Adventurer's Mark Archive

Notice: All Adventurer's Mark comics are the property of me, Kevin Au.
These comics may be distributed but not modified from their original state.


September 2002 | October 2002 | November 2002 | December 2002
January 2003 | March 2003 | April 2003 | The Current SeasonThe First Season

Plot Synopsis | Production Notes

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INTRODUCTION


This is my flagship comic that happens to appear monthly in the Toike Oike. I have been a huge fan of comics my whole life. It was, however, only until 2001 that I, as an artist, found what I've been looking for these past 21 years. To find something that is enjoyable to produce as it is to read is both challenging and fulfilling. Now, as I enter the second season of my comic, I hope you're all ready for what I have in store! Here you will find some post-publication commentary for each episode, as well as relevant background material that I researched.

Now, just a brief little introduction to this comic. Adventurer's Mark takes place in modern times, and features a hero and his butler Gregory. Lord Markham is the protagonist who pursues nobility and errantry in these days of post-industrial social dilution. The entire series is a throwback to the good old days where the English language was far more refined and civilized than its present state. I've always been amazed at the fact that our vocabularies just seem to keep shrinking as time moves on.

My thanks to those who have contributed to the comic (you know who you are) and those who have been kind enough to let me know they dig the strips.



September 2002 - Unexpected Slice

I really wanted to send Lord Markham to the course one day for a quick game. I myself am quite frustrated by golf and perhaps this is what I'm trying to get across here. Here we see an English carrier pigeon delivering a message to Markham. Carrier Pigeons date back to the early 1800's. The pigeon was sent by Markham's brother, Shropshire, who is apparently under siege by mercenary forces. Okay so some of you were complaining that last season's easter eggs were hard to find... so I dished up a really fat one. (Here's a hint).


October 2002 - Of Hermits and Gentry

Among the more distinguished gentry of the day, having a hermit on the estate was commonplace. Hermits are no more than crazy and dirty men who are 'paid' to live in a cave or in recluse. They were often relied upon as reliable sources of information and wisdom. Of course I probably don't have all my facts right here but let's keep moving with the story. Lord Markham decides to visit the estate hermit before going to help his brother. The hermit proves quite ungainly though, and before Markham can settle the score he gets outflanked and ambushed by enemy forces.

In most classic stories, it is the hermit or the fool who is considered crazy and ignored by all the 'smart' people. The irony is supposedly that it is often the madman who is perfectly sane. Perhaps I'm giving you too much of a hint here, but take note of what the hermit said.


November 2002 - Blackjack

We find out at this point that the siege on Markham's brother was just a ploy to capture Markham and steal his helmet. There is no mention as to who hired the mercenaries or why they want the helmet... but all things their proper time :)

In frames 5 and 6 we see a classic 'blackjack' being used to knock out the unsuspecting Markham. To make one of these, fill a sock with sand and marbles. Approach your intended victim from behind (so they can't see you) and proceed to strike over the head with due force.

In case you don't recognize it, that's Markham's car in the last frame with the driver in the correct seat for a British car.


December 2002 - Night Operations

True to his decree, Gregory takes it upon himself to rescue his liege from the hands of those uncouth mercenaries. To date, I haven't really utilised Gregory much, so this can be considered his episode.

The rifle you see in frames 2 and 3 is a drawing of the real "Brown Bessie", the most prolific of the British flintlock rifles. I used the King's Short Land Pattern 1768 (42" barrel, .77 cal.) and you can check for yourself that the dimensions are approximately correct. You may seem to recall that it takes quite a bit more to load and fire this brute, but if the rifle is in good condition then it can be accomplished quite quickly:

1. Rip paper cartridge.
2. Pour black powder down barrel.
3. Drop the lead ball down (it's wrapped at the top of the paper cartridge).
4. Smash the butt of the rifle into the ground. (this packs everything in).
5. Pull hammer to half-cock position.
6. Might need to put some primer on the frizzen.
7. Aim.
8. fire.

And it's as easy as that!


January 2003 - An Uplifting Experience

The mercenaries press on with their siege of Shropshire in hopes of luring out Markham. That siege engine in cells 1, 3, and 5 is typically referred to as a Trebuchet (a French word) but the British would simply refer to it as an engine. Markham demonstrates his brazen charm here by finding the express route into the castle. In the last frame, we see both Shropshire and Markham riding out to meet the villain who hired the mercenaries in the first place.

For some reason this one took me a lot more time to complete than is usual. I had a hard time trying to tell the whole story (of Markham making his way into castle Shropshire) in 8 cells *and* further develop the plot. I think it worked out well in the end. Here's a nice picture of a Bentley that I used as the model in this episode.


March 2003 - The Final Countdown

The villain responsible for this year's mess turns out to be none other than... CYRIL of last season's finale two-parter. Surprise? I think it just goes to show you that people are predictable. Markham and Cyril exchange pleasantries and form up their lines. Evidently, Cyril did not enjoy the 'drubbing' he received and was doubly-crossed to later learn that Markham happens to wear a magickal helmet. This is considered cheating to some adventurers. Regardless, the battle is on the horizon, and Cyril is out to take the helmet for himself.

NEXT MONTH:
Markham, Shropshire, & Gergory

VS.

Cyril, John Hood (Mercenary Captain), & Mook

In order to join the cells, I had to do a lot of digital touchups because my template is the usual 4x2 with spacers. I just drew the scenes as though there were no dividers, and then went back and erased them in photoshop.


April 2003 - Fin

Cyril and his gang are demolished quite quickly in true Lord Markham style. The old boys had so much fun that they decided to fire up an Adventurer's Guild, which is the premise for my next season. If you don't know what a guild is... they're sort of like unions!

Alas, with all these deadlines et al, I've had to make some changes to the plot throughout the year. I've felt it all along... this feeling that I had worked myself into a corner. Is this the way out? Only time will tell. I hope you've enjoyed the season. For what it's worth, I put in over 24 hours of blood, sweat, and tears into this one. Have a great summer and we'll pick up where we left off in September.


Now, a brief synopsis of the season so far:
Something is afoot, and Lord Markham is 'in the thick' once again. After fleeing the law at the end of season one and seeking asylum at his estate, Lord Markham spends his time brushing up on his approach shot at the country club. Secretly though, he yearns to adventure once more and prove his sincerity to the cruel world. His hopes are answered one day by a mysterious carrier pigeon; it carries a cry for help from his older sibling, Shropshire. Surrounded and under seige by a band of mercenaries, Shropshire cannot hold out without the help of Markham! The adventure begins as Lord Markham hunts down the estate hermit to retrieve information about the mercenaries. Though the conversation proves unweildy, conditions escalate as an ambush is sprung on our unsuspecting hero. A brief clash ensues, whence the plot thickens as the mercenary leader reveals that the siege was a ploy to lure Markham into the woods and capture him. In the blink of an eye, Markham is immobilzed by the riffraff and their henious methods. Things look bleak for our hero until help arrives unexpected from none other than Gregory. After a very brief and violent encounter, the villains are routed and Markham is free once more. With their prize catch now gone, the mercenaries proceed to press on with their siege of Shropshire, knowing full well that they stand between Markham and Shropshire. The indomitable Markham thwarts death in a stunning display of heriocs and manages to infiltrate the enemy camp and launch himself into the castle proper in one fell swoop. The brothers are finally united, and they ride out from the castle walls to find none-other than Cyril waiting for them. He's out for revenge and nothing else!


PRODUCTION NOTES All master copies are done on legal-size bond paper with an AutoCAD 2002 frame template (no more hand-drawn frames for me, thank you very much!) I always do the basic forms in pencil before inking each episode with either a Staedler 0.3 pigment liner or equivalent. Typical development times are: 1-3 hours rough sketch, 1-3 hours pen work, ~0.5 hours digital transfer and touch-ups. Plot development time is not countable... it's always going on in my head!
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