Hello there, interweb readers and clockwork fans. There is a new competition up at ZUDA and I have a strip running. Its called The Urban Adventures of Melvin Blank and it is a collaboration between myself and Thom Zahler. I do the SIDECHICKS webcomic among other things and Thom does the LOVE and CAPES comics.

Getting the whole strip down the road and on the ZUDA page had been pretty fun. I wrote it as a complete 4 page story and Thom did everything else. The inspiration was a little bit of HERBIE and a little bit of LENNY from OF MICE AND MEN. Here is the long version of the pitch--

"Melvin Blank has the mind of a child and the strength of a brute. After the passing of his parents, he lives in his Mother's house in the heart of a big decaying city. He works as a dishwasher at a nearby greasy spoon and he has his urban adventures as he travels to and from work. Melvin thinks its hilarious that the mass transit system he rides, the City Area Rapid Transit System, is called "the CART", but he doesn't understand why a nearby diner is called "Joe Mama's". In a world of grays, Melvin sees things in black and white. Good and bad. Day and night. Cereal and pizza.

Melvin is pretty sure that the house down the street is haunted, but don't worry, he plans to do something about it. He is in love with a beautiful co-worker who has an abusive boyfriend, for now. He is selling items from his parent's estate to pay for an elaborate headstone for the pair. At home, he has an angry cat named SOCKS and he never, ever misses SPACE PATROL RANGER. Melvin is absolutely sure that he is living the American Dream and he wants to share it with the rest of the people in his neighborhood whether they like it or not.

The first story is a complete eight screen story. It has a beginning, middle, and an end. Melvin is like that, he likes things simple.

Melvin Blank features a script by Bill Williams (SideChicks) and art & colors by Thom Zahler (Love & Capes)."

I would appreciate it if you would go to the ZUDA page and view and vote. Call us your favorite! Cut/ Paste/ VOTE Melvin!

SIDECHICKS- http://www.graphicsmash.com/comics/sidechicks.php

Info on LnC- http://www.loveandcapes.com/

Here's MELVIN. Go VOTE!-- http://www.zudacomics.com/node/1220

Bill Williams

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