The Project
So for my Senior Capstone Project at Merrimack College, I have scripted, sketched, and illustrated a 68 page comic called Out of Our Element: The Beginning.
It is also self published on Amazon.
The Story
This comic is the first in a series I plan on continuing on with that is about a young boy, Case Byers, awakening to his elemental powers and figuring out what he should do when it happens. This allows readers to first learn about the world as a whole and get introduced to a greater story.
Details on the Story and Inspirations
Out of Our Element is an idea I have been developing since junior year of high school. It really started with the concept of “What if there were people with elemental powers, but they are hidden from the rest of society?” I started by drawing some of my characters, thinking about their personalities, and developing a story from there. Over the years, the designs changed as my artistic skills improved, along with my sensibilities and concerns. I also adjusted the story, with its intricate magic system to make sure it was coherent.. So much thought has gone into my characters and story, finally being able to focus on writing and illustrating was quite fulfilling. Out of Our Element: The Beginning, serves as the start of my story. It is intended to give readers a little bit of an understanding of the world I am creating, how powers work, and also to provide a bit of intrigue at the end—hopefully getting readers to want more.
The Overarching Story
This story, Out of Our Element, takes place in a world just like our own. The only difference is the existence of Elemental Beings and Creatures, who have the power to control an element (fire, earth water, air, etc). In this world some are aware of the existence of Elementals, though most know very little about Elementals as a whole. To protect themselves, the Elemental society keep to themselves, either living in purely Elemental towns and cities, or hiding in Non-Elemental towns and cities.
The main characters: Case Byers, JC Waller, Fraser Kayode, and Annie Pascal, are all young Elementals learning how to use their powers, as well as figuring out how they fit into the world. During the story, they encounter people that challenge their way of life, and they even question what it truly means to be an Elemental. They learn more about themselves and the world around them, while also getting into dangerous situations.
Out of Our Element: The Beginning
What would life be like if there was a population of people who had elemental powers and abilities? What would it be like if the majority of the world knew about their existence, but nothing else? Keeping Elemental Creatures away from those who don’t have powers? It results in a diverse world with Elementals and Non-elementals separated from one another in one way shape or form. How does a young Elemental, who just awoke to their power, navigate within this world?
Fifteen-year-old Case Byers finds himself fully joining the world of Elementals after waking up to his elemental powers awakening, causing damage to his room. He has to learn how to control his powers, but he has to keep his powers hidden from Non-Elementals. He also has to try and figure out what it truly means to be an Elemental himself. It all starts with a ring, and a phone call.
