Steve, the drummer -
"Time ticks on relentlessly."
Minion
Written by Mason Mendoza and Christopher Reda
Illustrated by Leandro Rizzo
In this ongoing graphic novel series, recruit Double Zero joins a team of minions who have been put to the dangerous task of collecting parts of a doomsday device capable of defeating superhero Captain Cool. Follow him and his misfit crew as they travel the world filled with futuristic cities and navigate the treacherous dirty work of being an underling for a supervillain in the shadows.
Life Is An Open Door
Written by Mason Mendoza
Illustrated by Alonso Molina Gonzales
Have you ever worked in a cramped office, looked at the exit door, and felt that urge to get up from your desk and make a break for it? Al, the working-class dalmatian, channels his animal impulses in this fun comic book short story about giving into instinct and going remote.
Lifeboat
Written by Mason Mendoza
Illustrated by Alonso Molina Gonzales
In the Dark Era of spacetime, year 1.7x10^106, moments before particle decay unwinds the atomic fabric of the universe as we know it, Mae, Jacob, and Dove carry the faint, flickering torch of life through an endless void. This comic book short story is about loss, fate, and the hope that we must hold dearly on our journey toward the ultimate unknown.
The Great Bamboo
Written by Mason Mendoza
Illustrated by Wisinee Chanwittayapat
In this ongoing children's graphic novel series, Bamboo is the talk of the town; tourists come from far and wide to visit him at the panda breeding center... but where is it that they come from? And where do they go? Well, this traveling panda is sure to find out! Join Bamboo and friends as they travel the world visiting real places and exploring the unique cultures and lifestyles of regular people from around the globe!
Prisoners of the Ghostland
Adapted by Mason Mendoza and Christopher Reda
Illustrated by Alonso Molina Gonzales
This adapted prequel comic book short story sets the stage for Patriot Pictures film Prisoners of the Ghostland; directed by Sion Sono, written by Reza Sixo Safai and Aaron Hendry, and starring Nicolas Cage, Sofia Boutella, Nick Cassavetes, and Bill Moseley in this east meets west action-adventure tale.
Writing Resources
After writing 90+ pages of philosophy thesis papers for my bachelors, I started taking creative writing seriously in 2013 when I picked up "Save the Cat" by the late, great, Blake Snyder. Hoo-boy, does that book ruin sitcoms and blockbuster movies, or what? But Blake's beat sheet has become a core litmus test for each of my stories. It helps with pacing and resolving those emotional gaps and plot vacuums to really build out the 3-act structure.
Since reading "Save the Cat" and its sequels, I've learned from a wide variety of other books that cover topics like the monomyth, comic book formatting, and cinematography. "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" and "The Writer's Journey" sit here on my desk. I learned sequential art storytelling from four or five of Scott McCloud's How-To series. "The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video" by Tom Schroeppel has helped me greatly with art direction.
If you're new to writing and looking for resources to build your own skills, just start with the books listed above. And feel free to reach out for more recommendations or advice by following the link below.