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After the first issue of "STEEL RAIN", there were going to be a few changes. Beginning in the 2nd issue
you would've seen some slightly updated costumes, some slightly aged characters, and a slight change in a hairdo or two. This
was due in part to the time lapse from the conception of the storyline to the actual publication date, during which I evolved
as an artist and a writer and found a lot of ways that I'd prefer to do things. More even than that was the fact that the
first issue was created entirely by hand. I didn't even own a computer until after I published! I only found myself with
access to a computer at the very tail end of production which came in handy for building the ads which I sold space for, marketing
materials, and finishing off the cover.
I recommend perusing the characters themselves first, if you're not already familiar with them, before reading on:
Here's what I had planned:
| Genex |
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Let's talk about the story. To start, here's the titles of the first 15 issues of "Steel Rain" (as they
were planned):
The Myriad
Play The Game
Welcome The Night
Hunter's Prey
Hunger
Streets of Blood
Comes The Storm
The Still
Thunderstruck
Hush, Little Babies...
Hell is for Children
Oh, Angel of Darkness
Retribution
Recoil
Troubleshooting
All of these (except #15) broke down into 3 major storylines (with a few back-up storylines happening simultaneously). They
started with the grim fellow to the right, "Genex" and "The Pack" in the storyline I called "The Wild" (issues 2-5) This involved
She-Wolf's seduction into a cult of werewolves (or so THEY believe). Meanwhile, Blockade and Silverstorm were cleaning up
Zach's neighborhood and his brother, Tom-Tom. Switchblade was busy cleaning up her life (including running into the man she
discovered her powers on).
The second was "The Shadows" which caught our group in the middle of a bloody battle for a legendary samurai sword between
an ancient guild of ninjas and the heavily armed Yakuza.
| Coil |
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The third (my crowning acheivement) was titled "The Evil Men Do" and involved the ultimate evil villain
(to your left), "Coil". Trust me, once you read this story, you'd agree (he was a child rapist/murderer). I researched pretty
deeply and darkly to develop this character, including interviewing a clinically diagnosed MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder).
Scary, huh?
I also intended to introduce more characters by this time, including "Piper", the Irish woodsman, "Renegade" the runaway ninja,
and "Aquamarine", the strangest mutant yet.
I also had plans for BlackStar's kids and BlackStar and She-Wolf's daughter.
This seems like the best place to give credit where credit is due, for my creations do not come from me alone. Genex was originally
created by John Jackson and Coil is the brain-child of Wolfgang Strangefellowe. I also give credit to a lot of other co-writers,
creators and general sounding boards, including: Janie Neil, Karen Bartles, Max Gilliam, Sarah Jackson, Heather Jackson, Rob
Vranich, Gil Bomberger, Shaney Smith, Amanda and Taryn Burt, Ember Judice, and my lovely wife, Laura.
The art of issue #2 and beyond was also going to be very different than the first issue. Remember, I did the entire first
issue by hand! Now, after having built this website, I thought I'd be using a little more technology. The second issue not
only had me using the computer for panels and lettering, but I'd altered the art style to make use of Photoshop shading, much
like you see in the stat sheets.
Again, in a way it was a pity it didn't at least make it a little further, but it was an accomplishment to at least publish
the first issue, and I have the memories of all these storylines to keep me company!
Thanks for reading!
-JayF
| More planned villains & comebacks! |
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| Left to right: Danser, Jackhammer, Stinger & Blackfrost |
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