A new comic Im going to start (needs critique)

[moosehead]

Ok so Im starting an action/adventure/scary comic and was hoping to get some good ideas from people who have been experienced in making some.
The story goes that somehow the main character (Name currently in works) Starts seeing very wierd things. By ways which I am not going to yet reveal he starts seeing monsters that only belong in myths (such as bigfoot and maybe even that cute little thing Urser is drawing). Please take in mind also that this is a very rushed description of the story so its not going to be like 5 seconds into the story "Hey look mythological creatures oh boy!" Im trying to make it actually kind of suspencefull and scary and trust me the monsters I have rough sketched are not something you'd like to see in an alley. Anyways the story continues along and peole around him start dying in really brutal ways and the more they die the more he sees.

Thats all Im giving for now but here is a very very rough sketch of what the people are going to look like.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p237/jakebigcountry44/sniper.jpg

And here is a stylized version of what one of the monsters looks like

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p237/jakebigcountry44/wolf2-1.jpg

Im useing paint.net to make these and Im still getting the hang of it so expect the art to drastically improve before anything is posted.

So basically what Im asking you to do is request monsters youd like to see and give me suggestions on things like character names. Oh and as for as monsters go stay away from the traditional vampires and frankenstein please.

[CharlieH]

The sniper guy needs a nose and a mouth.

He just looks wierd at the moment.

[Relaps]

If you're serious about doing a comic, then I'd recommend getting a program capable of doing a really good job. Paint.net won't give you what you need to pull it off. At the very least, Flash or something. Or draw it all on paper, then scan it, keeping it black and white. Might be cool if you pull off a Frank Miller-esque style, if you're going for the psychological suspense.

As far as creatures go, Minotaurs are pretty freaky, maybe go for some dream lurking shadow wenches with no eyes. That'd be scary as fuck. In all honesty, you don't have to just limit yourself to mythological creatures, you can be as creative as you want.

[Antisaint]

Is the main character going to be a superhero? From the sketches, it seems he will be a Turok-esque character (normal guy hunting down monsters).

If that's the case, give him a normal name and a nickname (which has something to do with his eyes, or the fact that he hunts the monsters). You could also start the comic with him hunting the monsters (or whatever his main mission is), with a flashback to how it all started. It's a bit cliche, but it usually works to bring in the character's background.

[moosehead]

Thanks Relaps I might bhave to look into investing in Flash. But yea I wasnt only going to stick to mythological creatures I was going to have one enemy be this freaky looking kid in a mask who walks around all Michael Myers like killing people.

As far as the guy goes he's just going to be an ordinary guy (along with some ordinary friends). This isnt going to be scifi but the reason that he keeps seeing these creatures is because they live in the fourth dimension. This isnt like some parallel universe but its just a dimension one step above our own. Trust me I've done alot of reaseach into dimensions and the storyline is not going to be corny.

A Frank Miller style is something that Im trying to accomplish but Im not good at making the shadows look quite right. I like the Shadow wenches and Minotaur ideas as well! I was thinking of making the main baddy (Because every story has to have a main baddy) something like death but not like a cliche grim reaper type person. I dunno any thoughts on that?

Edit: Oh and thats the first human figure Ive ever tried to draw that wasnt stick figure style so Im going to keep practicing and make him better. And they are going to have faces in the end most likely.

[Matterialize]

For your very first human figure, that's actually much better than the grand majority of crap that newbie artists crank out. It still needs a lot of work, though. Most talented artists that draw semi-real or realism (comic book characters, anime) have a decent understanding of / have studied how the real human form looks.

What I'm saying is, read a book or two, or just some online tutorial if you're lazy, but learn how to draw real human bodies. Then, your comic characters' bodies will look much better.

Other than that, I like the idea. I look forward to reading your first couple comics.

[moosehead]

Thanks matterialize, to draw that pic I basically just stood in front of a full length mirror. I've got some friends who are very good at drawing realistic people so Im going to get them to show me how to do it better. I'll also lookn into getting some books that teach it as well. Im going to shoot for having the first real comic panel out in maybe two months just because I need time to really set up the story more and get a hold on the art but I'll be posting updates on my progress for anyone who cares on here.

Thanks again!

[Bone Scraper]

I think you should have some superhumans, like not the ones with superpowers or anything like that, just really strong, tough, really agile, really high senses, like that evil guy, kevin from sin city
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/35/KevinSinCity.jpg

[moosehead]

Yea Im going to have some kind of race of people in this other dimension and some are going to be like normal people but bloodthirsty and savage. Then Im going to have a sort of spiritual clan of people (Kind of like technologically advanced Indians) who have some sort of spiritual weponry. Ive gone over some of the ideas with some comicbook nerd friends of mine (no offence I love comics to) and they helped me weed out what was to cliche and corny. Ok so heres a short list of a few creatures sure to make an appearance.

Nessie: going to be the main sea monster.
Bigfoot: imagine el gigante from Resident evil 4 but hairy.
Relap's shadow wenches: Really freakin cool idea.
Werewolves: I know kinda cliche but nothing cooler than a werewolf gun battle!

There are also some original characters by me I have some concept art on. I would show it but I dont have a scanner. Heres a list.

A giant worm dragon thing that burrows through the ground.
A kid with a mask on who never says anything and kills people with a bat (basically he never dies).
and these angel looking creatures but thier wings are on fire and they have no faces.

[Beatzebs]

Paint.net won't give you what you need to pull it off. At the very least, Flash or something.Do you know a free- or shareware edition of a powerful flash programm which you could recommend to me?

[Relaps]

Download a Flash trial. Just find it on google.

[moosehead]

Im waiting to do that until Im ready to actually make these comics. That way I might be able to make the first couple for free.

[Relaps]

I was bored, drew up a Blind Shadow Wench, or at least how I saw it.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3060/shadowenchtw8.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shadowenchtw8.jpg)

You don't have to use that one.

[The Super Hannah]

Are the snipers cloths see through. Because unless its an EXTREMELY tight shirt, you wouldnt be able to see his belly button.

[moosehead]

Wow Relaps I really like the detail you put into your shadow wench! Thats what Im not good at is giving things detail.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p237/jakebigcountry44/Shadowwench.jpg

I tried to make my version look a litte more creepy and my inspiration was the girl from the ring.

and Hannah the original was shirtless but I just added the sniper rifle and the shirt to play around with what I could do with that model. Its only a rough sketch.

[Spiffy13]

Have you ever been to truthism.com (http://truthism.com/)? The ideas are completely crazy, but it does talk about some type of lizardmen who live in the fourth demention. Maybe you should check it out :smile:

[moosehead]

Holy crap. I read like half of that. Wow they are crazy but I might be able to use the Anunnaki as the spiritual warriors who kind of run the 4th dimension I mentioned in an above post. Thanks Spiffy thats an awsome idea!

[Spiffy13]

Holy crap. I read like half of that. Wow they are crazy but I might be able to use the Anunnaki as the spiritual warriors who kind of run the 4th dimension I mentioned in an above post. Thanks Spiffy thats an awsome idea!
Any time, man. Can't wait to see this when you finish it :biggrin:

[moosehead]

Thanks again.
Im not fishing for any complaments but how does everyone feel about the stle I used to make for my shadow wench. I need to know because I was thinking of doing alot of the styles more like this for the creatures.

[The Fetus]

I'll be completely flat honest.

I do not like the whole idea itself. But it does have potential. Like Relaps said, look for programs or traditional work to do you job. Drawing and inking works out very well.

If you're looking to get it published or anything, I suggest trying to be more concrete. It's a linear idea, and yet it could easily be fucked up.

I do like the style and your work on your creatures. I suggest tuning things just a bit. Roughly, you're on a good start. :thup:

[moosehead]

Yea this is the very first thing Ive ever tried to do live this. Im a very fast learner though and this concept for a story has been with me for a long time. Im not going for blockbuster stuff here just something really cool that some people can get some pleasure out of. My main motivation is just the fact that I have an insatiable urge to create. Thanks alot for your honesty because honesty is the best way to knock someone back into reality so that they can redouble thier efforts and actually accomplish thier goal. As far as it being linear Im not planing on making it a "Oh crap theres a monster lets shoot it!" type of thing. Im going to try to incorporate some cool twists into my story which Im already in the process of writing. Now will I succeed? I dunno but Im sure as heck going to try! Again your honesty is very welcome to me.


p.s. sorry I forgot I dont have any friends or experience in inking or else I would do it that way. I dont even know how to get started learning! If anyone has a suggestion as to how to learn to ink please let me know.

:help:

[Relaps]

Inking is tracing. Only you can't fuck up.

[moosehead]

Ahh ok so I would just draw in pencil and then redraw it in ink? Well that doesnt sound so difficult I couldnt do it. I imagine you dont use an everday ballpoint pen though. What would I use and where could I get it?

[Hickabod]

When talking about these Blind Shadow Wenches I couldn't help but think of these (http://www.geocities.com/aj-home2/POPSOT_FemaleEnemy.jpg). They have no eyes on their face at all, instead they are in the palms of their hands

[moosehead]

Yea theyre from prince of persia right? What I dont get is how they can see to fight while holding wepons. I baffles the mind.

[Hickabod]

Yea theyre from prince of persia right? What I dont get is how they can see to fight while holding wepons. I baffles the mind.

Indeed they are, and the guy with the mask that you described sort of reminds me of the gang from the first Manhunt game with the Smiley masks on

[Bone Scraper]

There's also a small program I have an earlier version of, it's called pivot, I occasionally try to draw things in it by creating new characters and adding them, then saving the picture and downsizing so it's not pixelated. It could be used because it's basically a smaller version of flash without all the tools. My friend got it and gave it to me, but it has seemingly dissapeared off my computer. I'm trying to find a copy on the internet.

EDIT: I did that little animation in my sig using it. (It's a man sticking another man in the face with a spike grenade from halo3)

[moosehead]

Hickabod you are spot on with where Im getting some of my insparation from.
Bone I'll look into that because Im running into some problems with what I have. Mainly the fact that its very hard to resize my canvas's right.

Im going to post some new stuff Ive been working on soon as well.

[Axidos]

I have some horror advice to lend you from my lessons in Film & TV.

One thing that is unsettling for a user to see is contrasts - all sorts of contrasts. You see them all the time in horrors.

In The Shining, there are two quite young, innocent-looking girls - yet for all their apparent innocence they seem to be very mature, and do not appear remotely playful compared to other girls their age.
I remember seeing a movie a few years ago which had men dressed in colourful bear suits, wielding guns and poison gas and other stuff. There was also a jack-in-the-box which was worn out and creepy - a huge contrast also lay between the fun factor of a jack-in-the-box and the sense of maliciousness surrounding it.

The Saw movies use contrast a bit as well, to further unsettle the viewers as it fucked with their heads. In one (no idea which, never saw it), someone must remove a key from the innards of their childhood friend. There's a bit of a contrast between longlasting friendship and gruesome murder.


Contrast is only one of the tools of the horror trade. If I ever learned more (never studied horror in depth), it doesn't immediately come to mind. If you can find out more, that would be a big help in this webcomic of yours.

But remember, using these tools is a fine art. Keep the contrasts subtle and don't use them all the time or they'll begin to glare at the reader with blatancy.

There's also a small program I have an earlier version of, it's called pivot, blah blah blah it has no tools etc

Pivot is used to make stick figure animations, and its main feature is that you can pivot points around other points to make the aforementioned animations easier to make. But it is not a drawing tool. It won't cut it.

[Bone Scraper]

I have used it for a little arty image, but it was a style which I no longer like, so I deleted it. Im gonna start trying to draw stuff in it now, but it's a little harder to colour stuff in than something like flash (in my version at least)

[moosehead]

Hey everybody Im planning on getting some new stuff up on here soon for you to mock and judge very soon. Ive been in the process of moving and trying to find a new job and because of that Ive had very little time to be on my computer.