New Work Coming Up

Aside from our documentary excursion we had at C2E2, there will be other film and video projects from the group (or within the group in my case) coming up as well. In terms of group projects, I am currently working on a Super8 project mainly involving Barbara Little about social disillusionment and its reactions. As for my own solo projects, I am also working on a video about children and myth making and an animation about different types of lightning. I have other future projects that I have planned for the summer, but I'd rather start working on them before I post anything about them. I know I should be posting the next installment of my essay on restrained cinema, but I feel like I haven't posted anything about what I am doing. I guess to make up for that I'll post this link to my first work in Super8: http://vimeo.com/10971341

-Carlos F. Enriquez

C2E2 Day One

The Tetrad Initiative returns triumphant from their first day documentary shooting at C2E2, the Chicago comic and entertainment expo! We got 12 professional interviews done, and two fan interviews with three fans each. We were only turned down by two interviewees, but special thanks to all the fantastic responses we got from artists and writers all around the convention! Our interviews were as follows-

KC Green - http://gunshowcomic.com/ - Enthusiastic and extremely nice to us, KC was our first interview of the day and the best first interview we could hope for!
Evan Dahm - http://www.rice-boy.com/ - Well spoken and very appreciative, Evan had some very unique perspective on fans and his fantasy epics Rice-Boy and Order of Tales.
David Willis - http://shortpacked.com/ - Toy fan and comic artist extraordinaire, and very funny in person.
Joel Watson - http://hijinksensue.com/ - We didn't interview him so much as he interviewed us! OUr only interview of the day to call US over! Extremely smart guy with a lot to say on our subject.

Fan Group One

Fan Group Two

Erika Moen - http://www.darcomic.org/ - Amazing humorist and comic artist in general, sharing a booth with SAIC's own Lucy Knisley.
Kevin Mellon - http://www.kevinmellon.blogspot.com/ - Very well spoken and fantastically talented artist behind Gearhead. One of our best interviews of the day.
Gary Friedrich - Creator of Ghost Rider! Getting on in the years, but a really nice guy to talk to, and with a lot to say about his long-held cult-following.
David Mack - http://www.davidmack.net/ - That's right, David Mack, writer and artist of Kabuki! Great talks. He had a lot to say about every subject, and everything he said had a genuine and sincere enthusiasm. Great to talk to, and he was nice enough to give us a lot of free stuff!
Jesse Rubenfeld - http://www.jesserubenfeld.net - Funny guy with a lot of really clever art. Got a totally awesome Dalek postcard!
Joan Varitek & Alayna Lemmer - http://www.joanvaritek.com & http://alayna.net - Dual interview! Two very different but very talented illustrators producing both original and fan work.
Gail Simone - The very talented writer behind Birds of Prey, Secret Six, and Wonder Woman! We accidentally ended up eating lunch at the same table as her husband, and we ended up getting a great interview with her out of that good fortune. Really awesome interview.

We'll be heading back to C2E2 tomorrow to capture more footage with fans and hopefully talk to some more artists & writer out there.

- David Mitchell

Restrained Cinema: The Deadpan

This is the first of my analysis of a category in film that I call Restrained Cinema. Restrained Cinema is a type of film style and film narrative that features certain characteristics that range from minimalist films to Deadpan comedies to the current style of Indy films. I'll cover with the best of my knowledge each of these areas starting off with what I call the problem of Indy film.

The Indy film is the independent film, the films that are produced outside the mainstream that still appeal the mainstream. In the beginning, most independent films varied in style and content. You couldn't compare a John Cassavetes to a John Sayles, two giants of the independent film. Cassavetes concerns with pragmatism and relationships wouldn't be on the same plane with Sayles' ventures in society and culture. The same could be said with the likes of Spike Lee, Steven Soderbergh, and Todd Haynes. The main features these directors have in common was the introduction of a new voice. Directors working outside the mainstream to do what they wanted to do on their own terms. In contemporary film, those terms are starting to become similar. Independent film has become the Indy film. And the Indy film has led to the Deadpan. The Deadpan is a recurring characteristic or to be more exact, a recurring film style that features either emotionally restrained characters who speak in stilted dialogue. They are then shot from the farthest distance possible so as that the audience cannot relate to them due to the detachment. On a visual, verbal, and emotional level this is what we get. And what we get is both an original idea and a new trend. The idea harks back to likes of Buster Keaton, Robert Bresson, Aki Kaurismaki, and Jim Jarmusch. The trend is what most Indy movies look like now. Take any of them. The main focus it appears is the awkwardness that each character feels. The dead end lifestyle they live. Lack of emotion that in the end damns them or delivers them if they lose it. It all sounds familiar, right? Rather than use examples and "name names," I've decided to make a list so you can point out the similarities yourself.

1) Restrained Direction (long shots, minimal camera movement, flat compositions, hard cuts)
2) Restrained Dialogue (stilted dialogue, laconic delivery)
3) Restrained Emotion (deadpan)
4) Three kinds of Plots (dead end slice of life, wacky misadventures)
5) Two kinds of characters (unemotional, awkward outcasts, energetic eccentrics)
6) Emotionally detached audience ("why should we feel?")

These characteristics is what's becoming popular with indy directors and audiences. The same folks who wanted to escape the world of mainstream excess and familiarity are creating a world of independent dearth and familiarity. It's becoming a niche in the world of cinema, and more than a niche it will become an establishment. This is what Indy film is. Independent film is film outside the mainstream. Indy film is film feigning that. A true independent film is completely outside the norm, a film not made with in a certain rule set. Indy film is creating a new rule set. That rule set is Emotional Detachment, or the Deadpan, and the Deadpan is a trend. Thus the problem of Indy film.

-Carlos F. Enriquez

Tetrad News for March

For our few followers out there, sorry for the lack of delays! Despite the lack of news, the Tetrad Initiative is moving ever forward. In the coming week, the four members of The TI will be northward bound towards Wisconsin to film some Super 8 footage, as well as some comedy shorts on video. In addition, we're making preparations to begin recording "podcast" style entries, possibly as often as on a weekly basis.

Stay vigilant, the Initiative moves forward!

Part 2 of Webcomic Dialog - Two Gamers and a Couch

Sorry for the long delay, and sadly, this ended up shorter than I wanted. I wrote out something to the effect of 5 pages and then realized that I had long since stopped making sense, and in the few moments of clarity I had, it was redundant and pointless. So I eventually cut it down to about a page and a half, getting closer towards 2.

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To say that print is dead would be inaccurate, if only for a number of bastions which remain eroded (and eroding) as they stand against a rushing river. But then, to say that print is anything less than dying would be an understatement. No… perhaps the better phrase would be to say that print is in a coma. Living, but not alive, with a few persistent functions, but essence of a truly living body is not all there. In the sad reports of print’s condition, people rarely take note of how comics as a medium would be affected by the changes.

As newspapers die down, the circulation of daily and weekly comics are equally so hit. Many comics are read simply for their being there, and readers will not go out of their way to find them via a sparse online newspaper interface. Comic specialty shops are seeing troubles as well- the proliferation of graphic novels and trade-paperbacks (bound collections of individual issues) has been enormously successful, but some in the industry are displeased with the trend. These bound volumes are expensive to print, and therefore, have a high MSRP; consumers aren’t likely to purchase them for franchises that they are unfamiliar with. Big pre-existing titles can survive the format, earning repeat profits from the avid collectors of single issues, casual fans who will purchase the collections, and completionists who purchase both. Smaller titles which have not yet established a following have difficulty surviving in this shift towards TPB’s: avid collectors may delve into the single issues, but they’re not likely to sell collected editions, which seriously hurts business.

In a publishing world where comics are having difficulty in print, where to do the writers and artists turn? To the internet, it seems. While some artists like the aforementioned Tom Siddell seem to prefer the internet and choose it when their comic is otherwise worthy of print, other artists are forced into using it for any number of reasons. Some artists simply are producing a product not physically printable, a phenomena which will be discussed in greater detail in part four of my dialogs, regarding The Infinite Canvas. Other artists are simply producing comics which simply are not quite sellable to a broad audience- comics regarding niche interests (such as the sometimes preachy but most entertaining Loxie & Zoot, a comic for nudists), for example, or comics featuring content too explicit to be carried by major distributors (such as the truly phenomenal erotic steampunk comic Chester 5000XYV by Jess Fink). Other comics still simply would not appeal to distributors, simply because of a combination of factors- my next dialog will concern Rice Boy, a lengthy full-length comic with psychedelic elements and simple, childish art. This would be a tough sell to many consumers, and a tougher sell to profit-minded publishers.

But then, there are also the comics that simply are not very good. While print is dying, the internet is flourishing, and this has opened new doors to everyone. “Everyone,” includes the artists and writers who simply were never good enough to have their work picked up or appreciated by those around them, or by publishers. Because the internet allows enormous proliferation of work, and through such wide exposure, eventually find an audience, no matter how small. A creator with a point and purpose is all the more likely to find such an audience- regardless of quality, a work that speaks to a niche audience will be, in part, adopted by that audience.

This phenomena manifests itself in many regards, which is to say, regarding many subjects- Furry fandom has found interest in webcomics since the earliest days of the internet. Modern Furry fans have a broad number of quality titles to select from, however, in the early days of the medium, many comics of poor quality grew significant fanbases. By the late 90’s, a number of video-game-centric webcomics rose to prominence amongst webcomic communities, and to this day, such webcomics remain a dominant force in the medium. Penny Arcade in particular was an enormous hit, and remains to be one of the biggest success stories of webcomics- however, Penny Arcade’s own success spawned a movement perhaps large enough to be considered a genre unique to the medium.

Two gamers and a couch- not just a random set of nouns, but a description of a formula. Penny Arcade hit it big by connecting with video-game fans on a very natural level. It told the tale of two friends, both video-game fans, and followed their antics and conversations whilst playing video games sitting on their couch. The simple formula was revolutionary for comics as a medium- similar humor had been employed by newspaper comics for decades, but never for the gamer culture, nor appealing to generations that young.

This formula connected with gamers on a very visceral level, reminding readers of their own friends and weekly experiences with those friends. The comic not only spoke of life as a gamer, but openly name-dropped major video game titles, making the humor all the more inclusive to gamers and gamers alone. Penny Arcade was more than just a popular success, but a financial success, and for both reasons, it spawned hundreds (thousands, and more, really) of imitators. Every gamer with experiences on their own couch decided that their tales were worthy of being told to an audience, that their commentary on video games needed to be heard. And for every one of these gamers who felt they needed to be heard, there was an audience willing to hear it.

Tetrad Initiative Member Speaks at University of Chicago Anime & Japanese Culture Confrence

Tetrad Initiative member Barbara Little will speak this weekend at UChi-Con in a panel discussion about Gothic Lolita fashion and community in Chicago. Along with other members of the Chicago Gothic Lolita community, Barbara will be available to answer all questions and comments concerning Japanese street fashion as a phenomenon in Chicago and the Western world, as well as Gothic Lolita in general.

Come join us!

Uchi-con 2010 takes place
Saturday January 30th
11 am - 7 pm
At Harper Memorial Library
1116 E. 59th Street Chicago, IL 60637

Part 1 of Webcomic Dialog - Gunnerkrigg Court

To begin my investigation of webcomics, I will explore and extol the passages of Gunnerkrigg Court- passages literary and diegetic, I might add. For the first five parts of my journey, I have established a line of logic through which the writings will flow:

1. Gunnerkrigg Court, a comic whose content and execution might otherwise be executed in print media with no hinderence, but is carried out digitally.
2. The phenomena of “Two Gamers an a Couch,” and the idea of the internet as a distribution method as a necessity versus as a choice.
3. Rice-Boy, a comic whose content and execution might not be financially viable in print form, and therefore, must be executed through the web.
4. The abstract concept of Infinite Canvas, and content in webcomics which can only be executed through the web.
5. Platinum Grit, a former print comic adapted to the web whose content can now only be executed digitally.

This forward progression through the subjects seems most simple to me, and without further delay, I will begin my dissection of Gunnerkrigg Court.

Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell

The tale of Gunnerkrigg Court begins with Antimony Carver, the series’ protagonist. Beginning a tale with an introduction to its protagonist isn’t particularly unusual, however, this is not to Gunnerkrigg’s disadvantage. The tale excels in its quality execution, rather than slavishly pursuing individualism or exploitation of the web medium. Gunnerkrigg could very well survive as a print comic, and in that way, it is an intriguing read. Why read the series rather than a print comic, and in what ways does it differ? Does its quality execution set it apart from other webcomics, and does its choice to embrace a “regular,” print-comic format ultimately make it unique in the field of webcomics?

Gunnerkrigg Court follows Antimony’s adventures within her titular school, which she notes on the very first page resembles an enormous industrial complex more than it does a boarding school. The complex serves many purposes, most of which remain a mystery to Antimony, a new arrival to the School, and twelve years old. The comic follows her time at the school, exploring its empty halls and investigating it’s shadowy conflict with Gillitie Wood, an old and mystical forest which exists opposite the Court across the River Annan.

Alongside empathic but stoic Antimony is her best friend, Katerina “Kat,” Donlan, a genius of mechanics, whose parents both act as teachers at the school. The parental figures too play a role in the story- Antimony’s mother, now passed, once worked as a medium for the Court, and her missing father too played some role at the Court, yet unknown. Akin to Harry Potter, learning about the elder generation is a major plot point to the story. In addition to the two girls’ parents, there too are Mr. Eglamore (games teacher, and, so it seems, the school’s designated dragon-slayer), and an icy instructor, Jones, who works to train students with potential to become mediums.

With these in mind, the series also walks with nobility into fantasy territory- less like the aforementioned Harry Potter and more to the effect of Neil Gaiman. Pan-European trickster fox Reynard (or Renardine) is a major player in the series, having accidentally possessed Antimony’s stuffed animal and now unable to escape. In stark contrast to the bleak industrial expanses of the Court, Gillitie Wood is an old world forest which acts as home to all sorts of beings, ranging from fairies to Gods, such as the Pan-American trickster fox Coyote. The Court itself isn’t free from supernatural events, however- friend to Antimony is Mort the Ghost, and she too holds a shaky alliance with a demonic girl and her reality-warping partner.

Technology and magic are key players in the tale, though, the resolution is not yet known. They represent man and nature, mechanical and organic, masculine and feminine, order and chaos. Consider Antimony, her mother a medium and with potential herself, who wears dresses and make-up, and sports long pink hair, and compare her to her best friend Kat, her parents scientists and herself a mechanical genius, with interests in “boyish,” pass-times and clothes, sporting short-cut hair and inept with make-up. Antimony, clearly the more mystic of the two, is clearly reflective of feminine archetypes, while her scientific and orderly friend the more masculine. Antimony acts on intuition, Kat on planning. But while the girls are best friends, the Court and the Woods are seemingly at a shaky ceasefire in a long-time war.

This being the general outline of Gunnerkrigg Court, one must question why not in print. The formula is sound, and the plot certainly not outside the range for popular media. With names like “Harry Potter,” and “Neil Gaiman,” thrown around in description of the series, publishers should be chomping at the bit for rights to the franchise. The series remains unprinted in any form, even in the most benign Café Press binding. Then we question why it is not available in print- is it the uneven chapter length? Certainly a possibility, given the financial demands of color printing. In an androcentric comic world, is the pair of non-sexualized female leads “unsuitable,” for business? Also very possible; so goes the old cliché, “Sex sells,” and Gunnerkrigg remains innocent from sexual content or implication.

Perhaps there is the consideration of the production- as is the case with many webcomics, Gunnerkrigg Court is executed only by a single person. Tom Siddell writes and illustrates the comic himself, seemingly without help from any other “team members.” The standards of the current comic industry are that of a rigid team system, with a writer, penciller, inker, letterer, colorist, and a whole slew of editors to go through. An individual, no matter how talented, is not likely going to convince a comic syndicate to syndicate his or her work. But then, this is also not true- many independent comic authors and artists have self-supported for quite some time.

At the end of the day, it may just be a preference of Siddell- the internet allows him to publish the content he wishes to publish, on the schedule he wishes to work. He has full autonomy on the internet, despite producing content which is of high enough quality to pass the standards of print.

And quality it certainly is- beyond its intelligent themes, Gunnerkrigg Court is an all-around well-executed effort. The impressively large cast is memorable to highly entertaining, and each new character introduced brings something new to the table (without taking away attention from others). The comedic edge of the series is sharp, capable of properly timing a variety of styles including situational irony, wordplay, slapstick, and visual humor; conversely, the series is very capable of more serious aspects, ranging from touching sentimentality to dramatic and tragic. There’s an adventurous edge to the series, with the Court itself and the Woods alike as seemingly endless realms to explore; the unique light in which both are portrayed brings a metafictional adventure to the tale, as we the viewers explore settings we have not yet seen before, especially in the case of the Court and it’s shady past.

Even now twenty-five chapters into the story as I write this, the series is over-flowing with potential energy. Each new page released is eagerly awaited by myself and the series’ large fan-base- including Neil Gaiman himself, who admitted to loving the franchise in a blog entry not long ago. Tom Siddell (who openly speaks of his series to fans and critics alike) has stated that he has an end in mind for the series, however, the length and events leading to that end are yet unknown by him. Here’s to hoping Siddell maintains his quality and keeps this cleanly-executed fairy-tale going weekly for a long time to come.