In his spare time, First Second’s editorial director Mark Siegel moonlights as a cartoonist.  If you haven’t seen his review of Scott Pilgrim 5, you really should.

Well, now he’s taken to using his mornings to write and illustrate a webcomic.  Sailor Twain, or The Mermaid in the Hudson is up and running at SailorTwain.com.  A tale of 19th century Manhattan, a sailor and the allure of the water, Sailor Twain is running new pages every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

It looks great and the story is shaping up nicely.  No mermaids yet, I like how he’s letting the story build itself slowly and organically.  And a deer swimming in the Hudson is bizarre enough to make me forget all about the promise of mermaids.

I have only two question: Mark Siegel has free time?  And does his staff know about this?

Want to get some tips on comics-making? David Gallaher has answers for you!

The High Moon writer and Zuda star is compiling a list of tips over on the DC Message Boards for all up-and-comers. Among his suggestions are Web Comic Triage, I Should Be Writing, and Scott Kurtz’s How to Make Webcomics.

If you want to learn more — or if you simply want to contribute your two cents — check it out here!

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 30: “Storming the Gates”

Pastor takes the fight directly to Ned’s front door!  To show you how committed I am to this, my Mac crashed two nights before I was supposed to post this strip.  Thankfully, I ink the old fashioned way, but I still letter using Adobe Illustrator.  Thankfully, my pal Stephen Lindsay, the prolific writer of Jesus Hates Zombies and The Frightful Fetus, among others, came to my rescue and supplied the lettering for this one.  However, when I scanned the inks, I accidentally sent him a truncated version of the strip.  Nonetheless, I kinda dug the way it was cropped.  In my original inked version, the first panel actually features a more panoramic shot of stately Belmont manor.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomicare posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 29: “Feeling the Heat”

I was glad for an opportunity to shift the scene after the long mini-arc of “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil….”  Pastor still remains an enigmatic phantom to the Thrill-Seekers at this point, but Charles is sensible enough to review him as a legitimate threat.  I enjoy setting up Ned for the big fall (but not in the same sense as Duke) that is to come.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 28: “An Abrupt Departure”

This episode was cathartic from a storytelling standpoint.  The upshot of the building with Duke represented as a tiny figure against the sky as he hurtled to his death was understated, yet powerful, and I am extremely proud of it.  Having Pastor standing there passively to survey his handiwork, instead of making some smart-ass quip, cemented the notion of him as a no-nonsense tough guy and underscored my desire to make WORLD OF HURT a serious, dramatic work exploration of Blaxploitation.

Yeah, I was pretty happy with this one.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomicare posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 27: “Time to Go”

Like I said before, Duke is reduced to a quivering bowl of Jell-o from the tough guy posturing he assumed when we first saw him.  In my original pencil drawing of the final panel, he looked a lot like Edward Blake before he was sent down to the pavement below and turned into “human bean” juice.  If you don’t get that reference, you probably are on the wrong website. If you do, you probably know what’s coming next…

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomicare posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 26: “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil – Part 6”

Duke knew he was sending Alicia to a horrific fate to a horrific fate of torture and sexual assault.  However, the twist that Duke’s callous, unforgivable actions would have been in vain if not for her accidental death, is particularly heartrending.  The coda in the final panel is chilling, and is one of my favorite bits of writing in the series, to date.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 25: “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil – Part 5”

Once I decided that Duke was going to cross this line, I knew I couldn’t redeem him.  He did more than just set the wheels in motion for whatever Charles, Ned, and Tuck ultimately did to her, he was complicit in her death.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 24: “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil – Part 4”

Despite her unassuming nature, Alicia isn’t one to take any crap off of anyone.  I really loved her speech here, because I thought I did a solid job of capturing the voice of a Black woman from the South.  I especially love her muttering under her breath about Duke’s insolence putting her on the verge of abandoning her sense of decorum. “Make me forget I’m a child of God” is a phrase that I’ve heard on several occasions.  It’s a wonderfully colorful term that says so much about Alicia’s upbringing and indicates just how far Duke has pushed her.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 23: “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil – Part 3”

One of my goals with the depiction of Alicia Patterson was to make her attractive, but relatable.  I wanted her to be the girl next door.  I think this strip underscores some of what I had been setting up before.  She’s a sharp, hard-working young woman with a lot on the ball.  Unfortunately, she had a run of misfortune, and Duke hopes to exploit this for his own, malicious gain.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 22: “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil – Part 2”

I apologize for posting this one a little late, but rest assured, I haven’t forgotten about you.

This strip represents the first time we see Alicia Patterson alive.  This episode almost reminded me of a classic EC Comics strip, as text-heavy as it is.  Nonetheless, I’m pleased with the narration.  One of my favorite images of the series is the malevolent, scheming expression on The Duke’s face.  You can almost see the gears grinding in his head, and what he’s concocting definitely ain’t pretty.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 21: “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil – Part 1”

Welcome back, everyone.

This is the beginning of an extended flashback which reveals the events that led to the death of Alicia Patterson.  I wanted to set up a valid reason for Duke’s actions and his involvement with Charles, Ned, and Tuck, and I was proud of how the dialogue from previous strips logically fed in to this sequence.  Additionally, some of the things that emerged from this story actually surprised me as I was working through it.  Not to give anything away, but in the middle of the “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil” mini-arc, I suddenly realized that the entire story behind Alicia’s death was an interesting metaphor for the slave trade, particularly the involvement of Africans in the heinous practice.  My commentary in Tuesday’s update aside, I try not to be overtly political in WORLD OF HURT, because at the end of the day it’s a crime/adventure story, but I’m proud of this particular bit of subtext that evolved in the story.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 20: “The Truth Will Out…”

I had a lot of fun with this one.  I liked the upshot of Pastor so much that I even use a cropped version of it for my Twitter gravatar.  I did have a slight moral dilemma over Pastor using torture to extract the information from Duke, but then I decided that since crime fiction allows us to indulge our revenge fantasies, it is the only place where torture should be used.  Whoops!  Got a little political there, huh?

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 19: “Delivering Pain”

This was more like it.  To make up for, what I felt were lackluster efforts in the previous two weeks, I decided to bring some action, a recap panel, and two tiers of bonecrushing action.

The title for this episode was inspired by hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy and the song “Welcome To The Terrordome” from their seminal 1990 album Fear Of A Black Planet.  The lyrics in question:

Subordinate terror/

Kickin’ off an era/

Cold deliverin’ pain

Exactly, Chuck.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 18: “Hostage”

I gotta be honest with y’all: I HATED this strip.  Nothing about it worked for me, and I felt I could do so much better.  When it was initially posted, for the entire week it was up, every time the page loaded, I immediately scrolled down the page just far enough to avoid looking at the strip.  This strip was a necessary bridge until the action really kicked in during Episode 19, however.  In the end, it’s all about delivering on schedule, and as best as you can within that allotted time, so in that regard it was a success.

Speaking of successes, as we move into 2010, I’d like to thank Troy and David here at Blog@Newsarama for helping make WORLD OF HURT’s presence here such a tremendous success, and for making everything so easy for me this.  Of course, I also have to thank my wonderful readers for their devotion and support during WORLD OF HURT’s inaugural year.  The reception I’ve received from you has exceeded anything I could have hoped for.  I hope you join me in the next decade for even more bad-assery.

Have a safe and happy New Year, everyone!

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 17: “Bluster & Cowardice”

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.

After the personal and professional high of Episode 16, this strip represented a low point in the strip’s history, because, to date, it is the only time I have ever missed a weekly deadline.  Also, although the drawing is fairly strong, if you check the comments from when the strip was first posted, there were some storytelling issues that left the reader confused.  On the plus side, I did like the way Duke’s face turned out in this one.  As the strips progressed, and Duke’s story unfolds, I realized that he sort of de-volved in his appearance, until, when we last see him, the guy’s just a quivering, jowly mess.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 16: “Back With a Vengeance”

This strip was a major turning point in WORLD OF HURT.  Pastor had been off-panel for a month and a half and I really wanted his reappearance to have a big splash, and I think this episode delivered.

Drawing-wise everything really came together, and from a storytelling standpoint, it was a big time “F***K YEAH!” moment.  This strip also came at a major point in my personal life.  The day after it was originally posted was my girlfriend’s birthday, and I chose that day to propose to her.  She said “Yes.”

I hope everyone has a wonderful, and safe, Christmas!  I’ll see you next week.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 15: “What’s Done in the Dark”

This is my first experiment with a Sunday strip, double-tier format.  The previous strip that introduced The Duke was a little lighter in tone, but got a little creepier with each panel.  This one left no doubts that The Duke is a sick, cruel, manipulative bastard.  I wish I had done more with Carmen.  I can’t say more without giving too much away, but I’d like to revisit her character more in another chapter of WORLD OF HURT.  She certainly has every reason to want to see Pastor again.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomicare posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 14: “The Duke”

A staple of Blaxploitation movies is the character of “The Pimp.”  Thanks to Blaxploitation movies, the word “pimp” usually conjures images of a pencil-thin dandy dressed in bright colors, platform shoes, and dripping in fur and gold.  I knew The Thrill-Seekers would have a pimp character, but I wanted to turn those expectations on their head.  The Duke is still a coward and manipulator who takes advantage of women, but he’s more understated in his approach.  I saw him as a man who happened to be a very good criminal, who enjoyed the opportunities “The Life” created for him, but he nonetheless aspired to be something else.  He wanted to be a professional chef, but his opportunities were limited.  The Duke’s dilemma, his frustrated aspirations and the choices he made, ultimately became the catalyst for the events of The Thrill-Seekers.  In another story, or if we had encountered The Duke at an earlier point in his life, he could easily have been a protagonist in the Blaxploitation milieu, cut from the same cloth as Goldie in The Mack or Rosco Orman in Willie Dynamite.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP

(Click the image above for a larger version of the strip.)

WORLD OF HURT – The Thrill-Seekers – Episode 13: “Hittin’ The Streets”

When I did this strip, I realized it was over a month since Pastor had last appeared in the strip.  I knew I wanted his return to have an impact, but this strip wasn’t the place for that moment.  Instead, I focused on the informants and residents of the D’Urville District, and added a little more breadth to Pastor’s world.  With each progressive panel, I panned the camera down Pastor’s body from his head to his feet, but I obscured his face.

New strips of WORLD OF HURT – The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic are posted every Wednesday at www.worldofhurtonline.com.

- JEP