Expected
Ozoneocean on Feb. 5, 2006
News:
Heya, well there’s no real news, but it seems I’m being treated to a free concert by the White Stripes, so I thought that was novel enough to put down ^_^
It’s a rather loud open air concert, and even though it’s some way from my house I can hear it just fine -All the doors and windows are open on these warm nights. That’ll get a few complaints in the local papers…
Page description:
These are the fellows Pinky has alerted. Two men riding atop great four legged gun platforms! The platform pilots have been waiting for an attack, but not from something like Pinky’s S.S.V.5. They’ve switched on their spotlights and are sweeping the area. They fully expect just the sight of their machines to be intimidation enough. Pinky watches them from the safety of the shadows in her main angled mirror. She can see that the guns are 20mm autocannons, easily able to rip apart her scout, but she has no viable way out but to attempt to remove the threat. -She can’t go back to the ocean because the Buccaneer would have moved on and she just doesn’t have the fuel anyway. She can’t just bugger of to her rendezvous point because there’s a very good chance they’ll spot her and kill her.
Commentary:
“We were well warned.†that’s a very “W’ heavy sentence!
Originally I felt I’d overdone the lighting a bit, resulting in that early Spielbergian Close Encounters, E.T. kind of effect. Maybe not. I got another chance to show the inside of the S.S.V.5, highlighting the periscope, the angled mirrors, and the red lights underneath them. You see the glass ruler on top of the mirror? That helps to aim the guns and the rockets.
The gun platforms were an interesting design challenge, even though this is virtually the only page they ever appear on! (They have a small role next page). I came up with them when I was idly sketching one day, but it’s not until I finally drew this page that I ever got them to look right again; every time I’d tried to draw these for a picture, they always turned out completely wrong! They’re based on ww2 antiaircraft mountings, usually on ships. The shapes of the guns are a mix of the old 20mm cannons, the square shape of the M2 Browning 50cal, and the harmonica muzzle break from the Lahti 20mm anti tank rifle.
These walking platforms would supposedly find it easier going in the rough, rocky terrain than wheeled vehicles. Four legs are very stable because three legs always find an automatic level. The machine moves by a combination of shifting its balance and then readjusting its legs… It’s a bit too complicated to explain properly, but there movement is far too slow for tactical purposes: they only move to get into a position, not to fight or avoid being shot, or whatever. The gun platforms are set up fore excellent stability and limited movement
Writer's challenge!
We’ve started up a weekly writer’s challenge in the forums. Each week writers try writing a short fanfic based on the characters of a DD comic we choose for that week. The first comic is Two Moons. See the details and entries here. It’s a fun way to practise your writing ^_^
A note:
Go to my main site for the latest work (27th January, 2006). I’m uploading one page a day with commentary and explanations here.
DarioCOMICS at 1:19PM, Nov. 29, 2015
this is badass!
cresc at 8:21PM, Feb. 6, 2006
I love all your steam tech, the lighting could have been pushed even further though I think
Nick at 6:26PM, Feb. 6, 2006
I don't remember this part!
lothar at 6:04PM, Feb. 6, 2006
i remember those things ! COOL!
subcultured at 3:57PM, Feb. 6, 2006
whoa...speechless
PolarMagnet at 3:23PM, Feb. 6, 2006
This is extrordinary! Your story lines are great, the characters are great, your art is great, and you actually manage to capture my attention and hold it, which is not an easy thing to do! But somehow you'e managed to do it- good job.
Hero at 2:33PM, Feb. 6, 2006
"If he's dead I'll kill 'im!" Classy. Your machines are very nicely done.
Mazoo at 2:32PM, Feb. 6, 2006
Hmmm... I'm wondering if CC tipped them off... unless CC and Pinky are on the same side? I can never tell with CC... she's like a double agent spy lady. Great page, as usual! The lighting effects are really good here.
Chris chris at 12:59PM, Feb. 6, 2006
loving the boots. :) very awesome style. Clean and elegant with a strong spicy taste. Keep working on it!
ccs1989 at 12:25PM, Feb. 6, 2006
Such awesome design concepts. As usual the lightening is a definite plus on this page. Only problem is it's kinda hard to read the dark green text bubbles.
Ozoneocean at 11:50AM, Feb. 6, 2006
Zac: Yup, yup! All mecha is made up by me just for the comic^^ CazySob: That first panel is my current desktop background! inseutculnaime: The Scout has two 50cal Vickers machineguns, and two rocket pods with 7 high explosive rockets each. Niel: The colouring is very simple here, just basic gradients mostly and very minimal paint work. All my lines are in grey so that when theyâre set to âmultiplyâ, they always take on a bit of the colour, unlike black linework. The lights are done with feathered selections ^_^ magicalmisfits: Thatâs very interesting! I always like to know how these look on different machines ^^ My main monitor is set up perfectly to my tastes and everything always look wonderful on it, but that can be a severe handicap⦠chewdy: Ha yes! I worked out all the movement ^^ Jebus, look at my spelling mistakes in the commentary... Bloody Microsoft word! I should have checked that more closely.
Hamorhage at 11:07AM, Feb. 6, 2006
ye dude, you rock..your mecha designs are super! And ye the lighting is quite ET-ish but that's what is needed here! You can never over-dramatise :)
Ruka E Pocky at 8:48AM, Feb. 6, 2006
Ah yes, awesome mechs as always. The gun platforms are great. Oh dear I certainly hope she'll manage against those massive canons!
chewdy at 7:45AM, Feb. 6, 2006
Hooray, the mech stuff! These are some of the coolest mech designs, because they look feasible--or at least, you can tell how they work by their design.
magicalmisfits at 7:35AM, Feb. 6, 2006
As always awsome. For some reason my work puter doesn't see this as well as my home puter. But I wouldn't know I would never look at my comics at work!
Neilsama at 3:59AM, Feb. 6, 2006
Excellent page. You know, I'm going to have to pick your brain to find out how you do coloring. That's always been one of my weaker points.
spaz at 3:41AM, Feb. 6, 2006
Poorly armored or not those things still look deadly. Great work.
Coydog at 11:22PM, Feb. 5, 2006
They look like badass machines alright! Excellent lighting effects too.
iagojester at 10:53PM, Feb. 5, 2006
Oh dear.... here comes the bloodbath.
bobo_81 at 10:44PM, Feb. 5, 2006
Me likey much the first panel there. Jolly good lighting and such!
Radmetalmonk at 10:32PM, Feb. 5, 2006
I spy a rock
inseutculnaime at 9:32PM, Feb. 5, 2006
What kind of weapons does the scout carry? I think I can see one of those guys through a glass window in panel two, and glass panels generally mean one well-aimed shot. But I doubt they'd put guys behind glass panelling on walker tanks.
coinilius at 9:09PM, Feb. 5, 2006
The gun platforms look very good here - the first panel revelation of them is very well done :)
CrazySOB at 9:06PM, Feb. 5, 2006
And the fun begins. I really like that first panel for some reason.
zactheninja at 9:01PM, Feb. 5, 2006
You make up all of the machines in this comic right? It's pretty impressive