I have officially declared the voting for the Manual of Aeronautics art reveal to be over, and to be a tie between #1 (portrait of Dr. Barlow and Tazza) and #2 (rigger’s uniform).
SO YOU GET THEM BOTH. Now, we just need to vote again to see which one to show first . . .
“Um, but that would be stupid,” you say. And you would be right. So instead I shall flip a coin.
*flips coin*
*realizes hadn’t chosen which side was which*
*flips coin again*
We start with the rigger’s uniform!
compressed air rifle: check
rigger’s knife boot sheath: check
safety harness and clip: check
steampunk goggles: check
I don’t know how Keith remembers all this stuff, because I never do.
Oh, and I also promised you the rank and specialist patches that go on the shoulders:
There you have it! Enjoy, cosplayers! PLS SEND PIX 4 FAF.
I’ll be posting the portrait of Dr. Barlow in a couple of days, and the new and astounding cover for the Chinese edition of Leviathan very soon.
(Usual blah, blah: You can pre-order the Manual from Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or IndieBound. Or support your local bricks-and-mortar store by buying it on Tuesday, August 21.)
August 8th, 2012 06:31
:c << Just sad face because I really wanted the boffin's portrait.
You <3 us! (:
Looking at the outfit in detail. Those suits must weigh a ton! They look super heavy-duty!
August 8th, 2012 08:06
This is awesome!
August 8th, 2012 08:10
bubbly!!
i really wanted to see tazza…but oh well
August 8th, 2012 08:29
MAN I wanted Tazza!!! I don’t cosplay so yeah. Scott, quick question. Have you read A. The Alchemist (the secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel) or B. Skulduggery Pleasant (the scepter of the ancients)?
August 8th, 2012 09:15
At least you guys GET Dr. Barlow and Tazza! I really wanted the message lizards!
Oh, well. The rigger uniforms are awesome!
Hey, Scott, did you know that not only the Uglies series but LBG are on NPR’s list of the 100 best-ever teen novels? Congrats!
August 8th, 2012 16:14
excuse me but as awesome as that was Scott you said BOTH. where was Dr. Barlow in that? oh well. only 13 days left. and i do appreciate the humor.
August 8th, 2012 16:25
Those badges are awesome!!
August 8th, 2012 17:37
Is that an ammunition belt on the Rigger, or just one massive zip?!
August 8th, 2012 18:59
I can’t believe how detailed these illustrations always are! Love the patches!
August 8th, 2012 19:05
Oh Mah Beautiful!
August 8th, 2012 20:03
how DO i send fan art? I clicked the “contact scott westerfeld” button on here but it wants me to open it with gmail or yahoo and i dont have that
August 8th, 2012 21:56
Shells! Very Darwin.
August 8th, 2012 22:29
@6 Scorpio-Ferret:
He also said that he’d be posting Barlow and Tazza in a couple of days.
August 8th, 2012 23:04
Looks awesome and I can’t wait to get this book!
August 9th, 2012 00:49
That’s awesome, it makes me want to skip the next few days until the manual comes out, but that mean skipping some of the few days of summer left…
August 9th, 2012 01:26
Person with Hat, i totally agree! and Roxanne, thanks for reminding me. i just woke up and was confused. the time stamp doesn’t tell you that, but now, later, i can fully appreciate the amazingness.
August 9th, 2012 01:40
Schweet. Just…schweet.
That’s all.
August 9th, 2012 08:09
Testing. My previous TWO comments didn’t post!
August 9th, 2012 08:11
@18: Figures. If this is my last comment, know my computer is messing up.
August 9th, 2012 08:13
My give up.
August 9th, 2012 08:15
haha, number 2 does win in the end
August 9th, 2012 08:16
I know: I’ll send it in snippets, so it might work and I’ll up the comment count!
August 9th, 2012 08:16
Um, 22 is @18-20.
August 9th, 2012 08:17
Here goes: (Good ol’ copy and paste)
My comment didn’t post a while ago. GRR.
Anyways, I like the uniform. Looks pretty heavy duty, albeit hard to lug up and down the ratlines. That little air tank must have a lot of pressure to fire the rifle well.
August 9th, 2012 08:18
Yay! Snippet #2:
@8: I’m pretty sure it’s ammunition: How would a zipper in an odd place like that work? Would you squeeze out like a snake? But I do agree that it looks a lot like a giant diagonal zipper.
August 9th, 2012 08:24
Sorry for the confusion everyone. My computer’s acting up. I had advice for nerezza-la: Right click the contact “click here” and copy the email address. Get an email service if you don’t have one. Gmail’s good.
August 9th, 2012 08:26
I’m done now. Got a whole extra 8 comments out of my non-sending long comment!
August 9th, 2012 09:45
Looks pretty good for cold weather, which you probably get a lot of up on the spine. Can’t wait to see Tazza and el (or la in this case…) boffin!
August 9th, 2012 10:04
Ooh, I love the patches! I can’t wait for Dr, Barlow and Tazza!
Also, on a completely related note: Thank you to you and Justine for your NaNoWriMo tips of 2009! They’re so helpful! I read one everyday before I start writing…
(For those of you who don’t know, CampNaNoWriMo is going on right now. NaNoWriMo, but in the summer. ^^)
August 9th, 2012 20:44
Am I the only one intrested in weapons? Will there be a page of weapons in the MOA? I’m seriously going to make a replica, if not, a Leviathan-themed weapon. (Prop weapon, don’t come after me, cops)
August 9th, 2012 21:40
@30: I’m interested in weapon designs. I hope there will be such a page or two.
August 9th, 2012 22:12
Wow. That suit looks so…..warm. I don’t think I’d like to be wearing that in 86-degree heat.
August 10th, 2012 02:24
@32: Gosh. Must be some hidden air conditioner in there. Or it’s always frigid way up in the air, which I believe is more likely,
August 10th, 2012 02:25
That comma should be a period. > > > > > > > > > ^
August 10th, 2012 05:04
To everyone who thinks the suit looks warm: it gets super cold at high altitudes. I mean, when the Leviathan flies over the Alps in book 1, it would be colder than the top of the Alps. Which is pretty cold.
August 10th, 2012 05:32
the suits don’t look that warm to me, but then again I have been known to wear a jacket on really hot days
August 10th, 2012 06:09
Cool. Or maybe hot. XD
Randoooom Question:
What kind of coin did you flip?
August 10th, 2012 06:14
Them steam punk goggles are well… Uuuhh… AWASOME
August 10th, 2012 06:23
I saw this and thought I should show this to my family . Mom: that’s cool Ronan . Sarah: thats cool Ronan . Dad: that’s cool Ronan . Tiernan : GET OUT OF MY ROOM I DON’T CARE .
August 10th, 2012 08:19
Man that gun is GIGANTIC….
August 10th, 2012 08:20
Just finished Shay’s Story!!!!! It is AWESOME!!!
August 10th, 2012 10:28
It’s 10:57 at night but I have nothing better to do so I’m on here. Figures.
August 10th, 2012 10:28
I hope we get to see the tazz-master tommorow.
August 10th, 2012 10:40
Boo-yeah!
Awesome work Keith. I’m gonna get you to illustrate my novel when I get round to writing it (will you still be illustrating when I’m 20-something?)
August 10th, 2012 12:45
Dear America,
You idolize superheroes in tights and sparkly vampires.
We idolize 900-something-year-old time lords who take young women on adventures in a police box.
WE WIN!!!!!!
Love,
Britain
August 10th, 2012 16:21
@ 44, you’re genious! difficulties: 1) do you live in the same general area as Keith,
and 2) how old are you? these are for you to consider. good luck!
August 10th, 2012 16:21
btw scott thanks for occasionally reading our comments.
August 10th, 2012 20:33
T-Minus 11 days until I walk into B&N and demand my copy! =]
Despite having a Kindle, I am adamant about getting every single one of your books in hard copy to display proudly on my bookshelf.
August 10th, 2012 22:41
@35: Yay, I was right! (I said it was more likely, but close enough.) Thanks Scott for clarifying!
August 10th, 2012 22:45
I don’t know how anyone moves in that suit.
August 10th, 2012 22:46
It looks great though! I can’t wait until the 20th!
August 11th, 2012 09:07
I’m reading Extras!
@51-You mean the 21st?
August 11th, 2012 18:13
Do the midshipmen get patches?
August 11th, 2012 22:11
i find this odd, but i am agreeing with a Daft Prince. well Scott, you’ve read these comments once, can you come to the rescue with an answer again please?
August 12th, 2012 02:43
Next you should reveal art of Deryn Sharp!! She’s the coolest character in the entire series!!!
August 12th, 2012 04:30
Yes, the middies do have their own patches, which are also in the Manual. But their patches go in the Manual section with the officer’s uniforms, although they’d probably stick one onto their personal flight suit as well.
August 12th, 2012 06:30
1) I’m gone for two weeks on vacation and this is all you have?!?!?!?!?! Sad! (faf).
2) MM: You knocked me out?
2b) By Newkirk, I mean, it was a cheap blow, but still!
2c) NEWKIRK STOLE ZEUS! How dare you.
3) Rigger uniform= awesome possum!
4) Come on, all foreign covers are awesome!
That is all.
August 12th, 2012 20:26
oh god, now i’m actually going to watch what i comment. so you DO read our comments, Scott. usually you don’t… btw can you please post some of my FanArt? PLEASE?
August 13th, 2012 06:27
@58-I STILL remember when Scott lectured me when I told you to shut up…now I regret that…cause I shoulda told you to shut the F*CK up! JK sorry if that was harsh. I meant it as a joke JUST SO YOU KNOW.
August 13th, 2012 06:42
Did anyone else see Eric Idle singing “always look on the bright side of life” at the Olympic closing ceremony just now? I think it made my day.
August 13th, 2012 06:45
@59- I knew it’d be only a matter of time before you brought that up! I’ve been just waiting for you to explode (not literally, obviously). I have to say, I thought it’d be a little more stupendous.
August 14th, 2012 07:16
@61-Well, I could scream my head off about it, but what is Scott have me another lecture about not screaming on the blog?
Actually I’m just too lazy to be stupendous. Plus Scott will be reading the new post’s comments, so I can do whatever on here.
August 17th, 2012 08:09
@62 (last sentence): He evidently has been reading the new ones, but I don’t believe that is a good mentality.
August 17th, 2012 10:00
@63-AND WHY NOT HMMMMM????
August 20th, 2012 19:35
@64: Because I don’t think you want another lecture, like you said.