alexwoolfson
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Double Cross Scene Compilation - CH1 Pgs 27-37
🕑 Added 2024-05-31 18:06:53 +0000 UTCHey, y'all!
It's been a crazy couple months. Some rough things have been going on with my Mom's health (more hospitalizations) and I caught COVID (2nd time!) But some good things, too (my husband took me away on much needed escape this month and things with the first draft of my novel are going well).
But now I'm back at my desk and it's high-time to share another scene compilation! These pages were published way back in May-June 2019, and show the first real action set-piece of Double Cross as our heroes launch their attack against The Platinum Priestess and her minions!
This battle took up almost all of Chapter One, so I'm going to break it down into more manageable 10 pages chunks (more or less).
If you want to read the previous scene compilations (and, even better, read them all at once), you can find them on the TYP:DC Scene Compilation Collection page.
Anyway, onwards with the next scene! My DVD-style commentary is below the comic pages!
(The comics pages are full-resolution here on Patreon so feel free to zoom-in!)
Ouch.
So, let's get into what I was thinking as I wrote this scene and worked with Adam and Vero on the final pages!
Wizard Battles Are Awesome
One thing I was really looking forward to showing in this chapter was Spooky Jones and The Platinum Priestess at their peak having a full-on wizard battle. We know from previous arcs that these two have some history, but for various reasons, we've never seen them directly fight each other.
The first chapter of Double Cross was a chance for me to rectify that and because both are so powerful and imaginative, it really gave me the opportunity to stretch my own imagination to make things as visually interesting as possible.
With magic, sky's the limit in terms of what can happen and, as I often say, with comics you have an unlimited special effects budget. And that's especially true when you get the chance to work with such amazing talents as linework artist Adam DeKraker and colorist Veronica Gandini.
That double-page spread of Spooky's first blast at The Platinum Priestess is one of my favorite action-art pages in all of our comics, both in terms of linework and colors. Spooky combines Enochian and Demonic magic as he learned to do in Chapter 4 of Engaging the Enemy and The Platinum Priestess literally explodes out of that first panel at us!
But that's just the appetizer. We know The Platinum Priestess can open portals to different places with her staff, so why not send a pesky, meddling wizard all the way to Jupiter if he gets in her way! (And we know it's serious because he loses his cap!)
And likewise, he can use his ectoplasmic power to create practically anything, so why not vines to save himself and then use them to smack her into a bunch of trees like a rag doll. (I definitely had that scene between Hulk and Loki in mind when I wrote that. Not sure if that's clear, but that was the intention with the art.)
I do love quiet moments of character development and connection. But boy, do I also love me a big, spectacular action set-piece! :)
Our Heroes Get To Be Heroes
Another goal of mine with the Double Cross arc was to refocus the story on our superheroes actually saving people. Legendary was a chance to explore some 18+ content, and Past Sins gave me the opportunity to delve into Spooky's past, but ultimately The Young Protectors team are meant to be true heroes, and that means we need to see them rescuing people in epic ways.
Here we have a bunch of kids in danger and not only Spooky, but Flyboy and Cory have to step it up vs. very dangerous enemies to try to get them safe. It classic superhero stuff, just with heroes who happen to like other guys.
Cory Has To Fight
And speaking of stepping it up, I knew even before publishing the first page of Double Cross that Cory was going to need to helm his own arc in Fallen. We got to see him use his powers in the Flyboy Bonus Comic, but that was almost all reactive. If he's going to be a true protagonist, he's going to need to use his strengths with agency. This is his chance to start doing just that.
The action here is both a confidence-builder for him, but it also shows us how far he has to go before he's truly ready to be his own hero. Still, I always smile when I see that first moment when he realizes he can actually use his powers to help instead of hurt.
(And again, him using his telekinesis gave us an opportunity to try to show the action in an interesting visual manner. Some things are much easier to show with live action video than with still pictures, but I think the way Adam and Vero showed Cory knocking heads together worked really well.)
So, those are my thoughts on the latest scene compilation! Please let me know your own thoughts below. It's your feedback that makes it fun for me to create these, so please jump in and share!
And thank you, as always, for making this comic possible. Y'all truly rock. :)
Comments
Alex Woolfson
Thank you, Adam. Your reaction to what I'm trying to do here feels really good to me. Thank you for sharing it. Sorry to hear that COVID hit you, too! (And yes, getting away for a little bit felt very good.) I hope you feel better soon!
Adam Irving
I'm a little late sliding into the comments section, I know. These really are great "heroes being heroes" panels and are spectacular visuals. As you said, sometimes showing is better than telling and Adam and Vero really shine here. It's so fun to see your explanations of why you made the choices you did, peeling back the layers of storytelling. Really a "watch the movie with director commentary" kind of thing. So good! It can also be easy to think of action in comics as just an excuse to make things go Bam! Pow! but to realize the action is just as carefully constructed as dialogue or transitions is an important thing to show. Hope things are getting better on the personal front. Sometimes life can hum along just fine but sometimes it doesn't no matter what we do about it (I'm currently on my second COVID experience, so can relate there too, ugh). Your mom is lucky to have a kind and capable son to help make things better for her. Great news on at least escaping for a bit! Those small moments with the people we love can make all the difference.
RelwarcTheMighty
Urban Fantasy, huh? Fingers crossed we get werewolves, though I'm sure whatever it is will be interesting.
Alex Woolfson
Thank you, camelotcrusade! I'm glad you're enjoying the format (and the banterβI'm definitely wanting to create that traditional superhero vibe.) And I'm glad you appreciate the contrast I was trying to draw. At some point heroes really need to help peopleβand in a way that no one else couldβto really be heroes. At least in my opinion. :)
Alex Woolfson
Thank you, Allen! Very glad you're liking these! (And I look forward to getting back to Cory, too!)
Alex Woolfson
Doing my best, Bill. :)
Alex Woolfson
Glad to hear you're curious about the novel, Relwarc! It's an urban fantasy with a gay hero, and hits the tropes I like to hit. I'm excited to finish and publish it! :) I hope to do some kind of short prequel novella that I'll share here once I get the main book done. Stay tuned! And it has been a while since I first posted these pages! My mind gets blown by that, too! But I'm glad you're enjoying these compilations. It's fun to revisit these first scenes.
camelotcrusade
Absolutely fantastic, Alex. The battle runs so much better this way, in my opinion. I love these so much. π₯° I especially liked the portal about to suck him in and then his response -- the banter while having a mortal battle is just like a superhero movie! π¦ΈββοΈπ₯π¦ΈββοΈ I hadn't thought about the focus on saving people vs. just doing cool stuff and looking awesome while you do it. That's a nice contrast that I appreciate. π
Allen Foster
This was such a great sequence, it was very satisfying to see it all together like this! (I know I can go back and re-read, but this seamless presentation is more exciting.). As Relwarc said, Iβm glad you got a break after these difficult months, and do keep dropping hints about the novel π. Canβt wait to get back to Corey after the current plot line resolves, it was great seeing him try and succeed. Thanks for creating these, take all the time you need. They are a treat whenever they show up!
william clapie
Well, I have heard it said that life throws at us nothing we can't handle. Seems we are still moving, no?
RelwarcTheMighty
Sorry about your issues the past few months, glad you got a vacation at the end of it though! Very curious about that Novel, by the way! First I think I've heard of it? Wow, this sequence feels so long ago, lol! That's weekly webcomics for you. Love the fight between the two magic-users, and Cory gaining some confidence by bashing bad guy heads is awesome to see! Glad we're still getting these recaps and commentary! Much appreciated!
