I am secretly updating early to see if anyone notices! I knew I was going to be super busy this week so I got the page done by last night. Now that I know that I have the ability to manage my time to this extent, maybe I can actually stay on schedule from here on out.
Plug of the day: Hanna Is Not A Boy’s Name! Done by a stylish, stylish friend of mine who has been drawing stylish, stylish comics for years and only keeps getting better. Good reads for those of you who enjoy glasses, zombies, and/or sideburns*.
Next page: scene shift! and new characters! I can’t wait.
*…
8D. 8D. yayyyyy an update! That hand is gorgeous– and I love the beat panel that leads to her face.
So nice! Your layouts are always so amazing.
Next time you update secretly don’t add it to the RSS feed :D
Well done and thanks :)
Since I’m still not 100% sure what the hell the RSS feed is, I will continue to think of myself as being mysterious and secretive.
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It’s part of the reason why I am really glad a lot of people are looking to WordPress and other blogging/content management systems for posting their comics. Basically what it allows us to do is view content from multiple websites that have “feeds” enabled at a single location, namely some kind of feed reader, for example Google Reader.
Modern browsers like Firefox, have the capacity for feed reading built right in. If you’re looking to marketing anything that updates particularly frequently, having a feed available is basically essential as it offers your users/visitors/readers a lot of convenience. All right, that’s enough of my geek talk!
Although, it may also interest you to know that WordPress has the ability to schedule “future” posts, that is, you might post an update on Sunday and not have it publish until Monday evening.
I sort of get that… still not so clear on what reads the feeds? I don’t use those programs, I guess.
And I know about WordPress’s scheduling options, I’m just impatient XD I hate sitting on finished work.
Yay! Update! (I check this everyday! Usually to vote!)
Me too! From multiple computers xD
Ha ha! I vote everyday….can’t hide it from me. =P I love it! =D
I was like “I think I’ll go visit The Meek even though I’ve already voted and already saw the page”. And there was a NEW PAGE. It’s like I KNEW.
I can sense when Luca is nighhh O__O
I noticed.
Thanks to RSS, I know about the update!
Sneaky!
I, uh, might just check obsessively every day just in case. Yeah.
lol I (secretly) check here twice a day, just to make sure I don’t miss anything.
This page is so sweet, ugh. Phe doesn’t respond to the “I love you”? RUHROH.
ARTWISE I love the lighting in the second panel and how Luca’s hand breaks it.
RSS spoke, I looked – behold and lo, a new Meek page. So much for secretive. ;)
instead of saying that i actually don’t KNOW when you update, thus i check every day, i’ll say I just knew..you know like intuition? yup
anyways, love the art, and love all the plugs you give out. they r so amusing :}
lol, I supposedly update every Wednesday or so. Except I’m more often late than not.
And I’m glad you like the plugs!
I came to vote and got a page too! : D
Oo, look! Luca’s sort of not frowning! Aww!
And I check the website every day, since I don’t actually know what day it updates. And occasionally, I’m rewarded! Like today! Hurray!
I check like every day! And vote too!
I noticed! Actually, I just came by to vote, and thought I had missed an update from before. I was terribly confused.
I hope that her non-response to “I love you” isn’t a sign of bad things to come for Luca. Because he’s adorable.
Sweet! an update!
Awesome! I love the dialogue on this page. It’s comic yet strained. Like their marriage has become a bit lackluster. Ah, I don’t know what I’m trying to say anymore… :| Scene change! XD
Does Luca never use contractions? I think it’s cute :)
Ahaha, I really can’t keep anything from you readers! I keep thinking I’m being cool and subtle but I guess not :)
Haha :) is it because he speaks a foreign language? I can’t really remember.
Yeah, he speaks all three main languages in the comic :) This one isn’t his native language.
This might be a tad late, and I don’t know if anyone will even notice this comment… but while Luca doesn’t use contractions all that often, in page one of the chapter, he let one slip, where he says “Don’t be ridiculous. The long term is all I think about.” Not trying to be nit picky, just pointing out that one slipped out. :)
This comic is love… Honestly. I can’t find a thing wrong with it.
And yes, you have been updating frequently, unlike other comics I know! That is great effort! I hope you realize how much we all appreciate it. Keep up the astounding work!
Aw, thank you! I’m really glad that you’re enjoying the updates :)
Yay new page! I check the RSS feed everyday so HAH Ninja!Fail. :>
Love the artwork. New characters! Can’t wait!
Phe’s non-response makes me sad.
):
Like that.
:c
:D Woo! I love early updates! And Phe looks troubled. Poor phe. By the way, loving the warm color scheme, so very much. Huge, and very pleasant, change from the jungle.
Also, I love Hanna is Not a Boy’s Name! …And sideburns! Sideburns are always fantastic.
Thanks! All the straight lines are hard to get used to drawing but its a lot easier to color…
I love you too Luca~
hehe, I noticed only cause I stop by here on a religious basis =D
….i have no life. ;_;
I have you bookmarked XD I look on the site EVERY DAY. I kinda like Luca’s hand at the last few panels. I don’t know why
Ufufu~ I subscribe to the RSS feed, so I get updates as soon as you post them~
My heart goes out to Phe in that last panel. I can feel how troubled she is with his actions/attitude but also how deeply she does love him. At least that’s what I got from it. XD Great page! I sort of check twice a day like an obsessed freak so….yes, I was pleased.
:) You’ve got it!
Although I forgot to say it earlier, his wife’s pretty damn hot. Can I get her number? ;D
Jesse~
This is going to break my heart I just know it j 3j
talk to the hand lol
Aww, Luca is kinda cute here. x3
Also, great expression on Phe. Conveys a lot of emotion.
Is Luca supposed to have slightly odd diction/a slight accent? It took me a while to figure out what bothered me about his last sentence: I’d never say “Do not stay up to wait”. It would be “Don’t wait up”, most often, or maybe “Don’t stay up”. Feels vaguely non-native-speakerish, that way.
Yes he does have an accent… This language (Santri) is his third language.
well, if you will be quite busy, then did you know that you can use script for to update every day or week ? you can ask her at http://seraph-inn.com/ because she used it when she is on holyday or illness :)
That’s so sweet!
You’re a master in describing a relationship using only their faces and the words they -don’t- say. I think almost everything I wanted to say already has been said, so I won’t repeat it, but I truly admire your talent. I wish I was as good at describing characters and relationships myself.
I really like how you did Phe’s expression in the last panel and god I want those gloves.
I must say that this page makes me sad…
Being married to Luca must be hard for Phe.
Particularly, I like the panel where his kind of cold gesture (in addition to the glove…) is paired with these words that usually every man hates to say. It’s clear that here, Luca is really absent-minded.
Poor Phe!
I noticed! XD
I always notice.
BTW, yesterdays little vote picture thingy, I wish you’d put that up on Deviant so I can fave it. It was too funny for words. XD
” You complete me ” *heartgesture* @_@
Awwwe XD Luca is such a guy, bless him. I also think the shot with the hand is very well done in terms of what’s not being said in that panel. Also am loving Phe’s expression. You can see the conflict in her expression. You convey their emotional distance very well. It’s all so goood argh <3
I’ve been trying to figure out what you meant by “guy.” At first, I thought you were using the old slang term for a bizzarrely-dressed character, and then I wondered if you meant just that he’s male …
Either one works, i guess.
Does this scene change involve poncho wearing people?
Read the B&W versions first and loving the coloured ones. Keep up the awesomeness! :)
I do not think he is goning to stay on time forever because I have never head of anyone that did
*checks out comic* I love me some sideburns. Alright, new characters! *new character dance*
Great page,as always.I’ve read the original drafts of The Meek,and I’m curious: Would you consider Luca as the ‘villain’ of the comic or a morally ambiguous person? Or is that meant to remain a mystery/up to the viewers?
My standard answer to this question is that I don’t think that there are good characters or bad characters in this comic, just characters with different motivations.
Excellent way of looking at things.
Agreed. This is a big reason why I’m so in love with this comic – the gray areas in character really catches my interest. :)
Squee!
ANNNDD…
You have the same windows theme as me – I had to squint at the screen when I voted because it looked like a window into my soul/hardrive. Minus the sketch. This will change.
:)
Haha XD I really like the more classic window’s theme… I hated the look of XP, and I’m pretty sure I don’t like Vista.
I’m another in the camp of not bothering to confirm your update schedule, instead checking near constantly.
I love that Phe has junk in her trunk. Baby got back! XD Just another of your wonderful differentiations of characters; I love how you make them all physically unique.
Is Suda their son?
Luca is something of a romantic, but he’s uncomfortable with emotions, so he says what he needs to and then rushes off before he gets embarrassed.
Huh, why would he put his gloves on before going into the washroom?
He only has to do his hair/ dentures, haha. But in general he doesn’t like looking at them.
I’m not sure why, but I really like the panel with just the hand in it XD. Not only is it a well drawn hand, but it has a surprising emotive quality just on its own :B. NICE lighting in the third panel too; I like how his hand interrupts the light rays. Can’t wait to see the other characters in shiny color 8D.
Also, I was voting yesterday and it freaked me out how few layers you use in your pages. I think I might be overdoing it — I’ve got layer masks everywhere and masked groups with masked layers inside and… I need to consolidate my work more XD.
Oh, well I’m constantly consolidating. I also don’t use masks… mostly because I don’t know how (XD) but also because holding shift and clicking on the picture of the layer in the layer menu will select everything in there (or just locking the layer). I don’t mind painting on just a hair layer for all the hair, then consolidating it with just the skin layer once both are done. I used to be a 40+ layers kind of person before, but after doing digital painting I realized that you can get away with having nearly no layers as long as you are careful… I mean, thats what painters do in real life :B
Love the artwork, and been waiting for updates. This reminds me a lot of Gorrilaz artwork, a little at least, but the characters are very cartoonish, funny and have a very natural feel. The backgrounds are beautiful.
Wow… I never thought he’d say something like that :O
On a second note, I voted today and I was totally scared of what I’d find when I read “Meoooww!!!”… I thought I’d find another gif process in which Luca would show the Meow face for less than a second (AGAIN) xD
Aw, Phe. she loves him, she really does. -hugs them both-
Also, being trilingual is awesome. Go Luca.
I am really starting to considerate wether Phe will be the character I’ll be enjoying the most XD
As it has been already said, good work with Luca again, from language to poses (and, I like much better his hair in this last page!) I smile every time I see an update, it really is enjoyable, not just following a story as a passtime…! It’s work like this that shows how webcomics can overrule lots of things that get actually printed today…
Congratulations again, will be waiting for the next one =)
Your art reminds me of an Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon.
:D
nice lighting on panel 2! :3
I noticed! :D
love your comic. And I have really enjoyed these scenes with Luca and Phe… the dynamic is perfect! :)
your comic is epic [:
i read straight through asdfghj.
i’ll check by often~
Daww. Luca may be all silly, mean, and prickly on the outside. But he’s got mush in there :)
Luca “Have a nice day!”
Angry Phe “…”
Luca “…I love you?”
Angry Phe “…”
Luca :(
Busy, busy, busy.. At less he said “I love you”
Just found your comic! It’s wonderful- the art, the characters, and the plot, which is already enjoyable, has me so excited for the future!
I LOVE your comic! There are a couple webcomics I casually observe, but very few I am hooked on! Please never stop… EVER ; D
Hey, this page is really good!
i’m soo excited, i wonder whats going to happen next.
and ur comic is amazing, i never get excited that easily …keep up the good work :D
Angry Phe is Angry. >:|
Win~!
I can’t wait to see the next page! >w<
Luca, hmm. Perhaps our authoritarian character’s name here is a reference to Luca Blight…
No idea who that is, so… no :B
Luca Blight has been considered one of the most evil villains of all time in video game history and is the main antagonist of Suikoden II.
Ah :B When I think of the name Luca I always think of Luca Brasi from the Godfather… he was pretty badass himself.
I never got something. What’s the point of using “…” as part of a comic character’s speech? I mean, that signifies silence, but takes up space in comparison to just using a character not saying anything. I think not saying anything might actually look better.
That’s a fair question. I actually drew the panel first without any speech bubble, then addd it in… from experience, I think the transition doesn’t work as well without some kind of visual/ written cue that there is a silence there. Without the elipses is could be interpreted as a pause between chunks of dialogue.
I don’t know, I did a quick mock-up without the bubble:
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m179/link-amn/Untitled-3.jpg
Honestly, the eyes say a lot more than the speech bubble.
Thanks for the comparison! I dunno, personally I still like it better with the bubble there. Maybe I just don’t like all that space, haha. Once the whole chapter is done I will reread and see how it looks in context, maybe by then I will have a different perspective on how the th whole thing should flow.
Well.. i’ve always considered “…” as something which should be used. I mean, looking on that comparison made by Link Man – it looks like “sigh” on Phe’s side. While with bubble it looks like “Oh, you’ll suffer for this later…”. I don’t know why it is so. Maybe cause of personal experience with that “…” ? ^^
Best regards.
I laugh a little inside my head whenever I see Luca, now, knowing his name.
My great grandfather moved from Italy to the US as a small boy. The name of the town he was from…? Luca. :D
Use the washroom? After he has his gloves on?
He’s cynical and suspicious. Those are virtues in a monarch.
You’re doing well. Congratulations!
He still has to do his hair and put his teeth in :)
Thanks!
My comment below is purposefully vague-ish, but talks about something from later in the comic, for those of you reading who haven’t finished the chapter. Just an FYI.
In re-reading the chapter again (as you recommended at the final page), I must say that I love panel three and the volumes it speaks in retrospect. Knowing your attention to detail and careful planning, I’m sure it was deliberate and makes me love the comic even more.
Hmm, he hates these people because he wants to protect the children he loves… could this be the man her grandfather said to watch out for?
Hehe
At least he triiiiies to be loving! She just gives him the cold shoulder!