Alpha Shade

Infobox webcomic|
title = Alpha Shade


caption = "Alpha Shade Chapter One"
author = Chris Brudlos
Joe Brudlos
url = http://www.alpha-shade.com/
status = bi-weekly
began = 2003
ended =
genre =
ratings = "Alpha Shade" is a long-form webcomic written and illustrated by the Brudlos brothers, Chris and Joe respectively. It takes place in a fictional world dominated by four warring empires. As of yet, very little is actually known about the "Alpha Shade" world. However, what is known is that it is a planet connected to our own contemporary/near future earth with some form of teleportation or gate travel. The protagonist, Laura Stone, is (presumably) from Earth. The brothers posted the first 3 pages on their site in 2003, and put out roughly one page per week. Alongside the comic, they run a podcast, the "Alpha Rant", that deals with the comic and whatever issues they have on their minds.

Chapter One

Chapter One introduces Laura Stone as the leader of a small country beholden to the Great Southern Empire, currently at war. She is just beginning her assault on a city that she needs to capture. The cats and panthers of the world also make their first appearances; they are both highly intelligent species, with supernatural abilities. Several assassination attempts on Laura's life fail, and the existence of traitors in Stone's army is raised - one such traitor is promptly executed. However, the opposing side in the war, the Great Northern Empire, has begun its assault on Stone's encampment. The chapter ends with Stone in immediate danger, then with a mysterious flashback taking place in Peru.

Chapter Two

Chapter Two takes the reader back 18 months before the events of Chapter One, to Laura's days in school back on our planet. This chapter follows two separate plot lines: one involving Laura at a gymnastics tournament with her friends watching, as well as another involving people of the Alpha Shade universe. At an art gallery, a group of men serving under the Lord Hechinger have tracked down a blue stone that has recently arrived from Peru. Before they have a chance to do anything with it, a woman (Kayla) and a cat (Koshu) kill them all. Their lord, Jarak Rastislav, arrives and reveals that the stone is a still-operational "Gate Stone" that his Emperor had lost. As they leave the gallery, he contacts his cousin Nasak, who appears to be double-crossing him with a rival House, that of Lord Hechinger.

Future development

According to an [http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/pb/112446616298900.htm interview] with the Brudlos brothers, a script is already written out rather far ahead for the first book, which will comprise 16 chapters of 80-100 pages to each chapter. The first chapter, although it took 90 pages when drawn out, only took up 16 pages of the script. Later Alpha-Rants indicate this may have been a result of the action orientation of the first chapter.

Collected Editions

* "Alpha Shade Chapter One" ISBN 0-9768705-0-9
* "Alpha Shade Chapter Two" ISBN 0-9768705-1-7

Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards

* Outstanding use of Flash (2006)
* Outstanding use of Flash (2005)
* Outstanding Environment Design (2005)
* Outstanding Long Form Comic (2005)

External links

* [http://www.alpha-shade.com/ "Alpha Shade"]