Fingers of the Gods is my free comic inspired by Warhammer 40000 universe. Imperial Guard, with the support of Imperial Navy, raids a Cabal of Eldar Pirates.
I drew it with a Wacom Volito 2 and Corel Painter 9. Special thanks to Giuliano Graziu for the synopsis translation, and thanks to Killian J Shaman, Steempunk, Whatwhat, Not_U from Dakkadakka forum, who help me translating in English the whole comic.
Synopsis
Fingers of the Gods is the account of a suicide mission. Seven Imperial Guard specialists infiltrate the darkness surrounding planet Kiprael 9, the gloomy den of a Cabal of Eldar Pirates.
They have to violate the defenses of Vampire palace, rescue a mysterious Astropath, kill the xeno leader and finally share the inevitable death of the living palace.
The instructions are scarce, the environment is hostile. The dark conceals endless dangers. Only a grim determination spurs the team. Only their faithful weapons keep the seven guards alive. In spite of their survival instinct, against their very self-preservation, the team penetrates an endless maze of claustrophobic corridors. The desperate wails of the prisoners haunt the seven specialists. Bloodthirsty creatures stalk them in the shades. Lethal assassins hunt them everywhere.
It is a match between deathdealers.
Video presentation, music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Air ORCHESTRAL SUITE No.3 in D Major,BWV.1068.
The Characters (!!!start spoiler!!!)
- Ronagar Ine, Lieutenant PDF Aster. Reliable. He tries to hide his regret. Unlike the others he is not enlisted in one of the innumerable regiments of the Guard. He is merely an officer of the Planetary Defense Force. An exemplary career, his family, his house: this was Ronagar's life.
- Negade Alendra, Sergeant XIV Storm Troopers. Determined. She loves action and always wants to fight on the forefront. In her veins flows melted steel and adrenaline, they say. Her past life is classified. Perhaps she volunteered to taste the ultimate battle lust.
- Jlota Genses, Lieutenant V Nerhan Raiders. Sad. Like Ronagar she loves life, but knows she has to die soon: a terminal disease is slowly devouring her. She feels attracted by the Captain. It has taken her years to rise from the ranks, promoted when she survived the unlucky Bophius campaign. Unfortunately, there she contracted a lethal alien virus.
- Quavee Octavius Lieutenant II Ripiana Mountaineers. Lone wolf. Ironic. Used to get by alone. Good sniper, the promotion to Lieutenant has arrived after the umpteenth perfect kill. He has fallen hopelessly addicted to alien drugs. Framed by a rival that tell on him he waits for the Martial Court, he accepted this mission to redeem himself.
- Natum Qaud, XXVIII Fenix Sappers. Carefree. Visionary. He is very fond of great explosions, the smell of the cordite in the air and rubbles shedded here and there. An excellent sapper, used to infiltrate the enemy lines, place his explosives and vanish like a ghost. However, he has grow tired of devastation and death.
- Kieve Borcic, XL Voskta Engineers. Cool. Lonely. She is afflicted by the death of her partner, tragically disappeared in a accidental explosion. She is an experienced artificer adept in neutralizing booby-traps. This mission is her chance to rejoin her loved one.
- Umo Dreell, Captain XI Swordhand. Fierce, merciless, efficient: an assassin. He conceals a bit of sensibility and the hostile environment of Kiprael will stress his nerves to the limit. Promoted Captain in a Regiment that exalts hand to hand combat, he has served well the Imperium. Then a tragic error and the death of a million Citizens have jeopardized its reputation.
(!!!end spoiler!!!)
History
Fingers of the Gods comic was originally a short novel, set in the grim darkness of Warhammer 40000, titled Squadra Rappresaglia (Retaliation Squad) and written by the author in the winter of 2004. It was published in the Adeptus Narrator section of Italian Games-Workshop forum; it came to life thanks to other forum members' support and comments too.
In the spring of 2007 Black Library opened Planet Kill competition and the author partecipated in it with this short novel. Giuliano Graziu's help was fundamental because of the English traslation and his advices. Title changed in Le Dita degli Dei (Fingers of the Gods). Competition's result was negative.
In the summer of 2007 the author decided to publish a comic about his short novel. He starded drawing the first pages with a grafic tablet, then hosted in the Forum GW Tilea's galleries. The project didnt' ended.
In the spring of 2009 the author resumed the old draws to end his work. Mission accomplished in September of the same year.
Some months later, the author starts traslating the comic. Thanks to DakkaDakka forum the work begins.
In the late spring of 2010, with the immeasurable support of Kevin J. "Shaman" and also "Steempunk", "WhatWhat" and "Not_U", tha author can achieve the goal.
"[...]and that's why "Fingers of the Gods" can show in the best way what is: a lively story marked by the strong and involving images of modest, forgotten, great heroes of the Imperium."
Logan Crimson
