SPQR Blues 2 part XXXXIII (completed)

[spqrblues]

The full page is done now. Well, except for a stabby-stabby panel. It's about 160K. I'm exhausted.

Comments

[la-colere.livejournal.com]

This page is totally, totally STANDING OVATION worthy! Bravo, my darling! It looks tres excellent!

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you, merci! *bows and curtseys* And even without a boob in sight! (Felix insisted on covering up in panel 5.)

[la-colere.livejournal.com]

(Felix insisted on covering up in panel 5.)

That's cause Felix is one of those BORING Romans! *winks*

[xanath.livejournal.com]

::applauds:: Well done! :D I loved it and didn't find it a bit confusing.

--Kris

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I didn't do everything exactly the way the book said not to, so I'll call it "inspired by" rather than "based on." For one thing, nobody flies in this one. Terrible oversight. In some other comic I'll have flying Romans superheroes :)

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

When the Emperor's younger son Domitian shows back up (he's the one who grew up in Nero's court), maybe he can break Felix of being so shy. Party in strip #47! I'll meet you there. Bring your own amphora.

[cyanocorax.livejournal.com]

Hee!

[kyleen66.livejournal.com]

I can't even tell you how many ways I love this page.

What I especially like aobut it is the action being darn back and forw between the panels from top and bottom and then back across.

It's really a nice piece of work.

See? If you can pull this off you'll have no trouble plotting out that certain multi-genre novel from hell project that I'm going to make you do with me. Heh heh heh.

I'm such a bad influence on you. You DO know that right?

Kissies!~

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Can one of the genres be time-travelling Roman superheroes? No? :)

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I envision something in Marvel or DC style. Mild-mannered Bobby Jones is on a student exchange program in Rome, gets bitten by a mysterious lion under the Colosseum, and becomes Super-Gladiator! He'll stay one step ahead of criminals modelled after all the worst emperors, using his amazing liony sense.

I sense a bestseller!

[amberdulen.livejournal.com]

I SWEAR I would read it.

[kyleen66.livejournal.com]

Your doing the outline Honey-love... ::snicker:: Don't forget that part.

Doh! Gotta go make you an FTP account! Sorry! Got distracted by laptop that I got working, quit working depression angst.

But I WILL make that little F*er work again! You just wait. I'm having a nice calming cup 'o tea before I take the screw driver to it again!

I will NOT be thwarted!

[la-colere.livejournal.com]

Bring your own amphora.

BYOA? So there. Just let me stuff the UNDERAGE GIRLS & BOYS and BOOZE and GOATS and A GOOSE (OR TWO) in mine and I'll be set...

[amedia.livejournal.com]

Wow. I mean, just... WOW. This is awesome!

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

What I like is the dynamic between the upper right panel and the lower left -- it explains why there is so much on the page. I am assuming this is Felix writing to the boy. (Love the cat by the way -- it is an orange cat, isn't it? It just has that orange cat smirk about the world look to it.) (grin)

Dr. Phil

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Modelled on my very own smirking cat, who likes to sit on the artwork (she's an orangey tortoiseshell, but still manages to sneer at the world).

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Thankee. Apparently drawing this wore me out so much, I had no stamina left for 24-Hour Comics Day (http://www.24hourcomics.com/) today. I curled up on furboajerboa's couch and fell asleep with pen in hand and sketchbook in lap. The DVD double feature of Hercules in New York (starring "Arnold Strong," who rumour has it went on to become governor of California) and Evil Alien Conquerors (aliens in footy pyjamas attempt to behead the entire population of Planet Earth using cocktail olive-size swords while drunk on Smirnoff Ice) didn't help me stay alert.

P.S.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Apparently the movie was also called Hercules Goes Bananas.

And the opening credits really do say starring "Arnold Stang and Arnold Strong."

P.P.S. -

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Here are some choice quotes (http://imdb.com/title/tt0065832/quotes) from this brilliant cinema experience. I just had to share.

stabby Panel

[(Anonymous)]

Assuming Felix is still one of the spearmen in this panel, rather than the guy in the bear skin, his wounding works like this. Felix's comrade warns him of spearmen coming up behind, He spins around to his left in order to get the shield in place as quickly as possible (spinning right would engage his sword faster, but would leave him vulnerable to attack substantially longer) An enemy spear strikes him in the back as he's turning, as it pierces his mail and plunges into the underlying padding, then Felix's shield knocks the spearpoint aside. So it takes a gouge out of back muscles but doesn't go as far as vital organs or damage the spine. There's probably a cracked rib or two though. He should be able to recover from that, but will have a dandy scar. So what happens when the spear point skids past? Well Felix probably continues to turn, and sorta corkscrews into the ground... his shield-companion catches him before he totally collapses, I think. That explains the next panel where the buddy is supporting him.
So is that workable for you? Just my opinion, of course. (PS, it appears the term 'buddy' comes from butties... companions who shot at the same archery butt. So shootin' buddies go back at least as far as the middle ages. Ain't language cool?
DRW
DRW.

Language is cool!

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Are you telling me that archers who shot the same guy in the butt became bosom friends? Or do I need some morning caffeine?

You are my go-to person for mayhem! Hurrah! Now that I have a workable, sensible scenario, I just need, somehow, to fit two more panels into the row. Hmm... I even think I can express that in one panel. Oh, the printed version will be ever so exciting. It will also contain more goats.

Good thing Felix is tough enough to survive all this personalised bloodshed. I'll practice drawing dandy scars. Lolla will not be pleased.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

You realise of course this means I'm going to have to figure out a way to fit a goose into #47. It might have to be paté though...

Re: Language is cool!

[(Anonymous)]

Language is cool!
meritahut
2006-10-08 01:47 pm UTC (link)
Are you telling me that archers who shot the same guy in the butt became bosom friends? Or do I need some morning caffeine?

You are a silly goose. But to answer your question directly, the archers shot at a target that wasattached to an earthen backstop called the butt (or butts) In those days you could actually Seymoure Butts at the artillery range than you could by hiding under the bleachers.... but that's another pun entirely. DRW.

[la-colere.livejournal.com]

Oo! Oo! Avisodomy! Avisodomy! But, in a pinch, I'm sure everyone would forgive you if you have to go the pate route! *winks*

Re: P.P.S. -

[amedia.livejournal.com]

Bucks? Doe? What is all this zoological talk about male and female animals?

*helpless giggling mirth*

Somebody oughtta ask the Governator about this at a press conference sometime. I swear, it sounds like the bad translations you get in the subtitles of chop-socky movies!!!