.Journey to the centre of Dinosaur Valley! -- Chapter Three

Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (031) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (32) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (33) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (34) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (35) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (36) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (37) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (38) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (39) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (40) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (41) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (42) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (43) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (44) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (45) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (46) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (47) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (48) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (49) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (50) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (51) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (52) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (53) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (54) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr
Journey to the centre of dinosaur valley (55) by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr

Whopper of a title, mate.

ActionYankee wrote:

Whopper of a title, mate.

These kids today, posting from their phones.

- - - - -

Journey to the Centre of Dinosaur Valley - Issue 003

Excellent cover illustration! Your agents are armed and ready. Cool outfits on both of them, with all the canvas straps and things.

p29 - Great first panel with Jake moving through the paddock, heavily armed and equipped with backpack and bedroll.

"Because I can see your potential." And because the dinosaurs will eat the slowest runner first, giving the rest of us a better chance to escape!

P30 - Good character development, picking up from last ish; reinforcing that Poppy is the newest member of the squad and is still somewhat lacking in confidence. Effective sense of movement as the characters draw physically closer together and then apart again through the three panels. Fun reference to MiskatonicNick's Professor Challenger/Professor Champion scenes.

Here's a link for those who may not be familiar:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/toyville/albums/72157632826641646

P31 - A "filmic" shift of scene from Poppy and Jake to Jenna and Redbox. Good visual "matching action" from panel to panel, a cinematography technique that also applies to non-moving visual storytelling.

That weapon Jenna is packing is certainly highly detailed. I like the cascade of the jungle foliage behind Redbox.

p32 - Ooh! Carlos speaks! And his first utterance is a taunt. Teeg is one cool customer, not rising to the bait at all; indeed, partly agreeing before shrugging off the comment about the turncoat. Teegan is obviously versed in the art of "verbal judo." Plus, he realizes that this is not the time for heated exchanges or distractions.

Something apparently caught Harley's attention, enough for her to raise her weapon. Or maybe she's just checking the sights. Or maybe she's already getting edgy, and trying to cover it up with a laugh.

p33 - No nonsense Jenna. She doesn't have time for Redbox and his pandering. Redbox, though, continues trying to draw her out, cold and calculating as always.

P34 - The forest foliage grows thicker! Very cool settings and camera angles here as Jake and Poppy move through the temple ruins. Excellent combination of the plants, the stone backdrops, the carved foam blocks, and the fencing to create an intriguingly mysterious sense of abandonment. Plus, we get a little bit of info about how BAM-HQ works as a "Black Ops" unit. Convenient to have Poppy along so Jake , in explaining things to her, is also explaining things to the reader in a believable manner.

p35 - Couldn't help but notice how picturesque those crossed straps look on Poppy. Good to see her in action, doing her job as a reporter/photo-journalist, documenting the expedition. Again, the increasingly dense foliage merits mention... because it looks so cool!

p36 - Oh, how clever! Mechanical film camera, because of the electronic "dead zone." Of course! I like the sense of depth in the fourth panel, the "as long as nothing goes wrong" panel. Yes, let's hope Teegan is right... but we know better than to believe it!

p37 - Aha! Treachery is afoot! Loving all the gear: backpacks and various essentials for everybody! You must have done some serious rummaging in the storage tubs to pull out enough kit to outfit all these figs! (I only have one backpack!)

p38 - "Voices? What voices?" Haaa ha ha ha ha! Great, just great! A psychopath is on the squad! This line takes me back...

... to this: http://www.puuikibeach.com/images/figurvore/bf2.jpg

Sorry, I digress....

p39 - Fun series of character portraits in these panels. And we get a little bit of a laugh from Carlos and his reaction to Harley, easing up on the tension just a bit... for the moment.

p40 - Excellent pics of Jake, on high alert, probing deeper in to the valley. While he looks alert, his racing mind could prove a distraction, as could his growing confidence about their pace through the jungle. Funny line about Lord Conan.

p41 - Oooh! That third panel, with Carlos and then Teegan in the distant background, is an excellent pic! So is the fourth pic, with Harley, and the pillar of stone rising up within the ruins, and the dense jungle backdrop. It does seem like Jake is perhaps being a bit imprudent in pressing on so far ahead by himself.

p42 - Good to know that Teegan is keeping a careful eye on Redbox and Harley. Don't know if he can hear what they're saying, but he can see the way they're saying it!

p43 - Interesting conversation these two are having. Teegan is clever, planting the tiniest seeds of doubt in Carlos' mind about Redbox. We also learn that Carlos has a bit of an ego. Is this a strength, or a weakness? Is it a tool that Jake's team might eventually use to their favor? Good character building, however it turns out. Great posing and use of the set here to create visual interest while the conversation is unfolding.

p44 - Wow! That was a jolt! Even in printed form! Nicely done!

p45 - Training kicks in! Great running shot of Poppy!

p46 - The "clear" panel, is action-packed and tense! Instant reaction from Carlos. We see that, good or bad, the guy knows his stuff! What th'...? What is he doing here? How did he get here, this deep in the valley? Who was shooting? Fives? Or was somebody shooting at Fives? Is he hit? Is it fatal? Questions questions questions! Exciting stuff!

p47 - Uh huh, sure you don't, Redbox!

p48 - Love that pic of Jake facing off with Redbox, grabbing him by the lapel! So much tension! It's almost like I can hear their actual voices, this scene is so well handled!

p49 - Jake is not happy about this! But they're so deep into the valley now, what choice is there but to press on! Well, actually, there is a choice, but as established in the previous issues, Jake has a bit of an obsession. He sees now that Redbox might be working up to a double-cross, but he chooses to continue. Let's hope he does not regret that decision. Hard to say what Carlos is thinking. Looks like he's trying to figure this out as well. Did he know Fives would be here? Or is this a surprise to him, too? We know he expected to be in contact with Fives, but did Carlos know that Fives would be joining them? Well, this balances out the numbers, so Jake's team no longer has a personnel advantage.

p50 - Cool! Yeah, uhm, maybe not so cool to let Redbox and his entire crew get together up ahead with nobody to keep tabs on them.

p51 - Cool pics in the confab, here. You manage to mix Joe/VAM type figures with TBL figures... seamlessly! I think Jake's extremely lifelike "lifelike hair and beard" (as it was called in the States) helps. Mostly it's the way you have all the figures kitted out similarly, so there are no distracting differences in their uniforms. Also the believable posing of all the figures. The way you post the far background figures - Teegan and Poppy in these pics - has been visually engaging throughout the story.

p52 - There we go, lost the "tactical advantage of numbers." Excellent wrap-up to this installment, teasing us with mysteries ahead, setting up conflict between the two teams, and making us want to see more!

Historical reference: https://flickr.com/photos/toyville/7646765018

(I had not looked at those pics from Nick in a long time. I think I'm seeing the inspiration for Jake's study! And I very much appreciate your efforts to keep Toyville alive and thriving!)

Wow! This episode was really, really impressive! So many amazing photos! You must have been fully "in the zone" as you were setting up these shots, as there is a sense of "total immersion" about them, pulling the viewers deep in to the scenes!

ActionYankee wrote:

Whopper of a title, mate.

, well all sorted now

SCU_HQ wrote:

ActionYankee wrote:

Whopper of a title, mate.

These kids today, posting from their phones.

- - - - -

Journey to the Centre of Dinosaur Valley - Issue 003

Excellent cover illustration! Your agents are armed and ready. Cool outfits on both of them, with all the canvas straps and things.

p29 - Great first panel with Jake moving through the paddock, heavily armed and equipped with backpack and bedroll.

"Because I can see your potential." And because the dinosaurs will eat the slowest runner first, giving the rest of us a better chance to escape!

P30 - Good character development, picking up from last ish; reinforcing that Poppy is the newest member of the squad and is still somewhat lacking in confidence. Effective sense of movement as the characters draw physically closer together and then apart again through the three panels. Fun reference to MiskatonicNick's Professor Challenger/Professor Champion scenes.

Here's a link for those who may not be familiar:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/toyville/albums/72157632826641646

P31 - A "filmic" shift of scene from Poppy and Jake to Jenna and Redbox. Good visual "matching action" from panel to panel, a cinematography technique that also applies to non-moving visual storytelling.

That weapon Jenna is packing is certainly highly detailed. I like the cascade of the jungle foliage behind Redbox.

p32 - Ooh! Carlos speaks! And his first utterance is a taunt. Teeg is one cool customer, not rising to the bait at all; indeed, partly agreeing before shrugging off the comment about the turncoat. Teegan is obviously versed in the art of "verbal judo." Plus, he realizes that this is not the time for heated exchanges or distractions.

Something apparently caught Harley's attention, enough for her to raise her weapon. Or maybe she's just checking the sights. Or maybe she's already getting edgy, and trying to cover it up with a laugh.

p33 - No nonsense Jenna. She doesn't have time for Redbox and his pandering. Redbox, though, continues trying to draw her out, cold and calculating as always.

P34 - The forest foliage grows thicker! Very cool settings and camera angles here as Jake and Poppy move through the temple ruins. Excellent combination of the plants, the stone backdrops, the carved foam blocks, and the fencing to create an intriguingly mysterious sense of abandonment. Plus, we get a little bit of info about how BAM-HQ works as a "Black Ops" unit. Convenient to have Poppy along so Jake , in explaining things to her, is also explaining things to the reader in a believable manner.

p35 - Couldn't help but notice how picturesque those crossed straps look on Poppy. Good to see her in action, doing her job as a reporter/photo-journalist, documenting the expedition. Again, the increasingly dense foliage merits mention... because it looks so cool!

p36 - Oh, how clever! Mechanical film camera, because of the electronic "dead zone." Of course! I like the sense of depth in the fourth panel, the "as long as nothing goes wrong" panel. Yes, let's hope Teegan is right... but we know better than to believe it!

p37 - Aha! Treachery is afoot! Loving all the gear: backpacks and various essentials for everybody! You must have done some serious rummaging in the storage tubs to pull out enough kit to outfit all these figs! (I only have one backpack!)

p38 - "Voices? What voices?" Haaa ha ha ha ha! Great, just great! A psychopath is on the squad! This line takes me back...

... to this: http://www.puuikibeach.com/images/figurvore/bf2.jpg

Sorry, I digress....

p39 - Fun series of character portraits in these panels. And we get a little bit of a laugh from Carlos and his reaction to Harley, easing up on the tension just a bit... for the moment.

p40 - Excellent pics of Jake, on high alert, probing deeper in to the valley. While he looks alert, his racing mind could prove a distraction, as could his growing confidence about their pace through the jungle. Funny line about Lord Conan.

p41 - Oooh! That third panel, with Carlos and then Teegan in the distant background, is an excellent pic! So is the fourth pic, with Harley, and the pillar of stone rising up within the ruins, and the dense jungle backdrop. It does seem like Jake is perhaps being a bit imprudent in pressing on so far ahead by himself.

p42 - Good to know that Teegan is keeping a careful eye on Redbox and Harley. Don't know if he can hear what they're saying, but he can see the way they're saying it!

p43 - Interesting conversation these two are having. Teegan is clever, planting the tiniest seeds of doubt in Carlos' mind about Redbox. We also learn that Carlos has a bit of an ego. Is this a strength, or a weakness? Is it a tool that Jake's team might eventually use to their favor? Good character building, however it turns out. Great posing and use of the set here to create visual interest while the conversation is unfolding.

p44 - Wow! That was a jolt! Even in printed form! Nicely done!

p45 - Training kicks in! Great running shot of Poppy!

p46 - The "clear" panel, is action-packed and tense! Instant reaction from Carlos. We see that, good or bad, the guy knows his stuff! What th'...? What is he doing here? How did he get here, this deep in the valley? Who was shooting? Fives? Or was somebody shooting at Fives? Is he hit? Is it fatal? Questions questions questions! Exciting stuff!

p47 - Uh huh, sure you don't, Redbox!

p48 - Love that pic of Jake facing off with Redbox, grabbing him by the lapel! So much tension! It's almost like I can hear their actual voices, this scene is so well handled!

p49 - Jake is not happy about this! But they're so deep into the valley now, what choice is there but to press on! Well, actually, there is a choice, but as established in the previous issues, Jake has a bit of an obsession. He sees now that Redbox might be working up to a double-cross, but he chooses to continue. Let's hope he does not regret that decision. Hard to say what Carlos is thinking. Looks like he's trying to figure this out as well. Did he know Fives would be here? Or is this a surprise to him, too? We know he expected to be in contact with Fives, but did Carlos know that Fives would be joining them? Well, this balances out the numbers, so Jake's team no longer has a personnel advantage.

p50 - Cool! Yeah, uhm, maybe not so cool to let Redbox and his entire crew get together up ahead with nobody to keep tabs on them.

p51 - Cool pics in the confab, here. You manage to mix Joe/VAM type figures with TBL figures... seamlessly! I think Jake's extremely lifelike "lifelike hair and beard" (as it was called in the States) helps. Mostly it's the way you have all the figures kitted out similarly, so there are no distracting differences in their uniforms. Also the believable posing of all the figures. The way you post the far background figures - Teegan and Poppy in these pics - has been visually engaging throughout the story.

p52 - There we go, lost the "tactical advantage of numbers." Excellent wrap-up to this installment, teasing us with mysteries ahead, setting up conflict between the two teams, and making us want to see more!

Historical reference: https://flickr.com/photos/toyville/7646765018

(I had not looked at those pics from Nick in a long time. I think I'm seeing the inspiration for Jake's study! And I very much appreciate your efforts to keep Toyville alive and thriving!)

Wow! This episode was really, really impressive! So many amazing photos! You must have been fully "in the zone" as you were setting up these shots, as there is a sense of "total immersion" about them, pulling the viewers deep in to the scenes!

Cheers Dave for all the wonderful feedback . I thought I would go with some different characters on the cover for chapter three, and as we have been chatting about Poppy quite a bit, her and Jenna seemed the right choice. When I first started out with the idea of an expedition team, I wanted them to look the part, and if and when needed smaller items start to appear, it would look like they came out of their packs.

your second guess of what Jake was thinking made me chuckle , but in truth, I think that is more likely what Mr Redbox could be thinking With Jake I wanted tot ry and give the effect of him having some thinking time about the task ahead.

I really wanted to try and use this story, not only to give them a great adventure, but also to let people see Poppy progress into an agent, rather than a fashion doll.
Ah, MiskatonicNick, there is no doubt to anyone that knows me, I loved his work and sense of fun. the best part of course was actually chatting with him, he was such a helpful and friendly guy, always happy to pass on tips. I felt that I wanted to pay homage to a man who has and was a huge influence on me for figure photography .

Again, I really wanted to keep the comic moving, and give a sense of movement, not always easy to do with seven figures! The technique I used is often used in comics too, which again, I am a huge fan of .
The plastic aquarium plants are a marvelous prop too use, again another technique I picked up from MiskatonicNick. I am not sure what make Jenna's weapon is, but it seemed to suit her character, she is often pictured with it.

Target sighted! by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr

Jenna in wait by Blonde Actionman, on Flickr

Again, with Carlos, this comic is my chance to flesh out his character, when he first arrived I was going to make him just another of Redbox's men, but he seems to offer so much more! So he become a mercenary, a gun for hire. At the moment his loyalties lay with Redbox, but will it always be that way? who knows?

Hmm, Jenna and Redbox, I don't think she has forgiven him for nearly killing Jake! There is no love loss there on her part.

I wanted to give the impression of more abandoned sections as they get closer to the centre and buying a few more plastic plants is certainly helping me do this. I love the colours or them, giving an almost underground tropical environment for them to explore.
Yeah, poppy still has a lot to learn, so I felt it was time for jake to explain to her that not everything is told to everyone at BAM HQ. I have never reveled who exactly Jake reports too with Coalville HQ, but you can be sure he holds a high rank and probably operates in the shadows.

Really pleased you liked Poppy's kit. I felt i wanted her to be represented taking pics, then realised the only way she could do this was with an analog camera, because of the dead zone .
Yeah, Teegan is definitely the eternal optimist! He always tries too see the best in people, but even he struggles with Redbox!

Yeah, Redbox has indeed let some of his plan out of the bag, but not all, Old Redbox is as cunning as a lighthouse rat! . Funny you should say about rummaging! It took me ages to find all the gear! Plastic tubs are a great way to store stuff, but wow does it make finding things difficult!

Yeah, Harley is not quite all there is she! but it does make for a fun character! I love that pic you posted from your flickr!

I often worry that there aren't enough laughs in some of these comics, a bit of humour is always great to have! Yeah, those figures are very photogenic, and I do enjoy posing them

Jake can sometimes be a bit of a loner, It gives him time to reflect, especially away from the study of BAM HQ. In truth, I think he is enjoying the peace and quiet!

I like to pose the guys in the background to look like they doing stuff while i focus on the main lead in each pic, I think it gives the pics a bit more depth. Again, working with so many figures allows me to have a little fun wit it, although it can prove challenging!

Well Teegan is very loyal to Lord Conan, an it was Conan after all who asked Teegan to keep an eye on Jake. He will watch everyone and everything as the progress deeper into their destiny!

Yeah, as you picked up on earlier Dave, Teegan is quite cunning and clever himself, using any means he can to swing any advantage back in their favour! but will his seed of doubt have any effect on the arrogant Carlos? You never know, after all he is a successful gun for hire.

BLAM! I wanted to create a bit of tension here, so no one knew what was going on. All the members responded perfectly, thanks to their militry training .

ah, the confusion worked

old Redbox ix a character! anything to get an upper hand! but Jake has his number! he has played the game so many times with him, that I don't think anyone knows these two better than well, those two!

The journey must continue! well, that;s the way Jake see's it. He is desperate to know what is at the centre of the valley! and he will put his faith in his team, even though their numbers are now all square! However, Jake may have his mind on this, but he will not show his hand, so he let's Redbox wander away with team, maybe giving Redbox a false sense of security? Plus it will give Jake time to re shape his own plan.

Thanks Dave! Fir me mixing upp the figures is part of the fun! probably stems back to my childhood when jake's team was made up by Steve Austin, the lone ranger and countless mego figures, as well as the CH5 of course. Jake is no stranger to other figures, after all, Smiley Joe is his oldest pal!

The end of chapter three has set up things nicely for chapter four , although in truth it may be a while before chapter four pops up. I have a fair bit of scenery to make! but hopefully it will be worth the wait for you guys

thanks for including the reference link Dave, I forgot to do that. Yeah, the society Nick made has always intrigued me, but trying to make a reference to it hasn't been easy. I have waited for quite a while to do this story, so everything would line up, if that makes sense?
The society headquarters was indeed a sort of loose blueprint for Jake's Study. I always loved Nick's sets, the way he mixed it all up and made things look real. As well as his fantastic Challenger team!

Really pleased you enjoyed chapter three Dave, in total it probably took me about three weeks on and off to write the story, take and edit the pics, set up the scenes and of course positioning the figures. However, even after all that and figures falling over during shoots, I really enjoyed doing it

Why do I feel that Jake and co are walking into some big trouble?

Great pacing and tension building Dal!

Jenna's rifle looks like it's some sort of AK 47/74 variant.

somekindajoe wrote:

Why do I feel that Jake and co are walking into some big trouble?

Great pacing and tension building Dal!

Jenna's rifle looks like it's some sort of AK 47/74 variant.

You know what Steve, i think your right! whatever Redbox has planned, he has had plenty of time o iron out the kinks . However, as I have said previously, Jake is quite a sly old fox himself! so don't count him or his team out just yet .
Really pleased you are enjoying it so far! still a lot to get in! I think ou could be right about Jenna's weapon, I picked up off ebay in a job lot so not entirely sure what it is??