Author’s Notes, 04/12/20
Hello! While I’m aware this adventure is still very small, there are a few things I believe should be answered before going forward, as this story is immensely important to me, and I dearly wish for it to be understood why I’m doing things a certain way. That, and some questions I thought might be interesting!
1. How many people are on the Bunklocked team?
As of this post, just the one! Hi, I’m Eppi, I use they/them, my favourite colour is pink, and I will be the one dragging you kicking and screaming through this tale! I do hope to get some help eventually, mostly with music, (This is not a call for offers of assistance), but for the time being, I’m the one writing, drawing, and hopefully, animating!
2. Are all the characters adults?
Due to the content in the comic, such as violent, and non-graphic sexual content, all characters shown in Bunklocked (with the exception of background characters and flashbacks), are over the age of 18. The youngest of the main cast (currently yet to be shown), is 19. If you need clarification on anything, there’s the characters page!
(NOTE: As I, the author, am British, the drinking age in this comic is 18, rather than 21)
3. Why are all of the characters gender identities and sexualities explicitly stated rather than being left to be learnt organically?
While these characters are members of a public story now, they used to simply be my OCs, and have been set identities for a LONG time, quite frequently for personal reasons. While I do hope to gain a following, that comes with the knowledge of headcanons maybe being a thing, and while I can’t wait to see them if they come, it would make me extremely uncomfortable to see characters always intended to be lesbian, gay, bi, trans, nonbinary, asexual, etc, portrayed in a way that goes against that intention. In addition, I hope to include blatant, undeniable representation in my work where I can, and this seemed like the cleanest way of doing it.
4. How long is Bunklocked intended to last?
A WHILE. The story I have planned is quite expansive, and as I’m working alone, it should be running for a good while. I can’t make an estimate, as life happens, but it should be updating for a good while into the future.
5. Are Proxarian trolls different from Alternian trolls?
While I intend to go into this more thoroughly in the comic, they are fundamentally the same species, but without as rigid regimentation of castes leading to a heightened population and normalisation of mutants, presenting in blood colours (see the mutant bronze post-troll on page 17), abilities (Astria’s psychic abilities, first seen on page 20, despite her being an oliveblood), appearance, and lifespans. So yes, they are different, but with a common ancestor, so to speak.
6. What program do you make the panels in?
Paint Tool Sai 2! I use a Huion 1060p with a pw100 pen :)
7. Have you read any other fan adventures?
Act Omega and Keshastuck are the only two I’ve ever read. I feel this is important to clarify as I am worried that there may be some overlap with other fan adventures that I’m ignorant to, but I say this now, with full confidence, there are no intentional parallels or intentional content inspired by, taken from, or copied from another fan adventure. Any similarities to existing fan adventures is purely coincidence.
8. If you were to give this an age rating, what would you give it?
16+. While there will be no graphic sexual content to earn it an 18+, there will be sexual language and non-explicit situations, so I wouldn’t be comfortable giving it anything lower, not to mention considerable blood and some mild gore. If you’re concerned about content in the comic, there is a trigger warning page, and I will be putting content warnings in the update posts here. Please act wisely and be aware of your own comfort.
9. Official update schedule?
As I’m doing this single-handedly, unpaid, and while studying, it’s unlikely to get much more frequent than it is right now, but I try to update weekly, on weekends! Though if I’m carried along to making enough panels to constitute an update, I may bang on out when I feel like it.
10. Favourite character?
She hasn’t been officially introduced yet, but pyrotechnicJusticiar, though Astria was my first ever fantroll so I’ll always have a soft spot for her.
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And I think that’s about everything! If there’s ever any questions you have, feel free to send me them here and I shall answer to the best of my ability.