Comic:Breakdown
From CGWiki
| Breakdown | |
|---|---|
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| Artist: | Mercury Hat |
| Writer: | Mercury Hat |
| Characters: | Al, Blue |
| Updates: | Mon/Thur/Sat |
| Began: | September 11, 2006 |
| Ended: | |
| Art style: | Semi-realistic comic/cartoon |
| Rating: | Web-14 |
| Website | Website |
Breakdown is a comic by Mercury Hat which was started specifically for the purposes of joining the Lazy Grind Version 2.0 Unlike her previous now-dead sci-fi comic Gunmetal Annie, Breakdown has a light fantasy setting and theme. It will also be much shorter than Gunmetal Annie was intended to be, its projected length is around 150 to 200 pages.
Contents |
Quick Summary
While driving home one day, Alan Young suddenly found himself unaware of his current surroundings and barely even aware he'd been driving at all. Was it just a dream? Is he dreaming now? His uncertainty and impatience about his situation lead him on a journey as he tries to make sense of what's happening to him.
| Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. |
In-Depth Information
A good deal of the information here probably won't come up in the comic, but it might help to explain why things work the way they do.
The Characters
- Al - the main character of this story, he is 22 years old and is usually not prone to fits of hysteria.
- Blue - one of the four Guardians, he is an average-sized smokey grey cat with an English accent.
See the characters page for more detailed information.
The Landscape
The Landscape is the name of the world where the comic takes place and is where Al normally goes when he's dreaming. In a dreaming state, Al is inextricably connected to the world and can alter it however and whenever he chooses. In his current state, however, he holds no power over it and his bond is slowly becoming more like that of the Guardians.
The Sectors
The Landscape is divided into four sectors, each sector being supported by a Guardian and separated by a distinct barrier.
- First sector - This is Blue's area and is home to most of the Creatures in the Landscape. It is the smallest of the four.
- The Graveyard - The barrier between the first and second sectors and contains all the ghosts in the Landscape.
- Second sector - Charley is the Guardian of this sector and it is the
- The City - The barrier between the second and third sectors, it is the only densely populated and urban area in the entire Landscape.
- Third sector - This sector's Guardian is Noelle.
- The Mountains - A huge mountain range which serves as the barrier between the third and fourth sectors.
- Fourth sector - Michael, the Guardian, is the strongest of the four and he also supports the barriers.
The Hierarchy
The Landscape has a rigid hierarchy which ensures rules are followed and things flow correctly. From lowest to highest, it is:
- Creatures - normal animals as well as human-like spirits and apparitions.
- Citizens - normal people as well as sentient beings such as ghosts.
- Guardian - one of four beings who support parts of the Landscape with their energy. The Guardians are eternal and have always existed, they will only die when the Landscape does. They usually keep to themselves, the exception being Blue who always keeps an eye on Al when he visits.
- Privileged - one of three beings who maintain and distribute the knowledge of the world
- Interpreter - The Interpreter receives the information from the Watch Point, processes it, then sends it out to the other two privileged.
- Records Keeper - The Records Keeper writes down and stores all the information gained from the Interpreter.
- Fountain of Knowledge - The Fountain freely distributes information to any who ask.
- Watch Point - a mysterious figure existing at the edge of the Landscape in the fourth sector. The Watch Point knows everything there is to know about the Landscape and shares information with the Privileged. No one knows what he/she/it looks like or is and has thusly earned the nickname of the Spectre.
- Source - Al himself, although it really refers to when he's dreaming and in total control.
Extras and Trivia
- To reflect the fact that he has an English accent, Blue's dialogue is written with British English spellings whereas with Al American English is used.
- Back at its conception, the comic was originally intended to be an Alice in Wonderland type story, but that story was horrible and ended being completely changed. Al's name and the talking cat remained as a throwback to the original.
- Blue will sometimes change positions from panel-to-panel while Al remains stationary. This is both a play on the Cheshire Cat as well as the nature of cats in general.
