Name: David Gallaher Birthdate:
06/05/1975 Birthplace:
Honolulu, Hawaii Occupation:
Freelance writer and marketing
consultant. Base of Operations:
Baltimore. Detroit. New York.
Pittsburgh. Political
Stance: Liberal Socialist Favorite
Films: Vertigo, Memento,
Citizen Kane, Rope, Superman Influences:
Will Eisner, Frank Miller, Tom
Waits, Alfred Hitchcock
Current
Works: YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY
DOLLAR, 2003, Moonstone Books MOONSTONE
MONSTERS: GHOSTS, 2003, Moonstone
Books VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE:
TREMERE, 2003, Moonstone Books MORE
FUND COMICS, 2003, Sky-Dog Press
Additional
Works: In addition to his
work in the field of comics
and marketing, David has developed
advertising for print, television,
and new media for companies
such as Marvel Comics, Verizon,
Saturn, Miller Brewing Company,
and Sylvan Learning Center,
has taught for the Maryland
Public School System, and is
currently on the Board of Directors
for Education Innovations in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The thesis of column has always been to prove that comic books can be a vehicle for personal expression – that our experience can be mirrored in the four-color pages that comics provide. Yet again, I’m exposing my own work to the public in an effort to display how comic books can be intelligent, action-packed, and relevant.
A few weeks ago, I discussed about how I retooled an old corporate espionage X-Force pitch into a brand new series proposal for Marvel Comics, cleverly called Brand X. After many hours of racking my brain on Brand X, I had developed a format and structure that I was proud of. In addition to a clever tag line, I had managed to impress myself with not only the quality of my prose, but also by the inventiveness of the new plotting. Each of these new stories was self-contained, and could be read in the same manner that one would watch an episode of television.
But would Marvel go for it?
With my proposal finished, I was ready to send it off to Mike Marts in Marvel’s X-office. Before that; however, I thought I’d let a professional take a shot at it first.
I had known Jay Faerber ever since I started working at Marvel Comics. Having finished a run on Generation X, Jay had a great deal of experience working with Marvel’s Merry Mutant And at the time, he was developing his a creator-owned series for Image comics, Noble Causes. With great respect for him as a writer and a creator, I shot my series pitch over to him. His comments read something like this:
“Dude, I read you proposal. I REALLY like it. Is Marvel the only place you are pitching it to?”
“Ummm …. Yeah. Why?”
“Well, you’ve got an incredible idea here.”
“What exactly do you mean?”
“Well, if Marvel doesn’t go for it, why not pitch it to Image? They are creator-owned and you wouldn’t have to worry about any corporate interference. Besides, you don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket, right?”
“Hmmm. That could be a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.”
And, as it turned out, although Mike Marts enjoyed it, Marvel didn’t buy the series. At the time, Marvel was under a huge editorial shake-up, which made my project commercially unavailable for them. While I got some incredible compliments, that didn’t make the series any closer to getting published.
With little, if any, street cred to my name, I decided to take my project and develop it at Image Comics. Founded on the ideals of creative freedom, Image Comics seemed like the perfect place for my title. The only thing from preventing me from moving forward with the project was Image’s submission policy. At Image, the creator/writer of the series is responsible for finding an illustrator, an inker, a colorist, and a letterer. In addition to finding all of the talent for my book, I would also have to be responsible for paying each artist enough to want to do my project.
The standard page rate for an illustrator is $100 to $200 a page, an inker ranges from $60 to $120 a page, while a colorist and letterer range anywhere between $50 to $150 a page. An average comic runs an average of 22 pages, which after doing the math, is a couple thousand dollars. Honestly, it wasn’t an investment that I was sure I could afford.
Given Marvel’s ownership of the previous characters in my Brand X pitch, I opted to develop my own characters while keeping many of the same character archetypes. I developed a slightly different twist for the book and rewrote the pitch.
During this period, I found myself on the Internet quite a bit. The Human Genome project had just been completed, and I was looking for any additional information I could use to supplement my stories. The importance of my series became apparent when I discovered this article: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?AuthorID=135 . Entitled “The Specter of Genetic Discrimination,” this article brought really helped remind me of why I was doing the book in the first place:
Once corporations and insurance agencies have access to genetic testing protocols and data millions of people will be denied insurance for diseases they have yet to realize until 30 to 40 years later in their lives. This new form of pre-existing condition aided by genetic testing will fuel a wave of genetic discrimination affecting millions of lives. Estimates range from 35 to 60 million citizens of the United States alone denied medical insurance. On the international level this number could easily rise into 1 billion inhabitants of the planet.
The truth of the matter is that there are no laws barring genetic discrimination. Furthermore, in our current political climate, racial profiling still exist despite laws than forbid its practice. We live in a society that breeds and promotes isolationism. Despite our “family values,” the United States promotes infidelity, racism, intolerance, and bigotry. Sometimes, the American Dream crushes the dreams of others. The isolation of our lives is further complicated by the workplace. The corporate world instills a level of solitude, with tiny little cubicle boxes for us to fit in. If we can’t fit inside the box, we are considered mavericks or troublemakers. Individuality and identity are frowned upon. The only thing the corporate world sees is the color green. “How can we make money? How can we make more money? Why can’t we make more money?” I have worked for companies that value money over the happiness and morale of their employees. I have found myself waking up to the horror of the new day, every day! After stumbling upon the article, I felt revitalized.
Soon after that, I discovered the artwork of Mike Dorman. Dorman, who had never published an illustrated comic before, had some incredible character designs and samples on his website. After contacting Mike and taking for quite some time, I decided that he would be a great addition to the book. In addition to Mike’s eagerness to work on the project, he was also willing to work on it for free, which was sort of music to my ears. After going back and forth on the character designs, Mike developed new visuals for what would become the another draft of Brand X, which is presented below:
Hate Your Boss? Overworked? Underpaid?
Then Try:
WHAT WE OFFER: Tired of the same old mutant battles? Want something more from your superheroes? DILBERT MEETS THE MATRIX in BRAND X, a mini-series designed to spotlight a new aspect of the paranormal allegory: The Workplace! We offer corporate espionage, big business, and evil HMOs. Still not convinced? How about sweatshops, genetic wonders, power lunches, and sex? But wait … there is more! Much more!
OUR COMPANY: BRAND INTERNATIONAL - Brand International is the biggest bio-tech company to hit the scene in years. Using paranormals and genetic wonders to eliminate the competition, Brand can develop new patents and technologies weeks before their rivals. To that end … they formed BRAND X!
OUR EMPLOYEES: The employees of BRAND X offer a wide diversity of talents that will appeal to readers both old and new!
FADE - An overweight, middle management, nobody, Bob Smith spends his life working in a cubicle. Bob is an Internet geek at MEDCORP, whose life reads like a DILBERT cartoon. He has a 'forgettable face', in fact, after six years as MEDCORP - his boss still cannot remember his name! Unbeknownst to him, Bob is a mutant with the power to 'fade from existence.' When not in the presence of others, the memory of Bob Smith is gone. More than anything else, Bob just wants to be noticed … Brand X gives him the chance to be a hero.
LEGEND – A former Navy SEAL and combat instructor, Michael Shepherd was selected as part of an elite super-solider commando unit. Gifted with bulletproof skin, super strength, and enhanced senses through special drug therapy, Shepherd was the model solider until an accident left him addicted to them chemicals that made him a modern-day god. Will the hero be able to beat his addiction or will the addiction beat him?
GLITCH – He is the kid you mother warned you about. He could have been the kid gunning you and your classmates down in high school. Glitch is an egotistical, greedy, self-righteous hacker- par excellence. Beyond he computer skills, Glitch is gifted with the ability to short-circuit machinery … but this ability comes at a terrible cost: Cancer. Every time Glitch uses his ability, the tumor is his brain comes closer to killing him. Will Glitch’s death wish spell the end for Brand X, or will Brand cure him before it’s too late?
GABRIELLE – A former call girl, the woman known as Gabrielle was found beaten, homeless and penniless on the street. While her abilities of flight and light manipulation, may lead you to believe than she is a guardian angel, don’t be fooled – this vixen is no saint. Will Brand X lead her closer to redemption or deeper into damnation?
CHARADE – Once he was a GIANT, A REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, but somewhere EAST OF EDEN, tragedy struck! Now the person known only as Charade remains. Charade honestly believes that he was saved at the last moments of his former life, and given new hope with the help of Brand. But … is he truly who he thinks he is?
RESONANCE - Raised in the ruins of the post-war Vietnam, Giao Lan grew up to become a award-winning member of the International Dance team. Giao became a successful choreographer … until her genetic gifts of sound manipulation manifested, bursting her eardrums and rendering her deaf. Using her power to manipulate sound waves, Resonance has the ability to mask the sound of footsteps, alarms, and weapon fire ... an ability that makes her perfect for espionage.
OUR BENEFITS: BRAND X adds a very human element to the hero allegory. Ideally, readers will see themselves reflected in our character desires and in their angst. How does the workplace affect us? Why do we endure Rush Hour, cubicle life, endless meetings, and low morale? How can we find our identity in a corporate climate devoid of personality? Content and conflict propel the series the series forward, addressing themes of alienation, identity, and responsibility.
OUR WORK: Included below is a sample of potential story ideas that highlight the major themes in BRAND X:
"Life in the Slow Lane" Meet Bob Smith: The Model of Mediocrity. An employee at MEDCORP, Bob's 'work angst' is revealed through a series of vignettes. Bob is caught in the crossfire of a battle between Brand X and corporate spies. After getting strafed by a bullet, Bob is sent to the Brand Building and introduced to the team. But what does Brand X want with him?
"Control+Alt+Del" When a new Internet company sends out free trial software to millions of consumers it unleashes a computer virus with the potential of erasing the world's computer systems! How will Brand X stop an enemy they can't see and how will they react when Glitch is revealed to have developed the software?
"Slaughterhouse" Brand X discovers that a rival company is manufacturing technology in 'mutant sweatshops' with international refuges. Is Brand X responsible for the lives of mutants cast into slavery?
"Fade Away" While the rest of the team infiltrates a weapons factory, Fade discovers Brand X's motives and struggles through self-doubt and alienation with his genetic gifts. Will the struggle push him over the edge?
“Glitch in the System” Terror strikes as Glitch takes the Brand Building hostage! Now Brand X must figure out how to save the hostages and how to stop a co-worker capable of short-circuiting their brains.
"Coffee Break" Over a cup of coffee on the roof of the Brand Building, Gabrielle and Legend share the events that lead them to joining the team. When all is said and done, will they become close friends or dire enemies? Meanwhile, Resonance has other plans for Brand.
"A Game of Charades" When Charade stumbles upon a hidden computer file, how will its contents affect his life and the life of his teammates? What is the truth behind the Charade?
“Strange Bedfellows” When a politician calls for the break-up of Brand International, Gabrielle is sent to seduce and assassinate him. Can she bring her self to commit cold-blooded murder? And how will it affect her life and the lives of her teammates?
IN CONCLUSION… BRAND X is an opportunity to emphasis content over gimmickry! BRAND X is marketable to readers who or tired of the same old "superhero angst" and want something NEW from comics and their heroes. With a new approach to genetic alienation, BRAND X can not only guide readers through a new universe, but also push the visual narrative of comics to the edge and BEYOND!
Believe the Hype
I had designed the Brand X to be both dynamic and darkly comedic, a natural reflection of the worst part of the human condition: Loneliness. Bob Smith is exiled from humanity, not only by the soulless corporate structure of our world, but also by his own self-perceived insignificance. Will he be able to achieve any level of self-actualization? And will the art be able to capture the intimacy of his world?
The other characters for the series were designed as foils for Bob’s journey. Each character developed as a metaphoric fragment of a larger issue facing the world of Man vs. Big Business. Well, at least that what I trying to go for … but what I had come up with very different than what I had planned.
A Navy S.E.A.L? A hooker with the heart of gold? A rebellious Goth? A deaf dancer with sonic abilities?
We had seen all of these characters before. As it turns out, the characters were stereotypes, not archetypes. The only characters I really enjoyed from the current pitch were Bob Smith (Fade) and Charade. And since “character” is what sells a story, I knew that something had to change. The characters weren’t dynamic or interesting
What did my characters say about Bob Smith? Nothing really. Aside from plot devices, the characters served no logical part in the “Grand Scheme of Things.” What I needed were characters that came to life on the page … characters that were alive.
I needed to write another draft.
NEXT WEEK: More Artwork. More Rewrites. And other stuff.
