Comic Sketches: July 2020

Not too much to do this month! We only had one real update, two if you count the one I very graciously decided to stuff in with last months sketches. August will have a lot more, assuming we're able to pull out this interactive flash.

The big focus of this update was on Racren Innali and his various connections to other characters. 

Much like Sestro and Hamifi, him and Turnin were originally old character concepts from early VE comic drafts. They were a part of a planet called "Paratoia" (paradox utopia), which was a big central planetary core surrounded by a six moons.  A couple of those old moons became the basis for the black, white and gray moons surrounding Repiton. 

Racren has always had the same job throughout both of his iterations, though funnily enough in old concepts he actually had a legitimate hatred for Turnin. Him and Hamifi didn't have any sort of connection either, as even on Paratoia, Hamifi was glued to Sestro. 

He was planned to eventually become a villian for the main 12 to face, but obviously all of this has since been scrapped. Which was more than deserved, I don't think 13 year olds should try to make intricate class commentary systems. Especially so when they don't really face any issues related to it. 

I'll spare you the details and post the sketches instead.

Clearly the black moon does not practice proper social distancing. And clearly this will not date this post as soon as this virus is taken care of. That's the thing about hypertext and hypertext fiction, they're fated to only be as relevant as the technology and internet culture around them is.

Instruments are always far better when they float or look weird. Also, unseen on this sketch but obvious on the final product; Racren is a JOTH. With a little bit of nerd tossed in for flavor. 

There was all this talk before his reveal of "oh the moon twink this" and "oh the moon twink that". I hope you now understand his true place in the major secondary cast. It's an important niche to fill. Name another joth in VE so far, I'll wait.

In case you were curious, the chlorinated Jell-o DOES come in various smells and colors. Green is just a very natural and relaxing choice, which is why it's so common.

Turnin obviously has some major issues, going around and eating lemons so willy nilly. Repitonian's have far stronger stomachs than us and probably than Alternian's, and that mixed with their sharp and strong teeth allow most anything to be eaten and digested. Which is why non-edible substances like glue and whatever the hell Sirage drinks are seen palatable snacks for the average joe here. 

However, as Racren explains, citric acid tends to counteract the strong acids in their stomachs and cause issues. Lemons are used for balms and purging, not consumption and especially not in large doses like Turnin decides to do. I think they just carry them around? There's no way that poor ice cream guy was just carrying something like this around. Turnin is just a culinary freak of nature, among many other things.

Originally Garnie wasn't going to have any more appearances outside of her one background shot. But Heather liked her so much that we decided to use her in this scene and make her an acquaintance of Racren's.

I'm still pretty happy with the hair comments made here, lunar bleaching is pretty fascinating stuff. The longer you're on the moons, the more white your hair gets. This applies to the other moons. So those who frequent the white moon may very well have some streaks too! Ozone layers, can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

Obviously this is kind of a reference to the old white haired fantrolls that always got scrutinized for existing since at the time there was this idea that "troll hair can only be streaked in their blood color", so if you had white hair then you had white blood. So we decided to come up with a concept that lets it happen naturally. I hear rumors those milk stalactites have similar properties, though.

Racren's honestly pretty damn smart for being able to figure this stuff out amidst all the panic. Pascal only figured it out by chance, and if he didn't he would just straight up be dead. Good thing The Medium is very accommodating with the atmosphere and wifi privileges. Thanks White Noise.

Pascal got some fans in this update! He is pretty cute, I'll give him that. Also he's got a lot of little funny jokes associated to his name, role in the scene and quirk. However we probably won't be seeing him again, and if we do he will probably just be filling space. He's a little timid.

Cue that one scene of Arnold from The Magic School Bus getting his entire face frozen. I'm sure this probably happened in some probability, one where WN was far less gracious and more of a bastard. Oh wait, a character like that already exists. Whoops.

This was a bit of a covert Simpsons reference on my end. Turnin jumping the canyon and the ice cream truck crash is supposed to be reminiscent of Season 2's 'Bart The Daredevil', which sees Bart (and then Homer) attempt to jump Springfield Gorge. An ambulance tries to come to help Homer out after he so comically fails and nearly kills himself on accident, but instead it just jumps and crashes into a tree, where it never leaves for the rest of the series. I doubt this ice cream truck will either, it would ruin the ruined world aesthetic.

That's it for this month! See you next month for there hopefully being far more content to see. Seriously there is so much going into this upcoming game that it's ridiculous.

Don't eat the yellow fruits!

- Austin.