Miracle Force grew up! Issue 14 is a digest! What a combo! Pound for pound, issue 14 is jam packed with more action than you'll find anywhere. It's 16 pages and $2.00. I had to raise the price to compensate for the size change. In this issue, Twisted Mister causes more havok than a group of old ladies at a shoe sale! Get yours today!
Jerry Smith
3344 Horner Dr
Morristown, Tn 37814
posted by Jerry Smith @ 8:14 PM
5 Comments:
Jerry,
Anything that's on a computer just doesn't exist to me, because theres is no way I'll ever see it. Anyones comic deserves the few minutes and a stamp it takes to write a L.O.C., but if it requires hundreds of dollars of electronic gizmos and a monthly fee, then that counts me out. Another reason to avoid the internet for me is the large amount of people I have seen become addicted to it! From what I've seen, e-mail is rapidly dumbing down correspondence too! Communication by letters provides room for depth. E-mail kicks it down to the level of "Good job", "Keep it up". That is worthless!
Anyway, I love Miracle Force but am very disappointed at the lettercol ending! The art is steadly improving, Jerry. The inking is improving, and the use of black areas is getting stronger. The balance of positive + negative space needs more, but it is getting there. Even the lettering has taken on a consistancy of style that makes it enjoyable. My biggest art tip would be that you really need to work on the word balloon lines.
Your stories are unpredictable, fast paced and highly entertaining. You're better than most modern writers at doing dialogue in dialect, accents and so on! It was a good choice to have Moss Minotaur speak in archaic english--but you need to get the tenses of the words right. Plus, you've been using the word "Atlas" when I think you mean "Alas", which is an expression of regret. At one point in issue 12 Moss Minotaur says"Oh...thine head" when he is referring to his own head. "Thine" means "Your". He should've said "Mine".Small errors but they really pull the reader out of the story.
The Shadow Beast/ Lugmutt connection and all that has happened from and about it is amazing! You have a limitless imagination of a child, Jerry. Believe me, that's a huge compliment!
Larry Blake
[ Thanks for the great letter, Larry! I had to edit most of it. Larry wrote me a 5 page letter about Miracle Force! I tried to use the best points he made. I'm sorry about losing the letters page, Folks. Larry hit the nail on the head though, no one writes letters much anymore. I thought the page would be better suited for the extra page of story.
Jerry
Digest!!! Yes! This was a great surprise and I think it was a great move, mostly because we get, as you said, more book for the bucks. Of course another excellent issue, but what struck me was that this seemed to have a much darker tone to it. From the cover itself to Twisted Mister’s killing spree, this wasn’t the carefree Miracle Force I’m accustomed to. Not that I’m complaining, mind you, I enjoyed it immensely. There’s more of a sense of urgency to it now, there seems to be more at stake, and because this is Miracle Force and anything can happen and often does, I get the feeling that something bad could really happen to one of our heroes. So another great job! And I loved the opening letter. That sucks that publishing companies aren’t smart enough to realize what a goldmine Miracle Force is, but it is so great to hear you have such a positive outlook on everything. You’re following your dream and that’s the most important thing. Keep ‘em coming!
Jason DeGroot
[Thanks Doug and Jason! Jason makes a very good point, this issue is darker than most MF comics. Issue 15 will conclude this current arc and will be just as dark. Not to worry though, there's zanyness abound in the future! Just wait until you get a load of the super-villian team, Earth,Wind,and Fire!]
Jerry
Jerry,
Another fine issue! Pablo's story was quite moving. Bigger pages, smaller art, now there's an unusual trend, but nevertheless, it looks great. Keep 'em coming buddy!
Bruce
Good job. Keep it up.
(heheh)
Seriously, good job. Keep it up. The new format is great, but I do admit I was digging the minis. I think there is a shortage of great minis out there. Not just the one-shot minis (of which there are scads and scads), but mini-comics series.
But this does give you more wiggle room and definitely lends itself more readily to reprinting options.
Jerry,
Your editorial in the latest MF really hit home with me. It's too bad that most people will never read these words. For in this one short page you sum up the secret to a happy and prosperous life. Yeah, Man! You've got to live life doing the things that make you happy. Travel, draw, sing, walk in the woods, and everything else while you're alive, cause in the words of William Shatner, "You're gonna die!"
I'm sorry that publishers aren't clamoring to publish your collaboration with Terry Flippo, (I for one am anxious to see it) but if for some reason no one does, you've still worked together to create what is sure to be a beautiful work of art.
I guess I agree with your assessment of the faults in your artwork, and yet in spite of problems with perspective and drawing hands you are consistently an artist. It's that honest, true-to-yourself nature that makes you a creative, occasionally brilliant comic artist. You throw caution to the wind, let it fly and produce some truley wonderful stuff that is paradoxically above and beyond your own ability. You'll never be Frank Miller, but he'll never be Jerry Smith. It's that individuality that makes the art so diverse. When it comes to that most basic goal of personal expression, (which is the essence of art) there are no rules. For what it's worth, I like the way you draw hands.
Mike Tuz
p.s. I liked the hommage to "The Scream".
[Thanks Mike. This letter really made me feel good. I bet I've reread it 10 times since I recieved it. It's because of Folk's like you, Mike that I do comics and don't collect stamps.
Jerry]
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