Screen 1
ONE:
Sabre’s cabin. She’s moved inside, the door closing behind her. DRAKE has removed his hat (if he still had it on), watching her warily. DRUM is likewise watching her, but with more genuine curiosity.
1. DRAKE: I’ve no truck with politics. Pirate or privateer sound
mighty akin to me.
2. DRAKE: But you saved our skins, and that buys a dram or two of
goodwill, ma’am.
TWO:
SABRE has moved closer to DRAKE, taking him in, and appreciating what she sees. Same manner as before, the grin even bigger. DRAKE and DRUM are watching her.
3. SABRE: ‘Ma’am’ blisters, Marshal, and I beg you not use it again.
4. SABRE: Captain, or m’Lady, or even Sabre, if you must, and Seneca
should we care to know each other better.
THREE:
SABRE and DRAKE, face to face. He just doesn’t know what to make of her.
She’s grinning up at him.
DRUM is still taking it all in, mildly amused.
5. SABRE: Your badges tell of your office, but less of the men who
wear them.
6. DRAKE: Miles Drake, Tanitin Marshal.
7. DRAKE: This here is my Deputy—
FOUR:
SABRE moving past DRAKE, surprising him slightly, as she approaches DRUM.
DRUM is watching her, his amusement mirroring hers.
8. SABRE: Who can surely speak for himself?
Screen 2
ONE:
SABRE and DRUM looking at one another. DRUM has his gentle, private grin. SABRE is likewise meeting his gaze.
DRAKE, watching them. He’s less amused than they seem to be, to be sure.
1. DRAKE: He can, but like as not he won’t. He goes by Keyton Drum.
TWO:
DRUM grinning at SABRE.
DRAKE looking at them.
2. SABRE: I see.
3. SABRE: Well, then…
THREE:
On SABRE, the gleam in her eye.
4. SABRE: …which of you gentlemen has my key?
Cut to the chase 🙂
Rick, do you meticulously recreate the globe based off the world-map in each shot, or do you just draw wiggly lines and make it look good?
I really like Drake’s hat hanging off the back of the chair.
James, I wish I could say that I reference the world map every time I draw the globe, but the truth is that the schedule just doesn’t allow it. This is a very work intensive project and sometimes I finish the screens a couple of hours (sometimes less) before they’re posted. I know how readers appreciate that kind of attention to detail, but when you’re on a regular schedule sometimes something has to give. It’s one of the hurdles that have to be jumped in periodical publishing. Every artist regrets sending something out that is less than their best, but sometimes it has to happen to get things out on time.
Also, I may be the only artist in the business who actually likes drawing hats.
And horses. You like drawing horses.
I’m working on a whole chapter with steam-powered flying horses wearing hats as we speak.
Drum really gets a kick out playing the mysterious, stoic sidekick, doesn’t he?
Always be weary of the short, silent guy – they kick the best butt.
And it’s so obviously an act on his part, too.
You may, ah… be detecting a theme….
I like the coy little hair flip in Panel 2 when Sabre suggests that she and Miles “should we care to know each other better”.
Am I the only one that thinks Sabre either knows Drum or maybe has history with a member of his family? That ‘I see’ then pause seems odd to me.
Or is it just his name? KEY-ton?
So, warn a guy ahead of time–how much should I trust my first impressions, culture-wise? Thus far I’ve been mapping Allyria to Britain, Tanitan to the nascent America and Earthwalkers to Native Americans, Fueille sounds pretty French, and so on. Are the cultural types being presented as guideposts to allow us readers to navigate an unfamiliar world, or should we not rely on them? Or is this a read-and-find-out situation?
Those aren’t unreasonable analogues, though there are differences that will become more apparent as more is revealed and experienced.