HIKYM: Behind the Punch

[MSperoni]

As the artist for HIKYM, I have plenty of concept material such as sketches, page variations, and layouts sitting around on my computer. I figured these things might have some interest to fans of the series, and so I will upload images as the comic progresses, perhaps giving some background info about 'em along the way.


http://www.nuklearpower.com/images/behind_the_punch01.jpg


Originally this comic wasn't going to be digitally gray-scaled. I hadn't done anything digitally comic wise in months, and was pretty rusty at the time. However after some deliberation we decided to go for it. It takes me a lot longer to do the pages, but it seems to be worth it.

[Mirai Gen]

Thread title is appropriately hilarious. I sincerely hope this becomes a humorous, not-annoying running gag.

I like the work on the armor, you very clearly did your homework.

[MSperoni]

Because there isn't really a particular point in Chinese history this comic is set in, I was more free in costume designs. Brian doesn't seem to care an awful lot about historical accuracy in this story, so long as it looks generally Chinese.

There will be more to this "Behind the Punch" thread, I figure once every couple of days or so I will add another image or two.

[Mirai Gen]

I can tell it isn't a specific type of Chinese armor, but it looks Chinese and given how interchangeable sometimes the armors of all Eastern regions can be I just appreciate that small (large?) detail.

[MSperoni]

Yeah, there's definitely similarities amongst all types, slight variations but the core is the same (armor wise). Then again I guess that's how it is even with Western armors.

I kept the mercenaries' armor ragtag and simple (but hopefully effective), a gaggle of minor characters would be a real chore to draw if they were all decked out in anything insanely complicated. (http://kongming.net/dw6/i/characters/caoren-800.jpg) :p

[Corel]

Yeah, it'd be pretty cool to see concept sketches and doodles about the series, and how you created the scenes.

Kind of like a Director's commentary!

[Satan's Onion]

Stickyin' this because it's really neat. Carry on, everyone.

[MSperoni]

As you might have noticed, HIKYM has its own little gallery section now. "How I Killed Your Gallery"! (http://www.nuklearpower.com/gallery/)
This gallery will contain various concept sketches of HIKYM, and will expand as time goes by (We can't really show you the concept for page 7 until page 7 is posted, after all!)

This gallery doesn't mean the end of "Behind the Punch". Instead, BtP will just serve as a discussion forum for the art that appears in the gallery.

If there's a pic you wish to talk about, or anything, just post a link here or just ask something like, for example:

"What's the deal with that skimpy dressed girl on the pic of Master Fei's sons?"

and I will say something to the extent of: "That's just some silly girl named Koko from a goofy comic I am working on. I put it in there as a joke."

etc etc :D

[Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope]

I would rather be the force behind the punch and not the force receiving the punch.

Love the sketches.

[MSperoni]

Thanks :)

A number of the sketches, such as the interiors (http://www.nuklearpower.com/wp-content/gallery/hikym/sketches001.jpg) were made before we really got going on the comic..

I used a lot of movies for help, but Jet Li's Fearless seemed to be the most helpful in these initial stages. Especially when it came to designing the "dojo" (I think the Chinese term is "Wu Guan" but I'm not 100% sure on that so I'll just say "dojo")

[MSperoni]

This is the large panel in page five without the logo, and its layout form.

I put in a semi-Chinese'd up Black Mage on this page, and originally Atomic Robo was on the teapot, but I just ended up going with a Chinese warrior looking dude (he sorta has Robo's head I guess).

Sorry for the double post, but I wanted to share this and no one seemed to be adding much of a response to my last message :sweatdrop

[Tev]

I love that teapot. It has fueled the first of many HIKYM crazy theories.

[MSperoni]

No one will suspect an innocuous teapot is behind it all!

[Grognor]

(I think the Chinese term is "Wu Guan" but I'm not 100% sure on that so I'll just say "dojo")

I believe the term is "kwoon," but I am also not sure. I would use "classroom" before "dojo," since "dojo" is quite explicitly Japanese. But oh well I'm not the artist behind the punch.

[MSperoni]

Yeah, I don't like using "dojo" either, normally I say school or temple but it seems like people have been calling it a "dojo" so far so I just kinda went with the flow.

[MSperoni]

I will have more Behind the Punch images on the next HIKYM page. There's not much I have in regards to page 6 aside from the character designs that are already in the gallery.

I guess I can talk about Master Fei (http://www.nuklearpower.com/wp-content/gallery/hikym/feifullsketch.jpg) though.

Master Fei's outfit is a mimic of sorts to more famous uptight martial arts jerks such as Tao Pai Pai from Dragonball, and Lau Chan from Virtua Fighter. I've also seen the outfit on other characters in other Kung Fu comics/games/movies and so I figured it was a good convention to go with, since HIKYM is somewhat of a homage to all these things.

I enjoy drawing Fei because of his facial expressions, so far he's probably my most favorite character to draw next to Kid Wong.

The somewhat chubby fellow standing behind Fei in this page is his servant Po. He will have more screen-time later on. He isn't a martial artist of any sort (that I know of).

[Kurosen]

Ha, I was a Lau Chan man m'self back in the day too.

[MSperoni]

Here is Page 7 from "start to finish" The layout isn't really that big in proportion to the page, I just blew it up for compositional purposes.

It's a pretty big image, so I'll put the link to it rather than including it here with the post:

http://www.nuklearpower.com/images/hikym_007_process.jpg

The stage where I do the digital effects usually takes as long as the pencilling it and inking it combined.

[Shadow Bunny]

The stage where I do the digital effects usually takes as long as the pencilling it and inking it combined.

Which is how long, on average?

[MSperoni]

Usually it seems to take me between 6-8 hours to draw/ink a page and 8-10 to digital it.

However, this is just with HIKYM. Other comics (like the other comic I'm working on at the moment) takes much less time to draw and ink because I'm drawing things I'm more familiar with/better at drawing.

[Krylo]

Here is Page 7 from "start to finish" The layout isn't really that big in proportion to the page, I just blew it up for compositional purposes.

It's a pretty big image, so I'll put the link to it rather than including it here with the post:

http://www.nuklearpower.com/images/hikym_007_process.jpg

The stage where I do the digital effects usually takes as long as the pencilling it and inking it combined.

I enjoy the original sketching process.

Everyone looks so cartoony and hilarious.

[MSperoni]

The extra cartooniness in the layouts is mainly to help me make the characters extra-expressive so it will (hopefully) carry over to the final versions.

[Krylo]

The extra cartooniness in the layouts is mainly to help me make the characters extra-expressive so it will (hopefully) carry over to the final versions.

Man, whatever, I just love the attached part.

It is the best cartoony angry face ever.

Seriously, tell me that isn't fantastic.

Edit: I demand an actual page to be drawn like that.

[MSperoni]

Drawing them like that would sure free up a lot of my time!

[MSperoni]

I'm working on a digitally colored picture of Master Fei. I'm not sure when I'll get it done because I'm working on it slowly and juggling it between other projects (Koko Noneko and the HIKYM comic -- I still don't have any commissions :( ). Here is the initial sketchy colored picture. I figured I would post this just to give people an very general idea what Fei would look like if this comic were in color. (it won't appear so dark once I'm through with it).


Digital Sketch of Master Fei in rough colors (http://twitpic.com/glxmw)

[MSperoni]

Hey, it's the Part 2 (http://twitpic.com/h48da) of the colored Master Fei pic! Check it out. Spent a few hours on him today, will work more later. Hope to get him done by Friday's HIKYM update.

[Michael Morris]

I'm working on a digitally colored picture of Master Fei. I'm not sure when I'll get it done because I'm working on it slowly and juggling it between other projects (Koko Noneko and the HIKYM comic -- I still don't have any commissions :( )

I hope to be in a position to remedy that eventually, but at the moment I cannot. Still, you are very talented. Chin up - things will work out.

[MSperoni]

I managed to actually maybe get a commission now :D

but I could still use more! :)

[MSperoni]

Sorry for lack of HIKYM: Behind the Punch updates.. I really don't have any behind the scenes stuff to share image wise.

If someone wants to open up a discussion about anything feel free.

[Daiton]

Fei's expression's are so comical!

[MSperoni]

Page 18 was different in the sense that I colored the whole thing with my wacom, rather than using a mouse + wacom or just a mouse. I think it looks better in spots, and it was also sort of easier to control in places, but overall I think it took longer to do and I'm not sure if people mind one way or the other (so long as it looks spiffy and consistent). I suppose time will tell, if comments come in saying "oh the new way looks better" then I might consider doing it this way from now on. However if no one seems to notice then I'm going with the faster way.

One thing I have considered over the years is that no one really judges a piece based on the amount of labor that goes into creating it, but only the end result. So putting a ton of effort into something only for the sake of doing so is a waste of time. In other words, if people enjoy something that takes less work as much as something that takes more work, the former is better than the latter. So in this case, I'm thinking the old way is best.

Then again I'm not sure people care too much about the technical aspects of a piece either. That's not to say folks don't appreciate effort, but it's just that I've seen a lot of stuff that's technically "inferior" than other things get more attention/praise (not necessarily with drawing, but writing and stuff like that too). Then again I guess you have to define what is "superior" and what is "inferior".. That's an artistic discussion I'm not in the mood for at the time :p

However, I think maybe when/if I start a comic of my own I might just drop the effort and just draw, baby :D . So long as people are entertained and enjoy it, that's fine w/ me ^_^ That's my main goal anyway.


Anyway, that was a digression, this Behind the Punch thing isn't a blog afterall!

But..uhhhh page 18 was done in a different style, etc.. After it I decided to go to a combination of wacom + mouse. Before 18 most pages were done 100% with a mouse, only a few used the wacom. The nature setting panels on 10, 11, and 14 for instance. They were drawn normally but "colored" with a wacom.

There's some outdoors coming up here soon that was done 100% with the wacom, but you'll have to wait till page 20 to see it ^_^

[MSperoni]

Here are the concept sketches of our unloveable assassin duo, Zi Jiao and Zi Bao (their names are written in reverse on the pics).

I'm not sure if they're relatives or if they just have the same Family Name "Zi".

I tried to make Jiao look somewhat like a snake, and then Bao look kind of like a turtle. Bao was also somewhat inspired by Daisuke Kato's (http://img.listal.com/image/365703/180full-daisuke-kato.jpg) character "Inokichi" (http://www.acepilots.com/discussions/daisuke-kato-yojimbo.jpg) from the movie "Yojimbo", although Inokichi resembled more of a pig than a turtle.

http://www.nuklearpower.com/images/zi_bao.jpg

The pattern on Bao's outfit (the circles) was dropped. It had something to do with Wu Xing but I felt that somehow gave Bao "rank" over Jiao. They don't really have a hierarchy, though I suppose Bao is the more clear-headed of the two. He may look like an oafish turtle, but he's not. Jiao is more of a sadistic type, somewhat more of a wild-card I would say.

http://www.nuklearpower.com/images/zi_jiao.jpg

We had to come up with a reason for Jiao to be walking alone when Wong approached, so Bao was made hideous to "explain" that. I doubt a little kid would approach someone like Bao, so Jiao had him hide. Jiao, when he's not in his "evil mode" doesn't really look all that scary. I also gave him the "Po look" to sort of associate him with the only (so far) friendly character Wong has met (aside from his servant waaaaaaay back on pages 6-8).

[Tev]

I do like how opening Jiao's eyes instantly changes him from harmless traveler to a creepy evil assassin. What is it about all these characters and their crazily expressive eyebrows?

[MSperoni]

Been awhile since the last Behind the Punch Update. Seems like every time I have a few images to post, Brian's never around to put them on the site and when he is around I forget to ask him.

There haven't been any new characters in awhile so there have been no new character designs to post. I think when the fight scene is over with I will post a type of layout compilation image of each page in the fight. As well as panels I tossed out.

For now, I suppose I can show previews to a picture I'm working on. This picture is a gift to the site as thanks to the people who donated money in the recent "How I Killed Your Donation Drive".

Here is the link to the initial concept:

Concept (http://exmile.deviantart.com/art/Wong-Old-and-Young-144675074)


Here is the link to the more detailed line work:

Line Work (http://exmile.deviantart.com/art/Wong-Old-and-Young-Part-2-144705771)


And here is a link to an image which I made as a kind of "bonus". An image of the two Wongs put together without the image of Chan and Fei in the background:

Wong Old and Young (http://exmile.deviantart.com/art/Liu-Wong-Old-and-Young-144781706)


The final version of the image is nearly complete, I am considering adding a few more bits to it, but I may not. Either way it will be available by Friday's page update :)

[Tryxx]

Matt,

Not sure if this is the best place for this question, but I feel it needs to be asked: With such a positive reception of your art, even outside of HIKYM, specifically as related to the 8-Bit Theater series - do you and Brian have any plans to utilize your skill for official merchandising? We all know how the shirts thing goes, but specific prints and the like would be neat.

(And this gave me an idea for a commission request. Maybe this comic (http://www.nuklearpower.com/2005/10/01/episode-606-the-ol-switcheroo/) in your actual art style - would be hilarious and awesome beyond words. Assuming that sort of thing is OK with Brian...)

Thanks.

[MSperoni]

hmm.. well prints and posters would be pretty cool but nothing really has been discussed yet. For HIKYM or 8-bit (I assume you meant HIKYM though :) )

I've had someone ask me for an 8-bit comic drawn in my style before, and Brian was okay with it, but the thing is it would be a pretty hefty project doing a comic w/ all those panels (even if I did it abridged) so it might come a tad pricey :p


Email me for more info about commissions, I'll get to it as soon as I can ^_^

[Tryxx]

Email sent!

[MSperoni]

Got it! I'll respond soon (hopefully :p )

[MSperoni]

Hurray another "Behind the Punch" update! This time with actual STUFF to show!

Here are the concepts to our newest character and first girl, Fang Lin. You can probably guess which one I settled on.

Originally she was going to be about Wong's height but I thought it might be cool for her to be taller. In this case, Fang is the power fighter and Wong is the fast one (which I guess reverses the stereotype).

Her body and face are based off two models. Her face is anime'd up slightly to fit w/ the comic's look. Her body I just make her legs and arms a little more powerful looking, but other than that she's pretty natural. I did that in order to keep her from getting too unrealistic (like bust size, hip size, etc). I won't say who I modeled her after though :) (though neither are Chinese)

http://www.nuklearpower.com/images/fanglin_concepts.jpg


I like the last two images of her face, however they seemed to dainty and pretty for the type of character I wanted her to be. Those faces don't have enough fire in their eyes for Fang Lin.

[MSperoni]

I don't know if it's all that obvious or not, and I probably only notice it because I know what to look for, but Page 60 is where I started working MEGAFAST (so fast I can only describe it in one word in all caps). The art is starting to look a little different (and better in my opinion :D)

I draw and color MEGAFAST (see?) now because I think I work more instinctively, not to mention I can get my work done with time to spare. Pages take maybe 6 hours to draw and 4 to color, sometimes less. There are some upcoming pages I managed to get done in a single day.

I kinda like the raw scribbly look, it seems to suit this comic. I also like leaving a bit of the under-drawing there because of some big artsy reason I haven't really thought about deeply enough to explain yet :P (it has to do with the "truth about what a drawing is" or something..)

[Liquid Snake]

Sexay Fang Lin Drawings

...

...

...

...Okay, that's it. I am commissioning you. (Again.) NOW.

[MSperoni]

Sounds good :)

(again?)

[Liquid Snake]

(again?)

Well, we've done the whole commissions thing a couple times before.
I just think it's about time to witness another magnificent work of art.

[MSperoni]

ahhh okay this is another U/N... For a second I thought you weren't who you were.

But I can test to be sure:

All that is (mostly) a lie (I'm currently indifferent one way or the other about the 1920s)

(Solid Snake would disagree, but Liquid would, right?)

[Liquid Snake]

You know what I hate? Girls with short hair, they are the suckiest of the bunch of girls and I curse whomever would have me draw them. I also dislike Von Karma and especially the 1920s.

Allow me to quote Darth Vader.

NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[MSperoni]

Or Luke:

NNNNNNWWWWOOOOOOOOOOHHHH THAT'S NOT TRUE..

[Hatake Kakashi]

Soooo.... ah...

Haven't heard anything out of Matt since, iunno... October?

He die or something?

It makes me a little sad to not see anything new (and relevant) to HIKYM. Out of all the projects going on around here, I was enjoying HIKYM the most.

[MSperoni]

I'm not dead! I was doing lots of stuff while I was waiting for a script. I'm finished up to page 78 in HIKYM, they just haven't been posted (except I'm not done w/ page 77 yet).

I've been doing commissions, and fanart, and some comics of my own. I generally talk all about it on twitter :)

[BigDemonicBunny]

HIKYM UPDATE!

FUCK! YES! UNF!

[Hatake Kakashi]

Finally! I could hump someone's leg right about now, I'm so happy!

[ChaoticBrain]

.

[eyeonus]

So, when are we going to see another issue of this? This being the only decent comic on here, I'm rather disappointed at it's sudden lack of updates. (8-bit Theatre doesn't count because it's over, and Atomic Robo doesn't count because it's a physical-not-web comic.)

[MSperoni]

I have no idea when HIKYM will start again. I've got a lot of things going on, including The Dreadful (which seems to be getting some positive feedback and I'm encouraged), and Brian's locked into a lot of other stuff.

The issue w/ HIKYM is that a lot of parts have to come together.

Sorry if you don't find anything else on the site worth reading, but if you're only source of entertainment here is HIKYM or 8-bit you might be out of luck for awhile I'm afraid..

[Krylo]

Have you gotten any scripts to draw recently, even, Matt?

From what I understood it's mostly that Brian is doing all this actual paid work with actual deadlines and stuff, like new AR, some video game writing or something, stuff for DC and Marvel, etc. since the last HIKYM and hasn't had time to write it.

[rpgdemon]

I hereby nominate myself to take over the writing of HIKYM.

Panel 1: Fang Lin punching some dude.

Panel 2: Wall o' guy punching some dude.

Panel 3: Fang Lin punching Wong.

Panel 4: Fang Lin and Wong have sloppy makeouts.

Panel 5: Wall o' guy also has sloppy makeouts with Wong.

The end.

[Hatake Kakashi]

I hereby nominate myself to take over the writing of HIKYM.

Panel 1: Fang Lin punching some dude.

Panel 2: Wall o' guy punching some dude.

Panel 3: Fang Lin punching Wong.

Panel 4: Fang Lin and Wong have sloppy makeouts.

Panel 5: Wall o' guy also has sloppy makeouts with Wong.

The end.

I object!

Fang Lin does not do makeouts.

[MSperoni]

Have you gotten any scripts to draw recently, even, Matt?


Nope. Nothing new HIKYM wise for a looooong time. There are actually two more pages of it sitting around which Brian hasn't posted.



Panel 4: Fang Lin and Wong have sloppy makeouts.


No makeouts for Fang Lin!

[rpgdemon]

I'm the brilliant writer here! I bet Clevinger doesn't have to deal with this crap.


Fine: Panel 4: Fang Lin punches Wong again.

[MSperoni]

Brian has to put up with a lot of my crap/creative input. There are a number of things in HIKYM that were my ideas. I'm not going to say which ones though (assume all the good ones).

[Kurosen]

It's true. My idea was for a buddy cop comedy and Matt said "Shut up" and here we are.

[MSperoni]

It wasn't so much I was against a buddy cop comedy, but that you kept insisting the team be composed of street-smart anthropomorphic skunks so we could call it "NYPDPU"

ALWAYS with the furries with you...always..

[Meister]

I thought 8BT was the buddy cop comedy.

[rpgdemon]

It's always buddy cop comedies too, then?

[Meister]

http://i.imgur.com/sUlVP.jpg http://i.imgur.com/DrSpd.jpg

:eek:

[iunojupiter]

It's been ages. As a martial artist, I really enjoyed reading HIKYM when it first started especially since it appears that the main character practices a style of Mantis like I do.
So, any idea if we are going to get HIKYM back? I used to check nuklearpower every day, just to check it... then it was every week, then every other week, to where I haven't checked the site in 6 months, and still nothing.... very sad panda here.

[MSperoni]

I'm focusing mainly on The Dreadful and Brian's working on Atomic Robo (and I help with the coloring on that every so often).

HIKYM isn't "dead" it's just really on the back burner. I prefer working on The Dreadful anyway. Then again I'm a little biased.

[OldeWolf]

I just came here to let you know that I don't give a rat's ass about The Dreadful as it's more empty than How I Kill Your Master. In fact, the HIKYM is the only saving grace this group of artist has left after they ended 8-bit theater and abandoned Warbot in accounting. And it was the only reason why I was loyal enough to keep on checking for any HIKYM and warbot in accounting update just like iunojupiter.

In fact, abandoning all other popular comics just to focus on The Dreadful is very much biased indeed. So much so that I think it's turning out to be a selfish decision on your end to start and even continue The Dreadful after starting up HIKYM first and then abandoning it just like you guys did to Warbot.

I don't think you even realized how popular HIKYM was becoming and how widely enjoyed Warbot in Accounting was across the internet.

Make the right choice and put an end to the Dreadful comic (pun intended) and go back to being loyal to HIKYM and Warbot in Accounting.

Thank you,
Have a nice day.
Wolf

[Bard The 5th LW]

I just came here to let you know that I don't give a rat's ass about The Dreadful as it's more empty than How I Kill Your Master. In fact, the HIKYM is the only saving grace this group of artist has left after they ended 8-bit theater and abandoned Warbot in accounting. And it was the only reason why I was loyal enough to keep on checking for any HIKYM and warbot in accounting update just like iunojupiter.

In fact, abandoning all other popular comics just to focus on The Dreadful is very much biased indeed. So much so that I think it's turning out to be a selfish decision on your end to start and even continue The Dreadful after starting up HIKYM first and then abandoning it just like you guys did to Warbot.

I don't think you even realized how popular HIKYM was becoming and how widely enjoyed Warbot in Accounting was across the internet.

Make the right choice and put an end to the Dreadful comic (pun intended) and go back to being loyal to HIKYM and Warbot in Accounting.

Thank you,
Have a nice day.
Wolf

Brian doesnt make The Dreadful pal.

[OldeWolf]

Brian doesnt make The Dreadful pal.

Read my post again, "pal" and realize that I said clearly "group of artist". Besides, my post was not addressed to you.

[Kim]

Read my post again, "pal" and realize that I said clearly "group of artist". Besides, my post was not addressed to you.

The Dreadful is a one man thing that is in no way holding up HIKYM nor is it holding up Warbot. Warbot got held up because Brian and Zack couldn't sync their schedules up, cuz they're incredibly busy all the time. Brian with comics stuff like Robo, which is great, and Zack with his Fallout series IIRC. HIKYM I think was held up for the same reasons on Brian's end and also their letterer? It's been a while. The Dreadful is just Matt's creation. It is in no way responsible for the delays the other comics have experienced, nor would cancelling it change those delays. The Dreadful is the only reason Nuklear Power continues to get regular updates of anything at all. In other words, if you don't like the Dreadful, fine. Don't visit. Don't read it. Whatevs. But to argue it should be scrapped so you can get something else shows an incredible ignorance of the situation and a tremendous amount of selfishness in terms of what you expect of people who provide you with free content.

[Bard The 5th LW]

Sorry if I offended you. It seemed as though you thought it was all by the same writer was all. Brian's busy with too much other stuff (like Atomic Robo) to work on HIKYM or Warbot. The Dreadful is mostly to provide some content until he can work on those again whenever that day comes. Until Brian and the other parties involved can all mobilize, then they're is basically no viable way to continue HIKYM because it otherwise would have no writer. Its not a result of a bias towards the Dreadful at all, because the Dreadful involves only one person to keep it running, that person being the artist who happens to also be the writer.

If you want to see more stuff written by Brian, who wrote HIKYM, Warbot, and 8bit, then I'd strongly recommend Atomic Robo. It is a very well done series.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Read my post again, "pal" and realize that I said clearly "group of artist". Besides, my post was not addressed to you.

Man, it's almost like Nuklearpower has convenient (http://www.nuklearpower.com/dreadful-faq/) FAQs at the (http://www.nuklearpower.com/hikyfaq/) top of each webcomic (http://www.nuklearpower.com/warfaq/) to show who made them.

wait oh shit

[MSperoni]

I just came here to let you know that I don't give a rat's ass about The Dreadful as it's more empty than How I Kill Your Master. In fact, the HIKYM is the only saving grace this group of artist has left after they ended 8-bit theater and abandoned Warbot in accounting. And it was the only reason why I was loyal enough to keep on checking for any HIKYM and warbot in accounting update just like iunojupiter.

In fact, abandoning all other popular comics just to focus on The Dreadful is very much biased indeed. So much so that I think it's turning out to be a selfish decision on your end to start and even continue The Dreadful after starting up HIKYM first and then abandoning it just like you guys did to Warbot.

I don't think you even realized how popular HIKYM was becoming and how widely enjoyed Warbot in Accounting was across the internet.

Make the right choice and put an end to the Dreadful comic (pun intended) and go back to being loyal to HIKYM and Warbot in Accounting.

Thank you,
Have a nice day.
Wolf

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

(The Dreadful isn't going anywhere. Sorry you don't like it, but posts like this aren't going to change anything. If anything, they just make me want to work on it MORE. So I guess if you don't like it, then...I dunno. Don't come to the site? *shrugs*.)

EDIT: From what Brian's told me, The Dreadful is as popular as HIKYM was. Considering it's just me working on it, and it isn't fueled by Brian's star power/talent, that's a pretty good thing in my opinion.

HIKYM never got an article on i09 (http://io9.com/5847729/the-dreadful-a-webcomic-about-the-goofy-gunslinging-demons-of-the-old-west).

[Domestibot]

OldeWolf? More like yappy poodle.

[MSperoni]

Let's not start a flame/insult war, now....

Oldewolf expressed their opinion, people responded, and let's just leave it at that before things get out of hand and The Dreadful/me/Brian get insulted any further :D

[Kim]

let's just leave it at that before things get out of hand and The Dreadful/me/Brian get insulted any further :D

YOU SMELL!

[MSperoni]

You eat boogers for breakfast!

[Kim]

http://i44.tinypic.com/24xoy2a.gif

[MSperoni]

http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/carlton-dance-gif.gif?w=320&h=239

[MSperoni]

The Dreadful is mostly to provide some content until he can work on those again whenever that day comes..

This made me think of something that I would like to point out:

Brian enjoys The Dreadful. He isn't posting it as "filler", or just to humor me/give me something to do (in case anyone was wondering). He's made it clear before that he wasn't going to allow any comic on this site unless it was his own, so the fact he made an exception for The Dreadful should indicate that it isn't just some random comic he's posting to fill space. He's also told me he's impressed by the stuff I'm doing and coming up with, and that means a lot considering I'm a huge fan of his (though I think he's "impressed" in the sense of how a Master is impressed with an Apprentice. I don't think he's "impressed" in the sense he's going to be learning anything from me).

We've talked about it before, and as far as Brian and I are concerned The Dreadful is as much a part of this site as 8-bit or Warbot or HIKYM (After 8-bit Theater, The Dreadful has the most content/pages on this site, after all). I'm not trying to "take over" the site or anything, it's just another comic that's here so I hope everyone will give it a chance and stick with it (and if you don't like it tell me WHY -- in respectful criticism fashion, preferably).

I'm definitely going to stick with it. I think it's a pretty good comic and I have a lot of fun with it. There's so much potential here! I also feel I'm getting better and better as it goes on too (remember I didn't come into comics with writing as my area of expertise, so my skills at writing aren't as honed as they are at drawing).

[CABAL49]

You've had your fun. Now get back to work on Dreadful before we chain you to your desk.

[MSperoni]

But I just finished up for the day!


(I finished up page that contains arguably the most insane thing I've ever drawn)

[CABAL49]

7858

[MSperoni]

It's a lot like that, actually.

I also have to deal with the muse who is in charge of having me draw the pages.

[BigDemonicBunny]

I want HIKYM back on track (more so than Atomic Robo). I'll even support a kickstarter if money is the problem.

[MSperoni]

That's not an entirely unrealistic proposition (a kickstarter that is).

I need to probably do something like that with The Dreadful so I can get it earning me some money...

[Sam I am]

Remember that time Brian Said he'd start HIKYM back up?

good times

[Fenris]

Remember that time Brian Said he'd start HIKYM back up?

good times

It's okay, if he started it up again, it'd probably be in a new art style. :ohdear:

[MSperoni]

HIKYM has been pushed to the side so Brian can get a novel written.

I would try to keep it as close to the original art style as I could, if it starts up again, but it's been awhile and I'm better now so I doubt it would look identical.

For now you'll just have to be happy with The Dreadful. Or not. Whatevs. I'm not quitting on it till I'm finished with it.

[Sam I am]

For now you'll just have to be happy with The Dreadful. Or not. Whatevs. I'm not quitting on it till I'm finished with it.

I remember

[epcharles]

I remember

Many do.....

[Tev]

Many do.....
Indeed.

[tacticslion]

I am always relevant and timely to the conversation!

By which, of course, I mean, "Hi, guys, how are you all doing?"