IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR!!!
It’s another weird deep dive into the bizarre sorts of costumes you’ll see at the Spirit Halloween store … only even weirder!
As for this comic…
Uuuuuggggggghhhhh.
The production of this comic was a full-blown comedy of errors which made the process interminable, draining and just a little nightmarish. My graphics program crashed a few times, leading to lost work. (I do save frequently and carefully with multiple benchmark save files, so I never lose more than fifteen minutes’ work or so. But it’s still annoying.) And then, worst of all, I discovered when coloring the comic that I’d made a terrible continuity error: in the previous strip, Daphne had her hair back in a ponytail as she usually does before going to bed. And I’d drawn her in this strip with her hair down.
I draw these comics on paper, with real ink and such. I don’t really ‘draw’ digitally at all. I don’t own a stylus, or a drawing tablet, or any such thing. If I need to add a drawn detail to the comic in post, it has to be drawn with a mouse. It’s not impossible, but it’s a pain. So I had to carefully alter every single pic of Daphne and digitally change the hair style. Yes, I could have left it as it was, but it would have been a weird shift, so I fixed it.
There were a bunch of other details that went wrong too, but it’s done now. I think. Let me know if I’m not. It was only five minutes ago that I noticed that the Daphne pic in panel two wasn’t clipped inside the panel frame yet, so her legs extended down outside the box. So I’m batting a thousand this week.
If that’s them, I can understand why they’d think Satan’s still a threat to their plans. He moved into a low-income, low-moderate crime area next door to some small organized crime group. His wife is planning a wedding with the lady of the house. The man of the house has a network of computer geeks and miscellaneous techie friends. His daughter is now in the parks, rallying hobos, and communing with wildlife. He’s resumed his job as Mayor with the same apathy and disinterest he had before. He’s consulting with a wolf-girl, who’s in a relationship with the son of academics.
From their perspective, he’s slowly laying plans, cultivating allies, feigning weakness, as he slowly prepares to reclaim his empire.
I think they’re just keeping tabs on him. Just in case. Not sure they fully comprehend the nature of this household yet.
Nice glass reflecting Daphne’s face in this unique update. It was a great showcasing of the seriousness of the current situation and how deep Daphne is in if she goes on with her plans.
Wasn’t sure I’d even get that reflecting panel shot to work, but I’m glad it does.
What a shame this was a pain to draw, because the lighting is awesome!
You don’t really need the dialogue to get the emotion (although aren’t you an English teacher? might be hard to go without dialogue)
Yeah, panel three kicks butt.
A lack of dialogue means the visuals have to do the storytelling. I do not trust my visuals.
EG You always talk about not being an artist, but panel three is amazing.
Also, good job being creepy.
Thanks. I’m happy panel three turned out. It started as disparate elements drawn on multiple sheets of paper, and I had no idea if I would be able to assemble them into a cohesive whole.
Voyeurism must run in their branch of evil. (It’s pyromania in mine. Both the disorder AND the Def Leppard album).
They like to watch. And I was about to make some random comment about a deep album cut off Pyromania, but then I realized I’ve never really listened to that album. I was thinking of Hysteria.
Curious, American property law would consider that drone to be trespassing. What would Canadian law, say since both legal systems stem from similar roots?
Of course, I’d take it down with a fishnet from behind for trespassing, spying, voyeurism, claim salvage from taking the drone down and call the cops. Emphasizing on the porch level peeking. Just hope Daphne gets some video footage of it first.
I’m sure there would be legal recourse for this. But we live in a lawless world where the money buys the power. So I’m assuming the authorities shan’t help.
Satan’s still the mayor. He could make new city rules about the use of drones and a lot of other things.
It’s unlikely to stop the rich guys, but it’s a small annoyance they’ll have to either pay fines or fight.
And generally when you fight any form of government, everyone loses.
I’m not sure he even has control of the governing body anymore. He only has the power of video games anymore.
Could just be nosy neighbors.
Sure. Keep telling yourself that.
I particularly love Daph’s eyes in the now legendary panel 3.
Terrific artwork! I must say, though – I’ve never wished more that she had a tail!
Hm, invasion of privacy and illegal surveillance as a start of charges. Though I could see either of our fiery ladies waltzing out there with a Louisville slugger to do some batting practice.
. . . . this is actually a compliment to Satan. The cabal consider him worthy of being spied upon! Hmmm . . . maybe the household could pull a 47 Ronin on the cabal. That’s when loyal retainers to a wrongfully executed lord pretend not to care, lulling the criminals into thinking themselves safe, then ATTACK! . . . . in the case here, use Puck and Colin’s wedding in the park as cover!
I foresee trying to spy on this house ending poorly. Rather, ending in violence and flames, which drones typically deal with poorly.
There are only two members of the house I don’t see as charging out with a baseball bat and taking a swing; one is too depressed, the other I’m not confidant can walk on her own.
It took me a moment to appreciate scale. I thought the drone was an actual, very large, spaceship. Which would mean crap got real, for sure, but on an entirely different level.
Being that this is a Canadian drone, albeit with an infernal engine, I’m assuming the drone is not armed? Is this going the way of all assumptions?