Final Shazam production journal; NHLV rh xlnkovgv!*
* MSoE is complete!
My comp copies of Shazam! MSoE #4 arrived this morning! That means they will be in stores on Wednesday! To celebrate the release of the final installment of The Monster Society of Evil, Steve, Kathleen, and I made a special Monster Egg, which we've hidden in today's blog, which is all about the secret code.
In the original serialization of the Monster Society of Evil in 1942, the secret code was used to tease the reader about the title of the next chapter. In our current version, the code is used in a similar way – - to disguise the chapter titles that appear on the inside covers.
The covers were designed to look like old movie serial posters, which often had a frame for switching out a photo based on the newest chapter of the serial.
The New Monster Society of Evil was constructed in four chapters, each one spotlighting one of the major players. The code we used is based on the old Captain Marvel Fan Club Code and is the same one used in the original serial. I'll tell you what it is, but you can't tell anyone else, okay? The Monster Code is the alphabet backwards; A=Z, B=Y, etc. Here are the four decoded titles…
MSoE Chapter One: Billy has a Secret!
MSoE Chapter Two: Mary Takes the Cake!
MSoE Chapter Three: Sivana Comes on Strong!
And our final installment, MSoE Chapter Four: Mr. Mind Makes his Move!
I hope you had fun reading MSoE, and thanks for putting up with my schedule and my secret codes! It's been a lot of fun for me, and I look forward to seeing you at the San Diego Comic-Con International in a couple of weeks.
Gl erhrg Qvuu'h hgfwrl xorxp lm Nzib!
Awesome!
Comment by Eric — July 13, 2007 @ 5:32 pm
By the way, you wrote the first letter of the last word in the coded message wrong.
Comment by Eric — July 13, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
Got it! Thanks, Eric!
Comment by Jeff — July 13, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
Who’s Eary?
Comment by MrColinP — July 13, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
Can we expect a trade of this anytime soon???
Comment by Bahamut — July 13, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
awesome! Cant wait to the full edition!
Comment by Marcus — July 13, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
I think the trade comes out in time for Halloween.
Comment by Steve Weiner — July 13, 2007 @ 8:29 pm
Yeah, the collection is due October 17 I think or some such date mid-October…
Loved the video Jeff! Very fun! And OMG… the complete stack of Shazam! all neatly in a pile on those big, beautiful white boards… that was a treat to see. It is so cool that you do everything by hand and that digitally, your amazing work, along with Steve’s colouring, is preserved for posterity. Just think, one day (if you wanted) you could reproduce Shazam! in a huge, oversize volume at the original size you drew it. It is my firm belief that comic art is not just about being a comic… it is ART art. As in, REAL ART LOL. Comics are art too! It’s great that you have the foresight to preserve it.
Can’t wait for this Wednesday!
Comment by Brandon — July 13, 2007 @ 11:51 pm
Seeing the loose ends tied up in #4 was pure pleasure. I picked up all sorts of comics this year after years without, and ‘Out of Boneville’ and ‘Shazam!’ stood out. This may be a senseless comparison, but I don’t think I have enjoyed a comic book so much since reading Asterix books as a kid – Monster Society is just as warm, smart, funny, and beautifully drawn. Looking forward to catching up on Bone…
Comment by John — July 20, 2007 @ 8:04 am
I wrote a review of the last issue up on my site for for those interested. In short, it was a great final issue with beautiful artwork. My son and I enjoyed it. I think it’s time to pick up The Complete Bone!
Comment by Julio Angel Ortiz — July 22, 2007 @ 9:22 pm
Hey,thanks for the great review, Julio!
Comment by Jeff — July 23, 2007 @ 10:38 am
You did a great job with Shazam. You are awesome. Keep up the good work Jeff!
Comment by ward — August 6, 2007 @ 9:09 am