Secrets of the Sourcebook

BT Toons Sourcebook: Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5

Well, I'm at a loss for what to write in here tonight. Still pushing out new Sourcebook pages, so I suppose I'll annotate the pages here:

Page 2:

• Not much to say here, aside from the fact that Kungfuyu and Mendes haven't seen much use in a while. That's kinda more due to the fact that I have nothing for them to do - although while drawing these, I brainstormed the PERFECT use for Mendes in a coming storyline... But yeah. They're basically one-note characters who I don't think to use anymore.
• Note again that the Kyuu were designed by Derrick Wyatt as fanart, and I just had to make them official because it is an awesome design. Currently, my plan is that their vocabulary consists of "Kyuu", save for perhaps the squad leader. I have yet to decide on his name, but it will either be Ninyak or Fievel.
  

Page 3:

• For anyone who missed it, the NPC's name is officially confirmed as Anaria Piecie. I'd confirmed it before on the old bio pages, as well as in the background of an existing comic, but still, it's used here. As for where the name comes from, it's quite simple. I've been referring to her internally as "NPC" for ages (even after I assigned her name) and so, her name thus logically became "Anne Piecie" aka N. PC. All that was then required was to fantasyfy up the name, as I love to do, and Anne became Anaria. The final step was recent - I didn't like "Anne" as her name - dunno why, but it seemed to simple. Going off shortening her actual name however, I ended up with the more appealing "Ana". Which doubly works given her new outfit is a homage to the Clone Wars designs (along with Tornado's new outfit).
• As well, note that on this page I took creative liberties with the storyline details. Keep in mind that the ONLY characters who know the full story are Ana and the Evil Admins. Even then, there's a few other higher-ups in the MMO pecking order who know more, and it's possible the Waywards know a thing or two about how things are really run (I expect Nya likely knows a bit and doesn't care) but Tornado KNOWS NOTHING of this extra layer of intrigue. This is key.
  

Page 4:

• The Evil Admins' designs are based off the Tripredacus Council from Beast Wars, as they appeared in undetailed, shadowed renders in The Agenda, Part 1. I liked the idea of using them for an Evil Secret Council of Admins, and thus when the design was originally used I just slapped in silhouettes of the Council. It was only a year later that I actually designed what they actually looked like - based off the silhouettes, but with actual designs, and colorschemes based off the toys. As an extra little note, the names assigned to them are their SCREENNAMES in the MMO - their REAL names in the comic have been decided on by me, and are derived from the Tripledacus repaint of the toys from the Japanese Beast Wars series.
• As noted there, there is another level of X-level NPCs. This is important - that there are levels above and beyond the control of the evil Admins. Currently I have only agents X-4 and X-9 assigned, and X-9 will likely not show up at all. (Note that X-9 is a homage to a certain Beast Wars Metals toy with the same designation... :) )
  

Page 5:

• The term "Waywards" is an extended, indirect homage to a certain photocomic creator. Based off the fact that I have an Insecticon motif assigned to the Waywards, with Nya = Shrapnyal, Breeze = Blowback, and Samus = Bombelle. The sunglasses are thus modeled after their corresponding Insecticon counterparts.
• Breeze's name is a fairly logical one, given her brother is Tornado - but I probably wouldn't have thought of it had it not been for my cousin Breeze (who Breeze in BT Toons in no way resembles - the name is the only homage). Her original design was based off Assaj Ventress, to provide a counterpoint to Tornado's Jedi-inspired design (given she's the 'weasel' of a sister and all). Though her current design isn't a Ventress outfit, it keeps the purple/black, arm/leg wrappings, and pale skin. (The pale skin is a design bonus, too - since it allowed me to easily work her in as a computer guru who spends too much time on one. It's also indirectly a homage to Artemis Fowl of Eoin Colfer's awesome book series.) Note as well that she's easily underage - so any Rule 34ing makes you a bad person.
• As for Samus' redesign, that's more of my own attempt to do something different with her design. Note that she's now been effectively detached from her video game self, having been fired by Nintendo due to the events of the last storyline (a happy accident which plays into my plans very well). I decided to change her up since most of my female characters have long hair, and did a costume change while I was at it. Originally the hair was going to be all brown (in a homage to the first Metroid game's ending) but I reverted it to blonde somewhat after realising that every other female character has dark hair in my comic. The undergarments for casual wear are colored based off the Metroid 1 ending, and were designed by Malunis as I couldn't think of a good design, and her jacket/pants are a homage to the Fusion Suit from Metroid Fusion.