THE STORY
Turnpike is an anthology webcomic series that takes place along the Florida's Turnpike and the towns and cities
that surround it. Florida's Turnpike is real. The locations are real. The stories are completely fictional. It is not at
all dangerous to drive the highway. Motorists are probably endangering themselves more by driving on I-95 instead, or the
Palmetto Expressway. In fact, ESPECIALLY the Palmetto.
In this comic's universe, Florida's Turnpike has had a bit of a paranormal problem lately. The problem has escalated to the
point where the highway is traveled far less than it used to be out of fear of what lives on it, and as a result the state is now operating the highway in
the red. In order to remedy this problem, the Florida Department of Transportation brought in George Preston Murdoch, a very
smart and efficient executive from the private sector, to turn the highway around and make it profitable again. The state also
pays him handsomely and gives him several benefits, like a fancy limo, assistants, and a large office, as they know he can
get the job done. The highway continues to be inhabited by ghosts, goblins, monsters, aliens, and so on, as Mr. Murdoch attempts
to remedy the problem. Every story takes place in the same timeline, and all stories are self-contained. It is wise to read multiple storylines as
characters may start making brief cameos in other stories.
THE PROCESS
The comic was originally conceived in 2002, when the artist lived in South Florida. Originally it was called "Florida's Turnpike,"
but the name was truncated upon its revival. The concept is based on the simple idea of abnormal events happening on a popular
Florida highway that travels though cities of major attraction, such as Orlando and Miami. The comic is drawn with a brush and pen
combination, with all characters being inked by a Raphael series 8404 brush, and most background elements using pens, which are easier
to use with a straight edge. The comic is done on 11 x 17 Blue Line Pro boards and scanned in for revisions. Revisions are done using
a Wacom Cintiq 21UX. Lettering and balloons are added digitally, using the Wild And Crazy font and Adobe Illustrator.
The comic is updated every Wednesday and Saturday.
The comic is written and drawn by Corey M. Barnes, a 25-year-old former Florida resident who now lives in Glendale, California.
If you would like to contact Corey, please click the contact button at the top of the page.
FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE: A BRIEF HISTORY
The Florida's Turnpike is a 312 mile long road that runs through central and south Florida, and carries tolls. It was founded in 1957
as the Sunshine State Parkway and is one of the oldest controlled highways in the state, existing longer than I-95, I-75, and I-4.
The highway offers an alternative to interstate routes and US roads, like US route 27 and US route 441. Some of the cities and towns it passes
through include Wildwood (the northern terminus), Apopka, Orlando, Kissimmee, Yeehaw Junction, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton,
Deerfield Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar, Kendall, and Homestead (the southern terminus). It was constructed in three pieces: The first was from
North Miami Beach to Ft. Pierce, the second from Ft. Pierce to Wildwood, and the third from North Miami Beach to Homestead. There are no plans to develop
it further. The Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, which controls the highway, also controls other toll highways around the state, including the Sawgrass
Expressway, Veterans Parkway, and the westernmost part of the Beeline Expressway.
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