Tons of bonus stuff today!
I:
We are exactly two weeks away from comic #50. This is pretty exciting. Especially considering at this point in Chainmail Bikini I was already horribly, horribly burnt out and the whole thing felt like a massive chore. Clockworks is still very much fun and exciting, and will hopefully remain that way for a few hundred more strips.
II:
I added a new vote incentive over on Top Web Comics.com, a double sized version of today’s comic, with no pesky word boxes in the way. Go vote to see it. You know you want to.
III:
Today’s comic features the second reader cameo, from a month or so back. Young Toby’s grandmother is based on Andrea/Velkyn. We’ll see a bit more of her over the next couple of comics.
IV:
I’m a little concerned about how easy/difficult it is to follow the mass of narration boxes in today’s comic. If you guys find anything jarring, or think the whole thing is smooth as pie, let me know. On the other end of the Webcomic Creators Self Analysis, I’m really happy the way the words and pictures on this one both work to bring together the story, telling you things neither one would say on their own, especially panel 4.
V – Behind the Scenes:
Gareth Tyran was a guest star in New Dawn, the campaign before Clockworks. The rag tag band of misfits in panel 3 are the PCs from that game. (I think even if you didn’t know that, even if you didn’t know Clockworks is based on an RPG, if you’ve ever played a tabletop or computer RPG, those guys scream Group Of Player Characters. )
Back when New Dawn was new, I drew more character illustrations of each of the PCs. (Aside from the guy on the left, he joined after the game began.) Take a look:
I think it’s interesting to note how my style has changed, and what things have stayed the same.
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VI:
The wiki could use a little love. If any of you are bored today and want to go and add an entry for the Gentleman Caller, the Department of Unusual Biology, or expand the entries for Gareth Tyran, Iron, San Khotal, or whatever, go for it.
That’s about it for today. See you on Tuesday when Grandpa finally gets around to talking about this Mysterious Black Metal Device.
Mysteries and plot hooks! Anxiously awaiting the next comic to find out about the black objects, the mysterious group he traveled with, and Toby’s grandma!
I was able to read the narration boxes just fine – the flow was actually helped by the word bubbles and narration boxes intersecting the story boxes.
I agree with Amy. The layout works perfectly! Loved seeing the PC’s from New Dawn after I’ve poured over all your reference material for the Play Test. Very cool, indeed!
I didn’t have any difficulty following the comic, it was easy. Great job with the revamp of the player group, the original drawings are great, but this ones fit the comic style much better.
I’m getting intrigued by the black metal, it’s already been said it’s indestructible, but I’m seeing that it has some details added that tell about carefull crafting of the items. This leads me to believe that they are first crafted and then converted to the final form. Perhaps they are not solid black metal items, and the black metal indestructive part is a layer above the original item.
Another great issue, love Toby’s granny, she’s a hottie. And the bonus pic of caile is awesome, reminds me a bit of the artwork from the Monster Blood Tattoo series if you have read that (good read, I highly recommend it, and coincidentally, it features monster hunters as well!). As usual, your strip just gets better and better with each release, and more and more I want to see the RPG book!
I think the last panel is pretty hilarious. The giant axe coupled with “Irone is a messed up place” brings the deadpan joke to a punchline.
The layout’s great — as is Toby’s fire-wielding grandmother.
Heads up I added some info on the wiki to Gareth.
I agree with the rest, the text flow is fine, it works well. The folks in Panel 3 are PCs? Why i would never had guessed.
I definitely will be adding something to the Wiki. I wasn’t sure if that was “permitted”.
The older character sketches remind me of the portraits done as etchings, particularly the Native Americanish hunter guy. Careful and printerly. Your current style seems looser and more free-flowing.
The last panel is fantastic — Dark deeds done in silhouette. And Toby’s grandmother looks angelic in the penultimate panel. You know, for an Unnatural.
Hm, interesting that Toby’s grandma is a spellcaster….
The Black Metal devices even more so.
Woo hoo! I’m famous!
Thanks all. Glad you’re enjoying it. These last two strips took a lot of extra time. Turns out exposition also takes a lot of work to get right.
One of the best strips so far. The flow was easy to follow. Loved the pc’s.
Have you considered making panel#3 or #4 into posters/web banners for your street team section? I was thinking they’d make good posters to put in my campus computer labs…
>Bryan
Slightly tweaked the narration in this one, realized both panel 2 and 3 began with “We ended up…” Rewrote panel 3.
I sometimes have trouble figuring out which panel to read next in comic strips, but not this time. Very easy to follow the comic.
Toby does not look anything like his grand parents. Not even close. Any particular reason why that is?
The grandmother looks a bit like Ophelia.
Keep up the good work.
Are you kidding? He’s got his grandpa’s eyes.
How about that nose? =)
No problem following the text flow in this one.
…Black-haired chick in panel 3 is hawt. (Yes I’m a geek, sue me).
The guy with the axe reeks of amateurism! I see no altar, and above all no curved or wavy knife! And it almost looks like Grandma is not completely undressed either! What kind of shoddy ritual is this??
Thank you so much, Shawn. That was great and you did an amazing job with the photo I sent you. So the rest of you, if Shawn offers a cameo again, go for it! Definitely, definitely worth it!
That bunch of characters in the comic just screams PCs. When do we get to see their Savage stats?
Vel – glad you liked it!
Oh, that’s a story behind that guy. That poor, poor evil villain.
Smooth… As…. Pie!
I like that… “Irone is a messed up place”. The timing is perfect on it.
I didn’t notice the words at all, so I would say they were pretty smooth. However, I’m a little more text oriented than art oriented…
[...] seems fairly unnecessary now. Playing around with the art style is something I’ve had a bit more success at in Clockworks. That said, I do really dig the Chuck closeup in panel 7. Also, I [...]
Rereading through the archive, I think this is my favorite comic so far
Ok, this is weird. After I read this comic, I had an awesome idea involving a top hat, a homicidal gentleman, and a machine gun. Now I look back and see a top hatted robot guy with goggles, and my world crumbles around me.
SO. FREAKING. AWESOME.
Wait wait wait. Is that one PC from the Vori islands? Somethin’ about him.