Luby Work: Character Design: Random Cartoons

Here’s some random cartoons!

Mad Jack is a Berserker, and a moody Berserker at that. No one knows why he decided to be a death-dealing kill-machine, but his dark profession has permeated his whole outlook and he is a very morose individual who, nevertheless, is violently protective of his twin sister, Jasmine.

Jasmine is a great and powerful mage... in-training. She's sure she'll be great and powerful in no time at all, just be patient. In the mean time, she spends her time galavanting around with her twin brother, the aptly-named Mad Jack, and firting with men whom are then chased off by said overprotective brother.

Luby Work: Character Design: The Aerognome

Who hasn’t seen that old Bugs Bunny cartoon, The Falling Hare? Remember? It’s the one where Bugs is up against a crafty little airplane Gremlin. You remember! In case you don’t, here’s the YouTube.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l8mWGCeBu8

So ANYHOW, come to find out that the phenomenon isn’t limited to cartoons and the Twilight Zone, it used to be a problem as far back as the 20’s! (thank you Wikipedia!) It was a superstition towards a new technlogy, happens

SO, stories like The Spiderwick Chronicles, etc. are magical tales of Fairies, etc.really living in our world, but just out of reach. and Gremlins can be a kind of fairy (though there is a negative connotation…) And I went on thinking up yet another comic/book/other project…

Widget is a strange little gnome. Orphaned, he was barely accepted by a small village of Fairies in the forest outside Wrenfax, watching the RAF airfield going up. He had been chastised by the fairies for grubby clothes and his ability, common to all Gnomes, of not being able to fly at all! and as he has found no real welcome in his foster home, its time he made his own way. After watching the planes take off and land, and the mechanics working on them, he has found his home! Taking up residence in an unused locker, he has fashioned himself a pair of retractable steel wings, just to see what all the fuss was about!

Ethwyn is a fairy(faerie) princess, but only in name. Otherwise, she's a bit of a tomboy, and not at all satisfied sitting on velvet cushions, or waving to the commonfolk form high towers. She craves adventure! The kind of adventure only in stories these days. Men have waxed and spread and adventure can hardly be found anywhere anymore, swallowed by the advance of their cities. Well, she'll just have to go in and drag it back out, who knows, it could be... and adventure to try...

Turg is a goblin, and by his nature is dim, nasty, brutish, and short; but only by human standards. He's simply the Fey World's answer to the average thug. He enjoys dirty work and revels in dull cruelty and gratuitous violence. His weapon of choice is a large, converted double-sided can opener with which he is frightfully proficient.

Luby Work: Character Design: the Atomic Duo (Nazi Martians)

Every good hero or hero team needs a good villain or villains to be heroic against. And I’ve got one of the most clear-cut, black-and-white villains there could be… Nazi Martians!

NAZI MARTIANS! Can't get more evil than aliens allied to the 3rd Reich and the SS! They imitate the Nazi soldier uniforms in an effort to blend in. Unfortunately they are no good at imitating anything, and tend to get hung up on Earth languages, let alone accents!

Yup, the Atomic duo guards the world against the ever-present threat of Nazi Martians! But the Martians have their own allies on Earth…

Otto Verklampt is an evil genius, no really, he is! Though a brilliant Mad Scientist, more than a century ahead of his time, he suffers from a crippling sociophobia. Combined with a strange love of public speaking, he tands to put himself in situations where he becomes catotonic with fear. Thankfully, he seems to have no problems socializing with his machines (to which he has an unhealthy attachment) and with the Martians, which he sees as less than human. His rocky relationship with his steady girlfriend, Annalisa, was saved the night of her 'accident' when he transplanted her brain into a robot body. He is now more in love with her than ever before!

Annalisa was a reclusive beauty, emotionally scarred after coming second in the Miss Europe Pageant, she enrolled in the Verkalsberg University where she feel in love with her chemisty professor, Dr. Verklampt. The two had a whirlwind romance, but Annalisa could tell something troubled him. The day she moved in with him, she stubled upon his Martian bunker under his castle, resulting in an accident which crushed her body. If not for her beloved, she would have died, but she is estranged by his attraction to her robot body.

Luby Work: Character Design: the Atomic Duo

The Heart and Soul of the AtomicDuo: Fatman, the Human Megaton! Fatman was just an ordinary, overweight janitor at the White Sands, New Mexico Nucear Testing Facility, until the fateful day he was exposed to high levels of ultra-rare Pseudonim isotope and gained fantastic strength and endurance! Now he works as the lead of the U.S. Super-Secret Service, fighting the encroaching Nazi Martian threat! In truth, though, Fatman is like a walking sledgehammer; a blunt instrument with as much brains at 9 lbs. of lead. Without his sidekick, Little Boy, he would never have a single successful mission.

Little Boy is the Brains and Skill of the Atomic Duo, without him, there would be no team. An Army Orphan, his skill and wit were honed on the mean streets. At 8, by a stroke of luck, he found himself in the very same halfway house as his partner, Fatman, at the time of Fatman's tranformation. Sworn to secrecy, he leapt at the opportunity to serve his country! In his 4 years of training, he mastered every physical and mental discipline presented to him and graduted to be Fatman's partner. He still thinks he got a raw deal...

Luby Work: Character Design: Sir Clegis

Some more examples of my work. Anyone familiar with any of my work will have seen, heard, or read of my signature character: Sir Clegis. The title is a comedy/fantasy chock full of action and adventure. It follows the small shape-changed pet lizard, Sir Clegis, and his quest to find his life’s meaning. It leads him from his Wizard master and into the myriad of lands and peoples in the world around him, eventually thrusting him into war and romance as his heart is stolen by the North King’s daughter, no less!

Sir Clegis is the hero of the story and, despite his inexperience, displays almost supernatural skill at weapons of all kinds, and battle insctincts that rival the most seasoned of veterans. All this wrapped in a kind, though impulsive, heart.

The Princess of Clegis' romantic aspirations. More than a yet-unnamed archetype, her life of luxury belies deep reserves of inner strength. But, is she the girl for our lizard hero? Does she even want to be..?

Luby Work: Character Design: Zoic

My PR lady told me I should post some of my own work to my blog, I guess she’s right, So Here goes…

These are character designs for a comic/web-comic concept of mine, an anthropomorphic sci-fi adventure following the exploits of The Renegade and it’s crew. The Renegade is attached to the recon fleet of the planet system Zoic, a militant collection of 5 planets. Zoic has entered into an intergalactic war with a far distant galaxy of reptilian creatures, the Skrags. But there is something more than Zoician ambition at work here, with raids on un-allied civilians and expropriation of creepy old ruins on long forgotten planets…

Thor, the Weapons Specialist and Recon Director. He is an angry, violent, militant chipmunk. I personally like that dichotomy, the violent shrimp sort of thing. He tends to have a cold outlook on his job as well as fellow shipmates. He is addicted to combat, and keeps himself in peak condition and always at the ready.

Minerva is a spunky, flirtatious skunk with a well-endowed set of hips and a great voice. That's why she's the Communications Officer and a master of intergalactic etiquette and diplomacy. She's upfront, honest, and kind. Minerva is the kind of officer that any crew is glad they have aboard for their own sanity.

Diana was a party girl throughout her academic career. She's found it harder to celebrate like she did in college, both from the years, and the cushy job she wants to keep. Though she may not imbibe the obscene amounts of alcohol she once did, her mouth is as filthy as ever and her attitude still belligerent.

Mithras looks like a kindly old penguin scientist with a short beard and a German accent. By-and-large that's what he is, but when he's 'inspired', Mithras can get a bit giddy, and rambles off long calculations or theories as if everyone around him shares his genius at hyper-advanced calculations and superliminal propulsion. Under stress, however, "the Professor" emerges, strict and curt, with no patience for distractions or monkeyshines!

RC is a Recon/Comm Assistant, series 7. They're up to series 9 now, but the 7's still work pretty well, and the captain had helped pay for her out of his own pocket. Unfortunately, her personality is a bit too active. It seems she was decommissioned and worked in the private sector, serving as assistant to a retired admiral and his wife, then recommissioned. It seems, during the interlude, her personality picked up a significant modulation, and she's acted like an 8-year-old-girl ever since.

Keep your eyes open for more posts in time.

~Luby

Luby’s Review: Hard-Boiled (Graphic Novel)

Geoff Darrow is insane!

I’d read about Hard-Boiled (not related to the supremely awesome John Woo film) but had never actually read it…

Until now. Frank Miller’s story is a kind of mix between pre-matrix Matrix themes, the Terminator, and Blade Runner all mixed in with an obsessive compulsive’s worst nightmare! Geoff Darrow is the over-the top artist who draws everything, and I do mean, EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING is rendered snd drawn, EVERYTHING! The level of detail and wide scope of the shots and angles are overwhelming.

SEE!!! And that ain’t nothin’!

Those very rare simple shots look somehow wrong. All-in-all its a damn good piece of comic art, but not for the soft-hearted, chock full of horrific violence and deviant sex.

If you liked Sin City and Blade Runner, you’ll probably love Hard-Boiled.

8 out of 10
~Luby

Luby’s Review: San Diego ComiCon 2008

Dude! I went to ComiCon!

Yes, the 2008 San Diego International Comic Book Convention! The Mecca of all things geeky, nerdy, or in any way related to comics, sci-fi, fantasy, and pop culture. THE ComiCon! It was like MegaCon on CRACK! The friggin’ convention center was 5 times the size of the one in Orlando, or at least it seemed to be. My wife, Jessica, and I met with our friends, Keith and Vita, at the Con and had a great time meeting what I consider to be to new friends, Naomi and Fitzy. We milled through the unbelievable press of bodies; its like a constant concert floor! Not too many crazy costumes this con, or at least I didn’t see many.
I bought some hard to find comics, but still couldn’t find Mitch Byrd’s Notes to Draw from. I saw a few friends from SCAD, Wheeler, Kelli, and Jarrett; hoped y’all’s portfolio reviews went well! I only got one proper review, luckily it was with Dark Horse’s Chris Warren, who I’ve reviewed with before at SCAD and could follow up with. Unfortunately he cut his review short before he got to the best of my newest stuff, so that’s a bummer. I had a sheaf of CD portfolios to distribute, and have only 6 left, so I did well. I even got to give a couple out to company’s I’ve reviewed with and could ask it to be delivered to editors by name, that’s an added bonus. Fitzy was great, she’s got a knack for people, knowing and remembering them, and being known and remembered by them…   maybe its the mohawk… after I was already impressed with all the talented and successful people she knew I mentioned that I wanted to have a career like Doug Tenapel (a long and successful run followed by a midas of publishing, everything he publishes sells!) then she idly mentioned, “…yeah, I know Doug Tenapel, I could introduce you.” WHA-!!! I was speechless!
I got to meet two of my favorite artists, Sergio Aragones, and Stan Sakai. OK, well I met Stan Sakai. Sergio was a bit preoccupied. Admittedly I came up on him while he was talking to Mark Evanier. But I got to have a brief talk with Stan Sakai and his wife, she was very, very nice and we mainly talked about kids and how it seemed just yesterday mine was 3 months old. Stan’s 20-something son was behind them and Stan said it was just yesterday that he was 3 months old! An incredibly memorable trip and I’m already making plans to go back next year!

Luby’s Review: The Dark Knight

The wife and I stepped out to see the Dark Knight last night…

It was a good movie, not quite so good at Batman Begins, but still a good movie. I liked the characterization of the Joker, though I wanted less of a jerky, spasmodic delivery, but that helped to cement his insanity. Personally I prefer a colder, more calculatingly cruel Joker, but that went against the character and purpose they were putting forth in the movie. The film showed the rise of Two-Face in what I thought was the greatest use of two villains in any movie I have ever seen. If only Spiderman 3 *shudder* could have done so well…

Anyhow, Two-Face is a cool villain and I have always liked him best of Batman’s Rouge’s Gallery since I saw the cartoon adaptation as a kid on Batman: the Animated Series. Before you judge by the fact its a cartoon, go to Hulu or Youtube and watch it yourself. I guarantee you, its good stuff. I thought the movie handled it well, introduced him well, showed him as a threat, but never a grand, overschemeing threat like the Joker was. An excellent use of a secondary villain who eventually comes to bring more potential harm to Batman than the Joker ever could. Also I VERY much appreciated how they wrapped up each villain, and was completely shocked by the main supporting character that dies. I did not see it coming.

There are some great “Oh Shit” and “Holy Shit” moments, and some cool gadgets, like the bat-cycle. I also liked how simply they dealt with the very realistic threat of someone simply guessing batman’s identity with a few scraps of evidence (it doesn’t take much to put 2 and 2 together).

HOWEVER! There are a few scenes which are censored, as I believe and really made me scratch my head. The Joker had a guy tied to a chair on a giant pile of bills (very comic-booky, but they treated it perfectly normally, so it came off with no mockery or camp, very well done) he lights the pile of fire without removing the guy, we are to assume he burns alive, but it never shown, nor are any sounds heard while he a some other goons continue the scene just short of the top of the pile, its like the guy wasn’t there at all! Unnecessary censorship! Just like the scene where Joker has a knife in a guys mouth, very clearly ready to cut his cheeks apart the very same way his cheeks were, but you never see him do that or anything else to the guy, he just dies. That’s a bit more acceptable, at least you see that he dies, and the cause is implied, as opposed to vanishing all together…

All-in-all, though a great comic-based movie!
And Harvey Dent was a pretty cool character, and that made Two-Face much cooler!

8 out of 10
~Luby

Luby’s Review: House (Graphic Novel)

The House Graphic Novel is an angst/horror book put out by Fantagraphics. It’s a darksome little tale about a trio of teens visiting an old half-sunken mansion and the horrible things that happen there. Its entirely sinlent, no dialogue or captions or text of any kind, really. The book is basically a kind of window into the mental breakdown of all three of the characters as terrible events mount up on each of them as the book progresses.

There is no happy ending.

In its progression I found that the time dealt with seemed to shorten the farther into the book you got, this mostly has to do with the pacing. There are wide angle and panoramic shots used in the beginning, but shorten up to quick panels, up to 9-12 in a page which chops up the time into smaller, quicker chunks. The real gimmick, other than the silence is the tonal masking. Masking is a sequential tool often used to define a character against its environment, or vice versa. Tintin, for instance, is well-known for realistic  and complex backgrounds, but simple, cartoony figures; Cerebus does the same. House is a but is of different take: the mood is dark and serious, but the characters are cartoony. There is no way it would have sold as well or been as well received if the art matched the story and was photorealistic. Sure it would have sold on art alone, lots of comics do, but it would have lost quite a bit in the translation and been fairly difficult to read and appreciate. As it is, it is a tough read, very dark.

Not my cup of tea, but
6 out of 10
~Luby