I almost didn’t make it, this week, but I persevered and worked like hell, and although there are some probably-invsible-to-everyone-but-me things going on with this page, I’m quite happy with the outcome.ย The biggest thing, was that I worked from a far rougher sketch than I normally do when I inked the page – let this be a lesson to all aspiring cartoonists out there: if you’re used to working from a clean sketch, don’t cut corners!ย I envy those artists who just always seem to get it right the first time.
Anyhow, I am beat, and it’s late, and so I’m cutting this short.ย I’ll update later, I’m sure, just for the sake of doing so, but if I don’t, be well and have a good week everyone!
Thumbs up on the glas effect!
Thanks! Like in real life, glass is a good way to limit space without destroying important scenes.
–M
So, just did a search on that chemical. Apparently it’s an element in thermonuclear bombs. Considering that this story takes place in a world that never got further than the atomic bomb (if I recall correctly), that seems somewhat… significant.
Bingo. ๐
–M
I can’t really read the title of the book Zaballa is tossing away in anger. Help anyone?
I did a quick research on Lithium Deuteride as well. Seems like Zaballa and Haulley are collaborating on building a new, more powerful nuclear weapon. Though I do wonder why they (or Haulley on it’s own) started a nuclear exchange in the first place only to introduce a more devastating weapon.
Maybe we’ll get a in-story update on the aftermath of the WWII nuclear war soon. Seems like noone really knows what’s going on outside Command Post Alpha by now. And Haulley doesn’t seem to be too concerned about it as well. He probably has other priorities right now…
>>> Forgot about Zaballa’s grey temples in the first panel, hmmm?
>>> Also nice work on the plotting/ drawing table and light effects.
>>> I really like where your drawing style is going. Zaballa’s mimics and face in the first two panels – perfect!
Yeah I chose a bad font for the book title. It’s “Our Nuclear Future” by Edward Teller and Stanisลaw Ulam.
Good catch on Zaballa’s hair, by the way! As for the rest, well, if I gave out all the answers in Chapter 3 the next nine chapters would be a bore, wouldn’t they?
–M
The next NINE chapters?! Am I reading this right?
I think that’s what it says! Awesome!
Yep. This is not an endless story, and it does have a beginning, middle and end. But it will be twelve chapters in all, probably around 450 to 500 pages in its “Director’s Cut.” This chapter is the end of the beginning. Chapter 4 is the beginning of the middle.
Cryptic enough for everyone? Oh my goodness yes.
–M
Ah, the classical set-up of Greek drama!
Prologue – Episode – Exodus
Including the elements of
Who am I?
The individual and the world he lives in
Gods and Man
Guilt and Atonement
Character and Destiny
Excellent!
AHA! I keep forgetting that you still have respect for classical education in Europe! The twelve part division is exactly why I did that! It also happens, coincidentally, to be a convenient number for printing in parts. Ever wonder why we still use feet and inches in the States? Because we can divide feet into even halves, thirds and quarters! Just so with an episodic novel. Cool, huh?
–M
I blame it on my old German and history teacher who made it a personal mission to read both the Illias and the Odyssee to his pupils in class.
Ancient Greek society was major topic, as was their philosophers and theatre. ๐
I am intrigued by the Texas flag on the materials for an H-bomb.
Wait! Drat! Not Texas flag! Must not comment on anything in any medium until have been awake at least an hour.
Yep, Chile. World’s top producer of Lithium ores, as I understand it.
–M
Chile also got their national flag before Texas settled on the present design on Oct. 8, 1817. Texas also wasn’t the only one with a “Lone Star” in their flag either. Florida & E. Florida at one time had such a flag as does that American created nation of Liberia in Africa.
Wait till they use cobalt in the design so they can obliterate all life with an ultra super hell bomb. (See Return to the Planet of the Apes.”)
Or Dr. Strangelove.
“You’ve obviously never heard of Cobalt-Thorium-G!”
๐
–M
Okay, so, they are building an H-Bomb apparently but… what does this have to do with Mike going crazy and apparently being psychic?
You’ll see. ๐
–M
A key component to built the new bomb was taken from Mike’s brain.
They call it the GCI – the “God-Complex Inhibitor”.
I would think that just having Mike apparently going nuts in the same facility where the H-bomb is being built would be enough to make the bomb builders panic, not to mention us readers going “ohhh shhhii—!”
The immediate question to ask is, will Mike somehow get control of the bomb?
If this this post is working from a rougher sketch than you are used to, then I’d have to say that you’ve done a great job. These last six or seven pages have been fantastic.
Heh, thanks! It’s full of mistakes my architect self gags over, but it tells the story, so I’m happy. I do like working from more refined sketches, though. This week I wad just rushed and so I skipped a step, and then it took much longer in inking than normal because I was still figuring things out here and there.
–M
The little dings and the two point perspective add to the drawing, I think. I tried to learn CADD at one time to help with my cabinetmaking skills and found it to be interesting at least. I am impressed with you drawing skill.
Two point perspective is a big hassle but it gets the job done. And in this case it let ne direct attention away from the parts of the drawing where I kind of phoned it in. ๐
–M
The bluprints and the Lithium Dueteride were major tipoffs.
At least they’re not making a Russian designed thermonuke. Less complicated, but typically higher yeild.
I dunno, we made some pretty big ones in our day. And although the Soviet Union did design the largest nuclear weapon (the 50-Megaton “Tsar Bomba,” they decided that obliterating an area the size of New Jersey was going a bit far, from a humanitarian standpoint, and I believe we all settled somewhere in the one-to-five megaton range for our largest practical weapons. Scant comfort, of course, when you’re talking about global thermonuclear war. But this is a South American-Designed thermonuclear weapon, so it’s anyone’s guess!
When talking about nuclear weapons and their yields, though, it’s important to remember that both the NATO and the USSR built up these stockpiles primarily to deter each other, not to fight a war; the Americans, French, and British on the one hand, and the Soviets on the other, though divided by political and economic ideology, nevertheless acted from the same urgent necessity they felt to protect their citizens from the danger of enemy aggression. From our modern perspective we might think it was crazy to do this, given the outcome in terms of proliferation and such, but at the time it was what made sense, and it’s fascinating to reflect on the fact that we could consider ourselves so different and yet come to the same conclusions for essentially the same reasons.
–M
…I guess we found out what was on that plane ๐
I can think of a few reason why you would be building a new type of weapon like that so close to the front lines and non of them are good ones. Great story!
The one that crashed into the mountain? Oh yeah.
Glad you’re enjoying the show!
–M
I thought that was a figure of speech and removed from the dialogue for clarification?
It was, we’re just kidding.
–M
Comforting to have your office right next to the in-dev worlds largest bomb.
Woohoo.
I guess when you’re building it in the bowels of an underground fortress in which 99% of the people aren’t supposed to know anything about it, you take whatever space they give you!
–M
I love the cabling heading into the bomb–it looks just like you’re drip-irrigating the Teller-Ulam Chia Pet.
CHIA NUKE!
You’re sitting on a GOLD MINE!
–M
Yet another 6-Commando-themed accessory! It’ll sit right next to my M1E plushy!