DW: The Darksmith Legacy... Plus Some Pretty Art!

[mtemplar_fic]

The press launch for the interactive cross-media Doctor Who adventure serial, The Darksmith Legacy is scheduled for tonight at the Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, home of the Doctor Who Exhibition.



Per Kasterborous:

With the first installments set for release in January 2009, this interactive cross-media adventure is an exciting new approach to Doctor Who printed fiction and online gaming, with a stunning title and plot that will keep readers gripped throughout 2009 in the absence of a regular series of televised adventures.

Sounds interesting - their web addy is not open yet, but here it is for future reference: http://www.thedarksmithlegacy.com/



And here's the pretty art, via Ben Templesmith (re: NOT MINE!!!!)



I can has? Reportedly, these are warm-up 'sketches' for an upcoming comic, but nothing has been scheduled yet. Here's a link to his blog, where he also has similar art of Martha Jones (why does it always have to be Martha?): http://bentemplesmith.blogspot.com/2008/11/good-doctor-martha.html

Comments

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Ooooooh. :) The online thing sounds interesting, if it isn't closed off to anyone not in the UK.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

Dunno - there's not a lot of info out there yet, maybe after the press launch?

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

I hate sounding like Jan Brady, but MARTHA MARTHA MARTHA!

She is not with the show anymore, folks! No matter how much you fancy Freema Agyeman, she bailed for L&O! If Rose gives you girl cooties, how about some Donna for feck's sake?

Sweet art, though.

It looks like TDL is going to be a series of ten kids' books, with associated online content. How kidsy the books will be I guess we'll find out soon enough. I should ping WhoNA and see if they're going to be carrying these.

The web stuff we'll have to wait and see on - I have to wonder if it'll all be region-locked.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

*flails in agreement* I know! Why can we not has Donna?

I'm only seeing the books at Amazon UK right now, and it looks like Jacqueline Rayner will have a new book out as well in the 'Quick Reads' series, link here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Sontaran-Games/dp/1846076439/ref=pd_sim_b_3 *budgets*

No idea about the web content - if they're smart, they won't region-lock it.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

No idea about the web content - if they're smart, they won't region-lock it.

I know there are some picayune contract reasons they can't offer video content outside the UK, or certain things like the comic creator; I hope they've had the good sense to realize they need to keep the worldwide audience's appetite whetted for new Who during the off year.

Somewhat cheering was popping DWM 400 and seeing James Strong mentioned as the director of the 2009 Easter Special, which makes me think perhaps they're not backloading everything as has been rumoured.

Am I a complete weirdo for wanting to hear the Japanese dub for Who? Man, you wanna talk about the masters of merchandising: if the NHK were let loose on doing Japanese versions of Who goods, I would never stop hemorrhaging money.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

The special at Easter has been mentioned all along - with the 3 remaining specials to be shown around the Christmas holidays in 2009. I don't think there's been any change there.

And no, you're not. I keep periodically checking around for a DW doujin, but there's nothing thus far. It's darned depressing.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

The special at Easter has been mentioned all along...

Well, yeah, initially it was said they would be spacing out the specials along the bank holidays, but the last time I heard the shifting rumors, it was that everything was being pushed way, way back and the specials wouldn't start airing until Christmas 2009, with the rest of them airing in 2010 leading up to Series 5.

I keep periodically checking around for a DW doujin, but there's nothing thus far.

I'd suggest pinging jesidres, then. She, swankkat and... blanking on the name, someone I don't know personally, did an absolutely adorable doujinshi some months back. I believe Jes still has copies for sale.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, initially it was said they would be spacing out the specials along the bank holidays, but the last time I heard the shifting rumors, it was that everything was being pushed way, way back and the specials wouldn't start airing until Christmas 2009, with the rest of them airing in 2010 leading up to Series 5.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds as if they're planning something on the order of the TW miniseries (sans series)? Which makes me think that those last three stories will be linked in some shape or form, as opposed to the rumored storylines that are out already.

I'd suggest pinging jesidres, then. She, swankkat and... blanking on the name, someone I don't know personally, did an absolutely adorable doujinshi some months back. I believe Jes still has copies for sale.

Hrm... don't know any of these folks. I'm still hoping for a pure Japanese doujin - there was a rumored one back in the eighties with Four, Romana II and K-9, but I've never seen it. I'm not sure how much exposure the new series has had in Japan, though... will have to do some checking.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

jesidres is sometimes better known as the person behind whooligan. Her stuff is here on DeviantArt. swankkat posts her creative endeavours at yeah_that_way, and her stuff is here on DeviantArt.

This icon is from a piece of swankkat's called Gaze.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

Yes, both individuals have gorgeous art (is envious of their talent), but I'm looking for something a bit more anime-ish, but not nec. chibi, though.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

swankkat in particular does some more animé-style drawings, versus all of her stuff being photorealistic.

[thisbirdcansing.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, the art is absolutely gorgeous!

The cross-media thing is an interesting idea...

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

I know! *pets it*

They're putting it forward as an alternative to a televised series. Will probably be aimed at the kiddos, though....

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

Apparently it might be after the manner of The 39 Clues, for it's worth.

*wants to know where LJ's announcement about the new permanent account sale and a la carte userpic sales is*

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

They just did a server move and are trying to fix the hotmail hacks, maybe they're still tidying up?

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

Well, they already pushed this set of announcements out a week. If they had to delay it again, they should have announced *that*.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

Thought you already had a permanent account?

Speaking of announcements, the #@$% is hitting the fan on my newswire - might have to make another post.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

I have a permanent account. Assuming they don't pull some stunt capping the a la cartes at the PA's current max (144 pics), I want to buy more piccies.

So they might be announcing the Eleventh Doctor at the Children in Need special, eh? That would explain the timing of DT's announcement.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

That and go see. Sheesh.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

Seen.

Given that Moffat wasn't talking like he was expecting to have Tennant around at SDCC, I highly doubt this announcement was some sort of surprise to him. Besides, his plots do tend to be rather, well, character-neutral, so I can't imagine reworking things to fit whomever Moffat brings on board should be too difficult.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

Yeah - that comment of his about having the rest of the River Song storyline occur offscreen? Looking back on that interview now, it seems obvious that he knew DT wasn't staying. I doubt there would be much if any reworking to be done with Moffat's scripts.

[editrx.livejournal.com]

Moffat has, and I suspect will continue to write (because he thinks he's the be-all-and-end-all of writers ... don't get me started ... let's just say he's not well-liked among some of my colleagues and I have Stories ... sigh) plot-driven stories, not character-driven.

And character-driven is what the appeal of the new series (1-4) has been -- it's what's made it far more universal. Yes, he wrote some good stories, but they're still the most plot-driven of what came from the new series thus far (again, don't get me started).

I keep trying to have hope that this won't kill the new series (not just the change in actors), but ... I dunno. I just want to put my head in the oven some days as regards all writers (can you tell I have several Books from Hell on my desk right now?), but then I remember my oven's electric. :)

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

It's too damned bad that we can't have RTD's characterizations mixed with Moffat's plots. I could go for that. And now I'll have to hear some of your stories about Moffat, of course. *grins*

Sorry about the Books From Hell. I am glad your oven's electric, though!

[platypus]

The profile pic doesn't quite look right, but the others are quite nice. Strangely, most sketches of DT in profile make me think of David Duchovny.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

*grins* I like them. Except for the coloring of the eyes (Hepatitis! *shudders*). And David Duchovny? It does look like him, doesn't it?

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

I'm willing to chalk up the jaundice to an artistic decision to go kinda sepia-toned.

I would be very happy to someone who is better at rendering the actors in question doing the comic.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

If you shift it to black and white, then do the sepia yourself, it's better.

I don't mind comic art, but this is darned pretty.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

You mean by handcoloring instead of just messing with the hue or slapping a photo filter on top? Yeah.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

I did some playing around with it - saved as a b&w photo, then messed with the hue.

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

Many artists, even the very very good ones, seem to have difficulty getting DT's nose-in-profile quite right.

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

Hell, profile is difficult enough as it is, regardless of the subject!

[editrx.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like Templesmith's work. This is something for me to look for! (You'd think I was into comics, given some of my friends/authors, but strangely I'm not, by nature. But some of the artists out there ... yeah. Good stuff.)

[mtemplar-fic.livejournal.com]

I'll keep an eye out. Templesmith has stuff with IDW right now, but nothing definite on a DW comic just yet.

[editrx.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've been following the work Templesmith does with Warren Ellis (who is one hell of a character -- I know (of) him through PNH (Patrick Nielsen Hayden), an old friend (his wife, Theresa, knew my husband as long as 30 years ago, when they were both out in Arizona). warren_ellis's LJ is worth following, by the way.