The first 1/4 of the year...

It's about that time again...or rather it's over due, which it is.  Hello everyone!

It's been well over two months since my last journal entry so I'll give you all some updates on the latest happenings regarding my goals as well as some imminent changes to my plans.    For one, I'm in my third month of school and my semester will end in about two months in early May.  The year is pushing along pretty fast.  I've also successfully enlisted into the Army and will begin BT in May.  I made sure that I wouldn't be able to head off until the middle of May after my college semester has ended.  As well, I've decided to do active duty as opposed to mere reserves.  The pay grade will be far greater and will help me accomplish more goals in terms of finances.  I'll have up to 9 weeks of BT and 9 weeks of advanced, so altogether I'll likely be living away from home over 4 months if they're consecutive.  But for the time being I'm finishing up my first semester.  As for the job I'll be getting/MOS, it's not a combat job (though it's naive to believe one is completely "safe" just because they don't have a combat job).  I won't be receiving info where I'll be deployed after Basic so I can only talk about what I know at the present.  Considering...it's great to know if all things go as planned, I'll have a secure source of income.  I've already started conditioning so I've already got quite a lot to look forward to this year.

 In other news, I  got a wacom 22HD early in February thanks to my brother so I have something more advanced than the yiynova MSP19 I purchased last year (though the yiynova tablet is still fantastic).  I've been improving my craft with sketch book pro and manga studio 5 and indeed will be sharing more concept art and reference sheets I've made in the none-too-distant future.

As for GLS, I'm still in the designing stages which may be unfortunate to some but I want to be as thorough as I can...  I've (still) been researching page layout and storyboards and have discovered many great articles and in particular, a great youtube channel that goes into digital comic book making...  I'm not sure if I've talked about them in a past journal but here's a link to their YT channel, Mangachasers: www.youtube.com/user/mangachas… .  They do very intuitive tutorials using their characters Sen and Kai in video presentations that often utilize sketch book pro and Manga studio (EX 4), such as this video:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nlkNZ… about making a manga (or more accurately, the making of a manga page).  I don't always take time to promote people, so if you're also in the beginning stages of developing your own comic/series and and need something more, per se, visually enticing to help guide you don't stray too far from their channel!  They also have versions of their comic/manga online in the form of presentation type videos so that may be fun to some of you.

More on GLS:  I wasn't  able to get to GLS outline chapter 100 by the end of last year but at the moment I'm on chapter 93's outline (which is the longest yet, nearly 18 pages worth of content for me to work from in the future!).  I intend to get to chapter 100's outline by the middle of March.  I've added some of the concept art for GLS to the facebook page which may stay exclusively there for the time being, so here's a link to some of it: www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi… & www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi…

The first GLS FB page link leads to the frontward view of the character's faces and their designs as currently updated.  From left to right: Jeremiah, Raseph, Gheena, and Hemif, the main Jkuheeroes.  The second link leads to the Jkuheeroe cadets, from left to right: Edja, Roxanna, Marcus, Adjinix.  I also have some QR codes I've made leading to the GLS FB page and Mangamagazine that I will be sharing at some point in the near future.  So on and so, don't feel shy about giving the page a like, here: www.facebook.com/GodlikeStreng… and sharing if and whenever.  It would help me out...

Regarding project TOTA, it's moving along smoothly.  I intend to finish outlining by the end of March and well into early April.  Beyond that, there's not much to say.  

There's also news regarding Whytmanga and his comic/manga Apple Black.  I know it doesn't always seem relevant to me or my goals in talking about others on first glance, but I simply like pointing out talent and great people out there.  Anyhow, according to his latest video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ItOz… he has finished Apple Black (chapter one, anyway) and intends to submit it to publishers very soon which is pretty awesome!  With that said, it could be as much as a month before we get any word on what's to come next.  It causes me to reflect on where I could go/be with GLS someday if I just keep pushing.  Let's all wish him luck and our support in all his efforts.  But not only because he's a lone individual working to bring his project(s) to light, but also because his plight is the same as many of us out there who want to get our stories out there.  So on and so, there's still a lot for me to get done as well, so I'll keep my head up.