Fusion #4 (Part 2)

[essaybee]

For those of you've been enjoying my posts of Fusion (and again thanks to everyone who's given me feedback), here's part 2 of Issue #4, featuring the introduction of another villain. This brings this giant-sized issue to roughly its halfway point, and I'll post the 3rd and final part (as well as a brief epilogue) when I wrap up work on the issue.

You can read the first part of this issue (as well as find links to the previous issues) at http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/2550098.html?#cutid1

For those who want to follow the comic instead of wait for a batch post here, I upload on Tuesdays at http://www.drunkduck.com/Essay_Bee_Comics_Presents_Fusion/

Comments

[torberg]

I just want to say that this is adorable.

[essaybee]

Thanks!

[greenmask]

Well, I am enjoying it. Especially Grasshopper's Grasshopper motif!

I will say the hiiiiigh number of speech bubbles per panel are kind of crossing my eyes, though.

[punishermax]

Yeah, art is nice, overall idea is fun, but a huge amount of bubbles and bubbles that have waaaay too much text kinda obscure it a bit.

Damn good though.

[essaybee]

Yeah, wordiness is always one of my problems. First issue had waaaay too much internal narration, and I know there's a ton of dialogue in this issue. Much of the "action" of this series is in the dialogue, and there's a lot of information (or gags) that I want to cover. Many of the seemingly throw-away details will have repercussions down the road, so it's stuff that needs to be there for the story. Plus, with Inkblot, all of the talking is sort of reverse-psychology--he's a villain who's convinced of his mental superiority and loves to talk and gloat, so much of Grasshopper's "strategy" is to turn the tables on him and put him down verbally and out-talk him (and Fusion's quick to catch on as well). I could spread the dialogue out over more panels, but I set page limits for myself, which tends to cram the pages with text. Plus, I tend to minimize the number of panels (meaning more text has to go in fewer panels) because of time constraints--I try to get one page done a week, which is often tricky to do with a family and full-time job, and more panels means more time.

All of this is just a means of explaining why I tend to cram so much text in a page but does not mean that I think it's a good thing. I'm with you guys and know that ideally things would be spread out more, but I hope that the dialogue is fun enough to read that it doesn't detract from the story's fun or make the pages tedious to read.

[greenmask]

Yeah, wordiness is always one of my problems.

Hahaha, I see that! :D

I can understand time constraints, and such.. but honestly I did find myself skimming some of the dialogue because there was just SO MUCH of it. Which is a shame, because as you say it IS fun dialogue.

A different font might help, or speech bubbles that look more integrated into the art? Like, instead of a white speech background, maybe ecru or a soft, very pale sunset-peach. In most of your panels even the eyeballs aren't white and you use true white to signify the GLOWING when she powers up - using black on lots of white in the many speech bubbles throws the focus off and makes it seem like the comic is glaring at me. I find myself doing that squint-boggle-try-again thing every now and then as I'm reading.

[essaybee]

Hmm. An off-white background to the speech bubbles is an interesting idea. As you note, I don't use pure white in the art [except for her lit-up and glowing pupils; her glow is actually a blue-tinged color (216, 229, 242 in RGB values to be exact)]. I'll have to experiment with different background colors, although I wouldn't employ any changes until the fifth issue (just to keep this issue's look uniform). I've also thought about changing the font a bit. I like the Digital Strip font I currently use, but I would really like to find a font similar to the font used in Ultimate Spider-Man; the mix of upper and lowercase may make things easier on the eyes. (Again I'll have to experiment.)

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions! They're definitely ideas I'll experiment with!

[greenmask]

That's my pleasure. :]

I'll look forward to seeing what you go with!

[damianwayne]

Have to say, I liked the first few and your character designs are really good... but it seems everyone who meets this girl loves her, and she has a huge amount of control over her powers for a supposed rookie.

I don't mean this in a venomous way, but...4 issues in and everything rainbows and lollipops... just a tad Sue-ish, no?

[essaybee]

Don't worry--I didn't take the criticism as "venomous" in any way. It's a good point. Some of it has to do with my approach to the story and characters and some of it has to do with the fact that the story is just beginning.

Regarding my approach to story and characters, although I love tension between heroes, pretty much everyone in SAS has a lot of respect for each other (even if they don't necessarily like each other). There are personality conflicts, but the characters generally keep them as private as possible. Case in point, in the third issue, before Brooder storms off to reprimand Fusion, he orders Grasshopper to stay on the roof. Brooder knows what's going on and what he's going to do, but he also knows it's no business of Grasshopper's so he makes sure his confrontation with Fusion is private (except for Capt Stupendous--but Stupendous and Riveter are about the only people Brooder would take into confidence, and he knows they're not blabbermouths). With the exception of Grasshopper, all of the heroes Fusion's come into contact with are old pros, and they all recognize her youth and eagerness and their positive attitude is a means to encourage her and make her feel like part of the hero community (as well as the fact that most of the heroes Fusion's encountered are just nice folks to begin with).

As for the overall-story aspect . . . These first 4 issues compose the "Welcome to My Life" story arc in which the major characters/plot elements for the entire series will be introduced. Issue 5 will start a new story arc that will get more serious (and a major aspect of it has been introduced already). Needless to say, although there will be plenty of goofiness in the upcoming stories, things will get a lot more serious too. Not to give too much away--although the hero community is fairly tight, outside of that community and things elsewhere in the world aren't all rainbows and lolipops, and you'll be seeing some of that soon.

[icon_uk]

Nice art style, but I have to ask, what about her poor date that she left to go to the bathroom on, and then just... left? Unless I missed a panel there's no reference to the poor bloke again.

[essaybee]

Yeah, she knows she left her date, and it's one of the things she's fretting about when she talks about letting everyone know she's okay. For privacy issues, she only talks about her family to the other characters, but she knows about Shane worrying too. This will be discussed on the next page (the first page of the next scene) when she briefly informs us about her parents' and Shane's reaction to the night's events.

I don't suppose it's a spoiler to say that, after chaos broke out when Barry opened fire and Shane couldn't find Savunn, he phoned her parents, who then phoned him when they found out she was just being questioned by the police.

[blackruzsa]

Love her. LOVE her.
Although she does realize she did just leave her date hanging?

[essaybee]

Glad you like her! Whether the comic succeeds as entertainment depends ENTIRELY on readers liking her, so it's good to know she's liked (or, even better, loved).

About Shane, her date, she does know she left him, and this'll be briefly discussed on the next page.

[psychopathicus_rex]

Inkblot's a but of a glutton for punishment, isn't he? I mean, all he's got to do is make a NEW pattern for his mask, and he'll defuse Grasshopper's taunts completely. His theme and everything would still be the same, but nooooooooo - he's gotta wait until Grasshopper ACKNOWLEDGES him, which at this point, he never will.

[essaybee]

Yeah, Inkblot's ego is probably his biggest enemy. And, as you said, odds are Grasshopper will never acknowledge him as "Inkblot"--especially when he keeps providing names like "Inkcrap."