Physikon
Genre:
Modern, Drama
Views:
4428
Favorite:
99
Login to Add a Favorite
While exploring an Ancient Cave, a gas main explodes and causes five friends (Crystal, Brian, Elan, Mika, and Demetry) to be thrown together with an odd stranger. Thanking their lucky stars to be alive, they return to a rest area. Once there, the stranger decides to tell everyone a story about two groups of people: "Us" and "Them". The "Us" are like walking natural disasters. Through seemingly innocent and unconnected events, those around an "Us" die at alarming rates. Even other "Us" are vulnerable while around each other. The stranger reveals he is an “Us,” and suddenly begins to cough up blood. Since he is wounded, he believes that one of the five friends must also be an “Us”. The stranger refuses any help for his injuries, and decides to leave town. Skeptical of what they just heard, the five friends return home and tell everyone about the odd stranger and his story. But when things start to go wrong, people panic and fear the story might be true. The village heads, unable to abide the panic that is brewing, call on the five friends to take a trip. If the story is false, as they believe, the five will return in a couple of months and put any suspicion to rest. If not, they will have to remain in exile so that their friends and family will be safe. The five set out on the trip…
i don't know what to say... but eventually you'll break through with a win!
Keep trying sooner, or later it will happen.
Nice artwork as always. I actually like this story better than some of your previous stories. Some of your layouts really stand out in their symbolism. I was a bit confused on how the main character was no longer an "us", and how he was able to pass it onto someone else. I'd be interested to see where the story goes in terms of the band of friends and how they slowly die off one by one.
Great premise and the art is wonderful. Good character motion and graphical presentation of emotion, events etc. Its complete enough for a good pitch and it's open ended enough for a good long run. The only thing story wise that bugs me is this: if one of the 'friends' is a 'us' then how come they have friends left? Explain that early on in your run and you've got me sold. Add a few other exterior forces and you've got the skill and story telling ability for this to go a long ways. Great Job!
Madae: Thanks I am glad ya liked it :)
-
Aven: Well I will look into something like that. I am hella glad that ya liked it even if not as much as others :) Thanks!
-
Steve: Really? Traditional Japan/china...well I did live in Japan for the majority of a year so may-haps things have rubbed off :)
Salvax: Thanks I can always use all the luck I can get.
-
Frequent: I can see what you mean but I prefer when there is some kind of denouement after the climax. I think the trade off would have been to have people say what I posted showed nothing introduced almost none of the characters in my synopsis ect. That, that in fact would have made all except one of my pages have anything really to do with my actual story. I would agree with you if this were just a short story, but taking the wider view of it being the first 8 of at least 52 that those pages about the guys past would have had no real point without any indication of the people he is talking to being people.
nice artwork, good story.
I'm a big fan of your art you got my support. The story didn't grab me as much as your other ones though.
P.S I love to see a fantasy meet modern world or something in that nature :) I think it will complement your style.
Well any ways best of luck my friend. Don't give up!
Really great art as usual. For some reason it reminds me a little of traditional Japanese and Chinese art. Maybe it's the faces. 5th place is too low for this one.
you have a great artwork here. Nice character design and cool frames!! good luck :]
I didn't "get" the comic until a few pages in, when the artwork really started popping and the story started to get intriguing, but I really feel like the ball was dropped when what should have been the cliffhanger was actually page 7, which was followed by a confusing and uninteresting page of conversation that didn't really have much to do with the rest of the strip. I have so many questions, and not in a good "Lost" kind of way, but because the storyteller let me down by trying to cram in one more page of story. I'll say this: I certainly didn't see it coming, but I was disappointed with that last unnecessary page.
Otherwise, the design work, here, was beautiful, and the colors and layouts and panel flow all worked really well.
Fence- Yeah it seems to be a packed month. Me too it would have been fun to have more peoples and times while the con was one :( But hopefully there is next year :)
--
Gnar- Thanks I am glad you liked the concept and respect is always nice :)
--
Blue- hahaha well thanks for the luck and I am glad ya liked the story :)
--
RKB- Thanks for the review I appreciate the time taken :)
--
Lono- Danke :)
--
Sweeny- You are far too kind. Thanks :)
ooh, gonna be tough this time around it looks like, but I'm pulling for you, good luck dude! ps. totally bummed I missed you at chicago ugh!
Interesting Concept! Good, neat, work. This took a lot of work, and that I respect, also!
Interesting turn. I'd be up for this. Wishing your story luck is kind of funny, but I'll do it. Good luck.
I did a guest blog review over on MPD57's site.
*************************************************
http://mpd57.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/physikon/
*********************************************
best of luck on climbing up the ranks.
cool stuff! i like your concept and you've done a good job with the colors.
I am speechless to your talent!!PROPS!
Aug- I am sure you are correct that nobody would hunt me down. But part of the reason I like doing the Zuda thang is because of the feedback and responses I get so I want to make sure that people know that I am reading them and value the time they take posting a comment by taking the time to respond :) As for the pronunciation I will check in with my friend but the way I have been pronouncing it is phy(physical)-z(like the letter)-kon.
Wow, you've been busy.
I for one appreciate that you read and respond to every post, but I don't think if you miss some that we'd hunt you down... well not all of us :)
I had looked up this story's title on Wikipedia it refered to articles where 'natural justice' or 'natural right' was translated as 'dikaion physikon'.
So it's kewl and refers well to the subject, although I'm still unsure of the pronunciation.
Alrighty to start this mile long post I am gonna apologize for my lack of response. I went to wizard world in chicago last weekend and while prepping/ going to that I let the comments come in and not get answered as quickly as I should :( But I will be better :)
Secondly it seems that the name of the comic has given a few people some pause so I will explain it here. The original name for the comic was Natural. Though I liked the simple name the complexity of the situation in the comic and the jux of Natural people creating unnatural hardship through natural means, felt like it needed something more. As well as not encompassing the tragic situation that is in the process of unfolding. So I talked to a buddy of mine who is a latin/greek/ancinet civilization teacher and he came up with Physikon. It is a greek word for natural physical events ( or maybe he lied to me just to see if I would put it on my comic :) ) This to me covered the Naturalness of the effect but also the tragic elements to the story...cause nobody does tragedy like the greeks. :)
So it may have been a case of me trying to be too clever for my own good but I kinda like the sound of the name Physikon :)
Sam: I am glad ya liked the art :) It is too bad the story didn't catch you though. Hopefully you are right and hopefully that break will come sooner rather than later :) Thanks for the comment.
---
Jeff: Thanks I hope so too although it looks like there are some hella popular entries this month :)
---
Quas: Thanks, I am glad this one wasn't a swing and a miss art-wise :D
---
Blue: Thanks for the review :)
mmor: Thanks I am glad ya liked it
---
Brie: Thanks I am glad it was the right mix of movmment with out coming off as disjointed. Thanks I can use all the luck I can get :)
---
Zach: Well hopefully I will get the chance to chow where it is going :)
---
Solo: Yeah man I must admit I am learning more things to do while marketing each time but it seems that there are people who have set up a behemoth of a marketing machine.
---
Vam: Well though some people would claim I have multiple personalities it is just "guy" on this one hahaha :D
---
Mon: I appreciate the compliment and I am sorry the opening monologue formate didn't work for you on this one :( Hopefully if I were to get the chance I could win ya over but thanks for the compliment :)
Shane: I agree that it does, but for this story I felt that I had to adequately set up the "rules" of what is going on. If I got flimsy with how the character became aware of the "human natural disaster" phenomena then it would really seem like a hokey idea. Unfortunately the dialogue heavy monologue of the story teller crossed the threshold for you but I had hoped that once that was over with and the story was set up the rest could have much less of it because of what was set up in 8 pages. Perhaps the wrong tack to take but we live and learn.
---
Beau: Well I am tired of being in the competition and not winning so I will agree with you on that one :)
---
Jor: I am gonna include a proper explanation of the title in a separate comment at the top of this posting, it seems a few people find the title a bit...lame and it may be a instance of trying to be too clever for my own good but there is a reason for it.
Zsa: Thanks mang I am glad ya liked it, and congrats on the Rockstar win :D
---
Vin: Thanks me too :D
---
Gro: Me too, thanks for the comment :D
---
Darth: Well I am glad it caught ya in a good way :D
---
Jor: Thanks man, I hoped the stranger telling the story would seem like a natural way for someone who is trying to convey what he is trying to. I couldn't think of how I would tell people they are potentially walking natural disasters with out building them up to it a bit. But even if the method wasn't your fav I am glad you like the overall premise.
Web: Yeah what he said hahaha thanks man I appreciate the support :D
---
RKB: Thanks I am hella glad to have your vote :)
---
Laser: **** Thanks ( I actually used asterixs to type that :) )
---
Stroker: It is set in a, sorta collapsed civilization setting. No apocalyptic whatever but like if the economy fell apart and society became a much more tribal based thing. They would still have reliqs and the tech that would help like life but not the mass production or need for many of the other things. Thats is what was in my head at least :) Glad your happy to see me again, where is that awesome entry I saw you showcasing?
Sug: I really hope you get the chance to read more of it :D
---
Yang: Me too, le sigh me too :D
---
Sual: Well I am glad to hear ya liked sides :) But it is unfortunate that Sides being around may lose me your vote :( Hopefully with sides not having won I will still get your vote but I can understand the feeling. Thanks for the comment :)
---
Fam: Thanks for the comment I really appreciate it :)
---
Pot: Well I am definitely glad to have said support I need all of it I can get :)
---
Neuro: I hoped that would be what it did and I am glad to hear it worked for you :D
Ptmon: Thanks, I likes me the drawing of comics. It has kinda been a snowball for me (zuda has been) harder to stop than to keep going :)
---
Ag- Thanks so then this will be the third time I thank you for your support I reaaaaaaalllllyyyy appreciate it :D
---
Shy: Thanks man, and a good luck to you :D
---
Foz: Thanks, I am glad ya liked it and hopefully I will get to show ya more of it in the future :)
---
Ryan: Thanks for the vote :) I really appreciate it, as for my next entry....I don't have to answer that.... but anybody who bought my ashcan at wizard world might have seen something to do with that very thing :D
RKB: Explanation is gonna be at the top of this post, the name definitely seems to have been a sticking point for a few people so I am gonna give it it's own posting.
---
Melon: Thanks....that is really high praise and I am humbled by your generosity. I am really glad ya liked it :D
---
Bryy: Thanks for the review I really enjoyed reading it :)
---
Caan: Thanks, I was really worried with how that would read but it seems to have gone over smoothly and any crits I have so far havent been about the past to present change so I will chalk that one up in the win column :D
---
Oyst: Thanks, I like to keep working once I have a head of steam it is much harder for me to get started than to continue working so I try and stay busy :)
Bone: Thanks I am glad ya liked it :)
---
Fur: Thanks, I appreciate the comment :)
---
Fushi: Well hopefully I will get more people hooked in the coming weeks but I am glad to have grabbed you at this point :)
---
Slid: Thanks I am glad ya liked it :D
---
BTmony: Thanks, as I mentioned in another comment I was worried about the past/present transition reading properly but it seems to have worked out :)
---
Pfhor: Thanks, good luck to you this month :D
Ill: Well thanks you mucho grande I appreciate the vote :D
---
Crash: Thanks for the vote again, I do totally appreciate it again! Hopefully I can win this time :D
---
Niki: Thanks senioritah I appreciate the kind words :D
---
King: Thanks, I hope I get a chance to show you where it is going :D
---
Steve: haha see I am catching up to you hahaha Thanks man I hope I can get one in :)
---
mpd: I likes to draw da comics :)
Man, I really love your art. But the story's not doing it for me this time. I have no doubt you're gonna break big sooner or later though. Good luck!
I really hope you win! Vote! Fave! 5 Stars!
beautiful art as always.really enjoy your colors and textures. good luck, dude!
My Review:
http://silianrailroad.blogspot.com/
Great story!
I really like where you are going with this one. It doesn't jump around as much as "Slides". And yet it brings an interesting idea and mystere to the story. Good luck Alex!
i really want to see were this one is going
this one is very cool! you need a stronger marketing plan or something! lets get some votes people!
Great work guys!
You definitely have a lot of imagination and a truckload of artistic talent. Unfortunately, there was a too much exposition in this story for my taste. But I loved your last entry, love your drawing style.
Good luck!
Great reveal. Great transitions. Cool art. But too heavy on exposition, a mistake many, many competitors continue to make. Exposition / narration is fine, but it needs to be balanced against the story/dialogue itself.
Voted,clicked the favorite and 5 starred this. I'm tired of seeing you in the competition. You need to do some more advertising.
Where does the title of this piece come from? As much as I enjoyed it, I don't think the title is helping it any. Is it Latin?
Rock on, Stpl!
This is a tough month, but I think you are my favourite of all!
The colors are top notch as usual.
Best of luck!
hey, nice work, good lucky , i hope you win the competition!
wow, dude, seriously love the way the story goes, love the combination of humor as well as the serious tone, I enjoyed it a lot, could work very much as an anime spin off!
also the fact that there are more than one story in cooperated together (each of the characters) who will try to either ignore, accept or use their "bad luck"
very interesting, I am eager to see how this will progress!
:D
Nice premise! Hope you do well this month! Cheers.
By far my favorite art this month.
I think this is the best story premise of the month, by far. Very cool idea and I absolutely loved the Page 7 reveal. That was very well done. I thought the actual introduction of the story's premise was a little heavy handed but I've never been a fan of the mysterious-stranger-rolls-into-town-and-tells-the-characters/readers-everything-they-need-to-know technique. Having said that, your story managed to hook me and I absolutely love your linework. Simple, clean and expressive.
Still need to read the others before deciding but great work.