my comic the Middle Ages, which a friend was publishing in comic book format back in Australia.

Then Zuda emerged. How hard is it to win a talent contest right? I had talent. I'd never enter a luck draw, but if I can affect the outcome? ...I'll give it a go! So I won Zuda. My 60 screens ran. Then I had some guys within Zuda fighting for me to get two more seasons because, I think, I filled that kid-friendly niche. So I lucked out and got to do more Celadore and even snuck in a real-life book before the imprint went the way of the dodo.

Now I do Max Overacts. It's been nominated for an Eisner Award, which got me a few extra eyeballs. But not as much as my Muppet/Kermit the Frog 24 hour mash-up comic did. Which means Muppets = viral marketing gold? I dunno. There's no formula for that. It's lightning, and my shoes are still smoking.

Now I have an overloaded server, am losing readers by the day, and no plan for the future. I'd like there to be a Max Overacts book. I'd like to eventually help other people get published. I'd even set up some kind of "tools for the talented" scholarship one day where some awesome artist gets a brand new mac and adobe suite because they're awesome but have no money.

Currently, I don't even earn enough to pay my rent, so I don't know how all this is going to happen, but I have talent. As I mentioned, previously, that's a good start.

I agree with that last sentiment, especially the part about the man having talent.

Caanan included several images that you'll see over the next few posts, some of which have rarely (if ever) been seen before. But first I want to lead with a Max Overacts strip that a) exemplifies everything I love about the strip, b) helps Caanan introduce himself when placed next to that bio, and c) really speaks to me as an up-and-coming artist. If you laugh, then go to www.occasionalcomics.com and read more Max. If you don't, then you're some kind of souless, communist robot.