Page 5 – Get Away From Me!
Another week without color, alas, and even getting it this far on my stricken machine was something of a minor miracle. I ran every test and diagnostic I could on this thing, and it just seems that everything is failing all at once. And so, as it seems to me not to be worth fixing (as the cost to do so would put me well on the way to a brand new system) I simply am going to have to admit defeat and put this trusty old machine to bed.
But not for at least another week. This one coming up is going to be a real doozy, I have to say. And truth be told, working in black and white gave me a little time to do basically nothing this weekend, which was actually quite therapeutic, after dealing with a broken computer, discovering that the government has decided it can tax my wages differently when I work overtime, working said overtime to begin with, and all the other assorted tomfoolery associated with earning a living in the twenty-first century.
On this page, of course, we have a very human little moment that I am actually quite fond of. I am not the kind of writer who makes his characters invincible, walking away from explosions like Antonio Banderas in… whatever flick that was. This page is really indicative of Major Bronniford’s mental state: shock, disbelief, jumpiness – and blasted-out eardrums, too. As someone posted last week: this was, after all, an atomic bomb. So having her be the heroine, but still be hurt and vulnerable and, now, mentally fragile, the way anyone would be, seemed to me the more realistic thing, and really my heart goes out to poor Sarah here – she’s really been badly injured.
At any rate, this is where it is. Thanks to you all for bearing with me through these troubles with the computer system. Once again, I really think that the color would have made this page work the way I really wanted it to, but just getting it this far was a struggle, so I’m counting my blessings.
So until next week, folks, we’ll just limp along here, and I hope things don’t break on you as badly as they have on me! Be well!
Ok, without color maybe, but still much better than nothing. 😉
Good Major has every right to be on edge, nothing a good medic couldn’t take care of. Problem will be to find said medic. ^^;;
Yeah, she’s a bit jumpy. And I’m glad this read properly. It’s yet another of those pages that I knod of went out on a limb with, as to whether or not it’d be readable the way I intended it.
As to the color, I really just need a new computer. It’s as simple as that. I have considered watercolors, inks, gouache, colored pencil and the like, but without the computer I really don’t have the time to put this together on schedule and keep down a more-than-full-time design gig. And when it comes down to it, the architecture pays for the computer, so…
–M
If you build a new computer from scratch, I recommend the Antec 300 case. Its around $60 and is very high quality with excellent ventilation. Don’t skimp on the Motherboard or Power supply, or they can destroy your build. ASUS makes a good motherboard, and Antec or Cosair make a good power supply. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
I appreciate the advice! I’ve built a fair number of computers, and have made the very mistakes you mention more than once, unfortunately, so it’s good to keep those things in mind. I’m looking at all the options at the moment (including the various art-related peripherals I’ve always wished I could have) and assessing my budget as realistically as I can. But above all, I never skimp on processor, motherboard, power or cooling. Long and troubling experience has taught be otherwise! And whether I build my own or buy a built system, I always invest in the best of those critical areas. The rest can be added later. And hopefully this week will be the last black-and-white, assuming I can get this all sorted out properly. Hopefully by the 6th of September I’ll have things back in hand.
Thanks again!
–M
Like you said a few times before you really are not afraid to let bad things happen to your characters. The zombie like Russian is really scary! I really feel sorry for Major Sarah, I sure hope she overcomes all this badness.
But if she does she’s going to be even more badass then before!
Scared though, inside and out 🙁
Yeah, it wasn’t really meant to look quite this way, it just came out like it. He’s meant to depict the fact that she’s traumatized and her grip on reality is slipping. He does look like a zombie, now that you mention it – I just meant to show him with his face burnt off. “Just.” That is actually quite horrible and he came out looking that way. As Sarah had the side of her head to the blast, he was facing practically right into it, so he pretty much got the burn full on.
Hopefully I can get back to color soon, once I get a new computer set up. Though the linework is satisfactory it’s really meant to be in color, and I don’t really consider these pages “complete” until that’s done. But the story does move on, at least, which is a big part of the game.
–M
Let’s see, the good Major has been cold-cocked at least once, gotten into a fairly vicious fist-fight, been involved in a vehicular crash (that APC seemed to be traveling at a fairly good clip too), had half her face and any other exposed flesh insta-charbroiled, and, last but not least, a nasty case of radiation poisoning.
I think “traumatized” might be underselling it a bit.
Okay, caught up again! I don’t actually think the black and white is a problem here; almost as if the atomic blast overloaded the comic.
Keep it up.
Dave