A Cape By Any Other Name
Cape (left) & Cowl (right)
Hey kids! This was Cape & Cowl’s first week in print, not only at the U of I in the Daily Illini, but in my artist Shane Smith’s college paper, The Northern Star at NIU. That means my strip has a circulation of about 48,000 statewide!
This week Cape looks for a new name, apparently dissatisfied with it after one strip! He is foiled time and time again until he decides to adopt a lesser known moniker (lesser known for obvious reasons).
In general, responses to the strip have been positive. I’m happy if I can get a smirk or a chuckle. That’s what I think comic strips need to be, a short joke that helps pass the time. If it happens to strike someone as hilarious, that’s awesome, but I’m happy just with adequacy at this point. I’m not Get Fuzzy… at least, not right now.
I’m still grappling with the atmosphere of the strip. Cape & Cowl are unique characters, so should the humor be based in their characterization and the jokes be based on their own, unique actions, OR, should the humor come from universal observations, where my characters are just devices to deliver that info to the reader?
Looking at what I have scripted so far, I’m going to say both. I have over a month done and the tone fluctuates from one outlook to the other. I’m still new to this game, and it is a challenge, but I hope I can find my own, unique comic strip voice soon. But enough of my rambling! Enjoy the first full week of Cape & Cowl!
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Cape & Cowl © Matt Knicl 2008
www.shanesmithart.com
Matt Knicl: My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.
Comments
Matt Knicl (Matt Knicl) says:
(Posted January 18th, 2008 at 9:58 pm)
Hey Alicia! Thanks for the kind words! I hope I don’t let you down *knock on wood*
Abby F. (Abby F.) says:
(Posted January 18th, 2008 at 10:26 pm)
Matt, Are Cape and Cowl ever going to start dating? I am moving ahead of myself? Perhaps once we hear why C.O.’s was referenced, we will know about their history of forbidden love amidst danger.
Capes & Cowls » Blog Archive » Cape & Cowl Weeks 10 and 11 (Capes & Cowls » Blog Archive » Cape & Cowl Weeks 10 and 11) says:
(Posted April 4th, 2008 at 8:32 pm)
[…] never got off his Man With Spider-like Attributes kick. These two weeks was sort of a “why not?” idea, and I figured if they were going […]
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Matt Knicl
My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.
Alicia Dyer (Alicia Dyer) says:
(Posted January 18th, 2008 at 8:36 pm)
Nice job for your first week… personally, I think your best joke had to be the C.O.’s one. I’m excited to see how this strip develops.