Autumn
Well, to the guys who faithfully read 'Fairview High', you'll probly notice that this is the longest story so far. I write this after just having finishing page 56 of 64.
Chris and I are often asked how we decide what to write in the pages of our comics. My process is simple, really. I choose the story I feel honestly most compelled to see and the story I feel people would most enjoy. With the curent storyline, 'Tough Love', I was really swept away by Autumn, who had this wonderful - and classic - dichotomy that creates an inner tension no outside force could possibly rival. On one hand, she's a vulnerable 'flower', capable of being crushed by the shameless cruelty of peers and at the same time, an restrained source of power - no matter the focus.
It's often joke about that I must hate my characters - I do seem to put them through a rigorous amount of tribulation. The truth, really, is that you shouldn't tell the reader about the character - you should show the reader and that's what I try to do. With Autumn, I hoped to show how split we can be in our approach to a situation. Ambivelance is an amazing emotion and a great concept to brainstorm.
As a writer, I wanted to have the reader 'yo-yo' between sympathy and contempt. In the end, I can say without hesitation that neither Autumn nor David (the boy who thwarts her advances) are the villain or the hero - the protagonist or antagonist. David, who has premeditated his every move, is guilty of his actions yet he hardly deserves the treatment he gets within the last pages. Autumn, although hurt by unreturned love as we all have been, has no justification for her tactics.
It was a fun story to work with and I hope everyone enjoys the rest!
Aaron
Enjoy this sketch of Autumn I did the other night while nodding off. I have a great sympathy for her. Even though her actions are wrong, we actually all kind of want to forgive her, don't we?
posted by Aaron Romo @ 9:03 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Wow, that's really insightful. Goes to show just how much work goes into each character, and it really pays off.
I love the sketch. To me, loose sketches like this hold more life than the polished finished ones.
I'm actually a fairly big Autumn fan. She's one of those characters that you can see a little bit of yourself in (she is to me, anyways). Anti-social, distrusting, smart when it comes to books but just doesn't get a hold of real life. Then again, it doesn't really seems like she wants to.
I wonder what her ulterior movtive is? My questions are, if she hates humankind so much then why is she here? Where does it all start? Are there more people like her, or did something happen to have them all wiped out? I have no clue, but I'm still reading.
The sketch is awsome. Sort of simple, and yet not in certain ways. I've always been one to define hair and eyes (but that generally is a given when you're an anime junkie).
Glad you like the sketch.
In response to Teowli's question:
Autumn is my take on the mandrigora or mandrake (plant person)and yes, there are many more - she and Thorne are just two that live in that area. Generally with 'Fairview High', I try to show that many of the students in high school are not always 'normal'. With Autumn, she is just there to learn like anyone else. I figure even a mythical creature has to be a teen at some point, right?
As far as motives go, she really doesn't have any except that she has obviously had enough of humans - she's made a bad generalization that all humans are mean and do not understand others like Thorne and herself.
Regarding David: She really can't stand guys like him but she can't lie to her heart - she has a crush on him. I remember having crushes on girls that I really couldn't stand. It's just an affair of the heart - it doesn't always make sense.
As far as the drawing goes, yeah, if this was a more manga-style kind of thing, embellishment on the hair would be mandatory!
Since I'm an autumn fine I say it's fine. But no really you captured even in a different way. She looks real cute. and with a sexy look on her face.
I really want to fanart her again she's just the prettiest.
Heriberto's fairview character chart (by preference)
1-Autumn
2-Kayla
3-Ellie
4-The genie (what's her real name anyway?)
Hey, I'm glad you like them so much! I'm really flattered.
The genie's name is Gennie (pronounced like Jenny).And as far as other 'soon-to-be'characters that have appeared in the comic go, the girl that Ellie accidentally knocks over (Episode 3) is named Whitney and the girl with the bandage across her nose (1st page of Episode 5) is named Katy.
you're welcome aaron. I really want to know what happens to autumn.
Will she become a regular character?
Eesh! A regular character? I don't think I can answer that without giving something away. There's seven more pages to go, so that will have to be the best I can say. I can say she doesn't get killed, so there's that. :)
Aaron
I love how you drew and designed Autumn in this sketch and the online comic. Gotta love her face. ^-^
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