Broken Frontier

As a new writer, it seems kind of lucky to have the opportunity to work on a dream job so early in my career.

Legacy was the comic that introduced Dabel Brothers Production—at the time going by the name of Roaring Studios—to fantasy fans back in mid 2003. When I say that the book introduced me to Les and Ernst Dabel, that is exactly what I mean. A short time after I wrote in a fan letter, one that was printed in the back on Legacy #2, I was on staff at DB Pro.

As soon as I decided that I really wanted to write comics, I decided that I really wanted to write Legacy. Something about the book spoke to me and I prefer to think that it is because it is a sweeping fantasy set in a world with sci-fi overtones, rather than the fact that the book is about a boy who committed heinous crimes and is now seeking absolution of his sins…

But what do you do with a burning passion to write a book that you have nothing to do with—especially when you have never professionally written in comics before?

You put up your hand.

In May of last year, I sent off a pitch to Ernst and Les Dabel, presenting a “prequel” to the Legacy series, a one-shot story I called Legacy: Rebellion. Working on this project has been an eye-opening experience. Along the way we have had an artist vanishing and have been dogged by delays—but now, the rebellion is coming!

“So far, as they say, so good. I’m having a great experience with Dabel Brothers, Les and Ernst. And with you Jason.” Not only can he draw, but Jason Metcalf, the artist for Legacy: Rebellion also knows how to shell out the compliments!

So, how is Jason finding working from my script? “With Legacy, the story and script were fairly straight-forward and have been great to work with. I tend to read through a script a few times loosely, to get an overall feel and flavor for the thrust of it, the mood, the tone. How dark or how light a story is will help determine amounts of darkness or light I’ll toss onto a page, unless specifically outlined in the script. I’m really into feeling something when you read or watch a movie: the story has to stir emotion, fear, anger, joy—something. It’s in this provocation that art becomes interactive.”

In many ways, this story is an angry one and about the channeling of that emotion.

“So, after I’ve read the script, I’ll go back through it and sketch in the margins or in the header or footer space—anywhere there’s room—loose thumbnails of each panel and page. I’ve been sending these to Les and Jason to see if there are any problems they see, anything they would like to come out of the page more, or if I left anything important out.”

Luckily, so far, everything has been great.

“No problems yet, and a big part of that is because the script is worked out so well! Some writers are very loose and ambiguous in their writing, while others will describe every agonizing detail. I find this script to be very much to my liking, right in the middle. There’s enough info there to know everything I need to show in the page, and enough freedom to play with camera angles, panel sizes and such to help the pages ebb and flow with the story.  

“Then, it’s off to finished pencils. I take the inked-up thumbnail sheets with me to Kinko’s and blow them up to full 11" x 17" size copies. Then I take them home, and use my lightbox to transfer the layouts onto my 2-ply Bristol for finished work, also 11" x 17".  I do the transferring loosely with my 3H lead pencil, which is usually what I work with.

“All that’s left is to crank out the page. This seems like a long and tedious process, but all the layout work up front saves a ton of time and guesswork as I finish out the pages.”

I’m just exhausted reading about the process. Working so closely with an artist as talented as Jason has given me a whole new insight into a penciler’s creative process. I am also honored that someone can put so much effort into bringing my story to life. One of the most exciting things about working with Jason is that DB Pro has decided this is going straight to color from the pencils—a process that I really enjoy as the raw energy of the artist’s creativity remains untouched.

“Since this project is going straight from pencils to color, I’ve been paying more and more attention to the tonal quality of my pencils as well, trying to keep it all relatively equal from the solid blacks, to figure outlines, to all the little details.” And it shows.

After reading my ramblings for a year now, you know more than enough about me, but who is Jason Metcalf?

“Hmmm. Where to begin? When I was three, my grandfather actually showed me that you could take this thing called a pencil and actually draw things you see with it. Around the age of four, I started looking at some of my dad’s old comics. Old Batman comics, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Space Ranger, I fell in love with them. 

“Then one afternoon on the way home from my grandparents’ house, we stopped for groceries and my dad bought me my first set of comics: an old Freedom Fighters, Super Villains, and Super Friends 3-pack from DC.  I started drawing super heroes shortly after.”

Luckily, Jason kept at it; even if from time to time the real world gets in the way.

“I’ve been working as a project manager in construction for nine years now, with my evenings and weekends free to draw. I’ve done some ink assists on The Darkness and Magdelena, alongside Joe Weems over pencils by Dave Finch and Joe Benitez, and some pinup and cover work here and there for small publishers.”

I certainly know what it is like when the real world gets in the way.

“The past four years, I’ve concentrated more and more seriously on my pencils, on comics, on storytelling, with the very real intent of leaving my current career behind me and doing nothing but drawing. 

“I’ve been behind the table at upwards of 30 comic book shows, mostly selling pinups, doing sketches, landing commissions and showing off my portfolio. My genre of choice is fantasy, which is what drew me to Dabel Brothers, who host a formidable lineup of quality fantasy titles. 

“A couple years back I had a great conversation with Mike Miller (Hedge Knight), who was very encouraging and insightful, and it was then I became aware of DB Pro.  This last November, I bought a scanner and started posting my work on various online boards, and generated immediate interest. Legacy: Rebellion offered a great platform, very suitable to my style, and very much up my alley as far as it being fantasy based.”

So, Jason and I are a perfect creative match, as fantasy is my preferred story-telling genre.  

In [the future], ideally, I'd hope to be working on a high-profile fantasy book, or my own title (I do have one fleshed out), and not have to worry about leaking sprinkler lines, cracked slabs, and schedule delays in construction any longer!  With a wife to keep happy and a mortgage to pay, I do have my financial obligations.”

I know how Jason feels, juggling career and comics, as well as family, is the chief reason why I am writing this column at 10:30 pm at night, on the day after the column is due.

So, stay sharp as the rebellion is coming. More than anything though, Legacy: Rebellion needs your support. The book should debut online at the DB Pro website this fall. However, the only way this can ever become a printed comic is if we have your support. Once the comic goes live, we need hits and you to read it!

Right now, you can find out more about Legacy: Rebellion at the project’s forum.