GD "Graphic Novel" Collab

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

^ I think the idea was to give each artist a song, or divide it up in scenes and give every artist a scene.

Personally I'm more for the idea of writing out the scenes and everyone who has an idea for something, can do that scene or the part of that scene they have the idea for.

kinda like in short: "Bladibla goes to school on his bicycle. Then he falls. He cries. He goes back home. His mom gives him a bandage. He arrives at school" and then someone will either say "oooh I wanna do the cycling to school part", or "I wanna do the big image of him cycling in his street" combined with "I want to do the close up of him cycling".

That's just my idea, not what we're actually going to do. Hence the small font.

[JHyena86]

Ok, I figured it might be something like that. Either way works for me

[cherrybomb!]

The story line is looking really strong now

[Christie's_Blvd.]

It's good we have a clear storyline in one place now, and it sounds really cool as well.

Josimmy made me giggle too

[JohannaRaeRamone.]

I was thinking along the exact same lines as you actually, Daughter. I want to write it all out, (or if any of my writers out there want to write I'd love your input too), in story form like that, but I haven't had the time. I just really wanted to get something posted to make sure people knew we were still here. I miss this project.

[Punk-tastic32]

OK awesome! Now we have an attack plan!

I can't start any actual work until after my exams ( ending in a few weeks) But I can be part of the discussion till then

Yeah, I think that looks about right, we will prolly end up changing minor details here and there anyways.

I'm getting really excited now!

Maybe AWTW can be him out of the motel (not enough money) Wandering the streets alone at night, trying to join groups/gangs, but getting turned away? Just a thought

[st.idiot]

yay!!!!!! damn it's been a while, i'm so glad to be working on this again!!!!!!!!

[Graduate of 13]

This sounds like an awesome idea, I would really like to contribute in any way, in some abstract art and storylines. Just shoot me a message if I can be involved!

[Jenny95]

That sounds great !!

and for the rest of it which songs did we wanted to use now , leave Wmuwse out or not?

[JohannaRaeRamone.]

This sounds like an awesome idea, I would really like to contribute in any way, in some abstract art and storylines. Just shoot me a message if I can be involved!

We can use you on board for both! Just watch the topic and play along.

That sounds great !!

and for the rest of it which songs did we wanted to use now , leave Wmuwse out or not?

WMUWE is out, Too Much Too Soon and Shoplifter are in.

[Punk-tastic32]

Did we decide on St. Jimmy being JOS alter ego or a different person? Sorry, I know that I should know this

[Christie's_Blvd.]

Did we decide on St. Jimmy being JOS alter ego or a different person? Sorry, I know that I should know this

I need to know this as well - I was even part of the conversation deciding it but I'm not sure what happened

Also, I love your sig

[JohannaRaeRamone.]

Did we decide on St. Jimmy being JOS alter ego or a different person? Sorry, I know that I should know this

I need to know this as well - I was even part of the conversation deciding it but I'm not sure what happened

Also, I love your sig

After carefully reviewing the evidence, my verdict is that Jimmy and JOS are physically represented as two different people. JOS is the one that is clearly real and who interacts with the other characters while Jimmy is JOS's imaginary friend. He is often present exerting his influence over JOS during the phases where he has JOS by the balls but we will show him whipsering into JOS's ear and them having private conversations. We can have a scene where both are present but it's clear that people are interacting with JOS, unaware of Jimmy's presence. Although I was thinking maybe for some really intensely dark moments we can show Jimmy, like knocking out/throwing aside JOS and taking his place to do evil deeds for him. What do you think?

[st.idiot]

After carefully reviewing the evidence, my verdict is that Jimmy and JOS are physically represented as two different people. JOS is the one that is clearly real and who interacts with the other characters while Jimmy is JOS's imaginary friend. He is often present exerting his influence over JOS during the phases where he has JOS by the balls but we will show him whipsering into JOS's ear and them having private conversations. We can have a scene where both are present but it's clear that people are interacting with JOS, unaware of Jimmy's presence. Although I was thinking maybe for some really intensely dark moments we can show Jimmy, like knocking out/throwing aside JOS and taking his place to do evil deeds for him. What do you think?

im not in the art but i like that idea a lot

[Punk-tastic32]

I need to know this as well - I was even part of the conversation deciding it but I'm not sure what happened

Also, I love your sig

Aww, thanks

After carefully reviewing the evidence, my verdict is that Jimmy and JOS are physically represented as two different people. JOS is the one that is clearly real and who interacts with the other characters while Jimmy is JOS's imaginary friend. He is often present exerting his influence over JOS during the phases where he has JOS by the balls but we will show him whipsering into JOS's ear and them having private conversations. We can have a scene where both are present but it's clear that people are interacting with JOS, unaware of Jimmy's presence. Although I was thinking maybe for some really intensely dark moments we can show Jimmy, like knocking out/throwing aside JOS and taking his place to do evil deeds for him. What do you think?

Ok, that's good.

I was wondering how we would raw something that wasn't there

[Punk-tastic32]

Did we fully decide what to do after Extraordinary Girl?

I was resting on my bed, listening to the AI album and I was thinking maybe the rest of the story could go something like this:

Too Much Too Soon: After bailing JOS out, Whatsername realizes that JOS will never survive in the streets, and tries to break it to him gently. JOS misses the cues and tries to win Whatsername's affection back (she's obviously upset that JOS got caught for shoplifting) Whatsername isn't buying it and isn't impressed, she's actually quite mad and wants JOS to just go back home to Suburbia. JOS, ignores her advice and goes back to whereever they stay (abandoned warehouse/ overpass thingy like in JOS video or something).

Letterbomb: Scene of Whatsername writing on already grafitti-overed walls. Cut to JOS waking up to find that everyone is gone. He goes to the gang's usual hideout spots, but they're not there. He goes back to the warehouse (or whereever they stay) to find the message that Whatsername had written the night before. "You're not the jesus of Surbubia, St. Jimmy is a figment of, your father's rage and your mother's love, made me the idiot america. I can't take this place, I'm leaving it behind. I can't take this town I'm leaving you tonight" (so bacically from the lyrics)

JOS falls to his knees in shock and awe, the reality of Whatsername leaving him is like a punch in the face.

WMUWSE: Kinda hard to fit this in, maybe a cross between JOS feeling lost without Whatsername and the rest of the punk gang. Trying to find new gangs, but nobody lets him in. Maybe cut back to Suburbia (if his mom doesn't care then we can show that life goes on etc./ maybe she does care, and regrets not showing her love to JOS more.) Also, I think it would be interesting to have the perspective of JOS's dog. Now that JOS is gone, his dog is lonely, having lost it's best friend. Maybe flashback to pre-punk JOS playing with the dog, and Suburbia-punk JOS playing with his dog. (to show how the punk-dom hasn't changed the fact that he loves the dog). And the dog setting out to find JOS? (sorry, I just really love the idea of human-pet love and bonding )

Homecoming: Umm... I don't really have any ideas for here

Whatsername: I still like the rehab journal thing that was discussed earlier.

Anyhoo, that's what come to mind the other day, just thought I would get it pout there before I forget.. and hopefully this updates everyone's "watched topics" box, so we can get back to this

[Jenny95]

That sounds good

I like the idea of whatsername writing You're not the jesus of Surbubia, St. Jimmy is a figment of, your father's rage and your mother's .... in grafitti on the walls

oh and the idea with the dog ,if he tries to find Jos he could find him on his way home and then he goes home with his dog in his arm

[JohannaRaeRamone.]

Sorry guys, I have been fiendishly busy, haven't had time to maintain a virtual presence. (Or most functions nescesarry to survival for that matter haha) Anyway I love the fallout between JOS and Whatsernanme, it's really well rounded and compliments the story well. I feel like that chapter was never fully elaborated in the album/album interpretations before us. I think WMUWSE was agreed upon to be left out though out of respect. I would like to see the dog thing make an appearance though, I am an enormous pet lover and so long as it doesn't, you know, get too mushy and cute it could be a cool retrospect.

Well here's my vauge thoughts on homecoming:

-Intro: He's regressing into being a lonley, scared child and ponders what options he has left. He thinks back on one time he's bothered to call his mom, (pay phone, doubt he has money for a cell phone), and it was for money, to which she responded "Please call me only if you are coming home". He's scared to do that and face the consequences.

-Death of St Jimmy: He tries to do drugs once more, "The stems and seeds of the last of the dope", giving St Jimmy once last attempt, waltzing around town in a sickly drugged haze trying to glorifiy Jimmy and justify his entire trip in the city, pleading with himself to believe that Whatsername was wrong and that he hasn't fucked his entire life over with this lie. Something bad happens and it's the last straw though. Perhaps he could have a Holden Caulfield moment, like he sees an upset little boy that reminds him of himself hurt and goes to help him and then his mom comes and maces Josimmy because he thinks he's the scum of the earth and about to hurt her child. I don't know, something symbolic of how he's destroyed his innocence and soiled his existance. Maybe he meets a young boy that again reminds him of himself and tries to give him some advice as the great reverand St Jimmy and again he gets lashed because nobody want to be like him or turn out like he has.

-He is pissed off, St Jimmy is over for good. Nobody cares and nobody's there to help him, so he rips St Jimmy apart and tries to think for himself

-E 12th STreet: He tries to get a job but can't get anything. He fills out paperwork and applies but his heart's not in it: "He'd rather be doing something else now, like cigerretes and coffee with the underbelly" He's still craving this fake punk pose, and he's scared and appalled that that's all he can think to turn to. He needs somebody to help him but he's lost Whatsername. He has a nervous breakdown (Get me outta here right now bit)

-Nobody Likes You: He's left (Or been kicked out of because he has left the good graces of Whatsername/they're angry that he caused her to leave because they liked her?) the punk house, so maybe he ends up sitting in the same cheap motel room he started out in. This part is pretty straighforward, can you guys think of anything creative to do with it?

-Rock and Roll Girlfriend: Haha way to throw us a curve ball Tre! Well theres a few ways this can go in. Somebody else suggested it's JOS asking some other guy for advice but he's like, go away you creep, get off of my case, or he's day dreaming what his life could be like if he went on and was like, a fuckup extrodinaire haha

- Now, I really don't know what to do with this next part. It's very emotionally riviting for me somehow but I'm not sure whether it should be applied to the kids in suburbia or those that he's leaving in the city. Regardless what we do with it I think the key here is "THeir time has come, and it's goin nowhere. Nobody ever said that life was fair now" WHAT do we do?

-Homecoming: Possibly the most emotionally charged part of the story. This has to be important and grand and reflective and big, for essencially it is the conclusion of the story. "I start this fuckin runnin soon as my feet touch ground" I think here he realizes that there is no running left for him to do because it has never been a constructive thing or an answer, simply a reflex. I think perhaps on his way home before he sees his mom he stops at his dads grave and does something? Then what happens? Theres so many things

-Whatsername: I agree, I really want to keep the rehab journal idea where we kind of find out he's written this whole American Idiot album as a reflective journal. "Forgetting you but not the time" I think maybe he makes little efigys of JOS and of St Jimmy and either commorates them or destroys them

[Punk-tastic32]

Sounds great.

Insomnia can be your friend sometimes. Nothing like a whole bunch of unsolicited free time being thrust on to you to show off your artistic abilities (or lack there of) to people who are working on an artsy project with you, right?

Here's a really crappy Shoplifter themed drawing:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcuUxKeuOBE/TLn1vYwnC8I/AAAAAAAAAD0/xoFNSt6oMu4/s1600/Shoplifter+Photo.JPG

Its just a photo taken with my phone, since the scanner is in my parents' room, and they're sleeping.

I'll probably have more up, I don't see myself being tired any time soon... and it's already 3 am here...

Yeah, so I'm prolly gonna stay on storyboarding and not go near the finished product

EDIT: here's what I drew for Letterbomb: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcuUxKeuOBE/TLoOQjxzCZI/AAAAAAAAAD8/hk7IMw_sHDo/s1600/Letterbomb+Photo.JPG

This one didn't come out how I had hoped. Actually, both had looked better in my head

EDIT 2: Wow. I really gotta stop posting when tired. Anyways, I'll keep them up, so you can see what level of artistic ability I'm at (like in Kung Fu Panda: there is now a level zero) Any constructive criticism, or destructive criticism would be appreciated, along with any tips. I really wish I could draw better, I have all these good ideas in my head, but damn brain-hand coordination prevents me from making them real

[JohannaRaeRamone.]

Sounds great.

Insomnia can be your friend sometimes. Nothing like a whole bunch of unsolicited free time being thrust on to you to show off your artistic abilities (or lack there of) to people who are working on an artsy project with you, right?

Here's a really crappy Shoplifter themed drawing:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcuUxKeuOBE/TLn1vYwnC8I/AAAAAAAAAD0/xoFNSt6oMu4/s1600/Shoplifter+Photo.JPG

Its just a photo taken with my phone, since the scanner is in my parents' room, and they're sleeping.

I'll probably have more up, I don't see myself being tired any time soon... and it's already 3 am here...

Yeah, so I'm prolly gonna stay on storyboarding and not go near the finished product

EDIT: here's what I drew for Letterbomb: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcuUxKeuOBE/TLoOQjxzCZI/AAAAAAAAAD8/hk7IMw_sHDo/s1600/Letterbomb+Photo.JPG

This one didn't come out how I had hoped. Actually, both had looked better in my head

EDIT 2: Wow. I really gotta stop posting when tired. Anyways, I'll keep them up, so you can see what level of artistic ability I'm at (like in Kung Fu Panda: there is now a level zero) Any constructive criticism, or destructive criticism would be appreciated, along with any tips. I really wish I could draw better, I have all these good ideas in my head, but damn brain-hand coordination prevents me from making them real

Insomnia is helpful, kind of like working in a haunted house and being up this late to talk about it. Well, the thing about turning ideas into pictures is patience. It's incredibly frustrating to have awesome visions and ideas but to have to wait for your skills to catch up with you. Just hang in there and you'll be awesome.

[Punk-tastic32]

Insomnia is helpful, kind of like working in a haunted house and being up this late to talk about it. Well, the thing about turning ideas into pictures is patience. It's incredibly frustrating to have awesome visions and ideas but to have to wait for your skills to catch up with you. Just hang in there and you'll be awesome.

Aww... Thanks

[JohannaRaeRamone.]

Aww... Thanks

Sure thing.

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

Lol, I agree on the insomnia thing, I always get the best ideas and insights when I can't sleep at night.

and woo I'm back. I'm sorta glad to see I don't have much to catch up on

As for Homecoming/Whatsername. I always took Homecoming, from the East 12th Street part on, that Jesus has already settled down. Jesus filling out paperwork as Jesus having a cubicle job which bores him, he wants to get out of it, he wants to be free. Then comes Nobody Likes You (which by the way, is a month after the start of Homecoming, if you look in the booklet), where he quit his job, but realizes he's really got no one left. He doesn't have his Suburbia friends or family, he doesn't have Whatsername and his St. Jimmy gang (if there was one), and now he quit his job he's sitting in his apartment, watching tv but falling asleep, waiting for someone that doesn't come (because he doesn't have a someone that could possibly come). Everyone has left him. Rock'n'Roll Girlfriend, he gets a letter from Tunny, a random old friend or something, that has a rock'n'roll life now. I suppose JOS has been bugging him, because Tunny tells him to get off of his case, but that doesn't really have much to do with the storyline as it is now (it took me a lot not to go into that particular letter, because I love me some discussion about that, but for this it doesn't matter). Either way, it's taunting JOS. After that, it gets hard for me to make a good story out of it. I think up until "home, we're coming home again" it's JOS coming into realisation that his life was kind of, well, useless is not the word. I perfectly understand that part in my head, but I can't write it down. It's not even clear what it is about, his punk past or his cubicle job trying to get a "normal" life. It's a "desperation murmur of a heartbeat", it's not a real heartbeat, it doesn't really live even though they really want to ("desperation"). It's a realisation, but of what exactly? I think that is best left in the middle (is that an expression in English?). Either way, the world is spinning around etc, and he goes home. Whether home be going to a literal home, or leaving behind all this punk stuff and confusion, and going home in his mind. Living in peace. Probably both. I think "I started fucking running as soon as my feet touch (touched?) ground" is about how when he left Suburbia and landed in all this St. Jimmy shit he kind of got lifted off the ground, but as soon as "his feet touched ground", as soon as he realised how stupid all this St. Jimmy drugs business was, he got the fuck out of there asap. And now he's back. I really don't know what to do with "but to you and me that's Jingletown", because we have no explanation what Jingletown is. What I find intriguing about that is that in the booklet, where it says "Jingletown", you see that the n in "jin" used to be an m, but an n was written over it. Which makes me suspect that JOS wanted to say "Jimmy", but made it into Jingletown. Which then makes me think that Jingletown is a safe haven, something familiar. I don't know why I think that, because it's not like St. Jimmy was a safe haven. But it was an escape, St. Jimmy. Then it just ends with JOS coming home, and not really having anything. But at least he's home, whether that be a house or a home in his mind.

Whatsername, I agree that it's a journal entry, but not in a rehab. Or not in my version of the story, anyway, haha. Not that my version is the version. Whatsername the song isn't just reflecting of Whatsername, but also about his entire journey. Forgetting you, but not the time. That goes for both Whatsername his girlfriend, and for the fact that he might not remember every single thing he's done in the past year, but that it was a learning experience. Whatsername is the end, but also a new chapter in his life.

NB: Whatsername is on January the first.

Woah, sorry that it turned into such a novel. Green Day really gets me talking, haha. I hope it's readable.

Then Letterbomb, I think if we make it a note, we should stick to the way it's done in the booklet. That's just my opinion, though.

have all these good ideas in my head, but damn brain-hand coordination prevents me from making them real

This is so fucking frustrating. Happens to me all the time

[Punk-tastic32]

Rock'n'Roll Girlfriend, he gets a letter from Tunny, a random old friend or something, that has a rock'n'roll life now. I suppose JOS has been bugging him, because Tunny tells him to get off of his case, but that doesn't really have much to do with the storyline as it is now (it took me a lot not to go into that particular letter, because I love me some discussion about that, but for this it doesn't matter). Either way, it's taunting JOS.

I like that. Maybe it can be a member from JOS's old band that he got kicked out of in Suburbia. ( I think someone mentioned something like that earlier) who got [quite] famous and now he doesn't want a regular 9-5 type job. But they don't want him back, and JOS keeps bugging him about it. (thus the "off of my case")

I also think that when JOS kinda "cleans up his act" and reflects back on life in the city- he thinks it was stupid, yes, but at the same time, he doesn't regret it because it was another experience, and he remembers all the good times.

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

I like that. Maybe it can be a member from JOS's old band that he got kicked out of in Suburbia. ( I think someone mentioned something like that earlier) who got [quite] famous and now he doesn't want a regular 9-5 type job. But they don't want him back, and JOS keeps bugging him about it. (thus the "off of my case")

I also think that when JOS kinda "cleans up his act" and reflects back on life in the city- he thinks it was stupid, yes, but at the same time, he doesn't regret it because it was another experience, and he remembers all the good times.

Yeah, something like that. Or maybe Tunny can be someone from the Holiday-gang, with whom JOS partied and stuff. They both left Random Shittown (Suburbia in JOS's case, who knows where the other Holiday people came from), and Tunny made it while JOS has, well, nothing really anymore. And JOS was bugging Tunny to help him or something like that. The line "I haven't drank or smoked nothing in over 22 days" confuses me, though. Not drinking or smoking doesn't seem like the rock'n'roll life. I can't really explain that line, so that it works with the rest of Rock'n'Roll Girlfriend. The only thing I can think of that remotely makes sense is that his girlfriend forbids him to smoke/drink, and that gets on Tunny's nerves, but that's just really random and doesn't fill in with the rest of Tunny's story. I think Tunny's letter isn't completely "look how good my rock'n'roll life is", that it also has a hint of that it's actually not all that good. I don't really know exactly why. But it fits. Also that after JOS reads Tunny's letter, he realizes the that everyone he used to be friends with or whatever, just desperately wanted to live ("desperation murmur of a heartbeat"). etc etc.

Yep, exactly. He's back where he's started, but he's learned some important life lessons.