Dozerfleet Comics

Dozerfleet Comics is an American comics company and the comics-managing division of Dozerfleet Productions. It is also the blanket imprint covering all major entertainment franchises in Dozerfleet that are part of one or another expanded universe.

Dozerfleet counts among its characters properties such as Ciem and the Stationery Voyagers, as well as its own adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Gray Champion as a superhero. Dozerfleet Comics models itself after comics publishers such as DC and Marvel, seeking to eventually develop its characters and franchises to the same cinematic level of popularity.

History
The comics division of Dozerfleet was initiated in May of 2005, receiving its current name in January of 2007. Initially, comics and concepts for comics were the only things being created by Dozerfleet during its pre-Flamingo era. During the Cormorant era, a shift was made into the world of literature, with less and less emphasis on art. Everything then was collectively known as "Cormorant."

Sims influence
The idea of divisions did not begin to take hold until June of 2005. By then, familiarity by the Dozerfleet founder with the gameplay mechanics of The Sims 2 led to a desire to get back into comics, experimenting with machinima. The idea was that there would be free-for-viewing comics with an ad-free version viewable in the browser that could be purchased on CD by those so-compelled. These tales would be made into their own websites and would be packaged on WebCD's.

As a result, the DVD-Storybook Hybrid Webcomic format (DSHW) was formalized for use on the web. Many early DSHW projects fell through; but the format itself is still under experimentation.

While final-release art works as of 2010 are intended to be in traditional formats; many storyboards, animatics, and promotional art/downloadable materials are still created with Sims software. A deal with UGO and ADF Studios in 2011 has allowed for some characters to be recreated on the wiki using HeroMachine software; which has proven useful as a free alternative to The Sims, especially when trying to give characters more 2-D comic credibility. With 2010 came the arrival of The Sims 3, and several changes in how procedures were done as a result. Many Sims 2 machinomics that were left half-finished were canceled, including Ciem 2. This was to make way for more efficient uses of software and for spare time to work on books that can be released for-profit.

Division name
The majority of early DSHW comic releases were created with The Sims 2, released under the Cormorant Sims Webcomics operating label. Expansion into photocomics such as Gored By Them Things and When Bikes Argue led to the shortening of the comics division of Cormorant to simply "Cormorant Webcomics," which was shortened yet again when some franchises were not published for free online; becoming simply "Cormorant Comics." Due to the change of Cormorant's name to Dozerfleet, however, the division was simply renamed "Webcomics" and later, received its current name of "Dozerfleet Comics."

Dozerfleet Megaverse
Overlapping with the TV and Literature divisions, Dozerfleet Comics manages numerous franchises that each take place within one or several narrative universes, some of which can be considered as compiled into a "multiverse." Unlike most companies, wherein which the multiverse's different universes may acknowledge each other, most Dozerfleet universes are entirely independent of one another. A multiverse in this case is just a compilation of different attempts at (or adaptations of) the same story, and is only relevant if any attempt is made to retain earlier versions for any reason.

Universes that are part of a multiverse are given either G-Earth (for Gerosha) numbers or else N.n version numbers as if they were software. This corresponds to the fact that a lot of them are the result of software improvements that allow for better graphics and encourage better storytelling.

Gerosha multiverse
Main article: Gerosha multiverse

Home to the Gerosha Chronicles and all its sub-franchises, the Gerosha Multiverse is every narrative that contains a story (or retained attempt at one) involving the Flippo and Rintel families. The latter was first imagined in 2002, and the former in 2004 with the aid of Sims software. Four universes have been retained, containing varying levels of success in implementation:


 * Gerosha Prime: This was the first serious attempt at a Gerosha universe, and dates back to 2005. It featured early versions of the Ciem webcomic series, as well as the original Battle for Gerosha.  Inspired by it were Lo-Mun's Cooking Adventure and Corando's "Don't Lose Hope" Music Video.  Also to come out of this was a Star Wars spoof dubbed Star Flops: Curse of the Medium Side.


 * Despair Gerosha: The darkest telling of tales before Comprehensive Gerosha reclaimed that role, Despair Gerosha was to show what would happen if certain characters did not have the morality they displayed in Gerosha Prime. Despair Ciem's version of events was a very depressing read indeed, but did establish several bits of continuity that would carry over into later versions.  This universe was also the first to feature a Path of the Ming-Cho.


 * Classic Gerosha: Until Comprehensive Gerosha came along, this was the "accepted standard" of what Gerosha was. The version of Ciem released on Mod The Sims Social was based on this version.  It is perhaps the most important version to Comprehensive Gerosha's development; as it established more carry-over continuity than any other narrative universe.  It also sought to be very inclusive, being the first to consider the Meshalutian Trilogy as canon and even finding room for The Blue Face Film Strips and Volkonir.


 * Comprehensive Gerosha: An attempt to make a more serious set of stories, with better dialogue and improved character design. Comprehensive Gerosha is about focusing on minute details and making them interesting.  It's also about simplifying continuity so that the remaining pieces are more streamlined.  Several works once considered canon in Classic Gerosha are no longer valid here.  Also, it delves into darker topics with its heroes than what was allowed in either Despair or Classic Gerosha.  The Comprehensiveverse is anchored primarily around Ciem: Vigilante Centipede.

Stationery Voyagers universe
Main article: Stationery Voyagers

This series and its universe have taken a different approach to the above. There have been several attempts at its narrative, yes. But ideas that get rejected at later points in development are merely discarded. As a refined 'verse is defined, impurities are discarded and removed rather than grouped as separate universes. Therefore, there remains only one Voyagerverse acknowledged at a time.

Mackleyverse
Main article: Mackleyverse

Everything related to Mutt Mackley, and all films that take place in his puppet world.

Volkonir universe
Having an on-again off-again relationship with Classic Gerosha, Volkonir's universe wraps around the existence of Cortatians, Lirquinwurs, and Gwirdons. Their arrival on Earth causes significant trouble, and it's up to the Last Cortatian Prince to set things right. For 400 years, Prince Volkonir is trapped in the form of a stuffed toy. He finally breaks the spell, and then becomes a henshin hero to protect his new homeworld.

Works and Franchises: Volkonir, Volkonir Journals, Volkonir Journals: Attempt #43, Volknoir: The Series, The Blue Face Film Strips

Pekinverse
Pekins takes place here.

Grillverse
The official world of Grillitan Diner, sometimes considered canon in Classic Gerosha as well.

Bisonverse
Everything pertaining to The Bison. How he came to be, what compels him, why he's so powerful, and who will do what to stop him. The Bisonverse is like a Godzilla film, only the monsters are all under 20-feet tall (but cause even more damage!)

Bikeverse
The official narrative of When Bikes Argue, and everything related to it.

Goredverse
The official narrative world of Gored By Them Things. May sometimes overlap with the Mackleyverse.

Published works


{| width="650" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1" style="background:#fff9d9;"
 * width="325" valign="top" |
 * width="325" valign="top" |

The Gerosha Chronicles

 * The Battle for Gerosha
 * The Ciem Trilogy
 * Ciem: The Human Centipede
 * Ciem 2
 * Ciem 3
 * Path of the Ming-Cho
 * valign="top" |

Other Machinomics

 * Star Flops: Curse of the Medium Side
 * Lo-Mun's Cooking Adventure
 * Corando's "Don't Lose Hope" Music Video
 * The Blue Face Film Strips: The Sims 2 Edition
 * valign="top" |
 * valign="top" |

Adaptations

 * The Gray Champion
 * Stationery Voyagers
 * valign="top" |

Photocomics

 * When Bikes Argue (Now a video)
 * When Bikes Argue 2 (Now a video.)
 * Gored By Them Things
 * }

Miscellaneous properties
Extirpon and Navyrope are part of Comprehensive Gerosha, though they have yet to have their stories published.

Offices
In the early days of "The Collection" in the pre-Flamingo era, everything was made from 1500 Southlawn Dr. in Wyoming, MI. Work would occasionally be done, however, inside of Holy Trinity Lutheran School on Burlingame Ave. of the same city. In 1998, Cormorant Entertainment's office was relocated to the second story floor of 7779 E. Mt. Hope Hwy. in Grand Ledge, MI; where the Dozerfleet label name was adopted.

In 2006, the main office was located in Room #116 of McNerney Hall at 1504 Knollview Dr. in Big Rapids, MI. In 2007, the main office was relocated to Room #165 of North Bond Hall at 1400 Bond Circle Dr. of the same town. In 2008, the room was switched to #332 in South Bond, then back to North Bond in Room #207. In 2009, it was moved again to Room #213. The office would be moved again in 2010 to Drakeshire Apartments in Farmington, MI. It would move for the ninth time back to the Grand Ledge address for 2011.