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| Opposites attract |
AE Firestone is excited to introduce two compelling new comic book series. The first series, called Dogwood, is a satirical comedy set in Virginia and follows the everyday lives of a Virginian family. Drawing inspiration from shows like South Park and American Dad, Dogwood will humorously address various social issues in the state, providing commentary from all perspectives.
The first issue of the comic will be about a Virginian couple named Johnny and Dixie, who live in a quiet neighborhood in the countryside. But one day, new neighbors have moved beside them, a couple from New York. But with two different lifestyles, things go haywire!
Each comic-book issue will be stand-alone and self-contained with a unique story and different characters.
AE Firestone, a proud Virginian himself, aims to shed light on the cultural decline in Virginia and tackle serious issues, all while embracing his heritage. The comic will feature vibrant, cartoon-style artwork reminiscent of Firestone's childhood illustrations.
The second series, tentatively named Project: Scream, is a horror story that unfolds in the Appalachian mountains, drawing from Virginian folklore and mythology for inspiration. While the author is keeping the storyline under wraps as of August 2024, Project: Scream promises a dark and serious narrative, steering clear of gratuitous gore and superficial scares.
The artwork will pay homage to classic horror comics from the 70s to the 90s, channeling a retro aesthetic with timeless appeal, drawing from influential works like Swamp Thing, DC's Horror Comics, and Sandman.
The original plan for this project was to create a novel. However, the author had never attempted a novel before and found it challenging to effectively describe scenes in a way that would resonate with readers. Additionally, he encountered difficulties with his two different editors, who tried to inject their own political views into his story to align with their beliefs.
As a result, the author ultimately decided to transform the story into a comic-book format, believing it would be more accessible for readers. Despite this decision, he faced new challenges. Creating the comic book required significantly more time, as drawing and coloring the pages proved to be more time-consuming than writing the story itself.
Determined to retain creative control over his work, the author decided to undertake the entire production process himself. This included writing, drawing, inking, scanning, lettering, and editing. While this approach allows him to maintain artistic autonomy, it also means that the project will take longer to complete.
Project: Scream will be a limited-run series, spanning seven chapters, and will be released on Storyteller.pw in a monthly schedule. The author is hoping to release it in October 2025, but that is to be determined. He said if it doesn't make it by that date, he will release it when it's ready.
This is the first time Mr. Firestone has made a comic since 2022 and he hopes that people will enjoy Dogwood with it's since of humor and also hopes on finishing up Project: Scream.
- Joe Blogs
Art: ©Æ Firestone / Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette Painting by Vincent van Gogh
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