Mike Krahulik drawing official 'The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword' comic

**Valigarmander** · 11-16-2011, 09:38 PM

'Penny Arcade's Mike Krahulik Draws 'The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword' Comic - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

Quote:

Though The Legend of Zelda videogame franchise has received a few official comic book and manga tie-ins over the years, some of the most impressive illustrations of Link, Princess Zelda and company have emerged from the world of fan art. For fans of Penny Arcade, co-creator Mike (a.k.a. "Gabe") Krahulik's recently unveiled webcomic art adapting Nintendo's upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the best of both worlds in that regard, giving one of the most popular webcomic artists/gamer icons online a platform to contribute to Zelda canon. There's currently just one page up at Zelda.com, but it's already clear that Krahulik is taking pains to recreate the game's watercolor aesthetic. After all, his work had to be approved by longtime Zelda game producer/supervisor Eiji Aonuma.

From Penny Arcade:

A few months ago Nintendo approached us about doing a project for them. I was interested, but my schedule was full at the time. Then they told us it was Zelda. The business guys were hesitant to put any more work on my plate but I told them I had to do it. Like a little kid offering to do chores I promised I would work late and come in on the weekends. I had to draw Zelda!

Before anything was signed they needed to see how I would draw Link. They told me that my artwork would need to get approved by the artists on the Skyward Sword team as well as Mr. Aonuma himself. I was absolutely terrified. So I went to work and sent over some concept art. I had done a young almost Wind Waker style version of Link and they liked it but told me that Link was older in this game and so I needed to make him a teenager. Also Skyward Sword uses a really beautiful water color effect and they wanted to know if I could incorporate that.

Krahulik writes that he painted a watercolor version of Link before working the art into a recolored digital piece, which he submitted to Nintendo. Both Nintendo and Aonuma liked what they saw, leading to the launch of the official comic, which seems to mashup Krahulik's signature style and Skyward Sword's design sensibilities pretty evenly so far.

Those who dig Krahulik's original watercolor painting of Link will have a chance to make it theirs, too, with the artist donating it to PA's Child's Play charity dinner auction on December 8.

You can check out Krahulik's initial painting of Link and the higher resolution digital piece below:

(Click to see digital image.)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Tight.

***Cosmonautical*** · 11-17-2011, 12:20 AM

I'm impressed!

CuccoLady · 11-17-2011, 12:24 AM

Ok. That is awesome.

***Ace Mercury*** · 11-17-2011, 07:27 AM

Is there only one page so far? I see the numbers one to five at the bottom, but clicking on them does nothing, nothing!

***Cosmonautical*** · 11-17-2011, 07:34 AM

Yeah, they only do one page at a time. It's the internet's way of forcing you to revisit their page and create further traffic, and since it's promotional the purpose is clearly to keep Zelda in mind up until and through release.

***Marilink*** · 11-17-2011, 09:53 AM

Oh man, this is awesome. It's nice to see Nintendo caring about their fans still, y'know?

Can't wait to check this out later.

monstrman · 11-17-2011, 12:27 PM

Yeah this looks really promising.

I also hear great things about skyward sword from a few of my friends I can't wait to get it once it becomes cheap enough for me to afford. I still remain skeptical though.

**X-3** · 11-17-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

My Zelda.

This comic isn't very progressive.

***Cosmonautical*** · 11-17-2011, 11:54 PM

Disappointed a bit that they're not using watercolors, btw. Gabe's good with PS but I liked how he worked the limitations way more.

***Cosmonautical*** · 11-30-2011, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-3

This comic isn't very progressive.

The narration's by her father, btw.

Dizzy · 11-30-2011, 12:16 AM

I was not aware of this until right now.

***Ace Mercury*** · 11-30-2011, 07:56 AM

And how does that make you feel?

***Cosmonautical*** · 11-30-2011, 09:26 AM

How does that make you feel, having been denied these Hungry, Hungry Hippos?

Toadyking · 12-06-2011, 01:00 AM

This is pretty good, he's a talented fella.

Speed · 12-07-2011, 04:04 AM

This is so good.

The Missing Link · 12-08-2011, 03:01 AM

The comic so far has been great, though dang it takes FOREVER for it to get posted. >_> Nintendo, why must you deny me!

***Ace Mercury*** · 12-13-2011, 06:01 PM

In case anyone's been dawdling: all five pages have been posted. Go take a looksee.

***Marilink*** · 12-13-2011, 10:24 PM

Pretty sweet. I'd love to see a comic like the Link to the Past Nintendo Power comic, but that's pretty unrealistic.

11-17-2011, 12:20 AM	#2
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,103 Thanks: 2,158 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	I'm impressed!

11-17-2011, 12:24 AM	#3
CuccoLady Anime and Cartoons Mod Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: THIS LOCATION REMINDS ME OF A PUZZLE, LUKE Gender: Posts: 9,077 Thanks: 2,825 Thanked 1,222 Times in 822 Posts	Ok. That is awesome.

11-17-2011, 07:27 AM	#4
*Ace Mercury* Marshmallow Knight ☆ Supermod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Southern Ontario Gender: Posts: 23,275 Thanks: 568 Thanked 3,297 Times in 1,582 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Is there only one page so far? I see the numbers one to five at the bottom, but clicking on them does nothing, nothing!

11-17-2011, 07:34 AM	#5
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,103 Thanks: 2,158 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	Yeah, they only do one page at a time. It's the internet's way of forcing you to revisit their page and create further traffic, and since it's promotional the purpose is clearly to keep Zelda in mind up until and through release.

11-17-2011, 09:53 AM	#6
*Marilink* Gotta catch 'em all! Supermod! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Location, Location. Gender: Posts: 29,118 Thanks: 2,536 Thanked 1,823 Times in 1,008 Posts	Oh man, this is awesome. It's nice to see Nintendo caring about their fans still, y'know? Can't wait to check this out later.

11-17-2011, 12:27 PM	#7
monstrman Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: LET'S SAAAAAVE THE WOOOORLD. Gender: Posts: 1,035 Thanks: 87 Thanked 53 Times in 42 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Yeah this looks really promising. I also hear great things about skyward sword from a few of my friends I can't wait to get it once it becomes cheap enough for me to afford. I still remain skeptical though.

11-17-2011, 11:54 PM	#9
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,103 Thanks: 2,158 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	Disappointed a bit that they're not using watercolors, btw. Gabe's good with PS but I liked how he worked the limitations way more.

11-30-2011, 12:16 AM	#11
Dizzy Podiaphobe Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Posts: 19,359 Thanks: 1,764 Thanked 1,162 Times in 805 Posts Blog Entries: 116	I was not aware of this until right now.

11-30-2011, 07:56 AM	#12
*Ace Mercury* Marshmallow Knight ☆ Supermod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Southern Ontario Gender: Posts: 23,275 Thanks: 568 Thanked 3,297 Times in 1,582 Posts Blog Entries: 1	And how does that make you feel?

11-30-2011, 09:26 AM	#13
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,103 Thanks: 2,158 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	How does that make you feel, having been denied these Hungry, Hungry Hippos?

12-06-2011, 01:00 AM	#14
Toadyking Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: California Gender: Posts: 5,107 Thanks: 8 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	This is pretty good, he's a talented fella.

12-07-2011, 04:04 AM	#15
Speed Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: If there's a bright center to the universe I'm on the planet it's farthest from Gender: Posts: 3,747 Thanks: 1,598 Thanked 320 Times in 224 Posts Blog Entries: 1	This is so good.

12-08-2011, 03:01 AM	#16
The Missing Link Professional Lurker Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: New Hyrule, Washington, US Gender: Posts: 17,128 Thanks: 405 Thanked 606 Times in 368 Posts	The comic so far has been great, though dang it takes FOREVER for it to get posted. >_> Nintendo, why must you deny me!

12-13-2011, 06:01 PM	#17
*Ace Mercury* Marshmallow Knight ☆ Supermod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Southern Ontario Gender: Posts: 23,275 Thanks: 568 Thanked 3,297 Times in 1,582 Posts Blog Entries: 1	In case anyone's been dawdling: all five pages have been posted. Go take a looksee.

12-13-2011, 10:24 PM	#18
*Marilink* Gotta catch 'em all! Supermod! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Location, Location. Gender: Posts: 29,118 Thanks: 2,536 Thanked 1,823 Times in 1,008 Posts	Pretty sweet. I'd love to see a comic like the Link to the Past Nintendo Power comic, but that's pretty unrealistic.