Welcome to Zatswan: Multiversal Guardian. I hope you are ready for an amazing adventure!
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I finished the revised Chapter 3 cover, and I’m delighted with the outcome!
This artwork, created using acrylic paint, features Zatswan with the Ataraxian cast members. I contemplated making this the main cover of the Zatswan: Multiversal Guardian book because it showcases large images of Zatswan and Princess Allecka Xona, but I decided the Chapter 1 cover is a better overall representation of the story.
This marks a significant milestone as it is the beginning of the Chapter 3 corrections. Chapter 3 stands as the final section scheduled for revisions, bringing us near the conclusion of this entire redrawing phase. I’m thrilled because once these revisions are completed, the next era for Zatswan will be upon us! The comic series will surge forward with brand-new narratives. I’m itching to start drawing book two of the Zatswan saga, Stardust Romantique, but I know it’s best to get the editing on Multiversal Guardian done before that. Patience, patience …
In other news, I’ve created quick artwork for a Cyborg reboot.
As discussed last update, many of Cyborg’s fans express dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the character, and I don’t believe DC Comics will deliver products that truly meet their expectations. Well, unless fans can move DC Comics to let me officially go ahead with my reboot, which I don’t at all expect to happen. Regardless, I do enjoy the prospect of putting out better Cyborg comics than big DC Comics.
Though I haven’t been a fan of the character, I decided to reimagine him in a version that I think would be cool, which addresses several problems I have with him. I removed the faceplate because I found it unattractive. The best route for Cyborg to truly succeed on his own is to make him a more attractive leading man. An ugly robot is fine for filling out an ensemble of quirky characters, but when said ugly robot isn’t finding much success as a lead, then I think it is okay to make adjustments as long as the essence of the character isn’t destroyed in the process.
Instead of a full-blown faceplate, the character’s eye can glow red when used for scanning. In fact, I restored many of his body parts. He is now only missing his forearms and lower legs, which I have no intention of restoring. While some fans advocate for Cyborg to regenerate body parts through nanotechnology, I believe that enabling this ability would detract significantly from the fundamentals of the character.
Over the years, Cyborg has (for some reason) become more and more robotic. His design strayed too far from the George Perez original. Mine brings many of the classic elements back but with alterations. Another issue with all the designs is the lack of colors, resulting in a dull appearance. I made subtle adjustments to address this. These additions not only enhance the character’s aesthetic but would also appeal to a younger audience. After all, children are often drawn to bright colors. I also find Cyborg’s other iterations to be overly intricate. I’ve opted for a simplified appearance, which gives a better aesthetic and makes it more accessible for younger fans to draw.
The character Sarah Simms (also shown in the image above) will play a significant role in my reboot. She was sidelined in the DC Universe and substituted by another Black Sarah (Sarah Charles) possibly due to toxic anti-miscegenation sentiments. The New Teen Titans creator, Marv Wolfman, was developing an interracial romance between Cyborg and Sarah Simms, but a “Black leader” wrote letters to DC Comics discouraging the pairing.
Some Black individuals have expressed frustration with the recurring theme of Black heroes being paired with White women. That pairing is hardly a universal occurrence, it’s just that when it does happen, it tends to provoke strong reactions from certain people. It’s often not acknowledged that there’s an audience valuing and cherishing depictions of interracial relationships in media. They should have the same representation and content that speaks to their experiences and preferences, just like any other audience. Personally, it’s disheartening to witness the potential for a 40-year-plus interracial relationship within DC Comics, involving original characters, being extinguished due to some people’s insecurities or prejudices.
In light of these considerations, Sarah Simms will be reintroduced as Cyborg’s love interest, as originally intended by Marv Wolfman. They will form a committed romantic relationship, complete with the sexual component. It’s important to clarify that this isn’t an attack on monoracial Black relationships. However, those seeking such relationships in fiction (or otherwise) do not need to disparage or undermine interracial relationships to get them.
I’m considering maintaining Cyborg’s connection with his Motherbox, as established during the New 52 phase of DC Comics. It offers great potential for him as a cosmic interdimensional hero—an aspect Zatswan readers know I adore. However, I have reservations. For Cyborg to truly stand out, he should develop independently from other main characters in the DC Universe. On the flip side, the interconnected nature of hero universes is something that can be taken advantage of. There are merits and drawbacks to both sides. While I’m inclined to retain the Motherbox connection, reaching a definitive decision will require further consideration. This leads to the other members of the Titans. None of them will be featured because I want Cyborg to shine as an individual hero in his own world.
There are still several aspects to consider, but this reboot idea has been an enjoyable distraction. I’ll probably continue sharing updates about it. If this is something you’d like to see more of, feel free to let me know. Also, if this version of Cyborg resonates with you, don’t hesitate to share your interest with DC.
I’ve completed the redrawn page for Chapter 2 of Zatswan: Multiversal Guardian. I think it turned out very well!
You may notice that this update consists of only one page, and that’s because I believe that’s all that was truly necessary for Chapter 2. While there are other elements within that chapter that I could improve, I don’t feel a compelling need to do so. I have to consider the time and energy required and whether it’s worthwhile, and in this case, it just isn’t. There are times when good enough is good enough. Therefore, I’m already underway in addressing some issues in Chapter 3. Interestingly, I believe Chapter 3 deserves more attention than Chapter 2, although not nearly to the same extent as Chapter 1.
I was going through a challenging period in my life while working on much of Chapter 3, and I can see how it affected the quality of my work. It was done sloppily in certain places, with less confident linework, rougher coloring, and some problematic anatomy, so I’d like to fix that.
I am really proud of the above page! It’s much cleaner, more solid, and more detailed than the old version.
In other news, my girlfriend and I have created another YouTube video. I found the first one with her to be quite captivating, so we decided to follow a similar format. It’s cool to have her along because we can gain insights into how someone who is completely uninvolved in the direct market comics industry perceives certain characters, fans, and business practices in that field.
This time we go into deep discussion about the DC Comics superhero Cyborg. Check it out!
What brought about this discussion was the advocating by some of Cyborg’s fans for the removal of his faceplate because they believed he would make a better wish-fulfillment character without it, especially for Black fans. I fully understand the desire for a wish-fulfillment character who is an original creation, rather than a derivative of another character (such as Green Lantern John Stewart is to Green Lantern Hal Jordan, for example). After all, I am the creator of the original character Zatswan, who I identify as mixed race (white/black primarily).
However, my girlfriend and I don’t believe that a character who wasn’t designed for that purpose should be changed to better fit it. Rather, new characters should be created to meet those needs.
I find it interesting and a bit sad how some fans go to great lengths to navigate the peculiar and largely uncompromising quirks of the U.S. direct market comics industry, even when it’s unnecessary. For instance, trying to start an initiative to transform Cyborg to fulfill a role he was never intended for, instead of sensibly creating a new character to serve that purpose. One point my girlfriend and I both agree on is that if fans are dissatisfied and seek something they believe DC isn’t providing adequately, they should explore alternative options to find what they desire.
I compare many direct market comic fans who frequently complain to individuals stuck in toxic relationships. Most of us have likely encountered someone who, despite constant complaints about their unhappy situation, chooses to remain in it despite advice to the contrary. What I’ve discovered is that when emotions come into play, people can engage in all manner of self-destructive behavior, often disregarding reason.
This situation isn’t much different. Here, we have fans who think they “love” Cyborg, yet their needs consistently go unaddressed. The core need here actually has nothing to do with Cyborg, as he has never fulfilled that need. In reality, it’s for an original Black character (not a derivative of a White one) who can provide the same sense of wish fulfillment as the most popular white characters, such as Superman and Batman. Cyborg has never been able to do so because of his origin, marked by his mutilation. He is further hampered by his creation as a team player rather than a hero who was intended to have a world crafted around him. Moreover, the lack of creators’ enthusiasm or the necessary popularity (i.e. demand) hinders the development of such a world.
Instead of seeking to have this need fulfilled elsewhere (much like seeking a healthier relationship), some individuals opt to remain in their current situation and endlessly voice their grievances to a company (their partner) that has shown no inclination to change and hasn’t expressed a strong desire to cater to their needs. Thus, the fans are left unhappy. While there isn’t any wrongdoing afoot, I believe the fans have a level of culpability for choosing to remain in that situation, and I personally have difficulty relating to it. Oh, I can certainly relate to being frustrated with DC Comics, but when I finally realized DC was not interested in producing products that would meet my needs, I decided to stop buying DC products.
I felt that my time, money, and emotional energy were much better served to solve my own problems. After all, if I had these problems, others likely did as well, so I set out to create a comic character that I would actually really be into.
I’d like to make a couple of points because I’m aware that people sometimes tend to attribute statements and intentions to me that I never expressed or intended.
First, I don’t mean to throw these fans under the bus. If anything, I’m like that person who is telling someone they may want to rethink their relationship because they will never be happy in it. Believe it or not, this is coming from a place of care, concern, and experience. That said, I don’t really expect them to take it well or act upon it, because … emotions and all. Regardless, I believe it is worthwhile food for thought that may have an effect on them when the time is right for them.
Secondly, I want to clarify that I’m not expressing resentment towards Black readers who may prefer to support Cyborg over Zatswan. There is quite a bit to unpack with this one. It should be noted that I didn’t create Zatswan with the explicit aim of catering to a Black audience. While my intention is to make him relatable to everyone, as mentioned above, demographically he was primarily designed to resonate with mixed-race and interracial interests. I believe this is distinct from the category of “Black,” though they can and do intersect. For instance, Zatswan differs notably from characters like Black Panther, Black Lightning, and many others found in the Milestone Media catalog. Yet, he is still a brown-skinned superhero who is of partial African descent.
All that said, I don’t necessarily anticipate Zatswan would be what some of these people are looking for. However, I believe they should seek out what they are looking for because it’s available, and there are numerous creators who would appreciate their support.
That’s better than being one of those people who has a problem but refuses to do anything about it other than complain and wish.
At last, I finished all the redraws for Chapter 1 of Zatswan: Multiversal Guardian. This is a big accomplishment and I’m very proud of the work I have done. It took time and effort, but I know these revisions have significantly enhanced Zatswan, and I personally feel better about the book in general. Here is the final batch of pages!
I received advice from trusted confidants who suggested that I should continue moving forward, leaving the original artwork untouched and allowing people to witness my artistic progression on their own. I do understand the rationale behind this advice. However, it’s crucial to recognize that you only get one chance to make a first impression, and I’m determined to make Zatswan captivate new readers right from the very beginning. After all, the potential for million-dollar deals could very well hinge on these initial pages.
I wanted to feel good about my work. Zatswan is something I poured a lot of energy and heart into, and I knew I could do much better than the previous draft of artwork. While I’ve mentioned it before, the old art wasn’t dreadful by any means, but I saw numerous avenues for improvement. I wanted to free myself from the constant nagging thoughts about its potential every time I glanced at the first chapter or contemplated it.
I know what some may be thinking. That I’m eventually going to feel that I can do much better than the redone pages. That day may come, but I can objectively assess these pages. With my experience as an artist, I can confidently say that the redone pages already meet a very high standard for comics, and this is unlikely to change even as I continue to improve. So, long story short, the redone pages are definitely here to stay.
Regarding this specific batch, my strong motivation for the redo stems from the fact that these pages provide our initial glimpse of Zodoss, a crucial setting in the Zatswan series. It’s vital to me that this locale leaves a powerful and lasting impression right from the start. Please note that the final page of the chapter is not included here, as it was already redrawn some time ago.
This isn’t the end of the redraws. There are a few pages and panels that I want to work on for chapters 2 and 3, but I want to stress that they really are few. I’m certainly not going to give those chapters a complete visual overhaul. I don’t feel they need that, but there are a few niggling instances that I want to see to.
Even though I still have some work left to do, I felt this accomplishment deserved a celebration, so I treated myself to donuts. A cherry frosted sprinkle, raspberry jelly, and glaze twist!
See you soon, Zatswan fans!
I’ve been planning to create updated artwork for the site, and I’ve gradually been doing so. It began with a painting for the banner and a character profile piece for A.C. Cooper, which is available here. While on a vacation with my girlfriend, I opted to take a break from my usual work for the comic. I brought along only watercolor pencils and paper, borrowing her fancy fountain pens for inking. This allowed me to focus on crafting more character profile artwork for the site without overpacking my supplies.
Check out this Allecka Xona character profile work that I did while in the hotel room:
Watercolor pencils are highly portable and versatile, allowing easy blending for a variety of colors, negating the need for numerous pencils. Unlike markers, which necessitate many to cover a wide color range, a single watercolor pencil can achieve a broader spectrum through water dilution and pigment variation on paper.
However, watercolor pencils shine best with water, unlike markers which are more or less dry. Consequently, using watercolor pencils to their potential requires pricier paper to endure water application, unlike marker paper. This balance of pros and cons applies to all art mediums, with no ultimate choice. This is why I enjoy using various mediums.
During a hotel stay, a fire alarm malfunction caused my girlfriend and I to have to leave the building and sit outside. I used the opportunity to discuss mainstream Marvel and DC Comics versus her Webtoon preferences.
Her insights can be found in the video below!
Here are some new old pages from Zatswan, featuring A.C. and Marlene in a wacky pocket universe. Readers have taken note of the pretty bizarre and detailed backgrounds in Zatswan, so now is a good time to talk about some of them.
One of my loves is retro gaming, in no small part due to my older siblings who always had game consoles around when I was growing up. I’ve always been fascinated by the amazing 2D pixel art in some of my favorite retro video games. The way the artists crafted outlandish and detailed scenarios over and over was truly impressive. Sega, in particular, was a developer that constantly pushed the boundaries with their creations. The environments from games such as the original Sonic: The Hedgehog games, Space Harrier, and Phantasy Star really drew me into their worlds and ignited my imagination.
One of my all-time favorite old games is Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa!
I sometimes draw inspiration from the wild backgrounds in that game when creating my own unique environments. While I put my own spin on them, the zany concepts in Fantasy Zone II provide a solid foundation to build upon. See if you can catch the similarities between Zatswan and Fantasy Zone.
The third image showcased here captures the epic hero shot of Zatswan, A.C. Cooper. As a comic artist, I understand the importance of each instance in which you depict your hero. It’s an opportunity to truly sell readers on their character and essence, so I approach such illustrations with great care. In this particular artwork, the biggest challenge was creating a convincing glow effect. However, I’m pleased with the overall outcome and how well it turned out.
I’m proud of the design I created for Zatswan. Going back to the retro gaming influence, his boots and color scheme were partially inspired by the Metroid character Samus Aran, and her design while wearing the Varia Suit in the original 1986 Nintendo Entertainment System game.
While it’s understandable that people draw comparisons to Green Lantern, Zatswan possesses a subtly more aggressive appearance that sets him apart, as depicted in the severe and sharp lines seen in the costume, in contrast to Green Lantern’s more neutral and rounded lines, which can be seen in the Lantern logo. It was also a deliberate choice on my part to ensure that Zatswan’s energy looks distinct and unlike any other hero’s power.
The Zatswan logo is something I’m particularly happy about. Not only does it have an incredibly awesome visual appeal, but it also provides significant insights into the character. The incorporation of two squares within the logo represents the tesseract, which serves as the source of Zatswan’s power. The prominent “Z” is a clear symbol representing the name “Zatswan,” while the star field in the background elegantly captures his cosmic nature.
I’m coming pretty close to finishing up the redraws for Chapter 1. The next batch of pages will be the final stretch. After that, I’ll do a bit of touching up on Chapters 2 and 3. Nothing nearly as extensive as the work for Chapter 1. After that, Multiversal Guardian will be converted to Webtoon’s vertical scrolling format and posted on that site, and then…Zatswan: Stardust Romantique will be upon us!