#mir.k

I hope everyone’s week has gone by as fast as mine because it’s Friday and we all know what means… WEEKEND DEBATCHERY!!! Of course, if you’re as busy as we are here at Comic Panda then you’ll be returning to your place of employment tomorrow – but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. Let’s hit it!

Recent Releases – Be sure to check these out!

Awkward Andy (9/13, 9/18)

Unstoppable (9/14)

 Spotlight – Tomorrow

If you’ve been following this story you’re going to understand what I am about to say – this is absolutely incredible!!! Mir.K and Risbee have created an instant masterpiece through the combination of vibrant artwork and a story that is only just beginning to unfold that is as breathtaking as it is thought provoking.

Tomorrow is set in the not so distant future (man it is really almost 3 months away from 2013 >.<) in Seattle. Left to our own devices, you guessed it, humanity has not fared well in the “love thy neighbor” category of life. If you thought the nightly news was already a downer then you haven’t thought about the same future that is conveyed in this series.

Don’t Miss==> BEHIND THE ART: Mir.k, the creator of ‘Tomorrow.’

Perhaps a subtle homage to George Orwell’s classic 1984, it seems as if there are some type of sentient beings present that have taken on the responsibility of policing our society. It’s the manner by which they do that really has a chilling effect on both the reader and the characters in the Tomorrow. Think of the scene in War of the Worlds when Tome Cruise decides to take a look at the town center – but replace the white dust with blood and keep the perpetrators hidden. When I read any type of creative content I often think about what I do if I were thrust into the same situations as the characters and I can only imagine the horror of watching someone self-combustion if front of you.

It’s hard to pinpoint a single aspect of this series that stands out above the others because it is so well done across the board. One thing that I’ve noticed is the lack of eyes on some of the characters. Easily overlooked if you are completely engrossed in the reading like I was previously, the progression of the story has moved along to a point where I find myself slowing do as I am reading  to see if there are any more details that I haven’t considered or noticed yet. Eyes are very relevant in Tomorrow – the cameras that are watching society have an eye set in the spot where the lens should be. It brings up some very good points independent of the strip itself – the whole “Big Brother” debate. Honestly, if security/federal cameras had an independently moving eyeball staring at you I think we’d all agree that the economy would be the least of President Obama’s worries. I can’t tell you exactly what this signifies but I’m paying close attention to these characters moving forward.

Another aspect of the series that has impressed me is the ability of the artists to convey the different tones and moods within each episode and the subtle foreshadowing of things to come. The vibrancy and detail of the art and coloring is deceiving when considering the implied themes that have been volunteered so far to the reader. While some of this is a function of the Mir.K and Risbee’s personal preferences I also see this as a reflection on the resourcefulness of humanity as a whole. Even with the continue progression towards a darker future rife with struggle it seems to me that Tomorrow isn’t willing to concede our impending doom as a guaranteed outcome. Additionally this can be viewed as plea for recognition of what we truly have; a beautiful life sustaining planet rich in history and cultural that is being taken for granted. ‘

The calloused interactions between Risa and Irene illustrate Tomorrow’s brilliant use of foreshadowing. The unprovoked hostility Risa displays and the “awareness” of this by those that are watching is conveyed as a brief deconstruction of the characters image. Representative of the physical discomfort Risa feels, the graphical manifestation has a slight resemblance to a television show starting to lose its signal and the static or “snow” that results from the interference. Why Risa or any other character in Tomorrow would understand that this a warning of things to come if her present choices continue, I view this as a metaphor for how we evaluate things on our daily lives. Just as I would switch the channel and eventually remove the offering from my cable package if I was constantly struggling with poor picture quality, Risa is risking being removed from society once and for all if she isn’t able to adjust the manner in which she interacts with others. The nature of the consequences is the only differentiation – death is absolute.

I’ve only scratched the surface of Tomorrow and I’m still amazed with the level of complexity and detail that this series has displayed through the first 6 episodes that have been released. Exemplifying Comic Panda’s vision and motto, “Stories, Visually Created,” I can’t stress enough the incredible effort Mir K. and Risbee have put into Tomorrow and the resulting quality of the series. Take a look and you will see what I mean!

Please leave comments below! Tell me what you think about Tomorrow, what you think about the aspects I’ve pointed out, and where you think this story is headed! If you have any questions or suggestions for what you’d like to hear talked about next time let me know!

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Hi there! Nice haircut (it’s same as mine…hehe). Anyways, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Sang-Ki Kwak, and I go by the nickname “Mir.k”! I grew up in a city called Changwonin Gyeongsandnamdo, which is a southern part of South Korea. Currently, I live and work atChungju. Usually, my work is related to drawing and graphic design. I make storyboards and concept illustrations for advertising agencies and film companies. Also, I regularly go to an art institute to teach high school students who are preparing for a College of Fine Arts and adults who want to learn design as a hobby. My strength/strong point is drawing, as any other artists would say. ^^

When did your interest in webcomics begin?

I started to get interested in online comics when I was in the military. After training, soldiers often gathered and talked about online comics, and that grabbed my attention because I didn’t expect an online comic, not even a TV show or a movie, to be a hot topic. The first piece that I read was 1001 by Young-Soon Yang, who is a very famous and considered a genius amongst other cartoonists. The storyline was very profound yet smooth, and his drawings were marvelous. Of course, the artist who influenced me the most is Young-Soon Yang. I once imitated his way of creative thinking and drawing. But after that, I searched for and learned from other different pieces, including that of Il-Gwon Haand Pil-Won Jung. Webcomic and I have been together for many years, sharing my mid-20s. I remember the moments when I pulled all-nighters to hang out with cartoonists and talk about our own webcomic projects, times when I took years off from college because of webcomic, and memories of me being encouraged by complements from readers. All these moments are very special and precise for me.

Describe your personal style(s) as a webcomic artist.

I have prepared three webcomics until now, but two of them are not published yet. So I’ll talk aboutTomorrow , which is the piece that I’m currently publishing. Il-Gwon Ha influenced me the most to draw this piece. He is well known as a sentimental and romantic artist. Also, my sources of inspiration areTotoro and Howl’s Moving Castle, which are animations from the Studio Ghibli.I use different styles for different pieces/projects. There is a great cartoonist named Pil-Won Jung in Korea, and he tries different styles for each and every pieces. I believe trying a new style of illustration is necessary for self-development as an artist.

The world in Tomorrow is very gloomy and mysterious in order to stimulate the reader’s sentiment. So I’m trying hard to illustrate suitable color and features to achieve its purpose. The part that I care the most about is the “quality”. High quality is the only thing I can do for the readers. For me, “quality” includes not only illustrations/paintings, but also storylines. With high quality pieces, I want to make people to think that there is more than just a simple comic in webcomics. webcomics are “art works” that people can read online.

Tell us about your current project(s) available on Comic Panda.

The idea for Tomorrow all started from a “traffic camera” on a freeway. I saw my friend, who was over-speeding on the freeway, decreasing his speed when he saw the traffic camera on the road. I started to question, “what if someone is watching over on us?? What if a mankind cannot disobey or fight against that existence? How will that change and affect humans’ lives? Will humans be satisfied with that because they will no longer have crime? What if we don’t appreciate it? Why would we not appreciate the Being? And… How would I react to that?” With these questions, I started to frame Tomorrow.

Sci-Fi films, especially movies with aliens, monsters, and natural disasters are well known for their visual effects with amazing scenes but not for the plot qualities. Still, Sci-Fi movies guarantee enough popularity. I know it’s going be hard, but I want to put both visual effect and profound dramas in my project, so I can have both cinematic qualities and popularities. ^^;

Tomorrow will build up the tension based on the changes in characters’ emotions and on the dramas. Hopefully, people can put themselves in characters’ shoes. Of course, I must try my best to attract readers and let them fall into the story. ^^

Okay…let’s talk about something other than comics for a bit. What else do you like to do for fun?

I need to rest and play hard in order to overcome the tiredness from work. Currently, I’m into traveling. It’s really fun to travel around different worlds!!

If you have one day to live, what would you do? What would be your last meal?

I remember watching a movie that asked similar question. It was Japanese movie about the people who knew that they only have one day to live. I think the title wasIkigami. When I first watched that movie, I thought, “What would I do if I only have a day?” I feel a little bit weird that now I have a chance to write about it..^^

If I only have one day to live, I want to contact my friends that I haven’t for a while, I want to hear the voices of people that I care and love, I want to hold my parent’s hands… and I want to do and say anything that I thought I couldn’t. I want to try my best to do anything I can so that I won’t regret when I die. I don’t want to do big and fancy things, but I want to do small things that I was missing out in my everyday life ^^ because I always look at the forest, not trees. Of course I care about big things right now too! haha. Well… I don’t think I can digest food well if it’s my last meal T_T But if I must eat, I’ll choose sushi! with digestant!

What is your pet peeve?

I don’t really have any…! So I don’t have anger management problems^^

In ten years, I would be…

Famous, rich, and happy dad/husband! I’m working hard to become like that in 10 years.. Hopefully, I can really be happy like that in 10 years.

Going back to comics… Let’s say that you can travel to any world that exists only in comics. Where would it be?

This question is the hardest ^^ Umm.. I like the world with full of liveliness!! This is the opposite of the mood of my piece haha. The world in One Piece, a Japanese comic, is attractive to me the most. I like how each and every character lives life with various purpose. Also, unique settings and viewpoints are very special and attractive!! Seriously, the background and storyline of One Piece is realistic and fantastic at the same time! I can’t believe it’s all from one person’s head!

What are your favorite webcomics / webtoons other than your own?