Comic Book Mania

Gracek Adamczyk makes comic books in Second Life, which are usually gay themed. His comics are gaining more notoriety and exposure within the gay community as of late. I sat down with Gracek to get the lowdown on his comics and what motivated him to start making them here in SL.

INV: Hi Gracek, you’ve recently started up a comic business in Second Life. Can you tell our readers a little bit about your comics?

Gracek: The comic is called 'Luke's Diary'. It is about an 18-year-old, who is beginning to discover things in life, which, until recently, were unfamiliar to him. He’s meeting new people and experiencing new things, and discovering that he likes guys. The comic is about his adventures, some of which are best described as ‘hot ‘n steamy’. I completed Issue 1, on 6 June, 2008. I got some feedback from readers saying they liked what they saw, so I began another issue.

INV: What persuaded you to start a comic business? Are you a comic book fan in RL?

Gracek: After the first few months in SL, I started to get a bit bored, so I looked for a job and also began thinking about what type of business I could establish. What came to me was that SL is like a great big comic book. I could use what was already available as scenery, along with all of the things that make up a location, and then add my own content to make a story. I read a lot of comics, but I’m not a die-hard collector or anything. And I mostly enjoy reading gay-porn manga (Yaoi) on the net.

INV: You recently showed me around your exhibition gallery to give me a feel of your comic books. Your comics can also be bought there, how much do they cost?

Gracek: Yes, thanks to Kito Kyong, I have an exhibition of my comic and various items related to it, currently showing at the Art Hall, in Gay World. I make sculptures, too, and some of those are on display. Prices for the comic and related items are as follows: Issue 1, $L1; Issue 2, $L300; Luke's Calendar 2009, $L75; posters, $L50.

INV: How often do you publish your comics? Are they time consuming to do?

Gracek: The comic is not being published on a regular basis. It’s turned out to be a rather time-consuming project; for example, it took me 3 ½ months to complete Issue 2. I am not only doing the comic, therefore, I haven’t kept to a regular cycle.

INV: So your comics are aimed at the gay male market?

Gracek: Yes, it’s written for an adult, gay male readership.

INV: Why should people buy and check out your comics? What’s the best selling factor about them?

Gracek: The other day, a friend told me that reading the comic reminded him of some things that had happened in his life. I’ve tried to instil some intimacy and emotion into the story, which hopefully gets people reminiscing about events in their own lives. Also, everyone’s a little bit nosy, sometimes wanting to peep into other people's lives, especially when a person’s bedroom antics are included. So it includes things that readers might have thought about, or actually experienced, superimposed against an SL backdrop (although, not everyone has been to an active volcano that you can get to via a flying fox! lol).

INV: Do you intend on publishing many more comics?

Gracek: Yes, there will be further issues. But right now, in relation to the comic, I’m creating one page stories, for a friend who owns a gallery. The stories include Luke and will also be available to purchase, as posters and possibly in book form.

INV: Your comics are interesting and something I personally haven’t seen been done before in SL, what is the driving force behind them? What’s your inspiration and motivation?

Gracek: Some ideas come from my life, but more are about my own personal fantasies. The motivation comes from the satisfaction of completing something. Praise from my friends and other readers is always welcome :p Also, during the process of creating and selling this comic, I have met many wonderful people, of which quite a few have helped me in so many ways. And I now have 400 subscribers and counting, which is probably the most valuable part of my little enterprise.

INV: Can you tell our readers a little more about yourself?

Gracek: I live in Central Europe; I’m 19-years-old and attend middle school. I like watching movies and playing computer games. Fable’s my latest fave. I like just about anything to do with that particular era. I’m right into computers having totally set up my system at home. And I like travelling, sex, eating and sleeping. :)

INV: Are any of the stories and themes in your comics based on your Real life experiences?

Gracek: Yes, some of the comic includes my own personal experiences, but I won't say which bits. But rest assured, I’ve never been for a swim and had to be saved from an alligator, by a soldier who just happens to be passing by. :)

INV: Where would you like to see your comic business be in say 6 months time from now? What are your long term plans and would you welcome other people to consider setting up producing comics in SL?

Gracek: There will be at least one more issue of 'Luke's Diary', some more short stories and posters, and new products like frames for the posters and cards to celebrate various occasions.If anyone wants to create a comic in SL, a few limitations need to be taken into account -- the comic is not being drawn so it isn't possible to create everything in one's imagination. A wide range of facial expressions is not possible and as for particular poses, some just turn out ugly in a snapshot, regardless of the angle and clothed or not. But ingenuity will always save the day, plus bouncing ideas off friends, especially those who know a lot more than you might at the time.

INV: Thanks Gracek.

Gracek’s comic books can be checked out in his art gallery at the following link. They are also on sale there and would make an excellent gift for somebody this Christmas! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gay%20World/243/112/27