Road
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Science Fiction, Action/Adventure
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Felix is a 'Pilgrim of the Road'. In this world there is one road grander than all others and it runs possibly forever in length. No one knows if the Earth is no longer a sphere, or if it has just increased massively in size. All that is known is that there is a road with populated cities and settlements along it that you can travel down your whole life and it will never end or repeat. Once there was no road like this and the world was a nice manageable place. The Pilgrims of the Road are a group devoted to finding the Source or Terminus of the Road, and they travel down the Road for their entire lives. When they die, each Pilgrim passes the task on to one of their sons or daughters and then they travel the Road. Chosen Pilgrim families have the knowledge of their ancestors stored in an AI implanted into their skulls. These are ancient artifacts passed through the generations, designed to accumulate knowledge of the Road and aid the current Pilgrim's progress by supplying information from past experiences. We join Felix as he's readying to leave a city to join the Road again, but this time he's cutting all ties with the Pilgrims. He is one of the Chosen with an AI in his forehead. The Pilgrims are unlikely to let him leave freely without his obedience to their cause assured. Felix is on the run from his fellow Pilgrims and assorted city low-lives while trying to get out of the city and further down the Road.
sheesh, this just keeps getting better.
Gooood morning. Just checked your update and wanted to compliment your figures. They have great life and body language to them. Look forward to more.
Bryy Miller: Glad to have you onboard man!
Albatross: I just wish I had clothes at all. It gets cold at night.
Alienpriest: Ok, I'm pleased you left me the get out clause of 'disregard any criticism you don't agree with' (o; Thanks for the crit though!
martinzz: I hope Road will get published in print sometime in the future, but Jammy and I are really just concerned with making each page of the story as good as we can make it NOW!
Bryy_Miller :Thanks!
VampireFaust: (o:
Stephenmakesart: Cheers.
RKB: Did we? Or did we? Ooor did we??
The Punisher had a dog? That sounds beautifully crazy, was it a bulldog? And did it have a skin-tight suit with a white skull on its chest?
Thanks for the kind words.
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I'm going to San Francisco soon (my first trip to the US), anyone got any recommendations of cool stuff to do/see there?
you killed the bird??? gosh damn it. so if there's a big enough outcry will you bring him back like they did the punisher's dog years ago??? This is ALOT better (more thrill power) than some of the stuff I have read in 2000 AD, it's really getting better and better. Not really that big a fan of cyber-punk but what your doing with these various orders, I enjoy secret societies elements in stories and it's really got me wanting to see how things play out. Another star for you from me 5/5 you earned it.
Great story and artwork!
I love the illustration style! Beautifully rendered!
Page 23 has great atmosphere.
Road is developing dynamically...as the road lengthens, my interest increases. The dystopic cinematic quality of the art work allows you to totally submerge yourself into the environment of Pilgrim. Is this story going to be published? Would love to own some of the art. Keep up great work!
Here is the basis for my scoring:
Plot: 2.5 - Starts slow. Cyberpunk setting has an original old-west/post apocalypse feeling to it.
Script: 2.0 - Too much unfamiliar culture introduced. Dialog feels clunky and the characters lack variety in their personality.
Pencils: 4.5 - I realy enjoyed the detail and style of the art here. There was a lot of work and skill behind this portion of the piece.
Inks: 2.0 - I would like to see better line quality, more variation of line thickness would help.
Shading: 3.0 - Good variation of tone in this B+W piece, but looks sketchy in many parts.
I hope this helps guide you in the development of your works. Please disregard any criticism you don't agree with, as it is based off my own tastes.
well Sharam, you've definitely (in my cute little opinion) met your goal of improvement with every page. maybe not so much "improvement", since it's been good the whole time, but i'm definitely getting sucked further down the Road with every new page. I suddenly wish my clothes were Pilgrim-level cool.
Okay, so now that there's exposition/talking, I'll try keep up with this for a bit.
BTimony : Yeah, hopefully next year and be able to hang out with you fine fellows.
Famished: Ha!
Jeh: He's supporting her with his right arm before hoisting her up for the worm to scan.
Dragon: You said it.
mpd57: Yeah, I'll be at Birmingham Con no doubt!
Hi Edward ... never mind San Diego here in the UK we've got Birmingham in October ... we could make our own Zuda booth!
The ROAD can be hard, the ROAD can be rough. This ROAD is Schizophrenic.
Just getting caught up, and I've got a question. On page 19, Panel 3 -- where did the girl go? If she was was still over Felix's shoulder like Panel 2, his face would be obscured by her rear end. He can't be carrying her like in Panel 4 either, because his left hand is up, gesturing to the worm-probe. So where is she?
Seems like Night Owls and Road give whole new meaning to "hitting like a girl" ;)
It's too bad you couldn't make it. It would have been nice to meet you. Maybe next year?
They asked, but the flight there from the UK was rather too expensive to afford right now. ):
did the zuda guys invite you to cc?
Sigh.....I wish I was going to the San Diego Comiccon....maybe next year (I say that every year).
Marauder999: Thanks, heh, Rifts was great. I remember getting the rulebook in the early 90s, but never actually getting around to play a game of it. As was the case with most of the RPG books I got back then!
NeutronCrush: We aim to entertain!
Quandary: Thanks!
Matthew Matthews: It happens all the time here in the UK.
evan_e_hill: Black and white is the new color.
Zero-Optix: Thanks.
Albatross: We're trying to get better with every page.
Santiago:Thanks man!
twotimingpete: Thanks for the encouragement!
awesome job, guys. I love the motion lines and energy. you have it nailed. somewhat reminiscent of masamune at times. keep at it.
I have to say that it had been a while since I checked Road, but I'm glad I did.
The comic is becoming very good (and the lettering update was a good move guys!), so keep up the good work and congrats to Sharam on his wedding!
the Road grows on me more every time i read it/look at it. nice stuff. :)
excellent update! I am really enjoying this one. This is the kinda stuff i like to draw and read, very cool.
great work, nice to see a black and white win.
A parrot? DRIVING?!
The detail and shading in that panorama of Kaidan's Rift is incredible.
Hey Sharam and Jammy, this is awesome! Things are getting way more interesting now. I definitely wasn't expecting this to go where you're taking it.
Wow, this is great. Im gonna have to disagree with RKB, I think the b/w adds a really good atmosphere. Reading this makes me want to play Rifts wicked bad, heh.
Cheddar42: We'll see him again, sooner or later...
RKB: Interesting points there, glad you're liking it, you make it sound like we have a plan (o;
Famished: If we could do it faster we would, curse these metal hands!
Zudafan: Thanks man!
Barcode711: Real pleased you're into it, but Road was always conceived to be in black and white. We like it that way. (to color it the way I'd be content with would take far too long, so I didn't even consider it for Road.)
You say it 'isn't dark enough - yet? - to warrant greyscale as a stylistic touch'. I don't really agree, aren't most manga and many funny gag strips in black and white? Are they dark? I don't think subject matter determines whether a comic should be in black and white or color. There are all genres represented in both. If Road was about the Rainbow Adventures of Blueboy and Greengirl, then I could be wrong and color would be better.....hey that sounds like an awesome comic!
This is an incredible comic. It seems to me that avoiding colouring the strip is mainly a time issue, though: the story (which I wholeheartedly enjoy, mind you) isn't dark enough - yet? - to warrant greyscale as a stylistic touch
It still looks awesome, no doubt. Very, very well-drawn, and the characters all look very unique while retaining the artistic theme of the comic. I just can't imagine how good it'd look well-coloured; something to look into should you get it printed someday?
Wow!! I'm very impressed... love the art and especially the black and white. The story is a breath of fresh air and definitely has me hooked!
If only this could go two pages at a time *sigh*
I waited till you had about 6 screens already posted before reading again, yes it's because of the 1 screen update thing.
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I still think the story would have more impact in color.
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Old stuff out of the way I think Kyde is great, he had his skin removed? Great set up into the mind set of a villain, and his soul was all he had left -great line to end on.
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You also set our hero up with a love interest/foil good job on that. We got shadowy bad guy elders so your bringing the suspense/ mystery on that front as well.
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I don't mind 'reading' a comic but if you can get the story across without a whole whole lot of words, that's cool as well.
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I like the chase movie aspect to this, the pace of the comic.
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I also love the panel layout, it really fits well on Zuda.
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All in all, very good job guys.
Nice! I like the skeleton dude!
Yes, he's had any (cough) 'offending parts' removed. That's one way to get around censorship!
It's a good job you're not faint hearted! (o;
P.S. No cencorship there WHATSOEVER! Then again, I doubt that there's much to see if he's just a skeleton...
I don't have a faint heart, I just thought hitting her with a car wasn't very nice! So there!
Nice update!
The black and white is really working for me now that we're into it.
You know, the way it's goin' this may get a favorite from me. I didn't care for it at first but now it's startin' to pick up...time will tell.
Yeah, page 12, top right panel- Rrrreow =^..^=
Thanks for all the comments guys.
mpd57, your words made me laugh man!
SamLittle, thanks dude.
ptimony, always the wisest of commentators.
Zero-Optix, show me.
martinzz, never fear, we are ahead!
famished, feral is she?
Matthew Matthews, a faint heart never won fair lady.
Illinest, Glad you're coming over to the dark side.
Kwanza, my guardian angel.
There's been lots of fighting but yet this is the update that gives me my first taste of 'conflict'.
NOW you're starting to get my interest back.
Hey Matthew Matthews,
I don't know if you play Grand Theft Auto IV, but apparently it is OK as long as you do it with a car and it is NOT in real life.
PS
In GTA4 you can run over anyone or anything with a car. Do not discriminate.
Whatever happened to that chivalry thing, about men not hitting women? I think ramming her with a car counts as hitting. But maybe thats just me.
Was it just me or was she a bit feral lookin'?
What a guy.
Married...wow. Good luck. I hope there are enough pages in the can already, to keep posting while you're on holiday...so i dont have to wait more than a week. Enjoying the sexy ladies and fast cars...keep it up.
I really enjoy this story. Awesome car! Keep up the good work!
~I am going to have to do some fan art!