Minions at Work: A Photocomic

One problem with the single-panel format of Minions at Work 1.o was that it gave only the slightest hints of what the interactions and goings-on with the Minions were at like. In some sense, this ill-defined area gave me a lot of free “over-run” space in which to paint gags. But often I wanted to figure out what was happening in those undefined spaces, and I’ll admit, even now I have only the vaguest ideas. In writing, my experience has always been that the best work comes when the characters start to talk to the writer, telling them the story and what they, as characters, want to do. I think a lot of my Minions at Work characters have things to tell me, and hopefully in version 2.0, we’ll discover that stuff together.

I expect surprises. Minions at Work 1.o was mostly about No. 1, Number 2, Number 9, later on, Penguin, and with Newbie often around as unspeaking scene filler and comic relief. One the villain side, Doctor Coldblood dominated, though towards the end, other got increasing development. Overall, the Overlords became more important, just because they’re colorful and have very distinctive agendas. But the need for clarity with single panels and no word balloons minimized the numbers of speaking characters, and several characters, Newbie, Penguin, Doctor Head-in-a-jar, though they clearly COULD talk, never talked “on panel.” I don’t know what’s going to happen with that going forward.

Today’s panel suggests some of the depths of Number 2. I’m intrigued by his status of “frenemy,” every present and loyal in a way, and yet totally, lazy, self-centered, greedy, and amoral. Fortunately for the world, the “lazy” part has, up until now, washed out most of the rest. But we’ll see how that goes down the line.