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

[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