I'm reviewing the last comic in the train, but to all the newcomers: You can still step in if you want to! Rules are at the top. 2 reviews and a plug, and you'll get a guaranteed minimum of 1 review.
@WhiskeyClone
Here's the review for your comic.
Well, this is very different. It's still too early to say it's good or bad, but it definitely has potential. I'm going to have to follow a bit of a different format here. Rather than per category, I'll try to go by point.
The Korean influence
You use Korean slang and sound effects at multiple points throughout the story. It's positive that you add notes to clarify those words and sounds. Reading from right to left is something that doesn't bother me, nor will it bother most, but it's good that you added a note. However, if you want to use Korean influences in the story, make sure to keep up like you're doing now and maybe even double down on some aspects. Make it feel like those words create a strong atmosphere. I think you are headed in the right direction on this, as it's still early, but if you keep doing it well it will likely help establish an identity for the story.
The Characters and story
Not much has been shown yet. There seems to be a lot of smoking. As an asthmatic, I hope you don't intend to show that as a positive thing, but I haven't seen anything big and objectionable as of yet. People smoke in real life, so it would make sense that fictional characters do too.
I suppose I should adress the elephant in the room: The character announcing he'll end himself and the 24 hour flashback. There's no way to know where this is going, but I really like how you set up the atmosphere here. The slow burn amplifies the curiosity as to why he would want to do that.
I hope it's not shown as a good decision, as that would be harmful, but I doubt that's where you're taking it. That being said, I would advise putting some sort of warning in front of the story. This kind of thing can be really fragile.
Here's a link to some guidelines on portraying this type of depression in a way that doesn't instigate people:
https://theactionalliance.org/messaging/entertainment-messaging/national-recommendations
I think people should have the freedom to break these rules as artists, but then it's extra important to make sure people are warned so that they can engage with the story on their own discretion.
The Art
I was skeptical when I started reading, but this is really good. Your control of colours, spacing, dynamics, angles and background details is really strong. What the characters lack in consistency or realism, you make up for with dynamic presentation. The character anatomy and perspective could use some work, especially on complex object like people and vehicles.
The quality of the art varies a lot from page to page, with the first ones probably being the strongest. Your use of colours is very good and if you can keep focusing on using your strength, dynamic angles, to it's fullest, I reckon your comic can evolve into something really pretty.
The text
You have very good handwriting, but the choice to use handwriting someitimes makes it harder to read. If you don't already, sketching lines with a ruler to write on and prewriting in pencil might help avoid spacing issues.
The scan format
Notably, rather than draw the pages digitally or scan using a scanner, you decided to draw on paper and use photos. There are a couple of points where this is a bit distracting. Moments where the page isn't flat, so it comes off as diagonal, where you can see what I'm guessing is a school book and moments where you can see your fingers. I don't think you should step away from using photos at all, but I do think it has a lot more potential.
My first suggestion would be to use a paperclip to make sure the page stays nice and flat. If you want it to fit the picture, you can maybe use a paperclip that fits the colours of the current page That way, you can also avoid showing your hands in the image.
My second suggestion would be to use the surroundings of the photo to your advantage. (Now's not the time to go far outside, with the whole virus thing, but there might be useful things at home or in the future)
For instance: If you want to portray loneliness or an industrial feel, put your book on a concrete background. If your character is going to take a shower, take a picture of the book with the bathroom tiles as background.
If the character feels opressed, but your hands on both sides of the page as if enveloping them. If they're in a dirty cafƩ, use a moist glass to leave a mark on the page. There's a lot you could play around with.
TLDR;
I think your work has a lot of potential, but it's too early to judge. I think you've chosen a few topics that won't be everyone's cup of tea, but they don't have to be. A content warning for the heavier stuff may be a good idea. Your art has a lot of room to grow, but also a whole lot of potential. The choice to use photos instead of scans is a bit distracting at some points, but could definitely be used to your benefit. Keep it up!
(edit: I know the numbering is wrong, but for some reason the Tapas forums keep changing the numbers. No clue why.)