Main Page :: Creators :: Links :: Digital Webbing :: deviantART ::
 

Billings: Behind the Scenes
A special look at a scene-by-scene comparison between Magic City the webcomic and Magic City the actual city.

Archives

  "James Murphy Is My Hero"   Greg Thelen : Nick Palazzo : Brandon DeStefano
The Writer's Take: This story started this whole thing off, so I needed to write something that quickly introduced Billings to the world. The most prominent feature of Billings are the rims, a series of cliffs that form the city's northern border. And I needed to introduce some cultural aspects of the city. This was a semi-autobiographical tale as I've felt the same way that Chad does. I wouldn't being going out on too much of a limb to say that the youth feel much the same way. Many just want to get out of Montana altogether once they're adults and move to a big city. Something I learned is it's not just where you live, but who you live with.
   
  Location: The Rims   Release Date: 8/12/08

  "A Clear Voice"   Greg Thelen : Branko Jovanovich : Brandon DeStefano

The Writer's Take: Currently, this is the only true story in Magic City. Back when I was in college, I took a criminology course from a local county prosecutor, whose name is Dennis. He was very good at his job, or at least that's the impression I got from him just by the way he spoke. During the course, he would reflect on a case he had worked on to illustrate a point. I can't remember what point he was trying to make with this story, but it was an enthralling tale nonetheless. I first wrote this story several years ago as a prose work, which was a few years after I first heard the story. I'm sure I forgot some details, but a story this strong will always retain its magic.
   
  Location: The South Side   Release Date: 9/9/08

 

  "Tunnel Vision"   Greg Thelen : Jose Sanchez : Brandon DeStefano

The Writer's Take: Probably the most tragic tale in Magic City so far. I visited Spring Creek Park on a couple occasions for photo ops, and it's a very nice, quaint park in the middle of Billings. What particularly caught my eye was the large drainage pipe that ran underneath Lewis Ave, the water of which forms the creek. It was surrounded by stone bricks looking like a portal to some other world. Visually, it's stunning. At the time, I had no intention of using it for a story, so I kept it in my back pocket. Sometime after watching Pan's Labyrinth, I pulled it out and reexamined the photos. If I thought it was a portal to another world, so would a child.
 


The Artist's Take: It's a good story, simple, but effective. I must admit, I was more interested in drawing furry animals than anything else, but once I read the script, I liked it a lot. It's a good story, straight to the point. Mary, the leading character, she's almost hopeless and, unfortunately, very real. It's kinda sad to think many children all over the world are forced to escape from their harsh realities. Thank God they have such a strong imagination. I guess that proves there's someone up there watching over us all.

Keep dreaming, keep laughing, keep smiling!
  Location: Spring Creek Park   Release Date: 9/30/08


  Magic City Oneshots   Greg Thelen : Brandon DeStefano


These are my artistic contributions to Magic City. One time I did aspire to be an artist, but I didn't have the discipline to put it to good use. Particularly, I was terrible at hands and feet. But I have mad skills at stick people comics. Mad skills, I say.

The oneshots star no-named characters in humorous situations, and if they look similar from one to another, it is purely because I'm lazy. They may or may not involve specific scenery of Billings. More likley, they will reflect something that is happening in the city. Each story is only one page, and they'll be posted every so often in between stories.

 
Oneshot 1: Zimmerman Trail
Oneshot 2: Roundabout
  Location: Various places around town   Release Dates: Ongoing

 
Updated every TUESDAY and THURSDAY with one (1) new page (except holidays, probably). It'll be fun.
Questions, comments, praises, furious rants? Email the writer at greg (dot) thelen @ gmail (dot) com.




(c) copyright 2007 and beyond, Greg Thelen. Do not steal artwork for your own nefarious purposes. It belongs to its respective artist.