My apologies to those of you to whom I still owe "free sketches". I haven't forgotten you, but because I no longer use Flash for my art, it has taken me some time to make the full transition into Photoshop. I promise I'll have these finished before they've been owed for a year, though.

0. (Reserved for ~SlothGirl ) - Lines - Any one of her characters. (100%) [link]
0. (Reserved for ~kitty-eared-girl ) - Lines - Any one of her characters. (100%) [link]
1. ~Donnis - Lines - Donnis & Kiba Inuzuka (100%) [link]
2. ~musicscifigirl - Lines - Me & her at Prom (100%) [link]
3. *fuXorZ - Lines - Ina Wren (100%) [link]
4. *LasciateOgneSperanza - Lines - Tomcat (100%) [link]
5. *Pr0stSh0cKeR - Lines - Stephen Harper, Prost, and Paul Martin (100%) [link]
6. =BlinkAnjell01 - Lines - Sayuri & Pulse Fishing (100%) [link]
7. *one-loser - Lines - Shikamaru Nara & "L" Playing Chess (0%)
8. ~Dekker3D - Lines - Cyanide (0%)
9. ~Anmras - Lines - Fai (Neko Style) (0%)
10. ~TheNamelessTailled - Lines - Espomage. (0%)

Issues 002 & 003 have been recolored and remastered, and will be completely posted on DrunkDuck.com within the week. They will then be posted here on DA, if they haven't already. Please stop by for a look, keeping in mind that there will be something new up every day, Mon-Fri.

On a relatively minor note, I have begun an encyclopedic Lifeblood page on Wikifur.com. You are welcome to make changes, but eventually this page will probably be identical to my primary reference page on Comixpedia.com.

It's done. The first Lifeblood Midquel, otherwise known as Issue 3.5 is official. I have nearly finished writing it, and have begun drawing it out. This issue is unique, because it is set in the two-year gap between Issues 003 and 004, and brings to light many previously foggy subjects. It will be shown how Pulse overcomes Yorel and regains control over him, how Liz learns to use her Shuriken weapons, details behind Rune's espionage mission on Savage Paradise Island, and some very interesting history on Arielle & Tao. There might also be a possibility of a fleeting romance scene between Pulse & Liz...

I really worked my ass off on this issue. No, really, even more than usual. The artwork is crazy: it's even better than Issue 004. In case you don't believe me, here are a few preview shots:



These ten pages will be posted on DrunkDuck starting next week, and will be added to DA soon after. Unlike previous issues, however, you can read these before I post them here, so take advantage of the opportunity.

Yep, as of 11:00 AM this morning, February 20th, I am nineteen years old! God, I feel old.

There ain't gonna be a big celebration or anything, just getting together with some friends (I think ~Xael-Amari will be there) to celebrate, because this year my birthday also happens to coincide with the date for Mardi Gras. Imagine that, huh?

Anywhoos, I'm not expecting any gifts from anyone (as usual) but I appreciate any happy birthday wishes. Or you could ignore me completely - no hard feelings.

Thanks for all the wonderful years I've had here on DA, guys. Hope there'll be many more to come.

Stolen from the journal of ~Malignant-Librarian.

Fandom: Digimon

Stats:
Name: Ton Rokko
AKA: "Jason" (Codename derived from Jason and the Argonauts, going along with the name of his Digimon partner; Argomon.)
Age: 14
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: February 20th (Same as mine)
Place of Birth: Obelopolis, Russia (Derived from the Egyptian word "Obelisk")
Element: Earth.
Theme Song: Coldplay - God Put A Smile Upon Your Face

Miscellaneous:
Accent: Ton was born and raised in Russia, and so Russian is his native tongue. Although he has learned English, he is not a talented linguist (shown in his inability to fluently speak Japanese) and retains a faint Russian accent.
Blood Type: AB+
Dislikes: Poets, frivolous pursuits, racism, most adults, people who attain power through unethical means, unethical people in general, swimming in the ocean, black cherries, bunnies, cute animals in general.
Likes: Martial arts of all kinds, tactics, computer programming, riddles, challenges, classical music, stargazing, astronomy, traditional painting, ferocious animals.
Least Favorite Food: Ice cream.
Favorite Food: Turkish delight. [link]
Occupation: Moderately high-ranking Digimon Underground officer (Digimon Tamer).

Physical:
Height: 5’5”
Weight: 200 lbs (His mass is mostly muscle)
Dimensions: No idea.
Hair Color: Jet-black.
Eye Color: Teal.
Piercings: There is a computer chip implanted in the roof of his mouth, containing his most prized and invluable research data.

Mental:
Eyesight: 15/40
Personality-in-Brief: Quiet, caring, calculating, composed, rarely surprised, subject to occasional outbursts of emotion, a good leader, but unwilling to admit it.
Willpower: Is this on a scale of 1 to 10? 9, I suppose. He'll very rarely give in, once he's made up his mind about something.

Other: Ton operates under the guise of a boy on a constant mission, allowing few things to bother him or get in his way. However, his short life has been subject to no shortage of violence, loss, and heartache. Much of his calm and deliberating exterior is a product of his childhood. Under his thick skin, he is a very kindly and soft-hearted boy, but he will rarely find the chance to show it.

Biography-in-Brief: Refer to the following:

The first issue has been completed, and also re-posted here on DA. It'd still appreciate it if you'd pop over for a look, but things are picking up a bit, and I'm trying to be optimistic. Pages will continue to be posted every week, Monday-Friday, so come by each day for something entirely new.

No images for you guys this week. Instead, I'd like to tell you about an idea I'm having. I'm entertaining the possibility of an Issue 3.5. for Lifeblood. Some people have complained about the 2-year jump between issues three and four, and also expressed an interest in the relationship between Pulse and Liz during that time. Well, I've been juggling several ideas (one of them involving my recent character Tao ) and I just might be creating an in-between issue. Please tell me what you thoughts are.

This week I'm enlightening you all on a very quaint and fun TV series called Dragon Booster. It's a slight King Arthur allegory set in a futuristic, heavily orientally-influenced world in which people race on semi-intelligent dragons with video-game power-ups at over 200 mph.

's:

I watched the first four episodes of this Canadian TV series, and there were several things that immediately appealed to me.

Firstly, there were dragons. 'Kay, that's outta the way.

Second, the animation was Cel-Shaded completely using CGI, and although it has its shortcomings, it had a ReBoot-esque charm that I simply couldn't resist.

Thirdly, although the storyline was your standard Saturday-morning staple, the characters were charming and tons of fun. The dragons themselves don't talk (they're a bit like racing horses) but they have very distinguishable personalities.

Fourth, the voice acting is really superb. I mean, I don't usually support english voice-actors, but in this case, they were exceptional.

All in all, I liked it enough to ask you to sign the petition for more seasons. The show is currently discontinued, and there are several more seasons that should one day see the small screen.

's:

Well, anything you can throw against a Saturday-morning cartoon (two-dimensional story, borrowing elements from other shows, low-quality animation, and so on), would probably hold up against Dragon Booster. Also, if you don't like dragons (le gasp) you'll probably find all the excessive dragon-oriented culture obnoxious.

Just as the cel-shaded CGI is a blessing, it is also a curse. Much of the aesthetic value of traditional-animation is gone, replaced with fixed character models. In my opinion, though, this is made up for with the smooth action scenes, fluidly expressed dialogue, and flexible camera angles. But meh, it's just me.

Overall Rating:

Stolen from the journal of *LasciateOgneSperanza.

List 12 of your original characters.

1 Pulse [link] (A male Dragon/Hedgehog)
2 Zeo [link] (A male Luntartra, or "Moon Dragon")
3 Lana [link] (A female Maratra, or "Wave Dragon")
4 Liz [link] (A female Lizard/Fox)
5 Tony [link] (A male human with a prosthetic arm)
6 Sylvar [link] (A male machine-turned-dragon)
7 Kira [link] (A female Fugatra, or "Wind Dragon")
8 Ton [link] (A male human)
9 Metargomon [link] (A female Digimon)
10 Tiona [link] (A female Dragon)
11 Enoch [link] (A male computer-turned-human)
12 Alec [link] (A male human)

01) Who would make a better college professor, 6 or 11? What subjects would they teach?

Definitely 11 (Enoch). He was once the ultimate repository of information used by the human race, and still retains most of his knowledge. He'd probably teach philosophy, and drive his students nuts.

02) Do you think 2 is hot? How hot?

I wouldn't be able to say; Zeo's a guy. I designed him to be a sort of self-image-obsessed guy with a misguided soul, but a good heart. Eh, I suppose he's hot.

03) 12 sends 8 on a mission. What is it, and does it succeed?

Alec sends Ton on a mission. Heh. Alec is a headstrong, compulsive, daredevil-like kid who races on flying surfboards. Ton is a methodical computer programmer educated in most forms of martial arts. I guess Alec would send him into town to buy some new parts for his flying machines, and Ton would come back with a bunch of advice on how to improve the design.

04) What is or would be 9's favorite book?

Metargomon's favorite book? Well, that's a toughie, but with her personality and upbringing, I think she'd like "The Art of War".

05) Would it make more sense for 2 to swear fealty to 6, or the other way around?

That's Zeo and Sylvar. Considering the fact that Sylvar is a dragon, it would probably be him swearing fealty to Zeo, not the other way around. Although, Sil's pretty strong-minded, so he wouldn't take much of Zeo's lip before frying him.

06) For some reason, 5 is looking for a roommate. Should he share a studio apartment with 9 or with 10?

Now we have Tony, an upstanding, virtuous, selfless young man, who has to choose between rooming with a fighting Digimon infected with a computer virus (Metargomon) or a dragon anthro who's also the personification of death (Tiona). Both of his choices are female. I feel sorry for him, that's all I gotta say.

07) 2, 7 and 12 have dinner together. Where do they go, and what do they discuss?

Zeo, Kira, and Alec. Hmm, Zeo and Kira are a couple (per se), so Kira would probably drag both the boys somewhere romantic, and Alec would be bored out of his mind.

08) 3 challenges 10 to a duel. What happens?

Lana and Tiona. Wow, a toughie. Lana commands the element of water, but Tiona's a death goddess. I gotta give Tiona this one.

09) If 1 stole 8's most precious possession, how would s/he get it back?

That'd be Pulse stealing from Ton. Ton's most precious possession would probably be Metargomon (his Digimon). Regardless of whether Ton comes to his Digimon's rescue, Pulse would have his ass handed to him by the very item he just stole.

10) Suggest a title for a story in which 7 and 12 both attain what they most desire.

Kira and Alec? Heh. Kira's goal is total domination of the known universe. Alec's is to discover wealth and treasure and fame. Let's call it "The Queen and the Pirate."

11) What kind of plot device would you use if you wanted 4 and 1 to work together?

Oh, dear. We have Pulse and Liz, now. As some of you may know from my comic, Lifeblood, Liz and Pulse are currently trying to kill one another. The only possible plot device that could remedy this would be time-travel. Sorry LizxPulse fans.

12) If 7 visited you for the weekend, how would you get along?

Kira? She'd have me licking her feet, I'm sorry to say. She scares the living heck outta me.

13) If you could command 3 to perform any one task or service for you, what would it be?

Lana, who's a homicidal, sex-obsessed, thrill-seeking gal with absolutely no morals or physical limits of exertion? Where do I start?

14) Does anyone on your friends list write or draw 11?

That's Enoch. Nope, he's one of my least-known characters, and nobody's tried their hand at drawing him, though they're welcome to try.

15) If 2 had to choose sides between 4 and 5, which would it be?

If Zeo had to choose between Liz and Tony, he'd probably go with Liz. Just because he's a ladies' man like that.

16) What might 10 shout while charging into battle?

"You're already dead!" (She's the embodiment of death.)

17) If you chose a song to represent 8, which song would you choose?

Heheh. For Ton, I'd have to choose, "It's all about the Pentiums," by Weird Al. Heheh.

18) 1, 6, and 12 are having dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets to eat it?

Pulse and Sylvar get into a draconic fire-breathing battle, and Alec stealthily grabs it behind their backs.

19) What might be a good pick-up line for 2 to use on 10?

Snort. Zeo tries to pick up Tiona. Let's go with, "I may be dead, but I'm still a stud!"

20) What would 5 most likely be arrested for?

Tony would most likely get arrested for creating a robotic army that turned against humanity. Not that he's done this, mind you, but he is a genius of an engineer.

21) What is 6's secret?

Sylvar's secret is that he was once a premordial, living dragon who was reincarnated into a robotic shell created by Tony.

22) If 11 and 9 were racing to a destination, who would get there first?

Actually, if Metargomon and Enoch got into a race, they'd end up in a tie. Metargomon is very fast (and can teleport) but Enoch is a living machine who can run as fast as his body will allow, and very rarely gets tired.

23) If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of 7 or 8

Kira or Ton? Definitely Ton. Even though he's not nearly as powerful as Kira, he's less likely to shove me off a bridge for no apparent reason.

Lifeblood has been posted on Drunkduck.com for some time now. It's not getting the positive response I would have liked for it to, but I will continue posting daily, five times a week, whether I have an audience or not. I would greatly appreciate it, though, if you stopped by to take a look. My comic has consumed a large chunk of my life, and I'm relatively proud of it. You won't be dissapointed.

Since very few people were interested in my sample pages last week, all you guys get is a clip from Lifeblood 005's Cover. If you guys want more previews, you'll have to leave more indications that you actually care about them.

This week I'm reviewing a relatively old animated film called Quest for Camelot. Produced by Warner Bros, "Quest for Camelot" is a romp-filled children's movie about a knight's daughter, a blind squire, a two-headed dragon and an evil villain who creates hyrbrid human/weapons using an ACME potion.

's:

This movie had decent animation. At times, you could see corners had been cut, but in all fairness, there were some truly breathtaking moments. Over half of the movie is spent inside the "Forbidden Forest," where all manner of visual marvels arise and dissapear with no rhyme or reason, and it often leaves you amazed. Devon & Cornwall, the bickering two-headed dragon(s), are very good at what they do; comic relief. Somewhere between Disney's Timon, Iago, and Mushu in personality, they frequently produce veiled cultural spoofs, similar to the style of the Genie from Aladdin. And perhaps best of all, they even have the nerve to make fun of Disney. Now we know why this movie didn't do so well.

The music and soundtrack were both decent, but so blatantly copying of Disney that I almost thought I was listening to The Lion King with lutes.

Oh, and they have a well-mannered, evil talking gryphon. Nuff said.

's:

This movie, unlike its successors (The Iron Giant, Titan A.E., Sinbad, etc.) doesn't try to break away from the Disney movie-making formula. The characters frequently break into spontaneous song which, unlike in a Disney movie, does not flow with the movie as a whole, and grinds on the viewer's nerves. Although the antagonist's personality is evil, when he starts singing, you can't help but laugh. Plus the singing voice-overs sound very different from their normal voice-acting counterparts.

Perhaps this went unnoticed by most, but I was rather apalled when the knights of the round table began reciting a confused version of the American Pledge of Allegiance as King Arthur's pledge. It was rather embarassing, and I wish the movie's creators had taken an extra half hour to leaf thorugh a thesaurus and find some other words than "liberty and justice for all".

And finally, despite all of this movie's downfalls, I loved the ending. However, I felt that the movie was far too short (only 1.5 hours), and it could have expanded more upon its premise, establishing the world it was set in into one that was much more believable.

Overall Rating:

Well, I've quite obviously changed the entire layout of my journal. Many thanks to *Lilyas, whose CSS code I borrowed. Her original design can be found at the following deviation: [link] . I quite frankly have no idea how to use CSS, and I ended up with this finished product only by trial and error. I'll continue to meddle and tweak with it as time goes on, but for now, I'm content with the way it looks.

I've also opted for an animated title bar! I decided to do this for two reasons: One, it hasn't been tried before (as far as I know), and two, I wanted to catch people's attention as soon as they hit my homepage. I realize that an animated title will take a while to load (especially for DAers with dial-up connections) but if the title is never seen, there'll be no loss to the overall journal. The five deviations I used should be well-known by now, but in case they're not, I'm providing thumbnail links to them.

Questions/comments regarding this change are welcome, especially by DAers who know something about CSS!

Yes, you heard right, I'm officially opening Comissions and Trades! Details can be found inside the shoutboard to the left of the journal. I'm not gonna linger on the subject, because obviously there's more interesting stuff to talk about. But just to make sure everyone's aware, I will now draw (practically) anything up for you, and consider doing trades, as well.

In the near future, I'll be doing promotional stuff around my comissions to draw some attention back to them, including, perhaps, some free stuff.

Yes, you heard right. I'm bringing back Lifeblood, although admittedly not all at once. Today is the day that I premiere Lifeblood on DrunkDuck.com, and the link to it can be found here , as well as at the newly revised sidebar of this journal. (Since this journal was posted at the stroke of midnight, however, it might take several hours before the pages appear, so don't panic if you only see the "Test Page". The pages will come, but perhaps not until sometime in the morning.)

From now on, I will be posting one Lifeblood page Daily (Monday - Friday) on DrunkDuck. This means that every two weeks I'll post a complete issue here on DA, just like I had been doing before I put the series on haitus. Now, I admit, this schedule can't be written in stone (I'm only human, after all), but I'll do my very best to uphold it from now on. The only difference that you'll be seeing here on DA is each issue presented in double-page format (similar to the layout used by *bleedman ) rather than single-page, which means five deviations instead of ten. The only reason I'm doing this is to spare myself the hassle of copying/pasting the navigation links at the bottom of each page, as well as to save gallery space.

Also, I'll be posting the first five pages today and tomorrow, because I began on a Thurdsay rather than a Monday. Now, granted, it's still going to be several weeks before I catch up to Issue 004 (because I'm re-starting at 001). In the meantime, I'll also be showing newly recolored versions of the first two isses to whet your appetites. Also, I'm obligedly displaying previews of upcoming issues right here in this journal. Here are a few shots from Issues 005 through 009. Keep in mind that I didn't create them in cronological order, so some issues are more complete than others, and the art style varies. The coloring style seen in Issue 007 is the finalized coloring method, and will be used on every issue onward from that. That is, unless I stumble upon something better.

There are a lot of images here, and although they're at min resolution, they may take a while to load.

In the near future, this section will be used to do weekly reviews of movies, books, TV shows et cetera, just in case I don't have anything else to fill up space with.

For my first week of the fancy Css journal, I'm choosing =Cheeko-001 as this week's featured artist. She's the one who got me interested in Drunkduck.com, when I saw her comic One Question posted on it. One Question is a great comic all on its own, with a very solidly-told premise and lots of likeable characters. I recommend it to any fantasy comic fan. In addition, Cheeko's got a great and unique art style and dynamic method of coloring. Plus she's better than me at cross-hatching, no matter what she says.

Finally, here're three of her awesome deviations for you to check out. Be sure to drop by her gallery, as well.