In image one there is a blurring error near the top. This is not normally seen due to a dialogue balloon covering up that part.
A fun page overall. I have some killer character images to work with since character art is always on a separate layer.
Here is a little preview of a short story I am hoping to go live with this week, set in the Cosmic Dash universe.
Orthos crouches down. His appearance is feral. His long legs bent akimbo as he rests on the balls of this three-toed feet. One hand rests near a pair of long lancettes strapped to his thigh. His other hand dangles between his legs towards the floor, ape-like. His large yellow eye studies Virtil’s features from only a foot away.
Orthos is back for a bit!
The short stories will run alongside the comic updates as we release them. Currently we have 3 contributing authors I am working closely with, in addition to my own stories I am developing. These short stories will be fully-cannon to the universe and significantly expand the scale of the plot lines I am laying down. In addition, a lot of the characters introduced in these stories are likely to appear in the comics when I have good places to include them.
One thing I am looking for, however, is an illustrated component: a singular image/panel that reflects part of the story. If there is any interest, I would be happy to let anyone contribute. Just message or e-mail me about it, and I can hook you up.
Finally over the hump. Don’t know why sketching this page took me so long.
I do sometimes wonder if posting these contextless panels gets people interested in the upcoming pages.
Worked through a bitch of a migraine to get this page wrapped up. I think I need to lie down for a bit now.
Fun sneaking in references on this one.
Unfinished panel, but that’s probably obvious.
PANELS.
WE MUST HAVE MORE PANELS.
She is SO mad.
I keep laughing at her face.
Captain Mara, everyone.
GDI Kracker. What did you do now?
Let’s talk “Up Is Down” from the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.
Pirates of the Caribbean is not a perfect series of films, but I will defend the claim that they are some of the most fun and adventurous movies released in the last twenty years or so. It is this sense of fun I wish to reflect in Cosmic Dash, and I feel that “Up Is Down” is a wonderful piece that would fit right at home in the Cosmic Dash stories.
The song itself is a relatively lighter-feeling song, particularly compared to some of the heavier, moodier pieces of At World’s End. While yes, it sounds very much like the type of song you’d associate with pirates, thematically, I can see it used in many ways.
Now, I am not saying I would just up and use this song for a Cosmic Dash story, but the idea is that this song has something in it that communicates an idea, and that I would want those ideas present in a Cosmic Dash soundtrack.
One scene I have envisioned is a few of the characters attempting to navigate a treacherous field of explosive geysers upon the backs of some unusual bird-like creatures. The song continually builds up as the harried escape encounters more and more of these geysers, culminating with the last few seconds of the song as one of the beasts crosses a geyser as it explodes, ejecting beast and rider into the air in a dramatic moment, just as the song winds down in a very percussion-heavy ending. The song has a distinct “setpiece” feel.
Really, I don’t think this is a very character-oriented piece of music. It seems to be that “Up Is Down” is best served as a complement to a big action-moment.
Naturally, there are a number of songs from Pirates of the Caribbean that have really inspired me. In particular, there are two songs from Dead Man’s Chest. One other point I feel I should make is that the Pirates series takes major advantage of recurring elements, be it lines, actions, plot points, and yes, music as well. Part of the reason I find the films so goddamn entertaining is that persistent identity. You know Captain Jack Sparrow is on the screen doing something when the horns, violins, and percussion being to swell. Moments between Will and Elizabeth are peppered with their own theme, and that is a very valuable tool. One that I hope that I can take advantage of in my own work one day.
