Dino Caruso - Shawn Richter Production Blog

Gryfalcon web special

2012-01-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

Just the pencils for now.

The beer is Mightier than the Sword...

2011-12-28T16:10:00.000-08:00

Three pints, a split plate of nachos and ten pages later. What a productive night!

We're In!

2011-11-26T08:36:00.000-08:00

Shawn and I have had our one-pager (titled NO QUARTER) accepted to the One and Done anthology, which is being put out by the fine folks at Invest Comics. Here's a rundown on the contents of the book...

Digital Viking Colour Sketch Tease

2011-11-19T18:26:00.001-08:00

Yeah, I don't know what that title means either. S

Call... and response!

2011-09-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Dino,I'm here to respond to that question of yours in the previous post, since you seem to think that it might be interesting for people to see how my addled mind works. So anyway, yes, let's get geeky! HUZZAH!

So, in the first panel, in the rough, we're seeing similar, yet slightly different layout and figure work. Ok, well, first of all, I rough completely out of my brain box, no reference, whatever, so this is just kind of an idea of what I want to draw at that stage. So then, when it comes to the final page, I do reference. For this panel, I went on YouTube and found videos of bo staff fighting. I freeze framed one of the videos to a spot I thought looked somewhat dynamic and drew that panel using that as a reference. Also, I wanted the figures to be a bit smaller, so there would be more room for action and dialogue/captions. Finally, we had agreed that we were going to (and pardon me if I reveal too much here, you can go an edit it out later, if you like):

...thumb it out, and we could agrue and scream at each other over panel sizes and such while I come up with the dialogue.Any thoughts about where to put the credits? I'll come up with a short title.It'd be neat to try and work it in with an Eisnery type of style...work the title in to one of the panels organically. Also...if you have any thoughts about changing the panel layout or condensing some of my stage directions, please go for it. You're got great instincts! This'll be lots of fun. Thanks for coming in with me. It's nice to get the band back together again.D.

...from an email you sent me, so I had my marching orders. You had given me a rough idea of where the story was going, but left it to me. I didn't have a title at the time I did the rough, but knew that I needed to leave room for it in the final art (great title, by the way!). So that necessitated a change as well, in that opening panel.

In panel two, I initially had the figure a bit smaller, but wanted to emphasize the alien judges, so made everything a bit bigger. My only regret about doing that is...

...the samey-ness of the figures in panels 2 and 3. To get around that a bit, I tried to make the panel more visually interesting, by giving it a bit of a tilt. This also allowed more room for the background alien figure we can see lying in defeat.

I can't really talk about the last two panels to much, (so as not to spoil the story) other than to say that you caught on that I had missed a crucial element in the ending, and so I had to change the ending a bit, to make it work better visually. Perhaps we can revisit this when the book drops and people are able to read the print copy. Of course, it's still not perfect, but then, what in life is? And it IS fun, so we have that going for us.

So, I guess that answers some of the questions about how this all works. Hopefully we can get a few more of these projects off the ground, and do some more of these process posts. What do you think?

Calling Shawn out!

2011-09-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Shawn,
Can I get geeky here? I'm really curious about your process. When I look at the second version of the one-pager and compare it to the first draft (from a couple of posts ago)...I'm wondering how you came to make the changes you made. Could you go panel-by-panel, and explain the differences (or similarities) between the two versions? I'm always interested in the storytelling process, and I'd love to get your insights.

But...don't spoil those last couple of panels. Not yet, anyway.

Thanks!

No Quarter!

2011-08-29T11:15:00.001-07:00

Something Dino and I came up with for this anthology, so hopefully you'll see it there. If not, I'll post up the "untainted version" after September 15th.

Review mania!!!

2011-08-23T03:58:00.000-07:00

Some nice words about FISK from this site.

This is a fun story that looks to be a great lead in to a series with many adventures to come.

One Pager

2011-08-22T03:15:00.000-07:00

Shawn and I are working on a one-pager for an anthology. The working title is NO QUARTER.

Here are the layouts for the first draft (with spoiler vision at the end).

The pacing, if there is such a thing in a one-pager, has changed a bit so this isn't the final version. Maybe Shawn can whip up a bit of that vaseline-on-the-camera trick for our current model.

I was having a hard time coming up with a title. NO QUARTER is obviously an awesome Zep tune, but it also means:

A victor gives no quarter when the victor shows no clemency or mercy and refuses to spare the life in return for the surrender at discretion (unconditional surrender) of a vanquished opponent.

An interesting review of FISK number 1

2011-08-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the whole thing. There are lots of nice words about Shawn's awesome illustrations, including:

a gorgeous, great looking cover with the eyes of Mr. Fisk somehow piercing through his sunglasses staring back at me.

and

great action scenes

and

the art is very good especially considering it is an indie black and white comic

My favourite bit in the interview is this line:

I felt like I was reading the dialogue of a Spider-Man comic in the adventures of a Scooby Doo mystery

Awesome! That's pretty much exactly what I was going for!

Interview

2011-02-28T19:51:00.000-08:00

Dino interviews Shawn!
Click here to check it out.

Another FISK Review

2011-01-23T19:16:00.000-08:00

Blog Monster, the review site for Evil Genius Comics, gives FISK: S.U.B.S.T.I.T.U.T.E HERO a nice review.

Click here to check it out.

(cross-posted from my blog)

A good review from the tomb...

2011-01-03T17:10:00.001-08:00

From The Tomb gave FISK the "thumbs up".

Decapitated Dan had this to say:

In all honesty this book was a lot of fun. It does what any good intro issue should do, by introducing the reader to the cast and giving them a little back story. The action in this book was probably the highlight though. I think that what I was able to walk away with was some mystery and definitely some intrigue into wanting to read the next issue for sure.

(cross-posted to www.carusocomics.blogspot.com)

and furthermore...

2010-10-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Those pages (see the previous post) look absoultely beautiful...I really dig the "redfire" (hmmm...maybe that's what I'll call it) effect after he pops the capsule.

Big props to Shawn and colourist Dave Bryant (http://davebryantgo.blogspot.com/)for the awesome artwork.

And you should also check out Shawn's newest project here...very worthwhile indeed.

Colour versions!

2010-10-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Just pages three and four for now...

Another top secret page!

2010-03-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

"Bulletproof" page 3:

They're out there

2010-03-11T18:20:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned last July (!), Shawn and I both have projects in Ape Entertainment's UFO Anthology.

Mine can be accessed here.

Shawn's can be accessed here.

Take a look!

Aaaaand....we're back

2010-03-10T19:56:00.001-08:00

Here's something to look at...page two of Bulletproof.

Together...but not really

2009-07-11T19:31:00.001-07:00

Here's some cool news...Shawn and I will both be appearing in APE Entertainment's UFO Anthology, but not in the same story.

Cryptic? Or just poorly worded?

Stay tuned for more information...

Breaking the Silence

2009-05-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we posted something here. Nice to be back!

Yesterday's sneak peek from Shawn is part of a proposal we're putting together. For now, we're calling it BULLETPROOF. It's a project that Shawn and I have been talking about for quite a while...and the timing is finally right for us to go forward with it.

We'll keep you updated.

Sneak Peek

2009-05-29T08:05:00.001-07:00

Soon my friends...soon

2008-10-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is an updated edition, with new content and a dynamite introduction by Joshua Hale Fialkov, of Elk's Run fame.

A new FISK page!

2008-02-07T22:18:00.000-08:00

I think this kind of sums up the first issue... ;)

Canadian cash

2008-02-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a shot of Bags counting the Canadian money.

baseball north

2008-01-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

More proof of the Canadian roots of AGAINST THE WALL...

Strong and Free

2007-12-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

Against The Wall is set in Canada. Want proof? Let's see what we can find...

Ah, here's one: Bags flips a coin to see who hits first in the game between Dalton and Stu. Look at that caribou.

video goodness

2007-12-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

Here's a video that Shawn put together for another one of his projects titled "ONE LAST SONG".

there's that guy again

2007-12-06T20:32:00.000-08:00

Here's that guy again. This time with a speaking role. I think he's becoming my new favourite character in the book. He's concise and to the point...never speaking more than he needs to, if that (kind of like this story's Boba Fett). If there's ever a movie version of the book, I'm definitely going to play this dude. It'll get written into my contract for sure.

Check out...

2007-12-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

...the dude standing behind Bags. Serious 'evil-eye'.

Fisk on the phone

2007-11-24T06:59:00.001-08:00

Advertising

2007-11-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

Did I ever show this? I don't think I did. It's an ad that Shawn whipped up for another one of my books. I needed something to fill a page, and I came up with a really "un-artful" version of the above. Shawn insisted on making it all purty for me.

Thank goodness!

FISK: SUBSTITUTE HERO (pencil preview)

2007-11-05T17:20:00.001-08:00

Here are some of Shawn's pencils for the first issue of FISK. As of right now, it's planned as a four issue series. It's about a fellow who solves supernatural, paranormal and just plain weird problems that crop up at schools. Kind of like "Men in Black", but he's sort of a "Man in Tweed".

MOVING PITCHERS...HA! Get it? Pitchers??

2007-11-04T06:17:00.000-08:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I thought I'd re-post the trailer because...well, just because I like it so much.

Dino

Drawing Board

2007-11-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

It's been quiet here at the ATW production blog...too quiet. But regardless, there's been a lot going on.

1) Work continues on FISK #1. The pencils are done, and Shawn's putting ink to paper even as we speak. After that, a polish on the dialogue and words and such.

2) The final revisions for ATW have been sent off to Shawn. I've tinkered with the dialogue and the chapter breaks.

The old chapter breaks were pages of Dalton's journal that were meant to serve as narration and fill in some blanks. But in some cases, I think they gave away too much. They were plot heavy and a bit redundant. I'm hopeful that the "re-imaginings" of these pages will add to the story by giving insights into the characters. We'll see.

Check back here for updates on our progress.

Dino!

FISK: SUBSTITUTE HERO

2007-07-25T16:44:00.001-07:00

It was such a blast working with Shawn on ATW (that's AGAINST THE WALL for those of you out of the loop) that we've re-united for another project that we're calling FISK: SUBSTITUTE HERO.

Here's a look at the cover...

It's a totally different style of story than ATW. This one is a sci-fi/humour/action project. It was a lot of fun to work on. I'm biased of course, but I think this is the best job of illustrating Shawn's done yet. The plan right now is for a four issue series.

I know this blog was supposed to be dedicated solely to ATW, but I'm thinking this will be a good place to post some information and behind-the-scenes goodness about FISK too.

Paradise Toronto Comic Convention...Wonderealm Booth, 2007

2007-06-11T18:38:00.001-07:00

The 2007 Paradise Toronto Con is in the books. It was a great time. We sold some books, met lots of really cool people and got to absorb the comic book culture.

Here are some photo highlights.

Above...Shawn does a sketch of Dalton (from ATW) for a customer.

Above...Shawn works on a page of our latest project (more details soon...really).

Wow...lookit all that cool stuff on the table...

Cover Versions

2007-05-23T13:38:00.001-07:00

Pencils to Inks (part 2)

2007-05-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

I really love page 20. It's one of my favourite examples of Shawn taking the story and expanding and improving on it. The photo-style flashback and the telephone cord at the top (you'll get it when you read the book) are inspired.

Pencils to Inks (part 1)

2007-05-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a page of Shawn's gorgeous pencils, followed by the final version.

Caruso and Richter...Together Again!

2007-05-19T04:23:00.001-07:00

Here's a little teaser for a new project that Shawn and I are working on...

Check back frequently for more information.

Pop Image Review

2007-04-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Click here to read a review (not glowing, but an overall "pass") of AGAINST THE WALL posted at www.popimage.com.

"Richter’s artwork seems to be in two different styles. I really liked the opening pages with Dalton and Phyllis. It’s a little more cartoonish than we usually see from him, so it was interesting to see those muscles get flexed. The script calls for a variety of storytelling techniques and I think that Richter was successful in his attempts."

2007-04-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here's an awesome advertisement that Shawn whipped up.

Shawn Speaks Again

2007-03-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here are more interviews with Shawn.

Click here and here.

The order code for his new book (ONE LAST SONG) is Feb073275. Ask your local shop to order it. I did!

Shawn Speaks

2007-02-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

Here are some great interviews with Shawn.

Click here, here and here.

Enjoy!

Broken Frontier Review

2007-01-15T04:06:00.000-08:00

Broken Frontier gives AGAINST THE WALL a good review.
Check it out here.

Another review

2007-01-08T14:53:00.000-08:00

We received some kind words at SILVER BULLET COMICBOOKS today.
Steven Saunders (in his ALL THE RAGE column) says:

This 80 page original graphic novel is a real pleasure to read. It’s unique, interesting and downright good, which is a rare commodity these days.

Click above to read it. You'll have to scroll down to the "Indie Front" section.

Ain't it Cool to get a Review...

2007-01-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hey check this out:

A really nice read with some solid storytelling coming from Dino Caruso. Worth a peek.
- Ambush Bug

Ambush Bug gives us a thumbs up at the Aint It Cool News comic site! Talk about making your day...

alternate universe

2006-12-30T21:34:00.000-08:00

Scientists in the Caruso Comics laboratory recently made contact with an alternate universe, in which AGAINST THE WALL was published in colour! Here's a sample of what they pulled through the portal before it collapsed...

(Thanks of course to Shawn Richter...in all dimensions...for his colouring)

2006-11-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

Here's the press release.

Here's the store.

Under the Cover

2006-11-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Shawn presented me with several options for the cover. It was an incredibly difficult choice, as all the different versions were very strong. I thought it would be neat for you to see these fantastic designs.

Characters

2006-11-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

Shawn created these way cool character sketches for Dalton and Phyllis after reading the script for the first time. He knocked it out of the park in his first at bat!

His Space

2006-11-05T19:15:00.000-08:00

So look who's got his own myspace page. Can you believe the ego on this guy??

Script to Page!

2006-10-23T07:46:00.000-07:00

I thought we could show you a script - to - page sequence. Unfortuately we don't have all the middle steps here, but you can see the comparison between the original script and the finished page:

Page 16 (Seven panels. This will be a flashback section. I’m going to do this a bunch of times throughout the story. Can we have a consistent method of showing flashbacks? Different panel borders? Different colour paper? Something?)

1- CAPTION (at the top of the page): POSEY.

Show the shot of Posey standing alone and Stu play against Dalton.

2- Same shot, but tighter on Posey. She’s scheming.

3- Posey sitting on a couch. Feet up. She’s on the phone.

POSEY
So that was him, huh? Dalton?

4- Same.

POSEY
Sure he was good. He mixed up
his pitches. He threw strikes.
He changes speeds really well.
Only an average hitter I’d say.
His game’s all about pitching.

5- Same.

POSEY
I can do it…sure…but we haven’t
talked about money yet…

6- Close up. A little smile on her face. She’s listening to the person on the other end.

7- Same.

POSEY
Yeah, I can work with that.
.

And here's page 16 as it was finished:

Special Delivery

2006-10-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

So...look what came in the mail yesterday.

Should be available for you any day now...

More press...

2006-10-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

We received a nice mention at Josh Hechinger's blog. Check it out here.

New Preview!

2006-10-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

So we gave you 5 pages in the commentary, but here's a little longer one:

And then we continue with page 10:

Introducing... the trailer!

2006-09-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Madlock

2006-09-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

In September 1987, Bill Madlock of the Detroit Tigers broke my heart. He injured Blue Jays' infielder Tony Fernandez with a hard slide in a big game during the final days of the division race.

The injury sunk the Jays and the Tigers wound up winning the pennant.

This tragic event stuck with me through the years, and only now...twenty years later...have I finally found some peace...

I named a bad guy in the story "Madlock".

Sweet vengeance.

All The Rage

2006-09-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

The trailer got a mention in ALL THE RAGE on Monday September 25, 2006. Click here to check it out.

How cool is that?!?!

Way to go Shawn!

Getting the word out

2006-08-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

Shawn and I received a nice little notice in this article on Newsarama. Scroll down a bit to find us.

Commentary...page 8

2006-07-01T23:29:00.000-07:00

This'll be the last commentary page for now...but maybe we'll try it again at some point with a new scene.

Okay...so here's page 8.

This was a perfect example of clear, beautiful storytelling, so I didn't want to muck it up with words. DALTON'S not one to mess around...he just needs one warmup pitch and he's ready to roll. The sequence of panels that shows the delivery/wind up...gold...pure gold.

Notice how "Smithers" is right behind STU...looking over his shoulder...I laughed out loud when I saw that. Hopefully STU has learned not to surround himself with 'yes men' after this episode...

***

Commentary...page 7

2006-07-01T23:22:00.000-07:00

Hey.

Dino here in green again. This is page 7 of AGAINST THE WALL.

I love the contrast between DALTON and STU that gets set up on this page. Where STU had a fancy athletic bag, DALTON'S got a grocery bag hanging on the end of his bat...hobo style. Where STU paid in crisp new bills, DALTON hands BAGS a zip-loc bag full of bills and coins. Awesome.

I love how "Smithers" keeps whispering in STU'S ear...just keep telling him he's great pal...nothing can possibly go wrong...

The name Fletch comes from the character in the Gregory McDonald series of books...also played by Chevy Chase in two movies.

The name Kodiak comes from the character in Greg Rucka's series.

Palmer...? I can't remember why I chose that name...maybe for Jim Palmer...star pitcher with the Orioles back in the day...hmmm...

Commentary...page 6

2006-07-01T23:14:00.000-07:00

Check out those crisp Canadian 20 dollar bills. I told you this story takes place in Canada. Make sure you've got some Tragically Hip, or Neil Young on when you're reading. Maybe some Sam Roberts.

I definitely wanted this to have a different feel - and I loved what Bryan Lee O'Malley did in Scott Pilgrim, setting it in Toronto. So I took a cue from him in a way, I thought, let's show that this isn't just anywhere... it's Canada!

I imagine that STU brings this crowd ("gaggle") of friends around with him wherever he goes. He's probably lost without them. Now, for the curious types out there...STU and his buddy (un-named in the script, but I refer to him as "Smithers") are warming up with a baseball, even though they play wall ball with a tennis ball. I couldn't really explain the theory behind it...all I know is that it's a great way to warm up for a wall ball game...really gets you loose quickly.

Interesting shadow on the ground in panel 6. I wonder if Shawn had any hidden messages in mind involving the number 8...? Hmmm....

***

Nope. Just me being designy...

Commentary...page 5

2006-07-01T23:07:00.000-07:00

Shawn really nailed the look of that square on the wall. That shot in panel one brings back a lot of memories...a spray painted square on bricks. Now, we weren't the ones who put the square there...it had been present on that wall since prehistoric times.

Really, one of those historic things - the guys in college had played it before you and your teachers did before them...

So, here's our first look at BAGS. He's got quite a little story, which you'll find out about soon enough.

I just thought BAGS should look washed up. Plus it makes STU look better.

I love that STU shows up with his fancy little athletic bag and hands BAGS a huge wad of twenties. STU'S pretty buff...he must spend a lot of time in the gym...too bad he doesn't spend much time thinking about pitching strategy...

Obviously STU is pretty self-absorbed.

Awesome shot of BAGS' eyes in panel 4.

Thanks, man. I wanted him to look impressed with the wad. I hope I got it across.

***

Commentary...page 4

2006-07-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

I love commentary tracks on DVDs. It doesn't work quite the same way for comics, but it'll still be a lot of fun. I'll (that's Dino...the writer) make some comments in green. Shawn...choose your colour...

How about blue, Dino?

So here we are at the park. I chose a school yard because that's where my friends and I played wall ball (a.k.a. "burbie"). In fact, the park that Shawn designed here is pretty close to the actual thing. I wanted STU to drive up in a fancy car, and be decked out in some fancy gear. I was trying to make the point that he's a rich dude. He's even got a cheering section with him. In my original script, I called for the caption to read "...and his gaggle", but on reflection, I decided to go with "crowd". Gaggle just didn't feel right when I saw it on the page.

The school yard is actually based on my middle school, Pinewood. At least visually. It's an L shaped building with a satellite classroom that was used for home economics. The liberties I took were the orientation (it's reversed in the graphic novel) and the size (it's only one level in real life). I thought that would be a great place to play wall ball in real life, so there you go...
As for the car - well, I thought STU would be the kind of guy who would think owning a Fiero would be really cool... Also, I wanted people to get the feeling that this could be sort of "timeless modern" maybe the 80's or 90's or even today (hey, an 81 Fiero is a classic car nowadays...!)

Wall ball is a simplified version of baseball. I didn't want to get too deep into the rules, because there's an infinite number of variations that can be built into the game. I figured that this group of people in this fictitious little Canadian community would have evolved their own set of operating procedures. I figured that the important things to explain were that: it's played with a tennis ball; it's a one-on-one game; and that there's gambling involved. When my buddies and I played, we didn't do it like this (we played with teams of two players...one pitcher and one fielder...and of course, we never gambled).

The hitters don't run around after they hit the ball. It's either a single or a homer. You just keep track in your heads where the "runners" are supposed to be and what the score is. We used the honour system when we played, but the guys in this league have got BAGS to do all that stuff for them.

***

2006-06-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

So here, I've got two pages. Well, actually they are the same page at the beginning and end of their evolution. The page on the left is pretty much the first thing I draw - I break down the page into panels and scratch little figures and backgrounds, in an extremely rough, quick form. Then, I copy that onto the big page (11x17) in a blue pencil, measuring the panel borders, but nothing else Often, I'll change the background somewhat, if I can gather reference that has a similar look or is a similar terrain and measure that to fit... Then I sometimes take pictures (more and more frequently, actually) to try to get the angle of the shot right and to figure out the lighting, etc. Sometimes, I draw it all from memory, too... I'm working on making the two processes indistinguishable...

Then, I tighten up the drawing - redrawing, erasing, cleaning up. I try to get as close to what I want the final inks to look like as I can, as I have found that I am not well versed enough yet in drawing in ink to pull it off...

I used to ink mostly in brush with some pen, but I'm starting something new now, trying something different... But that's what I did on this page. After the ink is dry, I scan the page into the computer and remove the blue in Photoshop. Then I draw the panel borders in and letter and put in sound effects... The end result is what you see on the right.

Next: Character Sketch!

Theme-work

2006-06-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

If you read Shawn's "SYNOPSIS" post, then you know what the story's about.

But...what's the story about?

For me, the story's about Dalton thinking he can (and should) do everything by himself. He feels that true success can only be accomplished by individual efforts. That's why he writes in solitude...that's why he competes in solitude. I also think that's why he was oblivious to Phyllis's feelings for all this time. He couldn't see beyond the barriers he'd put up around himself.

The trouble with keeping everyone at arm's length is that you don't learn the difference between positive and negative relationships. That's why Dalton got mixed up with Posey. He didn't understand what she really represented until it was too late.

The theme of isolation comes up again with the old man. The tragedy he caused (and suffered through) as a young man haunted him...and he turned inward. He carried the guilt with him. He stayed on the fringes. He punished himself.

Now...baseball is a team sport. You rely on each other. Even the best fielders...hitters...pitchers... would be incapable of achieving anything without the support of the other eight players on the field. My goal was to have this concept of teamwork...reliance on others...faith in others...be the source of redemption at the end.

You know...it's kind of like creating a story. The process of collaboration makes it better than it was as an individual effort. It took me a long time to realize that. I was always nervous about sharing what I'd written with others. I thought that my ideas would be watered down and lost in the process.

I was wrong.

Without collaboration...all you're left with is a bunch of unread stories in a binder somewhere.

So...in a few words, we know that the story is "THE NATURAL" meets "THE COLOUR OF MONEY"... but what's the story about?

It's about Dalton learning that life and baseball are team sports...and that his attempt to turn them into individual endeavors causes nothing but trouble...

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime."

Babe Ruth.

Baseball Wisdom

2006-06-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

"About the only problem with success is that it does not teach you how to deal with failure."

Tommy Lasorda

Process

2006-06-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

So, I had the idea.

Next I needed the characters. In a word...

Dalton: naive.
Phyllis: sincere.
Bags: scheming.
Posey: opportunist.
The Old Man: guilt.

I mixed them all together, and their roles and choices emerged.

I thought I was finished my part of the job when the script was written.

I figured I would just pass it off to Shawn, and wait until the thing was finished.

That's not quite how it happened though.

See, stuff that reads just fine in a script doesn't always work once you see it on the illustrated page. So you need to change the script.

Sometimes you'll see something on the illustrated page that you hadn't considered, and it gives you an idea. So you need to change the script.

Sometimes you realize that you've got a logic error in the story that you didn't catch. So you need to change the script.

Sometimes something beautiful happens and when the pages show up in your 'inbox'...you see the story in a totally different light than you ever had before. And you realize something new and cool about these characters. They tell you that they're going to deviate from your carefully designed plan...they're going to go in a different direction now...so...you need to change the script.

It was a lot of fun for me to sit down with the pages and cover up the old dialogue balloons with a post-it note and play around with the dialogue. There was one page in particular where the pictures told the story better than the words did...so I took the captions out entirely.

It's all about serving the story. If something makes the story better or more clear...do it. Don't worry about whose idea it was or altering the script. It's all about the story.

And that's the great thing about collaborating. Each time I've worked with somebody...the combination of ideas and energy from two people improves the story.

Thank goodness Shawn's got a lot of patience, because I sent a bunch of emails titled "JUST A FEW MORE CHANGES".

Next: But what's it really about?

Synopsis!

2006-06-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dalton Prior dreams about making independent movies. To earn the necessary cash, he gambles on his own one-on-one baseball games (known as 'Wall Ball").

Enter Bags...a former wall-ball king who lost it all to Dalton in a past game.

Bags sets up a sting involving a dangerous woman and a high-stakes game with local heavy Madlock.

Watching from the sidelines are Phyllis, an artist and Dalton's best friend (who has a secret crush on him) and a mysterious old man whose past will affect Dalton's future in ways that neither could imagine.

Dalton Prior is a guy with a dream – but his enemies have him “Against the Wall"...

Hope that gets ya interested!

Character design

2006-06-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Dalton. I don't know why, but Dalton has been following me around. I first encountered him in DRIVE as the cab driver and here he is again. I see him as the lovable loser - Brad Pitt in the Mexican, for example or Newman in "the Hustler" (to tie in with Dino's "Colour of Money" thread there. Although, in that film, the role is more Tom Cruise, I suspect...). I mean, we can't give him too much credit, he works at a grocery store as a twenty something stock boy (not to besmirch the honourable reputation of the noble stock boy, but combined with his other credentials, it doesn't do much to tip the scales.) while moonlighting as a hustler. Of course, his sport of choice is baseball, America's Passtime; not something seedy like the games of snooker being gambled on in the filthy pool halls and biker bars hidden in the cracks of America... Baseball, after all, IS played out in the open, but after recent years of drugging and scandal the fields may be turning brown and patchy.

But Dalton isn't a bad guy. He's desperate - he has aspirations, dreams that will only be fulfilled if he can make a lot of money quickly. And he has the love and respect of his friends - Phyllis the artist and a mysterious old man.
He's also lacks confidence with women and is maybe lonely, I think. That's why he falls so hard for Posey when Bags, his former opponent who lost a bundle to Dalton, involves her in his revenge plot. I mean, he completely misses out on Phyllis's affection, but it makes sense. Posey is a beautiful girl who definitely takes the initiative in showing interest.

So, once I realized who Dalton is, I went about casting the movie.

Why do I cast the movie? Am I so vain to believe that anyone would want to make a film out of this? No, not really, but it helps me envision different looks for the characters. Let's begin.

Dalton is Ashton Kutcher. He's tall, and athletic with a slim, well muscled build. He has that shaggy longish hair style. This is our first "type".

Phyllis is Reese Witherspoon. She's
strong, but quiet, blonde, not beautiful in a typical or modern way, but with a classic, dignified look. Type 2.

Our Next type is Posey - and she is definitely Rebecca Gayheart. She looks mean and cold, but is so beautiful that you are compelled to be interested in her. If she turns on the charm, you're on but if she turns it off, you're dead (to her, anyway).

Forth is Bags - Jon Lovitz all the way. He's short, a little older, with slick backed hair and and a pot belly. When he was younger, he was more of a Johnny Depp, but he's lost his charm.

The old man isn't actually based on anyone - although, technically, his younger self is Tom Cruise, so maybe he's an old Tom Cruise who drank, smoked and gambled his life away?

Mahoney [edit: This is part of the process as well - sometimes a character's name changes. Mahoney is now called Madlock. My bad] is also not based on an actor, but rather the somewhat thuggish boyfriend of a former roommate...

Stu is based on one of the Detectives from my aforementioned crime OGN, DRIVE. Who in turn was based on Brad Pitt, so there you go.

Posey's Dad was not based on anyone, that's just what I think a dad should look like. Rance, posey's brother was intended to resemble Dalton, thus making her more likely to actually having some real feeling toward him...
Anyone else was probably only in two or three pages, so I just made'em up on the spot.

Next: Drawing up a Plan - Thumbnails and Layouts

Start at the beginning...

2006-06-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

My favourite way of describing AGAINST THE WALL is to say "it's like THE COLOUR OF MONEY meets THE NATURAL."

Now...I'm not sure if combining those references means anything to anybody, but those are two movies that resonate pretty strongly with me.

When I was younger, my buddies and I used to play a modified baseball game called "burbie". You need a square on the wall (for a strike zone), a line on the ground for a pitcher's mound, and a bit of space.

We never gambled on the games (since we didn't have any money), but it didn't seem like much of a stretch to conceive of a situation where gambling on burbie could evolve.

Hence...the idea was born.

I wrote it in 2004, after a couple of stops and starts. I was just re-reading a very early draft which bears little resemblance to the current version that Shawn and I have just completed. It's funny how drastically different drafts can change.

In early 2005, I put up a posting on Digital Webbing looking for a local artist. That's how I met Shawn. We exchanged a bunch of emails, and then finally agreed to give it a go. It's been a lot of fun, and a really rewarding and educational experience for me to participate in creating a graphic novel.

Next...the process.

Baseball Wisdom

2006-06-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

"You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat."

Christy Mathewson, Hall of Fame Pitcher.

The eye of the artist.

2006-06-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm Shawn, and I put together this new look for the blog. Let us know what you think and stick around, we'll have new stuff coming out all the time. I'll be in San Diego, showing the book off, for those of you who want to see a full length preview - but it won't be easy, as I'll be roaming the floor, rather than manning a table. Keep your eyes open, and maybe you'll catch me. See you then!

First Pitch Strike

2006-06-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

I'm Dino Caruso. I wrote the script for AGAINST THE WALL. It was illustrated and lettered by Shawn Richter.

This blog will provide an opportunity for Shawn and I to present some "behind the scenes" information about the creation of AGAINST THE WALL.

I'm expecting you'll see a lot of extra features like the kind on DVDs...stuff like commentaries, script pages, developmental sketches...We'll dig up some nifty items from the archives.

I guess the first big piece of news is that the book is finished! You heard it here first.

79 beautiful pages underneath this stunning cover.

Details soon about where you can get a sample of the story.

Take care,
Dino.

Dino Caruso - Shawn Richter Production Blog

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Call... and response!

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No Quarter!

Review mania!!!

One Pager

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Interview

Another FISK Review

A good review from the tomb...

and furthermore...

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Another top secret page!

They're out there

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Breaking the Silence

Sneak Peek

Soon my friends...soon

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Canadian cash

baseball north

Strong and Free

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there's that guy again

Check out...

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MOVING PITCHERS...HA! Get it? Pitchers??

Drawing Board

FISK: SUBSTITUTE HERO

Paradise Toronto Comic Convention...Wonderealm Booth, 2007

Cover Versions

Pencils to Inks (part 2)

Pencils to Inks (part 1)

Caruso and Richter...Together Again!

Pop Image Review

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Shawn Speaks

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Another review

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alternate universe

Under the Cover

Characters

His Space

Script to Page!

Special Delivery

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Introducing... the trailer!

Madlock

All The Rage

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Commentary...page 8

Commentary...page 7

Commentary...page 6

Commentary...page 5

Commentary...page 4

Theme-work

Baseball Wisdom

Process

Synopsis!

Character design

Start at the beginning...

Baseball Wisdom

The eye of the artist.

First Pitch Strike