Character: Dirk

Pg 61: Family Values

This week in Epic Fail: Clodin Learns that Amuletts has sold Andy Roid.

Creator’s Commentary: Busy scene this one. I thought it would be a real pain drawing Amuletts’ Gryphon, the horses and everything but it was really fun! (As a child I was obsessed with horses and drew almost nothing else so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised it comes back easily).

I know it may seem kind of weird that I included Andy in the story at all given he was going to disappear so quickly, but there were a few reasons why. 1) I try not to stray too far from the events that happened in gaming reality; 2) He helps highlight Amuletts’ mercenary nature; 3) If I ever go back and cover the adventure before this one I want the continuity to be straight (it’s not totally beyond the realms of possibility that I would. It was a good adventure); 4) Other characters will come and go too. Might as well start as I mean to go on.

Pg 57: Amuletts Laments

This Week in Epic Fail: Everyone is delighted they got given so much money but Amuletts is lamenting that it wasn’t more.

Creator’s Commentary: Big surprise there! Yeah… I don’t think you learn anything new about the characters from this page that you didn’t already know :p  I suppose you may not have realised quite how much pride Amuletts takes in her greed. It really means a lot to her that she’s better at it than anyone else. She’s worked hard at those character flaws dammit!

I had a go at a few different expressions here. Amuletts is meant to have a thousand mile stare in frame one but I’m not sure it worked out; I’m tempted to edit it so her ears are drooping a bit there as well. My intent was that she be sticking her lower lip out in panel three. Dirk is supposed to be rolling his eyes in the fouth panel and sneering in the fifth. As always critique welcome; I’m trying to push my skill further where I can.

I’m moving house at the weekend. Wish me luck!

Pg 56: Lost for Words

This week in Epic Fail: Amuletts tries to negotiate a good price for their services, and gets more than she expected.

Creator’s Commentary: It’s no secret that I use artistic liscence on my pages. Not on this one. This is almost word-for-word how it played out. 20 thousand gp was the most anyone had hever seen in game, so it was flabbergasting Simone (the Mage NPC) would just agree to it. So Amuletts stuttered… because I stuttered.

I might revise Amuletts’ expression in the last panel, it didn’t really turn out like I intended.

Pg 55: Funny Joke!

This week in Epic Fail: Simone offers a substantial reward if the adventurers will accept the quest, but Dirk wants no reward, only to do good.

Creator’s Commentary: So it turns out Dirk has a great sense of humor and is really the joker in the pack!

I enjoyed doing the ‘friendly arm punch/shut-the-hell-up punch.’ I like my characters to be physical. I blame William Shatner and his touchy-feely acting in Star Trek.

And if you too would like to speak Pig Latin there is an English to Pig Latin Translator!

Pg 54: Kasper & Bianca

This Week in Epic Fail: Simone reveals that the magic key is located in Kasper’s Castle and tells the Adventurer’s about it’s history.

Creator’s Commentary: Aww, Kasper and Bianca are such a Romeo and Juliet.

EDITED 03/03/11 : I’ve changed the dialogue as per DugeonWarden‘s advice – the same information is there but it’s in a slightly more positive tone.

Pg 49: Introductions Complete

This week in Epic Fail: Yoru is formally introduced to Amuletts and it’s a little icy. It turns out she’s the only one in the party not to have known about Tinuvielle’s adopted half-demon son.

Creator’s Commentary: Amuletts is annoying the characters in my webcomic as much as some of the readers! To be honest I’d be surprised if even her fans will like her all the time. I don’t like her all the time.

By the way, patting somebody in the face is probably the most annoying thing you can do to someone. Try it. It’s just impossible to ignore.

I hit a bit of a block during this page and @LouManglass of yet another webcomic told me it was my “brain is re-wiring itself for better art”. Then I decided this would be the bestest page ever. It isn’t, but it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I think my art is getting a bit more consistent, there’s still room for improvement but at least I’m heading in the right direction!

Pg 48: Shocking Language

This week in Epic Fail: Amuletts is taken aback by Yoru’s monstrous heritage and says things to offend both him and Tinuvielle.

Creator’s Commentary: Now the party are all back together again I feel like splitting them up again; there are far too many characters on this page!

I liked showing the reactions of the people in the Bar to the Heroes conversation. Although they take demons and such in their stride most people are shit scared of ’em. Yes, even little ones.

The Duergar joke is one only D&D folk will understand. Although I try to make the humour as accesible as possible I think it’s fair to slip a niche joke in now and then if it’s funny enough. A Duergar is basically a evil, dark-skinned type of Dwarf that lives underground and is rarely seen.

Pg 46: Role Play

This week in Epic Fail: Amuletts tries to get Dirk to participate in the sexy kind of Fantasy Role Play. He runs away.

Creator’s Commentary: I wasn’t at all sure whether to be this blatant, but luckily this is a comic on the internet and I know that in comparison to a lot of the stuff out there this is pretty tame.

Some of you will be pleased to hear that this is the end of the ‘Shopping’ storyline. It was fun, and I could go on, but I think I’ve said what’s necessary.

Pg 45: 100% Discount

This week in Epic Fail: The Shopkeeper explains that he gave the Orbs to Amuletts, as a gift because of her Title. Dirk feels extremely guilty, believing his actions unpaladinic.

Creator’s Commentary: I’m still inking with a brush-pen, so the line-work is broader and I’ve generally reduced the gap between panels. Plot-wise you get a couple of pay-offs.

Amuletts’ final line in this page was based on one said by Sibella in Kind Hearts and Coronets, only she says ‘I like it when you behave like a cad.’ I love that Movie, and anything by Ealing Studios really. Now I have a hankering to watch it again.

Pg 44: Getting Warmer #tw

This week in Epic Fail: Dirk searchs Amuletts for the hidden necklace and finally gives her an ultimatum.

Creator’s Commentary: I’ll leave it to the reader’s to decide where exactly he’s putting his hand. I actually had a layer called ‘blushing’ when I created this one.