Welcome back.
This week’s strip was originally suppose to be the last two panels of the “Desolation Row” script I wrote, but when I fussed and fussed over the thumbnails I just didn’t feel like I was doing the moment justice by cramming it into one strip. I hope you enjoy it. I know things look a little grim for out patterned protagonist, but I never said I wanted TOACM to be primarily a humor strip. Of course no r do I want it to be all melodrama either. My main goal is to tell the kind of stories I enjoy reading and hope that others out there like the same stuff too! =o)
FOOTNOTES
- If you look close enough, the background of panel 1 is comprised of several panels from previous TOACM strips that all directly tie into what CM’s shouting about.
- In the forth word balloon in panel 1, CM mentions that CAPITOL HILL has communicated to him a) through the statue (i.e. the memorial statue in Liberty Park) as seen most recently in TOACM #157 “Series of Dreams” from 5/9/12, b) through his old Capitol Hill comic books beginning in TOACM #072 “American Idol pt.1” from 12/21/10, and c) that time when Joey “the Sloth” knocked him out at Food-O’s from TOACM #058 “Weird Tales pt.16” from 10/21/12*.
- In the last two word balloons CM references the Dark Cloud, the Isle of Terror, Castro the island ghoul, and the Bunny Idol. For the keen observers out there, the isle was first seen in the background of panel 6 of TOACM #050 “Weird Tales pt.8” from 9/23/10. The Dark Cloud (aka M’htrew the Dark One) makes its grand entrance in TOACM #059.5 “Weird Tales pt.17 and ½” from 11/10/10. Castro the ghoul makes his first full appearance in TOACM #144 “The Isle of Terror pt.9” from 1/10/12. The bunny idol first makes a cameo appearance in TOACM #138 “The Isle of Terror pt.5” from 8/9/11 and for subsequent strips afterword until finally being fully revealed in TOACM #146 “The Isle of Terror pt.11” from 1/24/12. Whew!
- I got the inspiration for the panel 2 layout from the cover of the Soul Asylum album And The Horse They Rode In On (see image above).
I’d also like to thank to @The1Colossus, @jeffcouturier, and @DanCassity for all giving me some advance feedback on this strip which lead to some tweaks and improvements! Kudos!
Thanks again for reading. More to come next week!
-Denver
*Long time readers may remember this comic/scene differently...one of the many tweaks and improvements being done to the archive as I work on the book...
And boy do we like your stories, so keep them coming! Please.
Thanks Wouter! I’ll do my best!
Wow, that’s dramatic. Powerfully emotional strip this week, Denver. I feel bad for CM.-v
=o) Thanks Vince. I was hoping for something with some impact. Things don’t look so great for our hero now do they?
Awesome stuff. I believe in the bunny idol!
Poor CM… I just lol’d at his babbling, but of course I believe him too! Still… Can’t blame his friends for looking so skeptically at him.
He needs a hug. *hugs CM* We believe you, Hero of Exotic City.
He does sound a little crazy doesn’t he? But Mulveny, Gus, and Penelope weren’t with him on the isle they aren’t in the know on all the “big picture” stuff.
Sometimes you gotta break a few eggs to make a comic. I’ve poured through your archive and loved it! Keep it coming!
I’d buy this when it comes in print. It is that amazing to me
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Thank you! I’m working on it… =oP
Nice comic! Also that is one of my favorite albums of all time! We used to go see Soul Asylum at First Avenue in Minneapolis all the time.
That’s awesome! I’ve never been to the Twin Cities but listened to a lot of their late 80′s/early 90′s music offerings! =o)
Aaaaaaaand I’m back. And caught up. And I’m waiting for more. :p
Until then? I’ll entertain myself with my theories of things to come.