[Comic] 29/09/08 (Project Future Pg. 32 remixed)

[Tapewolf]

For some time now, I've been pondering a webcomic based on my 'Future History' series, also published in this section (and on llearch's story server).
The big stumbling block for illustrating it was of course my own artistic incompetence when it comes to drawing people.  However, Ren Gaulen has kindly stepped in to fill the breach by providing the lineart and thus making this venture possible.

I therefore present: Project Future.


http://www.project-future.org/strips/comic/strip032.png

Hopefully this will be updated weekly, on http://www.project-future.org. 

Comments, criticism and so forth would be much appreciated.



Episode 1

Strip 1 discussion, Strip 2 discussion, Strip 3 discussion, Strip 4 discussion,
Strip 5 discussion, Strip 6 discussion, Strip 7 discussion, Strip 8 discussion

Episode 2

Strip 9 discussion, Strip 10-12 discussion, Strip 13 discussion, Strip 14 discussion,
Strip 15 discussion, Strip 16 discussion, Strip 17 discussion, Strip 18 discussion

Episode 3

Strip 19 discussion, Strip 20 discussion, Strip 21 discussion, Strip 22 discussion,
Strip 23 discussion, Strip 24 discussion, Strip 25 discussion,Strip 26 discussion

Episode 4
Strip 27 discussion, Strip 28 discussion, Strip 29 discussion, Strip 30 discussion,
Strip 31 discussion, Strip 32 discussion

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

... must I suggest again? ;-]

[Gabi]

I've already commented on it on the chatroom, but I think it's great.

[Zedd]

Lovely

[Ryan_Galen]

Well, it looks good. I'll certainly be paying attention to this as it develops. It will be interesting to see how it differs from the story you've been writing. Already have some deviation just in the comic text, which is very well timed by the way.

[Cogidubnus]

This looks very nice. 

[Tapewolf]

Well, it looks good. I'll certainly be paying attention to this as it develops. It will be interesting to see how it differs from the story you've been writing. Already have some deviation just in the comic text, which is very well timed by the way.

The plan is to keep most of the best dialogue, while at the same time condensing it so it fits comfortably in speech bubbles.  Jakob has a marked tendency to ramble (I was going to give an example, but I can't actually find one since I've managed to keep a great deal of it intact).

There's also the consideration that I'm not using narration here except in special cases, like when Dorcan dies.  That means we have to have extra cues from the dialogue (or thoughts).
For example, in Page 3, when Joshua wakes up he thinks he's dead (apologies to those who haven't read the original).  The original reads:
"At first he thought he was dead," - In the storyboard, we have:

Page 3
1. Blurry white frame          [Oh gods, this must be Heaven...
                               I hope they can forgive my sins...]

...some things, like the description of how he isn't breathing, simply won't easily translate to this format, unfortunately.

I've also been trying to synchronize it so that anything controversial or dramatic hits on the last panel.  That said it was actually Ren's idea to expand the intro to two pages and I think it hits the mark.

And finally, I have been trying to fix a few minor plotholes/continuity glitches and make it more accessible to people who haven't read CJP - or even DMFA.  Around page 15 we're going to stop and have a quick demonology overview to explain the races of interest.

**EDIT**

Lovely

I'm not sure 'lovely' is quite the word that springs to mind while watching a husky die of blood loss and exposure, but thanks anyway 

... must I suggest again? ;-]

Yes, I think you must.  There were a number of things you did suggest, in various quite different contexts.  If you mean the comic engine, I thought yours was still too experimental for use at the moment. By all means feel free to correct me.

Thanks for the comments, people.  I just hope the interior scenes work out as well.

[Ren Gaulen]

I'm happy that people like this comic too. Tape's colouring is really great - I am confident that the interior scenes will work out well. I'll do my best too!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

... must I suggest again? ;-]

Yes, I think you must.  There were a number of things you did suggest, in various quite different contexts.  If you mean the comic engine, I thought yours was still too experimental for use at the moment. By all means feel free to correct me.

Ah... mine is running solidly on CVRPG & DSWC, and also on Jigsaw's site. And possibly some others I've forgotten (I keep meaning to write up a webpage to keep track of these things) The problem with it is I've hand-written it into the html, as it were. I'm still working on the easy-install option.

Well, I say working, basically I'm thinking about it and not getting around to typing anything. However... I really should get on to that.

The "hard install" works fine, though. And, uh, it's a -bit- cleaner than the CGI hack you described. ;-]

[Tapewolf]

Ah... mine is running solidly on CVRPG & DSWC, and also on Jigsaw's site. And possibly some others I've forgotten (I keep meaning to write up a webpage to keep track of these things) The problem with it is I've hand-written it into the html, as it were. I'm still working on the easy-install option.

Okay, I'm interested.  Do you want to PM me with the details?

[meany]

I agree with Zedd. Lovely.

[GabrielsThoughts]

a good start...to an unhappy begining.

the question is will the folowing pages be a flashback, or will the one responsible be gloating over his bad deeds?

[Tapewolf]

a good start...to an unhappy begining.
the question is will the folowing pages be a flashback, or will the one responsible be gloating over his bad deeds?

He staggers around in the snow for a bit and then some bastard cuts his head off 

Seriously, this is part of the prologue.  I wanted to have it as a single page at first, but Ren decided it would work better as two and I agreed.

[Ren Gaulen]

a good start...to an unhappy begining.
the question is will the folowing pages be a flashback, or will the one responsible be gloating over his bad deeds?

He staggers around in the snow for a bit and then some bastard cuts his head off 

Seriously, this is part of the prologue.  I wanted to have it as a single page at first, but Ren decided it would work better as two and I agreed.

Actually, after the prologue part he is rescued and turned into... Robocop!! Just kidding!

...

Or am I?..

[Sunblink]

I approve greatly of this. Very nice, promising start.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Paladin Sheppard]

I approve greatly of this. Very nice, promising start.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

Very much seconded looks like its gonna be a great comic

[Tapewolf]

I approve greatly of this. Very nice, promising start.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

Very much seconded looks like its gonna be a great comic

Thanks.  I finished colouring page 4 last night, but I'm going to have to redo parts of it and page 3 owing to a slight cockup.  One of the changes from the original story is that we're going to add a flashback of Josh's briefing, so Keaton is likely to have a short background appearance around page 30.

[Tapewolf]

Strip 2 is up.  I have edited the initial post with the new strip.
It's updated earlier than last week, but hey, technically it's Saturday, even if it's 1AM...

[GabrielsThoughts]

hmm, this is just the thing to replace that dead altermeta link.

[Tapewolf]

Page 3 is up, see the top of the thread.  Or check the website.

[Ren Gaulen]

I wonder if it is bad of me to find the line "You don't need to" in the last panel hilarious?

Also, "I can not breathe, and I must scream". That is all.

[pyrohamster]

For example, in Page 3, when Joshua wakes up he thinks he's dead (apologies to those who haven't read the original).  The original reads:
"At first he thought he was dead," - In the storyboard, we have:

Page 3
1. Blurry white frame          [Oh gods, this must be Heaven...
                               I hope they can forgive my sins...]

...some things, like the description of how he isn't breathing, simply won't easily translate to this format, unfortunately.

original?

[Tapewolf]

For example, in Page 3, when Joshua wakes up he thinks he's dead (apologies to those who haven't read the original).  The original reads:
"At first he thought he was dead," - In the storyboard, we have:

Page 3
1. Blurry white frame          [Oh gods, this must be Heaven...
                               I hope they can forgive my sins...]

...some things, like the description of how he isn't breathing, simply won't easily translate to this format, unfortunately.

original?

Took me a while to figure out what you meant, since you quoted a screenful of text without cropping it to the bit you were referring to.  You're asking where the original story comes, from, yes?

It's adapted from a similarly-titled story of mine which is also in the Tower of Art.  Whether you now go to read it is up to you, since it would obviously spoil a lot.

In case anyone's curious, this is the original version of the lower frame, in full-res yet:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k216/tapewolf/projectfuture/pf3outtake.png

Page 4 highlighted certain problems which necessitated the screen curtains.  Pity, I liked the walls.

[Ryan_Galen]

Page three and still looking good Tape. Took me awhile to notice the subtle color difference of the fur of his head in comparison to the fur of his body. Very subtle. Thankfully it will only... oh, wait. Some people haven't read the main story yet in this thread. Guess I'll stop talking then.

[Tapewolf]

Page three and still looking good Tape. Took me awhile to notice the subtle color difference of the fur of his head in comparison to the fur of his body. Very subtle.

Yeah.  Originally it was the fur pattern, but he doesn't really have a fur pattern as such, and since he's wrapped up warm in the first two pages anyway it wouldn't have been as noticeable.

[Tapewolf]

Page 4 is up, complete with a rambling message on the website.

[Ryan_Galen]

You're trying to conceal the face of a man who is not what he appears to be... interesting. I guess since we're trying to do this from the point of view that the audience is coming into this cold turkey it makes sense.

I just can't wait until we get to see his real face up close and personal. Then I can finally answer the question if Jakob Pettersohn and Tape's avatar is one and the same. You know, without being cheap and asking him or something.

[GabrielsThoughts]

I'm impatient, but the story is good.

[Tapewolf]

You're trying to conceal the face of a man who is not what he appears to be... interesting. I guess since we're trying to do this from the point of view that the audience is coming into this cold turkey it makes sense.

Yes, I'm trying to do this so it will work without any prior knowledge of DMFA, let alone the fanfics.

I just can't wait until we get to see his real face up close and personal. Then I can finally answer the question if Jakob Pettersohn and Tape's avatar is one and the same. You know, without being cheap and asking him or something.

They are the same, but whether the character portrayed is him is a different question 

I'm impatient, but the story is good.

Yeah.  Really I'd like to do a two-a-week update, but that doesn't look so realistic at the moment.

Page 6 should be interesting when it comes.

[Tapewolf]

Page 5 is up.  Enjoy.