Grrl Power #69 – Well she dodged didn’t she?
You know Dave, you should really sketch out that armor before you sit down to do the comic.
Nah, I have a pretty decent idea of what they should look like.
Really? Well at least do the helmets, those’ll be tough.
No I’ll knock those out easy.
—4 hours later —
I guess I can make some joke about the helmets not being ready at some point. /stab
This page was going to end on another joke but I got tired of drawing in tiny panels, and I wanted something a little bigger to introduce the Osprey and the “regulars” who we’ll eventually see are really anything but regular. They’re just not super powered. And before anyone compliments me on being awesome on drawing Ospreys, I’m sure you’ll be able to find pictures (that I’m assuming are public domain) in suspiciously similar angles on the intertubes. I’ll have to learn though, cause eventually I’ll need to draw them at angles that aren’t readily available online. Maybe I’ll have to resort to Sketchup models cause they’re a PITA to draw.
Does anyone know what modeling program they use for the 3D stuff in cartoons like Futureama and Young Justice? I’m assuming it’s 3DSMax with a plugin that together cost $8K. Sketchup is ok considering it’s free but it just isn’t designed for handling a lot of polys or doing remotely complex geometry. Blender looks complex enough but doesn’t have a usable toon renderer. :P
SuperheroThey're super, thanks for asking!
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SeriouslySeriously you guys. If you like Grrl Power the check these out.
"Mature"Mature subject matter and occasionally something explicit but usually safe. Can't guarantee the ads are safe though.
Dongs Ahoy!Full frontal and backal. Lots of skin, sex on some or all pages, explicit or otherwise.
You could buy a model of an Osprey online, then use it whenever you need an odd angle. Looking around, I found them for under $15 for one that was diecast and preassembled.
Thanks Sheela, your cat video lead me to this: https://youtu.be/wGzBI26vbUc?t=1m9s
Ha ha, yeah, those slow mo brothers are pretty funny. :)
Dave B- Free 32 bit version being sent out there by Daz3D Studios I believe. Many of my friends who are helping me learn Blender so I can work 3D models for Japanese games (and eventually Skyrim too. I will make better mesh/frames than they did, with sway and bounce physics I swear! Anyway…) I bought an old HP Tablet and upgraded the core CPU and GPU’s as well as maxing the mem to 4Gigs and it still cost me under 250 dollars even w/shipping. It’s full 32 bit XP and I won’t upgrade the OS- it’s for fun and playing w/3D rendering/graphics only. I run it in parallel w/my main CPU *(64 bit system) and use it to crunch the initial numbers in renders/graphics unless the programs aren’t cross platform compatible. (then I run it with an old (P)OS box w/Penguin UNIX running virtual windows/fortran for pure math support. (yeah it’s a laptop, but one that has an extra math coprocessor w/its own memory- it’s an old science dedicated model I got off a Govt auction for twenty-five bucks and has no HDD, just flash mem and cards (but it does have USB1.1)- And it’s for fun, not work. I’ll probably send the rigs to a friend who does 3D modeling and animation work once they are perfected and I’m bored, but lots of browsing and comparison shopping of “refurbs” can net you some very good deals (Like when 3D Max studios closed first time- I hit the auction sites and found some good/great deals for my friend Russ. Got him through school and into his first job. //
As for the comic Thumbs up- even with the creeping errors that were likely Skyrim-Sleep-Deprivation caused. BTW I think you need a hat tip to the game by making Sydney not want to go with because she needs to go get her copy of the game. NOWZ! (like her plans for day were Hot Food! Deposit Money(z), Save world, hide from sun, play Skyrim, feed face again…sleep…sometime next week.)
Also back in the day before Champions and Marvel Heroes Box sets for RPG’s- my friends and I adapted other game systems to create our own heroes/villains based games and one of my quirks for my character was – So nutty and off the wall – thinks seven ways past sideways and is multi-tracking thoughts (think ADHD on steroids or mutations- OH SHINY! Was only way he found the firefights that or someone shot at him or actually hit him.–
Side effect of the power was that Psychic/Mindreaders/Mindbenders trying to get into his head had a very very odd time…dropping acid would be safer for them. I kinda see Sydney having that effect on any MR’s out there (Mind rippers- ie those that dive into other folks minds because they think they are weak and have interesting info to steal or can implant things.)
I do believe Sydney is gonna leave more than one mentalist and PR assistant in an “I Love Me!” Jacket. Of course she’ll take full credit for using “The Force” on them. Confusing her friends and those trying to estimate her actual powers… (when Meta’s fear the un-powered because they are just too weird, things are at a balance somewhat. )
Oh as for the Generic Redshirt Effect- are you familiar with the “Joe Buckley” effect? It has its own meme on TV tropes even and is a long standing tradition of Baen Authors (waves) and Writers to continue. To get “Buckleyed” is a fate worse than death. But it is always funny! (for the readers at least.) Google “Designated Victim/ Joe Buckley /Baen /Weber/Flint/Ringo” etc…
In my next novel Buckley becomes a verb and the fate of nearly every XO of Sierra Co. It’s gonna be a lot of fun(ny) in a dark and bloody way.
I just noticed that Maxima’s boobs get smaller when she’s bemused or confused. Is there’s some kind of direct physio-psychological ratio link at work here? I mean her ‘power supply’ is balance moderated right? Why not? When she’s emotionally disarmed her chest gets less pronounced and recedes. But when she’s mentally strong and in a controlled and solid frame of attitude they stand out at attention like everyone else around her! :D
Wait…. If her antics in general just make bosoms shrink….. Keep her away from my bountiful Anvil you fiend! :D
What? Comic 69 and no inappropriate jokes?!? *Gasp!*
You know, the Flash had an opponent, “The Turtle” who tried to use moving in slow motion to throw off Flash’s timing.
Maybe you didn’t get to finish with a joke, I still laughed at how Sydney acts and how Maxima’s face looks. Keep up the good work ;-)
for the past few strips i keep thinking ‘next week her powers will be introduced, and It Will BE AWESOME!!’ and then it doesn’t happen but i still think it.
Wish the comments had a edit or delete function.
hi im duke nukem after the vidio game bombed i joined arc and now im a gun toting protector of the world again yay me!
Thank you drakeye. I just snotted all over my keyboard.
Good call; we should petition Dave B to actually name that guy Duke and have him show up occasionally.
All 3 of them have names. Just haven’t introduced them yet.
His game didn’t bomb that much, but damn he wants to kick ass.
For the Oseprey type VTOL tilt wing air craft in the US arsenal they have flavors in the marine (MV-22), AF (AV-22), Navy (HV-22), & Army (MV-22). It looks like from the paint job that this one is either Marine or Navy. Nice, just like the what Security Section 9 uses (in the 2030’s and different design) which is better than either a plane or a helicopter. Has the best of both. Missiles stored in the craft and can be extended on pylons to be fired too. How do they get around Posse Comitatus? Or has it been negated by presidential order as it was under Bush, then reinstated, and looks like Obama’s going to do it too only permanently.
Nice look, the super troopers must be 7′ and part of secret super soldier experiments. Tough as steel.
Speaking of Pylons…You must construct more.
Have a look at Rhino3D. http://www.rhino3d.com/
Dude, I’m a photographer for the Navy in Afghanistan right now and just took a TON of hi-res Osprey photos if you’d like them for reference…
PS – LOVE the comic!!!!!! Can’t say it enough!
That’d be a great resource to have! Most of the ones on Google image search are from the same 4 or 5 angles. A cockpit shot or an interior shot or two would be nice, as right now I assume the inside looks kind of like the inside of a cargo plane. For what those things cost, the should have Corinthian leather seating and Playboy bunny flight attendants.
send an email here:
emseewun@gmail.com
and then be prepared for some big emails ^_^
I think the military would have less trouble recruiting if they did have bunny girl stewardesses on their flights. ^_^
If you are photographing in a combat area (however loosely defined) you better ask permission before you send those pics. Probably no big deal, but sometimes counter intel gets twitchy about the darndest things.
Yeah, I’d worry about that too.
If anyone who reads this comic is in the DC area, I know there’s an Osprey at the Air&Space Museum in Dulles. It’s a few hours drive for me, but next time I’m in the area I can take some photos.
You know, with a personality THAT outstanding and obvious, I have to wonder why I ever thought Halo’s real identity would be a secret. There’s no way she could ever remain anonymous.
(hrrrm, I want to send this as an email but I cannot find an email address posted anywhere.)
If you are still looking for ways to have 3D rendered objects inserted into the backgrounds of your comics…
1) Look up the webcomic El Goonish Shive by Dan Shive; he does this for most of his backgrounds, and you could ask him what he uses.
2) You can get Student copies for much much less; I have a student copy of Maya and it lets me render line drawings or “toon” renders.
3) If you want I can ask a friend of mine about ink-line renders in Blender if you are still interested in that. (Or maybe you could go to Blender’s website and post on their forums; if they don’t have it that would be a great way to get them to know people want it.)
Yeah I haven’t set up an email address for the comic. I already have too many tabs pera-pinned in Chrome. Usually you can hit me up on twitter, facebook or G+. Blender supposedly has a toon render plugin, but it’s only good for people, it won’t render good hard lines for things like rooms and guns and Ospreys. Dan Shive uses (I assume) Sketchup. I may have to look into Maya. Sketchup just isn’t powerful enough for some of the stuff I want to do.
Maya is a thousand bucks more expensive than 3dsMax.
The real suggestion is the student copy.
I would assume that you would do fine with just a vector render for the lines, and then you can draw some basic colors by hand. I mean the lines are the hard part; who cares about shading and coloring if you can get the line drawings. A while back when I was thinking of making my own comic (le sigh) I was testing out some renders using Maya Vector, and getting the lines right on any shape was easy; only coloring in the shapes really required touching up.
Also, if you do get a 3D package that you are going to use, I would suggest you check out sites like TurboSquid. You can buy some real cheap 3D models (some even free) that are already made. You might find vehicles and weapons and things you want to use. Much easier than spending a week modelling an Osprey.
I love this! Sydney’s made a new friend!
Why do I alway have the impression of the Warner’s definition of friend when this is said.
By the way, I like How Maxima looks very Charlie-Brownish in the last two panels.
I just can’t help thinking that Maxima and Sidney make a great pair. Kinda like Abbot and Costello.
No, I see Maxima as Charles Bronson and Sydney as Gidget with manic and hyper active tendencies.
I wonder how Sydney relaxes enough to sleep? Bruce Lee was that way, but under control, and started taking drugs to calm himself down when the Zen meditation wasn’t enough or he’d stay awake all night. Though it was plain aspirin that killed him—allergic to it. (Caused cerebral edema.)
Sydney is fun right now, granted.
But i think having her calm down somtime and react more like in the first few pages would be best, since
1. She could get annoying and would push the comic to the side of nonsensical slapstick irrevocably.
2. She would be caught by nice men in white clothes who would offer her a nice white jacket
I can see how she is totally freaked right now, but not that she is still outside of a mental institution if that were her normal behavior.
Just my 2 cents.
But in the end, it´s your comic, and i´ll read it anyway.
Blender has both a toon shader/render option and an edge render option. Googled Bender toon render and Blender edge render. Your concern was rendering hard edges on buildings, vehicles, and the like. Check out this or the pics here.
Aaaaand I love this comic! It is in my top ranking favorites that I check most frequently. Keep up the good work!
I wanted to say that the renderings of the HV-22 look gorgeous. Almost as gorgeous as the ladies, even gawky Sydney. Does Sydney sleep? I suspect she eats loads of food. Though not anywhere close to Maxima or Anvil. High metabolisms need more food.
One show I liked very much from 1990 was “The Flash” where our hero ate loads of food, when he got tired and didn’t rest he ran the risk of blacking out, danger of friction over heat, etc. A good dose of realism in it. Worth watching if you can find it. Wesley Ship played the lead and he was great at it.
On the whole “Sydney deserves to be in a mental institution…” line of thought.
She is in no way a danger to herself or others that I have been able to see, so in most places I am aware of the only ‘treatment’ she would be given is a large number of strange looks while the people around her slowly back away. Just because a person is highly strange doesn’t mean they qualify for institutionalization.
Sydney says :
Phhrrllphlllrrbltphlllrrbltphlllrrblt … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FYTCXyPbws
:D
It’s not the real thing, but this gallery of Incinerator from the 2007 Transformers movie toyline might help.
The main differences between the toy and a real Osprey are the turboprop rotor engines, which are swapped and thus have the air intakes on the top/rear (depending on the engines’ position) instead of the bottom/front, and the addition of the AWACS-style radar dish on the tail section.
(Some Ospreys were used in the movie as well, but they’re only seen from one or two angles)
If you look closely they also use a dual tilt wing troop carriers in the assault on occupied New York in the movie.
Funny thing.
I just read the whole comic again, and short of Sydneys “stop drop and roll” stunt, she actually isn´t THAT crazy at all.
She is a little out of whack, but that is nothing i myself haven´t been accused of. Repeadetly…
Guess i got distracted by the comments.
Serves me right for reading them…
what happened to the nunjas?
Oh, right.
That was strange too.
But i think the “I got a cramp” takes some of the weirdness momentum.
ok list of items for tshirts from comic
1 always expect ninjas
2 is murder still illegal
3 unleash the filthy kraken
4 butterfly farts from mothra
5 unconventional judo
6 you’re on the list
7 I want one of you in uniform at all times
8 my savory essence will attract the raptors
9 in case of direct sunlight – “stop drop and roll”
10 jedis in the house say whaaaat
any others humans think should join this list?
If they are really advanced the MV-22 could have a coating of nanites based upon melanophores of octopi. Change colors and even reflectivity of light and RADAR beams. Just a thought. Could be used in stealth missions depending upon how much the world is told about them.
lol 69
…sorry. couldn’t resist.
Do the helmets as being integrated into the armor. The armors collar contracts around the neck and then telescopes armored strips up and over the grunts head that locks onto the armored glasses. The throat guard moves up to cover the nose and mouth and locks onto the glasses and helmet. Presto instant helmet…….also explains why the grunts have to have short hair. I like the bullpup design of your assault rifles with the integrated grenade launcher underneath.
This comic is great I would love to see daily updates. I understand however that life intrudes upon art. Hmm need to check the files for a billionaire I can blackmail… err … convince to pay web comic artists a nice salary to just do there web comic. Keep up the good work.
Am I the only one who really loves Sassy Space Marine covering the ramp.
The most simple explanation for the troops going without helmets would be simple PR.
Arianna could have told them to go without to keep them looking people friendly in front of the cameras, and they went along with it since it was just a pick-up and they weren’t heading into action or anything.
If they went out with full face covering helmets like space marines or Master Chief they’d end up looking rather inhuman and threatening, and the media would be comparing them to storm-troopers or something.
Makes good sense, right?
i’d like to point out that the glasses are a better option than helmets for combat personnel due to the better range of motion for the head as well as fewer blind spots. the army’s current helmet with its fully open face is about the only combat helmet that is worth wearing since it doesn’t limit the field of vision while also being extremely durable and able to stop all but the highest caliber ammunition types ( (anti)tank rounds or armor piercing rounds). the face is the most vulnerable part on any helmet anyway since it has to be thin enough that it doesn’t get caught on anything while the head is turning and it doesn’t weigh so much that the neck is constantly trying to compensate and leaving them with trouble later on.
Goose? Great!
I would laugh or face palm at her antics, but truth is I’ve actually done some of that in the past.
Please tell me I’m just seeing things, and the trooper standing back by the Osprey ramp doesn’t actually have “boob plates” on her (?) power armor.