Bring on the girls!

Guess what was in the inbox from Dash this morning.

I guess if you have to find a recurring theme in my writing, it would be B.D.F.

BIG

DUMB

FUN

Really. F. Stein...A BDF concept. Kendar...A BDF take on a classic genre. The Dreah material to date is loaded with BDF moments. Then you have the stuff that hasn't seen print yet like "Jorilla", the full version of "The Happiest Place" and the project you see up above.

MISS VICKY AND HER CUTIE COMMANDOS

I took an early version of the pitch package to San Diego last year and was encouraged by the response. (One publisher was interested but already had a full slate for 2006...Which seems to be thinning as they "change their focus.") Erik Larson, who has a reputation for being rough in con reviews, seemed to like it with his only comment against it was an off hand "There's some nice art under those inks." Stephen Molnar (pencils) took it as a challenge and completely re-penciled the pages that were in the SD packet and I contacted Dash Martin who I've been buds with since the Chicago show in 2002 that was the first Digital Webbing con set up. Dash has been primarily working as a colorist but I was aware he wants to do more inking. (If you are going to be at MegaCon, stop by his table and check out his wares.)

Back to the "BDF" factor! The idea evolved from an admittedly bad concept for a webcomic called "Siilky Justice" (With two I's) starring a pair of porn star spies/bounty hunters. (I told you it was bad.) Unable to really get behind "SHIELD with sexy starlets", I shifted to more of a "Sgt. Fury in a skirt" idea I called "Bikini Commandos." Realizing the "Bikini" concept would take it out of WW2, I opted (with input from fellow DWP alumni) to go with "Cutie Commandos" and started trying to figure out how I'm going to put an all-girl unit in the middle of the European Theatre. A special on the USO solved that for me as it talked about the "Jeep tours" that would take acts close to the front lines and mentioned how some spy/intelligence missions were carried out as part of the crews putting on shows for the boys. From there, I started playing with the typical War comic formula as it's stood since the 50s. The Leader, the Enforcer, the Southerner, the Lover, the Mechanic, the Semi-reformed Con, the Medic, etc. To round out the group and give the reader a point of view character, I added Lt. Col. Hardy as the lone male member of the squad who is brought in by military intelligence to try and serve as the "regular army" leadership for the women. Of course the reason he got the job was because he had four older sisters...Theoretically he won't fall prey to the same charms and/or drama that his predecessors did.

NEXT TIME: Meet the girls.