AMBER LOVE 05-JUNE-2013 This episode features the delightful and fun comic creator HOWIE NOEL who joined VODKA O’CLOCK to talk about his comic TARA NORMAL. Ghost hunting, paranormal activity, comics, and conventions are covered. Hint: I hate being scared.

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Tara Normal is a 19-year-old ghost hunter akin to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Scooby Doo gang. Howie firmly states that Tara is the hero and doesn’t need any men to save her. There are different Tara stories for specific targeted reading ages too.

“She’s kind of like a ‘hot like Scully but more like Mulder’ kind of thing.” ~HN

Despite Tara’s unusual abilities to interact with the dead, the one person she desperately wants to make contact with is her deceased mother and has been unsuccessful. Different types of ghosts appear to her with specific characteristics like peaceful ghosts are blue while others might be more zombie in appearance and then the ultimate demonic wraiths in flowing black cloaks. Howie intentionally worked on designs that that gradually separate from Tara’s bright colorful wardrobe.

We spend a little bit of the discussion on creator owned comics versus corporate work-for-hire. Howie has little chance to work collaboratively and finds that mostly he works isolated with all the control over his property without any disagreements and drama.

“What I’ve learned in comics is that you can’t keep every panel precious.” ~HN

Howie shares his lessons learned. All potential comic creators will want to tune in to his inspirational advice. (Around 47:00).

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.