Nouveau Chemin

Discuss the Zwol comic. (Random yammering also allowed.)

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Bill Duncan
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Post by Bill Duncan »

Holy cats! I go away and lose myself for six months to a year, neglect to update my comics, and suddenly there's a new ZWOL, and David and Greg are in cahoots.

Way to go guys!
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Post by DavidAno »

Let me tell you a story ...

There is a really cool comic called Zwol. About a year ago, creator Greg Stephens got to a point in the story where he hit a creative block. While waiting for the next comic, I started coming up with ideas of my own. Then Greg said in this forum that he needed inspiration to get him started, so I suggested a script that he could illustrate. My idea was to start a new character, a new story and then slowly introduce it back into the storyline. I would and illustrate the first few chapters and then eventualy pass the comic back to Greg. But after four strips I got busy planning for the Ann Arbor Book Festival, Motor City Comic Con, Comic Awareness Week and various administrative projects for Michigan Comic Network that I hit a creative block.

Currently, the Ann Arbor Book Festival and Motor City Comic Con are over and I am no longer affliated with Michigan Comic Network or Comic Awareness Week, I now have more time. I have the plot outline all set up, but I just need to sit down write out the script and get Greg to illustrate it or illustrate it myself.
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Post by DavidAno »

my post got cut off ...

However, all of my creative energies are going to a new website design with an interactive menu and graphic design portfolio to help use to get a job (since I am currently unemployed).

I appologize for all of the delays as I really did not antisapate this happening. I am commited to getting this done one way or another. I will keep you updated!
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Post by losttoy »

Well my new site is done, but for a couple of bugs I need to fix. Which mean I will been focusing on Norlin Voyage and Nouveau Chemin now, sorry for the delay.
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Post by Greg Stephens »

Good job on the redesign, David. I, for one, am interested to see what happens next in the Nouveau Chemin.
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Post by losttoy »

This morning I roughed out the first three scenes for Nouveau Chemin. I need to proof read and try to fill out some of the blanks and I will send it to you (Greg) soon.

Progress is being made!
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Post by losttoy »

I figured I might give a quick update:

Without giving away any details, more Nouveau Chemin are being produced as we speak. I can not say when they will be ready for posting though. We will keep you updated when there is more to tell.
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Post by Eric F Myers »

Thanks, David, I can't wait. I look forward to new Zwol again. Until then, I might have to go back into the archives and read the whole story from the begining.
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Post by DaveTooLazyToLogin »

Monday! Monday! Monday!

From the collaborative minds of Greg Stephens, Eric Myers and myself (David Ano) Zwol: Nouveau Chemin has new comics posting starting October 11th. Yes, I started this months ago and hit the wall. Sorry. I promised I would be back. For the most part, I am back. After the first four strips we begin part two of this saga.

The big news is that the talented Eric Myers has taken over art duties while I scripted and Greg edited. Chapters two through five have been illustrated wonderfully by Eric. He truly captures Greg?s spirit in these comics. Each chapter of Zwol: Nouveau Chemin will run five strips a week, Monday through Friday. I have plotted out chapters six and onward with the assistance of Eric and Greg, however we are still working on the script.

Check out the new strips starting this Monday!
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Post by Eric F Myers »

This is just a reminder to those that don't check the main page every day:
The new strips start today!
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Post by losttoy »

It is a kick to see this stuff as a fan, not just the writer. Eric you rock!
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Post by Eric F Myers »

No, David, you rock. I'm very grateful that you and Greg have let me illustrate your story. I've alway considered Zwol to be one of the best comics I've ever read, in print or on the Internet. And I'm excited to be a part of it now.

To everyone else, I hope that you're enjoying these new strips and I look forward to seeing your comments.
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Post by Kris Lachowski »

I'm enjoying the strips, but I holding any significant comments until the story has begun to take shape.
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Post by losttoy »

How quickly time flies. A holiday, an election, a world leader in a coma and four weeks of all new Zwol while I am just gone. As much as I love coming to this forum to debate, discuss or boast, I just have been busy that all these days and weeks just merge. I hardly know what day it is anymore. What do you mean it is not October anymore?

About those four weeks ? I want to thank Greg again for his support and letting me expand his universe. I want to thank Eric for the hell of a job he has done illustrating this series. It is odd to see an artists take over a story you started. This is probably how Greg feels. Furthermore, since I am the most readily subject model I have, I used myself as the character design for Andrew. Seeing another artist, whom I have never meet in person, draw a story with a character based on my image is somewhat surreal. However, the differences in interpretation has made Andrew look less like me and more like his own character. Horay!

Four weeks of new comics and no comments? We have one more week of new comics and I am afraid we will have to stop for a break again. Talking to Greg we figure if you have waiting this long to read new Zwol comics, then you will probably be patient and wait more.

Here is where the writer talks about his own story: I think that Nouveau Chemin has been progressing very well. It has been mentioned by Greg and others that the pacing is slower than the rest of the Zwol comics. Where Greg would have focused more on the story, I have been focusing more on the dialog and details. So, here are question to the readers ? are you reading this? Are you enjoying it? Do you think the pace is too slow? Do you like how it is progressing? Any guesses on what happens next? What would you like to see happen in the story and with the characters? Any other comments at all?

I like feedback. I also like opinions. Of course, no matter what the feedback I have the story plotted out for a while now. Some things will not change, however input is invaluable. As a writer, I wonder if I am not making the story too apparent or obvious. However, I also do not want to make the story completely mysterious that makes readers confused and it keeps them from being interested enough to stick around to see where the story is going. While this is an issue, the hardest part is finding time to script it. Eric is a rather speedy illustrator while keeping quality to the art. I wish I could say the same for me.

As I have said somewhere before, maybe even here that I have been working two jobs (not including my job as a parent). I also have been having electrical problems at my house and my damn landlord has not fixed it yet (ugh!). I just have not had time to do anything, let alone sleep. I cannot tell you when there will be new Nouveau Chemin comic after the end of chapter 5 next week, however we will be here. I hope you stick around.

Thanks for reading!
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Post by losttoy »

No comments at all?
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Post by Guest »

It's weird/interesting see this crossover with old Zwol stuff. I am reading and enjoying the new comics, but don't have much more to say yet, just curious where it will go. Oh, I do like that the typo count was reduced in these new strips. :)
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Post by Eric F Myers »

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I do like that the typo count was reduced in these new strips. :)
David thought that he should use his pigeon's to spell check each script. That was before I convinced him that my new squirrel technology was much better. They use more nuts but at least they don't poop all over his expensive marble statues in the back yard.



Oh.. and three sets of eyes help too. :wink:
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Post by losttoy »

Update:

Part three is almost done. Part three of Zwol: Nouveau Chemin contains scenes 6-11. Each scene has approximately 5 strips a week (Monday through Friday) with the exception of scene 6 (with an extra strip on Saturday) and scene 10 (which has 10 strips that spans two weeks).

Also of note, there has been more of a colaboration with the creative team. Greg and Eric have contributed much more to the script and plot. We have given up titles like writer, illustrator and editor and just worked together. I think we have came out with a better product.

We will begin posting as soon as the last scene has been illustrated. I expect that to come sometime in April, but no promises. Until then, thanks for your patience.
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Post by Eric F Myers »

Hey everyone! There's new Zwol: Nouveau Chemin strips up on the main page.
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Post by Eric F Myers »

I have to say that today's strip is my favorite of the series. It could almost stand on it's own as some sort of surrealistic, unfinished narrative.
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Post by Greg Stephens »

With a side of onion rings.
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Post by losttoy »

Most people hold comments until the end of a story or storyline. Now you no longer have any excuses. This is it, the last week of Nouveau Chemin strips. While Friday is the end of Nouveau Chemin storyline, it is a new beginning for Selby (a “new path”).

It is hard to imagine that this all started in November 2003 with a story idea I sent to Greg. The story has really evolved since that initial treatment and now here it is. So much of my last year has been focused on this story. As my life has gotten more complicated … from finding jobs to getting laid off and back to work again; from finding out my wife Sydney was pregnant to her giving birth to twins; and all sort of other emotional voyages in between … this storyline has been my main, and sometimes only, creative outlet. Seeing this effort completed from start to finish is bittersweet.

Greg Stephens had already created the original storyline of Zwol, but it always seemed to focus on Kate. This focus on Kate had more to do with Greg and his creative purpose behind the comic. Meanwhile, Greg had this brilliant story with wonderful illustrative style and all of a sudden he dropped it just as the story was reaching its peak. It was like your favorite TV show being canceled because it was “too good”. So, I started a letter campaign to bring back my favorite “show”. I wrote out a plot outline continuing where Greg left off hoping to get him back on track. Greg vetoed that first idea rather quickly. I then retooled the plot and made it more of a “spin off”, rather than attempting to write a second season.

My Nouveau Chemin storyline is about taking Selby out of the role of sidekick. While previous storylines were done with just Selby, they were more of a story (with Selby in it) than it was actually about her. I had to write a story that would drive her to grow as a character. My two goals were to A) have Selby face her co-dependant tendencies and B) have Selby gain some closure when it came to her “break-up” with Kate. Furthermore, one very important thing I had to accomplish was to create a beginning, middle and end … and actually follow through to the end.

While I wish I could boast my writing ability, I have to give credit where credit is due. I did all of the writing and illustrating on scene one, however Eric Myers brought a new perspective to my scripts when he took over as illustrator on scene two. He shed new light into the story that I would have never seen. After scene five we took a short break. At this point, I got Greg and Eric to give more input into the story plotting process. In fact, Eric scripted some of the scenes from my plot. Greg also took a more active role as editor and added to the dialog. We all worked together and revised our revisions until every word was right. I only wish I could take credit for some of the lines in these last few scenes.

What happens to Selby next? Perhaps somebody else will come up with a new story. However a new beginning has been created and the opportunities are wide open.

So that is what I think .. and I am open to hear what you think. How did you like it? Did it accomplish its goals? Did you like the plot, pacing, illustrating and dialog? Do you have any questions? I am soliciting feedback here, so you can give it to me straight. If you did not like it, it will not hurt my feelings (as long as it is constructive).

Anyways, I would like to take Greg again for letting me play in his sandbox and Eric for his beautiful castles he made.
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Post by Grandma »

Nicely written, especially the connection to actual events in the world. The final bits are particularly well done.

It would be great to see one long panel about Selby posted every so often (low stress on the artist/writer) on zwol. Maybe an image with her in the distance, an image of someone interacting with her from her point of view, or, someday, her hair on the floor of a barbershop.

That would serve as a nice transition to the next thing, or a just little something for everyone who is thinking of the character.

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Post by Greg Stephens »

Thanks, David! It's good that it is finally done and can be read from beginning to end. I've just made a short post to the blog about it, but probably doesn't contain anything you don't already know.

I think there's a story there that you and Eric can be proud of having created and I'm glad to have added to the Zwol canon (such as it is).
Grandma wrote:It would be great to see one long panel about Selby posted every so often (low stress on the artist/writer) on zwol.
Did you know I was considering such a thing? I forget it I mentioned that idea to you. Or are we just thinking the same thing again?
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