Comic 072

[VirBot]

[EmperorDJ]

Hat number 3!!!

[Geary]

That is the best tactic for dealing with salesman, aside from a punch to the face

[Xim]

As funny as this is, I wouldn't mind if the comic returned to the actual storyline. ;)

[Virmir]

Ha ha... I knew someone would mention this at this exact point when I wrote the script.

Also, someone posted in the shoutbox:

Crimlius: Virmir,always remember topic..I have seen people who have made great comics,but in the end..They made very off topic...

I can understand reading these week-by-week that things might appear to drag a bit.  I considered making the two before this one a full page to help speed things up a bit, but those are really draining, and I want to save those for really major comics. 

It might seem to you guys that the past few pages are getting off-track because you're only reading a few seconds of story per week, but remember now that I'm writing the script with the intention of each page to be read back-to-back, and less to satisfy weekly updates. When you look at these pages in the archives, the past month of updates takes something like 90 seconds to read.  So why it might seem to drag for you, the faithful weekly readers, to the complete story as written front-to-back, it's a brief aside I'm using to establish some character traits.

I'm really sorry things are going so slow with this comic!  Really, this thing should be twice or even three times per week given the size of the comics, and the tiny chunk of story presented in each one.  But I don't really think I'm up to the task-- at least not yet.  I really appreciate the honest comments, though.   And don't worry-- The Plot resumes next week.

[KaiAdin]

Haha, ah right! even on the chat there were murmurings of comments along those lines and such

But thinking about it now yea, the whole sequence does go quite quickly! I actually haven't done a proper read of it in one sitting yet, I think I should do soon, I've started to forget details from the beginning of the comic.

Speaking of putting things onto one page... Somehow I think with the scope of this story, graphic novel page updates might actually work out better? (just like what you did in the beginning) though its would probably take a bit more pain/suffering to crank out a whole comic page out per week.

[Virmir]

I'd love to do pages in more of a graphic novel style.  Unfortunately, those are pretty draining.  Also I seem to like writing for three- (or occasionally four-) panel strips a bit better.  Might consider playing around with the idea in the future though.

[Sheogorath]

This comic has much potential,I'm looking forward to new additions into the story plot of Crimson flag.

[Virmir]

Thanks, Sheogorath.

[Lopez]

Yeah...backing up Virmir's point, Voltar needs to talk to ALL THREE potential customers on his ship. Just talking to two of them would seem...un-Voltar-ish.

And, I also like the three/four panel strips. As I have learned, turning to graphic novel style pages is only one step away from madness. This style gives the story a very even flow per update.

[Sheogorath]

Umm...@Lopez...Virmir can make a graphic novel in the future with this martial easily at Lulu.com,he just needs to finish the story and said that I hope he's nowhere near done since I myself would like to see this later become a series.Also @Virmir,you should show off your comics on youtube...It will be worth it in the long run..

[KaiAdin]

Yeah...backing up Virmir's point, Voltar needs to talk to ALL THREE potential customers on his ship. Just talking to two of them would seem...un-Voltar-ish.

I that would be true... but I from the point of view of someone reading the comic weekly, its been the same joke 3 weeks in a row, but yes from the point of view of an archive reader.. and even in he future, Print edition readers would not find it as repetitive.

And, I also like the three/four panel strips. As I have learned, turning to graphic novel style pages is only one step away from madness. This style gives the story a very even flow per update.

Thats the thing 3/4 panel strips are usually meant for the 'gag' a day format strips.. Setup-Conflict-Resolution kind of thing, but Virmirs story dosent fit that format, its a generally heavier and longer story with an definite story arc. Thats why I feel that a graphic novel format would do more justice to the comic.

I would disagree with the even flow per update comment, as well even though the current flow is meant for archive readers and future print format comics, there are still the weekly readers coming back every saturday (or friday night) coming to be entertained, and from the sounds of the comments, they might be getting a little bored. What good is attarcting new readers of the current ones are dropping the comic since the weekly update flow is too slow for them.

Though it might drive the author insane.. maybe it might be better for the story itself in the long run. 'cause even though archive reader reads each strip in 30 seconds, clicking to the next one itself constitutes as a "mini scene change" spearing things a bit in the readers mind, I would argue a with a graphic novel page, more plot advancement could be crammed into each 'scene' before the scene 'changes' when the page is turned.

I guess the trick would be balancing out how the story flows between weeks, as well as in the long term, the story flowing well when read all in one sitting.

[KaiAdin]

Umm...@Lopez...Virmir can make a graphic novel in the future with this martial easily at Lulu.com,he just needs to finish the story and said that I hope he's nowhere near done since I myself would like to see this later become a series.Also @Virmir,you should show off your comics on youtube...It will be worth it in the long run..

Oh! as Virmirs said on the chat.. he has enough meterial for hundreds of strips :3, so hopefully we'll be getting a updates for ages yet!

[Sheogorath]

@KaiAdin,I understand that Virmir has the material to make these graphical style strips..I'm referring to him having the material to publish this when finished,in which I stated that Lulu.com would be a great start for publishing such a title..I also added that it would be interesting to see a series depending on where he goes for the ending of his first crimson flag comic.

[Lopez]

Yeah, putting this on Lulu would be a neat idea. However, I don't really see Virmir creating another spin-off series after he finishes Crimson Flag, (though, perhaps, Virmir can decide that for himself! )

Right, Kai. It's a tough bind. With comics like Garfield you don't need to keep readers for 30-run updates, while with comics like X-men you don't need to worry if an individual comic isn't in itself interesting as long as it adds to the overall story.

Virmir is SMACK IN THE MIDDLE. You have to worry about BOTH of these things. So I see your point, Kai; a graphic novel format might be able to do both of these things better, since it would give the artist more space to play with.

I'll have to admit, that is the reason I stopped keeping up with Alkaelae (http://akaelae.cyantian.net/2003/06/13/06132003/). The story arcs were good but the individual strips felt so disjointed after a while that I realized I could only keep up by reading whole chapters at a time.

So, I'll share your sentiment, I hope the same thing doesn't happen to Crimson Flag. But the problem that ended up plaguing Alkaelae was oversaturation of characters; I don't see that problem happening in Crimson Flag too soon.