LO4: Justification of how visual style follows codes and conventions

The format of the comic is inspired by western superhero comics like DC and Marvel. Hence, the text and paneling of the story go from left to right, unlike Japanese comics/mangas that read from right to left. The visual style of the comic is in keeping with the conventions of superhero fantasy comics and graphic novels as seen in the Dark Knights of Steel comic series I studied previously. I have included elements that are typical of the genre like character archetypes, design, costumes, setting and storyline. The protagonist Ira is a typical hero archetype in the story. She possesses unique powers and abilities that she uses to overcome hurdles and achieve her ultimate goal. She has an overwhelming desire to help others and has an overall positive outlook on life. To reflect the medieval setting of the comic, I designed various outfits for the protagonist and made sure they also reflected her aristocratic social background. She wears well tailored, high quality clothes, compared to what a peasant would wear. The signature colour I chose for her is green as it connotes a down-to-earth personality along with growth and new-beginnings. Though, on the other hand, it also symbolises a lack of experience which reflects Ira's naivety, which created problems in her journey as an aristocrat and vigilante.

Common plot-points in a superhero storyline include, but are not limited to- A culturally significant setting, superpowers that are learnt/enabled by a special item, a secret identity, a supervillain and a sidekick or superhero team. While I was not able to explore all of them in the 3 page comic, the story surrounding the main character follows the above mentioned plot stereotypes. 

On the first page of the comic, I introduced a villain character that challenges the protagonist. Characteristics of a good villain character include but are not limited to- properly developed and compelling motivations, complex ideologies that often oppose that of the protagonist, threatening persona, intelligence and a tragic backstory. While it is not possible to touch on all of them in one page, I have been able to include a few. Though, as this scene is supposed to be a small glimpse at a conflict in the protagonists story, much of the villain's motives and character are left to interpretation. The dialogue in this scene subtly reveals many major factors in the story- "Even if you run, I already know who you are." This hints to the fact that the protagonist has a secret identity that this villain character knows of- something they can use against her. Her secret identity is also ephasised through the clothing she is wearing (mask). "You will pay for your foolishness and your family's cowardice." This gives the readers and overview of the major problems/plot points that could be explored throughout the story- Ira's decisions and her family's history or role in the story.

I chose two opposing colour palettes for the two sections of the comic (page 1 is section 1 and page 2-3 is section 2). The reason behind the opposing colour palette was to show the readers the time of day and the fact that there is a time skip/ flashback in section 2. I have strategically used analepsis in this section to tell an engaging story. For section one, the dark blue and purple colour palette connotes mystery for both the characters in the diegesis and the readers as they are not yet introduced to the characters yet. Though, I have purposefully included the name of the protagonist in the first page itself to give the readers some context and emphasise the fact that she is the main character. This trend follows through to the second section as despite the readers seeing another character, they are still only familiar with the protagonist Ira, whose name is repeated on both pages in this section. This will also help the readers remember her name better than the others even if they are introduced later, solidifying key information that the audience must know. 

          

The second section takes place in the morning and has a lot of medieval motifs in the architecture and backgrounds of the scene. In the examples above, I chose to show where the scene is taking place using a wide shot of the location, just like the inspiration I took from the Dark Knights of Steel comic. I also kept the warm, yellow tones consistent to show that it is all taking place in the same location and time of day. Another thing I noticed was the use of contrasting colours. The example page from the DKS comic have used tones of orange and blue. I did the same thing for my comic but showed the contrasting shades through the use of props and costumes instead of integrating them into the backgrounds themselves. Though, as one can see, the character in the purple dress/outfit stands out a lot. This is due to come contextual factors in the story. The character in the purple dress is Ira's older sister and the middle child of this aristocratic family. Unlike the other siblings, she chose to follow a completely different path (becoming a seamstress) despite her family's background in the military and politics. This makes her stand out compared to her other family members, which is reflected in her clothing. This is a common tactic used in character design to reflect the character's personality and character type. The colour purple connotes rarity, which is a reflection of her career choice. It can also symbolise royalty, mystery and femininity, which are accurate portrayals of her character. 

LO4: Production and Evidence of manipulation of final comic

To create the comic, I chose to use the drawing software Procreate on iPad. The app is optimised for digital illustrations and comics, with various brushes for sketching and inking at my disposal. It is an affordable software mostly used by freelance and indie artists to produce content for online spaces. I used a standard A4 canvas for the pages as I wanted it to be suitable for both print and online publications. 

I started off by drawing a general border that will be followed throughout the comic pages using the drawing guide feature that let me draw precise straight lines with proper measurements. I then sketched the initial ideas in blue. This was to be able to differentiate between the initial ideas and the refined sketches and final product, i.e, it helps see the black or darker coloured lines that will be laid on top. I made these sketches based on a previous panel layout, which I was ultimately not satisfied with. I used a sai ink brush with a low opacity for the sketch.

                    

Here, I made the detailed/refined sketches by adding details, facial features and other necessary details for the line art. Here, I also switched up the panels based on the final panel layout. Especially for the first page, I made sure the panels in the middle were different than the second page. The jagged/ asymmetrical panels that went out of the established border also helped emphasise the action, compared to the panels on the second page. This also allows the readers to feel the emotions and urgency the characters are feeling in this scene and the narrow panels show how quick the action is taking place. Though, I believe the widening of the panel in which the direction the protagonist is running sets up the scene and movement of camera angles for the next panel as they act as leading lines. On the second page, I chose to have the protagonists head overlap the lines of the panel to make her stand out, connoting her importance. The smaller vertical panels on the last page show how fast the scene takes place while still giving the readers the dramatic layout of actions that take place. 

                    

These are the inked and base coloured pages. I used the same sai ink brush for the line art but with a higher opacity and smaller size for a controlled shape. I made sure the base colours were consistent throughout and the tonal variations will be done using overlay layers and gradient maps. I used the lasso tool with the ellipse shape to make the round speech bubbles and an outline brush for the connector lines. I used the font called 'Jack Armstrong BB' which is an inbuilt font in the software. Here not only had I already inked and coloured the pages, but had also included the backgrounds. For some, like the first and third page, it was a simple gradient. While for the second page (and some panels of the first), I had to make detailed backgrounds. As previously mentioned, I used royalty free images for the second page but I made some brick details on the first page using brushes available in comic book brush packs. Here, I had the first drawing on the first page also overlap the panel underneath to add dimension to the page. On the same page, I added some varying values and gradients to the background to give an illusion of depth and to also emphasise the planned effects. For the last page, I chose to have simple backgrounds despite it being in the same setting as the second page. The second page introduces the readers to the location that the scene is taking place in due to the obvious dramatic shift in location. Hence, I have included a wide shot of the location and the close up, showing the interiors of the room like the desk, curtain, etc. The third page has a simple background as it aims to emphasise the actions and series of events that take place. There is no need for detailed backgrounds as it is a direct continuation of the last scene which is conveyed through the same characters, attire and colour scheme, unlike the first two pages. 

                    

These are the cell shaded pages. Since the settings and scenes had dramatic lighting, I used 'Add' layers to shade the parts that are directly exposed to light and 'Multiply' layers for the shadows. I made sure to use the same colours throughout to maintain consistency. While I was satisfied with these results, I thought they looked dull, especially the second and third pages. Some choices for the colours and placements of the costumes and locations were intentional. I chose to use significant items that the character would use to show their interests, personalities and period they live in. For example, the book/notebook on the desk shows that the protagonist/Ira is interested in reading or enjoys studying. The quill also connotes the same but also tells the readers the period it takes place in. The flowers in the vase are gladiolus flowers that symbolise strength of character, faithfulness, moral integrity and bravery. The dress Ira wears in the last two pages resembles a medieval night gown worn by royalty and aristocrats. Similarly, the other woman/her sister wears period clothing in a purple colour that connotes creativity, royalty, ambition and luxury, which is a reflection of her traits and role in the story. The difference in lighting is not only to differentiate between the pages locations but also the time of day. The first page takes place at night, hence the dark blue and purple hues, while the second and third pages take place in the morning and has yellow tones.

                    

These are the final versions of the pages. I duplicated the entire page and used various gradient maps that were similar to the existing colour palettes, set them to overlay and reduced the opacity. This helped harmonise the colours and make the page cohesive. I also then experimented with the colour curves to get the desired effect. I then duplicated the finished comic page, used gaussian blur and reduced it opacity to give a slight glow. Below are the final comic pages. 

LO3: Explore the feasibility for further development

The main character will be developed over the course of a comic/webcomic series that will span across multiple volumes. As it will be a standalone, original series, it will be easier to create an animated TV show. Though, as the original idea is to have it be published as a webcomic, it would be helpful to work with a publisher or the webcomic site (like webtoon and tapas) to fund the printing of the comic. Popular webcomics like True Beauty and Covenant have been adapted into physical comics to give readers an alternative medium to access the comic and also be able to collect and physically own the series.

The animated TV show adaptation can also be done via the webcomic app. Popular webcomics like Solo Leveling and True Beauty have been adapted into animated series through the collaboration of the webcomic site and animation studios. My comic will follow a similar method of production for the series. This will most probably take place a while after the comics initial publication as the series should be established and successful across multiple formats (webcomic and physical comic- like solo levelling) for companies to invest into the project and attract the existing audience. Similar to the examples given, the animated show will be 2D animated with stylistic influence from existing shows like Invincible, Jujutsu Kaisen etc. Similar to these existing shows, the show will also have spin off feature films that will centre around a specific arc from the story, like Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.

After these adaptations are successful, action and fighting based mobile games can be made, like Solo Leveling: ARISE, which follows the trajectory of the original comic and show where the player plays as the main characters, defeating villains. It will be a blend of fighting and storytelling, with clips from the animated series and comic to aid it. It will also have some custom made animated content that the players can interact with. It will have multiple levels that the players will have to complete, based on the events of each volume, season or arc of the show it is based on. The game will also have various characters and skins they can choose from along with some customisable items.

The sequence of the different media formats is:

1. Webcomic
2. Physical Comic
3. Animated TV show
4. Animated spin-off feature film
5. Mobile game

LO3: Colour and style of background and environment

As the main inspiration for this comic is the series Dark Knights of Steel. In terms of the background and colours of the comic, I was inspired by and was looking at medieval architecture and settings that give off a regal, rich vibe. This fits with the theme of aristocracy and royalty that is associated with the protagonists and setting of the story.

To be time and cost affective, I used images from a royalty free website called Pexels. This helped me speed up the process and focus more on the development of characters, environment and lighting.

As the first page takes place in a different location and time of day than the others, I wanted to have distinct colour palettes to connote this. 

First page:

Second and Third page:

LO3: Character biography

Ira Desai:
Ira is the protagonist of the comic. She is 15 years old and the youngest daughter of an aristocratic family in a medieval empire. Her family is in charge of the military and trade of the empire and have been in this position for many generations. Ira's older brother is a general in the army and Ira wants to follow in his footsteps as she looks up to him. She joins the military as a cadet, shortly after her debut into high society but is presented with situations that challenge her moral compass, which leads to her choosing to become a vigilante. 
She tries to juggle life as a reputable member in high society and being a vigilante, but there are many who wish for her downfall due to her family's generational secret.

LO3: Final character model sheet

This is the final character model sheet with the protagonist Ira. I drew her in the outfit that will be seen in most of the comic pages and will also use the vigilante outfit from the initial sketches. 

LO3: Moodboard for finished comic

I have used examples of both character designs, costumes and the kind of colours and tones I want in the panels using images from Pinterest and the comic I studied.