The Scholar and the Seawal: Page 7
LOOK! Look at what, you wonder? Well, I’M looking at all that high-octane action aboard the ship! Look at those lutren go! Captain Hekkit also finally gets mentioned by name, thanks entirely to Jayelle who realized this was a perfect spot for it and I never actually mentioned his name in the script–which is a bad habit I’m working to break!
Actually, going back to the first thing I mentioned, I love the movement and sense of activity Jayelle’s captured in this page. I especially appreciate Isa looking out to the polcan ship with dread as the sea breeze dramatically flares out her robe. The angular panels also lend to an overall feeling of chaos and disorder! It’s fun details like that I enjoy seeing come together in these pages.
Also, last observation–is it just me or does it look like Hekkit in panel 1 is about to yell “OBJECTION!” ala Phoenix Wright?
Yes? No?
Anyway! See you all next week!
A great page indeed, for all the reasons mentioned.
As for names … yes, names have power. I’ve found in my own writing that when I feature very minor supporting characters without naming them, there’s just something blah about the way their scenes unfold. But once I name them – no matter how minor they are, even if they only have a single line of dialogue in a novel-length work, or only appear in one scene – they take on a weight and heft they otherwise lack. And now that we have a Hekkit here, his moustache takes on greater gravity than mere gray bristles can account for.
A super page!
“is it just me or does it look like Hekkit in panel 1 is about to yell “OBJECTION!” ala Phoenix Wright?”
Yes. Also, in panel two both Hekkit and Isa seem pretty unimpressed by Hekkit’s preformance on the Emergency Vuvuzela.
Also, also, Shirtless Guy’s not giving up his basket of black watermelons without a fight, that’s for sure!
Isa’s facial expressions throughout this story have been magic; like a case study in smug.
Random prediction: it’s has a Felis scholar on board and they’re gonna negotiate a bit of a ceasefire.
I was also thinking that maybe this is a ship that’s already been through a battle and been captured by the lutren, in which case, no worries!
It may even NOT be the Polcan…
I’m pretty sure it is. But I also think we’re going to see the Seawal in a couple of panels.
I’m very worried for pretty Isa
Hmmm, a catapult as a weapon on a ship. This your own idea, or did you find it in research? Either way, it’s certainly an interesting idea. Near impossible to be terribly accurate, but at least it keeps you at range.
It was something Rachel introduced in the prologue, actually! I really liked the idea of the lutren being experts in the catapulting arts, so I kept it in for this story as well.
In my own Redwall fanfics, I give the searats catapults on their larger ships. Not sure if that’s anything BJ ever included in his own novels, but wotever.
Yikes, I need to catch back up on the story. Everything looks…different!