Developing original ideas for a client (U9: P3, P4, P5)
P3 (U9): Develop an original story to be told within the graphic novel or comic
Title: Flames vs Frost
Synopsis
Aubrey Clash has never fit in at school, her bionic arm which shoots fire has made it difficult to make friends, but when her pet snake begins to speak she finds a true friendship and her ultimate calling. In this story, we explore the life of heroes Aubrey and Sebastian as they battle it out- using their fire powers- with an 8ft icicle monster named Blitzar who has been out to destroy the world ever since he was exposed to a tub of freezing chemically altered liquid which transformed him into a vengeful villain. This action-packed story follows the classic theme we've been trying to communicate for generations: fight for what's right. Join us in the epic battle of Flames vs Frost!
Narrative structure
My comic will be chronologically organised, but there will be a flashforward at the beginning to provide context and backstory for the rest of the comic. Interestingly, my comic will fit into the macrostructure because many pages will contain multiple panels, and the story will adhere to Todorov's theory to some extent. The story begins in a dull but peaceful setting with no interruptions, but there is soon one that helps the narrative progress and thus entices audiences to keep reading. Surprisingly, a battle takes place in an attempt to solve the problem, and the protagonists triumph. You're able to see Todorov's theory play out here with a clear equilibrium, disruption, recognition, attempt to repair, and finally return to equilibrium. This structure allows the story to come full circle and therefore offers an interesting story with a satisfying ending for our target audience.
Comic
The target audience is younger groups between the ages of 12-15, so the comic book will feature simple language so the audience is able to better understand the story. Additionally, this audience has been selected as they should find the story engaging, the comic will likely appeal more toward girls due to the female protagonist but the adventure, action, and sci-fi genre will also appeal to male audiences. To make sure it appeals to the target demographic, I'll be making a comic book that can be bought and read both online and in print form. Interestingly, this will be available online to make it more accessible for our target demographic, who are younger and thus more inclined to use these platforms to read comic books due to the convenience and versatility of the online platform alternatives. The print edition will also be easily available for purchase online and in select stores, this will likely appeal to our target audience's parents who are likely to buy the product for them due to their disposable income rather than the restricted money our actual audience can spend. Furthermore, our target audience's parents are more likely to buy this because they may be trying to limit their children's screen time, and encouraging them to read an interesting comic book could help them achieve this.
Genre
The comic book I'm creating follows the story of a bionic-armed girl and her fire-breathing snake as they battle villains in a fictional world, featuring elements of action, adventure, fantasy, and science fiction. For instance, the story features a secret agent snake and therefore introduces a fantasy element into the comic- this character plays a crucial role in the plot and therefore maintains and fulfils the fantasy genre throughout the comic book and further series. In addition, the sci-fi genre is portrayed through the bionic features possessed by the main character (Aubrey) who uses this feature to her advantage when battling Blitzar. The various missions that the heroes undertake throughout the plot further illustrate the adventure theme. The characters' adventures are the main subject of this comic, consequently, I would classify this as the comic's main genre. Interestingly, the synopsis describes the comic's plot in depth, including the fights with the antagonist "Blitzar" and the many connections to the adventure genre. Similarly, the action genre is portrayed through the plot, like the adventure genre, the action elements are shown through the feud between the villain and heroes. Significantly, this relates to the theory of binary oppositions as well as Propp's character theory, where the opposition helps the narrative progress and the characters help an audience feel familiar with the story and thus more comfortable with the comic overall.
Characters
Aubrey Clash: Heroin
Aubrey Clash is the heroine of this comic book; she works with Sebastian to fight his enemies and goes on action-packed missions. Aubrey is 4ft 7in at 11 years old, dark ginger hair, freckles, and striking green eyes that are visible in each panel of the comic. Aubrey has a bionic arm that shoots fire, and this proves useful in the battles she partakes in to save the earth from Blitzar. Interestingly, she first got her bionic arm when she was 8 years old, she hated that she was born without one of her arms so her parents finally agreed to the surgery and she has felt much more confident ever since.
Remarkably, choosing this age for the protagonist of the comic will help our target audiences to better relate to the comic and improve their view of the product. Furthermore, her parents are only shown from the neck down in the comic book but based on their pale complexion, you can assume they have ginger hair as well.
Aubrey's backstory is primarily about her struggle to fit in with her peers; she has one friend named Andy with whom she spends the majority of her school time, but all of the other girls in school like girly things that Aubrey does not. Aubrey enjoys skateboarding, playing the electric guitar, and spending time with her pet snake, Sebastian. Additionally, Aubrey fights for what she believes in and this is how she came across Sebastian who was being experimented on in a lab before she broke in to save him.
Sebastian: Helper
Sebastian, Aubrey's pet snake, is the helper in this comic, but he is also the character who triggers the action within the comic when he is caught outside of his terrarium and must explain himself to Aubrey. He begins to speak and explains that he is a secret agent fighting a supervillain named Blitzar to keep the planet from freezing over. This fictional storyline helps provide a sci-fi theme for the comic and thus entices the target audience. The 'helper' as Propp's theory suggests is a character who enables the narrative to progress by offering assistance in the quest and this can be identified within Sebastian's character as he aids Aubrey's quest by helping her realise the actions she must carry out and how to achieve them.
Sebastian is a 5ft corn snake whose ability to escape comes in handy during his secret missions. The yellow/orange colouring of Sebastian's skin, combined with his dark red eyes, makes him an interesting character to watch and follow. Furthermore, the fictional theme is carried in Sebastian's traits by allowing him to breathe fire and therefore fight a fair battle against the villain of the story.
Blitzar: Villain
Blitzar is the villain of this comic; his enormous size and unwavering hatred make him a very dangerous villain who plans to freeze the world. Interestingly, Blitzar is 8ft tall and made entirely of sharp icicles that keep enemies at bay; his superpower is manipulating ice and snow, giving him the ability to gradually freeze over the entire world. However, his mortal enemy, Sebastian, is frequently seen fighting Blitzar in order to save the planet, and when Aubrey Clash appears on the scene, Blitzar is no match for Sebastian's fire breath and Aubrey's bionic fire-blowing arm.
Overall, Blitzar is the antagonist, he is integral to the plot and the story would not progress without him. The comic series watches many battles between the opposing sides and therefore keeps readers interested. Interestingly, Blitzar was exposed to a very cold tub of chemically altered liquid which ultimately transformed his body into sharp icicle skin, ultimately making it difficult for him to live a normal life, soon making him vengeful and beginning his villain origin story.
Target audience
The target audience for 'Flames vs Frost' will be 12-15-year-olds as I believe they will enjoy the various genres explored through the series. Interestingly, the action sub-genre will likely entice a male target audience as this is stereotypically perceived to be popular among the group however, the female lead of the story will appeal to a female target audience and therefore attract both groups overall. Furthermore, I have included elements of sci-fi and fiction to entice the younger demographic through fictional traits within the characters, giving them a sense of escapism and entertainment by reading the comic. In addition, the comic includes underlying themes of helping the environment and fighting for what is right through the battles portrayed between Aubrey and Sebastian vs Blitzar, therefore I believe the parents of the target audience are more likely to purchase the comic for their kids as an educational yet fun source of entertainment and information. The comic isn't targeted toward any specific racial group and therefore will appeal to a wider group, however, the appearance of a white protagonist might prove easier for white people to relate to and therefore become more popular within the group. Finally, the class of each individual won't impact the reader's enjoyment of the comic but it might affect their ability to purchase a copy, if someone has a limited income they're less likely to purchase a comic as this can be seen as a luxury rather than a necessity.
Interestingly, the secondary target audience might be anyone who enjoys the sci-fi genre. Interestingly, the sci-fi theme is seen throughout the comic due to the bionic arm the main character possesses but the battles and action genres come into the comic later and will therefore entice anyone who enjoys this story- no matter their age. Furthermore, comic books often use simple language as a typical convention of the medium so this will not limit our target audience to a younger group and can be loved by all.
Producers
The independent film company 'MegaMovie' are commissioning the production of the new comic book I'm creating as a way to diversify their published content. Significantly, the company is independent which means they will work on joint venture projects with other companies to produce a mutually beneficial product, by working with me they will be able to diversify their content and I will be able to receive a better platform to display and gain attention for my publication. Moreover, MegaMovie will be able to have full creative control due to its independent structure but might need to partner with a larger organisation to obtain the funding or resources needed to make its product a success. For instance, the independent company could work in combination with Marvel comics to produce and distribute the new comic to audiences. Marvel is well established within the industry and therefore has the credibility to increase sales from audiences who they've secured a mutual trust with, due to their status and reliability customers are more likely to purchase a comic with the Marvel name attached. In addition, this company is well-known within the industry and can offer advice to help support the production of 'Flames vs Frost'. The organisation is vastly successful and therefore has the money and resources to aid the production, distribution, and marketing in creating success for the new comic, Marvel understands the industry and has professionals who can assist my team in making well-informed decisions which will help lead us to success.
Legal issues
Copyright is one issue the comic might face, the comic book market is so oversaturated with ideas that it proves very difficult to create something totally original, therefore another comic with a similar storyline might take legal action against 'Flames vs Frost' to eliminate competition and preserve its originality. Furthermore, while I conducted research to avoid this issue, there could be a comic series that I overlooked and therefore I might still face this issue. Likewise, I must ensure my comic book is copyrighted to prevent others from copying my work and profiting from it otherwise I could impose legal suits against them. Intellectual property rights are similar to copyright however this relates to the idea itself and could help prevent the creation from being stolen during the production process. For instance, if a member of my team was disloyal and decided to sell the idea as their own I would be within my rights to sue that person for intellectual property fraud and therefore ensure my idea remained my own. Notably, I'd be working for an independent company that would distribute my comic on a monthly basis, but this would not entitle me to royalties. The brief implies that I'd be commissioned to create the comic but would not be entitled to any additional profits, limiting my income to the initial agreed-upon price. This could be frustrating if the comic does well, but without the MegaMovie company, I wouldn't have access to the resources needed to distribute the product and thus make no money at all.
Ethical issues
Violence is a prominent theme that appears at the forefront of the comic and this can be controversial due to the primarily young target audience. Interestingly, this comic features action battles between the binary opposite characters in the plot and these are integral to the narrative so we are not able to remove this but we could add a disclaimer page or small warning somewhere on the comic. For instance, the online version can include a warning pop-up to prevent those who are too young to not read the comic or be advised that it features violent scenes. Likewise, the print version could include a disclaimer sticker or page warning readers of the violent themes- this ensures more immature readers are not exposed to content they aren't able to handle. Interestingly, the same solution could be applied to offensive behaviour or health and safety issues displayed in the comic. Overall, presenting a warning will ensure only those who are mentally prepared for the more mature themes will consume the product and therefore help the company and comic maintain a positive reputation without facing any ethical dilemmas. Finally, some readers might find it offensive to depict a young girl with a disability as a primary plot point in the comic and therefore could damage our reputations. To ensure this isn't viewed in an offensive manner, we will ensure to portray this character in a positive light and show her to be confident, powerful, and not held back by this disability to ensure no one finds the story offensive.
P4 (U9): Create a script for the planned story
PAGE ONE- FOUR PANELS
PANEL ONE
Aubrey Clash: 4ft 7in,11 years old, bionic arm, dark ginger hair, freckles,
and striking green eyes. Is seen wearing dark clothing and a black beanie
(covering the top of her ginger plaits) with her back pressed firmly against a
bright white door- she looks ready to attack.
PANEL TWO
From inside the lab (POV) double doors have been slammed open simultaneously
to reveal a heroic looking Aubrey with a small green messenger bag now visible
slung diagonally across her body.
1. UNKNOWN: "what
the-"
2. AUBREY: "stop!!!!"
PANEL THREE
Close up image of Aubrey's one pale and one bionic hand gently grabs a 5ft
corn snake with a yellow/orange colouring and dark red eyes from a terrarium.
1. ONOMATOPOEIA BUBBLE:
SHHHHHH
PANEL FOUR
Aubrey is seen running in a dark street clutching her messenger bag,
Sebastian's head pops out the top and rests on the edge of the bag. The street
is dimly lit by two broken street lamps and graffiti can be seen on the
surrounding buildings as Aubrey runs (displayed by motion lines)
1. AUBREY: "you're
free now"
2. SEBASTIAN: "ssssss"
PAGE TWO- SEVEN PANELS
PANEL ONE
A small square panel with a white cloud and dark blue background display the
text "one year later". Some small yellow stars are visible in
the background of the panel amongst the midnight sky.
PANEL TWO
Aubrey (wearing a light grey hoodie) is seen looking bored at her desk in
class, and nondescript students can be seen in the background of the panel.
Remarkably, the dull and tired expression on Aubrey's face as she chews on her
bright yellow pencil with a pale red rubber tip dominates the panel. Aubrey's
ginger hair is curly and pulled up into a loose messy bun; two curly strands
fall out of the bun, framing her face.
1. ONOMATOPOEIA
BUBBLE: "ZzzzZZzZz"
PANEL THREE
Aubrey is dressed casually in a grey hoodie, dark denim jeans, and green
trainers. She whistles as she walks down the road next to the school (which can
be seen on the left side of the panel)- the structure is made of light brown
bricks with blue glass windows and dark brown doors. Her green messenger bag is
draped diagonally across her body, and an array of books and papers appear out
the top.
1. AUBREY: *whistling*
PANEL FOUR
Diagonally split panel. The first half displays Aubrey shutting the front
door to her house, her Mum calls out kindly to which Aubrey responds rudely as
she rolls her eyes (her Mum cannot be seen in this panel). Aubrey's house has
soft cream-coloured walls and wooden photo frames hang from the walls and sit
alongside plants and snow globes along a shelf. In addition, 3 coats of varying
colours hang from a hook drilled into the wall parallel to the door.
1. AUBREY'S MUM: "hello
sweetie, how was your day?"
2. AUBREY: "fine."
PANEL FIVE
The second half of
the panel shows Aubrey in her room, the wide-angle image shows her bed, desk,
door, electric guitar, and Sebastian's empty terrarium with Sebastian on the
window ledge, trying to escape.
1. AUBREY: "ugh,
not again"
PANEL SIX
Close-up shot of Aubrey picking Sebastian up to put him back in the
terrarium. Aubrey's hand and bionic arm appear gentle on Sebastian's
long-scaled skin but he appears angry depicted by the expression on his face.
1. SEBASTIAN: "noooo!!"
PANEL SEVEN
Extreme close-up shot of Aubrey's face, displaying a puzzled and shocked
look- a reaction to her pet snake being able to talk.
PAGE THREE- THREE PANELS
PANEL ONE
Sebastian's face looks serious and calm, his mouth is partially open with
motion lines to imply that he is talking. The speech bubble text will explain
the entire story of why he can talk, that he can breath fire and that he must
fight Blitzar with Aubrey.
1. SEBASTIAN: "the
scientists in that lab you saved me from... They injected me with a glowing
syringe of strange liquid. When I awoke I was able to speak and breathe
fire. But soon the scientists began training my abilities and creating monsters
for me to battle, the only one I haven't defeated is blitzar, he is a vengeful
icicle monster and I need your help to take him down before he destroys our
world!"
PANEL TWO
A wide-angle shot is used to encapsulate the two characters, Sebastian
remains still while Aubrey paces around the room- indicated by motion lines and
body language.
1. AUBREY: "can't
believe this. can't do that. can't help. I can't."
PANEL THREE
A close-up shot of Aubrey's face, she is lying on her bed- the starry pillow
can be seen beneath her head. Aubrey's curly ginger hair is sprawled across her
pillow and her face looks distressed as she tries to sleep but is unable to due
to the news she has just learnt.
PAGE FOUR- EIGHT PANELS
PANEL ONE
A small panel with a yellow sun and light blue background displays the text
"the following morning".
PANEL TWO
Aubrey butters her toast, she wears a bright red hoodie and her hair is half
up in a matching red scrunchie. Significantly, her green eyes are overshadowed
by her dark under-eye bags, indicating the lack of sleep she got the previous
night. Her parents stand over her right shoulder (only visible from the neck
down) they wear matching white polo shirts with a tennis icon in the corner,
this is where they work.
1. AUBREY'S PARENTS:
"are you alright honey? you look exhausted"
2. AUBREY: "yes I’m
alright, stayed up too late doing homework"
3. AUBREY'S PARENT'S:
"well, make sure you don't fall asleep on the way to school"
4. AUBREY'S PARENTS: *chuckling*
5. AUBREY: "yes,
yes"
PANEL THREE
Aubrey walks past a sign which says "shortcut" through a forest,
she wears her messenger bag across her body and a muddy pair of trainers.
PANEL FOUR
close up shot of Blitzar's foot
PANEL FIVE
close up shot of Blitzar's lower body
PANEL SIX
close up shot of Blitzar's face
PANEL SEVEN
Aubrey is confronted by Blitzar, he appears before her with a cold blue and
white colour. His massive 8ft stature is intimidating and he appears to have an
evil smile stretched across his face.
PANEL EIGHT
Aubrey looks shocked and frightened, she is frozen in her expression and
unsure of what to do, and motion lines depict her trembling.
PAGE FIVE- THREE PANELS
PANEL ONE
Sebastian breathes a mighty storm of fire toward Blitzar.
1. ACTION WORD: BLAZE
2. BLITZAR: "Owwww!"
PANEL TWO & THREE
Small panels at the bottom of the page depict Blitzar getting hurt and
running away, this is shown by a running motion covering his head as he
stumbles away. Additionally, Aubrey appears impressed and agrees to help.
1. AUBREY: "wow"
2. AUBREY: "Fine,
I'll Help!"
3. AUBREY: "thanks!"
4. SEBASTIAN: "We're
gonna have to get you ready..."
PAGE SIX- FOUR PANELS
PANEL ONE
Aubrey is lifting a dumbbell with her human arm, she wears black leggings
with a dark grey tank top, and her hair is twisted in a low bun.
1. SEBASTIAN: "come
on!"
PANEL TWO
Aubrey is running alongside a river.
1. AUBREY: "this is
too hard"
2. SEBASTIAN: "come
on you got this."
PANEL THREE
Aubrey is seen shooting her flames toward a target as Sebastian yells at
her.
1. ACTION WORD: "Arghhhhhh"
PANEL FOUR
Aubrey lays on the ground, broken but Sebastian tells her she is ready.
1. SEBASTIAN: "You
did it kid, you're ready."
2. AUBREY: *muffled
grunts*
PAGE SEVEN- THREE PANELS
PANEL ONE
Aubrey Clash and Sebastian are jumping toward Blitzar who appears powerful
and unintimidated. Aubrey wears a black and green full-body suit, and her black
boots come up just above her ankles while Sebastian has no armour on and
appears just as he does the rest of the comic.
1. ACTION WORD: WHOOOSH
PANEL TWO
The two heroes land close to Blitzar and begin shooting fireballs toward
him, these are very prominent in the panel. However, Blitzar shoots massive
snowballs back to combat this.
PANEL THREE
Aubrey shoots a long stream of fire toward Blitzar's face and he recoils and
appears to be falling down indicated by body language and motion lines.
1. ACTION WORD: BLAZE
2. AUBREY: "take
that!!"
PAGE EIGHT- ONE PANEL
PANEL ONE
Aubrey and Sebastian stand on Blitzar's huge body with their arms in the air
as they emerge victorious.
1. AUBREY AND SEBASTIAN:
"Whooohooo"
P5 (U9): Plan the structure and panel layout for the proposed original graphic novel or comic
Comic life template
TITLE PAGE: There is one panel on this page and it will act as a title/ cover page for the comic to introduce the characters and settings to audiences.
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PAGE 3: There are only three panels on this page as the storyline taking place on this page is more significant and therefore requires larger panels for the drawing to ensure readers understand the magnitude of the information which has just been revealed to the main character.
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PAGE 4: The page seen here has eight panels and they vary in size between each row to create a deeper focus on the significant parts of the plot which occur in the larger panels. In addition, the three small centre panels reveal the villain of this comic and therefore help to build tension and detail within the narrative.
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PAGE 5: This page only has three panels, one of those being significantly larger than the other two to create a focal point for the page. Interestingly, in this panel, the deuterogamist makes a heroic move and therefore has been made the primary focus of this page.
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PAGE 6: This page features a montage of sorts, while a montage usually occurs in the film I have tried to incorporate this in my comic to aid the narrative and demonstrate the work which went into the upcoming battle.
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PAGE 7: The seventh-page features three panels, the battle occurs here and therefore requires each panel to include significant detail in order to correctly justify the importance of the battle to readers. Interestingly, the largest panel highlights the winning move used in the battle.
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PAGE 8: The final page only has one panel to further emphasise the significance of the win the main characters just incurred and allow the audience to understand the remarkability of the moment.
Sketching the panel layouts
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All speech bubbles will remain white to allow reading the black writing easier for audiences and not disturb the backgrounds/ settings. I believe these bubbles are appropriate to the genre as many can be seen within the industry in other sci-fi comics including fan favourites such as 'The Avengers'. Audiences will appreciate these bubbles as they are easy to read and identify emotions as well as being recognisable to existing comic fans, the bubbles offer an extra context that audiences might not deduce from the sole image.
- Props
- Terrain
- Objects
- Colouring
The weapons used in this comic are part of each character and thus aren't external objects, so there aren't many props. Aubrey's bionic arm, on the other hand, could be seen as a prop that is visible in almost every panel, which helps to emphasise the sci-fi theme and appeal to the target audience. Furthermore, while it has little significance, Aubrey is seen throughout the majority of the comic wearing a messenger bag, which can be seen as a personal comfort to her to some extent and is a major part of her backstory which this could symbolise. Another prop used in the comic will be the terrarium that Sebastian, Aubrey's snake, is kept in. This prop can be seen in the first page of the comic as the snake is rescued by Aubrey by lifting the snake from this 'tank' and consequently places him in her messenger bag. Furthermore, her shoes can be seen throughout the comic and they could be magical or electronic and help her reach heights to more effectively fight the villain, Blitzar. There aren't a lot of props in the overall comic as the comic primarily focuses on the battles and narratives and thus doesn't wish to overuse props as they might distract from the storyline.
The terrain refers to her surroundings and the frequently seen settings in the comic. Interestingly, this could include the forest and her house, as these are the locations where she appears the most throughout the comic, allowing the target audience to become acquainted with the setting and thus feel more at ease reading it. The settings of her house can be seen throughout the comic, which helps to humanise the character and allows the young target audience to relate to the story better since they are seeing familiar settings. When the protagonist, Aubrey, enters the battle scene, she becomes isolated and vulnerable, so the scene takes place in a forest. In some ways, this warns young children about the dangers of going out alone, but it also helps them recognise settings; this setting is common, but it isolates Aubrey from the rest of the world. This permits the scene to continue uninterrupted and gives the audience a greater sense of intensity and concern for the main character. Another setting used in the comic might be a treehouse, while this isn't visible within the panels, it can be linked to the genre of sci-fi as it appears in the unknown. The treehouse can be used for Aubrey's enemies to spy on her and plot their next attack and therefore creates additional suspense within the story for readers.
Some objects that can be seen in the fictional universe of my comic are some 'regular' objects to try and subvert the readers' expectations of Aubrey's powers- using typical objects and home life elements will help set up a regular life for Aubrey before revealing her powers and fighting abilities. For instance, photo frames, an electric guitar, a clock etc can be seen throughout the panels to depict a regular life for the main character. Interestingly, later, when her powers are revealed the objects seen are more science fiction related, including objects like; fireballs, snowballs, and large pillars of fire which are all visible on the 7th page. The typical objects seen within the world of the comic could be Aubrey's pillow and other objects within her house such as photo frames and beds. These common objects in the world of the comic can help humanise the character and help audiences further relate and connect with the story produced. For instance, a clock and pencil can be seen in the school panels and this is a familiar setting for the young target audience, self identity is a visceral need of audiences and this can fulfil this instinctive need.
Finally, while the colour within the environment is not visible in the sketches above, the final online and print versions will use vibrant colours to attract the target audience. Interestingly, the young demographic is primarily drawn to brighter colours, which will ensure that our comic is well received by the intended audience. For instance, the bold orange used for Aubrey's hair might imply her powers to readers before the actual reveal as well as tying it into her overall character, showing a 'uniform' of sorts. Additionally, I have used a variety of green tones in order to portray sci-fi themes and subtly introduce themes of evil within the comic. The villain is primarily made up of icicles and therefore to ensure it was true to character/ more realistic the team ensured these colours remained cooler tones to better showcase the villain, limiting distractions from his threatening presence.
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