These were added when the original comic adaptation was scheduled for November 2022. But for a host of reasons, it did not happen that way.

Either way, the images were then added to the prologue with a few more bonus images on the Tapas and GK official website prologue (not in the printed version!)

With the redesign of both characters' armor as well as hair and color palette style, the final remaster was completed in November 2022 right before the publishing deadline for the physical edition of GK book one - "Honor-Bound."

It may have gone through a lot of changes, but it was an enjoyable experience to grow along with GK and also artistically. This was around the time the coloring technique changed dramatically to the 'painterly' style and far away from the reflective shadow cel style. The painterly style is now what GK is known for and its signature look.

This is the first concept art for Future Kayden (Raylen) prepared for the comic adaption as well.

He was drawn with his "Robes" design back in the prologue image--which the prologue episode itself was added about halfway through book one's season with the completion of the fountain image.

This is the revised concept art for Kayden Royal—Primarily designed and prepared for the comic adaption that was made much later than the original images in the novel.

I decided to go with this armor design completely redone than the original concepts for ease of design and function.

At this time his iris was resized to be smaller and more "piercing" of an effect to display how it gets bigger or smaller depending on his emotional ranges.

For example,

-When his emotions are softer, his iris is bigger--like with his family.

-Smaller when he is angry, riled, or wearing an intense expression.

A very talented young artist helped illustrate some of the earliest images of Kayden and his rifle (and Rio!)

The designs for the characters had been done prior, but he took the designs and ran with them in a fun and exciting direction. These images were never finished but truly were a treat to see!

Check out his Instagram page for more of his work.

This was the first remaster for the cover, it was drawn by the artist Ricardo Capullo Gonzalez. The first and second designs for the armor were utilized; the bodysuit for past Kayden and the plated for future Kayden.

*There is an important detail in the reason behind the change in color, but that will be discovered later!

This was a very dynamic illustration and served as the cover on Tapas for three months until I wanted to put up a cover I did 100% and not just the ink and cover.

This design of the armor was purely plated, which was very cool! Future Kayden's armor was pushed into this direction completely but in gold and black. (There is a reason for these new colors that unfolds with the story!)

This was illustrated by another artist via Upwork by the name of Ayodeji Medunoye.

This was early concept artwork of their original armor design, illustrated by Muhamad Satibi--a talented artist I met through the platform called Upwork. The design was very futuristic and fascinating, but it got further developed...

This image was done during my 5 days stay in a hospital due to an illness, it was the first time I had completed a digital illustration in about six years. It was the first completed image of past and future Kayden.

I was excited to finally have a visual to go with the story and was quite proud of it. It was the second attempt at the technique I started to hone that was the signature style for GK for a long time with the desaturated reflective shadow within the boundary of the saturated deeper shadow. I didn't have the right color palette for either future or past Kayden either in this piece. It was the beginning of my artistic journey in my adult years...

This remaster of the cover underwent two stages—Not only was it colored in the original reflective shadow cel style, but the armor and Kayden's iris size was different than the last remaster.

Having gone with Ricardo's armor design for past Kayden, it was rather cool but still not the look I felt was the right match for his armor design.

As for future Kayden, it was a much simplified version of the armor and definitely away from the direction I wanted to go...

Since GK has been published online on Tapas back in the end of January 2022 all the way until the remasters were finished in November 2022, the images have changed. From the subtle anatomical fixes to the dramatic style changes—most out of the 77 images have been remastered.

This page will show the before and after to not only show growth in the technique as well as the changes to the characters along the way.