SDFM: The Birth of Skull

[VFTF1]

Ok, this is part one of a multipart story- and it should all be wrapped up by the end of the month! Just in time for Christmas... Now - before anyone starts saying "but they didn't know about the Zendradi until..." or "But Roy was actually somewhere else then" please:

a) Let the story actually run its' course - that is wait for all the parts to go up.

b) Please allow that this is fan fiction. I am basing it off of my watching of SDF Macross TV series and Macross Zero and I have NOT studied online time-lines and official "histories" very thoroughly. I am trying to respect the source material and be reasonable in my inventiveness; but if there are glaring errors, please forgive them.

c) Take it with a grain of salt Comments and criticisms are welcome and appreciated.

Enjoy part 1:

Pete

Edited December 7, 2008 by VFTF1

[VFTF1]

Pete

[akt_m]

64 views and no reply?? Seems you got no love for your work. 

I can' say i've read everything, too much text... But that is just me.

[Vostok 7]

Pretty good, but there are glaring errors

Despite the fact that there's two 001s flying around, December 24th 2008 is just much too soon for the setting. The VF-1A alone would have only been just produced and wasn't even fielded until February 2009 when Space War I began.

But then, I'm anal about that kinda stuff

Vostok 7

[VFTF1]

64 views and no reply?? Seems you got no love for your work. sad.gif

I can' say i've read everything, too much text... But that is just me.

Well, thanks for taking pity on me

Despite the fact that there's two 001s flying around, December 24th 2008 is just much too soon for the setting. The VF-1A alone would have only been just produced and wasn't even fielded until February 2009 when Space War I began.

I anticipated this - which is why I have a perfect explanation for all of this hanging in the wings - so to speak

After all - another "glaring error" is the very fact that a Quid Rau is here, and that it's apparently being used to test these two guys...

All of it will be explained It remains to see what you think of the explanation

Thanks for peeking - next part should be up tomorrow

Pete

[akt_m]

Well, thanks for taking pity on me   

I guess this way is more apropriated!  

[Macross_Fanboy]

Funny FX.

[fifbeat]

I didn't read it myself.

HOWEVER, it's kinda cool that you were able to create some cool looking visuals (via your toys). You know, if you had actual figures of the guys' heads (better than a bubble pointing to the cockpit all the time)....

At a glance, really cool man.

I could see it being extra sweet if more time was spent (and I mean MORE time, like the best photography, etc.) on it, and using toys to tell the story is just bad ass. And maybe a little bit more quality work in the photoshoped (or whatever) gun/missile fire...

One thing's for sure, you definitely got the right eye for some of those cool panel shots...

I'll have to go back and read it when it's not 4:30 am!! =)

Overall, good job.

[VFTF1]

Thanks for the comments.

The BIGGEST problem is the "more time" aspect - if only I had more time...then again... hmm...

I guess the only thing to do is try to spend more time on it. I think the photography I do is good, but the problem comes up when photoshop gets involved... I suck at using photoshop because I generally never took the time to learn how to use it properly

The lack of human figures also limits what it's possible to do with a Macross story... but after the third part of this story is completed (should be tonight/tomorrow), I think I'll sit down and get to work on making a 4th, 5th and 6th part (since lots of story ideas have sprung to mind), only this time I'll try to do a better job with the FX/background and stretch it out in time.

I am still wondering, however, what to do about humans in the story. If only there were some Revoltech Macross figures (humans) then that would be great - but as it stands, it's really hard to come up with an idea... and yet I feel that I have to put them there to bring more to the story..

Oh well - lots to think about...lots to do... will try to be more ambitious with the next round of comics following part 3 (which is pretty much almost done).

Pete

[yellowlightman]

Bit of advice: use a different font. It'll make it look way better.

Edited December 8, 2008 by yellowlightman

[VFTF1]

I think I was using the Comics font - but I'll have to double check.

In general I would advise myself to:

a) build some dioramas

b) get some stands for the VF-1s that would enable be to take better "in flight" pictures from various angles

c) try to russtle up more in scale technicians and other figures

I've been thinking about getting the mecha dioramas - the hangar bays and what not - that are available out there - they are not very expensive, but I don't know if they are properly sized...

But the biggest problem remains PEOPLE. How do I populate my Macross universe??

The figures really do lend themselves to this form of expression; I think - but there are just too few of them to really do something more expressive...

Pete

[VFTF1]

Well... Here it is: the faux ending of the battle. Faux because it really explains nothing, and in fact only promises a continuation and explanation down the road. Sadly, as the last panel suggests, my meager talents could possibly lend themselves towards the use of Abstract Art (or total poo, which is synonymous, if you prefer) to populate the Macross Universe with people I was also considering a text continuation, at least for the parts that require people to be doing and feeling rather than mecha to be flying and shooting... I'll give it some thought and see where this takes me... anyways - enjoy it for what it's worth and await with bated breath the ...er...amazing ... continuation ...probably by next week I'll think of something - that is - some method by which to tell this story further - because the story is there...I just have to figure out how to tell it...

Pete

[ultimateone]

Fun read, thanks for putting it together and sharing. Looking forward to the next "issue".

[Macross_Fanboy]

LOL! That's funny! More!

[akt_m]

But the biggest problem remains PEOPLE. How do I populate my Macross universe??

The figures really do lend themselves to this form of expression; I think - but there are just too few of them to really do something more expressive...

Pete

Can't you just use some of those articulated macross figures, then draw over their faces for some expression??

Edited December 8, 2008 by akt_m

[VFTF1]

Can't you just use some of those articulated macross figures, then draw over their faces for some expression??

Which articulated Macross figures?

In any case - the short answer is "no" - largely because I've got a lot of characters in mind who have no figures since I made them up - and they could technically be dressed in generic UN Spacy uniforms, but I don't have any of those... Also, if by articulated Macross figures you mean the "Robotech" ones - I don't have any of them either, and don't plan on aqcuiring them just to put them in this comic.

Rest assured however, that I am thinking and will figure something out. However, be that as it may, comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

As crazy as this sounds - but I think I'm going to have to end up drawing the figures myself and then animating them via photoshop - that is - drawing generic bodies and then drawing a bunch of heads with various facial expressions to go with it.

I don't see any other way to tell the story than by mixing real life photography of the Yamato models with ...hand drawn animation.

So ... off I go to actually do this...and try to make it look better ...

Pete

[grapetang]

Definitely a fun read! I like the photography & the different angles & closeups.

Some humble suggestions:

- keep each "page" to 6 panes or less (I think you already do this)

- use regular shaped panes (rectangular) as much as possible

- mix up the arrangement for dramatic effect (like the full-sized Q-Rau pane)

- use establishing shots to create setting & tone

- timing & pacing

- have more time <-- super tough one

There a quite a few how-to manga books as well as the Scott McCloud "Understanding Comics" & "Making Comics" books.

Thanks for making the effort & for sharing! Great stuff!!!

[Skullsixx]

That was a fun read.

[Vostok 7]

I love the MS Paint of Roy at the end.

Vostok 7

[akt_m]

Which articulated Macross figures?

In any case - the short answer is "no" - largely because I've got a lot of characters in mind who have no figures since I made them up - and they could technically be dressed in generic UN Spacy uniforms, but I don't have any of those... Also, if by articulated Macross figures you mean the "Robotech" ones - I don't have any of them either, and don't plan on aqcuiring them just to put them in this comic.

Rest assured however, that I am thinking and will figure something out. However, be that as it may, comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

As crazy as this sounds - but I think I'm going to have to end up drawing the figures myself and then animating them via photoshop - that is - drawing generic bodies and then drawing a bunch of heads with various facial expressions to go with it.

I don't see any other way to tell the story than by mixing real life photography of the Yamato models with ...hand drawn animation.

So ... off I go to actually do this...and try to make it look better ...

Pete

Not sure, but they are using DYRL uniform.

http://images.google.com/images?client=ope...sa=N&tab=wi

Don't have any idea how much costs anyway...

You could use CG but would need some good knowlege to do it...

Edited December 8, 2008 by akt_m

[VFTF1]

Those figures do look interesting, but I'm not too keen on investing money in them. I don't have the knowledge for CG.

I've decided to just draw the human characters and certain other elements myself and use the Mecha that Yamato have given us - the idea is to basically have the Mecha blend with the animation much like CG Mecha were blended with animation in Zero and Frontier.

It's been a long time since I've actually penciled comic book type art - I was certainly never some super pro by I think I can do a decent enough job to make it work...

So... we'll see how long this takes me - but I hope the result will be worth it Thanks everybody for all your comments and above all, I hope people had as much fun reading/looking at this short piece as I had making it.

Pete

[Renzus]

Cool Man

Keep up the good work

[chillyche]

I just wanted to add that I read your comic and I'll read more if and when you make more.

[VFTF1]

I just wanted to add that I read your comic and I'll read more if and when you make more.

Thank you. Rest assured I'm working on the continuation - but I want to make it look better, so it's taking a bit more time than this first one.

Pete

[VFTF1]

Ok guys - one sample and one simple question - and give me a straight answer:

Is this a tolerable art form to convey a story? I am considering the following options:

a) using this type of thing as a Storyboard layout and then drawing the actual work by hand (will take a longer time but should come out nicer)

b) using this type of thing as the actual comic

I myself have mixed feelings. My biggest problem is juxtaposing the "life like" valkyrie from Yamato with drawings... I'm trying to think of it like juxtaposing CGI with drawings... but still...it's hard to get a good balance.

a final option would be:

c) Writing the story as a text story with select black and white hand drawn illustrations and photo-graphics using the Yamato figures.

I personally think c) will actually be the most effective way of conveying the story - but wanted to throw these pages at you guys to see what you think. If these pages are laughable and suck - please say so so I know that they are hopeless. The minimum task of such work should be to convey mood and astmosphere - if they are "so bad" that one cannot get beyond their suckiness to even get an inkling of mode and atmosphere - then I'll probably shift gears and go to option C - but wanted to see what people thought first.

Here ya go:

Pete

[chillyche]

Totally honestly, the art conveys the story. Some of the pictures are funny. It's obviously not the most refined line art I've ever seen, but you're not attempting to deliver that. As long as the story remains interesting, I would probably continue to read this. Simplistic art, also, can be powerful. Not that I'm suggesting that you are making digital equivalents of Mike Avon Oeming's work, but I was first attracted to the excellent comic POWERS because of Oeming's simple artistic style. I only later discovered that Brian Michael Bendis was a talented writer, and as POWERS developed, I also learned to appreciate the nuance in Oeming's art. Off topic. Sorry. My point being, if you tell a good story, the simple art won't necessarily HURT it. If you really worked with the composition of the shots a bit, you might be on to something.

In fact, even though the art is frankly not something I personally would write home about, I would prefer to read this in comic form than illustrated novella form.

Some people read webcomics that are made from only a small palette of panels. Think about that Dinosaur one (I don't know the name) where the panels are the same pictures EVERY TIME, but with different text. That's effective.

At the same time, if you can do better with hand-drawn art, I would love to see that stuff.

Ultimately, you've created a story which has intrigue (even if it may mess with canon a bit), so, I'm still interested in what you present next.

But, my honest assessment is that if the story lags, the character aren't won't pull us through. But, I'm such a stickler for story that when I read J. Scott Campbell's "Wildsiderz" even HIS art couldn't get me past a single issue. So. THat's where I stand.