ya, the blast shield was a good call

[Fallwind]

very nice job on the explosion, the streaking effect from the shield looks very nice.

[Allan_ecker]

I'm actually pretty disappointed with my coloring job. I like how the inks turned out, but the coloring around the blast cone left by the shield looks very amaturish in retrospect and may even get a touch-up.

Not sure if I mentioned this, but the current run of Unit Zero ends May 3.

[Nyamaza]

ummm... I'm really, REALLY glad someone said something. I was getting relly confused as yo why the U0 were suddenly flying through the cheetoe inspired caverns of a cheese planet.

[Allan_ecker]

Ha ha! It's a good thing this is going to be over soon! I don't think I can take much more honest critiquing!

All kidding aside, folks, I'm going to need some more practice before I do full color, full page layout with varying panel shapes again.

[The_Fox]

*is muchly curious about what cames after UZ*

- Jarylan

[Nyamaza]

well, you have U0, then U1, then Allan gets sued by a rather good band and can't do art anyymore.

[Alfador]

I know what's next. But Allan has instructed me not to tell.

Not that I can keep a secret if it's only a secret...but I promised I wouldn't tell. And I can keep my word.

*shuts up*

[Allan_ecker]

Of course, now you've revealed that I care whether it's revealed or not.

(Guile is not exactly Alfador's strong point in much the same sense that the capital of Denmark is not exactly a Jamacan tree frog with a bad head cold.)

But then again, since when have I been able to resist making vague comments with the direct intent to stir up anticipation?

(I said vague comments, not hints. You don't get any. Ha ha.)

[Nyamaza]

*sighs, and gets out a collar and three tail-restraints*

Your call Allan, Alfy need a good spanking for that slip?

[Allan_ecker]

No, no, you need to think of a punishment.

[Randyg]

I'd post what I'd think would be good to do to him as a punishment, but it would TMI too many people. :)

--Randy

[The_Fox]

Private message me, Randy. =^.^=

- Jarylan, the Curious Foxie

[Randyg]

Not without Alfy's permission, as it mentions various personal things. :)

--Randy

[Nyamaza]

If permission is given, PM me too!

[KarlBob]

Oooooo-kaaaay, turning the conversation away from TMI-land and back to Unit Zero:

You didn't seriously let those skunks blow up Griffin's ship, did you? The station was expendable, but you already built up Griffin's ship into a character in its own right.

[Allan_ecker]

There's a truism about science fiction: no one is ever really -dead- in science fiction or soap operas.

If the whole cast sees you messily eviscirated, you can still turn out to have been a clone, or a hologram, or whatever. Objects get similar dispensation.

But yeah, for the moment it's fairly safe to say that that ship is a whiff of ionized metallic and radioactive atoms. I did not make that decision lightly, however. Unit Zero, despite failing utterly to make the slightest bit of sense to a significant fraction of readers, is actually carefully written, to a degree, and mostly deliberate. (TOTALLY bombed on that misname, though.)

When the next chapter finally does come out, the plan is to fix the "art noise" problem with repeated trials of each page, complete with test audiences, and a more careful consideration of how often transitions occur. I didn't realize it at the time, but time is both stretched and compressed by the creative process, here. It feels like it takes hours to move from panel to panel, but since I'm writing them, I get no sensation of increased delay from page to page, which is an entire week.

Time also comes into play when I see things in my head, as I unconsciously fill in the details of the story all around. When I read the page with Arnold's story on it, I see all of it; fifteen years spent mostly in a vat of fluid with wires pulsing commands and admonishions directly into my brain, the clocking sessions, the hundreds of needles jabbed into me as I matured, more grown than raised. Finally socking the nurse, sending her to the floor and giving me 83.13 seconds to get clear of the compound before the next guard came by that room, and the year spent stewing in alleys and praying on unsuspecting muggers and rapists. Making an army of them and thier victims. Creating the Confederation. Leveling Epsilon Eridani 4. Making the system Viceroy bow before me. All of it.

When ya get that, it's kinda hard to judge how long those panels take; at least when you're not being terribly self-critical.

[KarlBob]

There's a truism about science fiction: no one is ever really -dead- in science fiction or soap operas.

Or in their bastard love-child: space opera. Still, I think the most flagrant cases of never-really-dead syndrome come from comic books.

(TOTALLY bombed on that misname, though.)

Misname? What makes you say Unit Zero is misnamed?

[Allan_ecker]

There's a truism about science fiction: no one is ever really -dead- in science fiction or soap operas.

Or in their bastard love-child: space opera. Still, I think the most flagrant cases of never-really-dead syndrome come from comic books.

ACTUAL quote from an X-Men comic:
Jeane Grey: If I die ONE MORE TIME I'm going to turn into a walking cliche'.

I consider the "superhero comic" genre to be just a particular subgenre of SF, though; X-Men in fact is really just a Space Opera on the ground.

(TOTALLY bombed on that misname, though.)

Misname? What makes you say Unit Zero is misnamed?

Oh, wasn't UZ I misnamed, it was Griffin. Her surname changed from Steelwill to Rudan.

[Fallwind]

one of the guys i know on the City of Heroes forums has the signature

Cyclops: Oh, I've died once.... he's died....?
Wolverene: Oh hell, I've lost count

[Alfador]

Not without Alfy's permission, as it mentions various personal things.

--Randy

*blush* Permission granted.