  
Between emails, the message boards, and a couple of you that have found me in game, I have
asked many questions over and over again. This whole section is about trying to answer them
for you.
·| What does "/gu ..." mean? |
·| Does Verant care that you use their "/gu" command as the title of your strip? |
·| Can I use your images? |
·| Is your name really Woody? |
·| Do you make a living at this? |
·| What made you get into comics? And, how bad was your first comic strip? |
·| What server do you play on? And, what is your character's name? |
·| What kind of pens do you use to ink "/gu ..."? |
·| What program do you use to color "/gu ..."? |
·| How do you come up with ideas? |
·| Can people submit ideas? |
·| How does GU differ from other comics? |
·| Can I (my character) get into the Strip? |
·| Do you do character sketches or commissions? |
·| Can I purchase the original artwork for a specific strip? |
·| Do you believe GU is going to be around for a while? |
·| How do I link to GU? Do you have a banner or something? |
·| I've still got more questions. How do I get them answered? |
What does "/gu ..." mean?
Well, initially this strip was drawn only for the enjoyment of me and my guild. And
I needed a name that fit; "/gu" is the command in-game that allows you to chat with
all members of your guild at once. Basically, it's short for "/guildsay".
Does Verant care that you use their "/gu" command as the title of your strip?
When the strip first got picked up, Rob Anderson at EQAnswers.Com called up some
people over at Verant to make sure using "/gu" wasn't going to get me into legal
trouble with them. The fact that the strip is still named "/gu ..." should tell you their
answer. **grins**
Can I use your images?
Well, yeah. But all I ask is that the image have the url for gu comics printed
CLEARLY on the image. I prefer that you not modify the images, but if you feel
you have to... please give credit where credit is do. Okay? Thanks.
Is your name really Woody?
No. Technically it's William Woodfin Hearn Jr. But, I've been called Woody for so long
that I usually don't even respond to someone asking for William. And I get bent out of
shape if someone calls me Bill. **grumbles** I have entertained the though of having my
name legally changed however.
Do you make a living at this?
Nope. This strip is done out of love for the fans. If it weren't for them I would
have hung up my pens a good bit ago. I don't even play EQ anymore. The only money
I get from the strip is T-Shirt sales. The banner ads provide the revenue for
bandwidth charges for Keenspace.
What made you get into comics? And, how bad was your
first comic strip?
Well, in the real world I'm a Classically trained, degree holding, graphic designer. The
only reason I'm doing a strip here is because I decided in guild chat one day to illustrate
a joke that had been going through the guild about my characters method of increasing his
Disarm Skill. That was my first comic strip, and you can see that by clicking here.
What server do you play on? And, what is your character's name?
Well, I started on Vallon Zek and I have a Barbarian Warrior there named Vhah Drahsil.
After I got fed up with the futility of trying to level on a PVP server and the brazen
immaturity of most PKs, my wife bribed me to start again on Prexus. So... that's where
I play now, and I did simply start over. My character on Prexus is a Barbarian Warrior
named Vhah Drahsil. I'm in her guild Free
Norrath. You can see up-to-date info on my character here.
What kind of pens do you use to ink "/gu ..."?
Ah, one of my favortite questions, because I love spreading the word about the wonder
and joy that is the KOH-I-NOOR Rapidograph pen. I generaly use three different size nibs:
.35 (0), .6 (3), and 1.2 (4).
What program do you use to color "/gu ..."?
Adobe Photoshop 5.5 : Airbrush tool set to "Multiply".
How do you come up with ideas?
It ain't easy. Trust me. That's the hardest part of doing the strip. Most of the ideas hit
me while I'm trying to concentrate on something else. I rarely play the game anymore, so
most of the ideas are based on what has happened to me at home or at work. I also get a
goodly number of idea submissions. See the next question.
Can people submit ideas?
You bet! I encourage it, as I am not a very funny person, and I like the visitor to think
of the strip as being theirs (in part) as much as mine. I like for people to associate with
the strip. What this means is that they feel free to join in and contribute.
Any person that submits an idea, that is accepted and posted, gets their name in the
by-line of the strip, just below mine. Yes, I use the idea, but only as a departure point.
Most people forget that I do a "single panel" strip, and send ideas that require multiple
panels to get the point across. Sometimes it is also easier to get the humor out in far
less time by using the right words in the right order. I usually have to do this to make
all the copy fit within the confines of the panel.
Some people get offended that their strip is not the next one to be posted. Well, there
are several reasons for this, and as harsh as it may sound, it's only the truth.
1. I get submissions almost constantly, and they put into a pool that I pick and choose from
almost at random.
2. Some of them just aren't that funny. **shrugs** Sorry.
3. Things that are funny to one person, are not funny to another. This mostly happens when
people submit ideas based on something that happened to their own character. Sometimes
the idea is a mutual thing that has happened to tons of other characters, but for the
most part humor is based on situation and environment.
You can submit your idea to me by emailing: woody@a5.com
How does GU differ from other comics?
That's a fine question. And I think several things distinguish me on varying levels. First,
the way I sketch the characters is rather distinct, and you can look at it and tell that
it's a Woody drawing.
Then, there is the way I color. It's hard to explain how my process
and technique are so visually different, but for the most part, you can tell if I was the
one that colored it or not. (I've been trying to get my wife to start coloring strips for me.)
Last, of course, is the single panel, one-shot-at-being-humerous, layout. Most people don't
go this direction because it's easier, MUCH easier, to get an idea across and make it funny
across multiple panels or frames. The single panel BANG! roots in comics like "the Farside"
and "the Lockhorns". I LOVE THE LOCKHORNS!
Can I (my character) get into the Strip?
Thus far I've been incredibly leary about naming characters or using specific characters
because I want the visitors to relate to the strip. If I name or specify a character then
I lose that. So, for the most part the answer is "no".
BUT, in some instances I might see fit use a person or character in particular. Even I'm
not sure of the specifics of this however, and it would really be determined by the situation.
Do you do character sketches or commissions?
Yes I do. My rate is $30 and hour. Original Sig Pics, such as these,
take about an hour. Character sketches, such as this one
take 3 to 4 hours. If you're still interested, email me for specifics.
All payments are handled via:
Can I purchase the original artwork for a specific strip?
Yes, I do. The original panels, because of my process, are black and white. They have no color, and no word bubbles.
All of that is done in Adobe Photoshop AFTER scanning. They don't even have the GU logo on them.
The panels are black indea ink on Strathmore Bristol Board stock. Dimensions: 6x9 inches.
If you're still interested, read more about it here!
Do you believe GU is going to be around for a while?
No. Given the industry, and my schedule, it's hard for me to see this thing
lasting anymore than a year. The ideas will always be there. But, the fan base
will eventually deminish.
How do I link to GU? Do you have a banner or something?
Well, technically there are two addresses you can use to link to GU: http://www.gucomics.com.
Either one of those would be fine. Now as far as a graphic, I only
have one so here you go.
-or-
I've still got more questions. How do I get them answered?
Well, you can email me at woody@a5.com. My email stays open nearly twenty-four hours a day. I answer as many
emails as is possible.The message board is always open and if it's a question that not for me specifically,
there are a bunch of great people that frequent my boards and they'll get you squared away.
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