Jump Leads - launches Friday 6th July

[Squirminator2k]

I've spent the better part of a year trying to get [Jump Leads (http://www.jump-leads.com/)] off of the ground in one form or another. It started off life as a webcomic I was going to draw myself. Then I decided to find someone else to draw it. Then I decided that the writing was good enough to submit to the BBC. Then they wrote back to me saying "yes, it is good, but we don't do scifi comedy often*." Then I continued my maddening quest for an artist. Bonz suggested getting in touch with JjAR and, on a whim, I did. The [result (http://www.benpaddon.co.uk/2007/06/19/meaney-and-llewellyn-in-all-their-glory/)] has been fantastic, and I'm now sitting on a (very small) backlog of pages.

A few of you have read the pilot script, but that's nothing compared with looking at the characters, seeing their expressions, watching the events unfold. It's marvellous. JjAR has done something really special with the art. Future issues have also been written by Andrew Taylor, Worm Mad and, possibly, Stephen Frizzle (if he can get his **** in gear), and the scripts I've seen are pure brilliance.

On July 6th, we'll be launching Jump Leads with the cover and first three pages of Issue One, which has been titled "Training Day". After that we'll be going at a rate of about one page a week, with occasional double-updates depending on how often JjAR knocks out pages (at the moment he takers between 2-4 days depending on the complexity of the page, and this is sometimes a tad longer because he occasionally suffers from a loss of internet).

The site will launch with a forum, natch, and I expect you'll all register of course ;). As well as the obligatory "Discuss the comic here" and "General discussion" boards, there's also another board - "That's science!" - where suitably-minded people can discuss various aspects of science - be it scientific fact, theory, or fiction. Who knows?, maybe I'll have something insightful of my own to contribute in there some day :)

For now, discuss the comic here. We've already hijacked Rambo's thread which, honestly, was a bit rude of us all. We can have lots of fun talking about it here instead. Oh, and do feel free to fire any questions you might have about the comic to me. I'm sure I can answer most of them.
__________________________________________________
* Going by debuts, there was seven years between Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Red Dwarf, and fifteen between Red Dwarf and Hyperdrive. I reckon the BBC will be ready for Jump Leads some time in 2022.

[MtlAngelus]

It's looking awesome. Looking forward to it. :D

[AndrewTaylor]

Hoorays! A date! An actual date! It's a Christmas Miracle!

(I am actually quite excited to see this happen.)

[Squirminator2k]

It goes without saying that I'm excited too. :)

[philby4000]

It looks absoloutely awesome.

I can't wait.

[Squirminator2k]

It helps when your artist is apparently the King of Awesome.

[Pigbuster]

I am highly anticipating this.

[SupSuper]

It helps when your artist is apparently the King of Awesome.King my ass, he's the freakin' Emperor of Awesome.

[Paul.Power]

What they said :).

[Squirminator2k]

I do hope you guys are Spreading The Word.

[Pigbuster]

You mean, around the forums?

I can do that.

And by the way, could you PLEASE make an RSS/XML feed for this?
I find it hard to keep up with any comic unless I know exactly when there are updates.

[SargeMcCluck]

Agreed. If you havn't already got one and have no idea where to start I can do one for you if you contact me Ben, you know how.

Can't wait to see it!

[Slick]

Awesome dude.
I no longer feel sorry for ever turning you down for doing the actual art for the comic. (*Although that could of been a completely different comic and now I look like an ass for even saying that. Oh well. *)But anyways the end result is MUCH better this way. :p

If there is anything I can do, let me know. I'll try to do it. My life is... hectic.

[Squirminator2k]

And by the way, could you PLEASE make an RSS/XML feed for this?
I find it hard to keep up with any comic unless I know exactly when there are updates.

SupSuper's designing the website, so I'll ask him to include it.

[SargeMcCluck]

SupSuper's designing the website, so I'll ask him to include it.

Can you try and get him to make three feeds? One just for the comics, one just for news, and one for everything? I know it's popular with a lot of people (myself included - Any webcomic with news included in the comic feed doesn't get its news read by me, while when they're seperate I do).

Or, I guess I could ask him. Or we could just point him at this thread.

[SupSuper]

You mean, around the forums?

I can do that.

And by the way, could you PLEASE make an RSS/XML feed for this?
I find it hard to keep up with any comic unless I know exactly when there are updates.It does.

Can you try and get him to make three feeds? One just for the comics, one just for news, and one for everything? I know it's popular with a lot of people (myself included - Any webcomic with news included in the comic feed doesn't get its news read by me, while when they're seperate I do).

Or, I guess I could ask him. Or we could just point him at this thread.Have you actually read any of Ben's newsposts? They're hardly something you can't afford to miss out on.

[SargeMcCluck]

It does.

Have you actually read any of Ben's newsposts? They're hardly something you can't afford to miss out on.

I do, but I like having my newsposts in a "news" folder in my RSS reader, and webcomics in a webcomics folder. If I'm browsing webcomics and see a wall of text, I just scroll past. Anything in "news", I read.

[SupSuper]

Fine, you can now have feed.php?type=comic, feed.php?type=news or feed.php if you so please.

[Paul.Power]

O'course, from July 7th I'll be on holiday for a week, so I'll be there for the launch, but I'll miss the bit just after.

How exactly will the update schedule work, anyway? In "N amount of comic, M times a week" terms.

[Worm Mad]

I think the plan is for one comic a week, with the occasional extra comic if Jjar has the time.

*looks around*
Aw, crap. How'd I wind back here? My sense of navigation is terrible.
*hikes off*
;)

[Paul.Power]

I think the plan is for one comic a week, with the occasional extra comic if Jjar has the time.

*looks around*
Aw, crap. How'd I wind back here? My sense of navigation is terrible.
*hikes off*
;)So would one comic be one strip, page or book?

Mostly asking so's I know how much time I have to think about writing a script :p.

[Pigbuster]

A believe a comic-a-week schedule is usually done with 1 page a week.

[SargeMcCluck]

Fine, you can now have feed.php?type=comic, feed.php?type=news or feed.php if you so please.

I love you and want to have your babies.

Seriously, thanks Sup. I appreciate it.

[AndrewTaylor]

So would one comic be one strip, page or book?

Mostly asking so's I know how much time I have to think about writing a script :p.

I don't know how many "pages" one script is, but I should think plenty of time. I know there are at least four scripts written already and I'm pretty sure there's a fifth and maybe a sixth in the works. I think there's a fair buffer of Stuff For JjAR To Do.

Edit: But for some reason, Jump Leads is great fun to write, so you should start now.

[Squirminator2k]

I think the reason Jump Leads is so much fun to write is because the idea has so much scope. Meaney and Llewellyn have an entire Multiverse to explore, which means they wind up anywhere. A barren moon, a town made entirely out of treacle, a society controlled by super-intelligent wombats...

[Pigbuster]

I'd probably have to see it in action before I think of something.
Especially since I have pretty much zero knowledge of the characters or setting or anything. :p

[Squirminator2k]

It's a good thing I wrote a (rather poorly structured) Writer's Bible, then.

[bonz]

I think I'll try writing something too sometime.

[AndrewTaylor]

It's a good thing I wrote a (rather poorly structured) Writer's Bible, then.

Personally, what I'd like to see is the other scripts -- I'd worry about writing Meaney and Llewellyn as slightly different characters to everyone else.

[Paul.Power]

Personally, what I'd like to see is the other scripts -- I'd worry about writing Meaney and Llewellyn as slightly different characters to everyone else.Agreed. We need a bigger statistical sample that just the pilot.

[bonz]

Hmm...
I suggest S2K writes the first few stories himself, to define the characters.

[Squirminator2k]

I have two complete scripts, and three in the works. I think Euan's the only person to have read any of the incomplete scripts - he's seen two.

Once I've transferred them from my iPod to my new PC (which we're setting up later this morning) I'll email them on to Andrew and Paul.

[AndrewTaylor]

Hmm...
I suggest S2K writes the first few stories himself, to define the characters.

What I would do would be to share as much script as possible around the writers so it could be as consistent as possible, then have Ben check all the scripts for stuff like characterisation before JjAR sees them, and then have them appear on the site in whichever order seems best.

The premise pretty much rules out any big storyarcs, so there's not much chance of continuity problems.

[Squirminator2k]

I think, Andrew, that you generally get the characters down rather well. Llewellyn especially.

[AndrewTaylor]

Then Hooray!

[worMatty]

You should have meetings to decide where things are going and make sure everything's in line. I believe they call it creative direction.

[Slick]

I know nothing about the actual comic. And I just wanted to let you know, that I have made a comic. I'm sure it is completely out of line and context, to who and what the characters are, but I don't give a damn.

I'll upload it once I've had enough time to 'smooth' it out and get my ******* scanner to...erm...scan.

[SupSuper]

If you think your comics might be completely out of context, you obviously haven't seen the ones I used to test the site.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/supsuper/Art/macomic.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/supsuper/Art/macomic2.png

[worMatty]

I vote Dan for JL artist!

[Pigbuster]

AWESOME COMIX

They are flying inside of a pencil.

[worMatty]

lololololol

[Squirminator2k]

You should have meetings to decide where things are going and make sure everything's in line. I believe they call it creative direction.

I've now set up a board on the Jump Leads website for those of us involved in creating the strip to discuss the creative direction etc. etc. - it's hidden away from the prying eyes of everyone else, mind. I've already given myself, JjAR and Euan access (as he's registered on the forum).

At the moment the forum is at http://www.jump-leads.com/new/forum/ - feel free to register now, but remember that the URL for the forum will change next Friday. Andrew and Paul will be given access to the board once they register. If anyone else reckons they can write a comic, let me know either here or by email.

[Pigbuster]

I believe I am interested in the writing of a comicbook-style webcomic script.

It's a chance for the wonderful goodness of writing plot and dialogue, without the badiful badness of drawing the comic itself. :p

Though is it even possible for me to create any story-arcs in this format?

[Squirminator2k]

Drop me an email and let me know what sort of thing you have in mind. Have you written anything else at all that I can have a read of?

[bonz]

Yeah, screw JjAR!
SupSuper is the new greatest artist!

[Pigbuster]

Drop me an email and let me know what sort of thing you have in mind. Have you written anything else at all that I can have a read of?

EEK.
Ah, the portfolio.
The fact that I should really have one will always come back to get me. :p

The only example of my writing is my comic on this forum and that... isn't the best.
It's a pity. I think that I'm good at it, but I have no idea how to prove this to anyone since the only good stuff is all in my brain.
And of course, without anyone else's opinion, I can't REALLY be sure if I'm good at it.

It would also help my brainstorming if I actually knew what these guys DO.

I hate trying to write for characters I don't know too well because my humor relies on character, and without character, the jokes are lame.
I'm guessing that's the POINT of becoming a writer so you can get the magic writer's kit, but I think seeing them in action in a real comic would be better.

So maybe I'll just wait until this comic launches and then I'll think of something and make a mock-up. I don't think I want to be taken in as a writer unless I know I can do it.

And this should probably be in an e-mail, but eh. I wrote it here first.

[EDIT]
I worked it out a bit and I think I might be able to write a bit of a decent plot.
Though it currently using "GENERIC SPACE JOB" and "STOCK PERSONALITIES". :p

[Paul.Power]

It would also help my brainstorming if I actually knew what these guys DO. I've attached the pilot script (at least, the one Ben e-mailed to me several months ago; it may be out of date)

Obviously for other people, don't read this unless you want major spoilers.

EDIT: It's gone! GONE! Bwahahaha...

[worMatty]

I think you should have real-time sessions over IRC and/or voice chat, too. It's extremely effective for coming up with ideas and what have you. More so than using a forum, IMO.

And I say IRC rather than an IM client. IRC just seems to handle it so much better.

[bloopy]

If you think your comics might be completely out of context, you obviously haven't seen the ones I used to test the site.

If you haven't yet started your own comic, do so immediately.

[SupSuper]

The budget for this strip was enormous.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/supsuper/Art/macomic3.gif

They are flying inside of a pencil.Congratulations, you got the joke of comic #2 frame #1!

[Pigbuster]

Really?

I'M SO HAPPY.

[SargeMcCluck]

This'd better launch Friday real-place-time, not stupid-americanese-time! I don't want to have to wait until late evening to see it!

(>: o)

[MtlAngelus]

Are we there yet?

[philby4000]

The count-down says forty minutes.

[Squirminator2k]

Unless you're in the US, in which case it case eight hours and twenty minutes. We couldn't get the timer to work from the server clock as opposed to the visitor's clock.

[MtlAngelus]

HURRAY. The art is superb btw.

[Squirminator2k]

I'll be sure to pass that on JjAR.

You can post in the forum now... :)

[MtlAngelus]

I'll register as soon as my index finger goes back to normal.

[philby4000]

The speech-bubble placement could use work.

On the first page Lewellyn's bowl coment looks like it should be read last, because it's completely in the last panel.

Conversley, on the second page, in the first two panels, It looks like Lewelyn speaks first, then Meaney's two bubbles follow, because It's not far enough into the following pannel.

The trouble is that the bubbles overlap the panels so much that it's not clear when they're meant to be read as part of the next panel or not.

It's as if Jjar had trouble fitting the bubbles in, so just stuck them where they didn't obscutre the character's faces. This could be helped if the font was smaller. It doesn't need to be so large. You could easilly get away with reducing the current size by a third.

Another concern is the bubbles themselves. There's too much white space left. He needs to try an format the text into a more oval shape, or go with a different style altogether.

The art is damned pretty though. No isssues there.

[Pigbuster]

DAMN that art is nice. Llewellyn in particular looks perfect.
I'd be fine with it being uncolored if it means more pages per week, but that's just me.

There are a couple missing periods in some of the bubbles.

I agree with Philby about the odd placement of some bubbles.
The majority of a word bubble should be contained within its panel, methinks.
Though I'd hate to cover up more of that art...

[bloopy]

Unless you're in the US, in which case it case eight hours and twenty minutes. We couldn't get the timer to work from the server clock as opposed to the visitor's clock.

If it was using javascript, chances are you wanted to call local.getTimezoneOffset() to work out the difference you needed to apply for a particular visitor.

[SupSuper]

DAMN that art is nice. Llewellyn in particular looks perfect.
I'd be fine with it being uncolored if it means more pages per week, but that's just me.

There are a couple missing periods in some of the bubbles.

I agree with Philby about the odd placement of some bubbles.
The majority of a word bubble should be contained within its panel, methinks.
Though I'd hate to cover up more of that art...Granted, the bubbles are far big enough to allow for some downsizing. Or he could use the "semi-transparent" bubble technique.

If it was using javascript, chances are you wanted to call local.getTimezoneOffset() to work out the difference you needed to apply for a particular visitor.Yeah there were various timezone-immune functions but I couldn't figure out how to use them with the pre-written counter.

[FutureWorm]

Please don't use Comic Sans, especially when there are so many alternatives available :(

[philby4000]

Granted, the bubbles are far big enough to allow for some downsizing. Or he could use the "semi-transparent" bubble technique.
Translucent bubbles are a good idea, although, as I said the text (and therefore bubbles) can be reduced in size by a fair amount (compare Jump leads to Penny Arcade, PVP and the like. there's a substansial size difference), and the placement needs to be re-thought.

It's a damn shame to see such an lovely looking comic be obscured by these massive bubbles.
Please don't use Comic Sans, especially when there are so many alternatives available :(Good point.
Comic sans isn't that bad a font in its'self, it's just not for comics, dispite the name.

fun fact: Microsoft Bob is directly responcible for Comic sans existance. (http://www.connare.com/comic.htm)

Blambot.com has some good alternatives.

Letter-o-matic is a great comic font, although if you want something with lowercase you're out of luck. although that would solve the capitalization problems that Paul pointed out.

[SupSuper]

Instead of ranting about it here, rant about it on the JL Forum. jJar can't view OD. :p

[Pigbuster]

Letter-o-matic is a great comic font, although if you want something with lowercase you're out of luck. although that would solve the capitalization problems that Paul pointed out.

There are a couple free Upper/Lowercase fonts (I like Mighty Zeo).

[Zero72]

After a typical late arrival by yours truly, I give the existing portion of Jump Leads an enthusiastic Zeor Seal of Approval.

[Squirminator2k]

The dialogue font has now been changed, and I invite you all to read the comic from the beginning (http://jump-leads.com/comic.php?id=2) and see what a difference it makes.

[MtlAngelus]

Your comic is acting up on Opera.
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/1979/whoop2uv2.png
This is the second time this happens to me while reading your comic. I can refresh and stuff a thousand times and it looks the same, then I try it on IE and it looks just fine. Then I copy the image link from IE, use it on Opera and it looks fine. But that doesn't work if I copy the image link on Opera, even tough the link is exactly the same.
I'm clueless. :p
Edit: It used to happen on Page 6 only, and now that you changed the font it seems to happen on Page 1 only.

[AndrewTaylor]

It must be something to do with the files themselves. They might not have uploaded properly or might use an unusual compression or something.

[bonz]

It must be something to do with the files themselves. They might not have uploaded properly or might use an unusual compression or something.
Or they might have slipped halfway into another reality. A green one.

[AndrewTaylor]

They'd better not have. I'm having enough trouble with the red and blue ones.

[FutureWorm]

The dialogue font has now been changed, and I invite you all to read the comic from the beginning (http://jump-leads.com/comic.php?id=2) and see what a difference it makes.
great choice in font, i like it a lot

[Squirminator2k]

Your comic is acting up on Opera.

Jump-Leads.com Troubleshooting

Problem
Some of the images fail to load correctly in Opera.

Possible Causes
The files may be saved using a compression method that Opera cannot extrapolate.
The files may not have been uploaded properly.
You are using Opera, an inferior web browser.

Solution
Switch to a better browser, which is pretty much anything that isn't Internet Explorer. Even ABrowse on the Amiga does a better job than Opera.

[MtlAngelus]

Alternatively, update my version of Opera, haven't done so in quite a while.

Opera has done a great job for me so far, barring this. So I don't see a reason to change it just yet.

[AndrewTaylor]

Jump-Leads.com Troubleshooting

Problem
Some of the images fail to load correctly in Opera.

Possible Causes
The files may be saved using a compression method that Opera cannot extrapolate.
The files may not have been uploaded properly.
You are using Opera, an inferior web browser.

Solution
Switch to a better browser, which is pretty much anything that isn't Internet Explorer. Even ABrowse on the Amiga does a better job than Opera.

Fact: If you switch browsers every time a page doesn't look right then you'll run out of browsers after a week.

[Squirminator2k]

Quick question, and this discussion cannot leave this thread.

If Jump Leads were adapted to, say, an animated series, would the characters sound out of place with American voices? Even if it were just some of them? Or would they have to be all-British? Obviously the dialogue makes heavy use of Britishisms but if it were tweaked...

I'm going to stop here.

[Zero72]

Well, considering they're in space and all, I don't really automatically associate a nationalism with them, aside from the occasional Britishism like you mentioned...

[MtlAngelus]

Maybe british but not too british? :p

[AndrewTaylor]

Quick question, and this discussion cannot leave this thread.

If Jump Leads were adapted to, say, an animated series, would the characters sound out of place with American voices? Even if it were just some of them? Or would they have to be all-British? Obviously the dialogue makes heavy use of Britishisms but if it were tweaked...

I'm going to stop here.

Can I vote that Meaney take an American accent and Llewellyn take a British one?

Edit: A real British one, mind.

[Worm Mad]

I don't really think it matters. In the comic, I imagine them as British as all the writers are British and it's on the internet so there's no particular market that it's being aimed at. An animated series would be a whole different kettle of fish. If it was for the American public, then I think you'd have to make at least one of the main characters American. I mean, if a new series came out here and everyone spoke in American accents, despite the fact that it was being produced in the UK for the UK, it'd be a bit odd.

Still, if one of the main characters had an English accent (not stereotyped English, but just a general accent) then it'd have wider appeal if you then imported it back to the UK. But the important thing is to cater to the market that the programme is being made for, first. I mean, if I was in the US, I might try to sneak British characters in to my stuff but I wouldn't expect the main cast to all be British.

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what accent the characters have as long as you pick the right people for the job (ie - no Hollywood all-american action hero voice for Meaney). I'd say that it's more important to make sure you're involved in the casting process, as much as possible, than to push for the characters to have a particular accent.

[bonz]

I say let the main characters have two different British accents and throw in American English and various other international English accents for other (recurrent) characters.

[SupSuper]

Mix it. As long as the British characters don't have extraordinarily thick accents.

[FutureWorm]

Quick question, and this discussion cannot leave this thread.

If Jump Leads were adapted to, say, an animated series, would the characters sound out of place with American voices? Even if it were just some of them? Or would they have to be all-British? Obviously the dialogue makes heavy use of Britishisms but if it were tweaked...

I'm going to stop here.
is this dreaming or is this something serious

[bonz]

Have the BBC contacted you again and told you that they want to make an animated series?

[AndrewTaylor]

That would be classic timing, that, the week after he moves to LA and starts working for Disney. Good old Beeb.

[Paul.Power]

I'd've thought it more likely that Disney like the idea but aren't sure about the whole "British" thing.

[Squirminator2k]

I don't think it's wise to divulge details about something which might not be happening. Let's stick to discussing this as a hypothetical situation for now.

The BBC aren't involved, though.

[philby4000]

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2582035&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=38

Scroll down, they talk about Jump Leads.

So far it's just 'Nice, but those speech bubbles sure are placed wrong'.

[FutureWorm]

they think it has potential!

[Squirminator2k]

Wow. That's pretty cool. The speechbubble thing has been talked about over and over, though. JjAR's started sending me the art and the speechbubbles as seperate files, and as soon as I find a nice technique for not-hideous looking bubbles I'm going to use it.

[FutureWorm]

are you going to rework those old strips so that the speech bubbles are better placed

[Pigbuster]

Wow. That's pretty cool. The speechbubble thing has been talked about over and over, though. JjAR's started sending me the art and the speechbubbles as seperate files, and as soon as I find a nice technique for not-hideous looking bubbles I'm going to use it.
The style Off suggested on your forums looks rather fantastic.

http://truckbearingkibble.com/images/junk/jlmockup.jpg

It fits with JjAR's style, too.

[Squirminator2k]

It does. How do do it, though, is another thing entirely. JjAR has basically left the speech bubbles up to me. Not entirely sure how I'd go about making the bubles in that manner.

[Pigbuster]

You could always ask him.

You hear about this new "Electronic Mail" thing? ;)

[Squirminator2k]

Off uses a tablet. I don't.

[philby4000]

Trying to replicate Off's bubbles without a tablet is difficult, but maybe not completely impossible.

Try tracing them with the line tool. Are you sing a program that let's you draw and save paths?

Failing that, you could always use a different style.

Remember that Wolverine picture you did?

The technique you used to do the lineart using the lasso should give your lines a jaggedy kind of variable thickness that might work well with Jjar's lineart.

[Squirminator2k]

That's true. I should give that a go.

[bloopy]

Perhaps it would work well if both Llew and Meaney had British accents, and most other characters had American accents.

[Squirminator2k]

That would be ideal, but isn't necessarily a viable option. I've always thought that if Jump Leads ever made the jump (so to speak) to television I would play or voice one of the characters. However there are rules, unions, that sort of thing... it might not be doable.

As with Joe and Reg in Fried, both Meaney and Llewellyn represent different aspects of my personality. Meaney represents my optimistic side, my askew way of looking at things - sometimes things that are obvious to others aren't quite so clear to me, but I can also see solutions to problems people have been scratching their heads over for ages. Meaney's a little naive, like me. Llewellyn, on the other hand, is a cynical git, which is a side of myself I've managed to overcome over the past ten or so months. It's still there though, at the back of my mind. That's Llewellyn back there.

[Zero72]

Llewellyn sure hates Fan Art. :p

[Squirminator2k]

If Llewellyn came to our Universe and saw the FanArt forum he would explode with rage.

[AndrewTaylor]

Is your current avatar Llewellyn carrying a giant egg that only Meaney can see?

[Squirminator2k]

Yes. That it exactly it.

Eggxactly.

[FutureWorm]

Eggxactly.

oh geez

[Pigbuster]

Just out of curiosity, did you actually tell jJar that Lucas had a moustache, or did he come up with that on his own?

[Squirminator2k]

The Lucastache, as I have dubbed it, was entirely JjAR's doing.

[Paul.Power]

Funny name, that. We always seem to call him JjAR or jJar. It's like we know when to press the Shift key, but not whether Caps Lock should be on or off.

[Pigbuster]

Ah right, it's JjAR.

I remembered that the 'J' in the middle stuck out, so it was either capital or lowercase so it would be different from the other J.
If I remembered the capital 'AR', I would've got it.

[Squirminator2k]

Okay, so perhaps I should share something with you guys seeing as I've been asking you guys questions. Again, I ask that you not discuss this outside of this thread, even if it is bad news.

There were serious talks going on with a major animation studio here in the US about turning Jump Leads into an animated series. Major talks. It seemed to be going rather well until the people from said studio outlined a few changes they wanted to make.

For starters, Meaney and Llewellyn were going to be American. All of the Britishness of Jump Leads was to be gutted out entirely. The entire atmosphere of the show would have to be very different as well, because it would be aimed at a younger audience. I wasn't happy about either of these changes, but I could live with them. Sam & Max: Freelance Police was still very funny, even after they stripped out some of the more mature content. I said, okay, I was prepared to do rewrites.

Then they told me I wouldn't be writing it, nor would I have any input on who would be writing it. I wouldn't be allowed any creative input. I would be credited for the premise and the outline of the "pilot" (which would essentially be a heavily retooled version of Issue #1), but beyond that I would have no involvement. JjAR would not be credited for designing the look of the characters or the environments, either - apparently they didn't feel it would be "appropriate" as he's not a US resident. That really annoyed me, and I ended up saying I wasn't comfortable with the deal and that I wouldn't be agreeing to anything.

They told me I was being silly, because I was passing up an opportunity to become "a very rich man."

I told them I didn't create Jump Leads to become rich. I created it because I love scifi, I love comedy, and I enjoy writing it. Furthermore I didn't think it was fair to cu t JjAR, Andrew, Euan and Paul out of the entire thing. And I took exception to the fact that they woudln't even let me write or have any input with my own bloody creation.

They told me I was making a mistake. I politely disagreed, thanked them for their time and interest, and left.

Jump Leads isn't going to be animated any time soon. Not on television, at least. And to be honest, if I have to deal with idiots like that to get it on TV then I'm quite happy keeping it as a webcomic.

[Paul.Power]

Hear, hear. Well done.

It saddens me that there are actually prats like that out there.

[Squirminator2k]

This is America.

[SupSuper]

Most businesses work like that, actually. They get the rights and you get the royalties. You're obviously not gonna run your own show from the start, so just write other stuff for money until you can afford to actually get JL out there under your rules. Don't go signing off the rights to something you love.

[Pigbuster]

You definitely made the right decision.
Don't EVER sign away the rights to a beloved creative work to anyone without going over every detail of the agreement.

The creator of Platypus (It's that claymation shooter game, if you've ever seen it) got totally screwed over by a publisher who bought his game away, and they're now making a sequel/PSP port. He's not getting a penny, he's not even getting put in the credits.
That's what would've happened with this if you went through with it, most likely.

You should be flattered that someone actually wanted to make Jump Leads into a show, but you need to be skeptical about this stuff.

[Squirminator2k]

Y'know, Terry Pratchett once said, "The difference between me and Neil [Gaiman] in our attitude to movie projects is that he doesn't believe they're going to happen until he's sitting in his seat eating popcorn, and I don't believe they're going to happen."

I'm inclined to agree.

[AndrewTaylor]

Don't go signing off the rights to something you love.

Damn straight. You should come up with something you don't care about and sell them that, and keep the stuff you love for yourself. If you were to come up with something designed more for them then you might not care so much if they want to do their own thing with it. That might even be a good thing.

But I can't believe they thought it "wouldn't be appropriate" to give credit where it's due to a non-US resident. That's quite shocking. You did the right thing.

Edit: I'm not sure why you did the right thing, or even if the right thing was the smartest choice, but well done for doing it anyway!

[philby4000]

holy crap.

[KRD]

I'm not sure why you did the right thing, or even if the right thing was the smartest choice, but well done for doing it anyway!

Seconded.

*Hands Ben his utmost respect.*