V3 Sneak-Peek; Chapter 7 script & concept sketches.

Well, it’s been quite awhile without updates, but things are finally getting back up to speed! It’s been a full and diverting summer… Getting the Volume 2 print run in, packaged, and shipped out in April / May, prepping for the Anthrocon in June, and then finally getting married in late July – it feels like things have been happening almost non-stop! Even though work has been happening on Volume 3 for some time now, website revisions and redesigns have until recently been dominating the forefront of my attentions… Although as browsers of the site may have noticed, only a few of the pages are dolled up in the new style -the rest are still the original (craptastic) versions. I figured I needed to get some pages up, and move along. Besides the actual designs of the pages themselves, I have a lot of new content in mind that I would like to include - and if I try to create ‘THE PERFECT SITE’ in it’s entirety, it’ll turn into one of those never-ending self consuming projects. It’s going to be more of a process - a page here, a page there. Besides, I’m itching to burn some rubber on Volume 3 - oh, yes! This update is supposedly on that topic.

So far, it’s going great, and I’m getting very excited for the art to get rolling! Liz and I have written out the story for Chapters 7, 8, and 9. We’ve collaborated and finished the Chapter 7 script, with the exception of some mild fine-tuning. I’m hoping to get started on layouts in the next week or so, and get thumbnails put together. The story for this book is shaping up to be a blast - Bast, virtually a background character in Volume 2, finally comes into play. The chemistry of the main characters begins to progress, and the plot elements begin to move forward and broaden… Volume 1 was the introductory book, Volume 2 tied the characters together- but Volume 3 is really going to start moving the plotlines forward, begin unraveling a few things, and establish a broad base for the saga to build from. I’m having that annoying urge where I want to start spewing about all the story features that are exciting me, but then I would be spoiling the story…
I do have some concept art to share, though. In Volume 3 we get a glimpse of some other facets to Anduruna - the criminal street-clans that infest certain areas of the districts. Now, Mace & company aren’t exactly law abiding cherubs - But this group isn’t on the same endearing level of misbehavior. Think more along the lines of organized extortion, prostitution, substance abuse, etc… I'd like to think we'll be the first people to ever create a book that has a sea-horse whore. It's good to forge new ground.

These aren’t finalized sketches, just visual brainstorming…

That’s about it at present. I’ll be working on layouts for Ch.7 next, in between doing commissions and ordering more Volume 1&2 print runs. I’ve had commissions unavailable for so long, I really need to get moving for all the people that’ve been waiting… If you’re reading this currently, and you want a commission, keep an eye out on the website! They’re either already open, or will open in a matter of days.

-David