DS Comic: Speranza's "Interrogation," Part 1 (of like 7 maybe?)

[zelempa]

cesperanza gave me permission to use her work in a comic, so of course I had to do it! I was going to do maybe an excerpt, but, what the hell. I've started what will (according to my thumbnails) be a 20-page adaptation of her story, Interrogation.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Artist's Notes: I'm really excited about this project--it's so much fun working with this source material (DS caps, Speranza dialogue, what could be better?) I only hope I can do the text and the guys' pretty, pretty faces some kind of justice. Well, I learn as I go. (I bet my art on the last few pages will be better than the first.)

As with any primarily visual adaptation, you're losing the non-dialogue prose, and for space constraints, I've had to omit some lines of dialogue and shorten others. Hopefully I manage to keep the spirit of the thing without skipping or butchering your favorite lines.

Rereading Speranza's stories with an eye for what could be adapted, "Interrogation" struck me as one of the most script-like already; it's mostly dialogue and succinct, vivid descriptions of action, facial expressions, and feelings (which can be translated into facial expressions). I doubt Speranza was planning this when she wrote it, but it turns out the beats are great for a comic, too. The shorter scenes seem to fit neatly onto one page, and a lot of the pages are going to end in a "punchline" (either a joke, or a bam! moment).

(And it's short. This is important to me. I will not be unemployed for much longer.)

It's also a story where Ray's electric, twitchy, fidgety motion just jumps off the page, in every scene he's in (which is most of them), and since that's apparently my strength as an artist, I'm going with it!

Anyway, I'll put more pages up as they get finished, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I'm enjoying making them!

[Crossposted to ds_noticeboard here]

Comments

[lucifuge-5.livejournal.com]

I'm so blown away by this that all I can say is *grabby hands with spirit fingers on top*

:DDDDD


ETA: Don't forget to link this to the ds_noticeboard!

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Right, right! Thank you! :D

[laurie-ky.livejournal.com]

Hurricane Ray indeed. I haven't read that story, but your art work is communicating the plot just great. I liked the contrast between Fraser's calmness and Ray's vibrating all over the page. And I enjoyed Frannie and Welsh also, especially how Frannie's ta-ta's kept trying to take over the page.

Laurie

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

That could be my own pro-tata agenda sneaking its way in there. ;)

Thanks! That contrast, calm Fraser vs. edgy Ray, is a big part of the story so I'm glad it's coming through loud and clear. :D

[laurie-ky.livejournal.com]

I just finished watching all the DVDs and I was struck by how much Frannie used the power of her boobs, from knocking over the other Fraser-struck singers in the church choir, to her shortie-tops and to leaning up against Fraser.

Laurie

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

Wonderful comic :D I really love how you captured hurricane Ray

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :) And I'm glad you saw it after I corrected my misspelling of the word "hurricane!" That would have been embarrassing.

[mamaffy.livejournal.com]

That's lovely work. I look forward to the rest. :)

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Hard at work on it :)

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Oh my GOD I am so excited! First of all, seriously, good choice of story! I do tend, er, to write a bit long, so yeah, shorter works are good, and also I did write a bunch of flashfiction, which is shorter (typically) (ok, hush.) *g*

But also--I mean, this is a fan fic writers' dream, in that it really is about as close to WRITING THE SHOW as we currently get! To see actors--your actors, the bodies you're drawing and directing--interpreting my words is just--wow. It's like getting a script produced. It IS getting a script produced.

So thank you 1000x!! I can't wait to see it all!

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Ah, I forgot to reread the flashfiction! There's always something. Oh well, I'm committed now.

Yeah! I mean my goal is totally to try to create the feeling that you're seeing the guys playing out the story (admittedly as limited by my skill with the pen). My only concern is if it's going to be possible to go back and read the story and not see the guys as cartoons. But I suppose you can read Hamlet and not always think about Mel Gibson.

Anyway, yah! I'm glad you like it!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I am not complaining!! <3 <3 Interrogation!!! I am so excited, seriously, I am hopping in my chair over here!

And I wouldn't worry about affecting the original story; fiction's pretty durable! As you point out, my story has all that nondialog voice and interior monologues and such. The change of genre makes it different--I don't see Colin Firth, much as I love him, when I read Austen. (Not that I'm saying I'm Austen! Oh, you know what I mean!)

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

It's okay, I said you were Shakespeare! And that I was Mel Gibson, I guess. Clearly, I have self-esteem issues.

[mysticalchild_isis]

This is so very awesome and fun- I can't wait for the rest :D

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

[erda-3.livejournal.com]

This is so much fun! You've really brought them all to life so well that I can't wait to see more.

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad! :D

[wihluta.livejournal.com]

This is a really great adaption so far. I love how you manage to render Ray's twitchiness - it practically jumps off the page.

And they are all very, very recognisable.

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That's why I want, the impression that Ray is going to jump off the page and throttle someone.

[wihluta.livejournal.com]

Definitely working. :D

Uhm, I don't know how much you know about comic drawing theory - There is a way to actually make him jump "off the page" by leaving out the panel lines and basically drawing until the edge of the page or going behind panels. Some people think it gives it even more dynamic. But it's not everyone's cup of tea.

I've tried it here (http://wihluta.deviantart.com/art/Return-154378591), if you want to have a visual idea. Not sure if it works.

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

ah yes, i've done that in other comics - but I tend to use it sparingly. You're right it's something to think about with Ray action, although I'm in the interrogation scene now and tiny, claustrophobic boxes are key.

oooh I like your eyes in the first panel. *is jealous*

[wihluta.livejournal.com]

although I'm in the interrogation scene now and tiny, claustrophobic boxes are key.
Yes, that definitely makes sense! I can't wait to see the rest of it. I really love your style of drawing.

oooh I like your eyes in the first panel.
Thank you! I am quite proud of those eyes. I often mess them up because I am too impatient, but that time it worked. :D

[panisdead.livejournal.com]

OMG, this is awesome! RayK's frantic activity is perfectly captured. I can't wait for the rest of it. :)

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I should have some more up in a bit :)

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

oh, excellent stuff! very well done!
Kudos to you. can't wait for the rest
::bounces::

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

::bounces more:: Thanks! Second set is up now ;)

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

This is so much fun! Great choice of story to use, and I love everyone's body language - so well captured. Welsh's dry expressions! Frannie's sex kittenishness! Fraser and Ray's ... Fraser- and Ray-ness!

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Fraser and Ray are clearly my holy grails - I want to capture them so bad - but the cameos are also super fun.

[reflectedeve.livejournal.com]

Oh god, your expressive figures are so to die for. :D RayK is clearly the perfect subject for you - his body language is amazing! I'm also particularly fond of some of the last panels with Frannie; the one where she talks about taking Spanish is great (I love the way the panel emphasizes how they're squished together, and her expression is perfect), and the very last panel on the third page. Fraser. ♥

[zelempa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think the one where she talks about Spanish is the one where she came out looking most Frannie-ish, too.

RayK? Perfect for me? Why, now that you mention it, I--well-- *blushes furiously*

[plotbunniofdoom]

This is great! :D