My scripts are usually pretty detailed, but this is one of those times Marc and I worked in the ‘Marvel Style’–I give Marc the general idea and he illustrates it accordingly, deciding how he wants to break things into panels and what he wants to show. I’ve learned to do this as much as possible with fight scenes because Marc’s affinity for that sort of thing far outstrips mine (as proven by the 300 strips I drew myself). He didn’t disappoint here. So much so that I opted not to add any dialogue. You just don’t need it and I’m a huge fan of silent breaks in comic-style storytelling. Works as is.
Tomorrow: More fan art from Jason Williams! Wanna see his take on Spy Gal?
Is that the C.O.W. who is fighting SpyGal?
Indeed it is!
An amazing strip. Action, character, and great use of minimalistic plotting.
I’m not saying there is minimal plotting… well, there is, but it is used as a Good Thing here, and used very well.
Brock, don’t do yourself down. Yes, Marc does draw well, but a) you provide the impetus, the story, the characters, and b) your art style is different. That is all. Not worse, not better. Different.
I can agree with you to a point, Spike (and I thank you). But whatever strengths I have as an artist, they do not lie in action scenes. I’m just terrible at rendering them, no matter how hard I try. That’s one of the reasons I made all my superheroes old–took the pretty off having to show them fighting. As the the story evolved into the more action-oriented tale it is now, I’ve been certainly grateful to have a more capable artist like Marc take over.
“Different” also means “better/worse for different things”. For the comedic setting in a not very eventfull retirement home, your style was, in my humble opinion, more suited than Marc’s would have been. Of course, since things change on that, it may be better that he takes care of the art.
Anyway, it’s always a matter of perspective and intended use.
That’s very true. It’s possible Marc would even agree with you that his style isn’t as well suited to “inaction heroes.” I know he LOVES drawing action and coming up with dynamic poses for the heroes and villains… and I so don’t. The more I think about it, the more I think the change from me to Marc came at exactly the right time.
Wait a second. Alternate Swifty is wearing Yellow! It’s Reverse Flash! He’s evil!
How did I see it before? Swifty is the mastermind!
I agree, this page does not need speech or sound effects, especially since they would have drawn attention from the nice change of backdrop in the different panels.
I really dig Captain Will’s custome, both serious and super hero-y + simple a cool visual.
Alternate Swifty is freaking me out. That guy seems to have fun with a fight, and not even in a sarcastical way. He can’t really be Swifty’s counterpart, he has to be another speedster that looks similar.
Either that or Swifty’s grouchiness isn’t a universal constant, but that seems to be hard to believe.
Also, I just realised something about SF that always was present but not clear to me. The entire superhuman population basically stagnated with the oldtimers. We never saw any young villains, the Society of Heroes can afford to sit around all day and still be the go-to super group and what something goes down, Valhalla has to do something about it. Imagine there is a super crime and nobody showed up.
And no look at the old fighters in avalon. Well in shape, still very active and apparently leading the young ones in battle.
Very intersting, but I don’t know what to do with it.
Back in the day, Tangerine was insanely energetic. Like, “Daffy Duck on meth” type of energetic. To further clarify exactly how energetic he was…The Energizer Bunny is Daffy’s drug dealer in this scenario.
With Tangerine like that, and Captain Spectacular unable or unwilling to stop him (whether by memories of old kindness, or because of a fear of head-splattering)…
The options for young supers must have been awfully limited.
“Now Jimmy dear, eat your vegetables”
“But Mom, I don’t wanna eat my vegetables–I wanna eat meat, like the Mighty Master Masticate! And I told you my name is DeathHead!”
“Now DeathHead, how many times do we have to go over this? Master Masticate is not a good role model–He is a dead role model. Do you want to be dead?”
“No, Mom…”
“Good, that’s what I though–Now be a good boy, Jimmy, and eat your vegetables.”
“Yes, Mom…”
I enjoyed that laugh.
You guys are hitting on something fundamental to the story here, I think. What does the older generation leave behind for the younger one? What world do they give and how does the younger generation find their place within it? The younger heroes on the Earth we’ve been following all this time were, basically, terrible. Why is that? And why is it on Earth-Avalon the older and younger work side-by-side?
Y’know, telling the story of how the old Society of Heroes transitioned to the new one would make for a good SFO.
I’d say this further supports the theory that the Lodge of Doom in this universe are in a bad shape. This fight seems very one sided. Also, the Society of Heroes seems to be in a much better shape here than in the original universe, physically speaking :/
I can’t really comment on this.
Old age is optional…Old age is optional…It’s no longer “comment of the week”, it’s now become my personal mantra.
Old age is killing me–I’m only 22 years, and my shoulder dislocated while I was swimming, two weeks ago.
My commentary on the strip, now: Terrific work, as always. Though…Unless Thrice has destructive capability with the trident (rather than only illusory/mental), he’s fighting with just his fists. The Society of Heroes currently are immune to the mental effects of his trident, or they wouldn’t be challenging him. That means…
When is EA Swifty gonna say “Hey, this old man almost looks a lot like…me” ?
Yikes. Sorry to hear about the shoulder.
Thrice’s Trident can do more than just mess with people’s minds, that much I can confirm.
Hang in there, bad guys!