CatComixzStudios

Thumbnails - Page 258

I did quite a bit of planning for how the research site of Foundation B would end up looking. Lots of floor-to-ceiling structures to help with stability, as well as quite a few building being raised up off the ground to provide extra space for walking around.

Unfortunately, I didn't end up with a great deal of time to show it off. I'm strongly considering doing more of my environmental thumbnailing once I actually start to script stuff, so I don't end up with quite so much unneeded conc...

Page 257

And that's three! Remind me to never pick a fight with Simon, apparently...

Thumbnails - Page 257

Would it be that easy to slide on smooth stone floors like that? Maybe, maybe not.

Does it make for a cool action shot? You're darn tootin'.

Page 256

Two down! But you're not done yet, Simon...

Thumbnails - Page 256

I am a victim of always wanting panels to flow nicely. To be honest, I don't tend to get too invested in action scenes with a lot of comics - I'm more there for the characters - but apart from making any action beats in my story interesting, I also strove to ensure the FLOW of it was nice to read. Always following the movement path the eye would take, not forcing weird deviations.

I'm not quite clever enough to ALWAYS succeed, but the challenge at least encourages me to develop some fun...

Thumbnails - Page 255

One thing I have to try to take more care with on thumbnails is to realize how a lot of the color mixing will play out.

When designing the security team, I tried to give them a complimentary palette - purple/red/orange, further contrasting against Nova's sandy fur earlier - but it had an unintentional effect of Abigail's holo-hand blending in a bit with the orange environment.

I tend to save a lot of the palette planning for when I actually start to reach new environments, since c...

Thumbnails - Page 254

I'm incredibly proud of how the flow ended up working out for this scene. While scripting, I don't have a solid idea of how many pages any given event will take, so action beats - which tend to require more panels in order to smoothly convey motion - are harder to parse how long they'll take.

Amusingly enough, this scene ended up working out to Simon "defeating" at least one of the security team members per page. It's always a delight when things like that work out.

Thumbnails - Page 253

We're getting into an action beat again, which is something that I don't have a ton of experience with. Though the comic gives me a good opportunity to practice!

When coming up with the hunters going after Simon, one of the main things I thought about was what tools they'd use, specifically for this capture scene. I wanted tools that would create an interesting flow of action, and I think I managed it.

Also, it was actually a later addition to the script to have Steven talking her...

Page 255

Simon, stop gloating! You're leaving yourself open to attack!

Page 254

Oh dang, Simon's got MOVES!

Page 253

Oh yeah, I forgot that scarf was alive. Hasn't come up since Page 90 (https://keytothefuturesfate.com/keytothefuturesfate/page-90/)

Anyway, doesn't look like it'll be much help!

Page 252

Uh, SURPRISE!

Page 251

Is this... like the first time we've seen Ms Shepard smile? I suppose it makes sense that, like her sister, it'd be about something learning-related.

(Also the two characters in the 3rd panel are cameos from the webcomic, The Space Between! Note that it's NOT all-ages if you plan to check it out!
(https://thespacebetweenwebcomic.tumblr.com/)

Page 250

She must be real fun at parties

Page 249

Uhhhhh... a silver age?

Thumbnails - Page 252

"Maybe," Gage thought, "if I put the big Scenery Splash View on a page that has lots of other panels, I'll be less likely to over-design for it." This was of course a fool's belief.

Gotta be honest, this is the part of the chapter that I'm getting a little concerned about, in terms of how much more work is going to be needed for it. More characters, more complex angles, more lighting... it's going to be testing my skills to be sure!

Page 248

Leon would you please stop asking difficult questions. You're really killing the vibe

Thumbnails - Page 251

The first of the cameos for this chapter go to Squimoo and Wave's comic characters, Feri and Vex (from The Space Between)!

Also, the first time we see Ms Shepard do anything close to smile in the comic so far. Seems she's really optimistic about something...

Thumbnails - Page 250

No joke, this page was the /entire reason/ I worked to include a sword-shaped ship into the comic. I can't remember if I had the image of Ms Shepard and a Sword of Damocles in my head or the idea for the ship design first, but either way, once the two concepts mixed, I was going to move hell and earth itself to include it.  

Thumbnails - Page 249

One thing that's certainly getting tougher as I go along is getting used to positioning and maintaining the placement of multiple characters. When it's just two, It feels easier to play around with, but more than that, and the logistics become much tougher.

Thumbnails - Page 248

This is the start of something I'm gonna be doing throughout the chapter; having a panel or two taking place in a different part of the setting going on to simultaneously with the main scene. I'll see how it reads in the final version of the comic!

Page 247

Oh well that solves that then

Page 246

Your sister's got you there, Trinity; you technically started the kidnapping train

Page 245

I mean honestly, Ms Shepard, I think it says a lot about you that one of your security people think you might ask them to take someone out on a whim.

Page 244

OH HEY THAT PLACE LOOKS KIND OF FAMILIAR

(Side note, you guys have no idea how many times I had to reupload this page. I COMPLETELY botched the proportions of the elevator Simon's entering for the final page and had to redo it. THEN I forgot a bunch of minor elements on top of that. I'm officially calling this page DONE)

Page 243

Well that sounds like everything is completely fine to ME

Thumbnails - Page 247

The last of my first batch of thumbnails for Chapter 3! This page was relatively simple in concept, but a surprising challenge in execution.

This one I really had fun with little details, like deliberately putting the dialogue bubble over Leon and Luca in the background, or having Ms Shepard entering the shadow of the dome. Is it ultimately clever or just messing around? YOU MAKE THE CALL. 

Page 242

Oh hey, you're here

Thumbnails - Page 246

I don't know what it is about Ms Shepard deliberately covering her face and using it to show Trinity's mistake that I like so much, but it's such a powerful image to me.

I'm also incredibly proud of the page flow by this point. Not only have I been succeeding in kicking up the pace, but everything feels like it's gonna read much more smoothly now. I love that.

Page 241

Trinity is openly polyamorous, which is good, because SOMEONE needs to flirt with this nonbinary lifeguard cutie