Q & A
Got a question about the comic? Ask it or find the answer here! I try to keep my answers spoiler-free.
Comic Questions
Character Questions
Technical Questions
Other Questions
Ask a Question?
Comic Questions (top)
When does Messenger update?
Messenger updates once a week when I can manage (most of the time), and more than once a week if I have extra time or want to progress through a section more quickly. The day tends to be erratic but I’ve tried to stick to Mondays lately.
What is Messenger about?
Messenger is the story of a group of people trying to survive in a hostile future world, populated by tribal warriors, genetically engineered creatures, and other unusual folks.
Is this a furry comic? / Are the Chios furries?
In short, no. I just liked making up creatures at the time I wrote the story, and despite being based on several types of animals, and being somewhat humanoid, they’re not furries and I’m not a furry, either. I know peoples’ definitions of what is and isn’t furry vary, so you can think whatever you want, but know that Messenger isn’t written with the intention of being a furry comic. That said, I understand the appeal of the characters to that particular fandom so if you’re reading for that reason, it’s cool. Just don’t expect me to understand or care about anything furry; I just really don’t get it most of the time.
When does the comic take place?
I chose not to put a specific date on things, at least for now. There are a couple of dates hidden in backgrounds if you look for them, but for the most part they’re unimportant. I’m just going for a generic “sometime in the future.” There’s a reason for this, but it’s spoilerriffic so I’m not explaining.
Are you ever going to print the comic?
I already have! Issue 2 is in the works.
Character Questions (top)
Why does Akiara have blue stripes in her hair?
It just grows that way. It is real, genetic, not dyed. This will be explained eventually in the story, so I won’t get into it here.
What are the Chios?
They’re a species of creatures created through a series of genetic experiments in the mid-21st century. (See also: About the Chios)
What’s up with Eldora’s doll?
Icy is Eldora’s blue stuffed cat. She’s had her ever since she was little, and takes her everywhere.
What’s up with Luke and Nekos? Are they really dead? Why are they still around, then?
Yep, they’re dead. Nekos explains this in a very basic way in Chapter Six. There’s more to it than that, but. That would be telling.
Technical Questions (top)
How did you come up with the comic?
It’s based on a story I wrote when I was bored in ninth grade. I kept the characters and some of the original scenario, but changed a lot of things. I’ve always had an interest in “mysterious” things like ghost stories and mythology, so I thought it would be fun to base a story on some of those ideas. I don’t really believe in much of it, but it’s interesting to see how completely different experiences sometimes have overlapping details. I decided to try and come up with a story to “explain” that, which is part of what the comic is based on. There’s more to it than that, but that’s the basics.
How do you make the comic?
The process has gone through quite a few changes since I started, but right now (early 2010) I’m using primarily Prismacolor or similar alcohol-based markers and watercolors for the colors, with Speedball ink and sometimes pens for the lines. I do all the pages on regular sketchbook paper, nothing special. Sometimes I make time-lapse videos of work on the pages when I’m bored, and sometimes I do video streams of digital work.
Why do you use real media? Why don’t you do the comic digitally?
I like digital media, and I think it’s a perfectly valid medium, but as a professional designer it’s something I use all the time in my “work” work. The comic is a hobby for me, so I just “do whatever I feel like” with it, which for the past five years has been real media. Who knows, I might do a chapter in Painter someday for the hell of it. At this point, though, I’m too much of a consistency freak to break away to something like that suddenly. I don’t know. I just like it. Isn’t that reason enough?
Why do some of the pages look “lighted” in Chapter Two?
Because they’re five-ish years old now and I had no idea what I was doing when I made them. I was attempting to give the ending a “hazy” look, but it didn’t quite work out as planned. I’m probably going to redo the art for that chapter someday, anyway.
What’s with your art, it’s a little weird?
Well, when you get down to it, I’m a graphic designer, not an illustrator. (Not that that’s any excuse, really!) I am most at home working with text and other graphic elements over creating illustrations myself. But I still enjoy doing it and experimenting with it. Comics are kind of a hybrid of those two worlds, which is part of why it’s fun for me. I am doing this for fun and to experiment, not to make super slick, hyper-perfect images.
On top of that, I’m not that patient.
How did you learn to draw? How did you learn (X) technique / to use (X) tool?
I learned to draw by doing it all the time and looking at lots of art – all kinds of art. I also had to take several drawing classes in college, where I didn’t improve visibly a lot, but my mindset did, and that helped me learn to improve on my own. I learned how to look at things, which helped me learn to construct images differently.
Most other techniques or tools I learned by picking them up and playing around. I am a hands-on kind of person.
Why does your style change so wildly?
Because I’ve been working on this for almost five years and it’s a natural progression.
Other Questions (top)
Why do you keep calling it a “comic”? It’s not really funny.
It’s not really meant to be. Maybe “graphic novel” is a better term. The word “comic” is quicker to say though, and you still know what I’m talking about, so I’ll probably continue using it anyway. :P
Who are you??
What inspires you?
Life.
Can I link to you?
Absolutely yes! There are some banners on my links page, you can take whichever you’d like, so long as you save them to your own server. If you do, drop me an email and we can work out a link exchange or something amazingly spiffy like that. :3
I have made some art using your characters. Can I send it to you?
Sure thing! Send it here in JPG, GIF, or PNG format and I will stick it on the site. Also, if you have a specific name, web address, and/or contact e-mail address you’d like me to put by it (or if you’d like to remain anonymous), be sure to say so in your email.
Do you do link exchanges?
Sure thing! After you put up one of my link banners, contact me at bug [at] messenger-comic.com and I’ll be all over that like a kitten on yarn.
Can I use some of your art for something?
That depends. If it’s something like a forum signature or avatar, that’s fine as long as you’re not claiming to have drawn it yourself. For anything else, please ask me first!
Ask a Question!
Got questions? Get them answered by posting in the forum, sending me an e-mail at bug [at] messenger-comic.com, or using the handy dandy formspring form below!
