As noted here earlier today, frequent contributor to this blog and indie comics creator Gary Scott Beatty launched a brand-new free weekly series on the https://www.webtoons.com site today - - - Gods Of Aazurn.
I recommend you give it a look, and not just because it’s free. Gods of Aazurn is a broad creative concept reflecting cosmic themes and appears quite capable of delivering the goods on a regular basis.
Let’s go back two sentences and address the notion of “free”. It’s free to me and you, but nothing in our world is ever entirely free. I refer you to my earlier article about Free Comic Book Day and Robert E. Heinlein’s concept of T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L. There’s always a cost and someone has to pay. In this case, it’s Gary - if only for the amount of brain cells burned in a creative endeavor, not to mention the hours of labor required and time taken away from more income-producing work.
So if you like what you see of Gary’s work on Webtoons, why not visit his strange horror site or Caliber Comics and purchase some of his works? Or use the link on the Webtoons site to make a contribution via Patreon. I’m definitely going to do one or the other, or both.
How was the first webisode? Absolutely great.
“An Ominous Revelation”, written and illustrated by Gary Scott Beatty, concerns itself with a frightening discovery that seemingly occurred long ago, back in Biblical times.
A robed explorer climbs a massive mountain only to learn of the presence of an enormous cosmic entity when he glimpses it’s gigantic reptilian eye. Fortunately, the explorer escapes its’ notice, being too small and insignificant to attract attention. For now.
Beatty utilizes the scrolling vertical panel format of the site perfectly to help readers observe the immensity of the (living?) mountain and the danger in climbing it.
This discovery serves as the underlying theme of the web series, and the premise that “we are not alone, so watch out”. The other gods/entities depicted are horrific as well, but equally horrified that the biggest of them all may have been disturbed by this recent discovery by a lone human.
The story poses many philosophical questions as it hints at the complexity of the thread that will link future stories together. The art is equally evocative of Lovecraftian cosmic concepts, and the inks and colors are vivid and worth repeat looks.
Let’s get some feedback from Gary Scott Beatty for some further insights . . . . . . . .
Why would a comic book creator with several graphic novels available through Caliber Comics and a body of printed work stretching back a decade launch a weekly horror strip on Webtoons? Gary Scott Beatty said it's a raving, mad obsession.
"Once I started coming up with these Gods of Aazurn stories it's like I've been possessed," Beatty explained. "Stories of ancient, monstrous gods and their downtrodden minions have taken over my thoughts and even transformed my art style."
Readers can access the free, weekly Gods of Aazurn comics at StrangeHorror.com: http://strangehorror.com
The premise for Gods of Aazurn is simple. They are frightful and dark and divine, and their subjects despair. So far, the Gods of Aazurn do not care about Earth humans, even enough to reach down a mighty hand to be cruel. That's about to change.
"We think we’re so dominant, despoiling our little blue planet and warring with each other over slight provocations," said Beatty. "What if we aren’t all that special? What if, in the grand scheme of the universe, we're powerless bystanders? What if the only reason we haven’t been forced into servitude is we haven’t yet been worth conquering?"
With ideas flowing and art style developing, Beatty decided to take the leap into a weekly strip. "I've always admired comic strip artists, whose staggering story output in newspapers should be regarded with wonder by anyone, but especially us indie guys who often spend a year (or two, or three) producing a single book."
Beatty said he's been exploring web comics formats for years and fell in love with Webtoons' system. "I love the format. Vertical swiping between panels simply works for comic book reading. I wish every Comixology book I'd ever bought was formatted in this style."
Beatty is a little leery of the comments section in his new weekly. "Who knows? Maybe I'll find others who are being kept awake by visions of vicious beasts slowly turning their fanged heads in our direction."
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