24

Apr 2014

Chapter 4: Page 7 - Going Down Fighting

Posted by / in Comic / 71 comments

Happy Thursday all!

Even if, again, today’s page isn’t very happy. There are only a couple more pages in this sequence by Matias Basla, before we start a new sequence by a new artist :) So be excited.

In case you didn’t see it, we posted another interview with an awesome comic creator yesterday, as well as part 2 of The Undying Voice, a sweet guest written journal piece. You should really check them out.

Also, just to be proud of yourselves as awesome readers, on Monday we had 12,000 page views, our all time record :D

EDIT: I forgot to at least post a plea for votes on TWC link :D See Seba’s original tryout page :D

And if you aren’t patient enough to see how this sequence ends, $5 Patreon patrons are a week ahead. In fact, I’m going to go post their sneak peek page, the last page in this sequence, right now! ;)

  • No new symbols on this page, but we’re still looking for someone to figure out (shouldn’t be hard) what the thematic symbol of this sequence was. Hint: Go read the sequence again from the beginning, and pay special attention to the first page.

    • Amberlight

      I spent quite some time googling for chinese flowers, and the only one that looks somewhat the one we have on the first page of the chapter is azalea. It’s meaning, however, makes little sense here.

      • Oh, sorry that I made you over achieve. The answer was just flower petals, not the type of flower.

        • Amberlight

          Oh come on! You are no fun now.

          • What? You can still get MCs :P I just don’t think Matias was focusing on the particular flower, as much as just the flower and it’s petals themselves.

            So come up with some good theories for symbolism of flowers and petals in this sequence for some cool MCs ;)

          • Amberlight

            I was looking for flowers associated with memories, but they all look different from what we have here,

  • Milo

    I recently found this comic and I have to say it’s one of the best on my “check these daily in case they updated” list. Keep up the good work please, I need entertainment during the slow hours of work.

    • Welcome, Milo! I’m glad we’re on your list :D Comic pages are every Monday and Thursday for the foreseeable future, but other days of the week have different content posted, from world-building articles to guest art, interviews, and more! So if you are bored today, I recommend you check out the Extras section and read up on some of the bonus info about the story and world :)

      Thanks again, and we will certainly do our best to continue to entertain :D

      • Delta-v

        And comment. Don’t forget reading and adding to the comments. People can do that every day.:)

    • NickDA

      Poke… fyi there’s a mini contest for a free poster of this page up above… :D

  • NickDA

    Alrighty people… Micro Contest Time!!!!

    The 5 highest voted comments (replies to this comment) will get a poster of this page. The theme of the comments: What has surprised you most about this comic thus far? AND: What do you speculate is the greater story arc/plot?

    • Amberlight

      What was surprising is how so many well-made characters were mercilessly and realisticly killed in the 3d chapter. Rarely authors have the courage to do so.
      And the greater plot is obviously somehow connected to the murderbot. Maybe some evil organisation will try to bring Minerva down and establish a new world order. Or perhaps an unbound AI is out to kill all humans to save the planet from another nuclear armageddon. An AI that have evolved from Greenpeace computers…

      • NickDA

        “obviously somehow connected to the murderbot”… Is it? Is it???? Hehe… I know Nate the Robot would want it to be… but ratio wise only 1 robot died thus far in the story, a lot more humans :D

        • Amberlight

          Yep, meaning that the murderbots are so murderous that one can kill an entire village and a Minerva team. Which makes them story important. After all, a dozen more of those could destroy Minerva entirely.

          • Mark Allen Sharp

            I’m in line with Amberlight. There has got to be some significance to the Murderbot and the yet unknown group/organization that is behind it.

          • Hi Mom/Dad! :D

        • Nate the Robot

          “only 1 robot” … isn’t that one too many? =)

          • NickDA

            Well… the HAWKS also went offline… and they had soft AI capabilities… not a full blown personality, but independent control based on instructions… So lets call it 4 robot casualties :D

          • Nate the Robot

            OH MY IT’S AN OILY MASSACRE!

    • Ydo Ucare

      I appreciate that you’re willing to give away posters to your fans. That’s pretty cool. But I think I’ll have to sit this one out because this page is a bit too…bloody for my taste. The art is awesome, but it’s just so violent and gory looking. Maybe if there was an option for a different page, more people would be more willing to bite. Although maybe I’m the only squeamish one around here? In that case, carry on, good sir.

      • NickDA

        Later I will do different pages (which ones would you like)… this one I’m basically offering because printing 6 costs me about as much as printing just 1… and I want one… so its really just me being selfish while pretending to be benevolent :D

        • Hmmm… maybe I should un-edit the offer for other pages then ;)

    • NickDA

      So far only Amberlight is in the running for a poster!… The only people disqualified from trying are Dan and Myself… so @disqus_YXP2bgiR4G:disqus get in here :D also Charlie and Coyote… :D

      • … but seriously, what if they don’t want this page as a poster? It wouldn’t be my top choice.

        • NickDA

          I’ll do more prints later… and am working on an easy way that they can do “one-off” prints of their own… This one is due to a bulk pricing offer :D

      • Delta-v

        First of all, what surprised me the most is that not one character involved in the massacre and subsequent firefight escaped unscathed. Tenzin and the girl are injured (her less so), Jane lost sensor systems, and possibly other sub-systems, and the robot has only minimal functionality. Everyone else is dead. (As far as we know, which could be another surprise waiting for us-just sayin’)

        The larger story arc (IMHO), is going to be the blowback from the events so far as the eggheads-that-be back home deal with the fact that they are no more prepared than the Keleres were for what they now face. (And Oculus tries to cover their backsides for not knowing that this thing was out there)

        Look for pointing fingers, protestations of innocence, and the traditional Hunting Of The Scapegoat in future chapters. And no, Nick, this doesn’t mean you guys are becoming hackneyed and predictable, this is the way people behave in real life, and you’ve shown a remarkable talent for depicting things realistically. :)

      • Amberlight

        Sending a poster to me will probably be a bit too much of a pain in the backside for the both sides, so scratch me out of the competitor list.

        • NickDA

          We’ll work something out… PM me directly at [email protected] email with your address and lets see first :D

          • We could always at least send @disqus_8XKHAw4roh:disqus a high-res copy he can download and print himself if he so wishes. Might be easier than shipping things to Russia :D

    • BuilderJim

      Alright, what has surprised me the most about this comic is GIMMIEGIMMIEGIMMIEGIMMIE…

      Ok, enough joking. I am surprised and delighted by how gritty the comic has been so far- exactly what a true war story should be like (with a slice of humor). And, what fun it was to see how far the DA has developed, and to think what only the future holds for it.
      For the plot, I believe there is a surviving giant of old, seeking to re-conquer the world, starting with one of the best military units in the world… Typical badguy behavior.

      • NickDA

        Hmm…. are we that “copy paste standard plot” at the moment?… Hmm….

        • I didn’t get that vibe from @builderjim:disqus ‘s comment. I just thought he really wants a poster ;)

          • NickDA

            Ghuh… I was just poking at this: “Typical badguy behavior.” What vibe you meaning? :D

          • Oh that’s what you were referring too. I was trying to figure out what your previous comment was about, so I struggled to make some connection to the GIMMEGIMME’s.

          • BuilderJim

            Once again, totally fooling around there. ^^ I believe the prize should go to someone else more deserving- although this page is still really cool. This page, including the one where we first see the baddies, are very poster worthy.

          • Well since Nick is giving away 5, you may still have a shot even with a joking comment ;)

        • BuilderJim

          If that’s so, I really gotta work on my guessing skills. XD

    • Mark White

      The depth of the story is my biggest hook! It is a fully realized world with history and excellent characters… I think the big subplot will be when Tenzin and the AI become bonded and he finds out what’s really happening.

      • NickDA

        Thanks. Dan and I spent a really long time geeking out about the world and the story as a whole… long before it ever even got sketched. It means a lot to us that you perceived that “detail”

        • Mark White

          Keep up the great work! I like this world and the stories that will come out of it.

    • Demetri Ermak

      I wonder if I’m still eligible for the contest :D
      For me, the biggest surprise was Viktor’s KIA. I was all in for him surviving alongside Tenzin. A Russian and a Chinese - totally unstoppable, no robots can survive the combination of Chinese determination and Russian unpredictive nature :D
      I think the greatest arc will have something to do with Tenzin’s PTSD building up as he starts suspecting some kind of game around him, when lives of his men are just chessboard figures.

      • NickDA

        Well… since I never actually sent out the poster rewards…. I haven’t forgotten I promise! I think I’ll probably be able to add you into the pool. But gonna have to call the contest “closed” at this point. :D

        • Demetri Ermak

          Okay, that’s fine by me, anyways :D

  • Delta-v

    I’ve been rather quiet about voting lately because I’ve been trying to figure out what tack I should take since I was made a Moderator, and so am no longer a complete outsider. My opinion of The Demon Archives hasn’t changed, but I have to behave myself now, since my antics reflect on the comic itself. This, then is my attempt at a bit more respectability:

    When I first started reading The Demon Archives, the Team would have been delighted to see even 100 daily page views. That was only five months ago. If you look at Dan’s post right below the comic, you’ll see that we hit 12,000 daily page views. The difference between those two page view numbers is a direct result of people like you voting for us on TWC, to the point where TDA got into TWC’s Top 100, and the comic got reviewed, spotlighted, and otherwise noticed by a lot of people. I’ve believed in the potential of The Demon Archives since I started reading it, and that’s why I’ve been a cheerleader, nag, and pushy pest about voting ever since.

    So please vote. Right now we’re getting about 31 daily votes, and could really use some more. If you like the comic, please say “Thanks for ll your effort” by voting. Thanks. :)

    • Hehe, thanks for trying to be “more respectable.” You can still be yourself, though :D

      • Delta-v

        Are you sure about that? You know what I’m like unrestrained. :)

        • I don’t think you’ve ever posted anything that actually bothered me. Pretend bothered, sure ;)

    • NickDA

      Also… get your entry in the “contest” for the poster :D

  • Mark White

    He’s cheating! Bringing a gun to a knife fight! This would make an awesome poster! I can’t wait for more!

    • Well, you can compete in Nick’s mini-contest to get one. Just take a gander at Nick’s featured comment above. :D

  • NickDA

    So far only three people in the poster “contest”… so fill her up… I wanna order these suckers this weekend if possible :D

    • robert

      So what you’re saying is a poster gets a poster, seems a bit redundant doesn’t it?

      • NickDA

        heheh, mostly just hoping to spur on the people who share my “I’m never gonna win not worth trying” syndrome…

  • Pingback: Weekend Sketch #4 |()

  • Jason Clayton

    Well, I would have an update pic on the figurine, though all it would be is a close-up of Tenzins hand. I got one hand done and on to the second. In-between fingers i tend to work on much simpler renderings, one of which i just finished. So instead of a hand, i give you my finished little buddy X3

    • NickDA

      Hahaha, nice!

    • Sebasp

      I couldnt help to see this little buddy trying to run behind the deathbot. like his tiny best friend

      • Jason Clayton

        I would be lying if I said that thought hadn’t crossed my mind

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  • Nate the Robot

    What has really surprised me is how fast this has moved from “good” to “great”, both in story and in art. The crew there at Demon Archives has clearly been doing some hard work, and I look forward to seeing how it progresses!

  • Well, in truth… contest or no, I have to say that there’s a richness and depth that has been expounded on here that outstrips the words and images alone- the sum is truly greater than the mere parts. You’ve managed to create an excellent context, which helps flesh out characters and history both without resorting to exposition. I feel like I ‘know’ the place and history, without being hit over the head with the hammer of obviousness.

  • NickDA

    Contest results will go out monday :D Thanks all who participated in my shameless bribery for validation :D

  • Michael

    Cool action page, Seba!

    • These ones are actually by Matias Basla, one of our guest artists.

      • Michael

        Oh cool. The styles are similar but now that you mention it I can see…

  • jerry mcmasters

    Beautiful and simple coloring…love the solid backgrounds.

    • Thanks Jerry! I’ll accept the praise on behalf of Matias. It makes me feel good, even if I don’t deserve it ;D

  • Marisa Brenizer

    I’m loving the shoes in panel 4 - great, random contrast with the getup!

  • Citrus Reaper

    You know you’re in trouble when your buddy brings an assault rifle to a knife fight and loses.

  • Those last two panels are breath taking.

  • Henrik Svantesson

    Huh, seems he would have had a fair chance of killing them all if his wife had joined him instead of being dead.