Artwork Reveal: The Smugglers

I've long had a desire to create a GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO trailer in the style of this "Dune" miniseries trailer that has stuck with me a long time (15 years at least, I guess):

 

I always admired how the characters of "Dune" are so iconic, so beloved (or hated), and so instantly recognizable that the trailer focuses almost exclusively on them.  Unlike ordinary trailers which focus on the action or the hook or the twist or whatever to entice the audience.  In "Dune" it is the characters who entice above all else.  And that was always my goal with THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO, debatable as the outcome may be.

I knew to make this trailer I would either need to hire actors - which would be prohibitively expensive for what amounts to a fun arts and crafts project - or use artwork.  Those of you who know me know I'm terrible at art.  I had some proclivity for it as a child, but as the narrator of "The Royal Tenenbaums" would say, "failed to develop."  I don't even really have much of an eye for art - I have to rely on trusted confidantes to judge my book covers for me.

I finally stopped dawdling this year and hired an artist, the incredibly talented Ashley Powers (check her out here and here) to finally put a face to my characters.  The end result is that I'm finally ready to release my trailer, and I'll be doing so on THe GaL iN THe BLue MaSK's blog on October 30 as part of her "31 Days of Halloween" extravaganza.

To build up some anticipation and to have a place to host this incredible artwork in non-video form, each Friday from now until October 30 I'll be posting one of Ashley's commissions.  This week I thought I'd start with our intrepid heroes, the smugglers of the Rey Gould:

Pictured (left to right): Hannibal Mo, Captain Henk "Howling Mad" Martigan, Leona "Butch" Candiru