Downtown Khazan: Ice Cold Utopia

[grampagen]

So anyone remembers those action figures based on Aliens? Like where it's like cartoonish version of the characters facing off ridiculous but creepy variations of Xenomorphs? Well...Apparently some company reintroduced the concept...But revamped it all to look as slightly more detailed as if they could be in the films themselves.

...I know Mantis Xenomorphs or Cobra Xenomorphs are unlikely as hell but holy ****, the nightmares are coming back.

Well that sounds terrible.

...on the other hand, just on the horizon is THE ULTIMATE SPACE MARINE ATAX

[grampagen]

Did a little thread on Twitter about attempts I have made to finish a single comic project. Some of you might find it interesting!

Appreciate the behind the scenes - so to speak - look at your process. "Very difficult but intensely rewarding" would about sum it up lol

It is one of my pipe dreams to actually, no kidding, make a real comic again, eventually, at some point. One reason I've been getting (sporadically) back into drawing. I think my art is competent enough to do something with, so I need to stop screwing around with doodles and start throwing down panels and filling them in already. I just don't really have a fleshed out enough concept for one yet.

It really is a whole different craft than just drawing characters chatting and doing things, there needs to be a logical sequential flow between panels and consideration of the page layout and how that, in turn, affects how it reads. If it's print, whoof, gotta be particular about your paper's proportions and the art bleed lines and how the layout is affected physically for the reader.

But at the same time, don't let that discourage you. Overthinking it is always the biggest impediment to getting started!

These days, for myself I find it's also a matter of time management and mental clarity that also stacks up on top of that. Exhaustion is anathema to grit, ugh.

[Sharkerbob]

It really is a whole different craft than just drawing characters chatting and doing things, there needs to be a logical sequential flow between panels and consideration of the page layout and how that, in turn, affects how it reads. If it's print, whoof, gotta be particular about your paper's proportions and the art bleed lines and how the layout is affected physically for the reader.

For sure.

Actually, I did sketch up a couple pages recently of just random scenes just to practice paneling. I was afraid I had lost the knack completely, but I just had to actually do it.

Robot Man traversing a mountain towards a strange tower.

Crow Man with a sword fighting some kind of monster.

But at the same time, don't let that discourage you. Overthinking it is always the biggest impediment to getting started!

I have learned to embrace the pantsing style of doing things more, for sure. Sitting down and doing it has done a lot more for me the last few years than trying to plan everything out extensively before I get started. But there is a balance to strike.

These days, for myself I find it's also a matter of time management and mental clarity that also stacks up on top of that. Exhaustion is anathema to grit, ugh.

Yeah, I hear ya.

Strictly speaking, I have more time than a man my age probably should have, but I am also easily exhausted by my job, and I burn out hard after basically every short creative bout, so it's very, very hard for me to stay on the horse. I keep coming back around to making stuff, though, because I guess I'm too stubborn to just give it up entirely.

[Sharpandpointies]

Hey, Subby -

Was looking through the old Rumbles Archives, and stumbled across Starlancer flight.

Completely forgot that my character had a long convo with yours (Podemos) at the start of that short-lived game. Fun stuff.

Not to quote myself too much, but looking at the rest of the files it looks like I had a lot of interaction with all kinds of people in that game. Cleric and COR were two others.

Fun stuff.

[Sharkerbob]

Not to quote myself too much, but looking at the rest of the files it looks like I had a lot of interaction with all kinds of people in that game. Cleric and COR were two others.

Fun stuff.

I'm kinda sorry I missed so much of the RP culture here. In the early years, I was able to keep up, but then the style of play grew way past what I could keep up with, and the most popular game types just weren't really what I grooved with. Losing home internet access definitely kicked the chair out from under me there, and by the time I got back into it, I just wasn't on the same wavelength.

[Guy1]

Dr. Cthulhu will see you now!

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Not to quote myself too much, but looking at the rest of the files it looks like I had a lot of interaction with all kinds of people in that game. Cleric and COR were two others.

Fun stuff.

Very much so.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Hey, Subby -

Was looking through the old Rumbles Archives, and stumbled across Starlancer flight.

Completely forgot that my character had a long convo with yours (Podemos) at the start of that short-lived game. Fun stuff.

Ah, that takes me back. Too bad that one fizzled out, it had a lot of potential. You played an NPC as I recall, right?

[Dark Soul # 7]

So anyone remembers those action figures based on Aliens? Like where it's like cartoonish version of the characters facing off ridiculous but creepy variations of Xenomorphs? Well...Apparently some company reintroduced the concept...But revamped it all to look as slightly more detailed as if they could be in the films themselves.

...I know Mantis Xenomorphs or Cobra Xenomorphs are unlikely as hell but holy ****, the nightmares are coming back.

Ooh, I remember having the Cobra Xenomorph toy before ever seeing any of the Alien movies. And it was the right size to fight against my Megazord.

Good times.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is great so far. Animation style, voice work, backgrounds, mech design, etc….all knocking it out of the park for me.

Really dig the fact that the main character is…….nice. Friendly. Not traumatized or a super soldier or enhanced (as far as we know) right now (and even has a parent). Also dig how her suit took apart her opponents. One of the few times I really dug the funnel/flying weapons maneuver.

[Postmania]

Is nobody going to give a shot at Nik's system?

What is Rumbles coming to?

[Shakes cane] You kids! Get off my lawn!

Well I'm looking at it. I am pretty out of practice with learning new games systems though apparently and am lost though lol

Although your and nik's posts helped a bit

[Nik Hasta]

Well I'm looking at it. I am pretty out of practice with learning new games systems though apparently and am lost though lol

Although your and nik's posts helped a bit

I'm happy to guide whoever is unsure through the system

If you got any questions, just ask

[Nik Hasta]

It is one of my pipe dreams to actually, no kidding, make a real comic again, eventually, at some point. One reason I've been getting (sporadically) back into drawing. I think my art is competent enough to do something with, so I need to stop screwing around with doodles and start throwing down panels and filling them in already. I just don't really have a fleshed out enough concept for one yet.

Towards the point he was making about using whatever means you can, I've used 3D poser programs to make comics before. It's not ideal, and I didn't really try to do proper paneling with it, but it's another way to start (and if you're actually good with 3D art, which means putting in a lot more work than just posing the models, you can make some pretty good looking 3D comics; I mean, mine aren't good looking, but I've seen it done).

Also, your stuff is cool! : )

Thank you kindly! I've often found that it's one thing to have an idea for a comic and another to have an idea that could actually become a comic. It's a surprisingly big gap between those two things.

Appreciate the behind the scenes - so to speak - look at your process. "Very difficult but intensely rewarding" would about sum it up lol

The struggle is real haha.

These days, for myself I find it's also a matter of time management and mental clarity that also stacks up on top of that. Exhaustion is anathema to grit, ugh.

Abaddon who writes Kill Six Billion Demons has often said "When I started, I didn't think I'd be working with these characters for what is now more than five years," and he cites having the design work he does for the ICON TTRPG as a good outlet to allow him to draw things that aren't the comic.

I have often found, even with characters and concepts I enjoy that, in the context of a comic, you end up being like "Oh god, not this again," That mental fortitude is hard to cultivate.

For sure.

Actually, I did sketch up a couple pages recently of just random scenes just to practice paneling. I was afraid I had lost the knack completely, but I just had to actually do it.

Robot Man traversing a mountain towards a strange tower.

Crow Man with a sword fighting some kind of monster.

I mean these are perfectly serviceable. Panel flow makes sense, perspective is present. The art isn't super technical but it's readable and you can suss out what's going on.

I'd be intrigued to see you try speech and lettering because boy is that stuff way harder than it looks.

Yeah, I hear ya.

Strictly speaking, I have more time than a man my age probably should have, but I am also easily exhausted by my job, and I burn out hard after basically every short creative bout, so it's very, very hard for me to stay on the horse. I keep coming back around to making stuff, though, because I guess I'm too stubborn to just give it up entirely.

I have a set of several ideas that I can between to work on, to keep things fresh. They come and go in terms of output, sometimes it's just planning, sometimes it's design, sometimes I hit my stride and do a bunch of comic pages or something. But I know I can pick them up and put them down whenever I want.

Like, the last week of my creative output has been largely consumed with my deciding to make an RPG system and maybe run a game, I have done almost no drawing. Fortunately I go to a weekly life drawing class now so there's a spot for that in my regular calendar.

[Nik Hasta]

We have two characters in the RPG which entirely opposite approaches but neither of which really do any damage haha.

If someone wants to be the big strong person to do the punching, that would be most welcome.

[Sharpandpointies]

I'm kinda sorry I missed so much of the RP culture here. In the early years, I was able to keep up, but then the style of play grew way past what I could keep up with, and the most popular game types just weren't really what I grooved with. Losing home internet access definitely kicked the chair out from under me there, and by the time I got back into it, I just wasn't on the same wavelength.

That's pretty much me, as well. I got into a couple of RPGs, but either they died, my expectations were too different, or people posted a gazillion times between my posts.

Very much so.

Ah, that takes me back. Too bad that one fizzled out, it had a lot of potential. You played an NPC as I recall, right?

That one was one of the ones I really enjoyed, but yes, it fizzled.

Sort of, yeah. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up, so I made a Tactical Officer who had been a highly experienced pilot (but couldn't fly anymore due to nerve damage from injuries). So I interfaced with the pilots during missions and in down-time, but I wasn't part of 'the squadron'. Allowed me to manage a more sedate pace while still enjoying RP.

Even had the character's death worked out, had things gone that far.