PAGE EIGHTY NINE.                     Low orbit over Amazonis Prime.

Ground control to Major Tom.

Happy Friday, Marsers, or as we call it here in Chicago:  NATO Day One.  So far things have been quiet but I expect NATO will do their best to jam us up like a column of T-72s advancing into West Germany.

This week finds us in low orbit over the Red Planet (again).  You remember what happened last time we got a look at the CSC battlites?  Big badda boom, as they say.  But it looks like someone has different plans this time.  Anyone hazard a guess?  In any case, we say hello goodbye to these orbital weapons platforms.

I sort of went on a bit last week, so I’ll keep things brief.  It is both gratifying and slightly frightening to realize that we only have seven pages left.  And that Free Mars: Riot Girls is heading to the printers as we speak.  For everyone that’s already pre-ordered the book, we thank you immensely- you’re literally increasing the chances that there is a second (and third, fourth) Free Mars book.

This week’s musical pairing is from one of Nic and my favorite bands.  We both thought ‘Starlight‘ by MUSE made a lot of sense.  Such a driving, powerful tune.  Perfect for a space battle.

Until next week,

Dave

PAGE EIGHTY EIGHT.          Combine siege lines, four kilometers of Amazonis Prime.
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye may find him;
His father’s sword he hath girded on,
With his wild harp slung along behind him;
Land of Song, the lays of the warrior bard,
May some day sound for thee,
But his harp belongs to the brave and free
And shall never sound in slavery!”

 Happy Friday again, Marsers.  Thanks for stopping by to check out this week’s offering: P88.  With the offensive launched and the rebels gaining ground, we find our old CSC friend Colonel Lynch in a rather bad way.  Poor old bean!  The soothing green strobe lights don’t even seem to help.

I love how the Free Mars forces are utilizing bulldozers in their desperate advance.  Not that they don’t also have some very swass looking aerospace tech.  Lynch seems intent on fusion bombing more Marsers this week, but again, he’s looking down the business end of a re-purposed mobile processing plant crawler…

I think this is an appropriate week for Joe Strummer’s cover of ‘The Minstrel Boy.’  Best remembered for ‘Black Hawk Down’, there is like a 20 minute version on the album (Global A Go-Go).  It is naffing long, really naffing long.  I like the soundtrack version.  Anyway, I love this song.  Written around 1798 by Thomas Moore to commemorate the Irish Rebellion.  It has sort of travelled down the ages but became very popular with Irishmen serving on both sides of the American Civil War.  In a strange way, I think of Vikki, Sam, and Vexx as 2339 Martian versions of warrior-bards.  And Joe Strummer is missed.

How cool is this?  From the Library Journal:

As civil war clouds gather on the Red Planet in the year 2339, a rebel girl band decides to rock the revolution. Described by the publisher as a “gritty sci-fi rock opera,” this webcomic looks the way the music is supposed to sound, no doubt: wild, punk, unconventional, and simply smashing. Just the thing for libraries where the rocker CDs circulate like crazy. Looks adultish, so heads up.

I want to take a quick opportunity, if I may, to recommend another webcomic this week.  I read as many webcomics as I can, but I sometimes fall behind on a lot of ‘em and have to catch up, which is actually a fine way to read webcomics.  However, this is one that I think I’ll be visiting each week.  Surreality by Caleb King with exceptional art by Carla Wyzgala.  It’s literally just started, so time to get in on the ground floor.  By the way, I would love to see Carla do a version of the Sisters Grimm.

Finally, have you pre-ordered your copy of ‘Free Mars: Riot Girls’?  Did I mention that it includes a prequel story?

Dave

P.S.  I can’t say much about this/them, but you should check it out.

PAGE EIGHTY SEVEN.                          Hippolyta Stadium. Amazonis Prime.

Sol Veneris is once again upon us and our little webcomic races towards its conclusion (of this chapter). It’s been just about two system standard years since we started this “space rock opera” and it’s been a very cool journey for us. We’ve been formatting (Chris and Nic, really) some of the older pages for the printer and looking at how far we’ve come since those early pages is incredible to me. And I’m sure a lot of writers feel this way, but while 96 pages sounds like a lot, it doesn’t even begin to scratch to surface of what you think you can do in said 96 pages. I can promise you this (SPOILER ALERT), should we be lucky enough to continue ‘Free Mars’, Dub will be back.

This week’s page launches (literally) a very cool sequence. If you like sci-fi action and battle scenes, then you’ll like the next few weeks. If you don’t, then there’s probably some gag-a-day webcomic that needs a-readin’ out there in the Interwebspace. The first thing I thought when I saw this week’s page was, “That is a naffing giant tank.” The second was, “Vikki looks like a real naffing rock star.” But, ultimately, I like the command center panel- I think TV and Veruca look very cool at their control stations.

So this final Track is titled ‘Live Forever.’ Obviously, the Oasis song. But my friend Brian (Ohio in the house!) also pointed out that it could be a reference to Queen’s ‘Who Wants To Live Forever.’ And you know what? Brian was right. And this is a perfect page for that epic song. Personally, I’ve always loved this song. There’s the Highlander connection, to be sure, but I always dug the fact that it starts out with Brian May singing. Anyway, I feel like this is a great theme song for the Free Mars forces at this point in the story. There’s nothing to lose now, so better to win or go out fighting.

And, once again, I will beseech thee:   if you’ve ever enjoyed this free comic, now is the time to show your gratitude. Pre-order the comic. If there isn’t a local comic shop around you, here are a few options (including some European possibilities):
http://www.amazon.com/Free-Mars-Riot-Girls-GN/dp/1937676218
http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Free-Mars-Riot-Girls-GN___406139
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/free-mars-dave-pauwels/1109126520
http://www.archonia.com/comicshop/en/article/129019

But, again, your local comic shop stays in business (probably barely) because of your support, so we recommend that as your go-to place for FM.

And thanks to everyone who has already pre-ordered. This is a tough industry and getting these orders means a great deal. So thanks again,

Dave

PAGE EIGHTY SIX.                            Hippolyta Stadium, Amazonis Prime.

Ziggy played guitar, jammin’ good with Weird and Gilly
And the Spiders from Mars, he played it left hand
But made it too far
Became the special man, then we were Ziggy’s band

Last Friday in April already.  That month went by really naffing fast.  This week we’re back at Amazonis after a quick trip to Olympus City.  It’s the Independence Concert and our band is about to take the stage, which will, in turn, launch the rebel offensive- their last chance for breaking the tightening siege.

Vikki Grimm isn’t taking shizz from President Isidis.  She’s become a little more confident, I think.  I think it comes across in the dialogue, but also in Nic’s art.  The body language is great in this sequence, forceful and natural.  And the costumes are awesome…

Which brings me to the weekly pairing.  This page is a very obvious homage to one of our main inspirations: David Bowie.  I know I’ve talked about this before, but Nic and I planned, very early on, for our Mars to have a very strong glam vibe.  Amazonis Prime was always going to be very ’70′s London.’  That glam influence would come across in our fashion, as well as in our political environment.  Here the girls sport very Bowie-esque make-up.  They almost look like they’re opening for T-Rex!

So, I went back and checked and I don’t think I’ve ever used ‘Ziggy Stardust.’  In the imagined ‘Free Mars’ movie (currently the top-grossing film in my mind, just beating out Joss Whedon’s Star Wars prequel trilogy), the end credits run while the Sisters Grimm cover this song.  You can picture it too, right?

Finally- the May PREVIEWS is out and we’re on page four and 244 (full solicitation), I’m told.  That means we are now OFFICIALLY available to pre-order at your local comic shop.  You can give the comic book guy (worst character ever) this: Diamond Code: MAY120825.  Now, I’m not gonna get all sentimental, but if you’ve enjoyed the work Nic and I have been doing for almost two years now, this is the way to show your appreciation (I sound like a WTTW pledge drive person).  Seriously, the future of ‘Free Mars’ is by no means certain and this is your chance to help us keep the comic going.  Pre-ordering the book will ensure that we can continue the adventures of Vikki, Sam, and Vexx, but also potentially give us the opportunity to tell more ‘Free Mars’ tales, including stories focusing on Hannah Valerus and Damien Kessler.

So again, if you’ve been a fan, now is the time to show it.  Help us Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re our only hope….

Dave

PAGE EIGHTY FOUR. Olympus City, Corporate Zone. Executive Recreation Level 8.

Salutations fellow revolutionaries! Nic here, taking over this week’s post.

Dave is away on one of the most important wargaming conventions in the US (if not the most important), the mighty ADEPTICON. Thus, occupied with many lectures and other miniature-related business, he couldn’t make one of his fine comments for the page you’re now contemplating. You get me instead…

Xander Thule is one of those characters I’ve loved and despised at the same time. Being a true villain, he is a ruthless, cold, calculating bastard, willing to go to any lengths to crush his enemies and preserve his status-quo.
However, in 2339, revenge catches up with you when you least expect it. And it could be disguised as a very pleasurable sexbot. One that a certain dangerous smuggler by the name of Dub imported; with the help of a mercenary called Hannah; at the bidding of a shady revolutionary called Veruca. Whom we see here disguised, finally delivering the object that will make Thule pay for the thousands of lives he wiped out on the Hesperus bombing.

As usual, Dave impresses us all with his eliptical narrative, that makes even the most tiny of details relevant in the long run. You can’t miss a single bit with this guy, my friends!

As far as musical pairings go, I’d have to choose Marilyn Manson’s New Model No.15 . And since Dave isn’t here to argue, that will be this week’s suggestion.

I hope you enjoyed this page and get ready for the grand finale of Book I!

Nic.-

PAGE EIGHTY FOUR.       Olympus City, Corporate Zone.  Executive Recreation Level 8.

Happy Friday the 13^th, Marsers.  We’re back in Olympus City this week, with a view of something few Marsers ever get to see:  the champagne room at the Combine Executive Recreation sub-complex.  The ExRec is an almost mythological place, an Elysium of decadence.  Only the most privileged of the Combined Systems Corporation’s elite ever get to explore the labyrinthine pleasure-chambers and sense-vaults.  Of course, Xander Thule is one of those elite.

Nic , as always, gives the environment such character that it becomes one of the “actors.”  The rich colors and detailed stonework give the pleasure-chamber a decadent atmosphere, especially compared to the generally drab/industrial tones of life on Mars.

The hot tub also looks really nice.

The delivery girl looks familiar….

I sorta lied last week- this week’s pairing isn’t from Bikini Kill- however, BK’s front woman Kathleen Hanna did form another band, le Tigre.  They are awesome.  I would recommend checking out some additional YouTubes.  But for this week’s page, let’s go with ‘TKO.’

Starting to get some promotional material ready for the big release this summer.  We won’t, unfortunately, be at C2E2 this year (back next year I hope), but I’ll be at Adepticon in Lombard, IL next weekend with some posters and the few remaining print compilations I have left (should be collector’s items come July). 

If anyone in the Chicago area knows their local comic book store owner/proprietor and thinks they might want to put up a ‘Free Mars’ poster or display some postcards, let me know and I’ll stop by.  Email me at freemarscomic@gmail.com via the Internets.

Until then,

Dave

PAGE EIGHTY THREE. Exterior. Balcony, Damien Kessler’s apartment. Cydonian Towers.

Previously, on the next ‘Free Mars’…

As the Poet said, “Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday.” This week we proudly present a SPLASH! page for your infotainment pleasure. Damien Kessler has become a veritable hood ornament for Shade Endgame and her crew of cyclopean ‘bots. I don’t mind saying that those three ‘bots are creepy.

I do think this turned out to be a pretty poignant scene for Vikki, considering we don’t even see her face. And, as always, the Giacondino Effect is in full-force: the details of Amazonis Prime’s industrial cityscape draw you in. The settings become characters in their own right.

Today was a little bitter sweet. I had been putting off composing the last four pages of the script- the epilogue- for a while. But as we near our deadline, I could stall no longer. So this sol I typed the words “The End.” Page 96 is in the proverbial can. Now, hopefully, this isn’t naffing literally true. By that I mean that if we can continue the tale of our Martian punkers and their Free Mars compatriots, we will. As long as possible. You can ensure that happens by pre-ordering the book when it’s available. Don’t worry, I’ll remind you.

Because the official subtitle of Book 1 is ‘Riot Girls’, it wasn’t surprising that an actual Riot Grrrl band immediately came to mind this week when I saw Shade’s aircar. Bratmobile. ‘Do You Like Me Like That?’ We haven’t done a lot of actual Riot Grrrl bands here in the pairings. I guess we had some Hole. Maybe we’ll focus on some low-fi ladies for a couple weeks. Bikini Kill up next.

Until next week,
Dave

PAGE EIGHTY TWO.   Interior, Damien Kessler’s apartment.  Cydonian Towers, Amazonis.

First off this week, a big happy birthday to everyone’s favorite Argentine artist- Nicolas R Giacondino!  I told him that, in Mars years, he’s really not very old.

Second, Ape showed us their ad for next month’s PREVIEWS (Comic Shop Catalog) and it features our forthcoming FM OGN.  It looks fantastic.  We are really lucky to be working with a company that believes in our book.  Thanks, guys.

I said, last week I’d have a quick webcomic recommendation.  This week I’ve been reading ‘My Life At War’.  By Luther Patenge with art by Matthew Materniak, MLaW is a gritty sci-fi military tale.  It has a real David Drake/John Ringo feel, with a good sense of humor.  It also deals with some ethical questions.  This week’s page is a good example- addressing the topic of battlefield looting.  Check it out if you get a chance (and like sci-fi military hardware).

This week’s music pairing has to be Garbage and their new single, ‘Blood for Poppies’.  I am so naffing jazzed for this album.  If this track is any indication, the album will sound like classic Garbage.  2012.  Garbage, Blur, and The Stone Roses.  It’s like a 90s time-portal opened up in my iPhone.

Finally, I just want to say that this page is (honestly) my favorite page to date.  I think our heroines look amazing.  I think Nic has perfected their “acting.”  Nice one, birthday boy!

Until next week,

Dave

++++A message from Nic+01991.876++++

Greetings, fellow insurgents!

Today is a strange day indeed, what with yours truly writing the blog post instead of Davey P. But we felt it was necessary due to the nature of this in-between, exclusive post this week.

What you’re seeing here is a Martian guitar ad (more specifically from Hudson Guitar Technologies), promoting their new Hudson MK 7 Sonic Lance, which is the weapon of choice for our heroine, Vikki Grimm. Many of you wondered about the workings of this most interesting bit of Marser technology, so we felt it would be appropriate to shed some light on the matter (and with some cool artwork to boot!). The model Hudson used in this advert is the famous stripper Athena Nocturna, whom you briefly see at Ziggy’s! (P 41-dave)

As I said in the comments section, a couple of pages ago, when I first designed the holo-guitar, I thought of it as an extremely versatile instrument. My idea was that, without having strings, it would be able to interpret and synthesize the musician’s finger positions, creating unique tones and notes mixing the classic notes and the user’s inventions. Thus, the guitar would only be limited by imagination, achieving total creative control and originality (provided you were original and creative, of course!). The holo-neck of the guitar is a projected force-field, being solid enough to play and manipulate, but also sensitive to allow for the musician’s full exploration of music. If you turn it off (for carrying), you just have to transport the body of the guitar, which is what Vikki carries around in some of the very first pages of the comic.

As a side note (and I’ll leave you alone already!), the holo-technology of the guitar, relying on a high output battery as a power source, can be jammed and tweaked (given some minutes) for use as an explosive device. Used by such bands as Orbital Burn to achieve a more mischievous and violent effect when on stage, the holo-instruments are overheated by the player until they eventually explode in a short (but very powerful) fusion blast.
Nic.-

PS.. This piece has a lot of hidden easter eggs for all sci-fi fans; the most evident being Athena herself. I totally recall seeing those kind of curves on another Martian lady… 

PAGE EIGHTY ONE.  Interior.  Damien Kessler’s suite, the Cydonian Towers.  Amazonis Prime.

Something right with the world today
And everybody knows it’s wrong
But we can tell ‘em no or we could let it go
But I would rather be a hanging on

Happy Sol Veneris again, Marsers.  We are proud to once again deliver you straight to the 50^th floor of the Cydonian Towers.  Things look even bleaker for our guitar-heroine this week.  Vikki Grimm can only watch, in abject pissed-off-ness, as Shade Endgame steps off with her man.

The red strobe lighting effect continues on this page, giving a nice emphasis to Vikki’s plea in the last panel.  I think Nic’s red panels are some of his most dramatic.  Makes me think that would could potentially do some more ‘Free Mars’ tales in black and white, too.  More like the Hannah Valerus piece.  Something to think about.

Nic and I discussed all the potentially appropriate songs.  I considered ‘Jump’ by VH.  But we both agreed on Aerosmith ‘Livin’ on the Edge.’  However, if you’re looking for something slightly more indie, you have to check out The Decemberists’ ‘One Engine’ from The Hunger Games soundtrack.  In fact, the whole soundtrack is very good.  Yes, even Taylor Swift.

I know I’ll probably keep saying this every week, but 15 pages left.  Naffing crazy!

I’ll have a new round of webcomic suggestions next week- I’m in the process of reading a couple that have come my way.

Oh, and check out Nic’s latest version of Vikki here.  This is for some promotional material we’re getting ready pre-release.

Dave