PONTAGAR: Thank you, Cirina. I owe you more than I can ever …
CIRINA: You owe me nothing. I did what was right. And out of … I mean …
PONTAGAR: Well, let’s just say it will take a long time before I can balance this. Now, I think you should go. Back to your own people before things get truly ugly here.
PANEL 2
CIRINA: I’m a witness to this. I have a truth to tell, also. No – I’ll stay with you.
PONTAGAR: I … no, you need to be –
CIRINA: Wait … what’s that music?
PONTAGAR: No … (chuckles incredulously) Not him!
PANEL 3
MENTL appears, his lute in hand, singing “Break On Through To The Other Side”
PANEL 4
MENTL: Whoa, shit! Can’t believe that worked as well as it did. Good old emotional energy and intention. Thank you, Vito!
PONTAGAR: Mentl.
MENTL: Hey there, Big Red. Heard you had a really shitty day.
43 thoughts on “Break On Through – Page 1249”
EmmaC
Nice to see Mentl again! Also, where are Pontagar feets ? is this some kind of fluffly carpet?
jedraft
AND as the first one to notice JED’s little continuity error, you win a Zo-Prize!
Of course it’s a mistake. Maybe I’ll fix it, maybe I’ll leave it there for someone else to notice later. 🙂
Warm regards,
-JED
jedraft
Meh. It was an easy fix …
-JED
JJ
Spectacular! What an entrance 😀
Ganurath
It was certainly… noteworthy.
JE Draft
That’s the idea! I wanted to get our boy in there with some style. 🙂
Warm regards,
JED
Kiddeagle
Panel 2 says: Pontagar: “didn’t I suffer enough? why HIM?”
JE Draft
Hehehe!
Warm regards,
JED
Pat
Mentl’s face certainly looks different. New 3D model / head mesh?
jd.
Pretty much all characters have been redesigned. For some (such as Mentl or Ipola, as far as I’m concerned), the change is quite visible. For others, such as Pontagar, I can’t really tell. Luna knows why.
JE Draft
The reason why Pontagar looks the same is because both he and Cirina in these scenes are still the M4 models, and this scene is (probably ) the last one I will do in Poser. Mentl was actually rendered in Daz Studio and added later.
This is the magic of Photoshop!
The next time you see Pontagar and Cirina they will doubtless look different, as I will be using their Genesis 8 versions and DS moving forward.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain …
Warm regards,
JED
jd.
Aww YEAH!
New prediction for the war to come: besieging Urrts citadels is going to be much more fun!
JE Draft
Fun for who? That’s the question.
Warm regards,
JED
Anvildude
I’m personally not a fan of the redesign. I feel like once you have a mesh shape, you should stick to that mesh shape unless you’re doing an entire style paradigm shift (such as going to a toonier, big-head look, or going anime). Having greater detail or better textures is fine, or changing the amount of flesh, but changing bone structure is (again, my opinion) disruptive to the narrative. This looks like Mentl’s cousin showing up pretending to be him. Like that scene in Thor 3 where there’s a play being put on about Thor’s stuff.
I’m also against re-casting in live action unless there’s significant changes, too.
JE Draft
There’s a lot of reasons for the change. Daz has a lot more resources and flexibility than Poser, and has quickly overtaken Poser as the standard for this sort of art. Also, every webcomic out there goes through character redesign as the artist matures and changes their aesthetic and evolves their talent. One pretty obvious one off the top of my pointy head is “Questionable Content”. Check out the art from ten years ago and what it looks like now.
Went through the same objections when we changed from Michael 2 to Michael 4, and now Genesis 8. You’ll get used to it. Besides, these are the models we’re using for the animated show that’s finally in full production, using Unreal Engine 5. Can’t imagine doing that kind of work with the old Gen 4 models. If you want to see more of that, of course, join Patreon for just a dollar a month! Patreon.com/jedraft
Warm regards,
JED
Lora
A really good example of an artist developing their art and skills can be found in Slightly Damned. Good story, but the early art is pretty horrible. I reread it from the start not too long ago and realized I had forgotten how bad the early art was. XD
Sometimes you’ve just got to stick around as the artist gain more experience.
Reservist
Pontagar’s faces in panel 2 and 3. I just love it.
JE Draft
😀
-JED
the_eldest
Sorry to point to another strange thing in that panel, but Pontagars right hand and somewhat his lower arm seem to be at an angle and rotation respectively that seem not too healthy. I figure the idea is hands on hips, but the right hand is pointing too far up, me thinks.
Sorry for the inconveniance!
Calisto01
My only problem with the *new* figures is how, to me at least, everyone seems younger. There aren’t any age lines or creases in the skin, personally I miss the imperfections that made them look “real”. just my $.02
jedraft
You mean like this?
https://c10.patreonusercontent.com/4/patreon-media/p/post/65558419/7211eccff3a8446fbc9115e58a4d3d8a/eyJxIjoxMDAsIndlYnAiOjB9/1.png?token-time=1659744000&token-hash=If-u7mIA0RLPx7uphAd5NCPDhaZv7ikhi4nyT7VnFFg%3D
That’s the newest version of Queen Ipola, G8 Female, and I think she’s got enough age to give her some gravitas. At least MILF status … 🙂
Again, same objection was raised when we went from Victoria 3 to Victoria 4. It’s always going to be a work in progress. I think Rick Nelson said it best:
“You can’t please everyone, so you got to please yourself …”
Warm regards,
-JED
PS: This is one of the many bits of artwork you can get if you become a patron on Patreon.com/JEDraft
We are also always open to commissions as well.
JED
Lleyn
Hey JED, I just have one question: how old is Ipola supposed to be in that picture?
JEDraft
Not quite 50.
Remember the Erogenians were magickally engineered to be stronger, longer-lived and healthier than the baseline human. Side-by-side, an Erogenian of any station will look a good ten years younger than a Kivalian or a Sandak of the same years. Also, Ipola is a queen, and there are advantages to station in diet, health care, etc even in Erogenia.
Warm regards,
-JED
Descartes
I like that Ipola is thinking of ways to use Mentl’s talents.
jedraft
She’s one who uses every asset she has at her disposal.
Warm regards,
-JED
Reservist
@Descartes
Getting Naurik in the court would be so quick with that means of transportation.
jedraft
She’s one who uses every asset she has at her disposal.
Warm regards,
-JED
Lora
Hehe, Pontagar is not a fan of Mentl, I can see. 😉 Maybe he should give him a chance; he’s only met him a couple of times and briefly, but he knows he’s a powerful magician.
I also see that Mentl’s torc has been gilded. Did the Moon Tribe think it needed some extra shine?
Wsablek
The force was from the Sun Tribe, not the moon tribe. It may well have been polished as they use horn, but I don’t think it was guilded.
jedraft
The torc has a bronze core and a coating of gold wire.
Being the son of a king and a queen has its advantages. 🙂
Warm regards,
-JED
Deceptobot
Yeah, but Ponty’s face in panel 3 is trying to stifle a smile at the rock-n-roll antics. He might have opted for a different gatemaster, given the choice, but these two are brothers in arms by now, and there’s a battle forged respect between them… or maybe he just likes earth music.
Just_IDD
@decotbot I can’t recall them being battle forged brothers. Zona went off chasing Mentl from the winter battle group and they returned separately. Other than that they only have shared a campsite.
I would expect a completely flat statement of his name from Ponty. A statement of resignation.
Lora
Exactly. Mentl joined the Sun Tribe and got a torc, which wasn’t gilded then, but is clearly gilded now. It wouldn’t shine like that unless some precious metal had been added to it. So I’m wondering if it’s common for Erogenians to add to or change their torcs?
Lora
Oh, Jed, I have a question. Did Cirina find something else to keep Naurik tied up with between calling Aglor and the council meeting? Because she’s wearing her sandal straps again.
jedraft
I have no idea what you’re talking about …
Anymore.
Warm regards,
JED
Calisto01
Yes that IS what I meant, although what I said wasn’t meant to be a criticism, just an observation. I like the new figures, I’ve been enjoying your art for going on 15 years now.
JEDraft
No problemo. And thanks once again for the kind words!
Warm regards,
JED
Reservist
Already 15 years???
Lora
Mwahahaha! Deleting the evidence. ;D
Scarsdale
Just about every comic I’ve followed that’s lasted more than a few years the changes are noticeable take “The Least I Can Do” it’s been around for well over a decade there’s been some major art changes in that time from bl/w basic figures to fully colored and detailed faces and backgrounds.
Reservist
@JEDraft
Hmmm… spare sandal straps, maybe? :-3
One never knows when one might need some, so one might as well have a spare set of these.
Anvildude
Oh, I fully understand the REASONS. I’m just being snobby. I have a degree in animation and specialize in modeling and rigging, so I know exactly how you would go about updating an old mesh for a new rig and re-texturing it, while at the same time knowing precisely how annoyingly, absurdly difficult it would be. I’ve also used Daz, so I know how solid a program it is (though their choice of geometry is… questionable… sometimes).
JEDraft
You will probably be interested in the project we’ve been working for some time, using the Daz models in Unreal Engine 5 to create a hot-ass trailer to show potential backers that we can make an animated series. I look forward to the day when Netflix or Hulu (or ANYBODY) will be running Zona episodes regularly. Brian has finally worked out all the bugs to transition all the elements into a production-ready skeleton that works seamlessly with UE 5, and within a very short time, my Patrons on Patreon.com will be seeing amazing footage of my barbarian princess in action. They’ve been privileged to see a lot so far, but this is gonna be amazing! Swords, blood, gore, action, good guys, bad guys, monsters, and big boobs.
I am frankly not a snob, though I work in the tech industry for a living, and have been using these tools for a long time and flatter myself I understand them. I am all about the story and the art has always been for the support and enhancement of that story. And, in all humility, I think that the story is a good one.
Warm regards,
JED
Categories
Meta
Archives
Archives