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This interview is of Armagedon, whose comic is Shadowjacked!

(Interview conducted by itsjustaar!)

1. So tell me a little bit about 'Shadey the Shadow Vampire'. Where did you come up with the idea to make it?
Back in the Mid 90’s, when I was in Jr. High school, I was bored in Math class. Earlier in the day, a friend and I were talking about characters and their designs, and so I decided to draw something simple. After I finished, I looked at him and thought that “hey he looks like a something that would steal shadows.” Thus, Shadey the Shadow Vampire was born.

2. When making 'Shadey', was there anywhere you wanted to go when making it? Any plans, or just for fun?
At first, I wasn’t sure where to take it. After I had made the two main characters, Shadey and Sid, I kind of just left it on the back burner. It wasn’t till about 2004, that I brought them back. That’s when I discovered web comics. However, it took me a couple years to get comfortable with my work to start doing it.

3. Was the comic inspired by anything that came into your head while making it? Television? Comics? School?
Not really. If anything, my desire to start making the comic was inspired by VGcats. I felt I could put something decent together and have some fun doing it. I initially set out to make a comic about video games, but as time went on decided that Shadey wasn’t the best platform for it, and gradually changed it to what it to the Shadowjacked it is today.

The only character inspired by anything, I would say would be Chad the Writer. He is actually supposed to be a comical representation of me, so many of his traits are an exaggeration of stuff I used to be in the past or still are.

4. Are there any other comics you look at that help you with the process of putting Shadey all together? Or do you do it on your own?
Depending on what I’m working on for the comic , how I approach it will change. The comic alternates between different realities, so I’ve tried to use different formats to create two separate worlds. Both worlds have their own way of being presented, so I’ve had to look at both Strip and Page formats to get an idea of how I want the comic to be displayed.

As far as comics that have helped me. Stuff like Sonic the Hedgehog and Darkwing Duck have helped me find my formatting style for one world, while strips like PVP, Garfield, Zits, etc., have helped me define the other.

5. A lot of your characters use a very simplistic design. Was this intended when putting your comic together?
When I first made Shadey, it was from a conversation about designing characters. The overall agreement at the time was that adding too much to the character can distract from its purpose. A simple design can further a character more than an overcomplicated one. It’s something that has stuck with the comic to this day.

6. Are there any comedy strips that you like that have helped you put together this comic, 'Shadey the Shadow Vampire'? Which ones?
VG cats, PVP, are the main strips that have impacted how I look at the comic. VG cats was what inspired me to get started and PVP helped me with working more on the writing side of things.

I actually give a lot of credit to the writing for PVP. It really shows what good character development can do to the story of a comic. When Shadey the Shadow Vampire first started, like the art style, the writing of the characters were broadly simplistic. As time went on, I learned better ways to build the characters into what they’ve become today. That is thanks, in part, to reading PVP.

7. What sort of art tool do you use with your comics? Is it difficult to use or is it very easy?
I combine both digital and traditional methods to create the comic. Typically, everything starts out traditional. Aside from a few strips here and there, I sketch and draw it out traditionally, before going on to ink and color digitally.

When I get to the inking and coloring stages, I use a Wacom Graphire4 tablet and Photoshop. Once you get used to it, a tablet is pretty simple to use, and it saves a load of time.

8. Is it difficult coming up with something to put in your comic; do you ever have anything you want to do, but just didn't have the time?
When I first started, it was very difficult to come up with ideas. Aside from the first 2 strips, I had absolutely no direction. I had just started the comic, without really thinking about where I wanted to take it, and so the writing became very difficult.

This continued between hiatus’ until about a year ago, when I finally figured out how I wanted to approach the idea. Since then, it’s become a lot easier to write. I have a feeling for the storylines and the archs, which I didn’t have when I started it’s made it easier to come up with ideas.

As far as not having the time, I tend to write my story lines well in advance, so I haven’t ever not have time to add something in, or take something I don’t like out. At least not yet.

9. I realize that the comic has been around for at least two years, at least in the early strips. How long have you been doing this kind of work, and you have ever considered making another?
The comic started in March of 2006. However, I’ve been working with the characters since before that. I’d say about 2005 or so was when I really started to get into making them as webcomics instead of just characters in my sketchbook.

I actually have another comic I am working on getting together right now entitled “Dark Rising Sun”. The first arch is being written, and should hopefully be ready for the drawing, inking, coloring stages later this year. There are also a couple of other projects I’m setting up, but they aren’t developed enough to talk about yet.

10. Is it fun to do the comic you are doing, 'Shadey the Shadow Vampire'?
I love it. Especially now that there’s a direction for it.

11. Tell me more about your characters. When reading it myself, I really didn't know who was who or the whole gist of it. Could you explain that to me?
Yeah, this became a problem because of a lack of direction in the beginning. So… here it goes.

Shadowjacked, is a comic about the making of the comic Shadey the Shadow Vampire. It follows the writer and the series’ characters who work to keep the comic afloat.

Currently ,there are three main characters.. Chad, Shadey and Sid.
Chad is the writer. He creates the worlds that Shadey and Sid inhabit. He is kind of lazy at times, and constantly argues with his characters over the direction of the comic.

Shadey and Sid are the characters. Shadey is a Vampire the steal shadows instead of sucking blood, while Sid is the hunter who hunts him.

Shadey is very sarcastic and often criticizes Chad’s lack of commitment. He doesn’t get along well with Sid due to issues in the past. However, his comments and complaints are always for the good of the comic.

Sid his very complacent and antagonistic. He often times finds himself on the wrong side of every storyline, even when he isn’t directly involved.

12. Is the comic a gag strip, or a story, or…?
It’s a combination of both. Depending on the scenario being presented in the comic, it could turn on way or the other. Though, it’s largely storyline based.

13. I remember hearing you were thinking about doing a gamer comic. Still planning on doing that?
I am actually in the middle of producing a film web-series called the “The Gamers Anthologies.” It follows a series of people who are all connected by a game store. The episodes are currently in production and are scheduled to be released sometime this summer.

14. What are some of your favorite comics, and why? Which ones are they?
I am a huge Sonic the Hedgehog fan. I hardly miss an issue when it comes out. I grew up with the blue blur, and he had an excellent TV show nicknamed Sonic SATAM.

At the same time, Archie started the series and after the show was cancelled, they integrated what they could into it. I’ve been a fan of the series ever since.

I’m also finding a place for the return of a different childhood cartoon star in Darkwing Duck. Though, the jury is still out on whether I’ll still get it, it has currently been an excellent comic.

From a web comic standpoint, I like PVP, Octopus Pie, LFG, and VG Cats. Here on the DD site, I’ve been fond of stuff like Modest Medusa, Villain Next Door, and Riot and Fade Out. Each of these has a very unique style that I’m fond of and are wonderful reads.

15. What are the inspirations for the characters in your series? Can you name any good sources?
The inspiration for the characters themselves are all found within the daily stuff that I do. Whether it’s through conversations or just stuff that happens, it inspires me to keep creating. There so much interesting stuff that happens, it’s hard not to be inspired.