These Gutter Cat Gang members are tapping into the latest technology to write and illustrate an incredible tale!
Vel.eth (@Velcrafting) and Ken Malibu (@KenMalibuArt) dropped "Whispers of the Wind: a Crimson Odyssey Story," and the Gang can get their e-book for free this weekend!
Earlier today, Vel tweeted: "I guess you cant win every fight. "Whispers of the Wind: A Crimson Odyssey Story e-Book is available for free!! Today December 23rd, and tomorrow December 24th! https://a.co/d/3SjLpJY #Amazon via @Amazon."
The Gutter Cat Times reached out to Vel and Ken to find out more about their time in the Gutter, collaboration, and their recently published story, “Whispers Of The Wind.”
Ken was in GCGs Discord during launch, but missed the mint when it kicked off early: "I picked up a couple of Cats on the secondary! I love the art, Cats and the vibes," he said.
Vel joined the Gang in September, 2021 after receiving a Gutter asset for helping out with GCGs community Space, "Conversations From the Gutter." He reps Gutter Pigeon 1090, a 6-Trait bird with Manhattan Fur, Blue Eyes, Backwards Hat, Thin Gold Chain, Puffer Jacket, and Green Background.
They kicked off their collab through a shared interest in leveraging Ai and using it to push the boundaries of IP. They'd played around with Dalle-3, generating ideas and sharing images back and forth. Ken honed in on a style they both liked, and, as Vel said: "a picture is worth a thousand words!" Check out one of the images from their story below!
Vel told the GCT that he used an Ai “co-author,” Aria, and described ideas for potential stories based on images. Aria selected a story about a strong female protagonist, with a power struggle in her home, and a style – Manga – to tell her story. Vel then drafted concepts and Aria provided a skeleton for chapters.
“Writing on a blank page is the hardest aspect to start, but with this process it was more like improv," Vel said. More sessions with Aria led to expansive character studies and full world building.
Their creative collab included exploring design elements that were new for both of them. “We’d ask, ‘Does this feel emotionally impactful?’ ‘Is text needed here?’ So many questions, plus trial and error helped to flesh out what we feel is creatively a visually striking and compelling story,” Vel explained.
Ken and Vel said they’d love for the Gutter community “to read the story, talk about it, share it with a friend, demand a sequel, and tell us what you think happens next.”
Puffer Gang's r0seNY is already raving, tweeting, "Seeing what @Velcrafting & @KenMalibuArt have been able to accomplish with AI has been nothing short of extraordinary. A full fledged manga, with incredible art & a captivating story. Now available FOR FREE (limited time) on Amazon/Kindle.
Check out the link there to get yours for free this weekend! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ8YJ9WY
If you don't want to click links you can search for B0CQ8YJ9WY to find the book. Vel said, “Send to your friends that enjoy Manga, Ai, or just like reading in general! Part 1 ends with a great cliff hanger, are you ready for what comes next?”
The Gutter Cat Times will continue to follow Ken and Vel’s stories in The Crimson Odyssey series and bring you the latest news and updates. Follow along @guttercattimes on X for all things Gutter, all the time.
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