Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Hype: Queen of Diamonds #2 (part 2)

Well I've finally gotten around to getting the second half of Queen of Diamonds #2 finished and scanned and it's now up at http://www.gayleague.com/online/qod/qod2-9.php

That takes you to the start of the second half but there is also issue #1 and the first half of #2 there as well. Things really start to kick off from now on in, with Q and Lili meeting for the first time and both of them having yet another costume change.

Any and all comment, criticism and so on are very welcome. Also (he hinted subtly) the National Comics awards (that are presented at the Bristol Comics Con in May) are now open for nominations. You can get the voting form over at www.comicfestical.co.uk . By the way, anyone else going to the con this year?

Ooooh, nice splash on p. 11-- and a really nice touch with the mirror showing the reflection of the man seated but not the "lady"!

That's as far as I've had a chance to look thru, Bev. I'll get back to it later, I promise. Looks good!

Beautiful stuff Bevis!

Thanks guys.

I'm glad you spotted the lack of reflection there Pov (it actually happens again later in the issue). It's sort of significant but won't get explained until a little way down the line. One thing though, Nik (the PI) is a lady. She's jusr dressed like a man.

Actually I realised just as I was finishing inking #2 that at no point do we learn what Nikshita's name is and she doesn't say it until almost the end of #3. Oops. Ach well, never mind. By the by, in #3 we not only get an LMBP cameo (from my very lovely stalker Beagz) but both the Queen and Nik appear semi-naked for the best part of the issue. Hey, I'm not opposed to using nudity to sell my work.

#3 is actually all finished, scanned and ready to go but I'm holding off posting it for a little while until I get #4 mostly done. It's three quarters pencilled so far so it shouldn't take much longer to finish but there was such a huge gap in between getting #1 and #2 up that I want to avoid that if at all possible. So before posting the newest issue I'm going to make sure the next one is at least half done (as in fully pencilled but not inked). I reckon, all being well, that should mean I can keep to a schedule of a new issue every two months or so. I have up to issue 18 (possibly 20 depending on how things work out) planned out in a fair bit of detail so I should be able to keep to that schedule. Certainly #4 should be done by the end of April at the latest and we may even get #5 (which features Looks That Kill Lad in a very prominent role in memory of Paul) finished by then as well. The Comics Convention in Bristol is at the end of May so I need to make sure I have at least #4 done by then and as much more as I can so that I can actually sell paper copies of the comics. I'm even considering looking at the cost of doing a little trade of the first four issues (which is the first full arc) but I'm not too sure about that. If I do do it though I think I might have to go round and get some people to do pin-ups for me so I can include them as extras.

Truly a fun series, Bevis! I'm so glad there's going to be more!

Re: the trade, there is an interesting discussion on trades vs "flimsies" at Colleen Doran's site, with comments by people who have gone this route. There might be some useful info there for you, or maybe you've already done the research on this.
trades - practical discussion

The main characters, at this point, are so interesting. We really don't know much about the Queen, yet. Lili's not just the vamp, but the vampire I take it - but what's she really up to? Is the Queen of Diamonds investigating her as well? I like the addition of the detective, too - will she be a sidekick of sorts to the Queen?

There were so many lovely details - Lili's swirling costumes, the way her shadow falls, the stars around the Queen when he uses his powers, the panel layouts. You really have a touch with expressions.

I think I preferred the lettering on the first cover to that of this second one - the "open" lettering looks rougher.

Good luck with the Bristol show. Hope we get the next issue on-line soonest!

Q is still a bit of a mystery and I'm going to keep him that way for a while. I'll be dropping hints about him, what he can do and why, over the next few issues (the next one actually tells you a bit more about what he can do, but not much) but his actual story (his origin issue I guess) is going to be around #15 I think, possibly a little earlier. The other big bad (other than Lili) is directly connected with it and so it'll come out when he turns up. He should be putting in a very brief appearance in #5 but then will come in properly a little way down the line. I've not completely decided when though because there are a few other stories that could come either before or after his and I've not decided which way to do them yet.

As for Lili.. yup, uber-vamp. But also not a vampire. or not exactly anyway. her story again is going to be told a little way down the line. She's actually going to get a full issue just to herself a few issues before she makes her return after this first arc, some time after #15 probably but again it depends on how I order the stories. We'll also find out there exactly what she's up to in this first arc (since it's left quite open at the end of #4) directly from Q turning the tables on her.

And yup Nik (the detective) is going to become the main supporting character. She's sort of the Lois Lane character if you will, almost the readers viewpoint on the action. She's going to get to be a very important character and even though she doesn't have any powers that doesn't mean she'll just end up as the screaming damsel in distress. She's a little rash and impulsive (possibly even a bit naive) but she can also take care of herself. Gemma, her secretary, is also going to be a supporting character. There are two other superheros (Angelique who is introduced in #4 and Starbolt who is introduced in either #5 or #6) who are going to make up the rest of the main supporting cast, as well as Q's love interest whose name I've not decided on yet.

And thank-you for the kind owrds about the art and such. I can confidently say i've come a long way in things like layouts since I really started doing comics a few years back and QoD gives me the opportunity to just have lots of fun. Things like the costumes for the Queen and Lili keep me amused for hours. Also things like designing the city (which is very closely based on Manchester) and the Palace (the Queen's secret hideaway) give me a chance to experiment with the kind of details that I usually leave out. I tend much more towards expressionistic art rather than detail so doing something that demands that kind of detail is a great chance to really push myself and test my imagination.

Bevis, this is great fun...

I loved the first part so it's good to see you carried on with it. Lili is kewl, the detective looks interesting too, good that she has some morals and doesn't follow L blindly. The Q is gorgeous! Top marks for the costume and sparkly effects. Doubt that colour would help this either...

Lovin' it!

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