With TLWL Vol. 12 done & released, I've officially started the "2nd chapter" of the story. There's still 1 last "couple" to introduce, which will be done in the next volume...after which the story will start focusing on every navigates life leading up to the next "big event". If you've been reading along, specifically the last 3 volumes, I've dropped subtle hints of what that event will be, but I digress. TLWL is easily the biggest of my 3 (soon to be 4 once I start working on Magnum Opus) comic series, with lots of ideas, characters and tie-ins to my other comics (notably Stiel Maiden, but there'll eventually be crossover between TLWL and B&V as well). It's obviously also the oldest of my comics, me having started it in 2020 not long after we created Klub Exile. In this blog entry, I want to share some insights behind the story, as well as details behind some characters and ideas that you, the reader...would never know. So without further ado, let's do this.

Henry & Bianca...are race swapped - When I came up with the original concept of the main characters, Henry Reese was a black man, and Bianca Dupri was a white woman. What made me decide to change them? Well...the rest of my content. 90% of my content is interracial, and the majority of that usually involves a black man and a white woman (my preference...seeing as I myself am a black man). When I started writing the script to Vol. 1, I decided to swap their races, and create brand new models for both of them. This leads to the next detail below...

Shelton and Madeleine...were Henry & Bianca - The original models and character concepts I had planned for Hank & Bee, where integrated into the characters Shelton Goggins and Madeleine Leroux. The 1st draft of the story had Henry (Shelton) as a down-on-his-luck loser and Bianca (Maddy) an aspiring baker who just moved to Empire City. The romance would begin with a chance encounter at "Bianca's" bakery Au Bon Fournil. Of course, I scrapped that idea when I changed the races of both, made new models created new backstories for both. The original Henry became Shelton, who's overall story hasn't changed, and the original Bianca became Madeleine, who's overall story hasn't changed from the original draft as well...it was just altered making her a secondary character. The plan of how she meets Jaeleen & Rory was always meant to play out the way it did. As for Shelton, when I opted to make "True" Bianca a yoga instructor...I decided to connect him romantically to another besty of Bianca, Priya Persat...who I created so be a support character.

Rory & Jaeleen's criminal past - A known, but unexplored aspect of the other 2 main characters of the story, is that they both were essentially "Bonnie & Clyde" in their youth. While this aspect of the characters will be further explored in future volumes, I was initially conflicted on how to establish the tumultuous relationship between the 2. I initially planned for it to be somewhat antagonistic (Which I played upon in the 1st version of ECS: Betrayal 1 before I retconned it with TLWL 0) but decided to go with a more emotionally charged dynamic between the 2 centered around them never wanting to return to that life again, and dealing with the grief of losing Jaeleen's older brother Miguel "Mikey" Rivas mere months before their year long separation. As I've now introduced Jaeleen's parents into the story, the Mikey story arch will run its through all 4 characters, as the 2 year anniversary of his death now looms in the near future.

The troubled life of Lucas Watts - As mentioned in his heartfelt talk with Frank Reese before departing Empire City, Lucas Watts is a fucked up individual. While he may seem big and boastful, with his muscular frame and boyish good looks, Luke is actually an extremely tragic character. He was raised in an abusive home, where his father would beat on him and his mother daily. As a child, he bonded with Henry because he was one of the only kids who didn't judge him, as Luke wasn't a good student at all, and struggled to make his grades because of his household trauma. It was one fateful day when he came to Hank's home sporting a black eye and a bruised cheek that Hank pleaded with Luke to tell someone about what has happening at his house. Up to that point, Hank was the only person Luke confided in about his abuse. Luke finally relented and told Frank, who proceeded to pack both boys into his truck, drive to the Watts residence in The Hallows, and beat Luke's father Jacob...an ECPD officer...within an inch of his life. Frank, who was at the time at the tail end of his military career, warned Jake if he ever tried to retaliate or find Luke and his mother Dawn, he'd "finish the job". Frank proceeds to call in a favors from his friends in the government to have a permanent restraining order placed on Jake after helping Dawn & Luke move to the other side of the city. Jake vanished never to be seen again, and Dawn eventually remarried.

Luke however, was forever affected by his father. Though Frank pseudo adopted him as a 2nd son, Luke was never able to escape the demons of his traumatic childhood. Though he appears to be strong willed, it's actually a front. He's a conflicted and easily manipulated man, evident in how he was essentially seduced by Hank's now ex-wife, Christine Vincent. His story arch will pick up with him across the country, living in my universe's version of Los Angeles, trying to cope with the idea that he no longer has his "family" to fall back on and for the 1st time in his life is completely alone. While Christine's story arch is going to see her "punished" a bit for, Luke's story arch will be a redemption story of sorts. Won't got into details as not to spoil things, but it'll kick off in TLWL vol13.

The fate of Christine Vincent - So yea, Chris' situation in Vol12 was a bit intense...and that's be design. Her story arch is going to be rough, and while I won't spoil the big stuff, I will safely say she will not be the same woman she was at the start of this story. Already dealing with the guilt of losing Henry and gaining the ire of her father as result, Christine is headed down downward spiral that's going to see a LOT of changes in her life, some good...some bad...but all completely unexpected. Will she get a "happily ever after"? Not sure yet. But she will go through some humbling experiences that knocks her down a peg and teaches her valuable lessons about who she really is as a woman, lover and human being.

Hermione Reese - Hermie Reese was LITERALLY a last minute character. She was created because I wanted Hank to have a sibling for the sake of the scene in Vol8 where he tells his father about his impending divorce (Note: He's named "Gordon" Reese, but I changed his name for Franklin...and never bother to edit in out). The concept of Hermie is pretty simple...she's everything Henry isn't. Identical twin to Henry, Hermie is quick witted, sarcastic, outspoken and swears like a sailor, nothing like her low key, reserved and stoic brother. Comparatively, Henry would be more like their mother Henrietta "Henri" Reese, and Hermie is more like Frank...just less pissed off at humanity. As has been expressed in her appearances in the story thus far, Hermie LOATHES Christine...and has done so since the very 1st time they met. She also had a years long crush on Lucas, but never acted on it. Unlike Hank, who had been with Christine 11 years...married 10 at Hermie's 1st appearance, Hermie has never been in a serious relationship. Being an aspiring stand-up comedian, she's dedicated her life to her craft and as such...has no time to commit to a relationship. However, over the course of the months that has followed her initial appearance in the story, she's found herself involved with a stagehand at the comedy club she frequents by the name of Anwar Chavez. Her 2nd appearance in the story sees her...now inspired by the success of her brother's relationship with Bianca...to give true romance a chance with Anwar.

Tie-in with my other works - As I've hinted about in past posts, all of my stories take place in the same "universe". While Magnum Opus will not cross over into the other 3 stories...the events of Stiel Maiden, Bubblee & Victoria and Magnum Opus will be either felt or mentioned in some way in TLWL, as well as events in TLWL playing out in SM and B&V. Notable events have been OBVIOUSLY the debut of Lori Stiel James "Sully" Sullivan in ECS:B Vol5. I actually hadn't even PLANNED SM at that point, but when I did...I immediately decided to have the resolution of their "argument" at Bianca & Priya's studio play out in the 2nd volume. There's also the appearance of Silas Greenly, Hank & Rory's lawyer friend in SM Vol 7.5, who is a childhood friend of Sully and will also make further appearances in that story. I have other tie-ins planned, 2 of them being pretty mind blowing. The universe I've created is an alternate universe to our own, where such things as magic and other species of humanoids exist, such as elves, orcs, dwarves, gnomes, dragons, spriggans and all other types of fantasy races exist. I actually plan on making another post where I explain the actual "lore" of my universe. It's pretty detailed when I come to think of it.

Alternate versions of OTHER people's characters - There are a number of model creators here on KE that I'm big fans of. Sadly, a lot of these creators don't share their most popular models. Can't blame them, I'm guilty of this myself. Only on special occasions will I ever share a model from one of my comics with someone, and even then it'll be with someone I trust to no do the character an injustice from how I portray them. However, the characters I HAVE actively already shared I'm pretty much ok with anyone using in content ACCEPT PATREON CONTENT. (Sidenote: If you're a Patreon creator, and I see any of my models in your work and haven't received a PM from you asking for permission to use them...don't even bother asking for an account deletion...I'm IP banning you from KE out right.) That being said, I predominantly stick to using my own characters because there's an aesthetic "art style" I make my characters with. So if I do decide to use the model of someone else, I will obviously ask permission to do so, and express to them that what I'll be doing is creating an "alternate universe" version of their original character...as they would exist in my creative universe. So say for example...if I decided I wanted @SovietTiger's Rassia to appear in Stiel Maiden...as "technically" Rassia has military training, so she'd actually fit in that story as a covert operative...I'd naturally as for permission to do so, and make some subtle changes to her. For example, I'd age her by 10 years, as ST's original version 22. As far as real life military goes...a 22 y/o is still grunt level junior enlisted...either a Private (Pvt) or Private First Class (Pfc). By at least 30-32, you've seen some combat and have raised in the ranks from any rank to Sergeant (Sgt) to if you're elite level, Captain (Cpt). So my version Rassia would be 32 y/o and a seasoned veteran of war. Also, as the Russian connection within Stiel Maiden are badguys...I'd keep her Mexico, making her one of their top Tier-1 operators. (Another note: IRL there are no female special forces operators. But this ain't real life, so fuck it...LOL.) One such occurrence will actually be happening in TLWL Vol13, as @gobman has given me the okay to my favorite creation of his Kate as a character. As I stated...this will be an alternate universe version of Kate, so aesthetically she'll have the look uniform to my characters...but she'll unmistakably retain the identity of her original version. So yea...if you want an alternate version of YOUR character to appear in my work, just let me know. Or i'll just come to you with the idea when I've cooked up something that I could slot them into.

The Creator - You've seen the term used frequently in my work. I explained the concept in passing within my comic "On The Inside", but I'd like to further elaborate on it a bit. As the universe I've "created" is a parallel universe of real life, to the characters within the universe...I'm technically "God" to them...in the same context that deities in religion exist here. Now, religions such as Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism and all others exist within my universe...there's only 1 actual "God of Gods"; The Creator. If you've read Marvel Comics, there are 2 characters within the Marvel Universe known as "The One Above All" and the "The One Below All". They are the penultimate "God" and "Satan" of Marvel's universe. Do other gods and devils exist? Yes. There's characters like Thor, God of Thunder and Mephisto, ruler of Hell in Marvel. But ToAA and ToBA are the absolute pinnacle deities. They are the literal creators of the Marvel Universe. My concept of The Creator is the exact same. In my universe, there are demi-gods and parademons. There are gods and devils. There are paracausal beings. And then, there is The Creator...who created all of the above. A being existent above all other beings. While it is technically "me"... The Creator manifests within the universe in many ways, most commonly through narration (the gold narration boxes are the worlds of The Creator). It's a way to affect the stories on a paracasual level...while also avoiding any real religious undertones. If you've notice, I replace terms like "Oh God", "My God" or "Thank God" with Creator or Gods instead of God. This is an in story, universal acknowledgment that there are many deities that exist within my universe. So now you know the reasoning behind it as a reader. The in-universe explanation will be far more intricate.

So yea, I think I'll stop there. This has been a LOT of fuckin' typing. There's many other insights...but I save those for other blogs. If you made it to the end...you da' man. I know this was a lot of reading. I put a lot of thought into my work, and I just wanted to share some of them with you all.

Keep klubbin', Exilers.