Here we have the second piece of preview art for Return to Labyrinth Volume 4 (third if you count the one I sneaked onto the flickr stream). It’s another thumbnail — the first rough sketch that Chris does to layout the page and block out dialog balloons. As you can see, if features Hana, Stank and… well, it won’t be a big black box in the final volume.
Okay, okay, I know the glasses are somewhat controversial, but when I saw this first sketch of Sarah in 2005, it seemed just right to me.
Anyway, Sarah’s presence has been quite limited in volumes 1-3, but rest assured you’ll be seeing a lot more of her in volume 4 (and here on gobblin.net) soon enough!
Last year, world-class cosplayer K-chan created an absolutely amazing costume modeled on Kouyu Shurei’s drawing of Toby. I’ve been to quite a few conventions with a major cosplay presence over the years, but even if this wasn’t a series so close to my heart, I would be seriously impressed. Gorgeous work! She gave me permission to repost the photos here — I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
What’s wrong with this picture?! Someone’s been tinkering with this portrait of Mizumi and her girls. How many differences can you spot?
And for reference, here’s the original un-tampered with cover:
Gobblin.net will remain THE source for information on Return to Labyrinth news and fun, but if you’re looking for other ways to keep in touch with updates, you can now follow gobblin on Twitter (Retrn2Labyrinth) and on facebook (see the widget in to the right).
Both feeds should be tied to updates here on gobblin. The facebook page also allows for user-driven discussions, so those of you who have been clamoring for forums now have a place to discuss the series outside of the comments.
If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve the integration, let me know, and if you don’t use twitter or facebook, don’t worry — nothing changes here!
I dug up one last concept piece from Chris on the Moraine Kingdom – Mizumi’s floating castle! I’m a sucker for waterfalls and floating rocks, so I fell in love with this place from the very first sketch.
Next time in the Gobblin Art Gallery, another peek at volume 4!
We saw the girls, now it’s time to head down memory lane to see how Esker, Mizumi’s icy mercenary, came to be.
Esker: A serpentine ridge of gravelly and sandy drift, believed to have been formed by streams under or in glacial ice.
Cold, hard and etched — that’s Esker in a nutshell. Here are the first sketches Chris turned in. These ones were a little too “cute” for the series’ nastiest villain, and he doesn’t quite fit in with Mizumi and her daughters, but they’re definitely “cool” designs. The creatures below Esker are the “Kuhlaups” that eventually became the panther-like beasts seen in volumes 1 and 3.
All right! It’s time to open up the comments on the first Skub’s Riddle Club challenge. As this is the first time I’ve run this feature, please offer any feedback about how I can better present it in the future. Did people see the clues unveiled after the initial post? Was the puzzle too hard? Too easy? Too much time or not enough? Please post your feedback in this post. If you solved the first puzzle, please post your answers in the original post.
Thanks for playing, and look for the next puzzle shortly!
We’re digging into the archives for this art update. Today we have early concepts for Moulin and Drumlin from way back in 2005. If I remember correctly, these are only the second drafts, and already they are pretty close to final (the faces are still a bit too old, but otherwise, perfect!). These pics really showcase who talented Chris is with costume design. I miss those couple of months back in 2005 when then editor Rob Valois and I got a first look at these new characters that would soon be part of the Labyrinth universe. That was hands down, one of the highlights of my professional life. Now, enjoy!
My friend Jason Thompson is well known as an expert on all things manga, having worked at Viz as the editor of Shonen Jump and dozens of other titles, as well as having written Manga: The Complete Guide. What is less well known thus far is that Jason is also an amazing storyteller! He’s self-published many comics over the years, but his next project, King of RPGs, is a 200+ page graphic novel published by Del Rey. I’ve had the privilege of reading most of Volume 1 in one form or another and it comes strongly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in RPGs. The main story involves Dungeons and Dragons style role-playing, but Collectible Card Games, MMOs and even LARPing play important parts. The more you know about gaming, the more in-jokes you’ll catch, but the book is also a hilarious parody of the shonen manga conventions and a frequently heartfelt portrait of growing up geek.
Anyway, as Jason reports, the book is available for order in the current issue of Previews, the catalog that most comic shops use to place their orders. Most “American manga” doesn’t get a lot o support from comics shops, so if you prefer to get your graphic novels through comic shops, telling your shop to order it now is your best bet to ensure you get a copy.
