jayroe

What’s up with Particle Sphere? The webcomic I started in 2001 and stopped working on circa 2004? Basically, I’m working on a script. It’s called Particle Sphere - Alpha and is the origin story for the main character, Particle. Following chapters will be named sequentially using the Greek alphabet: Beta, Gamma, Epsilon, and so on.

Why the delay? Well, for one… I’m slow. I’m a perfectionist and like to take my time on things, especially when I’m the one setting the timetable. The other major factor is my new job as Lead Web Designer/Developer at Perpetual Entertainment. My responsibilities there consume the bulk of my time and the move from Clinton, Mississippi, to San Francisco, California, was far from trivial.

My family and I have made it through the first year with a new job in a new state and hopefully 2007 will be a lot smoother. I take a commuter train to work everyday so I do have some free time that I have been using to chip away at a script for the comic. I am somewhat encouraged by the questions about Particle that come up from time to time when I talk to old friends. In fact, since we’ve been home for Christmas, I ran into a friend from my WorldCom days at the Thai House restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi, and he asked about the comic.

Since PS went on indefinite hiatus in late 2004 I have never really stopped working on it in some way or another. Sometimes I still sketch, still searching for an appropriate art style. However, most of my thought has gone into a script. So in the spirit of the season, here is the first, extremely rough draft of the prologue of Particle Sphere - Alpha…

At the edge of supermassive black hole a young woman in her early 20s with red, double-spiral curls is floating in space enclosed by a transparent, glowing electric blue bubble of light. A smaller red sphere hovers nearby preoccupied by various data displays.

Tech Reference: Super Massive Blackhole

PARTICLE: “I’ve lost everyone… why can’t I lose myself?”

PARTICLE: “Diary…”

A super-cute characterture of a diary appears. The pages open…

PARTICLE: “My father gave me eternal life…”

Words appear on the pages of the diary.

PARTICLE: “…whether I wanted it or not.”

PARTICLE: “Sphere, my ‘voice of reason,’ said I was being irrational… since there is no way in this universe to destroy me. Well…”

Particle shoots an icy stare over her shoulder at the spherical avatar. He is floating on the other side of the bubble of light that encloses them both. Despite his simplistic, emoticon face he appears deep in thought.

Sphere looks at one of the screens with dismay…

SPHERE: “Particle, two of our remotes have gone offline….”

PARTICLE: “…we’ll see about that!”

SPHERE: “What?”

Particle is looking straight “down” into the center of the black hole, in position like an Olympic diver, she leaps into the abyss…

Merry Christmas!

Will (cyb3rllama)