Ink In the Gutter: The Making of Our Comic "Justine" pt. 3a

I said I’d post some thumbnails and pencils of Justine and who delivers on her word? …three months later. Sorry about that.

Anyways, in continuation from Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, below are the thumbs and such for page one along with its respective page from the script. (Page four and page ten are posted separately below). Comparing the text to the art, you can see how things changed and moved around and were interpreted in different (but wonderful) ways than what I’d envisioned.

This was our first time collaborating on a comic, so we learned a lot along the way. For Justine, I didn’t send Jose my own thumbnails along with the script like I’ve been doing for this project. Then we learned how nit-picky (especially when it came to designing lead characters) I could be. Thus, our current process was born saving us a lot of back and forth about little things.

I’ll let the sketches and drawings speak for themselves since—well, they are images. Also, I didn’t draw them so there’s not a lot I can say about the thought process behind them.

Le Script

PAGE ONE(7 Panels)

PANEL ONE

A white puff of breath on the cold night air.

CAPTION: Few know the true scent of a werewolf.

PANEL TWO

The thin, glowing moon peeks out between the clouds.

CAPTION: What lies beneath the reek of blood and death on their breath--

PANEL THREE

The rusting metal bars and chains of a swing set seem to give off a chill.

CAPTION: --or beyond the odor of aggression and anger– yes, those have a smell too.

PANEL FOUR

A pair of petite feet in white winter boots and white tights walk over a sidewalk whose many cracks are over grown with weeds.

CAPTION: But once you know, it’s a stench so pungent you’ll recognize it from miles away.

PANEL FIVE

A girl in her late teens walks past a crumbing wall that’s immersed in shadows. A medium-close sort of shot that starts just below her nose and cuts off maybe around her elbows which stick out slightly because her hands are in her pockets. In the shadows behind her, a pair of red eyes glow and the glint of the moon hits a sharp fang wet with saliva. We’re maybe able to see the faintest outline of the monstrous face hidden in the shadow.

CAPTION: The young ones especially don’t know the scent.

PANEL SIX

Front view of the girl reacting with surprise to an unseen voice.

VOICE (O.P): Hey, little girl, you shouldn’t be out by yourself this time of night.

PANEL SEVEN

The girl relaxes and smiles nervously. Same front view of her, but this time there’s a shadow behind her moving away from the wall.

GIRL: I couldn’t sleep.

Thumbnails