Conception
When it came to deciding an idea for my Final Major Project, I began instantly gravitating towards the medium of comic books. Throughout the course I had become increasingly enamoured with the idea of illustration as a vehicle for narrative, and its use in conjunction with text. Prior to begin this project, I had developed comic adaptations of already-conceived stories, such as the short story Skin by Roald Dahl, but never for my own stories (picture).
Additionally, I had created illustrations for my own texts, but only in the form of a zine and a proposed illustrated book.
Whilst I felt as though both formats suited these outcomes, I had begun to realise that no medium surpassed the comic book when it came to the synchronised employment of text and imagery, as it truly employed the two in conjunction, rather than simply in addition, to one another. Whilst this approach, perhaps more than any other, would be extremely challenging and demanding, essentially requiring me to enact what would be several roles at industry level (writer, penciller, inker, colourist, letterer etc.), I also felt like it would be the most rewarding, being able to communicate a story in a far more immersive manner, and displaying a greater and more diverse skill set than stand alone illustration.
When it came to choosing a story, there were a few rough ideas floating around my head from which to choose from. By far the most developed of these was retell Arthurian legends, but to dispel the clichés of the genre and to reunite it with the Celtic mythology and Dark Age history which provided its original basis. Having recently created works of a folkloric and magical nature, I felt my such a story would be ripe for my style. Most Arthurian-based works are aborted from their origin, and are instead largely based on the later romances of writers such as Robert de Boron, Thomas Mallory, and Alfred Tennyson. Whilst it was the films, illustrations, and other media based on these romances that had inspired a life long infatuation with all things Arthurian, I felt a need to break the mould, and to use the story as a means of exploring wider historic and conceptual elements rather than repeating worn out romantic themes.
Furthermore, most attempts at a historically accurate retelling of the legends to date have been rife with inaccuracies and lazy mistakes, most likely down to poor research. Although the idea of a historically accurate narrative might sound far too tedious and academic to make for a captivating comic book, I wanted to retain an elements of the supernatural by adding a heavy dose of Welsh and Anglo-Saxon mythology to the narrative. Against the backbone of this setting, I could explore a variety of themes, from changing times, to changing peoples, to changing beliefs. With the popularity of Game of Thrones, Vikings, Last Kingdom and the like, I feel as though narratives of a fantastical and historical nature are currently in the zeitgeist, and such a comic would fit this milieu perfectly. In addition to creating a work that would be popularly enjoyable, I also feel as though exploring substantial elements, such as the history of the British people, is of great importance in times such as these and may be able to impart knowledge applicable to the modern day.