While we're here I want some feedback on Dwan's death and then I'll tell you what I'm thinking.

So, was it a shock? Was it unexpected? Or could you see it coming?

I will say I wasn't trying to shock anyone but it's impossible for me to know how this reads to anyone else. I have no idea how it played out to a reader.

Also I realize the visual might remind people of Dark Superboy in Infinite Crisis but this was conceived way back in the 90s so I wasn't changing it because of that. Especially for that story.

New Page 42:

I like that.

Thanks for the help, Beachy, and everyone.

I should have darker trampled grass in panel 4 leading up to where he jumps.

And splashy stuff in panel 6.

The colorist has his work cut out for him.

If I can get y'all to talk about Dwan while I'm off writing this stupid story that would be great.

SUNUVABITCH.

It took me as long to draw that mansion as it has whole pages before. There was nothing at that angle but by God that's the angle I wanted so I by God had to actually draw it. And all the adjoining grounds and add the split level. And it's STILL got problems.

Middle panel look great but Lionman doesn't really stand out anywhere.

*Edited to fix 'greasy' typo.

Well, "greasy" is certainly a new criticism.

As for the rest, ah well, we'll just put it down to me being a lousy comic artist. Cause I ain't changing it now.

The only problem is that real muscles change shape as limbs and the body move around -- obviously, toy muscles are static no matter which way you move them.

True, but you can get help with the foreshortening. Gene Colan used to tell us to use action figures.

Greasy and slick was Byrne's criticism of Bob Layton's inks.

At least Paulo didn't say "gay".

Yeah, and it's this that makes the difference between what looks like 'static' and 'animated' comic art, it seems to me. The trick is to pose the toys in extreme postures and to try out different viewing angles - the more extreme the better. Obviously this is not for all panels, but those which require dynamism. And to use this for layouts, not for the whole illustration - otherwise Hanzo's right about the musculature - and also the sheen of plastic everything would exhibit...

I haven't actually had to use a figure since page 41. Maybe that's the problem.

The mansion looks good enough, not greasy.
Did you try rotating an image of a mansion to that angle?

So, on page 44 above, lose captions 3,4, & 5?

No. To rotate I'd have to have some sort of 3D program, and I ain't got one nor the patience to try and learn a new program this far into it. All I had were street level views and one very dodgy Google Earth view which was basically useless (Google Earth worked GREAT on the AON cover but Manhattan skyscrapers are rendered a little better than some obscure 2 story building). Plus I wanted THAT building. So I did it the old fashioned way. Plus I wanted changes to the original building. And the grounds were completely made-up.

Thankfully, I won't have to draw that again from any angle. Only interiors now for one room. Figuring that out will be enough.

That building will, however, feature prominently in practically every issue I can foresee. But that's the next artist's problem.

If I were to do it I would definitely look into some sort of 3D program, even one that costs actual money. But in another 3 or 4 pages I'm thinking my drawing comics days are over.

What the?!

Must be a trick of the updated iPhone messaging whatever. Meant to say "great". Technology can be a real dick sometimes.

Here's as close as I could get on the GE version. As you can see it's a mess. And way too elevated an angle. So it wasn't much of a crutch.

I THOUGHT that didn't sound like you but I thought maybe you'd had a bad day.

"Great" is better.