Chapter 2: Page 40
(Aaaand now we have final colors! Enjoy!)
[EDIT 5-24: page flats now in, still needs final background and shading]
Ah, sweet relief! With Beyond the Western Deep: Volume I off to the printers, now we can get back to a more sane schedule. There were a few last-second hiccups getting the proof approved for printing (mostly related to page numbers and some tweaks to the font used for the text bubbles) but now everything is golden. In two weeks, Rachel should have her hands on a physical proof of the book that will let us know how the journey from RGB to CMYK colors worked out — there MAY EVEN be pictures!
If not, then definitely expect them two weeks AFTER the proof is approved, when I crack open the first box of books. Because of the rather extended length of time required for printing and shipping from the presses in China, I’ll be expediting 50 books to sell at Boston Comic Con. Any extras from the 50, I’ll look into putting them up as the first ones to sell on the online store (before the main shipment arrives for Baltimore Comic Con in early September).
In this week’s page, Dakkan seems to have forgotten what Kenosh told him before they entered Deltrada: the Canid really don’t have what one might call a “sense of humor.” That naturally extends to facetiousness — as Dakkan is learning the hard way!
A fun side note about this page is the obvious hint at Lutren language — just as with human cultures, many names have deeper meanings rooted in the languages they emanated from. “Alex”, to use an immediately available real-world example, has roots in the Iliad (Paris is known as “Alexander” depending on the source) and the Greek word “Ἀλέξανδρος” (or “Alexandros”), roughly translating to “defender of men”. There’s also that Alexander the Great fellow, but we Alexes don’t like to brag.
Dakkan, Kenosh, and other notably “Lutren” names have the same history behind them. Unfortunately, Clovis is more than happy to note the discrepancies between the meaning and the Lutren before him.
I love Dakkan’s chin tuft in the first panel, it makes him look like he has a goatee.
Goatee, the coolest beard style known to man, that is.
They may be forgetting that is was Clovis, not Kenosh, who said Dakkan was along for experience.
Still, that’s gotta hurt.
Nobody objected to his assessment before, so he’s sticking to it. X)
All the expressions on Clovis’s face are the most subtle we’ve seen out of him since his first appearance, and funnily enough, it’s when he’s going for the throat. I can only await Kenosh’s reaction to this, assuming he’ll display once, but it seems our poor lovable Diplomatic Incident forgot that Canid take their life as serious business with a side of solemnity and a shot of humorlessness. Whoops. Hopefully Quin isn’t next for a name dissection and a take down.
Names and the history and their meanings behind them are very interesting things, however. My name is technically supposed to mean “princess,” but I am neither royalty nor the ruler of anything. So I suppose I can join Dakkan in the boat of failed leaders, though I don’t think my parents expected me to take control of anything that may involve medieval conflict of any sorts, unlike Kenosh.
For further irony: my younger brother’s name means “small.” He’s the tallest out of all of the siblings. Whoops.
But back on the topic of BWD names, the name Clovis means “renowned fighter” (not surprising), the name Quinlan means “graceful” (fitting), and the name Hardin means “valley of the hares” (I– what?) or any variation of hardy, brave, or strong, depending on your source. Bevan means “son of Evan”, Janik means “God is gracious/merciful” (um, Janik, should I be worried about what you plan to do as a diplomat…?), and Rhosyn means “little rose” (HAHAHA).
No results on Kenosh, though apparently, Kenosha is the name of a city in Wisconsin. Er, congratulations, sir?
Even the smallest roses have their thorns. And are able to shoot them accurately from a distance up to 50 meters, evidently.
I’ll mind the flowers carefully next time.
Poor Dakkan! Quin seems so indignant on his behalf.
Hmm… The fact that Quinlan’s outburst is cut off in the last panel makes me wonder who butts in. Clovis? Kenosh? Some random Canid with an important message?
“-that counts as workplace harassment, strictly forbidden by the Canid OSHA anti-bullying rules general Clovis!”
Owww, we’re getting into it now, aren’t we? ;)
Clovis doesn’t like to be mocked at all and really opens into his character how instead of simply educating Dakkan (in a lofty and high manner of course ;) ) on /why/ a single tribe would be considered a threat, he reverts to intimidation tactics to embarrass the questioner into submission. Way to be, Clovis.
And it appears that Clovis is highly educated and well-read, seeing as he knows the meanings of ancient Lutren derivatives and such. I wonder if it is just because he came from a very high-standing family, or if the Canid military schools their recruits in more than just warfare? /Really/ makes me wonder about Tosch now and if he will be a mirror to his brother or a foil. I hope it is the latter – would be nice to see a contrast and contender to Clovis.
So, that brings me back to Dakkan who is more or less getting served a left hook a la Clovis. It’s enough to be called out a failure in private or indirectly allured to between the person you’ve disappointed, but it is altogether a new kind of blow for someone who hardly knows you to so quickly deduce such a tender subject and then blurt it out for all to hear. They say the truth hurts, and in Dakkan’s case, I bet he will be feeling the sting from that barb for a long time to come.
And aww, Quin! *Don’t worry, Dak – I got your back* ;) I would really like to see Quin’s defense of his friend and a verbal battle happen between the two, but judging on Quin’s cut off line – I bet Kenosh is just about to enter the fray. ;)
Great page and I can’t wait to see the next week’s!
Cheers,
FT
Panel 2 Clovis is all “how much should I wreck this kid?” He looks almost remorseful. “I don’t want to do this. You understand. I’m just doing my civic duty.” It’s a terrible responsibility, smashing uppity youngsters.
Also, super excited about the book’s progress! Can’t wait to see it in glorious print!
Wow….what a character. Clovis is such a big-headed and callous tightwad isnt he? I mean…I can kinda understand why he berated his own troops and all (since it is the army) but to bring out and state out of nowhere Dakkan and Kenosh’s personal matters? Seriously, what even prompted that? It’s somewhat hilarious that jib even came out of the blue (I guess it fit’s Clovis’s spontaneous personality).
But now I’m really curious to see how Kenosh will react to it now. Oh man so much drama! Really, great job keeping these conversations so interesting you guys.
Ah, there’s the international incident we’ve all been waiting for! Way to go, Dakkan.
Just blazed through all of these and it made my day. Now I’m hooked!
At least Quinlan is getting his first lesson in International Politics for free!
I learned to speak to my management the hard way. The same way Dakkan is learning right now. It’s the way if you have to deal with pride and ego.
The way he asked his questions was inherently insulting, even if that wasn’t his intent. Clovis is worried, the way Dakkan questioned that worry implies that he has a lack of confidence in Clovis’ decision making. Clovis can’t let that go unanswered, he will look weak and/or stupid.
Poor beast, Dakkan’s got a long road ahead of him if he’s anything like me…
Talk about beating a guy with the rhetoric of his own name! I guess he kinda deserves it though, doesn’t seem he thinks too much before he talks.
Poor Dakk. But honestly, he walked right into it; the entire conversation might as well have been this.
Click that link people. I genuinely, explosively laughed. Thank you Saraa.
Oh fiddlesticks! I meant to leave a response to Saraa’s comment here but it instead showed up independent to it. Now I feel as awkward as this scene.
You don’t seem to be actively unintentionally annoying the general of an elitist race who’s playing host to you while you’re trying to talk him out of (further) mass murder before he starts dressing you down on your daddy issues, so I think we can all let you slide on this one.
Just once.
Oh, goodness, that was amazing. :D
I laughed quite heartily at that. Nice!
That is such a stupid joke, why am I laughing so?
Even I think it’s pretty stupid; I think it’s Clovis’s face that makes it. You could swap out all the captions you like, doesn’t matter; as long as they correspond to get that face it will always be funny.
Let’s try that out.
Let me help you with that.
Ahaha topical humor, I like it! It’s really an image that keeps on giving.
It just keeps going.
…at one point, something went horribly, horribly wrong in my life.
It’s OK Sara we love you anyway
Wow. I’m in awe.
XD Beautiful, simply beautiful