Fleet Command Interface

Remember those scenes in Iron Man where Stark is playing with his holographic blueprints and stuff? The Fleet Command Interface is pretty much just like that. As you might have guessed, though, the FCI has a very different purpose: coordinating fleets of starships.
If you want to imagine how this works, picture a cross between a real-time strategy game and EVE Online. Or hell, just imagine being able to control multiple ships in EVE.
Also on this page: some fun with lighting, hands, and explosions. I'm trying to draw space explosions as realistically as possible: that is to say, there aren't any, really. Just little flashes of light and a lot of shiny debris.
And finally, ships. I've been meaning to design some human ships for a while now, and I'm glad I finally did it. I'm picturing most human ships as having loads of little panels that pop off the hulls and fly around. Some have guns, some have shields, some attack, some defend, etc. I'm trying to avoid using a Standard Scifi Fleet for humans.

Extended Cut

Yayyyyyextendedcut!

US Aliens 5: Kranta

(I... sorta ran out of steam halfway through this one. In my defense, I did do all 5 of these in one sitting.)
And I know I said there wouldn't be any humanoid aliens in US, but let me clarify.
There are two alien races that can choose to appear humanoid (Petuchi and Nalghite), and there's these guys. And the fact that the Kranta have a fairly common mech that's humanoid is actually a plot point. So we'll get there when we get there, ok? :)

US Aliens 4: Petchi

Ah, Petuchi. The starfishiest of all the Starfish Aliens.
The sky really is the limit as to what these guys can look like. My favorite part about them--which is also the part that will be hardest to convey--is that their bodies are largely like puppets. But since they can mold their bodies however they like, they don't necessarily keep one form all the time. So, say a Petuchi wanted to grab a pen on a high shelf or something like that. It would just extend its arm further to get there, and it might not change it back. Skilled and mature Petuchi usually do maintain one form at a time, but there's no real rule saying they can't change things up when it's convenient. If they need an extra arm, no one will stop them from making one. :P 

US Aliens 3: Lleetchans

Another thing I didn't mention: both Lleetchans and Eureshans were given technology by the Britgotians. Neither are particularly aggressive species (I mean, Eureshans evolved from plants), so they all get along pretty well. Matter of fact, Britgotians are just about the only species on the planet that have emotions in the way we think of them.

US Aliens 2: Eureshans

 

One thing I didn't mention up there is that Eureshans are sort of the Asari of the US universe. In other words, nearly every species considers them stunningly beautiful and sensual. It's the filaments. Ooh la la.

So one option for poor young Eureshans that need to grow out their filaments is to put down roots in a bar or such a seedy place, and let people... play with them... until they reach maturity. Ahem.

US Aliens 1: Britgotians

(What I hope to be) one of the main draws of Under Stars is that there are at least a dozen alien races, many of which are central to the plot, all of which are actually alien. There are no Star Trek-ish-humanoid-substitute-for-a-real-world-culture aliens here. 

You heard me. Different customs, languages, mindsets, etc, for all of them. And none of them will look remotely human. 

...this might take a while. 

With that in mind, here's the first! As you can tell, Britgotians were obviously inspired by crabs-- the main difference being, as I noted, that they stand on only two of their legs. They've got crazy powerful muscles in those legs, lol. 

They also share a planet with three other sentient species, which will be posted next. Oddly enough, Britgotians are the most similar to human beings of these four species. You'll see what I mean. 

Incidentally, many of the aliens in US started out as silly-looking humanoid scribbles (when I was much younger), and all of them have now turned into Starfish Aliens. Britgotians were originally green-skinned horny midgets. Let that sink in for a minute. :P

Samus 7

I'm beginning to think this idea is going nowhere. Sure, I have a rough story; sure, I have the beginnings of a script, but... idk. I think this is a bit of a failed effort at this point. Especially this cover. Just goes to show, when I try really hard to make something epic, I usually end up trying too hard. You know?

Samus 6

Title concept, and some drafts for the draft of the draft of the cover. :P
And a rough concept of a very, very fucked up Chozo.

Rin's Army

"She looked like a statue. Or a zombie. Or a statue of a zombie."
I have no idea why, but this is quickly becoming my favorite expression to draw.