The long version

Hello, Dear Readers

I’m Karl Rosner also known as ‘Guardsman’ and I’m the guy who writes and illustrates Hegemonia.

Now I know what you’re going to say:

“Wait… Hegemonia updates? You’re kidding, it totally doesn’t, and you’re a lazy bastard. You update as often as rain in a desert!” And you would be right, as far as updates have gone this year.

So far, I’ve been a mediocre comic author or ‘mangaka’. But there is a reason, a very valid one, for the lack of updates. And no, I didn’t burn out on you guys. I’m afraid the situation was far more mundane than that.

You see I wrote the first story arch for Hegemonia in the fall of 2005, yes three years ago. Which, mathematically speaking, is one sixth of my 20 years. My ability to both draw and write comics has grown immensely over that time thanks to Hegemonia.

In truth I’ve grown so much I have come to look at my first attempts at manga with a strange type of self mocking humor. ‘Did I really draw that?’ I ask my self when I look at the first pages. But that, my friends, is a good thing. Knowing where I need to improve is critical.

I’ve come to realize that the first and most insightful critic I have is myself. Knowing what skills I lack and how to improve them though proper practice is key for me to become a better artist. This is why I started Hegemonia in the first place. It was, and continues to be, essentially an ongoing art project. In short, it was some thing to get me drawing.

So, the story arch I've been working with was written three years ago.  Its narrative, if I do say so, is total rubbish, and is the reason I haven't updated in four months.

So guys, look at it this way, I wrote the first story arch ‘which I’m still drawing’ over three years ago. The story, if I do say so, is total rubbish. Yes, that’s the reason I haven’t updated in four months.

Where the art is concerned, constant improvement is expected and can be implemented gradually. However, I can’t gradually change the story in the same way. There is a saying: ‘what’s done is done’ and I don’t like what has been ‘done’ in my story so far.

The writing isn’t succinct, the events are poorly executed and the dialogue relies on swearing to spice it up instead of just being spicy by its lone some.

So, where does that leave the comic and I? Lets take stock of it all…

Well, I have a cast of interesting characters who are extremely detailed. They possess their own intriguing pasts and have many tendencies and the faults that make them unique.

I also have a world that is original, broad in scope and yet still interesting. Furthermore I have the technical ablates to illustrate many different areas of that world, although perhaps in not as much detail as I wish.

As I see it, all of these reasons leave me in a good position to start over. Yes, a fresh start with the same characters. Perhaps a little different, definitely a costume change all around, (but no drastic changes). Voc’s hand won’t be coming back, and neither will Will cut his hair. Although I may reveal their real name…

But I haven’t finished yet, and there’s still a lot of work to do. Just like the news post said, expect the first page on July 1st.  It will come, and it will be better than anything I've done so far.

Stay Frosty.

Guardsman