Diahgo

Diahgo devs & Grinner demon

2009-05-25T19:38:00.002+01:00

Just some clothing developments for Diahgo, gonna try some more casual togs for him at some point.

Plus my first idea for the demon Diahgo meets early on. I've nicknamed it 'Grinner', though maybe I might need to make it a bit more obvious it's supposed to have a big grin on it's face. Also toyed about with giving it wing type appendages on it's forearms, I'm liking the clipped wings theme for the demons.

Sequential roughs 1

2009-03-22T00:58:00.003Z

First couple of pages sketched out.

Might be too much of a jump from the 'hands' to the 'falling' pages. Gonna have a play about with maybe adding a page to smooth it out.

Awakened faces

2009-03-09T20:24:00.004Z

Couple of pics to post today. First up are a few sketches of some 'Awakened' face ideas for Diahgo, not completely happy with any yet, though the more human ones do seem the way to go.

Second one is a go at a background, took a while for me to do this even with reference (used a pic of the Sheffield Parkway Tramline, you might find the pic I used if you google search!). So props to all those Manga artists out there that do really detailed backgrounds in their work!

The Watchmen

2009-03-05T12:27:00.005Z

I'm a big fan of Alan Moore's graphic novel, The Watchmen, not least because of the 'Tales of the Black Freighter' sub-story.

I hope they manage to reference it somewhere in the upcoming cinematic version, which if I am being honest, looks a little boombastic. It could just be the trailers, but I hope they haven't just made a poor-man's X-Men or token superhero film.

Yes, the story is about 'superheroes' in the broadest sense, but it's not really about explosions and good vs evil in my opinion. Hopefully plenty of time will be given to character development and interaction.

Here's a trailer in case you have missed it:

Character Focus - Ira

2009-03-04T10:41:00.002Z

Demonic Name: Ira
Real Name: Tobias
Status: Self-appointed leader of a band of Rogue/Lost Demons

I don't want to give too much away about this character, but it is safe to say that Ira is one of the main antagonists in the Diahgo story.

He is an incredibly powerful demon, noted for his physical strength,and is the embodiment of wrath. Owing to his status as one of the most powerful Rogue/Lost Demons, he leads a small band of other demons on a quest to discover the identities of, and kill, the Seven Holy Saints.

Although he has escaped from Hell (and as such, is considered an outcast), Ira still has the ear of several Hell Generals and high ranking demons, who all secretly share his belief that Satan has pandered to religious democracy for too long and has grown weak and weary at the prospect of another Holy War.

Ira and his comrades share the belief that disrupting the Righteous Balance by killing the Saints will allow Hell to invade Earth and overthrow Heaven. Ira has designs on appointing himself overlord of this 'unified' kingdom.

Rogue/Lost Demons
Demons who have escaped Hell with the intention of ending their eternal suffering, killing humans or occupying Earth. Some are mistaken in their belief that they will be able to gain entry into Heaven.

Concepts

2009-03-02T20:46:00.004Z

Concept for a possible awakened state for Diahgo, I was thinking wings of light rather than physical ones. Also considering an all black version with either white or red highlights, I'll be playing about a bit.

Demon and Diahgo concepts

2009-02-26T21:08:00.006Z

Quick post now that I've got some new hardware to work on!

Just a concept for Diahgo and a demon, the demon is a tweak of a previous concept that I sketched a few weeks ago. I'll post it up along with all my other sketches that I did on paper once the new scanner arrives.

Trying to avoid any Manga cliches of mega spikey hair and pointy looking demons (though I did try some of those in earlier sketches). Went for a 'tortured' look to this demon design, sort of to say maybe they weren't always like this, maybe they just became twisted somewhere down the line.

With Diahgo, Paul and me were liking the idea of short hair, looks modest and down to earth. Still need to look into possible symbols/signs I can work into his design, but I think I'll do that once I've done some clothing developments for him.

The Religious Parliament

2009-02-26T16:42:00.004Z

The Religious Parliament, not exactly a catchy name but it will do until I think of something better.

A bit of background on this organisation.

It was initially formed (in an embryonic state) in the late 1400s by the monk Eliphas on his death bed. After requesting an audience with Heaven and negotiating the the creation of 7 Holy Saints to protect mankind, the Religious Parliament was formed to ensure accountability on both sides.

For humans, this meant the upholding of the seven virtues and a responsibility to protect people from the threat of Lost Demons. For Heaven, parliament gave them both an earpiece and mouthpiece on Earth. This was important for the kingdom as angelic intervention with humans was expressly forbidden owing to humanities right to free will.

It's at this point that the Righteous Balance was first introduced. Holy Saints would only use their abilities to protect Earth and Heaven would ensure that after each set of 7 saints had served their required term (106 years), 7 more virtuous people would be appointed and bestowed with the power of angels through the Grand Réveil' (Great Awakening) process.

To give you an idea of the functions of the modern day Religious Parliament, issues that are regularly debated include:

Reclassification of sins
Media coverage of sins and religion in general
Government Acts concerning religion
A decline of religious beliefs owing to the rise of technology
Holy wars being waged
Rogue/Lost demon attacks
The Righteous Balance in general (this is discussed in more detail when the time comes to appoint new Saints and Hell Generals)

Demonic representation was introduced in the 17th Century. Each of the three 'parties' has a representative (similar to an MP) and an advisor. For Heaven (The Angelic Council) and Hell (The Horde) this advisor is a human they have appointed through democratic means. Similarly, the representatives are elected through a voting system in each kingdom.

The world in which Diahgo is set takes in an alternative history view, but many things aside from religion are essentially the same. Whilst the general public does not fully comprehend the notion of angels and demons existing, there is still a place for all major religions.

However, despite individual and group beliefs, there is only one Heaven and one Hell; those represented in the Religious Parliament.

Gustave Dore

2009-02-24T10:44:00.006Z

Trying to communicate the 'vision' of the story in your own head to someone else is quite a challenging task. Hence the reason why I regularly bombard Lock with images and descriptions that match the overall mood I have in mind for Diahgo.

Gustave Dore, a French artist and engraver, illustrated many famous books & poems, including The Tempest, Divine Comedy, The Raven and Paradise Lost.

His depictions of devils, angels and humans convey a real depth of character. Maybe it's the heavy shades, but most of his 'subjects' look like they have incredible burdens to bear.

I've put together a short gallery below and whilst I'm not overly keen on creating the neo-gothic literature you would normally associate these images with, I like the dark moods and feelings of contemplation/emotion evoked in Dore's illustrations.

I've also had a sneak peek at some of Lock's character sketches, and they look extremely promising - something a bit different.

Isamu Noguchi

2009-02-23T15:13:00.004Z

Anyone interested in sculpture or art in general should definitely check out the work of artist and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi. For those of you in the UK, some of Noguchi's work is on display at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield until May. I managed to go last summer and was really impressed, especially with the furniture that lined the exhibits in the Underground Gallery.

In the gift shop you can buy some exclusive prints of his renowned Akari lamps on washi paper. (sorry about the small image - I searched high and low) They would look brilliant on my wall at home, so I may have to make the short trek up the M1 to buy one.

Isamu Noguchi

A little bit of background info on the great man

Character Focus - Jonas Mansing

2009-02-23T11:30:00.008Z

Name: Father Jonas Mansing
Occupation: Newly ordained Parish Vicar.
Parish: Located on the outskirts of Sheffield, SoYo
Honours: Theology degree from Cambridge.
Just completed two years study at
Ridley Hall ordination training college.
Application to the Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO) supported by: Father Henric Wakefield.

Jonas Mansing has recently taken over a small parish church on the outskirts of the city. Mild-mannered and composed, on the outside he portrays an unwavering faith in God. This gives him a resolve and strength of character that he freely acknowledges was lacking before.

However, he has internal conflicts over his faith, fearing it is merely a crutch to help him through his day-to-day existence, rather than a purely held belief.

His own parish vicar, Henric Wakefield, supported his application for ordination just over 2 years ago.

About the Name
The original Hebrew version of the name means Dove - a peace symbol. I actually chose this name when I got the Weezer song 'My Name is Jonas' stuck in my head!

The surname Mansing has no real background, I just liked how it sounded.

The Order of Eliphas

2009-02-23T08:23:00.009Z

Some background on one of the main organisations in the story, the Order of Eliphas.

Background
Founded in 1416 by a monk known only as Eliphas, the Order were originally a group of seven men who travelled Europe performing missionary work, offering medical services and schooling for the poor - all without payment. In return, they would ask the recipients to spread the word of their doctrine; "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which provided a true insight into nature, the physical universe and the spiritual realm.

It is rumoured that the Order were also involved in supernatural incidents, preventing or repelling demonic attacks on Earth. As their identities were never revealed, the 7 Brothers of the Order are often consigned to folklore or legend - with communities in many European countries perpetuating the myth that they were in fact Guardian Angels or Holy Saints.

The Righteous Balance
The Righteous Balance, an equilibrium between the Holy Kingdom, Humanity and Hell, has been in existence for nearly 600 years.

On his deathbed, the last surviving member of the Order of Eliphas requested an audience with the angels. To further protect humanity they established the Righteous Balance, a means of ensuring that humans could live without fear of demonic attack.

Since angelic and demonic intervention with humans was expressly forbidden - going against humanities right to free will, Heaven agreed to bestow seven humans with the power of angels, and in return, they would uphold the 7 virtues on Earth; Chastity (Castitas), Temperance (Temperare), Charity (Caritas), Diligence (Industria), Patience (Patientia), Kindness (Humanitas), Humility (Humilitas).

To ensure that this agreement remained mutually beneficial, a religious parliament was formed. Heaven appointed members to a newly formed body, the Angelic Council, who would monitor the 7 'Holy Saints' of Earth and represent the Holy Kingdom in parliament.

Over time the Order and Angelic Council extended an olive branch to demons, giving them the right to representation in parliament and certain democratic rights in exchange for controlling demonic activity on Earth and reducing the threat of rogue or Lost Demons.

As Hell was overflowing with sinners and cases of Lost Demons were escalating, the demons accepted and formed a parliamentary body of their own, The Horde.

After a period of relative peace, in which the demons appeared to be controlling rogue activity, they requested help in controlling the overflowing Hell kingdoms. The religious parliament concluded that allowing Hell to be governed by 7 Generals would further reduce the threat to mankind, thus, Hell appointed 7 demons to rule the sin Kingdoms (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy & Pride).

In modern times, the Righteous Balance has now come to mean the equilibrium achieved through the existence of 7 Saints on Earth and 7 Generals controlling Hell. The Diahgo story takes place just as that balance appears to be shifting.

About the name
The Order and its founder, Eliphas, are both named after Alphonse Louis Constant, or Eliphas Lévi as he was known, a 19th Century French occult author and magician.

Their backstory is inspired by the supposed feats of Christian Rosenkreuz and his a secret society of mystics, the Order of the Rose Cross.

Chararcter Focus - Diahgo

2009-02-20T11:31:00.005Z

Thought I'd try and give a bit more detail on the main protagonist of the story, Diahgo Rosenkreuz, without any story spoilers.

As far as a physical description goes, it's a little vague at the moment:
Height: 6' 1'
Weight: 77kg
Age: (in appearance) late 20s/early 30s
Actual age: late 60s
Slim, athletic build, with dark features and the signs of age, mental & physical demands taking their toll. World-weary would be an apt phrase to describe him.
Status: Holy Saint
Addictions: Prescription drugs for anxiety and paranoia

Whilst Diahgo is a man in the physical sense, he has actually undergone a process known as a 'Grand Réveil' (Great Awakening). You could say this is a similar process to canonisation, in which a person is recognised by the Christian Church as a Saint.

What this means is that during the late 1960s, Diahgo performed an act deemed significantly virtuous (more on the 7 virtues later) that it was brought to the attention of the Angelic Council and the Order of Eliphas (more on both of those later too). He is then subject to the Grand Réveil process, which grants him certain abilities and also extends his life by 106 years (hence the explanation of his appearance).

About the Name

Diagho's name features several nods to real-world people and situations. For instance, Diahgo is a modified version of Diago/Diego from the saint of the same name - Santiago.

Rosenkreuz was also the surname of famous occultist and proto-freemason Christian Rosenkreuz.

Diahgo at the start of the story

At the start of the story, Diahgo undergoes a 'Fall from Grace', which literally means his expulsion from Heaven and a revoking of the canonisation process. Therefore his powers/abilities and also his memories of Heaven, Angels, Demons, Hell and other Saints have been erased. What's interesting (for me at least) is that he has reverted back to his 'former' self, who was a man unconcerned with religion and how it affected his life.

The story will hopefully paint a vivid picture of a man who is torn between his 'true' feelings of agnosticism/atheism, and his 'duties' as a Saint.

Of course, I'll also explore the reasons why Diahgo has fallen from grace, but they will become apparent as the story unfolds.

Characteristics

A Saint who isn't sure if he believes in angels or demons - a crisis of faith.
Has committed an act that has seen him discommunicated from Heaven.
Questions how demons can exist when he is firm in his agnostic/atheist beliefs. Is what he sees with his own eyes the truth, or a delusion?
Takes prescription drugs for panic attacks and anxiety.
Unaware that he has an angelic gift.
Finds it hard to ascertain what is real in the world around him.
As a result, finds it hard to build relationships or empathise/sympathise.

Dig the Style

2009-02-19T19:16:00.005Z

Currently not able to post up any sketches till I sort out a new scanner.

Though I have been thinking about using a lot of black when it comes to drawing the finished Manga, which may make my life easier while looking bad ass moody.

Saw this this trailer for Tailenders a while back, which uses a lot of heavy shadow,looks awesome!

It's from Innovation Tokyo, they have some interesting projects in the works.

http://anime-innovation.jp/index_en.html

Location inspiration

2009-02-19T10:42:00.013Z

After a brief email discussion with Lock last night, I started to consider the location of the manga in more depth.

I wanted to see if I could find any images of my city, Sheffield, that matched the mood I hoped to create. Why do a bad job of setting your manga in Japan when there is so much on your doorstep! Here are some I found:

Kenji Kawai - On Parting

2009-02-18T22:28:00.003Z

Probably my favourite scene from any anime ever!

Of course it's taken from the excellent Patlabor 2 movie. Kenji's score completely makes this for me with those lovely, lovely synths.

Character Names v1

2009-02-18T14:09:00.007Z

I'll finish off today with a look at some of the main character names. I've tried to give them a European flavour and some have religious or mythical connotations:

Diahgo Rosenkreuz
Ira (Latin for the sin Wrath)
Jonas Mansing
Dinius Faust
Eliphas

Superbia (Pride)
Avaritia (Greed)
Luxuria (Lust)
Invidia (Envy)
Gula (Gluttony)
Acedia (Sloth)

Storyline & Inspiration

2009-02-18T12:07:00.010Z

The storyline for Diahgo is influenced by various aspects of religious theology, most prominently different forms of Christianity and Rosicrucian teachings.

That's not to say that I am religious in any way (I am not) but I happened to stumble upon some interesting aspects of 'recognised' religion and the occult and thought blending aspects of the two (using a dash of imagination!) might make for an interesting story.

Conversely, I also had in the back of my mind the notion of a decline in religious followers and beliefs owing to a rise in science and technology, and this will be one of the key tenants of the Diahgo manga.

Agnosticism, theism and atheism will also play an important role for several major characters.

I'll try and give some specific examples of inspiration in later posts.

Welcome to the Diahgo Manga Project

2009-02-18T11:29:00.001Z

Hello and welcome to what will hopefully be a long-running series of posts on our manga-inspired project, tentatively known as Diahgo (pronounced dee-ahh-go).

The team is comprised of myself as writer and artist Lock.

I'll be bringing you updates on the story, background information on the characters, settings and inspiration behind the manga, while Lock will post sketches, ideas and hopefully some sequential art. Unfortunately for him, doing the backgrounds, toning etc... requires a lot more time than simply bashing out a few words. Unlucky mate!

We'll also probably throw in our own views on the latest manga, anime, graphic novels and anything else that we find interesting.

Thanks for your interest