Haven't updated in awhile. I have been busy completing the rest of the pages for MonkeyQuest#0. Yes, MonkeyQuest is in the final round:) And that's because you, the fans, voted us through, so a big thank you:)Please comeback on July 15th for the debut of MonkeyQuest#0. you can buy a copy if you like:)

This is it everyone. The last day to vote for MonkeyQuest. I can't thank the fans enough for their support. But is not over yet, MonkeyQuest still need your votes one last time:)

http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/misc/956.htm

Please continue to supprot MonkeyQuest. Remember you can vote once per day and you can click on the preview pages to dl for FREE!
http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/misc/956.htm

This is it. The Final Week, voting ends June 6th. Spread the word get your friends and families to vote too:)
http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/misc/956.htm

A big thank you to the fans for voting everyday:) Voting ends june 6th. Please continue to vote for MonkeyQuest. Only the top three projects will go to the final Round. http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/view/956.htm?start=20

Now let’s chat about my choice for the 4 pages. Right off the bat I know I want to encompass the tone/feel of MonkeyQuest, which is a sci-fi action, adventure comic. I decided to do a big action reveal and a plot reveal. So I started with interior shots and then have Katt and Chimp burst out into the world of Panthera. Surprise they are in an airship! Then I ended with a cliffhanger, hoping to retain the reader’s interest.
Originally I started with the first 4 pages of the #0 issue. But they were pretty much setting up the story, didn’t have the visual impact I wanted. Did I make the right decision? You can judge for yourself by voting MonkeyQuest into the final round

My thumbnails are all about composition and flow of the page. I draw stick figures when I plan my thumbnails, the less detail the better. Some artists draw detail thumbnails, and then blow them up and lightbox the page onto the bristol board. I find that extra step in the process time consuming. Is almost like drawing the same image over and over again.
I feel the more times one draws the same image the more of the energy in the image is lost.

Vote in Round 3

Hey all, hope everyone is well rested from Round 2 voting. Thank u all for voting. Round 3 of Small Press Idol just started, your voting is needed again! Please continue to support MonkeyQuest. Remember you can vote once everyday until June 6th. Thank you all for your support.

http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/misc/956.htm

Thank you to all the fans for your support. MonkeyQuest made it to Round 3. Please come back on May 17th and vote for us in Round 3. Thank you.

As I said last blog, I decided to make any feline animals the dominate force in the world of MonkeyQuest and blue is my favorite color. So I was thinking a blue feline! Now there aren’t any truly blue felines, but the white variations can have blue tones in them, such as white tiger, the arctic fox (fox is not a feline!?), etc. I ended up using the snow leopard. And SNOW is a cool name; come on that name is even used in the latest Final Fantasy video game (FF13). I am up to the part where I can battle the gigantic turtle-like creatures. Any video game fanatics out there? Ok, back to comics. I was hesitant at first about making SNOW’s breasts so…so…BIG! Comics always get a bad rap for enhancing female ASSETS!! I decided to poke fun at it and went with the idea, besides she’s the only character with huge breasts. From a character design stand point she’ll stand out (in more ways than one:)). Part of the influence can also be attributed to the “bad girl” craze in the mid ‘90s. Remember Lady Death, Vampirella, Shi, BarbWire, Avenglyne, DarkChylde, and the list goes on. Seems like any bad girl comic would sale instantly back in those days. I can’t believe comics are the highest quality nowadays and yet they can’t even sell close to the numbers back then, is ridiculous.
That’s it for character creations. Next time I’ll reveal my thinking behind the action poses for my characters in Round 2.

Empress Kruger and Wraith

After I send in the Round 1 materials, I knew I had to introduce more characters in round 2 to generate more interest for the world of MonkeyQuest.
Let’s back track a bit. By this time I had developed my overall idea. As I mentioned in a previous blog I am Chinese and I wanted MonkeyQuest to have Chinese influences/undertones, specifically China’s Warring States period. Throughout China’s dynastic history there have only been two empresses and to achieve that in a patriarchal society is no small feat. And that served as inspiration for Empress KRUGER. By this time I decided to make any feline animals the dominate force in MonkeyQuest.
Got time for one more character design, let’s take a look at Wraith. I wanted to have a character to be shrouded in mystery. Don’t they always have a character like that in every comic? Anyways I want to have a shocking reveal to the unmasking of Wraith. I know the armor resembles a feline but is it really??? Well, you gotta vote and buy MonkeyQuest to find out:)

WAL and MIC

Last blog: good character design should have a unique silhouette. Another trick for creating characters is by varying their size. Think for a second, which is more interesting to look at Spider-man and Venom or Wolverine and Hulk? I would say Wolverine and the Hulk because their sizes are so different and they have easily recognizable silhouettes.
Unlike Spider-man and Venom, which are very similar in size and silhouette. Venom is basically a muscular version of Spider-man.
After I designed KATT and CHIMP, the next character has to be larger than them. At this time I wanted to create an older character, to act as a mentor for the group. I search through my animal files to see which animal has an old feel to them. I ended up with 3 choices; camel, goat and walrus. I went with a walrus b/c of the tusk and mustache.
So now I have a robust walrus, a slim/fit cat and a short/goofy monkey. I wanted the team to be at even numbers, one more member to go. This time I went with the extreme of WAL. Guess what I did next? Yup, go to my animal files and search for small animals. I was having a hard time choosing one, than literally a small mouse ran across my living room floor. Okay is a sign, the final member has to be a mouse.
Now the protagonists are created, next up the villains.

CHIMP

Okay where did I leave off last time? Ah, yes KATT, the one that started the idea. The overall tone and story still didn’t take shape yet, not until the four main characters were designed. I did know I wanted the setting to be in outer space. The casting of the animals was based on two factors. I remember reading an animation book that good character designs should have a silhouette that is uniquely its’ own, you should be able to tell who the character is just by their silhouette. The second factor to influence the animal selection was more simple and direct; my favorite animal. This led to the creation of CHIMP. I am Chinese and my zodiac sign is the monkey. CHIMP’s design is also loosely based on me, I wear glasses and I also have a child like demeanor… sometimes:P Okay gotta get back to working on the pages for Round 3 (if I can make it that far!! Go vote, please). Come back next time for the creation of WAL and MIC.

Just like I promise I am going to start updating the blog weekly on the weekend, that's when I have the most free time.

So how did I come up with the MonkeyQuest idea? Well, it started with a girl I met. She had this brooding, mysterious look to her and I wanted to base a character on her (see pic#1). She made quit an impression on me. At the same time I heard about Small Press Idol, I thought to myself I just created this character why not use her.

Now the decisions to go anthropomorphic and cartoony emerge from two reasons.

Back in 2007 I entered Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga contest. And the judges noted that my animal/monster characters were more animated and emotive than my human characters (see pic #2). What do you think? That's why I went with animals, besides they are more fun to draw.

The cartoony decision was based on time contraints. I can also draw in a more classic 90's comicbook style. In my experience it takes me about a day(15hrs!!!) to draw in the 90's style. while in the same amount of time I can pencil, ink and maybe even lay color flats in the cartoony style. There was no freaking way I can produce a high quality comic in the 90's style for the competition. I have other responsibilities and priorities in life just like everyone else. Going cartoony was a wise decision on my part. Otherwise Chimp would look like the pic #3. I t changes the feel of MonkeyQuest. I don't think it captures the tone of MonkeyQuest like the cartoony style.

That's it from me this week. Check back next time for the creation of CHIMP!

Oh almost forgot! Please vote for MonkeyQuest! http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/misc/815.htm

Okay folks, please support MonkeyQuest by continuing to vote. Does anyone read my blog?
I feel like I am talking to myself. I know there haven't been any updates. But there will be soon.
I am going to start blogging about how the idea of MonkeyQuest came about. What my writing and art processes are like. So stay tune.
http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/misc/815.htm

Is time to vote!!! You can vote once per day!!! Voting ends April 3oth!!! Please go vote at:
http://www.smallpressidol.com/forum/topicview/misc/815.htm

Small Press Idol 2010

Welcome to MonkeyQuest my entry for Small Press Idol 2010. Here is the rough cover and pitch. I orignally named it Ginga Dorobou but opt to change it to MonkeyQuest. Voting is about to begin for Round 2. Please show your support by voting (get your friends and families to vote too:) for MonkeyQuest at

http://www.smallpressidol.com/2010/start.htm?keep_has_js=1

Also join the MonkeyQuest fan page on facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/MonkeyQuest/109283639098629?ref=ts

Legend has it that the long lost tomb of the warlord king Ebola contains within it a weapon of ultimate power that will bring about the demise of the tyrannical Panthera Empire.

A band of thieves called the Ginga Dorobou stumble upon a map to the warlord's tomb and when the word spreads, every living being in the known galaxy lust in pursuit of them.

Was it by chance that the thieves found the treasure map? Or was it fate? Unbeknownst to them, each of their pasts is intertwined with the tomb itself. Prepare to enter the world of Ginga Dorobou and witness how a band of galactic thieves bring down the Panthera Empire.