Words win

I repeat myself, but I’ve been playing with that Harcourt Goes to Hell thing I started. Also repeating: It’s experimental in the sense that I wanted to see it evolve online – what was it? Where was it going?

I got caught up by the idea that it needed illustration. It struck me as a cartoon/graphic novel kind of thing. I ended up doing the illustration even though I can’t illustrate to save my life. But I needed images. That was stuck in my head. Images: must have!

I’ve posted about six or seven of these things online. However, I have about twenty-five of them written. I was sitting around at a restaurant yesterday (again, Isaac’s Way) and scribbling out some more.

I realize now that, for me, words always win. I think I’m going to start posting some of these sans illustrations because a) I can’t draw well and certainly not very fast, and b) the words are expanding and this is definitely not a cartoon thing along the lines of, oh … Peanuts as it appeared in daily newspapers.

Why? Because I’m increasingly interested in character and narrative. The satirical aspect is still there but, as usual, I tire of satire quickly because, in most cases, it doesn’t have enough meat on the bone. I’m interested in stories. And stories are most interesting when they have characters. And I’m not a filmmaker and I’m not a visual artist, I’m a writer.

So words win.

Not that this is the only way to create characters and stories, but it is for me because I’m a word guy.

The end result is that while Harcourt will continue, the illustrations will likely be fewer and the satire may start to take a back street as the questions of, “Where is this going? Who are those guys? How will it end?” begin to start putting everything else in the jumper seat.

At least, that’s what I’m thinking today. These things change at the drop of a hat!