Experiences

After 22 issues I can say this from certain experience:
Starting an issue is always hard. Every single time I have to figure out how this thing was supposed to be drawn. First I cut the pieces of scraperboard (essdee, white) in a haphazard manner. Then I draw the outline of the pages with a textmark marker. Then the panels, four each page, sometimes two. Then draw the boxes for the narrative 29 mm high. Then the guidelines for the lettering. After this preliminery work I write a final script and letter it to its place, making some changes while doing it. At this stage I should reread the thing, but sometimes I don't. Now I pick a panel I would like to do first, very often something quite abstract or then something drawn from a source. I don't trace, but use various photos and drawings for reference. I don't draw the panels in any specific order but start with those that I either feel are easy to do or fun to do or that i have a specific clear idea for. I don't do pencils and I seldom sketch, unless  the picture is especially hard to do for whatever reason, then I sketch. After all the panels are drawn, I read the story and make corrections to the text. If the corrections require a lot of scraping away, I make a separate piece of the correction and scotch it to the side of the page. When all is done I send it to my publisher for scanning and lay-out. After reading the story from pdf.s I make corrections if necessary. Then I start a new issue.
Nuff said