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X-Men vs. Sentinel Inked

Days of Future Past X-Men fighting Sentinel

Brock Beauchamp
November 6, 2013

In preparation to get back into the flow of drawing and test out a few new supplies (I’ll probably write about my favorite new pen, a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen – it’s amazing), I’ve been drawing random things in different styles. Some of it has been art for other creators’ webcomics, some of it sketching for the new project, and some of it is art that I hope to turn into a print at some point down the road. This piece is one that I hope to turn into a print at some point. Bryan Singer’s new X-Men movie based... View Article

Choosing the right comic format, Pt 1

Brock Beauchamp
October 17, 2013

One of the hardest things as a web designer and developer is explaining to clients “it might look great on your screen but it’s going to look like rubbish to 20% of your users, illegible for another 15%, decent for 40%, and fantastic for 25%”. As modern web designers, we’re inundated with more technologies and methods of viewing our work than at any time before and the number of devices, screen sizes, resolutions, and screen orientations only seem to be expanding exponentially. If we travel in the way back machine all the way to 2006, designers only had to worry... View Article

FallCon 2013

Brock Beauchamp
October 10, 2013

I wanted to thank everyone who came by my booth for the one-day event that is FallCon 2013. Hosted on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds every October, FallCon is the little brother of the two-day SpringCon event hosted every May by the Midwest Comic Book Association. As usual, the MCBA delivered the goods, offering creators free space to host a table, free food, and the best collection of volunteers on the planet. Really, I can’t rave about this con enough. Every event is a delight to attend and the MCBA takes care of its creators like no other convention I’ve seen.... View Article

DIY Printing: It’s Cheaper Than You Think

Brock Beauchamp
October 9, 2013

2012 is going to be my first year of tabling at conventions for my webcomic work and over the summer, don’t be surprised if you see multiple stories of my experiences (and failures) at figuring out how to best go about the convention process as an exhibitor. One of the first problems I encountered during my pre-convention preparation was that of print-making. Comics themselves, well, there’s only one real choice for those of us getting started: digital offset offered by the likes of Ka-Blam or Createspace. Alongside my comic book offerings (and the meager profit margins allowed by using these digital... View Article

San Diego Comic Con – I Hardly Knew Ye

Brock Beauchamp
July 31, 2013

I was able to attend the latest San Diego Comic Con for a single day (Friday) before moving on to attend my podcast co-host’s wedding north of Los Angeles on Saturday. Having never attended SDCC for less than three days in the past, I was startled by just how little of the convention one can cover in a single day. I walked the show floor a couple of times, was able to attend one (just one… sigh) panel on coloring with Copic markers, and then tried to catch some of the cosplay/party sights to be found in San Diego’s Gaslamp... View Article

Volume 1: Pages 23 & 24

Brock Beauchamp
June 4, 2013

The online fantasy graphic novel Aurorae by Brock Beauchamp. The Aurorae webcomic is property of Brock Beauchamp and SelfCentEnt, all rights reserved. As the baker lays unconscious on the ground, Manon begins to urge Arnaud to run away and flee the scene. As she pleads her case, the two mysterious figures begin to limp away from the fight after chasing away the dragon that is now flying away.

Summertime Hiatuses & News

Brock Beauchamp
June 3, 2013

I know the past couple of weeks have been spotty with updates on SelfCentEnt. I had computer issues (a failed SSD that required a full format and reinstall of the operating system) and then a passing in the family that required an unexpected trip out of town, which caused much of the work on the comic and podcast to cease for nearly two weeks. After struggling to maintain a difficult update schedule in the comic and podcast, I thought it was time to update listeners and readers on our summer plans. The Comic: Aurorae is going to update sporadically over... View Article

SpringCon 2013 – Thanks, Everybody!

Brock Beauchamp
May 21, 2013

I had a great weekend at MCBA SpringCon and got to meet a few readers, do a few sketches and commissions, and sold a ton of prints. I’m looking forward to having actual *comics books* to sell at FallCon this October (also organized by the MCBA and hosted at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds) but for this event, my table was limited to prints and sketches. As usual, the MCBA organizers treat their creative guests like royalty, helping out in any way they can and even going so far as to feed us a free steak dinner after the convention on... View Article

Volume 1: Pages 21 & 22

Brock Beauchamp
May 7, 2013

The online fantasy graphic novel Aurorae by Brock Beauchamp. The Aurorae webcomic is property of Brock Beauchamp and SelfCentEnt, all rights reserved. The baker continues to beat himself to death, one blow at a time. Meanwhile, the strange man in Manon’s flashback turns the tide in the battle against the ancient dragon and prepares to deliver a knife blow to the head. Manon and Arnaud, stunned at what is unfolding before their very eyes, will have to leave quickly or the police will surely arrest them and haul them to jail.

Volume 1: Pages 19 & 20

Brock Beauchamp
April 30, 2013

The online fantasy graphic novel Aurorae by Brock Beauchamp. The Aurorae webcomic is property of Brock Beauchamp and SelfCentEnt, all rights reserved. The baker has taken Arnaud’s command to die quite literally and begins to smash himself in the face with the cricket paddle. Meanwhile, the flashback continues as Manon sees a strange man fighting a dragon in hand-to-hand combat. Both of the kids are confused at the baker’s self-inflicted beating, as he seems quite prepared to beat himself to death.

SpringCon 2013 – Come Visit!

Brock Beauchamp
April 25, 2013

It’s that time of year again… Convention season! While Aurorae and the Counter-Culture Comic Podcast are still in their relative infancies, I’m reeling back the amount of conventions I will table in the near future until I’ve established enough content to begin printing books. With that said, I’ll be tabling at the MCBA SpringCon event on May 18-19 in St. Paul, MN on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds property. I’ve attended both of the MCBA events in the past (SpringCon, FallCon) and they’re a blast, attracting some of the best artists in the Midwest and beyond. You can find a list... View Article

Volume 1: Pages 17 & 18

Brock Beauchamp
April 23, 2013

The online fantasy graphic novel Aurorae by Brock Beauchamp. The Aurorae webcomic is property of Brock Beauchamp and SelfCentEnt, all rights reserved. Arnaud is pursued out of the bakery by the angry shop owner and the baker is bearing down on him with a cricket paddle. Left no other choice, Manon, still in the midst of a flashback to an unknown time, leaps on the baker’s back in an attempt to save Arnaud. The baker throws her off his back, which angers Arnaud, who asserts himself and uses a power unknown to him before now…

Volume 1: Pages 15 & 16

Brock Beauchamp
April 16, 2013

The online fantasy graphic novel Aurorae by Brock Beauchamp. The Aurorae webcomic is property of Brock Beauchamp and SelfCentEnt, all rights reserved. Arnaud refuses to listen to Manon and walks into the bakery, intent on lifting some food to eat. Manon, frustrated by his stubbornness, drops into another flashback, this time of a strange man in Native American garb grappling with another. A dragon flies above them, intent on starting trouble. Arnaud emerges from the bakery with the owner right behind him, intent on dealing damage with a cricket paddle.

Web Design & Online Comics Pt. 2

Brock Beauchamp
April 9, 2013

I originally planned for part two of this series to be about CSS and HTML, but after reading through some comments and questions on various forums around the Interwebs, I realized that advertising might be the most under-utilized aspect of webcomic sites. As I scour through various sites, I notice an overwhelming number of people rely on some of the worst-paying ad networks and ad sizes available to a site owner. First the basics. Do you want to run ads and find a way to monetize your webcomic? Great! There are dozens (if not hundreds) of good options available to... View Article