General information

About the comic

Legal disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. The characters, organizations, incidents and dialogues are products of the author's imagination and are not to be constructed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, existing organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Parental guidance

Although the comics is quite harmless in its current state it is not suited (and not made) for kids. Most probably the second half of the story will contain some violent scenes, so I would give it a careful PG-16 rating (i.e. you should be 16 or older to read it); this might be changed once I have reached that point.

The story

Since I have already got a very harsh mail about this: I do not draw this comic to take any kind of advantage out of the current anthrax hype. The first pages had been finished in July (about three month before the 11 September). Actually the overall idea of the story is much older; it is based on an unfinished short story I have started roughly ten years ago. And by the way: I am not the first author using a world treating epidemic; I think I can name at least ten novels or movies - let me see: "Outbreak (Movie)", "The Stand (Novel - Steven King)", "The white plague (Novel - Frank Herbert)", "The Patriot (Movie - 1998)", "The Andromeda Strain (Novel/Movie - Micheal Crichton)", "Cobra (Novel)", "Alessandra crossing (Movie)" … okay that are just seven, but I bet there are much more.

The technique

You might have guessed: This is very first comic I am trying to draw. Back in school time I have learn some basic drawing techniques ("Yes, the sharp end of the pencil has to be pressed on the paper."), but I somehow lost interested in this later. I am still experimenting with different techniques and tools - unluckily the comic undergoes some stylistic changes during these experiments, though you should be still able to recognize the main characters. The first 30 pages are mostly black-white pencil drawings while the current ones are all colorized (I suppose this could be called an improvement).

What I am actually trying to say here: Do not ask me anything about drawing techniques. You would get a different answer every day.

The future

*Sigh* - recently I have gone thru the plot, added some new ideas and checked what I have accomplished so far (and how many pages I have needed). My current extrapolation: The comic will be at least 12 chapters and about 200 or 250 pages long - so there is way to go.

About me

I am a grumpy physicist who is now working as software developer (buzzword: IT). Acting on the spur of the moment I have started to draw the comic in my spare time. I think that should explain most oddities.

Why "TheTorn"

Nope, this not a typo!
The nick is based on a character of a fantasy story ("The one with the torn soul") I have worked out some time ago. Unluckily I am lacking the writing skills to write it down properly as well as the drawing skills to create a comic. - Maybe I am ready once I have finished this one (or so I hope in my wildest dreams).