[Ground Floor is a blog series where I'm developing a new comic before your very eyes, from beginning to completion and publication. Previous installments here.]
The results are in and we have a winner! The Ground Floor comic will be a Comedy comic.
Now it’s time for your input again. Here are three bare-bones pitches I’ve developed over the weekend for a 32-page comic comic:
- Dan Dodger: Professional Decoy - Is a rampaging dragon threatening your city? Are aliens about to invade? Is your country at the mercy of a mad super-villain bent on world domination? Is there a way to stop them, but just not enough time to pull it off? If only you could buy a few extra minutes to put your plan into action…. Look no further, because now you can buy those extra minutes! Just call: DAN DODGER: PROFESSIONAL DECOY, for all your decoy, diversion and distraction needs. Call for your free estimate today! 1-800-55-DECOY (Fully licensed and insured. Results may vary. Dan Dodger is a fully trained professional. If you encounter a dragon, invading alien army or megalomaniacal super-villain, do not attempt to decoy. Dial 911 and seek immediate shelter.)
- Billy’s New School - Moving sucks. Going to a new school can be a real drag. Especially if the school’s in another dimension. Especially if you’re the only human and the only reason you’re there is your dad’s job. What if you don’t get any of the jokes? What if you leave your lunch on the bus-ship and have to eat in the cafeteria? What if that cute purple jelly in 3rd period keeps looking at you (or just sort of jelly-ing in your general direction?) and making you all nervous? What if your universal translator breaks? What if you can’t figure out which is the sink and which is the toilet in the bathroom…or how to work either? What if? Think Peanuts
or Tiny Titans
- The Mascot Chronicles - We all know being a mascot at a theme park or for a sports team can be a hot, difficult business. But what if you’re the mascot for a superhero team? Or space pirates? Or worse? Can pleasing a crowd be a super power? Can entertaining make you a hero?
[UPDATE - About 12 hours after putting up this post, I now think I would've titled this pitch Transfer]
So which one do you want to see? Selection will be handled the same way it was last week. Simply leave your choice in a comment below. Voting will remain open until midnight PST this Friday October 3rd. In the unlikely event of a tie, my own vote will be a tie-breaker.
Here’s your chance to be heard! Make your voice known! And spread the word…the more votes the better! It is an election year, after all.
I vote for Dan Dodger. I love the premise, and am jealous of it! Great work, Caleb!
I think Dan Dodger is the best, but man, that name makes me cringe. Billy’s New School is kind of old hat, and seems more like a kid’s book…comedy would be a little stale there. Mascot Chronicles could be good, but the concept of DD is fantastic.
Dan Dodger!
Just for the record, Billy’s New School is meant to come across as a kid’s book…it’s an all-ages comedy.
Seems we have a definite early favorite here, but there’s still plenty of time to vote!
Dan Dodger beats Billy by a small margin for me.
Mascot Chronicles
Mascot Chronicles.
Gotta do with Dan Dodger, tho I would love to read a low-key book like the Mascot Chronicles (though, in your hands, the chance for sickening violence always looms). Three interesting choices.
Dan Dodger is the man for me!!
I want to see exactly WHAT could possibly distract from the invading dragon et al
E
Tally so far:
8 votes total
1. Dan Dodger (6 votes)
2. Mascot Chronicles (2 votes)
3. Billy’s New School (0 votes)
If Billy or Mascot’s your favorite, don’t despair. Get out there and find friends with similar tastes. Campaign for their votes! The more people voting, the more interesting.
Still three more days of polling to go, until midnight PST this Friday the 3rd.
Dan Dodger for me.
Maybe it’s the jelly, but Billy appealed to me right away. So if I’m voting for that it’s not out of spite or to show how independent a spirit I am. I wanna see that, is all.
Transfer (Billy) is a great concept! Put my vote in for Billy.
Dan Dodger. No contest.
I’ll go against the grain by voting for Billy’s New School for the following reason:
It will make for a great series, since there’s so much to explore on various levels. The physical comedy is on the outside for the obvious fish-out-of-water entertainment, but there’s a potentially rich undercurrent of adolescent and existentialist issues (fitting in, peer pressure, prejudice, etc.). Lots of avenues for character growth and development. Lots of great life lessons that can be learned, making it great material for young adults.
If all we’re looking for is a quick laugh, then Dan Dodger is tops. If we want a book that’s both funny and insightful, then Billy is it.
My two cents.
Billy
I’m gonna say Mascot Chronicles, which sounds like it has potential for comedy and profundity in equal measure.
TRANSFER makes a better title than the previous one.
Dan Dodger!
Voting is now closed and the results are in.