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A Divide in the Sky —graphic novel (Chapter 4, part 2 is FINALY HERE)

Musil

By Musil
in KSP1 Mission Reports

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Musil

Musil

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uUxF3Tz.jpg

 

I proudly present to you my first attempt at a KSP graphic novel. It will feature a career game with a twist...

Jeb and Val run separate space programs. This means they have separate funds and science: they must compete to fullfil contracts, gather science and, in general, be the first kerbal everywhere. A spreadsheet (in google docs) will show what each one has earned and expended so far. The story will follow their efforts according to what happens in the game. Kerbal Construction Time will be used to give further limitations to what each program can do, since each will have to build their own vessels in order to complete their goals. Tech and parts unlocked by one party will not always be available to the other. 

So, with no more ado...  

 

A DIVIDE IN THE SKY

— Chapter 1: The Wedge

— Chapter 2: Engineer's Rush

— Chapter 3: The First

— Chapter 4: A Grudge, Part 1

— Chapter 4: A Grudge, Part 2

 

 

Note: please point out any and all spelling mistakes. English is not my native language, so I am bound to make a few. 

Note 2: credit to @Parkaboy and @tylerraiz for the inspiration needed to get started. 

Note 3: first to correctly guess the reference in the main title get's a cookie and a chance to name a kerbal. 

Edited by Musil
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Musil

Musil

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6 minutes ago, Starhawk said:

Very well done!

The writing is very good.  I would never guess that English isn't your first language.  I very much enjoyed the switched up gender oppression.

Looking forward to seeing some more.

Happy landings!

Thanks. Starhawk! Glad to have a first reader. 

And yeah, I figured that since kerbals are reptiles and lay eggs (make it canon!) there could be good reason for gender oppression to be inverted ;)

Edited by Musil
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kookoo_gr

kookoo_gr

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very nice quality of the comic you made there and a very interesting plot can't wait for the rest. what fonts did you use for the texts?

 

my suggestions are the following: post the album/images at the posts/updates you make and not a link to the imgur album (unless you want to avoid clutter), also at one panel you use a swear word, although i do not have any problems with bad language maybe you could use some sort of self-censorship e.g. blacken the word, so that you are within forum rules.

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Chemp

Chemp

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Interesting start, to say the least. It looks like you really took the time to give it a special look. Do you draw things by hand or directly on your computer?

I wonder if Val and Jeb are going to take a different approach about how to get into orbit. Maybe one uses reusable SSTOs to keep costs down, while the other sticks to more traditional rockets. Anyway keep it up!

 

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Parkaboy

Parkaboy

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Very nice first chapter! Great quality layout!

The switched gender dynamics is interesting, but it's also kind of a can of worms. We tend to hear these days a lot of absurd arguments about "reverse racism", "reverse sexism" and even "heterophobia" as excuses to disregard and disauthorize the struggle of minorities against oppression, so it's a theme that can very easily go the wrong way. I hope you put as much thought in it as you did to the graphic design, which is superb!

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Musil

Musil

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Thanks, guys! I don't think I have ever had such a good reception for any of my fictions, and that includes a novel :D I will make my best effort not to dissapoint.

 

1 hour ago, Deutherius said:

Very good work, especially with the graphics. I like the story so far, looking forward to the next chapter :) I only found one spelling mistake ("irresponsable" should be "irresponsible"), otherwise it seems like very high quality english :)

Good catch, Deutherius. Unfortunally, I noticed that it would be kinda messy to correct it: I would have to edit the file, save it as jpg and upload it again... So I will do it when I am feeling less lazy. Still, please keep reporting mistakes. 

 

1 hour ago, kookoo_gr said:

very nice quality of the comic you made there and a very interesting plot can't wait for the rest. what fonts did you use for the texts?

 

my suggestions are the following: post the album/images at the posts/updates you make and not a link to the imgur album (unless you want to avoid clutter), also at one panel you use a swear word, although i do not have any problems with bad language maybe you could use some sort of self-censorship e.g. blacken the word, so that you are within forum rules.

I want to keep the clutter to a minimum, but I will post new chapters in the thread to let people know about them. As for bad language, I don't plan to use it much, but I found no other way of saying "BS" without a bull being part of the equation.

1 hour ago, Chemp said:

Interesting start, to say the least. It looks like you really took the time to give it a special look. Do you draw things by hand or directly on your computer?

I wonder if Val and Jeb are going to take a different approach about how to get into orbit. Maybe one uses reusable SSTOs to keep costs down, while the other sticks to more traditional rockets. Anyway keep it up!

 

By hand! :sticktongue::confused: Lol. I can't draw a stick figure to save my life. I am using "Comic Life", for Mac (yes, I am on a mac, shame on me). 

As for the first launch, the idea is for both to use conventional, as they don't have the tech for anything fancy. Who get's to orbit first will be decided by Kerbal Construction Time: I plan to design both rocket's and see who's finishes first. Keep in mind, they could also fail to make orbit on the first try. 

59 minutes ago, Parkaboy said:

Very nice first chapter! Great quality layout!

The switched gender dynamics is interesting, but it's also kind of a can of worms. We tend to hear these days a lot of absurd arguments about "reverse racism", "reverse sexism" and even "heterophobia" as excuses to disregard and disauthorize the struggle of minorities against oppression, so it's a theme that can very easily go the wrong way. I hope you put as much thought in it as you did to the graphic design, which is superb!

Yes, I thought about that. It would be unfortunate if anyone would read into it that way, but I really wanted to give kerbal society some character, and why not invert the roles to give it some more spice? Also, that gives them a good reason to fight. 

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Mister Dilsby

Mister Dilsby

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First off, this is really great! This is visually the most "comic"-like graphic novel I think I've seen on the Forum. Good choice of fonts, effects and panel layout. Really interesting visuals. You've also done a great thing by choosing to focus on an inter-kerbal rivalry. That's going to lead to a lot of interesting story possibilities that will take this well beyond YAML or YASGN. (Yet Another Mission Log, Yet Another Screenshot Graphic Novel)

I do wonder whether the conflict between Val and Jeb needs to be about their sexes, though. Can't they just be the two best pilots in the program, and leave it at that? You don't want to make this about "ethics in gaming journalism", if you catch my meaning--and it's very easy to lose control of a thread even if you're trying carefully to steer clear of hot-button issues. Believe me I know :) 

Also regarding the mild vulgarity you used, the community really does enforce the letter of the Forum Guidelines. If you said that word in a post it would get censored by the text filter, which is a good indication not to embed it in an image. There are lots of other ways to express that thought. I use "mulch", which is the name for the Kerbal waste product as defined in Roverdude's life support mods. Thus, Kerbfleet personnel are apt to exclaim "kowmulch!" when presented with an implausibility :) 

Anyway, welcome welcome! It's always great to have new and talented artist/writers that the rest of us can steal learn from :) Looking forward to more great pages!

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Musil

Musil

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Many thanks for the encouragement, @Kuzzter I only hope I can make it an interesting read.

The gender thing won't come up much again. "Ethics in gaming" is something I would rather not touch even with an eight yard stick. But I needed something "offensive" for Valentina to say to Jeb on the first chapter; later on, new confrontations are going to keep the conflict going. 

"Mulch" is a great substitute for that word! I plan to use OKS, so it comes in handy (never used it before, so I wouldn't bet much on the lives of my poor kerbals... GOT stile). 

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Red Iron Crown

Red Iron Crown

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17 hours ago, Musil said:

As for bad language, I don't plan to use it much, but I found no other way of saying "BS" without a bull being part of the equation.

Allow me to help: 

"This is Scarab's nonsense."
"This is Scarab's crap."
"This is Scarab's idiocy."
"This is Scarab's BS."
"This is Scarab's backwards thinking."

Sorry, but our rules are clear about this, you cannot use or link to adult language here. Your comic looks great but it will have to do without salty language if you wish to share it here. Link removed until you update.

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Musil

Musil

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Sure,  RIC,  already had plans to replace it with "mulch". Have to do it later,  at a funeral now... 

BTW, could you (or anyone,  for that matter) give me a hand with the signature? I am having trouble adjusting it to the correct size... 

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Mad Rocket Scientist

Mad Rocket Scientist

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7 hours ago, Musil said:

Sure,  RIC,  already had plans to replace it with "mulch". Have to do it later,  at a funeral now... 

BTW, could you (or anyone,  for that matter) give me a hand with the signature? I am having trouble adjusting it to the correct size... 

Well, basically the problem with the signature is that that image is too high to fit.  The signature can't expand, and if you squish the image, it will look weird.  I suggest you make a new image, maybe with "A divide in the sky" in the same fonts, but smaller and on the same line.  The signature is about 125 pixels high, and 770 wide.  Probably wider really, but it's hard to find a signature that is perfectly filled. 
You also may want to consider linking the image to your comic.

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Musil

Musil

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12 minutes ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

 

As you asked for us to find enlish mistakes, the only one I found was when it said "fait," I think you meant "fate"

 

 

Yup. I guess that's the auto-correct making silly things. It get's confused between English and Spanish, and I have to check that it didn't override "kerbal" each time I write it. Will make corrections soon. Also, thanks for the compliments! 

Edit: might also have been my autocorrect brain. 

 

Note 4: first to correctly guess the reference in the main title get's a cookie and a chance to name a kerbal. 

Edited by Musil
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Starhawk

Starhawk

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Very nice work, once again!

Conflict, struggle, drama, and all in an excellent and distinctively comic-like visual style.  Lots of fun.

Thank you.

Happy landings!

eta: sig pics have a maximum size.  You'll probably need to make a graphic that will fit that short wide format.

Edited by Starhawk
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andrewas

andrewas

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26 minutes ago, Musil said:

Yup. I guess that's the auto-correct making silly things. It get's confused between English and Spanish, and I have to check that it didn't override "kerbal" each time I write it. Will make corrections soon. Also, thanks for the compliments!

It's put Herbal for Kerbal in a couple of places. Page 4 panel 4, page 5 panel 2&3, possibly others.

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Musil

Musil

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4 minutes ago, andrewas said:

It's put Herbal for Kerbal in a couple of places. Page 4 panel 4, page 5 panel 2&3, possibly others.

Saw that just now... Correcting the images is a pain, I will do it when I have some time. 

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Geschosskopf

Geschosskopf

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On 1/29/2016 at 9:53 AM, Musil said:

A DIVIDE IN THE SKY

Note: please point out any and all spelling mistakes. English is not my native language, so I am bound to make a few. 

Note 2: credit to @Parkaboy and @tylerraiz for the inspiration needed to get started. 

Note 3: don't expect many updates during February. I am taking a vacation, and with 1.1 on the horizon, I am not very willing to commit to starting a career with a long mod list that could be broken by the update.

Note 4: first to correctly guess the reference in the main title get's a cookie and a chance to name a kerbal. 

Great concept and very good visual styling! 

Don't worry about any spelling errors.  English is not the 1st language of Kerbals, either, so I just assume they make all the mistakes and you are just faithfully reporting their words as they actually said them :D

 

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