Some pages just come naturally, and fall totally into place the minute I imagine them.  This page was not quite that.  To be honest, it took me a long time to figure out how to draw this environment and make it look distinctly different from the Federate field hospital in Chapter 2.  I was also reluctant to do it at all because so many scenes have already taken place in hospitals – Major Bronniford has spent the majority of her screen time in critical condition so far.  But the moment was so poignant ad so crucial to developing Major Rucker’s character that I had to do it.

And frankly, it worked out pretty well.  I find it very interesting that so much expression can be had from, basically, two or three colors.  I get so carried away sometimes with what things “should” be colored that I forget how effective a very limited palette can be. Also, limited color scheme means faster drawing time.  So, you know, bonus.  And between that and some photos of a Bundeswehr trauma unit somewhere in Germany (don’t hold me to this, but I think it’s near Munich) which was very sleek, clean and high-tech, and this is what you have, a much more antiseptic, sterile and just slightly too orderly UNA hospital underground, in the lower levels of Command Post Alpha.  I was of two minds whether to bring back Chief Petty Officer Haakman to talk to Major Rucker here, or whether to have Captain DaCosta do it, but Haakman (like his namesake) strikes me as a more sympathetic type, and DaCosta would probably just slap Rucker around and try to snap him out of it, which, though amusing, would wreck the moment.

Anyhow, here we are, another week down.  We’re getting close to the New York Comic Convention, folks, and I hope some of you will be there.  I’m going to arrange some kind of secret handshake with which you can get yourself cool free 6-Commando stuff I’ll have with me.  I will also be running a contest that weekend for those who can’t be at NYCC, and so it will be a fun time for all, I hope.  True the doodads I have for you aren’t THAT big a deal, but whatever, it’s all for a good cause.

Anyhow, I realized that it’s been a while since I plugged any fellow cartoonists, and so I thought it might be cool to point you all at a comic I discovered a few days ago called Next Town Over, by Erin Mehlos.  I normally don’t dig fantasy or the supernatural in comics, but Erin has mixed the premise with Steampunk and the classic American Western in a way that I think is just awesome.  And the artwork is spectacular as well.  So I recommend you pay it a visit – I guarantee you will NOT be sorry.  Amerimanga or Vampire Trash this is NOT!

Anyway, that’s all for me for now.  Oh!  Except for one thing: last week was 6-Commando’s BEST WEEK EVER for readership!  Over 7000 hits on Monday alone!  So, yeah!  Hooray!  And welcome!  And if you’re new to the site and returning again this week, let me extend a personal invitation to comment and participate in the conversation here at 6-Commando, which is, for me, a huge part of the fun of doing this comic.  I hope you’ll also pass the link to friends, and help the site continue to grow!  You can do that, also, if you’re a hardcore comics buff, by following me on inkoutbreak.com (note the handy link at right), which some of you already are.  Actually, there are TWO listings for 6-Commando at the moment, and the webmaster there is trying to merge them.  But hey, the more the merrier.  And if you don’t know what inkoutbreak is, it’s basically a list and aggregator that lets you queue up comics you read in a convenient way, and link people you know to them through facebook and twitter.  True, I’m a bit of a social-media-skeptic (yes, I note the “k,” all you UK fans!) but if you want to help spread the word, it’s just one more convenient way to do it.

And NOW it is time to go.  Until next time, then, be well, folks!