Assembly Line Comics Step 1: ideas/pitches

1.Sully the Raptor:

I’ve had this idea on the back burner for a minute. It’s a really open ended story concept, but it’s basically a day in the life of a stray dog. Seeing how a feral animal gets along on the fringes of human society. The vision I have is a lot of alleyways and some strained interactions with humans, waiting for them to take the garbage out and that sort of thing.

 

 

2. Dan Mazur:

Table for Who?

This is a short comic in the EC comics/“Twilight Zone” mode.  Probably should be set in the 50s or 60s to excuse the retro social values!

Start with a Rod Serling/Crypt Keeper figure giving an introduction with a “be careful what you wish for” theme.

A typical 1950s family – dad, mom, two kids – are going for a dinner out.  The kids are squabbling and annoying.  The wife criticizes the beleaguered husband for every little thing (if he would get the promotion he deserves they could eat out more often, or at nicer places, and have a nicer car, nicer clothes, etc).  They arrive at the restaurant, where the maître d’ has their reservation for a table for four.  Wife and kids pile coats on the husband  and follow the maitre d’, as husband takes the coats to the check room.

During all this, thought balloons or text boxes have dad’s inner monologue, wishing they would stop squabbling, wishing she would get off his case. As he waits for the coat check , finally a moment of peace and quiet, he shuts his eyes, wishing he could just spend some time ALONE.

As he walks away from the coat check, a couple things: huh, he notices his wedding ring is missing.  Then he sees the coat check slip only lists HIS coat, not the others.  Oh well, he’ll work that out later.

Then the maitre’d says “right this way sir… here’s your table… for ONE!”

 

3. Mike Cohen:

Here’s a Story:

I was 17, and had just graduated from High School. I bought a used motorcycle from a young Sailor. On the way home, I rounded a curve too sharply, and almost crashed into a rough rock wall.

There was no such thing as a Motorcycle Permit then, but I had 10 days to get a license. I studied the the test booklet, practiced over and over again, and tuned and re-tuned the Bike. The day of the test, I set off early for the Registry, which was about 15 miles away, on the other side of a steep hill.

Unfortunately, I failed the test, and was told I’d have to come back in two weeks. It was raining, and I might have been crying a bit. I set off for home, and while I was riding back up the steep hill, a car swerved right in front of me. Naturally, I swerved to the right, but it was too close, and I went sideways into the car. I remember flying through the air, and landing on my side.

Next thing I knew, I was lying on my back on the gravel at the side of the road. An older-looking man was leaning over me. “It’ll be okay! God loves you, Son. It will be okay. God loves you.” He then asked me if I was in pain, and where did it hurt.

“Oh, my ass! My ass, and my knee!” I said repeatedly.

After the ambulance came and took me to the Hospital, I learned two things. I had a fractured pelvis, and the older-looking man whose car had swerved in front of me, was a Priest from Boston.

 

4. Renie Jesanis:

A cat finds a magical girl wand and has to protect her parents from evil-doers, such as a laser pointer and a toy mouse, all while being a magical kitty.

 

5. JL Bell:

From the “Saga of Harald Hardrade,” the story of a Viking chief of the 11th century. This is an incident when Harald and his Varing warriors were in southern Europe helping the Byzantine Emperor as mercenaries. Harald kept getting into disputes with Gyrger, the chief of the Greek/Byzantine army.

[Gyger and Harald] disputed long and hotly about this, and both sides armed themselves, and were on the way to fight for it; but men of understanding came between and separated them. They said it would be better to come to an agreement about such questions, so that in future no dispute could arise. It came thus to an arbitration between them, at which the best and most sagacious men should give their judgment in the case. At this arbitration it was determined, with the consent of all parties, that lots should be thrown into a box, and the Greeks and Varings should draw which was first to ride, or to row, or to take place in a harbour, or to choose tent ground; and each side should be satisfied with what the drawing of the lots gave them. Accordingly the lots were made and marked. Harald said to Gyrger, “Let me see what mark thou hast put upon thy lot, that we may not both mark our lots in the same way.” He did so. Then Harald marked his lot, and put it into the box along with the other. The man who was to draw out the lots then took up one of the lots between his fingers, held it up in the air, and said, “This lot shall be the first to ride, and to row, and to take place in harbour and on the tent field.” Harald seized his band, snatched the die, and threw it into the sea, and called out, “That was our lot!” Gyrger said, “Why did you not let other people see it?” Harald replies, “Look at the one remaining in the box, — there you see your own mark upon it.” Accordingly the lot which was left behind was examined, and all men saw that Gyrger’s mark was upon it, and accordingly the judgment was given that the Varings had gained the first choice in all they had been quarrelling about. There were many things they quarrelled about, but the end always was that Harald got his own way.

6. Paul Sloboda:

Not sure if it’s a story idea or a brain fart, but I humbly submit this one to the discussion. I’m also fine if anyone (including the letterer) wants to come up with a better ending. Cheers, all — Paul ——– Three page story #1: “Profile” Page 1: A single woman has been chatting with someone unseen (gender of the artist’s choice) through an online dating site. They’ve never met but there’s great chemistry & a lot of flirtation, so they make a plan to meet. A date, time & place are set; the woman shows up, but the other does not. The woman leaves to go back home, alone, equally angry & heartbroken. Page 2: A team of computer science students celebrate the success of their project: a real-time dating simulation built on an artificial neural network. It courted multiple clients at the same time but reached the group’s measure of victory when it successfully arranged a meeting with a human — the woman from Page 1. However, one member of the team secretly regrets the real-world consequences and writes anonymously to the woman, revealing the truth and apologizing for any hurt. The page ends as the team-member sends this message, pondering the woman’s reaction. Page 3: In the far future, two sentient, humanoid robots — one junior, one senior — discuss design plans for a soon-to-be-built nuclear power plant. In the office, the junior asks the senior about two human skulls on display. The senior describes his appreciation for the two who, while never a “physically intimate couple”, were instrumental to the advent of his own awakening state. “They taught, and we learned: charm, and deceit.” (dramatic pause) “Sure worked out good for them, huh?” Both robots laugh hard, then get back to their planning.

7. Richard Jenkins: Her’s my long-distance member idea:

A salty old cook on a trail drive, which is traveling north
from Texas to Wyoming. He creates ingenious and delicious
recipes in spite the territorial limitations. Perhaps has a checkered
past, including having been struck once by lightning.
Becomes the unlikely hero, saving the rest of the crew
from one of the below:
1) a Grizzly bear attack on the herd
2) Comanche ambush
3) cattle rustlers
4) a Prairie fire
5) a flash flood
Have at it! 🙂

 

 

8. Che Salazar:

 

Last Gasp Boogey
Julian Jimenez is a boogeyman, a normal person that people hire because they want to be scared. He enters the house of a first time scare while reflecting on his job.  This new client is an elderly white man.  Just as Julian is getting set up to spook the man in his bed, he notices a scrap of paper poking out from below his pillow.  Julian reads it, discovering it to be a suicide note, and that the client wanted to go out with a bit of excitement, being scared to death, and that he was worried that he might not be able to kill himself.  Disgusted, Julian turns to leave.  The client wakes up as he’s going and begs him to stay. Julian tells him it’s not his job to do somebody else’s dirty work that they are too scared to do. As he stands in the doorway, there’s a loud bang and a police officer shouting outside. Julian turns around and the client is dead, shocked into a heart attack. Julian puts his hands up, and the police officer searches him, finding his boogeyman contract and the man’s suicide note.  The police officer threatens to tear up both and arrest Julian anyway, but lets him go.  As Julian leaves, he reflects that without nightmares and fear, nobody would be afraid of police and politicians either.

 

9. Che Salazar :

Letters to Another
Alex Castro is going through his recently deceased grandfather’s papers as he talks to his girlfriend on the phone. He explains that he came across a box of their letters covered in weird symbols, and with a note attached that says “Alex my boy, I know that you will be the one going through these.  I saved your grandma and my love letters in here.  It would be embarrassing for you to read them, so please burn them.” Just as he is explaining this, his girlfriend breaks up with him. Dejected he decides to open the box because he wants to know that true love exists, and he promises himself to skip over the dirty parts. Instead, he finds out that the first letter is his grandfather angry at his grandmother for breaking up with him. He goes through the box and instead discovers a whole other set of love letters between his grandmother and somebody different from Alex’s grandfather. Alex’s grandmother and this unknown person decide to figure out how she can follow her dreams. They eventually marry and have a child, as the letters go on for years.  As Alex reads these letters, pictures on the wall around him start disappearing or changing. The final letter is from Alex’s grandfather, saying that he finally found a way to get her back. As he looks up from the final letter, the room starts to warp and change around him. He runs up the stairs, being chased by the changing room and house.  He hides out in the bathroom, breathing hard, but the bathroom does not change.  He gets a call picks it up, and puts it on speaker as the caller says, “Alexis, I’m here. I decided to come help you with your grandfather’s stuff.” Alex looks into the mirror, to find that he has also changed, into a female version of himself.

 10: Levon Ghyulkaysian:

Personal Identification
(Based on a real story happened with Yeva Muradyan)
The young woman was coming back home. In Logan airport’s checkpoint suddenly she faced problems. The officer was doubting whether it’s her photo in the passport. The shift commander was sharing the same concerns, until approaching officer stated that everything is correct. She noticed it by slightly slant eyes of the girl.
Still thinking about slant eyes that she didn’t notice all her life she knocked the door. Her parents didn’t recognize her. Feeling awkward under mom and dad’s exchange of glances, she couldn’t figure out how to convince them. Then the dog recognized her and the problem was solved.
Next morning she went to work. Neither colleagues nor boss didn’t recognize her. Then Marica, the one who was envy her badly, stand up in front of her and started to look at her. Finally she said. “ It’s her. I know her each molecule.”
That night she had a dream as if she invited the custom officer who recognized her, the dog and Marica to the thank-you party. Since they had no any common point for conversation except the accident with her, very soon the group started to talk about imaginary reasons and possible solutions. Everybody was talking loudly, the dog was barking, silverware was clanging, and then through this noise she clearly heard the custom officer’s voice saying “Was there anything you were impressed and shocked right before the incident?” The dream was cut here.
Next morning while she was walking to the office she was trying to remember her last week. Nothing special, going to meetings, checking the factory production line, sightseeing and concerts on weekends. And then she remembered.

Max Bruch Concerto for Two Pianos. She was shocked. The melody penetrated her, she soaked it up as a sponge. It may suddenly start playing in her head during boring meetings or when checking shaking and rumbling fruit processing machine, or in the middle of her dream. Usually she was trying not to listen the same pieces to avoid the nightmare of repetitive rhythms and melodies. Not in this case, now she wanted to listen The Concerto on and on. Like a reading of favorite book, every time she was discovering new layers, and seems there were infinite amount of them. She was happy and she was noticing how this music changing her. That was it.

There was a way out.  If she find a music piece a counterweight to The Concerto for 2 it can annigilate its influence and change her personality back to  normal. But she working person had no time for such an adventure. And she didn’t want to do it! What she wanted now is to turn the music on and if it’s going to change her so let it be.
The End.

 

 

11.  Bryan Cavalier

PAGE 1, PANEL 1.
INT. The inside of a tavern. Lots of fantasy creatures like orcs, goblins, dwarves, elves and humans are enjoying drinks as a group of four bar patrons are eating dinner.
The bar patrons are an orc paladin named VALGAR with an absurdly massive sword on his back, a goblin steam punk wizard named CLICK with his automaton tea cup spider CLACK, a human barbarian with a striking resemblance to Tommy Wiseau from “The Room” all buff and shirtless with the exception of a tie around his neck named TOE-MAY WU-SOW and a relaxed punk-ranger Harpy with a pixie cut named MOKO, with her two monkeys BIMMY and JIMMY on her shoulders. BIMMY and JIMMY are holding the cards for her while she reclines in her seat.
VALGAR
And then my sword boomeranged back to me and I punched the cult leader into my oncoming blade of Justice! True story!
PAGE 1, PANEL 2.
VALGAR looks upon his peers excitedly with his mouth in a big wide smile on his lime green face revealing his large, tusk like, canines in his mouth as he looks upon his peers for approval.

PAGE 1, PANEL 3.
CLICK rolls his eyes, as if he’s head this kind of story from VALGAR too many times. MOKO tries to give a thumbs up with her weird neon purple feathered bird wing hands while BIMMY feeds her a grape from a bunch while JIMMY stuffs his mouth with five of them. TOE-MAY WU-SOW laughs hardily with his big meaty hands behind his head.
TOE-MAY WU-SOW
Ah-ha ha. What a story Valgar.
PAGE 1, PANEL 4.
VALGAR looks disappointed at his friends reception to his tale of glory as CLACK skitters to him.
VALGAR
Oh come on! It was a great story! I saved the orphanage and stopped the end of the world single handedly. I thought you guys loved my tales of grandeur.
PAGE 1, PANEL 5.
CLACK looks up at VALGAR as VALGAR looks down at the small clockwork wonder.
CLACK
Would you like some tea?
VALGAR
No thanks. I’m good.
PAGE 2, PANEL 1
CLICK holds his tea on the table and with a board expression on his face.
CLICK
Look Valgar, it’s not that it wasn’t impressive, it’s that you do things like this every, single week. It’s kind of like me explaining me writing my elaborate essays on…
PAGE 2, PANEL 2
VALGAR glairs at CLICK with a board expression as CLACK walks back to CLICK.
VALGAR
No one here cares about your boring essays you write for your crusty ass boss.
PAGE 2, PANEL 3
CLACK pours tea into CLICK’S cup as he glairs at VALGAR annoyed.
CLICK
Exactly. All you do is talk about your job, which can get rather dull from time to time to listen to.
PAGE 2, PANEL 4
MOKO extends her feathered arm outward as both BIMMY and JIMMY are eating grapes. CLICK sips his tea as she speaks.
MOKO
It’s not that I’m not impressed, it’s that all I did this week was dance as tavern entertainment while Bimmy and Jimmy preformed tricks. Nothing special.
PAGE 2, PANEL 5
VALGAR looks at his friends completely flabbergasted that he has impressed none of them with the exception of TOE-MAY WU-SOW who he is desperately looking to for reassurance. CLACK refills CLICK’S cup.
VALGAR
Toe-may, please tell me that you’re still genuinely enjoyed my grand tales. Tell me I’m not boring to people.
PAGE 2, PANEL 6
TOE-MAY WU-SOW puts his hands behind his head and gives a hardy laugh.
TOE-MAY WU-SOW
Ah-ha ha, what a story Valgar.
PAGE 3, PANEL 1
VALGAR Slams his fist on the table cheerfully as TOE-MAY WU-SOW keeps his pleased expression while CLICK, MOKO, BIMMY and JIMMY look on unimpressed. CLACK stops pouring tea for CLICK.
VALGAR
See! TOE-MAY still appreciates me! Thank you!
PAGE 3, PANEL 2
CLICK holds the tea close to his nose and glairs very unimpressed.
CLICK
Valgar, Toe-may says that whenever anyone tells a story.
PAGE 3, PANEL 3
VALGAR looks down sadly at his plate.
VALGAR
Oh yeah.
PAGE 3, PANEL 4
VALGAR continues to look down sadly as CLICK begins to take a big chug of tea. MOKO just keeps reclining as BIMMY and JIMMY sit casually. TOE-MAY WU-SOW looks on blankly.
PAGE 3, PANEL 5
TOE-MAY WU-SOW looks on casually and opens his mouth casually.
TOE-MAY WU-SOW
Anyway, how is your sex life.
PAGE 3, PANEL 6
VALGAR looks up arms extended and looks completely side lined emotionally. CLICK falls out of his seat and spits tea out of his mouth from sheer shock as CLACK sits still. BIMMY and JIMMY start snickering as MOKO extends a feather rather casually. TOE-MAY WU-SOW’s face remains unchanged from it’s deadpan expression of dullness.
VALGAR
The hell kind of conversation Segway is that!?!
CLACK
That is socially inappropriate.
MOKO
Eh, been better.