Teachers
Login to Add a Favorite
It’s a tough job, and when the last bell rings at the end of the day at the old high school on the edge of town, it’s going to get a lot tougher. The new French teacher, Ms. Genevieve, has been hearing some weird things from the storage room on the third floor. Downright spooky things. Spooky enough for her to ask for a meeting in the library after school with a few new colegues she hopes she can trust. There’s the History teacher Mr. Colvin. He’s the straight edge of the group who likes to think he knows the answers to just about everything. He’s had the same crew cut for the last thirty years and an inexplicable proclivity for sweaters. Mr. Baker is nearly sixty and teaches Science. When he’s not wandering the halls aimlessly, he can be found sleeping soundly on the floor of the computer lab. He loves robots and has a vast and bizarre knowledge of Broadway show tunes. Finally we have the sardonic English teacher Mr. Evans. He lives on coffee but still manages to be the laziest. Still, he knows when to take his opportunities when he sees them, like victimizing Mr. Colvin and Mr. Baker or trying to get a date with Ms. Genevieve. Whatever is up there is only the beginning. The truth will be scarier than a room full of ninth graders! One thing’s for sure: It’s going to be one heck of a school year!
And Chapter 4 and 5 are now up too! :)
Now for that TEACHERS flavored announcement: Chapter 3 is already up over at www.amalgamatedartists.com!! Check it out and let me know what you think! More on the way...
-
Thanks again to all! Rock on Zuda. Rock ON!
Gabe?
Gabe here. No, not that one. The other one.
Another month, another contest gone. Good luck, sir.
--Gabe
Ectoplasm eh? Someone blows their nose and you wanna keep it? I love it, more Teachers! Is the world ready? Because, heed this warning if you release it too early: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light!
More Teachers in the future? This is good news!
ah the public computers we use when on vacation. my fingers keep sticking to the keyboard. ectoplasm? hmmm. well, i just want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone for reading, commenting, and voting so far. TEACHERS wont let you down. expect a last minute jump to first. i have foreseen it. wheres the great criswell when you need him?
-
also expect some TEACHERS flavored announcement after the competition, so make sure to check this board again.
i can say no more. really, i cant, my fingers are stuckd...
=D
Oh, I finally put my finger on what I like here ... it's fantasy that follows rules. Love it. Feels firm enough to touch, like I could have coffee with the Teachers. But messy like I haven't slept for days and really need that coffee.
...and i forgot to mention some of the best lettering on Zuda.
Hi Gabe you know i loved reading this on AA, and I'm happy to see you back here on Zuda, and I'm glad i voted for you. Still love the art, colors, story, the works. If anything the art got better. i think my only real nit-pick from the first go round with Zuda was meaner looking monsters and with the boy who transformed yipes!!! there we are. Everybody needs a foil and the principal is it.
************************************************************
You can see the story setting up, everything is building we are learning more about the characters (I love their interactions so far) as we go along and a great pace that fits Zuda well.
*************************************************************
Course all those yellow screens still burn my eyes, AAARRGGHH!!!!
*************************************************************
You made the right call in going with the next 8 screens in your story here for Zuda, instead of trying to come up with some new tangent that wasn't on AA. Those of use who are fans (at least me) don't mind reading a great comic again, and the folks who weren't fans it's new to them anyway. Great stuff.
Woowww... nice one Gabe!
I wanna see what happens next....
This is great Gabe!! You've got my vote! =-)
hi Gabe,
u got my vote. i like unexpected story in a common setting - school. will there be a surprise as the story continues...
Librarian
Make Teachers top of the class!
Awesome job! I can't wait to see what happens next.
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!
You are so talented Gabe! I showed this to some co-workers and they loved it :) Keep up the great work!
There's a reason it's back by popular demand people! Teachers is going for the number 1 spot where it belongs!!!
Go Teachers go! Vote for Teachers! It's dynamite!
I just posted some random TEACHERS art, old pages, and a truly horrifying photo I found of some nice lunch ladies from some old yearbook. Check em out over at:
www.gabeostley.blogspot.com
-
Thanks again for all of the support folks! I appreciate each and every comment!
I've read the whole thing again! =) Each time when I read it over and over, it makes more sense and it's pretty addictive =) Excellent work! =)
As a student, it's pretty cool to see the "teacher's side" =P
Hi everyone! I`ve taken TEACHERS on the road- so I`ve been a little awol lately. Don`t worry though, we ain`t thru by a long shot! This campaign is just getting going!
-
Rob- I`m going to have to answer your questions quickly so I don`t fall too far behind in the question taking.
1) I did develop TEACHERS for Zuda and it was my first time working in this format. I am a big film freak so I think the widescreen-ness of it is fun. I think the only challenge lies in creating a layout which doesn`t confuse the reader. In standard format it`s easier to know when to read to the right or when to read down, and which to do first.
2) Marketing... I`m currently in Japan and talking to a lot of friends and family here to get the word out. I`m going to get some more adds out there on other webcomic sites too.
It`s difficult though. Marketing this could easily be a full time job leaving me no time to draw. So I`m trying to find the balance now...
-
Ok, time to make like the undead and rise, rise, RISE! More later...
I had a really bad day. Feeling little upset about many things. And I was here. I read your comic again. Thank you for the energy! Im smiling now.
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
Nobody asked me to but I just can't help reviewing this and every other comic featured on Zuda over at http://www.mpd57.blogspot.com and remember, if it's a bad review feel free to put me straight and if it's a good review ... well, let's face it, it's not going to be is it? Or is it? You might never find out if you don't visit!
What up, Gabe? Here we be. Kickin' it live in the bottom three.
Where the cool kids hang, right?
Right?
...
Yer darn tootin'! Zickajakow!
Considering the awesomeness of the chapter break I can't wait to see chapter 3. Vote for teachers.
Its growing on me. Your art was the most entertaining part of the piece for me.
Happy to see the development of TEACHERS as you work on it, Gabe. i think it's a great and under-exploited aspect of webcomics that, like any good serialized fiction, the project can grow through process. It's a quality lacking from the graphic novel print market these days.
Okay, next question;
2)Format
Zuda's "monitor-friendly" 4X3 format is something new to most of us since it premiered last year. It does create some unique differences in how the page is composed and i think artists and readers alike don't really fully appreciate that until they experiment with it a bit. Contestants this month have been working with that format for awhile longer and had some time to reconsider it since their first eight page submission. Can you talk about some of the challenges of the format? If I remember correctly, you developed TEACHERS specifically for the Zuda format, right?
-Rob
by the way Rob- I know I told you I would update 8 pages a month over at Amalgamated...but that was before this story turned into what David Cross would call, `a hurricane wrapped up in a tornado, nestled in a box of tsunami`s.` Happily though, the script is now finished, the rest of the pages are being laid out, and Chapter 3 is complete. Next question! ;D
great comic.
Before I get into Rob's question a little backstory is in order. Chapter 2 appeared in a slightly different version on the Amalgamated Artists site a couple of months ago. Most Zudanauts know this already, and I hope aren't too disappointed to see those pages here. When I found out TEACHERS was back for another shot at Zuda I spent a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out how I could show new pages, but also continue the story. In the end, I decided that delving into a flashback sequence or flying off on a tangent just in order to show new pages wasn't a strong enough reason to change the story. The reason I mention all of this is just to let you, the reader, know that I've got some big things planned for TEACHERS and it's all going to unfold in a very specific way. Yes. A diabloical scheme in fact.
-
So, to get into updates and production schedule. This would be something I'd really have to sit down and discuss with Kwanza and Ron and see what they would advise. Some things are good a page at a time, some are good in blocks. It really depends, and this needs some solid editorial navigating.
-
The short answer is: I would update a page every DAY if y'all just let me!! :D
So last month's general Q&A seemed to work pretty well for opening a dialogue about each creator's plans for their comics and I thought I'd try it again this month. I'm going to try to ask five general questions for each competitor first and see where those answers take us.
1)Update and production schedule;
This seems silly since you and I have already talked about this, Gabe, but these are supposed to be general questions. So could you talk about your plans for an update schedule on TEACHERS if it wins a contract this month?
-Rob
I don't hate this, but I just don't love it enough for the vote, y'know?
Teachers! is my favorite type of comic! I cannot wait to see more!!
Nobbydaddy
Hi Gabe, おめでとう。
I enjoyed your comic very much.I wish you will translate it into Japanese so I can show my friends ;)
Akemi
Oh yeah I forgot to mention, the chapter break is awesome, nice and crisp.
I've already read past this else where so I'll keep my review to page 16 only. Every panel is still chock full of little details. The art is still fluid and original, and the story is still funny, yet intriguing. So basically this one hasn't changed and that's a good thing. Keep it up Mr.Godon, I'll give you 5/5 and a fav for now. We'll discuss a possible vote later. I like to read everything before I vote.
You obviously have a lot of fans, but I still don't get the humor. Good luck though!
This is really excellent! Page 15 panel 3 was hilarious! I enjoyed everything about it...the character designs are really great, and even the pencil you can see in the scans makes it even cooler...Very unique and a fun read,Gabe.
In that case,I'd say it wasn't pushed far enough to look intentional. That is, you don't have to carry the look out in every panel, but make it look purposeful in specific ones that you want to convey that idea. It just looks haphazard at this point. I do enjoy that I get what's going on now. It was tough in the initial 8 pages and having the additional 8 is a great benefit.
Ya got my vote!
Welly, welly, well me droogies. Thank you for the awesome comments! Its great to be running the race again! High fives ZUDA!!! I`ve got a sketch of those rapscallion TEACHERS up at www.gabeostley.blogspot.com and more to come! What?! Uniforms?! BluBlockers or Ray Bans? I can say no more...
-
Famished, JohnZakour, Ru-- The bluepencilness/ raw toonage feel is indeed intentional. I hope not too distracting. I want this to feel like your`re sitting in the classroom reading this in the back of your best friend`s notebook...
-
Ok, there`s loads more I want to say right now but I`ve got to go read everyone else`s comics!! To be continued...Keep those comments and questions coming dudes!
You rule the school, Gabe! The chapter break page is pure awesome. Good luck, dude!
I love this comic, i love the style of the artwork, i love the story and the way its told, i love the ghosts and the slimy ectoplasm, and that sexy female teacher. You've got my vote man, i haven't read them all yet, but i'm drawn to your comic like it has pheremones on my level. i want to breed with teachers.
Yea~y!!! Teachers! So awesome. I love the fact that you left those lines. Reminds me of school...drawing on the paper...raw quality! So tasty I would say! Fun work! I cannot wait to see where this story goes.
I pretty much agree with Farnished. Why the extra lines? Was it a style choice?
I like the coloring but I can see a lot of blue pencils :P Was this a bit rushed? There are a few parts that could I thought could have used an eraser. Unless- was it intended to be that way? The text can be a bit hard to read at times, but I do like the fact I get what's going on now without having to wade through the synopsis.
Welcome back, Gabe. Teachers is looking good.
Good luck!
You go, Gabe!