1 - It's now official, I'm pulling out of Secret Wars. I've been flatlining with this project for some time now and it's unfair to everyone for me to continue. I did have some plans for the last chapter but the deadline has now passed and I failed to do anything for it. Apologies to everyone for that but I've been having some motivational problems for some time now.

*Kostmeyer has graciously offered to depict my idea for Janie Steed's departure from the project which will leave it open should I choose to return before the project reaches it's conclusion. Ain't he lovely.

2 - I desperately need to concentrate on my Cranky Octopus project if I ever want to finish the first Maverick and "Friends" story. I'll still be uploading the odd sketch here and there but I'm going to have to get tough with myself over this one. Too many people have been prodding me to make a move on this so I must make a start.

3 - Aside from Maverick, I still have a couple of other secret projects to consider and will be working on those as well, time permitting. I have to give priority to Mav of course, but sometimes it's nice to turn to something else for a bit of variation.

4 - I had another one of those 'Birthday' things last Wednesday. Another year gone. :/ I celebrated it by dying my hair red. Been a long time since I've dyed my hair but even when my hair was brown people still called me 'Red'. Very odd. I guess that's just how people remember me. Angela, the girl with the boobs and the red hair. lol.

Bulletin ends...

&

EDIT - All done! It was very hard to pick just three from some of the galleries, hope you like my choices! DOn't forget to do one of these in your own journal if you got a spot here, starting with me at #1 of course. it's not obligatory but it's all in aid to spread the arty love.

Yes! I'll be doing some! Here are the rules ^^

1) For each of the 15 first people answering this journal I will put his/her avatar and the three deviations I like from his/her/its gallery on the list.

2) If you answer, you'll have to do the same in your journal, putting me on the first place, completing this way the list with 15 people. The idea of this is not to get a free feature, it is to spread art around for everyone.

Yup yup ^^

And because I took part in ~Ritualist * *MarkDobson's lists the first and second place goes toooo...

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Yes there's 16...I'm nice that way. That's it though folks, thanks for playing!

Thanks so much to everyone who replied to my last journal. I honestly wasn’t expecting such an overwhelming response and ALL the comments were actually helpful ones. Wow. It’s really amazing to me that people really do give a crap. Thanks again, all!

As for my decision, well the response was quite a mixed bag of opinions and advice. I made up and changed my mind again several times since I first wrote the journal asking for your thoughts. It’s been really hard for me to come to a solid conclusion because I love the character so much but I think I’ve got it figured out now.

In the long haul, YES - Hatchet does need a makeover. It’s pretty obvious to me now. However, when it happens, it will not be extreme and I still intend to keep a lot of the features that for me, make him who he is. The full mask and markings are important to me and I won’t give them up. The designs around his eyes are unique and if people see Deadpool in them then frankly, they need their eyes testing.

Other similarities will be re-evaluated. Even though I think the excess material at the back of his mask makes sense from a realistic point of view, it clearly reminds people too much of Deadpool. Likewise for the black markings on his suit and other little features. I already have some ideas and have drawn up a few little sketches already. It will happen.

As for the here and now - While I’m working on the current Maverick and “Friends” story arc over at crankyoctopus[dot]com, Hatchet is going to remain unchanged. I feel that since the guy has only appeared on a mere two pages thus far, it’s unfair for people to decide who he is and what makes him tick just based on this. Give him a chance grow a little before you make your judgement on him and I hope you like how it turns out.

I’ll be writing a short Hatchet solo story after “Little Black Book” ends so it will be the perfect time to change things up a gear, play around with his design and see what comes out.

Thanks again, everyone for your opinions and advice. It was greatly appreciated.

-Angie

Over the past six months or so I’ve had several messages in one form or another questioning my character Hatchet’s similarity to the popular Marvel character, Deadpool. Personally, I’m a huge fan and have been buying Deadpool comics since the late 90’s. I won’t insult anyone’s intelligence by saying there is no connection at all between the two characters.

I had originally intended Hatchet to be my own version of Deadpool when I was writing for Next-X (which was a fan fiction site based in the Marvel Universe some 30 years in the future) but as time went on Hatchet developed into a character in his own right and his personality, while leaning on the humorous and lecherous side, is not really like Deadpool at all. For a start, Hatchet isn’t mentally unstable, he’s not badly scarred (in fact he’s quite pretty), he doesn’t have a horrific past, he’s no swordsman and he doesn’t fancy Bea Arthur.

Hatchet is an assassin. He wears a full mask, shoots guns, wears pouches and can be quite funny. Yes, Deadpool wears and uses all of these things but so do lots of other comic characters.

So, I’m interested in what everyone thinks about this. Should Hatchet’s character be redesigned because people are looking at him and only seeing Deadpool? Or should I ignore these people and continue on, keeping him as is?

Thanks
-Angie

It's official, Cranky Octopus is one year old today and we've barely begun ro scratch the surface with the sheer amount of stories we're eager to tell and characters we're dying to introduce. Hope you've enjoyed our comics thus far and will continue to visit us throughout year 2 ...and hopefully the years that follow that too.

Thanks to all who have taken time out to comment on our work and frequented our humble forum. We appreciate all the support, reviews and kind words. You guys rock.

It's seems pretty unbelievable to me that it's been a year since , and I launched our comic website. Cranky Octopus - mark 2 has officially gone live today with a brand spanking new facelift. It looks so much better with a sleeker design and better navigation.

There are also some new features for you to play with including a search feature so you can find what you're looking for quickly and also a place to comment under each comic page, similar to how you would comment on someone's artwork here on DA.

Just to point out though, there won't be any new comic pages from me until later this year as I aim to complete the current story so when it does come back it will post without interuption to it's conclusion.

Anyhoo, check out the nice advert displayed in my webcam bit down there on the left side of my devpage and then stop by the website this today to check out the new look Cranky Octopus. Grrr.

Cranky link -----> [link]

-Vale


to do list

1. Cranky Website Banners
2. Mime Page for ~dan-sch - not started
3. Maverick: Little Black Book p21+ - not started
4. Secret Wars - on back burner (sorry K)