New comic with soundtrack!

My dream is to someday make a Heavy Metal-type movie where I also write and play the soundtrack. But who’s got the time and money (and talent) to do that? Lots of people but not me (yet)! In the meantime, music and comics together, that I can do! Expanding on my pictureword illustrated novella series, I now present to you Son of a Bullfighter’s Ghost. … Continue reading New comic with soundtrack!

WWC 2024: Action = resources!

When Words Collide is a Calgary-based, award-winning author and fiction convention and, hands-down, one of the most inspiring events I attend each year. I was invited to be a guest panelist at the 2024 convention for two subjects: World Building and Writing Characters With Disabilities. These are topics you can never know too much about. So I dug around online, and also pulled up some … Continue reading WWC 2024: Action = resources!

The damn-near-magnificent return of Agriculture Club

In Dec. 2022 Agriculture Club played its first gig in 15 years and we’ve kept the hammer down since. A lot of our favourite clubs, The Ship and Anchor, Mikey’s on 12th, The Palomino treated us like gold. The highlight was undoubtedly Waynestock at the Last Chance Saloon in tiny lil’ Wayne, Alberta — an annual festival in a badlands gully that looks like a … Continue reading The damn-near-magnificent return of Agriculture Club

ballad of pilsner beer

The Ballad of Pilsner Beer: approved by dirtbag royalty

If Calgary dirtbag bangerdom has a royal family, Dean Murdoch is definitely part of its lineage. Having one foot firmly rooted in dirtbag bangerdom myself, I do not mean this as a disparaging comment. I was quite flattered when “The Deaner” (actor Paul Spence), co-creator of the classic indie movie Fubar released a cover of one of my songs complete with video. And, as a … Continue reading The Ballad of Pilsner Beer: approved by dirtbag royalty

How music and chemical warfare led to my latest short story

I was most pleased to be accepted into the Q3, 2021 edition of Abyss & Apex Magazine, a US publication that is quite well known in sci-fi circles. This time, I have a horror/alt-history/sci-fi story entitled Vestigial Organs. It was inspired by the Kimball Organ in Canada’s National Music Centre (Studio Bell), a documentary I saw on mustard gas warfare, and Holst’s The Planets. Nice … Continue reading How music and chemical warfare led to my latest short story

Accolades for Futility & other comic news

Futility has a new home! Our pals at The Seventh Terrace are now the proud (we hope) purveyors of Futility. Our latest, Orange Planet Horror was not only our (us being artist Cam Hayden and myself) first full-length graphic novel, it also earned us an Aurora nomination for Best Graphic Novel by the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association. This is kinda old news but, … Continue reading Accolades for Futility & other comic news

Comic-making resources

  Here are a bunch of places to get things you need and learn about making comics. Questions? Hit me up anytime via social media or email rick@overwater.ca Dead links? Let me know!  BASICS OF WRITING AND SCRIPTING http://channel101.wikia.com/wiki/Story_Structure_101:_Super_Basic_Shit https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/downloads/story-circle-template/ Glossary of comic terms: http://www.balloontales.com/articles/glossary/index.html Sample scripts from brand-name writers (also has a downloadable template): http://www.comicsexperience.com/scripts/ Fred VanLente script templates: http://www.fredvanlente.com/comix.html Strongly consider purchasing: Drawing Words … Continue reading Comic-making resources

New short story available, misc. news

When Words Collide 2016 was my fave conference so far. I had a productive pitch session with a publisher, met some fantastic people, attended some great seminars and got excellent advice from veterans like Hayden Trenholm and Eve Silver. I also managed to sneak in a few drinks… A major highlight was the launch of the new anthology Enigma Front: Burnt, which contains my new short story “The Dim … Continue reading New short story available, misc. news