Chapter 1: Page 23
Kenosh has a plan, of course! He’s a trained diplomat, a revered warrior, and commands respect from the leaders of all the Four Kingdoms. Quinlan, however, shares none of those traits, making Kenosh’s suggestion seem all the more outlandish!
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, this scene in King Dabheid’s chamber has always existed in the script in one way or another. The problem that we had was more one of commitment – after all, these few pages help to establish the direction of the story in very concrete terms. I suppose if you were to break this sequence down using Campbell’s Monomyth steps, this is the call to adventure, with Quinlan beginning his refusal of the call (you can definitely see it in his face – he’d rather stay at home and draw!)
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The Monomyth, along with other helpful structures like maintaining a proper three acts, help give stories like Beyond the Western Deep a bit a guidance. At the end of the day, though, many of the scenes that I’ve written were not created to adhere to a specific beat in an act – instead, they exist as a natural progression of a sequence of events. There’s an overarching 3-act structure, to be sure, but it’s my hope that when you’re in the thick of the story, you don’t identify the events as “Oh, this is the second-act downer” or “Things will get better soon, we’re in the middle of the final act”.
Back in April, I posted about PAX East and a game that I had done some story work and writing for called Dust: An Elysian Tail. Well, I’m proud to say that Dust will be officially released on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday (8.15.12) as the final title in Microsoft’s “Summer of Arcade” promotion! It’ll run you 1200 MS Points, which equals $15 in real-world-dollars.
To celebrate the upcoming launch, we’ve got a brand new trailer for the game, which you can watch by following this link! Enjoy!
Dust: An Elysian Tail Launch Trailer
This week, we’ve also got some awesome new fan art from Sawyer!
First up, a Tamian warrior!
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He looks prepared for pretty much anything coming his way, don’t you think? I particularly love the helmet design and the tail ring/wrapping – it all feels like stuff the Tamian would actually wear.
Sawyer also sent in a very different kind of fanart! King Dabheid’s throne room as rendered in the amazingly-popular Minecraft! As he explains: ” I had to add some of the lights you’ll see, because otherwise, the room would’ve been too dark to see anything. The ground WAS dirt like in the comic, but when I built the building, the sunlight got to it, and grass grew in. Anyways, enjoy!”
Oh, that pesky grass! Growing when you don’t want it to! X) Though I do like the look of the grass all the same!
You can check out Sawyer’s other works right here! Thanks so much for sending these in – they’re awesome!
Quinlan’s faces completely make this. xD Ah, the plot is beginning to thicken. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next installment. =D
I love Quinlan’s expression when Kenosh proposes that he goes with them to the Canid’s. He’s just all like “Wait…what?!”
Hahahaha Quinlan’s face is sooo awesome! He’s like “Wait…what? Me? What?!?” Hahaha priceless….ahh…Again, another rocking page to add to the collection…carry on!
Looks like some one had fun with Minecraft! Great work!
What has already been said in triplicate: Quin’s face. Although I would throw in Dak’s as well. Really loving this page. Even though everybeast is standing or sitting in place, there’s nevertheless a sense of action and movement here. For perhaps the first time since I started reading “Western Deep,” what I see here really gives me a good idea of how this story would work as an animated cartoon. And as a lifelong fan of animation, that’s a rave!
The expressions and art in the comic are always so lively and inspirational! Yet another master piece! I’d also like to thank you for featuring my art! I feel very honored that you’d even look at it!
Yeah, I know everyone has already mentioned this, but… that expression is just so f***in’ hilarious! Along with the one where he adjusted his sash a couple of pages ago, that’s among my absolute favourites in the comic. It was so good that Alex/Teeds himself decided to use it for his avatar!
That is not the only good one though – the one on panel three is also marvelously funny, and Dakkan gives some more understated but still very powerful expressions of his own on this page. My favourite one is in the first panel (he kinda looks like a bear there) and the one in the second Rachel/Kobb used as her own avatar (interesting that both your avatars come from the same panel).
Aside from that, this is where the plot of the comic is spelled out for us, in true Monomyth fashion. Interesting discussion of the myth cycle here, and how you hope that it won’t be too obvious in BTWD even as it’s made use of.
Aww, Quin doesn’t want to go on adventure (i.e. travelling for weeks to a Canid garrison where he can freeze his tail off in a probably futile diplomatic mission) – he wants to stay at home and draw! That’s really cute, and quite sad. Poor thing *gives Quin a hug*
Really nice fan pics too – the Tamian in armour looks lovely, and the Minecraft throne room looks great. It’s amazing how much creativity that game has led to.