Beamer's Futurama Fan Comics

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This is a thread designed for discussing my Futurama Fan Comics, available to view at both The Leela Zone and my site, Beamer Games Online. For those of you who've never read them before, let me fill you in. In September, 2003 - I created an experimental comic using scan-arts. At first, I thought it'd be a failure, but the result was pretty good and got a good responsde, so I then decided to stop being a mediocre scan artist and became a mediocre comic maker.   

Since then, I have made 3 more issues. In my personal opinion, my best so far is either Issue #1 (it's the funniest), or Issue #4 (for its character development), but hey, that's just my opinion - if you think otherwise, then I'd love to hear whatever comments you have on any issue of it at all. 

Anyway, you're probably wondering why I've just created this thread if I've been making them for over a year. Well, other than the fact that I've only just switched from Geocities 2 months ago and didn't want to directly link to TLZ - I've been working on an Xmas-themed issue lately, and since it's now officially December, I figured it was a better time than any to release it. I'm submitting it to The Leela Zone right now, but until then, you can read it at my site. It's too big to post here, so here's the link to each direct page...
Cover
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8

I'd love to get some feedback, so please reply with any comments, suggestions or questions you may have regarding my Futurama Fan Comics. Other than that, enjoy your read!   

[#1 :]

I love those comics!! I read them a long time ago! I really like the 1st one you made and 'smack my rich up'. The only problem is that 'How low can they go' doesn't work for me.
I am reading the Xmas one now. Looks really good! Keep up the good work!!!

[#2 :]

Oh, Beamer, I read one of yours once! I loved the dialogue! I was going to do something about it, but then I remembered doing things isn't cool.

[#3 :]

Wooo! Leela & Fry Kissed! your alright in my book Beamer.

[#4 :]

I've read Smack My Rich Up and the new Xmas one. Loved them both. Great job, Beamer.

[#5 :]

Hey, you've done brilliant comics. The new one rocks (for obvious reasons *cough*theending*cough*) but The Long Arm of the War is also another fave of mine. Keep them coming!

[#6 :]

Personally, my favorite part of the new one is "What were we supposed to do? Headbutt them in the knees?"

[#7 :]

Hehehe. That line was originally "What are we supposed to do? We're, like, nine inches tall!" until I realised I'd inadvertently stolen that line from South Park. 

Same goes for that "Yeah, MY teamwork!" line from Issue #1. I didn't actually realise I'd taken that line from The Simpsons until long after I released that issue... Oh well.

Anyway, thanks for all the comments, everyone! And any fans of Bender/Roberto should look forward to Issue #6, coming next month-ish some time. 

[#8 :]

those are nice comics Beamer. I can wait until the bender-roberto comic comes out. keep up the good work 

[#9 :]

Amazing stuff. The art looks perfect.

[#10 :]

Very nice indeed, Beamer.

[#11 :]

I love your comics, Beamer! They're true to the humor of the show, and the graphics are great!

How much time do you spend on making one issue? Because it looks like a lot of work.

[#12 :]

I love your comics, Beamer. The writing is groovy and the graphics are awesomely accurate.

[#13 :]

Beamer, you're my hero   
Those comics are great, I love your style.
There really should be more of them.

[#14 :]

Once again, thank you for all the nice comments. 

And, Becky, it usually takes anywhere between a month and... well, several months. Issue #1 only took me a month, but since I have other projects going on (like my South Park Games and stuff), I may only donate a few hours a week to the comics, in which case they make take quite a few months. Put it this way - I began work on Issue #5 in late August, and just finished it the day before I started this thread... Although that was more-or-less due to general laziness on my behalf. 

[#15 :]

I can't wait for the Bender/Roberto one!! I'm really looking forward to it!

Keep up the good work, Beamer!

[#16 :]

Finally, somebody wants to put Roberto back in!

[#17 :]

I've been reading those comics on TLZ for ages, they're bloody brilliant!
The new one is my favourite, nice detailed backgrounds and a cool ending.

Could you give some advice on how to make them? Any handy tip would be useful, I'm trying to do one, but the frames seem kinda crowded, and the lines are too rough  .

[#18 :]

Well, one way to stop the frames from being crowded is to plan everything ahead before you draw up the boxes. If you'll look carefully at my comics, you'll see that most boxes only feature one or two characters, and the ones that feature more are usually the larger boxes. I also do the background and the foreground seperately, then place the images together - that usually helps make the frames seem less crowded while I'm working on them.

As for advice... errrm, just keep it simple to start off with. As you get better at it, then you can begin to add more details.

[#19 :]

Looks good, but is there any chance of getting a smaller version? Upwards of 300 KB per page is a bit much much for my puny modem.

[#20 :]

I s'pose I could put the quality down a little on future issues. Are the pages timing out when you try to view them? You could try downloading them, just go to my site (since TLZ doesn't link directly to the pages, meaning you'd have to load them up anyway), go to the Fan Comics section, right click the pages, click Save Target As and save them & view them individually. Requires a bit more work and a bit more time, but I think a download's less likely to time out than just plain loading a page.

[#21 :]

Bump.

Didn't wanna double-post, but I've been waiting to post this for a few days & this thread's been slow lately. Anyway, thought I'd show you all the cover picture for Issue #6:



The issue's going really well, I already have 3 pages done.   

[#22 :]

Hah! Although there's something disturbing about Roberto wearing a jacket.

[#23 :]

nice comics Beamer, i like the picture above! Ill also agree with M0le that tjere is something disturbing about Roberto in a jacket!

[#24 :]

Hahaha!  That looks excellent! 3 pages done already? This is going to be finished really soon ! I can't wait!!

[#25 :]

Neither can i!

[#26 :]

BUMP.

Guess what everyone? Futurama Fan Comics Issue #6 is OUT NOW! It should be up at The Leela Zone very soon, but until then, you can check it out at my site. Here's a brief description:

FUTURAMA FAN COMICS #6.
"Jail Bot"
Roberto drags Bender into a museum robbery, and despite his reluctance, Bender agrees and the pair attempt to steal the most priceless artifact in all of New New York. However, when Bender is caught by the police and Roberto manages to get away, he must pay the ultimate price...

Enjoy, and please reply with any feedback.   

[#27 :]

That's the best comic ever!

I liked the hyperchicken and tinny tim jokes  .

[#28 :]

Just read it, it's hilarous!  I agree with Zmithy, the Tinny Tim jokes rocked. "Special gift", wasn't it, hehe.

[#29 :]

cool

[#30 :]

Beamer- This is the best comic, yet! I love your style, the slightly scan-ish characters (really, they're perfect!) and the shading of the backgrounds... Awesome.  And to cap it off, they do every comic's job- and that job is to be funny.

"Roberto, why the hell are we in a mueseum?" 

blackkat- If you don't want to be flamed mercilessly, you'll need to follow the rules listed in the FAQ. That includes no one-word posts, no flaming, no picking fights and the like, etc... Following the rules will make everyone's PEELing experience all the more pleasent, and you will proceed to not be raped in your closet by circus animals.

[#31 :]

Thank you for all the comments, everyone, appreciate them. Y_L_B, I'm glad someone finally mentioned the shading effects on Page 2, they took me aaaaaaaages to do. Box #3 was probably the hardest, getting the light from the room above to shine on Roberto. I think that box alone has probably taken me the most time out of any box I've ever done in an issue so far, so it's nice to hear some comments on that. 

Anyway, Issues #7 and #8 will be a two-parter. Below is a little preview... Unlike last time, this is NOT the final cover, just a little promotional image (the cover is likely to be in the same vein, but with Leela wearing a jacket).



However, I'd like to know something... since it's going to be a two-parter, would you people rather me release each part as I complete it, or wait a little bit longer and get both parts at the same time?

[#32 :]

  Woah!

Gun-toting-naked-sunglass-wearing-biker-Leela!

*Takes cold shower*

Don't keep us waiting on this one, you should release it 2 parts.

[#33 :]

Heh, boobies.

[#34 :]

*sigh* 
Great comix, tho. ^_^

[#35 :]

Boobtastic!

[#36 :]

Did I hear talk about mammary glands?

Nice comics by the way.

[#37 :]

Wow you can be a cartoonist, very creative!

[#38 :]

Love your comics beamer. I've checked out your site and read them all. They're awesome. Just out of curiousity do you use scan art in your comics, hand draw them or what?

Btw can't wait for issues 7 and 8. I reckon they should be released together. Any hints on what the storyline will involve?

[#39 :]

Read all the comics, pretty funny. Although I didn't find "The Passion of the Kif" very funny, all the rest were top-notch quality!