The Mundane Overrated Misadventures of Spudman
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Super-Hero, Comedy
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You know how most superheroes can actually do something useful to improve the world? Spudman isn't one of those heroes. Not even close in fact.
Our tale begins as he awakens to find his body inexplicably changed into that of a potato. His only apparent power is the ability to keep getting killed again and again. After a surreal encounter with a wise pig farmer he decides to become the world's greatest champion.
However, heroes are not born, they are made - albeit not usually out of potato. And so our hero sets off on a crusade to discover his purpose in this mixed up superficial world. The Mundane Overrated Adventures of Spudman is a mystical journey that spans continents, encompass entire nations, involves dynamic swordfights, beautiful women and all the other staples of a Hollywood blockbuster. An epic quest which will change the way we live our lives forever!
Well... maybe.
Hilarious... Great work all around!
Brilliant piece of work
Preety amazing, indeed!!!
Fans of Elvis Impersonators Unite! :)
I really like this! It's funny and the art in nicly done! Good work!!
I laughed while reading this, even with no one else in the room. That's always the bench mark for something that's truly funny.
I think I voted! lol
Congratulations Rory! Looks like this is the first time a comic I've voted for is actually in the top spot! Yay!
funny stuff Rory you had a great comic before and the top notch level of Spud didn't drop off. Spudman dies again, I like it reminds me of my fav south park character. You had some really funny jokes and sight gags. Superman's parents -funny line, and seeing Spud's interactions with his parents added to an understanding of his character, in addition to the humor of all the kids and the Elvis wannabe. The apple juice puddle, or something else for professor inferno, very funny. Bringing in the next Badguy in the last screen the set-up to that kind of reminded me of seeing the joker card at the end of Batman begins, meaning a set-up to his arch rival. His relations to the police, and PI reaction to them shooting him in the head (not to mention the sour cream bit) very funny and very well done. My only little nit-pick you had Spud telling the story to his parents, a was a little confused to see the next screen after screen 8 with Spud in his best hero poise, out of costume at his parents house. If you had went from that to Spud being tied up I think it would have been a little funnier and the transition would have been better, but just a little nit pick -really.
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Art/colors was and is very impressive. The art's great, and I think the colors really fit well. All the different creators and their parts in this story come together well.
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Good for you on getting some white star leaguers out and about to vote for you.
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My vote for this month is with another comic, but i did vote to see you back here in the ZI, and I'm glad you made it in again.
This is a really funny read! good job!
Congrats on taking the no.1 spot!
Dear Zuda Competitors/Creators,
I recently started a Zuda fan blog, and I would love to interview all of this month’s creators. If you would be willing to answer 5-10 questions, to be posted on the Zudafan blog, please contact me at: zudafan@gmail.com (if you haven’t already) .
Feel free to check out the blog: zudafan.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Nicely drawn. Funny animated characters with great expressions.
I take all your points on board Rory. I wouldn't even begin to suggest a rip-off, but you know how everything is always like something else somewhere. I was comparing you to my heroes Steve Gerber and Gene Colan - I'm sure you can take that on the chin? Great effort marketing btw - everyone else's favorites have moved up a notch (ten maybe twenty) and yours have doubled (a hundred & eighty maybe)! That's quite a technique you've got going there.
A fine piece of work, this. Great gags and great cartooning to boot. Congrats on the top spot, fellas :)
Whoa! First Place! Congratulations Spud Man! Keep it up!
Woah...looks like we've got some new blood around these parts...
Thanks to everyone(Her Majesty, Charlton, Granny96,Ridiculoso, SandwichCutter, TheDude, Purple Rubber Ducky, ashtied, PatRic, mouthwash, Chadhurd, Young Justice,Seedy Leaf, Mystic Pete, TheDoc,DOC, byrnee, Jeaph, zoemc and everyone else who has voted!)
Thanks Steve and Josh for the congrats. And Rob, don't worry I take no offence (hope we've got your vote)
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY....WE'RE NO.1!!!!!!!
Count the whitestars, people! No intended offense to the quality of this comic (it's top-notch and always has been) but getting fresh eyeballs DOES create momentum in the ranking.
Congratulations on the hard work, guys. Keep that energy rolling!
-Rob
Ditto! Congrats on taking the week 2 lead!
congrats on taking the lead!
Really impressive work
Go for the gold!
Really funny stuff!! Script and art are hilarious!
A superb piece of work!
Great strip I just love this style of art. Can't wait to see more!!!
Its like Howard the Potato
Not saying this is a bad thing :)
Great 16 pages..hope for more
The 2nd section was amazing(not saying the 1st wasn't good but this just kicked it all up a notch)
I sense the beginning of the great Spud odyssey.
Great art and humor. You've got my vote and respect.
Finally! Something that puts the fun back in comics
I like this, Nice artwork, lots of humor, Great entry and good luck to you!
This is my favorite of the bunch
5 stars all the way!
Keep moving up to 1st! I believe in you Rory!!!
Don't know why it didn't win the first time around. Love it!
Wow so many comments, anyway Rory this comic is amazing I'm really impressed and it simply has to win!
Hilarious work
Can't wait for more!
This has to win!
Spudman, the unwitting court jester of the 21st century
I love it!
Amazing colors
Definetly has my vote
Spudman, a hero for the ages
Absolutly brilliant!
Her Majesty approves of this comic.
Mpd57-Wow…thanks for the taking the time to put so much work into these critiques. I’ll do my best to respond.
I have never actually read a Howard the Duck comic (aside from a brief appearance he made in Generation X one time) but can certainly see how you might draw parallels between the characters. I just hope you don’t view it as an attempt to rip off the Master of Quack Fu.
And about the child/adult thing….can’t it be for both? :-)
No, to level with you, I am not trying to make this a kids strip or an adults strip. I’m just trying to make a comic strip. If kids enjoy it, then that’s great. Likewise with adults.
I know that the bright cartoony colours may be misleading on that mark but I think it’s a great contrast how everything is so bright and colourful and yet the hero is always just so depressed and cranky
Certainly I can understand how you might be confused (what would a joke about sterility be doing in a kids comic?) but I would make a conscious effort not to put in something too extreme so as not to limit anyone from reading it. I don’t have a particular age demographic in my mind when I write. I just write what I think works for the story
Basically, Spudman is for everyone ;-)
In regards to your comments about the plot…
The first 8 page story was designed as a self-contained story which was just to give you an idea of the flavour of the comic . In that I made a very big mistake i.e. I resolved most things in the story and tied it up in a relatively nice little bow. But of course, if everything is tied up, what’s the point in continuing the story? These subsequent pages are the beginnings of a much larger story arc which will build up the world of Spudman….and it is one crazy crazy world.
And yes, I am pretty honoured to have Nacho as my artist…and Allen as my colourist and letterer. A guy could not ask for a better team
Anything else you want to talk about, I’m right here.
Rob-Fantastic idea..I’m all up for this
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Updates and production schedule
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As a writer, its obvious to anyone that I’m going to be able to complete a page of script much faster than Allen or Nacho can produce pages , so I’m probably not the ideal guy to be asking. But y’know when has not being the ideal guy ever stopped me from talking
My personal hope would be that the pages would be released in blocks of four in a manner similar to that of High Moon, so to give people something to sink their teeth into (see there’s a double pun there…in regard to both werewolves and potatoes ;-) .
In some ways the story telling of Spudman(and the fact that it is comedy) leaves the scheduling options for it quite flexible, a Zuda example being the way the Night Owls utilise both short "done in one" stories and larger storylines to great effect.
Nacho and Allen are incredibly quick and reliable when it comes to producing pages so I have no doubt that we could maintain a frequent schedule
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Format
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Again, in total honesty, I have not found telling the story through this format to be terribly constricting or limiting. Its been a challenge of course, but its interesting to see how a panel may or may not work in the Zuda format versus standard print format. I’ve found it useful to experiment scripting it this way. It just takes a bit of getting used to, as is the case with most things
And anyway, anything Nacho draws just looks brilliant so it doesn’t matter what format it is in,,
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Marketing
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Its annoying, its stressful and it takes over your life. Most importantly, it takes away from time that would be better spent actually creating some other comics.Its been a whole lot harder this time around convincing the non Zuda community to vote. I’m not much of a marketing person. I don’t particularly enjoy hassling people
That being said, I’m going all out for this competition on an even bigger scale than last competition.
Hello to everyone! Sorry I’ve been fairly radio silent for the past few days. I was away at a music festival ( Among others, I got to see REM (probably my favourite band in the entire world) and Manic Street Preachers. How cool is that???)
Anyway…now that that moment is over…lets get on with it
So as it stands, we’re in 2nd. Its time to start upping the game, spread the word. You guys can make the difference!!
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Thanks Sarah, passive, JustJosh,Simon K, Kaine, Annibot,NeutronCrash and corf
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DennistheMenace-Well Florence isn’t around at the moment but never say never. Spud will need all the help he can get.
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frequent contributor-Well now you know the truth ;-)
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Lisa81- I hope this isn’t a direct adaption. Otherwise you’re not going to be happy when Spudman contracts leprosy. Hehe
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darkblade119-Hey man, sorry my writing isn’t doing it for you. Any particular aspect that‘s killing your interest?
At least you’re smart enough to see that the artwork is amazingly amazing though. Hope we can count on you for a vote
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Wings of Warrington-You have no idea how much of a compliment it is to be compared to Juno and Little Miss Sunshine…two of my favourite movies…ever…ever ever
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BlueMaxx-But wouldn’t first place be so much better ? You can help take us there
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JSLoomis- I guess I’ll just have to sabotage Untrue Tales somehow….;-)
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RiverHelix-I’m glad we have you along for the ride
i really dont think the storyline is any better than dead in the now but i think this deserves to be first because of the art
This is basically my life story...in all its tragic comic glory
Now I just need to know if it has a happy ending
Can you help me Rory?
Amazing.....
I am in awe
Utterly insane stuff
I just really like the overall quirkiness of the story. Reminds me in a weird way of that wackiness associated with such greats as Little Miss Sunshine or Juno
Anyone agree?
It just keeps getting better and better
Okay, now that we're past the first ranking, it's time for the next question.
3) Marketing;
There seems to be a general agreement here at Zuda of the importance of outside marketing to boost a comic's ranking. I've also spoken with a number of creators who, for different and equally valid reasons, don't really feel that's something they want to do themselves. I realize that successful marketing can be an edge in the competition and as such some creators don't want to say too much about they're own methods while the contest is running, but could you discuss your own approach to outside marketing? How much time have you devoted to it in this first week of the contest? Has your approach to it changed since your first time in a competition here at Zuda? Are you marketing the comic more, less or differently than you did the first time around?
-Rob
Wow, first time I read the Spud. Nice voice, great comedic timing, the artwork is pretty, well-suited and vibrant. And the concept itself, well, is anything but mundane. Well this month I'm giving out 5 stars like it's government cheese (4 so far). It just got bumped up to 5!
G'job & G'Luck, m'Brother!
Congratulations and good luck.