These. pages. are. BADASS. My word, the perspective of Victuals in that suit is AMAZING and the last panel is absolutely gorgeous. I love this comic, it has the best art…
Opportunity for Victuals wallpaper has just presented itself! Wonderful scene!
On the side, it wouldn't have been completely out of place to have a few scenes where she actually tinkers the suit around, the size difference keeps hitting my reality-check sensors.
Yeah, I wasn't sure about that spelling too. My editor just finished his pass on the whole book and I should be getting it in the mail any day now so I'll hold off on making many fixes just yet. Thanks for pointing it out though!
Aaaaaaand the typo made it to the book! XD
Previous page: I think “pretty lights” with no exclamation point was cuter. It sounds more like Lizzlie is talking to herself.
I totally agree with Mr. Average, both in wanting a slower pace to the climax *and* letting the author do his work in his own way.
But Victuals in that suit! My. God.
Oh, and "Talking Cat In A Robot Suit" is out of the demo phase.
Nothing particularly artsy, no coup de génie, just a funny shake-your-ass little song.
I still have to do the brass riffs, record the real instruments and the vocals, ow, that's going to be painful, I've never written anything in English before o_O
*sigh* 11 months and 6 songs later, the TCIARS instrumental lies abandoned on my HD.
Less than a week to record it, one full year to sing on it. NEED.TO.FOCUS.
Ha, You guys just pointed out my weakness. This stupid spear gun has been switching sides more than anything and it's driving me nuts trying to figure out where to change it or if it's always just a cheat. That's the problem with working on something like this for so long. When I get a chance to pick it up again I remember it different. Sometimes I'm only thinking about what looks best with a pose but now I'm forced to make it all work together. I can tell you right now that there is going to be some continuity disagreements in the final but most of it I'll try to resolve.
Thanks for pointing this out though. It wasn't even one of them that I noticed yet. haha
Honestly, I've been going back and forth with that. At first I just had a strap that went around his head but then I thought he would just clamp down on it like in those old 007 movies (I think that's where I saw it before). But later on I wanted him to take it off so I wanted it hanging around his neck.
In other words, I'm still not 100% decided yet. Any suggestions?
Easy thing I guess is for it to go into some pocket or enclosure in the side of the suit. If you wanted to get fancy you could have him replacing the air canisters as they each empty or dropping the ones he has after the journey and just putting the mask away.
Another thing occurrs to me… How far in the future is this? Her father went missing somewhere between 2000 and 2009 (gravestone) and then the stone was vandalized. But according to Victuals, after Erzats returned, it seemed he wasn't aging which you wouldn't expect to be commented on if the timeframe is less than a decade. Could it really be that most lizardmen have lifespans shorter than a dozen years or so?
I like that idea. If thats the case then maybe her father is this "Invisible" who led them to the Alizarian Crimson "generations" ago (i.e. 1974). Heck, he might even be responsible for the unexplained underwater stream (possibly something powered/created by the lighthouse).
Ahhh wait. Just noticed back on spread 13 that it pulls oxygen out of the water.
But the timeframe is still about right. She said she lost the equipment she purchased from a hospital only a few years ago.
Strewth! I just noticed the red nose on that Lizard skin they found as well. It's King Erzat's skin! So he's transferred his brain over to "Victual's" Lizardman body? Seems a bit of a strange move, remembering his last words that Nahusthan told him to get rid of him and Lizzie but I'm guessing there's someone else behind all this.
Now there’s a tour-de-force if ever I’ve seen one. The colors seem particularly rich on this one – did you boost the saturation on all those blues and greens, or is it just my imagination?
I still have to stand by my previous comment, but I completely understand the sentiment behind the way you’ve structured this – there’s always the “one scene” you just can hardly wait to get to; and this one is such a critical one. That’s the thing with long-form comics online – you can’t really skip ahead to the big things and fill the others in later. When you’re basically going one or two pages at a time, you have to restrain yourself and do the next page, in order to get there. And for all the nitpicking and critiques, in the end the decisions are yours, and what you’re producing is clearly of the first order in either event!
Oh, and by the bye, the impossibilities are what make comics so much fun to draw – you can do things in comics that could never be done in real life, or even with computers, because it's the world of optical illusion, and real life has to actually exist somewhere. It doesn't have to be "realistic," it just has to exist within its own loop of reality – in this world, Victuals can wear the suit, talk, and stand on his hind legs. I accept it all totally because it's consistent and internal to the book.
I have been meaning to thank you for your thoughts on the last pages. They are really solid points and I've already started thinking about the missing scenes that you were talking about. I think I'll finish all the pages as is first and depending on the time I have left, re-tackle those scenes. It might be something only for the printed version though.
It's funny though, when I was doing this as an animation, about 50% of what I created was all about Victuals suiting up and the technology behind it. I think after focusing for so many years on it I subconsciously chose to leave it all out. Perhaps I was just so sick of seeing those scenes playing out over and over that I lost all interest in doing it for the graphic novel version.
But now that I think about it, there are some interesting things that I developed in the process that I'd like to explain somehow, like how his little hands fit into those big gloves. It's all been worked out before so I might as well toy with the idea again before print. Anyway, thanks again for your thoughts.
Sometimes when I get mad or upset I have a conversation with myself, I rationalize, plan my argument out in details but when it comes time to make the argument out-loud it’s too late, it’s done, I’ve already hashed it, it’s out of my system.
Beautiful visuals, btw. I love the nearly seamless panels 2-4.
Haha, I talked to my wife about this whole conversation about leaving out the suit building scenes and she was like, "What!? You left those scenes out of the graphic novel? I liked those parts in the animation."
Since my wife thinks so, I know I need to add those pages now. haha
But seriously, I had no idea I'd start such an avalanche there – it was really just meant as a comment in passing. But I think at this point the instinct to move ahead is probably more important than going back, so I say, do as I do and add it to the docket of things to come back to in post. So to speak.
There’s so much in this world that is grim, awful, nasty and unjust, it was so worth making a few budgetary adjustments to scrape together the bucks to subscribe to Kickstart to help launch this thing you do. Our little bits help your little bit, and your little bit helps a lot. In case you should ever wonder if it’s worth it, yes. It is. Not only for doing the deed but for living the dream. Thanks.
Thanks Gunnr, that really means a lot to me right now. Just this weekend I was really feeling the pressure of life and everything pushing on all sides and it was so hard to be positive even though so much amazing stuff is happening here. I guess it's just what artists go through while trying to create and maintain sanity in the real world. There are too many times that we can question what we are pouring out heart into, trying to understand if it really matters to anyone else. After all, at the end of the day we still need to go to work and make a living.
I do kinda feel embarrassed saying that even though the response has been nothing short of amazing. Anyway, thanks again!
This must be one of those pages that just drive you nuts to have in your head but haven't been able to draw, and show for the comic for all that time.
Yeah, it’s like a giant sigh of relief.
These. pages. are. BADASS. My word, the perspective of Victuals in that suit is AMAZING and the last panel is absolutely gorgeous. I love this comic, it has the best art…
love these pages, especially the feeling in the last panels that the suit is falling rather than jumping!
Yes. Yes.
Opportunity for Victuals wallpaper has just presented itself! Wonderful scene!
On the side, it wouldn't have been completely out of place to have a few scenes where she actually tinkers the suit around, the size difference keeps hitting my reality-check sensors.
Yes! Wallpaper is in the works!!!
Also a new t-shirt with this image is in the works but I am having a hard time limiting it down to 4 colors. haha
Victuals' line may have a miss-spelling, I can't be sure. "NOWS" should have an apostrophe, "NOW'S". since it is a contraction of "NOW IS".
Also, if it were me, I'd choose to hit the water robot feet first, rather than cat skull first. Either way, it would be a no-brainer.
-jr
Yeah, I wasn't sure about that spelling too. My editor just finished his pass on the whole book and I should be getting it in the mail any day now so I'll hold off on making many fixes just yet. Thanks for pointing it out though!
Aaaaaaand the typo made it to the book! XD
Previous page: I think “pretty lights” with no exclamation point was cuter. It sounds more like Lizzlie is talking to herself.
I totally agree with Mr. Average, both in wanting a slower pace to the climax *and* letting the author do his work in his own way.
But Victuals in that suit! My. God.
Oh, and "Talking Cat In A Robot Suit" is out of the demo phase.
Nothing particularly artsy, no coup de génie, just a funny shake-your-ass little song.
I still have to do the brass riffs, record the real instruments and the vocals, ow, that's going to be painful, I've never written anything in English before o_O
When it's ready, you'll be the first to hear it!
Hahaha! I can't wait to hear it!
*sigh* 11 months and 6 songs later, the TCIARS instrumental lies abandoned on my HD.
Less than a week to record it, one full year to sing on it. NEED.TO.FOCUS.
I just noticed that the spear-gun appears to change sides between the first and second panels.
true, it also flips back in the last pannel… though i wonder if big lizard gods or giant crabs are spearable…
Ha, You guys just pointed out my weakness. This stupid spear gun has been switching sides more than anything and it's driving me nuts trying to figure out where to change it or if it's always just a cheat. That's the problem with working on something like this for so long. When I get a chance to pick it up again I remember it different. Sometimes I'm only thinking about what looks best with a pose but now I'm forced to make it all work together. I can tell you right now that there is going to be some continuity disagreements in the final but most of it I'll try to resolve.
Thanks for pointing this out though. It wasn't even one of them that I noticed yet. haha
Question: So does the breather just latch onto his face?
Ok, cool.
Honestly, I've been going back and forth with that. At first I just had a strap that went around his head but then I thought he would just clamp down on it like in those old 007 movies (I think that's where I saw it before). But later on I wanted him to take it off so I wanted it hanging around his neck.
In other words, I'm still not 100% decided yet. Any suggestions?
This might be another good thing to answer in the missing pages that everyone is requesting.
Easy thing I guess is for it to go into some pocket or enclosure in the side of the suit. If you wanted to get fancy you could have him replacing the air canisters as they each empty or dropping the ones he has after the journey and just putting the mask away.
Another thing occurrs to me… How far in the future is this? Her father went missing somewhere between 2000 and 2009 (gravestone) and then the stone was vandalized. But according to Victuals, after Erzats returned, it seemed he wasn't aging which you wouldn't expect to be commented on if the timeframe is less than a decade. Could it really be that most lizardmen have lifespans shorter than a dozen years or so?
I like that idea. If thats the case then maybe her father is this "Invisible" who led them to the Alizarian Crimson "generations" ago (i.e. 1974). Heck, he might even be responsible for the unexplained underwater stream (possibly something powered/created by the lighthouse).
Ahhh wait. Just noticed back on spread 13 that it pulls oxygen out of the water.
But the timeframe is still about right. She said she lost the equipment she purchased from a hospital only a few years ago.
Strewth! I just noticed the red nose on that Lizard skin they found as well. It's King Erzat's skin! So he's transferred his brain over to "Victual's" Lizardman body? Seems a bit of a strange move, remembering his last words that Nahusthan told him to get rid of him and Lizzie but I'm guessing there's someone else behind all this.
YOU have a huge eye for detail holy crap
Now there’s a tour-de-force if ever I’ve seen one. The colors seem particularly rich on this one – did you boost the saturation on all those blues and greens, or is it just my imagination?
I still have to stand by my previous comment, but I completely understand the sentiment behind the way you’ve structured this – there’s always the “one scene” you just can hardly wait to get to; and this one is such a critical one. That’s the thing with long-form comics online – you can’t really skip ahead to the big things and fill the others in later. When you’re basically going one or two pages at a time, you have to restrain yourself and do the next page, in order to get there. And for all the nitpicking and critiques, in the end the decisions are yours, and what you’re producing is clearly of the first order in either event!
–M
Oh, and by the bye, the impossibilities are what make comics so much fun to draw – you can do things in comics that could never be done in real life, or even with computers, because it's the world of optical illusion, and real life has to actually exist somewhere. It doesn't have to be "realistic," it just has to exist within its own loop of reality – in this world, Victuals can wear the suit, talk, and stand on his hind legs. I accept it all totally because it's consistent and internal to the book.
–M
I have been meaning to thank you for your thoughts on the last pages. They are really solid points and I've already started thinking about the missing scenes that you were talking about. I think I'll finish all the pages as is first and depending on the time I have left, re-tackle those scenes. It might be something only for the printed version though.
It's funny though, when I was doing this as an animation, about 50% of what I created was all about Victuals suiting up and the technology behind it. I think after focusing for so many years on it I subconsciously chose to leave it all out. Perhaps I was just so sick of seeing those scenes playing out over and over that I lost all interest in doing it for the graphic novel version.
But now that I think about it, there are some interesting things that I developed in the process that I'd like to explain somehow, like how his little hands fit into those big gloves. It's all been worked out before so I might as well toy with the idea again before print. Anyway, thanks again for your thoughts.
i think that having those extra pages in a printed book would add more weight to the book itself
Sometimes when I get mad or upset I have a conversation with myself, I rationalize, plan my argument out in details but when it comes time to make the argument out-loud it’s too late, it’s done, I’ve already hashed it, it’s out of my system.
Beautiful visuals, btw. I love the nearly seamless panels 2-4.
Haha, I talked to my wife about this whole conversation about leaving out the suit building scenes and she was like, "What!? You left those scenes out of the graphic novel? I liked those parts in the animation."
Since my wife thinks so, I know I need to add those pages now. haha
Smart lady!
But seriously, I had no idea I'd start such an avalanche there – it was really just meant as a comment in passing. But I think at this point the instinct to move ahead is probably more important than going back, so I say, do as I do and add it to the docket of things to come back to in post. So to speak.
–M
There’s so much in this world that is grim, awful, nasty and unjust, it was so worth making a few budgetary adjustments to scrape together the bucks to subscribe to Kickstart to help launch this thing you do. Our little bits help your little bit, and your little bit helps a lot. In case you should ever wonder if it’s worth it, yes. It is. Not only for doing the deed but for living the dream. Thanks.
Thanks Gunnr, that really means a lot to me right now. Just this weekend I was really feeling the pressure of life and everything pushing on all sides and it was so hard to be positive even though so much amazing stuff is happening here. I guess it's just what artists go through while trying to create and maintain sanity in the real world. There are too many times that we can question what we are pouring out heart into, trying to understand if it really matters to anyone else. After all, at the end of the day we still need to go to work and make a living.
I do kinda feel embarrassed saying that even though the response has been nothing short of amazing. Anyway, thanks again!
that suit is so wicked
Pure, concentrated essence of awesome. Go Victual go!
I am ROBO-CAT! :P