http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:Magna-Core&section=today deviantART RSS for by:Magna-Core en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:38:53 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/23487653/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/23487653/ Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:17:38 PST
For those of you watching this account, who haven't noticed that the comic is canceled, I finished trial 4. In novel form, that is. If you want to see how Trial 4 finished, go here:
[link]

Magna Core's story continues in novel form from here on out, on the profile I just linked to.

Ask me either here or there if you're looking for the text versions of Trials 0 to 3, also.

Check back at the end of every month for a new chapter, and we'll see this story reach its true ending in May, 2011. I have 25 numbered chapters to go plus a brief epilogue. That's 26 months, so 2 years+ 2 months from now. (And for those of you who have kept score at home, I've kept up my end of the bargain for 5 months in a row, and the first chapters are the hardest! )

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/21058792/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/21058792/ Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:22:17 PDT
I don't know what to think of drawing this manga anymore, so excuse my use of a stream of conscious to figure this out.

I'd like to think that I'm doing this for my own enjoyment as much as yours, but a lot of weeks go by where this is more trouble than it's worth for me. I used to look at it as a labor of love, but it's starting to feel like it's just a drag. I keep having to give myself weeks off, thinking I'll be able to come back not so fed up with the process, but that's never been any good. But this whole process is just becoming too much of a hassle. Draw, ink, shade, add sound affects, color backgrounds, add text, it's starting to feel like too many steps, and for whatever reason I'm not having fun with this like I used to. Maybe I've outgrown it. Maybe I'm losing touch with the project. I don't know.

But, at the same time I can't let myself abort all the characters that haven't even been introduced yet. I'll find a way to tell their story, probably in the novel format. There have always been 2 huge factors for me and the thought of canceling this comic:
1. The characters and their story, which I need to see through to the end somehow. I'm already on the road to satisfying that with the novel at work. I've had a lifetime of experience with the English language to express myself, whereas I've had not even a decadde of experience in the language of comicing, and so I lack the same fluency.

2. You, the readers. I don't want to disappoint anybody. But if I start doing this as any sort of obligation, then I'm drawing it for all the wrong reasons. And the way I see it, if I drag on with this when my heart's not 255% in it, then you should be disappointed.

Am I done with comics for good? I wouldn't say no to the possibility at a better time. But it looks pretty promising to close this up now. I've reached a point where I can retreat and reasess without any significant losses.

So, I'm sorry to those who genuinely enjoyed this, but I'm going to say it:
This comic is closed until further notice.
Thank you everybody who watches this account, and anybody who stopped by to read it. It's been a lot of fun teaching myself a thing or two with you guys. My art wouldn't be the same if we didn't go through this, and I'll always wear the experience on my sleeve. I wish I could still pursue this comic with the same spirit I once had, but when my mind moves on, my hand follows. This isn't the end. Not by a long shot. So don't call it the end. Call it the last few sentences of a great first chapter.

This story shall live on in illustrated novel form, and that shall be posted on this account: *Blanke In this format, I can finish writing a chapter a month (on average). Furthermore, I'm picking and choosing the key shots to get illustrated, so that you'll never get the idea that any given page was just me dragging through the motions. I firmly believe that I can tell this story normatively by this method. Dialogue sharpens and interactions reach greater detail. I've gotten comments about how the writing of this comic has always been a reliable block of a sometimes shaky foundation. So why not reinforce that foundation with the material of that one unshakable sector?

Thank you all once again for your support throughout this endeavor. I couldn't have done it alone. I invite you all to continue enjoying this story as I publish chapters of the novel. You can read that story and see plenty of Magna-Core related illustrations on my main account, *Blanke


So, now that we have successfully finished another page in this story, let us go forth and complete this saga as one.


]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20738958/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20738958/ Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:23:53 PDT
I think I've more or less got what I want Blanke Style V2.0 to look like, although it's not an overnight process. I should be able to get another page up either this week or next week, but I'm in the process of redesigning the cast right now. Some need more changes than others. Most of them are pretty easily explained, as Jason and Terra can both change their clothes, and Void will need repairs after this chapter. Ares, however, is a bit tricky, as he's supposed to have the same thing on when he fought Aion as he does through the rest of the story, so expect some continuity issues there. It'll take a bit longer to get into the swing of updated looks for all the characters, but I am trying to shove pages into the pipeline again.

If you want an idea of how the change is playing out with a raised bar, here's a before and after comparison of Null:
[link]
[link]

-I've also redrawn Terra and Void recently. Terra will have this dress on in the next chapter- [link] Here's Void, but he won't fight shirtless, and he needs to get his left arm ripped off before that one gets mechanical, too. [link]

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20631683/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20631683/ Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:52:14 PDT and in novel format with illustrations. That means taht nothing's going to change around here as far as trying to get a page up every week. For those of you that like it the way I've been running it, I'm not going to screw up that system. Rather, I also follow an alternative program, in hopes of finishing the story quicker. Here's the pros and cons of both the manga format, and the novel format:

Manga:

Pros-
-everything is drawn up (this can expand into a lot of plusses, such as fight scenes, girls, etc. )
-the craft keeps getting better as I keep gaining experience
-consistent updates

Cons- first chapters will need an overhaul at some point
-slow updates, when a page a week is the best I can manage.
-Color pages are the feasts, not the everyday meals.

Novel:

Pros-
-All illustrations are in color, and often more detailed than the respective comic panels.
-Written chapters finish much more quickly than comic chapters at my pace. I can reasonably type a chapter every 2 months
-More detail to subplots, particularly the inner workings of the couples like Ares & Terra.
-You'll see the end of the series in novel format well before in manga format. (If I didn't miscalculate, I could finish the novel by the time I graduate. I can't say that about the comic at this rate. )

Cons-
-You have to read it. XD
-action has a different effect in literature
-Illustrations can only be "snapshots" of key parts of the chapter.

I'm thinking I'll post the novel on my account, so this page can work solely as a comic hosting site. Though ideally, I'd like to make my own website to present both the comic and "light" novel on. (That way I can stick the illustrations wherever I want. )

So, you get the choice to pick and choose between those options. Take one, leave the other, take both, it's up to you.

By the way, the narrator for the M-C novel will be Telos. (the guy in the prologue talking ) So it's technically from a "1st Person Omniscient" perspective, if such a thing exists. (Though he seldom says, "I", and it reads from a 3rd person omniscient perspective 95% of the time. )

I'll keep you guys posted, no matter how it turns out. Thanks for reading, and, as always, thanks for the support.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20541211/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20541211/ Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:34:05 PDT
Not your usual "I can't think straight so no page this week" journal. But when I wrestle with the concept of even posting an announcement, then eventually the thoughts get me pinned.

Again, I insist that I'm not taking any weeks off due to discouragement. It couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this chapter, as Jason and Void's battle gets down to the wire. But, the habit of following my gut, and diving right into a page every week seems counterproductive right now. There came a time when this "don't hesitate, just draw" mentality pushed my technique forward, from a cesspool of bile to a sea of near normalcy for a Caucasian discovering comic creation. Yet it developed habits maintaining a status quo that I aim to transcend. And so I call upon you the proud citizens of the Blanke Nation, to seek your support for reform policies.

The Blanke Nation has reached a turning point in history, and we now begin the final push to usher in a brave new age. I ask upon you, as citizens, to understand that the Blanke Empire must make a brief cut in its weekly providence of entertainment services, as its illustrious Emperor wages war with his hand, his mind, his heart, and yea, even his soul itself. In this war against oppressive demands which prevent progressive leadership, and seek to drag one back to his outdated, feudal ways, cuts in the time budget are imperative, so that funds may be redirected to where this great, growing nation needs it most. Together, we shall rise above and beyond the debilitating complacency of confining an artist's repertoire to an imperfect standard. So let us march forward, beyond the sayings of "good enough". Tomorrow, we shall all wake in more than just the hope of a stronger, wiser, and braver comic, but in the promise of such a proliferating opus, reassured by routine, candid updates of progress on this front. The foundation for a brilliant new capital has been laid. Now together we shall lay down the bricks and let the dream roar across every canyon, from page to page, from chapter to chapter, volume to volume, and beginning to climactic end.
(Yes, I did just make this whole speech up as I went along. But the idea was there.)

If you don't get what I'm saying, you're welcome to post a comment, and ask for the TL;DR version

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20043587/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/20043587/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:47:45 PDT

And by some cruel twist of fate, I'll probably be more productive during the school year than the summer, because that'll mean less time to wander to a computer.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19806008/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19806008/ Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:53:31 PDT
I've been having a lot of trouble staying focused on manga this summer, and it's not because of the problems I had last year with getting started. It still feels good at the end of the day when I finish a page, but I find myself sighing and thinking "this again..." when I'm at the inking table. I think I'm simply getting bored with my art right now. I need to do something different. , to get an appreciation for this again. It's always Jason this, Null that, Void the other thing, and so on. I've had these characters in my head for so long that I need to give them a vacation, and free up some space.

I'm posting another page today, but I'm not commiting to a concrete schedule for a while. I'll post a remastered intro page when I feel like it, or a new one for trial 4. But, I'm forcing myself to take my sweet time on something different, because I've been working on a lot of improvements this summer, and it only makes sense that my art should apply as well. If you take me for just another anime artist, who only thinks inside that box, then boy are you mistaken.

Also, it's been tricky to ink pages when I need to make another run to the college store for more Sakura Microns, anyway. . .

Thanks for reading this!

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19524710/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19524710/ Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:07:47 PDT

I'm thinking I'll take this week off to CG something. For those who haven't noticed, I try to get in one CG a month, then the rest of that time goes to this. Don't get me wrong, I'm having a blast coloring these remastered pages for Trial 1, but my main gallery looks like it's collecting dust.

I started designing the Devas(summons) for Earth and Water this week, which will pop up sometime within this section of the story we're currently on. Anybody have any name ideas for a giant 2-headed tortoise with hammer heads? I'm usually okay at naming characters, but I can't think of anything less lame than "Gigas" or "Gemini" right now.
(I already named the water one "Levias" as a play on Leviathan. Terra already knows how to summon this one, and could even bust him out in Trial 5. )

By the way, DAv6 fails at life on too many different levels. I can't even change the mood emoticon in my journal right now. I want to change it to "optimism" for the 2 thumbs up, but I guess it won't cooperate.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19241857/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19241857/ Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:17:53 PDT

On a reassuring note, it's a lot easier to redraw these old pages than it is to figure out what to do in a new fight scene, so next week could be the one I finally get back into a regular schedule. My 3rd degree black belt test is on July 12th, so after that I should have a better time slot for drawing every week.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19145799/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19145799/ Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:48:26 PDT ".

So, it's time to back up, and revisit some older territory. I need something to put this all back in perspective. Don't think you're getting screwed out of anything new, but rather that you're finally getting what you payed for with the early chapters.

Maybe I can get 2 color pages done this weekend. That'll be 1/5th of that intro right there.

I still won't apologize for having less work time because I exercise, though.

Thanks to all of my subscribers, especially those who have been there since the beginning.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19038166/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/19038166/ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:05:48 PDT
My readership has been a lot slower this last couple of months, so I don't see any point in rushing. But, at the same time, don't be afraid to give me a poke on this page if you do actually care about regular updates.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/18878656/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/18878656/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:37:21 PDT Can't guarantee too much manga work this week. I won't go into the details, but my grandmother on my dad's side passed away this week, so the funeral and visitation are pretty much going to steal all of my time on Friday and Saturday. I'll see if I can get something done by then, but we'll see. The rest of the week will surely have its own other stuff to deal with as far as this goes.

I leave with this: Don't give me any sympathy about this- she had alzheimer's for a good fraction of my life, so she was already going, bit by bit over the years. I don't know what I'm supposed to think, so I'd rather you not bring it up. Besides the obligations, it won't stop me from drawing in any way, so it's nothing to discuss here.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/18772402/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/18772402/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:39:02 PDT No...
But, count on the two pages coming towards the end of this week, as opposed to tomorrow. I'm finally finishing the redone prologue, so I still have a 2-page color spread for that.

The color pages that introduced Trial 1 (the fight between Ares and Aion) will also be redone sporadically, whenever I feel like it. (Usually as a quick break from Trial 4) These pages will take quicker to do, because
1. I already know the layout for them
2. I already havee the basic dialogue
and
3. I already have the poses and backgrounds planned out, just run through a finer filter with what I know now.

Captain Blanke out.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/18427133/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/18427133/ Wed, 21 May 2008 08:04:22 PDT
That, and I jammed my left thumb again, so holding a pencil is a bit of a pain today.
I can probably get 2 pages one of these weeks to make up for it, though. But, I doubt I'll manage a page a day when I need to train for my 3rd degree black belt this summer. I'll shoot for 2 pages a week minimum when I get my new schedule up and running.

Hey, we're still moving twice as fast as we were in the school year. I just hope I can catch up with my editor as the summer creeps closer. (Technically, it's already summer since I had my last final, but you little high schoolers still have a week or two left, don't you? )

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/17704963/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/17704963/ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:11:12 PDT

So, I'm sorry I've been deserting this front, but I need to get the troops out on a different front before I can get them here. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I need to Blanke Punch the train that's blocking my way out.

------------------------------------
Can't promise a page this week, either. (Hey, I still squeezed one in when I said I couldn't make it last time, so say I'm a lazy bum that's not managing his time and I'll bust your skull right now. ) I still have 2 papers I need to write up (One is a 2-page summary of a 30 page article, another needs to be a 5 minute oral presentation) this week. And, on top of all that, I have to give my last speech for a Communication class this Wednesday, and I want to make it a good one, so that's gonna need some practice tonight and tomorrow. Jeez, the fall semester wasn't half as bad as this. . .

I know I'll ace any assignment I lay my hands on, as long as I'm thinking straight. But I need to draw something to think straight these days. But I need to keep all of my college work squared away to let myself enjoy drawing something. The two conflict when all the assignments get crammed in at the end of the semester. Finals week isn't the problem. I can handle that. The last licks before finals week are the problem.

On a side note, I haven't heard a word from my editor in a couple of months. Not good for a manga maker's morale. Thus has become the way of this account- save all the complaints about things popping up for my journals, save all the minor annoyances for artists' comments, and save all the good stuff for the only part that actually matters- the artwork itself.
--------------------------------------------------------
I hate to say this, but I can't promise I'll have a page ready this coming week, either. Too much school work that I can't get around any other way, without cutting my manga time. I'll see how next week plays out, but it doesn't look very good right now. (A midterm, 2 papers, and a speech ) If I survive until Friday, I can get something done next weekend, though. So, if I can even get a page up during this crammed midterm season, it's going to be later than the usual Wednesday/Thursday upload.

Sorry, I really don't like announcing this sort of thing, but that's how it goes. Still sketching it all up with the little time I have, but it's tight right now.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/17580717/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/17580717/ Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:26:52 PDT

Just thought I'd use a more creative title for a journal entry. I'm not going anywhere. But don't expect a page this week. I want to get a CG done, so I'll work on that starting Monday. Technically, I'm not behind on my schedule because I did 2 pages over spring break.

It feels like if I don't take time to work on projects besides pages on a regular basis, then I'll simply keep trudging through page after page, and fall into a habit of never trying anything new, and never making any progress. You know the drill with me by now.

Oh, and if you didn't get the memo, I'm not actually leaving. Not this account, and not my main account.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16818832/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16818832/ Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:42:02 PST might not submit any pages this week. My artistic efforts are going to be concentrated solely on a new pic that I should have done by next monday. It'll be the new ID for this account, and I'm actually going to color and vector this one. Think of it as one more part to giving this comic a little facelift from its rough start. Usually, I juggle pages and CGs at the same time, but I've got a good feeling about what this drawing will turn out to be right now, and I don't wanna screw that up.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16459842/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16459842/ Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:18:04 PST
I haven't submitted anything for the last week or so because I'm working on the cover for Trial 4 right now. Now, the question is this:

Which would you like Blanke to take priority on for drawing new content? (Neither option takes more trouble on my part; it's just a matter of what my readers would rather see. )
A. Finish up redrawing the prologue, then start showing us Trial 4.
B. Get started right away on giving us Trial 4. Come back periodically for another remastered page when convenient. (A page during the week, and then a redone color page IF I finish the main page by Friday, and I can get it done by Sunday. )
C. Other?

Note that I still intend to also redraw the 10-page color intro to Trial 1 (The Aion VS Ares deathmatch that kicks things off), but that won't be going down until sometime closer to spring break, looking at the forecast right now.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16297203/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16297203/ Mon, 07 Jan 2008 07:19:20 PST
Regarding the submission of manga pages on this account, should Blanke...
A. continue doing one page per submission, so you're up to date as soon as something pops up.
B. Put the pages together side-by-side, so you'd read it more like it was straight out of a book.
C. Other

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16110315/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/16110315/ Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:02:19 PST
I don't feel the need to take any huge hiatus before I get started on Trial 4; I plan on diving right into that as soon as I start and finish the next cover. That'll take a week at least, considering I don't even have the sketch for that yet. So don't hold your breath, but there won't be any tumbleweeds blowing through here for a while, either.

Other projects I need to get out of the way while I'm working on Trial 4 include:
-redesigning my official website. It needs it.
-A new ID for this account
-Some proper character profiles.
-A proper page directory
-Redone color pages for the Prologue and Trial 1. These aren't going to replace my old work, but they'll be more presentable for new readers.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/15805276/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/15805276/ Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:06:19 PST

But, after I finish my last final on the morning of the 20th, then nothing can stop me from finishing up this chapter. I may even be able to do 3-4 pages a week again until the semester break is over.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14943081/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14943081/ Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:20:34 PDT feeling that comes to my mind, even if reason tells me otherwise. )

So, if there's a reason for why some of you have apparently stopped commenting recently, let me know. If it's because of busy schedules, then don't worry about it, but if it's something I'm doing differently with my art, then by all means just tell me what's bothering you. I'll listen, and I'll find a way to make it work out. (I don't have nearly enough pageviews to be an elitist bastard that's too good for you, anyway. ) I welcome constructive criticism and am always open to suggestions. I'd also like to add that both long and short comments are always welcome, depending on what you're comfortable with.

Affiliates

Got a manga of your own? Want to join this list? Then by all means, let me know in either a note or a comment somewhere.

]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14443652/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14443652/ Sat, 01 Sep 2007 15:52:42 PDT
Improvements made so far:
-Inking- I can still get even better, but my inking has come a long way since I got started with this manga. Compare the lineart on any page in Trial 3, to something from my prologue.
-Paneling- More precise layouts, whereas before it was rather random.
-Backgrounds- still a ways to go, I think, but I have managed to start using more actual backgrounds. There will always be times when I actually want some sort of pattern or effect, but I'm using those more sparingly.
-Efficiency- Inking used to take a lot of screwing up, crumpling, and wasting time. I'm getting more confident with that. And CGing pages is becoming less and less of a chore. Pages that used to take about 6-7 hours are now more around 4-5

Things I'm working on: (Any help is always welcome in these areas)
-Inking- it can always get better; I'd like to get decent with thin inking as well as thick, particularly.
-Paneling- I need to mix it up a bit more; I'm trying to find a way to keep the page layout interesting for conversation scenes, too. It's easy for action and fight scenes when diagonals are easily appropriate, but it just looks weird when done that much in a more calm part.
-Camera angles- I'd like to get better at high and low angles, mainly. I think this will just come with practice.
-Backgrounds/scenery- again, practice, practice, practice.
-Inexperience- With any luck, Trial 4 won't have any rough spots I've had like the ones that have struck every chapter so far. I think this will all go downhill once Jason's adventure officially begins; it's just that there's a good bit I need to cover in Trial 3, to set that up right.

Thanks for reading all this.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.
Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14376144/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14376144/ Tue, 28 Aug 2007 06:32:09 PDT Once that starts after labor day, expect the page production rate to stay consistently at 2-3 pages a week. I intend to finish pages for sure on Friday and Saturday, and then sometimes I'll be able to get in an extra one during the week, but we'll see. Sunday has been my designated day off/prep time for a few weeks now.

So, sorry about the slower activity at this page recently, but now you know why. August barely counted as a month of summer vacation for me, with all the days I was busy with other things. *sigh* It looks like I won't even be able to get to the good part of Trial 3, and so I'm stuck with the important dialogue pages that I just don't want to mess up at this point.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.
Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14269852/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14269852/ Tue, 21 Aug 2007 09:44:39 PDT
It appears I've been in a bit of a slump as far as current pages go, so I decided to start redrawing the prologue, and the color section of Trial 1. That gives me 17 pages that I can redo to make a better first impression of this manga for future newcomers. I think I can do both the prologue, and the opening flashback of Ares VS Aion a lot more justice now; that's why.

So, if you don't see me posting a page every single day, it's because I'm working on those, and I'll most likely submit all of those at once so it looks consistent. I generally like to focus on one thing at a time, but when I just can't think and work right on the current task, it really doesn't make much sense to torture myself into forcing out something that I'm doing just to get done. I did enough of that in previous chapters. XD I already proved to myself that I can still work when overworked, but it's not my natural best that way.

I'm trying to take a more reasonable approach to my manga production than trying to force myself to do a page every day wether I'm in the right mindset and time frame or not, then beat myself up every time I fail at it. This doesn't mean I'm going to get lazy; I'm just trying to find better ways to keep myself at my most relaxed mindset that lets me think the most clearly and make the best pages. Just trying to find that perfect amount of pressure to set for myself. A way to do that for me is to stay on task even when I'm not directly working on a page for the chapter at hand. In this case, the prologue needs a serious overhaul anyway, so now's a perfect time to get that job done, and come right back.

Again, it's not like I've ever been lazy going through this manga project so far.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.
Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14134674/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/14134674/ Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:23:22 PDT
-Tuesday, August 14th- Busy day teaching karate; there from 11 until 7:15 so I don't expect a lot of good work time that day.

-Thursday, August 16th- Road trip all day. I'll sketch up some pages the best I can without getting distracted, but I won't be CGing any pages away from my computer, obviously. Maybe I could manage to post 2 pages that next day. We'll see.

-Sunday, August 19th- another day without Photoshop and scanner access. Same deal as Thursday, but I'll be busy most of the time.

The one page a day quota is tricky to maintain with so many things to juggle (karate, getting ready for college, manga, exercise... ), and it's not going to get any easier, but I'm not going to make a big deal of what I can't control when I need to get all of this done, and just try and keep up the best quota I can support. At the moment I'm focusing more on a 5 pages a week schedule, and once college starts that may get nerfed down to 2 or 3. The plan is just to always keep some sort of CONSISTENT habit so I never have to take steps backwards. Having survived 2 chapters already, and improving with each one, I can't see myself having too many confidence crises when this manga work hasn't killed me yet after all the hell I drove myself through for Trials 1 and 2.

Thank you for your patience.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.
Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13956934/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13956934/ Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:20:12 PDT I'm planning how exactly I'm going to balance this account and my other one, but I'm thinking the best way to do this will be to have my manga come first, and then do a CG a month at my other account.

So, what's in store for Trial 3? I can't say that, but I can announce that I've been meaning to change a few things for the better with my approach to manga making from here on out. The biggest one is, I don't plan on letting myself get as frustrated with pages as I did with the rough patches in Trial 2. I proved that I could finish an entire manga chapter in a month; now I'm going to work on doing the same thing cleaner. Next, as a catalyst for my progress, I intend to ask for critique on every page. Wether I get it or not every time, I'm always going to be open for your input as far as critiques go, for Trial 3 and onward. I know a few of my watchers out there got shut out when you wanted to review a page, but somebody else already said everything, or I didn't want critiques because the page was already slop in my mind. Well, no more of that.

Also, I've been meaning to revamp my page directories here. Any ideas on how I should do that? I'm thinking I'll just give a previous, next, and chapter directory link on each page.

Blanke's To-Do list for the moment:
-Trial 3
-A new ID picture. (I'll work on this gradually, behind the scenes. )
-A general Magna-Core pinup for the Trial Directory I intend to have. This Trial Directory will be the permanent Featured Deviation, so any visitor can immediately get to whatever chapter they may be looking for.
-GRADUALLY redo color pages from the Prologue and Trial 1? I think it would start to make this all more presentable for new passerby. It wouldn't be any incredibly radical reworkings, but I think that correcting the lineart, re-inking it, and CGing it again now that I'm more experienced would help. Don't expect it done anytime real soon, though.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.
Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13736759/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13736759/ Sat, 14 Jul 2007 19:51:03 PDT
So, what exactly am I doing aside from this account? Well, on my main account, , I'm working on a few big CGs to improve my background skills, as well as working out a few miscellaneous details about anatomy that have been bothering me. I can take the time to get the hard parts right, instead of fumbling through and rushing myself through too much. I'm still fine-tuning the script for Trial 3 anyway, and it's impossible for me to ever take this manga out of my mind long enough to forget anything, so it's not like I'm able to just take a break, stay too long, and get used to it. Manga making compared to standalone artwork works like this for me: I obviously like doing both, otherwise I'd only stick to one; but one of them starts to get tiring if I stick on it for too long. That's why you don't have to worry about me going on a vacation and not coming back to this. I get sick of those breaks after so long, too. In the meantime, I'm just taking some time to re-inspire myself for the next chapter, and do a few training projects for myself as a growing artist, because they can only help my manga. I'll also try and devise ways to optimize my balance between manga production days, and ways to stay fresh with my art and my mindset. Even if it's as simple as just letting myself sketch a cute girl just for its own sake if I finish my daily page early.

You'll be seeing plenty of pages again in August, then.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.
Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13687152/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13687152/ Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:42:43 PDT
When you think you're ready, chances are you're not. I know I sure miscalculated. You're going to hit a wall that you didn't see coming. Unless you have drawn the universe before, and nothing is new to you. So, don't worry about the roadblocks. They're going to come at some point or another. It doesn't matter if you need to take a detour, just as long as you can get back on your route onward.

Reptition works. Going through over 70 pages of drawings so far, I've learned a thing or two about inking, to say the least. If you think it doesn't work, you just aren't trying hard enough. Don't say, "I can't." Say, "I'm not trying hard enough."

We're all still learning. Everybody has to start somewhere; there is no solid red line that tells you when you're ready to take yourself to the next level, you just have to go for it when you feel the need. I could have waited forever to build up skills and start this comic, but I would have still had obstacles. I just had to dive in, and I can always tread water when I get tired. It beats getting too relaxed, and sinking.

The Munenori Approach- Yagyu Munenori was a famous swordsman from fuedal Japan, and was second only to Musashi. Why Munenori? He got to the level he was at, by training every day with only one simple objective- to become stronger than he was yesterday. I think it's an excellent outlook- you can get a lot done in 24 hours if you just sit down and tell yourself to do it. If you want to get better at something, just make it a point to practice every day, and keep the rough spots in mind so you can start to smooth those out. It's not hard to make day by day progress in this manner. (If you don't believe me, just take a second to compare my pages from chapter to chapter. )

Inch by inch adds up to miles and miles of progress. Very rarely does anything change the way you want it to overnight, but it gets there in time. There are countless examples for this, such as increasing flexibility, losing weight, or improving at drawing. Try to take too many problems on at once, and you're only going to pull something, and any solutions will only be temporary. If you force yourself into the splits when you've never tried it before, you're just going to pull or even tear some muscles, and that won't work so well next time. I don't know of a single "miracle diet" that has been proven to work in the long run; the users can easily gain all that weight back, when gradually fixing eating and exercise habits would lead to consistenly better health. And for drawing, if you try to fix too many flaws in one piece, it gets more difficult to remember anything, and it would look like it was a fluke. Everybody has their own learning and operating speed, and it's best just to stick at your pace, as long as you're keeping the practice consistent. Just keep running forward, and sooner or later, you'll be surprised by how far you've come, and there's still even more road up ahead.

Thanks for stopping by! Thanks more for actually reading all of this.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.




Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13620251/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13620251/ Thu, 05 Jul 2007 11:26:24 PDT too much over this chapter's progress, because I'm still finishing it in a fraction of the time it took for Trial 1, but I'm still feeling pretty frustrated with myself. I should have had this done about a week ago if I could have stayed focused the whole time. I had a few busy weeks, and they aren't over yet (), but that's not any excuse; I've been wasting too much free time for when I could be working on my manga, and it completely screws up my thought process, and then everything just falls apart from there. But, the dilemma is, just drawing manga day in and day out, setting aside 6 hours a day has its own adverse affects. It's damned if I do, damned if I don't. Am I just being undisciplined, and letting my mind wander too much when I should be focusing on the story at hand, or am I just overworking myself for someone my age, who isn't even doing this for money? That's the civil war going on in my mind right now.

Well, I thought I'd just let you know that this chapter has been delayed a bit, but I am planning on finishing it by the end of this month; hopefully by the midpoint of it. I have 6 pages to go, but they have a lot to cover, especially the one I'm on now.

I'm definitely going to need another vacation from all of this, after I finish Trial 2, though. I am handling everything much better than I did in my first chapter, but I know I'll need to retreat and reassess for the next chapter yet again. I still find myself not knowing what on God's Green Earth I'm supposed to do on a lot of situations, and I need to expand my arsenal. IN the meantime, I'll just try and wing it on the last few pages in this chapter. Wish me luck! And forgive me for any times when I don't submit a page a day, because I swear I'm not being lazy, and I wouldn't be taking breaks and slowing down if I didn't need them. (Usually I just have too many other things going on in the day, and I put off inks and CGing for the next morning in those cases; I try to at least get all the pencils for a page done in a day. )

Special thanks to all of my subscribers.



Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13415154/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13415154/ Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:46:56 PDT I take a day off every now and then just so I don't go crazy doing this, but I've been very confident in my growing efficiency with these pages. I'm more than halfway done with Trial 2 right now. I could almost finish it by the end of the month, if I got lucky.

But, just so you know, there are a few inevitable days where I won't get too much done this month:
June 25-26- I have college orientation both days.
June 28- My birthday, which I will not be drawing any manga pages on.

All right, that's all. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to just keep chugging along with this manga like I've been doing; just don't fuss if I don't get a page uploaded every single day. I'm getting better at this bit by bit, and I'm enjoying it more than ever, but I need breaks every once in a while just like anyone else, too. If I take a day or two off to learn some new material, don't worry about it, and I won't either. Deal? (I drive myself harder than anyone else drives me, but it's not always good for the engine when I burn out, you see. My earliest watchers should remember all the crap I drove myself through with Trial 1. )

Special thanks to all of my subscribers:
http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/13181641/ Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:22:47 PDT

That is all. I'll let my manga pages do the rest of the talking.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers:

Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/12734307/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/12734307/ Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:24:35 PDT Just be warned about one thing: I've learned a lot already from working on this manga, so you may realize that those first pages really suck compared to what I'm getting closer to these days. Not that I'm ashamed of making progress, mind you.

I feel that some thank-yous are in order for a few people. First off, I'd like to thank everyone who has read this manga, and even more thanks to those whow have stuck with me, you know who you all are. Also, some extra special thanks go out to these two; not that anybody else reading this is any less important.

*Arcer26- My trusted editor; it has been a pleasure working with you so far on this story, and your seemingly unconditional support is very much appreciated.

~Draslushee Everyones favorite psychotic nerd coach; you deserve some sort of award for your brilliant critiques. (I wonder if Null, giftwrapped would do? ) Your long comments are always something to look forward to, and your support is always appreciated.

All right, now that that's out of the way, I think I'm going to take a small break from drawing this manga for a little while. (No more than a month. ) I think you all know that I'd be lieing if I said that making Magna-Core hasn't been strenuous at times; especially with my limited artistic repertoire at this point, compared to what I have to draw here. So, don't call it a hiatus, call it a working vacation. I'll come back with all sorts of souvenirs from training projects in the meantime, that it will only help this comic when I come back. Has my progression let anybody down yet? I sure hope not.

Thanks for stopping by!

Special thanks to all of my subscribers:
~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/12645360/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/12645360/ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:59:21 PDT

For once a journal that isn't an excuse for me to complain about inefficiencies. I just thought I'd let you all know that I'm quite confident that I can finish Trial 1 (FINALLY!) by the end of this month. I only have 5 pages left. I'm doing a 2-page spread now, which is tricky, but the last 3 after that will be no problem.

Thanks for stopping by!

Special thanks to all of my subscribers:

Seriously, I wouldn't bother to keep up with this as long as I have if not for all of you. ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/11576931/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/11576931/ Sat, 27 Jan 2007 15:43:53 PST

This will be a quick one; I'd just like to get something off my chest- nothing big or bad, but just to keep you informed.

This manga is coming along pretty smoothly for me right now; I just haven't been submitting any pages recently. This year has been pretty darn good to me so far. My artwork is getting a lot better with recent deviations, back at my main gallery, My last semester of high school is what looks like it will be a very managable one with plenty of time to keep manga work fresh. Then why on God's Green Earth aren't you submitting any pages, Captain Blanke?

I am still drawing all of the pages, of course. This manga is still always in the back of my mind. I just happen to be working on a lot more CGs for my main gallery at this point, that's all. I've had a pretty good thing going with my recent artwork there. It's still a little unseen, but I'm pleased with the direction I'm going with them. I've been needing to expand my repertoire as this manga progresses, so I've decided to work on a few deviations to take another chance to push my style forward a bit; work out a few kinks in my style while I'm still colloquially on fire; not just waiting for a slump, for once. So, to sum up, I'm working on CGs more than anything at the moment, but, it's all for the good of this comic, and I did not forget about this endeavor for a second, just so you know. Delayed in your eyes, but certainly never dead. I'm still drawing everything, even if I haven't submitted anything. Still hanging in there. :zeal:

Thanks for reading all of this! (And please vote in my poll pertaining to this journal, if you would. )

Special thanks to all of my subscribers:
<... ]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/10927476/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/10927476/ Sat, 02 Dec 2006 17:00:02 PST

Ok, so one file got corrupted. Big deal, right? Just this once, I could deal with it, and go on about my merry business for trying to get this done. But, the truth is, this is by no means the first time my computer refused to allow me to run a webcomic. In terms of actual work on the manga (drawing, inking, coloring, toning), it shouldn't take me more than a dozen hours total to finish a page. I should be able to do a page a day if I had nothing else to do, but my computer lags and locks up so much that I'm lucky to CG a page in a single weekend. This thing is getting old, and even if I upgraded the RAM from the paltry 256 megabytes it has right now, I doubt it would make things much better. It takes about 2 or 3 minutes to save my files, and that's when I'm lucky. I'm afraid I just can't finish any more manga pages right now, and I can't apologize enough for that.

Of course, I can and will still draw up all the pages and get them inked, but you fine people aren't going to end up seeing any of that because my pages really aren't worthwhile until I CG them. I really can't let this manga die, no matter how deep over my head I am, no matter how much effort this all takes, and no matter how much it may get delayed. I'm not going to lie to you: I hope that somebody out there reading this wants to keep this manga alive just as much as I do. As adamant and resolute as I may be, I'm really nothing but a stubborn idiot, without people to believe that I actually am right.
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On another note, maybe I just need an assistant. If I just had a lineartist to ink my sketches, I could save a lot of time that way, by taking the most troublesome step out of my process. But that's probably nothing more than wishful thinking. Especially considering the standards I would expect, and no less, the likelihood of anyone good enough to meet those standards being willing to work with me.

Well, if by some crazy chance anybody would like to help me, please let me know, and I can give you a rundown of the requirements I'd have.

Special thanks to all of my subscribers:
http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/10473072/ Sun, 22 Oct 2006 06:49:52 PDT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm posting this to announce that the intro to Trial 1 is now complete; all color pages are finished, and the page directory is fully operational.

You can try it out here, if you want to see how every page has a pretty link to the next page, as well as one leading back to the first page of the chapter: [link]

Back to that color pages issue, this means that, yes, the rest of the manga will be how it should be- in black and white, with screentones. I just had to get that opening scene out of the way.

But, Trial 1 itself is far, far from over- that scene that just happened was the short part! I have the liberty of not having any deadlines, so I don't have to frequently cut off my chapters at rocky times that leave you hanging, and this one has a lot to cover.

With any luck, black and white pages will be much quicker to make than CGing everything, so wish me luck on the rest of the manga!

Thanks for stopping by!

Special thanks to all of my subscribers:
]]> ~Magna-Core http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/9954035/ http://Magna-Core.deviantart.com/journal/9954035/ Sun, 03 Sep 2006 17:26:33 PDT
I would just like to let you all know that I have been, and still am, in a sort of half-slump as long as I have been working to create this manga. I know exactly how I want this first chapter to play out, and I keep telling myself that I'm going to finish a given page on a certain day, but then, when I sit down to actually work on it, my mind is a total blank, and I find myself doing the same things over and over. I will continue to work on this manga, and I hope to see it through to the end, but I don't know when it will ever end when it's taking me so long just to finish the intro to the first chapter. I hope that everything will be easier once I finish the color pages. I wish I could just complete that colored intro all in one run, but it seems like after every page, I need to draw something else to distract myself with, and come back to the next page refreshed. I think I may be working TOO hard if I have to keep taking these breaks.

Maybe I am in over my head. However, I can't bring myself to care. I've tried to actually make manga two times previous to this attempt, and I gave up from the overwhelming work load both times. I fear that if I run away once more, I'll never be able to do anything besides let my biggest dreams die, just because they require work to make them a reality. And that would be a true tragedy. That's why I'm going to keep putting this comic together, no matter what, no matter how long it takes. This is what you would call a do or die situation, I guess. Zangetsu said it best in the Bleach manga: "Retreat and you will age. Be afraid and you will die. The only thing holding you back is fear."

Thanks for actually reading all of this! It's something that I just had to get off my chest. It happens to the best of us at some point or another. I'd also like to give a special thanks to everyone who "subscribes" to this comic; I'm not just telling this story for me; I don't want to let any of you down for being so patient with me, either. Some of you have been doing everything you can to keep me encouraged and motivated, and I assure you that I am fighting to make my art truly worthy of how high a level you all raise me up to.
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All right, that's all. With any luck, I'll be over this "First shot in the real world angst" by the time I have to make another announcement. ]]> ~Magna-Core