LAST UPDATED: 24 October 2000

VZSciFi Live Creator Event: Online Comics Creator Steve Conley
Thursday 8 June, 1.00pm VZT (PST) Space City Conference Centre
Event Transcript Part Two

HereÕs the second part of our transcript of the Steve Conley event, held on 8 June 2000.This has been edited slightly for spelling, with repetitions removed, and to add additional information where appropriate. Special thanks to Steve for going over it again for us! The event was moderated by Mr. Templeton (John Freeman).

Mr. Templeton: What spurred the idea for the Astounding Space Thrills universe itself?
Steve Conley: I wanted an environment where I could tell any kind of story, that required throwing the laws of physics out. IÕm also a big believer in a bright future! I wanted to do something counter to the Blade Runner dystopian vision, so I went 180 degrees in the other direction. It has the elements of pulps and the classic movie serials.
Mr. Templeton: A question from Link, who is new to your story, whatÕs the potted pitch you give people?
Steve Conley: The simple one is: Indiana Jones in Douglas AdamÕs universe
Linsue: Lol
Mr. Templeton: ThatÕs for film execs, right?
Steve Conley: Yep. ItÕs the Hollywood talk. But it actually more like... Princess Bride with space helmets.
There was one guy who called it -- and IÕm not kidding -- The A-Team meets Men In Black. I almost choked! (but whatever sells it, right?)
NoeNoe: What kind of art training do you have?
Steve Conley: I received a degree in advertising art which had design classes and figure drawing. It concentrated on design
Mr. Templeton: So you write, draw and bring the web page to life by yourself, essentially?
Steve Conley: All by myself!
Mr. Templeton: How long does it take to bring one of your daily strips to the web?
Steve Conley: Maybe two -- two and a half hours from start to finish.
Mr. Templeton: Could you perhaps take us through the process a little? Do you have a plan way in advance for the strip?
Steve Conley: All my work starts in ballpoint pen on typing paper, usually started in a coffee shop
Mr. Templeton: Good place!
Linsue: where would this world be without coffee!
Steve Conley (producing coffee machine!): I scan the ballpoint images and ÔinkÕ the page in a drawing program, then colour and letter it in Photoshop. Some animation is done in the Adobe Imageready program.
Mr. Templeton: Question from RJohn223: What happens if you get an idea for a comic strip when you are doing something else? Like shopping or in the bath?
RJohn223: U added bath lolo
Mr. Templeton: I did!
Steve Conley: I usually have a pad with me and jot it down. If IÕm in the bath, I run screaming from the water!
RJohn223: lol
Linsue: Eureka!!
Mr. Templeton: In creating the strip, what sort of problems have you had along the way?
Steve Conley: Overcoming some technical hurdles with the syndication software. System crashes, line drops at bad times. ZIP disk failures. The usual.
Losing a dayÕs strip that is 90 per cent done due to a system crash still hurts. Finding an audience has been the easiest part!
Mr. Templeton: How quickly did the audience build?
Steve Conley: It was a slow build. It grows at about 15 per cent a month
Mr. Templeton: What sort of things did you do to promote it?
Steve Conley: I came up with a code that letÕs any person add the comic to their web page and it automatically delivers the right strip, on the right day. That meant anybody could add the comic to their web page as if they were TV affiliate station, broadcasting the comic.
Mr. Templeton: So essentially 300 people carry the strip for you -- so you could be read by millions more than go to your own site?
Steve Conley: Right. The idea was that more people will visit other web pages in a day than will visit mine. Why make Ôem all come to me?
NoeNoe: Do you have formal computer training as well?
Steve Conley: No. Just an aptitude, and a belief that the longest distance between two points can be the fastest...
Links: Steve Conley Transcript Part One -- Steve Conley Transcript Part Three