Land of Hof is now live. First issue "Winter" is up for your comic reading pleasure.
There are some rough edges to it all. The site is far from complete, but the comic is there and ready to go. Still a few spots that need smoothed over, including some lettering stuff but I hope it's nothing that will send you screaming in the other direction.
I've been building up to this project for a long time. It's very personal to me and I hope some folks out there will find something in it they can fall in love with over time.
All the comics I have planned for the site are created as "mini comics", which means they were meant to be printed at 4.25" x 5.5". I'm sure for a lot of people that doesn't really mean anything, but for some of us it brings back memories of small press glory days that are quickly becoming rare in this digital age. My hope is that the comic can be enjoyed as a webcomic as well as a printed mini comic. We'll see how that plays out. Whatever may happen, it's fun for me and I hope that shows through in the work.
Those familiar with Pan-Gea will notice some common names being used. Black Wing is mentioned in "Winter" and, as a few of you know, Black Wing is the name of death in the Pan-Gea mythos. More on that later.
Thanks for looking!
Nice work, James. Cool story and I love the mini-comic motif.
ReplyDeleteThere must be something in the air in the land of UR concerning winter and wolves. Check out the next few weeks of ELF `n TROLL. We must be drawing water from the same well.
Great stuff man. I'm looking forward to more.
Appreciate it, Tony. Very much.
ReplyDelete"Winter" has actually been banging around in my head and on my desk for about 2 years. I wrote the script that long ago and drew 3 different versions of the first few pages over the last couple of years. So it's not a recent thing, really. But 80% of the actual drawing was done more recently.
If you notice, the style changes a bit over the course of the tale. And so do the tools. I start out using PITT pens and brushes, heavy on the pens. But around page 20 I got my Copic and inked the remainder of the comic with that.
Winter, wolves, and snow. Good mix. Gotta love it!
Thanks Joe, I appreciate that very much!
ReplyDeleteReally nice - great little story. I loved the imagery and the overall Westian coolness (!) of it.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I was a little disappointed with was the look of the dragon. She was a bit too typical, kind of on the 'cute' side and much like the dragon in 'Bone' to me. I guess it's just that most of what you draw has it own very unique look and feel, and I recon you could have pushed the design of it a bit further.
The last 'dragon quest' story I read in a comic was in Alan Moore's "Smax" (Read it if you haven't, it's an excellent short cartoon fantasy tale). When revealed the dragon in that was so freaky and wierd looking and unlike anything you were expecting it really did give me a genuine creepy chill.
I don't think that comparing you to Alan Moore is setting the bar too high at all, by the way!
As always...great stuff, James!
ReplyDeleteBeing as I still draw and collect minicomics I'll be waiting for this one to come out in print.
Hey James,
ReplyDeleteAs usual,your writing and art blew me away! I'm glad you're doing this series in the mini comic format...it's still my favorite format to collect and create, and your style has always fit this format perfectly. Can't wait to get my hands on the printed version. May your pencil be forever sharpened!
Doug Freeman