"I'm not really working on anything right now. Maybe I can draw something for you."
That was what he said, and it took a moment to register it. I don't think I'd been hinting at it or anything, but maybe I was doing so, subconsciously. Either way, here was a multi-award winning comic book artist, and author of some of my favorite graphic novels of all time, and he was offering to draw a short story with me. I thought it was cool enough that we got to hang out and talk comics together.
And then the pressure started up. Some direction, and I'd be good to go, sure. But this open range, this wide spectrum of possibilities was paralyzing. For a week or more, my mind was a complete blank. I asked him what he was in the mood for, hoping for some inspiration, and he said "You know, whatever." Oh God! It really was all up to me, and the freedom of being a creative writer stifled me entirely. Is this what I wanted?! Is this what I asked for? Who was I kidding? I should just pack it up now, and forg–
What about a superhero who doesn't want to be a superhero? That might work. Hmm…
I got my old chums and collaborators to come on board, and provide colors and letters, and I sent it over to Top Shelf to share it with the world, and I can honestly say I'm very proud of the fun little bit of comic book making I did with these people, and honored that Alex would deign to have his work seen with my script. So cool.
Read my 8 page story, Career Move, with art by Alex Robinson, colors by Jordan Boyd, and letters by Charles Pritchett at Top Shelf 2.0.
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Josh is moving up in the world. So when is DC going let you handle their next event?
i tried to read this yesterday but the topshelf page wasnt working 🙁
This is a good one. I would love to see where this goes. I must know what the deal is with the military uniform. CONTINUITY!!
This is really exciting. That page looks great and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of it.
And how cool of Alex Robinson.
This was a lot of fun. That’s great of Alex to draw the thing.
Great job, Josh! You’re getting some really neat stuff out there.
I laughed out loud at the last panel on page 4.
Congrats. That was a fun little comic and makes me want to read more. I’ll give it a 5 for story and a 5 for art.
If you don’t mind sharing, did you do the character designs or did Mr. Robinson?
Fanfreakingtastic! You’re going places kid.
I hear comic creators make tons of cash and live like Rock Stars, so don’t forget us.
Congratulations, Josh! That is excellent.
I really enjoyed that. I especially liked the Rudolph reference. Great stuff. Keep it up.
Way to go, Josh! I liked it.
Right on, Josh!! that was awesome.
Oh man, This was great. Great Artwork and great story, Cudos’ to both you and Alex Robinson.
Excellent work sirs. just damn good
Congrats!
Great story! Engaging and entertaining! When’s the next one?
Thanks all!
@BizDaddy – I created/wrote them, and gave some ideas about what they might look like, but Alex did all the designs. I was super impressed by them though. Especially Terrible Twist, who he made very appropriately lame.
Well done top to bottom. I LOVED Terrible Twist – he’s not even fighting anything!!!
Really fun. I would also like more.
Great story, Josh. Loved everything about it and would love to see more of these in the future.
"We’ve caught him exactly like that, what three or four times?" Very funny stuff. Nice work.
Congrats. loved it.
Awesome work Josh, I’m ready for something full length!
Also, way to chace the dream man, not enough people do that.
Josh, congratulations! These days not much in the comics world takes me by surprise, but this one surely did. I can totally understand the excitement that must have welled up inside you when Alex casually mentioned he could draw something for you. Wow!
Very nice effort. This would fit in perfectly into a Popgun Anthology, and it certainly opened up a world I would be happy to read more about.
Congratulations, Josh! That’s an amazing opportunity, and it couldn’t have happened to a better person. I finally got a chance to read the comic, too, and it’s excellent, funny and incisive. I especially appreciate the Hermie the Elf joke!
I must say, I rather enjoyed that! Kudos to Josh and company!
I want the continuing story of the cat chick… with a happier ending. Eff you Josh and your depressign story. 😉
That was a really cool comic, is there more of this stuff coming? 🙂
That was fun. Well done, Josh. Great work. Most people don’t know how hard it is to do an appealing story in just a few pages.
And it looks beautiful, of course.
I definitely want to do more. I might have to find some other artists to get a little anthology of stories together.
But again, thanks for all the kind words. Makes me feel great!
Good little comic.
Love the idea and it left me wanting more.
Congrats!
Wow, awesome. Well done, Josh.
Great stuff, Josh.
Hope to see more from you soon.
Loved this one! Would love to see more of this story.
Surprisingly, good, I went in not know what to expect, and it was good fun. Nice conversation.
Great stuff Josh, I liked it a lot. Any chance of a podcast or something tealking about the experience. I for one would look forward to something like that.
Meh. Waaay too decompressed. 🙂
Yeah, good stuff!
Pretty damn good. Just dry enough. I look forward to seeing where you go with it.
I think it’s must’ve been fantastic to get your stuff out. It’s great that Alex Robinson wanted to draw something for you. Congratulations.
Way to go Josh, this was awesome.
Alex and everyone else did a great job.
congrats
But I need to know, whos idea was it to cameo Thelma from Scooby Doo
Way to go! Keep us all updated when the next installment comes out.
Josh,
You rock, I’d forgo my rule of trades/hardcovers if it was in print.
Looking foward to more!
Just goes to show how a tight knit community the comics realm is with Alex helping out, very cool.
That was fantastic! Great detail of Sherman reviewing Leopard Girl’s bookstore application!
Just read it at work and it brought a smile to my face and made me laugh. Great work and congrats on getting it out there!
Not bad at all, especially since you’re still relatively new to all this.
This is awesome Josh!!! Congrats!
Congrads josh!
I think my very line ever is in this short:
"Is that what you want Denis? On QVC?"
Great stuff, please let’s see more stuff in the future!
Great work! Hope to see more!
Way to go, Josh. I quite enjoyed that. The Major Hero line got a good laugh out of me.
-J.
Hey Josh, great work! Keep us updated on any more of your work. Thanks!
Very cool, happy for you man. Fun story to boot!
Great job Josh! Definitely looking forward to your anthology! Keep it up!
Super fun,
Loved the "He’s not even fighting anything" line.
Keep thinking about it and laughing to myself (trying to hold it in), which is super awkward as I’m sat in a quiet library right now…
well done, sir!
and, am I the only one who read that panel of Major Hero picturing himself at an open mic night and immediately heard the song Josh sings to Gordon in the "Sketch" episode? hm, sadly Josh, you may have to struggle with folks being TOO familiar with your podcasting oeuvre. nevertheless, once again, good job.
great story !!!
really had me hooked, can’t wait for more!!!!
I liked this. It was kinda funny. Do more if you can Josh.
It’s a new Lee/Kirby team! Or Bendis/Bagley! Great work Josh, and thanks for being willing to share your work with the world.
Way to go Josh!
Also, I think I’d like to see more of Alex Robinson in colour….
Good job. Keep ’em coming. You keep writing them, we’ll keep reading them.
Quick question, was the military dude a play on Sargent Hatred?
I got that vibe at least.
Great stuff, I love how Major Hero has his pinky out while holding the binoculars.
That was a fun story. I liked it all the better because I am rooting for your success Josh.
If those were the ideas you come up with when you don’t know what you should do, I think it would be fun to see what else you can do.
I don’t know what Sargent Hatred is, so no.
Great stuff Josh. Congrats all around. I can’t imagine how cool it is. Keep sharing your stuff with us.
Ok, I could read a whole arc of these two reminiscing on the superhero life over beers!!
Congrats, man! Hope to see more of your work in the future.
i liked it alot… a real page turner
congrats
That was *highly* entertaining and I totally want more.
Hell, I’d even pay for it. 🙂
Josh that was really, really wonderful!!! I had a great time reading it and sent it to a bunch of my friends. I hope you get a lot more gigs doing this if this is what you love, even if it means we see less of you here on iFanboy. BRAVO to you and Mr. Robinson and Godspeed with future projects!!! 😀
Great stuff, with some nice laugh out loud moments – especially in the bar scene, which is when you really hit your stride. Would love to see more. (Your artist wasn’t bad either!!)
I give this my Pick of the Week!
QVC!!! *shudder*
Good show, Josh. It must have been awesome to have Alex Robinson do the artwork for something you wrote. Comics really need more anthologies so you can get stuff like this out there. They don’t do many good 5-10 page short stories anymore, but you’ve shown us a couple that shows they are still entertaining in this day and age.
Other than Top Shelf 2.0, which is obviously web only, and Pop Gun, there aren’t too many Anthology opportunities at the moment.
I loved this. I want more
Josh man I thought it was a great story. I liked how it was a play on Escapism; how people want to get out of the normal mundacity of their lives and be superheros. Well maybe superheroes want to be regular. I thought it was a nice reversal of conventions as compared to the regular superhero comics.
I think that it is awesome that someone of such renown; such as Alex Robinson would offer to let you just write something and him pen it. Maybe this will open some doors for you. Just like this show let you meet Mr. Robinson. I think the three of you are a throwback to properly places passion as opposed to the over assertive fanboy critic of this era that is a result of the internet. Eventhough the name of your site is fanboy…. lol
That was pretty damn funny! It must be hard being like a B or C list superhero. I wonder if they get hero insurance.
Is it okay if I imagine that was really Josh hanging out with Steve Rogers?
Congrats Josh! It came out great. What a wonderful opportunity.
I can relate to that fear of freedom. People tell me they want a painting, or a drawing, and I ask them if they want anything in particular. They usually respond to, "Whatever you want." How torturous to a creator is that?! With the unlimited myriad of possibilities, it’s almost impossible to pin down anything to do.
Glad to see that you broke through that barrier and have created something you can call your own. Kudos, sir!
Good stuff, boyo!
First of all: awesome.
I find it strange that I was just thinking about a similar plot to this comic book the other day, but I was thinking more about Marvel’s mutants than standard superheros. Either way, that was quite good.
really good
Sweet!!
Dying to know more about Major Hero. (i love his name, btw.)