Chapter 2: Page 75
I know a number of readers hypothesized the possibility of a last-minute save or turnaround for our one-eyed Ermehn warrior, but that’s the thing with a life or death battle — victory truly does mean the difference between life and death. With his fall from atop Deltrada’s battlements, his work with Hardin and the Sratha-din has come to a rather abrupt end. As the old saying goes, “flying is easy, landing is hard.”
We’re getting ready for our 2015 convention season, which at this point is likely to consist of three conventions:
C2E2: April 24-26 (Alex and Rachel)
Boston Comic Con: July 31st-August 2nd (Alex)
Hartford Comic Con: September 19-20 (Alex)
I’m also looking at the Special Edition: NYC event in June, but we’ll have to see how that registration process goes.
This week, a little bit of fun guest art from Jerome Jacinto! With all this animosity we see between the Ermehn and the Canid up north, it can be hard to remember that there are places within the Four Kingdoms where such strife is but a faraway rumor of a rumor. It’s also important to remember that one cannot sum up an entire species as “always hating every member of another species” — there are always outliers, and that’s what this new piece from Jerome gets across!
These two guys are actually some background characters from the upcoming side story — no names, no backgrounds per se, but you saw them earlier in the black and white teaser image a couple weeks ago. Jerome loved them so much he stuck them into the comic proper and did this artwork of them — you’ll have to see if you can spot them when the comic starts!
Uh oh! Well, Quin’s not going to have a lot of time to think about it right now. Of course, after the battle’s over…
QUINLAN (staring wistfully over the battlements as echoes of events long past reflect in his eyes):
…
DAKKAN (furiously punching ermehn attackers):
“Oh my gods, Quinlan! THIS IS NOT THE TIME!”
Or, in Pokemon style:
Quinlan attempts to use Item: Nostalgia!
Dakkan: No, Quin! Now is not the time to use that!
“Why did you hold back?”
“I don’t know, grandpa! Could you PLEASE stop pulling me into the afterlife to talk to me everytime I kill someone? It’s getting old! Errr… No offense!
HA! I knew he was dead! It’s a tragedy and all but I called it~ And it looks like someone is having a stressful moment over their first non-Treewalker kill. Third panel is a very haunted face indeed. And aw, baby Quin. ;_; In other news, I love the grinning Canid and Ermehn best bro duo, and the fact they’re canon–if just background characters–makes me very happy.
This is one of those awkward situations in which you are happy if the calamity you predicted came to pass and dissapointed if it doesn’t.
You know, every time I see a fantasy creature behaving amicably towards other beings, I wonder if Aragorn had the right idea in killing all those orcs….
I expected many things. Feyn’s skull splitting on the cold, hard Deltrada ground was one of them. A “young Quin with Caldus” flashback was not. One wonders how Caldus would feel about Quin’s lack of holding back in this case.
Seeing an Ermehn and a Canid having a friendly moment makes me more eager than ever to read Jerome’s side story when it comes. It’ll be ironic in a fun way to see a pair of friends cross species lines, especially when they are the same species who are trying to run each other through with sword in the current storyline.
I look forward to seeing this flashback, more of the battle, the end of Chapter 2, and Jerome’s story. It’s a good time to be a BWD fan!
Feyn?
One Eye.
Rachel revealed his name in comments late last week.
OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD WHAT?!
Okay well there goes Feyn, kinda sad to you go buddy, and hello new backstory/flashback/awesome plot threads. The next few weeks’ pages are going to be great. I’m really looking forward to more relationship history with Caldus and Quinlan. Awesome!
Everytime I see Jerome’s artwork I have more and more faith in his part in BWD’s story. The art is amazing. Just amazing.
♪ We said: “Maaaaan, this character’s too much of a redshirt!” We threw him on the GROUND! ♪
Ironically, Quinlan’s the only one on that battlement wearing a red shirt!
Okay, I laughed; last place I expected to see The Lonely Island today.
They said the wolves would be reasonable.
Get in, get out again,
And no one gets hurt.
I look down at my,
Red shirt.
I look down at my,
Red shirt.
That’s a horrible thing to say! Funny, but horrible!
It always intrigues me when an author explains the reasoning behind a story decision or characterization moment.
Very rarely is said reasoning what the reader would expect.
I DON’T NEED YOUR MEDICINE! I’M AN ADULT!
I should’ve saved my last comment for this page. Oh Feyn! We will miss your hot hotheadedness and your wondrous lack of an eye. It’s a little surprising that we’re gonna get another flashback in the middle of this life and death fight, but I’m still excited to see more of Caldus since he’s honestly one of my favorite characters.
Jerome though, your talent to create such expressions sometimes scare me….in A GOOD WAY!
Ah man, that dude is totes dead, or at least suffering a great deal of head trauma.
Hey a flashback! It’ll be a nice change of scenery from all these bricks and, more bricks!
Feyn go crunch.
Feyn should have been named Faln instead. Or maybe Falyn?
Also, never would have pegged ol’ One-Eye as a screamer. After being such a brutesome brute, it’s almost a disappointment to witness his girly moment as (presumably) his last act on earth. Or on Dunia. Just goes to show that inside every bully is a wimp. Not that we didn’t still love him …
And … a flashback? Agree with Fourth; that was not expected. Let’s see where THIS goes … although hopefully it won’t take us away from the battle action for *too* long.
What did you expect him to do? Say “Aw, bollocks.” and suck it up?
Honestly, if you’re not allowed to scream after being spontaneously thrown off the side of a garrison rampart and tumbling to your crunchy death, I don’t know when you’re allowed to scream.
I believe at least one use of the Wilhelm scream is legally required in any media where somone falls from height.
I know that scream is a running gag in movies, but God Almighty I hate ever so much. It’s everywhere!
Meanwhile, in the swirling melee below . . .
FEYN: AAIIIEEEEE–*CRUNCH*
BEVAN: Whoa, hey, what was that?
RHOSYN: Was that . . . Feyn?
BEVAN: Who?
RHOSYN: From clan Rinti-gal? Remember how he got up in Hardin’s face?
BEVAN: Oh yeah, One-Eye!
RHOSYN: He hates to be called that, you know.
BEVAN: Eh, whatever. Not like he can do all that much about it anymore. Hey, didn’t he go up there with Charik and Loi?
RHOSYN: He did . . . [devilish glint appears in her eyes]. Betcha Charik goes over the side next.
BEVAN: Charik? No way! You’re on, Rhos.
RHOSYN: Alright. If you win, I’ll give you this dagger I found on a Canid Sergeant. If I win, you’re going to have to scavenge thirty crossbow bolts for me later.
BEVAN: Fair enough. [Eyes dagger enviously].
HARDIN [engaged in swordfight with Canid warrior]: We’re in the middle of a battle here! I need you two to stay FOCUSED! UNDERSTAND?!
[BEVAN and RHOSYN sigh heavily and resume fighting Canid soldiers].
Clearly he was supposed to sound-bend his way to safety, thus revealing his status as the Avatar and the true Saviour of the Ermehn.
Rest in peace, Willy, we will miss you, buddy.
So long and thanks for all the schadenfreude.
No, Feyn! We hardly knew you!
But actually, I really love that first panel. It really connects things on the ramparts to the goings-on below. In a rather crunching manner, too.
Also, can I just say that I’m pretty sure Jerome outdoes himself every time he takes on the Western Deep. Those two look like they have some really good times together.
And so ends the perception-less Ermehn’s life.
Interesting noise choise for a landing; I’d imagined more of a thud, whump or even a tok! for a landing. But a crunch? Interesting, but in a good way. Makes it seem more permanent that way.
Maybe Captain Crunch saved him? Or softened his fall?
Or someone on the floor below Quinlan just ate a carrot.
Or he hit Deltrada’s egg storage & dispensary.
Gotta love a fleshed-out backstory, but I’ll admit I would have preferred to see how Dakkan is faring.
I get the feeling that’s it’s sort of a “Week-to-week it seems like he’s been offscreen for awhile, but it’ll be better reading it in true comic book fashion” thing, though.
I know It’s hard to find the right words in stressful times such as this so I will take it upon myself to perform the official eulogy.
Ahem…
I’m certain I speak for absolutely everyone here when I bid good riddance to old ‘One-Eye’ Feyn of clan Who-Cares.
I’m sure everyone is in unanimous agreement that he was a violent brute with bad manners and bad breath who hated children and puppies* and never, ever returned a borrowed pen. Truly a contemptible person with nary a redeeming quality. When he is buried no-one will go to his funeral and no-one will visit his grave except maybe to dance a merry jig on it.
Fayn, you died as you lived: being a huge jerk.
We now commit his soul to the afterlife. May it be cramped and uncomfortable like an aeroplane seat or a student bedsit.
*I suppose in this universe children and puppies amount to the same thing.
Only Canid children overlap with puppies. Vulpin kids would be “kits” and no other species that we know of is canine. And, Feyn being an Ermehn, his hatred of Canid is not all that surprising.
Trees are just jealous of Feyn because he has legs to walk around and they don’t.
Besides, anyone would be grumpy if they had lost an eye and had to live on a tundra.
Granted, auto-locomotion is a usful phenotype for an organism to express.
On the other hand Trees have deep roots so the risk of falling from heights is reduced. They also lack the nerves to feel pain, the mouth to express shock or the brain to contemplate their demise so they can’t really complain.
Fifty shades of Feyn, even.
Anyone else feel that someone down below is going to notice an Ermehn fall from the sky? Especially given both the scream and the impact.
Quin and Dak might have even greater troubles shortly.
Nah, people falling from ramparts and parapets fits the whole pitched battle ambiance. It is expected, really.
That looks more like Ratagast’s work to me. Gandalf’s big thing with animals was talking to sheep*.
“Ewe shall not pass!”
*Not really.
Once again, a fantastic page. Even with something as simple as “He falls off”, the page caries a rise and fall of action of its own. Excellent design.
wheres dakkan?!
Where’s Kenosh!?!!
Dude, where’s my car?
Get out me car
OK, all silliness aside, I’m slightly disappointed Feyn died because I was hoping to get to know him some more… but this has officially cemented the “anyone can die” status of the comic. Hah, if Quinlan’s getting flashbacks now, I don’t want to see what’s going to happen later when he has to directly kill someone. (This better not end up like “Breaking Bad”)
Quinlan’s expressions are out to murder me. I love that look on the second panel- this is not how things were intended to go. He only meant well, (of course he did) and it’s all for the best.
As someone previously commented, the CRUNCH effect was a good choice. It feels final, and it brings to mind the sound of breaking bone/other fall-related things.
The flashback to Caldus was a wonderful choice. Unexpected, but poignant. Interesting parallel in that Quinlan took the fall in that memory. Caldus confirmed as Drill Sergeant Nasty.
Where’s the beef?!!
Perfectly tenderized every time.
the Wilhelm scream and crunch noise in the Starcraft Heart of the Swarm opening would fit this perfectly. >>
I haven’t forgotten about illustrating the six nations of the four kingdoms, I’ve just been tied up with other work. I’ll try to have each race illustrated by next week.