Is this exciting or what? This is an interview with the people involved in the TaleSpin Virtual Season! Now you can see what the people behind the scenes of the Virtual Season have to say about their involvement!

Questions asked to Steet:

- What made you want to start a TaleSpin Virtual Season to begin with?

Steet : Actually, I didn't start this project! Another fan did (0x7B), who contributed a lot before abruptly disappearing. I'm still hoping nothing bad happened to him. But I've decided to take on the management of the project (as well as helping on the art side), and I'll do everything I can to run this project!

- Why a Virtual Season? Why not a radio production or fan-made comic series?

Steet : There have been talks about what form better suited the project. The biggest issue is to do something realistic, while giving something the fans truly want. A radio show would be cool, but a lot of us are not english native speakers, and a big part of TaleSpin comes from its amazing universe that just can't be described in words. Drawings are the way to go!

So finally, it was decided that the Virtual Season WOULD be fan comics!

We've started with a screenplay of a 4-part episode, which is meant to be compared to the original pilot of the series "Plunder & Lightning". (we're commonly refering to it as the "2nd pilot")

This is the story we're currently drawing!

- What has the response been so far to the Virtual Season?

Steet : It had periods of activity and inactivity at first, but things are now rolling out. I think many people disregard such fan projects, thinking nothing will really come out of it. Well, I can assure this one WILL work!

We mean to finish a few pages of the comics before spreading the word and hopefully, a lot more people will want to help on this project!

Questions for Everyone:

- What made you want to be involved in the Virtual Season?

Aku: Basically, I'd been lurking on the site for a while, trying to decide how best to assist the site.  Then one day I found out that Jim Maygon and another person working on the show had mostly disappeared here.  That's when I stepped up to try and produce art for the Virtual Season.  In the beginning, I only wanted to produce Character Model sheets and Set Illustrations for the benefit of the community.  When it became apparent that the Virtual Season wasn't getting enough speed built up, I offered to illustrate the first comic to see how well we could do.

bambamXD: I have only just recently become a fan of Talespin after watching a few episodes on the site, but when I found out about the project I thought that it was a great idea and decided to help out.
 

ArChip: I like Tale Spin and it is interesting. Besides, here's a lot of pictures to do for TSVS, I like to draw.

JerRocks2day: I heard that there was a project for Talespin was being done so I decided to get invovled after rediscovering the show. I had just started writing, and barely did much drawing, so I worked hard to share my talents on the project.

Steet: I'm a huge TaleSpin fan, but you probably already know that. It's really the best series I have ever seen, and for the same reason I created the site, I want to spread the love! Even though it was very popular at the time, Disney has never done any real efforts to keep it in public memory like they're doing for their feature films, and it's very disappointing.

We started this project because we wanted new TaleSpin adventures, in a bigger way than the usual fanarts/fanfics.

Recently, the news that there couldn't be new TaleSpin comics because of licencing problems pushed us even more to make our own! I didn't think I would help on the drawing side, and this news made me change my mind; I don't regret it one bit! (even though I'll never produce professional-level art, I'm quite pleased and surprised to realize that I CAN draw!)

- You’ve probably put in a lot of work for what you’ve done. How easy or hard is it for you to complete your certain task that you have to do for the Virtual Season?

Aku: Basically, I still have a day job.  I provide private site-based security with a national company.  It means that I can sometimes score a little down time to do some drawing when no one is looking.  It also means that, should a shift be open or a post need filling, I have to go.  Because of this, every page of the comic, even a preliminary sketch of the action, takes longer than it would if I had 8 hours a day to devote.  I have to make that green and it's the only game in town.  I wish I had more time for you all.

bambamXD: So far I am helping colouring the character modelsheets which is quite an easy task to complete, but I hope to do more in the future! Right now I'm practicing drawing the characters as much as I can, so that when I am good enough I will be able to help on the drawing side.

ArChip: Sometimes easy, sometimes not enough (time and no ideas of  "how it should look", problems with imagination, something like that). The thing is to do the image interesting.

JerRocks2day: I just basically draw and show aku or anybody involved in the project, and see what they think.

Steet: Well, it's hard to keep up with everything! I'm trying to dedicate as much time as I can to the project; but I also have sites to run (and program), so it's difficult to conciliate everything.

There's also something contradictory about drawing the comic : it's hard as hell for me, but it's also so satisfying to see the result!

- What would you say to people who don’t know what TaleSpin is?

Aku: There was a time where cartoons didn't talk down to you.  A time when cartoons were the thing you used to rush home from school to see or hold off on chores and other obligations.  In that day and age, Tale Spin, among other shows, was produced for audiences of all ages.  It's task was to dare you, the viewer, to shrug off the familiar and the formal in order to depart on flights of fancy; action, adventure and the wonder of flight.  It succeeded in no small part due to the love of story telling and aviation shared by the production crew.  And though short lived, the series showed us a world broad and wide enough to hold 100,000 stories.  We got 65 of them.  Check out the first batch and watch us discover the rest here on the Animation Source!

bambamXD: I would say that Talespin is a really good series and should definitely be looked at if you're a Disney fan. It includes some of the characters from Jungle Book, but it isn't like the Disney movie at all! Well people will have to check it out for themselves and see what they think of it!

JerRocks2day: What would you want me to say? lol JK. I'd say just go and watch Talespin if you haven't watched it. It's a fun, entertaining, amazing series. I'm glad it became a part of my memories.

Steet: Come on my TaleSpin Source site!!! And watch "Plunder & Lightning", the pilot of the series, which is available to see for free here :

/board/talespin-movie-pilot-plunder-lightning-for-download-t27454.html

I know a few people who found TaleSpin this way. It’s great!

- What’s the best part about being on the TaleSpin Virtual Season team?

Aku: It's the support of the active fan base, small as we are.  We're all trying so very hard to keep each other up beat and cheerful, looking forward to the next person's release or the next picture post.  We probably sound too happy, almost to the extent of sounding childish or deluded.  The fact is, these guys who've accepted me, unworthy as I am, to be the main artist, never let me down!  I can't quit on people trying so hard to raise me up and help me carry on.

bambamXD: I think the best part is that by making the comics hopefully we will gain more Talespin fans out of it, which will mean the project has been successful, I think. No matter how big or small we are hoping to gain something from this project. Also I will have fun helping with the comics and will hopefully improve with my drawing abilities too.

ArChip: Team! and creation.

JerRocks2day: I got to design a comic cover idea for one of the stories; i hope to draw some more in the future.

Steet: To be part of a community willing to work for the same objectives, sharing the same dreams.

- What’s your favorite word?

Aku: Worthiness.  I've never experienced it, never felt it and only witnessed someone I know achieving it once.  I want so badly to feel the confidence of my skills and the certainty that I am using them for the greatest possible good that I would literally do anything to attain it.  Like success, however, it's not something you reach like a destination, it's a thing you become by seeking it.  Add to that the fact that you are seldom aware of when you have become it and I've no choice but to keep pressing on.  I may never get there, but it's worth a try.

ArChip: Ehm..eee..hm,... I didn't ever thought about this =)

JerRocks2day: Blue....no yello-- *falls and screams in the gorge of eternal peril after failing to answer the question* XD

Steet: Currently, I'd say : HOPE. As long as there are fans dedicated to keeping the spirit of the show running, there's always hope that, one day, the series may become important to Disney's eyes, as rightfully deserved! Everyone seems to want the "classic" Disney back. Let's just hope that TaleSpin and other fan favorites shows like Darkwing Duck, will have a big part in the future!

Keep checking the site for status updates on the progress of our TaleSpin fan comic project!