Character Mapping

With work branching off between producing the book, setting up the business side of the Studio, and physically organizing the working studio itself, its high time for prioritizing! I've started looking at the multiple projects infront of me in terms of how they fit into a necessary criteria. Does it generate income for the studio? Does it generate more followers of the Studio and The Underground? Does it directly pertain to the production of our next issue? I've oft referred to myself as the absent-minded artist, so this regime has really helped me keep my head in the right place.

In terms of producing the next book, that would be The Underground #2: Bad Seeds, which would be the THIRD installment in the new Underground series. Chris and I have begun ironing out the specifics of the book layout, and to get us really rolling I've started a sub-project I call 'Character Mapping'. I'd like to use this to detail each of the characters used, who they are, what are plans are, and where the character is destined to end up. By keeping these three points in mind (from a writing perspective) we can weave the development of each of their individual stories into the complex fabric which is the Underground's plot. So structurally this is literally a matter of asking three questions for each of the characters. Who? What? Where? I'd like to take this opportunity to give you my take on the Who(s), which will be shown in the next book. Some are obviously return characters from the last book, others have not been seen yet. Enjoy.

Cyrus: Ladybug. Main character of the story. He is the former leader of the Amicable Plains, though he is a coward.

Raymus: Ant (Eciton Rapax). He is the gentle beast. Often he is the voice of wisdom, and reason in the Zealots Elite.

Styx: Ant. He is the leader of the Zealots Elite. He is very cold, angry, and guilt-ridden...but why?

Lor: Ant (Polyergus Rufescens). She is an abandoned orphan, dropped at the gates of Coryn, as a larva. She feels out of place despite her skills and accolades.

Sarka: Ant. She is the youngest member of the Elite. Not much is known of her past or heritage. she keeps her emotions, and personal information locked away.

Queen Azulon: Ant. The Queen Mother. Bringer of the Golden Age. She is the peaceful, and benevolent leader of the Ant colony, Coryn.

Prince Loxyn: Ant. Scarred youth. Witnessing his father's murder has permanently affected him. He has spent much of his life training to ensure he never gives in to weakness again.

Admirial Cree: Fly. The cowardly leader of the Fly Federation. He has a desperate plea for Queen Azulon and the Zealots.

Kronus: Honeybee. The arrogant captain of the Hive Shock Troops. His mind has been conditioned by Hive propaganda since birth.

Brom: Spring Dor Beetle. The dim-witted brute of the Hive Shock Troops. He is often a victim of circumstance, and is constantly taken advantage of.

Jes: Wasp. A living construct. Owes his life to Dr. Payne and his experiments.

Sin: Bird Spider. Crazy spider, the wild card. He is another Dr. Payne project, though he is much more volatile than any other Hive member.

So that's it. Those are my thoughts. And they are just that...thoughts. Chris is ironing out some thoughts of his own, and together we should develop a really well-rounded series with characters each unique from one another. Stay tuned my buggy friends, because now we're getting warmed up!