Most every Monday, I set aside an hour or so to participate in Jerzy & Mark's "Art & Story ALIVE" talkcast on Talkshoe. In short, it's a community chat all about the art, craftsmanship, and business of comics. I seem to be the resident anime/manga buff, and every-once-in-a-while will call in with my own two cents, although more often than not, I just hang around the online chat and contribute there. ALIVE is a companion show to their "regular" podcast (available on iTunes!) where they mull over set topics, drawing from their own personal experiences.

Well, it seems the guys are just about at their 1st anniversary and they're hosting a fun contest for all their listeners.

As comic creators, we honestly believe that art and story go hand-in-hand when crafting comics. However, we know that not everyone is equally skilled at drawing - but we all have some great and unique ideas. So in the spirit of creativity, Mark and Jerzy have crafted a project that just about anyone can do if you have a printer, pens, paper, and imagination.

In short, just print out the comic template they've provided. From their list of items and headlines, pick 3 at random of each and craft a 6-panel comic. The exercise shouldn't take longer than 3 hours - stick figures or abstract objects are welcome! The idea is to generate interesting and unique stories from these random themes.

Contest details are found on their page: THE BIG CONTEST!

Lastly, prizes will be distributed according to lottery, not based on your comic's artistic or creative value. (Because we all know that's subjective!) So anyone who enters has an equal chance of winning! :D

Interested in seeing my entry? Find it HERE in our flickr collection!