http://www.drunkduck.com/Silvershot/index.php

I actually followed the story with some interest- not something this old fart political cartoonist often does for adventure comics- so that's good points to you. But I won't dwell on the stories, because they are just so far from my area of interest.

The art is good, but could be great. I noticed in the first half (before switching to what look like pencil art) that all the lines were the same thickness. That's a bit of a pet peeve of mine, because it deprives you of such a simple method of gaining depth, emphasis, etc. When you're drawing in lines and filling in with color, the lines mean just as much as the color for depth perception, so draw thicker for closer objects, thinner for farther away.

Also (though you do it far better than others), don't rely so heavily on full face or silhouette- people are rarely head on or perfectly sideways. It makes it look, in an adventure comic, like they're stepping out of character and talking to the audience.

The switch to pencil confuses me. These look like sketches for future cartoons, rather than cartoons. They're good, but the method is confusing. Is it a switch, or just an attempt to get unfinished work out in front? I would love to see them finished in ink,b because they are among the best drawings to date. Or is it that the artist is finding it difficult to translate pencil to ink, because that can be a bitch. Just curious, and wondering which way it's heading. If sticking with pencil, perhaps scan in B&W, or increase contrast, to get rid of the preliminary sketch look.

Good, good art, worth following.

Thanks for letting me review it.

Thank you so very much for your review of my comic. I greatly appreciate your honesty and advice. To answer your questions:

dhonig
When you're drawing in lines and filling in with color, the lines mean just as much as the color for depth perception, so draw thicker for closer objects, thinner for farther away.

I've been lectured about this once or twice (or maybe several times). I'm still trying to learn the "mechanics of line depth and the like. I'll look into it more thoroughly from now on.

dhonig
The switch to pencil confuses me. These look like sketches for future cartoons, rather than cartoons. They're good, but the method is confusing. Is it a switch, or just an attempt to get unfinished work out in front?

I'm a huge fan of artist like Fred Gallagher and Adam Warren. I think that doing work in in pencil, and making it look good is an amazing feat. I wanted to give it a shot myself as well as see how much time i'd save by doing it that way instead of using photoshop or Manga Studio. I save alot of time, and it was well received, so i'm sticking with it for the time being.

dhonig
If sticking with pencil, perhaps scan in B&W, or increase contrast, to get rid of the preliminary sketch look.

I'll look into that. I've been scanning them in under the photo setting. That may explain a few things.

And now, let this day mark the return of Snark's needlessly long reviews!!!

Artwork

The artwork of Silvershot has gone through many changes within a relatively short period of time, by and large though, these changes have been for the better. In all honesty, the early pages weren't particularly impressive artwise, the pictures looked flat. Furthermore, characters sometimes looked out of perportion or just plain weird, pages 5 and 13 were particularly guilty of this.

Also, I must admit that the fight scenes in the early pages felt a little lacking. The speed lines look almost forced and there is a general lack of impact, page 10 in particular seems very dull.

Page 19 is when Priceman makes a radical change from Silvershots digital origins to a completely pencil affair, and in my opinion at least, the change couldn't have been more welcome. Shading sees a marked improvement here and the characters no longer have a strange flat feeling to them. I particular like the last panel on page 19 and the whole of page 23.

Whilst I didn't really like the early fight scenes, I think Priceman's new style has a lot more potential, page 20, whilst not really a fight, still conveys quick movement much better then the earlier pages. I'm really looking forward to seeing how future fights are going to look like now.

Story

Well, right now there isn't very much to write about this section as the comic is still quite early in its life. Priceman has however set the stage for future conflicts and storylines, with a mysterious cloaked figure as well as Freddy (whats his real name? I don't think anyone actually mentions it) as a possible rival.

Humour

When I first read Silvershot, I had not expected it to be so damned funny, but it is : )

Most of the humour, while not subtle, isn't overbearing either, which fits very well with the pacing and atmosphere of the comic. Also, most of it is derived from the main heroine Zera, who I must say is quickly becoming one of my favourite comic heroines ever. Pages 13 and 25 made me laugh out loud when I first read them.

Also, Priceman tends to have little details in his artwork that adds a little bit of light heartedness to the whole affair. The guy who has a more then obvious crush on Zera who appears in the background of page 19 and a few other pages is a personal favourite of mine, another been Zera's limp gun on page 25.

Characters

Character wise, Silvershots a mixed bag. Zera is hilariously funny and very well thought out, in fact, she is so well planned a character that it comes at the price of having fairly subpar supporting characters. Freddy is one dimensional at best and I can't even remember anyone else's personality.

To be fair however, the comic is only on its 25th page, so hopefully more interesting characters will be introduced and the current cast get more developed as time goes on.

Conclusion

Silvershot is a thoroughly unique combination of action and humour. It harmonizes the two aspects remarkebly well, often shifting from one to the other seemlessly. It has been a delightful read, especially since Priceman's change of artistic style and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking for a new comic to sink their teeth into.

I'll be honest, when I initially looked at Silvershot, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. Reading a few pages helped me get over that feeling. Silvershot grows on you quickly.

Art

While clearly influenced by manga, this is not a typical manga comic style. In fact, the style is pretty original, as is the character design. The lines are a little thick but they still work for the material and don't distract.

The artist is not afraid to experiment and I really like that. He has tried color, black and white, computer programs and just pencils. Personally, I think the pencils work best but it's all good in the pursuit of an individual style.

My only nitpick is backgrounds. When the artist uses them, they're great! But they are a little sparse in places. Granted, this is an action comic, so motion lines and blood splotches go a long way but additional backgrounds would only enhance the art more.

Story/Characters

I like Zera, she's cool. Sort of a Robin Hood meets Wolverine (with a sword instead of claws) character who happens to be for hire and sporting a healthy attitude. She's the best she is at what she does, but...

Freddy: The egotistical village idiot. Written so as to be both detestable and almost pitiable but always good for comic relief. Every action comic needs one.

Calbur: Well, somebody's gotta be the leader. He's not terribly distinctive but then again, he doesn't really have to be. He's a wise old dude who calls the shots (or in this case, the silvershot).

The Wolver: Nice monster, goooood monster. They don't have a lot to say but they're very loud, very fast and very mean. Intimidating-looking, too.

Mr. Shrouded, Mysterious Evil Dude: Another thing that every action comic needs, a mysterious dark figure that we know absolutely nothing about except that he smiles while conjuring demons. That alone makes him formidable.

The Writing

Nice pacing in the story. Things happen when they're supposed to happen, it doesn't feel rushed or forced. Characters are properly introduced and explained (and we'll just have to learn about Mr. Shrouded, Mysterious Evil Dude when it's time). There's just enough humor to add to the story and enhance it, not take away. The writing makes you look forward to the next page.

Conclusion

Silvershot is a good comic with a lot of potential. The artist is getting comfortable with the medium, especially now that he is doing his own pencils (nothing wrong with art software but a personal touch is always nice when possible). Once the artist gets more comfortable with backgrounds, I feel the overall art will continue to improve. The writing is solid and well-paced. The characters are pretty distinct, for the most part (it's hard to make generic villagers interesting but they make great extras). There's a clear good guy (girl) and a clear villain. There's a lot of places for this comic to go, writing-wise, and unlimited potential for the art, since the artist is willing to experiment and try different mediums for the betterment of the comic. That attitude is what will give Silvershot the best chance of becoming a truly great comic in the future.

ART
Switching to pencil is an improvement because it actually gives the depth that you are trying to communicate in your pictures. Before the inking was to thin and lacked character. And the colour didn't do anything. They just filled up gaps that were otherwise white space.
Work on anatomy, backgrounds and making objects look like objects. That sounds like alot but it pretty much everything. Guns have to look like pieces of metal that can fire bullets. Use reference and a ruler and harder lines. Practice like crazy.

WRITING
This was far less lacking. The underlying structure worked and there was a basic story to be told. By all means keep the same characters but try and tell lots of short stories so you can practice your basic craft of telling a story. It is possible to have five page stories.

Overall I don't feel compelled to continue reading in future, but frankly that shouldn't be your issue at the moment. Making each page better than the last should be. In fact that should be all our jobs, but there you go.

"Silvershot" is a dichotomous comic that seems to stumble from hints of future greatness to morasses of current insipidity. It begins in an overly dramatic narration by the main character, Zera, and one of the key set-ups of every action/adventure universe: the beleaguered village with a monster problem and a wise elder. Who her audience is, we don't know, nor why she is talking to them. Is she muttering to herself? Telling this tale to others as a personal history? Or simply escaping from the fourth wall entirely? Whichever (or none) of these options is true, it is quickly subsumed by the story and becomes irrelevant. And if it was irrelevant, why was it even there?

The multitude of style shifts is, I think, good for a young comic in search of an overall voice. My personal favorite is actually the flat gray scale as opposed to the pencil work, since the curves given by pencil shading seem at odds to me to the simple lines of the characters. That being said, by the currently posted page (25) the pencil shading grew on me, and I could see the comic becoming quite nicely put together in that style.

Many of what I consider faults in "Silvershot" are the uses of cliche characters and situations. In particular the supporting characters are simple to the point of being sketches of personalities, and the sequence of fight with nasty but not a real problem monster/challenge by testosterone-poisoned villager/meeting stalker uber evil dude follow in a depressingly predictable row. These are alleviated by moments of oddness and silliness, exemplified by the mini panel in the lower right of page 25. It's touches like that which show that "Silvershot" is made by someone who really wants to tell a story, and is working hard at making that story something they have crafted with care.

The anatomy and art are pretty much par for a "young" comic: anatomy is spotty at best (even given stylistic exaggerations), clothing doesn't so much drape as affix itself to people, the time of day varies drastically depending upon local lighting conditions (night and day become confused during the forest fighting scense), and the background is sublimated to almost nonexistence (trees appear and vanish as needed, and rooms become simplified to crosshatching). None of these are problems that can't be overcome, and indeed they all visibly improve as the story progresses. The character designs aren't particularly memorable, but perhaps they weren't meant to be. And given the rather light-hearted tone of the comic as a whole I'm willing to accept outfits that would making fighting nearly impossible, armor that is not protective, and cloaks that completely resist bloodstains/soakings.

Overall, I think that "Silvershot" is a that will grow and become something much better than it currently is. There are fun parts, artistically attractive parts, and a main character whose nonchalance and cuteness is undeniable. Reading the archives hasn't converted me, but I'd be willing to come back again sometime and see how the story and art have grown.

Honest feedback and something that hasn't been said before in the reviews...


When I first read through the comic it really reminded me of the manga Claymore. It was simular because it had a female warrior slaying monsters for hire. There are differences. Doesn't have monsters that really look disturbing or any side characters with a sense of presence.

Silvershot lacks a feeling of danger in the setting and battles. I guess it just depends on style. If the artist is looking for a fun adventure action comic then the character and setting designs aren't so bad. If the artist is looking for a nitty gritty dark story than make the monsters and bad guys more scary. Putting some realism into it brings out the sense of the other.

Zera is cute. :3 The anatomy should be refined, but that will come with time.

One thing I do like is the dialogue. Zera's pretty witty and I find it amusing.

I know the story is clishe, but eh.. lots of stories start out pretty clishe. It'll change in time. I'm just glad I can follow it along without getting overwhemed by too many characters, too much dialogue, or just too much happening at once.

Alright, here we go!

Art The art is decent, fairly clear, and disctinct enough to portray the story. There are a few moments when continuity between panels could be a bit better, such as the transition in the first two panels on page 26... it's not quite clear whether the demons are exploding, the robed guy is shooting an explosive at the heroine, or if she blows them up. Also, I'd recommend practicing backgrounds; it's one of the toughest aspects of drawing, to be sure, but I'd recommend Googling some images similar to the backgrounds you're looking for.

Story The story isn't bad by any means, but there's not much that sets it apart from your typical anime/manga series. This could just be because it's still early in the comic, so hopefully later on we'll see some brain-teasing twists. I do like how the main character, rather than consistently resorting to typical anime deus ex machina super magic spell powers or whatever, relies on her own wit and cunning. You just don't get that from a lot of shows and comics these days.

Overall Silvershot has potential - it has an established universe, a good story, and recognizable characters. All in all, it's a solid webcomic. I think its only real setback is that there's not much that sets it apart from typical anime, but as I've said, it's still early so that could change.

Silvershot is a drawn comic by Priceman, and is currently running on 25+ pages.

The art in Silvershot leaves something to be desired, but never the less gets it done. However, the sharply-outlined text bubbles and onomatopoeias increase the comic's quality and makes it for art that could be improved. However, the artist demonstrates clear creativity, what he/she should draw, and how to do it. The artist does not hold back, and it rewards the comic with interesting action scenes. Also, the art improves fairly fast, when comparing page one to say, page 26.

The general story is not developed enough, but I can guess she's a demon hunter. Hopefully, the artist will develop the story further, as it has potential. So far, the dialogue and the humor are fairly good. Everything is clear and easy to understand, that's always good.

Over all, so far so good. It's starting and it seems to have a bit of a following. What it needs to do is develop the story and add depth to the main characters. Also, it would be a good idea to start inking the comic itself, but this may just be a matter of personal taste.

4/5

Seeing as though another comic has been put into view, I guess that Silvershot's "15 minutes of fame is over". I want to thank all that reviewed (and will review) for your honest criticism, I can't improve if i'm babied all the way. I greatly appreciate the time you took to review my work, it really means alot to me. Know that I will take the advice here into consideration for the future.

That being said, I feel that I should explain a few things:

Snark
The speed lines look almost forced and there is a general lack of impact

This was due to my overall lack of knowledge of the Manga Studio Program. Not trying to make excuses, but yea, I knew the bare bones basics and that's it. It's another reason I switched to pencils.

DueEast
While clearly influenced by manga, this is not a typical manga comic style. In fact, the style is pretty original, as is the character design.

I'd like to consider my style "A mix of Manga/Anime and Cartooning". There are alot of artist that have influenced me, and I try to learn and use as much from them as possible.

DueEast
Nice pacing in the story. Things happen when they're supposed to happen, it doesn't feel rushed or forced. Characters are properly introduced and explained

Really??!! I thought that I was taking forever to tell the story. I'm glad that there are people who didn't agree with me on this.

Ian_Feverdream
The art is all over the place while Priceman tries to find his style.

I really can't deny this. I started SS when I thought I was at a solid point of my artistic level. However, as time went by (a considerably short amount of time) I found more and more styles that I could relate to. Maybe the comic was started too soon, but I have no regrets.

Ian_Feverdream
It feels like a medieval setting yet the main character has high tech guns and talks like it's present day.

My goal here was to make it a fantasy setting with futurisitic elements. Think Trigun, Afro Samurai, Naruto, or the recent few Final Fantasy games. I wanted the world to be primative on the outside with futuristic (or in our case, present) influences to show up.

Danthemancartoons
Overall I don't feel compelled to continue reading in future,

Well, that's your right. Still, i'm thankful that you reviewed in the first place.

Mina_Lunga
Who her audience is, we don't know, nor why she is talking to them.

As someone who has read plenty of books, I can tell you that the narrator rarely tells why he or she is telling the story to the reader. Just pointing that out.

Mina_Lunga
And if it was irrelevant, why was it even there?

I've yet to hear of, or read, a story with narration that doesn't serve a purpose. In this case, the purpose is to adjust the reader to the mood, setting, and plot of the beginning chapter.

Mina_Lunga
Many of what I consider faults in "Silvershot" are the uses of cliche characters and situations.

What makes a person cliche may differ from person to person. I'll admit that the characters and situations introduced thusfar can be tied with, like, 20 other characters/situations over time. However, I don't consider them cliche because of the fact that their beginnings may be predictable, but I intend to make their endings quite memorable.

Mina_Lunga
I'm willing to accept outfits that would making fighting nearly impossible

Yea, being a guy, I didn't really pick up on this until the comic was a few pages in. However, since you (and only you) brought it up, I want you to know that that problem was already set to be addressed in the second chapter.

JillyFoo
When I first read through the comic it really reminded me of the manga Claymore.

I can't deny this for a second. However, as stated on page 21, I had no idea what Claymore was until I bought a copy that week. Trust me, it blew my mind how similar it was. Here I thought I was being original.....stupid me.

JillyFoo
Silvershot lacks a feeling of danger in the setting and battles. I guess it just depends on style. If the artist is looking for a fun adventure action comic then the character and setting designs aren't so bad. If the artist is looking for a nitty gritty dark story than make the monsters and bad guys more scary.

This is harder to respond to. I'll admit that I don't have the skill to portray a solid atmosphere of a scene/setting; however, i'm not out to make a "noir" type comic where there may be danger around ever corner.

JillyFoo
One thing I do like is the dialogue. Zera's pretty witty and I find it amusing.

I don't have the guts to try a all-out comedy comic like some people do, but it warms my heart to know that there are people like you (and others) that can get a chuckle out of the things I write. Thank you.

Hapoppo
as the transition in the first two panels on page 26... it's not quite clear whether the demons are exploding, the robed guy is shooting an explosive at the heroine, or if she blows them up.

My intention was to show the demons converging on one spot at a fast rate, thus making a small impact explosion when they hit. Like I said eariler, i'm not quite there when it comes to atmosphere and transition. Though I understand what you're saying.

Hapoppo
Also, I'd recommend practicing backgrounds; it's one of the toughest aspects of drawing, to be sure, but I'd recommend Googling some images similar to the backgrounds you're looking for.

Trust me, I am. Unfortunately, I still suck when it comes to drawing small things and details. I'm working to improve on this, but i'm not there yet.

Hapoppo
I do like how the main character, rather than consistently resorting to typical anime deus ex machina super magic spell powers or whatever, relies on her own wit and cunning. You just don't get that from a lot of shows and comics these days.

Was that a....yes..a complement!! Woot!! I rock!! Well...actually, I don't, but comments like that make it easier for me to pretend like I do. Thank you so much.


And in general:

There was alot of talk about anatomy. Let me just say this:

In terms of art skill, i've learned everything I know from online tutorials and "how to" books. My anatomy isn't on par, I know this, but it should be known that i'm also practicing the cartooning style (think the Star Wars Clone Wars Cartoon) style of drawing; bodies are naturally going to be exaggerated.

There was alot of talk about the undeveloped story, and the lack of main charactes:

This was more or less intentional. The first chapter was basically meant to be a "introduction" of sorts on the main character. Other leads, as well as more explination of the story will be introduced in the second chapter. Not really a complaint, just letting you know.


There was a bit of talk about "line depth" and "line density":

As much as i've tried, I can only visibly show this using ink (my pens come in different sizes). I've yet to learn how to do this with regular pencil. Rest assured that i'm trying though.


Also:

Mina_Lunga and Valid Soul; do you know how many times I had to break open the ol' thesaurus in order to make sense of some of the words you were using? C'mon people, some of use are still trying to achieve a college degree. ^_^


Like I said, thank you all for your honest reviews. Alot of the complaints will be dealt with in the second chapter, and soon i'll be on my way to getting my Illustration Bachelor's degree. I only hope that I'll be able to use what's taught to make Silvershot a comic worth reading.

Alright, well! This is my first review, so forgive me if it, uh... sucks.

Anyway, first things first- the thing that really caught me was the name. "Silver Shot"; sounds catchy. I always thought that was important for the success of any comic. Dunno how long it may have taken you to think up the title, but I think it definitely works. What's more, it actually has something to do with the comic, which is rare these days, heh.
One of the first things that strikes me about the comic when I read it is the art, which is- no offense- a little crude. Granted, it's better than mine when I first started out, and in the beginning it looks inked (which is more than I can say for my work...) I always hate hearing this myself, but you should work on proportions, mostly around the head; the chins on your characters protrude, making it look like they're leaning their head forward. The feet need work, too, because at the moment, they mostly look simplistic. Putting a little more detail into them and changing the shape to more accurately represent real feet would go a long way towards fixing that.
The action sequences are good for your skill level- that's not meant as an insult in any way, I actually like the way you do them. The motion effect in the first panel of page 9 looks great (but conversely, the gunshot on the same page could use work to look a little more realistic). You've also managed to avoid the common manga problem of having action scenes that are hard to understand (like, admittedly, my own). Having people actually be able to tell what's going on in a fight scene is really important, and losing clarity there can make or break a comic, I think, so kudos on doing that well.
Your use of screen tone is excellent (on Page 5 in particular), and I personally prefer it over the use of color in your case. I was a little disappointed, then, when you stopped using it in the more recent comics.... Your characters are also clearly distinguishable from one another, and the designs are interesting. The only critique I have on that front is that you might want to make the eyes a little smaller, and like I said before, work on your proportions and the little details.
The last thing I'd mention is that, on the whole, I feel the writing is good. At times, it can be a little hackneyed, but those occasions are pretty rare. The story also looks pretty promising. Naturally, since there are so few pages, it's hard to say in any certain terms what it's gonna be like, or even if it'll turn out well, but I like the way it's going, and there's a lot of different directions you could take it in.

Anyway, good luck in the future; here's hopin' that the comic gets better over time, eh? Just have fun with it, man. Best advice I can give ya.

Thank you for taking the time to review my comic. I'm currently working on the points that you made, but thanks for mentioning them anyway. I appreciate that you gave a honest opinion as well. Thanks for the kind words, but don't be afraid of hurting peoples feelings; especially mine. Honest reviews will only help people to improve.