The Jackal Project

The Jackal Project is a fanmade backstory rewrite for the Jackal Squad from Sonic Forces. We follow their trials and tribulations from childhood to adulthood in an episodic fashion as we get to know the world they live in and find out what makes the Jackal Squad, well, the Jackal Squad.

There are 3 parts planned, following the beginnings of the team (Origins), their (mis)adventures through teenage hood and organizing themselves, and their inevitable downfall (Falling Down). We join Finn, Hattie, Lucky, Pen, and Cobalt on their occasionally rough and dangerous path down life, and watch them grow and change overtime. This comic explores themes of family, consequences, and change, with writing and character art by @niko-jpeg and background work by @bat-luun !

PART ONE START

PART TWO START

PART THREE START

Bonus Content Masterpost [Pending]

Update Masterpost [Pending]

You know what time it is.

Howdy! Welcome back to the monthly update posts! This month brings something special; an offer to you to join our team!

When I first started this project, I hoped I would be able to pull it off alone, but it becomes clearer and clearer to me each day that I cannot do it alone. So, I’m going to open up applications to be apart of the project!

Currently, I am looking for a colorist, a lineartist, and possibly a cowriter! Here is a link to the google form that you can send in your submissions to, where you’ll be asked for your portfolio/link to your works and your socials. Thank you to everyone who applies! If you are accepted, I’ll reach out in a week, on the 8th of September. Once we’ve worked everything out, I will send you an invite to the discord, and we can get started!

Of course, obligatory warning. This is a large project, and I don’t want anyone to get caught off guard by it. Team members will be given the full rundown of the plot, and are able to back out if they believe it is too much or need a break! I am very flexible, and we will make things work. I look forward to working with you all <3

Now to the real update:

PART ONE: Final script done, first issue in progress

PART TWO: Script in progress

PART THREE: Final concept in progress

Expected Releases: None this month…?

Oh look! A funny Finn expression from the storyboard! Just for you.

Thank you to everyone who’s been patient with me, I really appreciate it. See you all soon!

(another link to the form, in case you missed it. You can also send in your portfolio and submissions on discord. Mine is Nikojpeg!)

Niko out!

Hey. Guess what. Update post time!

I am happy to announce I am still alive haha. This project has not been cancelled, I have not disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and development marches on.

This is a little bit of an informal post because there’s an error in the cover image, and if you see it, no you don’t. But I wanted to get it out quickly, so here we are.

I have decided to scrap the second Pre Comic, because its been driving me insane and my style has since changed from when I made the original sketch. Lol. So keep an eye open for the first issue sometime in late August/early September! Also, there’s been a little bit of consideration in finding someone to do colors, which would take a HUGE burden off me. I am not a good colorist 😔. Originally, I wanted to do it all, but I now know that’s not possible. So, instead, I’ll be doing the writing and sketches and lineart! In theory!! I’ll keep you all posted!!

More good news: the fabled computer that will be mine has been dropped off, literally minutes before I started typing this post. So, art production will ACTUALLY speed up, especially with the start of school. I know that sounds contrary, but trust me ;)

I’m really excited to get this project rolling, and will see you all when that drops! Thank you so much for your patience. Niko out!

I will not lie to you, I nearly didn't post this update haha. I have literally NOTHING to share. Turns out, I had to run my Big Bang project up to 3 days before the deadline, and then I gave myself the rest of the month off for personl maintenence. Some progress has been made on the line art of the next issue, but I'm having trouble staying motivated for it for various reasons.

I also have some bad news; you may recall that I mentioned how over the summer I may be getting my own device so I do not have to share with my dad, who works full time from home. Turns out, that is not happening any time soon, and I am stuck with the same schedule I had throughout the school year. Yay. :(

Like, this is what I mean by I wasn't even going to bother posting this. No progress, no good news. But I will be posting the Bonus Content masterpost shortly, since it features art by Bat-Lunn, and its SO cute. I'm very excited.

No art previews this time around, sorry. If you'd like a fun fact though, Pen doesn't wear gloves very often because she burned all feeling out of her paw pads a kid. She sees no point, since primarily in this universe, gloves are worn to protect the sensitive beans haha.

Alright, Niko out.

I’ll take this time to ask for a little patience, because finals are ending up kicking my ass harder than I thought they would, as well as my deadlined project.

I haven’t made much progress on the next issue.

Im sorry 😞

Good afternoon everyone! It is time once again for another update post. Are you excited? I hope so. Sorry for dropping it so late, I forgot to download my files and. Yeah. So there’s not much here, other than the once’s I needed. Oopsie.

I’d like to open this post by introducing my new collaborator, @bat-luun He has been helping me a TON with the backgrounds, and is a complete life saver, as well as an extremely talented artist. I’m so happy to have him, both as a friend and as an artist. He has done the Bonus Content banner for the post, when it goes up tomorrow. Go show him some love!!

On a somewhat related note, we now have a twitter account for the project! I personally have not used twitter in heaven knows how long, so I’m realering the ropes haha. The @ is jcklproject, in case you want to give it a follow there.

Before I get into the juicy details, I’d like to thank you all for your patience with me, and request that you hang on just a liiiitle longer. I am participating in the Sonic Big Bang, which I have just entered crunch time in. The project is SIGNIFICANTLY longer than I anticipated, and I have until the 25th to get it done. I am working hard on it, and if it comes to it, I may have to put this project on a little bit of a hold to finish it. Only until the 25th, though, and I will still be working on it! Keep an eye open on my main account for the project in June, when all of the works go up. I’m very excited, and while its not jackal related, I think it will be a ton of fun ;)

Anyway, lets get on to the good stuff.

TEST COMICS: Scripts complete, Issues in progress

PART ONE: Script complete, final concept art in progress

PART TWO: Scripts begun

PART THREE: Storyboard in progress

SCHEDULED RELEASES: Test Comic Issue Two, late May.

This coming test comic is a little beefier than the previous one, rounding out at about 7 pages total, and with a whole two pages worth of scripting! I once again remind you all that progress will go much quicker in the summer, as I will have my own computer at that point, more free time, and my portion of the Big Bang will be over with! Thanks for your patience <3

(Also, this issue ain’t SHIT compared to what’s coming down the line. Weeps.)

Here, have a frame! And a link to a silly post I made that you may have missed!

Sorry for the brief update, again, so heres a bit of a cut concept! In part two, Finn was supposed to break into Gadget’s house later in the story to request assistance with… something :). And this is how that was supposed to play out.

Your honor they’re really funny. But it was cut in favor of something arguably even funnier, and you’ll all know it when you see it, as it takes place right after the introductory issues lol

Niko out <3

[Test Comic Issue One]

Start < (You are here!)

TEST COMIC ISSUE 1 WILL BE RELEASED ON APRIL 9TH! Here is the cover to celebrate.

I’m not super sure how I’m going to be handling the release announcements yet, but they’ll likely be the Sunday before the week I plan on releasing and dropping the cover and date then. For our longer issues later down the line, I think sets of 10 pages will be released within 15 minutes of each other? Who knows at this point.

Did you notice that the master post has a new header? It now features our little child gremlin jackals >:)

I’d also like to take a moment to shout out @bat-luun , who has offered up his services as a background sketcher for this project!! He is not only incredibly talented, but also a total fun guy to be around and I have had a lot of fun working with him so far. So go show him some love!! This first test comic issue will not have his background work, as I did it myself, and it shows, haha. I’m very happy to have a collaborator, and very excited for the direction of the project. Expect directory posts to go up soon, with art from the both of us! His art is so good I could eat it.

See you on Tuesday <3

Niko out.

Howdy everyone! It's me again. Can you believe it's been a month? I certainly can’t. It's wild how quickly time flies when you’re busy lol.

I once again unfortunately don’t have much for this update. I had the unthinkable happen to me and had my art tablet throw itself off a cliff and had to switch to a new one I had laying around from a friend who was moving out and graciously gave to me.

On top of learning how to use a much more advanced tablet, I also realized something: I am so incredibly spatially unaware that I am going to either need to learn how to use blender or hire someone else to do the backgrounds, but I am poor and can’t afford that unfortunately. But this is why I made the test comics: so I’m figuring this shit out before I actually have to tell a meaningful story. This just means we’ll be waiting a little longer than I intended for the first test comic issue unfortunately, while I figure this crap out.

I have also learned that attempting to not do shortcut shading doesn’t work for me and I will never do it again lol. It has been whats bogging this down.

Not to fret though! Since you all voted in a poll a week or two ago to have every issue be released as they are made, you’ll be getting it a lot sooner than you thought! And here is a little bit of the cover for the two test comic issues (I couldn’t find it in me to make two separate ones, so I just made one. The first issue is literally 3 pages.)

No ones here to hear me air my grievances about the fact I have only been able to get 3 pages done in a month, but in my defense: I don’t have my own device (I share it with my father who works full time), I have travelled a lot, and I have literally no idea what I’m doing. So here's some doodles to make up for that, and a link to the Happy Birthday Barry post in case you missed it.

Oh did I forget to mention that Barry is in this project? Yeah, they’re here.

Onto the actual progress update!

TEST COMICS: Scripts complete, Issues in progress

PART ONE: Script complete, final concept art in progress

PART TWO: Scripts begun

PART THREE: Storyboard in progress

SCHEDULED RELEASES: Test Comics Issue 1, PUSHED BACK to Early April

I’m sorry for not actually following through on the releasing, and I can’t promise an issue every month just yet either. Once I get my own device over the summer, things will be a lot smoother, especially once finals are done. I don’t think the second test comic should take nearly as long, since the learning curve should be less extreme.

The quality of the first test comic is less than I want to promise for the future, so please be patient!! I promise it’ll be worth it in the end. Maybe.

Man, this update is bleak. Have a frame from the first test comic as a treat, and a minor character from Part One, and I’ll see you in like, a week with a release announcement post. Also, keep an eye open for the directories I’ll be posting soon! They’ll all have their own cute little art to go with too. See you then, and thank you for your patience.

Niko out <3