Richard’s ARTC 4130 Blog

Designs exhibit anatomical plausibility and realism while simultaneously being abstracted into definitive shapes.  This play with simple forms comes in handy as Sam Kieth frequently shifts styles and simplifies the character given their psychological state.  The Maxx can be deduced to simple forms such as a circle and triangle even when his muscles and figure are clearly defined.  The wirey Mr. Gone, while not as consistently shapely as the Maxx, has a head that is shaped as cylinder.

Cartoonish, exaggerated forms applied with unflattering realism (wrinkles, skin-folds, blemishes, etc. )  The character’s features and clothing are typically scraggly and dishevelled.  Flakey Foont takes a classic toon design and contrasts it with stubble, skin-folds, etc.  creating a simultaneous sense naivete and witheredness.  Robert Crumb’s self portrait utilizes cartoonish wobbly limbs to communicate an intense sense of unease and tension.

Realistic body proportions with little idealization to speak of.  To make individuals characters iconic, features are either elongated or shrunk.  The shrunk facial features on Colonel Shikishima contrasts with his generally large size, adding to his sense of scale.  Kiyuro’s elongated  facial features communicates his age and this elongation is witnessed throughout his design to exaggerate his emaciated figure.

“The hierarchical and competitive nature of the masculine ideal”

3 men dueling to the death for masculine supremacy.  Each of the duelist is representative of the alpha, beta, and omega status seen among males in social animals.

The protagonist, the omega male, feeling weak and insecure in his rank (and manhood) seeks to assassinate both the beta and alpha male to “become a man”.

Throughout these two seperate duels, he confronts his weaknesses (such as childishness and emotion) and must overcome them to become the perfect, unfeeling alpha male.

Intended to be parody of the “assassins killing their way to the top” action sub-genre and planned to be highly experimental in both narrative and form.