2.03

The problem with being married is that it is hard to get away with those threatening/ sarcastic comments… (and actually he has a good point but I’m not supposed to take sides) (even though I do). I think I need to tweak some of the colors on this page still but once again I have run out of time! On the plus side, I have the rough inks for the next page already done so I am technically ahead of schedule for that.

I have a class presentation today :B My first one of the year. I’m not nervous because our group is fucking awesome.

Anyways… pimp of the week! Kukuburi by Ramon Perez. Damn, this is one fine looking comic! I wonder why the hell anyone buys paper comics anymore when you have quality work like this online for free*

Oh, and the vote incentive today is a big panel of something in addition to sideburns that I enjoy drawing. Tomorrow’s is a coloring progress animation thinger that I forced myself to remember to screencap, I know a few of you wanted to see that.

*I am using exaggeration to make a point, no need to point out why paper comics are awesome.**
** I hope you already knew that without having to read a footnote***
*** … hi

63 Comments

  • Ah, Marital bliss! Luca’s expressions are teh WIN.

    Good luck on the presentation!

    • Thanks! The presentation went great, actually :)

  • LOL

    “An inbred relative.” The look on his face when he said that is priceless. I feel that these two have a very turbulent relationship that’s not to say they don’t love or care for each other, it just feels like they chew each other out now and again.

    I’m also curious as to what connection their story has to Angora and Pinter. Oh and as a side note I really like that your leading male characters are not well built and more average with a bit of mid riff or have white hair in places it adds a realistic and very appealing touch in my view.

    • The connection won’t be obvious for another few chapters (aka few years) so you might have to take some guesses in the meantime XD And I’m glad you like the designs, I try to make everyone realistic in some way.

    • SotiCoto

      The real world has both kinds of people though. I suppose only the proportions of each can be portrayed unrealistically.

  • Whoot! I was just coming to the site to vote, but I got surprised by a new page!
    Why do these two remind me of Bulma and Vegeta? lol

    Damn, your shading is awesome. Light scources can be such a betch. My only technical critisism with this page would be that the mirror isn’t that consistant. In the first panel the reflection is a lot clearer and crisper than in the last.

    I love how Luca says ‘female embasedors’ right in front of his female wife. Unless….
    OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS PHE IS REALLY A MAN, ISN’T SHE?!?!?!?!

    • Yeah, I did the last mirror first and I didn’t use a consistent technique (I thought the light overlay would conceal the shitty lines a bit more). Thankfully that is an easy fix since I still have an unflattened version of this page :)

      And no XD She’s not a man, he’s just not very sensitive.

  • I’m diggin’ those pointy shoulders, forrealz.

    And oh man the COLORING on this page….also I think his reflection is awesome. I like the slight blur on it….’cause I’m exciting like that!

  • Nosferatu

    I love how you got the dynamics of this married couple right on *thumbs up*

  • KoniraThax

    XD, he’s always so angry. He should listen to Phe, she’ll keep him out of trouble.

  • rufftoon

    Loving the first panel! As for coloration, my only worry would be that it may be a bit too dark when printed but that’s nothing to worry about…for now!
    I do like that the bg color behind Luca turns darker-colder in the third panel.
    Great interaction between the two. It is so interesting to compare with the first draft how you are handling the scene now.

    • Thanks! I was having some trouble with the balance of light/ dark with this page… he’s supposed to be in front of this giant dark dresser in between two windows, but then the bg is supposed to be lightening gradually as morning progresses. I’m not happy with his skin tone either, I’m going to try to fix those soon.

    • 80

      Whoa, it’s rufftoon! Didn’t expect to see you here…

      • I’m a big fan of The Meek- I may not leave a lot of comments but I do read every page and vote whenever I can.

  • Kyn

    I love how he’s offended that the QUEEN is sending FEMALE ambassadors while talking to his obviously very intelligent and politically capable WIFE :P

    • Yessss, it’s great. XD

  • Hel

    Obviously awesome. In all ways (especially Luca’s expression, and colors)
    Only, maybe because of hurry, details are less appreciated on this page than in others. Could it be Luca’s dark hair? The degree of detail between darker and whiter hair seems a bit off to me.
    Still, lights are fabulous (and shadows, especially from panel 3 xD)
    Also, I like the way Phe does not look at him in despite of comic imagery and in favour of reality. Their story is gonna be fun to read =)

    • I agree, his hair is bothering me a bit (too flat/ dense). I don’t want to make it too shiny though either… maybe I should lighten it a tad so you can see some detailing.

      And thanks for noticing ;3; I had to redraw her entirely because I had initially positioned her looking at him annoyed-edly. But then I thought that wouldn’t make sense given her dialogue, and made her avoid him.

  • And Phe with the SHUTDOWN! GLEE! That’s real FEMALE authority ^_- *sigh* Lucca you’re such a man… a sezzy sezzy man~

    Chapter 2 *gah* I’m in love!

  • :giggle: Ah, Phe and poor Luca. I love their couple dynamic!

    And you love drawing the wearing/pulling off gloves? xD

    • Um… gloves in general XD And boots for that matter. I guess its obvious in retrospect.

  • 8D Luca’s jacket looks more badass than ever.

    I love the use of the reflections on this page and the background colors in the third panel really provide this striking mood… that I can’t quite describe XD.

    Oh, I love the artwork in that webcomic *_*. Bookmarked.

    • Thanks XD I made his epalettes even more unlikely. Couldn’t help it.

  • GLOVESEX <3

  • Hah, I really like the touches you’ve made to his speaking patterns! It’s obvious that this isn’t his first language, without being ridiculous about it. It works well!

  • Moons

    I love the expression on the 3rd panel. XD Wonderful job

  • i love how he looks just a teensy bit surprised/regretful in the last panel, but i dunno if i should think he is…
    Anyway, everything’s awfully lovely. I especially love his clothes and all those folds…and the expressions, of course.

  • Filipe

    Ok, he receives Queens to give them land but there’s no one there to help him get ready in the morning? Shouldn’t he have an army of servants?

    • He does, but not when it comes to getting dressed. He tries to hide his disabilities from the public as much as possible!

      • Jpfan1989

        “his disabilities”?
        Would that be considered a spoiler?

        I love how everything looks so natural and realistic

        • I don’t think so XD His wooden leg is on the first panel of this chapter (and his missing teeth/ weird hands are also on the first page. Just not that obvious maybe).

  • hannah

    i love how he always looks either angry or bored.

    • Actually those are about his only two expressions…

  • Well, I’d say that the husband has a few good points, but he loses a little credit when he disses female ambassadors.

    Its a very realistic relationship you’re portraying here… Lots of good foundation for their story arc. It shows a more personal side to a ruler that you normally wouldn’t see with a traditional storytelling method. Your work is beautiful, so please keep it up.

    • Thank you! This is actually an uncommon scene, he will be much more distant for the rest of his arc. But I wanted to start it off with a bit more humanity to compare to later on in the story.

  • 80

    You update so quickly its amazing… I really like this page. Gah, you’re amazing! I can’t get over it. Keep your amazing work. (And for good measure, amazingx34)

    • Quickly?? If once a week is quick then I guess I don’t know what slow is, haha. I’m getting so frustrated with once a week. But thanks all the same :)

      • Shah K

        Actually, yes. Once a week is satisfactory. I believe No need for Bushido updates once per two weeks. (Although I haven’t read it for that long so I may be wrong… )

  • ~L.K.

    It’s nice to see you mentioning Kukuburi! After you put up The Abominable Charles Christopher, I began to flip through all of Transmission X’s stuff. I love that group!

    • Yeah, they are really quite amazing 0_0 I really haven’t seen anything like Kukuburi around, its just so stylish.

  • droool
    if your lines are THAT crisp at 72 DPI, what DPI are you working with!? It explains a LOT but holy shiznits woman!

    Your beautiful work makes me die inside a little out of jealousy and the a new peice is reborn so that i can go “SQUEE! YAY!” as I read on. I swear, this is the first comic i have seen on the web that actually is making me check back on an almost daily basis in hopes that you have updated or put in a fun incentive.

    …i feel nerdy, and yes, I have no life, but I love it all just the same.

    • 600dpi for the lines D: Thankfully its in grayscale, otherwise it would be very hard to manage. I color at half that, 300dpi.

      And thanks XD If only you knew how dissatisfied I am feeling with my art all the time, haha. But I’m glad you are enjoying it.

      • AHA! I thought so! God I wish my computer could handle something that big. It is a hassle to do something at 300. I am going to keep trying though, I seriously need my comic to look pro enough for highschool senior project. …course, that could be anything, now that I think about it.

  • I love kukuburi. The skeleton is my favorite character, he is so cool.

  • Emperial

    This is so freaking awesome. Not only do we get to watch Luca get dressed, the dialogue and interaction, and it just looks so gorgeous! ;_; You just outdo yourself with every page, it gets better and better!

    • Thanks ;3; I thought the original version was somewhat lacking in “action,” they were just kind of sitting there. Luca getting dressed is more interesting for me to draw if you know what I mean XD

      • RJF

        I’d agree with that, and can see the benefit. It’s always important to keep movement in comic panels, regardless of the subject – if all you have are immobile talking heads, there’s not really much point in drawing a comic in the first place!

  • ellie

    I really really really love the coloring in the first panel. Just sayin’.

  • Nora

    “Oh, an inbred relative… Wonderful.”

    The look on his face was just classic. He seems to be so enthusiastic… **Rolls eyes**

  • sweet_gardenia

    Luca you’re such a snappy dresser. And such a bastard XD hahah I love Phe’s jazzhands of exasperation. Shut you down Luca!

    This will be such a wonderful meeting…dinner party…tea party…I forget :P

  • RJF

    I think that a few people are getting the wrong end of the stick with the “female ambassadors” comment – it comes across to me not so much as an issue of sexism as politics – note that he objects to the “female ambassadors”, but not the Queen herself as a sovereign ruler.

    The Queen is going to the Emperor here to request his indulgence in some matter – but she’s doing it in a very undiplomatic way. She doesn’t dignify a presumably important occasion with her own prescence, but instead sends lackeys; she must also be conscious of social expectations in the Emperor’s domain but she still disregards that entirely with her female ambassadors, not making even the slightest gesture of accommodation, which is a strange way to try and open a dialogue. It’s not an olive branch, it’s a pointed snub, so I’d say that it’s entirely reasonable for the Emperor to feel put out here.

    • Thanks for thinking about it! You’re right, and there’s another level too… The Carissi hold females in high regard (although the last regime tried and mostly failed to change that). So sending female ambassadors is actually respectful from their culture’s perspective, but disrespectful from the Emperor’s culture’s perspective. Overall I’d say it is disrespectful since they are coming to ask for his audience and did not take his preferences into consideration.

      Also all of this is completely unnecessary to know at this point, just some fun background :) No use building a world if you can’t have a bunch of silly politics.

      • “… a bunch of silly politics.”

        Waitaminit …

        There are OTHER kinds of politics???

      • hehe, now I feel special for catching that too~ Aside from the culture stuff that was not mentioned.

  • Manablade

    I just had to echo what many other people have already said about panel three being fantastic. Both the line and his facial expression are perfect.

    Also, after seeing the close-up vote incentive I’m really digging the gloves. I hadn’t noticed the side-seam before that, and all of the creases as he pulls them on give them such an organic feel.

  • rainey

    I can almost hear that “ding” sound in the third panel. OH LUCA.

  • rockfish

    Ah! I missed the restart of this comic! Well, I don’t understand why anyone would take the female ambassadors badly. It’s all character development and unveiling of their culture. Anyway, I adore Luca. Such a cute crazy ruler

    • rockfish

      I left out the word “comment”. Female ambassadors comment. Woop D:

  • Silver Lady

    It´s too early to make judgements, but I can´t help feeling sorry for Luca. It´s hard enough to rule a kingdom, even if you have your family´s support – and this he obviously has not.

  • That mirror shot is awesome.
    As are the pointy shoulders on his jacket. XD

  • Chameleon Kid

    I love the expressions here–and their interactions…Gotta love watching a married couple together. X3

  • Jojo

    I just really like his face.

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