Zombie Marge, Step-by-step (Day 1)

Let’s do something different this time out, shall we? The next episode of Marge’s adventure is scheduled to post a week from today. And I’m drawing it as fast as I can. As I work this week, I’m going to do like my friend Jerry Dowling does on his blog and post my progress daily. I’ll show the development of the next strip step by step and write about my method of creating it.

To those who will find this boring and self indulgent, read another blog this week and check back in next Sunday for the completed episode. To everyone else, here we go!

Episode 11 is to be the wrap-up for the exterminator story and a transition to the next series of strips, called “Zombie Marge Goes to the Movies.” The first thing I do in developing a gag is to go to the official Zombie Marge notebook that I carry with me at all times. Here, I jot down ideas, sketches and bits of dialogue that come to me as I do my button-down day job. In this case the germ of an idea was the sketch of Marge looking at the Night of the Living Dead movie poster. That will be the last panel punch line to the episode. From there I start sketching other scenes. I have to tie up loose ends from the hot tub sequence and bridge to Marge’s night out. For me, the story is not over until Father Nozebest gets his comeuppance for calling in the exterminators. So in the first few panels, Marge gets to unload on him. She may be a zombie, but it’s very hard to get the jump on her. Father Nozebest finds he is hopelessly out matched and in for a tongue lashing.

Above are some of the quick sketches for this episode. Next, I will get them organized and start writing the dialogue. Tune in tomorrow.

4 comments:

  1. That is so interesting. So you ideate on ruled paper?

    Amazing sketches. Yous should sell them (I want the cat one).

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  2. Shhh!! The ruled paper is a disguise. I can have that out on my desk during the day and no one knows if I'm making notes on my very important work projects or drawing naked zombies. It's our little secret.

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  3. This is awesome! Always love to see how fellow cartoonists work.

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  4. Thank, Daryll. I'm having more fun with this strip than I should be allowed to. The last panel of this one should come as a surprise and lead right into the next few movie themed strips.

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