Yo! Just stumbled across Man and Purpose. while browsing through NamiComi and I gotta say, the setup for Caldus really caught my eye. The whole idea of a protagonist trying to rise to power in an empire filled with war and heavy political intrigue, all while being completely ostracized and questioned just because his face is considered "unattractive" compared to his father the emperor, is such a refreshing, gritty angle. It immediately sets up a really compelling undercurrent of psychological struggle and raw defiance that you don't see in standard fantasy. What really stands out to me is how well this dynamic would translate into visual manga storytelling. Showing the contrast between the gorgeous, superficial imperial court and Caldus's plain, battle hardened appearance in a single, wide angle panel would be incredibly striking. I keep imagining a tense scene of him standing before the throne, surrounded by whispering nobles using dramatic, heavy shadowing on his face to emphasize his isolation and his sheer determination to rule anyway. That kind of raw, emotional weight is exactly what makes action drama panels pop. I’m Ava, a commission based comic and manga artist, and I'd love to help you bring Caldus's world and challenges to life. Whether you want to adapt a pivotal scene into a quick webtoon format to help pitch the story, grab a moody promotional illustration, or get some custom character designs drawn up, I'm totally down to collaborate. No pressure at all, but if you want to check out my style and see if we vibe, feel free to peek at my work on Instagram at arts_by_ava1, add me on Discord at avajames.art, or shoot me a line at artsbyava2@gmail.com!