Developing original ideas for a client (U9: P3, P4, P5)
Developing original ideas for a client (U9: P3, P4, P5)
Learning Outcome 2 (U9): Be able to plan the production of an original graphic novel or comic
Title - Attack of the Bionics
Synopsis - There are two types of people in the world, Bionics, who have some sort of bionic body part, enhancing their natural abilities, and non-bionics, who are just ordinary people who have to rely on their skill and intellect. Non-bionic and bionic humans used to live together in peace, however one day Lady Steel started using her enhanced abilities for evil and divided the two communities. Now it’s up to teen, main character Ava Fae to to take down the bionic leader, Lady Steel with her slightly cowardly, slightly illegal, bionic best friend, Zinc Jones, in order to restore the peace between the communities.
This story will be a comic and digital comic as it will be able to be read both online and in traditional form. This is because it’s becoming increasingly more popular to read comics online due to the rise in technology, and the climate crisis with issues around paper. The digital version will be uploaded onto the website MegaMovie had stated in the brief to be viewed by the fans of the film. However, traditional, paper editions of the comic will also be sold for people who enjoy having physical versions of comics for personal reasons or collector reasons.
Ava Fae (main character) - A 16 year old non-bionic. She is the main character who leads the way to Lady Bionic and in charge of taking her down in order to restore peace whilst dragging her unwilling best friend Zinc Jones around with her. As she is a non-bionic, she possesses no powers, but she is witty, and has great intellectual knowledge when it comes to battle.
Zinc Jones (side character/side kick) - A 16 year old bionic. He is the best friend and potential side kick of Ava Fae. Despite being a bionic he is able to get away with being best friend with Ava as he is able to hide his bionic arm with long sleeves and gloves. Despite being a bionic he is cowardly, scared and shy, so Ava is always marching him into situations he doesn’t want to be in. His power is enhanced abilities in his arms such as extension, retention and strength.
Lady Steel (villain) - Lady steel started using her bionic abilities for evil, and thought that bionics were superior to non-bionics and so she separated the two communities and made it illegal for the two to be together and became the leader of this new found world. She is Ava Fae’s nemesis and opponent who she needs to take down. Her bionic powers include bionic senses, she has bionic eyes, ears and nose and even a bionic sixth sense which allows her to see and hear people coming and could even sense the actions of her opponents.
The target audience for the comic is 12-18 year olds as this includes both the primary and secondary target audience as stated by the brief, which is quite a wide spectrum so I need to make sure that the content in the comic is suitable for the younger end of the audience, yet steal appealing and entertaining for the older audiences. In order to make it appeal to the primary target audience, I made the main characters 16, which is the middle age of the target audience. By making the main characters close in age to each side of the target audience spectrum, I give the chance for readers to relate to the characters involved, and imagine themselves going along for the journey in the comic. As well as this, I made sure to include contrasting personality types as this further gives readers the chance to align themselves, and see themselves int he characters their reading about, as some people may not feel as brave and outgoing as the main superhero all the time, so by giving audiences to opportunity to recognise themselves within another main character in the story sign, it appeals to them.
The company that will be producing my product is Kodansha Ltd. This company publishes comics from a variety of different genres and styles. These titles published typically have the same target audience as the comic I’m publishing as well, meaning if I publish through the Kodansha company, my comic will be reaching the intended audience. Furthermore, Kodansha predominantly publishes comics with a black and white colour scheme, meaning my comic shall also be black and white in order to fit into the style of their publications. However, I will include elements of colour in order to fit the needs of a more western audience.
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Legal Considerations |
Ethical Considerations |
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Copyright - I need to make sure that the comic style and character designs are entirely my own and original to ensure that I dont breach any copyright laws and get myself into lawsuits. Because if so, my work won’t be able to be published, and I will loose the job. |
Violence - As part of my primary target audience is below 15, I need to make sure that any violence portrayed in my comic is appropriate for the viewing of 12-14 year olds. If my comic is too graphic, parents would consider it too violent for their younger children to read, and we would loose out on an audience. |
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Royalties - I need to make sure that I get royalties for my work from who ever is publishing and making money as a result of my work. If I'm not payed for the use of my work with the intent of earning money, I can sue the company and get money from them and stop them from using my work. |
Offensive language/behaviour/material - I need to make sure that there is no material or language with is offensive to a specific group of people. If I were to be offensive towards a specific group of people, people would stop reading the comic, and I would damage my reputation and decrease sales of the comic. |
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Intellectual property rights - I have a legal and exclusive rights over the content that I make and publish for a certain amount of time. If anyone steals my designs within that amount of time, I’m entitled to take legal action against the person using my work. |
Representation - It’s important I include the representation of various races, cultures and even body types. By diversifying the look of the characters in the story, more people feel represented within my comic and so therefore more people would feel inclined to read it. This is why I included a Japanese character in my storyline. |
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Slander and Libel - In my work, I need to make sure I’m not defaming anyone through libel. If I were to do so, the person I have defamed can take legal action against me which can ruin my reputation, and the publishing company would be inclined to drop me. |
Health and safety - I need to make sure that my staff and personnel are all treated fairly. This means having fair working hours so workers aren’t being overworked. As well as this, we need to make sure all workers stay healthy by making sure they have breaks to go to the toilet, eat and drink throughout their working day. |
Storyboard flow and Narrative Structure
My comic would be following a linear narrative structure as the story will follow someone going from A to B. It will follow Todorov’s narrative structure theory as there was equilibrium, then there was a disruption, the comic then documents the realisation of the disruption, the repair, then the new equilibrium.
The storyline of my story includes both macro and micro structures. My comics narrative structure almost follows that of a mainstream film as it follows Todorov’s 5 stages of narrative structure theory. For example, we have the equilibrium which was both communities living in peace, the disruption was Lady Steel using her abilities for evil and separating everyone, recognition of the disruption happened right away as people were separated, Ava Fae will try and repair this disruption by hunting down Lady Steel, then, ultimately a new equilibrium will settle with the communities managing to mix again. As well as this, Propp’s character archetype theory also fits in with the characters in my story. We have Ava Fae who is the hero, her friend Zinc Jones as her helper, then we have Lady Steel as the villain.
The story opens up with Ava bursting into her room where Zinc is chilling, she starts explaining how she managed to find the location of Lady Steel’s hide out. Zinc seems apprehensive about going but Ava forcibly drags him along anyway.
In order to get into bionic territory, Ava needs to find a way to disguise herself as a bionic. To do this she finds contacts which make her look like she has a bionic eye, so she puts these in so she can hopefully go undetected in bionic territory as she sets out to go find Lady Steel.
As she ventures through bionic territory to the hide-out location she runs into predicaments here and there such as local bullies, but due to her quick thinking and fighting skills, along with slight help from Zinc, Ava deals with them and continues moving.
Eventually they both get to the hide-out, but of course there are guards to get through first before they can get to Lady Steel. Instead of fighting and wasting energy, Ava suggests they talk their way through this one. Ava uses her witty remarks to manipulate the guards into letting her in, and to Zincs surprise, it works.
As Lady Steel has her bionic senses, she was able to sense the pair coming in and was already prepared. Ava hits her with some snarky remarks which riles Lady Steel up and therefore breaks out the fight for peace.
Ava starts to throw punches and kicks, but Lady Steel ultimately doges them all due to her bionic sixth sense. Lady Steel eventually deals a heavy blow to Ava after she had tired herself out causing her to fall.
Zinc sees this and becomes angry at Lady Steel, causing him to break out of his shy and withdrawn shell and un-gloves his bionic arms.
He extends one arm to pull Ava aside, whilst he uses the other to distract Lady Steel whilst Ava gets back on her feet.
Ava eventually runs back into the fight with a different approach. Using her tactical thinking she is able to dodge some of Lady Steels attacks and distracts her by talking to her and jumping around her in circles to make her dizzy, whilst Zinc uses his extendable bionic arm to circle around Lady Steel to create a trap that Ava will eventually lure her into.
Ava eventually stops her distraction leaving Lady Steel dizzy and tired and then Zinc puts the trap into action and wraps his bionic arm around Lady Steels ankles which causes her to fall over.
Upon hearing the commotion, Lady Steels guards run into the room and see her collapsed on the floor. However, instead of breaking into a fight with Zinc and Ava, they start cheering.
Turns out, the bionics didn't want to be under Lady Steels rule as they enjoyed being one with the non-bionics.
The guards help Ava and Zinc by throwing her into a cell and locking the door and throwing away they key. And the story ends there with Ava and Zinc fist bumping as they walk away from the hide out.
P4 & P5
Attack of the Bionics
- 1.
Panel 1. Wide Establishing shot of Zinc sitting in Avas room during the day. The room seems like a typical teenagers room, slightly messy.
Panel 2. Ava bursts through the door and Zinc is visibly startled
SFX:
BANG
AVA: (yelling)
ZINC! GUESS WHAT I HAVE ACQUIRED!
ZINC: (yelling)
JESUS CHRIST!
Panel 3. You can see Ava approaching Zinc and you see the back of Zincs head
ZINC:
Oh its only you
AVA:
Ouch…
Panel 4. Ava is now next to Zinc slamming what she got on the desk
AVA:
No but seriously look!
ZINC:
An address?
AVA:
Not just any address!
THE address of Lady Steel’s hide out… Im gunna go overthrew, kick her butt, and restore peace to everyone!
Then you dont need to be my secret, illegal best friend anymore
ZINC:So what message do you want on your headstone when you dont come back?
AVA:
Oi!
Panel 5: Ava grabs Zinc by the collar and drags him into her bathroom
AVA:
No getting out of it this time
ZINC: (yelling)
PUT ME DOWN!
AVA:
Nope, Im gunna need your bionic arm skills
2.
Panel 6: Cut to a frame of them in a bathroom and Ava is putting contacts in her eyes
ZINC: (jokingly)
Her hide out is in a toilet?
AVA: (rolling her eyes)
Hilarious…
And be quiet I’m trying to focus!
ZINC:
…What are you doing?
AVA:
I found these contacts which make your eyes look bionic how cool!?
Panel 7: Ava has her eyes closed in this panel, almost like an aggressive blink
ZINC:
What are they even for?
AVA:
So i can get into Bionic Territory…duh
ZINC: (starting to get a bit scared)
This is the worst idea you have ever had… and you’ve had quite a lot of those in your time.
Panel 8: Ava walks out the bathroom, grabbing Zincs hand and dragging him out
AVA:
Come on! No time to spare with this so called “worst idea I've ever had”
ZINC: (looks scared)
Oh no…
3.
Panel 9: A wide establishing shot of the back pair walking towards a large gate guarded by 2 bionic guards, One with a bionic right leg, and the other with a bionic left leg
ZINC: (whispering)
Come on Ava… its not too late to turn back
AVA:
No! Im tired of everyone being separated, its time to show Lady Steel who’s boss!
ZINC: (even quieter)
yeah and its certainly not gunna be you
AVA: (loudly)
OI! I HEARD THAT!
Panel 10: The duo approach the guards trying to look as natural as possible and Zinc is taking off his gloves. Over the shoulder shot of the two guards
GAURD 1:
So… who do we have here?
GAURD 2:
No non-bionics are allowed past here, you know that right?
And what are you doing in here anyway?
Panel 11: Medium close up of the duo smiling awkwardly
AVA:
Oh of course we know that!
We were just in her for uhhh…. business! yes, business.
ZINC:
Yeah… trading… and errrr… stuff
Panel 12: Side view of one of the guards leaning in to Ava to get a closer look. Ava’s eyes are wide so that the guard can see her ‘bionic eye’
GUARD 1:
hmmmmmmmm
Okay! You’re free to go!
Panel 13: Medium close up of the duo walking through the gate sighing with relief with the guards behind them
ZINC:
I actually hate you
4.
Panel 14: Ava is leading Zinc through the towns holding her phone with directions the address she was given
ZINC: (is very on edge)
How did you even get this address anyway, no one knows where Lady Steel is
AVA:
Lets just say I know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a guy
ZINC:
Wow… seems like a very reliable source
Panel 15: The setting is a lot darker than it was previously to signify time has gone by. Zinc is tired, dragging along behind Ava
ZINC: (tired)
Can we pleaseeee just go home…
AVA:
No! Were so close I promise you
ZINC:
You’ve been saying that for 20 minutes already!
AVA:
Okay well I promise this time, because the map says its just arounnnnnd
5.
Panel 16: Ava turns around and face a dingy alley way with a door at the end of it.
AVA:
Here…
ZINC:
…You are not making go in there
AVA:
Yes I am
Panel 17: We get a view from the inside of the door. Ava has opened the door and is peering in, Zinc is shivering behind her
SFX:
Creak
AVA: (yelling)
HELLOOOOOOOOO!??!
ZINC: (whispering)
No ones going to answer yo-
GUARD:
WHO GOES THERE?!
Panel 18: We cut to a shot of Ava and Zinc standing before a guard with a bionic hand. Zinc is still cowering behind Ava, and Ava even looks a bit scared now.
GUARD:
What are you doing here?
AVA:
Uhhhh…. we have business to attend to?
GUARD:
You’re doing business… With Lady Steel…
AVA:
Yeah! We uhhh… service her ummm… bionics?
GUARD:
Which of her bionics need maintenance?
AVA:
All of them?
Panel 19: The Guard moves out the way nonchalantly, Zinc and Ava seem surprised
GUARD:
Okay, sounds good to me. Down the hall to your left.
ZINC and AVA:
Thank you!
6.
Panel 20: Ava and Zinc are walking away, Zinc looks slightly agitated and on edge, and Ava seems somewhat annoyed by his remark
ZINC:
Maintenance… really? As if Lady Steel needs mechanic work done by a 16 year old
AVA:
I’ll have you know, people say I look older than 16
Panel 21: Ava and Zinc stand before the door leading to Lady Steel
ZINC: (whispering
Ava can we PLEASE just go home, you’re gunna get hurt
AVA: (whispering)
What hurting me is the fact that our friendship is illegal, this needs to end now!
Panel 22: They open the door, and we get an over the shoulder shot of the duo, and we see Lady Steel standing in the middle of the room
SFX:
CREAK
LADY STEEL:
Ive been expecting you
AVA:
Oh really?… sorry to keep you waiting
7.
Panel 23: We cut to a scene of Ava and Zinc standing before Lady Bionic, Zinc yet again behind Ava, but this time Ava seems scared.
LADY STEEL:
Look, I really dont have time for kids like you, so let’s just get to the point… What do you want?
AVA:
For you to stop keeping bionics and non-bionics separated!
LADY STEEL:
Hmmm let me think about that… NO!
AVA:
Alright… you asked for it
Panel 24: Ava can be seen to be throwing multiple punches at Lady Steel but she’s not actually landing any
LADY STEEL:
Lets try finish this here and now
Panel 25: Lady Steel lands a heart blow to Ava in the stomach sending her flying
SFX
CRACK
AVA:
AAAGH
Panel 26: Ava is seen to be collapsed next to Zinc but she’s still alive, he bends down to see if she’s okay
ZINC: (yelling)
AVA!
AVA: (cough)
Im fine
ZINC:
Can you get up?
8.
Panel 27: A full body of Zinc with fire in his eyes, taking off his gloves and rolling up his sleeves with Ava at her knees next to him
ZINC:
I have an idea
Distract her, and I’ll do the rest
AVA:
Aye Aye captain
Panel 28: Ava is running at a distance from Lady steel
AVA: (yelling)
Ha! You can’t get rid of me that quickly!
LADY STEEL:
Oh yeah, why dont you come closer so I can put you back in your place again
Panel 29: We get a side ways shot of all 3 of them. We can see Zinc extending his arms along the floor, then Lady Steel in the middle of the shot looking at Ava, Who is Still running in circles around her.
AVA:
Nah, Im good over here I can smell the rust from your bionics from over here
LADY STEEL:
What?
AVA:
Yeah, you really need some maintenance work
LADY STEEL:
How dare y-
AVA:
Maybe I can offer you an oil change or something, its gunna be a little costly though
LADY STEEL:
Huh, wha-
9.
Panel 30: A half and half panel with both Zinc’s face and Ava’s face
ZINC: (Yelling)
AVA, NOW!
AVA: (smirking)
Yes Sir!
Panel 31: Another half and half panel of Zinc retracting his arms around Lady Steels ankles causing her to trip and, and the other panel is of her face, looking annoyed at the fact she’s been beaten
SFX:
ZIP
LADY STEEL:
UGH
Panel 32: Zincs arms are wrapped around Lady Steels torso keeping her on the ground, and she’s unconscious due to the hard fall, and in the background we can see some bionic guards bursting through the door
SFX:
BANG
GUARD 1: (yelling)
WHAT’S GOING ON IN HERE
GAURD 2:
What the hell…
GAURD 3:
They actually took her down?
Panel 33: Ava is awkwardly smiling at the guards, and Zinc looks terrified whilst they’re still holding Lady Steel down
AVA:
Oh uh… her maintenance didn’t really go to plan
ZINC: (almost crying)
WERE SO SORRY
10.
Panel 34: Cut back to the guards standing in the door way
GUARD 1:
Sorry? For what?
GUARD 2:
WE HATED HER!
GUARD 3:
You finally ended her rule!!!
Panel 35: Back to Zinc and Ava who are now looking confused
AVA and ZINC:
What?
Panel 36: Cutting forward a bit in time, we get a downward looking view of Lady Steel on the floor after she’s been shut in a cell with an over the shoulder shot of 2 of the guards
LADY STEEL: (yelling)
YOU CANT DO THIS!
GUARD 1:Yeah we can
Panel 37: The guards slam the door on her
SFX:
SLAM
11.
Panel 38: Zinc and and Ava are fist bumping and smiling at each other, whilst the Guards are cheering in the background
AVA:
See? Wasn’t THE worst idea ever
ZINC:
Its still up there
(In the background)
GUARD 1:
Let's go dismantle the gate and tell everyone the good news!!!!
GUARD 2:
Finally, these bionic contacts are getting uncomfortable
GUARD 3:
what?!
Page 1: This page consists of quite large panels as we are introduced to the two main characters of the story. By introducing them in fairly large panels, readers are able to see more of the characters and understand any defining features of them.
Page 2: I have made the panels in this page even larger as we are introduced to a new environment, as well as this, its right before a transition to a new environment. This is the last time we are in this location, and the characters will be taking up quite a lot of space due to the position their in and the spacing between them, so using large panels is beneficial for this.
Page 3: This page has been divided up into a lot smaller panels. The first panel spans the length of the page as its an establishing shot. By having it wide, it gives the readers the chance to understand their surroundings. The panels in the middle of the page are close together as all the panels will illustrate one conversation.
Page 4: Both panels in this page are establishing shots of the environment and also time of day meaning they need to be large in order for readers to understand their surroundings.
Page 5: The first panel in page 5 is the target as it’s a focal point of the story. This is where they find Lady Steels hideout. The second panel is slightly larger than the last 2 as this panel introduces another ‘character’ which is the guard. The last 2 panels are smaller as they are just conversation panels.
Page 6: The panels on this page are quite large as they are leading up to an important part of the story. These panels are as they walk into Lady Steels hideout which is the turning point of the story so by having the panels big it creates tension for what’s coming next.
Page 7: 2 of the panels on this page are larger than the other, this is because the actions going on in those shot require almost a full body shot, meaning the panels need to be longer to fit the drawings in. The other panels dont require as much room, as the actions occurring dont require as much room.
Page 8: Once again, in page 8, the first 2 panels feature full body shots of characters, meaning they need to be long in order to fir the whole body in. Then for the last panel, its very wide as I need to fit all 3 characters involved in this scene in.
Page 9: This page includes 2 panels that have a line in-between them, this is almost like a ‘versus’ style panel. This is so I can get 2 characters facial expressions during a scenario within one panel instead of making two separate ones. The last 2 panels are smaller panels as the two panels illustrate one action almost. Were not switching location or scenario so I've kept both panels small and the same size
Page 10: This page has multiple, different sized and shaped panels. These panels illustrate the closing of the story line as Lady Steel gets shut away. The two longer/larger panels are set in the same room that they defeated Lady Steel, and then the last two, smaller panels are a change of location so I made them a different shape and size in order for them not to sort of ‘blend in’ with the other larger panels.
Page 11: This page is just one large panel to signify the ending of the story. Its a closing panel featuring the two main characters fist bumping which signifies the end of the story.
Design of captions, font, speech bubbles, lettering
The captions and speech for my comic will be put in complete circles with lines connecting to the character which is speaking. If the character is yelling, it will be a spike circle, almost like an inverted thought bubble showing that what the character is saying is loud. Then, if a character is whispering, the speech bubble would look like a broken up circle, as if sections of the circle had been rubbed out. This incomplete circle would show the readers that whatever the character is saying, it’s very quiet. The shape of these speech bubbles are very common in other comics such as Marvel, and DC superhero comics, so they fit the codes and conventions of an action comic book. These speech bubbles will be coloured which with a black outline. The outline is so readers can distinguish between the surrounding and the speech bubble, and the inside will be white because the text going inside will be black and this
makes the text inside very easy to read as the colours dont clash or blend in with each other.
As for the onomatopoeia of the comic, these words will be the same colour scheme as the title as I feel having too many colours that do not relate to the comic can be quite distracting, and take away from the aesthetic of the comic. These will be hand drawn into bubbles similar to that of when a character in the comic yells, and the lettering will be capital and bold in order for the onomatopoeia to stand out. If it stands out, it will do a baiter job of allowing the reader to actually imagine what these sounds sound like, and using exclamation marks will signify how loud the sounds are.
Within the World of the story
Props: There aren’t a great amount of props used in this comic as there aren’t any weapons, as the bionics use their limbs. However, a prop which Ava can be seen to be using in page 4 is almost like a phone device, but as its a sci-fi themed comic, its a much more futuristic looking device. She uses this as she navigates her way through bionic territory to Lady Steels hide out.
Terrain: The outside environment isn’t features much in my comic so there are no visible sleep inclines or declines as well as hills and mountains. Most of the surfaces shows are flat surfaces.
Objects in the environment: At the start of the comic, in Avas room, a story of in the wall bed can be seen, this feature can be quite commonly seen in sci-fi environment art so I thought it would be a great feature to add. In the bionic city Ava and Zinc can be seen to be walking through, neon lights and signs in building/shop windows can be seen. Then in Lady Steels hide out, some more neon screens and lights can be seen mounted on the grey walls.
Colouring of the environment: Whilst the majority of my comic will be black and white due to the publishing company publishing the comic predominantly producing black and white comics, If the backgrounds were to be colours on posters of front covers for example, this will be the colouring of the environment. The surrounding environment which we see can be seen to be quite flat and quite city like. As Ava and Zinc are in Ava’s house, there is a lot of grey used as in sci-fi settings, things are quite metallic and machine-like. However there is some colour as typically, some neon colour palettes are used within sci-fi themed interiors. As Ava and Zinc go outside in non-bionic territory, its going to be quite orange tinted as the areas are quite dusty and even desert like. this is because popular sci-fi franchises such as star wars use colour palettes like this for some of their surrounding outdoor environments. Once Ava and Zinc get into bionic territory, it is still orange tinted, and the only surroundings we see are buildings, mimicking sort of a city like environment. Once again, the colour palette used on these buildings will be mostly dull and grey colours which slight hints of neon to give it the sort of futuristic look that most sci-fi comics have. Lastly, once again, the inside of Lady steels hide out is mostly grey and machine-like with the slight hints of neon for things such as screens and lights and it fits into the sci-fi codes and conventions.
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