4 Things I Learned Making a Webcomic with Midjourney

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The Stoner is a rambling, irreverent trans-media comic about a pot smoking werewolf and his best friend, a rogue FBI agent. It subverts the reader with anarchic storytelling and unsettling vulgarity.

Issue 1 started in my Moleskine sketchbook. For issue 2, I worked on larger paper and switched from colored pencils to watercolor paint. Issue 3 is a 40 page novella.

Then I jumped ahead to issue 13, which is an Instagram-native webcomic. Each page is a square and it is designed for a swipe experience instead of a page flip experience

While working on issue 13 in my little square sketchbook, I also started playing with AI. I quickly got hooked on Midjourney and a vision for another issue came into view.

But as I tried to bring my vision to life, I started to discover some of the challenges of creating AI art, particularly in comics.

Visual consistency is a challenge for AI. The AI can take your prompt and create a beautiful image, it is unlikely to re-create the same character or setting in the variety of shots you’ll need to tell a traditional comic book story.

Here are 4 big lessons I learned from trying to troubleshoot that issue.

1. Learn the language that the AI speaks.

There is a huge amount of amazing material to be found on YouTube. I love ______.

This video explains how to communicate with AI efficiently in order to get the most accurate expression of your prompt.

If you’re just getting started on midjourney (like I am) take a few minutes to watch some of these videos and learn the basics.

2. Use storytelling to your benefit.

When I realized visual consistency was going to be a challenge, I asked myself “what if I can use that to my benefit?”

I’ve had a few psychedelic stories rattling around in my brain. The variations from image to image in this story help to create a loose, trippy feeling.

It was a natural fit, so I leaned in to the concept.

3. Play with format

Asking Midjourney to draw a comic book page is currently a futile effort. It can’t sequence images on a page in a way that tells a coherent and compelling story. As an illustrator, that’s kind of reassuring for now, even if the machine will eventually inevitably master the art.

I’ve got an idea for how I’m going to deal with that. Depending how it goes, I’ll probably write another blog about it.

In this effort, I decided to continue my trend of creating Instagram native slide comics.

I thought of a few different ways to place the text on each slide (which I did with photoshop— Midjourney is also still incapable of text integrated into imags). I toyed with traditional text boxes, but then I saw another opportunity to lean into the trippy aesthetic of an acid trip.

4. No church in the wild

AI is a new frontier for artists. There are no traditional rules or boundaries in the medium that are currently dogma. One day, there will be old masters in AI art who tell you to follow the rules. But right now, it’s the Wild West.

Use that freedom to your advantage.

When I was working on issue 6, I realized that some of the slides looked like memes. Again, I leaned in. There is a wide open field to innovate in comics by adapting to the visual language of the moment.

5 tips for using AI to improve your comics

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly popular in the world of comics. AI can be used to create stunning visuals, automate tedious tasks, and even generate entire stories. Here are five tips for using AI to draw great comics:

1. Use AI to Generate Ideas: AI can be used to generate ideas for comics. By using AI-powered tools, you can quickly come up with new characters, settings, and storylines. This can help you come up with creative ideas that you may not have thought of on your own.

2. Automate Repetitive Tasks: AI can be used to automate tedious tasks such as coloring, shading, and inking. This can save you time and energy, allowing you to focus on the creative aspects of your comic.

3. Utilize AI-Powered Tools: There are a variety of AI-powered tools available that can help you create stunning visuals for your comic. These tools can help you create realistic backgrounds, characters, and objects quickly and easily.

4. Leverage AI for Storytelling: AI can be used to generate entire stories. By using AI-powered tools, you can quickly come up with interesting storylines and plot points. This can help you create a compelling story for your comic.

5. Experiment with AI: AI is constantly evolving, so don’t be afraid to experiment with it. Try out different AI-powered tools and see what works best for you. You may be surprised at the results!

By following these tips, you can use AI to draw great comics. AI can help you come up with creative ideas, automate tedious tasks, and create stunning visuals. So don’t be afraid to experiment with AI and see what you can create!

The 8 most interesting comics artists in my Instagram feed right now

Instagram is a great platform for comic book artists to share their work and connect with fans.

And comics artists are inherently visual storytellers, so the modern tools of social media become a natural storytelling platform.

Here are 7 of the most interesting comic book artists on I’m following on Instagram right now.

1. David Mack:

View this profile on Instagram

DrDavidMrMack (@davidmackkabuki) • Instagram photos and videos

David Mack is a comic book artist and writer who has worked on titles such as Daredevil, Kabuki, and Jessica Jones. His art is known for its vibrant colors and dynamic compositions. He often posts process videos and behind-the-scenes looks at his work.

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2. Skottie Young

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skottie young (@skottieyoung) • Instagram photos and videos

Skottie Young is a comic book artist and writer who has worked on titles such as Rocket Raccoon, I Hate Fairyland, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. His art is known for its whimsical and cartoonish style. He often posts process videos and sketches of his work.

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3. Fiona Staples:

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skottie young (@skottieyoung) • Instagram photos and videos

Fiona Staples is a comic book artist and colorist who has worked on titles such as Saga, Archie, and The Wicked + The Divine. Her art is known for its vibrant colors and detailed linework. She often posts process videos and behind-the-scenes looks at her work.

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4. Cliff Chiang:

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Cliff Chiang (@cliffchiang) • Instagram photos and videos

Cliff Chiang is a comic book artist and writer who has worked on titles such as Wonder Woman, Paper Girls, and The New 52. His art is known for its dynamic compositions and detailed linework. He often posts process videos and sketches of his work.

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5. Ryan Ottley:

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Ryan Ottley (@ryanottley) • Instagram photos and videos

Ryan Ottley is a comic book artist and writer who has worked on titles such as Invincible, Haunt, and The Walking Dead. His art is known for its dynamic compositions and detailed linework. He often posts process videos and behind-the-scenes looks at his work.

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6. Becky Cloonan:

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Becky Cloonan (@beckycloonan) • Instagram photos and videos

Becky Cloonan is a comic book artist and writer who has worked on titles such as Gotham Academy, Southern Cross, and The Punisher. Her art is known for its vibrant colors and dynamic compositions. She often posts process videos and behind-the-scenes looks at her work.

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7. Declan Shalvey:

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Declan Shalvey (@declanshalvey) • Instagram photos and videos

Declan Shalvey is a comic book artist and writer who has worked on titles such as Moon Knight, Injection, and Deadpool. His art is known for its dynamic compositions and detailed linework. He often posts process videos and sketches of his work.

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The list could go on, but we’ll leave it there.

Drop your favorite comics artists to follow in the comments and if you haven’t already, check out some of my work too:

All these Fantastic 4 leaks beg the question: Who cares?

We’ve gotten 3 leaks on the upcoming Fantastic 4 recently.

First Howard Stern let it slip that he’s been cast in a Dr. Doom project, presumably a Disney+ show which will supplement the Fantastic 4 movie. Stern probably won’t play Doom, which is disappointing because I would love to see Dr. Doom screaming at Reed Richards about his tiny penis.

Then we got this concept art that allegedly shows Dr. Doom in the post-credits scene of Black Panther 2.

And now we’ve got a leak that says Penn Badgley is the top choice for Reed Richards and Simon Baker is up for Dr. Doom.

Badgley is best known for being on Gossip Girl and the Netflix show You, neither of which I’ve seen. He’s got the right look for Mr. Fantastic. John Krasinski has always been the fan favorite for Reed Richards but I never really saw it and I felt like his brief appearance really just seemed like Jim Halpert in a Halloween costume.

Simon Baker is also a TV star, best known for his roles on The Mentalist and The Guardian. I’ve never seen either of those shows either. But again— this guys got the right look, even if he’ll be under a mask for most of the performance.

The leak also says they’re looking at actors ranging from 20-30, including Logan Lerman, Freddy Carter, Melissa Benoist, Callan McAuliffe, Natalia Dyer and Jharrel Jerome.

Melissa Benoist played Supergirl on the CW and Marley on Glee, and Natalia Dyer just had a heck of a showing in the latest season of Stranger Things. Both seem like fine choices for Susan Storm.

All of these actors look like they could be a good fit for their characters. As I Googled each of them, I could see roughly what they’re going for. The other 3 dudes on that list are also generally CW types who look like they could play a competent Johnny Storm

But honestly, who gives a shit? Is anyone really all that excited for another Fantastic 4? It’s hard to imagine but it wasn’t that long ago when F4 was a vastly bigger property than Iron Man, but Robert Downey Jr. changed that in a major way, as did 2 generally lousy previous attempts at launching a Fantastic 4 franchise.

I think it’s safe to say that phase 4 has been mid at best. The movies and shows have been fun but lacking in “wow” factor other than a few cute easter eggs and cameos, so far. They’re also starting get very repetitive and it’s hard to buy into the stakes after all of the time-travel/multiverse fuckery we’ve seen already.

That first fight scene in Avengers when Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor squared up was amazing. It was a game changer. And they built on that moment with more massive moments, match ups, show downs, and unlikely partnerships.

But is anyone really jacked up for the first time we see Ms. Marvel team up with Ms. Hawkeye to fight some dude who was on The OC or whatever?

The MCU jumped the shark. I’m not sure when exactly, but I know it was sometime between Tony Stark’s funeral and the Illuminati massacre.

I guess we’ll see if the CW all-stars can bring some life back into the MCU, but odds are I’ll see it on an airplane a year after it comes out.

Spotted on the 101

Nice.

Souvenir Coffee Co has taken the place of Contraband on Nob Hill

This place used to be Contraband Coffee, which was a super bougie coffee shop with a modern communist vibe. I don’t know if it’s still got the same owners or what. It looks mostly the same on the inside, except maybe a little bit friendlier. Contraband was the kind of coffee shop that would get really annoyed and condescending if you just asked for “coffee”.

Now they’ve got a menu of breakfast and lunch sandwiches which has got my attention. I’ve got The Hobbs and a Cheesy Bird with Bacon on my hit list.

A good selection of pastries is critical to my assessment of any coffee shop. If you’re selling coffee, you need to have a glass case with a donut, a croissant, a chocolate croissant (the Frisco donut), an almond croissant, and a couple of scones. At least. That’s the bare minimum. They don’t have to be baked in house, but they should be baked the same day and within 10 miles of where they’re sold.

I haven’t been into Souvenir Coffee Co yet, so I can’t speak on their coffee, sandwiches, or pastries. I’ll go in this weekend and post a review.

Stay tuned.

I made an NFT to commemorate the Ricky Rat vs fnnch feud (and maybe pick a fight)

fnnch claims he’s trying to “democratize art”.

Like many self-styled street art maverick types, fnnch likes to think that he’s shaking up power structures and toppling the status quo.

Well I think fnnch is the power structure.

He’s one of the bougie elite who gets an oversized say in the world for no good reason at all. Maybe he’s the status quo that needs to be toppled.

And I think NFTs are going to shake things up. I’m not sure how, but I think they’ll be relevant to the future. I heard a podcast that said Elon Musk was going to start snatching platinum out of passing asteroids and that will crater the value of precious metals on earth (which all of our currency is based on) and then we’ll all be living on NFTs. It makes sense to me.

This NFT is not currently listed for sale, but I will entertain offers. Ownership of the NFT comes with ownership of the physical piece.

The Steiner Brothers are going into the WWE Hall Of Fame so let's rewatch some of their greatest hits

The Steiner’s are a perfect tag team— real life brothers with legitimate wrestling credentials, who each have an amazing look that tells their story.

In the early days, Scotty is a white-meat babyface. He’s a nice, clean cut, good looking kid in a varsity letterman’s jacket. His brother is the “Dog Faced Gremlin”, an oddball who seems to have a screw loose that makes him all the more dangerous. They’re both super human athletes and elite grapplers.

Now they’re headed into the WWE Hall of Fame. That will be sure to produce some great moments— there’s still no guessing what Scott Steiner will say when he’s got a live mic in his hand— and at the very least we can expect a spectacular video package from the WWE.

Until then, let’s go down the rabbit hole on the Steiner’s and you use the magic of YouTube to look back at some of their greatest moments

Early Steiners

The Steiner’s had incredible matches with Sting and Luger, Doom, the 4 Horseman, Harlem Heat, the Road Warriors, the Freebirds and more while winning championships across the old territories, WCW, Japan, and the WWF.

There are hours of great matches on Peacock, but WWE owns most of that footage now and they are pretty protective with their copyright so if you’re on YouTube you’ll have to settle for highlights.

The Big Poppa Pump era

Scott was always the breakout star of the duo— a little better looking, a little more athletic and exciting. As the Steiner’s got late in their career, Scott Steiner took one of the sharpest turns in pro wrestling when he joined the nWo and revealed an audacious new look and attitude.

This lead into a short run in WWE that would certainly mark a crescendo in Scott Steiner’s career.

The over-the-hill years

Scott Steiner, like many aging stars of the time, eventually made his way to TNA wrestling

In his time in TNA, Big Poppa Pump essentially went from being an aging star to a crazy old man. He also put on some of the most entertaining tv TNA ever put on as his promos became increasingly anarchic works of performance art.

Including, of course, the infamous “Steiner math” promo.

And then there is this gem. I’ve heard Bully Ray say on podcasts that he was expecting this segment to be a mutual-appreciation society type feel, where both teams tell each other how much respect they have for each other and build up a legends vs legends vibe. Instead, Scott went as hard on the Dudley’s as he could (after they had already showered him with praise) and shit all over their whole legacy.

Shoot interviews

The Steiner Brother’s were also legendary bullies. The stories of their antics throughout their careers stand out even amongst the depravity and toxic behavior of the time.

I let this 4 hour compilation of Steiner bullying stories play while I was painting and it was worth every second.

The next chapter

No great pro wrestling story would be complete if it didn’t set up the next chapter.

In this case, that’s Bronn Breaker, the star of NXT and Rick Steiner’s son. He’ll be wrestling Dolph Ziggler to win back his NXT Championship during Wrestlemania weekend. He’s got the potential to be the biggest star of the family.

(four)

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Let's play "Hot Take Bingo" with the Will Smith/Chris Rock slap

So last night at the Oscars, Will Smith slapped the shit out of Chris Rock and the internet moved on from Volodymyr Zewhatshisname. We’ve got something new to talk about, and it’s way more exciting because it’s about Americans.

Every time a news story bubbles up, a clever man can predict the opinions that will soon start spreading across the internet. Its a game I like to call

Hot Take Bingo

and this one is perfect for Hot Take Bingo, because it’s ripe with 3 of the internets favorite topics:

1. Celebrities

2. Violence

3. Race

And the best part about this video is the level of controversy. This is going to be a 50/50 debate. All of our main characters— Will, Chris, and Jada— are highly empathetic and generally beloved. Everyone has a fairly reasonable position. I can put myself in any of their shoes and I don’t like it. I can admire all of them for their role and I can also criticize any of them for their role.

OK, so let’s see how many hot takes I can fire off in say 20 minutes, before I poke around Twitter to see how many I got right.

Right off the bat— this one is going to break down into 2 camps, like the best internet fights always do:

Team Will

• “It’s ok to punch people who mock disk disabilities because they are an extension of Nazis”

• People talk like they’re not afraid of getting slapped these days.

• I’d slap someone if they mocked my wife for having a disability.

Team Chris

• We allowed him to be victimized for our entertainment then let Will Smith recount the moment as a morality tale in which he was the hero and Chris was the villain who got what he deserved.

• This is a story about classism and life on the A List. Will Smith was allowed to commit an act of violence on national then he was handed a gold statue and gave a self-glorifying speech in which he justified using physical violence to “protect” people from words. I bet I just spoiled Ben Shapiro’s whole hour today.

• Undersized men are actually the most victimized/least privileged people in our society today.

But then we’re always going to have outliers who don’t fit neatly into either camp.

Racial jambalaya

• What if the racial axes were reversed? What would have happened if a white guy slapped a white guy? White guy slapped a black guy? Black guy slapped a white guy?

• What if Tom Cruise slapped David Spade? That’s the most direct equivalent I can imagine of white actors.

• What if Chris Rock walked on stage and tried to slap Will Smith? Would he be unceremoniously tackled by security? You and I would, that’s for goddamn sure.

Male on male violence is fertile soil for toxic masculinity/red pill discourse

• Our society still makes heroes of men for perpetrating violence and makes jokes of men for being the victims of violence

• What if in this same situation, a woman walked on stage to slap a guy? I bet that would have gotten a round of applause.

• Guy slapped a woman? Big time accountability for him. Immediately and on the spot. I bet if some guy walked on stage to slap a girl, Will Smith would have jumped up and kicked his ass.

• (These situations both seem perfectly fair to me, by the way. I’m an old fashioned kind of sexist, not one of these new weird insurrection virgins.)

An iconic meme photo

Say what you will about the whole situation, but this picture was instantly iconic.

My go to’s for memes are “me/me”, “me/my dick”, and “me/depression and anxiety”. All 3 work here. What a gem.

(three)

The 6 Best Vacation Spots For Single Guys

Traveling can be a great way to meet new people when you’re a single guy.

If you’re like me and you enjoy international travel with the potential for romance and adventure, then you'll want to know my top 6 vacation destinations for single guys!

1. Dover Hilton

I went here for StampCon, the third largest stamp collecting convention on the East Coast. The convention was terrible. I went for all 3 days and hated every second of it. I just don't get it. But then again, I don't collect stamps so I guess it would have been better if I did. Everyone who collected stamps seemed to enjoy it.

Some people were there with their families, and that made me feel awful.

Still, you can't blame that on the hotel. They had a lovely continental breakfast which included a Belgian waffle bar. The waffle maker was broken, so I just had some cereal. I hope that the waffle maker is fixed by next year's StampCon.

2. Hampton Beach Ramada

They had the coldest air conditioning I've ever felt. So cold that it could keep the room ice cold even when I cranked up the heat full blast at the same time AND opened the windows. I got a room that had a window that opened up directly to a brick wall, which had been painted black. So I cranked up the AC and the heat and took a shit ton of ambien and slept for four days.

It was the happiest I've ever felt.

3. Daytona Double Tree

When a cleaning lady found me unconscious on the floor of my bathroom, my heart had already been stopped for 20 minutes. She and her manager prayed over my body for another 30 minutes while they waited for the EMT's to arrive, who immediately pronounced me dead. They transported my body to a local morgue. I woke up in a sealed coffin as they were preparing to bury my unidentified body in a grave marked "John Doe"

4. Detroit Ramada

When I walked into my room, I was startled to find an old blind man in the room, ziptied to the radiator. Upon hearing me come in, he immediately started to beg for help. He said that he was a very wealthy man, and he had been hoodwinked by a beautiful woman. She had drugged him, destroyed his ID, killed his seeing eye dog, and left him there with nothing! He told me that he had to get to Lucerne, Switzerland within 48 hours so that he could freeze his bank accounts before she drained them.

I was so afraid of getting into a confrontation with the man that I remained completely silent.

He said "I know you're there! I can hear you breathing! Are you working with them?!" But I just stayed totally silent while the blind man begged for my help for nearly 2 hours. "Please" he said "just tell me what city I'm in? What country? She drugged me!"

When I complained at the front desk, they gave me a 20% off voucher for my next visit, which seemed generous. 

5. Auschwitz

Not every vacation has to be centered around your mating dance just because you're a single guy. That's a very un-evolved way of thinking. Every one should visit Auschwitz to pay silent witness to the gruesome depths of humanity, even if you’re a “single guy” and you think that makes you special.

Sorry if you were looking for a Señor Frogs. 

6. Go to hell.

I don't understand what you want from me.