Read more comics.

Of the many resolutions I made for 2018, my favorite so far has been to read more comics.  After making independent comics for fifteen years(!) and getting burned out by the superhero monthlies from the “big two,” I fell out of the habit of regularly consuming comics.  I felt I was getting my fill of the medium by making comics, but I felt an inspirational emptiness growing inside me.  I was taking inspiration for STAR POWER stories from everywhere but comics, and that needed to change.  I made a vow to read more comics this year, and I’ve been successful so far.

If you’ve been following the blog entries, I’ve devoured two massive graphic novels since 2018 began:  “THE INCAL” by Jodorowsky and Moebius, and “THE WORLD OF EDENA” by Moebius.  This past weekend I picked up the largest graphic novel of my recent acquisitions, “THE METABARONS,” by Jodorowsky and Gimenez.  Despite all my recent purchases being along a Jodorowsky/Moebius line, the three graphic novels are each vastly different in nature.  The Incal is an insanely enchanting saga to save mankind from darkness and itself.  The World of Edena is a beautiful, interstellar journey across time and dreams.  The Metabarons, as far as I can tell (I’m only 1/3 of the way through this massive book), is the shaping of a warrior through generations of cruelty and loss.  None of them are superhero tales.  As a result, I’ve never felt more inspired to write new STAR POWER stories.

I speak often about the benefits of getting out of your comfort zone.  Staying comfortable will sink you into a routine, and routines are rarely good for experiencing new things.  You want to read more comics?  Read comics that are outside of your usual realm of consumption.  Listen to music from a genre you’ve never heard, or even heard of.  If you love watching sci-fi or fantasy movies, break out and try watching some crime thrillers or character-driven dramas.  You don’t have to stay out of your comfort zone, but what you bring back to it will only be beneficial.

I’m going to be reading The Metabarons for a while.  It’s a big book.  But when I’m finally finished with it, I can’t wait to see where I’ll go next on my journey to read more comics.  It won’t be a superhero book.  It may not even be science fiction or fantasy.  Whatever it may be, I’m going to bring my experiences back here to STAR POWER so I can continue trying to make the best damn comics I’m able to write.