Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be in your comic?
Are your characters based on anyone?
What is Heléna?
Who is in the Comic Hideout Team?
How can I support the site?
What is the process you go through to make the comic?
How can I contact you?
What other ideas do you have?
How long has Comic Hideout been running?
When is the Comic/Blog updated?
What programmes do you use?
Have you always been an artist?
Can I add you as a friend on Facebook/Myspace/Something?

Can I be in your comic?

No.

Are your characters based on anyone?

Kinda. Everyone says Heléna is very heavily based on me. Each character has their own ideas and character and I hope they develop further as the comic progresses. If any character started out based on anyone they should become their own person as it goes on. One thing is clear though – Heléna is NOT me.

PJ aka Bolide Boy wasn’t based on anyone, he is designed to be opposite to Heléna and make the interaction between them interesting.

What is Heléna?

Heléna and her kind call themselves the Lith. They are genetically altered beings based on animals. Their DNA is closer related to cats than humans.

Who is in the Comic Hideout Team?

Er… me... myself... and I. Yep, just one person doing it all. I not only do the concept, design, artwork, inking, script and all the comic side but I also do all the website side to. I designed the website and built it all from scratch. This is why updates are regular but not as often as I would like. I have a full time job and other hobbies fighting for my time too.

How can I support the site?

Please see the Support webpage for some ideas on how you can support the comic through a range of ideas – many of which are free!

What is the process you go through to make the comic?

First I decide what I need to get across in terms of storyline or if I haven’t done a gaming joke for a while. Then I do a concept page in very rough with some dialogue and vague idea of image. I draw this out a few times improving the quality and text until I am happy enough to move it to the pc. I scan the image and then ink the outlines on the pc. This is then moved to another programme and coloured, shaded and made into strip form. The text is then done in another programme and the whole thing saved as an image file. This is then put into the website with the burb underneath and finally uploaded for your pleasure when the time is right.

How can I contact you?

Please contact me through websites such as Facebook or Twitter.

What inspired you to created Comic Hideout?

Heléna and a few other characters have been with me for as long as I can remember. I grew up with them and as I grew up they evolved into the Lith. They started out as my imaginary superhero friends and just never left. I promised myself when I was about ten I would one day bring them to life through media – although I didn’t know what format at the time. It has taken a long time but I am finally fulfilling the promise made to my younger self. Comic Hideout is my playground to get the characters moving and start to finalise their personalities, powers and looks before I can use them in a few other ideas.

What other ideas do you have?

That would be telling, but I have a lot of ideas and concepts. Comic Hideout is a bit too light hearted for Heléna and she needs other environments to develop fully in. I plan for these to be paid content although Comic Hideout will remain free. These will all be available through the website once I get them up and running. I would love them all to be free – but I have to pay for the advertising and hosting somehow!

How long has Comic Hideout been running?

Comic Hideout started as a concept idea in about 2006 at which point I started saving up and bought some of the programmes and equipment required. I started teaching myself some of the skills I was missing in order to bring the comic to life.

The comic was officially launched on the 1st September 2008.

The blog has been running since 2005 when it was attached to my previous website – The BlimsFans. I used to run a fan website for a local Cardiff band called The Blims. But found the only thing I could actively keep updated was the blog and so shut the website down and moved the blog to Comic Hideout when it was launched and allowed The BlimsFans website to die when the URL subscription expired in November 2008.

When is the Comic/Blog updated?

I update the comic fortnightly, every other Monday at the beginning and middle of the month.

The blog is updated more randomly when I get a chance. Normally this is about every week to ten days.

What programmes do you use?

I use Adobe CS3 Design Premium Package. This contains Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver, InDesign and a few other minor programmes. This was the most expensive outgoing for the comic. Although I was a student at the time and got discount it was still expensive for a hobby.

The website is designed in Dreamweaver. The inking and text is done in Illustrator. Colouring and shading I do in Photoshop. I am thinking of doing a flash animation one day but need to learn how to use it yet. InDesign has a great colour coordination system… but I not worked out how to use that yet.

Have you always been an artist?

Oh I’m not an artist! I just meddle. I’m an engineer.

No, seriously. I have a degree in engineering and I will always be an engineer first. I have been drawing and doing creative stuff all my life and my Mum was an artist (her website) and my brother is a poet too so there is a lot of creative energy in the family.

Can I add you as a friend on Facebook/Myspace/Twitter?

Please do!