New Website Is Up

The new website is up and running so all future updates and comics can be found there. Thanks for your readership, it is very much appreciated.

Oct-Sober? Not Likely

Head over to my new page at www.HighscoreKid.com the updates here won't continue for very long.

Everyone Has That One Mate

Last Friday Night

True story, I have these photos on my phone.

Sad Bags

Misplaced

Don't worry mum, I got it back.

Time For A Change

It's been over two years since I started this blog and I've decided to start doing something slightly more worthwhile than just cataloging my life. To that effect I have started working towards making Highscore Kid into a proper story. I can't really say much more than that at this point because it's VERY work-in-progress but I'd like to get some input from those who read my comics.

Here are some character designs I sketched up today. They could be the main character's friends, rivals, or love-interests. Let me know which ones you like, whose hair is the coolest, which one reminds you of your cousin's landlord, whatever. Any advice you can give will only serve to make the comic that much better when I finally make the transition. All your comments and criticisms are welcome.

Act II

So, it's the final morning of PAX. I've only got one day left to soak up as much nerdery as possible before it's all GONE! For a whole nother year!

Anyway, highlights from day two were; the Live DnD, where Acquisitions Incorporated fought lizardmen, featuring awesome animations by Kris Straub; catching the Assassin's Creed 3 demo, with hilarious narration by a Frag-Doll to the tune of, "Oh, he's all like WTFLOL" when a redcoat got stabbed in the face; and dinner at the Elephant & Castle, not PAX related I know but it was freakin' GOOD.


I bought and ate many cookies, purely for charity, over the first two days. The wookie-balls were my favourite.

Here are some lovely ladies with impressive crafting abilities.

I always find it funny how everyone wants to take photos but they're all afraid to ask. I know this because as Victor and I are walking around I'll go up to these cosplayers, who are just chilling out, and say, "Hey, you mind if I take a photo?" And as soon as we get our camera out and they pull a pose, all these other people who've been milling about grab their cameras like, "Finally!"
It's also pretty funny, because I like to be IN my photos, so inevitably I'm gonna show up in all these stranger's albums.

Also, one final word. PAX Australia is a thing.

Loot Acquired

Well, that's day one of PAX done. Almost all of my weekends objectives have already been met.

-Take photos of cosplay girls for Blake? Check.
-Find Dodger and gain photographic evidence for Wayne? Check.
-Purchase the IKFMFRPGCR book for myself, and an extra one for Chris? Check.

Looks like I've got the rest of the weekend off...

The coveted Iron Kingdoms book.

Some very interesting people attending this year... She doesn't look impressed.

Off I Go Then

Here we go again. In about 5 hours time I shall be airborne and on route to LA. I've packed as lightly as I usually do. These bags are small and still only half full. Oh well more room for PH4T L00TZ!

I was feeling a little bad about not having any drawings for y'all. I decided that some photographic documentation of this voyage will have to suffice. So get used to seeing my normal, un-caricatured, disturbingly realistic facial structures. At least this time I have a dedicated cameraman with me (Victor) so I don't have to grab people bodily from the streaming crowds and coerce them to aid.

So, Watch out for increased update activity this coming week.

This Is Not A Comic

So, I'm heading off to PAX again this year. It's gonna be another massive transcontinental pilgrimage for the Highscore Kid. Hopefully I remember to bring all my chargers this time, amirite?
I'm not quite sure what's going to happen with the blog while I'm away. You see, my usual stand in illustrator, Victor, is joining me on my journey this year. So there's no one I know personally who can fill in! Egads!
I'll have to ponder this some more...

Catchy As Hell

Singing Dogs

Is It Crunch Time Yet?

Then I remembered that I'm awesome.

In other amazing news, the 15th of August marks my Highscore Kid anniversary! I've now been drawing for your viewing displeasure and my own personal record-keeping for 2 whole years. As always, thanks for reading and sharing in my visual rambling.

-Sean

Birthday Monkey

So, the comic is late this weekend. And you'd be quite right in saying that I phoned it in pretty hard. But it's my brother's birthday today so I've been out of town visiting the family. His requested drawing was a monkey making a sandwich so... Here it is.

Amnesia Much

Say Cheese

Anything You Eat, Is Meat

Tartarus

The Lost And Found

Sub Command

Daedalus Clothing - Outcasts

Daedalus Clothing - Merchants

Merchants play an important role in the economic survival of Daedalus. While the mountains just south of Daedalus are rich with minerals there is a shortage of other resources. Travelling merchants make the perilous journey from crater-city to crater-city distributing the various resources available to each and ensuring mutual survival.

Daedalus Clothing - Slaver's Arsenal

The Slavers are a militaristic society of raiders and soldiers. Their elite close-combat troops are feared throughout the deserts.
A brutal 'promotion by combat' system ensures that those in positions of power are the strongest fighters; Even the King has earned his place by fighting his way up the ranks.
The Slavers get their name from the slave caste that runs their city. Whether they were born there or taken from their homelands far away they have no hope of escape, there is only servitude. It is these slaves that keep the city running and allow the army to train relentlessly. These men and women are also bartered off to other cities, or wealthy persons, in exchange for imported goods.

The four combat styles of the Slavers are the Lion, a defensive style best suited for group tactics; the Bull, an aggressive shock troop; the Bear, an individualist skirmish style; and the Wolf, the scouting and special operations soldiers.

Daedalus Clothing - Scavenger and Cartographer

Left: Scavenger
Right: High Cartographer

Daedalus Creatures - Troll

I started drawing this big guy and realised I was running out of canvas space. I was about to shrink him down when I thought, "No! He shall be as big as he needs to be." And then I made the canvas bigger.

The Troll is a huge beast with rough scaled skin and a series of horns that lines its neck.Standing approximately 12' from foot to shoulder the Troll is the largest creature known to walk the deserts.

While very temperamental in the wild many Trolls have been domesticated for manual labour. It is still noted that these beasts should be treated with caution at all times as their immense size can lead to nasty accidents.

The tiny Mollusk can often be found latched onto the softer skin of the Troll's neck or stomach. These parasites offer extra protection from predators, in the form of their tough shells, while draining a small amount of the Troll's blood.

Daedalus Creatures - Sifter

The Sifter is an omnivorous beast used predominantly as pack animals and for riding. Measuring 6' to the shoulder their long necks allow them to tower over their human owners but for the most part these creatures are quite docile.

The Sifter is named for its method of finding food. By dragging its lower jaw through the sand and then shaking its head side to side, the sifter can separate out edible insects and lizards to be consumed.

The bony ridges that protrude from either side of the Sifter's head protect its open airways, which are located down the side of its neck, from sandstorms and predators. This is why a Sifter in distress will lower its head.

Easily trained the Sifter makes for a loyal and trustworthy mount and they have even been known to perform well in combat situations. A unit of well-armed Sifter cavalry makes for a mobile and lethal shock-troop.

Daedalus Creatures - Basilisk

Tonight's monstrosity is the Basilisk.

A reptilian carnivore found throughout the desert the Basilisk is a wily predator that is known to hunt in packs. By spraying its prey with a paralytic venom the Basilisks are able to gnaw off chunks of meat while the victim is helpless. A membrane underneath the Basilisks jaw stretches to accommodate large meals and is filled with acidic chemicals which help to break down food. This process can take a long time, during which the Basilisk is lethargic, and it is at this stage that a clever hunter will strike.

The origin of a Basilisk can be identified by it's tail shape. The deserts around Daedalus are home to the Crescent-tailed Basilisk. It is theorized that the tail and head crests are used for courtship. While this remains unproven male Basilisks do boast much more impressive crests than their female counterparts which lends credence to this theory.

A male Basilisk can grow to be 3'5" in length while females grow up to 4' long.

Daedalus Creatures - Mollusk

Some concept work for one of the lower links in the Daedalus food-chain. It's a bit creepy I know, but that's the point.

The Mollusk is a spider-like parasite with ten legs that are each capped with a manipulating claw. It uses these to bring food up to its mouth which sits under the hard shell. While these critters can roam about scavenging for food they prefer to find a host that they can latch onto, curling in their legs so that they appear as a black-brown dome on the hosts skin.

Their meat can be cooked and eaten safely and once hollowed out their shells can be used for a number of things, namely as bowls. However, due to their strength they can also be used in the fashioning of armour.

A regular adult Mollusk will grow to about 4" in diameter but they have been known to get much larger when attached to a large host. The largest Mollusk found to date was 12" across.

More creatures to come.

Slip of the Tongue

Just Practice

Didn't have anything particularly exciting to comic up today, so instead I spent an hour or so practicing. I quite enjoy drawing eyes, especially in Photoshop because once you're done you can hue shift the iris and get all these cool colour surprises.

So I've noticed that a large portion of my views are coming from overseas and I have to wonder. Who ARE you people? How did you find my strange little corner of the internet?

Please, leave a comment and let me know where you are in the world. I'm most intrigued.

*Edit* Also, I'm moments away from hitting 30,000 total views. Thank you muchly.

Arch-Nemeses

Pirates Don't Share

Flips N Shit

Linath

Here's some commissioned map-work for a friend. I'm about to read the story she wrote that this belongs to...

One By One

Salvage

Purgatory

The Fort

Despite what is depicted in the comic strip, the fort I built today (with minimal help, LADIES! You know who you are) was actually pretty awesome.

37 Problems

Logistics

The Brick Exception

The Many Uses Of Stealth

Mass Sleep Deprivation

I know what you're thinking. The comic is late cause I finally bought Mass Effect 3 and I've been neglecting my duties. Well it's not true. Okay, the part about buying ME3 is but the comic is late due to unfortunate screening times for the Avengers movie.
It's badass, go see it.
Also, I may have been involved in instigating a slow clap for the Hulk that spread through the theatre. If you've seen the movie you probably know at which point this happened. *SPOILER*

Little Hooves, Mechanical Mandibles

We were driving back from the beach with me in the passenger seat, slightly drunk.
Victor was swerving the car just for kicks and we spun out harmlessly at least once.
I spotted a car nose-down in a ditch and we rushed over to check it out.
The back seat was empty and the driver's seat was filled with big white pillows.
Two denim legs poked out from underneath and I opened the door to get them free.
I was worried that there might be spinal damage and didn't want to move her without checking.
Somehow I woke her up and she seemed ok; so I dragged her out onto the grass before the car sank into the earth.
She wasn't the most gorgeous girl I'd ever met but something about saving her life made her beautiful.

I've been having weirdly vivid dreams lately.

A Premonition

So Punny

The Backup Plan