Altitude - The Sixth Dork?
Since the beginning of Dorks Altitude had always been around. In the original strips featuring the Dorks getting together, the story had ended rite when Longitude was introduced. Rite after he was introduced Altitude was to step in. Never happened.
When the original, official twelve page comics were being done, it was scheduled to have the Dorks search for Altitude.
According to the outline, Altitude was to be a big factor in the series. I'm not shure if I ever intended to show Altitude or if the Dorks and Outsiders were just to keep looking for him. I have a rough sketch of the cover that was to kick off that storyline here:
That series only lasted a book and two pages.
In retooling the universe, there were to be all sorts of groups coming out. All these gang rivals were being created to go up against the Dorks. The Idiots, The Jerks, The Outsiders, Cobraz. All coincidentally consisting of Tudes.
In the drawing above, only Platitude (Left), Attitude , and Altitude (Next to last) are the only ones that I continued to work with and develop. The middle Tude was to be the Leader of the Idiots and I don't know what the last, Altitude doppelganger was supposed to be. Platitude was the leader of Jerks and Altitude the leader of the New Outsiders.
Altitude was the front runner. Along with him was Beatitude, Fortitude and some made up female Lude. After that failed attempt Fortitude and Beatitude were sent to The Idiots where they are lead by Vicissitude.
The ongoing Dorks series was to feature Altitude. In issue 5, Longitude was writing in his journal. In his journal, he has some photos pasted in it. Those photos featured Longitude, Servitude and Altitude in better times. As I was doing this page, I ran out of ideas for photo memories and just pulled the page. I doubt anybody noticed but the book came out to 19 pages instead of the 20 I was doing. The way I laid out the collected (Starting the very first page on the left) I don't think anybody would notice.
I have been retooling the series for years, and for years Altitude has been the furthest from my mind. The only times he would ever come to mind were during spoofs. I was going to do a mini series much like Kingdom Come at one point. It was going to have furthered the storyline but in a funny way. Not like the Mist of the Caped Wonder (despite all the trademark infringement characters that were featured). The series was titled Nirvana. As usual, I only got as far as the cover. Altitude front line and center for the first time. And then the project fizzled.
Years and years later, as I'm reworking the series I got to thinking about Altitude again. What was his role? Why was he so important? Was I just tossing in character after character to be in the Dorks gang for no reason? Did he really hold the key to something bigger? In the end, I thought yes. I've been coming up with his purpose and I'm glad to say that when the new series kicks off, we'll finally see him and what he's about. I know he won't be in the gang as always anticipated but he will be a huge factor to it all. The albino Tude will finally have his day in Dorks.
As a final note, since his inception (I really believe this was the purpose of having him around) I had this joke in mind for him. After they found him they would be, for some reason, be escaping danger in a plane. As they escape, the plane starts to go down and well, bad jokes ensue. Fifteen years in the making, I finally drew up that bad joke I always wanted to do.
During a short period I was trying to create some dorks sculpty figures. I don't know where the Magnitude figure went and I don't know what happened to Attitudes "fin". Longitude is still mostly in tack although I couldn't find his hat. I know I set it aside not too long ago but I can't locate it at the moment. His board on the other hand is completely lost to me. Maybe one day I'll try my hand again at sculpting.
That series only lasted a book and two pages.
In the drawing above, only Platitude (Left), Attitude , and Altitude (Next to last) are the only ones that I continued to work with and develop. The middle Tude was to be the Leader of the Idiots and I don't know what the last, Altitude doppelganger was supposed to be. Platitude was the leader of Jerks and Altitude the leader of the New Outsiders.
Altitude was the front runner. Along with him was Beatitude, Fortitude and some made up female Lude. After that failed attempt Fortitude and Beatitude were sent to The Idiots where they are lead by Vicissitude.
I have been retooling the series for years, and for years Altitude has been the furthest from my mind. The only times he would ever come to mind were during spoofs. I was going to do a mini series much like Kingdom Come at one point. It was going to have furthered the storyline but in a funny way. Not like the Mist of the Caped Wonder (despite all the trademark infringement characters that were featured). The series was titled Nirvana. As usual, I only got as far as the cover. Altitude front line and center for the first time. And then the project fizzled.
Years and years later, as I'm reworking the series I got to thinking about Altitude again. What was his role? Why was he so important? Was I just tossing in character after character to be in the Dorks gang for no reason? Did he really hold the key to something bigger? In the end, I thought yes. I've been coming up with his purpose and I'm glad to say that when the new series kicks off, we'll finally see him and what he's about. I know he won't be in the gang as always anticipated but he will be a huge factor to it all. The albino Tude will finally have his day in Dorks.
The crowds were huge at Free Comic Book Day at First Aid Comics.
Dave gets his dancing shows on while the crowds...crowd around our humble table.
Our humble table. Go Instant Press Comics!
Dave at the Instant Press table.
Rene, actually at his table???
The readership grows.
Get them while they're young. Here we have our youngest reader. She really seemed to enjoy that copy of Bride Of The Wolfman created and written by Dave and drawn by myself.
Our gracious host, James Nurss.
Our gracious host turns on us. He flexes his muscles before tossing us out. Thank you James for a great FCBD turnout.
Next up is a current favorite of mine, Jason Yungbluth. His work on Weapon Brown is truly amazing. He has created this world where a post apocalyptic Charlie Brown wanders the Earth alone with his best pal, Snoopy. In the current story line Weapon Brown and Snoop come toe to toe with many comic strip characters from such strips as Beetle Baily, B.C. Garfield, Boondocks and even Little Orphan Annie. His take on this is something that I've always wanted to do and tried to do but fizzled out several times. He has recreated these characters and has made them fit together in a truly deranged world. Hope on over and start reading. Don't forget to stop in his store cause you'll want to pick up the first Weapon Brown story, A Peanut Scorned where Chuck goes up against the cast of Peanuts. Oh what a crazy messed up world Jason lives in.
I'd love to thank both creators for being such an influence and keeping the imagination going. Even if it is a bit crazy.
