A short story break

Hey folks,

I yanked a story that I had posted because I realized that it was TOO similar to a short story by Joe Sacco. Apologies to everyone and especially to Sacco. I hope this other short story will make up for it.

I'm planning to turn this into a comic. So all the visual details will be handled by the illustrations. Let me know what you think and don't pull any punches.

Best and enjoy,
Frank

PS. You can find me also at:
myspace.com/illjodienda

A WARRIOR TO BE

Once, there was a young girl named Iliana who wanted to become a warrior. The day came that she was old enough to go in search of her path. Iliana kissed her loved one: her friends, her mother, father, and younger brother. With their consent and blessings, she went out into the forest.

As she walked through the forest, Iliana’s mind began to wander. Warriors were respected throughout the land. Their adventures were the staple of the country. She remembered her uncle who was a great warrior. She loved to hear his tales of wonder and excitement and conquest.

Part of Iliana’s vocation required that she live in the forest. After much traveling, she became friends with some of the creatures that made the forest their home. Their names were Bien, Lora, and Dena. With their help, Iliana was able to make a home of her own amongst the trees. She told her new friends stories of how she will one day be a great warrior and have great adventures to share with everyone. Her friends were delighted. ‘One day, my brother too will be a great warrior. I’ll train him myself,’ the young girl told the creatures. The creatures made blankets for the young girl.

The young Iliana was to wait for a warrior to pass by and ask them to train her. Many warriors passed: some were not interested in training her, others she found to be too proud, and others still were in the middle of their own adventures.

Disappointed, Iliana climbed up the tree and looked out into the vast empty forest. Her friends gathered around her. ‘Don’t worry,’ they told her, ‘your day will come.’
Bien, Lora and Dena helped her stay warm through the upcoming winter and led her to the great places to play during the spring.

About a year later, Iliana saw a shadow in the distance. She climbed down the tree as the figure grew larger. By the way he walked, she knew that this would be a warrior. His stride was strong and determined. His armor shined in the sunlight and his weapons were imposing. He was obviously one of the northern tribesmen. The tribe of the north were well known and highly respected as warriors. Iliana had seen many warriors such as him pass by so she wasn’t greatly impressed.

When the warrior got close, he called out her name. She looked at him as he took off his mask. It was Raul, an old friend of hers. They hugged and exchanged greetings. ‘I was in far east. I’m just returning home,’ the young Raul said.

‘I’m looking for someone who’ll train me to be a great warrior,’ Iliana exclaimed.
The young man gladly offered to train her to which she promptly accepted.
‘Get some rest,’ Raul said. ‘We begin early tomorrow. Be prepared.’

After the warrior left, she climbed back into the tree. Iliana told her friends the good news. They were happy for her and bid her a good night. That night she slept happily.

The next morning as the sun began to rise, the young Iliana climbed down the tree. In the horizon, the young warrior Raul approached.

His face was stern revealing very little warmth to the young girl. He handed her a short sword and a sheath. She slid the sheath through her belt and followed the warrior into the forest.

They reached a clearing when the warrior suddenly swung his sword at her. Iliana fell back. The tip of his blade floated before her eyes.

‘First lesson,’ he said before putting his sword away. She stood up and scowled at him. ‘Good,’ he smirked. Turning around, Raul continued to walk into the forest.

They walked for miles. The girl began to lose confidence in her warrior friend.

Coming to a small watering hole, he stopped and got behind some rocks. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down. Peering over the rocks, Raul whispered ‘there’s our target.’ Iliana raised her head slightly but he pulled her back. ‘You’re going to ruin everything,’ he hissed.

‘Stay here,’ he said. Crouching, he eased his way around the rocks and towards the top of the watering hole. The young girl kept her eyes on her friend. She was proud and grateful that he was her mentor.

Reaching the top, the young man slowly pulled out his blade and locked his eyes on the water below. His hands gripped the hilt; his body lowered like a feline. The excitement flushed through the Iliana. The warrior quietly leaped into the air, swung his sword above his head and as he descended brought the edge between his legs. ‘WHOOOSH!!!’

The girl rushed to the edge and saw blood racing through the water. The young warrior smiled at her as he held his sword in one hand and the other below the water. ‘We got a good one,’ Raul smiled. Iliana grinned. Lifting his hand from the water, the young warrior pulled out the body of Dena, one of the girl’s forest friends. The girl’s chest sank. The warrior approached her. Sliding the sword back into his sheath, Raul the warrior said ‘with this one we can make a good pair of gloves for you and a arm band. Their teeth make excellent arrow-tips.’ With each step the young warrior took, the girl sank deeper into the bloody water. Standing beside her, he dropped the body beside her.

‘As my apprentice, you get the honor of preparing it,’ commanded the warrior as he walked pass her. Raul walked several steps then turned to see her still sitting by the water’s edge.

‘I don’t have all day. There’s much more you have to learn if you want to be a great warrior,’ he barked.

Iliana stared at the water.

‘Pick him up and let’s get on with it,’ Raul the warrior yelled.

Iliana’s hands were clasped on her lap. Her face was shallow and fragile.

Her body which was once agile and strong looked as if could be scattered by a simple breeze.

Annoyed, the young warrior Raul walked back into the forest. ‘Such is the way of the warrior,’ were the last words he spoke before disappearing into the forest.
And there the young Iliana sat, her body partially submerged in the paralyzing water.

Copr. Frank Reynoso, 2006

MySpace

Hey folks,

If you wanna hook up, you can catch me at:

myspace.com/illjodienda

-Frank

Illo for $pread magazine

Self-explanatory.

http://spreadmagazine.org/

Octoratty

This is an illo that I did tonight for a publication. It's very much in the vein of stuff that I'm drawing now. Take a look at Chester. :)

Aw Chester

While listening to a podcast, I drew this guy. I don't know who he is or why his body is exploding but I like him. I might use him for a comic eventually...

Another page from a comic

This is the second penciled-page from the comic.

Sample of a comic

This is a penciled page from a comic I'm working on.

Here's some schmoe

This is a dude I have in a comic that I'm working on.

Back online and keeping at it

Hey folks,

Got my internet back finally. I've been working on a bunch of stuff for the SPX convention in Maryland. This is a story that I wrote and penciled last week. I don't know what to do yet with the background but I have an idea. Enjoy.

Note: The name Heathen is just a tentative title. In fact, the name Heathen has nothing to do with the story. I was drawing some characters for another comic.

News: Due to some technical difficulties, I'm putting the GE book on the backburner. Rather than try to fix the problem right now, I'd rather focus on something that I can do for SPX.

A spot illustration for the Indypendent

This will accompany a film review on Indymedia.
www.indypendent.org

An icon for a new column in The Indypendent

There's going to be a regular column on tenant's rights, written by Bennett Baumer.
www.indypendent.org

No internet access for a while...

Hey folks,

I moved to a new apartment in Brooklyn and therefore temporarily have no internet access.
:(
I hope to get it well before the end of the month.

-Frank

Watercolor headed

Practicing some more with watercolor.

Sample of comix 'On Relations Between Bodies'

After trying a bunch of ways of inking the comix and looking to Ted McKeever and Will Eisner's work for some inspiration, I think I got something that I like.

Spot illustration for the Indy

Here's the finish of the illustration for the Indypendent. I had posted the pencils before but obviously forgot to put the finish... :)

Cover for WIN Magazine

The War Resisters League is revamping the design of their publication and changing it's name to WIN magazine. Here's the cover I did for their first issue.
http://www.warresisters.org/

Here's Screwy!!!

This is Screwy the lightbulb. He's going to be the main character in the GE book. Cute little rascal. But be careful: his name's not Screwy for nothing. :)

A book on General Electric

I've thinking about this book for a long. [About 4 years.] It's only now that I've gotten the perfect subject matter to make the whole thing come together: General Electric. Here is a sample of my rendention of 'Neutron' Jack Welch. Needless to say, I didn't have to caricaturize him much. Just google his name and see for yourself.

Sketch for Embassy Cable spot illo for Indypendent

The body of the illo will filled with solid black. This is where the text will go.

Latest Buenas Noches sample...

I forgot that I have this sample too.