by Spartacus on Mon Sep 10, 2001 8:50 am
OK, here's where everyone begins to hate me forever. Zap Jones will not start today. Between working a full time job, drawing three short stories for three different companies, and trying to get a comic strip syndicated, I have not lived up to my promise. I'm sorry SCIX, I know you're pissed. Zap will return with a new, set format, and a new, slightly changed beginning in early 2002. It'll run once, or twice a week ( you'll understand why when you see it ) and will take about 100 to 125 episodes to tell. I've condensed the story, made it flow better, and brought a lot more excitement to it. It will closely resemble the old 30's comic style, which I had planned on using the first time, but then began rushing through, just to get done on time. I want Zap to be a awesome experience for all, including me . My heart just wasn't in it before, and still is trying to find it's way back to it.<P>Please don't give up on me though. I know I've said this before, but I've really learned my lesson this time. It's got to be right for me. I have big plans for the next year, and Zap is just a small part. Look for Moot Ponit to start in November at highfalutin.keenspace.com. It'll run five days a week, and I know it will because I'm in the process right now, with two assistants, of getting two months worth done before it even starts up on 10-05-01. Once that gets going I'll start working on Zap episodes. I want to have about twenty done before I start running them. They're going to be huge poster size episodes that will also be available as prints, and then will be collected in an oversized trade paperback when all is said and done sometime in 2003. I'm hoping the new fans I'll get from Moot Point ( since I've all but lost all my old ones, my fault entirely ) will come on over to Zap when it starts.<P>Ya see, the problem with Zap is, it's not a Keenspot type of comic strip. It has a set beginning, middle and end. I want it to be an experience like no other on the web, so that is taking a little more planning then I had anticipated ( Hence, all the stupid, bad attempts at returning to it ). Once it's done, it'll be just that. And even though I'm planning to ask some of my fellows Keenspacers and 'Spotters to help me with some spin-offs after Zap is over, I feel that this is more of a labor of love than an attempt to get a job, like Moot Point, and my short story works are. The only other obligation I have is Matt Trepal's short story, which will be done sometime in 2002. <P>So, to put all this rambling to a close; I'm sorry, I will be back with Zap soon. The archives will stay up, but will have no bearing on the new version. Moot Point starts November 5th, and is the best thing I've done yet. I'm really pulling for syndication on this one, which was my original plan when I first started on the web in '99 ( I'll be running some never before seen first attempts at Moot Point, from back then soon ) . I also have to patch up a few friendships with my web companions ( I still love ya Dave Wright, I'm sorry I haven't been there for ya buddy ) .<P><P>------------------
I was <A HREF="http://zapjones.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Zap Jones</A> But now, I am <A HREF="http://highfalutin.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Highfalutin!</A> Spartacus!!!