AfterStrife

Where do you come up with the names in the comic?
Stitch sounded like a gothic name back when I was doing HOUSD, Megan has been a character name I was going to use for a previous comic, which never saw the light of day, but I liked the name, so I saved it for my next venture.

As for the demon names, they’re all anagrams of the people they are based upon. Even the demon establishments are anagrams; Doshu is an anagram of HOUSD, while Banteurose is an anagram of my personal hell dimension – Eastbourne.

Who is (character name) based upon?
Every character with the exception of Stitch, Megan, Neris and Crispin is visually based upon real life friends of mine (from school, university and the world of webcomics. Although the personalities for the most part are fictional.

Why do you have so much product placement in the comics?
It’s not really product placement in the traditional sense, since I’m not making any money from it. I put in things that I enjoy myself, whether it’s my friends, a band, a restaurant or artist. I see it as visual appreciation of the things that inspire me to do the comics in the first place.

How long does it take to make a comic?
I usually have an idea of what I want to happen, and then I lay out the dialogue appropriately, with the art, colouring and shading this can potentially take up to six hours, depending on the number of panels, complexity of environments etc.

What programs do you use to make the comic?
I do 99% of the work in Flash 5. It may not be the most up-to-date version, but it does exactly what I need it to do, every time. The other 1% is in Photoshop, where I flatten the layers and save to web format.

Why has it taken so long to finish the comic?
I started the comic in 2006 when I was in full time university education, two comics a week was the very best I could output with other commitments in life. After three years of anything, interest begins to lag, and alternate projects seem far more appealing. In an ideal world I would have liked to have spent more time writing and developing the story, but having to draw each and every panel dictated to how far I wished to take the story.

Is the full collection going to be published in book form?
That is the intention yes, although it requires a great deal of time and expense publishing comics in a physical form, so it might not be immediately released. I would like to revisit older comics and improve the artwork, as well as plug a few gaps within the story, but only if a justifiable interest in the book exists.

Is this the end for Megan and Stitch?
In short, yes. Its always hard to let go of characters that have grown into their own personalities. They may pop up in future projects down the line, but I have no intention of any further spin-offs or further adventures of any of the AfterStrife cast.

What are your plans for the future?
I have no immediate ambitions to start a new comic. I only created comics, as they allowed me to tell my stories in a visual way. Now I am able to do this through the medium of film, which is something I want to pursue.

For more information on future projects visit GrArG Media