Feudal Effort - The Comic
Hello, and thanks for visiting my comic!
This
is my first foray into writing comics. I have been doing goofy little
stories involving an entourage of characters since middle school. I
sort of wish the sophistication of my humor had changed a little more
drastically since then, but I'm awkwardly realizing it hasn't. This comic is basically just
for practice
and keeping myself amused on those long winter nights when my wife
locks me in the storage shed for making too many puns.
Art & Style
The
earlier strips are in stick figure form because I find the absence of
details opens a world of interpretive
ambiguity for the reader, where their own mind fills in the
expressions, tones, and subtle movements of the subject matter. Oh,
and
I can't draw. That too. I've been drawing stick figure scenes for
15 years. In 2010 I switched to full faces and bodies - something I had
never tried since kindergarten - which is the level my skills are
currently at.
Strip #1: Stick Figures
Strip #45: Color starts popping in, inconsistently.
Strip #57: Faces appear with the introduction of Malvolio T. Mordred.
Strip #101: No more stick figures (see #100 for their demise).
The
comic is drawn with Adobe Photoshop. I use a Wacom
Bamboo Graphic Tablet. The lettering is done with a
free font called A.C.M.E. Explosive, available online.
Updates
The
Updates are currently going up on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
(plus extra strips when I'm ahead, or on holidays). I really like doing
the strip, and always want to spend more time writing, drawing, and
posting new strips.
Story & Continuity
There
isn't much of a
definite storyline. The basic idea is that the characters are historic
reenactors who work at the Castleville Medieval Fair (which is of
course like a Renaissance fair, but focused on the early medieval time
period). To be honest, I didn't even envision the characters as
reenactors until I had written 30 strips (which leads to the question
"why else would I have written about a Druid, Scotsman, Viking, and
Roman Legionnaire
sharing a modern residence?" The answer probably has more to do with
weird headgear being necessary for telling the difference between the
stick
figures than anything else.)
I've
got lots of plans and ideas for introducing more characters and even
short mini-plots (such as daily newspaper comics might have). I also
have characters drafted up that will add more diversity to the cast in
terms of age, race, religion, etc. Feudal Effort is a serious,
long-term project for me, so it will continue to grow and expand with
consistent updates throughout the years.
Historical Accuracy
This
strip uses a recreated setting of past societies and cultures in
history. Sometimes the historical details are heavily researched and
very accurate, but sometimes
they are nothing but modern stereotypes for a humorous, ironic, or
visual purpose. The
purpose of Castleville is primarily to convey the magic and
wonder of the
past, rather than to recreate every exact detail. It's not supposed to
be an actual historical town set during a specific year.Other Intentional "Mistakes":
- Nothing
suggests Druids had antlered headresses. They did not build stone
circles such as Stonehenge. Very little semi-reliable information
about them even exists: mostly Roman reports and Irish myths, both of which can be heavily biased or inaccurate.
- The many,
varied people living in Scotland didn't wear any form of
standardized/national/clan kilt 1000 years ago; they wore many
varieties of trousers, tunics, and wrappings. Although they had plaid
fabrics, they did not have "clan tartans". Their fashions were
generally
similar to the Gaelic Irish, Anglo-Saxons, and Scandanavians.
- Viking
helmets never had horns. Their modern image is, in short, a 19th
century reimagining
designed to make them look fearsome and barbaric. (The rest of
Vik's helmet is accurate, allowing for the
terrible artwork).
- Lee's helmet is more a 1st century Praetorian Guard helmet than a 4th century Legionairre one.
I
have been reading and learning a lot about many of these people and
cultures and their artifacts and heritage. I want to work these details
in in a way that enhances the strip. But, in the end, my primary goal
is to make jokes.
About the Author
Brian Cannon is a Professional Bellydance
Photographer, Loyal Subject of the British Empire, Former NFL Coach,
Armadillo-Wrangler, Ordained Minister, Medieval Swordsman, Badger
Enthusiast, and wielder of Native American Thunder Medicine Powers. His
unmitigated haberdashery violates both
state and federal law.
Any help or constructive is always appreciated. Please email me at Brian@FeudalEffort.com
-Brian
Feudal Effort HomeStrip ArchivesCopyright Information:All comic strips and content ©
copyright 2009-2010 by Brian C. Cannon.
No duplication or
reprinting of any material for any commercial purpose is allowed.
Please feel free to save or print comics for personal enjoyment.